SHOW BIZ

VICTORIA Beckham was supported by husband David and sons Romeo and Cruz at her Paris Fashion Week show – but Brooklyn has once again swerved the family. 

The fashionista and iconic Posh Spice is hosting her annual display of her clothing collection in the French capital, with David sitting front row with most of their children at the Conciergerie at 2 Boulevard du Palais. 

Romeo and Cruz were both supported by their girlfriends Jackie Apostel and Kim Turnbull, with Harper Beckham, the youngest of the Beckham clan, also there to cheer on her mum. 

However, despite also being in Paris for the annual fashion week, Brooklyn – who has publicly fallen out with his family – has shown no sign of an olive branch, instead attending other events with his wife, Nicola Peltz-Beckham.

The couple were spotted watching the Messika runway at Paris’s Grand Palais on Thursday evening, just a mile down the road from the venue the Beckhams appeared at today.

The day before, they attended another show for Balenciaga.

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Romeo had also arrived in the city ahead of his mum’s event, though according to the Daily Mail, successfully managed to swerve his brother by partying at another event.

A source told the site: ‘No good will come from them bumping into one another, relations are still devastatingly strained.”

They added that, despite the animosity “Brooklyn is missed” from the family events, but at this point he’s decided to keep away.

The family have been at odds for at least the past year, and over the past month has been doubling down on his commitment to wife Nicola with a string of public appearances, including a red carpet appearance at Venice Film Festival last month while also snubbing his brother Romeo’s birthday.

In the meantime, the rest of the Beckham clan have been putting on a united front, coming together to watch Cruz perform at Reading and Leeds Festivals at the end of August.

He shortly after posted a gushing tribute to his family and girlfriend as his UK tour with his band came to an end.

“I am so grateful for everyone around me, not only are they my best friends but they are family, this journey has been so incredible and i have learned so much because of these people.”

He then shared some extra words for partner, Jackie, writing: “Last but definitely not least Jackie, you honestly have no idea how lucky we are to have you, not only do you take care of me but this whole operation, from creative to strategy to mgmt.

“We are a team and would not be doing this without you. I really love you so much.”

Sean “Diddy” Combs has reportedly been placed in solitary confinement following allegations of his lavish federal prison lifestyle.

The action follows NBC News’ Tuesday reporting of detailed accounts of four anonymous inmates who alleged that the 56-year-old has been paying men for special services including massages, using a contraband phone and keeping an illegal stash of alcohol.

Combs is currently serving a 50-month sentence at FCI Fort Dix, a low-security federal prison in New Jersey, after he was convicted of transporting prostitutes across state lines for drug-fueled sex performances known as “freak-offs.”

Following the news, Combs was placed in a Special Housing Unit (SHU), better known as solitary confinement, a source told the outlet.

This is not the first time the disgraced music mogul has stepped foot inside the SHU. In July, the music artist and producer spent some solo time after getting into a prison fight, sources told TMZ and NBC News.

Allegations of Combs’ pampered incarcerated lifestyle emerged just as his release date moved up again, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate database.

He is now scheduled to be released on Jan. 21, 2028.

Sources told NBC News that Combs pays inmates to clean and cook special meals for him, including curry chicken, pizza and empanadas and that the hip-hop artist also receives Chinese-style massages.

To pay for this labor, inmates allege that individuals outside of prison are depositing thousands of dollars into the commissary accounts of those serving the “Bad Boy for Life” rapper.

One source told NBC, “This is not some normal s— you see in jail. This is some rich s—. It looks crazy, but again, it’s Diddy.”

The news outlet also reviewed footage obtained from inside the correctional facility which showed Combs using a phone, a prohibited item across state and federal prisons. Multiple inmates claim he uses it to scroll Instagram and view explicit nude content shared by an old girlfriend.

Two sources also say Diddy has access to a “jailbroken” tablet where he watches movies and documentaries, including “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” the Netflix docuseries produced by his adversary Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.

(After learning of this detail, the “In Da Club” reacted with amusement on his Instagram account, sharing an image of the article and stating in his caption: “coming to a prison near you”).

Other claims state that the “Mo Money Mo Problems” rapper is purchasing an antidepressant drug known as Remeron, or “rem-roms,” from other inmates and keeping a stash of smuggled liquor.

“Hell yeah, I drank with him,” one of the men, who recounted drinking Hennessy with Combs, told NBC.

Combs’ representatives on Friday claimed to be unaware of any actions taken against the rapper: “We have no idea that he’s there. And we have no idea when he’s exiting, if he is. BOP doesn’t share that information with us.”

They also shared a statement on Wednesday following allegations against Combs.

“The continued scrutiny of every mundane detail of Sean Combs’s life in prison has reached the point where the media characterizes ordinary prison life as news,” the spokesperson said via email. “The only real news is that Sean continues to serve his sentence within the rules and he patiently awaits the court’s decision on his appeal.”

The Federal Bureau of Prisons did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday; however, a FCI Fort Dix spokesperson on Wednesday said they cannot comment on the “conditions of confinement for any incarcerated individual,” nor can they “confirm or deny the existence of a corresponding investigation.”

“Like all correctional agencies, contraband, particularly cell phones, narcotics, and weapons, remains a constant challenge, and we continue to tackle the problem of contraband being introduced into our facilities,” the spokesperson said on Wednesday. “Inmates are not permitted to have access to cell phones, and all incarcerated individuals in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) who are found to violate the ‘Inmate Discipline Program’ policy are subject to sanctions.”

Last year, Combs’ was involved in a lengthy and public trial involving allegations of sexual assault and other violence. His former girlfriend Casandra “Cassie” Ventura and producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones lodged civil complaints against the music tycoon.

In July 2025, Combs was found guilty on two counts of a prostitution-related charge, but the magnate was found not guilty of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, which carried heavier penalties, including a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Shaun Wright-Phillips is adamant he’s having a great time on Strictly Come Dancing – he just needs to tackle the issue of looking very serious on screen.

The former footballer, 40, showed plenty of technique in the opening week but was clearly thinking hard about the moves when he scored just 15, and he hopes to look more relaxed this weekend.

He and pro partner Alexis Warr are taking on a salsa to the Bee Gees Seventies classic ‘You Should Be Dancing’ from Saturday Night Fever as part of Movie Week on the BBC show.

On the BBC show, Shaun says: “It’s been way harder than I expected on multiple fronts, not just the atmosphere, not just the viewers watching, but to play the part and try and do the acting and smiling, as well as concentrating on the most difficult parts of the dance. That is kind of where I lost my happy face and went straight into ‘football serious mode’ to make sure I got all the steps right.

“And to be honest, that is one thing I was really happy about is the fact that the steps that I was taught and my arm placement was correct. And that’s what I went in there trying to do.”

He adds: “It’s not even about being the first out. I just want to be the best I can be at the dances that I’m taught. So the competitive edge is still there, but it’s more with myself to become the best that Alexis can possibly get me to than against all the other contestants.

“Yeah, of course I want to get to the final. Who doesn’t want to get to the final in Strictly? But the learning path and the journey and meeting the wonderful people behind the scene, the pros, the other cast, all plays a major factor in it as well for me.”

Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse said Shaun was too “shy” whilst Craig Revel Horwood mocked his hopes of dancing “like a pro” by saying that would take a good few weeks yet and then gave him a score of just ‘2’.

But unfazed, Shaun says: “I want to say I wasn’t shy. Of course, I was nervous and terrified in the moment, but that face wasn’t me not expressing myself.

“That was me expressing myself in a way that I’ve just known how all my life in terms of concentrating and focusing on what needs to be done at what times. You’ve got 90 seconds, so you have to hit everything on time, otherwise, it can mess up everything else. So it was just for my first dance, it was a lot to think about.

“Honestly, I’m used to being criticised and told how to make myself better through my football career. So everything the judges say, whether I agree or not, I respect it. They’re the masters of that trade and I’m going to try and implement it into this next dance coming up the best I can do and hopefully just keep growing with more and more with confidence.”

Alexis adds: “He definitely was enjoying it and he was making sound effects throughout this dance as well. We were hyping each other up, talking, saying, ‘Let’s go’.

“We are trying to experiment with what it’s like to be more animated and just to be more external with everything.”

Shaun, 44, played for Manchester City, Chelsea and England during his career, and is the adopted son of Arsenal legend Ian Wright. His mum Sharon is also a keen supporter and Strictly fan and they sometimes dance around the house together on a Sunday with music blaring out.

On his family feedback, Shaun says: I spoke to my dad after the show. He’s just proud that I’m doing it because he knows it’s way out of my comfort zone. And to do it, he’s just chuffed that I did it.

“But my mum was there and all she kept saying is, ‘Come on son, you’ve got to shake those hips a little bit more’. But that was about it. I just said, ‘You try being out there then’.”

His fancy footwork which used to see him gliding down the wing on the pitch may be an asset of sorts when it comes to Strictly, but he says the main thing that translates is his work ethic.

He it pushing hard this week in the hope that practice makes perfect.

