Speaking at an appeal hearing to overturn a charity ban against her, Campbell alleged that co-trustee and lawyer, Bianka Hellmich, forged her signature and impersonated her using a fake email address to misdirect money that was intended for the charity, Fashion for Relief.
Higher levels of vitamin C were linked to healthier brain structure in older adults, suggesting a potential role for nutrition in brain aging.
That’s according to new research from Japan, published in the journal PLOS ONE.
The observational study included 2,044 participants living in Hirosaki City, Japan, who were originally included in a study exploring dementia and heart disease risk. The average age was 69, and 61% of them were female.
MRI scans are used to calculate the volume of gray matter and white matter in their brains.
Even after accounting for external factors like age, smoking habits, diabetes, and other lifestyle behaviors, they found that those with lower vitamin C levels appeared to have lower brain tissue volumes and weaker structural network patterns.
“Our study demonstrates that older adults with higher blood levels of vitamin C tend to have better-preserved brain structure (gray matter) and stronger connections within the default mode network (DMN), a crucial brain network involved in memory and cognitive function,” Tomohiro Shintaku, MD, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Radiology Graduate School of Medicine at Hirosaki University, told Fox News Digital.
“While diets rich in vitamin C are known to lower the risk of cognitive decline, our study is the very first to demonstrate a direct association between actual blood plasma vitamin C levels and the structural connectivity of the DMN,” he added.
This network is often affected by conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression, according to the researchers.
The vitamin C measurement was more accurate than studies that relied on dietary estimates, the researchers noted.
“What I found most fascinating is that we could detect such clear associations between a single nutritional factor (vitamin C) and large-scale brain networks in a robust cohort of over 2,000 older adults,” Shintaku said. “It highlights how significantly our everyday dietary habits might impact brain structure.”
The study underscores the importance of obtaining vitamin C from the daily diet, as humans cannot synthesize it on their own, the researchers noted.
“Our findings suggest that maintaining optimal vitamin C levels through a healthy diet — rich in citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables — could be a simple yet powerful way to support brain health as we age,” Shintaku said.
The study did have some limitations, the researchers noted.
“Because our study is observational and cross-sectional, we can only show an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship,” Shintaku told Fox News Digital. “Other limitations include relying on a single blood measurement per participant.”
Other external factors, such as dietary intake, body mass index, and socioeconomic variables, could have played a role in the outcomes.
Also, the link was relatively modest compared to established risk factors like high blood pressure and blood sugar, the researchers noted.
Findings from other, larger studies, including UK Biobank research with more than 9,000 people, suggest that vitamin C is just one of several factors that may influence brain health.
Because the participants were almost all older Japanese adults, the findings may not be generalized to other populations.
“It is best viewed as a signal that vitamin C status may be one piece of a much larger brain-health picture.”
“This study found an association between higher plasma vitamin C levels and MRI markers of brain health, including gray matter volume and connectivity in the default mode network, which is involved in several cognitive functions,” Dung Trinh, MD, an internal medicine physician and founder of the Healthy Brain Clinic, commented to Medical News Today.
“That said, the study does not prove that vitamin C prevents cognitive decline or that taking supplements will improve brain health. It is best viewed as a signal that vitamin C status may be one piece of a much larger brain-health picture.”
Kendra Duggar is selling one of the Arkansas homes she owns with her husband, Joseph Duggar, as his child molestation trial approaches.
The couple is asking for $407,900 for the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Siloam Springs, according to various real estate listings viewed by Page Six.
Kendra’s family had been staying in the home before they claimed they were asked to vacate the property after their daughter and Joseph’s arrests back in March.
The house sits on a property that contains other homes which Joseph and Kendra rent out for short-term stays.
While they have listed one of their properties for sale, they are also renting out another home.
Property records viewed by Page Six reveal that their home in Springdale, Arkansas was listed for $1,875 a month on June 10.
