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"Violent threats": The Block star opens up after sudden exit

<p>Paige and Jesse, contestants on the 2024 season of <em>The Block</em>, have finally addressed the intense backlash they've received following their portrayal on the popular reality show.</p> <p>The couple, who became social media’s latest "villains" due to multiple on-screen arguments, have opened up about the toll it has taken on their mental health. Fans of the show have accused the duo of having a "toxic relationship", and some online commentators have left harsh, often cruel comments directed at them.</p> <p>The 27-year-old Paige expressed her dismay at the negativity, calling it "really sad" to see so many of her fellow contestants also receiving hate. “It's just a TV show as well," she told <a href="https://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/lifestyle/what-you-dont-see-on-tv-the-block-star-on-horrific-consequence-of-being-a-reality-villian-053436673.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo Lifestyle</a>. "I don't think it's appropriate whatsoever.”</p> <p>The attacks have gotten so bad that Paige revealed that Jesse has taken control of her Instagram to filter hateful messages, and she has deleted her Facebook presence completely, to avoid the barrage of negativity.</p> <p>In her interview with Yahoo Lifestyle, Paige revealed how serious the situation has become, explaining that the constant harassment has led her to turn off comments on her social media to safeguard her “sanity”. “I've had a lot of death threats, violent threats, and nasty comments that are unimaginable. I turned the comments off for my own wellbeing,” she said, explaining that the online abuse began almost immediately after the first episode aired.</p> <p>While Channel Nine has provided counselling and mental health resources for them, Paige says that her biggest support has come from her family and from Jesse. Her family, who have moved in with them temporarily, have been a source of strength, with Paige explaining that her brother also experienced severe online bullying when they were younger. “I think just being around grounded people, it's a lot harder to fall into those traps,” she shared.</p> <p>Jesse also opened up about the difficulties of watching themselves on TV, admitting that the negative portrayal has made them question their self-identity. However, they’ve found comfort in reconnecting with their co-stars, who remind them of the fun, positive moments that weren’t aired. “You start to question yourself when you’re watching yourself on TV,” Jesse said, adding that they often reflect on the good times during filming, despite what viewers see.</p> <p>Despite the negative attention, Paige and Jesse have also experienced an outpouring of support. Following Paige’s <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@paigebeechey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">candid three-part TikTok series</a>, where she revealed details about their experience on the show and their decision to leave on bad terms, the couple received a flood of encouraging messages. “The response that I got was pretty huge,” Paige said. “I received so many wonderful messages from women, men, current contestants, past contestants.”</p> <p>Jesse echoed her sentiments, sharing that for every few negative comments, there were significantly more positive ones. “It’s like, okay, there actually are people who understand and care and realise that it's more than just a show,” he said.</p> <p>As part of her post-exit TikTok series, Paige levelled a parting shot at the long-running renovation show itself, saying “The Block is over to me. All I want to do now is implore the network that when this show continues, there needs to be serious reform on how you prepare contestants.”</p> <p><em>Images: Channel Nine</em></p>

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"Wasn’t my choice": Star spills on Neighbours exit

<p><em>Neighbours</em> star Ryan Moloney has revealed the truth about his surprise exit from the soap opera after almost 30 years on the show. </p> <p>The actor made the announcement that he would be leaving the show, and his character Toadfish, in a video posted to <em>Neighbours'</em> Instagram account in late June. </p> <p>In a recent interview with Australian soap opera website <em>Back to the Bay</em>, he finally opened up about leaving Toadfish behind after all these years. </p> <p>“Well, it actually wasn’t my choice. It was their choice,” he told the outlet.</p> <p>“So, yeah, I’ve been wanting to leave for quite a long time, but <em>Neighbours</em> is one of those jobs that you work with awesome people. You get paid really well. And if you had a mate who had one of these jobs, you’d be saying, ‘oh, mate, what are you doing? You’ve got to stay there. See it out for as long as you can.’”</p> <p>The actor said that he felt pressure to “suck it up and stay” despite wanting to move on - so in the end, he was “quite grateful that they actually made that decision for me because I don’t think that I could ever say no to a contract.”</p> <p>“And that’s kind of not the way you want to be doing Neighbours. You don’t want to have that kind of level of resentment in there. So I was very grateful for it,” he said.</p> <p>Moloney made his debut on <em>Neighbours</em> as a teen in 1995, and stayed with the show until it was axed in 2022.  He was then a  returning cast member when the show was rebooted a year later.</p> <p><em>Image: Network 10</em></p>

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"Not going to save anybody": Exit row passenger prompts plane evacuation

<p>A whole plane has been forced to disembark after a woman seated in the exit row refused to comply with safety instructions. </p> <p>Passengers were up in arms when they had to leave the plane, after the woman was overheard telling cabin crew that she would only save herself in the event of an emergency, before yelling at flight attendants. </p> <p>The interaction, which was captured by another passenger on video and posted to TikTok, shows the woman becoming heated while talking to cabin crew on the Frontier flight. </p> <p>The passenger can then be seen and heard progressively raising her voice to cabin crew, with fellow flyers pleading with the woman to disembark the plane.</p> <p>The traveller who filmed the altercation claims the woman said she was “not going to save anybody” when seated in the exit row, saying the disgruntled passenger had “attitude” and went on to say that if something were to happen, she would “only save” herself. </p> <p>“That was her attitude throughout the seating process. And I already knew something was about to pop off when she had that attitude,” the TikTok user said.</p> <p>The altercation only became more heated as the yelling progressed, before police eventually arrived on the plane to escort the woman off. </p> <p>The video then shows another Frontier employee approach the passenger and say, “I’m gonna ask you one more time, nicely, to get off, if not, we’re going to deboard the plane and police will come and escort you off.”</p> <p>When the cabin crew make repeated futile attempts to get through the woman, the pilot came down from the cockpit to try and call for calm. </p> <p>“You’re inconveniencing everybody else,” the pilot can be heard saying to the woman. as the pair continue to exchange words while he repeatedly points toward the front of the plane.</p> <p>Following the failed attempts, two police officers then make their way down the aisle and towards the passenger. </p> <p>Towards the end of the five-minute video, which has been viewed more than 80,000 times, all the passengers on board the flight were filmed disembarking the aircraft while the passenger at the centre of the ordeal exits with police from a separate door onto the tarmac.</p> <p>It is unclear if charges were laid.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

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Better Homes and Gardens star announces exit after 20 years

