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End-of-terrace house looks normal from the outside but hides bizarre secret in sprawling basement – would YOU move in?
A BLACKPOOL guest house has undergone a jaw-dropping transformation and now contains a private nightclub, cinema room, and space for 24 guests.
Wayne and Katie Anne Mylroie have spent nearly two years converting the modest semi-detached property into a high-spec holiday home.
Just a short walk from the promenade, the couple named the property The Fun House.
Announcing the launch on Facebook, the couple said: “After almost two years in the making, we’re finally live and we have had our first guests.”
Described by the owners as “the perfect party house”, the property boasts a “large sociable lounge with custom seating and pool table, a cinema room, a hot tub room and your very own exclusive private basement nightclub.”
Inside, the house features nine en-suite bedrooms with 15 beds, offering space for large groups looking to celebrate in style.
“The Fun House has 9 bedrooms all en-suite with 15 beds that sleeps 24 guests,” the post reads.
One standout feature is a uniquely designed bedroom with dramatic lighting effects: “It also has the coolest kids/adult room with a light-up lightening clouded ceiling.”
Every inch of the property has been carefully designed and finished to an exceptionally high standard.
“It has been completed to the highest standard so you would never want to leave!” the Mylroies added.
With its bold interior, private nightclub and close proximity to Blackpool’s attractions, The Fun House is already turning heads as one of the seaside town’s most striking new holiday rentals.
Who is Ben Holbrough and when is the model joining Love Island 2025?
BEN Holbrough not only loves to show off his six pack on social media, he says he’s prepared to go all the way in the famous villa.
He has even worked out a plan of action for if and when he gets some action on the show — here’s everything we know about him.
Who is Ben Holbrough
Ben Holbrough is a private hire taxi driver and model from Gloucester.
He’s already admitted he’s not afraid of having a cheeky romp on Love Island 2025.
The 23-year-old is one of the latest batch of singletons looking for love on the ITV2 dating show.
Not only is he up for getting down and dirty on Love Island, Ben has even worked out a cheeky way to hide his bedroom antics.
He said: “I can never say never, you know, you gotta take every day as it comes.
“Who knows if there’s a girl and I’m sharing a bed with her and she’s sexy… it could get carried away.”
The 6ft 2in model added: “The hideaway is there for the taking as well, so we’ll wait and see.
“I’ve already told my family that I will try and keep it as PG as possible, because I have my niece watching, so I do need to make an effort to keep it PG.
“But then again, there’s nothing wrong with just putting a quick cover over, so I could just do that and people will think we’re just having a quick cuddle, and that that is all it was.”
But he would also go to great lengths to avoid cheating:
“If I’ve got loyalty to a girl, I would do my absolute best to go and sleep outside on my own.
“But if we’re kind of 50/50, and there’s five new girls coming in, it’s going to be hard not to just, you know.
“Basically, I’ve got to go and say hello, we’ve got to get to know each other, so at least we’ll see when we’re there I guess.”
Ben regularly shows off his six pack on social media in mirror selfies.
Who knows if there’s a girl and I’m sharing a bed with her and she’s sexy… it could get carried away
Ben Holbrough
His Instagram already boasts over 14k followers as of June 9, 2025 — a number that is expected to skyrocket during his time on the show.
In a video on his Star Now modelling page, Ben said: “My main line of work is modelling, which I’ve been doing for about five or six years now.
“But when I’m not doing that, my hobbies are either going to the gym or playing football.”
Ben already has a connection to the world of reality TV — he’s followed on Instagram by Married At First Sight star Lacey Martin.
When is Ben Holbrough joining Love Island 2025?
Ben is in the starting lineup for the show’s 12th season, which kicks off at 9pm on Monday, June 9, 2025.
He’s one of the main batch of contestants entering the Love Island villa at the very start of the series, instead of joining the cast as a bombshell later on.
Love Island 2025 full lineup
- Harry Cooksley: A 29-year-old footballer with charm to spare.
