SHOW BIZ

Glaciers aren’t stationary. Immense and imposing, formed through the downward trajectory of water from mountains as it collects and freezes, they have always moved. Now, however, they’re leaving. The demise of glaciers is a fact inherent in all the bad news about the effects of climate change on what once seemed permanent. But for Icelanders, whose connection to glaciers is ancient and mythic, our human epoch has become an extended hospice for the landscape of their lives.

Somehow, though, Sara Dosa’s documentary on this matter, “Time and Water,” avoids playing like a funeral in waiting. Built around Icelandic writer Andri Snær Magnason’s voiced lamentations on a vanishing frozen world, along with archival footage of his family, it’s no simple howl of grief, even when it takes us to a publicly held memorial in 2019 for Iceland’s Ok glacier, the first such “death” diagnosis in the country’s history. Rather, Dosa’s film is a meditation on change — both the kind that we accept with a heavy heart and something more general. “Time and Water” is a curiously vibrant elegy, teeming with appreciation for the intimate majesty that is all life, generational and geologic.

Dosa has finessed this emotional-meets-elemental space before in her Academy Award-nominated 2022 documentary “Fire of Love,” about married volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft. That was a wonderfully eccentric romance forged in molten lava. Here, she’s in a collaboration of sorts with her subjects, both human and elemental. Magnason’s opening narration over spectacular footage of glaciers — up close and from far away — gently informs us that we’re watching a time capsule, one where the bonds of family and environment are intertwined.

We learn how Iceland’s glaciers, essentially rivers of varying pace, begat their unique ecosystems, but also how they provided the breathtaking terrain upon which Magnason’s grandparents Hulda and Árni fell in love. (Grandma Hulda was the first woman to fly in Iceland, itself a very cool fact.) The onset of dementia in Árni spurs his grandson to consider what’s lost when the markers of memory depart. “Time and Water” touches on the epic verse called rimurs, passed down via chanted song by Icelandic women, their descriptive, sorrowful tales like dispatches from previous ages.

“Tone poem” is an overused term in cinema, but the humbling “Time and Water,” graced with a playful, atmospheric Dan Deacon score, earns that distinction. Naturally, it helps that you can never tire of all the air-crisped glacier imagery, captured digitally and in 16mm. Folded into the cozy slide-show vibe of Magnason’s home videos and the carefully chosen archival footage, the movie plays like a scrapbook portrait in which home just happens to boast the grandest of backyards.

How much longer will Icelanders enjoy it? The glaciers are predicted to be gone within 200 years. That’s an eternity or a drip, depending on whose survival we’re talking about. Still, “Time and Water” collapses the notion that we are somehow separate from these ancient, essential formations: an encouraging hello to the future from inside a sobering goodbye.

Countless famous faces have appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox over the years – but for some, it appears working on the Channel 4 show left a rather bad taste in their mouths

A brand new episode airs tonight.

Celebrity Gogglebox has seen several famous faces come and go over the years – and for some of them, it seems they are not exactly fans of the programme…

The Channel 4 spin-off first aired in 2019 and has since established itself as one of the broadcaster’s most beloved programmes.

The forthcoming eighth series will welcome back several firm favourites, such as Vernon Kay and Paddy McGuinness, Nick Grimshaw and niece Liv, and Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan.

But for some former stars, it seems the show left a rather bad taste in their mouths, as since their exits they have not been afraid to air their thoughts on the programme.

Maureen Lipman

Coronation Street’s Maureen Lipman, who appeared on the show with friend Gyles Brandreth, spoke about her experience on the show in 2021. On Loose Women, Maureen was asked: “Are you not going to be on it any more?”

Laughing, she said: “I’ve seen all the male tackle I need to see for this lifetime to be honest. We had such a good time, but none of the clever things we said went into it. So no.”

Maureen had previously spoken to Radio Times about how being on the show was different to what she had imagined. She told the mag: “I’d seen Gogglebox and I thought, ‘Oh, [ours] is the grown-up version, is it?

“I’m going to go on, and make a lot of comment now about the oeuvre and ‘I did like his first trilogy, but then I felt in some ways that perhaps over the years…’ But it’s your reaction to 12 dangling willies they want.

“They’re searching for ways to make me go ‘Urgh!’ So I thought, ‘Well, actually, no, life is too short to watch a series of hopeless men dangle their bits and pieces in my direction. So I’m going’.”

Frank Skinner

Frank Skinner also didn’t hold back either when airing his thoughts on working on Celebrity Gogglebox. During an episode of his podcast Frank Off The Radio: The Frank Skinner Podcast in 2024, he even went as far as to liken his experience to that of tortured monkeys.

Speaking about his Isle of Man disaster and the TV show, he said: “You know when I said I didn’t enjoy doing the gig on the Isle of Man, well it was a glorious pleasure compared to filming Gogglebox.”

He continued: “There’s a place in Wareham in Dorset called Monkey World, and it’s beautiful because they’re often monkeys that have been rescued from unkindness on the continent, and a lot of Spanish, in particular, there’s a thing of having your photo taken with a monkey.” He added: “The way to make them behave – and you can see this when you get close – is they’ve got cigarette burns on their skin that they use to make them do what they want them to do. And doing Gogglebox was a very similar experience.”

When asked if he was exaggerating, he was adamant his claims were true as the show was heavily “produced.” He explained: “So you sit in a room – you only watch like ten minutes of a programme.”

Exposing the behind the scenes process further, he went on to say: “We’re sitting watching the telly and we start talking, and a voice says ‘Say something about his jacket’. Then it would stop, and they’d say ‘Can you not go into digressions, it’s funny if you keep it close to what’s actually happening’. And pretty soon I’m thinking ‘just please make this stop’. And when I left – I’d made it pretty clear in a politer way – I said ‘Sorry, I thought this was going to be like enjoyable’.”

Frank felt the constraints stifled the fun, saying: “It’s such a shame because I think we could have had a laugh and stuff. ” Despite his gripes, Frank did acknowledge the expertise behind the scenes: “But to be fair to them, they know how to make it – they’ve been making it for years.” However, it wasn’t all bad – Frank gave a shoutout to the kind team who treated him well: “The producer was a really nice guy, they were nice people, they got me fish and chips.”

Sheila Hancock

Dame Sheila Hancock first appeared on the star-studded Channel 4 spin-off series alongside pal Gyles and quickly became a fan favourite. However, she claimed in 2023 she was “sacked” for complaining about how much nudity she had to watch when Naked Attraction was the TV show of choice

The acting legend admitted she and Channel 4 bosses clashed over the racy clips which she had to comment on for the series.

She told The Mirror: “I used to love doing it with Gyles, but they sacked me from that. Well, they did not ask me back. I think it was because there were a lot of shows with penises in and because it went down [well] with the audience, they kept showing them to us.

“Eventually I phoned up the lady on the edit and said, ‘I am enjoying the show, but do you think we can have anything other than penises?’ and she was quite angry.”

Reach contacted Channel 4 for comment at the time.

Celebrity Gogglebox airs every Friday at 9pm on Channel 4.

SAG-AFTRA members overwhelmingly approved a four-year TV and film deal with major studios including Netflix, Disney and Warner Bros. Discovery on Thursday night, increasing minimum wages and addressing concerns about the use of AI performers.

The deal, which was expected to be approved, received the support of 91% of SAG-AFTRA members who voted on the agreement, which starts July 1 and ends June 30, 2030. The union represents 160,000 performers, including actors, stunt performers and influencers.

“This agreement builds on the foundation members fought to establish and carries that work into the next chapter of our industry,” said SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin in a statement. “It delivers meaningful gains in compensation, strengthens protections around artificial intelligence and digital identity, reinforces the long-term security of members’ benefit plans and recognizes the realities of how performers work today.”

Under the new deal, the length of the agreement between SAG-AFTRA and major studios represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers expands from three years to four years.

It also boosts minimum wage by 3% annually, increases contributions to the health plan by 1% and expands the bonus to the union’s Success Bonus Distribution Fund based on residuals that performers get for popular streaming programs.

The contract also addresses concerns about the growing use of artificial intelligence in TV and film and its impact on actor jobs. Last year, many actors spoke out about Tilly Norwood, a computer-generated “actor” and whether synthetic characters like her could threaten their livelihoods. Some performers have also advocated for getting paid if their likenesses are used to create such characters made through AI systems.

Not all members were in favor of the contract, saying it did not go far enough in protecting performers against AI.

