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Paul Simon reveals sad health update

At 82 years of age, the great Paul Simon – one half of the iconic duo Simon & Garfunkel – has admitted to facing a new health challenge that could prove devastating to millions of fans worldwide: hearing loss. In a recent revelation, he spoke candidly about how this health issue has affected his performances, yet also how he's adapted in oder to continue pursuing his passion for music. Simon's discussion about his hearing loss comes ahead of the premiere of a two-part docuseries, In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, set to air on MGM+ starting March 17. It's a timely revelation, shedding light on the personal struggles behind the legendary musician's enduring career. During a panel discussion, Simon disclosed the impact of his hearing loss on his recent stage experiences. While he's regained some comfort in singing and playing instruments, he noted difficulties when certain instruments overshadow his own voice. "If there's a drum or an electric guitar," he revealed, "it's too loud and I can't hear my voice. But when I first lost the hearing, I couldn't get – it threw me off." It's a frustration that resonates deeply with any performer reliant on auditory cues for their craft. Simon's journey with hearing loss began suddenly, with the loss predominantly affecting his left ear. In a previous interview, he described the initial frustration and annoyance at the unexplained condition, hoping it would eventually resolve itself. "Nobody has an explanation, so everything became more difficult," he said in a Times interview in May 2023. "My reaction to that was frustration and annoyance; not quite anger yet, because I thought it would pass, it would repair itself." Despite the challenges, he's found solace and creative expression through his daily guitar playing, using it as both a creative outlet and a source of comfort during trying times. Reflecting on his musical journey alongside Art Garfunkel, Simon highlighted the enduring impact of their collaboration. From their humble beginnings as schoolmates in New York to becoming one of the best-selling music acts of the 1960s and 1970s, Simon & Garfunkel's legacy is undeniable. Their timeless hits, including "The Sound of Silence," "Mrs Robinson," and "Bridge Over Troubled Water," continue to resonate with audiences worldwide. Despite occasional tensions and artistic differences that led to their split in 1970, Simon & Garfunkel's partnership endured, marked by intermittent reunions for select performances. Their ability to transcend personal conflicts in the pursuit of their shared musical vision speaks volumes about their dedication to their craft and the enduring power of their bond. While Simon's journey may have taken an unexpected turn, his musical legacy continues to shine brightly, resonating with generations past, present and future. Images: Getty

Hearing

"I want answers": Simon Dorante-Day's cunning plan to prove royal connections

The Queensland man claiming to be the son of King Charles and Queen Camilla has shared his new plan to prove once and for all that he has royal family connections. Simon Dorante-Day has long claimed through his 30 years of research, he discovered that he is the illegitimate son of the monarch, and has attempted to prove his theory through various means. Now, his new plan to get his hands on royal DNA to unequivocally prove his family heritage involves another member of the royal family. Speaking with <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/aussie-man-claiming-to-be-charles-son-drops-new-prince-harry-dna-bombshell-c-13488374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>, the 57-year-old said he and his wife have been told by a “trusted source” that Prince Harry could be amenable to helping them gather proof. “We got advice from a really good, really trusted source that we should approach Harry and make a connection there and ask for DNA,” Elvianna said. Simon added, “I was really taken aback when he said that. But it’s definitely something I’m going to do. I’ve long been a supporter of Harry and Meghan, I think it’s disgraceful the way they’ve been treated by the royal family." “The way they are treated on social media too, it’s just one big ‘Punch-Meghan-and-Harry-a-thon’, seriously. It’s really starting to annoy me." He said he is planning to "make contact with him and explore this as an opportunity," pointing out that the royal family's treatment of Harry could make him more willing to help. "At the end of the day, I feel like he just might be as keen as I am to expose what Charles and Camilla and the powers that be have done to me. The injustice." “It’s worth me pointing out that Charles and Camilla, Buckingham Palace, the entire royal family - not one of them has ever said my claims are not true. They’ve never denied what I believe, told me I’m wrong." Simon said “the wheels are in motion” in terms of making contact with Prince Harry, and that he’s hopeful of a positive outcome. “I want answers,” he said. “And I feel Prince Harry is the man to help me find them.” “And I think their silence speaks volumes.” Simon said “the wheels are in motion” in terms of making contact with Prince Harry, and that he’s hopeful of a positive outcome. “I want answers,” he said. “And I feel Prince Harry is the man to help me find them.” Image credits: Facebook / Getty Images

Family & Pets

Simon Cowell opens up on secret health battle

Renowned television personality and judge of Britain's Got Talent, Simon Cowell, has unveiled his personal journey battling mental health issues and his choice to finally seek treatment. Acknowledged for his acerbic demeanour, Simon Cowell has come forth to disclose a hidden confrontation with his mental well-being. The famous talent show judge conceded that he has grappled with depression throughout the years, though he once regarded it as an inherent aspect of his character – a challenge to be managed privately. While not professing medical expertise, Cowell, 63, shared during his conversation on the "Men In Mind" podcast with Tom Bryant that he has progressively come to realise his situation and embarked on self-directed endeavours to improve his mental health. The pandemic, as Cowell described, acted as a significant amplifier of his mental struggles. The outbreak of COVID-19, he revealed, served as a true catalyst for his introspection. "In the very, very, very early stages, some friends of mine got really ill and I'm talking about really ill," he said on the podcast. "So, I thought, 'God, if I catch this, maybe the same thing's going to happen to me, Eric and Lauren." Lauren, Cowell's partner of 14 years, and their son Eric, aged nine, joined him in navigating the lockdown, predominantly stationed in Los Angeles, USA. They conscientiously adhered to isolation measures and subjected themselves to regular testing. Cowell's apprehensions over his mental well-being were further compounded by the uncertainties surrounding the continuation of Britain's Got Talent. The lingering indecision about resuming filming for the show added an extra layer of strain to his internal battles. “When I see my friends, the first thing I talk about is how therapy has had this super positive effect on my life,” he now says. “I wish I had done this 10 or 20 years ago...it’s like a weight has lifted off my shoulders.” Images: Simon Cowell / Instagram

