IT’S everybody’s worst nightmare bumping into their ex-partner, let alone when they are with their new girlfriend – But we can reveal that Laura Hamilton is said to be bracing herself for just that.
Yesterday, The Sun told how her former husband had moved on with a stunning PR girl and now, insiders tell us how the A Place in the Sun presenter really feels about it – and why their two worlds could collide.
Laura Hamilton is said to be unimpressed by her ex-husband’s new romanceCredit: Instagram/laurahamiltontvAlex has actually been dating Becky for over a year, but has only just gone publicCredit: instagram/knowles_bk
Laura, who split from Alex Goward in 2022 after 13 years together, is understood to be unhappy about his new romance with stunning PR guru Becky Knowles – a relationship we can reveal has actually been quietly underway for more than a year.
Alex, 45, and Becky, who bears a striking resemblance to his ex-wife, went public with their relationship this week.
However, Alex does in fact appear on Becky’s social media as far back as June last year, with the couple also enjoying a romantic holiday together last September.
The pair are said to have kept things low-key out of respect for Laura and the children she shares with Alex – Rocco, 12, and 11-year-old Tahlia – but felt that after a year together, it was the right time to make things public.
However, Laura is said to be worried about coming face-to-face with her ex’s new girlfriend as they move in similar showbiz circles.
She is also said to be uncomfortable with Becky’s high-profile friendship group, which includes Pussycat Doll Ashley Roberts, Louise Redknapp and singer Cheryl.
“Becky has always moved in fabulous circles – even more so than Laura!” a source said.
“She has lots of showbiz friends and her sister Emma Lucy is a famous crystal healer who regularly appears on This Morning and is best friends with Holly Willoughby. Becky was also very close to Caroline Flack.
“One person not so happy about it all is Laura. She’s had a while to come to terms with it all privately, but now it’s out in the open; it’s opened old wounds – nobody wants to see their ex with someone younger and more beautiful, let alone so successful.
“Laura is also very worried about bumping into them because Becky moves in the same showbiz circles. She attends the premieres, celebrity launches and has lots of A-list friends, so she’s dreading bumping into her ex and Becky in public. It will be incredibly difficult and awkward for her.”
Becky and Alex went Instagram official this week, sharing snaps of the pair enjoying a date night together.
In one photo, he rested his hand on Becky’s leg as she, dressed in a short black skirt and heels, posed alongside him at a bar. A second image showed the couple holding drinks, with Becky kissing him on the cheek.
Stunning Becky uploaded the snaps with the caption: “Us” and a love heart emoji, before Alex reposted them to his story.
Friends say she is “smitten” and that it’s the happiest they’ve ever seen her.
One said: “We all knew this was very serious as soon as she posted him on her Instagram – everyone was like ‘omg who’s this guy’? Because Becky has been single for years and years and years!
“She’s very confident, outgoing, smart and has got extremely high standards. She’s also so incredibly beautiful. She has always had admirers, but she is far too driven and busy with work and her friends to be tied down to just anyone – so we knew that he must be the one.
“They’ve actually been together for over a year now, but kept things low-key out of respect for Laura and his children. It felt like the right time to go Instagram official this week – they are so in love and the happiest they’ve ever been.”
Laura has also been trying to move on following her split – but has found Alex’s news hard to take.
Alex’s partner has a number of celebrity palsCredit: InstagramLaura has found it tough seeing the new relationship in the pressCredit: Instagram/laurahamiltontv
Our source said: “Laura wants her ex to be happy, but she can’t help feeling a bit irked by Becky and all this. The last thing she wants to see is him draped all over his beautiful new girlfriend in the press. That’s her world!”
In 2023, Laura opened up about her “tough” divorce from Alex, saying she had to stay strong for their children.
She said: “You say content, but I have moments when I feel this is tough, this is hard, this is not what I expected my life to be. But I’m a glass-half-full person, and I have to be positive. I have to be strong. Am I making the best of the situation as I can right now? Yes, 100 per cent.
“But I do get sad because things went the way they did. I might look like everything is fine all the time, and that’s how things come across on social media, but no, I’d be a robot if I didn’t have those emotions.
‘Do I let myself cry? Yes, all the time. And I encourage Rocco and Tahlia to always share their feelings. It is better to talk and let the emotions out than bottle up.”
Two years after their divorce, Laura was linked to married businessman James Pettigrew, who was said to also be going through a divorce at the time, and the pair were seen kissing in her car.
But she later refused to be drawn on the relationship.
She said at the time: “I’m dating. I’m having fun. No, I don’t have the apps. I’ve tried those in the past three years. I went on Raya and thought: ‘This is not for me.’ I like to meet people organically.
“People do look at me and say: ‘I know you from somewhere…’ and that starts a conversation.
“I did go out on a date with somebody, and the only thing he wanted to talk about was buying a property in the sun. I’m not here to be your property consultant!
“But it’s quite difficult for me to date when you look at my life and how busy I am. I’ve got two children and I’m abroad every other week.”
But while dating has been difficult for Laura, it seems it’s not been quite so much of a struggle for her ex.
Emmerdale fans have been left furious after Dr Caitlin Todd was killed off at the end of Wednesday night’s episode, meaning that Charity Dingle will now never get justice for the abuse she faced
Dr Todd has been murdered on Emmerdale – and some fans have made it quite clear they’ve had enough of these types of storylines (Image: ITV)
Emmerdale fans have been left furious after Dr Caitlin Todd was killed off at the end of Wednesday night’s episode. The medic, played by Caroline Harkin, had relentlessly bullied Sarah Sugden’s partner Jacob when she was in charge of him at the hospital, and things have only got worse since she retired.
Last year, Charity tried become a surrogate for her granddaughter Sarah only to find out that she was naturally pregnant by Ross Barton. Still, she kept this all a secret and Sarah believed that all had gone to plan with the surrogacy. Todd found out the truth and used it to blackmail Charity into handing over money. This all culminated in harrowing scenes where she sexually assaulted a drunken Charity.
Earlier this week, Charity, who confessed all about to Mack, found the courage to go to the police but Mack, having had enough of the whole lie, stormed to the hospital to confront Todd. At the very end of Wednesday night’s episode, Charity vowed to get justice but then, Mack was seen with Todd as he said: “Would we call it winning if you stopped breathing? If you ever come near Charity again, I will bury you!”
A random flashforward, complete with the sound effects of a camera shutter to imply something had very suddenly become a crime scene investigation, showed Todd in the future lying dead, with blood coming out of her head. Todd is now the fourth person in the small Yorkshire village to be murdered this year – after John Sugden, Ray Walters and Celia Daniels.
This all seems to confirm that, despite her evil ways, Doctor Todd will never face justice for the way she abused Charity and fans were not impressed. Taking to X, one fan raged: “I just had a feeling that #Emmerdale was gonna kill Dr Todd off and here we are!
“Charity deserves justice , unfortunately now it’s not gonna happen And now this storyline has turned into a whodunit! I have no words. Soaps needs to do better instead off killing off the villain! This storyline is so important to raise awareness for and in my opinion they have gone and ruined it for a cheap plot!”
Another said: “It angers me that both Charity and Jacob will never get justice for what Dr. Todd did to them. Her abuse of both should have been dealt with not this cheap cop out.”
It all comes after fellow ITV soap Coronation Street made the decision to kill off domestic abuser Theo Silverton, and viewers will know that Sarah Platt (Tina O’Brien) was revealed as the killer when the whole story began as a plot to raise awareness on an issue rahter than a whodunnit.
