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Sandra Sully and Angela Bishop reflect on 60 years of Network 10

<p>Sandra Sully and Angela Bishop have reflected on their most memorable moments with Channel 10 as the network celebrates 60 years on the air. </p> <p>As the network looks back on 60 years servicing and informing the country, two of their long-running powerhouses have looked back on their careers at Network 10. </p> <p>Both Sully and Bishop have been fixtures of the 10 network since the 1990s, both carving out such influential roles within the Australian mediascape that they’ve earned Order Of Australia medals, honouring their work within the industry.</p> <p>The two journalists have looked back at some of their most memorable moments in their careers, ranging from covering breaking international news, keeping industry secrets and their hardest interviews. </p> <p>When asked about her most memorable news broadcasts, Sandra said that informing Australia about the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001 is something that will stick with her forever. </p> <p>“News strikes without warning,” Sandra tells <a href="https://www.pedestrian.tv/entertainment/sandra-sully-angela-bishop/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>PEDESTRIAN.TV</em></a>. </p> <p>“I was the deer in the headlights and in the chair that night, and it all unfolded while we were live on air. So I had to go with it.”</p> <p>Sully, who was part of the Ten Late News team at the time, said she remembers her broadcast on each anniversary of the devastating attacks. </p> <p>“It’s something that is actually always with me,” she continued. </p> <p>“September 11 every year is always a kind of sad time for me because we all thought World War Three was going to erupt that night, that what we were watching was the beginning of World War Three." </p> <p>“And I don’t think generations these days could ever fully appreciate what that was like, because news is so instant now. They can get it all day, every day, on any platform. And so it’s hard for them to appreciate what actually happened that night, and the world’s moved on. For me, it was equally daunting, challenging and rewarding.”</p> <p>When working in the media industry, one thing that comes with showbiz is keeping secrets, which is something Angela Bishop learned all too well in 2010 when Oprah Winfrey was planning her trip Down Under. </p> <p>“I’ve never kept something more in the vault in my life,” Angela said with a laugh. </p> <p>“Oprah rarely did interviews back then because at that time she had her show on every day, she just felt she didn’t need to, because people got to see her every day. I got a great one-on-one interview with her when she came out, and then I covered her tour.</p> <p>“That was an absolute pinch me moment being interviewing her up on Hamilton Island when she arrived, as two koalas started having sex right next to us in the tree.”</p> <p>While secret keeping is only part of Bishop's job, she has had decades of experience interviewing celebrities around the world. </p> <p>And while all of her interviews are memorable, not all of them are for the right reasons, as she explained how she struggled interviewing Sacha Baron Cohen during his pressrun for Borat in 2006. </p> <p>“He was in character the whole time, from when I met him to when it ended, and I had to keep up with him, just doing all of the Borat things that Borat does,” she explains.</p> <p>At one point, Borat asked her: “Where is the journalist?” and when Angelia replied that she was the journalist, Borat feigned surprise.</p> <p>“We say to let a woman be a journalist is like to let a monkey fly a plane,” he quipped.</p> <p>Angela said of the infamous interview, “I just had to think on my feet and in the sand while there was people around, interacting with us and everything.”</p> <p>Angela and Sandra both spoke candidly about why they've stayed with the network for so long, as Angela said, “It’s the cheekiness and the risk-taking nature of the network. It’s a bold place.” </p> <p>“And it’s just family. I lost my husband back in 2017 to cancer and it was really a crucial part of my healing how much support I got from 10. It felt like family here, they really looked after me during that time and so did the viewers. Channel 10 viewers are quite something.”</p> <p>Sandra added, “It’s always been the culture, and it’s always been the teamwork. Television news is the epitome of teamwork." </p> <p>“I’m really thrilled, honoured, privileged to be a part of the 10 family and to have been there so long. I try not to think about how long it is, and the poor audience have to put up with me, but it has been an absolute joy, because 10 have always taken it to the edge. They’ve always redefined what television is in Australia. They’ve done it with irreverence and humour, but also a strong sense of ethics and respect for the audience.”</p> <p>Image credits: Network 10</p>

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Luke Davies' mother breaks silence

<p>In the wake of unimaginable tragedy, the loss of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird has left a void in the lives of their loved ones and communities. As <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/shocking-new-claims-on-alleged-double-murder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the details of their untimely passing</a> continue to unfold, the outpouring of support and compassion from near and far serves as a beacon of hope amidst profound sorrow.</p> <p>Sandra Davies, mother to Luke, has now spoken publicly for the first time to express her gratitude amidst the overwhelming grief that has enveloped her family. In a poignant message shared on the GoFundMe page dedicated to preserving her son's memory, Sandra's words resonate with the profound depth of a mother's love and the enduring spirit of community.</p> <p>"Wow an unbelievable $75000.00 donated to our beloved, and most beautiful, kindest soul Luke," Sandra wrote. "It is with a grateful heart we thank you all sincerely although these words just don’t seem enough for the overwhelming love and generosity both Luke and Jesse have received these past few weeks.</p> <p>"To all the family, friends and strangers for your generous gifts and words of support we appreciate all of your help during this very traumatic and difficult time and will continue to keep you updated as we start to prepare for Luke’s final farewell." </p> <p>The remarkable sum of $75,000 raised thus far stands as a testament to the indelible impact Luke and Jesse have had on countless lives, their radiant spirits touching hearts far and wide. Luke's unwavering kindness, Jesse's vibrant presence – their absence reverberates through the hearts of all who were fortunate enough to know them.</p> <p>As Sandra extends her heartfelt appreciation to each and every individual who has offered solace and support, her words serve as a reminder of the healing power found in the embrace of community.</p> <p><em>Images: GoFundMe</em></p>

