Elle Fanning as Thia and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as DekCredit: PA
WHAT happens when the hunter becomes the hunted? That’s the question in this latest outing for the marauding monster franchise.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
And for the first time it’s a Predator and not a person who is our protagonist.
This fundamental plot twist takes the action into pure sci-fi territory, too.
While Badlands still has a cat-and-mouse chase at its core, director Dan Trachtenberg disposes of the previous man versus masked extraterrestrials that glued together all predecessors.
And not a single human lifeform features in this script.
Forget Predator’s 1980s roots, which saw Arnold Schwarzenegger battling other-worldly beings in the jungle.
Decent curveball
Here an epic 22-minute opening explainer sees our lead Predator — young Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) — witness the murder of his brother Kwei by their Yautja father.
Cast out from his clan he takes flight to a far-flung planet with the intention of hunting down and slaying the gigantic apex hunter known as the Kalisk.
As well as this mutinous adversary, poisonous plants that can paralyse and lethal grass made of razor blades, here Dek also encounters Thia (Elle Fanning) — a Weyland-Yutani android left hanging from a tree after the Kalisk cut off her legs.
This becomes Dek’s cyborg-in-crime as they help each other across the Badlands with the aim of taking out their mutual target.
Thia’s spoken sentences after an awful lot of subtitled (uncannily Dutch-sounding) Yautja language are a welcome relief.
There’s an unexpected amount of humour too, mostly centred on an additional cute critter travelling companion called Bud.
But amusing segues aside, the idea that everyone is doggedly hunting something does still stand.
The Kalisk and Thia’s evil android twin Tessa are intent on trying to capture Dek, which enables all the heavyweight stand-off set pieces you could hope for.
The graphics are consistently excellent and there’s a decent curveball at the end to leave the door to the next instalment open.
Predator fans may feel dissatisfied by just how far-removed Badlands has travelled from the original.
But doing so does pave the way for some unadulterated futuristic action that can be enjoyed entirely on its own merits, and by a whole new audience.
ANEMONE
(15) 126 mins
★★☆☆☆
Day-Lewis plays Ray alongside his estranged brother (Sean Bean)Credit: PA
DANIEL DAY-LEWIS makes his big-screen return after seven years in this movie directed by his son Ronan.
On paper, that reunion sounds moving. In practice, the film feels heavy, distant and difficult to connect with.
It’s set in the late 1980s on a grey northern coast, and the movie commits fully to that gloom, as every scene reminds of the weight of past burdens the characters still carry.
Day-Lewis plays Ray, a recluse who has cut himself off from almost everyone.
His estranged brother (Sean Bean), seeks to bridge the gap, bringing with him long-buried resentment and unfinished conversations.
The performances themselves are strong, especially from Day-Lewis, who can still command a screen with the smallest gesture.
But the script – written by the actor and his director son – rarely gives the audience room to breathe.
Silence stretches on, metaphors pile up, and the film’s symbolism grows so thick it begins to feel jarring.
There are flashes of genius – a confrontation here, a quiet confession there – but the slow, sombre bits in between offer little or no reward.
The film wants to be profound about pain passed between generations, yet its emotional impact gets lost in its own seriousness.
LINDA MARRIC
THE CHORAL
(12A) 113mins
★★★★☆
Ralph Fiennes is superb as choirmaster Dr GuthrieCredit: PA
YORKSHIRE royalty, writer Alan Bennett, is the recognisable voice behind the script of this feelgood World War One drama.
Set in his native God’s Own Country and with a stunning scenic backdrop, the movie is laced with Bennett’s trademark dry comedy and explores the hope and the horror of wartime Britain through the members of a local community choir.
Ralph Fiennes – superb as choirmaster Dr Guthrie – is brought in to help raise the roof for the ensemble’s annual performance.
Here he heads up a comforting cast of acting heavyweights including Mill owner Duxbury (Roger Allum), pianist Horner (Robert Emms) and Simon Russell Beale as the composer Elgar.
Initially regarded with suspicion thanks to pre-war years spent living in Germany and his fondness for reading naval pages (aka relationships with men) Dr Guthrie soon galvanises his motley mixed generational gang of voices, all dealing in their own way with consequences of war.
Lofty (Oliver Briscombe) and cheeky-chappy pal Ellis (Taylor Uttley) are about to be conscripted, others are grieving those who will not return.
