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HE held back tears in his Netflix documentary when he heard about the tragic death of One Direction star Liam Payne.

And I can reveal that, as a mark of respect, Simon Cowell sent the emotional footage from The Next Act to Liam’s family and his ex Cheryl Tweedy before it aired this week.

The six-parter sees Simon searching for the next big boyband after the record-breaking success of 1D on the X Factor in 2010.

After the series dropped on Wednesday, the music mogul said he felt he “had to tell” Liam’s loved ones his passing was acknowledged on the show.

Simon said: “In the middle, there was that moment with Liam, which was just horrific. That really threw us. I was very close to him and that was hard. We almost stopped filming. I had to go away, clear my head.

“We took a break for about two weeks. Before that it had been almost every day. I sent [parts of episode three] to Liam’s parents and Cheryl to see, for obvious reasons, and I said, ‘Look, I don’t want you to just see it when it airs’.

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‘Made a promise’

“And so the production company sent it to them and they were fine with it. It was respectful, I think.”

The Next Act had been filming almost daily since December 2023, allowing cameras access to Simon’s talent hunt.

But he paused to consider if they should continue after Liam’s death in Buenos Aires, Argentina in October last year.

Liam and Cheryl, who were together for two years, share a son Bear, eight.

Simon said of Liam in the episode: “He was just so normal and down to earth, he always had a sparkle in his eye.

“Everyone adored him. You don’t know how you feel about someone until you lose them. I am going to genuinely miss him.”

After the two-week break, Simon said he realised he had made the show hopefuls “a promise”, so filming resumed.

The group, DECEMBER 10, have just signed a deal with EMI/Universal.

I was lucky enough to watch John, Cruz, Nicolas, Sean, Josh, Danny and Hendrik at a top-secret playback in London on Wednesday.

From what I saw, these boys will do Simon proud.

Lily’s Vic and Bob

LILY COLLINS has had a Posh makeover for the fifth series of Netflix’s Emily In Paris.

The actress has channelled Victoria Beckham’s Spice Girl alter ego for the series, which kicks off on Thursday.

Director Andy Fleming told Biz on Sunday: “There is for sure a Posh Spice vibe going on this season. I noticed it straight away. I mean, her bob. Hello?”

It comes after Lily was stunned to meet her idol Victoria on the set of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Looks like this season will be full of girl power.

Grinch must be feeling Jaded

JADE THIRLWALL doesn’t do fancy dress by halves.

The former Little Mix singer is one of the most costume-committed celebs – rivalled only by Heidi Klum on Halloween.

But even Heidi would have been green with envy when she saw what Jade wore on a night out in London on Friday.

The singer, who turns 33 on Boxing Day, went all out and dressed up as the female Grinch character.

She even persuaded her boyfriend, Rizzle Kicks rapper Jordan Stephens, to go with the green theme.

Their bed sheets must have been a nightmare to clean  . . . 

Taylor hands mega bonuses to crew

HER record-breaking Eras Tour propelled Taylor Swift to billionaire status.

And after making fans’ dreams come true with her dazzling show, the US superstar did the same for her tour crew.

The Shake It Off hitmaker is believed to have handed out $197million – around £148million – in bonuses to every person who helped with her shows.

Taylor thanked each crew member with a handwritten letter, sealed with a wax stamp, and a bonus – with each of her truck drivers understood to have received cheques for $100,000 (£75,000).

One insider, who worked in catering, said they were able to pay off their student loan and still have thousands of dollars left over.

And in her new Disney+ documentary, The End Of An Era, Taylor is seen handing out the huge cheques to her dancers.

She said: “It took me a couple of weeks – but it is fun to write the notes.

“It is fun to think about everyone’s lives that they are going to go back to and the time off they are going to have. And the kids they haven’t seen because they have been away for months and making that worthwhile for them.

“It feels like Christmas morning when you finally get to say thank you.”

Speaking to her dancers, Taylor said: “The tour has done really well thanks to all of our hard work so if you would kindly read this message . . . ”

Handing the letter to dancer Kam Saunders, he read: “Dearest Kam, we have travelled the world like we set out to do.

“We have dazzled the crowds but we have missed family too.

“My full gratitude doesn’t come from the bank – but here’s (bleeped out) just to say thanks. Love, Taylor.”

The dancers were seen hugging and crying after receiving the life-changing bonuses.

One dancer even clutched an inhaler after opening her letter.

I imagine I would have hyperventilated as well.

Oasis bank fortune for reunion tour

THE drinks are on the Gallagher brothers this Christmas after the Oasis Live ’25 comeback tour raked in an incredible £303million.

New stats by US music mag Pollstar have revealed Britpop pioneers Noel and Liam made $405,428,435, sold 2,228,471 tickets to their long-awaited reunion gigs, with a nightly revenue of $11,261,901 – £8,430,546.47.

Their 41-date trek spanned five continents and 13 countries between July and November.

And the siblings played to an average of 61,902 people per night.

Meanwhile, the average fan is believed to have spent £136 on a ticket.

I revealed last week that Noel, who has an estimated net worth of £53million, was whisking his family off to the Maldives for a festive getaway after five months on the road.

Oasis ranked No2 in the biggest-grossing tours of 2025 – with US superstar Beyonce holding the top spot .

The Texas Hold ’Em hitmaker saw her Cowboy Carter Tour gross $407,600,113, (around £305million), with an average ticket price of £191.

Coldplay were third, followed by Kendrick Lamar/SZA.

But Shakira, The Weeknd and Lady Gaga all had to settle for spots further down the Top Ten.

Some might say Noel and Liam nailed it . . . 

Rushing back into Big Time

THEY rose to fame as teenagers on a US TV series about a boy band – and 16 years later Big Time Rush have revealed they have a whole new generation of fans, thanks to Netflix.

The streaming giant gave a new lease of life to the original series of the sitcom, which first aired in the States from 2009 to 2013 and featured the group playing a fictionalised version of themselves.

Biz on Sunday’s Emily chatted to band members Kendall Schmidt, James Maslow, Carlos Penavega and Logan Henderson backstage ahead of their final tour date at London’s Ovo Arena Wembley on Thursday.

Kendall said: “We got lucky during Covid because Netflix picked up the show. Everybody was at home just binge watching stuff, so this whole new generation of kids started watching it.”

Carlos added: “It’s weird seeing my kids come to the show because they didn’t even exist back then.”

Asked how touring compares now they are in their 30s, Kendall replied: “We all definitely went out a lot more in our 20s – but now I truly enjoy getting up early and getting to see different aspects of the city.”

Logan added: “When we were younger, things were moving so fast we didn’t really get a chance to breathe and really soak it in.”

From what I saw on Thursday night, the boys are still on their A-game.

• Check out Big Time Rush on our TikTok channel where the boys reveal their Sunday Setlist. Scan left.

This week who would I…

Snog

Marry

Avoid

The ITV period drama boasts an impressive 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes

A period drama boasting a recognisable face from Outlander has landed on Netflix, with viewers insisting it’s a must watch.

Victoria originally premiered on ITV in 2016 and spanned three series before concluding in 2019. Crafted by bestselling author and screenwriter Daisy Goodwin, the show stars former Doctor Who actress Jenna Coleman in the title role of Queen Victoria.

Coleman, who audiences will recall as Clara Oswald from the time-travelling series, appears alongside fellow Doctor Who alum Tommy Knight, plus Tom Hughes (About Time), Adrian Schiller (Tolkien), and Jordan Waller (The Gilded Age).

The series follows the 19th-century monarch’s rule, spanning from her ascension to the British throne aged merely 18 through to her union with Prince Albert (portrayed by Hughes).

The ensemble also includes Outlander star Nell Hudson, known for playing Laoghaire MacKenzie, who takes on the part of Queen Victoria’s lady’s maid, Nancy Skerrett, reports the Daily Record.

Hudson was utterly charmed by her fellow performers and sang their praises enthusiastically. In a chat with Town and Country, she revealed: “I made such good friends on Victoria, and luckily I’ve forced them all to stay friends with me, and I make them all hang out with me a couple of times a month. [laughs]”.

“I really couldn’t have been around a better bunch of people. It was such a privilege, going to set everyday and hanging out with a bunch of brilliant people, who were also so talented.”

It seems the cast’s behind-the-scenes camaraderie translated brilliantly on screen, as audiences found themselves utterly captivated.

One fan took to IMDb, sharing their emotional journey: “This has been the most amazing series since Downton Abbey I have watched. I laughed, I cried, I got angry. I felt every emotion humanly possible through watching it.

“My mother and I binge watched it together and couldn’t believe how much it draws you in from beginning to end.”

Someone else raved: “The settings, costumes, and general production values were first rate, the show felt incredibly plush and lavish, I shudder to think of the budget for this series. Totally engaging, this was first rate viewing 9/10.”

A third fan added: “If you love period drama and English history, you will be enthralled by Victoria. I wish there were more shows like this on television. A definite must for fans of this genre.”

Victoria, with its impressive 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, continues to garner praise. Another fan noted: “This production seems to strive for a cross between Gossip Girl and Downton Abbey, and is thus an amusing trifle.”

Victoria is streaming now on Netflix and ITVX

THE father of singer Selena Quintanilla has died at the age of 86, his family has confirmed.

Abraham Quintanilla Jr. died on Saturday; his son, A.B. Quintanilla III, confirmed it on Instagram.

“It’s with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today…,” he wrote.

A cause of death has not yet been revealed.

He famously managed the career of his daughter Selena, overseeing her rise to fame in the late 1980s before she was killed in 1995.

The iconic singer known for her hits including Como la Flor and Dreaming of You, was murdered in Texas by her friend and former nurse Yolanda Saldivar.

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Saldivar was president of Selena’s fan club and manager of her boutiques business, jobs that she lost shortly before the murder after it was discovered that she had been embezzling money.

She was denied parole in March this year after being sentenced to 30 years to life behind bars in October 1995.

Her next opportunity for parole will be in March 2030.

After the death of his daughter, Abraham made it his mission to preserve her legacy as the Queen of Tejano Music and one of the greatest Latino artists of all time, as named by Billboard magazine.

News of her murder shocked the nation, especially those in her home state of Texas, with the then governor George W. Bush declaring April 16 as Selena Day.

Her album, Dreaming of You, released after her death, soared to the top of the Billboard 200 – a first for a Latin artist.