“I would say the part that transfers over is that no matter how tired I am, if Alexis says, ‘Again’, I’m ready to go again. No matter how much it kills me, I will go again just to try and help it become more set into my body. I’d rather just keep doing it over and over again. No matter how tedious it might feel, I will just keep going.

Partner Alexis agrees and adds: “I definitely do see that being the biggest transfer over is his work ethic. It’s really impressive. I’m sometimes the one that has to be like, ‘Okay, give me five minutes’.

“This week we’re definitely not playing it safe, and so definitely pushing him to the max with certain things. But he is such a hard worker and is really putting in the effort. So I’m proud and I’m happy with where it’s at, so I’m really excited for the performance.”

And as a former Man City player, I also wondered if he had given much thought this week to the Premier League victory over the club in court over breaches of its financial regulations, which could see the club relegated or titles taken away from them.

But laid back Shaun is not letting it affect him at all.

“I’m over it to be totally honest with you,” he says, referring to the process which has taken a number of years.

“It’s been going on for that long. There’s one thing I can say on it, whatever has happened behind the scenes, the players and the fans, they didn’t pay for that. And no matter how much money you spend, it doesn’t buy you the Premier League. That’s my personal opinion.”

He adds: “It’s disheartening to see what’s out there, but at the end of the day, it will all resolve itself whatever way it’s going to do it, and it’s just onwards and upwards. But in terms of, for me, for here, I’ve got tunnel vision on right now.

“There’s way too much to think about in the routines that they are giving me to have any thought process outside of Strictly right now. I just hope everyone will vote for us this week and can help us get through.”

* Strictly Come Dancing continues tonight, Saturday October 3, on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer at 6.15pm.

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CHARLOTTE Dawson has shown off her incredible weight loss in before and after snaps.

The mum-of-three took to her Instagram page to share that she can fit back into her size 10 jeans again.

The star took to her account to share how she did it – and mentioned her new lifestyle and fitness platform.

Showcasing her amazing fat loss with a picture of her before and after, she told her 1.4m followers: “I’VE GOT MY FAVOURITE SIZE 10 JEANS ON.

“Honestly… I can’t believe I’m saying this. Looking at these pictures makes me SO proud of myself.

“Not because of a number on the scales, but because I’ve done this the RIGHT WAY. The Confidence Curve way.

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“Sarah @nourishbysg has been sorting me out for over a year now with my food, gut and getting my skin looking glowy and Kelly @kellyameliaaerial has been training with me getting me feeling strong, healthy and fabulous now and I’ve been keeping my confidence in check!! Now it’s yours turn @confidencecurve_cc.”

She confessed that there were “no quick fixes” and she “didn’t punish herself”, but she just made “better choices” and “moved her body”.

Her fans rushed to the comments section to praise her efforts, with one writing: “Looking fab.”

Another said: “Go on my girl.”

A third chimed in: “You look amazing. Well done.”

In another video shared to her account and Confidence Curve, she filmed herself struggling to get into the item of clothing, followed by her with a smile on her face with them on her body.

But Charlotte, who is mum to Noah, Jude and Gigi, later had to take to he later had to take to her Story to vent after receiving some negative messages.

She said: “I don’t own a pair of jeans, every knows me, I don’t wear jeans, I don’t like the fit, they are uncomfortable.

“But these jeans, I have had these for years and years. Size 10. Can never get them on.

“I am just going to tell you something, I am not a size 10… I’m a size 12. well, 14-12, more to a 12-10 now. I’m so happy I got into a size 10 jeans.

“Nobody f***ing believes me, nobody believes me in the comments. What the f***?”

Back in March, the mum-of-three announced she was quitting her fitness plan brand Belleh Blaster which combined “fun dance routines” with diet plans and a private Instagram group community.

DANNY Cipriani’s ex wife Victoria Rose has taken a savage swipe at the rugby star as she sells off his “prized possessions” for £850.

Victoria, who was married to Danny from 2021 to 2024, has suggested a dark side to the former England rugby union star that requires the help of a priest.

She’s now flogging his old rugby kits, international caps and even his old kit bags on Vinted.

And Victoria wrote on social media alongside a personalised England Rugby bag: “What I’m finding inside some of these bags, I’m learning far more about my ex husband than I ever needed to know. Some of it needs a priest, not a Vinted listing.”

Victoria also said of his old Gloucester top: “As you know, guys, I’ve put this up for sale a few times and then taken it straight back down again.

“It was one of his most prized possessions, so I’ve always found this one particularly hard to let go of.

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“But the truth is, it can’t mean more to me than it did to him. So. it’s back online.”

Victoria is selling the gear after claiming that he has left her in financial woe.

She revealed earlier this year she was taking legal action against him.

She posted: “I take no pleasure in posting this, but when someone else’s debts end up on your doorstep, silence stops being an option.

“Sorry to drop this on such a gorgeous day, but let’s be clear: I have zero qualms airing this publicly.

“My ex-husband once happily sold a pack of lies about me to the press, lies that dragged me through two brutal years of court hell before I was fully exonerated and proven innocent. He didn’t lose a second’s sleep over how that wrecked my life, so forgive me if I return exactly the same courtesy now.

 “This morning I woke up to bailiffs banging on my door and my car clamped. My car.

“Because the system decided that a debt racked up by my ex, after we’d already separated, in his name, his responsibility, gets to magically teleport across the Atlantic and land on me in the UK while he ghosts every letter, email, and demand sent his way.

“I had to pay his debt today just to get my car unclamped and back in my driveway. Not my bill.

“Not my problem, except it became my problem because he’s untouchable in LA.

“Meanwhile, Danny’s over there in the States, blissfully “connecting with his inner child,” chatting mystical dragons with his girlfriend, posting about soul growth and manifesting miracles.

“How touching. Shame the actual, physical world bills don’t manifest the same level of enlightenment; they just keep boomeranging back here for someone else to sort out.

“Receipts are kept, proof is solid, and today the emails start flying, including straight to the embassy.

“Because the same man currently trying to charm his way into US residency can’t even handle basic adult responsibilities in the country he left behind. If you can’t face your debts here, you don’t deserve the privilege of pretending to be squeaky clean somewhere else.

“Take responsibility for your own actions, Daniel. This is your public warning! I’m initiating proceedings for your DEBT!!!!”

Victoria previously claimed he left her to cover the £16,000-a-month household bills and tens of thousands of pounds of debt.

But Danny alleged she had stolen money from his ill mother and was guilty of financial misconduct towards him

She said: “He took the allegations to the police and I was subject to a criminal investigation for seven months.

“I didn’t steal anything from Danny or his mum and have been cleared by a court of wrongdoing. It was a lie.”

The former star and Victoria officially filed for divorce in August 2024, nine months after their bitter break-up.

Danny has since moved on with American actress AnnaLynne McCord.

The couple tied the knot on in August 2026, in an intimate backyard ceremony at their home in Los Angeles.

The multidisciplinary artist rafa esparza was maybe 19 and in the break room of the now-defunct Orchard Supply Hardware in Pasadena when he first found out about the revolutionary art group Asco. It was the early 2000s, and he was working full-time while going to school part-time at East Los Angeles College. He’d bring his homework to his job, and an older colleague, Ignacio, took interest in the books he was reading — mostly about Chicana/o studies and art.

Ignacio grew up in East L.A., and showed esparza a big manila envelope stuffed with incredible sketches and drawings by Glugio “Gronk” Nicandro. Gronk, a friend of Ignacio, was one of the founding members of Asco, which roared to life as an unapologetically Chicano organization in the early 1970s and was made up of East L.A. natives including Patssi Valdez, Harry Gamboa Jr. and Willie Herrón.

Esparza is now among two generations of L.A. Chicano and Mexican artists who have passed the torch that Asco used to blaze its groundbreaking trail. The story of the art group and its descendants, also including Maria Maea and San Cha, is featured in the new documentary, “Asco: Without Permission.” Executive produced by Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna, the film premiered last year at SXSW and arrives on TV for the first time at 7 p.m. Friday as part of PBS SoCal’s “Voces” series (plus PBS.org and the PBS app).

The beginning of a movement

When Asco first coalesced, Gamboa Jr. went to Los Angeles County Museum of Art and noticed a striking absence of Chicano pieces. In the film, he recounts how, after his concerns were dismissed by a higher-up at LACMA, Asco decided to take matters into its own hands. The group came back later that evening and tagged the building with their names (“Spray Paint LACMA,” 1972), effectively reclaiming the entire museum as a work of Chicano art.

