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Blake Shelton has speaken about his experience of being a stepfather. The country music singer appeared on the Today show to promote his new restaurant opening soon in Las Vegas. The interview also featured The Voice alum’s take on parenting since being a stepdad to his wife Gwen Stefani’s three sons. “I’ve had stepparents,” Shelton said. “I think it’s, in some ways, harder more difficult. I try to be careful about when to step back ... and just talk, but no matter what, always be there if I’m needed.” Stefani shares her three children, 17-year-old Kingston, 15-year-old Zuma, and nine-year-old Apollo, with her ex-husband Gavin Rossdale. Soon after divorcing Rossdale, the “Just a Girl” singer met Shelton while being coaches on The Voice together. The two tied the knot in 2021. “I didn’t see any of this coming with Blake. This was just a big old ‘What?’ It was an amazing gift to experience love like that for the first time,” Stefani confessed in an interview with People. “He’s changed my life ... when I [started dating] Blake, that’s when I felt home, like: ‘Oh, this is where I’m supposed to be, with this guy.’” Their home base is now in the “Sooner State” amid open land. For Stefani, who grew up in Southern California, she has been surprised to find she is now a “garden flower nerd”. “When I was young, I’d walk home from school and see my mom in her shorts doing her gardening, and my dad would be cutting the trees and make me pick up the branches,” Stefani said. “I’d be like: ‘I’m never having a tree at my house.’” “When we get to Oklahoma, we’re constantly working — and it’s a different kind of work,” she continued. “It’s probably what my mom was doing back in the day, and now I get it!” In conversation with People, she opened up about prioritising her children, and spoke about a special time in her life when she brought her eldest on tour with her. “I took Kingston on a world tour [when he was nine months old]. I would have to nurse him, then get onstage, come off, and he would twirl my ponytail,” Stefani remarked. “That’s when things got really hard for me emotionally. That time is so precious, and you don’t want to miss anything.” Though she’s continuing her journey as a mentor on The Voice, Stefani’s trying her best to manage a balance between work and home. “When my kids were teenagers, I really wanted to make sure that I was home for them,” she noted. “And here we are.” While Shelton has since become a stepfather to Stefani’s three sons, her ex-husband recently revealed on the Not So Hollywood podcast that he doesn’t “really co-parent” with Stefani and her new husband. The rocker cited their “opposing views” stemming from the fact that both parties are “really different people.” “I think you can go one of two ways,” Rossdale explained on the podcast in June. “You can either do everything together... or you can just parent. And I think we just parent.” Read More To shave or not to shave: How women can participate in No-Shave November Game of Thrones actor announces ‘unbearable loss’ of baby after stillbirth Nicki Minaj opens up about navigating parental anxiety after birth of her son To shave or not to shave: How women can participate in No-Shave November Game of Thrones actor announces ‘unbearable loss’ of baby after stillbirth Nicki Minaj opens up about navigating parental anxiety after birth of her son

While the bridal gown will usually be the sartorial focal point of any wedding (and rightly so), bridesmaid’s outfits are an important part of the overall aesthetic. As a bride, not only do you want your bridesmaids’ dresses to complement yours, you also want your BFFs to feel fabulous on your big day – and depending on the size of your bridal party, you’ll have several opinions to take into account. As with bridal gowns, bridesmaid trends come and go too, so what’s hot this wedding season? We asked fashion experts to run down the biggest bridesmaid fashion trends of the moment. Here’s what they had to say… 1. Sage green Six Stories Sage Halter Neck Satin Bridesmaid Dress, £120“Sage green is definitely the most popular colour for bridesmaid dresses this season,” says Lucy Menghini, founder of Six Stories. Following last year’s surge in deep green shades like emerald, now softer hues have come to the fore. “The good thing about sage green is that it can work all year round,” Menghini adds. “While it’s a beautiful shade for summer, the grey undertones make it a perfect pick for autumn/winter weddings too.” 2. Same shade, different styles Gone are the days when every bridesmaid had to wear an identical dress or the exact same colour. “With this trend, bridesmaids can wear a variety of different shape and style dresses, which are tied together by being similar hues of the same colour, or a range of complimentary colours,” says Kirsty Keoghan, global general manager of fashion at eBay UK. “I love this trend because it promotes individuality and helps bridesmaids feel their most confident selves on the big day.” It makes shopping a whole lot easier too, adds Menghini: “It also allows the bridesmaids to have a say in what type of dress they find most comfortable and flattering.” 3. Classic black dresses Monsoon Beatrice Crepe Bardot Maxi Dress Black, £87.50 (was £125)While a black wedding gown might not be for everyone, contrasting the white or ivory bridal look with black bridesmaid dresses creates a modern, minimalist colour palette. “Many people are often intimidated by a set of black bridesmaid dresses, however this look adds elegance and finesse to any wedding,” says Menghini. “Black dresses are also perfect for those with large bridal parties, who are looking for different styles of dresses in the same colour, as you won’t have to worry about matching the shades.” 4. Pre-loved pieces “One trend we’ve seen boom is bridesmaids wearing pre-loved wedding attire, with 58% of newlyweds looking at ways to shop sustainably and 75% of couples getting married looking to keep the costs down,” says Keoghan. Occasionwear is perfect for shopping second-hand, because many garments have only been worn once so they’re in excellent condition (plus there might be big savings to be made). Bringing together dresses from brands like, Monsoon, Karen Millen and Ted Baker, eBay has launched a pre-loved wedding hub. Keoghan adds: “Bridesmaids can look to the hub to find unique options from the high-street, to high-end, that increase the lifespan of the dress, for a fraction of the retail price.” 5. Satin no more Traditionally, bridesmaid dresses often had a silk or satin finish, but recently there’s been a trend for different materials and textures. “In particular, velvet dresses have emerged as a front runner in autumn and winter weddings, as a fabric which adds a new layer of elegance and luxe to the bridal party, while also providing a bit of warmth for the person wearing it,” says Keoghan. “Taking it a step further, we expect to see more bridal party styling to feature dresses which are made from an array of fabrics, whether it’s velvet, lace or chiffon.” 6. Style over symmetry New Look Pale Grey Satin One Shoulder Ruched Maxi Dress, £45.99“One shoulder silhouettes are set to take over weddings this summer – it is definitely the bridesmaid shape of 2023,” Menghini says. “Perfect for summer weddings, the asymmetric shape is stylish and sleek and is such a flattering shape.” Also, multi-way maxi dresses are a stylish solution for bridesmaids – the ribbon ties can be fashioned into an asymmetric neckline. How should you style a one-shoulder dress? “Accessories can be pretty minimal, as the neckline is the star of the show,” says Menghini. “Steer clear of necklaces and stick with simple earrings, rings and a bracelet.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Experts share 8 healthy habits to help you live longer Husband fired from family business after wife roleplayed with reborn dolls George Alagiah: What are the signs of bowel cancer?

