Demi Moore put on an animated display as she attended the Saint Laurent Womenswear Spring/Summer 2024 show during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday.

The actress, 60, looked glamorous in a sheer black gown while wearing matching underwear underneath.

She boosted her height in chic stilettos and hid her eyes behind a pair of oversized sunglasses. 

Demi’s shiny raven tresses were styled poker straight and she sported a bronzed makeup palette which accentuated her natural features.

The star flashed her dazzling white smile as she arrived at the star-studded event with supermodel Kate Moss. 

It comes hours after her ex-husband Bruce Willis made a rare public outing amid his battle with dementia.

Demi and her former partner, 68, remain close friends and share three daughters — Rumer, 35, Scout, 32, and Tallulah, 29.

The family have rallied around the Die Hard actor after he was diagnosed with Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) – an uncommon form of dementia that causes a deterioration in behaviour, personality and language.

They publicly revealed his condition in February of this year and his wife Emma Heming recently gave a heartbreaking update on his ongoing battle with dementia.

The Hollywood icon was seen in the passenger seat of a car in Los Angeles , on Monday – the same day that Emma, 45, revealed it’s ‘hard to know’ if he is even aware of what is happening to him health-wise.

The sighting came just hours before Demi stepped out in Paris during Fashion Week, as she was seen arriving at her hotel with a puppy scooped in her jacket.

The A-lister made a low-key arrival and looked downcast she she stepped out in the French capital on Tuesday. She was cuddling her pet Chihuahua Pilaf.

She was bundled up in an oversized black blazer, which she was wearing with jeans and a pair of boots.

During his outing in LA, Bruce was sporting a quilted navy jacket and a matching navy hat, the actor was seen sitting with the passenger window down as he was driven around his home town in what has become an increasingly rare public outing amid his ongoing health struggles.

Emma fought back tears while she opened up about how she and her two daughters with the actor are coping with the ‘grief and the sadness’ of watching the actor’s health decline in an interview on the Today show.

‘What I’m learning is that dementia is hard,’ she said, during an appearance at the show’s New York studio. ‘It’s hard on the person diagnosed. It’s also hard on the family. And that is no different for Bruce or myself or our girls.

‘And when they say that this is a family disease, it really is.’

When asked how she went about explaining his illness to their children, she said: ‘I think it’s always been… we’re a very honest and open household.

‘And, the most important thing was to be able for us to say what the disease was, explain what it is because when you know what the disease is from a medical standpoint it sort of all makes sense.

‘So it was important that we let them know what it is because, you know, I don’t want there to be any stigma or shame attached to their dad’s diagnosis, or for any form of dementia.’

When asked by host Hoda Kotb if he is aware of what is happening to him, Emma paused and revealed: ‘Hard to know’.

But despite the difficulty of caring for her husband, she said receiving a diagnosis has made life ‘easier’.

‘I think it was the blessing and the curse. You know, to sort of finally understand what was happening so that I can be into the acceptance of what is.

‘It doesn’t make it any less painful, but just being in the acceptance and just being in the know of what is happening to Bruce just makes it a little bit easier.

‘There is so many beautiful things happening in our lives. It is just really important for me to look up from the grief and the sadness so that I can see what is happening around us,’ Emma added.

In a particularly touching moment, Hoda asked Emma what she thinks Bruce is teaching their girls as they all come to terms with his illness as a family.

‘Honestly, he is the gift that keeps on giving. Love, patience, resilience, so much…’ Emma said.

‘And he’s teaching me and our whole… I mean, you know, for me to be out here doing this, this is not my comfort zone, but this is the power of Bruce.’

Hoda continued: ‘I have heard from people that have an ailing family member, and I remember this from a friend of mine… she said, “my husband’s diagnosis made my kids better people”. Is that what you’re noticing?’

‘That is what I’m noticing,’ Emma replied. ‘Listen, I think my kids would be great no matter what! And this is not what I would want for them. But really, like I said, it is teaching them so much and how to care and love and it’s a beautiful thing amongst the sadness.’

She confirmed that she refers to herself as Bruce’s ‘care partner’ as opposed to his ‘caretaker’, and also noted the importance of taking care of herself as well.

‘It’s so important to ask for help and support. And you can look to organizations like the AFTD, like Hilarity For Charity… it is sort of a great starting point.

‘And it’s important for care partners to look after themselves so that they can be the best care, partner for the person that they’re caring for,’ she added.

Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales has apologised for kissing player Jenni Hermoso following his country’s Women’s World Cup final win over England in Australia.

The football chief had faced a wave of criticism and resignation calls after planting the unsolicited kiss on Jenni’s lips following the match.

In a video address today after leading politicians said he should quit or apologise, Rubiales admitted he had made a mistake.

He started the video by saying the Spanish team had achieved an ‘historic feat’ and it was one of the ‘happiest’ days for Spanish football.

But he added: ‘There is also something I regret and it’s over something that happened between a female player and myself who enjoy a magnificent relationship the same as I have with other women players.

‘I’ve no doubt made a mistake and I have to admit it.’

He continued: ‘At a moment of maximum excitement, without any bad intention or bad faith, what happened happened in a very spontaneous manner, I repeat without bad faith on either side.

‘We didn’t understand really what occurred afterwards because we saw it as something normal and natural but it has caused a controversy in some sectors and some people appear to have been upset and therefore I have to apologise.

‘Moreover I have to learn from this and understand that when someone presides an institution as important as the Spanish FA he has to take more care in events like ceremonies.’

Defending his initial reaction in the wake of the controversy, when he branded the people who had criticised the kiss as ‘idiots’, and admitting he was saddened because it had tainted the historic Spanish victory, he continued: ‘Within the Spanish FA no-one lent the slightest importance to this but outside it seems they have.

‘I also want to apologise to those people because if people have been affected outside, they will no doubt have their reasons.’

Rubiales made his public apology as he faced resignation calls over his controversial post-Women’s World Cup celebrations which included giving player Jenni Hermoso an unwanted kiss on the lips.

The 45-year-old had been accused of committing ‘sexual violence’ overnight by Spain’s acting Equality Minister Irene Montero for the unsolicited smacker following the country’s 1-0 win against England.

He initially laughed it off as a ‘peck on the lips between two friends celebrating something’ even though 33-year-old Jenni admitted she hadn’t liked it in a post-match live online stream from the dressing room.

Footage subsequently emerged of Rubiales grabbing his crotch and appearing to make an obscene gesture during his wild celebrations in the stands beside Spain’s Queen Letizia and her 16-year-old daughter.

This morning Anna Caula, General Secretary of Sport for the regional Catalan government, said he should resign.

She called the kiss he planted on Jenni Hermoso’s lips as a ‘harsh aggression’ and added: ‘We must be aware there are things that are not a price that we should have to pay.

‘In football things are still not equal, we still have a lot of work to do.

