Latest news with #Dubai
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Commercialising concussion': The Australians taking a backyard collision game global
"Defender ready?" calls the host. A thumbs up and moments later, two burly men - with no protective gear - run full speed at each other before they clash, the unmistakable sound of flesh and bone crunching. Advertisement The crowd erupts into a collective roar, some cheering, others wincing. This is the moment they've been waiting for - and it's exactly this adrenaline-fuelled energy that organisers of the Run It Championship League are banking on to help bring what they call the "world's fiercest, new collision sport" to global audiences. It is a supercharged version of a one-on-one tackle game which originated in the backyards and school playgrounds of Australia and New Zealand - namely in Pacific Islander communities. One person carrying a ball must "run it straight" at the defender, who is also sprinting towards them: they are not allowed to duck, hurdle or sidestep the tackler. Advertisement Videos of the game have recently gone viral, and the founders of the Run It league have capitalised on the surge of interest - they say they've gained millions of views online, won over thousands of fans, attracted big name sponsors, and even inspired rival competitions. They've held jousts in Melbourne and Auckland, and on Saturday another will take place in a Dubai arena, the winner taking away prize money of A$200,000 (£98,000). Next on their agenda, is an expansion to the UK and US. But the groundswell of support for the league is increasingly being rivalled by critical voices. Medical experts and sporting figures are worried about the physical and mental health impacts of the game. The game has been copied in a wider social media craze which is accused of already claiming one life. "It's like shaking a baby," says Peter Satterthwaite, whose teenage nephew died after copying the game at a party. From the schoolyard to the world stage The objective of the game is simple: be the person who "dominates" the contact, as deemed by a panel of three judges. Advertisement Two of the league's seven co-founders, Brandon Taua'a and Stephen Hancock, tell the BBC they have fond memories of playing the game as teenagers in Melbourne. "I used to 'run it straight' at Brandon all the time," Hancock says, joking that the pair would usually try to avoid hitting each other straight on. There'll be none of that this weekend, when the eight finalists compete for that giant cash prize in United Arab Emirates. Hancock insists Run It is a "game of skill" - "[It's] all about the footwork" - but there's no denying the violent nature of it. Advertisement A quick scroll of the league's social media accounts shows dozens of quick-burst videos, all honing in on the explosive action of two men colliding. In other videos circulating from the events, several competitors are knocked out and require immediate medical attention. Taua'a acknowledges the sport comes with risks, but the league has safety protocols to minimise them. Competitors are screened, undergoing medical assessments – such as blood tests and a physical exam – and they must also send a recent video of themselves playing a sport that features tackling. Medical staff are also on the sidelines of the events. Advertisement "There's an element of danger with surfing, with boxing and many other sports as well," Taua'a argues. For Champ Betham - who won NZ$20,000 earlier this month at the competition in Auckland and is gunning for the title in Dubai on Saturday – the element of danger is but a secondary consideration. "This is a massive blessing to a whole heap of us to pretty much try and win 20K or whatever for a couple hours' work," he told Radio New Zealand at the time. "We got to pay off some debts and stock up the fridges and the cupboards, food for our little ones, especially with the economy and stuff like that here in New Zealand. Nothing's cheap these days." Warriors halfback Chanel Harris-Tavita is one of the rugby players promoting Run It [Getty Images] The money involved, for a league which has only been around for six months, is impressive. Along with the prize fund, competitors' travel and accommodation expenses are being paid. A 1,600-seat arena has been booked. The league has a slick social media account, a PR representative, and a bunch of promoters - including antipodean sports stars. Advertisement Its initial financial backers have been described only as "a group of local investors who believe in the product", but bigger names are emerging: days before the Dubai event, the league announced it had secured a major sponsor in online gambling platform banned in key markets like Australia and the UK. There are also ongoing talks with potential US investors, including a contact linked to American podcaster and UFC heavyweight Joe Rogan, which Taua'a says "will definitely help" the league build a presence in the US. They will need big backers to match their ambitions for the contest, which they argue is more than just a fleeting social media trend. "This could actually eventuate into a sport that could sit [in a class] with MMA and boxing," Hancock says. 