There will be many of you who will aware of me talking about one of my oldest and best friends Darrell @djoptic and his mission to beat the enemy which is Sarcoma cancer. In the early hours of Saturday morning, four and a half years after he was diagnosed, after a week of saying goodbyes to those he loved, sharing stories and banter, he took his final breath surrounded by his wonderful wife @mrsamymcdonald and children Maya and Theo. He has been my brother since we met at 16 years old, I was the best man at his wedding, and god-mother to his eldest. The nonsense our little crew would get up to was hilarious back in the day, he was there for every milestone. My heart is broken into a million pieces. He was by far one of the kindest men I’ve ever met, and throughout his treatment he made it his mission to shine a light on Sarcoma alongside @sarcoma_uk in the hope no other family had to go through what he and his family went through: raising awareness, raising money, educating doctors. He was quite simply, amazing. His wife @mrsamymcdonald is honestly the best of all of us. I’ve watched her in awe over the past 4 years. I wish I could hug her pain away, because at this point life just feels very very unfair. I’m returning to work today, because I just don’t know what else to do tbh. Grief can sometimes just make you feel a little lost. Message your besties and let them know how much they are loved xx
There will be many of you who will aware of me talking about one of my oldest and best friends Darrell @djoptic and his mission to beat the enemy which is Sarcoma cancer. In the early hours of Saturday morning, four and a half years after he was diagnosed, after a week of saying goodbyes to those he loved, sharing stories and banter, he took his final breath surrounded by his wonderful wife @mrsamymcdonald and children Maya and Theo. He has been my brother since we met at 16 years old, I was the best man at his wedding, and god-mother to his eldest. The nonsense our little crew would get up to was hilarious back in the day, he was there for every milestone. My heart is broken into a million pieces. He was by far one of the kindest men I’ve ever met, and throughout his treatment he made it his mission to shine a light on Sarcoma alongside @sarcoma_uk in the hope no other family had to go through what he and his family went through: raising awareness, raising money, educating doctors. He was quite simply, amazing. His wife @mrsamymcdonald is honestly the best of all of us. I’ve watched her in awe over the past 4 years. I wish I could hug her pain away, because at this point life just feels very very unfair. I’m returning to work today, because I just don’t know what else to do tbh. Grief can sometimes just make you feel a little lost. Message your besties and let them know how much they are loved xx
Thanks to everyone who’s reached out on DM etc… but having taken a few weeks out from personally posting on IG, the fog of grief has lifted a bit and I feel like sharing again xx
That day three months ago when I squatted 92.5kg and @1judilove was there to document it. Best. Hype. Girl. Ever. (I’ve since reached 100kg! 👌🏾)
WELCOME TO THE 4TH FLOOR!! Today my sister @_carinawh turns 40!! She’s a woman that never ceases to make me even prouder as each year passes. When she moved to the other side of the world, my heart broke a little… but my love and our bond never weakened. When you grow through your formative years without a mum, it’s hard maaaaan. And we’ve had our ups and downs – but she will always be my person. She annoys me, she winds me up, she’s the naughty to my nice. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. I have to wait a month before I can give her birthday hugs, but we’ll be doing it in style 😉🤫 Love you to the moon and back sis 💕
“The class system, so quintessentially British, is holding us back from developing more cohesively as a society,” writes Charlene White. “My mum went to secondary school here, after moving from Jamaica with her parents. Her and her sister’s melodic, beautiful Jamaican dialect immediately prompted assumptions from teachers that they were of low intelligence. “This meant that when that generation had their own children, they wanted more control over how they were treated. For my parents, making sure my heavy south London twang was slowly but surely softened was part of that. “I’ve been in journalism for almost 30 years… the blatant classism that exists in parts of this industry even now would have made it nigh on impossible for me to enter with a heavy south London accent. “We still link how ‘posh’ someone sounds to their intelligence… It would be great if we lived in a society that based its ideas about intelligence on the content of what someone is saying, on someone’s ability to masterfully use the English language, on how messages are conveyed, on how important those messages are – not on the clipped tones in which that message is relayed.” However, things are changing – both for @charlenewhite and amongst younger generations. ⬆️ Tap the link in @theipaper’s bio to find out why – or comment ‘Read more’ to receive the link in your DMs.
