Andrew Tate Grooming The World Or The Architect of a Global Illusion?

TV documentary BBC

Shirley Yanez

2026-04-08T08:36:00.0000000 2026-04-08T08:56:33.1530000

Andrew Tate: Master Manipulator or Just Another Empty, Lost, Lonely self Proclaimed Misguided Misogynist? I watched this documentary last night and although it was shocking, once again it exposed just how sad and ridiculous social media and the world has become, so here is my take on the situation and I hope young Men will finally wake up and small a rat.

Let's STOP pretending this is complicated. This Isn't Masculinity. It's a Grift. The Dealer of a Dangerous Dream and The Man Who Taught Boys to Hate Women

What we are witnessing with Andrew Tate is not revolutionary thinking. It is not masculinity. It is not even particularly original. It is performance. A loud, carefully constructed performance built on the oldest, laziest idea in the book: That women exist to be used, controlled, and monetised.

We've seen this story before. Men chasing money, power, and excess, convincing themselves that domination equals success. The difference between Tate and figures like Jordan Belfort is not the underlying mindset - it's the packaging. Belfort, for all his chaos and addiction, eventually owned his behaviour. He exposed it. He didn't pretend it was noble. Tate, on the other hand, wraps exploitation in the language of empowerment but the truth? It turns out, Tate is just another sad lonely male influenced by a much older sad lonely dangerous manipulator called Iggy Semmelweis.

And that's what makes it dangerous? Because this isn't just about one man. It's about a system. A network. A brand. A machine that understands exactly how to tap into the insecurities of young men - loneliness, lack of direction, financial pressure - and convert those feelings into attention, loyalty, and ultimately, profit. Call it what you want - "The War Room," "Hustler's University," or something else entirely. At its core, it follows a familiar pattern: Create insecurity. Amplify it. Then sell the solution. You are not rich enough. Not respected enough. Not desired enough. But follow me - and you will be.

This is not guidance. It is marketing. And like all effective marketing, it sells a dream that is just out of reach - close enough to believe, distant enough to keep you paying. The tragedy is not that figures like Tate exist. The tragedy is how many young men are listening. Hundreds of thousands across the world are being drawn into an ideology that reduces relationships to transactions, women to assets, and self-worth to status. And here's the uncomfortable truth: This doesn't make men stronger. It makes them more disconnected. Because if you build your identity on control, you will always fear losing it.

If you build your relationships on dominance, you will never experience real connection. If you measure your worth through money alone, you will never feel like you have enough. This is not empowerment. It is a cycle. And like all cycles built on ego and insecurity, it feeds itself. There is also something else worth questioning - something often overlooked. How much of this is real. How much is performance? Because the modern influencer is not just a person - they are a product.

An influencer, by definition, shapes behaviour, attitudes, and decisions through perceived authority or lifestyle. And in Tate's world, that influence is amplified through spectacle: wealth, women, power, control. But strip away the performance, and what remains? Is it wisdom? Is it integrity?

 Or is it simply another man playing a role that keeps him relevant? Young men deserve better than this. They don't need fantasies about controlling women or extracting value from relationships. They don't need overpriced courses promising shortcuts to wealth and status.

They need truth. They need role models who teach discipline without cruelty. Strength without domination. Confidence without arrogance. And success without exploitation. Because if you really want to understand what women value - what creates attraction, respect, and connection - it will never be found in manipulation or control. It will be found in character. In emotional intelligence. In consistency. In integrity. The things that don't sell as easily online - but matter infinitely more in real life. So let's be honest. This isn't a revolution in masculinity. It's a business model. And like many before it, it profits most from the very people it claims to help. Young men are not the problem. But they are being sold one and it is time the truth was laid bare. Both Jordan Belfort and Andrew Tate have ended up in prison and are NOT the free radical thinkers they sell to the masses, so you make your own minds up.

Bec and Danny Getting All The Air Time On Married At First Sight Australia

MAFSAU has already aired in Auz so if you are watching in the UK be careful to avoid the spoilers

Holly HY

2026-04-07T09:32:00.0000000 2026-04-07T10:21:23.6370000

No spoilers here but I did make the mistake of reading some Australian press and discovering Brooke and Chris left the show before the episode aired in the UK. I found out Brook was pregnant with her ex whilst still hopeful for a reconciliation which did spoiler things a bit. I’ve been careful to avoid Australian commentary on the show since as I am in now and enjoying watching how things develop and unfold.

Many people love the dinner party episodes the best, when the fallouts usually happen. My favourites are the commitment ceremony episodes. I like the therapy elements, the questions, the reframing of behaviour and showing how we are not always aware of our own behaviour and the impact it has on others. This week I did find myself looking for the red hot water bottles on set too, (after Chris and Brooks dramatic departure last week) wondering if they’d decided to put the heating on instead on the set.

I really like reading other people’s take on the action so please add your comments as well as adding my point of view into the mix.

After last night’s commitment ceremony they are dropping like flies on Married at first Sight Australia. So much so producers changed the format for new couple Steff and Tyson, Juliette and Joel and Sam and Chris. The ways things were looking with the new matches I think they were afraid there would be no cast left if these matches were allowed to vote stay or leave the experiment too.

Much of the ceremony was not the usual tellings off from the experts but more gentle persuasion to stay put as Mel and Luke and Julia And Grayson left the process.

Mel Schilling did eloquently tackle ex military man Tyson in his quest for a “submissive” partner. Explaining to him “language is important” I found it very touching she is still making an impact on ‘manosphere’ culture and this kind of misogynistic thinking is such a brilliantly firm yet non combative way. She was so good he actually listened to her, a woman, shock horror. I found myself shouting Go Mel from the sofa.

The desire for love compounded by the desire to be on TV usually keeps people in the format but more couples, Mel and Luke and Julia and Grayson have decided MAFS Australia is not for them. We are only a month in and already Chris and Brooke and Rebecca and Steve have left too.

The last couple on the couch this commitment ceremony were Bec and Danny, the stars of the show for all the wrong reasons. Producers always hold back the best till last. Bec has been at the centre of the action for two weeks now amidst the controversial admission from Gia on camera Danny said she was his type on the outside which understandably for someone like Bec terrified of rejection sent her into a tail spin.

Bec continues to back Danny’s version of events on camera, even when grilled by the experts and then Gia added fuel to the drama alleging Bec had said off camera she believes her but can’t say that because then she has to leave, something she doesn’t want to do.

The experts drilled down asking Bec two questions, did she believe he didn’t say it, one and two does she believe the statement, Danny prefers Gia’s look on the outside. She struggled to answer pausing and reflecting before sticking with her man, “ride or die.”

When the experts told Danny they thought he looked miserable in response to Becs saying she believed they were better than ever, the wheels came off. The camera cut to whispers from the other couples “he’s scared of her” they said as Danny just kept denying he’d said he preferred Gia’s look and doubled down prefacing it with apology saying he didn’t go for girls with tattoos.

Producers did indeed save the best car crash TV, and of course set Bec up particularly, cutting to her when other couples, Gia and Scott and Alissa and David especially were on the couch expressing genuine happiness in their matches and how things were progressing.

We don’t really appreciate I think how much of what we are feeling shows on our faces and Married at First Sight really captures this sometimes cruelly at the expense of the cast members.

The format is an in depth look into the human psychology of people on the quest for love but one thing is for sure, if you don’t tell the truth and think you can fool the experts or audience watch out because the camera doesn’t lie.

It’s sad for Bec. If she had the self confidence to say just because you went for that look on the outside, you’ve been single for 4 years so it clearly wasn’t working for and you are in the experiment because of that matched with me. If she could just tell herself, The experts think I am a better match for you so I am going with that, she’d be able to deal with the throwaway comment which Danny probably didn’t say the way Gia interpreted it in reality.

It will be interesting to see how this story line develops’ It’s the addictive nature of this format. I am not sure Danny will be able to take much more. He’s going to have to admit exactly what he said, drunk or not, because on Married At First Sight this situation just isn’t going away.

Carpool Karaoke with James Corden My Favourite You Tube Pick Me Up

Not to be confused with the spin off Carpool Karaoke on Apple TV

Chanel Rampart

2026-04-06T09:01:00.4370000 2026-04-06T11:51:00.5930000

I will begin by telling you I am a massive Barbra Streisand fan and a massive James Corden fan so when the two came together for Karpool Karaoke in the US I was tuning in. It was November 1st 2018 when it first aired. Gosh almost 8 years ago and it’s one of those magic 15 minutes of TV you can watch over and over, at least I can.

I don’t spend a lot of time on You tube but when I do go on there I do find myself a little bit addicted to binge watching carpool Karaoke James Cordon’s Saturday Night Late Show segment where he gets big name celebrities to drive around, LA, New York and Las Vegas where I just caught the hilarious Celine Dion join him on her one day off a year.

It is a very poignant and touching story of how Karpool Karaoke came about and became a massive thing. James Smithy in Gavin and Stacey asked his hero George Michael to take part in a sketch, the first Carpool Karaoke for Comic Relief, the idea was Smithy had to save Comic Relief and they would sing together in the car.

