Ashley

Mandy Moore shared her take on the drama swirling around her celebrity mommy group, months after fellow child actor Ashley Tisdale shaded the bunch in scathing essay last winter.

The “This Is Us” star and mother of three, during a recent appearance on Andy Cohen’s Sirius XM show “Radio Andy,” said she found the former “Suite Life of Zack & Cody” star’s article “very upsetting” and that it shocked both herself and fellow mommy group member Hilary Duff. “We have both grown up in this business and had people dissect who we are and the choices we make and all of that,” Moore, 42, told the Bravo host, “but this was something altogether different and decidedly way more upsetting … because it just cuts to the core.”

In December, New York magazine published “High School Musical” star Tisdale French’s essay for its “It’s Been a Year” series. The actor’s piece, titled “Breaking Up With My Toxic Mom Group,” accused other group members of snubbing Tisdale French from various gatherings and group chats. “‘This is too high school for me and I don’t want to take part in it anymore,’” Tisdale French, who shares two children with composer Christopher French, recalled texting the group.

As Tisdale French’s essay sparked speculation online about the identity of the group members, Duff’s husband Matthew Koma appeared to confirm his wife’s membership in a since-expired Instagram story post throwing the shade right back at Tisdale French.

For Moore, married to musician Taylor Goldsmith, kindness is “the most important thing” in her life, as is creating a legacy of kindness, she told Cohen. She said that she finds “anyone even insinuating that might not be the case” to be “very upsetting.” Moore said she is a “huge proponent” of addressing conflict head-on via face-to-face communication.

“‘I wouldn’t have handled the situation this way,’” she recalled feeling about the essay. Moore did not mention Tisdale French by name.

Moore said she also felt the scandalous essay “perpetuates this silly trope that women can’t be supportive of one another” and that women, specifically mothers, are “inherently petty” and committed to “one-up each other.”

“I have not felt that one iota since becoming a parent,” Moore said, adding she has formed “meaningful relationships” with other parents. She further stressed the importance of parents finding their community wherever they can.

Duff, 38, addressed the mommy group drama with The Times in February, telling pop music critic Mikael Wood that “this is not new for me” and she felt the situation was “escalated by the talking heads on TikTok that need clickbait.” Amid the social media chatter, Duff said her family is her focus.

”Knowing that I get to open up the back doors and play soccer as a family and take a hot tub and go get our chicken eggs — that’s the purpose of life,” she said. “On the days when crazy s— happens, I go home and quiet the noise.”

ASHLEY Roberts has stripped down to a tiny leather corset and red bra as she shook her bum while recreating iconic Pussycat Dolls moves.

The Heart Radio host, 44, turned up the heat as she tried on one of her racy outfits that she performed in back in the day.

Her waist cinched into the zipped up black corset which she paired with a sparkly red bra and the tiniest short shorts.

She turned around to reveal a bow and a piece of material on the back as she shook her bum in the air like she just didn’t care.

Shocked by the outfits they used to wear, she expressed: “No tights?,” before scrunching up her face and saying: “I don’t know about this one.”

Ashley then tried on a black top with straps which was paired with a high-waist ruffled grey skirt.

READ MORE ON ASHLEY ROBERTS

DATE NIGHT

Ashley Roberts, 44, enjoys date with boyfriend, 26, after I’m a Celeb final

huge fury

I’m A Celeb’s Ashley Roberts opens up on final saying ‘I thought I’d get smacked’

Clearly getting into the groove, she began dancing and singing to the group’s hit song ‘Don’t Cha’.

The I’m A Celebrity star showed off yet another look, as she posed in a long-sleeved red Adidas top which cut off at her midriff and went with some matching red shorts.

She captioned the post: “Dolls, you asked for it, had a lil @pussycatdolls archive to try on.”

Her fans rushed to the comments section as one gushed: “The Doll Domination tartan looks were THE moment.”

Another follower enthused: “The second outfit is everything!”

Somebody else said: “You are so beautiful woman,” and a fourth added: “So iconic Ash.”

In March, she announced the Pussycat Dolls were returning as a trio with Nicole Scherzinger and Kimberley Wyatt.

They revealed their comeback with their new single, Club Song and will also be embarking on a world tour this year.

They were due to begin the tour with 33 dates across US and Canada, starting in Palm Beach, California on June 5 but this will no longer be happening.

They struggled to sell tickets despite slashing prices to $30, and several dates still had as much as 80 percent of the seats available.

Rehearsals were due to start last month but were delayed and had not formally started before the plug was pulled.

However, they will go ahead with the European leg of the PCD Forever tour, which is due to begin in Copenhagen on September 9.

It will see the group perform arena concerts in Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Dublin, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester and London.

Insiders insisted their ticket sales have been far better in Europe than in North America, with shows in Warsaw and Paris already sold out.

TOP British telly talent turned out in force on the glam Red Carpet ahead of this year’s Baftas.

The annual The British Academy Film Awards ceremony, which celebrates the best British and international contributions to TV, will be held in London tonight.

