McClure has shared her excitement about the new episodes ahead of the release: “I love working with the team, we have a great time making the show, and I cannot wait to continue Lana’s journey on Trigger Point.”
The first look trailer confirms the team’s new challenge is “unprecedented”, with Lana noting that they seem to know how her team works. The scale of the attacks is made even clearer when Lana confirms, “The threats feel bigger, the bombs are closer.”
Returning on-screen alongside Lana is Eric Shango as Danny, Nabil Elouahabi as Hassan “Hass” Rahim, Natalie Simpson as DS Helen Morgan, and Maanuv Thiara as DCI Amar Batra.
Shetland star Julie Graham has also joined the star-studded cast as Commander Nia Quentin.
In the trailer, viewers see Nia confirm that this could be “the biggest terror attack this country has seen,” as the expo team battles to save the capital.
Away from Trigger Point, fans of crime dramas will know Julie as Rhona Kelly in the BBC series Shetland between 2014 and 2022.
The show is based on the bestselling crime novels by award-winning author Ann Cleeves and follows a dedicated police team as they investigate grisly murders and long-buried secrets within the tight-knit, remote island community of Scotland’s Isles.
Scottish actress Julie, 61, has been a seemingly near-permanent fixture on our screens since a Taggart appearance in the mid-1980s.
Her other long-running series commitments include portraying Megan Hartnoll in At Home With The Braithwaites, Abby Grant in Survivors, and playing Sheron Dawson in the adored sitcom, Benidorm.
Most recently, period drama fans saw Julie transform into Ma Hardacre in the Channel 5 show The Hardacres, which follows the sweeping rags-to-riches journey of a working-class family in 1890s Yorkshire.
She also played Annie Marling in Ridley and Elain Phelan in This City is Ours.
Trigger Point series 1-3 is available to stream on ITVX
The singer said he was recovering well and was deeply disappointed to miss the showsCredit: GettyStewart performs onstage at the 2026 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at Fair Grounds Race CourseCredit: Getty
Stewart canceled his Tuesday night performance at Rocket Arena in Cleveland shortly after postponing his Sunday concert in Cincinnati at Riverbend Music Center.
He also cancelled a few dates earlier this year, including two in Las Vegas and one in San Diego.
Rod was scheduled to appear through September 3 in North America, including his six-night residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and a few dates in Mexico.
In the statement the singer said: “I’m already feeling better and very much on the mend. I want to thank the doctors, nurses and everyone who has taken such wonderful care of me.
“I’m deeply disappointed to miss these shows and sorry to let my fans down, but I look forward to getting back on stage and having a good time with you all again soon.”
Back in June the hitmaker was forced to pull out of a gig in California, due to a respiratory infection that later triggered a bout of laryngitis.
The surgery comes just days after he became a grandfather for the sixth time – with his daughter Ruby welcoming her second child with fiance Jake Kalick.
Ruby posted adorable pictures of her older son Otis meeting his sibling for the very first time to social media.
Rod has eight children in total with five different women.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
A HIGHLANDER legend was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after collapsing at an event in America.
The actor and producer, 69, was also forced to scrap photo opportunities with fans as his health issue took centre stage.
Highlander legend Christopher Lambert was rushed to hospital in an ambulance after collapsing at an event in AmericaCredit: GettyHe reportedly fell ill while signing autographs at the Steel City Con in PennsylvaniaCredit: X/@RDAF2
Actor Christopher Lambert, who played Highlander’s main character Connor MacLeod in the 1986 movie, reportedly fell ill at the Steel City Con in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
According to TMZ, he had been signing autographs with fans before he collapsed and was whisked away.
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The event organisers then took to their Facebook page to confirm: “Christopher Lambert had to leave the event due to a personal issue.
Christopher who played Highlander’s main character Connor MacLeodCredit: AlamyThe Mortal Kombat actor has been confirmed to appear at today’s eventCredit: Getty
The Sun has gone to the Mortal Kombat actor’s rep for comment.
They did tell TMZ the screen star is “perfectly OK” – and his fall was due to low blood sugar after a lack of food.
In news that will delight fans – and suggest he is on the mend – event organisers also confirmed he will appear at the convention today [Sunday] as planned.
In a message posted to Facebook they wrote: “Christopher Lambert will be attending Sunday. He will be there at 11:30 AM. Lisa & Louise Burns will do 12 PM Panel. Also, Karen Gillan will be doing Solos and Duos on Sunday (with Arthur) as well”.
One fan was quick to comment: “Glad he’s okay. That was scary!”
A second put: “Very happy to hear this”.
A Facebook user then added: “Hope he’s going to be all right. Highlander is my favourite movie of all time, and I wish he didn’t have to go through that scare today”.
This month’s LA Jazz Festival was slated to be one of the largest concerts in Los Angeles history.
With dozens of performances spread throughout every City Council district, organizers hoped the shows would draw 250,000 attendees and inaugurate the city as a home for jazz events on par with New Orleans and Montreal.
Those hopes will have to wait, as organizers announced the cancellation and postponement of the festival on Friday, including its main show Aug. 22-23 on Dockweiler Beach.
“Due to significant, unanticipated last-minute public safety and municipal costs associated with the final permitting of the On The Beach Festival, we have reached the decision to unfortunately postpone this year’s inaugural LA Jazz Festival,” organizer Martin Ludlow said in a statement to the Times. “Although this decision was an extremely difficult one to reach, our commitment to the audiences and artists participating in the festival is to have a first-class experience worthy of the great legacy of Jazz and our great city. We were encouraged by the enthusiastic support of the artists on the bill, the fans and our sponsors for this inaugural event, and we look forward to presenting all of the components of this incredible cultural opportunity for Los Angeles and the world in 2027 and beyond.”
John Legend, Janelle Monáe, Charlie Wilson, Parliament Funkadelic and Raphael Saadiq were booked to headline the main show.
“We are so grateful to all the artists–from our headliners to our musicians in the parks, many of whom went above and beyond to make this affordable to the community,” Ludlow added. “All current ticket holders for LA Jazz Festival events will be refunded in full within 30 days. We apologize deeply for this situation and vow to make this right over time.”
LA Jazz Festival was a major project for Ludlow, a former Los Angeles City Council member turned music promoter and community activist after pleading guilty to misappropriating funds in 2006.
Ludlow announced the show in a splashy speech on the steps of City Hall in February, flanked by Mayor Karen Bass and other civic leaders. “During this journey, you can only imagine there’s a lot of highs and a lot of lows,” Ludlow said then. “When you have those lows, you want a friend that really can lift you up.”
Back in February, Ludlow described the mission of LA Jazz Festival with a civil rights-inspired fervor, saying that “This festival is intended to lift up our ancestors that came to this country in bondage, terrorized, brutalized. It’s also about celebrating the end to those last bastions of Jim Crow racism, the days we were denied access to public drinking fountains, public swimming pools and public beaches. From the beginning of this journey, we’ve been very intentional about telling the narrative of that human rights struggle called Jazz.”
Bravado, insecurity, deceit. These are the bitter ingredients that seasoned the chef Anthony Bourdain inside the pressure cooker of the restaurant industry. Set over one formative summer in 1975, Matt Johnson’s affectionately sleazy biopic “Tony” is a portrait of the culinary adventurer (who died by suicide in 2018 at the age of 61) as a snotty 19-year-old Vassar student who doesn’t know an oyster knife from his ego. “I was — to be frank — a spoiled, miserable, narcissistic, self-destructive and thoughtless young lout, badly in need of a good ass-kicking,” Bourdain confessed in his 2000 bestseller “Kitchen Confidential,” a scorching memoir that elevated him from obscurity to damaged saint. “Tony” opens with that quote and proves it with scenes of boozing, puking and petty crime. Miraculously, it’s the most heartwarming comedy of the year.