‘It is up to a president of the Spanish FA to be scrupulous in the way he behaves himself

‘The explanation for this kiss and the subsequent declarations that have been made justifying it means us normalising attitudes that are not acceptable.’

Marta Lois, parliamentary spokesperson for Spanish left-wing coalition party Sumar, said: ‘This type of sexist behaviour towards the Spanish player Jennifer Hermoso is intolerable.

‘Mr Rubiales must resign. It’s shocking.’

Colleague Ernest Urtasum insisted Rubiales should resign ‘tomorrow’ insisting: ‘The image he has shown the world is one of repugnant machoism. This cannot go unpunished.’

Spanish politician Pablo Echenique, a member of hard-left wing party Podemos, was among those who picked up on Rubiales’ crotch grab while the controversy surrounding his kiss was still raging.

He tweeted along video footage of the alleged obscene gesture: ‘As well as giving Jenni Hermoso a non-consensual kiss on the lips while he grabbed her head, an act that could represent the commission of a crime, Rubiales also celebrated Spain’s victory grabbing his testicles next to the queen and her daughter.’

He also posted a photo of the Spanish FA president planting a sloppy kiss on the left cheek of goalscorer Olga Carmona, who learnt after the match her father had died, and wrote on his Twitter feed: ‘Here he is too with Olga Carmona.

‘It seems this guy was drooling over and stalking the whole team.’

Rubiales has yet to comment on the claims he grabbed his private parts in front of Spain’s leading female royals.

He was filmed in the dressing room after yesterday’s World Cup final, announcing a trip to Ibiza for Spain’s winning women as a prize before joking in front of Jenni Hermoso and her teammates: ‘In Ibiza we’ll be celebrating Jenni and Luis Rubiales’ wedding.

Hermoso admitted she hadn’t liked the kiss in a live online stream to fans from the dressing room.

In subsequent comments facilitated by Spain’s FA, the Madrid-born footballer who currently plays for Mexican side Pachuca, referred to the moment as a ‘mutually and totally spontaneous gesture’ and insisted: ‘The president and I have a great relationship.’

Banks have been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons lately – shutting down accounts, penalising savers, losing customer trust. But Solihull-based Secure Trust Bank strives to be different.

Under ambitious chief executive David Creadie, the bank defines its mission as helping consumers and businesses to fulfil their ambitions.

In a world awash with flowery but meaningless corporate gobbledegook, Secure Trust’s ethos is reassuringly simple. And it is backed by hard graft and consistent service across four main areas of lending – goods and services, cars, professional property and business.

The first arm is all about helping shops to offer credit, largely interest-free, to their customers. 

Secure Trust works with more than 1,500 retailers, including Watches of Switzerland and furniture giant DFS. Creadie also supplies all the Premier League clubs with finance so they can offer season ticket deals to fans. And with some London clubs charging well over £1,000 for a single season of games, supporters need all the help they can muster.

Not so long ago, Secure Trust focused on costly loans for hard-pressed shoppers. Now, the bank tends towards interest-free credit, generally offered to more affluent consumers, who are less susceptible to economic pressures. 

Bad debts are lower, credit facilities are higher and Secure Trust is expanding at a fair clip, increasing lending by more than £1billion last year alone, while remaining prudent about the customers it takes on.

Secure Trust also supplies finance to nearly 500 car dealers and brokers so they can offer deals to motorists in search of second-hand vehicles.

Again, business is brisk. The bank offers cutting-edge technology that allows loans to be made swiftly and efficiently and new business more than doubled last year. 

On the property front, Creadie is keen to distinguish his business from other buy-to-let mortgage lenders. His bank specialises in lending to individuals and small firms that own four or five properties, each with several flats. These are experienced property hands, borrowing around £10million on average. 

But Secure Trust takes a conservative approach to lending, so bad debts are minimal. The bank supplies credit to small businesses too, generally backed by assets such as invoices. Typical customers include food processors and manufacturers which supply supermarkets and may have to wait weeks or months before invoices are settled.

The bank advances up to 90 per cent of the funds up-front, so firms have access to the working capital they need. Across the group, net lending rose 17 per cent to more than £3billion in the first quarter of 2023, with further growth expected throughout the year.

Loans are largely funded by deposits and here too Secure Trust is expanding, attracting more than £2.5billion of savings in the first quarter of 2023 and on track to deliver more of the same through the year. 

Secure Trust shares have been hit hard by macro-economic worries, more than halving in value to £5.56 since last August. The price is a poor reflection of current trading and future prospects.

Interim figures, out this week, should prove encouraging. Secure Trust is a minnow compared to other banks, valued on the stock market at just £107million. 

But it has more than 1.2million customers and Creadie is confident of delivering growth. He took the helm in 2021, has made some canny moves to date and won support among City analysts. Brokers forecast a 13 per cent increase in profits to £44million this year, rising to £53million in 2024. Dividends are pretty decent too, with 43p pencilled in for 2023, rising to more than 50p next year.

Midas verdict: Secure Trust shares were more than £12 last summer. Now they are just £5.56, even though the business has grown, costs have been streamlined and the outlook is bright. 

Banks may be unloved right now but Secure Trust is a rather different animal and David Creadie is determined to make his mark. The shares are a buy and the 7.5 per cent dividend yield is an added attraction.

Traded on: Main market Ticker: STB Contact: securetrustbank.com or 0121 693 9100

Love Island is set to have its first black winner, to the delight of ITV bosses who have faced years of accusations that the dating show is racist.

Whitney Adebayo is favourite to be awarded the £50,000 prize during Monday’s final, which executives would consider a ‘big win’ for the under-fire network.

Although the reality show has had mixed-race winners before, it has been dogged by accusations of bias.

Black contestants are often the last to be chosen when islanders pick who they want to couple up with at the start of each series, and several cast members have spoken openly about prejudice after leaving the TV villa.

Yewande Biala, who appeared on the fifth series, wrote an open letter in which she spoke about ‘microaggressions’ and called out co-star Lucie Donlan for repeatedly mispronouncing her name, which she said, ‘is just another form of racism’.

Amber Gill, who is mixed race with Trinidadian heritage, won that series with Greg O’Shea. 

And earlier this year Sanam Harrinanan and Kai Fagan, of Indo-Trinidadian and Jamaican heritage respectively, became the first non-white couple to win after starring in the show’s winter series.

Now TV insiders predict that entrepreneur Whitney, 25, will be crowned Love Island 2023 winner alongside her partner Lochan Nowacki, also 25.

A source said: ‘Whitney has won over the nation and ITV bosses could not be happier. 

‘She has topped the public vote time and time again so the prediction is that she will go all the way and be crowned champion. Although she will be winning as part of a couple, it is Whitney who is the favourite among viewers.’

When Sanam won, she said: ‘I’ve had a lot of brown girls from the Asian community come up to me and say I saw you on TV, we never get any representation.’

