MARCUS Rashford’s Love Islander girlfriend has dumped him — ahead of her speedy return to the villa in the new year.
The Sun on Sunday last month revealed the Man Utd star, 25, had gone on dates with Grace Jackson, also 25, who was on this year’s series of the ITV show.
A source revealed: “Grace realised that Marcus wasn’t serious about her and has unfollowed him on Instagram.
“She realised there was no future so she has decided to cut ties.
“When the opportunity arose to take part in Love Island All Stars this winter Grace jumped at the chance, she is still young in her career and is keen to maximise the exposure to help with her modelling work and net campaign deals.
“If she finds love on the show that’s a bonus, especially since she didn’t meet a suitable match in the summer.
“As far as she is concerned it’s Marcus’ loss, she is putting her best foot forward and can’t wait to enjoy some winter sun in gloomy January.”
Marcus had previously been in a long-term relationship with childhood sweetheart Lucia Loi before they split last year.
In August, former shop worker Grace, who has amassed 594,000 followers on Instagram since leaving the villa, landed a six-figure deal with fashion and shoe brand EGO.
An ITV spokeswoman said: “Any names suggested are speculation until our line-up is officially announced.”
Marcus, who has won 60 senior international caps for England, was dropped from the Manchester derby facing bitter rivals City last weekend and hinted last week that he is ready to leave Old Trafford.
Speaking at a visit to his old primary school, Button Lane, in Manchester, to hand out Christmas presents, he said: “I think I’m ready for a new challenge.”
GARETH Southgate played Adele’s Someone Like You on repeat after deciding to quit as England boss.
It is one of eight tracks the 54-year-old chooses on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs this morning.
He tells host Lauren Laverne: “I kept playing it towards the end of the last Euros because I knew I was going to be leaving.
“Even if I hear it today, it relates to my relationship with England and their relationship to me and how I feel about it all.”
Host Lauren Laverne said: “So leaving someone who is once in a lifetime behind?”
Gareth responded: “Yeah and they have got to move on and you wish them the best and there are regrets but there are actually memories that were made and there were so many lines within it they really resonate with me.”
Its lyrics include: “Never mind, I’ll find someone like you; I wish nothing but the best for you, too; Don’t forget me, I beg; I remember you said; Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead.”
Gareth thanked Adele for her support during the Euros in 2020 during ITV’s An Audience with Adele at the London Palladium in 2021.
It comes as The Sun on Sunday revealed last week that Gareth will get a knighthood in the New Year Honours List.
He will follow in the footsteps of Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Alf Ramsey in being knighted for services to sport after steering the men’s footie side to two Euro finals.
Former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel takes over as England head coach on January 1.
PENNY Lancaster says hubby Sir Rod Stewart gave her the courage to call out bullying by TV’s Gregg Wallace.
She said other women have also been in touch to share their experiences with the shamed host of MasterChef.
In an online post Sir Rod, 79, called Wallace a “tubby, bald-headed, bully” for his treatment of Penny, 53, on the celebrity version of the BBC cooking show in 2021.
Loose Women’s Penny said: “Obviously it didn’t surprise me that my husband had done that and it didn’t surprise me about the incidents that Gregg Wallace has been accused of.”
Asked if she would not have felt confident speaking up without rocker Sir Rod’s support, Penny said: “Exactly, yeah. That is why you so often hear historical cases and people kind of question why it takes someone so long to come forward.
“It is that bravery of: ‘Maybe I am the only one? Maybe I won’t be taken seriously?’ Then suddenly you have the backing and support of other people and you feel like you are going to be listened to.”
Speaking about other women reaching out to her, she said: “In and around that conversation, yeah.
“I know a lot of people in the industry and it hasn’t really been a surprise to anyone.
“It is just a shame that so many women feel like they can’t reach out at the time because they don’t feel supported – so hopefully this will have more of a mark on the industry to protect and safeguard.”
Wallace, 60, is suspended over claims of sexual misconduct, which he denies.
EMMERDALE star Daisy Campbell was so devastated at being axed from the soap that she begged bosses to kill off her character.
But it has led to love blossoming with her secret boyfriend this Christmas.
Talking about her new fella for the first time, 21-year-old Daisy says her beau Nick is the silver lining to leaving the ITV drama after 13 years.
She wept for weeks and hid her exit as beauty salon worker Amelia Spencer from most of her cast-mates.
Behind the scenes, love developed as Nick consoled her.
Daisy, who departed on screen on Friday, now believes “everything happens for a reason” and the couple are going on a trip to New York to kick-start 2025.
She said: “It’s been quite a year. I was always so focused on my career.
“Finding love just happens when you don’t expect it. I first met Nick at school — he was a couple of years above me.
“It’s been a tough year. But now this has come out of the blue and I couldn’t be happier.”
Nick, a facilities manager, joined Daisy in drinking champagne at her home this week as the final scenes as Amelia aired and they will spend Christmas together.
She said: “It wasn’t my decision to leave the show but I’ve become a big believer in things happening for a reason.”
Daisy joined Emmerdale when she was seven and has been involved in some huge storylines, including becoming a teen mum following a drunken romp with Samson Dingle, played by Sam Hall.
Sam, 20, left the soap in August, which Daisy said blindsided her.
She added: “I didn’t see it coming. Then I got an email for me to go upstairs for a meeting.
“My heart just sank, I thought this doesn’t sound very good.” One of the producers then broke the news that they felt her long-serving character had come to the end of the road.
Daisy was so upset she begged bosses to close the door on her ever returning.
She said: “I asked to be killed off. But that’s not what they wanted to do, and of course I respected that.”
Viewers watched this week as her character decided to leave the Dales with daughter Esther.
Daisy said: “Now I’m glad the door has been left open because who knows what might happen.”
And while she is now at peace with her exit, for two months Daisy told only three close cast members — Katie Hill (Sarah Sugden), Rosie Bentham (Gabby Thomas) and Jack Downham (Noah Dingle), revealing that she was too heartbroken to share the news with anyone else.
She said: “I couldn’t really speak about it. It was really hard.”
Daisy did grab some mementos of her time on the show from the set.
She said: “I took all my costumes with me and make-up, along with my tabard from the salon.”
And now she is looking to the future, and does not rule out switching soaps as other stars have done.
Those include Emmerdale’s Claire King, who enjoyed a stint in Corrie before returning as Kim Tate, EastEnders favourite Gillian Taylforth, who played Sandy Roscoe in Hollyoaks before Kathy Beale came back from the dead, and Hollyoaks actress Nikki Sanderson, who swapped the famous Lancs cobbles for Hollyoaks.
Daisy said: “I now firmly believe 2025 is a new beginning — and that’s exciting.”
