The former X Factor judge, who marks the big day next October, said birthdays remind her of older sister Kylie’s cancer battle in 2005 and that the family never take ageing for granted.

Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert was released in November after spending 804 days in jail on trumped-up spying charges, only staying alive by repeating a hopeful mantra to herself.

Gary Lineker has found himself at the centre of a race row over his latest advert for Walker’s crisps for a new tie in with KFC. The commercial has been deemed racist for perpetuating a stereotype.

Sue Johnson, pictured left, played Sean Bean’s wife in a 1992 episode of Inspector Morse, but now, the 77-year-old actress is playing 61-year-old Bean’s mother in an upcoming BBC drama.

The latest figures mean cases over the past seven days were down 21.2 per cent compared with the previous seven-day period, and deaths were down 33.5 per cent.