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MOLLY-MAE Hague and Tommy Fury have jetted to an exclusive resort for the super rich – splashing £6,000 a night to relax in the Maldives over the festive break.
The luxury trip includes a stay at the One & Only Reethi Rah resort, where villas lead straight into the Indian Ocean.
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Molly Mae has revealed where she is staying in the Maldvies – and only the super rich can afford itCredit: InstagramMolly-Mae and Tommy Fury are relaxing at a lavish resortTommy showed off their amazing accommodation on Instagram
Previous A-list guests include Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, Hollywood stars Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe, The Beckhams and former TopShop owner Phillip Green.
Molly-Mae and Tommy booked into a Grand Water Villa that costs £6,000 a night over the New Year period.
They opted to forgo a private pool, likely to keep a close eye on their two-year-old daughter Bambi.
The resort is nestled on North Male Atoll with villas having access into the beautiful Indian Ocean.
The social media mogul has seen the cash come flowing in after launching her brand, Maebe.
New accounts for her firm MMH International Ltd have laid bare just how much money she is making.
The millionaire Love Island star made around £300,000 in profit for the 12 months to the end of March this year.
Currently, cash deposits in the firm stand at £231,155, having risen from £65,071 last year.
The firm’s documents also go on to reveal that Molly currently has around £700,000 worth of stock.
At present, Molly currently sells a variety of items on Maebe, with some items such as jackets costing £150, as well as jeans and dresses which range up to £90.
The resort is nestled on North Male Atoll island in the MaldivesCredit: RexMolly-Mae looked stylish in a black vest and baseball cap while cradling Bambi in her arms on the gorgeous beachCredit: Instagram
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As the new year begins, novelists send characters to great heights in Tibet and Wyoming, to the great depths of the 19th century Atlantic and back in time, to early 20th century Pakistan. Meanwhile, nonfiction authors contemplate a Spanish shipwreck, a racially motivated murder, the origins of great ideas and how laughter can change our lives. Happy reading!
Guo, whose 2017 memoir “Nine Continents” detailed her difficult road to personal and artistic freedom, pours that experience into Ishmaelle, a young woman from England’s coast who joins the crew of a whaling ship named the Nimrod. Yes, it’s a retelling of Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” and yes, it’s well worth your time. By adding in new characters while adhering to the original story, the author creates something new, strange and thrilling.
Set in 1869, when Europeans were forbidden to enter Tibet, this slow-paced yet tense novel follows the perspectives of Balram, an Indian surveyor, and Katharine, a woman of mixed English and Indian heritage, as they both attempt expeditions for different purposes. During their treks both characters meet a man named Chetak, whose eerie folkloric tales underscore the power structures they’ll each have to surmount before reaching their goals.
While most of this stunning book takes place in Pakistan, an important section leads two brothers to college at Dartmouth in the United States, a place about as far in every respect from their Rawalpindi origins as possible. Mueenuddin, whose gift for satire shines whether he’s describing society matrons or gangsters, never loses sight of his theme: How do any of us ever manage to justify our treatment of the underserved?
Crux: A Novel By Gabriel Tallent Riverhead: 416 pp., $30 (Jan. 20)
A “crux” refers to the toughest point in a climb; it also means a decision point, as well as a place where two things cross. For Tallent’s sophomore novel, two characters who are climbers have reached an important moment in their teenage lives. Daniel and Tamma (he’s straight, she’s queer) have been close friends for years, scrabbling all over Joshua Tree peaks, but as their home lives and individual paths diverge, their bond wavers.
Vigil: A Novel By George Saunders Random House: 192 pp., $28 (Jan. 27)
It seems unfair that, after his spectacular “Lincoln in the Bardo,” Saunders returns with not just another novel featuring a ghost, but with a new novel even more spectacular than the last. “Who else could you have been but exactly who you are?” says the newly incarnated Jill “Doll” Blaine, sent to comfort nefarious oil tycoon K. J. Boone in his last hours alive — a statement that in no way diminishes the political urgency of this spare, lovely book.
We’ve all heard that laughter is the best medicine; funny stuff isn’t merely diversion, but essential to our health. Author Duffy, who hosts the TED Talks podcast “How to Be a Better Human,” believes that anyone, from age 10 to age 103 (he gives examples of each), can make you laugh, help you form community and even lead you to make better decisions. One of the latter? Learn to laugh at yourself; it can signal “general intelligence and verbal creativity.”
By Sylvester Allen Jr. and Belle Boggs University of North Carolina Press: 296 pp., $30 (Jan. 27)
The titular Outlaw was the first Black constable of Graham, N.C. In 1870, he was killed by lynching by members of the local Ku Klux Klan, no doubt in part due to his efforts to build coalition between members of different races and social classes. Allen, a native of Graham and a playwright who wrote a drama based on Outlaw’s legacy, and Boggs, a scholar, connect the terrorism and hatred behind this man’s murder to the present day.
By George Newman Simon & Schuster: 304 pp., $30 (Jan. 27)
So many cartoons depict great ideas using light bulbs that we’ve forgotten many of the greatest ideas come about from long deliberation and careful winnowing. Canadian professor Newman uses archaeological terms for the process: surveying, gridding, digging and sifting. Who knew that Jordan Peele rewrote “Get Out” 400 times, or that Paul Simon composed his “Graceland” album by combing through all of his previous work?
In 1708 the San José, a treasure-laden Spanish galleon, sunk off the coast of Colombia. In 2015 a man named Roger Dooley found the galleon’s wreck and brought back artifacts proving it. Unfortunately, with little education, few bona fides and a sketchy reputation, Dooley received no credit for the discovery. Sancton tracked down Dooley — now in his 80s and somewhat reclusive — and thus is able to provide a fascinating conclusion to the tale.
By Jennifer Breheny Wallace Portfolio: 288 pp., $30 (Jan. 27)
Loneliness pervades our society and to heal it, people need to feel that they actually matter to others — something author Wallace saw when she researched and wrote her 2023 bestseller “Never Enough,” which focused on adolescents and burnout. Now Wallace shares her findings from talking with people of all ages and hearing what a difference it makes when connections are made and individuals are recognized for even the smallest contributions.
Patrick is a freelance critic and author of the memoir “Life B.”
As an editor, the lion’s share of my job is about identifying the awards season’s most compelling stories and conveying them to our readers. But I do reserve a small sliver of time for the joys of advocacy, championing work that I love and hoping that converts readers into viewers, and perhaps even voters.
So, with no new issue this week, my New Year’s Eve newsletter felt like the perfect time to reflect on the movies and TV shows that moved me in 2025. And if you give them another look before you cast your awards ballots, all the better.
MOVIES
1. ‘A Little Prayer’ and ‘The Testament of Ann Lee’
David Strathairn and Jane Levy in “A Little Prayer.”
(Music Box Films)
I am not terribly spiritual myself, but I encountered transcendence twice at the movies this year. As quiet and beseeching as its title, Angus MacLachlan’s chamber drama “A Little Prayer,” about a family man (David Strathairn) navigating marital trouble between his son (Will Pullen) and his daughter-in-law (Jane Levy), uncovers varieties of religious experience in 19th century landscape painting and small, memorable kindnesses. As sweeping as the extraordinary life it depicts, Mona Fastvold’s biographical portrait “The Testament of Ann Lee,” which follows the Shaker leader (Amanda Seyfried) and her devotees from the textile mills of Manchester to the wilderness of colonial New York, carves sensuous art from the exalted song and dance of evangelical faith. But whether the scale is intimate or epic, both capture, to quote “A Little Prayer,” that rare thing: “a powerful sense of the sublime.”
2. ‘Sinners’
Michael B. Jordan in “Sinners.”
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
“Sinners” has rightly been praised for its novel twist on the vampire genre, its deep investment in African and African American music, its blockbuster box office in an era largely dominated by franchise IP. But perhaps the highest compliment I can give director Ryan Coogler may be that the Jim Crow Mississippi he conjures is so richly textured, so allergic to cant or cliche, that I’d have been just as riveted if the bloodsuckers had never shown up. That’s what it’s like to be in the hands of a master.
3. ‘Sorry, Baby’
Eva Victor in “Sorry, Baby.”
(Philip Keith / A24)
Eva Victor is not the first filmmaker to face trauma with a sense of humor, but few have done it with such a gentle, humane touch. As Victor’s Agnes moves through life in the aftermath of a sexual assault on her college campus, the writer-director-star focuses squarely on the slow, ungainly, ultimately profound work of healing — and includes some of the best gags about academia this reformed graduate student has ever seen. No apology needed: “Sorry, Baby” marks the arrival of a major talent.
