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The Love Island villa welcomed Movie Night as secrets were exposed, but viewers ‘spotted’ a problem

It didn’t take long for fans to flock to social media with their complaints.

Fresh drama erupted in the Love Island villa on Sunday evening (July 5) as the notorious Movie Night descended upon the ITV2 reality programme.

The twist enables the Islanders to assemble in the garden and view a giant screen displaying video footage from across the series. It’s during this event that private discussions are laid bare and startling romantic encounters are completely unmasked.

It provides the contestants with an opportunity to uncover whether their partners and romantic interests have been wholly honest, and discover what fellow Islanders have been remarking about them while they were away.

This year’s Love Island Movie Night sparked especially heated rows, particularly for the boys who stayed faithful following Casa Amor yet still snogged and chatted up the bombshells.

The selection for the Movie Night footage featured scandalous headings such as ‘The Affair’, ‘Mamma Mica’, ‘The Princess Jasmine Diaries’ and ‘Samraj Like It Hot’, reports OK!.

It was ‘The Affair’ that thrust Jasmine and Lorenzo’s developing bond into the limelight, leading Kavan to announce, “It’s all there, the affair is clear”. Yasmin also wasted no time in telling Lorenzo, “You don’t have a leg to stand on”.

Mica was next to appear on the big screen, and she promptly faced criticism as the islanders witnessed her burgeoning romance with Samraj unfold. The jaw-dropping scenes left Priya doubting everything as she confessed to other islanders, “I look like a mug all the time.”

‘Samraj Like It Hot’ once more placed Mica and Samraj at the centre of attention, courtesy of their developing romance. As Mica tried to justify herself, Priya remained unconvinced and said, “That’s so dishonest of you.”

Yet Mica and Samraj weren’t the sole islanders to come under fire as Kavan drew parallels between his and Jasmine’s situations following their choices during Casa Amor.

Immediately standing her ground, Jasmine told Kavan, “I did not do the same thing”, which didn’t land well, and the friction escalated.

Despite all the expected fireworks, some Love Island fans grumbled as the ITV programme broke for adverts just minutes into Movie Night.

Heading to X, one Love Island fan exclaimed: “Hydration break and ad break at the exact same time, alright man #loveisland.”

A second stated: “A break!? Seriously!? #loveisland #loveislanduk”, while a third chimed in: “BREAK ALREADY?? #loveisland.”

“Break after break after break, this is why there’s so much unused footage, mate #LoveIsland #LoveIslandUK,” commented one viewer.

“AFTER A 10MIN AD BREAK?! ANOTHER ADVERT?!!! ITV R U TAKING THE P*** ?? @ITV #LoveIsland #LoveIslandUK,” asked another, while another echoed the sentiment: “Did we not just come back from a break?! #loveisland #loveislanduk.”

Love Island airs on ITV2 and ITVX

Sir Rod Stewart’s Glastonbury 2025 performance was rebroadcast on the BBC on Saturday night

Singer Sir Rod Stewart left BBC viewers distracted just minutes into his performance.

Sir Rod’s Glastonbury performance, originally broadcast in 2025, was reshown on Saturday evening. In a repeat episode of Rod Stewart at Glastonbury, audiences watched the rock legend once more commanding the Pyramid Stage on the festival’s closing day at Worthy Farm in 2025.

Joined by his band and multiple guest vocalists, he captivated festival attendees. Sir Rod, who has been forced to postpone numerous concerts recently due to health issues, left viewers thoroughly impressed by his performance.

One delighted viewer commented on X at the time: “80 years old. Just feel good throughout. What a star,” while another declared, “Rod Stewart still looks great at the age of 80. He’s still got it.”

Another admirer gushed: “All those eyes on Rod. He looks fabulous for his age.”

One supporter commented, “He deserves that crowd after all these years,” as another enthused, “Sir Rod Stewart… phenomenal! 80 years old and had us all in rapture. Best there is,” the Express reports.

Someone else continued, ” Wait – Rod Stewart 80, Ronnie Wood – 76, Lulu 76, thanks and massive respect for you all. Shows age is a number, but talent…. ageless.”

Back in 2025, Rod shared his enthusiasm ahead of Glastonbury and told Radio Times, “I’m really looking forward to it. And it is a different gig, it’s like when you’re playing a cup final, you’re trying to treat it like another game. But, of course, it’s not. It’s special. It’ll be glamorous, it’ll be sexy.

“And we’ve got a little orchestra coming on to play with us. And we may have some bagpipes.”

More recently, Rod has been forced to withdraw from several performances due to health issues. This week, Rod was also spotted with an oxygen tank, prompting worry amongst fans.

His wife, Penny Lancaster, said during an appearance on Loose Women that it “looked a lot scarier than it really was”. She told her co-stars, “He had to cancel a couple of shows prior to that because of a respiratory infection.

“He was recovering and well enough to perform. But he wasn’t aware that Salt Lake City, where he was performing, was way above sea level. So the altitude levels, just for your regular person, is a challenge. If you’re not acclimatised, like sportsmen would arrive before an event, a week before to acclimatise.”

She added, “Rod just flew in on the day of the show, wasn’t aware of this particular altitude. So he was already down on his juice because of recovering from his respiratory infection. And then he was also down another 17% of oxygen because of the altitude. So when he’s on stage, and of course, his two-hour show involves him running around, he doesn’t sit still for a minute, it suddenly hit him.

“But there are oxygen tanks at these particular shows for that reason, because even the young ones, if they’ve had a late night out before a show, they can suffer, and they do.”

Rod Stewart at Glastonbury 2025 is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Fifa World Cup 2026 fans were quick to take to social media to share their reactions to tonight’s coverage.

Football fans voiced the same complaint minutes into tonight’s World Cup match on ITV.

Ahead of this evening’s match against Panama, England was sent through to the last 32 following matches against Croatia and then Ghana earlier this week.

So England fans were on a high prior to tonight’s game, which kicks off at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey at 10pm UK time and 5pm US time.

However, just minutes into the coverage ahead of this evening’s match, viewers couldn’t stop themselves from flocking to X as two unexpected faces popped up on their screens.

Presenter Laura Woods welcomed none other than ITV legends Ant McPartlin and Dec Donnelly as they joined her at the channel’s stunning New York studio.

She asked about their opinion on tonight’s match, as well as about their own memories of previous World Cups but not everyone was happy to see the I’m A Celebrity hosts.

In fact, many commented that they were ‘switching off’ ITV’s coverage following their appearance.

“Ant and Dec FFS, I’ll switch back on at 9.55,” someone said on X (Twitter).

A second echoed: “Ant and Dec appeared. I switched to Five Live”, with someone else adding: “Ant & Dec being ‘interviewed’ during the World Cup may be the strangest thing I’ve seen during this whole event.”

Taking to X, a fan exclaimed: “Surely they could have got better than ant and dec for the World Cup, so annoying!”

Meanwhile, someone else asked: “No football people available tonight?”, as a fellow viewer sarcastically commented: “I was just saying to myself ‘We really don’t see Ant and Dec on the tellybox enough'”.

However, one fan defended the award-winning ITV duo, arguing: “Ant and Dec are much better than Neville and carragher.”

The last time England took centre stage was against Ghana which ended 0-0 at the Gillette Stadium in Boston.

Meanwhile, even though Scotland beat Haiti 1-0 in their first match of the World Cup 2026, they have since lost to both Morocco and Brazil.

The Fifa World Cup is available to watch on ITV and ITVX.

A short trip from Benidorm will take you to a picturesque Costa Blanca town that is often compared to the Greek island of Mykonos – and it’s a must-see hidden gem for anyone visiting the area

Benidorm, a firm favourite among British holidaymakers, is renowned for its sun-drenched beaches, budget-friendly breaks, and the vibrant Calle Gerona, lovingly known as ‘the strip’. However, beneath the surface of stag and hen parties, Benidorm conceals beautiful spots that countless visitors have yet to discover.

