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Why movies still matter to Netflix

Small screen giant Netflix has once again turned to the big screen, this time with the release of its latest buzzy film, “Frankenstein.”

Written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, the film opened last weekend with a limited release in 10 theaters in Los Angeles, New York and a few other cities, and will expand to more sites for a total theatrical run of three weeks. The film stars Oscar Isaac as the titular egomaniacal scientist and Jacob Elordi as the Creature (who, contrary to popular belief, is not named Frankenstein — you can thank my English major for that tidbit).

The film is getting some awards attention, particularly for the performance of the prosthetics-and-makeup-laden Elordi, and notched a solid 86% approval rating on aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. As of Sunday afternoon, Del Toro posted that the film had sold out at least 57 screenings. “Frankenstein” will debut on the streamer on Nov. 7.

Del Toro’s “Frankenstein” is just the latest in a long line of adaptations of the classic 1818 novel by Mary Shelley. From the first silent film short in 1910 to Boris Karloff’s famed turn as the monster in 1931 and the Kenneth Branagh-directed movie in 1994 that starred Robert De Niro as the creature (Branagh played Frankenstein and Helena Bonham Carter was Elizabeth Lavenza), the classic horror story has proved ripe for filmmakers’ commentary on humanity, science and nature.

In fact, “Frankenstein” has been a lifelong passion project for Del Toro, who has made an award-winning career out of analyzing and depicting monsters, from 2006’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” to 2017’s “The Shape of Water.”

For Netflix, it’s a reminder of why film remains an important, if unlikely, part of the streamer’s strategy.

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It’s no secret that Netflix has built its reputation — and its streaming prowess — on the strength of its series, from “Orange Is the New Black” to “Stranger Things” and “Bridgerton.” After all, popular episodic shows keep viewers on the platform, rack up hours of engagement and help draw new subscribers to the service.

The Los Gatos, Calif., company’s embrace of movie theaters may seem surprising given its longstanding testy relationship with movie theater exhibitors and their distribution strategy.

In fact, Netflix has also long said its main goal is to offer subscribers first-run movies on its platform, directly undermining the traditional 90-day “window” between a film’s release in theaters and when it appears in the home.

Earlier this year, Netflix Co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos poured salt on the wound when he called the theatrical business “outdated,” at a time when many chains are struggling to fill seats to pre-pandemic levels.

Yet, theaters are still important to Netflix, which releases about 30 films annually in cinemas.

One reason: the allure of Oscar glory.

For the last few years, Netflix has submitted dozens of movies for awards-qualifying runs.

It’s typical for those films to be in cinemas for about two to three weeks before showing up on the platform. (Sometimes, those theatrical showings are for marketing purposes, like the recent “KPop Demon Hunters” singalong screenings.)

Netflix has won numerous Academy Awards over the years, ranging from animated feature (Del Toro’s “Pinocchio” in 2023), supporting actress (Laura Dern for “Marriage Story” in 2020 and Zoe Saldaña for “Emilia Pérez” in 2025) and director (Alfonso Cuarón in 2019 for “Roma” and Jane Campion in 2022 for “The Power of the Dog”).

Best picture, however, has continued to elude the company.

Theatrical releases also help the streamer to attract filmmakers and build relations with key talent. For instance, Netflix’s upcoming “Narnia” film from Greta Gerwig will get a two-week Imax run next year. Netflix previously ran Del Toro’s well-received horror anthology series “Cabinet of Curiosities.”

And while serial narratives may reign supreme, to maintain subscribers, you need other kinds of content to keep it fresh. That’s where movies (and live events) come into play.

As consumers decide which streaming services they can’t live without, a platform that has a little bit of everything has an advantage.

“Having a good mix of movies and serial content is really important,” says Alicia Reese, senior vice president of equity research in media and entertainment at Wedbush Securities. “A lot of people use this as their one and only subscription.”

In other fronts, is the fight over OpenAI’s new Sora 2 dying down? Maybe not, but there are signs of easing tensions.

On Monday, United Talent Agency, SAG-AFTRA, Creative Artists Agency, Assn. of Talent Agents, actor Bryan Cranston and OpenAI released a joint statement noting that Cranston’s voice and likeness was able to be generated “in some outputs” without consent or compensation when the tool was launched two weeks ago in a limited release.

“While from the start it was OpenAI’s policy to require opt-in for the use of voice and likeness, OpenAI expressed regret for these unintentional generations,” the statement said. “OpenAI has strengthened guardrails around replication of voice and likeness when individuals do not opt-in.”

Cranston, who brought the issue to SAG-AFTRA’s attention, said he was “grateful” to OpenAI for improving its policies and “hope that they and all of the companies involved in this work, respect our personal and professional right to manage replication of our voice and likeness.”

Stuff We Wrote

Film shoots

Stacked bar chart shows the number of weekly permitted shoot days in the Los Angeles area. The number of weekly permitted shoot days in the area was down 29% compared to the same week last year. This year, there were a total of 178 permitted shoot days during the week of October 13 - October 19. During the same week last year (October 14-20, 2024), there were 254.

Number of the week

one hundred fifty

NBC News sent termination notices to 150 staffers last week, as the network struggles with declining TV ratings and ad revenue. Layoffs have been prevalent throughout the media landscape this year, but have been felt especially hard at broadcast news outlets, as audiences increasingly migrate to streaming platforms and cut the cord.

In addition to these issues, my colleague Stephen Battaglio reported that the NBC News layoffs were also attributed to the spin-off of cable networks MSNBC and CNBC. NBC News now no longer shares resources with those outlets, which will become part of a new company called Versant.

Affected employees were encouraged to apply for 140 open positions throughout the news group.

Finally …

I had to do it. With the Dodgers returning to the World Series, my colleague Jack Harris looks at the team’s season this year and how they fought through multiple injuries on the roster to eventually turn the ship around.

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Sean Bean stars in new historical series about the ‘real’ Peaky Blinders

The series will air over four gripping hour-long episodes.

Sean Bean is leading a new factual series delving into the lives of some of history’s most notorious criminals.

From Al Capone to The Krays and the Queen of Harlem, Original Gangsters sees the actor team up with experts to separate fact from fiction when it comes to their legacies.

The show’s first episode, which will air on November 4, is about the Peaky Blinders and it will see Sean Bean delve into the reality behind the Steven Knight hit series, which will be returning.

The synopsis for the episode reads: “Sean Bean unveils the real-life Peaky Blinders who terrorised Birmingham in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

“From the labyrinthine alleyways of industrial Birmingham in the 1860s through riots and deadly gang warfare where the city’s ruffians battled with police, to the early twentieth century where rogue street mobs coalesced to become organised and eventually united under the hand of one man: Billy Kimber.

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“With testimony from Carl Chinn, the world’s leading expert on Birmingham crime and the Peaky Blinders, discover more on the people behind history’s first intercity gang war.”

The Peaky Blinders street gang consisted largely of young criminals from working class backgrounds who engaged in robbery, violence and illegal bookmaking.

They were recognised by their signature outfits which included tailored jackets and flat caps.

They held control for 30 years until 1920, when a larger gang known as the Birmingham Boys, led by Billy Kimber, overtook them.

Still, the name “Peaky Blinders” became synonymous slang for many of Birmingham’s street gangs.

Episode two of Original Gangsters focuses on Al Capone – an American gangster and businessman who became famous during the Prohibition era.

Episode three looks at Stephanie St. Clair, known as the Queen of Harlem, who ruled Harlem’s numbers rackets in the 1920s.

Episode four explores Ronnie and Reggie Kray, and London’s original ‘Gentleman Gangster’ Billy Hill.

Original Gangsters with Sean Bean airs on Sky History from November 4 at 9pm

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Heartbreaking moment Kelly Osbourne breaks down in tears live on stage as she pays tribute to late dad Ozzy

KELLY Osbourne was seen breaking down in tears live on stage as she paid tribute to her late dad Ozzy.

Legendary rocker Ozzy was 76 when he sadly passed away on July 22, with the cause of death later revealed to be a cardiac arrest.

Kelly Osbourne broke down in tears on stage as she talked about her beloved dadCredit: Jam Press/Done For You Sales Agency
Kelly was accepting a Lifetime Achievement Award for her late fatherCredit: Jam Press/Done For You Sales Agency
Kelly became choked up as she talked about her late fatherCredit: Splash
Kelly seen here with her brother and mum Jack at her dad’s funeralCredit: Getty

Heartbroken Kelly, 40, took to the stage to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of her late father in his native Birmingham.

Ozzy was honoured at The Birmingham Awards, held at The Eastside Rooms.

Accepting the award, Kelly told the audience: “While most singers go their whole career without winning one but impressive as those awards are, this recognition tonight tops them all.

“He was proud to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame but what he was most proud of was his star on the Walk of Stars on Broad Street.

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“He was forced to spend much of his life in America because of his work but Birmingham was always his heart and soul.’

“He loved this city, he loved the people as they loved him back. That’s why it was so important to come home one last time in July to say goodbye.”

At this point Kelly’s voice started to crack with emotion and she said: “The tens of people who lined the streets and brought the city to a standstill, the affection you all had for him, my family and I were so so moved by the outpouring of love.

“He performed thousands of shows for more than five decades but the most important gig he ever played was in Aston. Despite his health challenges in later years, he was determined his final concert had to be right here.

“He was a proud Brummy in the beginning of his career and he was a proud Brummy at the end.”

Kelly could hardly hold back the tears, as she ended her speech by saying: “Again, on behalf of my dad and my family, thank you for this wonderful lifetime achievement award. I know he’s looking down on us tonight smiling with pride.”

JACK’S TEARS

Kelly’s brother Jack Osbourne recently gave a heartbreaking update on how his mum Sharon is coping after his father’s death.

In an interview on Good Morning America earlier this month, Jack was asked how Sharon has been doing since her husband’s tragic passing.

Sharon was married to Ozzy for 40 years.

“She’s okay, but she’s not okay,” Jack said.

The interviewer, Chris Connelly, then asked if Sharon can “feel the affection and appreciation” from supporters.

Jack responded: “Oh my god, yeah. I know she feels the love.

“None of us expected it to be like this, with that outpour of love.”

He continued: “Every child sits there and kind of has this thought about one day that their parents won’t be there, and what will that be like.

Jack Osbourne recently wept during an interview about his dad on Good Morning AmericaCredit: ABC

“It’s just a part of being human. We just didn’t think of it. It was a different weight to it, you know?”

At one point during the interview, emotional Jack broke down in tears while talking about his father’s final concert.