THERE are plenty of quirky places in the US, but did you know that one state has its very own miniature England?
It even has its own piece of the capital there as the original London Bridge was bought and reconstructed over the Bridgewater Channel Canal in Arizona.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
The village has red telephone boxes and little English-looking shopsCredit: Go Lake Havasu Visitor CenterThe English Village is on the outskirts of the original London BridgeCredit: Alamy
You’ll find all this in Lake Havasu City three hours outside of Phoenix, where there’s a miniature England, and it’s literally called ‘The English Village’.
The resort was built when the actual London Bridge was brought over from the UK.
Back in the 1830s, London Bridge was constructed in the UK. But years later in the 1960s, it was deemed unsuitable for modern traffic.
In 1968, London Bridge was bought by American entrepreneur Robert P. McCulloch.
He had the exterior granite blocks from the original bridge cut and transported to the United States to construct a new bridge in Lake Havasu.
Robert was actually the founder or Lake Havasu City, and its English village tourist attraction was built in 1971 – to coincide with the instillation of London Bridge.
It wasn’t just the original bridge that made it across the water. Vintage lamps on the bridge are made from the melted-down cannons of Napoleon Bonaparte’s army.
The bridge has been used for movies too like Bridge Across Time also known as Terror at London Bridge, and Day of the Wolves.
The English Village was built like a Hollywood set with pretty shop fronts, all made to look quintessentially English.
The village even has a vintage gate from an English castle, and there are red telephone boxes scattered about.
In the middle is a fountain which is surrounded by four lion statues which strikes a resemblance to the one you’ll find in Trafalgar Square.
In previous years there were costume paradesCredit: AlamyThere’s even a fish and chip shop underneath London BridgeCredit: Alamy
It was anchored by Hog in Armour Pub and City of London Arms Restaurant and a cinema was later added – but sadly these have since changed.
One restaurant there today is The Chair which looks out at London Bridge and the village’s fountain which serves the British classic, fish and chips.
There’s also a pizza restaurant called Papa Leone’s Pizza as well as an ice cream parlour and fish and chip shop under London Bridge.
With average summer highs of 33C in Arizona, there’s plenty of outdoor seating and lots of boat tours along the canal.
In the middle of the village is a fountain surrounded by lionsCredit: AlamyIt has a resemblance to the one in Trafalgar Square – just a lot smallerCredit: Alamy
On Tripadvisor, one visitor wrote: “It’s iconic, it’s London Bridge. A great job has been done in integrating a piece of England into the desert 5000 miles away, in it is almost seamless.”
Another commented “Authentic fish and chips offered at a nearby restaurant and a bit of English kitsch”.
At Christmas, the area around London Bridge, including The English Village, is decorated for Christmas.
The area is lit up for the yearlyFestival of Lightswith one of the main events being theHoliday Boat Parade of Lightswhich takes place on the water under the bridge.
ONE of the world’s most luxurious trains is set to return in 2027.
The Orient Express – often known for being the site of the Poirot’s most famous fictional case – went out of operation 16 years ago.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
The Orient Express is returning 16 years after it stopped runningCredit: Orient Express/ Alixe LayThe train features 17 original carriages that have been refurbishedCredit: Orient Express/ Alixe LayEach carriage still features an art deco design, just like the train from the 1920sCredit: Orient Express/ Alixe Lay
But now, it is set for a comeback.
The train will relaunch in 2027, using 17 original carriages from the 1920s which were previously lost before a team of historians tracked them down and refurbished them.
Inside each carriage, there will be the same Art Deco elements experienced in the 1920s.
As for the bedrooms, each will have a double bed and feature a Cartier clock.
In the Bar Car, passengers will have a vaulted ceiling with original pieces recovered from the Nostalgie-Istanbul Orient Express.
There are also large windows for passengers to watch the landscape whizz by.
In the Dining Car, there is a mirrored ceiling that features several arches.
Armchairs offer comfier spots to eat and watch chefs at work behind a large glass wall.
As for The Suites, guests can enjoy rail motifs and opulent features, such as dark wood and a leather wall.
In the daytime, there will be a sofa for guests to relax on, then there will be ‘the Great Transformation’ in the evening, which is when the cabin will be changed into the ‘night’ room configuration.