4. ‘One Battle After Another’
Leonardo DiCaprio in “One Battle After Another.”
(Warner Bros. Pictures)
With elements of action, satire, political thriller and family melodrama, Paul Thomas Anderson’s wild yarn about the members of a revolutionary group — and the fallout that comes when the past catches up with them — is well-nigh indescribable. But it’s also unforgettable. Combining high-wire filmmaking with electric performances, it never relinquishes its grip on the viewer and invites multiple viewings. Which is just as well, considering that this one is going to be on the tip of our tongues all the way through the Oscars.
5. ‘Nouvelle Vague’
Zoey Deutch as Jean Seberg and Guillaume Marbeck as Jean-Luc Godard in “Nouvelle Vague.”
(Jean-Louis Fernandez)
The purest delight of the season is Richard Linklater’s mash note for the French New Wave, a zippy comedy of errors about the making of one of the most influential films of all time. As Jean-Luc Godard (the rakishly charming Guillaume Marbeck) tries to put “Breathless” together with spit, glue and attitude on the streets of Paris, “Nouvelle Vague” becomes as confident a caper as the original, with Jean-Paul Belmondo (Aubry Dullin) and Jean Seberg (a beguiling Zoey Deutch) as the French director’s oft-befuddled collaborators — and sometimes foils. To overlook a film with this much cinematic joie de vivre would be a crime.
6. ‘Sirât’
The rave sequence that opens “Sirât.”
(Neon)
The less said the better about Spain’s acclaimed Oscar submission, which takes such twists and turns as it wends its way through the Moroccan desert that it left me frozen, after my first screening, in a sort of defensive crouch. I simply suggest that you go on the journey with filmmaker Oliver Laxe as he follows a father (Sergi López) and son (Bruno Núñez Arjona) on their search for a missing loved one, beginning with a rave so lifelike it almost had me dancing in the aisles.
7. ‘Hedda’
Tessa Thompson, center, in “Hedda.”
(Matt Towers / Prime Video)
I must admit I went warily into “Hedda.” An awards-season Ibsen adaptation had, I feared, all the makings of a fusty, dour costume drama. Mea culpa, Nia DaCosta. Mea culpa. The filmmaker’s sharp, fresh take on “Hedda Gabler,” featuring mesmerizing performances from Tessa Thompson as the devious title character and Nina Hoss as her (gender-swapped) former lover, renders the play as provocatively, and vividly, for today’s viewer as it must have been for attendees at the Munich premiere in 1891 — and in the process reminds us why the original is an enduring classic.
8. ‘Sentimental Value’
Stellan Skarsgård and Elle Fanning in “Sentimental Value.”
(Kasper Tuxen)
No film this year has left me more eager for a rewatch than Joachim Trier’s delicate family drama, and I was rewarded with the sense that “Sentimental Value” is really two films, woven together so deftly that they can’t quite be unraveled. One is the story of two sisters (Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) bonded by generational trauma. The other is about a filmmaker, their father (Stellan Skarsgård), recruiting a sympathetic outsider (Elle Fanning) to tell the story of his own. By the time these strands reach their conclusion, on a soundstage built to resemble the family manse, Trier’s thoughtful architecture pays off in the understanding that you really can go home again, because home is a state of mind.
9. ‘The Alabama Solution’
A still from “The Alabama Solution.”
(HBO Documentary Films)
In an especially strong year for documentaries, particularly those that appreciate, emulate or chronicle the work of investigative journalism, it seems a shame to single out just one. But from the moment of its Sundance Film Festival premiere, the movie by Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman registered as a prime example of nonfiction storytelling’s unmatched ability to “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable,” starting with its unflinching use of Alabama state prison inmates’ contraband cellphone footage of the shocking conditions they’re forced to endure. As advocacy, as exposé, as portrait of the fight for justice, no documentary has stuck with me this year quite like “The Alabama Solution.”
10. ‘All That’s Left of You’ and ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab’
Scenes from “All That’s Left of You,” left, and “The Voice of Hind Rajab.”
(Watermelon Pictures; Venice Film Festival)
One expands its tale of the Palestinian experience across continents and decades, the other condenses its saga to just 90 minutes, balanced on a knife’s edge between documentary and drama. But for all their stark stylistic differences, both “All That’s Left of You” and “The Voice of Hind Rajab” — along with films such as “Palestine 36” and “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” — urgently communicate, in specific human terms, the life-and-death consequences of a struggle for self-determination too often abstracted in the West to its “complicated” or “thorny” geopolitics. Whether the setting is Jaffa or Gaza, the subject a multigenerational family pushed to its breaking point or the fate of a single little girl, both will leave you shaken. As they should.
TV SHOWS
1. ‘Andor’
Diego Luna and Genevieve O’Reilly in “Andor.”
(Lucasfilm Ltd. / Disney)
Turning its portrait of reluctant rebel Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) into a kaleidoscopic thriller about a simmering revolution reaching the boil — and the authoritarian forces set on stopping them — “Andor’s” second season emerged, by degrees, as the year’s most astounding political allegory — on any size of screen. Aided by an ingenious structure, which divided its four-year arc into four, three-episode miniseries, it ensnared even avowed “Star Wars” skeptics, and featured both the best action set piece and the best monologue of the year.
2. ‘The Rehearsal’
Nathan Fielder in “The Rehearsal.”
(John P. Johnson / HBO)
Another sophomore step up, this iteration of “The Rehearsal” — which bordered on cavalier about its civilian subjects in Season 1 — finds impresario Nathan Fielder with more skin in the game, and so becomes a revelatory meta-comedy that lives up to its immense ambition. Come for the elaborate re-creation of American airports, stay for a surprisingly vulnerable Fielder investigating the possibility that he’s on the autism spectrum, and be wowed by the series’ real-world implications for pilot communication. Whatever aspect of “The Rehearsal” grabs you first, it’s the inimitable, inexpressible whole that makes it essential viewing.
3. ‘Adolescence’
Stephen Graham, left, and Owen Cooper in “Adolescence.”
(Netflix)
It would be easy to be jaded about “Adolescence,” which seems likely to follow in the footsteps of “Baby Reindeer” and win just about every award it’s eligible for. (It’s already notched eight Emmys.) But from the moment I first laid eyes on its extraordinary one-shots, I was persuaded that the series’ technical wizardry was no gimmick. As written by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham and directed by Philip Barantini, in style and substance “Adolescence” captures polite society’s hold on young men spiraling out of control — and invests its central figure, Owen Cooper’s 13-year-old Jamie, with both the childishness and the menace to match.
4. ‘Elsbeth’
Carrie Preston in “Elsbeth.”
(Michael Parmelee / CBS)
I was glad to hear that CBS plans to campaign “Elsbeth” as a comedy at the Emmys in 2026, in part because it may improve Carrie Preston’s chances at a nod for her turn as irrepressible investigator Elsbeth Tascioni, and in part because the designation highlights what has always shined most in the legal universe of Robert and Michelle King. Here, it’s broader and brighter than the acerbic satire of “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight,” and embedded in a “Columbo”-esque case-of-the-week structure, but the pair’s sense of humor — always keyed to punching up — continually works wonders, especially in a world where so much crime media is unrelentingly grim.
5. ‘The Pitt’
Noah Wyle in “The Pitt.”
(Warrick Page / HBO Max)
Given that “ER” was the first show my mom let me stay up late to watch, I wasn’t surprised to like “The Pitt.” But even with my high expectations, I was dazzled by the series’ ability to introduce such a wide array of characters in the pilot episode, and then to develop them all in a seemingly infinite variety of directions while solving one medical crisis after another. Indeed, forced by its “real-time” structure to keep the focus tight even as the stakes ratchet skyward, “The Pitt” registers as even richer, subtler and more relevant than its predecessor. May its heyday last just as long.
6. ‘Dying for Sex’
Jenny Slate, left, Sissy Spacek and Michelle Williams in “Dying for Sex.”
(Sarah Shatz / FX)
Since first seeing it in the spring, I haven’t been able to get out of my head the most hilarious moment in “Dying for Sex.” When Molly (Michelle Williams), early in a journey of sexual self-discovery prompted by a recurrence of cancer, falls victim to an online ransomware scam, she drops to the floor to escape the sight of her laptop camera — soon to be joined by her loyal but scattered bestie, Nikki (Jenny Slate), who is not much help but is great company. It had me doubled over with laughter, like so much of Liz Meriwether and Kim Rosenstock’s adaptation of the real-life story. The miniseries never pulls a comic punch despite the heavy subject matter, and is peppered with idiosyncratic choices and memorable performances that make it sing. Special shout out to Rob Delaney for turning a total slob named Neighbor Guy into one of the romantic heroes of the year.