Mind

"I was aghast": Simon Dorante-Day's sister speaks out against his claims

For several years, Simon Dorante-Day has been claiming to be the love child of King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla. Now, Simon's sister Amanda has spoken out about her adoptive brother's claims and how they devastated their family. Amanda said, "I was aghast when I read it and horrified at the lies, he was using as so-called evidence to support his fantastical claim." "I contacted several family members and friends who knew our family well and they were all as horrified, hurt and upset by his ridiculous claims, lies and allegations, as I was and still am." "Not one of these people believe Simon's story and most of them, once they have gotten over the initial shock of what he has said just laugh at the ridiculousness of it all." Simon has spoken to the press multiple times over the past years to explain how he is pursuing the royal family to get Charles to acknowledge his existence as his son, having never received any of the benefits that come with being the son of a royal. His efforts have stepped up since Charles became King, following Queen Elizabeth II's death in September 2022. Simon has previously detailed a series of medical procedures he claims were performed on him as a child, including changing his eye colour from blue to brown when he was eight and filing two of his teeth at age 15. “These actions I believe were undertaken to conceal my true identity,” he said. In response to these claims, Amanda spoke of how protective her parents were over their children's health, saying, "She thought that if we had so much as a sniffle, if we had hurt ourselves that it would be perceived by them that we were not being cared for properly." "I therefore pose the question - Why on earth does Simon think our parents would have allowed him to have a dangerous eye operation? The simple answer is - It did not happen! I have original family photos which clearly show, even as a very young child, with baby teeth, Simon had brown eyes! Everyone who knows us, knows that Simon's eyes are and always have been brown!" In response to Amanda's statement, Simon said, "Neither King Charles nor his Wife Queen Consort Camilla can take back what has been done in their name to my eyes, teeth, and the years of manipulation, suppression, abuse and lies." Image credits: Facebook

Family & Pets

“It’s time for the world to read this”: Simon Dorante-Day shares last letter to the Queen

Simon Dorante-Day, the Queensland man who claims he is the secret son of King Charles III and Camilla, has shared the final piece of correspondence he sent to Queen Elizabeth II. The 56-year-old took to social media on Australia’s National Day of Mourning with a full version of the letter he sent to the late monarch last November. In it, he explains that he wrote to the Queen after approaching Dr Jeanette Young, Queensland’s Governor General, about his case. “I take the liberty of approaching you via the Governor’s Office however, given the position with which my family and I find ourselves, we feel this action is justified,” he writes. He then details medical procedures he claims were performed on him as a child, including changing his eye colour from blue to brown when he was eight and filing two of his teeth at age 15. “These actions I believe were undertaken to conceal my true identity,” he continues. “Furthermore, over the years of residing with the Day family, my adopted grandparents Winifred and Earnest Bowlden often spoke about the time they worked for the Royal household. “Then on my last visit to the United Kingdom in 1998, my adopted grandmother Winifred told me herself, that my birth parents were your son Charles and his wife Camilla.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/dorante-day-letter.jpg" alt="" width="472" height="575" /> Simon Dorante-Day has shared the contents of the letter he sent to Queen Elizabeth II. Image: Facebook After detailing his claims, Dorante-Day appeals for help from the Queen with his case. “It would be naive of me to think you are not aware of my claims. Nor that you have not been following events to date,” he writes. “Subsequently, you will all be aware of the actions I have recently commenced and the level of attention this has already received. “I am writing on behalf of my family and I to ask for your assistance in coming forward and resolving this issue and stopping this global assault. “May God give you the strength to come forward.” Speaking to <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/man-who-claims-to-be-charles-secret-son-shares-last-queen-letter-before-she-died-c-8382605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>, Dorante-Day said it was finally time for the world to see the contents of the letter. “I think it’s time - it’s time for the world to read this,” the father-of-nine said. “I’ve kept the contents of the letter confidential until now, but with her passing I think it’s appropriate to share my last correspondence with her. “When she passed away, I was disappointed that she had died without responding to my message. That was my first thing - just sad, because that window of opportunity has closed.” He added that he is looking forward to taking up his case directly with Charles. “It makes no difference to me whether that mountain in front of me is male or female. It makes no difference to me how high that mountain is,” he said. “I’ve still got to climb it to prove what I know to be true. So from that regard, nothing has changed.” Along with the letter, Dorante-Day also shared a message to the Queen from his wife, Dr Elvianna Dorante-Day, including a “special thank you” for existing. “You and I knew we came from warring backgrounds, but we both loved something in common, your grandson Simon Charles, your first-born grandchild,” her message read. “In loving him as much as we do, we had to put our differences aside and pursue peace, not only for you and I but for the whole of humanity. No-one understood the path we walked together on this planet, and our work isn’t over, as you and I know. “Through your grandchild Simon Charles and his children your legacy lives on in them.” Image: Facebook