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The No-Movie “Chicano Cinema,” starring Harry Gamboa Jr.  (Asa Nisi Masa Films / PBS)

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A group shot of the art group Asco. From left to right: Willie Herrón, Gronk, Patssi Valdez and Harry Gamboa Jr.  (Asa Nisi Masa Films / PBS)

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Members of the art group Asco pose in Malibu. From left to right: Gronk, Patssi Valdez, Willie Herón and Harry Gamboa Jr.  (Asa Nisi Masa Films / PBS)

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Patssi Valdez poses with her golden No-Movie Award, a parody of the Academy Awards, protesting the lack of Latino representation in Hollywood.  (Asa Nisi Masa Films / PBS)

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The Asco No-Movie “The Gores (Whittier Blvd + Ax)” (1974).  (Asa Nisi Masa Films / PBS)

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The Asco No-Movie “Star” (1980), starring Patssi Valdez.  (Asa Nisi Masa Films / PBS)

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A still photo of the Asco performance piece “Birds Wave Goodbye,” from 1972.  (Asa Nisi Masa Films / PBS)

Asco’s work remained in relative obscurity — living in local mythology through storytellers like Ignacio — for decades. Then, in 2011, LACMA‘s views evolved and the museum gave Asco its first major retrospective, “Elite of the Obscure.” Documentary writer and director Travis Gutiérrez Senger came across press coverage of the retrospective and felt immediately drawn to the group, connected “on almost a cellular level.”

But it wasn’t until Trump’s first run for presidency and subsequent election, when his language around Latinos and immigrants dangerously sharpened, that Gutiérrez Senger knew in his gut that he needed to make this film now.

What set Asco apart was the fact that it was an art group, not a singular artist, working in tandem to react to social and political realities, including the 1968 East L.A. walkouts, the 1970 Chicano Moratorium, the Vietnam War, police brutality and gang violence.

“I would have never done the film if it wasn’t a collective,” Gutiérrez Senger said. “The thing about art history — and in literature and film — we often canonize individuals. When I saw Asco and it was a group, and they’re [on] the cover of Artforum or at the Whitney … that to me was really, really captivating. And, I thought, also very constructive.

“This isn’t just a group; this is a metaphor for how we mobilize and change,” Gutiérrez Senger remembers thinking.

Art as action

Asco was a fecund ecosystem, as is the close-knit community of contemporary artists following in its footsteps. The documentary recounts the history of the original group while heeding its call to action by collaborating with next-gen artists to carry the tradition forward. In 2023, Gutiérrez Senger curated a pop-up exhibition — featured in the film — alongside Pilar Tompkins Rivas, called “Asco and the Next Gen: An Inter-Generational Celebration of Latinx Art.” “Asco and the Next Gen” included esparza, Maria Maea, San Cha, Ruben Ulises Rodriguez Montoya, Guadalupe Rosales, Gabriela Ruiz and Dorian Wood.

“When you’re deeply collaborating with folks, and you’re in each other’s mediums and you’re sharing thoughts, and you’re thinking together, conceptualizing together, birthing a project together from scratch, you really have to step beside yourself, and understand that this is something that you’re co-creating,” esparza said. “Versus, I think art teaches us to center the single voice, the singular author of an artwork. And my experience of life, of art-making, has been the complete opposite: I think that we’re constantly reflecting each other.”

Esparza’s contribution to that 2023 pop-up was called “Corpo RanfLA: Terra Cruiser” and was originally staged outside the fairgrounds of Art Basel Miami a year prior. The L.A. version took place in the parking lot of an Arts District strip mall. Esparza bounced. He lay in a prone position, arms extended, body ensconced in gold and green lowrider armature, adhered to a blue bike frame, rocking on a 25-cent mechanical ride mechanism. The early connections esparza had with Asco resonated deeply in his relationship to art-making.

“They’re guerrilla, not asking for permission, just doing what they wanted to do with the help of their collective efforts,” esparza said. “That’s an ethos that’s very present in my own performance work, and it’s something that I hold very dear to me. It’s something that I always want to protect, in terms of how the art industry so powerfully commodifies everything you make as artists. I feel like performance still holds this power to really resist that, depending on how we will it into being.”

The interdisciplinary artist Maria Maea (left) and the filmmaker Travis Gutierrez Senger (right), writer and director of “Asco: Without Permission,” pose at Barker Block. Maea is featured in the film, in which she and Gutierrez Senger collaborated on a new “No-Movie,” titled “Pasado/Futuro.”

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

Moving pictures are part of the revolt

Asco also had an interest in film. The art group members didn’t see themselves — or Chicanos or Latinos — represented in Hollywood, so they did it themselves, subverting a movie into a single still photograph that became its own story; an implied narrative. These, featured in the documentary, were called No-Movies.

In addition to the “Asco and the Next Gen” pop-up exhibition, Gutiérrez Senger and the filmmaking team invited multidisciplinary artist Maria Maea, San Cha, musician Fabi Reyna and Mexico City-based Ruben Ulises Rodriguez Montoya to create new No-Movies, also featured in the film, in response to Asco’s original No-Movies.

Maea first learned about Asco through esparza, too. He’s a mentor of sorts to her (they’re part of the same “interlocked brown community,” she says), and they were making adobe bricks together on the banks of the L.A. River for esparza’s 2017 Whitney Biennial installation when he told her the story about the hardware store and the manila envelope.

“They had a finite amount of resources, and they took this cinematic film lens or film camera film and shot these stills,” Maea said. “I think for me, it was so beautiful to see the infinity that could happen in front of it, the story that could happen behind it. It felt like we were just seeing this snapshot of a beautiful cinematic moment.”

The documentary’s new No-Movies are slightly longer, but still snippets of less than five minutes. The main character of Maea’s “Pasado/Futuro” No-Movie, the Being, sprang from the show “L.A. Fonts,” in the artist Alfonso Gonzalez Jr.’s backyard. (“Pasado/Futuro” also includes a group of kids working in a garage, meant to emulate Asco’s own garage origins — and to represent the next next gen. Its cast includes Maea’s younger sister, Ariel-Evelia Tuilaepa Diaz.) The Being is alien, mystical and magical, a migrant finding her way in a new world. (Maea often works with palm weaving, incorporated here, and palms have their own migration story to L.A.)

A still from “Pasado/Futuro,” one of the contemporary No-Movies in the film, featuring Maria Maea as The Being.

(Asa Nisi Masa Films / PBS)

“Something that really intrigued me was their sci-fi aspect of this film,” Maea said of Asco. “Like, they lived in a real world where they were experiencing the Chicano Moratorium, they’re experiencing violence in the streets, and they were also experiencing … the news projected back at them, that they were the issue,” stranger-than-fiction scenarios they synthesized into sometimes-futuristic or dystopian work.

Composer and performer San Cha’s No-Movie, “Luna,” made together with the musician Fabi Reyna, began as a song San Cha had written for a friend who had died; she had had a dream of him on the moon. In collaboration with Gutiérrez Senger, the No-Movie evolved into a piece about a lover, played by Reyna. Now, “Luna” is tender and otherworldly, drenched in the high drama and glamour that San Cha so loves.

San Cha was born in San José, then moved to San Francisco, where she was taken in by the Bay Area drag scene — specifically by her drag mother Per Sia, who’s still there. (San Cha recently relocated to Amsterdam.)

“She is from South-Central, but she studied art, visual art,” San Cha said. “She was a photographer, and she really got into the drag scene, and she was super familiar with Asco. We would do these processions in the Mission, from the Mission to the Castro … and she would always mention Asco in these moments.”

That’s likely because Asco’s early performances, as the art historian and curator C. Ondine Chavoya points out in the film, emphasized procession, mobility, mobilization and occupation, marking sites of political violence. Once San Cha moved to L.A., she found community quickly, too. She met Maea — with whom she made a video, “Coatlicue,” for the Music Center’s For the Love of L.A. program — and later lived with esparza.

“We can’t really perform in a vacuum,” San Cha said. “I can’t imagine doing this by myself, ever.… When I moved to L.A., there’s someone for everything.… And that way I didn’t feel the need to do everything alone. And even though in L.A. it was a little more professional, there’s so many people that are just like family.”

A still from “Luna,” one of the contemporary No-Movies in the film, featuring Fabi Reyna (left) and San Cha (right).

(Asa Nisi Masa Films)

When Gutiérrez Singer first started making this film, he thought that it — and Asco itself — was about saying “f— you” to the systems and institutions and racism that give us asco. (“Asco” means nausea or disgust in Spanish.)

“But at the end of the project, I started looking at the work and myself and the artists I had made the film with, and just seeing this incredible beauty and love,” he said. “And I realized that the power of Asco’s work is ultimately about self-love, and that when you feel that — and you can feel almost a collective sense of self-love as brown people — it gives you incredible potential and strength.”

Best friends Jude and Sherry join tonight’s episode of Gogglebox and they have opened up about their 50-years of friendship ahead of the show

Gogglebox will be welcoming two new faces to Friday night’s show.

Best friends Jude, 76, and Sherry, 77, join tonight’s episode of the hit Channel 4 series. The duo are swapping their travels around the world for the Gogglebox sofa, bringing their unique friendship and plenty of stories along with them.

Jude and Sherry first met when their sons were born and have been best friends ever since. Tragically, back in 2009, the two friends were both widowed just a year apart.

Since the devastating loss of their partners, the two friends have become inseparable and in 2017 they started travelling the world together.

The duo have been to Sri Lanka, Mexico, Bangkok, Singapore, Penang and Malacca, and Goa. They’re aiming to visit Chile for their next adventure.

