Category: News

Raquel Welch once came face-to-face with who her ex-husband called “a very violent man” – her father.

The Hollywood sex symbol, who passed away in 2023 at age 82, is the subject of a new CW documentary, “I Am Raquel Welch,” which explores her life and legacy. It features candid sit-downs with friends, co-stars and film experts, among others.

The documentary describes the actress and coveted pinup as a single mother of two who was living in between checks when she arrived in Hollywood. But she was also escaping a complicated relationship with her father, Carlos Armando Tejada.

RAQUEL WELCH, ‘ONE MILLION YEARS BC’ AND ‘FANTASTIC VOYAGE’ STAR, DEAD AT 82

Luis I. Reyes, author of “Viva Hollywood,” detailed how an altercation between father and daughter forever impacted their relationship.

“When she was 16 years old, something happened at the dinner table,” Reyes explained. “Her father wasn’t happy. And he took a glass of milk and threw it in the face of Raquel’s mom. And Raquel could not believe it – that he would humiliate her mother like that in front of everyone.”

“Raquel stood up to him,” Reyes shared. “There was a fireplace, and she took a poker, and she threatened her father with the poker. Because she stood up to him, he never did that again. That was a defining moment for her.”

In an audio clip, Welch is heard saying, “I threatened his life, and he backed down. He backed away.”

Welch’s ex-husband, Richie Palmer, said he had heard stories “about the poker” as he teared up.

“He used a poker on her, too,” said Palmer. “Plain and simple – domestic violence. Nobody should have to go through that. It scarred her.”

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

“I’m going to walk softly on this,” Palmer said slowly. “She loved him, admired, respected, feared [this] terribly violent man.”

The “One Million Years B.C.” icon previously reflected on the incident in her 2010 memoir, “Beyond the Cleavage.”

“Every time Dad lashed out at my mother, I flinched — it might as well have been me!” Welch wrote, as quoted in an excerpt published by Oprah.com.

“I felt the need to vindicate her, but was helpless to do so,” wrote Welch. “I crossed that bridge when I finally confronted my dad in defense of my mother, and this time he had to back down. I’ll never forget that moment as long as I live. I was 16 . . . and had enough.”

According to Welch, it all started when her father complained about the casserole that her mother, Josephine Sarah Hall, had served for dinner. Suddenly, he picked up his glass of milk and threw it right in her mother’s face.

“It was the worst thing I could ever imagine, seeing her look of shock, watching her sit there with her face and hair drenched and dripping, humiliated,” Welch wrote. “I couldn’t believe my eyes. All this over something he didn’t like about the meal? My poor mother was reduced to a whimpering mess . . . defeated.”

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

“That was it. Tears streaming, I jumped up from the table and went for the fireplace, as he came after me. ‘Where do you think you’re going?’ he demanded. ‘How could you? I screamed, picked up the poker from the fireplace, and turned toward him, gripping it with both hands.

“I was pitted against him now. ‘If you ever, ever do anything to hurt Mom again, I swear, I’ll kill you!’ I said, shaking with emotion. He glared at me and stood his ground. ‘Calm down,’ he said. I glared right back at him.”

“Thank God, he backed away,” said Welch. “I cannot believe I am telling this about someone I loved so much. Everything I did was to please him. But someone had to stand up to him. And as the oldest, that someone was me.”

The documentary showed an interview clip where Welch told Rona Barrett that her parents were opposites.

“I always thought my mother was almost an angel figure, a very gentle creature,” she said. “My father was extremely strict and rather tyrannical in a way. . . . Forgive me, Daddy.”

In a voiceover, Welch also shared that as a child, she had received “conditional love” from her father.

“I had to do something — I had to get the perfect grades. I had to do everything perfectly,” she said.

According to the documentary, the Bolivia-born Tejada refused to speak Spanish when Welch was growing up because he didn’t want his children to speak with an accent. Welch said that as a child, she felt that “a part of me was missing.”

“The part of me that was missing was the part of me that my father chose to just amputate out of our lives,” she said.

Brian Eugenio, a cultural historian at Princeton University, said in the documentary, “It was a paradox that she adored her father, and she wanted to please her father deeply, but he was a taskmaster. He was hard.”

In her memoir, Welch described her mother as being “under my father’s thumb” as the patriarch had “the upper hand.”

“. . . By observing my mother in her relationship with my father, I learned that women have different roles to play,” she wrote. “I think she was right about that part. However, after four husbands, I don’t think I’m a good candidate for wifedom. I like my independence too much.”

