Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca thinks Cole Palmer’s injury is “not random” and is concerned about the lingering effects of winning the Fifa Club World Cup.
The 23-year-old forward has been ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League match at home to Fulham.
Palmer’s injury has been linked to an unprecedented 12-month season where his team played 64 matches, including the expanded Club World Cup tournament in July.
After beating Paris St-Germain in New Jersey on July 13, and having less than two weeks to prepare for the current campaign, Chelsea had their shortest ever gap between seasons. This included the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns, which were impacted by the Covid pandemic.
When asked about Palmer’s absence, Maresca said: “I don’t think that it is random that our three players with the most minutes last year were Levi [Colwill], Cole and Moi [Caicedo].
“Levi is injured, Cole too and Moi today only had his first training session since the West Ham game.
“It is not random, it is the amount of games. Look at [Manchester] City last year, they lost Rodri after two or three games. He was a player that had the most minutes for them.
“We are going to have problems this season for sure because of last season. But It’s about how we can adapt and get players to recover.”
England defender Colwill started 35 of Chelsea’s 38 league matches last season but is expected to be out for the majority of the season after knee surgery.
Meanwhile, Caicedo is now a doubt for the visit of Fulham, having been Chelsea’s only player to start every league match last season.
Palmer, who pulled out of last week’s win at West Ham with a niggle in the warm-up, was also a near ever-present in the previous campaign.
Maresca added: “I have said that with Cole we are much better with him than without him. But if he has some problems we need to give him the right time to recover.
“It doesn’t matter if Estevao [Willian] is there or not, we can’t tell Cole he can relax, we need Cole back at 100%.”
Fifpro president Sergio Marchi claimed Fifa “chose to continue increasing its revenue at the expense of the players’ bodies and health” in July after Chelsea’s 3-0 victory over PSG to end the tournament in the United States.
Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who needs a mental health break from the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce engagement vortex.
Three years after “The Terminal List” ended its first season, Prime Video’s prequel to the military-espionage thriller arrives. The debut season of the flagship series concluded with — spoiler alert! — Navy SEAL commander James Reece (Chris Pratt) discovering his closest ally, Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch) was involved in the ambush mission that led to the death of his platoon, as well as his wife and daughter. “The Terminal List: Dark Wolf” traces Ben’s journey from Navy SEAL to CIA operative. Creator and showrunner David DiGilio stopped by to discuss expanding the Jack Carr book universe and working with Kitsch.
Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations are different types of nostalgia plays: Noah Hawley’s timely television prequel to the ‘Alien’ film franchise that is set on Earth, and “Gunsmoke,” the classic western that first hit TV screens 70 years ago and is finding new life in the streaming era.
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Olivia Colman, left, and Benedict Cumberbatch of “The Roses,” a remake of “The War of the Roses,” photographed in London in June.
Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times
Sydney Chandler as Wendy in FX’s “Alien: Earth.”
(Patrick Brown / FX)
“Alien: Earth” (Hulu, Disney+)
Reimagining a nearly 50-year-old franchise like “Alien” isn’t for the faint of heart (or stomach). The iconic sci-fi horror saga has already spawned a tangled web of sequels, prequels and spin-offs of wildly varying quality. But Noah Hawley — who turned “Fargo” and “Legion” into bold, brainy extensions of their cinematic roots — brings a jolt of fresh, unnerving life to “Alien: Earth.” The horror is real, the xenomorphs still terrifying (and, yes, there are new critters too). But this isn’t just eight hours of people running from acid-blooded monsters. It’s a sprawling, idea-rich vision of a future ruled by tech oligopolies, where minds are uploaded into synthetic bodies and morality is outsourced to machines — a world as indebted to Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” as his original “Alien.” The monsters are back, but the deeper thrill is how Hawley keeps you thinking even as you’re bracing for the next kill. Now midway through its eight‑episode run, “Alien: Earth” doesn’t just extend a franchise. It reanimates it with a mind of its own and a brand-new set of fangs. — Josh Rottenberg
James Arness, Amanda Blake, Ken Curtis and Milburn Stone in “Gunsmoke.”
(CBS)
“Gunsmoke” (Peacock, Pluto TV)
I long for the simple times when my family and I would gather around the television to watch the latest episode of “Gunsmoke.” The drama that featured James Arness as no-nonsense Marshal Matt Dillon was a staple in millions of households throughout its 20-year run, which ended in 1975. In the streaming era, “Gunsmoke” is now sparking a lot of new heat, and has ranked at least twice among Nielsen’s top 10 list of most-streamed acquired series. Beginning Saturday, MeTV will kick off a month-long 70th anniversary salute to the drama, airing specially-themed weeks such as “Best Characters of Dodge City” and five made-for-TV movies. — Greg Braxton
Guest spot
A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching
Ben Edwards (Taylor Kitsch), James Reece (Chris Pratt) in “The Terminal List: Dark Wolf.”
(Justin Lubin / Prime)
Taylor Kitsch rose to fame with his portrayal of brooding football player Tim Riggins on “Friday Night Lights,” but he’s spent a good portion of his career since then stepping into the military mindset — as my former colleague Michael Ordoña astutely unpacked in his profile of the actor. With “The Terminal List: Dark Wolf,” which further expands Jack Carr’s book universe, Kitsch reprises his role as Navy SEAL-turned-CIA operative Ben Edwards in Prime Video’s prequel to 2022’s Chris Pratt-led series. Premiering its first three episodes earlier this week, the series takes place five years before the events of the first season of “The Terminal List” and explores Ben’s origin story and his crisis of faith that eventually led to his betrayal of James Reece (Pratt). Showrunner David DiGilio stopped by Screen Gab recently to discuss why Ben is a worthwhile character for a spin-off, the story behind that AC/DC needle drop and more. — Yvonne Villarreal
What was it about the story of Ben Edwards that resonated with you and made you so passionate about wanting to explore his origin story?
Ben is an ever-evolving character. He was different in the book than he was in our scripts for Season 1 of “The Terminal List.” Then Taylor arrived and brought a whole new layer of empathy, complexity and danger to the role. Unlike Reece, who represents a light wolf character pulled into a dark place by a conspiracy, Ben Edwards is a man with innate darkness inside him. But he also values loyalty, brotherhood and freedom. And that dichotomy in a character means we can give Taylor a ton of great stuff to play. It makes Ben unpredictable. And we get to watch how Ben evolves from a leader in the SEAL Teams to a Black Side Operator who thinks he can use his dark wolf for good.
You had involvement from real veterans in the making of the series, including in the writing of the season. There are seven episodes and five were written by veterans. Walk me through finding the voices to join the room and how did that enrich discussion as you broke stories?
As we were making Season 1 of the flagship series, we made a commitment to military authenticity. The lived experience is what defines Jack Carr’s writing in the books, and we wanted to make sure it translated to the shows. During Season 1 of “The Terminal List,” two military veteran storytellers in particular — Max Adams, a former Army Ranger, and Jared Shaw, a former Navy SEAL — really stepped up our action and authenticity and our storytelling overall. When it came time for “Dark Wolf,” we elevated Max and Jared to executive producer[s]. And we were able to include Jack Carr in more of the writing and creating side of the show as well. But we didn’t stop there. We brought writer-producer Kenny Sheard — also a former SEAL — into the writers room and brought back Ray Mendoza — a former SEAL and technical advisor on Season 1 — to second unit direct. So, between Max, Jared, Kenny, Ray and Jack Carr himself, I don’t think you have a show that’s more committed to getting it right for the military veteran audience.
