Latest news with #JamieRedknapp
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
We live in UK's poshest seaside town but it's like Magaluf mayhem this weekend – boozy louts bonk in the sea
SUNBURNT music lovers high on drugs stagger out of the beachfront venue gnawing on bars of soap nicked from loos en route to the snaking taxi queue, which usually descends into a mass brawl. Meanwhile inebriated men and women brazenly relieve themselves in the doorways of multi-million pound homes. 25 25 25 25 This is SandFest, held in the ultra exclusive beach resort of Sandbanks in Dorset, home to the likes of Harry and Jamie Redknapp, where the streets are lined with mega mansions worth up to £30million. Gated driveways boast gleaming Porches, Range Rovers and Bentleys, while superyachts bob on the glistening blue sea. It is famously one of the most expensive and prestigious places to live in Britain, but this weekend frustrated residents say their genteel neighbourhood resembles Magaluf, the notorious Spanish party resort known for its cheap package holidays and shocking drunken chaos. More than 10,000 people are due to descend for a series of rowdy events - first a polo party called SandPolo, followed by SandFest, a music concert described as a "boutique beach festival" where headline acts have included Idris Elba, Rudimental and Tinie Tempah. This Sunday house DJ Sonny Fodera tops the bill, alongside Katy B, Danny Howard and Saffron Stone, along with DJ sets from Elderbrook and Alex Mills. Jennifer Krzyzanowska, 25, runs Shacks By The Shore, a popular snack bar doing a brisk trade on the edge of the sandy beach, but her team are already preparing for the worst. 'It's always horrendous,' she told The Sun when we visited this week. 'People are so out of it, I've seen guys coming out of there eating bars of blue soap. 'Every year when the venue empties, big fights break out because the taxi queue is so long, and people dive into the sea to cool off. 'There's all kinds going on in the water - they're having sex in there and using it as a toilet. 'The whole thing is a health hazard, but no-one is thinking about their health when they've been drinking in the baking hot sun all day. We live in UK's 'Monte Carlo', it used to be millionaire's playground but now it's ruined by 80mph boy racers 'Another problem on a warm weekend is the beach will be absolutely rammed because the site takes up so much space. "I know some local businesses have to bring in extra security.' Jennifer's colleague Sophia Harwood, 20, added: 'It's basically just a massive all-day drinking session, it gets ugly. A lot of people don't like it.' The tiny town is often referred to as Britain's answer to Monte Carlo - with property prices soaring three times higher than the national average. But many locals feel shut out of the events, where VIP tickets go for £1,200. Charlyn Dean, 41, has a stunning four bedroom property in a prime location which rents out at £10,000 a week during the peak summer months. But leading us through to her immaculate back garden, she points to her blighted view. 'As you can see, our garden is right behind the main stage and it gets unbelievably loud," she said. 'The whole place is packed out, heavily intoxicated people are falling into hedges, and it can take over an hour to get out of the house. 'It's frustrating to say the least.' 'It doesn't feel safe' 25 25 25 25 Equally frustrated by the chaos are retired couple Margaret and Bill Sharp, both 80. They are the proud owners of a charming beachfront apartment with sweeping views of Poole Harbour and the UNESCO-listed Jurassic Coast, but have resorted to extreme measures to protect their home this year. They have invested in their own bright yellow police cones to cordon off their driveway. Margaret explained: 'If we don't put the cones out people use our driveway for a party - they hang around drinking and dancing on their way out of the festival. 'They double park and it doesn't feel safe for us - there is no way an ambulance or fire engine could get down here if there was an emergency. It's dangerous.' When we visited Sandbanks a vast swathe of the beach was cordoned off by high metal fences in preparation for the three days of festivities, squashing frustrated holiday makers closer together in the remaining space. Meanwhile the rows of highly-prized beach huts on the idyllic peninsula have their coveted sea views obliterated for two weeks by enormous marquees and rows of portaloos, which locals say can cause quite the stench. Another issue is traffic. With only one narrow road leading on to the luxury peninsula from nearby Poole, the festivals create tailbacks for miles, and the only car park is rammed by 8am. With traffic at a standstill, ticket holders have been known to simply abandon their cars across residents' driveways and even in the middle of the roundabout. Kite surfer Chris Weedon, who lives with his wife Angela in a towering four storey house overlooking the beach, said of the event: 'It's so depressing. 'When the festival is on we're just resigned to not going out, because if we do we can't get home again. 