RAQUEL WELCH REMEMBERED BY HOLLYWOOD AFTER DEATH AT 82: ‘PROFESSIONAL AND GLAMOROUS BEYOND BELIEF’

“A life of female servitude doesn’t appeal to me mainly because I saw my mother being taken for granted,” said Welch. “I don’t have memories of any appreciation coming her way. Between my parents there was not the slightest gesture of fondness; no hand-holding or sitting close with arms around each other; and hardly ever a kiss.

“As the song goes, ‘Try a little tenderness.’ Where, oh where, was that tenderness? I wondered. Where was his appreciation for all she did as a wife, mother, and homemaker?”

The documentary revealed that Welch fell “madly in love” with her high school sweetheart, James Welch. They married in 1959 when she was 17. They welcomed a son that same year named Damon Welch. In 1961, their daughter Tahnee Welch was born.

“My mom was very young and innocent at 19,” said Damon in the documentary. “She was just a kid. When she had me, I think she was a proud mother right away.”

Still, Welch said she soon realized that her husband opposed her having a career. Their divorce was finalized in 1964.

Welch’s breakthrough came in the 1966 campy prehistoric flick “One Million Years B.C.,” despite having a total of three lines. Clad in a brown doeskin bikini, she successfully evaded pterodactyls but not the notice of the public.

RAQUEL WELCH’S ‘ONE MILLION YEARS BC’ ROLE, WHICH LAUNCHED HER INTO SEX SYMBOL STATUS, ALMOST DIDN’T HAPPEN

Her curves and beauty captured pop culture attention, with Playboy crowning her the “most desired woman” of the ‘70s, despite never being completely naked in the magazine.

WATCH: NEW MARILYN MONROE PHOTOS TAKEN BY CLOSE FRIEND REVEALED IN BOOK

Though she would appear in exploitative films, she also surprised many in the industry with fine performances, including in Richard Lester’s “The Three Musketeers,” which earned her a Golden Globe, and opposite James Coco in “Wild Party.” 

She was also nominated for a Golden Globe in 1988 for the TV movie “Right to Die.” She played herself and mocked divas in an episode of “Seinfeld,” memorably attacking Elaine and rattling Kramer.

The documentary shared that Welch was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in her final years.

“She was always happy,” said Damon. “She never suffered.”

Back in 2017, Welch told Fox News Digital she initially turned down the role of “Loana the Fair One” in “One Million Years B.C.”

INSIDE RAQUEL WELCH’S FOUR MARRIAGES AND HOW THE SEX SYMBOL ‘NEVER DID GET IT RIGHT’

“I told (Fox’s studio head) Dick Zanuck I didn’t think I was going to do it because it was a dinosaur movie and I didn’t want to be caught dead in a dinosaur movie,” Welch recalled. “And he was not sympathetic to that.

“He said, ‘No, you’re going to do it, Raquel. And listen, Raqui, you’re going to become a huge star!’ I said, ‘What? What am I even going to wear? What happened in dinosaur time? . . . He said, ‘Don’t worry, they’ll figure something out.’ And they sure did.”

Reluctantly, the then-26-year-old agreed to take on the role. Welch was sent far away from Hollywood, specifically the volcanic Canary Islands.

Welch, who was filmed wearing the skimpy costume during severe weather conditions, developed tonsillitis on set that she insisted became worse with time.

“I already had so much penicillin when I was wearing the fur bikini that I almost died,” she said. ” . . . I had to rush, turn my car around and head right back to the doctor’s office, just run upstairs, jump in the elevator and all that.

“And I barely got there. They had to shoot me with an antidote. Otherwise, I would have died. It was a really rough shoot, man. Really rough. And then I came to London, and everybody knew who I was.”

New Delhi:

Kim Sae Ron’s mother has broken her silence on her daughter’s dating controversy with actor Kim Soo Hyun. While the family accused Kim Soo Hyun of dating Kim Sae Ron when she was a minor (15), the actor’s agency, Gold Medalist, released a statement clarifying that the romantic relationship began only after Kim Sae Ron became an adult.

In a new statement shared on the Garosero Research Institute YouTube channel, Kim Sae Ron’s mother demanded an apology from Kim Soo Hyun and his agency. “Hello. This is the late actress Kim Sae Ron’s bereaved. This is what the family wants. Firstly, we want Kim Soo Hyun to acknowledge that he was dating Kim Sae Ron from the time she was a minor, as well as a public apology from him,” she said as quoted by Koreaboo. 

Kim Sae Ron’s mother also called on Kim Soo Hyun’s agency to apologise for allegedly manipulating the media with three years of denials about the actor’s relationship with her daughter.

