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If Dolly Parton wants to take part in a Playboy photo shoot, she’s not going to let a little thing like the magazine no longer being in print get in her way.

The country music legend decided to make her own cover, recreating one she did for the publication back in 1978, to surprise her husband Carl Dean for his 79th birthday on Tuesday.

Donning an iconic Playboy bunny suit with the famous ears, Parton posted a video sharing her surprise on social media.

Dolly Parton recreated her 1978 Playboy cover to surprise her husband Carl Dean for his 79th birthday. Pic: @DollyParton
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Dolly Parton recreated her 1978 Playboy cover to surprise her husband Carl Dean for his 79th birthday. Pic: @DollyParton

The 75-year-old said her husband of more than 50 years had always been fond of her cover and she had been hoping to recreate the look officially this year to celebrate her own landmark birthday. However, the famous men’s magazine stopped its print edition in March 2020.

So, Parton did the next best thing and created a homemade version.

“Remember some time back I said I was going to pose on Playboy magazine when I’m 75?” the singer said in her video. “Well, I’m 75 and they don’t have a magazine anymore, but my husband always loved the original cover of Playboy.

More on Dolly Parton

“So I was trying to think of something to do to make him happy. He still thinks I’m a hot chick after 57 years and I’m not going to try to talk him out of that.”

Parton sat for a photoshoot and had a new cover made to go alongside the original.

Comparing the two, she said with a wink: “I was kind of a little butterball in that one, well I’m string cheese now. But he’ll probably think I’m cream cheese – I hope!”

The star also included a picture of her surprising Dean in the video, but only showed the back of his head – a small nod to their famously private marriage.

Dolly Parton surprised her husband Carl Dean with a recreated Playboy cover. Pic: @DollyParton
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Dolly Parton surprised her husband Carl Dean with a recreated Playboy cover. Pic: @DollyParton

“It’s always #HotGirlSummer for my husband, Carl,” she captioned the post. “Happy birthday my love!”

Established by the late Hugh Hefner in 1953, Playboy’s bowtie-wearing bunny mascot became one of the most recognisable American brands in history.

The first issue of the magazine in 1953 featured nude photographs of Marilyn Monroe and sold more than 50,000 copies.

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Parton has recreated her cover following a year in which she has also been praised for “curing coronavirus” after donating $1m (£814,000) to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center – a partner of the US company Moderna that developed one of the COVID-19 vaccines.

She even reworked her famous hit Jolene “to fit the occasion” when she got her own jab, singing: “Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine – I’m begging of you, please don’t hesitate. Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine – because once you’re dead, then that’s a bit too late.”

Playboy bunny, vaccine funder and a country superstar – is there nothing Dolly Parton can’t do?

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‘We watched Gavin And Stacey on repeat’: Richard E Grant goes on ’emotional’ tour in memory of his late wife

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'We watched Gavin And Stacey on repeat': Richard E Grant goes on 'emotional' tour in memory of his late wife

Richard E Grant has shared an emotional video of his trip to Barry – the town made famous by the hit TV show Gavin And Stacey.

He was joined by the show’s co-creator Ruth Jones, who is best known for playing Nessa.

They are both filming a new drama called The Other Bennet Sister, which delves into a character in Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice.

Grant excitedly said “oh my god” as he stood outside Stacey’s family home – and headed across the road to Uncle Bryn’s.

A trip to Barry Island soon followed to visit some of the sitcom’s most famous landmarks, including Marco’s Cafe and the beachfront.

And the actor’s visit wouldn’t have been complete without Jones putting on her best Nessa voice – and asking: “Oh, Rich, what’s occurin’?

“It’s really emotional being here,” Grant said.

“The last months of my wife’s life, we watched Gavin And Stacey on repeat – and it just cheered us up endlessly.”

In 2021, Grant announced that his wife Joan Washington had died – eight months after she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer.

At the time, he described his family’s loss as “incalculable”.

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs praises judge and chooses not to testify as trial draws to a close

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs praises judge and chooses not to testify as trial draws to a close

Prosecutors and defence lawyers have rested their cases in the sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, bringing more than six weeks of testimony against the hip-hop mogul to a close.

The high-profile trial has heard from more than 30 witnesses, including the rapper’s ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, as well as former employees of his company Bad Boy Entertainment, male escorts, law enforcement officers and hotel staff.

But one person jurors won’t hear from is Combs himself.

Confirming this to Judge Arun Subramanian, the rapper said he had discussed the issue of testifying “thoroughly” with his team and made the decision not to give evidence. He also thanked the judge and told him he was doing an “excellent job”.

Diddy trial: As it happened

Sean "Diddy" Combs watches as his former girlfriend Casandra "Cassie" Ventura is sworn in as a prosecution witness before U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian at Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City, New York, U.S., May 13, 2025 in this courtroom sketch. REUTERS/Jane
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Cassie Ventura was heavily pregnant when she testified at the start of the trial. Pic: Jane Rosenberg/ Reuters

After the prosecution rested, the defence team moved for the judge to acquit the 55-year-old – a fairly standard move – saying attorneys for the government had not provided evidence to prove any of the charges filed.

