iconic

As the nights start to draw in even earlier leading up to Christmas, TV viewers will be looking for sumptuous dramas to get lost in

ITVX is presently broadcasting a popular period drama featuring a British ruler that’s ideal for a comfortable binge-watch throughout the lengthy winter nights.

With darkness falling increasingly early in the run-up to Christmas, television enthusiasts will be seeking lavish dramas to lose themselves in.

Viewers need look no further than ITV’s digital streaming platform, which boasts an extensive range of celebrated programmes to select from.

Among the finest choices available this winter is the successful series Victoria, which launched in 2016 and featured Doctor Who’s Jenna Coleman as the youthful sovereign, charting her journey from defiant adolescent years through to responsible adulthood over three captivating seasons.

Whilst critics have targeted the programme’s shortage of historical precision, it’s undeniable that the series crafted by Daisy Goodwin provides tremendous entertainment that’s ready for exploration, or potentially a second viewing, reports the Express.

The Guardian’s favourable critique captured the essence: “As ever, it all hinges on Jenna Coleman’s performance as Victoria and her ability to conjure up a portrait of this queen as understanding, sympathetic, kind and decent, even under unimaginable and possibly imaginary pressures.

“It might not be elegant and it might not survive the strain of putting its plot points to the search engine test, but as diverting drama it gets the job done.”

An enthusiastic review from an IMDb viewer declared: “Rather captivating, I loved it. Every inch a Queen.

“I love [Coleman’s] portrayal of Victoria, she has some presence and a definite strength of character. Rufus Sewell I thought was exceptional as Lord Melbourne too, the complex relationship the pair had in real life was explained very well.

“The settings, costumes, and general production values were first rate, the show felt incredibly plush and lavish, I shudder to think of the budget for this series. Totally engaging, this was first rate viewing 9/10.”

Sadly, the series left many fans feeling let down when it was cancelled after just three seasons, leaving Queen Victoria’s story incomplete.

However, ITV gave a glimmer of hope in 2021, stating “there are no plans presently to film Victoria, but that’s not to say we won’t revisit the series with the production team at a later date”, hinting that a fourth season featuring an older Victoria might eventually be on the cards.

One hopeful fan penned: “This has been the most amazing series since Downton Abbey I have watched. I laughed, I cried, I got angry. I felt every emotion humanly possible through watching it.

“My mother and I binge watched it together and couldn’t believe how much it draws you in from beginning to end. I am so heartbroken that it has not yet come out with a 4th season. My mother and I both are. We pray they decide to release another season.

“I plead to ITV or whoever, to please give the green light for the 4th season and then some. This is an amazing love story that NEEDS to be completed.”

There’s a glimmer of hope for the series to carry on if enough viewers rewatch the series on ITVX, so it’s time to start binge-watching.

Victoria is available to stream on ITVX.

Damon Albarn has opened up about his emotional journey while recording Gorillaz’ upcoming album.

The singer and his bandmate Jamie Hewlett poured the grief of losing their dads into their ninth record, The Mountain, and Damon revealed he scattered his father’s ashes in India while making the collection.

“Both Jamie and I lost our fathers,” Damon said.

“We did two quite amazing, magical trips to India.

“India is a very interesting place to carry grief, because they have a very positive outlook on death.

“England is just really bad at dealing with death.

“In a way, I think this record is in that tradition of celebrating their lives.

“I did things I’d never done before. I swam in the Ganges in Varanasi.

“I watched the bodies being burnt on the banks of the Ganges.

“In England when we cremate a body we don’t even look at the bodies, it’s covered up immediately and then it’s put in the fire, the little curtains close and that’s it.

“On the banks of the Ganges, every family is there with the body wrapped in a shroud and they’re burnt, and it’s going on everywhere. It goes on 24 hours a day and it’s been going on for thousands of years.

“I took my dad’s ashes there and I cast them in the river. It was very beautiful.”

Indian culture helped shape the record — which will be released in March — with the album’s cover art featuring the title in Devanagari, a script used to write the Indian Sanskrit language.

And this time around the pair will not make their famous, animated music videos and instead are creating a one-off production.

Damon added: “We’re making a full eight-minute thing.

“This is why there are no videos at the moment, because it’s serious stuff. It’s really great that Jamie is concentrating on doing one animated thing.

“It’s a big amount of work, any animation. It’s kind of our Achilles’ heel because no other band has to spend that kind of time just to produce one small thing.

“So let’s make it a piece of art in itself and not really rely on it for the promotional aspect of things and let it breathe in its own way.

“I think fans are going to love every aspect of this record.”

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Personally, I cannot wait.

Jen’s perfect pairing

Jennifer Lawrence put on her poshest frock to party in the Big Apple after promoting her new film, Die My Love.

The Hunger Games star appears alongside Robert Pattinson in the black comedy, out this Friday.

And the pair coordinated their outfits for the New York premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater.

J-Law then changed into a blue gown before heading out for a night on the town with her pals.

The actress has a busy few months coming up. She is starring in and producing upcoming murder-mystery movie The Wives, before kicking off a new project with legendary director Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio.

Jen and Leo are set to play the leads in a terrifying film adaptation of Peter Cameron’s ghost story, What Happens at Night.

She did the chart double last month but Olivia Dean is keeping her feet firmly on the ground.

The singer scored No1s with her album The Art of Loving and single Man I Need, becoming the first British solo female artist to top both charts simultaneously since Adele in 2021.

Asked whether she’s let her success go to her head, she said: “I don’t think so. I feel like I try really hard and think all the time about not becoming a p***k. That would just be horrible.

“I’ve met some and it’s just like, ‘Oh no, it got to you’.”

On how success depends on the people around you, Olivia continued: “A lot of people work really, really hard. It’s really important to recognise that yes, you’ve worked on your skill or your craft, but all the people around you had to believe in it and be there to make it happen as well.

“It takes a village of people to make an album or do a campaign. There’s a lot that people don’t see.”

It sounds like Olivia has a lot of goals in the future, though – including headlining Glastonbury and releasing an album of standards.

On the And The Writer Is… with Ross Golan podcast, Olivia was also asked if she had written a musical yet.

She said: “No, but I would like to in the future. It’s definitely on the bucket list for me.”

Time to say ’ello to Eli

Hot prospect Eli released debut album Stage Girl at the weekend, jam-packed with infectious melodies.

It looks like her label, RCA Records – also home to Britney Spears, P!nk and Shakira – has unearthed another gem.

But her collection of tunes also features references to a battle with her identity, which the American singer has now overcome.

In an exclusive interview, Eli, who is a trans woman, said of her album: “It was made in a flow state.

“But that was after a year or two of complete wits’ end, last straw, end of the rope, repressing everything under the sun as a human being for 20 years of my life.

“I was just like, ‘I need this joy and I need this super-extravagant pop’.”

Part of her journey of discovery is related to listeners in album highlights Girl of Your Dreams and Falsetto, and Eli now hopes that her music will help people to accept those in the queer community.

She explained: “I like the idea that this is going to play in Walmart in Kansas, for the lady who thinks I’m the spawn of Satan.

“And she’s going to be like, ‘Wow, this song is so good’.

“I feel like there is a sort of trickle-down effect of awareness of my humanity and trans humanity in general.”

Eli is already feeling the love following her album release – Mark Ronson, Demi Lovato and Zara Larsson have all voiced their support and her fan base is growing and growing.

Eli added: “I feel so excited by the community I’m existing in in LA right now.

“I feel like everyone is so supportive of each other.

“And it’s so refreshing and so cool.”

Dazzled by Doja

Doja Cat looked a true member of the glitterati as she joined A-listers for a night out.

