The couple were notably absent from a crucial episode
One couple was absent from the final commitment ceremony(Image: Channel 4 )
The final stretch is nearly here for this year’s Married at First Sight UK couples, who tied the knot with complete strangers just weeks ago.
Recent episodes on E4 have shown some pairs flourishing as they’ve built connections, whilst others have endured emotional breakdowns, startling revelations and fierce rows.
With final vows looming, the remaining participants faced a crucial decision at Tuesday evening’s (November 4) final commitment ceremony about whether to remain in the experiment.
But in an unexpected twist, one couple failed to show up, prompting expert Mel Schilling to address the assembled group.
She said: “It’s been incredible to see all your journeys unfold with your time with us. This is the last time that you get to bring your marriage to the couch and share with us where you’re at at this pivotal stage in the experiment and make that final decision on whether to stay or leave”, reports OK!
“Before we begin, obviously you’ll all notice that Grace and Ashley are not with us today, they’ve had a rocky couple of weeks and as a result, felt they needed more time to reflect and they won’t be joining us today.”
The pair – who spent homestays week apart – had both been contemplating their future together, with Ashley removing his wedding band when audiences last saw him.
He admitted that he and Grace might be “too different”, whilst she became tearful and claimed she’d witnessed a side of Ashley that nobody else had seen. She also accused him of making her feel like she was the “problem” and that their marriage was “doomed”.
Grace referred back to earlier rows they’d had over Ashley wanting her to wear a dress for a particular dinner and offering to get her nails done, disputing the way she recalled those conversations.
“I would sit on that couch, hear him twisting things to be more positive and favourable to him, sometimes I take issue with him about something, and he’d be like, no I didn’t, and I’d be like, well how do I argue with you now?” she said.
“I felt really isolated,” she continued, becoming emotional as she spoke about her self-doubt and questioned whether she’d misunderstood their relationship.
“Why am I the only person that sees him this way? No, he is doing this, he wants me to feel apologetic, contrived, he wants to be begged for forgiveness so he can feel in control. It’s the self-doubt that’s getting me down,” she cried. “I’ve had enough.”
Meanwhile, Ashley confessed that he and Grace weren’t “in the best place”, adding: “We’ve both put so much into this, I don’t know what to do, every relationship takes compromise, but we’ve both compromised and now we’re at a stage where she’s now what I need and I’m not what she needs.
“I do have feelings for her, and I do care for her, but I need Grace to be a different person, and I feel like she needs me to be a different person.”
Taking off his wedding ring and expressing his feeling of being “out of options”, Ashley added: “I can’t physically do any more to prove to her who I am as a person.”
When Khalil Mack suffered a left elbow injury after colliding with a teammate while tackling the Raiders’ Geno Smith, the concern wasn’t whether he’d miss time, but how much.
Fortunately for the Chargers, the diagnosis was a dislocated elbow, sidelining him four weeks on injured reserve — far better than the season-ending outcome many had feared.
“He’s like Wolverine,” coach Jim Harbaugh said, invoking the regenerating “X-Men” character. “One of the toughest things I’ve ever seen. He wasn’t going to sit or lay down on the field. … A new level of respect.”
Mack has been remarkably durable in his Chargers tenure, starting 52 of 53 games.
Last season, however, he played through a groin injury, never at full strength. The timing of this setback is especially frustrating, given that the team had held him out of the preseason to preserve him for the regular season.
Losing Mack is a significant blow heading into the team’s third AFC West matchup in three weeks. His impact was evident before leaving Monday’s game, when he disrupted the Raiders’ offense early, including a key third-down sack.
While Mack’s absence is challenging, the defense appears to be in steady hands. It has already proved it can uphold last year’s standard when it finished as the league’s No. 1 scoring defense unit by limiting opponents to 15 points per game through two weeks.
The edge rusher group will take on elevated roles in Mack’s absence.
Tuli Tuipulotu, viewed by the organization as a future star, will anchor the unit alongside veteran Bud Dupree.
Caleb Murphy, primarily a special teamer, logged a career-high 34 snaps against the Raiders and is expected to have a more defined role. Rookie fourth-round pick Kyle Kennard, still on the practice squad, is also in line for a promotion to give the team a fourth option.
Harbaugh didn’t rule out the front office seeking outside help via trade or free agency, saying, “We’ll look. We’re always looking, and see what the coming days bring.”
Before the season, Rams coach Sean McVay spoke confidently about his team’s talent and depth.
That depth will get another early test.
Starting cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon was placed on injured reserve Monday after suffering a fractured clavicle during Sunday’s 33-19 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Witherspoon, 30, will be sidelined “probably 12 weeks,” McVay said during a videoconference with reporters.
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Rams beat reporter Gary Klein breaks down what went right for the Rams in a 33-19 win over the Tennessee Titans as the team shifts its focus toward a big game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3.
Cobie Durant and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. are expected to be the starters, with veteran Darious Williams in a rotational role, on Sunday when the Rams (2-0) play the defending Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The Rams also will “bring somebody in,” McVay said.
The Eagles’ offense is built around star running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns in two games against the Rams last season. But the secondary will be tasked with controlling a passing attack that features quarterback Jalen Hurts, receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, Barkley and several tight ends.
The Rams defeated the Titans despite the absence of starting left guard Steve Avila and rotational tight end Colby Parkinson, who suffered ankle and shoulder injuries, respectively, in the season-opening victory over the Houston Texans.
McVay said Avila is “week to week.” Justin Dedich started in place of Avila against the Titans.
Defensive lineman Braden Fiske suffered an oblique strain during pregame warmups against the Titans, McVay said, and he was limited to 13 defensive snaps.
ERIC Dane did not appear at the Emmy Awards despite a scheduled appearance.
The Grey’s Anatomy alum, 52, had been previously announced as a presenter for the swanky TV ceremony on Sunday, September 14.