The duo, who have plenty of opinions, are aiming to put their 50-year friendship to the ultimate test on the Gogglebox sofa, including their impressive supply of chilled chocolate and wine.

Talking about joining the show, Sherry said: “I am really excited to be joining the Gogglebox ‘family’ and finding out how the whole process works and which new programmes we get to watch together. We are both very positive people and it is great to be doing something completely new together.”

While Jude added: “I am looking forward to the completely new experience at this stage of my life. A challenge definitely, but an exciting one.”

Talking about their 50-year friendship, Sherry said: “We have been close friends since we met at Queen Charlotte’s Maternity Hospital on the day our sons were born.

“There have been periods when we haven’t seen so much of each other, but since we have both been widowed, we have been together much more, especially since we started travelling together in 2017.”

Meanwhile, Jude added: “As Sherry said, we met 51 years ago, on the day after our sons were born, pushing them along the hospital corridor.

“Through the childhood years as we both went on to have two daughters and then a year apart in 2009 and 2010 we were both widowed, which is when we became even closer and our travels began.”

Watch brand-new Gogglebox on Friday 2 October at 9pm on Channel 4

Tom Cruise is one of the bankable stars in Hollywood. But his pull may not be enough to lift his upcoming film “Digger” from a likely hard fall at the box office this weekend.

That would be unwelcome news for Warner Bros., whose movies have largely struggled to connect with audiences this year, in contrast to 2025, when the studio ran up a string of hits such as “Sinners” and “Weapons.”

All of this comes as the studio braces for an uncertain future with Paramount Skydance’s $111-billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery set to close on Tuesday.

“No single film is going to capsize the boat,” said Stephen Galloway, dean of the Dodge College of Film and Media Arts at Chapman University. “However, it’s coming at a precarious time because it follows a series of less-than-successful releases at the very moment when the Warner Bros.- Paramount deal has been greenlit, and everybody — no matter how high up — is terrified for his or her job.”

Matching the success of the 2025 film slate was always going to be a tall order, particularly when so many of Warner Bros.’ movies that year overperformed.

So far this year, the studio’s domestic box office haul is $437.7 million, representing about 5.6% of the total theatrical revenue in the U.S. and Canada, according to Rentrak data.

Last year, Warner Bros.’ total at this time was $1.8 billion, aided by back-to-back successes starting with “A Minecraft Movie,” which went on to become the highest-grossing movie at the domestic box office during that calendar year.

The studio currently does not have any film in the top 20 of domestic box office earners this year, which includes some holdovers from 2025, with Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of “Wuthering Heights” ranking at 21 with $84 million. Bets on films like Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Bride!” cratered, while DC Studios’ “Supergirl” misfired.

“Digger” is unlikely to turn things around.

The satire from director Alejandro González Iñárritu about an impending climate change apocalypse has divided critics, yielding very mixed reviews. Tracking predictions for the film’s debut have steadily trended downward and settled between $15 million and $19 million.

That would be a major miss, given the film’s production budget was about $125 million (not counting marketing costs).

“Digger” faces several hurdles. For one, the film has a major twist, which complicates its marketing and makes it difficult to tell audiences what it’s about.

Then there’s Cruise’s nearly unrecognizable performance as Digger Rockwell, an eccentric oil tycoon whose drilling operations have led to the unfolding climate disaster. Clad in prosthetics with a head full of graying hair, Cruise is far from his usual stunts-heavy, bravado-filled roles, which could make his typical audience less likely to come out to theaters, analysts said.

“It has a lot of question marks,” said David A. Gross, who writes the movie industry newsletter FranchiseRe. “It doesn’t look like it’s heading for financial success.”

The film will have value to Warner Bros. beyond its theatrical reception. “Digger” probably will also make money through ancillary revenue streams such as premium video on demand and streaming, industry experts said. And if Cruise wins his much-coveted Oscar for his role as Digger, that is also a plus, Galloway said.

Beyond the fate of “Digger,” Warner Bros.’ theatrical business will be of prime importance to the combined Paramount-Warner company.

Last year, Warner’s studio business, which includes both film and television production, brought in $12.6 billion in revenue. This year, it’s projected to generate $11.1 billion, according to market expectations. On a positive note, Warner Bros. still has its animated “The Cat in the Hat” film releasing in November and the popular “Dune: Part Three” at the end of the year.

The prospects for Warner Bros. should improve next year, when the film and TV studios are expected to amass $11.7 billion in revenue, driven by strong titles including the sequel to “Minecraft” and a new “Lord of the Rings” movie, according to Bernstein research.

Aside from theatrical revenue, Warner Bros.’ film and TV properties have been key drivers of business to HBO Max and will also provide valuable content to Paramount+, particularly as the linear cable networks continue to decline.

“I would argue the studios are the very reason Paramount Skydance is buying Warner Bros.,” said Laurent Yoon, senior analyst at Bernstein. “Everything starts with the studios.”

The combined company is also legally required to release at least 30 films a year as part of a settlement agreement over antitrust claims with 12 state attorneys general, including California’s Rob Bonta. Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison has previously said the two studios would each release 15 films a year.

But the type of content the studios release could change after the merger is completed. Under film chiefs Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca, Warner Bros. developed a reputation for auteur-driven, original stories, particularly after the success of the 2025 slate. Ellison’s slate has trended toward blockbuster fare.

The combined company will also face a massive debt load of more than $80 billion after the merger closes, meaning there may be greater pressure for future films to be hits.

“Ellison is primarily in the business of delivering blockbusters,” Galloway said. “That’s going to be even more important as he tries to right the ship of his debt.”

HE stole the show on last night’s opening episode of Celebrity Traitors, honestly announcing to the group that he was, in fact, a traitor.

Alongside his comical moments on the BBC show, actor Richard E Grant also gave some touching references to his late wife Joan Washington.

After host Claudia Winkleman selected the Withnail & I star as a traitor alongside presenter Maya Jama, Richard spoke about “love of his life” Joan, who passed away in 2021.

Delighted at being a traitor, he told viewers: “My wife said to me four days before she died, she said Richard try and find a pocketful of happiness in each day, and I feel like I’ve got a wheelbarrowful and then some.”

Richard’s heartfelt confession came just minutes before his now legendary Celebrity Traitors gaffe revealing his traitor status.

The relationship between Academy Award-nominee Richard, 69, and his wife of 35 years was so romantic it could have played out on the silver screen.

IN A JAM

Traitors winner thinks Maya Jama and Richard E Grant have made ‘big mistake’

HONEST MISTAKE

Claudia Winkleman breaks silence on Richard E Grant’s Celeb Traitors blunder

Richard met dialect coach Joan at a London studio, called The Actors’ Centre, in 1982, where she had been teaching an accent class.

At the time, Joan was married to someone else, and had a son called Tom, but Richard could not take his eyes off her.

In 1994, he told The Independent he was captivated, saying: “She was wearing a boiler suit and had fairly short, cropped hair and Kicker shoes, and was chain-smoking, which I thought was insane.”

But he added: “I thought she had the most wonderful voice and huge, sort of monkey eyes. She seemed fairly frenetic. I thought that she was really cute and all that.”

Joan gave Richard a lesson in developing an Irish accent and he says they “instantly” clicked.

But initially, and amusingly, Joan found him “annoying”.

She said: “I used to take a class of about 20 people and I actually used to find him quite annoying because he’d get the giggles at quite the wrong moment and I was a strict teacher.”

Giggling aside and getting to know Richard during private lessons, Joan quickly realised she was falling for him.

She previously described her then-marriage as “extremely bad at the time” and slowly found herself smitten with the handsome actor in her class.

Recalling the way she was feeling, Joan told The Independent that she soon realised she was “madly in love with him”, adding: “I do believe that there’s one person on the globe that’s meant for you.”

The pair became a couple a year later and their relationship went from strength-to-strength, even though their jobs often meant they spent great chunks of time apart.

Richard said he never believed in marriage until he met Joan.

“My parents were divorced when I was 11 and it made such a profound impression on my life that I suppose I thought that by not getting married, you could avoid your life being carved in two. But that changed,” he told The Independent.

Although they were often apart, Richard and Joan would speak on the phone regularly and write to each other daily.

Eventually, Richard decided it was time to make an honest woman of his girlfriend with a proposal that could have been straight out of a movie.

Arriving home to London for Christmas following six weeks away in Africa, he couldn’t wait any longer and popped the question at the airport.

Richard previously recalled: “So I came back and went on bended knee with my trolley at 6.30am at Heathrow Airport – and, luckily for me, she said yes.”

Richard, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, and Joan married in 1986.

Richard once described their marriage as “the story of my adult life”, saying they began a conversation when they met and never really stopped.

Following their marriage, the newlyweds were keen to start a family together. Sadly, their journey was a difficult one.

Joan suffered three miscarriages. They were then left heartbroken when their first child, a daughter called Tiffany, died very soon after she was born.

Richard later told YOU magazine: “Until that time I had no idea how common it is to lose babies and what it actually meant.”

Thankfully, the couple later welcomed their rainbow baby – a second daughter, who they named Olivia, in 1989.

