Spencer Jones homered and drove in three runs, Jazz Chisholm Jr. also went deep and finished with three hits, and the New York Yankees pulled away Tuesday night for a 7-3 victory over the Angels.
Jones and Chisholm launched back-to-back homers to give Gerrit Cole a 3-0 lead before even throwing a pitch in his latest return home. New York moved four games ahead of rival Boston for the top American League wild card and remained 4 1/2 games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the AL East.
A day that began with Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, led by Rams owner Stan Kroenke, reaching an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in the Angels from owner Arte Moreno ended with the struggling Angels losing for the ninth time in 11 games.
Cole (8-7) gave up three runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking one. Brent Headrick, Paul Blackburn and John Schreiber held the Angels to one hit the rest of the way.
Angels starter Grayson Rodriguez (4-6) gave up four runs and seven hits in six innings, striking out seven and walking two.
The Angels trailed 4-1 when Wade Meckler, who had three hits, opened the sixth with a single. Moisés Ballesteros singled and Christian Moore sliced a two-run triple to right field that eluded a diving Jones and trimmed the deficit to 4-3.
Cole was pulled in favor of Headrick, who stranded Moore by striking out pinch-hitter Jose Siri and getting Oswald Peraza to fly out.
New York pushed the lead to 6-3 in the eighth when Jones walked, Chisholm singled and Trent Grisham, mired in a two-for-42 slump, fouled off two bunt attempts before hitting an RBI single. Ryan McMahon loaded the bases with a bunt single and Paul Goldschmidt hit a sacrifice fly.
Consecutive singles by Cody Bellinger, who had three of New York’s 14 hits, Luis García Jr. and Jones made it 7-3 in the ninth.
The Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the first. Bellinger singled before Jones hit a two-run homer — his second longball in two nights — and Chisholm followed with an opposite-field shot into the left-field corner.
Ben Rice singled in the third, went to third on Bellinger’s single and scored on García’s double-play grounder for a 4-0 advantage.
The Angels pulled to 4-1 in the bottom half when Zach Neto singled, stole second and scored on Meckler’s two-out single.
Up next
Yankees RHP Cam Schlittler (12-6, 2.09 ERA) faces LHP Reid Detmers (4-8, 3.54) in Wednesday night’s series finale.
Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie returned for the third Vigil adventure that brings about death and drama from a remote Arctic research station
19:08, 28 Aug 2026Updated 21:28, 30 Aug 2026
Suranne Jones will be seen in a new series of Vigil(Image: BBC)
The third series of all action BBC drama Vigil has arrived and co-leads Suranne Jones and Rose Leslie are understandably proud of what they have achieved.
The adventures and investigations of DCI Amy Silva (Suranne) and DI Kirsten Longacre (Rose) which began on a submarine in 2021 attracted over 13 million viewers and despite TV audiences splitting across streaming platforms and huge choice, more than nine million viewers saw series two in December 2023 on BBC1.
Now they are back again for a new case that takes them to a remote Arctic research station, where a member of a covert British special forces mission has been murdered.
“This is kick-ass,” Suranne said of the project. “I’m always saying this is why I wanted to take this job on. This is a big, ballsy, prime time BBC show that’s like fronted by not just one, two women. And not just one, two women in a same-sex relationship. I mean, it’s great. It’s big. It’s brilliant. And then the drama that comes with it. I am proud that people still love it.
“We’re proudly representing two women that are now together, they’re married, they have two children. Rose and I have always taken the personal scenes and made sure that there is some weight to them so that we can really play, even if it’s one or two scenes, we try and make those count because it’s about our connection and always has been.
“I think fans can relate to Amy and Kirsten because they hope for the best in every situation and they try to see the good in everything. They keep fighting, which is hard these days, but they feel quite hopeful as a duo to change the world. It is the systems around them that let them down.”
Turning to her character and filming in Svalbard, she added: “We’ve seen Amy underwater, we’ve seen her fighting drones, and now series three is set in the Arctic.
“We had the opportunity to go to Svalbard, which was such an experience. It was so beautiful and we filmed those scenes at the beginning of the shoot, which allowed us to get a real feel of the world that we were inhabiting.
“Rose and I felt like we were just on top of the world because we went to places that tourists don’t normally visit since we were filming in such remote locations. There were reindeer outside the breakfast room every morning, we got to drive the snow buggies, and we really had to layer up – the problem was when we got back to Glasgow we were too hot because we still had to film with all our layers on!”
The two actors clearly enjoy working together and on screen their characters now have two children, something Rose has replicated in real life.
A mother herself, 48-year-old Suranne is now a TV veteran with hits including Doctor Foster, Gentleman Jack and Scott & Bailey since moving on from Coronation Street in 2004.
On her co-star Suranne said: “Rose has been through two pregnancies in the seasons, so you know that we bonded over because they’re big life experiences. I shared the hormones! I’m on the other end of the perimenopause. But yeah, I think it’s great.
“It’s been so lovely to develop and you’ll see when we actually get screen time together. It’s an interesting relationship.”
For 39-year-old Rose, a former star of Game Of Thrones, the job of working on dramas has changed and is now combined with bringing up a young family. She married her Game Of Thrones co-star Kit Harrington in 2018 and they have a son born in 2021 and a daughter born in 2023.
Rose continued: “I feel incredibly grateful that I had jobs to go back to post giving birth. That was incredible, and that was a kind of mental safety net to be like, oh my gosh, okay, there can still be money coming in despite the fact that I’m now growing a family. That was amazing.
“I think what it shows about working mums is that we’re f***ing lionesses. You’re juggling it all. Like you’re grappling with who you were prior to that. You’re also wanting to raise a little human who feels that they are worthy and loved, without you always going off to work. But you’re coming home. You’re trying to instil a sense of peace and calm within them, But yeah spinning many plates.”
Despite it being very cold in between takes, the two leads enjoyed the time chatting and catching up after several years between the series. Suranne said: “Rose is always my standout of filming Vigil because it’s always gorgeous to see her and work with her. We didn’t stop talking the whole time. We got to spend a lot more time together in this series in comparison to the previous ones, because Amy joins Kirsten in Svalbard midway through and they work on the case together.
“What’s also lovely is having a new cast for every series of Vigil because we’re in a different world every series, so the entire cast changes except for a few of us. The new characters for this series are brilliant and such fun. Eric Godon (plays Mayor Korotayev) used to bring his own coffee onto set and he’s from Belgium, so he’d sometimes bring Belgian chocolates in.
“We’re just like a band of brothers and we’re all in it together so we’re a real team – that involves the crew too. I loved going into make-up first thing in the morning, it’s my favourite place as they’re so great and they really get you going at the start of the day.”
Grinning Rose added: “I think it comes down for me certainly to the fact that Suranne is utterly divine. Being opposite her and also working alongside of her, and the kind of the energy that she brings and the joy that she brings.
“It’s interesting, particularly with series three the fact that we get to share more screen time has been awesome, so I feel really for series three that our relationship has developed more than in one and two.”
The pair don’t want to give too much of the plot away, but it is fair to say the series continues where the previous two left off with explosions, death and devious characters involved.
Amy and Kristen – fresh back from maternity leave – will need to catch the killer and defuse a potential international confrontation, as different nations compete for control of the Arctic and its resources in the changing polar climate. It is a challenging and dangerous situation with both their careers and relationship seemingly on the line.
Suranne concluded: “Each series also brings new challenges with Amy not knowing her surroundings – she’s constantly put into these new worlds, with new rules and new characters and so she’s always trying to figure out where her authority is in that. I also think Amy and Kirsten are kept in the dark with what they’re being told and it’s their job to find the gaps and piece it together.
“I think fans can relate to Amy and Kirsten because they hope for the best in every situation and they try to see the good in everything. They keep fighting, which is hard these days, but they feel quite hopeful as a duo to change the world.”
Vigil Series 3 returned on August 30 on BBC1 with episodes one and two on BBC iPlayer.
Britons Harriet Dart and Fran Jones both made winning starts to their bids to reach the US Open singles main draw.
Dart, who has twice reached the US Open second round, came through 6-0 6-7 (1-7) 6-1 against Jordyn Hazelitt in the first round of qualifying in New York.
She will face another American 16-year-old, Kristina Penickova, next.
Jones, who qualified for the US Open for the first time last year, will face Germany’s Mona Barthel after winning 6-3 6-4 against Italy’s Nuria Brancaccio.