“Second, from the agency Gold Medalist, we request an official apology for media manipulation over the past three years where they claimed that the two have never dated, and again when they stated three days ago that they have never dated too,” she said.

Kim Sae Ron’s mother insisted that the agency acknowledge her daughter’s contributions as a founding member of Gold Medalist. Kim Sae Ron was among the first actors to join the agency, alongside Kim Soo Hyun and Seo Yea Ji.

She said, “Third, please acknowledge Kim Sae Ron’s contributions as a founding member of the company and apologise for that.”

“Fourth, acknowledge and publicly apologise for sending a legal notice demanding repayment of ₩700 million KRW (about $482,000 USD) from Kim Sae Ron,” added Kim Sae Ron’s mother. 

She was referring to the legal notice Kim Sae Ron received from Gold Medalist after covering the expenses for her DUI case in 2022.

Reportedly, Kim Soo Hyun and his agency pressured Kim Sae Ron to repay the money, which eventually contributed to her tragic death. 

Kim Sae Ron was found dead at her residence in Seoul on February 16. According to the Seongdong Police, she died by suicide. The actress had withdrawn from the limelight following her DUI incident in 2022. 

(Also read: 8-year-old boy survives five days lost in Zimbabwe’s dangerous lion-filled reserve, here’s how)

A surprising wake-up call

In the video, the lion cub tiptoes towards its resting parents, who are blissfully unaware of their playful little one’s antics. With a sudden leap and a cheeky nudge, the cub startles its parents, causing a burst of playful commotion. The scene is a perfect example of the playful, curious nature of young animals, and viewers are loving every second of it.

Check out the clip here:

The video, which was shared with the caption “Lion cub scares parents,” has garnered over 1.2 million views on X, along with countless reactions from social media users. People are particularly charmed by the cub’s boldness, and many have taken to the platform to share their thoughts and appreciation.

(Also read: Lion cubs playfully nibble at their mother’s tail while she walks unfazed: ‘Kids will be kids’)

Heartwarming comments flood in

One user commented, “This cub is living life on its terms, and I love it! So cheeky and adorable!” Another said, “The parents were definitely caught off guard—too cute!” Meanwhile, others expressed their amazement at how playful wildlife can be, with one viewer stating, “It’s incredible to see such natural behaviour, and it’s a reminder of how much joy animals bring us.”

Several users pointed out the sheer cuteness of the cub, with one person adding, “How can anyone resist those little paws and that playful attitude? I’m officially obsessed!” Another echoed this sentiment, saying, “That’s the best thing I’ve seen all day—pure joy!”

The interaction also sparked a wave of heartwarming responses from viewers, with many commenting on the beautiful bond between the cub and its parents. “Seeing the parents’ reactions just adds to the charm,” remarked one fan. A different user added, “The lion parents are so patient and loving, even when startled. This is nature at its best.”

A mom in Indiana allegedly left her two small children, ages 1 and 1 week, at home to go drink at a bar — and police later found them covered in feces, with the youngest showing signs of malnutrition.

Police found Sandra Henriquez, 32, in the early morning of Wednesday, March 12, after officers responded to a report that a vehicle had struck a pole, according to CBS 4, Indianapolis’ FOX 59 and Muncie newspaper The Star Press.

Officers asked Henriquez, who was described as having slurred speech, if she had any children after noticing a car seat in her vehicle, and she did not respond, the outlets reported. 

Following the collision, Henriquez was taken to the hospital and then to jail. She initially told authorities she had no dependents, per The Star Press, but later admitted that she did have children and was “unwilling” to share her home address.

According to the newspaper, one officer wrote that the mom of two “had multiple opportunities to inform officers and other staff about her children being home alone,” and “was even asked about children, but refused to provide that information.”

While Henriquez was in custody, Muncie Police Department officers responded to her residence around 2:30 p.m. local time on March 12 for a separate call reporting two babies crying inside the home, per FOX 59 and CBS 4. Police were also told that the children, a newborn and toddler, were locked in the home, The Star Press reported.

After police arrived, they had to force entry into the home. They then found both the 1-year-old and 1-week-old covered in feces, according to court documents obtained by CBS 4 FOX 59.

An affidavit viewed by The Star Press said the infant was allegedly covered in feces and urine and was described as “urgently cyanotic.”

Reportedly weighing less than when they were born a few days earlier, the newborn — who was “blue in the hands, feet and around the mouth,” seemingly due to malnutrition — was rushed to a local hospital, along with the older child, according to court records cited by CBS 4, FOX 59 and The Star Press. 

