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Former FBI chief, Robert Mueller, dead at 81 | Politics News

Former FBI chief Robert Mueller, who probed the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 United States election, has died at age 81.

“With deep sadness, we are sharing the news that Bob passed away” on Friday night, his family said in a statement Saturday.

“His family asks that their privacy be respected.”

Mueller was appointed as director of the FBI by then-President George Bush in September 2001, a week before the 9/11 attacks that would push him into the centre of a national crisis.

He became the key figure behind changing the FBI from combating crime to now countering national security risks following the attack on New York’s World Trade Centre.

In 2013, Mueller stepped down from the bureau and later by 2017 was appointed as special counsel to oversee the Justice Department’s probe into possible Russian interference in the election, which saw Donald Trump secure his first term over Democratic nominee, Hilary Clinton.

Following the announcement of his death, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to write: “Robert Mueller just died. Good, I’m glad he’s dead. He can no longer hurt innocent people!”

Mueller is survived by his wife and two children.

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Cops fear Towie star Jordan Wright was running from someone in haunting last CCTV before he was found dead in Thai ditch

FEARS are mounting that Towie star Jordan Wright was running away from someone before he was found dead in a Thai ditch, cops say.

Local police are now probing whether Wright was being chased as he frantically dashed to his hotel while glancing over his shoulder.

Jordan Wright was found dead in Thailand aged 33Credit: instagram
Haunting CCTV showed him running down a streetCredit: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress
He was seen running around frantically before being discovered in a drainage canalCredit: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress

Chilling CCTV captured the beloved TV personality running erratically past a truck before taking a sharp left turn.

The clip was timestamped to 11:25pm on March 12 – about 36 hours before he was found dead on Saturday.

Wright, 33, appeared to be somewhat disoriented and panicked as he rushed through the hotel complex.

He even grabbed onto a white pickup truck to help propel himself forward as he jolted away while turning.

TOWIE RIDDLE

Haunting final CCTV shows TOWIE star sprinting back to hotel in Thailand


STAR MYSTERY

6 unanswered questions in Towie star’s death from eerie phone location to CCTV

Police now fear he may have been trying to lose someone as he sprinted through the streets of Phuket.

Lieutenant Colonel Sutthirak Chuthong of Choeng Thale district station has refused to rule out foul play.

He said: “The circumstances leading up to the death are quite unclear. It is possible that other people were involved.”

Wright was weaving erratically through the Hotel COCO Phuket Bangtao grounds in the video.

Authorities have also confirmed that they will be reviewing CCTV again throughout Friday in order to get any more details from the haunting clip.

The grainy night-time footage has raised questions over what Wright was doing in the moments leading up to his death.

The CCTV shows him pacing back and forth before suddenly bolting out of the complex again and vanishing into the darkness beyond the hotel perimeter.

From there, his final movements become even more disturbing.

Wright is believed to have sprinted across rough, uneven fields surrounding the hotel before leaping down a 10ft creek.

He is then thought to have splashed through a shallow stream and scrambled towards a nearby construction site.

Wright grabbed onto a white truck as he took a sharp leftCredit: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress
The drainage canal where Wright was foundCredit: Asia Pacific Press via ViralPress

That site, which is a desolate, half-built area with no CCTV, would become the place where his body was found.

Two days later, a Myanmar worker harvesting morning vegetables made the grim discovery – around 300 metres from his hotel.

A hotel insider revealed he had been staying alone and had no visitors.

They said: “He would go out at night like other guests. There was nothing unusual until we could not find him when he was due to check out.”

Records show Wright checked into the hotel alone and was due to leave on March 13, but never showed up.

Questions are still swirling around his death, with key details about his final hours remaining a mystery.

Wright’s last Instagram postCredit: instagram
Jordan pictured front row, second from left, when he was a firefighterCredit: Instagram/@jordanwrights

He had moved to Thailand just weeks before the tragedy seeking a “fresh start”.

Just days ago, the reality TV icon shared a haunting final glimpse into his dream life in Thailand.

Wright had posted a glossy carousel of sun-soaked snaps and videos embracing his fresh start in Phuket before tragedy struck.

Sharing the glitzy new life with his 21.5k Instagram followers, he simply captioned the post “I’m Home” alongside a Thai flag.