Is there a personal connection — for you or the veterans who worked on the show — behind the use of AC/DC’s “Hells Bells” to score the time jump in the first episode?
Interesting story. We were trying to use Led Zeppelin for that training montage in the pilot. The band is notoriously tricky to clear, but we made it to about the five yard line before it got denied. Sadly, we’d been temp-editing with that song for months and were all quite attached. So we now had to pivot … quickly. We found AC/DC’s “Hells Bells” by asking our military veteran storytellers for bands/songs that were big for them during deployments. AC/DC was near the top of the list, and the civilian side of our EP team had connections to the music as well. We tried three AC/DC songs for the sequence, and “Hells Bells” was a no-brainer. But, truly, a classic example of the adage “don’t fall in love with the temp.” We made this music selection way tougher than it needed to be!
Tell us a good story about Taylor Kitsch and his time on the inflatable boat.
I think the biggest thing we learned from putting Taylor on that boat in the pilot is that we weren’t in Kansas anymore. Meaning, Budapest production is very different than production in the U.S. In the States, you would have a full “marine unit” dedicated to getting a scene like that. Half a dozen camera boats and follow boats built specifically to capture that sequence. In Budapest, we were tying camera men down on the boat itself, and turning tourist river boats into parts of our armada. Boats could not keep up with those beastly gunship engines. Smaller boats got waked. We got the scene, and we got it safely. But after the ease of filming the flagship series in Los Angeles, I think that day told all of us that Budapest would be a city with unique production challenges. But I give a huge hat tip to the Budapest crew, because even on a day like that, they never complained. And I think having the cast and American crew together in a foreign city really helped bond us all into one big family.
What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?
My last watch was probably while flying to and from South Africa and Toronto for the filming of “The Terminal List” Season 2. I downloaded and binged “Adolescence” [Netflix] and Season 2 of “Andor” [Disney+]. I’m surprised more folks don’t talk about “Andor.” It’s probably the most smartly-written show on streaming these days. A World War II resistance film wrapped up in incredible sci-fi visuals. And on “Adolescence,” the performances were incredible. But note to all, whatever you do, don’t watch that show’s finale in a crowded airport lounge in London. I was bawling.
What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?
Might not surprise folks to hear, but it’s either “Saving Private Ryan” [Prime Video, Pluto TV] or “Gladiator” [Prime Video, Paramount +]. Both movies capture the warrior’s ethos and sense of brotherhood that we strive for in the “Terminal List” shows. They also combine great action with big emotional character-driven scenes. Hollywood’s balance of VFX and character work was probably at its zenith right around the turn of the century. So I love to rewatch those films as a reminder of the balance I strive for in my writing, and for the balance we try to build into the Jack Carr Universe shows.
In recent years, film festivals haven’t felt all that festive. Audiences have dwindled, streaming has upended viewing habits and the pandemic and Hollywood strikes have rattled the industry, leaving even the most glamorous events to fight for their place on the cultural calendar.
Then there’s Telluride. For more than a half-century, the tiny mountain gathering has thrived as a kind of anti-festival: no red carpets, no prizes, no tuxedos, just movies. Perched 8,750 feet up in a box canyon in the Colorado Rockies, it’s reachable only by twisting roads or a white-knuckle drop into one of the nation’s highest airports. Festival passes are pricey and limited in number, which makes Telluride feel at once intimate and exclusive. With its mix of industry insiders and devoted film lovers, that isolation and tight-knit atmosphere have become part of Telluride’s mystique, and the promise of early Oscar buzz keeps filmmakers, stars and cinephiles making the pilgrimage. Since 2009, only five best picture winners have skipped Telluride on their way to the top prize.
“It’s so hard to get to Telluride — you don’t end up here by accident,” festival director Julie Huntsinger says by phone. “We’ve always felt it’s incumbent on us to show either brand-new things or extraordinary things that make your time worth it. You know how cats will bring you a mouse? I always feel like I’m bringing you a mouse or a bird, and I just hope you’ll like it.”
Rolling out over Labor Day weekend, the 52nd Telluride Film Festival will supply a slate of fresh offerings, including a handful of world premieres. Scott Cooper’s “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” drops Jeremy Allen White into the boots of the Boss, tracing the creation of his stark 1982 album, “Nebraska.” Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet” unites Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal in a haunting portrait of grief. Edward Berger’s “Ballad of a Small Player” finds Colin Farrell wandering Macau as a gambler chasing luck and redemption. And Daniel Roher’s “Tuner” gives Dustin Hoffman a rare return to the screen in a crime thriller about a piano tuner who discovers his ear is just as effective on safes as on Steinways.
Also in the mix are a number of films coming from Cannes and Venice: Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Bugonia,” Noah Baumbach’s “Jay Kelly,” Kelly Reichardt’s “The Mastermind” and Richard Linklater with a double bill, “Blue Moon” and “Nouvelle Vague,” proof that Telluride remains a haven for auteurs.
At last year’s Telluride, politics dominated the conversation on- and off-screen. Hot-button issues, from abortion access to climate change to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ran through the program, while guests such as Hillary Clinton, James Carville and special prosecutor Jack Smith joined the usual roster of actors and filmmakers. Ali Abbasi’s “The Apprentice,” a searing portrait of Donald Trump’s early years, was one of the buzziest titles.
This year the lineup is broader, though politics still runs through it. Ivy Meeropol’s “Ask E. Jean” follows writer E. Jean Carroll through her legal battles with Trump, while Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent” uses a 1970s-set thriller to revisit Brazil’s military dictatorship, with Wagner Moura (“Narcos”) as a professor on the run. “This year is pretty political too,” Huntsinger insists. “There are a couple of films that, if you’re paying attention, have important things to say. I just hope everybody feels a little braver after a lot of the things we show.”
German-born director Edward Berger, who brought his papal thriller “Conclave” to last year’s edition, returns with a strikingly different film in “Ballad of a Small Player.”
“I would defy anyone to stack up his films and say they’re by the same filmmaker,” Huntsinger says. “This is a beautiful, very dreamlike, nonlinear exercise in spirituality and introspection. ‘Conclave’ felt disciplined — not that this film is undisciplined but it exists on a totally different plane.”
Zhao, who won the directing Oscar for 2020’s “Nomadland,” has adapted “Hamnet” from Maggie O’Farrell’s acclaimed novel about the death of Shakespeare’s only son in what Huntsinger describes as one of the festival’s most emotionally powerful selections.
“Chloé is a person of immense depth,” Huntsinger says. “She has such a deep feel for human beings. This is a sad, mournful but beautiful meditation on loss. People should be prepared to cathartically cry. There isn’t a false note in it.”
Another festival favorite, Lanthimos makes his third trip to Telluride with “Bugonia,” a darkly comic sci-fi satire that reunites him with Emma Stone following their earlier collaborations on “The Favourite” and “Poor Things.” A remake of the 2003 Korean cult film “Save the Green Planet!,” it follows a conspiracy-minded beekeeper (Jesse Plemons) who kidnaps a powerful pharma executive (Stone) he believes is an alien bent on destroying Earth.
“Be prepared to get your a— kicked,” Huntsinger says. “Emma is outstanding, and we should never take her for granted, but Jesse Plemons steals the show. He next-levels it in this one.”
