Hasley was a veteran TV writer who taught screenwriting classes at UCLA Extension. He was also a friend of Caitlyn Jenner and helped write the former athlete’s motivational book “Finding the Champion Within,” according to his biography.
The L.A. County medical examiner released Hasley’s identity Tuesday but had yet to rule on his cause of death.
More than two dozen personnel with the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a report of a hiker in grave medical condition off Nichols Canyon Road near Hollywood Boulevard shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday.
A helicopter was used to reach the patient and allow paramedics to provide urgent medical care. They were unable to save him, and he was declared dead shortly after, according to the LAFD.
Hasley hailed from Pittsburgh and played university football before venturing to Hollywood to pursue his dreams as a writer. He wrote on 37 episodes of “The Smurfs” in the late 1980s and early ’90s as well as several episodes of “Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids,” according to IMDB. His TV writing credits also included “Swift Justice,” “Ghost Stories,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Young Riders” and “Highway to Heaven.”
He was able to channel his love of sports while working with NBC on the network’s project “Star Salute to the U.S. Olympic Team,” where he met Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner, according to his professional biography.
The pair became friends, and Hasley went on to help write a book about Jenner’s philosophy on overcoming adversity in sports and life. He was commissioned to ghostwrite several other motivational books including “Passion, Profit, & Power” for hypnotist Marshall Sylver and “The Slight Edge” for self-help expert Jeff Olson.
Hasley loved sharing his passion for writing with students at UCLA and described the process of writing as akin to assembling a puzzle, where one tries many different combinations of pieces before finding the perfect fit, according to his teaching biography.
“I personally believe that when you know your characters well enough they will start dictating their actions,” he wrote. “When that happens writing becomes a euphoric experience.”
In addition to teaching and writing, he enjoyed golfing, horseback riding, fighting City Hall over an environmental issue, volunteering in soup kitchens and speaking to youth organizations, according to his bio.
Hasley was formerly married to actor Robin Riker, best known for her roles on “Brothers” and “The Bold and the Beautiful.”
He lived in the Hollywood Hills not far from where he suffered the medical emergency. A neighbor told the New York Post they had seen him earlier Saturday carrying groceries home. “It’s very sad he had to die all alone like that,” the neighbor said.
Times staff writer Sonja Sharp contributed to this report.
Emmerdale will not air in its usual slot tonight, and isn’t on ITVX owing to the football, and fans of the long-running ITV soap have slammed the decision to take it off air
Emmerdale has been pulled from the schedules to make way for the football and soap fans are furious
Emmerdale will not air in its usual slot on Friday night, and isn’t on ITVX either.
The long-running ITV soap, which began in 1972, has been a weeknight staple for much of its time on air, and, earlier this year joined forces with fellow soap Coronation Street to launch the “power hour” amid budget cuts at ITV.
Whilst it normally airs Monday to Friday at 8pm, the Yorkshire-based serial has been pulled to make way for the Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, which will from 7:30pm until 9pm and see Spain go head-to-head with England.
In recent years, ITV has made Emmerdale and Coronation Street available on ITVX from 7am on the day of linear broadcast, and, in this case, the new edition will be released on Sunday morning.
With numerous inevitable schedule changes set to take place over the forthcoming World Cup, soap fans flooded social media with complaints. One wrote on Reddit: “Can’t they just stick all the football on, oh I don’t know, the football channel?
“So silly that broadcasters just ignore loyal viewers, some of whom who have been with them for decades, just to shove a sport on – the results of which will be beamed across every platform in real life. TV bosses always treat soaps as bottom of the pile when it comes to these things.” Another said: “Four weeks of disruption nightmare,” and added a string of rolling eyes emojis.
A third raged: “Yes I love the football but as a soap opera fan it’s gonna piss off a lot of people especially who hate football and like Emmerdale and Coronation street and EastEnders and of course Hollyoaks who won’t be affected by this and yes I get it important for the whole world but don’t u think we should have a channel for the world cup not on BBC or ITV.”
Another wrote: “International football should remain on free to view channels and not hidden behind a pay wall like the Premier league and champions league has become,” and a third suggested: “The simple solution is they just air the episodes on streaming regardless if it goes out over the airwaves. It’s kinda defeating the point if streaming platforms follow a schedule where only one thing can be on at once.”
It comes as fans recently predicted something of a bombshell could crop up in the relationship between Robert Sugden and Aaron Dingle, known as Robron, as little has been said since they got engaged in the Corriedale crossover. While viewers will likely have to wait to find out, Robert’s faced backlash from Aaron’s family and friends, and other villagers, due to the drama with Joe Tate and the farm.
One of those people currently against him is Aaron’s best friend Mackenzie Boyd. But in a bizarre turn of events, a new theory from a viewer has sparked much confusion.
A soap fan took to Reddit to ask when Robert and Mack’s affair was going to air. Naturally, the post that seemed so sure it was on the cards left fans confused, as it’s not something that has been remotely hinted at, let alone confirmed on the show. Fans ended up replying, with some needing answers as others questioned if a mix-up had occurred. The original post read: “When do Robert and Mack have their affair?
“Have been hearing about it for ages that it’s happening. Guess they’re waiting for things to blow up with the baby.” Again, as fans pointed out, there has been no suggestion on or offscreen that this is happening.
So where the “talked about” theory has come from, no one knows. This led to fans actually asking the poster what they had heard, to which there was no reply.
Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
Grizz Chapman, an actor best known for his role as Grizz on NBC’s Emmy-winning comedy “30 Rock,” has died. He was 52.
Chapman’s cousin, Donte Harrison, confirmed the actor’s death on social media.
“Life gave my cousin Grizz Chapman some heavy battles, but he fought them with strength and dignity until the very end,” Harrison wrote. “A lot of people knew him as the sitcom star from 30 Rock, but we knew the man behind the screen. A good heart, good energy, and somebody who made an impact in this life.
“After years of fighting illness and dialysis, he passed peacefully in his sleep on May 22nd, 2026. I’m thankful we got time to reconnect 2 months before his passing.”
Born Mack D. Chapman on April 16, 1974, in Brooklyn, N.Y., Chapman got the name Grizz while working as a security guard at nightclubs around New York. The claim to fame of the 7-foot-tall security guard turned actor would be portraying a character that resembled himself: a towering bodyguard named Grizz.
Chapman played the mild-mannered bodyguard across 80 episodes of the wildly popular sitcom “30 Rock,” which starred Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan and Alec Baldwin. Chapman’s character was part of the entourage of Tracy Jordan (played by Morgan).
Chapman told Cracked in 2024 that landing “30 Rock” was the “hardest/easiest audition I ever had in my life.”
But it wasn’t until the second season of the show that Chapman felt he really broke through as a performer. On Episode 210, he performs a rendition of “Midnight Train to Georgia” alongside the veteran ensemble. “That showed so many levels of our talents — we got a chance to dance, we got a chance to sing, we got a chance to take direction and to be funny.”
In addition to acting in various projects, including the 2014 film “The Cobbler,” which starred Adam Sandler, and the 2016 thriller “Money Monster,” starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts, Chapman was an advocate for the National Kidney Foundation.
The actor battled high blood pressure and kidney disease and struggled with his weight for years, and in 2009, he announced he was seeking a donor for a kidney transplant. During an appearance on “The Dr. Oz Show,” the actor said, “I don’t want to go through this forever.”