“It normalizes the use of AI replicas and synthetic performers rather than drawing a firm line protecting human performers and their jobs,” said Chuck Slavin, a background actor and performer.

Slavin, a former New England local board member, ran against Astin for SAG-AFTRA president last year.

Producers agreed to “a principle strongly favoring human performances” and that producers would only use a synthetic if it “brings significant additional value to the motion picture.” If a producer decided to use a synthetic in a role that could be done by a human, they would need to notify the union and bargain in good faith.

Additionally, the contract merges the pension plans of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which were previously separate but combined in 2012 to form SAG-AFTRA.

Their health plans were consolidated in 2017, but the pensions have remained separate . That was a major sticking point with members, some of whom couldn’t qualify for benefits as their contributions were split between two plans. Studios agreed to boost their overall contributions to the combined plan by 1%.

SAG-AFTRA’s deal comes after the Writers Guild of America members also approved an agreement with the AMPTP in April.

The groups were able to agree on contracts this year, without striking as they did in 2023.

“SAG-AFTRA’s leadership brought a genuine commitment to partnership, and together with the WGA agreement, these deals demonstrate what is possible when the industry works toward practical solutions that support its long-term stability,” AMPTP said in a statement.

The Directors Guild of America began negotiations with AMPTP last month, with its contract expiring on June 30.

Staff writer Cerys Davies contributed to this report.

THIS weekend, Dua Lipa and Callum Turner will say “I do” again in a lavish, three-day wedding in Sicily.

The world’s media is set to descend on the picture-perfect venue, alongside a guest list packed with the great and the good of the entertainment world.

It comes just days after the loved-up couple shocked fans by legally tying the knot in central London.

Images of the superstar singer and her hunky actor, 36, husband beaming as they left Old Marylebone Town Hall immediately went viral, with fans branding them the ultimate power couple.

Dressed in custom Schiaparelli Haute Couture, Dua, 30, looked flawless as she walked arm-in-arm with her new husband.

And while the showbiz world is no stranger to carefully curated PR moments, I know first-hand the type of man Callum really is.

After years of the singer dating the wrong guys, I know Dua has finally found Mr. Right because of how he discreetly supported me at one of my lowest moments.

Back in February 2024, I was lucky enough to attend the BAFTAs as a guest of EE at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

That year, Dua was presenting the award for Outstanding British Film, with Callum proudly by her side.

I was excited for the night ahead when, just minutes before taking to the red carpet, the guy I was seeing brutally dumped me.

I was unceremoniously blocked on WhatsApp, only to watch him put tickets we had bought for a West End show up for sale on his Instagram Stories – knowing full well I would see it.

To say it felt like a dagger to the heart would be an understatement.

Thankfully, no one was looking at me – especially as I arrived at the exact same time as Sir David Beckham – but making my way into the venue was one of the most surreal moments of my life.

I tried to hold back tears as screaming fans cheered for their favourite stars and cameras flashed all around me.

Inside the reception, Taittinger champagne was free-flowing and smiles were plastered on the faces of the rich and famous.

I quickly sank a glass of bubbles and, feeling myself getting choked up, slipped away to a secluded side corridor for a moment to myself.

I’m not entirely sure how long I stood there, staring blankly into space.

It was at this exact moment that Callum appeared, being led down my not-so-glamorous corridor to avoid the bustling crowds in the main foyer.

Realising I was unintentionally staring straight at him, I quickly apologised as we made eye contact.

Seeing how visibly upset I was, Callum stopped dead in his tracks and doubled back — leaving a member of the BAFTA press team looking thoroughly confused as to why he’d changed direction.

“Are you ok?” he asked kindly.

As I tried to mumble that I was fine, he replied: “You have tears in your eyes…”

His warmth prompted me to come clean and admit that I’d just been dumped.

By this point, Dua, surrounded by her own team, had caught up with him as they were being hurried to their seats before the live broadcast began.

“He’s not worth it,” the actor, hotly tipped to be the next 007, told me firmly, as Dua offered a warm, supportive smile.

I managed to raise a half-hearted laugh, and with that, they were whisked off into the glitzy night.

I stood there for a moment, taking stock of a brief interaction that felt like a fever dream.

While short, it made it crystal clear to me that Callum is one of the good guys.

In a self-centred, shallow industry, believe me, men like him are hard to come by.

I saw Callum a few weeks later at The O2 Arena, where our tables were located just a few spots away from each other at the BRIT Awards.

I wanted to thank him for his kindness that night, but aware I would have to out myself as a tabloid reporter, and the can of worms that might open, I decided against it.

Instead, I quietly watched as he was the first on his feet to cheer on Dua as she opened the ceremony with an epic rendition of her hit Training Season.

Aptly, the track, which featured on Dua’s third album Radical Optimism, is all about her struggle to find ‘The One’ before Callum came along.

Prior to their romance, Dua dated filmmaker Romain Gavras, 44, US TV host Trevor Noah, 42, and Anwar Hadid, 26.

Dua previously revealed on The Drew Barrymore Show: “Training Season is about when I was in my singledom.

“I went on a couple of dates. All terrible.

“I went into the studio with my friends and normally every studio session starts with a little chat and a gossip about my life.

“I just went, ‘Guys, training season is over. I am done training up these boys. No more.’”

Speaking to Vogue last December, Callum was asked: “If there is an eternity, who do you wish to spend it with?”

Without a second’s thought, he decisively replied: “Dua.”

With Callum, the singer has clearly hit the jackpot.

I wish them every success as they head down the aisle this weekend.

EXCLUSIVE: Love Island fans were shocked to hear that George Knight had quit the show just hours after arriving in the villa as a bombshell and now they reckon someone else has left

Love Island fans reckon another contestant has secretly quit the show. Just days into the new series, viewers were shocked to hear that George Knight had left the villa after arriving as a bombshell in Spain due to “personal reasons”.

Lifting the lid on his sudden exit, a Love Island spokesperson said: “For private reasons, George has left the Love Island villa. Duty of care for the Islanders is paramount so at this stage any further comment will come from George. Bosses and viewers alike had been loving his contribution.”

Viewers were left reeling by the news, however they are now convinced that another Islander has left after claiming he had gone ‘missing’ from the show.

Electrician, Sam Workman from Dudley, says he came on the show because he feels “genuinely ready to settle down.” However, he wasn’t featured once in last night’s episode, promoting some fans to speculate he’d followed George back to Blighty.

Taking to social media, one viewer said: “Wait… where was Sam in this episode? Is he still around? A second asked: “Did we even hear Sam speak once in this episode?” Meanwhile, a third mused: “Is Sam still here?”

However, the Mirror understands that Sam is still very much part of the show and will be featured in tonight’s episode. Sam also features on today’s First Look from Love Island on the show’s Instagram page.

The electrician’s ‘disappearance’ comes after it was confirmed that footballer George had left after shortly after sending Samraj and Ellie home.

George made his mark upon arrival at the villa and wasted no time in getting to know Robyn and Mica. Robyn, who quickly friend-zoned Sam, appeared keen to forge a pairing with George, after they shared a snog on the terrace.

Before leaving, George and fellow bombshell Yasmin were given the tough task of choosing one guy and girl to dump from the villa for any reason they chose.

They had only 24 hours to make the decision while everyone in the villa was completely oblivious to what was going to unfold.

The pressure left Yasmin reduced to tears, but in the end the duo sent Ellie Chadwick and Samraj Toor packing. But while tears were shed and gutted Samraj and Ellie headed for the exit, they were told that all may not be as it seemed. It left fans confused over what’s to come next in the series that has already thrown up a number of twists in the first week.

Straight off the bat, Islanders had to choose their own couples. This moved away from the public who normally picked who they thought was best matched.

Love Island All Stars winner, Gaby Allen, told us of the bold move: “The producers are doing a great job at changing things up. This has never been done before.

“A recoupling done by themselves is crazy! I would panic in this situation and hope somebody whisked me off my feet so I didn’t have the decision.”

The Mirror has contacted ITV for comment.

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

AMY Childs has shown off her weight loss with a new swimsuit snap from Albania, where she is currently filming for the upcoming series of Towie.

The reality star, 35, opened up about slimming down earlier this year, admitting she had lost more weight than originally planned due to stress.

Filming herself in a new Instagram Story, Amy donned a cut-out black swimsuit which showed off her slender figure while posing in the mirror.

Tagging Albania as her location, Amy joked she “couldn’t miss out” on jetting off with her castmates to film for Towie.

It comes after she has sat out previous overseas trips on the show due to having family commitments back home.