Unlike any other summer season, this year’s Love Island, hosted by Maya Jama, has managed to avoid major controversies, and no contestants have quit early.

Love Island winners: Where are they now? From marriage and babies to bitter splits and shunning the spotlight… how our favourite couples got on AFTER the show ended

The 10th series of Love Island is about to kick off, with 10 sexy singletons gearing up to enter the famous villa. 

They may all be competing for a £50,000 cash prize but the winners can expect to start a whole new life after the show ends. 

From landing giant sponsorship deals to walking down the aisle and having children, some winners have stood the test of time.  

Sadly not every couple have remained together and while some have gone on to great success, others have faded from the celebrity scene. 

Now MailOnline takes a look what happened to the winners of the last nine seasons.

Season One (2015): Jess Hayes and Max Morley 

Jess Hayes and Max Morlye, both 30 years of age, found themselves on the surprise hit of the summer when they signed up for the first ever series of Love Island in 2015. 

Although the contestants became stars, the reality show wasn’t quite the guaranteed star-maker it is today. 

The couple walked away with the prize money, pipping favourites Hannah Elizabeth and Jonathan Clark to the top spot.

However their showmance didn’t last long and the pair split just six weeks after the cameras stopped rolling. 

Max was quick to dust himself off and dated a string of other reality TV beauties including fellow former Love Islanders Zara Holland (series two) and Laura Anderson (series five). 

He also appeared on Ex on the Beach in 2017 and had a fling with Charlotte Crosby. 

Since then he has faded from the limelight and is thought to be working as a recruiter.

He rarely posts on social media and has not revealed who his partner is but they had a baby boy called Brooklyn in November 2021.

Jess has also experienced the joys of parenthood. 

The social media star, who boasts almost 400,000 followers on Instagram, fell in love with mechanic Dan Lawry in 2018. 

The couple welcomed a baby boy, Presley, the following year and her Instagram account is testament to the love and devotion she has for her son. 

She and Dan were engaged after Presley was born but broke up in May 2021 and now co-parent their son.

In April Jess tragically suffered a second miscarriage and has been praised by fans for helping other women by speaking about her experience. 

Season Two (2016): Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey

Cara De La Hoyde, 32, and Nathan Massey, 30, didn’t have a typical life after Love Island but they still managed to make their romance work.

After he left the villa Nathan had to go back to working on a building site within six months.

The carpenter admitted he was embarrassed to return to work so soon but he is now happily married to Cara and the pair are one of the only winning couples remaining together.

Cara and Nathan tied the knot in June 2019 and have two children together – daughter Delilah, four, and son Freddie, two.

The couple have remained in the public eye and Cara has often spoken about her struggles with depression, anxiety and OCD.

Since she was 16 she has been on various medication to deal with her mental health issues.

The star has been very open about her troubles and has accepted she may always have bouts of depression.

Season Three (2017): Amber Davies and Kem Cetinay

Amber Davies, 26, and Kem Cetinay, 27, stormed to victory in season three but it was just four months before the fan favourites broke up.

Despite this, since the couple took the Love Island crown in 2017, both Amber and Kem have had successful careers on and off the screen.

Amber has made appearances in reality shows such as And They’re Off! as well as documentaries including Amber & Dolly: 9 to 5 and When Reality TV Goes Horribly Wrong.

She soon began a career in musical theatre, starring as Judy Bernly in 9 to 5: The Musical, Campbell Davies in Bring It On: The Musical and is currently playing Lorraine Bains in Back To The Future: The Musical.

In December she revealed she’d found love at work, confirming she is dating her Back to the Future co-star Ben Joyce.  

Meanwhile, Kem released a single with fellow Islander Chris Hughes that peaked at 15th in the UK music charts.

He also began co-presenting the podcast Love Island: The Morning After with Arielle Free in 2018 but the pair were replaced by Sam Thompson and Indiyah Polack this year. 

Kem also owns a restaurant in Romford called Array, a move that came as a shock to fans as he failed to impress on Celebrity Masterchef. 

Season Four (2018): Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham

Jack Fincham, 32, and Dani Dyer, 26, took the season four crown after being a fan favourites from day one.

They famously refrained from having sex in the Love Island villa and went on to win the nation’s hearts as Jack sweetly asked her to be his girlfriend.

Days after leaving, Jack told The Sun: ‘We’re getting married next year, 100 per cent. Like my mum said to me so many times, “When you know about someone, you just know.” And now I know what she’s talking about. I just know that that’s what we want to do.’

However, the romance wasn’t to last and even though they moved into their own flat the couple broke up after five months.

Dani has made several TV appearances, including as Jeanette in EastEnders last year alongside her father Danny.

She welcomed son Santiago with ex-boyfriend Sammy Kimmence only for him to be jailed for three years in 2021 for scamming pensioners out of £34,000.

In May she welcomed twin daughters with her West Ham forward boyfriend Jarrod Bowen, naming the newborns Summer and Star. 

Meanwhile, Jack shares a baby daughter called Blossom with one-time fling Casey Ranger.

Jack has struggled to find success after leaving the villa and has even had a brush with the law.

The TV star was spotted by police in January 2021 in his £30,000 Mercedes near his home in Swanley.

Prosecutors said he was found to have high levels of cocaine by-product, as well as Valium, in his blood, but his lawyers argued that the blood test taken was a ‘false positive’.

Jack later had his drug-driving charges dropped after a lack of ‘reliable evidence’.

Season Five (2019): Amber Gill and Greg O’Shea

Amber Gill, 25, and Greg O’Shea, 28, swooped in to beat favourites Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury in 2019 despite Greg only entering the show two weeks before the final.

However, their short-lived romance wasn’t sustainable outside of the villa, with Greg dumping Amber ‘by text’ just 39 days later – a claim he denies.  

Since her skyrocket to fame, Amber has been inundated with brand sponsorship deals and was the face of clothing brand, MissPap, in a deal that was reportedly worth £1 million.

She also made a string of guest TV appearances since her shock win and has also released a romance novel and appeared on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins last year.

But with greater popularity comes greater pressure, and the Love Island winner revealed she was struggling to find her perfect match and worried that she attracts men for the wrong reasons. 

Last year she confirmed that she was dating footballer Jen Beattie after revealing she dates both men and women. 

Meanwhile, Greg O’Shea returned to Ireland to carry on his rugby sevens career.

He famously turned down big money deals in favour of training for the Tokyo Olympics, where he and his teammates came tenth in the rugby sevens.

Season Six (2020): Finn Tapp and Paige Turley

Paige Turley, 25, and Finley Tapp, 23, won the first-ever winter edition of Love Island in early 2020 as the pair were crowned champions in South Africa.

The couple quickly moved in together and were able to stay happily together throughout the Covid pandemic.

Finn later credited lockdown with helping their relationship, saying: ‘I think lockdown helped in a way whereby you didn’t need to come out [of the villa] and then get pulled from pillar to post everywhere and stuff like that. 

