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Ryan Porter, the acclaimed trombonist and fixture of the West Coast Get Down jazz ensemble, has died. He was 46.

Porter died Saturday from injuries sustained in a “severe” car crash on April 28, Porter’s bandmate Tony Austin wrote on Instagram. “Despite the best medical care, his condition deteriorated,” Austin wrote, noting that Porter “took his last breath, peacefully surrounded by his loved ones.”

Porter was a pivotal figure in contemporary Los Angeles jazz, beginning with his studies under legendary educator Reggie Andrews in the Multi-School Jazz Band in Watts. Porter formed close friendships and musical connections with saxophonist Kamasi Washington, multi-instrumentalist Terrace Martin, bassist Thundercat and the key players that would later form the West Coast Get Down.

“When it comes to keeping the lineage of jazz in L.A. alive, there have been people who were selfless and sacrificed a lot,” Porter told The Times in 2024. “For me back then, it was hard to understand why they cared so much. But it was because they saw potential in all of us so early, so we could see it for ourselves.”

That group cultivated a following at Leimert Park’s beloved venue the World Stage. They would go on to craft dense, experimental and spiritually yearning compositions for Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 LP “To Pimp a Butterfly,” among countless other LPs in the L.A. jazz scene, including Washington’s 2015 breakthrough “The Epic.”

Porter released four solo albums in his career — 2018’s “The Optimist,” 2019’s “Force for Good,” and 2022’s “Resilience,” along with his 2017 children’s album “Spangle-Lang Lane” — each featuring arrangements from his lifelong bandmates. In 2024, he released a documentary film, “Resilience,” focused on the impact of free music education programs in Los Angeles and how they helped build the city’s modern jazz scene.

“In the inner city, you can be a gang member or drug dealer, but most kids want to take their best steps,” Porter said in 2024. “Friends and music teachers inspired me through their work ethic, giving us a place to perform where we could take advantage of that expertise. Now it’s our turn to take care of them for the next generation.”

Washington, Porter’s frequent collaborator, remembered Porter in a poignant statement on Instagram. “I love you Ryan Porter, I miss you, and you will always have a space in my heart and soul. I will cherish the many years we had together, I thought we would have more, but I am thankful for what we had,” he wrote, adding, “You have been my friend for most of my life. I’ve looked up to you since I was 11 years old. We learned from each other, we supported each other, we created beautiful music together and shared it with people all over the world.”

“You would always tell me that you wanted more than anything else to be a FORCE FOR GOOD and you did it, you are the complete embodiment of that,” Washington continued. “You did so much good Ryan, your life made this world better.”

Porter is survived by two daughters, both of whom are preparing for college, according to a GoFundMe page set up by his friends to contribute to funeral costs and support his children. “Beyond the stage and beyond the music, Ryan’s greatest pride was being a father and provider for his family,” the fundraiser states.

NICOLA Roberts has welcomed her first child with fiance Mitch Hahn and shared the first look at their new arrival. 

The singer, 40, took to social media to reveal the exciting news.

She said: “Our beautiful baby girl is here. We haven’t stopped staring at her perfect little face or kissing her softest little head’. 

“She arrived healthy and content a couple of weeks ago at 38 weeks weighing 6.5lbs and is thriving. It’s heaven on earth with her and we can hardly believe she’s ours.”

Famous friends and fans rushed to comments.

Katie Piper penned: “So happy for you both,” followed by four red love heart emojis.

COUNTING DOWN

Pregnant Nicola Roberts shows off baby bump as she counts down to due date

STAGE SWAP

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Heart Breakfast 90s host, Kevin Hughes said: “Congratulations both! Wonderful news! xx”

One fan wrote: “Omg beautiful. Massive congratulations to you both as new parents, enjoy every second of the baby bubble.”

Another fan said: “Congratulations. Welcome to the girl mum club.”

It comes five months after Girls Aloud star Nicola told followers she couldn’t wait to be a first-time mum. 

She said: “Feeling more and more excited by the day. Sending love to all the mumma’s to be. Especially the first time ones.”

Nicola shared the news that she was expecting on Christmas day.

Sharing a post to Instagram in front of the tree, she said: “Mitch and I have had the most magical Christmas Day sharing the most precious news with our families.

“We’ve been keeping a secret. We are five months pregnant!

“We can’t wait to meet our little one in the spring.”

Nicola has been dating businessman and semi-professional footballer Mitch since 2022.

The pair are engaged, with Mitch popping the question two years into their relationship.

ELLIE GOULDING has confirmed she’s about to drop her sixth album, five months after I told you she was gearing up to release it.

The pop powerhouse teased that the follow-up to 2023 No1 Higher Than Heaven will be out “soon”.

In an exclusive chat after her headline set at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland, Ellie added: “I’ve spent the past few years working really closely with a brilliantly talented producer and multi-instrumentalist called Jack Rochon.

“I actually found him on TikTok when he was still relatively undiscovered, living in Canada.

“He’s since moved to LA and worked with Beyonce.

“I immediately connected with what he was doing creatively.

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“I have always loved discovering emerging talent and championing new voices, just like I did when I first started out and discovered Starsmith.

“We’ve recorded hundreds of songs together, and I loved the freedom of exploring different sounds, feelings, thoughts and experiences.

“It felt really organic and honest, like journaling through music.”

During her incredible set, where she was watched live for the first time by young son Arthur, Ellie debuted upcoming single Black Prada Dress.

Ellie said of the song: “There’s not one definitive experience that inspired it.

“It’s directed at that negative, critical voice bringing you down. And that voice could be your own, internal voice — that self-critical, destructive one.

“I feel like we all have one of those, just like we have different versions of ourselves.

“I love the honesty of it, the rawness, and I hope people can connect to it in their own way.”

Ellie lit up the crowd in Sunderland, kicking off with I Need You Love before hits including Still Falling For You, Love Me Like You Do and Lights.

The singer added with a grin: “It felt so, so good to be back performing at Radio 1 Big Weekend.

“The crowd was amazing, the sun was shining. Great vibes all round.

“I remember my first-ever Radio 1 Big Weekend performance back in 2010.

“My debut album had just gone to No1 and I was on cloud nine.

“It’s been four albums since then.

“So to come back to debut Black Prada Dress in the mix with some of my old favourites feels like a real full-circle moment.”

It was made all the more special for Ellie, who gave birth to her second child, Iris, in March.

She said: “It’s such a joy, my son is here today.

“I love playing music to them, especially classical music.”

With a potential record of classical music in the works, too, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ellie had already given the kids a taster.

Ra-ra Larsson

ZARA LARSSON delivered what could easily go down as her best Big Weekend performance.

The Swedish singer, wearing a light blue ra-ra skirt, pulled out all the stops during her fourth appearance at the festival on Saturday.

She opened with Midnight Sun before blasting through tracks including Can’t Tame Her, Ain’t My Fault, Lush Life and finishing with a cover of Clean Bandit’s Symphony, the No1 song she featured on in 2017.

But the standout moment came when Zara invited one lucky fan, Kayleigh, up to join her.

“This is my favourite part of the show but it’s also the hardest,” Zara said.

“Because I see so many of you are giving me the best energy ever.”

Welcoming Kayleigh on to the stage, Zara immediately recognised her from a previous show in America.

Zara then spray-painted a personalised T-shirt for Kayleigh in front of the crowds after she revealed she was flying over to LA in the coming weeks to watch her perform again.

Now that’s dedication.

EMMA’S GOT NOTHING BUT PRAISE FOR THIEVES

WEDNESDAY actress Emma Myers showed she is a Radio 1 superfan and was spotted hanging out backstage.

Presenter Greg James bought her out on stage to introduce Nothing But Thieves.

My mole told me: “Emma is a massive fan of the band and a close personal friend, so they asked her to come out on stage and introduce them. She is so down to earth and lovely. Everyone was obsessed with her.”

Emma said on stage: “I’m having so much fun, I’m seeing so many incredible artists, it’s so lovely to be here.”

Of Nothing But Thieves, she added: “They were my soundtrack when I was shooting season one of The Good Girl’s Guide To Murder, so I have them on repeat.”

NIALL LOVES A TEE PARTY

NIALL HORAN has revealed he only tours so he can play golf courses around the world.

And he ends up spending more time on makeshift greens than in the studio when writing albums.

The former One Direction singer was on stage at the Big Weekend yesterday in Herrington Country Park, right next to Wearside Golf Club.

Niall, who has a handicap of eight, said: “It’s Niall’s golf tour with music, especially in the States.

“Florida is great – there’s so much good golf in Florida, and we’ll hit random places in Ohio. If we do 30-something shows, I’ll try and get in ten rounds.”

And it doesn’t stop there.

Talking about a place he rented out with songwriter pals to work on his upcoming fourth solo album, Niall said: “When we stayed in this house in the countryside in the UK, we made up our own golf course.

“We put flowerpots in places and made our own courses and chipped balls around.

“We did this all over the world. We make up our own little golf courses in the backyard of wherever we’re playing and we do more of that than we do songwriting.

“On that trip, we wrote Dinner Party – but after a round of golf, of course.”

Now Niall’s eyeing up something entirely different.

When asked on the And The Writer Is podcast if he would pen a musical, he said: “I’d love to. I’ve often thought about that.

“That would be such a cool thing, to put some time aside to actually dig in for six months to try and write something. But I haven’t had the offer yet.”

