Advantages of being raised by a single mother outweigh expectations and outlast childhood embarrassment.

Actor Chris Fountain has shared footage from the hospital following his heart surgery. The former Coronation Street and Hollyoaks star was admitted for an operation on his heart, months after suffering a “mini-stroke”. On social media, he updated his followers with posts to his Instagram stories on Friday (12 May). “I’m back, baby,” Fountain, 35, said to the camera while laying in his hospital bed. “Still feeling a little bit woozy, my groin is rather sore. But I’ve finally been allowed to eat and drink, but the cheese sandwich didn’t quite do it.” He added that his mother, who was in the room with him, would be going to find him something more substantial to eat before signing off. Later, he shared a video originally posted by Dutch musical theatre actor Martijn Vogel that explains the procedure that had been performed on him. Fountain’s surgery was to address a patent foramen ovale (PFO), which is described by the NHS as a hole between the left and right atria (upper chambers) of the heart. People with this condition are at a higher risk of stroke. If a PFO does not fix itself, the surgery to treat it consists of inserting a catheter with a closure device through the femoral vein in the leg up to the heart, where the device is left to close up the flap. In a later video, Fountain is seen walking around the hospital. “Back on my feet, they’ve cleared me to walk a little bit,” he said. “What a day! To be honest, I was really quite nervous when I went into the anaesthetist room, it all became very real.” He concluded on a positive note, telling fans that the outlook looks good so far after tests were run to check that the device is “in the right place and working, and not leaking”. The actor starred in more than 300 episodes of the long-running ITV soap, Coronation Street, from 2011 to 2013. He was fired after videos of him rapping about rape were discovered on YouTube. Since then, Fountain has addressed the impact that his firing has had on his life. Read More TikTok Tattoogate: How a tattoo artist sparked backlash for ‘absurd’ pricing and design changes Millie Mackintosh says she was ‘ghosted’ by Meghan Markle after she started dating Prince Harry Elliot Page praised for shirtless photo: ‘It feels so good now’ One in five people may be suffering from ‘dangerous’ sleep disorder Bo Jackson says he will undergo procedure after year-long battle with chronic hiccups As Coronation Street puts the spotlight on sepsis, the signs and symptoms to know

Daria Golovchenko is performing at a Eurovision event at Halifax's Piece Hall.

The US Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved a new type of drug to treat hot flashes and night sweats during menopause.

This week’s new entertainment releases include albums from Kesha and Dave Matthews Band, while rapper Jack Harlow stars in a remake of “White Men Can’t Jump” and wilderness expert Bear Grylls tests contestants on their survival skills, physicality and gross-out tolerance with "I Survived Bear Grylls.”

An unpublished, as-yet-untitled book by an unnamed author shot up the US bestseller lists this week, thanks to preorders from Taylor Swift fans who believed it to be her memoir.

SRP-9001, an experimental gene therapy that aims to slow or stop the progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, is being considered for accelerated approval by the FDA.

Astronauts have been adjusting to the challenges of sleeping in space for years, including light exposure and zero gravity. The lessons learned from their experiences could help ensure that the first crewed missions to Mars get enough rest.

Staring at his computer screen, Kristoffer Rom couldn’t believe the numbers rolling in from Spotify. A year and