‘It was nice to actually just have a little bit of time. I didn’t really want all of that time that we ended up having because of lockdown. 

‘But it was nice having that little bit of time to continue to work on Paige and I and it just sort of grew from strength to strength.’

However they called it a day in April after three years together, with the pair said  to have realised they ‘weren’t forever’. 

Insiders claimed: ‘Paige and Finn had a really good run, but they are still super young and decided it wasn’t forever in the end.’

Adding that they are now living separately, they continued: ‘Paige is spending some time back in Scotland while she works out what she wants to do next.’

Paige, who used to date popstar Lewis Capaldi, has since suggested she wants to launch a singing career, having previously appeared on Britain’s Got Talent.

Season Seven (2021): Millie Court and Liam Reardon

Millie Court, 26, and Liam Reardon, 23, managed to win season seven despite struggling through a tough period when Liam’s head was turned in Casa Amor.

The couple lasted for a year before splitting the following July amid rumours Liam had been unfaithful, claims the pair strongly denied. 

Addressing the split, Millie shared with fans: ‘It’s been a tough decision and I am gutted but it’s ultimately what is best for us right now. Thank you to every single one of you for supporting our relationship.’

Liam echoed her sentiments and penned: ‘Nothing will ever take away from the amazing experience we shared in Love Island and the past year we’ve been so lucky to both come into each other’s lives.’ 

Their tale had a happy ending, however as the pair reconciled in April . 

Season Eight (2022): Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti 

Ekin-Su Culculoglu, 28, and Davide Sanclimenti, 27, had a bumpy ride in the villa but won the nation’s hearts with their real yet rocky romance.

The pair went on to land their own TV show, where they travelled to their hometowns in Italy and Turkey to meet each other’s families.

Ekin-Su also experienced more reality TV as she signed up for Dancing On Ice shortly after leaving the villa.  

But the couple announced they had split last month following an 11 month romance.

Ekin-Su returned to Instagram last week after her split and wrote: ‘Hi everyone, I thought it was time to come back online to thank you so much for all of your messages over the past 2-weeks.

‘It has shown me what a kind, supportive, strong community I have behind me. I took some much needed time away with my family which has been really special but now it’s time to realign & get back to work.

‘I have such an exciting year ahead & I want to fully focus on that. I really appreciate your ongoing support. Thank you for cheering me on. Ekin x’

Season Nine (2023): Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan

Kai Fagan, 24, and Sanam Harrinanan, 24, made history with their win in season nine as it’s the first time a Casa Amor bombshell has been victorious. 

The down to earth couple won over fans with their laidback attitude and have not chased after the spotlight since leaving the villa.  

Sanam worked as a social worker before the show, and in a new interview she had admitted her decision to appear on Love Island has put a halt to her previous career.

‘I can’t go into social work again, I don’t think I’ll be able to,’ she admitted to heat Magazine.

She added though that she has plans to use her new platform to help her local community.

‘I’ve got a meeting about it this week with my social work manager because I want to be able to use this platform to help children locally,’ she explained.

She previously revealed she plans to use some of the £50,000 prize money to support her mum – who he is on her own after her dad passed away – as well as potentially invest in projects to help children. 

P.E. and science teacher Kai meanwhile has said he hopes to continue working with kids but knows his career path will most likely have to change.

Michelle Yeoh is married! Oscar winner, 60, weds ex-Ferrari CEO Jean Todt, 77, in Switzerland… following a 19-YEAR engagement

By Sonia Horon For Dailymail.Com

Published: 01:28 EDT, 28 July 2023 | Updated: 01:52 EDT, 28 July 2023

An adult film star who ‘won’ the European Sex Championships has revealed images from inside the venue before her fellow competitors walked out of the ‘chaotic’ event last week, sparking a war of words between those involved.

The inaugural tournament was set to begin on June 8, with a reported 20 representatives from a dozen or so nations descending on an undisclosed location in Gothenburg, Sweden to take part in the seedy competition.

However, the six-week event to determine the continent’s most elite sex performers was plagued with issues, and it was closed down within a matter of days – sparking a battle of words between the organiser and competitors.

While the organisation behind the tournament – the Swedish Sex Federation – accused some of the participants of ‘disobeying the rules of the competition’ by drinking alcohol and ‘consuming illegal psychoactive substances’, some porn star competitors slammed it for a lack of hygiene and for not carrying out HIV checks.

Now, Croatian adult film star Marija Zadravec, aka Sweet Mery, has defended the organisers, and claimed she was declared the winner of the tournament.

In a post on Twitter, Zadravec announced she was leaving the competition, while also posting pictures from inside the house hosting the event – which has the appearance of a low-budget ‘Big Brother’ house.

In one picture, taken by a security camera, the scantily-clad participants are seen sitting on a sofa formed around a table with flags draped over the top. A desk can be seen below the camera, also covered in flag print-outs.

Zadravec is seen sitting on her down, a few feet away from three male performers, while another group are standing below a sign advertising the event. One person is seen, inexplicably, dressed in a haz-mat suit.

In another picture, Zadravec is seen posing topless for a security camera. She is standing in front of a row of five beds. Three other men are seen in the room, one of whom appears to be asleep in one of the beds.

A third photo shows more of the competitors sitting around a breakfast bar.

It is understood that the competition was pioneered by Dragan Bratic, who owns a number of strip clubs in the Jönköping area of Sweden, and who is understood to have set up the event to be live streamed over the internet to paying viewers. 

Participants in the championship were going to be assessed across 16 categories in ’bouts’ to be held over six weeks.

These included their skills in seduction and massage, their proficiency in sex acts, the appearance of their sexual organs, how many times they can orgasm, and their ‘artistry’ and ‘creativity’ in creating a seductive pose.

Bouts were reportedly set to last between 45 minutes to an hour for each category.

According to The Daily Star, female entrants were set to earn themselves £690 for each day they stayed in the venue, while men would earn £345-a-day.

The publication say the winner was promised £860,000.

However, some of the participants say there were issues from the start.

They said there was no hot water, no adequate sleeping arrangements, and that the hygiene was poor. They accused the organisers of not carrying out checks for sexually transmitted diseases, and one video appeared to show Bratic lashing out at the Ukrainian competitor when she tried to live stream their conversation.

Selva Lapiedra, Spain’s representative, described the organisation of the event as ‘chaos,’ telling Spanish publication El Plural that it descended into a ‘horror film.’ 

She also said that the website hosting the live streams was attacked by hackers.

‘Every day they attacked the website a lot , the cameras were caught , the page was not working,’ she said, adding: ‘The activities were not organised, the judges who should have been there were not … In short, there was zero organisation.’

However, speaking to Croatian daily newspaper Jutarnji list, Zadravec defended Bratic and the Swedish Sex Federation over the event.