But Jodie Burrage lost to Spain’s Guiomar Maristany 7-6 (7-1) 6-4, while Henry Searle was beaten 6-1 6-2 by American 16-year-old Michael Antonius in the men’s event.
Antonius will face former US Open finalist Kei Nishikori in the second qualifying round, after the Japanese 36-year-old battled to a 6-1 2-6 6-2 win over Austrian Sebastian Ofner.
Former US Open semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov will face Kazakhstan’s Timofey Skatov in his second qualifying match after dismissing Italy’s Lorenzo Giustino 6-0 6-3.
In the women’s draw, 2019 US Open winner Bianca Andreescu progressed with a 6-1 6-2 win against Dutch player Eva Vedder.
Heather Watson resumes her qualifying campaign with a second-round match against Spain’s Angela Fita Boluda on Wednesday.
In the men’s draw, Britons Jacob Fearnley, Toby Samuel, Billy Harris, Harry Wendelken and Jack Pinnington Jones all return to action seeking to move one win away from the Flushing Meadows main draw.
Players must come through three rounds of qualifying to reach the singles main draw, which gets under way on Sunday.
Elsewhere, Britain’s Arthur Fery warmed up for the US Open with a 6-1 7-5 victory over Cruz Hewitt at the Winston-Salem Open.
Fery, playing just his third match since his stunning run to the Wimbledon semi-finals, came back from 4-1 down in the second set to advance.
The fourth seed will play either Czech Tomas Machac or Dutch qualifier Mees Rottgering next.
Court cuts Infowars founder’s penalty for false claims that school shooting was a ‘hoax’ from $50m to $1.5m.
Published On 21 Aug 202621 Aug 2026
A court in the US state of Texas has slashed a fine that conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was ordered to pay for capitalising on false claims that the deadly 2012 Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting was a “hoax”.
The unanimous opinion by the Texas Third Court of Appeals on Friday reduced the $50m judgment to $1.5m. The court found that parents Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis, whose six-year-old son was one of 20 children and six staff killed in the shooting, did not provide enough evidence of harassment to pass the state’s $750,000 cap on damages.
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“The families care not at all about this irrelevant ruling which affects only two of the 19 claims they all share. Jones still faces over a billion dollars of liability, so this changes absolutely nothing. All it does is highlight the absurdity of Texas law,” said Mark Bankston, an attorney for Heslin and Lewis in Texas.
The decision does not affect a separate ruling against Jones in Connecticut that ordered him to pay $1.25bn for his claims that the shooting was a hoax perpetrated by the government to justify gun regulations.
The case centred on the allegation that Jones knowingly pushed false claims about the victims and their families – including that the children who were killed were actors – to capitalise on attention around the shooting for his Infowars platform, even as his claims led to a torrent of abuse for the families of victims. Many said they faced death threats and were forced to relocate as a result.
Jones and his company have filed for bankruptcy, and he gave up the Infowars brand in April. He has continued to broadcast online and share his shows on the social media platform X.
Jones called the Friday ruling a “gigantic victory for the First Amendment”, which protects freedom of expression in the US Constitution, adding that he will continue to appeal the case to the Texas state Supreme Court in a bid to have the remaining charges dismissed.
“I got lawyers who are good constitutional lawyers and they are not backing down,” Jones said.
Al-Hilal in talks with Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins, Newcastle explore move for Manchester City‘s Nico Gonzalez, Sunderland move for Dayann Methalie in danger of collapsing.
Representatives for England captain Harry Kane, 33, have held talks with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, with the Bayern Munich striker open to a move in the future. (Talksport, external)
MeanwhileAston Villa and England striker Ollie Watkins, 29, has agreed personal terms with Al-Hilal, though the Saudi side are yet to submit a transfer offer to Villa. (Teamtalk), external
Sunderland‘s £25.7m move for Toulouse and France Under-21 defender Dayann Methalie, 20, is in danger of collapsing after concerns were raised over his medical. (Daily Mail), external
Coventry have had an offer worth £8.5m for England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 30, rejected by AC Milan. (Tuttosport – in Italian), external
Real Sociedad have made an approach for West Ham and Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez, 28, with Ajax having cooled their interest. (Sky Sports), external
Ipswich have had a second offer rejected for Bayer Leverkusen and Argentina midfielder Exequiel Palacios, 27. (Florian Plettenberg), external
Tottenhamare considering a move for Paris St-Germain and Ukraine defender Illia Zabarnyi, 23, after selling Cristian Romero to Atletico Madrid. (Teamtalk), external
Liverpool and England midfielder Curtis Jones, 25, remains a top target for Inter Milan, who believe a bid of 35m euros (£29m) will be successful. (CaughtOffside, external)
Wolves have entered the race for Brightonwinger Amario Cozier-Duberry, 21, with the England under-20 international remaining a target for Rangers and former loan club Bolton. (The Argus, external)
Malaga are pursuing English winger Ryan Kent, 29, who has been a free agent since leaving Seattle Sounders in January. (Fichajes – in Spanish, external)
Major League Baseball’s team owners unanimously have approved the sale of the San Diego Padres to an investor group led by private equity billionaire José E. Feliciano and his wife and business partner, Kwanza Jones.
The league announced the approval Monday after a vote. Feliciano and Jones reached an agreement in May to buy the Padres from the family of late owner Peter Seidler at an MLB-record valuation of $3.9 billion. The deal is still contingent on the official closing of the transaction in the coming weeks.
“José and Kwanza understand the unique place the Padres hold in San Diego and the powerful bond between the club and its fans,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “We look forward to their leadership of the Padres and to working with them to build on the club’s strong foundation in a market that is so important to Major League Baseball.”
Seidler’s family announced its intention to explore a sale of the Padres last November, two years after his death. The 53-year-old Feliciano, a co-founder of Santa Monica-based private equity firm Clearlake Capital, emerged from the competition as the Seidler family’s top choice.
Padres Chief Executive Erik Greupner and general manager A.J. Preller will remain in charge of day-to-day operations, according to MLB’s announcement.
“We are a family first, and becoming owners of the San Diego Padres means joining an even larger one,” Jones and Feliciano said in a statement. “We are grateful to the Seidler family, and especially to Peter, for raising the expectations of what this franchise can achieve. … Our ambition is clear: to bring a World Series championship to San Diego and build an enduring organization capable of competing for championships year after year. We intend to be engaged owners, bringing our energy, experience and perspective while working alongside the talented team already in place and investing ambitiously and thoughtfully in the Padres’ future.
“We are all in and committed to winning.”
Peter Seidler assumed majority control of the Padres in 2020 after first joining their ownership group in 2012, but he became beloved in San Diego for his aggressive financial pursuit of winning and his eagerness to engage with the team’s fan base. He died at age 63 in November 2023.
The Padres dramatically increased their payroll under Seidler, allowing Preller to build the foundation for the current team, which has made four playoff appearances in the past six years and won at least 89 games in three of the last four seasons during the most successful stretch in franchise history. San Diego is currently in the playoff race again, winning 17 of its last 22 games entering Monday to surge into an NL wild-card position at 67-58.
“As far as the day-to-day operations, nothing changes for us,” Padres manager Craig Stammen said in New York before San Diego’s series opener against the Mets. “We’ve got to go out here and play the games, just like we have all season long. The ownership sale has kind of been something that’s been going on throughout the entire year. It doesn’t really affect the play on the field, but we’re excited to have José and Kwanza a part of the Padres and can’t wait to welcome them.”
The minority partners in the Padres’ new ownership group include Joey and Jesse Buss, two sons of former Lakers owner Jerry Buss. Coincidentally, the six Buss siblings decided earlier Monday to sell their remaining minority ownership stake in the Lakers to incoming majority owners Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger. Jeanie Buss is contesting the sale of the family’s shares.
When Feliciano and Jones reached their agreement to purchase the Padres earlier this year, they praised the team as “a unifying force in San Diego, rooted in community, connection and belonging.” They’ve since been spotted at Padres games in San Diego and in Mexico City.
“It’s good to see people that care working with us, you know?” Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill said. “I mean, the Seidlers cared a lot. It’ll be fun to see how these people take it, mold it into their own, you know? Trust in them, as they trust in us on the field. So, full confidence in them. Excited to meet them.”