He said: “Before he went on stage, I ran back into the dressing room…”

Choking back the tears, Jack explained how he gave him a “big hug”.

He said: “I just kissed him. I just said, I was like, ‘Crush it. You’re going to do so good.’

“And I was crying.”

SAD DEATH

Legendary rocker Ozzy passed away in July “surrounded by love” just weeks after he took to the stage one final time with his band mates at Villa Park in Birmingham.

In recent years, the star had been battling numerous health conditions, including Parkinson’s.

His official death certificate lists ‘acute myocardial infarction’ and ‘out of hospital cardiac arrest’ under the cause of death section.

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It also listed coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with autonomic dysfunction as “joint causes” of Ozzy’s death.

The document described his occupation as a “rock legend, songwriter and performer” in a heart-warming nod towards Ozzy.

Sharon with her beloved late husbandCredit: PA

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Harper Lee’s ‘Land of Sweet Forever’ review: Collection adds to legacy

Book Review

The Land of Sweet Forever

By Harper Lee
Harper: 224 pages, $30

If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.Book Review

Fortunately for avid bibliophiles, Harper Lee was an inveterate pack rat. Born in rural Monroeville, Ala., in 1926, the author of “To Kill a Mockingbird” — whose first name is Nelle, her grandmother Ellen’s name spelled backward — spent much of her adult life in Manhattan after moving there in 1949.

First, she lived in a cold-water flat on the Upper East Side (subsisting on peanut butter sandwiches and meager bookstore and airline ticket agent salaries); then in a room in a Midtown hotel where Edith Wharton and Mark Twain once resided; a third-floor York Avenue walk-up ($20 a month for five years, where “Go Set a Watchman” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” were written); and, finally four decades at 433 E. 82nd St. There, amid “piles of her correspondence and practically every pay stub, telephone bill and canceled check ever issued to her, were notebooks and manuscripts” and eight previously unpublished early short stories and eight once-published essays and magazine articles. Those writings, discovered in her New York City apartment after she died in her Alabama hometown nine years ago, have been gathered into the welcome hybrid compendium “The Land of Sweet Forever.”

"The Land of Sweet Forever" by Harper Lee

The short stories take up the first half of the collection, but it’s an unusual selection in the second half, “Essays and Miscellaneous Pieces,” that may reveal as much about the burgeoning author as the fictional juvenilia. In a contribution to “The Artists’ & Writers’ Cookbook” (1961), along with entries by Lillian Hellman, William Styron and Marianne Moore, Lee offered a one-page recipe for crackling bread, complete with the authorial observation, “some historians say by which alone fell the Confederacy.” The opening instruction is, “First, catch your pig.” After that, the ingredients (water-ground white meal, salt, baking powder, egg, milk) and directions might just as well function as an analogy for the process of writing and editing a manuscript.

In her introduction, Lee’s appointed biographer Casey Cep observes that it “takes enormous patience and unerring instincts to refine a scrap of story into something … keen and moving.” Lee admits to being “more of a rewriter than a writer.” In a 1950 letter to one of her sisters, she outlines her typical writing day, working through at least three drafts:

From around noon, work on the first draft. By dinnertime, I’ve usually put my idea down. I then stop for a sandwich or a full meal, depending on whether I’ve got to think more about the story or just finish it. After dinner, I work on a second draft, which involves sometimes tearing the story up and putting it together again in an entirely different way, or just keeping at it until everything is like I want it. Then I retype it on white paper, conforming to rules of manuscript preparation, and run out & mail it. That sounds simple, but sometimes I have worked through the night on one; usually I end up around two or three in the morning.

It’s all rather like testing, perfecting a recipe. If the product was these eight short stories, then “yes, chef” has baked a perfect loaf.

Each story illuminates Lee’s quintessential talents as the “balladeer of small-town culture” and the chronicler of city life. They display narrative skills, an acute ear for dialogue (especially the vernacular), development of fully rounded characters and vivid descriptions of settings. They also introduce subjects and significant themes — family, friendship, moral compass — that reappear in her nonfiction and novels.

Country life imposes restrictions on childhood characters in the first three stories. In “The Water Tank” anxious 12-year-old Abby Henderson, reacting to schoolyard rumors, believes she’s pregnant because she hugged a boy whose pants were unbuttoned. Anti-authoritarian first grader Dody (one of Harper’s nicknames) in “The Binoculars” is chastised for not tracing but writing her name on the blackboard. Early glimpses of “Mockingbird’s” Scout and Atticus Finch appear in the amusing “The Pinking Shears” when third grader “little Jean Louie” (without the later “s”) undermines gender rules when she whacks off a rambunctious minister’s daughter’s lengthy locks.

In New York City, where “sooner or later you meet everybody you ever knew on Fifth Avenue,” urban stress leads to a shocking monologue with an incendiary conclusion about feuding neighbors in “A Roomful of Kibble,” a frivolous kind of parlor game involving movie titles in “The Viewer and the Viewed,” and a humorous parking incident when one friend agrees to help another with lighting for a fashion show in “This Is Show Business?”

The closing title short story, “The Land of Sweet Forever,” adeptly merges locations and themes. It opens with a satirical nod to Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”: “It is a truth generally acknowledged by the citizens of Maycomb, Ala., that a single woman in possession of little else but a good knowledge of English social history must be in want of someone to talk to.” When adult Jean Louise (now with the “s”) leaves the city for home, she has a hilarious church encounter with someone she hadn’t seen since they were children, 21-year-old Talbert Wade, now with the taint of three years as an economics major at Northwestern University and a patina full of Europe, looking “suspiciously as if he had returned from a tour and had picked up a Brooks Brothers suit on the way home.” Together, they are trying to understand why the doxology, always sung “in one way and one way only” suddenly has been “pepped up” with an energetic organ accompaniment. Before it’s resolved there is an amusing anecdote about a cow obituary in verse and a concluding bow to Voltaire’s “Candide” when Jean Louise concedes that “all things happen for the best in this, the best of all possible worlds.” The story is a resounding example of Lee’s scintillating sense of wry humor.

Big themes of love, family and friendship recur in the eight previously published essays and articles (from 1961 to 2006) that appeared in Vogue, McCall’s, an American Film Institute program (about Gregory Peck), a Book of the Month Club newsletter (on the “little boy next door” Truman Capote and “In Cold Blood”), Alabama History and Heritage Festival, and O, the Oprah Magazine (a letter about the joy of learning to read). In addition to the crackling bread recipe that serves as a fingerpost to Lee’s writing process, the standout essay “Christmas to Me” details how she received a generous gift that changed her life, allowing her to become an accomplished, published writer. In 1956, best friends, lyricist-composer Michael Brown and his wife, Joy, surprised her with an envelope on the tree with a note, “You have one year off from your job to write whatever you please. Merry Christmas.” That meant $100 every month, covering more than five times her rent.

Juvenilia is tricky. It can be evanescent, exposing weaknesses or revealing strengths and talent. “The Land of Sweet Forever” reinforces Lee’s indelible voice, contributing a rewarding addition and resource to the slim canon of her literary legacy.

The recipe for crackling bread:

First, catch your pig. Then ship it to the abattoir nearest you. Bake what they send back. Remove the solid fat and throw the rest away. Fry fat, drain off liquid grease, and combine the residue (called “cracklings”) with:

1 ½ cups water-ground white meal
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk

Bake in very hot oven until brown (about 15 minutes).

Result: one pan crackling bread serving 6. Total cost: about $250, depending upon size of pig. Some historians say by this recipe alone fell the Confederacy.

Papinchak, a former English professor, is a freelance book critic in Los Angeles. He has also contributed interviews to Bon Appetit.

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Ajike Owens’ children now after they were ‘inconsolable’ following mum’s harrowing death

Ajike “AJ” Owens was killed by her neighbour Susan Lorincz in June 2023.

The Perfect Neighbor is on Netflix and the documentary tells the harrowing story of how a mother-of-four was shot and killed through a locked door by her neighbour.

Before the shooting, Susan Lorincz had often complained about AJ’s children, who would play in an open field near her apartment.

She would call them derogatory names and racial slurs, but things came to a head on June 2, 2023, after AJ went to Lorincz’s apartment to confront her following a reported incident involving one of her sons.

When AJ knocked and shouted for Lorincz to open the door, Lorincz fired a single shot through the locked door and it killed the 35-year-old mother. Lorincz claimed it was in self-defence, but she was eventually charged with manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

To this day, AJ’s death has had a harrowing impact on her children – Isaac, Israel, Afrika and Titus – and their lives.

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Israel was standing next to his mother when she was shot and he was just nine years old at the time.

Isaac, her eldest son, also witnessed the shooting and called 911, running to a neighbour’s house to get help.

Heartbreakingly, Israel and Isaac have both admitted to feeling responsible for their mother’s death.

On the one-year anniversary of her death, AJ’s children recited a poem at a memorial service.

Ever since, the children have been raised by their grandmother, Pamela Dias.

Dias revealed the impact AJ’s death has had on the children, saying Isaac has been in trauma therapy, according to People.com.

She was also researching counselling for Israel, while sharing how Titus, who was just a toddler when his mother died, was “confused, irritable and inconsolable” in the weeks after.

She told CNN in October 2025: “It’s been very hard for the children – they were very young when they lost their mother, and it’s something no child should have to endure.

“At the same time, they’ve shown strength and resilience that continues to amaze me.

“I can see the values my daughter instilled in them – her kindness, her love, her faith – and that means they carry a piece of her wherever they go.”

Dias has since co-founded a non-profit organisation in honour of her daughter called the Standing in the Gap Fund, which aims to support families impacted by gun and racial violence and to fight for legislative change.

The Perfect Neighbor is on Netflix

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Oasis reveal replacement band member after guitarist Bonehead leaves tour for cancer treatment

OASIS have confirmed the replacement for guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs after he left the band’s tour to have cancer treatment.

The Manchester rockers have brought in Mike Moore from frontman Liam Gallagher‘s solo band for gigs in Asia and Australia.

Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs will be back on stage with Oasis next month for South America datesCredit: PA
Mike Moore is filling in for Bonehead while he has cancer treatment

A source told the Mirror: “Mike Moore has been playing for Liam since 2017 and so he knows plenty of the Oasis tunes from the solo gigs.

“It’s not a full time slot in the band and everyone wants Bonehead well and back but it’s a huge privilege for Mike and he’s excited to get on the stage.”

Moore has a long list of credits to his name including contributions to records by Baxter Dury, Duffy, Trampolene, James Arthur and Peter Doherty.