For those seeking an escape from the party scene, a brief trip unveils a peaceful town. Located just moments from Benidorm, it provides a calm alternative to the raucous nightlife, with comparisons drawn to the allure of Mykonos. A quick 18-minute drive or a short 12-minute bus journey from Benidorm Intermodal brings you to the picturesque Altea, Alicante.

Hailed as one of Spain’s “most iconic” towns, Altea whisks visitors back in time with its captivating old quarter, complete with winding cobbled streets and sparkling white houses. Wandering through Altea’s alleyways, the tempting aromas of freshly made coffee and mouth-watering food drift from intimate cafés and delightful restaurants.

The town’s jewel in the crown is the parish church, Nuestra Señora del Consuelo or Iglesia de Arriba, which mesmerises tourists with its splendour. From this elevated spot, the sweeping views stretch across the brilliant blue sea to the vast beach beneath.

Alice, an influencer who highlights Benidorm’s best features and reveals her favourite recommendations online, recently visited Altea and proclaimed it a must-see destination for any travel bucket list.

Boasting more than 37,000 TikTok followers, Alice gushed: “Hidden gem only 15 mins from Benidorm! Maybe Altea isn’t a hidden gem for those in the know, but the way you could lowkey be just 15 mins away from this gorgeous slice of history and culture while on your holibobs in Benidorm!”

She went on to say: “It’s an absolute MUST see if you’re looking to escape for an afternoon to see some of the best views on the entire Costa Blanca. It’s giving cheeky Altea day trip, don’t you think?”.

The response was overwhelmingly positive — the short clip has racked up more than 17,900 likes alongside a flood of glowing comments.

One visitor shared: “I went there in December. Very nice.”

Another remarked: “There are stunning restaurants and bars. It’s not Benidorm. They may be close but they are worlds apart. Altea is beautiful.”

A third chimed in: “It’s simply a stunning old and new town.”

One commenter went as far as calling it their “favourite place of all time”, while another declared it had firmly earned a spot on their bucket list, writing: “Definitely heading here.. never knew it was so close.”

Flights from the UK to Alicante can be snapped up from as little as £40.

From there, you can hop on a bus, grab a cab or take the tram to Benidorm, which should take roughly 40 minutes by road.

Celebrity Gogglebox returned to screens on Friday night, with a host of new stars

Viewers of Celebrity Gogglebox settled in to watch a host of famous faces participate in a landmark episode.

The Channel 4 spin-off programme returned to screens on Friday (June 26) for a new episode, which was filmed over the previous seven days, covering the week’s TV and news highlights.

In each celebrity household, Gogglebox captures their instant reactions, love/hate relationships and fierce debates on the best and worst television shows of the past week – all from the comfort of their sofas.

From the Saturday night juggernauts and the week’s big soaps, to documentaries and gritty drama, the famous households offer witty, insightful, feisty and sometimes emotional critiques of the week’s popular and topical TV shows.

The latest instalment of the hit series welcomed back firm favourites, such as Martin and Roman Kemp, James and Clair Buckley, Nick and Liv Grimshaw, Bez and Shaun Ryder, and Joe Marler and Maisie Adam.

There were several new additions too, including Strictly Come Dancing stars Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu, actor Michael Sheen and his partner Anna Lundberg, friends Georgia Tennant and Fearne Cotton, and Chris Packham and step-daughter Megan McCubbin.

Channel 4 viewers were quick to say the same thing during the landmark 50th episode of Celebrity Gogglebox.

Fans shared how much they enjoyed the show, with one person writing on X (formerly Twitter): “Who doesn’t just love a bit of @C4Gogglebox. Always such an entertaining way to spend the time. The perfect switch your brain of TV any time of day needs.”

Another added: “Watching the always delightful Celebrity @C4Gogglebox. It’s still so fascinating how watching a show about people simply watching TV can be so strangely addictive. Watching as a host of celebs give their views on what’s on the small screen.”

A third said: “I love Celeb Gogglebox.”

Someone else shared: “All hail Celebrity @C4Gogglebox. How is it therapeutic watching people watch TV? Always the much needed relief a s****y day always requires. Love the celebrity version.”

During the instalment, the celebrities tuned into new episodes of I Kissed A Girl, The 1% Club, and First Dates, as well as watching Jennifer Lopez’s Netflix film, Office Romance.

The future of the UK’s leadership also came under scrutiny in this week’s episode. The famous faces reacted to Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation as Prime Minister, and gave their opinions on the man tipped to replace him, Andy Burnham.

Reacting to Starmer’s emotional speech outside 10 Downing Street, Michael Sheen commented: “That’s got to be tough”.

Joe Marler added: “He’s finally shown us the human side to him, that would have connected more with the world.”

Celebrity Gogglebox is available to stream on Channel 4

IF you’re looking for a staycation with all the beauty of the Cotswolds but fancy somewhere different – maybe head to East Sussex this summer.

Rye has all the charm of the region and even better – it’s just 10 minutes away from the seaside.

Country lifestyle experts at Welligogs say that Rye is one of the UK’s most beautiful small towns and even dubbed it the “new Cotswolds”.

While it might be miles away from Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, Rye actually shares lots of the same qualities as towns found in the Cotswolds.

Some of the most famous spots near the Cotswolds include Castle Combe, Bibury and Bourton-on-the-Water which have honey-coloured stone buildings and pretty streets.

In East Sussex, Rye has a similar look with cobbled streets lined with cottages and plenty of independent shops.

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Tess Annan, manager at Welligogs said: “Part of Rye’s appeal is its storybook atmosphere.

“For those who love culture, you can spend the morning exploring antique shops and independent boutiques, before wandering up to Mermaid Street for some of the most photographed views in the UK.

“The 14th century Ypres Tower (Rye Castle) is also always worth a trip. Then head towards the nearby beaches for sea air and treat yourself to freshly-caught fish and chips.”

While the Cotswolds has plenty of rivers running through the villages, Rye offers a beach escape for those who want the delights of the seaside instead.

Camber Sands is just 10-minutes away in the car to get from the village to the dunes.

Head of Sun Travel (Digital) Caroline McGuire named Rye one of her favourite UK seaside towns.

Caroline said: “The medieval town of Rye in East Sussex isn’t strictly seaside, but you can see the sea from its cobble streets and it has a harbour where boats sail out to the English Channel.

“Plus, if you go back as far as the 15th century, the sea came much closer to the foot of the hill the town is built on.

“It’s the perfect place to spend a day out – taking an hour and six minutes on the train from Kings Cross St Pancras.

“If you fancy a morning on the beach, a bus runs from the town to the stunning Camber Sands beach – a three-mile stretch of golden sand backed by dunes.

“Or you can for a six-mile circular walk from Rye to Winchelsea beach.
Back in the town after lunch, there are plenty of fantastic pubs to choose from, my favourites being the 12th century Mermaid Inn and the George In Rye, as well as the Globe Inn Marsh on the outskirts of the town.

“Equally, you could book a taxi and check out Tillingham vineyard in nearby Peasmarsh, with its Michelin Green Star wine tours and excellent pizzas.

“Make sure to save some time to rummage through the many, many antiques shops, as well as Knoops hot chocolate shop and the wonderfully old fashioned Britcher and Rivers sweet shop.”

Veteran broadcast journalist Katie Couric has leveled sharp criticism at CBS’ “60 Minutes,” detailing a culture of systemic sexism and marginalization she says she experienced during her tenure at the prestigious newsmagazine.

On this week’s episode of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, Couric, 69, described incidents during her time at “60 Minutes” when her story ideas were reassigned to her male counterparts. She described the circumstances as “really tough situations.”

The Emmy-winning journalist said she suspected early on that Jeff Fager, the “60 Minutes” executive producer at the time, didn’t take a liking to her.