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AFL to tribute for Jesse Baird and Luke Davies

<p>The AFL will honour Jesse Baird and Luke Davies with a tribute to the couple before Thursday night's opening game of the season at the Sydney Cricket Ground. </p> <p>AFL CEO Andrew Dillon announced that players from Sydney Swans and Melbourne Demons, as well as the umpires will gather at 7.27pm and wear black armbands in a mark of respect for the allegedly murdered couple. </p> <p>"A tribute pre-game to both Jesse and Luke tomorrow night is a small way for us all to reflect and remember two young men during what is a very difficult time for their families and friends," Dillon said.</p> <p>"The AFL acknowledge and respect both families who are experiencing untold grief and so are particularly grateful for their support of the tribute."</p> <p>The tribute will honour the memory of Davies, who was a lifelong Swans supporter and Baird, who was an AFL goal umpire and "a popular and respected member of our AFL umpiring family". </p> <p>"Jesse developed many close friendships his umpiring career and time at the AFL," the statement read.</p> <p>"He was such a vibrant, fun-loving person, who was deeply committed to umpiring."</p> <p>Baird made his debut on the AFL umpiring list in March 2020 and was named the AFL's most promising goal umpire when he won the umpiring association's Brian Pratt Medallion two years in a row.</p> <p>When he moved to Sydney in 2023, he continued his AFL umpiring career, which spanned 62 matches including two finals. </p> <p>The couple were <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-officer-arrested-amid-search-for-missing-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allegedly murdered</a> by serving police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon in Baird’s Paddington home on February 19.</p> <p>Their <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/update-on-search-for-bodies-of-murdered-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bodies </a>were discovered in a rural NSW property on February 27, over a week after they were allegedly killed. </p> <p>The senior constable has since been charged two counts of murder and remains behind bars after being denied bail. </p> <p>Following their tragic deaths, tributes have flowed in from the couple's friends, family and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/sarah-harris-leads-tributes-to-jesse-baird" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colleagues </a>across the country.</p> <p><em>Images: AFLUA/ Facebook</em></p>

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Qantas unveils tribute to Luke Davies

<p>Qantas has unveiled how they will be honouring their slain colleague Luke Davies at the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. </p> <p>The bodies of Luke Davies and his boyfriend Jesse Baird were found buried in the NSW Southern Tablelands earlier this week, as police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has been charged with two counts of murder over their deaths. </p> <p>Now, on the eve of the Mardi Gras parade that takes over Sydney's Oxford Street every year, Qantas has shared how they will honour Davies' life on the Flying Kangaroo float. </p> <p>Davies' name will be front and centre of the float, while Mardi Gras organiser Brandon Bear said this year’s festival would be a time for both celebration and mourning.</p> <p>“Mardi Gras is a multiplicity of things and we come together not just to celebrate, but also to spark conversation to make change and this year, there’ll be an element of us coming together to mourn,” he told <em>ABC News</em>. </p> <p>“We’re certainly working with the community (to recognise the couple) and we know our partners are working to use their parade float to talk to the lives and the memory of those young men.”</p> <p>The conversation around the death of Baird and Davies just before Mardi Gras has sparked a lot of debate, with Mardi Gras reaching an agreement with NSW Police saying they would be allowed to march in the parade, as long as they are not in uniform. </p> <p>A silent vigil is set to be held on Friday evening in the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst to honour the lives of Luke and Jesse, with the public invited by their families to join them in mourning.</p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 25px; padding: 0px; line-height: 24px;"><em>Image credits: Facebook / Qantas </em></p>

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New CCTV footage released of accused double murderer

<p>Chilling CCTV footage of Beau Lamarre-Condon has emerged in the moments before and after he allegedly killed Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.</p> <p>The video, obtained by <em>9News,</em> allegedly shows the senior constable entering and leaving a sports shop and buying surfboard bags on two separate occasions. </p> <p>Baird and Davies' <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/update-on-search-for-bodies-of-murdered-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bodies were found</a> near Bungonia on Tuesday, where police allege that surfboard bags were used to transport the bodies.</p> <p>In the CCTV footage, the senior constable walked into a Miranda sports store with a friend, two days before the alleged double murder, and then walked out with a surfboard bag. </p> <p>In a second clip, about three hours after the alleged murder, Lamarre-Condon was filmed walking into the same store by himself and walking out with another surf bag. </p> <p>Another video showed a man in a black cap arriving in a black SUV on the morning the couple were allegedly killed, and got out of his vehicle parked just 25m from Baird’s home. </p> <p>The man then drives off at 9am - around 50 minutes before the pair were allegedly killed. </p> <p>Lamarre-Condon allegedly returned to he house the next day in a rented van reportedly used to move the bodies. </p> <p>The CCTV footage emerge just one day after police alleged that the senior constable used his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/shocking-new-claims-on-alleged-double-murder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">police-issued gun at the couple</a>, and then replaced the bullets with ones stolen from a firing range. </p> <p>Lamarre-Condon handed himself into police last Friday and was later charged with two counts of murder.</p> <p>He is currently at Silverwater prison and is next due to face court on April 23.</p> <p><em>Images: 9NEWS</em></p>

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Shocking new claims on alleged double murder

