Newspaper headlines: Cilla Black tributes, Calais response and Wenger v Mourinho

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Given the affection that millions of people across the UK had for her, it should come as no surprise that the death of Cilla Black dominates Monday's newspaper front pages.

The face of the Liverpudlian singer and TV presenter stares out from virtually every front page as stars of music and television line up to pay tribute following Black's death in Spain at the age of 72.

The Daily Mirror says "Britain's heart missed a beat yesterday at the news showbiz queen Cilla Black was dead".

It carries a number of tributes to "Our national treasure", including one from her close friend Paul O'Grady, who said: "It's like all the fun has gone, the lights are turned down now."

In the Sun, which says Britain is shedding a "lorra, lorra tears", Sir Cliff Richard writes: "Her passing away is a particular shock because, despite the aches and pains we all suffer, she was always so upbeat."

The Daily Mail remembers Black as "the innocent superstar who touched all our lives", a nation's favourite and the queen of showbusiness.

It charts Black's rise from a working class background to pop and TV stardom with the headline: "From docker's girl to buddy of the Beatles, she rose like the bubbles in a glass of champagne."

The Times's obituary recalls how only a handful of celebrities have come to be known predominantly by their first name, but her "approachable, giggling, girl-next-door style made the familiarity seem entirely natural".

The Guardian says Black was "Liverpool's Cinderella, and she went to the ball", while the Daily Express says with her red hair and Scouse wit she was a pop star adored by millions who also went on to become the "queen of Saturday night TV".

'Our Cilla'

Gerard Gilbert, writing in the Independent, focuses on the "affectionate sobriquet" for Black of "Our Cilla", saying it acknowledged she "belonged to the people".

"She was the girl-next-door, whose boys-next-door just happened to be The Beatles, and who emerged from the Cavern Club as a mini-skirted, Sassoon-bobbed and always cheerful face of the swinging 60s."

The Express recalls that despite her success on TV shows such as Blind Date and Surprise Surprise, Black "wanted to be remembered first and foremost as a singer".

The Daily Star chooses to angle its coverage on an interview Black gave last year in which she said 75 would be "a good age to go", saying: "I don't want to linger, I don't want to be a burden on anybody."

Black, who is believed to have died from natural causes, had experienced hearing loss, arthritis and sight problems in the latter stages of her life, according to a number of papers. And others report that she never truly recovered from the death of her husband Bobby Willis, who also guided her career, in 1999.

Immigration issues

Cilla Black's death doesn't entirely manage to squeeze issues of immigration and the Calais crisis off the front pages, with the Daily Mail focusing on a warning to MPs that up to 70% of the thousands of migrants gathering in Calais are making it to Britain.

There aren't any official figures to confirm this, but Kent Chief Constable Alan Pughsley said, in written evidence to MPs, that the figure was based on research carried out by colleagues in France.

Officials in Kent have gone public in recent days with details of how much strain they say the number of migrants crossing the Channel is placing on services.

The Daily Telegraph reports the county council is having to bear the taxi costs of sending people arriving in Dover to new homes in London, because it has run out of suitable housing for them.

Image source, Getty Images

"Cab drivers in the Kent port are being paid to drive the migrants to temporary accommodation 70 miles away in the capital, with fares of £150 not unusual," the paper reports.

The Guardian leads on what its headline calls a "hard line after Calais crisis" with plans to abruptly evict anyone found to be living illegally in rented properties in England.

"In a dramatic illustration of the warning to migrants by the Home Secretary, Theresa May, that Britain's 'streets are not paved with gold', the government will change the law to allow landlords to evict such immigrants without a court order."

However, a number of other papers choose to lead their coverage of the plans by focusing on the fact that landlords who fail to check the immigration status of tenants could be jailed for five years.

Meanwhile, the Financial Times reports on the growing cost to British businesses of the migrant crisis, as they are "forced to find alternative and more expensive ways to transport their goods across the Channel".

Wenger v Mourinho

The 2015/16 English football season is only one match and one day old, but the sports pages already have a story to focus on, as the long-running feud between the managers of Arsenal and Chelsea worsened at Wembley.

Chelsea's Jose Mourinho accused Arsene Wenger of twice refusing to shake his hand after Arsenal's 1-0 victory in the FA Community Shield - the traditional season curtain-raiser.

It was the first time a side managed by Wenger had beaten a Mourinho team in 14 attempts over 11 years.

Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Arsene Wenger (L) left Jose Mourinho in the shade for the first time in 14 matches

"With the title race yet to start, the gloves are already off between the warring pair," the Daily Star reports. Wenger ended "Jose jinx but can't shake off bitter feud".

The Daily Telegraph headlines its report "Wenger revenge". "Arsenal manager finally beats Mourinho - and then rubs it in by snubbing his handshake," it continues.

Eye-catching headlines

Having loved ones exhumed 'becoming a fashion': The Church of England has warned of a growing trend for families wanting to exhume loved ones' bodies when they move home, to stay close to their dead relatives, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Dec's Pope Idol:TV favourite Declan Donnelly got the Pope's holy seal of approval as he married his agent Ali Astall, with a framed certificate blessing the marriage, the Sun reports.

Fussy eating may be sign of mental illness: A number of papers, including the Mirror, report on a study of more than 3,000 children suggesting that fussy eating among under-sixes could be a sign of levels of anxiety and depression.

Fergie slopes off: The Duchess of York has left the mansion she shared with Prince Andrew to live independently at their £13m ski chalet in Switzerland, the Sun says.

Fruity stories

Any Arsenal or Chelsea fans nursing a headache after Sunday's match may want to pay attention to a Times report that suggests the pear "may have a very fruitful if unexpected benefit in greatly reducing the effects of a hangover".

"The severity of the morning after the night before was reduced by between 16 and 21% by drinking pear juice - and probably also by eating pears, according to Australian government scientists investigating the qualities of an Asian variety of the fruit," the paper reports.

However, there is a catch, it says. "The pear juice must be imbibed before drinking alcohol. The cure doesn't work if taken the next day." So, while not strictly helpful this time, next time those fans can at least be "pre-peared", as the Times puts it.

In a separate story, the Times also reports that Prince Charles wants to protect the apple's diversity by creating a gene bank for the fruit through growing 1,000 rare and historic varieties at his country estate.

Meanwhile, the Mail has a suggestion for women looking for a boost in their love life.

It reports on an Australian/Scottish study that suggests consuming more fruit and vegetables helps give women a healthier and more attractive glow.

The researchers believe vanity may prove the most persuasive argument yet for eating a healthy diet, the paper says.

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