
X Factor star Jai Waetford is every inch the doting father as he shares precious image of newborn daughter Aaliyah
In a heartwarming series of photos shared with his 380,000 followers on Tuesday, Jai is seen cradling his newborn daughter with pure adoration.
'Everyone meet Aaliyah,' he began alongside the post.
'Sorry I been MIA, newborn phase ain't no joke. Love you all. btw new music coming soon.'
One pictured showed him gazing lovingly at her at dinner, while another captures him grinning from ear to ear in hospital as he holds the tiny newborn close to his chest.
From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop.
'This is what life is about. Love you bro ❤️,' wrote friend Josh Carroll in the comments, while fellow reality stars and influencers flooded the post with messages of support.
Love Island's Georgia Hassarati added: 'So perfect ❤️ congratulations Jai,' and MAFS groom Al Perkins commented, 'Praise God! Congratulations man!'
Though Jai has kept most of his relationship with girlfriend Bec Donaghy out of the spotlight in recent years, the emotional post marks a major new chapter for the singer who shot to fame in 2013.
It is not known exactly how long Jai and Bec have been dating but they started featuring on each other's Instagram pages in 2023.
They went Instagram official in July 2023 with a cosy photograph of them packing on the PDA, which was shared to Bec's account.
Jai captured Australians' hearts when he rose to fame on The X Factor in 2013, when he earned the nickname of 'Aussie Bieber'.
He impressed with his audition, where he sang Different Worlds by Jes Hudak and his own original song Don't Let Me Go.
He eventually placed third on the fifth season of The X Factor Australia and his debut single Your Eyes peaked at number six on the ARIA Singles Chart.
In 2016, he moved away from singing and went on to pursue a television career, making his acting debut on Neighbours as Angus Beaumont-Hannay.
He portrayed the son of Sarah Beaumont and Peter Hannay for around 50 episodes before announcing he was relocating to Hollywood.
He signed with the powerful US talent company Creative Artists Agency and spent some time in Africa and South America before returning to Australia.
Since relocating back Down Under, Jai returned to screens in Stan drama Critical Incident.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Guardian
32 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Teresa Palmer: ‘What's the strangest thing in my fridge? Oh my God – there is slime'
When was the last time you solved a mystery? Oh, I'm going big with this answer: the mystery of the phantom pooer. Someone in my family does poos in the toilet and doesn't flush them. They've all been blaming each other. [Palmer has four children and a stepson.] It got to the point where I really thought it was my husband, because it was in our toilet. So I actually set up a situation where I pretended the other toilet was blocked and they couldn't use it, and I stalked my children after each poo. One time I didn't hear a flush and they ran out to play so I figured out who the phantom pooer was. I won't out which one of my children it was, but it's one of them. I keep saying, 'It's not that hard! You do a poo, you press the flush!' What's the weirdest thing in your fridge right now? Let me go have a look. I have garlic chives. I've got tarragon. I have got peaches in juice. Oh my God, what is this? What is this? I think it's slime. Oh my gosh, it's my son's slime. I thought it was some sort of compote – it is dark red and has chunks in it. There is slime in my fridge. As a teenager, you worked at the Hungry Jack's in Rundle Mall in Adelaide. Have you ever filmed anything more scary than working at the Hungry Jack's in Rundle Mall? [laughs] I used to sub at Hungry Jack's in Rundle Mall. I mainly was at Hawthorn. There were some pretty dodgy characters hanging around Rundle Mall back then … I have filmed many, many scary things over my career, but nothing quite compares to the experience of working at Hungry Jack's as a 15-year-old. I'd still go to Rundle Mall to hang out with my little homies in the city. That was the highlight of my weekend. 'Let's go to Rundle Mall! Maybe head to Dazzleland?' What is the strangest skill you've learned for a role? Bizarrely, I learned to row for A Discovery of Witches. I learned how to flip my boat and come up the other way, which was really horrifying as someone who is deathly afraid of being underwater. But I became really efficient at it and I broke through my fear. I had another weird experience when I filmed Point Break in Tahiti – again, underwater. I was strapped to the bottom of the ocean with four sandbags and they take your oxygen out so you can clear your air bubbles. And then you have to act! I had to act in love with someone under the water. When my air would cut out, I would signal with these wide, crazy, panicky eyes. You just have to trust that someone will swim over and give you your regulator back. I recently turned down a job because