Two years later, the film Selena was released by Warner Bros, starring Jennifer Lopez at the beginning of her career.

Selena: The Series was released by Netflix in 2020, documenting her life and career and featuring Christian Serratos from The Walking Dead.

This has been followed this year by the November release of the new Netflix doc, Selena y Los Dinos: A Family’s Legacy.

It is told by her immediate family including her father.

In it, he recalled the time he first took his daughter to a record label in San Antonio with the hope of launching her career.

“At first, they were skeptical because it’s a girl — and a young girl. I said, ‘Well, let’s give it a try one time,’” he said.

It was then that she recorded her first song and was catapulted to fame.

The new short documentary has proven a tough watch for Netflix viewers

Netflix fans have been left in tears over the “saddest” true crime documentary that they are forced to “take a break” from.

Just this month, the streaming giant quietly added a short, but “poignant”, true crime documentary which aims to highlight the need for action against the “rising epidemic of gun violence” in America.

All The Empty Rooms on Netflix is around 35 minutes long but is a powerful story following reporter Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp who embark on a journey to memorialise the bedrooms of children who were killed in school shootings.

Netflix states about the documentary: “The untouched bedrooms of American children killed in school shootings tell a story of memory, loss and enduring love in this poignant short documentary.”

The documentary was released on December 1 with true crime fans urged to give it a watch. But for some, it is a struggle to watch in one go as they are left “sobbing”.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one Netflix fan said: “I just watched All the Empty Rooms documentary on Netflix and wow 30 minutes of sadness. Everyone should watch it.”

Another wrote: “All the Empty Rooms documentary on Netflix … the saddest 30 min documentary I’ve ever seen. Cried my eyes out!”

Over on TikTok, may videos have been made as one user warned: “When I tel lyou this one is going to have you stopping to catch your breath, I’m not being dramatic, please heed this warning.”

One fan replied: “Every gun owner should be made to watch this before getting a gun. I’m sobbing.”

Another penned: “I just started this in the UK. It’s crazy. I can’t believe it’s normalised. The dirty clothes in the laundry basket [crying emoji] poor souls [broken heart].”

A third echoed: “Ohhhh!!! I started it tonight and I had to stop… had to take a break. I may try later tonight but may have to wait until tomorrow. I feel guilty for stopping it but I just can’t make it in one sitting.”

In another video, one true crime fanatic said: “This is the most powerful and heartbreaking 33 minutes of anything I’ve ever watched.”

As one person replied: “I bawled so hard I actually couldn’t finish it, it’s just… haunting…”

The short film, by Oscar-nominated Joshua Seftel, follows the after effects of school shootings and the heartbreak families are continuing to endure several years after the tragedies. Reporter Steve speaks to families involved as they share of their heartache and what the rooms now mean to them.

In an emotional trailer, the clip starts with a video of a young girl speaking to the camera as she says “Hi”. This is then followed by an emotional Steve who can be heard saying: “I’ve been typecast as, you know, the feel good happy news kind of guy… What I’ve been doing is just whitewashing the whole thing.”

Writing in another clip, it reads: “For seven years, journalist Steve Hartman has documented the empty bedrooms of children lost to school shootings.”

Heartbreaking clips are then shows of some of the children who were killed as fans were quick to comment on the heartbreaking watch. One person posted on the YouTube trailer: “The feeling this trailer gave me was just a visceral punch to the stomach that I think is really needed right now. The empty rooms become memorials in place of their child and I can’t even fathom the weight of that.”

All The Empty Rooms can be streamed on Netflix now

President Trump wants a very different kind of CNN if the cable news channel’s parent Warner Bros. Discovery changes hands.

As details emerge on the battle between Netflix and Paramount over control of the historic movie studio and its streaming and TV assets, Trump acknowledged he’s made it clear he wants new ownership and leadership at the network that has been the prime target in his attacks on the mainstream media over the last decade.

“I think the people that have run CNN for the last long period of time are a disgrace,” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “I don’t think they should be entrusted with running CNN any longer. So I think any deal should — it should be guaranteed and certain that CNN is part of it or sold separately.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed Trump’s sentiment Thursday from her lectern after a testy exchange with CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins. “Their ratings have declined, and I think the president rightfully believes that network would benefit from new ownership with respect to this deal,” Leavitt said.

Trump has said he will be “involved” in the government‘s regulatory review of a WBD deal. Injecting the president’s animus toward CNN — which goes back to his presidential campaign in 2016 — into the process has insiders at the network worried that journalistic independence will be sacrificed for the sake of a Warner Bros. Discovery deal.

CNN declined to comment.

A Wall Street Journal report said Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison has signaled to Trump administration officials he would make “sweeping changes” to CNN if his company took control. (A representative for Ellison declined comment.)

Ellison has said he would combine CNN’s newsgathering operations with Paramount’s CBS News, where conservative-friendly Bari Weiss has been installed as editor in chief. Such a move would follow the $16-million settlement Paramount reached with Trump earlier this year resolving a dispute over a “60 Minutes” interview featuring then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

But Trump said he wants to see a new CNN owner even if Netflix prevails. Netflix’s $72 billion offer does not include CNN or WBD’s other basic cable properties. Paramount has countered with a $78 billion offer.

What Trump desires is more favorable news coverage. But pandering to the White House could have a dubious outcome from a business standpoint for the next CNN owner.

The cable news landscape has evolved over the last decade as the country’s politics have become more polarized and tribal.

The trend helped the conservative-leaning Fox News and progressive MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), both of which have seen their audiences grow over that time even as the number of pay-TV homes has declined dramatically.

CNN has tried to stake out the middle ground, although its aggressive coverage of Trump’s first term created a perception it had moved left, especially as more commentary was added to its prime time programs.

CNN already saw the impact of attempting to bring more right-leaning voices to its program under Chris Licht, the executive brought in to run the network in 2022. He was under a mandate from Warner Bros. Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav, who publicly said the network needed to appeal more to conservative audiences.

The network experienced an immediate exodus of viewers, putting it in third place behind MS NOW. CNN was generating $1.2 billion in profit earlier in the decade. This year, the figure is expected to be in the range of $675 million.

Jon Klein, a digital entrepreneur and former CNN president, said it would be folly for his former network to blatantly court conservatives again.

“You’re not going to convince all those Fox News viewers that suddenly CNN is friendly to them and their way of life,” he said. “These are much older viewers who don’t change their habits so easily. There has been mistrust that has been fostered over many years.”

Klein noted that even upstart right-wing networks that provide unwavering support of Trump — Newsmax and OAN — haven’t made a dent in Fox News’ dominance. MS NOW would be the beneficiary of any rightward shift by CNN, he added.

“It would accelerate the ratings slide and they become completely irrelevant,” said another former CNN executive who did not want to comment publicly.

Fox News does more than provide largely sympathetic coverage and commentary for Trump. Rupert Murdoch’s network has worked at forging a deep connection with viewers, which has made it the ratings leader since 2002.

The lineup of highly paid Fox News personalities is reliably in sync with the audience’s values and the hot-button issues that keep them tuned in. Viewer loyalty has helped the network attract hundreds of new advertisers in recent years, with some integrating patriotic messages into their marketing efforts.

“Fox is an incredibly well-oiled machine,” Klein said.

Klein said CNN and other legacy news organizations are better off focusing on developing an effective digital strategy to insure their future as traditional TV viewing declines, instead of chasing ideological balance.

Attempting to satisfy Trump’s desire for more positive coverage is a slippery slope. While Paramount appointed an ombudsman to CBS News and brought in Weiss — moves aimed at clearing the regulatory path for its merger with Skydance Media — Trump is still lashing out at coverage he doesn’t like.

After a “60 Minutes” interview with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) aired Dec. 7, in which she was highly critical of Trump, the president said the program is “worse” under new ownership.

The only significant move to attract conservative viewers under Weiss is her prime time interview with the widow of slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk that airs Saturday.

“I think the prevailing wisdom over there is this notion that at least if they stay out of the clutches of Paramount, some rich philanthropist will buy them and they’ll be fine,” said the former CNN executive.

But if Netflix gets WBD without CNN, there is no guarantee it would not end up with a Trump-friendly owner if the network were spun off separately. The rank and file may wish for Laurene Powell Jobs, chair of the Atlantic, but could end up with a deep-pocketed right winger.

CNN Chairman Mark Thompson’s message to the troops is keep calm and carry on. “I know this strategic review has been a period of inevitable uncertainty across CNN and indeed the whole of WBD,” Thompson told staff in a recent memo. “Of course, I can’t promise you that the media attention and noise around the sale of our parent will die down overnight. But I do think the path to the successful transformation of this great news enterprise remains open.”

Trump’s anger toward CNN has become more personal as time has gone on. He has insulted reporters during press briefings and reportedly has told people he wants to see the firing of anchors Erin Burnett and Brianna Keilar.

Oddly enough, it was Burnett’s journalism that provided Trump with video for his most effective commercial of his 2024 campaign.

Burnett conducted the 2020 interview with Kamala Harris where the former vice president expressed her support for providing medical care to prisoners undergoing gender-affirming care. A clip of the segment was used in the commercial that said “Kamala’s for they/them, President Trump is for you.”

The sale of Warner Bros. — whether in pieces to Netflix or in its entirety to Paramount — is stirring mounting worries among Hollywood union leaders about the possible fallout for their members.

Unions representing writers, directors, actors and crew workers have voiced growing concerns that further consolidation in the media industry will reduce competition, potentially causing studios to pay less for content, and make it more difficult for people to find work.

“We’ve seen this movie before, and we know how it ends,” said Michele Mulroney, president of the Writers Guild of America West. “There are lots of promises made that one plus one is going to equal three. But it’s very hard to envision how two behemoths, for example, Warner Bros. and Netflix … can keep up the level of output they currently have.”

Last week, Netflix announced it agreed to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s film and TV studio, Burbank lot, HBO and HBO Max for $27.75 a share, or $72 billion. It also agreed to take on more than $10 billion of Warner Bros.’ debt. But Paramount, whose previous offers were rebuffed by Warner Bros., has appealed directly to shareholders with an alternative bid to buy all of the company for about $78 billion.