Baumbach also marks his return to Telluride with the dramedy “Jay Kelly,” which centers on an actor (George Clooney) and his longtime manager (Adam Sandler) as they journey across Europe, looking back on the choices and relationships that have shaped their lives. Huntsinger likens the film to a cinematic negroni: “It’s substantial but also fun, with an almost summery feel. It’s about where you’re headed after a certain stage in life, told without heavy-handedness.”
The filmmaker and screenwriter, who previously brought “Margot at the Wedding,” “Frances Ha” and “Marriage Story” to the festival, will be honored this year with a Silver Medallion. He shares the award with Iranian director Jafar Panahi, whose drama “It Was Just an Accident” won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, and Ethan Hawke, represented in the lineup with Linklater’s “Blue Moon” and his own documentary about country singer Merle Haggard, “Highway 99: A Double Album.”
Few films in the lineup will be more closely watched than Cooper’s Springsteen biopic, with Emmy-winning “The Bear” star White channeling the Boss during the making of one of his most uncompromising albums. “Jeremy delivers in the same way that Timothée Chalamet did in [the Bob Dylan biopic] ‘A Complete Unknown,’ where you just think, Jesus, what can’t this kid do?” Huntsinger says. “Scott’s a great filmmaker, and the movie delivers on its promise.”
The music thread continues with Morgan Neville’s documentary “Man on the Run,” drawn from never-before-seen home movies Paul McCartney shot in the early 1970s, not long after the Beatles’ split. The footage shows McCartney retreating to Scotland with his family and offers what Huntsinger describes as a revelatory glimpse at a less-mythologized moment. “You also understand there wasn’t a villain in the Beatles breakup,” Huntsinger says. “It’s an expansion on history that’s really needed.”
Elsewhere in the documentary lineup, Oscar-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras returns with “Cover-Up” (co-directed by Mark Obenhaus), an exploration of investigative journalist Seymour Hersh’s career that builds on her politically charged films like “Citizenfour” and “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed.”
For all its flannel-and-jeans ethos, Telluride isn’t immune to the economics of 2025. Lodging and travel costs have soared, amplifying concerns that the showcase has become a festival largely for the well-off. Huntsinger concedes the expense but points out pass prices haven’t budged in more than 15 years as she works to keep it accessible.
“I was concerned for a while because our audience was aging, but we’ve really worked on making sure that younger people and people on fixed incomes can come,” she says. “I can see the difference — it’s not just people of means. And I promise you, I’ll keep fighting for that. I hope the lodging people will realize they got a little out of hand and start lowering prices too.”
For all the turbulence and doomsaying that has rattled Hollywood in recent years, Telluride has managed to hold fast to its identity.
“The devotion people have to this weekend makes me think there’s hope,” Huntsinger says. “They’re not coming here for anything but film-loving. To hear people say, ‘I would not miss this for the world’ makes me really proud and hopeful. After everything we’ve all been through, I think we still have reason to keep doing this crazy little picnic.”
Rangers manager Russell Martin says there was “nothing to be proud” of in his side’s “humiliating” 6-0 defeat by Club Brugge as they crashed out of the Champions League.
“So, Yoane won’t be involved. But as far as I’m concerned, there’s been no movement in any way and fully expect Yoane to be here come next Tuesday.”
Andrews felt the decision not to involve Wissa against the Cherries was “best for the group”.
The Brentford boss, appointed in June after Thomas Frank’s departure to Tottenham, said he always knew Wissa – who has scored 49 goals in 149 appearances for the Bees – would be a transfer target this summer.
“I knew there was, or would be, interest,” added Andrews. “Naturally, when you score that amount of Premier League goals and play as well as he did last season in particular.
“He’s built his career at this football club over the last four years where he’s grown in stature, presence. I’m not surprised by it.”
Despite Nuno’s latest comments, it seems clear there is considerable friction behind the scenes at the City Ground.
If Forest continue to win games, then sacking him becomes that much tougher.
But can Nuno really expect to come out on top in a dispute with the owner and head of football?
“This is a battle that Nuno will lose,” European football expert Julien Laurens told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“We all know that once you start questioning your owner, it’s done. For him to come out with this unprompted, he offered it to the whole world, he knows that it is coming and that he can’t win this battle.
“We also know that him and Edu don’t get on. He was already there when Edu arrived at the club, and we all know when a new sporting director arrives, they like to come with their own people.”
Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha said Nuno may consider resigning now that the relationship was “broken”.
“Nuno’s stock is so high with the fanbase, they will want to fully believe in him,” he told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“But it is also so awkward for them because they will be grateful for what the owner has done for the club in the last few years.
“With Edu coming into the club in such an important position, he will want his own people in play, because they will never really fully trust the person that is already in play? If he could pick a manager now, would he pick Nuno? No.
“That will be nagging for as long as possible, but Marinakis and Edu won’t be rooting for him to fail so they can make the change.
“But the relationship is broken and I would not be surprised if Nuno walks before he is sacked.”
Football Focus’s Chris Sutton, Glen Murray and Alex Scott discuss the issues Graham Potter is facing at West Ham after they lost their opening two Premier League games of the new season, conceding eight goals.
Scotland head coach Steve Clarke has conceded he “feels the pressure” to get the nation to their first World Cup finals in 28 years.
Under Clarke’s guidance the Scots have reached two European Championships, but have failed to emulate the achievement of Craig Brown’s group in 1998.
The country’s latest qualification campaign, this time for next summer’s finals in the United States, Canada and Mexico, commences away to the formidable Danes on 5 September.
“I feel the pressure,” the stoic and normally unshakable Clarke told BBC Sport.
“I think there is a pressure because we do want to get there, the whole country wants to get there, and obviously as a head coach a little bit of that comes back on me.
“But I’m looking forward to it.”
The Scotland boss was speaking to Match of the Day’s Kelly Cates as he prepares for what potentially could be his last campaign.
The 61-year-old, who is due to name his squad next week, has previously said he is 75% sure his time in charge of his country will come to a close after this World Cup campaign ends.
It is a journey which started just over six years ago, with Scotland having not qualified for a major finals since that French sojourn back under Brown.
A summer fling has been flung twice at the Euros, albeit with the Scots falling flat in their attempts to make it out of a group for the first time.
In World Cup qualifying, a glorious chance to make it to Qatar was passed up in a home play-off to Ukraine.
ITV boss Kevin Lygo has lifted the lid on upcoming cuts to the channel’s daytime offerings, admitting that certain shows are a huge expense to make
20:38, 21 Aug 2025Updated 20:38, 21 Aug 2025
Lorraine Kelly’s breakfast show will be affected(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
ITV boss Kevin Lygo has insisted the channel will try to make their daytime shows look the same next year but admitted it will be “challenging” – as he spoke out about the budget cuts to daytime.
From January 2026 Lorraine Kelly’s morning show on ITV will be cut from an hour to 30 minutes as more than 220 jobs across the station’s daytime output are being cut, the broadcaster announced in May.
Asked directly if the best days of daytime TV were behind them at ITV, ITV managing director Lygo said “no, I don’t think so” but admitted there would be changes.
He admitted that although ITV’s daytime shows are “brilliant” they are expensive to make(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
He said: “As a commercial broadcast you earn most of your money with big audiences in peak time. That is what advertisers want and the cost of those has gone up and up and up. Those are the things that drive us commercially.