'An innocuous crash' But as Taua'a and Hancock focus on the competition's future ambitions, more and more voices are questioning its safety. Advertisement "They might as well set up smoking as a legitimate sport," says neuroscientist Alan Pearce. Speaking to the BBC from the New Zealand city of Palmerston North, Peter Satterthwaite is unequivocal. "It's not a sport," he says. It's "a dangerous activity" designed purely "to hurt the guy in front of you". His 19-year-old nephew Ryan was celebrating a 21st birthday with friends at a local park when they decided to try the game they'd seen all over their social media feeds. Ryan did two tackles. Neither he or his friend fell down or clashed heads. But as he walked away, he told his mates he didn't feel well, his uncle recounts. Advertisement "[Ryan] was coherent for a bit, then he lay down and his eyes just rolled back in his head." Ryan Satterthwaite, 19, was the youngest of three brothers who all grew up playing rugby [Pete Satterthwaite] Friends rushed him to hospital where doctors had to "cut a sizable chunk out of his skull" to alleviate pressure caused by brain swelling, Satterthwaite says. "I saw him on the ventilator, his chest going up and down as he was breathing, and it was like 'Get up! Open your eyes'." On Monday evening, just a day after he was playing with his mates, Ryan's life support was turned off in a hospital room filled with loved ones. "It was just an innocuous clash," Ryan's uncle says, "and it just shows you how fragile life is and how fragile your brain is." Advertisement Run It understands the dangers of contact sports and takes safety seriously. Weeks after Ryan's death, the league posted a video saying the game is "not for the backyard, not for the street". "Do not try this at home," they said. But Satterthwaite doubts that warning will have much impact. "I don't think there's a sport in the world that people don't do at the beach, or in their backyard, or at the park." It's not just the physical impacts that worry Shenei Panaia. Mental health worker Shenei Penaia says she used to see versions of 'run it straight' tackles during her school years [Shenei Panaia] As a Samoan growing up in Australia, she would often see schoolkids playing the game as a bit of fun. But the mental health worker fears it reinforces "a version of masculinity where silence is strength, and violence is proof of pride". Advertisement "It sends a dangerous message to young men that their worth is based on how much pain they can take. That if you're not tough, you don't belong." And the league's attempt to turn this into a lucrative spectator sport contradicts the values of many in the Pacific Islander community, Penaia says. "We are taught to look out for one another... and to make decisions that serve more than just ourselves." 'Blood in the air' Their concerns are echoed by a pack of concussion experts and sporting figures. For more than a decade, the world of high-impact sports has been introducing safety measures as the research into brain injuries develops. Advertisement Official bodies including Rugby Australia, New Zealand Rugby have warned people not to take part, with the New Zealand Prime Minister also weighing in, saying it's a "dumb thing to do". Neuroscientist Pearce argues Run It magnifies "the most violent aspects of our established sport", while the safety protocols do little to minimise any risk. Blood tests and physical exams cannot predict a brain injury, and catastrophic damage can occur even without a direct hit to the head. "I can't see how running at 25km an hour straight at each other without stopping is safe," he tells the BBC. "It's as simple as that." There's the risk of immediate concussion, Dr Pearce says, delayed onset brain injuries like Ryan Satterthwaite's, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) - a degenerative disease caused by repetitive head trauma. They can lead to cognitive impairments, movement disorders, dementia, depression. Advertisement "[They're] basically using the collision as the entertainment value, which is, in effect, commercialising concussion," he concludes. But a spokesperson for the league - who argues it is "not about masculinity" but "strength and skill" - say organisers have no intention of slowing down, and aren't too worried about their critics. Taua'a says what happens at their competitions is "not too much different" to what you see on televised rugby matches, and – with their protocols – it is far safer than many of the games played in backyards the world over. "It's quite new for viewers and it might take some time for them to get used to seeing what we've put together."
