Witnesses say the plane, was flying low and suddenly plunged into the ground. (Picture: Mid America News-Review)
Around 11 skydivers and their pilot have ‘perished’ in a plane crash close to a rural airport.
Witnesses said they saw the plane, believed to be carrying skydivers, flying low before suddenly plunging into the ground close to the Butler Memorial Airport in Missouri on Sunday.
A Bates County Emergency Management said just before 11.30am, a private plane leaving the Butler Memorial Airport turned around for an unknown reason before crashing next to the Business 49 Highway.
The flaming wreckage of the plane can be seen from the highway which has been closed by police.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol said: ‘At this time reports indicate all occupants (12 total) have perished.’
Butler is about 60 miles south of Kansas City, Missouri.
Cucurella is currently in the United States with Spain for the World Cup and expected to feature in Monday’s opener with Cape Verde, but looks unlikely to return to west London at the conclusion of the tournament.
Left-back Cucurella signed for Chelsea in 2022 from Brighton and flourished under Enzo Maresca, but spoke out against the Premier League club in March, blaming their recent struggles on the Italian’s departure and criticising the policy of signing young players.
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Catalunya-born Cucurella started his career at Real’s bitter rivals Barcelona, but made only one appearance for the club in the Copa del Rey before a spell at Getafe transformed his career.
Two years at Getafe alerted Brighton to the services of the attacking full-back and Cucurella was snapped up by Chelsea after only one season in the Premier League.
Cucurella moved to Stamford Bridge in a deal worth a reported £60m and has made 163 appearances.
Real Madrid are set to sign Marc Cucurella from Chelsea (Picture: Getty)
The 27-year-old becomes the latest player to move to the Bernabeu in an early summer window transfer blitz that has seen deals for Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries and Bernardo Silva concluded.
Real, according to Fabrizio Romano, also made contact with Calafiori’s representatives but will not make an offer for the Arsenal star, despite having initially wanted to sign a player capable of operating at left-back, as well as centre-half.
Calafiori joined the Premier League champions from Bologna two years ago after impressing with Italy at the European Championships.
The 24-year-old has established himself as a firm favourite of Mikel Arteta’s but injuries have regularly undermined his progress at the Premier League champions.
Josko Gvardiol had also been linked with a move to Manchester City (Picture: Getty)
Indeed, it was those fitness concerns that prompted Arsenal to sign Piero Hincapie from Bayer Leverkusen last summer and that duo largely shared left-back duties last term.
Real, meanwhile, also expressed interest in signing Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol who missed much of last season through injury.
The Croatia international, who is due to feature against England next week, is set to sign a new contract at City and commit his long-term future to the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders.
Spanish hoteliers are petitioning for a change to the World Cup bar terrace rules brought in for early Spain, England, Scotland and Germany games (Picture: AFP/Getty Images)
Spanish hoteliers are up in arms over tough local bar terrace noise rules casting a shadow over England and Scotland World Cup fans.
Holidaymakers travelling to Benidorm, Magaluf and Palmanova to watch the FIFA 2026 games were dealt a major blow when local officials decided to mute TVs on bar terraces after midnight.
The late-night noise limit has to drop to 55 decibels for pub terraces in the Little England area of the Costa Blanca resort, where thousands of fans are expected to drink Benidorm dry as they back the national teams.
This spells problems for the fans as many of the group games are scheduled to start at 10pm or 11pm Spanish time, and subsequent matches, for which England is expected to qualify, could start even later when most pubs have had to close their doors.
Flight booking data from tour operators suggests a surge in tourists heading to Alicante, the nearest airport to Benidorm, during the World Cup games (Picture: Getty Images)
To add insult to injury, the rules, signed by local bosses, only applies to England, Scotland, Germany and Spanish games in the early stages.
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Now the hotel association Hosbec has written to Benidorm Council, asking officials to ease restrictions for certain games during the soccer tournament.
All three of England’s Group L games, against Croatia, Ghana and Panama, have been included in the petition.
Hosbec is asking town hall chiefs to delay the decibel limitation, which kicks in around 11.30pm Spanish time, until the end of the final whistle so fans don’t have to move inside during the games.
Benidorm Council has yet to respond to the request but the expectation is that they will cave in and loosen the regulations.
