Ben Duncan seemed to be living an enviable life, surrounded by a valuable property portfolio, high-profile friends and the kind of glamorous social circle that extended from London’s party circuit to the Royal Family.

The 45-year-old made his home in a stylish Pimlico apartment and built a successful career in television. That work brought regular invitations to lavish champagne receptions and exclusive events, where he was a familiar figure.

While studying at St Andrews University, Duncan became acquainted with Prince William and Kate Middleton. His later appearance on Big Brother in 2010 helped propel him into the world of television and celebrity.

Yet when Duncan died last October after falling from the rooftop of London’s five-star Trafalgar St James hotel, those closest to him said the tragedy did not come entirely without warning. He had been battling depression for some time.

Following his death, Duncan was widely remembered as the person who brought energy and laughter to any gathering. Behind that outgoing public image, however, his mental health had worsened, especially after several friends died within a relatively short period.

The true state of his finances also emerged only after his death, when the trustees handling his estate reviewed his assets and liabilities. Once his debts had been cleared, the wealth he left behind amounted to just £90,000.

The £90,000 represented the final value of Duncan’s estate and was left entirely to his mother. The figure had fallen from an initial gross total of £220,000 after outstanding debts, costs and other expenses were deducted.

Although £90,000 would still be a substantial amount for many people, the sum highlighted how far Duncan’s financial reality differed from the impression created by his glamorous social life. Among those in his circle were politician-turned-broadcaster Michael Portillo, celebrated socialite Nicky Haslam and, before his later public disgrace, US ambassador Peter Mandelson.

The privately educated television personality, who attended St Andrews between 2001 and 2005, had grown increasingly anxious about money. Property investments in Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle had failed to deliver the returns he expected.

A series of unsuccessful investments placed further pressure on Duncan, while he was also said to be frustrated by the direction of his career and disillusioned with the wider state of the country.

One of the people who saw most clearly how Duncan was feeling in the months before his death was veteran broadcaster Mike Hollingsworth. The pair were exceptionally close, with Duncan describing Hollingsworth as a second father.

Hollingsworth felt the same affection, referring to Duncan as “another son”.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said Duncan had been “slightly naive” about property ownership and may have made poor investment decisions that later weighed heavily on him.

Duncan owned several properties in northern England while living in London, meaning he relied on others to manage them. Hollingsworth said the constant requests for money to cover repairs and other costs had become a major source of anxiety.

“I got the idea that he wished he hadn’t gone into property,” Hollingsworth said. “It just wasn’t his shtick. He wasn’t a business-minded individual. He was very creative and very fond of people, but not so fond of the business life.”

Hollingsworth, now 80 and formerly married to breakfast television presenter Anne Diamond, met Duncan in 2010. Their friendship deepened over the years, and he eventually took on the role of Duncan’s agent.

And just ten days before his death he received a call from Mr Duncan, who told him he was feeling suicidal and wanted to say goodbye.

Mr Hollingsworth rushed to his hotel and ‘talked him out of it’ – but it plainly wasn’t a permanent fix. Ben would be found dead just ten days later.

Mr Hollingsworth, who also represented other TV presenters including Kirsty Young and Donal MacIntyre, said Ben’s fear of ageing had contributed to his depression and in his final years he struggled with insomnia and became increasingly reclusive.

He went on: ‘He was a Peter Pan figure and I think it depressed him to be getting older. He was young at heart. When he died he was 45 but people would think he was in his 30s.

‘It was the feeling of getting older that troubled him. He had the most magnificent head of hair but he was worried in the morning when he would comb it and hair would come out.

‘That was a sign of ageing but whenever you met him he looked the same as when you last saw him, he never seemed to age.’

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But his body was catching up with him and he found sleeping increasingly challenging.

‘He found it very difficult to get up in the morning.

‘There was a joke that was made at his funeral,’ said Mr Hollingsworth. ‘That it was probably the first time he arrived anywhere on time’.

Mr Duncan also felt increasingly dissatisfied with his career, his friend explained.

He first gained public attention in 2010 after appearing on Channel 4’s Big Brother where he was depicted as ‘posh’ in contrast to Bristol-born Josie Gibson, who went on to win the show.

Mr Duncan also appeared on numerous reality shows including Celebrity Coach Trip, Come Dine With Me and ITV’s Ladette To Lady, and later presented a number of programmes including More Than A Mistress.

While at St Andrews he was present at the famous moment when Kate Middleton dazzled as a model in a university fashion show, famously credited for capturing William’s attention.

And he was seen as an authority on the British Royal Family by international broadcasters who were enthralled by his accent and supposedly upper class charm.

Mr Duncan was consequently hired to broadcast on royal weddings and funerals for foreign audiences.

