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Red Dwarf star Chris Barrie is set to return to the beloved comedy series as narrator of new prequel
18:26, 17 Jun 2026Updated 18:27, 17 Jun 2026
The Red Dwarf star is set to return to the beloved comedy universe
(Image: UKTV)
A Red Dwarf star has expressed his delight after being confirmed to return to the cherished comedy series.
Chris Barrie is making his way back to the Red Dwarf universe, having been announced as the narrator for the audiobook of the new spin-off novel, Red Dwarf: Titan.
The actor, who famously portrayed Arnold Rimmer in the cult sci-fi comedy, will voice the latest book, written by Red Dwarf co-creator Rob Grant and Andrew Marshall, reports Radio Times.
Discussing his latest project, Chris said: “I am finding Red Dwarf: Titan to be a very entertaining read. Recording any audiobook is always a challenge with so many characters to cover.
“But Red Dwarf: Titan, loaded as it is with laugh-out-loud lines and situations, is simply a joy!”, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The star added: “I’m delighted that the portrayer of Arnold J Rimmer himself, the fabulous multi-voiced Chris Barrie will be reading the audiobook of Red Dwarf Titan.
“And I’m certain that Rob would be too. In fact we would be noisily competing as to whom was the most delighted. Currently that’s me.”
Besides his iconic portrayal of Rimmer throughout Red Dwarf’s 13 series, Chris previously narrated the first two Red Dwarf novels: Infinity Welcomes Careful Drivers (1992) and Better Than Life (1995).
Red Dwarf: Titan will serve as a prequel to the BBC sci-fi comedy, which followed Craig Charles’s Dave Lister who wakes after three million years to find he’s the last remaining human.
His sole companions are a hologram of his deceased bunkmate, Arnold Rimmer (Chris Barrie), and a humanoid creature descended from his pet cat (Danny John-Jules).
In conversation with Radio Times just weeks before his death, co-writer Grant revealed of the novel: “It’s Lister and Rimmer before the accident on shore leave on Titan.
“It’s set one universe to the side, so we can have familiar characters but we can do different things with them, because the difficulty was writing something that was going to be original and fresh and using the same characters without breaking the canon. “.
He further disclosed that the tale would see Lister and Rimmer “get a message from the far future warning them that all realities are going to collapse unless they do something about it.
“Grant also assured us that Red Dwarf’s signature silliness is back in full force, with the writer promising that fans will “laugh their little chippers off”.”
Red Dwarf is available to stream on BBC iPlayer and Red Dwarf: Titan will publish in hardback, ebook and audio on July 16
The Scream movie series is one of horror’s most successful franchises and has seven films under its belt
17:36, 17 Jun 2026Updated 17:37, 17 Jun 2026
Horror movie star reveals surprising amount they still make from hit 1990s Scream film(Image: Gh0st/YouTube)
A star from the horror film franchise Scream has revealed the surprising amount he still earns from one of the movies.
Back in 1996, the Scream series kicked off with its first instalment. Directed by Wes Craven, the film followed Sidney Prescott and her friends being targeted by a sadistic killer who donned a black cloak and white mask: Ghostface.
Due to the first film’s success, several more movies followed including a sequel in 1997, and a third instalment in 2000. Then, after 11 years Scream 4 was released in 2011.
And more recently, the slasher franchise was brought back in 2022 for a fifth movie and 2023 for a sixth. This year, a seventh film was released which became the highest-grossing film of the series so far.
The satirical whodunnit was a huge hit thanks to a clever script penned by Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven’s direction, while the characters’ awareness and acknowledgement of horror film clichés was uncommon at the time. Scream helped to revive interest in the teen slasher genre.
And this week, a star from Scream 2 revealed his residual pay from the film 29 years after its release. Actor and comedian Craig Shoemaker appeared in the sequel, Scream 2 – which made $172 million at the box office.
Craig played the role of ‘Artsy Teacher’ in the instalment. Taking to his Instagram, he shared a photo of his residuals cheque which revealed he made a total of $34.09.
He captioned the post: “In 1999 | was cast in the role of the film professor in the sequel of the original Scream movie, Scream 2, where I lead a conversation in class about film sequels. The residuals keep rolling in, baby! What should I buy with my 34 bucks?”
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The latest Scream movie, Scream 7, was released earlier this year. The film shifted the focus back to the original final girl, Sidney Prescott – played by Neve Campbell and her teenage daughter Tatum, played by Isabel May.
Neve didn’t appear in the sixth Scream film in 2024, which starred Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera as sisters who discover a serious connection to one of the original Ghostface killers, Billy Loomis.
Neve announced she would be stepping away from the 2024 Scream film after a dispute over pay. She said in a statement: “Sadly, I won’t be making the next Scream film. As a woman I have had to work extremely hard in my career to establish my value, especially when it comes to Scream.
“I felt the offer that was presented to me did not equate to the value I have brought to the franchise. It’s been a very difficult decision to move on,” Neve added.
She continued: “To all my Scream fans, I love you. You’ve always been so incredibly supportive to me. I’m forever grateful to you and to what this franchise has given me over the past 25 years.”
From a devastating cancer battle to her many failed romances on the street, Sally’s 40 years in Weatherfield have not been short of drama. Especially as her marriage to husband, Tim (Joe Duttine), hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
It’s fair to say Sally is a soap legend and has played a part in several big storylines, and is much-loved for her comedy appeal and status as a street busybody.
Away from the soap, actress Sally is loved up with her husband, Tim, whom she married in 1995. Tim is a successful screenwriter who has worked on the ITV soap Emmerdale, as well as on the TV series The Drowning and Desperate Measures. According to IMDb, Tim has written more than 2,000 episodes of Emmerdale between 1995 and 2016.
His last credited episode aired in January 2016 and followed Diane Sugden (Elizabeth Estensen) as she tried to sell her half of The Woolpack, while Adam Barton’s (Adam Thomas) emotional attachment to baby Johnny Woodfield became a problem.
Sally recently delighted fans after giving them a look into her private life with Tim. Taking to her Instagram, she shared several snaps from their recent trip to Iceland, where the happy couple was taking in the glorious sights.
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She captioned the post: “Well, that was an adventure. What a wonderful, beautiful country Iceland is”. As expected, fans and co-stars were left gushing over the post.
Jane Danson commented: “Pretty special I really want to go again. Glad you had a fab time Sal”. Sally Ann Matthews penned: “Oh wowzers”, while Jude Riordan added: “I’m going next week!”
Sally and Tim share three children together, including daughters Phoebe, 31, and Hattie, 22, and son Sam, 29 Both of the girls have followed in their footsteps and are enjoying careers in television.
Who are Sally Dynevor’s famous daughters?
Hattie Dynevor stars on the BBC drama Waterloo Road, playing Libby Guthrie, the daughter of history teacher Neil (Neil Fitzmaurice), and has so far appeared in series 13 – 17.