Teenage Tony (a feral Dominic Sessa of “The Holdovers”) claims he’s already writing the next great American book, a navel-gazing bildungsroman — his word, not mine — in the key of Kerouac. Really, he’s just a middle-class kid from New Jersey who doesn’t expect to work for a living. Stalking his high school crush Nancy (a grounded Emilia Jones) to Provincetown, Mass., he begrudgingly supports himself with a dishwashing gig at the Flagship, a humble seafood joint. The kid is ashamed of blue-collar labor. That his rowdy co-workers think he sucks at it is worse. This taste of humiliation would change his destiny.
Under the tutelage of the Flagship’s idiosyncratic unnamed chef (Antonio Banderas), Tony will discover the importance of punctuality. A devilish shellfish-shucker (Leo Woodall, an intoxicating scamp) will also introduce him to cocaine. That first bump hits Tony with such a rush that the soundtrack explodes with boogielicious disco.
Sessa was born to prowl around wild-eyed in retro polyester. He relishes the fast and funny dialogue, flinging around fancy words that don’t mean a thing. At low emotional tide, Sessa’s Tony can also be watchful and quiet. He makes us hear the character’s silent inner schemes as loudly as when he’s actually blabbering.
Director Johnson (“BlackBerry” and the maniacally brilliant “Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie”) and his co-screenwriters Matthew Miller, Todd Bartels and Lou Howe have blended every hard-knock lesson that Bourdain learned across decades of job-hopping into one month of blood and sweat. Spiritually, it’s fantastic. Factually, it’s baloney, although “Tony” does restore the restaurant’s actual name — the Flagship — from Bourdain’s Dreadnaught, the pseudonym he gave it before he ever imagined future fans following him around the world. Mild spoiler alert: Readers of “Kitchen Confidential” will also know it’s dedicated to Nancy, who became his first wife.
The kitchen scenes are a combo platter of boot camp, frat house hazing ritual and kung fu movie. As Bourdain would later explain, he thrived in a setting where actions have instant consequences: a sore back, a sliced hand, a good meal. Burn the sandwich, toast it again; scrub every plate and punch out with pride. You can’t help but grin at Sessa’s hoot when his scrawny Tony finally manages to muscle a raw potato through a french-fry slicer. And at the end of a shift, he and his dysfunctional workplace family gather to share bowls of squid stew and taste the results of their work. Back in New Jersey, dinnertime with his biological family feels as cold and stale as their meal of frozen peas and store-bought white bread.
Banderas’ chef is the kind of mentor you’d expect to find on a mountaintop mediation retreat, starting over a half-dozen scenes coldly waking up the sleeping whippersnapper with a cold bucket of morning seawater to the face. As Banderas plays him, he’s a bearish marvel of a man with the kind of earthy soul that would have had Ernest Hemingway chugging salty dogs on his barstool all night. There’s a shot of Banderas biting into a tomato that’s pure bliss for him and us.
Whereas Tony talks a big game, squeezing Japanese words like boketto — the art of doing nothing — into conversation, Banderas shows us how to simply do it. (Likewise, a centerpiece montage makes penning a coming-of-age book look way lamer than than just living a full life.) Watching Banderas’ chef stare at the Atlantic, it may occur to you that a cook can no longer afford a waterfront shack on the sand. The film is too breezy to say so directly, but its emphasis on the value of honest work wants you to think it.
Watching Banderas spend a day simmering his own handcrafted ketchup simply to store it in repurposed Heinz bottles says everything about the guy’s devotion to food and his indifference toward marketing. It’s a little grating to see boorish Tony offer him business tips. It helps that some of his advice isn’t great.
“Tony” stays planted in its own immediate present, rarely hinting at the veers Bourdain’s biography will take. “Kitchen Confidential” won’t be published for another 25 years; his globe-trotting celebrity comes after that. Johnson keeps the tone so zingy and loose that you don’t have to know Bourdain at all to enjoy the movie. The ending even tacks on a let’s-save-our-hangout rally that could be Velcroed onto any ’80s comedy.
The script allows itself just two beats to squeeze out a knowing tear. The first comes when Tony describes his approach to writing: “I try to imagine interesting places I’ll probably never go, people I’ll never get to meet,” he says, unaware how much his horizons will one day expand. The second trickier and clumsier aside happens when Banderas’ chef tells Tony the tragedy of 17th century French cook François Vatel, who literally fell on his sword before serving a banquet to Louis XIV. Lore has it that Vatel didn’t have enough fish. The teenager doesn’t understand. “He killed himself? Why?” Tony repeatedly asks. That question will never have a satisfying answer.
Like a lazy Susan, today’s youth seem to be coming full circle to young Tony’s dilemma. He’s got one foot on the so-called safe path — college, white-collar isolation — and the other on a career that’s already covering him in well-earned scars. As employees are feeling insecure and replaceable, there are rumblings that the current crop of kids is gravitating back toward physical jobs and finding, as Tony did, that one can find fulfillment working with your hands. The stress of the kitchen didn’t make Tony a better man overnight. But it was the grit that grew a pearl.
‘Tony’
Rated: R, for pervasive language, drug use, and sexual content/nudity
Running time: 1 hour, 46 minutes
Playing: Opening Friday, Aug. 7 in limited release
Rescuers are still looking for other missing climbers swept away in an avalanche on the world’s 12th largest peak.
Published On 1 Aug 20261 Aug 2026
Rescuers continue the search for six climbers still missing after an avalanche hit Pakistan’s Broad Peak, as officials identified one of the four recovered bodies as Nadhira Al Harthy, the first Omani woman to summit Mount Everest.
Pakistani authorities recovered three of the bodies on Friday in harsh weather that hampered flights by search and rescue helicopters, officials said, and identified them as Nepalese climber Pur Bahadur Gurung and American climber Sarah Mallory Geis, as well as Harthy.
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The officials did not immediately identify the fourth body that was found.
The expedition comprised five Nepali climbers, the Omani and American climbers, Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, a Chinese climber identified only as Wang, and one other foreign climber, according to the Alpine Club of Pakistan.
The expedition leader was the renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, a Nepal-born former soldier in the British army widely known as Nims Dai. He climbed the world’s 14 highest peaks in a record 189 days in 2019, an achievement featured in the Netflix documentary, 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible. His record was surpassed in 2023.
A file photo of Nirmal Purja, one of the team members of the all-Nepalese mountaineering team that became the first to scale Mount K2 in winter, gestures as the team arrives at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal on January 26, 2021 [Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo]
The climbers were swept away in an avalanche on the 8,051-metre (26,414ft) peak, the world’s 12th-highest mountain, about midday on Thursday. The area in which the search is taking place is “remote and difficult”, said Sajid Hussain, deputy director of the tourism department in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Of the world’s 14 highest peaks, eight are in Nepal, five in Pakistan and one in Tibet. Climbing experts say barely more than three dozen mountaineers have climbed all 14 peaks to date. Broad Peak is considered one of Pakistan’s most challenging climbs.
Nepal’s Gurung, known to his friends as Yukta, climbed Everest more times than anyone else from the Gurung community, with 10 successful ascents to his name, Nepal’s Online Khabar noted. He also successfully climbed 12 of the world’s 8,000-metre (26,246ft) peaks.
Yukta had also set a record by summiting Pakistan’s K2, the world’s second-highest peak, within 24 hours. He was regularly involved in rescue operations for tourists stranded in the mountains.