Paramount said it will have more than $6 billion in cuts over three years, while also saying the combined companies will release at least 30 movies a year. Netflix said it expects its deal will have $2 billion to $3 billion in cost cuts.

Those cuts are expected to trigger thousands of layoffs across Hollywood, which has already been squeezed by the flight of production overseas and a contraction in the once booming TV business.

Mulroney said that employment for WGA writers in episodic television is down as much as 40% when comparing the 2023-2024 writing season to 2022-2023.

Executives from both companies have said their deals would benefit creative talent and consumers.

But Hollywood union leaders are skeptical.

“We can hear the generalizations all day long, but it doesn’t really mean anything unless it’s on paper, and we just don’t know if these companies are even prepared to make promises in writing,” said Lindsay Dougherty, Teamsters at-large vice president and principal officer for Local 399, which represents drivers, location managers and casting directors.

Dougherty said the Teamsters have been engaged with both Netflix and Paramount, seeking commitments to keep filming in Los Angeles.

“We have a lot of members that are struggling to find work, or haven’t really worked in the last year or so,” Dougherty said.

Mulroney said her union has concerns about both bids, either by Netflix or Paramount.

“We don’t think the merger is inevitable,” Mulroney said. “We think there’s an opportunity to push back here.”

If Netflix were to buy Warner Bros.’ TV and film businesses, Mulroney said that could further undermine the theatrical business.

“It’s hard to imagine them fully embracing theatrical exhibition,” Mulroney said. “The exhibition business has been struggling to get back on its feet ever since the pandemic, so a move like this could really be existential.”

But the Writers Guild also has issues with Paramount’s bid, Mulroney said, noting that it would put Paramount-owned CBS News and CNN under the same parent company.

“We have censorship concerns,” Mulroney said. “We saw issues around [Stephen] Colbert and [Jimmy] Kimmel. We’re concerned about what the news would look like under single ownership here.”

That question was made more salient this week after President Trump, who has for years harshly criticized CNN’s hosts and news coverage, said he believes CNN should be sold.

The worries come as some unions’ major studio contracts, including the DGA, WGA and performers guild SAG-AFTRA, are set to expire next year. Two years ago, writers and actors went on a prolonged strike to push for more AI protections and better wages and benefits.

The Directors Guild of America and performers union SAG-AFTRA have voiced similar objections to the pending media consolidation.

“A deal that is in the interest of SAG-AFTRA members and all other workers in the entertainment industry must result in more creation and more production, not less,” the union said.

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said the union has been in discussions with both Paramount and Netflix.

“It is as yet unclear what path forward is going to best protect the legacy that Warner Brothers presents, and that’s something that we’re very actively investigating right now,” he said.

It’s not clear, however, how much influence the unions will have in the outcome.

“They just don’t have a seat at the ultimate decision making table,” said David Smith, a professor of economics at the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School. “I expect their primary involvement could be through creating more awareness of potential challenges with a merger and potentially more regulatory scrutiny … I think that’s what they’re attempting to do.”

Man Vs Baby has just been released on Netflix with subscribers more curious than ever to find out about Rowan Atkinson’s life.

Rowan Atkinson is a British treasure, so it’s no surprise devotees are keen to learn everything about the 70-year-old performer.

Man Vs Baby landed on Thursday, December 11, on Netflix, a four-episode comedy following Trevor Bingley (portrayed by Rowan Atkinson) as he unexpectedly becomes guardian to an abandoned infant in London.

The sitcom may have only just arrived on the platform but has already soared to Netflix’s top spot, demonstrating that audiences remain captivated by the Mr Bean icon.

As fans carry on devouring Man Vs Baby this weekend, here’s everything worth knowing about the legendary Rowan Atkinson.

Unexpected career

Whilst everyone recognises Atkinson primarily for his comedic work, breaking into acting wasn’t his original plan.

He first pursued electrical engineering at Newcastle University and embarked on a PhD at Oxford University when he uncovered his love for performing.

During his Oxford years, he encountered the writer of Four Weddings And A Funeral, in which Atkinson made a brief appearance, and also co-penned the beloved Blackadder.

Stutter

The Man Vs Baby performer has lived with a speech impediment throughout much of his life but has apparently discovered it troubles him less whilst he’s on stage.

Atkinson generally avoids the limelight regardless, but he also steers clear of numerous interviews due to his stammer.

He told Time magazine: “It comes and goes. It depends on my nerves, but it can be a problem.

“I find that when I play a character other than myself, the stammering disappears. That may have been some of my inspiration for pursuing the career that I did.”

Mr Bean

Beyond his memorable role in the Blackadder series, Atkinson’s early work centred on the wordlessly chaotic persona of Mr Bean.

It’s thought that Mr Bean draws from nine year old Atkinson’s experiences after being bullied at school by youngsters who thought he resembled an alien, earning him cruel nicknames such as Doople and Greenman.

Speaking to The Independent, he said: “There’s a lot of Mr Bean in me. He’s socially inept, selfish and has no manners – yet he can be sweet, innocent and well-meaning.”

Personal life

Atkinson was married to makeup artist Sunetra Sastry who he first met in the 1980s during filming of Blackadder’s second season.

Sastry worked as makeup artist for his co-star Stephen Fry, but it wasn’t long before Atkinson formed a connection with her, and they married in 1990.

The couple remained together for 24 years and welcomed children Benjamin and Lily before divorcing in November 2015.

During the divorce proceedings, the pair were midway through building an £11 million property in Oxfordshire.

The star met his current girlfriend Louise Ford in 2013 – who was then dating comedian James Acaster – whilst working on the West End production Quartermaine’s Terms.

Ford, who is roughly 30 years younger, has appeared in Horrible Histories, The Windsors and Crashing. The couple, who became parents to their darling daughter Isla in December 2017, have chosen to keep her away from the public gaze.

Man Vs Baby can be streamed on Netflix.

ADAM Peaty’s estranged family are demanding Netflix remove them from Gordon Ramsay’s upcoming docuseries amid their wedding feud.

The Olympic swimming champion’s mum, Caroline, has written to the streamer to say they did not consent to being filmed at Adam and Holly Ramsay’s engagement do.

His family want a prompt response, a source said, as the series, Being Gordon Ramsay, is due for release early next year.

A source said they expected Netflix to answer within 14 days from when it was sent the letter.

Dad-of-one Adam, 30, and Holly, 25, are due to wed at Bath Abbey in Somerset on December 27 but he has banned his mum and other family members from attending.

His decision last month came after a row over Caroline not being invited to Holly’s hen-do.

PEATY PARTY

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He also called police after his brother, James, 34, allegedly made threats via text while Adam was on his stag do in Budapest.

James was arrested at home in Uttoxeter, Staffs, on suspicion of harassment before being bailed.

A source said: “Caroline has written to Netflix to say the family were not asked for their consent to be filmed for Gordon’s documentary at last year’s engagement do.

“She was very clear that, after everything that’s happened, they do not want to be featured.

“She was filmed giving a speech as were the family during arrivals and while mingling at the party.

“They’re expecting a response from Netflix within 14 days of the letter’s arrival.”

A source close to Gordon Ramsay said filming notices were displayed at the lavish party which took place in London.

They said: “They stated that by attending you were giving your consent to appear in the show.

“Everyone had a brilliant time and the Peaty family members were not interviewed so no additional consent would have been needed. It’s possible they may not even make the final edit.”

Since the falling out, sister Bethany is the only member of Adam’s family still invited to the wedding.

She was very clear that, after everything that’s happened, they do not want to be featured

Source

She was also the only Peaty at Holly’s hen-do at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire although several pals of the Ramsay clan, including Victoria Beckham, turned up.

On Thursday, Adam glossed over the feud when he captioned recent social media snaps “a few good weeks to backend the year”.

The Sun asked Netflix for comment.

What Happened

Netflix has announced a proposed $72 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, aiming to absorb HBO Max and consolidate a subscriber base of 428 million. To justify the massive scale, Netflix argues it needs this merger to compete effectively with YouTube, which Nielsen ranks as America’s most-watched TV platform. However, antitrust experts and former regulators are deeply skeptical, noting that YouTube’s model built on user-generated content, influencers, and advertising, differs fundamentally from Netflix’s premium, scripted, subscription-based ecosystem. The Department of Justice and global regulators are expected to scrutinize the deal closely, particularly Netflix’s claim that it competes in the same market as YouTube.

Why It Matters

This isn’t just another media merger, it’s a defining test for how regulators view competition in the digital entertainment era. If accepted, Netflix’s “YouTube as rival” argument could set a precedent allowing giant streaming platforms to consolidate further by defining their market extremely broadly. The deal would give Netflix unprecedented control over both premium original content and major legacy film/TV libraries, potentially allowing it to dominate pricing and distribution in the paid streaming sector. How regulators respond will signal whether antitrust enforcement can keep pace with the evolving, platform-driven media landscape.

Critical Analysis

Netflix’s YouTube argument faces several critical weaknesses. First, content and business models are fundamentally different: Netflix invests billions in exclusive, scripted originals and operates on a subscription-first model, while YouTube monetizes user-generated videos through ads and creator partnerships. Second, historical precedent works against Netflix: regulators have repeatedly rejected broad market definitions in favor of specific “sub-markets” (e.g., “premium natural supermarkets” in the Whole Foods case), and internal company documents often reveal how firms really view their competition.

Third, new merger review rules will force Netflix to turn over internal strategic documents early, which could undermine its public claims if those materials don’t mention YouTube as a primary competitor. Finally, Netflix’s claim that bundling will lower prices for consumers is viewed with extreme skepticism by regulators, who often see such promises as unenforceable and worry more about price hikes for non-bundled users.

Conclusion

Netflix faces an uphill battle to convince regulators that swallowing Warner Bros Discovery is necessary to compete with YouTube. The DOJ is likely to define the relevant market narrowly, around premium, subscription-based streaming, where the combined entity would hold overwhelming share and pricing power. Unless Netflix can produce compelling internal evidence that it genuinely views YouTube as a direct competitor for the same viewer time and dollars, this deal is at high risk of being challenged or blocked. The outcome will not only shape the future of streaming consolidation but also test the boundaries of modern antitrust logic in a platform-dominated world.

This briefing is based on information from Reuters.