The Padres have never won a World Series, but they were a valuable commodity for potential owners as the only team in the four biggest North American sports leagues in a metropolitan area with roughly 3.3 million people. Downtown Petco Park has become one of the liveliest ballparks in the sport, and the Padres ranked second in the majors in attendance last season.
Feliciano, who was born in Puerto Rico, becomes the second Latino principal owner in baseball, along with the Angels’ Arte Moreno. Latino and Hispanic players comprise roughly 30% of major league rosters.
Feliciano and Jones will hold an introductory news conference at Petco Park on Aug. 24.
BBC’s hit thriller Vigil will soon be back on screens with a new trailer available to whet fans’ appetites
Vigil season three BBC trailer
TV fans won’t have long to wait for the return of Suranne Jones’ acclaimed BBC thriller.
A third series of Vigil is set to arrive over the bank holiday weekend, with the six-part drama premiering on BBCiPlayer and BBC One from Sunday, August 30.
The latest trailer offers a glimpse at the dangerous new case DCI Amy Silva and DI Kirsten Longacre must solve.
Played by Jones and Rose Leslie, the two detectives are once again at the centre of an investigation which takes them far from home. This time, they travel to a remote Arctic research station after a member of a secret British special forces operation is discovered dead from a gunshot wound.
What initially appears to be a murder investigation soon develops into a potentially explosive international situation. With nations increasingly competing for influence over the Arctic and its resources as the polar climate changes, Amy and Kirsten must work quickly to uncover the truth before tensions escalate.
Their investigation will not only put them up against a potentially dangerous killer but could also have serious consequences for their own careers and relationship. As events begin to spiral, the pair are forced to reconsider who they can rely on.
Alongside Jones and Leslie, Dominic Mafham will return as Sir Ian Downing, while Gary Lewis is back as DSU Robertson, who remains closely involved with Amy and Kirsten’s work.
The third series also brings a number of new faces to the drama. Jeppe Beck Laursen plays Henrick Becken, the Chief of Police in Svalbard, while Naomi Yang takes on the role of Shen Jia, a microbiologist.
Tornike Gogrichiani appears as Russian Colonel Fyodor, with Steven Miller and Benjamin Wainwright playing Special Boat Service operators Mark Cunningham and Oli Pickford.
Danusia Samal joins the cast as Jasmine Kelly, who works alongside Sir Ian Downing, while Eric Godon plays Mayor Korotayev and Amy Manson stars as geologist Lorna McCallister alongside a brilliant cast.
The latest instalment of Vigil consists of six 60-minute episodes and has been produced by World Productions in partnership with ITV Studios for the BBC. The production company is known for dramas including Line of Duty, Until I Kill You and Showtrial.
Filming for the new series took place in Svalbard and Scotland, helping to create the remote and unforgiving setting at the heart of the story.
The new trailer promises another tense chapter for Amy and Kirsten, with a murder in the Arctic setting the detectives on a dangerous path involving international rivalry, hidden agendas and a race to discover who can be trusted.
With their investigation carrying consequences that extend well beyond the murder itself, the third series looks set to deliver another high-stakes mystery when Vigil returns to screens.
Two episodes of Vigil will be available weekly on BBC iPlayer from Sunday 30th August, with the series airing Sunday and Monday nights at 9pm on BBC One from this date.
The Welsh presenter has fronted the popular BBC magazine show since 2010 and she was joined by some former co-stars as well as her current colleagues live on air during Friday’s (August 14) hour-long programme to mark its 20th birthday.
Alex hosted the programme alongside Roman Kemp and the duo were joined by the current team of presenters – Angellica Bell, Clara Amfo, JB Gill and Vernon Kay – for the momentous occasion.
As well as catching up with current co-stars, former hosts Christine Lampard and Matt Baker returned to the iconic green sofa to share their memories of working on the show.
There was also a special film from the show’s original presenter Adrian Chiles, who hosted the very first episode back in 2006 alongside Nadia Sawalha.
From looking back at memorable guests to playing throwback clips, the anniversary programme was filled with joy and just before the credits rolled, Alex shared a heartfelt message with fans.
Speaking directly to the camera, the mother-of-three said: “I just want to say a huge thank you to the team and crew that work relentlessly hard in this programme to make it a brilliant show for all of you every day, thank you to all of the guests for entertaining us and being generous their time.
She continued: “Thank you to all of my co-hosts over the years. I’ve been so lucky to sit next to all of them and lastly thank you to you at home, you’re the most important in all of this, thank you for being with us every weekday. It’s a real privilege for us all to be with you at seven every night.”
The emotional presenter then went on to introduce musical guest Tom Grennan, who closed the anniversary special with a rendition of his hit single A Little Bit Of Love.
Fans at home rushed to social media to share their thoughts on the hour-long special marking the show’s landmark birthday. Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan penned: “Really enjoyed #TheOneShow 20th anniversary.”
Another added: “Can you release this special one show on DVD please #TheOneShow.” Someone else wrote: “This 20 year celebration is a great hour of TV. Happy Birthday #TheOneShow.”
A fourth added: “Happy 20th anniversary @BBCTheOneShow – I love the warmth and inclusivity of the programme #theoneshow.” A fifth agreed: “I love a good TV montage! 20 years of pure TV live entertainment!”
However, the live show didn’t go off without a hitch as the government’s emergency alert interrupted the beginning of the programme. A confused Alex told viewers at the time: “You couldn’t make that up could you. I think it’s a fire alarm but we’ll continue for you and I’m doing my best to keep a straight face.”
However, It was later revealed that millions of people across England and Wales received an emergency alert on their phones from 7pm warning against lighting anything that could spark a wildfire, including barbecues, campfires, and fireworks.
Ben Jones, the actor best known for portraying trusty mechanic Cooter Davenport on “The Dukes of Hazzard” before serving two terms in Congress as a representative from Georgia, has died. He was 84.
Jones died Sunday of a heart attack at his home in Virginia, his wife, Alma Viator, said on social media.
“I lost the love of my life today,” Viator wrote on Facebook. “Ben passed from a massive heart attack. He was home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees. Ben had the most amazing rich full life. He loved and was loved by so many. He will be missed. I loved him so so much.”
A character actor whose earliest credits include films such as “Together for Days” (1972) and “Moonrunners” (1975), Jones’ break came when he landed the role of “Crazy Cooter” Davenport on the CBS action comedy “The Dukes of Hazzard.” The series, which aired from 1979 to 1985, primarily followed close-knit cousins Bo (John Schneider) and Luke Duke (Tom Wopat), as well as those in their orbit in the fictional Hazzard County, Georgia.
“The Dukes of Hazzard lost another integral part of their cast today,” Wopat wrote in his tribute to Jones on Instagram. “Ben Jones was a fine friend and a fierce advocate of all the best things we can offer in the entertainment business. He will be sorely missed… Denver Pyle frequently said to Ben, ‘I’m not your Uncle Jesse!’ But I feel like we lost a Duke cousin today.”
Initially introduced as a gruff wild man without much regard for the law, Davenport eventually settled into a loyal, fun-loving “honorary Duke” beloved by fans. The mechanic would often help repair the show’s signature vehicle, an orange 1969 Dodge Charger known as General Lee.
Despite mixed reviews from critics — former Times television critic Howard Rosenberg denounced it in 1980 as “a spittoon of a series about hotrod-speeding, card-carrying hicks somewhere in the South” — “Dukes” was one of the most-watched television shows of its time. Jones would return to play Davenport after his political career in the TV films “The Dukes of Hazzard: Reunion!” and “The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood,” where the character was also revealed to have ventured into politics as a congressman.
Born Aug. 30, 1941, in Tarboro, N.C., Jones grew up in Virginia and North Carolina before eventually attending the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, to study writing. He was open about his struggles with alcohol and told The Times in 1993 that he had been sober since 1977.
After his time on “Dukes,” Jones was persuaded to run for office, challenging a popular Republican incumbent, Pat Swindall, for his seat representing Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives. Though he lost his first attempt in 1986, Jones won their rematch two years later after Swindall had been indicted for perjury in relation to a money-laundering scheme. (Swindall was later convicted.)
Jones, a Democrat, served two terms representing Georgia’s 4th Congressional District before redistricting took his seat. He later attempted to challenge then-Rep. Newt Gingrich for his seat but lost in the primary. He ran for office again after moving to Virginia, challenging Republican incumbent Eric Cantor for his seat in 2002 but was again unsuccessful.