Another said: “can soaps stop unaliving the abusers please! todd and charity deserved to get justice. #emmerdale #corrie.” Another said: “two brilliant actors & two brilliant villains. two storylines that brought attention to important topics, only for them to end unrealistically & for the sake of drama. im disappointed both soaps chose this, the characters deserved justice & so did the audience
One particular irate fan blasted the those in charge of the soaps, which have favoured an onslaught of constant crime stories above all else in recent years.
They wrote: “The fact [the soap bosses] are all stuck in this endless loop of stupid ridiculous outlandish who dunnit stories and killing abusers, health stories that aren’t even researched properly and toxic men. Also stupid pairings that are past their sell by date. Not to mention the never ending introduction of villains to these tiny places – just stop.”
Another wrote: “I don’t mind the copper stories I find some interesting, when they get it right but my gripe is the constant cycle of villains and murders! I would rather watch an episode of them all at the rovers for some sort of party with funny scenes not this abysmal year upon year of violence.”
Ranvir Singh and Ed Balls were back in the ITV studio on Wednesday (July 1) to deliver the day’s biggest headlines from across the UK and around the world.
All eyes will be on Atlanta later today as England take on the Democratic Republic of Congo in their round of 32 match at the FIFA World Cup. England came through Group L unbeaten, following wins against Croatia and Panama, and a goalless draw with Ghana, but have so far fallen short of the sort of performances needed if they are to progress deep into the competition.
Their opponents have reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history, sealing their spot with a 3-1 win against Uzbekistan, in which Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa scored twice.
Ranvir and Ed hosted a tense debate on GMB, after some fans are calling for their employers to give them a half day so they can enjoy the match, which kicks off at 5pm UK time.
Lindi Glass, the founder and director of Explode Social Media, has given her staff a half day to watch the match, while construction business owner Claudia Hearne firmly disagrees.
“It only happens every four years. I’m not a huge fan, but everybody is when the World Cup’s on. When it comes to business, I don’t think it’s about just salary, it’s about feeling great, it’s about output,” Lindi began.
Claudia interrupted to say: “This only happens every four years, but the games are happening several times over the next few weeks. If we manage to get through, we’ve got another five matches! Is that five half days we’re getting off?”
She went on: “How do we think the country is going to fare economically, would we be paralysed, if the 32 million workers in the country take a half day for one football match that’s not a final?”
Lindi replied: “Claudia, you’re at risk of sounding like a blithering plutocrat… I feel [like] that is an incorrect statement.”
ITV viewers were not impressed with the debate, with many sharing complaints on X (formerly Twitter).
“Congo are going to park the bus, England will struggle to break them down and the game will be s****. I can’t see us getting near the final so I’ve lost interest tbf,” one person wrote, with another adding: “Love a bit of shouting over each other 1st thing in the morning.”
A third said: “This programme is more ridiculous than ever,” with someone else sharing: “Why do u need a half day to get home an hour early?”
Another frustrated fan commented: “Where does it end … good question …. it doesn’t as everyone needs to be included these days with all the whataboutery,” while another wrote: “An afternoon off to watch #England play the rubbish #football they’ve been playing? You’ve got to be kidding!”
A seventh fan echoed the sentiment, saying: “What a load of old s****.”
Oasis legend Liam Gallagher even shared his thoughts on the GMB debate, writing: “Did RANVIR on GMB just say England fans who are working should be allowed to f*** off home early or am I hearing things.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV1 and ITVX at 6am, while England’s World Cup knockout match will air from 4pm on BBC One on Wednesday (July 1)
NE-YO and Akon fans have been left feeling furious after their concert started two hours late – and the stage was still being built as they arrived.
The Grammy award-winning hitmakers are undertaking their global tour but some fans said it was past their bedtime before one of their gigs even began.
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Ne-Yo and Akon fans have been left feeling furious after their concert started two hours late – and the stage was still being built as they arrivedCredit: GettyThe Grammy award-winning hitmakers are currently undertaking their global tour but some fans said it was past their bedtime before one of their gigs even startedCredit: TikTok/@vanessa.francone
The much anticpated Nights Like This concert was advertised as starting at 8pm but at 10pm the organisers were still testing the equipment and setting up the stageCredit: GettyHundreds of ticket holders were not allowed into the lower floor while the organisers were lifting heavy speakers for health and safety reasonsCredit: GettyFans explained it was past their bedtime and they wanted to go homeCredit: GettyThe show eventually started at 10:45 and ended at 12:45 in the morningCredit: Getty
Another added: “And their audience is definitely 30-45, we are going to bed.”
A third said: “Right it’s past my bedtime already. Lol.”
A fourth wrote: “I’d be going home.”
A fifth explained: “I’d ask for a refund!”
While a sixth exclaimed: “How disrespectful. You pay for a show to be at a specific time. I’d want a refund!”
A seventh wrote: “Ye-No I’m leaving.”
However, another fan posted an update shortly afterwards and explained that the show eventually started at 10:45 and ended at 12:45.
She said: “People were on the floors. 100s were not allowed to sit until the stage was completely set up (safety).”
A fan replied: “My best friend had surgery 2 weeks ago and was so sore from having to stand for so long.”
Another said: “Oh heck no, I would have raged having to wait that long to be let in! Would have left honestly.”
While a third said: “Yeah i was kind of p***ed cause i wasn’t allowed to my floor seat until 10:45!!! It was a good show.”
Katie and husband Lee announced yesterday that they are the owners of a £2k pomsky puppyCredit: UnknownMeg took to social media to hit out at Katie, branding her ‘utterly irresponsible’ for the moveCredit: Instagram
Following the news, Meg, 60, took to Instagram to slam Katie, writing: “Why buy a puppy when you don’t live in Dubai?
“This is utterly ridiculous, irresponsible… a husky mix in Dubai, heat training takes time [and] commitment.
“Do they have a house and garden/yard? Just heartbreaking, sends the wrong message.”
Katie wasted no time in responding to Meg’s words, commenting on her post: “Am I missing something Meg?
“Go back through your messages to me, how nice you have always been, asking me for help and now this?
“You don’t know me personally so calm down. And Lee lives in Dubai, my husband.”
Katie and Lee excited announced their newest addition yesterday, with her telling fans: “Just like we signed for our marriage, we’ve signed for our baby.
Lee added: “We’re new owners of this baby boy.”
Katie jumped in, explaining: “We’ve got no kids but this is our baby boy.”
“He’s our first baby together,” she later added as she introduced the puppy to fans.
The couple have chosen to call the blue-eyed dog Dubaii – with an extra ‘i’ – as a nod to where he’s from.
Announcing the sad news on Cameo, Lee told a fan: “I love dogs, I love cats, I love animals. So does Kate, so we share that empathy. She’s got five Sphynxes actually. One has just passed away.
“Sorry, eight Sphynxes, five dogs. Eight Sphynxes, now seven, one passed away.”
Fans are hailing the film as a ‘masterpiece’ and calling it their favourite movie of the year
The film comes from legendary director Edgar Wright(Image: Courtesy of Paramount Plus)
A gripping thriller based on a popular novel has finally landed on streaming and viewers are calling it a ‘masterpiece’.
The action-packed movie, adapted from a novel by Stephen King, hit cinemas last year and is tailor-made for fans of nail-biting franchises such as Mission: Impossible or Fast and Furious.
Its IMDb synopsis reads: “A man joins a game show in which contestants, allowed to flee anywhere in the world, are pursued by ‘hunters’ hired to kill them.”
The film was helmed by legendary director Edgar Wright, celebrated for cult favourites such as Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Baby Driver.