Each suite also has a bathroom with sliding doors and a dressing room.
For the ultimate luxury, passengers can book the Presidential Suite, which occupies an entire car with its own living room, bedroom and bathroom.
Ticket fares are yet to be announced, but it is more than likely it will be a small fortune.
On its website, The Orient Express states: “The Orient Express will invite travelers to relive the legend aboard 17 original Orient Express carsdating back to the 1920s and 1930s, adorned with exceptional décor – a set of cars formerly known as the ‘Nostalgie-Istanbul-Orient-Express’.”
The new service launching next year follows the relaunch of the Orient Express brand which saw its La Dolce Vita Orient Express train head off on its first journey this year.
In each cabin, there is a double bed and a Cartier clockCredit: Orient Express/ Alixe LayThe train has a dining car and a bar as wellCredit: Orient Express/ Alixe Lay
The brand is owned by Accor, Europe‘s largest hospitality company, and has also launched its first hotel called La Minerva, which can be found in Rome, Italy.
There are also plans to open a second site in Venice, in April 2026.
The Orient Express used to be loved and used by the upper classes and operated between Istanbul and Paris from 1883 to 2009.
THE original line-up of Five have finally stepped back on stage for the first time in 25 years.
Eight months since they announced their comeback in Bizarre, fans swarmed to the Utilita Arena in Cardiff.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
Five have finally stepped back on stage for the first time in 25 yearsFive performing on stage during the opening night of their reunion tour at Utilita Arena in CardiffCredit: Ben Birchall/PA Wire
Five hours before kick-off, I joined Abz Love, Jason “J” Brown, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson and Sean Conlon as they flitted between agony and ecstasy backstage . . .
Sipping an Asahi 00, Scott says with a laugh: “I’m a nervous wreck,” just as Ritchie brings me a handmade lucky charm from a fan who has flown all the way from China.
He says: “Do you want to have a hold of my ball?”
J adds: “He’s flown over from China. It’s taken him 15 hours. He’s taken two weeks off work and he’s seeing six shows.
“He’s renamed himself J and he gave us all these lovely gifts. He made that ball himself.
“And he’s got silk scarves for us all too. He embroidered them all himself. It’s a really nice touch.”
Telling me the ball is a symbol of good luck, Abz interjects and jokes: “Or he’s cursed them and we’re all f***ed.”
‘Getting shirty’
But they most certainly are not. As Five walk on stage to deafening screams later in the evening, they are slick, solid and on song.
The set begins with a bang, with the lads emerging from a haze of smoke before they burst into Slam Dunk (Da Funk) and Got The Feelin’.
For a band who last performed together two decades ago, they’ve not lost their chemistry.
Recalling the run-up to the first night, Ritchie explains: “The rehearsals had all gone great but two days ago, I was a wreck.
“As it went on, for the first time we had a couple of moments where we were getting shirty with each other.
“We all had to just step back and say, ‘Let’s just really look at the situation with 48 hours to go until the first gig.
“Let’s just acknowledge that whatever level of stress you think you’re at, you’re actually probably a little bit more’.
“We just worked to get through it all.”
The screams of fans — including a woman holding up a message that reads: “Get your tops off” — never subside as they whip through their back catalogue. Their rendition of 1998 track When the Lights Go Out proves emotional.
Fans who were looking forward to seeing the proper Nineties choreography got a treat.
It’s clear the lads have worked hard to get to this point.
“We’ve actually got new routines,” J says with a smile.
Scott adds: “The old moves didn’t come back immediately but there was some muscle memory there.
“Paul Domaine, our choreographer, he’s less spiky than he was in the Nineties.”
Abz jokes: “We’re better behaved now,” before J adds: “We’re better than we were before, but we’re not giving the behaviour of fully grown men with kids at nearly 50 years of age.”
Ritchie adds: “He was dealing with naughty school kids but now at least we’re applying ourselves a bit.”
Sitting in the underbelly of the arena, Five are physically and mentally in the best place they’ve ever been.
“We’ve been saying to everyone that we’re going to do the best tour ever,” Scott tells me.
“We said we would bring it all: the vocals, the dance moves. We weren’t just saying it though. We believed it.”
Sean adds: “It is 100 percent the best show we have ever done. Better than anything in the Nineties.
