Documentaries

A must-watch new documentary series has just hit Netflix and it’s a must-watch for foodies

Netflix has just released a compelling documentary series that follows a globally renowned TV chef as he tackles the most formidable challenge of his professional life.

The fresh six-part series launched today (Wednesday, 18th February) is essential viewing this week for food lovers.

Not only will it leave you salivating over Michelin Star-calibre cuisine but it also provides unprecedented access to one of Britain’s most cherished culinary icons.

Being Gordon Ramsay tracks the Kitchen Nightmares star’s latest audacious venture: launching five distinctive dining experiences atop 22 Bishopsgate, amongst London’s loftiest skyscrapers.

Throughout the thrilling behind-the-scenes look at the pioneering food and beverage enterprise, audiences will also discover Gordon’s domestic life with his wife Tana and their six children, reports the Express.

The London-based celebrity, who also maintains properties in Cornwall and Los Angeles, divides his time between treasured moments with his family and the gruelling demands of his career both domestically and internationally.

Admirers of the celebrated chef will experience poignant scenes as Gordon farewells his daughter Tilly to culinary school and reconnects with his youngest children following weeks of separation, alongside touching and frequently amusing exchanges with the chef and his wife as they playfully quarrel during the taxing new undertaking and reflect on their formative years together.

Netflix’s synopsis for the six-episode series guarantees a “pulse-racing” experience as “pressures mount” on the A-list chef.

Audiences will also be moved by his candid conversations about “fame and parental guilt” before Gordon “turns up the heat” in the nail-biting finale.

Get Netflix free with Sky for Bridgerton Season 4

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

from £15

Sky

Get the deal here

‘Dearest gentle reader’, as the fourth season of Bridgerton follows second son Benedict love story, there’s a way to watch this fairytale-like season for less.

Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan. This lets customers watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes the new season of Bridgerton.

Within hours of its release, subscribers have already been championing Being Gordon Ramsay as they flock to watch the must-see new docuseries in their thousands.

One fan characterised the series as “Pressure. Passion. Perfection” on X, whilst another shared: “gordon ramsay chaos? i’m already hooked.”

Another posted: “Gordon going all-in on five restaurants at once with £20M of his own cash? This is gonna be absolute chaos… and I’m 100% here for it Already hitting play tonight.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

Ensure our latest headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source.** Click here to activate**** or add us as your Preferred Source in your Google search settings.**

“I will be there!” another user vowed, and someone else concurred: “Oh I will be sat!”

The series has also garnered favourable reviews from critics thus far, with The Telegraph labelling it “stressful” yet “surprisingly enjoyable”, adding it “puts the Beckhams to shame”.

Are you craving mouthwatering exclusive insight into the life of Britain’s leading chef? Netflix has certainly delivered this week.

Being Gordon Ramsay is available to stream on Netflix.

Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix, which is out on Amazon Prime, follows Jesy’s life after she left Little Mix back in 2020, including her reflections on fame, pressure, and her own personal truth about that period

Jesy Nelson’s Amazon Prime Video documentary, which is out today (Friday February 13) is a major new six-part series.

Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix follows Jesy’s life after she left Little Mix back in 2020, including her reflections on fame, pressure, and her own personal truth about that period. It’s her most candid account yet of why she departed the group and how she’s processed everything that happened. Another central focus of the documentary is Jesy’s pregnancy with her twin girls, Ocean Jade and Story. The cameras follow the 34-year-old Romford star through what became a high-risk pregnancy including complications like twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome and emergency medical moments.

After the birth is also covered, when Jesy’s daughters were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1 — a severe, progressive genetic condition that causes muscle weakness.

Jesy uses the documentary to share her family’s real-time experience with this diagnosis and to raise awareness about it, including campaigning for expanded newborn screening in the NHS.

Besides the physical journey, the Amazon Prime series also revisits her personal and emotional challenges, including struggles with the pressure of fame, mental health battles, and what it’s been like stepping back from one of the UK’s biggest pop acts.

Get Amazon’s Prime Video free for a month

This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more

£8.99

£0

Amazon

Get Prime Video here

TV lovers can get 30 days’ free access to tantalising TV like The Boys, Reacher and Clarkson’s Farm by signing up to Amazon Prime. Just remember to cancel at the end and you won’t be charged.

Many fans have been excited to watch the documentary, however some have confessed online they ‘don’t think they can watch it’ for one reason – that it will leave them too emotional.

One person wrote: “I’m not gonna handle this well I’m already emotional about it.”

While another added: “My heart. I don’t even think I can watch this. I’m already crying.”

A third chimed in: “I’m gonna weep aren’t I,” while a fourth added: “She deserves to tell her side of the story after years of being silent.”

Jesy recently confessed that she considered leaving Little Mix after just two years as she struggled to cope with the pressure and the spotlight after winning The X Factor.

However, she went on to spend a decade in the band before quitting.

Jesy said: “That [leaving] presented itself far before I made that decision.

“There was a time where I was like ‘Oh, I want to leave’ and I remember sitting down with my family… and it was actually because of my brother that in the end I stayed.”