Family & Pets

Simon Baker discusses his "difficult" relationship with his father

Simon Baker has shared emotional family secrets and details of the strained relationship with his father on the SBS hit series Who Do You Think You Are? The Aussie actor agreed to do the show after being approached for many years, “despite my mum, sister and kids saying ‘you should do it’.” Eventually he decided to take part in the show, saying “I thought, I’ll just see what kind of adventure it is and where it will all take me.” He discussed the early days of his life after he was born in Launceston in 1969 to his father Barry Baker and mother Elizabeth. “And soon after, my parents moved to the highlands of New Guinea, with two kids, to a remote area,” he says. In the show he summarises the family’s brief time there, saying “They went on this incredible adventure – and they didn’t come back together.” He explains how his young mother went on to remarry, but his father remained in his life under a different persona. “I didn’t know he was my dad. He was a family friend, Uncle Barry. I’ve struggled with that.” A reunion between the two finally took place when Baker was 18 years old, but in the meantime, the family moved to the northern NSW beach community of Lennox Head. “It was a small community and back then it was an idyllic place to live,” Baker says. “I felt a really strong sense of belonging in that place and still do. It was a phenomenal childhood in that regard – but the personal family life was difficult.” Before he appeared on Who Do You Think You Are?, Baker “looked back at my immediate family as this sort of mess,” he says. “But the truth is, families have many different forms and I think if you can look at your own past and the past of your ancestors with compassion, you can carry that forward with you with a little bit more wisdom.” He admitted that revealing the story of his parents was "challenging", and likened his difficult childhood to why he became an actor. “I’m pretty shy … But there is a kind of psychological reason in why I became an actor. The initial desire when I was young was about connecting with people, the idea of seeing someone in a story on a screen that you could identify with, and it could help you understand feelings inside you that you didn’t necessarily know how to articulate. When I watched certain episodes of Who Do You Think You Are?, I felt a connection to that person – and with that, you don’t feel as alone.” Image credits: SBS

Family & Pets

Simon Baker confirms long-held rumour

Aussie actor Simon Baker has had an awkward experience while being interviewed on Today Extra. The 52-year-old was asked by co-hosts David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys whether he’d ever watched the 2006 Oscar-nominated movie The Devil Wears Prada, which he played a starring role in. “I need you to set the record straight on this, that you have never watched the film,” Jeffreys <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/morning-shows/simon-bakers-awkward-response-to-devil-wears-prada-question-on-today-extra/news-story/36e09e349ac0aa88802a6c2ba3fac991" target="_blank">began</a>. After a long pause while looking away from the camera, Baker said, “No I haven’t. That’s true.” Without elaborating on his answer, a stunned Jeffreys responded, “Oh, it’s a cracker. You should definitely change that.” Again looking off camera, Baker added, “I’ve heard. It’s clearly been … quite successful.” When Jeffreys asked The Mentalist star why he hadn’t seen the film since it premiered 15 years ago, Baker simply said, “I haven’t gotten around to it.” The hosts burst into fits of laughter, and Jeffreys joked, “We’ve been under lockdown orders! There’s been nothing else to do.” Baker gave a longer explanation, saying, “Oh look I don’t know, you’ve got to get a bit of distance from films sometimes.” Since its release, The Devil Wears Prada has gained popularity among viewers and been labelled as a film that’s stood the test of time. In 2016, the film’s legacy was described by <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/07/july-4-weekend-box-office-flops-and-surprises" target="_blank">Vanity Fair</a> as more pervasive than other more profitable films such as Superman Returns, which beat it at the box office on its opening weekend. “The degree to which The Devil Wears Prada has penetrated pop culture needs no explanation - as does the degree to which Superman Returns didn’t,” the publication wrote. In total, the movie grossed $326 million against a $41 million budget, and saw Meryl Streep receive a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starring role. Image: Channel 9

Movies

Simon Baker’s ex speaks for first time since split

Simon Baker’s ex-girlfriend, Laura May Gibbs, fashion designer and founder of the Australian label Nagnata, has spoken publicly for the first time since Baker’s representatives confirmed the <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/simon-baker-quietly-splits-from-model-girlfriend" target="_blank">couple had split</a> last week. There were rumours that Baker had decided to end things after Gibbs attended an anti-vaccine protest on November 7. In a video from the event that she uploaded to Instagram, a crowd can be seen dancing to ‘Power to the People’, while some hold signs with anti-vax messages and others hold Australian flags. <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/tv/CV-D5MMDtdr/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/tv/CV-D5MMDtdr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by LAURA MAY (@lauramay_)</a> </div> </blockquote> Taking to Instagram on Tuesday, Gibbs wrote a lengthy post explaining her justification for attending the protest, opposing vaccine mandates more generally, and seeking to quash the rumours that her anti-vax beliefs were the reason for the breakup. Gibbs wrote, “Last weekend, the Northern Rivers community gathered peacefully alongside the local police and around 10,000 others, including nurses, teachers and first responders who are being subject to unreasonable mandates, currently in place in NSW. There was a march, followed by speeches and conversation, music and hope from people across all walks of life coming together to question - what is happening in our beautiful Country? I care about these people. I care about my staff and community, without division or prejudice. Regardless of our differences we are moving through this time together. The decisions being made by those in power effect all of us, including our children and their future freedoms. I have always been here, standing up for Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Choice, despite the politics of the time or what is considered appropriately ‘trendy’. So, to the gossip columnists, who have slandered my name across their platforms and used a false narrative around the relationship I’ve been in this year - it’s simply not true. And to the tabloid media I want to say - try harder. Stop using lies and sloppy journalism to make an example out of me. I never discuss my private life, but I will say this - the friendship and respect I share with this person runs too deep for the media’s noise to have any true impact in our lives. Instead, while we’re here, let’s start talking about the REAL issues facing our country - the mental health crisis, the housing crisis and the very real health crisis. This is not just about me, or my “rights”, this is about Freedom for all. Our freedom is not something that the government gives or takes away. It is our right from the moment we are born. So I won’t apologise for voicing my concerns, when I see so many struggling, losing their livelihoods and being silenced, shamed and ridiculed for wanting to ask questions. Activism is important to me, I’ve attended numerous environmental rallies and Indigenous rights protests, and taken action in all of these areas. If the media is going to cover issues I make a stand on, then report the full scope of the matter - and while you’re at it, lead with my name.” <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/CWSNMJ4PBta/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/CWSNMJ4PBta/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by LAURA MAY (@lauramay_)</a> </div> </blockquote> Gibbs and her brand previously made headlines for their decision to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CU1hl96lZTl/" target="_blank">close their Byron Bay store</a> rather than require customers to wear masks and check in using QR codes, per the NSW government’s rules for retailers after NSW’s lockdown lifted last month. Image: Instagram

