SHOW BIZ

BBC Breakfast presenters paid tribute to Quentin Willson after the former Top Gear host and Strictly Come Dancing star died at the age of 68.

BBC Breakfast hosts Roger Johnson and Emma Vardy honoured former Top Gear presenter and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Quentin Willson this morning (Sunday, 9 November).

Willson, who co-presented the BBC motoring show from 1991 to 2001 before the era of Jeremy Clarkson and James May, passed away on Saturday aged 68.

His relatives announced his death in a statement, following his fight against lung cancer.

They called him a “national treasure” and “true consumer champion”, stating: “Quentin brought the joy of motoring, from combustion to electric, into our living rooms.”

The statement added: “The void he has left can never be filled. His knowledge was not just learned but lived; a library of experience now beyond our reach,” reports the Express.

Besides serving as Top Gear’s used car specialist, and working as an campaigner and electric vehicle supporter, Willson appeared on Strictly in 2004.

He created history on the programme when his Cha Cha Cha with partner Hazel Newberry received the lowest score ever awarded by judges on the show, at just eight points.

He subsequently remarked he was “very proud” of it, acknowledging his poor dancing ability and saying: “I ‘m very proud to have the lowest recorded score on Strictly Come Dancing. Builders ran up to me to shake my hand because I failed so badly. I tried, but I was the dancing equivalent of a JCB.”

BBC Breakfast presenters paid tribute to Willson this morning, with Roger stating: “Jeremy Clarkson and James May have lead tributes to the former Top Gear presenter Quentin Willson, who has died from lung cancer at the age of 68. His family said that he brought the joy of motoring into people’s living rooms.”

Reporter Graham Satchell said: “Quentin Willson’s presenting style on Top Gear was unforgettable. Direct, forthright, with a wry sense of humour.

“After Top Gear, Willson began campaigning to reduce the amount of tax that motorists paid on fuel, and then to try and make electric cars more affordable.

“He holds the ignominious record of having the lowest ever score on Strictly, 8 out of 40, his performance described as a Robin Reliant trying to make love to a Ferrari.

“Willson loved it, it was important, he said, for people in the public eye to make fun of themselves.

“The car was his first and last love, he named his daughters Mercedes and Mini.”

Satchell continued: “Tonight Quentin Willson’s family said the void he left can never be filled. His knowledge was not just learned but lived, a library of experience, now beyond our reach.”

The tributes follow heartfelt words from James May and Jeremy Clarkson, who wrote: ” I’m far away so I’ve only just heard that Quentin Willson has died. We had some laughs over the years. Properly funny man.”

May commented on X: “Quentin Wilson gave me proper advice and encouragement during my earliest attempts at TV, back in the late 90s. I’ve never forgotten it. Great bloke.”

BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.

HER face is her fortune, but Sydney Sweeney told co-stars not to hold back from punching it during her new boxing biopic.

The scenes for her role as US fighter Christy Martin may have been carefully choreographed, but they were so ferocious she suffered a bloodied nose and concussion.

The 28-year-old actress said: “The girls and all the fights you see are real. When I walked in and I met with everyone, I said, ‘I want you to hit me. And I want you to hit me hard. And can I hit you?’.

“So when you watch all those fights, we’re actually hitting each other. We were knocking each other out, we were getting bloody noses. I got concussion. We were actually fighting.”

Sydney added of co-star Katy O’Brian, who plays ring rival Lisa Holewyne: “Katy is a badass. I mean, she is strong.

“Katy’s only request was, ‘Please don’t break my nose’.”

Sydney’s childhood in Idaho saw her “kickboxing and grappling” from the age of nine to 19, which helped with the fight scenes.

But her astonishing physical transformation — putting on more than 2st of muscle over three months — was hard-earned, with up to five hours of training a day and countless protein shakes chugged.

She said: “I built my own ‘Rocky’ gym in my grandma’s shed and I trained back home in Idaho.

“I worked with my weight trainer in the morning and night, and then I had a boxing coach I worked with every day for two to three hours.

“I put on 35 pounds during that time.”

The movie, called Christy, which opens in cinemas on November 28, tells the story of WBC female super welterweight champion Christy, now 57, who was a trailblazer in the 1990s and put women’s boxing on the map.

But her biggest battle was behind closed doors, as her marriage to her older manager Jim Martin descended into violence.

When she tried to leave him in 2010, he shot and stabbed her. He was found guilty of attempted murder and died in prison last year.

But for Sydney, it was the strained scenes between Christy and her mum that she found the hardest to film.

She said: “Everything that happens within the house towards the end of the story of her life in the film weighed on me emotionally. But the one I had the hardest time doing and just ­processing was when she asked for her mum’s help.

“I have such amazing parents and I can go to them for anything. And I couldn’t imagine how hard it was for Christy and for others that deal with that as well.

“And it broke my heart while I was making that scene.”

As soon as Sydney heard Christy’s story, she told her team she had to have a part.

She said: “When I first read the script, I was completely blown away that I didn’t know who this woman was. She is one of the most inspiring women I’ve met in my life.”

For her part, Sydney’s grit and ­determination to succeed began at the age of ten, when she made a “five-year business plan presentation” to persuade her parents to let her try to become a movie star.

When they realised she was serious at 13, they made 38-hour round trips for auditions before relocating to Los Angeles to give her a ­better shot at stardom.

Sydney said: “It’s not easy. I didn’t get a project that helped open more doors until I was, like, 19, 20. And you get told ‘no’ endlessly by everyone.”

Sadly, her parents’ decision to relocate was a catalyst for them going bankrupt and they divorced in 2016.

But that setback only served to fuel Sydney’s drive.

She worked as a cleaner and babysitter before her break came in 2018, with roles in three big TV shows — The Handmaid’s Tale, Sharp Objects and Everything Sucks!.

A year later, she was cast as Cassie Howard in global hit Euphoria, and The White Lotus followed in 2021.

‘Really scary’

Movie hits also came with 2019’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, 2023’s Anyone But You and last year’s Madame Web and Immaculate.

In her love life, she has been linked to 44-year-old US record executive Scooter Braun, who she met at Amazon boss Jeff Bezos’ wedding to Lauren Sanchez in the summer.

But she has insisted: “I’m single.”

She was previously engaged to movie producer Jonathan Davino, but they split in March.

For now, she’s firmly focused on her career as it goes stratospheric.

Speculation has also been rife that, with Amazon now owning the James Bond franchise, Bezos wanted her to be a Bond Girl in the next movie.

She responded that it would depend on the script and that she would have “more fun” playing 007.

She said of her upcoming roles: “Of course I have projects that I’m working on and I’m developing and I can’t wait to do. It’s kind of like this crazy rollercoaster.

“You’re never sure if it’s going to go up or down or upside down.”

Her path to success, Sydney admits, has been a battle at times.

I was so nervous. It’s so weird when you’re playing somebody and then you meet them.

Sydney Sweeney

She said: “I know what it feels like to be underestimated, to have people define you before you have a chance to define yourself.

“I know what it feels like to have to prove that you deserve to be here, to be seen, to be taken seriously.”

During filming of the boxing biopic, Christy herself turned up every day on set with her Pomeranian emotional support dog Champ.

