Couple

A man has slammed an ‘entitled’ couple for stealing his sun loungers at a holiday resort in the Caribbean, but while some people agree with his stance, others say he is part of the problem

A man has sparked a debate after sharing how he took revenge on an ‘entitled’ couple for stealing his sun loungers at a holiday resort. He explained how he and his wife were enjoying a well-earned vacation in the Caribbean after saving up for a week of relaxation.

He explained: “It wasn’t very crowded. We picked out a couple of nice loungers and spent most of the week there with no issues. Another couple showed up a few days before we were scheduled to leave. My wife caught them looking at us a few times over a couple of days.”

On their last morning at the resort, they noticed the couple’s belongings spread across their loungers.

While they wouldn’t have had an issue with this if the couple were sitting on them taking in the sun, the man explained how the couple “didn’t show up until noon”.

He said: “Later, after they arrived and we saw who it was, my wife said they stole our spot on purpose.

“Confirmed when my wife was in the water and saw then walk by me in our new, less awesome spot. They looked at me and started laughing.”

Before leaving the resort to fly home the next day, the man came up with a plan to teach them a lesson they’d never forget.

“We were leaving the next day,” he added. “We went down very early, spread fresh towels on the loungers, put fresh folded towels down, and left our leftover suntan lotion and our inflatable floats on the loungers.

“Hope they spent all day waiting to see who stole their spot.”

While some users praised him for his revenge, others say he’s “just as bad” because he tried to claim the same beds all week long.

Commenting on his post, one user said: “I don’t get it… you thought the loungers belonged to you for the whole week?”

Another user added: “Every resort and cruise ship needs to adopt the policy of not saving seats. If you get up to go jump in the pool for a bit and leave your belongings there, fine.

“But leaving a towel on a chair all day is silly, and I have seen some places that have signage saying that towels left on chairs like that will be taken by staff.”

A third user said: “People who think they own a spot at a hotel are the worst.”

One more user added: “They were the hotels loungers – for the hotels guests. First come, first served.

“If you want your personal loungers then pack them into your cases and take them with you.

“Then you intentionally left a bunch of junk and littered the place up. And now you’re bragging about it.”

Kieran Culkin and wife Jazz Charton made good on their Emmys pact, recently welcoming their third child, according to the former’s “Succession” co-star.

Oscar and Emmy winner Culkin’s on-screen sister Sarah Snook, also an Emmy-winning actor, announced the arrival of the couple’s newest child while speaking to Access Hollywood on Monday. “I met the little baby, it’s so cute,” she said during the premiere of Peacock’s “All Her Fault.”

“They’re very happy and so cute,” she added.

A representative for Culkin did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation. Charton, a contributor for the Financial Times, has not yet publicly addressed the arrival of their littlest one.

“A Real Pain” star Culkin, younger brother of “Home Alone” star Macaulay Culkin, tied the knot with Charton in 2013. They share two children, Kinsey Sioux and Wilder Wolf, and lovingly teased a plan to grow their family during the 75th Emmy Awards in January 2024.

Culkin, 43, famously used part of his acceptance speech for the lead actor prize to remind Charton, 37, of the deal they had struck prior to the ceremony. As he acknowledged his wife and children, Culkin declared, “I want more.”

“You said ‘maybe,’ if I win! I love you so much,” he told Charton from stage.

Charton confirmed that baby No. 3 was on the way in late September, sharing a cheeky Instagram post that also tapped into her well-documented fan love for “Matrix” star Keanu Reeves. “Saw Keanu Reeves on broadway and now I’m 9 months pregnant,” she captioned her post, which featured photos of her baby bump, “This is very on brand for me.”

She revealed she was expecting amid the debut of Reeves and longtime “Bill & Ted” collaborator Alex Winter’s production of “Waiting for Godot.” She quipped in her caption that she had “made a deal with this baby to let me make it to this [show] before labor, not sure what it wants in return but I’m CLEARLY a woman of my word.”

Snook, the first to break the couple’s baby news, has remained close to her “Succession” co-star since the hit HBO drama concluded two years ago. Culkin and Snook respectively starred as Roman and Shiv Roy, two of numerous potential — ahem — successors to media mogul Logan Roy (Brian Cox). “Succession” aired from 2018 to 2023 and won a total of 19 Primetime Emmy Awards, including acting prizes for Culkin, Snook and co-stars Jeremy Strong and Matthew Macfadyen.

With the arrival of Culkin and Charton’s third child, it’s clear that the “Succession” legacy now extends past powerhouse performances, viral memes and memorable lines. Anyone got a ludicrously capacious baby bag?

MADISON, Wis. — Out in Wisconsin’s state capital, where the orange leaves are falling and every other person seems to wear the red and white of the University of Wisconsin Badgers, the pride and pain of rooting for the Dodgers in 2025 played out in the household of Carolina Sarmiento and Revel Sims.

They’re urban planning professors, Southern California natives — he’s from Eagle Rock, she’s from Santa Ana; they met at UCLA — and longtime friends of mine who have lived in Madison for a decade but are still involved in immigrant and anti-gentrification activism back home. I visited them recently as part of a speaking tour of Midwestern colleges and found myself in the middle of a debate that passed through the lives of too many people we know back home.

It’s one that’s unlikely to completely fade away no matter how many rings and parades the Boys in Blue rack up:

Is it OK to, well, revel, in this year’s World Series champs?

On one hand the Dodgers won back-to-back titles for their first time ever and became the first team to do so in a generation. The squad looked like Los Angeles at its best: people from across the world who set aside their egos to win and bring joy to millions of Angelenos in a most difficult year for the City of Angels.

L.A., a city long synonymous with winning — the weather, the teams, the people, the food — has suffered a terrible losing streak that started with the deadly and catastrophic Eaton and Palisades fires and continues with mass deportations that the Trump administration vows to escalate.

That’s where the rub came for Sarmiento and other Dodgers fans. For them, the actions and inactions of the team this year have been indefensible.

“For me, it started when the Dodgers went to the White House,” said the 45-year-old as we drove to their blue-and-white house. She especially took issue with shortstop Mookie Betts, who skipped a White House visit in 2019 when he was with the World Series-winning Boston Red Sox but shook Trump’s hand this time around, describing his previous snub as “very selfish.”

“Who got in his ear?” she exclaimed, bringing out dried mangoes for us to snack on as we waited for Sims to come home. “Since when has standing up for injustice been about you?”

Sarmiento didn’t grow up a Dodgers fan but bought into the team once she and Sims became a couple. They and their two young sons usually attended Dodgers games on trips back home and regularly caught the Dodgers in Milwaukee whenever they played the Brewers. One time, manager Dave Roberts “happily” signed a jersey for them when the family ran into him at a hotel, Sarmiento said.

In Madison, she long wore a Dodgers sweatshirt emblazoned with the Mexican flag that Sims bought for her because “it was a way to represent home. But not anymore. I tell Revel, ‘Babe, I’m not asking you to boycott the Dodgers forever, but they gotta give us something back.’”

Sure, the Dodgers blocked federal agents from entering the Dodger Stadium parking lot in June just after la migra raided a Home Depot facility. Shortly after, the team donated $1 million to the California Community Foundation to disburse to nonprofits assisting families affected by Trump’s deportation Leviathan.

But as the summer went along, Sarmiento grew frustrated that only Dodgers outfielder Kiké Hernández spoke out against immigration raids and Trump’s deployment of the Marines and National Guard. She also wondered why Dodgers chairman Mark Walter wouldn’t address charges that companies he has investments in do business with Trump’s deportation machine. One has a stake in a private prison company that contracts with the federal government to run immigrant detention centers; another has a joint venture with Palantir, which ICE has contracted to create data surveillance systems that would make the Eye of Sauron from “The Lord of the Rings” series seem as innocuous as a teddy bear.