Relationships

Simon Baker quietly splits from model girlfriend

The Mentalist star Simon Baker has <a rel="noopener" href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/simon-baker-girlfriend-laura-may-gibbs-breakup/eb897d82-0729-487f-8945-e517868ac3ba" target="_blank">reportedly</a> ended his relationship with girlfriend Laura May Gibbs. The news was confirmed by a representative of the Aussie actor, who told The Daily Mail that the pair went their separate ways a couple months ago. Though the rep didn’t want to reveal the reason behind the breakup, they noted that it was not because of Gibb’s anti-vaxxer stance. The 36-year-old fashion designer made headlines last month after her brand Nagnata announced that its Bryon Bay store would only reopen once both vaccinated and unvaccinated customers would be allowed to enter retail venues. <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/CUv4my_vZGg/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/CUv4my_vZGg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by NAGNATA (@nagnata_)</a> </div> </blockquote> In a follow-up post on the store’s Instagram page, Gibbs addressed the “hate” that had been directed at the page and stated that “the majority of our Nagnata team are fully vaccinated”. “The decision to close was in no way to support an ‘anti-vax’ mentality, as that is not where we stand as a team,” the caption read, accompanied by a photo of Gibbs and her sister and co-founder Hannah Gibbs. <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/CU1hl96lZTl/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/CU1hl96lZTl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by NAGNATA (@nagnata_)</a> </div> </blockquote> Gibbs was also recently spotted at a protest against mandatory vaccinations and vaccine passports held by ‘Reclaim the Line’. The 52-year-old actor was last seen with Gibbs in August, after they were initially seen together earlier this year in Byron Bay. The sighting came two months after Baker separated from his wife of 23 years, Australian actress Rebecca Rigg. Rigg and Baker were together for 29 years and said they remained “close friends” in a joint statement at the time. Images: @snappytoes / Instagram, @lauramay_ / Instagram

Relationships

Paul Simon celebrates 80th birthday with new project

On his 80th birthday, Paul Simon has announced his latest project, which comes in the form of an audiobook. <a href="https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/paul-simon-new-music-audiobook-malcolm-gladwell-1235087435/">Variety reports</a> that the five-hour audiobook titled Miracle and Wonder: Conversations With Paul Simon, will be available on November 16th. The audiobook is named after a line in his track The Boy in the Bubble, and features a new song called Seven Psalms: his first release since 2018. It also features unreleased live versions of his classic songs including The Boxer and The Sound of Silence. Collaborating with Bruce Headlam and Malcolm Gladwell for Miracle and Wonder, Paul recorded over 30 hours of interviews over nine sessions for the audiobook. The autobiographical project documents Paul Simon’s upbringing in New York, the genesis of Simon and Garfunkel and the start of his solo career. The audiobook also features several cameos, including Sting, Jeff Tweedy, Herbie Hancock, Rosanne Cash, and more to chat about their experiences in the music industry together. “Over my career, I must have given hundreds of interviews on various projects, but speaking and collaborating with Malcolm on this was especially enjoyable,” Simon said in a statement. Malcolm Gladwell added, “He’s the most un-rock-star rock star. Paul is surprisingly down to earth and approachable. Even if he wasn’t the most successful musician of his generation he’d be the same person.” Image credit: Getty Images