Chapman told Dr. Oz that he’d coped with the news by acknowledging it was “a scary situation” but deciding to “face it one way or another.”
When Dr. Oz asked him what he wished for, the actor said, “I want to stay alive.”
Chapman spent nearly two years undergoing dialysis treatments three days a week for 4½ hours a day while filming “30 Rock” and hoping for a donor. In the process, he lost more than 150 pounds, hoping to be fit enough for the procedure. After the episode of “Dr. Oz” aired, a fan of Chapman’s, Ryan Perkins, flew from Arizona to New York to meet the actor. Perkins, then in his early 20s, knew he wanted to do something that could change someone’s life.
“I was emotional. I was excited. I wanted to scream. It was exciting to meet someone with that kind of willingness to help,” Chapman told the East Valley Tribune.
“How do you ever repay someone for something like that? You can’t. It’s not like borrowing $20 from someone and telling them you’re going to give it back. It’s something that you can never repay someone for.”
Stephen Colbert’s viral public access spot had former bosses CBS and its parent company Paramount in a brief tizzy over the weekend, mere hours after his buzzy late-night sign-off.
The longtime TV personality, 62, returned to the air on Friday evening on “Only in Monroe,” a public access program in Monroe, Mich., with an hour-long late-night parody episode that featured several guests and took shots at Paramount’s monopolistic aspirations in media. Colbert, previously a one-time host of “Only in Monroe,” began his episode: “It’s been an excruciating 23 hours without being on TV, so I am grateful to be able to be here on Monroe Community before they also get acquired by Paramount.”
The “Only in Monroe” episode was broadcast in southeast Michigan, the Associated Press reported, and also published to Colbert’s official YouTube page. News of Colbert’s surprise late-night spot spread online, with social media users reposting the episode in its entirety or sharing clips. Journalist and the Desk founder Matthew Keys shared the episode to his X (formerly Twitter) page, tweeting on Sunday that he received a “frivolous” copyright notice from Paramount Global.
CBS said in a statement shared over the holiday weekend to multipleoutlets that the “Only in Monroe” episode was “financed and produced by CBS Studios” and was posted on Colbert’s YouTube page through a collaboration with Monroe Community Media and Colbert’s “The Late Show” YouTube channels. The network, which was home to “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” for more than a decade, said in its statement that it is “regular practice” to copyright-strike “unauthorized websites” that repost its “copyrighted content,” but later added that it’s walking back its actions.
“For this episode, we have decided to waive further enforcement of this standard industry practice until additional review,” the statement said.
A representative for CBS did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment on Tuesday. A representative for Colbert also did not immediately respond.
Colbert’s guests on Friday included regular “Only in Monroe” hosts Michelle Baumann and Kaye Lani Rae Rafko Wilson, Emmy winners Jeff Daniels and Steve Buscemi, rapper Eminem (via video call) and White Stripes rocker Jack White. Friday’s broadcast ended with a literal bang, with Colbert, Daniels and White taking hammers to the talk show set and setting it ablaze.
“Since they are no longer using this set, it would actually be helpful for me to destroy it,” Colbert said, “which is pretty great news because right now — for no particular reason — I would very much like to break something.”
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” ended its run at CBS after 11 seasons and more than 1,800 episodes. Colbert began his late-night talk series in 2015, succeeding David Letterman. CBS announced it was canceling “The Late Show” in July 2025, with chief executive George Cheeks claiming “this is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.”
“It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,” Cheeks added at the time.
Colbert ended his CBS tenure at the Ed Sullivan Theater on Thursday evening, joined by an impressive roster of celebrity guests including Paul Rudd, Bryan Cranston, Tim Meadows, Ryan Reynolds and Paul McCartney. The “Late Show” time slot now hosts media mogul Byron Allen’s“Comics Unleashed” syndicated show.
After late night, Colbert revealed in March that his next project is co-writing a new “Lord of the Rings” movie with his screenwriter son Peter McGee. Even as Colbert begins a new chapter away from late night, work may bring him right back under the Paramount umbrella.
The new “Lord of the Rings” films, including Colbert’s project, will be produced by New Line and its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery. David Ellison‘s Paramount Skydance is seeking a $111-billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery and its properties.
Times staff writers Greg Braxton and Meg James contributed to this report.
The final episode of Football Focus was broadcast on Sunday, bringing to an end 52 years on the air.
It was an emotional episode as long-time pundit Garth Crooks returned to Focus, sitting alongside Alex Scott to reflect on the show’s past and preview the final day of the Premier League season.
Bob Wilson, the show’s first presenter, closed out the programme by saying: “All good things come to an end. Thank you to all of you at home for watching Football Focus for the last 52 years. We have had a ball.”
Launched in 1974, Football Focus provided fans with interviews, analysis and stories from across the game every lunchtime before the weekend’s fixtures begin.
The longest-running magazine show in the world began with a tribute to the programme, with its former presenters sharing their favourite memories from across the decades.
The programme’s old branding was used throughout in a nod to its history.
Crooks ended the show by presenting Scott with a picture of herself and Bob Wilson, on behalf of the “Football Focus family”.
Before handing over to Wilson, an emotional Scott said: “For 52 years, this show has done one thing. Week in, week out, it has brought football into your Saturday afternoons. Whether it was Bob Wilson or any of the brilliant people who sat in this chair after him, the thing that never changed was you – the fans.
“I won’t pretend this isn’t hard. What I know is, the football doesn’t stop, the stories don’t stop. The goals, the drama, the heartbreak, the magic, none of that stops. It just finds a new home.
“From everyone who has ever worked on Football Focus, thank you. Thank you for making Saturday lunchtime something to look forward to. It has been an honour.”
Eight years after going off the air, “Sofia the First” is getting another opportunity to find out what being royal is all about.
Disney’s first preschool princess returns for a new set of adventures in “Sofia the First: Royal Magic” premiering Monday on Disney Jr. The following day, eight episodes will stream on Disney+.
The sequel series finds Sofia — once again voiced by Ariel Winter — leaving home to attend the Charmswell School for Royal Magic. Rapunzel makes a guest appearance in the premiere episode and Moana, Jasmine, Cinderella, Aurora and Elena of Avalor will all stop by over the course of the first season.
According to Disney, “Sofia the First” still holds the record for the top three cable TV telecasts for girls ages 2 to 5 with more than 3 billion hours watched since the series premiered. The trailer for “Sofia the First: Royal Magic” was viewed 7.54 million times on social media in the first 24 hours after it was released. The show’s theme song, which has been updated for the new series, remains popular on TikTok among teens who first watched the show as preschoolers.
Series creator and executive producer Craig Gerber says the show’s tone is one of the reasons for its enduring popularity. “The charm, the humor and the storytelling was simple enough for [children] to understand, but sophisticated enough to stick with them as they were growing out of the key demographic,” he says. “They remember [the show] very fondly and it becomes a source of comfort for them.”
Rapunzel makes an appearance in the premiere episode of “Sofia the First: Royal Magic.”
(Disney)
Originally there were discussions to have a spin-off series with a whole new set of characters going to Royal Prep, the school Sofia graduated from in the first series. But soon Gerber realized that a sequel series was the way to go because of the love for the character. “It became clear that the real exciting part of coming back to this world would be to follow the further adventures of Sofia and bring her to a new audience,” he says.
Sending Sofia to a new school was the obvious choice. “We thought it would be very exciting and fresh for her to go to a school where she could focus on learning magic and mastering the powers inside her,” Gerber says. “In the first series, she learned what being royal is all about. In this series, she’s going to learn what being the most magical princess is all about.”