“I think maybe because he wasn’t really consulted about bringing me over,” said Couric. “I was sort of seen as somebody from a different network coming in and sort of muddying the waters. I hadn’t come up in the CBS system. So I don’t know, he just didn’t like me.”

Couric started her run at the newsmagazine as a correspondent and as an anchor at CBS News in 2006, after spending 15 years co-hosting NBC’s “Today” show. Her role at CBS made her the first female solo anchor of a national weeknight news broadcast. She stayed with the network for five years before taking on a new role as special correspondent for ABC News.

Fager remained at “60 Minutes” from 2004 to 2018. He also served as the chairman of CBS News. He was eventually fired for allegedly sending a “harsh” message to a CBS reporter. At the time, he was also facing accusations of ignoring inappropriate behavior at “60 Minutes.” He previously denied the claims. CBS could not be reached for comment.

Trouble first came to a head when Couric pitched a profile of the rising pop star Lady Gaga. Fager had initially turned down the idea until he decided to pursue the story a year later, as Gaga had gained more notoriety.

Couric said she had proposed a fresh angle on Gaga’s Catholic school upbringing, but when she arrived for the interview, she discovered her name had been replaced with Anderson Cooper’s. His interview with Gaga aired in February 2011.

“It made me crazy,” Couric said.

A similar situation occurred once again when Couric was set to interview then–Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The confusion began when the State Department reached out to Couric, wondering why fellow correspondent Scott Pelley’s team was inquiring about Clinton.

“So I go to Jeff Fager, and I say, ‘I thought you wanted me to do Hillary. You told me explicitly that you wanted to assign that story to me,’” Couric said. “And he said, ‘Yeah, we decided to change things up.’”

Couric said she was frustrated with Fager, for repeatedly going “behind [her] back.”

“Like, without even the decency to call me and say, ‘Guess what? We decided to reassign the story, and this is why,’” she said. “Talk about getting gaslit. I mean to me, that is the definition of it.”

Couric isn’t the only former “60 Minutes” to call out sexism at the newsmagazine. Meredith Vieira, who worked as a correspondent in the late 1980s and early 1990s, said in 2018, that she’d experienced sexism at CBS.

In the last few months, “60 Minutes” has undergone a massive upheaval. Under CBS News editor-in-chief, Bari Weiss, several correspondents, including Scott Pelley, and the program’s top producers were fired. Anderson Cooper also recently resigned from his post at the newsmagazine. With the upcoming season slated to begin in September, the program is currently under pressure to replenish its ranks.

Gabby Logan hosted the BBC’s live coverage of England’s second World Cup group match

BBC viewers weren’t impressed as they tuned in to watch England play.

Gabby Logan returned to screens on Tuesday (June 23) to present coverage of England’s Group L match against Ghana at Boston Stadium in the USA, as both teams played their second game of the group stage.

This is just the second time that these sides have ever met and the first time they’ve faced each other in a competitive fixture. The last time was back in March 2011, when former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan scored an injury-time equaliser to salvage a 1-1 draw at Wembley Stadium.

Gabby was joined in the Salford studio by Joe Hart, Wayne Rooney and Micah Richards, with match commentary coming from Guy Mowbray and Alan Shearer.

However, BBC viewers were quick to issue the same complaints about the broadcaster’s coverage. Many fans weren’t impressed with the “buffering” coverage on iPlayer, as well as a live interview with British rapper Stormzy.

“England v Ghana on BBC iPlayer is buffering like crazy. It’s not just iPlayer, games buffer on ITVX too. Happens on the big fixtures, obvs,” one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter), with another adding: “@BBCiPlayer not fit for purpose. Give me @itvx every time.”

A third wrote: “@BBC what’s going on,” alongside a screenshot of the app not loading.

Referring to Stormzy’s interview ahead of the match, a fourth viewer said: “Dear BBC Sport. Football. Fans. Don’t. Care. About. Celebrities. At. The. World. Cup. Stop it,” with another adding: “@BBCSport wasting licence payers cash yet again with a pointless interview with #Stormzy! Pathetic & nothing to do with football!”

More complaints were issued, with someone else writing: “BBC World Cup coverage is poor. S***,” while another shared: “Their coverage of this #worldcup has been beyond woeful.”

Another commented: “Congrats to ITV and the BBC for making the World Cup unwatchable.”

Meanwhile, other viewers praised the BBC’s World Cup coverage, particularly lead hosts Gabby and Kelly Cates.

“BBC coverage soo much better. Great female presenters with Gabby and Kelly. Miles better than ITV,” one person wrote, with another agreeing: “Yeah the female presenters are excellent.”

The Three Lions will be hoping to make it through to the knockout stages for the third consecutive World Cup. They have only been knocked out at the group stage once in their last seven appearances in the finals.

Tonight’s viewer complaints come after several disruptions to the BBC’s coverage of the football tournament.

Gabby Logan notably made a politics announcement during Monday’s (June 22) live broadcast, just hours before coverage was pulled off air due to France and Iraq’s match being delayed.

FIFA issued a statement after warnings of a “severe thunderstorm approaching” the Philadelphia stadium.

Coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer and ITVX

MINNEAPOLIS — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is planning for right fielder Kyle Tucker to be out for the rest of the series against the Minnesota Twins, after he left Monday’s game with low back spasms.

Roberts hopes to write Tucker into the lineup Friday, when the Dodgers open a three-game series in San Diego, after three days off, plus most of the game Monday.

“Hopefully he [can take] advantage of this, obviously to get right, but also kind of a mental reset,” Roberts said. “Hopefully the four days will suffice.”

Tucker, who said he felt a little better Tuesday but still sore, especially when rotating, is “pretty confident” that he’ll be able to avoid the injured list. And if he can take swings on Wednesday, he’ll probably be on track for that Friday return.

“But if he doesn’t, then we’ll have probably a tougher decision on Friday,” Roberts said.

Tucker, who has a .707 on-base-plus-slugging-percentage this season, has had a slow offensive start to his Dodgers’ tenure. He wasn’t ready to make any declarations about the potential benefits of time off to reset.

“Maybe,” he said. “We’ll see after I get back. We’ll see how that goes.”

The news on catcher Dalton Rushing, who exited Monday’s game to rule out a concussion, was more straightforward.

Rushing hadn’t yet gone through the second round of concussion testing needed to clear him to play when Roberts addressed the media Tuesday afternoon. But Rushing had told Roberts he was ready to play.

“That doesn’t carry too much weight until I hear from the medical staff,” Roberts said. “But it is good to know that he said he’s good to go. My hope is that he’ll be available off the bench in some capacity.”

As a downpour hammered the tarped field early Tuesday evening, it was unclear when exactly the Dodgers would be playing. But despite plenty of rain in the forecast Tuesday evening, the teams and Major League Baseball identified a window for the game.

The Twins announced an estimated 5:05 p.m. PDT first pitch, representing a 25-minute rain delay.

It is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the UK but a 20-minute drive away you’ll find a much better beach.

Cornwall is famous around the UK and beyond for its beauty, whether it’s the quintessential seaside towns and villages, seafood, dramatic cliffs, golden beaches or azure sea. Each beach and cove has its own unique charm, but some, like St Ives on the north-west coast, are more famous than others. In fact, it is going to be the most popular place for staycations in the UK this year, according to Sykes Holiday Cottages.

And that’s just the latest accolade for the town, which has also been called the “artsiest” in Cornwall. In 2011, the postcard-perfect town outshone rivals from Spain, France and Italy to be named one of Europe’s top beach destinations. However, despite its picturesque appeal, when I visited during a recent summer I found that St Ives was marred by murky waters and an overwhelming number of tourists (including me, of course). And those considering a Cornish getaway might discover a more enchanting spot just around the corner, just like I did.

Is St Ives a good place to visit?