The baby was admitted to the hospital with a feeding tube, while the 1-year-old was reported to be in good health, aside from a very full diaper, the outlets reported.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Henriquez allegedly told police she left her home just after midnight on March 12 with intent to go to a liquor store, but ended up going to a local Muncie sports bar, Big Shots Pub, instead, the newspaper reported.

She also allegedly told detectives that she drank an entire six-pack of beer before she left, per court documents cited by CBS 4 and FOX 59.

Based on the mom’s alleged admissions to police, authorities believe that her kids spent 14 hours alone at the residence, where police also reportedly saw multiple open cans of alcohol and a dog caged without food or water, CBS 4 and FOX 59 reported.

The Muncie Police Department and Delaware County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s requests for comment on Saturday, March 15.

As of Thursday, March 13, Henriquez was being held in jail on a $42,500 bond and now faces multiple neglect-related charges, The Star Press reported.

Per FOX 59, she has been charged with neglect of dependent resulting in serious bodily injury, neglect of dependent abandonment and two counts for neglect of dependent, all of which are felony charges. She also faces one count of felony obstruction of justice.

It is not immediately clear if Henriquez has legal representation to comment on her behalf.

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

Isaac Fayose, brother of ex-Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, says he has donated N500,000 to the father of Afrobeat star, Ahmed Ololade, popularly known as Asake.

He said this while reacting to the viral video of Fatai Odunsi, the musician’s father, seeking alms.

In the video, Odunsi accused Asake of abandonment, saying he has been battling a stroke since 2022.

SPONSOR AD

The aged man alleged that the singer continued to ignore his calls despite his failing health.

He said: “I am the father to Asake who is singing. The last time I saw him was when this thing happened to me on March 29, 2022. He does not pick up my calls anytime I call him. Now I have become tired. I have been looking for this my brother and I recently met with him.”

Reacting to the controversy, Asake took to social media on Friday and dropped a cryptic message.

“You can’t please everyone, you can’t please the world. But anything you are doing, just do it for God. My own father wants to cajole me, and I have sent so much money to him. I have struggled for so many years, but they want to make me get tired of life,” Asake said while singing in Yoruba.

But in an Instagram post on Saturday, Fayose said, “As I promised last night, we will take care of Asake’s father since he refused to take care of him. I promised him yesterday that I was going to give the man N500,000. I spoke to him this morning and he’s a very happy man.”

Three years ago, Asake’s debut album ‘Mr. Money with the Vibe’ was released, breaking the record for the biggest opening day for an African album on Apple Music at the time.

The album debuted at number 66 on the Billboard 200 chart and recorded the highest charting Nigerian debut album in the history of the chart.

Going on a trip for your birthday can be a lot of fun, especially if it is to a great destination.

What would you do if your mom booked a surprise trip to Morocco for your birthday but then you found out that it was also to go to a wedding for a family member?

That is what happened to the birthday girl in this story, so she feels like this isn’t a gift for her birthday at all.

Let’s read all the details.

AITA, I got a text randomly from my mum saying she had booked for us to go to Morocco on my 20th birthday with the family.

Sounds great right?

Absolutely not.

I bet mom booked the flights and then realized it was her birthday.

I come to find out that she had actually booked the tickets to go to my step sisters wedding in Morocco to marry a man she has known for 3 months.

The marriage is a complete sham, my step sister and this mystery Moroccan man had previously agreed to get married so that he could get a visa, allegedly they fall in love (all within 3 months) and now it’s genuine?

It also turns out that we leave Morocco the morning after my birthday and my mum “couldn’t book any other flights” (she could they were just on sale so more convenient for her I guess).

This is all about the wedding, not the birthday.

She also didn’t give me a heads up or a choice in this so essentially she was content with ditching me on my 20th birthday (a big one in my opinion) to go to this fake wedding with a women she barely sees and a man she’s never met.

My birthday would be rushed and spent packing our bags for the day after.

I would have had to also spend the whole week hearing all about this wedding I don’t even agree on and living under the same roof as my stepdad and other step siblings I don’t get on with.

The birthday was an after thought.

It all just feels like it’s been rushed, poorly planned and is convenient for my mum because she gets to cram my birthday in at the end of it.

To make matters worse she said it’s too complicated and stressful if I bring a friend when I asked, which is weird as I should have at least one say in what happens on my big day.

She also called me very selfish and self centered because I refuse to go.

But I’m okay with being selfish on my birthday.

I see her side to it but equally I’m angry and upset.

It sounds like this was more about mom than the daughter for sure.

Read on to see what the people in the comments on Reddit say about this.

Just tell them you already have plans.

Yes, celebrate the way you want.

This commenter says she is never required to go on a trip she doesn’t want to go on.

This person thinks it could be really dangerous.

The birthday was an after thought.