VICKY: A FAT LOT OF GOOD

DJ VICKY HAWKESWORTH managed to catch some performances between her own sets at Big Weekend.

She said backstage: “Nothing But Thieves were amazing and Fatboy Slim was so good . . .  way better than I thought.

“Not that I thought he wouldn’t be good, but you know what I mean.

“Also, those visuals. If I was off my nut, I’d be, like, ‘I’m not well’.”

Luckily for Vicky, she was as sober as a judge.

MY one to watch from the festival is rising talent Alessi Rose.

The Skin singer smashed her set on the New Music stage and will play a run of shows at festivals this summer, as well as supporting Lewis Capaldi and Lorde at their concerts in July and August.

A STELLAR SMITH GOES EXTRA MYLES ON STAGE

★★★★★

MYLES SMITH had Sunderland belting out every word as he smashed his 30-minute set – complete with support from his Drive Safe collaborator Niall Horan.

Sprinting up and down the stage, the soulful singer powered through nine tracks yesterday, including a cover of iloveitiloveitiloveit by his friend Bella Kay.

Speaking about the US singer-songwriter, Myles told the crowd: “This is someone that I’ve been following for a little while now.

“They can’t be here this Big Weekend, but I’m sure they’re gonna be here for many more, so hopefully you can enjoy this song with me.”

His energy was off the charts as he worked his way through hits including Behind, Hold Me In The Dark and Nice To Meet You.

Myles jumped off the stage and into the pit to hug fans before singing Gold.

Out of puff as he climbed back up, he said with a laugh: “I need to go back to the gym.”

Myles finished off his belting show with the stellar Stargazing.

Fans are now counting down the days until he releases his new album My Mess, My Heart, My Life on June 19.

FREYA FRASER

FAMOUS FACES HAVE A DAY TO REMEMBER

THERE are celebrations popping off all over the place.

Not only is it looking like being a scorcher of a Bank Holiday, but famous names from television, music and sport are also coming together to take part in a national “Big Toast” tonight.

At 7pm, people across the country will raise a glass for Celebration Day in memory of people who shaped their lives.

Stephen Fry, Spencer Matthews, Prue Leith and Jake Humphrey are all taking part.

Five-time Paralympic swimming gold medallist Ellie Simmonds is also on board.

She said: “On this Celebration Day, I’m raising a cup of tea to my auntie Shirley and my grandma.

“I’ve got so many memories of them.

“When I was at my biggest events, they were always up there in the crowd, cheering me on, decked in their Team GB flags.”

VERNON Kay has proved there’s no bad blood between him and his ex Tess Daly as he was spotted with his wedding ring ON weeks after their “friendly” split.

The former Strictly star and Radio 2 DJ announced the shock separation with a joint Instagram post earlier this month.

After 22 years of marriage, the pair have certainly remained close pals as they were seen at Pub in the Park last week, taking snaps with fans.

Following their friendly drinks with pals, Vernon, 52, was spotted wearing his wedding ring at Wembley Stadium today.

He had travelled down to watch the Bolton Wanderers batter Stockport in the League One play-off final.

Vernon’s wedding band was immediately noticeable as it flashed up on screen when he was chatting on Sky Sports News ahead of the match.

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Meanwhile, Tess has also posed up after the split with her wedding ring still on.

She took to Instagram to share some stunning snaps of herself with fans.

And fans couldn’t help but notice the star’s ring as she held onto some scripts.

She captioned the post: “The glam before the go,” as she tagged her hair and make-up artists.

Vernon shared his appreciation for Tess as he hit the like button on her selfies.

Tess, 57, and Vernon tied the knot in 2003 and share two daughters, Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 16.

The former couple met while working as up-and-coming TV presenters for rival channels in 2001, crossing paths at a BBC Christmas party.

They married a year later, and Tess got her big break on Strictly Come Dancing, which she hosted for 21 years alongside Bruce Forsyth and later Claudia Winkleman.

During the last semi-final, The Hawkstone Farmers Choir performed Bastille’s Pompeii and managed to bag their place in the final next week but Simon Cowell had a cheeky dig at their founder Jeremy Clarkson

Britain’s Got Talent judge Simon Cowell made a cheeky dig at Jeremy Clarkson on last night’s show.

The former Top Gear host founded The Hawkstone Farmers Choir after scouring the country for 34 British farmers who wanted to work together and create ads to save pubs and farms.

Earlier this year Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir auditioned for the ITV reality competition and managed to win Amanda Holden’s Golden Buzzer, sending them straight through to the semi-finals after wowing with a rendition of Elbow classic One Day Like This. Just prior to belting out the famous track, member Katrina explained to the judges that Jeremy himself had set the choir up, having been sponsored by the Hawkstone Brewery that the TV star co-owns in the Cotswolds.

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At the time in response to the golden buzzer audition While visibly holding back tears Jeremy thanked Amanda Holden for pressing the Golden Buzzer. He said: “It shows that people quite like farmers. They were very very good, well done all of you. I’m a very happy man tonight.”

During the last semi-final, the 32-strong chior performed Bastille’s Pompeii and managed to bag their place in the final next week.

Simon said to the choir: “You’re not a professional choir, however I love what you stand for. It might be quite annoying to see Jeremy Clarkson‘s smug face, that’s the only downside. He’s a friend of mine. However more importantly this is about you and you did brilliantly well congratulations.”

While Simon’s comments were not all positive, it was clearly only banter between two friends.

Jeremy was over the moon at the chior’s win and in celebration filmed a short video at farm-fest with partner Kaleb Cooper. The duo filmed themselves congratulating the singers in front of a cheering crowd at Farm Fest.

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ACTRESS Demi Moore wraps up the Cannes Film Festival in her 16th outfit of the gala.

The US star was on the jury so became a red carpet fixture over two weeks.

For Saturday’s closing ceremony, Demi, 63, enveloped herself in a green Balenciaga gown with huge blue sleeves.

Across the fortnight, she dazzled in an array of outfits.

She kicked things off with two Jacquemus designs, including a crystal-embellished gown and a polka-dot dress.

But her designer of choice was Gucci, with four custom-designed gowns.

MOORE STYLE

Demi Moore, 63, looks sensational in violet gown on red carpet at Cannes

SHOW ME MAUR

Maura Higgins, Demi Moore & Heidi Klum dazzle on red carpet at Cannes

They included a mermaid-inspired sheer lilac outfit she wore in 2003 for the Matrix Reloaded premiere.

Her judging stint came 29 years after her Cannes debut.

Back in 1997 she joined then-husband Bruce Willis for festival opener The Fifth Element.

Mother-of-three Demi’s fellow jurors included Hamnet director Chloe Zhao.

Demi said: “We had the opportunity to truly appreciate contemporary cinema every day.

“There was a lot of kindness — both between us and in the way we felt about the films.”

Actress Demi was joined on the red carpet by stars including Gillian Anderson and Ruth Negga.

Demi was last at Cannes in 2024, promoting her film The Substance, which won her a Golden Globe for Best Actress.

Just months ago, Demi capped off a stellar career comeback by being named Glamour’s Woman of the Year.

She was interviewed by her Substance co-star Margaret Qualley for the mag and said: “With everything I’ve been through, which has been a lot, I wouldn’t trade where I am today.”

FORMER Coronation Street star Helen Flanagan has shared an emotional post with fans saying she’s returned to a “special place” after moving out of her ex Scott Sinclair’s home.

Helen parted ways from her long-term fiancé in 2022 after 13 years together – and she’s been open about how it isn’t always plain sailing.

The model shares three children with footballer Scott – Matilda, 10, and Delilah, seven, and five-year-old son Charlie.

Earlier this year, Helen was forced out of her £1million family home by Scott as they never married and the house near Bolton is solely in his name.

But now, Helen has taken to Instagram to share with fans the behind-the-scenes of her “special place.”

The telly star is currently visiting Scotland with her kids.

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Helen Flanagan takes swipe at ex Scott as she says goodbye to £1m home

She posted a slew of selfies with her little loves at the lake and clips of the peaceful mountainous views.

Helen captioned the post: “No weapon used against me shall prosper.

“Love wins.

“I found this spot at Loch Lomond in lockdown and it’s just special to me, I don’t know why but I suppose we all take comfort in things and if it makes sense to us then that’s enough and every time I go to Scotland I go there.”

It seemed Helen was taking a swipe at Scott over the house drama as she recounted her trip away.

Back in January, a friend of Helen’s said: “Scott pays for the house and all the bills and he’s decided a six-bedroom place is way too big for Helen on her own with the kids.

“But Helen doesn’t want to move and is digging her heels in.

“She loves the place, the kids are settled at the local school and her mum and dad live around the corner.”

“Scott wants to buy Helen a four-bedroom home. He’s even offered to put it in her name but wants to stop the maintenance payments.

“The relationship has completely broken down. They no longer communicate — everything goes through her parents.”

Her celeb pals and fans rushed to the comments to share their support.

Christine McGuiness wrote: “Love you angel. The best mummy.”

One fan said: “Nothing like nature to make you feel better.”

Another fan added: “Scot gal here… Hope you had a nice time. Stay strong you are enough.”

Ricky Martin had to stop his concert Thursday in Montenegro after someone in the audience “discharged tear gas toward the stage,” causing an “abrupt” interruption to the show as fans retreated and got any needed medical attention, the singer’s publicist said in a statement posted on Instagram.

The show did go on.