He was pictured lounging in a luxury infinity pool, clutching a glass as the sun set into the ocean behind him.

Tributes have poured in for the late starCredit: instagram
Wright had been living in Thailand for weeksCredit: instagram

Another showed him grinning on top of a motorbike, soaking up the island lifestyle.

Tributes have since been pouring in for the late star.

Fellow Towie star Chloe Brockett wrote: “Rest in peace Jordan” and heart emoji.

Another wrote: “Oh Jord, gone way too soon. Rest in peace darling.”

A third said: “Oh Jord! This is heartbreaking to hear. You’ll be truly missed.”

From Basildon, Essex, Wright rose to fame on Ex On The Beach in 2017 before joining The Only Way Is Essex in 2018.

Wright also dated reality star Vicky Pattison and was known for his explosive storyline with Courtney Green and Myles Barnett.

He was 33 when he was found deadCredit: Instagram/@jordanwrights

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James Gracey, U.S. student missing in Spain found dead

March 19 (UPI) — A 20-year-old student from University of Alabama reported missing in Barcelona, Spain, after an evening at a nightclub was found dead Thursday, authorities announced.

Barcelona police said the body of James “Jimmy” Gracey of Elmhurst, Ill., was found on Somorrostro beach near the Shoko Barcelona nightclub where he was last seen, a representative from the Barcelona police said in a statement to CNN.

“Everything points to it being an accident, not a criminal act,” the statement said.

CBS News reported slightly different details about where Gracey’s body was found, saying authorities recovered his body after sending out boats, divers and drones to search the sea.

The El Periódico newspaper in Spain reported that sources told them Gracey’s wallet was found floating in the sea, but officials have not confirmed it.

Gracey traveled to Spain for spring break to visit friends studying abroad. His family said he visited Shoko Barcelona, a nightclub near the Villa Olimpica area, Monday and disappeared early Tuesday morning after being separated from his friends at the club.

The family said he was last seen wearing a white T-shirt, dark pants that were likely joggers and a gold chain with a rhinestone cross. He is 6 feet 1 inches tall and about 175 pounds.

Gracey’s family released a statement after news of his discovery was released.

“We are so grateful for the kindness and concern that has been shown for our family during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement read. “We have made the decision to pause media interviews at this time to focus on being together and caring for one another. Thank you for respecting our privacy and holding our family in your thoughts.

Before his body was found, Gracey’s aunt, Beth Marren O’Reilly, told NBC News that his “parents got a phone call that his phone was picked up, and that’s what drove them to be worried.”

Shoko Nightclub told CBS News Chicago that it has given the security video of that night to local police.

Cavin McLay, junior and president of the university’s Theta Chi fraternity, said he learned from a friend that Gracey was missing, NBC reported. He said he was told that a group at the club got separated, “and that was the last time they saw him.”

“My heart sank to my stomach. It’s definitely not a good text to wake up to,” he said.

The group that Gracey was out with said they didn’t have any encounters that made them worried for their safety before Gracey disappeared, McLay told NBC.

McLay said he was not staying with the same group of friends as Gracey and that there are about 10 friends visiting for spring break.

“Jimmy is a kind, responsible and devoted son and brother,” his parents, Taras and Therese Gracey, said in a statement. “It is completely out of character for him not to check in with family and friends.”

“He’s a great big brother, he’s a great son, he’s a great nephew, he’s just very beloved,” O’Reilly said. “He’s a very responsible kid, which is why we’re very worried. This is pretty out of character for him not to be in touch with friends and family.”

The U.S. Department of State is helping the family, and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said he has been in touch with the family.

“UA staff are in touch with the family and those associated with them to offer support and assistance in any way possible,” a spokesperson from the university said.

Founder of the Women’s Tennis Association and tennis great Billie Jean King (C) smiles with representatives after speaking during an annual Women’s History Month event in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Title IX in Statuary Hall at the U.S .Capitol in Washington on March 9, 2022. Women’s History Month is celebrated every March. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo

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Rainelle Krause dead: Coloratura soprano, aerialist was 37

Rainelle Krause, a coloratura soprano who went viral for singing a signature aria while hanging upside down from aerial silks, has died after a short hospitalization, her family announced “with immense sadness” Tuesday on social media. She was 37.