The Costa Blanca resort loved by British tourists is preparing for the influx of England fans looking for sunshine and cheap lager during the tournament.
Tour operators had suggested an 18% rise in the number of flights between the UK and Alicante, local police chief Jose Carlos Amoros said last week.
At the start of the month it emerged riot police would be sent to Benidorm as part of its World Cup security operation.
The town council also announced evening and night-time police reinforcements between June 11 and July 19 after confirming the expected influx of UK tourists choosing to follow the football there.
Another Spanish resort England and Scotland fans are expected to flock to is Magaluf in Majorca.
Terrace TVs will have to be muted after midnight in the party resort, its council chiefs announced earlier this week.
They also ruled out unrestricted opening hours for the area during the tournament.
Calvia Town Hall, which covers Magaluf, said: ‘On terraces and in outdoor areas, all audio broadcasting must be completely turned off after midnight, with the volume set to zero.
‘Only the visual signal of the matches may be shown in order to guarantee the rest of residents and tourists.
‘Likewise, screens and televisions must always be oriented toward the interior of the establishments.
‘The measure aims to prevent crowds from gathering in public spaces in a way that could hinder pedestrian movement and road traffic.
‘Calvia Town Council warns that failure to comply with the provisions of this decree, as well as the applicable Municipal Ordinances, will be subject to penalties. Therefore, establishment owners are urged to cooperate in preventing any disturbance to public safety and community coexistence.’
The BBC are working from home for the first few weeks of the tournament (Picture: Getty)
The BBC and ITV are once again sharing live coverage of the World Cup in the UK, with all 104 matches from across the US, Canada and Mexico to be shown for free on TV.
However, the two broadcasters are taking very different approaches to covering the biggest tournament in World Cup history, which is featuring 48 teams for the very first time.
ITV presenters Mark Pougatch, Laura Woods and Semra Hunter are anchoring coverage of the channel’s games from their studio in Brooklyn, New York, which boasts views of the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn Bridge.
But the BBC have decided instead to remain this side of the Atlantic, with the corporation hosting coverage from their studio in Salford.
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The BBC has insisted their brand new, state of the art immersive studio will ‘transport viewers to 16 cities across three host nations’.
The BBC studio team, which is being led by presenters Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman, Kelly Cates and Alex Scott, could still touchdown in North America – although not until the quarter-final stage at the earliest.
The BBC’s World Cup studio in Salford (Picture: BBC)
ITV’s studio has wowed viewers (Picture: Getty)
The BBC will still have an on-the-ground presence throughout the World Cup, though, with commentators present themselves at matches to cover the action.
The reason for the BBC’s no-show in the early rounds of the tournament is due to a combination of financial and environmental considerations.
The cost of covering an expanded 48-team tournament across three different countries represents a significant increase on the normal World Cup outlay, not to mention the associated logistical nightmare.
Remaining at their BBC Sport base in Salford will also reduce air travel, which is essential to their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.
The BBC’s punditry line-up consists of the likes of Alan Shearer, Micah Richards and Wayne Rooney, all of whom are regulars on the channel’s football output throughout the normal football season.