Samantha Womack has said she would’ve delayed her own cancer treatment in solidarity with striking NHS staff who “shouldn’t be eating from food banks”. The former EastEnders actor, 50, announced she had been diagnosed with “brutal” breast cancer in August last year – shortly after Dame Olivia Newton-John died from the disease. Last December, NHS doctors and nurses went on a nationwide strike demanding better pay amid a cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation. Describing herself as a “huge advocate” of England’s national health service, she called it “one of the best gifts we have” in an interview with Press Association. She added: “But when you’ve got the people who are working as hard as they are doing the hours they are, not being supported, even if it would have delayed my own personal treatment, “I would have been out there fighting with them, because I’m absolutely desperate for them to be paid properly and appropriately for what they do,” she continued. “They certainly shouldn’t be eating from food banks.” She also told the agency Newton-John’s death made Womack want to share her own diagnosis, “because I thought everyone knows someone that’s got cancer”. “It was very poignant for me when I got my diagnosis that she had lost her battle and they happened within the same timeframe,” she explained. Womack, who played Ronnie Mitchell on the hit BBC soap until 2017, told fans in January 2023 that she had overcome breast cancer. The British actor is now lending her support to a campaign enabling greater access to a new AI breast cancer diagnostic tool called Digistain. The UK’s first breast cancer risk profiling solution, Digistain helps patients better understand their cancer and the specific treatment that will most benefit them. Womack said she didn’t know about Digistain when her cancer was diagnosed, and that she was “anxious not to have chemotherapy” if she didn’t require the “brutal treatment”. “I knew that there was a test called the Oncotype test, which is very similar....(but) it’s incredibly expensive so it’s just not available to most people,” she added. Womack said the test gives a ratio of how beneficial chemotherapy would be and she was “on the fence” so had two rounds before making the decision to stop. Last October, Womack gave fans a health update while receiving the treatment, explaining that she had gotten her appetite back but was struggling with migraines. Elsewhere in the interview on Friday (12 May), Womack reflected on life after being given the all-clear and how it has changed her perspective. “It’s apparent in every little thing that you think,” she continued. “It’s a bit like learning to think and speak in a different language and it’s quite exhausting, because you’re not quite the same person that you were so everything is just slightly shaded in a different colour.” Read More Rainy bike rides and jellybean bribes: The secrets of royal coronation photographer Hugo Burnand Taylor Swift fans react to new photo ‘confirming’ Matty Healy romance: ‘I’m going to cry’ The Bear star Jeremy Allen White’s wife Addison Timlin reportedly files for divorce Meghan is ‘cuckoo’ in royal nest and her ‘woke hang-ups’ will destroy marriage, says Labour grandee Robert De Niro reveals name of newborn daughter as he shares first photo of seventh child

‘Use sunscreen every day’ is the ultimate skincare commandment. Dermatologists and beauty buffs alike agree that protecting your face from harmful UV rays – while simultaneously preventing wrinkles – should be a priority for everyone. “Skin is the body’s first line of defence from everyday external aggressors which damage your skin such as UV rays,” says Prof Christian Aldridge, consultant dermatologist for LifeJacket Skin Protection. “The damage from these can have cosmetic, physical and long-term health consequences. At best, it can age your skin and cause you discomfort but at worst, can give you a skin disease you really don’t want.” That’s why daily protection of your skin is critical, particularly on those areas that are exposed to the sun regularly, such as your face. But in spite of all the warnings we receive, the message isn’t getting through to everyone. A new survey from LifeJacket and Melanoma UK found that 10% of respondents rarely use SPF, while one in 20 says they never use it. To make it more likely you’ll stick to a daily habit, finding a product you love can be a huge help – attempting to rub a thick, chalky cream into your skin is not the answer. The good news is, facial sunblocks have come a long way, and there’s a whole new batch of lightweight but effective lotions, serums and gels that are a delight to use – and many of them are under the £20 mark. “To adequately protect your face, I recommend 5ml (about a teaspoon) of SPF of at least 30 every day,” says Aldridge. “Especially during the months of April to September, to ensure long-term skin protection. Application should be repeated if outside for long periods or undertaking exercising in the light.” Here’s our pick of the best face sunscreens for everyday use… 1. Garnier Ambre Solaire SPF 50+ Super UV Invisible Face Serum, £14, Boots A more fluid texture than any existing Garnier sunblock, Super UV Invisible Face Serum is designed for even the most sensitive skin types. The vegan factor 50 serum sinks in quickly, meaning it’s suited to men with facial hair or for wearing under make-up. 2. Sun Bum Glow 30 Moisturising Sunscreen Face Lotion, £19.99, Cult Beauty The latest addition to the Sun Bum family, this SPF30 lotion comes with a generous dose of glow-boosting kakadu plum extract, which reportedly contains on average 100 times more vitamin C than an orange. 3. The Inkey List Polyglutamic Acid Dewy Sunscreen, £14.99, LookFantastic Fast becoming a must-have among ‘skintellectuals’, this light fluid is formulated with a trio of ultra-hydrating ingredients: polyglutamic acid, squalane and glycerin. Designed to prevent any white cast (no matter how dark your skin tone), this dewy-finish fluid is what you need if you’re after the trendy ‘glazed donut’ skin look. 4. Coco & Eve Daily Water Gel SPF50+ Sunscreen, £23 The first suncare range from self-tan specialist Coco & Eve does not disappoint. With hyaluronic acid to moisturise, the factor 50+ Daily Water Gel is as lightweight as it sounds, and the fragrance-free formula is suited to sensitive and oily skin types alike. 5. Skin Proud Serious Shade Lightweight Hydrating SPF 50+ Skin Serum, £16.95 Intended to provide a smooth base for make-up with no white cast, Skin Proud’s first sunscreen comes with extra benefits: ceramides to protect the skin barrier and cherry extract for a vitamin C boost. 6. Eucerin Sun Face Hydro Protect Ultra-Light Fluid SPF 50+, £20, Boots The newest face sunblock in Eucerin’s high-tech line-up not only protects against UVA and UVB rays, it boosts skin repair with glycyrrhetinic acid, and the non-greasy fluid is fast-absorbing. 7. Ole Henriksen Banana Bright Vitamin C Mineral SPF30, £28 If you prefer a mineral suncreen that provides a physical barrier on the skin (as opposed to chemical, where it works below the surface), Ole Henriksen’s Banana Bright is an excellent option. The zinc oxide-based formula also contains vitamin C to increase skin luminosity over time and banana powder-inspired pigments to add instant brightness. 8. Suqqu Protecting Day Cream SPF50+, £48, Cult Beauty This innovative daily moisturiser from Japanese skinbrand Suqqu offers factor 50 protection, botanical extracts and a glowy, light-reflecting finish that’s perfect on its own or under make-up. 9. Chanel UV Essentiel, £48 The newly reformulated UV Essentiel provides SPF50 protection alongside a duo of skin-strengthening extracts – blue ginger and Tahitian gardenia – to guard against pollution and premature ageing. 10. LifeJacket Daily Protection Moisturiser, £19.99 A great all-rounder, LifeJacket’s fragrance-free face cream provides factor 30 protection and hydrates with glycerin. 11. Hello Sunday The Illuminating One Glow Primer SPF50, £22 Defending skin against UVA, UVB, blue light and pollution, this highly protective primer is formulated with light-illuminating particles to enhance your complexion.

