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TikTok couple slammed for leaving toddlers unattended in cruise cabin

<p>TikTok Influencers Matt and Abby Howard have been slammed online for their controversial parenting choice while on a family vacation. </p> <p>In a now deleted video, the couple explained that they had brought their sons Griffin, 2, and August, 1 on a family cruise, and they went to dinner without the boys, but monitored the room through FaceTime. </p> <p>"So we ended up taking them for 5 nights and it became apparent that they weren't enjoying it and therefore we weren't either," they said in the caption. </p> <p>"So THEN we switched our dinner time to AFTER their bedtime and FaceTimed the monitors while we ate."</p> <p>Abby noted that baby monitors "don't work on board unless you're only like 10 feet away", adding that their dinnertime solution worked out "much better for everyone" </p> <p>Social media users were quick to respond to their decision, with many highlighting the safety concerns. </p> <p>"They literally could not have gotten to them fast enough if anything had happened and I cannot stop thinking about that. It’s sickening," one wrote on Reddit. </p> <p>"It's literally common sense that you do not leave a baby alone unsupervised," another added. </p> <p>"The fact that they would so willingly leave their children in an unfamiliar environment completely alone is shocking," another added. </p> <p>"Are they seriously that f****** dumb? Do they not watch the news, have they not seen what happened to Madeline McCann?" a fourth wrote.  </p> <p>Following the controversy, the couple released a video claiming that a family member was always with the children while they were at dinner, although they didn't clarify who. </p> <p>"We take our roles as parents extremely seriously and we love our children more than anything in the entire world, and we're very protective of our kids," Matt said in the video. </p> <p>"We had someone with our children at all times on this boat," he continued adding that the speculation surrounding them is "completely untrue". </p> <p>"I do want to clarify that we have not, would not, will not ever leave our children unattended. We would would never, ever want to put them in harms way in anyway," Abby added. </p> <p>She explained that her family would "tag team" to help the couple out with watching their children. </p> <p>Viewers were quick to speculate whether they were telling the truth, while others were glad they clarified. </p> <p>"Thanks for the clarification because it did come off like the boys were alone- context is everything," one wrote. </p> <p>"I hope this is the truth," another added. </p> <p>"For them to post about it like it's some genius parenting hack is just wild," a third wrote. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Marvel star ties the knot in super secret ceremony

<p>Marvel movie star Chris Evans has tied the knot with his girlfriend Alba Baptista in an intimate ceremony at their home in the state of Massachusetts. </p> <p>According to <a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/09/10/chris-evans-marries-alba-baptista/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Page Six</em></a>, the Hollywood A-lister and Baptista, a Portuguese actress, got married on Saturday, with only a handful of their closest friends and family attending the nuptials. </p> <p>An insider told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/hook-ups-break-ups/chris-evans-marries-alba-baptista-in-intimate-athome-wedding/news-story/872c843aa221bc8173f0a82feb7c6477" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a> that the nuptials were “locked down tight,” as guests signed NDAs and phones were forfeited for the "beautiful" ceremony. </p> <p>The guest list also included some of the actor’s Marvel co-stars, including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner.</p> <p>The <em>Captain America</em> actor and Baptista first sparked rumours of a romance in November 2022, when a source told <em><a href="https://people.com/movies/chris-evans-dating-alba-baptista-source-exclusive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People</a></em> that the duo had been dating for “over a year.”</p> <p>“They are in love, and Chris has never been happier,” the insider said, already calling their relationship “serious” at the time. </p> <p>“His family and friends all adore her.”<iframe id="google_ads_iframe_/5129/ndm.nent/entertainment/celebritylife/hookupsbreakups_5" tabindex="0" title="3rd party ad content" role="region" name="google_ads_iframe_/5129/ndm.nent/entertainment/celebritylife/hookupsbreakups_5" width="4" height="4" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Advertisement" data-load-complete="true" data-google-container-id="6" data-integralas-id-69c76c0a-f5d2-9885-70ea-25cce3e0243a=""></iframe><iframe width="1" height="1" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <p>Just hours after the news broke, the couple was spotted holding hands during a stroll in Central Park.</p> <p>While little is known about the low-key couple’s relationship, Evans has proudly been flaunting his affection for Baptista online.</p> <p>The <em>Knives Out</em> star was spotted leaving a flirty comment on Baptista’s Instagram post around the same time that news broke of their relationship.</p> <p>Then, in February, the couple went Instagram-official as Evans began posting a series of PDA-filled pics to his Instagram Story in honour of Valentine’s Day.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Home and Away star shares astonishing 10kg transformation