BBC News
2 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Run It Straight: The Australians trying to turn a backyard tackle into a global sport
"Defender ready?" calls the host.A thumbs up and moments later, two burly men - with no protective gear - run full speed at each other before they clash, the unmistakable sound of flesh and bone crowd erupts into a collective roar, some cheering, others is the moment they've been waiting for - and it's exactly this adrenaline-fuelled energy that organisers of the Run It Championship League are banking on to help bring what they call the "world's fiercest, new collision sport" to global is a supercharged version of a one-on-one tackle game which originated in the backyards and school playgrounds of Australia and New Zealand - namely in Pacific Islander person carrying a ball must "run it straight" at the defender, who is also sprinting towards them: they are not allowed to duck, hurdle or sidestep the of the game have recently gone viral, and the founders of the Run It league have capitalised on the surge of interest - they say they've gained millions of views online, won over thousands of fans, attracted big name sponsors, and even inspired rival held jousts in Melbourne and Auckland, and on Saturday another will take place in a Dubai arena, the winner taking away prize money of A$200,000 (£98,000). Next on their agenda, is an expansion to the UK and the groundswell of support for the league is increasingly being rivalled by critical voices. Medical experts and sporting figures are worried about the physical and mental health impacts of the game. The game has been copied in a wider social media craze which is accused of already claiming one life."It's like shaking a baby," says Peter Satterthwaite, whose teenage nephew died after copying the game at a party. From the schoolyard to the world stage The objective of the game is simple: be the person who "dominates" the contact, as deemed by a panel of three of the league's seven co-founders, Brandon Taua'a and Stephen Hancock, tell the BBC they have fond memories of playing the game as teenagers in Melbourne."I used to 'run it straight' at Brandon all the time," Hancock says, joking that the pair would usually try to avoid hitting each other straight be none of that this weekend, when the eight finalists compete for that giant cash prize in United Arab insists Run It is a "game of skill" - "[It's] all about the footwork" - but there's no denying the violent nature of it.A quick scroll of the league's social media accounts shows dozens of quick-burst videos, all honing in on the explosive action of two men other videos circulating from the events, several competitors are knocked out and require immediate medical acknowledges the sport comes with risks, but the league has safety protocols to minimise are screened, undergoing medical assessments – such as blood tests and a physical exam – and they must also send a recent video of themselves playing a sport that features tackling. Medical staff are also on the sidelines of the events."There's an element of danger with surfing, with boxing and many other sports as well," Taua'a Champ Betham - who won NZ$20,000 earlier this month at the competition in Auckland and is gunning for the title in Dubai on Saturday – the element of danger is but a secondary consideration."This is a massive blessing to a whole heap of us to pretty much try and win 20K or whatever for a couple hours' work," he told Radio New Zealand at the time."We got to pay off some debts and stock up the fridges and the cupboards, food for our little ones, especially with the economy and stuff like that here in New Zealand. Nothing's cheap these days." The money involved, for a league which has only been around for six months, is impressive. Along with the prize fund, competitors' travel and accommodation expenses are being paid. A 1,600-seat arena has been booked. The league has a slick social media account, a PR representative, and a bunch of promoters - including antipodean sports initial financial backers have been described only as "a group of local investors who believe in the product", but bigger names are emerging: days before the Dubai event, the league announced it had secured a major sponsor in online gambling platform banned in key markets like Australia and the are also ongoing talks with potential US investors, including a contact linked to American podcaster and UFC heavyweight Joe Rogan, which Taua'a says "will definitely help" the league build a presence in the will need big backers to match their ambitions for the contest, which they argue is more than just a fleeting social media trend."This could actually eventuate into a sport that could sit [in a class] with MMA and boxing," Hancock says. 'An innocuous crash' But as Taua'a and Hancock focus on the competition's future ambitions, more and more voices are questioning its safety."They might as well set up smoking as a legitimate sport," says neuroscientist Alan to the BBC from the New Zealand city of Palmerston North, Peter Satterthwaite is unequivocal."It's not a sport," he says. It's "a dangerous activity" designed purely "to hurt the guy in front of you".His 19-year-old nephew Ryan was celebrating a 21st birthday with friends at a local park when they decided to try the game they'd seen all over their social media did two tackles. Neither he or his friend fell down or clashed heads. But as he walked away, he told his mates he didn't feel well, his uncle recounts."