But he found television opportunities in the UK were increasingly harder to come by.

‘People perceived him as a posh boy and a man about Mayfair,’ said Mr Hollingsworth. ‘But the posh boy voice slightly worked against him in ordinary life.

‘His Oxbridge pronunciation didn’t quite suit broadcasting these days and that really got to him because there were fewer jobs.

‘His voice probably deceived a lot of people as to how he might respond to them. He made lots of friends in all sorts of different walks of life. One time he saw a woman sleeping on the street and made room for her in his flat. He was that sort of person.

‘I think he could have done an awful lot more on television. He would light up a room with his personality, was hugely versed in politics and was extremely well read. I think he could have been a Jacob Rees-Mogg sort of figure.’

Mr Duncan’s accent was far from the only characteristic he shared with the Conservative MP. He was also a passionate Brexiteer and tried to become a Tory election candidate.

He told friends he was fed up with the state of the country and was depressed at how Brexit wasn’t working as well as he had hoped.

Mr Hollingsworth added: ‘He was very unhappy at the way the country had gone. I think he would rather have been born much earlier because he was a perfect individual for the 1950s or 1960s and that’s why he associated with a lot of older people, because he liked to talk about how life used to be.’

Mr Duncan was upset at what he perceived as Britain’s desertion of the Commonwealth and campaigned for closer ties with former colonies.

His financial career and political frustrations were compounded by the death of a number of friends in the years before his own.

He was very attached to Dame Jilly Cooper, the famous ‘bonkbuster’ author, and they frequently wrote long letters to each other.

She died just three weeks before Mr Duncan.

As well as the emotional damage, their deaths also reminded him he was getting older himself, it’s believed.

Mr Duncan fell to his death from the rooftop bar of the five-star hotel on October 30 last year.

On Monday his family interred his ashes next to where his late father is buried. An inquest into his death will begin on December 8.

Open TikTok on almost any morning and you may see wellness creators adding a pinch of Celtic Sea salt or pink Himalayan salt to a glass of warm water.

The viral “biohacking” ritual is promoted as a way to achieve cellular-level hydration, boost energy and even tackle so-called adrenal fatigue. Its message is simple: ordinary tap water supposedly is no longer enough.

Supporters often describe pink Himalayan salt as a more natural option because it is considered less processed and more unrefined than standard table salt.

But does mineral salt in your morning water offer a genuine wellness advantage—or is it merely a high-sodium health trend that may create risks for the heart and blood vessels?

The Daily Mail consulted leading nutrition specialists to examine the science behind the social media claims.

Unpacking the Social Media Hydration Hype

Fans of salted water argue that sodium helps transport fluid into the body’s cells more efficiently than drinking plain water alone.

Yet nutrition experts say the human body is already highly effective at taking in fluids after waking up, without needing an added dose of salt.

“For the average healthy adult, drinking plain water in the morning is all you need for proper hydration,” Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, told the Daily Mail.

Extra sodium may be useful after prolonged, heavy sweating or certain serious illnesses, but most people do not need it simply to get their digestive or circulatory systems moving at the start of the day.

“For someone who isn’t losing large amounts of fluid through sweating or illness, a pinch of salt is unlikely to provide any meaningful hydration benefit over plain water,” said Caroline Meehan, a registered dietitian and clinical nutrition manager at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia.

The Truth About Trace Minerals

Another major claim behind the trend is that unrefined salts provide a broad spectrum of essential trace minerals, including magnesium, potassium and calcium.

Although those minerals can be detected in some mineral salts, dietitians say the quantities found in a single pinch are far too small to make a meaningful nutritional difference.

“Pink Himalayan and other mineral salts do contain trace amounts of minerals, but they’re present in such small amounts that you’re unlikely to get a meaningful nutritional benefit from adding a pinch to your water,” Meehan explained.

A 2023 study published in Nutrients likewise found that the mineral content of unrefined culinary salts was too low to contribute substantially to recommended daily intakes or produce a significant biological effect.

Foods such as bananas, leafy greens and berries offer considerably more potassium and other important nutrients, along with fiber and a wider range of health benefits.

“The amount in a pinch of salt is too low to provide health benefits or alter physiology in any significant way,” Zumpano said.

Debunking the Adrenal Fatigue Myth

One of the most persuasive claims on social media is that drinking salt water in the morning supports the adrenal glands and can relieve persistent fatigue.

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However, medical experts say there is a clear divide between popular online wellness language and the evidence-based principles of clinical endocrinology.

‘Adrenal fatigue is not a recognized medical diagnosis,’ Zumpano explains.