Amy is a mum to daughter Polly and son Ritchie, whom she welcomed during previous relationships, and shares twins Milly and Billy with her husband Billy Delbosq.

BIRTHDAY GIRL

Kate Ferdinand celebrates turning 35 as she strips off to a bikini

TINY CLUES

All the signs that Molly Mae gave birth days ago as she welcomes second child

In January, she confirmed she wouldn’t be joining the cast trip to Vietnam due to mum duties.

She appears to be making the most of the welcomed break now the cast have arrived in Albania for the show’s upcoming season.

However, showing it’s not easy being away, she also shared a snap of the twins and admitted: “I miss you babies”.

It comes after Amy revealed in February that she was working to get to a healthy weight after going on a fitness journey and shedding more than planned.

Explaining she is now working with a trainer to put some more weight on, she said at the time: “So I decided to lose weight, during that process, I battled with stress and lost a little more than I wanted, and now I am working with Jon to start phase 2!! Which I am so excited about.”

With Amy often sharing her shrinking fame online, some fans have been left concerned for the star and have expressed worry underneath her social snaps.

Addressing her weight loss and the backlash, Amy explained in May that her mum suffering a heart attack led to increased stress as she was unable to eat for several months.

“When I lost all my weight, I must admit I went so skinny. At one point, I was around 6 stone 13 lbs,” said Amy.

She continued: “It was about 3, 4 months after [the heart attack], I was so skinny. I couldn’t train, I just had this anxious, anxiety.”

Amy then confirmed she is feeling much better now and says she is training and eating well again.

Sorry to rain on your all-analog parade.

It’s no secret that vinyl records’ resurgence has hit a new plateau, outselling CDs for the first time since 1987 as of 2022, according to a report from the Recording Industry Assn. of America. Three years later, its year-end report flaunts another statistic: Vinyl record sales surpassed $1 billion in 2025 — the first time since 1983.

But there’s an inevitable downside to anything that’s partially made of liquid dinosaur bones. Modern vinyl records are crafted with PVC resin, which makes up more than 75% of an average disk The synthetic polymer itself is made of chlorine and fossil fuel-derived feed stock.

To put its harm in perspective, a first-of-its-kind report from Vinyl Alliance, published in June 2024, found that 50% of a record’s carbon emissions come from this resin. The carbon footprint of a single LP was estimated to be roughly equal to the pollution a gas-powered vehicle emits over a three-mile trip. It adds up quick, considering that 46.8 million new records were sold last year.

Thankfully, it’s not all grim.

Organizations like Music Declares Emergency and the Music Climate Pact initiative are coming together to address the issue. A campaign by the groups — in collaboration with record labels and distribution teams at Secretly Group, Exceleration Music, Warp Records, Ninja Tune and Beggars Group — features titles pressed on 100% reclaimed material.

The release, set in tandem with World Environment Day on Friday, boasts marquee titles such as Elliott Smith’s “Roman Candle,” Bon Iver’s “For Emma, Forever Ago” and Dinosaur Jr.’s “You’re Living All Over Me.”

“What we found talking to a lot of our artists and to customers is that … they are concerned about the environment, and they want to find ways to reduce their footprint,” says Ben Swanson, co-founder of both Secretly Group and the Independent Record Pressing plant in Bordentown, N.J., where the LPs are made. “It’s about 16% less footprint than the traditional piece of vinyl.”

Soren Smith working at Independent Record Pressing in Bordentown, N.J., on May 26, 2026.

(Dutch Doscher / For The Times)

Largely, it’s been people like Swanson who have fully committed to the cause. He says that during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, in an “activist moment,” several labels signed onto the Music Climate Pact, declaring their intention to reduce their emissions and be better stewards of Earth.

“It had almost no teeth to it,” Swanson explains. “A lot of people signed it, posted something on Instagram, and it sat there for a few years. For us, it was pretty frustrating … it felt very perfunctory.”

His work continued, along with a few others, thanks to support from Murmur, an organization designed to support labels and industry names, effectuating the commitments made when the Music Climate Pact was signed.

“We’re more doers than sayers,” Swanson says. “We’ve really been experimenting with what we’re calling ‘Revinyl’ — post-industrial, pre-consumer, recycled vinyl as a means to reduce our footprint at IRP.”

This is what some of Friday’s release is made of — all the trimmings, tidbits and overstock that would otherwise end up in landfills or on the factory floor. For the time being, it certainly won’t solve the climate cost of vinyl records, but it helps to mitigate it.

Between 2024 and 2025, total units produced at Independent Record Pressing increased by 41% while emissions — which also benefited from lower-carbon transportation — decreased by 34%.

“The idea is, if you can make those records 16% more efficient and also show fans of those records … that it is viable, maybe it makes it a little bit easier next year when we go out to ask other artists to jump on board,” Swanson explains. “We’re not making records that are just going to go sit on the shelf — these are records we’re continually repressing all the time anyway.”

Similarly, Ian Stanton, head of sustainability at Beggars Group, was among the first to sign the pact in 2021. His role was created five years ago to give indie labels a voice in light of minimal resources and capabilities. Though these roles do exist at larger labels, he says they have “slightly different drivers.”

When it comes to records, the pure plastic pollution that comes from them is also a concern. When old records make it to a landfill, they’re not only likely to outlive the site, but can also leach plasticizers, a Keele University report found.

“Vinyl is not like a single-use plastic; we don’t throw it away after one listen. We treasure it, we pass it on through generations, and people have a real connection with it,” he says. “But like any other product, there are ways of making it more sustainable.”

He refers to certain plastics, such as shrink wrap, as the most “visible” aspect of vinyl record pollution to consumers. From a collector’s point of view, shrink wrap can actually increase the value of a record. Though there has been discourse over the years around whether this can actually damage the sleeve, many sellers champion an “in the shrink” label as they mark up prices.

Splatter-patterned records arrive at the trim station at Independent Record Pressing in Bordentown, N.J., on May 26, 2026.

(Dutch Doscher / For The Times)

Other visible aspects, such as the paper sleeves in which the records are housed, are also harmful. However, Swanson says that swapping those for recycled materials outputs a relatively negligible difference in emissions impact, largely due to the process behind producing them.

For the time being, vinyl records made from reclaimed materials are the best that companies like Swanson’s can do, though they’re are always on the lookout for other, viable options for improving their footprint. As an example, they’re actively experimenting with how existing record material can help them.

What can the beat-up, worn-out records at your local thrift store do to dodge a landfill and keep the Earth spinning? As it stands, not much.

Stanton lists an array of challenges, including outdated materials, modern production regulations and contaminants.

“I suppose what we need with PVC for records is a really high-quality, contamination-free material to get that sound reproduction,” he explains. “When you bring in stuff from that post-consumer environment, you’ve got to make sure there’s no contamination in there, because you’re going to end up with sound quality issues.

“It’s all in process,” he adds.

For now, they look to fix the most immediate problems first, such as freight emissions, where Beggars Group has converted the vast majority of its shipping operations to sea freight, a far less harmful alternative compared with air freight.

“We want to look at the full life cycle … not only thinking from the cradle to the grave, but from the point where the raw materials are extracted at the beginning,” Stanton says. “This life cycle analysis now looks at all different environmental indicators on this — the chemical usage, the water usage, and the end-of-life impacts on that side of things.”

When Nick Antosca was a kid, he didn’t like having good dreams.

“With good dreams, I’d wake up and think, ‘Well, that didn’t happen’ and be disappointed,’” he recalled in a recent video interview. “But with a nightmare I’d wake up with my pulse racing and think, ‘I’m OK, I survived.’ I loved nightmares.”

Chasing that excitement and “healthy” catharsis in his daily life, Antosca has built a career on telling crime and horror stories: “Channel Zero,” “The Act,” “Brand New Cherry Flavor,” “Candy” and “A Friend of the Family.”

His newest project is a 10-episode remake of “Cape Fear” for Apple TV, starring Javier Bardem as Max Cady along with Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson as Anna and Tom Bowden.

“I think everything I’ve done is kind of a psychological horror story about the characters and their relationships,” he says, noting that this is true of the best horror tales like “Rosemary’s Baby,” “The Shining” and “Cape Fear.”

Antosca was a fan of both the original 1962 “Cape Fear” starring Robert Mitchum and Martin Scorsese’s 1991 remake starring Robert De Niro. But he felt it was time for a modern revision, a Southern Gothic fever dream that reflects the complexities of life today.