<p>Shocking new claims about senior constable Beau Lamarre-Condon, who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-officer-arrested-amid-search-for-missing-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was accused of murdering</a> Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, have been made by police.</p> <p>The accusations were revealed by Ben Fordham on <em>2GB radio</em> on Thursday.</p> <p>Fordham revealed that police allege Constable Lamarre-Condon fired three shots at the Sydney couple from his police-issued gun.  </p> <p>The number of shots was reportedly confirmed by one of Baird’s neighbours, whose CCTV security cameras recording the sound of three shots being fired just after 9.30am on Monday, February 19 in Paddington. </p> <p>The neighbour reportedly reviewed their security cameras a few days after the alleged murders, when news of the couple's disappearance hit the media. </p> <p>Fordham added that police will further allege Constable Lamarre-Condon used bullets stolen from a firing range a fortnight before the killing to refill his gun, to not raise suspicious from his superiors when the gun was returned. </p> <p>Police have alleged that the  gun was taken from Miranda police station on Friday night and was stored Balmain police station the night after the alleged murders. </p> <p>The gun was then allegedly returned Miranda police station on Tuesday, fully loaded as if no shots were fired. </p> <p>Police Commissioner Karen Webb told <em>ABC’s 7.30 </em>on Wednesday night that officers could store a weapon overnight at a police station or inside an approved safe at home, but would need to gain permission to do so from their superiors. </p> <p>She did not comment on the claims surrounding  Constable Lamarre-Condon’s gun storage, as it would form a part of the investigation. </p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au</em></p>

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Luke Davies' final act of kindness for nervous flyer

<p>The colleagues of slain Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies have shared the 29-year-old's final act of kindness for an elderly couple travelling overseas. </p> <p>In one of the last flights before his untimely death, Davies was on a flight from Sydney to Singapore as an elderly woman boarded the plane with her dying husband who was dealing with dementia. </p> <p>The senior couple were travelling to Switzerland so the man could pay one final visit to his son before succumbing to his illness. </p> <p>The caring flight attendant spent the entire eight-and-a-half hour journey, including his break, with the man and his wife as they flew first-class. </p> <p>"The wife had told him [her husband] had severe dementia, and she was really saddened by it because she kept saying he was the most beautiful husband and kindest man, and she was losing him to this cruel disease," Qantas colleague Brooke Walters told the <em><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/luke-davies-act-of-kindness-on-one-of-his-last-flights-20240227-p5f84n.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">Sydney Morning Herald</a></em>.</p> <p>"She was getting exhausted because every 30 seconds he was losing his memory, like a goldfish, and Luke took it upon himself to care for them constantly."</p> <p>Walters shared how her friend and colleague went above and beyond to care for the elderly man, recalling how he tucked the man into his bed, reassured him amid his confusion and consoled his wife, who was at times upset. </p> <p>"Luke had been told they booked the flight a year and a half ago, but the husband had deteriorated in the last three months really badly, so it was going to be their last trip to see their son, and Luke wanted it to be as comfortable as possible," she said.</p> <p>Ms Walters added that Mr Davies had a love of travelling and was a joy to be around.</p> <p>Luke and his partner Jesse Davies' <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/update-on-search-for-bodies-of-murdered-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bodies were found</a> in southern New South Wales on Tuesday, after Constable Beaumont Lamarre-Condon turned himself in over the disappearance of the two men, and has since been <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-officer-arrested-amid-search-for-missing-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> with two counts of murder. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

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Vigil held as families visit site where Jesse Baird and Luke Davies' bodies found

<p>In the wake of the devastating loss of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, allegedly murdered in a shocking incident that has reverberated more than 150km apart, communities are coming together to mourn, support and seek solace.</p> <p>The heart-wrenching discovery of the couple's bodies in the serene landscapes of the Southern Tablelands near Goulburn has sent shockwaves through both urban and rural areas. </p> <p>As news of the tragic discovery spread, family members embarked on a solemn journey south to the Bungonia property where <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/update-on-search-for-bodies-of-murdered-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Baird and Davies were found</a>. Their pilgrimage was met with an outpouring of sympathy and solidarity from friends and community members alike. Meanwhile, in Sydney's Eastern Suburbs, a sombre vigil took place, with dozens gathering at the Bronte Surf Life Saving Club to honour the memories of the beloved couple.</p> <p>The scene at the vigil was poignant yet comforting, with friends embracing one another against the backdrop of crashing waves and flickering candlelight. A portrait of Davies served as a focal point, surrounded by tokens of affection and remembrance.</p> <p>Meanwhile, in the NSW countryside, law enforcement officials worked diligently to unravel the mysteries surrounding the tragic deaths. The sight of police tape being lowered to allow family members to pass through symbolised both closure and the beginning of a long journey toward healing.</p> <p>For the NSW Police Force, the case hit particularly close to home. Deputy Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald spoke candidly about the profound impact of the alleged crime, emphasising the shock and horror felt within the law enforcement community.</p> <p>"It has hurt us because it was one of our own," Assistant Commissioner Fitzgerald remarked. "It was an officer who used a police weapon. It's captured the world's attention, not just Australia's. It's horrendous and horrific."</p> <p>Indeed, the tragedy has sparked a broader conversation about the prevalence of violence and the need for greater support for victims and their families. As communities grapple with grief and loss, there is a renewed commitment to standing together in solidarity and offering support to those in need.</p> <p>While the discovery of Baird and Davies' bodies brings a heartbreaking confirmation of their deaths, it also serves as a catalyst for healing and closure. In the days and weeks ahead, friends, family and communities will continue to come together to honour their memories and seek justice for the lives lost too soon.</p> <p><em>Images: 9News</em></p>

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Update on search for bodies of murdered couple