When he began working as host of the late show, he tried to get big US names to do Karpool Kareoke with him and no one would, they sent the video of George Michael out doing this for Comic Relief and Mariah Carey was the first star to say yes, saying if it’s good enough for George Michael, it’s good enough for me and so Karpool Karaoke got it’s start in America, showing even big stars like James Cordon, big hosts of TV shows have their struggles, rejections and how important persistence and self belief is in what you are doing.

Celine was so funny I found myself howling with laughter. James Corden too seemed like he wasn’t running the show as her hamming things up better than him caught him a little of guard and made the skit even funnier.

The Final Carpool Karaoke with Adele (Aired April 26, 2023) James’s Final Late Late Show Episode: April 27, 2023

Some of his Other Notable Specials/Guests:

* Jennifer Lopez: March 29, 2016

* Katy Perry: May 22, 2017

* Christina Aguilera: April 23, 2018

* Celine Dion: May 20, 2019 a must watch, very, very funny.

* Paul McCartney: June 21, 2018 (Special) 

Carpool Karaoke definitely became a staple segment during Corden's eight-year tenure, often airing as primetime specials and I absolutely loved it.

The final show, "The Last Last Late Late Show," aired on April 27, 2023. Key Carpool specials ran periodically between 2016–2023.

And then in 2023 despite his popularity James Cordon decided to call it a day after being offered a “substantial contract” to stay. He said his son had asked him about working so much and he said publically he wanted to spend more time with his children as this time was precious and limited.

James Cordon hosted 35 guests over his eight year tenure on the Late Show the final episode featuring Adele. The Apple TV spin off has aired over 75 episodes featuring 200 stars. For me as a James Cordon fan without Cordon whilst still good they are just not so funny.

If you have a bit of time to kill and are sick of scrolling definitely watch the Celine Dion, Ariana Grande and Madonna Carpool Karaoke, celine dion is the funniest ever. You might find yourself just watching and re watching whenever you need a good laugh.

So many big stars and wonderful watches. I haven’t watched all of them but the most memorable, funny and truly iconic for me is Barbra Streisand. With a conversation that covers calling Steve Jobs when she had problems with her computer, retaking her driving test, James gets a great gag in about what a good way to go, being killed by Barbra Streisand and speaking to Tim Cooke to get Siri to pronounce her name correctly.

The segment opens with Memories, chill bumps truly as Barbra just sits back and lets James sing the first verse, pretty she says before joining in, yep it’s a moment and ending with rain on my parade.

A few of the comments mention singing Rain on my Parade with Barbra Streisand and how many people get to do that. James talks about being a fan to which Barbra replies “really?”

These sketches segments created by James Corden and producer Gabe Turner are now widely regarded as a you tube sensation the most successful viral content format in Late Night television history.

It really is magnificent TV. Very very funny and shows how truly talented and well loved James Corden is around the world for a guy from High Wickham.

Fosse Park Shopping Centre Leicester Is Crying Out For Better Restaurant Dining Options

Zizzis, Nandos and The Volpo Lounge Hit Rock Bottom

Lily Blacker

2026-04-05T11:13:00.0000000 2026-04-05T15:05:58.0970000

We are always trying to come up interesting and delicious in equal measure when it comes to food around leicester.

Fosse park shopping centre is an obvious draw, the idea there’s plenty of parking and some choice except, the big chains we don’t really rate, Zizzi’s and Nando’s may be popular with lots of people but the couple of times I’ve been the food was shocking and the service worse, young kids serving with little or no experience.

Stuck for an idea for an early dinner we decided to give the Volpo Lounge another go. I haven’t been for a while to be fair put off by a couple of bad meals and there is a lot to like about this chain. It’s a hippy serve yourself vibe which I don’t mind although the people I went with would have preferred waiter service, when you decide you fancy something else you have to get up and go back to the bar to order something else or get another drink.

They have a self service water station and dog bowls and dog treats for your pouch. As a dog owner I like a dog friendly place.

There’s a full bar and they do offer freshly squeezed juice which is unusual for Leicester.

The menu and the food does seem to have gone even further down hill. My friends struggled to find something to eat. One ordered a couple of the tapas, the prawns and something else she didn’t rate, the other a flatbread with hummus and falafel, I had the veggie beyond meat burger, and my other friend had the Buddha grain bowl with aubergines, Persian grains and tender stem broccoli.

There is a lot of choice on the menu so it should have been easy to find something that appeals and there are quite a few vegetarian and vegan choices, something else that in the past has set this place apart.

Sadly all four of us, all ordering something different were unhappy with the food and at between £12 and £16 a plate for main courses we won’t be rushing back.

We obviously aren’t alone as on a Thursday night and a holiday weekend a place that is normally standing room only was pretty dead. It’s a large space so with only a few tables occupied and extremely loud music which also made it difficult to hear ourselves.

And the wine we ordered was undrinkable, very acidic so all in all not the best experience at the Volpo Lounge.

Not sure if it’s the strains on the hospitality sector, minimum wage increases or increased food costs that have caused this place to slip, a few years ago when it first opened I was in here a couple of times a month. Sadly it’s no longer the same energetic well run restaurant serving really great food and wine.

There used to be a cafe slash restaurant in the department store high end clothes shop Flannels but that’s closed and the couple of times I’ve been to Everards across the road it was more beer tours and bus trips than decent food and wine.

The one thing Fosse Park really needs is a decent independent restaurant where you can grab a cocktail and a nice lunch or dinner.

If you are going to shop I’d recommend you find somewhere else to eat.

Would You Buy Nike Or Look For A Trainer Brand Like Alexander Smith?

Smaller Doesn’t Mean More Ethical It Means More Unknowns When It Comes To Fashion

Dora Black

2026-04-04T12:54:00.0000000 2026-04-04T19:05:25.1670000

When I look for a new pair of sneakers or trainers I am always conscious of two things, manufacturing ethics and style and quality.

Companies like Nike (and there are many others like them) even though the have great sports personalities like Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz for tennis, Michael Jordan and Le Bron James for Basketball, Music and Lifestyle Billie Eilish and Kendrick Lamar, and Soccer stars Christian Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe (the 27 year legend partnership with Golf’s Tiger Woods did end in 2024) they continue to hit the headlines for bad business behaviour.

They are reported as selling over 800 million shoes every year (26 pairs a second globally) which is perhaps why the ethical and sustainable spotlight always hits brands like Nike.

It’s been a long time since the Nike Sweatshop Scandal reported in the global media back in the 1990s. They’ve had a lot of time to put things right and yet factory workers in Cambodia producing for Nike as recently as April last year reported working 76 hours per week (propublica.org) forced to work 7 days a week and after 12 years on the job still earning a base salary of $204 a month, less than a dollar an hour.

For Nike lovers and wearers around the world and the celebrities and sporting heroes who help the brand promote the recent article is a very sobering read about slave wages, forced overtime and arbitrary abuse.

Instead in the past I have purchased from more socially conscious brands like Veja, All Birds and Patagonia as these guys all publish full supply chain transparency, are certified B Corp and or Fair Trade and explicitly commit to living wages.

I like to wear a sneaker that is perhaps a little off the beaten track and not instantly recognisable or perhaps more over looked. As a designer I like to be a leader when it comes to my fashion choices rather than a follower. On the look out for something I’d never heard of I discovered I like the style of Alexander Smith, an Italian (actually begun in London) footwear brand that emerged in the mid 2010. It’s a premium lifestyle sneaker label rather than a performance sports brand like Nike.

They are made in Italy they say but the likelihood is they do use unpublished outsourced manufacturing. The problem with shopping a much smaller boutique brand like Alexander Smith there is no strong documentation on where every shoe is made and under what labour conditions.

The ethics question for consumers is tricky when for a brand like Nike for example the public scrutiny is very high and for a smaller under the radar brand like Alexander Smith it’s very low. For Nike proven issues are well documented for Alexander Smith they are unknown.

My logic is I would always prefer to buy something more obscure. The reasoning smaller companies are less likely to exploit than big ones and if they do it’s on a much smaller scale. The larger a brand gets the more they are forced to be transparent. So the honest bottom line is Alexander Smith does not have strong ethical practises published and when comparing and considering purchasing it is certain it’s more unknown than better.

The things I have loved about my Alexander Smith shoes;

Lovely quality, really well made and have lasted well. Like Golden Goose they are mainly made of leather so easy to brush up and I do love the minimalist chunky designs and the neutral colour palettes making them very easy to style.

If you want to buy a pair they are sold in many boutique fashion retailers, department stores and online luxury fashion platforms. I actually found mine from an Italian store on EBay Grandi Nino Calzature.com for a steal but you can also shop directly on the Alexander Smith website.

The shipping was included and they arrived packed beautifully so would definitely recommend this shoe store in Italy to shop with. The service was fantastic.