“The terror in ‘Cape Fear’ is about the destruction of the family,” he says. The story was originally about Cady, a rapist released from prison stalking Sam Bowden, who had interrupted his crime and testified against him. In Scorsese’s version, Bowden had been Cady’s defense attorney who, knowing Cady was guilty, had hidden evidence about the victim’s promiscuity to ensure a conviction and long sentence.

The original features “an all-American archetype of a virtuous family pitted against a monster,” while Scorsese depicted a “broken and dysfunctional family and the monster is even more extreme, he’s like a swamp creature.”

“The previous versions of ‘Cape Fear’ are pretty cut and dry,” Antosca says.

The Bowdens are portrayed by Amy Adams as Anna, Patrick Wilson as Tom and Lily Collias as daughter Natalie.

(Apple)

The new iteration features a sexting scandal, social media eruptions and drones — “there’s more ways to terrorize a family in 2026 and the world is scarier today than it was before” — but that’s not what makes it feel different.

“In our version the truth is more complicated, the past is more mysterious and both the family and the monster are more complicated,” he says. “The truth is murkier and that feels current.”

In this adaptation, Anna Bowden had been Cady’s defense attorney, and he’s no longer an illiterate rube but a successful restaurateur who was convicted of murdering his wife and unborn son. After the trial, Anna scandalously married Cady’s prosecutor Tom; he became stepfather to her newborn daughter Natalie (Lily Collias) and they later had a son Zack (Joe Anders).

“The foundation of their happiness is Max’s suffering,” he says, adding that while the crime was local in the previous versions, Cady’s conviction had been a national sensation in this one.

On the surface, the Bowdens are a perfect family, but cracks are rippling with increasing intensity just beneath, a fragility that will soon be exploited by Cady.

“In the first episodes, the family is permeable and a threat could be coming from anywhere,” he says. “Even if in your gut you think it’s Max Cady, it feels like it’s seeping into the family from all different directions.”

When Cady is suddenly exonerated and set free, he shows up to insinuate himself in the Bowdens’ life. Anna, ironically, works for a nonprofit that seeks to exonerate the wrongly convicted.

“All the versions ask, ‘What would you do to protect your family?’ but this also asks, ‘If an injustice was done to somebody, then what are they justified doing in return,’” he says. “I don’t want the audience rooting for Max, necessarily, but I want to trick them into having sympathy for somebody they didn’t expect to have sympathy for.”

To pull that off, “Cape Fear” needed a star as charismatic as Mitchum and De Niro.

Antosca always dreamed of Bardem as Cady: “When I’d pitch networks before there was a script, I’d say, ‘Picture Javier Bardem in this role.’” But this time, his dream came to vivid life.

The two developed the character together, everything from the explanation for Cady’s Spanish background to his exposure to Santería and prison and his “mutated version of the real religion” to the tattoos adorning Cady’s body to an early scene with a panther and the idea of the “psychological jungle,” which inspired Bardem to incorporate a panther’s physicality into his movement and his eyes.

Antosca always dreamed of Javier Bardem as Max Cady: “When I’d pitch networks before there was a script, I’d say, ‘Picture Javier Bardem in this role.’”

(Apple)

“Javier also asked questions about Max’s emotional history that was useful in shaping his character,” he says. “We wanted to show a little more authentic vulnerability, which we see very much in the previous versions intentionally.”

To make this series, Antosca first approached Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, who had initially developed the 1991 version. “They were incredibly generous and quite involved,” Antosca says. “They encouraged us to forge our own path.”

The one place they urged some fidelity to the past versions was in the score. “They said the Bernard Herrmann score is part of the DNA and feels like a character in both movies,” says Antosca, noting that Elmer Bernstein adapted the original in Scorsese’s version and Jeff Russo used the same starting point this time around.

Scorsese discussed episodes over FaceTime and Zoom, spending time dissecting a vicious fight scene while Antosca was editing it; shot in color but shown in black-and-white, the blood splattering may make you think of “Raging Bull,” but Antosca says the visceral violence was meant to call up “Casino’s” vise scene.

It may be nearly too much to handle, but Antosca is from New Orleans and says he found it easy to exploit the Southern Gothic sensibilities. “Everything is heightened in the Deep South and we were going for that energy, where something is adjacent to the real world but more saturated, sweatier, more feverish,” he says, noting that while the first episode is “cinematically pretty grounded and traditional, when the family gets shocked out of their comfort zone, things get a little crazy.”

That meant handheld cameras, flares, saturated colors, distortions, negative imagery and odd angles to reflect the growing sense of terror. Antosca promises that in the back half of the series, the show will get even wilder and more destabilizing.

“It just feels like there’s violence in the humidity in the South,” he says.

Subconsciously hearkening back to his childhood sleep experiences, he adds, “I wanted this story to feel like a nightmare that just keeps getting worse and worse and worse and worse.”

True crime fans are eager to learn more about the case explored in Netflix’s The Crash

Netflix fans are still hooked on the chilling case of Mackenzie Shirilla.

The inmate’s story is explored in viral documentary The Crash, which takes viewers through the tragedy that put Mackenzie behind bars.

Mackenzie was just 17 years old when she crashed her car into a brick wall at 100mph. Passengers Dominic Russo, 20, and Davion Flanagan, 19, sadly died at the scene. The driver survived, but she was left seriously injured.

What originally seemed like a devastating accident, though, soon turned into a murder investigation.

During a trial in 2023, prosecutors argued that Mackenzie intentionally crashed the car, ultimately killing her then-boyfriend Dominic and their friend Davion.

The teenager was later found guilty on all counts and received two 15-to-life sentences with the possibility parole.

While the documentary offers an in-depth look at the case and trial, fans have been left wondering when exactly the crime took place.

When did the Mackenzie Shirilla crash happen?

Mackenzie crashed her vehicle into a brick wall in the early hours of July 31, 2022.

Her bench trial, which means a trial ruled by a judge instead of a jury, took place a year later. She was found guilty on all counts on August 14, 2023 and later handed two consecutive 15-year sentences. She will not be eligible for parole until 2037.

The documentary explores Mackenzie’s relationship with the victims, as well as her wider friendship circle. Viewers also hear from her loved ones as they try to paint a picture of the days leading up to the tragedy.

Get Netflix free with Sky

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£5.99

£0

Sky

Get the deal here

Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.

This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.

Netflix’s synospsis states: “A car carrying three young adults slams into a brick building at 100 miles per hour in Strongsville, Ohio, leaving two lives lost and one sole survivor. The driver, 17-year-old Mackenzie Shirilla, was driving her boyfriend, Dom, and his friend, Davion, home from a party when the unthinkable happened.

“But as detectives comb through the wreckage, what first appears to be a tragic accident begins to look like a calculated crime scene. The Crash takes a deep dive into the volatile relationship at the centre, examining the shifting narratives of that fateful night to explore where a fatal mistake ends and cold-blooded murder begins.”

The Crash is streaming on Netflix

A BOND Girl has been spotted on rare outing 50 years after her sizzling scenes aired in one of the most iconic 007 movies.

Former Bond Girl Gloria Hendry, who played CIA agent Rosie Carver, was seen out and about looking amazing this week while running some errands.

50 years after starring opposite Roger Moore in the iconic flick Live and Let Die, Gloria, now 77, was spotted in Las Vegas.

The model and actress wore a casual brown and black top with some black leggings and slip on shoes for the low-key trip.

Looking youthful and content, Gloria wore her hair in a short light brunette bob, which was very different to the afro she sported in the movie.

Florida-born Gloria shot to fame in her 20s when she became 007‘s first African-American woman to become romantically involved with James Bond.

SHINING STAR

90s movie star unrecognisable as she makes comeback- can you guess who she is?

TOUGH GUY

Iconic 80s and 90s movie villain unrecognisable – can you guess who he is?

In the 1973 movie, she was fresh-faced and vibrant, showcasing a voluminous afro that framed her face.

The model-turned-actress played the part of Rosie Carver, who famously gets shot and killed in Bond’s arms.  

Her steamy scenes with Roger Moore catapulted her into the spotlight in the Ian Fleming classic.

The movie theme of Live and Let Die was famously written by Paul McCartney. 

In his memoir, 007 star Roger described how the passion between himself and Gloria impacted his marriage.

“As Bond, I make love to Rosie Carver, played by the beautiful black actress Gloria Hendry, and my wife Luisa has learned from certain Louisiana ladies that if there is a scene like that they won’t go to see the picture,” he penned.

He added: “I personally don’t give a damn, and it makes me all the more determined to play the scene.”

Before her Bond Girl fame, she was a model and spent time at the Playboy Club.