She added: “The first time I wanted to leave I remember I went home and we were kinda weighing up the [pros and cons]… and at that point we weren’t even like at our biggest.

“We were, it had only been like two years, but we were still big. Everyone still knew who Little Mix were so it was like ‘if you leave now, what are you going to do?’”

Speak on the Great Company with Jamie Laing podcast, Jesy also praised her brother for his advice that ultimately kept her in the band and for encouraging her to make as much money as she could off of Little Mix‘s fame.

“My brother was like ‘you are so much stronger than you give yourself credit for and I think you can stick this out for another few years,” she explained.

Andy Gilpin returns to his hometown and finds it has become the somewhat unlikely hottest thing in travel

It’s 1.24pm on Friday afternoon and while most pubs around the UK at this time would be empty, The Turf is full. There are regulars, a retirement party and a vociferous pool game.

There’s also Wayne Cram, from Boston (that’s Massachusetts, not Lincolnshire), supping pints with Max from Wrexham, who’s just come in for a swift half after a hospital appointment. These two would normally never meet, especially here, but they’ve been brought together by one thing – Wrexham FC.

Almost attached to the historic Racecourse Ground, The Turf is one of the main stars of the Welcome to Wrexham show that’s got people flocking to this unassuming and in some ways run-down North Wales city. It follows the fortunes of a football club bought by Ryan ‘Deadpool’ Reynolds and Rob ‘It’s Always Sunny’ McElhenney.

And people have fallen in love with the show. New research says Wrexham is the UK’s newest holiday hotspot for 2026 – with bookings surging an astonishing 184% compared to 2025.

But why and what leads the likes of Wayne to travel 3,200 miles to a place that used to be famous for a giant slag heap and a massive industrial estate?

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

READ MORE: I met the King of Benidorm – he knows where to find 87p pints and best beachesREAD MORE: I went to opening of major new Wetherspoons – everyone says the same thing

“I’m like the Richard Dreyfuss character in Close Encounters of the Third Kind” explains Wayne. “I was looking for something. I was probably making models of the Racecourse Ground out of mashed potato. I didn’t know what I was looking for, but when I came here, I found it.”

Wayne has been over to see Wrexham five times – six if you count the 10 hours he drove to watch them play in Philadelphia. The first time he ‘kept under the radar’ and didn’t interact much.

Now, you can’t shut him up about Phil Parkinson’s 3-5-2, the recent transfer window and if the club have enough for four promotions in a row.

“I don’t know what the show’s demographic was, but I am it,” he adds. “I keep getting pulled here.”

The Turf’s landlord Wayne Jones is also about grafting, pulling pints, carrying boxes and chatting to regulars. While he’s a star of the show, he doesn’t particularly like the limelight, but will happily pose for selfies for people from all over the world. It’s what has got his pub so busy.

One of the people playing pool is Bryan Still. A former Wrexham Supporters Trust board member, he now runs tours of Wrexham in his minibus, taking eager foreigners to the places that feature and the people who star in them.

Bryan is one of those people who has a story or quip about everything and everyone. We jump into his taxi as he drives into town, pointing out interesting landmarks on the way. We go to the Wrexham Lager Brewery, now 95% owned by Ryan, Rob and their investing partners, the Allyn family.

We visit the historic St Giles Church, one of the seven wonders of Wales, where the founder of Yale University, Elihu Yale, is buried, as well as various murals around the city dedicated to heroes of the club.

We also pay a visit to Rob Clarke, owner of Mad4Movies in the Butchers Market and another regular in the show. Wayne chats to him, before an Aussie fella can’t wait and jumps in, much to the Bostonian’s amusement.

It’s good-natured fun, but it’s not all good news in Wrexham County Borough. While the Turf is full, the high street is empty. Rob’s shop is well visited, but other stalls in the market are struggling for footfall. Shop owners don’t believe the council is doing enough to get people spending in the city – whatever the benefits of the documentary are.

Back at the Turf, Wayne Jones is still busy, but he stops to talk about Flo’s ‘world famous’ baps on the counter at £2 a pop.

“They’re world famous because Rob McElhenney had one once,” says Wayne, before giving us some intel on Millwall fans’ whereabouts and carrying on the graft.

Scoot, lead singer of the Declan Swans who’s song ‘It’s Always Sunny in Wrexham’ is a soundtrack to the show (think this ‘less than a mile from the centre of town’) is talking to a German fella. Bassist from the band Mark Jones is milling around after finishing his shift. A Yorkshire-based reporter charged with covering the club has just walked in and Boston Wayne is holding court with all of them.

Everyone here seems to have a link to either the club, the documentary or both. Even me. I do the voice-over for the show.

My hometown is in the spotlight of the world, and I, Wayne(s), Bryan, Scott, and so many others want to show it off. And you may get embroiled in a chat about the merits of 3-5-2 and a world-famous bap in the bargain.

You get the slap heap for free.

Book it

For inspiration and where to stay and what to do in and around Wrexham, visit the Welsh tourist board.