“After a while, it’s like a woman who knows her partner is a cheater but keeps saying, ‘He’s not a cheater, he’s not a cheater’ and then gets upset when he cheats on her again. At that point, all you can say is, ‘Girl…‘”

I brought up how many Dodgers fans I know saw the team’s World Series win as a giant middle finger to Trump.

The heroes of Games 6 and 7, outfielders Kiké Hernández and second baseman Miguel Rojas, come respectively from Puerto Rico and Venezuela, a commonwealth Trump has neglected and a country he’s salivating to invade. The team’s most popular player, Shohei Ohtani, still proudly speaks in his native Japanese despite being in the U.S. for eight years and knowing some English. Tens of thousands of fans came out for the Dodgers victory parade and celebration at Dodger Stadium, many of them undoubtedly immigrants.

Isn’t it OK to let folks be happy?

“It’s like community benefit agreements,” Sarmiento responded, referring to a tactic by neighborhood groups that sees them win commitments from developers on issues like open space, union contracts and affordable housing with the threat of protests and lawsuits. “You know what’s coming, so you try to get something out of it. This year was a political moment that fans could’ve taken and they didn’t, so the Dodgers gave nothing.”

We greeted Sims as he walked in. The two of us walked down to the basement, where he watched the World Series in exile on a big-screen TV.

“It’s a little lonely being a Dodgers fan out here,” joked the 48-year-old, although he was heartened to have seen a fellow University of Wisconsin professor decked out in a Freddie Freeman jersey earlier in the day. Sims grew up going to Dodger Stadium with his father and remembered going to games on his own in the mid-2000s “when it wasn’t a pretty time.”

He brought up the Dodgers’ owner from that era: Frank McCourt, who raised ticket and concession prices seemingly every year and who still partially owns the parking lots surrounding Dodger Stadium. Fans responded to his disastrous regime by protesting before and during games. “It was disheartening to not see that in the stadium this year, when there was an even bigger problem going on.”

Sims felt “conflicted” rooting for the Dodgers this year. He watched every game he could but admitted he found the team celebrating ethnic pride nights “hollow” as raids increased across Los Angeles and the Trump administration attacked the rights of groups that the Dodgers were honoring.

“It would’ve been easy [for the Dodgers] to make a bland statement — ‘We’re a team full of immigrants in a city of immigrants and we’re proud of us all’ — and you wouldn’t have to go any further. They have a historical obligation to do that because of their history.”

But not rooting for the Dodgers was never an option.

Pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto stands onstage at the World Series celebration at Dodger Stadium on Monday.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

“I want to see L.A. people happy. The parade! It’s a free holiday. People just ditch work and don’t get in trouble for it. We’re the only city — not New York, not Boston, not San Francisco — with a chant against us. We’re despised and misunderstood. So if the Dodgers win, L.A. wins.”

Sarmiento joined us. “She’s my better political half,” Sims cracked. “Caro said to pick another sport.”

“No I didn’t!” she kindly replied. “I just said to take a pause, just for now. A political pause.”

Sims admitted that that a vintage jacket that he used to bring out every October as the Dodgers made another playoff run and Wisconsin turns cold was still in the closet. “I haven’t worn any gear all year.”

“When you went to the game!” Sarmiento shot back, referring to a visit to Milwaukee earlier this year with his local softball team.

“I went with a Valenzuela jersey to represent L.A.,” Sims responded as Sarmiento shook her head.

He laughed.

“I love the team. I just don’t like this team for not saying anything. But it’s what I signed up for.”

It isn’t crazy: Carly Rae Jepsen is expecting her first child with husband Cole M.G.N.

The Canadian singer-songwriter announced her pregnancy Monday in an Instagram post, sharing a few black-and-white photos of the couple and Jepsen’s baby bump that hint there may be some kicking going on.

“Oh hi baby,” Jepsen, 39, wrote in the caption along with a heart emoji. Her 40-year-old husband, whose full name is Cole Marsden Greif-Neill, is feeling so much love and excitement that he has been rendered speechless, if the multiple heart-eyes emojis are any indication.

According to the couple’s wedding spread in Vogue, Jepsen and the Grammy Award-winning producer tied the knot in October, and the couple had been trying to get pregnant while planning their New York wedding. The musicians first met as colleagues in 2021 and started dating in 2022 before getting getting engaged in September of last year.

In 2023, Jepsen told People that their first collaboration, the song “So Right” from her album “The Loveliest Time,” was in essence the couple’s “meet-cute.”

“This is our first little baby out in the world,” Jepsen told the outlet at the time. “I think you’ll see a lot more of our collaboration together for future projects.”

Known for her earworm 2012 hit “Call Me Maybe,” Jepsen most recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of the release of “Emotion” with a sold-out show at the Troubadour, where she performed the entirety of the 2015 album.

“‘Emotion’ was like an introduction to my authentic version of what pop music was,” Jepsen said of the LP in 2020. “I was itching to share something different, because I knew that ‘Call Me Maybe’ wasn’t the only color of what I had to offer.”

A COUPLE from a huge rock band have SPLIT after 22 years of marriage and historic “sexual misconduct” allegations.

The two members of a Canadian indie group have decided to call time on the relationship after over two decades together.

The couple in question are Arcade Fire‘s Win Butler and Regine Chassagne, who wed in 2003.

The pair announced their shock split on the band’s official Instagram page.

The statement read: “After a long and loving marriage, Win & Regine have decided to separate. They continue to love, admire and support each other as they co-parent their son.”

They added that their “bond as creative soulmates will endure, as will Arcade Fire. The band send their love and look forward to seeing you all on tour soon.”

FIRE STORM

SNL backlash as fans slam guest band Arcade Fire after sexual misconduct claims

THE POWER OF WE

I have always treated music as an avenue of philosophy, says Win Butler

Their split comes three years after Win was hit with misconduct claims from three women and a gender fluid individual.

The allegations included the sending of unsolicited explicit messages, coercive control, emotional abuse and physical assault.

Win responded to the allegations in 2022, admitting to having had relations with all of the claimants, however, he insisted each was consensual.

In a statement given to Pitchfork, he said, “While these relationships were all consensual, I am very sorry to anyone who I have hurt with my behaviour.

“As I look to the future, I am continuing to learn from my mistakes and working hard to become a better person, someone my son can be proud of. […]

“I’m sorry I wasn’t more aware and tuned in to the effect I have on people – I f**ked up, and while not an excuse, I will continue to look forward and heal what can be healed, and learn from past experiences.”

The band’s avant-garde sound has always been an acquired taste, though they have conquered the mainstream, headlining festivals such as Glastonbury and scoring three number one albums in the US.

It comes after Arcade Fire were recently slammed when they appeared on US TV show, Saturday Night Live.

The band performed two tracks from their forthcoming sixth album, Pink Elephant, in what was their second appearance on the show this series.

However, musically, their performance on May 10, left many viewers cold.

Others weren’t comfortable with the band getting such a prominent television gig after the troubling claims.

One person wrote on X, “If different people accusing you of sexual misconduct is not enough to prevent you being on this show twice in one season, how many people is?”

Another said, “Arcade Fire landing on SNL in the big 2025 is wild. Who the hell did Win Butler pay?”

A Gogglebox couple who have been married for several years have been keeping fans entertained with their hilarious takes on the telly highlights

Gogglebox viewers were left stunned after a married duo posted a nostalgic photograph.

Much-loved South London pair Sue and Steve became part of the enduring Channel 4 programme back in 2019 – and the pair quickly established themselves as audience favourites.

Throughout the years, Steve, a former black cab driver, and Sue, who is semi-retired, have left audiences in fits of laughter with their witty remarks and amusing reactions to television highlights.

Beyond the long-running show, the couple – who have been wed for more than 40 years – are devoted parents to two daughters and proud grandparents to grandson Roman.

Sue and Steve regularly keep their 5,000 Instagram followers informed about their everyday lives. This week, the duo thrilled fans by posting a throwback photograph, reports the Manchester Evening News.