Kendra had discussed turning the home into a rental property by listing some of the family’s belongings for sale and moving out during a March 25 jail phone call, per People.
The couple also discussed their major financial woes during a March phone call obtained by Page Six.
During the conversation, the couple debated selling off their possessions to make money amid their legal woes, including multiple trailers on their property.
The phone call additionally revealed that the pair have mounting bills and owe someone named Gale thousands of dollars.
Back in March, Page Six exclusively reported that Joseph requested a Florida court change the terms of his no contact order with the alleged victim in his child molestation case.
The “19 Kids and Counting” alum did so because the order would prohibit him to manage six properties he owns.
“The continued no contact order in its present form is causing issues with the Defendant being able to maintain the properties listed herein,” he explained in court papers.
He clarified he is “not requesting contact with the alleged victim” or to be “within 500 feet of the alleged victim.” The former TLC star claimed the alleged victim has “abandoned the property” previously listed in the no contact order. A judge denied the request at a June 16 hearing.
Joseph was arrested and charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving a victim younger than the age of 12 and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 or older on March 18 in Florida.
He was extracted to Florida and entered a plea of not guilty during a court appearance.
The alleged incident involved a 9-year-old girl during a vacation in Panama City Beach, Florida, in 2020.
Joseph was also hit with charges out of his native Arkansas, including four second-degree counts of endangering the welfare of a minor, and four second-degree counts of false imprisonment on March 20.
Kendra was received the same charges and was released on bond after turning herself in.
Kendra is standing by her husband’s side despite the charges, as Page Six obtained jail calls of the couple promising to maintain a united front.
Andrew Rannells confirmed he had a “very brief relationship” with Anderson Cooper over 20 years ago.
The actor made the revelation during a recent episode of Daily Beast’s “Obsessed: The Podcast,” explaining his “Girls” character Elijah’s short-lived relationship with a fictional television host was based on his time with Cooper.
“I told Lena [Dunham] and [co-creator] Jenni Konner a story about when I was 25 that I had dated Anderson Cooper, and I told them about the experience and what that was like,” Rannells said.
It then became Elijah’s storyline on Season 5 of the HBO series, which ran for six seasons from 2012 until 2017.
Rannells, who is now 47, added that the co-creators thought it was a “fun story.”
During Season 5, Elijah and Dill Harcourt (Corey Stoll) had a dalliance before splitting over their age difference, with the latter confessing he wanted to date “someone less aimless.”
In 2016, when the season aired, Stoll told Queerty that he “did not base this character on anybody.”
“I won’t comment on it,” the actor said about rumors his character was inspired by Cooper, who is 12 years Rannells’ senior. “I was playing Dill Harcourt.”
Cooper, now 59, told The Post, at the time, “I thought he was more of a [Bill] O’Reilly character.
“I just met Lena Dunham at Sundance and she didn’t mention anything to me, but I’d be flattered,“ he mused. “I’m a friend of Andrew’s. I should ask him.”
After Elijah and Dill’s breakup, Rannells said to Elle, “I think the general idea that he’s this powerful, you know, adult, is what’s important.
“We were in this very grown-up situation,” he elaborated about the character. “That’s what Dill represents.”
The former flames, meanwhile, both moved on to other relationships after their fling.
Rannells has been with Tuc Watkins since 2019 — a year after the two first met while co-starring in the Broadway show “The Boys in the Band.”
For his part, Cooper dated Benjamin Maisani from 2014 to 2019.
After their breakup, the pair decided to welcome sons Wyatt, 6, and Sebastian, 4, together and be co-parents.
In 2020, while on “The Howard Stern Show,” Cooper explained his decision to enlist Maisani, 53, as a second dad.
“If something happens to me or even if something doesn’t happen to me, the more people love my son and are in his life, I’m all for that,” he shared. “My ex is a great guy and it’s good to have two parents, if you can.”