While true adrenal disorders like Addison’s disease do require specialized medical management and electrolyte monitoring, routine stress and morning tiredness do not mean your adrenal glands are starving for salt.

‘There isn’t evidence that healthy adults need to drink salt water in the morning to support normal adrenal function,’ Meehan added.

Hidden Health Risks and Red Flags

Far from being a harmless wellness ritual, starting your morning with a shot of salt poses genuine health risks, especially for individuals with underlying heart or kidney conditions.

‘Adding extra salt can increase blood levels of sodium, which causes the body to hold on to more fluid, which in turn increases blood pressure,’ warned Zumpano. 

To that point, a 2023 study published in the journal Hypertension cited that routine incremental additions to daily dietary sodium significantly elevate arterial stiffness and systemic blood pressure, even among healthy adults. 

Those living with high blood pressure, kidney disease or heart failure are strongly advised to avoid adding raw salt to their morning beverages, as excess sodium can lead to fluid retention, swelling in the limbs and heightened cardiac strain, per The American Heart Association.

Understanding Daily Sodium Limits

Most adults already consume far more sodium than their bodies require through standard daily meals. 

The FDA caps sodium at 2,300mg daily, but Americans average closer to 3,300mg. One teaspoon of unrefined salt on its own adds another 1,700-2,000mg before breakfast.

‘Adding salt to your morning water simply adds to your overall intake, and sodium can add up quickly throughout the day,’ Meehan cautions.

Medically Approved Morning Hydration Hacks

If you want to optimize your morning hydration routine without exposing your body to unnecessary cardiovascular risks, simple evidence-based habits are far superior to viral fads.

‘Start your day with plain water. Aim for 8–16oz (about 1–2 cups) of room-temperature or cool water upon waking,’ Zumpano told the Daily Mail. 

If plain water feels uninspiring, consider infusing your water with a bit of natural flavor, getting some extra antioxidants while you’re at it. 

‘If you want to jazz it up a bit, add lemon, lime, cucumber, mint or fruit for extra flavor,’ Meehan suggested. 

The Takeaway

While adding pink mineral salt to morning water continues to trend across social media platforms, medical consensus remains clear that plain water alongside a nutrient-dense diet is all your body needs to stay optimally hydrated. 

‘For most people, plain water and a balanced diet will get the job done,’ Meehan emphasized. 

So, in a nutshell, relying on whole foods and adequate fluids is a far safer and more effective path to long-term wellness.

A group of wealthy but largely unknown donors with little record of political giving has poured millions of dollars into campaigns backing far-left candidates in the 2026 midterm elections.

Progressive candidates have secured a series of primary victories across the country in recent months, aided by groups such as the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), Democratic establishment donors and “anti-AIPAC” super PACs.

Much of the money entering these races has come from nontraditional donors, including many people of South Asian or Middle Eastern heritage who made their fortunes in technology, medicine and other professional fields.

Mohammad Waqas and Omer Hassan, both technology executives, are the two largest donors to American Priorities, one of the most prominent “anti-AIPAC” super PACs.

Saikat Chakrabarti is the election cycle’s biggest individual donor to progressive causes, contributing $13.4 million to a range of campaigns and political action committees. He built his wealth through early equity in Stripe, where he was among the technology company’s first software engineers.

According to Federal Election Commission filings reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, the 12 biggest donors to American Priorities gave the super PAC approximately $5.7 million during the 2025-26 election cycle.

Four of those 12 donors had not contributed to the PAC at all between 2014 and 2024. That group included Waqas and Hassan, who together gave $2.1 million over the past year.

The remaining donors gave only a small portion of their recent contributions during the 2014-24 period. Five of the 12 leading donors also supported New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s campaign, although none of them lives in New York.

The influx of money from this new class of nontraditional donors has helped fuel expectations of a Democratic wave in the 2026 midterms. Polling suggests Democrats could reclaim control of the House of Representatives and may also have a path to a Senate majority.

Political analyst Nate Silver, who has correctly forecast the results of numerous presidential elections, has given Democrats a 93 percent chance of winning the House and a 75 percent chance of taking the Senate.

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Prediction market Polymarket puts the likelihood of a Democratic House takeover between 91 and 93 percent, while assigning a 64 percent chance to a Senate takeover.

Across the country, progressive candidates are recording polling leads over their Republican opponents. Several contests in districts that were once considered safely Republican have now tightened to tossups.

Abdul El-Sayed, who has past ties to the DSA but says he is not affiliated with the organization, has received endorsements from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Kamala Harris in his campaign for a Michigan Senate seat.

Polling shows the race leaning toward El-Sayed as he challenges Republican candidate Mike Rogers.