Yet ahead of the prestigious gongs being dished out by host, comedian and actor Greg Davies, the cream of the on-screen crop dressed to impress.

We previously reported how Netflix show Adolescence is leading the way in the nominations.

Some of the other biggest shows and stars have also been nominated this year across the 29 categories.

This Morning‘s Ashley James, 39, led the way in a stunning pearl shimmer bandeau gown with corset detail.

STAYING AWAY

Stacey Solomon snubs BAFTA Awards after backlash over her reaction to losing

leading the charge

TV Bafta nominees – list in full as Adolescence leads the way

The Made In Chelsea alum and parenting influencer showcased her new copper-coloured locks which she brushed into an elegant up-do.

Love Island‘s Tasha Ghouri, 27, also favoured a pastel coloured strapless gown with a semi-sheer skirt.

She struck a sassy pose with her hands on her hips before flashing a smile for the waiting cameras.

The Strictly alum was then joined by boyfriend Cam Whitnall as the pair cut a cute display on the Red Carpet.

Childrens’ TV favourite Angellica Bell, 50, looked elegant in a black long-sleeve gown with semi sheer detailing and a polka dot print.

Celebrity Big Brother‘s Marisha Wallace, 40, couldn’t be missed as she hit the Red Carpet in her glam gold attire.

EastEnders alum Shona McGarty, 34, proved you can never go wrong with a classic LBD as she opted for a black ballgown.

She pulled her dark hair back into a fuss-free up-to to allow her outfit to command all the attention.

Strictly’s Lewis Cope, 31, opted for monochrome styling with a white blazer and black trousers.

Love Island continued to be well-represented on the Red Carpet, with Shakira Khan, 23, oozing summer vibes in a yellow dress adorned with sparkles.

New mum Georgia Harrison, 31, donned a form-fitting blue velvet dress with gold detailing, pulling her hair into a chic bun.

Gogglebox and I’m A Celeb alum Scarlett Moffatt, 35, opted for a long-sleeve outfit in an on-trend chocolate brown shade.

She was seen flashing a smile as she cradled her baby bump while posing for pictures.

Broadcaster and podcast anchor Laura Whitmore, 41, who is also pregnant, looked elegant in a floor length lemon dress which clung to her baby bump.

She posed for a few solo images before being joined by her Love Island narrator hubby Iain Stirling.

Hollyoaks actress Jorgie Porter, 38, was the undisputed sequin queen as she hit the Red Carpet in a shimmering semi-sheer frock.

Silver diamante detail covered her modesty while the hemline featured applique petals.

The Theresa McQueen star posed for a few solo snaps before she was joined by fiance Ollie Piotrowski.

Loose Women panelist Frankie Bridge, 37, chose a daring cut-out dress which flashed her abs, in a stylish magenta shade.

Meanwhile, magician and ITV host Stephen Mulhern, 49, looked smart in a classic tux.

Newlywed Emily Blackwell, 29 – who found fame on reality series Made In Chelsea – went for a classy burgundy bodycon.

Pregnant Vogue Williams, 40, chose a white lace gown and was all smiles as she arrived with husband Spencer Matthews, 37.

Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, 31, chose a bright yellow halterneck to bring a splash of colour to proceedings.

BBC Radio 2 anchor and former Coronation Street star Angela Griffin, 49, picked a pretty brown dress with lace panel detail for her special evening.

As previously mentioned, Adolescence leads the way in terms of nominations, with lead star Stephen Graham being put forward for Best Actor.

Steven Knight’s A Thousand Blows follows closely behind the Netflix drama, picking up an impressive seven nominations.

And in joint third are highly rated Star Wars spin off Andor and Channel 4 drama Trespasses, who both sit on six nominations.

The Television Awards will be broadcast at 7pm.

It will be available to watch live on BBC One and on the iPlayer.

IN northern Arkansas on the banks of South Fork Spring River in the region known as the Ozarks, you’ll find a tiny settlement called Saddle.

Today, it comprises a modest Baptist church, an old timber-clad general store turned events venue (now up for sale) — and very little else.

Not so far away, out in the wilds, is the farm where country star Ashley McBryde grew up.

It is the place where she first picked up a guitar and discovered her passion for music, the starting point of her journey to the world stage.

Along the way, she rebelled against her strict preacher father, sang in biker bars, acquired the striking collection of tattoos adorning both arms and fought alcohol addiction.

Yet her inspirational climb has taken her to country music’s spiritual home, the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and the O2 Arena in London for the C2C festival.

READ MORE ON COUNTRY MUSIC

KISS ME QUICK

Elizabeth Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus share a kiss at country music festival

ICON GONE

Country music icon who wrote The Gambler dies aged 73 after ‘sudden illness’

And next month she will support a titan of the genre, Garth Brooks, at Hyde Park in front of 65,000 people.

Since becoming sober in June 2022, Grammy-winning McBryde is making some of the best music of her life, and she’s doing it by returning to her roots.