She worked as a Playboy Bunny at the New York Playboy Club from 1965 until 1972.

Her model past led to her acting debut in Sidney Poitier’s For Love of Ivy, which then led to her bagging the James Bond role.

Following her Bond Girl fame, she has maintained a relatively low profile in Hollywood.

However, she did enjoy a moment in the spotlight as the writer and director of Glamour Girls, which was showcased at the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles in October 2011.

Away from the screen, Gloria was married to Phillip W. Wright from 1995 until his passing in 2022.

YouTuber Jesse Ridgway and his wife, Ashley, shared that they terminated their pregnancy following a Down syndrome diagnosis. What happened online afterward has shocked the couple, but Jesse said he is hopeful that sharing their experience may help other couples feel less alone.

The YouTuber, who’s been a content creator for 20 years and has more than 4.3 million subscribers on his main channel, shared a video on his personal YouTube channel last week that featured he and his wife receiving the results of an amniocentesis — a test for certain genetic abnormalities, chromosomal conditions, and fetal infections — and the results were consistent with Trisomy 21, or Down syndrome.

After the couple read the results, Jesse said that they’d discussed beforehand whether they’d consider terminating the pregnancy. “I know this is traumatic for the whole community. Now that we have a definitive result, we’ll talk with the counselors, and we’re gonna have some hard conversations,” he said. Both Jesse and Ashley were emotionally distraught and crying throughout the video.

Jesse told The Times over a phone call on Thursday evening, with Ashley beside him as she recovered from her procedure, that sharing the diagnosis online happened accidentally. The couple was in the middle of a gender reveal video when they spotted the preliminary markers for Trisomy 21 on the same report.

“We were filming and ready to celebrate with our audience and we were blindsided,” he said. “What do we tell people? How do we navigate this? I reverted to being honest, and yes, that led us to the last 48 hours.”

On Wednesday, Jesse posted a lengthy statement that disclosed the couple’s decision to terminate the pregnancy. Ashley reposted the statement to her own Instagram.

“This week, my wife and I made the very difficult decision to terminate the pregnancy due to Trisomy 21,” the since-expired Instagram story read.

Jesse continued that the decision was “not made lightly” and said he appreciated the messages of support he and Ashley received. “I know some of you may be very disappointed to hear this news. We are devastated. This has been extremely traumatic for both of us, especially Ashley. She underwent the procedure earlier this week and is on the mend. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, but emotionally we are drained.”

The YouTuber continued the series of posts explaining: “When I first confronted this news, I was shocked but optimistic. … I signed on to be a parent, come what may … but I just didn’t fully understand what Down Syndrome entailed. Once we made it public, it became clear that MOST people don’t know what Down Syndrome entails (and no, it’s not the same as Autism).

“50% of babies with DS have heart defects. 75% will have hearing challenges. Over 50% will have vision problems. Impaired immune function, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, delayed physical development, poor muscle tone, structural issues with face, decreased lifespan, etc. … Sadly, the list is long, feel free to look it up … Down Syndome isn’t a “blessing”, it is objectively sh— from a health perspective. I didn’t realize just how rough it is for the child, let alone the family.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, about 6,000 babies are born in the U.S. each year with the condition, affecting about 1 out of every 700 babies. “[W]ith appropriate support and treatment, many people with Down syndrome lead happy, productive lives,” the agency notes, but there are often significant lifelong health challenges and risks.”

Ashley had the abortion on Monday. Jesse said he spent the beginning of the week tending to her, and on Wednesday he crafted the post to explain what the couple had decided and why.

“I put it out there for my audience, and then it took on another life. Because it’s a contentious topic, I figured there would be some level of like flak or differing opinions, but to see what it’s become has been pretty shocking,” he said. “There are a million abortions every year, and I’m just shocked that one couple deciding to abort for Trisomy 21 is mainstream news. This is happening every day, and it’s just not talked about.”

Jesse said that his and Ashley’s DMs had been flooded not only with messages of support but also dozens of confessions from strangers who had been through the same experience. And while the supportive messages felt “validating,” Jesse said the couple had received a “tremendous amount of death threats. People saying we’re murderers.”

According to Healthline, nearly 100% of women in Iceland who receive a positive test for Down syndrome terminate their pregnancy. In Denmark, 98% are terminated, in France 77%, and in the United States it’s 67%.

When the Ridgways had finished filming the results of the amniocentesis, they debated whether they should share the video. They said they didn’t even want to watch the tape.

“But I kept coming back to, there are so many people out there like us dealing with these things, and nobody’s talking about it,” he said. “I think if we share this, it will have a net positive for other people, and they can feel more comfortable and less shame confronting these things. … I hope other people can see that, that there is some value in this, but I can’t push it any more than I have. People are going to cast their judgments.”

TOP Gun: Maverick actor James Handy has been stabbed to death with his girlfriend’s son telling cops in a 911 call: “I just killed the man”.

The 81-year-old, who also starred in Logan and Jumanji, was found unconscious with multiple stab wounds to his chest on his front yard.

Authorities rushed to the scene in Tarzana, Los Angeles on Wednesday morning at around 9.30am after receiving a chilling 911 call.

Police revealed a voice at the end of the line said: “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”

Officials rushed to James’ home on Erwin Street and raced him to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Some time later, 44-year-old Michael Gledhill – the son of James’ partner – waved down officers as they searched near the home.

GRISLY END

Man bleeds to death after ‘cutting off his penis & slicing throat’ on LA street

Gledhill confessed to carrying out the fatal attack and said he was the one who phoned the police, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

Gledhill was arrested for murder and taken to Van Nuys Jail with his bail set at $2,000,000.

The LAPD statement said: “Detectives believe this is an isolated incident and there appears to be no danger to the public at this time.”

A motive for the attack remains unclear.

Neighbors have claimed Gledhill and James were overheard arguing overnight.

The star’s talent agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, paid tribute saying: “With great sadness I can confirm that the gentleman who was attacked and killed on Wednesday in Tarzana was the actor James Handy.”

James’ career spanned almost five decades with his most recent major role being in Tom Cruise’s Hollywood sequel Top Gun: Maverick in 2022.

He played the role of bartender Jimmy.

Another memorable role for James came in 2017 superhero flick Logan as he played the doctor who treated lead man Hugh Jackman.

James also starred in 1995 cult classic Jumanji alongside Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt and Kirsten Dunst.

His career featured several TV credits such as the role of Arthur Devlin in eight episodes of Alias and recurring stints on Melrose Place and NYPD Blue.

James’ tragic death comes less than a year after Hollywood icon Rob Reiner, 78, had his throat slit inside his LA home.

Son Nick, 32, is currently in jail after being accused of killing both Rob and his mum Michelle, 68, while they were in bed on December 14, 2025.

Nick has pleaded not guilty on both counts of murder and is awaiting trial.

Emmerdale will not air in its usual slot tonight, and isn’t on ITVX owing to the football, and fans of the long-running ITV soap have slammed the decision to take it off air

Emmerdale will not air in its usual slot on Friday night, and isn’t on ITVX either.

The long-running ITV soap, which began in 1972, has been a weeknight staple for much of its time on air, and, earlier this year joined forces with fellow soap Coronation Street to launch the “power hour” amid budget cuts at ITV.

Whilst it normally airs Monday to Friday at 8pm, the Yorkshire-based serial has been pulled to make way for the Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, which will from 7:30pm until 9pm and see Spain go head-to-head with England.

Viewers waiting to get their soap fix will have to wait until Sunday evening, when the episode will instead air at 8:00pm, with Coronation Street following afterward.

In recent years, ITV has made Emmerdale and Coronation Street available on ITVX from 7am on the day of linear broadcast, and, in this case, the new edition will be released on Sunday morning.

With numerous inevitable schedule changes set to take place over the forthcoming World Cup, soap fans flooded social media with complaints. One wrote on Reddit: “Can’t they just stick all the football on, oh I don’t know, the football channel?

“So silly that broadcasters just ignore loyal viewers, some of whom who have been with them for decades, just to shove a sport on – the results of which will be beamed across every platform in real life. TV bosses always treat soaps as bottom of the pile when it comes to these things.” Another said: “Four weeks of disruption nightmare,” and added a string of rolling eyes emojis.

A third raged: “Yes I love the football but as a soap opera fan it’s gonna piss off a lot of people especially who hate football and like Emmerdale and Coronation street and EastEnders and of course Hollyoaks who won’t be affected by this and yes I get it important for the whole world but don’t u think we should have a channel for the world cup not on BBC or ITV.”

