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Lutz Woman Faces Charges for Allegedly Hiding Relative’s Body in Woods, Authorities Report

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Lutz Woman Faces Charges for Allegedly Hiding Relative’s Body in Woods, Authorities Report


Previously Reported: Hillsborough County Authorities Launch Investigation Following Body Discovery

LUTZ, Fla. (WFLA) — Authorities have charged a woman from Lutz in relation to the discovery of human remains found in a wooded area near a local water treatment plant in August 2025, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

On August 9, deputies were called to investigate reports of human remains located near the Van Dyke Wastewater Treatment Facility in Lutz. The medical examiner’s findings indicated the remains belonged to a female, though no apparent signs of trauma were present.

Sunny Hostin Slams Tucker Carlson’s Trump Reversal: ‘No Room for Oopsies in a World on Fire

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Sunny Hostin made a return to The View on Tuesday, where she expressed her skepticism over Tucker Carlson’s recent shift in stance regarding Donald Trump. Hostin was quick to pour cold water on Carlson’s apparent regret after a segment aired featuring his apology for misleading viewers about his support for the former president on The Tucker Carlson Show.

“Whatever,” Hostin dismissed, clearly unconvinced. “I don’t believe him. He’s not getting a bear hug from me. The world is on fire, and you can’t just say, ‘Oopsies.’” Her skepticism seemed to stem from a history of events that she believes tarnish Carlson’s credibility.

Hostin pointed to the time when Fox News and Carlson parted ways after the network reached a substantial $787 million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems over a defamation lawsuit. She recalled that during the 2021 litigation, Carlson had texted someone expressing his deep disdain for Trump, saying he hated him passionately. Yet, just two years later, Carlson declared his intention to vote for Trump and even endorsed him in the 2024 presidential race.

“In 2021, you hated him, and now all of a sudden, you want me to forgive you for this situation? No thank you, Tucker Carlson,” Hostin declared, underscoring her disbelief in his sincerity. Her comments reflect a broader skepticism about the motivations behind Carlson’s recent change in rhetoric.

“During that litigation in 2021, he texted someone and said that he hated Trump passionately,” she continued. “And then, two years later, he said, ‘I’m voting for Trump.’ And then, in 2024, he endorsed him for president… In 2021, you hated him, and now all of a sudden, you want me to forgive you for this situation? No thank you, Tucker Carlson.”

Joy Behar teased, “You have to cut him some slack. He has what they call ‘liar’s remorse.’”

However, Behar added that Carlson called Jan. 6 insurrectionists “tourists,” noting that he also “described them as meek and orderly.”

“They were violent, if you remember,” she clarified. “It was not a Buddhist monk convention, okay? They were not meek and orderly. So he has lied about everything. He needs to make a whole list of all the things of he got wrong. Not just he’s sorry. I want to hear everything he said.”

'The View'
Photo: ABC

Sara Haines sounded off on both Carlson and Megyn Kelly, criticizing the lengths they will go to for online engagement.

“Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly will say anything they have to, any point in the day, for clicks and money, and it does not matter what they’re saying,” she claimed. “Literally, Tucker Carlson recently hosted white nationalist Nick Fuentes, and pushed back, like, zero times almost, on really problematic views.”

Haines also cited Carlson’s interview with Russian president Vladimir Putin, where she said he “let him spread propaganda and did not push back,” and Carlson’s interview with podcaster Darryl Cooper, “allowing claims that Nazis lacked intent in the Holocaust.”

“Tucker Carlson will literally do, say anything for money, for clicks, for power. That man just needs to disappear,” she said.

The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC. 

Southern States Bask in Unseasonal Warmth as High-Pressure System Delivers Glorious Sunshine

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Southern States Bask in Unseasonal Warmth as High-Pressure System Delivers Glorious Sunshine
A high-pressure system over Australia is driving a run of unseasonably warm autumn weather in the nation’s southern states this week.

Northerly winds are circulating in an anticlockwise direction around the high-pressure system, pulling warm air from the country’s interior towards the south, as reported by WeatherZone.

This weather pattern, which is ushering in warm and dry conditions across Victoria, South Australia, and even Tasmania, is expected to persist for several days as the high-pressure system migrates eastward.

Northerly winds circulating anticlockwise are driving a warm spell across Australia's south-east.
Northerly winds circulating anticlockwise are driving a warm spell across Australia’s south-east. (Weatherzone)

Today’s temperatures are anticipated to climb to 29 degrees Celsius in Adelaide, with Melbourne projected to reach a high of 26 degrees, while Hobart may enjoy a sunny 20 degrees.