She also appeared in the recently released gripping Netflix series Legends as Arabella, which also stars Steve Coogan and Tom Burke.
Hattie’s older sister, Phoebe, also launched an acting career on Waterloo Road, playing Siobhan Mailey between 2009 and 2020.
Bridgerton fans will also recognise the actress as Daphne, the wife of Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings, played by Regé-Jean Page, between 2020 and 2022. Speaking to Collider, Phoebe opened up about a possible return to the Netflix period drama.
She said, “When the first season came out, they didn’t know what they needed to put in play. We were the ones that got away, in a certain way.
“I can only speak for myself, I would always come back if I was asked. I have not received a call. When I get that call, I will be there if I can.”
She has since starred in a long list of popular television shows, including The Musketeers, Dickensian, Snatch, and Ten Percent. Away from the small screen, Pheobe has starred in the movies The Colour Room, Inheritance, and Thrash.
Diversity in last year’s streaming films followed the same downward trend as theatrical releases, a new study found, with the percentage of people of color directing, writing and leading films diminishing.
In past years, streaming was considered a more accessible outlet for early-career female or BIPOC filmmakers, which was reflected in data about gender and racial representation. According to Part 2 of UCLA’s 2026 Hollywood Diversity Report, which was released Wednesday and analyzed all of the original English-language films distributed on major streaming platforms in 2025, that trend reversed across every category studied.
The share of streaming films directed by women declined to just over 23%, the lowest it’s been since 2022, when the annual study began analyzing streaming and theatrical films separately. Among those female directors, an overwhelming majority (81%) were allotted budgets below $20 million, while more than a quarter of the films directed by white men exceeded $50 million.
Only about 31% of streaming films last year had BIPOC directors, down 10% since 2024, when the proportion more closely reflected U.S. demographics.
“This is an industry in flux — and in reverse, especially when it comes to diversification,” Darnell Hunt, UCLA’s executive vice chancellor and provost and the report’s co-founder, said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, as we’ve seen with theatrical films, we’re now seeing the impact of this current political climate in very meaningful and concrete ways,” he continued. “As budgets tighten, opportunities for filmmakers of underrepresented backgrounds are always the first to be squeezed out.”
Despite losing ground behind the scenes and in front of the camera, women and people of color continued to drive streaming viewership in 2025, the report found.
The year’s biggest streaming hit, “KPop Demon Hunters,” was also the most-watched original Netflix film of all time, and according to Neilsen ratings, it was most streamed by women in Latinx households, followed by women in Asian and Black households. The report acknowledged the film as a “bright spot” in a disappointing year for diversity.
Michael Tran, a sociologist who co-authored the report, noted that the film’s impact and earnings potential could have been even greater with a theatrical release.
“It was a missed opportunity for theaters,” Tran said. “We’ve tracked how diverse films tend to succeed at the box office, here and abroad. For ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ we could have been talking about record-breaking box office receipts in addition to topping the ratings.”
When “KPop Demon Hunters” did briefly screen in theaters — for two days last August, with over 1,750 locations domestically and more than 1,150 sold-out screenings — it was the No. 1 movie that weekend, earning about $18 million in ticket sales (though Netflix does not report exact box office figures).
Data from the report also indicated that streaming films with at least somewhat diverse casts tended to outperform in terms of audience and social media engagement.
However, overall cast diversity in streaming films declined in 2025. For the first time since 2022, films with a majority-BIPOC cast did not represent the plurality of streaming titles. Most notably, the percentage of lead actors of color dropped from a high of 51% in 2024 to 36% in 2025.
Report authors called it an “industry-wide chilling effect” reminiscent of a similar decline in diversity among theatrical films in 2024. That said, streaming films continued to star BIPOC leads more often than their theatrical counterparts, the study found.
The overall number of streaming films also declined. While the annual UCLA report typically examines the top 100 original, English-language movies across streaming platforms, this time, there were only 89 for researchers to analyze.
In addition to studying race and gender demographics in the film industry, the report also examined on-camera representations of disability. According to the study, while adults with a disability make up at least 26% of the U.S. population, actors with a known disability represented 6.5% of total streaming movie actors, which is in line with the previous year.
According to the study’s authors, streamers hoping to compete in a fast-paced, globalized market should increase their diversity efforts in light of these results.
“Kids under 18 are already majority BIPOC. There’s no going back if a studio wants to be profitable and relevant to Gen Z and Gen Alpha,” said report co-founder and co-author Ana-Christina Ramón. “Severing all brand loyalty now will only make it more difficult to regain long-term subscribers in the future.”
One of the most devastating moments in world history will be brought to life on Disney+ by a beloved star of The Night Manager and Marvel blockbusters
The Night Manager star bags role in ‘gripping’ period drama(Image: BBC)
It’s shaping up to be one of the year’s most gripping docudramas.
BBC The Night Manager star Tom Hiddleston will be playing time detective in an immersive new historical series coming to National Geographic and Disney+ later this year.
Pompeii: Out of Time will reunite the iconic Marvel star with Loki executive producer Kevin R Wright for the three-part series that promises to lift the lid on the explosive historical moment.
The first-look trailer has given fans a glimpse of Hiddleston stepping into his new role as he makes the case that the eruption of Vesuvius wasn’t just a catastrophic day of death and destruction.
His latest series will feature an eye-opening investigation into those who may have survived the blast, brought to life with immersive and thrilling dramatisations.
Along for the journey is a team of ancient Rome experts, from archaeologists and historians to geologists and disaster experts, who will uncover remarkable real-life stories that challenge assumptions people have about the fateful day in 79 AD.
A teenage apprentice, a powerful businesswoman and a mysterious Praetorian Guard are all vital pieces of the puzzle as Hiddleston steps back in time to explore the hours before and during Vesuvius’ eruption in what is shaping up to be an essential watch for any history buff. A synopsis from Disney+ teases: “As the volcano awakens and the countdown to catastrophe begins, the evidence converges in a gripping race against time to uncover who survived, who perished, and what determined their fate.”
Hiddleston says in a statement: “The ancient world has compelled my imagination and curiosity for as long as I can remember: I’ve been fascinated by it all my life.
“Classical Antiquity is the foundation and cornerstone of Western and European culture. To visit Pompeii is to feel the distance of the 2,000 years between now and then compress. The past becomes the present; the past feels so close. Tangible, honest and real.
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“Our relationship with the past is alive — studying who we were in order to understand who we are. Pompeii is a gateway for that conversation. It’s a privilege to host this visually immersive and dynamic series.”
He added: “Pompeii is often remembered for how its story ended. But by looking closer, we can uncover the details of people’s lives, the choices they made, and the moments that came before the city was buried.
“To revisit the final hours of those ordinary people, caught in an extraordinary moment, and to help bring these remarkable human stories back into the light, is a genuine honour.”
The upcoming series is already generating excitement amongst fans, with one user commenting below the trailer on YouTube: “Omg this seems so interesting.”