“Rainelle was a force in our lives, a brilliant talent defined by grit, fearlessness, curiosity, intelligence, integrity, and resilience,” the family said in a statement on Instagram. “Onstage, her voice matched the breathtaking power of her spirit. Offstage, she was a loving, caring soul whose vibrant energy lit up everyone around her. Our hearts are full from the years we shared, even as we’re shocked that her skyrocketing career was cut short.”

The family gave no further details about the circumstances of her death but said they were grateful to have Krause’s “preserved performances” to revisit. They said they would be planning a celebration of life “at a later date” but wanted to share the sad news now with friends and fans.

“Rainelle always gave her very best, pouring her heart into her art and those she loved,” the family said. “The best way we can honor her memory is by living her values every day. We encourage you to keep her memory alive by sharing her beautiful performances.”

Krause, whose website dubbed the Queen of the Night in “The Magic Flute” as her signature role, debuted in that role at the Metropolitan Opera over the holidays. She did the same last fall at Opera Atelier in Toronto.

“Although we knew Rainelle for only a matter of months, we will never forget her astonishing talent. We were awed by her bravery and daring and deeply moved by her willingness to draw all of us into her circle of friends,” Opera Atelier said Wednesday on social media. “Beautiful, generous, talented and kind, Rainelle is irreplaceable and will always hold a unique place in our memories.”

Born in Florida, Krause graduated from Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music with a bachelor’s in music and a master’s degree in music in vocal performance. The English National Opera said she trained with the Sankt Goar International Music Festival and Academy in Germany, the OperaWorks Advanced Artist Program in Los Angeles, Opera Las Vegas, the Taos Opera Institute and Opera Nova Costa Rica.

She performed with opera companies in Nashville and Atlanta, and in Texas she sang with the Dallas Opera, with symphony orchestras in Irving and Plano, and with a master chorale in Amarillo. She was set to debut with the Santa Fe Opera in May.

Internationally, Krause’s “The Magic Flute” performances included gigs in Berlin, Copenhagen and elsewhere. Roles outside of the Queen of the Night included the title role in “Lucia di Lammermoor,” the princess in “The Snow Queen,” Zerlina in “Don Giovanni” and Pat Nixon in “Nixon in China.”

As for her viral acrobatic performances, those appeared to have been on hold in the year before her death.

“I can’t even begin to express how much I miss aerial work,” Krause wrote last March on social media. “I’ve been dealing with horrendous shoulder impingement for months, I’ve been in physical therapy since last summer, I’m continuously learning new ways to attempt to build strength and fluency in order to support my VERY hypermobile joints.

“I am in pain most days,” she continued. “But I’m not giving up, I’m seeing incremental improvements, and I will fly again — this time working in concert with the body I have, instead of forcing myself to ‘just put in the work’ with all the wrong pathways.”



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Brian Doherty dead: Libertarian author falls to his death in Bay Area

An acclaimed author and historian of the libertarian movement fell to his death last week, his employer confirmed.

The body of Brian Doherty, 57, senior editor of the libertarian magazine Reason, was found Thursday “after a fall” in the Battery Yates park portion of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the publication wrote.

The National Parks Service law enforcement agency confirmed it responded to an incident at Battery Yates on Thursday “involving a male visitor who reportedly fell from the cliffside into the water.”

“The individual was recovered and pronounced dead,” said Scott Carr, parks service spokesperson, in an email. “We do not have any further information to share at this time.”

The Golden Gate Bridge is seen at dusk.

The Golden Gate Bridge is seen from the Fort Baker Marina in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in San Francisco. Doherty was found in the Battery Yates park portion of the recreation area.

(Los Angeles Times)

Doherty was the author of several books, with Reason saying his most notable work was the 2007 study “Radicals for Capitalism: A Freewheeling History of the Modern American Libertarian Movement.”

“Doherty has rescued libertarianism from its own obscurity,” the Wall Street Journal wrote of the work, “eloquently capturing the appeal of the ‘pure idea.’”

Libertarianism’s role in gun control and the courts was the subject of his works, and Doherty had no shortage of admirers.

Loren Dean, chair of the Libertarian Party of California, said it was Doherty’s work at Reason that brought him into the liberty movement.