In short, yes. St Ives is brimming with attractions, boasting five sandy beaches and a gently sloping shoreline perfect for families and those looking to bask in the sun. The beachfront is well-equipped with amenities including lifeguard patrols from Easter through September, deck chair rentals and water sports equipment available for hire, including kayaks, stand-up paddleboards and more. On a sunny day, Porthmeor Beach buzzes with activity, earning its reputation as the town’s “premier” beach.

Just beyond the beachfront, visitors can explore a delightful labyrinth of narrow lanes lined with pastel cottages, which play host to several restaurants, bars and cafes. Local dining spots serve up authentic Cornish fare, with traditional dishes like pasties, crab and mussels. It’s also been called “Cornwall’s art mecca” by virtue of being home to the Tate, the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, historic studio Leach Pottery, the award-winning Porthminster Gallery and a swathe of smaller indie galleries.

If you’ve never been, like I hadn’t until last summer, it’s a must-visit. Arriving with high hopes, the bay looked breath-taking from afar (that is, from the bustling car park at the top of the town). The honey-coloured stone buildings in the streets below were inviting but once I set foot on the beach reality hit.

Families and groups occupied every bit of sand on a weekday afternoon in July. Even at 4pm, Porthmeor beach was still crowded, including its far side. With a Cornish pasty in hand, I finally found a spot to sit, only to be met by an army of seagulls that had clearly spent the day gorging on litter left on the sand.

The real let-down came when I went for a quick swim in the sea. Having visited Kynance Cove and Pedn Vounder Beach just days before, I was underwhelmed by the slightly murky water that seemed polluted by heavy footfall and frequent boat activity. I questioned why I was swimming here when Cornwall is home to so many clear, secluded coves.

Is there a better alernative?

Later that same evening, when I drove further up the coast towards Hayle, I discovered a gem. Gwithian Towans Beach is at the far end of St Ives Bay and boasts a wide, spacious sandy beach that is popular for surfing but rarely crowded. It’s approximately a 24-minute drive via the Hayle Bypass to this incredible beach, which is backed by massive dunes perfect for a long walk.

When the tide recedes, the nearby Godrevy Beach seamlessly blends with Gwithian to create a vast expanse of beach. At high tide, it transforms into a distinct cove, framed by cliffs and the National Trust-owned headland. Situated at the far end of St Ives Bay, Godrevy Beach is a neighbouring treasure, famed for its iconic lighthouse and a small colony of seals.

The water here is noticeably clearer, likely due to its exposure to Atlantic swells that disperse sediments. A swim here is invigorating and less daunting than in St Ives itself. On the beach, you can find a private spot behind dramatic rocks, even on a bustling afternoon. However, the true marvel of this westerly location is the sunset views.

Is there parking?

Parking is available at the top of the headland in a National Trust car park, from where it’s a short walk down to Gwithian beach for a quick dip. This is arguably more accessible for visitors than parking at the top of St Ives and navigating the steep streets down to the shoreline there. Facilities are somewhat limited, with a small cafe and surf shop at Gwithian and a National Trust cafe at Godrevy. Limited toilet and shower facilities are available in the Gwithian parking areas.

While the smoke has begun to clear at “60 Minutes” after three correspondents were fired, CBS News leadership now faces the challenge of finding journalists who can fill their shoes just three months before a new season starts.

The venerable news magazine was plunged into crisis last week as longtime correspondent Scott Pelley confronted management about the May 28 firings of his colleagues Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega along with the program’s executive producer Tanya Simon and her second-in-command Draggan Mihailovich.

Pelley, who also accused CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss of “murdering” the program, was terminated June 2 after a 37-year career at the network. He later gave an interview to The New York Times, accusing Weiss of “putting her thumb on the scale” for the Trump administration when guiding the editorial direction of stories.

(CBS News denied Pelley’s accusations. But Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison, who has given Weiss a free hand in disrupting the CBS News hierarchy, found the turbulent situation concerning enough to personally reach out to veteran “60 Minutes” correspondent Lesley Stahl, according to The New York Times. He assured Stahl the program would not be subject to political interference, a message she passed along to the staff.)

Lesley Stahl in the 2022 film “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On.”

(A24)

The recent personnel bloodbath followed the already announced departure of Anderson Cooper, and leaves CBS News with four correspondent roles to fill and a far less experienced executive producer — former tech journalist Nick Bilton in place to keep the program on track.

Remaining staffers were encouraged that Maria Gavrilovic, a 19-year veteran of CBS News who worked closely with Pelley, was promoted to senior producer under Bilton. They are also relieved that correspondents Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Bill Whitaker chose to remain with the program rather than leave in solidarity with Pelley.

Norah O’Donnell’s interview with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in 2021.

But “60 Minutes” is under pressure to get a new team in place as newcomers will have little time to learn the program’s formula that gives it the comforting consistency its viewers seek. The 13-minute pieces on “60 Minutes” are filmed, written and voice-tracked in a distinctive narrative style that takes time to master, according to people who have gone through the process.

Weiss has told people internally that “60 Minutes” is the most important platform within the news division and if a major story comes from outside its corps of correspondents, it will find a place on the program.

Here are the leading contenders for full-time roles based on interviews with several sources at CBS News who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. A CBS News representative declined comment.

Holly Williams: Williams has been a foreign correspondent working out of Istanbul since 2012. The Australian journalist has reported extensively from war zones in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Gaza and Ukraine. When covering Syria’s civil war from inside the country, she and her team gained access to a prison where alleged ISIS terrorists were being held.

Williams has contributed reports to “60 Minutes” over the years. Before joining CBS, she was a Beijing-based correspondent for Sky News.

CBS News foreign correspondent Holly Williams,

(Michele Crowe / CBS News)

Tony Dokoupil: The anchor of “CBS Evening News” is expected to be added as a contributor to “60 Minutes,” a role also given to his predecessors at the newscast including Dan Rather, Katie Couric, Scott Pelley and Norah O’Donnell.

Dokoupil has done longer interviews and segments for “CBS Sunday Morning” over his 11 years at the network. The additional exposure to a Sunday night audience of more than 9 million who tune into “60 Minutes” could also help boost his nightly newscast. The program has struggled in the ratings since he took over in January when, during his inaugural week, he awkwardly saluted Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the close of one episode.

“CBS Evening News” anchor Tony Dokoupil and the network’s chief national correspondent Matt Gutman.

(CBS News)

Matt Gutman: The network’s national correspondent was Weiss’ first significant on-air talent hire when he joined from ABC News in December. Gutman has been a frequent presence on big stories and breaking coverage for “CBS Evening News” since he arrived.

Mariana van Zeller at the Ultimate Disney Fan Event at the Anaheim Convention Center in September 2022.

(Image Group LA / Walt Disney Co.)

Mariana van Zeller: The multilingual journalist is best known for her documentary series “Trafficked,” which airs on the National Geographic Channel. Van Zeller, 50, has won dozens of awards for the program that has taken her around the world to report on black market activities and human trafficking.

Norah O’Donnell: Currently a contributor to “60 Minutes” who already appears on the program’s trademark open, O’Donnell’s role is expected to expand. After CBS settled a $16-million lawsuit filed by President Trump against the program for what he claimed was deceptive editing of an interview, O’Donnell helped the program by stepping up to interview the president twice, subjecting him to tough questions. Her recent joint interview with three U.S. cardinals about Pope Leo XIV and his church’s opposition to the Iran war and Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown became a major story in April.

Major Garrett: The network’s chief Washington correspondent recently appeared on “60 Minutes” to interview Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The assignment caused internal tension as Stahl was pursuing a sit-down with the leader. But Weiss handled the booking and gave Netanyahu the option to select Garrett.

While the decision faced some criticism, the program regularly agreed to former President Obama’s preference for now-retired “60 Minutes” correspondent Steve Kroft to interview him even though other journalists on the team wanted a chance.

Both SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild East are condemning the recent firings at CBS’ “60 Minutes.”