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Eric Dane broke down in tears while presenting at the Emmy Awards on SundayCredit: Getty
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The actor recently opened up about his health struggles following his ALS diagnosisCredit: YouTube/Good Morning America
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Eric recently revealed that he’d completely lost the ability to use his right handCredit: Getty
Eric did not provide an explanation for his sudden absence.
The awards ceremony was expected to be Eric’s first major event since he opened up about his health battle in June during an appearance on Good Morning America.
Eric first announced his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, otherwise known as ALS, in April in an interview with People.
“I have been diagnosed with ALS,” the TV star shared. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.”
Eric shares two children, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13, with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart.
‘IT’S SOBERING’
He has since been more vocal about how the disease has significantly impacted him mentally and physically.
During a sit-down with Diane Sawyer on GMA, Eric revealed his left arm is the only one functioning, as his right had “completely stopped working.”
“I feel like maybe a couple more months and I won’t have my left hand either. It’s sobering,” the Euphoria star said at the time.
Eric explained that he first noticed something wasn’t right after experiencing “weakness” and “fatigue” in his right hand.
Although he at first brushed it off, chalking the symptoms up to “texting too much,” it soon worsened leading him to see numerous specialists.
Eric Dane Opens Up About Leaving Grey’s Anatomy
After nine months, Eric received the heartbreaking diagnosis that he had the incurable disease.
“I will never forget those three letters,” the Borderline star said.
“It’s on me the second I wake up. It’s not a dream.”
Eric then admitted that he feared the moment he loses cognitive function in the rest of his body.
Why is it called Lou Gehrig’s disease?
ALS, the most common type of MND, is also known as Charcot disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Henry Louis “Lou” Gehrig was born in the US in 1903, and was a successful baseball player.
He held many records in his day, including the most career grand slams, 23, broken in 2013, and the most consecutive games played, 2,130 which stood for 56 years.
Nicknamed The Iron Horse, he had a stellar career but his performance nosedived, and he was diagnosed with ALS on his 36th birthday in June 1939.
Two days after his diagnosis, he retired from the sport and his condition was made public.
Just two years later, on June 2 1941, Gehrig passed away.
Due to his fame, ALS is commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease in North America.
“I’m worried about my legs,” he revealed.
The Last Ship star experienced a terrifying incident a couple of months earlier when he needed to be rescued by his daughter after suddenly losing the ability to swim during a boat trip.
“When I jumped into the ocean that day and realized I couldn’t generate enough power to get myself to the boat. I thought, oh god. I’m not safe to be in the water,” Eric, who was a competitive swimmer and athlete in high school, said.
“She dragged me back to the boat. I was breaking down in tears. I made sure she got back in the water and continued snorkeling with the guide. But I was heartbroken.”
Despite the long road Eric has ahead of him, he’s determined to battle the disease head-on.
“I just don’t feel like in my heart this is the end of me. I’m fighting as much as I can,” the Countdown star declared.
ALS, additionally referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a common degenerative neurological disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
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Eric is a father to two daughters, Billie Beatrice and Georgia GeraldineCredit: Getty
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The TV star shares his kids with his wife, Rebecca GayheartCredit: Getty
Ruben Loftus-Cheek says he “completely forgot” about playing for England and was “just a fan” during his near seven-year absence from the national team.
Loftus-Cheek’s last appearance for the Three Lions came in a friendly against the United States in November 2018 after he had been part of Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad that reached the semi-finals in Russia the same year.
The 29-year-old midfielder ruptured his Achilles in 2019 playing for Chelsea in a friendly in the USA before the Europa League final, and subsequently dropped out of the England reckoning.
He joined AC Milan in 2023 and has made 71 appearances for the Rossoneri in all competitions, scoring 11 goals and registering three assists.
“When I ruptured my Achilles, I was on such a high [before it happened], so after that I had a hard time mentally,” said Loftus-Cheek.
“But I was still young, I still had time to come back, so I wasn’t too low.”
He added he had “got used” to not joining up with England because he had been away for so long.
“You still want to push in club football with the hope of maybe getting a sniff,” he said.
“But I just completely forgot about it and was being a fan of the team instead.”
Loftus-Cheek said it took about two years for him to feel himself again after the injury.
“If you have got good people around you it is going to help you so much, but the main thing comes from your self drive,” he said of his recovery.
“That belief, to overcome challenges, is paramount in sport and in life – that you have this mentality in overcoming challenges.”
This was probably as close as we will ever get to having another playing captain in a Ryder Cup. In truth, the PGA of America put Bradley in an invidious position by appointing him long before his days at the top of the game are done.
As a result, it could be argued, the American team have been denied one of their top dozen golfers for the 12-man team charged with trying to win back the trophy.
Bradley’s form and playing passion ticked every one of the boxes he cited for the six players he chose as wildcard picks. “They’re all incredibly gritty players, tough players, great competitors,” the skipper said.
“They’ve all proven themselves at the highest level. And again, they’ve played basically in the bubble of the Ryder Cup for the last month and a half and performed at the highest level.”
Bradley insists their current playing standards made it easy for him to leave himself out. But if someone else was captain, Bradley would have felt aggrieved to be ignored in the way that he was by Zach Johnson two years ago.
Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay were no-brainers. They bring vital experience and strong matchplay credentials – especially Cantlay, who has a 15-6-1 record in team competitions for the United States.
Cameron Young, a New Yorker who set the Bethpage Black course record as an amateur, won his first PGA Tour title only three weeks ago. His form and background made him a natural selection.
Ben Griffin’s consistency has been stellar and as someone who gave up the game to work in an office before returning to stardom, he provides a romantic perspective that could sit well in the locker room.
Sam Burns’ putting will worry Luke Donald’s European team, but Collin Morikawa’s patchy form in 2025 perhaps makes the two-time major champion the most fortunate of the picks.
CHELSEA’S free-flowing attack tripped at the starting line of the Premier League title race, as Enzo Maresca’s side stuttered to a bore-draw at home to Crystal Palace.
Reportedly on the verge of a move away from the club, it was Eberechi Eze who thought he had opened the scoring, only for VAR to rule his free-kick out over an infringement in the wall by Marc Guehi.
