SHOW BIZ

The former chief executive of WPP’s Motion Content Group — the producer behind “Love Is Blind” and other reality TV shows — is suing the ad agency, saying he was fired after he flagged alleged improper billing practices.

In the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday, Richard Foster said he was ousted after he repeatedly warned senior managers about alleged “kickback practices” involving the company’s “rebate-driven deals” that he said “were unsustainable, unlawful, and a significant threat to the Company.”

Foster, a 17-year veteran, led WPP’s media division that is the producer and co-financier of “Love Island” and some 2,500 other television shows around the world. The division was rebranded in 2023 as GroupM Motion Entertainment in the North America.

Foster alleged in his lawsuit that GroupM leveraged “client budgets to secure inventory deals” from media companies that included cash rebates, inventory discounts and other financial incentives, and that these transactions were not always transparent or disclosed to clients.

Over the last five years, the lawsuit states, the company “generated rebate-driven deals valued between $3 [billion] and $4 billion, of which it improperly retained approximately $1.5 [billion] to $2 billion.”

But rather than confront the issues, Foster claims executives “marginalized him, and ultimately terminated him and his team to cover up their own improper practices.”

WPP disputed the claims.

“The Company is aware of a lawsuit in the New York State Court filed by a former employee who was let go in a recent organizational restructuring,” a WPP spokesperson said in a statement. “The court has not yet made any findings in relation to the allegations and we will defend them vigorously.”

In December, Foster submitted a 35-page internal report emphasizing that there were opportunities to establish a new entertainment division, but warned that its use of rebates could pose “possible legal and reputational” risks to the company.

At one point, Foster alleged that he told one executive, that “WPP and GroupM have ‘been sleepwalking to the edge of a cliff and people don’t want to hear it.’”

In January, Foster said he was asked to discuss the report with Brian Lesser, global CEO of GroupM, who “expressed concern about the legal risks tied to GroupM Trading and said he would investigate this further.” Days later Foster claimed that he received a text from Lesser asking him to send a “sanitized version of the report” and “to exclude any overt criticism of [GroupM Trading] as that is not in the spirit of working together.”

Eventually, Foster said he was terminated on July 10. He is seeking $100 million in damages.

“Richard Foster devoted nearly two decades to helping build one of the world’s most successful media and entertainment creation operations,” his attorney, William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, said in a statement. “When he stood up for transparency and accountability at WPP, he was let go. This case will shine a light on systemic misconduct and the retaliation faced by an executive who refused to go along to get along.”

Crocodile feet, fish eyes, a live spider – they’ve all been on the menu for I’m A Celeb stars over the years…

I’m A Celeb’s toughest trials are undoubtedly the eating and drinking nightmares where real animal parts are served up or whisked into a smoothie, with everything from croc feet to fish eyes – and in one particularly grim episode involving Ferne McCann, a live spider – on the menu.

Each series there tends to be a vegetarian or two who doesn’t have to take part in the animal-chomping spectacle. This year Lisa Riley, 49, falls into that category. The Mandy Dingle actress is a committed vegetarian who in recent years has lost 12 stone with rigorous veggie meals and by cutting out bread and booze.

The Emmerdale legend, who arrived in Australia on Sunday, will not only be served up special meals in camp – meaning no kangaroo tail for her – but when it comes to the trials, she’ll have fruit-based vegetarian options.

Fans have long insisted that vegetarians get an easier ride on eating trials, with many saying that while the likes of Bev Callard – who is vegan – had to eat fermented plums and cheesefruit, it wasn’t as challenging as munching sheep penis or deer testicle like some of her co-stars had to.

In 2019, I’m A Celeb bosses announced that live insects would no longer be eaten on the show – with only dead creatures consumed on the show. Wildlife presenter Chris Packham said he was “very pleased” and called it a “first step”.

Lisa joked that she was arriving in Australia to reprise the Emmerdale spin-off Dingles Down Under. She told reporters: “I am a Dingle I can cope with anything, I’m from the north… we are made of tough skin.

“We did Dingles Down Under many years so and I feel it’s only right we do it again.” Lisa also insisted she could handle bugs crawling about, saying: “I’ve worked on a farm and it’s part of the job.”

Lisa’s character Mandy – who she has played for 10 years – is set to take a break from Emmerdale, with a source explaining that her disappearance from the soap while she appears on I’m A Celeb explained by her leaving the village to visit a pal.

An insider told The Sun: “Mandy’s exit will be lowkey and very brief”. They continued: “Lisa filmed her scenes last week, Mandy goes to visit friends and will be back before you know it.

FORGET who will be the next Bond or AI taking over acting.

There’s currently a bigger issue that’s tearing Hollywood in two… and standing in the middle of it is a doe-eyed firebrand named Sydney Sweeney, who might – or might not – know exactly what she’s doing.

Over the past few months, Sydney, 28, has found herself in the eye of a raging public storm, thanks to never-ending questions over her social and political leanings, and her unapologetic refusal to set the record straight. 

On the one side, we have fans, mostly on the right, praising their “anti-woke warrior” after she chose not to comment on or apologise for her controversial American Eagle advert. 

On the other, the woke corner of the internet accuses her and the commercial – which plays on saying she has “good jeans/genes” – of having a Nazi-like stance on eugenics. 

So, the fact that she hasn’t desperately begged for forgiveness in the wake of all the frenzy and outrage is music to woke-fatigued ears.

