Bizarre

WE ALL love a Maccies, but instead of you bog standard local, you could head into one where there are dining train carriages.

Along one of America’s most iconic roads, Route 66, you will find a McDonalds like no other.

Barstow McDonalds in California is made from renovated train carriages and sits roughly halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

The restaurant opened back in 1960 and soon became such a popular spot that it needed to be expanded.

The destination then became Barstow Station, where several buildings are attached by several train cars.

Currently there are 17 train cars that make up the Barstow Station complex, four of which are now McDonald’s Dining Cars.

Read more on travel inspo

GET A ROOM

13 London hotels we love for UNDER £100- all-inclusives & bargain suites

SO FLY

Our fave beach hols under 5 hours from UK with Caribbean dupes & £2 bottles of wine

In 2013, Barstow Station McDonald’s also underwent an extensive renovation to make it more contemporary.

The location even still features a life-sized Ronald McDonald figure in the lobby.

Customers head inside the main restaurant to order, before walking through to the carriages where you can eat.

Inside the carriages, you can expect a barrel-roof with booths for seats and historic photos of the Old West and Route 66.

Don’t just head to the McDonald’s though – next door you will find a huge souvenir shop selling Route 66 merch as well as a giant sweets counter.

You’ll find the McDonald’s in the city of Barstow in the Mojave Desert in South California.

In the city, make sure to visit Harvey House Depot, where you will find the Route 66 Mother Road Museum.

You an also explore a number of street art murals.

There are several places to stay in Barstow including Route 66 Motel, which costs as little as £37 a night.

And just down the road are two Holiday Inn’s, a Hampton Hotel and a Marriott Hotel.

Matt Lucas has opened up about his new look, joking about his ‘bizarre’ beard

Matt Lucas appeared on Wednesday’s The One Show.

The actor, 52, was on the BBC One show, which also aired an emotional tribute to Dolly Parton, to talk about playing Fagin in Lionel Bart’s musical Oliver! for six weeks only at the Gielgud Theatre in the West End.

As well as Oliver!, Matt will also appear on Taskmaster alongside the likes of Richard Ayoade, Isy Suttie, Chloe Petts and Nina Conti.

Matt said of his new theatre role: “I’m growing this bizarre beard” to which host, JB Gill, said: “It looks good!” while co-host Clara Amfo, quipped: “Well, let’s talk about that. I don’t think we’ve ever seen you this way.”

This prompted Matt to admit: “Well, I’ve never ever tried. I grew a moustache for three weeks in the pandemic, but I mean, I, you know, I’ve talked about this before. I have alopecia. Lost my hair when I was six, shortly after that photo [a picture on screen] was taken, actually.

“So seven weeks ago, when I knew I was doing this, I went, ‘Right, what happens if I don’t shave?’ And this is what, so my aim is to keep growing it down to my ankles.

“And then when I’m at the football and it’s freezing in the winter. Wrap it as a scarf!” with Clara joking: “I love that. Function and fashion. Fantastic.”

Taking to Twitter, now X, viewers were also quick to comment on and praise Matt’s new look.

One person said: “Didn’t recognise Matt Lucas, quite a change since I last seen him. Looking good though. #theoneshow!”

A different viewer wrote: “Matt Lucas looks like a different person. #theoneshow” while another show watcher joked over how unrecognisable Matt looked: “They definitely said Matt Lucas was on #theoneshow tonight …. still waiting.”

Meanwhile, a different show watcher added: “Cant wait to see @RealMattLucas take on fagan in @OliverOnStage #theoneshow.”

It comes as Matt, who shot to fame on Little Britain and has more recently returned to the comic relief role of Thenardier in Les Miserables for the musical’s mammoth 40th anniversary celebrations, recently received his OBE for services to theatre.

The One Show airs on weeknights at 7pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

BROOKLYN Beckham has once again divided fans over his cooking methods after sharing his latest creation.

The budding chef often shares his recipes to Instagram, and this time confused some fans over the way he made his mashed potato for a cottage pie.

Filming himself as he created the recipe, Brooklyn was seen boiling the potatoes for the pie with the skins on and then peeling them once they were already soft boiled.

This was instead of peeling the skins off before cooking the potatoes, which is the traditional method.

The move divided fans in the comments, with some unsure over the method.

“Why don’t you peel the spuds first?” asked one.

Read more on the Beckhams

BECK OFF

Furious Brooklyn Beckham rips into ‘disgraceful’ troll who body-shamed wife Nicola

pricey move

Katie Price speaks out on 26-year feud with Victoria Beckham

“Why would not peel the potatoes before?” agreed another.

A third said: “It looks nice and he obviously loves cooking… weirdest way to do potatoes though…? Like if they’re going to to be mashed up anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️”.

However, some agreed with Brooklyn’s method and said they did the same at home.

“Because it’s easier and less time consuming the way he did it,” hit back one, a follower argued back.

“It’s much easier to peel after cooking the potatoes,” agreed a second.

