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SPICE GIRLS, Girls Aloud and Little Mix are just some of the huge girl groups who have ruled the charts over the years.

Now the next generation is ready to get in on the action.

Step forward Manifest — Turkey’s picture-perfect group, who are taking the world by storm.

Despite being yet to release a single English-language track, the girls already have 7.3million monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

The group is made up of six amazing women: Sueda Uluca, Hilal Yelekci, Lidya Pinar, Mina Solak, Esin Bahat and Zeynep Sude Oktay.

And they have the backing of Dua Lipa, who personally invited them to perform as part of her Sunny Hill music festival in Kosovo earlier this summer, and has tipped them for greatness.

DUA LEAPER

Dua Lipa jumps for joy as she marks 31st birthday in Ibiza on 8th trip of year

TAUT & TANNED

Dua Lipa shows off bronzed body in a bikini as she sunbathes on girls’ trip

They said: “Dua was amazing. We really love her, and meeting with her was like a dream come true. We saw meeting Dua and playing her festival as a step to becoming global stars.

“She gave us some great advice and was keen for us to just remember to enjoy the show.

“She encouraged us to enjoy our time on stage and not worry too much. If we have fun, the fans have fun.”

Each member has their own distinct personality and style, and since being put together on a TV talent contest in Turkey last year, their popularity has skyrocketed.

Keen to take on the world, the girls invited Bizarre’s Jack to Izmir, on Turkey’s Aegean coast, to see them in action at their three-day festival, Manifestival.

He was blown away — not only by the vocals and the sharp choreography but by just how lovely the girls were backstage.

In their first UK interview, the group explained: “We have been manifesting ourselves to be a successful band for years. We have always believed we can do it and make it global.

“We believe people can manifest anything, so when it came to picking a name for us, as soon as someone mentioned Manifest, it stuck.

“We loved it. We didn’t want a name that was too cheesy.”

The group are putting in some serious hours to make themselves stars.

They explained: “We don’t have days off, we have hours. We are so busy, but that’s good. We are constantly in rehearsals.

“It only takes us one day to learn a dance but then we practise it over and over again.

“We want the show to be perfect. Sometimes we will practise a single routine for five days until it’s ready.”

Next month, Manifest will jet to the UK for their first ever headline show on British soil and, boy, are they starting big.

Leapfrogging smaller venues due to demand, they will headline London’s Wembley Arena on October 16.

As well as the gig, the girls are set to take part in a number of promo activities across the capital to show there’s a new band in town.

Admitting they still battle with nerves even though they have “made it” in their home country, the group said: “When we first started to perform, we were really nervous — it almost felt like you were having a heart attack from the nerves.

“But now it’s just excitement. Every time we perform, it’s still so exciting for us. It’s what we love to do.

“We have rituals to calm us down, and we pray to God before we take to the stage.”

In another sign Manifest are attracting all the right attention, they have also landed themselves a Netflix series which will show them on the road and take each member back to their home town.

Setting their sights as high as possible, the girls now hope they can emulate their Girl Power idols.

They added: “We would love to be as big as the Spice Girls; they are our inspiration.

“We have just recorded our first English song, which should be out soon, and we are coming to London.”

Take it from us, there are big things to come from Manifest.

Sam’s on £400m sales

SAM SMITH looked pleased as punch receiving this plaque celebrating the sale of 400million singles worldwide.

The Lay Me Down singer, whose latest album Hazel Eyes came out last month, beamed backstage at the London Coliseum.

Sam played the first show of an eight-night To Be Free residency there on Tuesday, and I’m sure this boost was most welcome before taking to the stage.

An ABBA Fab tribute

IN what I can only describe as the maddest musical mash-up I’ve heard of in a long time, Una Healy, Samantha Mumba, Duncan James and Antony Costa are teaming up for an ABBA extravaganza.

All Stars: The Music Of Abba is a new stage show ­celebrating the Swedish group’s biggest hits.

Across a 21-date tour, The Saturdays star Una, Samantha and the Blue bandmates will form a pop supergroup paying homage to the works of the chart legends, backed by a live band.

Further dates are expected down the line, but they will kick off in Croydon on February 26, before ­taking in shows in cities nationwide including Aberdeen and Edinburgh, Cardiff, Birmingham, Southend, Nottingham and Hull.

Tickets go on pre-sale from 10am today online at allstarsonstage.com.

SHAKIRA’S World Cup anthem Dai Dai with Burna Boy has surpassed one billion views on YouTube and made her the most-viewed female artist on the platform.

The achievement comes ahead of the launch next week of her sold-out 12-night residency at a purpose-built stadium in Madrid.

THE WEEKND has wrapped his 42-date After Hours Til Dawn 2026 tour, grossing £255million after performing in front of more than two million fans.

The gigs gave a massive boost to local economies and raised more than £1.6million in charitable donations for both the United Nations World Food Programme and the Global Citizen project.

Strike a pose Julia

JULIA GARNER is the spitting image of a young Madonna as she vows that the superstar’s biopic will be made.

The Ozark actress sported cropped blonde hair and a feathery gown in the October issue of Elle magazine after being cast in the film, which was canned amid budget rows.

Julia insisted: “I think the movie has to get made. But we’ll see . . .”

She and Vogue singer Madge filmed for Apple TV show The Studio together earlier this year. Their spoof storyline is inspired by the Queen of Pop’s axed film.

Julia said: “She’s one of the funniest people I’ve ever met. Like actually. And people don’t know that.”

Peter’s spaced out in new film role

WHATEVER you think about Peter Andre, it’s safe to say he likes to keep his career varied.

Last year he played a gangster trying to secure his nan’s £35,000 care home fee in comedy film Jafaican.

Now, I’m told the Mysterious Girl singer is about to start work on his next ­production.

Insiders tell me his latest foray into the movie world will be Love In Space, which has a similarly hilarious plot.

It will tell the story of a young man who falls in love with a charming female ­scientist after being abducted by UFOs.

A source said: “Pete just loves acting and if the project feels right and he likes the script, he goes for it.

“This film is really futuristic and Pete will be filming at the end of this month in a ready-made spaceship.”

Popcorn at the ready . . . 

A Biggie break for Swayvo

ANOTHER nepo baby has bagged a major role in Hollywood.

The son of neo-soul pioneers D’Angelo and Angie Stone has been cast as Biggie in the upcoming Snoop Dogg biopic.

Swayvo Twain, whose real name is Michael D’Angelo Archer II, will star in the Universal Pictures movie called Snoop, which is being produced by the rapper himself.

Biggie, also known as Notorious B.I.G., was one of the biggest names in hip-hop in the Nineties and had a mutual appreciation with Snoop, despite the fact they were on either side of the East Coast-West Coast rap rivalry.

Jonathan Daviss will play the main man himself in the flick, which is due to hit cinemas next August.

Nirvana go for a gong

NIRVANA will be honoured with the prestigious Video Vanguard Award at the MTV VMAs on September 27.

The gong is akin to a lifetime achievement award and has been won by Mariah Carey and Rihanna in recent years, with Nirvana being the first band to do so since Duran Duran in 2003.

They only released three albums before frontman Kurt Cobain died, but surviving members Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic and Pat Smear are being tipped to attend, 34 years after winning the Best New Artist and Best Alternative Video prizes for Smells Like Teen Spirit.

The 2026 ceremony will take place at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with Madonna leading the nominations with 11.

In reach for Adela

WITH just one day of sales left, the battle for No1 is almost over but breakout star Adela is fighting for the top spot.

And it’s not just chart success she is hoping for but world domination, following the release of her brilliant debut album Prima on Friday.

More than a million videos have been made on TikTok using the audio for her single Ain’t In LA.

Now that single is set to enter the Top 20 tomorrow, plus A-lister Nicole Kidman has praised Adela after the Slovak singer named her next track after the actress.

Meanwhile, Adela has revealed her drive to become a pop star in the first place.

Speaking about her favourite Disney Channel show as a youngster, she told Bizarre’s Howell: “Hannah Montana’s where I first saw like, ‘Oh, you can sing and dance for a living and you can be a pop star. This is what that is like’.

“That’s literally where this all first began. For me, it was seeing that show and becoming obsessed with it.”

Of the show’s star Miley Cyrus, she added: “She’s like a mythical creature to me. I don’t think I can actually meet her.”

If Prima manages to clinch the No1 spot from competitors Kasabian, who she is just 332 copies behind, she will be the first solo female to go straight to No1 with her debut album since Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour in 2021.

And judging by Adela’s drive, talent and creativeness on this record, the world is her oyster.

VENICE, Italy — “My actual personality is not very friendly, I’m afraid,” claims Korean actor Jeon Do-yeon. “Myself and actor Sul Kyung-gu, we can be a little bit brusque. We don’t really have the talent to make the set fun.”