The rapper sported a sparkly orange dress at the LACMA Art+Film Gala in Los Angeles and completed the ensemble with a curly blonde wig in a nod to Marilyn Monroe.

This is not the first time she has gained inspiration from the Hollywood legend. At the 2022 Grammys, she wore a custom-made crystal Versace gown – which took 475 hours to make.

Doja attended the fundraising bash alongside a host of stars, including actresses Demi Moore, Salma Hayek and Cynthia Erivo all of whom dazzled in their ’fits.

Keep sparkling, ladies.

Robyn’s return so sexi

Singer Robyn is planning to drop a new single in the next few weeks, then her ninth album in 2026.

It is seven years since the Swedish-born star put out her last collection, Honey, and an industry insider tells me the new one, with alluring title Sexistential, promises to be bigger and better than ever before.

They said: “Robyn has spent years working on this music and has been really inspired by loads of up-and-coming artists.

“She has worked with some very cool people and all the stops are being pulled out for this to be her biggest record in decades.”

Robyn has joined Gracie Abrams and Charli XCX on stage for surprise performances over the past year.

But by the sounds of it, next year she will likely be performing plenty of big gigs of her own.

Cat Burns opens up about losing her grandad and breaking up with a long-time girlfriend on her new album How to Be Human.

The singer and Celebrity Traitors star told The Sunday Times’ Style mag: “While grieving, a quote that stood out to me was: ‘Grief is just love with no place to go’. That helped guide the message of the album.”

A Brum deal for Benson

Benson Boone is due back on stage tonight at London’s O2 Arena after he was forced to cancel his Birmingham show on Saturday.

The Beautiful Things singer, who is on his American Heart World Tour, told fans he wouldn’t have been able to put on the show at the Utilita Arena due to problems with his voice.

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In a statement, he told fans: “Birmingham I am so so sorry but I will not be able to perform. I have tried everything I can to revive my voice, but I cannot give you the show I’d like to be able to give you with the condition of my throat right now.

“I’m working with my team to find a date to reschedule as soon as possible. I promise I will do everything in my power to make it up to you. I love you guys so much.”

We’re sending you our best, Benson, and we hope you can make the show tonight.

THE wild moment when Geri Halliwell and Kylie Minogue locked lips during a TV appearance has resurfaced.

The Aussie pop star and former Spice Girl — whose last name is now Horner — appeared on the iconic TFI Friday show in 1999.

Hosted by Chris Evans, TFI Friday was a huge TV hit in the late 90s thanks to its mixture of music, stars and entertainment.

It was never short of unexpected moments, including the famous snog between Kylie and Ginger Spice.

A clip showing their kiss was shared to Instagram and showed how the pair were sitting opposite each other at a table before embarking on an intense arm wrestle.

As the pair battled it out, they began leaning in closer to each other and ultimately locked lips.

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They then laughed and sat back before coming in together for a quick embrace.

“Back in ’99, pop royalty collided on TFI Friday when Geri Halliwell and Kylie Minogue shared a surprise kiss on live TV,” wrote the 90s TV Legacy Instagram account on the post.

Many people reacted to the video, including TV producer Nathan Eastwood, who was working on TFI Friday at the time.

“I had the job of asking Kylie to do the arm wrestle. She was so lovely, just said of course. The kiss wasn’t planned,” he wrote in the comments.

Other people who remembered the moment happening as they watched live also shared their thoughts.

“Watched it live, classic TV,” commented one person.

Another added: “I remember thinking ‘this is the best day of my life’ watching that as a kid.”

And a third wrote: “Late 90s early 00s was peak humanity and I will not be told any different.”

Kylie herself opened up about the kiss in 2012 when chatting to media outlet, Pride Source.

“That’s true, I hadn’t thought about that… We never discussed it – the kissing or anything. It just all happened,” she said.

Decades since it’s release fans continue to hail this 90s sci-fi movie as both ‘groundbreaking’ and ‘breathtaking’ and they can watch it once again on ITV tonight

Film fans have dubbed this 1991 movie as the “best action movie of all time”, scoring it an impressive 91% on the review site Rotten Tomatoes – and it’s on ITV for free tonight.

The classic American science-fiction movie is set to appear on TV tonight,for the perfect slice of nostalgia as you gear up for the Halloween weekend. Terminator 2: Judgement Day is the second instalment in the famed Terminator series, with Arnold Schwarzenegger playing the leading role, in what viewers are calling the best sequel to exist.

In the film, directed by James Cameron, the malevolent artificial intelligence network, known as Skynet, sends a highly advanced killing machine, The Terminator, back in time. It finds itself in 1995, on a mission to kill the future leader of the human resistance while he is still a child in order to protect the future of humanity.

One fan of the film wrote on Rotten Tomatoes: “This is one of those stellar classic action movies, and it was the best action movie of the 1990s. It was significantly ahead of its time! Groundbreaking special effects, a relentless and threateningly powerful villain, humorous and awesome moments, and entertaining action set pieces and sequences that looked convincingly real!”

Another viewer simply says: “In my opinion, this is the greatest action movie of all time. And the greatest movie sequel of all time.” Meanwhile, someone else wrote: “My favourite movie of all time, no notes.”

The film went on to be an instant classic, as a box office boom and critical success, grossing $519–520.9 million. It went on to become the highest-grossing film of 1991 across the globe and the third-highest-grossing film of its time.

Decades later, Terminator 2 is still considered to be one of the best science fiction films ever made, as a trailblazer for visual effects and computer-generated imagery. Not to mention, it has an all-star cast made up of Edward Furlong, Linda Hamilton, Robert Patrick and Dean Norris.

A viewer praised the cast’s performances in the sequel, writing: “Judgment Day elevates the franchise with groundbreaking visual effects and breathtaking action. Arnold delivers one of his most iconic performances, while Linda Hamilton’s transformation into a fierce and determined Sarah Connor is unforgettable.”

If viewers’ raving reviews aren’t a convincing enough reason to kick back tonight and have a movie night in, the film’s numerous accolades may prove it worthy. Terminator 2 went on to receive an impressive six Academy Awards, as well as a BAFTA Award and four Saturn Awards, honouring its visual effects, hair and makeup and, of course, the best sound effects.

A review says: “Best Terminator movie, period. This is the one that all others are judged on, and it’s a high bar.” If you’re looking for something to watch tonight, flick over to ITV4 tonight at 9pm to see an all-time classic movie from the comfort of your sofa.

ONE of the world’s most luxurious trains is set to return in 2027.

The Orient Express – often known for being the site of the Poirot’s most famous fictional case – went out of operation 16 years ago.

But now, it is set for a comeback.

The train will relaunch in 2027, using 17 original carriages from the 1920s which were previously lost before a team of historians tracked them down and refurbished them.

Inside each carriage, there will be the same Art Deco elements experienced in the 1920s.

As for the bedrooms, each will have a double bed and feature a Cartier clock.

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In the Bar Car, passengers will have a vaulted ceiling with original pieces recovered from the Nostalgie-Istanbul Orient Express.

There are also large windows for passengers to watch the landscape whizz by.

In the Dining Car, there is a mirrored ceiling that features several arches.

Armchairs offer comfier spots to eat and watch chefs at work behind a large glass wall.

As for The Suites, guests can enjoy rail motifs and opulent features, such as dark wood and a leather wall.

In the daytime, there will be a sofa for guests to relax on, then there will be ‘the Great Transformation’ in the evening, which is when the cabin will be changed into the ‘night’ room configuration.

Each suite also has a bathroom with sliding doors and a dressing room.

For the ultimate luxury, passengers can book the Presidential Suite, which occupies an entire car with its own living room, bedroom and bathroom.

Ticket fares are yet to be announced, but it is more than likely it will be a small fortune.