Oman’s Al Harthy held a master’s degree in geography and previously served as director of the Citizenship Department at Oman’s Ministry of Education, Gulf News reported. In 2019, she became the first Omani woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, and then the first Omani to climb K2, the world’s second-highest mountain.
For the US’s Geis, it was her first try at an 8,000-metre peak in Pakistan.
Geis, 39, lived in San Antonio. She announced on social media earlier this year that she was closing her Pilates studio to take “a giant leap of faith into the unknown to see where life goes. I have a sneaking suspicion there will be lots of helmets, harnesses, and crampons involved.”
Sakhi was a guide for the company, as well as a geographer and high-altitude photographer who had climbed several of the world’s major peaks.
BLACK Sabbath’s Tony Iommi last released a solo album more than two decades ago.
And now, as he finally announces a new record, From The Dark, he reckons it might take just as long to get presented with his MBE.
Black Sabbath legend Tony Iommi has told of his ‘shock’ at Ozzy Osbourne’s deathCredit: GettyThe pair exchanged text messages the night before Ozzy diedCredit: Getty
The legendary axeman was in the Actress & Bishop boozer in his native Birmingham to celebrate the album’s release when asked when he’d be going to Buckingham Palace.
Tony was made an MBE in the King’s birthday honours last month, for his services to music and charity. But he joked: “I’d forgotten about that. They have probably changed their minds now.”
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From The Dark, out on October 23, is Tony’s first album since 2005’s Fused, when he teamed with former Deep Purple, Sabbath and Trapeze singer and bassist Glenn Hughes.
Queen’s Brian May plays a guest solo on Death Wake, and the blistering lead single, the upbeat but punchy World Alone, confirms why he earned the nickname The Master Of The Riffs.
That moniker’s all the more impressive when Tony reminds us that he lost the tips of the middle and ring fingers of his fret hand as a teen, while working in a sheet metal factory in the city.
He recalled: “I went to different doctors and they said, ‘You might as well give up and find another profession’.”
So he made replacement fingertips. He said: “I got a Fairy Liquid bottle, melted it down into a ball and then got a soldering iron and made a hole in it, so it fit on my finger.
“I tried to play and it slipped off. I had to find a material that would grip the strings like skin, so I cut one of my old rocker leather jackets up, and it worked.”
Iommi fans are in for a treat with From The Dark — which has eight tracks, with two additional songs, Scent Of Dark and Deified on the deluxe version.
It was two years in the making, with Tony enlisting Jorn Lande on vocals, bassist Becky Baldwin and Robbie Williams’ longtime drummer Karl Brazil.
The pair exchanged text messages the night before Ozzy died. He said: “I didn’t expect him to go overnight. It was a hell of a shock.”
Tony Iommi and The Sun’s Ellie HenmanCredit: UnknownTony has finally announced his new record, From The DarkCredit: Getty
On returning to work on the record, Tony added: “We’ve done it casually really, because there was no pressure.
The album is steeped in his home city’s history. He said: “The whole record is designed around Birmingham. The T-shirts have been made in Birmingham, the merchandise has been made in Birmingham.”
In front of a small group of guests, with Frank Skinner taking on the interviewing duties, Tony unveiled the dystopian video for World Alone, which was filmed in Cornwall.
“I hate doing videos, I’ve never liked them,” he said.
“This one is more like a film and I am in it but not wanting to be.”
Despite his reticence at getting in front of the cameras, it sounds likely Tony will return to the stage.
Asked whether fans will hear him play the record live, he smiled and said: “You may do.
“Anything’s a possibility.”
MARS FINAL AT WEMBLEY
BRUNO MARS brought the curtain down on his six huge Wembley Stadium shows with a low-key bash at a Mayfair private members’ club.
My moles tell me the singer hosted the do at George on Mount Street, arriving with his entourage at 1am.
A source said: “Bruno shut down an area inside George to celebrate his six Wembley gigs.
“He only invited a handful of people to join him and kept it very casual and chic. There was a great atmosphere though, and Bruno was the life and soul of the party.
“He was blown away by the reception to his Romantic Tour from British fans and was grinning from ear to ear.
“It’s been huge for him to play six headline shows there and he’s ready for a break before he heads back out in the US.”
It’s little wonder Bruno is ready for some time off.
He’s been on tour for four months now and, after three weeks away, he’ll get back to it with dates in the US and Asia, eventually finishing in Japan on January 28.
Tate shapes up for comeback
Tate McRae stuns in a workout gear for an Adidas Originals Sport campaignCredit: Adidas
TATE McRAE gets fighting fit for her comeback as she prepares to release new music.
The Canadian pulled on her skintight workout clobber and pumped iron for an Adidas Originals Sport campaign.
It comes ahead of a return to the stage this weekend, almost nine months after her last concert.
Tate will headline the Osheaga Festival in Montreal on Saturday, and Lollapalooza in Chicago the following night, as teasers on social media suggest she might debut new songs.
Previous album So Close To What became her most successful yet when it peaked at No2 in the charts last year.
But with her star power continuing to rise, I’m sure she’s got her sights set on turning the next record into a chart-topper.
BTS SNUB GRAMMYS IN PROTEST
K-POP megastars BTS are boycotting the Grammy Awards after an Asian-only category was introduced.
The group won’t submit any of their music to be considered for any awards at the 2027 ceremony, in protest over the change.
In a statement, they said: “We have decided not to enter the Grammys this year.
“I hope that music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.”
The Grammys last month announced the Best Asian Pop Music Performance award, where songs must contain “meaningful use” of an Asian language.
But many have criticised the move, saying it pigeon-holes artists from that region.
BTS, whose latest album Arirang is largely in English, had been expected to rack up several nominations after it became one of 2025’s best sellers.
It’s Olivia RodLego
Olivia Rodrigo holds her album cover in Lego formCredit: The LEGO Group/Hunter Simmons
OLIVIA RODRIGO has recreated her latest album cover in Lego form – and will hide versions of the record around the world.
She posed in this plaid mini-dress at a pop-up event in Los Angeles, where it was revealed 333 toy-brick vinyl versions of You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So In Love will be available.
The album is in the UK Top Three for a sixth week.
Olivia and Lego will drop clues on social media, hinting at record shops where fans might be able to get the special versions.
I expect to see them popping up on eBay for astronomical sums any day now.
SHANIA’S LACK OF VISION
IT doesn’t sound like Shania Twain is very likely to compete at the Eurovision Song Contest in 2027.
Her native Canada will be joining for the first time. But asked if she’d be tempted to give it a go, she said: “It hasn’t entered my mind. It’s a fair question, though. I don’t know what my pull would be for that, but I would certainly be curious to see how that comes together. There is a lot of talent there.”
The contest will take place in Bulgaria.
But Shania has enough on her plate, having released album Little Miss Twain, which looks like entering the Top Five on Friday.
She’s also planning 30th-anniversary celebrations for her album Come On Over.
Ruben’s hol alone
Ruben Dias showed off his incredible physique in some Insta thirst trapsCredit: instagram//ruben dias
RUBEN Dias has made sure everyone knows he’s one of football’s most eligible bachelors, following his split from Maya Jama.
The Manchester City defender broke up with the Love Island host at the end of April.
Three months on, and following his appearance at this summer’s World Cup with Portugal, he has jetted off on a lads’ holiday to Ibiza.
Judging by the photos of his rippling six-pack he shared on Instagram, Ruben got his mates to take thirst trap pictures for him while they were there.