The image, captured during the 1980s, showed Sue and Steve posing for the camera, appearing considerably younger. They wrote alongside the post: “The way we were #somanyyearsago #younglove #the80s #greattimes #dinnerdances #carefree.”

Fans immediately flooded the comments section to praise the “gorgeous” couple. One admirer commented: “You both look amazing then and now. Love you both on Gogglebox.”

Another added on the platform: “Great pic. Steve’s punching here.” A third person remarked: “What a gorgeous picture of you both. Lovely couple.” Sharing similar sentiments, Gogglebox co-star Ellie Warner wrote: “Youngs love dream.”

In a health-related revelation, Sue took a brief hiatus from Gogglebox in 2024, later bravely sharing her battle with Bell’s Palsy, which resulted in temporary facial paralysis.

She candidly discussed the hurdles she faced post-diagnosis, admitting that she had to “relearn” certain fundamental actions. In her words: “One is to speak through the side of my mouth, and the other one is chewing. Chewing takes a long time.”

Steve couldn’t resist a cheeky comment: “I have offered to chew your food for you, but you declined. I’ve gotta say, you haven’t lost the sharp side of your tongue though, have you?”.

Bell’s Palsy is a neurological disorder that causes temporary weakness or lack of movement on one side of the face. The condition can, on rare occasions, spread to both sides of the face, while more typical symptoms include a drooping eyelid or corner of your mouth, dry mouth or drooling, loss of taste and a dry or watering eye.

Gogglebox airs every Friday at 9pm on Channel 4.

Chris Evans might need some new superhero gear for his next gig. Perhaps a supercharged stroller?

The Marvel alum, 44, and his wife, Portuguese actor Alba Baptista, 28, on Friday welcomed their first child together in Evans’ home state of Massachusetts, People reported Tuesday. The couple named their newborn daughter Alma Grace Baptista Evans, according to the outlet.

Representatives for Evans and Baptista did not reply immediately Tuesday to The Times’ request for comment.

Evans and Baptista, who began dating around 2021, wed in 2023 in a pair of ceremonies in Cape Cod and Portugal, Evans explained amid much fanfare during a panel that year at New York Comic Con. The couple’s East Coast nuptials were attended by Evans’ fellow Marvel legends Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye) and Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Page Six reported at the time.

During the Comic Con panel, Evans called the festivities “wonderful and beautiful,” but said that he and his belle were happy to be winding down after the whole ordeal.

“Planning a wedding, it’s a lot,” he said. “For those of you who are married, you know, it takes a lot out of you, but now that we’re through that, we’ve just kinda been enjoying life and gearing up for autumn, my favorite season. It’s like the best time of year right now. … Now we’re just relaxing and enjoying life and reflecting.”

Evans last year confided about his aspirations toward fatherhood to “Access Hollywood,” saying he “absolutely” hoped to be a “superhero dad” like his “Red One” co-star Dwayne Johnson.

“The title of ‘dad’ is an exciting one,” the actor said.

Since passing Captain America’s shield to Anthony Mackie in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” Evans has flexed his creative muscles with high(er) brow indies including Celine Song’s buzzy romance “Materialists” and Ethan Coen’s dark detective comedy “Honey Don’t.”

But despite intel from the source himself, Marvel die-hards aren’t buying that Evans’ time with the franchise has come to a close. They’ll know once and for all come December, when “Avengers: Doomsday” hits theaters.

Baptista for her part has tacked several film credits onto to her resume since Netflix canceled her cult-favorite series “Warrior Nun” in 2022. She is notably slated to appear in A24’s upcoming film “Mother Mary,” which will feature original songs by Charli XCX and Jack Antonoff and an ensemble cast including FKA Twigs and Hunter Schafer of “Euphoria” fame.

One couple were left seriously disappointed when they arrived at their four-star all-inclusive hotel in Greece for 10 days and claimed the meals were so bad, ‘I wouldn’t even serve the food to a dog’

A seething couple who spent more than £2K on an all-inclusive holiday claim their hotel meals “looked like dog food” and the swimming pool was “disgusting.”

Erin Wells, 24, and Jordan Evans, 25, booked a 10-night stay at a four-star hotel in Crete, Greece, through easyJet Holidays to celebrate their birthdays. They jetted off with excitement on 28 September after seeing a slew of positive reviews and paid a total of £2,218.

However, the couple’s holiday soon turned into a nightmare. They said they encountered issues with their room and the hotel facilities, including the meals being served, which they claimed were “unmarked meat” with “grim desserts”.

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Erin, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, recalled: “We went down for lunch and saw nothing was labelled, there was just unmarked meat.

“Later on into the holiday, I went up to one of the chefs and asked what the meat was, and she opened the container, picked up a piece of the meat, ate it and said, ‘Well, I think it’s chicken’.”

The 24-year-old claimed: “Nothing was marked, so you didn’t know what you were eating. They were just sat out at room temperature. Nothing about them was appealing. They were inedible.

“The food as a whole was just disgusting. They look like dog food. It’s not even like they were trying to make the food look presentable. I wouldn’t even serve the food to a dog.”

Left severely disappointed by the food on offer, the couple splashed out an additional £600 on meals away from the hotel, despite being on an all-inclusive package. Erin explained: “We only ate at the hotel a couple times.”

But the food wasn’t the only problem. While attempting to relax on the sun loungers around the hotel pool, the couple noticed they were “mouldy”. Erin claimed: “I didn’t get in the pool once because it was so disgusting. There was mould all around the side of the pool and sunbeds.

“We were there for 10 days and never saw anyone clean that pool. I can’t believe they’re still open, it was just disgusting. If I’d got in, I’d have probably got ill.”

In addition, they also encountered issues with their room when it apparently flooded from the shower. Erin shared: “When we arrived, we just went straight to our room because we were just so tired. It wasn’t until the next morning that we noticed things.

“That morning, I noticed our shower kept flooding. As soon as you had a shower, the water would leak out into the room.

“I thought the issue was just with our room, but it wasn’t until we started talking to other couples there that we realised all of the rooms flooded.”

Erin labelled their getaway a “holiday from hell” and claimed the hotel was a “health hazard” due to the issues they experienced. Despite seeing numerous positive reviews online, she felt that the hotel listing was “seriously misleading” and the photos were “so far from what it’s actually like there”.

An easyJet holidays spokesperson said: “We’re sorry to hear Erin didn’t have the holiday experience she expected. We are in contact with Erin to offer a gesture of goodwill and understand what went wrong so that we can investigate these directly with our hotel partner.”

A private Scottish estate is looking to hire a couple on a long-term basis who will support the smooth running of the estate, which includes a seven-bed main property

A “special opportunity” for a couple to relocate to a private Scottish estate for work has come up. Included with the positions is a three-bedroom cottage.

An estate in rural Dumfriesshire is currently looking to hire two people on a long-term basis. The successful couple will support the smooth running of the “beautifully restored” estate in the south of Scotland.

The salary for the positions is listed as between £70,000 and £80,000 on the Greycoats Lumleys job listing. As well as the “private” three-bedroom cottage, the accommodation includes council tax and firewood.

One half of the couple will serve as the estate’s housekeeper, overseeing a seven-bed main residence plus several guest properties. The other partner will work as a handyperson, taking charge of the estate’s upkeep and maintenance.

Core duties for the housekeeper include cleaning, laundry, ironing, and wardrobe management, alongside maintaining household inventories and shopping responsibilities. They’ll also handle household supplies and coordinate with estate contractors, whilst caring for antiques, fine furnishings, and delicate finishes.

The housekeeper will also assist with entertaining guests and their arrivals, plus handle light cooking and meal preparation. Overall, they’ll be expected to establish and maintain a serene, well-organised, environmentally conscious, and efficiently managed household.

Meanwhile, the handyperson will handle general upkeep and care for all properties both indoors and outdoors. Duties will encompass pressure washing sandstone terraces and pathways, coordinating tradespeople and overseeing repairs and timetables, plus supporting security and the seamless daily running of the estate.