“The class system, so quintessentially British, is holding us back from developing more cohesively as a society,” writes Charlene White. “My mum went to secondary school here, after moving from Jamaica with her parents. Her and her sister’s melodic, beautiful Jamaican dialect immediately prompted assumptions from teachers that they were of low intelligence. “This meant that when that generation had their own children, they wanted more control over how they were treated. For my parents, making sure my heavy south London twang was slowly but surely softened was part of that. “I’ve been in journalism for almost 30 years… the blatant classism that exists in parts of this industry even now would have made it nigh on impossible for me to enter with a heavy south London accent. “We still link how ‘posh’ someone sounds to their intelligence… It would be great if we lived in a society that based its ideas about intelligence on the content of what someone is saying, on someone’s ability to masterfully use the English language, on how messages are conveyed, on how important those messages are – not on the clipped tones in which that message is relayed.” However, things are changing – both for @charlenewhite and amongst younger generations. ⬆️ Tap the link in @theipaper’s bio to find out why – or comment ‘Read more’ to receive the link in your DMs.
Throwback to last week when @loosewomen picked up an @royaltelevisionsociety award for Best Daytime, in recognition of the launch of our Facing It Together campaign highlighting domestic abuse. The campaign only worked because of the bravery of those in the Loose Women who chose to speak openly about the abuse they have suffered in past relationships. I know how hard it was for them, and although we couldn’t hug away their pain and tears away that day – we knew we had each other throughout. We just wanted people to know they’re not alone in whatever they’re going through. I am, as always, incredibly proud of the women I work alongside. But it would never have worked without our amazing team who work behind the camera, who made them feel safe enough to tell those stories – and made sure we were supported throughout. Huge thanks to the charities who worked with us on this campaign. And whether you’re a victim, a survivor, family or a friend… remember that we are facing this together. It’s the only way we can hold on to hope that things can change. Styled by: @mothershoppers Make up: @francescajordan Dress: @goddivafashion Shoes: @stuartweitzman Earrings: @sknbysn
Throwback to last week when @loosewomen picked up an @royaltelevisionsociety award for Best Daytime, in recognition of the launch of our Facing It Together campaign highlighting domestic abuse. The campaign only worked because of the bravery of those in the Loose Women who chose to speak openly about the abuse they have suffered in past relationships. I know how hard it was for them, and although we couldn’t hug away their pain and tears away that day – we knew we had each other throughout. We just wanted people to know they’re not alone in whatever they’re going through. I am, as always, incredibly proud of the women I work alongside. But it would never have worked without our amazing team who work behind the camera, who made them feel safe enough to tell those stories – and made sure we were supported throughout. Huge thanks to the charities who worked with us on this campaign. And whether you’re a victim, a survivor, family or a friend… remember that we are facing this together. It’s the only way we can hold on to hope that things can change. Styled by: @mothershoppers Make up: @francescajordan Dress: @goddivafashion Shoes: @stuartweitzman Earrings: @sknbysn
Throwback to last week when @loosewomen picked up an @royaltelevisionsociety award for Best Daytime, in recognition of the launch of our Facing It Together campaign highlighting domestic abuse. The campaign only worked because of the bravery of those in the Loose Women who chose to speak openly about the abuse they have suffered in past relationships. I know how hard it was for them, and although we couldn’t hug away their pain and tears away that day – we knew we had each other throughout. We just wanted people to know they’re not alone in whatever they’re going through. I am, as always, incredibly proud of the women I work alongside. But it would never have worked without our amazing team who work behind the camera, who made them feel safe enough to tell those stories – and made sure we were supported throughout. Huge thanks to the charities who worked with us on this campaign. And whether you’re a victim, a survivor, family or a friend… remember that we are facing this together. It’s the only way we can hold on to hope that things can change. Styled by: @mothershoppers Make up: @francescajordan Dress: @goddivafashion Shoes: @stuartweitzman Earrings: @sknbysn
