Wolves have made an approach to Middlesbrough about appointing Rob Edwards as their new head coach.
BBC Sport reported on Sunday that former Luton manager Edwards was among the leading contenders to replace Vitor Pereira, who was sacked following Wolves’ 10-game winless start to the Premier League season.
Wolves held talks with former boss Gary O’Neil, but the 42-year-old withdrew from the running on Monday.
Former Wolves player Edwards, also 42, has always been a strong candidate at Molineux and is emerging as the preferred choice.
It is understood the relegation-threatened club have made contact with Middlesbrough, who are third in the Championship, regarding their interest in appointing Edwards.
Whether that level of contact constitutes an official approach from Wolves to discuss the vacancy with Edwards is unclear, but the wheels are now in motion towards the Premier League side accelerating their plan to make an appointment.
It is understood Wolves would be required to pay significant compensation to Middlesbrough to secure Edwards, who only took over at the Riverside Stadium in June.
Wolves are bottom of the table with only two points after 10 games – eight points adrift of 17th-placed Burnley.
Craig Bellamy laughs when asked about Rubin Colwill, the 23-year-old forward currently impressing for Cardiff City.
“He’s big for you, isn’t he?,” Bellamy asks the reporter who brings up his name.
Not that Bellamy is not a fan of the nine-cap midfielder, to the contrary.
However, Colwill has not always featured in Bellamy’s Wales squads despite playing a starring role in Cardiff’s League One promotion bid and their quarter-final EFL Cup run.
“Rubin is able, there’s still one or two bits that we need more from, but he’s capable,” insists Bellamy who has plenty of other reasons to be a regular at Cardiff City Stadium.
“For the first time in a long, long time, I’ve really enjoyed coming away from Cardiff games with a smile,” he added.
“Last year was difficult, the atmosphere was down, but now I get to see a number of Welsh young players playing in a way I like.
“I only see them improving and selfishly I just see that this is going to benefit the country, so I’m over the moon with that.”
Eva Price has burst back onto Coronation Street and much-loved actress Catherine Tyldesley says the future couldn’t be more exciting for the soap as she opened up on her anxiety
Coronation Street’s Catherine Tyldesley has spoken about her big return as Eva Price(Image: ITV)
Soap favourite Catherine Tyldesley feared her chances of ever returning to Coronation Street were in danger after she kept saying no to bosses – but now she thinks the show going in an ‘old school’ direction will keep the critics at bay.
Catherine is back on the Cobbles as feisty Eva Price following a seven-year absence, and admits she was incredibly nervous about reprising her role. The actress finally told producers yes after hearing their plans for the future and telling them she didn’t want her character involved in any cheating scandals.
Eva left Weatherfield behind in 2018, but now she’s back with some new faces. Joined by husband Ben Driscoll, played by Aaron McCusker, mother-in-law “from hell” Maggie [Pauline McLynn] and their blended family she is also the queen of the Rovers Return – and said the pressure of following in the footsteps of legendary landladies also added to her anxiety.
She said it was the perfect time to come back to the ITV soap and was sold as soon as producer Katie Brooks explained where the programme was heading. Catherine spoke to the Mirror as she juggles being a working mum and missing important family moments.
The 42-year-old said: “It’s been incredible to be back. You are like a family when you work at Corrie. We’ve all really make the effort to stay in touch, cast and crew, so it’s I just feel incredibly lucky and I’ve been made to feel super welcome. I needed that because I was really nervous. I was genuinely, really nervous because it’s been a long time.
“I’ve had to say no a few times. I was worried they’d just stop asking! That’s why I emailed them after having to reject the chance those times. I just said ‘I love the show and said I loved playing Eva, so please, please always ask me… and at some point, further down the line, hopefully the time will be right’.
“Kate [Brooks] is passionate about bringing a new golden era and kind of looking to the old school Corrie days for inspiration, which is what people seem to love – and what Kate is brilliant at, alongside our writing team. The route she envisioned Corrie going in is everything that I’m about, as soon as we spoke I was inspired and motivated.
“They really know how to do that, and that’s how she worded things to me. I want to bring Corrie into this brilliant new era. It’s a very exciting time, and I felt excited by everything that she was saying to me and how passionate the character and really exploring strong women.”
The show has faced criticism, with Charlie Lawson, who played Jim McDonald for decades, hitting out over ‘woke’ plots before claiming viewers are switching off. It was revealed that Corrie didn’t make it into the ten most-watched TV shows on Christmas Day last year but Catherine says things are looking up.
“They’re putting everything into it,” she said. “I think, if there has been criticism over the show, everything is peaks and troughs in life, you can’t be perfection day in, day out. It is important for shows like this to experiment with things and look at relevant topics that are things that are happening around us, and sometimes the audience like that, sometimes they maybe don’t.
“The only way you can learn is if you take risks, mixing things up and different producers have different ideas. It just so happened for me that I felt very, very aligned with Kate, and everything that she was saying, and her new vision for the show in terms of finding that old school era.”
But while her return has been a pleasure, it’s also been painful. The star added: “Obviously Eva is older and wiser, I wanted Eva and Ben to be tight, to be loyal, to be this power couple at the forefront at the pub. We were very passionate about the fact we wanted her to retain that childlike quality that she has, that really fun side. “I’ve been super happy to have Pauline and Aaron to bounce off. They are such wonderful human beings in real life. So we’re having the best time. The other day, I came up to my dressing room and I remember thinking, gosh, my face is hurting from smiling! Pauline is hysterical. I could just put her in a room and watch her and she just got comedy bones. Yeah, they’re both brilliant.”Mum-of-two Catherine has linked up with O2 to help launch an incredible 5G book that connects families for bedtime, even when they have to be apart. The unique book transforms a traditional children’s story into a shared, interactive experience and she says it’s a must for parents.
“I wanted to get involved in this campaign because, for me, a bedtime story is a ritual – it was always my favourite part and still is. That opportunity to kind of talk about their day with them and then to you, delve into a story is just so special.“O2 told me that through their research, I think it was more than half as parents also agreed with that statement that that was their favourite time of the day. So, for me to have the opportunity to do this connected storybook with Iris, who is three, was just amazing.“Whilst nothing can replicate being snuggled up in bed reading with your little one, seeing technology used in this way to make that special moment of connection still possible is just amazing. The book is beautiful and to see the look on Iris’ face when I popped up in the story was a very special moment. She loved being able to see me and read through the story together even though we were apart.”
Despite her criminality, Stephanie St Clair liked to be seen as a ‘lady’ and her story is told in a new Sky History series, Original Gangsters, which is narrated by Sean Bean
Stephanie St Claire accumulated $30K and launched her own lottery.(Image: SKY HISTORY)
Roaring Twenties New York was a hotbed of crime, where mobsters like Lucky Luciano ruled the roost – cashing in on prohibition with bootleg booze. Then there was the numbers game … and there was Stephanie St. Clair.
Like a people’s lottery, players of the numbers game – which was illegal – would write a lucky three digit number on slips of paper and runners would run these slips and the bets between the gamblers and their ‘bankers.’
The winning numbers were chosen from the last three digits of the daily trading totals of the New York Stock Exchange which, crucially, made the game impossible to tamper with or fix.