Music

New evidence Prince Charles KNEW about Simon Dorante-Day

Simon Dorante-Day, the Queensland man claiming to be the secret son of Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla, has shared new explosive evidence. Mr Dorante-Day has made global headlines after going public with his case and continues to share new evidence. “My grandmother, who had worked for the Queen, told me outright that I was Camilla and Charles’ son many times,” he told 7NEWS.com.au. The 55-year-old revealed his latest evidence, an email from Detective Inspector Dave Smith of the UK Metropolitan Police’s Royalty and Specialist Protection unit which could be crucial in assisting in his case. Detective Inspector Smith sent an email to Mr Dorante-Day on July 7, 2015, confirming that he had hand-delivered a letter from Mr Dorante-Day to Prince Charles’ aides. <img style="width: 500px; height: 212.3236822568671px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844437/241520460_259289839535029_7314315210199105916_n.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2220738e6df44f6c9f0e516a4c49e386" /> Image: Simon Dorante-Day / Facebook In the letter, the Queensland engineer outlined his belief that Prince Charles and Camilla are his parents. “Just to confirm that I received the letter you sent by airmail addressed to me,” Detective Inspector Smith wrote. “I opened the outer packaging containing my details. The inner letter addressed to the Prince I took by hand, unopened to the Princes’ correspondence team. “I hope this is suitable.” Mr Dorante-Day believes the email confirms that Prince Charles and Camilla are aware of his claims, despite refusing to publicly comment. “Making “No Comment” doesn’t make the issue go away, nor does it negate their responsibility for what we are enduring,” Mr Dorante-Day said. He said he released the email to show the effort he made to solve the matter privately before going public with his claims. “The depth to which I had already acted before this issue broke the media, or was even on Facebook or the TV, is just not clearly understood,” he said. “This evidence is from July 2015 when my letter was handed to Prince Charles’ private secretary by D.I. David Smith of SO14 and the Metropolitan Police Professional Standards Unit. “I authored the letter, but it was reviewed and approved by a leading Australian Family Law Firm before it was despatched.” The email evidence comes a week after Mr Dorante-Day shared a suite of images comparing himself to Prince William and Francois Graftieaux, the alleged love-child of Prince Edward, the Duke of Windsor. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844435/dorante-day2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3b5ff8d71dbe4d24afb1c2242968d5f3" /> Image: Simon Dorante-Day / Facebook “You resemble [Graftieaux] more than you do William. The familial likeness is undeniable,” one Facebook user wrote. <img style="width: 357px; height: 280px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844438/242419439_255726669891346_6744475498948158942_n.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6be80be326c441e985a6c26d32c90b26" /> Image: Simon Dorante-Day / Facebook “Wow! The resemblance is quite incredible,” another wrote of the comparison between Mr Dorante-Day and Prince William. “There is no doubt that he is your brother,” another said. Image: Simon Dorante-Day / Facebook

Legal

Simon Dorante-Day set to prove critics wrong with new facts

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Simon Dorante-Day has made worldwide headlines as he claims to be the secret Australian son of Prince Charles and Camilla. He was initially dismissed but after showing decades worth of research and evidence, he has got the world on his side. "All roads lead back to Charles and Camilla," he says. He's recently come under fire for the amount of research he's shared with the public. “I’ve always been very open to doing interviews and sharing my story because at the end of the day, I want Charles and Camilla to submit to a DNA test and I believe that making my plight public will help me achieve that,” he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/" target="_blank">7NEWS.com.au</a>. “And I understand that it’s easy to hear my story and think that I’m crazy and making it all up. But I say today what I’ve said all along - everything I’m claiming it checkable. Everything I’m claiming has been found through public records and reputable sources. “Anyone who wants to report my story can go through the same checks and balances as I have. They just need to take the time to do so. “I am a sane and intelligent man, a father and grandfather. I volunteer for the community and worked for many years as an engineer. I know my story is unbelievable, but if you don’t believe it - just check it.” <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FPrinceSimonCharles%2Fposts%2F152367900227224&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="313" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe> For those who want him to get a DNA test so he fades into the shadows, he's glad you're on board with what he wants. “It always amuses me when people ask me this, because this is obviously what I’ve been working very hard to try and achieve,” he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/" target="_blank">7NEWS.com.au</a>. “I’ve spent three years in the courts in an effort to have Charles and Camilla submit to a DNA testing. In Australia, Family Court proceedings cannot be reported on in the media which is why my actions haven’t been publicised. “But this is a lengthy legal process and one I’m not giving up. I have taken my case to the Australian High Court, but they referred it back to the Family Court - and that will happen again in the next few months. “I’m also seeking legal representation in the UK to take my fight abroad as well. “I’m not interested in doing DNA tests with other distant royals because at the end of the day, I will still need to take it to court. I want this done the right way, before a judge.” He's also been slammed by critics for the "family resemblance" photos he's been sharing on his Facebook page. “They believe that this is the crux of my whole argument and think I don’t have any other research to back up my claims,” he said. “But they couldn’t be further from the facts. Ever since my grandmother told me that Charles and Camilla were my parents, I’ve gone on a very careful path to discover the truth. “I never just said, ‘Oh she said it so it must be true.’ Absolutely not. I went and did my own investigation, spoke to historians and went through records. And every road leads me back to Charles and Camilla." </div> </div> </div>

Legal

"Diana knew of my existence": Simon Dorante-Day's newest claim

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Simon Dorante-Day has gained worldwide fame after going public with his claims that he is the secret love child of Prince Charles and Camilla. After decades of research, Day has come out with new claims that Princess Diana knew about his existence as well. “We believe that Diana knew of my existence, that she had put together the pieces,” he said to <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/entertainment/royals/diana-knew-charles-camillas-secret-aussie-son-reveals-little-known-fax-c-2744493" target="_blank">7NEWS</a>. “Diana was at a point where she was finding out answers about her life, how she was wronged – and she was going public with it. “I wrote to Mohamed Al-Fayed, Dodi’s father, with my story and told him who I was. “One of Diana’s secret fears would’ve been that there was a secret child. There were all sorts of rumours flying around, and my existence would’ve been one of them.” He said that investigators were also interested in the claims and demanded he sends a fax outlining his research at 2 am. “We were in Lismore, NSW, in 2004 after Diana,” he said. “I sent a letter to the Metropolitan Police saying I believed I was Charles and Camilla’s son and whether it would have any ramifications in the case about Diana’s death. “And at 2 am they asked me to write a statement and fax it back as soon as possible. “I was making submissions to the Paget Enquiry and as a result, Charles got questioned a second time during the enquiry – and it was after my letter was sent, and I believe this is why.” Unfortunately, Diana never confirmed or denied his existence in the years before her death. “Diana sadly died before I went public with my claims, so she was never publicly asked about me,” he said. “But I believe my birth and adoption was part of a royal cover-up. Through her investigations into Charles and Camilla, she would’ve heard the rumours of my existence and made enquiries. How could she not?” </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

Simon Baker debuts relationship with 36-year-old designer

Simon Baker has debuted his relationship with fellow Aussie Laura May Gibbs. People reported the 51-year-old was spotted with the activewear designer, 36, at a beach off the NSW town of Byron Bay. Gibbs is the founder of fashion and lifestyle brand Nagnata, a creative design collaborative with her sister Hannah Gibbs. In January, The Mentalist star announced his separation from Aussie actress Rebecca Rigg, 53, his wife of close to 30 years. They share three children together: Stella, 27, Claude, 22, and Harry, 19. "We remain close friends and our three children will always be the most important focus of our lives," the couple — who met in the early 1990s and starred on the Aussie soap E Street together — said in a joint statement at the time.

