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JACQUELINE Jossa has been forced to defend a bizarre moment where her EastEnders character appeared to “smell Sonia’s knickers”.

The Lauren Branning actress, 32, was part of the cast who took part in the soap’s 40th anniversary live episode, and fans were left shocked by a weird moment.

BBC

EastEnders fans were shocked during the live episode after it looked like Lauren ‘smelt’ sonia’s underwear[/caption]

BBC

Lauren pulled the pants up to her face[/caption]

Getty

Actress Jac Jossa has defended the bizarre moment[/caption]

The knicker incident happened when Lauren appeared to lift up Sonia’s pants and “sniff them”, before tossing them to the side.

Bianca had thrown the pants to Lauren as Sonia prepared to give birth during the live episode.

However, Jacqueline has now defended the moment and made it clear to fans what exactly happened.

Taking to social media, she said: “Just to clarify I didn’t sniff them, I was checking what they were and lifting them in shot, no sniffing.

“They hit me in the face so I think I just lifted them up to make sure it was in the shot, this is amazing.”

The star finished her response with lots of laughing face emojis.

FANS REACT

After the knicker incident aired on Thursday, fans immediately took to social media in shock.

One person wrote: “Did Sonia just sniff Sonia’s knickers?!”

Another echoed: “Lauren definitely just sniffed Sonia’s pants.”

But luckily Jac has now put the incident to bed.

MARRIAGE RUMOURS

The EastEnders live episode came after Jac recently addressed split rumours surrounding her marriage with Dan Osborne.

She told The Sun how a traumatic burglary last summer was the catalyst for changing her whole attitude and making her reassess what is important in her life – her family.

It also helped her decide that she’d had enough of explaining what is going on in her marriage to husband of nearly eight years, Dan.

BBC

Jac has played Lauren Branning on and off for 15 years[/caption]

They’ve been together for more than a decade and have been dogged by split rumours since before they got married.

Recently, the whispers were over news the couple were selling their forever home in Essex, with the former TOWIE star buying a separate property in his name.

But the pair insist they’re still together and are just reassessing their assets.

“People seem to think they know more about my life than I do,” she sighs.

“They were saying: ‘Jacqueline didn’t spend Christmas with Daniel.’ But all I have to do is post pictures of us together with Christmas hats on.

“We lie in bed next to each other, laughing and reading stuff online about us.

“The speculation is ridiculous, but at the same time, I know it comes with the job, so I do understand it. I read things about Mark Wright and Michelle Keegan and go: ‘Really? Is that true?’ But I’m sure they are happy. It’s not my business what other people think or want to read.

“But apart from me being back on EastEnders, I haven’t put myself out there in that space. I haven’t done any reality shows recently and neither has Dan.

“I’m constantly working, and so is he [Dan runs an online competition website and a tattoo studio]. We just crack on with our day jobs and looking after our kids. He is a fantastic dad. I’m done going on to social media trying to explain it.”

A DESPERATE mum says her son has been caught up in a bizarre legal situation after receiving dozens of Ulez fines – claiming the number plate on his van had been cloned.

Kay Russell, 64, says her son Joe, 28, who is also on the autism spectrum, has been left too worried to work and travel around London after being bombarded by penalties, sent to court, and even visited by bailiffs.

Supplied

Kay says her son Joe’s van, a Peugeot Partner, had had its number plate cloned last year[/caption]

Supplied

The family grew suspicious after receiving Ulez fines showing a slightly older model of the van with the same number plate[/caption]

Getty

But the family struggled to convey the issue to TfL – who sent dozens of additional fines[/caption]

Speaking to Sun Motors, Kay revealed the ordeal started back in April, when TfL first sent fines along with photographs supposedly of Joe’s Peugeot van driving through a low-emission zone.

However, Kay says her family soon realised the vehicle in the pictures was different from her son’s – but had the same number plate.

According to Kay, Joe’s van, a Peugeot Partner, is a newer model compared to the one that can be seen in the TfL photographs.

Kay explained: “It is similar to my son’s van; his is a Peugeot, but the one in the pictures was an older model, with the badge on the bonnet, whereas the Peugeot badge on my son’s van is on the grille.”

Despite providing photographic evidence to TfL, the family says they were asked for further proof, such as detailed records of Joe’s whereabouts on the dates of the alleged offences – something he found difficult to provide.

Kay added: “When I spoke to somebody at TfL, they said, ‘Well, anyone can stick a badge on anywhere.’

“I said, ‘But it is the Peugeot badge, it is clear where it is. And if my son had removed it, you’d see where it was.’”

Kay admits that some of the Ulez fines do belong to her son, which actually helped her and her husband realise that the van in some of the pictures wasn’t the one driven by Joe.

She said: “When you see two vehicles next to each other, you can clearly see that the front of the cloned van is completely different to my son’s – like where the badge is.”