<p>After 20 years of sharing his quick and easy recipes on <em>Better Homes and Gardens</em>, Ed Halmagyi - or as viewers know him, Fast Ed - is leaving the show</p> <p>Ed will step away from the show in two weeks to focus on a personal business venture, with his final appearance airing on Friday December 1. </p> <p>“I got closer and closer to marking 20 years of Better Homes and I thought about what I want to do in the next 10 years,” he told <em>7News</em>. </p> <p>“I’ve been incredibly lucky over the course of the last 20 years to be able to tell some really cool stories about some really amazing people.”</p> <p>“I have been honoured to get the chance to tell stories to people who love food every week and be part of this amazing show that is part of Australia’s fabric.</p> <p>“I will certainly miss being a part of Australia’s Friday nights and working alongside my Better Homes family.”</p> <p>Ed also said that agrees with his friends who have told him that his role on the show is the "best job in the world." </p> <p>“It’s pretty darned incredible,” he told the publication. </p> <p>“I’ve worked with the most incredible places, with the most incredible team.</p> <p>“I’ve had the best time, and will be forever grateful to Joh, my fellow presenters, the Better Homes team behind the scenes and to everyone who watches our show each and every night.”</p> <p>Prior to starring in the show, Ed was running a restaurant in Sydney, and was recruited after he impressed the producers with his upbeat personality when they filmed a Sydney Weekender there. </p> <p>“Twenty years ago, after what I considered an unremarkable Sydney Weekender appearance, I was asked to do a screen test,” he recalled. </p> <p>Ed never thought he would get a career in media, and it all worked out for him in the end. </p> <p>“To be honest, I never felt more ridiculous in my life than I did on that day, but I just kind of decided to be me, and…..what the hell.</p> <p>“That I’m still doing it 20 years later is equal parts fantastic and bizarre.”</p> <p>Although Ed's replacement on the show is yet to be announced, the one piece of advice that he has for them is this: “Be you and start out with the absolute most sincere respect for your audience.”</p> <p><em>Image: Seven</em></p>

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Melissa Leong opens up on sudden MasterChef exit

<p>Melissa Leong has addressed the "chaos" and "confusion" behind the recent rumours that she got <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/melissa-leong-axed-just-weeks-ahead-of-filming" target="_blank" rel="noopener">axed</a> from <em>MasterChef Australia </em>in a statement released on Instagram.</p> <p>The food critic revealed that she voluntarily chose to leave the show, as she embraces a "new delicious chapter" of her life. </p> <p>“I get that there is going to be a bit of confusion and chaos about the ‘why’ of it all right now," she wrote in the statement released on Instagram. </p> <p>"I’m here and happy to clear that up, because negative tropes draped around women who achieve something is boring, and frankly we are all better than that,” she continued. </p> <p>“This is a shift I embrace with joy. One that allows everyone involved, to expand. To put it plainly, I’m very fortunate to continue to be a key part of [MasterChef], yet have the space to evolve my career.</p> <p>“In effect, I get to have my cake and eat it too…and what could be better than that?!”</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/p/CyxJ1y6Lvwy/?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/p/CyxJ1y6Lvwy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Melissa Leong | FOODERATI (@fooderati)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>This statement comes just two days after Leong <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cyu7xa_Ld-D/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thanked <em>Network Ten</em> </a>for it's continued support, after three years on the show alongside Andy Allen and the late Jock Zonfrillo. </p> <p>“My time as co-host and judge on @MasterChefAU has been a great gift. To have been given the opportunity to learn and grow – and now to be given the vote of confidence to expand and evolve the MasterChef universe is huge!” she wrote in the Instagram post. </p> <p>She added that she is looking forward to share a few new projects that she has coming up, including the upcoming second season of<em> Dessert Masters Australia</em> on <em>Ten</em>, which she will co-host with pastry chef Amaury Guichon.</p> <p>"On top of all that joy, I am excited to share with you (soon), some other projects I’ve been working on behind the scenes, so watch this space!</p> <p>"My gratitude to our audience for all your support, can't wait for you to see the new show." </p> <p>Leong will be replaced by 2009 <em>MasterChef</em> runner-up Poh Ling Yeow and Michelin star chef Jean-Christophe Novelli. </p> <p>Leong shared her well-wishes for the new judges. </p> <p>“It is with great warmth and enthusiasm that I wish this new line-up of judges and hosts all the best in making it theirs, and big love to @andyallencooks for leading the way,”</p> <p>“The changing of the guard is one I always planned to embrace, and I’m so glad to do that, on my terms, today.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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"His hero narrative has massively failed": Qantas staff's brutal response to Alan Joyce's early exit

<p>A former Qantas pilot and several current staff members have recounted the moment they found out about now former-CEO Alan Joyce's early exit from the company. </p> <p>Joyce was planning to retire from his CEO role in November, but shocked the nation on <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/alan-joyce-announces-shock-early-departure" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tuesday</a> when he decided he would be stepping back, effective immediately. </p> <p>His resignation comes after 22 years in the role, as Qantas continues to face mounting pressures over unprecedented customer dissatisfaction, and a looming glass action lawsuit over cancelled flights. </p> <p>Upon hearing the news, past and present Qantas employees erupted in celebration. </p> <p>Retired Qantas pilot captain Richard de Crespigny was on board a flight on Tuesday when the news broke mid-air that Joyce was gone, sparking extraordinary celebrations.</p> <p>"I was on a flight from Sydney to Melbourne this morning and when I landed the cabin crew were giving each other high-fives," de Crespigny told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/former-qantas-pilot-richard-de-crespigny-speaks-out-following-ceo-alan-joyce-resignation/18040563-db75-41c4-af7c-b5ed8af84bf6" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>A Current Affair</em></a>.</p> <p>Another ground staff member said, "We're celebrating wildly, not just because he's leaving but because his hero narrative has massively failed."</p> <p>Mr de Crespigny, who worked for Qantas for 34 years warned the airline won't regain trust overnight just because Joyce has taken off. </p> <p>"It's built in teaspoons and destroyed in shovel loads," he said.</p> <p>"It takes incredible skill, determination and empathy to build it up; it's got to be protected."</p> <p>Mr de Crespigny went on to say the Qantas business restructure after the travel industry was decimated by the Covid pandemic was not good enough, and the upper management made some terrible decisions. </p> <p>During the pandemic, Mr Joyce locked out employees during an industrial dispute before hundreds of staff lost their jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic.</p> <p>"Some of them didn't come out of it well at all. They lost their jobs, they lost their houses, they lost their marriages," de Crespigny said.</p> <p>"The workers that held Qantas up … they really suffered greatly."</p> <p>"And it hasn't been a good vision to see the executive team, the CEO, continue to get bonuses at the expense of maybe baggage handlers and other people that have lost their jobs. This is not a good example of leadership."</p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