7. ‘Forever’
Michael Cooper Jr. and Lovie Simone in “Forever.”
(Elizabeth Morris / Netflix)
The Emmy success of “The Studio” and the buzz around “I Love L.A.” may have somewhat overshadowed “Forever,” but they have given me consistent opportunities in 2025 to recommend my favorite L.A.-set show of the year. Mara Brock Akil’s warmhearted, meticulously wrought teen romance, channeling Judy Blume’s condescension-free interest in young people, paints a portrait of places in the city where those other series rarely go, and does so with uncommon sensitivity. I could watch “Forever,” well, forever. Plus, it features one of the year’s finest dramatic performances: Like the series as a whole, Karen Pittman’s protective mother transforms an archetype that could easily ring with cliches into a lived-in, multilayered portrait. Give me more, Netflix!
8. ‘The Gilded Age’
Audra McDonald, left, and Denée Benton in “The Gilded Age.”
(Karolina Wojtasik / HBO)
After two enjoyably low-stakes seasons, HBO’s New York-set spin on the upstairs/downstairs drama, created by “Downton Abbey’s” Julian Fellowes, breaks out of the (opera) box in Season 3. With ruined women, roguish men and more geegaws than you can shake a stick at — not to mention a character known to the internet as Clock Twink (Ben Ahlers) — the series remains a deliciously campy prime-time soap, but it now features moments of genuine romance, or regret, to accompany the social climbing. With Peggy (Denée Benton) finding love, Ada (Cynthia Nixon) finding fortune and conniver in chief Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) finding herself on the outs with her wealthy husband (Morgan Spector), “The Gilded Age” has reached glorious maturity by developing a subplot for just about every taste, even one as lofty as the Van Rhijns’.
9. ‘The Paper’
Domhnall Gleeson in “The Paper.”
(Aaron Epstein / Peacock)
Call me a homer if you like for putting a show about the survival of local newspapers on this list. And when it comes to the indignities of 21st century journalism, “The Office” spin-off, from Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, certainly passes my fact-check. But more importantly, and sustainably, Peacock’s mockumentary treats the Toledo Truth Teller as the setting for a rock-solid workplace comedy, replete with a winsome editor in chief (Domhnall Gleeson), an ace reporter (Chelsea Frei) and a perfect foil, in the form of managing editor/aspiring influencer Esmeralda Grand (Sabrina Impacciatore, in perhaps the year’s funniest performance). Sure, I’m liable to root for any film of TV show that qualifies as a “love letter” to my chosen profession, but you can’t fake credibility. “The Paper” has the goods.
10. ‘Pluribus’ and ‘Paradise’
Sterling K. Brown in “Paradise,” and Rhea Seehorn in “Pluribus.”
(Disney; Apple TV)
One is full of jaw-dropping plot twists, the other meditative, often silent. One imagines the end of the world as we know it in terms of natural disaster, the other in the form of an extraterrestrial’s utopia. What Dan Fogelman’s “Paradise” and Vince Gilligan’s “Pluribus” share, though, is far more important than what sets them apart: a commitment to postapocalyptic storytelling rooted in flawed, compelling characters, not the minutia of megavolcanoes and mRNA. Indeed, as “Paradise’s” hero, Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown), squares off against the power-mad Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson) in an underground bunker, or “Pluribus’” Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) clashes with stubborn ally Manousos Oviedo (Carlos Manuel Vesga) on an Earth overtaken by happy lemmings, what becomes clear about both series — and I mean this as a high compliment — is how ordinary they are. If you want to know how you might handle doomsday, you could do worse than starting here.
Adam Peaty’s sister Bethany (right) has revealed the lavish bridesmaid gift from Holly RamsayCredit: GettyThe Olympic swimmer tied the knot with Gordon Ramsay‘s daughter on SaturdayCredit: SplashAdam’s parents were uninvited from the weddingCredit: Instagram
But the nuptials had been overshadowed by Adam’s ongoing feud with his family, including his parents who were uninvited from the wedding.
Adam’s older sister Beth was the only family member to be invited to the big day – and along with Holly’s sisters Tilly, 24 and Megan, 27, she was one of the three bridesmaids.
Beth has now revealed the generous bridesmaid gift she received prior to the wedding.
She took to Instagram to share personalised items Holly had sent her, including a pot of Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, which retails for £79.
She was also treated to personalised pillow cases with her name on it and the word ‘Bridesmaid’, as well as matching tote bags for her and her partner Dan.
Beth shared a snap of her pre-wedding prep which also included a pair of black pyjamas, a sleep mask and a handkerchief which was embodied with the words ‘Beth Bridesmaid 27.12.2025.”
The lead up to their nuptials was fraught with drama, after Adam, 31, uninvited his mum Caroline when a feud erupted over her failing to be invited to Holly’s hen do.
It was then revealed that Adam had said his dad Mark could attend the wedding – but he would have to sit at the back of the church.
Unsurprisingly, Mark chose not to attend, as did Adam’s brothers James and Richard.
Now, The Sun can reveal that his great aunt Janet, 73, and uncle Eddie were uninvited in a very brutal way just four days before the ceremony.
A source said: “They got an automated message basically saying they were off the guest list and to respect Adam and Holly’s decision.
“It was so impersonal, and just four days before the big day.”
The brutal text came despite the fact the couple had already shelled out hundreds of pounds on accommodation, outfits and gifts.
His words left Caroline “outraged and hurt” with an insider telling the Daily Mail: “Caroline can’t believe Gordon brought their family troubles up his speech. It is outrageous and very hurtful.
“By him saying Tana will be a good mum to them both makes Caroline sound like a bad mum. It was a cruel dig at her.
“She has always done her best for all her children. She is a very good mum.”
However, the newlyweds brushed off any further drama as they were pictured leaving Gordon’s London home on Monday to jet off on honeymoon.
ACTOR Isiah Whitlock Jr – whose starring role in The Wire launched an iconic catchphrase – has died aged 71.
Whitlock Jr was best known for his recurring roles in Law & Order and Veep as well as being a regular in Spike Lee films.
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Isiah Whitlock Jr. has tragically diedCredit: GettyIsiah Whitlock Jr played Clay Davis (right) opposite Idris Elba (left) in The WireCredit: HBOHis most recent TV appearance was on the Netflix original The Residence, where he (left) played Larry Dokes on the showCredit: ERIN SIMKIN/NETFLIXWhitlock Jr appeared on TV screens for 35 yearsCredit: Getty
His iconic catchphrase “Sh*******t” was also enshrined into pop-culture after he first delivered the line in 25th Hour.
In an interview in 2008, Whitlock Jr revealed he had picked up the phrase from his uncle Leon.
“I did it there, and I did it in She Hate Me,” he said.
“But then, when I got on to The Wire, I saw a couple of opportunities where I could do it, and I did.
“And they started writing it in.”
Whitlock Jr was born in South Bend, Indiana, and began his acting career after graduating from college, when he joined San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater.
The star first appeared on screen in 1987 in a guest role on CBS’Cagney & Lacey.
He continued to appear on TV for the following 35 years, starring in the Law & Order franchise in multiple episodes of Special Victims Unit and Criminal Intent.
Best known for his role as corrupt State Senator R. Clayton “Clay” Davis in The Wire, he appeared in all five seasons of the popular crime drama.
Whitlock Jr later got to play a man obsessed with The Wire in the 2011 comedy Cedar Rapids.
The star was confirmed dead on Tuesday by his long-time manager Brian Liebman.
“Isiah was a brilliant actor and even better person,” Liebman told Deadline.
“He was loved by all who had the pleasure to work with or know him.
“He will be greatly missed.”
A fan favourite on HBO’s political comedy Veep, he played Secretary of Defence General George Maddox.
Whitlock Jr was a series regular on Showtime’s legal thriller Your Honor, where he portrayed a politician with connections in organised crime.
In the film Cedar Rapids, (2011), he played a man obsessed with The WireCredit: HandoutWhitlock Jr. also appeared in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman (2018)Credit: Alamy
His final TV role was in the Netflix murder mystery series The Residence, where he depicted the Chief of Police, opposite Uzo Aduba.
The show premiered in March.
The star had a long-standing relationship with Spike Lee, appearing in six of the Oscar-winning filmmaker’s movies: 25th Hour (2002), She Hate Me (2004), Red Hook Summer (2012), Chi-Raq (2015), BlacKkKlansman (2018) and Da 5 Bloods (2020).
He also appeared as a doctor in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, as well as roles in Chappelle’s Show, Pieces of April, Enchanted and Pixar’s Cars 3 and Lightyear.