“Those morning shows have been on forever and they are brilliant and they are watched and they are seven hours of TV a day but they do cost a great deal of money.
“So we thought, is there a way of keeping those long standing brands on air and keeping the familiar faces on that give comfort to people? So the editorial brief was if you have a lot less money, which you will do from January, to try to make it so the audience isn’t shocked. They should look more or less the same, they are less funded so that will be challenging to the producers. But unfortunately that means people doing a perfectly good job will lose their jobs because we need fewer people making them.”
Good Morning Britain will see big changes(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Lygo also defended the decision to keep Torode’s John and Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen on air on ITV after he was sacked from MasterChef following an independent report.
Questioned over this decision to let him remain on screen, Lygo said he “felt it was a bit much for us to jump on the bandwagon and just deny these shows to go out.”
He added: “We don’t know the details, the BBC haven’t come out with that. We pre-recorded those shows. We did ask the producers of our shows if there were any incidents and they said everything was fine.”
Torode was sacked after the report, initially examining allegations against Wallace, upheld a complaint against him for use of racial language. Torode has apologised but denied the incident took place.
In a separate session at the Edinburgh TV Festival, the BBC’s chief content officer said the corporation “acted fast” after misconduct allegations against former MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace.
Wallace, 60, issued an apology saying he was “deeply sorry for any distress caused” and that he “never set out to harm or humiliate”, after a review said 45 out of 83 allegations made against him were upheld.
Speaking at the Festival, Kate Phillips said: “I think when complaints came to me about Gregg Wallace, which was 2019, when I dealt with it, I always dealt with it straightaway.
“So there were two complaints. I dealt with them. I acted on them fast.
“I think we weren’t as joined-up in the BBC as we are now, so I didn’t know about some of the historical things that had taken place. So if I’d known about those at the time, yes, I may have acted differently, but I acted on the information I was given.
“I think I acted responsibly. I left him in no doubt of the expected behaviour that we expect at the BBC, if you like. I stand by the actions I took at the time with the knowledge that I had.”
ITV staff working on daytime were told in a meeting in May that 220 production staff out of 440 will lose their jobs
On the other daytime shows as previously revealed in the Mirror there will be cuts to Loose Women which will see less panelists needed than the current rota of 26.
One insider insister 8-10 might leave in the New Year and it would mean the next six months would see panelists being more outrageous and bold with their comments than normal to keep the spot on the show. ITV have insisted there will be no widespread cuts when it comes to panelists.
Good Morning Britain will also see big cuts and changes but the one constant will be Susanna Reid. A source previously told the Mirror: “When there are cuts this big normally no one is safe but Susanne Reid is someone ITV want to build the show around and is seen as an essential part of daytime. She is 100% safe from the cuts but will be very worried for friends she has on GMB and what the cuts mean for the quality of the programme on screen.”
Hundreds of staff are now in a consultation process at ITV.
Taylor now takes on a fresh opportunity at Liverpool, who finished seventh in the Women’s Super League last season.
There is work to do, he acknowledges, having taken a few months to get his appointment over the line because of contractual issues from his previous post at City.
“Those players go with our best wishes. You never want to retain a player that probably has her eye on a move and we understand that completely,” said Taylor.
“There is work to do, for sure. We don’t want to lose top players like those two but it makes the challenge a little bit more difficult.
“Ideally [myself and my staff] would have been here a little bit earlier but it is what it is. In the days we have been here, we have seen big strides.
“The engagement from the players has been fantastic. They are a really good group of girls. The people here are incredible. The club is top class in that sense.”
Liverpool are rebuilding to try to close the gap between themselves and the WSL’s top four.
“The challenges here will be different to any other club. But what we have here is a very good opportunity to start to build something,” said Taylor.
“The environment at Melwood is incredible. The girls are really hungry to learn and to create an identity. That’s the key thing. That process is not a quick one.
“It takes time and it takes struggles, unfortunately. It’s clear that will happen. But we’re really understanding of that and we’re here to support the players and staff as much as we can to be as quickly aligned as we can be.”
EUROPE’S car industry is “heading at full speed against a wall” and risks collapsing if the EU doesn’t rethink its ban on new petrol and diesel cars, the boss of a huge car firm has warned.
In a stark intervention, he said a “reality check” was needed before the 2035 ban on combustion-engine sales is locked in.
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Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Källenius says a ‘reality check’ is needed before the 2035 ban on combustion-engine sales is locked inCredit: AFP
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Europe’s car industry is ‘heading at full speed against a wall’ and risks collapsing if EU doesn’t rethink ban on petrol and diesel cars, says bossCredit: AFP
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Electric cars remain far from dominating the market, with EVs making up just 17.5 per cent of sales across the EU in the first half of this yearCredit: EPA
Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Källenius told German business paper Handelsblatt: “We need a reality check. Otherwise, we are heading at full speed against a wall.
“Of course, we have to decarbonise, but it has to be done in a technology-neutral way. We must not lose sight of our economy.”
The luxury brand — once gung-ho about going fully electric in Europe — has already dropped its ambitious 2021 pledge to stop selling combustion cars “where market conditions allow” by the decade’s end.
Källenius, who also heads the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), now warns the EU’s policy could trigger a last-minute rush for petrol and diesel cars before the cut-off, which “doesn’t help the climate at all.”
Electric cars remain far from dominating the market.
In the first half of this year, EVs made up just 17.5 per cent of sales across the EU, UK, and EFTA countries, while plug-in hybrids took 8.7 per cent.
Traditional hybrids accounted for 35 per cent, but that figure includes mild-hybrids, which critics say aren’t “true” hybrids.
Mercedes’ own figures show EV sales slipping — just 8.4 per cent of its global deliveries in the first six months of 2025, down from 9.7 per cent last year.
Even with plug-ins included, electrified models made up just 20.1 per cent of shipments.
The EU’s 2035 ban is due for review in the coming months, but Brussels has so far signalled no U-turn, reiterating in March its commitment to zero-emission new cars by the mid-2030s.
Tesla’s Cybertruck Graveyard: Hundreds of Unsold EVs Abandoned at Shopping Mall
Europe chief Jean-Philippe Imparato said the Franco-Italian group faces fines of up to €2.5 billion within “two-three years” if it fails to meet emissions rules.
Without a regulatory rethink by year-end, “we will have to make tough decisions,” he told a conference in Rome.
“I have two solutions: either I push like hell (on electric)… or I close down ICE (internal combustion engine vehicles).
And therefore I close down factories,” he said, pointing to the risk for sites such as Stellantis’ van plant in Atessa, Italy.
The warning comes amid fresh turmoil for Stellantis, with its new CEO Antonio Filosa inheriting the fallout from Donald Trump’s 25 per cent US import tariffs and a crisis at Maserati, which has seen sales plunge from 26,600 in 2023 to 11,300 last year.
With EV targets biting, petrol and diesel models under threat, and luxury brands cancelling investments — including Maserati’s £1.3bn electric MC20 Folgore — Europe’s car bosses are sending a clear signal to Brussels: ease off, or risk slamming the brakes on the continent’s auto industry.
IBIZA’S ‘Final Boss’ Jack Kay has continued his party tour of the island – spending the afternoon with Towie’s James Lock.
The pair were snapped together at Wi-Ki-Woo Hotel in Ibiza as James plugged his agave spirit brand, Cerrar.