At a time when Black people weren’t even allowed bank accounts, St Clair – a Black woman born in Guadalupe who fled to the US from the French West Indies where she was raised at 13 – wanted a piece of the pie.
Anyone with the cash to pay winners, or the front to chance their arm until they built up a big enough pot, could be a numbers banker. And it was a way for Black people to enter the banking system. In 1922, St Clair – until then a cleaner – managed to accumulate $30K and launched her own numbers operation – stepping out of the boundaries of both her sex and her race.
Interestingly, she also used other people – particularly men – to keep her hands clean while masterminding the racket. One such enforcer was Bumpy Johnson, who became known as the Godfather of Harlem where they were based. Bumpy would punish people with beatings – or by taking lives.
Featured in a new Sky History series, Original Gangsters, which starts on Tuesday and is narrated by Sean Bean, despite her criminality, St Clair liked to be seen as a ‘lady.’ Sean Bean says:”Although very few photos of her survived, we can see that that image was incredibly important to Stephanie. She never allowed herself to be photographed without her hair, her makeup, her clothes all perfectly styled.”
Alongside being a ruthless gangster, St Clair was a committed activist for the Black community. And when she was arrested, she testified about the participation of the NYPD in vice rackets – leading to more than a dozen police officers being suspended from the force. But when another formidable gangster, Dutch Shultz, tried to muscle in on her numbers, her resistance led to Harlem becoming a warzone – with him using bombings, beatings and murders to muscle in on her turf.
When Shultz was eventually gunned down by a group known as Murder IN, she sent him a message on his death bed saying, ‘As you sew, so shall you reap.’ The same could be said of her, when she is jailed in the 1930s after gunning down her ex and being imprisoned for two to 10 years. Released in the early 1940s, little is known of her after that.
But Serena Simmons says of the little known crime boss, who died in 1969 aged around 72: “She was an outlier. She was someone who may have been able to go down a different path – a good path – if circumstances had been different. She was a very strong character. Underneath it all she was thoughtful, sensitive and a deep thinker. She was intelligent, self educated and widely read. Her clothes were her costume – she needed to be taken seriously – and she was functioning in a man’s world.
“Don’t get me wrong, she did do bad things, but she had a strong moral code; she was aware of injustice because she herself had experienced so much. I think her intention was bizarrely a good one. She had to be self-serving to help others. She had a lot of trauma when she was younger – so this is someone for me who was in survival mode and psychologically could compartmentalise her actions.
“She was motivated to achieve something and constructed her own path outside of any institutional support. I’m not sure we have any understanding about how hard that would have been. Is there a little bit of me that admires her? Yes, there is.”
Original Gangsters starts on Tuesday 4th November at 9pm on Sky History and History Play. The series will also be available to stream on NOW.
Slot’s squad selection for Wednesday’s EFL Cup defeat by Crystal Palace sparked huge debate.
He made 10 changes from Liverpool’s last outing, handing out two debuts and naming three teenagers in his starting line-up, plus a further five among his substitutes.
The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz, Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike were all absent as the Reds made a tame exit in a competition they have won twice in the past four seasons.
Liverpool fan Abigail Rudkin told BBC Sport she is disappointed by Slot’s decision-making.
“Walking to the game last night, me and my dad got the team sheet and we were like ‘he’s sacrificed this’,” she said. “I understand we are losing games at the moment but you need to try and get a winning mentality back.
“We are losing patience. I think there are two different sides of the fanbase at the minute.
“There are those on social media that are calling on him to lose his job, and there are the people I see at the ground, like me, who are losing patience going to these games and not enjoying it as much with losing the games, but they also want to stay patient with him because we are very grateful to him for what we’ve had from last season when we thought it would all fall apart without Jurgen Klopp.”
Winning the title in his maiden season is a double-edged sword for Slot according to supporter Richard.
“The problem is Slot won the Premier League with Jurgen Klopp’s team,” he said. “This was amazing. However, now he has spent hundreds of millions of pounds to improve and put his stamp on the team and club, it is all going wrong.
“When you watch him on the touchline, he doesn’t seem to know how to fix things when they go wrong. We have stopped pressing and terrorising opponents. For some reason, we now play at training-game pace, and only really bring the hammer in the last 15 minutes or so when we’re behind and chasing the game. This is not Liverpool at all.”
Fellow fan Ryan said it’s “way too soon” to be talking about getting rid of Slot, but said players need to take responsibility and shoulder some of the blame too.
“We don’t turn into a bad team overnight,” he said. “But Slot doesn’t help himself with some of his decisions – and that is what he can control.
“Liverpool operate differently and I can’t see us cutting Slot and his staff so soon. However, results are what count, ultimately, and if things don’t improve – and quickly – then we all know how the road ends.
“The players have to step up too, by the way – it shouldn’t all be on the manager. Some have been way, way below an acceptable standard for Liverpool.”
Liverpool manager Arne Slot says he has “no regrets” after making 10 changes to his team for their Carabao Cup fixture against Crystal Palace, a match they went on to lose 3-0 at Anfield.
Although Liverpool’s starting 11 included 17-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha and 18-year-old midfielders Trey Nyoni and Kieran Morrison, the line-up also included seven full internationals.
Slot opted for three central defenders, with Scotland’s Andy Robertson on the left, England’s Joe Gomez in the middle and Japan’s Wataru Endo on the right.
Both full-backs have also represented their country too, with left-back Milos Kerkez a regular for Hungary, while Calvin Ramsay has played for Scotland.
Palace boss Oliver Glasner felt it was “disrespectful” to suggest Liverpool had fielded a weakened team and believed his side deserved all the credit.
“It was Arne Slot’s decision and we never care what other teams are doing,” said the Eagles boss. “I’ve seen Joe Gomez play for England, win the Champions League, seen Wataru Endo I don’t know how many games for Japan, I’ve seen Alexis Mac Allister, he won the World Cup as a starter, Kerkez moved for £40m, [Federico] Chiesa plays for the [Italy] national team, Ngumoha has shown he can score goals in the Premier League.
“It was still a good team and everyone is a member of the Liverpool squad. I was never good enough to be in the Liverpool squad. Maybe it was not the strongest team, but still a very good Liverpool side.”
For Slot, this match will be forgotten about if they can get positive results against Villa, Real and Manchester City.
“If they beat Villa and Real Madrid, and they start to turn a corner, then yes it will have paid off,” added Warnock. “If it isn’t and things continue, then Liverpool fans will get disgruntled.
“Managers don’t make changes for no reason. But when you need a victory, this was the ideal time to get it.”
As Slot pointed out, Liverpool’s recent poor run was unacceptable and he will be demanding, and hoping, for an immediate improvement in performances and results to relieve the pressure.
Russell T Davies has spoken out after Disney+ ended its partnership with Doctor Who and jokingly suggested some festive titles for the upcoming Christmas special
22:00, 28 Oct 2025Updated 22:06, 28 Oct 2025
Doctor Who boss Russell T Davies has spoken out on the news regarding the sci-fi show(Image: Getty Images)
Russell T Davies has spoken out after Disney+ ended its partnership with Doctor Who. The showrunner, 62, took to social media in the hours after it was announced that his sci-fi programme would be solely produced by the BBC going forward after two years under the global streaming service.