Winter was 12 years old when she auditioned for the role 15 years ago. At the time, she said Sofia’s voice was close to her own — what she thought she would sound like if she were a princess. But even all these years later, it was easy for her to find the voice again because she never really stopped doing it.
“If people told me that they had a child who loved Sofia, I would be like, ‘Oh, do you want me to make a voice recording for them?’ I’d make at least one of these a week, maybe more,” she says. “The show meant so much to me and I know it meant so much to so many people. To know that I am going to get to help influence another generation of kids in a positive way is just so exciting.”
In addition to Winter, all of the original cast is returning, including Sara Ramirez as Sofia’s mother Queen Miranda, Darcy Rose Byrnes as Sofia’s stepsister Amber, Wayne Brady as her beloved rabbit Clover, Eric Stonestreet as her flying horse Minimus and Tim Gunn as the castle steward Baileywick.
But a whole new series and location also means new characters. Here’s a look at three of the new characters who will be entering Sofia’s world.
Eden Espinosa as Zandrya
Eden Espinosa voices Zandrya, the new villain in “Royal Magic.”
(Disney)
Broadway star Eden Espinosa, perhaps best known for playing Elphaba in “Wicked,” will be voicing the new villain Zandrya. “She is loud, bratty, confident and powerful,” Espinosa says.
“We wanted Zandrya to have that entitled air,” Gerber says. “As if all of the magic should just be given to her and she shouldn’t even really have to work for it. She is a sorceress that is after magical items to give her more power. And because Sofia is becoming more and more confident in her magical abilities, Zandrya has a hard time getting what she wants.”
As master of disguise, Zandrya takes a different form each time she appears in an episode — the better to fool Sofia and get her hands on the magic amulet. That means Espinosa, who also voiced the Queen of Hearts in Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland Bakery” and Cassandra on “Tangled,” gets to take on a new voice with each new episode.
“She’s the most fun character to play,” she says. “Voiceover has always been a dream of mine ever since I saw ‘Little Mermaid’ when I was I think 10.”
Espinosa says Zandrya is “the most fun character to play.” The actor has to take on a new voice whenever her villain takes on a different form.
(Disney)
As in the original series, music will play a big part in “Sofia the First: Royal Magic.” In fact, there will be twice as many songs, with each 11-minute episode getting its own number. “What I love about the songs I’ve gotten the privilege to sing is that they feel current,” Espinosa says. “They feel like it’s on the pulse of what’s happening now. They are bops. The challenge is I have to sing the songs in the voice that I’m in for that episode.”
“We’re very lucky to work with folks like Eden, who can take any personality, any voice and still manage to hit all the notes and convey the acting and and really give a fun, rollicking performance,” Gerber says.
And, like Elphaba, Zandrya might be a little misunderstood. “I think as humans we have all sorts of things going on underneath the surface,” Espinosa says. “While she has a very clear mission and intention, I do know that she has moments in interacting with Sofia that she has reflections that make her think.”
Yvette Nicole Brown as Lady Saddlespur
Yvette Nicole Brown voices Lady Saddlespur, Sofia’s new teacher.
(Disney)
Yvette Nicole Brown is one of Gerber’s go-to performers. She’s been the voice of Chief Faye Fireson on “Firebuds” and Luna on “Elena of Avalor.” So it was an easy yes for Brown when Gerber asked her to be the voice of Sofia’s new magical creature teacher and flying derby coach Lady Saddlespur.
“If I’m doing a show, I’m gonna find room for her,” Gerber says of Brown. “Lady Saddlespur is a fun foil for the kids as she pushes them to be better students.”
“She is a Southern belle,” Brown says of her onscreen alter-ego.“She’s very proper. She believes that everything at Charmswell should be done just so.”
Brown says her favorite part of animation is that it encourages her to tap into her child-like side. “When we were kids, we lived in this place of wonder,” she says. “I remember the first shows I watched. I remember ‘Captain Kangaroo,’ ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’ and ‘Sesame Street.’ Those performers have stayed with me my entire life. The honor of getting to be one of the first voices that these babies hear is everything.”
Brown is also delighted by the life lessons the show imparts. “Lessons about accountability, sharing, kindness, regulating your emotions and following directions. The importance of school and learning and being careful and gentle with animals and other people and their feelings. I think it’s a great stepping stone for the babies to learn how to be productive, caring members of society, which is what we’re all supposed to be trying to be.”
Pepper is Sofia’s pet puppy-unicorn. Nate Torrence, who is also the voice of Clawhauser in the “Zootopia” movies, says nothing sounds more adorable than “the collab of a puppy and unicorn.”
Gerber has wanted to create such a character since the original series. “He’s there for comic relief to a large degree,” Gerber says. “And also to give us that little bit of daily magic because Sofia can talk to animals.”
“He’s a pretty lovable guy,” Torrence says. “Even though he plays a little air-headed, he actually is really witty. It’s that old-school Abbott and Costello kind of timing or Charlie Chaplin because there’s so much physical comedy going on with Pepper.”
Because he’s getting to voice a character for so many episodes, Torrence says he’s felt more growth with Pepper than many of the other characters he’s played. “I do think they’ve allowed my voice to be a new kind of voice in the world,” he says. “I get to have a bit more attitude and sass. To be a part of a franchise like this is a nice little dream come true for me.”
The roar erupting from the capacity audience inside the Ed Sullivan Theater when Stephen Colbert stepped on the stage of his “Late Show” for the last time made it clear that they did not want him to say goodbye.
Colbert took his final bow as his beloved late-night show came to an end Thursday. The episode was so crammed with top celebrities who showed up to share a last moment with the comedian that it extended several minutes beyond its usual one-hour run time.
Before the official start, Colbert addressed the audience as he thanked the staff, calling the show “The Joy Machine”: “We call it the Joy Machine because to do this many shows, it has to be a machine. But the thing is, if you choose to do it with joy, it doesn’t hurt as much when your fingers get caught in the gears, and I cannot adequately explain to you what the people who work here have done for each other, and how much we mean to each other.”
In his opening monologue, Colbert downplayed the event‘s status, rolling a series of jokes about news stories in New York and New Jersey. But he was repeatedly interrupted by audience members Bryan Cranston, Paul Rudd and Tim Meadows who all became irritated when Colbert informed each of them that they would not be his last guest.
When the show’s supposed scheduled last guest, Pope Leo XIV, refused to leave his dressing room, Paul McCartney popped on stage to a rapturous ovation. The legendary musician presented Colbert with a framed photo of The Beatles when they appeared on Sullivan’s show in 1964.
The only subtle reference to President Trump came when McCartney relayed a story how the Beatles, before their Sullivan appearance, got their faces covered with bright orange makeup. “That’s pretty popular in certain circles these days,” Colbert quipped.
The episode marked the finale of Colbert’s 11-year run on CBS’ late-night show, which he has been counting down since July of last year, when CBS said it was canceling the show because of financial difficulties. “The Late Show” franchise, which Colbert inherited in 2015 from David Letterman, was the top-ranked late-night show, but it faced challenges due to dramatic declines in viewership and a drop in advertising revenue.