On the big screen, Whitlock Jr was most recently seen in Elizabeth Banks’ black comedy Cocaine Bear.
His voice will also be heard as part of the voice cast in the Pixar/Disney animated feature Hoppers, which is slated for release in March, 2026.
He voiced the character River Scott in Cars 3Credit: Kobal Collection – Shutterstock
OUR team of intrepid showbiz reporters have brought you all the latest on the Brooklyn Beckham saga, blow by blow accounts of JoJo Siwa dumping her girlfriend for Chris Hughes and we broke the news about Danny Jones kissing Maura Higgins to name just a few astonishing showbiz scoops from 2025.
But while we’ve been filling the paper and gracing the internet with story after story, there’s actually been A LOT we haven’t told you… until now.
Chris Hughes and JoJo Siwa’s romance was one of the biggest surprises of 2025Credit: InstagramMaura Higgins’ close relationship with Danny Jones also hit the newsCredit: Splash
We may not be able to name names. but we CAN give you all the dirty secrets the stars definitely don’t want you to know… Prepare to be shocked.
A SCARY TYPE OF LOVE
We shook our heads in disbelief when we were told all a Love Islander had a violent criminal family member.
No wonder her boyfriend was scared to dump her despite seeming completely over her as their romance hit the rocks. Once he’d heard about the jailed man’s crimes, he’d be scared to upset her.
GUILTY GIFT
One huge reality star managed to keep the details of an explosive breakup with her ex under wraps.
It’s known that she cheated on her former flame before their split, but what remains secret is that the person she cheated with was married, and their affair sparked a very messy divorce. Worse still, the star was gifted a Rolex from her lover… which belonged to his wife.
2025 was full of celeb rows – some to risky to be mentioned
HOT AND STEAMY
One former I’m A Celebrity star has been using the sauna at a well known private members club for their illicit hookups.
Fellow members are thought to have been shocked when they spotted him, but have quickly got used to his steamy antics.
THEY’VE GOT THE SAME TYPE
These two TV stars appeared blissfully happy when they got wed but we were told they were both having it off with the same bloke before the big day.
Affairs are nothing new but it turns out these two had no idea they were copping off with the same person. When that gossip finally filters back, we expect divorce papers to be drawn up pretty fast.
MONEY TALKS
Tis the season to be jolly, but we can reveal a well known BBC star turned into a real life Grinch after attending an Uber Xmas party where guests were given one box containing an uber code.
After making full use of the free bar this person proceeded to nab the lot and hastily open them all in the lift…
NOT SURE PICTURE PERFECT
Our jaws hit the floor when we were told all about the well-loved female BBC star who showed an explicit and unwanted picture of a penis to a junior member of staff.
The woman, who ranked among the Corporation’s top 50 highest paid this year, asked the junior member of staff about her preferences and then showed her a nude image on her mobile phone.
But her actions were considered so offensive that the female talent was called in by execs and asked to apologise.
One celeb’s dad took it a bit too far at the wedding
PARTY POOPER
It’s not just celebs who haven’t been on their best behaviour this year. The father of one very well-known bride caused a scene at her wedding by getting smashed and being inappropriate with female guests.
He spent the rest of the next day hungover and phoning round everyone apologising.
REALITY BITES
One reality star was shouting from the roof tops when she got a new man this year.
But when the latest love of her life didn’t turn up for her birthday party, she wasted no time in hopping into bed with her ex – that very same night. And her new bloke is still none the wiser.
There were a few surprise hook ups along the way
TELLING TALES
Celebs will do anything to keep themselves out of the news – like the TV star who was caught getting up to no good in the toilet. Let’s just say she looked a little too familiar with a little bag of white stuff.
She begged for her secret to be kept hidden and offered up some scandal on another star, one of her pals, instead. No wonder they say keep your enemies closer.
We couldn’t believe some of the stories we were told this year
It’s time to ring in the New Year and there’s no better place than celebrating with Jools Holland, Mirror man Mark Jefferies can now reveal the secrets behind the celebrations
Mark Jefferies can reveal what really happens at the recording of Jools Holland’s Hootenanny(Image: Michael Leckie / BBC)
It’s 8.47pm and I’ve only had two bottles of beer but I am on my feet singing and dancing along without a care in the world. Others are arm-in-arm or hugging and a few people look a bit teary. In this make-believe world I have entered, it’s New Year’s Eve, and it’s midnight.
I celebrated 2026 before all of you, thanks to Jools Holland and a magical night in a dazzling West London TV studio on December 10. Jools Holland’s Hootenanny is as much part of the festive calendar as soaps and the monarch’s Christmas Day speech. Tonight is the 33rd time Jools will bring in the new year for millions.
Comedian Peter Kay even wrote about it in his latest book, saying that his mum still thinks it is live. My big question before going to Versa Studios was how do they create the party atmosphere which, it turns out, is as authentic as it looks on TV.
Guests are offered drinks at a free bar (rare for the BBC) and take their seats. Later, they are given glasses of prosecco to help celebrate “midnight” – about 30 minutes after the music starts.
Jools asks us to be quiet when the artists sing and cheer as loud as possible at the end. “If you feel the urge to dance and physically move, that is marvellous. Everyone is looking very beautiful and we’ve some incredible musical guests.”
This year’s bill includes Rolling Stone guitarist Ronnie Wood, Olivia Dean, Craig David, Lulu, Jessie J, The Kooks, Heather Small, Imelda May and the 1st Battalion Scots Guards.
Executive Producer Alison Howe says the mix of musicians is important and there are several versions of the running order and set list, which change before the final version on the day.
The other key thing is people who go along let themselves believe it is New Year’s Eve. She says: “You kind of enter into a magical world where you forget about what’s happening outside the doors.”
The show is also a big deal for lots of the musicians. Kooks frontman Luke Pritchard says: “It’s quite nerve-racking but in the best way. Hootenanny’s not just another gig, it’s THE New Year’s show. Everyone’s watching, hopefully everyone’s in a good mood, and you’re part of this moment that only happens once. It’s a proper privilege to be fair.
“And knowing you’re the soundtrack to someone’s night, maybe the song they’re kissing to at midnight or dancing round the kitchen with their nan and that means a lot to me. It’s quite touching when you think about it.”
After posing for a photo with me, Jools is off and doesn’t stop for the next three hours, greeting and chatting to A-list stars. Once the recording starts, he is introducing music, playing it himself on the piano and with his band or interviewing famous faces in the crowd. The only help he gets is from whiteboards with names or directions on, so that he can navigate a giant circle of bands, singers and guests.
When the recording is over, Jools tells me: “It’s a bit like a swimming pool you just throw yourself in and it’s all right, really, once the water’s OK and you start swimming, you keep the momentum going.
“You’re trying to remember what you’re playing on piano. When that finishes, you think what happens now? That’s why they’ve got a board, so I can remember where I’ve got to go to for the next bit.”
The aim is to film it without any breaks or stops and, aside from a couple of brief moments when production requests a pause which is necessary, filming is non-stop. Jools explains: “You want the energy to keep going. So if we record it in one and then it’s like real. It was all just, bang, bang, bang.
“There’s a few little mistakes in there, but who cares? It is what it is.” A definite highlight is singing sensation Olivia Dean, who performs hits and joins Jools in a version of Natalie Cole’s 1975 debut hit This Will Be (An Everlasting Love).
He says: “Olivia Dean has gone ballistic this year. When she was on the show a couple of years ago she was playing clubs. Now she is selling out stadiums around the world, from Rio to Munich to London’s O2, and adding on nights.
“She’s a remarkable, unbelievable person. She likes doing stuff with us, or doing stuff for me, because she goes back to what she used to listen to when she was a kid, things like Carole King, and in this case, doing that Natalie Cole song.
“I thought it was great. The sort of thing someone might do at a Christmas party. When I was little my nan would have a Christmas party and all my uncles and aunts would sing their favourite songs, which were often the musical songs. And it’s a bit like that.”
Jools’ band is the other key element, playing with many of the artists, including new songs and cover versions they don’t usually perform when on the road.
They get a day’s rehearsal in the studios and then the other bands join them on the afternoon of the recording day, so everyone gets to soundcheck and practise their tracks.
Jools says: “There’s a lot for my band to learn, lots of music to learn, and lots of things to arrange for the horns. That’s the bit the general public doesn’t see.
“Listening to stuff in their hotel rooms, making notes, so when we go into rehearsal, and the first time it’s counted in and we play, it sounds all right. And I’m not just saying this, the band has never sounded better.”
Jools’ Annual Hootenanny, BBC2 and BBC iPlayer, tonight, 11.30pm.