BBC and ITV World Cup teams
BBC
Presenters
Kelly Cates – works on Match of the Day and with Sky Sports
Mark Chapman – works on Match of the Day and with Sky Sports
Gabby Logan – BBC presenter since 2007
Alex Scott – Former Arsenal and England defender
Pundits
Alan Shearer – Former Newcastle, Blackburn and England striker
Wayne Rooney – Former Man Utd and Everton striker and England’s second-highest goalscorer
Micah Richards – former Man City and England defender
Joe Hart – former Man City and England goalkeeper
Steph Houghton – former England defender and captain
Ellen White – former England striker and Euro 2022 winner
Scott Brown – former Celtic and Scotland midfielder
Olivier Giroud – former Arsenal and Chelsea striker and World Cup winner with France
Gael Clichy – former Arsenal, Man City and France defender
Cesar Azpilicueta – former Chelsea and Spain defender
Benni McCarthy – former Blackburn striker and South Africa’s all-time leading goalscorer
Ashley Williams – former Swansea and Everton defender and Wales captain
Thomas Frank – former Brentford and Tottenham manager
Darren Cann (referee analyst) – over 500 games as a Premier League referee
Former France star Olivier Giroud is working for the BBC as a pundit (Picture: Getty)
ITV
Presenters
Mark Pougatch – Lead presenter for ITV’s football and rugby coverage
Laura Woods – fronts TNT Sports’ Champions League coverage
Semra Hunter – presents coverage of Spanish football in the UK
Pundits
Roy Keane – former Man Utd and Republic of Ireland captain
Ian Wright – former Arsenal, Crystal Palace and England striker
Gary Neville – former Man Utd and England defender
Patrick Vieira – former Arsenal captain and World Cup winner with France
Karen Carney – former Chelsea and England midfielder
Ange Postecoglou – former Celtic, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest manager
Juan Mata – former Chelsea and Man Utd midfielder and World Cup winner with Spain
Emma Hayes – former Chelsea manager and current USA boss
Duncan Ferguson – former Everton striker
Jobi McAnuff – former Reading and Jamaica winger
Bradley Wright-Phillips – former Southampton and New York Red Bulls striker
Christina Unkel (referee analyst) – former FIFA referee
ITV’s team of experts is also not lacking in star power, with Gary Neville, Roy Keane and Ian Wright on hand to provide their insight and analysis.
The BBC will show live coverage of England’s second group stage game against Ghana on June 23, as well as Scotland’s opener against Haiti on June 14 and their mouthwatering clash with Brazil on June 24.
ITV, meanwhile, will air England’s other two group matches against Croatia and Panama on June 17 and 27 respectively, alongside Scotland’s meeting with Morocco on June 19.
The BBC will show 54 games exclusively live on TV over the five week period, which is marginally more than ITV with 51.
Glenn Gibbins, the candidate for Hylton Castle Ward in Sunderland, has won his seat in this week’s council elections
A Reform candidate who said Nigerians should be melted down to ‘fill in the pot holes’ has been let back into the party.
Glenn Gibbins was placed under investigation after he was elected as the new councillor for Hylton Castle Ward in Sunderland in early May.
In now deleted posts, he ranted on social media he ‘carnt [sic] believe amount of Nigerians in town’ and they ‘should melt them all down and fill in the pot holes’.
The comments – believed to be from march 2024 – sparked widespread condemnatin and led Reform to begin an internal disciplinary process.
He also said Nigerians should be melted down to fill pot holes
However the party has now confirmed that Cllr Gibbins has been reinstated.
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A Reform spokesman said: ‘Following an internal disciplinary process, Cllr Gibbins has been readmitted to the party and issued with a final written warning.
‘He has apologised for making the post and accepts that it was made in extremely poor taste showing poor judgment.’
Other social media posts from Glenn Gibbins showed that hadcomplained about women being on TV, calling Mel and Sue the two ‘unfunniest fat repulsive lesbian hosts ever’.
His views extend to sport, writing during the 2021 Ireland v Japan rugby match: ‘Yet another woman comentator. It’s getting out of controll. There must be a hundred better male comentators but had to give it to a female [sic].
‘Wish they wud stick to cooking, sewing and homemaking [sic].’
Reform deputy leader Richard Tice refused to directly criticise Gibbins at the time reports about the posts surfaced, instead accusing the media of ‘smearing’ his party.
Glenn was unhappy with Mel and Sue being on TV
Glenn accusing the government of allowing innocent people to be killed
Asked if Mr Gibbins views represented Reform UK, he said: ‘This weekend we are celebrating our incredible successes.
‘Like any party, we have internal party processes to look where people have said or done the wrong thing.”
He continued: ‘I condemn everything that is wrong and inappropriate.
‘Voters have heard all of this smearing and this sneering against all of us, and they have voted for more Reform.’
Other Reform councillors also faced scrutiny for controversial comments online.
Callum Turner addresses those James Bond rumours (Picture: Gisela Schober/Getty Images)
Bond frontrunner Callum Turner has revealed what he really thinks of the 007 rumours, while still dodging the big question.
All eyes have been on the actor after his lavish wedding to Dua Lipa last week, taking over Palermo, Italy, with their famous friends for the celebrations.
However, being Mr Lipa isn’t the only reason Callum’s name has been surfacing recently.
After rising to fame in the Fantastic Beasts films, the 36-year-old actor is a favourite when it comes to Daniel Craig’s Bond replacement.