However, industry observers also contended the move was tied to Colbert’s relentless criticism of Trump. The decision was announced after Paramount, the parent company of CBS, had settled a lawsuit filed by Trump over a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris. The company agreed to pay $16 million to settle the suit, which came as Paramount was attempting to get regulatory approval for its merger with Skydance Media, which Colbert called “a big fat bribe.” Trump made no secret of his disdain for Colbert and other late-night hosts who have skewered him and his administration over the years.
Colbert, his guests and others continued to blast Trump in this final week. In his introduction Wednesday of his performance of “Streets of Minneapolis,” Bruce Springsteen said: “I’m here in support tonight for Stephen, because you’re the first guy in America who has lost his show because we got a president who can’t take a joke.”
And Jimmy Kimmel on his ABC late-night series said Wednesday, “I will be watching tomorrow night. I hope that those of you who watch will also tune in to CBS for the last time. Don’t ever watch it again.”
In a tribute to Colbert, Kimmel, another target of Trump, and NBC‘s “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon said their respective shows would not air new episodes during Colbert’s finale.
But the overall vibe on “The Late Show” this week has centered on celebration and spotlighting the show’s comedic formula. Several celebrities who have a special connection with the show made appearances, including Jon Stewart from “The Daily Show” and filmmaker Steven Spielberg.
In one of the more arguably iconic sequences, David Byrne and his band — all attired in bright blue uniforms — appeared Tuesday to perform the Talking Heads anthem “Burning Down the House.” Colbert joined in at the end, dancing in his matching blue outfit.
The latest episode of the Venezuelanalysis podcast sees VA editor Ricardo Vaz speak with Austin Cole and Michela Martinazzi about international solidarity with Venezuela and the challenges of organizing against imperialism from inside the United States.
The discussion covers solidarity initiatives, escalating US attacks abroad and repression at home, the need to connect struggles for justice domestically and internationally, and the difficulties social movements face in building meaningful solidarity and broad coalitions.
The award winning series will air another intense episode tonight that is not to be missed
999: Critical Condition is an award winning Channel 5 series(Image: Channel 5)
A fly on the wall medical series that is not for the faint of heart returns with another brutal episode.
Titled 999: Critical Condition, the medical series has returned for its sixth run, this time filmed in the Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Airing on Channel 5, the show follows patients and staff at a major trauma hospital as cameras are given unprecedent access to film what most people do not see.
Viewers witness an intense and unfiltered look at what doctors and nurses do to save lives. Having returned to screens last week, tonight (May 19), Channel 5 will air yet another brutal instalment at 9pm.
Tonight’s episode (Tuesday, May 19) will take viewers into another high stakes environment as one farmer is airlifted to hospital after crashing head first into a tree. Elsewhere, one woman is rushed to hospital with life threatening stab wounds as medical teams fight to save lives.
A Channel 5 synopsis reads: “A farmer faces potentially life-changing injuries after an accident shatters his skull.”
999: Critical Condition was previously filmed in Stoke for the first five instalments as it has become a firm favourite for those who enjoy medical TV programmes, especially 24 Hours in Police Custody.
The Channel 5 show does not shy away from the realities faced by staff in the hospital and the life saving work they do for patients.
Spanning across one hour, new episodes will be released weekly, with instalments then being made available to stream online.
Previously, one viewer praised: “Watching 999: Critical Condition. Very fascinating.” Another said: “#999CriticalCondition about to start on C5, this is a brilliant TV show.”
A third added: “Watching last night’s #999CriticalCondition, not for the squeemish (sic) but the operation to rebuild the guys head & face after his quad bike crash is fascinating, proper ‘face off’ shit to reveal his damaged skull. The 3d printed skull showing the extent of his fractures was amazing.”
A fourth echoed: “Watching #999CriticalCondition and this guy has landed on his face and his eyeball is hanging out of the socket. HIS ENTIRE EYEBALL. I’ve never been squeamish with programs like this, but I actually felt sick.”
In a previous article, the Guardian confirmed it was a “hardcore” documentary series in which every case “will stick with you”.
999: Critical Condition airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 5.
The hit reality format sees brides and grooms meeting each other for the first time at the altar. From there, they get to know their new spouse properly as they head off on their honeymoons, move in together and mingle with the show’s other couples over the weeks it takes to film.
There are now ample different series available for viewers to indulge in, including the recently concluded Australian series which brought drama by the bucket load. There has even been a spin-off announced, titled Second Marriage At First Sight, which will be bringing back fan favourites from the UK and Aussie seasons who didn’t find love first time around.
Until then, UK-based reality fans will get to watch the latest USA series on their TV screens. Series 19 of Married At First Sight USA will be broadcasting for the first time in the UK on E4.
The first episode will air tonight (May 18) at 8pm, introducing viewers to 10 singles from Austin, Texas, as they embark on their quest for long-lasting love. The season originally aired stateside in late 2025, meaning some of the biggest moments have already been discussed online, but we won’t spoil those here.
However, American viewers have previously described the series as “even more dramatic” and “more toxic” than its Australian counterpart. One viewer penned: “Season 19 might have the most toxic people yet in the entire MAFS history. I’m not saying this season has the top-most toxic person of the whole show. There are definitely very toxic people from other seasons.”
When does MAFS USA air in the UK?
If you’re already sold on the series, when can you watch it? The series will be shown every weeknight, Monday through to Friday, at 8pm on E4.
Unlike the UK series which has an episode count into the thirties, the USA series is much shorter. There are 13 episodes in total, plus a reunion which is considered to be Episode 14.
The experts on MAFS USA are Pastor Cal Roberson, Dr Pepper Schwartz and Dr Pia Holec. Dr Schwartz is a sociologist, sexologist and relationship guru who has been on the show since its very first season. She works alongside marriage counsellor Pastor Cal and sex therapist and psychotherapist Dr Holec.
Married At First Sight USA begins airing in the UK tonight at 8pm on E4.
James Corden has revealed he dislikes one of Gavin & Stacey’s iconic episodesCredit: GettyThe writer and show star admitted that the series’ second episode was ‘very bad’Credit: PA
Despite being much-loved by fans, James has revealed that he was not a fan of the show’s second ever episode – despite it being the one where the titular characters get engaged.
Describing the episode as a “very, very, very bad half hour” whilst talking at theBBC Comedy Festival, James explained that he felt they were “backed into a corner” by the episode ending with Gavin proposing to Stacey.
The episode sees Gavin – played by Mathew Horne – travel to Wales to make up with Joanna Page’s character Stacey following a dispute, and ends with him proposing.
Despite noting some “saving graces” in the writing, he added: “It’s an awful episode”.
James and Ruth have signed a multi-million pound deal with AppleTV+ for a follow-up series.
They will star in the ten-part comedy drama alongside an all-British cast.
Set in the UK, filming begins next year with the hotly-anticipated show due in 2027.
The deal, believed to worth up to £8million, was agreed amid interest from BBC, Netflix and Amazon Prime.
A show insider said: “In what has unquestionably been a pretty miserable year for Brits, there is finally something to cheer — a new James and Ruth co-production.
“As you might expect, it is uplifting, gentle and very funny.
“They wanted to bring something full of heart and warmth back to screens; water cooler moments for all the family.”
This article contains spoilers for the penultimate episode of “The Boys.”
There’s just one episode to go in the fifth and final season of Prime Video’s irreverent superhero satire, “The Boys.” The topical, darkly funny, whip-smart series from Eric Kripke follows a band of vigilante misfits who fight to expose the all-powerful, corrupt conglomerate Vought International and its stable of villainous superheroes.