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Sudden exit leaves Dancing With the Stars viewers stunned

<p>Fans of <em>Dancing With the Stars</em> were left in shock as celebrity chef Matt Preston made an unexpected decision to quit the show on Sunday night, creating a first in the series' history.</p> <p>After finding himself in the bottom two and facing a dance-off against former AFL star Gavin Wanganeen to secure his spot in the competition, the former <em>MasterChef</em> judge interrupted host Daryl Somers to drop a bombshell announcement.</p> <p>“I’ve loved everything about this, but my ankle is cooked,” Preston revealed to Somers and co-host Sonia Kruger.</p> <p>“I can’t dance again tonight so what I want to do is to concede and give the win to Gavin, who did brilliantly today and I’m so proud to be doing this for you, brother.”</p> <p>Somers, clearly taken aback, expressed that such a situation had never occurred before and invited the judges to share their thoughts on Preston's decision.</p> <p>“I mean, injuries happen and there’s nothing you can do about that,” Craig Revel Horwood said.</p> <p>“I’ve been a dancer all my life, if you’re injured you shouldn’t dance on an injury – so Matt, I think you’ve made the right decision. Sad to see you go, but Gavin, darling welcome, for you get another life on the show now.”</p> <p>“You’re absolutely doing the right thing and thank you for giving us determination and your courage, you’ve been wonderful,” Sharna Burgess agreed.</p> <p>“And I’m gonna give you a big hug after the show.”</p> <p>During a recent candid interview on the Stellar podcast "Something To Talk About," Preston shed light on his motivation for joining the dancing competition in the first place, explaining his desire to step far outside his comfort zone.</p> <p>“An opportunity like <em>Dancing</em> comes along and you go, ‘I don’t need to do it.’ And then you go, ‘Well, let’s have a crack,’” he said.</p> <p>“There’s one word that I keep hearing a lot from certain people of a certain age who’ve achieved a lot, and that’s the fear of ‘humiliation’. I think this is a really debilitating idea, this idea that your children are going to think less of you or your friends are going to joke about you.</p> <p>“Humiliation is just an anxiety that really has no place in the modern world.”</p> <p><em>Images: Channel 10</em></p>

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Huge fallout after panicked passenger opens exit door midflight

<p>Asiana Airlines has immediately stopped offering its emergency exit seats after a passenger opened a door during a flight over South Korea on May 26, sparking panic inside the plane.</p> <p>Passengers will no longer be seated in emergency exit seats on its 174-seat A321-200 aircrafts and the 195-seat A321-200s, as a safety measure.</p> <p>According to airline officials, the man, 33, who opened the door was seated near the emergency exit.</p> <p>During preliminary questioning, the 33-year-old told investigators that he felt suffocated and tried to get off the plane quickly, police reported.</p> <p>Twelve people suffered minor injuries as a result, with air blasting in the cabin and terrifying passengers.</p> <p>Some testified they suffered severe ear pain and saw others screaming and crying.</p> <p>A video shared on social media shows passengers’ hair being whipped by air blowing into the cabin.</p> <p>The emergency exit doors usually cannot be opened mid-flight due to the difference in air pressure inside and outside the plane.</p> <p>However, the 33-year-old managed to open the door likely because the plane was flying at a low altitude while preparing to land and there wasn’t much difference to pressure, Asiana Airlines officials report.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">(warning: distressing)</p> <p>A man traveling on an Asiana Airlines flight opened the plane's cabin door minutes before it came in for its planned landing. <a href="https://t.co/QUIUXuVDgD">pic.twitter.com/QUIUXuVDgD</a></p> <p>— NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1662179612804149249?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>The Transport Ministry said the plane was at 213 metres when the man pulled the door open.</p> <p>The aircraft, which was flying to the city of Daegu from the southern island of Jeju was carrying 200 passengers and landed safely.</p> <p>Passengers onboard included teenage athletes on their way to a track and field competition, according to Asiana Airlines.</p> <p>The 33-year-old told authorities that he had wanted to get out of the plane because he felt suffocated, <em>Yonhap</em> news agency reported, citing police.</p> <p><em>Yonhap</em> said the man told police he had suffered stress after losing his job recently.</p> <p>A district court in Daegu has since approved a warrant to formally arrest him.</p> <p>"I wanted to get off the plane soon," the man told reporters at the court ahead of his arrest warrant review.</p> <p>"I'm really sorry to kids," he said, likely referencing the teenage athletes.</p> <p>Daegu police said they have up to 20 days to investigate the man before determining whether to send him to prosecutors for a possible indictment.</p> <p>If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for breaching the aviation security law that bans passengers from handling entry doors, emergency exit doors and other equipment on board, according to the Transport Ministry.</p> <p>Those who were taken to hospitals were primarily treated for minor issues such as breathing difficulties.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter</em></p>

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New-look Peter Helliar tells all after I'm a Celeb exit

<p dir="ltr">Peter Helliar, the latest<em> I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!</em> evictee, has opened up about his final months before quitting <em>The Project</em> and his dramatic weight loss, in one of his first interviews since leaving the jungle.</p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to <em>B105’s</em> Stav, Abby and Matt on Wednesday morning, Peter revealed that he had lost 7.5kgs, after spending three weeks in the jungle surviving on rationed rice and beans.</p> <p dir="ltr">“[I lost] 7.5kg - it's what I've registered, so I'm not sure if I have caught up with Nick,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The comedian also explained that leaving the camp wasn’t as easy as he expected, with all the rigorous health examinations he’s had to do.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You come out and you have this idea that you will go to a nice hotel and have a beer, but you come out and meet with a psych and a medical team to make sure everything is okay” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So there's a series of meetings that you have to go through, so I haven't really stopped since I've come out. I had some dinner and rang home and that's about it,” he added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Peter also shared that the first meal he ate after leaving the jungle was a bowl of spaghetti bolognese with a beer.</p> <p dir="ltr">The comedian was one of the few contestants who had been asked to appear on<em> I’m A Celebrity</em> since the first season. He’d always refused, using his role as a panellist on <em>The Project</em> as an excuse.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Whenever they did ask, I was a bit concerned they were trying to get me off The Project. I was wary of leaving the desk for too long,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">After<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/peter-helliar-s-typically-hilarious-farewell" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> leaving <em>The Project</em> late last year</a>, Peter was approached again and this time thought "’Why not?’ I haven't got the excuse of the other job so I jumped at it and I had a great time”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Peter revealed that he decided to quit as he was “getting a little sick of being associated with the news cycle,” but didn’t blame it on the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That’s got nothing to do with the show, but just the way commentary goes these days. News has become pretty toxic, as far as the debate around news … I’m pretty happy to be going into some sillier, fun areas in the future,” he added.</p>

