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Sitting in the control room of their home studio known as the Centre of Mental Arts (COMA for short), Long Beach husband-and-wife duo Scott Montoya and Julia Kugel smile as they discuss new music they recorded for their band Soft Palms. Their new album, titled “In Echo,” has been in the works for over five years. The 10-song album, out Friday on Everloving Records, was inspired by their frustration about how they feel the world has devolved since 2020.

“The first record I was like, ‘I want to give the world a hug,’” Kugel says. “And then this one I was like, f— this world.”

For Kugel and Montoya, the album serves as the latest chapter of their creative and personal journey. The pair met in 2012 at a music festival in Dallas (“The most romantic city,” Kugel quips), while playing in the Atlanta-based band the Coathangers and Orange County’s the Growlers, respectively. They bonded over a shared disgust at gladiator shoes, and soon thereafter, were in a relationship.

By 2017, they were married and settled in Long Beach. Despite Kugel’s role in the Coathangers at the time (Montoya left the Growlers in 2016), the couple wanted to form a band. Previously, they recorded a pair of songs that constituted Kugel’s second solo seven-inch single. That experience made them comfortable knowing they could balance their professional and personal lives.

“He’s super easy to work with,” Kugel says of Montoya, who sits beside her, trying to hide a smile. She looks at him and continues, “he’s very talented and very patient.”

“When we were in our other bands, we used to meet up on tour,” Montoya, who also produces and engineers for other artists, says. ”You see the absolute worst of people on tour … so this is nothing.”

To kickstart Soft Palms, Kugel drew from a batch of songs she had previously written that had no home. Being able to record in their own studio allowed the pair to craft songs without feeling any pressure to meet a deadline.

By late 2019, the pair put the finishing touches on their self-titled debut. When the record was released in July 2020, the pandemic was still in full force. The pair were disappointed and upset by the state of the world, and after a few years of stewing, Kugel and Montoya got started on a second album.

Don’t be fooled by its breezy ’60s-analog vintage pop sound. Soft Palms are angry, and that informs the spirit of “In Echo.”

The pair points to “Radio” as the album’s bellwether. First released in 2025, the song rails against how, over the past handful of years, people have fought for the sake of fighting, with no end in sight.

More strikingly, on the biting “Nervous as Hell,” Montoya points to Fox News as “infecting everyone’s parents.”

“I did some digging because I couldn’t believe something that hateful existed,” he says of the network, specifically its landmark $787-million settlement with Dominion Voting Systems. “It turned it from this horrible thing into this s— business that has taken advantage of the elderly and destroyed families.”

That anger continues on the angsty rocker “The Wedding Song.” Kugel points to attending a wedding where a family member married a “total raging maniac,” and how they dealt with the buildup of delicately balancing being cordial yet firm.

“He [the family member] goes, ‘I just want you to show up and shut up!” she says. “I was like, ‘Well, firstly, f— you. Then secondly, this is a song — you just handed me gold.”

Since settling in Long Beach, for the last 10 years Kugel and Montoya took it upon themselves to help foster a positive, artistic community. It’s that mindset that pushed them to found and operate their 501(c)(3) nonprofit called Studios for Schools with the goal of providing recording equipment to underprivileged schools.

Their DIY work ethic in entertainment was also the driving force behind Happy Sundays, a free Long Beach-based music festival. Running for 10 years, the fest created a block party in the city’s Zaferia neighborhood that eventually expanded into a full weekend of shows across stages set up at local businesses to host a diverse lineup of veteran and up-and-coming area bands. Though the event was paused this year so they can focus on the new album and book, the couple plan to bring it back in 2027.

“It was like a statement in that way of like f— these giant prices, VIP experiences and all of that stuff,” Kugel says. “It’s the anti-music festival and a celebration of community.”

Keeping with that spirit, and drawing from the experiences of their two-decade careers, last month the pair released a book titled “How to Be Self-Reliant in the Music Business.” The genesis of this self-published guidebook occurred when the pair realized they were not receiving a portion of a royalty stream they were owed. They knew that if they were in the dark on the issues they thought they knew, others likely were as well.

“We decided to turn it into a book because we realized there’s so much stuff that few artists know about on their own,” Montoya says. “I want people to understand the scope of what they’re actually getting into, and the reality of their situations.”

“It’s a very thorough overview,” Kugel adds.

The book includes information beyond what one would find in Donald S. Passman’s longstanding industry bible “All You Need to Know About the Music Business.” With assistance from a lawyer friend and a CPA family member, the pair addresses topics ranging from backstage etiquette to managing social media to dealing with record labels and publishing companies. They hope that it will provide a blueprint for bands old and new to better navigate music’s notoriously choppy waters. Their accessible, snack-size chapters move fluidly as they explain the realities artists face in 2026.

Battling through the disappointment of the first part of the decade allowed Kugel and Montoya to find their creative way. Armed with this infusion of activity across various disciplines, the couple is inspired to continue to shake their way out of the past. Though focused on their impending U.S. and European tour, the duo promise that the next Soft Palms album won’t take as long and are mulling over their next music-industry book project. For now.

“It’s a lot to keep up with all of these projects,” Montoya says. “We work all day, every day. And it’s been cool to see signs that it’s paying off.”

ROXY Horner stripped down to her birthday suit to ring in another year as the family celebrated in style.

The 35-year-old model married her comedian hubby Jack Whitehall in April and was taken to her “favourite stay” in the UK for her birthday.

The famous couple and their two-year-old daughter Elsie stayed in the Lion Lodge at the Port Lympne safari resort in Kent.

Roxy shared a reel of photos to her Instagram that included her floating nude in a luxurious Scandinavian bath that overlooked the lion reserve.

The model also shared a photo of Elsie enjoying the bath as lions roamed outside their window.

They also got up close and personal with some giraffes, including getting the opportunity hand feed them.

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Roxy Horner stuns in sheer dress as she steps out with boyfriend Jack Whitehall

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Other photos in Roxy’s post included them enjoying a high tea lunch and cruising in a buggy as they looked at the animals.

Finally, Roxy shared a video of Jack playing with Elsie as he looked in on her sitting in a open vehicle.

“For my birthday we stayed in a Lion lodge at my favourite stay in the uk @portlympnepark… So peaceful. Mine. Cuddles. Majestic creatures. Happy birthday to me. My favourite creatures to interact with,” Roxy captioned the post.

Roxy is no stranger to posing in bath tubs and shared snippets of her honeymoon where her and Jack rode on the Orient Express.

She posed in a decadent bath as they travelled from Venice to Paris.

Posting snaps of the train and dining carriage, Roxy wrote online: “Having a bath on a train is so romantic.”

Voicemails for Isabelle’s Zoey Deutch is dating a fellow comedy star – here’s what we know about their secretive relationship

Zoey Deutch is captivating audiences once more, this time starring opposite Nick Robinson in Netflix’s unmissable romantic comedy Voicemails for Isabelle.

The heartfelt rom-com follows Deutch’s driven young baker Jill, who relocates to San Francisco for an opportunity to work under renowned but tyrannical Chef Bastien (portrayed by Nick Offerman), who transforms her professional life into a waking nightmare.

