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Ryan Thomas blasts Scarlett nepo baby claims, reveals secret Father's Day heartache & the real reason he hasn't wed Lucy
Ryan Thomas blasts Scarlett nepo baby claims, reveals secret Father's Day heartache & the real reason he hasn't wed Lucy

Scottish Sun

time14-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Scottish Sun

Ryan Thomas blasts Scarlett nepo baby claims, reveals secret Father's Day heartache & the real reason he hasn't wed Lucy

The Corrie icon also reveals how there are 'conversations' being had about a family reality show Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SITTING in the driver's seat of his Maserati, Ryan Thomas chuckles as he realises he's got a pair of toddler's pants stuffed in his jeans pocket. 'That's dad life,' smiles the Coronation Street star, who has two children with his fiancée, former The Only Way Is Essex star Lucy Mecklenburgh – recently-potty-trained Lilah, three, and son Roman, five. 10 Proud dad Ryan Thomas with daughter Lilah, three, and son Roman, five Credit: Mark Hayman 10 Ryan jokes around with Lilah on our adorable Father's Day shoot Credit: Mark Hayman 10 Ryan with girlfriend Lucy Mecklenburgh, their kids Lilah and Roman, and Scarlett, Ryan's daughter from a previous relationship Credit: Ryan Thomas Instagram 'When Lilah handed me a pair of pants today, it reminded me of when I was in a club and found a dummy in my pocket. I thought, 'What's my life come to?!'' Of course, this Manchester-born family man wouldn't have it any other way. Within minutes of our chat, it's clear that after playing Jason Grimshaw in Corrie for 16 years, and then Rafael Humphreys in Neighbours in 2018, before winning Celebrity Big Brother the same year, and dazzling on last year's Dancing On Ice, fatherhood is Ryan's most celebrated role. Family man 'When I sit around the table with all my children and Luce, I think, 'I made this'. It's those moments when I really appreciate what I've got,' he says. Ryan also shares 16-year-old Scarlett, his actress daughter, with his ex, fellow Corrie star Tina O'Brien. But don't expect a fourth addition to his brood anytime soon. 'Never, never, ever, ever, ever, ever! I've got three beautiful children. I don't need any more, thank you very much!' he laughs. 'It's a full-time responsibility and really hard work for us parents, though it is the most rewarding job in the world.' He dismisses the term 'blended family' by explaining: 'We're just a solid family, and that's how it will always be.' The family relocated to Manchester in March, after seven years in Essex, largely to be closer to Scarlett, who lives up north with her mum. Inside Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ryan Thomas's family trip to Disneyland Paris 'When I was in Essex, Scarlett was coming down frequently – she was there every weekend, school holidays – and then it wasn't happening as much. "You know when they get to an age when their friends are more important than parents? I was really missing the day-to-day stuff, so I was like, 'We need to go home'.' Ryan, 41, shares his 'biggest worry' as a parent is his teen daughter: 'I can't visibly see her, [I don't] wake up with her every morning or know what she's doing,' he says, joking he'll be poised when boyfriends inevitably come calling. Biggest worry 'Have you ever seen Bad Boys II when Will Smith and Martin Lawrence come to the door and the boy asks to take the daughter out on a date? That's what will happen. "It'll be me and my brothers standing there! It's always going to be difficult when your babies leave the nest, because they're always your babies. It doesn't matter how old they are.' Scarlett was 14 when she landed her first major screen role, playing Izzy Charles in BBC drama Waterloo Road alongside her uncle, ex Emmerdale star Adam, 36. 10 Ryan flexes his muscles with son Roman Credit: Mark Hayman 10 Brothers Scott, Adam and Ryan with dad Dougie Credit: Instagram 10 Ryan was recently back on Corrie filming the exit story line of his on-screen mum Eileen Grimshaw, played by Sue Cleaver Credit: ITV/Danielle Baguley/Shutterstock There are now whispers she will bank 'at least' £2million by her 18th birthday from lucrative TV and social media work. 