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Dicko opens up on Kerri-Anne's dramatic exit from I'm A Celeb

<p><em>I'm A Celeb</em> evictee Dicko has opened up on the dramatic fight that led to Kerri-Anne Kennerley's abrupt exit from the show. </p> <p>Kerri-Anne quit the show after just three days, after she was embroiled in an argument with Dicko, <em>MAFS</em> star Domenica Calarco and radio host Woody Whitelaw, as the four contestants were taking part in one of the show's infamous food challenges. </p> <p>The challenges are notorious for making contestants eat disgusting foods, and as a result, Kerri-Anne refused to participate. </p> <p>Her continued refusal to take part in challenges – in which contestants win stars, translating to meals for their hungry campmates – was too much for Domenica, who declared she had “never met anyone so selfish,” and insisted KAK had “literally no decency or respect.”</p> <p>Speaking candidly on the <em>Kyle and Jackie O Show</em> on Thursday morning, Dicko explained that things got even nastier when the cameras weren't rolling. </p> <p>He said that Dom had called Kerri-Anne the c-word, who was "all class" in her response to the insult. </p> <p>Speaking to news.com.au just hours after he was voted out of camp, Dicko said that while he couldn’t condone “how easily Dom went from nought to Gremlin in five seconds,” he shared her frustrations with how Kennerley played the game. </p> <p>“I did keep slapping my forehead every time she’d insinuate that she wasn’t going to get involved in any of the challenges in any meaningful way,” he said. </p> <p>“She wasn’t going to do this or that – well, why are you here? It’s not actually a camping trip. The only way we get fed is with these stars, and if you’re not prepared to have a crack, we’re going to go hungry."</p> <p>“I honestly think she hadn’t truly grasped that, which is so confusing. She’s a smart woman, you’d presume she’s got management … I don’t understand how they didn’t know what she was stepping into.”</p> <p>While the fight between the two women was so severe that it lead to Kerri-Anne quitting the show, Dicko admitted he didn't take it seriously in the moment. </p> <p>“If I’m really honest, myself and Woody were off to one side laughing our tits off. I probably should’ve been a bit more grown up, but watching Australian TV royalty duke it out with a gnarly upstart was just precious – and I had a front-row seat,” he confessed. </p> <p>“I’d like to be the grown-up in the room and say, ‘This shouldn’t have happened, it’s dragged TV through the mud,’ but I laughed like a drain for two days afterwards I’m afraid. I kind of enjoyed it.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here</em></p>

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Do tenancy reforms to protect renters cause landlords to exit the market?