In Adelaide, Melbourne, and Hobart, the maximum temperature is forecast to remain above 23 degrees until Sunday.

Throughout the upcoming week, Adelaide is likely to experience highs ranging from 24 to 28 degrees, noticeably exceeding the typical April average of 22.2 degrees.

The temperature in Melbourne should hover around 25 degrees into the weekend, before dipping to 21 and partly cloudy on Monday, which is still above the April average of 20.4 degrees.

Melbourne weather April 20
The temperature in Melbourne should hover around 25 degrees into the weekend, (Nine)

Hobart is expected to smash its average April temperature of 17.5 degrees as it heads towards a sunny top of 25 degrees on Friday.

There’s minimal rain on the radar for Victoria and South Australia mainly sunny days forecast across the next week before a few clouds move in early next week.

Tasmania is forecast to receive some rain tomorrow before conditions clear towards the end of the week.

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Federal Appeals Court Maintains Life Sentence for Times Square Bomber, Overturns Key Conviction

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Federal Appeals Court Maintains Life Sentence for Times Square Bomber, Overturns Key Conviction


A Bangladeshi immigrant received a life sentence for his failed attempt to bomb a subway station beneath Times Square in 2017, a decision upheld by a federal appeals panel, as reported by the Associated Press on Tuesday. However, the panel overturned his conviction for providing material support to the Islamic State extremist group.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals confirmed that Akayed Ullah’s life sentence, handed down in 2021, was justified for the botched suicide bombing, where the explosive device strapped to his chest only partially detonated.

The appellate court, based in Manhattan, ruled that the charge of providing material support to ISIS required evidence that Ullah operated under the terror group’s direct control, which was not the case as he acted independently. The three-judge panel upheld other convictions that contribute to his life sentence.

The court elaborated that Ullah could not be seen as directed by ISIS “if he is acting alone, and if ISIS does not know he exists, has no expectation he will hear ISIS’s messages or act on them, and will not know, or care, or have any recourse if he ignores the message completely.”

The judges further noted that Ullah’s self-identification as an ISIS soldier does not prove that ISIS actually controlled or directed his actions.

In a dissent, Judge Steven J. Menashi said it was unsurprising that Ullah was convicted by a jury of providing material support to the terror group when the evidence they saw included Ullah’s statement to investigators that he “did it on behalf of the Islamic State.”

Still, though, two of the 2nd Circuit panel’s three judges concluded he acted “entirely independently” of the Islamic State group, Menashi noted.

“That is wrong,” he wrote. “To reach the opposite conclusion, the majority rewrites the material-support statute and ignores the evidence presented to the jury.”

A lawyer for Ullah and a spokesperson for prosecutors both declined to comment.

At his April 2021 sentencing, Ullah requested leniency.

“Your honor, what I did on Dec. 11, it was wrong,” he said. “I can tell you from the bottom of my heart, I’m deeply sorry. … I do not support harming innocent people.”

Judge Richard J. Sullivan, who now sits on the 2nd Circuit, told him at sentencing that a life sentence was appropriate.

“It was a truly barbaric and heinous crime,” Sullivan said.

The attack in a pedestrian tunnel beneath Times Square and the Port Authority bus terminal left Ullah seriously burned but spared some pedestrians nearby from more serious injuries, though the government noted one bystander lost 70% of his hearing.

Hours after Ullah’s bombing attempt, President Donald Trump derided the immigration system that had allowed Ullah — and multitudes of law-abiding Bangladeshis — to enter the U.S.

The 2nd Circuit ruling comes six weeks after two teenagers were criminally charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization for allegedly bringing explosives to a “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” event outside the Manhattan residence of Mayor Zohran Mamdani. The homemade devices did not explode.

A criminal complaint against the men alleged that they were inspired by the Islamic State group.

Federal Authorities Arrest Convicted Murderer for Threats Against ICE Agents, Calling Them ‘Nazi Maggots

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Federal Authorities Arrest Convicted Murderer for Threats Against ICE Agents, Calling Them ‘Nazi Maggots

In a significant development, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) apprehended an individual in San Francisco accused of sending a menacing death threat to Todd Lyons, the Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The suspect was reportedly incensed by ICE’s enforcement of immigration laws.

