Daily Mirror - 27.08.2019

mirror.co.uk TUESDAY 27.08.2019 DAILY MIRROR^23

DM1ST

with Ashleigh Rainbird

[email protected]

Strictly dancer Kevin

Clifton reveals that

comedian Russell

Brand helped him

quit booze following his split

from ex-wife and fellow Strictly

dancer, Karen.

“In the last couple of years, I

had some sort of breakdown,”

he says, describing “a stage of

total self-hatred” where his

confidence “was on the floor”.

“I didn’t know how to deal

with it,” he admits. “It was

affecting my work, it was

affecting mine and Karen’s

relationship. I didn’t know how

to function as a person.

“It’s as close as I can imagine

to what might be like

depression. I fell into a real

tough spot. I started drinking

a lot. I was

constantly

stressed out,

emotional, sad.

“Then me and

Karen ended up

breaking up. I

started drinking

more.” Pal Russell suggested

he go sober for two months,

and Kevin has since stuck at it.

“I haven’t had any alcohol for

14 months,” he said on his new

podcast. “My life has gone from

darkness, despair and self-

hatred to everything going so

much better. I’m so much

happier than I was a year ago.”

Kevin is now dating Strictly

partner Stacey Dooley.

No sporting achievement
is complete these days
without a shirtless video
of congratulations from
super fan Ross Kemp.
Ross, who filmed himself
enthusiastically
cheering throughout
last year’s World Cup,
celebrated England’s
Third Ashes Test win
with a similar video.
“Quite simply, if Ben
Stokes is not Sports
Personality of the Year, then I have a
full head of hair,” he declared. “Ben
Stokes, you are legend.”

He’s got balls the

size of the

London Eye.

Dave Grohl on Rick Astley,

as the Foo Fighters brought

him out to give a surprise

performance of Never Gonna

Give You Up during their

headline set at Reading

Festival.

THE DIARY

Mel B honest!

‘‘Girls hang out,^

they snuggle.

She’s married

& in love, I’m

single & ready

to mingle

There is nothing too intimate

for Mel B to share – even footage

of her showering with her dog.

Cookie the Yorkiepoo accompanied the

singer to the first night of her Brutally Honest

tour in Leeds, where Mel spoke candidly

about all manner of things.

Spice Girls rehearsals were “strange and

awkward” after her revelations about a past

fling with bandmate Geri Horner.

Clarifying the “very respectful” admission

she made, she added: “Girls hang out together,

they snuggle. She’s very happily married and

in love, and I’m single and ready to mingle.”

On the tour, she took five hours to get ready

for each show, including

doing 300 sit-ups and

push-ups, and spending

90 minutes having her

hair sewn in while

eating Midget Gems

and Wotsits in her

Union Jack-themed

dressing room. Back in

the 90s, she claims she and

Mel C could drink the likes of the Gallagher

brothers and Kate Moss “under the table”.

Having moved back to Leeds to be with

mum Andrea, Mel said she is still battling ex

Stephen Belafonte for custody of daughter

Madison, who she hopes to bring to the UK.

She’s also trying to get the Spice Girls to

record new music – and bringing out a range

of sex toys as “there’s a big gap in the market”.

Asked who she’d “sh*g, marry or kill” out of

the band, she would marry Mel C, sh*g

Emma, as “even though she’s all innocent,

she’s kind of kinky”, and kill Geri and Posh.

Becks has bELTer

Unperturbed by Mel’s frank admissions, Victoria

Beckham had lots of holiday fun with hubby David and

pals Elton John and David Furnish.

David made the strange decision to mock his wife’s

boat wardrobe, while wearing this flouncy Versace shirt.

(She ribbed him right back.)

For some bizarre reason, none of the families

mentioned Gemma Collins, who attended the

same “chic” restaurant as them on the

French Riviera.

“It was an amazing day,” she said.

Ice cream trucks were popular this weekend,

so what better time for Drake’s favourite

artist Bassboy to release his new track,

sampling their iconic melody?

The Ministry of Sound star, whose song Ice Cream

Man is out now, reveals he’s got a strange hobby and

collects brand new £1 coins every time a new batch is

released, without ever spending them.

That could buy a lot of 99s.