Under the news network’s editor-in-chief Bari Weiss, on-air correspondents Scott Pelley, Cecilia Vega, Sharyn Alfonsi and the program’s executive producer, Tanya Simon, have all been ousted from the legacy newsmagazine. The two unions, which represent journalists, said the recent actions appear to compromise editorial independence.

WGA East president Tom Fontana wrote in a letter to members on Thursday that the changes at CBS News “are more than mere ideological interference with the news. They display a profound contempt for the journalism profession.”

He added, “it is clear that CBS brass is engaged in a near-constant level of editorial interference that would have previously been unthinkable.”

Tom Fontana joined WGA and SAG-AFTRA members on the picket line in the strike over contract negotiation at Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery offices on Aug. 15, 2023, in in New York City.

(Lev Radin / VIEWpress via Getty Images)

SAG-AFTRA similarly said in a statement Thursday that these “decisions can only be seen as part of a broader strategy to gut the crucial independent journalism that is so important to our democratic system.”

A spokesperson for CBS News said in a statement, “There is no political interference at CBS News, not from ownership, not from Bari Weiss. The only ‘interference’ is the normal back and forth between editor and correspondent that happens in every newsroom.”

Pelley, one of the program’s most high-profile correspondents, was fired on Tuesday after speaking out during a team meeting. He reportedly said Weiss “is murdering ‘60 Minutes.’ … She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it, and she’s been doing exactly that.” He also questioned the newly hired executive producer, Nick Bilton, and his ability to run the show, citing his lack of TV news experience.

Pelley accused CBS News management of favoring the Trump administration by instructing him to put “falsehoods and bias into a politically sensitive story.”

“I’ve been told to include assertions that are unverified,” he said in a statement. “To date, in every case, I have ignored these instructions or refuse them.”

“60 Minutes” is now down four correspondents, following Anderson Cooper’s departure and the firings of Vega and Alfonsi. These are only the most recent controversial moves from Weiss, who’s set on remaking the institution long defined by tradition. She arrived at CBS News in October with no television experience, installed by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison after he acquired her digital news outlet, the Free Press, with a mandate to change the network.

Since her hiring, there was a significant round of layoffs and CBS News Radio was shut down.

“I’m only interested in working in a newsroom that is built on trust and mutual respect,” Weiss said of Pelley’s firing during a meeting on Wednesday morning. “That foundation was broken on Monday, and despite our attempts to engage with Scott Pelley and to find a way back, unfortunately we weren’t able to do so, and so we had to part ways.”

The lack of reporters means “60 Minutes” will have to line up new talent quickly to fill the correspondent roles, as production of the 2026-27 season is already underway.

WGA’s Fontana added, “To our friends and colleagues at CBS News: We see you, and you are not alone. Thousands of your union brothers, sisters, and siblings have your backs.”

SAG-AFTRA also said the union is prepared to take “legal actions related to the company’s conduct over the last several weeks.”

Times staff writer Stephen Battaglio contributed to this report.

After a tumultuous week, CBS News took a major step in stopping the bleeding at “60 Minutes.”

In a memo sent Friday morning, the three remaining “60 Minutes” correspondents Bill Whitaker, Lesley Stahl and Jon Wertheim said they will continue with the program. The trio strongly considered leaving in solidarity with their ousted colleagues Scott Pelley, Sharyn Alfonsi , Cecilia Vega and executive producer Tanya Simon and her second-in-command Draggan Mihailovich.

Pelley — angry over the dismissal of his other co-workers — was fired Tuesday, a day after confronting the program’s new executive producer Nick Bilton at his first staff meeting. Pelley questioned the credentials of Bilton, a former New York Times journalist with no experience in television news. He also accused CBS News Bari Weiss — who oversaw the changes — of “murdering” the program.

The memo said the decision to stay should not be seen “as an endorsement of the existing power structure.”

“Here’s why we’re staying: We don’t want ’60 Minutes’ to die,” they wrote.

The dismissal of Pelley, considered the most respected journalist inside CBS News, sent shockwaves through the organization and led to speculation of an exodus by the remaining three correspondents.

In their memo, Whitaker, Stahl and Wertheim said they felt the same bewilderment and frustration that Pelley did over the firing of their colleagues.

“We want to express how sorry we are that these principled, fair and honest journalists were treated so shabbily, with such indecency,” they wrote. “Tanya deserves to be celebrated, not truly cast off. Draggan too. It was heartbreaking.”

With the program in full-blown crisis, Bilton spent the rest of the week attempting to calm the waters and retain the disgruntled correspondents. He issued a memo Thursday praising Whitaker, Stahl and Wertheim — calling them “the core of the show’s success” — and promising to uphold the editorial independence of the program.

“We will always pursue stories without fear or favor,” Bilton said.

In recent months, the iconic ticking stopwatch of the CBS News magazine “60 Minutes” began to sound like a time bomb.

The explosive detonated Tuesday as the prestigious program’s most high-profile correspondent, Scott Pelley, was fired after openly challenging the moves and motives of the news division’s leadership and questioning the credentials of new “60 Minutes” executive producer Nick Bilton.

Pelley accused CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss of “murdering” the program and berated Bilton, a former New York Times journalist, for lacking TV news experience. His forced exit along with the departure of several other veterans is raising fears about the future of the most-watched TV news program that has managed to retain its vitality and importance in the face of major changes across the media landscape.

Weiss praised Pelley’s contribution to the network when she discussed his termination at the network’s morning editorial meeting Wednesday, but cited a loss of “trust and mutual respect” as the reason for moving on.

“We cannot do our work without it,” Weiss said. “That foundation was broken on Monday, and despite our attempts to engage with Scott Pelley and to find a way back, unfortunately we weren’t able to do so, and so we had to part ways.”

But industry veterans familiar with “60 Minutes” said the firings represented a notable shift in how the venerable program has been run by its predecessors.

Rome Hartman, a former longtime “60 Minutes” producer, said Wednesday in an interview that the termination of Pelley for forcefully expressing his views at a staff meeting is a fundamental misunderstanding of how the program has operated and thrived over 58 years. Spirited, and occasionally acrimonious, internal debate has always been a part of working at “60 Minutes.”

“Sharp words in defense of important ideas, whether they be in stories, or whether they be about the future of the broadcast, shouldn’t just be tolerated, they should be encouraged and inculcated, and they always have,” Hartman said.

The insularity of the “60 Minutes” operation — which has its own suite of offices across the street from the main headquarters of CBS News — has rankled the network’s executives in the past. But those dynamics were considered part of the price of having the most prestigious news program on television.

“Every single CBS News president in the history of CBS News has resented the independence of ’60 Minutes,’” Hartman said.”But the smart ones have come to understand that that independence is part of the secret sauce. I don’t know Bari Weiss, but she seems incredibly thin-skinned.”

The turmoil inside “60 Minutes” comes at an inopportune time for CBS. Weiss is now under the gun to replenish the program’s staff with three months to go before original episodes return to the prime-time schedule.

Pelley is the fourth correspondent to depart “60 Minutes” since Weiss took over as editor in chief. Last week, Weiss fired correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi — who accused Weiss of playing politics by holding a story on the government’s use of El Salvador prisons for undocumented migrants — and Cecilia Vega, who was also outspoken in her criticism of the changes at “60 Minutes,” saying she faced censorship. Anderson Cooper, the CNN anchor who spent nearly 20 years as a contributor to the program, chose not to sign a new contract.

Weiss also fired executive producer Tanya Simon, who has been with the program for 25 years, and her second in command. (Pelley said he was unable to get answers on the firings during his final meeting Tuesday with Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski.)

Bari Weiss hosts Senator Ted Cruz on her “Honesty” podcast on January 18, 2025, in Washington, D.C.