Daniel Barber allegedly sent a disturbing email on June 6, filled with incendiary language and threats. The email, in part, read: “YOUR GESTAPO NAZI MAGGOT ICE AGENTS SHOULD BE TERRIFIED.” Barber further advocated for extreme violence, suggesting that ICE agents deserved to be forcibly detained by armed citizens, subjected to public trials, and executed.


Daniel Barber in handcuffs, escorted by two Homeland Security Investigations officers after his arrest.
Daniel Barber sent an unhinged, violent message to ICE’s acting director Todd Lyons last June saying agents should be rounded up and killed in the streets. DHS

The email’s alarming content prompted ICE to initiate an investigation, which quickly led to the identification of Barber as the sender. His criminal record is extensive, including a 1990 conviction for murder and robbery, alongside various arrests for burglary, battery, and vehicle theft.

Following their investigation, HSI arrested Barber on April 10, ensuring a potentially volatile situation was defused before any harm could occur.


Todd Lyons, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), speaks during a news conference at the US-Mexico border.
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons is in the process of resigning his post after 20 years with the agency. Bloomberg via Getty Images

HSI arrested him on April 10.

“Comparing ICE day-in and day-out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police, and slave patrols has consequences,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis.

“The men and women of ICE are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. They get up every morning to try and make our communities safer. Like everyone else, they just want to go home to their families at night. The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must stop.”

Barber’s threatening missive and subsequent arrest came at a time when threats and assaults on immigration agents have skyrocketed.

According to DHS, ICE agents are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults, an 8,000% increase in death threats and a more than 3,300% increase in vehicle attacks.

California Sues Amazon: Allegations of Price Manipulation Tactics Revealed

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California Sues Amazon: Allegations of Price Manipulation Tactics Revealed

In the latest developments from SAN FRANCISCO (KGO), newly unveiled court documents shed light on California’s legal battle against Amazon. A local state senator pointed out that the claims highlight a pervasive issue where companies exploit their influence and technology to extract higher prices from consumers.

“The aim is to safeguard Californians from overpaying,” stated Attorney General Rob Bonta.

Rob Bonta, California’s Attorney General, initiated a lawsuit against Amazon in San Francisco Superior Court back in 2022. The lawsuit accuses the Seattle-based giant of breaching state antitrust and unfair competition laws. On Monday, Bonta’s team made public newly unredacted evidence, seeking a preliminary injunction to halt the alleged practices before the case moves to trial.

Bonta contends that Amazon wielded its considerable market power to coerce vendors and major retailers into inflating prices on their own platforms, preventing Amazon from being underpriced. The state describes this as price fixing, where businesses collaborate to elevate or stabilize prices rather than competing to provide consumers with better deals.

“Amazon has been actively collaborating with vendors and major retailers, such as Target, Walmart, Chewy, Best Buy, and Home Depot, to increase market prices,” Bonta asserted.

According to California, the alleged scheme often started when Amazon spotted a product selling for less somewhere else. The filing says Amazon would then tell vendors to “fix,” “correct,” “increase,” “raise” or “look into” the lower price, with the threat of penalties if they did not. Those penalties, the state says, could include promotion restrictions, financial consequences or even removal of products from Amazon’s site.

One example laid out in the filing involves Levi’s khaki pants on Walmart’s website. According to the state, Amazon sent Levi’s links showing the pants listed on Walmart.com for $25.47 to $26.99 and said it hoped the issue could be resolved in the next few days. Levi’s then told Amazon it had spoken with Walmart and that Walmart had “partnered” with Levi’s to move the Easy Khaki Classic Fit pants back up to $29.99 immediately. Amazon later confirmed that the same $29.99 price was showing on Amazon too. In follow-up communication described in the filing, Levi’s said Walmart had updated the price “as a test for the best interest of the marketplace” and suggested it could serve as a “proof case” for resolving similar issues going forward.

“These were not suggestions. They were directives often backed by threats of penalties if vendors failed to comply,” Bonta said.

California says that the example shows Amazon was not simply matching a lower competitor price. Instead, the state argues Amazon flagged the lower Walmart price, Levi’s then got Walmart to raise it, and Amazon matched the new, higher number rather than competing against the lower price.

State Sen. Aisha Wahab, whose district includes parts of the East Bay and South Bay, said the newly public allegations against Amazon connect to her broader concerns about what she calls “manipulative pricing.” She has pushed legislation aimed at limiting surveillance pricing, the practice of using a consumer’s personal or device data to help determine what price they may be shown online.

Wahab said the issue goes beyond one lawsuit.