‘I know as much as you do – really, I know as much as you do,’ he told The Hollywood Reporter of the rumours, skirting around the question.
He recently tied the knot with singer Dua Lipa (Picture: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue)
When asked if he’d take the role, should he be offered, the Eternity star laughed and looked at his shoes.
‘I am not going to comment on that,’ Callum added, but despite being evasive, he did give some insight into his feelings towards the suave spy.
‘I will tell you what’s so funny about the Bond thing: Even your best friends ask you, people text you that you haven’t spoken to for 10 years – and you know nothing!
‘It is such a weird thing of something happening and nothing happening at all. I genuinely know nothing. I just find it quite amusing.’
While Callum himself might be keeping schtum, George Clooney gave him a vote of confidence, saying he would be a ‘great’ James Bond.
The Ocean’s 11 icon would certainly know Callum’s skillset after directing him in the 2023 drama film The Boys In The Boat.
George Clooney branded him the ‘perfect guy’ to play 007 (Picture: Dave Benett/WireImage)
‘He is tall and handsome and charming and British, so he is the perfect guy to do it,’ George added.
This shake-up (not stirred) has left the series in limbo since the exit of Daniel Craig in 2021’s No Time To Die.
It was announced in August last year that the next film will be written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, while it will be directed by Denis Villeneuve.
Daniel Craig exited the franchise in 2021’s No Time To Die (Picture: Nicola Dove/MGM/THA/Shutterstock)
The Dune filmmaker’s involvement may have put a longer pause on things than anticipated, with fans waiting until at least 2028 for the next film.
‘Bond won’t be back until 2028,’ a source told The Sun previously. ‘The production mindset’s gone from “Let’s hurry this through” to “Make sure we get this right”.
‘Denis wanted a long break after Dune 3 and has some broad ideas on the script. Steven will get on with drafts, before they map out the final version. That’ll take at least the whole summer.’
The insider added: ‘Realistically, if they can make January 2027 work for pre-production, then that will be a success.’
Ian Fleming’s beloved spy was previously played by English actor Craig, who took on the role in 2006’s Casino Royale and starred in five films until he left the franchise with 2021’s No Time To Die.
Sir Idris Elba denied all possibility of him being Bond (Picture: Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images)
Callum remains bookies’ favourite for the coveted role (Picture: Gerome Defrance/Getty Images)
Longtime fan favourite, Sir Idris Elba recently said rumours he was set to play the spy were ‘not realistic’.
The Luther star, 53, has been rumoured to be in the running for Bond for more than a decade but said it was ‘never legit’.
Sir Idris said the character was ‘written how he was written for a reason’ and felt that not all audiences ‘will go’ for a black Bond because it is ‘not what they like in their culture’.
Five years on, and we’re hungrier than ever for a new 007 instalment, but between weddings and the behemoth that is Dune, this martini will have to sit un-shaken for a little longer.
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Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave – just one of the main first party games on show (Nintendo)
The long-awaited first party Nintendo Direct has (mostly) not disappointed, with far more games being unveiled beyond just the Zelda remake and the new Xenoblade.
It seems even Nintendo is not immune to rumours and leaks, as not only was today’s Nintendo Direct predicted but so too was it’s most important reveal: a big budget remake of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time. Surprisingly little of the remake was shown, implying that there’ll be a dedicated Direct sometime later this year, but that only left more room for other surprises.
There were no completely unexpected new first party games, since a new variant of Wii Sports had been rumoured, but it was still a solid Direct, with plenty of games and some increasingly impressive third party support from other publishers.
The Direct was 55 minutes long, so we’re not going to show every trailer here, but it opened up with a new preview for Rhythm Paradise Groove, which is out on July 2 and, at the moment at least, is the last Switch 1-only game that Nintendo intends to release. Although they did recently hint that they could make more Switch 1 or cross-gen games in the future, given the upcoming price rise for the Switch 2.
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There were a number of previously unannounced third party games for Switch 2, perhaps the most surprising of which was Stellar Blade, which is currently a PlayStation 5 console exclusive, and is due out sometime this year.
Fortune’s Weave had already been announced but the Nintendo Direct gave it a release date of September 17, as if that month wasn’t already stuffed full of new releases. In fact, we wonder if the reason Zelda and The Duskbloods weren’t given release dates is because Nintendo is looking to use different ones than originally intended, before so many dates were announced at Summer Game Fest and the other showcases last week.
