News Plus

SHANE Richie has revealed that EastEnders has saved lives following his powerful prostate cancer storyline.

The actor, 61, loveable Alfie Moon in the BBC One soap, embarked on the hard-hitting storyline nearly two years ago, to raise vital awareness and encourage more men to get checked out. 

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Shane Richie has revealed his prostate cancer storyline has saved lives[/caption]

BBC

Kat and Alfie are set to marry for a third time this week[/caption]

One in eight men will get prostate cancer in their lifetime, according to Prostate UK, who along with Macmillan Cancer Support, worked with Shane and the EastEnders writing team on the storyline. 

And now, the popular actor and entertainer, reveals the huge impact Alfie’s cancer story has had.  

He said: “I was going to events, men my age were coming up to me, but mostly women, wives saying ‘thank you so much for covering that storyline, because my husband, my brother… they don’t want to go to the doctors.’ 

“One guy in particular, and I don’t personally take credit for saving his life, but that storyline did. 

“He got checked. His daughter was a big EastEnders fan, and just quite casually said, come on, we love Alfie, you should go and get checked and he did just to appease his daughter. 

“He found out he had prostate cancer but it was at the early stages, had it left in any longer it could have been fatal. So if we just save one life, that’s the power of soaps.”

This week viewers will see Alfie once again struggle with intimacy, a common side effect of his cancer treatment, as he prepares to marry Kat, actress Jessie Wallace, 53, for a third time. 

Shane filmed the emotional scenes before going off on an extended break where he spent a month touring with best mates, Bradley Walsh, Brian Conley and Joe Pasquale. 

Dubbed The Prat Pack! the quartet performed all over the country, and provided Shane with a welcomed respite from Alfie’s cancer story. 

Shane said: “It was one of the most brilliant experiences I’ve had in a long time. 

“EastEnders are brilliant at letting me go off. I did a lot of stuff before I became Alfie so they’re very accommodating, hopefully again next year I’ll do the same thing, another tour.”

Shane also revealed how they turned down a big money deal from streaming giant Netflix to film the tour.

He said: “We got approached by Netflix to go behind the scenes, and we were like, not a hope in hell!.”

Explaining how they weren’t tempted by the offer he said: “No, because once we do it the gags are gone. Maybe in five years time if we’re all still alive we may do it.”

Shane was speaking on the red carpet at the British Soap Awards where EastEnders scooped eight gongs. Fans can watch the ceremony on ITVX.

The "Flowers" singer had some fun with a fotog by taking their camera and snapping some pics at the star-studded agency party.

He’d better be right. 

TRAILING vibrant pink bougainvillaea frames white-washed buildings, spilling across blue window shutters and doors. 

A confetti of tiny petals drifts in the breeze, dancing along the narrow, cobbled streets. 

Getty

The small town of Erriadh sits at the centre of the island of Djerba, just off the south coast of Tunisia[/caption]

Shutterstock

Hotels line the soft white-sand beaches on the island’s north coast[/caption]

Getty

Houmt Souk’s pedestrianised streets are lined with shops and restaurants[/caption]

Around every corner comes another eye-catching piece of technicolour street art.

The walls and doors of the sleepy paths are a quirky, open-air gallery. 

The resemblance to the alleyways of Mykonos and Santorini is striking and my arty stroll ends at a small cafe under a sprawling canopy of trees in a sunlit square. 

But when I tell you a small cup of strong coffee here costs 25p, you’ll know I am nowhere near the trendy Greek isles. 

The small town of Erriadh sits at the centre of the island of Djerba —which was used as a filming location for Star Wars — just off the south coast of Tunisia. 

And at its heart is Djerbahood, the passion project of a famous French art gallery owner who convinced some of the world’s best street artists to travel to Djerba, and its inhabitants to allow their walls to be daubed.

Now, more than 250 murals and sculptures have transformed the heart of the neighbourhood. 

Relatively undiscovered by us Brits, Djerba is a great-value option for those looking to explore beyond the Med favourites. 

Low-cost giant easyJet has launched year-round flights to the island from both London Luton and Manchester, with fares from just £115 return, and easyJet holidays has packages from just £373pp. 