And Sydney has since formed a friendship with her, with the pair going to a Nascar event in Phoenix together last week.

It is a leap forward from their first meeting.

Sydney recalled: “I was so nervous. It’s so weird when you’re playing somebody and then you meet them.

“You’re like, ‘Do you like me? Are you going to like what I do?’. It’s really scary.”

And the star admits the role has made her see life differently.

She said: “I think Christy has changed me. I’m a huge believer in separating yourself as much as possible from your character.

JUNGLE READY

I’m A Celeb full line-up revealed with soap legends and TV pin up

JAB TRICK

I lost 13st on Mounjaro and needed a new passport – you must check your ‘TDEE’

“So that the moment they call ‘action’ and ‘cut’, you’re in and you’re out. And I go home and I’m Syd.

“But with Christy, I felt like I became the most free and powerful version of myself afterwards.”

Strictly Come Dancing’s Vicky Pattison and her professional partner Kai Widdrington topped the leaderboard on Saturday night (November 8) with 39 points

Strictly Come Dancing’s Vicky Pattison was over the moon as she achieved her highest score of the series, topping the leaderboard.

On Saturday night (November 8), Vicky and her professional partner Kai Widdrington wowed the audience with a Tango to Taylor Swift’s The Fate Of Ophelia.

The pair ended the night on a high note, achieving their personal best score of the series – an impressive 39 points. Craig Revel Horwood was full of praise, describing the performance as “perfect”, while Anton Du Beke admitted he was “a bit stunned” because it was “that good”.

READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson issues emotional Top Gear statement honouring his longtime pal

READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson claps back after Quentin Willson tribute branded ‘not heartfelt’

He enthused: “I thought it was absolutely marvellous. I loved it. Your line is the best line I’ve ever seen. It was immaculate.” Meanwhile, Motsi Mabuse and head judge Shirley Ballas declared it their “dance of the night”, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Motsi gushed: “Last week I said you were a contender for the final, and this dance just proved what I meant. You confirmed my intuition. Without a doubt, you are on fire. Whatever is giving you that fire – keep it up. This was for me, till now, the dance of the night.”

After the show, Vicky took to Instagram to share her disbelief, posting a snapshot of the leaderboard with the caption: “This can not be real”. Saturday’s episode marked the halfway point of the series, with nine couples taking to the dance floor.

Hot on their heels in second place were West End star Amber Davies and professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin, who performed a Salsa to You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by Sylvester.

The duo bagged two perfect 10s, racking up a total of 38 points – their highest in the series, which Craig enthusiastically labelled as: “Ah-mazing”.

Follow our Strictly Come Dancing blog by clicking here.

HOLLYWOOD royalty Ariana Grande has arrived in the UK on a whirlwind stay fit for a princess.

The singer and actress flew in from Paris yesterday by private jet ready for the Wicked: For Good premiere in Leicester Square tomorrow.

The pint-sized pop queen touched down at Farnborough airport in Hampshire and was whisked away with her entourage to the five-star Raffles London at the OWO hotel.

I’m told the star, who plays Glinda, has hired six suites at £5,000 each a night for her trip — and chose the stunning building in Whitehall because she can easily enter and exit via the underground car park.

A source said: “Ariana’s team and the production crew from Wicked put their heads together to ensure Ariana is in luxury and comfort and has plenty of privacy.

“She will need plenty of time and space to prepare for her big red-carpet moment with her glamour squad.”

read more on ariana grande

GLAM AFFAIR

Ariana Grande stuns in floral dress in Paris ahead of Wicked sequel release

JUST TOURIFIC

Ariana Grande fans furious as thousands miss out on Eternal Sunshine tour

Ariana is believed to be attending the movie premiere with her boyfriend and Wicked co-star Ethan Slater, having ignored rumours that they have split.

But she will be mostly joined at the hip with British actress Cynthia Erivo, who plays Elphaba.

Production company Universal has splashed out £100,000 on hiring art deco French restaurant Brasserie Zedel in Piccadilly for the after-party, where Ari will let her hair down.

On Friday night, Ariana showed off her hand tattoos at the film’s Paris premiere, and many fans believe the inkings are linked to the movie and her friendship with Cynthia.

She was joined by another co-star, Michelle Yeoh, as she greeted the crowds.

In just over a week’s time, Ariana is due back in America for the film’s premiere in New York.

Ariana was last week forced to miss the Wicked premiere in Brazil due to flight issues.

She had been expecting to walk the red carpet at the Sao Paulo event on Tuesday evening but was forced to get off the plane because of safety issues.

Taking to Instagram to share her disappointment, Ariana said that her team failed to find an alternative arrangement to get her to Sao Paolo in time.

Hopefully her stay in Blighty will be much smoother.

LILY TO CLEAN UP WITH GIRL BRAND

LILY ALLEN is certainly soaking up the success of her latest album, West End Girl.

She released the 14-track record last month following her split from husband David Harbour, who appears in supernatural TV series Stranger Things.

I can reveal Lily, pictured here in her bra enjoying a bubble bath and pulling a funny face for a magazine shoot, has now applied to trademark the name West End Girl ahead of a tour that kicks off in March.

The trademark covers beauty items including cosmetics, fragrances, perfumery, sun cream and shampoo.

It also includes sunglasses, jewellery, bags, clothing, footwear and headgear.

Her album jumped to No2 in the Official Albums Chart this week.

Lily was left devastated when her four-year marriage to American actor David broke down last December.

The couple met on celebrity dating app Raya and moved to New York after tying the knot in 2020.

However, she has since moved back to London with her two daughters from her first marriage.

It comes as the Not Fair singer is gearing up for her 14-date tour in March, which starts at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall.

Fans are begging for more dates after the tour sold out in minutes this week.

If I can’t pin down a ticket, at least I’ll be able to get my hands on some Lily Allen bubble bath instead.

AFRICA A WINTER WONDER LAND

FORMER Love Islander Faye Winter is swapping her beach bag for a backpack to do community and conservation work in Africa.

The reality star, left, who found fame on the ITV2 dating show in 2021, is running a volunteer trip to Zimbabwe this month.

She has already given up the party lifestyle in London to return to her roots in Devon, where she lives with her golden retriever Bonnie and two rescue ponies, Keith and Kevin.

Faye told me: “I was out of my comfort zone living away from the countryside.

“The only thing that kept me going was my guide dog volunteer work. I find it so fulfilling, I’m not a party girl at all.”

Looking back on her life after the show, Faye admits that she wasn’t happy.

She said: “I struggled with the fact it was all about where you were seen.

“It felt materialistic. Giving back is so much more meaningful.”

HOLLY’S HAPPY MEALS

HOLLY WILLOUGHBY is a woman after my own heart when it comes to hangover cures.

The TV presenter said only a McDonald’s can soothe her after too many drinks the night before.

Asked what her go-to recovery meal is, Holly told a magazine: “I want a McDonald’s quarter pounder with cheese and if it hasn’t got a pickle on it, I’m gonna throw it back at you.

“I order extra pickles every time. Then I want skinny fries that are as salty as possible.

“I know some people think McDonald’s makes you feel rotten, but I just love it.

“You can tell how often I go because there are so many selfies of me sat in my car, taken by the drive-thru staff.”