Earlier in the day, Lindsay Salt, director of drama at the BBC, said Disney+ had been “terrific global partners and collaborators over the past two seasons”, before confirming that a Christmas special is on the way. She added: “The BBC remains fully committed to Doctor Who, which continues to be one of our most loved dramas, and we are delighted that Russell T Davies has agreed to write us another spectacular Christmas special for 2026.
“We can assure fans, the Doctor is not going anywhere, and we will be announcing plans for the next series in due course which will ensure the TARDIS remains at the heart of the BBC.”
In the hours that followed, Russell posted an image of the famous TARDIS onto his Instagram page, where he jokingly asked fans what they thought of some potential titles for the festive special. He wrote: “Here we go. Away in a Danger? Jungle Hells? Silent Night? Hark the Weeping Angels Sing? O Come All Ye…um, Nimon?”
Following the news that the show was no longer part of Disney, fans instantly flooded social media with their reactions, with many praising show bosses for the move to step away from the media corporation. One wrote: “Maybe without Disney’s sanitized grip, Doctor Who can return to its roots, weird, dark, brilliant storytelling that doesn’t need a corporate logo to feel epic.”
Another said: “Time for Doctor Who to feel British again, not branded,” whilst a third joked of the streaming service: “this app is literally screaming at us all month to end our memberships.” Another fan simply said: “Good tbh. The Disney era was kinda meh!”
At the end of the last series, viewers were shocked to see Ncuti Gatwa’s doctor seemingly regenerate into the likeness of Billie Piper, who starred as Rose Tyler alongside Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant following the programme’s initial revival in 2005. A comeback for her has not been confirmed, and some fans seem to think that Ncuti could be stepping back into the role after all.
One said: “Ncuti walking out of the Tardis on Christmas 2026 and pretending like nothing happened,” and another said: “billie is gonna go find 14 and then ‘fuse’ with him which will cause an ACTUAL regeneration and its just Ncuti again lmao.” A third agreed, writing: “I would LOVE for Ncuti Gatwa to be back!”
This festive season will be the first to not have a Doctor Who special for 20 years. The BBC said that the announcement about the 2026 Christmas episode had been prompted by Disney+ confirming that it would not be partnering on the next season of the sci-fi show – as widely anticipated – after international viewing figures proved disappointing.
In a statement yesterday, the BBC said that it remained “fully committed to the show and will announce plans for the next series in due course to ensure the Doctor’s adventures continue”.
At the end of this year, Doctor Who spin-off The War Between The Land and the Sea will air, as well as a brand-new animation series for CBeebies.
Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones looked cosy together as they posed for photographs on the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain red carpet this week – despite a suggestion they had split
Helen and Gethin’s love story and split as they reunite at Pride of Britain(Image: PA)
BBC bosses reportedly want popular duo Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones to come clean about the true nature of their relationship – for the sake of the viewers.
But on Monday night, Gethin, 47, put his arm around 42-year-old Helen on the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain red carpet in London. The cosy photographs led to further speculation the couple had rekindled their romance, but the “confusion” has reportedly irked some management at the BBC.
One boss told the Daily Mail: “There’s a common feeling among them [BBC bosses] that it’s time for Helen and Gethin to confirm where they stand and stop playing around with the viewers. It’s time for clarity.
“Standing together on that red carpet has only confused viewers, who truly do want them to be an item, and it’s not fair anymore to keep the speculation going. It’s starting to feel on purpose as they’re really leaning into it.”
Gethin was one of the original hosts of Morning Live when it first aired five years ago, and Helen joined him in 2023. She started the post around one year after splitting with Richie Myler, a now retired rugby league player, with whom she has three children.
Chatter emerged Gethin and Helen’s friendship had become a relationship in May this year after the presenters were seen leaving the BAFTAs together. Though neither confirmed a relationship, they were spotted again with each other off-set several times in the spring. Similar gossip spread this week after the pictures at the Daily Mirror Pride of Britain event, which the stars reportedly left within minutes of each other.
Yet Gethin, who in 2011 split from fellow Welsh star opera singer Katherine Jenkins, nor Helen have confirmed or denied whether or not they are together now.
It is thought when Helen, a former Blue Peter host, was brought in to join Gethin on Morning Live the BBC hoped the pair would build a strong rapport to continue its success in its timeslot.
When Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan were chosen to launch This Morning on ITV in 1998, it quickly became a success and, though the pair were long married by then, it is believed their strong charisma together drew in the viewers. The BBC, it is understood, felt that a similar onscreen chemistry was exactly what it needed to win the daytime ratings war in 2023 – and it was undoubtedly worked onscreen.
Chatter remains whether that move has seen things blossom off it too.
The sight of the fit-again Ollie Rathbone – last year’s player of the season – in the matchday squad for the first time since early pre-season adds weight to those sentiments.
At the same time, Parkinson is unlikely to be swayed in ignoring the steady progress so far, even if many fans saw the Stoke display as a step backwards.
While the run of games will bring pressure, it also brings opportunity, with Kieffer Moore among those adamant that Wrexham are not far from clicking and that they will be a real threat when they do.
Before the next international break – and all inside the space of three weeks – Wrexham also have games against Portsmouth and Charlton Athletic, even if the Addicks have done eye-catchingly well since their own promotion.
And then there is the small matter of the chance to reach the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup when they welcome Welsh rivals Cardiff City.
Get it right and Wrexham will have people talking for all the right reasons. Something Parkinson will know full well.
“We need to just analyse the performance and not get too down about it,” Parkinson said.
“It says something about how far we’ve come that we come to Stoke in front of 25,000 and are disappointed not to get something from the game.
“But we have got to look at ourselves. I think it’s good to be frustrated, I think it’s good to be a bit annoyed and that we don’t have pats on the back and say ‘Oh, we’ve come to Stoke and done okay’.
“They are a good group of lads who are working really hard and I’m excited about what we’ve got in the building, I really am.
“We have taken a knock, but we’ll come back fighting on Wednesday.”
And with plenty looking hard at Wrexham – and maybe even looking for them to fail – a win would do much to wrestle back control of that narrative.
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who spent the week belting “You Don’t Own Me” with the same gusto as an empowered ex-wife dressed in white.
Diane Keaton died this week at age 79 at her Los Angeles home. The L.A. native had a career that spanned more than five decades and included a wide-ranging and indelible list of performances in films such as “The Godfather” saga, “Annie,” Baby Boom,” “Father of the Bride” (and its sequel), “The First Wives Club,” “Something’s Gotta Give,” “The Family Stone” — the list goes on and on. Take a moment to read film editor Joshua Rothkop’s illuminating snapshot of Keaton’s life. Of course, her legacy goes far beyond the performance. Times film critic Amy Nicholson wrote how Keaton showed us how to dress up our insecurities and embrace the kooky. And if you want to take a dive into her oeuvre, we have a roundup of 10 Keaton performances worth watching. Pluto TV is featuring an on-demand collection called “Remembering Diane Keaton,” with 15 of her most beloved films available to stream anytime.