She said that Bratic told her that based on the number of points she had accumulated during the tournament, she was the winner of the competition, and that this would soon be declared on the organisation’s website. She also said her fee was paid every day she ‘spent in the house,’ and that her travel was also paid for. 

Zadravec hit out at claims by other competitors that hot water was not available in the venue, saying that while the water heater broke down in one room, it was fixed the following day, and that hot water was available in other rooms.

The adult film star, who has more than 60,000 followers on Twitter and almost 35,000 on Instagram – and makes much of her living though OnlyFans – said the ‘project’ was a big opportunity for her and her fellow competitors.

‘This is a very big project and the organiser wanted to make all of us big, famous, world names and give us the opportunity to make a very good profit, so everyone should be grateful for that because the whole world wrote about it and everyone benefited from the advertisement from that project,’ she said.

Zadravec distanced herself from the criticism being made by other participants, and accusing them of not telling the truth about what unfolded. ‘People from the porn industry are all connected, so it is very important to tell the truth,’ she said. 

‘I am not a person who wants problems from this because we all had the opportunity to choose ourselves, so there is no need to put pressure on the organiser after everything. As for my experience, it was great and I would like it to happen again one day because something like this is not little thing,’ she told Jutarnji.

She accused the other competitors that walked out of ‘taking revenge’ on the organisers and contradicted their claims that they were not paid.

‘We agreed on everything; what the fee would be, the method of payment and other details, I received a detailed contract which I signed,’ she said.

‘Dragan asked all the competitors to take with them some prop that represents the country we are fighting for, to be at the airport already record an advertising video for each individual,’ Zadravec added.

She said she got off the plane wearing a ‘Croatian T-shirt’.

It was reported earlier this month that a British representative — OnlyFans model Barbie Sins — had pulled out of the event citing ‘health complications’.

The remaining 19 competitors hail from across the continent, including Spain, Italy, France, Ukraine, Russia, Finland, Croatia.

Lara Lee was another Brit who the Star said was set to fly out to Sweden on Monday, possibly as a replacement for Barbie Sins – but she pulled out at the last minute.

‘I learnt that people had been leaving over claims they weren’t getting paid so I decided to swerve it,’ she told the Daily Star.

‘It’s sad because it was a great idea but it sounds like it’s been so badly organised and has ended up a bit of a shambles.’

Ukraine’s entrant Talia Mint posted a video from the house before she left, saying that she and the other performers had been excited to be part of the ‘project’.

However, the 24-year-old uploaded a video to her social media which appeared to show Bratic trying to grab her phone as she left the house.

She claimed in the clip that one competitor had been allowed to enter the competition without being tested for HIV.

‘He refuses to pay me for my time and my work and now you have all the information about this project, I want to get compensation,’ she said. 

She later said in a video that the police were called, but could not enter the property as they did not have a warrant. Now, Mint claims she is taking legal action against Bratic and the The Swedish Sex Federation.

It is believed that the organiser’s financial issues came about because not enough people were paying to watch the live-streams of the event.

Other performers have also confirmed they have left the event, with the official representative group for sex workers from the Balkan region announcing the decision on Twitter on Friday, citing ‘insurmountable issues’.

‘The cameras were non-operational during the first two days of the competition, which hindered the proper execution and documentation of the event,’ Dobra Druzba (Good Friendship) said in a thread on Twitter.

‘We were constantly faced with overloading issues, making it challenging for us to perform effectively. The absence of representatives from the Swedish Sex Federation at the event greatly disappointed us. Also, there was no security personnel present, responsible for ensuring our safety and health.’

According to a post on Twitter from the Swedish Sex Federation, contestants were disqualified for a number of reasons.

It listed these as: ‘Disobeying the rules of the competition and Swedish Sex Federation, Damaging reputation of the Swedish Sex Federation, disrespecting organisation and representatives of the organisation, bringing and consuming illegal psychoactive substances, bringing and consuming alcohol, request for payments without invoices witch is against the Swedish law, and talking about fees during live stream broadcast.’

Dobra Druzba hit back at claims from the organisers that the contestants acted unprofessionally. It released a video recorded by a number of the competitors airing their grievances over the event.

‘Alcohol was provided by the Swedish Sex Federation and we have written correspondence confirming that there was a so-called ‘party night’ included in the competition program,’ the competitors said.

In a statement published by The Daily Star, the Swedish Sex Federation admitted that the situation was ‘not good’ and hit out at the contestants.

‘They all enjoyed all those popularity and took advantage of our organisation to promote themselves and now they ask for something that is not possible to fulfil.

‘We are really devastated with the current situation and we do not have any idea how this will end,’ the statement sad.

Organiser Bratic told the publication that the performers were not invited as porn actors, but as ‘contestants in the First European Sex Championship’ and accused them of not acting like professional athletes.

‘They ignored the rules of the competition and the Swedish Sex Federation and behaved unprofessionally and to the detriment of the federation,’ he said.

‘They even brought alcohol to the house and they did not act like sportsmen at all. All contestants are therefore disqualified from the competition.’

He bemoaned to The Star that none brought flags of their countries (except for Croatia), and that his organisation had to purchase them.

MailOnline has reached out to the Swedish Sex Federation for comment, but is yet to receive a response as of 10am GMT, June 19.

Norwegian comedian Viggo Venn has been crowned the winner of Britain’s Got Talent 2023.

Dancer Lilliana Clifton, 13, and 14-year-old magician Cillian O’Connor placed in second and third respectively – but missed out on the title.

Viggo scooped the £250,000 prize and a spot on the bill at the Royal Variety Performance.

However, audience members appeared to boo Viggo, while social media erupted as viewers claimed the talent show was fixed. 

After technical issues and a series of switch-offs during Saturday evening’s Britain’s Got Talent semi-final, ITV could be forgiven for crossing fingers and toes as the grand final of their long-running flagship kicked off on Sunday evening. 

After a tense semi-final singer Amy Lou will be joined by magician Cillian O’Connor, acrobats Duo Odyssey, dance troupe Ghetto Kids, dancers Lillianna Clifton and Musa Motha, opera singer Malakai Bayoh, singers Olivia Lynes and Travis George and comedians Tonikaku and Viggo Venn. 

33-year-old Viggo not only donned his now-iconic hi-vis vest but forced head judge Simon Cowell into wearing a matching one as rose petals were thrown over the pair

Judge Alesha Dixon told him: ‘You’ve captivated the nation, they love you.’

Bruno Tonioli added: ‘I think your physical comedy is world-class, you have created one of the most memorable characters since Mr Bean.’

And Simon was full of praise for the funnyman, telling him: ‘At least you didn’t make me look stupid tonight. I have never ever met an act like you in my life, I will admit it, I really really love you now.’

Viggo called back to his original audition at the end of his performance, stripping off his jacket to Daft Punk’s ‘One More Time’ to reveal another hi-vis vest.

And when asked why he has so many of the jackets, he told co-host Declan Donnelly: ‘I wear so many high-vis because it’s really cold in Norway.’