“I think there are a lot of similarities between politics and entertainment, even more so with the advent of television,” Jones told The Times in 1993, shortly after leaving office. “It’s all about communication.”
Proud of his Southern heritage, Jones was also known for his controversial defense of the Confederate flag, which he described in a 2015 essay published by the New York Times as “a symbol of a non-racist Southern spirit” that had been “appropriated and desecrated” by racists.
Jones is survived by Viator, his fifth wife; his three children, Rachel, Jeanne and Walker; three stepchildren and 10 grandchildren, according to the New York Times.
Sept. 7, 1994–Former Rep. Ben Jones (D-Ga.), who was running against Rep. Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), files a complaint alleging that Gingrich used tax-exempt groups for political purposes.
Dec. 6, 1995–House Ethics Committee decides the allegations merit further inquiry.”
Dec. 22–James M. Cole is hired as special counsel to the Ethics Committee to investigate the conduct of Gingrich.
Sept. 26, 1996–The Ethics Committee expands its investigation to include whether Gingrich supplied the panel with accurate, reliable and complete information” when questioned about links between his partisan activities and tax-exempt organizations.
Oct. 1–The Ethics Committee requests additional information regarding apparent discrepancies between the facts of the case and information supplied by Gingrich.
Dec. 21–Gingrich admits the violations in a signed statement. He says he did not intentionally mislead the committee and should have sought legal advice about avoiding the mix of tax-deductible contributions and partisan activities.
Jan. 7, 1997–With few votes to spare, the House votes 216-205 to retain Gingrich as speaker.
Jan. 17–After 5 1/2 hours of televised hearings, the Ethics Committee votes 7-1 to recommend that the House reprimand Gingrich and orders him to reimburse $300,000 of the cost of its investigation.
Jan. 21–The House of Representatives votes 395-28 to follow the Ethics Committee’s recommendations, reprimanding Gingrich for bringing discredit on the House by using tax-exempt money to promote Republican goals and then giving the committee untrue information for its inquiry. It is the most severe rebuke leveled on a presiding officer of the House in its 208-year history. It is unclear if Gingrich is supposed to reimburse the House with campaign or personal funds.
April 17–Gingrich announces he will pay a $300,000 ethics penalty with a loan from former Sen. Bob Dole, ending the saga 31 months after the investigation began.
Ongoing–The Internal Revenue Service is still investigating whether tax-exempt organizations provided money to finance Gingrich’s political activities and the college course he taught.
ALEX Jones, 49, has revealed that she hurled four pints of milk across her kitchen in a perimenopause rage as she deals with ‘perimenopause “delayed symptoms.”
Speaking on the Dig It with Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball podcast Alex explained that she was slighly in denial about being in that stage of her life.
Alex Jones, 49, has revealed that she hurled four pints of milk across her kitchen in a perimenopause rage as she deals with ‘perimenopause “delayed symptoms”Credit: Dig It PodcastAlex shares children Teddy, nine, Kit, seven and Annie, four, with her husband Charlie ThomsonCredit: Refer to Source
When Zoe asked her if she was perimenopausal yet, she replied: “I don’t know, I mean am I? I don’t know.
“I’m slightly in denial, I suppose I had my youngest child at 44 and so I don’t know whether my body is confused because have I tricked it into thinking it’s younger than it is?
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“Because I kind of think I really haven’t had that many symptoms.
“But then when I threw a four pint of milk accross the kitchen the other day, I thought oh my God here we are. The rage has started.”
Zoe asked Alex if she was perimenopausal yetCredit: Dig It PodcastCharlie is an insurance broker, originally from New Zealand and the pair first met at a party back in 2011Credit: AlamyThe happy couple tied the knot in 2015 and celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary in Auckland last yearCredit: InstagramAlex is probably best known as one of the presenters of The One ShowCredit: BBC
Alex continued: “So you know what I don’t know. Some days I think and it’s like that isn’t it?
“It’s so vague and thankfully and I think this is brilliant, we are talking about it more and more now.”
Perimenopause refers to the period leading up to menopause, during which the ovaries gradually produce less oestrogen.
It typically begins in a woman’s early to mid-40s but can start earlier or later, and may last from a few months to 10 years
Alex also revealed that she’s normally a calm person and wants to be the best mother, wife, friend and colleague that she can be.
She said: “Maybe I do need to embrace and go and see about it. It’s just time though, like when do you fit that in?”
Mohamed Salah edging towards a move to Trabzonspor, Bayern Munich keen on Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko and Man City boss Enzo Maresca wants to work with Chelsea winger Pedro Neto again.
Egypt forward Mohamed Salah, 34, is close to joining Turkish side Trabzonspor despite having verbally agreed to join Besiktas after leaving Liverpool this summer. (Foot Mercato), external
Bayern Munich remain interested in signing Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko, 23, as the Slovenia forward will allow England’s Harry Kane, 33, to play a deeper role in the future. (CF Bayern Insider), external
Man City boss Enzo Maresca wants to work again with Chelsea winger Pedro Neto, with City exploring a move for the 26-year-old Portugal forward valued at £70m. (Sun), external
Chelsea and Tottenham have joined Newcastle in the race to sign Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini, 22, with the Magpies prepared to open with a £34m bid for the Italy defender valued at £42m. (Sun), external
Liverpoolmidfielder Curtis Jones is ready to push for a move to Inter Milan after a deal worth 25m euros (£21m) was rejected for the 25-year-old, but discussions remain ongoing over a package worth around £30m that would match the Reds’ valuation of the England international. (Teamtalk), external
Paris St-Germain have stepped up their pursuit of Ajax winger Mika Godts, who is valued at £52m, with Premier League sidesArsenal,Liverpool,Manchester United and Tottenhamall being informed of the 21-year-old Belgium forward’s growing interest. (Teamtalk), external
Chelseaforward Joao Pedro, 24, is set to receive a new contract despite his current deal running until 2032, following previous interest from Barcelona in the Brazil international. (The Athletic), external
Fulham are interested in making a move for Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott, 24, from Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, but face competition from Ajax, PSV Eindhoven, Real Betis and Como. (Talksport), external
Benfica striker Franjo Ivanovic is close to joining Hull Cityafter talks began over the terms of a deal that will likely see the 22-year-old Croatia forward join initially on loan.(Record), external
Inter Milan are willing to pay £30m for England midfielder Curtis Jones, but Liverpool value the 25 year-old at £35m. (Mail), external
Inter Milan’s move for Tottenham‘s Cristian Romero has stalled over his personal terms and the Argentina defender’s representatives are now exploring a move to Spain, with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid all interested in the 28-year-old. (Teamtalk), external
Real Madrid have no plans to increase their latest renewal offer to Vinicius Jr and are open to selling the Brazil forward, 26, if he does not agree a new contract. (ESPN), external
Hull City face a fight to secure the signing of Neom’s Amadou Kone as Leeds and West Ham are among the other clubs interested in the Ivorian midfielder, 21. (Teamtalk), external
West Ham are looking to sign English winger Morgan Whittaker, 25, from Championship rivals Middlesbrough before the start of the new season. (Talksport), external
Middlesbrough are finalising an agreement to sign USA wing-back Max Arfsten, 25, from Columbus Crew in a deal worth up to £5.6m. (Goal), external
Wolves have rejected a bid from Real Sociedad for Czech Republic centre-back Ladislav Krejci, 27. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Real Madrid confident in securing a deal for Manchester City‘s Rodri, Inter Milan could rekindle move for Liverpool‘s Curtis Jones and Aston Villa have bid for Palmeiras forward Allan rejected.