The handyperson will also need to provide driving and errand assistance, alongside inspecting all estate properties—including one situated a 15-minute drive away. Additionally, they’ll be expected to maintain a swimming pond and building.

Candidates applying for these roles should possess prior experience in comparable positions, plus hold a full UK driving licence and solid references. Further sought-after qualities include “a good understanding of privacy and discretion”, adaptability to work evenings and weekends, and contentment working in a rural countryside environment.

The job advert reads: “Greycoat Lumley’s client are seeking a kind, capable, and discreet Domestic Couple to support the smooth running of a beautifully restored Private Estate in rural Dumfriesshire. The previous housekeeper was in post for seven years prior to the building work.

“There is a seven bed principal property and further ancillary guest properties. Full details are available on application.

“This is a long-term opportunity for a professional Couple who bring warmth, initiative, and pride to their work and who value the rhythm of life in the countryside. You’ll be joining a supportive, established estate team, and caring for a home with beautiful interiors set in a stunning garden.

“Willingness to work flexible hours is essential as this is a second home and there are consequently periods of intense activity balanced by quieter spells.”

The Greycoat Lumleys website adds: “This is a special opportunity to join a thoughtful and well-supported household where your contribution will be genuinely appreciated. The right couple will enjoy the peace and beauty of the locality while helping to maintain a beloved family home.”

According to the job advert, the positions are set to begin in February 2026. For further information about the roles, visit the Greycoat Lumleys website.

This article contains spoilers for the Season 9 finale of “Love Is Blind.”

Netflix’s hit dating series “Love is Blind” is actually an experiment, its creator, Chris Coelen, says. The show tests whether couples can build a lasting relationship based on a core emotional bond that is not tethered to physical attraction or appearances.

In Season 9, for the first time in the show’s history, the experiment failed to create lasting bonds. No couples from this season said “I do” at the altar in the finale, which began streaming Wednesday.

Six couples left the pods engaged, but the decoupling began almost immediately, with Kacie McIntosh breaking things off with Patrick Suzuki. They were followed by Annie Lancaster and Nick Amato, and finally Madison Maidenberg and Joe Ferrucci, whose breakups were documented in Episodes 10 and 11. The remaining couples going into the final episode, where the weddings would take place, were Ali Lima and Anton Yarosh; Kalybriah Haskin and Edmond Harvey; and Megan Walerius and Jordan Keltner.

Megan and Jordan didn’t make it to the altar — Megan broke things off just before the wedding because she felt their lifestyles would not mesh well long term. That partly had to do with their jobs. Jordan works long hours in transportation and logistics, while Megan is a wealthy entrepreneur with a flexible working schedule. Jordan is also a single father to a young son, who has Type 1 diabetes. Over the course of the season, the pair often discussed the demands of parenting.

Anton said “I do,” but Ali said “I can’t be your wife” at the altar. She said she felt like the man she had fallen in love with in the pods was not the person she’d been experiencing in real life before she ran off in tears. Anton said in an interview later that he had “done nothing but care for her,” and that the rejection “f— sucks.”

Kalybriah also said no at the altar after her fiancé said yes. Kalybriah said Edmond “deserve[s] someone that is 100% at the altar” and that she wasn’t there. Edmond had a tempered reaction to the rejection, and Kalybriah thanked him for being graceful before the two walked off hand in hand. Kalybriah left the door open for a possible reconciliation down the road.

Season 9 was full of messy breakups and controversial comments from the participants. Patrick went into the experiment with insecurities about his Asian American identity, and his short-lived fiancée, Kacie, broke up with him on the heels of their first meeting. Annie and Nick, who split before the wedding preparations were in full swing, received backlash over a conversation they had about raising LGBTQ+ children, and they have both since walked back those comments in recent interviews. And an argument between Kalybriah and Edmond about her decision to wait until the wedding to have sex with him was the subject of intense scrutiny on social media.

Before Season 9, each season ended with at least one couple getting married. While some later split, many still remain married and several have started families. Days before Season 9’s finale was released, Cameron Hamilton and Lauren Speed-Hamilton from Season 1 announced Monday that they welcomed their first child together.

The Season 9 reunion, which will address unanswered questions about the many breakups, will be available to stream on Netflix on Oct. 29 at 6 p.m. PT/ 9 p.m. ET.

It felt like the kind of thing that must happen in Hollywood all the time: a hundred bucks to be a movie extra.

Austin Beagle, 31, and Nevada Barker, 30, said they were trying to sign up for food stamps this spring when someone offered them a background role outside a county social services office in Long Beach. They thought the gig seemed intriguing, albeit a bit unusual.

The offer came not from a casting director, but a man hawking free cellphones. The filming location was, oddly enough, a law firm in downtown Los Angeles.

Like many DTLA clients, Austin Beagle and Nevada Barker signed a retainer agreement that entitles the firm to 45% of their payout.

(Joe Garcia / For The Times)

Maybe this was how actors were recruited here, they figured. The couple had recently moved from the remote ranching town of Stinnett in the Texas panhandle, and the recruiter seemed to appreciate their Southern drawl. They hopped on a bus, excited to make $200 between them.

“They said we’d be extras,” said Beagle, who was unemployed at the time. “But when we got to the office, that’s not what it was at all.”

The couple said they arrived at the lobby of Downtown LA Law Group. A Times investigation published earlier this month found seven plaintiffs represented by the firm who claimed they received cash from recruiters to sue the county over sex abuse, which could violate state law. Two said they had never been abused and were told to manufacture their claims.

Downtown LA Law Group has denied any involvement with the recruiters who allegedly paid plaintiffs. The firm said in a statement it would never “encourage or tolerate anyone lying about being abused” and has been conducting additional screening to remove “false or exaggerated claims” from its caseload.

Four days after The Times’ investigation was published, the firm asked for a lawsuit on behalf of Carlshawn Stovall, one of the men who said he fabricated claims, to be dismissed with prejudice, meaning the case cannot be refiled.

The firm requested a second case spurred by Juan Fajardo, who said he made up a claim using the name of a family member, to be dismissed with prejudice on Sept. 9 after Fajardo says he told lawyers he wanted to drop the lawsuit.

Now, with Beagle and Barker, two more have come forward to allege they were told to invent the stories that led to their lawsuits.

Austin Beagle and Nevada Barker said they’d been in Southern California only a few months when they were flagged down outside a social services office where they were hoping to enroll in food stamps. The couple have since moved back to Stinnett, Texas.

(Joe Garcia / For The Times)

The couple said that when they arrived at DTLA’s offices in April, a man came down to the lobby with a clipboard and gave them a piece of paper to memorize before going upstairs. They assumed this was the role they’d be playing — with room to go off script.

“They told us to say that we were sexually abused and harassed by the guards in … Las P? I can’t think of the institution’s name,” said Beagle, who added he was told to say the incidents occurred around 2005.

“The worse it was the better,” he recalled being told.

On April 29, Downtown LA Law Group filed a lawsuit against the county on behalf of 63 plaintiffs, including Beagle and Barker, who claimed they were abused at Los Padrinos, L.A. County’s juvenile hall in Downey. The couple are now part of the $4-billion settlement.

Allegations of potential fraud and pay-to-sue tactics have rocked both L.A. County government and powerhouse law firms, which are scrambling to figure out how to salvage the largest sex abuse settlement in U.S. history.

Perhaps no group has been shaken more than sex abuse victims themselves, who fear allegations of false claims could derail what they hoped would be a life-changing settlement.

“I just couldn’t believe it,” said Jimmy Vigil, 45, who sued the county in December 2022 for alleged sexual abuse by a probation officer at a detention camp in Lancaster.

Vigil said he was repeatedly molested as a 14-year-old and forced to masturbate in front of other teens while the guard watched.

“It makes me feel disgusted,” said Vigil, now a mental health case manager in Ventura County. “You have absolutely no clue what I went through. You have no clue how hard I have strived in life to make it to where I am at today.”