And speaking of women who leave a lasting impression — this week saw the return of Keri Russell as Kate Wyler, the highly competent seasoned foreign service officer, with the arrival of “The Diplomat’s” third season. The Netflix series has spent its time tracking the career diplomat’s journey being primed to assume the role of vice president. Its backdrop storyline of an aging president who is expected to pass the torch to a younger female vice president — and the chaos that ensues when the plan is upended — may have real-world parallels, but the show’s creator, Debora Cahn, whose other credits include “The West Wing” and “Homeland,” insists the series is not a commentary. She stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the political thriller.
Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations are an eclectic pair: a documentary that chronicles the 60-year movement to convert abandoned railroads into public spaces around America and, for those looking to make their viewing of Guillermo Del Toro’s take on “Frankenstein” a double-feature kind of night, we make the case for a ‘90s gory horror-comedy twist on the legend.
ICYMI
Must-read stories you might have missed
Diane Keaton arrives at a news conference at the 40th Cannes Film Festival to introduce her feature directorial debut, “Heaven,” in 1987.
Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times
A view of the Island Line Trail in “From Rails to Trails.”
(PBS)
“From Rails to Trails” (PBS.org)
Trains ran close to where I grew up, and I’m still stupidly excited whenever I see one in action. There are fewer now than there were then, but part of their romance is the alternative routes they carved through the land. “From Rails to Trails” documents the 60-year movement to transform abandoned rail lines — which is to say, most rail lines — into paths for biking and hiking, turning them into linear public parks, making the countryside accessible but also remaking urban spaces. It’s a movement not without its opponents, its reversals and consequences, including the gentrification that can follow them. But this often moving hour-long documentary is a paean to old-fashioned coalition building and community activism — needed now more than ever — and the success of a new idea many now take for granted. Former Vermont governor Howard Dean and former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg chime in. New voice of the everyman Edward Norton narrates. — Robert Lloyd
“Frankenhooker” (Pluto TV, Tubi)
The lament of “The Bride of Frankenstein” is that the heroine herself is only onscreen for a few minutes. Get your fix by watching Frank Henenlotter’s “Frankenhooker.” This sleazy-brilliant 1990 romp is so clever it ranks (severed) head and shoulders with the black-and-white classics. An inventor, Jeffrey (James Lorinz), is bereft over losing his fiancée Elizabeth (Patty Mullen) to a freak lawnmower accident. He vows to rebuild his future bride — but hotterr. “I can make you the centerfold goddess of the century,” Jeffrey says with a leer. The real vanity is his. He wants a sexy, mindless babe. Henenlotter (also of the schlock hit “Basket Case”) claimed he didn’t think deeply about the subtext of his horror movies, a feint that dates back farther than George A. Romero pretending “Night of the Living Dead’s” martyred Black hero wasn’t a comment on race. They’re both fibbers. “Frankenhooker” is a giddy, popcorn-chomping comment on the disposability of women, especially the sex workers Jeffrey murders for spare parts. But what brings it to life is Mullen’s uproarious resurrected sexpot. Stomping around wearing a purple bra and a ghastly sneer, she belongs to no man — ring on her finger or not. Make it a double feature with Guillermo Del Toro’s terrific new “Frankenstein” in theaters this week. — Amy Nicholson
Guest spot
A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching
Allison Janney as Grace, Rufus Sewell as Hal Wyler and Keri Russell as Kate Wyler in Season 3 scene from “The Diplomat.”
(Alex Bailey / Netflix)
Will the U.S. ever be ready for a female president? Time will tell. But “The Diplomat” has provided its contribution to the list of fictional ones. The Netflix drama, a fast-paced look at the art of diplomacy, stars Keri Russell as Kate Wyler, a newly-appointed U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom who is tapped from the ranks of career diplomats to be quietly prepped to become vice president. The plan, of course, hasn’t gone as expected. In the whirlwind final moments of last season, the president dies and suddenly the person Kate was enlisted to push out, Vice President Grace Penn (Allison Janney), is whisked into duty — just as Kate has discovered the VP is responsible for hatching a terrorist plot. The show returned for its third season earlier this week and explores the aftermath as Penn is sworn in as president. Here, creator Debora Cahn shares what she was interested in unpacking in Season 3’s marriage dynamics, orchestrating a “West Wing” reunion and the time she met former Vice President Kamala Harris. There are some mild spoilers ahead, so bookmark for later if you haven’t begun the season! — Yvonne Villarreal
What did you want out of Kate’s journey this season? Her professional ambitions are once again tested by her marriage. Hal keeps claiming it’s Kate’s time to be in the spotlight and yet he manages to steal it.
We wanted to look at how it happens that someone like Hal winds up in the spotlight even when he’s desperately trying not to; the circumstances that surround decisions like this, which make it such that even the people in the middle of them don’t really have any control over it. You can look at what Grace is doing, and you can understand why she thinks Kate is fantastic, but that the choice, in terms of what’s going to make it easier for her to get through the day, is Hal. And we didn’t want to have a science fiction White House where there are two women happily running the country. That’s just not the world that we’re living in. And it felt like the most honest thing that we could do is tell a story about what it means to be really qualified and really experienced and really ready, and then watch it all slip away at the last second.
The season includes a delightful “West Wing” reunion, a show you wrote for. Allison Janney returns as VP-turned-President Grace Penn and Bradley Whitford portrays her husband, Todd. What was it like to see them back together onscreen? And what did you want their marriage dynamic to say?
It was like first day of school jitters for the first day that each of them was on set. We really wanted to make sure that this was something new and it wasn’t a reference to the work that we’d done together in the past. And the second they started, it was just clear that we were watching a new relationship that these two great actors were building together and informed by the fact that they know each other quite well and that they’ve been good friends for 20 years, but using that to create something new and fresh and really, really satisfying.
This is a marriage that has some very similar structural dynamics to Kate and Hal, but there are some fundamental differences, which is, there was never an assumption that Todd’s career could continue to function alongside Grace’s once she became vice president; and certainly when she becomes president, there’s no question that will become the focus for both of them. And so there are dynamics that Kate and Hal still wrestle with, which we see are kind of absolved with Todd and Grace. And in some ways that helps, and in some ways it doesn’t help.
We’re looking at a couple that’s 10 years farther down the road in their marriage and have made, in some ways, a more pragmatic decision about what it means to have two smart, capable people with careers existing at the same time. Their decision is that one of them isn’t going to exist right now. I think the thing that I enjoy most about both Hal and Todd is that these are people who really, really, really love their wives and really want to be supportive and they still fail or they struggle so, so mightily. We’ve talked about this before: I don’t like writing villains. I don’t want to write politicians that have bad values or selfish goals. I also don’t want to write people in a marriage who don’t give a s— about each other. I would much rather look at the much larger problem, which is, you do really care about each other. You do really want the best for each other, and you still can’t manage to make it happen.
Allison Janney as President Grace Penn and Bradley Whitford as First Gentleman Todd Penn in “The Diplomat.”