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Add to that the fact that Sydney’s been revealed to be a registered Republican and a MAGA supporter – with President Donald Trump himself publicly praising her – and it’s no surprise she’s copping flak to go with her fandom. 

In the past week, whether coincidental or not, her Oscar-touted biopic Christy has definitively bombed at the box office, making a paltry $1.3million in the US in its opening weekend.

Now, no one knows what to think. Has the young budding starlet, who could have been Hollywood’s next leading lady, shot herself in her genetically blessed foot? Or is this all just a storm in a teacup?

The jury’s still out, but for every commenter yelling “anti-woke warrior”, there’s another shouting “white supremacist!”

Yes, Sydney’s swiftly becoming the most polarising thing since pineapple on pizza.

And that’s before you consider her other public stunts – including, but not limited to, her overtly sexual self-branding and her apparent romance with another very controversial character in Scooter Braun.

Scooter, 44, is the disgraced record executive who people’s princess Taylor Swift called a “manipulative bully” after he bought the rights to her first six albums and blocked her performing some of the songs.

He’s also had very public fall-outs with his former protegés Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande and Demi Lovato.

With all this in mind, getting into bed – so to speak – with such a figure may not do Sydney any favours. But does she care? 

Fresh fury

Last week, the star caused fury again, after speaking to GQ to promote her new movie Christy, in which she plays the boxer Christy Martin. 

During the – at times – uncomfortable chat, the topic turned to all the noise surrounding the alleged white supremacist undertones of her American Eagle “good jeans” ad. 

The interviewer began: “White people shouldn’t joke about genetic superiority; that was the conversation. Since we’re talking about this, I just wanted to give you an opportunity to talk about that situation specifically.”

Seemingly unfussed, Sydney simply replied: “I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.”

Elsewhere in the Q&A, she said: “I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life.” 

As for President Trump’s praise for the jeans campaign – he called it “the hottest ad ever” specifically after hearing that Sydney was a registered Republican – the actress remained coy. She simply responded that his endorsement was “surreal”. 

Again, the masses were divided. Fans – and some loyal celebrity friends – spoke out in defence of the Euphoria star.

Sydney’s former Anyone But You co-star Glen Powell called the public indignation over the ad “bulls***”, while Amanda Seyfried – who’s starring in the upcoming movie The Housemaid alongside Sydney – commented under one of her posts: “You Kill. Brave and true.”

She’s also been publicly supported by Euphoria co-star Maud Apatow and fellow lightning rod Nicola Peltz-Beckham, who have both liked her Instagram posts over the past week.

Woke backlash

But then, there are the celebrities who have no time at all for Sydney’s supposed alt-right politics – and they’re letting it be known. 

In response to YouTuber Jupiter Baal’s video – shared to Instagram – in which he chastised the actress and said, “She was given an opportunity to push back, she didn’t, therefore she’s in on it”, actress Christina Ricci responded: “100%” .

Likewise, fellow The White Lotus star Aimee-Lou Wood made her own feelings known – posting a vomit emoji under a post that talked about the now notorious ad. 

According to insiders, Sydney’s Euphoria co-star Zendaya is refusing to speak to her co-worker, and she won’t be associated with her in any capacity…which makes their future promo trail for season three of Euphoria tricky. 

“It’s a difficult position for Zendaya to be in,” a source told Mail Online this week. “Because if she even stands next to Sydney on the red carpet, it can be read as her excusing Sydney’s views on Trump and her refusal to apologise for the racist ad.” 

I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans.

Sydney Sweeney

Then, there’s model and actress Ruby Rose, who went apoplectic on Tuesday in response to a post shared by Sydney.

Earlier in the week, Sydney had reflected on the film’s box office failure, telling her followers: “We don’t always just make art for numbers, we make it for impact. And Christy has been the most impactful project of my life.”

But Ruby – who had previously been cast in the project before being let go – was having nothing of it, writing in a scathing Threads post: “Everyone had experience with the core material. Most of us were actually gay [like Christy]. It’s part of why I stayed in acting. Losing roles happens all the time.

“For her PR to talk about it flopping and saying SS [Sydney Sweeney] did it for the ‘people’. None of the ‘people’ want to see someone who hates them, parading around pretending to be us. You’re a cretin and you ruined the film. Period. Christy deserved better.”

She later doubled down in her comments again, calling Sydney a “psychopath”.

Joining the anti-Sydney brigade, Downton Abbey actor Dan Stevens reshared a post which read: “Sydney Sweeney’s GQ interview is a reminder that ‘not having a stance’ on white supremacy is 100% having a stance on white supremacy.”

So, what’s the strategy? And is there even one to begin with?

Brand and culture expert Nick Ede is unconvinced. Speaking exclusively to The Sun, he says that – whether it’s naivety or not –  Sydney’s not helping her career prospects, proven by the fact that her most recent film flopped. 

He explains: “She’s a young girl – she’s making a lot of money, but this proves she’s not a box office draw.

“That not only goes towards her movie career, but her brand deals too, and suggests that the equity she had really isn’t there anymore.

“She might decide to write an autobiography at this early age and be really honest about her opinions and how she felt. And that’s always a cathartic way of getting your story across and winning the affection of the public again. 

“But I think she’s almost too big now to be a character in a film or a show. You just go and see Sweeney and that can be really detrimental to her in the future.”