Jimmy Vigil, now a mental health case worker in Ventura, said he was repeatedly molested as a teenager and forced to masturbate in front of other teens.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Barker and Beagle said that after memorizing the card with the basics of their story, they were taken upstairs to a room at DTLA’s office where about 20 people were waiting. Everyone seemed confused, they said.

They “were asking us ‘Hey, did y’all promise to get paid? And we said ‘Yeah, somebody told us that we’d get paid $100 if we come in,” Beagle said. “Everybody was just concerned about getting paid whatever they were promised.”

DTLA said in a statement it has “never directed, nor do we have any knowledge that anyone was ever paid, hired, or brought to the DTLA office, or was asked to memorize a script of any kind under the guise of filmmaking,”

“We are not filmmakers,” the firm said. “No one authorized on behalf of the firm has ever promised or implied movie extra work as a means of retaining clients.”

Beagle and Barker said they were called in together to a glass cubicle where a woman spent 15-20 minutes asking them questions about their story of abuse. Barker said she struggled to come up with details because “it was all made-up stuff.”

Beagle said he thought maybe the staffers in the law firm were also acting, pretending not to know this was “a fake thing.”

“Like, they were testing us all out to see if we knew how to act — just play the part,” Beagle said. “Like, this was a trial thing.”

The couple said they were befuddled at the interaction but figured they’d done enough to get their money; the receptionist told them to come back in a few hours to collect.

The firm said, in some circumstances, it provides “interest free loans to clients once they have retained our services.”

Beagle and Barker said they frittered away two hours at Pershing Square a few blocks away until around 4 p.m. It was only when they came back to the firm, they said, that it became clear there was no movie.

A man named Kevin paid them $100 each, and told them they were part of a massive settlement involving juvenile halls they’d never heard about until that afternoon. The man told them they could get $100 for each additional person they referred to go through the same process, Beagle said.

“We walked out thinking I don’t know how legit this is and we might even get f— in trouble for it,” Beagle said.

Like most sexual abuse lawsuits, the suit was filed using only plaintiffs’ initials. The Times reviewed paperwork that DTLA provided to Beagle and Barker, which they signed in order to become clients on April 21 and to opt into the L.A. County settlement on May 29.

Under the settlement, each plaintiff could be eligible for anywhere from $100,000 to $3 million. Retainer agreements for Beagle and Barker reviewed by The Times show DTLA would get 45% of their payout.

Beagle and Barker said they aren’t banking on getting any money from L.A. County. After all, they said, they grew up in Texas, more than a thousand miles away from the abuse-plagued facilities.

“We need it, but it’s not ours. It’s like finding a wallet,” Barker said. “Return it.”

A Times investigation published earlier this month found plaintiffs represented by Downtown LA Law Group who claimed they received cash from recruiters to sue L.A. County over sex abuse. Four now say they were told to make up the claims.

(Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

Among some survivors, there is a palpable fear that the fraud allegations will steamroll the settlement, overshadowing the fact that many county-run facilities were home to unchecked abuse and torpedoing their chance of receiving a life-changing sum.

The Times interviewed eight victims for this article represented by Slater Slater Schulman, ACTS LAW Firm, McNicholas & McNicholas, and Becker Law Group. Many said they were aghast at learning the worst years of their life may have become fodder for quick cash.

“It felt like a kick in the gut,” said Trinidad Pena, 52. “For somebody just to lie about it was just sickening.”

On Sept. 18, Pena said, she was eating a pancake breakfast at a homeless services center in Long Beach when she learned she had something in common with a woman sitting on the picnic bench next to her.

Both had filed lawsuits against L.A. County alleging sexual abuse at county-run facilities. Both of them were part of the county’s $4-billion settlement. But she was the only one, she believed, who had actually been abused.

The woman told her she’d been paid $20 to sue by a woman who hung around on the sidewalk outside the community center clutching a clipboard, she said.

The Times could not reach the recruiters allegedly responsible for paying plaintiffs for comment.

Trinidad Pena, who sued in 2022 over sex abuse, said she was jarred to find herself at breakfast with a woman who told her she’d been paid to sue the county.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Pena sued L.A. County in December 2022 over an alleged rape when she was 12 by a staff member at MacLaren Children’s Center, a shuttered youth shelter now infamous for predatory staff. No amount of cash is going to erase the scars from that, she says. But it would help.

Last month, Pena traded in her New Orleans shotgun apartment for the streets of Southern California, where she was raised. The move was, she said, a Hail Mary attempt to get medical treatment through the state’s public benefits for a cyst sprouting behind her right eye that made her vision wobble and her head crackle with pain.

She is currently living on $1,206 a month in and out of her van with a failing shunt in her head, which doctors implanted to treat her cyst. She eats mostly the nonperishable Trader Joe’s snacks she brought from Louisiana.

A six- or seven-figure settlement could help save her life, Pena said.

“I’m going to have myself a hell of a Charlie Sheen party and take a nosedive off a balcony at the Chateau Marmont if I do not get some sort of relief,” said Pena, who says she grew up in foster care near the legendary West Hollywood hotel.

Part of what has made the false claims so infuriating, victims say, is that L.A. County youth detention facilities were indeed home to horrific abuse decades ago.

Kizzie Jones, 47, said she’s on antidepressants as a result of a female probation officer who allegedly molested her twice a week and groomed her with bags of chips and bottles of conditioner.

Robert Williams, 41, says he has no friends — a near-total isolation he said traces back to repeated sexual assaults in the shower he suffered as a teen.

Mario Paz, 39, said a guard molested him under the guise of soothing his genitals with milk after he was pepper sprayed while naked. The abuse, he says, has left him traumatized to the point that he is unable to change his children’s Pampers.

All three of them filed lawsuits against the county alleging sexual abuse by county probation officers.

Mario Paz, 39, said his time at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall left him traumatized and damaged the relationship he has with his own children.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

“For someone to capitalize on something that they never endured or never experienced, I think it’s a travesty,” said Cornelious Thompson, a 51-year-old community health worker, who sued the county in December 2022.

When he was around 13 at Los Padrinos, Thompson says he was put on psychiatric medication that knocked him out. He woke up in his unit sore with his pants hanging by his knees, bleeding. It took him years to tell anyone.

He said he recently lost his job with a contractor for the county’s health department due to budget cuts. The county had to slash spending, in part, to pay for the $4-billion settlement.

It was “bittersweet,” he says, losing his job because the county was finally paying for what he said he endured as a teenager.

Only now, a new fear has crept in as two more people say they made up claims: Will he still be believed?

Married At First Sight UK couple Sarah and Dean called time on their troubled marriage in an emotional commitment ceremony after weeks of tension, criticism, and viewer backlash over their rocky relationship

A dramatic exit rocked Married At First Sight UK as Sarah and Dean became the latest couple to quit the experiment following a tense and emotional commitment ceremony.

The pair’s relationship had been hanging by a thread for weeks, marked by awkward exchanges, lack of affection, and mounting viewer complaints over Sarah’s remarks about Dean’s weight.

During the ceremony, Sarah insisted she wanted to give their marriage “one more week,” telling the experts: “For me things have been moving positively… I want to see if romance develops. I think we’re at that point now. If I take a step back, I worry I’ll regret not trying.”

But her plea was met with firm opposition from the panel. Relationship expert Mel Schilling cut in, saying: “Sarah, I think you know how you feel. You’re clutching at straws here. We’re halfway through this experiment.”

READ MORE: MAFS couple admit ‘they can’t keep their hands off each other’ in giggly ceremonyREAD MORE: Married At First Sight UK’s Dean breaks silence on most awkward in-laws moment

Sex and relationships expert Charlene Douglas agreed, adding: “I think perhaps you’re making excuses. There isn’t any desire here at all. At what point do you call it quits? You’ve said the affection is too much. You’re both in denial.”