These true crime documentaries are much better than Netflix’s latest

Documentaries can offer substantial insight into the lives, crimes and untold stories behind some of the biggest headlines worldwide, whether they’re examining the past or exploring current affairs. The market has become saturated with stories, particularly when it comes to true crime.

Netflix’s Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart is no exception to this rule. The streaming platform continues to captivate viewers with almost unbelievable stories and a stereotypical, predictable twist that leaves people craving more.

That’s how they draw you in each time they promote a new, never before told story. Elizabeth’s story concerns a teenage girl snatched from her bedroom at knifepoint in Salt Lake City, Utah, back in 2002.

The case is described by Netflix as “one of the most intense and widely covered missing-persons cases America has ever seen”, and whilst that may hold true across the Atlantic, it doesn’t quite resonate in the same way over here.

It’s a story told in her own words; the ending being spoiled across the numerous adverts plastered on the streets of London. The first half of the documentary would have you believe the worst had happened, but the revelation of a middle-aged Elizabeth recounting her experience living off-grid in captivity makes the entire story even more unbelievable, though not in a mind-blowing way.

In truth, once the twist was unveiled, the documentary never really gained momentum or suspense. Instead, it followed the same pattern as many other Netflix documentaries. The case of Elizabeth Smart will, regrettably, be consigned to the pile of documentaries that caused a ripple, not a wave.

This isn’t the case for all documentaries, as some continue to leave a lasting impression on me years later. Documentaries need to stir you, to provoke you, to make you question the very fabric of society.

They don’t need to be packed with twists and turns purely for the sake of shock value.

Unknown Number: The High School Catfish (2025)

One recent Netflix documentary that hits the mark is Unknown Number: The High School Catfish, which focuses on a teenage couple terrorised by a troll at the end of a phone line. It all started with a text message.

The relentless torment of Michigan high school students Lauryn Licari and her ex-boyfriend, Owen, led to an investigation that pointed to a multitude of potential suspects. Classmates, friends, even family members are drawn into the spotlight.

For this small town, it was a real-life whodunnit. The abuse hurled at the teenagers goes beyond simple bullying, with death threats, sexually explicit messages and horrific rumours lurking around every corner. The youngsters’ lives were deeply affected, as they recount the events as 18 year olds.

The most shocking part? The identity of the person behind those messages. I won’t ruin the surprise, but be prepared for your eyes to bulge and your jaw to drop.

You’ll never view an anonymous text message in the same light again.

The Keepers (2017)

In a similar vein to Netflix’s Making a Murderer, The Keepers delves into the unsolved murder of nun Catherine Cesnik in 1969.

Her former pupils suggest there was a cover-up by authorities after Sister Cathy suspected a priest had sexually abused students at Baltimore’s all-girls Archbishop Keough High School.

Now adults, the former students share their experiences at the Catholic school with those in positions of power there and within the local church, including sexual abuse, intimidation, and one student even witnessing the body of a deceased nun.

The Keepers transitions from the disappearance and murder of the nun to the concealment of abuse perpetrated by prominent members of the Catholic church, and the survivors’ ongoing battle for justice decades after the crimes. For true crime enthusiasts, sadly, there is no definitive answer as to what happened to Sister Cathy, but perhaps one day there will be.

Blackfish (2013)

There’s an old adage about not interfering with nature, and that extends to the animal kingdom. Blackfish examines the captivity of Tilikum, an orca implicated in three fatalities, including that of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau, and explores the ramifications of confining orcas in such environments.

The film reveals the circumstances surrounding Tilikum’s capture back in 1983, the treatment marine creatures endured at various marine parks, and the orca’s interactions with trainers and other orcas. It’s essential viewing, though not suitable for those easily disturbed.

This documentary will make you reconsider ever visiting or financially supporting SeaWorld again.

When Louis Met… (2000) & Louis Theroux, Savile (2016)

Having established himself as a familiar face over the decades, Louis Theroux launched his documentary career with his Weird Weekends, immersing himself in the lives of others. He explored an array of unconventional and controversial subcultures, crime and the justice system, and celebrities.

Louis’ awkwardness is also his charm, something audiences have grown accustomed to witnessing over the years. Brits will appreciate his idiosyncrasies and intellect.

His most notorious work involves his encounters with former “childhood hero” Jimmy Savile, a story he revisits 16 years after his initial documentary with him.

The first documentary examined Savile’s ascent to stardom as a TV and radio presenter, alongside his domestic life. Whilst Theroux briefly touches upon the allegations of paedophilia and sexual abuse, Savile dismisses them with laughter.

It wasn’t until 2012 that the world was made aware of the true scale of Savile’s offences, exposing a host of predatory individuals in the aftermath of Operation Yewtree. In his 2016 film, Louis revisits his past association with Savile and converses with some of Savile’s victims and those who worked closely alongside him.

Given our current knowledge, it’s challenging to look back and not see the rumours as glaringly evident. How? Who? Why? For how long?

One is almost at a loss for words contemplating how a public figure, swamped with these types of allegations, was permitted to continue, and who was shielding him. The 2016 documentary prompts not only Louis but an entire generation to question what they believed they knew.