The prices range for a basic flat top shoe from £120.00 up to £260 for premium and new styles like the Alexander Smith Eclipse Low Trainers.

I cannot guarantee you are shopping ethically with Alexander Smith. I did my research before purchasing and could find very little about them published online good or bad.

They do state their shoes are “Made in Italy” where rules are much stricter than Asia regarding exploitation and some lines are marked as “eco lines” so fingers crossed the brand does genuinely care about delivering on this side of their business to consumers.

If you are shopping Alexander Smith I’d recommend you size down. I bought my first pair in my size and they had to be returned for a smaller pair.

I’d welcome anyone from the brand or with more information about Alexander Smith’s ethical footprint to comment here. Love the shoes, would purchase again just would like to know more about the brand values and wider mission.

Ladies of London New Reign Or Blue Bloodbath?

TV series London's elite social scene

Shirley Yanez

2026-04-04T10:23:00.0000000 2026-04-04T10:48:49.7400000

A Glossy Illusion That Misses the Mark

Ladies of London promises a fascinating glimpse into London’s elite—blue blood aristocrats, ambitious American expats, and glamorous international socialites moving through one of the most iconic cities in the world. On paper, it should be irresistible. In reality, it falls flat.

The biggest issue is how scripted it feels. Instead of offering an authentic window into high society, the show comes across as overly produced and carefully staged. The conversations lack spontaneity, the conflicts feel manufactured, and the overall tone struggles to convince.

It’s hard to connect with something that doesn’t feel real. Lady Emma Thynn made history in 2013 when she married Ceawlin Thynn, the 8th Marquess of Bath, becoming the first woman of colour to marry into the British aristocracy. She seems to be the best addition to the show because she works hard and has plenty to say without being bitchy or unkind but the rest, ruin it for me. I find them truly shallow and even the fashion misses the mark.

Having spent time in London and experienced elements of that world first-hand, I can say the true upper classes carry a quiet confidence and subtlety that simply isn’t captured here. If anything, the real thing is far more understated—and likely a little embarrassed by this exaggerated portrayal.

In contrast, shows like The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills manage to strike a better balance. They’re dramatic, yes—but there’s an edge of authenticity, a rawness that makes the personalities and tensions feel believable. That grit is what keeps viewers engaged.

Ladies of London, by comparison, feels polished to the point of being hollow.

What could have been a rich, intriguing exploration of culture, class, and personality instead ends up feeling like a performance—glossy, but ultimately forgettable.

A missed opportunity in a city full of real stories waiting to be told. There is so much more to London that would make this TV series truly amazing but the producers need to get real, maybe.

For Enchanted Wood Aficionados The Magic Faraway Tree Movie 2026 Is A Let Down

If you are big fan of the books you’ll probably be disappointed

Holly HY

2026-04-03T19:20:00.0000000 2026-04-03T19:53:48.0300000

When I saw The Magic Faraway Tree was being released this holiday in the UK I couldn’t believe it.

It was like being thrown back in time reminded of the very first book I remember reading, well actually being read to me. Yep I was very young and the experience of the adventure story The Enchanted Wood, the prequel to The Magic Faraway Tree published in 1939 was so exciting and I never forgot it. I ended up rereading it many times and of course the other books in the series by Enid Blyton, The Magic Faraway Tree, 1943, The Folk of The Faraway Tree, 1946 and Up The Faraway Tree 1951 sat on my book shelf until I left home.

My advice as an early watcher is stick to the books. Like a lot of film adaptations from much loved books whether for kids or adults this one doesn’t catapult you back into the world so genuinely loved reintroducing you to old friends, more like takes you to visit somewhere moved and redecorated pretending to be that magical place but not fooling anyone.

They’ve even changed the kids names. Fanny has become Fran played by Billie Gadsdon, Joe remains the oldest sibling played by Phoenix Laroche, and Bessie has been also modernised to Beth, Delilah Bennett-Cardy.

Claire Fou as Polly Thompson the kids Mum and Jennifer Saunders are the most convincing of the cast but Moon Face, Silky and Dame Washalot, who I am sure was just Mrs Washalot in the books weren’t the characters I remembered. Silky a little vain and sensitive, Moonface jolly, overbearing, a bit of a worrier but also on hand with helpful knowledge and information and the nasty pixies didn’t really get as much action in the film as I remembered from the books, where they were mischievous and a bit threatening. In the film they were diluted. Hardly appear and when they do they are more comedic. They lose their menace making the film “safer and duller” according to Times film critic Kevin Maher.

For me The Magic Faraway Tree adaptation fails both as a faithful tribute and a modern reimagining. It’s muddled and a bit lifeless and lack lustre missing the mark of capturing the essence of the book’s simple magic. It’s a fragmented, overly complicated story. The writer, Simon Farnaby, well known for Paddington and Wonka, has turned the narrative into disjointed skits with for me weak humour and underdeveloped characters. The iconic figures lack charm, and the sense of wonder conjured in this timeless sorry is largely absent. The modern family framing is bit clumsy and distracting, would have been better sticking to a more old fashioned approach. I think trying to bring it up to date misses the spirit of Blyton entirely.

KX The Private Club Where You Think The Investment Will Add Network Value

It’s Private Inside And Out, People Who Go Keep Themselves To Themsleves

Rupert Dobbin

2026-04-02T10:34:00.0000000 2026-04-02T14:15:26.8270000

I joined KX in Brompton Cross with a mixture of curiosity and quiet expectation. You hear about it in that particular London way, not advertised, but mentioned in passing, as if it’s less a place and more a tier of life. Someone you know goes there. Someone else swears by it. The details are always vague, except for one thing: it’s expensive.

What no one quite tells you (at least not upfront) is just how expensive.

The first thing that strikes you is the calm. Not the curated, Instagrammable calm of most wellness spaces, but something more deliberate. Controlled. There’s no chaos, no waiting for machines, no low-level tension of a crowded gym floor. It feels almost like a private clinic disguised as a members’ club. You’re there to work, to reset, to improve.

And, to be fair, it delivers. The facilities are exceptional, a gym that never feels overrun, a spa that rivals a five-star hotel, and a restaurant that makes “healthy eating” feel like an indulgence rather than a compromise. Everything you need is in one place, and it works seamlessly. That is the real luxury: not marble surfaces or eucalyptus steam rooms, but the absence of friction.

But then, gradually, the numbers start to come into focus.

Membership itself is not publicly listed, but the range hovers between £700 and £1000 per month, we paid a joining fee on top. My girlfriend and I joined separately which was fine but it ended up costing us about £1600 a month each. That alone places it firmly in a different category to even London’s premium gyms. And yet, that figure is only the beginning.

Because KX is designed in such a way that simply “having membership” is almost beside the point.

Personal training, which feels less like an optional extra and more like part of the ecosystem — can easily run £100 to £150 per session. Do that a couple of times a week and you’re quietly adding another £800 to £1,200 a month. Treatments, testing, recovery sessions: all available, all excellent, all additional.

Even the smaller things begin to accumulate. Lunch isn’t included, though it sits there, conveniently, persuasively. You finish a workout, you’re already in the mindset, and ordering something clean and perfectly calibrated feels like the logical next step. A salad, a juice, a coffee, £20 here, £30 there, and before long, it’s simply part of your routine.

The club even operates an internal account system, meaning you rarely feel the moment of payment. You just sign, and it’s handled later. It’s frictionless in every sense.

Which is precisely the point.

There is also the matter of commitment. Membership is typically structured annually, and once you are in, you are in. There is no casual pause, no dipping in and out depending on your schedule. Even if you stop going, the cost continues; a quiet, persistent reminder.

The reality of cancelling KX, you are effectively locked in for 12 months.

Once you’ve joined on a standard membership you cannot cancel during the 12-month term

Even if: you stop going, your schedule changes, you simply change your mind, even if you have a death in the family and your financial circumstances dramatically change.

This is explicitly stated in their terms. It’s not a flexible membership. It’s a contract.

And so a subtle shift occurs. What begins as a luxury starts to feel like something you must justify. You find yourself going not just because you want to, but because you feel you should.

And yet, for all of this, it is undeniably effective. If you can absorb the cost, and that is the defining condition, it removes every barrier to living well. Training, recovery, nutrition, expertise: all handled, all available, all under one roof. It becomes less a gym and more an infrastructure for a certain kind of life.

But it is a life that comes at a price.

In truth, KX is not really for the “well-off.” It is for the genuinely wealthy, those for whom a four-figure monthly spend on wellbeing does not require negotiation or second thought. Luxury and the beautiful people everywhere you turn.

For everyone else, it sits in a more complicated space: aspirational, impressive, but ultimately difficult to sustain without a lingering sense of excess.

I found myself admiring it, even as I questioned it. It is, without doubt, one of the most refined wellness environments in London. But it is also a place where every decision, every session, every meal, every small indulgence; carries a cost.

And those costs, however quietly presented, have a way of adding up.