Stranger Things season 5 showed the return of Kali after she was last in the series back in the second outing

WARNING: This article contains major spoilers from Stranger Things season 5, volume 1

Stranger Things recently returned for its fifth and final outing. The season has been split into three volumes to make the story last a little bit longer as fans are eagerly champing at the bit for episode five and volume two to land with fans promised feature-length episodes, reports the Express.

Season five, volume one of Stranger Things featured a big reveal with Eight/Kali Prasad (Linnea Berthelsen) being held captive by the USA military and the nefarious Doctor Kay (Linda Hamilton), who was exploiting her powers. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) was left shocked and fans will have to see what happens with Kali.

However, some fans have been wondering about one big plot point from season four, which showed the origins of One/Vecna/Henry Creel/Mr Whatsit (Jamie Campbell Bower) and Dr Martin Brenner’s (Matthew Modine) experiments. During the fourth series, One finally broke free of Brenner’s Soteria chip with the help of an unwitting Eleven and went on the rampage, killing almost everyone at Hawkins Lab in the process.

How did Kali survive the Hawkins Lab massacre?

During the massacre scene, it seemed that all of Dr Brenner’s child experiments fell victim to Vecna.

Graphic scenes depicted lifeless bodies left in Vecna’s aftermath, with the villain then turning his focus to Eleven for a showdown.

Eleven astonishingly overpowered Vecna and banished him to the Upside Down after inadvertently tearing a hole in time and space.

Interestingly, Eight/Kali wasn’t seen among the casualties of the Hawkins Massacre, but how could she have evaded Vecna’s onslaught?

This appears to create a bit of a plot hole, as the implication from the massacre was that Eleven was the sole survivor.

OPINION

Neela Debnath

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However, as viewers will recall, Eleven discovered her sister Kali following a row with Jim Hopper (David Harbour).

Kali and Eleven formed a bond whilst the younger girl spent time with her sister’s motley crew of companions.

Audiences witnessed how Kali possessed different abilities to Eleven, enabling her to conjure illusions that appeared incredibly realistic.

To Eleven’s dismay, Kali summoned a vision of Dr Brenner to torment her, and at one stage even manifested spiders to terrorise one of her mates.

This creates a massive plot hole that the programme’s writers will need to tackle eventually, and it appears peculiar to leave it hanging.

Kali reportedly escaped from the facility after she managed to develop her abilities and used them to break free.

Might Kali have fled Hawkins Laboratory before Vecna began manipulating Eleven?

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If that’s the case, this could explain her absence during his murderous rampage.

Numerous Stranger Things fans at the time flocked to X (formerly Twitter) to discuss this apparent continuity error, with user @_yoboistan writing: “I could not be the only one who expected Kali/Eight, the sister of Eleven from previous season, to appear on Season 4. It seems a major plot hole to me. #StrangerThings.”

While @ayoodole penned: “Expecting to see more of Kali in season 4 of stranger things. She can’t just go like that.”

Viewer @itsaaudraw tweeted: “Where is Kali, Netflix? Where are you hiding her? ? ! ? ! ? ! #strangerthings.”

Another audience member, @jespertalent, quipped: “remember Kali from stranger things season 2? neither do the writers.”

An irate fan, @calmheedattea_, posted: “stranger things s4 spoiler. WHY IS KALI NOT SEEN IN THESE SUPPOSED MEMORIES OF EL THIS IS P***ING ME OFF LIKE ARE WE JUST FORGETTING KALI EVER HAPPENED WHAT [sic].”

Another viewer, @legocereal, added: “#StrangerThings spoiler why was kali the only one with different abilities tho :/ the concept of all of the kids powers developing differently was so cool whyd they just completely ignore it this season [sic].”

Given that Kali featured in the crucial flashback scene when Terry Ives (Aimee Mullins) infiltrated the rainbow room in the lab and attempted to rescue her daughter, it seems a significant oversight if she has now been forgotten.

The writers are now likely to address this plot hole either in the second volume of season four or even in the fifth and final season when the story will be wrapping up.

Stranger Things season 5 volume 2 is released on Netflix UK & Ireland on December 26

ACTRESS Camila Morrone looks up for a golden globe or two at the premiere of series two of The Night Manager.

The 28-year-old, who plays Roxana Bolaños, wore a sheer maxi dress with a low-cut golden top.

Actor Tom Hiddleston, who returns for the second series, was also at the premiere in London’s Southbank with actress fiancée Zawe Ashton.

Standing next to her suited-and-booted partner, the 41-year-old British actress stunned in a full length bright red dress.

The first run of the award-winning spy thriller, based on a John le Carré novel, was shown on BBC One in 2016.

It quickly became one of BBC iPlayer’s most watched shows that year, with nearly 10million views.

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Series two will begin on New Year’s Day.

Camila first rose to fame after starring in James Franco’s film Bukowski.

Since then, Camila has starred in Never Goin’ Back, Death Wish, Mickey and the Bear, and Valley Girl.

She also stars as Camila Dunne in the 2022 Amazon Prime mini-series, Daisy Jones & The Six.

Camila also has a successful modelling career, appearing on the cover of the Turkish edition of Vogue in 2016.

AT the age of 66 – with 200million record sales behind him and millions in the bank – Simon Cowell could be forgiven for taking his foot off the pedal.

But six years after collecting his bus pass – and he loves buses – the music mogul is back, and on a mission.

His new Netflix show, aptly titled The Next Act, will see him scouring the country in the hope of discovering the planet’s biggest boyband.

Over the years, Simon has sat through hundreds of interviews, painstakingly answering the same, insipid questions.

But having been pals with him for 20 years, I wanted to do something a little bit different.

So we celebrated my 35th (plus a few years) birthday together at a McDonald’s after Si discovered I’d never visited a drive-thru before. His driver, Tony, took us in Simon’s decked-out Lexus, which comes complete with mini-bar and plasma-screen TV.

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While there, I grilled Simon – who has son Eric, 11, with partner Lauren Silverman – in a hilarious game of “Ask Me Anything”.

In a chat that won’t be winning me a Pulitzer any time soon, Simon cheerily answered a raft of, erm, probing questions.

From bathing FOUR times a day and having all his filler dissolved, to how he has lost three stone thanks to a 600-calorie-a-day regime, no question was off limits.

Here, in his own words, is Simon as you’ve never seen him before.

SIMON’S DIET & LIFESTYLE

FIVE years ago, Mr Cowell cut a very different figure.

By his own admission, he was “puffy” and unhappy with his appearance.

To overcome it, he dramatically upped his workout regime — he trains or cycles daily now — and slashed his calories to less than 1,000 a day (bar today’s “cheat day”).

CM: Do you have a gastric band?

SC: No! I did have a LINX band put in though which stops the acid going up into my chest.

And I cut out sugar, dairy, red meat, gluten . . . I had the diet of a school boy, and was told by a dietician it was the worst diet he’d ever seen.

I have four 90-calorie beers a day, but pour half the beer out and make it a shandy.

I basically eat the same things every day. Breakfast is a green, protein smoothie with fruits, a lot of blackcurrants, porridge and tea, and lunch is half a hot cross bun.

I eat dinner at about 4.30pm and because I wake up at 9.30, 10am, I can go 17 hours without eating: Intermittent fasting.

CM: Have you ever tried the fat jab?

SC: No, I’ve never been tempted, sorry.

CM: How many push-ups can you do?

SC: About 40 in one go. I have these two little bar things and every day I do somewhere between 300 and 600. If I’m really going for it, a thousand.

CM: Will you show us?

SC: No, Clemmie, I am not doing press-ups in McDonalds’.

CM: How much sleep do you get a night?

SC: Ten hours. I have these amazing blue light glasses for it and they’re incredible.

CM: Do you wear pyjamas?

SC: Yes.

CM: How many units of Botox have you had?

SM: Oh God, thousands.

CM: Have you had a facelift?

SC: No! Everyone always thinks I have but I haven’t. I used to have filler but then one day I saw a picture of myself and thought, “Oh God, I look like a real weirdo”.

So I had everything dissolved.

CM: How old would you like to be when you finally, you know, cark it?

SC: I said earlier this year that I age backwards. So instead of being 66, I consider myself to be 64. Next year I will be 62.

I think I can live to 100. If I can remove all my stress, carry on with the diet and, you know, we’re discovering new stuff all the time.

CM: Do you biohack?

SC: Well I’ve started on peptides now — I’m on NAD+ [an amino acid said to promote cell turnover and longevity] and am feeling really good for it. I also take Boots Dual Defence [nasal spray] daily and can’t remember the last time I had a cold.”

SIMON’S BITS & BOBS

CM: Have you had your dogs cloned?

SC: I love dogs, sometimes more so than humans. If you love them, they are so loyal and love you unconditionally back.

I have four now: Pebbles the Alsatian, Squiddly, Diddly and Daisy, who is a rescue from Barbados, so she really hates the winter months. They’re like my babies.

So, cloning isn’t as easy as I thought. They don’t just turn up as sweet little puppies in a box. There are ethical concerns so you have to get a donor dog and it’s essential you keep and look after that donor dog, which I absolutely would do.

Otherwise, it’s not right and people who are cruel to animals are the most disgusting people in the world. They are sickos. They deserve custodial sentences — it just upsets me so much.

CM: What’s the funniest thing you have ever read about yourself?

SC: Probably something you wrote about me.

CM: Do you read below-the-line comments?

SC: Absolutely not. I’ve a theory that the really bad comments, whoever posts them, if they’re guys, they have blue duvets with a lot of stains on them. Always dark blue. Living with their mum and dad with filthy duvets. So I refuse to read them.

CM: Ever been to Primark?

SC: Yes, yes. Eric got some PJs, which I promise you are the softest pyjamas I’ve ever touched in my life. And they’re really cute. They’re from Primark!

CM: Have you shopped at TX Maxx?

SC: What’s TK Maxx?

CM: Ever flown Wizz Air?

SC: No, but I flew easyJet to Spain once.

CM: Do you fly cattle?

SC: Um, well, I fly commercial. But in a flat-down bed. I don’t fly private jet.

CM: Do you pray?

SC: I pray every night, yeah. I believe that we have a guardian angel. I believe in God and in the powers of the universe. It’s all combined. And I’m definitely going to heaven. I hope so.

There’ll be my old dogs, all my old friends, my mum and dad.

CM: How many mirrors do you have in your house?

SC: Lots. But actually, I don’t really think I’m that vain.