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Jack posed with James Lock as they continues to party in IbizaCredit: Instagram
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The Towie star is currently over in Ibiza promoting his spirit brandCredit: TommyG Photography
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The Ibiza Final Boss went viral after being seen dancing at a partyCredit: TikTok/@zerosixwestibiza
Standing underneath a pink umbrella, Jack stood alongside Lock, showing off thick gold chains and rings posing with “finger guns” and a serious face.
James – who had brushed his hair forward in an attempt to emulate Jack’s distinctive bowl cut hairstyle – later uploaded the pic, and joked: “Essex final boss Vs Ibiza final boss 🧑🏽”
The pair’s day together comes after Jack shot to fame in the space of a month after being declared “Ibiza’s final boss” due to his deep tan, tattoos, veneers, goatee beard and signature hairstyle.
He was captured dancing by a TikToker who later gave him the moniker as they posted it online – with the clip quickly picking up steam.
READ MORE IBIZA FINAL BOSS
Jack’s hair in particular has been compared to a range of pop-culture icons from Ringo Starr to Friar Tuck and a Lego man.
“Final boss” is a joke from the gaming world used to suggest someone is the ultimate version of a particular stereotype.
Since then, Jack has been lapping up the attention, and it looks like it’s set to make him some serious cash as a result.
His viral fame caught the eye of ITV2’s Big Brother casting team and led to conversations about him joining the upcoming series.
With a potential Big Brother stint too, it’s clear Jack is set to get the last laugh – all the way to the bank.
Ibiza ‘Final Boss’ parties at £9million mansion in Ibiza with bikini girls
A source said: “The Ibiza Final Boss has really captured the nation’s imagination and is exactly the kind of character that makes for a fun Big Brother housemate.
“Bosses had talks with his management, it is very late in the casting process for housemates but everyone thought worth a chat whether it be in time for this series, even as part of a task, or for the future.
“Jack’s reps Neon Management have been inundated with offers for him so he’s certainly going to be busy for at least the next few months.
“They’ve seen an unprecedented level of interest in him, and that’s the nation loves him.”
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The star has already released music and is in talks to star on Big BrotherCredit: instagram/@jack.kayy1
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Jack shot to fame overnight after clip went viralCredit: instagram/@jack.kayy1
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The Ibiza Final Boss has been picturing himself in the lap of luxuryCredit: Instagram/@jack.kayy1
CHELSEA boss Enzo Maresca loves to celebrate with a cigar – but more than anything he wishes he could have a smoke with a team-mate who died in horrific circumstances.
Enzo Maresca has opened up on the heartbreaking loss of Antonio PuertaCredit: Getty
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The pair played together at Sevilla and Maresca would love to share a cigar with his palCredit: EPA
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Puerta died after collapsing on the pitch from a cardiac arrestCredit: AFP
After the latter, the Blues boss enjoyed one of his favourite Portagas 2 cigars, the brand he used to smoke with Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola when they were marking City’s success.
But when Maresca was asked to name the football personality he would most like to one of his favourite Portagas No 2 cigars with, the Italian gave a poignant answer – Antonio Puerta, who died aged 22 after suffering a cardiac arrest on the field.
Maresca told Men in Blazers: “That’s a very good question. I will tell you, when I was 25, 26, I lost a team-mate inside the pitch. So if I could, I would like a cigar with him.”
Midfielder Maresca had four seasons at Sevilla but his third campaign started in tragic fashion.
The Italian was on the field when, just 35 minutes into the opening game of the 2007/8 season – at home against Getafe – Puerta suffered a cardiac arrest.
After the wing-back collapsed and lost consciousness in the penalty area, team-mates and medical staff rushed to his aid.
Puerta recovered enough to walk to the dressing room but collapsed again there.
He was resuscitated and rushed to hospital, where he had to receive more life-saving resuscitation.
But Puerta died three days later, on August 28, because of multiple organ failure and irreversible brain damage.
It emerged that he had an incurable hereditary heart disease called arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.
Fans spot Liam Delap’s reaction on bench after Joao Pedro goal as Chelsea fans say ‘this guy can’t catch a break’
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Maresca and Puerta shared a close bond at SevillaCredit: AFP
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They won the UEFA Cup together in 2006Credit: Getty
Puerta’s death shocked Spanish football and the wider world.
His girlfriend was expecting their first child at the time of his death.
When Puerta passed away, Maresca and the rest of the Seville squad were already in Greece for a Champions League qualifier against AEK Athens.
Maresca, who played for Greek side Olympiakos later in his career, spoke about the tragedy when Chelsea went to Athens in October 2024 for a Conference League game against Panathinaikos.
Maresca said: “In terms of the season I spent here in Greece, for me it was very good with Olympiakos, a big rival with Panathinaikos. But unfortunately I lost a friend on the pitch when I was at Seville.
“The first game we played after that, we were already in Athens and just on that day, one of our team-mates passed away in Antonio Puerta.
“So it is a mixed feeling. The season in Athens was fantastic. But every time I come back here I am a little bit sad.”
The Champions League game against AEK, which had been scheduled for the evening of the day Puerta died, was postponed.
When Sevilla faced AC Milan in the Uefa Super Cup on August 31, all 22 players had the name Puerta on the back of their shirts.
Sergio Ramos, who had come through the Sevilla academy and into the first team with Puerta, wore T-shirts in memory of Puerta after Spain’s triumphs at Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.
Jesus Navas, who was on the field on the day Puerta collapse, made the same gesture after the 2010 World Cup final.
In 2010, Sevilla unveiled a statue of Puerta at their training ground.
Watch the full Men in Blazers interview with Enzo Maresca here.
BBC Breakfast has been shrouded with difficult claims in recent months as it’s been reported two of its presenters Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt are under review
17:10, 09 Aug 2025Updated 17:23, 09 Aug 2025
BBC Breakfast has been hit by claims of a ‘toxic’ feud(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/James Stack)
BBC Breakfast stars Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt are facing claims they are embroiled in a ‘toxic feud’ with the show’s editor Richard Frediani.
Richard has reportedly returned to work after taking extended leave as he faced allegations over bullying behaviour. Upon Richard’s return it has been reported that relations between himself and presenters Naga, 50, and Charlie, have ‘turned sour’.
BBC Breakfast is said to be ‘in crisis’(Image: BBC)
A source has said: “Fredi now doesn’t brief Naga and Charlie or any of that sort of thing and someone else is on the talkback to them from the gallery.
“The crew are entirely bemused and exhausted by it — in what world is it normal for a boss to be banned from talking to his staff?,” they added to The Sun.
The BBC said in a statement: “While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values. We have robust processes in place and would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them directly with us so they can be addressed.”
Representatives for Naga, Richard and Charlie are yet to respond.
Talkback is where production staff can communicate with presenters from the gallery by speaking to them via their earpiece. It has been claimed that Richard’s editorial team now communicates with the presenting duo.
The source added: “Bosses are desperate to get Breakfast back on an even keel and know the tension between Fredi, Charlie and Naga is at the heart of the rising crisis.”
The change was said to have been put in place as a way to “manage the situation in the hope it will all blow over”. It comes after it was reported that Charlie Stayt may also face a probe following reports Naga is “under review” over “bullying” claims.
Naga Munchetty is said to be under review(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/James Stack)
Following the reports Naga is under review, it has since been claimed the BBC star “kicked off” at an intern over ‘how they spread Marmite on her toast’.