Joe first realised something was wrong when money started disappearing from his TfL account, followed by a series of fines arriving from various authorities, including Southwark and Walthamstow councils.

He immediately reported the issue to the police and obtained a crime reference number.

The situation then escalated when the case went to court, although Kay and her family were not notified in time to defend themselves.

Kay said: “TfL responded to my email on 8 January, but the case had already gone to court before they even opened the email.

“We weren’t even advised about the court date.

“We didn’t get the chance to defend ourselves or explain anything. It just went to court, and they decided it was our fault.”

She also said the family have tried to appeal the fines, but this has simply added to their expenses.

“To appeal, we’d have to pay per fine, and we’ve got about ten fines here. Why should we pay for something that isn’t our fault?” she added.

Bailiffs have also visited their home, adding to their stress.

Kay said: “I don’t know where I stand. Every time I try to phone a solicitor, they tell me it’s going to cost me more money than the fines are.”

Joe, who works as a plumber but can only work on sites and not in people’s homes due to his autism, has even started to avoid driving into London due to the worry of picking up more fines.

Kay added: “He’s taken a job further away, earning less, but he just can’t deal with this stress.

“This shouldn’t be a battle for us as a family. We shouldn’t even be going through this.

“I’ve phoned hundreds of people, but no one wants to go into detail or help us. They just say, ‘Send everything in.’”

Sun Motors later got in contact with TfL, who said: “We are very sorry that Mr Russell has been a victim of vehicle cloning.

“In this case there were eight open penalty charge notices (PCNs), one of which had representations made against it.

“Having reviewed the images, five PCNs were incurred by Mr Russell’s vehicle and three by a cloned vehicle.

“We have cancelled any outstanding fines and the remaining balance.”

Kay also revealed TfL contacted her and her family to resolve the matter – much to her relief.

TfL have reminded drivers that vehicle cloning is a criminal matter, which the police enforce and prosecute.

They also state that every image is checked by two members of staff before any penalty charge notice is issued.

Any customer who believes their vehicle has been cloned can provide evidence demonstrating the PCN has been issued incorrectly.

This includes proof of a vehicle at a different location for the date and time of the contravention, such as a tracker report, statement from a colleague or neighbour.

They also accept a witness statement affirming vehicle was not at location but elsewhere, photos showing differences between their vehicle and the vehicle captured, and a crime reference number.

This comes Sun Motors recently spoke to a man who’d been issued with nearly £25,000 in Ulez fines for a vehicle he hadn’t owned for nearly a year.

Bilal Yousaf, 44, from Glasgow, Scotland, had his Renault Master repossessed in February 2024 after he was forced to give up work.

However, his details were seemingly still linked to the van.

Then, in March, Bilal – who says he hasn’t been to London in around 10 years – began receiving penalty notices from TfL, claiming he received on average “five fines a day” at their peak.

He says TfL even passed his details to a collection agency, which also began to send him letters.

DUNNES Stores fans are set to love two “chic” new waistcoats for spring – and they are perfect for a night out.

The Beige Savida Sienna Waistcoat is available in stores and online now.

It is priced at just €25 and comes in cream and black.

The retailer said: “Designed with an on-trend open front and adjustable self tie closures, this waistcoat from Savida allows you to cinch it just the way you like for a flattering fit.

“Pair it with a blazer or layer it over a tee for a casual, chic look.

“Savida is available exclusively at Dunnes Stores.”

Dunnes has paired the waistcoat with fab wide leg jeans for a casual look.

Meanwhile, a fashion fan has found the perfect pair of jeans for a comfy outfit – and they cost just €30.

The Savida Raw Hem Barrel Jeans are available online and in stores around the country now.

They are the perfect pair for the in-between weather often seen during springtime.

Monica, who goes @mon.fesa on Instagram, has shared how she styled the pair.

Posting on social media, the fashion fan wrote: “And we’re back @dunnesstores with @savida.ds today.

“I can’t believe how well the barrel jeans look on; try them if you don’t own a pair, because you’ll fall in love with them.

“Which top do you like more, the super soft knit or the Bow cardi??? Let me know…”

The jeans cost €30 and come in sizes 6 up to 18, but there’s bad news for some shoppers.

Size six has already sold out online due to its popularity, although it might still be found in stores.

Fashion bosses called the item “trend-forward”.

An official description of the item reads: “Made from a blue cotton denim, these jeans from Savida are designed with wide barrel legs and a raw hem.

“A trend-forward addition to your denim collection, they pair wonderfully with sneakers and a relaxed tee.

“Savida is available exclusively at Dunnes Stores.”

THE PREMIER LEAGUE addressed VAR’s controversial decision to deny Everton a late penalty against Manchester United.