Richard has since described Olivia as his and Joan’s “miracle baby”.

In 2019, the devoted father looked proud as punch as he walked the red carpet with Olivia on his arm at the Oscars.

Speaking to ABC, he said at the time: “My daughter, absolutely gorgeous, she’s 30 and she works in casting so I’m guaranteed a job for life, hopefully.”

Richard and Olivia run a unisex fragrance company together, called JACK.

Speaking about her life with her dad, Olivia added: “I’m just proud. It’s been the best ride to go on together.”

Unlike dozens of other Hollywood stars, Richard and Joan’s beautiful relationship lasted the distance and their love for one another was unbreakable.

Speaking to The Guardian in 2015, he described their marriage as “gold dust”.

Tragically, in 2021, Richard confirmed on Instagram that his wonderful wife had passed away at the age of 74, following a battle with lung cancer. 

Sharing an emotional video of himself dancing with Joan, Richard wrote: “Joan – Love of my Life, giver of Life to our daughter Olivia.

“Our hearts are broken with the loss of your Life last night. 35 years married and 38 together. To be truly known and seen by you, is your immeasurable gift. Do not forget us, sweet Monkee-mine.”

The actor was left devastated at the loss and said experienced further heartbreak how some friends reacted to the news, claiming a couple stopped speaking to him and even crossed the road to avoid speaking to him about his grief.

He shared: “Subsequent to her death, I have had people cross the road rather than talk. Whether they think you’re going to fall apart and you’re an emotional wreck, I don’t know. But I will never speak to them again.”

Before she passed, Richard admitted she gave him a “hilarious” list of women he must never date after she passed – although he said he does not expect to fall in love again.

Two years ago, he admitted he still writes her letters every night to stay in touch. 

He told The Guardian: “I write to her every night. [I write down] everything. Stuff I know would amuse her… I have no spiritual or religious delusion that I’m ever going to get a reply.

“But after 38 years of marriage, I can hear what her response would be. It feels as close a connection as I can have. And I’ve found it very hopeful, that at the end of the day I’m having a conversation.”

In early September, Richard marked the fifth anniversary of her death with a touching tribute.

On Instagram, he wrote: “Five years ago today, my beloved wife Joan died at 7:30 in the evening. We were holding each other’s hands when she drew her last breath.”

In June 2026, Olivia and husband Florian Herbst – who wed in 2024 – welcomed their first child, a son, making Richard a grandfather for the first time.

The proud actor referred to his late wife on Instagram when he announced the news, calling the baby “our grandson.”

In an Instagram video in June 2026, an emotional Richard said: “I’m so grateful for the safe arrival of our grandson. Life truly is miraculous.”

In addition to this, in September he shared a clip of him carrying his grandkid on a walk, saying: “No better way to start my day bobbing our sleeping grandchild along Petersham meadow with Annie Lennox playing in my head.”

A mum of nine-year-old conjoined twins Callie and Carter has spoken about her decision to not separate them yet.

The mum of a set of conjoined twins has shared her decision to not separate them.

Idaho mum Chelsea and her conjoined twin daughters Callie and Carter appeared on This Morning on Friday, 2 October.

They told hosts Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary about their life together, how they enjoyed playing together and how they learned to walk.

Chelsea also opened up about the experience of raising them, and what it was like for her after finding out that she was carrying conjoined twins. When Callie and Carter were born in 2017, they were initially given just 24 hours to live, but have defied medical odds.

She told Alison and Dermot: “I was 8 weeks 3 days when I found out I was having conjoined twins. The initial reaction from the doctors were just really like quiet at first, and once they came in, they told us our kids were stuck together.

“We were just shocked, we didn’t know what to think, we didn’t know how to feel. It was complete shock.” Talking about the first couple of days after giving birth, she went on: “The first 24 hours I wasn’t able to see them because I was recovering from my big surgery that I had with them.

“The first 24 hours were really hard because I didn’t see them until about 18 hours, I was a little worried that I didn’t have enough time with them. But they just kept thriving and kept going, and eventually, I was able to see them and we were able to tell them home.”

At the time, Chelsea and her partner were advised by doctors when the twins were just three days old to not separate them. She continued: “We had the big decision to make to see if we were going to separate them while they were little girls, so they didn’t remember but we decided to ultimately give them the option when they became older and understood the risks.”

Chelsea and her partner Nick previously appeared on This Morning when Callie and Carter were born, and addressed a possible separation in the future.

She said at the time: “I know definitely it will always be there. Whether it be a medical issue is my main worry or the point that the girls are like ‘we don’t want to be together anymore’.

“Of course we’ll have to see if there’s a medical issue that arises or if the girls do want to be separated we would consider a separation for their health. It’s their lives and they’re living it, we’re just aiding in the whole thing.”

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.

Good Morning Britain’s Ranvir Singh and Kate Garraway spoke to the UK’s Minister for Aviation, Keir Mather, on Friday’s show.

Good Morning Britain viewers were quick to call out Kate Garraway.

On Friday’s instalment of the ITV show (October 2), Kate and her co-star Ranvir Singh welcomed Aviation Minister Keir Mather onto the programme to speak about the proposed plan to stop airlines charging parents who want to sit by their children.

However, before the interview had even begun, the Good Morning Britain star was quick to remark on the 28-year-old’s youthful appearance, which didn’t go down well with people watching.

She commented: “We’re joined here now by Aviation Minister, Keir Mather, first time on Good Morning Britain, you’re there in Manchester airport this morning. When we saw you pop up, I have to say, we thought, ‘My goodness, ministers are getting younger every day’. You’re going to please a lot of people if you are the new prefect, because there’ll be a lot of people cheering about this.”

The MP didn’t address the remark as he dived straight into the topic he was on the show to speak about. However, as the interview came to an end, The ITV star touched on his age once again.

She said: “I understand you are indeed the youngest Minister since Gladstone in 1834, so it’s not just my old eyes that see you as young, good to speak to you this morning.”

As Kate and Ranvir went to address what he had spoken about with their panellists, Salma Shah and Caroline Flint, the presenter asked if they also felt old listening to the MP speak.

Salma commented: “I mean, I’ve never felt so old.” With Caroline adding: “He answered your questions, he did say yes, no, and what have you, we’ve seen people much older, not doing that.”

It wasn’t long before people commented on the interview, with many quick to call out Kate for her remark to the MP. One person on X said: “How outrageously patronising! Ooh, aren’t you young!”

Someone else wrote: “How patronising to remark on his age and call him a prefect! @GMB #gmb.” Another viewer commented: “@GMB Not cool to patronise the MP just because he’s young.”

While one person said: “Just watched @Mather_Keir on @GMB this morning, a great interview, I’m just really disappointed in the hosts and panel guests, that the conversation following was about his age and ‘how well he answered the questions for his age’ rather than discussing the issue in hand, bit shocking really.”

Meanwhile, one person praised the MP, commenting: “Excellent interview on @GMB from @Mather_Keir from @manairport this morning. Nice to see young govt ministers on TV.”

Good Morning Britain is available to watch on ITV weekdays from 6am.

The Good Morning Britain guest opened up about an emotional moment that didn’t make it to air

A Big Brother star has revealed one of her co-stars reduced her to tears in a scene fans never saw.

Charlotte Nott is a quadruple amputee who entered the famous house earlier this month, and revealed it was always her dream to join the ITV2 competition. But the 18-year-old student “reached her limit” after just 13 days and decided to quit.

She has since been sharing behind-the-scenes truths with viewers, including key moments that didn’t make it to air. Charlotte has now opened up about the unseen moment she ‘broke down crying’ during her appearance on Good Morning Britain.

The programme on Friday, October 1, saw hosts Kate Garraway and Ranvir Singh asking the teenager about her first TV experience. They soon touched on a controversial comment that fellow housemate Rochelle Rackham made about Charlotte’s limb loss.

The 57-year-old told Charlotte, who lost her limbs to meningitis, that she has “a bit of a fear” of people with “no arms”. She went on to admit: “It’s just something that’s always freaked me out a bit.

“And when I saw you I was like ‘Oh my god’. And I feel so ashamed because now I don’t even look at it and to have what you’ve had done is just like unbelievable.”

Charlotte later confided in the other housemates about the comment, claiming: “I’m not, like, offended but obviously it was rude.” Although ITV viewers watched the conversation, they didn’t see the emotional fallout it sparked days later.

On GMB, Charlotte shared: “A few days after that, they didn’t show it, but I did break down crying in the garden. Not that it offended me, but I just felt like I was uncomfortable around her. Because I was like ‘Well, she’s told me she’s scared of me and like I’m, how can I sit across [from] her?'”

The interaction left a mark on the student but she has insisted it wasn’t the sole reason for her early exit, although she confessed: “I think it just kind of added to it maybe a little bit”.

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The former housemate has also posted the story on her TikTok page, explaining: “A few days after the Rochelle comment me and Yas had a heart to heart in the garden one night. I broke down crying saying it did actually bother me and I felt really uncomfortable in the house.”