Sounds like Holly is lovin’ it.

SLIMLINE JEN KIDS AROUND

HOLLYOAKS’ Jennifer Metcalfe has revealed the secret to her trim figure – she orders child portions.

The actress, who plays Mercedes McQueen in the Channel 4 soap, said smaller helpings mean she can have more of what she fancies.

During the show’s 30th anniversary celebrations at St George’s Hall in Liverpool, she said: “I eat what I want, when I want – small portions.

“Yesterday, me and my friend were out for five hours.

“We wanted a roast dinner, so I got a child’s portion, then we went to our local Indian and had poppadoms and all of the chutney.

“I have been eating loads recently, but my motto is ‘eat small amounts of everything you want’.”

Jennifer said she has just signed a year’s contract with Hollyoaks, adding: “We are making this 30th year count.”

PARTY OF THE WEEK

Tangle Teezer Festive pop-up, Vinyl Studios, Soho, Tuesday

WHAT WE ATE: Mini burgers, pigs in blankets and pick ’n’ mix sweets.

WHAT WE DRANK: Aperol spritz, Moscow mule and appletini cocktails.

WHO WAS THERE: Molly-Mae Hague’s hairdresser Jack Luckhurst, model Amanda Chrishell, influencer Tyra Baylis and our Emily, pictured with a handsome Santa.

TAYLOR & SABRINA’S HEIGHT ON THE TOWN

IT was the little and large show as chart superstars Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift went on a night out in New York.

Sabrina, who is 5ft, looked glamorous in a white roll-neck jumper and trench coat for the evening in SoHo restaurant.

Meanwhile, 5ft 9in Taylor showed off her long legs in a pleated mini-skirt and polo shirt.

It comes after Sabrina recently collaborated with Taylor on The Life Of A Showgirl track from her album of the same name.

CORKING HAT, LIAM

LIAM GALLAGHER gets into the Aussie spirit as he struts his stuff in a cork hat on tour Down Under.

JUNGLE READY

I’m A Celeb full line-up revealed with soap legends and TV pin up

JAB TRICK

I lost 13st on Mounjaro and needed a new passport – you must check your ‘TDEE’

The Oasis singer, who is normally known for wearing a bucket hat, was on stage in Melbourne, complete with maracas, as part of the Live ’25 tour with brother Noel.

The band played in Sydney last night and will head to Buenos Aires in Argentina for a show next Saturday.

NBC’s new primetime comedy “Stumble” is a love letter to cheer. Or should that be “Cheer,” the hit Netflix docuseries that catapulted a sport with high-flying stunts, squad drama, bedazzled uniforms and lots of makeup, into the cultural zeitgeist?

For “Stumble” showrunners Liz and Jeff Astrof, it’s both. Like much of America, the siblings say they became obsessed with the champion cheerleaders of Navarro College and their no-nonsense coach Monica Aldama, whose exploits were captured in Greg Whiteley’s two-season series that premiered in 2020. The show broke the notion that cheerleading was simply made up of pony-tailed girls waving pompoms on the sidelines, showcasing the athleticism of the sport, its competitiveness and its diversity — the cheerleaders, male and female, came from varying social, economic and racial backgrounds.

Jeff watched the documentary at the insistence of his sister and was quickly hooked.

“I said, ‘You know what we should do? We should do a show where Monica goes down to the worst college in America. We’ll call it ‘Stumble,’” he recalls during a recent video call with Liz.

The idea tumbled in their heads for a time, but it took a while for it to lift off the ground. Both siblings were busy working on different TV projects — Liz on her Fox sitcom “Pivoting,” and Jeff on his Starz horror comedy “Shining Vale” — when the 2023 Hollywood strikes hit. But the timing allowed them to think about “Stumble” again.

“That’s when I really dug in,” Liz says.

“And we got to call Monica,” Jeff adds. “She’s our best friend. We even put that in the pitch, that she’s our best friend now.”

When I relay the sentiment to Aldama over a separate video call from New York, where the show is being filmed, she smiles and laughs. “Oh my goodness, they are the absolute best,” she says in her soft Texan twang.

The former Navarro coach serves as an executive producer on “Stumble” and also as its cheer consultant, bringing her decades of experience as one of America’s top collegiate cheer coaches. And while the show, premiering Friday and streaming next day on Peacock, takes some elements from the docuseries — it’s a mockumentary — it’s important to note that “Stumble” isn’t a one-to-one adaptation of “Cheer.”

The series follows Courteney Potter, played by Jenn Lyon (“Justified,” “Dead Boy Detectives”), a champion cheer coach at the fictional Sammy Davis Sr. Junior College, who is fired after a problematic video surfaces. Tammy Istiny, played by Kristin Chenoweth, takes over as interim coach — though she’s not as heartbroken about Courteney’s departure as she initially lets on. Courteney isn’t deterred, however, and she finds another coaching job at Headltston State Junior College in Oklahoma (the team mascot is a candy button, the town’s main industry), where she works to build a squad from the ground up. The character is very loosely based on Aldama, sporting the same flowy blouses, skinny jeans, heeled boots and all-business attitude.

Courteney Potter, center, played by Jenn Lyon, is very loosely based on Monica Aldama.

(Matt Miller / NBC)

“She is incredible,” said Aldama about Lyon. “I can tell she has put so much time into studying me [and] cheerleading coaches. She asks very thoughtful questions when it comes to how to deliver a line, or if the wording is correct. We never actually sat down and spent a long time with questions. And it’s fascinating to me because it’s body language, it’s delivery, it’s everything — she really did a great job.”

Meanwhile, the squad is composed of misfits, hotheads, third-year “seniors” and even a narcoleptic tumbler with a solid split. Some of the characters feel familiar — they’re an amalgamation of personalities from “Cheer.” Krystal (Anissa Borrego) might remind you of Gabi Butler, the cheer influencer, and Dimarcus (Jarrett Austin Brown) has a fiery spirit similar to La’Darius Marshall, whose combative relationship with Aldama came to a head in Season 2 of “Cheer.” But otherwise, the similarities are fleeting.

For Aldama, working on the series marks yet another shift in her life and career, much of it spent in Corsicana, Texas, where Navarro is located and where she still calls home. After serving as head cheer coach for nearly three decades, she retired in 2023.

“You know, it’s scary to have change,” she said. “What I have learned about being in the spotlight is that there are going to be a lot of things said about you. … I view things a lot differently now.”

Her retirement came after a series of events: First, Jerry Harris, one of the breakout stars of “Cheer,” was charged with sex crimes involving minors in 2020. Season 2 showed how the team grappled with his arrest; Harris pleaded guilty in 2022 and is currently serving a 12-year sentence. Then in early 2023, a civil lawsuit was filed by a former Navarro cheerleader, who accused Aldama of attempting to keep a sexual assault claim quiet. Aldama steadfastly denied the accusations, and her name was later dropped from the suit.

The Astrofs’ goal was to lean into the good things that “Cheer” showcased, emphasizing how much “Stumble” is a loose adaptation. “There’s darkness in everything, and we don’t go there,” said Jeff in reference to Harris. “For me and for Liz, the music is fun, the underdog nature of these kids and … seeing these actors do cheer and some of them … hadn’t even been in TV shows before. It’s like that excitement — it’s contagious. That’s what we’re looking at.”