Meanwhile, her sister Isabelle (Ciara Bravo) has battled cancer throughout most of her existence. Following her sudden death, Jill processes the devastating bereavement by continuously calling her phone number and recording voicemails.

Yet these recordings are actually reaching real estate agent Wes (Robinson) after he acquires a new mobile, and he starts developing feelings for the enigmatic woman on the other end.

With Voicemails for Isabelle poised to become another enormous Netflix success this weekend, here’s what we’ve discovered about Deutch’s romantic life beyond the camera, reports Wales Online.

Who is Zoey Deutch dating?

The 31 year old Deutch is well-versed in romantic comedies, having secured her breakthrough performance alongside Glen Powell in 2018’s Set It Up.

She’s also Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Pretty in Pink director Howard Deutch and Back to the Future actress Lea Thompson.

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Deutch has been romantically involved with actor and comedian Jimmy Tatro, 34, since 2021.

Following his breakthrough performance in Netflix’s mockumentary series American Vandal, viewers may spot him from recent productions Theater Camp, You’re Cordially Invited and Scream 7.

In September 2025, the couple revealed they had been secretly engaged for three months through a joint Instagram post.

Posting a charming photograph from the proposal, which took place during a sunny beach getaway, they captioned it: “three months engaged to the love of my life”.

Their engagement appears to remain intact, as Deutch featured images of them together in a carousel posted to her account in April this year, with the caption “one less lonely girl”.

Prior to her romance with Tatro, Deutch was in a five-year relationship with actor Avan Jogia, whom she met at the 2012 Kids’ Choice Awards.

Although they parted ways in 2017, the former couple went on to appear alongside each other in The Year of Spectacular Men and Zombieland: Double Tap, indicating they maintained an amicable split.

Following her separation from Jogia, Deutch had a brief romance with Dylan Hayes, also an actor.

Details about their relationship remain scarce, although they were photographed attending several public events as a couple.

Voicemails for Isabelle is available to stream on Netflix.

Juliet Aubrey, who has enjoyed a long and varied acting career, previously recalled her experience working with John Nettles on Midsomer Murders

An actress who previously worked alongside John Nettles on Midsomer Murders has used just one word to sum him up.

Juliet Aubrey appeared with the DCI Tom Barnaby star in a 2006 episode, and has reminisced about her experience on the much-loved ITV crime drama.

The screen and stage performer, perhaps best recognised for portraying Dorothea in the BBC’s 1994 adaptation of Middlemarch, which earned her a Bafta, has since appeared in Snatch, Primeval, All Creatures Great and Small and The White Queen.

However, when questioned about one particular role, she had nothing but praise to share.

“That was fun, that was a really fun role because she was quite an extreme character,” Juliet revealed, discussing Midsomer Murders.

She continued: “She’s a horse-riding nymphomaniac basically! [It was] lots of fun doing that.”

Reflecting on her experience with the ensemble, Juliet remarked: “The cast on Midsomer Murders, they were lovely, they were great… John Nettles was wonderful,” reports the Express.

“It’s nice going in and doing a storyline and then coming out and doing something else, rather than being stuck in a series for a long time.”

Despite her extensive catalogue across numerous television programmes, Juliet maintained she doesn’t pick favourites.

She explained: “There are just so many wonderful parts, and at the time you think they’re a favourite and then the next one comes along and you go, this one.

“I mean, there’s so much variety… to be able to asked to play all these very, very different characters, it’s been wonderful, love it.”

Having taken on a variety of screen roles, Juliet has returned to the stage, and is presently appearing in a production of The Marquise.

“I always used to do loads of theatre, that’s my whole background,” she shared.

Discussing the Noel Coward play in which she’s currently performing, she added: “It’s very fast-paced, lots of laughs, and it’s about love and betrayal and lust and hope and new beginnings, all of that, it’s really good fun.”

She continued: “It’s completely different to anything I’ve ever played before. It’s comedy, and it’s really nice to be getting into a really happy place every day, and she’s fantastic.”

Midsomer Murders is available to watch on ITVX.

A NOUGHTIES pop star looks unrecognisable 23 years after his controversial hit, as he braved the rain at a UK festival.

This US singer, now 54, shot to fame in a quirky Detroit rock band – but can you guess who he is?

The star in question is Dick Valentine, who is known for the band Electric Six, which he founded with friends from high school.

The band launched into the spotlight in the early noughties, and were known for their controversial song Gay Bar.

The tune was released in June 2003, and lead singer Dick, who’s real name is Tyler Spencer, has now revealed how he came up with the song.

Speaking in the rain at Download Festival, he told the Academy Music Group: “The real story, I was in a rock and roll bar. Okay, and so there’s ambient noise, there are people talking, there are drinks clinking.

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“In the background, on the jukebox, right, you’re hearing the song that they’re playing in the jukebox, but you can’t quite make out the lyrics.

“The song on the jukebox was Girl You Want by Devo, where the lyrics are, ‘She’s just a girl, just a girl, girl you want.’

“Those are the lyrics, those are the actual lyrics.”

Continuing with his story, Dick said: “But I thought he was saying, ‘She’s just a girl, just a girl in a gay bar.’

“And so I started singing that, and my friend was like, ‘No, no, no, what are you singing?’

“So then I’ve got this lyric now about a girl in a gay bar, right, I’ve got this, and it hasn’t been used, so now this is mine.

“So that was the genesis of it. It was just a misheard lyric in a pub, and it worked out really well for me!”

When Gay Bar was released over twenty years ago, the track certainly caused a stir.

While the song and music video got a lot of airplay the lyrics mentioning the Iraq war, which was ongoing at the time, were edited because they were perceived to have been offensive at the time.

Meanwhile, Electric Six shot to fame with their first single, Danger! High Voltage, which soared to No. 2 in the UK charts.

Along with Dick, the original line-up included Cory Martin on drums, Anthony Selph on lead guitar, Joe Frezza on rhythm guitar, and Steve Nawara on bass.

Over the years the band has experienced various changes in members, but Dick has always remained at the helm.

Electric Six continue to perform, and are currently on tour right now in the UK.

VICTORIA Beckham has extended the biggest olive branch to estranged son Brooklyn yet with a touching Father’s Day tribute to David. 

The fashion designer, 52, took to social media to share a snap of David, 51, with Brooklyn, 27,  Romeo, 23, Cruz, 21, and Harper, 14, in happier times. 

It showed proud dad David posing next to Brooklyn with their arms around each other – a stark contrast to the state of their relationship these days. 

Spice Girl Victoria wrote: “David you truly are the best daddy.

“Your greatest achievement has always been our beautiful children and we love you so much.Happy Father’s Day.”

Victoria’s post comes just days after the family feud took a bitter twist when Brooklyn mocked his strained relationship with his dad in a paid collaboration with Door Dash. 

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Brooklyn Beckham ‘raked in £753k for World Cup ad that left his family fuming’

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Brooklyn Beckham rivals dad David with new ad – after family feud World Cup swipe

Brooklyn, who now lives in Los Angeles with wife Nicola Peltz, was seen in a clip saying: “You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home…”

Smirking Brooklyn then laughed: “It’s a long story.”

He went on to throw down his tickets onto the coffee table.

The advert then said: “It’s complicated. More soon.”

It’s now been claimed that the nepo baby was paid a whopping $1 million dollars, which equates to £753k, according to Mail Online.