Real Madrid are confident of signing 30-year-old Spain midfielder Rodri – who has one year left on his contract with Manchester City – for 40-50m euros (£34m-£43m) and a deal could be finalised after a meeting on Thursday. (AS – in Spanish), external
Inter Milan could rekindle their efforts to sign England midfielder Curtis Jones, 25, from Liverpool. Meanwhile, the signing of England centre-back John Stones, 32, on a free transfer could scupper 28-year-old Argentina defender Cristian Romero’s hopes of joining the Italian club from Tottenham.(Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external
Juventus have agreed a deal with Paris St-Germain to sign France striker Randal Kolo Muani from the French champions. The move is for a loan with an obligation to buy and the fee could reach 50m euros (£43m) with add-ons. (Sky Sports Italia – in Italian), external
Fulham are getting closer to signing Spanish duo Cesar Palacios, a 21-year-old attacking midfielder, and 22-year-old Gonzalo Garcia, who is a striker, from Real Madrid, where new Cottagers boss Alvaro Arbeloa had a stint as manager last season. (Athletic – subscription required), external
Nottingham Forest have had a 20m euro offer for 21-year-old Israel international Anan Khalaili, who can play as a right-sided wing-back or winger, rejected by Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.(Athletic – subscription required), external
Manchester United are open to selling 22-year-old Czech goalkeeper Radek Vitek and English defender Harry Amass, 19, while English midfielders Toby Collyer, 22, and Dan Gore, 21, are also surplus to requirements. (Mail – subscription required), external
Crystal Palace‘s move for Augsburg’s 24-year-old French defender Chrislain Matsima has stalled and the Eagles are looking at other targets. (Standard), external
Britain’s Francesca Jones made it back-to-back wins on the Challenger Tour by successfully defending her title at the Palermo Ladies Open.
The top seed beat Fiona Ferro 6-0 4-6 7-6 (8-6) in two hours and 43 minutes.
Jones, who had dropped one set all tournament, took the opener in just 21 minutes.
The 25-year-old then fought back from 3-0 down to lead 4-3 in the second, but Ferro reeled off three straight games to level the match.
A tight deciding set went all the way to a tie break, where the French seventh seed spurned match point at 6-5, allowing Jones to close out victory.
It was her fourth career win on the Challenger Tour and second in eight days, following a victory at the ATV Rome Open.
“We both deserved to win. It was a close match until the end, and we did everything we could,” said Jones, who beat Anouk Koevermans of the Netherlands to win the title in 2025.
Bradford-born Jones will rise from 113 to 110 in the WTA rankings on Monday following this success.
CHICAGO — Jonquel Jones had 22 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, helping Caitlin Clark and Team Spoon outlast Marina Mabrey and Team Coop 129-122 in the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday night.
Dominique Malonga had a first-half dunk for Team Coop, but Team Spoon had eight players score in double figures in an All-Star Game that featured 127 three-point attempts and very little defense. Allisha Gray had 19 points for Team Spoon, and Clark finished with 17.
The WNBA celebrated its 30th season by holding its first All-Star Game in Chicago since 2022. This time, the marquee event was played in front of a record crowd of 19,783 at the United Center instead of the smaller Wintrust Arena in downtown Chicago, a sign of how much the league has grown.
Jones, a 32-year-old center for the New York Liberty, was named MVP. Nneka Ogwumike scored 11 points for Team Spoon while passing Maya Moore (119) for the most career points in All-Star Game history.
Kelsey Mitchell had 28 points for Team Coop, and Mabrey scored all of her 23 points during a red-hot first half. Malonga finished with 12 points and 13 rebounds.
WNBA greats Cynthia Cooper and Teresa Weatherspoon drafted the All-Star teams from players that were either voted as starters by fans, media and fellow players or chosen as reserves by the league’s coaches. Las Vegas’ Becky Hammon coached Cooper’s team, and Minnesota’s Cheryl Reeve was in charge of Weatherspoon’s squad.
Clark went 5 for 15 from beyond the arc and had five assists in her return to the All-Star game. The Indiana Fever guard missed last year’s event in Indianapolis because of a groin injury.
The 24-year-old Clark came out firing, connecting from 33 feet and 37 feet on her way to 11 points in the first 2 1/2 minutes. She buried another three early in the second quarter off a slick no-look pass from Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles, the only rookie selected for the game.
Clark and Mabrey each put on an offensive show, but Malonga got the biggest cheer of the night. The 6-foot-6 center from the Seattle Storm ran down the lane, got a pass from Angel Reese and threw down a right-handed jam with 6:24 left in the first half.
Reese jumped up and down as Malonga finished the play, and the two exchanged a mid-air chest bump on their way back down the court.
It was the first dunk in a WNBA All-Star Game since Sylvia Fowles in 2022. Lisa Leslie (2005), Jones (2017), Brittney Griner (2019) also have accomplished the feat.
Leslie was on hand for the festivities, along with South Carolina coach and former WNBA guard Dawn Staley. Former NBA star Dwyane Wade also was courtside.
Inductees into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by definition have plenty of marvelous memories when reflecting on the career accomplishments that led them to Cooperstown.
Bumps in the road were inevitable as well.
One big bump for Jeff Kent and Andruw Jones came with the Dodgers in 2008, Kent’s last of 17 MLB seasons and Jones’ first following 12 years with the Atlanta Braves.
Suffice to say neither will enter the Hall of Fame wearing a Dodgers cap.
Kent signed with the Dodgers ahead of the 2005 season fresh off a National League Championship Series Game 7 loss with the Houston Astros. Already recognized as perhaps the top power-hitting second baseman of all-time, he yearned for a championship ring to make his career complete.
Jones, a center fielder from the Caribbean island of Curaçao, signed a two-year, $36-million contract with the Dodgers at age 31 only three years removed from leading the National League with 51 home runs and 128 runs batted in. Already the winner of 10 Gold Gloves, he also was chasing a title after losing twice in the Fall Classic.
“It’s one of those things where we didn’t sign to make the Hall of Fame, we played this game because we love it and because we wanted to win championships,” Jones said Friday.
The Dodgers had high expectations in 2008. Joe Torre, with four World Series championships as manager of the New York Yankees on his resume, was in his first year in L.A. The roster was a blend of accomplished veterans (Nomar Garciaparra, Greg Maddux, Derek Lowe and midseason pickup Manny Ramirez) and budding stars (Matt Kemp, Russell Martin, Andre Ethier, James Loney and midseason call-up Clayton Kershaw).
Kent was the resident no-nonsense, old-school veteran whose bat remained potent at age 40. Near the end of the previous season he had gone public with his frustrations about the approach of some of the young players.
“A lot of kids in here, they don’t understand that … you hate to waste an opportunity, even if it’s one and even if it’s your first time,” he said at the time. “It’s hard to get them to understand that because they haven’t been there.”
By spring training in what he acknowledged would be his final season, Kent had gotten over it and was ready for a last try.
“So much is made of the idea that we should be hugging, that we should all go out to dinner, but more important is the translation of talent and knowledge, with the older guys showing what they know and the younger ones asking for it,” he said.
Jones was expected to lock down center field and provide leadership. But a poor start and a midseason knee injury torpedoed his performance. He batted .158 with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 75 games and suffered torn cartilage in his right knee that required surgery and landed him on the disabled list for the first time in his career.
Kent, as always, was consistent at the plate, batting .280, but he also sustained a knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery and sidelined him for all of September.
In what could have been a legit postseason opportunity, Jones did not play and Kent came off the bench to go 0 for 9 during an NLDS sweep of the Cubs and five-game loss to the Phillies in the NLCS.
Kent will wear a Giants cap into Cooperstown. His six seasons playing alongside Barry Bonds vaulted him into the conversation as the best-hitting second baseman of all-time. He drove in more than 100 runs eight times, was NL MVP in 2000 and finished his career with 55.4 wins above replacement (WAR).
In a video call with reporters Wednesday, Kent made it clear that his heart belongs not to San Francisco or L.A., but to Austin, Texas, where he lives on a ranch.
“I’m a boring guy,” he said. “I chase grandkids and chase cows and ride motorcycles. When I retired I kind of went into my hole in Austin and I like living in my hole.”
Jones will don a Braves cap. He made his debut at 19 in 1996 and hit 25 or more home runs in 10 consecutive seasons beginning in 1998, finishing his career with 434 homers and 62.7 WAR.
“When I came [to Atlanta] at the young age of 19, they welcomed me in,” he said. “I never moved from here. I made Atlanta my home.”
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place Sunday, July 26 at 10:30 a.m. PDT. Outfielder Carlos Beltrán will be inducted along with Kent and Jones.
“It’s a bigger emotional deal than I ever thought it would be, absolutely,” Kent said. “I still tear up talking about it.”
Added Jones: “Thinking that this kid from Curaçao who came here chasing a dream, gets a chance to play a sport he loves and ends up in Cooperstown, is wild.”