Brooklyn did also take to the comment section of the post to remind fans he isn’t a professional chef.

The famous son of David and Victoria wrote: “Im obviously not a professional chef haha x just love cooking and eating xx love all the lovely comments ❤️”

Whilst he may not be a professional, Brooklyn often shares cooking videos online and has fronted digital series such as Cookin’ With Brooklyn.

However, the star – who has also attempted careers in the likes of photography and modelling – is often subjected to backlash over his creations.

An acclaimed crime drama is returning but not in a way fans expect

The ‘most compelling drama ever’ is making a comeback but not in the way you think.

Star of Netflix’s Monster: The Ed Gein Story Charlie Hunnam could end up reuniting with Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan for a brand new series inspired by their most beloved characters.

According to Variety, Hunnam, who is set to appear in the streamer’s next instalment of the true crime anthology as Lizzie Borden’s father, is returning to one of his most popular roles. Reports claim that US network FX has ordered a limited series called Legends.

Not to be confused with the other Netflix show of the same name, this will see Hunnam appear alongside several of his Sons of Anarchy castmates, more than 10 years after its final episode.

However, it is not a prequel nor straight forward spin-off. Instead, it will see the stars play fictionalised versions of themselves.

The story will see the cast of Sons of Anarchy reunite at a fan convention for the first time and see the line between life and art blurs, as the fractured brotherhood finds itself up against a real-world threat more dangerous than anything they ever faced in their show.

So far, the confirmed cast set to appear include Hunnam (Jax), Ron Perlman (Clay), Katey Sagal (Gemma), Maggie Siff (Tara), Mark Boone Junior (Bobby), Tommy Flanagan (Chibs), Kim Coates (Tig), and Theo Rossi (Juice).

Many fans have immediately compared the new show’s premise to sci-fi cult hit Galaxy Quest. In that film, Tim Allen teamed up with Alan Rickman as actors who used to star in a Star Trek-like series together.

They then get mistaken for a real life space travelling crew by aliens who recruit them to save them from a dangerous warlord.

Hunnam has developed the show himself alongside with Jonathan Groff (the writer behind Black-ish and How I Met Your Mother, not the musical actor). It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s Rob Mac is also listed as an executive producer.

It’s been described by the network as “a love letter to the series and a fun meta twist on what fans think they know.”

The original Sons Of Anarchy series was created and largely written by Kurt Sutter. It ran for seven seasons across six years. It boasts an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and has been described by fans as “one of the most compelling dramas ever made”.

It is not yet known if any other former cast members will feature, whether as guest stars or cameos. However, fans are already shared their hope that Taylor Sheridan, now well known as the creator of Yellowstone and its spin-offs, will appear.

Sheridan played Deputy Chief David Hale in the first three seasons. He was the local police’s second-in-command and a no-nonsense cop who grew up with Jax, Tara, Opie, and Donna but often came up against them.

A fan even joked that Sheridan could play the antagonist in this new series. Some have shared their confusion at the concept, while still admitting excitement.

One said: “No clue what’s going on here, but they already have my viewership.” Another added: “I’m incredibly confused by the premise but I’ll be tuning in!”

Even those that are not familiar with Sons of Anarchy have confessed they are on board. One person posted on social media: “Never watched Sons Of Anarchy but this is so meta and bizarre, I kind of love it.”

Sons of Anarchy is streaming on Disney+

For five decades, Top Of The Pops defined the music industry.

Before streaming, YouTube, and TikTok, the hit BBC show was the go-to place for both fledgling singers looking for a big break and superstars alike.

Now the show’s assistant floor manager Gareth Davies, 51, has lifted the lid on what really went on behind the scenes — branding Jennifer Lopez and Shania Twain the biggest divas.

He also recalls how Madonna was left twiddling her thumbs after her clothes went missing.

Gareth, who worked on the show from the mid-to-late Nineties through to the early Noughties, said: “My job was to get artists from backstage and guide them to the stage for their performance.

“Jennifer Lopez had the most demands, for sure.

BAND OF BROTHERS

Blur star reveals if band will put out new music & gives solo album update

ROCK ON

Latest Glastonbury 2027 line-up rumours – from Harry Styles to Robbie Williams

“The dressing rooms were all along this narrow corridor — so nothing special, really, quite old-fashioned. But for that small stretch of space, she made it completely her own.

“The best way to describe it is that she turned her dressing room entirely white.

“I’m not sure where the fascination with white came from, but she wanted everything transformed.

“The whole room was covered from top to bottom, which was quite unusual.

“She didn’t paint it. She had plastic sheeting put up everywhere instead, so it created this striking, all-white environment.”

It’s a far cry from the image of the Bronx girl done good portrayed in the lyrics of her 2002 hit Jenny From The Block.

But J.Lo’s antics pale into insignificance compared to country legend Shania Twain.

Recalling how the superstar was flanked by her team at all times, Gareth said: “Shania Twain had a really large entourage with her, and my lasting memory was watching her walk from the dressing rooms to the studio.