“What we are seeing is the game is completely rigged against regular people,” she said. She also argued that companies are using the data they collect to shape prices and offers in ways consumers often cannot see, known as surveillance pricing.

Wahab’s bill, SB 259, would prohibit companies from using specified device data to determine the maximum amount an individual consumer may be willing to pay and then setting a price based on that determination, according to her description of the measure. She said the goal is to stop companies from targeting people with higher prices based on habits, devices or other data points.

Amazon has previously denied the state’s allegations.

In a statement to ABC7 Eyewitness News, a spokesperson said, “The Attorney General’s motion is a transparent attempt to distract from the weakness of its case, coming more than three years after filing its complaint and based on supposedly ‘new’ evidence it has had for years. Amazon is consistently identified as America’s lowest-priced online retailer, and we’re proud of the low prices customers find when shopping in our store. Amazon looks forward to responding in court at the appropriate time.”

For now, Bonta is asking a judge to block the alleged conduct while the case moves forward. A hearing is scheduled for July 23, and the case is set for trial in January 2027.

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Jordon Hudson’s Bold Strategy Expands Influence in Bill Belichick’s Realm, Sparking Family and Friends’ Outrage

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Jordon Hudson’s Bold Strategy Expands Influence in Bill Belichick’s Realm, Sparking Family and Friends’ Outrage

Jordon Hudson is treading on thin ice with Bill Belichick’s inner circle as she inches closer to securing trademarks linked to her renowned partner.

The former cheerleader and Miss Maine contestant, now 25, entered into a relationship with the legendary 74-year-old coach in 2024, stirring up quite the controversy due to their significant 49-year age difference.

Over the past two years, Hudson has struggled to win over Belichick’s family. His daughter-in-law, Jen, even confronted her in public at a North Carolina game last season. Additionally, Belichick’s friends have voiced their worries about the level of influence Hudson appears to wield over him.

Trademarks like ‘Chapel Bill’ and ‘Chapel Bill (Bill’s version)’—a nod to the Chapel Hill campus in North Carolina—might soon be under the ownership of Hudson’s TCE Rights Management company. This business was established to handle intellectual property, trademarks, and copyrights.

TCE has filed four trademarks, all of which have been published in the US Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Official Gazette. This publication initiates a 30-day period during which the public can file objections.

Jordon Hudson has moved a step closer to acquiring trademarks tied to boyfriend Bill Belichick

Jordon Hudson has moved a step closer to acquiring trademarks tied to boyfriend Bill Belichick

Hudson, 25, has reportedly filed applications for a number of Belichick-focused trademarks

Hudson, 25, has reportedly filed applications for a number of Belichick-focused trademarks

If nobody opposes it during that period, the trademark application will move to the next stage of the registration process.

The other trademarks Hudson is attempting to acquire are for ‘All-Belichick Team’ and ‘All-Time Belichick Team.’

TCE, which is one of at least 16 companies created in Massachusetts by Hudson, filed at least 22 trademark applications in 2025, most of which related to Belichick in some way.

Four applications for trademarks that were owned by the New England Patriots, the NFL team Belichick won six Super Bowls with, were rejected by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Those applications were reportedly for ‘Do Your Job (Bill’s Version),’ ‘Ignore the Noise (Bill’s Version),’ ‘The Belestrator (Bill’s Version),’ and ‘No Days Off (Bill’s Version).’

Hudson’s efforts to generate cash from her boyfriend – who has a reported net worth of $70million – is unlikely to go down well with the same friends and family who expressed concerns over the relationship last year.

The New York Post reported in April 2025 that members of the NFL great’s inner circle were left ‘shaking their heads’ at Hudson’s increased control over him and had contacted him to voice their disapproval.

‘They are talking to him about her, but very gently because they know how deep in he is,’ the Post quoted an insider as saying. ‘She saw an opening and she took it.

The couple's romance has been under extreme scrutiny since they went public back in 2024

The couple’s romance has been under extreme scrutiny since they went public back in 2024

Hudson had a furious row with Belichick's daughter-in-law, Jen (left), at a UNC game last year

Hudson had a furious row with Belichick’s daughter-in-law, Jen (left), at a UNC game last year

‘This guy is known as being such a strong voice and in many ways autocratic — and here he is becoming mush in her hands and letting her direct everything. She is so much younger, so inexperienced and so lacking in perspective and professionalism.’

The Daily Mail also revealed last week that Hudson is an ‘outsider’ in her own family and many of her distant relatives have never met Belichick.