On one of the rousing songs on her fifth studio album, the aptly titled Wild, she sings these lines with mighty conviction…

“It’s in my throat, it’s in my bones, it’s on my boots and in my blood. That Ozark streak sureе runs deep and it sticks to me like that Arkansas mud.”

I tell her that my only experience of her childhood stomping ground is the TV series Ozark about a Chicago family who decamp to the area, for money- laundering reasons as you do, where they encounter small-time hillbilly criminals.

“Yeah, I’ve known some characters like those,” says McBryde with a knowing smile. “They did a great job on Ozark.”

She is one of a new breed who has learned to accept “the Nashville machine” while remaining true to themselves.

“I’ve done a good job, not a perfect one, of being inside the machine but also sticking to my guns,” she affirms.

“It’s an industry that asks the brunette to be blonde and the girl that’s 5ft 3in to be 6ft.”

At times, McBryde felt she was “falling short of being shinier, blonder, skinnier” but, she adds hand on heart: “You’re just not getting rid of what’s in here.”

In the same bracket, you will find two big bearded male artists keeping it real — Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton, who are among America’s biggest selling artists right now.

These are the natural successors to the original country “outlaws,” who include McBryde’s hero Kris Kristofferson, fellow Arkansawyer Johnny Cash and last man standing Willie Nelson.

She delivers kick-ass songs, drawing on rock and roll as much as anything, but she can also turn her intuitive talents to tear-stained balladry or a country-pop masterclass like recent single What If We Don’t.

I’m meeting the vivacious 42-year-old during her whistle- stop visit to London, and we find ourselves beside a picture window overlooking Kensington Gardens filled with people catching the glorious spring sunshine.

I can’t help sensing the contrast between the swish hotel suite in a teeming capital city and Ashley McBryde’s isolated upbringing that is, in part, the inspiration for her new album.

Taking my cue from the name of her album, I ask her if she was a “Wild” child.

“I think I was a good kid but I was also in trouble a lot,” she replies.

“I asked a lot of questions that people didn’t want to answer. They didn’t care for a child who wanted to know why things had to be a certain way.

“But I was always out in the woods, dreaming up this or that. I would be one of the X-Men, making swords and guns out of sticks.”

The youngest of six, she paints a picture of her childhood that conjures up classic American literature — Little Women, Tom Sawyer or Little House On The Prairie.

In fact, every night her “angel” of a mother would read her a chapter of the latter book as well as one from the Bible.

“I didn’t own shorts until I was an adult,” continues McBryde.

“Because my legs would get so ate up with tick bites from being out in the briars and thorns. It was a very physical existence.

“We worked real hard. We had cows, chickens and horses but my favourite thing about it was I could go wherever I wanted.

“I could go out walking for a whole day. I remember one time I asked mom if I could camp out for the night.

“She said, ‘Why would you want to do that?’ And I said, ‘I just want to cook my soup on a campfire’.

“She was like, ‘Well, knock yourself out’.”

But there was a duality to life in this rustic idyll because McBryde’s farmer and preacher father, William, imposed his strict religious beliefs at home.

This perhaps explains why she has been singing the late Randall Clay’s storming Rattlesnake Preacher live for several years and why, finally, her studio version opens Wild in such uncompromising fashion.

“There was freedom even though we lived in a very, very rigid household,” says McBryde.

“It was all right as long as what you wanted to do was within the parameters of what was considered to be right.

“So there was nothing wrong with going for a walk or riding a horse or digging a hole or learning to play a guitar. Those things were totally OK.

“But it was very much a case of the man being the head of the family, the way Christ is the head of the church — and anything that went against that could go to hell. There was no break.”

Although she was generally expected to attend church on “Wednesday night, Sunday morning and Sunday night,” sometimes even that was off-limits “if they were doing something that my father deemed not in alignment with his book”.

This brings McBryde to an extraordinary revelation: “To my knowledge, my father has still not listened to my music.”

That said, she admits that he had to hear one of her songs, Bible And A .44, written about him and appearing on her debut EP in 2016, Jalopies & Expensive Guitars.

It includes the lines: “He taught me how to hunt and how to love the Lord/He carried a Bible and a .44/And they just don’t make ’em like that no more.”

McBryde says: “I sang it to him after I wrote it. He told me, ‘You painted me in an awful nice light. I wish all of it could be true.’

“And I said: ‘You don’t see what I see because you’re not looking at what I’m looking at.’

“It was a nice way to give him a break from being the villain because a lot of the time he was. There were really great qualities about him, too.”

As for her beloved mother Martha, she says: “She’s an absolute angel. I don’t think she’s ever done anything wrong.

“She can make you an outfit right now while she’s making you a casserole while she’s praying for someone who has lost a limb.”

It was in this old-school world that McBryde developed her love of making music, becoming enchanted by the songs of the rugged Kristofferson and the more polished John Denver.

“I knew I wanted to be a singer and a songwriter from a really young age, even before I was a teenager.”

She knew she was on the right path when, after leaving home, she “started making enough playing in bars not to wait tables anymore and to keep the lights on in my apartment”.

A rebel at heart, McBryde recalls playing biker dives and, like the clientele, she got tattoos, wore leather and drank heavily.