'Late at night when the road is clear they roar down here on motorbikes, doing wheelies at 60mph. Someone is going to die.' He added: 'The litter is just dire, people dump their bottles and cans and I usually spend an hour in the morning filling three sacks of rubbish from outside my house." 25 25 25 25 25 25 25 Local resident Dave Watts, 55, told us: "The parking is total chaos. "There's only one car park here but it's completely full by seven or eight in the morning when there's an event on, which means locals can't just come and enjoy the beach on one of the nicest weekends of the year.' He said anti-social behaviour is also rife, adding: "I've caught women squatting in my doorway - it's not just the men who feel they can urinate wherever they please." In previous years it was reported that some horrified parents felt forced to leave the beach after a DJ unleashed a torrent of foul language. Families were bombarded with swear words from the rowdy festival as they tried to enjoy a peaceful afternoon on the sand. Mum-of-two Katie Fowler, 39, told us: 'It gets rowdy. We certainly won't be coming down here with the kids. 'Because the event takes up a big chunk of the beach, everyone else gets squeezed together.' 'It's like Magaluf' 25 25 25 Peter and Nina Martin, both 72, spend £3,000 a year renting a picture-perfect blue and white beach hut at Sandbanks, and usually visit every day throughout the summer. But Peter sighed: 'We won't come near the place when these events are happening, we can't. 'These kids behave like they're in Magaluf or somewhere like that. 'There's too much fighting going on, and they pitch tents to sleep on the beach after the festival, even though camping is not allowed, and just dump their tents in the morning. 'It's annoying. This is a beautiful sandy beach and some days it can feel like the Caribbean here, but right now it looks like an ugly industrial estate. 'We've paid a lot of money for a sea view but all you can see from here is fences, tents and toilets.' Christine Jeandren, 62, is also furious that her sea view is entirely obliterated for two whole weeks while organisers prepare for and dismantle the events. She explained: 'The whole thing is ridiculous and locals don't want it, it's hell. 'All I can see is portaloos and there is no getting away from the smell of those toilets in this heat. 'There are masses of youngsters everywhere and their behaviour is awful. I've caught teenagers smoking weed in the bushes, that stinks too. 'If I want to go in the sea we have to walk all the way around the fenced-off area, and you can hear the music blaring half an hour away. 'Sandbanks is just not set up for events this big. I don't understand why they don't move it further away to Bournemouth. 'We've been trying to get rid of it for 18 years. 'It usually takes us 15 minutes to get here on the bus from Poole but when this event is on it can take a couple of hours, the whole thing is gridlocked. 'Basically it's carnage.' 25 25 25 25 25
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Selling Kudus to Tottenham: A necessary evil for West Ham?
There was a segment on British game show A League of Their Own in December 2011 which serves as a reminder of why the prospect of Mohammed Kudus leaving West Ham United to join rivals Tottenham Hotspur would leave a sour taste among supporters. Host James Corden and panellists Peter Crouch and Jamie Redknapp were discussing Scott Parker's recent decision to join Spurs from West Ham before Corden, a West Ham fan, jokingly launched a diatribe against the midfielder. Advertisement 'He's dead to me, he is dead to me,' Corden said, before turning to the midfielder, who was sat in the audience. 'F*** you Parker, f*** you!' It was clearly a joke, said with a smirk on the face, but it spoke for the feelings of West Ham fans when it comes to their star players moving to Tottenham. Parker had felt he needed to join Tottenham to further his international career, following West Ham's relegation to the Championship at the end of the 2010-11 season. Despite West Ham's poor season, he had been named Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year and opted to move to a Spurs side aiming to return to the Champions League. That may have seemed the obvious decision for Parker, but to West Ham fans it was not one they could get on board with — and they let him know next time he visited Upton Park. Some 18 months after his departure, Parker was greeted with a chorus of boos from West Ham fans on his return to East London — and was saddened by the reaction. 'I didn't expect the West Ham fans to boo me and obviously it was a little bit upsetting,' said a mystified Parker. 'I don't know why (they did it). I don't know if it's because I went to their local rivals. I'm not sure but I just would have liked to think that maybe I would have got a better reception after what I did in my time here. 