they were like 'It'll be three months in the water swimming with whales!' I was like 'Pass! Keep me on dry land.' Which movie scarred you for life as a kid? Candyman. It was at my brother's 13th sleepover. I had a big crush on one of his friends, Jesse, so I snuck in to sit with all the boys and sleeping bags and pretend I was a super-cool 11-year-old. I saw the bit with the bees killing people, and I did not sleep without my touch lamp on for about four years. It was terrifying. And I never got to hook up with Jesse. Who's the most famous person in your phone? I'll check. You'll have to pick. Paris Hilton. Russell Crowe. Emma Stone. Eva Mendes. Sia? What's the best lesson you've learned from someone you've worked with? It's OK to get Uber Eats if you don't like the food at work. I am vegan and it's annoying for people to have to cater to me. This is the people pleaser inside of me. So I always order a vegan garlic bread and a bubble tea. I have that, no joke, every lunchtime when I film. It has got to the point where people will come and give me a heads up on when I should put the order in. When a recent job wrapped, I ordered like 200 garlic breads for everyone on the cast and crew. They were like, 'What have we been snoozing on? This is amazing.' I am the picture of wellness – garlic bread and bubble tea. What are you secretly really good at? I'm an encyclopedia for true crime. I know every true crime case. People come to me for recommendations for podcasts, documentaries, TV shows. I can sit and have an in-depth conversation about various cases and theories with anyone. We can get deep real quick – you can just say the first name of someone in a case and I'll know immediately who we're talking about. That's how I find my people. What book, album or film do you always return to, and why? Labyrinth. When I used to go to my dad's place as a kid, he didn't quite know how to entertain a little girl so he bought me three VHS tapes and every Sunday I would watch one of the three. The movies were Grease, Labyrinth and A Little Princess. It was funny to watch Labyrinth again with my children. They're so used to watching Pixar and things with amazing special effects, but the magic was still there. We play the album in the car all day. It still holds firm as my favourite movie. What's been your most cringeworthy run-in with a celebrity? This happened about a year ago. I was doing an acting workshop in Byron Bay. We're in the middle of it and this guy pops his head in with his dog, and says 'Oh, what is this?' I told him and he said 'Cool, I've always thought about looking into this.' So I asked what he did and he said he makes music. I was thinking 'That's cute. Are you in a band? Do you perform in the pub?' And someone says 'Holy shit! That's Pete Murray.' I went to all his concerts. I used to follow him around Australia, watching all these gigs. And I completely didn't recognise him – I thought he was a cute dad who was in a band at the local pub. It was really mortifying. But we had a laugh. I said 'I am so embarrassed – I'm a huge fan of yours.' He invited me and my friends to his gig two months later, so he's not upset I didn't recognise him. He was just so out of context. He is a Byron Bay dad, who knew! Teresa Palmer stars in The Family Next Door, which premieres Sunday 10 August at 8pm on ABC TV, with all episodes available to stream on ABC iView.


Daily Mail
41 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
The Lions awards: NIK SIMON picks his top players, tries and laughs from a memorable tour Down Under - and shares his wishes for 2029
The 2025 British & Irish Lions' tour of Australia ended in resounding success, with the tourists clinching a 2-1 series victory. It marked the Lions' first series win over Australia since 2013 and their first tour triumph under Andy Farrell's leadership. The opening Test in Brisbane saw the Lions explode out of the blocks with a commanding display, while the second Test delivered even more drama, as the Lions clawed back from an 18-point deficit to snatch a last-gasp win. While Farrell's side were unable to clinch the first 3-0 clean sweep for a Lions side since 1927, this tour was not short of memories. The Lions next tour is a highly anticipated 2029 visit to New Zealand, where they will contest a series against the All Blacks. Here, Mail Sport's Nik Simon looks at some of the milestones from the Lions' recent trip down under. Best player There is a compelling case for Finn Russell to be recognised as the best No 10 in the world right now. He lit up games with his nonchalant swagger, now underpinned by assured game management. The series win rounds off the best season of his career. Best try Tom Wright's score in the second Test ripped up the entire tour narrative. Attacking from their own 22, the Wallabies turned into the galloping golds of a different era. Joseph Suaalii cut open the midfield and Wright finished a flowing move that left 90,000 fans in a state of shocked delirium. Best atmosphere The MCG was the loudest stadium but it was the walk down Caxton Street to the first Test in Brisbane where the sea of red burst into life. With timber-frame buildings and music pumping out of every bar, it felt like we were on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans. Best accessories After the defining victory in Melbourne, Sione Tuipulotu's family decked out the players in celebratory garlands. Rooted in Pacific Island culture, each player's garland had around 25 chocolate bars stitched on to it, ranging from KitKats to Caramel Wallabies. Funniest moment The stadium announcer in Perth kicked off the tour with a bang when he introduced the Lions before kick-off. 