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Chelsea struggled to find a way past Crystal Palace in a 0-0 drawCredit: AFP
It was a VAR call that really wrote the story of this game, with both teams unable to create any moves with much meaning beyond it.
A tightly contested first half was met with an equally tight second 45 minutes.
The introduction of teenage wonderkid Estevao threatened to shake things up in the second half, as the Brazilian injected pace and enthusiasm into a lacklustre Chelsea attack.
But even his Brazilian brilliance wasn’t incisive enough to carve an opening for Maresca’s men.
And despite a number of substitutes following Estevao, including new number nine Liam Delap, Stamford Bridge’s shooters could only fire blanks before going to West Ham next week.
Here’s how SunSport Chelsea Reporter Lloyd Canfield rated the players…
Robert Sanchez – 6
It’s unclear if Robert Sanchez was blinded by the sun or by a player as an Eze free-kick was rifled past him, but VAR perhaps saved him in that sense, as it was ruled out.
The Spaniard made a solid stop to deny Jean Phillipe-Mateta in the first half, and his distribution seemed improved from last season, but there are still question marks over him among the Blues’ fanbase.
With an ‘elite’ goalkeeper like Gianluigi Donnarumma up for grabs, he is under a lot of pressure to perform at this moment in time.
Ex-Premier League ref on Eberechi Eze’s disallowed goal vs Chelsea
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Reece James – 7
Chelsea’s captain was tasked with marshalling Ebere Eze from right-back for the Blues, as well as leading from the back with the young Josh Acheampong next to him.
It wasn’t a vintage, flying fullback Reece James performance, but one that showed a maturity to his game with a good passing range and an air of calmness on the ball that he has always possessed.
Josh Acheampong – 9
The Cobham Academy graduate was thrown in the deep end once more in the absence of Levi Colwill and Tosin for Chelsea.
With all the talk of whether or not the Blues will sign a new central defender or not, the teenager did extremely well under huge pressure, putting in crunching tackles and showing elite composure on the ball, sending something of a soothing aura around Stamford Bridge with it at his feet.
Dealing with the physicality of Jean Phillipe Mateta is a tough task for any defender, and Acheampong will need to grow physically before he can dominate that kind of threat, but it didn’t bother him much today.
Enzo Maresca has got the answer to his injury dilemma from within the club, as they wanted, and Chelsea will hope the youngster can build on such an impressive display.
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Josh Acheampong had a brilliant game at the backCredit: AFP
Trevoh Chalobah – 7
Perhaps should have done better when he had a chance to open the scoring after 30 minutes, as the ball fell kindly to him eight yards out, only to be fired over the bar.
But Trevoh Chalobah put in a solid showing against his former club, with an array of good tackles and blocks, as well as guiding Josh Acheampong next to him into a brilliant showing.
Marc Cucurella – 5
Almost opened the scoring with a header before a clumsy challenge gave a free kick to Crystal Palace, from which they thought they had opened the scoring.
Marc Cucurella has often become a source of attacking threat and chance creation under Enzo Maresca, but wasn’t able to create many openings when he did progress further up the pitch, losing the ball too often.
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Marc Cucurella was clumsy going forwardCredit: Getty
Moises Caicedo – 8
Consistency personified in blue, Moises Caicedo was his usual brilliant self today.
Vital interceptions, tackles full of heart and the stamina of a marathon runner, Caicedo distributed the ball through Chelsea’s midfield and put out fires from the very first whistle to the last.
A bit more creativity and ball progression from the deep-lying midfielder would have improved his rating to that truly elite level.
Enzo Fernandez – 4
A very quiet first half saw Moises Caicedo doing the work of two people on his own, with Enzo Fernandez seeming overrun by the enigmatic Ebere Eze.
Struggled to get his foot on the ball and create chances as he has done so well in recent games for the Blues, before being swapped for Andrey Santos in the final 15 minutes.
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Enzo Fernandez was hauled off after failing to impressCredit: Getty
Jamie Gittens – 4
After an electric pre-season that left fans excited to see him in Premier League action for the first time, he was somewhat disappointing in the first half.
He was given a run for his money by Daniel Munoz and failed to deliver any sort of end product on his PL bow.
Better things will be coming from Chelsea’s new number 11, who was substituted after 54 minutes for wonderkid Estevao Willian.
Cole Palmer – 3
A shadow of his usual self, Cole Palmer didn’t deliver the same kind of fireworks we have become so accustomed to seeing from him under Enzo Maresca.
Instead for much of the game he looked the same player we saw during his ‘rough patch’ last year.
He wasn’t allowed much, if any, space on the ball and wasn’t able to create something from nothing in this game, which everyone knows he can do at his mind-blowing best.
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Cole Palmer struggled to impress for the BluesCredit: Getty
Pedro Neto – 5
Chelsea fans know what to expect from Pedro Neto by now, at his worst he will give you heaps of hard work and running, even on a baking hot day at Stamford Bridge like today.
He was more impressive than Gittens on the other wing, but also struggled to really create any meaningful chances, with a few deliveries sailing over any Chelsea attackers.
Neto was switched to the left side when Estevao was introduced, but it was much the same as the first half in truth.
Joao Pedro – 4
After five goals in his first five games for Chelsea, he had fully justified his place in Enzo Maresca’s starting XI for this game.
In this game, though, fans were keen to see the introduction of Liam Delap after the half-time whistle, which came to fruition with little under 20 minutes to go.
The Brazilian struggled to grasp the game by the scruff of the neck against Palace, and couldn’t provide the link-up with Cole Palmer that was so impactful in the Club World Cup.
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Joao Pedro could not continue his goal streakCredit: AFP
Substitutes
Estevao – 7
Instantly injected energy and enthusiasm into the game but also into the crowd, Estevao is a catalyst for making things happen in this team.
As soon as he came on he had Marc Guehi in a twist before delivering a cross that created a Chelsea chance, despite not being finished off – a move that will have Blues’ fans clamouring for him to start against West Ham next week.