(Leigh Vogel / Getty Images for Uber, X and The Free Press)

And there could be more departures on the way, adding to the upheaval. Bill Whitaker, who joined the program in 2014 and was a Pelley ally, is said to be weighing whether to walk away from the two years left on his current contract. The program’s respected veteran , Lesley Stahl, is pondering her future as well amid the massive changes, according to people familiar with her thinking who were not authorized to speak publicly.

The call is out for new talent, according to one agent who said CBS News is talking to “dozens of people” for the openings.

But the company will also look within its ranks. Matt Guttman, hired away from ABC News by Weiss to become senior national correspondent, is one name being mentioned, along with Major Garrett, the network’s chief Washington correspondent. Both have emerged as favorites of Weiss.

Norah O’Donnell, already a contributor to the program, is also likely to have a larger presence.

While the “60 Minutes” patina has been tarnished by the recent events, there is no shortage of journalists who would be willing to step up and join the program. But whoever does sign on will be intensely scrutinized while the Nielsen numbers are closely watched.

Newcomers on the program are rare and would have an easier time gaining audience acceptance if they were joining a stable operation.

Although every long-running TV program can use an occasional refresh, a massive overhaul is destabilizing for “60 Minutes,” one of the last non-sports appointment programs for the traditional television audience that still provides broadcast networks with the bulk of their advertising revenue.

Notably, the program averaged 9.1 million viewers during the 2025-26 TV season according to Nielsen, up 9% over the previous year.

“Viewers liked the ’60 Minutes’ that they had,” said a former CBS News executive who worked on the program who was not authorized to speak publicly. “And if they don’t like it, they have many other places to go.”

One of Weiss’ mantras — echoed by Bilton — has been the need to pull “60 Minutes” into the digital future as traditional TV viewing declines. Insiders say she has yet to make clear how that will be achieved.

Under Weiss’ watch, clips and full segments of the program gained significant traction on platforms such as YouTube. The success on digital is an encouraging sign for the program’s ability to attract younger viewers who don’t watch traditional talent.

But veteran TV executives say that loyal “60 Minutes” viewers still expect to see seasoned correspondents delivering in-depth investigations and analysis. A diversion from that formula poses substantial risks.

“Its audience has certain expectations,” said Jim Murphy, a former executive producer for CNN and CBS News. “These guys built a literally nearly perfect program for the medium and for the audience. You’re not going to make it better just because somebody cooler does a story that’s, like, a little funkier. It just not going to work.”

Steve Capus, a veteran network producer who worked with Pelley at the “CBS Evening News,” said his former colleague was built for the meticulous work that goes into every “60 Minutes” segment.

“It’s hard to do week in and week out,” Capus said. “You have to be first-rate in your storytelling.”

What’s more, Weiss and Bilton will also have to fight the perception that their moves on the program have been guided by the desire of David Ellison, chief executive of CBS News parent Paramount, to please the Trump administration as he seeks regulatory approval of his deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.

Trump sued “60 Minutes” over the editing of an interview with his 2024 presidential opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris. The suit was settled just ahead of the Federal Communications Commission clearing the way for the takeover of Paramount by David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

Ellison acquired Weiss’ digital startup, the Free Press, which established itself as a voice critical of so-called woke politics.

Pelley said in a statement Tuesday that there has been pressure to shape CBS News coverage to please the Trump White House, a claim that both Vega and Alfonsi have made.

“I’ve been told to include assertions that are unverified,” he said. “To date, in every case, I have ignored these instructions or refuse them.”

In a statement, a representative of “60 Minutes” said that the exchanges with Pelley regarding editorial content were not out of the ordinary.

“There is no political interference at CBS News, not from ownership, not from Bari Weiss,” the representative said. “The only ‘interference’ is the normal back and forth between editor and correspondent that happens in every newsroom.”

June 3 (UPI) — CBS News fired veteran journalist Scott Pelley from 60 Minutes after an argument with its new executive producer two days before.

Pelley, 68, is a former anchor of the CBS Evening News and joined the network in 1989. Pelley is a familiar face on Sunday evenings as a correspondent for 60 Minutes.

On Monday, Pelley took issue with the recent firing of two correspondents and the show’s leadership team. He told his new producer Nick Bilton, a tech journalist hired last week, that CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss was “murdering 60 Minutes.”

“She was brought in to kill it, and she’s been doing exactly that,” The Hill reported Pelley told Bilton.

In a memo to staff Tuesday evening, Bilton said, “We have parted ways with Scott Pelley,” The New York Times reported. The network chose not to comment.

Bilton wrote a formal letter to Pelley explaining his termination, which was shared with The Times. He told Pelley he was “terminated for cause effective immediately.”

“I have been in combat in Afghanistan,” Pelley told The Times in an interview. “I have been in combat in Iraq. I have been in the war zone in Ukraine multiple times, risking my life and the happiness of my family because of my devotion to the broadcast.”

He said he still cares deeply about the show.

The program is CBS News’ most successful show, and its ratings were up 9% over last year. It’s often among the highest-rated weekly broadcasts in the country, according to Nielson.

In the letter from Bilton, he said Pelley “hijacked” the meeting Monday

“Yesterday’s performative display of hostility enacted in front of the staff instead of in a civil, private conversation, demonstrated that you have no interest in contributing to the future success of the show, or approaching my new tenure with a mind open to collaboration and progress,” Bilton wrote. “I am here to deliver first-in-class news programming, not to make headlines about newsroom drama. I am eager to work alongside those who share this goal.”

Pelley, in The Times interview, said the letter “betrays a complete misunderstanding of what we work for and what we live for at 60 Minutes.”

He also told The Times on Tuesday that “incompetence and unprofessionalism in the new management have wreaked havoc” at the network. “The collapse of values at the top has become untenable.”

He alleged that management had pressured him to insert bias into his stories over the past season, though he didn’t give details.

Now the show is down four of its correspondents: Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega were fired last week, and Anderson Cooper left the show in May at the end of the season.

Weiss was hired last year by David Ellison, CBS owner and son of tech mogul Larry Ellison. She was given the order to revamp the news for the digital era. Weiss is an opinion writer with little broadcast experience. Bilton is a tech journalist with no experience in broadcasting.

CBS management had a meeting with Pelley on Tuesday to discuss the situation and find a way to move forward, but it turned contentious, some people with knowledge told The Times. Pelley said in the interview with The Times that Weiss wouldn’t answer his questions about why Simon, Alfonsi and Vega were fired.

Pelley said Weiss’ behavior “was cold and callous and beneath the dignity of CBS News.”

Weiss told staff Wednesday morning that “despite our attempts to engage with Scott Pelley and to find a way back, unfortunately we weren’t able to do so, and so we had to part ways.”

But Pelley said it wasn’t true. “At no point did anyone at the Tuesday meeting suggest that there could be steps taken by either side that would lead to a resolution,” he said.

Scott Pelley, a signature on-air talent for “60 Minutes,” was ousted from CBS News a day after he blasted the division’s top management over the firing of the program’s executive producer and two correspondents.

“We have parted ways with Scott Pelley,” the newly installed executive producer Nick Bilton said in a message sent to staff Tuesday.

The network announced Pelley’s departure after a meeting with top CBS News management late Tuesday, where the veteran correspondent continued to ask for answers on why “60 Minutes” executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecila Vega were let go last week, according to people familiar with the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly. Editor in Chief Bari Weiss would not address the matter at the meeting.

Pelley’s departure follows a contentious “60 Minutes” staff meeting on Monday where he accused Weiss of “murdering” the country’s most-watched news program.

Pelley also raised doubts over the credentials of Bilton, the former New York Times journalist and documentary filmmaker named last week to run the venerable newsmagazine, citing his lack of experience in TV news.

Bilton was named to replace Simon on Thursday, an unexpected move that also came with the firings of the correspondents. The moves were made by Weiss, who has targeted the prestigious program for changes since she arrived at the network in the fall.

Bilton attempted to defend Weiss, who was not at the meeting, and asserted that CBS News management was committed to guiding “60 Minutes” into the digital future.