As she tried to get a foothold in the country music scene, there wasn’t much hope “for a non-blonde who was covered in tattoos”.

“I did meet a lot of friction,” she says. “Some labels were not in any way interested.”

But her irresistible talent was spotted by, among others, Eric Church, another country star who likes to say it how it is.

“He was a great champion,” says McBryde. “A great name to be associated with because of the way he makes records and the way he approaches music.

“For him to say, ‘I like this songwriter’ does open a door.”

Evidence of that door being opened arrived in 2018 when McBryde’s major label debut, Girl Going Nowhere, was released on Warner Nashville, including one of her signature songs, A Little Dive Bar In Dahlonega.

It’s about resilience in the face of a break-up and, among its references to drinking is the line, “We’ve all got a number we don’t wanna drunk dial.”

I guess it alludes to another aspect of McBryde’s life because, running parallel to her early years in the business, was a dependence on alcohol, which she’s finally coming to terms with.

One of her new album’s most captivating songs is the beautifully sung ballad Bottle Tells Me So.

“I didn’t want to have a problem with alcohol but, like it or not, it’s part of my story,’ admits McBryde. “And I didn’t want to talk about it for a long time.

“I was either drinking, drunk or hung over at all times – and that’s really tough.”

In 2022, matters came to a head when, on the advice of her team, McBryde went into rehab.

Now proudly four years sober, she says: “Writing Bottle Tells Me So was a way to acknowledge it without saying, ‘I’m sober and you should be too.’

“You don’t want to preach but life is so much better for me now that I don’t drink.

“In that song, I’m not saying I’m never going to drink again. There’s no shame involved.”

In explaining why a habit that began while “acting cool and hanging with friends”, McBryde says: “I’ve heard it said that the addicts of all types aren’t addicted to any substance.

“They’re addicted to not feeling their feelings. I would say that is spot on for me.

“Not consuming alcohol anymore is probably the simplest part of becoming sober. You have to completely re-meet yourself and rewire everything.”

McBryde says she feels “1000 per cent” better, both physically and mentally. “I look better and I feel better. Despite still feeling anxious, I’m stronger than I knew and that makes me happy.”

She recalls her first show after leaving after getting sober: “I left treatment on Tuesday, got in the bus on Wednesday and was on the stage on Thursday.

“It was my first time being more than 30 days dry and it was the most terrifying, coolest thing I will ever experience.

“I was worried and asked myself, ‘What if I can’t do this?’ But I got out there and was spot on. Bullseye! Now I’m at the top of my game.”

McBryde is undoubtedly dialled in on Wild, produced with sparkle and empathy by John Osborne of country duo Brothers Osborne.

“John’s magical, playful and curious,” she says. “When I try something, he will say, ‘If you love it, we keep it. If you hate it, we toss it.”

It’s a healthy state of affairs for an artist who is increasingly cherished by the country music establishment in Nashville.

She says: “My friends and I always joke, ‘You can never change where the machine is headed unless you climb inside the machine.’

“I want to make music that people will hear. I like being able to make your guts hurt.

‘And the only way to get it heard is to abide by certain rules.”

One her proudest achievements is becoming a member of Grand Ol’ Opry, showcase for the greats from Hank Williams (even if he did get banned) and Patsy Cline onwards.

“I love it,” says McBryde. “Just thinking about it now, I smile so big. My face is complete cheese.”

And there we have it. Ashley McBryde, force of nature, born and raised in the Arkansas Mud but reaching for the stars.

ASHLEY McBRYDE Wild

4.5 STARS

PUSSYCAT Doll Ashley Roberts has an eye on the Maldives after her time in the South African bush.

The singer, 44, is on a luxury break on the paradise islands and posted snaps in a tropical pink bikini, as well as relaxing on the sand and cooling down after a shower.

It comes ahead of a big week on I’m A Celebrity’s all-stars series, which she filmed at the end of last year.

Hosts Ant and Dec have hinted contestant Ashley takes centre stage in tonight’s drama.

She seemed to win a solitary biscuit after her triumph in Friday’s Balance of Power trial.

But Ant said: “That’s not the end of it!”

JACK OF HEARTS

Jack Whitehall kicks off £250k wedding by rowing boat across lake to bride

FARM ROW

Jodie Marsh pleads not guilty to assault after she ‘put hands on neighbour’s neck’

Dec added: “That’s not all she has won.”

Over the years I’m A Celebrity South Africa star Ashley Roberts has made a number of wild sex confessions.

From a steamy dream about romping with Harry Styles, to revealing her turn-ons in the I’m A Celeb Jungle, the Pussycat Dolls star, 44, is known for not holding back.

It’s fair to say Ashley has made a career out of being sexy.

The star oozes sex appeal, thanks to being in the sizzling girlband the Pussycat Dolls.

Since her rise to fame in the early noughties, Ashley, who thrilled fans when she was first to strip off for the I’m A Celebrity South Africa shower, has revealed some sexy details about her life.

The singer and dancer has made a number of racy confessions that would make anybody listening blush.