On its website, The Orient Express states: “The Orient Express will invite travelers to relive the legend aboard 17 original Orient Express cars dating back to the 1920s and 1930s, adorned with exceptional décor – a set of cars formerly known as the ‘Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express’.”

The new service launching next year follows the relaunch of the Orient Express brand which saw its La Dolce Vita Orient Express train head off on its first journey this year.

The brand is owned by Accor, Europe‘s largest hospitality company, and has also launched its first hotel called La Minerva, which can be found in Rome, Italy.

There are also plans to open a second site in Venice, in April 2026.

The Orient Express used to be loved and used by the upper classes and operated between Istanbul and Paris from 1883 to 2009.

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In other rail news, an Art Deco English train station gets £325k revamp – and it’s right by major UK attraction.

Plus, passengers can now travel on UK trains without buying tickets.

HE’S got some time on his hands after pushing back the release of new album Britpop until February.

And after announcing he was planning on opening a luxury hotel in Dubai, Robbie Williams is now working on another madcap idea.

“I want to open a University of Entertainment,” Robbie, right, revealed. “I did notice nobody else is doing it.”

He said of the inspiration behind his dream school: “I grew up as a vaudevillian. That’s what I am. I am cabaret.

“I spent all of my youth watching my dad do cabaret and watching all of the acts that he would bring off and on stage — and how talented and hard-working they were, and how genuinely funny the funny acts were, and how genuinely amazing the vocalists were.”

Robbie, who left Take That in 1995 before launching his hugely successful solo career, added: “I arrived in 1995, after Take That, I want to be Oasis.

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“I want to be Radiohead. Then, when I opened my mouth and my mind, I came out instead and I’m not cool. And you go, ‘OK, so what am I? Oh, I’m all of these people that I loved — Tommy Cooper, The Two Ronnies and Morecambe and Wise.

‘In a different place’

“The way they made me feel is how I want to make people feel.”

Robbie will be back on stage next year, kicking off a mini-tour in Glasgow on February 4, before playing three more intimate shows in Liverpool, London and Wolverhampton.

And until then, he said he’s going to be busy working on his new plans.

He told the Heretics podcast: “I’ve got so many fingers in so many pies, giving me so much to peruse. My ambition and my want and my need and my desire has not abated. But the oxygen I once had in my career, where I couldn’t miss every time I went to the table, has been taken away from me just because I’m an older pop star now.

“The rise was a long time ago, 1990 till, say, 2010.

“It’s only different as it’s different for everyone else lucky enough to have had my kind of career. I was the most played artist for ten years in a row.

“And, you know, thank you. I’ve had a nice run, but I’m in a different place now.

“And it’s not over. Where does all of that naked ambition and drive go?

“It goes into purpose. It goes into creating.”

If it ever gets off the ground, I’ll make sure to sign up for a night class.

Good friendships in the Mix

THEY may no longer be making music together, but Little Mix are still best of pals.

Pregnant Perrie Edwards and Leigh-Anne Pinnock were backstage at the Roundhouse in Camden to support Jade Thirlwall at her gig.

Leigh-Anne shared this sweet snap of them together, and one of my mates spotted them dancing and singing along to Angel Of My Dreams.

Jade, whose debut album, That’s Showbiz Baby, peaked at No3 when it came out last month, is now preparing to head Stateside in the New Year.

Let’s hope she can do what Little Mix couldn’t and crack America.

Jade kicks off a run of 14 shows in San Diego on January 30.

Fergie up fur reunion

IT looks like Fergie can’t decide if she’s too hot or too cold.

The Black Eyed Peas singer teamed this crop-top with a faux fur jacket as she performed at One Musicfest in Atlanta, Georgia.

The I Gotta Feeling singer wowed fans at the event in Piedmont Park, belting out some of her biggest hits including amazing 2006 single London Bridge.

Earlier this year, I revealed that Fergie had created a whole new music video for the track in the capital as part of Lena Dunham’s Netflix series, Too Much.

Fergie left the Black Eyed Peas in 2018, but I told you this summer that discussions are under way about a possible reunion with her bandmates Will.i.am, APL.DE.AP and Taboo.

I’d love to see this happen.

Jovi’s got the Midas Tuchel

I TRIED my hardest to make Jon Bon Jovi a Spurs fan when I hung out with him last week, but his legendary PR Alan Edwards – a die-hard Gooner – persuaded him to follow the reds.

Jon was obviously something of a lucky charm as Arsenal managed a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday.

He later hung out with England boss Thomas Tuchel and Jason Sudeikis.

It was Jon’s first Premier League game and I bet my last quid it’ll be his last given how rubbish Arsenal are.

You should have watched Spurs instead, Jon.

We battered Everton 3-0.

Is Geri in a bad Spice?

THE Spice Girls were all smiles at the launch of Victoria Beckham’s Netflix documentary this month.

But insiders say those grins were more like grimaces once the cameras were off – and the finger of blame is being pointed at Geri Horner.

A well-placed mole told me that while Mel C and Emma Bunton were together on row D, Geri was placed in a different area with her husband Christian Horner.

And the apparent snub is now the talk of the town.

Our source explained: “All people are still talking about what happened with Geri that night.

“She was seated away from Mel C and Emma, which seems weird given they were there to support Victoria. Inside the party she only seemed to talk to Victoria, too. It all felt rather frosty. No one has seen a photo of the four of them together either.”

Something is definitely up.

Last November, I revealed how Geri was dragging her heels over a new Netflix band biopic.

And last week, The Sun reported the band – completed by Mel B – were planning on implementing a “rule of four”, to allow the show to go ahead even if Geri wasn’t on board.

A telly insider said: “Geri has been dragging her heels for almost a year now and the rest are keen to plough ahead, as next year marks the 30th anniversary of first single Wannabe.”

Get it together, Ginger.

Cops get Raye on track

RAYE has revealed the police have found her stolen car – with her songwriting books on the backseat.

The Where Is My Husband! singer was forced to push back her second album after the thieves nicked her motor last year.

But now Raye is busy putting the finishing touches to the record after getting them back.

Appearing on Global’s Big Top 40, Raye, right, said: “It was a rollercoaster journey but what I didn’t tell people is that the police called me two or three months ago and said, ‘We’ve found your car.’

“Not only did they get it back but not one thing had been taken out of the car.

“All my songwriting books were there untouched.

“There was so much important stuff in there and when I was flicking through it I was like, ‘Thank God this has been returned to me’.”

Mark: I still get nervous

MARK RONSON has a load of hits to his name but has admitted he still questions if he’s any good every time he gets into the studio.

On Radio 2’s Tracks Of My Years, which airs all this week on Vernon Kay’s morning show, Mark said: “Every time I get into the studio with somebody for the first time, or even if it’s someone like Dua Lipa, or someone I’ve worked with a lot, it’s that combination of like, before the first day of school meets a blind date, meets every insecurity.

“Am I going to think of an idea? Am I going to be able to deliver?

“I still have that and I know people might be like, ‘That’s ridiculous, you’re good, don’t worry about it’.

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“But I think it’s served me well in my career because it’s always made me work extra hard.

“I wouldn’t know what to do if I fully lost that.”

A nostalgic follow-up to one of Nickelodeon’s most beloved comedies is in the works at Netflix

Netflix has just announced a highly anticipated spin-off to one of the most popular classic Nickelodeon shows over a decade after it came to an end.

The original series ran for four smash-hit seasons and introduced young fans to several major stars, including one of the world’s biggest pop icons.

Now, filming is currently underway in Vancouver for Hollywood Arts, which will return fans to the world of Victorious.

Starring the likes of Victoria Justice, Elizabeth Gillies and Wicked’s Ariana Grande, the original series took place at an elite performing arts high school where ambitious teens learn the ropes of showbiz.