Beloved England player Becks famously played in three FIFA World Cups in 1998, 2002 and 2006.

The ad came after Brooklyn failed to acknowledge his dad’s Hollywood Walk of Fame honour.

Instead, he took to Instagram to share a story of himself enjoying a run in the park while in New York.

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Fans want to know if a sixth season of Clarkson’s Farm is in the works after Jeremy Clarkson’s cancer scare

Everything you need to know about the latest Clarkson’s Farm update

1. Jeremy Clarkson has confirmed that Season 6 of Clarkson’s Farm is officially in production at Prime Video.
2. The announcement comes just days after the former Top Gear star revealed his cancer diagnosis in the fifth season’s penultimate episode.
3. Speaking on Instagram in front of a Lamborghini tractor, Clarkson said: “I am delighted to tell you that Season 6 of Clarkson’s Farm is currently being filmed.”
4. Despite being diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer, the presenter has now confirmed he is cancer-free. He urged men to get tested for the disease.
5. The news has delighted fans who spotted camera crews at Diddly Squat Farm in recent weeks. The upcoming series is expected to be released in summer 2027.
6. Season 5 proved challenging for the Diddly Squat crew, featuring Jeremy’s emergency heart surgery and the devastating loss of a pregnant cow due to tuberculosis concerns.
7. However, there were positive moments including the success of an AI-powered tractor and Kaleb Cooper welcoming his third child with fiancée Taya.

READ THE FULL STORY: Jeremy Clarkson officially confirms Clarkson’s Farm Season 6 is in production after ‘bit of a year’

Jeremy Clarkson took to Instagram this weekend with an exciting update on his hit Prime Video series

The update comes days after his cancer diagnosis was revealed.

Clarkson’s Farm Season 6 is officially in the works at Prime Video, Jeremy Clarkson has confirmed.

The news comes days after the fifth outing of the former Top Gear star’s hit series concluded with the devastating news that he has been diagnosed with cancer.

Jeremy took to Instagram this weekend with a filmed update in front of a Lamborghini tractor.

“So, bit of a year,” he began. “But, I am delighted to tell you that Season 6 of Clarkson’s Farm is currently being filmed. It’s in production.

“And that’s particularly good news for me because… well, if you know, you know.

“And, if you don’t know, you need to watch Season 5.”

Despite Jeremy being diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer, which devastated his farming colleagues Kaleb Cooper and Charlie Ireland in the seventh episode of season five, he’s now confirmed to be cancer free.

The presenter took to Instagram just a couple of hours before the Season 6 announcement to assure fans he’s “perfectly fine” and urging men to get tested.

His update also arrives after Jeremy was spotted with camera crews on Diddly Squat Farm, leading to speculation that Season 6 was almost certainly underway.

Fans can now rest assured that the upcoming instalment is officially in the works and is likely to be released in summer 2027.

One of his followers replied: “I love you Jeremy, love the show and the rest of the crew.”

Someone else exclaimed: “Best news of the day!” And another said: “Wonderful news [heart emoji].”

“Absolutely thrilled,” another fan commented. “Thrilled as your show is one of my all time favourites, but even moreso that you’re all clear health wise! Excitedly awaiting season 6.”

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Season 5 was a rocky road for the Diddly Squat crew, which also includes Jeremy’s partner Lisa Hogan and dry stone walling expert Gerald Cooper.

In addition to Jeremy’s cancer diagnosis, the latest instalment kicked off with Jeremy’s emergency heart surgery in late 2024 and saw one of his toughest farming experiences yet as his pregnant cow was slaughtered due to “inconclusive” tuberculosis tests.

However, there were plenty of uplifting moments too as the AI-powered AgBot tractor proved a success and Kaleb welcomed his third child with fiancée Taya.

Clarkson’s Farm is available to stream on Prime Video.

IT’S been five years since Britney Spears was released from her conservatorship following the Free Britney campaign, but insiders say the pop superstar is more lost than ever. 

In recent months alone Britney, 44, has been arrested for a DUI and faced accusations of bizarre behaviour including making barking sounds at a restaurant and brandishing a knife. 

It’s a far cry from the 16-year-old who took over the world in 1998 with her debut single Baby One More Time, which catapulted her to instant worldwide fame. 

She should be living life on her own terms after 14 years under the heavy surveillance of her dad Jamie Spears. But The Sun understands that couldn’t be further from the truth. 

An insider said: “Some people close to Britney can’t help wondering whether she’s actually happier now than she was then.

“The sad reality is that she seems incredibly isolated. She spends most of her time at home and her world has become smaller and smaller over the years. 

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“Those around her would love to see her thriving, but instead they worry she’s become increasingly detached from everyone else.”

In 2023, Britney split from her third husband Sam Asghari – less than a year after tying the knot – and we’re told the break-up had a huge impact on the mum-of-two.

She shares Sean Preston, 20, and Jayden James, 19, with ex-husband Kevin  Federline and has struggled with a strained relationship with her sons for years. 

Our source said: “The divorce hit her hard and she hasn’t appeared to find the stability or companionship she craves and desperately needs. 

“Her relationship with her sons has also been a source of sadness over the years, and those closest to her know how much that weighs on her.

“People are worried rather than reassured, especially when they see her on social media. The videos and posts leave people concerned and scratching their heads, it looks like we’re seeing someone who is still struggling.”

Despite being one of the best-selling music artists of all time, Britney left fans gutted in 2022 when she insisted she’ll “probably never perform again”. 

She said on social media at the time: “I’m pretty traumatized for life and yes I’m p****d as f**k and no I probably won’t perform again just because I’m stubborn and I will make my point.”

And it’s the lack of ambition for performing – something she once thrived on – that has pals seriously concerned and wondering what she’ll do with her life if she doesn’t return to the stage. 

“The overwhelming feeling among those who care about her is sadness,” our insider said. “Nobody is questioning her right to live life on her own terms, but there are fears that she’s still searching for happiness and hasn’t found the peace that everyone hoped freedom would bring. 

“They look at Britney and see a woman who appears deeply lonely, increasingly disconnected and still trying to find her place in the world all these years later.”

BAYWATCH reboot star Brooks Nader wears a bejewelled bikini ahead of the show’s upcoming launch.

The 29-year-old American model-turned-actress sported the jewelled two-piece ahead of a Sports Illustrated show in Miami, Florida.

She won fame by winning the publication’s swimsuit model search in 2019.

Since then she has been cast in the new Baywatch as Selene, captain of the lifeguards patrolling Zuma Beach in California’s exclusive Malibu.

The remake of the Nineties favourite – which starred David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson – is set to hit screens next January.

Brooks said putting on the show’s famous red swimsuit brought her to tears.

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And she said: “We’re going to pay homage to Pam and all of Baywatch to the best of our ability.”

In addition to her modelling career and stint on DWTS, Brooks stars on the new reality TV series, Love Thy Nader, which premiered on Hulu earlier this year.

The show follows Brooks and her sisters, Mary Holland, Grace Ann, and Sarah Jane, as they navigate building careers in the Big Apple.

She has been dating actor Taron Egerton, who starred in Rocketman and Apple TV+ prison drama Black Bird.