Cooper — whose parents have since passed — added, “I don’t really have a family and so my friends become my family.”
They’re married, but separate.
For most newlyweds, and couples overall, sharing a bedroom is considered a given. For Kelsey and Chad Thompson, it was the one tradition they happily skipped.
The husband-and-wife couple, who met through a matchmaker in 2021 and married last September, have spent nearly their entire relationship sleeping in separate primary suites inside their suburban Atlanta home. Far from viewing the arrangement as a sign of marital trouble, they credit it with helping their relationship thrive.
When shown their setup — which features two full-fledged primary bedrooms complete with ensuite bathrooms, distinct decor and plenty of personal space — Kelsey Thompson didn’t hesitate.
“It’s a pretty awesome setup,” Thompson said.
What was once considered an unusual arrangement is increasingly moving into the mainstream. A 2023 survey from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine found that 35% of Americans sleep in a separate room from their partner either occasionally or consistently. Millennials were the most likely generation to embrace the trend, with 43% reporting some version of a so-called “sleep divorce.”
The concept has gained enough traction that sleep experts, relationship therapists and even hotels have begun catering to couples seeking better rest without sacrificing romance. Harvard Health recently published guidance for couples navigating separate sleeping arrangements, noting that many report improved sleep quality and reduced tension.
The Thompsons arrived at the idea before it became a cultural talking point.
“We began our relationship with this setup,” Thompson said.
The pair met later in life after years of living independently. Thompson is 39, and her husband is 54.
But sleeping together proved to be a challenge.
“When we started dating, and obviously we’re having sleepovers, we realized that we weren’t really sleeping all that well together,” Thompson said.
Her husband, a forensic accountant and author focused on health and wellness, had developed strict nighttime habits after years as what she described as recovering workaholic. Kelsey, who spent more than two decades in luxury retail before working in addiction recovery, viewed quality sleep as essential to maintaining her sobriety.
“[My husband] needed to like deprogram his brain at night to be able to get a good night’s sleep. And then I’m a recovering alcoholic and sleep is super important to make sure that I maintain. It can be a trigger for people who are in recovery,” Thompson said.
Despite past lives, there are also aspects of comfort.
“My husband is an incredibly light sleeper — noises, lights anything like that will wake him up and then he has a really difficult time getting back to sleep,” she added. And for me, I get anxiety about keeping the other person awake so I have a difficult time sleeping out of fear of ruining somebody else’s sleep when I sleep.”
“So having a partner in the bed for either one of us creates anxiety around sleep, which results in a terrible night sleep,” she said.
Their answer arrived in the form of a house with two primary suites, a floor plan that has become increasingly common as builders design homes for multigenerational living.
One suite immediately felt like hers.
“I was like, ‘That one’s meant to be for me.’ And then the one upstairs just felt like the kind of the king suite for him,” Thompson said.
Of course, both spaces meet their tastes. What they share in common: king-size beds, sitting areas and walk-in closets. And where they differ: the aesthetics. Thompson’s room is dressed in earth tones and neutrals, with a chandelier overhead. Meanwhile, her husband’s room features gray and wooden tones, with a ceiling fan above.
Rather than feeling distant, the arrangement fits their daily rhythm.
“My husband’s pretty much semi-retired. And now that I only do content creating, but I’m pretty much retired and he works out of the home. So we spend all waking hours together,” Thompson said.
Indeed, despite sleeping separately, the couple eats meals together, takes nightly walks and spends most of the day side by side.
“We spend so much of our waking hours together that separating at night to go to our beds is just a nice time to recharge,” Thompson said.
The idea that separate bedrooms signal a struggling marriage is one Kelsey rejects.
“People have come to us about separating their bedrooms. And there was always a partner in there that felt that maybe something was wrong with the relationship,” Thompson said.
Instead, she sees sleep as a health issue rather than a romantic one.
“That’s when the foundation of your relationship is built. It’s not when you’re unconscious and your eyes are closed,” Thompson said.
