Amy Dowden has revealed that she was recently diagnosed with “life-threatening” sepsis as she underwent cancer treatment earlier this month. The Strictly Come Dancing star, 33, told her nearly 490k followers on Instagram that she suffered a “setback” in her treatment and had to spend “several days in hospital” being treated by an ICU team. In June, Dowden underwent a mastectomy after being diagnosed with stage three breast cancer the month prior. She began chemotherapy earlier this month after doctors found another type of cancer. Speaking to Hello! magazine in a new interview, the professional dancer said she started feeling ill two days after her first round of chemotherapy and started getting a fever. “I started having a temperature of 37.7 degrees Celsius,” she recalled. “At the time, I didn’t realise that having a temperature of 37.5 or above could be fatal for a chemo patient. I just thought it was my reaction to chemo, but as it turned out, I had already got an infection.” She added: “I felt freezing cold but I was all clammy and shaking. My mum and dad rang my red card [which provides the chemotherapy team’s contact details and current treatment information] and they said to hang up and ring the ambulance.” Dowden continued: “I didn’t want to go into hospital; at the time I didn’t realise how ill I was. “I knew it was a Saturday night, so A&E would probably be crowded, and it was dangerous being around people as it’s more likely you’ll pick up an infection. “On chemo, you don’t have your white blood cells to fight infection. We now know I had the infection just before I started chemo, but we were never able to pinpoint what actually caused it.” Dowden said she was so ill that she couldn’t really understand the danger she was in. “The doctors and nurses were telling me I had sepsis and that it was life-threatening, but I wasn’t taking it in,” she said. “I didn’t become properly aware until later. I told my dad, ‘I’ve got sepsis’ and he said, ‘I know!’” On her birthday on 10 August, Dowden spent the day in hospital after her temperature went up again. She is currently recovering at home and has been able to continue her chemotherapy treatment. The treatment has caused the TV star to start losing her hair and she now wears a wig, but she is hopeful she will be able to appear on the forthcoming series of Strictly in some way. She revealed that the Strictly production team is “getting me some fabulous wigs ready”. “The team are being guided by me – they’ve been utterly amazing,” Dowden said. “We’ve got some dates in the diary, but it will depend on how I feel. We’re taking it a step at a time.” Dowden’s professional dancer colleagues on the show have been sending her videos, flowers and presents to encourage her as she undergoes treatment, she added. “I speak to Dianne [Buswell] every single day. This is impacting on them as well because we’re a team,” she said. “I’m grateful they are including me because Strictly will help me get through the next few months, mentally. It’s just the tonic that I need.” Last week, Dowden opened up about her hair loss and admitted she was finding it “so hard”. She shared a photo of a clump of her hair that had fallen out with a series of broken heart emojis and wrote: “So much everyday! So hard! One day at a time!” After her mastectomy, Dowden was told she needed chemotherapy as doctors found further tumours after the surgery. In an Instagram Live chat, she said: “They found another type of cancer and then they told me I needed chemo – for me that was a massive blow. It wasn’t in the plan, originally – and I know the plan you can’t get fixated on.” Dowden is married to her long-term partner Benjamin Jones, who is also a professional dancer. The couple wed in 2022, after having to reschedule their wedding due to the Covid pandemic. Read More ‘My depression ate me up and stopped me doing the thing in life I loved the most – cooking’ Maya Jama and Stormzy ‘confirm relationship’ as they’re seen holding hands in Greece Pilot makes sweet announcement to his flight attendant mother on first flight together Strictly’s Amy Dowden finding it ‘so hard’ as she shares hair loss update amid cancer BBC Breakfast’s Emma Vardy announces birth of first child Ultra-processed food may cause ‘tidal wave of harm’, including heart attack, stroke

Odds are that if you're on the lookout for the next bed of your dreams, memory foam is on your list of options to check out. We don't blame you. Unlike other mattresses, the squishy-yet-supportive material gradually molds to our bodies in response to pressure and easily caters to a wide range of sleepers. The real question is this: Which mattress will actually keep you counting sheep in comfort, night after night?

