Kate Garraway opened up about how she she is feeling ahead of her family’s first Christmas without her husband Derek. The Good Morning Britain host’s husband lost his long battle with the after effects of Covid-19 in January, making Christmas 2024 the first the family will experience without him in their lives. Kate has courageously […]
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One mum has shared a clever craft just in time for spooky season and it’s perfect for toddlers who aren’t old enough yet to carve their own pumpkin. Carving pumpkins is no easy feat for little hands and with sharp tools needed for the finished project, it’s an activity that’s usually held off until kids […]
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LIAM Payne tragically admitted he had become “someone I didn’t recognise” in a candid video uploaded a year before his death.
The One Direction star passed away aged 31 after falling to his death from a third floor balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
He previously told how he felt “misunderstood” following an interview with Logan Paul, 29, which sparked a flurry of “death threats” after he called out his bandmates, particularly Pillowtalk Zayn Malik, 31.
In his video posted in July 2023 which has now resurfaced on his death, Strip That Down singer Liam told how he “feels differently now.”
He sat on a sofa as he told the camera: “I just took a little bit of time out, sorry for the MIA.
“There’s a few reasons I did that.
“I just needed to take a bit of time out for myself because I became someone I didn’t recognise any more.
“And I’m sure you didn’t either.”
Referring to the discussion with Logan, he said it was “nice to meet” the online star.
X Factor alumni Liam continued in his own video: “I’m not going to let anyone else take the blame for what I said.
“There was a lot of hate online for them which I thought was unfair because they didn’t do anything wrong, they were doing their job.”
Liam added: “I think for me a lot of what I said was coming from the wrong place.
“I just took it out on everybody else.”
The Little Things hitmaker then said: “I was getting a lot of hate online.
“There was death threats, all sorts of stuff.”
He admitted he then headed to Louisiana to “get my head straight.”
SHOCKED fans, former co-workers, loved ones and friends flooded social media with sad tributes to Liam Payne after news of his death emerged.
Harry Styles’ mum Anne was among the first from One Direction’s camp to share her reaction, posting a photo of Liam and writing ‘Just a boy…’ alongside a broken heart emoji.
Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden shared an image of the pair together with the words: “Such an awful tragedy.
“Sending love to his family and all those who loved him.”
X Factor star Olly Murs told fans he was “devastated” and “lost for words”.
He wrote on social media: “Liam shared the same passions as me, the same dreams so to see his life now end so young hits hard, I’m truly gutted and devastated for his Family and of course his son Bear losing a dad x”.
Liam Gallagher said he was “very sad” and told his followers on X: “Life is precious Kids, you only get to do it once, go easy.”
Former X Factor presenter Dermot O’Leary has also expressed his shock and spoke on This Morning.
He said: “I remember him as a 14 year old turning up to audition on The X Factor, and blowing us away singing Sinatra. He just loved to sing.
“He was always a joy, had time for everyone, polite, grateful, and was always humble.”
BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball reacted to the “devastating news” on her show and told fans she hugged her own son Woody tight this morning.
JLS band member Marvin Humes reflected on his memories with the singer, sharing: “I first met Liam in 2008 with the JLS boys whilst auditioning for X Factor..he was 14 years old..
“We instantly clicked and looked at him as a little brother..that year it worked out for us but not for him and then 2 years later he went back to audition and One Direction was born..the rest is history..
“Absolutely heartbroken by the tragic news..Liam you wanted to be a global superstar and you did it bro..just can’t believe that things have ended this way..it’s shocking..my thoughts and prayers are with all your family and friends brother..RIP.”
Niall Horan’s brother Greg shared an emotional tribute to Liam, praising him as a “top young man”.
He added: “You will be forever missed. Liam, words can’t describe how much I want to grab my brother and mind him now while the world shows their memories of you and him and the boys.
“My heart goes out to your family parents and sisters and your son Bear and your 1D brothers.
“10th October we met and we started out that evening as 5 families into one big one 1D family thank you for all the laughs bro watch down on all your family and mind them lots of love kiddo x x x 1D 4 LIFE x x x”
German DJ Anton Zaslavski, otherwise known as Zedd, has taken to X with a devastated statement.