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Channel 4's The British Miracle Meat, has stirred up a divisive response online after Gregg Wallace and Michel Roux Jr seemingly tuck into human steaks – but it isn't all that it seems. The Masterchef judge and Chef Roux Jr visited a factory in Lincolnshire where they "engineered human meat" in a mission to solve the cost of living crisis. The pair met with so-called low-income donors who were selling their flesh to the company, Good Harvest. Later in the show, the pair unknowingly chowed down on toddler meat at a restaurant. Baffled viewers were quick to turn to social media to understand what was going on, with one calling it the "sickest thing" they've ever seen. Another called the show a "dystopian hell." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Meanwhile, a third quipped: "I hope Ofcom have some extra staff on tonight." But, there's a huge plot twist: The show is completely satirical and fictional. The mockumentary intended to show the measures people would go to to make ends meet amid the cost of living – which, clearly, many viewers missed. Here are five nuggets that should have given the game away: The donor signup process The British Miracle Meat shares the Good Harvest company's realistic-looking submission form, in which donors 'sign up for extraction.' "Good Harvest encourages people who need the income to sign up, select their own extraction site and get paid within the week," Wallace explains. Among the extraction options were: 'buttock, thigh, belly, rib, wing and shoulder.' The mock page shows the 'buttock' selected, which rewards £250 in cash. Human skin can be lab-grown into a '30kg protein cake' within hours While visiting the lab, Wallace is shown how the 'human meat' is grown. The thin slices of flesh start off in a 'nutrient vat'. The scientist told Wallace it will grow into a cake over 24 hours – thanks to the nutrient solution it's immersed in. When Wallace asks why human meat, as opposed to animal, the scientist responds: "We've got centuries of knowledge of human medicine on our side. We know more about humans than we know about animals, so we've mastered engineered human cells to make these structured flavours we expect from steaks we eat." The 'taste test' Wallace takes his new findings to Chef Roux Jr at a fine dining restaurant in Mayfair. The chef is taken aback by the package's logo "made by humans, from humans" and the cost of just 99p a slice. "These come from three donors in the north-east of England," Wallace responds to which the chef quips: "Wow, I wonder if that affects the flavour." The blind taste test showed the chef cooking up three different steaks from different people across the UK. They then had to guess where it was from. Upon tasting one of the steaks, Chef Roux Jr says: "If it was 100 per cent pure beef, I'd say it was an animal that's got a certain age, and maybe a little stressed as well." Wallace revealed the person to be 45-year-old Alison, an NHS nurse and part-time delivery driver. 'You know there's something wrong when you have to jump on a bus and have some flesh scooped out of your arm for money' Wallace met with donor Gillian, a retired receptionist who looks after her housebound husband and grandson. Speaking about her situation, she said: "When the prices shot up, well... It buried us." When asked whether she was happy about taking part in the clinical trials, the 67-year-old confessed "no". Wallace went on to say that Gillian would be able to cover two weeks of energy bills following her donation. He spoke with other people in the waiting room, asking what they'll be spending their money on. "Black mould in every corner of the house," one elderly man responded, "I'm going out to earn money so I can repair it." The launch of Good Harvest's premium range The company shared a promotional video for their upcoming premium range, which the boardroom was ecstatic about. The secret? "Well-fed children under the age of six." One of the workers told Wallace "they recover quicker than adults," before offering him a portion of toddler tartare. He then went over to visit the children's medical complex which saw toddlers playing with toys while sporting stickers that read: "I'm beating the cost of living crisis." Following the show, Wallace took to Instagram thanking people for watching. He jokingly added: "I really enjoyed my first acting job!" He went on to share a photo of himself, writing: "Satire. See Jonathan Swift 'A Modest Proposal'." Swift's 1729 satirical essay suggested the Irish may have overcome their financial troubles by eating their own children. Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

We may never be rich enough to afford a trip into space, but that doesn't