Among the ragtag crew of antiheroes is Frenchie, played by Tomer Capone. Frenchie is the de facto chemist and inventor of the group, a former assassin for hire whose drug-addled brain is constantly concocting news ways to kill immortal Supes (superheroes). Yet he’s deeply connected with the feral Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara), who was nonverbal when he helped save her from human traffickers who sought to cash in on her Supe strength. Their bond — both are outsiders who suffered abuse as children — is one of the few emotional soft spots in the otherwise fast-moving series about America’s rotten power structure, manipulative media and the gullibility of the public.
Though fans of the show are already mourning the end of “The Boys,” they were dealt another major blow Wednesday, when in Episode 7 beloved Frenchie met his fate at the hands of the sociopathic head Supe, Homelander (Antony Starr). Israeli actor Capone talks about the scene, the end of the show and how to cope with the loss of Frenchie. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.
OK, so the big question first. Do you actually speak French?
En vous? Moi? [Laughs] OK, a little bit, but it’s a different kind of French. But that wasn’t the difficult part. Frenchie, to me, is one of those characters for an actor, that’s a gift. It’s something I prayed for. It’s a full-on character. He’s an outsider. He’s a foreigner. The way he walks, the way he talks. We can also talk about the crop tops and the hairstyle …
He’s a full-on character, and the French aspect was only part of it. There was also the sign language with Kimiko, and the connection. For me, the emotion and connection was the bigger aspect of portraying Frenchie.
Are you ready for all the tears of your fans once they witness Frenchie’s demise? He sacrifices himself to lure Homelander away from Kimiko. She is saved, but he is killed in the process.
Oh my God, I can’t watch it. I didn’t watch it. I can’t. I’m too involved.
Tomer Capone on the scene with his character’s demise: “Oh my God, I can’t watch it.”
(Jasper Savage/Prime)
So you really haven’t watched the scene yet?
No. It’s the longest character I ever had in my career, and I can’t. Something tells me not yet.
When you shot that scene, was there an intensity on set? How did that play out?
Intensity is always around the show because there’s so much to accomplish doing “The Boys.” But funnily enough, that specific scene was the most tranquil and quiet set I’ve experienced. I remember standing there with the amazing people of the cast and crew, and we’re talking about how the scene is going to play out. I felt this quietness, like everybody was like inside themselves, so I started to get nervous. I said, “Oh my God, they’re expecting something.”
But very quickly, I decided that I’m just going release all the [plans], thoughts or ideas that I had about the scene. I literally went into this mantra that said, “Frenchie, here’s the keys. Drive the car.” And you know what? It was the right way to go. It made sense. It felt very respectful and spiritual. Those kind of scenes come once in never, where you feel like you’re letting the character drive, and you’re just gliding behind it.
“The Boys” is based on the 2000s comic book series of the same name by writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson. But the show is unlike any comic book adaptation out there. In fact, it mocks superhero culture.
The biggest gift of working [with] Eric Kripke, the writers and this show is that even as things are moving fast and big things are happening, they’re emotionally backed up. And as a character and an actor, it’s like, OK, I understand what I’m doing. This is the world and what we’re playing. You get where it is going, and why it needs to happen.
Were you surprised when you first learned about Frenchie’s fate?
I wasn’t surprised when I heard from Eric that Frenchie was continuing on to the big field [in the sky]. I had this feeling. I didn’t want to say it out loud. It’s like, at this point, the fifth season, we all felt it. We knew where it was going,
But Frenchie is the empathy and compassion of this series. I actually cried when he was killed off. The empathy is gone, and now we’re left with soulless, terrifying Homelander.
But Kimiko lives.
True, but I haven’t seen the finale. How does Kimiko go on without Frenchie?
Well, let me tell you… [laughs]. I can’t tell, but I can say that I do think Episode 8 is going to blow the audience and fans’ minds with where it goes. That’s the only thing I can say. It evolves into something that resonates.
When it comes to pushing the envelope, “The Boys” is renowned for going where most shows won’t. It drove a speed boat into the side of a whale, imbued superheroes with powers such as toxic vomit and a giant killer penis. Then there was the flying killer sheep. Was there ever a moment too far for you?
Almost every episode has those moments … I remember they told us about the whale, and they said they were still figuring out how. It was a surprise. So I’m driving to set, and it was a sunny day on the shore of Toronto, then all of a sudden, my windshield, everything is covered with this [big shadow], and I’m like what’s going on? Clouds? Is going to rain? The day is ruined! Then I look up and see them [trucking] in a real-size animatronic whale. People that had nothing to do with the show were stopping their cars and looking at this whale moving on the Toronto shore. It was like, OK, here we go.
And there was the musical sequence [in Season 3, Episode 5, when a hospitalized Kimiko imagines her and Frenchie dancing to “I Got Rhythm.”]. Karen and I were on set, and there’s like 30 professional dancers stretching behind us, beautiful and fresh and clean. And we’re looking at each other like, what is this show? What are we doing here? As an actor, you pinch yourself. It’s an experience.
Frenchie (Capone) and Kimiko (Fukuhara) in Season 3’s musical number.
(Amazon Studios)
The musical number, did you actually have to practice the choreography for that?
Oh, day in and day out. I thought I knew how to dance. Apparently I needed some work. Luckily, Karen is a total badass in terms of her commitment, and we practiced it day and night, even working on it off set between other scenes, just working in the movements, trying to get it right. But I learned something very fun about myself. Usually, I don’t like to watch myself on screen, like a lot of actors don’t. From time to time, I would watch an action scene or me fighting because I want to see if I got the choreography right. And I learned that I can watch myself dance too.
With all the fighting in that show, that’s also requires quite a bit of physical acting.
We have the best stunt teams in the business. They made our life very easy compared to the crazy stuff we had to do. Saying that, I don’t miss the harnesses that they put on us. I will not miss that
Harnesses?
I remember when we shot the first episode where Frenchie, Hughie (Jack Quaid)and Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) are captive in the camp. And then I think Starlight flies me off out of the camp. It was like minus 40, snowing. We’re on our harnesses, and we’re just flying away. It’s an experience.
“The Boys” has brilliantly captured the political craziness in America, but told through the world of egotistical superheroes. For example, Homelander claimed he was lord and savior around the same time President Trump posted an AI image of himself as Jesus.
How they predicted some of the stuff, it beats me. You’re going to have to ask Kripke and his writers. But I love that the show tackles all that. For me, portraying Frenchie is about humanity. About how in chaos and in fear and in the craziness of “The Boys’” world, people still choose love and compassion and that’s really the heart of “The Boys.” Or maybe that’s just from Frenchie’s perspective, where it’s all about family, loyalty and protecting the ones you love.
How did you imagine the character of Frenchie when you first learned of the show?
When I got the audition, I didn’t know about the source material. I didn’t know about the novel, or the graphic comic book. So I went online, and I started researching Frenchie. And the first picture that came in was this buzz cut, crazy, goggle-wearing character. I said, what really? Frenchie specifically is illustrated and drawn so different from volume to volume. It gave me so much space to create something in between those worlds. Then picking the brain of Eric Kripke and building a whole story and backup story for the characters. We already knew, in a way, where it was going, so we had the privilege of understanding the arc of the bigger picture for “The Boys.”
Do you have a favorite Frenchie moment?
