FORMER Coronation Street star Tracey Shaw looks unrecognisable over 20 years on from her character’s brutal exit.
The actress, now 51, posted a selection of stunning selfies on her Instagram account.
Tracey is beaming in the sunny snaps, which appear to have been taken in a woodland area.
She simply captioned the shots: “Happiness”, along with a dove emoji.
One person commented: “You look very happy and well! Embracing those lovely curls!!”
Another added: “You look great never changed love your hair.”
While fellow actress Britt Ekland wrote: “Looking extraordinarily gorgeous, love your hair.”
Tracey’s best known for starring as Maxine Peacock in the ITV soap from 1995 to 2003.
A year after making her Weatherfield debut, she was awarded the Rear of the Year title.
In the soap, Maxine married butcher Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold) and they welcomed a son named Joshua.
Her run came to an end when she was brutally murdered by Richard Hillman.
The character was struck with a crowbar after she returned home from the pub.
Years earlier, Maxine arrived on the cobbles as a friend of Fiona Middleton (Angela Griffin).
However, she betrayed her pal by having a one-night stand with Fiona’s boyfriend – Steve MacDonald.
She also ended up having a baby by the local doctor – despite being married to Ashley.
In the real world, Tracey’s pop career launched in 1998 saw the release of two singles.
These were Ridin’ High and a cover of Lonnie Gordon’s Happenin’ All Over Again.
Since leaving the soap, Tracey went on to minor roles in ITV dramas but the majority of her work been in the theatre.
The star appeared opposite Jason Connery in stage play The Blue Room in 2003.
Following the birth of her children, she returned to acting, starring in several national tours.
A SHOPPER has raved about finding a glittering gown on Shein which looks like a dupe for a designer alternative – but £80 cheaper.
Fashionista Carolina Piazentin showed off the dazzling dress from the budget retailer, which was covered in embellished detailing.
On her @carolina.piazentin account, she wrote: “SHEIN Haul – 5 days 5 dresses. Code 32769445.”
The nude-coloured dress had thin straps and fell to just above her ankles.
Perfect for glam events, the figure-hugging dress looked ideal for party season, and set her back £42.
A number of viewers were quick to comment saying that they noticed the resemblance to a dress sold by Oh Polly.
Their Antonella dress – which comes in four colours – and features sparkly shapes on the sheer material.
The main difference between the two gorgeous dresses is the price tag, with Shein’s similar-looking dress being £80 cheaper.
The Oh Polly evening gown currently costs £120, but has a five-star rating with shoppers.
Many people were impressed at the Shein find, with one commenting “oh wow”, and another writing “beautiful.”
One fashion lover said: “Perfection.”
Meanwhile, one added: “I don’t have the right body type for this dress but it is absolutely stunning on you!”
Her video has racked up over half a million views and 11,000 likes, so seems to be a hit with social media users.
The Oh Polly version’s description reads: “Glittering evenings.
“A premium design crafted by our team of in-house ateliers, Antonella is an effortlessly glamorous gown cut from sheer, stretch mesh fabric and hand embellished with delicate artisanal crystal hotfix.
“Complete with a soft scoop neckline and delicate shoulder straps.”
As well as almond, you can also pick it up in emerald, mocha and cocoa.
It is also stocked in sizes four to 18, while the Shein alternative comes from size six to 16.
Shein is an online-only fast-fashion retailer, based out of China, that has become a number one shopping destination for many around the world.
The company was valued at $66billion in 2023, dwarfing that of popular high street brands Zara and H&M.
The fashion retailer was founded in late 2008, by entrepreneur and marketing specialist Xu Yangtian, also known as Chris Xu.
Shein is a legitimate selling website and is not a phishing scam.
But you may receive a disappointing order or run into shipping issues if you order from the site, according to reviews.
There have been swathes of quality complaints, which makes sense when looking at the price tag.
JOSH WARRINGTON is back in action this weekend as he faces Anthony Cacace at Wembley Stadium.
Warrington, a former two-time world champion, was hoping to challenge Cacace for the IBF super-featherweight title he won from Joe Cordina earlier this year.
But the IBF has blocked the title fight because of Warrington’s supposed inactivity at 130lbs and his last fight being a defeat.
Cacace was brilliant in his TKO win over Cordina and will be delighted with the fact that even if he loses to Warrington, his belt will stay firmly in his grasp.