<p>The search for the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, a Sydney couple tragically slain in an alleged double murder, continues to unfold, as human remains have now reportedly been found near the Bungonia property that was originally searched by police on Monday.</p> <p>NSW Police had been tirelessly scouring a property in Grays Point and the vast nearby Royal National Park, a locale now inexorably linked to the grim events of February 19.</p> <p>At the centre of the drama stands Beaumont Lamarre-Condon, the 28-year-old former NSW police officer who now finds himself behind bars, charged with the murder of Jesse Baird, a 26-year-old former Ten reporter, and his partner Luke Davies, aged 29. The alleged timeline of events paints a picture of horror, with the couple believed to have met their demise sometime between midnight and 5pm on Monday.</p> <p>The Grays Point property that was under intense scrutiny is Lamarre-Condon’s family home<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">. As investigators dig deeper into the case, attention was also been drawn to a Bungonia property in the Southern Tablelands, where Lamarre-Condon and an acquaintance embarked on a cryptic journey just days after the alleged murders. Police shifted their search efforts from </span>Bungonia to the Grays Point property on Tuesday morning in hopes of discovering the missing bodies, until officers announced on Tuesday afternoon that human remains had been discovered near the original search site in Bungonia.</p> <p>In a public address to the media on Tuesday afternoon, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said, <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">"We believe we have located two bodies at that location. </span>The families have been informed. And crime scene detectives have just arrived on scene at that location now."</p> <p>Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty also revealed that Homicide Squad detectives went to Silverwater prison to speak with Lamarre-Condon at about 11am on Tuesday, and that "as a result of that, he provided assistance to the investigation and [was] able to provide a location of where Luke and Jesse were."</p> <p>Police then went to a second location at Bungonia, about 20 minutes from the original search location, and found the bodies. "There were two surf bags that have been found. And some debris and other items of interest of significance."</p> <p>Doherty also said police phoned the families immediately after the bodies were found. "It's probably mixed emotions for them. You can understand how they may have felt. But at least they have an answer and they want to travel down to the Goulburn area, and we'll provide as much support as we can and accommodate them."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram / NSW Police</em></p>

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Sarah Harris leads tributes to Jesse Baird

<p>Sarah Harris has shared an emotional tribute to her former <em>Studio 10</em> colleague Jesse Baird, just days after he and his partner were killed. </p> <p>Jesse, 26, and his boyfriend Luke Davies, 29, are believed to have been <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-officer-arrested-amid-search-for-missing-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed</a> by Jesse's ex-boyfriend, NSW police officer Constable Beau Lamarre, as investigators continue their frantic search for the bodies of the two men. </p> <p>On Sunday night's episode of <em>The Project</em>, Harris shared a teary tribute to Jesse, while sending her love to Luke's family and telling viewers it had been a “really hard week” for a lot of staff at the network.</p> <p>“It is hard to talk about Jesse in the past tense because he was more than just a colleague, he was our friend … a little brother,” she told viewers through tears.</p> <p>She described Baird as an “absolute star” who was “quick on his feet whether it was water skiing or feeding a croc” live on air.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3w2wS3vk4p/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3w2wS3vk4p/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Project (@theprojecttv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“One of those kids who had a big smile, big talent and even bigger heart,” she said.</p> <p>She said Baird had a brand new job lined up after <em>Studio 10</em> fell through and had described Davies, whom he had been dating since January, to his friends as “the one”.</p> <p>“Jesse’s family needs to know he spoke about them often and with so much love.”</p> <p>Harris concluded by saying, “We are all so sorry.”</p> <p>Sarah's tribute comes after Baird's family broke their silence on the tragedy, with Jesse's cousin Austin sharing a moving tribute on social media. </p> <p>Austin posted a photo with Jesse to Instagram, sharing that the two men had been best friends their whole lives. </p> <p>“Most of my favourite memories in life were me, Luke, Brendan and you riding motorbikes, skiing, boating and camping,” he said.</p> <p>“I’ll never forget our chats, all the times we would hang out on the weekends and go away with family and friends. I told you things I’d never tell anyone. I trusted you, I’ve laughed and cried in front of you!”</p> <p>Austin said he was beyond devastated about Jesse’s death and called him a “one a million” person.</p> <p>“You cared about everyone and left such an impact on every person you met!” he said in the post.</p> <p>“I’ll love and remember you forever mate. It is an honour to be your cousin. Till we meet again.”</p> <p>Police officers are continuing to investigate the deaths of the two men, after their clothes and personal items were found in a skip bin near Baird's home in Paddington, where police established a crime scene after finding blood. </p> <p>Constable Beau Lamarre turned himself in on Friday afternoon, and has since been charged with two counts of murder. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

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Police officer arrested amid search for missing men

<p>A police officer has turned himself in over the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-officer-sought-in-connection-to-disappearance-of-two-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspicious disappearance</a> of two men. </p> <p>Former Network Ten presenter 26-year-old Jesse Baird and his boyfriend 29-year-old Luke Davies were last seen on Monday, with police launching an extensive investigation into their disappearance. </p> <p>On Thursday, officers called for Constable Beau Lamarre to come forward as part of the investigation, believing he could hold valuable information. </p> <p>Now, on Friday morning, the celebrity blogger turned police officer presented at Bondi Police Station where he was arrested. </p> <p>The man was then taken to Waverley Police Station where he is assisting with inquiries, police said.</p> <p>During a press conference on Friday afternoon, a lead investigator confirmed the young officer has been charged with two counts of murder, while adding the families of the young men have been told the investigation is being treated as a homicide. </p> <p>Lamarre is an ex-partner of Baird and was a former celebrity blogger before joining NSW Police in 2020.</p> <p><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Online the 28-year-old would often go by the pseudonym Beau London, creating accounts on social media and a celebrity blog page titled That's The Tea, where he posted selfies alongside celebrities such as </span><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift.</span></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">An investigation began into Baird and Davies' disappearance after number of their personal items, including a watch, clothes, credit cards and keys were found by a worker in Club Cronulla, with blood stains present on the items. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">Police have also searched two homes during their investigation - one in Balmain and one in Paddington - with officers "immediately" establishing a crime scene at the Paddington home after finding blood spatters. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">According to officers, a “significant” amount of blood consistent with a fatality and signs of a struggle were discovered inside Mr Baird’s Paddington home on Thursday afternoon. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><em>Image credits: 9News / Instagram </em></p>