Exclusive: The much-loved actor travelled halfway across the world to find out whether a hunch his dad had about his past was true
Toby Jones goes on a massive voyage of discovery for Who Do You Think You Are?(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC / Wall to Wall Media Ltd / Stephen Perry)
Toby Jones has told of his delight at discovering that his late father’s conviction that he had Indian heritage was true.
Delving into his family tree for Who Do You Think You Are?, the actor discovered that his great x 3 grandmother Mary was described as Indo-British on her marriage certificate in 1821, meaning that one of her parents must have been Indian.
“That’s so wonderful because I was told as a child by my father that there was this connection, that there was some Indian heritage that we had, and one of the questions I had on this journey was – where did this idea come from?” he said. “I’m not sure that I thought he was making it up, but I wondered if he was exaggerating it.”
“My dad was absolutely convinced he had some Indian ancestry which we all slightly took the mickey out of, because he was a romantic,” Toby explained. “He loved other cultures and the idea that he might have some other ancestry, I think would have been absolutely fantastic for him.
“He felt a kinship with Indian culture and we’d all take that with a pinch of salt and think that he was projecting it because that’s what he wanted to happen.”
In the BBC programme, which airs on Thursday, Toby admits he knows nothing of his father’s side of the family beyond his grandparents, Charlie and Ida. But after discovering that his great x 2 grandmother Jane had been born in India, he is thrilled to go back to the country he last visited as an 18-year-old in the 1980s.
His travels take him from the potteries in Stoke on Trent, which is where his actor dad grew up, to Northern India, as he follows in the footsteps of his great, great grandfather John Jones. John was a private in the British army when he and Jane married in 1855, living in Meerut, near to Delhi.
In Meerut, Toby meets writer Gillian Wright, who explains how John came to India from Stoke. Military records show John enlisted in Newcastle-under-Lyme and a memoir written by an officer paints a vivid picture of John’s journey on foot over 500-miles from Calcutta to his station in the north.
In 1857, John was among the first troops sent to quash the 1857 Uprising against the rule of the British East India Company, now known as the First War of Indian Independence.
A staggering 800,000 Indians are thought to have perished and many soldiers also lost their lives. By 1860, having been injured, John was back in Stoke-on-Trent with Jane, working as a labourer. There is a great deal of sadness in the story when he discovers the Jane, aged 31 in 1860, had previously been widowed and that all four of the children she had with her first husband seem likely to have died in childhood or infancy, with at least two of them succumbing to cholera.
He finds out that Jane had been born in India, with her father Samuel Burns also in the military. One expert Toby meets tells him Samuel’s mixed-race wife Mary was “most likely” to have had a British father and an Indian mother.
Toby, 59, is given the result of a DNA test he has already taken for the programme’s research team and learns that while he is 87% English, he is also 1% Indian. “Well, I’m very proud of that 1%,” he declared. “I know for a fact that it was a big part of my father’s sense of himself.”
After making the episode he said he had a lot to process. “It’s amazing to have the past tilled over like this and to meet, even obliquely, these people who I knew nothing about.”
Toby, who has two daughters Madeleine and Holly with wife Karen, said that discovering his dad’s theory about his Indian ancestry was correct felt “vey moving”. “That was the most thrilling thing I found out,” he added. “It was always a bit of a joke in our family that my father couldn’t prove anything, but he constantly claimed a connection with India.”
Freddie died in 2019. “I’m a little sad that I can’t go back to him with hard scientific fact but I also know he wouldn’t have cared anyway – he knew who he was – and I’m really enthusiastic to share it with my own children.”
– Toby Jones’ episode of Who Do You Think You Are? airs on Thursday 16 July, BBC1, 9pm
The 48-year-old has won over audiences with his approachable demeanour as he fronts the daily magazine programme alongside Helen Skelton and Michelle Ackerley.
However, the former Blue Peter host has now been reminded of the BBC’s editorial guidelines after he reportedly contravened broadcasting rules while on air.
Gethin is a longstanding ambassador for the Welsh heritage jewellery brand Clogau and has appeared in numerous promotional campaigns for the company. He even has a Clogau ‘wife’ – model Nikki Chislett, with whom he promoted last Christmas’s festive jewellery range while sporting a wedding band.
But The Mail on Sunday has now reported that Gethin has also been seen wearing various timepieces from Clogau while hosting Morning Live – which places him in breach of stringent BBC guidelines, reports Wales Online.
The corporation’s regulations stipulate that presenters ‘must not appear on-air wearing clothing or using products or services which they have been contracted to promote’.
BBC Studios told The Mirror: “We have clear guidelines around presenters’ commercial activities while working with the BBC, and Gethin has been reminded of these guidelines.”
According to The Mail on Sunday, throughout the past eight months Gethin has sported numerous Clogau watches on Morning Live, including a £550 model featuring a stainless-steel case and black bezel. Another timepiece, priced at £420, features a polished stainless-steel case with gold plating and is accompanied by a black leather strap.
He has additionally been spotted sporting a stainless-steel watch displaying a textured black dial alongside contrasting silver-tone hands and numerals.
Gethin becomes the most recent personality to seemingly flout BBC regulations. Monty Don, 70, received a reprimand last month following his appearance in a £300 Barbour jacket while filming Gardeners’ World – having previously featured in an advertising campaign for the brand.
The Mirror revealed that the jacket features in promotional material for Barbour’s Way of Life campaign, which prompts fans to “shop the look” showcased by the television presenter.
At the time, the BBC stated: “We have clear guidelines around presenters’ commercial activities while working with the BBC, and Monty has been reminded of these guidelines.”
Morning Live is on BBC One weekdays at 9.30am and BBC iPlayer
Alphabet (GOOGL) will join the Dow Jones Industrial Average, replacing Verizon Communications (VZ), effective Monday, June 29, 2026, further expanding mega-cap tech presence in the blue-chip average.
Dow Jones Industrial Average constituent Honeywell International (HON) is expected to complete
In early June, hundreds of fans dressed to the nines were in attendance at a rock star’s sold-out show at New York’s Beacon Theatre. There was lace everywhere and leather too. Chains dangled from belt loops and wrists. Some attendees arrived with dyed crimson hair, others with orange or pink.
Sheer black outfits that looked pulled from the pages of a gothic romance novel were draped on bodies. If “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” had collided with a modern concert, it might have looked something like this.
Then a man took the stage. Was it Lestat de Lioncourt, the immortal vampire-cum-rock star, or was it actor Sam Reid?
Moments earlier, attendees had watched the first episode of AMC’s “The Vampire Lestat,” the rebranded third season of “Interview With the Vampire” that premiered earlier this month. This season adapts Anne Rice’s novel of the same name, which is told from the perspective of Lestat, played by Reid, and transforms him into a touring musician.
Now Reid, dressed in black with his chest partially exposed beneath an open jacket revealing a scar, stepped on stage and into the role of Lestat in front of the audience. As he moved across the stage, phones shot into the air. Fans screamed. People sang along to a slew of songs, and for a moment, the line between actor and character seemed to disappear.
At first glance, the assignment to turn Lestat into a rock star seemed straightforward. The vampire at the center of Rice’s beloved novels has flirted with music before. In 2002’s “Queen of the Damned,” he emerged as a leather-clad nu-metal frontman capable of commanding massive crowds. But bringing Lestat into the present introduced a different challenge. Rock music no longer occupies the same place in popular culture. Fame is fragmented. Audiences are skeptical of celebrity. Social media can build a star overnight and tear them down just as quickly.
Yet “The Vampire Lestat” asks viewers to believe something as audacious as a centuries-old vampire still being able to captivate people, launch a music career and inspire a movement. Reid thinks part of what drives the character is something surprisingly modern.
“Nobody cares that I exist, nobody cares that I’m not relevant,” Reid said of Lestat’s mindset entering the season. “It’s really fun to see him struggle with that and see him try to find his place in the world and not immediately get world domination.”
Making that fantasy feel believable required far more than putting Lestat in leather and handing him a microphone. To pull it off, the show’s creative team had to build a rock star from the ground up, crafting a visual identity, creating music that could stand on its own outside the series, and transforming Reid into a performer capable of owning a crowd rather than simply acting in front of one.
Sam Reid’s Lestat de Lioncourt crowd-surfs in “The Vampire Lestat.”