Truth is I love it but cannot really afford it. And getting out of your contract once you’ve committed isn’t possible either. Buyer beware, this club will draw you in like a super powerful James Bond style magnet but once you’re in you’re in.

Walton Street Cafe Is My Favourite Relaxed Breakfast Lunch Early Dinner Spot In London

This Cafe Is Quiet Luxury Frequented By Stylish People In The Know

Carmen Pascal

2026-04-02T08:26:00.0000000 2026-04-02T09:36:43.5630000

I hope by writing this, my favourite quiet luxury spot doesn’t get overrun with bloggers and influencers interfering with the smooth slow graceful service that combines a relaxed neighbourhood spot with everything simply done superbly.

I write in appreciation and gratitude not promotion or PR. And I certainly didn’t tell them. So if you choose to visit please move into the space and experience it quietly so the equilibrium here doesn’t get displaced or disrupted as so many other fantastic more well known spots have in this influencer age, when people are more interested in taking pictures than paying to enjoy the experience. (Which doesn’t help the business)

We don’t want it to change. When in Rome and all that.

You know the summer is on it’s way when the terrace opens at my favourite and if not my absolute favourite certainly the place I choose more often than not for a quick lunch, or Expresso in the morning either alone or with friends. The Walton Street Cafe.

It is a fast pace street cafe, a thriving community hub with a loyal international clientele, the kind the staff remember and treat like friends sharing local innocuous gossip, asking about upcoming and returning from holidays, children, house moves, the kind of things that make it feel warm and local. And yet the food and service feels like a very expensive boutique hotel where that’s just is what expected and delivered, nothing fake or performative just the kind of excellence that keeps the customers coming back.

They get the simple things right, freshly ground coffee you can smell from the street, freshly squeezed juices every day so sweet you imagine the chef hand picking and smelling every orange and grapefruit before agreeing with his green grocer.

The same goes for the salads and the fish which changes depending on the chef. You hear people saying what’s the fish today, and then pondering and curious, excited to see what comes. I am not a big drinker but my friends assure me whilst not an extensive list, the wine is excellent and the Walton St Cafe has a full bar with exotic tonics and mixers to compliment their spirit list.

Nothing is rushed, but the service is warm and efficient. The staff make you feel valued and important to them a very rare experience these days even in Paris the world’s hospitality and tourism capital.

I must mention the frites. For the lover of excellent pommes frites, these are possibly the best in London. Crispy on the outside, salty, a generous portion, delivered in their own basket. Whatever I order I always have a portion of these, even at breakfast. The perfect accompaniment. Breakfast will cost you around £60 for two. Lunch with dessert around £80 for two. No tipping required as service is included.

The opening hours are Monday - Saturday 9.00am to 10.00pm and Sunday 9.00am to 9.00pm. The patio closes at 6.30pm local regulations so only possible to have early dinner outside. But there’s no better spot to sit and watch the world go by, regard stylish customers come and go, eat delicious food, be looked after by the best staff than the Walton Street Cafe. Heaters and blankets provided.

Merci to everyone who makes this so special day after day for us all to enjoy the simple daily pleasures of life.

James Perse Shop In Brompton Cross Brings Back Friendly Warm Service In Their Boutique Experience

Shopping in store can be so nice quick service yet slow not rushed luxury experience I wonder...

Holly HY

2026-04-01T13:16:00.0000000 2026-04-01T15:04:39.7730000

As a big James Perse clothing fan struggling to find a particular basic cotton elastane vest I love online when I saw the James Perse store on Walton St, Brompton Cross Village in between Chelsea and Knightsbridge, London and there was loads of parking conveniently directly outside I immediately screeched to a halt and was drawn into the lovely intimate boutique where I met Agnes from Lithuania ready and waiting to help me in my quest.

Within a few minutes she had found the illusive item in stock in my size and swiftly departed up stairs to find it.

There is something unbeatable about the experience shopping in a proper shop. A place where you immediately feel comfortable, not watched, left alone to browse and not remotely uncomfortable. Knowing help is at hand if you need it. I sometimes dread entering a small space feeling immediately under pressure but not here. The atmosphere was very relaxed. I didn’t try on in this case as I was buying something I already have a few of but I am sure if I had had time to peruse the stock, really enjoy the experience and have a bit of a proper shop Agnes would have been the perfect person on hand to help. Way better than buying a load of things online you cannot see and touch, let alone try on, end up making a load of mistakes and having to send everything back.

My experience in James Perse was great. I found out James Perse himself is very hands on with the brand, Agnes told me she had already met him a few times and he was very involved with the store design too which embodied California lifestyle in this store. it was good to hear her speak highly of the company and tell me she enjoyed working there. As I entered I was greeted by a surf board and the Cali vibes were definitely felt in the airy feeling, muted tones, hard wood floors and open garden courtyard at the back of the shop.

The whole design is complimented by comfortable simple Scandinavian style furniture and black and white beach scenes.

The whole experience in James Perse was a pleasure and I would recommend anyone interested in quiet luxury basics, ethically produced to pay this shop a visit.

At a time when fashion is going through so much transition, the amount of stock being produced is diminishing as brands struggle to navigate a changing market it is great to see a brand like James Perse still delivering for customers who love and are loyal to this brand.

Thanks to you Agnes who made me want to return to this particular James Perse shop in London.

Top 20 Magic Dance Movie Moments from 1940s Gene Kelly, Danny Kayes Hollywood To Joaquin Phoenix 2019

Dance As An Art Form Creative Expression In The Movies Continues To Tell Stories

Fiona Moss

2026-03-31T13:18:00.0000000 2026-03-31T15:13:33.1430000

From the earliest days of cinema to modern blockbusters, dance has always been one of film’s most powerful and expressive storytelling tools. Someone asked me recently which movies have the best dance scenes, and it set me off thinking about all the films I’ve loved—often because of the dancing first and foremost.

Looking back, the golden age of musicals gave us some of the most enduring dance moments ever put on screen. Singin' in the Rain remains the ultimate example, with Gene Kelly demonstrating effortless charm and technical brilliance in a way that still feels fresh today. Around the same era, On the Town showcased the elegance of Vera-Ellen, while White Christmas delivered the beautifully romantic “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing.”

The 1960s continued this tradition with Mary Poppins, where Dick Van Dyke and Julie Andrews brought joy, precision, and theatricality to unforgettable routines.

By the late 1970s and into the 1980s, dance films began to shift in tone—becoming more contemporary, aspirational, and, for many of us, deeply relatable. Saturday Night Fever staring John Travolta captured the worlds imagination of the nightclub and disco late night culture. Grease followed gaving us the electrifying finale “You’re the One That I Want,” with Olivia Newton-John and again John Travolta cementing their place in pop culture. Films like Fame and Flashdance captured the ambition, struggle, and sheer determination of young dancers in a way that truly resonated with me as a young dancer myself, even watching decades later.

The mid-1980s offered even more unforgettable moments. White Nights paired ballet legend Mikhail Baryshnikov with tap icon Gregory Hines in a powerful and technically stunning sequence. Around the same time, 9½ Weeks delivered one of cinema’s most sensual dance scenes, with Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke creating a moment that still lingers in popular memory.

No conversation about iconic dance scenes would be complete without Dirty Dancing. Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey delivered one of the most recognisable finales in film history—defining a generation and continuing to inspire audiences decades later.

Moving into the 1990s, Stepping Out, starring Liza Minnelli and Julie Walters, offered a lighter, uplifting take on dance, full of heart and humour.

The early 2000s brought a renewed appreciation for dance on screen. Billy Elliot, with Jamie Bell alongside Julie Walters and dancer Adam Cooper, remains an emotional and inspiring standout. Meanwhile, Moulin Rouge! dazzled audiences with its bold, theatrical “Roxanne Tango,” and Chicago delivered sharp, stylised choreography in the unforgettable “Cell Block Tango.”

Dance continued to evolve in mainstream cinema through franchises like Step Up and the Magic Mike series, which firmly established Channing Tatum as one of Hollywood’s leading modern dance talents.

In a darker and more psychological vein, Black Swan showcased the intensity and discipline of the dance world, with Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis undergoing extraordinary training to bring their roles to life.

More recently, Magic Mike's Last Dance featured a captivating and intimate duet between Channing Tatum and Salma Hayek—a scene that stands out as one of the most memorable modern dance moments in film.

And finally, my personal favourite: Joaquin Phoenix in Joker. His staircase dance as Arthur Fleck is both haunting and mesmerising—an extraordinary blend of physical precision and emotional depth that perfectly captures the character’s complexity.

From classic Hollywood to contemporary cinema, dance continues to captivate, inspire, and tell stories in ways that words alone simply cannot.

Since writing this I had to add, Al Pacino in Scent Of A Woman and the fantastic Kate Hudson number in None about Italian Film director Guido played by Daniel Day Lewis. There are a few noteworthy dance numbers in this film Dame Judi Dench and Fergie perform memorable dance numbers, too. The Aloof in Sweet Charity is a 2 minute Bob Fosse masterclass in choreography on film. Style dance story telling personified. The list goes on.