As for Fortune’s Weave, it seems to be channelling Three Houses a lot more than the more recent Fire Emblem Engage, with four different characters to take control of in some sort of gladiatorial competition, that appears to have more serious consequences. There’s also a special edition planned, with maps and other merch, should you be interested.
Nintendo Switch Sports Resort
There’s never been an actual Wii Sports 2 but the legacy has continued across all the subsequent Nintendo consoles and this seems to be an amalgam of all those previous titles, including Wii Sports Resort and Nintendo Switch Sports for the Switch 1. A total of 12 different sports are included, namely Boxing, Table Tennis, Archery, Tennis, Volleyball, Bowling, Basketball, Golf, Thumb Wrestling, Skateboarding (with mouse controls), Power Cruising (aka Wave Race style jet-skiing), and Prop Plane.
You can also do Jump Rope to warm up, with all of the games featuring various kinds of motion controls and online features. It’ll almost certainly never be the phenomenon Wii Sports was, but the Switch 1 was good, casual-friendly fun and this looks to be the same.
Final Fantasy Resonance
We’ve not often been impressed by Square Enix’s HD-2D games but this one looks like it might finally get the balance right between new and old school appeal. It’s the first of the games that’s officially part of the Final Fantasy series, to the point where you can summon characters like Cloud Strife from Final Fantasy 7 to help you out in battle.
The combat is turn-based and everything looks like a souped up SNES game, which makes you wonder whether this might not be the best way to remake Final Fantasy 6 one day. It’s a multiformat release, so not a Switch 2 exclusive, and will be out on October 22.
The Duskbloods
While FromSoftware’s Switch 2 exclusive multiplayer game did make an appearance, it was only for less than a minute and didn’t even come with a release date, which makes us wonder whether it used to be late September as well.
Instead, a closed network test was announced for this summer, although no exact date was given. That timing suggests the full game won’t be out quite very late in the year, assuming it isn’t pushed back into 2027. Although you would’ve thought Nintendo would’ve mentioned that, if it was the case.
Splatoon Raiders
Nintendo spent far more time on Splatoon Raiders, even though that will be getting its own Direct on June 30, when it will go into more depth on what to expect from the spin-off. The game Is due to be released on July 23 and is primarily a single-player game, with no competitive multiplayer.
There is some co-op but it looks increasingly like the game is a sort of single-player version of the (excellent) Salmon Run mode from the mainline games, mixed in with some island exploration and treasure hunting.
The action looks pleasingly intense, with lots of upgrades, called Splatellites, that almost make it look like a 2D shooter, in terms of the amount of bullets (well, paint) flying about. The game’s out on July 23, with new Joy-Con colours being released at the same time.
People relaxing at The Squeeze It Inn, in Shoreditch, London, a pop-up bar designed to encourage impromptu catch-ups with friends (Picture: Ollie Dixon / Madrí Excepcional)
When it comes to meeting up with friends, many of us feel that life, work and commitments at home get in the way.
But new research has found that the perfect catchup doesn’t need to be lengthy and can be slotted into the average week.
The ideal time is 84 minutes – which gives ample opportunity to cover key topics such as family (51%), work updates (45%) and relationships (43%), according to research by beer company Madrí Excepcional.
It’s great news for those who feel getting together is increasingly hard, with just 18% managing a casual drink with mates once a week.
People place the blame on obstacles such as packed schedules (43%), feeling too tired after work (30%), and travel times (20%).
Despite this, 73% of Brits wish they had more casual catch ups with friends.
Madrí Excepcional is bringing the sunny spirit of Madrid to London with a pop-up micropub outside Boxpark, Shoreditch.
The Squeeze It Inn will serve Spanish-style snacks and complimentary samples of Madrí Excepcional 0.0% and the new lemon-flavoured Madrí Excepcional Limón.
Anca Secara, marketing controller for the brand, said: “Our research shows nearly three quarters of Brits are craving more casual catch-ups with friends, alongside the big, planned get-togethers.
“And that feeling only grows in summer, with 67% saying the warmer weather makes them more open to impromptu plans.