<p>More Australians are <a href="https://theconversation.com/wealthy-landlords-and-more-sharehousing-how-the-rental-sector-is-changing-94394">renting their housing longer</a> than in the past. But they have relatively little legal security against rent increases and evictions compared to <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-australia-can-learn-from-overseas-about-the-future-of-rental-housing-90401">tenants in other countries</a>. When state governments suggest stronger protections for tenants, landlords and real estate agents <a href="https://www.reiq.com/articles/reiq-concerned-rental-reforms-unravel-rights-of-property-owners/">claim it will cause disinvestment</a> from the sector, increasing pressure on already tight rental markets.</p> <p>In <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/research/final-reports/391">research</a> for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (<a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/about">AHURI</a>), published today, we put the “disinvestment” claim to the test. We looked at the impacts of tenancy reforms in New South Wales and Victoria on rental property records over 20 years, as well as surveying hundreds of property investors. We found no evidence to support this claim.</p> <p>We did find a high rate of turnover as properties enter and leave the sector. This happened regardless of tenancy law reforms. It’s a major cause of the unsettled nature of private rental housing for tenants.</p> <p>We suggest that if substantial tenancy reforms did cause less committed landlords to exit the sector, that might not be a bad thing.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">A tenancy law expert says it could be illegal in several states, while tenants’ advocates say it preys on vulnerable renters during Australia’s housing crisis. <a href="https://t.co/hQEdS80a3h">https://t.co/hQEdS80a3h</a> (via <a href="https://twitter.com/abcnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@abcnews</a>)</p> <p>— ABC Australia (@ABCaustralia) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABCaustralia/status/1587927668846399488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 2, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><strong>How did we test the disinvestment claim?</strong></p> <p>We analysed records of all rental bond lodgements and refunds in Sydney and Melbourne from 2000 to 2020. From these records we can see properties entering the rental sector for the first time (investment) and exiting the sector (disinvestment).</p> <p>We looked for changes in trends in property entries and exits around two law reform episodes: when the 2010 NSW Residential Tenancies Act took effect, and the start of a tenancy law reform review in Victoria in 2015.</p> <p>We found no evidence the NSW reforms affected property entries (investment). And property exits (disinvestment) were slightly reduced – that is, fewer properties exited than expected.</p> <p>In Victoria, we found property entries reduced slightly when the law reform review started – perhaps a sign of investors pausing for “due diligence”. We saw no effect on property exits.</p> <p>So in neither state did we find evidence of a disinvestment effect.</p> <p>We also surveyed 970 current and previous property investors, and got a similar picture. When deciding to invest, investors said prospective rental income and capital gains were the most important considerations, but tenancy laws were important too.</p> <p>On the other hand, tenancy laws were the least-cited reason for disposing of properties. Many more investors said they did it because they judged it a good time to sell and realise gains, or they wanted money for other purposes, or because the investment was not paying as they had hoped.</p> <p><strong>A state of constant churn</strong></p> <p>Our research also gives new insights into the private rental sector, which <a href="https://www.housingdata.gov.au/">has been growing</a> relative to owner-occupied and social housing.</p> <p>Small-holding “mum and dad” landlords dominate the sector. Some 70% of landlords own a single property. Multiple-property owners own more properties in total, but still relatively small numbers (rarely more than ten) compared to corporate landlords in other countries who have tens of thousands of properties, or even more. Australia now has some large corporate landlords, but their properties are a tiny fraction of the total rental stock.</p> <p>Beneath its gradual growth and persistent small-holding pattern, the private rental sector is dynamic. Properties enter and exit the sector very frequently. In both Sydney and Melbourne, our analysis shows, most properties exit within five years of entering.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=307&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=307&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=307&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=385&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=385&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496048/original/file-20221118-13-8fazlx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=385&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Chart showing private rental properties, Sydney and Melbourne, 2000–20, by year of first observation in rental bonds data and at five-year intervals" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Numbers of private rental properties in Sydney and Melbourne at five-year intervals from 2000 to 2020. Properties are categorised by year of first observation in rental bonds data.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">The authors</span></span></figcaption></figure> <p>More than 30% of tenancies begin in a property that’s new to the rental sector. And more than 25% of tenancy terminations happen when the property exits the sector.</p> <p>Our investor survey also shows the sector’s dynamism. Many investors made repeated investments, owning multiple properties and some interstate. They indicated strong interest in <a href="https://theconversation.com/ever-wondered-how-many-airbnbs-australia-has-and-where-they-all-are-we-have-the-answers-129003">short-term letting</a>, such as Airbnb, and significant minorities had used their properties for purposes other than rental housing.</p> <p>Australia’s rental housing interacts closely with other sectors, particularly owner-occupied housing, as houses and strata-titled apartments trade between the sectors. The tax-subsidised property prices paid by owner-occupiers heavily influence investors’ gains and decision-making. Rental is also increasingly integrated with tourism, through governments’ <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-wins-and-who-loses-when-platforms-like-airbnb-disrupt-housing-and-how-do-you-regulate-it-106234">permissive approach to short-term letting</a>.</p> <p>In short, the Australian rental sector is built for investing and disinvesting. As properties churn in and out of rental, renters are churned in and out of housing.</p> <p>This presents problems for tenants.</p> <p><strong>A new agenda for tenancy law reform</strong></p> <p>Australian residential tenancies law has accommodated the long-term growth of the rental sector and its dynamic character. With no licensing or training requirements, it’s easy for landlords to enter the sector. It’s also easy to exit by terminating tenancies, on grounds they want to use a property for other purposes, or even without grounds in many cases.</p> <p>Over the years tenancy law reform has fixed some problem areas, but with virtually no national co-ordination. Laws are increasingly inconsistent on important topics, such as tenants’ security (for example, some states have restricted, but not eliminated, no-grounds terminations), minimum standards and domestic violence. Reforms have overlooked significant problem areas, such as steep rent increases and landlords’ liability for defective premises.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Works for Australia too. Although don't even need to pretend to put it on the market in NSW, it's called a "no grounds eviction" or perhaps more accurately: "tenant expected a liveable home or repairs to broken stuff". <a href="https://t.co/GolGDqlyCu">https://t.co/GolGDqlyCu</a> <a href="https://t.co/wORI3K6Yap">pic.twitter.com/wORI3K6Yap</a></p> <p>— Nathan Lee (@NathanLee) <a href="https://twitter.com/NathanLee/status/1542298797039964160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 30, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>It is time to pursue a national agenda that goes further than previous limited reforms. The focus should be on the rights of tenants to affordable housing, in decent condition, that supports autonomy and secure occupancy.</p> <p>Where landlords say it is too difficult and they will disinvest, this should not be taken as a threat. Indeed, it would be a good thing if the speculative, incapable and unwilling investors exited the sector. This would make properties available for new owner-occupiers and open up prospects for other, more committed landlords, especially non-profit providers of rental housing.</p> <p>Similarly, if we had higher standards and expectations to discourage private landlords from entering the sector, that would open up scope for new owner-occupiers and investors who are less inclined to churn properties and households.</p> <p>While past tenancy law reforms have not caused disinvestment, maybe the next reforms should.</p> <hr /> <p><em>The authors acknowledge the contributions of their research co-authors, Professor Kath Hulse, Professor Eileen O’Brien Webb, Dr Laura Crommelin and Liss Ralston.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194900/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em>Writen by Chris Martin, </em><em>Milad Ghasri, Sharon Parkinson and Zoe Goodall</em><em>. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/do-tenancy-reforms-to-protect-renters-cause-landlords-to-exit-the-market-no-but-maybe-they-should-194900" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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“Rest, great soul”: Dame Angela Lansbury exits to the "theatre in the sky"