“It’s like everything’s been delayed to get to this point. It’s been 25 years. It’s meant to be.”
Scott says: “My wife Kerry is here with my twin girls.
“They’ve never seen us perform as a five-piece in their lives.
“On the journey up here, one of my girls sent me a message and I let the boys read it. I couldn’t do it because I kept crying.
“She said how proud she was of me. She’s 11 years old. I thought, ‘This is going to be epic’.
“All I know is that I am going to be crying my eyes out.”
The atmosphere rocks up a notch with Let’s Dance and Everybody Get Up, before Five knock through a medley of House Of Pain’s Jump Around, Place Your Hands by Reef and Daft Punk’s Get Lucky.
A final encore of Keep On Movin’ closes a history-making first night and Five are grinning like Cheshire cats.
On stage, Sean takes a moment to reflect and turns to his bandmates as he says: “We are lucky guys.”
As the band rallies round him, he adds: “I just wanted to say, I did not expect that so many years on it would mean so much to so many people.”
The Sun’s Ellie Henman with the boybandCredit: SuppliedThe band’s Keep On Movin’ 2025 tour posterCredit: Supplied
She was certainly more treat than trick in bright-red lippy and iconic Jean Paul Gaultier-style cone bra, just like the pop superstar on her Blond Ambition tour from 1990.
Ashley Roberts looked the double of Madonna in this Halloween outfitCredit: instagram/ashleyrobertsPopstar Madonna on her Blond Ambition tour from 1990Credit: Getty
It comes as Ashley’s former bandmate Nicole Scherzinger teased “possibilities” for the group, after settling a legal dispute with the group’s founder Robin Antin, which derailed their planned 2020 arena tour.
Nicole told LA Times: “Our lawsuit is settled. That should have never happened. That was an unfortunate mistake on someone’s part – not mine.
“However, time heals things, and grace is always beautiful in life. I’m very positive and, dare I say, excited for the possibilities to come on the horizon.”
The actress, who played Whitney Dean in the soap from 2008 to 2024, has today dropped her debut single Unapologetically Me in a bid to make a name as a powerhouse vocalist.
EastEnders star Shona McGarty is kicking off a music careerCredit: Rex
The track was co-written and produced by hitmaker Steve Anderson.
Shona said: “I wrote Unapologetically Me as a reminder to myself, and to anyone who’s ever felt pressure to be someone they’re not – that it’s OK to simply be who you are.
“Having spent years in the public eye, surrounded by glitz, glam, and expectation, I’ve often felt the need to play a character, to present a polished version of myself that fits what people want to see.
“But beneath all that, I’m just human. I’m silly, sensitive, strong, and imperfect, and that’s OK.”
Freya returns as Wicker Woman
FREYA RIDINGS is pulling no punches on comeback single Wicker Woman – the first taste of her third album that’s coming out in 2026.
The English singer-songwriter, who posed in this striking and spooky black dress, said of the song that is released today: “It’s an unashamed, euphoric celebration of reclaiming primal feminine power, a return to the core of who we are, and an ode to the forgotten women and gods who came before us.”
Freya Ridings is pulling no punches on comeback single Wicker WomanCredit: Bartek Szmigulski
Mika is also making a return today with his single Modern Times, ahead of an arena tour next spring, and Jessie J releases H.A.P.P.Y.
British boyband ABSNT MIND have put out their latest single Stitch and fresh from winning over a new fanbase on The Celebrity Traitors, Cat Burns has dropped her second album, How To Be Human.
Lily on tour
LILY ALLEN will perform her new album West End Girl in its entirety on a 13-date UK tour next year.
She will hit the road for the first time since 2019, kicking off at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall on March 2.
Tickets go on sale from 10am next Friday.
KT’s got eye on Prada 2
SOMEHOW it has been 20 years since KT Tunstall broke on to the scene with her debut album Eye To The Telescope.
The record peaked at No3 in the UK charts and spawned a series of hits including Black Horse And The Cherry Tree, Other Side Of The World and Suddenly I See, which featured in 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada.
It has been 20 years since KT Tunstall released debut album Eye To The TelescopeCredit: Supplied
Now with Devil Wears Prada 2 set for release in 2026, KT is back in the studio working on a follow-up track which she hopes film bosses will use in a full-circle moment.