But hinting that he’s still not totally over the split with Maya, he captioned the post: “Feelings on silent.”
With pictures like this, there will be plenty of people offering him a shoulder to cry on.
MACCABEES ALBUM
THE Maccabees are working on their first album since 2015, after reuniting last year.
They have been playing fresh tunes during live shows.
Asked if an album was any closer, singer Orlando Weeks told Radio X: “We have some songs, and we have one we’re really confident about and we’re enjoying playing.
“That’s the aim – to try and do it, make it good enough, and then it’ll happen.”
lMILEY CYRUS’ rocker fiancé Maxx Morando popped the question on holiday in Japan last autumn.
He told Wonderland mag it happened in “this little outer garden”.
Maxx added: “She was taking videos, and was turned away. I got on one knee and tapped her on the shoulder.”
Casualty fans are heartbroken as they are convinced the show is killing off a beloved character for the 40th anniversary
BBC Casualty ‘to kill off’ show legend in heartbreaking twist and fans are gutted(Image: BBC)
Casualty could be killing off a show legend after more than 10 years, and fans are not best pleased about it.
The beloved BAFTA-winning BBC show has been a staple on screens for 40 years. As the world’s longest-running medical drama, Casualty has captivated audiences thanks to its powerful storytelling and characters.
And to celebrate its 40th anniversary later this year, a special double-bill episode will air on Saturday 5th. And as expected, it’s going to be seriously dramatic.
In a trailer that was aired at the end of Saturday’s (July 25) episode, viewers were shown a sneak peek at the episode, in which a high-stakes explosion throws Holby into chaos.
Lives are left hanging in the balance, and the ED team are pushed to their limits in a tense and emotionally charged story. And now, after watching the trailer, fans are convinced that the show is going to kill off Dylan Keogh (William Beck).
“I think the building will explode to kill Dylan! I think that’s his final episode,” mused one person on Casualty’s Facebook page. Someone else agreed: “I thought this as well.” A third chimed in: “Dylan better not go. He’s the best – I just love his character.”
Viewers will know Dylan made his debut on the show back in 2011 when he was introduced as a replacement for fellow emergency medicine doctor Ruth Winters (Georgia Taylor).
And over the years, he has played a part in several big TV moments. What’s more, since the departure of Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) in 2024, Dylan has been the longest-serving character on the show.
Meanwhile in 2024, Dylan actor William spoke about the handful of cast exits at the time including Charlie. He told Digital Spy: “When Derek [Thompson] left, it was surreal. For me, it was just an absolute privilege to be there.
“I said a few words on Derek’s last day, and it was only in saying it, that I really appreciated that for everybody that was there at that time.
“Without Derek, Casualty would never have been the show that it has become and the opportunity to mark that and to celebrate it and to celebrate a unique achievement of being the lead in a continuing drama for that length of time, is a one off. To be there and to be present, and to acknowledge that, was such a privilege that in a sense that I haven’t even had time to miss it yet.
There are many dedicated figures devoted to Chicano empowerment in America. But in the arts, playwright-director-impresario Luis Valdez — the migrant farmworkers’ son behind the defiantly consciousness-raising El Teatro Campesino and the historic hits “Zoot Suit” and “La Bamba” — holds a singular place, achieved with remarkable perseverance. It’s a trajectory that the immensely appealing, rollicking documentary “American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez” tracks with a vitality and purpose befitting its subject.
Anchored by Valdez himself, now in his 80s and filling the camera frame like a grandfatherly lion, the film supplements his vivid biographical details with rich archival footage and testimonials from family members, collaborators and peers. There’s also the bold but sneakily effective narrator choice in Edward James Olmos, reviving his snarling, star-making El Pachuco growl from “Zoot Suit” to remind us of one of Valdez’s essential contributions to the theatrical canon. (Olmos is also an interviewee, as is Cheech Marin, Taylor Hackford, Lou Diamond Philips and labor leader Dolores Huerta.)
Born in Delano, Calif., and drawn to literature and language as a way to combat racist assumptions about a Mexican American’s destiny, Valdez found his gifts sharpened by puppet shows, school plays and finally, the union movement in his hometown. Valdez saw that pointed, raw satire was not only necessary but a recruitment tool for the fight. We hear the underdog aesthetic term rasquachismo used to describe these early impromptu performances: essentially a colorful funkiness, “so funky that nothing can undermine you,” Valdez says. As if something earthier and stronger had been harvested in the fields with all those valuable grapes.
After the labor battles of the Vietnam War era, Valdez took El Teatro Campesino’s mission nationwide. Excerpts from a televised adaptation of his play “Los Vendidos (The Sellouts)” — about a shop selling automatons representing Chicano stereotypes — underscore the continuing tensions of assimilation, a trap disguised as acceptance. But the piece also reflected feelings Valdez had about his long-estranged brother Frank, an engineer whose alienating efforts to deny his own background and fit in formed a heavy undercurrent in Valdez’s life.
“Zoot Suit,” an ambitious, musicalized, slang-flavored staging of the violent injustice behind L.A.’s notorious 1943 Zoot Suit riots, became a smash in 1978 (its narrow-minded New York reception notwithstanding). The story of how the Ritchie Valens biopic “La Bamba” came to be — a delicate mix of legacy tending and savvy casting — is similarly rousing and illuminating, even if it seems like an omission not to dig into why, after such a big hit, more movies didn’t follow. (Although, since this is Hollywood, we can guess the reasons.)
There’s so much to chew on in David Alvarado’s portrait of life, art and activism that “American Pachuco” plays like a joyful challenge to those searching for their own voice or meaning. As engaging a chronicler of his own life as Valdez is, his lessons in how to be seen and heard — and how to stay that way — feel especially timely. In our demonizing present, the story of such a pioneering truth-teller speaks powerfully to the needs of our blended American future.
‘American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez’
In English and Spanish, with subtitles
Not rated
Running time: 1 hour, 32 minutes
Playing: Opens Friday, July 24, in limited release
Today, Friday 24 July, sees the second episode of The Hairdresser Mysteries air where a synopsis teases: “When a celebrity weather reporter is found dead, Lily investigates if his zero-star reviews of all the local businesses have driven one of their own to murder.”
Sally Phillips plays main character, Lily Petal, who is forced to turn from hairdresser to amateur detective when crimes keep happening on her doorstep in the sleepy village.
She is helped in her investigations by brilliant analytical hair salon assistant Clary Coombs, played by Charlotte Jordan, and eager PC Adam Watson, played by Ben Castle-Gibb.
On Friday’s episode, viewers were introduced to Gloria Crudd, who is another newcomer to the village hoping to make a fresh start with her ice cream parlour but soon finds her old life catching up with her.
On the show, Wendi looks worlds away from Cilla as her character Gloria has a pastel pink copper coloured curly beehive hairdo adorned with jewellery pieces.
However, Wendi isn’t the only Coronation Street star in the new series as she is joined by fellow Weatherfield favourite Charlotte Jordan who is playing Clary Coombs – Lily’s ‘bright and analytical assistant and the Watson to her Shear-lock Holmes’.
Charlotte, 32, is best known for playing Daisy Midgeley on the cobbles from 2020 to 2025, where her character was involved in several huge storylines including the hard-hitting acid attack plot.
Viewers have already shared their praise for the new series as one person said on Twitter, now X: “Watching the first episode of #TheHairdresserMysteries and I absolutely love it! So many talented actors I recognise, such a cosy atmosphere too. And it’s filmed in the beautiful West Midlands! More plans!”