Kim Kardashian looks like she’s ready to plunge into 2026Credit: instagram/kimkardashianKim wore a daring £60 bodysuit from her Skims rangeCredit: instagram/kimkardashian
She said it gives the impression the wearer is “not wearing a bra and is naked underneath”.
Kim told her online followers it was her “favourite hack in the entire world”.
She added: “I used to use tape.
“There is a time and a place but this is a low plunge and the back can go in so many ways and gives you a lift.”
The adorable festive shots saw mom Kim looking glamorously festive in silver dress, while North, 12, Saint, nine, Chicago, six, and Psalm, five. coordinated their stylish outfits.
The family unit struck a series of poses in front of snow-dusted Christmas trees, alternating between beaming smiles and fun faces.
Santa Claus and momager Kris Jenner even featured in a couple of snaps as the family went all out for the special occasion.
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It was a hit with friends, family and fans.
Khloe Kardashian wrote, “Wow family photo!!!!!!!!!!! I looooooveeeeee.”
Paris Hilton commented with a love heart eye emoji, while a fan said, “Loveeeeeee the hardwork and love that went into this! We all know… xoxo.”
Kim said it gives the impression the wearer is ‘not wearing a bra and is naked underneath’Credit: instagram/kimkardashianKim told her online followers it was her ‘favourite hack in the entire world’Credit: instagram/kimkardashian
OASIS racked up a million album sales in the UK this year – without releasing a single new tune.
Their reunion tour has fuelled a massive resurgence in their records, meaning two of their albums finished in 2025’s Top Ten, according to the British Phonographic Industry.
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Oasis hit one million UK album sales in 2025 as their reunion tour sparked a chart comeback without releasing a single recordCredit: Instagram/OasisOasis’ greatest hits collection Time Flies . . . 1994-2009 was the fourth most popular album of the yearCredit: Amazon(What’s The Story) Morning Glory? was at No7 thanks to a reissueCredit: check copyright
Brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher, along with their bandmates, also helped to drive an increase in vinyl purchases.
This year, vinyl sales in the UK were up 13.3 per cent to 7.6million units.
Oasis’ greatest hits collection Time Flies . . . 1994-2009 was the fourth most popular album of the year, while (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? was at No7 thanks to a reissue.
Elsewhere, Taylor Swift’s The Life Of A Showgirl has been crowned the best-selling album of 2025.
This, despite it only coming out in October, while Sabrina Carpenter has two records in the Top Ten.
The figures have been released as part of a report by the BPI on recorded music consumption.
It also tells how a new wave of British talent including Olivia Dean and Lola Young have helped UK recorded music grow for the 11th year, with 210million albums sold.
And I’ve got my eye on a whole flurry of new stars including Sienna Spiro and Skye Newman as we head into the new year.
Sabrina Carpenter has two records in the Top TenCredit: GettyThe Highlights by The Weeknd is at number 6Credit: GettyPeople Watching by Sam Fender makes the cut at number 10Credit: Getty
TOP ALBUMS OF 2025
1. The Life Of A Showgirl – TAYLOR SWIFT
2. Short N’ Sweet – SABRINA CARPENTER
3. +-=÷x (Tour Collection) – ED SHEERAN
4. Time Flies . . . 1994- 2009 – OASIS
5. 50 Years: Don’t Stop – FLEETWOOD MAC
6. The Highlights – THE WEEKND
7. (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? – OASIS
8. Man’s Best Friend – SABRINA CARPENTER
9. You’ll Be Alright, Kid (Chapter 1) – ALEX WARREN
Run Away on Netflix is based on author and executive producer Harlan Coben’s best-selling novel of the same name.
Netflix’s upcoming thriller Run Away is about to hit the screens and it features a star-studded cast that viewers will recognise.
For several years now, Netflix has been delivering Harlan Coben dramas, from The Stranger and Fool Me Once to this year’s 2025 Missing You and now, another one is on its way.
Run Away, based on Coben’s 2019 novel of the same name, tells the gripping tale of a desperate father searching for his drug-addicted daughter who has disappeared after severing ties with her family.
As with any Harlan Coben drama, Run Away is packed with familiar faces so here’s a rundown of the cast.
Run Away on Netflix cast
Simon Greene – James Nesbitt
Simon had an idyllic family life until his daughter Paige (portrayed by Ellie de Lange) ran away from home.
Six months later, he finally locates her, but this discovery triggers a series of other distressing events.
James Nesbitt, who plays Simon, first gained fame as Adam Williams in the comedy-drama Cold Feet. More recently, he’s known for his roles in The Hobbit franchise as Bofur and BBC drama Bloodlands as DCI Tom Brannick.
He has also appeared in other Harlan Coben dramas such as Stay Close and Missing You.
Elena Ravenscroft – Ruth Jones
Ruth Jones, famous for her role as the enigmatic yet endearing Nessa Jenkins in Gavin and Stacey, is another key member of the cast.
Her other notable roles include Stella, Hattie, Fat Friends, Little Britain, and Nighty Night.
Jones takes on the role of private investigator Elena Ravenscroft who becomes involved while investigating another case of a young person running away from home.
Isaac Fagbenle – Alfred Enoch
Detective Isaac Fagbenle, played by Alfred Enoch, is at the centre of a gripping investigation with Simon as the prime suspect.
Enoch is best known for his roles as Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter series and Wes Gibbins in the legal thriller How To Get Away With Murder.
Paige Greene – Ellie de Lange
Ellie de Lange, who has starred in acclaimed dramas such as Wolf Hall, The Serpent, The Tattooist of Auschwitz and Arcadia, portrays Ellie, Simon’s daughter.
Her character takes a dark turn, running away and falling into homelessness and drug addiction.
Cornelius Faber – Lucian Msamati
While living in a dilapidated flat with her boyfriend, Ellie befriends Cornelius, their neighbour. He becomes instrumental in helping Simon locate his daughter, but can he truly be trusted?
Lucian Msamati, known for his roles as Salladhor Saan in HBO’s Game of Thrones, David Runihura in Black Earth Rising and Ed Dumani in Sky’s Gangs of London, brings Cornelius to life.
Jessica Kinberg – Tracy-Ann Oberman
Tracy-Ann Oberman, famous for her roles as the fiery Chrissie Watts in EastEnders and Auntie Val in the popular comedy Friday Night Dinner, plays Jessica Kinberg, Simon’s no-nonsense lawyer who goes to great lengths to keep him out of trouble.
Ingrid Greene – Minnie Driver
Ingrid, Simon’s wife, is desperate to bring her daughter back home safely. She is terrified for her daughter’s wellbeing and will stop at nothing to ensure her safe return.
The character is portrayed by actress Minnie Driver, who is widely recognised for her role as Skylar in Good Will Hunting alongside Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Robin Williams.
Driver’s other notable performances include The Riches, Speechless, The Serpent Queen, The Borderline and, most recently, she graced the fifth season of Netflix’s Emily in Paris as Princess Jane.
The ensemble cast also features:
Lou – Annette Badland
Ash – Jon Pointing
Dee Dee – Maeve Courtier-Lilley
Yvonne – Ingrid Oliver
Wiley Corval – Joe McGann
Run Away is set to premiere on New Year’s Day, Thursday, January 1, on Netflix.
Isiah Whitlock Jr., best known for his role in HBO’s “The Wire” and his collaborations with director Spike Lee in films such as “BlacKkKlansman” and “Da 5 Bloods,” has died. He was 71.
Whitlock’s manager, Brian Liebman, shared news of his client’s death in an Instagram post on Tuesday.
“It is with tremendous sadness that I share the passing of my dear friend and client Isiah Whitlock Jr.,” Liebman wrote. “If you knew him — you loved him. A brilliant actor and even better person. May his memory forever be a blessing. Our hearts are so broken. He will be very, very missed.”
Liebman told Deadline that Whitlock died peacefully in New York after a short illness.
Born in South Bend, Ind., Whitlock had dreams of playing pro football. He told NPR in 2021 that, while playing at Southwest Minnesota State University, he got “banged up … concussions, broken ankles.”
“To me it just didn’t seem to make sense anymore. … I wandered by the theater department.” After nabbing a role in “The Crucible,” he said he’d been “working ever since.”
After graduating in 1976, Whitlock joined the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.
At the start of his career, the actor picked up roles in procedurals and dramas, including iterations of the “Law & Order” franchise, notably “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and “Law & Order: Criminal Intent.”
He most famously left his mark on HBO’s “The Wire” as corrupt Maryland State Sen. Clay Davis, whose drawn-out, drawled profanity, “s—,” became a memorable element of the 60-episode crime drama.