'The Aussie at No 14, Mack Hansen. Another Aussie at No 12, Sione Tuipulotu. At No 11, the Kiwi now Irishman, James Lowe. At prop, the former SA schoolboy now Scotsman, Pierre Schoeman.' A rare sprinkling of salt on an otherwise mild-mannered tour. Best opposition player Man-mountain Will Skelton was a colossus for the Wallabies. He changed the narrative with his physicality, with the Wallabies leading the aggregate score when he was on the pitch. If he had been fit to play in the first Test and lasted longer in the second, the series could well have had a different outcome. Best journey As part of the Roar and Uncut video series, we hitched a lift from Newcastle to Canberra with three fans from Long Eaton RFC; Brooky, Daz and Aidy. We broke down and had to crawl down the hard shoulder at a snail's pace but it was full of fun, friendship and laughter. A reminder of the true essence of touring. Most popular tourist Bundee Aki was the man at the heart of the raucous celebrations when the Lions wrapped up the series in Melbourne. He led the team on a two-day party, with some moral support from Mack Hansen. He has been chairman of the fines committee, leading the team's infamous kangaroo courts. In the 2029 series against New Zealand, I want to see less second-half blowouts in the warm-up matches Least like to be stuck in a lift with I was staying in the same hotel as the Pasifika XV when they played the Lions in Melbourne. Taniela Tupou stepped into the same lift as me, heading up to the 18th floor, and it's safe to say there wasn't much breathing space after a few of his team-mates joined. Wish for the 2029 series Let's make sure the provincial teams come out fully loaded so we have jeopardy from start to finish. There were too many second-half blowouts in the warm-up matches. It would also be superb to see a match played in the Pacific Islands, just a short flight from New Zealand.


The Guardian
41 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Famous faces: Australia's Martin Kantor portrait prize finalists
This black and white photograph depicts artist Hoda Afshar, whose acclaimed work has significantly shaped contemporary visual culture in Australia. Photographed on analogue film, resisting digital immediacy. The double exposure introduces a layered visual language reflecting identity as shifting, contingent and multiple. Photograph: David Rosetzky Peter Singer AC is best known for his work in bioethics and his role as one of the intellectual founders of the modern animal rights movement. In this portrait, inspired by The Tears of Saint Peter by Juan Bautista Maino, Human and non-human are depicted at equal height. Photograph: Petrina Hicks This portrait captures Yual Reath, a Ballarat athlete whose story transcends sport. At 24 he represented Australia at the Paris Olympic Games and continues to compete at the highest level. His journey from a hopeful immigrant boy to an elite athlete embodies the relentless pursuit of dreams. Photograph: Ian Kemp From Queen Elizabeth II, Nick Cave, Cate Blanchett, Polly Borland's portraits are unforgettable. Polly costumed as a silhouette beneath a flying cape conjures the super-heroic, the oracle, trickster – all herself. 'This portrait is not a mirror,' says photographer and friend Bronwyn Kidd, 'it is a myth unfolding.' Photograph: Bronwyn Kidd John Gollings is an Australian architectural photographer. This portrait was created in John's final days in his studio building, in front of a photo of his hand taken by his son Gus. Photograph: Suzanne Phoenix 'The night before the shoot, I watched Troye Sivan's music videos with my six-year-old daughter, Sidney,' says photographer Mia McDonald. 