In Australian writer-director Adrian Chiarella’s knotty roller coaster of a feature debut “Leviticus,” about a demon tormenting a pair of queer teenage boys, the fear is more insidious than the external threat of a violent bigot or shunning parent.

In an abandoned mill in their blighted industrial town, quiet new kid Naim (Joe Bird) and brash hunk Ryan (Stacy Clausen) allow a friendly, mischievous connection to turn into something more. But when Naim later secretly observes his new crush fiercely locking lips with another classmate, Hunter (Jeremy Blewitt), son of a leader in the tight-knit church that Naim’s single mom (Mia Wasikowska) just joined, hurt gets the better of Naim’s instincts and he secretly informs on the pair.

The church’s punishment, however, delivered in front of the congregants, is an eerie ritual performed by a gaunt, severe visitor (Nicholas Hope). Called a “deliverance healer,” his fire-and-brimstone method — making incarnate the title’s Biblical book, regularly used to justify anti-LGBTQ viewpoints — leave Ryan and Hunter writhing in agony. Afterward, Naim, sensing he might have unwittingly set into motion something awful, notices bizarre behavior in the stricken-looking Ryan. When they try to furtively rekindle their passion, it becomes violently clear they are not alone. Or even, it seems, themselves.

The feeling that nowhere is safe is a durable horror concept, the backbone behind such classics as “Nightmare on Elm Street” and “It Follows.” In “Leviticus,” which is expertly paced by editor Nick Fenton, it comes with a flair for open-space unease and unexpected claustrophobia that puts director Chiarella in a long line of savvy Australian mood-setters like Peter Weir and Fred Schepisi. These filmmakers knew how to fold tactile dread into a worthy narrative, rather than treat genre as if it were a kit with instructions.

But most urgently and bleakly, Chiarella is giving religious-based conversion therapy its devilish due as a warping of the soul designed to sow distrust in one’s own desires. He’s careful, however, not to tell a tale that would speak to homophobes. As distressing as their circumstance is, Naim and Ryan are unmistakably positioned as heroic lovers, not victims-to-be. Chiarella takes time between bouts of danger to show affection and intimacy that, in defiance of teen-slasher formula, isn’t immediately penalized with sadism. But their fraught relationship will decidedly keep you nervous, so score one for multilayered storytelling.

Points, too, for the solid casting, from the leads’ tricky pivoting from openness to caginess, to the criminally underseen Wasikowska, who navigates maternal complexities of worry and compassion that confound easy pigeonholing. If anything, the movie could have used more of her, although it’s better overall that “Leviticus” prioritizes Naim and Ryan as queer protagonists caught in a chilling loop of escape and reunion. We already know what’s out there, ready to do harm. This movie’s nail-biting, sorrowful power comes from what internalized destruction looks like.

The blush of first love inside the glow of new friendship is where “Girls Like Girls” works its easygoing charms, but also an affecting sadness. You’d never mistake multihyphenate pop star Hayley Kiyoko’s directorial debut for a groundbreaking queer romance, but sometimes the best summer vibes require only a breezy intoxicant, something made of all the funny feelings, a few of the deeper ones and a lot of heart.

That also describes Kiyoko’s shepherding of her hit 2015 track “Girls Like Girls,” a hooky LGBTQ+ anthem that went from viral music video (which she co-directed) to bestselling YA novel and finally this feature adaptation, written with Chloe Okuno and Stefanie Scott (the original video’s star). “Girls Like Girls” may be conventionally imagined, but there’s an admirable focus on unadorned warmth in Kiyoko’s storytelling: She likes her girls and cares enough to want us to like them, too.

We’re dropped in picturesque rural Oregon, where we find bike-riding new kid in town Coley (appealing newcomer Maya da Costa), who happens upon an energetic crowd of peers at a local diner, then gets asked to join them for a lake excursion (“We don’t bite”) by confident and friendly Sonya (Myra Molloy). When Coley, a shy, watchful sort, gets thrown in the water by obnoxious Trenton (Levon Hawke), she tries to leave, but not before Sonya softens the blow by insisting on a “proper hang” and the exchange of AOL usernames. (Because, oh, yeah, it’s 2006, giving us a refreshingly nostalgic break from the tyranny of smartphones.)

Anyway, SonyeahXOXO and RollieColey87 take quickly to their obvious spark, initially sublimating that deeper attraction through scenes of laughter, teasing, the rush from shoplifted alcohol, bed-sharing and lots of deep gazing. But they also lean into a connection marked by honesty and vulnerability, particularly Coley’s grief over losing her mom and not feeling connected to her widowed dad (Zach Braff). With Sonja Tyspin’s cinematography imbuing an innocent, sensual curiosity, Kiyoko sweetly conveys the awkward thrill of fledgling emotions. One scene in particular, in which Coley explores Sonya’s room, touching everything, hums with the strange excitement of being a specially invited new confidante.

But the day after the pair’s unspoken attraction becomes physical — a scene deftly stretched to “Kiss already!” limits — a confusing tension enters the chat, triggering a tailspin of self-doubt in Coley. A lesser film might have pivoted toward assuring us of a happy makeup, but “Girls Like Girls,” which stays centered in Coley’s POV, understands that at the crux of her pain is an untended self-acceptance that must be addressed first. Da Costa realizes that journey with unforced naturalism, as if the camera just happened to be there to capture it. (Molloy betrays a more studied star wattage, but she’s nevertheless a solid other half.)

Mostly, “Girls Like Girls” wins us over with a singular type of first-film assuredness: a familiar story presented as the most personal reveal ever. If you can’t remember what it was like to try to tiptoe while swooning, your heart barely able to stay in your chest, you were never a teenager.

The Icelandic Nordic noir thriller follows police officer Aníta as she investigates dark secrets

Black Sands is returning for a second series on U.

The Icelandic crime thriller, which devotees of ITV’s Broadchurch ought to appreciate, resumes 14 months following the startling events of the opening season, with the small coastal town of Glerársandar still grappling with the revelation that a serial killer had been concealed in plain sight amongst its inhabitants.

Central to the new series is police officer Aníta, who is adapting to life as a new mother while wrestling with a powerful urge to return to work.

Her world is thrown into turmoil when a woman perishes in what seems to be a suspicious car crash. Driven to unearth the truth, Aníta becomes embroiled in the investigation alongside her friend and colleague Fríða, who is heading up the official police inquiry.

As the case progresses, sinister secrets from the town’s past start to surface. The investigation traces back to a former foster home with connections to Aníta’s own family, revealing decades of concealed trauma and lingering questions, reports Wales Online.

What at first appears to be a tragic accident quickly evolves into a considerably more intricate mystery, with startling revelations and devastating ramifications for those caught up in it.

Throughout the eight-part series, viewers can anticipate twists as long-buried truths emerge, relationships are put to the test, and suspicion descends upon numerous residents. As the pressure intensifies, Aníta grapples with both the investigation and her own personal demons, paving the way for a dramatic finale.

Season two of Black Sands arrives on U on 20 June, with all episodes available to stream from launch day.

Fans who have already delved into the crime thriller have offered mixed verdicts on the programme, though it has garnered acclaim from critics.

Reviewer Kelly Luchtman commented: Black Sands is a very satisfying series with fantastic acting, especially by Steinunn Ólína Thorsteinsdóttir, who has mastered the dangerous charm of Elín’s character.