After brief appearances on multiple short-lived TV series, including Fox’s “New Amsterdam,” ABC’s “The Unusuals,” CBS’ “Chaos,” and others, Whitlock made his HBO return with a recurring role on the political satire “Veep” as George Maddox, the secretary of defense and presidential candidate.
Whitlock also appeared on CBS shows “The Good Wife,” “Elementary,” FX’s “Louie,” “Atlanta,” Fox’s “Gotham,” NBC’s “The Carmichael Show” among many more. His final TV role was as Chief of Police Larry Dokes in Netflix’s 2025 mystery comedy drama “The Residence.”
On the big screen, Whitlock appeared in the black comedy horror film “Cocaine Bear” in 2023, as well as multiple movies directed by Lee, including “She Hate Me” (2004), “Chi-Raq” (2015), “BlacKkKlansman” (2018) and “Da 5 Bloods” (2020).
The director shared a photo of the two on his Instagram account, writing, “Today I learned of the passing of my dear beloved brother Isiah Whitlock. God Bless.”
Whitlock is slated for two posthumous releases, the 2026 Pixar animated film “Hoppers” and the Irish American film “The Body Is Water,” directed by Vicky Wight.
Celebrity Apprentice fans were left stunned after Lord Sugar announced the winners on Tuesday
22:35, 30 Dec 2025Updated 22:36, 30 Dec 2025
The Celebrity Apprentice winners announced as fans fume over ‘fixed’ result(Image: BBC)
The Celebrity Apprentice winners were announced on Tuesday (December 30), with fans claiming the results were “fixed”.
The first of two festive specials for BBC Children in Need aired on Monday (December 29), seeing 12 well-known personalities jet off to Lapland to craft their own Christmas gingerbread biscuits and devise marketing campaigns, complete with adverts and catchy jingles.
Team one comprised Tom Skinner, Matt Morsia, Shazia Mirza, Angela Scanlon, Sarah Hadland, and project manager JB Gill. The rival squad included Charlie Hedges, AJ Odudu, Jake Wood, Kadeena Cox, Eddie Kadi, and project manager Rob Rinder.
JB’s team dreamt up Gary the Penguin, an unusual creation combining bubblegum and white pepper flavours. Rob’s team countered with Jolly Mc Trouble, a gingerbread featuring vanilla and Christmas pudding notes, though their batch ended up slightly overdone, reports Wales Online.
Tonight’s episode saw both teams showcase their creations to a panel of industry retailers at a central London venue.
Matt, Shazia, and Tom stunned their fellow contestants when they revealed their promotional video, which prominently featured Tom screaming whilst dressed in a penguin outfit.
After completing market testing sessions with groups of youngsters, the teams began fine-tuning their crucial presentations. The celebrities also tapped into their personal networks to secure advance orders.
For the pitch, JB’s group brought in Rylan Clark alongside Gladiators stars Montell Douglas, Livi Sheldon and Matty Campbell – also known as Fire, Diamond and Bionic. In contrast, Rob secured video messages from several celebrity pals, including acting legends Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman.
When they returned to the boardroom, Lord Sugar praised Rob’s team for their compelling biscuit backstory and Jake’s carefully crafted advertisement. Yet in a surprising turn of events, JB’s team secured victory after attracting the highest number of orders.
Rob’s team managed to secure 355,500 units, whilst JB’s team racked up an impressive 452,000 orders. Despite this, viewers at home were left unimpressed by the outcome, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to voice their displeasure.
“Fix, how did they win with that crap?!” one viewer posted, whilst another questioned: “How the f*** did that team win with that diabolical advert.”
A third viewer expressed: “Shocked that the Gary The Penguin team won. They had the worse TV advert and their flavours were disgusting. Jolly Mc Trouble should have won.”
However, one viewer supported the winning team, commenting: “I’m pleased Gary the Penguin won as even though their ad was awful, the product made far more sense (and the jingle was catchy)!”
As the episode concluded, project manager Rob brought Kadeena and Jake back into the boardroom, where Lord Sugar ultimately decided to fire Rob.
The Celebrity Apprentice is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website
Charlie Frederick has reportedly signed up for Love Island: All Stars, eight years on from when he briefly appeared on the regular edition of the ITV2 dating show
Charlie Frederick is said to be heading back to the villa(Image: Surrey Advertiser)
Charlie Frederick has reportedly signed up for Love Island: All Stars. The reality star, 29, initially appeared briefly on the 2018 edition of the ITV2 dating competition, where he was coupled up with Hayley Hughes for a matter of days before being dumped from the famous villa.
Now, it’s thought that Charlie, who also appeared on Made in Chelsea as the best friend of Sam Holmes, is set to make a return to the villa after being persuaded by bosses to take part in the spin-off, which brings back memorable characters from the regular version of the series.
This year, the ITV dating show has had a huge format shake-up, with singletons heading out to South Africa for six weeks, rather than five as has been the case in previous years.
A source told The Sun: “Charlie’s been in the gym nonstop since he spoke to bosses about returning to the show. He went too early when he was on the 2018 series, the first time – this time he wants to find love!”
Following his initial stint on Love Island, Charlie claimed he would have progressed further in the competition had he not been coupled up with Hayley, and she described him as “bitter” after hearing his comments. Then, during an appearance on ITV’s Lorraine, the pair refused to sit with each other in the studio. At the time, Charlie explained: “We’re fine, we’re just frosty cause I’m a bit gutted to be honest. You just want to get your own piece across.
“I’m bitter and angry, not to her; I can’t hold a grudge. It is what it is. I feel like I’ve been hard done by, and my chance has been taken away from me. It was so much fun, I’m missing it.” Lorraine, who was visibly sensing the awkwardness, then jokingly told Charlie to “go away” so Hayley could come in. Charlie said it was “so awkward” as he gestured with his arms while walking out of the studio.
Hayley then appeared from the other side to avoid walking past Charlie. On her relationship with Charlie, she said: “Maybe near the end, I was a bit cold. I think that is something I need to work on. If I’m not interested in someone or can’t see it going any furthe,r I pull away.” After splitting from Hayley, Charlie had a relationship with Instagram model Natalie Clowes.
Insiders recently claimed that villa bombshell Yasmin Pettet is set to let the cameras follow her all over again, and she is currently being considered for a return to the villa when All Stars comes back to screens early next year, following her split from Jamie Rhodes. A source said: “ITV bosses are already starting to approach ex Islanders and they knew from the moment Yas stepped into the villa, she’d make the perfect ‘All Star’ – she’s one of the most controversial bombshells in the show’s history and will have absolutely no issue shaking up the villa for the second time, or treading on people’s toes.
“Now things are over with Jamie; she’s in very early, tentative talks. She’s not sure if going back to the show would be the right move, but she’s had loads of offers
Ciaran Davies finished runner-up with then-girlfriend Nicole Samuel, but they called it quits in December 2024. Bosses are now keen to get the Welsh hunk on board, although he is in the very early stages of negotiations right now.
Prior to that, it was reported that Jess Harding, who won series 10 of the regular series alongside Sammy Root, is also in talks lined up for the next competition, when it kicks off in South Africa next year.
Alima Gagigo is also said to be in meetings with bosses about a comeback, just weeks after she competed in series 12 of the programme and was dumped on Day 24. Andrada Pop, who was a bombshell in Casa Amor earlier this year, has also been approached by producers.
Single Islanders from across the 10 years of the show will return to the famous Villa in South Africa, but this time they’ll be in the villa for six weeks instead of five.
Speaking on the renewal, Mike Spencer-Hayter, Creative Director at Lifted Entertainment, said: “Love Island: All Stars has quickly established itself as a stand-alone hit, keeping fans of the show gripped by iconic Islanders from the past 10 years returning for another chance to find love. We are very excited about series 3, and you can expect the twists and turns to continue in All Stars, after an incredible smash hit summer series.”
The second series of Love Island: All Stars aired earlier this year and was won by Gabby Allen and Casey O’Gorman. The series also saw the reunion of Ronnie Vint and Harriet Blackmore – but it didn’t come without complaints.
Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh who plays Lady Danbury, has made big promises ahead of series four and revealed that her husband Howard Cunnell has never seen the show
Bridgerton’s Adjoa Andoh says husband has ‘never seen a second’ of hit show(Image: LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX)
Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh says husband Howard Cunnell has ‘never seen a second’ of the hit Netflix show, despite it being the network’s “biggest series ever”.
In 2021, the streamer said 82 million households around the world tuned into the show in its first 28 days online. It hit the number one spot in 83 countries, including the US, UK, India, France and Brazil.
Series four will hit screens in January, with the network confirming the storyline will zoom in on the friendship between Adjoa’s character, Lady Danbury, and Golda Rosheuvel’s Queen Charlotte. But in spite of its success, Adjoa says the show isn’t her husband’s “thing”.