No backing down

All evidence so far suggests that apologising for herself is the one thing Sydney’s not willing to do. 

Last year, she teasingly wore a T-shirt that read: “Sorry for having great tits and correct opinions”. 

The suggestion was that she knew that people were writing her off as an overtly sexualised starlet – but that she was laughing all the way to the bank.

What’s more, in her most recent GQ interview, she again hinted at her secret shrewdness. 

She said: “I think as time goes on, people will see that I’m way more aware of things than people think.”

Then, in response to the interviewer’s claim that – by not speaking more about her intentions – she’s giving us permission to “keep taking what you do and putting it up on our board of ‘What does Sydney think?’ the actress remained non-committal. 

“I can’t wait to see what the board says,” she deadpanned. 

Last laugh

Sweeney has also got billionaire Jeff Bezos in her corner, who’s reportedly invested “seed money” into a private equity business that will help Sydney launch her very own lingerie line soon. 

Now that Jeff’s Amazon Prime empire has the rights to the James Bond franchise, his admiration for the actress might just clinch her that ultimate prize of being the next Bond girl.

In which case, again, this could all be nothing but hot air surrounding her supposed demise – and prove she might have the last laugh anyway.

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One thing we do know is that Sydney’s not about to go on some self-flagellating apology tour anytime soon. 

Love her or hate her, like Marmite, she’s here to stay. 

LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused to say Wednesday whether he would urge President Trump to drop his threat to sue the BBC for a billion dollars over the broadcaster’s edit of a speech he made after losing the 2020 presidential election.

During his weekly questioning in the House of Commons, Starmer was asked by Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, whether he would intervene in the row between Trump and the British public broadcaster, and to rule out the idea that the British people would hand over money to the U.S. president.

Instead of responding directly, Starmer reiterated the government’s line since the BBC’s director-general, Tim Davie, announced his resignation on Sunday because of the scandal.

“I believe in a strong and independent BBC,” he said. “Some would rather BBC didn’t exist, I’m not one of them.”

However, he added that “where mistakes are made, they do need to get their house in order.”

In an interview that aired Tuesday on Fox News, Trump said he intended to go through with his threat to sue the BBC, a century-old institution under growing pressure in an era of polarized politics and changing media viewing habits.

“I guess I have to,” he said. “Because I think they defrauded the public and they’ve admitted it.”

The president’s lawyer, Alejandro Brito, sent the threat to the BBC over the way a documentary edited his Jan. 6, 2021, speech before a mob of his followers stormed the U.S. Capitol. The letter demanded an apology to the president and a “full and fair” retraction of the documentary along with other “false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading or inflammatory statements” about Trump.

If the BBC does not comply with the demands by 5 p.m. EST Friday, then Trump will enforce his legal rights, the letter said.

The row centers on an edition of the BBC’s flagship current affairs series “Panorama,” titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

The third-party production company that made the film spliced together three quotes from two sections of the 2021 speech, delivered almost an hour apart, into what appeared to be one quote in which Trump urged supporters to march with him and “fight like hell.”

Among the parts cut out was a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.

BBC Chairman Samir Shah apologized Monday for the misleading edit that he said gave “the impression of a direct call for violent action.”

In addition to Davie’s resignation, the news chief Deborah Turness quit Sunday over accusations of bias and misleading editing.

Pylas writes for the Associated Press.

As Jasmine Harman addresses her husband’s heart attack in her brand new series, the Mirror takes a look at the A Place In The Sun star’s family heartbreaks, including the devastating loss of her sister-in-law

A Place In The Sun star Jasmine Harman has opened up about her husband’s heart attack horror, and it’s sadly not the first family struggle she’s endured.

While filming a recent episode of Jasmine’s Renovations In The Sun, 46-year-old cameraman Jon Boast, whom Jasmine met on the set of A Place In The Sun, began suffering persistent chest pains while renovating their family home in Estepona, Spain.

In dramatic scenes that aired yesterday, Jasmine, who will this week celebrate her 50th birthday, told viewers: “So, we’re at the hospital now. Jon had a funny turn at home, and I had to call an ambulance, but he’s sleeping now, having a little rest. Hopefully it’s nothing serious, but we’re just waiting for some test results.”

Giving an update from his hospital bed, brave Jon said: “Just when we thought we were getting back to normal life, or as normal as life could be, mid-renovation, and I was getting back on my feet.

“This afternoon, when we were with one of the builders, I got sort of pains in my chest and tight chested, aching arms. We called an ambulance and now I’m in hospital, and the blood test results suggest that I’ve had a mild heart attack.”

Speaking out for the first time about the ordeal, Jasmine told The Mirror that Jon has recovered and is back working. She said: “I know this sounds strange, but even with the background of what could have happened and worrying he could have died, it makes you feel lucky he just had a mild heart attack and everything is fine. But the challenges life throws at you has made me take things in my stride a lot better than I used to.”

Here, the Mirror takes a look at some of the painful heartbreaks mum-of-two Jasmine and her family have had to deal with over the years…

READ MORE: Jasmine Harman breaks silence after husband’s heart attack horror

Tragic loss of sister-in-law

Back in 2016, Jon tragically lost his sister, Joanne ‘Jo’ White, who died suddenly after going into cardiac arrest. Jo was just 40 years old, and her death came as a terrible shock to loved ones. In the years since, Jon has thrown himself into supporting CRY, a charity which helps to screen for cardiac risk among young people.