The notion isn’t entirely new. Separate bedrooms were once common among aristocrats and royals. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip famously maintained separate sleeping quarters throughout much of their marriage, a longstanding upper-class British tradition. More recently, reports have noted that King Charles III and Queen Camilla also maintain separate bedrooms alongside shared space.
Celebrities have helped normalize the concept as well. Cameron Diaz sparked headlines after publicly advocating for separate bedrooms as a practical solution for couples seeking better sleep.
The Thompsons say the arrangement has never interfered with romance.
“It’s not like we don’t like each other. It’s just more of we are so focused on our health and wellness. I think for us sleep doesn’t mean intimacy. Sleep means sleep,” Thompson said.
The pair even share a vacation home in the mountains; separate bedrooms are part of the equation there as well.
For Kelsey, the biggest surprise has been how many couples quietly ask for advice after seeing their setup.
“You should encourage your partner to get a better night’s sleep because that’s what they need for overall better health,” Thompson said.
“There’s a quote … ‘the fastest way to kill a man is to take away his sleep.’”
Spain was shocked by Cape Verde at the World Cup when they played to a 0-0 draw, and 18-year-old superstar Lamine Yamal didn’t take it too well.
Yamal appeared off the bench in the 71st minute during the back-and-forth Group H matchup that was plenty competitive despite being a complete mismatch on paper.
After the tie, which is about as shocking as a loss to anyone else in the tournament, Yamal had to be consoled by multiple friends and family members in the stands.
Chief among them is Ines Garcia, his girlfriend, who is a Spanish model and influencer.
In the stands at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Yamal was seen hugging his family during what has been a difficult time for the teenage soccer sensation.
“First game of the World Cup and we add a point,” Yamal added in an Instagram post.
Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente was happy with Yamal’s performance in the abbreviated appearance.
“As soon as Lamine came on, he changed how [Cape Verde] were playing,” he said.
Yamal has endured a tough stretch as he suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Barcelona that was initially feared to be torn.
The injury isn’t quite that bad, but he missed the rest of the La Liga season after suffering the injury on April 22, and has operated as a substitute for Spain in the early going of the World Cup.
With his minutes carefully managed, Yamal is hopeful he can play his full 90 minutes by the final group match against Uruguay next week.
Though the tie with Cape Verde isn’t doing him any favors, as Spain could find themselves in need of a win in that game should they falter at all against Saudi Arabia.
The DJs from Down Under are Big Apple-bound.
Come late June, Rüfüs Du Sol is slated to drop into New York City for four nights at the House that Jalen Brunson built Madison Square Garden with special guest Maribou State as part of their ongoing summer tour.
Their sure-to-be electric shows take place at MSG on:
Thursday, June 25
7:30 p.m.
Friday, June 26
7:30 p.m.
Saturday, June 27
7:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 28
7:30 p.m.
And, if you haven’t scooped up your seats yet, you’re in luck. Last-minute tickets are still available for Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George, and James Hunt’s quartet of Garden gigs.
At the time of publication, the lowest price we could find on inventory for any one show was $95 including fees on SeatGeek.
Other Rüfüs MSG concerts have seats starting anywhere from $107 to $117 including fees.
Make sure to use promo code NYPOST10 for $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout (Editor’s Note: this discount is only valid for users’ first purchase on SeatGeek).
In the event you’re on the fence about whether or not you want to go, we recommend checking out this stunning footage from Rüfüs’ mind-melting performance at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
Strobing lights, fireworks flying high into the night sky and fat, dreamy beats under Tyrone Lindqvist’s assured timbre make for what looks like the show of the summer.
Based on our findings at Set List FM, the Aussie trio played 25 songs that evening including old standbys “Innerbloom,” “You Were Right” and “Sundream” along with cuts from their October 2024 album “Inhale/Exhale.”
Take it from the actual critics, too.