At the beginning of the month, Bonehead told fans in a social media post that he had been responding well to treatment for prostate cancer after being diagnosed at the start of 2025.

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The musician, 60, said he was moving onto the second phase of his treatment and as a result needed to miss a leg of the reunion tour.

His statement read: “Early this year I was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“The good news is I’m responding really well to treatment, which meant I could be part of this incredible tour.

“Now, I am having to take a planned break for the next phase of my care, so I’ll be missing the gigs in Seoul, Tokyo, Melbourne and Sydney.

“I’m really sad to be missing these shows but I’m feeling good and will be back ready to go in time for South America.

“Have an amazing time if you’re going this month and I’ll see you back onstage with the band in November.”

He is due to return to the stage on November 15 in Buenos Aires for the first of the final five concerts of the tour.

Oasis shared the statement on X and added: “Wishing you all the best with your treatment Bonehead – we’ll see you back on stage in South America.”

Noel Gallagher’s daughter also Anais wished him well, commenting on Instagram: “We love you so much bonehead!” while Liam’s daughter Molly Moorish wrote: “Sending love!”

Bonehead was in the band from 1991 to 1999 and played on some of their biggest hits.

The musician then rejoined when they reunited for their hugely lucrative Oasis Live ‘25 Tour.

Bonehead, who has two children with his wife Kate, previously told in 2022 how he had been diagnosed with tonsil cancer, although he was later given the all-clear.

Arthurs is an original member of the bandCredit: Shutterstock Editorial

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Reparteras: Meet the women of Cuba’s rising urban music scene

Beyond the Cuban diaspora, the genre known as reparto is overwhelmingly unknown. But on the streets of Havana and Hialeah, Miami, reparto is inescapable, pulsing from balconies and portable speakers on the beach.

Born in Cuba’s working-class neighborhoods — known colloquially as repartos — this hyperkinetic fusion of reggaetón, timba and Afro-Cuban rhythms has become the island’s score. In the mid-2000s, artists like Chocolate MC and Elvis Manuel built the genre’s sound on distorted synth stabs, shouted call-and-response hooks, and the distinct Cuban clave beat that makes your body move before your brain can even catch up.

It’s also become a platform for youth navigating scarcity, surveillance and dreams of escaping poverty. The lyrics, characteristically and unapologetically obscene, reflect the realities of life in marginalized communities. But alongside its rhythmic bravado, reparto’s explicit language often veers into the dehumanizing and misogynistic.

The music centers on women, but more often than not, as objects: the perra to conquer, the diabla to tame, the culo to catalog in explicit detail. And it’s no surprise: The genre’s blunt portrayal of women mirrors the machismo deeply embedded in everyday Cuban life.

It’s a refrain you’re bound to hear in any and every nightclub: “¿Donde están las mujeres?” But the next time 10 reparteros link up for a track, they probably won’t call a woman. Within a genre that revolves so heavily around their bodies, women’s voices still remain rare.

So, ¿dónde están las mujeres? Or, where are the women making reparto?

“Chocolate is the king, but who is the queen?” says Seidy Carrera, known artistically as Seidy La Niña. “There’s a space that needs to be filled with women. There’s no f—ing women!”

At the onset of reparto, early reparteras like Melissa and Claudia slipped brief female cameos into club anthems. More than a decade later, due to Cuba’s only recent, and still extremely limited, internet access, these artists and their collaborations have a seemingly untraceable digital footprint. Still, most playlists orbit male voices, and collaborations rarely invite women to the booth: “When reparteros come together on a track, they never call a woman,” she says.

Carrera, 32, was born in the reparto El Cotorro and raised in Miami since she was 6. The self-proclaimed queen of reparto, the paradox defines her career: She fights for space in a scene whose appeal lies in her raw neighborhood realism, but detractors question her authenticity as a gringa, or as they would call her, yuma.

“I feel resistance every day, every single day,” she says. In response, she reclaims the discriminatory language used against her; onstage, she chants “más perra que bonita,” flipping the curse-word from insult to empowerment.

“It’s empowering to say, I’m more perra than pretty. To me, being a perra is being a woman who’s exclusive, who makes her own money. In my case, … nobody opened the door for me, nobody gave me a hand.”

For Havana-based singer-composer Melanie Santiler, 24, the double standard hits her before she can even sing her first note: “I feel that I have to do twice as well. I have to put in double the thought, double the effort, double the talent, always having something more to say,” she says.

“It’s exhausting. It’s exhausting being a woman, having to get up and tell yourself, damn, I have to look pretty and put together. I spent my whole life in school with an onion bun because I didn’t want to do my hair,” Santiler says and laughs, messy bun flopping around her face.

Reaching almost 5 million YouTube views on her 2025 viral collab, “Todo se Supera” with Velito el Bufón, she’s broken into the reparto space as one of the genre’s most distinctive voices. Beside this rise, she’s faced a newfound pressure to dress a way she normally wouldn’t, a beauty standard her masculine counterparts don’t face.

Aliaisys Alvarez Hernández — better known as Ozunaje — says she doesn’t face the same criticism in the urban Cuban music scene, likely due to her sexuality and more masculine appearance. “Reparto is a genre for men, that’s how I see it,” she says. “I dress like a man, I practically live my life like a man, so what I write resembles what men are already saying. That also gave me an impulse, where I feel like more feminine artists, they have to work harder.”

A former rhythmic gymnast from La Habana, Hernández, 23, stumbled into music when friends recorded her singing a demo of “Cosas del Amor” in her living room. Someone uploaded the video, it went viral, and suddenly, she had a career. Since that start, Hernández refuses to only be compared with other reparteras.

Her goal has always been to be measured against men, since “that’s who people actually listen to.” Dressing in traditionally masculine clothing, paired with a deep, raspy delivery, helps her lyrics resonate with locals without the extra hurdle of hyper-sexualized expectations.

Hernández’s androgynous wardrobe and open queerness bring another layer of potential discrimination, but despite the rampant homophobia persistent in present-day Cuba, she doesn’t feel much resistance. “The worst word they throw at me is tortillera, but it doesn’t affect me,” she says, adding, “People like my style, they like that I dress like a guy. Everybody tells me, you have tremendo flow, I love your aguaje, so I haven’t faced any bullying. Never.”

Misogynistic currents in reparto mirror those in early reggaetón, reflecting the average street machismo. The genre’s marginal roots complicate blanket condemnations, since the same raunchy lyrics often encode critiques of class exclusion. Still, reaching bigger stages will require editing the most gratuitous slurs, if only to broaden the music’s export potential. At least, Ozunaje thinks so.

“Reparto came from people who were poor, who had nothing, who were desperate to get out. Nobody imagined it would get this big. Now it’s reaching the whole world, so the vocabulary has to evolve,” she says.

Santiler echoes this critique. “It’s become really repetitive. I think right now, everyone is talking about the same thing. It’s been really easy. Facilista,” she says, using the Spanish term for taking the easy way out. Santiler loves reparto’s swing, but calls most of it objectifying, pointing to Bad Bunny’s “Andrea” and “Neverita,” along with C. Tangana’s “El Madrileño,” as proof that urban music can expand beyond bedroom conquests.

“The street already says these things, and reparto just writes it. It’s an image of what’s happening. But I grew up with other types of music and other types of references, so I’d like to expand beyond that, to make something fresh.”

Santiler adds that the basis of reparto, both in her gratitude and her criticism, comes from pride.

“I love Cuba, I love my country. The current generation of Cuba doesn’t reject their identity — they’re doing the opposite. They want to create a new culture, to create a new movement, and they want the world to know Cuba again,” she says.

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Strictly Come Dancing’s star’s brutal sex ban amid show fears

Strictly Come Dancing contestant Vicky Pattison has confessed to putting a halt on sex with her husband Ercan Ramadan

Strictly Come Dancing star Vicky Pattison has revealed she’s put a stop to bedroom antics with her husband while taking part in the BBC dance competition.

After achieving her best score of the series last weekend, bagging an impressive 29 points with professional partner Kai Widdrington for their spectacular Samba, Vicky and Kai have secured their place in Icons Week.

During a recent episode of the Get A Grip podcast, the 37-year-old confessed she’s steered clear of physical intimacy with her other half since starting on the show.

The frank admission came as Vicky outlined the demanding nature of the programme’s early weeks, explaining: “One minute you’re nervous, you’re messing up your dress rehearsal, you’re getting your period, you’re nearly throwing up behind the scenes because you’re so nervous.”

As Vicky shared her journey, the presenter quickly jumped in with: “Are you pregnant?”, reports Wales Online, reports Wales Online.

But Vicky cheekily responded that her husband hasn’t caught sight of her “lady bits in months”: “No, you’d have to s**g me to get pregnant, mate. Poor Ercan hasn’t seen the sight of my lady bits in months. He’s honestly sick of us.

“I’m like, ‘Well, you’re not getting any now, I’m doing Strictly, mate.'”.

Vicky has also confessed the pressure to start a family has been overwhelming.

Speaking on the Women’s Health Just as Well podcast with Gemma Atkinson and Claire Sanderson, she shared: “My mum told me ‘If not having children is your trajectory, that’s fine,’ which I thought was powerful. I think we’re coming around to the idea as a society that a woman doesn’t have to have children to be fulfilled – and, for me, there’s still a huge question mark over motherhood.

She further added: “I’ve worked to finally get to a place where I’m proud of who I’m becoming, and the thought of taking a break… it scares me.”

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What went wrong for Sarah Jayne Dunn? Pals reveal soap star’s pain as friends and TV bosses shun her after X-rated pics

SHE was famously axed from one of the country’s biggest soaps after joining OnlyFans – and within weeks was among its top creators, earning hundreds of thousands from her racy snaps.

 But Sarah Jayne Dunn‘s X-rated spark has fizzled out, according to pals who say the former Hollyoaks star – who faced accusations she was promoting “pornography” last week – has been left out in the cold. Now, The Sun can reveal things have gone from bad to worse.

Sarah was famously axed from one of the country’s biggest soaps HollyoaksCredit: Splash
Sarah has been ostracised from the showbiz world sinceCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
The actress, pictured at the National Television Awards in 2020, before she was dropped from HollyoaksCredit: Getty

An insider told us: “There was a lot of fanfare when Sarah left the soap, and she made a big thing about why it was important to be on OnlyFans.

“It might look plain sailing, but it’s a real slog and actually very isolating. She knows people look at her at the school gates, and you only have to look online to see people’s disgust about what she does.”

Sarah, 44, has raked in some serious cash since she was sacked from Hollyoaks in 2021 after joining OnlyFans.