Yeah, I do, but it’s not what you might expect to hear. It’s from Season 1. There was this scene with Frenchie and Petit Hughie. Hughie comes out of his father’s house [and he’s upset]. I say that I understand because my father was bipolar too, and [he tried to smother me with a] Hello Kitty duvet. It’s just it’s one of those moments when we couldn’t get those two lines out. We kept breaking. I think it’s the longest scene Jack and I ever had in the show. It was something like 14 takes. All the cast and crew were breaking too. It was like, should we just give it up? But I was fighting for it. No, I can do this! Now it’s a [fan] favorite quote. So that means a lot. I fought for that line!
Have you thought about how you’ll console distraught fans once they’ve seen Episode 7?
The next episode of The Testaments will dive into Agnes’ wedding plans, but when will it be available to stream on Disney Plus?
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The Testaments fans can start the countdown for Episode 8.
With seven episodes available to stream on Disney+, The Handmaid’s Tale sequel already has viewers hooked. It follows June Osborne’s (played by Elisabeth Moss) teenage daughter Agnes (Chase Infiniti), as she climbs the ranks at Aunt Lydia’s (Ann Dowd) prep school for wives.
Agnes spends her childhood believing in Gilead’s oppressive system, but everything changes when new student Daisy (Lucy Halliday) joins the school. The pair’s bond changes their lives.
The last two episodes have explored Lydia’s dark past, as well as how Daisy was recruited by Mayday to spy on Gilead. The girls have also found their matches, and Agnes is set to start wedding planning in the next instalment. But when can viewers tune in?
When does The Testaments Episode 8 come out?
Episode 8 of The Testaments will be released on Wednesday, May 13. As always, it will be available to stream on Disney+ for UK and international viewers, while U.S. fans can watch the show on Hulu.
A synopsis for the episode teases: “As Agnes is swept up in wedding plans, Daisy hides a life-altering secret and Hulda faces backlash after speaking out.”
A Disney+ subscription now starts at £5.99 and includes hit series like The Testaments, The Handmaid’s Tale and The Bear, plus countless titles from Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and more.
While the Margaret Atwood adaptation had a relatively slow start, it has ramped up the action over the last few episodes.
Episode 6 featured a particularly chilling scene where Aunt Lydia and Vidala (Mabel Li) were forced to watch Gilead soldiers execute dozens of women.
It turns out producers cut an even more harrowing scene from that episode.
“There was a scene where the women shoot other women,” director Jet Wilkinson told CBR. “There was a whole scene when [the soldiers] bring out the women, they give them guns, and then they hold guns to the women’s heads.
“It was very confronting. We ended up cutting that scene, but there is someone at the end of the line, a woman shooting as well as Aunt Lydia at that time. [They’re] forced to do these brutal acts.”
This story includes spoilers for Episode 8 of “Daredevil: Born Again” Season 2.
By the end of “Daredevil: Born Again’s” first season, showrunner Dario Scardapane knew they were heading toward Matt Murdock’s big reveal in Season 2.
The second season finale of the Marvel series, out now on Disney+, sees Murdock (played by Charlie Cox) declare to the world that he’s the vigilante Daredevil.
“Coming in with Season 1, I wish I could say I knew exactly where we were going,” says Scardapane during a recent video call. “But I knew that moment in the courtroom where Daredevil outs himself, we were definitely heading towards that.”
Iain B. MacDonald, who directed Episodes 7 and 8, said that everybody involved understood that it “was going to be a super significant moment” while they were filming the scene.
“When that’s out, that’s out,” MacDonald says. “That moment clearly has a domino effect for the rest of the episode. … I’m super excited to just to see how that’s received by the fans … because as a director, you want to deal with big moments in what you direct, and that is, for me, one of them.”
A continuation of Netflix’s “Daredevil,” which initially concluded in 2018, “Born Again” has followed Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) rise from criminal kingpin to the supposedly reformed mayor of New York. Fisk’s authoritarian tactics and campaign targeting vigilantes pushes Daredevil underground to try to assemble allies in order to bring the Kingpin down.
Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) returned to the courtroom to make his case.
(JoJo Whilden / Marvel)
Their much anticipated showdown occurs in a courtroom in the season finale during the trial of Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll).
“Myself and my DP [director of photography], Jeffrey Waldron, looked at a lot of courtroom dramas, just to really think about how we can tell those courtroom stories really well, and do it creatively and imaginatively … and in the language of ‘Daredevil,’ ” said MacDonald. “It was a challenge, for sure, [but] I really, really enjoyed shooting them.”
While Murdock may have triumphed in the courtroom, his revelation has consequences as teased in the episode. Scardapane says those consequences will be explored in Season 3.
“That last scene in Season 2 tells you where we’re going,” says Scardapane. “If the question is, are we doing a specific comic book run that is beloved by all, including me, I think that it’s pretty obvious what we’re doing in that last scene.”
The fallout for Murdock, as seen in the episode, is his arrest and imprisonment. In the final moments of the finale, the Man Without Fear is shown getting locked up at Rikers Island. Murdock appears to have accepted his fate, but a glimmer of smile hints that this is not the end of his story.
“Charlie and I talked about [the scene], and we knew that we wanted to end on that close-up of his face,” MacDonald says. “He said we can do two things here, one which is like acceptance of circumstances, like he’s resigned. He has made the sacrifice of outing himself to the world about who he really is [and] he has put himself away in service of the greater good … as well as have that little moment of a hint of a smile to say, this is a beginning. This is a new adventure. This is a new challenge.”
In a conversation edited for clarity and length, Scardapane discussed Murdock and Fisk’s arcs in Season 2, “Daredevil: Born Again’s” timely political themes and what to expect in Season 3.
Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll) and Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) get a chance to celebrate in the “Daredevil: Born Again” Season 2 finale.
(JoJo Whilden / Marvel)
At what point did you know that what you were building toward in Season 2 would end with Matt Murdock in jail?
It’s kind of a process that snowballs. They had started before me. They were doing the Mayor Fisk run. It was much more procedural, much different tone. They did six episodes, and I came in, and we moved it more in line as a continuation of the Netflix series. When Fisk becomes the mayor of New York, you put the villain at a really, really elevated place. So, Season 1 was the rise of Fisk. Season 2 has got to be the rise of that which takes him down — the resistance.
That moment that Matt stands up in court and says, “I am Daredevil,” that’s like the record scratch. Everything has changed from this moment on. At the end of Season 1, beginning of Season 2, we knew we were heading toward that moment. That moment’s consequences, for Matt and for Fisk, are kind of the fodder for Season 3.
There are comic book runs that I shall not name — although they’ve been named — that take that dilemma that Matt put himself in and go to really great places with it. Coming in with Season 1, I wish I could say I knew exactly where we were going. But I knew at the very beginning, that moment in the courtroom where Daredevil outs himself, we were definitely heading toward that.
It felt significant that Matt and Fisk’s big showdown this season happened in a courtroom.
The fun of Daredevil since the comics started is here you have a lawyer who really believes in the justice system who goes out and breaks bones at night. He’s a vigilante lawyer. That’s such a dichotomy. When the villain takes power, when the villain is the police — this situation, the villain is the Anti-Vigilante Task Force — the villain has now become the power structure of New York and has become the justice system. How does Matt fight back? He fights back as a vigilante until it gets to a crucial moment where Karen is pulled into this flawed justice system. Now there’s nowhere he could go. He’s put in this place where both his personas have to integrate, have to kind of collide, for him to beat Fisk. I think that Charlie’s performance in that courtroom scene is his best courtroom performance in any episode of “Daredevil” ever. Building to that moment of Fisk and Matt facing off in court, it was pretty important because all four of them are in court there: Wilson Fisk, Kingpin, Matt Murdock and Daredevil are all there in that scene.