Throwback to last week when @loosewomen picked up an @royaltelevisionsociety award for Best Daytime, in recognition of the launch of our Facing It Together campaign highlighting domestic abuse. The campaign only worked because of the bravery of those in the Loose Women who chose to speak openly about the abuse they have suffered in past relationships. I know how hard it was for them, and although we couldn’t hug away their pain and tears away that day – we knew we had each other throughout. We just wanted people to know they’re not alone in whatever they’re going through. I am, as always, incredibly proud of the women I work alongside. But it would never have worked without our amazing team who work behind the camera, who made them feel safe enough to tell those stories – and made sure we were supported throughout. Huge thanks to the charities who worked with us on this campaign. And whether you’re a victim, a survivor, family or a friend… remember that we are facing this together. It’s the only way we can hold on to hope that things can change. Styled by: @mothershoppers Make up: @francescajordan Dress: @goddivafashion Shoes: @stuartweitzman Earrings: @sknbysn
Throwback to last week when @loosewomen picked up an @royaltelevisionsociety award for Best Daytime, in recognition of the launch of our Facing It Together campaign highlighting domestic abuse. The campaign only worked because of the bravery of those in the Loose Women who chose to speak openly about the abuse they have suffered in past relationships. I know how hard it was for them, and although we couldn’t hug away their pain and tears away that day – we knew we had each other throughout. We just wanted people to know they’re not alone in whatever they’re going through. I am, as always, incredibly proud of the women I work alongside. But it would never have worked without our amazing team who work behind the camera, who made them feel safe enough to tell those stories – and made sure we were supported throughout. Huge thanks to the charities who worked with us on this campaign. And whether you’re a victim, a survivor, family or a friend… remember that we are facing this together. It’s the only way we can hold on to hope that things can change. Styled by: @mothershoppers Make up: @francescajordan Dress: @goddivafashion Shoes: @stuartweitzman Earrings: @sknbysn
Fun morning kicking off ITV’s 70th birthday celebrations with Queen Camilla and lots of familiar ITV faces.. And yes, I did inadvertently wear a suit that matched ITV’s corporate colours… much to everyone’s amusement! 😂 Suit: @thefoldlondon Jewellery: @omololajewellery Shoes: @stevemaddenuk Styled by: @mothershoppers Make-up: @paulinebriscoe
Fun morning kicking off ITV’s 70th birthday celebrations with Queen Camilla and lots of familiar ITV faces.. And yes, I did inadvertently wear a suit that matched ITV’s corporate colours… much to everyone’s amusement! 😂 Suit: @thefoldlondon Jewellery: @omololajewellery Shoes: @stevemaddenuk Styled by: @mothershoppers Make-up: @paulinebriscoe
Fun morning kicking off ITV’s 70th birthday celebrations with Queen Camilla and lots of familiar ITV faces.. And yes, I did inadvertently wear a suit that matched ITV’s corporate colours… much to everyone’s amusement! 😂 Suit: @thefoldlondon Jewellery: @omololajewellery Shoes: @stevemaddenuk Styled by: @mothershoppers Make-up: @paulinebriscoe
Fun morning kicking off ITV’s 70th birthday celebrations with Queen Camilla and lots of familiar ITV faces.. And yes, I did inadvertently wear a suit that matched ITV’s corporate colours… much to everyone’s amusement! 😂 Suit: @thefoldlondon Jewellery: @omololajewellery Shoes: @stevemaddenuk Styled by: @mothershoppers Make-up: @paulinebriscoe
Fun morning kicking off ITV’s 70th birthday celebrations with Queen Camilla and lots of familiar ITV faces.. And yes, I did inadvertently wear a suit that matched ITV’s corporate colours… much to everyone’s amusement! 😂 Suit: @thefoldlondon Jewellery: @omololajewellery Shoes: @stevemaddenuk Styled by: @mothershoppers Make-up: @paulinebriscoe