There’s a couple somewhere in Los Angeles who unknowingly inspired the second season of “Beef.”

Lee Sung Jin, the creator of Netflix’s anthology drama that swirls in the consequences of class struggles, resentment and the absurdity of life’s curveballs, once again found himself inspired by a tense interaction playing out before him. A road rage incident at a stoplight in Hollywood a few years ago, triggered by Lee’s delayed response to a green light, became the catalyst for the first season. An early idea to write about a men’s doubles partnership gone awry lost its luster after “Challengers,” Luca Guadagnino’s drama about a love triangle between tennis pros, came out. But a heated argument coming from a house in Lee’s neighborhood became the next spark that lit a narrative fuse.

“I told the story to people — it caused a little stir in the neighborhood,” he says. “And what I found fascinating was the different reactions. When I told younger folks, I’d get, ‘Did you call the police? Should you go check on them again?’ Very concerned, having an ideological view on relationships. When I told the story to older friends and couples, they were just kind of like, ‘Who among us hasn’t?’ I thought the idea of juxtaposing these couples at different stages felt like ripe ground.”

The overheard in L.A. moment inspired the eight-episode season,

Carey Mulligan and Oscar Isaac square off with Charles Melton and Cailee Spaeny in Season 2 of “Beef.”

(Netflix)

The twist-filled, darkly comic thriller kicks off when a young couple, Ashley and Austin (Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton), who work at a Montecito country club, witness the explosive altercation between their boss Josh (Oscar Isaac) and his wife, Lindsay (Carey Mulligan), an interior designer, the night before the club’s new Korean billionaire owner, Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh-jung), takes over. She has her own mess to tend to involving her husband (Song Kang-ho), a doctor whose health is affecting his work on patients. The calamities each couple faces spin out into a web of favors and coercion in this tale of broken systems and characters going to great lengths to get what they want.

“The idea of cycles felt interesting,” he says. “A lot of shows and movies cover marriage through the lens of one couple, you don’t really see that multigenerational juxtaposition.”

Speaking from his office on the Raleigh Studios lot in Hollywood, Lee discussed the season’s Montecito setting, the financial anxiety that drives the story and the four-legged breakout star of the show. These are edited excerpts from the conversation, which includes many spoilers.

Why did you want to set this season in Montecito?

Just writing what I know. My goddaughters — their parents are my best friends. They live in Montecito. The dad is my oldest friend in LA. He has a membership to Montecito Club, which is where we shot the exterior of our show. I was house-sitting for him during the writing of all this. He let me use his membership. I remember when he told me about the membership, I was like, “You pay how much? That’s insane, dude.” But then you start using the membership. This idea of hedonic adaptation — how humans so quickly adapt to this new comfort, this new stimulus — it felt like an interesting thing. I was observing how all the members seemed to be mostly boomers and Silent Gen; then all the workers were Gen Z and millennial. I thought: What a perfect metaphor for society right now. No matter how hard the Gen Z and millennials work, they’re never going to get to be members of this club because, as Austin says, “everyone grabbed the bag before they could.” That’s what made me want to set it at a Montecito country club.

Oscar Isaac as Josh Martin and Carey Mulligan as Lindsay Crane-Martin. Cailee Spaeny as Ashley Miller and Charles Melton as Austin Davis. The second season of “Beef,” follows the two California couples from different socioeconomic backgrounds — though both are struggling — as they spiral into a high-stakes feud. (Netflix)

That feeling of survival and resentment and entitlement really looms over this season. There’s speeches about love, but also capitalism. The anxiety about finances is so prevalent right now.

We certainly didn’t set out to make a season about capitalism. But if you’re constantly trying to chase truth as writers, I don’t know how you say anything in the modern era, in 2026, and not have capitalism be a huge variable because it permeates every aspect of life. It’s like going to get gas. Gas is almost $7 right now. You have to fill your tank and there goes $140? That’s crazy. And relationships face so much stress — everyone is being hit by all these curveballs and trying to keep your head above water — how can you enjoy each other?

It became very obvious to us that if you’re going to write a season about marriage and love to these two couples, financial implications have to be a big factor. There’s a lot of talk about the disappearance of the American dream right now. Birth rates are declining. No one’s owning homes anymore. But then you also see headlines about everyone’s scamming. CVS has everything locked down. You’re like, “Yeah, no wonder.” Everything’s connected. We wanted to really show how that survival instinct, the desperation, is starting to come for everyone. I don’t think it’s going to get easier, especially with AI moving on the horizon, and with leaders who refuse to put checks and balances in place.

Part of Ashley’s story is using the video of the fight between Josh and Lindsay as blackmail to get health insurance so she can afford treatment for her endometriosis. And that moment where she’s waiting in the ER for hours and it’s not until she collapses that they realize she needs emergency surgery — her big concern is whether she has to pay the deductible.