- Sophie Lee: A model and motivational speaker who has overcome adversity after suffering life-changing burns in an accident.
- Shakira Khan: A 22-year-old Manchester-based model, ready to turn heads.
- Blu Chegini: A boxer with striking model looks, seeking love in the villa.
- Megan Moore: A payroll specialist from Southampton, looking for someone tall and stylish.
- Alima Gagigo: International business graduate with brains and ambition.
- Tommy Bradley: A gym enthusiast with a big heart.
- Helena Ford: A Londoner with celebrity connections, aiming to find someone funny or Northern.
- Ben Hullbra: A model ready to make waves.
- Megan Clarke: An Irish actress already drawing comparisons to Maura Higgins.
- Dejon Noel-Williams: A personal trainer and semi-pro footballer, following in his footballer father’s footsteps.
- Aaron Buckett: A towering 6’5” personal trainer.
- Conor Phillips: A 25-year-old Irish rugby pro
- Antonia Laites: Love Island’s first bombshell revealed as sexy Las Vegas pool party waitress.
- Rose Selway: Beauty salon owner from Devon who runs 12 aesthetics clinics, boasting a famous clientele including former Love Islanders
Departures:
- Kyle Ashman: Axed after an arrest over a machete attack emerged. He was released with no further action taken and denies any wrongdoing.
Top European theme park that mums say is better than Disneyland shows off new Wes Anderson-style hotel
A TOP European theme park is welcoming a new premium hotel that looks like it’s out of Wes Anderson’s world.
Dutch theme park Efteling will be opening a new hotel this summer called the Efteling Grand Hotel.
The theme park is already well known for its fairytale theme, with one TikToker – The Travel Mum – dubbing it “better and cheaper than Disneyland”.
The new addition to the attraction will be the first hotel located within the theme park itself and will open on August 1.
The hotel will be themed around a traditional grand dame hotel with stories woven into the design throughout, appearing like a Wes Anderson story.
There will be digital check-in, valet parking and luggage handling, upon arrival.
A bellhop and Efteling’s two princesses will guests in the lobby, where the air will also be infused with the hotel’s signature fragrance.
The hotel will be spread across seven floors offering 140 rooms and suites, with a total of 644 beds.
The biggest room will be able to host six people.
The hotel rooms will also overlook the park with different views of the Aquanura water show the House of the Dive Senses entrance, the Fairytale Forest or the Pardoes Promenade Lane.
All of the rooms include breakfast at Brasserie 7 and half an hour of early access to the park before it opens to the public.
Other features of the rooms include each one having an Efteling Grand Hotel fairytale book.
The lower ground floor of the hotel will have a swimming pool – availabel only to hotel guests – with spa facilities including a steam room, sauna and massage room.
There will also be a multifunctional serenity room where guests can unwind, pray or meditate.
The hotel will have two restaurants with Brasserie 7 located on the ground floor and Restaurant-Bar Mystique on the first floor.
While Brasserie 7 will serve up a range of classic dishes – which include seven ‘magical’ ingredients such as princess tears and snow from Mother Holle – Restaurant-Bar Mystique will offer a more premium dining experience.
Each table will be decorated with edible decorations and the restaurant will be open to the public, as well as park and hotel guests.
Café Biscuit will also be a part of the hotel, where baristas will serve coffee and the signature Grand Hotel biscuit.
Plans have also been revealed for incredible new 240-room hotel with huge swimming lake, golf and spa near to iconic racetrack.
Plus, a huge new Premier Inn will open near major airport and will be the largest of its kind in the north of UK.
Britain’s favourite ‘dadisms’ from pretending their not asleep to repeating the same joke, survey reveals
THE nations favourite ‘Dadisms’ have been revealed – with pretending they’re not asleep, just “resting their eyes”, telling the same story multiple times, and of course, dad dancing featuring on the list.
A poll of 2,000 adults found that while Brits love to moan about their dads’ cringey behaviour, three quarters wouldn’t choose to change them if they could.