CM: What’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve done?

SC: Like what?

CM: I don’t know, have you ever wet yourself?

SC: No Clemmie, I haven’t wet myself.

CM: What’s your biggest bugbear?

SC: People with bad breath.

CM: Have you found the new One Direction in your Netflix show?

SC: Well, I don’t know. All I know is that if people like them as much as I like them — and I really, really do have a bond with these boys — then I will be so happy.

They’re real, they’re not privileged, they have no leg-up, apart from this.

One of them is still working in a fast-food restaurant. They’re just lovely, funny boys.

SIMON’S QUIRKS

CM: Do you wear fresh pants every day?

SM: Yeah, of course. I’ve got them all lined up in a drawer, in their little white boxes. I think I have OCD.

CM: Do you wear lifts in your shoes?

SC: No! But yes, I do wear a Cuban heel which gives me an extra inch.

CM: Do you Google “Simon Cowell”?

SC: No because I read things like I wear boosters in my shoes. I probably last Googled myself seven or eight years ago.

CM: When did you last get the Underground?

SM: “Erm, probably not this century. But I do love a double-decker bus, the top deck.

CM: What jeans do you wear?

SM: I wear Giorgio Armani ones, and I’ve only got one pair. People don’t really think I have legs because they always see me sitting down.

CM: How many T-shirts do you own? And do you get a discount code on them?

SC: I have 200 identical charcoal grey Derek Rose T-shirts. I do get a pretty good deal on them actually, yes. I don’t have to think about anything then.

CM: What’s your most annoying habit?

SC: Apparently I snore. But actually, I chew gum really loudly and it drives everyone mad. It’s a chewing gum called CB12. It really irritates everyone.

CM: What irritates you the most?

SC: I have a thing about smells, and hygiene. You smell good by the way. So do you two in the front [points to Sophie, The Sun’s producer, and Tony, his long-term driver].

I want to make a new show actually called The Most Disgusting Show In The World to show people what we actually eat and breathe, and how disgusting we really are. Like, all the bed bugs in our beds, that freaks me out. Everything does.

I’m allergic to them so I have to get my mattress and carpets steamed all the time to get rid of the dust mites or whatever.

SIMON’S CHEAT McDONALD’S ORDER

A DOUBLE Filet-O-Fish and small fries – eaten only after sanitising his hands (and mine).

He says: “Excitingly, we’re going into unknown territories now with the double fish burger. This is quite new, so I am very eager to try it.”

He then proceeds to remove the bun, and cheese, and pick at two slivers of lightly-battered fish patties. And has three fries.

•  Simon Cowell: The Next Act is available to stream now on Netflix.

The actor known for playing Mr Bean and Blackadder has a gentler role this Christmas on Netflix

Iconic comedian and actor Rowan Atkinson says he is finally playing a character he doesn’t hate. Atkinson, 70, plays the role of Trevor Bingley for the second time in new Christmas Netflix series Man vs Baby.

Hapless Bingley, is supposed to have left the stressful world of housesitting for the quieter life of a school caretaker. But he ends up with a penthouse to look after for Christmas and a baby dubbed ‘Baby Jesus’ to burp after a series of mix ups.

Atkinson said: “Trevor Bingley, in his basic form, is arguably one of the nicest people I’ve ever played. Because I think most people I’ve played are sort of deeply unpleasant, really, you know, Mr. Bean is a selfish, self serving, anarchic child. Blackadder, is a sort of sarcastic and sardonic and basically negative force, I think.

“Even Johnny English is a sort of vain, sort of charmless. I think actually, Trevor has turned out to be one of my more pleasant, amenable creations. I quite like playing the nice guy which I haven’t done very often.”

Speaking at the series premiere in London, Atkinson went on to say he wouldn’t even have dinner with Mr Bean or Blackadder who would “have a sarcastic remark for everything”. Atkinson also revealed ‘Baby Jesus’, the other star of the series, is actually played by four babies, two twins for the close ups and two ‘stunt babies’ for other crawling scenes as they can only ‘work’ for 45 minutes at a time.

He joked: “There’s not much chat between takes with the co-star. But you go with the flow.”

“They are great looking, aren’t they?” He added. “I say ‘they’ because when you’re trying to use babies in film, you go for twins, and our twins were great. But, yes, you’re right – the babies are scene-stealers, that’s their very nature.

“It’s that strange thing when you’re watching a baby, because you know that they’re not acting, they’re just being themselves and reacting to the situation surrounding them. As such, they’re completely unpredictable, but also completely engaging, because you know they’re giving an inherent truth that you’re not getting from an adult performer.”

Atkinson himself is a father-of-three, having had two children – Ben and Lily – with his first wife Sunetra Sastry some times ago and a third child Isla, 8, from his current relationship with second wife Louise, who he married in 2014. And he says being a real life dad helped him for the role, despite him having to play at being terrible with a tot.

“Well, experience helps! He said. “It’s a bit like when I played Maigret for ITV a few years ago, the French detective. An important aspect of Maigret was that he smokes a pipe all the time which is an incredibly unfashionable thing to do in this day and age. But it wasn’t unfashionable or uncommon in the 1950s which is when the drama was set and also when I was a student – that’s a terrible admission!

“And it’s the same thing with holding a baby. If you’ve done it in real life, you look realistic doing it on screen. I’m pretty comfortable holding a baby.”

The series launches today(THURS) and whilst there are no plans yet for a third season, as this caper follows Man vs Bee from 2022 with the same lead character, it seems like a possibility. Atkinson won’t be making the decision based on any reviews though or critical acclaim, as he only cares it viewers like it as family entertainment this Christmas.

Sounding bullish he said: “I haven’t read a review or critique of anything I’ve done since the 20th century so I don’t know what reviewers, pundits and critics think of what I do, because the only thing that interests me is how many people watch this, and would they like to watch more? That’s the litmus test, and the sign of success, to me.”

* Four part series Man vs Baby launches on Netflix on Thursday December 11.

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Congressional Democrats are sounding alarms over the deep involvement of Saudi Arabian and other Middle Eastern royal families in Paramount’s proposed bid for Warner Bros. Discovery.

Warner Bros. Discovery owns CNN, HBO and the historic Warner Bros. film and television studios in Burbank, behind such beloved American classics as “Casablanca,” “Citizen Kane,” and Bugs Bunny, and blockbuster hits including “Harry Potter,” “Dirty Harry,” “The Matrix,” and “Friends.”

Late last week, the Larry Ellison controlled Paramount came up short in the bidding for Warner Bros., in part, over the Warner board’s concerns about Paramount’s deal financing. On Monday, Paramount launched a hostile takeover of Warner Bros., appealing directly to Warner shareholders — asking them to sell their Warner stock to Paramount for $30 a share.

Paramount’s gambit has thrown the auction, and Warner board’s selection of Netflix’s $72-billion deal, into doubt.

Paramount has long insisted that it represents the best partner for Warner Bros., in part, because of the Ellison family’s cozy relations with President Trump. The company has trumpeted its ability to gain the blessing of the Trump administration.

Paramount’s bid is heavily backed by Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar’s sovereign wealth funds. The three royal families have agreed to contribute $24 billion — twice the amount the Larry Ellison family has agreed to provide in financing for Paramount’s proposed $78-billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to regulatory filings.

Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner’s private equity firm, Affinity Partners, would also have an ownership stake.

On Wednesday, U.S. Reps. Sam T. Liccardo (D-San Jose) and Ayanna Pressley (D-Boston) called on Warner Bros. board to recognize the consequences of selling the legendary company, which includes news organization CNN, to foreign governments.

“This transaction raises national security concerns because it could transfer substantial influence over one of the largest American media companies to foreign-backed financiers,” Liccardo and Pressley wrote.

“Warner’s platforms reach tens of millions of American households through HBO, Max, CNN, Warner Bros. Pictures, Discovery, and numerous digital and cable properties,” the lawmakers wrote. “They also shape the news, entertainment, and cultural content consumed by the American public.”

Transactions “foreign investors with governance rights, access to non-public data, or indirect influence over content distribution creates vulnerabilities that foreign governments could exploit,” the lawmakers wrote.

Paramount Chairman and Chief Executive David Ellison on the Paramount lot in August.

(Paramount)

Paramount, in its regulatory filings, said the three Middle Eastern families had agreed to give up voting rights and a role in the company’s decision-making — despite contributing more than half the equity needed for the deal.

Representatives of Warner Bros. and Paramount declined to comment.

The Ellison family acquired Paramount in August. David Ellison, the chief executive, attended a White House dinner last month to celebrate Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The involvement of bin Salman was concerning to the lawmakers.

“The fund is controlled by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whom (according to the declassified 2021 report of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence) ordered the murder of U.S. resident and Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi,” the lawmakers wrote.

Over the weekend, Trump said the Netflix deal, which would give the streaming an even more commanding presence in the industry, “could be a problem.”

Simon Cowell’s new Netflix documentary, the Next Act, follows the music mogul – and his wife, Lauren – as the Britain’s Got Talent star looks for the next big boyband

Simon Cowell has admitted he wanted to pull the plug on his new Netflix documentary, The Next Act, which drops on the streaming platform today.

Seven years after The X Factor last aired, the music mogul, 66, is back with fans offering a behind-the-scenes look as he puts together a new band. The show features an in-depth look at how the music industry has changed – as well as fly-on-the wall scenes with Simon’s wife Lauren.

In a sneak peak of the show, Lauren, who is mum to Simon’s son, Eric, 10, warns the star he ‘worries too much’ as well as telling her partner of 11 years: “As long as I’m part of the journey” as Simon excitedly announces The Next Act’s ambitious format.

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Admitting he almost abandoned the project, which sees the star travelling around the country trying to find the singers he needs, he told Good Morning Britain today: “I almost pulled the plug.” Explaining his fears for the format of the show, he continued: “Things have changed so much. These boys are used to making music in their bedroom and now they’re in a live audition.”

GMB host, Susana Reid, praised Lauren for taking part in the show and “opening the doors” to the notoriously private couple’s relationship.

In one scene from the show, the mum-of-two accuses Simon of “moaning” before dramatically exiting in a heated moment. In the middle of auditioning potential band members, Simon takes a breather in episode two – resorting to an IV vitamin drip to rejuvenate his energy levels.