This mom has suspicious motives.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.

Parents of SEN (Special Education Needs) children have long complained there is no one place to integrate relevant information about their neurodivergent child to allow a holistic approach to care.

A new platform in Luxembourg, Dalza, the brainchild of Robby Coelho, has recently launched to help parents of SEN children.

“Parents, educators, therapists and healthcare professionals can collaborate and communicate in real time to make sure a child receives comprehensive yet personalised and well-coordinated support,” said Coelho.

The idea is to reduce the administrative burden on parents, freeing them to focus more on the child’s wellbeing and ultimately to improve the learning and developmental outcomes for a child so they can reach their full potential.

Accessible via a website or on the Android or Apple app, it can be used on a desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile, with a user-friendly design.

More cohesion, less time form filling

Parents register, then follow simple steps to create a profile for their child and invite those responsible for providing support to join the child’s team on the platform.

The platform won a programme for start-up social impact entrepreneurs run by the Ministry for Work © Photo credit: Dalza.com

Parents register, then follow simple steps to create a profile for their child and invite those responsible for providing support to join the child’s team on the platform.

“This could be teachers, health professionals or other caregivers,” said Coelho. “They do not need to be already registered to be invited to join. Parents just provide a name and email and they will receive an electronic invitation to register and join the child’s team.”

Parents pay a fee but they first get a free trial. A free subscription of 12 months is offered to the first 150 families to register in Luxembourg. Otherwise Dalza costs €20 per month for parental subscription. However, teachers, specialists and caregivers can register for free.

The platform was created in Luxembourg after it jointly won a programme for start-up social impact entrepreneurs run by the Ministry for Work.

Coelho, a lawyer by profession, parents a child with special educational needs and was also a child who required support at school. He said that whilst inclusion has made great leaps forward, the experience for parents has not.

“We are still overwhelmed and isolated, managing siloed support and care for our children,” he said. “Educators and healthcare professionals share similar frustrations so I wondered if technology could provide the answer to some of these challenges.”

Challenges include parents having to repeatedly provide the same information or answer the same questions on different forms in different formats, he said.

“Apart from the administrative burden of doing this and the risks of information being missed or lost, it is not updated.”

Single repository for information

Dalza affords a single repository for all information related to a child, from age, gender, history, medical records, diagnoses, educational and therapeutic assessments, behavioural observations. It also stores details of the family situation and school adjustments.

Coelho, a lawyer by profession, parents a child with special educational needs, and was also a child who required support at school © Photo credit: Dalza.com

Dalza affords a single repository for all information related to a child, from age, gender, history, medical records, diagnoses, educational and therapeutic assessments, behavioural observations. It also stores details of the family situation and school adjustments.

“Up until now, parents had to act as the intermediary passing on communications from one caregiver or specialist to another, including any updates. This makes it difficult for the child’s support team to work towards common goals and at worst can lead to misdiagnosis, misunderstandings, delays and mistakes.”

Coelho recalled having to juggle countless appointments, manage mountains of paperwork and feeling alone in advocating for his child’s needs.

Traditional education tools and school administration systems, whilst effective for operational tasks, fall short in supporting SEN children, particularly beyond the classroom, he said.

Dalza, which means ‘friend’ in the Sherpa language, can work in an educational setting but also integrates the home with external therapies to provide a SEN child with unified support.

“I wanted it to be that guide or companion that so many SEN parents desperately need,” he explained.

The platform also incorporates chat, filesharing, feedback capture, tracking and notifications, to reduce the risk of miscommunication and integrate education and learning plans, therapeutic programmes or clinical interventions.

If a child changes treatment or medicine, the whole team can monitor and give feedback on areas like mood, appetite, sleep or other observations.

“What happens outside school is relevant to what happens inside and vice versa,” said Coelho. “How a SEN child is sleeping at night is important for a teacher to know.”

App is available in English and other languages

The platform is available in English and French, with German added in the next few months, thanks to the support of the Andre Losch Foundation which funded the translations. It also meets GDPR and other privacy and security requirements.

Parents who have already started using the platform say it has stopped them struggling with WhatsApp groups to manage and coordinate therapists and teachers and avoid being in panic mode when making sure all the relevant parties receive the necessary information in time.

One parent user commented: “The feedback we receive from all my child’s teachers is a great help in identifying triggers that can cause a meltdown.”

The platform can accommodate all children with any type of neurodivergence, learning challenges, special educational needs or disability, and a diagnosis is not required.

A woman says she is livid with her husband after he convinced her to bring their six-month-old baby on a 10-hour flight.