Charlotte became the first housemate to voluntarily walk out of the current series after less than two weeks in the Big Brother house. She left just hours after the latest evicted star, Chelsey Ammari, who has also been shedding light on unseen moments from the show.

Good Morning Britain and Big Brother can be streamed on ITVX

“Grey’s Anatomy” and “One Tree Hill” actor Sophia Bush reveals in her new memoir, “And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes From a Life in Progress,” that she married former professional soccer player Ashlyn Harris in summer 2025.

The private ceremony took place in upstate New York with Harris’ children, Sloane and Ocean, attending, Bush and Harris revealed in a Vogue exclusive published Wednesday. The couple said they later made the rounds, visiting friends and family to divulge their secret nuptials.

Sophia Bush, in a 2025 episode of “Grey’s Anatomy,” told Vogue she married Ashlyn Harris in a private ceremony with Harris’ children in attendance.

(Anne Marie Fox / Disney)

“We got to have personal experiences with everyone we love, and once we got through all of those, how do we put it out? Because I don’t want to keep sitting on panels or in interviews and being like, ‘My partner,’” Bush told Vogue over Zoom, then turning to Harris. “You’re not my partner, you know? You’re my wife. And it feels so amazing to say that.”

After Harris described her kids running around, picking flowers and generally having fun, stepmom Bush recalled the family roasting marshmallows on their wedding night: “It was so precious, and zero pressure. I will never forget it.”

The newlyweds also explained that, though they value privacy, optics are important for at least one very important reason.

“We understand how sacred and how pure our love is. But the visibility piece matters,” Harris said, “because there are still kids hiding who don’t feel seen, and if we make room and space for one person, that’s worth maybe costing us a little bit of peace in the public eye.”

Celebrity Traitors fans are convinced they have ‘worked out’ who was murdered after spotting a clue earlier in the first episode of the series

Celebrity Traitors fans will have to wait until this evening to find out who was recruited and who was murdered – but some think a huge clue in the first episode has already revealed who stays.

The BBC show ended on a cliffhanger last night when it was revealed that James Acaster and Amol Rajan had been hauled in front of the two Traitors – Maya Jama and Richard E Grant – to be given their fate.

And with them face to face with the two ‘murderers’, there was only one way it would end. They had to plead their case to be saved and recruited or face instant ‘death’ and become the first person to leave the show.

Following the huge cliffhanger, there has been much discussion on who might go and who might become a Traitor and fight to save another day – with a big twist expected.

However, fans of the BBC show are convinced they’ve worked out who is off – with them claiming BBC bosses left a rather large clue in the first episode on who would be waving goodbye.

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“Amol’s diary room bits scream ‘I’m not seeing any more of this,'” one said of who might be chosen. As another replied: “He got a lot of screen time, think he’s a goner.” A third shared: “Definitely Amol got murdered.”

Fans are also convinced the reports that James had a panic attack on set ‘proves’ he will stay.

“Too much in the news about James being so stressed the others in there had to calm him down. So far he hasn’t had time in there for all that. (I guess),” one wrote.

Another added: “The fact that we’ve already heard that Acaster has a panic attack at a round table at some point in the show surely spoils that it’s Amol who goes – unless Acaster had the panic attack while the traitors were being chosen?”

“If it’s true (I remember reading that he had a panic attack but don’t remember if it was specified it was a roundtable) that’s a massive ball to have dropped for the first cliffhanger,” a third shared.

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Strictly Come Dancing fans are all making the same comment new It Takes Two presenter about Ellie Taylor. The comedian has replaced Fleur East and Janette Namrara on the BBC Two show

Strictly Come Dancing fans have showered the spin-off programme It Takes Two‘s new host with compliments after she succeeded Fleur East and Janette Namrara in the role. Some aspects of the weekday have come under fire following recent changes, but it appears the inclusion of Ellie Taylor is its one saving grace.

Following the announcement that Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe would be replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on the main programme, the BBC revealed in August that there were plans to revamp the midweek show as well. This decision saw Ellie given the It Takes Two presenting duties – four years after her stint on Strictly as a contestant.

Following the Beeb’s confirmation of Ellie’s role back in August, she said in a statement: “What a total joy to return to Strictly in this new role. I feel incredibly honoured to follow in the footsteps of the phenomenal line-up of hosts who’ve made Strictly – It Takes Two so loved over the years.

“I can’t wait to immerse myself in all the gossip and sequins flying out of the ballroom in order to bring my fellow Strictly fans everything they need to know. I’m so excited, I could cha cha! (But I won’t – don’t worry… no one needs to see that again.)”.

Now, after the series’ first two showers, fans have issued praise towards Ellie, 42.

“Just catching up on It Takes Two,” one person said on X.” I’m not enjoying everything, but my God Ellie is smashing it soo far. Absolutely brilliant.”

A second person agreed: “Don’t like the changes, but Ellie is fab. Should have got the main gig with Emma.”

A third shared: “Ellie Taylor hosts it well, but the new version of It Takes Two has nothing worth watching anymore.”

While a fourth viewer added: “Ellie Taylor is good, the new It Takes Two set is awful with the wooden unvarnished floor all that glitz and glamour gone, no pro interviews. I know they wanted to revamp both the Strictly main show and It Takes Two but the changes aren’t good.”

And a fifth asked: “I adore Ellie Taylor but I’m not sure I like this new It Takes Two at all. Why are they making so many changes – why change the ITT set this year when it literally got changed last year?”

Essex-born Ellie old rose to prominence as a comedian before transitioning into presenting roles on programmes including Snog Marry Avoid? and The Great Pottery Throw Down. On It Takes Two, she faces the challenge of following in the footsteps of previous hosts Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark and Claudia.

It Takes Two producer Rhe-An Archibald said of the changes: “This is Strictly – It Takes Two, reinvented for the 2026 season. With a wealth of new features and deep dives, we want to reflect the conversations happening in living rooms up and down the country – full of opinions, laughs, surprises and those moments everyone wants to talk about.

“With the fun and funny Ellie at the helm, it will be an utterly unmissable companion to Strictly Come Dancing.”

Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two airs Monday to Friday at 6:30pm on BBC Two and is also available on BBC iPlayer.

BILLY Joel has shared a new health update just weeks after undergoing surgery for a rare brain condition.

The singer, 77, who was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) in May 2025, underwent a procedure to help improve his symptoms last month.

According to the NHS website, a hydrocephalus is a “build-up of fluid in the brain. The excess fluid puts pressure on the brain, which can damage it”, and NPH “usually develops in older people”.

He had a shunt implanted in his brain to drain excess fluid.

Earlier this week he shared how he has been feeling while on his SiriusXM show The Billy Joel Channel.

Billy said: “I know people are worried about me because they read that I have a brain disorder, which sounds a lot worse than it actually is.”

billy’s tribute

Fresh blow for Billy Joel, 77, as he suffers heartbreaking loss

BRAVE BILLY

Billy Joel, 77, reveals he’s undergone brain surgery as he shares health update

He added: “I’m okay” but went on to confess that his “balance isn’t that good”.

The performer also explained that he’s “lost a little bit of my hearing” – which he actually thinks is due to the performing on stage for years.

The star also confessed that he “appreciates” everyone but doesn’t want people to “worry” about him.

Talking about the surgery, Billy said last month: “I didn’t want to do that, but then I read up on it and I realised it can help improve your balance and can help your memory.”

He added: “You know, I don’t want to lose my marbles.

“It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain and it actually improved things.”

After having the surgery, Billy explained: “My memory got better, my balance got a little better, my ability to function was better.” 

After being diagnosed with NPH, Billy cancelled all tour dates due to the condition.

Billy is best known for songs such as Piano Man, Uptown Girl and We Didn’t Start the Fire.

WHEN we mourned the loss of Dolly Parton in August, it was an especially emotional time for Carly Pearce. 

The much-missed Queen of Country — and theme park owner — once referred to Carly as “The Little Dollywood Girl”. 

As I discover, their lives became inextricably linked for more than two decades. 

“I never thought there would be a day without Dolly Parton,” Carly tells me. “I always loved her, right from when I was a kid.” 

Aged just 15, she successfully auditioned for the Country Crossroads show at Dollywood, the sprawling park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, not far from the Great Smoky Mountains where Dolly was raised in a humble log cabin with her 11 siblings. 

“At 16, my parents let me quit high school,” says Carly, picking up her story, “and my mom and I moved to Pigeon Forge, about a four-hour drive from our hometown in Kentucky. 

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“I jumped into six shows a day, five days a week, at Dollywood.” 

“It was then that I first met Dolly, as one of her performers,” she adds, recalling the moment she couldn’t help staring at the singer who gave us Jolene and I Will Always Love You, hardly believing she was real. 

Today, Carly, 36, is forging a stellar career of her own and has just released a career-defining album, Honest Woman. 

She’s on her tour bus in Chicago, where it’s 9am, and I’m in London when we’re connected via video call. 

“For a day on the road, it’s too early for me to be ready yet,” she exclaims with her cloud of blonde curls framing a big smile. 

“Well, you look amazing to me,” I reply, before turning to talk about her life, her album and her beloved dogs, Johnny and June. 