Legal

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"Hardest day of my life": Sandra Sully's devastating family news

<p>Sandra Sully has shared the devastating news of the death of her father Sid. </p> <p>The veteran news presenter announced the news on X on Monday night alongside a series of photos of her beloved dad, saying he was “the BEST man I ever knew.”</p> <p>The news prompted a wave of condolences, with Sully following up how she has been coping with her loss. </p> <p>“There is no greater loss than losing a parent. My heart is broken. We all loved him soooo much,” she wrote in a follow-up tweet.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The BEST man I ever knew! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RipSidSully?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RipSidSully</a> 😓 <a href="https://t.co/lN1QwbQ0tG">pic.twitter.com/lN1QwbQ0tG</a></p> <p>— Sandra Sully 📺🎧📲🏑🌺 (@Sandra_Sully) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sandra_Sully/status/1734197327307620510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>She also revealed her father had passed away last Friday, calling it the “hardest day of my life.”</p> <p>One of Sandra's Channel Ten colleagues offered their thoughts, commenting, “Oh Sandra. I’m so sorry for the loss of your precious Dad. Sending all my love.”</p> <p>In an interview with New Idea last year, Sully admitted that her father had been battling a series of health issues. </p> <p>“I am extremely private but my parents (Sydney and Carol Sully) are getting older and my dad has had some health issues,” she told the outlet, explaining her decision to appear on the SBS genealogy program <em>Who Do you Think You Are? </em></p> <p>“There came a point where I had to stop thinking about myself and realise this was about them ‒ and what a wonderful gift this was to give them."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram </em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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"What have I done?!" Sandra Sully opens up on her big Masked Singer reveal

<p>Beloved TV personality Sandra Sully <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/television/sandra-sully-reveals-how-she-broke-down-with-anxiety-on-the-masked-singer-australia/news-story/6b2aa31a7eab6c3c567005803937fa6d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently shared her candid experience</a> of battling anxiety while participating in <em>The Masked Singer Australia – </em>one of the most anticipated and highly publicised reveals in the history of the show.</p> <p>According to the Daily Mail, the 10 News presenter found herself regretting her decision to join the reality show, and contemplated ways to back out. “I literally broke down in tears after a singing lesson, thinking ‘what have I done?’,” she told the publication.</p> <p>Then, in the midst of all this turmoil and anxiety, Sully had a pivotal moment after a singing lesson. Overwhelmed by self-doubt, she broke down in tears, questioning the wisdom of her choice to be on the show at all.</p> <p>She repeatedly voiced her concerns to her husband, Symon Brewis-Weston, saying, "What have I done? I can't do it, I can't do it – what am I going to do?"</p> <p>It was Brewis-Weston who provided her with the much-needed encouragement. He had initially convinced her to participate after years of declining offers from producers. He sternly advised her to stop spiralling into negativity, reminding her of the reasons she had said yes to the show and encouraging her to embrace the experience with a sense of fun. He told her, "Just have a bit of fun. No one's going to die, including you."</p> <p>Sully took his advice to heart, realising that her anxiety was getting the best of her. She had a moment of self-reflection and decided to stop doubting herself.</p> <p>Sully's big reveal as the Fawn character, designed by Tim Chappel, was a shock to the show's panellists  Mel B, Abbie Chatfield, Dave Hughes and Chrissie Swan, who had not heard her sing during her more than 30-year career in news presentation.</p> <p>Sully's lack of singing experience surprised not only the viewers but also her husband and friends, as she never sang in the shower and only had experience as a drummer in her primary school band. She humorously admitted, "I don't sing along in the car – I probably can now because I've shown Australia I can't sing. So we can all laugh out loud together as I also laugh at myself."</p> <p>Relieved that her <em>Masked Singer</em> journey is over, Sully faced additional challenges beyond anxiety, including the need to constantly tell fibs to friends and colleagues in order to conceal her identity. She also grappled with claustrophobia, particularly once the heavy mask was placed on her head.</p> <p>Describing the experience, she said, "Your whole head is ensconced like in a balaclava, and then you have to put this mask on and it's done up under your chin, and then tightened like a bike helmet underneath it so it all fits your head." The show forced her to confront various personal fears beyond performing and singing.</p> <p>Although Sully is open to pushing her boundaries and venturing outside her comfort zone, she has firmly declined offers to appear on Ten's <em>I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here</em>, citing her severe claustrophobia and fear of snakes as insurmountable obstacles.</p> <p>She is grateful for choosing <em>The Masked Singer</em> as her reality show adventure, where she had the opportunity to have fun despite the challenges.</p> <p><em>Images: Network Ten</em></p>

TV

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Sandra Bullock mourns the passing of her longtime partner after private illness