The island’s compact size means it’s easy to explore its intoxicating mix of North African heritage and Mediterranean influences. 

Sizzling in summer, temperatures remain high all the way through to November and rarely dip below the 20Cs, even in the depths of winter, making it ideal for out-of-season sunshine. 

Hotels line the soft white-sand beaches on the island’s north coast, including our base, the 5H Radisson Blu Palace Resort & Thalasso. 

The resorts’ vast pool, surrounded by loungers and cabanas, leads down to small sand dunes and a broad stretch of sparkling white sands dotted with straw parasols. 

Its contemporary rooms are spacious and bright, with marble-clad bathrooms and balconies or terraces to soak up that sunshine. 

Supplied

The Sun’s Lisa Minot exploring[/caption]

Getty

The fortress of Borj El Kebir has been protecting the island’s inhabitants from invading armies since the 13th century[/caption]

Supplied

Our base, the 5-star Radisson Blu Palace Resort & Thalasso[/caption]

With four restaurants, three bars and the biggest Thalasso spa on the island, you could be forgiven for not straying far. 

But the island’s compact size means it’s easy to explore its intoxicating mix of North African heritage and Mediterranean influences. 

Troglodyte dwellings 

In the island’s capital Houmt Souk on the north coast, the minarets of mosques sit alongside the St Joseph’s Catholic church. 

Jutting out on a headland surrounded by the Mediterranean sea, the fortress of Borj El Kebir has been protecting the island’s inhabitants from invading armies since the 13th century.

Today you can explore the impressive fortifications and admire the stunning sea views from its now thankfully peaceful ramparts. 

Houmt Souk’s pedestrianised streets lined with shops and restaurants lead on to covered souks and a spice market, as well as a rather less fragrant fish market. 

There’s plenty of opportunities for a bit of souvenir shopping, from local handi-crafts and clothes, to Pottery Square where you can buy colourful ceramics from just £2 with a little haggling. 

If you’re in need of sustenance after all that shopping, look no further than El Fondouk. 

This fabulous conversion of an 18th-century caravanserai, or travellers’ inn, is open daily for morning coffees and pastries in its sun-soaked courtyard – then fresh seafood with couscous, fish curries and meaty kebabs at lunch and dinner.

Prices are also excellent given the quality, with main dishes from £8 to £12. 

Also worth a trip out from the excellent restaurants back at the hotel was Haroun, in the nearby marina.

Its outside terrace comes in the form of an actual ship’s deck, complete with rigging and ropes, and is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail or two as the sun sets. 

Inside, the dishes coming out of the kitchen include traditional Tunisian specialities such as brik — crispy filo pastry parcels filled with meat or fish — as well as fried calamari and fresh fish.

Luke Skywalker grew up in a troglodyte home in Tatooine (get it!) and you can visit locations from the smash-hit franchise.

Again, prices are very competitive, with main courses from £13.50.

And while Djerba has more than enough to keep a holidaymaker happy for a week, it would be a shame to come this far and not head over on to the mainland and into a galaxy far, far away. 

EasyJet has multiple tours you can take from Djerba, over the ancient Roman Road that crosses the sea to southern Tunisia. 

The centuries-old causeway is essentially a bridge, and as you travel the five miles you’re rewarded with stunning views of shimmering waters on both sides. 

As you travel through the arid desert landscapes of the mainland, huge rock formations rise dramatically from the flat plains. 

The rugged mountains are home to the Berber people, and at Chenini we peek into the unique troglodyte dwellings carved into the rocky hillsides and admire the palm trees and olive trees growing around the oasis by the Chenini Canyon. 

Getty

Strolling the streets of Tataouine, you can easily see how George Lucas was inspired to use the location for Star Wars[/caption]

Rex

Strolling the streets of Tataouine, you can easily see how George Lucas was inspired to use the location for Star Wars. 

Luke Skywalker grew up in a troglodyte home in Tatooine (get it!) and you can visit locations from the smash-hit franchise on the tour, including the Hotel Sidi Idriss and Ksar Hadada, an other-worldly Berber granary store that served as a key setting in The Phantom Menace. 