“As a precautionary measure, Ricky Martin and his entire team exited the stage while security personnel and local authorities worked to contain the situation and ensure the safety of those in attendance,” the statement said.

“We didn’t understand what was happening,” one shaken Montenegran concertgoer said on Instagram during the outdoor show. “Suddenly, people started pushing each other, and we smelled pepper spray. Many people quickly covered their mouths and left the area. I don’t know if there’s still anyone in the area right now. I didn’t see what the police did. I can hear that the concert has started again, but I left the area. I hope everyone is OK.”

Whether the substance was tear gas — which, incidentally, is a powder, not a gas — or pepper spray is unclear. Both substances have similarly irritating effects, despite different ingredients. Tear gas is typically employed by law enforcement for crowd control while pepper spray is often used by individuals for self-defense, according to hazmat and crime-scene cleanup company Bio Recovery, which operates mainly in the American south. Both substances can disperse widely in the air.

Martin, 54, decided to resume the show once authorities said everything was back under control even though “members of the artist’s team advised against continuing the performance,” the publicist’s statement explained.

The headlining performance, which was part of festivities marking the 20th anniversary of Montenegro’s restored independence following the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, came as the “Livin’ la Vida Loca” singer gets ready to embark on a European tour with dates in Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Czechia, Poland, Hungary, Istanbul and more from June into August.

Also Friday, Martin announced he would join the U.K.’s Heritage Live Festivals with a show Aug. 22 at the Royal Sandringham Estate in Norfolk with Sugababes, Olly Alexander and Sophie Castillo. It will be his only U.K. show in 2026. Other artists appearing in Heritage Live shows in July and August include UB40, Lionel Richie and Eric Clapton.

“The rise of Latin music as a global force has been phenomenal, and we’re thrilled to welcome one of the true pioneers who helped bring it to a massive international audience,” Giles Cooper of Heritage Live Festivals told the BBC. “It’s set to be an incredible party.”

Martin, who hails from Puerto Rico, joined Bad Bunny’s all-Spanish halftime show at Super Bowl LX in February with a 30-second cameo in a scene invoking the cover of the latter singer’s album “Debí Tirar Más Fotos.” Clad in all white, Martin sat in a white chair and dove into “Lo Que Le Pasó a Hawaii,” a ballad that implores Puerto Ricans, should the opportunity arise, to resist compromises that Hawaiians made when those islands became a U.S. state in 1959.

CHRISTINE McGuinness looked super sexy soaking up the sun in a thong bikini on the beach amid romance rumours.

The model, 38, took to the coast to enjoy the beautiful weather over the Bank Holiday weekend and have some much needed “me time”.

In a video clip posted to Instagram from the trip, Christine flaunted her fabulous figure in a barely-there swim set.

The teeny black bikini and matching thong hugged Christine’s body to perfection as she lounged on a towel on the sand, waves lapping in the distance.

She bundled her hair up out of the way in two pigtail braids that fell over her shoulders.

Christine finished the look off with a pair of chic sunglasses and a smile.

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In the caption, the star penned: “I could be… But when I’ve got a rare day to myself with no plans… it looks like this.”

Fans of Christine took a moment to gush about how gorgeous she looked in the post’s comments section.

One user said: “Wow absolutely stunning xx.”

A second shared: “Phenomenal.”

A third added: “That’s a wonderful view today,” followed by a winking face emoji.

The sexy video comes just weeks after Christine was spotted locking lips with DJ Roxxxan in her Land Rover Defender.

They were first linked when we revealed they flew to Ibiza together in 2024.

The DJ — real name Roxanne Conway — is also a model and describes herself as “masculine”.

Christine was recently also linked to former boxing champ Nicola Adams, 43, after saying she would “love to have a wife one day”.

She added: “Not like a legalised marriage, but like a blessing, a celebration of love.”

Christine and Take Me Out host Paddy McGuinness, 52, divorced in 2024 but still live together in Cheshire with their three children.

They met when she was 19 in 2007 — the year she won the Miss Liverpool title — and married in 2011.

REBEKAH Vardy insists that “hell will freeze over” before she ever apologises to former pal Coleen Rooney over their Wagatha Christie row.

The wife of footie star Jamie said she must live with her libel loss to Wayne Rooney’s missus.

But Becky, 44 — accused of leaking stories about Coleen — said: “I’m never going to apologise for something I didn’t do. Hell will freeze over before I do that.”

Rebekah says her Wagatha Christie beef with Coleen is “done, it’s over” — and does not care what her ex-pal thinks about her.

The wife of former Leicester striker Jamie insists her own “peace” is more important amid the fallout to their legal battle.

In new ITV reality show The Vardys, she admits to still suffering from a public backlash after losing her libel case against Wayne Rooney’s missus.
Becky, 44, had taken legal action after Coleen claimed stories about her were leaked from her Instagram account.

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And she says: “I’m living with the judgment the judge made but, still to this day, I believe she was wrong.”

The mum of five goes on: “People constantly go, ‘Well, it’s not going to change anything unless you apologise’ — but I’m not apologising for something I didn’t do. Like never, ever, going to apologise for something I didn’t do — it’s never going to happen. Hell will freeze over before I do that.

“It’s over, it’s done, I’m not going to carry on living in the past. I’m so f***ing bored of it.”

The Sun revealed last year that the Vardys had signed a deal for a tell-all reality series, and the cameras followed them as Jamie, 39, left Leicester for Italian Serie A minnows Cremonese.

But before Becky packed her bags, she opened up about the High Court battle which finally ended last May, when she was ordered to pay Coleen’s legal fees of around £1.2million.

She says: “I don’t have any negative feelings towards her whatsoever. Some people might go, ‘That’s bull’, but whatever, that’s your opinion. If I ever saw her or bump into her, people will assume it’ll be like handbags at dawn, or ‘Birkins at dawn’, whatever they want to say. ‘Wag War 4’. I’ve forgotten how many headlines have been ‘Wag War’, but my peace is too important.”

She adds of her one-time friend: “I’ve got no idea what she thinks of me, but I’m not bothered.”

Becky was heavily pregnant when Coleen publicly revealed in 2019 she had turned detective to find out who was leaking stories about her.

Becky’s Prem-winning hubby has stayed silent on it, until now.

He says: “Becky’s a strong woman. If she wasn’t, it would definitely have broken her 100 per cent. But that’s not her.”

He adds: “People thinking that Bex was a villain, it’s just a load of s but everyone close to her knows, that’s all she needs. It was really tough seeing Bex in pain, obviously with all the crap coming her way. As a husband, the only thing you can do is be there for her.”

The couple celebrate their tenth anniversary today — and their close bond is evident during The Vardys’ opening episode.

Whether it’s playfighting in their home gym, Jamie’s disdain for her “banana breath” or Becky’s utter bewilderment at how “chilled out” her husband is, they are perfect reality TV material.

Becky says: “We have five kids, but if you include Jamie in that, we have six.”

Jamie is seen telling his young children about him leaving Leicester after 13 years.

But the transfer was far from straightforward — as he was initially bound for a Dutch club.

Becky rants: “The last 24 hours has been a total s*** show. Yesterday morning we were all on holiday in Portugal, chilling, rosé, life couldn’t get any better. And then Jamie tells me, ‘I’m going to sign for a Dutch team.’ I ask him, ‘Are you sure?’ And he seems pretty sure at that point.

“So I thought, ‘OK, that’s fine then, we’re going to Holland’ and literally, just as we’re boarding a flight home from Portugal, he changed his mind — standard Jamie.

“We landed back in the UK at 3pm, dropped the kids off, went straight back to the airport and back out on a flight to Italy.”

• The Vardys starts on ITV, June 2, 9pm, with all episodes on ITVX.

New football drama Dear England premiered on BBC One on Sunday night, with viewers sharing their verdict

The BBC’s new football drama, Dear England, premiered on Sunday night.

Starring Joseph Fiennes as former England manager Gareth Southgate, the series is a fictionalised account that follows the success and struggles of the England men’s football team from 2016 to 2024.

The drama is based on James Graham’s play of the same name, and also stars Jodie Whittaker as psychologist Pippa Grange, Daniel Ryan as England football coach Steve Holland, and Will Antenbring as Harry Kane.

That’s not all, as John Hodgkinson plays football executive Greg Clarke, while Jason Watkins brings football administrator Greg Dyke to life.

Other footballing stars are also played by talented actors, including Harry Maguire, Jordan Pickford, Dele Alli, Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, Wayne Rooney, Jordan Henderson, and Eric Dier.

The official synopsis reads: “With the worst team track record for penalties in the world when he takes over as manager, Gareth knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take England back to the promised land.

“The country that gave the world football has delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t the England team win at their own game?”

The first episode of Dear England premiered on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday night (May 24), with viewers quickly praising Joseph Fiennes’ portrayal of Southgate.

“Joseph Fiennes as – no, IS! – Gareth Southgate. Playing a blinder!!” one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter), with another adding: “Got the Southgate casting spot on.”

A third said: “Joseph Fiennes is actually incredible as Gareth Southgate. The mannerisms, the voice, the look – it’s uncanny. Superb performance,” with another similarly sharing: “That Southgate voice is uncanny.”

A fifth viewer echoed the sentiment, saying: “I watched Dear England in the theatre and it was really b***** good. This might be even better. Fiennes is impeccable.”

Other fans commended the drama, with one person saying: “#DearEngland is great. I saw this at the theatre and it was a gem.”