As she says it, though, Jeon and co-star Cho Yeo-jeong are laughing — making the assertion rather harder to believe when it arrives in English from Korean via an interpreter. Throughout our conversation, in fact, the pair chuckles, nods along to each other’s answers, interjects sounds of assent. Enough for me to understand that their chemistry comes naturally, whatever Jeon’s protestations.

“In the film I play a character that chases [Jeon’s character] and it really suited me, almost to the point where I didn’t really need to try and act this role,” as Cho puts it. “I was almost like a sunflower, constantly facing and chasing actor Jeon.”

The actors needed every ounce of the sublime chemistry they forged to portray the magnetic but fatally flawed relationship at the heart of auteur Lee Chang-dong’s first film in eight years, “Possible Love,” which premiered Sunday at the Venice Film Festival. South Korea’s international feature submission for the 2027 Oscars, the Netflix film sees Ye-ji (Cho), a documentarian married to a wealthy businessman (Zo In-sung), cozy up to Mi-ok (Jeon), whose husband (Sul) has been seriously injured in a brutal crackdown on striking factory workers, in order to secure an interview with him — only for divisions of class and professional ambition to expose the fault lines in their relationship, and in turn their marriages.

“It seems like they want to be friends with each other, but then there seems to be a line that just cannot be crossed between them,” says Lee, also through an interpreter, of the actors’ accomplished double act, referring to a scene in which Ye-ji bristles at Mi-ok’s suggestion that her high-end clothes are out of place interviewing unemployed laborers. “[Jeon and Cho] knew of that and they went into shooting that scene knowing that it was quite challenging to express. There were, of course, some things that were up to the camera in bringing that about, but I think that was a scene where the two were able to express just how nuanced and quite strange the relationship can be.”

The film itself is just as slippery and multi-layered, down to Lee’s heady admixture of documentary and dramatic aesthetics. Inspired by real-life labor conflict in South Korea, “Possible Love” uses Ye-ji’s nonfiction study of laid-off workers as a window into the lives of ordinary people swept up in large-scale social change, against the backdrop of which the two women’s competing priorities are thrown into stark relief. Can a filmmaker who totes a $4,000 Lora Piana backpack, however well-intentioned, truly understand the plight of the working class? Is a subject eager to publicize a political struggle prepared for the risk that her personal privacy will be invaded in the process?

To choreograph the film within the film — so compelling that I almost missed seeing its conclusion when “Possible Love” shifts the focus to interpersonal fireworks in the third hour — Lee cast a real-life documentary director and cinematographer as Ye-ji’s crew, lending what Cho calls their “natural energy” to the movements of the camera. Cho herself prepared by consulting the late master of the form, Frederick Wiseman, who was unabashed about the tension between documentary filmaking’s often radical politics and the privilege required to turn it into a profession.

“[Wiseman] was posed the question by some students studying film and documentary: ‘How can I pursue this work in reality?’” she recalls. “And he replied with the immortal words, ‘Marry a rich man.’ And you know, I was preparing for the role of Ye-ji, so it was such an apt response for her situation.”

Jeon, left, and Cho in “Possible Love.”

(Joo Jae-bum/Netflix)

The potential for conflict bursts into the open at a seaside home that has been in Ye-ji’s husband’s family for years, where the group has decamped for a supposedly restorative holiday. Reminded of the setting by the location of our conversation — a set of green-curtained, pink-carpeted suites at the Hotel Excelsior, overlooking the northern shores of the Adriatic — I ask the actors what’s going through their characters’ minds when Mi-ok and Ye-ji’s promising connection ultimately severs.

Mi-ok “doesn’t really want to reveal to anyone else what’s going on in the family … She only wants to show the good side that they are trying to live their best life and trying to improve and move forward with hopefulness,” Jeon says, citing an early scene in which Mi-ok asks the crew not to film her son’s awkward taekwondo at a school field day. When the camera’s prying eye becomes more intrusive, though, she “feels a great sense of betrayal, that her family is being used and exploited.”

For Cho, who says Ye-ji is “constantly balancing the ethical dilemma” between documenting the truth and treating her subjects with care, the break was always inevitable, and no amount of Ye-ji’s remorse or guilt can repair the damage.

Against this microcosm of the class war Lee sets the emergence of artificial intelligence, which threatens to further destabilize labor across a range of industries — including his own. Although he’s uncertain if, when or how AI will “intrude” on the “entirely creative” filmmaking process, the “Poetry” and “Burning” director is already using it for everyday tasks.

“Before going to see the doctor, I like to ask AI all the symptoms that I have, ask what’s wrong with me. Or I would ask, you know, ‘What’s the weather like in Venice?’” he says. “AI gives us instant answers, and it goes even beyond that to where it gives you advice these days. And in that sense, AI has indeed really gotten deeply intertwined in my daily life.”

Similarly, Jeon is open to using AI for more “trivial” matters, such as simultaneous translation from English to Korean and vice versa. But she admits to more “extreme thoughts” than Lee about the technology’s role in the future of screen acting.

“I’m going to be starring in a [Korean-language adaptation] of Anton Chekov’s “The Cherry Orchard” upcoming in New York. And I was wondering, actually, is the stage the last place that cannot be conquered by AI, and will not be replaced by AI?”

Perhaps. But the scene in “Possible Love” that best captures the finely honed chemistry of its female leads, in which Mi-ok and Ye-ji drunkenly bond over soju and Korean barbecue as their bemused husbands look on, seems to me beyond the capabilities of AI — it’s too warm, too meticulously rendered to be anything other than fully human, the sort of acting one hopes the Venice jury will remember when it hands out the Volpi Cup for best actress on Saturday.

“It is quite difficult technically and practically — it was a scene that we shot all night long,” Cho says. “But I remember shooting it with a lot of pleasure.”

No protest there.

Many true crime fans said it was a ‘wild’ watch as they tune in for the first time

An “insane” true crime documentary available to stream online is guaranteed to have your jaw on the floor.

There is an abundance of documentaries and films to watch on Netflix, but there is one particular watch that viewers say did not get “enough recognition” when it was first released.

Premiering in 2019, Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator examines the dramatic rise and fall of the controversial founder of hot yoga, Bikram Choudhury.

Directed by Academy Award winner Eva Orner (Taxi to the Dark Side), the film details how the controversial founder built a global fitness empire before it collapsed following numerous sexual abuse allegations.

An official synopsis on Netflix reads: “Arriving in Beverly Hills from Calcutta, India in the early 1970s, Choudhury quickly cultivated a celebrity following and built a global fitness empire that furnished him with extreme wealth.

“But by the 2010s, as numerous sexual abuse allegations emerged and stories of his aggressive, cult-like training environment surfaced, the lawsuits started to mount and Choudhury’s unorthodox teaching style became front-page news.”

It later adds: “BIKRAM: YOGI, GURU, PREDATOR, a Netflix original documentary, shines a light on the stories of the women who took him down and explores the contradiction of how this healing discipline could simultaneously help and hurt so many.”

Recently, one true crime reviewer took to social media having recently watched the documentary film, as they branded it an “insane” watch.

Sharing a video explaining the synopsis of the documentary, they wrote: “This true crime documentary will have your jaw on the ground.”

In the clip, they added: “This insane true crime documentary didn’t get enough recognition when it first came out.” One person replied: “Ohhh I loved this one crazzzyyyy”, as another commented: “Yes this was WILD!!!!”

A third added: “There’s a podcast about this too. Very strange, weird story.” A fourth wrote: “Oh yea this was a good one lol.”A fifth said: “That was a b***** crazy doc!! Too cray cray!!” Another stated: “I saw this already and I screamed at that ***!!! Absolutely insane!!”

Over on IMDb, one reviewer previously said: “The documentary was impeccably put together and a must watch for any yogi.”

Another wrote: “‘Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator’ is an exceptionally well made and well constructed documentary. It’s also one that, by the end, will probably also make you very angry for a variety of reasons.”

Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator can be streamed on Netflix

The Gentleman actress Jasmine Blackborow appeared on Sunday Brunch to promote the second season and conversation quickly turned to her co-star Maya Jama

One of Maya Jama’s The Gentleman co-star’s has revealed what the Love Island host was really like behind the scenes.

The presenter has has made her major scripted acting debut in the second series of Guy Ritchie’s comedy-drama Netflix’s The Gentleman as Aisha, a gangster’s moll and the wife of Prince Amir bin Abdullah al-Hadidi (Amra Mallassi).

She makes appearances during key moments of the season, notably featured in Episode 1 and Episode 4 and it has been reported that Maya will return for season three.