<p><em>Home and Away</em>’s Matt Evans has stunned fans and followers after sharing the results of his eight-week body transformation on social media.</p> <p>The 26-year-old actor - best known for his work as Theo Poulos on the hit soap - posted two side-by-side snaps, apparently taken just two months apart, of his body at two different stages in his fitness journey.</p> <p>The location was the same in both, with Evans standing in Bonds underwear in front of a door in both, with only the lighting - harsher in the ‘after’ pic - and Evans’ muscle mass and body weight changing.</p> <p>“8 WEEK CHALLENGE RESULTS,” he captioned the image, before thanking his trainer, Harris Barclay.</p> <p>“I did a massive bulk last year which then lasted through christmas and it was the first time I had ever weighed 90kgs in my life. I am now back at 80kgs where I like to sit.”</p> <p>Evans went on to explain that his trainer had helped him come up with both a diet and training plan, and then revealed the key element that they had dropped from his regime, with Evans telling followers that it “DID NOT involve cardio.</p> <p>“I just went for an occasional walk if I wanted to be more active. Harris made the diet easy to follow and all you have to do is eat the food and show up to the gym. The training program was catered to my needs with weight training. Harris also checks in fortnightly to keep you on track and is just a downright good bloke.”</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/CprfXTBvYFQ/?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> <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/CprfXTBvYFQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Matt Evans (@thisismattevans)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Evans’ friends, fans, and fellow Channel 7 personalities were primed to celebrate his progress in his comments section, with many declaring that his “hard work paid off”.</p> <p>“Well done mate,” wrote Seven’s Sam Mac, who had recently undergone his own intense body transformation, “now, can I just borrow a couple of those abs. Don’t be greedy.”</p> <p>“Bloody hell mate well done!” said <em>Home and Away’</em>s Kirsty Marillier.</p> <p>“Looked good before and looks good after!” one fan declared.</p> <p>“Well done!! Phenomenal results,” stylist Donny Galella praised.</p> <p>“You should be proud,” another said on TikTok, where Evans had posted his ‘8 week shred results’ in video format, “all the hard work pays off.”</p> <p> </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important; width: 620.262px; max-width: 100%;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7210308452218932481&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40thisismattevans%2Fvideo%2F7210308452218932481&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FociBnEnnI8AcQoBEQBDQEKEfBeCvbRQQkxVEgD%3Fx-expires%3D1680595200%26x-signature%3DUDQ2Y1sY0ji5sKmGAxwXeCnw%252Bes%253D&amp;key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Body

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Tom Hanks questions why Tim Allen wasn’t in Lightyear

<p dir="ltr">Tom Hanks has questioned why Disney replaced <em>Toy Story</em> voice actor Tim Allen with Chris Evans in <em>Lightyear</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Toy Story</em> featured both Hanks and Allen as voices for Woody and Buzz respectively across the four films from 1995 to 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Lightyear</em>, a spin-off of the series did not feature either Hanks or Allen, instead had Chris Evans who voiced Buzz.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hanks was asked about how he felt about his new film <em>Elvis</em> going head-to-head with Lightyear. </p> <p dir="ltr">“How ’bout that? I actually wanted to go head-to-head with Tim Allen, and then they didn’t let Tim Allen do it. I don’t understand that,” he told CinemaBlend.</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes as Allen revealed why he was not involved with the making of <em>Lightyear</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is a whole new team that really had nothing to do with the first movies,” he told Extra.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The short answer is I’ve stayed out of this ’cause it has nothing to do [with his character].</p> <p dir="ltr"> “There’s really no ‘Toy Story’ Buzz without Woody.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Allen said he was hoping that the spin-off would have more of a connection with the original series. </p> <p dir="ltr">“[It is] a wonderful story, it just doesn’t seem to have any connection to the toy.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Movies

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Saliva test could detect breast cancer

<p dir="ltr">A saliva test could soon be used to help identify if women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to a study. </p> <p dir="ltr">The study was led by Professor Gareth Evans from Manchester University who sampled the saliva of 2,500 women. </p> <p dir="ltr">A decade later, the women were presented again and the research showed that 644 were diagnosed with breast cancer. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If all these women took drugs to prevent breast cancer, that could prevent a quarter of breast cancer cases and potentially save the lives of 2,000 women a year,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If young women at high risk were offered annual mammograms, that could save hundreds more a year.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is particularly important for women under 50, who make up one in five cases of breast cancer.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Breast cancer is cancer that starts in the breast tissue and occurs when abnormal cells in the breast grow in an uncontrolled way.</p> <p dir="ltr">It can develop at any age and is more common in women but also affects a small number of men each year. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Breast cancer can be an incredibly difficult and personal journey for women,” Professor Evans said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We know that genetics plays a major role in determining whether women are at higher or lower risk of the disease, alongside more ‘traditional’ risk factors.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Body

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Pete Evans speaks out on Shane Warne’s death

<p>Controversial chef Pete Evans has spoken out on the sudden death of cricket legend Shane Warne to further push his unpopular health views. </p> <p>Footage of the 49-year-old former TV host has began circulating online, sharing his opinion on Warney's death of a suspected heart attack in a Thailand hotel room.</p> <p>“Shane Warne was an amazing cricket player for sure … (it’s) sad,” Evans said, allegedly during a public Zoom call. “Who knows what the reasons behind this are and I can’t comment on it."</p> <p>“However, so many doctors I’ve interviewed have been screaming for the last year-and-a-half, saying the vaccines are going to cause death like we’ve never seen across the planet."</p> <p>“And they’re all predicting we’re not going to see the outcomes of this — or the real side effects — for the next three to five years. We’re witnessing it happening with athletes on field and there’s a reason behind that.”</p> <p>Several anti-vax conspiracy theorists have also flooded the Facebook comments of several media outlets reporting on the news of the cricketer's death. </p> <p>The same rhetoric was also prevalent on Twitter after the death of Rod Marsh on Friday, who suffered a heart attack a week before he died. </p> <p>“Both dead within one day of each other and Shane’s last tweet was about Rod Marsh’s death. Vaccine injury or coincidence?” one person tweeted.</p> <p>“You really have to wonder if the vaccines killed Rod Marsh and Shane Warne, and if you dismiss it more fool you,” wrote another.</p> <p>Most online users were quick to condemn the “shameful” opportunism of these fringe anti-vax communities. </p> <p>“PSA. People had heart attacks before the vaccine and they will have them after the vaccine! Shane Warne died of a suspected heart attack,” one person posted.</p> <p>“It’s not even confirmed yet, but anti-vaxxers are already signing his death certificate. It’s shameful and disgusting.”</p> <p>Shane Warne's official cause of death has yet to be revealed, as his family are fighting for his body to be sent home to Australia. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Body

