A leading travel company is giving away free holidays to lucky couples to celebrate the release of the new Barbie film.
In case you’ve been living under a rock and somehow just haven’t heard, it’s going to be a massive weekend at the box offices, with two massive blockbuster films by two of the most critically-acclaimed directors working at the moment being released to serious fanfare – and one of those films, of course, is Barbie.
An all-star ensemble cast lead by Margot Robbie as the title character and Ryan Gosling as Ken make up Greta Gerwig’s third solo directorial outing.
Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, and Issa Rae are just a handful of the some 30+ famous names also on the jam-packed cast list, so as you can tell, it’s a pretty big deal, and in a fitting nod to celebrate what’s set to be one of the biggest and most highly-anticipated films of the year, leading package holiday travel company On The Beach has decided to give away some freebies.
Not just any old freebies though, we’re talking all-expense-paid trips to Barbados.
Oh but, there’s one minor catch – the holidays will only be dished out to real-life couples, whose names just so happen to be Barbie and Ken.
“We want real life Barbies and Kens to have it all and enjoy a week of fun, frolics, and fluff,” explained On The Beach’s chief customer officer Zoe Harris, “So if your name in your passport is Barbie and you’re dating a Ken, now’s the time to take advantage and go party for free in Barbie-dos.”
This travel company is giving free holidays to real-life couples called Barbie and Ken / Credit: On The Beach / Southern Palms Beach Club
Real-life Barbies and Kens will get whisked away by On The Beach to the aptly-pink Southern Palms Beach Club in the popular St Lawrence Gap neighbourhood in Barbados, and is known for offering high-class accommodation in breathtakingly-beautiful settings.
It also gives-off the same vibes as the buildings in the ‘Barbie land’ featured in the film.
With the travel company calling it “the perfect pink palace for an active and exciting long-haul break”, the Southern Palms Beach Club is right on the beach front and boasts two pools, an outdoor gym, free WiFi, and a wide range of different activities for everything to get involved with.
And all you’ll need to do to be in with the chance of bagging the free trip, is prove that your names are Barbie and Ken on your passports.
The holidays are at the Southern Palms Beach Club in Barbados / Credit: On The Beach / Southern Palms Beach Club
Couples whose first names appear on their passport as Barbie and Ken are urged to get in touch with On the Beach’s sales team and quote ‘Barbie-dos’ to claim a FREE seven-night stay at the Southern Palms Beach Club Hotel on a half-board basis.
Barbies and Kens have until 31 July to claim their holiday and it must be taken in 2023.
Making sure nothing is left forgotten, the holiday comes with flights, transfers, baggage, and taxes included – but is subject to availability.
In gutting news for the Owls, the already struggling Sheffield Wednesday FC have been informed that they could very well be starting next season with an immediate points deduction.
From bad to worse, it seems, at the moment.
Wednesdayites have been through it all over the past few years, with unpaid debts and salaries resulting in administration, sparking protests; now relegation to the third tier and the threat of complete collapse.
And as if things weren't hard enough already, Sheffield Wednesday have now been told that they will automatically be deducted 15 points from the beginning of the 2026/67 League One campaign if creditors aren't paid in full - starting with outgoing and controversial owner, Dejphon Chansiri...
BREAKING: Sheffield Wednesday look set to start life in League One next season with a 15-point deduction, because none of the bidders currently trying to buy the club is prepared to pay £15m to the outgoing owner, Dejphon Chansiri. pic.twitter.com/UoAgIMsB4p
Chansiri has loaned over £60 million to the organisation during more than 11 years in charge, but because this money was never converted into share capital, he is the entity that the club owes the biggest amount to.
Addressing supporters in a statement back in September 2023, the 57-year-old member of the millionaire family that controls the Thai Union Group, wrote: "I will not inject any more money into the club if I am being treated unfairly.
"Those fans who create trouble [for] the club and me, and believe that they are the real owner of the club, need to be responsible for the financial matters of the club from now on."
It's fair to say that relations with the fans have far from improved since then, and they've been left even more furious following this most recent development.
At present, Chansiri must be paid at least £15m (effectively almost half of the entire organisation's total purchase price at current valuation), but none of the interested bidders has ultimately been willing to do so thus far.
However, the Arise Capital Partners LLC consortium - led by David Storch and son Michael, as well as Tom Costin - has been identified as the 'preferred' party to complete a buyout.
Newcastle United Mike Ashley was also said to be in the running to take over the club, but ultimately was unprepared to settle this fee with Chansiri, and there remain doubts over whether or not Storch is willing to either.
As for the loyal Hillsborough matchgoers, they have accused the EFL of punishing them and the club rather than the ownership and wider executive board, who have overseen this turbulent period for the historic local institution.
One person wrote underneath the post in social media: "So a club gets penalised because their owner is a piece of shit, but Man City and others just get away with it, makes sense"; many others have simply added that the pending treatment is "unfair" and targets the wrong people. What do you make of it all?
Elsewhere in the Steel City, fresh hope and a new chapter are coming to the world's oldest football club as native musician Jon McClure has been confirmed as the new chairman. Find out more down below.
Featured Images — Kenneth Yarham (via Geograph)/Kivo (via Wikimedia Commons)
Trending
People from Yorkshire wanted to take part in next series of BBC’s popular Gladiators reboot
Emily Sergeant
The BBC is back casting for the next series of Gladiators, and producers are looking for people from Yorkshire to take part.
The gladiators are ready for a new series… but are the contenders?
That’s right – arguably the most exciting and energetic sports entertainment game show of all time is coming back for another series following its long-awaited reboot back in 2025, and that means that the BBC is looking for some brave new contestants to take part.
Yorkshire residents are among those producers are calling on to consider sticking an application in.
Unfamiliar with the premise of Gladiators? The massively-popular series – which is based on an American show of the same name – sees four contestants compete in a number of physical challenges against the ‘Gladiators’, all with the aim of securing as many points as possible for the final event, which is known as ‘The Eliminator’.
Image: BBC
Contestants battle against each other to win a place in the grand final, and ultimately be crowned the champion for the series.
Putting out a UK-wide casting call on the BBC website this week, producers Hungry Bear Media wrote: “Gladiators, one of the most exciting and energetic sports entertainment game shows ever is back for a fourth series.
“We are on the look out for the bravest members of the British public who have the speed and skill to take on our superhuman Gladiators.”
Reckon that’s you then?
With filming set to start soon, applications are now open for the new series of Gladiators, and all you need to do to be in with a chance of being selected as a contestant is being over 18 years old, and fill out an application form.
You can apply on the BBC website here, before applications close on 31 May 2026.
Clementine Hall -
20th July 2023 