ME, or myalgic encephalomyelitis, is a serious, long-term chronic illness that impacts the sufferer, leaving them often suffering from extreme exhaustion. ME has for a long time been under-researched, but as awareness of the condition grows, more people are coming forward for help. As a grouping of symptoms, instead of a clearly identifiable illness, ME is very hard to diagnose and thus people can suffer for years before getting help for it. Symptoms can include exhaustion, digestive issues, muscle weakness, shortness of breath and irregular heart rate. But how do you know if you are suffering with ME, or are just really exhausted? Overlapping symptoms Covid has made ME more prevalent, but people still find it so difficult to know what may just be tiredness. “It is really difficult to tell the difference. ME and CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) have a lot of overlap [with tiredness] and there have been a lot of issues with long covid with these long persisting post-viral malaise, where even if people sleep well, they may still feel exhausted,” says GP and men’s health specialist Dr Anand Patel. If you have had covid or another viral illness, this may increase the likelihood of having ME. Get checked out “If you have had persisting symptoms for more than a few weeks or they are really severe, speak to your GP,” says Patel. Particularly if “you are sleeping okay, your diet, caffeine and alcohol intake are okay, but your symptoms are persisting. They may check your thyroid and blood count”, he explains. “A quarter of our appointments these days are classed as ‘tired all the time’. It is very difficult to weed out what is what when ME and CFS are groups of symptoms that are bundled together. It is not necessarily something that will cause medical harm, but will cause really significant symptoms to sufferers,” says Patel. “With ME, you may be so tired you can barely stay awake in the day. We are still in the exploratory stage of what does cause it, but if you have had psychological trauma or illness it is more likely to be ME that has caused these prolonged symptoms. It can be hard to find things during tests and scans, but of course, there are conditions we don’t have tests for or are hard to identify,” he explains. Be clear of your symptoms “It is really difficult to diagnose something if you can’t find it, so a patient needs to explain symptoms and how they are feeling. Many people with it don’t feel seen, and a doctor may be struggling to find a specific answer,” Patel explains. Keeping a diary of symptoms may help to make it clear. Vitamin deficiencies Consider what the other causes may be. “Tiredness could be caused by blood count and anaemia, thyroid function and deficiencies, dietary changes and vitamin deficiencies,” says Patel. “If you have a varied diet, these are unlikely. B12 and folic acid deficiency are common, they make blood make new cells and are important in nerve function. Also, it could be vitamin D deficiency, a lot of people need to take a vitamin D tablet every day in the UK because we don’t get enough sun and slap on factor 50 as soon as it does come out,” Patel says. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Dr Alex George: Five months of sobriety has made a ‘huge difference’ Everything you need to know about Sophie, the new Duchess of Edinburgh Beyonce kicks of Renaissance tour in string of glamorous outfits