fans

The ‘beautiful’ BBC period drama is perfect for fans Jane Austen and is based on a literay classic.

Pride and Prejudice fans have been encouraged to rediscover a “brilliant” overlooked period drama.

The sweet romance on Prime Video, situated in the mid-19th century, has earned acclaim for its “beautiful” landscapes and “heartwarming” narrative.

Originally broadcast on the BBC in 2005, the production boasts a stellar ensemble headed by Miss Austen’s Keeley Hawes. Additional cast members include The Crown’s James Murray, Inside No. 9 actor Steve Pemberton and Lark Rise to Candleford star Ben Miles.

Now that the film has become available to stream, audiences have been revisiting the adaptation based on Thomas Hardy’s celebrated novel of the same name.

Under the Greenwood Tree marks the second published work by the English writer Thomas Hardy, initially released anonymously in 1872, reports the Express.

It chronicles the tale of a romance between schoolmistress Fancy Day (Hawes) and church musician Dick Dewey (Murray).

The official synopsis reads: “In this lighthearted romance from Victorian novelist Thomas Hardy, the beautiful new village school teacher is pursued by three suitors: a working-class man, a landowner, and the vicar.”

Helmed by Nicholas Laughland, the production carries a 6.9/10 rating on IMDb and appears not to have received extensive critical assessment at the time of its release.

Audiences have flocked to IMDb to express their admiration for the overlooked period drama, describing it as ‘brilliant’ and ‘perfect comfort viewing’.

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.

One viewer wrote: “In the tradition of Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, there is the mix of position, miscommunication, and the delightfulness of authenticity of period. A treat to watch. The acting, script, and setting all played well together. If you adore period romances, then this should go on your list to watch.”

Another fan gushed: “Superb. This film, although made for TV, will be a classic, just like the 1995 Pride and Prejudice directed by Simon Langton. The sets seemed remarkably authentic, and all the cast were excellent […] I have watched it 3 times in two days.”

A third viewer reflected: “The scenery was stunning, the plot had depth and kept me and my family gripped throughout. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone with a warm heart, as it certainly warmed mine.”

“Beautiful film in every way, from the classic Thomas Hardy novel,” another viewer said, while a further admirer agreed: “A thing of beauty and wonder.”

However, not everyone was won over by the film, with one critic labelling it a ‘big let down’ and another commenting: “I usually don’t like Hardy’s stuff… I guess that continues.”

Under the Greenwood Tree is streaming now on Prime Video.

PITBULL proved to the world what a smooth operator he is by getting together the biggest crowd of baldies.

He set a Guinness World Record at his Hyde Park gig when 22,141 fans put on  bald caps — and then described the moment as “priceless”.

The London audience also turned out in white shirts and aviator sunglasses to emulate Mr Worldwide’s trademark look — and our Emily was one of them.

With the phenomenal demand for tickets, Pitbull also broke the record for the highest- recorded attendance for a BST Hyde Park show, with 69,999 fans.

Walking out on to the Great Oak Stage on Friday, he said: “It is hard for me to say I am speechless, but all I can think of right now is knowing what my family went through in order to be someone free.

“As an immigrant family out of Cuba, to be able to pursue my dream and be on a stage like this and represent with all the baldies around the world, this is priceless.

HOPE FOR BEST

Pals share how Dami Hope is getting last laugh over cheat ex Indiyah

‘UTTERLY FEARLESS’

Ex-Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan dies aged 68 after cancer battle

“There is no way I could say thank you, there are no words to say what I feel right now.”

Pitbull, real name Armando Christian Perez, was handed his certificate by Radio 1’s Greg James and presenter Jack Remmington backstage before the show.

He said: “To all the baldies — like I said before, without you all, there is no Pitbull, no movement, no revolution.”

Of setting the records, he said: “It is not a surprise because hard work pays off and the harder I work, the luckier I get. What a blessing it is to be here in Hyde Park.”

In true style, Pitbull swigged from a bottle of his $24 Voli 305 vodka made in his home city Miami, to get into the party mood.

He was joined on stage by Kesha who rose to fame after featuring on Pitbull’s 2013 track Timber.

She said: “This record changed both of our lives, Pit.”

Meanwhile, Pitbull got into the spirit of the World Cup as he played Oasis track Wonderwall to the thousands of baldies, after the track was adopted by Three Lions fans.

He said: “I thought, ‘What was the best way to represent you all?’. A good friend of mine said, ‘I think you should do this record’.”

During a two- hour set, Pitbull was also joined on stage by rapper Lil Jon for tracks Gasolina and Damn I Love Miami.

He ended the show with Time Of Our Lives featuring Ne-Yo, in which he raps: “Every day above ground is a great day.”

For his legion of fans, Friday July 10 in Hyde Park will be a night to remember.

JAMES’ RETURN TO UK

AMERICAN great James Taylor is returning to the UK for the first time in four years.

The You’ve Got a Friend singer, who has sold more than 100million records worldwide, will play London’s O2 with his All-Star band on Thursday, July 23.

James told last week that he was invited to Taylor and Travis Kelce’s wedding at Madison Square Garden in New York last week.

However, James was unable to attend because of his annual tradition of performing at Tanglewood Music Festival in Massachusetts.

LIL JOHN: FAN LOVE LIKE MJ

US rapper Lil Jon has likened Pitbull’s fan following to that of Michael Jackson.

The bald caps reminded him of MJ devotees wearing the famous single glove.

Chatting to Biz on Sunday’s Emily backstage in Hyde Park, he said: “This is Michael Jackson-style stuff.

“I remember in the Eighties when people wanted the glove or the jacket.

“That is when you have transcended normal music and you have gone into pop culture, when people want to dress up like you.”

The rapper, real name Jonathan H. Smith, suffered a tragedy in February when his son Nathan, 27, was found dead in a pond.

Lil Jon revealed that he now wears a smoky quartz stone, said to provide emotional stability, around his neck as a tribute to his boy.

PETER’S KO’D BY TYSON

FATHER-of-the bride Tyson Fury proved a real knockout for Peter Andre.

The former world boxing champ went out of his way to put Pete at ease before he performed at daughter Venezuala’s recent wedding.

The Mysterious Girl singer said: “I chatted to Tyson for about an hour and he made me feel very welcome. I wasn’t just the performer.”

However, Peter enjoyed the gig so much that he is open to singing at more weddings.

He added: “It was such a happy occasion, I love weddings.”

Meanwhile, Peter is needed back on stage as he performs at Mamma Mia! The Party at The O2 in London. He will be playing Nikos until later this month.

Pete said: “It’s been amazing to vibe off the audience every night, and the set is incredible. It really feels like I’m in Greece. My kids have come to see me. I’m hoping they are getting more into Abba.”

TAKE IT FROM US, DEC 10

DECEMBER 10 have the backing of Take That.

Cruz, Hendrik, Sean, John, Josh, Danny and Nicolas performed at Capital’s Summertime Ball last month and had a letter from the boyband legends. John said: “We opened it together.”

Hendrik added: “They kept it short and sweet saying, ‘Good luck boys, enjoy it’.”

Niall Horan also offered support to the boys, who released their debut EP On Your Side on Friday.

Sean said: “He said he still gets nervous. To know someone like Niall is also bricking it is a good thing.”

IT is said Victoria Beckham lives off a diet of grilled fish and steamed vegetables, but the Spice Girl-turned-businesswoman has now trademarked a range of cookware in the States.

Could the fashionista be out to give Jamie Oliver a run for his money?

Posh has filed paperwork for a name against a range of food and drink items including shot glasses, cake tins, cookie jars and sandwich boxes.

I have heard she likes a tequila.

But don’t go binning your Le Creuset pans just yet, as a source close to her tells me: “Victoria is protecting her categories. Nothing imminent is in the works.”

The beauty of Zen

ODYSSEY goddess Zendaya is heading on an exciting journey of her own by going into the beauty business.

The actress –  who plays Athena in Christopher Nolan’s new epic fantasy film – might even rival Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness brand Goop one day.

She has filed Zendaya trademarks in the UK and the States for beauty and hair products, as well as social media and website services. A source said:

“Zendaya is an incredible actress and now she is set to make waves in the beauty industry.”

The new venture comes as her husband, Spider-Man actor Tom Holland, has launched premium booze-free beer brand Bero.