“We can feel the oppressive sadness of the town, and empathize with Aníta, even if it’s her own bad decisions that are the impetus for her return. People have criticised the running time of the series and the agonising slowness of solving the crime. I agree it could have been 6 episodes instead of 8, but I still binged it.”

Black Sands series two is available to watch on U.

The now-influencer appeared on BBC’s Song Marry Avoid when she was just 19-years-old

A woman who appeared on a popular BBC show says she had no choice but to turn down some major opportunities.

Sophie Bow received a dramatic ‘makeunder’ on BBC’s Snog Marry Avoid, which featured the sassy robotic style guru POD (Personal Overhaul Device).

Rather than being given a makeover, those who appeared on the show were given a ‘makeunder’ as they were persuaded less is more.

The show was a huge hit with fans in the late 00s with singer Jenny Frost followed by comedian and Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Taylor as the host. The BBC Three show aired from 2008 until its sixth and final series in December 2013.

Sophie was just 19 when she first appeared on our TV screens, when she encountered POD as a teenager who loved lots of fake tan, heavy makeup and eye-catching outfits covered in sequins and glitter.

At the time, viewers fell in love with the teen and show bosses were keen to get her back on our TV screens for other projects.

Now 33, she has become a popular social media content creator but revealed that she was forced to turn down a number of TV opportunities because of her anxiety.

Looking back on her journey since appearing on Snog Marry Avoid, she took to TikTok and gave fans an update on her life today.

She started off by saying: “I would say appearing on telly back in the day definitely helped my career.

“Back then it was a very popular show but it disappeared off the face of the earth and no one knows why or where it went but it would be so good if they brought it back.”

She revealed: “After being on that show, I did actually get casted for the first ever Love Island but I was in a relationship. I’ve always been in a relationship so I never went on the show. “

However her relationship wasn’t the only thing holding her back as she explained: “But there have been so many opportunities that I actually did miss out on – throughout my life because I do have anxiety – I suffer badly with anxiety.

“I don’t really know what triggered it but I do get quite back anxiety. Even to this day I get asked on brand trips or anything outside my comfort zone, if I’m not going with somebody I can’t.”

The influencer added: “I really need to push myself to do more. I have a little boy and he is the best thing ever so I did take a little break from social media for a little while but then I did go back into social media.

“I did lose quite a lot of following from having the break then I started a TikTok account and here I am.”

The news presenter has shared his Alzheimer’s journey in his new Channel 4 documentary

Jon Snow’s wife has opened up about his health condition during a documentary about the star’s life.

The 78-year-old broadcaster has been flooded with support in recent weeks after sharing he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s back in 2023.

Jon was the face of Channel 4 News from 1989 to 2021 and became one of the nation’s most trusted broadcasters before he decided to step down from his role after 32 years to focus on ‘longer-form projects’.

On Saturday evening (June 20), Jon shared his journey in an insightful Channel 4 documentary, Jon Snow: A Last Big Story, in association with the Alzheimer’s Society.

Jon’s wife, Dr Precious Lunga, starred alongside the veteran journalist on in the show. The 51-year-old is an epidemiologist and entrepreneur from Zimbabwe who left the country at 17 to study in the UK.

She graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1998 with a degree in neuroscience, before completing a PhD in neuroscience at the University of Cambridge in 2003.

The couple first met in 2001 on the Caribbean island of Mustique, where they tied the knot nine years later in 2010.

They welcomed a child together via surrogacy in 2021, with Jon also having two children from his previous marriage.

In one scene of the documentary, the camera followed Jon into a doctor’s appointment, where he was accompanied by Precious, and informed that his health has been slowly declining.

Precious responded to the doctor by adding that she felt Jon’s health had recently changed, before opening up about his initial diagnosis.

“When we received a diagnosis, people were writing Jon off, and that’s when I realised how stigmatised Alzheimer’s is, and it made me so angry actually”, Precious explained.

“This is a progressive disease, but you can have Alzheimer’s and still will be a valuable member of society to contribute, if your loved ones are there to help you navigate it.”

Speaking about what the future holds, Precious bravely confirmed: “So, I want to give him as good a life as I can.”

Speaking about his diagnosis in the film, Jon says: “At the beginning I wanted to hide it, there’s so much prejudice. Any sort of hint of mental decay, you’re sort of dead.

“There are moments when it pops up, but it’s not an all-day, every-day condition, and that’s what I cling onto.”

He added: “I’ve witnessed a great deal, I hope I’ve learned something – but I’ve still got a huge amount to learn. We all have. There’s still more to do.”

Jon Snow: A Last Big Story is streaming now on Channel4.com

Casualty fans have been left divided over Stevie Nash’s future on the BBC medical drama

It’s been a turbulent period in Casualty for beloved character Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) as BBC audiences discovered her role at Holby ED hangs in the balance.

After her colleague and mate Dylan Keogh (William Beck) uncovered she’d been conducting a clandestine romance with his son and junior medic Matty Linlaker, he informed Clinical Lead Flynn Byron (Olly Rix).

Explaining that the accusations levelled against her ‘amount to sexual coercion’, Matty, Dylan and Stevie were all required to attend hearings with HR panel members during Saturday’s instalment (June 20).

Throughout the medical drama, the three clashed yet again as Stevie subsequently apologised to Matty for the entire situation.

Nevertheless, Matty responded: “You’re not sorry, Stevie. You’ve realised I’ve got the power to end your career and you’re worried what I’m going to say, right?”

When she questioned what he intended to tell the HR panel, he remained silent, while Stevie was subsequently shown in floods of tears confiding in Flynn, confessing she didn’t wish to lose her position, reports the Daily Star.

As the episode drew to a close, audiences witnessed Stevie facing the panel members as she declared: “Look, before we get started. I just wanted to apologise unreservedly for my behaviour.

“I have no doubt whatsoever that I’ve made mistakes. But, I’m a bl**dy good doctor. I deserve to be here, and I’ll fight tooth and nail to make sure I stay.”

Can Stevie preserve her position at the hospital? Or will Matty destroy her career for spurning him?

It didn’t take long for viewers to react to the episode, with many divided over Stevie and her future on the long-running medical drama. One viewer wrote: “WE CAN’T LOSE STEVIE.”

While another urged: “Fight for your job, Stevie.” A third chimed in: “THE WAY STEVIE ENDED THE EPISODE. I’m so happy.”

With one fan commenting: “Stevie is going to fight for her job. Hopefully, she isn’t leaving now.”

Yet not everybody shared the same excitement about Stevie’s decision to fight for her position, with a number of viewers keen to see her go.

One wrote: “Don’t like this storyline. Add in real life, Stevie would be on suspension, I would’ve thought.” While another simply declared: “So tired of Stevie.”

Casualty is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

A Gavin & Stacey icon is tipped to be joining the celebrity line-up for the 2026 season of Strictly Come Dancing – which will see Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe take over as judges

Gavin & Stacey star Melanie Walters is the latest celebrity to have reportedly signed up to the 2026 season of Strictly Come Dancing. A report has claimed the 64-year-old actress will be throwing on sequins and hitting the ballroom floor as one of the star contestants for the upcoming 24th season of the long-running BBC show.

