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Legendary British fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood has died aged 81.

A statement said she died on Thursday in London, surrounded by her family.

Dame Vivienne found fame in the 1970s when she brought punk fashions into the mainstream, running a boutique on London’s King’s Road alongside Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren.

She went on to establish a global fashion brand which today has stores in the UK, France, Italy, America and Asia.

“Vivienne Westwood died today, peacefully and surrounded by her family, in Clapham, South London. The world needs people like Vivienne to make a change for the better,” her fashion house tweeted.

Her husband and creative partner Andreas Kronthaler said: “I will continue with Vivienne in my heart.

“We have been working until the end and she has given me plenty of things to get on with. Thank you darling.”

The Derbyshire-born designer was also well known for her campaigning – standing up for issues such as pollution and climate change, as well as supporting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

At London Fashion Week in 2017
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At London Fashion Week in 2017

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Dame Vivienne Westwood on Julian Assange

She once dressed up as Margaret Thatcher for a magazine cover and drove a white tank near the home of former prime minister David Cameron to protest against fracking.

Dame Vivienne also showed her rebellious nature when receiving an OBE from the Queen in 1992.

She turned up without underwear – a fact she revealed with a twirl of her skirt for photographers.

“The only reason I am in fashion is to destroy the word ‘conformity’,” she said in her biography.

“Nothing is interesting to me unless it’s got that element.”

Dame Vivienne showcasing her menswear collection in Milan in 1998
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Dame Vivienne showcasing her menswear collection in Milan in 1998
At Milan Fashion Week in 2010
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At Milan Fashion Week in 2010

The designer was recognisable to many for her dyed orange hair – a nod to the punk aesthetic she helped popularise.

“There was no punk before me and Malcolm,” she said in her biography. “And the other thing you should know about punk too: it was a total blast.”

She regularly appeared on the catwalk to showcase her work, with supermodel Naomi Campbell famously falling in a pair of giant Westwood platforms in 1993.

Her career took shape in the 1960s after her family had moved from near Glossop to north London.

She studied jewellery-making and silversmithing before becoming a primary school teacher.

After divorcing her first husband in 1966, with whom she had a son, she started selling jewellery on London’s Portobello Road.

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Dame Vivienne on the catwalk

It was there she met future punk godfather McLaren; an encounter than would spawn their influential creative relationship as well as her second son, Joe, co-founder of lingerie brand Agent Provocateur.

“My clothes have a story. They have an identity. They have character and a purpose,” the designer once said.

“That’s why they become classics. Because they keep on telling a story. They are still telling it.”

Dame Vivienne married for a second time in 1993 after meeting Andreas Kronthaler while teaching in Vienna. He later became her creative partner.

Victoria Beckham, who also has a fashion business, was among the first to pay tribute on social media.

She wrote: “I’m so sad to learn of the passing of legendary designer and activist Dame Vivienne Westwood. My thoughts are with her family at this incredibly sad time VB.”

US designer Marc Jacobs said he was “heartbroken”.

“You did it first. Always. Incredible style with brilliant and meaningful substance,” he wrote on Instagram.

Singer Boy George tweeted that Dame Vivienne was “great and inspiring” and called her “the undisputed Queen of British fashion”.

The Victoria and Albert Museum called her a “true revolutionary and rebellious force in fashion”.

Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan tweeted that the designer was “a towering figure in British fashion” who “rewrote the rule book in the 1970s”.

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Donald Trump launches attack on Rob Reiner, found stabbed to death, as director’s son is arrested

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Donald Trump launches attack on Rob Reiner, found stabbed to death, as director's son is arrested

Donald Trump has launched an extraordinary attack on film director Rob Reiner, who was found stabbed to death with his wife on Sunday, as it is revealed his son has been arrested on homicide charges.

The US president said in a post on Truth Social that Reiner was “a tortured and struggling, but once very talented movie director and comedy star”.

Mr Trump said Reiner and his wife died “reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS”.

“He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before. May Rob and Michele rest in peace,” Mr Trump wrote.

Meanwhile, Reiner’s son, Nick, 32, has been “booked for murder” and is being held on $4m bail in connection with the deaths of his parents, Los Angeles Police chief Jim McDonnell said.