'I'm here for it! This is the best news I've ever heard!' roars Ryan, before shutting down claims that Scarlett is a 'nepo baby', AKA a child who's had a leg up into their famous parents' industry. 'Everyone thinks she gets a lift up from family, getting on Waterloo Road. "But she worked damn hard to get that job, and people need to recognise that she's a talented girl – she's up against other people and she's not getting a free ride. Everyone thinks she gets a lift up from family... she worked damn hard Ryan Thomas on daughter Scarlett 'She has to go through the same process as everyone else – it was between her and somebody else. It wasn't like, 'This is a Thomas, she's going to get this job'.' Scarlett often features in the family's hilarious YouTube and TikTok videos, alongside Ryan's twin brothers Adam and Love Island star, Scott, and their families. More than 903k fans follow the @Thethomasfam__ TikTok account, which has 14.8 million likes – popularity that has prompted some to label them the UK's answer to the Kardashians. 'That's what everyone's screaming out for. Everything I see on socials, is like, 'Give these guys a reality TV show',' says Ryan, insisting that wasn't the goal when they 'fell' into TikTok last autumn. But now there are 'conversations being had with TV production companies'. He says: 'For me and my brothers, it's become a bit of a full-time job. We've probably done every show in the country, but now I get stopped on the street for being a TikToker. "We're so lucky, it's a real privilege to be able to work with your family and have fun.' 10 Ryan with daughter Scarlett, who he insists isn't a nepo baby 10 Ryan with his ex and Scarlett's mum, fellow Corrie star Tina O'Brien How does he feel about the tiniest Thomases having public profiles, specifically Scarlett who's built a robust 179k following, but has had to deal with trolling since joining the platform? 'All the family have grown up in the public eye. Scarlett's an actress, so this seems very much aligned to where she's going. "Plus, we never have the kids doing things they don't want to do,' insists Ryan. And how about the exposure Scarlett is getting online? 'It can be difficult being a 16 year old, but that's what it's like for most teenagers, right? "They're all looking at examples of how they're supposed to be, what they do and how they dress. In the forefront of their vision is Instagram and TikTok. "It's frightening, but as long as you've got a loving family around you with a solid foundation, I think you can get through it.' 'Mad time of life' That said, he is all in favour of a ban on children using social media until they turn 16 – the age Scarlett set up her accounts. 'We all can be addicted to social media at some point, even in our adulthood, so to protect our kids, I think that's a great idea.' In 2021, Ryan announced he was turning his back on acting, after struggling to deal with being rejected for roles and experiencing social media trolling. However, in March this year – the same month he and Adam launched their ITV game show 99 To Beat – Ryan was back on the Corrie cobbles filming the exit story line of his on-screen mum Eileen Grimshaw, played by Sue Cleaver. 10 Ryan and Lucy are all smiles with their kids 10 The family often make hilarious YouTube and TikTok video He returned to screens two weeks ago in a storyline that saw Eileen quit the cobbles to run a bar in Thailand with her oldest son. 'When I was in Corrie, it was electric,' says Ryan. 'There were only four TV channels when I started, so it was instant fame, a mad time of life. "To revisit that world and all the crew and cast and going back into the make-up room with all the same make-up girls was bloody magical.' While he has no desire to return full-time to Corrie, did picking up his soap scripts rekindle a passion for acting? 'I did get a bit of a bug for it again, and you never know what's around the corner,' he replies, noting that he no longer cares about public opinion. 'I'm in my own world. I've got my own family now. I'm like, 'Whatever'. I just presented a bloody game show and I don't even know how to present. I back myself as a dad, and I think that's because of the mistakes my dad made. I learned from them Ryan Thomas "Adam and I were up for two [awards] at the National TV Awards – for Best Presenter and Best Game Show – and I'm like, 'How did this happen?' We don't even know how to do it, but we're giving it a go!' Full of infectious positive energy, Ryan isn't afraid to bare his soul, either, particularly as talk turns to his father, '70s soul singer Dougie James, who died unexpectedly, aged 72, in November 2020. 