KT told Bizarre: “I would love them to use Suddenly I See, but I think they will want to move it on.
“I am writing a song to pitch to them as it’s the 20th anniversary of that too and they are using the same cast.
“I am coming up with a sequel. Who knows if they will be interested but I am going to give it a shot.”
She has today released a special 20th anniversary edition of Eye To The Telescope featuring a series of new tracks including Anything At All – which sees KT duet with her younger self.
She said: “It was so weird. I’m listening to this young woman who hasn’t had a record out yet.”
The never-before-heard title track is also on there.
She added: “I’d only written the verse and chorus and then I abandoned it.
“But the record label said, ‘Why don’t you finish that song?’ It was difficult as I couldn’t really get myself back to what I was thinking at the time. It’s really cool it has taken 20 years to write the song.”
Promising hint
FLEETWOOD MAC greats Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks have given a promising hint that the band will reunite for the 50th anniversary of their album Rumours.
The former couple had a huge fallout in 2018 but have revealed they are now back in touch after re-releasing their 1973 joint album Buckingham Nicks – so they really could come back together for the band.
The pair were interviewed separately about the making of the record, for the podcast Song Exploder.
But proving they are back in touch, Stevie said on the episode: “Lindsey and I started talking about it last night. This whole thing seems really like yesterday to us.”
Diane Keaton, the actor who made film history — and won an Oscar — as the title character in Woody Allen’s beloved 1977 romantic comedy “Annie Hall,” died Saturday. She was 79. Tributes poured in from those who worked with and admired Keaton, including Bette Midler, Kate Hudson, Steve Martin and Josh Gad.
Here are some notable social media posts:
For the record:
8:42 p.m. Oct. 11, 2025An earlier version of this article incorrectly cited films in which Diane Keaton co-starred with actors Kate Hudson, Rosie O’Donnell, Octavia Spencer and Elizabeth Banks. These actors did not co-star in the listed films with Keaton.
Bette Midler, the actor, singer and comedian who starred with Keaton and Goldie Hawn in the 1996 comedy “The First Wives Club,” about three divorced women who seek revenge on their ex-husbands: “The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was …oh, la, lala!”
Steve Martin, who co-starred as Keaton’s husband in the “Father of the Bride” films, reposted an exchange between Keaton and Martin Short:
Short: “Who’s sexier, me or Steve Martin?
Keaton: “I mean, you’re both idiots.”
Martin then commented on the post: “Don’t know who first posted this, but it sums up our delightful relationship with Diane.”
Josh Gad: “What a monumental loss. Diane Keaton in many ways defined my love of movies. From Annie Hall to the Godfather films, from First Wives Club to Baby Boom, from Father of the Bride to Something’s Gotta Give, here resume was nothing short of iconic and hall of fame worthy. I was very fortunate to work with her many years ago on an unproduced HBO pilot and what I found was one of the most humble, ruthlessly funny, and unbelievably talented human beings I’ve ever come across. In many ways, this year will be defined by the loss of a Hollywood we will never again see. There simply are no replacements for a Gene Hackman or a Robert Redford or a Diane Keaton. They were the mavericks who helped redefine movies for a generation. … My heart goes out to Diane’s entire family during this impossible moment. RIP”
Kimberly Williams-Paisley, the actor, author and director who played Keaton’s daughter in the “Father of the Bride” films: “Diane, working with you will always be one of the highlights of my life. You are one of a kind, and it was thrilling to be in your orbit for a time. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your talent, and above all, your laughter. 🙏🏻🕊️💔❤️❤️❤️”
Rosie O’Donnell: “oh this breaks my heart – love to her children- what style what grace – she will be missed #ripdianekeaton”
Octavia Spencer: “Today we lost a true original. @diane_keaton wasn’t just an actress: she was a force. a woman who showed us that being yourself is the most powerful thing you can be. From Annie Hall to Something’s Gotta Give, she made every role unforgettable. But beyond the screen, she brought joy, laughter, and style that was all her own… Thank you, Diane, for reminding us that authenticity never goes out of fashion.”
Elizabeth Banks: “She was beloved in her industry. Every one of us idolizes her. Her influence on culture, fashion, art and women can’t be overstated. She was a delight. I am proud I have a career that allowed me to meet her and breathe her air.”