Other favourites include fixing things around the house, telling corny jokes, and having a favourite chair that no one else is allowed to sit in.
Falling asleep on the sofa, saying ‘back in my day…’ or ‘when I was your age…’, and complaining about the cost of things all also got a shoutout on the list.
Despite this tendency for Dadisms, three quarters (76 per cent) claimed they don’t find this behaviour embarrassing and prefer to humour their fathers – with 62 per cent likely to laugh at their jokes even when they’re not funny.
This may be because 85 per cent partake in Dadisms themselves – with the most common including complaining about the cost of things (28 per cent), falling asleep on the sofa (25 per cent), and sending the thumbs up emoji (17 per cent).
A spokesperson from Moonpig, which commissioned the research, said: “Dads can make us laugh more than anyone else – even if this isn’t always intentional.
“And they seem to have so many universal behaviours, as if they’ve been given a manual on what makes a dad a dad.
“This Father’s Day we want to celebrate all father figures and the little quirks that make us love them so much.”
The other ingredients that make up a classic father figure were also revealed, with top traits identified as hardworking, caring, supportive, and reliable.
Dad-centric hobbies included watching football, gardening, and DIY – as well as travelling, reading, and going to the pub with his mates.
And the possessions most treasured by any fatherly figure are likely to be his car (24 per cent), toolbox (17 per cent), and family photographs (24 per cent), according to OnePoll.com data.
When asked, a higher percentage of those polled also claimed to find them unintentionally funny (25 per cent) rather than intentionally hilarious (17 per cent).
And, on average, a dad will only know 35 per cent of their kids’ friends’ names – with eight per cent not knowing any of them at all.
To celebrate the father figures in their lives, 73 per cent will celebrate Father’s Day every year – and to commemorate this day, are most likely to buy him a gift (62 per cent), a card (61 per cent), and go out for a meal (30 per cent).
The top factors that influence selecting the perfect card were also identified as humour (50 per cent), a fun and personal design (31 per cent), and a sentimental message about how great he is (30 per cent).
Interestingly, more than half (54 per cent) claimed they are more likely to buy a humorous card to celebrate their dad on Father’s Day than their mum on Mother’s Day – perhaps because 73 per cent hope to see their favourite Dadisms referenced on the cover.
Moonpig’s spokesperson added: “Our father figures can be such a source of inspiration, support, and laughter – which is why it’s so important to celebrate them every chance we get.
“A heartfelt message, inside joke, or personalised reference to the things they love on their Father’s Day card can make all the difference to letting them know how much you care.
“So this Father’s Day, take a moment to revel in those eye-roll-worthy Dadisms and the little things that make your bond so special – and say it all with a card that’s as unique as he is.”
TOP 30 FAVOURITE ‘DADISMS’
1. Fixing things around the house
2. Pretending they’re not sleeping just “resting their eyes”
3. Falling asleep on the sofa
4. Telling bad/corny jokes
5. Saying ‘back in my day…’ or ‘when I was your age…’
6. Telling the same story multiple times
7. Having a favourite chair that no one else is allowed to sit in
8. Dad dancing
9. Complaining about the cost of things
10. Complaining about what you’re watching on TV but then sitting down to watch it anyway
11. Starting conversations with strangers
12. Sending the thumbs up emoji
13. Doing a dad grunt when sitting down or standing up
14. Always coming round to your house with a toolbox
15. Giving unsolicited advice
16. Making jokes to waiters
17. Cleaning his car for fun
18. Always ordering the same meal at a restaurant
19. Wearing socks with sandals
20. Having questionable dress sense
21. Doing the head-nod greeting to strangers
22. Tinkering with something that isn’t broken
23. Being obsessed with the water/electricity meter
24. Not using emojis properly
25. Talking through a film you’re trying to watch
26. Claiming to be great at BBQ-ing
27. Calling you by your sibling’s name
28. Having a ‘usual’ in the pub
29. Taking atrocious selfies
30. Farting a lot
Australia vs South Africa preview: Free betting tips, odds and predictions for ICC World Test Championship final
AUSTRALIA and South Africa clash in Wednesday’s ICC World Test Championship at Lord’s.