Another added: “Eight minutes in, and I’m liking this already,” while a third said: “#DearEngland Watched the stage show at Birmingham Hippodrome it was brilliant, very funny and poignant. This has started well.”

The first episode saw Gareth Southgate take on a team at an all-time low, as well as a jaded fanbase after an embarrassing defeat to Iceland.

Haunted by his own disastrous penalty miss as a player, he enlists the help of a psychologist to change the team’s mindset and tackle their biggest fear.

Dear England is set to continue tomorrow (May 25) night, before the final two episodes air next Sunday (May 31) and Monday (June 1).

Dear England is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

After a nearly seven-year absence from theaters, Star Wars proved it still has the Force, as the latest installment, “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” is on track to earn an estimated $102 million in the U.S. and Canada for the Memorial Day weekend.

The movie, which is a continuation of “The Mandalorian” streaming show that debuted on Disney+ in 2019, met studio expectations for its opening weekend results.

Globally, the film was on track to pull in $165 million for the four-day holiday weekend.

Director Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu” now ranks as the year’s third-highest grossing domestic opening, based on its Friday-Sunday ticket sales of $82 million, according to ticket tracker Comscore.

The results are likely a relief to Walt Disney Co.-owned Lucasfilm, which had not released a theatrical Star Wars film since 2019’s “Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker.”

Since then, the San Francisco-based studio has largely focused on its Star Wars streaming shows, which have included both live-action and animated series. Some of those shows received mixed reviews, though “The Mandalorian” and “Rogue One” spin-off “Andor” were breakout hits, praised by critics and largely revered by fans.

The movie — starring Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White — benefited from positive reviews from moviegoers, but it stopped short of shattering expectations. Its initial financial performance was on par with the disappointing 2018 opening weekend for “Solo: A Star Wars Story.” That film notched $103 million in its opening weekend.

Still, as cinemas struggle to recover from pandemic-era shutdowns, a film that generates more than $100 million in its the opening weekend is typically seen as a success.

Box office revenue for “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” which played in 4,300 theaters, will be just one indicator of the movie’s success.

The Burbank entertainment giant is counting on the film to boost other parts of its business, including views of Star Wars shows on the Disney+ streaming service, its gaming collaboration with Fortnite and its all-important theme parks sector. The main characters are present in the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge-themed land, and the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run ride has been overlaid with a new “Mandalorian and Grogu” storyline at Disney parks in Anaheim and Orlando.

The weekend ticket sales underscore the enduring appeal of Star Wars, which remains among Disney’s top five franchises, producing more than $1 billion in annual retail sales.

Reception for the film was seen as critical to keeping the franchise fresh in moviegoers’ minds, particularly as Disney prepares for the upcoming 50th anniversary of Star Wars and a new movie starring Ryan Gosling set for next year.

Locally, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is the first Star Wars movie to be made entirely in Los Angeles.

The film received a state tax credit to film in the Golden State, Favreau said at the premiere last week.

“The Mandalorian and Grogu” faced little new competition at the box office this Memorial Day weekend. Rival studios largely stayed on the sidelines, with no other potential blockbuster debuting at the same time.

Focus Films’ horror hit “Obsession” came in second at the box office with $22.4 million for its three-day total, according to Comscore.

Lionsgate’s blockbuster Michael Jackson documentary, “Michael,” snared $20 million, bringing its total to $314 million. “The Devil Wears Prada 2” came in fourth with $12.6 million, bringing its purse to $196 million since it opened earlier this month.

Amazon’s MGM studio’s “The Sheep Detectives” rounded out the top five with nearly $9 million.

ALANA Percival has shared a number of posts to her Instagram story about karma in the wake of Lee Andrews going missing.

The pair used to date before Lee swept Katie Price off of her feet in a whirlwind romance.

Taking to her socials, Alana reposted two quotes from a psychology account.

The first quote reads: “Karma: no need for revenge. Just sit back and wait.”

The second continues on the same theme, reading: “Those who hurt you will eventually screw up themselves and if you are lucky, God will let you watch.”

The posts come shortly after Alana received ‘threatening’ messages at 2am from someone connected to Lee amid his disappearance.

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Alana took to social media to call out the messages – of which she suggested she was targeted due to her openly being critical of Lee and ‘exposing’ his conman ways both in the press and on social media.

In her lengthy story post, Alana said: “Last night I received a DM from someone very well connected to the ongoing Lee Andrews situation.

“The message contained subtle undertones that I interpreted as threatening, implying that if Lee Andrews were to harm himself, somehow that responsibility would fall on me.

“There were also suggestions that I should stop speaking out, delete things from my phone, and stay quiet because this is now ‘a police matter.’

“So let me respond publicly. If everything that has been exposed about my personal life helps even one woman recognise red flags, leave an unhealthy situation, or avoid ending up in one like I did, then every bit of stress, scrutiny, and intrusion into my life will have been worth it.”

A missing persons’ report was filed with the British Embassy in the United Arab Emirates city this week and four days ago Dubai police denied that Lee had been detained.

Katie has continued to go forward with the theory that Lee has been kidnapped in Dubai, hence why he hasn’t been able to return to the UK.

During their time dating, Alana has claimed Lee conned her in a number of ways.

Lee connected with Alana on Facebook in March last year and she explained how he “love bombed” her with cash transfers, Louis Vuitton bags and Cartier jewellery.

Things moved quickly between the pair and Lee proposed – in a way that was identical to his proposal to Katie, 47, in January.

Speaking about Katie to The Sun earlier this year, Alana expressed: “I just worry for her welfare.

“I worry he’ll maybe end up getting her arrested or a flight ban. He obviously has no remorse toward anyone.”

KATIE Price’s “missing” conman husband Lee Andrews may have lied to her about being detained by copying the real-life ordeal of another Brit, The Sun can reveal.

Andrews, who has a travel ban, told the glamour model he had been apprehended and shoved in a van with a hood over his head at the Dubai-Oman border.

The Dubai-based swindler, 43, also told Katie, 48, that he was being taken to a “black site” – a hidden state-run detention facility – on May 13, and they have not spoken since.

But insiders explain Andrews’s story has striking similarities to that of Brit grandad Albert Douglas, 63, who has detailed his trauma in interviews with newspapers including The Sun – and most recently The Guardian last month.

Millionaire Albert, who lived in Dubai, was arrested for financial fraud in 2019 over a bounced cheque related to his son Wolfgang’s collapsed wooden flooring business, despite having no involvement in the firm.

He was bailed but subjected to a travel ban, and then given a three-year sentence and a £2.5million fine after a court found him liable, with Wolfgang back home in the UK.

After failing in an appeal, Albert tried to flee the country in 2021. His son paid smugglers £20,000 to sneak him across the United Arab Emirates-Oman border at Al Ain in Abu Dhabi.

But soldiers caught dad-of-four Albert, pointing their guns at him, hooding him, and putting him in a van.

They then took him to an unknown location and held him in a dirty cell where he was stripped and beaten for days.

Albert spent the next four years in hellhole Dubai jails after being caged for attempting to flee the country, and he was tortured to within an inch of his life while in detention.

He was finally released last December, following an intervention from the United Nations and pressure from advocacy groups including Detained In Dubai.

After his release, he told this newspaper: “It was like a nightmare with no end.”

Sources in Dubai raised eyebrows after reading the story Andrews fed Katie.

One highly-respected businessman, who has mutual friends with Andrews, told The Sun: “Lee is the type of person to read a story and then imagine it into reality.

“There are lots of similarities between their stories.

“Lee could easily have made this all up based on Albert’s story, as it’s been in the UK press recently, and just be hiding out.”

Andrews’s dad Peter, who runs an insulation and air conditioning firm in Dubai, claimed on Saturday that his son was “OK” but that he had been arrested.

He said: “He has not been kidnapped, but he is under arrest. I don’t know on what charge.

“I’m not sure where he is being held. But he will call me later today. He is not at my house.”

But hours later, mum-of-five Katie dismissed this as “fake news” and insisted that he has not been nicked.

And Dubai’s Criminal Investigation Department could not find a record of his arrest when we made inquiries.

Katie said: “I have spoken to the Dubai police and he definitely isn’t in jail.
“They still don’t know where he is. It is all really confusing and we just need to find Lee.

“I have spoken to his dad. It isn’t true. I don’t know where my husband is.”
Katie wed Andrews in January, just days after meeting him through social media.

He had claimed to be a multimillionaire businessman – but some of his ex-girlfriends accused him of swindling them out of vast sums of cash.
One of them, Crystal Janke, said she handed him £123,000 to invest and he promised to turn it into £1million.

Andrews was also exposed for lying about having a PhD from Cambridge University and working for The King’s Trust and the Labour Party.

He also posted AI-generated images online of himself with celebrities including American reality star Kim Kardashian and Tesla billionaire Elon Musk.

He is said to be the subject of multiple arrest warrants – including for fraud.

Meanwhile, a fresh twist in the drama emerged yesterday after Andrews’s phone was turned on – with WhatsApp messages delivering to his device.
It raises further questions over his dad’s claim that he has been arrested.

A source explained: “I had been messaging Lee and was getting no response.

“But on Sunday morning, my messages had gone from a single tick to a double – so that device is back on and being used.

“Lee has multiple phones but this is the one that is being used now.”

The development came after we told on Saturday how Andrews had followed a glamorous “biker babe” and ex-US Navy veteran called Marisol on Instagram.