“She is murdering ‘60 Minutes,’” Pelley said of Weiss at the meeting held at the program’s Manhattan headquarters. “She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it, and she’s been doing exactly that.”

Pelley’s stunning remarks at the meeting were applauded by his colleagues. But veterans in the division — who were shocked by the confrontation— took it as a sign that he was ready to leave the program.

Pelley is the fourth correspondent to depart “60 Minutes” since Weiss joined CBS News. Anderson Cooper, who also anchors at CNN, chose not to sign a new deal, citing family reasons, although many insiders said he was not comfortable with the direction of CBS News. Alfonsi and Vega were severed last week.

Those vacancies mean “60 Minutes” will have to line up new talent quickly to fill the correspondent roles. Production on segments for the 2026-27 season is already underway.

Pelley, 68, started his career at CBS News in 1989. He covered the Gulf War for the network, traveling in Iraq and Kuwait. He later became chief White House correspondent during Bill Clinton’s turbulent second term.

Pelley became a correspondent for “60 Minutes II,” a midweek edition of the program that ran from 1999 to 2005. After the program was canceled, Pelley moved to the Sunday flagship edition.

The fate of “60 Minutes” — which saw a 9% audience increase and massive spikes in viewing across social media platforms this past season — has been an ongoing saga since President Trump sued the program over the editing of an interview with his 2024 opponent former Vice President Kamala Harris.

The suit was settled just ahead of the Federal Communications Commission clearing the way for the takeover of Paramount by David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

Ellison acquired Weiss’ digital start-up the Free Press, which established itself as a voice critical of so-called woke politics. She was given a mandate to move CBS News to the political center, which created a perception that her role is to placate the Trump White House as Paramount seeks regulatory approval to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.

Nick Bilton, the new executive producer of “60 Minutes,” received a hostile welcome Monday from the CBS News program’s most respected correspondent Scott Pelley as the staff is still reeling over last week’s firings.

In the first staff meeting since Bilton was named last week, Pelley accused CBS News Editor-in-chief Bari Weiss of “murdering” the country’s most-watched news program, which recently finished the TV season with a 9 percent ratings increase. Recordings of the meeting were circulated to journalists.

“She is murdering ‘60 Minutes,’” Pelley said. “She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it, and she’s been doing exactly that.” Pelley also attacked the credentials of Bilton, a former New York Times tech reporter and documentary filmmaker who like Weiss has no previous experience running a TV news operation.

Bilton was named to replace Tanya Simon on Thursday, an unexpected move that also came with the firing of correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega. The moves were enacted by Weiss, who has targeted the prestigious program for changes since she arrived at the network last fall.

David Ellison, chief executive of CBS News parent Paramount, brought in Weiss — a skeptic of legacy media — with a mandate to move the division more to the political center. But many critics have seen the move as an attempt to placate the Trump administration while Ellison seeks regulatory approval for his deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery,

“60 Minutes,” has long been in Trump’s cross hairs. The president sued the program last year over the editing of an interview with his 2024 opponent former Vice President Kamala Harris. The suit was settled just ahead of the Federal Communications Commission clearing the way for Ellison’s Skydance Media takeover of Paramount.

One person close to “60 Minutes” said attendees at the meeting in the Manhattan West Side offices described it as something they had never witnessed in their careers. The confrontation — and the applause Pelley received from his colleagues during the meeting — also demonstrates how CBS News management may have underestimated the staff’s devotion to the program, now closing in on its sixth decade, that has long been considered the most powerful and respected platform in TV journalism.

A representative for CBS News declined comment on the meeting.

Pelley is held in especially high stature at the network due to his work over the years in dangerous war zones. When he was anchor at the “CBS Evening News,” he displayed photos of CBS News journalists who have died in the line of duty for the network going back to George Polk, who was killed during Greece’s civil war in 1948.

People close to CBS News management said both Bilton and Weiss reached out to Pelley last week to discuss the changes and their plans for the program’s future but he did not respond.

One CBS News veteran said the tense meeting “reads like Scott wants to be fired.”

Weiss has maintained she is committed to expanding the “60 Minutes” brand so it generates viewing and revenue outside of its Sunday night broadcast. But she has also clashed with producers and correspondents over the handling of stories such as Alfonsi’s report on the Trump administration’s use of harsh El Salvador prisons to hold undocumented Venezuelan migrants.

Alfonsi’s message to colleagues saying the segment was held for political reasons led to her dismissal from the program.

Vega posted a message last week claiming she had been facing pressure to insert political bias into her stories. “I very much fear what comes next for … the future of the legendary broadcast,” Vega said in a social media post on Thursday, referring to “60 Minutes.”

A CBS News representative said last week that Vega’s claims “are not based in reality.”

Bilton has tried to reassure veterans at the program that he remains committed to the program’s mandate to provide tough, investigative journalism. The words he’s used in several meetings are that next season will not be much different than the successful year the program just completed.

“He’s very much committed to continuing and extending the kind of journalism that ’60 Minutes’ has been known for.” said one person close to Bilton.

After a complete shakeup at CBS’ “60 Minutes,” ousted correspondent Cecilia Vega said she had been facing pressure to insert political bias into her stories and dealing with censorship.

“I very much fear what comes next for … the future of the legendary broadcast,” Vega said in a social media post on Thursday referring to “60 Minutes.”

Vega, who had worked at the newsmagazine for three years, was fired alongside the program’s executive producer, Tanya Simon, and fellow correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, who notoriously clashed with CBS News Editor in Chief Bari Weiss over a segment on President Trump’s immigration policies.

The latest shakeup follows multiple controversial moves by Weiss, who’s set on remaking the institution long defined by tradition. She arrived at CBS News in October with no television experience, installed by Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison after he acquired her digital news outlet, the Free Press, with a mandate to change the network.

Ellison’s political intent has been brought into question as he owns CBS’ parent company. The billionaire and his father, Larry Ellison, built a friendly relationship with the Trump White House as Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery still needs regulatory approval.

Ellison’s pronouncements that CBS News needs to move more to the political center has led to the perception that the network is trying to placate Trump with more positive news coverage, even as “60 Minutes” has remained tough with its White House reporting.

“Our responsibility is to preserve that legacy and vital mission by building a show that thrives in the 21st century,” wrote Weiss in her note to staff. “That requires a new approach: expanding ’60 Minutes’ beyond a one-hour television broadcast, deepening its role across CBS News.”

Vega claims, in her statement, that “in recent months, my producing teams and I have experienced efforts to insert political bias into our stories.” She also said that reporting teams are holding back on submitting specific story pitches, due to the “fear of the internal repercussions.”

“Let’s call this what it is: censorship, both imposed and self-driven,” Vega wrote. “It is dangerous for the show and dangerous for democracy.”

She said that in working at “60 Minutes” she’s had to keep stories rooted in fact and away from “questionable editorial suggestions.”

“I know from many conversations with colleagues that many producing teams and correspondents working on the show today have had to fight to maintain editorial independence with regularity,” Vega said. “I am far from the only ’60 Minutes’ correspondent who has asked herself, ‘What is my personal red line? How much can I push back before I pay the price?’”

In a statement, a CBS News representative said, “We respect Ms. Vega and her contributions, but her claims are not based in reality.”

Vega joined the newsmagazine in 2023, becoming the program’s first Latina correspondent. Before that, she worked for over a decade at ABC as the network’s chief White House correspondent and co-anchoring “Good Morning America.”

Several journalists like ABC’s John Quiñones and former Univision anchor Jorge Ramos offered words of support for Vega’s remarks. Quiñones commented, “Journalism is stronger because of your voice, your courage and your story-telling, Cecilia,” and Ramos wrote in Spanish that he respects and admires her.

The venerable news magazine “60 Minutes” is undergoing a major overhaul under CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss.