To which another account put: “Loved today’s #TheHairdresserMysteries premiere, great stuff from @CharlieJordanxo Sally Phillips, @elisabethdw @sarker guy Henry and Ben castle- Gibb, can’t wait to see what’s coming up.”
The Hairdresser Mysteries airs on Fridays at 2pm and all episodes are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
As the first Muslim family to live in Albert Square since the Karims in the late 80s, and the first Asian family since the Ferreiras in 2003, the Masoods brought a fresh perspective to the long-running BBC soap, and they quickly rose in popularity.
In 2016, after nearly a decade, Himesh decided to leave his role on EastEnders to pursue new opportunities in his acting career. It seems to have been a very wise decision, as he is now a movie star with his latest role in the blockbuster movie The Odyssey.
Who is Himesh Patel in The Odyssey?
Sir Christopher Nolan’s new movie, an adaptation of Homer’s Ancient Greek epic, stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek King of Ithaca, on his perilous 10-year journey home after the Trojan War.
The highly anticipated film, released on Friday, July 17, is the first-ever feature film shot entirely with IMAX cameras.
It has brought in a huge $264.1million (£196m) worldwide in its first weekend, surpassing the $249million (£185million) opening of The Dark Knight Rises (2012), which went on to be Nolan’s highest-grossing film, exceeding $1billion.
In the film, Patel plays Eurylochus, Odysseus’ trusted second-in-command. He’s not only fiercely loyal, but he also calls out Odysseus and serves as his conscience as they try to make their dangerous trek home to Ithaca.
The Odyssey features a star-studded A-list cast alongside Himesh and Matt Damon, including Zendaya, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson.
“Everything I’ve done in the last seven to eight years has been beyond my wildest dreams, but this movie was such a singular experience,” Himash told the Radio Times.
“There is only one guy who makes movies like this. I don’t know where my career is going but even if I have the privilege of working with Chris [Nolan] again, it won’t be this story, it won’t be this sort of thing.”
Since his EastEnders exit, Himesh has taken on significant roles in several notable films, including Danny Boyle’s Beatles-inspired film Yesterday (2019) and Christopher Nolan’s time-manipulating film Tenet.
In addition, he played the part of Jennifer Lawrence’s character’s romantic partner in the Netflix disaster film Don’t Look Up.
What are viewers saying about The Odyssey?
The Odyssey has already received rave reviews, and taking to Rotten Tomatoes, one viewer dubbed the movie “phenomenal”, while another added: “This is a cinematic masterpiece. Guaranteed Oscars sweep this year!”
A third chimed in: “Film. Of. The. Year. Possibly the decade”, while another added: “A cinematic masterpiece”, while another added: “Got to be one of the best adaptations of all time.”
“The Odyssey is an absolute masterpiece and my favorite movie of the year so far. Christopher Nolan delivers a visually breathtaking epic that had me glued to the screen from beginning to end,” added another.
The Odyssey is available to watch in various cinemas across the UK
BBC Breakfast hosts Lewis Vaughan Jones and Luxmy Gopal shared some sad news on Sunday
08:59, 19 Jul 2026Updated 08:59, 19 Jul 2026
The hosts of BBC Breakfast announced a sad death(Image: BBC)
The hosts of BBC Breakfast announced a heartbreaking death during the latest show.
Lewis Vaughan Jones and Luxmy Gopal were on the red sofa on Sunday (July 19) to deliver the latest headlines from across the UK and around the world.
Later in the programme, the presenters announced the death of beloved Australian actor Terence Donovan. The 90-year-old actor was best known for playing Doug Willis in Neighbours, Senior Detective Mick Peters in Division 4, and Detective Sergeant Vic Cameron in Cop Shop.
Terence’s son, Jason Donovan, confirmed the news on Instagram, posting a joint statement with his brother, Paul.
The statement read: “It is with great sadness but also a sense of celebration of a long, full life that myself and my brother Paul announce our father Terence died peacefully last night here in Melbourne.
“Obviously, this is an extremely emotional time, and we ask you to respect our privacy. We want to pay tribute to all the wonderful staff at Cabrini Hospital, Melbourne, who looked after him in his final days.”
Jason and Paul added, “Our dad was a huge character. Larger than life. He was our best friend… Our world. We will desperately miss him, but we take comfort knowing we were all here by his side in his final days.
“Knowing that he lived life to the max. Knowing that in life it’s either a daring adventure… or nothing at all! How lucky are we to have a dad like you.”
Announcing the news on the latest episode of BBC Breakfast, Luxmy shared: “The Australian actor Terence Donovan has died at the age of 90.”
Lewis added: “He was best known for his role as Doug Willis in Neighbours, who returned to the show several times over the years. His son, the actor and singer Jason Donovan, announced the news on social media.
“[He] described his father as a huge character and his best friend, saying he lived life to the max.”
Jason Donovan has been supported on social media after announcing his father’s death, with Dannii Minogue writing: “I am so sorry you have lost your father.”
Someone else added: “Sending lots of love to the family at this very sad time. What a legacy to leave, an absolute trailblazer. Fly high, Sir Terence.”
A third said, “So sorry for your loss, Jason and Paul. What an absolutely fantastic actor and man your dad was! Sending love and condolences to you all.”
Another fan wrote: “What an amazing man, thinking of you and all your family at this difficult time.”
PETE Tong has hit back at a rival DJ as they are embroiled in a row over a music collaboration gone wrong.
American DJ John Summit took to X in a rant where he claimed that the Radio 1 star had ‘promised’ to release his music together, but then decided to work with Dutch DJ Franky Rizardo instead and “jacked” John’s remix.
Pete Tong has hit back after he was accused of stealing DJ John Summit’s remixCredit: X/Pete Tong DJ AcademyJohn and Pete were working together on a potential remix, which the latter says fell through, while John claims his music was ‘jacked’ without creditCredit: Getty
Fans of Pete and Franky were excited when the DJs revealed they were releasing a new remix of Everything But The Girl’s Missing earlier this year, but ran into controversy when John made the public claims that he was meant to be involved too.
John wrote online: “hey @petetong thanks for promising to release my missing remix with u (while doing nothing in terms of production)
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“Then jacking my remix to release with franky rizardo release class act you are. to think i actually looked up to u too.”
John then went on to claim that there was ‘proof’ and said: “Also i ended up doing the whole orchestral version myself which im premiering this weekend, thanks for the zero help”.
John publicly hit out at Pete on XCredit: X/JohnsummitFranky Rizardo withdrew from the release following the public feudCredit: Getty
Pete hit back in a video, as he claimed discussions of working with John were simply that and never came to fruition, and that the project with Franky was an ‘independent’ one.
In a video, Pete said: “I’m disappointed. I don’t like being accused of things that aren’t true. If you’ve got a problem, pick up the phone – that’s certainly what I would preach.”
Going on to say that he had tried to call and text John with no avail, Pete claimed: “I think we acted correctly, we laid out the scenario to his team, for one reason or another, it wasn’t to be.
“They never got back to us, we carried on making the other version with Franky. And that’s it.”
Pete later explained: “We had positive conversations on text about doing a new version of his remix and at the same time I was talking to Franky.
“It’s quite normal when releasing a song to have different versions of the same song.
“I started the conversation with both of them, I got into it with John because he was particularly interested in the orchestra because he wanted to perform the song with an orchestra himself.”
Pete then said his management took over communication and told John they were also working on a version with Franky.
He claimed how his team then failed to hear back from John and chased him “multiple times” but never heard back.
Pete did hear back from Franky, he says, and they continued to work on their planned track.
Following John’s very public claims, Franky announced he was withdrawing from the release – saying it “no longer feels right”.