Fun morning kicking off ITV’s 70th birthday celebrations with Queen Camilla and lots of familiar ITV faces.. And yes, I did inadvertently wear a suit that matched ITV’s corporate colours… much to everyone’s amusement! 😂 Suit: @thefoldlondon Jewellery: @omololajewellery Shoes: @stevemaddenuk Styled by: @mothershoppers Make-up: @paulinebriscoe
Just a snap from when our Charlene, Coleen, Janet & Denise auditioned to play The Beatles in the newly announced biopic 🤣 #loosewomen
‘I wasn’t going to let anybody dictate who I should be as a journalist’ On #Bookshelfie this week is pioneering broadcaster, journalist and author, @charlenewhite. Listen as Charlene talks to Vick all about the books that have shaped her throughout her life, how she defined her own career as a journalist and more. You can listen and subscribe to #Bookshelfie wherever you get your podcasts (link in bio) With thanks to @baileysofficial
‘I cannot be a Mum when I’m still dealing with the grief of losing my own’ @charlenewhite discussing @jillhalfpenny’s ‘A Life Reimagined,’ and how she’s learnt to deal with grief and loss, on this week’s episode of #Booksheflie. Listen to learn more, and to discover Charlene’s four other top books by women. If you’ve enjoyed this week’s episode with Charlene, why not rate #Bookshelfie on your podcast platform of choice? With thanks to @baileysofficial
New Podcast alert 🚨 Comparing playlists with the King and a Commonwealth Day conundrum… what does it all mean for the Realm of Canada (where Charles is King and Head of State) 🇨🇦 👑 Plus, in the @itvnews archives: how Charles survived an avalanche on this week in 1988. 🎙️ Talking Royals: On @itvxofficial On @youtube On @applepodcasts On @spotify • #royals #royalfamily #britishroyalfamily #britishroyals #kingcharles #king #kingcharlesiii #princesskate #katemiddleton #princessofwales #princewilliam #princeofwales #podcast #podcasts #talkingroyals With @charlenewhite @chris.ship.itv @lizzierobinsonitv
“The days, weeks and months after I gave birth to my first child, Alfie, are still a blur,” writes Charlene White. “The memories I have still feel quite painful, almost eight years after he was born.” “I always knew I wanted to be a mum: I don’t think there was ever a time in my life where I thought I would be anything but. Having helped my dad raise my two younger siblings, I was in some ways prepared for what raising little ones entails and a few friends from school had kids before me, so I had a vague idea of the rollercoaster that is parenting. “But what I wasn’t prepared for was the sheer exhaustion that runs through every single inch of your body. From your brain through to the ends of your fingertips, and down to the soles of your feet. Exhaustion of a kind that I had never experienced in my whole life. “I thought I knew tiredness – in my twenties, I practically raved every night and held down a full-time job. But this? It felt like torture.” ⬆️ At the link in @theipaper’s bio, @charlenewhite shares the things she wish she’d have known as a new mum. ⬇️ Comment ‘Read more’ to receive them in your DMs.
“I’m one of those ‘eat my feelings’ kinda gals,” writes Charlene White. “In moments of extreme sadness, I turn to food… when I need comfort, I will always turn to my favourite thing on a starter menu – chicken wings. “And since my best mate Darrell died a month ago, I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of time and energy devouring chicken wings, usually with a delicious glass of Rioja to wash them down (I may hail from south-east London, but I’m very classy with it). “I’ve spent a lot of time at Darrell’s house over the past month… After every visit I would need time alone just to decompress before walking through the door of my own house and hugging my kids. “So where did I end up? In the pub, making my way through ‘my usual’. And on the nights when it was just too late to be hanging out in the pub on my own, I’d order some wings. “I was so consumed by sadness, I sought comfort in the thing that always connected me, Darrell and our south-east London roots – wings.” ⬆️ Tap the link in @theipaper’s bio to find out when “it hit me… I couldn’t do this any more”. ⬇️ Comment ‘Read more’ to receive the article in your DMs.