And a whistleblower has also alleged Naga complained her porridge was “too hot” and she didn’t like the blueberry topping on the dish.
The allegations come after it was claimed last week a number of colleagues have filed complaints over Naga’s alleged bullying behaviour on BBC Breakfast and her BBC Radio 5 Live show, which she presents from Monday to Wednesday. It has been claimed the BBC has officially moved to “place the complaints under review”.
“The review is to ascertain whether a full-on investigation is required and that could come in weeks,” the insider claimed to The Sun.
A BBC spokesperson said: “While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values. We have robust processes in place and would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them directly with us so they can be addressed.”
Columnist Jessica Boulton brings you her brutally-honest and wry rundown of Showbiz’s latest shenanigans: from Ibiza Final Boss to MasterChef muppets, she’s not holding back
Jessica Boulton works on the Mirror’s features desk, specialising in celebrity features and interviews. She also writes a weekly observational comedy column Jess Saying, which runs each Saturday. In addition, she oversees the entertainment pages, helps co-ordinate the Pride of Britain coverage and newsletter and guest edits The Diary. Jessica joined The Mirror’s sister paper The People in 2006, and has since worked on the Sunday Mirror and Now magazine. Most likely to be found raving about The Oscars, BAFTAs, Netflix, Friends or Star Wars.
The face that launched a 1,000 snips? Ibiza Final Boss Jack Kay must follow rules to cash in(Image: TikTok)
It’s a strange, strange world when I’m feeling sorry for a bunch of Love Island contestants. But in this social media age, it is sadly what it’s come to. For the poor lovelorn bedhoppers at the Mallorca villa have been putting in weeks of seriously hard graft – flashing their abs and parading around in thong bikinis – to get the one precious thing, (I suspect) their hearts truly desired. No, not love. Fame. Glorious, generous, glittering FAME.
But in the days after Monday’s final, the Islanders soon found themselves getting a cold hard lesson in the pitfalls of success: There’s always someone waiting in the wings – ready to cut short your 15 minutes….
Cach Mercer and Toni Laites have been revealed as the winners of Love Island 2025(Image: ITV)
For it wasn’t the winning Islanders “Breaking The Internet” this week. It wasn’t the winning Islanders batting off the biggest brand deals or most enticing DMs from Blue Tick TikTok. And it wasn’t the winning Islanders getting excitable TV companies all in a lather, begging for interviews. It was….a HAIRCUT.
Yes, the biggest celebrity getting buzz online this week wasn’t even a celeb when the week began. He was Jack Kay, a literal normal down-to-earth 26-year-old Jack-the-lad, from Newcastle on holiday in Ibiza.
He’s been offered free holidays, brand endorsement deals, flights on a £5million private jet, and a whole list of big-money nightclub appearances. He’s signed with Joey Essex’s agent and has landed his own tour and – according to media experts – he could be well-placed to launch his own merchandise range and even bag a possible spot on a reality show. All in all, it’s predicted he could rake in a whopping SIX figures by the end of the year.
For nowadays you don’t need to work summer seasons in Blackpool or win a talent show to become a star. You can become ‘famous’ just by making the right people laugh, at the right moment in time, as they absent-mindedly scroll through their phone while listening to podcasts. Yep, Fame has reached Peak Fickledom.
So, when the stars and algorithms do align to make you a viral hit, you need to make the most of it. And while Jack’s ‘success’ is all thanks to what is ON his head, it’s what’s inside it which will prove his biggest asset. For in 2025, turning your viral moment in the sun into a longer-term earner is all about savvy strategy, clear thinking and mindset:
Are Jack Kay/Ibiza Bob’s fellow Geordies Ant and Dec jumping on the Ibiza Final Boss bandwagon?
(*Okay, okay, PhotoShop may have lent a hand). As for the rest of the week? Well, Celebland was throwing us all sorts of surprises…..
Monday mayhem
Be afraid, be very afraid! For the stars of an upcoming new theatre tour have been doing the press rounds this week. And from the sounds of it, there will be no one safe this Halloween and autumn. Indeed, it’s expected to have many a celeb not just quaking but SHAKING, QUAKING, QUIVERING, TREMBLING AND OUTRIGHT SHUDDERING in their boots.
No, it’s not a new take on Phantom of the Opera (albeit some may be haunted by what’s said). Nor is it Saw: The Musical (although that is a multi-million pound idea). It’s the terrifying new two-hander: An Evening With… Katie Price and Kerry Katona. The pair’s tell-all 33-date UK tour was feared to have been cancelled earlier in the summer due to… well, whatever Katie’s snoresome crisis-du-jour was at the time.
Katie Price and Kerry Katona are getting ready for their new tour (But I have a few notes!)(Image: Instagram)
But the pair are back and have now been hitting the interview circuit to give fans a little taste of what to expect. Target one? “Snobby” Strictly – which they publicly dissed this week for having never asked them to take part. (One suspects they’ve now said “Foxtrot Oscar” to any future possibilities too).
Of course, we all know the real dirt will be saved for the show itself. Yet however juicy the eww -some twosome’s tete-a-tete promises to be, I can’t help but wonder if the panto frenemies could have come up with a slightly more, er… spicy format… A WWE-style grudge match with lookalikes of their many nemeses, perhaps? Imagine the commentator yelling to the roaring crowd: “Get Ready to say mi-OWWW! It’s our very own….. Nuclear Cheetah aka Kerry Katona! – from Atomic Kitten to a one-woman weapon of mass destruction…”
Or maybe… they could make it a dramatic retelling of Four Weddings And A Funeral, where Katie’s the bride each time and the funeral’s for her tragic lack of taste? Or finally, what about a musical? After all, KP’s been Defying Gravity for years (with the help of her plastic surgeon).
What a royal twit Tuesday
It’s not been a good week for Royal affairs – of any kind. But a new bombshell biography has cemented one unassailable truth: Young kids fed on fairy tales and Disney movies are far more likely to find themselves a talking warthog or a flying elephant than a real-life Prince Charming.
Yes, a new book by historian Andrew Lownie has claimed Prince Andrew allegedly strayed “more than a dozen” times before his first – yes, first – anniversary with Fergie. Clearly their wedding certificate was not worth the paper it was printed on.
Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York in 1986 – the year they married. They divorced 10 years later(Image: Hulton Archive/GettyImages)
Fergie did have a little something in common with Cinderella however. She was sporting some rather fetching slippers this week. They weren’t glass ones though – they were fluffy numbers emblazoned with the unofficial Royal motto “Never Complain, Never Explain”. It warms the heart, it really does.
Wok you gonna do? Wednesday
The BBC took a leap with its MasterChef dilemma by airing the first episode of the pre-recorded series on Wednesday. Surprisingly they went for primetime BBC1 instead of hiding it on iPlayer only. Presumably they figured they were in for a roasting whatever they did – so they might as well fill a hole in the schedule.
John Torode and Gregg Wallace in the new series of MasterChef, recorded before their two scandals(Image: BBC)
The real stars of the series are the editors who faced the unenviable task of trying to cut out as much of the under-fire Gregg Wallace and John Torode as possible – which from the looks of the results is a bit like trying to remove excess garlic from a pasta dish. You can’t. Everything’s already tainted.