She later thanked us for warning her about the grifter’s reputation and blocked him on the social media site.

NEW Strictly Come Dancing host Josh Widdecombe was forced to halt work at his listed mansion after he began renovations without planning permission.

The comedian has already splashed some of his windfall on renovating his new family home in Devon.

Josh and his producer wife Rose Hanson wasted no time in beginning work on the listed property, only for planning documents to reveal they had failed to get permission.

In a retrospective application, his agent said it was “regrettable” but confirmed work was immediately “paused” upon realising.

On the application form, Rose confirmed work on the building had begun but had not been finished.

Permission was eventually granted this week by council planners under delegated powers after no objections were received.

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The application was in Rose’s name, who previously said on social media she was the boss when it comes to renovations.

She wrote: “He’s good at writing jokes, I’m good with interiors – we stick to our lanes.”

The work includes a range of internal alterations including reopening a historic doorway, adjusting partitions and repositioning architraves.

A supporting statement on behalf of the couple said: “At ground floor level it is proposed to re-open an historic doorway that was blocked with 20th century studwork.”

It added that minor adjustments would be made to the back of the building to incorporate a new door from the garden.

It said: “The enclosed works have no impact on the setting of the building in any way, with the only external change proposed the inclusion of a new door to the garden store.”

They added that internally, none of the proposed works have an adverse impact on the character of the house.

In approving the application, a planning official described the impacts of the proposals as largely “positive” or “neutral”.

The couple moved to the home in Devon after selling their £2.3m London townhouse.

They said at the time they wanted to bring up their two children with more space and be closer to Josh’s childhood home.

Previous pictures of the listed property reveal five ensuite bedrooms and a separate one-bed coach house in the grounds, as well as a huge living room, large kitchen and dining room.

The posh home also comes with two offices, a gym and a wine cellar.

Speaking on the Parenting Hell podcast, Josh had told fellow comic Rob Beckett: “Just to be clear, it isn’t in Crinkley Bottom – it isn’t the house we used to see on Saturday nights on the TV.”

Josh and Rose also owns a £1M holiday home in Cornwall, that they restored and now rent out to holidaymakers.

A brand new comedy series is coming soon to Channel 4 with a familiar face as its star

A Last One Laughing star’s new comedy series is now just days away.

Channel 4 will soon start airing Make That Movie, which is the brainchild of Australian comedian Sam Campbell. Viewers may recognise the funnyman from his stint on the latest season of Prime Video’s Last One Laughing.

The deadpan comedian sailed through to the Season 2 finale, outlasting the show’s returning champion, Bob Mortimer. He went toe-to-toe with David Mitchell in the final episode, with neither comedian breaking as they fed each other buffet food.

It resulted in an unprecedented tie-breaker in which the person who made the most people laugh over the course of the series was awarded the crown, meaning David scooped the win while Sam was awarded the runner-up title.

Sam is set to return to TV screens again in just a few days with his brand new comedy series, but what is it about, when is it released, and who is in it? Here’s everything you need to know.

What is Make That Movie about?

The six-part Channel 4 comedy series follows a director called Sam (played by Sam Campbell) who attempts to make feature films based on the weird and wonderful ideas of everyday people. He goes on a trip around the country seeking out people to share their ideas with him, before attempting to make their movies in just three days.

While Sam appears to play himself, the series is a scripted comedy show and not real life. Alongside Sam in the cast are Michell and Webb Are Not Helping star Lara Ricote as runner Jess, and Am I Being Unreasonable’s Helen Bauer, who plays sound engineer Pat.

Meanwhile Aaron Chen (Fisk) plays intimacy coordinator Sebastian and This Country’s David Hargreaves takes on the role of cinematographer Winnie.

The series is directed and co-written by Joe Pelling who may already be known to some as the director of nightmarish comedy-horror puppet show, Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared.

Make That Movie’s release date and time

The very first 30-minute episode will air on Channel 4 on Thursday, May 28 at 10pm. The second episode will be broadcast immediately after at 10.30pm.

Announcing its release date, Sam posted: “This show is on channel 4. 28th of May ~ so pretty soon in fact. We hope it wets so many people’s whistles. Hopefully not a dry whistle left in the whole world. Hopefully. Please watch.”

A flurry of excited fans were quick to comment, with one penning: “I don’t understand any of this but that’s okay, I trust Sam,” in reference to Sam’s surreal comedy style.

“Nathan Fielder has been real quite since this dropped,” joked another. “Can’t wait for this dynamite series!” a third fan remarked.

Make That Movie begins on Channel 4 on May 28 at 10pm.

Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

There are, it goes without saying, a lot of movies out there. And so even for someone like myself, whose job is just to stay on top of them, sometime a title slips by. I had not taken much notice of “Is God Is” before it opened last week without playing any festivals in advance, but the reviews and conversation around it grabbed my interest. Once I realized that Tessa Thompson and Janicza Bravo were involved as producers, I made sure to carve out time to see the movie this week. And am I ever glad I did.

The debut as writer-director for Aleshea Harris (adapting her own play), “Is God Is” is among the most exciting movies released so far this year. Kara Young and Mallori Johnson are absolutely electric as twin sisters who set out to find the estranged, abusive father who abandoned them after leaving them and their mother horribly scarred in a fire. There is a volatile unpredictability to the storytelling that gives it a fresh energy. I saw it at a more-or-less empty matinee, but I’m glad I did. Catch this in theaters while you can.

35 years of ‘T2’

Linda Hamilton in the movie “Terminator 2: Judgment Day.”

(Rialto Pictures)

As far as I’m concerned, James Cameron’s 1991 “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” is the quintessential summer movie. You can pay close attention or not, the special effects and action are amazing, the villains are sentient machines (shades of our AI-addled present) and it has a song by freaking Guns N’ Roses.

The main cast of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick, Edward Furlong and Joe Morton are all perfectly tuned into the movie they are making, full of chaos, mayhem and just the right amount of thoughtfulness. (Morton and Hamilton in particular give the film an unexpected soulfulness.)

To celebrate the film’s 35th anniversary, the American Cinematheque is screening the film in 70mm, 35mm, 3D and DCP at different venues on different days. (Check carefully, as there have already been some schedule changes.) The Academy Museum will show the film on Wednesday in 4K with visual effects supervisor Dennis Muren and special effects creator Shane Mahan present. The film is also playing the Vista in 70mm June 6 and 7.

In his original 1991 review, Kenneth Turan wrote, “Most of all, what makes ‘Terminator 2’ come alive in a major way is Cameron’s intuitive understanding of the mechanics and psychology of action films. Unlike many of the wanna-bes who find themselves in charge of pictures these days, this is one director who really knows how to direct. … Cameron flamboyantly underlines, for those who may have forgotten, why the pure adrenaline rush of motion is something motion pictures can’t live for very long without.”

Lena Dunham before ‘Girls’

David Call and Lena Dunham in the movie “Tiny Furniture.”

(Joe Anderson / IFC Films)

Lena Dunham recently published her second memoir, “Famesick,” a portrait of her rise to cultural prominence and media ubiquity and subsequent retreat from it, which makes this a perfect moment to revisit a key component of her initial ascent, the micro-budget 2010 feature “Tiny Furniture.” Made when Dunham was in her early 20s, the film is a deadly accurate portrait of post-collegiate ennui, shot partly in her parents’ NYC apartment, and remains fresh and startlingly insightful.

The Eastwood Performing Arts Center will be screening the film Friday and Saturday. The film is showing along with the “Welcome to Bushwick a.k.a The Crackcident” episode of Dunham’s series “Girls.”

I profiled Dunham at the time, having first encountered her at SXSW the year before when she was there with her film “Creative Nonfiction.”

“That movie is so personal,” Dunham said of “Tiny Furniture” during an interview from the New York production office of the pilot for what would become “Girls.” “It’s like I wrote it, I directed it, I star in it — if you don’t like the movie you don’t like me.”

With the lacerating self-awareness that made her a star, she added, “And I also understand there is something essentially unappealing about ‘girl makes movies about being a loser and then gets un-loserly things to happen to her.’ It’s a little absurd.”

More onscreen Bob Dylan

Rupert Everett, Fiona Flanagan and Bob Dylan in a production still for 1987’s “Hearts of Fire.”

(Skinner / Mirrorpix / Getty Images)

It was just a few weeks ago that we wrote about a program of Bob Dylan live concert footage. In honor of his 85th birthday, the American Cinematheque will be putting on another program of two oddball rarities from his long career.

Rarely screened in theaters, the 2021 film “Shadow Kingdom,” directed by Alma Har’el, was originally released to a pay-per-view streaming site. Though it purports to be a performance at the Bon Bon Club in Marseille, France, the film was actually shot on a soundstage in Santa Monica. The musicians on screen are not playing live and are not even the same musicians who played on the prerecorded tracks.

The whole thing is very confusing in a very Bob Dylan way, but also kind of incredible. With its Dust Bowl “Twin Peaks,” last-nightclub-on-Earth vibes and spare, haunting arrangements of many Dylan classics that he rarely plays at his own concerts anymore, it is a truly one-of-a-kind document.

The same could be said of the 1987 film “Hearts of Fire,” directed by Richard Marquand (who also helmed “Return of the Jedi!”) and screening in 35mm. In a rare acting turn, Dylan plays a reclusive musician who takes a young singer (Fiona) under his wing, only to have her fall for a pop star played by Rupert Everett. Let’s charitably call Dylan’s performance singular as he delivers every line as if he isn’t sure why he is in the movie. It’s still fascinating.