SunSport betting experts have previewed the contest and selected the best bets, tips and exclusive sign-up bonuses from our leading betting partners.
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Australia vs South Africa preview
Lord’s hosts what promises to be a cracking contest as Australia take on South Africa in the final of the ICC World Test Championship on Wednesday.
Australia, the reigning champions after defeating India at The Oval in 2023, enter the match as firm favourites, priced at 3/10 to retain their crown.
And it’s not hard to see why.
The Baggy Greens, currently the top-ranked Test side in the world, arrive with the formidable core that clinched the title two years ago.
Under the leadership of Pat Cummins, Australia secured an impressive 3-1 series win over India at home earlier this year and were the standout side in the 2023–2025 WTC cycle.
They won 13 of their 19 Tests during that span and avoided defeat in all of their six series, seeing off challenges from England, Pakistan, the West Indies, New Zealand, India and Sri Lanka.
As for South Africa, this final marks their first appearance in a World Test Championship decider, having missed out in the previous cycle when finishing third.
Their path to the final has been a little different.
After drawing with India at home and suffering a 2-0 defeat away to New Zealand, the Proteas found form with wins over West Indies, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
Yet critics will point out that South Africa have had a more favourable schedule – notably avoiding both Australia and England on their way to the final.
In terms of recent head-to-head encounters, there’s little to draw on. Their last meeting came in January 2023, when Australia claimed a convincing 2-0 home series win.
Australia vs South Africa betting odds
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- South Africa 2/1 with bet365 – CLAIM HERE
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South Africa preview betting tips and predictions
Steve Smith to score a century – 3/1 with bet365
The former Australian captain hasn’t played since March but is raring to go as the Baggy Greens look to defend their World Test Championship title they won at the Oval two years ago, in a game where Smith scored a hundred in victory over India.
Smith has a fantastic record batting at Lord’s, with an average of 58 at the home of cricket and is already on the honours board twice, after a mammoth double hundred in 2015 followed by a ton on his most recent visit to the Home of Cricket in 2023.
Kagiso Rabada to take five wickets in the match – 4/5 with bet365
The South African pace bowler has only played two Tests at Lord’s in his career but has a fantastic record at the north London ground, taking 13 wickets at an average of 19, with no other player in either squad having taken more ahead of this week’s WTC final.
The 30-year-old is the Proteas’ leading active wicket taker with 327, and is only three short of climbing into the top four on the all-time list for South Africa, doing so with the best average out of any of the top 14 on the list.
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I was traumatised when I was plagued by grim ‘fart burps’ months after taking Mounjaro fat jabs
HANNAH Metcalfe caught a whiff of something very unpleasant and felt her cheeks flush red.
“It’s him, he’s farted!” she squealed, pointing at one of the burly blokes standing nearby her at the New Year’s party. But the taste in her mouth told a very different – truthful – story.
In fact, the 31-year-old knew the rotten egg smell had come from one of her own burps – an embarrassing side effect of taking weight loss jabs.
Around three months after she first started using them, she began having these horrific burps that her friends and family would often compare to the stench of farts, much to her embarrassment.
But, despite the embarrassing side effect, Hannah says the weight loss jabs were well worth the trouble, and has gone on to drop an incredible 5st 11lbs.
At her heaviest, Hannah weighed 16st 7lbs and was struggling with health concerns as a result, including back pain and muscular issues.
Ashamed by her size, she refused to pose for pictures during her own 30th birthday trip to Las Vegas, and couldn’t properly enjoy the “once in a lifetime” holiday with her mum.
At her wits end, and having had no luck with diets like Slimming World, fasting and juicing,she decided to try weight loss jab Mounjaro last September.
But while the weight started to drop off of her, the unpleasant side effect reared its head.
When people noticed the “rotten eggs” stench, Hannah was forced to blame other people for breaking wind or pretended to wonder who was responsible.