Ultimately, the events of the past haven’t deterred Aldama from trying new pursuits. After all, her path was already curving toward Hollywood. After “Cheer” became a hit in 2020, she was cast in Season 29 of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” giving her a taste of the limelight outside of her world. She also released a memoir in 2022. Now, she’s trying her hand at scripted television with “Stumble.”

“It’s obviously very different because I am learning a lot. I ask a lot of questions,” she said. “They [Liz and Jeff] asked me many times, ‘How deep do you want to go?’ I want to be in every meeting. I want to learn. I want to hear every conversation … but I do a lot more listening than anything at this moment.”

1

2

3

1. Showrunners Jeff and Liz Astrof on the set of “Stumble.” (Matt Miller / NBC) 2. The cast on set with Monica Aldama, who is the show’s cheer consultant. (Danielle Mathias / NBC) 3. Aldama on set. (Matt Miller / NBC)

The Astrofs have been in the industry as writers and producers for more than two decades, each creating their own projects for television. Though they’ve worked together before — Liz on Jeff’s series “Trial & Error” and on Season 2 of “Shining Vale” — it’s the first time the pair have joined forces as showrunners.

Working on “Stumble” and coming up with a pilot together was easy for the siblings (Jeff: “We wrote the whole thing on Post-it notes”). It’s evident they are close, often completing each other’s sentences in the course of the interview. And they agreed that having Aldama was essential to making the series, particularly when it came to depicting the cheer routines and getting the nomenclature right.

“We needed to have authenticity to cheer, because we didn’t know anything about [the] cheer world,” Jeff said.

“We had to have Monica,” Liz said. “I really just wanted to meet her. I wanted her to be involved in every single thing, just so I could see her every day.”

Her expertise was important to them as was getting the world of cheerleading right. To help with that, Aldama enlisted Dahlston Delgado, who was featured on “Cheer,” to work as a choreographer on the show. Together they recruited extras with cheer experience via social media and through their many contacts in the cheer world. The cast did many of the routines, but stunt doubles were used in some instances, and real cheerleaders were used as part of the Buttons, Headltston’s squad.

Aldama and Delgado were given freedom to decide what routines would look like, while the Astrofs would focus on writing the dialogue for the show. “In a script, we’ll just write, ‘The team does an incredible cheer,’” Jeff says. “We’ll be in a production meeting, and Monica and Dahlston will be like, can you explain what you mean by ‘incredible cheer’?”

They ran with the limited guidance, however, putting together routines quickly, rehearsing in a couple of hours and taping them. “I think everybody not in our world just could not believe how quickly they learned a routine, with most of them not knowing each other and not ever working together,” Aldama said of the cheer squad. “They were just talented.”

“She’s magical,” Liz said.

“Monica is, even from the pilot, she’s so good at what she does, I would let her do toe surgery on me,” Jeff said.

Kristin Chenoweth as Tammy Istiny, left, and Monica Aldama as herself in the “Stumble” pilot.

(Matt Miller / NBC)

Aldama even makes a cameo in the first episode, comforting Chenoweth’s Tammy when the Sammy Davis squad learns Courteney has been let go. While she may be used to being in front of the camera nowadays, Aldama considers what more she’d like to do behind the scenes.

“I think everybody has their strengths,” she said. “And writing … I like where I’m at right now, where I can read the script and say, ‘Well, maybe this,’ and add a little bit to it. I would definitely be open to producing other shows in the future.”

For the showrunners, the compressed timeline between when the show was picked up by NBC in July to production to air meant that they had to make some compromises, including where the show was filmed. The pilot was shot in Georgia, but they wanted to shoot the series in L.A., where the writers’ room is based, but it eventually landed in New York because of the financial incentives and it’s where much of the cast is located. (The Astrofs wouldn’t mind if it ended up in L.A. at some point.)

Nonetheless, they’re optimistic about how the show will be received and having Aldama on board to add credibility from a cheer perspective was the ultimate goal for them because they love the sport.

“We just want to be funny with heart and, like, just people root for it,” Jeff said.

Just like a cheerleader would.

Sir Rod Stewart performed at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance on BBC One

Sir Rod Stewart’s lively performance at this year’s Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at London’s Royal Albert Hall left some viewers unimpressed.

The 79-year-old music icon kicked off the annual event, attended by high-ranking royals and military veterans, with a spirited rendition that split opinions among home audiences.

Despite the evening being dedicated to honouring the nation’s fallen heroes, some fans suggested his hip-shaking moves were “not exactly in the spirit of remembrance.”

One disgruntled viewer posted on X (formerly Twitter): “Because Rod Stewart gyrating his hips is how we all want to pay tribute to the fallen.”

Another commented, “Rod Stewart’s really going for it, but I’m not sure those hip gyrations are exactly in the spirit of remembrance,” and questioned, “Is this appropriate?” according to the Daily Express.

Someone else added, “Rod Stewart is totally inappropriate for the Festival of Remembrance.”

However, many came to the defence of the veteran singer, highlighting his decades-long history of entertaining troops and supporting military charities.

One fan praised, “Sir Rod Stewart on bbc1 tonight made me so very proud and all our soldiers and airmen, and LADIES GOD BLESS YOU ALL THANKYOU YOUR ALL AMAZING THANKYOU.” (sic)

Someone else complimented, “Sir Rod Stewart isn’t looking (or sounding) half bad for a man of 80! Good for him.”

Sie Rod, who previously performed at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, has a long-standing commitment to charity work supporting the armed forces. He returned to the stage a second time to perform his hit song, Sailing.

The evening, held at the Royal Albert Hall and presented by Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, also saw performances from Sam Ryder, Keala Settle, Blessing Offor, and The Wellermen, alongside moving displays by the Central Band of the RAF and Royal Marines Band Service.

This year’s Festival of Remembrance commemorated the 80th anniversary of the conclusion of World War II and paid tribute to the bravery of those who served, while also recognising the resilience of military families and the advancements made since the prohibition on LGBT service personnel was removed 25 years ago.

Viewers applauded the entire show, sharing their thoughts online: “The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance is always so beautifully put together. An incredible tribute to those who serve & have served our country.”

Some acknowledged the sacrifices being remembered whilst criticising the current state of Britain’s borders. One viewer commented: “In the year that our government admitted that they have lost control of our border, it makes the #festivalofremembrance more poignant than ever. Let us pray we don’t see the day when we admit they all died in vain.”

Many were left feeling emotional during the annual commemoration, with one viewer confessing: “10 minutes in and I’m already in tears.”

Another shared: “Imagine not seeing your baby until it was 9 months old. It’s incomprehensible. We owe these men and women so much.”

Hannah Waddingham received acclaim for her “simply superb” hosting and “stunning” vocal performance as she sang “We’ll Meet Again”.

MOLLY-MAE Hague has revealed that she is struggling to sell her home as she admits ‘it’s an end of an era’.

The 26-year-old former Love Island icon’s gated mansion, which was bought for £3.8m in April 2022, is proving to be tricky for the mum-of-one to flog.

Speaking on her latest vlog, Molly-Mae said: “Like I still don’t know what I’m doing in terms of this house.”