The Daily Mail and Freelance Journalist Matthew Barbour Publish A Great Story

Getting Your Story In a Newspaper Promotes What you Do With a Great Angle

Holly HY

2026-03-30T09:20:00.0000000 2026-04-03T08:19:51.2370000

Well done to my friend and sister in law Shirley, founder and CEO of Poopsnoop, (our very own better looking Elon Musk) for this amazing piece in the Daily Mail about her, her story and new book Waterfall Down, which I have already had the privilege to read and can say without a doubt it’s a gripping, moving and thought provoking memoir I’d highly recommend to anyone.

“I'm 70 but everyone assumes I'm decades younger. My anti-ageing secret isn't Botox, jabs or exercise. Instead, I made one simple lifestyle tweak everyone can do. I promise you've not read this before.”

When I tell people I’m 70, their reaction is almost always the same: shocked disbelief. Strangers often assume I’m in my 50s, if not younger.

And no wonder. By this stage of life, most of us expect a face full of lines, sagginess around the jaw and eyes, a dulled complexion and hair that has thinned or lost some of its vitality.

But age hasn’t done that to me.

When I look in the mirror, I see skin that is still smooth and virtually line-free with a natural glow I assumed would have faded by now.

Meanwhile, my long blonde hair, which I feel no need to cut short, complements a face I’m happy to say looks fresh and youthful.

I never imagined this is what 70 would look like for me. So I’m hardly surprised when people ask the same question I’ve been hearing for years now: what’s my secret?

Naturally, they expect me to reveal a complicated skincare routine and various cosmetic tweakments, complemented perhaps by a punishing fitness regime all designed to keep me eternally youthful.

But the truth is, I’ve never had Botox or any sort of cosmetic surgery. I don’t even take health supplements, and have never followed a strict exercise programme.

If anything, the secret to the way I look lies in what I choose to leave out, rather than what I’ve added in.

Over the past 25 years, I have stripped away the elements of my life that were draining my energy and clouding my mind. I no longer drink alcohol and I stopped eating meat and dairy many years ago.

And, perhaps more surprisingly, I haven’t had a sexual relationship in more than 20 years – a choice that runs completely counter to what we’re told about health and ageing.

We’re led to believe that a healthy sex life is essential for wellbeing and longevity; that intimacy keeps us youthful and connected.

But that ignores how relationships often come with an undercurrent of emotional strain: the compromise, the constant consideration of someone else’s needs and the effort it takes to keep things on an even keel.

It was only when I stepped away from all that I realised how much energy romantic connections had been taking from me.

Far from diminishing my life, living celibately has left me calmer, more balanced and, I believe, has played a significant role in why I now look younger at 70 than I did when I was a high-flying businesswoman in my 40s.

Just as importantly, I’ve also stepped back from the relentless pressure to achieve, impress and constantly push for more.

I discovered the power of this way of living only after losing almost everything I once thought mattered.

I grew up on a council estate, and having undiagnosed dyslexia meant I struggled at school.

But what I lacked in conventional academic confidence, I made up for in instinct. I became highly attuned to people, noticing shifts in tone, mood and body language that others often missed.

This helped me build a career in the City of London, where I transformed myself into a successful businesswoman.

By my 30s, I’d become a self-made millionaire, moving in a world where expensive restaurants and late nights mixing in influential circles were part of my everyday life.

On the surface, it looked like the ultimate success story, and for a long time I believed I’d got what I’d always wanted.

Yet somewhere beneath the excitement, a quiet unease began to creep in. I had a nagging sense that something about the life I was living didn’t truly belong to me.

The wealth, the lifestyle and the social status I’d worked so hard for began to feel like something I was wearing, rather than a way of life that genuinely reflected who I was.

Eventually, my work took me to Los Angeles, where I imagined an even more glamorous chapter was about to unfold.

Instead, everything began to unravel, and with astonishing speed. Business ventures collapsed, relationships fell apart and the financial security I’d started to take for granted disappeared almost overnight.

One moment I was living a life that looked enviable from the outside. The next I was selling my jewellery and personal possessions simply to get by.

It was a brutal lesson in how quickly success can evaporate.

But what shook me most was when my mother died while I was still in America. I was in such a precarious financial position by then that I couldn’t even afford the flight home to attend her funeral.

The reality of that forced me to confront a truth I’d been avoiding for years: that the money, status and impressive surroundings I’d strived so hard for meant nothing compared with being disconnected from the people who mattered most at such a terrible time.

Then, when I eventually did return to the UK, my body delivered the most dramatic wake-up call of all. An undiagnosed fibroid weighing eight pounds triggered a catastrophic medical crisis that caused my heart to stop.

I came frighteningly close to dying – an experience that changed the way I looked at my life forever as I was forced to confront my own mortality.

During my recovery, I began to reflect deeply on the life I’d been living and the constant pressure I had placed on myself to succeed; how I’d focused my efforts on how well I impressed other people and the extent of my material accumulations.

For years, my body had been in a near-constant state of strain – always switched on, rushing from one demand to the next, juggling pressure, expectations and emotional ups and downs, rarely given the chance to properly rest and heal.

That realisation shifted something in me, and I began instinctively rebuilding my life in a different way.

I stopped drinking alcohol, something that quickly improved my sleep and left me with far more consistent energy day to day.

I moved towards a plant-based diet and eventually became fully vegan, filling my meals with vegetables, fruit and fresh foods, which made me feel lighter and noticeably improved my skin.

I started drinking far more water than I ever had before, something so simple yet powerful, helping to hydrate my skin from within and support overall cellular health.

Meanwhile, I began waking early and splashing my face with icy water, which stimulates circulation, reduces puffiness and leaves my skin feeling firmer than any expensive anti-ageing cream I could buy.

All this became a way of life as I realised the foundations of youthful skin aren’t found in jars and bottles, but in how we live, what we consume and how much stress we carry.

But perhaps most significant of all was making the decision to stop pursuing romantic relationships.

For decades I had believed, like so many women do, that fulfilment would come from finding the right partner. Relationships had always been exciting and passionate, but they also brought emotional demands, expectations and a level of stress it had never really occurred to me to question.

After my near-death experience, I began to see just how much of my energy had been tied up in all that. Instead of feeling supported by romantic partners, I often felt stretched, constantly balancing my own needs with someone else’s.

Choosing celibacy wasn’t about rejecting men or following any religious path. It was simply the result of discovering that my life felt calmer, clearer and more balanced when I focused my energy inward rather than constantly seeking validation through relationships.

Over time, that decision created a profound sense of freedom that I had never experienced before.

None of these changes were dramatic or instant, but gradual adjustments that built up over time, and with them came a steady shift in how I both looked and felt.

As the stress lifted and my daily habits improved, I began to notice real changes. My complexion became clearer, my energy more consistent, and I felt truly comfortable in my own skin.

Friends began to look at me more closely and commented that I seemed fresher, more relaxed, as though I had somehow softened rather than aged.

Today, having turned 70, the biggest shock comes from strangers who can’t quite believe I’m old enough to have had that milestone birthday.

What fascinates me about the way all these changes seem to have culminated is how this sense of youthfulness seems to come not only from the way I look but from how I feel.

I sleep more deeply, my mind feels clearer and I have the energy to pursue creative projects that once would have seemed impossible.

Most rewarding has been writing books that explore how the mind works, how our thoughts shape our behaviour, and how much of what we believe about ourselves isn’t actually true.

Drawing on my own experiences, I focus on helping people recognise the patterns that keep them stuck and learn how to step back from them. It’s something that would have felt unimaginable to the younger version of me who struggled at school with undiagnosed dyslexia.

At 70, I feel more at ease with myself than I ever did at 40. I’m not chasing approval, comparing myself with others or rushing through life in a state of anxiety.

Ageing, I have realised, isn’t something we defeat through miracle creams or medical interventions. It’s more about the choices we make every day about how we live, what we consume and where we place our emotional energy.

For me, the most powerful transformation began when I stopped trying to live a life that looked impressive from the outside and started building one that felt peaceful on the inside.

And perhaps that is why, as I enter my eighth decade, I look and feel more youthful and vibrant now than I did when I was genuinely so much younger.

Shirley’s new book, Waterfall Down, is available on Amazon (£12.99)

As told to Matthew Barbour

Nordstrom Marks and Spencers collaboration is the most hair brained scheme of all for UK Retailer

GIllian Anderson leads the charge as Chief Compliments Officer With Dreams Beds and L’Oreal...

Holly HY

2026-03-29T17:06:00.0000000 2026-03-29T18:08:49.1030000

I literally cannot believe it Marks and Spencer’s going stateside launching a collaboration with Nordstrom. Image credit The Industry Fashion @Theindustryfashion on Instagram

As of the 29th March Marks and Spencer’s is stocked in 30 Nordstrom stores from LA to New York City and also available on the Nordstrom website which is a bit of joke considering so many pieces on the Marks and Spencer’s website are marketed on celebrities and then permanently out of stock, so much so I stopped even looking at Marks and Spencer’s clothes about 10 years ago.