She told Good Housekeeping: “My husband has never seen a second of Bridgerton. It’s not his thing.” The star, 62, promises viewers will get “more bang for [their] buck” when the new series drops on January 29th.
She said: “Everyone knows it’s Benedict’s story, but I can also say that we’re expanding the ‘Bridgeverse’ in terms of where the focus is storytelling-wise. If you love Bridgerton , you’ll get more of the same – but you’ll also get more bang for your buck. Take that as you please.”
She also reflected on the show becoming an overnight hit back in December 2020. She explained: “Everyone was at a low ebb that Christmas. The combination of Covid, the success of platform streaming and the particular brand of storytelling adopted by [Shonda Rhimes-founded production company] Shondaland made Bridgerton this remarkable thing. And, of course, there was the sex!
“It had historic frothiness, it looked incredible and the casting was unprecedented; the genie is out of the bottle with Bridgerton ’s way of framing historical romantic drama. The rest of the streamers have caught up now, but Bridgerton is still holding its place in the market, which is quite something.”
Adjoa Andoh previously called for Black women in the entertainment industry to “celebrate who they are as artists” and remember that they are not just there to “fly the flag” for others.
Speaking at the Pride of Britain Awards, Adjoa praised the next generation of young Black women for being “very thoughtful and wise”, but warned they shouldn’t forget they are also just “creative human beings” in their own right.
She said: “We are there to say, ‘a door can open wider’, we are there to say, ‘stay in it’, ‘keep going’, ‘pick your battles’, ‘think about who you want to be’.
“But also: ‘celebrate what you do as artists, you’re not just there to fly the flag, you’re there as a creative human being’.”
The full interview can be read now in the February issue of Good Housekeeping UK.
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who is mindlessly scrolling on their phones before the futile New Year’s resolution to curb the habit begins.
In our annual year-end edition, we expand our usual “ICYMI” feature, highlighting 2025’s most-read stories about film and television. It’s a hearty mix of celebrity profiles, insightful criticism and deep dives into the most talked-about pop culture that defined the year.
And we couldn’t do it without the support of our subscribers. We know there’s an endless stream of TikToks, Reels, articles and, ahem, other newsletters competing for your attention in any given minute — not to mention, TV and movies! — so we’re incredibly thankful for the time you choose to give this newsletter each week. We hope to continue guiding you through all the exciting film and television that greets us in 2026.
Until then, happy reading and happy watching! See you in the new year!
Take care,
Yvonne Villarreal
(The writer who tries to pull this whole thing together each week, with the help of my tag-team partner Maira Garcia.)
P.S.: Shout out to my amazing colleagues who never make me grovel for contributions, even with their demanding work loads. And to the copy editors who remain the true heroes of this place.
A look at the scene outside the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, where the late-night show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is staged, in the wake of the show getting pulled from ABC.
Walt Disney Co. is on track to fully integrate its streaming platforms Hulu and Disney+ in 2026.
Hulu isn’t disappearing; Disney hasn’t set a date to retire the stand-alone app. But the Burbank entertainment giant is making progress on its plan to fold Hulu content into the Disney+ platform sometime next year.
The Burbank entertainment giant announced last summer that it was merging Hulu programming onto Disney+. Executives declined Tuesday to provide a timetable for the launch of the integrated platform.
“We are building on Disney’s value proposition in streaming by combining Hulu into Disney+ to create a unified app experience featuring branded and general entertainment, news, and sports, resulting in a one-of-a-kind entertainment destination for subscribers,” Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger told Wall Street analysts during an August earnings call.
Until 2019, Hulu was owned by Comcast’s NBCUniversal, Disney and Fox.
Earlier this month, Disney engineers refreshed the Disney+ homepage to allow users to seamlessly move among its various catalogs — Disney+, Hulu and ESPN.
Disney has said Hulu will live on as the global brand for general entertainment, with such shows as “Only Murders in the Building,” “Paradise” and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”
As part of the Mouse House’s choreographed months-long rollout, the company switched the Star tile for international Disney+ customers in October. Now, the green Hulu logo appears for those users. (Star, a popular television service in India, was also among the Fox assets that Disney acquired nearly seven years ago.)
Disney separately operates Hulu + Live TV, a pay-TV service with popular broadcast and cable channels, including ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox and ESPN. Eventually, that service will be folded into the Disney+ app.
Hulu subscribers will continue to be able to access the app well into next year.
After the launch of the combined platform, Hulu subscribers will be able to watch Hulu-branded shows, but Disney is designing the experience to entice users to upgrade to a Disney bundle. The company’s goal is for fewer subscribers to drop their plans and, instead, spend more time on the Disney+ app.
As the year draws to a close, Disney is celebrating a successful year at the box office. It released two movies that surpassed $1 billion in global ticket sales: “Zootopia 2,” and “Lilo & Stitch.” The James Cameron movie “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” which debuted this month, so far has made more than $750 million worldwide.
The company’s TV programmers are under pressure to boost their slate of original television and streaming shows.
Disney mustered just three entries in Nielsen’s Streaming Top 10 for the last week of November, according to the rating agency’s most recent report.
All were acquired shows, including “Homeland,” a decade-old Showtime production that runs on both Hulu and Netflix. “Homeland,” starring Claire Danes and Mandy Patinkin, was ranked fifth for that week, lagging well behind Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” which broke records. Paramount+’s “Landman,” from Taylor Sheridan, was the second-most popular streaming show.
“Bob’s Burgers,” a show created for Fox and available on Hulu, ranked seventh. “Bluey,” an Australian cartoon distributed by Disney+ was the eighth most popular streaming show.
The DIY SOS team stepped in to help a youth club in East Yorkshire on Tuesday
DIY SOS star Nick Knowles fought back tears as he unveiled the “most challenging” build on Tuesday (December 30).
The latest episode of the hit BBC programme saw Nick and the team step in to help a youth club that had lost its home in the town of Beverley, East Yorkshire.
The Cherry Tree Community Centre once gave local children a safe place to meet up and find support, but when the pandemic hit, the building was turned into a food hub for families, leaving the kids out in the cold.
With another harsh winter on the way, Nick, designer Gabrielle Blackman and the DIY SOS regulars enlisted the help of local tradespeople to construct a new, purpose-built youth centre on the edge of the park. They were joined by Gladiators stars Jodie Ounsley, Tom Wilson, Lystus Ebosele and Jamie Christian-Johal – aka Fury, Hammer, Cyclone and Giant.
Just before the build began, Nick fought back tears as he shared the importance of the project, after growing up on an estate himself.
“I grew up in a place like this. The kind of places that people say, ‘Oh, don’t bother building anything nice there, it will just get destroyed,'” he said.
“You have to build stuff in tough places, you have to make a difference,” Nick continued, before pausing as he became emotional.
The crowd began clapping, before Nick said: “I didn’t expect it to get me. You will make this happen, you will change the futures of young people round here with what we’re about to do.”
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GEMMA Collins has shown off her impressive three stone weight loss in a bikini after turning to fat jabs.
The 44-year-old took to Instagram to proudly share a picture of herself looking slimmed down in a turquoise and black two-piece bikini set.
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Gemma Collins has proudly shown off her impressive weight lossCredit: InstagramThe reality star began using NHS-approved Mounjaro last yearCredit: Instagram
The reality star showed off the results of her huge weight loss as she stood on a beach with a pair of black sunglasses on.
She looked happier than ever and comfortable in her skin as her tanned body glistened in the sun.
Gemma took the opportunity to wish her followers an early happy new year as she captioned the post with an insightful message.
She penned: “As we step into 2026, do so with grace, confidence and unwavering self- belief. Your intuition is sacred guidance – trust it, honour it and allow it to lead the way.
“Never dilute the essence of who you are to meet the expectations of others. The foundations of your soul were divinely designed and do not need to be changed.
“True luxury is authenticity. True power is alignment. When you remain rooted in your truth, abundance flows naturally. Stay real, stay grounded and stay radiant. Your presence alone is powerful.”
The former TOWIE star continued: “May 2026 bring elevated success, abundant wealth, deep inner peace and soul-level happiness to everyone.
“May your path be blessed, your heart protected and your dreams manifested with ease.
“You are becoming. You are rising. You are exactly where you are meant to be. HAPPY NEW YEAR,” she signed off.
Her followers flocked to the comments section and many couldn’t help but compliment her on her figure.
One person gushed: “Well said Gemma, you look fabulous. Love to you all xxx.”
Another fan penned: “Looking fab, love your swimwear,” while somebody else enthused: “Wow! You look amazing x.”