What I don’t understand is why the Beeb didn’t go with my previous suggestion: just do some deep fake trickery. So what could they replace them with? Let’s see: Option 1: A literal toxic trigger warning; Option 2: Bradley Walsh and Rylan Clark (they’re on everything else anyway); Option 3 (and perhaps most apt): Statler and Waldorf. A couple of muppets… who are completely stuffed.
Half-baked deep fakes? What the BBC could have done to solve their MasterChef problem with hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode
No relief for kangaroo testicles Thursday
Talking of show formats (see Monday), there was one news story this week that left me feeling a little… well, antsy . What was it? This: “ITV bosses are planning the next five years of I’m A Celebrity…” (really? another FIVE?); “With talks under way to film in the jungle until 2030….” (Wait, 2030 is only five years away??); “When it’ll reach its landmark 30th season”. (30 years? 30? 3-0?)
You mean to say we’ve been watching the same show with the same hosts, same sort of trials, same prize, same location, same set and same set of scandals just with different faces… for nearly 30 YEARS? They say doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome is the very definition of insanity. So either, we can all relate to Peter Andre’s infamous jungle-penned hit Insania – written while a campmate in 2004 – or we really don’t mind the deja vu.
So what can we expect over the next few years? Well, I have two predictions:
Ant and Dec have been doing I’m a Celeb for 25 years and counting (Image: ITV)
1. Princess and/or Junior Andre will follow in their parents’ footsteps, going back to the scene of the crime special place where the Katie and Peter’s “love” story first began.
2. Following the “success” of political hires Matt Hancock and Nigel Farage, bosses will make a “bigly” play for President Trump at the end of his term. (If he doesn’t rewrite the US Constitution, that is.) After all, there’s been quite a few (thousand) of his type involved in the show before. Fatima Whitbread even got one stuck up her nose… Much to the chagrin of her and the cockroach, I suspect.
Foolish Friday
It was a mixed day for Richard Osman. On the plus side, Netflix released the first trailer for the movie adaptation of his bestselling crime novel The Thursday Murder Club (starring Pierce Brosnan and Helen Mirren).
Richard Osman gets loose-lipped on podcast (Image: SKY)
On the downside… Osman – who has produced a number of game shows including Pointless, Total Wipeout, Prize Island, and my absolute FAVOURITE Only Connect – inexplicably decided to tell podcast listeners that quiz shows often use “an algorithm” to stop contestants winning too much money.
It’s obvious to be fair, and while not quite a Gerald Ratner-level own goal, it wasn’t terribly clever. I wouldn’t want to overtly criticise him in a family newspaper, so here’s my verdict – in the style of Only Connect’s Missing Vowels Round. Enjoy! WH TTT LPLNK R*
Picture of the Week
Being a 30-something in today’s world must be tough. There you are, juggling career, love life, social life and saving for an inexplicably-expensive “micro-loft” – and somehow you also have to make time for what’s really important: taking impossibly perfect pics for the ‘Gram.
But it looks like a certain 35-year-old Oscar-winner has got this careful balancing act all figured out. For, Avengers star Brie Larson posted THIS video on Instagram this week.
Brie Larson’s quirky balancing act – HOW IS SHE DOING THAT?(Image: Instagram)
Brie as Captain Marvel: yes, she can save the universe and the fabric of time itself, but can she balance on one stiletto heel atop a can of peaches?(Image: Handout)
And while she might be steady as a rock, I – as Gen Z would say – “am shook” . In fact I’m more impressed by this feat than by any of her big screen Captain Marvel antics.
Brie, who is promoting her new tome, Party People, accompanied this video with a quip: “My social media manager said this will sell 1,000 books. So here I am.” The book in question is a “cookbook for creative celebrations” with “endless ideas for weird and wacky parties” – which goes some way to explaining this impressive-yet-leftfield marketing campaign.
Personally, I’m most amazed by her superhuman pain threshold. For, anyone who has experienced the inherent cruelty of the modern-day torture device known as a stiletto heel, will appreciate that this is not just a demonstration of core strength, stability and precision… but of sheer, sheer, sheer ENDURANCE.
So how did she do it? The way I see it, there’s only one explanation: she’s in the wrong franchise… the girl’s a Wonder Woman for sure.
What do you think? Have you seen some funny celeb moments this week? Let me know in comment or on X/Instagram via @JessicaBoulton
*Answer To Missing Vowels Round: “What a plonker”
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Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby is coming the legendary Sadler’s Wells Theatre this month after the 2022 ballet production’s successful UK and European tours.
In an exclusive interview with Reach Screen Time, Peaky Blinders creator and now James Bond screenwriter Steven Knight shared details from the stage show, including teasing a different side to Tommy Shelby (played by Cillian Murphy in the BBC series) and how the story fitted it into the TV drama.
The stage show charts the ill-fate romance between Tommy and his wife Grace Burgess (Annabelle Wallis).
Knight said: “I know that the people that love Peaky love that story, and it felt to me that a love story, a romance like that and the romance that comes with what happens, I felt all of that would translate into music, first of all, but also into dance.
Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby in Peaky Blinders (Image: BBC)
“With Peaky, music has always been very important to the show. And also people move in a particular way, it’s quite stylised, the way people dress, the way they act, just made me think it’s a few short steps toward dance. And so that’s why I wanted to do this.”
Reflecting on audiences seeing a new facet to the Brummie don, Knight explained: “It’s a deeper version. I think what we get is inside insights into Tommy Shelby’s heart that you don’t get on the TV show. Because by his nature Tommy Shelby is a person who doesn’t show his emotions. He doesn’t let people in.
“But in this, we’re alone with him for quite a while and before the wedding we see how in love he is, and then after Grace’s death we join him on a journey towards redemption.
A scene from Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby(Image: JOHAN PERSSON)
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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
“He goes through his grief and then discovers a connection with her again. So, it’s a much more intimate portrayal of who Tommy Shelby is.”
So has Peaky Blinders’ leading man and Oscar winner Murphy watched The Redemption of Thomas Shelby? Knight admitted he wasn’t certain if the actor had got around to seeing the show as yet, but said the ballet “definitely got his blessing”, particularly because of Murphy’s love of music.
The Peaky Blinders stage play comes ahead of the Netflix film (Image: BBC)
Teasing the music and artists featuring in The Redemption of Thomas Shelby, Knight said: “We’ve got a fantastic score, fantastic needle drops. We’ve got [the Peaky Blinders’ theme tune] Red Right Hand in there, so yeah, it’s right up [Murphy’s] street.”
The collaboration between Knight and dance troupe Rambert came about after the company was enlisted to choreograph a Swan Lake sequence in a previous season of Peaky Blinders.
Working with Rambert’s artistic director Benoit Swan Pouffer, Knight put devised the story while the dance expert put together the choreography.
Rambert’s Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby will be heading to Sadler’s Wells from Tuesday, August 5 to Saturday, August 16. Tickets are available now here
Aug. 8 (UPI) — President Donald Trump on Friday replaced Bill Long as Internal Revenue Service commissioner after less than two months on the job with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a temporary role.
The New York Times was the first media outlet to confirm his ouster and Long later announced his departure on X with plans to become Iceland’s ambassador.
“It is a honor to serve my friend President Trump and I am excited to take on my new role as the ambassador to Iceland. I am thrilled to answer his call to service and deeply committed to advancing his bold agenda. Exciting times ahead!”