Estevao perhaps should’ve opened the scoring, with a chance falling to him in the second half that he seemed to overthink before firing over.
Nonetheless, with the iconic Romario watching on at Stamford Bridge, he will be confident that Joga Bonito has a place here for years to come.
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Estevao looked sharp when he came off the benchCredit: Getty
Malo Gusto – 4
Took on Reece James’ role when he came on, and was mostly solid at the back but also unable to create any kind of forward spark.
Saw his name up in lights in the 88th minute, but those lights may have blinded him as his shot from range sailed into row Z.
Andrey Santos – 5
A solid showing from the Brazilian in midfield, but leaned back too much and fired over the bar in the dying embers of the game with a left-footed shot in front of the Matthew Harding end.
He came close moments later, this time with a header that was grasped by Henderson.
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Andrey Santos missed a great moment in front of goal late onCredit: PA
Liam Delap – 5
His determination and hard work allowed him a sight of goal as the game came to a close, but his effort on the half-volley was stopped relatively easily by Dean Henderson.
Delap will no doubt be a handful for defenders this season if he is coming from the bench, and likely won’t want to settle for playing second fiddle to Joao Pedro for too long.
In the box score, all was not well. As you already have guessed, the bullpen: Five relievers were needed to cover the final three innings, in which the San Diego Padres put potential tying and/or go-ahead runs on base in each of those innings.
And, on Day 1 of Life Without Muncy 2.0, the Dodgers managed four hits.
With 40 games to play, the Dodgers and Padres are tied atop the National League West. If Max Muncy can play in even a handful of those games, the Dodgers will be grateful.
The Dodgers put their third baseman on the injured list Friday afternoon because of a strained oblique muscle. When Muncy went on the injured list last month because of a knee injury, the Dodgers led the majors in runs. He missed 25 games, in which the Dodgers ranked last in runs.
“Max just has that balance in the lineup, as far as another left-handed (hitter),” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, “but also handles left-handed pitching and has the ability to get on base.
“He’s a threat. Now, without him, other guys have got to step up.”
The Dodgers’ left-handed bats, as of Friday: Ohtani, Freeman, outfielder Michael Conforto (.189) and backup catcher Dalton Rushing (.202).
It should go without saying that Ohtani and Freeman remain imposing. It should also go without saying that opponents might well line up right-handers against the Dodgers, including the Padres throwing Dylan Cease against them Saturday and Yu Darvish on Sunday.
Teoscar Hernández hits a solo home run in the seventh inning during the Dodgers’ 3-2 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday night at Dodger Stadium.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“We’re going to see a slew of right-handed pitching,” Roberts said. “There are going to be right-handers coming out of the pen.
“Our right-handers have got to be better.”
On that score, the most encouraging development for the Dodgers on Friday was Hernández hitting what turned out to be the decisive home run.
“Teo came to life with a big homer,” Roberts said.
Hernández hit 33 home runs last season, when his OPS was at least .762 in each month of the season. His OPS has been below .762 in each month this season except the first one.
In the Dodgers’ first 29 games, he hit nine home runs. In the 93 games since then, he has hit 10.
“Some days, it’s good. Some days, it’s bad,” Hernández said. “Some days, it’s in between. Hitting is not easy. But I’m going to continue to keep working and try to be consistent for the month and a half, and hopefully in the playoffs.”
The pennant stretch comes first, and Roberts has faith in Hernández.
Said Roberts: “It’s an easy bet that, when the stakes get higher, Teo is going to really show up for us.”
Muncy does that, in getting on base and in circling the bases. In October, when the pitching can rise to the occasion, so can Muncy.
His OPS is higher in the playoffs than in the regular season. He walks way more often. He can elevate the Dodgers’ lineup in October, if the rest of the lineup can step up and help get him there.
Sweden striker Alexander Isak heavily linked to Liverpool move after reportedly telling Newcastle he wants to leave.
Newcastle have rejected Liverpool’s opening bid to sign unsettled Sweden striker Alexander Isak, according to reports.
Isak has been training at his old club Real Sociedad this week after reportedly telling Newcastle he wants to leave St James’ Park.
The 25-year-old has been linked with Liverpool since the end of last season, and the Premier League champions are now believed to have formalised their interest with an offer of about 110 million pounds ($146m) plus potential add-ons.
But Newcastle, who reportedly value Isak at 150 million pounds ($199m), remain eager to hold on to their prize asset and have rebuffed Liverpool’s initial bid.
Isak, who joined Newcastle in a 60-million-pound ($80m) move from Real Sociedad in 2022, scored 23 Premier League goals last season to help Newcastle qualify for the Champions League.
He has three years left on his Newcastle contract, but did not travel to Asia for the Magpies’ ongoing preseason tour, with the club saying he had a minor thigh injury.
On Thursday, Real Sociedad confirmed he was at their Zubieta facility with his own trainers.
It was reported on Friday that Newcastle had told Isak he could agree a new deal containing a get-out clause for next year, but he responded by insisting he wants to move now.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has already bolstered his attacking options by signing Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike and Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz during the current transfer window.
But the Reds are eager to make their forward line even more formidable by adding Isak, as they look to win back-to-back English titles for the first time since the 1980s.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe struck a defiant note earlier this week when he said: “He is still our player. He’s contracted to us.
“We, to a degree, control what is next for him. I would love to believe all possibilities are still available to us.
“My wish is that he stays, but that’s not in my full control.”
Liverpool have spent more than 250 million pounds ($332m) so far in the summer window, with Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Giorgi Mamardashvili joining Wirtz and Ekitike at Anfield.
SAN DIEGO — Over the years, Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con has built a reputation — and an expectation — as the room where Hollywood juggernauts in attendance at the annual pop culture extravaganza unveil exclusive footage, break news and share behind-the-scenes stories with devoted fans, who often spend hours in line just for a chance to make it through the doors.