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Matt Preston posts "one of the finest hacks on TikTok"

<p dir="ltr">Former<span> </span><em>Masterchef<span> </span></em>judge and food critic Matt Preston has joined TikTok, and it seems people are divided on whether his presence on the platform is a good thing, or whether it’s a sign he’s “fallen from grace”.</p> <p dir="ltr">After sharing a tutorial on how to make sweet chilli instant ramen, which he calls “one of the finest hacks on TikTok”, Preston received numerous positive comments, with one commenter saying “tonight’s dinner plans have changed. We are all having Matt’s noodle recipe for dinner!” and another saying, “I am seriously loving you being on TikTok!”</p> <div class="embed"><iframe class="embedly-embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2F7026218413043305729&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40mattpreston%2Fvideo%2F7026218413043305729%3Flang%3Den&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" scrolling="no" title="tiktok embed" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div> <p dir="ltr">Not everyone was so complimentary, however. Several comments referenced his former role as judge on the ever-popular cooking show, with one writing, “The bloke’s really fallen from grace”, while another said, “The new judges are better than you and co ever were”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others wrote, “From a MasterChef judge to two-minute noodles chef, big drop”, and “That’s not good food”, while others rushed to defend him. “He could certainly find ways of building this TikTok, but wouldn’t say he’s fallen from grace just because he’s not viral. He’s a nice guy with good food,” one supporter said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Several asked him to write down the recipe as they couldn’t follow the fast-paced video, with one person commenting, “I respect this man for bringing his cooking to TikTok, looks amazing and I’m going to make it.” Several people commented on his appearance, with one person writing, “I don’t know what he cooked, I was too busy looking at his handsome face. What a man!” while another wrote, “Your hair, sir. It is magnificent. Truly!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Since joining the site in October, Preston has accrued nearly 50,000 followers and almost 420,000 likes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Preston made his TikTok debut shortly after it was announced that several former<span> </span><em>Masterchef<span> </span></em>stars will be returning in 2022 for a ‘Foodies vs Favourites’ season, including season one superstar Julie Goodwin.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Tiktok</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Outback wrangler helps his son tackle a two-metre python

<p>The world famous "outback wrangler" has divided the internet after sharing a video of his two-year-old son wrestling with a python.</p> <p><span>Matt Wright, who runs the Top End Safari camp in the Northern Territory, posted a video to Instagram of his son Banjo grappling with an olive python's tail, one of the largest snakes in Australia.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>Matt, who also hosts the popular National Geographic show <em>Outback Wrangler</em>, captioned the video "learning the ropes", as Banjo follows in his dad's footsteps. </span></p> <p><span>In the video, Banjo is seen dressed in his outback khaki outfit, as he desperately tries to pull the massive snake away from the family's property.</span><span></span></p> <p>“Pull him out buddy, pull him out,” Wright said, as Banjo holds onto the snake’s tail.</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/CUdYl01hDbV/?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/CUdYl01hDbV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by MATT WRIGHT - OUTBACK WRANGLER (@mattwright)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span>“Oh no, he’s wrapped up, here I’ll help you,” he added, as the python wraps himself around the pole and heads towards Wright’s feet.</span></p> <p><span>Matt helps his son untangle the snake from the pole of the house's exterior, before encouraging Banjo to keep pulling the snake back towards the bushes. </span></p> <p>When the snake refuses to budge, Banjo drops the tail and yells, “Oh no, oh no” before running back to his dad.</p> <p>Matt continues to encourage his son, before sweeping him off the ground when the toddler almost puts himself in a dangerous position.</p> <p>“Watch out, he’ll bite ya,” Wright said.</p> <p>“What are we gonna do? Go back and grab the tail. There you go, grab the tail. Two hands! Two hands!”</p> <p>Banjo appears to lose interest in taking the snake back to the bushes, with Wright trying to encourage his son again.</p> <p>“Quick, grab him, he’s going to bite Dad,” Wright jokes.</p> <p>The video was praised by many, with a lot of commenters comparing Matt's relationship with Banjo to the late Steve Irwin's relationship with Bindi.</p> <p>Despite the many positive comments, the wild clip wasn't received well by some.</p> <p>“Normally I love your videos but I’m not a fan of this behaviour. No need to stress the animal just for an Instagram video,” one wrote.</p> <p>“In America they would call child services lol,” another added.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram @mattwright</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Dear Evan Hansen is an inspiring and entertaining film