Relationships

Simon Baker splits with wife of 29 years

Australian actor Simon Baker and his wife Rebecca Rigg have separated after almost 30 years of marriage. The pair quietly split in April 2020 but confirmed the news on Friday. “We remain close friends and our three children will always be the most important focus of our lives,” the pair said in a statement. The two were married for 29 years and share three children - Stella, 27, Claude, 22 and Harry, 19. Baker opened up about his marriage in the past when asked why he and Rigg didn't celebrate wedding anniversaries. “We’ve never really been big on it. Anniversaries, they’re an odd thing, aren’t they?” Baker told <a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/movies/simon-baker-happy-20-year-marriage/" target="_blank">People in 2018</a>. “I think we put too much pressure on it. It’s not like that with us. “We’re a team. Most of the time, 99 per cent of the time, we’re really great friends. So I don’t need to mark it with great things.” Baker and Rigg met in the 1990s and both appeared in the Australian drama E-Street.

Relationships

Simon Cowell recovering after breaking his back

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> America's Got Talent judge Simon Cowell is recovering after undergoing back surgery after an electric bike accident. “He broke his back in a few places,” a spokesperson for Cowell said in a statement to Deadline. “They operated overnight, the surgery went well, and he is in the hospital recovering.” According to sources quoted by <a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/tv/simon-cowell-recovering-after-5-hour-back-surgery/" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink">People</a>, the surgery lasted five hours, and the America’s Got Talent judge “has had to have a number of fusions and metal rod put into his back.” <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/BJk_yXtBFxX/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/BJk_yXtBFxX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by @simoncowell</a> on Aug 26, 2016 at 9:08am PDT </div> </blockquote> The TV personality is reportedly doing fine. “Simon had a fall from his bike on Saturday afternoon whilst testing his new electric bike in the courtyard at his house in Malibu with his family,” a spokesperson for the AGT and The X-Factor creator said. “He hurt his back and was taken to the hospital. He’s doing fine, he’s under observation and is in the best possible hands.” </div> </div> </div>

News

Star opens up on Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp "love triangle" saga

South African rugby star Francois Hougaard has opened up on the long-running rumours that a text message that he sent to Reeva Steenkamp sparked her brutal murder, which was done by Paralympic star Oscar Pistorius six years ago. Steenkamp was shot dead by Pistorius through the bathroom door of his home in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013. Pistorius is serving a prison sentence of more than 13 years for her murder. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7826314/oscar-story.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2b43dee2c4274ecba0371595573c9e99" /> Oscar Pistorius in court Now, Hougaard has opened up about how he was put in the middle of the media inquest in 2013 due to reports that claimed a text he sent was the catalyst of the murder. Hougaard told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/article-6967451/Francois-Hougaard-business-tattoos-death-former-girlfriend.html" target="_blank">The Daily Mail</a>: “Reeva and I dated for quite a while. “One of my best mates phoned me at seven o’clock when I was playing golf to tell me what had happened. He was the first to get to the house. It’s a shock when you hear something like that, isn’t it? It’s tough. “Everyone was saying I sent Reeva a message and that’s why he shot her. I had nothing to do with her any more but it’s all people were asking me about. Mentally, that was a really tough thing to go through.” Hougaard, 31, was involved in the lengthy court case and shared how he stopped the mental pressure from impacting his performance as a rugby player. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7826313/oscar-story-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/59f1ad1e691d4936b6a6867311457167" /> Francois Hougaard “It was tough because rugby is 80 per cent mental. If you’re not mentally where you need to be, then you’re not going to play well,” he said. “I went to see a psychologist to talk about it. That taught me to deal with negative situations. That taught me to turn things into positive fuel and not to sulk. “When you’re young, you might wake up with a sore shoulder and think, ‘Ah, I’m not really keen for training.’ Once something really seriously bad happens, it just adds some perspective. You don’t sulk about getting dropped or a niggle. It makes you appreciate what you’ve got.”

Legal

Reeva Steenkamp’s mother: “I’ve forgiven Oscar for killing my daughter”