Another wrote: “International football should remain on free to view channels and not hidden behind a pay wall like the Premier league and champions league has become,” and a third suggested: “The simple solution is they just air the episodes on streaming regardless if it goes out over the airwaves. It’s kinda defeating the point if streaming platforms follow a schedule where only one thing can be on at once.”

It comes as fans recently predicted something of a bombshell could crop up in the relationship between Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle, known as Robron, as little has been said since they got engaged in the Corriedale crossover. While viewers will likely have to wait to find out, Robert’s faced backlash from Aaron’s family and friends, and other villagers, due to the drama with Joe Tate and the farm.

One of those people currently against him is Aaron’s best friend Mackenzie Boyd. But in a bizarre turn of events, a new theory from a viewer has sparked much confusion.

A soap fan took to Reddit to ask when Robert and Mack’s affair was going to air. Naturally, the post that seemed so sure it was on the cards left fans confused, as it’s not something that has been remotely hinted at, let alone confirmed on the show. Fans ended up replying, with some needing answers as others questioned if a mix-up had occurred. The original post read: “When do Robert and Mack have their affair?

“Have been hearing about it for ages that it’s happening. Guess they’re waiting for things to blow up with the baby.” Again, as fans pointed out, there has been no suggestion on or offscreen that this is happening.

So where the “talked about” theory has come from, no one knows. This led to fans actually asking the poster what they had heard, to which there was no reply.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads .

More than 20 years after Michael Jackson was acquitted on charges of child molestation — and two months since the global superstar’s record-breaking biopic skirted any mention of abuse allegations — a new Netflix docuseries brings his trial and the aftermath to the foreground.

“Michael Jackson: The Verdict,” a three-part documentary directed by Nick Green and released Wednesday, chronicles his 2005 trial in Santa Maria that began with a search raid of the pop star’s sprawling Neverland Ranch and ended with a jury finding him not guilty on 10 counts, including four counts of child molestation. At the center of the case was Gavin Arvizo, a then-15-year-old cancer survivor from Los Angeles.

Because recording was not allowed in the courtroom, the documentary relies heavily on archival footage from media surrounding the trial and firsthand accounts of key figures involved, including prosecutor Ron Zonen, Jackson family attorney Brian Oxman, journalist Diane Dimond, two trial jurors, and friends and supporters on both sides of the case.

The episodes also delve into the 2003 documentary “Living With Michael Jackson,” in which the pop star is interviewed by British journalist Martin Bashir, that sparked questions about his behavior, leading to the charges against Jackson. Jackson’s historically questionable relationships with children, the media circus surrounding the trial and the effect it had on fans, the family at its center and Jackson himself are explored, too.

Here are six key takeaways from “The Verdict.”

Jackson allegedly had his personal assistant order child pornography

One of the docuseries’ most revealing interviews came from Vincent Amen, a former Jackson associate who worked at Neverland Ranch from 2002 to 2003. He said he was put in charge of taking care of the Arvizo family during their stay at the property following media backlash from Gavin Arvizo’s appearance in “Living With Michael Jackson.”

At that time, Amen said, he “wholeheartedly” believed in Jackson’s innocence, especially because Jackson’s friend Frank Tyson, also known as Frank Cascio, a member of the family who filed a lawsuit against Jackson’s estate in April detailing alleged sexual abuse, vouched so strongly for him. Cascio, who met Jackson when he was 5 years old and later became his personal assistant, told Amen, “Michael would never do this with a child.”

Amen’s conviction shifted, however, after he discovered a disturbing magazine that apparently belonged to Jackson in Cascio’s possession.

“Frank cleaned out his house of anything that came from the Neverland Ranch. And he hands me a Nike bag,” Amen said in the docuseries. “I took the bag and I’m driving home, and I felt, ‘Something’s a little suspicious.’ And I said, ‘Let me take a look in this bag.’ I start taking videos to document this. I open the bag. I start looking, and I see a magazine.”

The series shows shaky footage of Vincent apparently finding a nudist magazine called “Naturally.” He flips to a video ordering section with titles circled in black marker, including videos called “Nudist Youth Weekend” and “Euro-Nudist Family.”

“I confronted Frank, I said, ‘Frank, what is this magazine? Because, you know, there’s circles around videos with naked children,’” Amen recounted. “He said, ‘That’s just a phase that Michael and I went through. He circled the videos that he wanted, I ordered them, and it was a phase that we went through.’ They watched them together.”

The Arvizo children called Jackson ‘daddy’ and had their own bizarre nicknames

Along with footage of the nudist magazine, Amen held on to other evidence of his time with Jackson and the Arvizo family, including a set of Polaroid pictures featuring Gavin’s mom, Janet, and younger brother, Star.

In one, Star points directly into the lens. It’s captioned, “You my daddy Michael.” Another photo of a smiling Janet and Star includes a handwritten caption from Janet that says, “Dearest loving Michael, we appreciate you being our family. What God brings together, no man can undo. We love you.”

Under a photo of Star with a cross-eyed expression, he wrote, “I love you, my daddy Michael. Your son, Blowhole.”

“These are the nicknames that Michael would give these young boys,” Amen said.

Bashir documentary marked a pivotal shift in the perception of Jackson

Martin Bashir in “Michael Jackson: The Verdict.”

(Netflix)

Though the first allegations of child molestation against Michael Jackson emerged in 1993, it was footage from Bashir’s “Living With Michael Jackson” that ignited public concern about Jackson’s relationship with Gavin.

In a pivotal scene from the 2003 documentary, Jackson brings Gavin in as an example of a child with cancer that he helped. Gavin, 13 at the time, leans his head on Jackson’s shoulder and holds his hand. Jackson tells Bashir that the two often share a bed at the Neverland Ranch, though in another scene he stresses that it’s not sexual.

“I realized that we had something that was hugely significant, but I didn’t realize the extent of the bombshell until the broadcast,” Bashir recalled in “The Verdict.”

“You can see it. You can look at that moment in the Martin Bashir documentary and you can actually pin the end of his life to that very moment,” J. Randy Taraborrelli, Jackson’s childhood friend and biographer, said in the docuseries.

Given Jackson’s stardom, news and tabloid media swarmed the scene of the trial along with droves of dedicated fans (and a much smaller contingent of detractors). And the archival footage from “The Verdict” shows the extent to which fandom and media frenzy influenced the proceedings.

Jackson’s fans stationed themselves throughout the route he’d take to the Santa Maria courthouse with signs showing their support, sometimes standing and shouting and other times driving alongside him and honking. Jackson had his director of security, Kerry Anderson, film these drives while he waved and engaged with supporters.

As many as 1,000 fans showed up on the first day of the trial, and many would line up starting at 5 a.m. for raffle tickets that would allow them to enter the courtroom. One fan interviewed for the docuseries, Sheree Wilkins, said she quit her job as a preschool teacher to move to Santa Maria for the trial. When the “not guilty” verdicts were announced, she fainted and had to receive medical attention.

TV news stations from around the world, including Taiwan, Japan and Mexico, sent crews to cover the trial.

Even inside the courtroom, where cameras were not allowed, enthusiasm for Jackson’s music could not be contained. Attendees recalled everybody, from the jury to the judge and even the prosecution, “swaying in their seats” when songs played as part of an evidence display.

“I remember me moving in time to his music,” prosecutor Ron Zonen said. “At one point Tom [Sneddon, the District Attorney leading the prosecution] jabbed me and said, ‘Would you stop moving your foot?’ ”

Jackson’s mental and physical health deteriorated

Mark Geragos briefly served as Jackson’s defense attorney.

(Netflix)

According to numerous interviews in “The Verdict,” Jackson’s substance use was problematic before and during the trial.

Jackson was not at Neverland during the raid that predated his charges. According to journalist Dimond, her sources said he was in Las Vegas “having wild parties.”

“There were cigarette burns in the leather couches and chairs. There were empty liquor bottles on every table. And this is where Michael Jackson had been for several days, entertaining young teenage boys, who all spoke German,” she said.

Later, Jackson’s well-publicized physical pain became the catalyst for controversy when he was hospitalized overnight, where he was allegedly given enough pain medication “to tranquilize an elephant,” and failed to show up on time for court the next day. The judge threatened to issue a warrant for his arrest if he didn’t make it to the courthouse within the hour, leading Jackson’s team to speed there at 90 mph.

Throughout the trial, stress took an enormous toll on Jackson, defense attorney Mark Geragos said in the docuseries.