<p dir="ltr">Dame Angela Lansbury, known for her roles on TV, stage and film, has died aged 96 just days before her birthday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her family broke the news in a statement on Tuesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The children of Dame Angela Lansbury are sad to announce that their mother died peacefully in her sleep at home in Los Angeles at 1.30am today, Tuesday, October 11, 2022, just five days shy of her 97th birthday,” they said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Murder, She Wrote </em>star was one of the most decorated actors in stage history, winning five Tony Awards for her performances on Broadway and a lifetime achievement award.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lansbury scored one for her best-known work on Broadway, where she starred as the piemaker Nellie Lovett in <em>Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street</em>, winning the Tony for best musical actress in 1979.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her other three Tony awards for best actress in a musical were for her roles in <em>Mame </em>(1966), <em>Dear World</em> (1969) and <em>Gypsy </em>(1975).</p> <p dir="ltr">She earned Academy Award nominations for her work in film as a supporting actress in <em>Gaslight </em>(1945), <em>The Picture of Dorian Gray</em> (1946), and again in 1962 for <em>The Manchurian Candidate</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The star displayed her singing talents off-Broadway when she voiced the character of Mrs Potts in the 1991 animated movie <em>Beauty and the Beast</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">For the film’s 25th anniversary in 2016, Lansbury took to the stage in New York and brought the house down with a rendition of the movie’s titular tune.</p> <p dir="ltr">But her widespread fame came when she took on the role of a mystery writer and amateur sleuth in <em>Murder, She Wrote</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Running for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996, the series was loosely based on Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple stories and followed Jessica Fletcher, a widowed mystery writer living in the village of Cabot Cove, Maine.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lansbury earned 12 Emmy award nominations for <em>Murder, She Wrote</em>, making her the record-holder for the most Emmy nominations for lead actress in a drama series.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the show became a hit, Lansbury said she found the first season exhausting.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I was shocked when I learned that had to work 12-15 hours a day, relentlessly, day in, day out," she recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I had to lay down the law at one point and say, 'Look, I can't do these shows in seven days; it will have to be eight days.’”</p> <p dir="ltr">But, she was pleased that her role as Fletcher had become an inspiration for older women.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Women in motion pictures have always had a difficult time being role models for other women," she observed.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They've always been considered glamorous in their jobs."</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1b20cdf8-7fff-ae6e-6c24-ba9d2ae25ea2"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">After the news broke of her passing, tributes have poured in across social media as fans and Hollywood stars remember the legendary actress.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Angela Lansbury, who graced the stage for decades winning five Tony awards and brought the sleuthing Jessica Fletcher into our living rooms for a dozen years, has passed. A tale old as time, our beloved Mrs. Potts will sing lullabies to us now from the stars. Rest, great soul.</p> <p>— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeorgeTakei/status/1579922852761198592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d0eee1f4-7fff-cefb-67a5-22743d890760">“Angela Lansbury, who graced the stage for decades winning five Tony awards and brought the sleuthing Jessica Fletcher into our living rooms for a dozen years, has passed. A tale as old as time, our beloved Mrs Potts will sing lullabies to us now from the stars. Rest, great soul,” George Takei tweeted.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dame Angela Lansbury has fallen asleep and gone to the ‘theatre in the Sky.’ She epitomised grace and exhibited a gifted natural talent. One of the world’s greatest actors. I had the privilege of meeting her.</p> <p>— David_Suchet (@David_Suchet) <a href="https://twitter.com/David_Suchet/status/1579961581672497155?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-cce3176b-7fff-f3b0-01a5-3260a870716b">“Dame Angela Lansbury has fallen asleep and gone to the ‘theatre in the Sky’. She epitomised grace and exhibited a gifted natural talent. One of the world’s greatest actors. I had the privilege of meeting her,” <em>Poirot </em>star David Suchet wrote.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tale as old as time<br />True as it can be</p> <p>In memory of Angela Lansbury, we offer this cosmic rose plucked by our Spitzer Space Telescope. <a href="https://t.co/V1N0QynRDJ">https://t.co/V1N0QynRDJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/zPduniVBsl">pic.twitter.com/zPduniVBsl</a></p> <p>— NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1579939011606769664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Even NASA paid tribute to Lansbury, offering a “cosmic rose” to the star.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-858f8d34-7fff-0867-0ae5-305543c3556c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Lansbury is survived by her two children, Diedre Angela Shaw, 69, and Anthony Pullen Shaw, 70.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Scott Cam "speaks from the heart" about Block stars' abrupt exit

<p dir="ltr">When two <em>Block</em> stars exited the show within 48 hours, passionate host Scott Cam was left reeling. </p> <p dir="ltr">He called Elle Ferguson and Joel Patfull’s actions as “p*** poor” and “unAustralian” who reportedly left to look after Joel’s mum who suffered a nasty fall.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, Scott was left unsure as to why the influencer and former AFL star left abruptly when the show accommodated them to look after Joel’s mother Trish who reportedly was being treated for possible bleeding of the brain, a broken coccyx and a fractured wrist.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They didn’t give us a reason why they were leaving. They never mentioned anything to us about visiting their sick mother,” Scott told<a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/scott-cam-reveals-what-really-happened-with-joel-patfull-and-elle-ferguson-on-the-block/news-story/85fae2f902d7629a24e47d339b64497c" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> news.com.au.</a></p> <p dir="ltr">“In fact, we flew them to Adelaide before The Block started for a week, and put them up in a hotel so they could see (Joel’s mother), and they came back and said everything’s fine.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Scott explained that even though they were visiting Joel’s mother the week prior, their disappearance “in the middle of the night” was done without warning and with no mention of the sick mum. </p> <p dir="ltr">“They never spoke to us, they just left in the middle of the night…I still don’t know why they left,” Scott continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They never mentioned their sick mother in the 48 hours before they left, or after they left. The executive producer spoke to them (after they left) and they didn’t mention their sick mother then either.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Scott doesn’t want to come across as heartless and said “family comes first” but had Elle and Joel been truthful they would have stopped the production of The Block until they came back. </p> <p dir="ltr">He explained that it is something that has occurred in the past when a team had to go back and visit family and The Block “temporarily stopped” shooting. </p> <p dir="ltr">At the time of their exit, Elle posted a caption to Instagram that read: “Wherever you are in the world. Whatever you are doing. Family always comes first”.</p> <p dir="ltr">When the pair left the show, Scott was fuming because after just 48 hours on the show, they were forced to reshoot promos.</p> <p dir="ltr">“45,000 people applied to be on The Block and win life-changing money. These guys got on and they just couldn’t handle the pace after 48 hours … Which to me is a bit unAustralian! Have a go! It’s p*ss poor,” he previously said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Obviously I wish Joel and Elle success in the future. It’s just that they created a fair bit of chaos for us here in the first 48 hours.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The show … we put a lot of time and money into the start of our show and then we had to rejig the whole thing … the whole promos had to be re-shot.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It just was a lot of angst on our part when they just departed the way they did.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When I say those words, that’s just Scott Cam speaking from the heart.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The Block Tree Change</em> hits the screens on Sunday, August 7 at 7pm on Channel 9.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Channel 9</em></p>

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Passenger arrested after doing the unthinkable

<p dir="ltr">A plane full of passengers have been left in shock after a man randomly got up and jumped out the emergency exit.</p> <p dir="ltr">The man was on board a United Airlines flight which just landed on the tarmac at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, USA on May 5 when he opened the emergency exit door and walked out on the plane’s wings.</p> <p dir="ltr">The plane was still moving, making its way to the gate for passengers to get off safely when the man did the unthinkable. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I think everybody on the plane was just surprised and kind of shocked. As he was going out, I heard everybody yelling, 'No, no, no!' and he went out the exit door and onto the wing," witness Mary Ellen told WGN TV.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Even the stewardess came back and said, 'What just happened?' And you could see the open door to the plane and we weren't even to the gate yet."</p> <p dir="ltr">The man had managed to slide down the wing and onto the runway and was luckily unharmed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police were however called and they arrested the man with charges yet to be laid.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This morning United flight 2478 was taxiing toward the gate at Chicago O'Hare when a passenger opened an aircraft door and exited the plane,” United Airlines said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Our ground crew stopped the individual outside of the aircraft, and the person is now with law enforcement. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The plane then arrived at the gate and all passengers deplaned safely. The safety of our customers and crew is our highest priority."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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The truth behind Liz Cambage’s exit