Warrington hasn’t fought since he was stopped by Leigh Wood nearly a year ago and will be out to silence those questioning his title fight credentials against Cacace.
But the Northern Irishman will be brimming with confidence after unexpectedly picking up the IBF strap earlier this year, and he has the chance to pull off another big win on the biggest of stages at Wembley Stadium.
EMMERDALE legend Michael Parr is returning to the soap as Ross Barton six months after quitting his role.
Actor Michael, who first joined Emmerdale in 2013, became a fan favourite for his portrayal of the complex-but-charismatic Ross and will reappear on screen later this year.
Michael said: “I’m over the moon to be returning to Emmerdale.
“Ross is a character I’m extremely fond of and I’m excited to explore what he’s been up to over the past five years.
“After seeing the scripts, I can’t wait for the audience to see what’s in store. One thing I can say is Ross’s return will no doubt create fireworks.”
Producer, Laura Shaw, added: “We are delighted to have Michael back at Team Emmerdale, playing the unforgettable and charismatic bad boy Ross Barton once again.
“Ross makes a huge impact from the first moment he arrives back on screen, immediately throwing some of our villagers’ lives into disarray.
“Chaotic, wild and reckless, Ross is absolutely going to shake up the village and prove it’s never quiet with a Barton boy back in town.”
During his time on the show, Ross was also known for his tumultuous relationships with Donna Windsor and Debbie Dingle.
His first relationship culminated sadly in Donna’s suicide, when she fell with dodgy criminal Gary North off the roof of a car park. Having truly loved Donna, Ross was absolutely devastated by her death.
Ross later began a secret affair with Debbie Dingle, who was engaged to his brother Pete. This ended when it was revealed that Ross had a one night stand with Debbie’s mother, Charity, conceiving baby Moses.
Ross also became involved in many dangerous schemes including a plot to kill his brother Pete, but is most notably remembered for the heart-wrenching storyline which saw him battle with depression during his recovery from a devastating acid attack.
With old wounds still to heal, his presence in the village is likely to stir up feelings and ignite some new rivalries.
ICELAND has revealed its Christmas 2024 range and it includes a pigs in blankets Yorkshire pudding.
The big day is still 99 days away, but it’s always good to plan ahead for the merry season.
Luckily, Iceland has unveiled its Christmas menu which will be available in stores and online from November 12.
The items will also be available to buy at Iceland’s The Food Warehouse.
Iceland’s menu this year offers customers everything they’ll need for Christmas lunch or dinner, but there are some quirky items included as well in case you’re after something a bit different.
Shoppers will be able to feast on mini fish, chip and ketchup sarnies, prawn tacos and an unbelievable XXL pigs in blankets Yorkshire pudding.
The supermarket is also launching battered lobster tails, mini garlic and herb kievs and even some exclusive brands items like Harry Ramsden’s battered mini sausages.
Also returning are familiar favourites such as the turkey crown, mince pies, Christmas pudding and of course all the trimmings like roast potatoes and veg.
Those who want to feast on the exclusive brands range like Galaxy, TGI Fridays and Harry Ramsden’s can do so with the mix-and-match deals like three items for £10.
Iceland’s head of development David Lennox said: “We’ve focused on perfecting the classics and making them the best and most delicious yet, as well as offering our customers a range of innovative and affordable new Christmas products which are sure to delight everyone at the dinner table.
“Iceland has some extra special products on offer this festive season.”
And here’s the full list of festive items Iceland shoppers can get their hands on.
Iceland is yet to confirm some of the prices so keep your eyes peeled when you visit its stores later this year.
If you are keen to snap up some of the items from Iceland’s Christmas range, most of its stores are usually open from 7am or 8am until 7pm, and in some cities, they are open until 9pm.
However, hours might vary depending on where you are in the country.
You can find your nearest Iceland store by using the store locator tool on its website.
Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:
Odd boxes – plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.
Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.
Sainsbury’s also sells £2 “Taste Me, Don’t Waste Me” fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.
Food waste apps – food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.
Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.
Too Good to Go’s app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.
Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.
Yellow sticker bargains – yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.
But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.
Super cheap bargains – sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they’ve found on the cheap, including food finds.
“Downshift” – you will almost always save money going for a supermarket’s own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.
The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as “downshifting” and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.
See what’s on Tesco’s shelves this Christmas including pigs in blankets stuffing.
Plus you can pick up items from posh shop Fortnum and Mason from just £3.50.
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