Actress Jasmine Blackborow, who plays Lady Charlotte “Charly” Horniman, the younger sister of the protagonist Eddie Horniman in The Gentleman, appeared on Sunday Brunch on September 6 so promote the show.

Conversation turned to Maya joining the cast with hosts Simon Rimmer and Tim Lovejoy keen to find out what the Celebrity Traitors was like when the cameras stopped rolling.

Jasmine said: “She was absolutely gorgeous on set and she was nervous because she’s not done this before. She was there running her lines again and again and when she did it she was just such a pro.”

Maya, who has been the host of Love Island since 2023, previously opened up about joining cast of the hit Netflix series and say director Guy made her feel comfortable while filming.

Speaking to Variety, she said: “He’s really kind and nice. He doesn’t feel as intimidating as you’d think, being who he is. He’s very personable and he would be like ‘yeah, you’re doing well’, and reassure me, which was really nice.

“He’s just really involved and kind of a genius to watch, because everyone’s practicing their lines and then he says something that’s way better than the original. You just feel like you’re in the presence of greatness.”

Hugh Bonneville and Michele Morrone are among other names joining season two of The Gentlemen, which is based on Guy’s film of the same name and explores the criminal underbelly of high society Britain.

The first series of The Gentleman premiered with an audience of 3.5 million and secured a place as one of UK’s most-watched TV shows of 2024.

The only other acting experience that 32-year-old Maya has had was in a brief cameo role for Katherine Ryan’s The Duchess on Netflix six years ago.

Speaking about the role at the time, Maya said: “I did the tiniest little cameo in a Netflix series called The Duchess” referring to her appearance as a dental nurse.

“But it was like one day filming, whereas this was my first one where I had to properly learn lines and be on set for a few days. But I was so, so excited because I loved the series.”

The Gentleman is now streaming on Netflix

Michelle Keegan has reportedly quit a drama just weeks before she was set to begin filming and now a former Doctor Who star has is said to have taken over the role

Michelle Keegan has quit a drama just weeks before she was set to begin filming.

The actress, 39, is said to have been gearing to take on the part of a working class barrister in a new series that has been penned by Sherlock creator Steve Thompson, with cameras set to roll from November.

But it’s now thought that Michelle, who has to Palma, 18 months, with husband Mark Wright, has pulled out of the project in what is being called a “huge blow” for the production.

A source said: “Michelle was really keen to take on the meaty role, but the heavy filming schedule would take her away from daughter Palma for too long.

According to reports, former Doctor Who actress Jodie Whittaker has been drafted into the role instead but fans of Michelle will soon be able to see her in in Netflix drama The Woods, which is based on the Harlan Coben thriller of the same name.

Speaking to The Sun, the source added: “The hours were quite intense and the project was starting straight after her Netflix drama The Woods and she just couldn’t commit. She is dedicated to her acting career, but like all working mums has to prioritise being there for her family, juggling work, parenting and being present for Palma.”

Michelle shot to fame when in 2008 when she was cast as Tina McIntyre on Coronation Street, and stayed with the soap for seven years before making a permanent exit when the much-loved Rovers barmaid was killed off as part of a whodunnit plot. Since then, she has Michelle has become one of the most famous actresses in Britain, starring in top-rated programmes like Brassic and Ten Pound Poms.

Michelle previously starred in Fool Me Once for Netflix, which was based on Coben’s 2016 thriller, but this time round, she will play Lucy Silverfield, who helps her former partner, played by Tom Bateman. In

When the latest adaptation of The Woods was first announced, Coben said in a statement: “The Woods is a haunting and very personal story. It has everything you expect from us – twisty, turning, gasp-inducing – but at the core is a story of old love and yearning.

“Working with a cast led by Tom Bateman, Michelle Keegan, Mandeep Dhillon, Pearce Quigley, James Buckley, Tom Allen – it’s an embarrassment of riches.”

Penned by Danny Brocklehurst, the upcoming eight-part thriller begins with a mysterious disappearance 20 years ago that leaves a family devastated.

When new evidence comes to light that convinces barrister Paul ‘Cope’ Copeland (played by Bateman) his missing sister could be alive after all, he begins a relentless investigation to unearth the truth.

The Mirror has contacted Michelle’s representatives for comment

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Netflix bosses have raised UK prices for the second time this year – with the cheapest plan going up by a third

There is bad news for Netflix users after bosses raised the prices of UK subscriptions for the second time this year.

The streaming platform, which houses Stranger Things, Love Is Blind, Bridgerton, Selling Sunset and many other beloved programmes, has updated its pricing – with the cheapest rising by a third.

Customers will be given 30 days’ notice by email before the changes. Those with the standard plan with ads will now pay £7.99 a month, up from £5.99, while the advert-free option has moved from £12.99 to £13.99.

Users who have a premium plan, which allows them to add extra members and stream on more devices, will pay £20.99 from their next billing cycle, a change of £2.

For viewers who want to add an extra member for their subscription, they will have to pay £5.99 under new guidelines, up from £4.99.

This is the second time that the prices have increased this year, with previous changes being introduced in February.

A spokesperson said, via Deadline, that the changes “reflect improvements to our wide range of entertainment and the quality of our service.”

“Our approach remains the same: we continue offering a range of prices and plans to meet a variety of needs, and as we deliver more value to our members, we reinvest in quality entertainment and improve their experience by updating our prices,” the statement added.

“We know members have never had more choices in entertainment, and we’re committed to delivering an experience that meets and exceeds their expectations.”

The news was confirmed just after the second series of Guy Ritchie’s acclaimed drama, The Gentlemen, landed on the platform, with many high-profile releases still to come.

Keira Knightley will be returning in season two of Black Doves in November, while a documentary on late Friends actor Matthew Perry will hit screens at the end of October.

In recent years, original shows including Adolescence, Baby Reindeer, The Crown and Ozark have collected a string of awards. Fans have also raved about Netflix’s film slate, including Voicemails for Isabelle, Nonnas, Carry-On and Rebel Ridge.

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The brand new series shows the ‘unfiltered’ side of a well-known social media star

A beloved social media star’s new Netflix show has come under fire just hours after landing on the platform.

The streaming giant added Earle Meets World to its lengthy reality TV roster on Friday (September 4), and it has already divided viewers. The eight-part show promised to showcase influencer Alix Earle’s “unfiltered” life away from social media feeds.

A synopsis teases: “Gen-Z’s ultimate It Girl, Alix Earle, is making the next big jump in her career. Can she balance her burgeoning business empire with being that unfiltered, twenty-something, hot mess that America fell in love with? Now she’s taking her candid chaos from your FYP to TV… and nothing is off limits.”

We follow the 25-year-old as she comes to terms with her first major breakup from long-term partner Braxton Berrios, as well address her ongoing feud with podcaster Alex Cooper.

Despite her online following of over 13 million, Alix’s venture into TV has been hit with brutal reviews. One viewer took to TikTok to confess they switched off the show during its first episode, penning: “I can’t get past the first 20 minutes and I love Alix and reality shows.”

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This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.

Critics have also shared scathing verdicts, with Variety stating: “The same relatability that makes Earle a dependable brand ambassador also makes her everyday life almost painfully boring to watch, with the few juicy nuggets either overhyped, downplayed or both.”

Time agreed, writing: “If the show made a genuine effort to fulfil the 25-year-old social media star’s vow to reveal the rawest, most intimate aspects of her life, then the only reasonable conclusion to draw from it would be that there just isn’t much to see.”

Meanwhile, The Sunday Guardian published a more generous review stating: “Fans of Alix Earle will probably enjoy getting more access to her family, career and personal life”. And it seems they were spot on because Alix’s fanbase are completely hooked on the series.

“I love the show so far,” someone posted on TikTok. Another person added: “LOVING already so excited to watch more.”

A third viewer praised the show for its authentic approach to the genre, saying: “As someone that is a chronic reality TV watcher, the show is not over-produced and that has been my biggest qualm with the reality TV shows that I watch.”

Someone else admitted: “No guys I’m so invested,” and a final captivated viewer shared: “Oh they got me hook, line and sinker!”

All eight episodes of Earle Meets World are streaming now on Netflix

Love Island host Maya Jama’s mysterious role in the Gentlemen season two has been revealed.

Love Island icon Maya Jama has made her debut in The Gentlemen season two on Netflix.

A number of new faces are being welcomed into the fold of Netflix’s epic crime drama The Gentlemen season two, including Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville.

But someone who subscribers may not have been expecting to see in the eight-part second outing is Love Island presenter Maya Jama as it marks her first major scripted TV debut.

The only other acting experience that the 32-year-old has had was in a breif cameo role for Katherine Ryan’s The Duchess on Netflix six years ago.