'I haven't talked about my dad for such a long time. God, I miss him every day.' Ryan pauses for a few seconds, overcome with emotion. 'I think about him all the time. I've even got his ashes in my living room and he watches me every night. "I haven't got to the point where I've been able to bury him, because I can't bring myself to not have him with me. "I've asked the boys and they said they're OK with me having him there.' Ryan was 12 and his twin brothers six when his dad – lead singer of Dougie James And The Soul Train, who once toured with The Jackson 5 – left the family, severing contact for seven years. During those years of abandonment, Father's Day must have been really tough? 'Not Father's Day, but in general,' says Ryan. 'I was waiting for him to come back every day. I used to listen to a cassette [of him singing] in bed every night. I was waiting for him to come back every day Ryan Thomas "It was very, very tough, but I wouldn't change any of it. It's made me who I am and made me a better father – stronger, more stable, responsible, present. "I back myself as a dad, and I think that's because of the mistakes my dad made. I learned from them.' Dougie's absence inadvertently gave Ryan a premature and unlikely grounding in fatherhood, as he stepped up to help mum Gail raise Adam and Scott, eventually financially supporting the family once he hit the big time in Corrie. 'Oh, I was their father, yeah,' he says. 'They are my kids. I know it sounds weird, but I brought them up. I did everything for them – I was that father for them, the man about the house. I'm obsessed with my brothers. "They look at me like a brother, but I look at them like my children, [no] different from the way I look at my own kids, because they're just as important, just in a different way.' Travelling to India in 2019 with his dad and brothers to film their ITV series Absolutely India: Mancs In Mumbai, where they unearthed their family's Indian roots, set a benchmark for future TV projects. Ryan says: 'I'd love to do another project like that, where people get insight into us, but they also get insight into a culture, history, family and brotherhood. 'I would love to do a road trip with them. When we were kids, my nana drove us across Florida in a big red van and I remember it so vividly. I'd love to do that again, a big road trip with all the family.' It was on another adventure, this time on a remote island in the Pacific in 2017, that Ryan met his wife, fitness and health entrepreneur Lucy, 33, while filming Channel 4's Celebrity Island With Bear Grylls. I absolutely love my time with Lucy. I fancy her and I still get that feeling inside my tummy Ryan Thomas The couple got engaged in the summer of 2019, shortly before Lucy realised she was pregnant with Roman. Six years on, they are no closer to setting a wedding date. 'We are having the conversations and it will happen, but when? We're always renovating and moving. "When that stops and we stop enjoying ourselves, I think it will happen,' says Ryan – who celebrated his 40th birthday last June in Portugal with 80 of their nearest and dearest, an occasion that felt 'like a bit of a wedding'. He and Lucy, who found fame on Towie in 2010, are planning a child-free holiday to Ibiza and have regular Thursday date nights. 'On our last date, we just went out for dinner. It's important to have a little time for yourselves amongst all the hustle and bustle. I absolutely love my time with Lucy. I fancy her and I still get that feeling inside my tummy. "I absolutely adore her and love having time with her on my own. It's hard sometimes, though, because she never switches off, it's always just work or kids. So if I don't plan these date nights, then…' He doesn't get a look in? 'It's all for me!' laughs Ryan. 'I need her all to myself!' Father's Day, though, is entirely about family time. 'As long as I'm sitting around the table with my family, that's all that matters to me. "And this year, I get to show off my two children on the front of Fabulous magazine. How cool is that?!'