<p>When <em>Dear Evan Hansen</em> was released on Broadway over five years ago it became a generation defining Broadway phenomenon. Now we have the film version with Ben Platt reprising the main role and he does this with breathtaking results.</p> <p>Some critics have complained it's not realistic for Platt to play Evan Hansen in the film version because Platt’s now 27 years old and it’s difficult for him to play an anxious, isolated high schooler. But does it matter that he’s a bit older now?</p> <p>Well, from an audience's point of view, it doesn’t and when Platt starts to sing those amazing songs, we can see why he won an Emmy and a Grammy for the Broadway production. As well, we have the song-writing team from <em>La La Land</em> and <em>The Greatest Showman</em> writing the songs and everything works. </p> <p>Plus, the serious nature of this film – the fact it deals with teenage suicide and how hard it is for some people to simply get by – makes it an important film and one which could help a lot of people. This makes <em>Dear Evan Hansen</em> an important and inspiring film.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CjA50VxlxAw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>The storyline</strong></p> <p>The gist of the story is that Evan Hansen is a high school loner, awkward and inept with his only friend being the equally nerdy Jared (Nik Dodani).</p> <p>He shows up on the first day of school with a cast after breaking his arm, and he’s been instructed by his therapist to write “Dear Evan Hansen” letters to himself in order to work out his issues connecting with other people.</p> <p>Fellow student Connor Murphy (Colton Ryan) has a run-in with Evan and grabs one of said letters from a printer. A few days later, Connor’s mother Cynthia and stepfather Larry (Amy Addams, Danny Pino) show up at Evan’s school with the letter saying that Connor committed suicide, and they’ve determined that the letter “to Evan” was his suicide note.</p> <p>Instead of telling them the truth, Evan concocts an elaborate lie about being friends with Connor in order to sooth his parents’ misgivings about his death. In order to maintain that illusion, Evan continues to lie to them as well as to Connor’s sister, Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever from <em>Book Smart</em>), and his lie just snowballs.</p> <p>Pretty soon, the school’s social justice activist Alana (Amandla Stenberg) has up the Connor Project so that others who feel alone can feel seen and heard, and Evan has become hugely popular at school.</p> <p>But this doesn’t last forever and Hansen has to face up to his lie later on.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5d05305e536f427786bcdaecf7d7a755" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 359.29432013769366px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844257/evan-hansen-2-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5d05305e536f427786bcdaecf7d7a755" /></p> <p><strong>The singing really does work</strong></p> <p>Although a lot of the focus of the singing is on Platt and his quite beautiful voice, each of the other primary cast have some amazing singing moments, whether it’s Stenberg doing a song about feeling anonymous like Connor or the song, <em>Requiem</em>, which shows off the amazing singing prowess of Devo, Pino, and even Adams.</p> <p>Julianne Moore, who plays Evan’s hardworking single mother, even gets an absolutely epic number towards the end which will get the waterworks flowing if nothing beforehand has done that job.</p> <p><strong>The showstopper is <em>You Will be Found</em></strong></p> <p>The movie’s absolutely showstopper is the number <em>You Will be Found</em> and it’s another great example of how the songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul of <em>La La Land</em> fame translate so well to the screen. In fact, this song alone shows you why many people became obsessed with the Broadway version of <em>Dear Evan Hansen</em>.</p> <p>The film is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Stephen Chbosky (<em>The Perks of Being A Wallflower</em>, <em>Wonder</em>).and he shows here he has a strong grasp on social media, cyber bullying, viral videos, and even cancel culture and how it destroys people, including families.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6a5aa0b50b9b4978b0a9de506110c641" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.6550348953141px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844259/evan-hansen-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/93c5188b8e734808ba1159d8b2176137" /></p> <p><strong><em>Dear Evan Hansen</em></strong><strong> will be in cinemas by December 9</strong></p> <p>The film brings out many emotions and one of the reasons is because as we watch it, we can relate to so much of what Hansen is going through. The characters and the story feel very real, which is as much a testament to Chbosky as a filmmaker, but also his cast and the people behind the original musical.</p> <p>There’s a good reason why <em>Dear Evan Hansen </em>was such a success on Broadway, and a great deal of that is retained by the movie.</p> <p><em>Dear Evan Hansen</em> will be showing in cinemas by December 9 and there’ve been no announcements as to whether it will stream.</p> <p><em>Images: UPI</em></p>

Movies

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Home and Away star adopts daughter's best friend

<p>Former<em> Home and Away</em> heartthrob Mat Stevenson has “adopted” his transgender daughter Grace Hyland’s best friend, Belle Bambi, after she alleges her own father disowned her.</p> <p>Taking to social media app TikTok, Belle revealed Stevenson had taken her into his family.</p> <p>Grace shared her own clip too, applauding her father for being so accepting and understanding.</p> <p>“He’s always supported me, and he wants to support Bambi, too,” Grace said.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842981/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson-7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/92784897942645b188e459516c72c736" /></p> <p><em>Image: TikTok</em></p> <p>“We’re sisters now! My BFF’s dad left because she’s trans. So, we did this!”</p> <p>The adoption may not be legally binding, but it means just as much to Belle who has been a long-time family friend of Stevenson and Hyland.</p> <p>Grace’s dad has been a supporter of her transition since she decided to transition at the age of 12.</p> <p>Stevenson rose to fame while playing the Aussie heartthrob Adam Cameron, in<span> </span><em>Home And Away</em><em>.</em></p> <p><em><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842980/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0dfd88d0c5cf42069cfb90652f5a5329" /></em></p> <p><em>Image: Home and Away archives</em></p> <p>He told <em>The Sunday Project<span> </span></em>earlier this year that the suicide rate among transgender teenagers left him with a strong determination to make sure his daughter didn’t “become one of those statistics”.</p> <p>“Sadly, in this country, we have a really high adolescent suicide rate and it’s a tragedy. Trans-adolescents are 36 times more likely to self-harm, to commit suicide,” he said.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842977/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ba261e2c6f3248f6979c7c1cbf5cdb27" /></p> <p><em>Image: TikTok</em></p> <p>“There’s a distinct correlation between lack of support and self-harm.”</p> <p>Grace says she has been on her journey since she was 12, and had consulted doctors, psychologists and experts before she underwent any physical changes.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842976/home-and-away-trans-matt-stevenson-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f0ae618f8c234d4ba176ca3ea91e416b" /></p> <p><em>Image: The Sunday Project</em></p> <p>“I came out at 12 and then I went through a gradual transition until I was 14, to grow my hair out, to get my name change sorted, to sort out my blockers,” she revealed.</p> <p>“And then by the time I was 14, I was fully presenting as Grace to the public and at school.”</p>