The producer, who worked with Liam on his 2017 hit Get Low, wrote: “RIP Liam… I can’t believe this is real…absolutely heartbreaking…”
American singer, Charlie Puth, who was friends with Liam and also collaborated with him on a song called Bedroom Floor, has posted a series of Instagram stories dedicated to him.
Alongside photos of the two of them together in their younger days, Charlie wrote: “I am in shock right now. Liam was always so kind to me.
“He was one of the first major artists I got to work with. I can not believe he is gone…
“I am so upset right now, may he rest in peace. I am so sorry…”
Irish singer duo Jedward also took to social media, saying: “RIP Liam Payne. Condolences to friends and family.”
In another tweet, they added: “Sending strength to Cheryl and his son Bear. And all the One direction Family. RIP Liam Payne.”
American media personality Paris Hilton shared: “So upsetting to hear the news of Liam Payne passing. Sending love and condolences to his family & loved ones. RIP my friend.”
ITV weather presenter Alex Beresford shared a news video about Liam’s tragic death on Instagram, adding: “Can’t believe this! RIP Liam.”
Meanwhile Love Island star Molly Marsh penned: “I’m so taken aback, rest in peace.”
James Cordon also paid his own tribute, describing the star as a “loving and kind soul”.
The Gavin and Stacey actor wrote on Instagram: “Talking about Liam in the past tense is utterly heart-breaking.
“I will treasure the moments I got to spend with him. My thoughts are with his family today x.”
Payne previously appeared on Cordon’s The Late Late Show in America.
Former Little Mix star Jade Thirwall – who won X Factor with her bandmates one year after One Direction took part – described him as “the first friend I made in this industry”.
She said: “We fell out of touch as the years went by, but back in 2008 he was the first friend I made in this industry.
“Both of us so young, so ambitious, both hoping we’d ‘make it’. I hope you are at peace now”.
Camila Cabello described his death as a “tragedy” and said he “made an impression” on her when she was a young girl.
Liam’s candid interview on the “Impaulsive” podcast in 2022 showed the extent of the pain he endured behind closed doors while relating to his former bandmate Zayn Malik.
On the podcast, Liam said there were “many reasons” he disliked Zayn but “many reasons why [he’d] always be on his side.”
Liam discussed his own upbringing, calling his parents “overly supportive” to the point it was “annoying at times” but compared it to Zayn, who he claimed had a “different upbringing in that sense”.
The singer said: “You can always look at the man for where he is and say ‘oh yeah whatever that guy’s a d****’, but at the end of the day once you understand what he’s been through to get to that point.”
Yet her comments were matched with fury from loyal One Direction fans at the time.
Liam’s family has released an emotional statement on his premature passing.
It read: “We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we’ll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul.
“We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space during this awful time.”
This was followed by an emotional tribute from his sister Ruth Gibbins, who posted a series of images and an open letter to Liam where she said “I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.”
Liam was in Buenos Aires for pal Niall Horan’s tour when he tragically plunged from the third floor on Wednesday afternoon.
A source confirmed to The Sun that Liam has died.
Liam shared a post on Snapchat only minutes before his death and showed him and his girlfriend Kate Cassidy looking into a mirror.
The singer-songwriter was staying at Hotel CasaSur in the neighbourhood of Palermo.
Crowds of heartbroken fans have gathered behind a cordon outside the accommodation to pay tribute to the star.
The star’s cause of death has since been revealed as well as Liam’s tragic final hours.
CORNELIA Crilley was a Trans World Airlines flight attendant who was murdered by Rodney Alcala.
Rodney was known as the Dating Game Killer because of his appearance on the show of the same name, in an outing dramatized on Netflix’s Woman of the Hour.
Not much is known about Cornelia’s early life, before she was killed by Rodney on June 21, 1971.
She was living in Manhattan at the time, while working as a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines.
Cornelia had reportedly accepted Rodney’s offer of help in moving some furniture, before he strangled her to death.