The Running Man is the most recent 2025 adaptation of King’s iconic novel, with Glen Powell taking on the lead role of Ben Richards – a part previously made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1987 original.
The supporting cast boasts an impressive line-up including Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones and Martin Herlihy, reports the Express.
The film currently holds a 61% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a 6.4 rating on IMDb, with legions of fans applauding this fresh take on the dystopian tale.
Now available on Paramount Plus, the streaming platform has teased: “The Running Man is a fun, unhinged deadly game show where contestants must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward.”
Over on IMDb, one enthusiast awarded the film a perfect 10/10, declaring: “Let me put it this way. I saw it at a matinee this afternoon and now I’m going back with my husband. I’m not a Glen Powell fan but I do live Edgar Wright movies and this one delivers. Don’t go see it if you want to relax!
“I read the Stephen King novel years and years ago and saw the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie years ago as well, so i can’t tell you how it compares, but this one stands on its own as the best action movie of the year… and maybe the decade…so far.”
A second viewer hailed the film as a ‘masterpiece of literary adaptation’, remarking: “Hands down the best adaptation of King’s work. You can literally watch the movie and turn pages. Powell’s Richards jumps out of the book.
“The ending got the Hollywood treatment, but still accomplished the same goal. I waited 34 years for a faithful version of this, and now we have it. The casting feels like they all read the novel.”
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Another cinema-goer commented: “One of the best movies of the year. After being trailer after trailer at the cinema for what seems the whole year, I was fearing this would be a total flop.
“I need not have worried because this is an action packed, well scripted remake of the original. Everyone is cast perfectly and all performances are great. It keeps you guessing throughout the movie and the twists and turns keep it going. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Well worth a visit.”
One further viewer chipped in: “It was perfect. Edgar Wright nailed I.T. on this expensive movie. The action, everything. A lot better than the 1987. It follows the book. Glen Powell did a great Job on playing the character Ben Richards.”
They even drew comparisons to other beloved action franchises, adding: “This film feels like a big mix of Fast and Furious and Mission: Impossible. I love the chase scenes.”
Over on Rotten Tomatoes, one enthusiastic viewer gushed: “Excellent film! Glen Powell did great with his character, Ben Richards.”
“Fresh! Intensely gripping all the way through. Great acting on all parts,” another remarked, while a further viewer noted: “Loved this. Im 100% certain that Stephen King will be so happy with this version of his brilliant book. Great all round really enjoyable watch.”
Not everybody was won over, however, with one person writing: “A real disappointment, falling flat both as social commentary and as an action movie.”
Another disgruntled viewer complained: “The first one was way better. Loved the satire and Richard Dawson, who was a game show host in real life, as the host in the original. Tired of remakes with all the social commentary without improving the whole movie.”
The Running Man is available to stream on Paramount Plus now.
Guests on Channel 4 programme Four in a Bed were horrified by what they found.
The guests were less than impressed (Image: Channel 4)
Welsh Four in a Bed contestants have voiced their frustration after receiving less than the full amount on the Channel 4 show after their guests were left horrified.
The married pair had hoped to offer their guests a taste of vintage Americana at their distinctive property, but faced criticism over cleanliness concerns.
Shortly after settling in for the night, Newquay hotel owners Oleg and Emma, Devon glampsite owners Mandy and Elly, and Devon country pub owners Steve and Mandy raised their objections.
They uncovered what appeared to be mould in the fridge, “minging” dirt, dead flies behind the sink, and even “dog hair in the fridge”. Guests also found dust and water along the windowsills, while the toilets had been left uncleaned, reports Wales Online.
Consequently, Stuart and Amy received poor scores for the cleanliness of Tin Can Retreat, prompting him to remark: “Dagger to the heart, that is.”
On payment day, Stuart and Amy faced their critics, and discovered they had been underpaid by all three other teams.
They first heard from Mandy and Elly, who complained about a smell from the diesel heater, leaving them “complaining of a headache and feeling nauseous”.
Stuart insisted the accommodation had been fitted with a carbon monoxide detector, defending: “I just have to disagree with you… I’m not wrong.”
They then heard from Steve and Mandy, after receiving a “massively disappointing” score of four for cleanliness from them.
“We did find a lot of uncleanliness, we opened up the fridge and there was lots of mould in the seal, and the window sills had a lot of dirt and mould in them,” Mandy explained. “In our bedroom, there was water, the whole place felt quite grubby.”
Emma stepped in to add: “Mandy said grubby but to me it was a little bit beyond that, it was not of a standard that I would be comfortable to ever charge people.”
She went on: “I lifted the lid on the toilet seat and there was lots of crusty residue, it’s not something that’s just been missed. There was actual dirt in lots and lots of places.”
Mother-daughter duo Mandy and Elly added: “For us unfortunately, much the same. There was quite a lot of dog hair left around, our fridge was mouldy in the seals and the side.”
Stuart replied: “That’s obviously very difficult for us to hear and we are quite shocked by it. We’re not a new business, we’ve been operating for over two years and this is new news coming to light. We need to go back and work out where it’s going wrong. We needed that reality check on the cleanliness.”
He later added to the camera: “This afternoon for us was hard to take but we’re going to go away now, collate all those comments and we’ll absolutely be implementing fixes for everything that was found.”
The couple discovered they had been underpaid a total of £74 by the three teams, due to the issues raised on payment day.
And though they accepted all three payments, they admitted the money they received from Steve and Mandy was “harsh”.
“We thought the £50 underpayment from Mandy and Steve was harsh,” Stuart admitted. “We offer great value for money, although there were some cleanliness issues, I don’t think they found anything major.”
Mandy meanwhile admitted she knew the result would come as a “shock” but insisted it was “justified”.
After the feedback, and a result which saw Stuart and Amy’s Tin Can Retreat come in last place, Stuart shared: “We’re gutted we came in fourth position, I think we knew it was coming.
“We’ve obviously got some issues we need to immediately address which we will do, and then let’s see what the future holds, maybe some more sites.”
When the creators behind Universal Studios Hollywood’s soon-to-open “Fast & Furious” coaster discusses the attraction, they speak of it not only as the most grown-up, intense ride at the park, but also as one of the most extreme coasters in Universal‘s global portfolio. That means, in theory, a ride as vaunted as its Florida coasters Jurassic World VelociCoaster and Stardust Racers.
For riders, some of the perception of danger will come from the coaster’s location. Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is set on a hill between the park’s upper and lower lots. It will careen over, under and around guest escalators, and take attendees on a journey that includes multiple inversions and speeds of 72 mph, making it the fastest coaster at any Universal park. A particularly unique facet is the ability for its cars, each meticulously designed after a real vehicle, to rotate 360 degrees.
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Plenty of coasters have the capacity to spin, but Universal has been hyping the high-speed “drift” sensation of its cars. Each ride vehicle will have distinct programming along the coaster’s 4,100 feet of track, and the hope is to create the feel of a stunt car just barely maintaining its control.
I like a coaster, but I’m also, I’ll admit, a tad squeamish. Hollywood Drift is expected to open by mid-summer, and at the time of writing, only Universal stakeholders had been on the attraction. Jon Corfino, the park’s lead creative executive, was one of those riders, so as he gave me a tour of the coaster, I pressed him to describe what the experience is like. Here’s what I learned.
So Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is intense. But just how intense is it?
A loop on Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
The late, great theme dark designer Eddie Sotto once devised a simple formula for what makes a good coaster: Fear minus death equals fun. I wanted to ask Corfino just how scared I would be. Answer: Pretty frightened. Probably.