Original star Daniella Monet, who starred as Trina Vega, the older sister of Justice’s Tori, will reprise her role for the long-awaited follow-up.

Several years after the events of the series, Trina still hasn’t gotten her big break, so she heads back to her alma mater to teach a new generation of fame-hungry students.

Monet shared via Tudum: “Coming back as Trina alongside such a dynamic, powerful cast of newcomers is something I feel very lucky and grateful to do.

“Victorious was in a lot of ways life-changing for all of us. Our cast is forever bonded by that experience, and to think that I have an opportunity to steward anything close to that is a feeling I can’t begin to describe.”

A synopsis reads: “Trina is back at Hollywood Arts High School, and this time she’s stepping behind the desk.

“The struggling performer finds herself filling in as a substitute teacher at the prestigious school, where she surprises herself by inspiring a group of ambitious teens.”

Joining Monet is a talented crop of up-and-coming stars, including Alyssa Miles (Hanging out with Alyssa and Xavier), Emmy Liu-Wang (Raven’s Home), Peyton Jackson (Woman in the Yard), Erika Swayze (Workin’ Moms) and Martin Kamm (Unsung Hero).

Plus, Community’s Yvette Nicole Brown will also be making a guest appearance as Principal Helen, having appeared during Victorious’ original run as well as Nickelodeon’s equally beloved teen comedy, Drake and Josh.

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Jake Farrow (Victorious, iCarly) and Samantha Martin (Henry Danger, Danger Force) will be showrunning and executive producing, and Monet is also on board as an exec. producer.

An exact release date has yet to be revealed, but Netflix has confirmed Hollywood Arts will be dropping its first season in 2026.

In the meantime, streamers can currently catch up with every episode of the original series while they wait for the sequel.

Victorious is available to stream on Netflix.

EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal, who plays Suki Panesar, has paid tribute to Strictly Come Dancing presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman

Strictly matriarchs Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly will be sorely missed, says EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal. This week the presenting duo shocked everyone when they announced they would be departing the show at the end of the current series. Balvinder, 46, paid tribute to the “caring” and “supportive” pair.

“People are sad to lose them and their iconic presence on Strictly,” said the actress, who plays Suki Panesar. “They’re so brilliant. They’re powerful, they’re funny, they’re sexy. They’re sassy, they look amazing, they’re of a certain age and they still power through. They’re engaging, they draw audiences in, people tune in sometimes for them. It’s incredible what they’ve done for the show and for us.”

“They’re the best of friends and they come across like that. How lucky are we to be able to absorb that energy and be taken care of? They’re the matriarchs of the show, they really have taken care of Strictly Come Dancing in the best possible way. And what an inspiration for us as well, to be looking up to such women like that.”

Soap star Balvinder – who danced the quickstep to Texas Hold ‘Em by Beyoncé last night with partner Julian Caillon – described is an “end of an era” and said it’s a privilege to dance in their final season.

“They are of the old school of Strictly, the time of Len Goodman and Bruce Forsyth. They bring all of that legacy. So now when they depart, we’re going to have two new people that are going to provide the show with a different direction. Things come to an end and we just have to reinvent and move on. Let’s see what happens. They’re big boots to fill.”

Tess and Claudia announced their departure from the show on Thursday (23 October) in a joint video, where they said: “After 21 wonderfully joyful years on Strictly, we have decided that the time is right to step aside.”

They added that they have a pact to leave together. In a separate statement, Tess referred to Strictly as her “third child” and “second family” and promised she wasn’t going to stop watching Strictly but felt it was time to “hand over the reins”.

“We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day. We will cry when we say the last ‘keep dancing’ but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”

Sources close to the pair, who always had a pact to leave together at the same time, suggested they had told the top show execs of their plan some weeks ago, but their video on social media caught many of the Strictly cast and crew off guard. Insiders said privately Tess and Claudia have been discussing the idea of leaving for around a year.

A TV source said: “The feeling is Tess and Claudia wanted to go out at the top and whilst the show is still huge and shortly after they received MBEs. Announcing it mid series also gives them a bit of a swansong and doesn’t take the spotlight away from the winner.

“Claudia is right at her career peak with The Traitors and other TV offers flooding in. Tess has been hosting the show for more than two decades and like that idea of more weekends with her family and her friends.

“The recent scandals around the show have also impacted the ratings a little bit and there might be more around the corner, so they weighed it up and feel it is the right time to quit.”

Another source close to the duo said: “They always said they would go together when they felt right and it just feels right this year.”

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ICONIC musician Dave Ball has died aged 66.

The synth player and producer was one half of popular band Soft Cell.

Representatives for the musician said he “passed away peacefully in his sleep at his London home on Wednesday”.

Dave’s cause of death has not yet been given.

His partner in Soft Cell, Marc Almond, paid tribute, writing: “He was a wonderfully brilliant musical genius.

“Thank you Dave for being an immense part of my life and for the music you gave me.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without you”.

Forming in the late 1970s, Ball and Almond were pioneers of the synth pop sound which would become popular in the 1980s.

The duo were best known for songs such as their cover of Gloria Jones’s Tainted Love, Say Hello, Wave Goodbye and Torch.

On October 17, 2025, Shaker Investments disclosed it sold out of The Progressive Corporation (PGR 0.83%), liquidating 9,829 shares for an estimated $2.62 million.

What Happened

Shaker Investments disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission dated October 17, 2025, that it had sold its entire stake in The Progressive Corporation in the third quarter. The liquidation involved 9,829 shares, with an estimated transaction value of $2.62 million based on the average price for the quarter. The fund’s post-trade holding in the insurer is now zero shares.

What Else to Know

The fund sold out of Progressive, reducing its allocation from 1.07% of 13F AUM in the previous quarter to zero.

Top holdings after the filing:

• NYSE:AX: $33.84 million (13.5% of AUM)
• NASDAQ:AVGO: $12.30 million (4.9% of AUM)
• NASDAQ:NVDA: $12,301,219 (4.9% of AUM)
• NASDAQ:MSFT: $8,486,093 (3.4% of AUM)
• NASDAQ:GOOGL: $8,297,003 (3.3% of AUM)

As of October 16, 2025, shares of Progressive were priced at $221.74, down 13.17% over the past year; shares have underperformed the S&P 500 by 24.06 percentage points over the past year.

Company Overview

Company Snapshot

The Progressive Corporation is a leading U.S. property and casualty insurer with a diversified portfolio spanning auto, residential, and specialty insurance lines. Its multi-channel distribution model includes independent agencies, online, and phone channels.

The company offers personal and commercial auto insurance, residential property coverage, and specialty property-casualty products, including insurance for motorcycles, RVs, watercraft, and business vehicles. It generates revenue primarily from underwriting insurance policies and related services.

Progressive serves individual consumers, small businesses, and property owners across the United States through direct channels and independent agencies.

Foolish Take

By selling its entire stake of more than $2.6 million worth of Progressive stock, Shaker Investments has cut loose one of America’s largest insurers. Should retail investors do the same? Let’s have a closer look.

It’s been a less than stellar year so far for Progressive. Shares have declined (3.9%) year-to-date, while the S&P 500 has advanced by 14.5%. Even within the insurance sector, Progressive has lagged major benchmarks, such as the SPDR S&P Insurance ETF (KIE) and iShares US Insurance ETF (IAK), which have generated a total year-to-date return of 1.5% and 1.8%, respectively.

Adding to the stock’s tough year, Progressive recently released disappointing third-quarter earnings results on October 15. Both earnings-per-share and revenue came in below analysts’ estimates, with Progressive stock falling on the announcement. In addition, the company noted that it was recording a nearly $1 billion expense related to a change in Florida policy that limits profits on auto insurance in the state. Despite these setbacks, the company reported increased premiums written and earned, indicating growth in the company’s core operations.