A video previously shared via Jasmine’s Instagram sees a tearful Jon announce: “I support CRY in memory of my amazing sister, Joanne White. [She] passed away suddenly in the night in 2016, from sudden cardiac death.

“Jo was an amazing mother, daughter, auntie, wife and sister. The reason I support CRY is they were there for her family when she was taken so suddenly, offering us guidance and immediate screening.”

Asserting that Jo would have wanted her story to be used to raise awareness, Jon continued: “CRY continue to support us with yearly heart screenings of myself and some of Jo’s family. […] Any funds raised will continue to support the amazing work CRY do in their research, the screening of young people for potential heart problems and raising awareness of young, unexplained cardiac deaths.”

In her new series, Jasmine explained that she and Jon had decided to move to Spain partly because of the shock of losing Jo. She said: “She was fit, well and very healthy. It was a very big shock.”

Baby agony

Jasmine and Jon share two children together, Joy and Albion, but their road to a happy family life was far from easy. Opening up in an interview with Fabulous magazine, Jasmine, whose two children were both welcomed via IVF, spoke candidly about the heartache she and Jon faced when trying to expand their family.

Back in 2017, the couple had tried for baby number three, only for their hopes to be dashed when the embryo didn’t implant. Jasmine shared: “Sadly, when we tried for a third baby in 2017, our embryo didn’t implant. This came so soon after losing Jon’s sister, Jo, who died suddenly at 40 from an unexplained heart problem.”

She continued: “We’d hoped that welcoming a new baby might have lifted the family and brought fresh joy after such a painful time, but instead we were reminded how fragile and precious life can be.”

Mum’s extreme condition

Although Jasmine is well used to looking around beautiful homes, she faced a very different sort of challenge in 2011, having set about helping her extreme hoarder mother clear away 30 years’ worth of clutter. This emotional journey was highlighted in the BBC doc My Hoarder Mum & Me, which resonated with many viewers.

In a candid 2023 episode of This Morning, the property guru gave a heartfelt joint interview with mum Vasoulla, admitting that she previously found her condition “embarrassing”, and feared it would affect the career she’d worked so hard for.

Speaking with Dermot O’Leary and Allison Hammond, Jasmine shared: “In fact, when I started working in television, it was my biggest fear that someone would find out about the way I’d grown up and the way that we lived at the time.”

However, gaining a deeper understanding of her mother’s hoarding and where it stems from has helped her prioritise “having a loving relationship” with Vasoulla, putting aside the fights they once had.

Recognised as a mental health disorder as of 2013, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines hoarding as “an accumulation of possessions due to excessive acquisition of, or difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value”.

During the same interview, Vasoulla explained that the 1958 murder of her father, Evangelos, who was just 32 when he died, triggered her anxiety-based disorder. After the killing, Vasoulla and her mother Maria fled their home country of Cyprus for England, and it’s then that the hoarding started.

According to Vasoulla: “We moved from Cyprus when I was about three, so I left my baby things back home and started collecting trinkets in bombed-out houses that were still about in the early Sixties, after the war – trinkets that I treasured.

“Then we moved back to Cyprus for a couple of years, and those things all got lost. Then we moved back to England and all my new ties got lost – so I just had lots of upheaval, lots of loss.”

She continued: “It’s more the loss, like a bereavement. Losing your father is a big thing, moving country …you lose everything, and you get a new place to live. The trauma of loss [is] something that a lot of people have as the onset of their hoarding behaviour.”

Jasmine’s Renovation In The Sun is now available to watch on Channel 4.

Do you have a story to share? Email me at [email protected]

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ZOE Ball has moved a new man into her home – a mystery “lodger” who has “won more awards” than she has.

The Radio 2 presenter hinted at a new romance on her Dig It podcast, two years after her split from construction worker Michael Reed.

Zoe, 53, revealed her new living arrangements to co-host Jo Whiley when discussing Christmas gifts.

She said: “I’ve got this thing that I bought online, which is sort of like you hold the handle and it’s loads and loads of different bits of wood and you whack your legs and your underarms with it.

“It really helps circulation. I think it’s quite good for lymphatic drainage.

“I bought loads of them for people for Christmas …”

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Zoe continued: “I remember the first time the lodger walked in and saw me doing it, and just sort of turned on his heels.”

When Jo asked if the lodger was “still around,” Zoe replied: “He’s still here at the moment. He’s still lodging.”

Zoe did not reveal the man’s identity, but said he has “won loads of awards.”

Speaking about her own accolades, she said: “I did get a Sony and it was given to me by Marianne Faithfull. I was well chuffed.

“And I think Caner of the Year for something I can’t remember. 

“We won a BAFTA for the last ever Live and Kicking, which was amazing. But I don’t even have a copy of it …

“Yeah, the lodger has won loads of awards…”

The Sun has reached out to Zoe’s reps for clarification on whether the relationship is romantic or platonic.

Zoe’s ex-husband, DJ Norman Cook – better known as Fatboy Slim – recently spoke about their continued close friendship. 

The pair were married for 18 years before splitting in 2016 and share two children, Woody, 24, and Nelly, 15.

The DJ, 62, recently described Zoe as his “soulmate” while promoting his new photo book reflecting on his music career. 

“Zoe is a very kind, thoughtful person and she just had this way of checking my ego, like ‘We are still human beings. 