(Clifton Prescod / Netflix)
“The Diplomat” premiered in a different political climate from the one it’s in now. The show is not a direct commentary on what’s happening now, but how does the current reality, particularly as it relates to what those in civil service are facing, inform how you think about or build stories moving forward? What sorts of questions are you asking now of people who work in the government?
We write a story two years before the audience watches it, so we we don’t want to be making a direct commentary. Even if we did, the world is moving so fast, we couldn’t try and keep up. But we do want to be in the foreign policy headspace that the world is in, and try to be looking at what are the bigger questions and bigger conflicts that face people who are working in this field. We think a lot about the fact that 300,000 people were fired from the federal government. We think a lot about what it’s like to work for this administration and — I’m trying to figure out what to say without getting into Season 4, which I don’t want to do. It doesn’t inform the specifics of any of the stories that we’re telling, but it does inform the worldview and the bigger questions that face people in this field as the field changes. As the world changes.
You’re writing about people whose job it is to make hard decisions every day. What was the hardest decision you had to make for this third season — either in the writing phase or the production phase?
We moved the base of production from the UK back to New York. The first two seasons we were based in the UK, and then for Season 3, we did half and half. There were a lot of really good reasons for that. It also meant that we had a crew that grew this organism with us — and we were very close to them; they had huge influence on the show — and leaving them behind was really, really terrible. It’s a tough time in the film and television industry right now, and we felt pretty good about bringing jobs back to this community. That was something that was important to us and we really wanted to do. So, we are comfortable with the decision that we made, but, boy, it sure wasn’t fun making it and going through it. It’s people’s livelihood. It’s not a small thing.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris recently released a book chronicling her whirlwind and brief campaign as a 2024 presidential candidate. Have you read it?
I have not read it. But did I tell you about when we met her?
No. Tell me. You were also filming this third season during the election, right?
We were we were shooting it during the election. We were writing it during the election. And we we were worried about how it was going to look. We didn’t want it to look like a commentary on this presidency. But we did have a female vice president that we liked a whole lot, and a male president that we really loved and was of a certain age and didn’t make it through the process — the dynamics kept getting more and more troubling.
Keri and I were at the [White House Correspondents’] Dinner. And there was a receiving line, and we met and shook hands with the president and the first lady and the vice president and the second gentleman. And I said, “Ma’am, I’m writing a story about what it’s like for a woman who’s really experienced and really smart and really capable and really ready to do a job who then gets passed over for someone who is perhaps less qualified.” And she laughed. Then she said, “Call me.”
Have you called?
I have not called. I felt like she had some stuff going on. I didn’t really want to bother her and say, “Heyyyyy … let’s talk about how that went …”
What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?
“Dying for Sex” [Hulu, Disney+]. It was brutal and intense and very funny and extremely well-written. And I just thought what they did from a public health service perspective, sharing practical information about what it actually means to go through the process of death, I thought it was just a huge public service.
What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?
“Postcards from the Edge” [VOD] — it is just so smart and so funny and both Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep are just absolutely to die for.
The due diligence already completed towards Postecoglou’s possible replacement provides a clear indication of the jeopardy the Australian faces.
It would be hard for any manager to change the direction of travel in these circumstances.
Of course, Postecoglou will back himself to turn it around. That’s his nature.
Speaking in his pre-match news conference on Friday, he said: “Some look at the weeds but I look at what is growing. I am really excited as I have a group of young players willing to change.
“I just don’t fit, not here, just in general. If you look at it through the prism of ‘I’m a failed manager who’s lucky to get this job’ then of course this first five weeks looks like ‘this guy’s under pressure’. There is an alternative story that you could look at it.”
Owner Marinakis wants him to succeed, having backed Postecoglou’s track record of winning silverware as one of the key factors in why he appointed him in the first place.
Indeed, prior to their previous Premier League outing against Newcastle – that resulted in a 2-0 loss – well-placed sources told BBC Sport Postecoglou still maintained the immediate backing of the Forest owner.
There was, though, recognition that the result and manner of performance at St James’ Park would have a key influence on how Marinakis viewed his manager’s future.
Likewise, there is a feeling Postecoglou has not been helped by refereeing decisions.
For instance, during the Europa League defeat by FC Midtjylland – during which supporters turned on Postecoglou – earlier this month, there was a feeling as many as 14 key decisions went against Forest.
But with that said, the internal scrutiny on Postecoglou is intense.
Victory over Chelsea could mean he takes the first step towards what appears an unlikely road to recovery at Forest.
Lose the game, and the writing is already on the wall.
The seven-time champion is a supporter of Vasseur, who was instrumental in signing him.
Speaking during the drivers’ news conference before this weekend’s United States Grand Prix, Hamilton said: “It is a little bit distracting for us as a team. The team have made it clear where they stand in terms of re-signing Fred.
“Fred and the whole team are working really hard on a future for the team.”
Vasseur’s contract was due to expire at the end of this season, but it was renewed just two and a half months ago.
Ferrari tend not to comment on stories about the future of the team, considering it media speculation.
But when reports linking Horner to the team first emerged in the summer, Ferrari used channels to communicate to the media that there was no truth in the claim. The company’s position has not changed since.
Wales’ players were crestfallen at the final whistle, glazed looks in their eyes as it dawned on them that a huge opportunity had slipped through their grasp.
Belgium’s goalless draw with North Macedonia on Friday had opened the door for Wales, who needed to win their remaining three games to finish top of Group J and qualify automatically for the World Cup.
But they fell at the first hurdle, outgunned by Belgium in another chaotic shootout after losing 4-3 in Brussels in June.
Again, Wales’ bold approach – to press and to pour forward at every opportunity – left them exposed defensively, and once again they were ruthlessly punished by Jeremy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne and the rest.
On reflection, did Bellamy feel his side were just a little too open?
“We felt the best way of being able to combat this team was to have the ball,” he answered. “And we created a lot of chances, but we felt that was the way of being able to beat this team because we needed to win.
“It was as simple as that, and you could see even towards the end, we opened up more. We lost a bit of control in the game. But I always believe the way you can stop the opposition from scoring is by having the ball.
“But that transition moment, with Jeremy, it’s so fearful every time you have the ball that if it turns over, this kid, he’s just that.
“I’ve experienced it. I had him on my team [at Anderlecht], and I knew how dangerous he was, but going against him… We knew there were going to be difficult moments in that game.”
This has been a bruising window for Bellamy, whose decision to take on England in a friendly at Wembley last Thursday was met with a mixture of scepticism, bemusement and outright criticism.
The outcome, a chastening 3-0 defeat, intensified the fans’ discontent, though they were willing to keep an open mind if it helped Wales beat Belgium.
Supporters will be less forgiving now Wales have lost – making it 12 goals conceded in five games – and seen their hopes of qualifying automatically go up in smoke.
But nothing will deter Bellamy, unshakeable in his beliefs.
“I’ve seen a lot today that makes me feel we can get close to these. We can get close. We need to keep improving,” he said.
“But I told you at the start when I was going to do this. I’m going to press, and I won’t sit back. I know that goes against some people, but this is who I am.
“And today, I’ve seen a team with flaws because I have them. A team that wants to do something, because I want to. I’m grateful for that.”