“I watched him just disintegrate, literally disintegrate. The ingestion of substances was just astronomical. There was a time when I actually saw him in the fetal position on the floor, and I thought, ‘What do we do?’ I mean, you don’t want his death to be on your hands because you took some inaction,” he said. “We had genuine concerns whether he could even withstand a trial — physically, mentally.”

The prosecution’s case fell apart at the hands of key witnesses

“The Verdict” lays out, step by step, how the trial ended in Jackson’s full acquittal. One major contributor, the docuseries seems to argue, is the downfall of the prosecution at the hands of its own witnesses.

Defense attorney Tom Mesereau was an expert at discrediting witnesses, subjects told the filmmakers, but certain key witnesses, like Janet Arvizo, struggled to connect with the jury on their own.

“I called her Janet from another planet,” admitted juror Melissa Herard. “Sorry, but that’s just how she acted.”

Jackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe was meant to take the stand as a smoking gun for the prosecution but instead revealed no new information and came to Jackson’s defense.

The prosecution also partially hinged its case on past allegations of child sexual abuse against Jackson, but conflicting testimony caused these efforts to backfire. A former Neverland employee claimed to witness Jackson molest Wade Robson when he was a child, but Robson took the stand and denied anything happened.

“It’s hard to convince a jury when the subject of the act itself said it didn’t happen,” Zonen said.

In 2013, Robson reversed his stance and filed a lawsuit against the Jackson estate alleging sexual abuse. His allegations, along with those of James Safechuck, were the subject of the 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland.”

FIGHTING fit model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley puts others in the shades as she arrives for a gym workout — in sunglasses.

The toned British actress, 39, looked like a real-life Lara Croft posing in a pink lycra two-piece and weight-lifting gloves.

Mad Max: Fury Road star Rosie has two children with her fiancé, Hollywood hardman Jason Statham, 58.

We exclusively revealed last month how the couple bought a £20million beachfront “forever home” — and are spending another £5million renovating it.

They bought the six-bedroom mansion in the South of England, Land Registry records reveal.

The contemporary new-build is set on 20 acres and has its own private beach, ­enormous tree house, boating lake and wild swimming pond.

HARDMANSION

Jason Statham buys stunning £20m seaside home with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

WHITE A SITE

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley drips with glamour as she poses under shower

Building work has been going on for some time, with experts estimating a further £5million is being spent.

Public records show Jason, 58, who starred in the Fast and Furious franchise, Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, paid £20million for the site in 2024.

Several high-profile celebrities also own homes in the area. Jason also has extensive properties in Hollywood and Cornwall.

The couple, who have a home in London, met at a party in 2009 and got engaged in 2016.

Rosie, 39, has fashions collaborations with M&S and ­Burberry and acting roles in Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Mad Max: Fury Road.

She recently revealed she was moving to the countryside, saying: “I’ve been dreaming of this since I left home.”

Los Angeles police are investigating the fatal stabbing of actor James Handy, who officials said was killed by his girlfriend’s son Wednesday at a home in Tarzana. The suspect was apprehended after he made a bizarre 911 call.

On Thursday, authorities identified the 81-year-old stabbing victim as the actor, who appeared in the films “Logan,” “Jumanji,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Arachnophobia.”

Representatives for the actor confirmed the news to The Times.

On Wednesday morning around 9:30 a.m., West Valley area patrol officers responded to an emergency call in a residential neighborhood of Tarzana. The 911 caller stated, “I am the son of man. I just killed the man of sin.”

When police arrived, they found Handy in the front yard of the Erwin Street home, unconscious and suffering from a stab wound to his chest. According to law enforcement, Handy was taken to a local hospital by paramedics, where he was pronounced dead.

A news release said that Michael Gledhill, the man suspected of stabbing Handy, flagged down officers who were responding to the incident and told them he was the one they were looking for.

Gledhill, 44, lives at the Erwin Street home with his mother, who police said was in a relationship with Handy.

Detectives said they believed this was an isolated incident and there appeared to be no danger to the public at this time.

Gledhill was arrested and transported to Van Nuys Jail, where he was booked on suspicion of murder. His bail was set at $2 million.

Handy has more than 150 acting credits to his name and had acted across television and film since the 1970s. Most recently, he played a bartender alongside Jennifer Connelly in the 2022 sequel “Top Gun: Maverick.” In 2017, he played opposite Hugh Jackman in “Logan” as a doctor who pleads with Wolverine to heal up.

In 2021, he portrayed Father MacGuffin in the comedy “Senior Entourage.” The film’s director, Brian Connors, posted on Facebook last year that Handy was one of the “finest character actors I know.”

Handy also acted in numerous television crime dramas, including “Alias,” “Criminal Minds,” “NCIS: Los Angeles,” “Rizzoli & Isles,” “CSI: NY,” “Cold Case” and more.

The police are asking anyone with additional information about this incident to contact the Robbery-Homicide Division, Valley Section, Dets. Simonyan or Lopez, at (818) 374-9550.

Love Island bosses had yet another twist up their sleeve with the latest bombshell and fans have been left stunned

Love Island viewers were treated to another huge twist in the latest bombshell action. Following hot on the heels of a double eviction – sort of – the villa was getting ready to welcome two new islanders.

And it turns out one already knows a fellow love hopeful very well. In fact, he is his brother! Aidan’s sibling, Kavan, has made a big impression – both with Ellie and online.

Electrician Kavan, 21, is the younger brother of 23-year-old property broker Aidan. One user on X, formerly known as Twitter, said: “Bringing in a brother Love Island are you mad?!” Another added: “Love Island are seriously running out of ideas LOOOOL tf you mean Aidan’s BROTHER? #LoveIsland.”

A third wasn’t keen on the idea, either, saying: “Eww imagine being on Love Island with a sibling. Could not be me. #loveisland.”

A fourth enjoyed the twist, though, writing: “Two brothers in one villa is brazy. Fairs, Love Island, fairs #loveisland.”

And a fourth agreed: “imagine going onto love island and fumbling the hottest girl in there and then ur brother comes in and dates her. sunday dinners gonna be awkward when they get back #loveislanduk

Ellie having a date with Kavan left her stunned and she gasped “f*** off” when he revealed Aidan is his brother.

It comes after Yasmin and Aidan caught up in the Snug to discuss Yasmin’s decision to dump Ellie. She told him: ““I’m sorry it’s put you in a sh*t situation.”

Comforting her, Aidan said: “I’m just shocked, that’s all. I didn’t expect it.” He pulled her in for a hug as the pair got closer.

The pair continued to share a closer bond the next day. On the terrace, Aidan told her: “My attention is of course with you. I think I made a bold statement yesterday and I stick by it… But I feel like you also made a bold decision which was nice.”

Yasmin questioned if her choice was bad and Aidan flirted by saying: “Nah, it was sexy…” As Yasmin joked she did it “all for you” the pair leant in for a kiss, with Ellie appearing to be the last thing on his mind.

But despite their early exit, Ellie and Samraj were in for a twist. Following a shock text informing them that their Love Island journey isn’t over, they were snuck off to somewhere much closer to home than the airport. The duo headed to The Hideaway.

Samraj joked to Ellie: “I didn’t think I’d be spending my first night in the Hideaway with you Ellie, as much as I love you!”

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

Los Angeles police are investigating the fatal stabbing of actor James Handy, who officials said was killed by his girlfriend’s son Wednesday at a home in Tarzana. The suspect was apprehended after he made a bizarre 911 call.

On Thursday, authorities identified the 81-year-old stabbing victim as the actor, who appeared in films “Logan,” “Jumanji,” “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Arachnophobia.”

Representatives for the actor confirmed the news to The Times.

On Wednesday morning around 9:30 a.m., West Valley area patrol officers responded to an emergency call in a residential neighborhood of Tarzana. The 911 caller stated, “I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin.”

When police arrived, they found Handy in the front yard of the Erwin Street home, unconscious and suffering from a stab wound to his chest. According to law enforcement, Handy was taken to a local hospital by paramedics, where he was pronounced dead.

A news release said that Michael Gledhill, the man suspected of stabbing Handy, flagged down officers who were responding to the incident and told them he was the the one they were looking for.

Gledhill, 44, lives at the Erwin Street home with his mother, who police said was in a relationship with Handy.

Detectives said they believed this was an isolated incident and there appeared to be no danger to the public at this time.

Gledhill was arrested and transported to Van Nuys Jail, where he was booked on murder charges. His bail was set at $2 million.