“This is absolutely fascinating — Pompeii is an incredible place, and this approach brings its story to life in a very powerful way,” someone else replied, adding they’re “really looking forward” to tuning in.
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“I want to see it NOW!” another fan exclaimed, and a final fan wrote: “For someone who’s survived Ragnarok, Tom Hiddleston couldn’t be better suited for this doc. Looking forward – or back – to it.”
Mark your calendars, as all three episodes will be available to stream in just over a month’s time.
Pompeii: Out of Time with Tom Hiddleston premieres Thursday, 23rd July on National Geographic and Disney+.
Emmerdale and Coronation Street are missing from the ITV schedules for two days this week, before returning to the channel amid the football coverage – while EastEnders is still on
Soap fans have found their Emmerdale and Coronation Street schedules all over the place(Image: ITV)
With football taking over on ITV1 once more, the soaps are not airing in their usual time slots, or even on their normal days. EastEnders is also being hit by a schedule shake-up this week.
But EastEnders still airs on it’s normal days for this week, while Corrie is not on at all this Wednesday or Thursday. So when are the soaps on next?
For EastEnders fans, you will still get your soap fix on both Wednesday and Thursday. It’s a bit later than normal on BBC One though, airing for 30 minutes at 8:30PM, instead of 7:30PM.
As for Corrie and Emmerdale, fans will not get their next episodes until Friday 19 June. For once, both soaps will be in their usual time slots too.
So Emmerdale fans, your next episode will air on ITV1 at 8PM on Friday, followed by Coronation Street’s next episode at 8:30PM on the same channel. The episodes will also be dropping on ITVX that morning.
Of course with no episodes on Wednesday or Thursday, there will be no ITVX episode to stream on these days. But rest assured for this week, your next soap action is Friday.
Of course next week, it’s chaos again. Friday’s episode teases big moments ahead. On Corrie, Debbie Webster is trapped in a nightmare after the gun drama at the garage.
While she clashes with Tracy Barlow, an incident with a balloon leaves her terrified as she mistakes the noise of it bursting for a gunshot. Betsy Swain has some news for Lisa and Carla, which could tease an exit.
Sam Blakeman’s family rally around him, while he asks to see Roy Cropper. Maria Connor is suspicious of Gary Windass when he reveals he’s booked a holiday for the whole family.
She’s still assuming Gary and Sarah Platt are having an affair. Meanwhile, Kit admires the engagement ring he’s bought for Sarah.
As for Emmerdale, Lewis Barton gets kidnapped after preparing for a holiday with his love interest Vinny Dingle. As Lewis packs a suitcase and goes to make his way to the airport, a van suddenly pulls up near him.
Masked men jump out and Lewis is taken, and next week we find out who is holding him hostage. It’s all part of Kev Townsend’s return storyline, with more to be revealed.
Following Jeremy Clarkson’s emotional cancer admission, questions are being asked about the future of Clarkson’s Farm, which has already been rocked by behind-the-scenes health battles
Jeremy Clarkson warns Clarkson’s Farm viewers of ‘difficult watch’
The latest episodes of Clarkson’s Farm have taken a devastating turn, with Jeremy Clarkson announcing his shock cancer diagnosis.
The former Top Gear host reduced farm manager Kaleb Cooper to tears as he revealed he’d known about the “aggressive” prostate cancer since May. Following treatment, Clarkson confided in Kaleb that he’d had “10 per cent” of his prostate removed via ultrasound, explaining: “The prostate, 10 per cent of it’s dead. The 10 per cent where the cancer is.”
In the season finale, Clarkson addressed viewers from his hospital bed, sharing that there had been complications during treatment. The 66-year-old told fans: “What I wanted to say was if this is all successful, I’ll see you for season six, and if it isn’t, I won’t. Take care, everyone.”
Over on Instagram, ahead of the new episodes dropping, an emotional Clarkson warned followers that a “really, really difficult watch” was in store.
Holding back tears in a candid post, Clarkson said on Tuesday: “Ordinarily, we try to keep the show bucolic and charming and cheerful. But the final two episodes, which drop in the middle of the night tonight, are none of those things really. They’re a difficult watch. They’re really, really, difficult.”
Fans of the hit farming show will know all too well that Clarkson is not the first cast member to share his health battles, with other stars being struck with serious illnesses throughout its five-year run.
Now questions have emerged about the future of Clarkson’s Farm, which has been running since June 2021, with Prime Video yet to issue a formal statement on its continuation.
At present, the show has not been officially recommissioned. In February, Clarkson himself confirmed that, while some recording for the upcoming series had already taken place, some pausing had been required due to the weather.
In his column for The Sunday Times, the presenter wrote: “There’s no filming happening on the farm at the moment. Or farming. It hasn’t stopped raining since the beginning of the year, so I can’t plant anything, and I can’t do anything with my cows either because we are still locked down by TB.”
But planning documents submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council reportedly suggest that season six is in the works. According to The Independent, part of it reads: “Season five will air this year and season six has been commissioned and will air in summer 2027.”
Clarkson’s enthusiasm for the farming show shows no sign of waning. Speaking previously with The Sun, he said: “We’ll definitely do six – Amazon want to (do series six), and I want to. I’ve got a good idea for six. I said I’ll stop doing them when there are no more ideas. But I’ve got two quite good ones, so we’ll do six, and then we’ll see…”
The beloved farm has been plagued by setbacks and personal health struggles. Back in 2024, during the show’s third series, farmhand Gerald Cooper revealed he had prostate cancer.
The fan favourite, known for his distinctive mullet, has since confirmed that he is thankfully cancer-free. Discussing his diagnosis with Prostate Cancer UK, Gerald shared: “It was a shock – but everyone has really supported me.”
He added: “I received tremendous support from family, friends and Prostate Cancer UK – which was also a lifeline. I made it through, and I’m now cancer-free.”
Wanting to do something “joyful” following his recovery, the 77-year-old went on to launch a racehorse syndicate to help raise some all-important awareness of prostate cancer. The horse itself is, of course, named ‘The Mullet’.
Then, in June 2025, it was revealed that castmate Alan Townsend – aka Alan the Builder – was awaiting heart surgery. While carrying out building work on the Farmer’s Dog Pub, Alan confirmed to Clarkson that he had a “quadruple bypass coming.”
When asked whether he had any fears about the procedure, Alan admitted: “Oh, [I’m] frightened to death. I don’t even like thinking about it. That’s why I keep going to work — keep out of the way. They told me to really just take it easy and stay at home. But if you stay, you’ll be worrying to death about it.”
In the latest season, fans were delighted to see Alan back at work after undergoing a gruelling procedure. Opening up to Clarkson about returning to normality, Alan confirmed that the op had been “very painful”, adding, “I don’t want to show you on camera, but it’s a nasty cut.”
Alan shared that he’d been hospitalised because of issues with the arteries in his heart. He explained: “One had collapsed and curled itself up, and the others were about 85-90 per cent blocked. Horrible. I had a bit of a problem with the lungs, I lost 36 per cent of the lungs.”