“What makes Rüfüs Du SOl stand out is their ability to turn electronic music into something deeply emotional,” EDM Tunes wrote in a passionate review of the group’s concert at Dublin’s 3Arena in mid-May.
“Their live shows are not built entirely around drops or spectacle. Instead, they create spaces where thousands of people can feel connected through sound, visuals, and atmosphere…[they] delivered a performance that felt immersive, cinematic, and genuinely unforgettable.”
Need to be there?
We’re here to help, Sol Fam.
Our team has everything you need to know and more about Rüfüs Du Sol’s four 2026 concerts at Madison Square Garden below.
A complete calendar including all Rüfüs Du Sol Madison Square Garden concert dates, show start times and links to the cheapest tickets available can be found here:
| Rüfüs Du Sol MSG dates | Ticket prices start at |
|---|---|
| Thursday, June 25 7:30 p.m. |
$117 (including fees) |
| Friday, June 26 7:30 p.m. |
$107 (including fees) |
| Saturday, June 27 7:30 p.m. |
$114 (including fees) |
| Sunday, June 28 7:30 p.m. |
$95 (including fees) |
All Rüfüs Du Sol tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets are listed below.
As you may have noticed, Rüfüs will rock at a pair of fests this summer and fall. To keep you up to speed, here’s everything you need to know about each of them.
| Rüfüs Du Sol 2026 festivals |
|---|
| Outside Lands Festival Aug. 7-9 at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, CA Charli XCX, The Strokes, Griztronics, Empire of the Sun, Labrinth |
| Austin City Limits Festival Oct. 2-4 and 9-11 at Zilker Park in Austin, TX Charli XCX, Twenty One Pilots, Lorde, Skrillex, The xx |
On July 26, 2025, Tyrone Lindqvist, Jon George, and James Hunt performed at Harrison, NJ’s Sports Illustrated Stadium.
According to Set List FM, here’s what the trio took to the stage that evening.
01.) “Inhale/Brighter”
02.) “Lately”
03.) “Breathe”
04.) “You Were Right”
05.) “Sundream/Make It Happen”
06.) “On My Knees”
07.) “In the Moment”
08.) “Pressure”
09.) “The Life”
10.) “New Sky/Take Me”
11.) “Levitating”
12.) “Next to Me”
13.) “Surrender”
14.) “Exhale”
15.) “Fire/Desire”
16.) “Underwater”
17.) “Eyes”
18.) “Alive”
19.) “Always”
20.) “New York”
21.) “Treat You Better”
22.) “Innerbloom”
Encore
23.) “Break My Love”
24.) “No Place”
25.) “Music is Better/Be With You”
On Oct. 11, 2024, the EDM icons put out their fifth studio album “Inhale/Exhale.”
Comprised of 15 atmospheric tracks, the record flexes Lindqvist, George and Hunt’s natural party-starting tendencies while taking them to the next level.
Although “Inhale/Exhale” is one of those “no skip albums,” you’ll want to pay extra attention to the one-two punch of “Inhale” and the bouncy “Lately” that kick off the proceedings. It’s a masterclass in building tension — like a rollercoaster ascending to its peak — and then releasing through uninhibited grooves.
Other highlights include the transcendent headbanger “Music is Better,” chant-like “Levitating” and chilly, synth-y “Break My Love.”
Make sure to stick around until the album closer “Exhale,” which somehow transports you underwater before coming up for a much-needed breath of air; an exhalation if you catch our drift.
Fans hoping to hear the “Inhale/Exhale” in its entirety can find the hair-raising record here.