She added how it has got to the point where “a lot of big decisions need to be made in terms of what I’m going to do with this house and I’ve mentioned it [but] I don’t want to sell it”.

The influencer went on: “I don’t particularly want to rent it out but then equally, what am I keeping it for? I don’t know.

“I just don’t I really really don’t know.”

Read More about Molly-Mae

COSTLY PAD

Molly-Mae Hague reveals she’s been overcharged by builders on new £5m home

MAE OH MAE

Molly-Mae admits she should have ‘waited a few years’ before starting a family

She later added: “Like there’s some things, that I know in my mind like I’m ready to do, and I want to do, but like in terms of this house…

“This house will always be so incredibly sentimental to me.”

Molly-Mae said how the house “is everything to me” and “represents so much more than just a house”.

“I don’t know. I think just like need to figure out like what the next few months is going to look like in terms of where I basically go from here and with this house.”

She then said how she would ideally like her mum to move up from down south, but she cannot as her mum’s husband has an amazing job down south.

Molly-Mae continued chatting about her situation before saying how she felt “emotional and a bit weird, just like it’s kind of the end of an era”.

Elsewhere in the video, Molly-Mae revealed how she had been given sky-high quotes by landscape gardeners for the £5m love nest in Cheshire that she bought with Tommy Fury earlier this year.

She explained in her most recent vlog, while she was driving, that she “had to go to the new house to basically meet a gardener”.

Molly-Mae went on: “I’ve had like three quotes now for some landscaping outside of the new house.

“Literally some potted plants and a bit of soil, like literally nothing major just outside the house.

“And the quotes I’ve been getting like for this landscaping is absolutely mental,” she explained.

The former Love Island bombshell went on: “So I just went and got my fourth quote.”

JUNGLE READY

I’m A Celeb full line-up revealed with soap legends and TV pin up

JAB TRICK

I lost 13st on Mounjaro and needed a new passport – you must check your ‘TDEE’

She added: “I told him the quotes I had from the other companies and he was like, ‘Yeah, like they’re basically charging you about basically triple what it should be.’

“I didn’t think I was going crazy.”

Kim Kardashian won’t be arguing cases just yet.

The reality-TV star and billionaire entrepreneur revealed Saturday that she missed the mark on California’s bar exam but promised to keep studying until she passes.

“Well… I’m not a lawyer yet, I just play a very well-dressed one on TV,” Kardashian wrote on Instagram. “Six years into this law journey, and I’m still all in until I pass the bar. No shortcuts, no giving up — just more studying and even more determination.”

The 45-year-old Kardashian said she came “so close” this time and called the result “fuel” for her next try. “I was so close to passing the exam and that only motivated me even more. Let’s go!”

Kardashian had sounded hopeful about her prospects of passing the mandatory legal exam during an October appearance on Britain’s “The Graham Norton Show.” While promoting Ryan Murphy’s series “All’s Fair,” in which she stars as a divorce attorney, she said she was confident she would soon be a “qualified lawyer.”

Kardashian is attempting to follow in the footsteps of her father, Robert Kardashian. The late attorney, who shares Kim, Khloé, Kourtney and Rob Jr. with Kris Jenner, famously was part of the “Dream Team” that represented O.J. Simpson during his murder trial in 1995. Simpson was accused of killing ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and friend Ron Goldman on June 12, 1994. He was acquitted.

In an April 2019 Vogue interview, the “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star and mother of four publicized her summer 2018 decision to study the law after championing the case of former prisoner Alice Marie Johnson, who had been imprisoned for life plus 25 years for a nonviolent drug offense. President Trump commuted Johnson’s sentence in 2018 at the urging of Kardashian and others and pardoned the great-grandmother two years later.

Over the years, Kardashian has been working with attorneys Van Jones and Jessica Jackson, who sponsored her studies. Instead of attending law school, Kardashian planned to pursue a four-year apprenticeship with a law firm in San Francisco and then take the bar in 2022.

After COVID pandemic-induced delays, Kardashian passed the “baby bar” exam in December 2021 after several attempts. In May, she passed the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, required before a person attempts to pass a bar exam in the United States.

Days before sharing her bar exam results, Kardashian said she used artificial intelligence to bolster her law studies. “Do you consider ChatGPT to be a friend?,” “All’s Fair” co-star Teyana Taylor asked the reality star during their Vanity Fair lie detector appearance.

“I use it for legal advice. So when I am needing to know the answer to a question, I’ll take a picture and snap it and put it in there,” Kardashian replied.

“So you’re cheating?” Taylor responded.

“They’re always wrong. It has made me fail tests.”

While Kardashian’s professional law career has yet to take off in real life, she is currently portraying a power player of an attorney on the small screen. In Murphy’s “All’s Fair,” Kardashian stars as the co-founder of an all-female firm with Sarah Paulson, Naomi Watts, Niecy Nash and Taylor as her cohorts.

Strictly Come Dancing viewers were yet again sharing their thoughts on the latest exit on the BBC series, as the elimination result leaked online ahead of the results show

Some viewers were puzzled after finding out who left Strictly Come Dancing this weekend in the latest leak.

Hours before the results show was due to air on Sunday, fans were told who was in the dance-off and which unlucky couple got the boot from judges. As fans are aware by now, the results are filmed on the Saturday after the live show, while the results do not air until Sunday evening.

With many calling this out over the years, the leaks have continued each week ahead of transmission. This week was no different, and with it came a mixed reaction over who apparently left.

The Mirror have chosen not to name the star who has apparently left the show with their pro dancer, while the name was shared by the usual ‘sources’. Viewers were left divided, as some had predicted it would be the case and others didn’t see it coming.

READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing in huge show first with Britain’s Got Talent link-upREAD MORE: I’m A Celebrity drama as Nick Ferrari pulls out after intervention

Taking to X, one viewer asked: “I swear [they] were higher on the leaderboard? Was there a mistake or something?” Another fan questioned if a mistake in the dance-off led to said person leaving the show.

A third reaction said: “If this is true it’s about time.” Another fan disagreed saying: “No, no way,” as another said: “Thought the judges would have saved them.” A further comment read: “Such a shame.”

Some fans backed the choice, with one writing: “The correct result,” as another said: “Absolutely the correct decision.” One more added: “No surprise there really!”

It comes as a special mash-up has been revealed featuring dance group Diversity. Rehearsals are now underway for the first performance of its kind featuring the group who found fame after winning Britain’s Got Talent in 2009, famously beating Scottish singer Susan Boyle in the final.

Now 14 members of Diversity, including the most famous faces, Perri Kiely plus brothers Ashley and Jordan Banjo, will make their debut on the BBC ballroom show on November 16 during the results programme.

The performance will see the male hip hop crew dance to Raye’s Where Is My Husband? alongside five of the female pro dancers: Luba Mushtuk, Nadiya Bychkova, Michelle Tsiakkis, Nancy Xu and Jowita Przystał.

One Strictly insider said: “Fans can expect a spectacular group number choreographed by Jason Gilkinson and Ashley Banjo. Set in LA, it’s a dance extravaganza that sees old school Hollywood collide with hip hop, as the five Strictly pros and Diversity celebrate some of the most iconic screen sirens from the Golden Age of cinema – including Marilyn Monroe.