In a post on Mumsnet, the woman explained that her husband “insisted” that it would be “great” for them to bring their infant with them as they visited both sides of their family during a recent vacation.

“He was excited. I was the negative nelly, obviously, but gave in,” the woman wrote, then detailing that the flight was “brutal” as it made her and her husband jet-lagged, as well as their child.

“It’s made baby clingy, even though he never was clingy with me before,” the mom further explained. “He won’t settle for Dad now, [and] my back feels like it will snap in two from spending the last 24 hours holding baby to sleep in the airport and plane. It’s just parenting a million times worse.”

And, despite recognizing that “the right thing to do is snap out of it and enjoy [the trip], as there’s no quick way to go home,” the woman said, however, “I hate my husband right now. Hate his f—— guts. [I] could 100% divorce him over this.”

“And I hate myself for giving in to his stupid idea. Hate, hate, hate myself,” the new mom added.

Fellow parents flooded the comments section of the post to offer their solidarity and support to the woman.

“Holidays, for me, were parenting, but in a different place without all the things we needed and out of routine. I loathed them,” one person said.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Others, meanwhile, said the woman should relax and look at her situation from a different perspective.

“You’ve only just arrived, and you’re all exhausted and jet-lagged. Don’t write off the whole holiday just yet. Traveling with little ones can be HARD, but you will make so many memories — not necessarily all amazingly happy moments, but memories you’ll look back on and laugh and smile about in years to come,” a user wrote.

And while one person in the comments section suggested that the woman’s negative reaction to the 10-hour-fight was “extreme,” many others backed her up, stating that traveling with a baby for that long a stretch of time was indeed “horrific” and “hardcore.”

“Remembering our first six months, we were insane, sleep deprived lunatics deprived of all reason and judgement,” one person wrote in support.

In an update from the second day of the getaway, the woman said, “Thanks everyone. I feel better today. Husband and I did end up having a fight last night, but it’s all fine now. He is a very involved, loving and hands on dad but he is a forever optimist (which is often a wonderful trait).”

She added, “Anyways, I do feel better and like a rational human again, thank you for all your replies. I will make the best of it, and I’m sure we will make some lovely memories.”

Rookie Isack Hadjar endured a heartbreaking start to his Formula 1 career at the Australian Grand Prix, crashing out before the race even began. As the drivers completed their formation lap in heavy rain at Melbourne, Hadjar lost control due to rear-wheel spin and crashed into the barriers, severely damaging his rear wing.

Unlike a front-wing replacement, a rear-wing failure meant instant retirement, leaving the young driver devastated. Overcome with emotion, Hadjar was seen in tears on the pit wall when Lewis Hamilton’s father, Anthony Hamilton, stepped in to console him in a touching moment.

Lando Norris wins Australian Grand Prix

After Isack Hadjar spun his Racing Bull car at Turn Two on the formation lap safety car was brought onto the track. After a 15-minute delay, the race finally got under way, only for another rookie, Australian Jack Doohan, to crash his Alpine on the straight between Turns Four and Six and bring out the safety car.

Despite the dramatic start, the season-opening race turned into an exciting showdown. Lando Norris showcased a brilliant performance, fending off Max Verstappen to claim victory and kickstart his 2025 championship campaign in style.

George Russell secured third for Mercedes. It was an encouraging day for Williams, with Alex Albon finishing fourth after Mercedes’ 18-year-old rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli was demoted to fifth due to a five-second penalty for an unsafe release from the pit.

Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri started second on the grid but finished ninth, his dreams of becoming the first home driver to claim victory or a consolation podium ending with a skid into the grass.

Lewis Hamilton finished 10th in his Ferrari debut, losing positions late in the race, while Charles Leclerc managed eighth. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso crashed out, triggering one of three Safety Car periods, while Lance Stroll kept his Aston Martin on track to secure a solid sixth-place finish.

WHEN Mother’s Day rolls around, it’s a sure sign that spring is on the way making it the perfect time to gift summery spritzes, floral displays or stylish homeware.

We’ve left no stone unturned in pulling together a list of presents to suit all tastes and budgets, including classic bouquets and letterbox brownies for long-distance gifting to stylish homeware, and personalised jewellery.

14

There’s something here for every Mum or Mother figure, so if you want to upgrade your Mums cosy nights in with a luxurious faux fur electric blanket and a wine-and-cheese hamper, or you’re after a thoughtful yet affordable option, we’ve got you sorted.

We’ve even included ideas for celebrating a first Mother’s Day or treating your Nan to show her just how much she means to you.

Whatever you’re after, we’ve got plenty of inspiration to help make this Mother’s Day an extra special one.