Last February, YouTuber/writer/artist Paola Merrill, aka the Cottage Fairy, uploaded a video titled “How I Keep Daily Life Interesting and Magical.” About 11 minutes in, she breaks her usual form — mostly pastoral scenes and bucolic filmic montages of her day-to-day activities of crafting, writing, painting, cooking, foraging, and exploring, all with a poetic voiceover and piano instrumentals — to speak directly to camera.

Christian Horner revealed that Lewis Hamilton’s father Anthony made an enquiry about Sergio Perez’s seat at Red Bull earlier this season. Following on from an interview Horner gave saying that a representative of Hamilton had been in touch about joining the world champions, Hamilton had his say on Thursday – insisting that nobody from his team has been in touch and, in fact, Horner messaged him on an old phone. The Mercedes driver added that Horner was simply “stirring things.” Yet the Red Bull team principal looked to put the speculation to bed by divulging that it was Hamilton’s father and former manager Anthony who had touched base. “It’s not unusual for there to be an exchange, I’ve known Anthony Hamilton for 15 years,’ Horner told Sky F1. “There’s been an exchange over the course of this season. There’s a lot been made of this. “Anthony’s a nice guy, he reached out around Sergio and enquired with a suggestive question. I don’t know what role he plays in Lewis’ management now.” Horner was keen to emphasise, however, that there is no seat available for the seven-time world champion. Perez, who has been under pressure at Red Bull this year despite last week securing second in the world championship, has a contract until the end of 2024. “We’re very happy with the drivers we’ve got,” Horner added. “Lewis hasn’t won a race for almost two years, you can understand questions being asked - it’s entirely logical and normal. “I’ve always had a great relationship with Anthony, but there’s no seat available - it’s a non-question.” Hamilton was heavily linked with Ferrari earlier in the season but put all speculation to bed when he penned a new £50m-a-year extension with Mercedes in August, a rise of approximately £10m. Hamilton has not won since December 2021 in Saudi Arabia. A week later, he lost the 2021 world championship to Verstappen on the final lap in controversial circumstances in Abu Dhabi. Mercedes have won just one race since, with George Russell’s first F1 victory in Brazil last year, while Hamilton has had 15 podiums since 2021 without a victory. Red Bull, meanwhile, have won 20 of the 21 races this season with Verstappen triumphant a record-breaking 18 times ahead of the season finale in Abu Dhabi this weekend. Read More F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix LIVE: Practice updates and times at Yas Marina F1 to trial AI at season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix What time is qualifying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday? Lewis Hamilton says Red Bull chief is ‘stirring things’ over team move claim Toto Wolff and Fred Vasseur receive warnings over ‘swearing’ in Las Vegas ‘He’s stirring things!’ Lewis Hamilton takes aim at Christian Horner

Sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll are not necessarily how you would describe McFly these days, as the band venture into fatherhood, settle down, write kids’ books and tour in a far less intense fashion. A lot has changed since their crash onto the music scene in 2003. They’re more chilled-out pals than boy band bad boys now. “Dougie was very excited today, because we figured out a really good post-show cool down,” Harry Judd, McFly’s drummer, says with a laugh. “[It involves] lighting a candle, having a shower, getting into some comfies and then having some healthy food. I can assure you, it is very rock and roll,” Judd, 37, adds. “It’s more sustainable that way – the way we do it – and also ultimately more enjoyable. You feel a lot more fresh, energised and able to do the gigs, because it’s quite a physically demanding job being on tour. “When we first started, we had that unbelievable energy you have with your buddies, but I enjoy it more now. We’re focused.” Changing priorities Judd’s lifestyle has changed in the past 20 years of McFly. “I’ve stopped doing anything I shouldn’t have been doing. I lived a pretty rock and roll lifestyle, so I think I was totally ready [to be a father].” Now, alongside playing with his bandmates, the 2011 Strictly Come Dancing winner is also playing with his children, Lola, seven, Kit, five, and Lockie, who’ll be two in October. All of his kids want to play very differently, and he gets to see them explore in many different ways. “Lola’s really into imaginative play, make-believe, roleplay, and right from an early age, I remember her pretending to play doctors and nurses, mothers and babies. I can tell already that she loves pretending to be a teacher, lining her teddies up and taking a class. “My son, Kit, on the other hand, loves music. I bought his first toy drum kit from Argos last year, but he’s now moved on to guitar, unfortunately. He is a bit more individual with his playing, pretending to be in McFly basically. I can see him going into music.” Despite Kit’s musical interests, his dad is not his favourite member of McFly. “Tom [Fletcher] is his favourite member and that’s something I’ve had to come to terms with,” Judd laughs. Out and about “My kids just finished for the summer holidays, so now I have to do more with them. You feel that guilt as parents, when they’re at school, because there’s no time and my daughter is constantly telling me, ‘Daddy, let’s do this. Let’s do that’. Even just carving out 10 minutes a day of play with your kids is hugely beneficial,” he says. And his time with them is often spent being a big kid. “We get outside… climbing trees and making dances; playing catch and cricket in the garden. [We play] Grandmother’s Footsteps, stuff like that. That, to me, is the most fun and fast way to engage with your kids.” Nurturing his inner child Judd is very aware of his own childishness. “I still can relate to a lot of my inner child now. I’m still very competitive and I’m quite sensitive. There are moments where I always want to be right and I have to try and contain that.” His wife Izzy, he says, knows she is sometimes dealing with a big kid, too. “I feel like she takes on so much. She has three kids. She’s got a man baby for a husband. She’s kind and she’s so caring,” he gushes. “The main thing for me, was to become less selfish. I think that’s one of the hardest things. You’re no longer number one. You can’t just do the things you want to do.” Harry Judd is partnering with Argos on its 50th birthday. Argos is giving away £20,000 worth of toys to mark its five-decade milestone. To find out more click here. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live How to bring a touch of the Mediterranean to your garden 6 of the biggest bridesmaid fashion trends to know about Experts share 8 healthy habits to help you live longer

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For the first time in about 30 years, McDonald's is increasing its royalty fee for franchise operators opening new restaurants in the US and Canada.

Lewis Hamilton apologised to George Russell and took full responsibility for their first lap crash at the Qatar Grand Prix on Sunday night. The Mercedes pair collided at the first turn of the first lap of the race, with Hamilton’s rear-right tyre clipping the front of Russell’s car. Hamilton, 38, spun off into the gravel and was forced to retire from the grand prix, while the incident also ruined Russell’s race as he dropped back to dead last. But while both immediately blamed each other on the team radio, Hamilton later admitted he was at fault and post-race spoke to Russell. In a video posted on Mercedes’ Instagram page, Hamilton is seen approaching Russell in the paddock and saying: “Sorry about today, it wasn’t your fault.” The pair quickly embrace, with Hamilton adding: “Great job.” Hamilton also posted on X/Twitter: “I’ve watched the replay and it was 100% my fault and I take full responsibility. Apologies to my team and to George.” Russell, despite intense humid conditions in Lusail, recovered over the next 57 laps to finish a respectable fourth. Hamilton added in his TV pen interview: “I just feel really sorry for the team, we had a chance today to get some good points. “Heat of the moment, I didn’t understand what happened but I don’t think George had anywhere to go. I’m happy to take responsibility for it. “It’s massively gutting to have a result like this. It’s very rare that this happens, I hope George is able to get back into the points.” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff was absent from this race – his second in a row – as he recovers from knee surgery. But the Austrian came on the intercom in a move to calm Russell, 25, down shortly after the incident. “George, let’s race now, and get the best out of it,” he said. Max Verstappen won the race, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris securing another double podium for McLaren. Read More Lewis Hamilton reacts after first-corner collision with George Russell ‘I was passing out in the car’: Lance Stroll explains how Qatar heat took its toll ‘I was passing out in the car’: Lance Stroll explains how Qatar heat took its toll Lewis Hamilton and George Russell collide as Max Verstappen wins in Qatar Carlos Sainz misses Qatar Grand Prix in huge Ferrari blow

Trampolines and trapezes are out on the asphalt in Montreal, with colorful acrobats twirling near...