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The mother of the Beatles’ George Harrison said she was “really ashamed to be female” after she watched screaming fans at one of the band’s concerts.

Louise Harrison told teenager Janet Gray about her disgust at ‘Beatlemania’ scenes at a gig in Manchester in November 1963.

Ms Gray sent a series of fan letters to the Harrison family home in Woolton, Liverpool, on a weekly basis from 1963-1966.

In a series of 25 letters, recently put up for sale, Mrs Harrison regularly responded to Ms Gray, taking a keen interest in her personal life, as well as sharing the exploits of her son as his fame skyrocketed.

The teenager was one out of thousands of fans around the world, who Mrs Harrison wrote and replied to.

Frenzied Beatles fans
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Manchester fans

“Last Wednesday I went to Manchester and I was really disgusted at the way the so-called fans just screamed right through the whole of the Beatles act,” Mrs Harrison wrote in 1963.

“Nobody with any sense would pay and queue for a ticket just to stand on a seat and scream and not hear one sound from the stage. I was really ashamed I was a female.”

Addressing the teenager’s quarrels with her mother, Mrs Harrison wrote: “I do hope my writing to you is not the cause of any trouble at home. For if so, I will definitely not write any more.

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“Now Janet I hope you will try and remember that your mum is your best friend, even if you don’t see eye to eye on some issues. Thank God I get on fine with all my 4 children and they with each other.

“Anyhow I shall pray that everything will be just fine for you in the very near future. Lots of love, Louise Harrison.

“PS I have about 90 letters not opened yet and hundreds opened awaiting replys (sic).”

In another letter, dated July 1964, Mrs Harrison appears to mention a minor road accident that the Beatle was involved in after crashing his E-Type Jaguar in Fulham, London.

“George was home for two days, or rather nights – out all day rehearsing at Blackpool. George was not hurt, thank God, in a crash,” she wrote.

The Beatles, from left, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.
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(L-R) Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. Pic:AP

A few months later in September, Mrs Harrison said she had “3,000 letters to answer at least,” describing her son as “very thin but okay”.

Nearly two years later, in August 1966, Mrs Harrison wrote: “Dear Janet, I have just been away on holiday touring around France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany and now I am back to about 500 letters and so I am afraid this will have to be rather short.

“I am hoping the boys will have a successful tour of America despite all the rumours we have heard.”

The pair’s letters will be among items listed at the Liverpool Beatles Memorabilia Auction which is taking place on Saturday 26 August.

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Holly Willoughby fined after colliding with moped and injuring rider

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Holly Willoughby fined after colliding with moped and injuring rider

TV presenter Holly Willoughby has been fined in court after she admitted driving without due care and attention when her car collided with a moped, injuring the rider.

The star, 44, pleaded guilty by post to the charge at Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday but did not attend the hearing.

Willoughby was fined £1,653 alongside £130 in costs and a £661 victim surcharge and given six points on her licence, the Metropolitan Police said.

According to court documents, the incident happened on 28 August as she was driving her Mini Cooper near her home in Richmond, southwest London.

Police were called to Church Road, Barnes, following reports of a collision.

The rider of the moped, a 43-year-old man, was taken to hospital. His injuries were assessed as neither life-threatening nor life-changing.

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The presenter is best known for fronting Dancing On Ice as well as ITV daytime show This Morning, which she left in October 2023.

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Sabrina Carpenter hits out at ‘evil and disgusting’ White House video featuring her song

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Sabrina Carpenter hits out at 'evil and disgusting' White House video featuring her song

Sabrina Carpenter has hit out at an “evil and disgusting” White House video of migrants being detained that uses one of her songs.

“Do not ever involve me or my music to benefit your inhumane agenda,” the pop star posted on X.

The White House used part of Carpenter‘s upbeat song Juno over pictures of immigration agents handcuffing, chasing and detaining people.

It was posted on social media on Monday and has been viewed 1.2 million times so far.

President Trump‘s policy of sending officers into communities to forcibly round up illegal immigrants has proved controversial, with protests and legal challenges ongoing.

Mr Trump promised the biggest deportation in US history, but some of those detained have been living and working in the US for decades and have no criminal record.

Carpenter is not the only star to express disgust over the administration’s use of their music.

More on Sabrina Carpenter

Olivia Rodrigo last month warned the White House not to “ever use my songs to promote your racist, hateful propaganda” after All-American Bitch was used in a video urging undocumented migrants to leave voluntarily.

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In July, English singer Jess Glynne also said she felt “sick” when her song from the viral Jet2 advert was used over footage of people in handcuffs being loaded on a plane.

Other artists have also previously hit out at Trump officials for using their music at political campaign events, including Guns N’ Roses, Foo Fighters, Celine Dion, Ozzy Osbourne and The Rolling Stones.

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Dame Joanna Lumley warns of ‘crisis hidden in plain sight’ – with 1.5 million older people set to spend Christmas alone

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Dame Joanna Lumley has warned of a “crisis hidden in plain sight”, with 1.5 million older people set to spend Christmas alone.

Age UK spoke to more than 2,600 people and found 11% will eat dinner alone on 25 December, while 5% will not see or speak to anyone the whole day.

Applied to the overall population, the findings suggest 1.5 million people will eat alone at Christmas, according to the charity.

Dame Joanna said the “silence can be deafening” for those left isolated and called it “a crisis hidden in plain sight”.

The actor and campaigner is now joining other luminaries including Dame Judi Dench, Brian Cox and Miriam Margolyes to back Age UK’s campaign against loneliness.

The charity says its volunteers made more than 70,000 minutes’ worth of calls to people during Christmas week last year and is urging people to donate.

‘A tragedy we don’t talk about enough’

Age UK said it also supports coffee mornings and festive lunches to give lonely people the chance to enjoy in-person interaction.

Dame Judi said: “For so many older people, Christmas can be a time of silence – days without conversation or company.”

Succession star Brian Cox called the issue “a tragedy we don’t talk about enough”.

He said: “Far too many older people are left spending the season in silence, when it should be a time of warmth, connection and joy.”

Brian Cox is another of the campaign's high-profile backers. Pic: PA
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Brian Cox is another of the campaign’s high-profile backers. Pic: PA

Margolyes, of Harry Potter fame, added: “Growing older shouldn’t mean disappearing into the background, we need to be seen, heard and celebrated.

“That’s what Age UK is striving for – they’re changing how we perceive age.”

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The charity’s chief executive, Paul Farmer, said: “Your donation could bring comfort, friendship, and care to an older person facing loneliness this winter.

“From friendly, weekly calls to local lunch clubs, we’re here to make sure no one spends winter alone. But we can’t do it without you.”

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