A source told us: ‘A lot of Jordon’s extended family has never met Bill. In fact, she doesn’t have a relationship with many of them and hasn’t talked to them in years.

‘Her extended family is all pretty close and she’s the exception. Many of them aren’t shocked to see her relationship with Bill play out the way it has, but she doesn’t get along even with a lot of her family.

‘She’s always kind of been hard to get along with and the outsider.

‘They found out about her relationship with Bill like the rest of the world. They found the whole thing really odd. She always kind of just has beat to her own drum.’

Hudson's control over Belichick has reportedly left members of his inner circle concerned

Hudson’s control over Belichick has reportedly left members of his inner circle concerned

Hudson seems to be close with her immediate family, however. Belichick was spotted sitting next to her father, Heath, as they supported her together at the Miss Maine USA contest last year.

He was escorted into the event by security before shaking hands with Heath and smiling at him ahead of the pageant getting started. Heath was also escorted to the front row seats by the former Navy veteran for the second day of the event, hoping to see his daughter, 25, don the winners tiara.

Hudson was raised by parents Heath and Lee in Provincetown, Maine and is known to have two sisters, Jenna and Becca, and a brother, Jonathon.

She has revealed in the past that many of her relatives are fishermen and she spent hours as a child on the Maine waters helping her parents’ business.

Melissa Gorga Slams RHOC’s Jen for Controversial Remarks on Her Appearance

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Melissa Gorga Slams RHOC’s Jen for Controversial Remarks on Her Appearance

Melissa Gorga has expressed her frustration with Jen Armstrong for allegedly misrepresenting her cosmetic enhancements to the public.

“It was incredibly awkward when she displayed my face on a screen, showing the before and after images,” Gorga, 47, shared exclusively with Us Weekly on Wednesday, April 15. She was speaking at the launch event for Bovita Health, a premium colostrum-based wellness line, held at Ludlow House in New York City.

The former star of The Real Housewives of New Jersey recounted how Armstrong, 46, used an “after” image of her transformation where she was heavily made up, to the point of being unrecognizable.

“I’m thinking, ‘Wow, does anyone understand how it feels to have someone scrutinize your face so closely, like tracing down your nose?’” Gorga admitted, describing a video Armstrong posted about her in September 2024. “It’s so messed up that someone would do this.”

Real Housewives Plastic Surgeries Before and After

Among those who have openly discussed their experiences with cosmetic procedures such as breast augmentations, chin implants, and liposuction are Kyle Richards, Teresa Giudice, Brandi Glanville, and Tamra Barney.

The clip in question was posted by Armstrong on YouTube and to her social media platforms as part of her “Celebrity Review” series.

Armstrong, a cosmetic dermatologist, captioned the video, “You requested and I listened … the long awaited Celebrity Review: Melissa Gorga. I think she looks stunning in both photos! Let’s take a closer look 👩🏼‍⚕️🔎✨.”

Armstrong proceeded to break down Gorga’s potential plastic surgery history based solely on two photos. She claimed that Gorga had a rhinoplasty a.k.a a nose job and a brow lift among other procedures to improve her face. Armstrong called Gorga’s before chin a “very stark” pointed chin that allegedly was “toxed” to soften the feature.

Melissa Gorga Is 'Ready' for These 'RHONJ' Alums to Potentially Return

Melissa Gorga has some advice for the new Real Housewives of New Jersey cast members as they gear up for season 15. “I want them to be authentic, and I want them to know not to be nervous,” Melissa, 47, told Us Weekly exclusively while attending the Bovita Health — premium colostrum-based wellness line — […]

Gorga told Us that on top of feeling so publicly exposed by Armstrong, the Real Housewives of Orange County alum wasn’t correct in her assessment.

“She was saying, ‘[Melissa] definitely did something here to her chin.’ I’ve never touched my chin in my life,” Gorga clarified. “She was saying, like, ‘She definitely has done something with her eyebrows.’ I never did my eyebrows.”

Gorga pointed out that Armstrong was “very kind” during some points of her assessment, but she still felt awkward that her face was being picked apart by someone she didn’t know very well.

“She was like, ‘Melissa’s doing it right, whatever she’s doing, she’s doing it very subtle.’ So she was throwing some nice little curve balls,” Gorga explained to Us. “But I was like, this is just so weird that someone has my face on a screen and she’s just pinpointing what I’ve done.”