They then presented a brief case themselves, submitting more text messages as evidence to show Combs and his girlfriends were in loving, consensual relationships, and making a few stipulations about testimony, but calling no witnesses. This lasted for less than an hour.

They have previously conceded Combs has been violent in the past, something he is “not proud” of, but said this did not make him a sex trafficker.

The charges against ‘Diddy’

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex-trafficking, and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution.

He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has strenuously denied all allegations of sexual abuse. The hip-hop mogul’s defence team has described him as “a complicated man” but say the case is not.

They have conceded Combs could be violent and that jurors might not condone his proclivity for “kinky sex”. However, they argue this was a consensual “swingers” lifestyle and was not illegal.

Combs has remained in jail without bail since he was arrested in New York in September last year.

Throughout the trial, defence lawyers have made their case for exoneration through their questioning of witnesses called by the prosecution, including several who gave evidence reluctantly or after they were granted immunity to testify.

Prosecutors argue Combs coerced and forced Cassie and another former girlfriend, who testified under the pseudonym Jane, into “freak off” sex sessions with male escorts, and used his business empire to facilitate these, as well as drug use, and cover up bad behaviour.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs as jurors were shown explicit videos during his sex trafficking trial. Pic: Court sketch/Jane Rosenberg/Reuters
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Jurors have seen several clips of explicit footage. Pic: Jane Rosenberg/ Reuters

During the first week of the trial, Cassie, 38, spent four days giving evidence. Heavily pregnant at the time, she told jurors she felt pressured to take part in hundreds of “freak offs” with male sex workers as Combs watched.

She told the court they became so frequent during their relationship, which began in 2007 and ended in 2018, that they were “like a job”, and she had barely any time for her own career.

The singer and musician gave birth two weeks after her testimony, her friend and former stylist confirmed as he gave evidence himself in court.

Jane testified for six days about similar sexual performances, which Combs referred to as “hotel nights”, “wild king nights” or “debauchery” with her, the court heard. Like Cassie, she said she felt coerced into engaging in them because she loved the music star and wanted to please him.

Jane dated Combs on and off from early 2021 to his arrest in 2024.

Jurors have been shown several recordings of these sex sessions, lasting more than 40 minutes in total. The footage was shown on monitors and jurors used headphones, keeping it private from the media and members of the public in court.

In her opening statement, defence lawyer Teny Geragos called the videos “powerful evidence that the sexual conduct in this case was consensual and not based on coercion”.

Read more:
Everything you need to know about the trial
The rise and fall of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs
What we learned from Cassie’s testimony

The trial also heard from Mia, another alleged victim who testified under a pseudonym. Mia was a former employee of Combs, who told the court he sexually assaulted her on several occasions in the years she worked for him.

She had never told anyone about the alleged abuse until the investigation into Combs, she said, telling the court she was ashamed. “I was going to die with this,” she said, becoming tearful on the stand. “I didn’t want anyone to know ever.”

The trial has been eventful, with one juror dismissed and replaced by an alternate after it emerged he had given conflicting evidence about where he lives. The judge said he had “serious concerns” that not being truthful about this could potentially mean he wanted to be on the jury for a particular reason.

And at one point, Combs was warned by the judge for nodding enthusiastically toward jurors during a section of cross-examination by his lawyers. The judge said he could be excluded from the trial if it happened again.

Court is not in session on Wednesday. The trial continues on Thursday, when closing statements from the legal teams will begin.

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Dermot Murnaghan: Former Sky News presenter diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer

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Dermot Murnaghan: Former Sky News presenter diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer

Former Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The 67-year-old announced his diagnosis on social media, saying it was one of stage four “advanced” cancer.

He said he was “fortunate to have a simply outstanding medical team” looking after him that was “administering the best possible care with expertise, compassion and sensitivity”.

“I’m responding positively to their excellent treatment, and feeling well,” he added.

“I’m blessed to be fortified by the monumental love and support of my wife, family and close friends.

“Needless to say, my message to all men over 50, in high risk groups, or displaying symptoms, is get yourself tested and campaign for routine prostate screening by the NHS.

“Early detection is crucial. And be aware, this disease can sometimes progress rapidly without obvious symptoms.”

Dermot Murnaghan
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Murnaghan also presented on BBC News and ITV News

Murnaghan said he would be taking part in Sir Chris Hoy’s charity bike ride in Glasgow in September, which aims to “shine a spotlight” on stage four cancer.

Sir Chris was himself diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in September 2023.

Advanced prostate cancer is when the cancer cells have spread to other parts of the body, according to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Murnaghan is a familiar face to Sky News viewers as one of its main presenters from 2007 until 2023.

In September 2022, he announced the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II on the channel.

Read more from Sky News:
Bride ‘shot dead on wedding day in France’
GPs can now prescribe weight loss jabs on NHS

Before joining Sky, he presented ITV’s News At Ten and the BBC Ten O’Clock News – now known as BBC News At Ten – as well as Channel 4 News.

Murnaghan also presented quiz show Eggheads on BBC Two for 11 years.

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