“It’s a high level of intensity, absolutely, for sure,” Corfino says.
And yet Corfino tried to calm my nerves. Hollywood Drift, he explained, is designed to feel relatively slick — polished, if you will.
“I’ve ridden coasters that I would say are high intensity, but they’re very aggressive,” he says. “They’re very rough. But if you look at what we tried to achieve here, it’s that you’re in a [car] vehicle. It’s very smooth. It’s not something that would be not natural for a car, if that makes sense.”
Well, except for the whole going upside down part. Based on Corfino’s assessment, we can expect some white knuckles, as Hollywood Drift will lift riders off their seats at multiple points.
“You definitely feel you’re coming out a couple times, and not the least of it is when you’re upside down,” Corfino says. The coaster will utilize a lap restraint that extends from the top.
“You’ll be holding on,” he says. “When you’re upside down, you’re holding on.”
What about the drops?
Unversal Studios’ Hollywood’s Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift is set to open this summer.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
Corfino didn’t pinpoint the exact steepness of the drops on Hollywood Drift, but riders will encounter one immediately after launch. When exiting the show building, designed to look like a warehouse garage, Hollywood Drift will take a sudden dip off a cliff. The sharp drop is one of many.
Riders will encounter, for instance, a so-called “bunny hop,” which is typically a series of small hills that provide airtime. But Hollywood Drift will play with riders’ expectations through its terrain. Those mid-ride hills are “actually pretty darn steep,” Corfino says. And then before the ride ends, riders will go up, over and under Universal Studios’ most recognizable feature (except perhaps Stuart the Minion): its escalators.
“When you go up over the loop, that’s very steep. You’re coming straight down over the stairway and then underneath the stairway,” Corfino says.
How real are the cars?
The minicars of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
The coaster will feature four heavily detailed miniature cars as ride vehicles. These four-seaters — mimicking a Dodge Charger, Mazda RX-7, Nissan Skyline GT-R and Toyota Supra — all come complete with working taillights. And each has its own distinct sound effects, engine and brake noises that match their real cars. Guests will hear brakes each time the vehicle drifts or turns.
The minicars aren’t complete tiny re-creations. The odometers in the coaster cars, for instance, are for show only.
“The truth is I was really laboring,” Corfino says of the accuracy of the coaster cars. “They all have realistic sound effects, and when you hit the bottom, the big launch, I wanted to hear the NOS kick in. But you’re going so fast, at 72 mph, and with the wind, you’re not hearing anything. Quite frankly, your vision is even kind of shaky because you’re going so fast.”
That sort of attention to detail is what separates a Universal or Disney coaster from so much of the industry — even if riders will be clutching their restraints too hard to notice the discrepancies in each car’s engine roar.
I’m eager to get on the ride. I will, however, pretend I didn’t hear Corfino say that thing about “shaky” eyesight.
This week in SoCal theme parks
Dataland is now open in downtown Los Angeles. Theme park fans should give it a look.
(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)
“Stranger Things” lives at Halloween Horror Nights. Universal Studios Hollywood’s trickle of announcing haunted houses for its Halloween event continues. After unveiling a “Sinners” house earlier this year, Universal has added “Stranger Things” to the roster. “Stranger Things” is no outsider to the festivities, but this house will be themed specifically to the show’s fifth and final season. Expect, of course, some Demogorgons and other nasty creatures. Halloween Horror Nights is set to launch on Sept. 3.
Theme park fans, pay attention to this new museum. Now open in downtown Los Angeles is Dataland, which was described by this outlet as a “25,000-square-foot immersive, environmental, generative, multisensory AI arts museum.” While there’s much to discuss and debate regarding the center’s use of AI, Dataland’s inaugural exhibition, “Machine Dreams: Rainforest,” is the kind of all-encompassing, wrap-around display theme parks are known for (I’d argue Dataland is, in fact, more indebted to theme parks than the world of fine arts, but that’s another column). No doubt those in the immersive space are paying close attention as to how Dataland is received.
“Toy Story 5” has arrived, in theaters and at the Disneyland Resort. Fans of the “Toy Story” franchise will want to make their way to Disneyland’s Pixar Place Hotel, where a second-floor exhibit features drawings and sculptures from the new film. And for hotel guests, coming July 2 is the “Disney Poolside Splash Bash,” a pool party with music, trivia and appearances from Jessie, Bo Peep and Woody. If you’ve seen the movie, I encourage you to check out Amy Nicholson’s review of the work. She found, perhaps, that the toys have overstayed their welcome.
Bag checks and metal detectors arrive at CityWalk. Universal Studio’s theme park adjacent shopping and dining area is home to a couple should-be cultural institutions: the Los Angeles outpost of Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville and one of the finer Imax theaters in the nation. Now getting to either comes with an extra hurdle, as Universal has placed CityWalk within the theme park’s security zone. Prepare for bag checks, metal detectors and extra time if you’re heading to a sold-out screening of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.” The local film community, as reported by The Wrap, is having a fit.
What I’m thinking about
A media image distributed by Adobe and Walt Disney Imagineering is designed to show how AI software can be used in the design process.
(Adobe / Walt Disney Imagineering)
Generating attention this week was an announcement from Adobe and Walt Disney Imagineering, the creative arm of the company responsible for theme park designs, regarding a new AI partnership. AI is a term I generally believe is rightfully viewed with skepticism, especially when it comes to creative work. As a writer, I view utilizing AI to help craft a story as strictly forbidden; journalism, after all, is a storytelling art. But I’m not above tools that can help accelerate tedious aspects of the process, such as using AI to help transcribe an interview.
So places in which Adobe’s Firefly Foundry could, say, transform drawn 2D renderings into potential 3D models seem not entirely troublesome, especially for an industry in which one of the most time-consuming aspects is the build. And yet there were components of the announcement, as well as the press materials distributed with it, that made me cringe. The generation of on-demand, on-brand assets, for instance — one of the promised abilities of the software — is a job for an artist, not a computer.
And Adobe and WDI proved my point. Accompanying the press release was an image of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion ride vehicles, the Doombuggies, as re-imagined by the program. A perfect, coffin-like design from Bob Gurr was now bedazzled with garish, grotesque imagery that had little similarity with anything in the Haunted Mansion. That the two companies viewed something this amateurish as a prime example of what the software could achieve should raise an eyebrow.
Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.
Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.
Ride on,
Todd Martens
P.S.
Changes are coming to Disneyland’s classic Autopia ride.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Disneyland’s classic Autopia attraction is facing a deadline. The Disneyland Resort has already stated that the gas-powered minicars of Autopia would be on the way out in early 2027. Disneyland officials confirmed just a few weeks ago that the park has an agreement with the California Air Resources Board to retire the current engines next year. No closing or reopening date has been announced, and no details on the new cars have yet been released.
But, thanks to new reporting from environmental reporter (and former Times staffer) Sammy Roth, it’s been revealed that the theme park faces a strict deadline to begin making the switch. In a recent edition of Roth’s Climate Covered Goggles, the writer noted that due to an agreement with the board, Autopia in its current form must shut down by Feb. 1, 2027.
While that doesn’t shed any clarity on when the ride may reopen with refreshed vehicles, it at least provides a timeline as to how long it will likely exist in its current form.
For my 50th birthday, I bought a Toyota Corolla. Wait. Is my midlife crisis car really a Corolla, the best selling and most boring model of all time?
Well, yes. And no.
I have “modded” it, or in layman’s terms, modified the stock components and tuned the engine. This is not your aunt’s Corolla. When I hit the gas, the car pulls hard and the engine buzzes as if it’s powered by a hive of killer bees.