I wrote that episode in a literal day because it was based on an experience I had in an ER with my daughter’s mother. She had this illness fall upon her. We spent 12 hours at the ER and, the whole time, I had my Notes app out and was just writing down everything I saw. Almost everything in that scene is stuff that happened in real life. Our healthcare system is absolutely insane. It’s, again, unhinged capitalism and … felt like it really unlocked so much of the season.

There’s a moment where Josh has to sell some of his prized possessions to pay a gambling debt. Have you been there, needing to sell things to cover your financial obligations?

I’ve been there multiple times. I obviously struggled to find my way for a long time, even after becoming a writer. If you’re in a writing partnership, in a staff job on a show — first of all, this is what the guild has been fighting, trying to get these longer-term employment windows because these jobs sometimes are only … maybe eight to 12 weeks. You’re splitting a staff salary in two [if you’re in a partnership], and you probably haven’t qualified for health insurance by the end of that run. Sure, you’re a working writer, but I remember [by the time I landed at] “Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” my first real writing job, I had amassed so much debt, half of which were from parking tickets. I just didn’t have the money to pay these tickets, and so I just let them run rampant. So, yeah, I’ve been there. There’s this one guitar that I loved; it was the first guitar I bought with my own money after college — it was a Fender Telecaster. I think I bought it for $1,200. I ended up selling it for $300. I’ve sold collectibles. I’ve sold anything that had gold in it. I’ve scrapped to just find anything because you’re desperate.

Song Kang-ho as Dr. Kim, Youn Yuh-jung as Chairwoman Park in “Beef.” Recalling the opportunity to direct the pair, Lee says: “It just makes me feel like a little kid again. It stops feeling like work and starts feeling like play.”

(Netflix)

You directed this season. Is there a moment that stands out with this cast?

A peak of my career that I think about daily is the moment in Korea where we were shooting at Amorepacific. It’s one of the most beautiful buildings in Seoul. I’m shooting the scene between the great Youn Yuh-jung and the great Song Kang-ho — two of not only my favorite Korean actors, but favorite actors period. They have never been in a scene together in any Korean film ever. They’ve been in a movie together, but never acted together. And here we are making Korean history by having them shoot that breakfast scene and, while I’m in the middle of shooting that scene, director Bong Joon Ho surprises us on set. He comes over laughing, pulls up to me, looks at my monitor, gives me stage fright, then elbows me and says, “You sure you want to frame it like that?” He was teasing. Then we started shooting the scene, it’s all in Korean, and I look back at video village and Bong’s just doubled over in laughter. He is just cracking up. Younger me, and present me, is looking around like: Here I am in Korea, in this building I’ve always wanted to shoot in, two of the greatest living actors and the greatest living director — what is happening? What a crazy sentence to say. It just makes me feel like a little kid again. It stops feeling like work and starts feeling like play.

How did you want race and identity to figure into this season, particularly through Austin?

Charles was the first piece of the whole thing. After Season 1, I got to go to Korea multiple times. I shot a music video for one of the members of BTS. I was experiencing Austin’s journey of being courted by this level of Korea that I’d never been exposed to before and feeling warm and allured by it — I’m having dinners with K-pop idols, like what is happening? So, I knew I wanted to have that element of elite Korea involved. The writers and I discussed a lot whether it should be a Korean American that’s being pulled. We had covered a lot of Korean American ground in Season 1, [but] one of the things we didn’t get to cover is the half-Korean experience. Several of the writers on staff are either half-Asian or half-Korean. We don’t want to repeat things, but let’s do explore a half-Korean character who is about to have a child suddenly get this pull toward Korea.

Carey Mulligan as Lindsay acting alongside Jones, the dog who plays Burberry, in “Beef.” “Jones is the best dog actor I’ve ever worked with,” Lee says. “A24 is making Burberry merch. There’s going to be a Burberry shirt.”

(Netflix)

There are some pretty gross, petty and violent acts of revenge. One is Ashley swirling her period blood in Josh and Lindsay’s pitcher of orange juice. The other takes place during a flight — Lindsay wiping gunk from the toilet seat and transferring it to the rim of the cup Ashley drinks from. Please explain how you arrived at these acts. Were there any left on the cutting room floor?

Episode 4 was pouring out of me. And I remember I got to the point where Ashley snooping through the house [where Lindsay and Josh live]. Initially, I had her scratching up the trophy. She opened Josh’s pomade and blew a snot booger into it. I was thinking of juvenile things. But I had the thought of her going to the kitchen and having the thing that happened to her being the expression of her revenge. I remember I was so nervous to show the [writers’] room. The way I wrote it, I had her crouching over the pitcher and Anna Moench, as the main female writer on the show, was like, “Sonny, I don’t think you know this works.” So, we revised it. That’s how the OJ one happened. With Episode 7 [and the toilet seat], we wanted to have a bodily episode on a plane, and there’s just such limited ways to get revenge on a plane. But given the OJ drink — there’s so many mirrors between the two couples, we thought it’d be fun to mirror that with a drink from Lindsay to Ashley. The only place to do that on a plane is bathroom. We shot it on stage with a fake toilet and Carey was almost vomiting. She came to me after that scene, and she goes, “Sonny, in all my years in this business, that is the most vile, disgusting thing I’ve ever had to do.”