'She adored theatricality.' The chosen setup, comprised of just McDonald and her assistant Arnaud gave space to be intimate. Outside, a line of about 150 people were all waiting to catch a glimpse of Troye Sivan. Photograph: Mia McDonald Environmentalist, doctor and former politician Bob Brown stands on the stump of a giant eucalyptus regnant in the southern forests of Lutruwita, Tasmania. Bob has been fighting for the end of native forest logging in Australia for many years, and even in his 80s continues to do so. Photograph: Matthew Newton Anne Zahalka is one of Australia's most highly regarded photo-media artists, with a career spanning 40 years. Her practice deconstructs familiar scenes, re-presenting them to allow alternative narratives that reflect on cultural diversity and the climate crisis. Photographer Joy Mei En Lai's portraits reflect a direct connection with her subjects: intimate, engaged and affirming their accomplished creative careers. Photograph: Joy Mei En Lei Tim Winton is one of Australia's most revered literary voices, whose work's, including Cloudstreet, Dirt Music, Breath and his latest novel Juice have profoundly shaped the nation's cultural and artistic identity. Winton stands as a pillar of contemporary Australian storytelling – introspective, unpretentious, and deeply attuned to place. Photograph: Adam Ferguson Poet and multidisciplinary artist and 2020 NSW Aboriginal woman of the year Kirli Saunders (OAM) alongside musician and illustrator, Mark Chester Harding who have come together to form Cooee. The project brings together Kirli's poetry and Mark's music, with both artists also producing visual works under the Cooee name. Photograph: TW Baker Callum Linnane, a principal artist with the Australian Ballet, was born and grew up in Ballarat and entered the Australian Ballet School at a young age. Callum has gone on to dance so many of the leading roles in the classical and contemporary repertoire and recently premiered the role of Oscar Wilde in a newly created work, Oscar by lauded choreographer, Christopher Wheeldon. 'Our portrait session was a beautiful opportunity to share past, present moment and future dreams,' says photographer Simon Dow. Photograph: Simon Dow Benjamin Law captured in a moment of precarious equilibrium by photographer Dane Beesley, seemingly on the verge of toppling yet utterly balanced and confident. The image is a visual metaphor for Law's multifaceted career and public persona. His work frequently pushes boundaries, challenging conventional thinking and inviting audiences to consider perspectives they might not have otherwise encountered. Photograph: Dane Beesley Tajette O'Halloran was commissioned to photograph Missy Higgin's album campaign for The Second Act. 'The intention was less about creating traditional portraits and more about documenting a moment of transformation.' says O'Halloran. 'It was an opportunity to capture a woman in the midst of an unraveling, quietly sitting with the weight of her own evolution.' Photograph: Tajette O'Halloran The self-portrait captured in motion-blur, overlaid with childhood memories, printed on to LD45 foam, and hand-sculpted to echo emotional distortion and displacement. Red threads spill from severed hands, symbolising a quiet unravelling, being handcuffed by grief and inability to stop what has been lost or still to come. 'This work reflects the lasting impact of migrating from Iran to Australia, losing family and friends, and the slow disconnection from my origin,' says photographer Forough Yavari. Photograph: Forough Yavari Tim Rogers, frontman of iconic rock band You Am I. Beyond music, he has contributed to Australian arts as an author, playwright, and actor, enriching the country's creative landscape. 'My hope with this shoot was to create a bold and unpolished portrait, inspired by You Am I's early grunge aesthetic,' says photographer Thérèse Maher. Photograph: Thérèse Maher Ken Seaton is a poet that has written and published a mountain of work. He has also organised more than 2,000 poetry events in Melbourne. Photographer Alan Mitchell first saw Ken in a late night folk and poetry venue in Melbourne in the late 70s. 'He did not recite his words, he performed them,' says Mitchell. 'This portrait is my visual attempt to represent Ken's longevity and lifetime passionate dedication to words.' Photograph: Alan Mitchell Renowned Indigenous activist, writer, actor and academic, Prof Gary Foley, photographed by long-term friend Rod McNicol. 'A year or so ago the Indigenous voice referendum came and went,' says Foley. 'This portrait of Gary was made in that post-referendum period, and it reflects something of the gravitas that underlied our reaction to the emphatically negative response that the voice referendum received.' Photograph: Rod McNicol Having long been an admirer of Melbourne-based artist and lecturer Harry Nankin's work, photographer Naomi Herzog was thrilled to have the opportunity to meet him. 'He talked about various ideas he was working on and I was given a glimpse into some of the work in his studio. Using one of his images as a backdrop, I worked with the strong lines of Harry's profile to capture this portrait.' Photograph: Naomi Herzog A portrait of Merryn Schriever, the only female director of a fine art auction house in Australia. Merryn's extensive knowledge of Australian contemporary art, building knowledge of and strong relationships with artists and collectors helped her break the glass ceiling in a male-dominated auction world. 'I have photographed Merryn with a rare collection of ceramic 'Wally Birds' which had surfaced in Australia in the 1870s,' says photographer Kellie Leczinska. Photograph: Kellie Leczinska