Wilson Fisk’s (Vincent D’Onofrio) ambitions are thwarted in “Daredevil: Born Again” Season 2.
(JoJo Whilden / Marvel)
Fisk, the villain, ultimately loses this battle. Can you speak a bit about his arc this season?
One of the joys of this job is working with Vincent D’Onofrio, full stop. He’s done such a good job of humanizing a monster. I don’t write Fisk as a villain. I don’t think Vincent plays him as a villain. And that’s where the fun comes in.
Building up a man whose appetite, whose isolation, whose just general hunger to dominate, making that character and then giving him this one lifeline to humanity in Vanessa — that’s all calculated. We knew in Season 1 when Foggy was killed that Vanessa was going to be the cost for Fisk. The idea that Vanessa set up Foggy to die using Bullseye, and Bullseye ended up inadvertently killing Vanessa, that was 100% in the DNA from jump. Vanessa passed away in the comic books in two different ways, but that takes Fisk now into a place where, for me, all bets are off. I think that the Fisk that Vincent is playing in Episode 6, 7 and 8 and beyond are a different animal entirely. We just finished a very special episode that is pretty much all Fisk in this new incarnation and it was pretty exciting. Vincent’s in rare form in Season 3.
I understand that the Anti-Vigilante Task Force stuff was shot before the the story and imagery became extremely timely.
It’s really strange because there’s footage in the finale that’s intentionally supposed to reflect certain events. One of the things that I really wanted to do with this story, when you’re dealing with politics and everything, is we’re living in a time where these values of mutual respect, mutual listening, mutual live and let live … what I would say, democratic values are being thrown out the window when you’re dealing with the other side. If somebody doesn’t share your beliefs, it’s free game. And I’ve never really seen a time like that. So we took that story, where the mayor’s side has no quarter for the vigilante side and the vigilante side has no quarter for the mayor’s side. When they storm the rotunda, it looks very familiar. That is intentional. I’m not going to dodge that. Because it’s the idea that everybody sees themselves as a hero of this story, where they’re treating the people on the other side horribly. There’s no lesson there. It’s just the idea that when mobs get involved, when large groups of people get involved, the higher morals and higher sense of humanity falls apart.
You’ve mentioned that in writing and filming this show, you were looking at history. But what was it like when the present started mirroring what you already made based on the past?
The sequence in Episode 2, when the bodega is raided and people are dragged away by the Anti-Vigilante Task Force, that was filmed before Los Angeles, before Minnesota — before all of it. The whole thing got really strange in that the real world started to feel cartoony, and I don’t mean that in a positive way.
I think we were, as writers and directors, tapping into an unease and a malaise that’s just out there. Having it look exactly like things that then happened on the news, that was chilling. It was really hard to get my head around it. It was hard for the people involved, the directors, the fact that some of those sequences in our show, of people being dragged away and thrown into vans, looked exactly like what we were seeing on the news.
There have been other touch points, like the affinity some Task Force officers have for the Punisher logo, that crosses from the fictional into reality.
I’ve been wrestling with this since working on “The Punisher.” The map of what you do when you want to be an autocrat: You form a militia, you empower them beyond, you target a group that you want to make scapegoats, you round them up. When Charles Soule was doing the Mayor Fisk run in the comic books, that’s what he was thinking about. S—, Tony Gilroy did it in “Andor.” When you build any kind of story about an autocrat, it follows the same script. Weirdly, the script’s now playing out outside our door, and that’s become really hard to deal with. The funny thing about this show in these times is, no matter what I say, somebody’s gonna get all like, “Oh, they put politics in our comics” and “they’re trying to teach us a lesson.” Nobody’s trying to teach you a lesson. We’re just laying out a story about a guy who’s a criminal who becomes a mayor and a guy who’s a lawyer who tries to take him down. But does that have echoes in what’s going on outside our window? Yes, it does.
There is a sect of the audience that gets very vocal about the MCU getting ”too woke” or comic books and superheroes ”becoming political.”
One thing that just broke me when we started Season 3, I posted a picture of our writers room, and it’s just some of the best genre writers in the television business. I posted it [on Instagram] and I said “so stoked to get into it with these guys.” The first comment was, “Looks like a pretty woke room. Don’t ruin the show.” How does a room look woke? Oh, so you’re looking at the makeup of the people in that room, and you’re saying that that is something you don’t like? I can’t help you [with that]. I’ve just got to go into that room and write stories.
It’s also not like superhero comic books haven’t had storylines about marginalized communities or interrogating people in power.
Guys, comic books are political. They’ve always been political. The first graphic novel that ever won a Pulitzer Prize was “Maus.”
Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) gets in on the action.
(JoJo Whilden / Marvel)
I think I’ve waited long enough to ask about Luke Cage, played by Mike Colter, showing up in the finale. How did all of that come together?
One of the things that I’ve said a bunch about this show is we lean into the idea that these characters have grown up. The time that has passed between the end of the Netflix shows and the beginning of this show, we acknowledge and we lean into. Their lives have matured. As anybody knows, in the comics, Luke and Jessica had a child, Danielle. Now for me, as a writer, that’s just great story. We have a family of two very interesting people who were made iconic by the performances of Krysten Ritter and Mike Colter. What does that little family look like moving forward? So that tease at the end has seeds for acres and acres of stories. There’s a world that I’m super interested in, that a lot of the characters from the Netflix shows live in, that I’d love to see go forward. A lot of that’s out of my hands. But Mike and Jessica and that family are important to these stories.
Can you say anything more about what Luke has been up to since audiences last saw him?
Luke went to do some work for Mr. Charles. That’s a little bit of an Easter egg, a storyline that will play out in the future. Mr. Charles’s interest in alternatively abled people, or people who can do special things, that interest has long tentacles. It touched Luke and Jessica. It touches Bullseye at the end of the season, and that moves forward.
I think everybody’s been curious since Charlie Cox’s return. Matt’s back. Now Jessica and Luke are back. Are we going to see all of the Netflix era heroes assembled?
The best way I can answer that question is that we take comic book runs, fan desires and unfinished business. On “Punisher,” we were planning for a Season 3. I know [“Daredevil” showrunner] Erik Oleson was getting ready to work on a Season 4. That all ended very abruptly. None of the shows really got an ending that brought it all together. I wouldn’t say that “Defenders” was an ending that brought it all together. There’s so much unfinished business in those Netflix shows. We definitely, definitely knew from way back, how the ending of the Mayor Fisk rise and fall, where that was going to go next. And it’s funny because I’m talking to you as we’re trying to end where it goes next, and we’re thinking about, “OK, now what happens after that?”
I’m just going to throw it out there that I’d like to see Misty Knight and Colleen Wing back also.
[Jessica Henwick, who plays] Colleen has already said that she is not in Season 3, and that’s a real sad thing for us. It was not for lack of trying. I want to do Daughters of the Dragon, come on! That was teed up in “The Defenders.”
I wish I could be more forthright, but I have to save some some secrets for Season 3. But I do believe that we set a launching pad at the end of Season 2 that takes us into some pretty fun places that we’re in right now, and I gotta go finish that.