At any rate, retail investors looking for exposure to the insurance sector may want to consider a broad-based ETF, like the SPDR S&P Insurance ETF (KIE) or the iShares US Insurance ETF (IAK). These ETFs provide diversification within the sector, ensuring that investors aren’t as exposed to operational risks at any single company.

Glossary

Exited its position: When an investor sells all shares of a particular investment, fully closing out that holding.
13F reportable assets under management (AUM): The total value of securities a fund must report quarterly to the SEC on Form 13F.
Allocation: The percentage of a fund’s assets invested in a specific security or asset class.
Liquidation: The process of selling an investment position, often fully, to convert it into cash.
Stake: The amount or percentage of ownership an investor holds in a company or asset.
Dividend Yield: A financial ratio showing how much a company pays in dividends each year relative to its share price.
Distribution model: The methods a company uses to sell its products or services to customers (e.g., direct, agencies).
Underwriting: The process by which an insurer evaluates and assumes the risk of insuring a person or asset.
Property and casualty insurer: An insurance company providing coverage for property loss and liability for accidents, injuries, or damage.
Specialty insurance lines: Insurance products designed for unique or non-standard risks, such as motorcycles or RVs.
TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.

The Indian city’s Maratha Mandir has been holding daily screenings of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge since it released in 1995.

A theatre in Mumbai is celebrating 30 years of screening a much-loved Bollywood romance that has become India’s longest-running film.

On Monday, Maratha Mandir theatre in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, will mark three decades of daily screenings of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (The Bravehearted Will Take the Bride), which shot actors Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol to superstardom.

The film, widely known to fans as DDLJ, redefined modern Hindi romance and continues to draw hundreds of cinemagoers to its morning screenings with its tale of young lovers bucking tradition since its release on October 20, 1995.

“I have seen it about 30 times … and I will continue watching it,” Mohammad Shakir, 60, told the AFP news agency as he bought a ticket for 40 rupees ($0.45).

Manoj Desai, the head of the cinema located near Bombay Central Station, told AFP that weekday crowds tend to be made up of university students and young couples.

“On Sundays, you will find around 500 people, even after 30 years,” said Desai.

Clash of values

The film, which far outstrips the five-year run of the 1975 action-thriller Sholay (Embers) at another Mumbai theatre, revolves around the contrast between the more liberal values of second-generation Indians overseas and the conservative values of their parents.

Desai said it was common for audiences to break into cheers and applause during the film’s climax, when the heroine runs alongside a moving train into her lover’s arms.

“This is the goosebump moment,” Desai said. “The father letting his daughter go, saying she won’t find a better partner to spend her life with.”

It is a message that continues to resonate with younger viewers, even those who were not born when it was released.

“In our generation today, we often see transactional relationships,” Omkar Saraf, 23, told AFP. “But in this film, the hero crosses all boundaries to win his love with no expectations.

“We have watched it on television, on our mobiles, but the big screen gives us goosebumps.”

‘Cultural monument’

Desai said one die-hard fan of the movie had been coming to screenings for 20 years, while for others, the film had played a part in their own love stories.

One couple watched it while dating, before inviting Desai to their wedding. “They went abroad for their honeymoon – and came back to watch the movie,” Desai said.

The film’s daily screenings were almost discontinued in 2015, but backlash from fans meant the decision was reversed, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported.

Film critic Baradwaj Rangan said the film had enduring appeal in a country still navigating the tensions between traditional and modern values.

“It represents a certain point in Indian culture, and that is why it is still loved,” Rangan said, adding that it “perfectly captured” the friction between two generations.

“The film has become a kind of cultural monument,” he said. “I think it is going to be playing forever.”

ICONIC mustard company Colman’s have launched a mouthwatering new snack which are set to fly off store shelves.

Punters will be racing to their local store to nab the mustard manufacturer’s Honey Mustard Flavoured Peanuts and Cashews.

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“Crack into bold flavour, brand new Colman’s nuts,” the company wrote on its Instagram account.

“Roasted, seasoned and ready to shake up your snack game.

“Are you nuts enough?!”

A bag of the moreish treats will start at £3.

And snack lovers are clearly excited for the bags to drop.

“I need those,” one wrote.

A second weighed in: “These look so good!”

It comes after news that family favourite Turkey Twizzlers have been quietly axed — two decades after TV chef Jamie Oliver’s campaign saw them banned in school canteens.

The controversial snack disappeared from shop shelves without an official announcement from makers Bernard Matthews Foods.

Twizzlers launched in 1997, but got the chop in 2005 after Jamie’s healthy-eating “Feed Me Better” campaign for school meals.

He highlighted how they only contained 34 per cent meat, but lots of other additives.

An online petition for their return gained 28,000 signatures in 2018, before a healthier version was relaunched in 2020, containing 63 per cent turkey.

The relaunch saw a statue of a Twizzler erected outside Bernard Matthews Foods’ headquarters in Norfolk.

WALKERS DISAPPOINTMENT

And Walkers have discontinued a popular crisp flavour – leaving fans desperately searching the shelves for the discontinued product.

Max Texan BBQ was launched in partnership with Pizza Hut back in 2023 but it has now made way for the release of new crisp flavours.

One disappointed fan wrote on social media site X.com: “Why can’t I find Walkers Max Pizza Hut Texan BBQ Crisps in the supermarket?

“I usually buy a bag each time I shop as they are a favourite in my house. I haven’t seen them for at least 6 weeks.”

Walkers confirmed the flavour is no longer part of its offering.

But it isn’t all doom and gloom for crisps fans.

This week, Walkers dropped two brand new flavours which are out for a limited time.

The snack giant is shaking things up with two bold new additions hitting shelves across the UK.

Big Brother’s AJ and Will announced the biggest game changing twist yet, as they revealed two new arrivals will be entering the house in a game changing twist

Tonight, the Big Brother house saw it’s second live eviction as Cameron B was evicted. However, it wasn’t the only huge event tonight, as AJ Odudu and Will Best announced at the start of the live show that Big Brother would see yet another huge twist.

The 25th anniversary show started off with a bang, as the evil eyes continue to cause chaos around the house. The first shock twist came during launch night when Emily was the first housemate to be evicted in a short but sweet stay.

Now, AJ and Will have made the shock announcement that the show will gain two new arrivals next Friday – but they’re not any old arrivals.

READ MORE: Big Brother announces major vote shake-up as George removed for ‘unacceptable behaviour’READ MORE: Four Big Brother housemates face eviction as brutal ‘face-to-face’ nominations turn sour

In fact, Will and AJ announced that the two new arrivals were people that had left the Big Brother house too soon – but who will they be?

They won’t be alone, as one current housemate will be with them. On Big Brother’s Late and Live tonight, Will and AJ announced housemates would be nominating on Monday. Housemates will believe viewers are voting to evict – but the evicted housemate won’t leave.

Instead they’ll be whisked away to a secret room with the two former housemates. But who will they be?

Tonight, Will gave away a huge clue, revealing that the housemates are one’s that “left too soon.”

While many think Emily from this series are returning, others are convinced Farida Khalifa from ITV’s first series in 2023, will be returning. Farida was the first housemate to be evicted, with many fuming with her early departure.

But could it be her time to return? Fans think so. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one penned: “I’m glad to see i’m not the only one who INSTANTLY thought of farida when they said gone too soon housemates were returning”.

Another agreed: “Omg the fact that godly Farida may be reentering the Big Brother house!!” while a third said: “Farida’s last TikTok was September 24th… get her back in!”

The announcement came after Cameron B was the third housemate to be evicted from the 2025 series – and the fourth to leave.