<p>Hollywood star Sandra Bullock's beloved partner, Bryan Randall, has passed away at the age of 57, with the heart-wrenching news confirmed by his grieving family in a statement shared on Monday.</p> <p>“It is with great sadness that we share that on Aug. 5, Bryan Randall passed away peacefully after a three-year battle with ALS,” the statement read.</p> <p>“Bryan chose early to keep his journey with ALS private and those of us who cared for him did our best to honour his request. We are immensely grateful to the tireless doctors who navigated the landscape of this illness with us and to the astounding nurses who became our roommates, often sacrificing their own families to be with ours. At this time we ask for privacy to grieve and to come to terms with the impossibility of saying goodbye to Bryan.”</p> <p>The statement was signed with a poignant, "His Loving Family".</p> <p>Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a merciless neurological affliction that ravages  motor neurons that command delicate voluntary muscle movement. Regrettably, there is currently no remedy for the condition.</p> <p>Bullock, aged 59, crossed paths with model-turned-photographer <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Randall </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">when he was summoned to capture her son Louis’ birthday celebration in the early days of 2015. Their connection was immediate and profound.</span></p> <p>The mother-of-two, and an actress who has fiercely guarded her privacy over the years, chose to unveil fragments of her relationship's intimacy during a candid appearance on Red Table Talk in 2021.</p> <p>“I found the love of my life. We share two beautiful children — three children, [Randall’s] older daughter. It’s the best thing ever,” Bullock said at the time.</p> <p>“I don’t wanna say do it like I do it, but I don’t need a paper to be a devoted partner and devoted mother … I don’t need to be told to be ever present in the hardest of times. I don’t need to be told to weather a storm with a good man.”</p> <p>She added that Randall was also a superb “example” to her two children: “He’s the example that I would want my children to have... <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">I have a partner who’s very Christian and there are two different ways of looking at things. I don’t always agree with him, and he doesn’t always agree with me. But he is an example even when I don’t agree with him... </span>I’m stubborn but sometimes I need to sit back and listen and go, ‘You’re saying it differently but we mean exactly the same thing.’</p> <p>“It’s hard to co-parent because I just want to do it myself.”</p> <p>"He was so happy, but he was scared. I'm a bulldozer. My life was already on the track, and here's this beautiful human being who doesn't want anything to do with my life but the right human being to be there."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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“I could barely finish”: Sandra Sully’s most embarrassing on-air moment

<p>Television isn’t always all glitz and glamour, and as Sandra Sully knows, it can come with its fair share of embarrassment too. </p> <p>Over the course of her decades in the industry, she’s braved no few memorable moments - the good and the bad - and during an appearance on the <em>I’ve Got News For You</em> podcast, she opened up about the most embarrassing of them all. </p> <p>It was in 2007 that the sports team at Ten decided to run some footage from the day - without letting Sully in on their shenanigans - of when play was halted at the Australian PGA Tour by a kangaroo who had made its way onto the course, and decided to play with its own testicles in front of South Africa’s top golfer Rory Sabbatini. </p> <p>“I would throw to sport and they always had a ‘play of the day’ and I generally got a chance to look at it,” Sully explained to <em>I’ve Got News For You</em> host Andrew Bucklow, “and for whatever reason, I was busy and they deliberately didn’t let me see it – they didn’t put it in the rundown.”</p> <p>“It was international coverage, with the kangaroo, and the team at Sports Tonight put music to it with bells, ‘ding dong, ding dong’,” she added, “and I wasn’t expecting it. </p> <p>“I could barely finish the bulletin.”</p> <p>After airing the footage from the tour during their on-air segment, Sully and sports presenter Brad McEwan could be seen laughing at their desk, with Sully wheezing that she “can’t go on.” </p> <p>As Sully tried to bring things back around to a more sensible footing, McEwan cracked a joke about it all, sending the pair into another round of giggles, before Sully steered them straight into the weather report - though it wasn’t all smooth sailing from there, with the newsreader barely able to get her words out through her own amusement, despite one “I don’t think I’ll forgive you” making it through. </p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ohnd98mZybs" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Sully went on to explain things like that had happened “so many times” throughout her career, and that to go on in her industry, she really had “to have a sense of humour”. </p> <p>And while humour is important to Sully, she admitted to Bucklow that nerves also factor in before each and every show, despite having so many years of experience under her belt.</p> <p>“It’s not extreme nerves,” she said, “but there’s always a moment with about 10 seconds to go that, you know, there’s a mental register.</p> <p>“You’re on a tightrope, and anything can go wrong. It’s live television.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

TV

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"Pull ya head in": Lisa Wilkinson’s colleagues lash out