“We are still nice to people,’” he told The Sun.

He said Zoe helped him navigate fame in the 1990s: “In the 90s, I was having too much fun to think about the next day. 

“It became a whirlwind, but Zoe helped me through it as she knew that level of fame before. 

“It was nice to have a soulmate in there with you.”

Zoe’s last public relationship was with construction worker Michael Reed. 

The pair dated for five years before splitting in 2023. 

At the time, The Sun reported she had asked him to move out of her £2 million Sussex home after the relationship began to break down.

A source said: “Zoe is gutted but she’s better off without Michael. This is a relief to many of her friends, who think she has done the right thing.”

Before Michael, Zoe dated cameraman Billy Yates, who tragically died by suicide in 2017 after a battle with depression.

BALLSY MOVE

Zoe sold her countryside pile and moved closer to her ex Fatboy Slim last year.

The fan-favourite broadcaster previously lived there with her ex Michael yet it appeared she was eager for a fresh start.

Zoe called time on her relationship with the model in May 2023 after five and a half years together – with pals at the time saying they had “run their course”.

A source revealed she then traded in life in her rural Sussex home – complete with a swimming pool and tennis courts – for the more “lively” surroundings of Brighton and Hove.

Zoe sold up after the sad death of her beloved mum.

Also in her podcast with fellow BBC Radio 2 anchor Jo, Zoe revealed the heartbreaking impact of her loss.

She told her pal on the podcast last month: “I couldn’t work.

“I was on the floor in the kitchen. I couldn’t, I couldn’t move

“I had a proper emotional breakdown, you know, I haven’t really talked about it actually.

“But it was, yeah, it was brutal.

“I had an amazing doctor who turned up at my door with coffee and bagels and said, ‘so, we need to get you some help’, and he was wonderful.”

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She admitted the process of grief was ongoing.

Zoe told how she struggled particularly on the anniversary of her mum’s death and said there was “a lot of crying and pain” that “still has to come out.”

Alfredo Flores is always moving, but you wouldn’t know it from the precise stills he takes of Sabrina Carpenter emerging onstage, her cheekiness and sparkly go-go boots shining through his images.

The portfolio of 36-year-old Flores, Carpenter’s tour photographer, is already familiar to most. Those photos of Carpenter posed with the tour stop’s city labeled on a mug and sealed with a kiss — that’s Flores’ work.

He has captured Carpenter’s rise from her “Emails I Can’t Send” era to the dazzlingly successful Short n’ Sweet tour, the work from which earned Flores the iHeart Radio Award for favorite tour photographer and puts him back on the road next week for an additional North American leg, including her six-night run at Crypto.com Arena next week.

But Carpenter’s towel reveals, set changes and winks won’t look exactly the same.

“Creatively, I just try my best to figure out different ways to shoot the same show,” said Flores, fresh off VMAs adrenaline and the release buzz of Carpenter’s latest album, “Man’s Best Friend.”

He constantly alters angles and lenses, including long, short and fish-eye, all with his Canon — the camera brand he’s been loyal to his entire career. However, that doesn’t make his first forays into photography any less impactful.

Alfredo Flores smiling with Sabrina Carpenter.

(Courtesy of Alfredo Flores)

Flores’ trajectory as a live music photographer is informed by the era he grew up in, one of disposable cameras, 24-hour photo labs, VHS camcorders, photo books full of family vacation pictures and the visionaries behind the hits that made us press the replay button on CD players.

He recalls his path was charted before him one afternoon in his native Belleview, N.J., on a sick day home from school in the form of the VH1 show “Pop-Up Video,” which featured music videos accompanied by trivia-filled text bubbles.

“It was Mariah Carey’s music video for ‘Honey,’ and it said, ‘This video is directed by Paul Hunter. The location is Puerto Rico. This is an extra. This is a body double,’ ” said Flores, who added, “And it clicked in my brain, ‘Oh, this is something that people create’ … and that’s where my interest really peaked in a more professional way.”

In 2008, when the ultimate music video platform was no longer VH1, but YouTube, Flores moved to Los Angeles and sought out the minds who inspired him — the directors and producers who shaped his camcorder and disposable days, before he ever strapped a Canon around his neck.

“I went to the [Geffen Records] offices every day until I got a yes,” said Flores.

He spent his initial internship days showcasing his perceptive eye by compiling magazine photos for music video storyboards. It was this eye that quickly put Flores on set, shooting bonus footage for a 2009 Nickelodeon production, “School Gyrls.” The made-for-TV movie featured a certain Canadian teen who benefited from the YouTube boom.

The Justin Bieber cameo would develop into a working relationship, allowing Flores to pursue the art form that prompted his move to Los Angeles: directing music videos.

Flores’s music video for Bieber’s song “Love Me” encapsulates the early stages of Bieber’s career. Flores intercut Bieber singing to the camera with footage of fans, behind-the-scenes chats with Usher and numerous angles of Bieber’s signature look — the swoop that inspired hair flips round the world.

Years later, in 2020, when the world stopped, Flores didn’t. He co-directed Bieber once again for the “Stuck with U” music video, a montage of loved ones dancing and embracing in their homes. It was 4 minutes and 17 seconds of celebrated togetherness in the midst of government-enforced close proximity. The song is a duet between Bieber and Ariana Grande, an artist whom Flores defines as a “once-in-a-lifetime kind of talent.”