(Sophie Giraud / AMC)
“Dropping Lestat down into 2025 and making the decision for him to play rock ‘n’ roll was a really great dramatic switch because while there are many great rock bands that are alive and kicking right now, their hold of the cultural landscape is quite small,” showrunner Rolin Jones said. “You couldn’t think of a worse way to get your message out than going to be a rock star right now.”
That challenge became the foundation of the season.
Step 1: Making the music
A polished aesthetic, marketing and, in Lestat’s case, book buzz can only take a musician so far. It’s the music that had to make diehard fans believe he’s an artistic genius, or at least a star in the making.
That challenge landed with composer Daniel Hart long before a single script was finished. In an unusual twist, many of the songs that would eventually appear throughout the season were written before the writers’ room fully mapped out the story.
“There were so many unknowns when we started,” Hart said. To find a way in, Hart and Jones started with their familiar reference point: David Bowie.
“We settled, I think sort of obviously, on David Bowie as the launch pad for our Lestat,” Hart said. “The way that Bowie was so mercurial, and he was a chameleon. He reinvented himself throughout his career.”
Hart also looked to artists as varied as Kurt Cobain and Chappell Roan, while drawing inspiration from classical music, blues and the old-world sound Lestat would have absorbed over his long life. One early writers’ room exercise even involved breaking down the influences embedded within “Long Face,” the Bowie-coded first single released from Lestat’s fictional album.
“‘Long Face’ feels like a Bowie rip-off to Daniel Molloy [played by Eric Bogosian], and so then Lestat breaks the song down for him and goes into all the other influences that are in there,” Hart said. “ ‘Long Face,’ you could say, was in some way influenced by Bach, and then [he] talked about Willie Dixon, and how the blues had influenced Lestat when he was around the … 1920s and ‘30s.”
“He’s been alive for 250 years,” Hart continued. “He’s seen and heard a lot of music.”
The creative team never set out to replicate the hard-rock sound that defined “Queen of the Damned.” If anything, Jones felt trying to outdo that soundtrack would have been a losing battle.
In “The Vampire Lestat,” Sam Reid sings every song himself, including “Long Face,” “Butterscotch Bitch,” “Your Biggest Fan,” “All Fall Down” and “Black Licorice.”
(Sophie Giraud / AMC)
“I mean, that soundtrack is deservedly very famous,” Jones said. “And I think if we decided to out-Korn Korn, we were going to be in trouble.”
Instead, their Lestat was a musician still searching for his voice. Jones says the season begins in a more performative glam-rock space before gradually evolving into something more personal.
“We thought ‘70s Bowie is where we would start, and that we would musically make a journey with him as we went deeper and deeper,” he said. “He would put his band on one tour, what a normal band would do, over four albums. The music just keeps changing. And as he gets more and more vulnerable, the songs begin to change. They get more raw. They get more exposure, and the music style evolves.”
Reid sang every song himself, including “Long Face,” “Butterscotch Bitch,” “Your Biggest Fan,” “All Fall Down” and “Black Licorice.”
“The more bombastic, the more over-the-top songs — he doesn’t seem to like them by the end of this season,” Hart said. “The more introspective songs that come later on are more in his new wheelhouse.”
That journey also shaped how Reid approached the material. While audiences will ultimately see the songs unfold within the context of the show, Reid encountered many of them before he fully understood where Lestat’s story was heading.
“I think in the beginning, he’s coming from an artificial kind of construct,” Reid says. “As the show goes on, the music becomes more personal, and he becomes less interested in actually finding love through his audience and more about finding who he is as an individual and as an artist.”
When Jones first began adapting “The Vampire Lestat,” he briefly considered making the character the sort of arena-filling superstar audiences might expect, like a Beyoncé or Taylor Swift. But the more the writers discussed it, the less interesting that version felt.
“If we were gonna start chipping away at all the armor that Lestat had, one of the great repetitive ways of a tour is you just can’t seem to break a ceiling,” Jones said. “He’s a niche star. And I think that is part of the gas that fuels this little journey.”
Hart also had the impression that Lestat would be a massive star.
“But it became more apparent that [he might] not exactly have the kind of success that he wanted and desperately felt like he needed — that was a more interesting story to tell,” he said.
Step 2: Getting the rock star look
While the audience has to believe Lestat is a rock star, they also have to believe he’s someone with the look — and worth staring at.
Lex Wood, the show’s costume designer, said that the challenge began long before cameras rolled on Season 3. Jones first floated the idea of rock star Lestat while the team filmed Season 2 in Prague in 2023, giving Wood time to begin imagining what a nearly 300-year-old vampire might wear while reinventing himself as a singer. During a production trip to Paris, she started sourcing pieces and collecting references that would eventually make their way into this season years later.
“The main aim of building costumes for Lestat was to maintain an element of the unachievable,” says show costumer designer Lex Wood. “To emphasize that Lestat is untouchable.”
(Sophie Giraud / AMC)
Being fashionable wasn’t the only goal.
“The main aim of building costumes for Lestat was to maintain an element of the unachievable,” Wood said. “To emphasize that Lestat is untouchable. Hence, building specific costume build shapes and patterns that we adapted throughout the season.”
That idea guided nearly every aspect of the wardrobe. While the first two seasons often presented Lestat through structured tailoring and muted palettes, Season 3 arrives in a much louder world.
“A big thing really was that we wanted to push more color into the season in general,” Wood said.
Wood said the choice reflected where Lestat finds himself emotionally. No longer confined to drawing rooms and period silhouettes, he’s navigating celebrity, performance and self-reinvention. Leather remains. Black remains. But so do bursts of color, softer fabrics and strange patterns.
“We wanted to break Lestat free of the suiting,” Wood said. “Though we wanted to remain true to his roots in the 18th century, we also wanted Lestat’s pieces to feel slightly otherworldly at times.”
That meant weaving in elements of garments from the 18th century and making them feel contemporary. This could look like a very specific cut of a sleeve of a shirt that nods to that time.
Wood also studied the backstage photography of Mick Rock, pulling references of Bowie, Iggy Pop and Freddie Mercury. She blended that with punk-inspired designs from Vivienne Westwood and Jean Paul Gaultier. Goth icon Siouxsie Sioux also became an influence, particularly in the use of layering, texture and attitude.
Wood said the scattered references reflect a character actively trying to figure out who he wants to be.
“He’s investigating social media himself,” she said. “As he’s discovering his presence as a rock star. He’s investigating what it means to be a rock star.”
“He’s finding his persona,” she continued. “And trying on different personas.”
That idea extends all the way down to accessories, with Lestat’s jewelry blending old and new — a custom necklace created by a U.K. silversmith recalls one worn by Mercury during Queen’s early years, while rings featuring sculpted teeth serve as subtle reminders of his vampiric nature.
“We purposefully wanted some of his wardrobe to not be recognizable to any particular brand — at other times, we wanted to celebrate high-end fashion, to explore his playfulness and unpredictable character through his clothing,” Wood said.
Even the shoes became part of the transformation. One of Wood’s earliest conversations with Reid centered on abandoning the heeled footwear that helped define earlier versions of the character. This Lestat needed something heavier for a performer who could pace a stage.
“He wanted something that felt more grounded,” Wood said. “Something he could bounce around more in.”
Wood said the redesigned footwear altered Reid’s posture and movement, helping create a version of Lestat that she noted feels more volatile and more comfortable captivating a crowd than charming one.
Step 3: Becoming the rock star
For all the work that went into the costumes, music and scripts, none of it mattered unless the watchers believed the actor tying it all together.
Reid had already spent two seasons playing Lestat through other characters’ memories and perspectives. This time around required him to carry the character’s story through his own reflections. More importantly, he had to answer a deceptively difficult question: Why would anyone follow Lestat in the first place?
“It’s not fame that he’s after,” says Reid of his character in “The Vampire Lestat.” “Fame is totally temporary for a creature that lives forever.”
(Sophie Giraud / AMC)
The surface answer might be fame. The character launches a music career, records songs and steps into the spotlight. But Reid doesn’t think that’s what drives him.
“It’s not fame that he’s after,” Reid said. “Fame is totally temporary for a creature that lives forever.”
Reid sees Lestat as someone searching for validation.
“Not for the vampire that he is, but for the human being that he was,” he said. “He’s been pretty heavily rejected. From Louis through the book, and then his mother knows exactly how to string him along, when to give him love and when to take it away. So he’s really looking for validation and going into an audience space is where he first experienced that.”