Melissa Gorga Calls Out RHOC Jen Armstrong for Fed Up Comments About Her Face Inline

Daisy Toye, Melissa Gorga and Erin Lichy at the Bovita Health launch. Steve Eichner/Shutterstock for Bovita Health

The reality star added, “I guess that’s like the ups and downs of being in the spot[light]. But watching it I was, like, I’m so uncomfortable.”

While Gorga shut down some of Armstrong’s assumptions about her body, she told Us at the Bovita Health launch that she isn’t afraid of getting work done.

Gorga — who previously spoke about getting a nose job on RHONJ — revealed that the “wildest” health treatment she’s done was recently injecting “exosomes into my scalp.” The Bravolebrity explained that an exosome comes from the placenta and helps hair growth.

Noella Bergener Jen Armstrong Leaves Real Housewives Orange Country

Saying goodbye. Real Housewives of Orange County stars Noella Bergener and Dr. Jen Armstrong left the franchise, they revealed in separate heartfelt statements. “After a wild season of ups and downs, I will not be returning to The Real Housewives of Orange County,” Bergener, 36, wrote via her Instagram Story on Friday, July 8. “Thank […]

According to dermatologist Dr. Mona Gohara, exosomes help with calming inflammation and repairing damaged tissue while increasing collagen production. “Think of them as a high-tech signaling system that coordinates skin regeneration,” she told NBC News earlier this month.

While Gorga has tried her fair share of beauty products and health crazes, she told Us that having a salmon sperm facial — an anti-aging treatment using PDRN (polydeoxyribonucleotide) extracted from salmon seminal fluid — is not one of them.

“It’s kind of strange, but I have not tried that yet. But I hear amazing things,” she shared, adding that she got Botox one day before the NYC event.

Us Weekly has reached out to Armstrong’s rep for comment.

Epic Finale: Discover Who Took Home the 2025 Celebrity MasterChef Title

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Epic Finale: Discover Who Took Home the 2025 Celebrity MasterChef Title

In a thrilling conclusion to the BBC series, the title of Celebrity MasterChef champion has been awarded, marking the end of an exhilarating culinary journey.

Ginger Johnson, best known from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, emerged victorious, securing the prestigious trophy as the 20th celebrity to achieve this honor. The series wrapped up with a dazzling finale.

Donald Marshall, who performs as Ginger Johnson, triumphed over formidable competitors, including rugby icon Alun Wyn Jones and renowned broadcaster Dawn O’Porter, in a final showdown filled with suspense.

Judges Grace Dent and John Torode, who have guided the contestants throughout the series, were impressed by Ginger’s exceptional culinary creations, declaring her the winner.

Upon winning, Ginger expressed her disbelief, saying, “I’m utterly shocked. I came here expecting nothing more than a fun experience.”

‘I can’t believe this is the end result of the competition. It’s absolutely crazy! I can’t wait to tell my mum and dad. I’ve actually learned a real-life skill!’

 

RuPaul's Drag Race UK star Ginger Johnson lifted the coveted trophy - becoming the 20th celebrity to win the dazzling prize as the series came to an end

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Ginger Johnson lifted the coveted trophy – becoming the 20th celebrity to win the dazzling prize as the series came to an end

Ginger, the stage name of Donald Marshall, 37, beat rugby legend Alun Wyn Jones, and broadcaster Dawn O'Porter in the tense final episode

Ginger, the stage name of Donald Marshall, 37, beat rugby legend Alun Wyn Jones, and broadcaster Dawn O’Porter in the tense final episode

Grace Dent praised: ‘Throughout this entire competition Ginger has delivered these intriguing, inventive, exciting, imaginative, difficult feats. What’s she’s done is something really impressive.’

And John Torode added: ‘With all the presentation, all the fun, the laughs, her food tastes delicious and she’s an extraordinary cook. For me, that’s why she is our champion.’

The final week saw the celebrities tasked with creating a three-course meal, within just three hours, to reflect on how far they had come in the series.

Their last chance to wow the judges, the stars had the opportunity to come up with their own menu to be presented to the judges. 

Talking about her menu ahead of the challenge, Ginger revealed: ‘This is showtime for me. The dinner table is a stage today and I’m going to try and make the most fun, exciting, humorous food that I can. 

‘I’m cooking the ultimate, contemporary 1970s dinner party. Surprise, surprise, I love the art, the fashion, the music and the culture.’

Ginger served up a Bloody Mary prawn cocktail, which featured prawns in a tomato, chilli and vodka sauce, with diced cucumber and Worcestershire jelly cubes, garnished with roasted prawns, lettuce, celery and olives. 