“I’m incredibly fortunate that I’ve had a great experience – but I did experience some of the weirder side effects,” the accounts assistant, from Manchester, tells Sun Health.
“I started having sulphur, rotten egg-like burps after 12 weeks.
“They didn’t have any pattern and just happened randomly, no matter what I ate.
“I remember them being really warm in my throat, and the smell was horrendous.
“Usually people would think that I’d passed wind – and weirdly that was less embarrassing to admit!
“I kept quite private [during my weight loss] as it was really embarrassing.”
Hannah – who worked with weight loss program Juniper – also experienced constipation and dizzy spells, but kept a close eye on what she was consuming throughout her weight loss.
She said: “I knew some of the side effects might occur from the information Juniper had provided me with.
“If I experienced something that I hadn’t read or seen online, my health coach provided me tips and information on what was happening, which I really liked.
What are the other side effects of weight loss jabs?
Like any medication, weight loss jabs can have side effects.
Common side effects of injections such as Ozempic include:
Nausea: This is the most commonly reported side effect, especially when first starting the medication. It often decreases over time as your body adjusts.
Vomiting: Can occur, often in conjunction with nausea.
Diarrhea: Some people experience gastrointestinal upset.
Constipation: Some individuals may also experience constipation.
Stomach pain or discomfort: Some people may experience abdominal pain or discomfort.
Reduced appetite: This is often a desired effect for people using Ozempic for weight loss.
Indigestion: Can cause a feeling of bloating or discomfort after eating.
Serious side effects can also include:
Pancreatitis: In rare cases, Ozempic may increase the risk of inflammation of the pancreas, known as pancreatitis, which can cause severe stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Kidney problems: There have been reports of kidney issues, including kidney failure, though this is uncommon.
Thyroid tumors: There’s a potential increased risk of thyroid cancer, although this risk is based on animal studies. It is not confirmed in humans, but people with a history of thyroid cancer should avoid Ozempic.
Vision problems: Rapid changes in blood sugar levels may affect vision, and some people have reported blurry vision when taking Ozempic.
Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar): Especially if used with other medications like sulfonylureas or insulin.
“I never felt worried about the side effects I was experiencing.
“I was aware of the [potential] sulphur burps, so when they started, I wasn’t panicked.”
Hannah was a size 24 when she started taking Mounjaro and “unbelievably unhappy” with how she looked.
She said: “I’ve always been focused on body confidence and not being ashamed of how I looked, but so many more external factors started to nag in my head.
“I had lower back pain, and regardless of so many scans and doctors appointments to find a root cause, it all fell down to my weight, and the deterioration of my muscles not being able to support my weight.
“It was a really big shock to the system.
“I went on the holiday with my mum and I don’t have any photos of myself enjoying it, because I hated having photos taken – I still regret that, but my body confidence was shot and my mental health with it too.”
She eased her way into the medication, starting on a low dose and building up – and has seen incredible results.
Despite any strange side effects, Hannah says it has all been well worth it.
She said: “Thankfully I didn’t experience the really bad side effects that some people experience, such as sickness, which I’m grateful for – but I think that even if I did, I would still recommend it.
“I actually recommended it to my partner, and he started taking the medication and has successfully lost weight, and he’s experienced absolutely no side effects.
“I’ve lost 40cm off of my waist and feel amazing now.
“I constantly take photographs of myself and send them to my mum to show her how good I look in my new outfits.
“I also just booked a beach holiday so I can wear a bikini and get great photos of myself and how much I’ve lost.
“I’m not ashamed to look in the mirror, or try on clothes in a shop [anymore].
“But it has been a learning curve, no longer seeing myself in a big body and shrouding myself in large clothes to hide myself.
“I still find it challenging to wear fitted clothes, but when I do, people notice and compliment me and it makes me feel amazing – and worth all the money I spent and the side effects I experienced.”
Everything you need to know about fat jabs
Weight loss jabs are all the rage as studies and patient stories reveal they help people shed flab at almost unbelievable rates, as well as appearing to reduce the risk of serious diseases.