The BBC are to air a lost episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show, almost six decades after the initial broadcast, to coincide with Eric Morecambe’s 100th birthday
BBC to air lost The Morecambe and Wise Show episode – almost six decades later(Image: BBC)
A long-lost episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show, first broadcast on the BBC in 1968, has been rediscovered and will be shown next month.
The episode, which first aired on September 16, 1968, will be re-shown decades later to coincide with when Eric Morecambe would have turned 100. BBC Four will also show a collection of sketches called The Perfect Morecambe and Wise to mark this moment.
The episode, which was thought to be lost forever, was discovered by Film Is Fabulous! – a charitable trust run by film collectors and television enthusiasts. It was found in the estate of a former television industry professional and has now been returned to the BBC.
This ‘lost’ programme is the third episode from Morecambe and Wise’s first series after returning to the BBC, following a period working with commercial television.
Noreen Adams, Director of BBC Archives, said: “Morecambe and Wise are one of the UK’s most loved comedy duos. Thanks to Film Is Fabulous! – We’re delighted to share this comedy gold that we thought was lost forever with viewers across the UK.”
The episode features sketches written by Sid Green and Dick Hills. Ann Hamilton appears as Pauline in a sketch set in a nudist colony, while Jenny Lee-Wright plays Eric’s niece, a balloon dancer. It also includes a musical performance from The Paper Dolls, who enjoyed hits in the 1960s.
Eric Morecambe’s daughter, Gail Morecambe, said: “What a lovely surprise this is, and I’m really looking forward to seeing it on a screen once again after so many years.
“It’s excellent to hear that skilled people are actively going through the Archives and discovering ‘lost’ programmes. Not just Morecambe and Wise, of course. I am especially thrilled that it coincides with my father’s centenary year. Really wonderful.”
Eric Morecambe’s son, Gary Morecambe added: “I’m so thrilled and surprised by the discovery of a Morecambe and Wise show that hasn’t been seen since 1968. I honestly didn’t think there was anything out there left to find, and when something like this comes out of nowhere, it’s really quite wonderful.
“Hats off to Professor Justin Smith and his team, whose dedication and hard work brought this gem back to us. I’m very excited about seeing it for the first time since I was twelve years of age.”
The Morecambe and Wise Show ran for nine series and became a regular fixture at Christmas on the BBC with a festive special, before moving to ITV for four series.
* The lost episode of The Morecambe and Wise Show will air on BBC Four and BBC iPlayer on Thursday May 14 from 8pm.
How many episodes are in new series Widow’s Bay and when you can stream them
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The 100% rated horror series has started streaming but fans still face a wait.
Widow’s Bay is the latest title to land on Apple TV+ and be welcomed with rave reviews. Only the first two instalments have premiered so far as of today (April 29).
Rhys takes on the role of Tom Loftis, Mayor of Widow’s Bay, a quaint island town 40 miles off the coast of New England where something lurks beneath the surface. He is desperate to put the place on the map and turn it into one of the must visit locations for tourists in the US.
However, not only does the island have no Wi-Fi, spotty cellular reception and very little to actually do, Tom must also contend with superstitious locals who believe their island is cursed. Unfortunately, it seems the locals were right. After decades of calm, the old stories that seemed too ludicrous to be true start happening again.
The series is only available to those who have access to the Apple TV+ service. This is available either as a standalone subscription via its own dedicated app, or as an add-on through the Prime Video platform.
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TV fans can get Apple TV free for a week to stream shows like Ted Lasso, Severance and Slow Horses.
Early reviews have been extremely positive for Widow’s Bay. At the time of writing, Widow’s Bay has managed to record a perfect 100% rating on website Rotten Tomatoes against 23 reviews.
But how many episodes are there in the season? And when are each one supposed to arrive on the streaming service? Here’s all you need to know.
How many episodes are in Widow’s Bay and when are they released?
As mentioned, the series has celebrated a two episode premiere that landed today (April 29). Following instalments are expected to drop on a weekly basis each Wednesday.
Although there is one occasion when a couple later parts will arrive one the same day as a double bill. Here is the full schedule including episode titles of when each are expected to release.
Apple have not specified a release time, therefore episodes will be expected to become available at the usual time new titles land which is usually 8am local time.
Episode 1 – Welcome to Widow’s Bay, premiere date – April 29
Episode 2 – Lodging, premiere date – April 29
Episode 3 – The Inaugural Swim, premiere date – May 6
Episode 4 – Beach Reads, premiere date – May 13
Episode 5 – What To Expect On Your Trip, premiere date – May 20
Episode 6 – Our History, premiere date – May 27
Episode 7 – Seasickness, premiere date – May 27
Episode 8 – Your Baggage, premiere date – June 3
Episode 9 – Emergency Shelter, premiere date – June 10
Episode 10 – We Hope You Enjoyed Your Time, premiere date – June 17
Another episode of the popular show is set to air tonight (April 27)
The BBC programme has been dubbed the “best”(Image: Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/Shutterstock)
The BBC’s “best” programme that grips viewers will return to television screens, and it’s coming sooner than you think.
Scam Interceptors is a crime documentary series that first aired on BBC One in 2022, spanning across five series. Hosted by Rav Wilding, each instalment follows experts as they monitor and often intervene in real life fraud to prevent victims losing money.
Viewers will also be able to get their Scam Interceptors fix tonight (April 27) as a chilling episode will be airing at 8.30pm on BBC One. Despite being a repeat episode, the instalment, titled ‘I’ve been scammed 11 times’ will feature a “high octane chase” as well as calls against scammers that are “plaguing lives”.
An official synopsis reads: “Rav Wilding and Nick Stapleton are back, working with ethical hacker Jim Browning to call out the scammers plaguing our lives and prevent people from losing their money.
“In this episode, the team are in a high-octane chase to intercept scammers claiming to be from Sky broadband. They have full access to a woman’s mobile and are only seconds away from transferring her cash. But the scammers are on to us and want answers.”
With a focus on preventing members of the public from falling victim to scams and losing money, the series also aims to expose, intercept and stop scams in real time.
Over the years, the series has become a huge success with viewers as one IMDb user described it as being “Superb, Gripping Public Service Television.” Another said: “You cant beat this show”, adding: “The best show on tv hands down. Suspense and action.”
Over on Instagram, one viewer said: “I think this program is fab but it scares the bejesus out of me to watch it!” Another wrote: “Oh wow. Just got this on my IG page. I didn’t know there was a show doing this. I definitely am going to watch full episodes.”
A third commented: “Absolutely gripping television at its best. The very best by the BBC”, as a fourth added: “This was a great programme!”
Viewers on X also praised the programme as one person wrote: “This show stresses me out #scaminterceptors.” Another said: “Another heart-stopping episode. #ScamInterceptors.”
Every episode of the hit BBC documentary series is also available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Scam Interceptors will air tonight at 8.30pm on BBC One. All episodes are also available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Venezuela’s January 2026 hydrocarbons law reform marks a major shift in the country’s oil sector. It establishes a more flexible fiscal regime in the name of “international competitiveness,” while expanding the private sector role in extraction, operations, and dispute resolution mechanisms.
The reform follows years of US sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry and coincides with new US licenses allowing Western conglomerates to move into Venezuela’s energy sector.
Join Blas Regnault, energy policy analyst and consultant focused on oil geopolitics, alongside Venezuelanalysis editors Ricardo Vaz and Lucas Koerner, as they break down the reform, its economic and political context, and what it means for control over strategic resources and national sovereignty.