Ryan Thomas blasts Scarlett nepo baby claims, reveals secret Father's Day heartache & the real reason he hasn't wed Lucy
Ryan Thomas blasts Scarlett nepo baby claims, reveals secret Father's Day heartache & the real reason he hasn't wed Lucy

The Irish Sun

time14-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • The Irish Sun

Ryan Thomas blasts Scarlett nepo baby claims, reveals secret Father's Day heartache & the real reason he hasn't wed Lucy

SITTING in the driver's seat of his Maserati, Ryan Thomas chuckles as he realises he's got a pair of toddler's pants stuffed in his jeans pocket. 'That's dad life,' smiles the Coronation Street star, who has two children with his fiancée, former The Only Way Is Essex star Lucy Mecklenburgh – recently-potty-trained Lilah, three, and son Roman, five. 10 Proud dad Ryan Thomas with daughter Lilah, three, and son Roman, five Credit: Mark Hayman 10 Ryan jokes around with Lilah on our adorable Father's Day shoot Credit: Mark Hayman 10 Ryan with girlfriend Lucy Mecklenburgh, their kids Lilah and Roman, and Scarlett, Ryan's daughter from a previous relationship Credit: Ryan Thomas Instagram 'When Lilah handed me a pair of pants today, it reminded me of when I was in a club and found a dummy in my pocket. I thought, 'What's my life come to?!'' Of course, this Manchester-born family man wouldn't have it any other way. Within minutes of our chat, it's clear that after playing Jason Grimshaw in Corrie for 16 years, and then Rafael Humphreys in Neighbours in 2018, before winning Celebrity Big Brother the same year, and dazzling on last year's Dancing On Ice, fatherhood is Ryan's most celebrated role. Family man 'When I sit around the table with all my children and Luce, I think, 'I made this'. It's those moments when I really appreciate what I've got,' he says. Ryan also shares 16-year-old 'Never, never, ever, ever, ever, ever! I've got three beautiful children. I don't need any more, thank you very much!' he laughs. 'It's a full-time responsibility and really hard work for us parents, though it is the most rewarding job in the world.' He dismisses the term 'blended family' by explaining: 'We're just a solid family, and that's how it will always be.' The family relocated to Manchester in March, after seven years in Essex, largely to be closer to Scarlett, who lives up north with her mum. Inside Lucy Mecklenburgh and Ryan Thomas's family trip to Disneyland Paris 'When I was in Essex, Scarlett was coming down frequently – she was there every weekend, school holidays – and then it wasn't happening as much. "You know when they get to an age when their friends are more important than parents? I was really missing the day-to-day stuff, so I was like, 'We need to go home'.' Ryan, 41, shares his 'biggest worry' as a parent is his teen daughter: 'I can't visibly see her, [I don't] wake up with her every morning or know what she's doing,' he says, joking he'll be poised when boyfriends inevitably come calling. Biggest worry 'Have you ever seen Bad Boys II when Will Smith and Martin Lawrence come to the door and the boy asks to take the daughter out on a date? That's what will happen. "It'll be me and my brothers standing there! It's always going to be difficult when your babies leave the nest, because they're always your babies. It doesn't matter how old they are.' Scarlett was 14 when she landed her first major screen role, playing Izzy Charles in BBC drama Waterloo Road alongside her uncle, ex Emmerdale star Adam, 36. 10 Ryan flexes his muscles with son Roman Credit: Mark Hayman 10 Brothers Scott, Adam and Ryan with dad Dougie Credit: Instagram 10 Ryan was recently back on Corrie filming the exit story line of his on-screen mum Eileen Grimshaw, played by Sue Cleaver Credit: ITV/Danielle Baguley/Shutterstock There are now whispers she will bank 'at least' £2million by her 18th birthday from lucrative TV and social media work. 'I'm here for it! This is the best news I've ever heard!' roars Ryan, before shutting down claims that Scarlett is a 'nepo baby', AKA a child who's had a leg up into their famous parents' industry. 'Everyone thinks she gets a lift up from family, getting on Waterloo Road. "But she worked damn hard to get that job, and people need to recognise that she's a talented girl – she's up against other people and she's not getting a free ride. Everyone thinks she gets a lift up from family... she worked damn hard Ryan Thomas on daughter Scarlett 'She has to go through the same process as everyone else – it was between her and somebody else. It wasn't like, 'This is a Thomas, she's going to get this job'.' Scarlett often features in the family's hilarious YouTube and TikTok videos, alongside Ryan's twin brothers Adam and Love Island star, Scott, and their families. More than 903k fans follow the @Thethomasfam__ TikTok account, which has 14.8 million likes – popularity that has prompted some to label them the UK's answer to the Kardashians. 'That's what everyone's screaming out for. Everything I see on socials, is like, 'Give these guys a reality TV show',' says Ryan, insisting that wasn't the goal when they 'fell' into TikTok last autumn. But now there are 'conversations being had with TV production companies'. He says: 'For me and my brothers, it's become a bit of a full-time job. We've probably done every show in the country, but now I get stopped on the street for being a TikToker. "We're so lucky, it's a real privilege to be able to work with your family and have fun.' 10 Ryan with daughter Scarlett, who he insists isn't a nepo baby 10 Ryan with his ex and Scarlett's mum, fellow Corrie star Tina O'Brien How does he feel about the tiniest Thomases having public profiles, specifically Scarlett who's built a robust 179k following, but has had to deal with trolling since joining the platform? 'All the family have grown up in the public eye. Scarlett's an actress, so this seems very much aligned to where she's going. "Plus, we never have the kids doing things they don't want to do,' insists Ryan. And how about the exposure Scarlett is getting online? 'It can be difficult being a 16 year old, but that's what it's like for most teenagers, right? "They're all looking at examples of how they're supposed to be, what they do and how they dress. In the forefront of their vision is Instagram and TikTok. "It's frightening, but as long as you've got a loving family around you with a solid foundation, I think you can get through it.' 