“Monster,” the gruesome and graphic anthology series from longtime collaborators Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan, has dramatized the chilling story of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer and the highly publicized and complex case of Lyle and Erik Menendez, brothers who were convicted for the 1989 murder of their parents. The third installment of the Netflix series, which was released last week, puts its twist on the legend of Gein, a killer who inspired fictional villains like Norman Bates and Leatherface. Brennan, who wrote the season, stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the fantastical approach to the season and that “Mindhunter” hat tip.
Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations include a “Frontline” documentary that continues its chronicle on the lingering impact of poverty and a spinoff of “The Boys” set at America’s only college for superheroes.
ICYMI
Must-read stories you might have missed
Illustration of John Candy with his hands on his cheeks.
Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times
A still from “Frontline: Born Poor,” which filmed over 14 years with kids from three families, from adolescents to adults, to explore how poverty has affected them.
(Frontline PBS)
“Frontline: Born Poor” (PBS.org)
Television is glutted with “reality,” but there are still filmmakers who prefer to look at how people live when they’re not contestants in a dating game or bunked up with competitive strangers. Jezza Neumann’s “Born Poor” is the third installment in a moving documentary series that began 14 years ago with “Poor Kids,” and, like Michael Apted’s “7 Up” films, has visited its subjects in intervals over the years since. Set in the Quad Cities area, where Illinois meets Iowa along the Mississippi River, it follows Brittany, Johnny and Kayli from bright-eyed childhood into chastened, though still optimistic adulthood, as they deal with life on the margins — power lost, houses lost, school impossible, food unpredictable. Now, with kids of their own, all are concerned to provide them a better life than the ones they had. With Washington waging a war on the poor to protect the rich, it’s a valuable watch. — Robert Lloyd
Derek Luh (Jordan Li), from left, Jaz Sinclair (Marie Moreau), Keeya King (Annabeth Moreau), Lizze Broadway (Emma Meyer) in “Gen V.”
(Jasper Savage / Prime)
“Gen V” (Prime Video)
Just two weeks out from its Season 2 finale and the satirical superhero series continues to deliver merciless dark humor and sharp topical commentary on America’s great crumble — inside of a tale about misfits enduring the rigors of college life.
Spun off from the brilliant “The Boys” franchise, this series from Eric Kripke, Craig Rosenberg and Evan Goldberg follows a group of students at Godolkin University, an institution designed to identify and train the next generation of superheroes. But the co-eds soon discover that their supposed higher education is in fact a clandestine operation to create “Supe” soldiers for an impending war between the super-powered and non-powered humans. Returning to the fold is Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair), who emerges as the rebel group’s most powerful weapon against the school’s nefarious plot. Working alongside her are Emma (Lizze Broadway), Cate (Maddie Phillips), Jordan (London Thor and Derek Luh) and Sam (Asa Germann). The wonderfully unnerving Hamish Linklater (“Midnight Mass”) joins the cast as the school’s new dean.
Is “Gen V” just as gory as “The Boys”? Absolutely. Watch with caution. But nothing else is quite as fearless in calling out the contradictions and absurdities of our times, be it corrupt politics, corporate domination or false religiosity. — Lorraine Ali
Guest spot
A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching
Charlie Hunnam as Ed Gein in an episode of “Monster: The Ed Gein Story.”
(Netflix)
“Monster: The Ed Gein Story” stars Charlie Hunnam as the so-called “Butcher of Plainfield,” whose gruesome crimes in 1950s small-town Wisconsin went on to inspire pop culture classics like “Psycho” and “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” The season leans into Gein’s diagnosed schizophrenia and his legacy in Hollywood to present a deeply fictionalized version of his horrifying activities. All eight episodes of the season are now streaming. Ian Brennan, who co-created the anthology series with Ryan Murphy and helmed the latest installment, stopped by Guest Spot to discuss the season’s approach to fact vs. fiction, that “Mindhunter” nod and the documentary that earns his rewatch time. — Yvonne Villarreal
We often hear from actors about the roles that stay with them long after they’re done filming. Are there elements of “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” that you still can’t shake?
Ed Gein was schizophrenic, and I find the internal life he would have suffered through for decades — alone and hearing voices, primarily that of his dead mother — completely harrowing. He wasn’t medicated until late in his life, and until he was, his mind was a hall of mirrors of images he saw and couldn’t unsee — most shockingly photos of Nazi atrocities during the Holocaust. I believe the only way he could cope was to try to normalize these things — digging up bodies, skinning them, making things from them — and the nagging voice of his mother ultimately drove him to murder at least two women, Mary Hogan and Bernice Worden, maybe more. Ed Gein wasn’t the local boogeyman — his neighbors didn’t find him scary — he was the guy you’d have watch your kids if the babysitter canceled last-minute. And yet, in those four inches between his ears there existed a bizarre, terrifying hellscape of profound loneliness and total confusion. Every day in this country we see what happens when the lethal combination of male loneliness and mental illness goes ignored. The thought of an Ed Gein living just down the street from me is chilling.
“Based on a true story” depictions typically have a loose relationship with the truth due to storytelling needs. This season of “Monster” bakes that idea into the narrative — whether because of Ed’s understanding of events or the way in which he, or his crimes, inspired deeply fictionalized villains like Norman Bates (“Psycho”), Leatherface (“The Texas Chain Saw Massacre”) and Buffalo Bill (“The Silence of the Lambs”) — in trying to unpack the “Who is the monster?” question. What questions were swirling in your head as you tried to weave this story together? And how did that inform where and how you took your liberties?
Ed’s story is, in many ways, fragmented — he didn’t remember many details of the acts he committed, and he passed polygraph tests when interrogated about cold cases police suspected he may have perpetrated. So we knew from the very beginning that there would be gaps to fill in when telling his story — and it seemed the obvious way to do it was to let the true story interplay with the fictionalized versions of Ed Gein that he inspired. There’s a subtle thematic bleed between the versions of Ed we see in the series and the monsters in the movies he inspired — in the first three episodes, we see a “Psycho”-inflected Ed Gein obsessed with his mother; next a much more sexualized, violent Ed Gein that would become “Leatherface”; then an Ed Gein who so fetishized the female body and who was made so ill by the repression of that urge that he became obsessed with building a suit made from women’s bodies. These versions of Ed, to me, are like the blind men feeling different parts of the elephant in the parable — each true in their own way, but each also just a fragment of a shattered whole that will probably never be fully understood.
The season finale features a “Mindhunter” nod. Happy Anderson, who played serial killer Jerry Brudos on that show, reprises his role as the Shoe Fetish Slayer, talking to characters meant to be Holden Ford and Bill Tench, though they’re named John Douglas and Robert Ressler, the real FBI agents who inspired the fictional ones. When and why did you realize you wanted to have that hat tip? Was there an attempt to try to get Jonathan Groff or Holt McCallany?