[Ryan] was coherent for a bit, then he lay down and his eyes just rolled back in his head." Friends rushed him to hospital where doctors had to "cut a sizable chunk out of his skull" to alleviate pressure caused by brain swelling, Satterthwaite says."I saw him on the ventilator, his chest going up and down as he was breathing, and it was like 'Get up! Open your eyes'."On Monday evening, just a day after he was playing with his mates, Ryan's life support was turned off in a hospital room filled with loved ones."It was just an innocuous clash," Ryan's uncle says, "and it just shows you how fragile life is and how fragile your brain is."Run It understands the dangers of contact sports and takes safety seriously. Weeks after Ryan's death, the league posted a video saying the game is "not for the backyard, not for the street"."Do not try this at home," they Satterthwaite doubts that warning will have much impact."I don't think there's a sport in the world that people don't do at the beach, or in their backyard, or at the park."It's not just the physical impacts that worry Shenei Panaia. As a Samoan growing up in Australia, she would often see schoolkids playing the game as a bit of fun. But the mental health worker fears it reinforces "a version of masculinity where silence is strength, and violence is proof of pride"."It sends a dangerous message to young men that their worth is based on how much pain they can take. That if you're not tough, you don't belong."And the league's attempt to turn this into a lucrative spectator sport contradicts the values of many in the Pacific Islander community, Penaia says."We are taught to look out for one another... and to make decisions that serve more than just ourselves." 'Blood in the air' Their concerns are echoed by a pack of concussion experts and sporting more than a decade, the world of high-impact sports has been introducing safety measures as the research into brain injuries bodies including Rugby Australia, New Zealand Rugby have warned people not to take part, with the New Zealand Prime Minister also weighing in, saying it's a "dumb thing to do".Neuroscientist Pearce argues Run It magnifies "the most violent aspects of our established sport", while the safety protocols do little to minimise any risk. Blood tests and physical exams cannot predict a brain injury, and catastrophic damage can occur even without a direct hit to the head. "I can't see how running at 25km an hour straight at each other without stopping is safe," he tells the BBC. "It's as simple as that."There's the risk of immediate concussion, Dr Pearce says, delayed onset brain injuries like Ryan Satterthwaite's, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) - a degenerative disease caused by repetitive head trauma. They can lead to cognitive impairments, movement disorders, dementia, depression."[They're] basically using the collision as the entertainment value, which is, in effect, commercialising concussion," he a spokesperson for the league - who argues it is "not about masculinity" but "strength and skill" - say organisers have no intention of slowing down, and aren't too worried about their says what happens at their competitions is "not too much different" to what you see on televised rugby matches, and – with their protocols – it is far safer than many of the games played in backyards the world over."It's quite new for viewers and it might take some time for them to get used to seeing what we've put together."
The National
4 hours ago
- General
- The National
UAE Property: ‘Can my landlord charge a maintenance fee when I vacate?'
Question: I am writing to raise a concern regarding my recent experience with a property I vacated in the Al Jaddaf area in Dubai. When I first moved in, I submitted a security deposit of Dh4,000 ($1,089) for a unit measuring about 970 square feet. The rent was initially Dh80,000, then increased to Dh85,000, and was most recently raised to Dh93,000 following a change in building management. Due to the continuous rent increases, I decided not to renew and chose to vacate. During my two-year tenancy, the apartment experienced significant issues, such as cracks on the walls, the AC was never cleaned or serviced, the building's alarm system frequently rang at night, and the gas provider disconnected the alarm because it rang for no reason. Additionally, I personally paid to fix the shattaf and door, as maintenance requests during my tenancy were consistently ignored. Despite all this, I have now been charged more than Dh1,400 for 'maintenance' on vacating. I have asked the agent for a clear breakdown, and in response, I received unrelated images. What is more troubling is the pattern of discrimination I encountered. As a 30-year-old Somali woman, I often felt treated unfairly. There were instances where agents openly said that they do not rent to Nigerians or Sudanese, and when confronted, they deflected responsibility by blaming the landlord. I would appreciate your advice on how to escalate this matter. TA, Dubai Answer: It is common practice to give back a rented property in the manner it was given at the start of the tenancy. If it was painted and cleaned before, this would need to be done while returning the property. This will ensure your deposit will not be withheld. Some landlords describe this work as maintenance but in reality, it is just presentation. You mention a few points such as cracks appearing and that the AC was never cleaned. Unless the cracks were significant and you reported them, it is the landlord's responsibility to sort these out, but again, unless they were structural defects, these cracks would normally disappear when the apartment would be decorated. The AC cleaning would be done only if there is a contract to do so or by request from yourself and should be done at least once a year. It is not clear from your email if you complained about this. The building alarm going off is unfortunate but does not constitute a financial loss. I have reviewed the list of maintenance charges against you, but find them to be reasonable. If you do not want them to charge you, your choice would be to sort out the cleaning and painting yourself. I have not seen your tenancy agreement, but the common practice on maintenance issues is that if there is any issue below Dh500, this would be the tenant's responsibility and above this sum is on the landlord. I can only assume the shattaf and door came to less than the Dh500. Q: I want your guidance regarding a property transaction in process for a unit I am selling in Dubai. On May 15, I signed form F with a buyer, with the help of a registered broker. The contract is valid for two months from the date of signing. Before the signing of form F and payment of the 10 per cent security deposit, the buyer had obtained mortgage pre-approval. However, the initial pre-approval has lapsed and a subsequent reapplication was unsuccessful. As of June 20, the broker is working to obtain a new pre-approval through a different financial institution. As the contract is nearing expiry, will form F be at risk of breach due to the buyer's inability to secure financing so far? Also, if the transaction fails to proceed due to the buyer's