Viola Davis: “No!! No!!! No!! God, not yet, NO!!! Man… you defined womanhood. The pathos, humor, levity, your ever-present youthfulness and vulnerability — you tattooed your SOUL into every role, making it impossible to imagine anyone else inhabiting them. You were undeniably, unapologetically YOU!!! Loved you. Man… rest well. God bless your family, and I know angels are flying you home”
Comedian and TV star Paul O’Grady was set to be the host of Britain’s Got Talent and even have the show named after him until things got very heated behind the scenes
13:47, 07 Oct 2025Updated 13:47, 07 Oct 2025
Paul O’Grady was set to be the host of Britain’s Got Talent before Ant and Dec(Image: TV Times via Getty Images)
Former Britain’s Got Talent judge Piers Morgan has revealed Paul O’Grady was meant to be the host for the hit talent show, until things went very wrong. The controversial broadcaster was part of the original line up on Simon Cowell’s talent show back in 2007.
Music mogul Simon was inspired by former talent shows including Opportunity Knocks and New Faces as he wanted to create a competition for people of any age and location to enter. He wanted a range of personalities on the judging panel with him, and first settled on Piers and Fern Britton.
Piers admitted: “I owe him a lot actually because I would not have had any career in America without him. He has been great for me. He said ‘I am going to bring back an old all-round talent show like New Faces, Opportunity Knocks and The Gong Show in America. It can be any talent’.”
The broadcaster explained: “We did a pilot at ITV. Paul O’Grady was the host. The judging panel was Simon Cowell, me, and Fern Britton. It was about to be greenlit as a prime-time ITV show.”
Piers said he was ready “to get back in the game” but things quickly took a turn and the production was halted. He said: “Then Paul O’Grady had a massive falling out with ITV, told them to shove it and went to Channel 4.”
At the time, the Paul O’Grady Show moved over to Channel 4 and ITV stopped him being able to rent their studios. Paul decided to refuse all work with the network following the row.
He explained years later: “I did the pilot for Britain’s Got Talent – which was originally going to be called Paul O’Grady’s Got Talent. But I told the producers they were having a joke if they thought I would front a show with that title.
“The original panel of judges was going to be Simon Cowell, Fern Britton and Piers Morgan. I was the host. Then when I had the row with ITV I was banned from the studios.
“I remember I rang Simon and told him he had a huge hit on his hands, but there was no way I could do it. I said, if I am banned I have to be banned from everything. I can’t be a hypocrite and come in and do this. I had to bow out.”
Paul added: “I don’t regret what I did. Not in the slightest. Good luck to them.” He did also manage to patch things up with ITV and returned years later with Paul O’Grady Live!.
Paul’s decision to boycott ITV meant Britain’s Got Talent was hit with a huge delay and Simon decided to kick off with America’s Got Talent first. Simon enlisted Piers again as he wanted “someone who is judgmental, opinionated, obnoxious and arrogant” as him.
Britain’s Got Talent hit screens a year later with Simon, Piers and Amanda Holden as judges and Ant and Dec as hosts. Piers said on The Overlap and Betfair’s Stick to Cricket show: “He had literally come up with the entire concept of Got Talent on a napkin at the Ivy in Kensington.
“Bring back a talent show. Have a tough mean judge, a mother hen figure, a funny person and any talent goes. Now the Got Talent franchise is in more than 60 countries around the world. It changed my life.”
NCIS: Tony & Ziva has been a hit with fans and a second season is yet to be confirmed, but star Michael Weatherly has spoken out about the possibility of a crossover
NCIS Tony and Ziva airs weekly (Image: PARAMOUNT+)
NCIS: Tony & Ziva has already got viewers completely captivated and fresh episodes are being released each week on Paramount+.
The offshoot of the enduring crime drama NCIS features Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo returning to their beloved characters Tony DiNozzo and Ziva David.
The fresh series represents their first joint appearance in 12 years following NCIS season 11, and the original reveal drove supporters absolutely wild.
Weatherly, who additionally served as executive producer on the programme, chatted exclusively to Reach publications regarding a possible collaboration with the main cast.
When questioned about whether any character from the original NCIS might feature, he responded: “I think that’s a great question for everybody, whether that’s feasible.”
“For me the answer is of course, I would love to see that and really it’s just about making it the most quality appearance.