If you want ideas and inspiration to plan your next UK adventure plus selected offers and competitions, sign up for our 2Chill weekly newsletter here

The shocking true crime series is guaranteed to make viewers emotional

True crime fans are only just realising there is a harrowing true crime series that is not to be missed, and it is available for free streaming now.

Murder in the Family is a brutal true crime documentary series spanning across three episodes, each delving into its own shocking murder investigation.

Using police evidence and harrowing real life footage, the series shows the police investigation from start to finish in heart-breaking investigations that rocked a community.

Despite being first released back in 2023, true crime fanatics are tuning in to the “shocking” series that can be streamed on ITVX in full.

Telling the story of seemingly ordinary relationships that result in tragic consequences, the documentary explores the most burning questions of “how and why”.

ITV teases: “Explore three shocking British murders in this haunting crime doc. Told by those closest to the tragic events, discover the killers’ motives behind their fatal acts.”

The first episode plunges viewers into the shocking case of Cheryl Hooper as ITV penned: “Cheryl Hooper is shot dead by her husband – using shocking police evidence and intimate family footage, this documentary explores how and why.”

Many viewers have dubbed the series as a must watch. Previously taking to TikTok, one true crime fan said: “Guys, if you’re looking for something good to watch then watch Murder in the Family, it’s on ITVX, there’s three episodes and it’s absolutely brilliant. Very sad, but brilliant.”

In a separate video, another said recently they have discovered a whole host of true crime content available to stream on ITVX. They added: “I don’t know why I’ve never really looked through it properly before, but there’s actually loads and loads of true crime documentaries and I watched one of them this weekend.

“It was genuinely one of the most heartbreaking but I felt like I was watching it through the eyes of the victims. And I would highly recommend giving it a go.

“It’s called Murder in the Family, I think it was maybe released in 2022 so you might have seen it but I don’t remember watching it.”

They later continued: “I would check trigger warnings on this because it’s really, really sad and quite detailed and in some parts graphic I suppose you could say, but it’s such a focus on the victims, the victims families…”

In another video, one person commented: “The third one is shocking, really bad”, as another wrote: “This was wild.”

One IMDB reviewer echoed: “This is the human side of the effects of horrific crimes, and it’s extremely well presented. Of course, that makes it gut wrenching to watch.”

Murder in the Family is available to stream on ITVX.

True crime fans can binge watch a harrowing series for free

A gripping true crime documentary series hosted by a late Hollywood A-lister is available to stream for free, the perfect binge watch for true crime fans.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and so are plenty of romantic watches. But for fans of true crime and criminal investigations, there is one show to put on your radar in the coming weeks.

Pluto TV has brought its single series channel dedicated to the Meet, Marry, Murder true crime documentary series. Hosted by Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Michelle Trachtenberg, it explores some of the most chilling cases where spouses are killed by their partners.

Focusing on how love turns deadly and investigates the darker side of marriage, the documentary hones in on one of the most common forms of murder – involving a married couple.

Pluto TV teases: “The single series channel dedicated to the ‘Meet, Marry, Murder’ true crime documentary series, hosted by Michelle Trachtenberg, explores chilling cases where spouses are killed by their partners, focusing on how love turns deadly and investigates the darker side of marriage.”

Meet, Marry, Murder will be available to stream completely for free on Pluto TV, with it being dubbed the perfect watch for fans of true crime. The series features emotional interviews as well as investigating how a life time commitment of love ends in disaster and heartbreak.

Taking to IMDB, many fans said the series was “one of the most interestingly detailed” documentary shows. One person praised: “This show is one of the most interestingly detailed true crime documentary shows. The stories are ones I had not seen or heard before as I watch quite a bit of true crime so that kept me watching.

“You hear from people very close to the story so you are very emotionally pulled in and get a large amount of detail to what led up to the sad event.” They added: “The show as a whole is a great true crime documentary series.”

Another person penned: “Did enjoy binge watching this though and the stories they made episodes on. Still love Michelle, just think maybe something else is for her in terms of hosting.

“Otherwise I enjoyed the performances and the way they build up certain twists in some of the stories. This kind of show is different because it’s not strangers, it’s people in marriages that spiral downwards.”

A third added: “Interesting new show and somewhat different then most true life crime shows. Michelle Trachtenberg who host this show in many ways is like Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Michelle, commentary on the case being viewed is very much same as Elvira’s remarks during the movie she is doing.

“Both women are very goth in the manner of dress and make up! While all the cases that Michelle does in Season 1 are ones I have already seen on other true life crime shows. That said, Michelle color commentary is unique to this show [sic].”

Adam Lewinson, Chief Content Officer, Tubi said at the time of release: “At Tubi, we are excited to expand our offerings within the true crime genre with the premiere of Meet, Marry, Murder.”

He added: “Viewers’ fascination with true crime content is ever-growing and we know Meet, Marry, Murder will captivate audiences and keep them at the edge of their seats.”

Meet, Marry, Murder is available to stream for free on Pluto TV.

A reality TV series dubbed the ‘best show ever’ is returning for a second series and fans are predicting a ‘wild ride’.