I get thumbs-ups from Mustang drivers and cool head nods from Challenger owners. My favorite is when kids at red lights ask me to rev the engine like I’m F1 driver Lewis Hamilton.
Probably a lot of my drive-by admirers are fans of the movie “The Fast and the Furious,” which was released 25 years ago this month. Fans of modified Japanese import cars, like me, have a love-hate relationship with the $7 billion “Fast and Furious” franchise. On one hand, the movies helped popularize modified Japanese cars. People all over the world fell in love with them and the import car culture they publicized.
On the other hand, the movies left out so, so much of the story.
In Southern California in the mid-1990s and early 2000s, people lived, for the most part, phone-free. The internet was nascent — a repository for flyers and ’zines — and most websites looked like Tetris.
The fashion was baggy everything for guys and short shorts, midriffs and little backpacks for girls. The hair was outrageous. And the cars, especially Japanese import cars, had reached the pinnacle of automotive engineering.
During this era, I was in college at UCLA. I saved up and bought a red 1989 Honda CRX Si. It also had a slick five-speed manual transmission, peppy engine and nimble steering. That car got me to work and through college, and from the mountains of California to the border of Oregon. It probably helped me get girlfriends. It consoled me through breakups. It helped me move to the San Francisco Bay Area for my first grown-up job.
And then, stupidly, I sold it, and all the precious memories it carried.
Now when I hit a loopy freeway interchange at night and my GR Corolla carves through the turns, it’s 1996 and I’m cruising in my CRX, getting pho in San Gabriel or rushing to a flyer party at Naga in Long Beach. That’s the magic of certain cars. A regular car takes you from place to place. A special car takes you back in time.
To be completely honest, I bought the CRX to fit in.
The ’90s import car scene was as diverse as Southern California. But there’s no doubt it started with Asian Americans (specifically Japanese Americans in the South Bay city of Gardena) who were influenced by modified car culture in Japan. Soon, Asian American kids all over the region were taking their inexpensive, underpowered four-cylinder, front-wheel-drive Honda Civics (our parents preferred Japanese reliability over American muscle) and turning them into street rockets.
Not only were they building race cars from scratch, they were also building one of my first experiences with a collective Asian American identity: one that wasn’t overtly about politics and activism, or immigration and assimilation. It was about Asian American joy. It was Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Filipino and Vietnamese Americans building cool-looking, fast cars. It was kids stereotyped as nerds going to parties where the awful stereotype of Long Duk Dong from “Sixteen Candles” was shredded into rubber and obliterated by exhaust blasts.
At the time, the Asian Americans we saw in the mainstream media were negligible or offensive, especially for Vietnamese Americans like me. But in import car culture, I saw, for maybe the first time, Asian guys and Asian girls in a centered and even glamorous light.
We made our own cars and our own car shows. We raced each other and then got fast (with turbos, superchargers and nitrous oxide) and raced others. And we won. We published our own magazines, built our own automotive businesses and, for good and bad, promoted our own outlaw street racer image and our own beauty standard. In those 1990s clubs and car shows, you could see and feel that Asian Americans weren’t assimilating culture. We were creating it.
“The Fast and the Furious” picked up on that. Based on a 1998 Vibe magazine article about street racing import cars in New York, the film was transplanted to Southern California. But it got so many details glaringly wrong. Its street races looked like street raves on major, four-wide roads packed with pedestrians. The races of our scene were clandestine, underground events in industrial, under-policed areas, where cars faced off two at a time.
But the most egregious and inexcusable Hollywood crime to me is that “The Fast and the Furious” whitewashed Asian Americans, the creators of this world, out of starring roles. The Korean American actor Rick Yune appears in the movie, sure — but he plays the villain, Johnny Tran, a guy who hates Vin Diesel’s Dominic Toretto for a crime deal gone bad (understandable) and for sleeping with his sister (ditto). Of course, in a tradition that goes back to “Madame Butterfly” and “Miss Saigon,” Tran dies at the end, shot dead by the blond-haired, blue-eyed hero, Paul Walker’s Brian O’Conner.
A few months ago, seeking a mechanic to mod my Corolla, I was referred to an auto shop in Garden Grove aka Little Saigon. The guy who sent me asked me, “Do you even know who’s working on your car?”
“No,” I replied.
He told me the name, and I Googled it.
Apparently, back in the ’90s, this Vietnamese American mechanic from Orange County had one of the fastest Honda Civics in the world. A true OG of the import car scene modified my car with his own hands. What an honor, and what a connection to the past.
This import car story ends in a full poetic justice circle. As a pioneer and legend of the real-life import car scene, my mechanic wasn’t the villain. He was the hero. He was the fastest, and his car was the most furious.
That’s the heart of my GR Corolla journey. Asian Americans created import car culture. We all deserve to be the hero of our own story.
When Jon Corfino was among the first to test ride Universal Studios Hollywood’s new high-speed “Fast & Furious”-inspired coaster, it was the culmination of a convoluted decade-plus journey filled with uncertainty. For before any track was laid, before the ride was even associated with “Fast & Furious” or any film franchise, Corfino, the park’s lead creative executive, didn’t know whether a coaster could even exist.
Universal Studios Hollywood is landlocked, constructed around a working film studio, meaning space is at a premium. And then there’s the problem of noise. Coasters, historically, are loud, and film productions necessitate a quiet environment. The theme park is also nestled against a neighborhood full of homes and apartments.
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To make it work at all, the coaster would need to stand on a relatively steep hill, winding over, under and around escalators between the park’s upper and lower lot. It extends significantly beyond guest-accessible areas, visible even from nearby Ventura Boulevard. “It wouldn’t be your first choice,” Corfino says of the topography. “But in a way, it makes it more dynamic that we were able to do it.”
He continues, “Everything we do is a bit of invention.”
When discussion on the project first began a decade or so ago, Universal Studios Hollywood was far from a thrills park. While the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was nearing completion and would open in 2016 — a full-scale re-creation of a fictional world that would alter the tenor of the park — the vast majority of Universal rides were designed to place guests inside the world of stories they had already seen on the screen. Or to let them “ride the movies,” as Steven Spielberg once coined. The park’s portfolio was also dotted with stunt and animal shows.
Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift will reach speeds of 72 mph and take riders through multiple inversions.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
Universal was once heavily dedicated to pulling the curtain back on how movies were made. A coaster simply didn’t fit the vibe.
“It was never a thought,” Corfino says of his earliest days at Universal back in the 1990s. “It was a different ethos. We were going to take you behind the scenes and show you stuff. But during the epic transformation of bringing in ‘Potter,’ and immersing you in different environments, it became more of a reality.”
And so began the process of looking for a franchise to associate with the coaster, one that would still make sense with Universal’s inside-the-movies mindset. At the time, there already was a “Fast & Furious” segment on Universal’s behind-the-scenes tram tour (now shuttered, a replacement is expected to be unveiled in 2027).
“You go through a lot of ‘what ifs,’” Corfino says. “I can say, one of the earlier ‘what ifs’ was ‘what if this,’ in terms of brand. We already had one [‘Fast & Furious’ attraction] on the backlot, but we didn’t know what else we were going to be doing, so you go through a lot of different ideas. But it was early on that we said, ‘This brand speaks to it.’”
The view of Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift from Universal Studios Hollywood’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
Fast & Furious, the street racing mega-franchise that’s celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, works in part because Universal could theme the coaster around cinematic stunts. Before guests board the ride, they will walk through a twisting queue area that will focus on prop cars with installations designed to show how movie magic is brought to life. Guests will be prodded to scan QR codes to further go behind-the-scenes, that is if they’re not distracted watching the coaster, which will launch directly above them and then go on a journey through multiple inversions on the side of a hill.