Coincidentally, Alan and Clarkson had been neighbours at the same hospital, with Clarkson undergoing follow-up heart check-ups at the same time.
The presenter underwent a heart procedure in October 2024, after experiencing a tightness in his chest. Medics revealed he’d been mere days away from a heart attack, in a scare that led to him having a stent fitted.
Opening up about his brush with catastrophe on the first episode of season five, Clarkson blamed his health woes on the pressures involved in launching The Farmer’s Dog. He told Kaleb, “I’m back and not dead. The Grim Reaper will have to wait. It was f***ing close, though.”
Clarkson’s Farm season 5 is on Prime Video
Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com.
The programme has received 508 complaints about the show that aired on June 9, the watchdog reported.
In a statement sent to The Daily Mirror, Ofcom confirmed the “complaints related to comments made during a discussion about the Scottish World Cup Bank Holiday”.
Good Morning Britain that day had seen Ed Balls and co-host Susanna discuss the news that Scotland would receive a Bank Holiday for qualifying for the World Cup.
Ed had said on the ITV daytime show: “This morning, in our five o’clock meeting, Susanna said, ‘I can’t believe this, the game’s on the Sunday morning, and they get bank holiday [more than] 24 hours later.’
“I said, ‘What?’ I couldn’t believe it. It never occurred to me that that was going on.”
Responding to viewers’ reactions, Susanna said, “It’s really outrageous. I mean, how long does it take Scots to get over the fact that they’ve played their first match?”
Viewers had been left fuming after hearing, with Susanna later issuing an apology.
One had seethed: “So many anti-Scottish comments from your presenters and guests this morning. Do you realise your show is shown on Scottish television? Unfortunately.”
Another blasted: “Extremely anti-Scottish. Not everyone is getting it, and not everyone wants it. I don’t even like football, but thought your comments were uncalled for!!!”
Yet another seething viewer said, “Not everyone is getting it. Jumping on the anti-Scotland bandwagon, I see.”
ITV also released a statement following the backlash, which read, as per The National Scot: “The editorial team feel discussion of the fact that some football fans would be drinking alcohol while watching the match is something that would be referenced in the discussion of any home nation’s participation in an international tournament.
“No sleight was intended toward Scottish fans in particular – it was more a reflection of football watching culture in the UK.”
It went on: “We’re aware this coverage has been distorted on social media by brief edited clips that do not represent the full four-minute discussion. Having reviewed the full segments, our feeling is that the issue of drinking and football would have been raised in a discussion of any home nation having an extra day off work following a game. We do note, however, that such discussions can play into national stereotypes. This was not the intention, and in no way was the focus of the discussion.”
The publication noted that ITV also said that the Good Morning Britain editorial team had taken on board “concerns about Ofcom’s rules relating to generally accepted standards, due accuracy and due impartiality, but taking into account the light-hearted nature of the news review discussion and the discussion that followed later in the programme, consider that the programme was in line with Ofcom’s standards”.
Susanna later issued an apology, admitting she had left fans “irate” and being accused of “jealousy”.
After welcoming two Scottish broadcasters on the programme earlier this week, who questioned Susanna on her comments, the former BBC Breakfast star said: “My Scottish ancestors would be turning in their graves, I can only apologise.
“Let me say, it’s outrageous that not everyone in Scotland has got today off as a bank holiday.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
Venezuela Fury’s new husband Noah was heard complaining about the static home her parents bought for themCredit: TiktokThe young wife looked unimpressed with her husband’s commentCredit: Tiktok
The couple moved into their static home after they got marriedCredit: TikTok/ @venezuelaffuryThe couple got married in a lavish wedding last monthCredit: Splash
At 42ft long and 14ft wide, the static home spans 588 square feet – roughly the same size as a large London studio flat.
They also gave them a nice little nest egg of £5M, to get them started out, as well as paying for their lavish wedding.
Meanwhile, the new couple have found their marriage has been lucrative so far for them.
Since then, the newlyweds have been showing of their new life on social mediaCredit: TikTokThe young couple have proved hugely popular with fansCredit: Getty
A TV insider said: “The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
“People are genuinely intrigued by them.
“Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor’.
“Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating.”
Netflix is likely to win any bidding war for the show, as the streamer already has a working relationship with the Fury family.
Their series, At Home With The Furys, became an instant hit when it dropped in 2023 and filming is already under way on a third series, which is due later this year.
TINA Daheley’s BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show replacement has been revealed just a day after she announced she’s quitting.
The newsreader has spent nearly eight years on the programme and was dubbed former host Scott Mills’ “work wife”, but now she’s moving on.
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Tina Daheley is leaving the Radio 2 Breakfast ShowCredit: InstagramMatt Carter is taking over the newsreader job from TinaCredit: @thatmattcarter/Instagram
Filling her sizeable shoes is journalist Matt Carter, and he can’t wait to get going.
Writing on Instagram, he said: “Thrilled to finally be able to spill the beans and tell you I’ll be joining a stellar cast of @djsaracox, @theelliebrennan and the fantastic prod team as your newsreader on the NEW breakfast show next month! Big (and very stylish) shoes to fill – wish me luck…
“See you on the 6th!”
The news was well received by listeners and station legends.
While OJ Borg posted: “Mate this is wicked! You were wicked when we did breakfast together.”
Tina, 45, told how the role had been “one of the greatest privileges of my life” and admitted it was “humbling” to “deliver the biggest breakfast show in Europe”.
She then made the reveal she is staying in the Radio 2 fold and on Jeremy Vine‘s 12-2pm show over summer.
In an emotional statement, she wrote: “After more than seven years of early alarm calls on Radio 2, I’m stepping away from Radio 2 breakfast.
“It’s been one of the greatest privileges of my life to wake up with you every morning, and humbling to have been trusted to deliver the news on the biggest breakfast show in Europe.”
Tina went on to reminisce about her time with the BBC and said: “My breakfast run ends on Radio 2 but it all started on 1Xtra where I landed my dream job reading the news on Trevor Nelson’s Breakfast Show.
“From there, I spent a decade broadcasting to one in four young people in the UK on Radio 1.
“After 18 years and six back to back breakfast shows (probably a record) in there somewhere, I am looking forward to a lie in”.
Tina, who began her BBC radio career on Trevor Nelson’s show, reads the early-morning news and contributes to lively discussions.
Earlier this year, she went “missing”amid an “awful week” after being struck down by illness.
Scott Mills Scandal in Brief
SCOTT Mills has been sacked from BBC Radio 2 – yet what’s happening?
She was absent at the same time as her former co-host Scott was pulled off-air.
As well as losing his role on Radio 2, Mills was also sacked from working on the BBC’s Eurovision coverage and from a new podcast spin off from Race Across The World, which he won the celebrity series of in 2024.