'Mad time of life' That said, he is all in favour of a ban on children using social media until they turn 16 – the age Scarlett set up her accounts. 'We all can be addicted to social media at some point, even in our adulthood, so to protect our kids, I think that's a great idea.' In 2021, Ryan announced he was turning his back on acting, after struggling to deal with being rejected for roles and experiencing social media trolling. However, in March this year – the same month he and Adam launched their ITV game show 99 To Beat – Ryan was back on the Corrie cobbles filming the exit story line of his on-screen mum Eileen Grimshaw, played by Sue Cleaver. 10 Ryan and Lucy are all smiles with their kids 10 The family often make hilarious YouTube and TikTok video He returned to screens two weeks ago in a storyline that saw Eileen quit the cobbles to run a bar in Thailand with her oldest son. 'When I was in Corrie, it was electric,' says Ryan. 'There were only four TV channels when I started, so it was instant fame, a mad time of life. "To revisit that world and all the crew and cast and going back into the make-up room with all the same make-up girls was bloody magical.' While he has no desire to return full-time to Corrie, did picking up his soap scripts rekindle a passion for acting? 'I did get a bit of a bug for it again, and you never know what's around the corner,' he replies, noting that he no longer cares about public opinion. 'I'm in my own world. I've got my own family now. I'm like, 'Whatever'. I just presented a bloody game show and I don't even know how to present. I back myself as a dad, and I think that's because of the mistakes my dad made. I learned from them Ryan Thomas "Adam and I were up for two [awards] at the National TV Awards – for Best Presenter and Best Game Show – and I'm like, 'How did this happen?' We don't even know how to do it, but we're giving it a go!' Full of infectious positive energy, Ryan isn't afraid to bare his soul, either, particularly as talk turns to his father, '70s soul singer Dougie James, who died unexpectedly, aged 72, in November 2020. 'I haven't talked about my dad for such a long time. God, I miss him every day.' Ryan pauses for a few seconds, overcome with emotion. 'I think about him all the time. I've even got his ashes in my living room and he watches me every night. "I haven't got to the point where I've been able to bury him, because I can't bring myself to not have him with me. "I've asked the boys and they said they're OK with me having him there.' Ryan was 12 and his twin brothers six when his dad – lead singer of Dougie James And The Soul Train, who once toured with The Jackson 5 – left the family, severing contact for seven years. During those years of abandonment, Father's Day must have been really tough? 'Not Father's Day, but in general,' says Ryan. 'I was waiting for him to come back every day. I used to listen to a cassette [of him singing] in bed every night. I was waiting for him to come back every day Ryan Thomas "It was very, very tough, but I wouldn't change any of it. It's made me who I am and made me a better father – stronger, more stable, responsible, present. "I back myself as a dad, and I think that's because of the mistakes my dad made. I learned from them.' Dougie's absence inadvertently gave Ryan a premature and unlikely grounding in fatherhood, as he stepped up to help mum Gail raise Adam and Scott, eventually financially supporting the family once he hit the big time in Corrie. 'Oh, I was their father, yeah,' he says. 'They are my kids. I know it sounds weird, but I brought them up. I did everything for them – I was that father for them, the man about the house. I'm obsessed with my brothers. "They look at me like a brother, but I look at them like my children, [no] different from the way I look at my own kids, because they're just as important, just in a different way.' Travelling to India in 2019 with his dad and brothers to film their ITV series Absolutely India: Mancs In Mumbai, where they unearthed their family's Indian roots, set a benchmark for future TV projects. Ryan says: 'I'd love to do another project like that, where people get insight into us, but they also get insight into a culture, history, family and brotherhood. 'I would love to do a road trip with them. When we were kids, my nana drove us across Florida in a big red van and I remember it so vividly. I'd love to do that again, a big road trip with all the family.' It was on another adventure, this time on a remote island in the Pacific in 2017, that Ryan met his wife, fitness and health entrepreneur Lucy, 33, while filming Channel 4's Celebrity Island With I absolutely love my time with Lucy. I fancy her and I still get that feeling inside my tummy Ryan Thomas The couple got engaged in the summer of 2019, shortly before Lucy realised she was pregnant with Roman. Six years on, they are no closer to setting a wedding date. 'We are having the conversations and it will happen, but when? We're always renovating and moving. "When that stops and we stop enjoying ourselves, I think it will happen,' says Ryan – who celebrated his 40th birthday last June in He and Lucy, who found fame on Towie in 2010, are planning a child-free holiday to Ibiza and have regular Thursday date nights. 'On our last date, we just went out for dinner. It's important to have a little time for yourselves amongst all the hustle and bustle. I absolutely love my time with Lucy. I fancy her and I still get that feeling inside my tummy. "I absolutely adore her and love having time with her on my own. It's hard sometimes, though, because she never switches off, it's always just work or kids. So if I don't plan these date nights, then…' He doesn't get a look in? 'It's all for me!' laughs Ryan. 'I need her all to myself!' Father's Day, though, is entirely about family time. 'As long as I'm sitting around the table with my family, that's all that matters to me. "And this year, I get to show off my two children on the front of Fabulous magazine. How cool is that?!' Follow Ryan on Instagram @RyanThomas84.