'I had four fantastic years here and it will always be a club with a massive place in my heart. I was looking forward to coming back and I couldn't wait to go out there and play so I was disappointed (to be booed).' Twelve years later, Kudus could follow in Parker's footsteps. Although the attacker may not feel the same level of vitriol, a hostile reception at the London Stadium on September 13 would surely await him. West Ham rejected Tottenham's £50million ($68m) offer for the 24-year-old Ghana international over the weekend but club-to-club talks continue. Personal terms are not expected to be an issue, with Kudus more than open to a move to Spurs. Advertisement His desire to join Thomas Frank's side stems from the attacking midfielder wanting to play in European competition. Tottenham, who finished 17th and below West Ham last season, will compete in the Champions League this season, having won the Europa League. Kudus, whose contract expires in 2028, has a buyout clause that is only active for the first 10 days of July, valued at £80m for European clubs, £85m for Premier League sides and £120m for Saudi Arabian teams, but he has no interest in joining a club in the Middle East. Although Kudus will not force an exit, the versatile attacker has no intention of staying at West Ham beyond the summer. As unpalatable as the move may be for West Ham fans, the club doesn't have many other options as they look to start a proper rebuild under head coach Graham Potter. Potential incomings are caveated by the club needing to sell before they can buy. The attacker is the club's sole sellable asset, with captain Jarrod Bowen not for sale and the uncertainty surrounding Lucas Paqueta's future. The club's hierarchy hope to receive a significant return on the €41.5m (£35.7m at today's exchange rate) fee they paid to prise him away from Ajax in August 2023. Selling Kudus would enable Potter and the recruitment team to accelerate their pursuit of transfer targets. West Ham are currently lacking squad depth following the departures of Lukasz Fabianski, Vladimir Coufal, Aaron Cresswell and Danny Ings this summer. Michail Antonio's contract expired on June 30, although his departure has not been formally announced. By his standards, Kudus had an underwhelming 2024-25 season, scoring five goals and assisting four in 35 appearances in all competitions. The departure of former first-team coach John Heitinga to Liverpool and tension with former manager Julen Lopetegui have been cited as factors in his struggles. Advertisement It was all in stark contrast to his debut campaign, when he registered 18 goals and 10 assists across 48 appearances, with his solo goal against Freiburg and acrobatic strike against Manchester City particular highlights. It is this version of Kudus that Tottenham will hope sparks their own rebuild under Frank. Kudus has been utilised in multiple positions across West Ham's front line but his preferred position is on the right flank, where Bowen also does his best work. Kudus' desire to leave also stems from an urge to play in his natural position. In a 13-month period from August 2003 to August 2004, Frederic Kanoute, Jermain Defoe and Michael Carrick all swapped east for north London, leading to Spurs fans mockingly referring to West Ham as their 'feeder club'. The fact so little business has been done between the two clubs tells you that this is not a situation anyone at the London Stadium wants to see repeated. Kudus' departure was always likely to happen this summer, but few would have envisioned the potential landing spot being Tottenham. It could also be the best way to ensure a better 2025-26. Top photo: Bradley Collyer/PA Images via Getty Images
Daily Mail
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Louise Redknapp, 50, looks loved-up with boyfriend Drew Michael, 41, as she shares an insight into Glastonbury
Louise Redknapp looked loved-up with her boyfriend Drew Michael as she shared an insight into their time at Glastonbury Festival. The singer, 50, and her businessman partner, 41, were having the time of their lives in the photos shared to Instagram on Wednesday. In one snap, Louise looked incredible in a black bikini top and denim shorts while laughing with Drew on the grass. Another showed her wearing a white lace cami top and double denim, with the couple posing for selfies with friends in other images. 'The best time watching some incredible artists at Glastonbury. Raye you blew me away! I laughed, I cried and all in between! Bring on 2027!!! xxx,' Louise captioned the update. The singer recently revealed if there are wedding bells on the horizon with her younger boyfriend. The happy couple have been dating since October 2023 and have gone from strength to strength. Louise moved on with Drew after her split from Jamie Redknapp in 2017 after 19 years of marriage. They share two children together Charlie, 20, and William, 16. Now in a new interview as she releases her new album Louise has gushed over her partner after her tough marriage breakdown and spoken candidly about their future plans. She told The Sun: 'Drew's great. We're having a lovely time together. It took me a long time to get to that place and be open about anything. 'I was very guarded and scared. But I'm really enjoying having special times with someone. He's a great guy and super-kind.' Asked if there are wedding bells on the horizon she added: 'Oh, I'm not even thinking that far ahead. I'm not even going there. 