It’s not surprising, then, that headlines going into this year’s Comic-Con, which concludes Sunday, carried an air of disappointment about the absence of Marvel and other major film studios from Hall H’s programming schedule — even if 2025 is not the first time Marvel and others have sat out Comic-Con for one reason or another.
But for many fans in attendance, the news merited little more than a shrug.
Hector Guzman, who along with his friend Joaquin Horas made the trip from Los Angeles, acknowledged that the Hall H slate “felt a little bit different this year” with no Marvel Studios panel.
But “there’s still a wide presence of Marvel,” he added. “The ‘Fantastic Four’ movie that just came out — we’ve been seeing a heavy push on that this year.”
Guzman and Horas had spent a little over an hour in the Hall H line Friday afternoon trying to make it to the “Tron: Ares” panel before bailing, but they said that in their three years of attending the event, Hall H usually isn’t on their itinerary.
“If it’s interesting to us, we’ll give it a shot, and if it’s not, then there’s always plenty of other events and stuff going around [the convention],” said Horas. He and Guzman explained that they are generally more interested in exclusive merchandise, custom works by artists and getting together with their friends in cosplay.
Other attendees like Jennifer Moore and Sam Moore of British Columbia, Canada, took advantage of the absence of popular Hall H mainstays to get into Friday presentations they were excited about, including for “Alien: Earth” and “The Long Walk.”
“Last year was my first time [in Hall H],” said Jennifer Moore, who said they’d been attending the event for 10 years.
“Now [that] there’s no Marvel thing or DC thing, it’s pretty easy to get in,” said Sam Moore. “We’ve just been doing walk-ins [for Hall H] this year.”
That’s not to say Hall H was entirely without spectacle: Highlights included an ensemble of bagpipers performing “Scotland the Brave,” a dazzling laser light show, the world premiere of the “Alien” franchise’s first ever television series and an appearance by “Star Wars” filmmaker George Lucas to promote the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
A look inside the “Tron: Ares” Hall H panel at Comic-Con.
(Richard Shotwell / Invision / AP)
And although the Comic-Con experience has grown beyond the walls of the San Diego Convention Center, with immersive experiences and pop-ups spilling into the city’s Gaslamp Quarter and the Embarcadero, Hall H remains a venerated programming space for panelists and attendees alike.
“I want to give people the experience that they bought their tickets for to come here,” said Noah Hawley, the creator of “Alien: Earth” before the upcoming FX series’ Hall H presentation on Friday. “I was surprised the first time I came to Comic-Con, how emotional it is for the people who attend. There’s a lot of people for whom [361] days a year, they have to pretend to be somebody else. These [four] days of the year, they get to be who they really feel like they are on the inside.”
The Moores were among those who were able to make it into Hall H without much of a wait on Friday morning. But by Friday afternoon, the line had grown much longer in anticipation for later panels, which included capacity crowds. Other big draws included anime franchise entry “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle” and DC Studios co-chief James Gunn, who received an ovation for the success of his recent “Superman” reboot while presenting the second season of the John Cena series “Peacemaker.”
Even those who were attending Comic-Con to promote their own projects couldn’t hold in their excitement for anime juggernaut “Demon Slayer.” Besides the Hall H, panel ads promoting the upcoming movie — which has already broken attendance records in Japan — adorned a nearby hotel and the trains of the Trolley.
“There is a part of me that just wants to be out with the fans in my Tanjiro outfit with the earrings with my daughter,” said actor Babou Ceesay of “Alien: Earth,” referencing the young warrior with a gentle heart at the center of “Demon Slayer.”
The growth of anime and animation programming at Comic-Con and inside Hall H is a reminder that the convention is best understood as a reflection of ongoing shifts in nerd culture and fandom. Having evolved from a gathering primarily for comic book collectors to a broader celebration of pop culture where blockbuster movies once had a stranglehold, Comic-Con may now be witnessing the loosening of comic book superhero films’ grip on the zeitgeist as a whole. Indeed, television has steadily increased its Comic-Con footprint for years. Studios and streamers have also been organizing their own promotional events, such as Disney’s D23 and Netflix’s Tudum, to build up buzz on their terms, too.
Plus, as fan Robbie Weber of Los Angeles reiterated, Comic-Con is more than just what happens in Hall H. When he first attended the event 11 years ago he was among those that camped out overnight in order to get into the hall, but this time around he skipped it, opting to explore activations and other panels instead.
“We saw [comic book writer] Jonathan Hickman [on Thursday],” said Weber. “We saw a friend on the “Primitive War” panel [on Friday], which was really cool. It was the first time I’ve been able to see a friend do something like that.”
For many, Comic-Con’s main draw remains how fans can freely celebrate their passions.
“Alien: Earth” actor Alex Lawther said it was nice to hear the excitement of the people around him on his San Diego-bound train as they reminisced about their past experiences and shared photos of their cosplay.
“I really get that intense enjoyment of something to the point where you want to walk down the street wearing the costumes,” he said.
Seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams has celebrated victory in the last 16 of the women’s doubles at the Washington Open after 16 months away from tennis.
The 45-year-old former world number one, who accepted a wildcard for the tournament, had not competed since the Miami Open in March 2024 – and last won at the Cincinnati Open in August 2023.
Williams and fellow American Hailey Baptiste beat Eugenie Bouchard and Clervie Ngounoue 6-3 6-1.
“It was inspiring to be out here,” Williams told Sky Sports. “I love this game and still hitting it big.”
She will face another American, Peyton Stearns, in the first round of the singles competition on Tuesday.
Williams, who was playing doubles for the first time in three years, joked she wished she could have partnered with 23-year-old Baptiste, the world number 50, instead of her sister Serena – the 23-time major champion.
She said: “I think from the first point I could see that we were going to be a good team. We just should have started playing earlier, years ago, right? I think Serena was just in the way.”
Venus, who does not have a ranking, won 14 major titles alongside Serena in the women’s doubles, as the Williams sisters dominated the sport for many years.