Paul C Brunson then chimed in on the whole situation, telling clashing Sarah and Dean: “We all see it.”

After a series of brutally honest interventions, Mel told the couple: “You two know what the smart thing to do is. You’re just not ready to say it.”

Initially, both Sarah and Dean wrote “stay” on their commitment cards, but changed their decisions after the confrontation.

Through tears, Sarah admitted: “I don’t want to hurt you anymore. I just don’t think we’re right for each other romantically.” Dean quietly replied: “Thank you for being honest,” adding that he “just wanted to be loved.”

Their relationship had been strained since the wedding day, when Sarah admitted she wasn’t physically attracted to Dean.

In one uncomfortable exchange, Dean asked if she had ever dated someone “overweight,” to which she bluntly replied: “No, never.” When asked what he could do to change that, she said: “Get some tattoos and lose some weight.”

Dean handled the comment with grace, later revealing he had “never been the boyfriend, always the best friend.”

However, Sarah’s behaviour drew much criticism from viewers, who accused her of fat-shaming and unforgivable disrespect.

Despite brief attempts to show a lighter side of their relationship, including honeymoon photos captioned “TV gave you the drama but here’s the real Maldives… fun, drinks & a lot of laughs”, tensions only deepened between Sarah and Dean.

Sarah later told the cameras: “I don’t think I can do this anymore,” before confirming their split at the ceremony.

Their departure brings an end to one of the show’s most turbulent marriages the show has ever seen, with both Sarah and Dean leaving the experiment in tears.

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READ MORE: Maura Higgins says affordable £10 root spray ‘saves her life’ and covers grey hairs

Laura and Ste Knowles, from St Helens in Merseyside, were left red-faced after a hilarious incident was caught on camera during their holiday in Tenerife, Spain

A couple were left in stitches after one of them was caught on camera face-planting onto the pavement while attempting to ride a plastic elephant at a Spanish holiday resort.

Most people will have recollections of doing something daft and amusing after having had a tipple too many. For one pair, from St Helens in Merseyside, this recently occurred during their getaway in Tenerife in Spain, which resulted in them face-planting on the street. Laura and Ste Knowles had indulged in “a few champagne cocktails” before the comical accident, which was recorded and subsequently posted on social media. After finding the bright yellow elephant outside a shop, 42-year-old Laura challenged her partner Ste, 44, to clamber on top for an amusing snap.

If you’ve previously visited Tenerife, you might recognise the yellow elephant, as it’s the renowned logo of the Fund Grube department store chain, which sells an extensive range of cosmetics, perfumes, and jewellery at prices frequently lower than in other European nations, and can be discovered in numerous locations throughout Tenerife.

However, the pair’s boozy dare rapidly transformed into a catastrophe as Ste lost his footing and tumbled forwards, causing both him and the elephant to crash to the pavement.

The tumble left the furious shop owner absolutely livid, as Laura remembered: “She chased us up the street a bit.”

The duo, from St Helens, Merseyside, had been wandering along the Veronicas strip in Playa de las Américas, Tenerife, Spain, when they encountered the plastic creature. Laura went onto reveal it was her idea for Ste to climb onto the elephant.

“We’d had a few champagne cocktails and I stupidly suggested to Ste to climb on the elephant for a photo,” Laura explained. “I thought it was like the Superlambanana sculpture in Liverpool.

“But it wasn’t held down and it was as light as a feather. So he fell and hit the deck, taking it with him,” Laura added. “The shop owner was livid.”

She continued to say: “It had a few bumps on it so obviously it had happened before, but she chased us up the street a bit.”

The pair’s clip became an internet sensation on TikTok, amassing more than 370,000 views and hundreds of responses from entertained followers.

“It didn’t gone so well,” one viewer commented, while another jokingly penned: “Us Brits just love to say sorry! Now was he saying sorry to the elephant for knocking it over?”

“Darling hold my hand… Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday,” another person quipped.

Nevertheless, not everyone was amused, as some grumbled it was ‘typical’ holidaymaker behaviour that residents usually detest, which has recently sparked demonstrations across numerous popular holiday spots in Europe, including Tenerife.

“Quality tourism,” one person moaned, while someone else added: “Tourist Go Home.”

CORONATION Street fans have been left with their mouths open after discovering TWO of the soap’s legends once were a couple.

What is even more surprising, is that these pair of actors were on the soap almost a decade apart.

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The soap stars in question are Phil Middlemiss, who played love rat Des Barnes in the 90s, and current Corrie star Alison King, who is known for her role of Carla Connor.

Reddit sleuths have unearthed an old article from October 8, 1995 that confirmed they were once a couple who were “madly in love”.

The story was from when actor Phil was at the height of his Corrie fame.

Alison, however, who was just 22 at the time, was not famous and was referred to as a “surf shop girl” in the story.

In the article Phil claimed that he had “bedded 100 women” but was now “in love” with Alison.

Posting the story on the discussion forum, fans went wild at this revelation.

One wrote: “No way!!”

Another added: “How random,”

This Corrie fan said: “I still can’t get my head around this!”

A fourth added: “Small world!”

According to reports the pair dated for five years, Phil telling the Scottish Daily Record: “I’ve never been happier. She is a wonderful girl. I love her to death.”

They reportedly met at a Tenerife bar in March 1995, before splitting in 2000.

Phil confessed: “I was in love with Allie. She’s the only person I’ve ever really loved.

“But she was working in London and I was in Manchester.

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“In another life, if I had been a bus driver and she had worked at the local baker’s shop, we would have got married and had kids by now.”

Corrie fans will well remember lothario Des Barnes who graced the cobbles throughout the 90s.

Actor Phil was a regular fixture of the ITV soap from 1990 to 1998 when he quit the show.

Phil’s character Des was known for being a charming ladies man.

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On the soap he was married to Natalie Barnes, the Rovers landlady played by Loose Women star Denise Welch.

However, during his time on Coronation Street, Des went onto to also have an off-again romance with Raquel, who was played by the legendary Sarah Lancashire.

Raquel later moved onto her famous screen partner, Curly Watts, but it was Des that played havoc with the pair in a bid to get revenge on Raquel leaving him.

Des even sabotaged their engagement party as an act of jealousy and rage.

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Since quitting the cobbles in the late 90s, when his character was killed off, Phil has enjoyed a varied career mixed with a series of personal setbacks.

In 2012, the actor faced bankruptcy after a film he had put his life-saving into in 2008 failed to take off as a result of the financial crisis.

It forced Phil to take money from family and friends as he told the  Manchester Evening News: “It was partly-funded by myself but I didn’t have the money to fund the rest of the film.

“Filming came to a grinding halt. It was nearly three-quarters of the way along the line. It has been a difficult time. Three-and-a-half years is a long time to fund myself without any income.

” I have had to get money from family and friends.”

Meanwhile, his former girlfriend Alison joined the soap in 2006, almost a decade after Phil left, and six years after their split.

The actress’ character Carla is best known for being the boss of the knicker factory, Underworld.

Over the last two decades she has been involved in numerous high-profile storylines, from steamy affairs to battles with alcoholism.

This is turn has seen her win numerous awards, including Best Actress at the British Soap Awards in 2012.

Coronation Street Spoilers: News & Cast Updates

The beloved British soap has been captivating audiences for decades.

The show follows the lives of the residents as they navigate love, loss, family drama, and community struggles.

Here’s the latest on:

PHILADELPHIA — The Dodgers spent more than $125 million on their bullpen last winter. But when they needed relief late in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Saturday, they turned to a couple of starters who spent much of the season on the injury list.

And it worked out — though just barely — with Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki combining for eight of the final nine outs in a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Alex Vesia got the other out, retiring pinch-hitter Edmundo Sosa on a fly ball to center with the bases loaded to end the eighth. Sasaki then came on to close it out in the ninth, getting Bryson Stott, representing the tying run, to pop up in foul territory behind third base to end the game.