'I just want to be proud of this and I want to really enjoy it. I've met a really great guy and I'm really happy. But you never know what the future holds.' She added in the interview that her two sons really get on well with Drew which makes life much easier. Louise also hit back at 'toyboy' criticism due to their nine-year age gap. She said being branded a 'cougar' is 'water off a duck's back' to her and that 'age is irrelevant' as she doesn't 'feel older than him'. The interview comes after she recently revealed why she was painted as the 'villain' following her split from ex-husband Jamie. Louise opened up about being accused of walking out on her family and how everyone had an 'opinion'. She told the Independent: 'I was the villain. I'd been lucky in my career because for many years I didn't really have a lot of scrutiny. Then bang, everybody's got an opinion.' 'Anything someone could perceive as negative, I cut out. Nothing I said was right. To defend myself was wrong. To not defend myself was wrong. I felt like I was walking up a one-way street with just nowhere to go on it.' Elsewhere Louise said she is now ready to push out of her comfort zone and she even features a number of 'sex noises' in her new single. She is preparing to release a new album Confessions and is really adamant about making 'progressive music' instead of being 'nostalgic'. Louise said she doesn't care what people think despite friends questioning whether there are 'too many sex noises' in her new track Get Into It, which features moans of ecstasy. Speaking about co-writer Jon Shave, who worked on Charli XCX's album Brat, she said: 'I got a text from Jon asking, "Are there too many sex noises on this?". And I was like, "Jon, there can never be too many sex noises!" 'I've had a lot of feedback like that. And I do understand it. I've always kept in my lane, done what people expected. Now I'm saying, 'f*** it!' It came after Louise discussed her divorce from Jamie on the Happy Place podcast and credited her two sons for keeping her going during the breakup. She said: 'If I didn't have my kids, I think I would've just given up. I think I just knew that my kids were my everything and they needed me.' The singer admitted that the public scrutiny of her marriage breakdown made the situation even harder to deal with. She added: 'But I can honestly say, when you're going through something so personal in your own turmoil in your own way, but then to get the barrage of judgment and nastiness. 'I never realised people could be so unkind and say such terrible things. I blew my mind.' 'I was going through a lot as it was, I was trying to be strong for my kids, whatever had gone on in our life was private - which I do believe that you're entitled to no matter what. 'And God, I was such a villain, and I was breaking like I was absolutely breaking. 'Beyond what I thought it was possible for a human to break and all along I'm still trying to be a mum. 'And it was just like every time I went out, and I was trying to put a brave face on and do things, like that was wrong if I didn't. 'I felt like everything I did was so wrong.' Following the split, Jamie found love with Swedish model Frida Andersson and they tied the knot in 2021 before having a son together.
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Louise Redknapp, 50, flaunts her age-defying physique in a black bikini as she enjoys a girls' trip to Manhattan
Louise Redknapp flaunted her age-defying physique in a black bikini as she enjoyed a girls' trip to Manhattan on Sunday. The singer, 50, looked incredible in the album of holiday snaps, as she stunned in her swimwear which she layered under a white shirt and paired with long black shorts. She appeared in high spirits for her trip as she could be seen posing in front of the Big Apple's famous skyline. Louise and her friend also shared a picture looking very glamourous in a white dress which featured a choker design. Alongside her fun Instagram post in the states, the blonde beauty penned: 'A little girls trip with Sue'. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Louise's trip comes after the singer revealed if there are wedding bells on the horizon with her younger boyfriend, Drew Michael. The happy couple have been dating since October 2023 and have gone from strength to strength. The singer moved on with Drew after her split from Jamie Redknapp in 2017 after 19 years of marriage. They share two children together Charlie, 20, and William, 16. Now in a new interview as she releases her new album Louise has gushed over her partner after her tough marriage breakdown and spoken candidly about their future plans. She told The Sun: 'Drew's great. We're having a lovely time together. It took me a long time to get to that place and be open about anything. 'I was very guarded and scared. But I'm really enjoying having special times with someone. He's a great guy and super-kind.' Asked if there are wedding bells on the horizon she added: 'Oh, I'm not even thinking that far ahead. I'm not even going there. 