“Brian Doherty was the best kind of libertarian: one who holds true to the principles of liberty as they are,” Dean said in an email. “He was a tireless champion of both gun rights and police reform who wrote books on both [former U.S. Rep.] Ron Paul and Burning Man; his work did not sit on either the ‘left’ or ‘right’ side of the authoritarian box, but delightfully outside that tired frame, where libertarian principles truly sing.”

Doherty began working at Reason in 1994, according to the publication’s obituary, left the company and returned in 2000 at the behest of Nick Gillespie, then editor-in-chief.

“What I liked most about Brian was his abiding interest in things happening on the margins of American culture, politics, and thought, and his deep appreciation for the prodigious bounty that markets deliver reliably and without moralizing,” Gillespie wrote in his farewell to Doherty, who had many opinion pieces published in The Times.

Far from just heady subjects, Doherty covered “both libertarian and whimsical” subcultures, according to the obituary, including New Hampshire’s Free State Project and the Seasteaders, a growing community of individuals dedicated to living on the seas.

The Seasteading Institute tweeted its condolences and noted the group had “appreciated his coverage of seasteading over the years.”

Doherty was a native of Queens, majored in journalism at the University of Florida and joined the college’s libertarian group in 1987, according to Reason’s obituary.

He moved to Los Angeles in the mid-1990s and joined a group known as the Cacophony Society, a gang who “inspired or created phenomenon ranging from the novel/movie Fight Club to urban exploration, billboard alteration, the Yes Men, flash mobs, and ‘Santa Rampages,’” according to the obituary.

One of those projects translated into the formation of the annual Burning Man festival, the obituary stated. Doherty later chronicled the famed artsy, hippie-like festival in his book “This Is Burning Man.”

“Libertarians talk a lot about freedom and responsibility. Brian embodied both,” Reason Editor-in-Chief Katherine Mangu-Ward said in his obituary. “His weird, colorful life — filled with comics and festivals and music and books — was a model of life lived freely and openly.”

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Kiki Shepard dead: Longtime ‘Showtime at the Apollo’ co-host was 74

Kiki Shepard, the actor and entertainer best known for co-hosting the syndicated variety show “Showtime at the Apollo,” has died. She was 74.

LaShirl Smith, a representative for Shepard, confirmed her client’s death, writing in an Instagram post Tuesday that the loss “hurts an awful lot.” Shepard died Monday in Los Angeles after a heart attack, Smith confirmed to TMZ. On Tuesday, Smith honored Shepard with a video collage of their shared moments over the years, lamenting she will no longer be able to speak with her friend “three/four times a day everyday at least for an hour or two.”

“Rest easy cousin, heaven got a good one,” Smith said in her post.

The Texas native, born in July 1951, co-hosted “Showtime at the Apollo” from 1987 to 2002. During her tenure, she shared the stage with a variety of co-hosts including Steve Harvey, Sinbad and Mo’Nique, introducing a range of musical acts at the historic theater in Harlem. The Apollo honored Shepard on its marquee Tuesday, remembering her as a “true Apollo legend.”

“Together, [the hosts] carried the electrifying spirit of our legendary stage into living rooms across the nation, introducing rising stars, celebrating icons, and making millions feel Harlem from wherever they were,” the theater said on Instagram, “reminding the world that we have always been a place where Black excellence takes center stage.”

More than a host, Shepard had an entertainment career that included TV appearances — among them “Baywatch,” “A Different World,” “NYPD Blue” and “Grey’s Anatomy” — and a handful of stints as a choreographer. An alumna of what was then called North Texas State University and Howard University, Shepard also had a minor role in “The Wiz.”

Her television credits include “Thunder in Paradise,” “Baywatch Nights,” “Family Law,” “Everybody Hates Chris” and the 2025 series “Highly Favored.” Shepard also pursued a career on stage, appearing in Broadway productions of “Bubbling Brown Sugar,” “Reggae” and “Porgy and Bess.”

Beyond entertainment, Shepard devoted herself to raising awareness for sickle cell anemia after a friend died of the affliction. In 2006, she founded the Kis Foundation, an organization that seeks to support sickle cell disease patients and their families, following years of other advocacy efforts.