Family & Pets

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Matt Damon’s unprompted confession sparks backlash from fans

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Matt Damon has received criticism following his recent revelation that he didn’t see an issue with using a homophobic slur up until “months ago”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 50-year-old star told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sunday Times</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> he used “the f-slur” while “at the table” with his family, prompting one of his daughters to tell him off.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The word that my daughter calls the ‘f-slur for a homosexual’ was commonly used when I was kid, with a different application,” he told the publication.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I made a joke, months ago, and got a treatise from my daughter. She left the table. I said, ‘Come on, that’s a joke! I say it in the movie </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Stuck on You</em>!</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">’,” he added, referencing his role as a conjoined twin with Greg Kinnear in the 2003 film.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“She went to her room and wrote a very long, beautiful treatise on how that word is dangerous. I said, ‘I retire the f-slur!’ I understood.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jason Bourne </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">actor shared the personal story unprompted, but has been met with backlash online from many who say they have “lost respect” for him.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The fact that Matt Damon’s daughter had to explain to him that saying a slur is wrong is insane,” one person tweeted.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I’ve lost some respect for Matt Damon for two reasons:<br /><br />1. Being a 51-year-old Harvard-educated person who only realized using homophobic slurs was a bad thing *months* ago; and<br /><br />2. Being foolish enough to think that was a cute story he should share with the world. <a href="https://t.co/WtudX2fGtb">pic.twitter.com/WtudX2fGtb</a></p> — Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) <a href="https://twitter.com/BettyBowers/status/1421933607170490374?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The chief TV critic for the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hollywood Reporter</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> wrote in a tweet: “As a member of the press, I like when celebrities talk to the press, but it’s always illuminating to hear the stories that folks like Liam Neeson or Matt Damon think are humanizing and charming, but actually reveal insulation and isolation (among other unsavory stuff) instead.” </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The interview was part of a feature story about the changing face of masculinity and the #MeToo movement which started in 2017.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When allegations against producer Harvey Weinstein were first emerging,” Damon said: “As the father of four daughters, this is the kind of sexual predation that keeps me up at night.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The comment also drew criticism, with many pointing out he should be angered about the issue for more reasons than just his role as a father.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In his recent interview with </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Times</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, he said he understands the anger and that “anybody should be offended by that behaviour”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Twenty years ago, the best way I can put it is that the journalist listened to the music more than the lyrics [of an interview]. Now your lyrics are getting parsed, to pull them out of context and get the best headline possible,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Everyone needs clicks. Before it didn’t really matter what I said, because it didn’t make the news. But maybe this shift is a good thing. So I shut the f**k up more.”</span></p>

Movies

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Young boy who saved his sister is "proud" of his scars

<p>The seven-year-old boy from Cheyenne, Wyoming, in the US, was hailed as a hero last year when he jumped in front of his younger sister to save her from being attacked by a German Shepherd.</p> <p>Called Bridger Walker, the boy says he’s “proud” of his scars and at the time, he explained his actions by saying: “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.”</p> <p>Bridger needed 90 stitches for the damage to his face and he’s since undergone multiple procedures, some pro bono, on his face, which has reduced the scarring, the <em>New York Post</em> reports.</p> <p>His dad, Robert, told <em>People</em><br />magazine that Bridger is still as humble a year later: My wife and I asked him, ‘Do you want it to go away?’ And he said, ‘I don’t want it to go all the way away’,” the father of five said.</p> <p>“Bridger views his scar as something to be proud of, but he also doesn’t see it as being representative of his brave act. He just perceives it as, ‘I was a brother and that’s what brothers do’. It’s a reminder that his sister didn’t get hurt, and that she is okay.”</p> <p>Celebrities from around the world — including Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo and Brie Larson — as well as strangers, sent Bridger gifts and letters for his act of courage.<br />“It was certainly unexpected when everything went viral,” Robert said. “It is not something we’d ever want to relive, but the light certainly outshone the darkness by exponential degrees.”</p> <p>“Chris Evans, his video was amazing and he sent the shield. Bridger couldn’t have been more delighted,” Robert said. “When he talked to Tom Holland, he was probably the most starstruck because that was a live call so that one certainly left an impression … His emotional recovery was really a worldwide effort and that was so special to us.”</p> <p>Bridger also attracted the attention of New York dermatologist, Dr Dhaval Bhanusali, who flew him out and treated him at his office for free.</p> <p>“He gave us so much hope,” said Robert, who said other doctors were pessimistic about how much they could help fix Bridger’s face. “That was kind of our first rainbow after all of this.”</p> <p>When the pandemic made cross-country trips to see Dr Bhanusali difficult, Bridger began seeing a doctor in Utah who also helped repair his scars.</p> <p>All of them have since helped reduce Bridger’s scarring and made him smile and feel optimistic again, his father said.</p> <p><em>Photo: nicolenoelwalker/Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Matt Damon photobombs Brisbane charity event and donates large sum