It’s a bit of a rabbit hole once you get started and pals are worried how far it will go

She made a whopping £121,000 in just 48 hours after her OnlyFans subscribers doubled overnight when she went public about her new career.

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Fans pay just over £11 per month to see Sarah strip off, and her posts have been liked more than 455,000 times since she joined the site four years ago this month. Her subscription numbers are no longer visible to fans.

But as the months have worn on, Sarah has had to deal with lewd, vulgar and creepy comments from her desperate subscribers, who constantly plead with her to flash more flesh.

In the last two weeks alone, her OnlyFans snaps have been littered with explicit remarks, piling on the pressure for even racier content – raising questions about what Sarah’s future on the site will look like.

Our insider continued: “Subscribers have naturally gone down, so Sarah has been working hard to produce more and more racy content. It’s a bit of a rabbit hole once you get started, and those who are still close to her are worried about how far it will go.

“Her son is getting older now, and it can’t be easy for him seeing her pictures and the headlines.”

Sarah has a nine-year-old son, Stanley, with her personal trainer husband, Jonathan Smith.

While she has previously shared a picture of Stan taking over her £20k pole-dancing room, which she had built in her garden, to play his video games, the ex-Oaks star tries to be careful around the youngster when it comes to her day job – because he is becoming “really inquisitive”.

She said last month: “He’s getting to that age where he’s really inquisitive about everything.

“I was sat in the bedroom the other morning doing my make-up, and he comes into the bedroom and goes, ‘Mum, what is p***y?’ I was racking my brain, going, ‘Oh my God, what has he seen?’ I’ve got this book next to my make-up mirror called P***y.”

Sarah – who played Hollyoaks’ Mandy Richardson from 1996 to 2021 – has made no secret of wanting to maintain her wealth and has recently trained as a pole dancing teacher to boost her income.

But she was left embarrassed and fuming after her fitness pole dancing class was banned by a Cheshire venue last week and labelled “borderline pornographic”.

It was the latest blow for the star who has struggled to land TV work and has lost two of her closest friends in her bid to become a top content creator.

Showbiz bust-up

We can reveal she is no longer speaking to Stephanie Waring, who played her onscreen sister, following her fallout with glamour model Rhian Sugden.

The former soap star has a £20k pole-dancing room in her gardenCredit: Instagram
Sarah has a nine-year-old son StanleyCredit: Instagram
She shares her son with her personal trainer husband, Jonathan SmithCredit: Instagram

Raised eyebrows over her lifestyle choice is not something new for Sarah, who recently admitted she has constantly faced accusations she is baring all on OnlyFans.

She recently said: “Whenever I get stick, it’s because of people going, ‘Well, you’re getting your fl**s out,’ and I’m like, ‘I’m actually not, thank you very much.’

“People just associate the platform with porn. That’s fine, because the platform does have that content, but it doesn’t mean everyone on there is doing that.”

Hollyoaks bosses clearly had a similar view, and we can reveal that since joining OnlyFans, Sarah has had a bust-up with her former co-star Stephanie Waring.

An insider told us: “Sarah and Steph were always very close, but when Sarah started posting online, things between them started to change.

“They have barely spoken since, and Sarah definitely didn’t rush to support her when she was axed from the show last year.

“They don’t even follow each other anymore. It’s very sad it’s come to this.”

Steph has previously said she wouldn’t dream of using her body to make money – unlike Sarah.

Sarah is convinced Steph is one of the people who grassed her up to Hollyoaks bosses


An Insider

She told the Secure The Insecure podcast: “I don’t think I could ever sexualise myself in that way.

“I’m nearly 50 and I just don’t think that’s my angle… never say never, though. People change all the time.”

One of Sarah’s post-Hollyoaks ventures saw her co-host podcast Hot and Bothered alongside Page 3 legend Rhian Sugden, in which the pair discussed everything from sex toys to fetishes.

We can reveal Sarah is no longer pals with Stephanie Waring – who played her sister on HollyoaksCredit: Getty
She has also fallen out with Rhian Sugden after launching a podcast togetherCredit: David Cummings – Commissioned by The Sun

Sarah and Rhian even took part in a joint lingerie-clad photoshoot to promote their sex podcast – but the pair have since fallen out.

Rhian claimed she had been dropped from the joint podcast, despite reportedly investing thousands in it, and the pair are no longer thought to be on speaking terms.

In 2023, a friend close to the pair said: “Rhian reached out to Sarah after the whole Hollyoaks sacking drama, and she became a real source of support for her.

“They went in on the podcast together and had loads of fun making it – and had loads of listeners.

“It came as a real shock to everyone when Sarah just cut her out. There’s been no contact since, and it’s all very sad.”

Big show dreams

Sarah has also been left hanging by I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Strictly Come Dancing bosses.

Last weekend, she made it clear to her OnlyFans followers how much she wants to land a spot on her dream show – Strictly.

She posted a picture wearing a see-through red bra with sequins, with her nipples clearly visible, and asked her followers: “Who’d like to see me on Strictly?!”

Sarah received just one response. The follower wrote: “People would [black love heart emoji] to see you on Strictly!”

The star also has her heart set on appearing in I’m A Celebrity, which is filmed in the Australian jungle.

A source told us: “Sarah has made no secret of the fact she would love to head into the jungle, or on the Strictly ballroom, but neither shows have come calling yet.

“They are dream paydays for most out-of-work actors and content creators, and she is desperate to appear on one.”

Another pal close to Sarah insisted:  “Sarah is under no pressure around her OnlyFans work, she is able to be fully in control of her life, work as and when she wants, and it’s afforded her numerous wonderful opportunities.

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“With regards to any mention of a fall out with friends, there is certainly no falling out from Sarah’s side, so this is news to her. Sarah is a huge fan of Strictly Come Dancing, so naturally would love to be on the show!”

It doesn’t look like BBC bosses will be calling her to swap pole dancing for the ballroom just yet, so for now, Sarah may have to stick to the sexy snaps.

Followers pay just over £11 per month to see Sarah strip off on OnlyFansCredit: Sarah Jayne Dunn
Sarah played Mandy Richardson on Hollyoaks from 1996 to 2021Credit: Channel 4

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A steamy kiss made Kwn viral. Her latest EP proves she’s more than a moment

When British singer Kwn (pronounced kay-one) asked her friend-collaborator Kehlani to kiss her in the video for her seductive track, “Worst Behaviour,” she knew it was going to break the internet.

With steamy lyrics like “Cut the lights, turn the bass up, we gon’ hit some notes,” the original track was already making waves online when Kwn dropped it in November. It gained even more eyes when R&B superstar and five-time Grammy nominee Kehlani hopped on the remix, which they gifted to yearning fans on Valentine’s Day.

Supporters took to social media to film their live reactions and comment on the artists’ incredibly long make-out and seemingly undeniable chemistry.

“Are … we supposed to see this? Omg,” one person said on YouTube.

“This is gonna be somebody’s awakening,” commented another.

“It’s sickening how many times I’ve replayed this video lol,” declared another.

But if you ask Kwn, the two entertainers were doing just that — entertaining. As of mid-October the video, which was directed by Chris Chance, had more than 21 million views on YouTube — a number that still shocks Kwn each time she hears it.

“I’m super happy, man. I knew that song was going to be something, and I’m glad that the world took it in just as much as I did,” Kwn says about the track that she recorded live on Instagram in her childhood bedroom in Walthamstow in east London.

Shortly after, Kwn dropped yet another chills-down-your-spine, sapphic bedroom jam, “Do What I Say,” which is the second single from her latest EP titled “With All Due Respect.” As someone who’s been making music since she was a preteen — she picked up the drums first, then attended the acclaimed East London Arts and Music school — the 25-year-old crooner says the recognition is long overdue.

“I felt like so many people were doubting me and sleeping on me, especially after [I was] dropped from my label,” says Kwn, who was let go from U.K.-based Black Butter Records in mid-2024. The direct title, “With All Due Respect,” was meant to boldly signal that she’s “not playing games anymore,” she adds.

The nine-track EP kicks off with the “bite me intro,” in which Kwn sing-raps the commanding lyrics, “I don’t want to be humble no more/Baby, bite, bite, bite me/Bite me, bite me.” This confident energy carries throughout the project including on the EP’s second feature with fellow London girl group, Flo — whom Kwn calls this generation’s Destiny’s Child — on the sensual “Talk You Through It.”

Kwn is kicking off the U.S. and Canada stretch of her With All Due Respect tour in Los Angeles on Tuesday at the Echo, which also marks her first ever headlining tour. Ahead of the sold-out L.A. show, she phoned in from London to share what she learned from touring with Kehlani, why she thinks artists should share their creative process and why she’s much more than just that viral moment. And cough cough, there’s more music on the way.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Woman with short hair standing against blue backdrop

“I’m really just being myself on stage and letting my personality out. So I think that’s what’s captivating people, which I’m glad about,” Kwn said.

(Michelle Helena Janssen)

You started making music when you were about 11 years old after your older sister took you to her friend’s at-home studio. How exciting was it for you to be learning how to lay tracks and produce tracks at such a young age?

I feel like it was always destined, to be honest. My nan showed me a video the other day of me tapping pens on the table and making beats from a super young age. I was probably like 9 or 10, and then my mom bought me a drum kit when I was super young as well. So that was the first instrument I picked up — the drums. Then obviously I was learning little bits in school like how to record myself and produce. Then my sister introduced me to that friend and he had a studio in his house. Any time my sister would go over there, I’d go with her, maybe like once a month or something and pretty much just watch his process. I’m a very visual learner so I was learning a lot just from watching people. I’d stay up really late and watch YouTube videos of people making beats and stuff.

You’ve been making music for a long time, but you didn’t release your first official song (“wn way or another”) until 2022. Take me back to that time. How did it feel to finally share your music with the world?

I was super anxious. You always think to yourself — ‘cause I signed to a record label back then as well — that as soon as you drop your first song, that’s it. You’re gonna go off. But that’s definitely not the case, d’you know what I mean? Also, it was such a long time coming because I’d written those songs so long before that probably in like 2018 and 2019. It was a long time coming, so it kind of felt like a release as well.

You were dropped from your label just days before you released your single “Eyes Wide Open,” which started catching people’s attention. Did you feel like you’d finally figured out your sound and the direction you wanted to go in with that song?