“KiKi believed that compassion, community, and education could change lives. Her voice uplifted countless individuals who often felt unseen, and her work created lasting pathways for hope, resources, and understanding for those living with this disease,” Shepard’s family said in a statement to ABC7.

To daytime talk show host Sherri Shepherd, the beloved “Showtime at the Apollo” personality “was the life of every party” who had a welcoming and warm presence.

“Kiki I am devastated that you are gone, but I am rejoicing because you LIVED and you lived boldly and joyfully,” the “Sherri” host wrote in an Instagram tribute.

“Your love of God was evident and I know you are having a ball up there,” she added.

Mo’Nique and Jackée Harry also honored Shepard’s life and legacy on Instagram. “Rest easy, my dear sweet friend,” comedian Harry said, “I’ll carry you with me always.”



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London’s Burning cast now as John Alford found dead in prison weeks after being jailed

The hit firefighter TV show, London’s Burning, kept us glued to the safety of our sofas for an incredible 14 years, but where are the beloved cast now? Read on to find out

London’s Burning: Classic ITV drama teased in throwback trailer

The cast of beloved ITV drama London Burning have endured various fortunes since the popular show came to a demise in 2002. This month, actor John Alford made headlines after it was reported he had been found dead in his prison cell just weeks after being convicted of sex offence charges.

he actor who played Billy Ray in the series between 1993 and 1998 was jailed in January for eight years and six months for crimes against children.

The ITV show had viewers fixed on their sofas during its 14-year run on the network. With emotionally charged storylines and action-packed drama, many wished for more. But the show’s success was down to how much the audience warmed to the Blue Watch team.

London’s Burning began life as a two-hour film in 1986 before becoming the television series we all know and love in 1988. There were a total of 172 blazing episodes before the show was extinguished back in 2002. The firefighter drama was originally shot at Bermondsey’s Dockhead Fire Station, with filming in the first three series taking place in the actual watchroom, mess and bay area – where real-life firefighters leapt at the chance to work shifts as extras. Here, we take a look at the cast now.

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John Alford

Alford, who appeared on the show for five years, was best known as Billy Ray died this month, aged 54. Earlier this year, following a trial at St Albans Crown Court in September 2025, he was jailed.

The actor, who also appeared in Grange Hill, was convicted of six individual counts. There were two counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of penetrative sexual activity with a child, one count of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault.

A Prison Service spokesman told The Mirror: “John Shannon died in prison on 13 March 2026. As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.”

After his arrest, he told police: “This stinks. This is a set-up.” He denied all charges and previously told a trial that he “never touched either of the girls.”

Glen Murphy – George Green

George Green was the show’s longest-serving character and the only one to have appeared in every single series of London’s Burning. This hot-tempered former boxer joined Blue Watch at the start of series one, and enjoyed a steady stream of romances throughout his tenure.

Actor Glen is most well-known as the London’s Burning character, but he has also appeared in British thriller flick Tank Malling and The Bill. Back in 2007, he was awarded an MBE for his charity work after raising more than £1m for good causes. Now 68, Glen got to star with his childhood buddy Ray Winstone in the 2014 thriller Lords of London.

Sean Blowers – John Hallam

Did the immensely likeable but rather uptight John ever get that promotion he was chasing? He never did, did he? The character was left severely traumatised after being buried alive when a wall collapsed on a job in series four.

Five years later, John was brutally killed after falling 80 feet when a gantry gave way amid a warehouse inferno. Actor Sean, now 65, also appeared in EastEnders, Crossroads, Heartbeat and Doctor Who. You may also recognise him for playing Wyman Manderly in the finale of season six of the hugely popular Game of Thrones.

Richard Walsh – Bert ‘Sicknote’ Quigley

Blackwall’s resident hypochondriac, the aptly named ‘Sicknote’ was forever complaining about some malady or another. A wannabe star of the stage, he often made theatre appearances alongside his wife Jean, which his colleagues would begrudgingly go to show their support.

Sicknote bowed out in series 12, when he sadly perished in an explosion at a fireworks factory. Since leaving the series, actor Richard has appeared in daytime TV’s Doctors, the movie Daddy’s Girl, Midsomer Murders and Heartbeat. The now 27-year-old also made a cameo appearance in Netflix series The Crown as Joe Gormley in 2019.