And then there was another problem: Would it be too loud? Before land was moved, Universal placed speakers on the old special effects and stunt buildings to see how noise traveled down the hill. “We did recordings all over the place and really established a baseline on which to design,” Corfino says.
Ultimately, the tracks would be complemented with multiple sound walls and shields, the latter clear structures designed to block coaster rumbles and audience screams. And because the cars can rotate 360 degrees, Universal can in theory direct rider yells away from the studio below and the neighborhood nearby. What’s more, the actual track has been filled with pea gravel, designed to minimize nose from any reverberations.
“It’s incredibly quiet,” Corfino says. “We were able to do that by putting materials inside portions of the track to deaden the sound. I’m not sure we would have needed it, but it was important to do the right thing. It’s pea gravel and rocks. It’s quieter than I ever thought it was going to be.”
VP of Universal Creative Jon Corfino, who led the creative development of the Fast & Furious coaster, photographed in 2019.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
A 72-mph coaster with 360-degree rotation and multiple loops and inversions that’s relatively muffled? Perhaps. I can only say that as I watched test cars speed by me last week from an upper lot lookout, the soundtrack from the Jurassic World water ride below was certainly louder.
An opening date for the coaster has not yet been set, but it’s soon. The other week the Universal website briefly posted June 26 as a launch date, and while that was once a targeted day, it will not be the coaster’s grand opening, which is now expected after the Fourth of July holiday (the coaster will be open intermittently for tech rehearsals for some time before its official date).
But Corfino is willing to make one promise. “Given the physical realities of putting this on the side of a hill,” he says, “this is the best view in Hollywood.”
That is, if you’ll be brave enough to keep your eyes open to take it all in.
Universal Studios Hollywood first began exploring a high-speed coaster more than a decade ago.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
This week in SoCal theme parks
Los Angeles loves a parade. Head to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Saturday evening for the Art Parade, which is designed to showcase L.A.’s thriving creative community with a colorful procession down Museum Row. Of particular note: Experiential art firm Meow Wolf, which is in development on its first-ever Los Angeles installation, will be participating. Meow Wolf’s L.A. exhibit, influenced equally be sci-fi and cinema, is on target for a winter opening.
Disneyland history is Los Angeles history. The Autry Museum of the American West has a new exhibit, “Life, Liberty and Los Angeles.” As part of the show, which highlights how SoCal reflected and contradicted our nation’s founding ideals, guests will come across a 1967 Autopia vehicle from Disneyland. Now perhaps a bit quaint, the ride once exemplified our region’s dreams of an open freeway. Autopia is due next year to be remade with electrical vehicles.
Plan a tour of Walt Disney’s former Los Feliz home. Disney and his family in the 1930s lived in a storybook mansion. Keepers of the house have announced that it will be open on a few select Saturdays this summer for tours. Though a private residence, tours are led by Disney expert Dusty Sage, who oversees the Micechat website and fan community. I’ve been inside, and can report the house is full of unique design quirks as well as a number of only-in-SoCal historic tales.
A lively night at Downtown Disney. Head to Downtown Disney on Friday at 5 p.m. for Yardfest 2026, an evening to honor the music and traditions of historically Black colleges and universities. Expect performances from the Texas Southern University Ocean of Soul Marching Band near the area’s live stage, which itself has a unique design paying homage to famed Black architects, as well as specialty food offerings and Mickey Mouse in his drum major outfit.
Ride report
Knott’s Berry Farm has a new show inside the Calico Saloon dubbed “Spirits and Shenanigans.” The production is part of the park’s summer offerings.
(Todd Martens / Los Angeles Times)
Today’s report is on a show. It’s summer season at Knott’s Berry Farm, which means a new storyline for its popular Ghost Town Alive!, a heavily improvised, actor-led experience that unfolds like a live-action role playing game. New this year is a hootin’ and hollerin’ good time of a show in “Spirits and Shenanigans,” which takes place in the Calico Saloon inside the park’s historic Ghost Town.
At 25-minutes, the production centers on the fictional husband-and-wife bar proprietors, who sing of leaving Illinois to open the spot, as well as its boot-tapping, can-can dancing staffers. Just ever-so-slightly risque with a bit of a patriotic feel, it’s a fast-moving ode to drinking holes and the sense of local community they provide. Expect tap dancing as well as numbers that will turn the entire stage into a drum kit. So if you’re heading to Knott’s this summer, “belly up to the bar,” as they sing, and grab a Boysenberry IPA and one of the few inside seats for this lively, can’t-miss production.
Tell us your stories. Ask us your questions.
Have a theme park tale to share? Whether it was a good day or less-than-perfect day, I would love to hear about it. Have a question? A tip? A fun photo from the parks to share? Email me at todd.martens@latimes.com. I may feature your note in an upcoming newsletter.
Love Is Blind UK Season 2 star Sarover Aujla faces off against former partner Kal in Netflix’s upcoming After the Altar special
Love Is Blind UK’s Sarover was seen in tears as her co-stars flooded her with support(Image: Netflix)
A Netflix star has received an outpouring of support following a scathing outburst aimed at her reality television ex-partner.
A fresh season of Love Is Blind UK is approaching as new singletons prepare for a third series, hoping to discover their perfect match without any face-to-face contact. Only upon getting engaged will they actually meet before cohabiting and arranging their nuptials.
After the Altar was filmed weeks following the dramatic reunion, where audiences learned what truly transpired between the couples – and who, if anybody, remained devoted to each other.
All episodes will drop on Sunday, July 12 on Netflix as an explosive preview has also been unveiled. On social media, Season 2 participant Sarover Aujla posted the exclusive teaser footage, writing: “I don’t think you know the weight of what marriage is’ – Love Is Blind UK: After the alter out 12th July on @netflixuk.”
In the footage, Sarover can be heard discussing her on-screen former husband Kal as she stated: “He’s gone public with his new girlfriend.”
The scene then switches to Kal, conversing with co-star Billy, who says: “I’ve fully moved on now. I’m dating someone else.”
Sarover questions: “Who are you morally as a person?” Speaking to others, Kal acknowledges: “It sounds like she wants to come in guns ablaze.”
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However, in a tense and brutal face-off, Sarover tells Kal: “I don’t think you know the weight of what marriage is.”
He fires back: “Of course I do, I’m not an idiot”, before the camera cuts to Sarover who is seen in tears, surrounded by her co-stars.
Support flooded in online too, as co-star Ashleigh Berry wrote: “Proud of you always”, while Season One’s Jasmine added: “My pregnant a** was gaggedddd! Can’t wait to watch!”.
A further fan gushed: “My heart, my heartttt… The best thing to come from all of this is seeing how much you’re glowing in life right nw. Some things were only meant to be lessons to make you stronger. And I’m all for this new you-stronger, wiser, and shining brighter than ever.”
Netflix released a lengthier trailer packed with the promise of high drama and explosive showdowns, as one star declared they were “done” before storming off camera, while another was spotted wiping away tears, reports OK!.
Javen confessed: “I’m here to cause some chaos”, with later scenes showing him locking horns with ex Katisha and Demola.
Anticipation continues to mount, with one viewer commenting on YouTube: “They really know how to pull us right back in every single time lol.”
Another enthused: “I’m going to go watch season 2 just so I can watch this.”