“What Glas did tonight, it’s not easy to do. And so for him to give us the innings he gave us tonight was huge,” third baseman Max Muncy said.

The four pitchers the Dodgers used all spent time away from the mound this season.

Starter Shohei Ohtani, who didn’t pitch at all last season, didn’t pitch until June and hadn’t thrown past the fifth inning until his final regular-season start. He went six innings against the Phillies, giving up three runs and three hits and striking out nine.

Glasnow missed more than two months with shoulder inflammation and other issues. Sasaki went to the sideline in early May with a right shoulder impingement and wasn’t reactivated until the final week of the season — as a reliever. Even Vesia missed a couple of weeks with an oblique strain.

But they were all ready for the start of the NDLS. Well, kind of — Glasnow said he was in the bathroom when the call came down for him to start warming up.

“The phone rang and they yelled my name,” he said. “Here we go. It definitely felt weird, but fun. [With the] adrenaline, there’s not as much effort to get the same stuff and [get] warmed up.”

When Glasnow first began throwing the Dodgers trailed 3-2. But by the time he entered the game they were front 5-3 on Teoscar Hernández’s three-run homer. So his assignment changed from keeping his team close to protecting a lead.

“For them to trust me to go out there and throw some big innings, it was awesome,” Glasnow said.

His first inning, the seventh, went pretty well, with Glasnow setting down the side in order. The first batter, J.T. Realmuto, reached on an error, but he was erased on a double play.

The eighth didn’t go as well. Trea Turner walked with one out, and although manager Dave Roberts had Vesia, a left-hander, in the bullpen, the right-handed Glasnow was allowed to face lefty sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper.

He struck out Schwarber on three pitches, but Harper singled to right. So when Alec Bohm walked to load the bases, Roberts finally called in Vesia, who got Sosa to pop out, ending the threat.

“The coaches put the trust in him and he just kept telling me, ‘You’re driving me. Just tell me what to do’,” catcher Will Smith said of guiding Glasnow through his first relief appearance since 2018. “He’s put trust in me and I put trust in him. And it worked out tonight.”

Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki celebrates after the final out of a 5-3 win over the Phillies on Saturday.

(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

It worked out because Sasaki came out of the bullpen throwing gas, topping 99 mph on seven of his 11 pitches, including the final one, which hit 100. Sasaki, who earned the save, also pitched the final inning of the wild-card series against the Cincinnati Reds and has thrown two scoreless innings, striking out three.

In fact, three pitchers who spent most of the season as starters — Emmet Sheehan, Glasnow and Sasaki — have combined to throw more innings out of the bullpen in the playoffs than the Dodgers’ regular relievers. That wasn’t the way the front office drew it up when they spent wildly on the bullpen over the winter. But it’s working.

“One real strength of this roster is our starting pitching,” Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, said before the game. “It speaks to that depth. Those guys are really talented.

“And I can see it factoring in and helping us.”

It already has.

Mercedes Bryce Morgan’s horror film “Bone Lake” announces itself with a startlingly cheeky opener and closes with a bloody gore-fest, the song “Sex and Violence” by U.K. punk outfit the Exploited spelling out the thesis of the film for us. It’s about the intertwining of sex and violence, you see. But what unfolds between these naughty, viscera-drenched bookends is less of a traditional horror film and more of a psychosexual thriller, like “Funny Games” played between two, young attractive couples, with a setup borrowed from “Barbarian.”

In the script by Joshua Friedlander, a double-booking of a secluded rental mansion becomes a double date when Will (Alex Roe) and Cin (Andra Nechita) stumble in on the intimate weekend vacay of Sage (Maddie Hasson) and Diego (Marco Pigossi). The couples decide to make the best of it and stay, promising to rock-paper-scissors for the house if anything gets “weird.”

And get weird it does. While Diego and Sage seemed perfectly happy on arrival, the sexy, uninhibited Will and Cin have a way of nosing out their insecurities, finding the cracks in their connection and weaseling their way in. Suddenly, their lackluster sex life is on trial, and Sage’s resentment about financially supporting Diego while he pursues his dream of writing a novel bubbles to the surface.

Like any weekend-goes-awry horror movie (e.g., “Speak No Evil”), the female half of the couple catches a bad vibe that her male partner dismisses, due to his vested interest in wanting to stay. For Diego, it’s the promise that Cin will share his writing with his favorite author, for whom she claims to work. They overlook the red flags, blow off their opportunities to leave and decide to go all in with this wanton pair, drinking, playing games, breaking into secret rooms and dodging sexual overtures from each of them.

Morgan and her cinematographer Nick Matthews make the location fun to look at, with a saturated color palette and clever camera movements. However, there are scenes where the film is frustratingly dim and underlit, even if it might be justified by the power going out during a storm.

While there’s a certain verve and style to the middle section, where Will and Cin draw in their prey and toy with them, the Grand Guignol climax bears no rhythm or suspense; it’s merely a bludgeoning of the audience with carnage — too much too late.

Other blunt instruments? Roe and Nechita, who don’t play their roles with any subtlety. Roe’s Will comes off as a dangerous himbo; Nechita’s Cin is an over-the-top minx in her seduction of both Diego and Sage. While Hasson’s Sage is a plausibly strident freelance journalist type, you wonder if she has much experience with female friendship, because Cin’s manipulation is so painfully obvious. Pigossi’s self-obsessed novelist, however, is perfectly pitched in his all-around obliviousness.

There’s a kernel of something fascinating at the center of “Bone Lake,” a melding of sex and violence into gestures that are familiar from true crime stories. But there’s not enough motivation baked into the big third-act twist, and the performances just aren’t strong enough to suggest anything deeper.

“Bone Lake” offers up an appealing surface but it’s ultimately too shallow to get you immersed.

Katie Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

MARRIED At First Sight UK tensions boil over between grooms Steven and Keye – with explosive scenes set to air on Wednesday night’s episode.

In a teaser clip for the E4 show Steven is first seen giving his bride Nelly a stern warning.

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He tells her in a prickly moment: “People don’t need to know my business yet, because you’ll see a side of me probably, you won’t like”.

Moments later, the action cuts to fellow groom Keye as he squares up to Steven in a fiery exchange.

“I’m not trying to come to your relationship. I’m not. Couldn’t give a flying f**k. I’m here for my relationship,” Keye snaps.

But Steven is quick to hit back, firing: “You’re basically telling people to ‘f**k off.’”

Turning back to the camera, Steven fumes: “You are not part of his relationship, so see yourself out.”

The feud comes hot on the heels of the first commitment ceremony, where the couples sat down with the experts to talk through their journeys so far.

Despite the drama Steven and his bride Nelly had earlier looked stronger than ever.

However, she broke down when opening up about her insecurities.

Reflecting on her big day and honeymoon in Jamaica, Nelly said: “As soon as I saw Steven, I just felt really calm. I just got a really nice vibe from him. We had such an amazing time. We didn’t bicker and just got on so well.

“We laughed a lot. We have a similar sense of humour. We are really playful with each other. It’s exactly what I wanted.”

But she admitted her fears soon crept in and said: “I always just think, like, well, when is something gonna go wrong. 

“I’m kind of waiting for something to happen, and it freaks me out a little bit, that it hasn’t. Why aren’t we arguing? 

“Why haven’t you irritated me? Why haven’t I irritated you? I end up trying to look for something.

“So, for example, I love how affectionate you are on our honeymoon… And then I’d come back to the apartment, and I would kind of think, he’s not giving me a kiss this morning. 

“And then I get in my head and think, yeah, ‘cause he doesn’t like you. And then he will give me a kiss and I think, ‘Oh, that was nice. He does like me.’ And it’s just constant.

“And I even feel saying this now, I’m thinking, ‘Oh, my God, this is gonna give him the ik, and it’s gonna push him away.’”

Relationship expert Paul C Brunson then revealed Nelly’s three past relationships had all ended because the men cheated.

But Steven wasn’t scared off – instead, he admitted he was already falling for his bride.