The mother of murdered model Reeva Steenkamp says she is “finished” with Olympian and convicted killer Oscar Pistorius once and for all. “I am not interested in Oscar Pistorius, I am finished with that,” June Steenkamp, 71, said, after Pistorius exhausted all legal attempts to reduce his 15-year sentence for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva on Valentine's Day five years ago. “It's up to the justice system now – I have no interest whatsoever in him. He is not important to me anymore. It has been five years and I have had enough now,” she told the South African media. <img width="431" height="556" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/newpix/2018/04/11/11/4B0ABE2700000578-5602689-Reeva_Steenkamp_s_mother_June_and_father_Barry-a-15_1523444094203.jpg" alt="Reeva Steenkamp's mother June and father Barry" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-c032ebb7e0a10743"/> June and Barry Steenkamp, the parents of slain model Reeva. Steenkamp added that she and Barry are not “vengeful or vindictive” people. “I've forgiven Oscar for killing my daughter,” she said. “I'm a Christian. God expects me to forgive. But He doesn't expect the person not to be punished. He's got to be punished. A lot of people don't understand that but it's true. For me it's true.” Steenkamp confirmed she hadn't personally told Pistorius that he had been forgiven. “I haven't had contact with him. What must I say to man who has killed my daughter?” she said. “There's nothing to say. If he murdered your daughter would you want to talk to him? “Would you want to personally talk to him? I don't think so. Talking to him is not possible. It's not for me. I'm over it now.” Steenkamp also addressed those who blame her for the Olympian's fall from the grace. “I don't take it personally anymore. It doesn't hurt anymore,” she said. “One of my friends once said, June you were nothing and nobody until your daughter died. I was horrified. But I never reacted. “I just take that sort of person out of my life. She's now an ex friend. If I didn't walk away I'd be in an institution by now.” Pistorius' last ditch legal appeal failed in the highest South African court this week after the Constitutional Court ruled it did not have the jurisdiction to grant him leave to appeal. Steenkamp says she has never recovered from her daughter's death. “It's frozen in my mind. The pain of losing her is in my thoughts every day. It will always be there for me,” she said. “In certain ways her death destroyed part of my life. It's the worst thing that could have ever happened to me. “When Reeva was about four or five, one of my friends said to me, June don't love things too much, they get taken away from you. That's something I'll never forget. “She could see how much I loved my child. That stuck in my mind. And Reeva's death cemented it.' The grief over losing a child, she noted, had no timeline. “One would imagine that after five years it would be easier. But it's actually not. Some days are still very hard,” she said. “She was such an inspiring person and devoted to Barry and I. We miss her. She was a shiny light in our lives. She loved us and doted on us. So it's difficult living without that person. I think I will go to my death with this with me.” She says the only thing that keeps her going is the Reeva Steenkamp Foundation, the non-profit organisation she launched in 2015 to educate children about violence, bullying and abuse. “I thought straight away of a foundation to protect women, for awareness for them to realise what they were involved in,” says Steenkamp. “Violence against women is escalating daily now. Reeva was already working against abuse, now I'm taking the baton and going forward with it.” “I'm sure [Reeva] knows what I'm doing,” she added.

Legal

Reeva Steenkamp’s sister Simone warns Oscar Pistorius “will kill again”

As Paralympian Oscar Pistorius appeals his 13-year jail term for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013, Simone Steenkamp has spoken out about her sister’s murderer. In a heartbreaking interview with <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/5718661/oscar-pistorius-reeva-steenkamp-sister-murder-interview/" target="_blank">The Sun</a> marking five years since Reeva’s death, Simone has asked South African authorities to not let him free saying “He will kill again”. Simone has said the expanding bullets Pistorius used to kill Reeva were no accident and that he will continue to be dangerous when he goes free. “Pistorius will come out one day and he will do it again, he is that dangerous. It is in him — he will kill again. “You don’t shoot an animal with the type of bullets he used. “You don’t shoot a loved one with that sort of bullet or even an intruder, as he claimed he thought it was. “In a way I feel sorry for Pistorius. He has not had an easy life, what with the double amputation of his legs when he was just a baby and the loss of his mother at the age of 16. “I think both those events made him what he is today. “He worked hard to get where he did and I think the fame and acclaim went to his head and he just lost it with my sister.” Speaking for the first time since Pistorius’ 2014 trial, Simone accused him of falsely painting his relationship with Reeva as a “long-term partnership”. Pistorius killed Reeva on Valentine’s Day in 2013, firing four Black Talon bullets through a door while she was in the bathroom of his South African home. In court, Pistorius claimed that he thought she was an intruder and after a seven-month trial, he was sentenced to only five years in jail for culpable homicide. A later appeal led to the charge being changed to murder and the sentence was increased to 13 years. Reeva was 29 when she died but Simone explained that she will always remember her as her “tiny” sister. “I was 18 when Reeva was born. She was so beautiful and was my angel,” she told The Sun. “I loved her from the moment I first saw her — and I love her just as much today. “She called me Si and I called her Reeves. “We talked all the time despite the age gap and we laughed so much and we used to swear so much Mum said we would need a swear jar. “Reeves had an amazing sense of humour and sense of fun and love and I never heard her run anyone down unless they had a bad word to say about me or our mum. “I still see her face. She was a strong personality with a heart of gold, and she wasn’t a big softie, like me. “She never hid her feelings — you knew what she was feeling. She never stood any nonsense from anyone. “That’s why I know she would stand up to someone like Pistorius, because she was not a doormat and she would not let anyone walk over her and would not be bullied.” Simone explained that she was living in Cambridgeshire with her two sons when she heard the shocking news that Reeva had died. “On the morning that Reeves died I got a WhatsApp at 6am telling me she had passed and had been shot by Oscar Pistorius. I thought, ‘Passed what? Oscar who?’. “I had never heard that she was going out with him because they had only been dating for three months. “I just knew him as an athlete. “I was in shock and wandered out of my house in the dark into the snow in my pyjamas and stood there for an hour as it slowly sank in that she was gone, that she had been killed.” Simone immediately returned to South Africa and was told the devastating details of her sister’s death and how she had been planning to leave the athlete. “Reeves had been in two previous long-term relationships and takes them very seriously. She was very cautious in her relationships. “She was only dating him from November and he killed her in February. “She wasn’t going to move in with him any time soon, as he said. “I think she was leaving him. We later found out they had lots of fall-outs, which she never kept secret. “I think he lost it and couldn’t bear to have her walk out on him, and if he couldn’t have her then nobody could.” Simone described the trial as unbearable and admitted that she could only attend one day. "I did just one day at court and it destroyed me. I couldn’t go back again and hear his lies." “I got told to be quiet a couple of times for calling him a b*****d and other things. “I was just looking at him sat there, full of himself, and thinking, ‘That’s the man who killed our Reeves’. “My mother was amazing as she went every single day of the trial but my dad has difficulty walking and a heart condition and did amazingly well to go to the sentencing. “If Pistorius had just stood there in the dock and told the truth and said he lost his mind and shot her because she was going to leave him then I could understand it and accept it. “I don’t know why Pistorius claimed they were going to have a life and a home together in court. It was lies. “He had never even met my mother and father, and never met me.” After Pistorius’ sentence was doubled to 13 years and five months at South Africa’s Supreme Court, Simone says her family can begin to move from mourning to celebrating her life. “This is the first year I’ve not been too bad on the anniversary." “It is a day when I remember the good things about Reeves. “It is a day when I remember how much she made me laugh. “I don’t think of her being murdered on this day but just the happy times together.”