The impressive dish was topped with celery-salted crisps and mayonnaise. 

Judges Grace Dent and John Torode, who have presided over the competition, crowned Ginger after delivery her best food to date

Judges Grace Dent and John Torode, who have presided over the competition, crowned Ginger after delivery her best food to date 

The star served up an impressive three-course meal for the judges

The star served up an impressive three-course meal for the judges

Commenting on the dish, John said: ‘This is showstopping, absolute brilliance.’

Ginger went on to serve up a Duck a l’Orange, a duck leg and vegetable pie with an orange and red wine gravy, served with garlic hasselback potatoes, purople carrot, a charred baby romanesco and kale. 

The menu was completed with a Flaming Baked Alaska dessert, a Swiss meringue covered a sponge base, a caramelised pineapple ring, a glacé cherry and a vanilla and cherry ice-cream.

The dessert was soaked and covered in rum.  

After the menu, Grace told Ginger: ‘You’ve always put on a show and made us laugh, but at the root of it there is a serious cook. 

‘There’s never been a point when you haven’t tried take things and twist them to another level to impress us and excite us.’

Ginger, who lives with partner Vyv and their two cats, and is originally from County Durham, has been a drag performer since university. 

The RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star, who won the fifth series in 2023, said of her influences behind her menu: ‘I have always been a big eater. 

Ginger made it to the final of Celebrity MasterChef alongside writer Dawn O'Porter, and rugby star Alun Wyn Jones

Ginger made it to the final of Celebrity MasterChef alongside writer Dawn O’Porter, and rugby star Alun Wyn Jones

Ginger, who won her series of Drag Race in 2023, took to the MasterChef kitchen in full drag, including her large ginger wig and glamorous make-up

Ginger, who won her series of Drag Race in 2023, took to the MasterChef kitchen in full drag, including her large ginger wig and glamorous make-up

‘My mum would do the weeknight dinners and on a Saturday my dad would try something a bit special. That definitely inspired me to try lots of different things. 

‘So, I’ve always had a real passion for eating, and now, for cooking.  

‘Being part of this competition has pushed me to be adventurous – trying to bring the creativity that I find in the rest of my life into food. I’ve caught the bug for the food and the competition.’

Ginger joins an impressive cohort of winners, including Strictly’s Vito Coppola, Wynne Evans, Lisa Snowdon, Kadeena Cox, Greg Rutherford and Kimberly Wyatt.

It comes after Ginger hit back at a troll who made vicious swipe at her ‘absolutely ludicrous’ appearance on the BBC One cooking competition. 

She took to social media to hit back with a response to the nasty comment. 

Ginger took to the MasterChef kitchen in full drag, including her large ginger wig and glamorous make-up, each week including the final. 

It saw Ginger branded ‘ludicrous’ by one cruel viewer, who took to X, formerly Twitter, to hit out at her appearance. 

The RuPaul's Drag Race star took to social media to hit back with a response to the nasty comment

The RuPaul’s Drag Race star took to social media to hit back with a response to the nasty comment

‘Ginger, you’re not a “woman” you look absolutely ludicrous,’ the nasty commenter penned, including the hashtag for the Celebrity MasterChef series.

Underneath the comment, Ginger hit back: ‘Thank you, sweetheart! “Ludicrous” is exactly what I’m aiming for. Have a lovely Christmas.’

Fans of the star were thrilled to see her clap back against the user, and flooded her with supportive messages telling her they ‘love her’. 

‘Well you’re succeeding beyond expectations dear, well done,’ one wrote, as another chimed in: ‘There’s something really funny about adding a hashtag to a hate post…’

Ginger made it to the final of Celebrity MasterChef alongside writer Dawn O’Porter, and rugby star Alun Wyn Jones, beating Uma Jammesh, Ashley Cain, Chris Hughes and Michelle Heaton. 

She shot to fame in 2023 when she won RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and went on to co-present online breakfast show Wakey! and host her own BBC Three series, Ginger’s House the following year. 

Ginger has also written children’s short stories Glamorous Gran and Other Tall Stories, which she has performed at the Southbank Centre. 

Celebrity Masterchef is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.  

Mike Vrabel Opens Up About Challenging Conversations at Home Following Russini Scandal

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Mike Vrabel Opens Up About Challenging Conversations at Home Following Russini Scandal

Mike Vrabel recently opened up about the challenging discussions he’s had to engage in amid the Dianna Russini photo scandal, addressing the issue publicly for the first time on Tuesday.