Kurosawa’s late masterpiece

Mieko Harada in Akira Kurosawa’s 1985 epic “Ran.”

(Rialto Pictures)

One of the highlights of the Academy Museum’s ongoing series on Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa will be this weekend’s 35mm showing of 1985’s “Ran,” a retelling of Shakespeare’s “King Lear” shifted to 16th century Japan. Playing in 35mm in the big David Geffen Theater, it’s a chance to see a truly epic-scaled film under ideal conditions.

Reviewing the movie on its initial release, Kevin Thomas wrote, “‘Ran’ is a heroic saga of human destiny, a war movie with some of the greatest battle scenes in the history of the cinema, a costume drama of the utmost magnificence — and a crackling good samurai movie chock full of swordplay and palace intrigue.”

David Fincher’s secret soft heart

Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried in the movie “Mank.”

(Netflix)

The last couple months have been a real feast for Fincher-heads out there, with high-profile screenings of “Seven,” “Fight Club” and “Zodiac.” Now, David Fincher’s 2020 film “Mank” will be playing this weekend at the Vista. Because it came out during the pandemic (and was launched by Netflix), the film has only ever played a limited number of theaters, let alone in 35mm, which should do wonders for its black-and-white photography.

From a screenplay by Fincher’s father Jack, the film stars Gary Oldman as writer Herman J. Mankiewicz, working on the script for “Citizen Kane” with Orson Welles. Amanda Seyfried gives a vibrant performance as actor Marion Davies, who attempts to save Mankiewicz from his own worst instincts when it comes to her own paramour, mogul William Randolph Hearst.

In his review Justin Chang called the movie “very much a story about class divides and clashing egos, outsiders and insiders, striving and ambition, creation and authorship, and the thrill and loneliness of being the smartest guy in the room. … The off-kilter rhythms feel both immersive and agitated, as if Fincher were trying to both hypnotize you and jolt you awake with his lustrous Old Hollywood homage.”

New this week

Director Boots Riley, photographed in Los Angeles in May.

(Ian Spanier / For The Times)

• Amy Nicholson and Joshua Rothkopf finished out their time at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. (The awards will be announced over the weekend.) Amy took a look at what many have felt to be a weak program this year, while Josh spoke to Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin, whose sci-fi action film “Hope” has a cast that includes Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander as space aliens.
• I spoke to Boots Riley, a musician and political activist turned filmmaker whose new movie is “I Love Boosters.” Riley maintains a deep sense of political commitment in his work, one which he does not feel he has to betray by also making things that are entertaining and enjoyable.
• The first new “Star Wars” movie in theaters since 2019, Jon Favreau’s “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is now playing. As Robert Abele put it in his review, “The brand is back together for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu,’ which is a movie, a hoped-for franchise revival, a fourth season of sorts and an affable throwback. But it’s never quite riveting enough as canon or fodder to supplant anyone’s memories of [insert favorite “Star Wars” film here].”

The hit period drama has been hailed by fans as ‘even better than Downton Abbey’ – and both were created by the same person.

A period drama branded “superior” to Downton Abbey has totally captivated audiences.

The star-studded series, which fans are describing as “pure binge-worthy escapism”, has already secured renewal for an additional season.

Historical drama enthusiasts will be thrilled to discover the acclaimed new programme was crafted by Julian Fellowes, the creative force behind international hit show Downton Abbey.

Taking place several decades prior to the ITV drama, this series unfolds in the USA, with an IMDb synopsis stating: “The conflicts surrounding the new money Russell family and their old money neighbors, the van Rhijn family, in 1880s New York City high society.”

The Gilded Age debuted its inaugural season in 22, with season 3 landing just last year in 2025, reports the Express.

Fans are already clamouring for additional episodes, as the most recent instalment delivered more “nail-biting drama” than previously seen.

The impressive ensemble also boasts numerous recognisable talents, including The White Lotus’ Carrie Coon, Poldark’s Harry Richardson, Sex and the City’s Cynthia Nixon and Mamma Mia! star Christine Baranski.

Numerous devotees have championed the period drama, with one posting to The Gilded Age Fan Page on Facebook: “The Gilded Age is even better than Downton Abbey.”

In the comments section, multiple viewers expressed their views, with one agreeing: “Listen up! I just wrapped up the first season of Downton Abbey to carry me over until tonight, and let me tell you, it’s a solid show. However, The Gilded Age is on a whole different level.”

“The Gilded Age is indeed superior!” a second declared, as another contributed: “I actually agree but only because I’m American and this history is more close to home personally. Very interesting!”

Nevertheless, others disagreed, with one person stating: “I love The Gilded Age BUT Downton Abbey stands alone no comparison.”

Another added: “Sorry but Downton Abbey is better in my eyes but I do love the Gilded Age too.”

Others couldn’t decide, with another viewer explaining: “They are equally wonderful. A pair of timeless masterpieces.”

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Sky is giving away free subscriptions to Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, Hayu and discovery+ to customers on the Ultimate TV bundle. This also includes 135 channels such as Sky Atlantic and Sky One.

Meanwhile, some enthusiasts recalled one of Britain’s most celebrated period dramas, observing: “But not as good as the original Upstairs, Downstairs, on which it was based.”

Another concurred: “Oh guys, Upstairs Downstairs from the 70’s was deeply wonderful.”

The Gilded Age boasts an impressive 89% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with season 3 in 2025 achieving its highest score yet of 96%.

Taking to the comments section on the review aggregator platform, one enthusiast remarked: “Amazing series! Can’t wait for season 4.

“The show keeps getting better!” another gushed, as a third penned: “One of the best series on TV.. I and my daughter absolutely loved it. All 3 seasons. The nail biting drama at the end of each episode, kept us on the edge of our seats. Nicely done. The acting was superb.”

“I have been watching this show since the 1st season and it just gets better and better,” another concurred, as another contributed: “Love it!!! the Gilded Age is pure binge worthy escapism!!”

One enthusiastic viewer wrote: “Best show on TV right now! I am from India and I freaking low this show. Been a fan of Downton Abbey and this show just gives more drama, power issues and love lessons. Beautiful to the core! Love it.”

The Gilded Age is currently available to watch on Sky, while Downton Abbey can be streamed on ITVX.

HE’S responsible for teaching Michael Jackson the famous moonwalk and choreographed some of the pop superstar’s biggest hits.

Now Shalamar icon Jeffrey Daniel, 71, has spoken in defence of Jackson’s box office smashing biopic, Michael, which has come under fire for omitting controversial elements of the singer’s life – including multiple allegations of child abuse.

Giving his view on the film, which has grossed over $700m worldwide, he says: “At the end of the day, they’re a family and it’s about their family and it’s up to them to do. The public likes to hear controversy. The public likes dirt.

“They want to delve into that negativity. But when you look at Michael’s life and when you look back at it, the negativity was something that was fabricated. There are things that were just engineered to stand against him.”

Speaking from a friend’s home in LA ahead of Shalamar’s 50th anniversary UK tour, he continues: “There’s no way in the world you’re going to be totally vindicated on all charges and acquitted and still looked at as if you’re guilty? Then what was the point of even going to court?

“What was the point of even standing in front of a jury to come to a conclusion that you’re absolutely, unequivocally not guilty if the public is still going to keep running with the narrative of what you were supposed to have done? That doesn’t make sense to me.”

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The film’s critics have called it a glorified promo for MJ’s glittering career, void of the challenging and concerning allegations he faced over the course of his life.

However, Colman Domingo, who plays Michael’s dad Joe Jackson, told the Today Show that it was the film’s timeline that dictated the events. It focuses on Michael’s life from the 60s through to 1988, some five years before the first allegations were made.

With the film teasing a part two, the darker side of Jackson’s life could still be revisited.

Filmmakers were also reportedly forced to do expensive re-shoots, having originally intended to include Jordan Chandler’s 1993 accusations when he was 13 years old.

They were unaware that part of Chandler’s $23m settlement in 1994 forbade anyone from dramatising the account.

Further accusations came much later, with Gavin Arzio’s allegations that he had been molested by Jackson as a child leading to seven charges brought against the star. However, in 2005 he was found not guilty on all counts.

In 2019, 10 years after Jackson’s death, the documnentary Leaving Neverland raised more uncomfortable questions.

The two alleged victims who were the focus of it, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, have joined forces to seek $400m (£298m) in damages from the Jackson estate in a civil trial set to take place later this year.

But Jeffrey has a different outlook and cites an online conspiracy theory that claims Jackson used his Neverland Ranch to shield child victims of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein as evidence of his innocence and insists MJ was trying to save “youngsters”.

Despite all of the allegations, Jeffrey maintains his late friend is still a great role model.

He continues: “You know what’s really inspiring? I’m seeing kids five years old, six and 10 years old imitating Michael.

“They weren’t alive even when he passed away. And they still love him. His legacy is living on.

“He’s the most successful post-mortem artist in history. He’s making more money in his grave than a lot of artists that are out there working their butts off right now. That is a testament to a miracle.

“I mean, because I work with him and I know him, I’m not trying to be biased.”

The biopic is very much a family affair, endorsed by the Jackson estate and with the King of Pop’s nephew Jaafar, 29, cast in the titular role.

However, MJ’s siblings Rebbie, Randy, and Janet don’t feature in the project and none has addressed their absence publicly, though La Toya Jackson said her sister “kindly declined” to be involved.