LISA MINOT 

JOSH HARRIS wants to buy out John Textor in the latest tug of war at Crystal Palace.

Textor owns around 45 per cent of the club and was planning to make a move on Harris and David Blitzer — who have 18 per cent each — to purchase their shares.

Rex

AFP

Textor now willing to sell up to avoid Palace being booted out of the Europa League[/caption]

But that has failed so far — with Textor now willing to sell up to avoid Palace being booted out of the Europa League due to Uefa’s rules on multi-club ownership.

The European governing body’s regulations mean Textor, majority owner of Lyon, cannot have influence at two clubs in the same competition.

But a sale is unlikely to be quick and will not impact the decision of Uefa chiefs.

And Harris is looking to pay a smaller sum than his US compatriot wants.

Textor, whose Palace club won entry to the Europa League through winning the FA Cup, does not have a majority stake and only 25 per cent of voting rights.

Palace hope that relatively low figure will help their case with Uefa, who are expected to deliver a verdict next week.

Lyon are also set to feature in the competition having finished higher than Palace domestically, with a sixth-placed finish in the Ligue 1 last season.

Uefa rules prohibit anyone from “simultaneously be involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration, and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a Uefa club competition.”

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

The prospect of Palace dropping into the Conference League is also nigh-on impossible too.

This is because other shareholder David Blizter also has a stake in Danish oufit Brondby, who are set to play in European football‘s tertiary club competition next season.

In a desperate bid to see the Eagles fly across Europe next season and comply with Uefa rules, Textor and Blizter offered to put their shares in a blind trust.

But Uefa chiefs have REJECTED the offer, leaving Palace’s proposed European adventure next season in limbo.

Manchester City and Manchester United utilised blind trusts last season as sister clubs Girona and Nice both qualified for the Champions League and Europa League respectively.

Королева Бельгії Матильда / © Getty Images Бегінаж — поселення-община для самотніх бегінок (релігійний рух) у Фландрії та Нідерландах. Протягом століть бегінаж Брюгге було населено винятково жінками. Сьогодні там мешкають деякі черниці з ордена Святого Бенедикта. 1998 року бегінаж Брюгге був визнаний об’єктом Всесвітньої спадщини ЮНЕСКО, разом з 12 із 26 бегінажів у Фландрії. Королева відвідала виставку «800 років бегінажу» та сад монастиря, який вперше відкривається […]

WITH relaxing beaches and super sightseeing – plus just a two-hour flight away – Nice on France’s stunning Cote d’Azur makes for an easy sunny getaway.

While it may happily soak up the glamorous associations of nearby Cannes and St-Tropez, this spot on the Med needn’t break the bank.

Getty

The idyllic beach at Nice in the South of France[/caption]

WHY SHOULD I GO?

NICE has a bit of everything. Great food, scenery and swimming.

But it never feels like you need to elbow your way through its quaint streets.

It is also one of France’s brightest cities, with a reported 147 days of sunshine a year making it a great choice if you want to bask in the rays while also getting a top-notch culture fix.

STREETS MADE FOR WALKING?

ONE of the best things about Nice is just how walkable it is, the piece de resistance being a stroll along the seafront Promenade des Anglais.

As you get your steps in alongside the palm trees, look out for the iconic hotel Le Negresco, which hosted Elizabeth Taylor and The Beatles.

Pack comfy shoes to walk 30 minutes up to the Colline du Chateau — a park from which you can get the best views of the city.

It’s smart to hop on a tram (€10, or £8.39, return) outside the airport to get into the centre after landing — it takes just over half an hour.

BUCKET LIST ATTRACTIONS?

THE cute Old Town comprises a series of winding alleys that have hardly changed from the 1700s and are made for wandering, complete with colourful, shuttered facades.

Between the many historic squares and churches, you will find plenty of adorable shops selling handbags, jewellery and other stylish items.

Or head to the flea market Les Puces de Nice, a treasure trove of affordable designer clothing.

Need an energy boost? Stop off at the Frisson coffee shop which serves dainty pastries and ice cream.

Enjoy art at the Matisse Museum (€10, or £8.39, entry), before a free walk through the ruins of a Roman amphitheatre in the Jardin des Arenes de Cimiez.