Weiss announced Thursday the appointment of new executive producer to replace Tanya Simon, a 26-year veteran of the program who took over the top job last July. She will be replaced by Nick Bilton, a former New York Times technology columnist and documentary filmmaker.

Bilton will be the first executive producer in the 58-year history of “60 Minutes” to come from outside of the tightly knit organization. The program has only had four leaders in its history — Don Hewitt, Jeff Fager, Bill Owens and Simon — all of whom came up through the ranks of CBS News.

Weiss is said to have developed a solid relationship with Simon, whose late father Bob Simon was a highly respected correspondent for the program. But the connection apparently deteriorated after Weiss did not receive an advance notice on Anderson Cooper’s sign off from the program ending his nearly 20-year run as a correspondent.

Cooper, who is also a full-time anchor at CNN, turned down a new “60 Minutes” deal from Weiss. During his final appearance, he expressed fears about the editorial independence of the program.

Tanya Simon is the new executive producer of “60 Minutes.”

(Michele Crowe CBS News)

“Things can always evolve and change, and I think that’s awesome, and things should evolve and change, but I hope the core of what ’60 Minutes’ is always remains,” Anderson told viewers. “I think the independence of ’60 Minutes’ has been critical.”

Speculation over changes at “60 Minutes,” the most-watched news program on television for 52 consecutive years, have been swirling for months since Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison installed Weiss to oversee editorial content at CBS News.

The program has been in turmoil since Oct. 2024 when President Trump filed a $20 billion lawsuit against CBS over an interview conducted with then Vice President Kamala Harris that was settled to clear the regulatory path for Skydance Media’s acquisition of Paramount.

From a business standpoint, “60 Minutes” is a curious target. The program is one of the most profitable hours on the CBS prime time schedule while retaining its status as television’s most prestigious journalism operation. While the ratings for “60 Minutes” get a boost from a lead-in from high-rated NFL late afternoon games, it remains one of the few network shows that viewers make an appointment to watch.

Sharyn Alfonsi, the longtime “60 Minutes” correspondent who clashed with CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss over a story on Trump White House immigration policies, said Wednesday her contract is not being renewed.

“Over the weekend, my contract with CBS News expired, drawing to a close nearly twenty years with the network, including more than a decade at ’60 Minutes,’” Alfonsi, 54, said in a statement to The Times.

“Following an intense editorial dispute over our CECOT story, repeated attempts by my representation to establish a path forward were met with absolute silence from network executives,” she added. “The message could not be clearer: my time at 60 Minutes is apparently over.”

CBS News declined to comment on Alfonsi’s remarks. Her contract expired this past weekend but she remains employed at the division on an “at will” basis, which means she can be terminated at any time, according to people familiar with the discussions. Producers who worked with Alfonsi have been assigned to other correspondents.

Alfonsi made her comments as the “60 Minutes” staff anticipates significant changes in the coming days, which could include shifting the lineup of correspondents. Anderson Cooper has already announced his departure from the program after 20 seasons.

A scene from the “60 Minutes” report “Inside CECOT.”

(CBS News)

The segment at the center of Alfonsi’s likely exit, “Inside CECOT,” detailed the Trump administration’s treatment of hundreds of Venezuelan migrants who were deported to an El Salvador prison known for its harsh conditions.

“Inside CECOT” was scheduled to run Dec. 22 but was pulled the day before air by Weiss, who believed it needed more reporting, including a direct on-camera response from the administration, which did not participate.

Alfonsi protested the decision to hold the story, calling it politically motivated in an email she sent to colleagues that was shared publicly.

Alfonsi said at the time the story was ready for air after being vetted by the network’s attorneys and the standards and practices department.

“It is factually correct,” Alfonsi wrote. “In my view, pulling it now — after every rigorous internal check has been met is not an editorial decision, it is a political one.”

“Inside CECOT” eventually ran on Jan. 18 without any substantial changes to its tone or reporting. Weiss acknowledged internally that pulling the segment after it had already been promoted was a mistake.

The move created the first public relations fiasco under Weiss’ watch and tarnished the strong journalistic reputation of “60 Minutes.” The matter also added to the narrative that Weiss was installed at CBS News to placate the Trump administration as parent company Skydance Media sought government regulatory approval to buy Paramount and its current deal to merge with Warner Bros. Discovery.

The program has been in turmoil since October 2024 when President Trump filed a $20-billion lawsuit against CBS over an interview conducted with then-Vice President Kamala Harris that was settled to help clear the regulatory path for Skydance Media’s acquisition of Paramount last year.

Weiss joined CBS News in October with a mandate from Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison to pull the division to the political center. The founder of the conservative-friendly digital news site the Free Press, Weiss has wanted to make changes to “60 Minutes” but put them off until after the 2025-26 TV season ended this past weekend.

In her statement, Alfonsi predicted CBS News would try to make her exit an administrative decision not related to her work.

“In the coming days, network leadership may attempt to hide behind corporate euphemisms like ‘modernization’ and ‘restructuring’ to explain away my departure,” Alfonsi said. “Don’t be misled. This was not a routine corporate transition; it was a deliberate choice to penalize a journalist for refusing to sanitize factually accurate reporting, and it sends a chilling message to the entire newsroom.”

Insiders at CBS News are uncertain about the extent of the planned overhaul. Weiss has been advised to limit any disruption to “60 Minutes,” which is coming off a strong season of ratings performance.

Nielsen data showed the program averaged 9.1 million viewers in its Sunday time period, up 9% from the previous year. The program’s views across digital and social media platforms were also up substantially.

New football drama Dear England premiered on BBC One on Sunday night, with viewers sharing their verdict

The BBC’s new football drama, Dear England, premiered on Sunday night.

Starring Joseph Fiennes as former England manager Gareth Southgate, the series is a fictionalised account that follows the success and struggles of the England men’s football team from 2016 to 2024.

The drama is based on James Graham’s play of the same name, and also stars Jodie Whittaker as psychologist Pippa Grange, Daniel Ryan as England football coach Steve Holland, and Will Antenbring as Harry Kane.

That’s not all, as John Hodgkinson plays football executive Greg Clarke, while Jason Watkins brings football administrator Greg Dyke to life.

Other footballing stars are also played by talented actors, including Harry Maguire, Jordan Pickford, Dele Alli, Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, Wayne Rooney, Jordan Henderson, and Eric Dier.

The official synopsis reads: “With the worst team track record for penalties in the world when he takes over as manager, Gareth knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take England back to the promised land.

“The country that gave the world football has delivered a painful pattern of loss. Why can’t the England team win at their own game?”

The first episode of Dear England premiered on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday night (May 24), with viewers quickly praising Joseph Fiennes’ portrayal of Southgate.

“Joseph Fiennes as – no, IS! – Gareth Southgate. Playing a blinder!!” one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter), with another adding: “Got the Southgate casting spot on.”

A third said: “Joseph Fiennes is actually incredible as Gareth Southgate. The mannerisms, the voice, the look – it’s uncanny. Superb performance,” with another similarly sharing: “That Southgate voice is uncanny.”

A fifth viewer echoed the sentiment, saying: “I watched Dear England in the theatre and it was really b***** good. This might be even better. Fiennes is impeccable.”

Other fans commended the drama, with one person saying: “#DearEngland is great. I saw this at the theatre and it was a gem.”

Another added: “Eight minutes in, and I’m liking this already,” while a third said: “#DearEngland Watched the stage show at Birmingham Hippodrome it was brilliant, very funny and poignant. This has started well.”

The first episode saw Gareth Southgate take on a team at an all-time low, as well as a jaded fanbase after an embarrassing defeat to Iceland.

Haunted by his own disastrous penalty miss as a player, he enlists the help of a psychologist to change the team’s mindset and tackle their biggest fear.

Dear England is set to continue tomorrow (May 25) night, before the final two episodes air next Sunday (May 31) and Monday (June 1).

Dear England is available to stream on BBC iPlayer