A spokesperson for the Treasury Department, which oversees the IRS, said in a statement to NBC News that the department “thanks Commissioner Long for his commitment to public service and the American people. His zeal and enthusiasm to bring a fresh perspective to the Federal Government was evident in both the House of Representatives and as part of the Trump Administration.”
Bessent has already been tasked with negotiating tariff rates as part of trade talks. Also, he is helping with the search for ultimately the next Federal Reserve chairman.
Long was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 12 and sworn in as commissioner four days later to a term that was supposed to last through Nov. 12, 2027. Trump nominated him on Dec. 4, 2024. While awaiting confirmation, he was appointed as a senior adviser in the Office of Personnel Management.
Lpng had limited tax experience and had supported the abolishment of the agency, CNN reported.
He served in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023, representing a district in Missouri, and was previously an auctioneer.
On Thursday, he sent an email to all IRS employees with the subject line: “It’s Almost FriYay that read: “Please enjoy a 70-minute early exit tomorrow. That way you’ll be rested for my 70th birthday on Monday,” The New York Times reported.
He signed it: “Call Me Billy.”
The IRS has been processing tax forms since the April 15 deadline with extensions until Aug. 15.
The IRS workforce has shrunk 25% amid Trump’s government cuts and mass buyouts. In all there are plans to cut its 102,000 workforce by up to 40%, according to a memo obtained by CBS News in April.
And 26% of the agents who conduct audits have left the agency by May, according to the report.
And the IRS has been dealing with new deductions and tax cuts after the passage of the sprawling spending bill, labeled as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The new law has no tax on tips or overtime.
Seven different people will have led the agency since Trump won the 204 election.
Danny Wefel held the role until Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20 despite a statutory five-year term.
Other acting commissioners had policy differences with Trump: Doug O’Connell and Melanie Krause. Another acting boss, Gary Shapley, was appointed but ousted Bessent a few days later because he didn’t want him. Deputy Secretary Michael Faulkender became the acting commissioner until Long was confirmed.
Liverpool have named former Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor as their new head coach.
The Reds have been without a permanent manager since sacking Matt Beard in February, with Amber Whiteley taking charge on an interim basis for the remainder of 2024-25.
Taylor was sacked by City in March just five days before the Women’s League Cup final.
“Everyone in football knows about the history, size and potential of this club, and I am really looking forward to the task ahead,” Taylor said.
“Our aim is to create a team that supporters can be proud of, which plays good football and which will hopefully bring success along the way.”
The Welshman began working with City’s academy in 2011 and was appointed head coach in 2020.
He won the FA Cup during his first season and led the club to League Cup glory in 2022, while his side missed out on the Women’s Super League (WSL) title on goal difference in 2023-24.
Liverpool finished seventh last season, 35 points adrift of champions Chelsea.
David Ellison finally clinched his prize Thursday, completing Skydance Media’s $8-billion takeover of the historic Paramount.
But the tech scion immediately faced questions about President Trump’s boast that he expects $20 million in free advertising and programming as part of a settlement to end Trump’s lawsuit over CBS “60 Minutes” edits. The settlement cleared the way for Skydance’s takeover of the company that, in addition to CBS, includes MTV, Comedy Central and the storied Paramount Pictures.
Last month, Paramount paid $16 million to settle the lawsuit, which 1st Amendment experts said had no merit. Three weeks later, Ellison’s acquisition of Paramount was approved by federal regulators.
If Skydance participated in such a deal to give free public service announcements to Trump to settle his “60 Minutes” lawsuit, viewers are going to have to watch CBS to find out.
The first question Ellison, the newly minted chairman and chief executive of Paramount, fielded from reporters during a news briefing Thursday was about the purported PSAs. Ellison would not directly answer it.
“We are not going to politicize anything today,” Ellison said at the event held at Paramount headquarters in Times Square in New York.
Paramount Global handled the settlement and Skydance was not involved “in any way,” Ellison said. But Trump — who has a friendly relationship with Ellison’s father, Larry — has proclaimed numerous times that he’s been promised $20 million in free air time for public service announcements that promote causes favored by the White House. Trump’s former agent Ari Emanuel also helped Ellison make its case to the president to allow the deal to go forward.
Ellison and the other top executives stated their support for the news division at the news conference. Ellison said CBS News and “60 Minutes” were among the first stops on his tour of the company’s offices after the deal was closed.
As for the news ombudsman that Skydance agreed to as part of the terms to get approval, Paramount’s new president, Jeff Shell, said the position should not be viewed as a censor.
“The ombudsman is meant to be a transparency vehicle, not an oversight vehicle,” Shell said. “We do believe in transparency.”
Asked how Skydance will handle the ongoing attacks on mainstream media that continue to come from the White House, Ellison said the company will stand its ground.
“We’re obviously going to be fierce defenders of our talent,” Ellison said. “We always have been.”
Before the news conference, Ellison put out a mission statement for the merged company, promising to combine the company’s storied movie and TV properties with technological prowess. Paramount is also the home of several iconic but aging cable brand names, including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central.
“Moving forward, we will work with conviction and optimism to transform Paramount into a tech-forward company that blends the creative heart of Hollywood with the innovative spirit of Silicon Valley,” Ellison wrote.
The immediate challenge facing Skydance will be building the scale of Paramount+, which, despite a decent number of popular shows, has lagged in the streaming competition led by Netflix and Amazon Prime.
Ellison promised the direct-to-consumer offering can be “a leading global streaming service.”
The mogul is taking over the most-watched television network in CBS, but like the rest of the legacy media industry, it’s fighting the migration of viewers to streaming.
Ellison’s note made a point of praising “60 Minutes,” saying it has “a long tradition of impactful reporting led by seasoned journalists committed to accuracy, integrity, and public trust” and expressed thanks to the news division for continuing to toil through the controversy.
“We take immense pride in CBS News’ legacy of impactful journalism and look forward to continuing to foster a newsroom culture where journalists are empowered, trusted, and equipped to do their best work,” Ellison wrote.
The new company is now called Paramount, a Skydance Corp, with its stock trades under the PSKY ticker. Shares were trading down about 3%, to $11.25, in midday trading.
According to Ellison and his private equity Paramount investors, RedBird Capital Partners, the company will soon be positioned to reach new heights.
Ellison’s play for the studio began nearly two years ago during Hollywood’s summer of labor unrest, when then-controlling shareholder Shari Redstone’s family enterprise, National Amusements, found itself in a cash crunch after Paramount halted its dividend to its investors.
In December 2023, Redstone turned to Paramount’s board to approve the Skydance transaction. That triggered another fraught process as board members agonized over the structure of a deal that would reward rank-and-file shareholders — not just the Redstones.
The deal was finally signed July 7, 2024. As part of the Skydance buyout, the Redstones’ National Amusements Inc. was paid $2.4 billion. After the firm’s considerable debts are paid, the family should come away with about $1.75 billion.
Paramount shareholders will receive $4.5 billion. Skydance and RedBird Capital Partners also agreed to inject $1.5 billion into Paramount’s balance sheet to help pay down debt.
“Our investment in Paramount and long-term partnership with the Ellison family reflects our deep conviction in the value of world-class intellectual property and the potential to unlock substantial growth,” RedBird founder Gerry Cardinale said in a statement.
Rangers head coach Russell Martin talks to BBC Scotland about his decision to leave out captain James Tavernier and midfielder Nicolas Raskin for the Champions League qualifier against Viktoria Plzen.