According to the Industry of Fashion more than 60 pieces from M&S most loved collections, per Una, and M&S collection are included in the Nordstrom range.

I went into Marks and Spencer’s in desperation a few weeks ago, to try and find some simple decent quality basics. The last time I tried shopping in Marks and Spencer’s was about 12 years ago when I briefly bought into a “Made In Great Britain” campaign to buy British made clothes, supporting local (after moving production out of the UK in 1999) and then discovered the collection was very limited, only available in London and mostly hype.

12 years later the clothes have gone even further down hill. I was surprised at the low prices around £10 for a plain white cotton long sleeve T shirt, around £6 cheaper than the equivalent from say the Gap but the quality was grim. It reminded me of the fabric my grandmas dusters were made of, the type of cotton that would not retain its shape and would be ready to be a duster after a couple of washes. A cut too short in the body, unflattering and I genuinely wondered who was buying and wearing these type of mass produced garments.

When I saw the headline about the partnership between UK High St Giant and American premium fashion juggernaut Nordstrom with their newly appointed ambassador X Files actress and designer fashionista Gillian Anderson with the job title “Chief Compliments Officer” I did think who is more desperate.

I lived in the US for 20 years and whilst I longed for European fashion trips, even the fashion capitals have their own unique conservative styles but demand better quality than Marks and Spencer’s are delivering present day.

I used to shop in Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack all the time and unless standards have gone through the floor in the last few years these clothes are just not going to cut it across the pond. Marks and Spencer’s would have been better sticking with Target where they got Percy Pig into in 2022 but maybe Victoria Beckham beat them to it with high design, highly celeb marketed cheap mass produced clothing.

The kaiser chiefs predicted a Riot, I predict a flop even with the gorgeous Gillian Anderson stepping into fashion icon Twiggy’s shoes; I wonder if she’s given up selling beds for Dreams to get the gig. The campaign cost $4.8 million although Anderson’s fee for the “Love Your Bed” campaign was not disclosed.

I think Nordstrom customers are going to take one look at the Marks and Spencer’s offering and think ewww.

Only time will tell but I think this is a wider global reflection on where fashion has ended up, after worker exploitation, mass over production, designer houses struggling to stay afloat and customers in America moving towards dressing in quiet luxury, secondhand couture and lifestyle athleisure. Even beautiful British brand Burberry have resorted to hiring “Inside The Manosphere” star and Islam convert Sneako to walk the runway 2021 craving his young male audience on social media, not thinking about alienating their long term customers abandoning the brand. On a side note I saw them attempt a high st pop up takeover of a newsagents in London, Shreeji News, Chiltern Street, Marylebone and thought immediately the newsagent customers may be curious but can’t afford Burberry so it must be just another desperate stunt for press. Except they cannot get people into store on New Bond St so not sure a newsagent in Marylebone is going to work better.

Getting stock on shelves must be impossible for Nordstrom if this crazy collaboration/partnership with M&S has come to fruition. And if the clothes sell it will be because there’s literally nothing else for Americans to buy when it comes to mid price range fashion as the economy struggles amidst rising prices. All I can see is the blind leading the blind.

It makes me think of the George Bernard Shaw quote “England and America are two countries separated by a common language” They certainly have a completely different style language.

As I write this Gillian Anderson comes on the TV selling excellence age perfect by L’Oréal Paris.

It kind of reminds me of Peter Crouch, one TV ad break was 5 or six different ads for different brands all staring Peter. A car, a washing powder, a gambling company, TNT sports and family favourite Bovril, all merged together like a Peter Crouch mini infomercial for him. The products he’s marketing blending into the background becoming invisible to the audience.

Over exposure makes me wonder who’s the bigger idiot, the brands or us the audience for buying it.

“Chief Compliments officer” for over exposed “face of” Gillian Anderson, Marks and Spencer’s? Which marketing “genius” came up with that?

The Free Gifts With Purchase Are Back As Selfridges Unveil Massive New Beauty Hall

Fumo restaurant has had a management overhaul too going from the worst to the best Italian food...

Tara Chirpy

2026-03-29T10:11:00.0000000 2026-03-29T10:47:20.6770000

Credit where credit is due.

I haven’t been to Selfridges in Birmingham since last summer. I had a terrible meal in Fumo on the third floor and vowed never to return.

Except this weekend my friend said she needed new make up and wanted to buy something to give her wardrobe a lift and we decided to reluctantly venture back to Selfridges.

And OMG what a difference, the energy, the appeal, the merchandising, the staff, it was like someone had just just come in, said this is completely rubbish, waved a magic wand, new layout, new brands, sacked all the old staff and replaced them with engaged, warm, polished, helpful sales assistants, not pushy but ready to bend over backwards and serve. My friend brutally said well if they didn’t do something the place was a mausoleum going out of business, she’s a hard ass business women CEO of her own company, she said “the whole place needed a bomb under it and blowing up” and was very encouraged to see someone had done it. The experience was like going back in time to the 1980’s and 1990’s when Selfridges was a shopping paradise, the brands, goods and displays were inviting, the lay out easy and the staff there to make you feel good and get your wallet open and spending.

They have extended the make up, hair care and athleisure and shrunk the tired old brands like Jigsaw, Reiss and Ted Baker after the retailer all but collapsed, going into administration at the end of 2024 closing all shops and concessions.

It’s been a dramatic shift Selfridges recognising people don’t have as much money to spend and fashion buying, wearing and stying has changed capitalising on the model and success of relative retailing new comers like American giant Sephora. And different fashion brands like Adanola, Bo and Tee, Tala, Anine Bing, Good American and Paige Denim. It was a really fresh experience, loads to look at, feel and touch and I cannot compliment the staff enough, super helpful.

And the gift with purchase is back. Yeah. We even bought bottles of the new Balmain perfume, affordable at £95 with lovely velvet massive tote bag, gift with purchase included and samples. Don’t you just love the samples when you shop high end, a luxury that had disappeared but appeared to be back I. Selfridges. Two make up items at the Bobby Brown counter yielded a make up bag too and the Diptyque counter we got a gift too.

The only downside for me was the staff were pushing the Selfridges app and rewards program just a bit too hard. It did come across as desperate, whilst I appreciate they want to be connected and pushing through the app to customers. I like to control what I look at and when so the app was not for me.

But it was when we ventured upstairs to Fumo Italian Restaurant where the biggest shock awaited us. The restaurant I’d vowed never to return to was completely transformed, beautiful welcoming well presented staff, our waitress in particular, from Ukraine, I didn’t get her name would not have been out of place serving in a Michelin starred restaurant. And the food made us imagine sitting in a trattoria in Italy, (not in a shopping mall in Brum) Generous portions, made with love and care, promptly delivered, accompanied by delicious wine and smiling extremely smart professional staff.

Another place where the transformation was so noticeable was actually couldn’t believe it. It was so so good we cannot wait to return.

Same place, same menu but my what a difference. The experience in Fumo, Birmingham in Selfridges made the day.

My opinion has completely changed and I’d recommend anyone pay them a visit. Well done to whomever is responsible for the complete overhaul.

The Manosphere Psychological Warfare Stop Feeding The Machine

TV documentary Netflix

Shirley Yanez

2026-03-29T08:47:00.0000000 2026-03-29T09:57:43.2000000

A 70-Year-Old Life Coach’s Take on Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere. Everyone seems shocked by Louis Theroux: Inside the Manosphere—the outrage, the misogyny, the bravado. But if you look a little deeper, past the surface-level horror, what Louis actually did was something far more powerful.

He exposed the truth.

The “manosphere” is often described as a network of male influencers talking about fitness, business, and self-improvement. And yes, some of it sits comfortably in the mainstream. But at the edges—where this documentary rightly focuses—you find something far more troubling: a performance-driven world built on insecurity, manipulation, and profit.

As a 70-year-old life coach, I didn’t watch this with shock.

I watched it with my eyes open. Because what I saw wasn’t strength—it was vulnerability disguised as dominance.

Young, angry, easily influenced boys are not a difficult audience to capture. Nor are young women seeking validation, exposure, or a quick route to attention through platforms like OnlyFans. Put the two together, and what you have is not empowerment—but exploitation. And these so-called influencers?

They are not leaders. They are salesmen. Multi-level, algorithm-driven salesmen cashing in on a deeply unhealthy social media culture.

If you watched closely—without reacting emotionally—you may have noticed something revealing: many of these men looked uncomfortable, even embarrassed, by the very words coming out of their mouths. Take Myron Gaines, for example. At one moment, he’s posturing as the embodiment of alpha masculinity—yet when Louis interviews him, he’s standing there holding a pink poodle, only to quickly hand it away, as if softness might expose him. His girlfriend quietly reveals he’s not the same man off-camera—lifting the curtain on the performance. Because that’s what it is. A performance.