Unfortunately, Cornelia’s murder went unsolved until 2011 and it was only then that Rodney was revealed to be the man who killed her.
Cornelia was his third confirmed victim, in a crime spree that began in 1968.
Rodney had attacked 16-year-old Morgan Rowan and 8-year-old Tali Shaprio, but both victims were rescued before he could kill them.
Tali was saved by Donald Haines, a salesman who grew suspicious when he saw Rodney lure the 8-year-old into his car.
Rodney’s crime spree was brought to a temporary halt, when he was jailed for child molestation in 1971.
However, since Tali’s parents didn’t want her to take the stand, it made it difficult to charge Rodney with rape or attempted murder.
The killer later murdered a 27-year-old nurse named Georgia Wixted and an 18-year-old girl named Jill Barcombe, amongst several other victims.
He appeared on The Dating Game in 1978, where he tried to charm a bachelorette named Cheryl Bradshaw into choosing him as a date.
Cheryl eventually did pick Rodney, but chose not to go on the date after he made several sinister jokes.
Eventually, Rodney was brought to justice after murdering a 12-year-old girl named Robin Samsoe.
The police circulated a sketch of the suspect which was recognised as Rodney by his old parole officer, who had been assigned to him after his attack on Tali.
He was arrested in 1979 and sentenced to death in 1980.
However, the sentence was overturned in 1984 and he spent the rest of his life in prison, before dying in 2021.
Rodney’s horrifying crime spree was dramatized in Netflix’s Woman of the Hour.
The film, which particularly focuses on Rodney’s appearance on the Dating Game, was directed by Anna Kendrick, who also stars in the movie as Cheryl Bradshaw.
Woman of the Hour made its Netflix debut on October 16, 2024, and is available for streaming.
SOCIAL media usage has shot up in recent years, with more of us than ever glued to Instagram, Tik Tok, X and Facebook.
Research from GWI shows that globally, nearly a third (30 per cent) of 16- to 24-year-olds, 29 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds and 22 per cent of 35- to 44-year-old spend more than six hours a day on social media.
On top of this, nearly half of 12- to 15-year-olds (48 per cent) use TikTok every single day; this is up from 37 per cent in 2022.
Over half (55 per cent) say they’re using social media to talk to friends, a quarter (24 per cent) are using it to buy things and 51 per cent use it to find funny videos and posts.
But, while social media may have its positives, it can also cause serious problems across various areas of a child’s health.
So much so, that the negative impact on cognition has been dubbed ‘TikTok brain’.
Symptoms include irritability and poor posture, experts say.
Claire Law, counsellor and psychotherapist, says: “Mood swings, anxiety and withdrawal are also common signs of too much time spent online.
“If children are swapping out hobbies they once loved for hours of scrolling or can’t seem to focus on anything else, it’s a warning sign their virtual life is overtaking the real one.”
Claire says that social media is built to be addictive.
“Kids tell me they love TikTok because ‘it’s hilarious’ and ‘there’s always something new’,” she says.
“Each scroll pumps out the hormone dopamine, making them feel good and keeping them hooked.”
Chris Meaden, leading hypnotherapist and founder of The Meaden Clinic, adds that the addiction to social media can start the moment a profile is created.
“New habits are formed, and these are reinforced each time the device is picked up and an app is accessed,” he says.
Concerned that your child’s – or your own – social media usage is becoming a problem?
These are the signs to look out for.
Children over the age of six need up to 12 hours of sleep over a 24-hour period, but excessive time on social media could be disrupting this.
Social media could be wrecking adult sleep too.
Claire says: “It’s not just kids’ brains that are overstimulated — constant screen exposure, especially late at night, leaves us wired.
“The blue light from screens messes with melatonin production, wrecking sleep patterns.”
This lack of sleep can then lead to limited energy during the day and a dampened mood.
“A solid rule? No screens at least an hour before bed to help them – and you – wind down,” adds Claire.
Simbarashe Shamu, a behaviour specialist, adds: “Research has found that stopping social media usage one hour before bedtime also resulted in improved sleep outcomes.”
We know that too much time slumped over a laptop does our posture zero favours, and the same applies for children’s phone usage.