<p dir="ltr">Former Opals captain Jenna O'Hea has revealed the details behind the comment that forced Liz Cambage to leave the basketball team. </p> <p dir="ltr">Cambage pulled out of the Tokyo 2021 Olympics after citing mental health reasons which allegedly occurred during training. </p> <p dir="ltr">She had also allegedly told Nigerian players to “go back to their third world country” following a fight in July last year.</p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to Offsiders host Kellie Underwood, O’Hea confirmed the exact details that occurred which saw Cambage leave. </p> <p dir="ltr">“That is all 100 per cent correct,” O’Hea confirmed. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, O’Hea asked the media to focus on the players who are dedicating their effort to represent Australia. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Everyone has done more than enough (to try and keep Cambage playing for Australia). We have sacrificed a lot to try and keep her in the program. You know, she doesn’t want to be here anymore and that’s her choice and we need to move on without her.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She concluded that Cambage would not play for Australia ever again and said she tried to show her the support she needed. </p> <p dir="ltr">Following O’Hea revelations, Cambage responded by tweeting: “The truth will always come to light, and it ain’t even dawn yet.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After allegedly making the comment last year, Cambage made an Instagram video calling out the “fake news and the lies”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m pretty annoyed at all the fake news and the lies I’m seeing floating around in news articles and being shown and being asked about,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Yeah, things got heated in the Nigeria game. There was a physical altercation and there were words exchanged but I’m hearing things that aren’t true at all, flying around from people in Australia and America which is crazy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Everything that happened and everything that was said is on film. I know what happened and I do not appreciate the lies and people constantly trying to tear me down. Hating on me won’t bring you love, at all.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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Jessica Rowe exits lockdown in ultimate style

<p>On the eve of lockdown restrictions easing, Jess Rowe has stunned her Instagram followers with a photo of a gorgeous gown. </p> <p>Throughout lockdown, the former Studio 10 host has been sharing photos of her most iconic outfits to her 160k Instagram followers. </p> <p>From dramatic fur coats and embellished jumpsuits, to ball gowns and pyjamas, she has posted her outfit of each locked down day to lift everyone's spirits during a difficult time. </p> <p>Now, as New South Wales prepares for lockdown restrictions to ease for vaccinated people, Jess has shared another post, proving she saved the best until last. </p> <p>She posted the image of her in her Collette Dinnigan wedding dress, that she wore on her big day 17 years ago. </p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CU1wraLp8P_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CU1wraLp8P_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Jessica Rowe (@jessjrowe)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The backless white gown fit Jess like a glove, as she paired it with minimal classic jewellery and her signature pink pixie cut hair. </p> <p>She captioned the post, "<span>So that's a wrap! What to finish with for the eve of 'freedom day' (and I know it's not that for everyone).You know I never do anything by halves so I decided to get my @collettedinnigan wedding dress out of its box!" </span></p> <p><span>She continued by thanking followers, "It's the first time I've worn it in 17 and a half years! Oh the joy I had in this frock… and I hope I've brought you some joy this lockdown. You have all got me through! Thank you!"</span></p> <p><span>Her Instagram followers were quick to praise Jess, as they thanked her for keeping spirits high during lockdown. </span></p> <p><span>One person commented, "Many thanks Jess for making "lockdown" a bit of fun, loved all your outfits."</span></p> <p><span>Another said, "Glorious! I have loved all your lockdown outfits. It has bought a smile to my dial every night!"</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram @jessjrowe</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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"Heartbreaking": Ash Barty opens up on abrupt exit from French Open

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ash Barty’s first French Open since her 2019 win has come to a tragic end, with the world No. 1 forced to retire in the second round against world No. 45 Magda Linette.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With a hip issue that was apparent from the opening service game, the tennis star was not in her best condition.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Barty only landed 39 percent of her first serves while Linette easily claimed the first set 6-1, and the match came to an end at 2-2 in the second round.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Barty’s thigh has been heavily strapped throughout the season and began giving her problems in the first round at Roland Garros.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Queenslander pulled out of the tournament, saying her injury had become “unsafe” and that it was “a miracle I got through the first round”.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPq9IGih5L-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPq9IGih5L-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ash Barty (@ashbarty)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s heartbreaking,” Barty said in her post-match press conference. “We have had such a brilliant clay-court season, and to get a little bit unlucky with timing more than anything, to have something acute happen over the weekend and run out of time against the clock is disappointing.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“For my body to let me down is really disheartening.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We did nothing wrong in the lead-up. There were no red flags. It was just an acute episode, which is tough,” she explained.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It won’t take away the brilliant three months that we have had, as much as it hurts right now.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s disappointing to end like this. I’ve had my fair share of tears this week. It’s all good.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Everything happens for a reason. There will be a silver lining in this eventually. Once I find out what that is, it’ll make me feel a little bit better, but it will be there, I’m sure.”</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPqVBZQgPEc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPqVBZQgPEc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Magda Linette (@magdalinette)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Barty revealed the injury flared up after landing “on serve one day, and that’s all she wrote”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“[It’s a] completely new injury, and something that I’ve never experienced before, even chatting with my physio, not something she has seen regularly either,” Barty said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So we’ve been consulting with people all over the world to try and give us some insight into what the best ways to manage it are, to handle it, and I’m confident we do have a plan. It’s just that we ran out of time here.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the external help, Barty and her physio are doing all they can to prepare her for Wimbledon, which starts on June 28.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the withdrawal of both world No. 2 Naomi Osaka and world No. 3 Simona Halep leaves fourth-ranked Aryna Sabalenka as the top remaining player in the game.</span></p>

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Mel Doyle weighs in on Samantha Armytage’s swift Sunrise exit

<p><span>Mel Doyle has weighed in on Samantha Armytage's surprise announcement that she was to leave <em>Sunrise</em>.</span><br /><br /><span>The star also revealed what the biggest plus in store for the newly-married journalist will be.</span><br /><br /><span>Mel co-hosted <em>Sunrise</em> for over ten years alongside David 'Kochie' Koch before she departed in 2013.</span><br /><br /><span>She says that what Sam should look forward to is not the sleep-ins, but the late nights.</span><br /><br /><span>Mel told <em>Nova's Fitzy &amp; Wippa</em> that she loved having a normal weeknight routine after leaving the Channel 7 program.</span><br /><br /><span>"For me, it was the nights, it was having my nights back," Mel said.</span><br /><br /><span>“It was not having to eat dinner at 5 pm and go to bed at 7:30, I could watch TV at like 8pm!”</span><br /><br /><span>“So that will be a big shock for Sam on Friday won’t it?” Fitzy asked.</span><br /><br /><span>“Oh my goodness, it will probably take a little while to get out of the rhythm, as you guys know it’s a pretty tough gig getting up," Mel replied.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840268/unrise.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/144f7cf831194550a39a669708cb8ef3" /><br /><br /><span>The star also tactfully avoided answer any questions about Sam’s replacement.</span><br /><br /><span>"Would you go back?" Sarah asked her. "I mean there’s an empty seat.”</span><br /><br /><span>"So you’ve said yes to the gig?” Wippa joked.</span><br /><br /><span>“The way I’m looking at it if I had a dollar for every time I’m asked that this week I’m gonna be so rich!” Mel responded.</span><br /><br /><span>Samantha Armytage shocked <em>Sunrise</em> fans when she announced that was leaving the popular breakfast show after eight years.</span><br /><br /><span>Just three days later, she was saying her goodbyes to her co-hosts and the nation.</span></p>