Jerome Flynn – Kenny ‘Rambo’ Baines

“But he wasn’t in London’s Burning!” we hear you cry. Well, he did only feature in the initial TV movie, but we felt actor Jerome was worth a mention as he was just so phenomenally successful post Blackwall.

Jerome of course starred as Paddy Garvey of the King’s Fusiliers alongside Robson Green in hit drama Soldier Soldier. The pals even enjoyed multiple Number Ones in the music charts with their versions of Unchained Melody, I Believe and What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted?

Jerome, now 63, appeared in chilling 19th-century drama Ripper Street and an episode of Charlie Brooker’s disturbing Black Mirror in 2016. Game of Thrones fans will instantly recognise him as loveable rogue Bronn, who featured in countless episodes from 2011 to 2019.

In 2019, he also appeared as Berrada opposite Keanu Reeves and Halle Berry in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. In 2022, he starred alongside Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren in Taylor Sheridan’s ‘1923’ – a spin-off from the hit series Yellowstone.

James Hazeldine – Mike ‘Bayleaf’ Wilson

A hugely popular member of the team, Bayleaf was mess manager until he departed the show in series 8. The character was involved in many gripping storylines, such as being knocked unconscious when a wall collapsed and also being buried alive.

Very much a star of stage and screen, actor James was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred in children’s TV series Chocky as well as Heartbeat. James took on the role of Sigmund Freud in the play The Talking Cure in December 2002, but was shortly taken ill and sadly died a week later. He was 55.

Trevor Nunn, director of the Royal National Theatre, described him as “a leading actor of minutely observed truthfulness, comic brio and emotional daring” who “was also a man of infectious enthusiasm, great warmth and humanity who was universally popular among his colleagues”.

Ben Onwukwe – Stuart ‘Recall’ MacKenzie

Dubbed ‘Recall’ thanks to his unbelievable photographic memory, Stuart joined the team midway through series 4. The firefighter was almost dismissed from the crew when he refused to shave off his beard – something the team rectified by tying him down and shaving it off for him!

Since the show ended, actor Ben, now 68, has been keeping himself busy appearing in Coronation Street, as Clyde Johnson in Holby City and as Dessie Dunn in EastEnders. Back in 2018 he starred as Eric Pratchett in drama Safe, and the following year took on the role of W.E.B Dubois in Hero, inspired by the life and times of the Caribbean war hero, judge and diplomat Ulric Cross.

Ross Boatman – Kevin Medhurst

Renowned as Blue Watch’s resident troublemaker, this wayward firefighter would often scrap with colleagues and question the authority of those above him. The character Kevin came from a broken home and had suffered much sadness in his life before he joined the boys at the station.

Actor Ross is a top poker player and member of the professional playing quartet The Hendon Mob. Now 62, the actor has also enjoyed success in the European Poker Tour and proudly has several poker titles under his belt. He joined the cast of EastEnders in 2021 as Harvey Monroe, for which he won the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer.

Michael Garner – Geoffrey ‘Poison’ Pearce

It wasn’t until series 6 that old Poison joined the watch. He received his unpleasant nickname as he had a penchant for gossip and would overly pander to his seniors. The character wasn’t all bad, however, and could at times be very sensitive.

Post-Blackwall, actor Michael joined many of his co-stars by appearing in Doctors, Holby City and Casualty. Rather unexpectedly, he appeared in pop starlet Ellie Goulding’s music video for How Long Will I Love You in 2013.

Michael, now 72, is perhaps best known for treading the boards, with far-reaching roles in countless Shakespeare plays, Educating Rita and the less high-brow An Evening With Gary Lineker.

Samantha Beckinsale – Kate Stevens

Kate joined the crew in 1990 and quickly became a much-loved member of the team during her two-year stint. Actress Samantha had previously starred as WPC Martin in an episode of Thames Television’s Never The Twain.

Later in 1994, she landed the role of Gillian in the sitcom Time After Time. Three years later she starred as Jilly Howell in the short-lived sitcom Get Well Soon and in 1998 became Gillian Monroe in the short-lived sitcom Duck Patrol with One Foot in The Grave’s Richard Wilson. Samantha, now 59, has also appeared in Doctors, Holby City and Heartbeat.