Legal

Reeva Steenkamp’s parents "horrified" over Oscar Pistorius movie

Reeva Steenkamp’s parents have been outraged over the suggestion they had any involvement in the upcoming film about their daughter’s death. Reeva’s parents, Barry and June Steenkamp, were “horrified and upset” at reports the film Blade Runner Killer would be told from the perspective of the model and her mother. The couple said they had no association with the project and they were unaware it was being made. “Any impression that is created that this is June’s view, or that the movie is endorsed by the Steenkamp family, is untrue and incorrect,” they said in a statement. On Monday, a trailer for the movie was released which shows Oscar Pistorius’ version of events, as well as Reeva’s friends and family’s perspective of him in court. Earlier this year, a documentary about the case was released which alleged that the athlete was aware of what he was doing when he shot his girlfriend, despite his claims he was trying to protect her. The double-amputee sprinter was first convicted for culpable homicide, a charge similar to manslaughter. In the documentary, <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/2017/09/chilling-unseen-footage-suggests-oscar-pistorius-knew-what-he-was-doing/" target="_blank">ballistic experts presented bullets</a> as crucial evidence and the paralympian's charge was overturned and replaced with murder. Four years after the 29-year-old’s death, Cpt Mangena said it was clear Oscar “knew what he was doing” and rejected his robber defence. “She [Reeva] was standing behind the door, she was not in a seated position,” Mangena said. “So, it could be that she ran into the toilet and she locked herself in the toilet, she was waiting, facing the door, inside the toilet.” “The first shot was on the hip and after this shot, she fell down. Most likely she could have screamed. She could have screamed and fell down.” Cpt Mangena believes Reeva then fell onto a seated position on top of a magazine rack and knowing this, Oscar was prompted to change direction and fire three more shots, including a fatal head shot. Oscar’s charge was upgraded to murder after an appeal and he was sentenced to six years. Prosecutors are pushing for a longer sentence as they feel the prison sentence is “shockingly lenient”.

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Paul Simon reveals sad health update

"I want answers": Simon Dorante-Day's cunning plan to prove royal connections

Simon Cowell opens up on secret health battle

"I was aghast": Simon Dorante-Day's sister speaks out against his claims

“It’s time for the world to read this”: Simon Dorante-Day shares last letter to the Queen

Simon Baker discusses his "difficult" relationship with his father

Simon Baker confirms long-held rumour

Simon Baker’s ex speaks for first time since split

Simon Baker quietly splits from model girlfriend

Paul Simon celebrates 80th birthday with new project

New evidence Prince Charles KNEW about Simon Dorante-Day

Simon Dorante-Day set to prove critics wrong with new facts

"Diana knew of my existence": Simon Dorante-Day's newest claim

Simon Baker debuts relationship with 36-year-old designer

Simon Baker splits with wife of 29 years

Simon Cowell recovering after breaking his back

Star opens up on Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp "love triangle" saga

Reeva Steenkamp’s mother: “I’ve forgiven Oscar for killing my daughter”

Reeva Steenkamp’s sister Simone warns Oscar Pistorius “will kill again”

Reeva Steenkamp’s parents "horrified" over Oscar Pistorius movie

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Paul Simon reveals sad health update

"I want answers": Simon Dorante-Day's cunning plan to prove royal connections

Simon Cowell opens up on secret health battle

"I was aghast": Simon Dorante-Day's sister speaks out against his claims

“It’s time for the world to read this”: Simon Dorante-Day shares last letter to the Queen

Simon Baker discusses his "difficult" relationship with his father

Simon Baker confirms long-held rumour

Simon Baker’s ex speaks for first time since split

Simon Baker quietly splits from model girlfriend

Paul Simon celebrates 80th birthday with new project

New evidence Prince Charles KNEW about Simon Dorante-Day

Simon Dorante-Day set to prove critics wrong with new facts

"Diana knew of my existence": Simon Dorante-Day's newest claim

Simon Baker debuts relationship with 36-year-old designer

Simon Baker splits with wife of 29 years

Simon Cowell recovering after breaking his back

Star opens up on Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp "love triangle" saga

Reeva Steenkamp’s mother: “I’ve forgiven Oscar for killing my daughter”

Reeva Steenkamp’s sister Simone warns Oscar Pistorius “will kill again”

Reeva Steenkamp’s parents "horrified" over Oscar Pistorius movie

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