“The pros will basically be asking Diversity exactly what the song title suggests.” The results show featuring the mash-up will also have a separate performance from pop star Olly Murs and will be the last show before Strictly’s annual Blackpool Special, which airs on Saturday, 22 November.

It follows judge Shirley Ballas reaching out to contestant Ellie Goldstein after her elimination from the show. The actress and model became the fifth star to be voted off the BBC contest last weekend alongside her partner Vito Coppola.

Sharing an image on Instagram from Halloween week of the dance pair alongside her, Shirley wrote: “Ellie, how beautiful to have had you on our show for six wonderful weeks @elliejg16_zebedeemodel … You have been dedicated to giving it your very best, your musicality is simply breathtaking and your power and energy is spectacular.

“@vitocoppola said it best, we were blessed to witness an angel grace our show. Thank you for sharing your love with us. I feel privileged to have watched you grow each week. This partnership will always hold a place in my heart. @bbcstrictly x”

Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday and Sunday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

LOOSE Women star Ruth Langsford has revealed she gets ‘frightened’ over having ‘senior moments’ after losing her dad to Alzheimer’s.

The 65-year-old beloved television host has opened up about her health fears after her parents were both diagnosed with dementia and her dad died from complications of the disease.

Ruth’s father Dennis sadly died in 2012 from complications from dementia.

The TV star’s mother, Joan, 94, was also diagnosed with the disease. 

Because of the way in which Alzheimer’s is influenced by generics, Ruth has revealed her health fears after experiencing “senior moments”.

Speaking to The Mirror this weekend, Ruth got candid when she said: “All the time, literally all the time, if I ever have a senior moment where I go, ‘what’s her name again?’, somebody that I know quite well, and I have a complete and utter blank, it really frightens me.”

Read More about Ruth Langsford

opening up

Ruth Langsford breaks silence on claim she’s reunited with childhood sweetheart

Loose Loss

Ruth Langsford heartbroken as Loose Women pal leaves show amid cash crisis

She added: “I’m 65 now, my dad was officially diagnosed when he was 72.

“But looking back on it, we think he was displaying signs, we just didn’t know what they were – but he was in his late 60s and I’m 65.”

Ruth continued: “Of course I worry about it with both parents having had dementia, but I just think, what will be will be.”

Back in August of this year, Ruth opened up about her mother’s diagnosis and how she and her family found it “doubly hard”.

She told Hello! Magazine: “It’s very upsetting when your loved one is given that diagnosis.

“For my family, we found that doubly hard as my dad had Alzheimer’s, so we knew what was ahead for us and my mum.”

Ruth revealed at the time: “At the moment, mum knows who I am, she always recognises me and is very happy to see me.

“I know that that could change at any time, it did with my dad, and that is heartbreaking.”

Discussing her dad’s death in 2017 in an episode of Loose Women, Ruth said: “I was grieving and losing my dad but my mum was losing the love of her life, the man she married and had children with.

“They had years and years of memories.

“You don’t often hear people talking about that side of it.

“When my dad went into care, my mum was so distraught…

“I’m sorry,” she said, getting emotional and wiping a tear from her eye at the time.

JUNGLE READY

I’m A Celeb full line-up revealed with soap legends and TV pin up

JAB TRICK

I lost 13st on Mounjaro and needed a new passport – you must check your ‘TDEE’

“You do hope, but you know they probably won’t get better.

“I’m sorry, sometimes I just can’t talk about it. It’s thinking about my mum, that side of it that gets to me.”

Among the nominees for the 68th Grammy Awards announced Friday morning were a slate of Latinx artists, with Bad Bunny leading the way with six and making Grammys history in the process.

The Puerto Rican singer became the first Spanish-language artist to earn nominations in several top categories for his critically acclaimed album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” including record of the year, album of the year and song of the year.

The 31-year-old is also up for música urbana album, global music performance (“EoO”) and album cover — a new category.

To date, Bad Bunny has won three Grammys out of 10 nominations. He also leads the 2025 Latin Grammy Awards nominations with 12, including record of the year, album of the year and song of the year. The Latin Grammys will take place Nov. 13 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

The not-so-new band the Marías — led by singer María Zardoya — were nominated in the ever-perplexing new artist category. This marked the long-present L.A. indie group’s first ever Grammy nomination.

Global girl group Katseye — which features Venezuelan Cuban American dancer/singer Daniela Avanzini — also picked up a nomination in the new artist category, as well as a nod in the pop duo/group performance category for the track “Gabriela.”

Colombian hitmaker Karol G’s “Tropicoqueta” received a Latin pop album nomination.

Recording Academy darling Edgar Barrera nabbed his third consecutive songwriter of the year (non-classical) nomination for his work with Karol G, Juanes, Shakira, Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera, Young Miko, Marco Antonio Solís, Manuel Turizo and Carlos Santana.

Kooky Argentine duo Ca7riel and Paco Amoroso received their first ever Grammy nomination under Latin rock or alternative album for their nine-track EP, “Papota.” If they win, they will be the second Argentine group to win in that category; Los Fabulosos Cadillacs won back in 1998 when the category first appeared.

The boisterous San Bernardino band Fuerza Regida are also first-time nominees, receiving a música mexicana album nomination for their joint EP with Grupo Frontera, “Mala Mía.” The Texas norteño group is also up in the same category for their album “Y Lo Que Viene.”

Sacramento alt-metal group Deftones nabbed a rock album nomination for “Private Music,” the band’s fourth overall Grammy nod and first in this category.

On Tuesday, the Recording Academy announced that voting members of the Latin Recording Academy had been invited to join the Recording Academy as part of its 2025 new member class.

“This year’s class reflects the vibrancy of today’s diverse music landscape,” said Harvey Mason Jr., chief executive of the Recording Academy. “The addition of many Latin Recording Academy voting members underscores that music has no borders and that our mission to serve music people, regardless of where they are from, is stronger than ever.”

The Grammy Awards will take place on Feb. 1 at L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena. The awards show will broadcast live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ starting at 5 p.m. PT.

Strictly Come Dancing fans rushed to social media as they felt the judges were ‘overmarking’ the contestants during tonight’s show which they felt was not reflective of the performance

Strictly Come Dancing fans were left fuming after judge Motsi Mabuse awarded Karen Carney ten points following her performance of the Charleston, with her professional dance partner Carlos Gu.

Viewers felt that they noticed flaws in her performance, however that did not appear to be reflected in the judge’s scores. Taking to X, one fan wrote: “sure not a 10, the lifts were pretty ropey #strictly.” Another person said: “F**** OFF Motsi and Anton! #Strictly.”

A third added: “What’s with Motsi and that 10? #Strictly.” Meanwhile a fourth penned: “10?!!! did we just watch the same performance #strictly.”

And a fifth fan took to the social media platform and chimed in saying: “Oh come on Motsi – never a 10, too frenetic #Strictly.”

“10??? What??? #Strictly,” said a sixth. Another added: “#Strictly shut up motsi. Its not a 10! Its messy with lots of faults #Charleston.”

And another fumed: “Motsi giving Karen a 10 for a dance which wasn’t perfect is wild #Strictly.”‘

Stars on this year’s line-up have left viewers gripped to their TV screens as they compete to make it to the final and hold up the coveted glitterball trophy.