A reality TV series that has been branded the “funniest show” is returning three years after its first season.

Social experiment Jury Duty first aired on Amazon Freevee in 2023, with a second instalment hitting Amazon Prime Video in March this year.

The hoax sitcom follows a fake jury trial, with construction worker Ronald Gladden serving as a juror, unaware that the proceedings around him aren’t real.

Starring James Marsden as a fake juror, portraying an over-exaggerated, parodied version of himself, and a series of actors as the other jurors, including one who keeps falling asleep, Jury Duty shows the inner workings of a trial in the US.

Everything that goes on is entirely planned, unbeknownst to Ronald, who thinks the people around him are actually as chaotic as they seem.

The documentary-style comedy sees Ronald share his baffled thoughts to the camera before realising what actually happened.

He later won $100,000 as part of the experience, saying his life “completely changed overnight” once it aired.

He added, “I had a feeling in my gut the whole time that something wasn’t right. They got me on camera multiple times saying, ‘I feel like I’m on reality TV. Like, this can’t be real. What’s going on?”

“The day of the reveal, everyone was so quick to let me know that, like, ‘Hey, we understand that none of this was real. But the one thing—that the relationships we formed were real.”

“They were so quick to just let me know that that wasn’t fake. And that honestly is what made the whole thing worth it for me.”

The series received a roaring response from critics and audiences alike, with three Emmy nominations, two Golden Globe nominations and a Peabody Award.

It is now set to return, Amazon Prime confirmed, but this time, Ronald will be free from the chaos.

A teaser trailer was posted on social media, captioned: “Welcome to the retreat. Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat premieres March 20 on @primevideo.”

The video took a look back at the original series, before teasing: “Now, we’re following a business on their annual company retreat. Except this is not a real company. It’s fake. Everyone involved is an actor. Except Anthony.”

One person is then heard saying: “If I go home and tell my parents about this stuff, they’re gonna be like, ‘You’re lying’.”

As per Deadline, Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat will follow a corporate offsite event at a family-owned hot sauce company, with Anthony featuring as a recently hired temporary worker.

The entire experience will be staged, with every “colleague” assigned a role around him, and scenes in conference rooms and during downtime, all orchestrated.

When the founder announces he’s preparing to step down, the retreat transforms into a clash between corporate ambitions and small-business values, with the future of the company and whose hands it will fall into all up in the air.

Fans have been left over the moon at the glimpse of a new season, with one writing: “I’m so excited to see this.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website

“Season 1 was too good, we are ready!” another wrote, as a third said: “Best. Show. EVER. Can’t wait for S2!”

“I don’t know how you can top the original, but I’m dying to see!!!!” someone else said.

Another commented, “If this is even half as chaotic as Jury Duty, we are in for a wild ride. But honestly, am I the only one wondering if they can actually pull off the ‘fake person’ trope again without everyone being suspicious? The bar is set so high. I just hope it’s actual comedy and not just another over-produced ‘reality’ mess. March 20th can’t come soon enough. I need to see if this lives up to the hype or if it’s just a one-hit wonder.”

When previously discussing possible future seasons of Jury Duty, showrunner Cody Heller told Variety: “Obviously, it would have to be a whole different universe. You couldn’t just do jury duty again, because then people would be like, “Wait a second”.

“But I do think that it’s possible. I do think there’s a million different worlds that this kind of thing could exist in.”

Jury Duty is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

As the Sundance Film Festival winds down its final edition in Park City, Utah, this week, ahead of its move to Boulder, Colo., next year, its sway over the nonfiction field at the Oscars remains as steady as ever. All five current Academy Award nominees for documentary feature premiered at last year’s festival, with Sundance films winning the category six times over the last decade.

“Sundance has been a kick-starter for my entire career,” says Ryan White, director of “Come See Me in the Good Light,” his fourth film to premiere at the festival. The intimate portrait of Colorado poet laureate Andrea Gibson, who faces a terminal diagnosis with a spirit of resilience, needed the boost. “The lead words are poetry and cancer, and it’s a character-driven film about a non-binary person,” White says. “It wasn’t the easiest film to get off the ground.” A similar challenge could apply to other nominees, including “Mr. Nobody vs. Putin” and “Cutting Through Rocks,” which focus on everyday individuals taking on oppressive systems in Russia and Iran, respectively. “There are the types of films that can get lost because they’re not about a celebrity, and they don’t have these marquee descriptors. Sundance does such an amazing job of discovering these diamonds.”

Andrea Gibson, left, and Megan Falley in “Come See Me in the Good Light.”

The exposure at the start of the film festival season “gives you that one-year runway that allows you to play festivals all year long,” says White, who was back at Sundance to celebrate the end of an era. He also knows the pain of not making the cut. “My first two films didn’t get into Sundance, and then my third one did. I’m always telling young filmmakers to use the Sundance rejection as fuel.”