As the game began, the camera panned to the live audience who were watching the match unfold in Atlanta. However, BBC viewers were quick to notice a famous face in the crowd who was there to support the England squad.
Taking to X, one person said: “WAS THAT LOUIS TOMLINSON IN THE AUDIENCE. IT WAAASSSSS AAAAA.” Another wrote: “Louis Tomlinson is there. Oh my god.” Someone else commented: “LOUIS TOMLINSON SPOTTED AT THE #WorldCup”
A third shared: “Louis Tomlinson blessing our screens at the England game tonight was everything I needed.” While a fourth person wrote: “I’m already satisfied with the match cause I saw Louis Tomlinson in the crowd #WorldCup #England.”
The former One Direction star wasn’t the only famous face who was spotted in the crowd, either, as Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger was also there to support the team.
Elsewhere during the game, Argentina fans have caused outrage with viewers as they were heard booing during England’s national anthem before kick-off began, although the Three Lions supporters retaliated with boos of their own.
Recently, Thomas Tuchel came under fire for his comments made after the 2-1 match against Norway, as he made critiques on the technical side of England’s performance.
When an interviewer asked Jude Bellingham what he thought of his manager’s remarks, he replied: “Yeah, well… whatever. Whatever. It’s difficult out there. It’s a tough shift.”
Discussing the comments, Thomas Tuchel told The Guardian there is no issues between them as he said: “Our comments come from the same place – from being competitive and having the edge when competition is on.
“He [Bellingham] was just confronted with a critique of my side. I [also] called him a world-class player. I said he had world-class actions again to decide the match. I said the mentality is outstanding of this team. All of that was not part of the question.
“I would maybe also bite back when I come from 120 minutes, score two goals and give literally everything that is in my body. It’s just a very normal reaction for a player of his mindset. So no problem.”
The World Cup final airs on Sunday, July 19, on BBC One from 8pm
I’m A Celeb legend Carol Vorderman has revealed that she was rushed to hospital after a horror fall left her unconsciousCredit: InstagramThe Countdown star took to Instagram to reveal the ordeal with her followersCredit: Splash
Carol, 65, was then rushed to hospital in an ambulance before being discharged and then rushed straight back to A&E.
She also revealed the condition she was left battling for weeks after the fall.
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Taking to Instagram to share a video about her ordeal, Carol said: “I’ve got a bit of a story to tell you about my concussion, which might also explain why I was a bit offline in June.”
She then explained: “So right at the very end of May, I was walking just outside my house on a public footpath, and I tripped over a tree root, which I didn’t see.
“And I went smash here on the tarmac path, and I was unconscious.
“I can’t remember what happened then, but I do know that an ambulance came, and I was taken to the BRI, Bristol Royal Infirmary.
“By the way, I also know that they were playing the final countdown in the ambulance on the way. It’s another story, but it did make me laugh.”
Carol then went into detail further, noting how she was: “Discharged next day, massive vomiting, all the bad signs.
“Straight back into hospital, they were wonderful. The A&E did all the CT scans and everything.
“Out again. I had the biggest black eye or bruises all down my face for three or four weeks.
“But what it did leave me with after about two or three weeks was dizziness. So I felt as though I was kind of walking on a moving ship, like sort of knocking into the wall a little bit.”
She explained how when she was in bed, it felt like the room was spinning.
But Carol swiftly revealed how this was soon remedied thanks to the “Epley technique” and a lady called Sophie who introduced her to it.
Carol urged: “I am not a doctor. I am not advising people about this, but I’m just telling you what’s happened to me.”
She then explained how it is BBPV adding how “it’s all about the inner ear and this little sort of sack of crystals that gets dislodged, and she puts it back together again”.
After three sessions with physio Sophie doing the Epley technique, Carol says she has been discharged from the service and “couldn’t be happier”.
Fans rushed to the comments to support Carol, with many sending their love.
There was an extra layer of emotion surrounding Noskova’s success though, given her mother died on the eve of the 2024 Championships when she was just 19.
Noskova referenced the devastating loss during her acceptance speech, saying: “There’s also one more person I would like to thank, which is my mum. I would definitely would not be standing here without her so thank you. Guys, I don’t cry normally so this is not okay for me. I have been enjoying these two weeks so much, all the sad tears, the happy tears, the sweat and blood going into this.
“It was all worth it, so I will definitely never forget these two weeks and one more thing, I want to thank all the fans. You guys made this final like nothing I have ever experienced before so I can not wait to come back next year,” reports the Express.
As she honoured her late mother, cameras captured Navratilova – a nine-time Wimbledon champion – weeping in the stands.
Responding to the emotional speech, commentator Sam Smith remarked: “For Noskova to come here, a little over two years since she lost her mother to cancer right before Wimbledon 2024 and lift the title at 21 in such a rollercoaster of a final shows you she really is a true champion.”
During her address, Noskova added: “I don’t know how to hold it [the trophy], that’s the first thing. It feels incredible, today and all these matches have been so tough, physically and mentally. Today, especially, it’s never easy to get the last point. Karol, you really made me work for it.
“I will not forgive you this one, like you said we are friends. I am so glad that I could play my first Grand Slam final with you. I think we made history today. I believe all our Czech fans at home are proud of us today so no matter the result today I think it was a good day for both of us.”
She went on to say: “I want to congratulate your team, you especially have been such a fighter and you guys, a good two weeks for you and a great season as well so congratulations. I want to thank my team, I want to thank my Dad for coming here, for my family members flying here, I know you don’t like flying so I appreciate it.
“I want to thank all my friends, supporters, sponsors, agents and my whole team. I want to thank Agatha, the best atmosphere manager I could wish for and my coach for being with me which is not easy all the time. We have been together for six years now, I think, and I am so grateful for you. I would not be here without you.”
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Viewers at home also crumbled to tears, as one X user posted: “I started out saying the final is boring, and ended up sobbing crying at Linda thanking her mom who passed away and seeing Muchova cry… that was actually a rollercoaster of emotions, tennis is beautiful.”
Someone else chimed in: “Linda Novoska got me ugly crying out here this morning. What a moving winner speech. That shoutout to her mom. Just wow!!!”
While others gathered to comment words of support under a BBC clip of the powerful moment. Someone said: “So sad, our thoughts are with her.”
The 2026 Wimbledon matches are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
STORAGE Wars legend Darrell Sheets left behind a chilling suicide note blaming online bullying before taking his own life.
Newly released police documents have shed shocking new light on the 66-year-old’s death as police records reveal his final days.
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Newly released police documents have shed shocking new light on the 66-year-old’s deathCredit: GettyThe reality star left behind a chilling suicide noteCredit: Getty
Officials responded to reports of a deceased person at Darrell’s home at 2am on April 22, according to a statement from Lake Havasu City Police Department obtained by The U.S. Sun.
He was pronounced dead at the scene after his girlfriend called 911 reporting she had heard a gunshot
Investigators have found a handwritten note hidden inside a black basket in a bathroom closet near where he was found dead.
According to the report, obtained by TMZ, detectives said the note appeared to reference the online abuse Darrell had been facing
Police summarised the message as reading: “I could not take anymore the Facebook bulling, f*** you [redacted]”.
Investigators also noted the handwriting appeared shaky.
The heartbreaking discovery came as cops pieced together Darrell’s final hours, revealing a disturbing picture of stress, sleepless nights and family turmoil before the fatal gunshot.