How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Taylor Jenkins Reid
How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Taylor Jenkins Reid

Yahoo

time08-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Taylor Jenkins Reid

There are many factors that led Taylor Jenkins Reid to choose space as the backdrop of her new novel, 'Atmosphere,' a thrilling love story set at NASA in the 1980s. One may very well have been her L.A. commute. Specifically, her journey along the Dr. Sally Ride Memorial Highway, a portion of the 101 Freeway in Encino. 'I am sure that it worked its way into my subconscious,' Reid says. 'It was there waiting for me because I've driven by that sign so many times.' So much of Encino and the Valley inspires Reid, the author of a shining repertoire of bestselling novels including 'Daisy Jones & the Six' and 'The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.' She talks about the hikes, the views and the charming restaurants that have stood for generations. Here's how she'd spend a perfect day in L.A. with her husband, Alex Jenkins Reid, and their 8-year-old daughter, Lilah. 8 a.m. Wake up and grab a book Everybody in my house is reading in bed. I am reading 'Harlem Rhapsody' by Victoria Christopher Murray. I have been late multiple mornings now because of how much I'm enjoying it. It's like, 'Oh, sorry, I was reading.' My kid does the same thing. She and I will both be like, 'Wait, it's already 7:40? You're supposed to be in school!' But both of us are reading. 9:30 a.m.: A place where everybody knows your name My family and I love to go to this small diner in the Valley called Millie's. It's a no-frills place, but the food is so good and my husband's family has been going there for at least 30 years. The server always remembers my husband's grandpa and asks how his grandma's doing and how his mom is doing and his brothers are doing. It has such a lovely small-town feel to it. Also, the tortilla soup is incredibly good. It's, like, one of my favorite things 10:30 a.m.: Hit the trailAfter that, I inevitably will try to bribe my daughter into a hike. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The thing is, she actually does love to hike and just forgets that she does. Where I love to go — and I have not been able to because of the fires — is the Upper Canyonback Trailhead [temporarily closed] in Encino Hills. There are two ways you can go. If you go to the left, there's a really great view of the city. You can see down to Century City and even downtown on a clear day. And the hills are gorgeous. But if you go to the right, you can see the Encino Reservoir and eventually you get to a decommissioned Nike missile silo. We make a game-time decision. Read more: The 70 best hikes in L.A. Noon: A bookstore afternoon Then I have to make good on the way that I bribed my kid and one of her favorite things to do is go to Vroman's in Pasadena. It has one of the best children's book sections in Los Angeles — it takes up half of their second floor. She'll grab a bunch of books, I will have grabbed books from downstairs and we'll be sitting on a bench reading them. And you know, my husband's like, 'Dude, would you like to leave and actually pay for these?' 2 p.m.: Hop around Old Town Pasadena Not that far from Vroman's, there's this intersection that has so many things that all of us like. Motto Tea Cafe serves Japanese soufflé-style pancakes. They're so fluffy! My daughter normally gets the plain ones with the Nutella cream on top. This place is often quite packed, so we order in advance. Then there's this ice cream place called Kinrose Creamery that is unbelievable. They indulged me by letting me try basically every flavor. They have a sour cherry with candy floss that is unlike anything I've ever had. And there's a park near there, Central Park, that is really beautiful and has a very expansive playground area. And so my kid will go play for a little while. 3:30 p.m.: Indulge an obsession On the walk back to our car, I will go to Farrow & Ball and just look at paint colors. I'm completely obsessed with paint colors, so I make my family go pretty often. I never have a reason to be there. When the person is like, 'How can I help you? Are you looking to paint something?' I'm like, 'No, I just want to look at paint colors.' They've got great names for all their paint — I could probably name them all for you, literally. The ones I have in my house: Dead Salmon, Skimming Stone, Wimborne White. My daughter and I have become obsessed with a very pretty coral-y orange called Naperon. Both of us are like, 'We have to paint something Naperon!' There's a woman who is the color curator for Farrow & Ball and her name is Joa Studholme. She's the only person that is famous to me and my daughter. She makes these videos where she's talking about why they came up with a paint color and my kid and I will just watch them four different times. Read more: 11 places in L.A. to get your creativity flowing. Pottery! Neon bending! Bookbinding! 5:30 p.m.: Best pasta ever Every Sunday night, we eat takeout from Lido Pizza. Doesn't matter the fanciest place I've ever been to — this is the best pasta. I love it so much. And there's something about their salad dressing that is exactly what my taste buds want in a salad dressing. I have gone so far as to order a full jug of it for my house. It's such a humble, unassuming place. We've been taking my daughter there since she was a baby. When the movie 'Booksmart' came out, we were watching it and saw that a whole scene takes place in the Lido parking lot. We eat there every single Sunday night, and at this point, they have to just know the call is coming sometime around 5:30. 7:45 p.m.: The 'Goodnight Special' My daughter gets into bed and reads for an hour. During that time, my husband and I will watch an episode of something — lately, we've been watching 'The Studio.' Then when it's time to go to bed, she comes out of her bedroom and asks for the 'Goodnight Special.' It's when I hold her for a minute and sing to her. She called it that just one day. She was like, 'I need the 'Goodnight Special.'' I was like, 'I think I know what you mean by that.' And then my husband and I will go to bed around 10:30. Sign up for The Wild newsletter to get weekly insider tips on the best of our beaches, trails, parks, deserts, forests and mountains. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Yorkshire Vet's heartbreaking news before welcoming new baby girl
The Yorkshire Vet's heartbreaking news before welcoming new baby girl