His partner, Lauren, expresses her concerns about his risk of “burnout” to the camera crew while also discussing her son Adam, who lives overseas.

Begging Lauren not to make him go to the whole of Adam’s graduation, Simon says: “Tell me about the weekend. I don’t have to be there for the whole graduation, do I?”

Lauren retorts: “Babe, you’re doing one thing for me which is going to my son’s high school graduation. Yes, you have to be there, OK? I mean, it’s not going to be long.

“Oh it is Lauren. They go on for hours”, Simon interjects as Lauren counters: “Babe, it’s one grade. It’s not like it’s a whole school. You’re his stepfather and he’s so proud of you. He wants to like, you know, show you off. He’s really excited for you to be there.”

Clearly emotional, Lauren concludes: “You make me feel bad about the graduation. You’ve known about this for f*****g five years. Now you’re making me feel like you don’t want to go. Then don’t go.

“You’re moaning about everything. Do whatever you want.”

* The Next Act is available on Netflix from December 10

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Let the legal battle begin.

On Monday, a Las Vegas-based HBO Max subscriber sued Netflix over concerns that the streamer’s plans to buy some of Warner Bros. Discovery’s assets would create an anti-competitive environment in the entertainment industry and raise subscription prices.

Netflix said last week it agreed to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s film and TV business, its Burbank lot, HBO and the HBO Max streaming service for $27.75 a share or $72 billion. It also agreed to take on more than $10 billion of Warner Bros.’ debt, creating a deal value of $82.7 billion.

Michelle Fendelander alleges in her lawsuit that if Netflix’s deal were to go through, it would decrease competition in the subscription streaming market. She is asking the court to issue an injunction to prevent the merger from happening or issue a remedy for the anti-competitive effects.

“American consumers — including SVOD purchasers like Plaintiff, an HBO Max subscriber — will bear the brunt of this decreased competition, paying increased prices and receiving degraded and diminished services for their money,” according to Fendelander’s lawsuit, which is seeking class-action status. The lawsuit was filed in a U.S. District Court in San Jose.

Netflix on Tuesday called the lawsuit “meritless” and “merely an attempt by the plaintiffs bar to leverage all the attention on the deal.”

The Los Gatos, Calif.,-based streamer is long seen as the winner of the subscription streaming wars, boosted by having successfully entered the streaming content space earlier than rivals and for its superior recommendation technology. By buying Warner Bros. Discovery’s assets, Netflix would gain access to more franchises and characters, including Batman, “Game of Thrones” and Harry Potter. Netflix said it plans to keep Warner Bros.’ commitments to bringing its movies to theaters.

But Fendelander and some industry observers are concerned that Netflix owning one of its streaming rivals will hurt the entertainment industry because it means less competition.

“The elimination of this rivalry is likely to reduce overall content output, diminish the diversity and quality of available content, and narrow the spectrum of creative voices appearing on major streaming platforms,” according to the lawsuit by Fendelander, who has never been a Netflix subscriber.

Streamers over the years have steadily raised their prices, and some analysts said they would not be surprised if subscription prices continued to go up.

Netflix executives said they believe their deal to acquire WBD’s assets will benefit key stakeholders.

“It’s going to mean more options for consumers,” said Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters on a call with investors last Friday. “It’s going to be more opportunities for creators, more value for our shareholders. Together, we’ve got the chance to bring great stories, cutting edge innovation and more choice to audiences everywhere.”

Peters also pointed out at a UBS conference on Monday that Netflix combined with the assets it is acquiring from Warner Bros. Discovery would still amount to a smaller share of U.S. TV viewing than YouTube.

Whether the deal will get over the finish line remains to be seen, although Netflix executives say they believe it will. On Monday, Paramount said it would directly appeal to shareholders to offer an alternative bid.

Simon Cowell’s new Netflix show sees the music mogul go on the hunt for his next big boyband.

Simon Cowell’s latest Netflix series is almost ready to launch, unveiling the genuine story behind one of One Direction’s most memorable tracks.

The legendary music mogul and Britain’s Got Talent supremo returns to television tomorrow, Wednesday, December 10, on the streaming giant.

This fresh venture allows viewers to witness the entire process from its inception, as Simon conducts auditions and brings hopeful band members to America to compete for their spot in the group.

To assist in assembling the new boyband, the 66-year-old recruited some of his most reliable collaborators, including former Pop Idol panellist Peter Waterman and singer-songwriter Kamille.

However, it’s the involvement of songwriter and producer Savan Koetcha that truly captures audiences’ interest, having amassed over 102 billion streams throughout his career.

“Simon gave me my first big break as a songwriter”, Savan revealed.

“And so, since then, we’ve worked very closely on a lot of stuff.”

Simon remarked: “And also you gave us the first hit for One Direction, What Makes You Beautiful.”

Revealing the track’s origins, Savan then disclosed: “It was written about my wife. So there you go. True story.”

Savan has been wed to Anna Gustavsson since 2009, with whom he has two sons, and has previously spoken openly about her serving as the muse for the beloved One Direction anthem.

Two years ago, Savan took to Instagram to share his joy, stating: “I figured I would write a little something in celebration of What makes you beautiful hitting a billion streams on Spotify.”

He expressed his gratitude, saying: “In the past, I may have taken something like this for granted, but I (thankfully) don’t anymore. This song means so much to me for several reasons.”

Savan continued: “My two boys know this song is about their mother. It makes me so emotional to know that they can see/feel/hear millions (now billions) of people listen to a song about how beautiful and wonderful their mom is. I think she’s starting to like it now too.”

Simon Cowell : The Next Act will premiere on Netflix on Wednesday, December 10.

It was just last Friday that Netflix announced a blockbuster $72-billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. film and television studios, HBO and HBO Max — a tie-up that could fundamentally change Hollywood.

Yet on Monday, the stakes got even higher, as Paramount swooped in with a $78-billion hostile takeover bid it plans to take directly to Warner Bros. Discovery’s shareholders.

Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison called the Netflix deal an “inferior proposal,” saying in a statement that it “exposes shareholders to a mix of cash and stock, an uncertain future trading value of the Global Networks linear cable business and a challenging regulatory approval process.”

It all sets the stage for a long and potentially bruising fight. And the Netflix deal would have to overcome some significant regulatory hurdles, experts told me.

“This is a deal that never should have left the boardroom,” said David Balto, an antitrust attorney and a former policy director at the Federal Trade Commission during the Clinton administration. “The competitive concerns are profound. This is going to face a lot of opposition at the Justice Department.”

For one, antitrust regulators are expected to scrutinize the market share that would be controlled by a combined Netflix and HBO Max.

Netflix outlasted its rivals in the so-called streaming wars to become the dominant platform in a crowded space. That position has led to concern that gobbling up HBO Max would give Netflix outsized power in the streaming space — potentially more than 30% — which would cross a threshold under antitrust law, according to a recent letter from Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) to Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi and Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson.

Netflix executives have argued that analysis of its market share should include YouTube.

In a UBS investor conference Monday, Netflix Co-Chief Executive Greg Peters pointed to Nielsen data, which show Netflix’s shares of U.S. TV viewing is still behind YouTube‘s. Netflix represents just 8% of U.S. TV viewing in October, behind YouTube’s 12.9%.

If Netflix were to combine with Warner Bros. Discovery’s 1.3% share of U.S. TV viewing, its 9.2% would still be less than that of YouTube. (Other Nielsen data show that Warner Bros. Discovery channels have greater viewership, but Netflix is only interested in one channel, HBO).

“We think there’s a strong fundamental case here for why regulators should approve this deal,” Peters said. (The deal’s overall value is $82.7 billion due to the absorption of debt)

But who would regulators consider a competitor to Netflix? Is it YouTube, with its emphasis on shorter-form content? Or would the main competitors be other streaming services with films and series, like Disney+, Paramount+ and Peacock?

“The analytical issue there is, how do you define the market?” said George Hay, a professor of law at Cornell University and former director of economics in the Justice Department’s antitrust division. “What is their combined market share, what do they compete in and what are the alternatives available to consumers?”

The consumer angle would also invite involvement from the Federal Trade Commission. With a shrinking marketplace, the agency would likely investigate whether this could increase streaming prices for customers.

“What keeps Netflix honest is knowing there’s an HBO Max that’s right over its shoulder,” Balto said. “But once they get rid of that, they can lead the easy life, and the need to cut prices or provide better services or bid aggressively for film content — all of that will be diminished.”

Meanwhile, Hollywood unions and the Cinema United trade group have also raised concerns that a Netflix ownership of Warner Bros. would lead to fewer films being released in theaters, due to the company’s longstanding resistance to traditional movie releases. Netflix has said it would honor Warner Bros.’ theatrical release commitments and that future films without those existing deals will also go to theaters.

Beyond the U.S. concerns, Netflix would also need the blessing of regulators across the globe, and could be challenged by even state attorneys general who might have a significant number of entertainment workers in their areas who would question the effect on industry jobs.

Then, there’s the politics of it all.

President Trump himself has said he “would be involved” in his administration’s decision to bless any deal and that the combined market share of Netflix and Warner Bros. “could be a problem.”

As my colleagues Meg James and Stacy Perman have reported, Trump has openly favored Paramount’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, though word of Paramount backer Larry Ellison’s close ties with Trump dampened enthusiasm for the bid in Hollywood. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is now also one of the investors participating in the renewed Paramount bid.

Despite this involvement, the Trump administration may not have the final say on the deal, just as in the case of the AT&T deal for Time Warner.

For his part, Netflix Co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos has also been trying to make his own case to Trump and ventured to the White House last month, Bloomberg reported.

“It’s a case in which the political issues are going to play a role,” Hay said. “They’re so front and center, and Trump has shown an inclination to get involved.”

About the only thing that’s clear is that it’s not going to be a quick process.

“This entire matter is not going to get resolved in a hurry,” said Corey Martin, managing partner at Granderson Des Rochers. “The resolution of this matter is very likely to take place over months and potentially years, and not days and weeks.”

Stuff We Wrote

Film shoots

Number of the week

Universal Pictures and Blumhouse-Atomic Monster’s horror sequel “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” ruled the domestic box office this weekend with a $63 million haul in the U.S. and Canada. While it doesn’t surpass the first movie’s $80 million opening weekend in 2023, it’s a massive boost for theaters, which have seen a string of slower months.