Despite being the third to be evicted, Cameron was the first to leave through the front door. Last week, Gani was forced to have a back door eviction due to Storm Amy, and Emily left through the back door on the first night.

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DAME PATRICIA ROUTLEDGE created a monster, and we loved her for it.

The actress, who has died aged 96, turned Hyacinth Bucket – pronounced “Bouquet” – into one of the most memorable TV characters of all time.

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Decades on from Nineties sitcom Keeping Up Appearances the pearl-wearing snob, with her candlelight suppers and white slimline telephone, is still as embedded in the national psyche as a character from Charles Dickens.

In Patricia’s own words: “She was grotesque.”

But the actress, like viewers, could not help but admire her: “She was always getting it wrong and slipping on the banana skin, and then coming back and flying the flag.”

By the time the sitcom first hit screens, Patricia had been acting for nearly 40 years, in roles from Coronation Street to Broadway musicals, with co-stars from Sidney Poitier to Jerry Lewis.

She was also a favourite of writer Alan Bennett, who wrote his first great TV monologue especially for her in 1982.

Its success led to the landmark series Talking Heads, in which she also starred.

Alan said in 1998: “She has an enormous amount of zest and brio and she puts a lot of air into the language, so it lifts dialogue which might otherwise seem quite banal.”

After leaving Keeping Up Appearances, Patricia had a second smash-hit with Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, and in 1996 was voted the nation’s favourite actress of all time.

But Patricia managed to keep her private life out of the spotlight.

She never married or had children, and for years refused to discuss her relationships except to say: “I do know what it is to have loved and suffered.”

Eventually, she revealed she had had three great love affairs, including one with a married man, which tormented her as a devout Christian.

She also admitted: “I didn’t make a decision not to be married and not to be a mother -– life just turned out like that because my involvement with acting was so total.

“Now I think it’s a pity I didn’t have children. But I’m not sure you can have a career and a family and do both satisfactorily. I always knew, deep down, that everything has a cost.”

But whenever she was asked how to become a success, she had the same answer: “I say, I can give you a tip. It’s called risk. And if you’re prepared to risk everything, then you can do anything.”

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Katherine Patricia Routledge was born on February 17, 1929, in Birkenhead, Wirral, and grew up in a house behind father Isaac’s “high-class gentlemen’s outfitters” shop.

The family was theatre-mad and Patricia acted in school plays but never saw it as her future: “I always intended to be a go-ahead headmistress in a red sports car who had romances all over Europe in the holidays.”

With that in mind, she studied English at the University of Liverpool but spent so much time in the student drama club that older brother Graham urged her to audition for the Liverpool Playhouse.

She said: “He was the one who said, ‘That’s what you ought to do.’”
In 1952, aged 23, she made her professional debut with the company as Hippolyta in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Just two years later she was in the West End, showing off her roof-raising contralto singing voice in musical comedy The Duenna.

By early 1961 she was so well known on stage stage that the makers of Coronation Street, which had begun a couple of months earlier, pounced: “They created a character for me – Sylvia Snape. She had a little cafe.”

Their idea was for the no-nonsense proprietor to become one of the cobbles’ stalwarts, but after just three episodes Patricia quit.

She recalled: “I just knew inside that I needed to have other adventures.”

That included belting out satirical songs on That Was The Week It Was, as well as her big-screen debut in 1967’s To Sir with Love.

She played a teacher who offers support to Sidney Poitier’s character, and years later recalled the actor’s generosity: “I just had one scene alone with him, and he gave it to me.”

Patricia had less happy memories of working with Jerry Lewis in 1968’s Don’t Raise the Bridge, Lower the River: “An absolute nightmare. And I’m afraid I didn’t find him funny at all.”

BROADWAY DEBUT

That year Patricia also took Broadway by storm, with the New York Times critic describing her performance in Darling of the Day as “the most spectacular, most scrumptious, most embraceable musical comedy debut since Beatrice Lillie and Gertrude Lawrence came to the country.”

It landed her a Tony Award, presented by Groucho Marx.

Back at home, Alan Bennett had been a long-time fan and so when he wrote his first ground-breaking TV monologue, he wrote it for her.

Initially, Patricia turned him down: the piece was 47 minutes of just one character speaking directly to the camera.

Patricia recalled: “I said it wouldn’t work – people would switch off in their thousands.”

But Alan told her: “If you don’t do it, nobody will. I’ve written it for you.”

A Woman of No Importance screened on BBC2 in November 1982, with Patricia as Miss Schofield, who bubbled away about office gossip and the goings on at a hospital where, it slowly dawned on viewers, she was dying.

It was a sensation, and won Patricia a British Press Guild award for best actress. She later said of the writer: “He turns cliche into poetry.
“He sees a world in a grain of sand – the sympathy, the humanity.”

Its success led to 1988’s beloved Talking Heads series of six monologues, with Patricia in A Lady of Letters as a lonely busybody who finally finds friendship when she is sent to prison.

She said: “It’s about salvation, about learning to love at a tremendous cost. Oh, it was a joyous thing to do.”

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A second series was made in 1998, with Patricia’s monologue this time about a shop assistant who ends up in the thrall of her chiropodist.

In 2004 she admitted she found that part “very kinky”: “I didn’t really enjoy it. I didn’t understand it, deep down.”

Alan said later: “Patricia has a very strong moral streak and very strong views, and I think if a part doesn’t conform with those she’s very dubious about it.”

In between all this, she showed off her comedy brilliance again in Victoria Wood’s series As Seen on TV, playing an overconfident recurring character called Kitty who came out with lines like: “I’m something of a celebrity having walked the entire length of the Pennine Way in slingbacks, to publicise mental health.”

But when sitcom writer Roy Clarke, already famous for Last of the Summer Wine, presented the BBC with scripts for a new series about a suburban social climber, he did not have a lead actress in mind.

He recalled in 2004: “People do assume I must have written Keeping Up Appearances for Patricia Routledge, but I didn’t.”

It was director and producer Harold Snoad who Roy credited for “that perfect bit of casting”.

Harold said: “I wanted the character of Hyacinth to be a sort of stately galleon. I didn’t want somebody lightweight, either in size or vocal terms.”

Patricia said of the character: “She leapt from the page.”

GLOBAL HIT

The first series began on BBC1 in October 1990; soon 13million people a week were tuning in, including superfan the Queen Mum.

Nobody could have delivered lines like her (“I hope that’s a first-class stamp. I object to having second-class stamps thrust through my letterbox”) but she also brought a bursting energy to the role that was unmatchable.

The late Clive Swift, who played Hyacinth’s long-suffering husband Richard, said in 1998: “I can’t think of an another actress who could have brought the physical clowning to the part, which isn’t there particularly in the script.”

It was a global hit, but in 1995 after five series Patricia announced she would not do any more, despite the BBC’s pleas: “There were other adventures to have.”

They included, at the time, a new relationship.

Speaking to The Sun in 1996 she opened up about her private life for the first time, admitting: “A corner of my heart is taken. I’ve got a sneaking feeling that I might have almost everything in the end.

“He’s someone I’ve known for years and years. He’s in theatrical management but we hadn’t seen each other for a long time and then we met again.

“Life is full of the most wonderful surprises.”

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Patricia moved to Chichester, West Sussex, in 1999 to be closer to this new love, whose identity was never revealed, and lived there for the rest of her life.

She also told The Sun: “I had my heart broken when I was young. It was a grand passion, but it was complicated because he was married and, of course, I felt very guilty.

“I would gladly have lived with him and I wanted his children. But I couldn’t do it because I thought it would kill my parents.”

Her second great passion came in the late Eighties, when she least expected it: “Out of the blue this enchanting person appeared.

“He was a theatre director – a very funny and delightful man. But he had a heart condition, which I didn’t know about for a while.