Sitcom fans will know Melanie as Gwen West in Gavin & Stacey – which aired its last ever episode in 2024 – and is also known for playing Bonnie Bevan in Hollyoaks, and for guest roles in a string of shows including Doc Martin, Casualty, and Beyond Paradise. Now fans may be able to see her in a whole new light as a contestant on the BBC’s iconic dance show.

The 2026 cast has started to be unveiled – with an EastEnders favourite and an Australian music icon among the confirmed cast so far. A report has now suggested that Melanie will be the next celeb to be announced as part of the upcoming line-up.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: ““Melanie is loved across the country for her role as Gwen. The Gavin & Stacey Christmas special in 2024 saw millions of fans turning in for the final episode of the series. BBC bosses are very excited to have landed Melanie given her popularity.”

When asked for a statement, the BBC responded to the Mirror to say: “We don’t comment on speculation.” EastEnders star Lacey Turner, who has played Stacey Slater in the BBC soap since 2004, was the first 2026 contestant to be announced – with Australian singer and recent Eurovision contestant Delta Goodrem also unmasked as a participant.

Fans will recall that Love Island star Dani Dyer was forced to drop out of the 2025 contest after suffering an early injury during the competition – but she has now been granted the chance to fight for the glitterball trophy again as she will return as a 2026 contestant. While celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton has also been unveiled as a season 24 participant.

After being announced as the first contestant for 2026, Lacey said in a statement: “I am so excited to being making my way to the dance floor this year to be a part of Strictly Come Dancing! I am a huge fan and can’t quite believe I will be taking part and not watching at home this year! I look forward to meeting everyone and learning a new skill!”

While Love Island’s Dani declared: “I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September. I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one! I’m just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it!”

Meanwhile, singer Delta – who was a favourite to win the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, but missed out on the crown – expressed her excitement at taking part in Strictly. She gushed: “I’ve been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career – from tv, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world, there is however one stage I’ve never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor! I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can’t wait to get started!”

Chris – who has styled the hair of celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande – said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience. I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new. I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story – and I can’t wait to get started.”

A lot is riding on the 2026 season of Strictly – which will be the first to air since the shock resignations of hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Fans were blindsided last year when they abruptly announced they were to exit the show at the end of 2025 just weeks after the 23rd season started to air.

Model-turned-presenter Emma Willis will front the show alongside former Strictly professional Johannes Radebe and stand up comedian Josh Widdicombe. Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood have all been confirmed as returning as the panel of judges.

As news of the new presenting line-up last month, Emma declared: “To be stepping into the Strictly ballroom is something I can’t quite comprehend.” While Josh added he was: “giddy with excitement, honoured and a little overawed to be given the chance to step into the biggest shoes in television”.

And Strictly pro Johannes – who danced professionally on the series from 2018 through 2025 – said returning to the series as a new presenter was “beyond anything I ever imagined”. The 2026 season of Strictly is expected to begin airing in September.

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Spanish painter Nieves González arrives in Los Angeles for her first U.S. solo exhibition having already experienced a taste of fame.

The 29-year-old caught the attention of the art and fashion worlds last year after being discovered on Instagram and commissioned to paint the cover of Lily Allen’s album “West End Girl.” Depicting the singer as a Baroque aristocrat clad in contemporary designer fashion, the portrait helped propel González onto an international stage.

Collectors have taken notice. The 13 paintings in “A Friendship Story,” opening Saturday at Richard Heller Gallery in Santa Monica, have already sold out, according to the gallery, with prices ranging from $4,000 to $20,000.

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Elle magazine dubbed González “Fashion’s Favorite New Artist,” while exhibitions in Rome, Paris, Belfast and Bilbao, Spain, expanded her reputation across Europe.

González developed her classic yet defiantly modern approach while studying at the University of Seville, where Spanish masters such as Diego Velázquez and Francisco de Zurbarán painted in the naturalist Baroque tradition. Drawing liberally from fashion, art history and everyday life, she often dresses the subjects of her portraits in puffer jackets — garments she wears herself during the cold winters of Granada, Spain, where she lives. The material, she said, recalls the sculptural rendering of fabric in paintings by Zurbarán and Velázquez: the folds, the volumes, the high shine.

Nieves González often dresses her subjects in puffer jackets.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

“It works beautifully from a visual standpoint,” she said, speaking Spanish during an interview at Santa Monica’s Bergamot Station a few days before the exhibition opened. Wearing blue jeans and a pink button-down blouse, she echoed the pastel blues and pinks that appear throughout many of the works surrounding her.

“Fashion inspires me,” she said. “Just as 17th century artists drew inspiration from the fashion of their day — often creating paintings that served as catalogs of current styles — I do the same,” she said. “The goal is to not merely convey a specific message or ideology but to create a testament to a generation and the era in which we live.”

This fall, González’s painting “La Sfida” (2025) will appear in the Städel Museum’s exhibition “Mary Magdalene. Sin. Pray. Love” in Frankfurt, Germany, alongside works by Lady Gaga, Marlene Dumas and Auguste Rodin. The painting depicts Mary Magdalene with long, flowing hair, draped in a regal red garment and clutching a skull — a contemporary interpretation of one of Christianity’s most enduring figures.

“Nieves González is the youngest of these artists and, at the same time, probably the one who most closely follows in the tradition of the Old Masters,” curators Bastian Eclercy and Stefan Roller wrote in an email.

The Santa Monica exhibition marks an evolution from the paintings that established González’s reputation. Earlier works often centered on solitary women posed with the self-possession of royal portraits or religious icons. “A Friendship Story” focuses on relationships between pairs of women, exploring friendship, intimacy, support and shared experience.

For González, friendship is one of the most profound aspects of women’s lives and a subject she felt deserved greater attention in painting.

Victoria Rios, a curator who works with González, said the artist’s paintings “rewrite the narratives of the past, rewrite the history of martyrdom and place women at the center.”

“Nothing in her painting is arbitrary,” Rios said in an email. “Every formal decision is also an ethical one.”

“The horse elevates the art; symbolically, it carries connotations of elegance and nobility,” Nieves González said. “It seemed like a way to elevate the concept of friendship.”

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

González frequently turns art historical conventions on their head. In “Salir a robar caballos: Go out to steal horses,” she replaces the archetypal portrait of a gallant man on horseback with two young women dressed in puffer and vinyl jackets, posed like contemporary Amazons atop rearing horses.

“The horse elevates the art; symbolically, it carries connotations of elegance and nobility,” González said. “It seemed like a way to elevate the concept of friendship. It also has an element of play, adventure and fun, since having fun is part of the bond too.”

The artist also sees her work through a feminist lens.

“We live in a patriarchal society, and so, unfortunately, I belong to the oppressed segment of that society, and my work relates to that,” she said. “It stems from a struggle, an understanding and a process of redefining concepts that we have historically established as normal, natural and habitual.”

“I am interested in portraying us as brave and powerful, sometimes even with an air of haughtiness,” she said.

Another painting, “Something’s crossed over me and I can’t go back” (2026), captures González’s fusion of historical and contemporary references. Two women dressed in green and pink fur cradle each other’s heads, reimagining medieval depictions of cephalophores — Christian martyrs who carry their severed heads while continuing to preach or pray.