Yeah, 100%. As soon as I made that beat, I was like Ohhh. It’s clicked now. I was trying for so long to find what I was trying to do. I think I was struggling because I didn’t really understand where I was trying to go, so the people I was working with couldn’t aid me in trying to find the sound too. So as soon as I got that, I was like “Oh, this is it.” And then when I wrote it, I was like, I’ve never heard anything like this before — in the least big-headed way possible. That was definitely the moment for me where I was like “All right, this is going to do something. It has to.” If it doesn’t, then I don’t know. Obviously I’m going to keep going but it’s gotta make a little bit of a shift somewhere for me, and it did and I’m so grateful for it.

Speaking of “Eyes Wide Open,” you have a distinct style in all of your videos including “Worst Behaviour” and “Do What I Say.” You use a single frame that looks like it was shot in one take. It’s very cinematic. Can you talk about why that style resonates with you? Are you a film buff?

[Laughs] I watched a film called “The Boiling Point” and that is all shot in one take. When you watch a one take — not even just a music video — you don’t want to take your eyes off of it because you don’t want to miss anything. My director, Chris Chance, and I felt like the art of music videos kind of died a little bit. There were only a select few people that were really making [captivating] videos and things that were capturing your attention, so we were like we need something that is just going to keep your eyes on it at all times. And the one take just works, man. We did that one pretty quick. We didn’t have a lot of time because the house that we were shooting in was somebody’s actual house, and I think that their kids had come home. But we just wanted something that was just super captivating and just lures you in. “Lord I Tried” was a one take too. We knew that worked and that looked incredible. And then obviously we did it with “Eyes Wide Open” as well, then after that we were like we got to keep this going. It’s becoming a theme now.

Why do you enjoy showing your process for making songs on Instagram Live? I’m sure you can’t do it as much as you used to now.

It was my manager’s idea like back in 2019 or 2020. She was like “I think you just need to go on Instagram Live. Let people see your process.” And I was like “I don’t know,” but she was like “Just trust me.” At first, it was just me, her and maybe like two other people in there. Then I would do it here and there, and then after lockdown, I started doing it a bit more. I don’t know. It was just that you don’t get to see many artists’ process in the studio. I always think about people like Beyoncé. There’s only like a few videos of her in the studio and you always think to yourself like, “Man, I wonder how these people’s brains work.” There’s loads of videos of Pharrell and I think that’s what I love about him. I can always go on the internet and search up “Pharrell in the studio” and there will be something of him whether it’s with like Justin Timberlake or Timbaland or something. I think it’s just cool to see how people’s brains work and what makes the light bulb go off at certain moments. That’s what a lot of it is in my IG lives. You can see when my brain figures something out. I think it’s cool. We shouldn’t really gate-keep our processes. I’ll [hop] off to write the lyrics because I don’t want to give them everything because people will start stealing tips and tricks, ya know what I’m sayin’? Again, it just makes you human. We’re not like these robots that churn out the music. It takes time and people should get the privilege of being able to see that, especially like my core fan base. It was just a lot of them at the time. Now it’s a lot for me because there’s so many people that come on there and they’ll end up screen recording it and putting it on the internet and that bit, I’m like “Ah, guys, come on.” I should probably get back to it a little bit more, but this year I haven’t been in the studio as much as I usually am. But I’m definitely going to get back on there for sure.

In June you dropped “With All Due Respect.” Talk to me about the inspiration for the title and what your mindset was going into the creation of that EP.

I had a different title before and then we scrapped that. I was like it needs to be something that [shows] people that I’m not playing games anymore. I felt like so many people were doubting me and sleeping on me, especially after I was dropped from my label before. I was like, “Everyone’s sleeping on me.” I’m trying to get in with artists and producers, and they’re not hitting me back. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but I know I can do this. And then it was Chris [Chance] that came up with that. He had sent me a list of like 12 different names [and] “With All Due Respect” was one of them.

Woman with short hair and black outfit standing with hand on chin

“I think people are just starting to put out music that they genuinely love and we’re not chasing a trend or chasing a TikTok moment anymore,” Kwn said.

(Michelle Helena Janssen)

In a previous interview, you said that “With All Due Respect” is the first part of a two-part album and that you’re planning to release a B-side. Is that still the plan? If so, when can we expect that?

Yeah, absolutely. I’ve just been so busy with this promo stuff and then obviously we jumped straight into tour. It’s going well though. I’m excited about the next set of music. It’s very classic. That’s what it feels like timely.

I have to ask. Are you planning on dropping it sometime next year?

Yeah. It’s not going to be a year after that. I tell ya [laughs].

You toured with Kehlani last year (on the Europe stretch) and you said that the experience proved to you that you can really do this music thing. Fast forward just months later, you are in the midst of your first headlining tour. How does that make you feel? What was your mindset going into this tour?

I was definitely nervous. But I think I was nervous because I was like, you can fake streams. You can fake followers. You can fake all this stuff, but the one thing you can’t fake is people, real people buying tickets to your show. Not saying that I have fake streams or followers, because I absolutely do not. But the real telling is like people coming to see you at your shows, and the feedback that you get from that. And yeah, the reception has been great, man. It’s been more than I could have imagined. I’ll be honest. I have not seen a bad word about my show, which I’m really grateful for because that’s all I wanted to be honest. I just wanted to be able to have fun. I wanted to be able to engage with people. I’m not a dancer or anything, ya know, so I felt like it was going to be hard for me to engage with the crowd and give them a good show, but I’m really just being myself on stage and letting my personality out. So I think that’s what’s captivating people, which I’m glad about.

You’re kicking off the U.S. and Canada leg of your tour in L.A. on Tuesday. What can fans expect?

A good time! I keep saying it’s really a special experience to be able to do these small, intimate shows. And I know people are like, “You could’ve sold out this venue and you could’ve done this venue …” And I’m like, yeah but these intimate, almost like one-to-one moments and experiences with people is what they will appreciate a lot more in the long run. And I know I am too. I be walking into these venues and I’m like “Oh, this small. Like we definitely could’ve gone bigger.” But I’m like nah. This is what it’s about. Everybody’s gotta start somewhere and I think it’s just important, like I said, that we can have these intimate moments with each other. It’s a super super special experience, it feels great.

From Cleo Sol to Sasha Keable to Odeal to Elmiene and several others, it truly feels like the U.K. R&B scene is having a moment. How does this make you feel to be a part of such good company?

It’s great. I feel like music was kind of on a decline for a little bit. It felt like no one was really excited about music, but I feel like now it’s like “Oh, people are really getting excited about things again.” I think people are just starting to put out music that they genuinely love and we’re not chasing a trend or chasing a TikTok moment anymore. I feel like it’s just genuine music that everybody’s loving, so it feels good right now. The scene feels great.

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Return to Paradise’s Glenn star reveals love triangle for season 2 of hit BBC show

Tensions are headed to Dolphin Cove as DI Mackenzie Clarke finds herself involved in a love triangle alongside her ex-fiancé Glenn in the second season of Return to Paradise.

Actor Tai Hara has revealed DI Mackenzie Clarke and his on-screen alter ego Glenn Strong are set for a tense love triangle in Return to Paradise‘s second season.

Lloyd Griffith returns to Dolphin Cove as Colin alongside Mackenzie’s Anna Samson, and he’s convinced his character’s relationship with Mackenzie has more benefits than he may imagine.

“Colin is becoming a better police officer because of his relationship with Mackenzie,” Lloyd says, “And Mackenzie is becoming a better human because of Colin. It’s a relationship that works both ways. They slowly realise that they are friends by the end of it,” Lloyd says.

Season two’s opening episode, where a shark researcher is found dead at sea, surprised Lloyd. “It could seem far-fetched but when we were going to the beach, even before filming, there would be signs saying the shark nets had been removed,” remembers Lloyd.

“It’s a genuine thing where there are sharks and you do have to be careful.” Sydney native Tai Hara adds: “There are attacks as well. It’s a very real part of our lives.”

Tai Hara reprises the role of Glenn Strong, navigating the rocky dynamics of the pathologist’s love triangle with Mackenzie and his fiancée Daisy.

“There’s a lot in store for their relationship,” he teases, “He’s navigating the love triangle he has with Daisy. A lot of work goes into making that a fully-fledged arc in the series.”

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Last season, Mackenzie left London amid professional setbacks, landing in the fictional Australian town she once fled under a cloud of suspicion.

Season one saw her embroiled in multiple murder cases and a tense reunion with ex-fiancé Glenn Strong. Glenn has moved on with Daisy Dixon (Andrea Demetriades) but made his feelings for Mackenzie clear – complicating her plans to escape.

The new season opens with Mackenzie choosing to stay in Dolphin Cove, much to fellow detective Colin Cartwright’s (Lloyd Griffith) exasperation.

For Lloyd, however, Colin’s reunion with his friends from home posed a real challenge. “Colin’s friends come from Lincolnshire and you find out a little bit more about Colin. You see a different side to him,” Lloyd says.

The change required adjustment. “Colin is very happy-go-lucky, he loves the community that has welcomed him with open arms. In that episode, you see why Colin has come to Australia. I found that most challenging but also rewarding and loved it.”

Overall, the pair were thrilled to Return to Paradise and Tai was thrilled to share the spotlight with his good friend Anna Samson. “We have a really wonderful friendship outside of the show, it was the first time we’d ever worked together,” Tai says. “It always feels easy. That’s one of the benefits of working with someone who you consider a really dear friend.”

Anna reveals that Mackenzie will also have time to explore dating apps this season. “One episode is about online dating, the comedy and tyranny they come with,” she says, “That’s another glimpse into Mackenzie. For the first time, I’m in an entirely different costume for one whole episode.”

Return to Paradise comes back to BBC One on Friday, October 31st at 8pm.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.



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Eminem’s rarely-seen daughter Alaina spotted for first time since pregnancy news as she builds stunning Michigan home

EMINEM’S daughter Alaina Scott has been spotted bumping along in her first sighting since announcing her pregnancy- making the rap legend a grandfather for the second time.

Alaina was adopted by Eminem and his ex-wife Kim Mathers as a baby after the death of her mom Dawn, Kim’s twin sister.

Eminem’s daughter Alaina Scott is seen for the first time since announcing her pregnancy, leaving a Pure Barre classCredit: Matt Symons for The U.S. Sun
Alaina Scott appeared filled with joy and she made her way to her car after working outCredit: Matt Symons for The U.S. Sun
Eminem’s daughter Alaina Scott’s future home is being built in New Baltimore, MichiganCredit: Matt Symons for The U.S. Sun

The rapper’s eldest daughter married her longtime boyfriend, Matt Moeller, in a Great Gatsby-themed ceremony in 2023, and they will soon welcome their first child.