“One day I went to rehearsal and was told he’d died in the night. This dear man was no more. I was just so hurt, so sore with the pain of loss.”

‘ILLUMINATING LIFE’

Work was always a refuge. In 1996 she was back on screen in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates as pensioner-turned-crime fighter, who was a down-to-earth, proud working-class opposite of Hyacinth.

Patricia later said of that character: “I loved her.”

It was another hit and the actress never forgave the BBC for axing the programme after four series without telling the cast: “No word ever came – how rude.”

Hetty was her last major TV role; afterwards she focused on theatre.
Her final role was in Oscar Wilde’s play An Ideal Husband in 2014 in her adopted hometown of Chichester, where she worshipped at the cathedral each week.

In 2017 she was made a dame for services to the theatre and charity.

On getting the news, she said: “I started to laugh, and then I started to cry. It was extraordinary.”

But Patricia believed her profession was important.

She once said: “It sounds a bit high-faluting, but I think acting is the physicalisation of the imagination.

“If the word becomes flesh, then you are illuminating life for other people.”

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Coronation Street star Denise Black, whose character is best remembered for her relationship with Ken Barlow, has joined Waterloo Road, more than 30 years on from her cobbles debut

Coronation Street legend Denise Black has joined the cast of Waterloo Road. The actress, 67, is best known for starring as hairdresser Denise Osbourne on ITV’s flagship soap, who is best known for her relationship with Ken Barlow (William Roache) in the 1990s.

The actress initially appeared on Coronation Street from 1992 until 1997. Her relationship with Ken resulted in the birth of their son Daniel Osbourne, but it all ended in tears when it emerged she had been having an affair with Brian Dunkley (Benny Young), and she was not heard from for a decade.

In 2007, Denise made a brief appearance to reintroduce Ken to Daniel after his adoptive daughter Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford) was sent to prison for the murder of Charlie Stubbs. She tried to make a pass as him but he opted to return to Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride), and it would almost another 10 years before she was seen again. In 2016, Daniel, now played by Rob Mallard, arrived back on the scene after his father suffered a stroke and has been a fixture on the programme ever since. But Denise made a return with him and was last seen offering her condolences to Ken over the death of Deirdre.

READ MORE: Blue Lights star reveals Coronation Street legend’s secret role in new seriesREAD MORE: Coronation Street’s William Roache reveals two-year feud with legendary co-star

She followed her various stints on the cobbles with a role on fellow ITV show Emmerdale, and played Joanie Dingle, the adoptive grandmother of Amy Wyatt’s on-screen son Kyle from 2013 until 2017. Her character had an affair with Zak Dingle (Steve Halliwell) and they later married but it all ended in tragedy when Joanie died of a heart attack in January 2017.

But now, Denise has swapped soap for drama and she has joined the cast of the BBC’s flagship school drama, which was revived in 2023 after nearly a decade off air. In the sixth episode of the latest series, Denise plays the grandmother of Liam Scholes’ character Noel McManus. In explosive scenes, Denise’s new character, Mo McManus, gets caught up in a confrontation for the police.

Waterloo Road first aired on the BBC in 2007, and launched the TV careers of Hollyoaks actress Chelsee Healey, former Strictly Come Dancing star Adam Thomas, and Katie McGlynn amongst a host of others. Stars like Louis Tomlinson, Jodie Comer and Jack O’Connell also began their careers as students of the troubled Manchester comprehensive school before going on to global success.

Over the course of its first nine series, the programme dealt with tough issues like teenage pregnancy, murder and addiction and featured a stellar cast of TV favourites, with ex-EastEnders star Jill Halfpenny as drama teacher Izzie Redpath, Loose Women favourite Denise Welch as hapless French teacher Steph Haydock and Silent Witness actress Amanda Burton as headmistress Karen Fisher.

It was revived in 2023 after streaming of the original series proved popular, but bosses recently admitted that the reboot has surpassed all of their expectations.

The show’s executive producer, Cameron Roach, said: “When the BBC commissioned the reboot of we had hoped it might run for a few seasons.

“To be commissioned for further series, bringing the total episodes since relaunch to seventy hours, is a huge achievement and a reflection of the incredible creative teams in front of and behind the camera.

“As well as continuing to celebrate emerging talent, the show is fast gaining a reputation for working with the best comedy talent, as Jon Richardson joins the cast this season.

“As a team we’re incredibly proud that a very British show can be such an enduring success for the BBC and continue to bring in new generations of viewers.”

Waterloo Road is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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BISCUIT fans, rejoice – the Tim Tam Sweet & Salty is back for good after sparking a shopping frenzy across the UK.

The Aussie choccie treat hit Tesco shelves in July as a limited edition and vanished almost instantly, with desperate snackers even hunting them down on eBay.

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The biscuit was first created as a tongue-in-cheek April Fool’s joke online – but demand went wild, forcing makers to put it into production.

Brits flooded comment sections with comments in fear the treat would not make a return to UK shelves. 

One shopper said: “My local Tesco store is no longer stocking this!”

Another added: “I’ve not been able to find a single packet in my store!” 

Now, Tim Tam bosses say it’s here to stay.

From October 3, shoppers can grab the cult treat in Tesco stores nationwide.

Talyah Falabella, Tim Tam’s international marketing manager, said: “The response to Tim Tam Sweet & Salty in the UK has been nothing short of incredible. 

“What was meant to be a limited-edition treat quickly became one of our most talked-about biscuits, with fans desperate to find it in stores.”

Tim Tams have long been Australia’s best-loved biccy – a crunchy biscuit with smooth cream filling, all covered in chocolate. Now Brits are well and truly hooked.

So, if you missed out the first time round, no need to raid eBay – just head to Tesco and bag yourself a packet of the viral biccy Brits can’t get enough of.

It comes after the release of the new white chocolate flavour earlier this month which left shoppers delighted. 

 Sainsbury’s supermarket was the first UK store to stock the white chocolate version of the snack.

One shopper said: “Need the white chocolate ones.”

While another eager customer said: “Sainsbury’s are now selling white chocolate timtams, my lil Aussie backpacker heart is so happy.”

And a third shopper simply said the treat looks “yummy”.

The tasty treat comes in many flavours, including chocolate and caramel.

Shoppers can also try out a range of other flavours too, including milk chocolate and extra chocolatey.

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As the production for the upcoming Harry Potter TV show continues, bosses have reportedly splashed out in a bid to make the show look as realistic as possible and not rely so much on CGI

The bosses for the upcoming Harry Potter TV show have provided a touch of royalty to the set. It’s said a famous screen locomotive has been delivered to Prince William’s garden, with Hogsmeade Station also on show.

With the set costing £4million, a half a mile of track is ready to run through woodland which is approximately a mile to the back of Forest Lodge in Windsor. It’s claimed bosses have spared no expense for the new production, with the set up likened to that of a military operation.

“The creative team wants the new TV show to look as realistic as possible and not rely so much on CGI like the Harry Potter movies,” an insider said.

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Speaking to The Sun, the source said: ““That was why they wanted the forestry on the Prince of Wales’s doorstep to replicate the Scottish Highlands. Thankfully it’s far enough away that it won’t disturb the royals — but close enough that they could easily nip down to make a flying visit.”

And it’s said that could be music to the ears of William’s children, Prince George, 12, and Princess Charlotte, 10, with the pair reportedly big fans of the franchise. It’s claimed the kids’ grandfather, King Charles, has read the JK Rowling’s books to the youngsters.

In 2017, Queen Camilla revealed the sweet family connection, saying the King “does all the voices, because he is a brilliant mimic”.

As the set started coming together, lorries were seen transporting the Hogwarts Express into Windsor Great Park last week. Despite being hidden under tarpaulin, the iconic shape was clearly recognisable to fans.