Mother’s Day 2025: Best gifts

Nio The Bestseller Box, £33.15

14

Nio The Bestseller Box, £39 £33.15

This gift is perfect for the more glamorous Mums out there and Nio Cocktails are redefining pre-made cocktails like never before.

The Best Seller’s Box, which serves as the ideal introduction to Italian cocktail culture offers those moments when you want to elevate the standard ‘cocktail in a can’ experience by simply shaking one ingenious little square and pouring over ice.

The Cosmopolitan and Tommy’s Margarita were personal favourites, but the box features six iconic cocktails, including the award-winning Negroni and Cosmopolitan, Tommy’s Margarita, Old-Fashioned, Gimlet, and Manhattan.

Nio also offers 10% off your first purchase as well as a free personalised gift note.

• Nio The Bestseller Box, £39 £33.15 – buy here

Engravers Guild Personalised T-Bar Paperclip Chain with Heart Pendant, £62.99

14

Engravers Guild Personalised T-Bar Paperclip Chain with Heart Pendant, £62.99

Giving a personalised gift on Mother’s Day always adds an extra special touch and pairs perfectly with flowers.

Engravers Guild offer a personalised engraving service where you can choose between three fonts and have two lines of text engraved on sterling silver.

There are a range of Mother’s Day products available on the site which all come packaged in a gorgeous blush pink box, an optional gift card with a message and next day delivery.

• Engravers Guild Personalised T-Bar Paperclip Chain with Heart Pendant, £62.99 – buy here

Cake or Death Best Mum Brownie Slab, £33

14

Cake or Death Best Mum Brownie Slab, £33

The Cake or Death brownie experts offer vegan, gluten-free treats that are gooey, delicious, and last up to two weeks outside the fridge – perfect for any allergy or intolerant Mum.

The decadent slab comes in a fun hot pink leopard print box, with the option to add a handwritten card and cosy socks.

Even if you’re not vegan, you’ll love these brownies – they’re rich, moist, and even better warmed up in the microwave for 10-20 seconds and slathered with ice cream.

Perfect for a last-minute gift, Cake or Death offers free shipping with the code MARCHFREE and next-day delivery if ordered by 2pm.

• Cake or Death Best Mum Brownie Slab, £33 – buy here

Snowdonia Mother’s Day Cheese & Prosecco Hamper, £55

14

Snowdonia Mother’s Day Cheese & Prosecco Hamper, £55

Treat your Mum to a luxurious night in with a hamper from Snowdonia featuring three award-winning cheeses including; Truffle Trove, Red Storm and the iconic Black Bomber as well as two chutneys, fig crackers, and a bottle of prosecco.

A perfect addition to a night of nattering with Mum or for her to share with her friends.

There is currently £11 off champagne on the Snowdonia site as well as free delivery when you spend over £35.

• Snowdonia Mother’s Day Cheese & Prosecco Hamper, £55 – buy here

M&S Made For An Icon Mother’s Day Beauty Box, £30

14

M&S Made For An Icon Mother’s Day Beauty Box, £30

If your Mum loves her skincare, then the M&S Made For An Icon Mother’s Day Beauty Box makes a fab gift.

Inside, there’s £134 of premium treats for face, body and hair, as well as a fragrance from cult brand Floral Street – all for just £30.

There’s seven full and travel-size products, including Clinique All About Eyes Serum for puffy eyes, which not only immediately cools thanks to the metal roller ball – but costs £35 on its own! What a bargain.

It’s on sale now at marksandspencer.com and will be available in selected stores from 6 March.

Read our full M&S Made For An Icon Mother’s Day Beauty Box review here.

• M&S Made For An Icon Mother’s Day Beauty Box, £30 – buy here

ESPA soothing candle, £33

14

ESPA soothing candle, £33

If you’re looking to gift luxury, serenity and a well deserved pamper night to a hard working Mum in need of some TLC, a candle makes the perfect choice.

To be lit by the bath, over dinner or to sit down for an afternoon with a book – this ESPA soothing candle gives off a strong spa scent with the top notes being jasmine and heady geranium.

Get 20% off with code SLEEPSAVIOURS when you shop at ESPA this Mother’s Day.

Lego Botanicals

14

LEGO Botanicals

A bouquet of flowers on Mother’s Day feels like a must-have, but buying a bunch that will never have to be chucked goes one step further.

The Lego Botanicals range allows for an eternal statement of gratitude to your Mum as well as providing some mindful, relaxing activities for those nights in on the sofa.

There are a multitude of flower types available such as the Pretty Pink Bouquet, Wildflower Bouquet, Bouquet of Roses and Lego Sunflowers, meaning you can take your pick and find your Mums favourite.