The auction legend was a staple on the hit A&E show until he stepped away in 2023Credit: AlamyDarrell, pictured with his ex-wife Kimber, appeared alongside his son Brandon on the show for 9 seasons
Darrell’s girlfriend told investigators he had struggled to sleep on the night he died and got out of bed in the early hours before walking into the doorway of his office
She said he told her to “go back to bed” – before moments later a single gunshot rang out.
Police records also reveal growing family tension in the days before his death.
Darrell’s girlfriend said his son had recently visited and the pair became embroiled in a heated argument over “family drama” before he left.
How to get help
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
She claimed the situation worsened after Darrell received text messages from his daughter-in-law accusing her of being suspicious and stealing money from him.
The messages allegedly left the reality star visibly upset.
In a follow-up interview, his girlfriend told detectives the arguments between Darrell and his son became so intense she left the house after the son was yelling at him.
She claimed Darrell later told her he did not want to be alone with his son and had been “sad as hell” following the confrontation, believing he had let him down.
Investigators also revealed Darrell had been battling severe insomnia for months and was under huge pressure in the run-up to his death.
His girlfriend said he often struggled to sleep and was dealing with overwhelming stress – but insisted he had never spoken about harming himself and that their relationship remained strong.
The medical examiner later ruled his death a suicide.
Following the tragedy, his son Brandon Sheets broke his silence with an emotional tribute, calling Darrell “the best dad a son could ask for”.
He also revealed plans to reopen his father’s Arizona store, Show Me Your Junk, to continue the family legacy.
The mention of Facebook bullying in Darrell’s final note has also raised fresh questions, after fellow Storage Wars star Rene Nezhoda previously claimed Darrell had been facing relentless online harassment before his death.
Police investigated the bullying claims as they worked to understand what led to the TV star’s devastating final moments.
Darrell appeared on Storage Wars as a main castmember from 2010 to 2021 and was known as “The Gambler” for his high-risk purchases.
He continued to make appearances on seasons 14 and 15 as a guest buyer before leaving the show for good.
Darrell was joined by his son, Brandon, for nine seasons on Storage Wars.
Darrell also made appearances on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno and on Rachael Ray’s cooking show.
After retiring from Storage Wars, he moved to Lake Havasu, Arizona, where he operated an antique shop called Show Me Your Junk.
He previously had health issues, including a heart attack in 2019 that he had surgery to recover from.
UK: For help and support, call the Samaritans for free from a UK phone, completely anonymously, on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org.
US: If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.
Strictly Come Dancing is back for a brand new series and there’s some celebrities already signed up for the hit BBC show
Strictly Come Dancing is back for a brand new series(Image: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing is back for a brand new series and some famous faces have already signed up.
The BBC show is returning this year with a brand new look after hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down. Johannes Radebe, Emma Willis and Josh Widdecombe have taken over hosting duties in a new look for the show.
Also, five professional dancers will step in to replace the five that have departed. Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas have all departed the show in recent months.
Here’s a look at the line-up so far – and who might be rumoured for the show.
Speaking about joining the show, she said: “I am so excited to being making my way to the dance floor this year to be a part of Strictly Come Dancing! I am a huge fan and can’t quite believe I will be taking part and not watching at home this year! I look forward to meeting everyone and learning a new skill!
Dani Dyer
Love Island star Dani Dyer was forced to exit the competition last year due to injury but is back this year again with a bang. She was supposed to appear in the last series but an ankle injury before it kicked off meant she had to pull out.
“I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September! I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one! I’m just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it!” she said.
“I’ve been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career – from tv, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world, there is however one stage I’ve never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor! I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can’t wait to get started!” she said.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience. I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new,” he said.
“I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story – and I can’t wait to get started.”
Known for her role as Gwen West in Gavin & Stacey, Melanie has also starred in Hollyoaks and had guest roles in a string of shows including Doc Martin, Casualty and Beyond Paradise.
TV and radio presenter Roman Kemp is also in the mix. During an appearance on The One Show, Emma Barton – who plays Honey on the BBC soap – was chatting with Alex Jones and Roman Kemp about the upcoming series after her own successful stint on it.
As Alex announced Lacey joining the show, she asked her co-star Emma: “Have you spoken to her? How is she feeling?” Emma then replied: “She’s such a gorgeous wonderful woman and the audience are going to love her.
“And I’m so proud of her because it’s nerve-racking, isn’t it. And it’s scary.” Emma then went on to say: “Roman you know as well” but he quickly stuttered as he said: “I have never done it. I’ve never done it.”
Olympian Sarah Storey is also rumoured for the show and “really excited to be learning a new skill”.
“She is obviously very competitive and hopes to give the contest her all, while letting viewers get to know her personality. She’s also keen to embrace the glamour of the show and is looking forward to getting dressed up,” a source said.
The two former Strictly Come Dancing stars have teamed up together for a new project
11:25, 01 Jul 2026Updated 11:26, 01 Jul 2026
A Strictly Come Dancing star announced their new career move on Wednesday’s Lorraine(Image: BBC)
A Strictly Come Dancing star announced their new career move on Wednesday’s Lorraine.
During the latest instalment, host Lorraine Kelly spoke to Lorraine’s showbiz correspondent, Ross King, who typically airs his segment live from Los Angeles.
However, on Wednesday’s show, Ross, 64, was live in the Lorraine London studio for Wimbledon, where he shared some exciting career news.
Lorraine said: “You have teamed up with Will Young for something very, very special. I would never have put the two of you together necessarily but it is for something super!”
To which Ross replied: “I know, it is… pantomime! So last year I came back, I was back with Rylan over at Southend and then this year we’re going to be at Plymouth so I’m heading up to Plymouth next week for the press call with Will Young for Cinderella again. So I can’t wait!” confirming he will be playing Buttons again.
Lorraine gushed: “We love that, because we all went as a work outing to see you, and it was just the best night. It was the best night. It was great fun.”
The presenter added: “But it just shows you the planning that goes into it, that you all know that you’re all going to be doing that in Plymouth at Christmas time already.
“It’s got to be though, it’s got to be all sorted out, because it’s such a big, big deal” with Ross exclaiming: “No, it’s great, I can’t wait!”
Theatre Royal Plymouth and Crossroads Pantomimes announced earlier this year that Will Young will headline this year’s pantomime as The Fairy Godfather in Cinderella, running from Friday 4 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027.
As well as his Lorraine presenting duties, Ross recently appeared on Strictly Come Dancing, where he was paired with professional dancer Jowita Przystal in 2025. The duo were the second contestants to be eliminated on the BBC One show.
Singer Will, 47, who soared to fame after winning the first-ever Pop Idol in 2002, has also appeared on Strictly.
Will appeared on the dance show back in 2016, where he withdrew during the competition for personal reasons at the time.
Lorraine continues on weekdays at 9:30am on ITV and ITVX.
THE Jam star Bruce Foxton has revealed he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
The iconic bassist, 70, took to Facebook this evening to share the news with fans just days after cancelling two shows at short notice due to illness.
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Bruce Foxton has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s DiseaseCredit: RexThe Jam — Rick Buckler, Bruce Foxton and Paul Weller — pictured in 1977Credit: Getty
In his statement, he revealed the diagnosis came to light after side effects from his cancer treatment were investigated.
He said: “It’s no secret that I’ve undergone treatment for cancer and am still having scans on a regular basis to keep an eye on that.
“However, what you don’t know is that the cancer treatment in itself caused some significant issues for me and investigations into all of that uncovered the fact that I’m now facing a future living with Parkinson’s Disease…and I’m determined to do that as well as I possibly can.
“As anyone coping with this diagnosis will know it’s a huge shock, and it’s taking a long time to let that sink in and for me to accept that my body and mind are dealing with something completely out of my control.