Rob Reiner, Michele Singer Reiner, Romy Reiner, Nick Reiner, Maria Gilfillanaknd  Jake Reiner.
Pic: JanuaryImages/Shutterstock
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Rob Reiner, Michele Singer Reiner, Romy Reiner, Nick Reiner, Maria Gilfillanaknd Jake Reiner.
Pic: JanuaryImages/Shutterstock

Mr McDonnell said the department’s robbery and homicide division is handling the investigation.

“They worked throughout the night on this case and were able to take into custody Nick Reiner, a suspect in this case,” he said, calling the deaths “a very tragic incident”.

Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner apparently died of stab wounds, US media reported.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were found dead inside a property in the Brentwood neighbourhood, without identifying the victims. Other officials confirmed the victims were Reiner and his wife.

Rob Reiner arrives with his wife Michele and children Jake, Romy and Nick (right to left). Pic: Reuters
Image:
Rob Reiner arrives with his wife Michele and children Jake, Romy and Nick (right to left). Pic: Reuters

Nick Reiner has spoken publicly of his struggles with addiction after he had cycled in and out of treatment facilities by the age of 18, with periods of homelessness and relapses in between.

Reiner and his son explored their difficult relationship and Nick Reiner’s struggles with heroin addiction and homelessness in a 2016 film called Being Charlie, which they co-wrote.

Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene referred to Nick Reiner’s “drug addiction and other issues” in a statement on X.

“This is a family tragedy, not about politics or political enemies,” Ms Taylor Greene said.

“Many families deal with a family member with drug addiction and mental health issues. It’s incredibly difficult and should be met with empathy especially when it ends in murder.”

A police officer places tape around the investigation scene near Rob Reiner's in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles.
Pic: AP
Image:
A police officer places tape around the investigation scene near Rob Reiner’s in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles.
Pic: AP

Reiner was a celebrated director whose work included some of the most memorable movies of the 1980s and ’90s.

He directed such classics as This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men and Stand By Me.

He also acted, starring in Sleepless In Seattle and The Wolf Of Wall Street among others. His most recent high-profile work was a recurring guest role in the hit show The Bear.

He met Michele Singer in 1989, while directing When Harry Met Sally. They have three children together.

Rob Reiner with Billy Crystal (left) and Meg Ryan (right). Pic: THA/Shutterstock
Image:
Rob Reiner with Billy Crystal (left) and Meg Ryan (right). Pic: THA/Shutterstock

Michele used to work as a photographer and took the photo of Donald Trump that appears on the cover of his book Trump: The Art Of The Deal.

Former US president Barack Obama has led the tributes. He wrote on X that “Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen.”

Harry Shearer, who collaborated with Reiner on This Is Spinal Tap, said in a statement: “Rob was a friend and collaborator through much of my life. He was funny, he was smart, he was a mensch.”

Reiner on the set of This Is Spinal Tap. Pic: Authorized Spinal Tap LLC/Shutterstock
Image:
Reiner on the set of This Is Spinal Tap. Pic: Authorized Spinal Tap LLC/Shutterstock

He said Reiner’s wife Michele was a “very good friend” to his own wife, Judith, adding: “This is unspeakable, the stuff of Greek tragedy.”

Christopher Guest, who starred in Reiner’s films This Is Spinal Tap and The Princess Bride, and his wife Jamie Lee Curtis said in a joint statement that they were “numb and sad and shocked about the violent, tragic deaths of our dear friends Rob and Michelle Singer Reiner”.

The couple said: “There will be plenty of time later to discuss the creative lives we shared and the great political and social impact they both had on the entertainment industry, early childhood development, the fight for gay marriage and their global care for a world in crisis. We have lost great friends. Please give us time to grieve.”

Read more: Reiner spoke to Eric Idle about future before death

Rob Reiner on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. Pic Reuters
Image:
Rob Reiner on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. Pic Reuters

Reiner was a champion of liberal causes and a political activist.

In the 2004 presidential election, he backed Democratic candidate John Kerry and featured in advertisements taking aim at incumbent President George W Bush.

Reiner also supported Democratic presidential hopefuls Al Gore and Hillary Clinton.

“This is a devastating loss for our city and our country. Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said.

Rob Reiner with Hillary Clinton. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Rob Reiner with Hillary Clinton. Pic: Reuters

California governor Gavin Newsom paid tribute to Reiner’s activism as he said he was “heartbroken” over the director’s death.