The title comes from a pivotal line in the 1991 film “Thelma & Louise,” marking the turning point for Geena Davis’ character Thelma, fully committing to her ultimately fatal adventure with Susan Sarandon’s Louise.

Nieves González, “Holding You,” 2026 (oil on canvas).

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

González builds each painting from what she calls a “Frankenstein” — a digital composite assembled from archival photographs, found images and reference material. The painting process then takes over. A mid-project visit to the Prado Museum in Madrid, for instance, might send her back to the digital sketch to pull in a compositional element from Velázquez before returning to the canvas. “The final result often ends up being completely different from what I initially envisioned,” she said.

Heller began representing González, whom he calls an “original voice,” last year after being introduced to her work by another painter.

Staging her first U.S. solo exhibition in Los Angeles rather than New York reflects what he sees as a more relaxed environment for an emerging artist, without the glare and expectations of the New York art world.

“L.A. feels a little less constrained,” Heller said. “It feels a little more free.”

González’s portrait of Allen is currently on view at London’s National Portrait Gallery, hanging in the same room as a self-portrait by David Hockney. She said while it “has been very significant in terms of media exposure,” exhibitions and professional opportunities were already in motion before the album cover brought wider attention.

“I’ve always said that what I want to do in life is make a living from painting,” she said.

Mission accomplished.

BROOKLYN Beckham reportedly raked in £753k for his savage World Cup ad that left his estranged family fuming.

The aspiring chef, 27, appeared in an advert for the fast food delivery service DoorDash and took a swipe at his dad David in it.

He said to the camera: “You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home…”

Smirking Brooklyn then laughed: “It’s a long story.”

He went on to throw down his tickets onto the coffee table.

The advert then said: “It’s complicated. More soon.”

READ MORE ON BROOKLYN BECKHAM

CLOUD DECLINE

Brooklyn Beckham detailed business struggles weeks before his World Cup ad

BECKLASH

Brooklyn Beckham’s ad ‘could backfire disastrously & tar him as nepobaby FOREVER’

It’s now been claimed that the nepo baby was paid a whopping $1 million dollars, which equates to £753k, according to Mail Online.

The Sun have contacted Brooklyn’s representatives for a comment.

The advert poked fun at Brooklyn’s estrangement from his famous parents David, 51, and Victoria, 52, as well as his brothers and sister and wider family for over a year.

Beloved England player Becks famously played in three FIFA World Cups in 1998, 2002 and 2006.

He’s been out in America promoting the World Cup – watching the opening match with Tom Cruise.

A source close to the Beckhams said: “To do an ad based on estrangement from family as if it’s a joke when his family is devastated and sister and grandparents are inconsolable…

“It just seems a tad hypocritical from someone claiming to want peace and privacy and the trying to cash in on it all.

“He says he wants nothing to do with his family, but is now trading off them by using one of his footballing father’s legacies – the World Cup – as an advertising selling point.

“Brooklyn is absolutely entitled to go and make his own money – his parents laud such ambition – but taking the mick out of a deep-rooted, heartbreaking family situation is not the one.”

DoorDash replied to the video, which quickly gained thousands of views online, saying: “We have a guess on why you’re watching from home…”

The ad came after Brooklyn failed to acknowledge his dad’s Hollywood Walk of Fame honour.

Instead, he took to Instagram to share a story of himself enjoying a run in the park while in New York.

Brooklyn and his wife Nicola, 31, incidentally actually only live down the road from the Los Angeles location that the event took place at.

But he was out of town for a few days as he was at the Tribeca Film Festival promoting his hot sauce range, called ‘Cloud 23’.

Brooklyn has been estranged from his family – including his siblings – for more than a year.

In January, the Beckhams’ eldest son made a dozen explosive accusations in a ruthless statement hitting out at his family.

He called out his famous parents for their “inauthenticity”, accused them of making bribes and scolded the family for their treatment of his wife on their wedding day.

He sent his parents a legal notice warning they can only contact him via lawyers.

In the extraordinary “desist” letter, he also instructed them not to “tag” him on social media.

Jennie Bond was BBC Royal Correspondent for 14 years and struck up a friendship with Lady Diana.

Jennie Bond’s illustrious journalism career stretches back over five decades, during which she has covered a vast array of remarkable stories.

In 1989, she took on the role of Royal Correspondent for the BBC, a position she held for 14 years before stepping down in 2003 to dedicate more time to her family and pursue freelance work.

During her time as a royal reporter, however, she forged a close friendship with Lady Diana, which she discussed with Raj Bisram during her appearance on Celebrity Antiques Road Trip. A repeat of that episode aired this evening (June 20) on BBC Two.

The BBC antiques expert quizzed her on just how close their relationship was, to which she responded: “I was a journalist that she got along with and shared confidences with.

“You know, ‘There were three of us in this marriage,’ all this sort of stuff.”

“Then, at the end, annoyingly, she’d say, ‘Of course, Jennie, this is just between you and me and these four walls.’ I’d think, ‘Ugh!’ So I kept it that way.”

Raj then asked which interview throughout Jennie’s career had left the greatest impression on her, reports Devon Live.

She answered: “I suppose, when I challenged her in Angola on the land mine mission, when she was trying to get an international ban on land mines.

“I said, ‘Ma’am, you’ve been accused of being a loose cannon,’ and she was very shocked and said, ‘I’m just trying to be a humanitarian. That’s it.'”.

“That was pretty momentous. It made an awful lot of news.”

At the time, Lady Diana was described as a ‘loose cannon’ by a junior government Cabinet minister who condemned her position on landmines.

The tense exchange, which took place in 1997, was captured in a documentary of the time, showing Lady Diana’s response to Jennie’s pointed question.

She said: “I’m only trying to highlight a problem that’s going on all around the world. That’s all.”

She was subsequently filmed climbing into a waiting car, visibly moved by Jennie’s remark, as she told the camera team: “I might really burst into tears now. Who said I’m a loose cannon?”

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Unlike the movies, where directors get the glory, TV directors sit lower in the hierarchy, below creators, producers and actors. In most series, which might employ several over a season, they are interchangeable — which isn’t to say they aren’t valuable, transforming words on a page into a four-dimensional living thing. But a director hired to helm a pilot, as James Burrows, who died Friday at 85, was again and again — almost as a lucky charm — helps set the tone for the series. Jake Kasdan’s input was crucial to the feel (and philosophy) of “Freaks and Geeks,” as Hiro Murai’s was to “Atlanta” (and most recently “Widow’s Bay”). In some cases a director is a co-creator in all but title and union affiliation. A show might subsequently pass to later hands, but they’ll be honoring its established look and feel.

But Burrows was more than a little well known. If you sat through the opening credits of “Taxi,” whose pilot he directed along with 74 other episodes — and why wouldn’t you, with its pleasing Bob James theme and Checker Cab crossing the Queensboro Bridge — you would have seen his name for weeks on end. You might have noticed it on “Cheers,” which he co-created and for which he directed 236 episodes, or on “Will & Grace” (246 episodes), or “Frasier,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “3rd Rock From the Sun,” “Caroline in the City,” “Two and a Half Men,” “2 Broke Girls,” “The Neighborhood” or, just last year, “Mid-Century Modern” — all series whose pilots he directed. You might have caught it on episodes of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” “Phyllis,” “Rhoda” or “Laverne & Shirley,” until you began to think that maybe there was nobody else directing network multi-camera situation comedies, the most human of television formats and a specialty from which he rarely strayed.