TV

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Prince William "genuinely shocked" at Meghan and Harry's response to the Queen

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Prince William is said to be "really sad and genuinely shocked" by his brother's behaviour towards the Queen after she confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would not be returning as working royals.</p> <p>This is according to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/william-sad-and-shocked-at-harry-pv002r9pn" target="_blank"><em>The Sunday Times</em></a>, who have heard from insiders that Prince William believes that Harry and Meghan have been "insulting and disrespectful" to the Queen and are "very upset by what has happened".</p> <p>The Palace statement said that Her Majesty had informed the Duke and Duchess that it was "not possible" to continue with a life of public service after stepping back from duty and would be stripped of helping out their royal patronages.</p> <p>"The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have confirmed to Her Majesty The Queen that they will not be returning as working members of The Royal Family," the statement read.</p> <p>"Following conversations with The Duke, The Queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.</p> <p>"The honorary military appointments and Royal patronages held by The Duke and Duchess will therefore be returned to Her Majesty, before being redistributed among working members of The Royal Family."</p> <p>In response, Harry and Meghan released a statement, saying that they would offer "continued support to the organisations they have represented regardless of official role," and that "we can all live a life of service" as "service is universal".</p> <p>It's said that Prince William struggled to adjust to the loss of his brother during the trial separation.</p> <p>"Once he got over the anger of how things happened, he was left with the absence of his brother," one insider said.</p> <p>"They had shared everything about their lives, an office, a foundation, meetings together most days and there was a lot of fun along the way. He'll miss it forever."</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2bEgz2FVHY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B2bEgz2FVHY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@kensingtonroyal)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Despite the current bad blood, Prince William is hopeful for reconciliation between himself and his brother.</p> <p>Sources close to the Prince believe that if issues over official duties are no longer a sore point, it can pave the way for a happier relationship between the pair.</p> <p>The news of the resignation also came as no surprise to the Duke of Cambridge.</p> <p>"Removing work as the thing to cause tension between them will hopefully allow a relationship of brothers to re-build, but there's a long way to go. This interview coming up will hopefully not make it harder," an insider told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prince-william-still-hopes-to-repair-rift-with-harry-zsxbt6bxs" target="_blank"><em>The Times</em></a>.</p> <p>The interview the insider is referring to is the one that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have agreed to, which is a tell-all sit down with Oprah Winfrey.</p> <p>Unfortunately, aides inside Buckingham Palace won't be able to rest easy until it airs on the 7th of March as there are worries it'll show that Harry and Meghan aren't "moving on".</p> <p>"Everyone wishes they could focus on their future and be happy. The worry is that the Oprah interview is a sign they are struggling to move on."</p> </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

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"Absolute disgrace": Sam Newman fumes at Eddie McGuire's exit

<p>Controversial media personality Sam Newman has claimed the way Eddie McGuire has been treated is an "absolute disgrace" after the Collingwood president handed in his resignation on Tuesday afternoon.</p> <p>McGuire faced copious amounts of criticism after his response to a damning report that accused Collingwood of fostering "systemic racism", which ultimately forced him to step down immediately rather than at the end of the season as planned.</p> <p>The 56-year-old was on the verge of tears as he fronted a press conference to announce his resignation.</p> <p>“I tried my best and I don’t always get it right, but I don’t stop trying,” McGuire said. “Today, effective immediately, I step down from the presidency of the Collingwood Football Club.</p> <p>“From the moment I became the president of the Collingwood Football Club on my 34th birthday back in 1998, my sole motivation was to heal, unite, inspire and drive a new social conscience, not just into this club, but sport and the community in general and build an organisation that would be a place for opportunity for all people.”</p> <p>Newman was a longtime panellist on The AFL Footy Show alongside McGuire and the former Geelong ruckman delivered a scathing response to his comrade’s departure.</p> <p>“It is an absolute disgrace what is happening to Eddie McGuire,” Newman told FIVEaa Adelaide on Tuesday.</p> <p>“Eddie McGuire is a great person, a great member of our community here in Melbourne, and in fact, he’s a great Australian.</p> <p>“He might have erred like everyone might have erred, but he’s tried his heart out to rectify what has gone on at that club.</p> <p>“It is completely unfair what they’re doing to him, and they should be ashamed of themselves.</p> <p>“Why would you single him out? He has tried his hardest. He has set up Indigenous foundations at that club.</p> <p>“This has nothing to do with racism … he is being condemned absolutely unfairly by all and sundry, because they think it’s a great, politically-correct, point-scoring opportunity.</p> <p>“They’re invested in chaos and division.”</p> <p>McGuire and veteran AFL reporter Caroline Wilson have endured a love-hate relationship over the years, but the journalist believed the Collingwood boss "hubris" contributed to his downfall.</p> <p>“There were so many things over the past week or so that just went from bad to worse for him,”<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.3aw.com.au/caroline-wilson-responds-to-eddie-mcguires-shock-departure/" target="_blank">Wilson told 3AW on Tuesday</a>.</p> <p>“Even today, unfortunately, there were just a few signs of the hubris that brought him down in the end.</p> <p>“Everything we say is underlined by the fact we know that he did so much good and that the club, in many ways, is in such a better position ... than when Eddie found it.</p> <p>“He came to Collingwood so determined to unite all the factions and you couldn’t say, last week, that’s what he’d done.</p> <p>“You’d have to say last week they were a club savagely divided.</p> <p>“I think that it’s sad that it’s ended like this for him.</p> <p>“From people I’ve been talking to today, the one thing they were all united on, in the end, was that he had to go and they couldn’t possibly get past this until he did go.”</p>

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