The final moments of the finale jumps eight years. Did you always know you wanted a time jump? And did you always know Ashley and Austin were going to repeat the cycle?

The Ashley and Austin side, I knew the inverse graph for both characters would be very satisfying — to me, at least. I didn’t know whether that happened in a time jump or not. That’s something we discovered later. There was great debate in the room. I had a couple writers plead with me, “Why aren’t you ending with the kiss? It’s so sweet. It’s so good. I feel so good at the kiss. Can we just end it at the kiss?” I took it very seriously, but then it felt very similar to Season 1’s ending. Taking two people who start apart and they finally discover that connection but too late. I didn’t want to leave with the same feeling. How we can make it different is the “what happens next?” Life comes at you fast. He’s [Josh] still in prison. She’s [Lindsay] got to move on. Once I started heading down that thought experiment, I’m like, “Whoa, you could do a whole coda showing the literal theme of the show, the cycles, that’s where we can show Ashley and Austin becoming Josh and Lindsay.” That’s where we show, even though they found a connection, it’s lost between Josh and Lindsay — even if they’re still hanging on to the past a little bit. You show Troy and Ava still together [laughs] — they have it all figured out. Then you show the billionaire who, even with all the money in the world, is crying at the graveside of her first love, filled with regret.

We didn’t see where Eunice (Seoyeon Jang) ends up.

I wanted to leave it open. I’m very curious what people think. She really put her neck out there. Austin burned her bad. I don’t know where Eunice is at but it’s probably not good.

Charles Melton as Austin Davis in “Beef.”

(Netflix)

We can’t talk about “Beef” without discussing the needle drops. When you have Austin listening to Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” it was over for me.

The needle drops are usually pre-picked even before we shoot. The source music that’s playing diegetically, usually we discover in the edit. Before, as scripted, it had him scrolling Instagram and it was [the song playing on] his Instagram feed — you know how those Reels have music overlayed on a POV? It just wasn’t that funny to me in the edit. He’s so down and out and I wanted to find different source music in there. One day, I told my editor, “Can you rip ‘What Was I Made For?’ And can you just temporarily do it where, as she opens the door, he’s like, pressing the volume up, being like ‘sh— … sh— …’ [intending to make the volume go down]?” Our AE [assistant editor] did the ADR temporarily of the “sh—, sh—,” filmed it on my phone and I texted it to Finneas [O’Connell, the show’s composer, who is Eilish’s brother and collaborator] being like, “Hey, is it cool if we do this?” And he was dying laughing. [O’Connell also makes a cameo in the season.]

Ahead of Season 1, you gifted the writers “The Sopranos Sessions” and also assembled a Letterboxd list of films that served as reference points. What guidance did you provide for Season 2?

I sent another Letterboxd playlist. For inspo, we got “Handmaiden,” “Phantom Thread,” “Force Majeure,” “Eyes Wide Shut,” “The Informant.” For some reason, I have “Margaret” on there, the [Kenneth] Lonergan film. I also had “Michael Clayton,” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” “Burn After Reading,” and lastly, it’s a deep cut, there’s this movie called “Like Crazy,” starring Felicity Jones and Anton Yelchin.

Also, can we take a moment for Burberry’s acting?

Oh my god, Jones! Jones is the best dog actor I’ve ever worked with. He would hit his mark. He would listen. He would look at people when he’s supposed to be looking. It was his first time acting. Crushed it. A24 is making Burberry merch. There’s going to be a Burberry shirt.

I’m A Celebrity… South Africa star Ashley Roberts is marking her birthday with her new campmates

Viewers of I’m A Celebrity… South Africa will see one of the campmates celebrate their birthday in a unique way during the latest episode.

Pussycat Dolls star Ashley Roberts can be seen volunteering for a trial during the episode to be aired on Friday, April 17 – despite it being her birthday. But her co-stars feel she should put her feet up on her special day.

Instead it’s Mo Farah taking on Termite Terror where Ant McPartlin instructs: “You need to make your way into the termite mound and down into the nest below. Once you’re down there, your mission is simple: you must dig, crawl and scramble through the tunnels, collecting stars as you go.”

Meanwhile, birthday girl Ashley has another announcement as she tells everyone they need to leave camp immediately for the day’s challenge – Balance of Power.

She tells them: “Celebrities, in front of you are two pits and eleven balance paddles. You must each take hold of a paddle and keep it steady to prevent your ball from falling into the pit. When you drop your ball, you are eliminated. The last person standing wins.”

The celebrities position themselves behind their paddles and the challenge begins. While some adopt peculiar techniques, they quickly realise it’s an endurance challenge rather than one of skill.

As night falls, most celebrities are still standing, balancing balls on their paddles with focus as the eliminated campmates try to distract them from the sidelines.

The group makes a unanimous decision to throw the game by dropping their paddles and letting one person win. But will Ashley be given that chance as the birthday gift?

How old is Ashley Roberts?