The Toffees thought they got a last-gasp spot kick at the death of stoppage time when the score was 2-2 at Goodison Park.

The Merseysiders saw themselves leading 2-0 at half-time thanks to goals by Beto and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

However, United fought back in the second half and levelled the score with Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte.

But David Moyes’ men thought they would redeem themselves in the third minute of stoppage time after throwing away a two-goal lead.

That was when Man Utd star Harry Maguire appeared to have pulled down Ashley Young in the area.

The referee pointed straight at the spot but VAR felt differently and advised him to chack the pitchside monitor.

After a lengthy review, the hosts were denied a late penalty and the Red Devils found themselves breathing a sigh of relief.

The Premier League addressed the situation at full-time with a statement on social media.

It read: “VAR checked the referee’s call of penalty to Everton for a challenge by Maguire on Young and deemed that no foul had been committed and recommended an on-field review.

“The referee overturned the original decision and play restarted with an indirect free-kick.”

Man Utd also had a penalty kick denied in the closing stages of the match.

Joshua Zirkzee’s header hit Everton star Jarrad Branthwaite in the face and then possibly his arm in the 84th minute.

But VAR concluded there was no handball and the ref waived play on.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..

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TAKE a look at this coastal city in one of the most beautiful European countries with stunning beaches, amazing food and excellent nightlife.

Rimini in Italy is just three hours and 40 minutes away from Dublin Airport and would make a perfect getaway for a family or a couple.

Getty Images - Getty

Getty Images - Getty

Getty Images - Getty

Located just minutes from the bustling Federico Fellini International Airport, Rimini is the most popular tourist destination on the Northern coast of Italy.

And Ryanair is currently offering flights from Ireland for €29.99.

The city is well-known for its seaside charm, historical appeal, picturesque streets and courtyards with tucked-away gems.

There are a number of bargain hotels in the area with sea views and private beach access – with the average price per night roughly €75.

During April and May, temperatures reach highs of 22C and lows of 17C, making it the perfect spot for a spring getaway.

The Emilia-Romagna region is popular for its year-round sunshine, spectacular coastal views and unique activities, such as wine and food-tasting classes.

Rimini has many attractions to visit, including its gorgeous Old Town with beautiful buildings, a breathtaking cityscape, miles of golden beaches, crystal-blue waters and a fantastic nightlife scene.

Bagno Egisto 38 beach is one of the main charms that the area has to offer – and it’s just positioned beside the busy strip of the city.

Tourists flock to the popular beach spot for its soft golden sand, crystal clear waters and excellent services, including changing rooms, lockers for storage, parasols, sunbeds and hammocks.

A set of two sunbeds with an umbrella and a table is priced from €12 for the day.

Local cuisine in Rimini

Along the beach, you will find cafes, restaurants, bars and local shops.

The venues by the beach often provide local cuisine and products representing the city and country, meaning plenty of delicious pasta to try.

The Old Town of Rimini has many picturesque streets to explore, with gorgeous plants on the streets, local shops, food-tasting classes and museums telling the tales of the Old Town including the legacy of the legendary filmmaker who was born in Rimini.

It is well known for its wine-tasting and fresh pasta classes, with tourists travelling worldwide to try delicious wines from the vineyard with some local cheeses and olives and a big dish such as pasta.

Many restaurants and pubs can be found on the streets, with a bottle of beer costing as little as €2, while a meal out at a mid-range restaurant will cost €14.

Many nightlife events are held in the Old Town, expressing the culture of the local pubs and famous clubs with classy architectural styles that make you feel like you’ve stepped back into the Roman Empire era.

Popular attractions

Locals often urge visitors to see the famous Teatro Amintore Gali, one of the many popular theatres across the country.

It was bombed during the Second World War, but it was beautifully restored and reopened in recent years to the public; many incredible operas and classical shows are available to view.

For those who want to have a little bit of fun, they urge tourists to visit Italia in Miniatura, where visitors get to see a miniature park of Rimini and the region in Northern Italy.

It is Italy’s fourth-oldest theme park, attracting half a million tourists annually.

The park offers endless activities for tourists to do, including a delicious gelato to grab for your adventures.

History lovers will love learning about the world’s oldest republic, San Marino, a UNESCO World Heritage site that retains much of its historic architecture on the slopes of Monte Titano.

Getty Images - Getty

Getty Images - Getty

Getty Images - Getty

The NFL franchise tag window is now open, and the free agency “legal tampering period starts March 10. So, teams are starting to put their 2025 plans into action as the offseason starts in earnest. For the Minnesota Vikings, that may mean locking up failed former New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones to a new […]

The post NFL rumors: Vikings interest in Daniel Jones reunion gets major update appeared first on ClutchPoints.