The 50-year-old New England Patriots coach has been at the center of a media storm over the last fortnight due to controversial photos featuring him and NFL insider Dianna Russini.

The images, which sparked widespread speculation, depicted Vrabel and the 43-year-old sports reporter in seemingly intimate settings—hugging, relaxing by a pool, and sharing laughter at a luxurious $2,500-per-night adults-only resort in Sedona, Arizona. Despite the rumors, both Vrabel and Russini, who are each married and have children, have denied any romantic involvement.

During a press briefing marking the start of the Patriots’ offseason program, Vrabel, visibly moved, stated, “I’ve had some difficult conversations with people I care about—my family, the organization, the coaches, the players.”

He continued, “These discussions have been both positive and constructive. We all agree that success, whether on the field or off, hinges on making sound decisions. That responsibility begins with me.”

Mike Vrabel has admitted he's been forced to have 'difficult conversations with people I care about' as he addressed the Dianna Russini photo scandal for the first time on Tuesday

Mike Vrabel has admitted he’s been forced to have ‘difficult conversations with people I care about’ as he addressed the Dianna Russini photo scandal for the first time on Tuesday

Suggestive photos showed the female sports reporter and Vrabel hugging at a Sedona hotel

Suggestive photos showed the female sports reporter and Vrabel hugging at a Sedona hotel

Vrabel has been married to his wife, Jen, for over two decades and share two children

‘We never want our actions to negatively affect team, we never want to cause a distraction. I care deeply about this football team and I’m excited to coach them. I’m going to attack each day with humility and focus.

‘What I can promise you is that my family, this organization, the team, the staff, the coaches, everybody, our fans most importantly, will get the best version of me going forward.’ 

Despite the scandal, the NFL has decided not to investigate Vrabel’s behavior as part of the league’s personal conduct policy, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy told ESPN. 

The NFL’s personal conduct policy states that players, coaches and executives are required to avoid ‘conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in the National Football League.’

It is currently unclear if the Patriots – Vrabel’s team – intend to review his relationship with Russini.

However, while Vrabel appears to be emerging from the scandal unscathed, Russini was placed on leave, The Daily Mail learned, before ultimately resigning last week. Her contract was reportedly set to expire at the end of June.

As The Daily Mail previously reported, the New York Times, which owns The Athletic, launched an investigation into the photos when contacted by Page Six, who published the photos last week. 

A defiant Russini insisted that her resignation does not mean she crossed the line with Vrabel.

‘I do so [resign] not because I accept the narrative that has been constructed around this episode, but because I refuse to lend it further oxygen or to let it define me or my career,’ she said.

‘I have covered the NFL with professionalism and dedication throughout my career, and I stand behind every story I have ever published.

‘When the Page Six item first appeared, The Athletic supported me unequivocally, expressed confidence in my work and pride in my journalism. For that I am grateful.’

Russini was placed on leave, The Daily Mail learned, before ultimately resigning last week

Russini was placed on leave, The Daily Mail learned, before ultimately resigning last week

Meanwhile, Russini married fast food executive Kevin Goldschmidt in 2020

Meanwhile, Russini married fast food executive Kevin Goldschmidt in 2020

ESPN has also claimed that Russini was given the chance to clear her name, but failed to do so. 

The report began by alleging that Russini was approached ‘at home in Bergen County’ by ‘a reporter from the New York Post’, who told her that they had photographs of her and Vrabel together in Arizona.

The former Athletic reporter allegedly asserted that she and Vrabel had simply been in Arizona for NFL league meetings. However, after discovering the nature of the photos, she allegedly called up a ‘crisis communications expert’.

Eventually, the photos went public. While the publication had initially stood by Russini, she was later asked to provide some form of evidence that backed up her case.

The report read: ‘While The Athletic had been quick to rush to her defense ahead of the story, executives asked for more evidence from Russini such as text messages about an airport pickup, screenshots of planning the trip or photos from a hike, the three people said. They said Russini never provided sufficient evidence.’

The bombshell report, which emerged on Friday afternoon, also claimed that Russini and Vrabel had coordinated their crisis response.

‘In the days before the story ran… Russini and Vrabel also communicated about how to respond to the Post, according to a person with knowledge of those discussions’.

According to the outlet, Russini and Vrabel eventually told the Post that the ‘photos didn’t accurately reflect their interaction’.

On top of ‘a veteran in crisis communications’, the report claims that Russini ‘appealed directly to the Times Company chief executive officer to plead her case’.
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