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Movie superstar Matt Damon, 50, surprised guests at a domestic violence charity event in Brisbane and made a generous donation.</p> <p>Damon and his wife Luciana Barroso, 45, have spent the last few days in Queensland and attended the event for Safe Haven at the Calile Hotel on Friday.</p> <p>“My mum founded a charity fighting domestic violence. During a fundraising lunch, Matt Damon dropped in and donated $10,000,” in a since-deleted post on social media network Reddit read.</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/COkU931JHzq/?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/COkU931JHzq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Louise Carroll (@louisecarroll21)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"Had the pleasure of meeting this gracious man today at the Safe Haven Community charity lunch. Matt Damon has a generous heart space ❤️ Well done to Catherine and her team at The Calile Hotel on such a successful fundraising lunch for such a needed cause," one excited fan wrote on Instagram.</p> <p>Damon is currently in Australia filming<span> </span><em>Thor: Love and Thunder</em><span> </span>alongside Chris Hemsworth, which is something Damon is "so excited" about.</p> <p>“I’m so excited that my family and I will be able to call Australia home for the next few months,” he said.</p> <p>“Australian film crews are world-renowned for their professionalism and are a joy to work with so the 14 days of quarantine will be well worth it.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Caring

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Matt Damon lists his $27.1 million zen-inspired Los Angeles home

<p><span>Hollywood heavyweight Matt Damon seems to be moving on from LA after listing his zen-inspired property for a whopping $27.1 million.</span><br /><br /><span>Mr. Damon is reportedly selling as he and his family want to make a base in New York City, according to Eric Haskell of The Agency.</span><br /><br /><span>The 50-year old is currently residing in Australia, but caused controversy when he received an exemption from quarantine in a NSW Hotel, and was instead allowed to isolate in a private residence.</span><br /><br /><span>Damon and his family are currently in Australia to film the Marvel blockbuster <em>Thor: Love and Thunder.</em></span><br /><br /><span>The LA home is situated in one of Pacific Palisades’ premiere streets, and is a home that is unlike any other.</span><br /><br /><span>With a mix of warm wood and stone, the zen paradise looks like something straight out of Hawaii.</span><br /><br /><span>“It’s like a tropical retreat,” Mr. Haskell said. “You don’t feel like you’re in Southern California anymore.”</span><br /><br /><span>The property boasts seven spacious bedrooms, 10 bathrooms and has a central atrium with a 10m vaulted mahogany ceiling and an open-plan living.</span><br /><br /><span>The beautiful home is also surrounded by lush landscaping, mature trees and sprawling grassy yards.</span><br /><br /><span>The backyard includes a children’s play area, large pool and spa, a waterfall, a koi pond and a large outdoor pavilion.</span><br /><br /><span>Other features include a game room, a bar, an office, a gym, a theatre room and a wine storage and tasting room.</span><br /><br /><span>The 50-year old and his wife Luciana Barroso purchased the LA home for US$15 million in 2012. </span></p>

Real Estate

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See inside Matt Damon’s $22 million Byron Bay beach pad

<p>Matt Damon and his family have been welcomed with open arms by the closely-knit beach town of Byron Bay, NSW.</p> <p>To seal in their spot as residents, the actor has reportedly scooped up a $22 million mansion in the area.</p> <p>The unbelievable home was snapped up after a little over four days on the market,<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/oscarwinner-matt-damon-rumoured-buyer-of-22m-byron-bay-home/news-story/bb64832c4ae44fe83b48b34dca23f5ec" target="_blank"><em>The Daily Telegraph</em></a><span> </span>reported.</p> <p>While it has not been confirmed if the Hollywood heavyweight added the five bedroom property under his belt, he is a heavy contender.</p> <p>The home has sweeping views that overlooks Wategos Beach and is regarded as the of the area's most prestigious homes.</p> <p>In the middle of a quiet coastal town, the incredible property has all the bells and whistles including a heated infinity pool, tall ceilings and open spaces to host large gatherings. </p> <p>The property also offers three bathrooms and three car spaces.  </p> <p>The Los Angeles based actor was spotted with his wife and three children holidaying in the coastal town in 2019 and rumours have ignited as to whether the family would be settling down.</p> <p>In 2019, Matt reportedly rented out the $4 million ($3.07m USD) property directly next door to Chris Hemsworth's property.</p>

Real Estate

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Irish locals "protecting Matt Damon like a glorious gem"

<p>Matt Damon has been quarantining in a tiny Irish village with his wife and children, and it seems everyone including the locals are loving it.</p> <p>The Hollywood heavyweight has become one of the world’s “nicest” celebrities and while living in Ireland to wait out the coronavirus, the star says it has been a “fairy-tale”.</p> <p>The US-based actor has been renting out a home in Dalkey, Ireland, on the outskirts of Dublin, since early March when he arrived with his family to finish shooting <em>The Last Duel</em> with Ridley Scott.</p> <p>However, the star, his wife and his three younger daughters chose to stay put rather than rush home on a private jet when the world plunged into a pandemic.</p> <p>While his presence in the small town was a tightly-kept secret, he was pictured taking a swim with his towel in a supermarket bag.</p> <p>The sight was quickly reported to a local radio station.</p> <p>“I honestly feel like I’m about to throw up … this doesn’t seem real,” said Nathan, of the <em>Fully Charged with Graham and Nathan</em> show.</p> <p>“I don’t know if you are aware but the Dalkey people are protecting you like a glorious gem,” he said. </p> <p><span>Damon laughed at the news and said he had “no idea” but it made him “realise how great this place was.”</span></p> <p>“It’s incredible, this is one of the most beautiful places we’ve ever been. Obviously what’s going on in the world is horrible but for my family it timed out.”</p> <p>The star explained that he moved there for what the family thought would be just eight weeks to shoot the movie.</p> <p>He and his wife also brought teachers for their three younger children as they would be out of school.</p> <p>“We’ve got what nobody else has which is actual live human beings teaching our kids. We feel guilty. We’ve got this kind of incredible set up in this place.”</p> <p>“It feels a little like a fairytale here.”</p> <p>The woman behind the photo of Damon explained excitedly what happened the day she bumped into him having a swim at a local beach.</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/CAIKcAKnBIY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/CAIKcAKnBIY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Siobhan Berry (@mummycooks)</a> on May 13, 2020 at 5:10am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“We were out for a family swim and we bumped into Matt and his family. It was all very cool – no one else around … just his (and my family) enjoying the freezing cold water and having a laugh!” Siobhan Berry of Mummy Cooks wrote on Instagram.</p> <p>“As we were all leaving, he very politely obliged for a photo, leaning in with his @supervalu_irl bag keeping the social distance!”</p> <p>“As he confirmed on the radio, he was holding a bag of swim gear and towels – not cans!!”</p> <p>She said the pair had initially agreed not to share the photo, but it leaked out via a family WhatsApp group.</p> <p>“We felt awful and really sorry about the whole situation; we wrote an apology letter to him but never got to deliver it. After hearing him on radio today, he obviously sees the funny side and the fact that the photo ultimately turned into one of the feel-good stories of the early summer.”</p>

