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TWO years after hanging up his football boots to pursue a career in modelling, a major curve ball has seen Romeo Beckham land his first acting role.

The 23-year-old will make his big-screen debut this November in movie Forty Love, which centres on a same-sex romance involving two rising tennis stars.

Insiders say Romeo — the middle son of David and Victoria Beckham — honed his skills during secret acting lessons last year.

A source revealed: “Romeo has long been in demand for film and TV roles, but he made sure to do the work before putting his name to anything.

“Forty Love’s script and the team behind it resonated with Romeo, plus he has first-hand experience of being a professional sportsperson and knew he could bring that knowledge and experience to the role.

“It’s a French film and is currently only slated for release over there, although there will be plans for a wider rollout.

“Romeo had a handful of lessons with acting specialists early last year before they started filming. He has put his heart and soul into this role.”

Forty Love is described as a “sensual, romantic and deeply moving fable and coming-of-age story.”

Most of the movie will be in French, but Romeo plays an English-speaking character, using his native language in his scenes.

It is a far cry from the football pitch or runways across the globe where he has modelled for Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and Burberry.

His fans have applauded his new career, with many comparing Forty Love to HBO Max series Heated Rivalry, in which two professional male ice-hockey players have a secret romance.

But Romeo himself is aware of being branded a nepo baby as he expands his showbiz CV, just like his ex-footballer dad David and former Spice Girl mum Victoria did before him.

And he is not the first famous youngster to move into acting.
Maya Hawke — daughter of Hollywood actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman — is now a screen star following her breakout role in Netflix’s Stranger Things.

And Lily Collins, whose father is superstar singer Phil Collins, plays the lead role in the romantic comedy Emily In Paris.

A source said: “Romeo knows there will be a lot of eyes on him, but his work will speak for itself.

“This film will show people what Romeo can do. He is an impressive actor and this is a great starting point for him.

“He is still working as a model and he has just launched his clothing range Intra, which is a project he has been working hard on in the background.

“Romeo is a grafter.”

Forty Love will be the directorial debut for fashion photographer Pierre-Ange Carlotti, who has cast French actor Paul Kircher alongside Romeo.

Paul plays the leading role of Sacha Gallo, a tennis superstar who is vying to win a major trophy in Paris under the guid- ance of his coach and father.

Romeo will play his rival — and his love interest. The film’s synopsis says of Sacha: “For the first time, he faces an opponent of an entirely different nature — love.

“A force as exhilarating as it is destabilising — and far more dangerous than anything he has encountered on the court.”

Renowned French actress Catherine Deneuve has also been cast in the film, which will be released on November 25. Those close to Romeo say he is being quietly championed behind the scenes by David and Victoria, who are “beyond proud” of his new venture.

A source added: “David and Victoria have always supported all of their children. And seeing Romeo taking on his first big film is a huge moment for them. They couldn’t be more proud of him and what he has achieved.”

News of Romeo’s acting debut had been kept a closely guarded secret.

After turning down a new contract with Brentwood FC’s B-team in 2024, he signed to top French agency Paris Safe Management and returned to working as a model.

Work poured in for the youngster, who made his modelling debut for Burberry in 2012, aged ten.

In the months after his decision to step away from football, he walked on runways for Balenciaga, Burberry and Versace, before he was put forward for the role in Forty Love. Production started on the film last summer and wrapped late last year.

“Romeo didn’t want any fanfare around his new role, so he kept it very quiet,” an insider explained. “He wanted to get his head down and get his teeth into the character and focus on that as best he could.

“Romeo is used to playing a character on the catwalk — it’s why modelling is such a stepping stone for acting jobs because you are playing a role.

“His acting lessons made sure he felt confident and then he got to work.

“By all accounts, he loved the experience and it’s likely there will be more roles to come after Forty Love comes out.” Romeo will be following in his mum’s footsteps with his jump to the big screen.

Fashion designer Victoria was the first in the family to hit the big time in the Spice Girls film, Spice World, in 1997.

To date, it is the highest-grossing film of all time by a musical group, and in the US it broke the record for the highest-ever weekend debut for a Super Bowl weekend, with box office sales of more than £8million.
Twenty years later, David followed suit with a small speaking role in Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword.

He said of breaking into films: “I am very aware that many sportsmen and other celebrities have turned their hand to acting and failed. I know it is a tough profession, where you need a huge amount of skill and discipline. I wouldn’t want to push myself forward too soon, without learning more about it and doing a lot more practice. But what I have done so far, I have loved.

“I can deal with most things. I am a well-known person, so I have gotten used to criticism. It was nerve-racking delivering the lines, but it actually went really well.