Corey Feldman was rushed to an L.A. hospital after his plane arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday.
The “Stand by Me” star, 54, started feeling unwell on his flight from Chicago to Los Angeles and was met by medical professionals at his gate. A doctor happened to be on board and checked on the former child star while in the air, but it was unclear what the issue was.
Doctors at a Los Angeles hospital were able to rule out gallstones, and on Tuesday, a representative for the “Goonies” star told The Times that they cracked the case, and Feldman is on the mend.
“Corey is doing much better and is now out of the hospital,” a rep for the actor and singer said. “They determined it was a really bad case of food poisoning (which no one ever wants to have on a plane!). Corey wants to thank everyone for all of the love and well wishes. He has definitely seen a lot of the messages and really appreciates everything.”
As for what soured Feldman’s stomach, his rep said, “Corey is vegetarian so I can definitely confirm it was not shrimp!”
Feldman was in Chicago to participate in a 40th anniversary celebration of the 1986 classic “Stand by Me,” one of the earlier films that put Feldman on the map as a young actor. He appeared at anniversary events alongside co-stars Jerry O’Connell and Wil Wheaton.
Feldman is dropping the single “What Am I Here 4” on Monday and is slated to perform two birthday shows, on July 25 at the Arrow Room in Rancho Cucamonga and on July 26 at the Garden Amp in Garden Grove.
The farmer was visibly upset, breaking into tears, when Jeremy Clarkson announced his cancer diagnosis in the latest episodes of the TV show Clarkson’s Farm
04:56, 17 Jun 2026Updated 04:58, 17 Jun 2026
Kaleb breaks down in tears as Clarkson breaks the news (Image: Prime)
Jeremy Clarkson’s devastating cancer diagnosis left farm manager Kaleb Cooper in tears.
“I’ve got cancer,” Clarkson said during a conversation about the farm’s harvest.
Kaleb replied, “No, you haven’t. Where?”
The former Top Gear host has continued: “Where it is, is of no concern of anybody. I’ve known since May.”
“I had a medical, you remember back in May? I disappeared off the other week and I had a biopsy and it is cancer and it’s aggressive, but it’s really early so the treatment will be, you know…
“I was praying we could get the harvest done and then I could go and get some treatment but it’s going to be slap bang in the middle.”
Kaleb, wiping away tears, then said, “Look after yourself, you go and do… if you need anything just ring.”
Later in the show, Clarkson spoke about how the year had been challenging while talking to Kaleb, his girlfriend Lisa, and his two other employees.
“We started the year and I had coronary heart disease and ended it with me with cancer,” he explained.
“We can dwell as much as we like on all the bad things that have happened on the farm, but I think it’s better now, at the end of the year, to focus on things that have happened that are good.”
Kaleb asked, “When will we know the treatments worked?”
In response to Kaleb’s tears, the Who Wants to be a Millionaire host jests at him to “cheer up”.
“Not for another few weeks. Come on cheer up, it probably did work.”
The emotional episode has now been added to Prime Video.
Ahead of the episodes the TV star warned fans that they may be “a difficult watch”.
He posted on Instagram: “Ordinarily we try to keep the show bucolic and charming and cheerful. But the final two episodes which drop in the middle of the night tonight are none of those things really.”
In the clip, he took a deep breath and added: “They’re a difficult watch. They’re really, really difficult.”
After he announces the news to the farmers, Clarkson is later seen in a hospital bed set to undergo surgery.
However, Clarkson appears to maintain a positive attitude as he says he hopes to be back for a sixth season, before joking that if the treatment isn’t successful ‘take care everyone’.
JOHANNESBURG — Globally celebrated South African jazz icon Abdullah Ibrahim has died at age 91, his family announced in a statement Monday.
Ibrahim, formerly known as Dollar Brand, passed away peacefully in Germany following a short illness, surrounded by loved ones, the statement issued on behalf of his family said.
As one of South Africa’s most respected jazz figures, he famously played at Nelson Mandela’s 1994 presidential inauguration. Mandela referred to Ibrahim as “our Mozart.”
His final public concert in South Africa took place at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in March, when he once again captivated audiences with the musical skill that defined his career.
Paying tribute to her partner, Dr. Marina Umari said he “passed away peacefully with South Africa and its people in his heart.”
“His love for his country never wavered, no matter where in the world he found himself,” she said.
His family said that even though his life is over, his influence and voice would continue to resonate around the world.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa paid tribute to the musician, praising his contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle and acknowledging his lasting impact through music.
“Today our nation mourns the passing of an international icon and global citizen whose profound creations honored the South Africa that shaped his political commitment and musical brilliance,” said Ramaphosa.
Born Adolph Johannes Brand in Cape Town on Oct. 9, 1934, Ibrahim rose to international prominence as a pianist, composer and bandleader. With a career spanning more than seven decades, he forged a unique blend of jazz and South African musical traditions, making him a cultural ambassador whose music struck a chord with listeners worldwide.
Ibrahim’s mother Rachel Brand was mixed-race and under the apartheid system he was classified as “colored,” which afforded him certain social privileges that were denied Black South Africans. He was raised by grandparents and was told Rachel was his sister, only learning the truth in adulthood. Influenced by his grandmother and mother playing piano at the AME Church in Kensington, a Cape Town suburb, Irbrahim began piano lessons at age 7 and made his professional debut at 15.
In 1959 and 1960, he played with saxophonists Kippie Moeketsi and Mackay Davashe, trumpeter Hugh Masekela, trombonist Jonas Gwangwa, bassist Johnny Gertze and drummer Makaya Ntshoko in the Jazz Epistles. The group recorded the first full-length jazz LP by Black South African musicians, “Jazz Epistle — Verse 1.” The South African government began targeting jazz groups as part of increasing state repression, and following the Sharpeville massacre in March 1960, the Jazz Epistles broke up.
During this time, Ibrahim met jazz singer Sathima Bea Benjamin and the pair moved to Europe. The following year, in Zurich, Switzerland, Benjamin convinced Duke Ellington to come see Ibrahim perform with the Dollar Brand Trio. Impressed, Ellington helped arrange a recording session with Reprise Records, later released as “Duke Ellington presents The Dollar Brand Trio.”
In 1965, Ibrahim and Benjamin married and moved to New York. He played at the Newport Jazz Festival and toured throughout the U.S. In addition to playing with, and, on occasion, leading the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Ibrahim interacted with such musicians as Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Pharoah Sanders, and was influenced by the Black Power movement, incorporating African elements into his jazz. His compositions also reflected the influence of Ellington and Thelonious Monk.
The musician returned briefly to Cape Town in 1968 and converted to Islam, changing his name from Dollar Brand to Abdullah Ibrahim. As an expatriate, he toured the world for decades, appearing at major venues and working with classical orchestras in Europe. His composition “Mannenberg” became noteworthy as an anthem of South Africa’s anti-apartheid movement.