International Travel

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​Matt Damon’s coronavirus secret: “We feel guilty”

<p><span>Matt Damon has admitted his oldest daughter had been diagnosed with coronavirus in New York City while he, his wife and three other children were quarantining in Ireland. </span><br /><br /><span>The 49-year-old actor admitted he had been shooting Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel when the country had begun to close down due to COVID-19 concerns. </span><br /><br /><span>He, along with wife Luciana Barroso, and children Isabella, 13, Gia, 12, and Stella, 9, stayed in Ireland while 20-year-old college student, Alexia, stayed stateside. </span><br /><br /><span>"She's in New York City and she had COVID really early on along with her roommates and got through it fine," Damon told Dublin radio station Spin 1038 in an interview shared Wednesday. </span><br /><br /></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/CAI57V_nDpF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/CAI57V_nDpF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Celebrity Kids ❤ (@_celebritykids_)</a> on May 13, 2020 at 12:05pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span> </span><br /><br /><span>"We'll reunite with her at the end of the month. But everybody's OK, obviously Lucy's mom and my mom – it's scary for that generation."</span><br /><br /><span>The star admitted that although filming has shut down for the time being, he and his family are well-equipped to deal with quarantine-life in a foreign country. </span><br /><br /><span>The kids have teachers there, because they were originally planning to miss about eight weeks of school while their dad worked. </span><br /><br /><span>"We've got what nobody else has, which is actual, live human beings teaching our kids," he said. "We feel guilty: We've got this kind of incredible setup in this place that's absolutely gorgeous."</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/99jR79uxke/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/99jR79uxke/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">gia isabella and stella damon</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/cutestlittles/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> cutest littles</a> (@cutestlittles) on Nov 11, 2015 at 2:44pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>The actor also spoke on his role in Contagion, which is a film that has drawn comparison to the coronavirus pandemic. </span><br /><br /><span>Damon said he reflected on the movie with screenwriter Scott Burns and some of the real-life epidemiologists who consulted for the film.</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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqz4-kbBS16/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/Bqz4-kbBS16/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by etalk (@etalkctv)</a> on Nov 30, 2018 at 8:13am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>"Anybody who says you couldn't predict this – I mean, just look at 'Contagion,'" Damon said. </span><br /><br /><span>“Ten years ago, we made a movie just by talking to experts and asking them 'How would this look? And how would it go down?' So it's upsetting. </span><br /><br /><span>“The whole thing is tragic and sad... I think at least now, we know what to do and we won't look at people like they're crazy when they tell us to go sit at home and wash our hands and socially distance."</span></p>

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Ex-MasterChef judge Matt Preston reveals dramatic weight loss

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Matt Preston has shown his <em>MasterChef</em> sabbatical has done wonders for his figure and has shared on social media his dramatic weight loss.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 58-year-old food critic admitted while chatting with</span><em><a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/matt-preston-exmasterchef-judge-reveals-incredible-weight-loss/news-story/85356d0fa7d2d7173d71bc0e25a1d2ab"> <span style="font-weight: 400;">Sydney Confidential</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that he had “dropped a bit of weight and put on a bit of muscle”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Preston revealed his transformation included overhauling his diet in a “general lifestyle change”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’ve been eating less, mainly plants but not restricting myself from anything. It is about having time, that moment when there are no more excuses,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While the British-born TV star is a self-proclaimed moderate eater in order to maintain his newfound figure, he admitted he is still going to treat himself to an “occasional” burger or pizza.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While he hasn’t revealed just how much weight he has lost – with no intention to do so in the near future either – Preston says he measures his weight success against different sighs, such as “if people notice and whether your clothes fit”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Logie Award winner is gearing up to begin filming for his new show he will be co-hosting, Channel 7’s </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Plate of Origin</em>, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">in 2020.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Viewers will see Preston reunite with fellow former </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">MasterChef</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> judge Gary Mehigan.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Matt and Gary’s old colleague George Calombaris has remained noticeably absent from the program which will see a team of cooks from different cultural backgrounds battle it out for the top prize.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Plate of Origin</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is expected to hit TV screens after the Tokyo Olympics wraps up in early August 2020.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Season 12 of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">MasterChef Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> will feature a new judging line up that includes Jock Zonfrillo, Melissa Leong and Andy Allen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Scroll through the gallery to see former <em>MasterChef</em> star Matt Preston’s dramatic weight loss. </span></p>