Before the show aired, Simon explained how he hoped the programme would help the contestants build better lives for themselves.

He said: ‘I think you’ve got two things, you want to make a show which people hopefully will enjoy watching. And secondly, you want to give whoever it is that opportunity, hopefully, for things to get better in their lives after they’ve auditioned. I think where things have changed a lot from where we first started is it always used to be about the end prize.’

While many took to social media to praise Viggo for his win, some criticised him online, with one penning: ‘Nothing irritates me more than when complete JOKE ACT wins a competition’ 

Another wrote: ‘This man wore a hi-vis on a talent show and came away with £250k. Fair play’ 

A third added: ‘Audience are rightfully booing. Viggo Venn has zero talent. I hate the British public’ 

Earlier in the show, Ghetto kids blew the crowd away as they kicked off the talent shows grand final at the Hammersmith Apollo with an energetic dance routine.

The six kids, aged five to 13, are orphans who live together in Uganda after being rescued from the streets by their ‘dad’ Daouda Kavuma.

Priscila, 12, Asharif, 12, Akram, 13, Shakib, 12, Madwanah, 13 and Josephine, five, showed off their moves to a medley of upbeat songs.

They impressed despite one of the members being unable to dance after contracting malaria but he joined in by holding up the Uganda flag while they were showered by golden glitter.

Bruno said: ‘Seeing you makes me feel happy to be alive… you really are the pride of Africa.’

Alesha said: ‘I can’t put it into words how much joy you have brought us this year – You’ve done Uganda proud.’

Head judge Simon Cowell asked the ‘joyous’ group to come back every single year, adding: ‘This isn’t easy, you’ve got a few days to prepare something, in terms of personality, talent, everything worked… for me by a mile this was your best performance.’

The kids pledged to scoop the £250,000 cash prize and use the money to build a home in Uganda for ‘kids like them’. 

Next up was Olivia Lynes, 11, who performed a powerful rendition of Let It Go from Frozen.

She sang stood on a giant icicle while dressed in a blue dress and said afterwards: ‘I feel like a Disney princess’. 

Amanda said: ‘You definitely let it go Olivia, the whole thing was pitch perfect, you are a little star – I just cannot believe the power house that you are.’

Simon said he detected a few nerves at the beginning of the song, but Alesha disagreed, saying: ‘Confident and composed – I feel like you’re living your fairy tale and dreams and I hope to one day see you on the West End stage.’

Amy Lou wowed the judges with her vocals while singing Christina Aguilera’s Reflection, with Amanda telling her: ‘We haven’t had a female winner in too long’.

The singer, 34, gave birth to her second child just hours after her first audition aired in April and recently revealed she nearly died while giving birth to her first child Hudson, following complications with Sepsis. 

Alesha said: ‘I think we should put some perspective on this, here you are, shining composed… I am just so proud of you.’

Meanwhile, Amanda said: ‘You are a shining example for all the women, we haven’t had a female winner for a long time.’

South Wales’ Travis George impressed the judges with his unique take on popular song This Is Me from The Greatest Showman. 

After his performance, the 22-year-old said: ‘As a person who struggles with anxiety and came from nothing, to be in the finals of Britain’s Got Talent, thank you to everyone who made this the beautiful experience that it is.’

Alesha commented after the performance: ‘I thought the song choice was perfect, I’ll be honest I didn’t enjoy the vocal arrangement of the song’

Acrobats Duo Odyssey, made up of married couple Max and Sophia, sent the stage alight with their dangerous aerobatics routine.

They danced and performed a number of thrilling lifts and daredevil spins while hanging from a set of straps suspended from the ceiling.

Amanda said: ‘The drama, the chemistry, the choreography, you smashed it again, it was utterly stunning’.

Irish schoolboy Cillian O’Connor, 13, wowed the judges with an impressive magic routine which saw co-host Anthony McPartlin disappear.

After the performance, the judges and viewers at home were left absolutely stunned by the act, with Simon saying:’I just think you’ve obviously got magical powers and I believe in that.’

Lilliana Clifton commanded the Britain’s Got Talent stage with her emotional and dramatic dance routine to Eurovision winner Loreen’s Tattoo.

The 13-year-old schoolgirl was described as a ‘dancing queen’ by Bruno, who added: ‘The torment of emotion, that is the power of dance, it touches you in the gut, mind blown by this.’

Fellow judge Simon said: ‘To get this good this has taken hours and hours, your creativity, imagination, your choice of music, your focus.

‘I’m going to be honest with you, I always knew you were good, I didn’t know you were this good. There could be some real surprises on the show tonight and this for me is one of them.’

Viggo Venn has won over the nation with his very unique act, which involved him wearing his iconic Hi-Vis jacket, along with the judges and audience.

He called back to his hilarious audition, by stripping off his jacket to Daft Punk’s One More Time at the end.

Simon gave the Norwegian comedian a hug on stage and told him: ‘I’ve never met an act like you in my life, I didn’t like you but I really love you now’

Next up was Musa Motha who blew viewers away with his emotional and inspirational dance performance during the live final.

The South African native had his leg amputated aged 10 due to cancer and received the first ever joint golden buzzer from the judges in his audition.

The former footballer, 27, who now resides in London, told how after giving up his sporting dreams, he had learned to dance with the help of his friends.

After his performance, Alesha said: ‘You literally take my breath away, you make us feel like we can do anything, so for that thank you.’

Meanwhile Simon said: ‘You’ve got me in pieces now. From the minute we met you and you told us your story we all knew we had met someone truly special and every performance I believe has got better and better.

‘I’m rarely speechless but you’ve left me speechless, you have my respect and admiration.’

Bruno said: ‘It was like watching a bird flying at times, totally free. You have star quality, you held the focus, we could not take our eyes off you.’

Malakai Bayoh, who was judge Simon Cowell’s golden buzzer choice, wowed with a spectacular performance.

The 14-year-old singer from London, donning a glittering jacket and Nike Dunk trainers, had judge Bruno Tonioli in tears following the end of his performance.

‘That is the ultimate Italian anthem, I am crying again. That crystal clear note at the end, I think you killed me,’ Bruno said.

Amanda said: ‘You absolutely pierced my heart,’ while Simon said: ‘I really am bursting with pride right now.

‘That was a big big song to deliver. It was absolutely beautiful from start to finish.’

Susan Boyle made a surprise appearance during the Britain’s Got Talent final, singing her 2009 audition song I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables with the cast of the West End production.

The 62-year-old also joined the cast in performing a rendition of Do You Hear The People Sing?

After the performance, she said: ‘It feels great (to be here). It’s extra special for me, last April I suffered a minor stroke and I fought to be back on stage and I have done it.’

Judge Simon said: ‘Susan, we owe you so much, I knew you weren’t well but if anyone was going to come back, you were going to come back, it wouldn’t be the same without you.’