Eminem walked her down the aisle and they have always had a close relationship.

Alaina made her pregnancy announcement on Instagram, and has since been seen out and about close to her home in Michigan.

Focusing on her health amid her new chapter, she was photographed leaving a Pure Barre class in Shelby Township, looking as though she’s on cloud nine.

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Alaina was makeup free for the workout dressed in a gray T-shirt and pink leopard print yoga pants with black sandals.

She had her hair tied back and was seen beaming as she looked at her cell phone while clutching a bottle of water.

NEW CHAPTER

The U.S. Sun can also reveal the first photographs of her new house build for her growing family in New Baltimore.

Snaps show construction appears to be nearly complete as workers add windows and doors to the home.

Records obtained by The U.S. Sun show Alaina, an esthetician, and husband Matt, a drummer, took out a loan for $350,000 in February 2025 to pay for the land.

Alaina posted photographs from a gender reveal party this week, revealing she is having a girl.

“You’re everything I’ve ever dreamed of, sweet child of mine,” she wrote alongside videos of a pink confetti canon.

“I can already see her little hand in his, the way he’ll look at her, the way she’ll have him wrapped around her tiny finger. Watching him become a girl dad is going to be the greatest love story yet, and he doesn’t even know it.”

Looking glowing in a mid-length black dress, she previously posted some cute photos holding a tiny white babygrow with ‘Baby Moeller, coming 2026’ written on it.

She penned: “THE BEST OF YOU + ME.”

“For months, I’ve carried a tiny heartbeat inside me, one that has already changed mine in every possible way.

“There’s something indescribable about knowing there’s a little life growing, dreaming, and becoming, all while you go about your day, whispering prayers and hopes only they can hear.”

Alaina continued: “I’ve never felt more grateful for this gift and to grow our family, something we’ve wanted for so long. 

“Thank you God for this blessing. Baby M, we can’t wait to meet you, little one.”

BLENDED FAMILY

The heartwarming photos captured the moment Alaina surprised her husband — leading a blindfolded Matt into a room at the couple’s new home-in-progress, decorated with a giant gold “Baby M” balloon.

She then presented him with a shoebox containing a positive pregnancy test and a pair of tiny sneakers.

The baby girl will be Eminem and Kim’s second grandchild after the birth of their daughter Hailie Jade’s son, Elliot, in March this year with her husband, Evan McClintock.

Kim, 50, was also seen in new photographs this month looking healthy and happy after her previous health struggles.

The mother-of-four and rapper married in 1999 but divorced in 2001. 

They later reconciled and tied the knot a second time in 2006 before finally parting ways and are now on good terms.

Alaina’s mother, Dawn, who was Kim’s sister, died of a drug overdose in 2016 after years of addiction problems.

Kim is also mom to Stevie Laine, 23, who identifies as non-binary, and was also raised by Eminem, 52, while she also has a son, Parker, who is believed to be in his teens. 

Both Stevie and Parker are from different relationships.

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TMZ revealed this week that Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers, has now found love with a new woman – his longtime stylist, Katrina Malota.

Katrina is a stylist and makeup artist based in Michigan who has been in his circle for many years.

Mounds of dirt can be seen outside Alaina Scott’s home which is being built for her familyCredit: Matt Symons for The U.S. Sun
The 32-year-old revealed her growing baby bump as she headed to a workout class this monthCredit: Matt Symons for The U.S. Sun
Eminem’s daughter couldn’t stop smiling as she left a class wearing pink leopard print pantsCredit: Matt Symons for The U.S. Sun

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‘The Kitchen’ is closing: Reactions as food talk show is nixed

It’s almost a wrap for “The Kitchen.”

Food Network announced Monday that its long-running weekend culinary talk show “The Kitchen” is coming to an end. The final episode of the series, co-hosted by network favorites Sunny Anderson, Katie Lee Biegel, Jeff Mauro, Geoffrey Zakarian and recurring guest Alex Guarnaschelli, will air Dec. 13.

“It’s the end of an era,” Biegel said in her Instagram story sharing the news. “Thank you so much to all of our fans. The Kitchen was the greatest professional honor of my life and I will be forever grateful.” Biegel has served as one of the show’s co-hosts since its 2014 premiere.

Mauro, who has also been with the show since the beginning, echoed her sentiments on his own Instagram post.

“I always knew what we had was special — rare, a unicorn, an anomaly,” Mauro said in a lengthy caption thanking fans and colleagues. “I got to spend a dozen years with my best friends — cooking, laughing, and eating life-changing bites from some of the world’s greatest chefs and cooks.”

Currently in its 40th season, the Daytime Emmy-nominated cooking-themed talk show featured its hosts and guests sharing recipes, discussing food trends and offering other food tips. In addition to celebrated chefs and culinary personalities, “The Kitchen” opened its doors to various actors, musicians and celebrities.

“For over a decade Sunny, Katie, Jeff, Geoffrey and more recently Alex have engaged audiences with their individual and distinct food sensibilities and sense of humor that together make ‘The Kitchen’ a delicious way to spend an hour,” Warner Bros. Discovery head of food content Betsy Ayala said in a statement.

“Everyone knows all good parties end up in ‘The Kitchen,’ where the conversation, laughs and food flow; the best parties probably end a little bit earlier than some guests would like, but we’ve got twelve years of memories and wanted to celebrate this team’s hard work during one final holiday season.”

Food Network titan Bobby Flay congratulated the show’s team for “an iconic run” in the comments on Food Network’s Instagram post sharing the news.

“Thank you to the Kitchen and its fabulous chefs and hosts for holding it down in daytime on [Food Network] for the last decade,” Flay wrote.

Other Food Network stars also chimed in with tributes in the comments responding to the announcement.

“I loved this show because it reminded me of why I fell in love with cooking in the first place,” wrote Aarti Sequeira, Season 6 winner of “The Next Food Network Star,” “lots of voices and hands working together in a kitchen with equal servings of love and sass!!!!”

“[C]ongrats on an incredible show — one of my favorites to watch and to be part of,” “Chopped” judge Marc Murphy wrote. “You’re all legends.”

Fellow “Chopped” judge Tiffani Faison also congratulated the show’s staff for “a run worthy only of this team.”



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EastEnders spoilers: Slaters’ blast from the past and Halloween chaos in the Vic

It’s Halloween in Walford next week, and it’s a spooky time for the Slaters as Kat shocks the Square as she blurts out Zoe’s huge secret – but what is it?

Next week in EastEnders, the Square continues to reel from Zoe’s shock revelation, Julie and Nigel face more struggles, and it’s a spooky Halloween over in Walford.

The soap are still keeping quiet about what Zoe’s bombshell revelation is until later this week – but what we do know, is that whatever it is isn’t going to go down very well.

A few weeks back, we heard Zoe made the shock admission that Dennis Rickman was the father of her son, with Sharon left devastated. Nevertheless, she offered to help Zoe find her son.

But things have taken a back burner since Joel’s horrific attack on Vicki. Next week, Ian about Zoe’s son and seeing how much it means to Sharon, Ian transfers her some money to help…

READ MORE: EastEnders fans ‘work out’ who Okie’s dad is as he opens up – and it’s ‘someone we know’READ MORE: EastEnders ‘confirms’ no way back for Joel after ‘disturbing’ police station outburst

We start off the week in the Vic Quiz night, but Kat is distracted as Zoe’s revelation continues to play on her mind, although Alfie warns her to stay out of it. However, of course, Kat doesn’t listen and blurts out Zoe’s secret – causing commotion and Quiz Night comes to an abrupt end.

Kat later gives Zoe and ultimatum and things get worse at a spooky Halloween, when Alfie discovers a VHS tape from 1980s. Despite Kat attempting to keep the footage from Zoe, she later discovers it and throws everyone out of the Vic as a result. But what is on the video?

Elsewhere, Zoe accuses Kat for smashing a photo of the pair, but when she denies it, she later accuses Vicki of being responsible but Anthony steps in to calm her down.

Halloween week continues to get worse, as Zoe grows increasingly paranoid that someone is out to get her and accuses Anthony after arguing with him earlier in the week. He shares his concerns for Zoe with Kat, but it’s unclear whether she believes him. But what are the concerns?

It’s not all that’s kicking off in The Vic, as Kat overhears Vicki speaking to Ross – and makes a decision.

Suki and Eve are still looking to adopt, and despite Suki holding back at first, they go ahead and arrange a meeting with an adoptive family. However, the timing couldn’t be worse as Avani, Ravi, Priya and Nugget return from their holiday, as chaos ensues.

However, it seems like they later come round to the idea as they try to support the couple, who hit another hurdle as Eve panics when she learns she will need a reference from her mum to proceed.

Ravi has other problems on his hands, as he’s left feeling guilty about lying to Priya following their family holiday. He later meets with Okie and hands the business over to him after he assures him that Harry and Kojo have been released. But have they?

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.



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Who is Katie Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler?

Kieran Hayler and Katie Price attending The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 UK premiere.

KATIE Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler has been charged with three counts of rape and one sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.

Here, we took a look into who Katie’s third husband is, his marriage to the former glamour model, and why he is currently under police investigation.

A man in a green t-shirt with a letter R on it, gestures with his left hand while speaking.
Kieran Hayler, 38, was the third husband of Katie Price and is the father of two of her kidsCredit: Goff

Who is Kieran Hayler?

Kieran Hayler, 38, is the third husband of Katie Price following her marriages to Peter Andre and cage fighter Alex Reid.

The pair went on to share two children, Jett, 12, and Bunny, 11.

Hayler, of Northchapel in West Sussex, has also worked as a stripper and an actor.

While together, he appeared alongside Katie in reality shows.

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Katie Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler charged with raping 13-year-old girl


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After six years of marriage the pair split up, with the divorce being finalised in 2021 after pandemic delays.

Following his split from Katie, Hayler started a relationship with Michelle Penticost.

She later gave birth to their son Apollo.

The couple proceeded to get engaged in 2020, but went their separate ways in February this year.

His representative told The Sun: “They separated on good terms and remain close, with their focus on Apollo.”

He was last photographed out in public on Friday, October 3 when he visited Tulleys Farm Shocktober event near Crawley.

His selfie from the celebrity bash was captioned: “My favourite event of the year.”

When did Katie Price and Kieran Hayler get married?

Katie and Kieran tied the knot in 2013 after first meeting in 2012.

Hayler proposed on Christmas Day and not long after they got married at a luxury resort in the Bahamas.