Daily Mirror

time07-06-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Daily Mirror

The Yorkshire Vet's heartbreaking news before welcoming new baby girl

David Melleny and his wife Megan could not be happier in their baby bubble - but as they reveal, they were going through a very sad time when they found out the good news The Yorkshire Vet 's David Melleney - though he's the first to admit that becoming a first-time dad is quite a learning curve - is in a happy baby bubble with wife Megan, 28, after the couple welcomed their first child on 19 May. And as they welcome OK! into their rural home in Holmfirth, Yorkshire for an exclusive interview, they also reveal why their journey was so emotional at times. Speaking of his adorable firstborn, a little girl named Lilah Rose, David revealed: 'She's been amazing so far,' he beams, sitting next to wife Megan and Lilah, who has an impressive head of baby-soft dark hair. 'She's been sleeping and eating, but we've been warned that everything can change.' ‌ ‌ The Channel 5 star married dentist Megan in a beautiful ceremony at Chateau du Doux, in France's Dordogne, in September 2023 – and Lilah is the the first grandchild for Megan's mum and dad, Steve and Della. But as the couple explain, when they found out they were expecting, Megan's family were going through a difficult time, a double loss which made them cautious about finding the right moment to break their happy news. 'I'd lost both my grandmas in the space of a month, and the day we found out was the day we were clearing out Nan's stuff from her house. My period was late, but I thought it might have been stress, so I did a test to check. It was a surreal and very emotional day", says Megan, reflectively. 'We decided to wait a couple of weeks to tell people, including Mum and Dad. My mum and my nan were really close so I just didn't think it was the right time. When we did tell them, everyone was overjoyed. I have one younger brother and we were pretty close to our cousins growing up, so the house was always full. I always knew I wanted to be a mum. No one in my generation has yet had a baby, so Lilah is already very spoiled.' Aside from the sadness of family losses, Megan says her pregnancy was in general smooth-sailing - confessing she only stopped working when it got to the point where her bump made it hard to "bend over and use my arms'. And thankfully, after what in the end was a very swift labour, Lilah was born happy and healthy. The couple spent one night in hospital before returning home for the very first time as a family of three, to a waiting charcuterie board and a bottle of wine which had been sweetly prepared by David's brother Peter and his parents Paul and Vicky. 'So I had a glass of wine and cried as I ate Parma ham, because that's how emotional you are when you get out of hospital,' Megan laughs. Fans of The Yorkshire Vet can also expect to see Lilah make her TV debut soon, as David and Megan introduce their new addition to The Yorkshire Vet viewers in a special episode which includes her arrival.