WHERE SHOULD I EAT?

LUNCH on delicious Mediterranean cuisine beneath a chic, striped parasol at the laidback Hotel Amour Plage (part of Hotel Amour Nice) in a prime position on the promenade.

Then retreat to the beach club’s sunloungers beside the beach.

Getty

Hunt for bargains at the flea market[/caption]

For a dinner you can dress up for, head to Taulissa above the five-star Le Victoria hotel.

Dine on mouthwatering Provencal dishes — including plenty of fish and seafood options — with panoramic views of the city.

For more of a local feel, try the friendly Rouge wine bar, whose small Mediterranean sharing plates are just as unmissable as the contents of its cellar.

I FANCY A DRINK

EASE into the evening with a sunset visit to Babel Babel, for a range of natural wines and a sea view.

Later, Place du Pin and the adjacent Rue Bonaparte are full of bustling cocktail bars with terraces.

Alamy

Enjoy a seaview from Babel Babel cafe[/caption]

WHERE SHOULD I STAY?

THE Old Town is arguably best, not only for its charm but for practical reasons too — it’s close to all the key sites you’ll want to visit.

EasyHotel Nice Old Town has had a multi-million pound refurb, and is a stone’s throw from all the action.

Getty

Relaxing by the crystal sea[/caption]

There is an all-you-can-eat continental breakfast buffet (£10.49, per person) — including croissants, of course — and the handy option to store luggage at €5 (£4.20) per item for up to 12 hours before or after your stay.

HAVING fibre in your diet can help digestion, blood sugar control and managing weight by making you feel full.

It can also cut the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.

Yet fewer than one in ten people get the recommended 30g a day.

The best way to up your fibre is with your diet.

But today, I look at ways you can boost your daily dose.

GUMMIES

THIS one is a clever idea – Novomins fibre gummies provide 4g of fibre through inulin, which comes from the chicory plant.

Inulin is found in prebiotic foods like garlic, onion and bananas.

As a supplement, you can get inulin powder. But for convenience these gummies are great.

They also contain calcium, vitamin D, B12 and chromium, have a lovely orange flavour and contain no sugar.

Very chewy, they last for ages. A bit of a sweet treat to keep your bowels healthy.

£15.99 for 60, novomins.com.

POWDER DRINK

IN the past there have been fibre drinks that were thick, gloopy and tough to swallow.

But this new one, from the Fast 800, isn’t.

The powders are a blend of inulin, acacia fibre and green banana resistant starch, which mixes to a smooth drink.

The Sleep Blend also contains minerals, amino acids and other natural sleep support ingredients such as magnesium, chamomile, lemon balm extract and passionflower.

There is 5.6g of fibre per serving and just 18 calories. You take 10g of the powder and mix with water, warm or cold, up to three hours before bed.

It does have a mild lemon flavour, which I didn’t love, but it wasn’t unpleasant.

£22.99 for 30 servings, thefast800.com.

FOOD

A SUGARY biscuit that is good for your gut health sounds bonkers, but JNCK Bakery’s new cookies are formulated to have five times more fibre than standard ones.

They also include other health-focused improvements, such as 90 per cent less sugar and 50 cent less saturated fat.

This has been achieved by incorporating pea protein, prebiotic fibre and a low-sugar, protein-rich chocolate.

They come in three flavours – Milky Chocolate, Trippple Chocolate and White Gold Chocolate, and each cookie has around 9g of fibre, 185 calories and 1.5g of sugar.

They are rich and chocolatey and taste amazing. My six-year-old loves them and I would buy them knowing that they are slightly healthier than your average cookie.

From £1.08 each at Tesco.

Veep fans are everywhere — and sometimes, so are the show’s stars! Julia Louis-Dreyfus shared an Instagram Story on Friday, June 6, revealing the moment she caught a fellow passenger on a flight watching the hit series, which aired on HBO from 2012 to 2019, without a clue that its star actress was seated nearby. […]

The leader of a Palestinian jihadist group that was involved in Oct. 7 kidnappings and murders was killed in an Israeli airstrike, the Israel Defense Forces announced Saturday.