Wegovy – a modified version of type 2 diabetes drug Ozempic – and Mounjaro are the leading weight loss injections used in the UK.
Wegovy, real name semaglutide, has been used on the NHS for years while Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a newer and more powerful addition to the market.
Mounjaro accounts for most private prescriptions for weight loss and is set to join Wegovy as an NHS staple this year.
How do they work?
The jabs work by suppressing your appetite, making you eat less so your body burns fat for energy instead and you lose weight.
They do this my mimicking a hormone called GLP-1, which signals to the brain when the stomach is full, so the drugs are officially called GLP-1 receptor agonists.
They slow down digestion and increase insulin production, lowering blood sugar, which is why they were first developed to treat type 2 diabetes in which patients’ sugar levels are too high.
Can I get them?
NHS prescriptions of weight loss drugs, mainly Wegovy and an older version called Saxenda (chemical name liraglutide), are controlled through specialist weight loss clinics.
Typically a patient will have to have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, classifying them as medically obese, and also have a weight-related health condition such as high blood pressure.
GPs generally do not prescribe the drugs for weight loss.
Private prescribers offer the jabs, most commonly Mounjaro, to anyone who is obese (BMI of 30+) or overweight (BMI 25-30) with a weight-related health risk.
Private pharmacies have been rapped for handing them out too easily and video calls or face-to-face appointments are now mandatory to check a patient is being truthful about their size and health.
Are there any risks?
Yes – side effects are common but most are relatively mild.
Around half of people taking the drug experience gut issues, including sickness, bloating, acid reflux, constipation and diarrhoea.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, GP and clinical consultant at patient.info, said: “One of the more uncommon side effects is severe acute pancreatitis, which is extremely painful and happens to one in 500 people.”
Other uncommon side effects include altered taste, kidney problems, allergic reactions, gallbladder problems and hypoglycemia.
Evidence has so far been inconclusive about whether the injections are damaging to patients’ mental health.
Figures obtained by The Sun show that, up to January 2025, 85 patient deaths in the UK were suspected to be linked to the medicines.
My body’s ‘under construction’ after cancer op but prosthetic boobs have made me feel normal says Hollyoaks’ Ali Bastian
IT would be understandable to lose faith after a horror 12 months that saw her both diagnosed with cancer and forced to come to terms with the tragic loss of her ‘beautiful’ mum.
But former Hollyoaks star Ali Bastian says she is “better than I would have imagined” after being declared cancer-free, even if her tumultuous recovery has left her still feeling “under construction”.
The 43-year-old was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer in June 2024, and underwent a mastectomy in January before getting the all clear two months later.
Now, the Strictly star – who has inspired fans with her candid and powerful updates about her treatment journey – has opened up about the next steps in her recovery and revealed she is still weighing up reconstruction surgery.
In a new interview with Giovanna Fletcher on the Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast, she explains how she is now turning her attention to removing a tumour the size of a “tennis ball” that developed after the birth of her daughter, Isla, five years ago.
And she reveals how she has found an unlikely pillar of support in the form of her former stepmother, who she had not seen in over 20 years.
Asked how she had handled the recovery, she said: “In some ways better than I would have imagined actually, even the sort of gearing up for a mastectomy.
“I’ve got a really good prosthetic that makes a big difference. It means in clothes I feel normal. It’s bright pink. It makes me happy.
“It’s just very different to the lump of silicone that you get handed in the hospital, which is a hell of a moment.
“This is a lot lighter and easy to wear. I quite like that it doesn’t look like a chicken fillet, like a pretend boob.
“It’s something that I could show the kids as well because it’s so visually appealing.
“It was one of those little bridging things. I just keep saying to myself really ‘I’m still under construction, I’ve been through a lot, I’m healing at the moment’.”
Ali, who has two daughters Isla, five, and Isabella, two, with husband David O’Mahony, is best known for playing Becca Dean in the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, as well as appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2009.