But first let’s hear more about her connection to the incomparable Dolly Parton. 

By a twist of fate, it was up to Carly to lead the Grand Ole Opry’s tribute show for Dolly at The Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, the spiritual home of country music. 

It took place on August 29, just four days after Carly’s guiding light passed away. 

She opened her set with a moving rendition of Those Memories Of You, a song recorded by Dolly, Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris for their 1987 album Trio. Carly says: “It was kind of odd because I was already scheduled to play the Opry to celebrate my album.  

“Then it just so happened that the show to honour Dolly fell on the same day — so I got to run the show. I was everywhere.  

“I think it was meant to be because she had been such a big part of my life and such a part of my origin story.  

“It was a heavy thing for me to be there and realise she’d gone but it was a big honour.” 

Years after her Dollywood stint, Carly and Dolly met again when both were appearing on TV promoting albums at the same time. 

“So I got to remind her of who I was,” says Carly. “After that, I’d see her during my time in Nashville.  

“But then I had the crazy, crazy surprise of my life. I thought I was doing a commercial for Dollywood, which I thought was a cool thing to do.” 

On June 17, 2021, Dolly suddenly appeared backstage at the shoot and told Carly, “You are now an official member of the Grand Ole Opry.”  

It was an invitation to the most exclusive and historic club in country music. Carly says: “There are three moments in my life which I think of as favourite career moments. And that is number one. 

“The other two are winning Female Vocalist Of The Year at the CMAs (2021) and a Grammy (2023, with Ashley McBryde for their duet, Never Wanted To Be That Girl).” 

Before we move on to more about her life story and her new album, I ask Carly what she admired about Dolly. 

“She had a way of telling a story that was unapologetic and honest,” she replies. 

“She was uniquely her own person in a way that freaked people out in the beginning. The way she looked and how she spoke. She was such a pioneer for women.” 

It’s clear that Dolly, along with the likes of Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette, paved the way for female country singers in what could be — and still is to some extent — a male-dominated world. 

Carly says: “Oh my God, I’m not trying to be mean, but there are so many songs on the radio that could be ten different dudes all sounding the same. 

“I have to say, as a female, you can distinctively tell who is who.  

“You have to have backbone and grit to break through — and I think you’re seeing that a lot right now with females in country music.” 

Listen to Carly’s new album, Honest Woman, a vibrant song cycle drawing on country pop, old school country and bluegrass, and you’ll detect some of that fierce determination. 

“I’ve always written from an honest and vulnerable place,” she says. “I don’t really know how to not be myself, which can be great and also a curse.” 

The rousing opener Dream Come True suggests that success doesn’t always bring happiness. 

Reflecting on being a single woman, unlucky in love, she sings: “Bought me a house at the end of a cul-de-sac. Four bedrooms but I only use one.” 

Later, she’s “sittin’ on the couch, cryin’ in the dark. Every plaque on the wall is a broken heart.” 

Carly says: “Dream Come True was the first song I wrote for the album. I was feeling a lot of pressure to write a hit.” 

She considered where her life had taken her, which, she confesses, made her cry — but she came up with a song straight from the heart. 

“I’ve chased this dream from the time I was a kid,” she says. “I think of the sacrifices I’ve made, that it comes with a price.  

“I saw young women my age with husbands and children and a more simple life that wasn’t as isolating as mine — and I wondered if I was missing out.” 

Carly’s dream of being a singer began, she says, “with my McDonald’s microphone when I was five-years-old”. 

“My parents loved music though not country music. But the only thing that would keep me from crying as a baby was (country star) Vince Gill. 

“My mom was so upset because she loved Fleetwood Mac, Heart and Black Sabbath. My dad loved the Grateful Dead and The Doobie Brothers.” 

However, Carly’s maternal grandparents, the Pearces, were into traditional country and bluegrass — artists such as Buck Owens and Ralph Stanley. 

She continues: “When I was six, my mom convinced a vocal coach to take me on. I don’t know why but she believed I had talent. 

“For the rest of my childhood, she supported that side of my dreams, whether it was making costumes for talent shows, driving me to recording studios, buying me karaoke CDs or getting me a guitar.” 

Carly’s move to Dollywood and into Dolly Parton’s orbit at 15 was her first big step into country music but another female pathfinder also inspired her.  

She was Loretta Lynn, the rags-to-riches singer whose turbulent story was told in Coal Miner’s Daughter with Oscar winner Sissy Spacek in the lead role. 

Carly says her new song You Can Have Him, with its trad country vibe, “is Loretta in spirit”. 

“I loved Loretta so much growing up,” she says. “I didn’t get to meet her, but there’s a song on my album 29: Written In Stone called Dear Miss Loretta. She sent me a voice text about it which I still have.” 

As for You Can Have Him, she adds: “Doing that was cool. I felt that traditional country was always such a big part of my story but I’d never honoured it on an album before.  

“So I went old school and wrote this tongue-in-cheek song about a guy with a wandering eye. 

“It takes me back in time. It’s as if I was Loretta Lynn singing at the Opry in the Sixties when she was 30-something.”  

Next, we talk about Carly’s “absolute favourite” song on Honest Woman, He Don’t Like My Dogs. 

It’s about an ex who got the boot because he didn’t take to the two loves of her life — shih tzus Johnny and June, named after the first couple of country music, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. 

“Here they are on the back of my phone case,” says Carly, holding up her phone to show me pictures of two fluffy white balls of hair. 

“I love my dogs so much and always wanted to write a song about them, but it felt a bit cheesy. 

“Then I had a situation when someone was not nice to Johnny. So Johnny and I talked and he said, ‘Mom, you know what to do’.  

“So I wrote this song that I think a lot of people can relate to. If you’re a dog person and somebody doesn’t like your dog, get out!” 

Expressing just what Johnny and June mean to her, Carly continues: “I don’t have children, but they fulfil that need for me so much. I mean, I just FaceTimed them before I got on this call. They’re with my dad while I’m on tour.” 

Moving on to other aspects of Carly’s album, I guess you can judge her by the company she keeps. 

There’s a guest appearance by breakthrough star Riley Green on stirring duet If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay. 

“I always target my duet partners,” says Carly. “Riley’s having a serious moment, especially in the States.  

“I’ve known him for a long time and knew I wanted to do this song with him.” 

Elsewhere, How Long is one of several songs to feature bluegrass powerhouse, guitarist and singer Dan Tyminski, known for his work with Alison Krauss & Union Station. 

Carly says: “I know he’s not in Union Station any more but they were my favourite band growing up. 

“I wore out their live CD from Louisville, Kentucky. My band jokes with me because I play every song on air guitar or air fiddle.  

“For years, I said Dan was my celebrity crush but nobody even knew who he was. I would just say, ‘You know, the guy who was George Clooney’s singing voice on O Brother Where Art Thou?’” 

How Long also features sublime harmony vocals by Morgane Stapleton, wife of big, bearded country superstar Chris and a formidable talent in her own right. 

Carly explains: “When I did my song with Chris, We Don’t Fight Anymore, first I had to figure out how to get the song to him.  

“I thought, ‘OK, I probably have a better chance if I DM his wife on Instagram. 

“That’s what I did. Morgane wrote back and asked me to call her. She was the reason that song got to Chris and we became friends.” 

When it came to the sessions for Honest Woman, Carly called her new pal. 

“No offence to Chris — I love Chris,” she says. “But I wanted his wife on this album so I sent her a message. She came to the studio and crushed it.” 

The record ends with Why God Why Me, a heartfelt acoustic ballad reflecting Carly’s abiding faith.  

“The song is my North Star for this entire project,” she affirms. “Faith has been the one constant in my life in this wild ride through the ever-changing music industry.” 

Why God Why Me is also an example of how this unflinchingly “honest woman” goes about her work. 

Carly says her songs “help me state the way I feel, just like Dolly did”. 

CARLY PEARCE 

Honest Woman 

★★★★★

Strictly Come Dancing hosts Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe have revealed all about the chaotic first live show, with them admitting to tears amid a ‘baptism of fire’

Strictly Come Dancing host Johannes Radebe admits he cried on the first live show, which was dubbed chaotic by fans.

The BBC programme’s hosts including former professional dancer Johannes, as well as Josh Widdicombe and Emma Willis have revealed all about the chaotic first live show, with Emma describing it as a “baptism of fire”.

Johannes admitted he was teary amid his live debut. He confessed to Ellie Taylor on It Takes Two that he was in tears in rehearsals for missing out on the chance to dance with a celebrity this year.

“In rehearsal, seeing them all come down in their outfits, knowing what they’re dancing that week, what they had to go through in the past two weeks, I was just like, ‘Ugh, I miss that^{.’ But I’ve got partners with me, so it’s fine,” he said.}

Josh even quipped that he wasn’t ready to say goodbye to one of the celebrities this week after they dance their movie-themed tunes. Whilst no one left this week, one will leave next Sunday.

Asked how he feels about the elimination, he said: “I feel really bad^{. I feel terrible already. Do you know what, I think I’m just going to do the Saturday show this week, and leave the other two to do the Sunday.}

“Last week, after the show, it was just joyous, everyone was really happy, and then Jojo went to us, ‘Wait till next week.'”