Even his assistant, briefly caught off guard, began to reveal the mechanics behind the scenes—how setups are designed to humiliate young women—before being quickly silenced. This isn’t authenticity. It’s theatre. And more importantly—it’s not the path to success these men claim it to be. Real success, real wealth, real self-worth—these things come from discipline, integrity, and hard work. Not from shouting over women on livestreams or manufacturing outrage for clicks.

Louis did something very clever. He didn’t attack. He observed. And in doing so, he allowed these men to expose their own delusion. Perhaps the most telling moment came towards the end, when one of the younger figures—so confident online—was suddenly reduced to something far more familiar when his mother stepped in, grounding him in reality. In that moment, the illusion cracked completely. Because behind the bravado is not power. It’s fear. And here’s the bigger issue.

This isn’t just about a few controversial influencers. This is about the ecosystem that enables them.

Platforms like Meta and Google continue to profit from content that is divisive, abusive, and psychologically damaging—because outrage drives engagement, and engagement drives revenue. And while we worry about physical threats in the world, we are overlooking something far more insidious: Psychological warfare.

A slow, steady drip of content designed to divide us, distort reality, and erode self-worth—especially among the young.

So my advice is simple. Get off the phone. Stop feeding the machine. Because these influencers only exist because we give them attention. Remove the audience, and the performance ends. Remove the revenue, and the “power” disappears. And perhaps then, we can start rebuilding something real. Because this—what we’re watching now—is not strength. It’s a warning.

Tom Bosh Skinner On The Question Time Panel Attracts A Younger Audience

I would probably never have watched this if it was not for Tom Skinner

Theo Panda

2026-03-28T08:56:30.8570000 2026-03-28T09:05:09.3570000

I watched Questionaire Time the BBC’s political panel show hosted by Fiona Bruce, this week from Clacton On Sea Nigel Farage leader of the Reform party’s local constituency.

I’ve watched before but not regularly at all. I like Tom for the work he does for young people’s mental health and decided to check out this particular discussion because I had caught a headline leading me to believe the celebrity and business person Tom “Bosh” Skinner, of The Apprentice, Strictly Come Dancing and Barbecuing with J.D. Vance fame had caused a ruckus on the panel.

First off, there was absolutely no ruckus, in fact quite the opposite, Tom Skinner, and I am not particularly a fan, just seen him on You Tube a few times, so not here to big him up, was the only person on the panel actually applauded by the audience. And the consensus of the other guests was actually the time has come for less back stabbing and blaming and more working together for the greater good. The man who shall not be named M.P. for Clacton being outed for the opposite behaviour and being very chummy with big tech, aside from that he wasn’t mentioned at all.

The other guests on the panel, included Labour M.P. Justice Minister Jake Richards, conservative M.P. And ex security minister Tom Tugendhat and Liberal Democrat M.P. Layla Moran.

The questions asked that formulated and structured the discussion centred around The ruling in the US finding Google and Meta liable to the tune of 6M for making their platforms addictive on purpose. The extended time it was taking for HMS Dragon to reach Cyprus and the state of the UK defence capabilities.

The lack of jobs for young people, the rising numbers of unemployed young people, and the state of their mental health.

Crippling taxes for small businesses and their inability to hire people. UK growth in the toilet since Jan 2026, the Iran war. Mental Health services, years spend waiting for referrals, no support for parents with kids out of education.

Rising gas and energy prices. No money for a Friday night pint let alone a holiday. And people with disabilities there to protest about their mobility payments being axed, unable to get around.

It was an audience, a representative cross section declared by the BBC’s Fiona Bruce at the beginning of the show who just seemed completely broken.

After a lot of time was spent discussing the harmful effects of social media, discovering 1/3 of young people get their news from TikTok and then Tom Tugendhat, eloquently pointing out that TikTok is curated by the Chinese communist party and asked for a show of hands who would be unhappy to read a newspaper edited by them. We saw hands raised in solidarity against this type of psychological infiltration.

I thought the very last comment made by a lady about us all losing respect for ourselves, our colleagues, the medical profession, the police, each other was very poignant and summed up the whole depressing discussion.

One man in the audience talked about polarised politicians, the left the right, Tom Skinner added how much he had been insulted online and how it’s taken even further, trolls describing people as Gammon or Snowflakes, terms I’d never even heard off and I am Gen Z.

He sensibly said most people no longer care which side politicians are on, they all get clumped into the same boat, all arguing and blaming one another. Prime Ministers Questions was brought up as running joke, something Tom Tugendhat completely agreed with before saying words you never hear a politician say, to gasps in the audience about no spending on defence “We (the conservatives) got it wrong.”

The public just want common sense solutions right in the centre the man said to audience applause.

I don’t vote, now in my twenties I have never voted and many would say you cannot complain then if you don’t exercise your right to vote but I cannot vote until I see a candidate I believe in and want to back.

On the show, Tom Skinner came across as a decent, hard working bloke, who films himself having breakfast in Spitalfields every day at 4am before he starts work and posts that on social media, why not. Good luck to him. I’ve watched him a few times. He’s always positive. He wants a pint with his friends on a Friday and does a mental health walk every Sunday which anyone is free to join. I know he’s taken a beating in the press but who ever his friends are, like he said, he has friends who don’t all have the same political views but it doesn’t stop them having a drink together and a laugh.

It was an hour of TV I don’t wish to repeat anytime soon but it did make me think about what we are all enduring at the hands of our leaders, not just political but business too at home and overseas and it’s time for us all to stop looking to blame someone else and start taking some personal responsibility for our actions not just online, where we seem to think we have the right to behave atrociously or are mindlessly scrolling being totally unproductive but also in real life.

After reading yesterday about the dangers of fake reviews online as a young person (who does enjoy social media) I enjoy taking time out writing and sharing my real views here on Poopsnoop, doing something positive and constructive, my way of fighting back in some small way for I fear if the rot sets in any deeper we’ll never recover.

Ragdale Hall Spa Hotel What You Imagine Is Not Always The Reality

Spa Dreams Do Not Always Come True

Holly Barclay

2026-03-27T11:31:42.4970000 2026-03-28T07:56:54.4230000

Sometimes there’s a vast difference between what you imagine and what is delivered especially when the expectation has been created over a long period like 20 or 25 years.

This is how long I heard the whispers about Ragdale Hall, health spa opened as a women only slimming hydro in the early 1970s.

I had been to Champneys, Eden Day Spa, Hoar Cross Hall and The Belfry when budget and time allowed but never Ragdale Hall. Friends had been, clients had been but not me. I imagined pampering of the highest, luxury level, fluffy dressing gowns of the finest cotton towelling, slippers you sink into, health and wellness in every nook and cranny of a historic regal stately property. To be fair my expectations were very high based upon the prices charged. Approx £700 plus gratuities for one night including 3 meals and one treatment.

My visit started really well, valet parking, an American luxury I’d grown accustomed to holidaying in the US, rarely encountered in the UK (even at the poshest of places) and porters to whisk bags out of hands and ensure everything was delivered safely to the room.

The check in was swift and efficient, no waiting at all, something I loved and really appreciated. It seemed the place was run with such efficiency I didn’t notice the faded slip covered furniture and carpets from the 1980s that had definitely seen better days.

The room was the same, whilst it had every modern convenience, it felt thrown together in design, not cohesive in the way a 5 star hotel delivers serenity and comfort. The bathroom was new, white, clean, black and white tiled floor, but the towels, dressing gowns and room interiors were from a different time.

It felt more rest home than relaxation retreat with simple things like mirrors not positioned in the correct place to dry hair even though everything you would need was provided, coffee, tea, kettle, everything except water which seemed strange in a health spa.

We explored the shopping on arrival and they do have a really extensive beauty product shop, stocking well known brands like Clarins and Elemis and also quite a few I’d never heard of. Which was great. The staff in there were knowledgeable and helpful and we did shop. The fashion boutique was another story entirely. I am certainly not the most fashionable or up to date but it was stocked with clothes, shoes and accessories I thought my late mother would have said “no thanks” to. We walked in and walked straight out, making an excuse we’d just arrived and would be back.

We did come across two other gift stores selling jewellery and what looked like holiday souvenirs and gifts but we stopped at the entrance not wishing to have to make another hasty retreat.

I was booked in as a guest by a friend a gift so I wasn’t complaining just surprised. There were some highlights, the treatment I had was excellent in isolation. The therapist was experienced and I felt her precision and care in every touch. The highlight of the visit for me.

The staff in the dining room were young and inexperienced servers but they made up for this with effort and care that didn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated but there were faux pas you wouldn’t expect in a 5 star spa that made us giggle, cocktails served with the complete accompanying mixer poured, lack of knowledge when it came to the wine, champagnes and spirits offered, mis pronunciations can be forgiven but mis information and the wrong order delivered really slowly was frustrating. The Twilight Bar experience was funny and entertaining but for all the wrong “faulty towers” reasons, a bit of a car crash, two drinks costing £30 plus an additional £8 charge for a seating table fee felt like we were being fleeced, American style.