In May 2014, while pregnant with Bunny, Katie discovered Hayler had been cheating on her with her best friend Jane Pountney, when she caught them kissing on a beach in Cape Verde.

He later confessed to a long and intimate relationship with Jane.

Speaking with The Sun on Sunday in 2017, he said: “I would get into the passenger seat of Jane’s car, she would jump on top of me.”

Katie later discovered he also had an affair with another of her friends, Chrissy Thomas.

Despite this, Katie forgave him, only for him to cheat again in with their nanny, Nikki Brown, in 2017.

Katie said: “I was crying, asking, ‘How could you do this to me again?’ When I begged him to tell the truth he finally said, ‘Yeah, we have’.”

The marriage eventually broke down in 2018, with the divorce finalised in 2021.

Why has he been charged?

Hayler has been charged with three counts of rape and one sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.

The allegations date to June-October 2016, the midway point of his marriage to Katie, 47.

The alleged victim is not a member of his or Katie’s extended family.

In a statement made last night Sussex Police said:

“We can confirm Kieran Hayler, 38, of Northchapel in West Sussex, has been charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.

“The offences are alleged to have occurred at an address in West Sussex between June 1 and October 13, 2016.

“Hayler remains released under investigation and is due to appear before Crawley magistrates’ court on November 19.

“The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has received ­support from specially trained officers as our enquiries continue.”

Hayler is currently denying these allegations made against him.

His legal representative added: “Kieran Hayler strongly denies the allegations made against him in its entirety.

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“Mr Hayler is fully engaged and has been co-operating with the police throughout the investigation and will continue to do so.

“He looks forward to his name being cleared believing in the judicial system to do so.”

Katie Price and Kieran Hayler on a red carpet.
The pair married in 2013 and finalised their divorce in 2021Credit: Getty

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Ticketmaster changes policies following FTC lawsuit

Following last month’s lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission, Ticketmaster is pledging to change its policies.

The FTC is suing Ticketmaster and its parent company, Live Nation Entertainment, for allegedly engaging in illegal ticket vendor practices. In a letter to lawmakers dated Oct. 17, Live Nation executive vice president Daniel Wall denies the FTC’s allegations that the company is helping scalpers and said that the company will implement new practices to benefit concertgoers.

As part of these new policy changes, the ticket vendor will no longer allow users purchasing tickets to have multiple accounts. All excess accounts will soon be canceled, and each reseller’s account must have a unique taxpayer ID.

According to the letter, the company also plans to shut down TradeDesk, its inventory management application. The controversial software is a tool that helps resellers track and price tickets across several marketplaces, often dealing with a large amount of tickets. The application has been previously accused of facilitating ticket harvesting, which Wall also denies, saying the platform doesn’t purchase tickets. He says competitors like StubHub and Vivid Seats use similar software.

Live Nation will be “removing TradeDesk’s concert ticket management functionality from the market” to help boost its reputation.

The recent FTC lawsuit isn’t the first legal battle the ticket-selling giant has faced. Last year, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Live Nation, which suggested breaking up the company due to its alleged monopolistic practices.

Amid these lawsuits, fans have continued to complain about being unable to get their hands on tickets and having to pay much more than face value from resellers.

Founded in 1976, Ticketmaster has been the industry’s largest ticket provider since 1995, with around 80% of live concerts sold through the site. As of late, it has also acquired a growing share of the resale market. According to the FTC, consumers spent more than $82.6 billion buying tickets from the Beverly Hills-based company from 2019 to 2024.

The vendor also promises to implement new AI-powered tools to help verify identities, rid unauthorized users and police potentially fraudulent purchases.

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Pride of Britain Awards as they happened – tears, winners and celebrity surprises

The winners moved celebrities, politicians and stars to tears with their stories of courage, bravery and brilliance at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards

It has been celebrating the very best of everything British for more than quarter of a century. And once again it was the children of courage and incredible stories of bravery in adversity which moved a host of celebrities, actors and sport stars to tears at the 26th Daily Mirror Pride of Britain awards, with P&O Cruises.

The Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was there with his wife Victoria to pay tribute to the long line of unsung heroes as they received the recognition they so richly deserve. At just 12 years old, Luke Mortimer typified what the night is all about when he received his Child of Courage trophy.

Luke had all his limbs amputated after contracting meningococcal meningitis septicaemia in 2019. Yet still he thought of others. The audience at the Grosvenor House Hotel gave him a huge round of applause as they heard how he had donated thousands for children with disabilities, through his extraordinary fundraising activities.

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In 2024, he climbed Pen-y-ghent with his mum Christine and brother Harry, 15, meeting his dad Adam and a team of 19 who were climbing the National Three Peaks and Yorkshire Three Peaks. They raised almost £20,000 to help fund prosthetics for Luke and help other child amputees. He told his loved ones that we should all “concentrate on the future” as he set about helping others.

His favourite TV stars Ant and Dec sent a special message to Luke, who told host Carol Vorderman of his motto when life was tough: “Hope for a good time and try and make it happen.”

His dad Adam added: “We are massively proud of him, he takes everything in his slightly smaller stride.”

Marcus Skeet, 17, became the first person in the UK to run from Land’s End to John O’Groats as he fought back from a suicide attempt at the age of 15. He had obsessive compulsive disorder, and became a carer for his dad, who was diagnosed with early onset dementia.

Marcus admitted: “It shattered my heart.” After his suicide attempt, it was a ‘miracle’ that he had survived. Known as ‘the Hull Man’, with 350,000 followers on social media, he watched cars go by as he got caught in a rainstorm, with 790 miles to go in his epic run.

Marooned in a layby, soaked through, he still became a record breaker, raising £164,560 for mental health charity Mind, with his dad there to see him at the end. “I will remember that for the rest of my life,” said Marcus.

His incredible feat took a combination of supreme dedication and endurance and he joked: “I hate running.” Dr. Sarah Hughes, CEO at Mind paid tribute, saying: “His story reads like a film script, courage, loss, hope, and relentless determination.

“But Marcus isn’t a character; he’s a real-life hero.” Pub landlord comedian Al Murray revealed he had been inspired by Marcus to raise money for Mind. Looking for donors in the audience, he said: “Whether you are an actor or a rock star, you cannot fail to be moved by this night.”

Personal trainer Javeno McLean, 40, met his heroes as his work for the disabled, ill and elderly was recognised with the P&O Cruises Inspiration award.

Former world champion heavyweight David Haye joined legends of the ring Frank Bruno and Barry McGuigan to hand over the coveted trophy. They heard how Javeno has been offering free fitness sessions to the needy at his J7 Gym in Manchester.

At 16, he offered to train a boy in a wheelchair who was struggling in the gym. Since then, Javeno has been devoted to creating a friendly and inclusive gym space for all. He told the judges: “When you include people you empower them.”

Haye said it was an ‘honour’ to be chosen to give him the award. On a night of awe-inspiring stories, PCs Yasmin Whitfield, Cameron King and Inspector Moloy Campbell were recognised for their extraordinary bravery.

They answered an emergency call on an ‘ordinary’ working day which almost turned out to be their last. By the time they confronted sword attacker Marcus Arduini Monzo in Hainault, East London on April 20,2024, he had already killed Daniel Anjorin, 14.

Despite having no Taser or pepper spray, Pc King drew his baton and stood between the killer and Yasmin, who suffered horrific slash injuries.

Insp Campbell also suffered a slash wound to his hand after he confronted Monzo in a car park and ran at him, baton drawn. Other officers were able to deploy their Tasers and subdue the killer. PC King ‘stood between Yas and Monzo’, who ran off, before being cornered by cops. He said: “I remember just thinking, I can’t let him finish her off’. I put myself between Yas and him. I thought ‘we’re going to die in this alleyway.'” Insp Campbell admitted: “When I challenged Mr Monzo, I knew it may be the last decision I would ever make.” Monzo was later jailed for life with a minimum term of 40 years. In 2016, footy coach Asha Ali Rage 46, set up her community club, determined to use sport to protect youngsters from gangs. The aptly named Dream Chasers FC in Small Heath, Birmingham has since become a vital hub for her local community.

Asha received her award from England’s ‘Golden Gloves’ World Cup keeper Mary Earps who has done so much to raise the profile of sport for women; Asha’s Special Recognition Award was for “changing the lives” of the young stars of the future. Leanne Pero MBE, 30, won another recognition award for The Movement Factory community dance company which she founded when she was just 15. Londoner Leanne, who survived breast cancer, also started Black Women Rising, a cancer support group that has raised more than £1m to fund support and advice. She said of surviving cancer: “The worst part was finishing treatment.” Teenager of Courage winner Eagling Zach, 14, who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, also donated to the Epilepsy Society by walking laps of his garden in the 2020 lockdown. After trolls bombarded him with flashing images to try to trigger a seizure, he campaigned for legislation to protect people with epilepsy online. Zach’s Law was introduced across England, Wales and Northern Ireland in Sept., 2023, making it a criminal offence, with a maximum five-year jail term, to troll anyone with epilepsy to deliberately cause a seizure. Zach has now launched a petition to ‘make a difference’ and try to ensure public transport is more accessible for disabled people. For Sally Becker, 63, helping those most in need in society has been her life’s work.

She first went to Bosnia in 1993 to help the victims of war. Tasked with taking aid to a hospital, she found herself evacuating sick and injured children in an old Bedford van.

She has now spent more than three decades helping children in besieged areas, such as Gaza, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine.

In 2016, she founded Save a Child, providing medical treatment for kids in conflict areas. And she launched a mobile tele-medicine programme connecting local doctors with paediatric specialists. She said: “We have saved thousands of children.”

Georgie Hyslop, 15, was thrilled to be made the Good Morning Britain Fundraiser of the year. In 2023, when Georgie, then 15, was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare cancer in the bones, she donated her tissue to Cancer Research. She raised more than £55,000 for hospitals and charities.

Through 14 rounds of chemo and 33 of radiation, Georgie gave cards with encouraging messages, known as “pocket hugs”, to fellow patients, and dressed up as Spider-Man to cheer up a four-year-old patient having radiotherapy.

Georgie, 17, from Ardrossan, Ayrshire, went into remission in July 2024, but the cancer returned earlier this year. She said: “I have lots of fundraising planned and lots to look forward to.”

Set up by three music teachers at an additional needs school in 1995, the Ups & Downs theatre group in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, is for young people with Down’s syndrome as well as their families.

Now led by Lorna Leggatt, whose son Ellis, 26, has been a member since he was five, Ups & Downs offers inclusive activities, including music, dance and drama, to around 70 members, who have Down’s syndrome or a sibling with the condition. Audiences leave their shows ‘deeply moved’.