In Friday’s last live show, Simon Cowell confirmed there would be a lucky eleventh act making the final tonight.

Simon Cowell and fellow judges Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and Bruno Tonioli decided one of the top three acts who missed out to be given a second chance.

After a tense deliberation between the judges, it was decided Tonikaku will join this year’s finalists in the live grand final. 

He finished third in Friday’s semi-final, with Simon saying: ‘We just had to have him in the final. It wouldn’t be the same without him.’ 

Simon shockingly lost his voice during Britain’s Got Talent ‘s live final on Sunday.

The music mogul, 63, could be seen coughing and spluttering as he pointed at his throat, throwing the show into chaos.

Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly , both 47, were forced to quickly move with Simon unable to give act Amy Lou his feedback.

After the new mum sang a beautiful rendition of Reflection by Christina Aguilera the hosts turned to hear the judge’s feedback.

Simon stood pointing at the throat, unable to speak, before pointing at his fellow judges, with Amanda Holden, 52, quickly intervening saying: ‘He’s got something stuck in his throat!’.

The Geordie duo then swiftly moved on to hear from Bruno Toniloi as Simon could be seen attempting to regain his composure. 

Britain’s Got Talent’s live audience appeared to boo new judge Bruno during the opening moments of Sunday’s grand final.

After hosts Ant and Dec, both 47, introduced all 11 finalists to the stage, the four judges were then introduced with Bruno joined by Simon, Amanda, and Alesha.

After taking to their seats on the panel, they were quizzed in turn about the night ahead, only for the former Strictly star to seemingly receive a string of boos from the audience.

Rushing to Twitter one viewer joked following the scantily clad Tonikaku’s perfomance : ‘Is it just me that is hearing people booing Bruno? imagine being the only person that’s being booed when there’s a guy only wearing pants on stage.’

Five years ago Heather Mottershead, a quiet, middle-aged accountant, went along to a Dean Friedman concert in the West Midlands with one of her grown-up sons.

Although she liked the American singer, she wasn’t a huge fan, so you might have expected her to be completely terrified when he asked for someone in the audience to join him on stage to sing — and pointed at her.

But Heather is a great believer in seizing the moment. So even though she’d never sung in public and didn’t even know all the words to that particular number — The Deli Song, not one of his more famous ones — she went up to join him on stage.

‘I just got up there and sang!’ she says. ‘I’ve never done anything like that before but I do think you should always have a go — what’s the worst that can happen?’

It is that same courageous streak that led her to enter the Mail’s hugely successful annual first novel competition which we launched last July, inviting budding authors to submit a synopsis and an extract of 3,000 words.

Heather’s entry, a powerful historical novel entitled No Women Were Harmed, stunned the judges with its moving and compellingly written story of Lily Day, found guilty of the attempted murder of her ex-lover who forced her into an abortion.

After a year in prison, Lily is transferred to a lunatic asylum where we learn, through her psychiatrist’s clinical notes, of her troubled and tragic past.

Heather’s prize is a £20,000 advance, a publishing contract with top publishers Little, Brown and the services of leading literary agency Luigi Bonomi Associates.

Now aged 60, this is not the first time she has tried a new career. In her mid-40s she found herself with an increasing urge — familiar perhaps to many of those in middle-age — to do something different with her life.

Her marriage had broken up in 2004 and as her sons became more independent, she decided to do a history and English degree, with the aim of becoming a teacher.

‘People think turning 60 is difficult but actually it was at 45 that I struggled.

‘I had started applying for different jobs and somehow wasn’t making it through to interview stage even though I knew I could do them. I suspect it was my age and the fact I was a woman.’

So instead she applied to Wolverhampton University, and was accepted. She found she enjoyed being a student, even though some of the lecturers were younger than her, ‘which felt quite odd,’ she admits.

‘But the good thing about being older is that you aren’t afraid to speak out or to ask questions. Younger people seem more afraid of making a fool of themselves but I just didn’t care. I just thought, “I can do this.” ’

She threw herself into the academic work. ‘I think when you’re an older student it feels less like school. You know why you want to study and I knew I was doing this for me and my future. I feel proud of myself for making a decision in later life that was empowering.’

She particularly relished the historical research that came with her studies, and it showed. ‘At the end of my degree I won the history prize for the year,’ she says.

However, she decided against becoming a teacher, after realising that her new-found love of history had provided the unexpected inspiration for her to write a book.

While researching something on the Ancestry website, she came across a woman who had been imprisoned then subsequently transferred to a Victorian psychiatric hospital.

She was captivated. ‘I started researching the Victorian attitudes to mental illness. Although the popular idea is that people were treated badly in asylums, chained up and beaten, that was mainly because the hospitals became overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of patients. But in fact, the Victorians did believe treatment was possible; they pioneered new therapies and as a result, psychiatric methods advanced. There are lots of records and documentation of the time, which was fascinating to find.’

Heather was also keen that her psychiatrist character, Dr Fairchild, should be a woman, although this was very unusual in Victorian times.

‘In the mid-1800s it wasn’t always possible to actually graduate unless you were a man. Oxford and Cambridge allowed women to study but not to graduate with a degree — in fact it wasn’t until 1948 that Cambridge allowed female graduates. So my Dr Fairchild studied at and graduated from Durham, one of the first to do so.

‘I did a lot of research into the sort of therapy that was on offer then. Tragically, many of the women were locked up in their 20s and never came out — yet some of them may have been suffering from anxiety, hormonal problems or post-natal depression, things we accept and understand a lot more about these days.’

A few years ago Heather decided to leave Wolverhampton and move back to her roots in Shropshire, living with her sister while she decides where to settle.

‘That’s another big life change — when you’ve lived somewhere for such a long time and have friends and the children grew up there, it’s not easy to uproot yourself. Although when I look out of the window and see the beautiful hills, it really helps.’

Returning home has also reunited Heather with old friends. ‘They know I’m writing — but they won’t know until they see this that I have actually won the prize. They’ll be shocked,’ she laughs.

‘I think it’s so important to try new things. I can seem quiet and I do like to be alone to write. But,’ she smiles, ‘I can also surprise people.’

And with a publishing contract and a writing career ahead, it seems she’s about to. 

• The judges were so impressed by the standard of entries that they also awarded prizes to two runners-up. Nicola Whyte, from Wiltshire, caught their eye with her novel 10 Marchfield Square in which an abusive husband is found shot dead in his gated community, and no one is sorry he’s gone. An elderly heiress recruits a team of amateur investigators, and deadly secrets are uncovered.

• And from Norfolk, Nicola Knight’s The Jukebox won praise. Elodie grew up invisible to her family, but when she goes to university her life transforms: she discovers her intellect, a love of books . . . and men.

On the ward we live and die by the bells – the extract that will have you hooked 

I wake bone cold: a thief has stolen my bedclothes. It is as black as hell in here save for the paltry white glow from the attendants’ station. 