Love Is Blind After the Altar premiers on Netflix on July 12
Brooklyn Beckham made a savage dig at his family for a new advertCredit: InstagramDavid and Victoria Beckham are said to be ‘furious’Credit: Getty
Brooklyn – whose dad played for England in three World Cups – tells the camera: “You’re probably wondering why I’m watching the FIFA World Cup 2026 from home…”
He ends the DoorDash ad laughing: “It’s a long story.”
Now sources close to David and Victoria say they’ve been left “furious” over the ‘attack’ ad.
A source close to the Beckhams said: “To do an ad based on estrangement from family as if it’s a joke when his family is devastated and sister and grandparents are inconsolable…
“Surely he’s going to get stick for claiming he wants peace and privacy and nothing to do with his family, before trying to cash in on it all?
“He says he wants nothing to do with his family, but is now completely trading off them again.”
Brooklyn has been estranged from his family – including his siblings – for more than a year.
In January, the Beckhams’ eldest son made a dozen explosive accusations in a ruthless statement hitting out at his family.
The 26-year-old called out his famous parents for their “inauthenticity”, accused them of making bribes and scolded the family for their treatment of his wife on their wedding day.
He sent his parents a legal notice warning they can only contact him via lawyers.
In the extraordinary “desist” letter, he also instructed them not to “tag” him on social media.
But in a surprising twist, Brooklyn filmed a World Cup advert taking a savage swipe at his family’s estrangement.
It showed Brooklyn throwing down his match tickets onto the coffee table, which appeared to show a £250,000 designer watch gifted to him by his dad and a stack of unopened letters.
The ad went live on social media after we revealed Brooklyn spurned his sister Harper‘s attempt at a reconciliation.
The 14-year-old was pictured delivering a letter to the house Brooklyn shares with his wife Nicola Peltz at the weekend.
The couple were not home at the time and have not yet responded.
They quickly hit back at the Beckhams, claiming the letter felt like an “orchestrated move by his family” – insisting it “made them feel uncomfortable.”
A spokesman for the couple added: “That photographers were in place as the letter was hand-delivered says it all.
After stops in Dallas-Ft. Worth and the Bay Area, FuelFest, a global car-enthusiast festival, will cruise into the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa on June 13.
Those in attendance will get to watch the rubber hit the road on a drift course, gawk at more than 700 performance-built cars on display and behold some of the vehicles that introduced Japanese tuner cars to the American market in “Fast and Furious.”
“FuelFest is where good people, car-culture people, come to meet one another because they share a common interest, a common passion,” said Cody Walker, founder of FuelFest and the brother of late actor Paul Walker, who was known for his role in Universal Studio’s “Fast and Furious” franchise.
Audience members get to ride in the passenger seat of a professional driver’s drift car.
(FuelFest)
Organizers expect thousands of people to flock to the OC Fair & Event Center for FuelFest, moved not just by the sight and sounds of muscle cars, but by what surprises are in store to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first “Fast and Furious” movie.
“This is a love letter to the city of Los Angeles and Orange County,” “Fast and Furious” actor Tyrese Gibson, a co-sponsor of the event, said on a recent video call about FuelFest.
The event will be something of a homecoming for Walker, Gibson and the “Fast” franchise. Walker, raised in the Sunland-Tujunga area, said the event will include tributes to cars made popular by the seminal Southern California car scene, including a lowrider and exotic car display.
Of course, FuelFest is also a tribute to Paul Walker. To continue his brother’s legacy, Cody Walker quit his job as a paramedic and took charge of Reach Out Worldwide, a disaster-relief charity founded by Paul in 2010, and he created FuelFest as a means to raise money for his brother’s initiatives.
“[Paul] was 40 years old, and we thought he had about 70 to go,” Walker said on a video call, referring to his brother’s fatal car crash in 2013. “He didn’t care about being this significant person; he didn’t see himself that way. The charity is the kind of stuff he cared about.”
As for this edition of FuelFest, Walker and Gibson said they didn’t want to spoil all of the surprises, but here are six things to know before you head to the event.
1. ‘Fast and Furious’ cars will be on display
Some of the Japanese Domestic Market and American muscle staples seen in the “Fast and Furious” films will be at FuelFest.
Gibson might not know specs like RPMs or cylinders, but he said he appreciates the “Fast and Furious” characters’ gorgeous cars, including Dominic Toretto’s 1970 Dodge Charger and Brian O’Connor’s late ’90s Mitsubishi Eclipse. Those cars and other iconic “Fast” wheels will be at the fest.
“It was because of these films that people in the United States became familiar with the tuner culture of Japan, which was super niche up until that point,” Walker said. “We’re talking about 25 years. There’s iconic cars from the franchise, from a bunch of the movies that will be there.”
2. Children age 12 and under get free admission
As children, Cody and Paul Walker were practically programmed to love cars. Their maternal grandfather was a race-car driver and mechanic, and their father was a photographer for Street Chopper Magazine. An event like FuelFest, Walker said, can be formative in fostering a lifelong passion and creative outlet for car-curious children.
Gibson said organizers wanted to make tickets free for children so that entire neighborhoods in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas could have a low-cost day out. Therefore, a general admission ticket for SoCal FuelFest costs $58.24 including tax and fees, but children age 12 and under get in free with a ticketed adult.
“If you’re a single mother and you have three kids all under 12 and you want to bring your friends in the neighborhood with you, whether they’re you’re kids or your neighbors, they’re getting in for free,” Gibson said.
If you want to splurge, there’s a meet-and-greet with Gibson plus VIP Platinum admission for $739.38, including tax and fees.
At FuelFest, a global car-enthusiast festival, more than 700 cars will be on display.
(FuelFest)
3. Performances by DJ Quik, Flesh-n-Bone and more
In addition to DJ sets and live performances, ’90s rap legends DJ Quik and Flesh-n-Bone will host an evening concert on the festival stage.
Walker and Gibson are mum about who else might show up during the concert, but they promised that audiences driving in from L.A. will find the trip down to Orange County worth it.
“There are no limits to the West Coast friends that DJ Quik has,” Gibson said.
During FuelFest, ’90s rap legends DJ Quik and Flesh-n-Bone will host an evening concert on the festival stage.
(FuelFest)
4. A Lucha Libre sideshow
If that’s not enough, there will also be a Lucha Libre show with, according to Walker, a “full-blown” story that has extended across FuelFest locations.
Lucha Libre Voz, an independent professional wrestling company based in California and Arizona, will host its worldwide championship match between Tigre Uno and Septimo Dragon.
“It’s gonna be insane,” Walker said. “Best show of the year.”
5. Ride passenger in a drift car (with a helmet)
After signing a waiver, strapping on a helmet and paying a $30 fee, audience members can ride along in the passenger seat of a professional driver’s drift car. Walker calls it: A “full-blown throttle therapy session.”
Reservations for the drift car ride-along will be handled on-site. Pro tip: Get there early to beat the lines.
6. Reach Out Worldwide’s event goal
A portion of the revenue from the event, mostly from on-site activities such as the drift car ride-along, will go to charitable efforts at Reach Out Worldwide, which has assisted with cleanup, repair and resource efforts for victims of natural disasters, including Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica and the Los Angeles County fires in 2025.
FuelFest has raised about $1 million for Reach Out Worldwide since the charity resumed in 2024, more than a decade after Paul Walker’s death paused the group’s work. Cody Walker predicts the revenue from the SoCal show will help Reach Out Worldwide pass the $1-million milestone.
“I gave up everything to make sure that Reach Out Worldwide could function,” Walker said. “FuelFest started as this simple idea, but now we’ve held over 30 events and we’re in 11 markets. … Paul would be very happy with where this has all gone.”