With The Gentlemen season two now ready to binge-watch, fans are eager to find out all there is to know about Maya Jama’s role.

When does Maya Jama appear in The Gentlemen season 2?

It isn’t long before Maya Jama pops up on our screens as she features in the first episode of The Gentlemen season two.

She is mostly seen speaking to Kaya Scodelario’s Susie Glass but shows up once again in episode four.

Maya Jama’s The Gentlemen season 2 role explained

Maya Jama portrays a character named Aisha in the second season of The Gentlemen on Netflix.

She plays the wife of one of Eddie Horniman’s (played by Theo James) criminal associates, Prince Amir bin Abdullah al-Hadidi, brought to life by actor Amra Mallassi, reports the Express.

Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) describes her as a “clever girl” and “aspirational”, saying: “Looks after herself and everyone who comes within her orbit. She moved out to the Middle East five years ago to work in hospitality. Now she’s snagged herself a seat at the royal table.”

Talking about her experience shooting The Gentlemen, Jama described creator Guy Ritchie as “very personable” to Variety.

She continued: “He’s really kind and nice. He doesn’t feel as intimidating as you’d think, being who he is. He’s very personable and he would be like, ‘Yeah, you’re doing well’, and reassure me, which was really nice.

“He’s just really involved and kind of a genius to watch, because everyone’s practising their lines and then he says something that’s way better than the original. You just feel like you’re in the presence of greatness.”

The Gentlemen is available to stream on Netflix.

The drizzle cleared up as stars arrived at the Guildhall, with Vinnie Jones, Kaya Scodelario, Joely Richardson and Ray Winstone all in attendance.

When asked about the reports regarding Meghan, Jones said he’s heard “only what you have”.

But he joked: “We’ve got a lot of pretty women in this. So I’m not sure there’s room for any more.”

“Way above my pay grade,” Scodelario said, while Bonneville commented he had “no idea” if there was any truth to the rumours.

Jama, meanwhile, said as a newcomer herself to the cast, she had no tips to share with Meghan.

“Oh my God, she’s a seasoned actor. I have no advice for her. She knows what she’s doing,” added Jama.

Ritchie, who also attended the premiere, did not speak to the press. But writer and executive producer Matthew Read told BBC News they were looking forward to “bringing up more energy and surprises in series two and further on in the series”.

Not a no then, I asked.

“I just don’t think it’s right to speculate at this stage, so I wouldn’t like to say yes or no,” he added.

Guy Ritchie is back on Netflix this week with his big name cast for Season Two of hit series The Gentleman

Guy Ritchie admitted the success of his drugs thriller The Gentlemen “surprised” him and made him work even harder on the follow up series. The Gentlemen became a global success when the series launched in March 2024, having reached the global Top 10 in over 90 countries and securing the number one spot in 75. Between 2024-2025 the series generated 100 million views globally.

Speaking at a London press conference to launch the second season of The Gentlemen, Creator, Writer and Executive Producer Ritchie said: “We were quite surprised by the interest that season one provoked. And then of course the challenge is how do you keep this live and interesting.

“We have paid more attention to the second season but our principle challenge is to evoke an unpredictable but enough of the same world where we were stimulated. And the audience would feel they were given enough of something new, but a meal that they were anticipating. We are trying to thread the needle of something new and provocative and something that is also familiar enough.”

The award-winning filmmaker also discussed the difficulties of trying to come up with a story which was “new and provocative” whilst also being “familiar enough”.

“The scripts, to some degree, write themselves as characters do,” Ritchie added. “Once characters have been given a voice, it’s odd how they can unfurl their characteristics and subsequently the drama that thereby follows.”

The first season followed aristocratic Eddie Horniman, played by Theo James, who inherits the family estate and discovers that it is home to a huge weed empire. In a separate interview with other media, actor Theo was asked about the rumours of Meghan Markle making her acting comeback in Season Three, which is yet to begin filming.

“I think that is just a rumour,” Theo responded. “I don’t even know the practicalities of how one would make that happen.”

Ritchie and other cast were not asked about Meghan possible involvement at the drama’s main global press conference, despite questions being submitted on the subject.

Manda Levin, Netflix ’s scripted chief in the UK, cryptically said last week “all bets are off” when asked about Meghan.

The Gentlemen also stars Skins actress Kaya Scodelario, who plays Susie Glass. Susie teamed up in business with Eddie in the first series and is the daughter of Ray Winstone’s character Bobby Glass. On working with Winstone, 34-year-old Kaya said: “Some days I’d go home, having spent 12 hours on set honestly feeling like I’ve grown as an actor.

“Working with Ray really is a masterclass. I’ve also learned how funny and kind Ray is and that you can be both this sort of scary East End guy and also a feminist. But then Ray’s the father of three daughters so what do you expect?”

The second series begins a year on from when Eddie and Susie joined forces to work together in Bobby’s criminal empire overseas. But Bobby is making some dubious decisions which seem to be increasingly unsound and the duo have to decide what to do next.

There is also a growing tension between the pair when it comes to business.

Other cast members who attended the premiere in London’s Guildhall included Vinnie Jones, Joely Richardson, Hugh Bonneville and Chris Eubanks Jnr.

* The Gentlemen Season 2 launches September 3/today.

Raygun became a global phenomenon back in 2024, now she is speaking out in her own documentary

Netflix subscribers have said the same thing following the release of a documentary on a viral breakdancer.

Raygun, whose real name is Rachael Gunn, became a global phenomenon at the 2024 Olympics in Paris when her unconventional breakdancing routine went viral – for all the wrong reasons. Her unusual routine featured non-traditional movements including floor rolls and the now famous kangaroo hops, and she later found herself an internet meme.

After scoring zero points, the routine sparked controversy across the world, resulting in heightened mockery and online hate as she became one of the most talked about athletes of 2024.

Now, she has returned to cameras for her very own Netflix documentary titled ‘Untold: Raygun Breaking Badly’ which has today (September 1) landed on the streaming platform.

An official synopsis reads: “Nobody, least of all Rachael Gunn, expected to be an Olympian. But as Raygun’s performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics went viral overnight, so did an avalanche of memes, misinformation, and conspiracy theories questioning how she ever got there.”

Taking to Instagram, Netflix UK shared a teaser clip from the documentary as they captioned their post: “From Australian academic to global meme… Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly is now playing on Netflix!”

After landing on the streaming platform today, viewers are already having their say as opinions are divided. As some questioned “why” the documentary was released, one person penned: “There’s a Raygun documentary. That I have to watch!!! Surely there’s an interesting story behind those dances.”

Another said: “Just finished the Raygun documentary on Netflix and it is definitely a must-watch.” A third wrote: “Watching this Raygun documentary on Netflix and I’m in real tears lol Netflix the GOAT of documentaries btw but S/O to her for doing this too tho cuz [sic] she didn’t have to!”

On Instagram, one person said: “Fair play to her.” Another penned: “Just watched it. Jaw dropped to the floor all the way through. This screams Will Ferrell movie in all its aspects.”

Breakdancing, officially called breaking, made its Olympics debut in 2024. Away from the sporting event, Raygun was an academic as she has now opened up about the event that made history.

In the clip shared to social media today, Rachael can be heard saying: “Right before the Olympics, I went to my therapist, panicked. She was like ‘what’s the worst that could happen?’

“The whole world could laugh at me. She’s like ‘do you think that’s reasonable?'” She later adds: “There was this frenzy. It was this growing monster.”

Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly can be streamed on Netflix

Jared Freid remembers the moment he found his true calling in comedy.

Oddly it came after he’d already found success with his debut Netflix special “37 & Single” in 2023, which allowed him to live the stand-up dream of making it to a big streamer. But then that moment passed and the Boston-bred comic was once again starting from square one scrounging for joke ideas. That’s when he decided to dig up an old story he’d told on stage about his dad body-shaming him during a family outing in Delrey Beach, Fla.

“We’re sitting at the beach, and my dad asked me how much I weighed, and I was so mad about it,” Freid remembers. Seething at his dad for poking at his body insecurities, the comedian dealt with his emotions like any good millennial — by podcasting about it. Venting the story that took only about a minute to tell on a microphone led to more fights with his aging boomer parents soon after when they heard the episode.

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Jared Freid sits down with LA Times Entertainment Editor Nate Jackson to discuss his new Netflix hour, “The Family Plan,” which turns a beach blowup with his dad into a sharply observed, big-hearted look at boomer-millennial family warfare and reconciliation.

Scrolling back through that memory, Freid said something clicked when he thought about the alarmingly close relationship millennials still have with their parents in adulthood including still being on the family cellphone plan. “I can pay my own cellphone bill, but I’m still on their family plan,” he said. “That says something about the millennial/boomer relationship, in my opinion. We’re weirdly attached to our parents, and in a way that no other generations were tied like that, like not mushed together.”