The Dodgers will be without Max Muncy for approximately six weeks after the third baseman was placed on the injured list Thursday with what the team is calling a bone bruise in his left knee. Muncy was injured in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s walk-off win over the Chicago White Sox when Chicago’s Michael Taylor slid headfirst into third on an unsuccessful attempt to steal third base.
The Dodgers now have 13 players on the injured list.
Taylor’s helmet hit Muncy’s knee, bending it sideways and flipping the infielder to the ground. The collision was so gruesome, SportsNet LA, which was broadcasting the game, did not show replays. Muncy writhed on the ground in obvious pain before being helped to the clubhouse.
Muncy, who entered the Dodger clubhouse Thursday afternoon wearing a blue elastic support bandage on his left leg, said he originally feared the worst, but an MRI found no structural damage.
“It was tough news, but it was also great news,” he said. “I still get to play baseball this year instead of coming back next year around April. So it was kind of best-case scenario.”
Muncy, who said his knee felt stiff but not painful, was scheduled to meet the Dodger doctors later Thursday but said he intended to embark on an aggressive rehabilitation process.
“Everybody’s body is different,” he said. “You know, some guys heal extremely fast, some guys heal extremely slow. Traditionally, I’ve always healed fairly fast.”
Taylor also left the game with a shoulder contusion. The White Sox have listed his status as day to day.
Muncy’s place on the roster was taken by outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who was acquired on April 2 from the Athletics in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Carlos Duran. Ruiz appeared in 66 games for triple-A Oklahoma City, batting .292 with eight homers, 37 RBIs and 38 stolen bases.
Muncy’s absence will leave a big hole in the Dodgers’ lineup. He led the team with a .333 average and 24 RBIs in June, when he matched Shohei Ohtani for the lead in home runs with seven. He is hitting .250/.375/.457 for the season and is third on the team with 55 RBIs.
“He’s huge,” pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who was on the mound when the injury happened, said of Muncy. “I don’t really know why he stole there. It just seemed unnecessary. We’re all holding our breath that Munc is going to be OK.
“He’s obviously a huge part of our team, especially the last two months.”
Michael Taylor’s helmet collided with Max Muncy’s left knee on his unsuccessful attempt to steal third base, injuring Muncy in the process.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Miguel Rojas, who hasn’t played since injuring his left hand on an attempted steal Sunday, started at third base Thursday. Kiké Hernández, who took Muncy’s place Wednesday, is also likely to see some time at third in Muncy’s absence.
Hernández is hitting .204/2.70/.383 while Rojas, primarily a second baseman, is batting .250/.289/.380.
Strictly Come Dancing star, Dan Walker, has broken his silence after leaving viewers concerned following his lengthy absence from Channel 5 News and Classic FM
Presenter, Dan Walker, has assured fans there is nothing to worry about after taking leave from his Channel 5 News and Classic FM shows. The former Football Focus host, 48, is one of the nation’s most recognisable presenters and is usually on our screens weeknights on Channel 5 and on the radio on Sunday for Classic FM.
However, Dan has recently been absent from both programmes, prompting viewers to express their concern. Revealing the real reason for his mysterious disappearance, he took to Instagram, saying the “answer is twofold”. Explaining that he’d been on a family holiday as well as filming a new show for Channel 5, he said, sitting in his car: “Hello, I’ve been asked by quite a few people if I’ve left Channel 5 and why I’ve disappeared from Classic FM. The answer is twofold.”
Dan Walker usually presents Channel 5 News on weeknights
Dan continued: “First is, I’m on holiday with the family for a couple of weeks and the second is that I’m filming a new series for Channel 5, which you should be able to see I think in September, which I can’t tell you too much about but it’s going to be great fun.
“So that’s why I’ve not been on the telly. The radio I’ll be back on Monday and I’ll be back on 5 News in a couple of weeks time once I’ve finished filming the series.
“There you go, that’s the answer, it looks like the lovely weather is over, the rain has returned, have a great day.”
BBC Breakfast viewers were stunned when Dan jumped shipped and headed over to Channel 5 in 2022. Dan had been at the helm on the red sofa at the Beeb since 2016, but decided it was time for a change – as well as a lie-in.
Speaking on This Morning, he admitted he used to “cry in the toilets” while at the BBC as he opened up about his tough schedule. Talking to hosts Dermot O’Leary and Josie Gibson, he said: “When I used to do BBC Breakfast, you know what it’s like. If that alarm goes off at three that’s far too early, that’s flight to Spain time isn’t it.
“I get up now about 5.30am/ 5.45am, which is essentially a lie in and I feel great, I feel refreshed and I really enjoy the job I do.”
He continued: “By Wednesday I was, like, full zombie mode. And also you get really emotional. By Wednesday I was like, end of the show, you are like, in the toilets just crying.
“Anything sets you off. Someone says something nice about your trousers and you are like [fake cries]. Not everyday, but I think you just get a little bit emotional when you are sleep-deprived.”
Dan went on to bag a reported £1.5million deal with Channel 5 to host it’s nightly news programme in 2022.
He made the announcement posting a short video on Twitter, now X, with the caption: “Here we go. See you next Monday at 5, on 5.
“It’s great to be joining Channel 5, but news is never about who sits in the chair. It’s the stories that matter most from a team you can trust.”
The Ducks traded Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, ending the exciting forward’s inconsistent half-decade in Orange County.
The Ducks get forward Ryan Poehling and the 45th overall pick in the upcoming draft that initially belonged to Columbus, along with a fourth-round pick next season.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said he dealt away the Ducks’ charismatic former leading scorer in part because Zegras no longer fit the Ducks’ roster as they attempt to end their seven-year playoff drought.
“You start imagining lines and how you want certain players to complement each other,” Verbeek said. “We started looking at that scenario, so ultimately we made the decision to move Trevor because of that.”
Zegras is a natural center who wants to be a playmaker in the middle, but rising stars Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish have earned those spots on Anaheim’s top two lines, which has forced Zegras to play left wing or to center a depth line. The Ducks also recently acquired longtime Rangers forward Chris Kreider, who works out with Zegras in the summer, to play left wing on one of their top two lines.