In January 2024, the New York Post’s Miska Salemann saw Rüfüs Du Sol live at Zamna aka Tulum’s premiere electronic music festival. Here’s an excerpt from her emphatic review:
“The true magic comes as the group begins playing ‘Innerbloom,’ easily their most anticipated song of the early morning,” she wrote. “I watch as hundreds of now familiar strangers place their hands over their hearts, others reach out as if to grab the lyrics, spirit fingers fluttering as Tyrone sings “If you want me/If you need me/I’m yours.” We sway back and forth unapologetically, clinging on to every break, noticing how each sparse lyric is picked so intentionally to craft something never been done before. It’s a musical experiment and we were all a part of it.”
“And then suddenly, just before the beat drops, a light shower of warm rain begins washing over our salty bodies. Cracks of orange light peak out from beneath the moon. The darkness evaporates. There is a sense of wholeness. We hear other people murmuring about God being part of the production team. It’s hard to argue with that. ‘It’s purifying,’ my friend shouts, her face freckled with drops of rain. ‘It’s paradise.’”
If you want to read more about her experience, click here to find Salemann’s vivid story.
At all shows, the fellas will bring along a special guest . To make sure you’re acquainted with their sounds, here’s each North American opening act artist’s most-streamed song on Spotify.
Ben Böhmer: “Breathing”
Fcukers: “Bon Bon”
Jack J: N/A
Maribou State: “Midas”
Peces Raros: “Cicuta” (remix)
Many beat-dropping, party-starting rave rockers have major tours planned this year and next.
Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss spin live in the near future.
Who else is out there? Take a look at our list of all the biggest artists on tour in 2026 to find the show for you.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.
A violent brawl erupted after Iran and New Zealand’s World Cup match on Monday as Iranian pro-Shah and pro-regime protesters clashed.
It’s unclear how the fight started, but video shows several men trading blows inside the stands of SoFi Stadium, which has been deemed Los Angeles Stadium during the World Cup.
A man in a blue shirt exchanges several blows with another man, who he puts on the ground. After a few seconds of tussling, the fight is broken up by officials on scene.
One of the men appeared to be wearing a white shirt with the Iranian pre-revolutionary flag on it.
Another video from outside the stadium showed pro-regime protesters and pro-shah demonstrators screaming at each other. Pro-shah demonstrators chanted “Pahlavi,” in honor of the nation’s last ruler under its monarchy, Reza Pahlavi.
“Supporters of terrorists,” a pro-Shah Instagram account wrote for the video’s caption.
“They are everywhere, and we are very ashamed of them.”
Iran drew with New Zealand 2-2 in Los Angeles Monday. The Iranian team quickly left the U.S. following the match, claiming “oppressive” treatment of the team.
Striker Mehdi Taremi claimed the Iran national team was kicked out of the United States immediately following the game. “Everything is like a disaster actually for us,” Taremi said.
President Donald Trump previously warned the Iranian team not to come “for their own life and safety.”
The player complained that the team leaving the country so fast is detrimental.
“We have to leave Los Angeles right now, and it’s not good for us. It’s not good for the football, because in a World Cup, you have to prepare good for the next game, because it is a lot of stress for the players and the staff and everyone. But we don’t have that support and I think FIFA has to help us more than this,” Taremi said.
Iran and the United States remain in conflict, but a peace deal is set to be signed on Friday.
“The Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete. Congratulations to all!” Trump wrote last Sunday.
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Sarah Pidgeon is still in character.
The “Love Story” actress, 29, stepped out with Joe Alwyn in Brooklyn Saturday, wearing a Carolyn Bessette Kennedy–coded date-night look: a tight white tank top, low-rise bootcut jeans and black Repetto ballet flats ($440).
She finished the look with Balenciaga’s slouchy black Le City bag ($3,550) — an early-2000s It bag that’s had a resurgence in recent years.
Pidgeon stars in the house’s Fall 2026 campaign, “A New York Minute: Keep Rolling,” shot across Manhattan by “Past Lives” director Celine Song to promote the Le City, Le 7 Bowling and Rodeo bags.
Pidgeon plays Bessette Kennedy in Ryan Murphy’s FX series “Love Story,” transforming into the late publicist for the role.