Zendaya was ruffling feathers when she stepped out in this revealing Louis Vuitton frilly gown for the Odyssey movie premiere held in Paris this week.

And as power couples go, it certainly looks like Tom and Zendaya are the ones to watch. 

OLIVIA ATTWOOD has her perfectly manicured fingers in so many pies, I’m struggling to keep up.

As well as her TV shows, podcast and various brand deals, the former Love Islander is now launching her own cocktail in a tin.

She hinted at the project earlier this year when she had the name of the drink tattooed on to her arm. Savano comes in three mixes – Hot Honey Margarita, Caipirinha and Moscow Mule – and is distributed by drinks firm Babco.

Olivia said the tipple is “a really exciting new chapter”, adding: “I’ve been teasing it for a little while so I can’t wait for everyone to finally try it.”

HILARY Duff’s Los Angeles concert took an unexpected turn when two fans were caught on camera launching into a shocking fight in the middle of the crowd.

The dramatic altercation unfolded as the actress and singer performed on stage, leaving fellow concertgoers stunned as the footage quickly spread across social media.

The viral video showed the two fans shoving and throwing punches at each other as the band carried on performing behind them.

One fan, dressed in a shining, shimmering crop top, appeared to have their hair yanked by another concertgoer dressed in black as security rushed in and attempted to pull the pair apart.

Other concertgoers looked on in shock, with many pulling out their phones to capture the dramatic moment.

Dressed head-to-toe in sparkling sequins, the pair appeared to be devoted Hilary Duff fans before the shocking altercation unfolded.

BUFF DUFF

Hilary Duff, 38, flashes rock-hard abs and perky bum for sweaty new gym photos

It’s unclear exactly when the altercation broke out, as Hilary Duff is not visible in the footage.

However, members of her band can be seen on stage, suggesting the fight erupted during a transition between songs.

Hilary recently wrapped up two sold-out shows at The Forum on Wednesday and Thursday, with a host of famous faces spotted in the crowd.

Among those in attendance were Mandy Moore, Meghan Trainor and Demi Lovato, who all turned out to support the singer’s long-awaited return to the stage.

The singer is currently on the road for her first tour in nearly two decades, and fans couldn’t be happier to see her back on stage.

Hilary began her career playing the titular character on the Disney Channel series Lizzie McGuire before transitioning into music.

She took an extended break from singing to focus on acting, writing, and raising her family.

Hilary sang both her older classics and new tracks from her sixth studio album, luck… or something, released in February.

At the beginning of her concert, the passionately packed crowd sang along to her hit tracks, including Wake Up and So Yesterday, from her debut album Metamorphosis, which she released in August 2003.

She also belted out the slightly raunchier lyrics to her new single, Roommates, while rolling around on the stage.

The singer put on an impressive showing at the famed Los Angeles venue, stopping the show at several times to express her gratitude to the 20,000 screaming fans.

At one point, the former child star even teared up when discussing how much it meant to her to have people in the crowd who have followed her life for decades.

Also in the crowd was her family, including husband Matthew Koma – whom she created her latest album with.

Hilary has spoken about the lyrics of her newer songs reflecting her vulnerability and personal challenges during her 18-year hiatus from singing.

Need to know

The Costa Concordia disaster is one of the biggest maritime disasters since the Titanic, and the captain of the luxury cruise ship was at the centre of the tragedy

Everything you need to know about Costa Concordia captain Francesco Schettino

1. Netflix’s Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea delves into the harrowing 2012 Costa Concordia disaster that claimed 32 lives. The film features never-before-seen footage and survivor accounts from the luxury cruise ship that struck a rock near Giglio Island on 13 January 2012.
2. More than 4,000 passengers and crew were plunged into their worst nightmare as the vessel took on water and began to tilt. Captain Francesco Schettino delayed over an hour before ordering passengers to abandon ship and failed to provide authorities with accurate information.
3. The media branded him “Captain Coward” after footage emerged showing he had abandoned the bridge and boarded a lifeboat himself. Schettino told the court he had ordered the ship off course to please the vessel’s head waiter, whose family hailed from Giglio. Prosecutors alleged he steered too close to the island to show off to a dancer accompanying him at the helm.
4. Schettino was ultimately convicted of manslaughter and abandoning ship, and was sentenced in February 2015 to 16 years behind bars. He began serving his term in 2017 at Rome’s Rebibbia prison.
5. The term consisted of ten years for manslaughter, five years for causing the shipwreck, and one year for abandoning passengers, to be served consecutively. Having exhausted every avenue of appeal and with his conviction upheld, he began his sentence in 2017.
6. Schettino is not due for full release until 2033, according to Maritime Executive.

READ THE FULL STORY: Costa Concordia Captain Francesco Schettino sentence explained and year of release

World Cup tourists are coming to L.A. for the soccer, but they’re staying for the $21 smoothies and Double-Doubles.

As the last Los Angeles FIFA World Cup event ended Friday, soccer fans were eating like locals and famous chains from the region were cashing in.

In the weeks that L.A. has hosted the World Cup, international soccer enthusiasts have flocked to big brands from the area, often in large groups wearing their countries’ jerseys.

It is a phenomenon seen at many of the host cities. In Dallas, giant gas station Buc-ee’s is the main attraction. For people visiting New Jersey, deli shops have been a hot ticket. In L.A., the place to be between matches was Erewhon.

Thirsty international sports fans gathered for pictures outside different Erewhons, wandered their aisles smiling, and, of course, picked up pricey smoothies.

While Erewhon would not comment on its business, mobility data company Arity, which uses phone data to track consumers, said Erewhon visits at the outlets around SoFi Stadium were quadruple what they were a week earlier on June 12, the day of the U.S. national soccer team’s opening match there.

Arity looked at what stores people visited within a 10-mile radius of SoFi that day and also found surges in visitors to nearby El Pollo Loco and Trader Joe’s.

Locals have spotted groups of people in Korea jerseys huddled together, trying to decide what to order at In-N-Out.

Some complained on social media that international tourists at Trader Joe’s were buying up all the mini canvas tote bags.

Soon after the Belgium vs. Spain quarterfinal ended Friday, the In-N-Out near SoFi had a long line of soccer fans stretching out the door in bright red and yellow and black jerseys and matching striped hats and scarves.

One of the workers said he had to explain “spread” and “animal style” to foreign football fans.

“I didn’t know this place existed,” a fan from Romania said while waiting in line.

Los Angeles and other cities and states that have hosted the event need the soccer fans to spend money to make the event worth all the time, effort and money it requires.

A rosy 2024 report projected the World Cup could bring more than $800 million to the L.A. region as 180,000 people converge on the area to sleep, eat and spend.

There were early concerns people weren’t turning up for the event because of the high ticket prices and the difficulty of obtaining visas for citizens of some countries.

However, at least for some L.A. hotels, there was a surge of last-minute visitors which pushed up occupancy and room rates.

While sports fans are not in the region to shop, they do make time for it.

World Cup customer spending is also apparent in beer sales. Andrew Heritage, the chief economist at the Beer Institute said beer purchases at entertainment and attractions in L.A. – outside of World Cup spaces – were up around 10% from normal.

“That tells me that fans in the L.A. area have decided to extend their stay and take in all the other things that the area has to offer, rather than just the match itself,” he said.

On social media, the purpose of these shoppers is clear: grab a quick souvenir or local specialty and take a selfie.

The data from Arity suggests that fans are very efficient when they spend at local spots, diving in, getting what they want and getting out as soon as possible, said Jeff Schlitt, a director at the company.

“Normally you’re there for an hour. They’re going to be there for 15, 18 minutes,” he said. “Why is that? Because they were purpose-driven shoppers.”

For some travelers, the more popular American chains aren’t unfamiliar. But some of the native L.A. fare still comes as a surprise.

As one Belgium-Spain matchgoer from the Netherlands stood taking a picture of the In-N-Out sign after the game, he said he’d never had a burger like the one he’d just tried.

“We only have McDonald’s and Burger King,” he said. “It’s way better.”

This Morning presenter Alison Hammond caused quite a stir online after she met Prince Harry for the countdown of the Invictus Games

Things took an awkward turn during the latest instalment of This Morning as Alison Hammond called Prince Harry, “babes”.

The ITV show was back with another jam-packed show on Friday (July 10), as presenters Dermot O’Leary and Angela Scanlon took the reins in the studio. Meanwhile, Alison was in Birmingham for the countdown to the Invictus Games.