Paul asked him directly: “So you’re on the path?”

Steven replied: “Yeah, 100%. I am.”

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Actor, singer and businesswoman Selena Gomez and music producer Benny Blanco were married Saturday in California, according to posts the couple shared on Instagram.

Gomez shared a series of dreamily filtered photos of the couple on a lawn in wedding attire — Gomez in a white halter-styled gown and Blanco in a classic black tuxedo, both reportedly designed by Ralph Lauren — while embracing and holding hands as Gomez gripped a simple bouquet of white flowers. The caption simply stated the date — “9.27.25” — flanked by white heart emojis and audio of “La Vie En Rose” overlaying the display. “My wife in real life,” read a comment from Blanco on the post. By Sunday morning, the post had already racked up more than 17 million likes, including from stars like Sabrina Carpenter and Sydney Sweeney. (It’s unclear if the photos were taken the day of the ceremony or earlier.)

On Sunday, Blanco shared his own commemorative post on Instagram with a caption that read: “i married a real life disney princess.” The series of photos included the couple, in their wedding attire, lounging on a white sofa and a close-up shot of their left hands with the wedding rings that now adorn them.

The couple’s weekend extravaganza was held in Santa Barbara, according to Vogue, with Taylor Swift and Gomez’s “Only Murders in the Building” cast mates Steve Martin and Martin Short among the guests reportedly in attendance. Meryl Streep, however, spent her weekend in Milan for Fashion Week, filming scenes for the sequel to “The Devil Wears Prada.” Earlier this month, Gomez said on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” that Short would be the ring bearer. (We’re still hoping that’s true.) Other stars said to be invited are Ed Sheeran and Gomez’s “Wizards of Waverly Place” co-star David Henrie.

The celebration comes nearly a year after Gomez, 33, and Blanco, 37, announced their engagement in December 2024. At the time of their engagement, Gomez shared the news on Instagram, captioning a series of photos of her ring with the words, “forever begins now.”

Gomez revealed in a cover story with Interview Magazine that she first met Blanco more than a decade ago, when she was about 16 or 17, to potentially collaborate on a song. (As a producer, Blanco has worked with numerous A-list pop stars, including Katy Perry, Sheeran, Kanye West and Maroon 5.)

But it wasn’t until years later that they finally worked together on the 2019 song “I Can’t Get Enough,” which also featured J Balvin and Tainy. In 2023, the couple confirmed their relationship and, that same year, worked together on her song “Single Soon.” Earlier this year, the couple released their first album together, titled “I Said I Love You First.”

One Married At First Sight couple was forced to get creative after a class 3 cyclone hit the area they were staying at for their honeymoon

Married At First Sight UK newlyweds Bailey and Rebecca were forced to get creative after a class 3 cyclone left them stuck in their hotel rooms during their honeymoon. When Rebecca walked down the aisle, she was initially unimpressed with Bailey as she revealed she was looking for an ‘alpha male’.

“I’m not sure if he’s alpha or not. He’s not my type,” the 32-year-old said in a confessional. However, Bailey has seemingly won her over with his romantic gestures during their honeymoon trip after he organised a sweet date when the hotel restaurants shut down due to a cyclone.

In a first look clip shared with The Mirror, Bailey is seen throwing rose petals onto the bed while Rebecca finished getting ready in the bathroom.

READ MORE: Married At First Sight star looks unrecognisable with new look after tense honeymoonREAD MORE: Molly-Mae Hague reacts to Paris Fury’s daughter Venezuela, 16, getting engaged

“Because of the cyclone, the restaurants are all closed in the hotel tonight so Bailey has told me to get dressed up and he’s going to sort it,” Rebecca said in a voiceover.

Bailey placed a plate of food in the middle of the bed, lit a few candles and poured them two glasses of rosé wine. When she emerged from the bathroom, an impressed Rebecca told him: “Wow, this is so nice.”

“It’s so nice to see him being really romantic and gentle and go to loads of effort for the date,” she told the cameras.

“Is this what you do for all your first dates?” she asked her new husband after they took a sip of wine. He cheekily answered: “No, only for you.”

Before their wedding ceremony, Rebecca discussed her ideal partner, stating: “I’m attracted to the alpha male. I’m attracted to the big man that can lead me by the hand.”

She added: “My standards are very high, I like to be in order and I like things to look nice. I won’t settle for anything less than perfection in my life and I feel the same about my relationships.”

Rebecca explained: “I’m attracted to the alpha male. Somebody tall, confident and who’s sure of themselves,” before adding she hoped an “alpha male” would be waiting for her at the altar.

“I’m picturing a man who’s got stature about him, I want him to be a dominant figure. I’ve walked away from something before because I didn’t want to settle. If they don’t tick enough boxes for me straight away, I will say how I feel,” she said.

However, when she finally met her new husband, the contestant admitted: “Alarm bells are going off in my head. He’s not my type.”

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A COUPLE have made a stunning discovery of English treasure while weeding their back garden and are set to sell it for £230k.

The husband and wife found an extraordinary stash of 70 gold Tudor coins in clumps of clay soil at their suburban home in Hampshire.

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After they wiped off the mud and laid out the coins on the decking, it dawned on them that they were remarkably preserved.

They’re now set to go to auction in Zurich, Switzerland in November where they’re expected to fetch an estimated £230,000.

The earliest coin dates back to the reign of King Henry VI in the 1420s but a large number are from the 1530s and the reign of Henry VIII.

Some contain the initials of two of Henry’s wives, Catherine of Aragon and James Seymour.

They were found in Milford-on-Sea which is near the historic Christchurch Priory.

The hoard may have been buried for safekeeping by an exceptionally wealthy church cleric during the time of Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries and Catholic priories.

The couple, who have asked not to be named for fear treasure hunters may descend on their quiet street, notified the authorities of their find in 2020.

Although the hoard was initially declared as treasure, it was later disclaimed and returned to the couple as no museums or institutions were in a position to buy it during the pandemic.

The coins are now set to go under the hammer at David Guest Numismatics’ auction in Switzerland where they will be sold individually.

It’s usually the case with coin hoards that a portion of the proceeds must go to the landowner, but in this case the finders are the landowners.

The couple are said to be “excited” about the sales which will be like a lottery win for them.

Auctioneer David Guest said: “It is a fantastic hoard found by a couple while they were gardening at the end of the garden of their home in Milford-on-Sea.

“They were digging in a flower border and found these circular discs in a clump of clay soil.

“They put them on the decking and washed them off and realised they were gold coins so they carried on digging and found a total of 64 of them in the same spot.

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“After they notified the Portable Antiquities Scheme the coins were examined by the British Museum.

“They organised a further archaeological dig of the site and found six more coins.

“The earliest coins are from the reign of Henry VI in the 1420s and they go right up to 1537 and the reign of Henry VIII.

“They are in a remarkable state of preservation.”

Guest added that it was clearly a hoard assembled over a long period of time and that the coins amounted to £26 which was the equivalent price of a house back then.

“It was a lot of money. I doubt most people in England at the time ever saw a gold coin,” he said.

“The gold coins could have belonged to a merchant of considerable wealth or a church cleric who was very rich.

“Milford-on-Sea would have been part of the estate of Christchurch Priory at the time.

“The dissolution of the monasteries was a very tumultuous time and we know that other hoards were buried at this time to keep money away from the King’s commissioners that sought to take control of lands.”

He said the couple who made the find were in their 50s with two children and added “they were sitting on a gold mine”.

“I don’t think anyone digging in their back garden can imagine what it would be like to find one gold coin from Tudor times let alone a hoard of 70.

“The combined pre-sale estimate is a considerable amount of money and a life changing amount for the vendors.

“I have invited them out for the sale but I don’t know if they are coming yet but they are very excited. We have considerable interest in the sale.

“Hoards always attract interest as people love stories about the thrill of finding buried treasure.

“Combined with the quality of many of the coins and the state of preservation adds to the appeal.”

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