With filming under way, the series for HBO television is expected to be released in 2027. It comes 15 years after the unforgettable Deathly Hallows Part Two film was released..

Each series of the new TV drama is expected to focus on a novel, diving into the books in more detail than the iconic movies. It has been reported that Warner Bros is auditioning both men and women for the role of the terrifying Lord Voldemort, a part that was originally brought to life by actor Ralph Fiennes.

In July, HBO shared the first sneak peek at this production. It comes after in the months leading up to the start of filming, some of the cast list was announced.

It included 11-year-old Dominic McLaughlin playing the main character of Harry Potter, while Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout were announced to be playing Hermione and Ron respectively.

“This is the first official image of Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter for the upcoming series on HBO Max,” X account Daily Harry Potter wrote in a Twitter/X post in July.

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NEW YORK — Scientists have identified the origins of the blue color in one of Jackson Pollock’s paintings with a little help from chemistry, confirming for the first time that the Abstract Expressionist used a vibrant, synthetic pigment known as manganese blue.

“Number 1A, 1948,” showcases Pollock’s classic style: paint has been dripped and splattered across the canvas, creating a vivid, multicolored work. Pollock even gave the piece a personal touch, adding his handprints near the top.

The painting, currently on display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, is almost 9 feet wide. Scientists had previously characterized the reds and yellows splattered across the canvas, but the source of the rich turquoise blue proved elusive.

In a new study, researchers took scrapings of the blue paint and used lasers to scatter light and measure how the paint’s molecules vibrated. That gave them a unique chemical fingerprint for the color, which they pinpointed as manganese blue.

The analysis, published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is the first confirmed evidence of Pollock using this specific blue.

“It’s really interesting to understand where some striking color comes from on a molecular level,” said study co-author Edward Solomon with Stanford University.

The pigment manganese blue was once used by artists, as well as to color the cement for swimming pools. It was phased out by the 1990s because of environmental concerns.

Previous research had suggested that the turquoise from the painting could indeed be this color, but the new study confirms it using samples from the canvas, said Rutgers University’s Gene Hall, who has studied Pollock’s paintings and was not involved with the discovery.

“I’m pretty convinced that it could be manganese blue,” Hall said.

The researchers also went one step further, inspecting the pigment’s chemical structure to understand how it produces such a vibrant shade.

Scientists study the chemical makeup of art supplies to conserve old paintings and catch counterfeits. They can take more specific samples from Pollock’s paintings since he often poured directly onto the canvas instead of mixing paints on a palette beforehand.

To solve this artistic mystery, researchers explored the paint using various scientific tools — similarly to how Pollock would alternate his own methods, dripping paint using a stick or straight from the can.

While the artist’s work may seem chaotic, Pollock rejected that interpretation. He saw his work as methodical, said study co-author Abed Haddad, an assistant conservation scientist at the Museum of Modern Art.

“I actually see a lot of similarities between the way that we worked and the way that Jackson Pollock worked on the painting,” Haddad said.

Ramakrishnan writes for the Associated Press.

RENAULT’S beloved Clio has been reinvented for its sixth generation – and drivers in France have been left “dumbstruck” by its surprising new look. 

The new Renault Clio 6, unveiled this week in Munich, has sparked outrage in France, with some claiming the car is unrecognisable.

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One critic said it looked like Ford, another likened it to a Nissan and a third claimed it assembled a seat. 

Several compared it to a Mazda, while others thought they spotted hints of Alfa Romeo or Peugeot. 

Yet they all seemed to agree the Clio 6 does not look like a Renault and in a country with a 126-year attachment to the brand, the absence of its typical features has gone down badly. 

“The discovery of this new Renault has left us dumbstruck,” said Caradisac, the car website. 

“Unrecognisable,” said Capital, the financial magazine. “You can detect a bit of Peugeot, a pinch of Ford, a touch of Mazda and a hint of Seat.” It warned the design “risks disappointing” car-loving readers.

“You don’t change a winning team,” said Les Echos, the financial daily. “However, that is what Renault has done with its new Clio.”

Social media erupted with debate, especially over comparisons to Mazda. One Mazda owner joked: “The new Renault 6 does remind me … of a Mazda 3. This can’t be a bad thing, right?”

The row highlights Renault’s cultural and economic significance in France.

The Clio may not match the legendary Renault 4L or Citroën 2CV, but it has been a modern industrial success story and a familiar sight on French roads.

Over 17 million Clios have been sold since its 1989 launch. 

It was Europe’s second best-selling car last year, behind the Dacia Sandero, another Renault group vehicle, and the top-selling model in France in the first half of 2025. 

“It’s an old love story,” said Challenges, the financial website.

The Clio has even inspired clubs, online forums, and, controversially, a survey in 2023 found 25% of respondents had had sex in their car at least once – the Clio topping the list ahead of the BMW 3 and Audi A4.

The new Clio 6 advertising slogan, “Love redesigned,” hints at the “more spacious and generous” interior Capital mentioned.

Politics and economics also loom large. Renault is France’s only remaining national carmaker, with the state holding 15% to ward off takeover attempts. 

Meanwhile, rivals Peugeot and Citroën are now part of Stellantis, headquartered in the Netherlands.

Conservative voices have criticised Renault’s decision to make the Clio 6 in Turkey, while environmentalists are unimpressed by the hybrid, rather than fully electric, engine option.

Renault insists the car is aimed at a fast-changing market. CEO François Provost said his aim was to rival Chinese carmakers, whom he described as “the best.”

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AN ICONIC football commentator has made the “most difficult decision” to announce his retirement.

Former Newcastle United star Ray Hudson is leaving commentating behind and leaving broadcasters CBS Sports and SiriusXM FC Radio.

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Hudson, 70, made the announcement that he was retiring on social media.

He wrote: “Very sad today, I retire from @CBSSports & @SiriusXM FC.

“Thank you all for sharing so many magesteeerial memories, wherein the beautiful game & players, beguiled & bewildered us.

“Sincere thanks to everyone I worked with; you inspired me. To everyone out there, I love you & I’ll miss you.”

Hudson stepped into broadcasting full-time after his final managerial role at DC United in 2004.

In recent years, he has been working on Sirius XM Radio as the host of “The Football Show”.

He had also been a part of CBS Sports’ regular coverage for the Uefa Champions League since 2022.

He told The Athletic: “It is the most difficult decision I have ever had to make in my professional life.

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“This was really hard, and there are private reasons for it in some ways that I’d rather not talk about. 

“Walking away from something that you love so much it’s heartbreaking.

“But I know this is the right thing for Joan (his wife) and I.

“The time to step away is now, but I will say I did change my mind so many times over the last few months.”

Fans reacted to his news by wishing him well in his retirement.

One posted: “But you don’t retire from being maestro.”

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A second wrote: “Gliding into retirement like an eel covered in peanut oil. We will miss you goat.”

A third commented: “I salute you, wishing you the very best, the Leonardo Da Vinci of commentary..”

A fourth said: “You’re a legend, Ray.”

Another added: “You are legendary, Ray. Enjoy retirement!”

During his playing career, he made 25 appearances for the Magpies between 1974 and 1977.

He scored twice for the club, with both goals coming in separate games against Derby County.

In 1978, he made the switch to the US and joined the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in the NASL.

He made played 151 times for the club before he had a short spell back in Europe with German side Union Solingen between 1983 and 1984.

He would return to the Strikers in 1984, but only after they had relocated from Florida to Minnesota.

Before ending hanging up his boots he would enjoy spells in Canada with the Edmonton Brick Men as well as the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

His first entrance into football commentating was for the Miami Fusion in the MLS expansion during the 2000 season.

He was later named the team’s head coach before he was sacked the following year.