Flores spent much of the 2010s working with Grande, all angles taken into consideration. From her upside-down album cover for “Thank U, Next” to co-directing her more festive side for the “Santa Tell Me” video to incorporating nostalgia into a Grande-Victoria Monét collaboration, “Monopoly.” Co-directing the friendship anthem’s music video, Flores nodded to a ‘90s upbringing by using a decent amount of camcorder footage.

“Joan [Grande’s mom] probably has so many VHS videos of Ari growing up. And Beth [Carpenter’s mom] has so many VHS recordings of Sabrina,” he said.

The artistic journeys of Carpenter, Grande and Flores are intertwined with the sought-after music video director Dave Meyers. The Grammy winner has bestowed the world with distinct visuals, such as Kendrick Lamar re-creating “The Last Supper” while rapping “HUMBLE.,” Britney Spears accepting an acting award in the midst of belting out “Lucky,” and Grande as an ethereal being singing “God Is a Woman.”

Meyers directed two music videos for Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” album with Flores as the behind-the-scenes photographer. Both videos helped facilitate Carpenter’s catapult into the cultural lexicon with the summer-infused shots in “Espresso” and the “Death Becomes Her” story line in “Taste.”

Alfredo Flores in the photo pit for Sabrina Carpenter.

(Courtesy of Alfredo Flores)

“BTS for me in the hands of Alfredo feels like a living yearbook of the experience we all had. I’m so deep in the creative process that I’m not self-aware of what’s happening, and to re-watch through his work allows me to enjoy the stories being told all around us. The capturing of the actual process, the passion we all share to create — those are the stories he captures over and over,” said Meyers.

Often, Flores takes those candid moments even further with a Polaroid camera — he points, shoots and hopes for the best. The instant photo is at the mercy of light and luck, which are part of the magic, he said.

“It’s the color, the grain, the imperfection of it all,” he said.

By definition, pop music is inextricably tied to its time period, the subject matter and sound speaking to its modern, often younger audiences. This can denote a fleeting quality, a trend to pass us by, not unlike the evolution of photography and videography.

However, the artists of today suggest otherwise. Carpenter covered Abba’s hit “Mamma Mia.” Grande sampled ‘N Sync in her “Thank U, Next” album. Both MTV and VH1 still have something to teach the music video directors of today. There’s lasting power in pop songs as are the mediums we associate with them. Who are we creatively if not an amalgamation of all we’ve seen, the people we know, the ways in which we originally consumed them?

“When I work with an artist we have longevity,” said Flores.

Not a surprising sentiment from the man taking a backstage Polaroid picture of a Gen Z pop star who praises disco.

Amazon Prime subscribers have been urged to check out a new psychological thriller that’s set to be released onto the streaming service on November 14 – are you going to give it a watch?

Amazon Prime viewers are being urged to check out a gripping new psychological thriller that showcases a well-known comedian in an entirely different role. Malice, launching on Amazon Prime Video on November 14, centres on “a charming tutor who infiltrates a wealthy family’s life”.

As the episodes progress, his dark intentions become apparent when his “vengeful plot unfolds, the family must confront the enemy living under their own roof”. Featuring David Duchovny, Carice van Houten, and Jack Whitehall, audiences are eagerly anticipating the programme, with numerous people sharing their excitement about Whitehall’s role. After seeing the trailer, one viewer commented: “I’ve never thought of Jack as a villain, but now I can’t unsee it. There’s something unhinged about him that I love.”

While another added: “Comedians make the best dramatic actors, Jack Whitehall looks like he’s gonna be amazing in this! Holy Cow!”.

A third remarked: “Jack Whitehall went from Comedian movie actor to drama movie actor.”

While someone else concurred: “Comedians being killers just works cause they got the charisma to lure people in. I think out of the bunch of these types we’ve gotten this’ll be one of the better ones.”

A further viewer wrote: “Man, even Jack Whitehall can contribute to the British villain trope!”

While another enthusiastic fan remarked: “That’s Jack Whitehall? ! Wow impressive!”

A final viewer commented: “A villainous Jack White? Outstanding! I can’t wait. Woo-hoo!”

Jack Whitehall launched his professional stand-up comedy career in the mid 2000s, making his first major television appearance in 2008.

Since then, he’s gone on to feature in numerous shows and films including Fresh Meat, The Queen’s Corgis, Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again, and Bad Education.

The 36-year-old secured the King of Comedy title at the British Comedy Awards in 2012, and has received seven other nominations including the Breakthrough Award at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards in 2013, and Comedy Performance at the Royal Television Society in 2013.

Plot of Malic

Discussing Malice’s storyline, an Amazon Prime statement reveals: “Adam (Jack Whitehall) is a charismatic tutor who charms his way into the life of the wealthy Tanner family while they’re on holiday in Greece.

“When the family’s nanny falls dangerously ill, Adam orchestrates his way into their London home, and his true vengeful nature begins to emerge..

“Adam now starts to turn Jamie Tanner (David Duchovny) and Nat (Carice Van Houten) against each other and secretly plots to bring down the entire family.

“When Adam’s obsession with the family raises questions, those who dig deeper into his past find themselves playing a dangerous game.

“With his world collapsing around him, Jamie starts to realise that Adam may be responsible for all their recent disasters – but is it too late to save his family?