In 2009, Ibrahim received an honorary doctorate in music from Wits University and the Order of Ikhamanga, a prestigious civilian award, from former President Jacob Zuma in the same year.
Ibrahim was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2019.
Alan Winde, the mayor of the Western Cape, where Ibrahim’s hometown is located, honored the performer and commended him for capturing South Africa’s cultural richness and history in his music.
“South Africa has lost a legend,” Winde said. “Abdullah Ibrahim represented everything that makes South Africa and the Western Cape so remarkable. His music told the story of our unique cultural diversity and past.”
Ibrahim is survived by Umari; his son, Tsakwe, a musician; and his daughter, Tsidi, a rapper who goes by Jean Grae.
According to his family, Ibrahim will be laid to rest in the German state of Bavaria, where he lived.
Dua Lipa has taken her London property empire to four pads by snapping up two more swish homesCredit: APThe pop sensation has just dropped around £1m on a two-bed flat in London’s Leicester Square areaCredit: Google Maps
And another £1m went on a flat in north London which is next door to a pad with a similar price tag she already owns.
Dua also has a pad in Hampstead worth £7m.
A firm called Chiltern Court Ltd, of which she is a “person of significant control” took out loans from the royal family’s banker Coutts & Co and OneSavings Bank Plc to fund the purchases.
That’s despite the chart topper being worth £150m.
MODEL Rosie Huntington-Whiteley looked incredible as she wore shades with a white cropped jacket and bikini.
The mum of two, 39, who is the long-term partner of movie action star Jason Statham, wore the outfit for Brazilian swimwear brand ViX Paula Hermanny.
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Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wowed in a white bikini as part of a new campaign with ViX Paula HermannyCredit: ViX Paula Hermanny/CMGThe model posed up a storm on a push bike in an oversized blue shirtCredit: ViX Paula Hermanny/CMG
She also got on her bike in a tied blue shirt for the photoshoot, as part of her role as a co-designer and global ambassador.
For another look, she wowed in a strapless cut out red swimsuit as she posed for a snap in front of beach waves.
The model completed the look with the blue oversized shirt and pushed her hair out of her face with a wet look.
Rosie said: “I wanted to design a collection to reflect how women really live and travel — pieces that feel effortless, sensual, and timeless, wherever you are.”
Model Rosie is the long-term partner of movie action star Jason StathamCredit: GettyRosie recently showed off her incredible body in a matching gym setCredit: rosiehw/Instagram
She added: “This collaboration feels incredibly personal as I’ve worn ViX for years.
“Paula and I share a love for beautiful fabrics, clean lines, and pieces that feel effortless yet considered.”
This is Rosie’s second official collection with the luxury brand.
Earlier this month Rosie wowed in a pink matching gym set as she worked up a sweat.
She also rocked a pair of weight-lifting gloves and some sunglasses for the mirror selfie.
The star scraped her hair back off her face and completed the look with some gold earrings.
Rosie started dating Jason, who has starred in the likes of Transporter, The Mechanic and Fast & Furious, started dating in 2009.
The pair met while at a party in London.
The two took their relationship to the next level and got engaged in 2016.
And they share two children Jack, eight, and Isabella, four.
Grammy-nominated rapper Mystikal has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for third-degree rape.
The “Danger” rapper was arrested in the summer of 2022 and booked into the Ascension Parish Jail in Louisiana and charged with first-degree rape, simple robbery, domestic abuse battery–strangulation, false imprisonment and simple criminal damage to property after the victim identified the rapper as the suspect from the hospital where she was being treated for injuries.
According to Baton Rouge-based ABC affiliate WBRZ, the victim told a Louisiana courtroom on Tuesday that Mystikal, real name Michael Tyler, punched and choked her, pulled braids out of her hair and forcibly raped her during the 2022 incident. The victim requested the maximum sentence for the rapper.
“If I did that to you, I deserve the max sentence,” Tyler told the courtroom before he was sentenced to 20 years for third-degree rape, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years with no chance for early release or probation.
In March, Tyler entered a guilty plea, which knocked his first-degree rape charge down to third-degree. In Louisiana, first-degree rape carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. According to WBRZ, the rapper’s attorney filed a motion to withdraw the guilty plea days before Tyler was sentenced, but the motion was tossed.
The rapper was previously indicted in 2017 on rape and kidnapping charges stemming from allegations in 2016. He spent 18 months in jail before being released in 2019 on a $3-million bond, the Associated Press reported. The Caddo Parish district attorney in Louisiana ultimately dropped those charges in 2020 after a second grand jury declined to bring an indictment.
With his raspy vocal intensity and scream-like musical delivery, Mystikal shot to the top of the charts with Master P’s No Limit Records in the late 1990s. In 2004, the embattled rapper’s original label, Jive Records, released two compilations of his music, “Prince of the South … The Hits” and “Chopped & Screwed.”
Former Times staff writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.
Sean “Diddy” Combs is expected to be released from federal prison earlier than expected in 2028.
The disgraced music and alcohol mogul, 56, is now set to be released from FCI Fort Dix, a low-security federal prison in New Jersey, on Feb. 23, 2028, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate database. Combs was sentenced in October 2025 to 50 months in prison after he was convicted of transporting prostitutes across state lines for drug-fueled sex performances known as “freak-offs.”
The updated release date shaves off even more prison time for Combs, who was initially projected to be freed in June 2028. Earlier this year, the producer’s release date was moved up to April 2028.
A legal representative for Combs did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. People reported that Combs is participating in a drug-abuse rehabilitation program in the federal prison. The outlet also reported that the musician’s legal team preferred Combs carry out his sentence at FCI Fort Dix because of its treatment program and proximity to his family.
Combs was sentenced last year after a lengthy and highly public legal saga involving damning allegations of sexual assault and other violence. Singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones were among the accusers who lodged civil complaints against Combs. Though he was found guilty in July on two counts of a prostitution-related charge, jurors cleared Combs on racketeering and sex trafficking.
“Mr. Combs has been given his life by this jury,” defense attorney Marc Agnifilo said at the time.
Earlier this month, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said it was investigating two sexual assault cases against the Bad Boy Records founder. A Florida music producer alleged last year that Combs sexually assaulted him in 2020 and 2021. When the claims first surfaced in 2025, Combs’ civil attorney dismissed them.
“Let me make it absolutely clear, Mr. Combs categorically denies as false and defamatory all claims that he sexually abused anyone,” attorney Jonathan Davis said at the time. “He looks forward to vindicating himself in court, where such matters are decided — and not in the media — based on admissible, material evidence, not rank speculation and unsubstantiated allegations.”
Times staff writers James Queally and Richard Winton contributed to this report.
A new BBC crime and detective drama, created by Jim Cartwright, is the perfect watch for Beyond Paradise fans
A new BBC crime and detective drama, created by Jim Cartwright, is the perfect watch for Beyond Paradise fans(Image: BBC)
Beyond Paradise fans looking for their next fix need look no further as a new BBC detective drama is on its way.