financing situation, would I be eligible to claim the 10 per cent deposit or would this be subject to specific conditions or dispute resolution processes? I want to understand the correct procedures and options available to me under current regulations. KK, Dubai A: I only have the information given in your email, so I must make a few assumptions. I can only confirm your first question if there are certain clauses to confirm this in form F. Sometimes, it is mentioned that if the buyer cannot get final approval on finance for whatever reason, the deal can be considered null and void without penalties. If this clause is present, the buyer can walk away from the deal without repercussions. For your second point, the answer should be straightforward, but unfortunately it is not. Unless the buyer confirms in writing that they are in breach of the deal, you can only lay claim to the 10 per cent by filing a case at the Dubai courts. This will take time and be subject to fees. The end result should be to sell the property but sometimes, things go wrong or take a while to sort, so I would organise an addendum or extension to form F to finalise the deal. If things take too long or it is clear the buyer cannot purchase the property, only then should you seek legal recourse.
ABC News
5 hours ago
- ABC News
Does travel insurance cover cancellations due to war or natural disasters?
Do you really know what your travel insurance covers? This week, passengers faced cancellations and lengthy delays on flights due to the Middle East conflict, with routes to major cities cut off across the globe. While operations in Dubai and Qatar have resumed and airspaces reopened, it's times like these that it pays to know exactly what your travel insurance covers We spoke to the experts to find out what you're entitled to when a conflict breaks out or a natural disaster unfolds. In short, no. That's what Wendy discovered after buying travel insurance for her adult son weeks before the conflict in the Middle East. Stranded at Doha airport after winning a European holiday, and despite getting a full refund for the cancelled flight, Christopher was told he would have to pay the difference for an alternative ticket with another airline. "We were really shocked. I can understand war and unrest is a very top-tier issue, but it's still interesting how they can get around it because it falls under something that's outside of your control," Wendy said. It's a situation insurance expert Jodi Bird from consumer advocacy group CHOICE said was far more common than many people realised. "Pretty much across all policies there's a blanket ban," he said. "There's no policies that CHOICE are aware of that will cover claims resulting from war." It's pretty straightforward, according to Mr Bird. It's all about the bottom line. "Travel insurance generally doesn't like to cover things like war because it costs too much money," he said. "For some reason, they've decided that war is kind of a blanket ban across pretty much all policies." Put simply, it doesn't make a difference. You won't be covered regardless of the premium you're paying, Mr Bird said. Even the most expensive policies don't offer protection when conflict breaks out overseas. "You might find some variation in things like a pandemic — there were a lot more insurers that covered for pandemic before we had one," he said. Unfortunately, timing doesn't help. Wendy's family had no inkling there was a risk when they booked. "In what way, in our wildest dreams … a transit flight through Qatar, which thousands and thousands of passengers are doing around the world every day, would you ever consider that there's going to be a war there?" she said. The Insurance Council of Australia's deputy CEO, Kylie McFarlane, said it doesn't matter when the policy is taken out. If there is no conflict or war at the time of purchase, the fine print still excludes any claims arising from those events. It depends on your level of cover, but in many cases you may be protected. Natural disasters like floods, cyclones or bushfires are treated differently to war or a conflict. "Extreme weather events may be an inclusion," Ms McFarlane said. "It all comes down to the insurance policy and the provider, so if you're concerned, speak to your insurer." Absolutely — and don't give up if your claim is knocked back. "You should not accept that as the last port of call, unless you absolutely agree with them," Mr Bird said. "The first thing you need to do is raise a complaint to the insurer themselves and ask them to revisit your claim. And if they don't give you a satisfactory answer, you can escalate the complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority." Wendy reached out to the insurance company, but they simply directed her to the clause on her policy showing that war or unrest made any claims null and void. "It's not one of those things that they even raise for you in the beginning, and even if you'd looked at the exclusions at the back, it still wouldn't occur to us," she said. Start by looking beyond the top-line benefits on the website and dig into the exclusions. "Every product disclosure statement has a section called 'general exclusions' — that's a bit that is good to read," he said. "That will give you an understanding of what they may or may not cover — big events like war, pandemic, terrorism, civil unrest. That will give you a good idea of what it is that you're actually buying." Yep. "Travel insurance is definitely worth it — especially just for the medical cost line," Mr Bird says. "It's worth it basically all the time for overseas travel. You will need travel insurance to cover the medical and repatriation costs if you have a problem overseas. Those are the kinds of things where you can really get into a lot of trouble financially if you're not covered." While Wendy's son was able to get a refund for the cancelled flight, they weren't able to pay out the difference of a more expensive flight for him to get to Europe. Or the extra costs associated with travelling from a different city to his intended destination. Wendy has a message for other travellers . "Beware, and understand that you can fully pay for your trip and be prepared, and you can buy your travel insurance, and then still you have to be prepared to cover all the costs yourself if something goes wrong," she said.