Founded by Prince Harry, the Invictus Games is a global sporting competition that began in 2014 for military personnel and veterans who have been wounded, injured, or become ill during their service. The name Invictus, which means “unconquered” in Latin, reflects the resilience, determination, and strength of participants.

Trying her best to interview the founder, presenter Alison was thrown into a race. But she did manage to steal a hug from him wheh he spotted her and she referred to him as “babes” leaving viewers very unimpressed with one labelling it “a car crash”.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, in their droves, fans of the ITV show shared their thoughts. One viewer said: “I’m just waiting for her to call him ‘Babes’. She didn’t disappoint.”

Another fumed: “Alison, what on God’s Earth are you doing? Absolutely embarrassing behaviour! Are you 6 years old?!” A third viewer chimed in and wrote: “What a car crash and a bloody noise.”

A fourth added: “Hammond….just an embarrassment.” While another agreed, saying: “This is embarrassing.”

However, some viewers loved Alison’s approach, with one writing: “Howling at Alison. You go girl.” Another added: “Harry always has some spare time for Alison.”

Prince Harry’s appearance on This Morning came as rival daytime show Morning Live announced on Friday that it is now taking a break for the summer.

At the beginning of the live BBC broadcast, host Gethin Jones revealed that Morning Live would be taking a break and wouldn’t return for some time throughout the summer months.

It’s not yet known when Morning Live will be back on air, but from next week, the slot will be filled by fresh episodes of Animal Park, which will air straight after BBC Breakfast from 9.30am until 10.15am.

The documentary programme is also scheduled to air from the following Monday (July 20) as well.

Kate Humble and Ben Fogle will mark 25 years of Animal Park next week, looking back at unforgettable animal tales and their lasting bond.

This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1.

There has been unrest on the streets of London where Morocco fans were confronted by police following their team’s 2-0 loss to France and exit from the World Cup. Several arrests were reportedly made late on Thursday night around London’s Edgware road.

Chunky platform sandals, fitted baby tees, butterfly clips on perfectly crimped hair, brightly patterned skirts and tons of sparkles. Pure Y2K-fueled nostalgia filled the Kia Forum on Wednesday night in celebration of all things Hilary Duff.

• Share via Close extra sharing options

Duff graced the stage at the Inglewood venue as part of her Lucky Me tour, her first global headlining tour in nearly two decades. And her fans couldn’t have been more thrilled. The pop singer and actor, who released her sixth studio album “Luck… or Something” in February, performed two back-to-back sold-out shows.

Before the final L.A. show, we caught up with fans to talk about their outfits (many of which were inspired by Duff’s most famous roles such as Sam in “A Cinderella Story” and the title role in “The Lizzie McGuire Movie”), the memories her music brings up for them and why her work still resonates with them. Here’s what they had to say.

(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

Tristan Hallam, 36, of Chicago

Tell us about your outfit.

This is my wedding dress that I had stuffed in a suitcase. She’s been in a suitcase for 10 years, and I still fit into her, which is nice. People ask me why I keep stuff and this is exactly why: You might get divorced and use it as a costume. My outfit is inspired by “A Cinderella Story.” It’s my favorite Hilary Duff movie. She plays diner girl Cinderella. She disguises herself with a mask and a L.A. Dodgers cap. I did have a tiara, but I didn’t bring it because I didn’t want to be too much. So I figured, you know what, why not buy an apron and a little black crop top, and rep L.A.

I have a tattoo of her signature. It’s a little faded because it’s like 10 years old, maybe older than that now. It was at a book signing at Barnes and Noble at like the Grove or something. I asked her if she would initial my wrist, and I got it tattooed the same night. I literally drove to the tattoo shop on Hollywood Boulevard with my arm out the window because I’m so clumsy and I didn’t want to smudge it. Then the next time I saw her, she asked me, what did your parents say? I said, “My mom asked me how long I kept the Sharpie on so long.”

How long have you been a fan?

I think I was like 8 or 9 years old when I saw “Casper Meets Wendy” for the first time. My grandma took me to like a K-Mart or something, and told me that I could get any movie that I wanted. Then I was into “Lizzie McGuire,” but as soon as Hilary started doing all her like movies and independent work, obviously the music is great. I used to live in L.A., so I went to a bunch of her book signings. I’ve done a lot of meet and greets for her concerts, and right now I’m traveling around. I’m going to 18, technically 19 shows now, and I’m gonna see her in New Zealand, Australia and some other places. I’m actually really excited because one of my friends, I met her in a Hilary Duff fan club chat room in 2005 on MSN Messenger, and we are still friends, so we are going to a ton of shows together.

Why does her work still resonate with you today?

The fact that we’re around the same age, there’s been a lot of relationship similarities. I don’t have any kids, but the struggles with family, with your dad, with your siblings. She’s got some songs that are more mature and relatable for people our age. People who have gone through ups and downs in relationships, struggles with family and figuring out who your real family is, not just by blood but who your chosen family is. I think that’s really important.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

Leilanie Martinez, 30, of South Gate

Tell us about your outfit and the inspiration behind it?

It’s my quinceañera dress. It’s supposedly very traditional to wear a white dress, like young women coming of age. For mine, I wanted to wear something that I didn’t see a lot of people wearing and I was very firm that if I didn’t find the love of my life, I was going to wear a white dress and this was my moment. My quinceañera was such a precious time. It really was a labor of love, and I think it’s one those memories I hold very near and dear. I think it’s an ode to her history, her legacy.

How long have you been a fan?

I remember I was 5 and I was running around in my neighborhood, playing with Barbies and watching “Lizzie McGuire.” I’m here today with my neighborhood and childhood friends. We used to watch it together and now we’re reliving our nostalgia and childhood.

Thinking back on when you first fell in love with her work, why does it still resonate with you today?

There’s a lot of power in her being a woman and she’s going through so many milestones that a lot of people my age are going through like having children and growing her career. Sometimes I think people “wash out” and I think it’s wonderful how she’s combating that narrative in so many ways, and that people are out here supporting her. I think there’s a lot of beauty in being able to be together as young women and relive some of these memories, but also cheer her on as she continues developing further.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

Crystal Chesher, 33, of Mar Vista and Isabella Sanchez, 33, of Culver City

Tell us about your outfit.

Sanchez: We’re channeling “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.” My actual name is Isabella. She gives more Lizzie vibes and I give more Isabella vibes. It’s funny because I’ve literally saved [looks] of Isabella and Lizzie on my Pinterest board and I’ve always wanted to dress up like this. It’s not 100% of what I wanted, but it’s giving what it’s supposed to.

How long have you been a fan?

Chesher: Since I was little. I remember watching “Lizzie McGuire” since the age of 10 at the very least so I’ve been growing up with her movies and shows. She’s definitely my idol.

Sanchez: Same. Growing up, I was bullied so she was a very big part of me being more positive about myself. I can relate to her and she really helped me. It just feels full circle to be able to see her at 33 when I wanted to see her when I was like 10.

Thinking back on when you first fell in love with her work, why does it still resonate with you today?

Chesher: She has a heavy influence in the LGBT community as well especially with the [anti-gay speech campaign]. I loved that. With her movies and her music, it’s all relatable and it resonates with you, the lyrics, the storyline and even her new album that just came out.

Sanchez: She’s just that girl. I’ve never even met her, but I feel like she’s so genuine and real and she’s always stayed consistent with who she is. She’s not like your typical celebrity. She’s just awesome. I’m literally probably going to tear up seeing her on stage.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

Lucca Petrucci, 33, of Santa Monica

Tell us about your outfit.

This is a last-minute choice. It’s very like ’70s or retro. I feel like I’ve seen her wear something like this. I’m wearing wide-legged pants, Doc Martens, platform, new haircut, facial. The inspiration for this fit was elegant pop star like confidence, grounded, a baddie. I’m a baddie who knows my worth and that’s what I wanted to embrace. I feel like she’s like doing that. She has a lyric that’s like ‘I look in the mirror, like I’m a bad b—.”

How long have you been a fan?

Since third grade. I thought she was my crush, but I think I just wanted to be her. So many of my core childhood memories are with her.

Why was tonight a non-negotiable for you?