Menacing animatronic figures weren’t the only thing that brought moviegoers to theaters this weekend. Disney’s animated “Zootopia 2” brought in about $43 million domestically in its second outing. Globally, the sequel has now brought in a total of $915 million.

The strong recent showings for films such as “Zootopia 2” and “Wicked: For Good” have helped push 2025’s year-to-date domestic box office total to a little over $8 billion, up just barely — 0.8%, in fact — compared with last year.

Finally …

My colleague, Jeanette Marantos, wrote about the 105th anniversary of Altadena’s Christmas Tree Lane lighting ceremony and festival this past weekend, a bittersweet memorial for the community after a year of heartbreak.

WICKED: For Good has had less-than-favourable reviews compared to the first Wicked film, but there were still horrified gasps after it was snubbed from the biggest category in the Golden Globe nominations last night.

While Cynthia Erivo landed a Best Female Actor nod and Ariana Grande was nominated in the Best Supporting Female Actor shortlist, Jon M Chu’s film missed out for Best Film in the Musical/Comedy category.

Sydney Sweeney will also have her head in her hands as her new boxing biopic Christy failed to get a single nomination for the ceremony, which will take place next year in Los Angeles on January 11.

Leonardo DiCaprio will be ordering in the tequila though as his new film, One Battle After Another, is leading the nods in the film categories and is up for a total of nine Golden Globes, including Best Picture, Best Director and Screen Writer.

Sentimental Value is just behind with eight, while Michael B. Jordan’s Sinners has seven nods.

In the telly categories, The White Lotus leads the pack with six nominations, while Netflix’s brilliant Adolescence is just behind with five nods.

NEW LOOK

Noughties TV hunk looks unrecognisable as he debuts rugged silver fox makeover

STREAMER DEAL

Netflix to buy rival studio giant & owner of Harry Potter franchise for £54bn

Its teenage acting sensation Owen Cooper is nominated in the Best Supporting Male Actor category.

His co-stars Erin Doherty, Ashley Walters and Stephen Graham — who lives just a stone’s throw from my mum — are also in the running for awards.

Plenty of other Brits feature in the TV categories, including Helen Mirren, Bella Ramsey, Adam Scott and Gary Oldman.

In films it’s not a stellar year for homegrown talent, with only Cynthia and Emily Blunt — up for her role in The Smashing Machine — representing us in the acting categories.

Irish stars Jessie Buckley and our favourite Glastonbury raver Paul Mescal both have nominations for Hamnet.

With luck, us Brits will bring it home with Adolescence, and my fingers are crossed for Aimee Lou Wood and Jason Isaacs in The White Lotus.

JESSIE J-JINGLES ALL THE WAY

JESSIE J was in a reflective mood as she closed the final night of Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball with Barclaycard.

She opened up about her tough year after she was diagnosed with breast cancer as she bounced through hits including Bang Bang, H.A.P.P.Y and Price Tag.

Jessie told the packed London’s O2 Arena: “A lot of this stuff is smoke and mirrors. What really matters is who we are behind the camera and what we do in our lives when we wake up in the day.

“I’ve learnt a lot this year. I’ve learnt to slow down and be more present. I’ve learnt to live more in the moment, and I’ve learnt to know that life is not promised in the way we might want it to be.”

Louis Tomlinson, Celebrity Traitor Cat Burns and Kylie Minogue also took to the stage for the show – which also saw Five pulling up in a massive hummer for their Barclaycard Out Of The Blue surprise performance.

JUNGLE WAS NO EASY RYDER

SHAUN RYDER was glued to I’m A Celebrity so he could cheer on fellow Mancunians Aitch and Angry Ginge – who was crowned King Of The Jungle on Sunday night.

But in an exclusive chat to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Happy Mondays’ landmark album Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyaches, Shaun, admits his time in the jungle in 2010 wasn’t such smooth sailing.

Shaun, who finished runner-up to Stacey Solomon, recalls: “I got really bad mosquito bites when I was in the jungle.

“My face swelled so much that medics had to come to my rescue. I also got badly bitten by a snake. But I survived.”

It didn’t get much better when he signed up to the All Stars series of the show back in 2023 either.

“My hip came out,” Shaun explains. “I was down on one of the low beds.

“And I dived out, forgetting where I was, and my hip just went boom.

“I screamed and woke the whole camp up.

“And I had to stick it back in straight away. It’s a titanium hip. But it just comes out.

“A couple of my implanted teeth were sticking into the side of my mouth, too.

“So I had blisters every time I opened my mouth. They really did cause me a lot of hassle.

“I think my teeth went from the crystal meth and crack cocaine.”

That’s rock ‘n’ roll for you.

MILEY GOT TRUMP’S BACKING

WE’VE seen a lot of unlikely celebrity friendships over the years, but Miley Cyrus and Donald Trump was not a pairing we saw coming.

Miley has revealed that the US President comforted her after her infamous 2013 MTV VMAs performance which saw her grinding up against Robin Thicke while belting out her hit We Can’t Stop.

The performance led to the former Hannah Montana star being slammed by prudish bores who branded it inappropriate.

On a recent episode of the Awards Chatter podcast Miley said: “It’s never been about that expectation of reaction for me.

“My mum is often the brains behind the crazy things.

“But it was all my idea and mum really supported it.

“I didn’t know what the big deal was and never thought it was a big deal until I woke up the next day.

“I was staying at the Trump hotel and Trump sent me a message saying, ‘Don’t let them get you down.’”

KYLIE MINOGUE is on course to land her 11th No1 album with her new festive record. Kylie Christmas (Fully Wrapped) is currently holding Sam Fender‘s deluxe version of People Watching off the top of the charts.

Depeche Mode’s Memento Mori: Mexico City is also sitting at No6 but could climb higher ahead of Friday.

MILLIE SUCH A SWIFTY

MILLIE BOBBY BROWN is a self-confessed Swiftie and she used her encyclopaedic knowledge of Taylor Swift‘s albums to craft her monologue on Jimmy Fallon‘s The Tonight Show.

Referencing her Stranger Things character, Millie said: “Eleven has always been totally Fearless and that taught me to Speak Now. I wore a Red dress when we won our first SAG Award. And Eleven needs to save the world before 1989. Eleven gave me a Reputation.”

Finishing up, Millie added: “I had my first kiss on the show, married my Lover and had a baby girl. Like, isn’t that the best Folklore you’ve ever heard?

“I’m so lucky to have played Eleven and will be for Evermore in debt to the Duffers and Netflix for giving me this opportunity. I could keep thanking everyone, but I’d be here long past Midnight.”

Millie also took part in Pup Quiz – where for every question she got right she was given a dog to cuddle.

Paramount is refusing to accept defeat in the Warner Bros. Discovery auction, launching a $78-billion hostile takeover of its rival Monday after being spurned last week in the bidding.

The move comes four days after Warner’s board unanimously selected Netflix as the winner.

Paramount has beefed up its offer with backing from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, including Saudi Arabia, a Chinese firm and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s investment firm Affinity Partners, according to a Monday regulatory filing.

The presence of a member of the president’s family in a proposed corporate takeover, which includes news channel CNN and the historic Warner Bros. properties, immediately complicates an already fraught regulatory picture.

Last week, Netflix had offered $72 billion — or $27.75 a share — for a big chunk of the company: Warner Bros. film and television studios, which hold the rights to Batman, Bugs Bunny and Harry Potter, the expansive lot in Burbank and HBO and HBO Max. Additionally, Netflix would take on more than $10 billion in Warner Bros. debt for a total deal value of $82.7 billion.

Paramount, backed by billionaire Larry Ellison’s family, had entered the final week of the auction with a $25 a share, all-cash offer for all of Warner Bros. Discovery, according to people involved in the auction who were not authorized to comment. In the final hours, Paramount upped its offer to $30 per share — but still came away empty-handed.

Paramount confirmed Monday that it submitted its $30-per-share offer just a few hours before Netflix was announced as the winner.

“We never heard back,” Paramount Chairman and Chief Executive David Ellison told CNBC on Monday morning. “We’re really here to finish what we started.”

Despite the decision by Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery to pursue a deal, Paramount is directly appealing to shareholders to vote on their offer in what is commonly known as a hostile takeover.

Historically, hostile takeover bids are difficult to pull off, but there have been some notable exceptions, including Elon Musk’s $44-billion acquisition of the company formerly known as Twitter in 2022. Two decades ago, Comcast failed in a hostile takeover bid for Walt Disney Co.

Warner Bros. Discovery said Monday that its board would “carefully review and consider Paramount Skydance’s offer in accordance with the terms of Warner Bros. Discovery’s agreement with Netflix.”

Warner’s board remains supportive of Netflix’s bid, the company said. Shareholders will receive recommendations from the Warner board within 10 business days. The company has long wanted the auction to be wrapped up by Christmas.

“Warner Bros. Discovery stockholders are advised not to take any action at this time with respect to Paramount Skydance’s proposal,” the company said in a statement.

Paramount began its pursuit of Warner in mid-September. It is now bypassing Warner’s board, management and bankers and appealing directly to shareholders in a hostile takeover effort. In a statement, Paramount said its bid was a “superior alternative” to Netflix’s, which will face a rigorous and lengthy antitrust review.

Netflix co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos said Paramount’s move was “entirely expected.”

“We have a deal done and we are incredibly happy with the deal,” Sarandos said at a UBS conference, adding that he believes Netflix’s takeover of the historic company would be great for shareholders, consumers and Hollywood workers. “We’re superconfident we’re going to get it across the line and finish.”

Already, the biggest weakness in Netflix’s deal was concern that the tech company may not be able to win regulatory approval. The company has more than 300 million streaming subscribers worldwide, and adding HBO Max would more than double the number of subscribers for competing video-on-demand subscription services.

In a statement, Paramount called Netflix’s offer “inferior,” one that would expose Warner shareholders “to a protracted multi-jurisdictional regulatory clearance process with an uncertain outcome.” Paramount has long counted on its warm relationship with President Trump to smooth the regulatory process, at least in the U.S.

Warner Bros. Discovery continues to believe that Netflix submitted the best offer.

Netflix is not buying Warner’s basic cable channels, including CNN, TBS, Food Network and TLC, and Warner figures it can spin off those assets into a separate company, Discovery Global, that would be worth about $3 to $4 a share.