Connor Byrne – Rob ‘Hyper’ Sharpe

Emotional scenes ensued in series 12 and 13 when Hyper came out as gay to his colleagues. He was later promoted to Leading Firefighter but never got a proper exit as he left for unknown reasons by the start of the final series.

Actor Connor is perhaps best known for playing Mike Milligan in all three of the Tracy Beaker shows, becoming the programme’s longest-serving cast member. Now 61, he also played Geoff in three episodes of Emmerdale back in 2019 and is appearing on our screens this year as Dale Roberts in Doctors.

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‘Buffy’ reboot dead at Hulu: Fans disappointed, hopeful for revival

Hulu the “Buffy” reboot slayer?

The Disney-owned streaming platform has pulled the plug on its much-anticipated “Buffy the Vampire” revival, a year after star Sarah Michelle Gellar confirmed the series was officially in the works. A “really sad” Gellar delivered news of the pre-debut cancellation to fans in a brief Instagram video shared Saturday. She was set to executive produce the series, tentatively titled “Buffy: New Sunnydale,” with Oscar-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao set to direct.

“I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots and thanks to Chloé I was reminded [of] how much I love her and how much she means not only to me but to all of you,” Gellar said. “This doesn’t change any of that.”

She added: “I promise if the apocalypse actually comes you can still beep me.”

Gellar’s bittersweet announcement prompted Los Angeles resident Bren O’Brien to organize a rally on Monday outside Hulu’s headquarters in Santa Monica. O’Brien, a lifelong “Buffy” fan, displayed several posters urging the streamer to reconsider its decision along the sidewalk. One bright red poster read “Bring Buffy Back!!” scrawled in black ink. Another, bearing Gellar’s likeness, asserted, “Canceling Buffy Isn’t smart, the world needs a hero!”

“I’m really sad. This was a moment that I’ve been waiting decades for,” O’Brien said.

Hulu officially began production on the “Buffy” sequel series after years of careful consideration by Gellar. Last year, the cast for the pilot was assembled while Gellar vowed , “We will only make this show if we can do it right.”

The “Buffy” star did not share additional details about the cancellation in her weekend post, but Zhao said at the 2026 Academy Awards red carpet that she was “not surprised” by Hulu’s decision.

“I had an incredible, incredible time with Sarah, with all the cast and crew doing this. We, first and foremost, see ourselves as the guardians of the original show,” the “Hamnet” filmmaker told Variety on Sunday. “Our priority for Sarah and for us has always been to be truthful to the show, to be truthful to our fans. So, things happen for a reason, and we keep our hearts open and we welcome the mystery.”

Actor Ryan Kiera Armstrong, who was set to lead the show as a supernatural slayer opposite Gellar, lamented the cancellation on Instagram. “Your slayer,” she captioned a photo of herself in costume.

“Buffy” premiered in 1997 and aired on the WB until 2001 when it moved to UPN. Though the series ended in 2003 , it spawned the spinoff series “Angel” which aired from 1999 to 2004 on the WB. Other prospective “Buffy” revivals, however, reportedly struggled to make it past development. Additionally, several actors in recent years have accused “Buffy” creator Joss Whedon of misconduct.

After Gellar broke the cancellation news, “Buffy” fans reacted online, with many of them slamming Hulu for its “terrible decision.” A representative for Hulu did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

O’Brien, among the disappointed fans, said he began posting about the cancellation online, creating posters and promoting his rally. He said he was surprised by Hulu’s decision because “Buffy” is “such a valuable IP to have,” considering its generations of fans.

“It’s just a no-brainer,” he added.

Erin McClory, a fellow “Buffy” fan, joined O’Brien outside of Hulu’s headquarters and held a poster depicting a wooden stake through a broken heart. She said she hopes rallying around the slain “Buffy” series can help persuade Hulu to reconsider its decision or prompt another network to pick up the show.

“It seems crazy for them to not even give it a chance,” she said.

Though both O’Brien and McClory say they’re eager for new “Buffy” material down the line, their support for the show remains steadfast.

“We’ll just keep doing what we’ve been doing and keep sharing Buffy edits [on social media],” O’Brien said, then sighed. “I want new content.”



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