I wanted to experience with my bestie and her sister. I feel like as a kid I didn’t allow myself to fully embrace it because it would be too girly, too much, too gay. So I feel like as a 33-year-old, I’m reclaiming that experience. I’m so excited just to hear everybody in the Forum sing “So Yesterday” and “Come Clean.” She has always been my number one pop star, to this day, and I’ve never seen her perform.

Why does her work still resonate with you today?

I feel like, especially when she was on “Lizzie McGuire,” she was figuring out who she was, but was open to being her authentic self. So I think that just like hit me when I was like in third and fourth grade, like figuring out myself. I felt so seen by her, and her music just brings back like such good feelings. Younger version of me, life wasn’t always great, but, I don’t know, she made things better.

(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

Liv Guardado, 8, Priscilla Cruz, 38, Ava Guardado, 10 and Jezelle Velasco of Costa Mesa

Tell us about your outfit.

Cruz: We went thrifting for the first time for this. I’m plus-size, so thrifting is not easy in my size, so we did what we could. We got some overalls from Goodwill. And then we got some cowboy boots because we just wanted to be comfy.

Velasco: I probably stressed the most. I ordered so many pieces and it just kind of came together. I think the nails took the longest. One of my friends did my nails. It took some time but we got it done.

How long have you been a fan?

Velasco: Probably since I was their age. I never got to go to a concert, so this is my first time seeing her live.

Cruz: I definitely got inspired around middle school. I had a friend who was like Lizzie, and I was the best friend, Miranda. People would always say I was Miranda. I was a little older than [my girls], but I definitely have kept tabs on her life, and we love her.

Why does her work still resonate with you today?

Cruz: It definitely feels like memories and home when you think of her music from back then. And now she’s obviously stepped into a different phase of her life, and it matches where we’re at in our phase too so it’s nice.

Velasco: It just brings back the nostalgia from back when we were younger and now being parents, and being able to relate to her and her new music.

(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

Paige Beard, 34, and Tayler Nelson, 27, of Bakersfield

Tell us about your outfits.

Beard: I was supposed to be wearing purple and she was going to wear green, and we were going to do the Isabella and Lizzie look at the end of “The Lizzie McGuire Movie.” It turned out more pink, but we ran with it.

Nelson: I was all about that performance, so I was like green. Gotta go green. We’ve been planning for a while, like two months.

How long have you been a fan?

Beard: I’ve been a fan for a long, long time, probably since “Casper Meets Wendy.” I was also a really big “Lizzie McGuire” fan, so I got into her acting as well as her music.

Nelson: Same. I was all about the Cinderella movie though, so it’s probably been 10 years for me.

Why does her work still resonate with you today?

Beard: I was telling my sister that I really liked “Lizzie McGuire” because it was one of the first times I saw somebody’s inner dialogue acted out in cartoon form. It showed me that I’m not too much. She’s a little bit older than me and I see her crying on stage and I’m like “OK, it’s OK.”

Nelson: “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” was a big turning point for me. I just loved how she expressed herself with what she wore and how she acted. I feel like I understood her in different ways. I enjoyed the dancing and the singing for sure. She felt free and I’m like, “Dang, I want that.”

(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

Freddy Lopez, 38, and Raymond Lockwood, 36, of San Bernardino

Tell us about your outfits.

Lopez: Just a ’90s vibe. I guess a little old-school.

Lockwood: The outfits are a little last-minute because we were like we should’ve done diner girl [from “A Cinderella Story”] or one of her other movies, but we chose the little cartoon character from the show.

How long have you been a fan?

Lopez: I’ve been a fan since “Lizzie McGuire” and her movies.

Lockwood: For the past 20 something years. We grew up watching “Lizzie McGuire” and got introduced to Hilary Duff when she started singing.

Why was tonight a non-negotiable for you?

Lopez: We don’t know if she’s going to come back after this, so you’ve gotta take every opportunity. There’s other artists who cannot come back to perform right now. So when she said I’m coming back, we had to.

Lockwood: We’re healing our inner child. As a kid, we didn’t know she was having tours or we couldn’t afford to come out. Now, we’re like we don’t have to ask our mom and dad for anything.

Why does her work still resonate with you today?

Lockwood: For me, it’s being a teenager, watching the “Lizzie McGuire” show and watching the movie and then learning her songs. My favorite song is from the movie, “What Dreams Are Made Of.” It’s just us getting to live back in the past and kind of understanding it a little bit more. As a kid, our dreams are not what they realistically are today. I ended up becoming a nurse. As a kid, I didn’t sit on the couch like “Oh, I’m going to be a nurse,” but that’s what my dream ended up being.

(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

Stephanie Rodriguez, 32, High Desert

Tell us about your outfit.

If you ask my fiancé, I was hunting for outfits and last-minute I was like, “I’m just gonna order something on Amazon.” When I saw this, I was like, “That’s it.” Total nostalgia with “13 Going on 30.” We went shoe shopping at the South Coast Plaza over the weekend. The metallic is pulling it all together and the butterfly clips.

How long have you been a fan?

Probably since I was like 8 or younger, pretty much very much obsessed. All of my holiday gifts were Hilary Duff. I had her K-Mart home products. Any magazines she was in, I got. Any outfits that I could try and replicate, I would. My first Hilary show was either Wango Tango or a Jingle Ball with KIIS-FM, so it was just a festival with a bunch of different artists but I went specifically for her.

Why does her work still resonate with you today?

I think a lot of us feel like we grew up with Hilary, so all of her music resonated with us then, and now, now that we’re older, through relationships or divorces or motherhood. It’s pretty cool to see just how we’re all kind of growing up together. The first time I think I found out about her was at the Glendale Galleria. I was recently telling my fiancé that my dad had me on his shoulders because she did a meet and greet and the entire mall was packed.

(Kayla Bartkowski/Los Angeles Times)

Kelsie Wagner, 35, of Temecula and Tyler Walsh, 35, of Long Beach

Tell us about your outfit.

Wagner: I’m channeling Lizzie McGuire. My favorite part is the butterfly clips.

Walsh: This is from Company D, which is a discount store for Disneyland. I was like let me get the biggest shirt and make it into a dress, but I’m wearing shorts — it’s still appropriate. I have like six authentic Disney pins here. This is about $200 on my hat. I was like I have to do something that represents. It’s a big hobby, pin trading, that I picked up in 2023. Then I wore my Lisa Franks. I figured I would channel everything from the ’90s and 2000s.

How long have you been a fan?

Wagner: Whenever the “Lizzie McGuire” show came out.

Walsh: I remember going to sleepovers with all of my friends and we would do Lizzie nights. I was on a soccer team and on Saturday nights, we’d go watch the newest episode. It was just so fun because I feel like I had a little clan that loved Lizzie. We went to her concert at the Grove together and it was back when you paid $50 to get in. We were front row and we like smelled her. It was wonderful.

Why does her work still resonate with you today?

Wagner: For me, especially her new album, she talks about marriage, relationships, motherhood, so it’s still relatable in that sense of that stage of life that we’re in.

Walsh: For me, it’s just nostalgia, because I’m not married, I have no kids, like I’m that fun aunt. And I will say, like, because she goes to Disneyland a lot, so I luckily got to meet her too. I asked her for a picture, and she’s like “Yeah, of course, honey.” It’s the most embarrassing photo of me ever though.

Wagner: I told her she should get it printed and wear it to the concert.

Walsh: I should have.

Surely they hear the chants. They must hear the wonderful chants.

“Let’s go, Doyers! Let’s go, Doyers!”

Surely they see the faces? They can’t miss the gloriously diverse faces.

All shades, all colors, 4 million faces surrounding them with resounding support and unrequited love.

The Dodgers do know they play in Los Angeles, right?

Then why in the hell do they insist on embracing the person trying to tear this city apart?

This is an old issue, it’s been written before, it’s been debated ad nauseam, but it’s happening again and remains as sickening as ever.

The Dodgers are going to celebrate their 2025 World Series title with President Trump at the White House on July 23, it was confirmed Thursday.

Just like last season.

Seriously.

“President Trump is excited to welcome the Los Angeles Dodgers BACK to the White House to celebrate their World Series championship!” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement to The Times.

“Back” to the White House.

How embarrassing.

The 2017 NBA champion Golden State Warriors wouldn’t go. The 2018 Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles wouldn’t go. The 2025 NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder wouldn’t go.

And now this group of Dodgers is going twice?