Ashley Roberts is 44 years old. While the I’m a Celebrity episode featuring her birthday airs on April 17, her actual birthday is on September 14.

Episodes of the original series of I’m a Celebrity, which airs in November and December, are broadcast live from Australia but the current all stars series was pre-recorded in South Africa and the latest scenes were filmed seven months ago.

However, the series finale will be broadcast live from London in two parts on Friday 24 April. It will run on ITV1 and ITVX from 7.30pm until 9pm. The winner’s announcement will then air at 10pm.

The entire celebrity cast will gather and the public will get the chance to vote for this year’s I’m a Celebrity legend.

I’m A Celebrity… South Africa is on ITV1 and ITVX

Arriving at his training session, Cole was all business, talking mostly in English while throwing in Italian phrases.

One local staff member was impressed by his willingness to tidy up the equipment, which he said was uncommon for a player who had enjoyed such a successful playing career.

To Cole, a former schoolboy from east London, that behaviour is normal. Even his new title – ‘Mister’, bestowed on all managers in Italy – is something he is still getting used to.

“I don’t see myself above anyone at this club,” he said. “Of course I have to be the leader of the group, but I’ll pick up a cone.”

Cole had some awareness of what he was arriving into in Emilia‑Romagna – nicknamed Italy’s ‘food valley’ and famous for parmigiano reggiano, balsamic vinegar from Modena and prosciutto di parma – with his wife Sharon Canu an important sounding board.

“I certainly didn’t go looking for an Italian wife [when he joined Roma in 2014], but I came back with one,” he joked.

“Sharon has been great for me. She’s from Rome, but she understands that people in smaller cities really love the club where they live. I have to embrace that.”

One example is Cole’s routine of buying a five euro ‘piadina’ – an Italian flatbread sandwich – from a stall outside Cesena’s stadium before his media conferences. The food stand also regularly feeds the squad after home matches.

In this working‑class town of fewer than 100,000 people, Cole’s side are underdogs in Serie B – something he identifies with.

“I liked that the owners have a similar background to me – hard work, graft, underdogs nobody believed in – but they created a really successful business,” he said.

“They also wanted someone to believe in them and give them a chance.”

Cesena, like most Italian clubs, rent their stadium and training facilities from the local authority, but Cole has innovated where he can.

He created a video analysis room and uses a high-angle tactical camera to film his sessions, which he watches back in full every day.

“I came here thinking something had to change,” Cole said. “We hadn’t won away from home for a long time, so that had to change – it wasn’t working.

“We’d gone a number of games without a win, so that had to change too. We needed higher intensity in training and matches. The style of football had to change.

“We had to be more adaptable to the different styles we come up against, and we needed more control in games through possession.”

In his first media conference, Cole also called out Italy’s failure to qualify for three consecutive World Cups as a sign they needed to be open to new styles of football, which he is implementing before a trip to face Palermo on Saturday.

BRIDGERTON star Simone Ashley has stunned in a tiny Burberry bikini poolside as she revealed she’s back in the dating game after splitting from her lawyer ex.

The actress began dating high-powered entrepreneur Tim Sykes in the summer last year after they were spotted locking lips at the US Open in New York.

Just a few months later, in December it was revealed they had parted ways reportedly “wanting different things.”

Simone then unfollowed CEO Tim on Instagram.

The gorgeous star has now stripped down into a selection of very skimpy bikinis for the latest Burberry advert.

Simone, who is also a model, put on a sizzling display as she posed on a diving board, soaking up the sun.

Read more on Simone Ashley

DREAM ROLE

Bridgerton changed my life but there’s role I’d love to play, says Simone Ashley

FORMULA SIM-ONE

Simone Ashley wows in sexy sheer dress & eyes up role in Brad Pitt movie

The 31-year-old surely set pulses raising in the incredible black ensemble, which was trimmed with the iconic Burberry check.

She looked flawless, with her black hair styled in natural waves and a subtle makeup look.

Simone’s eyes were dusted with a dark brown shadow and a simple black eyeliner.

In another snap, the star flaunted her toned physique as she gave the camera a sultry pout.

She was wearing the famous Burberry print triangle bikini as she laid at the edge of the pool.

Simone sizzled as she was spotted with water droplets rolling off her body.

Elsewhere, Netflix star Simone put on a very leggy display as she posed on a bench wearing a black bikini cover-up.

She was also seen oiled up donning a pink bikini paired with a little gingham sarong.

Following her sad split Tino, Simone picked up her life and moved to New York.

Speaking on The Louis Theroux podcast, Simone said: “I moved to New York last year. I’m having the time of my life. I love it. It’s changed my life.”

But, it seems that is not all that has changed in the stars life as she made a candid admission.

She added: “At the moment, I’m dating. The plan is always to find love and have another great year in New York.

“I feel very ready for a relationship but I think it’s about finding the right person. I don’t get into situationships because it’s just a way to keep things vague. It’s not my style and I haven’t got time for that.”

Before her brief romance with Tim, Simone dated lawyer Constantin “Tino” Klein in the summer of 2022.

They called it quits back in January 2025.