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“I don’t think I actually really thought about that until you’ve just brought it up, and you’ve just said how nervous you are, and now I’m like oh,” Emma added as they discussed the upcoming exit.

Emma also branded the first live show as a “baptism of fire”, whilst Josh seemed to reference the backlash to his performance for the first time, quipping: “It was incredible^{. It’s been very low-key since, no one’s talked to me about it.” He has been barraged with comments online about his appearance on the show, with critics pointing out one time he missed his cue.}

Former The Voice host Emma also said she felt bad how Josh was stood on one side of the stairs at the start, whilst her and Johannes walked down the same side of the famous Strictly stairs.

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Model Jerry Hall will tonight find herself in some uncomfortable situations on Celebrity Traitors – but she should be used to navigating awkward social situations after her string of controversial romances

Model Jerry Hall will need to put her acting skills to the test on Celebrity Traitors tonight if she’s cloaked up and hoping to deceive her co-stars.

But the 70-year-old is no stranger to navigating awkward social situations after her numerous high-profile and controversial relationships. The Texas-born star was a long-term partner of Rolling Stones icon, Sir Mick Jagger, with whom she shares four children.

She was also married to American businessman Rupert Murdoch, who owns numerous newspapers worldwide and previously owned Sky. But why did she split from arguably two of the most powerful men in the public eye? Here, we look at Jerry’s relationships and the reasons they broke down.

Sir Mick Jagger

Jerry and Sir Mick first met in 1976 at a dinner party. At the time, she was engaged to British singer and Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry. Sir Mick was also married to Bianca Jagger at the time.

Just a year later, the couple began an affair, and Jerry eventually left Bryan. Later that year, Jerry seemed to be a positive influence on Sir Mick, encouraging him to quit both heroin and LSD. By 1990, they had tied the knot in a traditional Hindu wedding in Bali; however, they were not legally married.

Just two years later, though, their relationship was plagued by allegations of infidelity on Mick’s side. Despite working through their differences, things came to a dramatic end in 1999.

It emerged that Mick was expecting a child with Luciana Gimenez Morad, who later welcomed a son Lucas Maurice Morad Jagger. Jerry subsequently filed for divorce, with British courts declaring their 1990 marriage void due to a lack of legal registration.

The pair later came to a “mutually acceptable legal and financial settlement”. She later said that she found annulling their relationship rude, but remained on good terms with Mick. These days, the pair have a very close blended family.

Speaking to The Guardian in 2010, Jerry said: “Getting a divorce is always horrible, because you feel you’ve failed. Everyone hates to give up on a marriage. You think your family’s broken up.

“But we managed to keep the family quite strong and to still be friendly. Divorce is not the end of the world. It’s worse to stay in an unhealthy marriage. That’s a worse example for the children.”

Rupert Murdoch

In 2015, Jerry started dating Rupert after his sister and niece introduced them. By October of that year, the pair went public and were seen attending the Rugby World Cup final together in London.

Their relationship went full speed and they got engaged in January 2016. Rupert announced their news in the Births, Marriages and Deaths page of The Times newspaper, which he owns. He popped the question with a staggering 19-carat marquise diamond ring.

Just three months later, the pair tied the knot at Spencer House, followed by a bigger celebration at St Bride’s Church on Fleet Street, with Rupert saying he felt like “the luckiest and happiest man in the world” as their friends and family gathered to witness their big day.

The opening episode ended with two players fighting for their lives but before that – what on earth was Richard E Grant thinking?

Richard E Grant’s outrageous act of self-sabotage on The Celebrity Traitors last night left producers and fellow players reeling.

Claudia Winkleman said she believed the huge gaffe, in which he openly revealed his role as a Traitor just minutes after she’d selected him, was not because he was nervous, but because he was giddy with excitement after achieving the role he’d always dreamed of.

Now viewers will have to wait until tomorrow’s episode to see if the actor can survive the first roundtable banishment – while also discovering whether it was comedian James Acaster or TV journalist Amol Rajan who met their grisly end in a coffin.

Claudia said that Richard, 69, was so desperate to be a Traitor, she had no choice but to tap him on the shoulder. “You just couldn’t not give it to him, because he wanted it so much,” she laughed at a screening last week. “I couldn’t believe he was literally in the castle. And yeah, he was giddy. The genius of the game is that everyone plays it completely differently, and he took that to the next level.

“I think it was excitement. I think he was genuinely so happy. He came into the church. He loved the game. He had to eat. He wanted to be a Traitor. He got picked for a Traitor. He just wanted to tell everyone.”

Producer Sarah Fay agreed: “Never in our wildest dreams did we think that we’d have a Traitor admit they were a Traitor five minutes on from the round table. We’ve never had anything like that happen before. I think it was just static delirium. I don’t know what he was thinking. I still can’t believe it now, but yeah, Richard E Grant, how iconic.” She confessed that the star’s astonishing faux pas had left her feeling conflicted in the moment: “It was a mixture of a little bit of sick coming up in my mouth and a punch at the same time.”

Ahead of being picked, Richard told Claudia: “If I was lucky enough to be a Traitor, that would be one of my dreams come true – it’s the only way to have some control. Friendships means diddly squit!” And he won over the audience by speaking about his late wife Joan Washington, who told him four days before she died, in 2021, that he was to find “a pocketful of happiness” each day. “I feel like I’ve got a wheelbarrowful, and then some,” he marvelled.

But it wasn’t long before he boldly told Joe Lycett that he was “a Traitor” – leaving the group stunned. Luckily for him, Jerry Hall – who claimed in the show that she’d make a good Faithful because her uncle was one of the Texas Rangers who’d caught Bonnie and Clyde – quickly dismissed his outburst. “Oh, that’s just Richard, he wanted to be a Traitor so bad,” she said. “I’ve known him for 30 years and he says and does eccentric things.”

Many of the group appeared to follow her lead, with actress Myha’la insisting he must have been joking because “he’s too smart for that”. But viewers saw Richard sigh on camera: “That might be the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life.”

Finding out her fellow Traitor was like “an unhinged uncle” left Love Island host Maya Jama, 32, realising they’d have to work hard to keep him in the game. Despite this, she wholeheartedly accepted the challenge of getting him off the hook. “Me and Richard are in it together,” she said in a solo chat. “It’s like heaving an unhinged uncle running wild in the castle – that is my partner in crime.”

Told they had to choose a new recruit to join them in the turret, the duo picked the pair who had expressed the loudest views about Richard being a Traitor – Amol, who called Richard the “lord of chaos” and James Acaster. Whoever joins the Traitors after pleading for their life and ending up in a coffin cliffhanger will now have to change their argument – or throw Richard under the bus. But what is certain is that either James, 41, or Amol, 43, will tonight follow in the footsteps of Paloma Faith by becoming the first celebrity to exit the series.

Sarah said the idea for this twist was sparked by the pop star’s swift death last year. “We thought wouldn’t it have been interesting if Paloma had had the chance to plead for her life?” she explained. “Going home first is a massive thing, but if you can slightly put the power back in their hands, how interesting would that be?”

The idea of having Claudia pop out of a coffin at the start came after the celebrities had to dig their own graves in last year’s opener. “We were racking our brains: how can we make this feel different” Sarah said. “We landed on starting in the church and ending in the church, bookmarking episode one. So opening with Claudia popping out of a coffin, and then our first murder being someone getting slammed into one.” Claudia’s own ideas, that she got into the suit of armour or emerged from the grandfather clock, were both dismissed.

Almost all of the 21 celebrities wanted to have the green cloak, with only a handful determined to be Faithful, including singer James Blunt, mathematician Hannah Fry and comedians Miranda Hart and James Acaster – who will have failed in that quest if he remains in the game.

Ross Kemp said in his entrance interview that he wanted to show people he had a good sense of humour – and he certainly provided plenty of laughs last night. But, sadly for him, the comedy he brought was mostly at his own expense after he went into a tailspin first during the mission, and then later over drinks in the castle.

The TV tough man had prepared so thoroughly by going through previous episodes that he interpreted any gesture towards him as an attempt to kill him in plain sight. First Bella Ramsay was under suspicion after placing the Captain’s hat on his head as an mark of respect because he’d excelled in the mission. Then it was Leigh-Anne Pinnock’s turn after she touched him in the bar because she felt chilly. “I’ve just had my arm rubbed – she rubbed me on the arm,” he spluttered to the group. Accusing her outright of murder, she could only insist: “Oh my gosh – calm down! Stop.”

Admitting he was caught in a spiral of doom, the 62-year-old sighed: “My guard is very much up. Anyone touching me, offering me a drink or talking to me in a slightly odd way – that could be me gone. I’m feeling pretty paranoid.” Uncloaked host Ed Gamble branded his reactions as “one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen”. He laughed: “He’s a big hard man running that mission and then immediately terrified of a member of Little Mix touching him on the arm.”

The Celebrity Traitors returns tomorrow on BBC1 at 8pm.