The thermal spa area had fantastic facilities spoiled only by other visitors more interested in talking constantly than respecting the signs requesting quiet and silence in designated areas.

The thought zones we smiled were mistakenly understood as places to share your thoughts rather than keep them to yourself.

It’s a tricky one when it’s the other guests ruining the experience for you, for me a property developer and an accountant celebrating their birthdays had a 20 year reunion serendipitously in the sauna, they had a lot to catch up on but instead of taking it outside, like a child screaming in a packed restaurant they spent their time catching up, subjecting everyone else to, their kids, their holidays, their friends, the businesses, sales, reasons, workload, retirement not particularly the hotel or spas fault. No one else in the sauna asked them to be quiet so neither did I. And when you are in the minority, everyone else having a great time chatting up a storm you sometimes just have to chalk it up to not being the place for you.

If you like a spa experience to socialise, eat, drink and have a good old gossip this is the perfect place. Would be good for a hen party or a group of women of which there were quite a few. If you are looking for somewhere to retreat, initiate catalyse or kickstart change, meditate, reflect, start a healthier food, diet, lifestyle regime maybe not the place for that, it’s too noisy.

https://www.ragdalehall.co.uk/

Thought You’d Never Get Healthy Chinese Takeaway In The Supermarket Think Again

Itsu Teriyaki Veggie Gyoza Is A Triumph For Quick, Cheap, Tasty and Healthy On The Go

Tara Chirpy

2026-03-26T08:13:00.0000000 2026-03-26T09:02:29.4800000

I love the simple Itsu strap line - eat beautiful.

Now ITSU Is available in a supermarket ready meal and tastes better than Chinese takeaway.

A big claim I know, who can resist crispy greasy prawn toast, sweet and sour, sticky sauce, fried rice, a big bag of prawn crackers. This might not be your order but you know where I am going.

It’s usually too salty, too greasy, not that great for us and yet we cannot resist it.

For many the thought of Itsu, sushi, miso soup conjures ideas healthy, light, good day not delicious, lip smacking, tasty however they have come up with a supermarket ready meal that checks all of the Chinese takeaway satisfaction boxes for me.

It’s a combination box that includes dim sum parcels, rice and crispy vegetables. Teriyaki Veg Gyoza with brown rice is 482 calories, it costs only £4.25 it is ready in 4 minutes. It is literally the perfect balanced fresh quick cheap

meal that is satisfying and gives definite Chinese takeaway vibes.

I buy the veggie one, which is delicious but there are four or five other meat flavour combinations if that’s what you prefer. chicken Pad Thai noodles, chicken teriyaki and brown rice, Korean style spicy pork noddles, Thai style chicken brown rice and katsu chicken and brown rice so something for every palette in the range available at Tesco.

I actually don’t shop in Tesco normally (I’m an Aldi shopper) but this range from Itsu gets me in Tesco at least once a week.

If you are looking for a quick easy freshly prepared meal on the go for not much money considering what you get then I totally recommend these combo plates from Itsu especially the Veg Teriyaki Gyoza which I absolutely LOVE.

Itsu is the follow up brand for the genius food entrepreneur Julian Metcalfe who opened Pret A Manger is 1986 then Itsu chain followed in 1997.

This guys has changed the food landscape in the UK and also put service and kindness at the forefront of his business model. He’s feed the homeless and employed ex offenders and people on the street giving them a second chance at having a life. It’s a business and person I genuinely admire so very happy to support. Itsu is owned by Metcalfe’s food Company and Julian Metcalfe still owns 54% of the company. A British success story and a triumph for healthy freshly made “fast food”

For your information, it does say to microwave and I am not saying don’t I just think you get a better result popping the contents in the oven for 5 or 6 minutes. Comes out a bit crispier which I prefer.

What To Do At Home When Your Hair Colour Goes Wrong. Noughty Detox Dynamo Versus Ouai Detox Shampoo

Clarifying shampoo detox shampoo is it worth spending a bit more for a better solution?

Suzy Hutchinson

2026-03-25T17:29:45.7330000 2026-03-25T17:51:21.3430000

What to do when your hair colour goes wrong. Doesn’t matter if you are blonde, trying to go blonder and it goes purple or worse still green, brunette trying to go lighter and it goes orange, dark trying to blend balayage and it just doesn’t match or covering grey and it goes wrong, especially too dark is usually impossible to shift without a professional bleaching two process strip and re colour which depending on who’s doing it can be risky too.

My friend and I had two similar hair disasters at the same time, she’s blonde I am brunette and had a go at rectifying the problem with detox or clarifying shampoo.

My friend opted for Ouai shampoo she purchased in boots and paid about £30 steep yes but cheaper than a stylist. It did exactly what she needed it to do. Lifted and blended too much ash in her blonde tresses from a toner applied at home and returned them back to the more natural sunkissed streaky extra light blonde she loves.

She was delighted and grateful for the recommendation. If you are in the same situation this Quai detox shampoo works on blondes.

I on the other hand had a colour disaster at the salon. My natural brunette hair with a few grey streaks ended up Adams family too dark and as it wasn’t my regular stylist, I decided I would try and correct it myself.

I opted for a cheaper detox shampoo Detox Dynamo by Noughty. On the directions it says to use it once a week, not every wash as it can dry out your hair.

I paid about £7.00.

The results weren’t immediate like the Ouai shampoo. I had to use it once a week for about six weeks before I started to see the colour lighten and blend a little better with the other hair.

And then it was time to return to the salon. The stylist did end up correcting the colour completely which was expensive, around £200 (maybe if I’d tried the more expensive detox shampoo I’d have got a better result) but I could have tolerated the colour after 6 weeks, it was lighter, the stylist was able to get it back looking pre mistake.

The conclusion:

If you are blonde the Ouai shampoo delivered a detox colour result in one wash. It may be expensive but worth it and worked.

If you are a coloured brunette with a colour mistake, too dark, the cheaper detox shampoo by Noughty did smell lovely and pepperminty but the results were slow. Nothing happened quickly. And to get it sorted and back to pre mistake it took a professionals help. Although if going to a professional is not an option it did help and after about 6 washes the hair was definitely better.

If it happened again, I’d definitely invest in the Quai shampoo myself before heading back to the stylist for an expensive hair rescue.

https://theouai.co.uk/products/detox-shampoo?

Masterchef The Professionals 2026 Set To Be The Best Final Cook Ever

We are in for the night For Masterchef Final as Luke, Mark and Gareth Compete For The Trophy

Andrew James

2026-03-25T09:17:00.0000000 2026-03-25T13:37:39.1000000

A week ago we declared Gareth the winner, then it shifted to Luke, Mark was out and Caroline was in and then Mark was not only in but upping his game and challenging for the title.

I cannot remember a Masterchef professionals being this engaging and literally so exciting.

I even spent time really looking into the career, background and business @preamar.co on Instagram of semi final contestant Caroline Meyer Kerber and seeing her real passion and love for what she does shine through how she communicates on social media. I put a couple of comments on her feed and she replied personally to both. How many people with profile humbly do that these days?

I think like many others we were shocked to see her go. In our house we thought it would be Mark @mark.o.brian but one mistake from Caroline on her dessert and some crazy cooking and raising his game on presentation and all of a sudden it’s anyone’s competition. After the episode when all three remaining chefs, Luke, Gareth and Mark travelled to 3 Michelin starred chef Norbert Niederkofler’s restaurant in the Dolomites in southern Italy and were given a masterclass on his “Cook The Mountain” philosophy and then put through their paces doing a service to Norbert’s exacting standards, you really cannot call it.

It was a fascinating episode for anyone who loves food and or loves to cook how sustainability and using what you have locally, no olive oil, no citrus can be overcome even being able to create your own soy sauce foraging different herbs and local ingredients, actually cooking the mountain.

It was funny and a little bit tense to watch of a chef of that level having to take a hands off approach with the fledglings in his kitchen and actually serve their food. They all performed incredibly. It is truly anyone’s trophy and we cannot wait for the final cook. The previews of the food and commentary look both exciting and nail biting.

I think after all the controversy around the show producers have really focused on casting authentic talent, no drama, really good talented chefs who deserve the break and exposure this TV show can give. When the BBC and TV do this to help give talent a massive marketing push it’s very easy to buy in.

I think the addition of calming Matt Tebbit from Saturday Kitchen on the judging panel has been an inspired choice. People don’t want the drama and forced comedy or stupidity of presenters they want educated people calmly, fairly, consistently and quietly doing the job.

That is what makes for a great competition. I am sure I am not the only person who loves food, education and a great restaurant in combo who’ll be watching to see the winner crowned.

Caroline Meyer Kerber’s magnamous posts about the remaining three chefs, Gareth, Luke and Mark have been amazing. What a good person, what a great chef, these guys are all super talented, passionate and humble and I believe whoever is the winner the other two whilst of cause disappointed will lose and congratulate the winner with the same grace as Caroline.

Brilliant TV. Good Luck To All.