She was diagnosed with cancer after discovering a lump she initially thought was a blocked milk duct while breastfeeding her youngest daughter.
But after undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment, Ali says her successful recovery has now allowed her to focus on other health problems she was forced to put off.
She said: “I’ve got a big old hernia from my babies as well.
“Because of all of this I haven’t been able to have that done, and actually I’m more keen to get that done than anything else because that is harder to hide.
“It’s like a tennis ball. I’ve had it for five years, and it needs to go now.”
And speaking on the prospect of further surgery to reconstruct her breasts following the mastectomy, she said she will “explore” her options.
She said: “I couldn’t have a reconstruction at the time because we always knew I’d have to have radiotherapy. At some point there’ll be some kind of something.
“Initially I was like 100 per cent it’s happening. But now, I want to have the conversations and talk through what the options are, but I’m not actually married to any of them at the moment.”
Surprise reunion
Most incredibly of all, Ali’s health battle has also led to her reconnecting with her former stepmum, Sally, who she hadn’t seen in 20 years.
The pair reunited after Ali’s mum tragically passed in autumn 2023, just months before her cancer diagnosis.
In an emotional post last April, she told fans: “I wrote this on Mother’s Day but didn’t end up posting, but here goes…. TW grief. We lost our beautiful Mum in the autumn of ‘23, only a few months before my diagnosis.
“A sudden death after a short terrible illness. Impossible to make sense of.
“Grief, I attempted to put on hold whilst I managed a grueling treatment regime now comes in waves, sometimes crashing, sometimes tidal, rarely gentle… but I try to go gently with myself as I navigate life after cancer and life without you.”
The actress had moved with her husband and children from London to west Cork to slow down shortly before the tragic death.
It followed her suffering a suspected infection following the birth of her second child.
But her stepmum in London, who she had not seen for 20 years, got in touch and offered to come to Ireland to help Ali and her family – support she said was “incredibly healing”.
Speaking about the response to her revealing her diagnosis, she said: “The love and support and kindness was incredible. I never know what to respond to those moments.
“‘It means more than you know’ is what I find myself always saying, but I really, really mean that.
“I had this amazing thing happen for me in that my stepmum, who I hadn’t seen for 20 years, who’d parted company with my dad when I was about 20, when I lost my mum, she reached out to me.
“She was like ‘Hi, I’m here for you if you need me’. She knew I had a nine-month-old baby. So she just kept an eye on me.”
Ali added: “When I got my diagnosis she was like ‘I’m coming to Cork’.
“She spent a week with me and my family. Her sister was an oncology nurse so she had a sense of the treatment plan I was on, and what the months might look like.
“She said ‘Can I come back and I’ll nurse you through this bit?’ So she was with me for five weeks through the real tough chemo part. The way my treatment went towards the end, it’s quite cumulative.
“So she came and helped with the kids and helped me, and talked to me, and looked after me basically, and then came back again when I had my mastectomy and just held me.
“Literally sleeves up. It’s a really different energy when somebody’s like ‘I see you in that hole, I want to climb down with you and help you, and please let me do that’.
“That’s been incredibly healing, like amazing, amazing.”
‘Crazy little bubble’
Speaking after coming back to London and staying with her stepmum, Ali said: “When I come back to London now I stay with her and I have a home here to go to, because I hadn’t taken that on board with moving out to Ireland – that there’s nowhere to come back to.
“I have a place to go, a soft place to go, and that just means so much.
“The type of woman that she is, after she and my father parted ways she went on to become a social worker and become really experienced in that.
“She’s done incredible work in that field for years and years.
“So of all the people that I know that would be able to hold that space for me, my children, my husband, all of those dynamics, and you know the way a family undulates at the best of times, when there’s something going on there’s constant shifts in everyone’s ups and downs.
“We were kind of in this crazy little bubble going through this nightmare all together – she just had a way of being able to be there for us, and that not be complicated.
“She even gave me a mug of tea last night and I looked in the rim and it said ‘I told you to sit down’.”