“I think he’ll be given that opportunity in Philadelphia to play center,” Verbeek said. “He’s more creative in the middle of the ice and (not) having to play from the wing. We’re fortunate that there’s Leo and there’s Mason, (but) Trevor has to kind of get pushed to the wing, and that probably doesn’t suit his best attributes.”
Verbeek also acknowledged the financial realities of the deal. Zegras will be a restricted free agent next summer, when the Ducks also will need to re-sign Carlsson, promising forward Cutter Gauthier and talented young defensemen Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger.
The big, speedy Poehling will become a key contributor on the Ducks’ awful special teams, Verbeek predicted. Poehling was one of the Flyers’ top penalty-killing forwards last season while scoring 31 points — just one fewer than Zegras.
Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek speaks to reporters during a news conference in June 2023.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
Verbeek still realizes his decision will rankle some Ducks supporters who won’t be happy to lose the most interesting player on a few terrible Anaheim teams in recent years. Zegras remained a fan favorite at Honda Center throughout his tenure with the Ducks, who hired coach Joel Quenneville last month with the stated goal to return to the playoffs next spring.
Zegras was the Ducks’ first-round pick in 2019, and he had two 60-point seasons early in his NHL career. He finished as the runner-up to Detroit’s Moritz Seider in 2022 for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.
Zegras also became well known outside Anaheim for his proficiency with the Michigan goal, in which a player lifts the puck with his stick blade and wraps it into the net from behind.
But the 24-year-old Zegras struggled with injuries and consistency for the past two seasons, scoring just 47 points in 88 combined games. He had 12 goals and 20 assists in 57 games last season, increasing his production at midseason after a slow start and a 22-game absence with a knee injury.
Zegras’ commitment to defense was also widely questioned in Anaheim, although he appeared to make significant strides on that end of the ice last season.
Zegras has been a frequent topic of loud trade rumors for the past two seasons, although Verbeek claimed Monday that “there was never really anything talked about in the past as far as Trevor.”
The Flyers made another major deal with the Ducks in January 2024, with GM Danny Briere sending the disgruntled Gauthier to Anaheim for defenseman Jamie Drysdale, Zegras’ longtime friend. Both Zegras and Drysdale were drafted in the first round by the Ducks before Verbeek took over the front office.
Gauthier had a strong rookie season for the Ducks with 20 goals and 24 assists, while Drysdale scored 20 points with a minus-32 rating last season for the Flyers.
Philadelphia also has a new coach for the upcoming season with the hiring of Rick Tocchet.
Poehling had 12 goals and 19 assists in 68 games as a depth forward for Philadelphia last season. After starting his career in Montreal and getting traded to Pittsburgh for the 2022-23 season, he signed with the Flyers as a free agent and produced the best two offensive seasons of his career.
Cazorla was a product of Oviedo’s academy, but was forced to leave the club in 2003 when financial issues decimated the club’s youth system and saw the first team re-enter in the third tier.
When Oviedo faced another crisis a decade later, Cazorla was one of thousands of fans and former players who purchased shares in the club to keep it alive.
A two-time European champion with Spain, the midfielder spent six years at Arsenal and made 180 appearances before leaving in 2018.
He suffered an Achilles injury in October 2016, going on to have 11 operations to cure the problem.
One of the operations led to gangrene with doctors telling Cazorla he should be satisfied to walk again, never mind play.
If one word sums up the Sparks’ season so far, it’s hardship. Injuries continue to mount, and Kelsey Plum, their primary scorer and star, has joined the growing list of sidelined players.
Plum’s absence was sorely felt as what began as a valiant effort by the Sparks — keeping pace with the visiting Storm through the first half — quickly unraveled into a 98-67 blowout loss Tuesday at Crypto.com Arena.
“We obviously missed [Plum],” coach Lynne Roberts said. “We missed Odyssey. We missed Julie [Allemand]. Those are our three lead guards, and none of them are here.”
Plum was out with a leg injury, Sims for personal reasons and Allemand is with the Belgium national team for the European basketball championship. Plum’s absence was the most felt — she is averaging career highs in points (20.9), assists (5.6), rebounds (2.9) and steals (1.7) so far this season.
Peddy, signed to a hardship contract, joined the team just before Saturday’s loss to the Minnesota Lynx. Since then, she has had just one practice under her belt before stepping in to replace Plum at point guard.
Also signed under a hardship exception, Grace Berger flew in late Monday and joined the team just hours before the game. Berger went scoreless in16 minutes.
“I thought Shey and Grace did a good job,” Roberts said. “They did what they could, but it’s hard to execute stuff that they’ve had little time to digest. It’s not anyone’s fault. That’s just the reality.”
Running the offense through their anchor, Hamby, the Sparks (4-9) held their own through the first 20 minutes, refusing to waver. They trailed 47-37 by halftime.
Hamby finished with a season-low eight points and grabbed seven rebounds.
But the resilience was short-lived. As the game wore on, cracks in the offense widened. Careless passes led to a flurry of turnovers.
Seattle’s Gabby Williams set the tone early with six steals in the first half. She finished with eight, along with 11 points and seven assists. The Storm scored 31 points off 24 Sparks turnovers, with 24 of those points coming on fast breaks.
A 14–5 run — led by former Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike — gave Seattle (7-5) a 62–42 lead with 5:37 left in the third. Ogwumike scored 10 of her 26 points in the quarter.
“In the second half, we couldn’t get a stop,” Roberts said. “We’ve got to be able to defend. We can’t give up 98 points and expect to beat anybody.”
Stevens echoed her coach’s sentiment: “Obviously, we have key people out, but we have enough to still execute and get things done. And it starts defensively.”
Several Sparks starters — including Hamby, Jackson and Stevens — remained in the game late into the fourth, but the deficit had long grown insurmountable, with the team trailing by as many as 30 points. Jackson led the Sparks with 17 points, while Stevens finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
The news of Plum’s absence came as a surprise just after practice on Monday, with the Sparks ruling her out because of a lower leg injury.