Extending his one-minute bit into a full hour in his new Netflix special “The Family Plan” (out on Tuesday) took two and a half years of dedication polishing the story and seeing it start to resonate on tour at shows around the world. It also required him understanding that what underlies the struggles between millennials and their parents is how shockingly alike they are despite being constantly annoyed by each other. Freid now says his goal is to be a family-friendly comedian for families that usually aren’t friendly with each other but can easily agree on that fact while they laugh at jokes about themselves.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.

Your new one-hour special was inspired by a one-minute story you’ve told about a fight with your dad at the beach. You tapped into something really universal with the strife between boomer parents and their millennial children — a real tug of war for power that’s happening in a lot of people’s lives right now.

Totally, I and I feel it, especially because we can talk back to [our boomer parents] in a respectful way. We can have debates. You’re finding out your parents are just people too. I started telling people on my podcast, “Bring your parents.” This special is to be enjoyed with your family. You’d see a guy with his dad [at one of my shows], point at him and go “[Jared’s] talking about you!” That made me feel so good. I did it in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, I did it everywhere, and it was always just unbelievable how much people related to it and now it’s how I want to do comedy. This is who I am. This special means so much to me. It’s been a fight to get it out. I wanted it on a platform like Netflix because I want parents to watch it with their kids. It’s hard enough to get your parents on your Netflix account. Imagine getting them to watch a special on YouTube? They’re not going to do it. So I need this to be in a place where boomers and millennials can share it with each other and enjoy it together.

As an adult, what’s been the most interesting thing about seeing what things you picked up from your parents despite constantly arguing with them?

We’re exactly the same. We’re so alike that that’s probably why my dad’s asking me how much I weigh at the beach because I also look like him. It’s almost like an argument with yourself. I’m a version of him, and he’s a version of me. I have a lot of empathy for my parents. I’m 41, no kids, never married. They had to grow up while having a kid. I can’t understand that.

Right now there’s a lot of talk about divorcing your parents going around. I also can’t understand that for a second, because it’s not in my nature. For so many of the things that I go through in my life and feel frustrated by, [my parents] are, they’re my conscience a lot of times. Like when I wonder whether I should go right or left, I hear my mom in my head like, “You’re gonna go right? Why would you go right? You always go right. You’re lazy.” I hear them. I feel like I understand them more now, being older.

From selling life insurance in New York to headlining global tours and hit podcasts, Freid has built a devoted, largely female fan base that treats his stand-up like family therapy.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Every generation has their obstacles, and we’re constantly looking at each saying “Oh, you have it easy, no you have it easy!” But in your special, it kind of comes out that there’s obstacles for every group.

Totally. I don’t do comedy to make anyone feel bad. I do it to make people laugh and enjoy. And like it was cool to see a family would come to me to take a picture afterwards, and then the parents would be like, “We’re the boomers you’re making fun of.” I’m making fun of them, but I’m also making fun of ourselves [as millennials]. And I think it strikes a balance between the two because it does show that I love my family. I love how I grew up. I love that you know the people in my life. That doesn’t mean you can’t be totally angered by them.

Where did you cut your teeth in comedy?

I started in New York. I was selling life insurance and annuities in New York, and I was writing funny emails to friends. Any time we were on the same group email, Gmail, or G Chat it was always “what did we do last weekend, and what are we going to do this weekend?” And then you just make fun of each other. Anytime someone would write back “Oh my God, I’m dying at my desk. That made me laugh so hard,” I was like, “That that feels like drugs. How do I get that?” I started doing open mics, and I kind of treated it like grad school. I did improv, sketch, and storytelling. I took all these classes, and just to see what I liked, because I just wanted to be funny for my friends. Plus I could go to open mics at night, so you could add that in and feel forward momentum.

Being a millennial comedian right now seems very much like being stuck between two worlds of having the old model of success in comedy you learned from your idols and then you have people who are younger than you who are blowing up just by like posting a random video.

What you’re saying is completely right. Like we’d look up to these guys like Colin Quinn on his show “Tough Crowd,” that’s the table I wanted to sit at, and I wanted to hang out with those guys and bust each other’s chops, that’s what comedy is. I always could see myself at that table, but I also understood that table is kind of earned. You don’t just get to it because you’re funny. When I started, you could count the comedians on one hand that could do theaters, without being on a TV show. You know, there was like Brian Regan, Kathleen Madigan, Jim Gaffigan. These people weren’t on TV, but they had their audience, so it was very different to be a stand-up. Earthquake is in that group. Then you look at the sitcom people who get to do stand-up because they were on a sitcom, like you know Seinfeld and you know Ray Romano, and these are great stand-ups.

A millennial comic wedged between club legends and viral upstarts, Freid uses candid stories and crowd work to bridge generational divides — including in L.A.’s intimate, under-the-radar comedy rooms.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

How did podcasting allow you to grow your career in a different way?

I thought “well, I’m listening to these podcasts. I should start a podcast.” And I was downloading podcasts in 15-minute increments to my iPod Nano. I love talk radio. I grew up on WEI in Boston. I love sports, I like sports talk, I like high energy shows. At that time, I thought everyone had one, but now I look like I started early. I can do a podcast where I can speak directly to people who might want to come to my shows. I didn’t even think of ads. I wasn’t thinking of that stuff. I was just [thinking] I can talk right to someone who likes what I do, and I would team up with these websites… I was trying to do this internet stuff, understanding there was power there. I was caught between two worlds, working on my stand-up as kind of my nighttime job, and then doing these podcasts and contributing wherever I could as a daytime job.

When you started working with Betches Media through podcasting on shows like “U Up?” [with platform co-founder Jordana Abraham] it opened up a lane for you to suddenly grow a female audience in a way that seemed natural despite being out of the ordinary for most straight male comedians. What’s that been like to grow that type of audience?

It’s weirdly gratifying. It’s not what I was like angling towards. I think if I was angling towards a female audience as a stand-up, it wouldn’t work. I think that it would be a lie. I’m so happy with it. I feel really thankful because you know the [founders of] Betches [Abraham, Aleen Dreksler and Samantha Fishbein] they’re my sisters. The audience is family like when they come to shows I know them, you know, that’s like a beautiful thing and I think especially in the world of stand-up where all you hear about is like the Manosphere and the Rogan types, and a lot of stand-up comedy is men dragging a girlfriend to someone they think is funny because they get an ego puff out of showing a woman who they know is to be funny. And my shows are very different. It’s women bringing their boyfriends, women who now bring their husbands, couples coming together, and I love it.

Lastly, what cellphone family plan are you and your parents currently on?

Oh, we’re on T-Mobile. I’m getting kicked off by my dad currently.

Because you’re too famous?

Yeah, he’s like it’s getting embarrassing for him. I could pay for it myself. I just like, now I got to go to the store, I gotta go do it. It’s annoying.

A new three-part documentary series on Netflix will explore the life and struggles of Matthew Perry and feature an interview with his sister Mia Perry Bowick, along with unreleased photos and videos from the private archive of the Perry family.

“The One About Matthew Perry” will premiere on the streaming platform Oct. 27, according to an announcement by Netflix on Tuesday. The docuseries, directed and executive produced by award-winning director Mary Robertson (“Quiet on Set”), will tell the story of Perry and his journey from rising comedic star to the man behind the Emmy-nominated role of Chandler Bing on “Friends.”

“Through his many films, TV and stage performances, and his unforgettable portrayal of Chandler Bing, he made millions of us laugh, connect, and feel a little less alone,” Robertson said in a statement. “He also gave us so much more by bravely speaking about addiction. Yet the public only knew part of his story. That’s why we set out to make this series: to let the people who knew and loved Matthew reveal the person behind the public figure.”

The documentary will explore new details about Perry’s private struggles with prescription painkillers and alcohol through firsthand memories from his family and collaborators. The actor died in 2023 from acute effects of ketamine, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner. Five people were sentenced to prison for supplying Perry with the drug, including his assistant, two doctors, a former drug counselor and a drug dealer known as the “Ketamine queen.”

Perry Bowick hopes the series gives everyone who loved him an appreciation of who he truly was and the legacy he leaves behind.

“It’s taken time for me to feel ready to share these memories and what it was like to love Matthew through all the complexity of his life — to see him as a whole person, not just as Chandler, and not just as someone who struggled with addiction,” she said in a statement.

“The One About Matthew Perry” is the latest documentary about the late actor; “Matthew Perry: An American Tragedy” was released on Peacock last year. The Netflix docuseries is produced by Maxine Productions, a part of Sony Pictures Television. Lisa Kalikow, Eli Holzman and Aaron Saidman are executive producers along with Robertson, Lora Moftah is co-executive producer and Jessica Call is producer.