I feel my way down my bed and find the covers wedged between my bedframe and mattress.

I drag them up to my chin and swaddle myself as best as I can. The sheets are stiff and offer little comfort, but at least they are clean.

Matron is very particular about the cleanliness of her linen; but the blankets being woollen, invariably smell of second-hand death.

On the wall of the laundry, a framed sampler proclaims that ‘what cannot be boiled must remain soiled’.

Both matron and the superintendent favour the embroidered adage; matron leans towards the practical, the superintendent the spiritual.

When I have inherited the earth and am in my shroud, it will undoubtedly be starched and laundered.

I stretch my legs and touch another’s skin: it is Elise. She has pushed her bed next to mine, but the attendants have chosen to ignore this transgression.

Elise is a hopeless case; the best sanatoriums in Europe have failed, force feeding has failed, and so here she is, at the foot of a lunatic’s bed, curled up like an emaciated foetus.

Since her committal she sought only my company whereas I, in all my years here, have sought none. I think she derives some kinship from my accent, and I cannot deny her that comfort. I put my arm around her and stroke her flame hair, like a child.

By six o’clock, daylight will no longer be denied; it creeps from behind the blackout curtains with its false promise of a glittering day. From the infirmary come the renewed sounds of coughing and moaning.

In the bowels of the building, screams and rantings are supplanted by a sudden silence. Soon the first bell will sound.

On the ward we live and die by the bells: bells to get up; bells to eat; bells to pray; bells to work; bells to sleep; and bells to s***.

The fourth bell has already sounded when matron strides into the ward and walks over to my bed. Elise continues her staccato sleep.

‘Day,’ she says, turning her head from Elise, ‘report to my office.’

‘I am due in the laundry,’ I say.

‘I have told Mrs Jones that you are excused those duties for a few hours. Five minutes,’ she says, with a jerk of her neck.

Matron looks like a chick that has fledged too early. She is less than five feet tall and all bone and wire and jet-black hair.

‘Of course,’ I say, to the top of her head.

Matron’s office is in the oldest part of the building. It was the morning room in the old days and is situated at the end of a long wood-panelled corridor lined with portraits of the great and the good of the asylum; the attendant hurries me along under their manly gaze.

We are ten minutes late. We stand outside matron’s door and listen to the hushed female voices within.

‘Come in,’ says matron, before the attendant has an opportunity to knock the door. We enter two abreast and loiter in the doorway until matron says, ‘That will be all Davies. Come back in half an hour. And be on time.’

Turning to me she says, ‘Now Miss Day, Lily, please sit,’ indicating a chair by the door.

Matron’s room smells of sunshine and beeswax, not the miasma of carbolic that we must endure. She remains seated behind a walnut desk that threatens to swallow her. The interloper, a girl, stands silhouetted against the window.

‘This is Dr Fairchild,’ says matron. ‘The superintendent has requested that you spend time with Dr Fairchild to accelerate your recovery. She is a psychiatrist.’ 

She enunciates every consonant, rolling the letters on her tongue to convince me of its import.

The doctor bounds over to my chair and extends her hand. She is a new breed, recently qualified from Durham University. 

She is my age but is unlined and unsullied whereas I, with my death’s head skull, have lived a thousand of her lifetimes. I grasp her hand until she pulls it away.

Joe Pavelski netted a game winner in overtime to ensure that the Stars live to fight another day, with Dallas now trailing 3-1 in its playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Finals. 

Pavelski scored within 3:18 into overtime – a one-timer from the middle of the left circle to the far post – on Thursday night. Just seconds prior to the 38-year-old’s goal, Stars forward Roope Hintz thought he had wrapped the game up with an effort close to goal, only to be denied by Vegas goaltender Adin Hill.

The late winner came two-and-a-half minutes after Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb was penalized for high-sticking against Ty Dellandrea. Dallas scored with roughly 1:10 of power play time left until McNabb’s return to the ice.

With former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson, wrestling great Ric Flair and former Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo in the building, The Stars avoided being swept in the playoffs for the first time since 2001 against St. Louis. 

McNabb was also at fault for Jason Robertson’s first goal of the night after his penalty on Pavelski late in the first period set up the power play. 

Robertson’s second goal came in the second period, turning Thursday night’s game into his first career multigoal playoff game for Dallas, which was played without the team’s suspended captain Jamie Benn.

Jake Oettinger had 37 saves, two nights after he was pulled 7:10 into Game 3 after allowing three goals on five shots. 

Pavelski scored his ninth goal in 12 games this postseason. His tally of postseason goals goes up to 73 — the most for US-born players and the most among all active players.   

Benn was suspended two games by the NHL on Wednesday for his cross-check with his stick landing near the neck of Vegas captain Mark Stone in the first two minutes of Game 3 on Tuesday night. Benn also will miss Game 5 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

William Karlsson and Jonathan Marchessault scored for Vegas. Adin Hill had his five-game winning streak snapped. He made 39 shots, including a game-saver with his extended left leg without about two minutes left in regulation on rookie Fredrik Olofsson’s swiping try in his first career playoff game.

Karlsson and Marchessault are among six of the original Vegas players still on the team from the inaugural 2017-18 season that ended with the Knights playing for the Stanley Cup, though they lost in five games to the Washington Capitals after winning the first game.

Vegas missed a chance to complete a sweep, a night after the Florida Panthers finished off a sweep of the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Knights took a 2-1 lead midway through the second period when Marchessault, after whacking his stick on the back of Ryan Suter in front of the net, scored on a pass between the Stars defenseman’s legs from McNabb, another original Golden Knight.

Robertson’s tying goal late in that period came on a ricochet off the back board just seconds after he had another shot hit the post. That was the fourth goal of this series, and sixth in the playoffs, after this regular season becoming the first Dallas player with a 100-point season.

The Golden Knights scored first again — though not like the first three goals on five shots in the first 7:10 of Game 3 led to the earliest exit ever for Oettinger.

Karlsson pushed the puck up and skated to the front of the net after passing to Nicolas Roy, whose pass through traffic went off a Dallas stick before Reilly Smith — also with Vegas since the beginning — got it just inside the right circle and took a shot. 

Karlsson’s deflection past Oettinger only 4:17 into the game was his eighth goal this postseason.

Dallas got even at 1-1 on a power play with 4:18 left in the first period after some nifty stickwork by Robertson, who deflected Miro Heiskanen’s shot from just inside the blue line up into the air. 

As Hill was trying to secure the puck into his glove, Robertson knocked it free and then reached around and swiped the puck into the net with his stick parallel to the ice.

Hill, coming off his first career playoff shutout, had stopped 60 shots in a row over a span that included overtime in Game 2 after stopping all 10 shots he faced in the third period.

WHAT BOOK would Booker prize winner 2022 Shehan Karunatilaka take to a desert island

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 17:13 EDT, 20 April 2023 | Updated: 17:44 EDT, 4 May 2023