When adding the Discovery Global value with Netflix’s price of $27.75 a share, Warner believes that its shareholders will come away with more than $31 a share for the company — more than what Paramount has offered.

Netflix offered a cash and stock deal. On Friday, the company said it would take a year to 18 months to gain the necessary regulatory approvals. Paramount is banking on investors being concerned about a possible regulatory fallout with the Netflix deal.

“Look, we’re sitting on Wall Street, where cash is still king,” Ellison told CNBC. “We are offering shareholders $17.6 billion more cash than the deal that they currently have signed up on Netflix. We believe when [Warner shareholders] see what is currently in our offer, that that’s what they’ll vote for.”

Since mid-September, Paramount has submitted six bids for all of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Trump said Sunday that Netflix’s deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery “could be a problem” because of the size of the streaming service’s combined market share. Trump said he “would be involved” in his administration’s decision whether to approve any deal.

Paramount said its $30 per share, all-cash offer represents a 139% premium to Warner’s $12.54 stock price on Sept. 10, the day before Paramount’s pursuit was leaked in the media. With the absorption of Warner’s cable channels and its heavy debt load, the Paramount deal would have an enterprise value of $108.4 billion.

That’s roughly what AT&T paid to buy the company, then called Time Warner Inc., in 2018 after spending nearly two years fighting in court with the first Trump administration.

A federal judge finally cleared the way for AT&T’s takeover, but after three years the phone company wanted to flee Hollywood and made a deal with Discovery’s David Zaslav, allowing his smaller company to take over in 2022.

“The Trump card is the best card Paramount-Skydance has but it could backfire in multiple directions,” New Street Research media analyst Blair Levin said Monday in a note to investors. “As they say in Hollywood, ‘stay tuned.’”

Warner and Netflix could claim that Trump’s Justice Department, if it seeks to intervene, was trying to squash their deal simply because of politics. The inclusion of Kushner in the deal also could open the door to conflict-of-interest arguments.

“Courts, and the public, in the past, have regarded Presidential involvement in antitrust challenges as problematic,” Levin wrote in his note.

Paramount’s 11th-hour offer for Warner contained “opaque” details about its financing, a person involved in the auction who was not authorized to speak publicly told The Times over the weekend. The fuzzy nature of Paramount’s backers gave the Warner board pause in contrast to the Netflix offer, which spelled out its financing, the person said.

In a Securities & Exchange Commission filing Monday, Paramount disclosed that Larry Ellison’s family has provided an $11.8-billion commitment. An additional $24 billion would come from three sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

The controversial Chinese tech firm Tencent would provide an additional $1 billion, Paramount said. It said RedBird Capital Partners, an investor in Paramount, and Kushner’s Affinity Partners would also provide an undisclosed level of debt financing.

When asked about his son-in-law’s involvement in the Paramount bid, Trump told reporters at the White House: “I don’t know. I’ve never spoken with him about that. He’s really trying to work on Gaza.”

Should Paramount prevail, it would confront a heavy debt load that would bring more layoffs in an industry already reeling from downsizing. “As with Netflix, Paramount’s expected hostile bid for WBD raises significant concerns for our members and the industry,” a spokesperson for the Directors Guild of America said in a statement.

Just like with the AT&T deal for Time Warner, the Trump administration may not have the final say. If the U.S. Justice Department sues to block the Netflix deal, the matter will go before a federal judge.

However, Paramount hired Trump’s former antitrust regulator — Makan Delrahim — in the hope of steering a successful regulatory review. Delrahim joined Paramount in October as its chief legal officer.

“We believe our offer will create a stronger Hollywood. It is in the best interests of the creative community, consumers and the movie theater industry,” David Ellison said in a statement. “We believe they will benefit from the enhanced competition, higher content spend and theatrical release output, and a greater number of movies in theaters as a result of our proposed transaction.”

Paramount’s tender offer is set to expire Jan. 8, 2026, unless it’s extended.

Shares of Warner Bros. jumped 4.4% on Monday to $27.23. Paramount gained 9% to $14.57 a share while Netflix lost 3.4% to $96.79.

Times staff writers Wendy Lee and Stephen Battaglio contributed to this report.

Netflix shares dipped Monday after Paramount announced a hostile takeover bid, fueling worries on Wall Street that the streaming giant may not be able to pull off its audacious acquisition.

Netflix stock closed down nearly 3.5% to $96.79 a share after Paramount moved to take its case directly to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders, offering $30 a share in a deal valued at $78 billion for the whole company. Last week, Netflix said it reached an agreement with WBD to buy its film and TV studios, Burbank lot, HBO and HBO Max for $27.75 a share, a $72-billion offer. Netflix would also take on more than $10 billion in Warner Bros. debt, for a deal value of $82.7 billion.

On Monday, analyst Jeffrey Wlodarczak, CEO of Pivotal Research Group, downgraded his rating on Netflix stock from buy to hold, citing concerns that Paramount’s bid could increase the price Netflix could pay for the WBD assets. Regulatory issues may also change the terms of the deal, such as Netflix giving up HBO to a rival, Wlodarczak said. “The question is, what modifications might they have to make?” he said.

Wlodarczak also questioned Netflix’s engagement levels with customers, which is key to retaining subscribers on the platform. He said that “this very expensive deal” highlights Netflix’s concern that short-form entertainment on platforms like TikTok and YouTube are attracting younger consumers.

YouTube — once known as a place for amateur user-generated videos — has become an entertainment powerhouse, encapsulating the largest percentage of streaming on U.S. TVs, according to Nielsen. In October, YouTube represented 12.9% of U.S. TV viewing time, compared to Netflix’s 8%.

Netflix said its customer engagement “remains healthy,” noting in a shareholder letter in October that it grew its engagement in the U.S. and U.K. by 15% and 22%, from the fourth quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2025, citing data from Nielsen and Barb, which tracks viewership.

Equity research publisher MoffettNathanson analysts said questions have been building about Netflix’s engagement growth, adding that even though Netflix’s share of total TV time started to grow in the second half of the year, “YouTube’s share gains have overshadowed most of the other streaming platforms.”

“There’s issues with Netflix engagement, sort of flatlining,” Wlodarczak said. “You get a lot better content, it should help with your engagement. … Is this a signal they’re really starting to get worried about engagement, and they’re out doing this deal because younger people are just spending increasing amounts of time not sitting there watching hour-long shows?”

Netflix declined to comment on Wlodarczak’s report.

On Friday in a call with investors, Netflix executives emphasized that their business is healthy and growing. They pointed out how sci-fi hit show “Stranger Things” was very popular with younger audiences, as well as series like the drama “Outer Banks” and movies including “KPop Demon Hunters.”

“We had record engagement previous quarter,” said Co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos on the Friday call. “We’re happy with our outlook for the ongoing organic growth and engagement … Our core fundamentals are strong. This gives us a very unique opportunity to accelerate an already very successful model.”

Whether the deal will go through remains an open question, as Netflix would not make the acquisition until 12 to 18 months from now, after Warner Bros. Discovery separates its company, spinning off its cable channels into a new publicly traded company.

Wedbush Securities analysts, who have an outperform rating on the stock, said in a note on Monday that they are skeptical that the deal will pass regulatory scrutiny.

“Ultimately, we think the DOJ will reject a deal without concessions on pricing and industry standards,” the analysts wrote.

On Monday, Netflix executives said they were confident the deal would go through. Co-Chief Executive Greg Peters pointed out that Netflix still represents a smaller share of U.S. TV viewing in the U.S. compared to YouTube, even if it were to combine with Warner Bros. Discover, citing Nielsen data.

“We think there’s a strong fundamental case here for why regulators should approve this deal,” he said.

Wlodarczak said he believes there are benefits to Netflix acquiring the Warner Bros. Discovery assets. The Los Gatos, Calif., streamer would gain access to characters including Batman and Harry Potter.

It also prevents rivals like Paramount from getting bigger.

“They’re starting to get large enough to build a credible threat to Netflix,” Wlodarczak said. “So by buying this thing … it’s going to be really difficult to get as large and have as much scale as Netflix.”

Times staff writer Meg James contributed to this report.

Cinderella is getting flipped on its head with the classic fairytale told from the perspective of her “evil” step-sisters

Netflix Beef actress and an Everything Everywhere All At Once star are teaming up for Cinderella with a twist.

Steps is Netflix ’s next big animated film which is going to show Cinderella’s “not-so-evil step-sisters in a new light” during the princess’ biggest night of her life.

The official synopsis reads: “When misunderstood Lilith (played by Ali Wong) is blamed for hijacking the Royal Ball with a stolen magic wand, she accidentally turns her sister Margot (Stephanie Hsu) into a frog and allows the kingdom to fall into the hands of a prince-obsessed mean girl.

“Now Lilith must team up with Cinderella (and a surprisingly dreamy troll) to save the kingdom, repair the fractured fairy tale, and prove that even so-called villains deserve a shot at happily ever after.”

Taking on the role of Lillith is actress and comedian Ali Wong who is famed for playing Amy Lau in the hit Netflix show Beef.

She also portrayed Sasha in the heartwarming romcom Always Be My Maybe with MCU star Randall Park and Matrix icon Keanu Reeves.

Wong is joined by Academy Award-nominated actress Stephanie Hsu who has been in Everything Everywhere All At Once and The Marvelous Mrs Maisel as Mei Lin.

As of yet, there has been no official word on who is set to voice Cinderella but director Alyce Tzue has opened up on what attracted her to this unique fairytale adaptation.

She shared: “This story is, at its core, about two very different sisters — one who fits perfectly into this fairy tale kingdom and one who doesn’t — realizing they’re more alike than different.

“It’s such a personal story for me because, growing up as an awkward, artsy Taiwanese kid in suburban New Jersey, I often felt like an outsider, like ‘happily ever after’ wasn’t meant for me.

“I wanted to create a film for everyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong — and show how a single act of kindness can change everything.”

Also working behind the cameras as a co-director of Steps is John Ripa who directed Raya And The Last Dragon but has additionally worked on Frozen and Zootopia.

They will be joined by producers Jane Hartwell, Kim Lessing and actress and comedian Amy Poehler who has starred in Parks and Recreation and the original Mean Girls film.

Steps will premiere on Netflix in 2026.