Jeffrey says the portrayal of the young Michael is so uncanny that it’s like seeing him revived from the dead.

“My God, you have to tip your hat to Jaafar,” says Jeffrey.

“That boy played the hell out of Michael. I couldn’t imagine anyone else. It’s like that guy who played Freddie Mercury [Rami Malek]. It’s like he was born to play that role. And deservingly enough, he won an Oscar for it.

“I see a lot of Michael Jackson impersonators, and they’re pretty good. But they either do too much or they only encapsulate just one dimension of Michael’s performance. Jaafar captured it in its totality.

“He was subtle when it was time to be subtle. He was dynamic when it was time to be dynamic. His mannerisms, the way he spoke, I got emotional.

“I mean, there’s about three times during the film I almost went to tears because I just got emotional because of the scenes that I had something to do with. And I was there when that happened. And I was a part of that when it was happening.

“And then it reminded me of being with Michael and the person he was. It was like seeing a relative come back to life or something. Because I was very close with him.”

Jeffrey’s working relationship with Michael began in 1980, two years prior to the Shalamar founder’s legendary performance on Top of the Pops.

Unknown to the public at the time, Jeffrey had taught the groundbreaking move to MJ after the Thriller star was mesmerised by it while watching an episode of American music show, Soul Train in 1979.

Jackson spent three years practising what was then referred to as a backslide before debuting his version in 1983 during a Motown 25 TV special.

Meanwhile, Shalamar had been scheduled to perform I Can Make You Feel Good on ToTP in 1982 but it was canned at the last minute when the song dropped down the singles chart.

Undeterred, they returned weeks later with a point to prove after Night to Remember became a hit.

Jeffrey’s backslide caused such a stir, bosses scrambled to get the group back for another performance.

Not long after, MJ took the backslide to new heights and remains synonymous with the move.

“I worked with him for over 20 years,” says Jeffrey. “And so, to see this come to life like that again, it was just amazing. I can imagine how his family must have felt.

“Jackie Jackson and Jermaine and Marlon were saying how they were feeling watching this come to life in front of them on screen. And by their own relatives as well, so it’s amazing.”

Jackson’s not the only megastar Jeffrey worked closely with.

He also found a fan in Sir Paul McCartney too, with the Beatle actively seeking him out on a visit to London in the 80s.

Their fortuitous meeting came when McCartney’s crew, who were filming musical drama Give My Regards to Broad Street, spotted Jeffrey taking a walk by the canal in Maida Vale and told him Macca was keen to work with him. The two music men had a brief introduction and Daniel would later return to the UK to work with him on the project properly.

On their second meeting, McCartney hopped out of a car after filming a scene with actress Tracey Ullman and proceeded to lead Jeffrey around the set by the hand, before they sat down for lunch with his late wife Linda.

He said: “I mean, oh my God. Come on, this is legendary greatness. You know, it was an amazing experience.”

Fast forward to the present day and Shalamar are gearing up to bring their energetic set to the UK next month.

Slick and well-honed after five decades, the group know what the audience wants and are more than happy to give it to them.

“The good thing about it is that we have so many hits to choose from and that’s a good thing,” says Jeffrey. “But we’re always trying to adjust it to make sure that we keep the shows interesting and that they appeal to the audience that’s there.”

The live music market is more competitive than ever. Already this year a string of big acts have been forced to cancel tours due to sluggish ticket sales.

When it comes to putting bums on seats, many of whom weren’t alive when Shalamar burst into the charts, Jeffrey says: “We have a catalogue of evergreen, feel-good music. And I think because when times get hard and we go through things, people need a respite.

“I think Shalamar’s music is kind of the antidote to that because it can help you get away when they’re in the audience. They’re up on their feet dancing. They’re singing along.

“I think we’re the last of the high performance bands in the 80s where the choreography, the costume, the interaction, it’s all there, you know.

“Not to toot our own horn, but I think we put on a good show together, you know. And it’s very entertaining. And the people love what we’re doing. And we love the people.”

Alan Titchmarsh’s comments came to light as he described a typical Saturday, which might include a shopping trip using something a BBC star has reportedly said they don’t like

Alan Titchmarsh has taken a swipe at a BBC Radio 2 star who “lives in London” over alleged comments about a vehicle he owns. Alan’s remarks came as he described a typical Saturday with his wife, Alison, following the couple’s recent move to a new home in Surrey after “living in Hampshire around farmland for 40 years”.

By 7am, the Ground Force legend is brewing up a cuppa for Alison and is “up and at ’em”, tackling a crossword to keep his mind sharp before heading outside to check his beloved garden.

Come 11am, the pair might venture out for a spot of shopping, and for that, it appears they rely on their trusty four-by-fours. However, Alan claims one BBC star is far from impressed by the vehicles.

The radio host in question apparently “slags them off”, yet Alan and Alison need them, particularly when navigating their local potholes — pointing out that the host is based in the capital.

He told The Telegraph: “Ali and I might head out and do a bit of [homeware] shopping. We’ve lived in Hampshire around farmland for 40 years, so both of us have four-by-fours. It’s all right when Jeremy Vine slags them off, but he lives in London.

“Out here, we need them! If you saw our potholes! When the two of us are driving, we’re almost always locked in conversation but I play music when I’m alone – either Classic FM, Radio 3 or Radio 4.

“The car picks up my iPhone music and I often listen to the score for the latest series of All Creatures Great and Small by Alexandra Harwood. It’s lovely.”

Keen cyclist Jeremy previously documented drivers breaking traffic laws and shared these on social media in an effort to spotlight the dangers faced by cyclists.

However, he abandoned this practice after suffering online “trolling”. He revealed on X: “I’m stopping my cycling videos. The trolling just got too bad. They have had well over 100 million views, but in the end the anger they generate has genuinely upset me.”

Indeed, it reportedly got so bad that he received death threats for posting videos of drivers, with some cruelly dubbing him “England’s biggest ***hole”.

He said: “Some of the biggest videos were actually about the smallest incidents, like someone turning left in front of me.

“People are happy to discuss it and I actually think that we’d all be safer if we all understood each other. People are going to drive 4x4s in Kensington and whatnot, but they need to have a bit of care for me on a bicycle.

“You might be in total control when you pass close by, but the person on a bicycle doesn’t know that. I just hope I was part of a dialogue about it.”

Love Your Weekend host Alan Titchmarsh questioned Jeremy Vine after the presenter opened up about an embarrassing celebrity encounter.

Jeremy Vine has shared a cringe-worthy story about meeting one of pop music’s biggest stars under rather unfortunate circumstances.

Love Your Weekend With Alan Titchmarsh returned to ITV this morning, with the much-loved presenter heading to The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent for this week’s episode.

Alan Titchmarsh, 77, was joined by BBC presenter and journalist Jeremy, Michael Flatley and Kate Fleetwood, while dog-in-training Titch also made a welcome reappearance.

The veteran host kicked off the programme by quizzing his celebrity guests about their greatest “pinch me moments”.

Jeremy then launched into a rather risqué anecdote about a particularly memorable bathroom visit during his time at BBC Radio 2, prompting Alan to step in with a cautionary word.

“Behind Radio 2 reception there was a loo…” he began, as Alan interjected: “I think you’re going to take this slightly downmarket…”

“I wont!” Jeremy insisted as Alan questioned: “Is this really necessary?”

Jeremy then explained: “I’ve got to tell this story; I’ve got to unload because I haven’t really told it before.”

Alan then cheekily warned Jeremy that the phrase ‘I’ve really got to unload’ hardly inspired great confidence given the direction the tale was heading, reports the Express.

Undeterred, Jeremy continued: “So behind Radio 2 reception there is a single cubicle toilet and it was always locked because the receptionist said we don’t want anyone going in there for obvious reasons.

“And one day I was bursting and I could see the door unlocked, so I say, ‘Do you mind if I go in?’ and I lock the door and I’m in a seated position…

“You’re on the verge of oversharing!” Alan exclaimed, as Jeremy continued: “I don’t understand what’s going on outside the door because I’ve got no idea.

“But Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees has said to reception, ‘I need to use the loo urgently.’

“And reception looks round and the door is locked because it always is because they lock the door to stop people using it,” he clarified.

“So they gave him the master key and I’m sitting in the loo in a seriously private moment and [the door] suddenly opens and Barry Gibb walks in!

“This is the guy who wrote Islands in the Stream!” Jeremy added, as the studio erupted into laughter.

“He walks in a completely continuous movement and I think he made the noise ‘ha?!'” the presenter said, imitating a similar sound to what the Bee Gees sing in their famous track, Stayin’ Alive.

“I’ve only met him once and that was it,” Jeremy concluded, as Alan swiftly steered the conversation elsewhere.

For her standout moment, Kate recounted the occasion she encountered legendary Hollywood actor Dustin Hoffman following a theatrical performance.

She recalled being completely starstruck having previously watched him in classics such as Tootsie and The Graduate, while younger cast members recognised him from the animated blockbuster Kung Fu Panda.

Meanwhile, Michael disclosed he had recently had an audience with Pope Leo XIV, describing it as amongst the greatest days of his life.

Love Your Weekend With Alan Titchmarsh airs every Sunday at 9.30am on ITV1 and ITVX.