The Hairdresser Mysteries, created by Jim Cartwright, sees a star-studded cast with Bridget Jones’s Diary legend Sally Phillips, Coronation Street favourite Charlotte Jordan, Game of Thrones star Charlotte Hope, Adrian Hood and Doctors star Elisabeth Dermot Walsh.
A synopsis for the upcoming six-part show teases: “The Hairdresser Mysteries is an original, homegrown drama and a nostalgic nod to the 70’s which sees a high-end hairdresser, Lily Petal (Sally Phillips), opt out of the competitive city scene to buy a small village hairdressers at the top of a cobbled street.
“Everyone tells their hairdresser everything and soon she becomes the hub of her new village’s secrets and revelations.
“Using her own brand of uncannily developed hairdressing intuitive, empathy and understanding, Lily begins to solve the mysteries of the village.”
At the time of the show’s announcement, Will Trotter and Oliver Kent, Executive Producers for Mill Bay Media said: “We are thrilled to be making The Hairdresser Mysteries and working with renowned writer, Jim Cartwright, who has created a joyful world packed with colourful characters.
“None more so than hairdresser, Lily Petal, and we are delighted to have much-loved actor, Sally Phillips bring her to life.”
Meanwhile, Herbert L. Kloiber, CEO Night Train Media and Eccho Rights said: “We are delighted to bring The Hairdresser Mysteries to the international stage. The unique world that Jim Cartwright has created – modern but joyfully retro – and Sally Philips’ irresistible charm, create a fun drama that is both clever and comforting.
“It is exactly the kind of premium yet accessible series that we are looking to develop, offering buyers a fresh spin on the cosy crime genre that they have been crying out for.”
After leaving Corrie, Charlotte joined the radio show as Amber Gordon that June but after landing the new BBC role, she had to leave The Archers. Olivia Bernstone has taken over the role of Amber in The Archers as a result of Charlotte leaving.
A spokesperson for the show told Metro at the time: “After a brilliant performance as Amber, Charlotte Jordan is taking time to pursue other projects and so we are delighted to be welcoming Olivia Bernstone to the cast, who will play the role of Amber going forward.”
The Hairdresser Mysteries comes to BBC One and BBC iPlayer soon.
Coronation Street legend Kevin Webster got into a huge showdown with nephew Carl on Tuesday night’s episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap and a shot was fired
Kevin Webster got involved in a shocking gun showdown on Tuesday night’s episode of Coronation Street
Kevin Webster got involved in a shocking gun showdown on Tuesday night’s episode of Coronation Street. The mechanic has been played by Michael Le Vell since 1983 and has been central to many of the soap’s biggest storylines, many of them involving his ex-wife Sally (Sally Dynevor), and their daughters,Rosie (Helen Flanagan) and Sophie (Brooke Vincent).
On top of all that, Carl was recently injured when working on a car on the garage when Tyrone Dobbs (Alan Halsall) let the vehicle collapse down on him, and, to keep himself in the clear, lied to the police about his whereabouts that night, thereby landing innocent Summer Spellman (Harriet Bibby) in prison over the murder of Theo Silverton.
Things came to a head in the latest episode of the world’s longest-running TV soap when Kevin and Carl came face-to-face in the garage as Ronnie Bailey, along with Tyrone, watched on in horror. Having obtained a gun from dodgy car dealer Fiona Morley (Sara Poyzer), it was lying on the floor between them – just after Kevin had tried to hit him with a wrench.
Carl told Kevin: ” Either we fix this… ..or you pick up that gun,” to which his brother-turned-nephew did, believing that it was fake and a violent tussle followed when Carl told him to pull the trigger. A gunshot was heard and it transpired that Kevin had pulled the trigger.
Tyrone got a hold of Kevin to make him see sense and, when he realised Carl had dodged the bullet, he said: “I’m sorry, Carl.” Later on, Carl called round to number 13 where he told Kevin: “Been a bit of a day, eh? Should never have agreed to do that job for Fiona. I don’t know what I was thinking, pulling that out on you. We’re a right pair, aren’t we, eh?
“So, is this us now? Putting everything behind us?” Kevin sighed as he said: “We’re never gonna be best mates, but yeah. We both love Debbie and if you’re serious about doing the right thing by her then we’ll move forward.
“Just one thing. Why did you do it? Abi, I mean. Like, I know I’ve gotta get past it, and it’s doing me no good dwelling on the past but I need to know. Please.” Carl said: “Because she was there, I was selfish, self-destructive. Jealous. Kev, whatever the reason, doing that to you, to both of you, it was wrong and I regret it. I regret it all. I don’t wanna be that person again and I don’t think I’m gonna be.” It was then that the warring relatives seemingly called a truce as they shook hands.
By the end of the episode, Ronnie and Debbie had found out about the whole thing and he claimed he had returned the gun, but now it was nowhere to be seen as Fiona hadn’t received it. Lamenting in the living room, Debbie said to Ronnie and Carl: “So, not only have we got God knows who coming after us, but there’s someone out there with a loaded gun!
“Right, first thing tomorrow, I want you both out there, and I want you to find it, because if you don’t, it won’t be Fiona you’ll have to worry about, it’ll be me! Now, get out of my sight… the pair of you,” and showed them the door. What none of them know, though, is Jodie Ramsey, the mysterious long-lost sister of Shona, had found the gun and taken it for herself.
Reacting to the tense episode, one fan wrote on X: “Carl bringing a gun to an argument.. yes only soft b******* do that!! #Corrie,” whilst another said: “So what’s Jodie planning on doing with the gun then?” Is she gonna use it on David if he doesn’t sleep with her?”
A third wrote: “Aw Carl and Kevin making up. Hope Carl sorts himself out for Debbie,” and a fourth said: “A near miss for Carl and Kevin. Oh s*** the gun has gone off!”
Coronation Streetairs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and is available to stream from 7am onITVX.
The Recording Academy announced significant changes for the 2027 Grammys, introducing several new genre categories and updating eligibility rules for two of its top awards.
The rule changes will most prominently affect the new artist and album categories.
A change to allow for four submissions for new artist instead of three “establishes more specific language surrounding prominence,” the academy said in a statement. The change updates the famously confusing criteria for new artist, in which acts familiar to some fans for years can suddenly break through and earn new consideration for the category.
It’s likely to benefit an artist such as Ella Langley, who had previously submitted several times for new artist but finally had a commercial and critical breakthrough with her single “Choosin’ Texas” and LP “Dandelion.”
“We’ve heard from the music community that the way artists are being developed is changing, and the time it’s taking to find success or recognition can take longer than it once did. Artists are often releasing more music before they actually break through the consciousness of consumers or of our voters, and that evolution directly impacts this Category,” Recording Academy Chief Executive Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement announcing the changes. The changes “reflect the reality that artist development looks different than it did even a few years ago.”