Having written three seasons of this anthology so far, we’ve realized each time that the emotional climax always comes in the penultimate episode and the finales are always particularly difficult to figure out. We knew we needed to top the episodes that had preceded it by shifting the show’s look and tone — and we had in our hands the nugget that John Douglas and Robert Ressler had, indeed, interviewed Ed Gein in person. Ryan and I both find David Fincher’s oeuvre almost uniquely inspiring, so once we pictured an episode that played as an homage to Fincher’s tone and style and narrative approach, it was something I, at least, just couldn’t unsee. If we were going to go down the rabbit hole of what this chapter of Ed’s story might have looked like, I could only really picture it in Fincher’s terms — so your guess is as good as mine as to why casting the “Mindhunter” pair of Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany in the roles didn’t feel right (we both love both of those actors), but it just didn’t.
There are so many dark moments for the actors. What scene struck you as especially difficult to write and shoot?
I was at once excited and terrified by the challenge of depicting necrophilia on our show. I’m fairly certain it’s never been done before on TV, and I knew it ran the risk of seeming arbitrarily shocking or exploitative (though I think choosing to tell Ed’s story in an easier manner by avoiding this chapter and not showing it would be the actually exploitative choice). Needless to say, even after I’d written the scene, it preoccupied me, as I had to also direct it. I felt greatly helped by the new industry standard of intimacy coordinators on set — and ours, Katie Groves, was spectacular — but still I worried about the scene just playing as cringey or unwatchable. But Charlie Hunnam, as with every scene he acted in on the show, came at the sequence with honesty and deep concern to capture all of the strangeness of the bizarre, disturbing act we were depicting — and what it said about what was going on inside Ed to lead him to commit such an act.
What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?
I just saw PT Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” — which was shot by one of our two directors of photography, Michael Bauman — and was just completely floored and delighted. I’m sure it’s rife with homage to films that have gone before, but I could detect no inheritance at all; it felt like a genre to itself — completely original and new. And I still find the time I watched Jonathan Glazer’s “Zone of Interest” to be among the most profound experiences of my life. He took what is maybe cinema’s most settled, well-trodden genres and turned it on its head in a way I found shocking and revelatory. If there is a better portrait of the proximity and ubiquity and the banality of human evil, I haven’t seen it. I think it is as brilliant a slice of human ingenuity as has ever been crafted. I have thought about that movie every day since I first saw it.
What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?
It’s annoying to say it, but I don’t watch a lot of television. It’s like spending all day at the sausage factory then coming home to watch sausage footage. But the big exception is Peter Jackson’s Beatles documentary “Get Back” [Disney+] chronicling the making of the film and album “Let it Be.” I basically just watch it over and over again. I came late to the Beatles (I loved the Who and resented that they always sat squarely in the Beatles’ shadow), but when they hit me, they hit me hard, and watching them in this documentary at the height of their powers is a master class in the craft of collaboration and the hard work of genius. Also, everything I thought I knew about the Beatles at the end of their stretch as a band is wrong — fighting all the time? A bit but not really. Paul hated Yoko? He actually seems to really like her. I don’t know how many hours the documentary clocks in at, but I wish it were 10 times as long.
EX-FOOTIE star and manager Iain Dowie faces being made bankrupt after being taken to court by the taxman.
Cult hero Dowie, 60 – who coined the term “bouncebackability” – has been hit with the bankruptcy petition by HMRC with a hearing due at the High Court.
2
Former football manager Iain Dowie faces being made bankrupt after being taken to court by the taxmanCredit: Getty
2
The cult hero has been hit with the bankruptcy petition by HMRC with a hearing due at the High CourtCredit: Getty
It comes almost two decades after ex-Luton, Southampton and West Ham striker Dowie was clobbered with a huge legal bill after leaving Crystal Palace as manager.
A court ruled in 2007 that Dowie deceived Palace into waiving a £1 million compensation clause when he quit.
And a source said: “It looks like Iain’s financial problems might date back to that legal action – there doesn’t seem to be any other reason for it.
“It is a shame for him as he’s such a likeable bloke, but he hasn’t cashed in with punditry as much as some other ex-players and he probably could have done.
“But Iain is a bright bloke and I am sure he will bounce back.”
After leaving Palace, Dowie joined Charlton – but left the Addicks after just 15 games.
His contract contained a clause that Palace would receive £1 million in compensation if Dowie left to join another club.
The 59-cap Northern Ireland international worked as a sales manager and a Sky Sports pundit since his football career ended.
In 2023, Dowie told how he had landed a new position – as a mortgage advisor at a law firm.
He joined Alexander Grace Law, based near Burnley, as a business director leading its re-mortgaging team.
Carlo Ancelotti sentenced to one year for tax fraud
Dad of two Dowie, whose wife Debbie was also working for the company, said: “While people may wonder how I’ve gone from the football pitch to the office I have been working within the conveyancing arena for some four years now and when I was asked if I would come on board with them it was a no-brainer.”
After he was treated by other gym-goers and paramedics, Dowie backed calls for more people to learn CPR and said he survived due to the “brilliance of everyone involved”.
Dowie famously used the word “boucebackability” to describe a Crystal Palace comeback and it entered the Oxford dictionary in 2005.
A spokesperson for the star did not respond to a request for comment.
There is one very strict rule for would-be homebuyers applying to take part in the long-running Channel 4 show, producer Siobhan O’Gorman has revealed
The show’s producers vet would-be homebuyers very carefully(Image: Channel 4)
Siobhan O’Gorman, the TV producer who leads the A Place In The Sun team, has lifted the lid on how the hit Channel 4 show picks would-be house buyers to appear on the series.
She points out that some things have changed a lot since A Place In The Sun first aired 25 years ago: “The first-ever episode 25 years ago featured a couple looking for a holiday home in the French Pyrenees with a budget of £40,000,’ she told the Daily Mail. “That wasn’t a bad budget then, but today you wouldn’t get much for that.”
But other aspects are still very much the same, Siobhan adds: “We need to be sure every applicant is in a position to put in a genuine offer,” she says. “We have great relationships with estate agents all over Europe and beyond, so it’s important to maintain that.”
While something like two-thirds of applicants are hoping for a new home in Spain, many others get in touch with dreams of finding properties in Cyprus, Portugal and Greece.
“But we’re also seeing increased interest in countries such as Croatia, Turkey and Dubai,” Siobhan says.
Wherever they want to end up, applicants start by filling in a 12-page application form. Then Siobhan and the team go through every one, to identify house-hunters who are looking for properties in the areas that align with countries that the show is planning to visit in the coming season.
The next stage is an on-camera interview to assess whether the applicants will make for good TV, and whether their aspirations are realistic.
Competition is intense, Siobhan says: “‘It’s fair to say we have at least ten applications for every show and it’s 20 for some of the more popular resorts.”
Siobhan adds: “We like to reflect a variety of budgets and areas in each country, though, so we wouldn’t do six shows with the same budget and the same wish list in Mijas Costa in Spain, but we may do two shows there with differing budgets.”
All of this behind-the-scenes work helps A Place In The Sun look smooth and well-organised on screen. However, presenter Laura Hamilton, who has been with the show since 2012, describes one incident that she playfully christened “Mudgate” where anything that could go wrong, did go wrong.
As the team were trying to help a would-be expat find a retirement home in Abruzzo, Italy, a massive downpour caused mayhem.
The team were in multiple vehicles for social distancing reasons, and one by one, each one of them become mired down in slippery mud.