While developing the season, Reid says he became increasingly interested in the gap between the public version of Lestat and the person underneath it.
“His whole life has been performance,” Reid said. “His whole life has been a lot of adversity, and the way that he kind of climbs out of that is to build a construct that he can perform and operate in. It makes a lot of sense for him to do this rock star persona. Through this season you start to see him realize that the music and the art can allow him to access himself as opposed to it just being a performance.”
“He’s trying to discover his sound as a musician,” Reid continued. “But he’s also trying to discover who he is.”
Throughout the season, viewers see a musician struggling to connect.
“Why can’t I sell out 5,000 seats?” Jones says, describing the character’s mindset. “I used to be able to walk into a room and everyone would love me.”
For Jones, that’s ultimately what makes Lestat feel like a contemporary artist. Sure, he may be an immortal vampire, but he’s navigating the same questions that confront plenty of artists: How much of yourself to reveal? How much should one perform? Can admiration ever substitute for genuine connection?
By the time the season reaches its conclusion, Lestat is still larger than life. But he’s also a more complicated performer forced to reckon with the distance between being seen and understood. Jones said none of this would be possible without Reid in the role.
“I think his performance in Season 3 is one of the 10 greatest American TV performances of all time,” Jones says. “I’d put him right next to Carroll O’Connor, Walter White [played by Bryan Cranston] and James Gandolfini.”
“And I’d look at all of them and say, ‘You guys didn’t sing.’ ”
Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.
Recently, I don’t exactly know why, I was overtaken by a concern that because of the impending merger of Paramount and Warner Bros., Olivier Assayas’ 2022 series adaption of his own film “Irma Vep” would be removed from the HBO Max streaming platform. With no official physical release, the series — starring Alicia Vikander as a Hollywood movie star making a project in Paris — could be effectively vanished from existence.
This is sadly inevitable, though some superfans have gone to extra-legal measures to ensure otherwise (not that we would ever endorse this). Most famously it’s happened with the original “Star Wars” trilogy. Billed as the “Grindhouse Edition,” these are discs of the first three “Star Wars” films sourced from scans of original film prints before the digital fixes and polish of the more recent official releases. Reengaging with these works in this way, scratches and all, is (I’m told) a strong reminder of why they hit so hard in the first place, similar to how it might be to reread a text in the original language instead of a more recent translation.
‘Indiana Jones’ marathon
Harrison Ford and Karen Allen on the set of 1981’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”
(Lucasfilm Ltd.)
The same deep understanding of genre filmmaking that went into the original “Star Wars” also went into “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” the first adventure of the character of Indiana Jones. Directed by Steven Spielberg from a script by Lawrence Kasdan and story by George Lucas and Philip Kaufman, the film is playful, thrilling and self-aware. It is made with such care, attention to detail and sense of fun that I remember how disappointed I was to discover not all movies would be like this.
There have of course been diminishing returns with the more recent run of Indiana Jones sequels, but the first three installments all have a real spark. And so the Secret Movie Club will present “Raiders,” 1984’s “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” and 1989’s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” all on 35mm at the Million Dollar Theater in DTLA on Sunday in celebration of Father’s Day.
In her original review of the first film, Sheila Benson described that while watching it, she felt “a rush of gratitude which almost brought tears of contagious joy and — not to be corny about this — the strength of the film’s positive vision. If this is an era in which the heroic is lacking and the mediocre threatens us from every side, then ‘Raiders,’ which has no pretensions to importance, which is unabashedly wide-eyed and exaggerated and true blue but somehow cherishes the best in life and filmmaking — is a high-water mark.”
Plenty of jokes could be made about the movies having settled into what might be thought of as part of the dadcore canon: action-adventure movies that play well on TV and maybe you can take a short nap and not miss anything. So be it.
From one master to another
Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 thriller “North by Northwest.”
(Sunset Boulevard / Corbis via Getty Images)
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro has been making waves of late for his strong public stance against the use of AI in feature filmmaking. But it is worth remembering that he is also a deep and incisive thinker about older movies, a true fan, which makes his upcoming appearances at the Academy Museum a special occasion.
Del Toro will present five films by Alfred Hitchcock — 1946’s “Notorious,” 1943’s ‘Shadow of a Doubt,” 1959’s “North by Northwest,” 1953’s “I Confess” and 1972’s “Frenzy” — along with delivering a lecture on each of them. To see one great filmmaker reflect with such depth into the work of another is just remarkable. This is some genuine only-in-L.A. type stuff.
Comedy + politics = good fun
A scene from the 1976 movie “Car Wash.”
(Margaret Herrick Library / Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
A raucous comedy set around the location of the title, “Car Wash” is also a sharp, politically minded satire about labor and money. Directed by Michael Schultz from a screenplay by Joel Schumacher, the film has an extended ensemble cast that includes Richard Pryor, Franklyn Ajaye, George Carlin and many others.
In his original review Charles Champlin compared “Car Wash” to films such as “American Graffiti” and “Nashville” and called it “light but not foolish. … The experience is exhilarating.”
A 50th anniversary screening at the Academy Museum on Saturday of a new 4K restoration will include a panel with Schultz and actors Bill Duke, Antonio Fargas, Melanie Mayron, Garrett Morris and Pepe Serna.
Collision report
James Spader in the 1996 movie “Crash,” directed by David Cronenberg.
(Jonathan Wenk / Fine Line Features)
The controversy that surrounded David Cronenberg’s “Crash” when it premiered at Cannes in 1996 and received a U.S. release in 1997 tended to overwhelm the actual movie. Shockingly explicit, the film is about a secret underground world of people who create a sexual fetish out of car crashes. An adaptation of the novel by J.G. Ballard, Cronenberg’s movie explores the cinematic obsession with sex and violence.
Over time, “Crash” has been evolving from a seemingly cursed object dogged by scandal into something that audiences can come to appreciate and admire — even if it is not a movie you can ever exactly fully understand. Part of Cronenberg’s brilliance is how enigmatic and unknowable his work can be: strange, inviting and enveloping while refusing easy or direct analysis.
The movie is playing twice locally this week, on Saturday at Vidiots in partnership with the Cinegogue, with special giveaways and exclusive merch, and again on Monday at the Academy Museum in 4K. Who will be brave (or perverse) enough to go twice?
A different view of Rio
Milton Gonçalves, center, in the 1974 movie “The Devil Queen.”
(Kino Lorber)
A drag queen (Milton Gonçalves) rules the criminal underworld of Rio de Janeiro in Antonio Carlos da Fontoura’s 1974 gangster drama “The Devil Queen,” an unlikely mix of camp aesthetics and gritty violence. Among the film’s many fans is Kleber Mendonça Filho, the filmmaker behind the recent Brazilian hit “The Secret Agent,” who referred to “The Devil Queen” as “bloody, nasty and full of personality.”
The movie is playing in a new 4K restoration at the Lumiere Cinema in Beverly Hills.
A musical melodrama returns
Raul Julia, left, and Teri Garr in Francis Ford Coppola’s 1981 movie “One From the Heart.”
(Rialto Pictures / American Zoetrope)
We have talked before about Francis Ford Coppola’s “One From the Heart,” a movie of such delirious audacity that it nearly ruined the filmmaker‘s career. A throwback musical about two lovers who break up in search of more excitement, the film stars Teri Garr, Frederic Forrest, Nastassja Kinski and Raul Julia.
On Saturday the film will screen at the American Cinematheque’s Aero Theater in a 70mm print for the first time in L.A. since 1990. The event is being dedicated to Dean Tavoularis, Coppola’s longtime production designer, who died in April. For “One From the Heart,” Tavoularis re-created the Las Vegas Strip on a studio back lot.
New this week
Amy Nicholson is not a fan of the new “Toy Story 5,” writing in her review, “Pixar has continued adding shades to the same plot outline like a child with a box of 128 crayons (or a company clinging to its billion-dollar idea).”
Glenn Whipp cast back into the “Toy Story” universe for a highly personal ranking of his 10 favorite “Toy Story” toys.
Two gay teenage boys attempt to survive a supernatural entity and conversion therapy in Adrian Chiarella’s debut feature “Leviticus.” Jen Yamato spoke to the filmmaking team.
I spoke to writer-director Michael Sarnoski about his new “The Death of Robin Hood,” starring Hugh Jackman in a subversively revisionist telling of the last days of the medieval bandit.