But for one star, it looks as though joining the BBC ballroom show was more of a tough decision than once thought.

Vicky Pattison, who made her name starring on reality TV show Geordie Shore, recently explained that joining the show pushed back her plans to start a family with new husband Ercan Ramadan.

The couple tied the knot in a lavish ceremony in August last year.

In an interview with The Mirror, she admitted: “At the start of this year, I said to Ercan, I’m either gonna do Strictly, a second series of Honesty Box, or we’re going to have a baby. When I got the call for Strictly, he was over the moon. Kids are definitely on the cards next year. He probably thinks I’ll be at home a bit more, which he’s thrilled about.”

And while Ercan may have been left disappointed by her career decision, Vicky was adamant that he has been her biggest supporter.

Ercan has been providing Vicky with electrolytes and collagen every morning.

Last month, Tess and Claudia left die hard viewers heartbroken as they announced their departure from the BBC show.

Their announcement came with a video which they posted on social media. Claudia was the first to start speaking as she said: “Hi it’s Claud and Tess. There have been some rumblings and we want you to hear this from us…”

Tess added: “Yeah we have news. After 21 wonderfully joyful years on Strictly we have decided the time is right to step aside and pass on the baton…”

Claudia then chimed in saying: “The very sparkly baton…” Turning to Tess, she continued: “You’ve been here since the beginning…”

Tess, who is a mum of two and married to radio host Vernon Kay, kicked off her Strictly journey when she hosted the show alongside the much loved Bruce Forsyth.

Tess went on to say: “2004 with Brucey – lovely Bruce. That’s over two decades ago and a lot of that time has been with you. It’s been a huge part of our lives, hasn’t it? Since our children were literally babes in arms and now they’re young adults and I think, genuinely we have cherished every second.”

READ MORE: Dyson Black Friday 2025 sees exclusive deals on hair dryers, Air Wrap and vacuums

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

VICTORIA Beckham looked amazing in a sheer dress while joining Tana Ramsay on daughter Holly’s hen do.

Daughter of Gordon Ramsay, Holly, 25, is engaged to Olympian Adam Peaty, and the pair will say I Do later this year.

But before their big wedding, Holly has been enjoying a bachelorette shindig at Soho Farmhouse.

In attendance at the swanky event, which looked to be chic yet fun, was fashion designer Victoria Beckham.

Victoria shared a photo of herself and Holly sitting down beside one another.

The bride-to-be was seen donning a diamante-covered white minidress and a veil.

PROUD POSH

Victoria Beckham shares glam snaps from inside husband David’s knighthood party

GIRL POWER

Victoria Beckham says a woman has to be ‘real a*******’ for her to not like them

Meanwhile, Victoria looked chic in an all-black sheer dress.

‘GIRLS NIGHT’ BACHELORETTE PARTY

“Girls night,” Victoria penned.

In the other snap Victoria shared, she was seen with Tana and Holly as the trio beamed for the camera.

“Yep… I have a microphone,” she teased.

Holly’s mum, and Gordon Ramsay‘s wife Tana, could be seen donning a black sparkly dress with tights.

Holly rocked some silk pyjamas in a white hue with black edging and a veil.

And Victoria gave fans a closer look at her chic black dress as she held a microphone.

Victoria’s dress had a shirt-style neckline which was open, and a completely sheer skirt.

The trio beamed besides one another as they held microphones and seemingly did a bit of karaoke.

HOLLY’S HUSBAND TO BE

Holly got engaged to Adam in September 2024, when they were in Dubai on a sun-soaked trip together.

They then threw a swanky engagement bash to celebrate with their family and friends.

Adam, who won a medal at the Paris Olympics last summer, first met Holly when her younger sister Tilly was competing alongside on Strictly in 2021.

The happy couple then went Instagram official in June 2023, and the following year they revealed they were getting married.

In a chat with OK! Magazine that came out in July 2024, Holly was asked about whether she’s keen to have a child after her one-year-old brother Jesse was welcomed into the world.

Holly responded with: “Oh my goodness – I’ve only just got a boyfriend!”

JUNGLE READY

I’m A Celeb full line-up revealed with soap legends and TV pin up

JAB TRICK

I lost 13st on Mounjaro and needed a new passport – you must check your ‘TDEE’

When asked whether her famous dad ever gives her boyfriend pep talks, Holly told the magazine: “Totally different areas. One’s a chef, one’s in a pool.

“Obviously, they’re both high performance (men) – they both bond over that, but they prefer to talk about cars, to be honest.”

On Aug. 12, 2022, Salman Rushdie was stabbed 15 times just as he was about to give a public lecture at the Chautauqua Institution in New York. Gravely wounded, Rushdie lost sight in his right eye. The following spring, he published “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder,” which became a bestseller. His new book, “The Eleventh Hour: A Quintet of Stories,” is his first work of fiction since the attack that nearly killed him.

A showcase for his dynamic range, the book careens from social critique to ghost stories and dream-like fables. On a recent Zoom call, the writer discussed the consolations of fiction, Franz Kafka and the moral rot of the gilded class.

✍️ Author Chat

This is the first fiction you’ve written since “Knife.” How did you get that part of your creative brain going again?

I’m so happy to have fiction to talk about again! The attack kind of stopped the fiction juices from flowing. It’s as if my mind wouldn’t look back into the world of the imagination. But the moment I finished “Knife,” even before it came out, I was suddenly thinking about fiction again. It was as if by magic, I had to somehow sweep that subject away — out of the front of my mind, into the back of my mind — in order to let other stuff come in.

So you’re thrilled to be writing fiction again.

Yes. Memoir was never a form that attracted me. I don’t particularly want to write about myself.

Were all the stories in the new book written after the knife attack?

The two stores which bookend the collection were written earlier, although I did revise them. The first story I wrote for the book was “Late,” which is the first ghost story I’ve ever written.

“The Eleventh Hour: A Quintet of Stories” by Salman Rushdie.

(Random House)

That is actually astonishing to me. You have had elements of the supernatural and fantasy in your fiction, but not specifically a ghost story?

I’ve had that, but I haven’t had a ghost as a hero. And I must say, it became incredibly enjoyable to write.

I’d always wanted to write something arising out of my time at Cambridge, but I’d never really found a story. Then I had this idea of an encounter between this older academic and this young Indian woman who made friends because of their mutual love of India. When I sat down to write it, I found myself killing him. It took me completely by surprise. And the story became something else entirely.

There is in a few of these stories the character of the old don, the wizened, sage academic. Were these characters based on gray eminences you may have encountered at Cambridge?

I was lucky that my time at King’s College overlapped just a little bit with the great E.M. Forster. He was almost 90 and I was 19, but he was very approachable. He liked students to approach him and have a conversation. He would sometimes come and sit in the student common room with a little glass of beer and a little kind of flat cap. And when he discovered that I had a background in India, he became extra chatty because India had, of course, been unbelievably important to him in his life.

“Oklahoma” is perhaps the most dream-like story in the collection, about a young man searching for an older man, a famous writer, who has disappeared. It’s a dense piece, with a distinct Kafka influence.