“We were there for three hours and had to have tractors pull us out,” Laura recalled. “I’m known for wearing high heels on the show because I’m quite short. I remember having these ridiculously high heels on and they got caked in mud.
“House hunter Sue was “mortified,” Laura recalled, blaming herself for choosing a remote rural location that didn’t even have proper tarmac roads. house. Laura tried to reassure Sue, telling her “It’s not your fault – and I always say you’ve got to love a house come rain or shine,” to which the embarrassed homebuyer replied: “Well, I definitely don’t love this one!”
However, Shore said R360, which organisers say has attracted investment from a variety of funds and individuals, is fundamentally different to PWR, which supports the rest of the game.
“Our league houses just over 500 players, and they go from 18-year-olds up to players in their 30s with 100 caps for their country,” Shore said.
“Our job is not just the athlete with 100 caps, though.
“Our clubs have invested millions in schools, in colleges, in university partnerships, in building out their pathway projects and work with the Rugby Football Union, who are doing the same.
“If R360 are a private, limited company they don’t have to do that. Their purpose is to do something that’s innovative and exciting at the top of the game.
“The one thing that you do read consistently is that they plan to break even in year two. So the goal is to make money for the people who invest in it.”
The unions said in their joint statement that R360 was “designed to generate profits and return them to a very small elite, potentially hollowing out the investment that national unions and existing leagues make in community rugby, player development and participation pathways”.
Yann Roubert, the head of the French club game, said, external on Wednesday that “you don’t build a sport by bypassing those who build it”.
R360 said it will put “players first” and offer the highest standards of support, and that the investment and attention it will attract can help the sport as a whole.
Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy has criticised the Spanish left-wing government for allegedly attracting rich travellers to the country, saying it goes against its ‘socialist utopia’
Milo Boyd Digital Travel Reporter and Laura Zilincanova
12:46, 08 Oct 2025
The Jet2 boss has laid into the Spanish tourism board(Image: NurPhoto, NurPhoto via Getty Images)
An airline chief has slammed Spain’s government, accusing it of courting hypocrisy by supposedly targeting wealthy tourists to visit the country.
Jet2 CEO Steve Heapy believes this contradicts the nation’s ‘socialist utopia’ principles. Speaking at the Association of British Travel Agents’ annual conference – taking place on the Spanish island of Mallorca – he branded tourism officials’ desire for affluent holidaymakers as “absolutely disgraceful”.
Mr Heapy addressed the government’s campaign “Think you know Spain? Think again”, which the airline boss has argued is calling for a different, richer type of tourist to visit the country.
“When you boil down what they’ve said, ‘we want a different type of customer’. They basically want rich people, which doesn’t fit given Spain is supposed to be a socialist utopia,” the Jet2 boss said.
“I don’t think it’s very fair. I don’t think holidays should be something for the rich and privileged. I think holidays should be something for everyone. And if a prerequisite to going on holidays is being rich, I think that’s absolutely disgraceful.”, reports the Express.
The promotional material comes after widespread demonstrations against tourism across Spain, with protesters telling visitors to “go home” and even dousing them with water pistols. Earlier this year, Mr Heapy revealed Jet2 “had people ringing the call centre and going into travel agents, asking questions like ‘is Spain safe’, ‘are we still welcome in the resort’.”
He noted this is “becoming a big issue, unfortunately, and perception becomes truth.”
The Spanish government is using adverts to encourage tourists to enjoy slower, more sustainable holidays, showcasing attractions such as wineries, luxury medieval castle hotels, surf camps, truffle tasting, and “gastronomic experiences with seasonal produce”.
The campaign’s website states: “There is another way to travel. Calmer, more aware, more personal. In Spain you will want to stop in every village and landscape to discover its culture and connect with the environment.”
Mr Heapy admitted that several of Spain’s top tourist hotspots are grappling with issues stemming from poor tourism management. He largely blamed this on unregulated short-term rentals, especially through platforms like Airbnb.
He proposed that hosts operating without the correct licences or tax registration should face hefty fines – up to €250,000 (around £217,000) – and potential prison time if fines remain unpaid. Jet2, Britain’s biggest package-holiday airline, transported nearly 18 million passengers last year, according to The Telegraph.
In recent years, more destinations and their tourism boards have spoken of wanting ‘high-value tourists’. The term has emerged in response to mass tourism and the problems that it can cause for local populations.
High volumes of holidaymakers on cheap package holidays can put strain on public services and push up house prices, while not adding as much to the local economy as some would like.
Shifting a destination’s tourism model from one that attracts mass-market visitors to a smaller group of richer travellers is not easy, however, as perceptions of a place tend to stick, and facilities take time and money to improve.
Joshua Allen, the dancer who took home the crown on the fourth season of “So You Think You Can Dance,” has died after he was struck by a train in Fort Worth.
The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s database confirmed that Allen died early Tuesday morning at a local hospital. His manner of death and cause of death are pending, the database says. Allen was 36.
Police responded Tuesday around 1 a.m. to railroad tracks near the intersection of Millbrook Lane and Nuffield Lane, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported. Officers found Allen, who had been struck by a train, and took him to a nearby hospital where he died, police told the outlet. Police did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment Wednesday.
Christina Price, who represented Allen, also confirmed his death, saying in a statement that “what stood out most about Joshua was his heart.”
“He had a natural gift for movement — no formal training, yet he could watch something once and his body just knew how to do it,” Price added.”Beyond his talent, he gave back, teaching kids in Texas through dance workshops.”
Allen’s family member confirmed the entertainer’s death to TMZ, which first broke the news. The family member did not disclose his cause of death and asked fans for “privacy and prayers.”
The Texas-based dancer auditioned for “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2008, impressing judges with his fluid movements, controlled popping and locking and springy leaps. Throughout the season, he proved his ability to take on a variety of dance styles ranging from contemporary to Bollywood. He remained a strong competitor, eventually besting fellow contestants for the grand prize.
Allen notably bested Stephen “Twitch” Boss, who died by suicide in December 2022. Boss was 40. Allen mourned Boss on Instagram, writing “NO WORDS will ever be enough to explain the LOVE I have for you Stephen.” At the time, he recalled connecting with Boss prior to their auditions and wrote, “This isn’t goodbye more so I’ll see you later.”
Price, who also represented Boss, said his death “weighed heavily on Allen” and that “it’s heartbreaking to now be grieving Joshua as well.”
After his “So You Think You Can Dance” days, Allen’s work included a McDonald’s commercial, a role in the debut season of “American Horror Story” and appearances in “Freak Dance,” “Step Up 3D,” and the 2011 “Footloose” remake, according to IMDb. He was also an instructor for several dance competitions.
Allen faced legal troubles in summer 2016, when he was accused of attacking his girlfriend at a coffee shop. The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office charged him with two felony counts of willfully injuring his girlfriend, one felony assault with a deadly weapon and four misdemeanors related to battery, vandalism and violating a protective order, according to TMZ. Allen was poised to be a mentor on Season 13 of “SYTYCD,” but longtime host Cat Deeley announced his departure from the series on-air amid his domestic violence case.
He pleaded no contest in August 2016 and was sentenced to one year in jail.