And you might have seen him as himself this year in the third season of Lisa Kudrow’s “The Comeback,” as the man she enlists to save a television pilot from hacky AI jokes. “Surprising only comes from a group of writers huddled in a corner, beating themselves up to beat out a better joke,” he says.

“As director, I am there to help create the ensemble, to do everything I can to foster a community among the company, and to train a new set of actors to behave as a group and respect one another,” he wrote in his 2022 memoir, “Directed by James Burrows.” He famously took the cast of “Friends” to Las Vegas before the show premiered in order to foster bonds in a soon-to-be-impossible state of anonymity. “I guess I have a gift for creating families,” he told the New York Times in 2023.

But if “Friends” refers to the characters and the people who play them, it includes the audience too. Burrows’ talent was to midwife a real relationship between the viewer and the viewed, “You want to go where everybody knows your name,” runs the “Cheers” theme, and where you know everyone’s name. The families he excelled at creating were yours as well, and one watched knowing that these things happened in real time in real space, and that you could be in the room, if you made the effort. Tickets were available.

The son of Abe Burrows, who wrote or co-wrote the books for “Guys and Dolls,” “Can-Can” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” and co-created the radio comedy “Duffy’s Tavern” — set, like “Cheers,” in a bar, though the younger Burrows denied any influence — he’d been directing dinner theater when he had the idea to write to Mary Tyler Moore, whom he’d met on the set of a never-opened “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” musical. His stage experience (and his Yale School of Drama degree, presumably) proved eminently transferable to the proscenium reality of multi-camera situation comedy.

What Burrows shows share — the ones we remember, at least, out of many we don’t — is that they’re fundamentally joyful. They lack cynicism. They’re expressive of their times without being showily edgy. They walk a line between freshness and familiarity, which makes one want to return week after week. They may push an envelope — “Friends” was something new, after all — but subtly. We can assume, given his reputation and the fact that he could have retired on “Cheers” alone, that he liked what he did and did what he liked, and regard his choice of projects as a form of personal expression in itself, the basis of a body of work that has and will live on.

PARIS — There’s a present-day answer to the question that was posed in verse by the French medieval poet and street brawler François Villon: “Where are the snows of yesteryear?”

They’re right here, in high summer, on Paris’ oldest bridge, the Pont Neuf, where an enormous art installation, a trompe l’oeil inflatable snow-clad mountain range, has arisen over the river Seine.

Using about 200,000 square feet of printed fabric, Paris-born street artist JR has created “La Caverne du Pont Neuf.” It’s his version of and homage to the innovative work of groundbreaking environmental artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude.

They’re the fabled duo who first wrapped the arches of this same bridge in straw-colored fabric in 1985. Over the years, they also surrounded 11 islands in Florida’s Biscayne Bay with flamingo-pink cloth, hung saffron-colored fabric “gates” in New York’s Central Park, installed a “running fence” of billowing white material across nearly 25 miles of Sonoma and Marin counties and, in 1991, planted 3,100 yellow umbrellas, blooming like 20-foot-tall poppies, through the Tejon Pass north of L.A.

I interviewed Christo in 2011, and he was eloquent about how his and his wife’s work alters perceptions of nature, and about the deliberately transient character of the art itself. JR, an acolyte of their work, told me in an email that “an ephemeral artwork forces you to come now, and usually to come with other people. The visit becomes a shared moment … and this moment becomes a memory.”

In a city celebrated for artworks that have survived for centuries, this installation was very nearly too transient. A kooky hailstorm in late May, a heat wave in June, followed by ruthlessly ripping winds, delayed the opening by days. At last, beginning one midnight, the air pumps began and the work arose like a limestone-colored soufflé. It will be open around the clock until June 28.

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. Back in 1985, Christo’s engineer on the Pont Neuf project, Ted Dougherty, pointed out that above 25 mph, “wind is not our friend.”

The piece works from two vantage points: from afar — visible from a lot of central Paris — and also from inside it, in the “cave” part. Pedestrians crossing the bridge pass through a fabricated interior, a cavern-like space printed in 3D realism and enhanced with a specially designed scent to evoke the dank, earthy aroma of humankind’s early habitations.

JR and Thomas Bangalter in “La Caverne du Pont Neuf” in Paris.

(Tara-Jay Bangalter)

JR intended it to be both. “From the start I designed two works in one. There is the silhouette — what you catch from the quais, from the bridges, from a boat on the Seine or simply walking past on your way somewhere else. That image belongs to everyone, including the people who never chose to look at art that day.”

And then, he said, “there is the inside, which is slower and more intimate, almost in the dark, hard to photograph.” That aspect is “a journey to cross the bridge, to go from darkness to light.”

When Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapped the arches of the Pont Neuf more than 40 years ago, it took years of planning and permits to make it happen. “La Caverne du Pont Neuf” was a breeze by comparison.

JR, whose other vast outdoor works have delivered double-takes of humans’ scale and their architecture, told me that cities have come to understand “that public art brings people together and that the image travels around the world. Once Christo showed it could be done safely and beautifully, the conversation changed. It was much easier for me to have my project accepted, thanks to them. They also proved the economic positive impact to the cities they worked in. I believe there should be more large-scale, ambitious public art projects.”

It’s one thing to conceive of such a project and another altogether to make it happen — so much technology, compared to, say, mixing paints and choosing a paintbrush. But the science that “La Caverne” required “is the art, not an obstacle to it,” JR said.

“Trompe l’oeil turns adults back into children,” JR said.

(Elea Jeanne Schmitter)

All the canvas, the engineering, the meticulous assembly, the permits — “none of that is preparation for the work, it is the work. Christo taught me this. The process is visible, and even more after the storm we experienced a couple of days before opening to the public. Nature always reminds you who is in charge. When the wind tore the canvas before we opened, we took it down, re-sewed it, reinforced it,” all in full public view.

“Where I stay careful is in not letting the technology become the subject. The augmented reality by Snap’s AR Studio adds to the project, doesn’t take you away from it.”

That air should be JR’s vital collaborator — no complex and costly scaffolding for these magic mountains — is nothing new in Paris.

The first free flight of humans above the earth, on Nov. 21, 1783, sent aloft two men in a hot-air balloon crafted by the Montgolfier brothers from silk fancifully painted in blue and gold with figures of the zodiac. It wafted across Paris for about 25 minutes at about 3,000 feet. Ephemeral, yes — and unforgettable.

Artists and couturiers are fond of the whimsy of trompe l’oeil, the trick of the eye, the illusion of reality. I am a sucker for it, for fashion like that of clothing designer Elsa Schiaparelli. JR has used it often, as a massive-scale magical deception to make the Louvre Pyramid “disappear” into the old Louvre, and opening up an imaginary subterranean world below the Eiffel Tower.

“Trompe l’oeil turns adults back into children,” he told me. “You know it isn’t real, you know that ‘La Caverne du Pont-Neuf’ is not made of rock, that this is printed canvas. And yet your eye wants to believe it, and for a moment you let yourself. That gap between knowing and believing is where the play happens, and people love being inside that gap.”