Their first visit last spring was bad enough, with Trump noting, “That is a very good-looking group of people,” while the Dodgers stood around him in slack-faced awe.

Dodgers owner Mark Walter smiles while listing to President Trump speak during the Dodgers’ championship visit to the White House in April 2025.

(Alex Wong / Getty Images)

Some, including Dodgers officials, argued this was a visit about tradition, not politics. Teams have been visiting the White House since President Andrew Johnson hosted two amateur baseball clubs in 1865. The Dodgers said they were just abiding by this once-revered sports custom. They said they were showing respect for this country’s highest office, not necessarily the man inhabiting it.

Understood. But what happened two months after that first visit altered even that flimsy bit of logic, as the man inhabiting the office rained terror on Los Angeles with the midsummer ICE raids that changed the lives of thousands.

Many impacted were the Dodgers fans who filled the stadium every night for the team with arguably the largest immigrant fan base in sports. Some even were wearing Dodgers caps and jerseys when they were swept up and hauled away.

While other pro sports teams in town immediately condemned the raids, the Dodgers said nothing until finally announcing and fulfilling a $1.1-million donation to community organizations to support families impacted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

At the time, only one Dodger spoke out publicly, with Kiké Hernández writing on Instagram, “Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love. This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.”

A year later, Hernández is still on the Dodgers, he has much clubhouse credibility, and yet they’re still going back? Were they not listening?

The roster is filled with other levelheaded veterans who surely realize that by serving as a cheap Trump photo-op, they are honoring a man whose policies have ravaged their fans more than any other group in America, and yet they’re still going back?

An organization cannot boast of sharing a uniform with Jackie Robinson while sharing a very public afternoon with President Trump. That doesn’t work.

Kiké Hernández was the only Dodger who spoke out publicly last year.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

An organization that admirably fought back against the wishes of a conservative clubhouse to pioneer Pride Night cannot be the same organization that publicly normalizes the morality of President Trump. That doesn’t compute.

Can’t anyone on Vin Scully Avenue see the big picture here?

Maybe Jose Madera, director of the Pasadena Community Job Center, can show them.

Madera, a die-hard Dodgers fan, hasn’t attended a game since last summer’s ICE raids because he’s lost faith in the Dodgers’ connection with the Los Angeles community.

He says this latest news of a second White House visit only frays that connection further.

“It’s very disappointing to hear that our team is going to shake the hand of a person who has sent so much hate and terror into our community,” he said. “Thousands of families in our city live in fear … we can’t stand for what’s going on.”

Madera said the Dodgers need to remember who they are.

“The Dodgers bring so much joy to our community, but a large part of their fan base is the immigrant community, and they need to stand with us,” he said. “It’s very disappointing that they’re not, and we need to hold them accountable.”

It’s not too late. The Dodgers still have time to change their minds and do the right thing. They still have time to acknowledge that this is not about eschewing tradition or succumbing to politics or anything but common human decency.

The president has treated the Dodgers fans with a careless disregard for their basic humanity, and the Dodgers need to let him know this is not OK.

“They still have a chance to decline,” Madera said. “We’re all hoping they do.”

Yeah, sure, in two weeks they could strut into the most celebrated residence in America as two-time defending champions.

But they would leave it as two-time losers.

After Strictly Come Dancing announced Love Island winner and dancer Cach Mercer as the fifth contestant for 2026’s line-up, several fans of the BBC show were angered to discover he already has dance experience

Strictly Come Dancing have announced Love Island winner Cach Mercer as part of their 2026 line-up – but some fans are up in arms because he already has dance experience.

Cach, who won Love Island last year, was the fifth contestant announced for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. But, according to charity Young Minds, of which Cach is an ambassador, the star is a “professional dancer from East London”.

The Love Island star appears to have training in Hip Hop and Afrobeats and regularly posts videos of himself dancing online. In many of these videos, he has choreographed his own dance moves. He has also taught a dance classes for places such as dance event Move It and Platinum Performing Arts.

After discovering that the latest Strictly celeb had dance experience several fans were upset. One wrote on Instagram: “Had to google who he was, and the first thing that came up was ‘professional dancer’!!!”

Another added: “A professional dancer? How is he getting on as a celeb then?” A third said it gave “such an advantage when they’re already dancers” and that it was “extremely unfair to the other contestants”.

A fourth hilariously thought Strictly’s post about Cach joining the show was intended to announce a new pro dancer. “Oooh he’s a professional dancer!” they wrote. “So we are get getting some new pros this year!” The fan quickly added: “Oh wait no, this says celebrity reveal. He’s a Love Islander and professional dancer. I might just delete all this.”

But, other fans defended Cach, pointing out that many celebs who have competed on the show had dance experience and that Cach’s training was not in ballroom or latin.

“He’s trained in hip-hop and afrobeats. He’s never done ballroom or latin, never been to a stage school and never danced with a partner,” one said. “So he’s well within the rules of the show.”

Another continued: “When so many contestants have been to stage school and done musical theatre etc, it is well past time that we stopped calling people out for having previous dance experience.”

Every year there seems to be at least one celeb contestant who fans say should not be on the show due to their prior dance experience and/or training. Last year, both Emmerdale star Lewis Cope and Love Island winner Amber Davies came under fire for doing the show whilst having dance training.

Amber, who dances in musical theatre shows, responded to the backlash with: “We see the same thing over and over again and I feel like it doesn’t matter what I say or how I feel, if I’m struggling, people will of course have things to say because I do musical theatre.

“I have worked my a**e off to be taken seriously in the musical theatre world, and I feel like I have been working so hard. The musical theatre world is actually quite small so once you work hard, you are committed, consistent in your job and are a good company member, you can build your reputation quite quickly within the industry.”

Meanwhile, Lewis, who danced as a child and got to three dance world championships, said to Metro: “I don’t really know where all that came from, to be honest. I trained as an actor, I danced a bit when I was a teen, but haven’t since. It’s only ever really been acting for me for a long, long time – so I don’t really know where that came from. I don’t really take notice of it, though – everyone’s so strong, and anyone can pull out a brilliant performance at any point.

“To call me professionally trained or a professional dancer seems a bit bizarre, especially now that I’m working with these pros on the show. It’s kind of an insult to them, really, to suggest I’m on their level when they’ve dedicated their lives to becoming as brilliant as they are.”

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

EastEnders legend Letitia Dean found love with Holby City star before they parted ways

EastEnders legend Letitia Dean was once married to a television star before their “upsetting” divorce.

Fans of the BBC soap will be delighted as Letitia has reprised her role as Sharon Watts and returned to Walford on Thursday (July 9). She is one of the show’s long-running characters, having appeared in the first episode, which aired in February 1985, as the adoptive daughter of Angie (Anita Dobson) and Den Watts (Leslie Grantham).

From that scandalous affair with the Mitchell brothers during the 90s, to plotting Ian Beale’s (Adam Woodyatt) murder, suffering the loss of her son Denny, and covering up Keanu Taylor’s death, there is nothing Sharon hasn’t been involved in.

Away from the drama of Albert Square, we take a peek at Letitia’s real life, including her marriage to a Holby City star.

Letitia’s rise to fame

Born in Hertfordshire, Letitia and her brother Stephen joined The Sylvia Mitchell School of Dance as children before joining the esteemed Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts at 10 years old. In her early teens, she became a professional performer and landed roles on hit shows including Brookside and Grange Hill.

The 58-year-old soap star, from Potters Bar, orginally played Sharon from 1985 until 1995, and reprised the role from 2001 to 2006. She then made an epic comeback to Walford in 2012.

Appearing alongside co-star Adam Woodyatt on the EastEnders spin-off show Secrets from the Square in 2020, Letitia revealed she lied to producers to get her role as Sharon Watts.

Letitia admitted: “I don’t really remember the audition that much. I know there were quite a few recalls. They were looking far and wide”, but there was one major problem.

The biggest requirement to land a role in the show was that the producers were looking for real Cockneys – people from East London who have a Cockney accent, so Letitia lied and said she was from the area.

Letitia continued: “We had to be born ‘within the sound of Bow bells'”, before adding: “I told a porky!”.

She added: “I said my parents had to go and work away, and I was staying with somebody in ‘the sound of Bow bells’. I do remember getting the job and getting the call. I remember that quite clearly. It was just so exciting.”

Is Letitia Dean married?

Letitia tends not to talk much about her relationships and generally keeps her private life out of the public eye.