WITH its cobbled roads, charming streets and historic buildings, Rye is considered one of the most beautiful destinations in England.

And it’s set to make a TV appearance too as the East Sussex town was used as the backdrop in a new period TV series coming to Netflix.

Last year, Rye transformed into the fictional town of Meryton for a new television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

TV crew and cast descended on the town in September to create a time-warp setting for Jane Austen’s novel.

Actors were spotted wearing period costumes and the streets were dressed to look like the 1800s.

The Netflix series is set to be released this autumn starring Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet, and Jack Lowden as Mr Darcy.

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The town is popular with tourists thanks to its traditionally English look and has even been dubbed the ‘new Cotswolds‘ by country lifestyle experts at Welligogs.

The experts described it as having a “storybook atmosphere” filled with “antique shops and independent boutiques”.

For shopping Mermaid Street is the place to be – it was also selected as being one the prettiest streets in Britain by The Telegraph.

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

The Cotswolds has rivers running through its villages, while Rye offers a beach escape for those who want to check out the seaside instead.

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

Head of Sun Travel (Digital) Caroline McGuire 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.”

She continued: “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.”

Love Is Blind UK star Ryan has faced viewer criticism since the Netflix show aired, and he has now addressed speculation about his reasons for joining and whether he wanted to ‘boost his profile’

Everyone’s currently talking about about the latest series of Love Is Blind following its Netflix debut on August 19. Presented by celebrity duo Matt and Emma Willis, the social experiment sees British singletons dating in “pods” before getting engaged without ever laying eyes on one another.

While series 3 has now concluded its main instalments, fans can still look forward to the reunion episode, which drops on the streaming service today (August 30). From the 30 singletons who stepped into the pods, we followed six couples who emerged engaged. However, two of these pairs called it quits during the cohabitation stage.

These were Jordan and Yasmin, along with Ryan and Cuba.

The latter duo encountered difficulties after settling into a London flat together, as Ryan’s regular absences owing to work commitments and a family bereavement led to the relationship breaking down.

Cuba sensed his heart wasn’t entirely committed, and Ryan confessed his body was “resisting” the commitment. They formally ended things during episode 9, roughly a week ahead of their scheduled nuptials.

Ryan, 33, has encountered substantial online criticism since the episodes went live. Audiences have strongly condemned how the public speaker behaved towards Cuba after exiting the pods, particularly when he promptly flew off for work and subsequently claimed he required “independent alone time” to unwind away from her.

The criticism reached its height following their split scene in episode 9. After informing Cuba his “body was resisting” the commitment, Ryan bizarrely asked Cuba if she fancied any mango (she declined) before the cameras switched to Ryan aggressively and wordlessly devouring the mango.

Viewers deemed the moment peculiar and detached, sparking viral memes. Ryan has subsequently shared a TikTok (while consuming another mango) justifying his behaviour, clarifying that an entire day’s worth of intense discussions was compressed by producers into “a short, sharp focus on fruit.”

In a separate video, Ryan has now revealed why he genuinely participated in the programme, following questions about how genuine his motivations were.

Posting a reel on his Instagram account, he informed his 15,000 followers that people continuously questioned him ‘why he bothered to apply’ for the programme.

He clarified that he didn’t apply, and was instead contacted by producers, which he maintained ‘was the same for most of the guys’.

Ryan stated: “When I initially had the call, I didn’t know what Love Is Blind was, I’d never heard of it before.”

Following a producer’s explanation of the concept to him, he considered it sounded “crazy” and acknowledges he still believes it is, though he notes it ‘clearly has a track record of working’ in certain instances.

He mentioned that as he progressed through the experience, he was “very vocal about his apprehensions”, yet his “curiosity was peaking”. Ryan also revealed that when weighing up whether to appear on the show, he found himself reflecting on the role of appearance in today’s world.

“Yes, they’re important,” well to me they are anyway and I think to most people,” he said in the clip.

“We live in a very image-focused world, where most people put most of their pride and joy in how they physically appear, instead of what’s inside.”

With that in mind, he said he ‘genuinely thinks the experiment is a really interesting concept to see if you can connect and communicate with someone deeply without ever seeing him. ‘.

“That’s what really got me in,” he admitted.

Ryan described himself as “open” to getting married, because he was single. “I was so scared, but open to it,” he said.

The public speaker also hit back at suggestions he had simply signed up to the show to “boost his profile”. He retorted: “I think that most people know that when you go on a reality show, you are seen and there’s massive drawbacks and some benefits to that.

“I don’t need or want some plastic clothing contract off the back off this, that’s not what I’m about.”

Which Love Island Blind UK series 3 couples got married?

In the finale of Love Is Blind UK season 3, a record-breaking four couples successfully walked down the aisle and got married. These were Sophie and Taylor, Ciara and Ajay, Faye and Jack and Francesca and Joseph.

Nearly everyone in the pods got engaged during Season 3 of Love Is Blind: UK. Out of the 30 singles who entered the experiment, a staggering 14 couples got engaged.

This shattered a global record for the entire Netflix franchise. Because there were far too many engagements for the production team to physically follow, they had to make difficult editorial choices. As a result, viewers only saw six couples on screen.

The Love Is Blind UK Season 3 Reunion will air on Sunday, August 30 2026 on Netflix

Sammy and Jonathan were one of a number of couples whose romantic journeys were never shown on the Netflix show

Love Is Blind UK’s third season saw a record number of engagements – but only a handful were shown.

The Netflix reality dating show sees 30 singles sent on a string of blind dates in the show’s pods which are designed to prevent the contestants from ever seeing each other. The only way they can meet a potential partner face to face is if they accept a marriage proposal from them.

An unprecedented number of contestants became engaged during the latest season – 14 to be precise – though just six of those love stories were shown to viewers at home.

The show’s executive producer, Nazleen Karim, previously addressed why they cut some couples on the programme but kept following others. She explained: “When there are more engagements than we can physically follow, we have to make difficult editorial choices. We’re looking for a range of different relationship journeys and stories that together capture the full experience of the experiment.

“Not being selected isn’t a reflection of the strength of a relationship – many couples continue exploring their connection once they leave the pods.”

Now, one couple who were cut from the show revealed what happened to them afterwards, and the remarkable journey they have been on since.

Tech recruiter Jonathan, 32, and wellbeing coach and entrepreneur Sammy, 31, found a connection in the pods and became engaged, but their dates, nor that all-important proposal, were ever shown.

In a tell-all Instagram post, Sammy recounted that she asked a producer to give Jonathan her number after they were told they would not be continuing on the programme, and the pair continued to date in the real world.

Since leaving the show in August last year, they have jetted off on holiday together, met each other’s families, got a dog together named Poddy in homage to the show, and remain engaged to this day. Sammy also revealed the devastating news that the pair had suffered a silent miscarriage in June.

“We lost our baby to a silent miscarriage and honestly, we really struggled,” she shared. “Grieving whilst still living on opposite sides of the country was one of the hardest things we’ve had to face together.”

While she admitted the pair were still navigating the loss, Sammy revealed their love story still endured. She added: “We didn’t get picked to continue on Love Is Blind. At the time, that felt like the end of our story. Turns out, it was the beginning of the best bit.

“No cameras. No experiment. No guarantees. We just kept choosing each other, and now you’re finally in on the secret.”

Love Is Blind UK series three is now streaming on Netflix. A reunion special will air tomorrow night (August 30) at 9pm.

Netflix viewers have been gifted an exclusive first look at Grand Theft Auto VI

Netflix viewers have issued the same complaint just seconds into the new GTA 6 stream.

Gamers have been waiting patiently for the new Grand Theft Auto VI extended teaser, which was shown exclusively on the streaming giant on Thursday evening (August 27).

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Rockstar Games gave Netflix viewers an early glimpse at the gameplay months before its launch this November. The new game will see main characters Jason and Lucia forced to rely on each other “more than ever”.

A synopsis teases: “Jason and Lucia have always known the deck is stacked against them. But when an easy score goes wrong, they find themselves on the darkest side of the sunniest place in America, in the middle of a criminal conspiracy stretching across the state of Leonida – forced to rely on each other more than ever if they want to make it out alive.”

While fans were counting down the days until the extended look finally dropped, many were left baffled when Netflix crashed just as they were trying to tune in.

Upon clicking on the 26-minute episode, viewers immediately received an error message that read “something went wrong”.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, one fan complained: “NETFLIX WHAT THE F***, ITS NOT EVEN BEEN 1 SECOND.”

Another added: “Why was Netflix not ready for this?? They should’ve known that GTA would crash their app.”