A festival berth was strong motivation for “Mr. Nobody” filmmaker David Borenstein, who collaborated with his subject, a schoolteacher near the Ural Mountains named Pavel (“Pasha”) Talankin, as he quietly documented Russian propaganda efforts to rally his young students around the war in Ukraine. “That was the goal the entire time making this film,” says the director, an American based in Copenhagen. “I never thought once about anything after Sundance.” When the Danish Film Institute submitted his film as the country’s entry for the international feature Oscar, he had a new goal. “We were the last to start campaigning because we didn’t have a streamer behind us.”

Borenstein interrupted a family vacation in the Dominican Republic to return to Sundance for meetings and figure out next steps. “Forget winning or losing,” he says. “You have six weeks where you have a voice, where Pasha has a voice. How do you use it?” Talankin, who fled his home — first for Turkey, then the Czech Republic — is, for the moment, no longer “Mr. Nobody,” but as Borenstein notes, “He sacrificed his whole life to do this.”

Iranian American filmmakers Mohammadreza Eyni and Sara Khaki were well into the eight-year production of “Cutting Through Rocks” when they became recipients of a 2020 Sundance Documentary Fund grant. “The timing was perfect and we really, really, really needed that support,” says Khaki, joining Eyni on a video conversation from Park City, where their film won the Grand Jury Prize in the world cinema category last year. “Sundance is something beyond only the festival for us,” Eyni says. “It’s more about persistence as a filmmaker and the cinematic approach to the stories and sense of community.”

“Cutting Through Rocks” follows Sara Shahverdi, the first woman elected to the council of her northwestern Iranian village, as she challenges the practice of child marriage and other patriarchal norms and empowers young women by showing them how to ride motorbikes, as she does herself. The message of resistance feels relevant worldwide, but most urgently in Iran, where estimates of deaths during recent protests top 30,000 people. “We want small stories and anecdotes to remind us that we can bring change,” Eyni says, “even when it’s tough, even when it seems impossible.” Although the film is the first documentary from Iran to be nominated for an Oscar, the news has been hard to share there because of the government’s weeks-long internet blackout.

“We are experiencing a lot of complex emotions,” Eyni says.

Sara Shahverdi, the subject of Oscar-nominated documentary feature “Cutting Through Rocks.”

(Gandom Films)

Sundance thrives on exactly those kinds of feelings. The dramatic premiere of “Come See Me in the Good Light” was, for its filmmaker, “The best night of my entire career.” What began as a film about the end of Gibson’s life quickly became a story about the joy of a life well-lived, experienced alongside the charismatic subject’s wife, poet Megan Falley. When White broke the news about the film’s acceptance, “Andrea was so emotional saying, ‘You’re telling me if I survive for six more weeks, I might see this movie?’” he recalls. And they did.

“I think people fell in love with Andrea during the course of that film, but they probably assumed that Andrea had passed away, and they were about to see a card at the end of the film,” White continues. Then Gibson walked up. “It was like a rock star rising from the ashes. You could literally feel the theater vibrating.”

King Charles has revealed how he was always going to stick to environmental campaigning – despite fierce criticism – in a new documentary for Amazon Prime

The King has revealed how he refused to be diverted from campaigning on an important issue despite receiving ‘upsetting’ criticism. Charles makes the admission in a brand new Amazon Prime documentary, which looks back at the monarch’s ‘Harmony’ philosophy and his lifelong commitment to green issues.

The 90-minute film, called Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision, sees Charles warn that the situation with the environment is “rapidly going backwards” with mankind “actually destroying our means to survival”. But he also expresses his hope for the future and says that “by the time I shuffle off this mortal coil” that there might be more awareness of the “need to bring things back together again”.

READ MORE: Prince William reveals fears for youngsters relying on texts and social mediaREAD MORE: Royal Family LIVE: Prince William’s strict ‘stumbling block’ that’s halting Harry reunion

The documentary sees the King collecting eggs from his chickens at their “Cluckingham Palace” coop on his Highgrove estate, and reveal his love of a crispy baked potato, declaring that “red Duke of Yorks” are the best variety for this.

Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet, who narrates the film, also recounts how Charles was “haunted” by the criticism he faced after he said in a 1986 television interview that he talked to plants.

The documentary describes how the King, as Prince of Wales, emerged as a key figure on the environment over the years, making regular keynote speeches, despite “cries from some that he should take a back seat”, Winslet said.

The King, in new footage, adds: “I just felt this was the approach that I was going to stick to. A course I set and I wasn’t going to be diverted from.”

After an academic comments that the world is not on the “trajectory” needed to limit the worst affects of climate change, Charles remarks: “It’s rapidly going backwards, I’ve said that for the last 40 years, but anyway, there we are…I can only do what I can do, which is not very much – anyway.

“People don’t seem to understand it’s not just climate that’s the problem, it’s also biodiversity loss, so we’re actually destroying our means of survival, all the time. To put that back together again is possible, but we should have been doing it long ago. We’ve got to do it as fast as we can now.”

He adds: “Maybe, by the time I shuffle off this mortal coil, there might be a little more awareness… of the need to bring things back together again.”

The documentary also features archive footage of the King describing how he talks to plants, a comment that narrator Winslet says has “haunted him ever since”.