Daily Mail
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Katie Price left humiliated after being forced to delete 18th birthday tribute to daughter Princess
Katie Price was left humiliated after being forced to delete her 18th birthday tribute to daughter Princess on Friday. The glamour model, 47, who shares the influencer with ex Peter Andre, took to her Instagram Stories to mark the milestone, but her kind words came 48 hours too early. Katie posted a sweet snap of young Princess, who turns 18 on Sunday, and gushed: 'Happy 18th birthday to the most amazing daughter and my best friend @princess_andre I love you so much'. The post was then swiftly taken down before the mum-of-five, who is currently in Dubai, replaced it with another snap of the birthday girl. She wrote: '2 days until Princess turns 18 can't believe it xx'. Earlier this week Princess looked the spitting image of her famous mother as she posed for a stunning selfie. She sported a curly-haired looked similar to her mother in her heyday for the snap after getting ready for a Dua Lipa show. Fully glammed up with a full face of W7 Cosmetics makeup, Princess cracked a smile for the camera as the sun beamed down on her. 'What a beauty...' read the caption penned by Princess's beautician. The curly-haired look brought back memories of Katie, now 47, who donned a similar haircut when she shot to fame back in the 1990s. Pictures of the former glamour model taken during her modelling days in 1995 show her sporting frizzy light-brown locks while clad in a white two-piece skirt and top. Katie has indeed sported a number of different hairstyles over the years. After rising to stardom with her natural curly hair, during her Jordan days Katie would regularly straighten her brown locks. She later dyed her hair blonde, actually sporting a braided look during her time on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2004 - when she met Princess's father Peter Andre, 52. It comes after Princess opened up about her private life in a rare interview, revealing that she's 'not a big drinker' ahead of her big birthday. She told Ok! Magazine that she isn't a huge fan of drinking because she'd 'never want to embarrass herself'. 'I'm not really a big drinker or party-goer,' the 17-year-old revealed. 'I'll never put myself in a position that would make me look bad.' Princess also opened up about her split from her boyfriend of two years last month. 'I'm feeling good. I've always kept my personal life personal so I don't talk too much about it but now is the time to focus on me.' It was reported in May that she had split from her partner after her busy career left 'no place for a man'. While her former flame remains unnamed, Princess declared last year that she was 'in love'. According to The Sun Princess, who kept much of her relationship out of the public eye, will be doing the same with the 'tough' break up. A source told the publication: 'They just grew apart, they were each other's first love so it has been tough but there are no hard feelings.' 'He's still on good terms with both Katie and Peter, Princess is really concentrating on her career right now and there's no place for a man'. Princess' reps declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline. The teen first went public with their romance when she invited him along to her mother Katie's 45th birthday celebrations in Brighton in May 2023. Katie then appeared on Jamie Laing's Private Parts podcast, where she opened up on her thoughts about the romance. Discussing her Christmas plans at the time, she revealed: 'Princess and her boyfriend are coming up with me for the weekend.' Jamie excitedly interrupted: 'Princess has a boyfriend!' causing Katie to reply: 'I know, Ed. He's alright actually.' Describing their relationship, she continued: 'I watch them, and they argue, then they laugh. They argue like proper little teenagers. 'They're both like jealous of each other and it's like, 'Oh shut up you two!' They are funny together, they're like a little married couple.'