Argos and Asda currently have deals and offers running on Lego flowers, such as the Pretty Pink Bouquet for just £29.47 and you can click and collect on the same day if you’re in need of a last-minute gift this year.

Greasy Fingers, £8

14

Greasy Fingers, £8

Greasy Fingers wine provides the perfect meal-time accompaniment.

The big buttery chardonnay does what it says on the tin providing a smooth, thick wine perfect to wash down a Mother’s Day meal with – and the luscious red mirrors a punchy shiraz.

The Greasy Fingers range makes a perfect accompaniment to a bunch of flowers for any wine loving Mum and the Big Buttery Chardonnay and Luscious Red are both currently on sale at Amazon for just £8.

Tea Time Wellness Gift Box, £60

14

Tea Time Wellness Gift Box, £60

For stressed out Mums, this tea and wellness gift box from Bird & Blend could be a relaxation winner this Mother’s Day.

It contains three loose teas, three tiny tins of Matcha (Pure Grade, Lemon and Super), a box of biodegradable tea bags (for the loose tea), a cute spoon and a mindfulness journal.

Two of the teas – Dozy Girl and Mellow Yellow – are herbal blends and they smell gorgeous! The third – Chocolate Digestives – is a black tea with cocoa nibs, cocoa shell and liquorice root.

The mindfulness journal is a nice reminder to take a few minutes for yourself over your cuppa, so if your Mum is somebody who meditates regularly, journals less regularly and drinks lots and lots of herbal tea, this gift box is a superb choice.

• Tea Time Wellness Gift Box, £60 – buy here

Ottoman Hands Ava Pearl Pendant Necklace, £39

14

Ottoman Hands Ava Pearl Pendant Necklace, £39

Pearls are a classic and timeless piece as well as a necessity to any jewellery collection.

Ottoman Hands, the brand seen on shows such as Emily in Paris, House of Dragon and other ITV dramas, is a handmade jewellery company that make sustainable, stackable pieces.

This delicate Ava Pearl Pendant Necklace can be layered, making it a perfect gift for a Mum with an existing jewellery collection and is made from 21ct gold-plated recycled brass.

A dainty and delicate piece with a very decent price tag, at £39 this makes a gorgeous star present alongside her favourite flowers.

• Ottoman Hands Ava Pearl Pendant Necklace, £39 – buy here

Peugeot For You Individual Ceramic Heart Dishes, £32.99

14

Peugeot For You Individual Ceramic Heart Dishes, £32.99

Any baking enthusiast Mum will love the homeware assortment available from Peugeout.

Although more commonly known for their motors, Peugeout also have a sweet, heartfelt ceramic range which will add a splash of colour to the kitchen.

A personal favourite includes the For You Individual Ceramic Heart Dishes which can be used to make gooey brownies and souffles.

With a 10 year warranty and quality craftsmanship, they are microwave, oven and dishwasher safe and also retain heat for up to 30 minutes.

You can also enjoy 15% off all ceramics with the code MUM25 on any orders over £60.

• Peugeot For You Individual Ceramic Heart Dishes, £32.99 – buy here

Simba Slippers, £69

14

Simba Stormur Slipper, £69

Simba has designed a truly practical yet stylish clog that can be worn both inside and out.

If you’re after treating your Mum to a super comfy and fluffy slipper, these probably aren’t for you as they definitely feel more like a shoe than a traditional slipper.

However, that’s because they’ve been designed to feel like you’re walking barefoot outdoors and have nine pressure points to massage your feet.

They make a perfect gift for a green-fingered Mum eager to get back out into the garden and are really comfortable to wear down to the excellent quality.

Philips 5000 Series Garment Steamer, £60

14

Philips 5000 Series Garment Steamer, £60

If, like me, your Mum loves a practical present, then the Philips 5000 Series handheld clothes steamer would make a fab gift.

Not only does it look sleek and attractive, but it’s super easy to use, isn’t too heavy, and does an excellent job of ironing out creases.

It’s not too big and comes with a handy travel bag, so it’s perfect for popping in your bag to take to weddings or on holidays.

Whilst I’d love this as a gift, it’s not for everyone. If your recipient likes to be pampered, maybe get her a bunch of flowers or spa day instead!

• Philips 5000 Series Garment Steamer, £60 – buy here

When is Mother’s Day this year?

This year, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, 30th March 2025.

Mother’s Day, otherwise known as Mothering Sunday usually falls on a weekend and is slightly later this year, raising the chances of a sunny celebration in the garden, opening the floodgates to a Sarti Spritz or crisp cardonnary to be celebrated over in the garden.