Ian Skelly, co-author of the King’s 2010 Harmony book, says: “Those criticisms really upset him. He got treated very unfairly, seen very unfairly, and those of us that knew him better were quite upset by that. It was difficult to know how to respond, but I really felt for him.”

Also appearing in the documentary is Prince Harry, who is shown fleeting in archive footage of Charles teaching him how to fish at Balmoral.

Prince William also features, as a small child with Charles at Highgrove, and lying next to his father on the grass as a youngster, and visiting a herd of cows with Charles at Home Farm in 2004, when William was in his twenties.

Prince Charlotte and Prince Louis, with the now Prince and Princess of Wales, are pictured briefly in footage from the King’s Coronation. And the late Queen Elizabeth II is shown filming a young Charles, in archive footage of the future king in home movies.

The documentary explores the origins, evolution and scientific foundations of the King’s “harmony” philosophy, which he set out in his 2010 book Harmony: A New Way Of Looking At Our World. The book will be republished by HarperCollins in March to mark the release of the documentary.

The film also shows how The King’s Foundation, which has its headquarters at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, embraces the harmony approach – the importance of living in balance with nature – through projects focusing on community regeneration, sustainable textiles and traditional skills.

Later tonight, the King and Queen will attend the premiere at Windsor Castle, believed by Buckingham Palace to be the first time a global movie premiere has been held at a royal residence.

A spokesperson for the King said the film was “not a conventional royal documentary”. “There are no golden carriages here; no glittering crowns or crimson robes,” the spokesperson added.

“Instead, this is a deeply personal exploration of ideas that have shaped His Majesty’s life and work: the interconnectedness of all things, the wisdom of traditional knowledge, and the belief that we can build a future that works in partnership with nature rather than against it.” The spokesperson added that it “sets a new high watermark for royal documentaries”.

Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision will be released on February 6 on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

The Beckhams feud with their son Brooklyn will take centre stage in a new documentary, which will reveal all about the world’s reaction to the shocking statement by Brooklyn about his parents

An explosive Beckham documentary will air tomorrow night, as more details are revealed about their feud. Channel 4 have announced a new documentary about the family feud following Brooklyn Beckham‘s bombshell statement.

In a message shared on social media, Brooklyn insisted he was not being controlled and was finally “standing up for himself”. He also accused his family of trying to ruin his relationship with Nicola Peltz.

“I have been silent for years and made every effort to keep these matters private. Unfortunately my parents and their team have continued to go to the press, leaving me with no choice but to speak for myself and tell the truth about only some of the lies that have been printed,” he shared on social media.

READ MORE: Harper Beckham’s sweet four-word message to mum Victoria after Brooklyn’s attackREAD MORE: Nicola Peltz morphs into Meghan Markle and Brooklyn left competing for her attention

“I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life. For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into.”

A new Channel 4 documentary will now air where the details about their strained relationship and the widespread attention the feud received will be examined. The Beckhams have remained together and united since the shock allegations, as experts in PR, showbiz personalities and psychologists discuss why the Beckhams are such a hot topic of conversation.

Just yesterday, Victoria posted an ode to her family after she was awarded a huge accolade at Paris Fashion Week.

“I’m so honoured to be named a Chevalière de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. I have always deeply admired the French aesthetic and the seriousness with which it treats fashion: as a form of art,” she shared.

“To be recognised here and embraced in this way, is a profound privilege — one that reflects decades of commitment and dedication. My sincere thanks to the French Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati for this honour. Thank you also to business partners who believed in me, my family, and especially David — my husband, and original investor. I couldn’t be more grateful, you are my everything xx.”

Her husband David responded with his own post: “We are so proud of you and all that you have achieved @victoriabeckham. Being named a Chevalière de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture… nobody deserves it more than you x.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

In her exploration of so-called “banned” locations Ellie Whitby set out to investigate an island in northwest Scotland, renowned for its disturbing past, and where access was strictly prohibited

A brave YouTuber has explored a remote Scottish island that was once erased from maps, but what she found was terrifying. Last year, Ellie Whitby, who runs the EllieMarieTV channel on YouTube, ventured to a mysterious island off northwest Scotland with a notoriously dark history as part of a video investigating so-called “banned” locations.

Ellie and a companion drove to Gruinard Island, also known as “Anthrax Island”, a sinister moniker it acquired after scientists contaminated the land whilst carrying out secret biological weapons experiments during World War II.

Anthrax is a potentially fatal infectious disease typically caused by the Bacillus anthracis bacterium. Following these experiments, Gruinard Island was deemed far too hazardous for both livestock and people.

The island’s grim history didn’t deter Ellie, who acknowledged it was “very scary”, but was determined to speak with local inhabitants about the site and, courageously, hoped to persuade someone to take her across to the island.

She explained: “So, we’re in the local town and see if there’s anyone willing to take me out to Anthrax Island, and I want to know their opinions on this. What do they think about this massive, secret government cover-up that happened a mile off their shores?”

Ellie proceeded to interview local residents, one of whom confirmed that the government kept the island under wraps, while another alleged that the tests resulted in the death of sheep on the mainland.