There was an extraordinary exhibition at the Morgan Library here in Manhattan, of the manuscripts of Kafka. They had “The Trial,” “The Castle” and “Amerika,” an unfinished novel whose original title was “The Man Who Disappeared.” And that stuck with me. So I found myself writing a story in which Kafka makes a guest appearance, but it’s basically in the end about two men who disappear. “Oklahoma” is taken from “Amerika,” but Kafka never set foot in America, of course. It’s an Oklahoma of the mind and spirit, the place where you find satisfaction and fulfillment.

In “The Musician of Kahani,” about a marriage between a middle-class pianist and wealthy playboy, it feels like you are describing this new class of what you refer to as the “rich-rich,” the new vulgarian wealthy class. In the past, rich people were associated with glamour, but now it feels like a kind of boorish narcissism.

Yes, in the past, there was a kind of Gatsby-level glamour attached to the wealthy. One of the things that used to be the case in India after independence is that Gandhian ideas were very prominent. Indian weddings tended to be quite modest affairs. There was a Gandhian idea that you don’t flaunt your wealth. Well, that’s gone out the window, right? All the Gandhian notions are very much out of favor in India now. This has resulted in fantastically flamboyant weddings. And when you get to this level of the ultra-rich, there is a kind of surrealism on display.

Do you read much contemporary fiction?

I’m a huge admirer of Toni Morrison, if that’s contemporary enough. I’m also very keen on James McBride, especially “The Good Lord Bird” and “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store,” for the range, the detail and the comedy in his writing, which is profound. I read two 700 page books this summer: Kiran Desai’s “The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny” — which took her 19 years to write and I think is a kind of masterpiece — and Nicholas Boggs’ biography of James Baldwin, which I loved.

(This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.)

📰 The Week(s) in Books

“She comes across as preaching to her peers rather than seeking converts,” Hamilton Cain writes of Smith’s new book.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Patti Smith’s new memoir, “Bread of Angels,” is “mesmerizing,” Leigh Haber writes for The Times. The book “deepens the mystery of who this iconic artist is and where her singular vision originated.”

Susan Straight’s new novel “Sacrament,” about a clutch of ICU nurses battling COVID in a San Bernardino hospital, “broadens the reader’s understanding of community beyond flesh-and-blood friends, family and neighbors,” according to Merdith Maran. “The love and care that flow within her community of characters draws the reader into their bright, tight circle, making the characters’ loved ones and troubles feel like the reader’s own.”

Robert Dowling’s new biography of actor and playwright Sam Shepard “expertly untangles the history of a man who contained multitudes,” writes Mark Athitakis.

Hamilton Cain has mixed emotions about Zadie Smith’s new collection of essays, “Dead and Alive,” writing that “the book’s finest pieces wrangle, in elegant prose, with humanity’s contradictions,” but “the weaker ones indulge in name-dropping, footnotes and op-ed invective.”

📖 Bookstore Faves

Zibby’s Bookshop is on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica.

(Courtesy of Zibby Media)

In the two years since Zibby Owens opened Zibby’s Bookshop, the Santa Monica store has become a vital hub for booklovers on the Westside who are drawn to the quaint, well-curated selection of books and the numerous events that take place throughout the year. I asked Zibby’s store manager Kartina Leno to tell us what book buyers are scooping up.

What’s selling right now?

Our customers are loving memoirs. “They All Came to Barneys” by Gene Pressman and “I Regret Almost Everything” by Keith McNally are flying off our shelves. By far the biggest fiction seller all year has been “The Wedding People” by Allison Espach. It’s smart, funny, and has a beautiful message.

How does the store foster a community of readers?

Our author events are such a place of community and comradeship to our customers. We have anywhere from three to five per week, and they feel like such a safe and welcoming space. We also offer a once-a-month book club that meets in person and also sees a great turnout. We have people who’ve been coming now for almost three years!

What genres have readers excited right now?

Our customers love a good cozy mystery and we’re still selling tons of “The Thursday Murder Club” by Richard Osman and “Everyone in My Family has Killed Someone” by Benjamin Stevenson. The romantasy bug has also been going around, so we make sure to have plenty of copies of Sarah J. Maas in stock.

Zibby’s Bookshop is at 1113 Montana Ave. in Santa Monica.

(Please note: The Times may earn a commission through links to Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.)

Kim Kardashian has hit back at critics of her new legal drama All’s Fair, sharing a series of social media posts that both acknowledged and mocked the show’s harshest reviews

Kim Kardashian has fired back at critics slamming her new Hulu legal drama All’s Fair. The 45-year-old reality star and businesswoman shared a string of social media posts that both acknowledged and ridiculed the programme’s most brutal reviews, uploading them to Instagram after All’s Fair premiered earlier this week.

The series, crafted by Ryan Murphy, also features Glenn Close, Niecy Nash-Betts, Sarah Paulson, Naomi Watts and Teyana Taylor. It centres on a group of women who abandon a male-dominated law firm to establish their own practice.

Kim kicked off her post with a snap of herself donning a purple fur-trimmed crop top before sharing a picture of her alongside Ryan. She then posted a screenshot of a tweet displaying the programme’s Rotten Tomatoes rating at 0%, paired with a supporter’s reaction stating: “Immediately pressed play.”

READ MORE: Why Davina McCall had twice the risk of breast cancer as some other womenREAD MORE: Kim Kardashian shocks fans with naked dress after TV show backlash

Kim subsequently shared an image of herself chuckling with Ryan and her fellow cast members, before uploading another tweet declaring: “Some of the worst acting I’ve ever seen in my life alongside the most predictable storylines and the most ridiculous styling. I’m obsessed, I need 14 seasons. #AllsFair.”

Kim also featured screenshots of critiques from The Hollywood Reporter and the BBC. There was also a photograph of comedian Amy Schumer recreating their viral 2015 Time 100 Gala moment at a screening of the programme.

One tweet she shared read: “All’s Fair on Hulu dares to ask the question ‘Does a show need to be good?’ And the answer is no, it doesn’t.

“We have legendary actresses here giving the worst performances of their careers, it takes a special kind of talent to pull that kind of inability out of them. Amazeballs.”

The post concluded with Kim spotlighting more favourable reviews and captioning the snaps: “Have you tuned in to the most critically acclaimed show of the year! ? ! ? ! ? All’s Fair streaming now on @hulu and @disneyplus.”

Her co-star Glenn Close also got involved, sharing a sketch of the cast alongside a pot labelled “Critic-Bunny Stew” – a cheeky reference to her notorious role in Fatal Attraction, where her character boiled a pet rabbit alive in revenge for being rejected after a one-night stand.

Director and executive producer Anthony Hemingway has stood by the programme in a chat with The Hollywood Reporter.

He remarked: “You’re not going to please everybody. You may have certain criticisms, while there are a million others who love it. I think the show holds a mirror up to each person who watches it. It’s just about: Can you connect to it or relate to it, and see yourself?”.

Chatting to People magazine ahead of the show’s launch, Sarah Paulson revealed: “I had the best time, I really did.” Glenn added: “Sarah and Kim sometimes could not look at each other without laughing.”

Fresh episodes of All’s Fair drop every Tuesday on Hulu until 23 December.

Join The Mirror’s WhatsApp Community or follow us on Google News , Flipboard , Apple News, TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads – or visit The Mirror homepage.