“The curved-neck position from being on the phone for hours will eventually result in physical conditions, if not immediate, eventually in the future,” warns Chris.
“The body is designed to move and flex; not remain in a rigid position for hours every day.”
Claire suggests looking out for slumped shoulders or stiff hands as constant phone use can lead to ‘texting claw’.
“Encourage regular breaks and get them into activities that strengthen their hands, like drawing or moulding clay, to counteract these effects,” she adds.
If your child seems to be more anxious or upset, it could be due to too much time online.
“In my experience, social media has a powerful influence over our children – and can cause an increase in anxiety, depression, self-harm and much more,” says Chris.
“It affects a child’s development, social skills, attention span and overall mental wellbeing, with real world activities being displaced with virtual ones.”
Ensuring your child still gets good sleep, as per the above, is important, however Claire adds: “If your child is clocking in more than two hours a day on social media, it might be time to draw some lines.
“Balance is critical—when screen time starts pushing out things like homework or outdoor fun, it’s a problem.”
Has your child started to retreat a little more, spending more time in their room?
Whilst this is often a classic teenager trait, it may be a sign that they’re spending too much time on their phones.
“A parent may notice their child retreating to their room more than usual,” Chris says.
“They may be more irritable or angry too, they may be exhausted and their eating habits may change.”
Sim adds: “You may notice that social media becomes the most important thing in their day and there is a need for increasing amounts of time on social media to achieve the same buzz.”
As well as the emotional element, your child may start to become more annoyed, perhaps demonstrating a shorter fuse than normal.
“If a child is on social media too much, they’ll be more irritable, become frustrated over small things, be impatient and may experience anger and rage,” says Chris.
Claire adds: “Excessive screen time can rewire your child’s brain, making focus harder and emotional regulation even tougher.
“You might notice them being more impatient when they’re off their phone.
“The constant barrage of quick hits from social media conditions their brains to crave instant rewards, leaving them frustrated with slower, real-world tasks like schoolwork.”
Parents should keep a close eye on their child’s direct messages, especially any hidden ones
Chris Meaden
Regulating the amount of time your child spends on social media can help.
“As adults we should be able to manage our screentime; a child’s brain isn’t developed enough to do this, so parents need to do it for them,” says Chris.
Although children should have some privacy, to allow them to grow up independently, according to Chris, parents should be concerned if their child refuses to share their social media passwords.
“Parents should keep a close eye on their child’s direct messages, especially any hidden ones,” he says.
“They should look at the photos that are being shared with their child – including selfies and videos.”
According to research by the Children’s Commissioner’s Office, 45 per cent of children aged eight to 17 have seen content they felt was inappropriate or made them worried or upset.
If you’re an Apple user, you can control your child’s screen time using the parental controls available.
You’ll need to ensure you’re part of the same ‘Family’ across your devices.
Then, tap Screen Time in Settings.
Under Family, choose your child’s name.
Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions and then turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions.
There aren’t any official guidelines on social media usage for kids, or adults.
However, as Sim explains: “In one study, 230 undergraduates were randomly selected to either continue using social media as usual, or limit usage to 30 minutes per day.
“Significant improvements in psychological wellbeing were found after two weeks.”
Half an hour each day might seem too low and unachievable, especially if your child is currently spending much more time than that on social media.
Claire recommends finding a balance.
“Have open discussions about your kids’ online habits and set boundaries everyone can stick to, like no screens during meals or before sleep,” she says.
“And don’t forget — kids reflect what they see. Modelling healthy screen use yourself is half the battle.”
You might benefit from implementing some ‘rules’ which state when phones can be used; ban phones from the table during meals and remove phones and other devices when children go upstairs to bed and leave them to charge downstairs.
Claire adds: “If children are glued to their screens, maybe ask yourself if you’re doing the same.
“Kids often mimic what they see, and when they’re addicted to social media, it’s usually a reflection of what’s happening at home.
“Boundaries like no phones at the dinner table or before bed aren’t just for kids; they help us too.”
If you can, limit your social media usage to when you’re apart from your children.