In California’s 22nd Congressional District, the contest between progressive candidate Randy Villegas and Republican incumbent David Valadao has become a tossup. Valadao won the seat by nearly seven percentage points two years ago.

The race in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District between progressive candidate Brian Poindexter and Republican incumbent Max Miller has also tightened to a tossup, even though the district had not elected a Democrat to the U.S. House for decades.

Those races are just a few examples of a larger story playing out across the nation this election cycle. 

The strong position of progressive candidates was ushered in by Mamdani’s victory in New York City, as the mayor showed his platform resounded with large swathes of voters and could be emulated by others. 

El-Sayed is one of the most successful examples of the new wave of far-left candidates. Ocasio-Cortez has said that ‘if Abdul can win in Michigan, anybody can win anywhere.’ 

Chakrabarti, the top donor to progressive causes this year, contributed to Abdul’s campaign for Senate, and Miller’s and Villegas’ campaigns for the House.

The California-based centi-millionaire has also donated to four other House races in California, three in New York, and one New Jersey, Florida, Michigan, Missouri and Pennsylvania. 

South Melbourne have reignited their hopes of reaching the A-League after becoming the first NPL club to lift the Australia Cup, defeating Melbourne Victory in a dramatic penalty shootout at AAMI Park.

In one of the most memorable finals in Australian domestic football, South Melbourne held Victory through 90 minutes, recovered from a 1-0 deficit in extra time and eventually prevailed 4-3 on penalties before a sellout crowd of 29,911.

The triumph represented South’s biggest achievement in 22 years, reviving a club that, along with several other former National Soccer League powerhouses, was shut out of the top flight after the NSL folded in 2024.

South Melbourne have spent years pursuing an A-League licence, and this landmark victory has significantly strengthened their case while delivering an unforgettable night for the club.

“I really cannot find any excuse not to see this club play in the A-League,” coach Sinisa Cohadzic said.

Cohadzic had challenged his squad to make the most of its opportunity in a 54th match of the season, following South’s defeat by Auckland FC in the OFC Pro League final.

“I said to them that sometimes reality surpasses even the most beautiful dreams, and tonight was one of those nights,” he said.

“It was one of those nights where they had to believe they could get a result.”

Denis Genreau gave Victory the lead with an athletic, improvised half-volley in the 95th minute. But South refused to surrender, with Max Mikkola bundling home an equaliser in the 117th minute to trigger a penalty shootout and send the packed stadium into celebration.

South goalkeeper Javier Lopez then became the decisive figure, earning the Mark Viduka Medal as the final’s best player after producing a series of crucial saves.

Lopez appeared to save former South captain Harrison Sawyer’s spot-kick, only for the attempt to be retaken after the goalkeeper was judged to have moved off his line. He responded by saving the re-take as well.

“I remember in January when the club said we want to win the Australia Cup. I said, ‘You guys, that would be crazy,’” Lopez said.

“Now we are the champions.”

South converted every one of its penalties before Victory captain Jason Davidson, the son of South legend Alan Davidson, sent the decisive kick over the crossbar.

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The historic result saw South achieve what Heidelberg last year and Sydney United 58 in 2022 could not: becoming the first NPL side to win the Australia Cup.

The victory also gives South Melbourne a technical place in next season’s Asian Champions League 2 competition.

For Victory, the loss prolongs the club’s wait for silverware. Their most recent trophy remains the 2021 Australia Cup.

South Melbourne embraced the occasion from the opening whistle, taking the game directly to Giovanni Savarese’s Victory and matching the intensity of a pulsating atmosphere on the biggest night the club has enjoyed in years.

A huge contingent of their fans packed the south end of AAMI Park, holding banners of club legends including Ange Postecoglou, Ferenc Puskas and John Margaritis.

‘You guys have stuck with us for 20 years, playing in the NPL and you’ve shown tonight what this future holds for this great club,’ said captain Marco Jankovic.

The only lowlight of the night was a section of the crowd at the South end booing the Welcome to Country before the match.

Victory should have taken the lead in the 78th minute when Santos’s poor shot allowed Lopez to make an extraordinary save with his knees.

But there was nothing Lopez could do in extra-time to stop himself being lobbed by Genreau’s strange half-volley, which bounced over the line before he could grab it.

Then, with the clock winding down, South substitute Jordan Swibel burst down the right and sent in a ball that caused chaos and ended with Mikkola toe-poking home.

AAMI Park erupted and when the game was sent to penalties minutes later, only one club ever felt on top.

‘We were not surprised by the stadium, by the environment… it was a proper Australia Cup the way it should be,’ Savarese said.

‘I think it will be remembered as one of the most iconic.

‘Unfortunately, on our side, I wish we lifted the trophy.’