The police are asking anyone with additional information about this incident to contact the Robbery-Homicide Division, Valley Section, Dets. Simonyan or Lopez, at (818) 374-9550.

KYLIE Jenner has shown off her stunning figure as she enjoyed a night out during a luxury holiday to Turks and Caicos.

The TV star posed up a storm for a slew of snaps from the trip, which saw her donning a skintight cream dress – ditching her underwear for the ensemble.

Kylie’s dress had a large cut-out down the side, with the brunette pulling her locks into a slicked back braid and adding statement silver earrings.

Posing on the beach, she looked sensational in a carousel of Instagram snaps.

Kylie even got into the sea in her dress for some pictures, seemingly unfazed about getting her ensemble wet.

“Loves a sunset day,” captioned Kylie underneath the pictures.

NEW LOVE

Charlotte Crosby’s BFF reveals new romance after split from father of two kids

FAN THEORY

Love Island fans spot moment Yasmin got ‘the ick’ after kiss with Aidan

The star is enjoying the fun-filled trip with a group of her pals, with the holiday to promote her brand, Kylie Cosmetics.

She has been keeping fans up to date via Instagram as they enjoy lavish beach dinners and stunning scenery.

Travelling in style, Kylie shared pictures of the group travelling to Turks and Caicos in a luxury private jet.

Her kids Stormi, eight, son Aire, four, and their friends have also joined her on the lavish holiday.

Kylie shares her two little ones with ex Travis Scott.

The trip comes after fans were left Kylie Jenner fans convinced she’s engaged to Timothee Chalamet after spotting massive diamond ring in new video

In a recent TikTok video, she was spotted sporting a diamond ring on her little finger, which several fans were convinced was actually an engagement ring.

One user wrote: “It HAS to be an engagement ring because it’s too big to be fitted for her pinky.”

“Mrs. Chalamet has never looked this beautiful. A touch of happiness made her glow,” noted a second.

The couple have been dating since 2023 and she’s showed up as the proud girlfriend as she accompanied him to the various award shows during award season.

Strictly Come Dancing is reportedly going to be unrecognisable by the time it returns to screens later this year, after bosses have decided to give the show a makeover

Strictly Come Dancing is undergoing a major makeover. The BBC dancing programme is set to return to screens later this year with three new hosts following the departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

And Tess and Claudia aren’t the only people who’ve left; a string of professional stars have also departed, making way for new names to take to the dancefloor. But that’s not the only shake-up: sources say the show will look completely unrecognisable by the time it returns in autumn.

The dance floor is likely to undergo a makeover, with bosses currently deciding whether to change the iconic backdrop, which has become extremely familiar to viewers. The current studio, the George Lucas studio at Elstree, is made up of bright coloured panels, lights and some screens.

But sources claim this could switch to larger screens that display visuals during routines. “It was natural that bosses look at giving the show a whole new look as it enters a new era, but they aren’t ditching the traditional presentation of the show, just the way it is delivered,” a source told The Sun.

The source went on to add: “It’s going to get a more sleek, impressive set, but it will still be all about fun, glitz and sparkles. They aren’t trying to turn it into the set of Star Wars. But it would have been strange not to have made some change to the look of the show, given that the programme is starting a new chapter with so many other new elements.”

The publication claims that the new set has been compared to the shake-up The X Factor underwent in 2009, which saw the show’s backdrop made up entirely of large screens.

The rumoured new set-up has recently been seen across the UK tour of Strictly: The Professionals, and bosses have decided to keep the staircase and band, but the rest of the display was on giant green screens. The Clauditorium is said to remain the same.

With three hosts rather than two, there will also be a new backstage element of the programme. Emma Willis, comic Josh Widdicombe and professional dancer Johannes Radebe are the new faces of Strictly and will make their presenting debut in the autumn.

Another change this year is that Janette Manrara won’t be returning to the front spin-off show, It Takes Two. Manrara was also widely rumoured to be facing the axe, and has now confirmed she has left the series.

In a video posted on her YouTube account, she said: “Strictly Come Dancing has changed hugely, and I am no longer a part of It Takes Two or the main show. I’ll still be involved in other ways. But that just means that I’m free to pursue and do many other projects that I’ve always wanted to do and never really thought about doing.

“Strictly is all I’ve known for the last 14 years so it is a bit like, ‘Oh, we’re going into a different world, a different space, how are we going to navigate that?'”

The Mirror approached Strictly Come Dancing for comment.

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

Reality programme The Vardys has wrapped up and fans of the show have one big question

Reality show The Vardys has ended, leaving fans with one question.

The programme followed footballer Jamie as he left Leicester City and moved to Italy alongside wife Rebekah and their family.

As it ended on Thursday (June 4), many fans were left wondering if it would be back for a second series, reports Leicestershire Live.

Spanning three episodes on ITV, The Vardys documented the famous family’s relocation to a luxurious Lake Garda residence, where they adjusted to a new life and were faced with a break-in.

“After a difficult and dramatic five years in the UK, Rebekah is ready for the next chapter – but uprooting and moving to Italy with four kids (plus a superstar footballer husband) is not exactly what she had in mind,” a synopsis stated.

“As she manages the emotional and physical upheaval of the new move, she reflects on her recent challenges in the UK, intent on putting the ‘Wagatha’ drama behind her and focusing on an exciting new chapter.”

Following the finale, numerous viewers expressed their desire for another instalment.

“Watched all three episodes last night, loved it… will there be a second series,” one person asked on Instagram.

Rebekah hosted a Q&A on her Instagram Story, and when questioned about a potential second season, she responded: “We only ever agreed to do three episodes, but we will see. It’s a busy time right now.”

Another viewer mentioned watching the programme on catch-up and thoroughly enjoying it, asking if there would be further episodes. “Ah, thank you, we will see,” the star replied.

One viewer asked whether Rebekah and Jamie might venture onto YouTube, and she teased: “Just wait and see.”

Numerous viewers have suggested the series has revealed a different side of the star, and when one commented that Rebekah was a “great mum and wife”, she responded: “A villain makes a better story than the real person, I guess. Sometimes it’s easier to believe a headline than think for yourself.

“A lot of people built careers on getting me wrong,” she continued. “I’m really not as scary as they want you to believe.”

The Vardys is available on ITVX.

Kathy Hilton will no longer be the grand marshal of West Hollywood’s pride parade.

The city and WeHo Pride on Wednesday released a joint statement, announcing that “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star would no longer serve as the Grand Marshal Icon for the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade. The event is scheduled for Sunday.

“After thoughtful discussions, the City of West Hollywood, the WeHo Pride production team, and Kathy Hilton have determined that the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade will not designate a Grand Marshal Icon honoree,” read the statement.

The decision comes less than a week after Hilton was announced. That May 28 announcement was met with swift backlash from the LGBTQ+ community and allies, who called out Hilton’s ties to President Trump and alleged MAGA-leaning politics. Critics also cited accusations that the socialite had used a homophobic slur while on a trip with other cast members of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” an action she has previously denied.

In their joint statement, West Hollywood and the WeHo Pride team expressed their appreciation for “the respectful and sincere dialogue” around both the event and the “role and significance” of Pride honorees.

“The City of West Hollywood has always believed that Pride belongs to the community,” the joint statement said. “Since its earliest days, Pride has served as both a celebration and a platform for activism, visibility, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality, dignity, and justice for LGBTQ+ people. … These conversations reflect the passion people have for WeHo Pride and underscore the importance of ensuring that WeHo Pride continues to honor the history, values, and diverse voices of the LGBTQ+ community.”

In a statement, Hilton expressed gratitude for being considered for grand marshal and reaffirmed her commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and causes.

“My reason for wanting to be involved in this year’s WeHo Pride weekend was simple: to celebrate, support, and share in the joy of a community that means a great deal to so many people,” Hilton said. “Pride is, and always will be, about celebrating and uplifting LGBTQ+ voices, experiences, and achievements. … My support for the community and WeHo Pride is unwavering.”

She also mentioned several queer advocacy organizations and events she has supported over the years, including GLAAD, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, Dr. Mathilde Krim, God’s Love We Deliver and Project Angel Food.

The latest Pride-related dust-up follows the abrupt cancellation of the Long Beach Pride Festival in May. The city’s Pride Parade took place as planned.

Both snafus have occurred as conservative politicians and advocates continue to attack LGBTQ+ rights and visibility nationwide. Some Republican governors have even pushed for conservative alternatives to Pride month festivities. A recent Gallup poll has found that after years of steady gains, support for marriage equality and same-sex relationships has slipped, particularly among Republicans.