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Australian tennis legend passes away aged 64

<p>Former Australian Davis Cup tennis star Peter McNamara has died aged 64.</p> <p>“Macca,” who reached a career-high number seven in the world in 1983, left a memorable mark when he beat two all-time greats Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl to win two of his five singles titles.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.39400921658984px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7828812/eacpdumueaiyi11-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8fca7dad11f949949a1e0a3f6767101c" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Peter McNamara, 2014. </em></p> <p>However, what the tennis star was perhaps most highly regarded for was his doubles partnership with Paul McNamee – the duo went on to win Wimbledon twice in 1980 and 1982 as well as the Australian Open in 1979.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Hard to believe that after 50 years of friendship Macca is gone... you lived life to the full mate and will be missed by your loved ones and many more...a toast to the great times mate <a href="https://t.co/0RVbCD6ZRd">pic.twitter.com/0RVbCD6ZRd</a></p> — Paul McNamee (@PaulFMcNamee) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulFMcNamee/status/1153066090760511490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Melbourne-born McNamara retired in 1987 and enjoyed a successful coaching career.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">So saddened to wake up to the news of Peter McNamara’s passing overnight. A great player, great coach that improved every player he worked with, and gun of a person. Big hugs to his family, friends and of course, his great mate <a href="https://twitter.com/PaulFMcNamee?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PaulFMcNamee</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPMacca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPMacca</a> 😔 <a href="https://t.co/CeFBai2jYI">pic.twitter.com/CeFBai2jYI</a></p> — Darren Cahill (@darren_cahill) <a href="https://twitter.com/darren_cahill/status/1153063153724354560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>He coached Mark Philippoussis and guided Grigor Dimitrov in his formative years. More recently, he coached Matt Ebden and Wang Qiang.</p> <p>Until February, McNamara worked with Qiang and helped her to reach the world’s top 20 in their four-year partnership.</p> <p>The Aussie legend died peacefully at his home in Germany on Saturday night after a long and brave battle with prostate cancer.</p> <p>David Law, commentator and long-time friend of the tennis star and coach said McNamara went on to compete in exhibition matches and coach throughout his illness without many people ever knowing about his personal health issues.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">So sad to wake up &amp; hear the news of Peter McNamara’s passing 😢 he was always one of the coaches I could sit down with on tour &amp; be able to have a great chat with. Mostly about life &amp; our kids. I will never forgot him telling me to live my life &amp; be happy with who I am <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPMacca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPMacca</a></p> — Casey Dellacqua OLY (@caseydellacqua) <a href="https://twitter.com/caseydellacqua/status/1153042613152337920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>McNamara is survived by his wife Petra, his children and grandchildren.</p> <p>The tennis world took to social media to voice their love and admiration of the late tennis legend.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">When you represent Australia.. you get the chance of meeting so many good people. One of them was Australian tennis legend Peter McNamara. Ripper bloke and will sadly be missed. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPMacca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPMacca</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tennis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tennis</a> 😪</p> — Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) <a href="https://twitter.com/ProfDeano/status/1153074719203233795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Peter McNamara was one of the greats, a great person. He gave his all to everything he did, respected life &amp; always had a smile &amp; time for you. He’s someone you wanted to be in the trenches with. He fought in silence and now he can rest peacefully . <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPMacca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPMacca</a></p> — roger rasheed (@roger_rasheed) <a href="https://twitter.com/roger_rasheed/status/1153038830552772608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">One of the greats 🇦🇺 🙏<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPMacca?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RIPMacca</a> <a href="https://t.co/iYJvS3qDBq">pic.twitter.com/iYJvS3qDBq</a></p> — TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) <a href="https://twitter.com/TennisAustralia/status/1153078863129264128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2019</a></blockquote>

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Flashback! How MKR’s Pete and Manu have changed a decade on

<p>Since Channel Seven’s hit cooking show <em>My Kitchen Rules</em> debuted on TV screens across the nation almost 10 years ago, Pete Evans and Manu Feildel have been on one heck of a journey, attending countless instant restaurants and embarking on hundreds of flights around Australia – all in the name of finding the country's best home cooks.</p> <p>Pete recently shared a flashback image of himself on his Instagram account – believed to be from an early season of <em>MKR</em> – and noted how different he looks.</p> <p>“Ahhh the days before paleo…#inflammation,” the celebrity chef commented.</p> <p>Pete further explained to a fan, “I was severely inflamed all through my body (and) about a month after eating paleo 100% all of that inflammation disappeared, and I never felt better.”</p> <p>Meanwhile, earlier this year Manu hinted it might be time to hang up his <em>MKR</em> apron and not return for the tenth season in 2019.</p> <p>The father-of-two revealed he had “achieved my dreams” by appearing on the hit reality TV show, but also admitted he had some “really good moments and some not so good”.</p> <p>“Sometimes when they get you around the table, you go, ‘You know, I don’t really want to be here,’” the 45-year-old confessed.</p> <p>“It’s just a negative place sometimes,” Manu added.</p> <p>“I need to balance my life, otherwise you forget and then you go crazy.”</p> <p>Do you remember what Pete and Manu looked like when <em>MKR</em> first premiered in 2010?</p> <p>Take a look through the gallery above! And tell us in the comments below, which has been your favourite season of <em>MKR</em>?</p>

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