Leonardo DiCaprio has reportedly struck up a new romance with model Eden Polani – but people can’t quite get over their age gap.
The Oscar-winning actor and environmentalist is 48, while Israeli model Eden is 19 years old.
She has now appeared to confirm their new relationship on Instagram, saying ‘we all have the right to fall in love’.
Leo’s dating history has been well-publicised, with the ages of his former love interests a hot topic of discussion for years.
His penchant for only dating women aged 25 or younger has become a meme, with one widely-circulated graph showing that his girlfriends stay the same age even as he grows older.
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The oldest woman Leo has ever been romantically linked to was Gigi Hadid – who was 27 at the time – but it’s understood they never actually dated.
His previous romances have included Blake Lively, Erin Heatherton, Kelly Rohrbach, and various other actors and models.
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Leo broke up with long-term girlfriend Camila Morrone just months after her 25th birthday. The same thing happened with his model ex, Bar Refaeli. Which could be a coincidence, but a pattern is definitely beginning to emerge.
Leonardo DiCaprio refuses to date a woman over 25. #dataviz
Leo’s latest rumoured girlfriend, the Israeli model Eden Polani, has pushed the age gap to a new extreme – she is just 19 years old.
Pictures of the pair at a party together sparked the new rumour (which she has now addressed), and Twitter has reacted in a big way.
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Several people have pointed out that the young beauty wasn’t even born yet when Leo had his big break on Titanic, which came out in 1998 (she was born in 2003).
Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic. Credit: Paramount Pictures
Others have questioned whether this latest rumoured romance is verging on ‘predatory’.
One person said: “Leonardo DiCaprio is nearly 50 and dating teenage girls. I’m sorry, but a 50 year old man that dates teenagers is a predator. Being a celebrity doesn’t exempt him from being a creep.”
Another said: “Stop making jokes about Leonardo DiCaprio being a almost 50 dating literal teenagers and start calling him what he is – a predator.”
Those jokes include tweets like this: “Leonardo DiCaprio’s girlfriend is so young her high school experience was interrupted by COVID 19.”
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Another was the below:
Dane Cook: I'm dating a 23 year old
Leonardo DiCaprio: hold my beer
Leonardo DiCaprio's girlfriend: I can't
— Mohanad – Union Hall NY 3/12 (@MohanadElshieky) February 7, 2023
Several others have pointed out that the age gap between Leonardo DiCaprio and Eden Polani is the same as Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, who are starring alongside one another in The Last Of Us.
It’s also the same as the difference between Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) and David Harbour (Jim Hopper) in Stranger Things – who literally play adopted father and daughter.
Addressing the rumours that are swirling, Eden posted on her own Instagram stories overnight.
She shared a photo of herself clutching an enormous bunch of pink roses, taken on a balcony in Paris.
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She wrote: “I am not obliged to air my private life. We all have the right to fall in love. Exercise the right of love – Polani.”
Featured image: Instagram @edenpolaniii / Wikimedia Commons
TV & Showbiz
The Hundred is calling for up-and-coming presenters to co-host this year’s tournament
Danny Jones
The Hundred 2025 is fast approaching and cricket’s fastest-growing tournament is once again asking for aspiring presenters to join their roster of co-hosts and help cover the action.
The fast-paced 100-ball format is entering its fifth year and next to T20, you find a more accessible and thrilling form of cricket, so it’s no wonder the competition is gaining a greater audience each year.
With that in mind, the need for a top-notch broadcast team is more crucial than ever but just like those who backed The Hundred in its infancy, they’re looking to invest in future creatives and on-screen talent.
Are you someone looking to get into presenting or know someone who is? Keep reading.
For the fifth year in a row, we want you to be part of #TheHundredRising! 🎤
So how does it work? Well, it’s pretty straightforward: The Hundred is looking for eight up-and-coming presenters to join their team of main venue hosts up and down the country.
Tasked with guiding and talking fans through an action-packed five weeks across all host cities, successful applicants will be responsible for building excitement and atmosphere inside the seven cricket grounds on each match day.
From player and pundit interviews to crowd engagement and interactive other activations with partnered brands, not to mention members of this year’s live music lineup, you’ll be a key part of putting out the top-quality sports and entertainment product they promise every year.
The best part of all is that no prior hosting experience is necessary – this is all about platforming you and The Hundred as a whole.
Successful applicants will be mentored by the main hosts at their respective venues and will attend a two-day workshop with special guests to get them ready to hit the stage this summer.
The ‘Rising Hosts’ scheme has been set up in tandem with their dedicated event production agency, Progress Productions, which will be in charge throughout the application and selection process.
Shortlisted applicants will then have their details shared with the ECB (English Cricket Board) who will be involved when it comes to making their final decisions.
It goes without saying that even if you just love sports or just want to find a way into the industry, this is an opportunity that is not to be missed.
Sarah Harding breast cancer study has helped save over 80 women
Thomas Melia
A life-saving study set in memory of Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding has seen her lasting legacy extend far beyond music, as now women across the country are getting cancer tests more frequentlythanks to the research.
Funded by The Christie, The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal began its first phase of the BCAN-RAY (Breast Cancer Risk Assessment in Younger Women) back in May 2023.
Led by Dr Sacha Howell, who was Harding’s consultant, the work explores risk factors and creates personalised early screening options for women as young as 30.
This is extremely important as currently women are only invited for routine breast screenings every three years from 50 onwards. Awareness and being proactive are just as important as research.
Sarah Harding, who passed away in 2021, has a dedicated mural in her hometown of Stockport.Credit: The Manc Group
The studies set up in Sarah‘s legacy are vital now more than ever as breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women aged 35-50 years in the UK.
These more frequent and routine checks from a younger age will be vital, especially since an estimated 10,000 women a year are diagnosed under 50.
The BCAN-RAY study has recruited 500 women aged between 30 and 39 years old, who have had their risk assessment appointments.
Out of this number – 404 patients have been given their risks – 316 as ‘average risk’ and 88 were found as ‘increased risk’.
88 were found as ‘increased risk’ with 58 of these receiving telephone calls to discuss further implications and discuss strategies to reduce this such as diet, exercise and medication.
So far 18 women have had their first mammogram, with no recalls or cancer identified. Following this, each woman is offered regular screening every year until their NHS breast screening starts at age 50.
Dr Sacha Howell commented, “We’re really confident that we have a system that is working, from the results so far, which is great news, these findings mean that we may be able to offer personalised ways to predict and prevent breast cancer more widely in the population in future”.
Girls Aloud featured a glorious tribute to Sarah Harding each night of the show.The lovely Sarah Harding singing to Manchester one last time.Credit: Audio North
In 2022, The Christie art and relaxation room received a wonderful makeover from proceeds raised at the Primrose Ball organised by Girls Aloud.
Within this room, visitors can find a lovely framed picture of Sarah Harding with the quote, “The darkest nights produce the brightest stars” and with all the work accomplished so far, we couldn’t agree more.
If you would like to show your support and help fund this life-changing research set up in Sarah’s legacy, you can donate HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
8th February 2023 