“I have to manage the challenges I now face physically and mentally on a daily basis, and some days are better than others.”
Fans sent the musician their well-wishes in the comments.
One wrote: “Sorry to hear about all your health problems you need to do what is best for you and your family moving forwards.”
Another said: “All the best Bruce, your health is far more important than anything else and I am so sorry that you are having more health struggles. Look after yourself and I hope you enjoy many more years of happiness.”
Bruce cancelled his show in Kidderminster on Friday and postponed the following night’s show in Lincoln after high temperatures aggravated a chest infection.
The former Stiff Little Fingers musician formed From The Jam in 2007 with The Jam drummer Rick Buckler and new frontman Russell Hastings.
Original The Jam frontman Paul Weller was initially critical of the band playing the old hits but his stance softened over the years as his friendship with Foxton strengthened.
The trio were prolific on the touring circuit, thrilling mod fans young and old with the legendary band’s iconic hits such as The Eton Rifles and Going Underground.
Bruce underwent immunotherapy after a cancerous lymph node was found in 2023 and, the following year, he had knee replacement surgery.
The health issues took their toll and fans noticed he appeared to be struggling during shows in 2025, which eventually led to him retiring from From The Jam.
However, he scaled down his schedule and now performs with his All-Star band.
Bruce wears custom hearing aids due to hearing loss from 40 years on stage. He also has lived with tinnitus for years.
Bruce Foxton’s statement in full
“Firstly, I just wanted to thank everyone for the messages wishing me well. Your love, support, and understanding means a lot. It was a difficult decision to cancel the shows last weekend (especially as my bag was packed!), but the brutal heat coupled with an underlying chest infection really knocked me for six, and the medical advice was to rest up while taking medication.
I’m not sure where the rumour about being in hospital started, but luckily that wasn’t necessary, and I was able to rest up at home and I’m pleased to say that I’m feeling a lot better than I was.
This latest knock back has brought about more speculation about my health, and that’s totally understandable. It’s no secret that I’ve undergone treatment for cancer and am still having scans on a regular basis to keep an eye on that. However, what you don’t know is that the cancer treatment in itself caused some significant issues for me and investigations into all of that uncovered the fact that I’m now facing a future living with Parkinson’s Disease…and I’m determined to do that as well as I possibly can.
As anyone coping with this diagnosis will know it’s a huge shock, and it’s taking a long time to let that sink in and for me to accept that my body and mind are dealing with something completely out of my control. I have to manage the challenges I now face physically and mentally on a daily basis, and some days are better than others.
Back in May 2025, it was hard to accept that touring with FTJ was no longer an option for me, but being officially diagnosed and having the right meds to help deal with symptoms has given me another chance to carry on doing what I love and what I live for in a relaxed and supportive environment. The response and love we’ve felt at our gigs has been second to none and I can’t thank you enough.
With your help I’m going to keep going and playing live for as long as I’m able to do it. It’s good for me, my future health and hopefully good for all of you who still enjoy coming along to join with me, Mark, Craig, and Andy to enjoy those great songs. I will be working hard every day to give the best performance possible.”
Kerr signs with the NWSL champions until 2030, returning to the US league after six years spent with Chelsea in England.
Published On 29 Jun 202629 Jun 2026
Australian striker Sam Kerr has signed with Gotham FC, the reigning champions of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the United States, the club announced after the iconic player ended her dazzling career with Chelsea, which saw her win five Women’s Super League titles.
Kerr, who was a free agent, signed the contract on Monday that will see her play in New York through the 2030 season. She previously played in the city between 2015 and 2017.
The all-time leading regular-season goal-scorer for the North American league recorded 116 goals across all competitions with Chelsea and was the 2023 Ballon d’Or runner-up.
“This club was an important part of my journey, and to come back at this moment, with everything Gotham has built, is really special. The ambition here is clear, and I’m looking forward to helping this team compete for trophies and create more history,” Kerr said in a statement.
The signing is a fine coup for the NWSL, which saw several players exit for opportunities in Europe last year, and brings one of the game’s brightest talents to the biggest sports market in the US.
“Sam is one of the defining players of her generation and a game-changing talent who has consistently delivered at the highest levels of world football,” Yael Averbuch West, the president of football operations for Gotham, said.
“Bringing Sam back to Gotham is a landmark moment for our club, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
Kerr played 119 career regular-season games (113 starts) across her seven seasons with three teams in the NWSL, including three years with Sky Blue FC (now Gotham FC) from 2015 to 2017.
After playing the 2018 season with the Chicago Red Stars, Kerr played a season for the Perth Glory in her native Australia (2018-19) before returning to Chicago in 2019. She joined Chelsea in the Women’s Super League in late 2019.
Despite her six-and-a-half-year absence, her 77 regular-season goals are still an NWSL record. In 2017, she won the Golden Boot and MVP awards with Sky Blue FC after a season in which she scored 17 goals in 22 games.
Kerr will debut for Gotham after the NWSL’s transfer window opens on July 14. Gotham host the Washington Spirit on July 15 in the Queens Classic in New York.
A BRIT music legend, 70, has been ‘admitted to hospital’ with a mystery illness as he reschedules gigs last-minute.
Bruce Foxton – the bassist and backing vocalist of The Jam – was set to play a gig in Kidderminster on Friday evening.
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A Brit music legend, 70, has been ‘admitted to hospital’ with a mystery illness as he reschedules gigs last-minuteCredit: SplashBruce Foxton was a member of The JamCredit: Rex
But in a post on social media, it was revealed Bruce had fallen ill and would have to reschedule the performance.
The post by AGMP Concerts read: “Due to illness, the Bruce Foxton concerts this weekend are being rearranged.
“Tonight’s concert in Kidderminster has now been cancelled. Tomorrow’s Lincoln show (Saturday 27th June) has moved to Friday 15th January 2027.
“Thanks for your understanding. We look forward to seeing you in the new year.”
Bruce had to cancel a performance in Kidderminster on Friday evening and reschedule one set for Saturday after falling illCredit: RexThe Jam had a whole host of hits in the late 70s and early 80sCredit: Getty
Meanwhile another post on X from a fan claimed: “Bruce’s show in Kidderminster tonight has been cancelled and not rescheduled due to the fact he has been admitted into hospital.
“Let’s hope it’s not too serious for this absolute legend.”
Bruce’s fans were quick to comment, with one writing: “Get well soon Bruce. Take a break sir, we’d prefer a happy healthy retired Bruce than a pushing himself to the limit to the detriment of his health Bruce.”
Another added: “Sending u my love Legend…TIME2RELAX NOW U WORKED YOUR A*** OFF….We have memories Bruce..enjoy your life now..we all love u and now time to enjoy your memories xx.”
A third commented: “Get well quickly Bruce. Such a great bass player, seen him in The Jam, Stiff Little Fingers and of course From The Jam.”
Bruce first came to prominence in the 1970s in The Jam before pursuing a solo career when the band broke up.
In 1990 he joined Stiff Little Fingers and was with the band until 2007, before he joined Rick Buckler and members of his tribute band, the Gift, to tour under the name From the Jam.
The Sun Online has reached out to a representative for Bruce for comment.
![A file photo of Nirmal Purja, one of the team member of the all-Nepalese mountaineering team that became the first to scale Mount K2 in winter, gestures as the team arrives at Tribhuwan International airport in Kathmandu, Nepal on Jan. 26, 2021. [Niranjan Shrestha/AP Photo]](https://i0.wp.com/occasionaldigest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/AP26212068769209-1785472083.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