“In this revenge thriller that proves the past never stays buried, one question remains: how do you protect your family from the enemy within.”

Malice will be streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the UK from midnight GMT on Friday, November 14, 2025.

GIG GOERS at Butlins were left stunned when a Hollywood movie star came out onstage to DJ.

Playing some trance music at Fatboy Slim’s All Back to Minehead weekender this month, this movie star went viral on social media when fans realised who he was.

Tom Cruise’s movie co-star, Simon Pegg, was spotted DJing at holiday resort Butlins this month for the Fatboy Slim event.

Several holiday makers took to TikTok to share videos of the Mission Impossible star as he got his groove on behind the decks.

Simon could be seen DJing like a pro as he played some trance music to the crowd in front of him.

“Simon Pegg at f***ing Butlins,” one user penned over the video.

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In the caption, the TikToker added: “One of the best nights of my life, I’m a Butlins convert.”

Fans of Simon then went wild in the comments section when they realised he was DJ’ing at the holiday resort.

One person penned: “This is iconic.”

Another said: “It’s so random but loving it !!”

“Was a good gig! Just got back,” added a third.

“Everyone’s a DJ these days,” penned a fourth.

“So basically everyone’s a DJ,” wrote a fifth.

“His set is great, seen him at festivals,” said a seventh.

In May of this year, Simon opened up about his passion for DJing.

The actor has a music room at the end of the garden kitted out with CDJ-3000s and shelves of vinyl.

He regularly DJs at parties and festivals having self-taught himself three years ago.

Speaking to Hollywood Authentic, he said: “DJing reminds me of doing stand-up comedy, in that you have an audience, and they react immediately to what you’re doing.

“Stand-up is like, they either laugh or you die.

“With DJing, they either dance or you die!”

As well as his DJing stint at Butlins for the Fatboy Slim All Back to Minehead weekender, he played tunes at the Big Feastival in August 2025.

He also DJ’d in Kefalonia, Greece, at the Captain’s Bar in Skala in July 2025. 

Away from the decks, Simon is good pals with his Mission Impossible co-star Tom Cruise.

Speaking to the previously mentioned publication, Simon opened up about what he learned from Tom over the years.

He said: “I get asked about him all the time because he very rarely speaks about himself in public. You know, even in private, he’ll always switch the conversation back to you.

“But everyone’s so desperate for some kind of concrete information about him because he’s such an enigma.

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“But I think that’s part of his success, that he’s maintained that. He’s maintained the interest in himself simply by just taking a step back, because he can.

“His journey is extremely simple when you look at it. He’s just always given 100% to everything that he does. Everything,” he added.

Eddie Murphy has solidly been established as Hollywood royalty after a decades-long career stretching from “Saturday Night Live” to “The Nutty Professor” to “Dreamgirls” and beyond.

A key hallmark of Murphy’s status is his voluminous gallery of offbeat characters — an impeccably attired prison convict, a clumsy professor, a wisecracking donkey, an elderly Jewish man and even an obese, abusive wife.

In Netflix’s “Being Eddie,” now streaming, Murphy lifts the veil on the persona he feels the closest to — Eddie Murphy.

Directed by Angus Wall (an executive producer of “The Greatest Night in Pop”), the documentary traces the meteoric rise and triumphs of Murphy, who seldom grants interviews and is fiercely private about his creative process and personal life.

With his trademark humor and probing insight, the entertainer offers candid perspective of his trajectory from a kid in New Jersey performing stand-up to joining “Saturday Night Live” right out of high school, his string of hit films (“48 Hrs.,” “Trading Places,” “Eddie Murphy Raw”) and his transition from foul-mouthed provocateur to family-friendly films.

Eddie Murphy, left, with his brothers Vernon Lynch and Charlie Murphy.

(Photo from Eddie Murphy / Netflix)

He also addresses some of his misfires (“Vampire in Brooklyn”), and throws more than a little shade at “Saturday Night Live” and the Academy Awards (“I haven’t gotten an Oscar, and I’ve done everything”).

The film is largely set at Murphy’s castle-like estate, where he’s seen hanging out with his 10 children and second wife, Paige Butcher. (“My legacy is my children, not what I did at work,” he says. “My kids are the center of my life. It’s all about them… If you put your family first, you will never make a bad decision.”) Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Kevin Hart and Pete Davidson are among the numerous entertainers who comment on Murphy’s influence on popular culture.

The following are some of the more fascinating takeaways from “Being Eddie.”

Grindr has helped expand access to at-home HIV testing with Together TakeMeHome.

Back in 2023, the CDC announced the launch of Together TakeMeHome, “a project to distribute up to 1 million free HIV self-tests over the next five years.”

“HIV testing is a critical HIV prevention strategy and a key first step in the continuum of HIV care, yet too many people are unaware of their HIV status,” they said in a statement.

“By offering free HIV self-tests through mail delivery, TTMH addresses common barriers to HIV testing, such as stigma, privacy concerns, cost, and lack of access to HIV clinics, giving people who otherwise might not have tested an opportunity to know their status.”

After just two years, Together TakeMeHome has achieved its goal of distributing one million free HIV self-tests, with major help from one of its partners, Grindr.

According to the LGBTQIA+ social media company, nearly half of the kits were ordered through the app, with one in four people being first-time testers.

In a statement, the Managing Director of Grindr for Equality, Mohan Sundararaj, celebrated the major milestone, teasing that “it’s just the beginning.”