Someone else chimed in with: “What’s up #Netflix? We are up for #gtavi extended look but you’re down!”

But other gamers have been more struck by just how “gorgeous” the gameplay looks. One fan confessed: “Nah I’m blown away. #gta6.”

Someone else shared their excitement, commenting: “There isn’t another game in existence that looks graphically as good as #GTAVI #GTA6. Wow.”

And a final fan raved: “I’m literally smiling ear to ear right now. #GTAVI #ExtendedLook.”

The sixth GTA iteration comes 13 years after Grand Theft Auto V debuted, making it a hugely anticipated launch. Grand Theft Auto VI is set to arrive for PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X|S on November 19.

Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look is available to stream on Netflix

The competition will air live on the streaming platform and there is a huge cash prize at stake.

Fans of tense competitions are in for a treat as Netflix has announced a new show with a life-changing cash prize.

Netflix has unveiled an intense competition that could see one person win £501,000, with none other than Richard Osman and Gary Lineker at the helm. The show is a “high-stakes” darts competition that will see amateurs go up against the world number one, Luke Littler.

Beat Luke Littler is the name of the Netflix show in question, and it offers people one chance to win one perfect leg of 501, earning them the £501,000 prize if they are able to beat the 19-year-old champion.

A nationwide hunt to find the 20 competitors brave enough to take on the challenge has opened, with regional heats due to be held in Manchester and London in September. The show will air live on Netflix on October 30, with Lineker as host and Osman as the expert analyst.

Darts prodigy Luke ‘The Nuke became the youngest world champion in the sport’s history at just 17 years old. A two-time PDC player of the year, he was recently named in TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 list. He featured in the Netflix sports documentary series Matchroom: The Greatest Showmen and appeared as a guest on The Rest Is Football.

The show marks Lineker’s return to live sport following his departure from the BBC last year. He shared in a statement: “I am delighted to be deepening my relationship with Netflix after such a brilliant experience with The Rest Is Football at the World Cup, and Beat Luke Littler feels like exactly the kind of unpredictable, live event television that gets me excited – I cannot wait to see who fancies their chances.”

Osman, who will star in a role similar to that on Pointless, said: “As a huge darts fan, and proud owner of a signed photo of Jocky Wilson, I couldn’t be more excited to join the amazing Beat Luke Littler live show.

“He’s the greatest player in the world. But 20 legs in a row? I honestly think someone is going to win that £501k. It’s going to be an incredible night.” Littler will be asked to play 20 separate legs against the 20 different opponents, meaning each qualifier only needs one successful leg to beat him.

However, this will still be a huge challenge given the level Littler has reached in 2026. The 19-year-old has won every PDC major staged so far this year, according to dartsnews.com, retaining both the World Championship and World Matchplay, and his Blackpool title came with a record-breaking 111.04 tournament average.

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He teased to Netflix’s Tudum: “Everyone thinks they can beat me. Now they get a chance to prove it.” Fans have taken to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts on the concept and the interesting choice of experts. One joked: “That classic darts expert… Richard Osman.” Another quipped: “So Lineker buys a dartboard for the Rest Is Football studio and is now hosting darts shows? Come on.”

To watch Beat Luke Littler, viewers just need an active Netflix subscription. Once signed in, they will just need to select the Beat Luke Littler stream to tune in.

Beat Luke Littler arrives on Netflix on October 30

Kate Winslet and Maxine Peake staring in Netflix drama in one of many new shows.

Kate Winslet will team up with Maxine Peake to play two sisters on the run in new Netflix drama The Unheard.

The five part series was announced at the Edinburgh TV Festival and has been written by Jack Thorne who co-wrote the critically acclaimed Adolescence for Netflix.

Teasing the series Anne Mensah VP of content UK on Netflix said: “Maxim Peake and Kate Winslet are coming to join us in The Unheard. It is the best script with the best talent, we couldn’t be more happy about it.”

The two sisters, played by Winslet and Peake, go on the run “after an act of vengeance goes wrong”.

Netflix bosses have also signed up Gary Lineker and Richard Osman to be involved in live darts show Beat Luke Littler.

Lineker will host with Osman helping with stats as World Champion Littler takes on 20 top amateurs. If anyone can beat him over a leg they will take home £501,000.

In 2027, there will also be two stand alone series from the world of hit drama Top Boy which ended in 2023. Barry Keoghan is reprising his role as Jonny in five part series ‘Jonny Boy’. And ‘Jaq’ will be a new series centered on the character of Jaq with Jasmine Jobson set to return.

Jig, is a new six part mockumentary comedy series from Derry Girls Creator Lisa McGee. It is set in the high-stakes world of competitive Irish dancing, will shoot in Northern Ireland next year.

Netflix will also go into the world of Roald Dahl with a new series based on the author’s short stories for adults. The cast for the untitled drama includes ‘Bridgerton’ star Nicola Coughlan, ‘The Crown’s Imelda Staunton, and ‘The Wire’ actor Dominic West with filming beginning in Manchester this month.

Writer Danny Brocklehurst said: “The short stories of Roald Dahl were what first made me want to become a writer. His enthralling, macabre and always unexpected tales gave life to vibrant, larger than life characters like The Landlady, Mister Boggis and the mysterious Fingersmith. To be given the chance to bring these characters to life in a contemporary setting is a dream come true. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be partnering with Orchid Pictures, Netflix and this outstanding cast.”

And Bella Mackie’s bestselling novel How To Kill Your Family is being made into a Netflix series with a cast which includes Clive Owen, Orlando Norman and Anya Taylor Joy.

Mensah added: “In the amazingly competitive UK landscape, it’s not good enough to be just ok. You need to swing for exceptional.

“Across drama, comedy, entertainment, live and factual programming, our slate underscores the risks we are happy to take and the extraordinary UK creativity we are proud to champion. Bring on 2027, we can’t wait.”

She would not be drawn on the Duchess of Sussex appearing in The Gentlemen series three, saying: “Everybody has talked about it, I am boring by comparison.”

Pushed on Megan’s possible appearance, Manda Levin, director of scripted series added: “All bets are off.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

LONDON — Prince Harry and his wife Meghan arrived in the United Kingdom on Wednesday, as they make a fresh start in Britain after six years in the United States, U.K. media reported.

The news comes less than a week after the couple surprised fans and critics alike with plans to return to Britain. The return was reported by media such as the BBC and the Daily Telegraph, with the newspaper reporting that their plane landed at Birmingham International Airport around noon.

Flight tracking websites showed a private charter flight from Van Nuys, arrived at the airport at 11:56 a.m.

The couple’s children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, have already enrolled at British schools and will start classes in September. The family plans to live at a private, nonroyal residence outside of London, but haven’t said exactly where that will be.

Harry and Meghan gave up their royal duties and moved to California more than six years ago to earn their living through lucrative contracts with Netflix and Spotify.

Relations with the rest of the royal family quickly soured as the couple said palace staff had been insensitive to Meghan’s mental health and leveled charges of racism and media manipulation at members of the royal family.

Harry recently expressed an interest in reconciliation so he could spend more time with his father, King Charles III, who is being treated for an undisclosed form of cancer. But relations with his brother, Prince William, who is heir to the throne, remain tense.

Jack Tucker descends from the rafters inside L.A.’s Montalbán Theatre like a kamikaze crash landing into his big moment. He’s flanked by fountain fireworks while a buff guitarist with a blond mullet and glittery spandex shorts wails on guitar to the tune of Lenny Kravitz’s cover of “American Woman.” With the garish gusto of a WWE wrestler, Tucker’s entrance as the ringleader of the show “Stamptown” electrifies the stage.

But the show truly starts when it falls apart with technical mishaps. Everything breaks, guns go off, an illusionist loses his clothes and jumps fully nude into the crowd — all within the first five minutes.

It’s a chaotic comedy world created by classically trained performers, including clowns, who’ve studied the art of physical humor and shredded the rule book. For more than 10 years the Stamptown troupe led by Tucker, the alter ego of comedian Zach Zucker, has created an insane asylum on stage — from Elysian Theater in Echo Park to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. The show’s comedy thrives on failure, interruption and never actually getting to the “script.” This week the madness leaps from the stage to the screen as Stamptown premieres its first Netflix special Tuesday.

“This is a lot of people’s first time being exposed to this,” Zucker said, cracking a mischievous smile while sitting in a red velvet chair inside the empty Elysian Theater where his crew has performed “Stamptown” for years. “I have seen a man light his penis on fire 45 times in my show. I forget that when it comes to comedy, most people are used to seeing a person with one microphone stand still and talk.”