However, in 2001, she hit the headlines when it was revealed she was engaged to actor and businessman Jason Pethers, who is perhaps best known for portraying Rob Greening in Holby City.

The couple got engaged after a few months of knowing each other and tied the knot at All Saints’ Church in Marylebone in 2002.

While there were many of her EastEnders castmates at the wedding, Susan Tully, who played Michelle Fowler, acted as her bridesmaid.

But it wasn’t meant to be for the TV stars as they split in 2007. The marriage reportedly ended due to a difference in their plans for starting a family.

Talking about their tough separation during another chat with the Mirror at the time, Letitia admitted that she and Jason are ‘in a good place’, despite having parted ways.

She revealed: “I do not regret one minute of my time with Jay. I was in love – desperately in love – and I can’t reiterate enough how thankful I am that I did get married to that man.”

Letitia added: “As a couple you can, hopefully, go down the same path together as long as you share the same desires and dreams. Unfortunately, many of us fork off in different directions.

“This is the first time I’ve ever talked about what happened, but I’m quite practical about this now. I’ve got nothing but good things to say about Jason. But sometimes you just grow out of each other, maybe.

“I did think that by waiting until a bit later in life for marriage, I would know more, and it would last. But none of us can predict. Of course, I didn’t want this to happen, and neither did he, but it did and though it’s upsetting, you just have to get on with it. You have to be strong.”

At the time, Jason’s mum, Joan, said the couple decided to split because Letitia wanted children, while her husband preferred to wait before having them, the Daily Mirror reported.

She said, “They both wanted children, but Jason wanted to wait until he could afford it. She had a lot more money than him. I think, like any man, he wanted to look after his wife.

“They were happy. It was no dramatic thing – they haven’t found someone else. I guess they just fell out of love for the time being.”

Since their separation, Letitia has yet to go public with another romance.

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer

StubHub is getting a red card from some World Cup fans

Two World Cup customers are suing the New York-based ticket-selling company, alleging “false and misleading” advertising that left them without tickets or a refund for the World Cup games they paid to attend.

In federal court in New York last week, two Californians — Julia Reeker Moghal and Reuben Renteria — sued StubHub seeking monetary damages and a ban on the company selling World Cup tickets. The lawsuit aims to become a class action and comes after weeks of fierce criticism and complaints from customers regarding the company’s practices.

Throughout the World Cup, videos have emerged on Instagram and TikTok of StubHub customers describing their nightmare experiences with the ticket-selling platform.

Some said they had purchased tickets to World Cup games as early as November of last year, booked flights and hotels and arranged travel plans, then StubHub notified them days to weeks before the match of a refund for their tickets, which they never requested.

There were similar complaints about last-minute cancellations from people who bought Coachella tickets on StubHub.

In the lawsuit, Moghal said she had purchased three tickets for nearly $2,000 for the June 18 match between Switzerland and Bosnia-Herzegovina at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, which were then canceled by StubHub. Moghal said she was contacted by StubHub and told her tickets would remain canceled, then was later told the tickets would be available one hour before the game.

When the match began, Moghal said she was at SoFi Stadium, but the tickets never came.

Renteria said he paid around $2,300 for the June 18 Mexico versus South Korea match in Guadalajara, Mexico, but they were canceled

“Devoted soccer fans have traveled from around the world to attend World Cup matches — and they reasonably relied on StubHub to provide the tickets they paid for as well as on StubHub’s warranty,” Blake Hunter Yagman, the attorney representing the two, said in a statement. “Instead of rewarding their business, StubHub sold them World Cup tickets that they either could not provide or on speculation, only to be stranded, in many cases, at the stadium gates without any recourse.”

According to StubHub’s website, its Fan Protect Guarantee states the platform will deliver valid tickets or refund in the event of a ticket issue, and that it will “go out of our way to find replacement tickets” of a comparable value. The lawsuit alleges the replacement tickets many fans were given by StubHub were worse than their original tickets.

FIFA, the World Cup organizer, states in its terms and conditions that the FIFA Marketplace, its own ticket-selling platform, is the only authorized platform for World Cup tickets, and that only tickets purchased through it are guaranteed by FIFA to be valid.

Despite the risk of purchasing through a third-party platform such as StubHub, many fans opted to do so to avoid the 30% FIFA resale tax, believing that the Fan Protect Guarantee would safeguard their order.

Since World Cup tickets began selling on FIFA Marketplace last September, fans have expressed disappointment in the expensive price tag. FIFA utilized a dynamic pricing system for the sale, and as sales phases progressed leading up to the games, the cost of tickets increased tremendously. In March, the extreme cost of tickets prompted 69 members of Congress to write a letter to FIFA urging them to lower their prices.

Tickets for the upcoming Friday match between Spain and Belgium in Los Angeles are selling on StubHub for over $1,300.

StubHub said in various statements to the news and in legal proceedings that ticket cancellations were a result of transfer problems and issues with FIFA’s ticketing infrastructure.

StubHub did not respond to requests for comment.

A FIFA spokesperson responded to this accusation in a statement, saying, “FIFA has no visibility over, or control of, secondary market ticket transactions carried out on third-party platforms. The transactions facilitated on these platforms occur entirely independently of FIFA’s official ticketing platform. With reference to the reliability of the services available to fans on FIFA’s official ticket platform, FIFA rejects any suggestion that the functional issues being experienced by users of third-party platforms with respect to FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets are the result of FIFA’s ticketing infrastructure.”

OASIS classic Wonderwall is on course to hit No 1 thanks to Three Lions supporters and The Sun. 

Their 1995 mega-hit Wonderwall has rocketed up the charts following England’s victory against Mexico. 

It’s currently No2 on UK Spotify and No15 on Global Spotify—a leap of 27 places. 

The track was streamed 2.8 million times on Monday following The Sun’s campaign to make it the England World Cup anthem. 

It is due to enter the official Top 20 this Friday and is expected to finally reach No1 next week if England beat Norway on Saturday. 

Despite being Oasis’ most iconic track, the song originally peaked at No2, famously kept off the top spot by Robson & Jerome’s I Believe / Up On The Roof. 

health update

Michelle McKenna says she’s paused chemo due to side effects in cancer update

SHOW’S OVER

5ive fans ‘absolutely gutted’ as festival headlined by boyband is cancelled

Speaking to The Sun last month, Noel Gallagher backed calls for Wonderwall to become the unofficial England anthem.  

The footy-mad Manchester City fan, 59, said: “Wonderwall belongs to the people, and it was a magical moment between the people and the players.

“Best of luck to everyone who’s made the trip out there.” 

The movement was initially started by England fans who belted out the track alongside Jude Bellingham after their 4-2 triumph over Croatia at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas. 

Ahead of the World Cup starting, every nation was asked to submit a playlist of songs to be played before and after games.

England submitted three songs, with one of them being Oasis‘ Wonderwall.

The Three Lions are currently bidding to end 60 years of heartbreak and win a second World Cup title – and they are that one step closer after booking their spot in the quarter-finals.

Death in Paradise fans were left doing a double take as they instantly recognised the show’s guest star

A Widow’s Bay icon once played a huge role in Death in Paradise.

Currently, the BBC is airing repeat episodes of Death in Paradise and Wednesday night saw series 11, episode five play. In the 2022 season, Ralf Little was playing the main character of DI Neville Parker before his exit in 2024.

The repeat episode saw a young popstar found dead at a rehab clinic, where it initially looked like a tragic accident. However, Neville was convinced that there was more to her death than meets the eye…

In the episode, it saw the arrival of Neville’s sister, Izzy. However, Neville wasn’t best pleased to see his sister especially as she had kept her arrival a surprise and she soon interfered in his life.

The character of Izzy is played by actress Kate O’Flynn, who appeared as the character for three episodes. Of course, viewers will instantly recognise Kate, 40, for her iconic role of Patricia Moyer in the recent hit series Widow’s Bay.

Other roles include Fiona Lewis in Everyone Else Burns, Princess Mary in My Lady Jane and Alice in Bridget Jones’s Baby – to name just a few.

At the time of the episode airing, viewers were quick to instantly recognise Kate playing Izzy. One person said: “I recognise Izzy from somewhere!”

While another person wrote: “Where have I seen Izzy before!? @deathinparadise she looks very familiar #DeathInParadise!”