Fellow PoB winner Harry Byrne lost his mother on Christmas Day; her death caused Harry, then 11, to descend into mental health problems, addiction and homelessness. Harry, 24, was helped by local homelessness charity St Basil’s and discovered The King’s Trust Get Started in Outdoor Leadership programme, landing a job in Coventry.

Now supporting young people facing difficulties, through outdoor activities, he hopes to run his own therapy-based coaching service. Harry said: “I didn’t have many role models or access to the support I needed when I was younger. I’m passionate about getting up every morning and providing just that for the next generation.”

RAF hero John Nichol, 61, the navigator from North Shields, North Tyneside who was shot down and captured in Iraq during the first gulf war of 1990, has attended every single one of the Pride of Britain’s 26 award nights. A good friend of the late awards founder Peter Willis, he said: “I was next to Gary Barlow on that first night and had to give him my hankie. I think there is only me and Carol Vorderman who have been to every one.

“Nobody knew what to expect, but it has become the best of the lot.”

Pictures: Rowan Griffiths, Adam Gerrard, Andy Stenning.

* Watch the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards with P&O Cruises on Thursday October 23 at 8pm on ITV1.

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Katie Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler charged with raping and sexually assaulting girl, 13, while married to star

KATIE Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler has been charged with three counts of rape and one sexual assault against a girl of 13.

The allegations date to June-October 2016, the midway point of his marriage to Katie, 47.

Katie Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler has been charged with three counts of rape and one sexual assault against a girl of 13Credit: Getty
The couple, pictured here at their 2013 wedding, share children, Jett, 12, and Bunny, 11Credit: Dan Charity – The Sun

They were wed for six years and share kids, Jett, 12, and Bunny, 11.

The alleged victim is not a member of his or Katie’s extended family.

Sussex Police said last night: “We can confirm Kieran Hayler, 38, of Northchapel in West Sussex, has been charged with three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.

“The offences are alleged to have occurred at an address in West Sussex between June 1 and October 13, 2016.

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“Hayler remains released under investigation and is due to appear before Crawley magistrates’ court on November 19.

“The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has received ­support from specially trained officers as our enquiries continue.”

Hayler, who has also worked as a stripper and actor, and appeared on reality shows with Katie, posted a video on Sunday evening of him flexing his muscles in a car park, with the message “Fit check”.

He was last photographed out in public on Friday, October 3 when he visited Tulleys Farm Shocktober event near Crawley.

His selfie from the celebrity bash was captioned: “My favourite event of the year.”

A legal representative for Hayler said last night: “Kieran Hayler strongly denies the allegations made against him in its entirety.

“Mr Hayler is fully engaged and has been co-operating with the police throughout the investigation and will continue to do so. He looks forward to his name being cleared believing in the judicial system to do so.”

Hayler first met Katie in 2012 and proposed on Christmas Day.

They married at a luxury resort in the Bahamas in 2013.

He was her third husband following her marriages to singer Peter Andre and cage fighter Alex Reid.

In May 2014, while pregnant with Bunny, Katie discovered Hayler had been cheating on her with her best friend Jane Pountney, when she caught them kissing on a beach in Cape Verde.

He later confessed to a long, intimate relationship with Jane.

In 2017 he told The Sun on Sunday: “I would get into the passenger seat of Jane’s car, she would jump on top of me.”

Katie later discovered he had an affair with another of her friends, Chrissy Thomas.

Katie forgave Kieran and later said: “He’s proved himself. I have actually said to him, ‘I now forgive you, I do forget’ because I got to a point where I don’t have to worry about him. I trust him.”

But in 2017, Katie discovered he had cheated again — this time with their nanny Nikki Brown.

She said: “When I confronted him he denied it at first, even when I said she’d admitted it.

“I was crying, asking, ‘How could you do this to me again?’ When I begged him to tell the truth he finally said, ‘Yeah, we have’.”

The marriage broke down in 2018, with the divorce finalised in 2021 after pandemic delays.

At the time her representative said it was amicable.

Hayler said in 2021: “As of July 12 we are now divorced. It took just over three years.

“We didn’t rush it; it was in the process for a long time and Covid-19 hit, which held up the courts.

“It wasn’t in our hands. There was no legal battle.

“I said to her, I will be the only person that doesn’t take any money from you because that’s not who I am, I don’t want her money.”

The couple had married at the Sandals Royal Bahamian Resort and Spa in January 2013.

They held a second service at the Rookery Manor hotel in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, joined by 13 bridesmaids and pals including TV star Rylan Clark, model Danielle Lloyd and singer Michelle Heaton.

Katie and Hayler then honeymooned in the Maldives.

Following their marriage split, Hayler started a relationship with Michelle Penticost, who gave birth to their son Apollo.

The couple got engaged in 2020 but this February called off the wedding and said they had split.

His representative told The Sun: “They separated on good terms and remain close, with their focus on Apollo.”

Besides her children with Hayler, Loose Women star Katie has son Harvey, 23, from a relationship with ex-footballer Dwight Yorke, plus son Junior, 20, and daughter Princess, 18, from her marriage to Peter Andre.

She has not married since Hayler but briefly found love with another personal trainer, Kris Boyson.

She dated Carl Woods for two years and they got engaged. But that relationship ended in 2022.

Her most recent partner is Married At First Sight star JJ Slater.

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Katie is currently on tour with reality star pal and ex-Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona, 45.

Last night they appeared on stage in Swansea, and tonight are due at The Old Savoy in Northampton.

Hayler posted a video of himself posing in a car park on Instagram on Sunday eveningCredit: Instagram
Hayler is a former stripperCredit: Chris Eades – The Sun

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Why Brandy left Monica during Boy Is Mine concert in Chicago

Brandy and Monica, the once-feuding stars of R&B, are singing each others’ praises after their reunion tour hit an unexpected hurdle over the weekend.

Singer-actor Brandy sent virtual flowers to “my sister, Monica, for stepping up with such grace and professionalism” as she explained her abrupt exit from the duo’s Chicago concert on Saturday. The “Cinderella” star, 46, turned heads at the Chicago’s United Center when she walked off stage mid-performance, according to video shared by TMZ, leaving Monica to finish performing their Grammy-winning hit “The Boy Is Mine,” solo.

“I sincerely apologize for the abrupt end to last night’s performance in Chicago. After weeks of nonstop rehearsals, last night I experienced dehydration and feelings of wanting to faint,” Brandy said in an Instagram statement shared Sunday. “Everyone involved agreed that prioritizing my well-being was of the utmost importance.”

The “Afrodisiac” artist explained that it was her decision to push forward with the concert, “despite not feeling OK.” Even after making “some adjustments,” Brandy said it was ultimately “impossible to fully connect sonically with the production.” The “Missing You” singer said she left the arena and was treated by a doctor and has “taken the proper precautions to help moving forward.”

Brandy and Monica announced their co-headlining Boy Is Mine tour in June and kicked off the shows Thursday in Cincinnati. They are set to perform at the Kia Forum on Nov. 9.

A day after her sudden walk-off, Brandy was back on stage Sunday with Monica at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. She shared photos from their latest gig to Instagram on Monday.

“You absolutely killed it last night @brandy,” Monica said in her Instagram story on Monday, reposting the singer’s photos.

Brandy and Monica embarked on their Boy Is Mine tour 27 years after releasing the namesake single in 1998. The singers, who shared a contentious relationship notably defined by an alleged altercation at the VMAs in 1998, earned a Grammy award for the hit.

Before launching their tour, Brandy and Monica had reunited several times for several projects, including a remix of their hit with Ariana Grande and a 2020 appearance on “Verzuz.” While promoting the tour in June, Monica told CBS Mornings that their feud “started as nothing and it really did turn into something.”

“There was a lot of confusion and conflict and there was a lot of people around,” she said, adding that she and Brandy were merely teenagers when their feud came to a head.

The Boy Is Mine tour continues Friday with a stop in Nashville and will conclude Dec. 14 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla.

Staff writer Julius Miller contributed to this report.



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Dianne Buswell’s emotional update as Stefan Dennis quits Strictly Come Dancing

Stefan Dennis has been forced to quit Strictly Come Dancing after suffering an injury, with the Neighbours legend’s exit confirmed in a statement on Monday

Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis has quit the current series of Strictly Come Dancing following an injury.

The star, who portrayed Paul Robinson in the Australian soap, had been partnered with fellow Aussie and reigning Strictly champion Dianne Buswell for the 2025 series.

However, during a breaking news segment on spin-off programme It Takes Two on Monday, it was announced that Stefan would no longer be taking part in the competition.

The revelation was also posted on the official Strictly Instagram page, where Stefan revealed: “This Morning, I woke up to the most disappointing day of my time in my Strictly journey.

“Just when I had finally gained the confidence to do well with my dancing in the comp and achieve more great dances along the way, I was told that on Saturday, I had torn my calf so significantly that I am now forced to withdraw from the show,” reports Wales Online.

He added: “I can’t tell you how devastated I am to have to leave so prematurely, especially, as there has been, and still is, so much love and support from everyone for both Dianne and myself.

“I owe both the Strictly Family and Dianne a massive debt of gratitude for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of being able to dance with my wife (When my leg is better). Fun face for all the avid Neighbours fans… It’s the same leg!”

Pregnant professional dancer Dianne, who claimed victory in last year’s series alongside comedian Chris McCausland, also uploaded a tribute to Stefan on her Instagram profile. She said: “stefo I’m so sorry our strictly journey was cut short just as that confidence was starting to grow. But you can walk away with your head held high. You can go home to your wonderful wife put your hand out and say would you like to cha cha cha with me.

“the main reason for being on this show was to be able to dance with her and you can certainly do that now. You are the kindest human I have ever worked with and I can always say I got to dance with the iconic neighbours legend Stefan Dennis or as my dad calls ya Paul Robertson.”

Fellow professionals and viewers were left gutted by the announcement.

Welsh professional dancer Amy Dowden said: “So gutted for you both. Sending all my love and well wishes xxxx”.

One viewer said: “I’m devastated for you both but thank you for all the joy you’ve given to us!!”

A second said: “Absolutely gutted for you both but you should be so proud of all you achieved on your short but ever so sweet journey, I hope he recovers well sending all the well wishes and love his way.”

And another added: “Gutted for you both as it was clear you were just getting started.”

The announcement follows Stefan’s most triumphant performance on Strictly when he bagged a score of 26 out of 40 from the panel last Saturday.

Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

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