“The thing about sport is that it gets the heart beating faster.

“You focus the mind in order to deliver. Acting has a similar feel.”

Romeo’s sister-in-law, Nicola Peltz, who is married to his estranged brother Brooklyn, works as an actress, too. But she has failed to make her mark on the industry.

Her directorial debut Lola, which she also starred in, came out to much fanfare two years ago. But it was savaged by critics and took just £480 at the box office.

Nicola was blasted for creating a film inspired by “poverty porn”, which a commentator said was “filled to the brim with underbaked, oftentimes harmful tropes”.

Undeterred by the failure, Nicola has spent the past few months filming Prima, which is a debut from famed photographers The Morelli Brothers.

They have worked with a legion of A-list celebrities, including Hailey Bieber, Lindsay Lohan, Gwen Stefani and Kris Jenner.

The indie film will see Nicola playing a ballerina who is raised and coached by her grandmother, played by Faye Dunaway. Prima is expected to be released later this year, although no official date has been confirmed.
Romeo, alongside the wider Beckham family, has had no meaningful contact with Brooklyn since he cut himself off last year.

Insiders joked Romeo was rivalling Nicola by entering the acting sphere, but conceded: “It’s hardly a competition.

“Romeo is carving out his own lane, just as he has done his entire career.”

Brooklyn, the eldest of the Beckham clan, demanded in January that his family only contact him through lawyers.

He later issued a blistering statement insisting he no longer wanted to be a part of the family.

His decision to cut himself off was hugely painful for the Beckhams, including his younger brother Cruz, 21, and his little sister Harper, 14, who was seen delivering a letter to the home he shares with Nicola in Los Angeles earlier this month.

A source said: “Brooklyn has made his position clear and the family have respected that.

“It’s painful for everyone involved.”

Romeo will be supported by family at the release of Forty Love, with promotional screenings being drawn up beforehand.

A source said: “David and Victoria are both so incredibly proud of Romeo.

“They know how hardworking he is and have supported him throughout this project.

“Romeo knows what he wants in life and will work hard to get it.”

Alan Titchmarsh’s comments came to light as he described a typical Saturday, which might include a shopping trip using something a BBC star has reportedly said they don’t like

Alan Titchmarsh has taken a swipe at a BBC Radio 2 star who “lives in London” over alleged comments about a vehicle he owns. Alan’s remarks came as he described a typical Saturday with his wife, Alison, following the couple’s recent move to a new home in Surrey after “living in Hampshire around farmland for 40 years”.

By 7am, the Ground Force legend is brewing up a cuppa for Alison and is “up and at ’em”, tackling a crossword to keep his mind sharp before heading outside to check his beloved garden.

Come 11am, the pair might venture out for a spot of shopping, and for that, it appears they rely on their trusty four-by-fours. However, Alan claims one BBC star is far from impressed by the vehicles.

The radio host in question apparently “slags them off”, yet Alan and Alison need them, particularly when navigating their local potholes — pointing out that the host is based in the capital.

He told The Telegraph: “Ali and I might head out and do a bit of [homeware] shopping. We’ve lived in Hampshire around farmland for 40 years, so both of us have four-by-fours. It’s all right when Jeremy Vine slags them off, but he lives in London.

“Out here, we need them! If you saw our potholes! When the two of us are driving, we’re almost always locked in conversation but I play music when I’m alone – either Classic FM, Radio 3 or Radio 4.

“The car picks up my iPhone music and I often listen to the score for the latest series of All Creatures Great and Small by Alexandra Harwood. It’s lovely.”

Keen cyclist Jeremy previously documented drivers breaking traffic laws and shared these on social media in an effort to spotlight the dangers faced by cyclists.

However, he abandoned this practice after suffering online “trolling”. He revealed on X: “I’m stopping my cycling videos. The trolling just got too bad. They have had well over 100 million views, but in the end the anger they generate has genuinely upset me.”

Indeed, it reportedly got so bad that he received death threats for posting videos of drivers, with some cruelly dubbing him “England’s biggest ***hole”.

He said: “Some of the biggest videos were actually about the smallest incidents, like someone turning left in front of me.

“People are happy to discuss it and I actually think that we’d all be safer if we all understood each other. People are going to drive 4x4s in Kensington and whatnot, but they need to have a bit of care for me on a bicycle.

“You might be in total control when you pass close by, but the person on a bicycle doesn’t know that. I just hope I was part of a dialogue about it.”

Whether Mira Costa has the best high school volleyball team in America is open to debate, but the Mustangs left little doubt they are No. 1 in the Southern Section on Friday night, sweeping Loyola 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 at Cerritos College to repeat as Division 1 champions.