However, it looks like there will be no return of Izzy on Death in Paradise in the future due to her on-screen brother Neville’s exit. Back in 2024, Neville decided to leave Saint Marie for good after four years and explore the world.

Since then, Don Gilet has taken over the lead role as DI Mervin Wilson. Talking about joining the show in 2024, Don said: “Being offered the new lead role in Death in Paradise feels like a deeply loved and incredibly precious jewel has been placed in my hands.

“This is a big show, with a big heart and the love continually grows for it. It is my intention to never lose sight of that and to remain grateful, humbled and dedicated.

“Even during those testing times when every sinew is screaming at me to run off the set and dive into the sea, swimming pool or an ice-cold beer – whichever happens to be closer at the time!”

Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

LEIGH-Anne Pinnock has confirmed she and husband Andre Gray are expecting their third child – and the signs were all there. 

The former Little Mix singer, 34, has been busy promoting her debut solo album My Ego Told Me To, but it’s not just the new music that’s acted as a distraction for fans when it comes to her pregnancy. 

Leigh-Anne took to Instagram last week to share snaps from a trip to Los Angeles, including one of her covering up in an oversized denim shirt and matching jeans. 

She and Andre, 35, recently took their four-year-old daughters to Thailand and some of the holiday snaps suggest Leigh was hiding a bump. 

In one photo she can be seen posing behind her girls in an olive green minidress. 

Another stunning shot saw the proud mum and her daughters in the sea – with Leigh-Anne posing with her back to the camera. 

More on Leigh-Anne Pinnock

baby joy

Leigh-Anne Pinnock pregnant with third child 5 years after welcoming twins

big clue

Celeb Traitors’ Leigh-Anne Pinnock dropped HUGE hint she was on show & no one saw

The Don’t Say Love hitmaker and footballer Andre are fiercely protective of their children and have never shown their faces or revealed their names. 

Earlier this year Leigh-Anne opened up on her decision to keep her daughters out of the public eye. 

She told People: “I remember when they were born, I was going through this online hate thing and really seeing the toxicity of social media.

“I mean, I probably would’ve still decided to not show their faces anyway, but that just kind of confirmed it for me. I want them to be able to make that decision.

“I want them to be able to [choose] if they want to be famous or not, because once they’re out there, they’re out there.

Leigh-Anne and Andre tied the knot in 2023 in a beachfront ceremony in Jamaica.

TAMERA Mowry fans couldn’t believe the star’s real age as she took to social media to mark her birthday.  

She and twin sister Tia are 90s sitcom icons after starring in the series Sister, Sister – which aired on Nickelodeon in the UK from 1994 until 1999. 

Today Tamera shared a clip on TikTok revealing the women are celebrating their 48th birthday, and fans refused to believe it. 

The clip showed her being presented with a cake decorated with ‘3’ and ‘8’ candles, before someone off camera switched the first for a ‘4’. 

After jokingly running away from the cake, Tamera stopped and pulled the candles from the cake before holding them up and smiling at the camera. 

She wrote: “We spend so much time running from our age. Well, this year, I’m dancing with it. 48 and grateful, because every year is a gift not everyone gets to unwrap.”

BACK AT IT!

Tia Mowry, 47, is dating hunky teacher Javon’e Armada, 35, after divorce

TWISTED SISTERS

Tia Mowry breaks silence on long-rumored feud with twin Tamera

Rushing to comment, one fan wrote: “Why did I think she’s actually 38? She looks amazing.”

Another said: “There is no way they’re 48!!!”

Someone else wrote: “Oh baby you look 28.”

And a fourth added: “Excuse me, 48? You don’t look a day over 20.”

It comes after Tia spoke out following long-running rumours of a feud between the two sisters.

Confirming there are issues between them, she told Entertainment Tonight: “Yes, there’s distance.

“But when something is important to you… you will make time for it.

“We’ve made a pact with each other that we’ll reach out once per week, and that’s on Sundays.”

Swiss fans celebrated wildly after their team made it to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954 by beating Colombia on penalties.

Al Jazeera spoke with Egypt fans at the Obour City Youth Center, where an estimated 15,000 members gathered to watch the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match against Argentina. Supporters shared their heartbreak after the emotional exit while praising the team’s unforgettable tournament run.

BBC viewers have called the cosy detective series the ‘best TV show of all time’

Death in Paradise fans looking for their next fix need look no further.

BBC viewers have gone wild for ‘one of the best’ detective series, calling it a ‘real gem hidden in the daytime schedules’.

Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators first aired in 2018 and is now in its sixth series. It stars EastEnders legend Jo Joyner as Luella Shakespeare and Waterloo Road star Mark Benton as Frank Hathaway.

A synopsis for the show reads: “After the death of her fiance, Luella Shakespeare joins Frank Hathaway, a private detective, to help him solve some bizarre cases in Stratford-upon-Avon.”

The series has been a huge hit amongst fans who have likened it to Death in Paradise, Beyond Paradise and Midsomer Murders.

One person said: “I don’t know what this show is doing in the day time section, I would have missed it, had it not for the fact that I logged into iPlayer. It reminded me of ‘Death in Paradise’ but set in Warwickshire. They have filmed in really scenic locations, and I love the cast.

“The two leads have very good on screen chemistry and their side kick, the “RADA Grad” is pretty funny. I have watched six episodes so far and I can’t wait to finish it.

“I hope BBC renews it because it is pretty cheerful and feel good show. I am a little tired of gritty and dark dramas so this is pretty much right up my stream!”

Another show watcher put: “Just binge watched the first and second series of this show on demand! I can’t believe I’d never heard of it or even seen it advertised.. I absolutely loved it! Light hearted, clever writing, witty loveable characters, I could go on and on…”

A different viewer said: “I have watched both seasons of this sweet, light hearted and funny show. I think it should be on in the evenings, it’s very much like Death in Paradise except set in Stratford Upon Avon.

“Hope it’s renewed for season! It’s a witty sweet show and some of us like light-hearted programmes!”

Another fan commented: “This show is much better than I hoped. I was looking for something on Britbox once I had watched the last episode of Death in Paradise and decided to give this a try. What a complete gem.”

While a different viewer added: “If you are a fan of exquisite British murder mysteries in the vein of Midsommer Murders you will be hooked! Fun characters, engaging comedic elements and very interesting plot twists make this a winner!! LOVE IT!!!”

FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-match ban on United States striker Folarin Balogun, allowing the team’s leading goal scorer to play in their crucial last-16 World Cup match against Belgium, has stirred a controversy hours ahead of the USA vs Belgium last-16 match.

The row and ensuing uproar deepend on Monday when US President Donald Trump confirmed asking FIFA to review its decision against Balogun, with FIFA utlimately making a U-turn on the player’s suspension from the crucial fixture.

Was FIFA’s decision the result of an unfair power move from President Trump, or was it a warranted correction to a red card that should not have been issued in the first place?

It depends on who you ask.

Football fans of the cohost nation appear to be divided on the controversy.

While there is near consensus that the red card Balogun received against Bosnia and Herzegovina was harsh, not everyone agrees with Trump’s intervention.

“I think it’s bull****,” Cesar Espino, who was watching the Spain vs Portugal round-of-16 match at a pub near downtown Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera hours ahead of kickoff in the USA-Belgium game.

“I feel like if you win it’s a stain because Balogun is one of our top players.”

He added that the decision will make the USA “more unlikeable”, adding to the list of controversies for the host nation, including travel bans and the restrictions against the Iranian team during the group stage.

But 23-year-old Oscar Ramirez argued that the issue is more nuanced than the USA gaining an unfair advantage “because of the nature of the red card”.

“I think most people, including myself, believe the red card was unfair; it was unjust,” Ramirez said.

“I think you’ll have some people who will be like, we should keep the rules no matter what. And you’ll have some people who will be like, that card shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

The USA fan admitted jokingly that he is biased, so he supports the decision.

“I’m American, and I want our best chances. And without him, we don’t have a good chance,” Ramirez  said.

FIFA responds

Balogun, the USA’s top scorer in the tournament with three goals, received the red card for a studs-up contact near the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic.

The USA striker was looking at the ball, so the incident appeared unintentional. Nonetheless, Balogun was sent off after an onfield VAR review, triggering an at least one-match suspension.

A FIFA board subsequently suspended the penalty without providing an explanation.