“Rob was a passionate advocate for children and for civil rights – from taking on Big Tobacco, fighting for marriage equality, to serving as a powerful voice in early education,” Mr Newsom said in a statement.

“He made California a better place through his good works. Rob will be remembered for his remarkable filmography and for his extraordinary contribution to humanity.”

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Former House speaker, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, said: “Personally, Rob cared deeply about people and demonstrated that in his civic activities – whether by supporting the First 5 initiative or fighting against Prop 8 in California.

“Civically, he was a champion for the First Amendment and the creative rights of artists. And professionally, he was an iconic figure in film who made us laugh, cry and think with the movies he created.”

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US director and actor Rob Reiner and wife found dead ‘with stab wounds’ at their LA home

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US director and actor Rob Reiner and wife found dead 'with stab wounds' at their LA home

US director and actor Rob Reiner and his wife have been found dead at their home in Los Angeles.

Reiner and wife Michele Singer Reiner apparently died of stab wounds and a family member is being questioned, US media reported.

The Los Angeles Fire Department said a 78-year-old man and a 68-year-old woman were found dead inside a property, without identifying the victims. Reiner turned 78 in March.

Pic: AP
Image:
Pic: AP

Detectives from the LAPD Robbery Homicide Division have been assigned to the case, the force said in a statement.

LAPD Captain Mike Bland said they were investigating an “apparent homicide”.

A large police presence gathered at the house.

Pic: AP
Image:
Pic: AP

‘Celebrated director’

Reiner was a celebrated director whose work included some of the most memorable movies of the 1980s and ’90s.

He directed such classics as This Is Spinal Tap, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men and Stand By Me.

 With Tom Cruise at the premiere of courtroom drama A Few Good Men in 1992. Pic: Reuters
Image:
With Tom Cruise at the premiere of courtroom drama A Few Good Men in 1992. Pic: Reuters

He also acted, starring in Sleepless in Seattle and The Wolf of Wall Street among others. His most recent high-profile work was a recurring guest role in the hit show The Bear.

He met Michele Singer in 1989, while directing When Harry Met Sally. They have three children together.

Michele used to work as a photographer and took the photo of Donald Trump that appears on the cover of his book Trump: The Art Of The Deal.

Rob Reiner on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. Pic Reuters
Image:
Rob Reiner on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1999. Pic Reuters

A spokesperson for the Reiner family said: “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”

Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass said Reiner’s death was a devastating loss for the city.

“Rob Reiner’s contributions reverberate throughout American culture and society, and he has improved countless lives through his creative work and advocacy fighting for social and economic justice,” she said.

“An acclaimed actor, director, producer, writer, and engaged political activist, he always used his gifts in service of others.”

Hollywood mourns a legend

A group of two dozen journalists are gathered behind a police cordon at the end of a street in Brentwood, usually a quiet and secure suburb of LA, an enclave of multimillionaires.

Beyond the yellow tape is the home of acclaimed Hollywood film director Rob Reiner and his wife Michele.

Stationed outside the house is a trailer being used by a forensic team gathering evidence from inside. The bodies of Rob and Michele were found with apparent stab wounds.

Every so often, local people wander past the house, expressing shock at what has happened. In this part of LA, home to many in show business, Rob Reiner is incredibly well-regarded. Even if you don’t immediately recognise his face, you know his work.

He is the director behind iconic films like The Princess Bride and Stand By Me. But it was while filming When Harry Met Sally, one of the most iconic rom coms of all time, that Rob met Michele, a photographer.

Their relationship persuaded him to change the ending of the film to ensure the main characters, played by Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, ended up together.

‘Creative, funny, and beloved’

Reiner was a champion of liberal causes and a political activist.

In the 2004 presidential election, he backed Democratic candidate John Kerry and featured in advertisements taking aim at incumbent President George W Bush.

Reiner also supported Democratic presidential hopefuls Al Gore and Hillary Clinton.

Rob Reiner with Hillary Clinton. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Rob Reiner with Hillary Clinton. Pic: Reuters

Former US president Barack Obama has led the tributes. He wrote on X that “Michelle and I are heartbroken by the tragic passing of Rob Reiner and his beloved wife, Michele. Rob’s achievements in film and television gave us some of our most cherished stories on screen.”

Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi said: “It’s hard to think of anyone more remarkable and excellent in every field and endeavour they pursued.

“Rob was creative, funny, and beloved. And in all of their endeavours, Michelle was his indispensable partner, intellectual resource, and loving wife.

“Personally, Rob cared deeply about people and demonstrated that in his civic activities – whether by supporting the First 5 initiative or fighting against Prop 8 in California.

“Civically, he was a champion for the First Amendment and the creative rights of artists. And professionally, he was an iconic figure in film who made us laugh, cry and think with the movies he created.”

Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner. Pic: AP
Image:
Reiner and his wife Michele Singer Reiner. Pic: AP

Actress Kathy Bates, who starred in Reiner’s film Misery, told NBC News: “I’m horrified hearing this terrible news. Absolutely devastated. I loved Rob.

“He was brilliant and kind, a man who made films of every genre to challenge himself as an artist. He also fought courageously for his political beliefs.

“He changed the course of my life. Michele was a gifted photographer. She shot my beautiful photos for the Misery campaign. My heart breaks for them both. My thoughts are with their family.”

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Sir Cliff Richard says he has been treated for prostate cancer

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Sir Cliff Richard says he has been treated for prostate cancer

Sir Cliff Richard has revealed he has been treated for prostate cancer during the past year.

The 85-year-old singer said his cancer had “gone at the moment” and backed calls for a national screening test for men.

In an interview with Good Morning Britain, he said: “I was about to embark on a tour… I was going to Australia and New Zealand, and the promoter said ‘well we need your insurance, so you’ll need to be checked up for something’.

“They found I had a prostate with cancer, but the good fortune was, it was not very old. And the other thing is that it had not metastasized. It hadn’t moved into bones or anything like that.

“And the cancer’s gone at the moment, I don’t know whether it’s going to come back. I mean you can’t tell with those sort of things, but we need to absolutely, I’m convinced, get there, get tested, get checked.

“I think we as men… we’ve got to be seen as human beings who may die of this thing.”

Sir Cliff made the revelation in conversation with former Sky News presenter, Dermot Murnaghan, who has himself been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer.

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Former Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan
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Former Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan

Mr Murnaghan asked the singer whether he backed calls for a national prostate cancer screening programme, given that the disease is “the most prevalent cancer amongst men”.

Lending his support, Sir Cliff replied: “We have governments to look after our country and those who live in that country. We all deserve to have the same ability to have a test and then start the treatments really early.

“It’s only been one year now I’ve been in touch with cancer, but in point of fact, every time I’ve talked with anybody, this has come up, and so I think our government must listen to us.”

It comes after King Charles revealed he had reached a “milestone” in his own fight with cancer, and would be able to reduce his schedule of treatment in the new year.

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His message on Friday was broadcast at 8pm in support of Stand Up To Cancer, a joint campaign by Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.

He credited the “personal blessing” to early diagnosis when he announced the news on Friday.

He said: “Early diagnosis quite simply saves lives.

“Now, I have heard this message repeatedly during my visits to cancer centres across the country. I know too what a difference it has made in my own case, enabling me to continue leading a full and active life, even while undergoing treatment.

“Today, I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and adherence to ‘doctors’ orders’, my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the new year.”

He continued: “This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years; testimony that I hope may give encouragement to the 50% of us who will be diagnosed with the illness at some point in our lives.”

Read more:
King ‘deeply touched’ by reaction to cancer ‘good news’
NHS to offer same-day prostate cancer diagnosis

Buckingham Palace has not revealed what kind of cancer the king has, though it is confirmed not to be prostate cancer.

Mr Murnaghan asked Sir Cliff whether his own charitable efforts could be co-ordinated with the king’s on the issue of early screening.

Cliff Richard. File pic: PA
Image:
Cliff Richard. File pic: PA

The pop icon replied: “I’m sure! I mean, why not? I’ve been involved with many charities over the years, and if the king is happy to front it for us, I’m sure loads of people… I certainly would join him, I’m sure you would.

“If the king is listening, then I’m sure most of us would say, yeah, we’re available.”

Last month the UK National Screening Committee decided not to recommend mass screening for prostate cancer, saying the measure was “likely to cause more harm than good”.

Instead, it proposes a targeted screening programme every two years for men with specific genetic mutations, known as BRCA-1 and BRCA-2, between the ages of 45 and 61.

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