CBK was famously photographed all over downtown New York in her go-to bootcut Levi’s, paired with neutral basics and a rotation of minimalist accessories. The jeans are still on the rack at Levi’s today.
Saturday’s outing was the pair’s most public moment together yet; Per Page Six’s exclusive photos, the English actor, 35, and Pidgeon strolled, kissed and laughed their way through hours in the borough.
Word of an earlier outing in Fort Greene had circulated days before, but Saturday was the first time the two were photographed together.
Alwyn dated Taylor Swift for nearly seven years before their 2023 split. Swift is now engaged to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, with the couple set to wed July 3 at Madison Square Garden.
Pidgeon is no stranger to channeling Bessette Kennedy off-screen. At the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in March, she wore custom Calvin Klein — the brand where the late publicist worked before marrying John F. Kennedy Jr. — and carried a silver evening bag shaped like a CK One bottle.
Someone “outpizzaed” the hut.
Yum! Brands said Tuesday it is selling Pizza Hut for $2.7 billion, after years of flagging sales at the pizza chain.
Private-equity firm LongRange Capital has agreed to acquire Pizza Hut’s operations, excluding mainland China, for roughly $1.5 billion. Yum China Holdings will purchase operations in mainland China in a separate deal worth $1.2 billion.
The deals – which are expected to close in the third quarter – come as little surprise after Yum! launched a strategic review last November while Pizza Hut continually churned out weaker results than sister brands Taco Bell and KFC.
Shares in Louisville, Ky.-based Yum! jumped 1.9% Tuesday after it said the sales will provide it with “the strongest path to maximize shareholder value” and allow it to focus on its stronger brands.
With US sales at Pizza Hut falling for about two years, the chain has consistently lost market share to Domino’s Pizza – which snagged its title as the largest pizza-restaurant operator in the country in 2017.
“Under LongRange and Yum China, Pizza Hut will be well positioned for future growth with ownership that brings deep expertise in the restaurant industry,” said Yum! CEO Chris Turner, who took the helm last October and argued for a sale of the pizza segment.
Fast-food pizza chains have been ailing as cash-strapped consumers cut back and third-party delivery apps eat into profits. US sales across the category dropped 0.3% last year from 2024, according to market-research firm Technomic.
As of 2025, Pizza Hut operated about 6,300 stores in the US, its largest market. It has nearly 20,000 locations worldwide across 108 countries.
Earlier this year, Yum! announced it was closing around 250 underperforming US Pizza Huts. Papa John’s has been shuttering dozens of locations, too.
In a last-ditch effort to turn around sales, Pizza Hut added flashy items to its US menus, including a Crispy Parm Pan Pizza, and launched new deals and a membership program.
It also attempted to lean into fans’ nostalgia, bringing back its Book It! reading program. That rewards elementary schoolers with a free personal pan pizza for hitting reading goals.
China, its second-largest market, has been a bright spot for Pizza Hut – which is the biggest casual dining brand in the country. It operates 4,375 restaurants in China, selling steak and pasta in addition to the mainstay of pizza.
Yum! said it expects to rake in about $2.3 billion in net proceeds from both deals. It also anticipates one-time expenses of roughly $85 million through the rest of 2026 tied to the sales.
LongRange, the private-equity firm acquiring Pizza Hut, earlier this year agreed to buy 24 Hour Fitness. It and also owns Batesville, a company that makes caskets and cremation urns.
Pizza Hut was founded by brothers Dan and Frank Carney in 1958 in Wichita, Kan.
It quickly grew into the largest pizza chain in the world, and in 1977, it was bought by PepsiCo.
The soda giant spun off its restaurant business in 1997, combining Pizza Hut under the same holding company as Taco Bell and KFC.
Over the past few years, Pizza Hut has moved away from its traditional, sit-down layout with a salad bar to focus more on delivery services – but has failed to win back customers en masse.
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