The mantra for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season is simple: Consistency. On the other hand, the New York Knicks have shown flashes of brilliance but nothing too consistent. Despite the latter team being in third place in the Eastern Conference, the Cavs giving a 37-point beat down to the Knicks wasn’t a good look. However, […]

The post Why Cavs’ Ty Jerome doesn’t view 37-point beatdown of Knicks as ‘statement’ win appeared first on ClutchPoints.

For the second time in their respective careers, Kellen Moore and Brandon Staley will be on the same coaching staff, only this time it’s Moore in the big seat with Staley occupying what’s expected to be a more comfortable role of Defensive Coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. Though Staley’s hiring hasn’t been met with […]

The post Key Saints defensive back makes plea to Brandon Staley after hiring appeared first on ClutchPoints.

WALES and Ireland, two sides with very different ambitions, meet at the Principality at the halfway mark of the Six Nations.

Warren Gatland quit as Wales Head Coach following 14 straight defeats, with a loss in Italy the final straw for the 61-year-old.

The Men in Green have won two from two to start the 2025 Six Nations as they bid to win a third straight title.

If Wales are to avoid the Wooden Spoon, they will need a big result against one of the world’s best sides at the Principality.

• Kick-off time: 2:15pm GMT
• TV channel: BBC One
• FREE live stream: BBC iPlayer
• Wales XV: 15-Murray, 14- Rogers, 13-Llewellyn, 12-B Thomas, 11-Mee; 10-Anscombe, 9-T Williams; 1-N Smith, 2-Dee, 3-John, 4-Rowlands, 5-Jenkins, 6-Morgan (capt), 7-Reffell, 8-Faletau
• Ireland XV: 15-Osborne, 14-Hansen, 13-Ringrose, 12-Henshaw, 11-Lowe; 10-S Prendergast, 9-Gibson-Park; 1-Porter, 2-Sheehan (capt), 3-Clarkson, 4-J McCarthy, 5- Beirne, 6-O’Mahony, 7-Van der Flier, 8-Conan

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

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MANCHESTER UNITED fought back from two goals down to draw against Everton at Goodison Park

The Red Devils were slammed as “embarrassing” by Rio Ferdinand after failing 2-0 down in the first half.

PA

Bruno Fernandes netted his side’s first of the game[/caption]

Reuters

Manuel Ugarte netted a brilliant equaliser[/caption]

Manchester United were punished for a sluggish start as Beto beat the offside trap to fire the hosts ahead.

It got even worse for Amorim’s side as Abdoulaye Doucoure beat Harry Maguire to a rebound to head home.

Casemiro disappointed immensely for his 62 minutes of action before he was hooked for Alejandro Garnacho.

Bruno Fernandes did get Man United back into the game after a clever 71st-minute free kick from captain Bruno Fernandes.

The visitors then continued to push to gain a positive result from behind.

Manuel Ugarte was the man who volleyed home from outside the box in the 80th minute to level the score.

Amorim’s men were then lucky to escape a penalty in the final moments after VAR overturned the decision.

SunSport’s Ken Lawrence has given his ratings of the Manchester United team…

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

Andre Onana – 7

United needed him with his game-head on, and his 93rd-minute stop saved a point.

Noussair Mazraoui 69′ – 4

Looked seriously uncomfortable on the right side of the back three – forced there because of a defensive injury crisis

Harry Maguire – 4

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Harry Maguire was at fault for the second Everton goal[/caption]

Out-jumped by Doucoure as the midfielder grabbed Everton’s second and was generally all over the place.

Matthijs de Ligt – 4

Nowhere for Beto’s opener, completely missing attempted clearance and got away with a 93rd-minute penalty call.

Diogo Dalot – 5

At least shows willing. Which is more than could be said for some of his team mates at Goodison.

Manuel Ugarte – 7

Spent most of the game stranded in United’s midfield morass but salvation come with a brilliant strike.

Casemiro 62′ – 2

The Brazilian is beginning to look like the world’s oldest 32-year-old —he’s become a genuine irrelevance.

Patrick Dorgu – 6

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Patrick Dorgu was a bright spark for the Red Devils[/caption]

Made a determined start down the left flank but that enthusiasm was slowly but surely sucked out of him.

Bruno Fernandes – 8

His free kick was genuine class and once he was dropped deeper started controlling the gamee.

Joshua Zirkzee – 4

At £36.5M you would expect an element of ball control but the Dutchman used as a joint No 10 just looks lost.

Rasmus Hojlund 69′ – 3

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Rasmus Hojlund’s goal drought continues for Man United[/caption]

Not so much a desperate Dane, more a despairing one although it would help if he had some support.

Subs:

ALEJANDRO GARNACHO 62′ – 7

Injected some desperately needed pace and passion. 

Leny Yoro 69′ – 6

Should have been on much earlier.

Chido Obi-Martin 69′ – 5

The 17-year-old has a presence for sure.