After 10 days of crazed moviegoing at the Cannes Film Festival, Times film critic Amy Nicholson and Times film editor Joshua Rothkopf are all but spent. They leave with 10 recommendations (listed below in alphabetical order), including several titles you’ll be hearing about during awards season, but also, admittedly, more reservations than usual.

Amy Nicholson: There are worse ways to spend your life than watching four movies a day in the south of France. For a week and half, we ran in and out of the dark theaters, blinking at the shock of the sun and bickering about what we just saw with the highest concentration of film lovers anywhere — most of us jacked up on espresso or rosé. Yet, we’re flying home miffed that the movies themselves were mediocre. Cannes is meant to launch ambitious, prickly works by grandmasters and next-generation talents. This year, the programming looked like a party with an impressive invite list — Nicolas Winding Refn, Asghar Farhadi, Hirokazu Kore-eda — but upon arrival, all the guests felt like old acquaintances tapped out of anything interesting to say.

I’m being harsh. Cannes had good movies, too. But I needed this year’s Cannes to be great. Audiences trickling back into theaters deserve to see something fantastic. Instead, too many filmmakers took the crowd’s attention span for granted; even the strongest films in competition could delete a half-hour of dead air. Fittingly, the majority of my favorites came from Cannes’ kookier programming sections, Directors’ Fortnight and Un Certain Regard — and I suspect many of yours did, too, oui?

Joshua Rothkopf: I did find a handful of films from the main competition that impressed me, but point taken: Nobody is served if we can’t admit that this year’s edition was weaker than others. We could blame screenwriting or pacing (though paradoxically I was impressed by both the longest and the shortest movies in competition). Maybe it’s an overall lack of boldness. When a restored version of Ken Russell’s salacious 55-year-old “The Devils” eclipses virtually everything else shown at the festival, a certain timidity is hard to deny. There were too many “nice” films: perfectly respectable but not what I want Cannes to be.

Fortunately, we saw enough to sharpen up a list of favorites. Here’s what stirred us.

‘All of a Sudden’

I’m not convinced that the utopian vision of end-of-life care presented in Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s drama has a fighting chance in America, but we deserve the opportunity to grapple with its compassionate turns and have that discussion. The director of “Drive My Car” continues his process-centric exploration of workplace relationships in this quietly revelatory movie, one with a centerpiece conversation that merits comparison to the long walks of Richard Linklater’s “Before” movies. Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto let a day’s stroll linger into profundity, the twilight dimming and human connection brewing in all its possibilities. Is it too late for them? It doesn’t need to be. — Joshua Rothkopf

‘The Beloved’

Esteban (Javier Bardem), a renowned bad boy Spanish filmmaker, returns to his homeland from New York to shoot a period picture in the desert. Off-screen, he’s gifted one of the four leading roles to his estranged daughter (Victoria Luengo), an aspiring actor who hasn’t seen her father in 13 years. Esteban failed as Emilia’s dad. Can he succeed as her director, especially when her big break packs this much pressure? Not likely, especially as Emilia has inherited his disastrous boozing habits. “The Beloved’s” actual director, Rodrigo Sorogoyen, unleashes his leads to become a tag team of destruction, each blaming the other for what’s going wrong on set. They’re both mired in clashing narratives of their relationship. Sorogoyen shows us the truth, as well as the visible frustrations of the film-within-a-film’s cast and crew that risk shutting down this too-passionate passion project. — Amy Nicholson

‘Bitter Christmas’

(Iglesias Mas / Sony Pictures Classics)

Pedro Almodóvar’s self-flagellating film about his artistic process has a Charlie Kaufman-lite structure that I’d rather let audiences discover on their own. In brief: Almodovar’s avatar, a filmmaker named Raúl (Leonardo Sbaraglia), gets dragged over the artistic coals by the dramatic female characters he’s been writing for decades, one of whom dares him to simply coast on his legacy. Too many veteran filmmakers in his year’s Cannes competition seem to have accepted that bargain, so when Raúl got to the end of a new script and decided it wasn’t up to his standards, I nearly shouted “Bravo!” Navel-gazing cinema about the creative process isn’t usually my bag, but Almodóvar doesn’t take his own misery that seriously, even inserting a manic pixie dream hunk, a male stripper-slash-firefighter played by Patrick Criado, for a little bump and grind. — Amy Nicholson

‘Clarissa’

It’s been 101 years since Virginia Woolf first published “Mrs Dalloway,” a novel about persnickety party hostess Clarissa Dalloway colliding with her former lovers, one male and one female. The plot seems simple, but every glare and sigh tells a whole story about modernization, capitulation, cynicism and violence. Twin brothers Arie and Chuko Esiri have transplanted the tale to present-day Nigeria and stacked the cast with Sophie Okonedo, Ayo Edebiri, Nikki Amuka-Bird, David Oyelowo and the staggeringly talented India Amarteifio as the diva in her captivating youth before she married a tedious oilman and started bullying the help. “Clarissa” makes several smart adjustments, swapping in a traumatized Boko Haram soldier for a shell-shocked veteran of the Great War, and cocking an eyebrow at the shiny new yoga studios and coffee shops littering Lagos’ once-lush waterfront. Better still, it’s sexy as heck — the flashbacks are one swimsuit party after another. — Amy Nicholson

‘Club Kid’

The one-sentence pitch of Jordan Firstman’s debut dramedy — a gay nightclub promoter sobers up when he discovers he has a 10-year-old boy — sounded as fun as snorting a line of aspartame. I stand corrected. “Club Kid” is a blast: a spicy, surprising and irreverent comedy that rarely peddles the audience anything artificially sweet. Firstman stars as Peter, a debauched millennial aging out of a New York scene that never cared about him as a person in the first place. His business partner Sophie (Cara Delevingne) is a horror; his selfish squatter-roommate Nicky (Eldar Isgandarov) is even worse and so hilarious I’d watch a spin-off sequel just about him. Peter’s shock son Arlo (Reggie Absolom) has a casual charm that pickpockets your heart, but it’s the script’s sour quips that will have you urging people to get past the treacly set-up and go see “Club Kid” themselves. — Amy Nicholson

‘The Diary of a Chambermaid’

Art punk Radu Jude’s latest satire is about a Romanian immigrant with a burlesque double life. By day, Gianina (Ana Dumitrașcu, fantastic) is the live-in housemaid of a daft Parisian family; by night, she’s an actress in a turn-of-the-20th century slapstick farce about a housemaid whose master suckles her patent leather boots. In neither world can she openly say what she thinks (although in her native tongue, she curses her employers and their young son plenty). Fast, crisp and snide, “The Diary of a Chambermaid” gives equal weight to the monotony and the absurdity of Gianina’s grind. And Jude isn’t above including a mocking slow-motion shot of a spoiled French boy totally whiffing a soccer kick. — Amy Nicholson

‘Fatherland’

The tension at the heart of Paweł Pawlikowski’s period piece, set in a ravaged, fallen Germany after the end of World War II, is one that goes unresolved. All that’s left are defensive denials, evasions of Nazi collaboration and the faint hope that something higher has survived. I could watch this kind of guilt-ridden post-apocalyptic movie for hours; instead, this lasts a scant 82 minutes. The conclusion, a wordless moment between father and daughter set to the strains of Bach played on a broken pipe organ, was the most devastating passage of the entire festival. “Fatherland” shows off Pawlikowski’s exquisite way with black-and-white evocations of European tragedy, but he’s never summed them up as poetically. — Joshua Rothkopf

‘Fjord’

People at the festival called this one complex; I found myself disagreeing. It’s actually a fairly straightforward story about a religious but mostly level-headed family flung into conflict with an overly sensitive branch of child protection services — and maybe with the whole of agnostic Norwegian progressivism. As reactionary as that sounds, I was totally rapt. Partly that’s due to a beautifully plotted courtroom scenario and the immersive performances of Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve, reuniting after “A Different Man,” as parents increasingly out of their depths. But mainly, I credit Romanian director Cristian Mungiu, who knows a good story when he sees one, crystallizing its potency with every camera choice. — Joshua Rothkopf

‘Minotaur’

The ice-chilled return of Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev (after a multiyear battle with long COVID) is worth the wait: a condensation of everything he does well into something so purely distilled, it should come with a proof warning. The movie kicks off as a casual portrait of the vacant nouveau riche lifestyles of the mini-oligarchs: fancy dinners, divorces, bathroom gossip. Then it becomes an erotic thriller (it’s based on Claude Chabrol’s 1969 “The Unfaithful Wife,” as was Diane Lane’s “Unfaithful”). But the best comes last, as the situation gets fixed in broad daylight with breathtaking brutality. The war in Ukraine? Someone else’s problem. “Minotaur” takes on the whole of Putin’s dissociative society and puts its winners above the blackened clouds, looking down at the rest of us. — Joshua Rothkopf

‘Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma’

I am growing to love Jane Schoenbrun’s exfoliation of ’80s horror obsessions, especially for the movie’s nonjudgmental embrace: Let these movies be free in all their “problematic” badness and let them work on you. The fact that “Teenage Sex” sometimes plays like a bottle episode of “Hacks” doesn’t hurt. Hannah Einbinder brings vulnerability to a project that needs her brand of self-excoriating fearlessness. Points, too, for not turning this into yet another celebration of some forgotten male director reclaimed as a genius. Rather, the opposite: It’s about an abused scream queen (Gillian Anderson, gamely campy), a liminal, wintry campground and the exhilaration of running in the woods in your pajamas. — Joshua Rothkopf