A fourth added: “That’s so lovely, so beautiful. May you have the most amazing 2026. You look stunning by the way, radiant.”
The weight loss comes after she began getting help from the NHS-approved Mounjaro back in November last year.
Having struggled with weight gain since being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome aged 28, Gemma weighed in at over 23st and a size 26 at her heaviest.
She proudly told OK! Magazine: “I’ve actually just lost another stone and four pounds, I feel really good.
“I love myself as I am – you’ve got to be kind to yourself, it’s just about constantly remembering to make those right choices and be mindful.”
The I’m A Celeb star added: “I don’t put pressure on myself.
“It didn’t take you five minutes to gain it and it’s not going to take you five minutes to lose it.”
The reality TV star, who is a poster girl for shapely women, now only eats one meal a day after a two-decade battle with her body.
However she refuses to lose her famous curves, previously telling The Sun: “Nothing against skinny people, but I don’t ever want to be thin.”
She added: “Darling, I became most famous being who I am.
“If I got stick thin overnight, it would kill my brand, my endorsements and it wouldn’t be me.”
Gemma has been open about her struggles with her weight over the yearsCredit: GettyShe now only eats one meal a dayCredit: Getty
Married At First Sight star Leisha Lightbody has hinted that she has started dating a premiere league footballer but is keen to keep his identity under wraps as it’s still early days for the pair
Leisha Lightbody has hinted that she is dating a huge footballer
Married At First Sight star Leisha Lightbody has shared with fans that she is dating a Premier League footballer, months after her split with show husband Reiss Boyce. The 32-year-old reality TV star had mentioned while on the show that she had been DM’d by a footballer while on the E4 show, but assured Reiss that she had told him she was in a relationship.
But now it looks as though her desire to be a WAG has finally come true. Although Leisha has remained tight-lipped over his identity, a source has said that she is “excited” over her new romance.
Posting a cryptic video on TikTok, followers only saw the shoulder of a man sitting next to her. She captioned the video saying: “Last plot twist of the year.” Now, it’s been claimed that Leisha is dating not just any footballer but a Premier League one.
A source told The Sun: “Leisha has spent the summer single but feels she’s finally ready to get into another relationship. It’s too early to tell whether this will work out, but she’s hopeful and excited to see what happens.” The added: “Leisha wants to keep his identity under wraps until she knows if it’s the real deal.”
Adding further fuel to the rumours, she tagged her location as Manchester. Explaining why she has chosen to keep her new beau’s identity a secret, she said: “I honestly can’t”. She went on to say: “We love and adore a man who knows what he wants.”
Earlier this month, Leisha was linked to Love Island star Jack Fincham. The pair reportedly shared a kiss at an event. One fan told her: “I really hope you’ve found someone that appreciates your excitement about the future and your intensity about life.”
In response, Leisha said: “Me too. Thank you so much. 2026, let’s pray.” Another fan said: “As long as you’re happy that’s all that matters.” And again Leisha said: “Yes I am happy. Neeeded the summer to be alone but now things are so good.”
Leisha was left devastated when she split with Reiss after the show. At the time of the commitment ceremony, the couple had decided to try to make it work in the outside world.
But after a few months, the pair failed to make it work after Reiss visited Leisha in Scotland, and they got into an argument while out and about. Soon after the split, Leisha claimed she still had unanswered questions.
In a chat with the Mirror: “When we left after final vows, I genuinely thought that we were in this fairytale and thought we were going to watch it back and it was going to be a magical thing, but actually, he didn’t like me as much as I thought.”
She added: “I honestly thought that he really did like me, and I’m not saying he didn’t, but obviously they picked up things that he said on camera that he didn’t necessarily say too much to me.” Leisha said she felt she had mixed feelings about Reiss.
She continued: “I’m not a body, I’m a human being, I’ve got feelings, I’ve got emotions, and I feel like there was just a lot of mixed emotions, and I think looking back, he probably just wasn’t emotionally available!”
X FACTOR star Chico may have exceeded the drink-drive limit because he took cough medicine before being breathalysed, a court has heard.
The 54-year-old singer – who donned a fur coat and cowboy hat to court – pleaded not guilty to drink-driving in Southgate, London, on December 13.
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Chico arrived at court donning a cowboy hat and black fur coatCredit: PAHe pleaded not guilty to a drink driving offenceCredit: Rex FeaturesChico’s real name is Yousseph SlimaniCredit: PA
Chico – whose real name is Yousseph Slimani – appeared in the 2005 series of the TV talent show and later released a number one single, It’s Chico Time.
He is accused of driving a Vauxhall Astra with 40 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, Willesden Magistrates’ Court heard on Tuesday.
The legal limit of alcohol for driving in England is 35 microgrammes per 100 millilitres.
Chico had consumed cough medicine before giving the reading and that could have impacted its accuracy, Sarah King, defending, said.
Slimani pleaded not guilty and was given bail until his trial on April 9.
Welsh-born Chico found fame after reaching the quarter finals of the X Factor in 2005.
Simon Cowell famously walked out of his initial X Factor audition after fellow judges Louis Walsh and Sharon Osbourne voted him through.
In 2006, Chico had a number one hit on the British charts titled It’s Chico Time, which became his signature catchphrase.
In 2008, he appeared on the reality TV show CelebAir alongside socialite Tamara Beckwith and singer Lisa Maffia.
In 2010, Slimani recorded a single in support of the English Football Team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, aptly called “It’s England Time”, a play on “It’s Chico Time”.
He also competed in ITV’s 2012 series of Dancing on Ice.
In 2018, he was rushed to hospital after suffering a stroke.
Recently, he launched his own fitness app called Block Fit which includes workout classes based around his hits.
Chico married singer Daniyela Rakic, sister of Wimbledon Champion Nenad Zimonjić, and the couple have two children.
The star maintained a TV profile after finishing fifth on the X FactorCredit: Channel 4Slimani was given bail until his trial which will take place next year on April 9.Credit: Andrew Styczynski
More artists have canceled scheduled performances at the Kennedy Center following the addition of President Donald Trump’s name to the facility, with jazz supergroup The Cookers pulling out of a planned New Year’s Eve concert, and the institution’s president saying the cancellations belie the artists’ unwillingness to see their music as crossing lines of political disparity.
The fresh round of cancellations after Trump put his name of the building follows an earlier artist backlash in spring. After Trump ousted the Kennedy Center board and named himself the institution’s chairman in February, performer Issa Rae and the producers of “Hamilton” cancelled scheduled engagements while musicians Ben Folds and Renee Flaming stepped down from advisory roles.
The Cookers, a jazz supergroup performing together for nearly two decades, announced their withdrawal from “A Jazz New Year’s Eve” on their website, saying the “decision has come together very quickly” and acknowledging frustration from those who may have planned to attend.
The group didn’t mention the building’s renaming or the Trump administration but did say that, when they return to performing, they wanted to ensure that “the room is able to celebrate the full presence of the music and everyone in it,” reiterating a commitment “to playing music that reaches across divisions rather than deepening them.”
The group may not have addressed the Kennedy Center situation directly, but one of its members has. On Saturday, saxophone player Billy Harper said in comments posted on the Jazz Stage Facebook page that he “would never even consider performing in a venue bearing a name (and being controlled by the kind of board) that represents overt racism and deliberate destruction of African American music and culture. The same music I devoted my life to creating and advancing.”
According to the White House, Trump’s handpicked board approved the renaming. Harper said both the board, “as well as the name displayed on the building itself represents a mentality and practices I always stood against. And still do, today more than ever.”
Richard Grenell, a Trump ally whom the president chose to head the Kennedy Center after he forced out the previous leadership, posted Monday night on X that “The artists who are now canceling shows were booked by the previous far left leadership,” intimating the bookings were made under the Biden administration.
In a statement to the Associated Press, Grenell said Tuesday the ”last minute cancellations prove that they were always unwilling to perform for everyone — even those they disagree with politically,” adding that the Kennedy Center had been “flooded with inquiries from real artists willing to perform for everyone and who reject political statements in their artistry.”
There was no immediate word from Kennedy Center officials if the entity would pursue legal action against the group, as Grenell said it would after musician Chuck Redd canceled a Christmas Eve performance. Following that withdrawal, in which Redd cited the Kennedy Center renaming, Grenell said he would seek $1 million in damages for what he called a “political stunt.”
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and Congress passed a law the following year naming the center as a living memorial to him. Scholars have said any changes to the building’s name would need congressional approval; the law explicitly prohibits the board of trustees from making the center into a memorial to anyone else, and from putting another person’s name on the building’s exterior.
Kinnard writes for the Associated Press. AP writers Steven Sloan and Hillel Italie contributed to this report.