“There was this long line of people moving ahead of her, like a relay.

“Apparently she didn’t open doors, so someone would always be one step ahead holding it open for her. It was this perfectly choreographed system so she could just keep walking.”

Shania appeared on the show four times during Gareth’s time on the series, making her debut in June 1999 with That Don’t Impress Me Much before returning in December that same year. She also performed in 2000 and 2002.

But for every diva, there was also an unlikely down-to-earth performer.

Perhaps the most surprising was Janet Jackson, sister of the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

Gareth said: “I remember everyone on the studio floor waiting quite a long time for Janet to arrive.

“We were all being very casual about it, thinking, well, she’s a major A-lister, of course she’s going to be late. So we just waited around.

“But it turned out Janet and all her dancers had been there the whole time, quietly waiting on stage themselves while we were all waiting for her.

“She was just there in her tracksuit bottoms and hoodie, completely relaxed in that effortlessly cool way.

“What really stayed with me was how kind, gentle, and soft she was. Everyone was genuinely taken aback.

“She felt like one of the dancers, really, just keen to be part of the group rather than setting herself apart as the star.”

Kylie Minogue was also reportedly a total sweetheart.

Speaking about the I Should Be So Lucky singer, Gareth said: “I was quite obsessed with Kylie.

“I remember knocking on her dressing room door with my little script in hand.

“I’d already managed to get Gina G’s autograph — it was around the time she was doing the Eurovision Song Contest (in 1996) — so I thought, right, I’m going to get Kylie Minogue’s on here too.

“I knocked on the door, told her I was a big fan, and she was so lovely.

“She invited me in and chatted with me for a bit, just as a person rather than as a BBC employee. That really stayed with me.”

As well as performing on the show, Kylie went on to make a number of presenting cameos.

Music legend Madonna made her Top Of The Pops debut in January 1984, belting out her single Holiday. She went on to perform a further 13 times, all of which were lapped up by fans. But Gareth recalls how one performance almost didn’t happen after she lost her costume.

He told online gambling platform Zingo Bingo: “I do remember that one time when Madonna came over, everything felt much tighter and more rushed than usual.

“Sometimes an artist would record several songs from an album in one go, so they wouldn’t have to keep coming back again and again.

“From the moment she arrived, it was straight into the studio, rehearsing, back to get ready, then out on stage.

“But she and her team had all rushed in from a hotel in central London, and somehow her stylist had left all the outfits behind.

“We actually had to delay because Madonna had nothing to wear.

“It really felt like she had someone responsible for every tiny detail, so you can imagine whoever was in charge of the wardrobe that day was probably in serious trouble.”

First broadcast on the BBC on New Year’s Day in 1964, Top Of The Pops ran for over four decades.

But despite the huge names and viewing figures, the show was actually as humble as it gets, with greasy-spoon breakfasts being served metres away from where LA-based megastars were doing their pre-show yoga.

Gareth said: “It was filmed at Elstree Studios, where EastEnders was shot, and Grange Hill was filmed there too.

“It was a very traditional, slightly old-fashioned BBC studio that hadn’t really been updated for years. You had this classic canteen staffed by people who’d been there forever, serving no-frills British fry-ups, along with old-school dressing rooms.

“Elstree felt quite remote, almost in the middle of nowhere. So when artists came over, especially from America, they were expecting to appear on the BBC’s biggest music show.

“They probably imagined being right in the heart of London where everything’s happening.

“Instead, they were on the quiet outskirts with very little going on.

“It did make for some surreal moments. You’d spot a big star sitting near a soap star legend, tucking into a breakfast.”

The show was so big that from 2001 to 2005, the BBC hosted the Top Of The Pops Awards at the Manchester Arena.

Explaining how the show felt more like a family at times, Gareth said: “What was so nice was that there really wasn’t much for anyone to do.

“An artist might rehearse at ten in the morning, and then we wouldn’t record until seven in the evening, so they’d just be hanging around.

“It created a real sense of community. You got to see people as much backstage and offstage as you did onstage, which was quite unique.

“Normally, artists come in, rehearse, and then disappear until they’re needed.

“But there, everyone stayed, mingled, and just spent time together, which gave it a very different, much more relaxed atmosphere.

“I remember the first time the Spice Girls got on stage for their rehearsals, they were all jumping around and hugging each other. That was a moment where they felt they had made it.

“The five of them just had this amazing chemistry together. Their personalities worked so well and it wasn’t faked for cameras.

“You’d go into the dressing room and the energy was electric. They were so fun.”

After five decades of being “still number one”, the final Top Of The Pops aired on July 30, 2006.

The BBC said in a statement: “The decision to bring the show to an end after 42 years has not been taken lightly and over the past few years every effort has been made to maintain the quality and distinctiveness of the show.

“However, the BBC’s Creative Future Music Strategy has concluded that in a rapidly changing musical landscape, Top Of The Pops no longer occupies the central role it once did.”

Scottish rock band Snow Patrol were the final ever act to play on the show — belting out their single Chasing Cars.