‘Beautiful chaos': Motherhood reflections from Mikalya Crisp and Brit Selwood
‘Beautiful chaos': Motherhood reflections from Mikalya Crisp and Brit Selwood

Herald Sun

time10-05-2025

  • Entertainment
  • Herald Sun

‘Beautiful chaos': Motherhood reflections from Mikalya Crisp and Brit Selwood

Mikayla Crisp is still a young mum at heart with three daughters under seven. She and husband, Collingwood star Jack Crisp, try to make life as fun as possible. 'They've definitely got their father's energy,'' Mikayla said. 'I was 22 when I had Lilah and it's been the best thing having kids. We make a great team and we keep things lighthearted and just have a lot of fun.' The Crisps share daughters Lilah, 7, Sloane, 5 and Murphy, 20 months. Mikayla says there's not much down time but savours each day, knowing the years will go by fast. For Mother's Day she did a special photo shoot with her children at a Zenn Design event. 'Aside from all the beautiful cuddles and giggles that I wish I could bottle up and keep forever, one of the best parts is seeing the world through your children's eyes,'' she said. 'Watching them see and experience things for the first time with such curiosity, innocence and excitement is the biggest privilege. It really is so special. 'Jack is such a hands-on father and I don't ever have to ask him for help. He does what needs to be done and is amazing.' Crisp just passed the record for most consecutive games played, with Mikayla recalling a close call in 2023 when Collingwood won the premiership. 'I was due around the time but I held on longer and there was no way I would ever let him miss, no question at all,'' she said. Note from Mikayla to her mum Tracey: 'I've always said if I could be half the mum she is I'm so happy with that. I don't think I could ever put into words how much I love and appreciate my mum. I'm so lucky to be able to say that. She's everything. I'm so grateful for her. 'Having your own kids just highlights how incredible mothers are and makes you appreciate them so much more. I'm very lucky to have a beautiful relationship with my mum and I consider her to be one of my best friends as well. She's called 'nene' to my kids and they just adore her. She always said to me kids come into your life, you don't stop living and you take them on the ride with you. They are such happy and easygoing kids because of that. I've got two brothers and a sister and we're a really tight family.' For Brit Selwood, becoming a mum has made life complete. After giving birth to two boys, Joey, 2, and Alfie, seven months, she says the joy in parenthood is ever constant with husband, Geelong legend Joel Selwood. 'It is a beautiful chaos, it's honestly the best gift in the world,'' Brit said. 'It's not a job, it's honestly changed my life and I couldn't be happier being a mum to two gorgeous boys. I do feel so lucky to be a mum.' She added: 'I could have 20 kids. I said that to Joel, I don't know if I'll ever be done. I just love it and I love being pregnant.' As she celebrates another Mother's Day, with breakfast and some special moments at Crown Melbourne, Selwood reflects with gratitude. The couple used IVF treatment to fall pregnant. 'We did go through a lot and it's made us both so grateful,'' Brit said. 'We always say to each other that we absolutely love being parents. It's our joy in life and it puts everything into perspective. You still have to look after yourself, but you're looking after two little people and trying your best to make them happy and healthy. Joel is very hands-on and we share it so well. 'Now the boys are so close in age which is just gorgeous. I put them together on the couch and they're just like twins.' Selwood says the brotherly love between the boys is adorable and has also provided some comfort since February and the devastation of losing Joel's brother Troy. 'We've had a rough couple of months and he says to us, home is his happy place,'' Brit said. 'Seeing the boys and what life is about, they've been a real comfort to him and he has to focus just on them and looking after them and being there because they do require a lot of your time and energy. He's still grieving and it's something no one should have to go through. They bring so much joy to us.' Note from Brit to her mum Wendy: 'Mother's Day puts everything into perspective. You see what your mum did for you and you're so grateful for everything and realise you need a tribe to bring up kids. You see what your parents sacrificed because you know what you're doing now, you're going through it yourself. Also one thing I always think about is they are little for such a short time. I look at my relationship with my mum now and you don't get to spend much time with them anymore. Every day I try to spend so much time with the boys because they're not little for long. I just try and cherish all those memories. 'I talk to my mum often. They're about two hours away and they'll come down a lot to see us. I learnt from her just to be in the moment with the kids and be there for every little milestone. Mum was always running events or my netball games, she was always there and I knew she was going to be around and pick me up from things. Alfie is a mama's boy and Joey is a daddy's boy. Joey will give everything a go but I think Alfie's going to be really athletic. He's very strong willed.'

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