“That’s exactly what inspired The Squeeze It Inn in celebration of the new Madrí Excepcional Limón – a nod to Madrid’s vibrant social scene and a celebration of easy-going summer meet-ups, great conversation, and those simple moments of connection.’”
You can win a four pack of the new beer and an Ultimate Garden Catch-Up Kit by following @Madríexcepcional on Instagram.
The bad boy builder is already prime suspect for killing abusive monster Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) – mainly because he smashed up his van with a sledgehammer and sent him a text with the words ‘I’M COMING FOR YOU’. Yikes.
Gary doesn’t like bullies, therefore he definitely doesn’t appreciate the fact that Theo acted like a trusted mate and employee, while mentally and physically abusing Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) behind closed doors.
Gary was furious to realise he’d been best mates with a bully like Theo. (Picture: ITV)
Although the police don’t currently have enough evidence for an arrest, it’s clear from Carla and Lisa’s wedding photos that Mister Windass was definitely near the murder scene that night – and his behaviour has been downright suspicious.
Gary and Sarah’s romantic history is best described as complicated. (Picture: ITV)
Before his marriage to Maria, Gary had a long and passionate on-again-off -again relationship with Sarah from 2016 to 2019, ended by his descent into criminality.
Since then, they’ve managed to stay friends and have grown close again. Maybe a little too close.
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Is Gary cheating on Maria with Sarah?
No way! Gary would never!
Yes - obviously!
The pair have been having a few private chats recently, ever since the night of Theo’s murder – when Sarah was attacked by Jodie Ramsey (Olivia Frances-Brown).
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Kit’s convinced that Gary isn’t squeaky clean. (Picture: ITV)
So far, Maria has stood by her man. She even provided him with a false alibi to cover up the fact he smashed up Theo’s van, claiming they were having “private time” at the builder’s yard.
However, that may be all set to change if she discovers that Gary’s been playing away with Sarah…
Maria’s throwaway comment about Sarah does not go down well with Gary. (Picture: ITV)
Maria’s left troubled by Gary’s defence of his ex. (Picture: ITV)
When Maria reveals that Sarah has forgotten Bethany’s (Lucy Fallon) birthday, Gary leaps to Sarah’s defence with such passion that it takes Maria aback.
Why is Gary so concerned about defending his ex… unless he’s got a guilty conscience?
These looks and confidence made me want to express my own identity as a creative queer woman (Picture: Diana Buntajova)
The first time I set my eyes on Jules in the HBO TV show Euphoria, which ended last week after three seasons, everything changed for me.
Played by trans icon Hunter Schafer, Jules’ expression of femininity as a queer woman was mesmerising. She seemed to be free from societal expectations and unapologetically herself.
Then aged 20, I fell in love with the trailblazing makeup looks she served as she strutted down the halls of an American high school with a furry backpack and mesh tops.
Amongst the relentless stylised drama about relationships and addictions, Jules’ vibrant eye makeup was unlike anything I have ever seen on TV before.
From white clouds that perfectly hugged her eyes to electric yellow eyeshadow that was accentuated by white eyeliner, I became obsessed with her style.
I fell in love with the trailblazing makeup looks she served as she strutted down the halls of an American high school (Picture: HBO)
These looks and confidence made me want to express my own identity as a creative queer woman.
From white clouds that perfectly hugged Jules’ eyes to electric yellow eyeshadow that was accentuated by white eyeliner, I became obsessed with her style.
And that’s when I picked my brushes back up again.
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My fascination with makeup started in 2006, watching my mum getting ready for parties when I was seven. I remember sitting on the bathroom floor, closely following her every movement.
My fascination with makeup started in 2006, watching my mum getting ready for parties(Picture: Diana Buntajova)
Each brushstroke and dab of eyeshadow pulled me in deeper into what seemed like a magical universe of colours and shimmer. I was enchanted by her beauty and couldn’t wait to have my own collection of palettes and lipsticks.
For the next three years, there were some special occasions when my mum would let me wear one of her lighter lipsticks or eyeshadows.
But it wasn’t until I turned 11 that she allowed me to start my own collection.
My first purchases were a sparkly pink lipstick, black mascara and a small eyeshadow palette. This was the first time I felt like I was the artist and the rules were mine to be broken.