Dominique Malonga, the 2025 first-round draft pick subsequently chosen as part of the three-team trade for Plum, finished with seven points in 12 minutes for Seattle.
It’s still unclear when Plum sustained the injury, though it presumably happened during Saturday’s loss to the Lynx. She underwent imaging the next day, but the team says the results offered little clarity.
Even more uncertain is her return timeline. It’s unclear if she will play Saturday against Minnesota. Roberts said Plum is “tuned in to her body — she’ll know when she’s ready to go.”
Through the first 12 games of the season, only Atlanta Dream star Rhyne Howard is averaging more minutes per game than Plum’s 36.
“I still believe strongly in this group, and we’re not even close to full strength,” Roberts said. “We have Kelsey Plum, Odyssey Sims, Julie Allemand, Rae Burrell and Cameron Brink all out. And when we’re going into the season, we’re thinking, Plum, Sims, Allemand, Burrell and Brink are all going to be huge parts. So we cannot lose perspective.”
But a prolonged absence for Plum could spell serious trouble for a team already reeling.
McIlroy joined 18-time major champion Nicklaus as part of an elite group of six players who have completed a career grand slam of all four major tournaments by winning The Masters at Augusta in April.
The world number two subsequently tied for 47th place at the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and is set to return to competitive action at the Canadian Open on 5 June as he prepares for the season’s third major, the US Open at Oakmont in Pennsylvania, from 12-15 June.
The PGA Tour’s final signature event of the season, the Travelers Championship, will be staged in Connecticut the following week.
“I know he likes to play so many in a row. He likes to play the week before a US Open. And so that’s what he’s doing. So, you know, I really don’t have a comment on it,” added Nicklaus.
“It’s very difficult, very difficult. I mean, I’m a big Rory fan, I always have been. I’m sure that I will remain that way. I just, I was a little surprised, yes.”
“It’ll be a long road, but I’m ready to work hard,” said Great Britain long jumper Jazmin Sawyers when sharing the painful news, external of her Achilles rupture last April.
The injury, which ruled her out of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, came just over a year after her best moment in the sport to-date.
Her ecstatic celebrations produced memorable images as she won the 2023 European Indoor title, jumping a UK indoor record of 7.00 metres in the process.
The 31-year-old finally competed again this month after a 20-month absence, leaping to 6.53m at the Loughborough International Athletics Meeting.
“It felt so, so good. I was more nervous than I can remember being for a competition,” Sawyers told BBC Radio Stoke.
“My heart rate was high all day. Since the minute I woke up, I wasn’t able to be calm.
“But, just to get back and still feel like myself, to be jumping a kind of distance that I have opened with in any other normal season, I’m so pleased,” she added.
Sawyers, a finalist at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, did make it to a third Olympics, last summer – but as a television commentator for the BBC.
While her enthusiasm and expertise alongside regular contributors like Steve Backley and Jeanette Kwakye won high praise, it was certainly not her first-choice role.
She wrote on her Instagram after the Games: “I’m certain I won’t be joining them again in Los Angeles in four years time. I actually have something else I’d like to do.”
Accord aims to prevent repeat of disjointed response and international disarray that surrounded COVID-19 pandemic.
Members of the World Health Organization (WHO) have adopted an agreement intended to improve preparedness for future pandemics, but the absence of the United States casts doubt on the treaty’s effectiveness.
After three years of negotiations, the legally binding pact was adopted by the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday. WHO member countries welcomed its passing with applause.
The accord aims to prevent a repeat of the disjointed response and international disarray that surrounded the COVID-19 pandemic by improving coordination, surveillance and access to medicines during any future pandemics.
“It’s an historic day,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said after the vote.
The agreement’s text was finalised last month after multiple rounds of tense negotiations.
“The world is safer today thanks to the leadership, collaboration and commitment of our member states to adopt the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement,” Tedros said in a statement.
“The agreement is a victory for public health, science and multilateral action. It will ensure we, collectively, can better protect the world from future pandemic threats. It is also a recognition by the international community that our citizens, societies and economies must not be left vulnerable to again suffer losses like those endured during COVID-19,” he added.
The agreement aims to better detect and combat pandemics by focusing on greater international coordination and surveillance and more equitable access to vaccines and treatments.
The negotiations grew tense amid disagreements between wealthy and developing countries with the latter feeling cut off from access to vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Esperance Luvindao, Namibia’s health minister and chairwoman of a committee that paved the way for the agreement’s adoption, said COVID-19 inflicted huge costs “on lives, livelihoods and economies”.
“We, as sovereign states, have resolved to join hands as one world together, so we can protect our children, elders, front-line health workers and all others from the next pandemic,” Luvindao added. “It is our duty and responsibility to humanity.”
Effective without US support?
The US, traditionally the WHO’s top donor, was not part of the final stages of the agreement process after the Trump administration announced the US pullout from the WHO and funding for the agency in January.
US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr slammed the WHO as “moribund” during the annual assembly.
“I urge the world’s health ministers and the WHO to take our withdrawal from the organisation as a wake-up call,” he said in a video shown at the meeting in Geneva. “We’ve already been in contact with like-minded countries, and we encourage others to consider joining us.”
Kennedy accused the WHO of failing to learn from the lessons of the pandemic.
“It has doubled down with the pandemic agreement, which will lock in all of the dysfunction of the WHO pandemic response. … We’re not going to participate in that,” he said.
The treaty’s effectiveness will face doubts without the US, which poured billions into ensuring pharmaceutical companies develop COVID-19 vaccines quickly. Countries face no penalties if they ignore it, a common issue in international law.
Countries have until May 2026 to thrash out the details of the agreement’s pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) mechanism.
The PABS mechanism deals with sharing access to pathogens with pandemic potential and then sharing the benefits derived from them, such as vaccines, tests and treatments.
Once the PABS system is finalised, countries can then ratify the agreement. Once 60 do so, the treaty will then enter into force.