Filmed over the course of three performances during Netflix Is a Joke Fest in May, the spliced together “Stamptown” special directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg and edited by show co-creator Dylan Woodley captures the chaos of clowning mixed with a cerebral roast of traditional comedy and plenty of playful danger. The result isn’t a piece of art but rather “a pile of art,” Zucker said.

“Our strength is being a ‘you gotta see it to believe it’ type of performance, but if I really had to boil it down, it’s a modern day vaudevillian variety show that features any and all alternative performances … our ethos is, ‘against all odds, this show works,’ ” Zucker said.

Zach Zucker tosses props in the air inside the Elysian Theater.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

On a recent afternoon, the lanky, mustachioed Zucker, wearing a T-shirt, ballcap and small hoop earrings, bears little resemblance to his comic alter ego who sports a tattered suit with gag props stuffed in every pocket. In real life, the New York native is a former baseball and basketball star athlete who went down an extremely different path to become “a bisexual traveling clown.” After enrolling in what he assumed would be an easy acting class during his senior year of high school, Zucker became obsessed with improv and comedy. His teacher advised him to check out the renowned improv troupe Second City. So he flew to Chicago to see the show “Spoiler Alert: Everybody Dies” featuring Tim Robinson, Sam Richardson, Timothy Edward Mason and more. “It changed my life,” he said.

After taking up comedy classes and street performances on the East Coast, Zucker quickly transitioned to working in theater and eventually moved to L.A. at 18 to pursue comedy, interning at Upright Citizens Brigade. He scrubbed toilets in exchange for free improv classes. It was at UCB where he first crossed paths with celebrated clown teacher Philippe Gaulier, whose former students include Sacha Baron Cohen, Rachel Weisz and Geoffrey Rush. The wily, frizzy-haired Frenchman with red-framed spectacles taught Zucker everything he knows about clowning.

“Our strength is being a ‘you gotta see it to believe it’ type of performance, but if I really had to boil it down, it’s a modern day vaudevillian variety show that features any and all alternative performances … our ethos is, ‘against all odds, this show works,’” Zach Zucker said.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

“Philippe is by far my greatest influence,” Zucker said. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about him or that I’m not actively implementing all the lessons he taught me as a man and as an artist.”

One of those lessons became the ethos of “Stamptown”: “If you’re having fun, maybe we like you. If you’re not having fun, for sure we hate you.”

Inspired by his wisdom, Zucker moved to France for two years to study with Gaulier. It was there that he met his future “Stamptown” collaborator Jonny Woolley, a Canadian performer who became the show’s sound tech, adding to the menagerie of aural mayhem through sound effects that punctuate the show’s every move.

“There’s a lot of different ways of approaching clowning, but ultimately, for us, it’s more of a philosophical approach to making art than it is like a rigorous set of rules or styles. It’s just being a lovable idiot,” Woolley said.

The name “Stamptown” is a tribute to the place where they learned their artform: the town of Estampes (which loosely translates to “Stamp”) in France where they studied with Gaulier, who died this year before the special was filmed.

Though he‘s known for his offbeat humor, Zucker’s brain is firing on a perpetual metronome. He’s snapping his fingers incessantly during our interview while describing the comedic timing of each show, which grooves like a jazz band on stage.

”Sometimes there’s a few different rhythms that I’m balancing at once. I can really zone in on what is the most fruitful at the moment while still keeping these other balls in the air,” he said. “Thankfully we’re not always pushing a message. Sometimes it is just about entertaining the crowd at all costs.”

Before “Stamptown,” Zucker was performing with Norwegian friend and fellow clown Viggo Venn as “Zach & Viggo,” a side act in the original variety show Zucker started with his friends in 2017 in Melbourne called “Midnight Madness” that eventually turned into “Stamptown.”

Working with Venn, Woolley and Woodley, Zucker devised the show to include a rotating cast of clowns, and comedic performers from around the world, including L.A. Staples in the local clown community include the slapstick of clown kingpin Chad Damiani playing a janitor, comedic actor Natalie Palamides as a comedy nepo fetus birthed by Riki Lindhome of “Garfunkel and Oates” and the riotously robotic gyrations of Courtney Pauroso as fembot temptress Vanessa 5000.

“‘Stamptown’ is extraordinary; it’s finely calculated nonsense,” said actor Neil Patrick Harris, a longtime friend and supporter of Zucker who appears on the Netflix special, in a statement to The Times. “Each performance is unique — stand-ups colliding with circus artists, and improvisers swapping talents and fluids, even the stagehands’ utter chaos and running gags, a ridiculous fever dream … it’s absurdly genius.”

The international performers who have become part of the “Stamptown” universe run the gamut from jugglers to steel drum players to acrobats to pianists. Trans comedian Jordan Gray is extremely unafraid to bare it all, including her soul, when behind the piano. The physicality of the performances goes beyond regional references and punchlines that might get some laughs in one country but not in others. Venn says it’s clear that at their core people tend to share the same sense of humor.

“It was fascinating to us to see that in Australia and France and England and the U.S., they really laugh at the same things if it’s like a deeply human kind of failure,” Venn said. “That’s the beauty of this show.”

Zach Zucker sits inside the Elysian Theater in Los Angeles.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

A tangled web of masterfully timed sound effects has unintentionally become the heartbeat of “Stamptown” . With Woolley now living full time in London, the duties for the U.S. shows were recently passed down to fellow performer Jeremy Elder, who did the sounds for the Netflix special tapings. He says the show is at its best when they throw out the game plan for the night, even while filming for Netflix.

“I think it’s as soon as we went off script, the audience could feel that. In the final product, we planned so much, but once you’re in the room with people it’s a very clown-like sentiment to just roll with what the audience is feeling,” Elder said.

While traditional stand-up is Netflix’s bread and butter for comedy programming, this form of comedy is mostly a target for mockery in “Stamptown” to show how limiting it is compared with the physical comedy of clowning. The one caveat, Zucker says — a clown is by far the most embarrassing brand of comedian you can be.

“It’s not cool, you don’t do this to be cool,” he said, laughing. “The whole point is that with all the love and fantasy and pleasure of your life, you have to step in a bucket of s— over and over and over and enjoy it. ‘Isn’t it awesome how I humiliate myself for you?’ And you embrace it.”

The Gentlemen’s future “felt inevitable”, according to director Guy Ritchie.

Netflix is finally bringing back The Gentlemen and teasing an even darker side of Eddie Halstead.

More than two years ago, The Gentlemen on Netflix became a global phenomenon, attracting more than 100 million views worldwide and reaching the number one spot in 75 countries.

Now, once again back for eight more action-packed episodes, The Gentlemen season two is set to premiere on Thursday, September 3, on Netflix.

And just to give a little taste of what’s to come, the streamer has released the official trailer and this time, Eddie Halstead (played by Theo James) is biting back.

It begins with him telling Geoff Seacombe (Vinnie Jones): “Four hundred years ago, this estate spread out as far as the eye can see. I want it all back.”

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It doesn’t take long for the The Gentlemen season two teaser to welcome newcomer Hugh Bonneville into the fold as Eddie asks for his help to “decriminalise marijuana”.

Elsewhere, Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) shares her concerns that “The Duke” is evolving into “something volatile”, with a follow-up clip showing Eddie strangling someone.

But the trailer really escalates when, after Bobby Glass (Ray Winstone) calls him a “snake”, Eddie unexpectedly screams in his face: “Don’t you f*****g talk to me like that!”, leaving everyone stunned.

Clearly excited to see what’s to come, one YouTuber user commented: “When the world needed The Gentlemen most, they returned.”

Someone else exclaimed: “Guy Ritchie masterpiece”, as another added: “I know this is going to be epic”, a third pleaded: “Please give us four more plus seasons. Guy Ritchie is the goat.”

Thankfully, the viewers have got their wish as on top of releasing the new series two trailer, Netflix has confirmed that The Gentlemen has already been renewed for season three.

Addressing the good news, Ritchie remarked: “The ambition of The Gentlemen has accelerated, the world has expanded and the consequences carry weight. A third season felt inevitable, and I’m looking forward to pushing the boundaries of it further.”

As of yet, no further details of The Gentlemen season three have been released but given that series two hasn’t even dropped yet, it is still very early days.

Nevertheless, a teaser for what’s coming up has been confirmed by its official synopsis: “It’s been one year since Eddie and Susie joined forces to work together in Bobby’s criminal empire overseas.

“As they drive to expand their enterprise, the decisions Bobby is making seem to be increasingly unsound. Now Eddie and Susie must decide whether to take action or risk losing it all, but unfettered ambition never ends well…”

On top of Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville joining the cast, The Gentlemen season two will welcome Dune’s Benjamin Clementine, The Housemaid star Michele Morrone and Love Island icon Maya Jama.

The Gentlemen season two premieres on Thursday, September 3, on Netflix.