<p dir="ltr">Lisa Wilkinson’s colleagues have turned on her in the wake of the Brittany Higgins trial being delayed.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The Project</em> host caused <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/serious-legal-fallout-of-lisa-wilkinson-s-logies-speech" target="_blank" rel="noopener">serious legal issues</a> for the alleged rape case against the former Liberal Staffer following her Logies speech. </p> <p dir="ltr">Chief Justice Lucy McCallum announced the case, which was due to begin next week, has been delayed due to Wilkinson’s speech. </p> <p dir="ltr">And now, Wilkinson’s <em>Channel 10</em> colleagues have turned on her and the result has been nothing but nasty. </p> <p dir="ltr">Beloved weatherman Tim Bailey called out Wilkinson in a now deleted tweet telling her to “pull ya head in”.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“Hey Lisa, pull ya head in. I know this might be difficult, because it is a very big head. But please try. #LisaWilkinson #Logies2022 #carparkthief,” the tweet read. </p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/tim-bailey3.jpg" alt="" width="642" height="344" /></p> <p dir="ltr">Veteran newsreader Sandra Sully has also liked a tweet by celebrity reporter Peter Ford, who heavily criticised Wilkinson’s speech. </p> <p dir="ltr">His tweet had an image of The Daily Telegraph’s Wednesday front page showing Wilkinson with her hand up and the headline: “Hand up if you’ve caused court chaos”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ford also tweeted: “Such serious consequences from @Lisa_Wilkinson Logies speech. If only she’d stuck to silly stories like the paparazzi who stalked her in Chapel Street. Hope she now backs away now and lets people seek justice they (both parties) deserve.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/10-tweet.jpg" alt="" width="873" height="408" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Sunrise </em>presenter Natalie Barr also briefly mentioned the incident on the breakfast TV show on Wednesday questioning why the speech wasn’t checked by lawyers. </p> <p dir="ltr">“You know, we have our own lawyers, we often consult them before we put a story to air, would this have been the case where Channel 10's lawyers should have stepped in and lawyered this speech?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ironically, Wilkinson called for discretion to be used when writing/reporting on the case. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Naming the man on social media &amp; passing judgement could have dire consequences for the outcome of any trial,” she tweeted last year. </p> <p dir="ltr">There is a high possibility that Wilkinson’s speech could be investigated and she may face legal consequences according to President of the Australian Bar Association Matthew Collin.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bruce Lehrmann is accused of sexually assaulting Higgins in 2019 and was due to stand trial in the ACT Supreme Court next week.</p> <p dir="ltr">He has pleaded not guilty over the alleged rape.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lehrmann’s team then requested a temporary stay of court proceedings due to the publicity surrounding the case from the speech.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Sandra Bullock’s big career announcement

<p dir="ltr">Sandra Bullock has announced she is taking time off acting to spend more time with her two children.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Oscar-winning actress announced the news at the premiere of her latest movie, T<em>he Lost City</em>, at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 57-year-old was asked about making film projects with the Hispanic and Chicana communities, where she reiterated her position to take time with being a mum.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I love stories that show the imperfection of love within families and communities … I would love to [continue doing that] when I’m done being a mum,” she responded.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ll get back to it. I don’t know when. Probably when they’re teenagers, solidly 16- or 17-year-olds.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Bullock has two adopted children, her eldest son Louis, 12, who was adopted at three months, and her daughter Laila, 10, who was adopted at the age of three. </p> <p dir="ltr">The actress has previously spoken on the talk show Red Table Talk about the challenges of being a parent and how she almost gave up during the adoption process.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When I first went through the process myself, you have to prove that you are a capable parent and you’re in the judgment cage. I got halfway through it and I said, 'I can’t do this.' It was an out-of-body experience,” she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">Bullock also addressed skin colour with her kids, admitting that she wished there was no stigma with the topic. </p> <p dir="ltr">"To say that I wish our skins matched, sometimes I do," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Because then it would be easier on how people approach us. And I have the same feelings as a woman with brown skin being her babies or a white woman with white babies."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Movies

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“There is no other”: Betty Davis, the ‘Queen of Funk’, dies at 77

<p dir="ltr">Funk and soul legend Betty Davis has died at 77 years old.</p><p dir="ltr">Danielle Maggio, a friend of the music star and model, confirmed the news on Wednesday, as reported by <em>Metro UK</em>.</p><p dir="ltr">Maggio also took to Twitter to share the sad news, writing: “Devastated by the passing of my dear friend, pioneering songwriter, singer and producer, #BettyDavis.”</p><p dir="ltr">She confirmed that the “Queen of Funk” died peacefully, with “no pain or fear”.</p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-39ce42f6-7fff-80cd-3c50-4c0a85ff5061"></span></p><p dir="ltr">“Knowing her was the greatest honour of my life,” Maggio wrote. “I love you, Betty. Your music and spirit will live on forever.”</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Devastated by the passing of my dear friend, pioneering songwriter, singer and producer, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BettyDavis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BettyDavis</a>. There was no pain or fear as she left this physical world. Knowing her was the greatest honor of my life. I love you, Betty. Your music and spirit will live on forever. <a href="https://t.co/8pZAK6nS0S">pic.twitter.com/8pZAK6nS0S</a></p>— Danielle Maggio (@saucequeen_pgh) <a href="https://twitter.com/saucequeen_pgh/status/1491500133074280453?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2022</a></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Amie Downs, the communications director for Allegheny County, Pennsylvania - where Davis lived - told <em><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/betty-davis-dead-obit-1297372/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rolling Stone</a></em> the star died of natural causes.</p><p dir="ltr">In a statement on Wednesday, Davis’ longtime friend Connie Portis remembered the trailblazing singer as a “beloved member of her community”.</p><p dir="ltr">“It is with great sadness that I share the news of the passing of Betty Davis, a multi-talented music influencer and pioneer rock star, singer, songwriter, and fashion icon,” Portis said.</p><p dir="ltr">“Most of all, Betty was a friend, aunt, niece, and beloved member of her community of Homestead, Pennsylvania, and of the worldwide community of friends and fans.”</p><p dir="ltr">Davis, born Betty Mabry in North Carolina, moved to New York, where her music career began.</p><p dir="ltr">She became known for her sexualised lyrics, rising to fame to produce hits like <em>Get Ready for Betty</em>, <em>If I’m in Luck I Might Get Picked Up</em> and <em>It’s My Life</em>.</p><p dir="ltr">Davis also wrote <em>Uptown (to Harlem)</em>, which appeared on The Chamber Brother’s 1967 album <em>The Time Has Come</em>.</p><p dir="ltr">She released her self-titled first album in 1973, followed by <em>They Say I’m Different</em> in 1974 and <em>Nasty Gal</em> in 1975.</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2cf2c43f-7fff-9d98-88a0-2ad15fb9134e"></span></p><p dir="ltr">Davis was also known for being the second wife to jazz legend Miles Davis, who was 19 years older than her. The pair were wed in 1968 after being together for two years, but filed for divorce after just one year.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">It's been talked about over and over but let's just emphasize again how Betty Davis had a GIGANTIC impact on music, as well as being unapologetically herself as both an independent woman as well as an artist. A true pioneer and trailblazer <a href="https://t.co/01g53Sd93g">pic.twitter.com/01g53Sd93g</a></p>— COSMO BAKER (@CosmoBaker) <a href="https://twitter.com/CosmoBaker/status/1491462261134798850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 9, 2022</a></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Though their marriage was brief, Davis still influenced her former husband’s music, appearing on the cover of his album <em>Filles de Kilimanjaro</em> and inspiring the track <em>Mademoiselle Mabry (Miss Mabry)</em>.</p><p dir="ltr">Despite releasing her album in the same year, Davis left the music industry in 1975, moving to Pittsburgh to get away from the spotlight.</p><p dir="ltr">Her disappearance from the public eye didn’t stop her from gaining a cult following or continuing to inspire a new generation of artists. The renewed interest in her work resulted in the re-release of her albums in 2007, as well as the debut of her unreleased fourth album, which was recorded in 1976 and released under a new name in 2009.</p><p dir="ltr">Speaking to the <em>New York Times</em> in 2018 about her decision to retire, Davis said: “When I was told that it was over, I just accepted that. And nobody else was knocking at my door.”</p><p dir="ltr">During the same year, Davis released her first song in 40 years, titled <em><a href="https://daniellemaggio.bandcamp.com/album/a-little-bit-hot-tonight" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Little Bit Hot Tonight</a></em>, which was performed by Maggio on Davis’ behalf.</p><p dir="ltr">Portis said a tribute would be made to “her beautiful, bold and brash persona” at a later date.</p><p dir="ltr">“Today we cherish her memory as the sweet, thoughtful, and reflective person she was… There is no other.”</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-1c96b23e-7fff-be19-07dd-d94e38a99e65"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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The real reason Kyrgios was left off the Davis Cup team