In the album category, new rules state that “the threshold of new recordings required on an eligible album is lowered from 75% to 66% to reduce the exclusion of entries that are widely recognized throughout the music industry as new albums.” Given the fast streaming-centric release cycle of new singles, remixes and live cuts, the rule changes reflect that a new album may have a significant amount material released earlier.
Additionally, the academy announced five new genre categories, most significantly a dedicated award for Asian pop — a late but welcome acknowledgment of the commercial reach, artistic accomplishments and deep fan culture of K-pop and other scenes in Japan, the Philippines and China.
Other new categories include Latin song, a songwriting-specific award for Latin music in an era when Bad Bunny and Karol G make some of pop’s most salient political and creative statements; distinct awards for R&B collaboration or duo/group performance and R&B solo performance; a new traditional pop vocal performance award; and the replacement of folk album with categories for contemporary folk album and traditional folk album.
Additionally, a new “ballot plus” option will allow for voting members working across genres to vote in more categories, and songwriting contributors to winning albums in most genre categories will receive Grammy statuettes and achievement certificates, as producers and engineers currently receive.
“These changes and expansions give even more people a place for their music to be respected, heard and evaluated. With more Categories, we can represent more music creators, artists, writers, and producers, and it gives us a great opportunity to be more inclusive,” Mason said in his statement. “Now more than ever, we have to keep pace because things are changing and evolving so quickly. These changes are a reflection of that fast-paced evolution.”
Woody and Buzz realise there’s a new enemy in the toy boxCredit: AP
IT’S been over 30 years since Disney’s Pixar changed the way we all look at the contents of an old toy box forever, with the creation of 1995’s Toy Story.
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And it might seem that after four films – and a pretty dire Buzz Lightyear spin-off in 2022 – that the story of toys might have been packed up and put in the loft forever.
But, no. There’s always room for another play.
And Woody, Buzz and their motley crew realise there’s a new enemy sucking the imagination out of their beloved children’s minds: technology.
This film focuses on rootin’-tootin’ Cowgirl Jessie (Joan Cusack), who is favoured by her owner, Bonnie.
The kid loves nothing more than playing games where Jessie and Buzz Lightyear get hitched.
Sadly, the neighbourhood kids don’t want to join in with Bonnie. In fact, they laugh at her suggestions.
And when Jessie goes on a mission to persuade them otherwise, she watches as they all sit staring at devices, like little zombies.
“That’s not playing!” she exclaims. “They’re not even looking up.” In a misguided act of kindness, Bonnie’s parents buy her a Lilypad (Greta Lee) – a kid-friendly tablet that she can ‘connect’ with other children on.
Bonnie’s parents buy her a Lilypad – a kid-friendly tablet that she can ‘connect’ with other children onCredit: PAThe film also features a shipment of new Buzz Lightyears trying to find their way to a starCredit: AP
And, as you can imagine, this does the opposite – making Bonnie addicted to the screen – while shunning her toys, losing her imagination and becoming gently cyber-bullied by the girls in her class.
So, it becomes Jessie and the crew’s job to get her away from the screen and the misery it brings. Which, as any parent will know, is a near impossible task.
There is also another story running alongside it involving a shipment of new Buzz Lightyears trying to find their way to a star.
Also, Woody has to be brought into the pack as he’s still living on the outside with the rebellious Bo Peep.
These multiple storylines make Toy Story 5 disjointed in places, and while plenty of fresh ideas are shown, it keeps repeating the idea of kids growing out of playing with toys.
The brilliant dynamic between the competitive pals Woody and Buzz is missed – as is Randy Newman’s superb theme tune You’ve Got a Friend in Me (this time Taylor Swift’s original song “I Knew It, I Knew You” is played at the credits).
And Jessie’s relentless energy becomes a little grating.
However, it’s great to see the gang back on the big screen – and it has enough entertainment, imagination and heart to make sure you won’t check your phone throughout.
EastEnders have welcomed back a familiar face, but fans fear this will lead to dangerous scenes for Chelsea and Jordan Fox after they survived serial killer Gray Atkins
EastEnders welcomes back familiar face
A familiar face has come back to EastEnders – and it spells trouble for Chelsea and Jordan Fox. Chelsea’s sister Libby, played by Belinda Owusu, has returned Walford after hearing about her mother Denise’s cancer diagnosis, but while many were happy to see her, it wasn’t long before she and Chelsea started bickering.
They argued about many things, starting with whether Chelsea should have noticed Denise was ill and called Libby earlier. Soon, the conversation turned to Chelsea’s son Jordan, who was recently in a car accident and may not be able to walk again. As Chelsea broke down, Libby comforted her sister. But, again, their peace with each other didn’t last long.
Libby pushed Chelsea to open up more and fill her in on what was going on. As such, Chelsea revealed that she had received a birthday card for Jordan from his great-grandmother, Sheila, along with a cheque for £1000.
When asked why she hadn’t cashed it, Chelsea said she didn’t want anyone connected to her ex husband Gray, Jordan’s father who was abusive and killed multiple people, involved in her son’s life, in case they were still in contact with Gray. The murderer, who was also physically abusive towards Chelsea, is currently in prison for his crimes. Since Sheila is Gray’s grandmother, Chelsea didn’t want to risk her being involved.
But, Libby later took the card, with the cheque inside. Fans were unsure what Libby planned to do with it, but some felt that if she cashed the cheque, this would put Chelsea and Jordan in danger.
One floated the idea that Libby planned to cash the cheque: “First episode back and Libby has already just slotted in like shes been back for ages, although if she does end up cashing the check I hope its actually to help Jordan and not another ‘I’m in debt and need to pay someone off’ storyline again.”
Another added: “Well I hope not since she did say she was willing to give Chelsea money for Jordan’s wheelchair and other stuff so I doubt they writers will make her do that considering what she said today.
“I also hope before she cashes it in she discusses it with Chelsea first because at the end of the day it’s gonna affect Jordan and Chelsea since it’s gonna be from her ex partner’s family and who knows they might still be in touch with him so it could potentially put both Jordan and Chelsea at risk but that’s just my opinion.
“So I hope she discusses it with Chelsea before doing anything bc if I was Chelsea I’m not sure how comfortable I would feel either taking money from my abusive ex’s family.”
A third added that they thought this could lead to a custody battle that puts Gray back in Jordan’s life: “I really hope she talks to Chelsea too, because if she cashes the cheque, Gray’s family could use to suggest that they take over Jordan’s care entirely – they’re already paying and they’ll say Chelsea let him get hurt.
“And if they have custody, they might take him to see Gray, which isn’t safe for anyone, especially Chelsea when she tries to get Jordan back.”
Belinda Owusu, who plays Libby, has already teased that her return to the Square leads to tough scenes for Chelsea, and what will happen with the cheque. She said: “With Chelsea overwhelmed by Jordan’s care and the financial strain, Libby sees it as potential support. She’s torn – she respects Chelsea’s boundaries but also believes it could offer some relief.”