UCLA-bound Mateo Fuerbringer was ready from the start, ending Loyola’s first three rallies with thunderous kills and the fourth with an emphatic stuff block. Ten points into the match, the 6-foot-4 junior hitter already had five kills and he ended the first set with his 12th as Mira Costa was ahead from start to finish.

“He’s always had the IQ, now you add the power on top of that?” Mira Costa coach Greg Snyder said of his star. “There are no answers. It’s a deadly combination. Mateo has no weaknesses.”

The teams traded leads throughout the second set until the Mustangs created separation late on the serving of Fuerbringer and Enzo Barker before Loyola’s Pax Stetson served into the twine to put Mira Costa up two sets to none.

The third-seeded Cubs took a 17-11 lead in the third set, but Mira Costa got in front 20-19 on Barker’s ace and Fuerbringer sent the green-and-white clad fans into delirium with his right-side smash on match point. He finished with 27 kills while Barker and UC Santa Barbara commit Wyatt Davis each added six. Mater Dei transfer Jake Newman had 38 assists and Dane Del Riego had 15 digs.

Loyola’s Brendan Maffel flings the ball past Mira Costa blocker Miles Crotty during the Southern Section Division 1 boys’ volleyball championship on Friday.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

“I always try to set the tone and Jake gave me great sets,” Fuerbringer said. “They were bombing serves in that third set and got up on us, but we stuck with it and closed it strong. We didn’t want to give them any momentum.”

Mira Costa won its 10th section title and improved to 10-8 in finals. It also won back-to-back titles for the second time in school history, the first coming in Division 2 in 2001 and 2002. Mira Costa is 2-3 in finals against Loyola, having fallen to the Cubs in four sets in 2005 and 2010, prevailing in five sets in 2012 and getting swept in 2024.

Mira Costa has won 10 straight matches (dropping only three sets) since its five-set defeat at Bay League rival Redondo Union on March 26. It avenged that loss in four sets April 20 to earn the top seed.

The teams were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the country when they faced off in a nonleague match March 21 in Manhattan Beach, where the Mustangs rallied from a two-set deficit to win 15-11 in the fifth in a two-and-a-half-hour marathon. That time, Fuerbringer had 37 kills.

“The first time we didn’t come out as strong,” he said. “This time we were ready to play and came out hot.”

In the semifinals six days earlier, Loyola upset No. 2 Redondo Union in five sets, avenging a close loss in the Redondo Varsity Classic final on April 18. Mira Costa swept No. 4 Huntington Beach — its third victory over the Oilers this season.

Mira Costa won the inaugural Division I state championship last spring and will begin its quest for a repeat Tuesday night (regional seedings will be released Sunday afternoon). If it runs the table, Mira Costa would equal its 37-2 record in 2025.

Pepperdine commit JP Wardy had 13 kills and Rafa Milchan added 12 for the Cubs (23-4), but senior captain Blake Fahlbusch, who is headed to USC, was held to nine. Libero Matt Kelly, a Loyola Chicago commit, had 12 digs.

“We know where everyone wants to swing and we know Blake’s their catalyst,” Snyder said. “When they need a kill they usually go to him.”

The teams did not meet in the postseason last year. Mira Costa defeated Huntington Beach to win the section and regional crowns while Loyola fell to the Oilers in the section semifinals and did not play in regionals.

Snyder has guided the Mustangs into the finals in each of his three seasons, winning the last two. He was with the program for 12 years prior, seven as a varsity assistant under Avery Drost.

Loyola’s JP Wardy gets blocked by Mira Costa’s Miles Crotty and Colby Graham during the Mustangs’ win Friday night.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Loyola, making its 19th appearance in a section final, dropped to 13-6 all-time and 7-6 in 28 seasons under 1984 Cubs alum Michael Boehle.

In the preceding Division 4 final, Sunny Hills beat Royal, 24-26, 25-22, 27-25, 25-23 for its second title since coach Albert Soliguen started the program in 2020.

Owen Filadelfia had 18 kills and eight digs, Christian Lee added 17 kills and 11 digs, Jacob Sueki had 16 digs and Parker Mesnik dished out 47 assists for the Lancers (21-14), who swept Carpinteria in the Division 5 final in 2022 at Long Beach City College.

Grant Herzer had 19 kills, Donald Fleming had 18 and each added nine digs for the Highlanders (16-11), who were seeking their sixth section title in their 11th trip to the finals, having won Division 2-A in 1989 and 1990, 3-A in 1992, Division II in 1994 and Division 3 in 2022.