I was glued to the mirror, mastering symmetry (Picture: Diana Buntajova)
But this playful exploration unfortunately didn’t last very long, and it soon became an unhealthy obsession.
I started waking up 10 minutes earlier before school every morning just to apply my mascara, until one of my friends told me I needed to do something about my eyebrows because they were ‘too pale’.
From then on, armed with a brand new eyebrow pencil, I was glued to the mirror, mastering symmetry.
By the time I was 16, what once seemed like an exploration of creativity on the canvas that was my face became an obsession with covering what I didn’t like, such as my brows, and accentuating what I thought was okay, like my eyes.
I made a promise to myself to stop colouring my eyebrows until I got used to them again (Picture: Diana Buntajova)
I was so self-conscious about my eyebrows at that point that I once used a green pencil to fill them in because I ran out of brown and couldn’t face going outside with naked brows.
Obviously, everyone at school laughed at me, but it was a wake-up call I needed, and I made a promise to myself to stop colouring my eyebrows until I got used to them again.
I have since become very fond of my brows and couldn’t be happier with them. But back in 2017, things got even worse before they got better – I turned 18 and started breaking out with acne.
It was like I had been unmasked in front of the world (Picture: Diana Buntajova)
I went through bottles of thick foundations as quickly as toothpaste to hide every red blemish on my face. But that felt better than hearing the endless comments about my acne from the people around me.
A year later, I moved to London for university and for the first time in my life, my new friends didn’t seem to care all that much about wearing makeup on a daily basis, so I stopped.
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I felt completely naked at first, but each day made it feel easier to leave the house without anything on my face. It was like I had been unmasked in front of the world, and that prompted me to dig even deeper, trying to understand who I really am.
Around the same time, at the age of 19, I fell in love for the first time, which answered the long-standing question I had buried deep within me about whether I was queer.
Finally, I felt free from the male gaze and societal beauty standards, and was ready to carve out my identity on my own terms.
I quickly stocked back up on colourful eyeshadows and eyeliners (Picture: Diana Buntajova)
I realised that most of my makeup style was not for my enjoyment, but to meet the expectations of others, like hiding what people assumed to be my imperfections.
That following summer, Euphoria came out and I discovered Jules’ makeup looks.
Her unapologetically playful looks evoked that feeling of childhood joy I once had, along with a new hunger for expression. Like an echo of my 11-year-old self, I quickly stocked back up on colourful eyeshadows and eyeliners.
Because I spent so much time in front of the mirror, perfecting my makeup skills as a teenager, I was able to easily craft the new looks I envisioned. Makeup was suddenly fun again, and a whole new world of possibilities opened up to me.
I don’t think I would have been able to get there without embracing my identity first (Picture: Diana Buntajova)
Makeup was suddenly fun again, and a whole new world of possibilities opened up to me. But I don’t think I would have been able to get there without embracing my identity first.
I traced my lids with an eyeliner brush, dipped in one of the rainbow colours from my new favourite palette, and it felt like every stroke drew out something from within me. Once I spotted my reflection smiling back at me, I knew my masterpiece was finished.
This time, I couldn’t care less about conventional beauty standards. I felt like I finally allowed who I always was to come to the light, and makeup became a healthy part of that.
Most of the time, people love it and ask me about where I got my makeup from (Picture: Diana Buntajova)
Sometimes people don’t understand my looks, but I’d rather be rejected for who I truly am than a fake version of myself merely created to appeal to the world.
Most of the time, people love it and ask me about where I got my makeup from.
Most importantly, I feel more like myself than ever before, and experimenting with makeup brings me immense queer joy. And still, when I don’t feel like it, I don’t wear any at all – it’s all my own choice.
From crazy colours to graphic shapes, my looks are an extension of my identity as a queer woman and an artist.
Some people wear their heart on their sleeve – I wear it on my face.
Queer Hope & Joy
Metro is sharing stories of Queer Hope & Joy, where we are centring stories that platform the vibrancy, diversity and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community.
This is running alongside LGBT Foundation's Hope Starts Here campaign, and will represent as many LGBTQ+ identities as possible, while spreading hope and joy at a time it is very much needed.
Find out more about LGBT Foundation's campaign here.
To submit your story of your Queer Hope & Joy send your pitches to: sharan.dhaliwal@metro.co.uk