<p dir="ltr">Australian tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis has <a href="https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/he-was-asked-doubles-partner-kokkinakis-drops-kyrgios-bomb/news-story/474df82cd7d17fd1f4c5da5c9a8996c9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dispelled rumours</a> that Nick Kyrgios was snubbed by Lleyton Hewitt after Kyrgios was the big omission from Hewitt’s lineup for the upcoming Davis Cup.</p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2901835c-7fff-aa1f-4190-60e02c95dc3b"></span></p><p dir="ltr">Following his triumph in last month’s Australian Open men’s double, Kokkinakis revealed his partner had made himself unavailable for the international competition.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZWMgrGJVcX/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"> </div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0"> </div><div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px"><div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0"> </div><div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"> </div></div><p style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;line-height: 17px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-top: 8px;overflow: hidden;padding: 8px 0 7px;text-align: center"><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZWMgrGJVcX/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Thanasi Kokkinakis (@the_kokk1)</a></p></div></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Kyrgios has also pulled out of the Delray Beach ATP Tour event in Florida, which kicks off next week, and his participation at ATP events at Acapulco, Mexico and Indian Wells, California are yet to be announced.</p><p dir="ltr">However, the 26-year-old appeared to be a glaring omission from the squad picked by Hewitt for Australia’s Davis Cup qualifying match against Hungary.</p><p dir="ltr">Instead, Kokkinakis was picked for the first time since 2015, along with Alex de Minaur, Alexei Popyrin, John Peers and Luke Saville.</p><p dir="ltr">Following reports that Kyrgios’ absence from the squad was a “snub” from Hewitt, Kokkinakis has said it was Kyrgios who turned down Hewitt’s offer.</p><p dir="ltr">“He definitely was asked to play,” Kokkinakis told <em>Sky News</em>.</p><p dir="ltr">“He has a few things on so he wasn’t able to play but he definitely didn’t get snubbed or anything - I saw those headlines and he didn’t get snubbed at all. Hopefully we can team up again in the future.”</p><p dir="ltr">Though Hewitt and Kyrgios have had a turbulent relationship in the past, it seems their rift has been mended, with Kokkinakis saying they now have a “good relationship”.</p><p dir="ltr">“I think Nick has shown he always loves playing for Australia. I’m not sure exactly what he has on, but he obviously has something pretty important,” he said.</p><p dir="ltr">“He’s obviously in our strongest team. He was definitely asked, and I think he and Lleyton have a good relationship, but he just wasn’t available for this time.”</p><p dir="ltr">At the time that the squad was announced, Hewitt had nothing but praise for Kokkinakis, who will have the chance to compete in both the singles and doubles after claiming his maiden ATP Tour singles title at the Adelaide International prior to his Australian Open win.</p><p dir="ltr">“Thanasi had a fantastic Australian summer,” Hewitt said.</p><p dir="ltr">“He really cemented himself as a top 100 player again, winning his first title at home in Adelaide and beating quality players. And then to go on to win the Australian Open doubles, this is going to give him a lot of confidence heading into this tie.”</p><p dir="ltr">Australia will qualify for the Davis Cup Finals, held at the end of the year, if the team defeats Hungary during their match in Sydney on March 4 and 5.</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-bd09a179-7fff-c524-2344-03665999bc5d"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @k1ngkyrg1os (Instagram)</em></p>

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