'I just want to be proud of this and I want to really enjoy it. I've met a really great guy and I'm really happy. But you never know what the future holds.' She added in the interview that her two sons really get on well with Drew which makes life much easier. Louise also hit back at 'toyboy' criticism due to their nine-year age gap. She said being branded a 'cougar' is 'water off a duck's back' to her and that 'age is irrelevant' as she doesn't 'feel older than him'. The interview comes after she recently revealed why she was painted as the 'villain' following her split from ex-husband Jamie. Louise opened up about being accused of walking out on her family and how everyone had an 'opinion'. She told the Independent: 'I was the villain. I'd been lucky in my career because for many years I didn't really have a lot of scrutiny. Then bang, everybody's got an opinion.' 'Anything someone could perceive as negative, I cut out. Nothing I said was right. To defend myself was wrong. To not defend myself was wrong. I felt like I was walking up a one-way street with just nowhere to go on it.' Elsewhere Louise said she is now ready to push out of her comfort zone and she even features a number of 'sex noises' in her new single. She is preparing to release a new album Confessions and is really adamant about making 'progressive music' instead of being 'nostalgic'. Louise said she doesn't care what people think despite friends questioning whether there are 'too many sex noises' in her new track Get Into It, which features moans of ecstasy. Speaking about co-writer Jon Shave, who worked on Charli XCX's album Brat, she said: 'I got a text from Jon asking, "Are there too many sex noises on this?". And I was like, "Jon, there can never be too many sex noises!" 'I've had a lot of feedback like that. And I do understand it. I've always kept in my lane, done what people expected. Now I'm saying, 'f*** it!' It came after Louise discussed her divorce from Jamie on the Happy Place podcast and credited her two sons for keeping her going during the breakup. She said: 'If I didn't have my kids, I think I would've just given up. I think I just knew that my kids were my everything and they needed me.' The singer admitted that the public scrutiny of her marriage breakdown made the situation even harder to deal with. She added: 'But I can honestly say, when you're going through something so personal in your own turmoil in your own way, but then to get the barrage of judgment and nastiness. 'I never realised people could be so unkind and say such terrible things. I blew my mind.' 'I was going through a lot as it was, I was trying to be strong for my kids, whatever had gone on in our life was private - which I do believe that you're entitled to no matter what. 'And God, I was such a villain, and I was breaking like I was absolutely breaking. 'Beyond what I thought it was possible for a human to break and all along I'm still trying to be a mum. 'And it was just like every time I went out, and I was trying to put a brave face on and do things, like that was wrong if I didn't. 'I felt like everything I did was so wrong.' Following the split, Jamie found love with Swedish model Frida Andersson and they tied the knot in 2021 before having a son together.
The Sun
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Lousie Redknapp, 50, wows fans as she shows off her toned body in a bikini on girls' holiday
POP BEAUTY She recently spoke to The Sun about her new relationship LOUISE Redknapp wowed fans as she posed in a bikini top on her girls' holiday to New York. The 50-year-old star shared a snap of herself enjoying the sunny weather in the Big Apple. 5 5 5 Throwing her hands in the air, Louise flaunted her toned figure in the top and low cut shorts. She captioned her shots: "A little girls trip with Sue." Fans were quick to comment on her holiday snaps, with one saying: "Wow u look incredible". Another said: "Still stunning after all these years!" Louise found love again almost two years ago with boyfriend Drew, 41. Since then, they've appeared inseparable, often enjoying music events and spending their summers attending festivals, including Glastonbury and Boardmasters. If Louise hasn't been going to festivals, she's been performing at them, with the singer launching a comeback with her Greatest Hits celebrating her career to date. She's also just released her fifth solo album Confessions. The Strictly winner was with ex Jamie Redknapp for 20 years and they share two sons. 'What's great is (Drew) is brilliant on a friendship level with the boys,' she told The Sun last month. Louise Redknapp says she felt 'the lowest a human could get' when she split from husband Jamie and 'almost gave up' 'They get on great with him. And that, for me, is super-important. There's just a real mutual respect there. Obviously Beau is still at school, but we spend a lot of time together.' The nine-year age gap inevitably led to Drew being described as her 'toyboy' and Louise being referred to as a 'cougar'. But it's 'water off a duck's back,' she added. 'For me, age is irrelevant – within reason – but he's not 22. I think it's more about the person and the life experiences and the connection that's important.' However, Louise isn't thinking about walking down the aisle a second time. 'Oh, I'm not even thinking that far ahead. I'm not even going there. Manifesting is a real hint to Drew. 'I'm not going to lie and say it isn't. But it's also a life lesson to be present in the here and now, so I'm not thinking down the line. I'm enjoying my relationship, my kids, my album and my life." After their split her ex Jamie went on to marry model Frida Andersson in 2021. 5 5