Trump, who enjoys close relations with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, confirmed on Monday that he requested a review of the suspension.

“All I did – I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said.

He also suggested that the US conducted research on the referee who issued the card, calling the official “very suspect”.

“If you like I can provide you with the past,” he told reporters.

FIFA has insisted that the decision was taken by a judicial panel that operates independently with Infantino denying that his conversation with Trump may have influenced the process.

“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” the FIFA president said in a statement.

“That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”

Despite that assertion, US Senator Ted Cruz thanked Trump earlier for “getting rid of that ridiculous red card”.

The controversy has infuriated Belgian football officials. But in the US, some politicians and commentators lauded Trump for his intervention.

“I admit that I’m not the biggest soccer fan, but I’m glad President Trump urged FIFA to do the right thing. Good for President Trump, good for Folarin Balogun, good for the USA,” Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote on X.

For his part, Fox Sport analyst Alexi Lalas said lifting Balogun’s suspension was surprising but welcome news.

“What happened here is America stood up for itself,” Lalas, a former USA player, told Fox News.

“The powers that be when it comes to the United States Soccer Federation did what they needed to do within the rules and regulations that exist in order to give ourselves the best possible chance of being successful.”

Mamdani invokes Mourinho

But CBS Sports commentator  Nico Cantor said the episode set a “dangerous precedent” that undermines the authority of the referees making decisions based on their interpretations of the rules.

“For as much as I believe Balogun didn’t deserve the red, it’s an interpretable decision,” he wrote on X.

“Anything can now be questioned after the fact. And it’s up to FIFA’s ‘judicial body’ – whoever that is, wherever they are – to call make critical decisions as they see fit.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had also called the red card “cruel”, but he refused to comment on FIFA’s decision to suspend the suspension.

Instead, he posted a GIF of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho saying, “I prefer not to speak. If I speak – big trouble.”

Back in Washington, DC, US fan Lucas Faria said it was “crazy” that the suspension was overturned, but he added that the decision is unlikely to derail trust in the World Cup because it is already loaded with controversy.

Faria told Al Jazeera that the tournament has been a Trump-Infantino show.

“The tickets have been outrageous. It’s been an outrageous tournament so far. This is just an obvious thing,” he said.

Faria added, however, that the US team should not be judged for FIFA’s decisions.

“It’s not on them,” he told Al Jazeera.

In 2012, when Mark Walter and his partners bought the Dodgers, team president Stan Kasten declared mediocrity would no longer be acceptable.

Would the Dodgers improve their minor league system? Yes. Would the Dodgers improve their major league roster? Also yes. Would spending in one area preclude spending in another? Absolutely not.

“These fans expect and deserve a team that can win,” Kasten said then.

So do Angels fans. For the first time this decade, with the arrival of John Mozeliak as interim general manager, they have legitimate hope.

Mozeliak, whose St. Louis Cardinals teams reached the playoffs more often than not in his 18 years running baseball operations there, is here to end baseball’s longest postseason drought, or at least steer the Angels in that direction.

At first, I was shocked to hear him say he does not believe the Angels need to rebuild. Under owner Arte Moreno, the Angels have resisted rebuilding, preferring to add lower-tier free agents and rush college players to the major leagues in an effort to field a competitive roster. That has failed: For the first time in franchise history, the Angels could finish in last place for a third consecutive season.

But, when Mozeliak and I sat down in the Angels’ dugout the other day, he explained that the path forward in Anaheim should not be tanking. It should be acting like the major-market team the Angels are — and were, during Moreno’s first decade of ownership.

“The one thing you have to realize about the Los Angeles Angels is: they do have resources,” Mozeliak said. “From Mr. Moreno to the market size, this is a place that could be a very, very special place.”

In Moreno’s first decade, under Bill Stoneman and Mike Scioscia, the Angels were a player development machine. In 2003, in his first winter as owner, Moreno signed the best position player on the free-agent market in Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero and the best pitcher on the market in four-time All-Star Bartolo Colon.

The questions Mozeliak asks and answers now are the same ones Kasten did with the Dodgers. Can the team deploy resources to upgrade scouting and player development? Yes. Can the team do the same with the major league roster? Also yes.

“There are many franchises in the game of baseball that cannot do that,” Mozeliak said. “They have trade-offs. They have to make a decision: If I’m going to give you $20 million for your infrastructure, that’s $20 million less for your payroll.

“This place is different.”

The Dodgers parallel only goes so far. Walter and Kasten inherited a core of Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier. Mozeliak will work with Mike Trout and a long-touted “young core” that has shown by now it is not the foundation of a championship-caliber team.

No one expects Moreno to spend like the Dodgers do (and even Walter’s fellow owners want a salary cap in an attempt to stop the Dodgers). Yet, in St. Louis, Mozeliak built winners without the Cardinals owners ever paying a luxury tax.

The first step in revitalizing the Angels comes Saturday, in the draft.

“We’re going to take the best available player,” Mozeliak said.

Mozeliak said he is not interested in two recent Angels trends: paying less to a first-round pick in order to spread the savings around longer shots in the lower rounds, or targeting a polished college player in part because he could get to Anaheim in a hurry.

“I’m not wedded to a high school player or a college player,” Mozeliak said. “I want the best player.”

The second item on the agenda: the Aug. 3 trade deadline, which would afford Mozeliak the opportunity to collect prospects for such players as pitcher Reid Detmers and Jose Soriano and outfielder Jo Adell.

In 2020, Moreno nixed a trade that would have brought Andy Pages – then a Dodgers prospect, now an All-Star – to the Angels.

In 2023 and 2024, Moreno rebuffed trade offers for Shohei Ohtani that could have returned the likes of Junior Caminero or Jackson Merrill. No player of that caliber would be coming in return for what the Angels have to offer now.

Mozeliak said the Angels should not consider a trade proposal in isolation, without considering how to flex their major-market muscles to fill whatever hole a trade might create.

“If we understand what we’re doing today can help make us stronger tomorrow, and then look at potentially what we could do on the free-agent market,” he said, “that should be something we are doing in parallel thinking.”

Mozeliak said he does not believe any player should be untouchable. As if on cue, Trout walked by.

Trade Trout? That’s not happening, right?

“That’s not happening,” Mozeliak said.

In his hours of conversations with Moreno, Mozeliak said, the topic of whether the owner might sell the team “never came up.”

Does Moreno appear interested in staying for the long haul?

“Absolutely,” Mozeliak said.

Mozeliak said he had presented Angels President Molly Jolly with a 100-day plan for what the team calls a consulting role: run baseball operations on an interim basis; do a deep dive into how the Angels do things now and how they can do them better; recommend a new general manager. Maybe he stays in that role, or in a supporting role, or he simply leaves when his contract expires in December.

“I’m certainly confident in what we need to do, and I’m certainly confident this is a market that could be amazing,” he said. “It’s exciting times for me. I’m energized.

“I’m smart enough to know that one person cannot change everything. But one person can begin change, and that’s what I’m going to start to do.”

Distinguished executives, including the likes of Dave Dombrowski and Andrew Friedman, have wanted no part of the Angels. Then again, Mozeliak is only committed for six months. If Moreno does not do what Mozeliak believes should be done, and if Mozeliak is not allowed to begin that change, he can just walk away.

“I think I have that authority,” Mozeliak said, “and I think he understands that he can embrace change, because that is what is going to be required.”

Based on Moreno telling you that?

“Yes,” Mozeliak said.

The last time the Angels hired an experienced general manager from outside the organization: 35 years ago, when they also looked to St. Louis for Whitey Herzog. That didn’t work. Herzog won a power struggle in the front office, then quit anyway, amid disputes with ownership.

This might work, or might not. But think back to 2020, when then-Angels president John Carpino said this: “Obviously, we’re not doing it the right way. We’re not winning games. So something is not right in our organization.”

Carpino retired in April, without ever explaining what was not right in the organization or, based on the standings, repairing it.

Jolly replaced him and, within two months, secured Moreno’s approval to hire the architect of a World Series championship team to figure out what was not right in the organization, and to fix it.

In one bold step, the Angels admitted they had a problem and set out a path to remedy it. With three months to go in this wretched season, the MVP of the 2026 Angels is abundantly clear: Molly Jolly.

Mexico’s World Cup dream ended with a thrilling 3-2 loss to England in the Round of 16, but many of the host nation’s fans celebrated their team despite the loss.