“The need for accessible testing remains urgent, especially as funding cuts and anti-LGBTQ laws threaten to reverse progress,” said Together, TakeMeHome proves that there’s a way forward that relies on collaboration, innovation, and the belief that everyone deserves the right to know their status,” Sundararaj wrote in a blog post via the Grindr website.

“At Grindr for Equality, we’re continuing to expand this model globally with public health officials, local advocates, and community organizations to remove barriers to prevention. Every test sent out is an act of care, an act of trust, and a step toward a healthier, more equitable world.”

Building Healthy Online Communities (BHOC) co-founder Jen Hecht echoed similar sentiments in a separate statement.

“Together TakeMeHome shows what’s possible when public health meets people where they are: online, in their communities, and on their terms. Reaching one million test kits is an incredible milestone for our program and the communities it serves,” Hecht said.

This program helps overcome barriers to testing, such as transportation, time, and concerns about privacy and judgment. We hear from our users that they appreciate the ease and convenience of ordering online and testing at home.

“This program is supported not only by the reach of Grindr’s digital platform but also by its advocacy, which has made a significant difference in our ability to navigate funding challenges and keep this work moving forward. It’s a powerful example of what partnership looks like in action – and we’re only getting started.”

Fortunately, the Together TakeMeHome program is showing no signs of slowing down. In September, an additional funding request for the project was approved, allowing it to distribute another 360,000 free HIV tests over the next year.

Free HIV at-home testing kits are now available for US Grindr users via the app or at together.takemehome.org

2025 has been a busy year for Grindr. Over the past few months, the company has introduced a range of new features and changes to its app.

In August, the platform introduced its new Grindr Presents feature, allowing users to access original content directly within the app.

Now, the company’s popular entertainment offerings, such as the Katya-hosted Who’s The Asshole podcast, the viral Daddy Lessons series, editorials, music drops, and more, will all be available via an in-app content hub.

In addition to making it easier for users to access their content, Grindr revealed that it will all be uncensored, so say goodbye to the unwanted bleeps and hello to Katya and friends’ uncut, profanity-filled interviews.

Lastly, the social media company teased that Grindr Presents isn’t a one-off decision; instead, it’s a “bigger shift“ into “making Grindr not just where the gays are, but where the culture is.”

A few months prior, Grindr announced an expansion of its new Right Now feature – first implemented in Australia and the greater Washington D.C. area in 2024.

The intent-based option enables users seeking an immediate connection to upload text and photos to a real-time feed, separate from the main grid.

In a statement, AJ Balance, the Chief Product Officer at Grindr, provided insight into the new feature, stating that it “empowers users to find exactly what they want, when they want it – without the guesswork.“

Beloved animated franchise Toy Story is returning to our screens after six years, with the iconic characters competing against technology for the affection of their kids

Toy Story fans are heading to infinity and beyond once again as the animated franchise returns for its fifth film – with the first teaser trailer being released. While many fans are queuing up to buy cinema tickets already, some have spotted a huge plot hole in the clip.

The 50-second trailer sees a package arrive at the house of little girl Bonnie, who now owns Buzz Lightyear, Jessie and the other toys, with her mum saying: “Bonnie, there’s a package for you.” As Never Tears Us Apart by INEX plays in the background, we watch as Slinky Dog, Rex, Forky, Mr Potato Head, Mrs Potato Head, Jessie and the rest of the toys tremble in fear as Bonnie unpacks a frog-like tablet.

“In summer 2026, the age of toys is over?” text reads throughout the teaser trailer. We then see Woody and Buzz hug one another in fear as the tablet says, “Hi there, I’m Lilypad. Let’s play.”

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Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are set to return as the voices of Woody and Buzz, while The Morning Show’s Greta Lee joins as Lilypad. Anna Faris, Ernie Hudson and Conan O’Brien will be taking on new roles in the cast, which features Joan Cusack, Blake Clark and Tony Hale.

However, after the events of Toy Story 4, some fans have been quick to point out that Woody actually left the rest of the toys at the end of the last film to join Bo Peep as a ‘lost toy’. One wrote on X: “See but like how did Woody get back there after staying with Bo peep such a plot hole.”

Another tweeted: “So Woody came back with the gang after he decided to be an ownerless toy with Bo at the end of the last movie? Toy Story 3 should’ve been the end of the series, 4 & 5 are not needed at all.”

“They’re gonna pretend 4 didn’t exist because Woody is there with the others,” a third wrote, while a fourth replied: “Honestly, at this point, if you’re gonna keep making endless Toy Story movies, don’t do any more bittersweet emotional endings anymore.

“Pixar baited us into believing the franchise would be finished TWICE, so don’t even think about making a bittersweet ending for 5.”

Despite the puzzling character return, many can’t wait for the fifth instalment. “Oh this is perfecttttttttttty,” one fan wrote on X, while another said: “Oooohhhhh we are about to have a TIIIIIIIIMEEEE!!!”

The new film is set to be released in June 2026 in theatres, with star Tim Allen teasing its tech villain last month.”It’s such a great story, I can only tell a little bit of it – it’s a Jessie story,” he said.

He continued: “Tom and I have to reunite and there’s just the funniest thing because there’s a whole bunch of Buzzes involved – and there’s a reason why.

“There’s 100 of me in a separate story and I get to play and have fun. So, the story is good.”

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