She ultimately discovered a kayaker called Will, who was willing to ferry Ellie across to the island. She remarked: “It was time to be one of very few people to ever step foot on an island hidden from the entire world and see if any of the conspiracies are true.”

Setting off across the water, she quipped: “I literally never used to leave my room out of fear of germs, and now I’m going all the way to an Anthrax Island. I think my therapist would be proud of me or, actually, very concerned.”

Ultimately, they landed on the island near a cave system, but Ellie seemed to have a change of heart. Once she determined there were no “nuclear bunkers”, she declared that she wasn’t “stupid enough” to remain any longer.

Back in 1942, then-Prime Minister Winston Churchill, concerned that Nazi Germany had developed a biological weapon, instructed scientists to investigate ways of weaponising the lethal bacterial infection, the BBC reports.

Located in Gruinard Bay, the 522-acre island served as a testing ground; residents in nearby settlements were unaware of these experiments, but rumours reportedly started to circulate once livestock began dying.

In a 2022 documentary, The Mystery of Anthrax Island, Edward Spiers, emeritus professor at the University of Leeds, stated: “The aim was to test whether the anthrax would survive an explosion in the field. They didn’t know that, and then would it remain virulent thereafter.

“Eighty-odd sheep were tethered at various stages downwind of the likely explosion. The explosion was done by remote control. It isn’t a great bang, a draught of highly potent spores moving down on the wind and causing infection and death wherever it goes.”

This led to devastating consequences, as the sheep rapidly developed symptoms and died; their bodies were then incinerated or buried under debris.

The covert trials lasted until 1943, but the impact of the experiments would be long-lasting. The highly resistant anthrax can reportedly remain in the soil for decades, and access to the island became strictly prohibited.

As reported by Lethbridge News, Gruinard Island was even erased from some maps due to fears that terrorist groups “would travel to the island to procure samples” of the deadly bacteria.

Deemed a success, the scientists concluded their work and returned to Porton Down, a secretive government facility in Wiltshire where research into diseases and chemical weapons is conducted.

Churchill’s proposed biological weapon was never used, and a militant group known as the Dark Harvest Commando of the Scottish Citizen Army (DHC) sought action from the government to decontaminate the island.

One of their strategies involved leaving a bucket of contaminated soil outside Porton Down. Years later, efforts were made to cleanse the island, which seemingly proved successful.

In 1990, the UK government officially announced that the island was free from anthrax, bringing a 48-year quarantine period to a close.

Take That reveal a new song hidden in their Netflix documentary which is launched on the streaming site today

Take That have shocked fans by unveiling a secret new song hidden in their Netflix documentary. The song called ‘You’re A Superstar’ appears in the closing credits of the third and final episode and sources close to the band confirmed it is the first track from a new Take That album coming out later in the year.

The source said: “The band thought it would be a great surprise and a treat for fans at the end of the Netflix series. It’s a great way to tease their new material and the full single will be coming soon.”

The band were originally made up of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen, Jason Orange and Robbie Williams, but these days are a trio with Jason and Robbie not in the band. In May last year, songwriter and band member Gary, 55, had revealed that a tenth Take That album was on the cards. At the time he said: “We all came off tour at the end of [2024] and said, ‘Right, let’s get to work’. It’s been slated for next year. We just don’t want to stop, really.”

The new track an upbeat pop track and appears to be about being in love. It contains the lyrics: ‘My heart comes alive, all the stars turn bright, a million times in your arms, tonight. And I want to let you know, you’re a superstar, and I’m yours.” Whilst the end song is very upbeat, the Netflix documentary charts the highs of the band but also lots of lows, with each member of the band enjoying some surprising struggles which in some cases have not been fully expressed before.

The three part series features 35 years of rare archive material, never-before-seen footage, and personal material. There are also new interviews with Gary, Howard and Mark and archive interviews with Jason and Robbie to tell the story.

Gary admitted: “Some of it was hard to watch – especially that middle hour, which covers the period after the band broke up. It was just a hard, hard time. I am quite good at leaving things in the past. I’m not a regretful person, and I was happy to leave it behind. So, seeing those memories brought to life on screen again was strange.”

Take That have enjoyed staggering success since forming in 1990 with 12 Number 1 singles and nine Number 1 albums so far in the UK alone. They will begin The Circus tour in May based on their previous hit tour from 2009, but the trio of Gary, Mark and Howard have to look after their bodies these days.

In an interview at the weekend, Howard said: “We have to look after our bodies. We watch what food we eat, do Pilates, which I need for my core, so my back doesn’t go. I’ve got sorer knees than in the Nineties, but we try to do as much dancing on stage as possible. It’s the satisfaction of sweating your ass off. If we’re all sat on stools, it wouldn’t be Take That.”

Of the TT fans that keep coming back, Gary said: “These days, that gorgeous audience, I want to go around and kiss one by one, because they’ve loved us and they’ve made us part of their lives for years and years, and they still keep coming.”

* Three part series Take That is out now on Netflix. The Circus tour begins in Southampton on May 29 then touring until July 4. Tickets can be purchased from takethat.com

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.