Festival
2026 FuelFest Southern California
When: 2 to 9 p.m. June 13 Where: OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa Tickets: Prices for general admission and VIP Platinum vary. Children age 12 and under are free. Parking: $15 Info: fuelfest.com
A couple who were flying out of Manchester Airport were furious after realising a major downside to spending £150 each on seats with extra legroom – with the couple vowing ‘never again’
The couple were furious after realising they made a mistake when paying for extra legroom (stock)(Image: Nasir Kachroo/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A passenger on a plane was furious after paying £150 for extra legroom on a flight, before realising one major downside. Being comfortable when travelling is one of the most important things for passengers.
Depending on where you are travelling to, you could be on a plane for up to 19 hours, so being somewhat comfortable is important if you’re planning to sleep while onboard. There are a number of ways people can ensure comfort on a flight including upgrading seats to extra legroom or buying a first-class ticket for the duration of the flight.
Upgrades, however, do come at a cost which can be thousands of pounds on top of the initial flight price – which can already be pricy enough.
But if you’re travelling on a smaller plane, the only upgrade available can be a seat with extra legroom, also known as exit row seats.
Sitting in this row means that you must both be physically and mentally able, and willing, to help cabin crew open the heavy exit door and assist them in the event of an evacuation.
They were initially happy with their seats, until the flight took of and the seatbelt signs were turned off, and they instantly realised the downside to paying extra money for their flight.
The couple said: “You pay £150 for extra legroom seats just to have people queuing for the toilet right in front of you. The British people see a queue and love to join it. There was a free toilet approx 10 rows back but here they are.”
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They shared a video on TikTok showing the situation, where a crowd of people were seen standing waiting for the toilet right in front of them.
The couple were unable to extend their legs and were forced to be sat the same as anyone else on the flight due to the amount of people in front of them.
Other people commented on the video to explain how they had also learned the hard way after purchasing seats with extra legroom.
One person said: “This always happens and exactly why I’d never choose those seats! Plus the smell.”
The couple replied: “Literally never again! we had the ones in the middle on the way to Mexico which weren’t as bad, but these seats were the worst!!”
Another person said: “I just leave my feet out and they have to move around them. I’ve never been stood on …yet.”
A third person said: “I did this when I had a cast on my leg and some pensioner stepped over my leg and tripped then had the cheek to look at me like it was my fault.”
Married At First Sight USA Season 19 is back with brand new episodes on E4, but things are already getting tense
MAFS USA’s Will refused to walk after his wife(Image: E4)
A Married At First Sight bride has walked out following an uncomfortable encounter with her husband.
The US edition of the popular reality series has kicked off Season 19 with new episodes broadcasting weekdays on E4 at 8pm. Earlier this week, audiences watched five new couples tie the knot with complete strangers they’d never met before.
Thus far, viewers have remained sceptical about the revised format, particularly following an explosive Australian series, though the programme is still finding its feet as the newlyweds embark on their honeymoons.
In tonight’s episode (May 21), several couples faced significant challenges just days into their marriages. Brittany and Will have discussed their communication difficulties, with Brittany voicing worries about her husband’s failure to ask her questions.
Yet Will also highlighted concerns about their contrasting communication approaches, leading to Brittany walking off by herself, reports OK!.
She said: “I want to dive deep I want to have those conversations”, however Will interrupted her stating: “No, you haven’t asked me any questions.”
Acknowledging she has “been trying”, Will described her questions as “vague and conspicuous” as Brittany replied: “I didn’t realise I needed to be super specific.”
Following further exchanges, the couple failed to reach common ground and Will said: “I don’t need you to hold my hand all the time.” Exasperated, Brittany continued: “It’s bothering me… like really. Sorry, I’m going to calm down”, to which Will responded: “Do whatever you need, it’s okay.”
His reply only wound Brittany up more as she snapped: “I’m frustrated because we’re on two separate, I won’t even say two separate pages, we’re like in different books. I need someone who can communicate.”
Storming off, Brittany told producers it was like talking to someone who does not talk back, while Will made no attempt to follow his wife, telling cameras: “She left for a reason, I’ll let her leave.”
The row followed an uncomfortable moment on their wedding night. But will the pair manage to bridge their differences? Fans will have to keep watching weekdays to discover what happens next.
Plenty of viewers took to social media to share their views, with one person commenting: “This is what happens when couples have completely different communication styles.”
Another posted: “It looks like Will and Brittany need counselling already”, while a third added: “Omg the chats they’re having are not interesting enough for prime time TV.”
Meanwhile, Pat and Rhonda are also grappling with communication issues, with Rhonda revealing she wished her husband would show more interest in her life.
Despite this hurdle, the couple have already declared their feelings for each other, with Rhonda saying: “I love the person that you are, I love your kindness and generosity, I love everything about you.”
One viewer took to X to write: “I love yous already!” while another responded: “‘I love you.’ Already?”
Married At First Sight USA airs weekdays at 8pm on E4.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery was highly critical of the video assistant referee for not sending off Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson in two impassioned rants after his side’s 1-0 loss in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final.
Anderson avoided punishment for a first-half sliding tackle in which he won the ball but then caught the ankle of Ollie Watkins with a high, studs-up challenge.
Referee Joao Pinheiro did not take action – and there was only what appeared to be a very brief VAR review before the incident was cleared.
Forest would go on to win through a VAR-awarded penalty which Chris Wood scored – but Emery accepted that decision.
“Fantastic, the referee, fantastic,” Emery told TNT Sports. “But the VAR is so, so bad. It’s a clear red card – I don’t understand why the VAR is not calling the referee because it’s so clear.
“And it’s very, very important. It’s a huge, huge mistake. VAR is responsible.
“The referee – fantastic, fantastic job, 10 out of 10. I appreciated how he managed the match for 90 minutes.
“But I watched it back – wow. Huge. He could break his ankle. Wow, VAR – where are you? Please. It is your responsibility, we are professionals. You are doing very bad work because it was so clear for everybody [to see]. He could break his ankle.
“I respect the referees always but VAR, I don’t understand. It’s not fair.”
Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior said his team’s performance was both “indefensible” and “unacceptable” as he faced angry chants from his own supporters for the first time.
The chants began when Chelsea fell 1-0 behind at the Amex Stadium, with the visitors having barely registered an attempt on goal, before they eventually succumbed to a 3-0 defeat on Tuesday night.
It was a worrying display and a further dip in performance given Chelsea did not mount a shot on goal until the 40th minute and were error-prone defensively.
Chelsea extend an unwanted run of five consecutive defeats without scoring, their worst such sequence since 1912.
It played out in front of influential co-owner Behdad Eghbali and the club’s sporting directors on the south coast, where Rosenior began his coaching career.
As a result, questions will grow over whether the Englishman can continue in the dugout in the long term, with a last chance to save the season to come in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley against Leeds on Sunday.
In response to questioning about delivering such a poor display, Rosenior said: “It was unacceptable in every aspect of the game, unacceptable in our attitude. I keep coming out and defending of the players.
“That’s indefensible, that performance tonight. The manner of the goals we conceded, the amount of duels that we lost, the lack of intensity in the team. Something needs to change drastically right now.
“I think the players as well need to have a look in the mirror for what they put in. You can talk about tactics, tactics come after the basics. Having more courage to play, winning duels, winning headers, tackles, conceding terrible goals. That was an unacceptable performance tonight.”
Seven points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, having played a game more, Chelsea‘s Champions League hopes look in tatters and there are questions about whether the head coach, the players or the fans are on the same page.