“You don’t want to just stunt cast, somebody with Mark Harmon’s haircut who walks by in the background and they are like ‘Oh, is that Gibbs?'”
“Or somebody with black pigtails with a spiderweb tattoo on her neck – that would have to be Abby.
“I think that would have to be heavily negotiated by all the powers that be, of which I am just a little micro contributor.”
The debut season comprises 10 episodes and is anticipated to wrap up on October 23.
Lead actor Michael Weatherly and lead actress Cote de Pablo(Image: Getty Images for Paramount+)
Regarding the possibility of a second season, showrunner John McNamara revealed to TV Insider: “I try never to count my chickens before they’re hatched.
“I’m just focused on finishing this season and trying to make it as good as possible.
“And honestly, it is going to be entirely up to the fans and the subscribers to Paramount+ and ultimately to Paramount and CBS. It’s their property and it’s their money.”
The programme has received glowing feedback from both audiences and critics, with IMDb describing it as “both a nostalgia trip and a compelling continuation”.
Given this reception, supporters can stay optimistic about a second series and potentially even a crossover episode.
NCIS: Tony & Ziva airs on Thursdays on Paramount+.
HIGH streets across the UK are facing more closures as major retailers shut their doors today.
Poundland, Game, and The Original Factory Shop are among the chains cutting back on stores, leaving shoppers with fewer options.
1
Here are all the stores shutting on your local high street todayCredit: Getty
These closures are part of wider restructuring plans as businesses adapt to changing shopping habits and financial pressures.
Here are all the stores shutting on your local high street today.
Game
Game is closing its Metrocentre store in Gateshead today (September 7).
The closure is part of changes by its owner, Frasers Group.
The company is reducing the number of stores as more shopping moves online and into concessions.
The chain has around 240 stores across the UK. Another store in the Galleries Shopping Centre, Bristol, will close on September 25.
However, a Game concession inside the Sports Direct store in the same shopping centre will stay open.
Both closing stores are holding big sales to clear stock.
Shoppers can get discounts of up to 20%.
Claire’s Bankruptcy: 290 Store Closures & What Shoppers Need to Know
Poundland
Poundland’s Pontypool store is set to close today (September 7), followed by the closure of its Irvine branch on 14th September.
Recently, discount chain avoided going into administration by getting creditors to agree to restructuring plans, which included closing stores and cutting jobs.
Companies often use CVAs to avoid insolvency, which could otherwise force stores to close or trigger the collapse of the entire business.
They allow firms to explore different options, such as negotiating reduced rents with landlords.
But The Original Factory Shop previously told The Press and Journal that a “number of loss-making stores would have to close” in the restructuring.
What else is happening on the high street?
Bodycare, which begun as a market stall in Lancashire back in the 1970s and has 147 UK stores, appointed administrators from Interpath Advisory on Friday.
Currently, 115 stores remain open and are trading as usual while administrators explore options for the future of the business.
However, if a buyer cannot be found, further store closures may occur.
Like many of its peers, Bodycare has felt the burn of risings cost coupled with shoppers having less money to spend at the till.
Recently, River Islandavoided going into administration by getting creditors to agree to restructuring plans, which included closing stores and cutting jobs.
River Island will close up to 33 stores in January to help write off the fashion brand’s debts.
Locations in major UK cities including Edinburgh, Leeds, Oxford, Brighton and Perth are all expected to close.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
EastEnders fans were left gobsmacked after last week’s dramatic duff duff, which saw the return of Zoe Slater, played by Michelle Ryan, to Albert Square after 20 years
Upcoming spin-off Y: Marshals has added three stars from the original drama to the cast
Yellowstone’s forthcoming spin-off, focusing on Kayce Dutton (played by Luke Grimes), is set to feature at least three more big names from the original series.
Y: Marshals will follow the son of ranch owner John Dutton (Kevin Costner) in the aftermath of his father’s death as he leaves the ranch to combat crime across Montana.
Deadline has now revealed that Yellowstone veterans Gil Birmingham, Brecken Merrill and Mo Brings Plenty will be reprising their roles from the main show.
Birmingham played Chief Thomas Rainwater, who had a feud with the Duttons over disputed land, while Brings Plenty played Rainwater’s driver and right-hand man, Mo.
Meanwhile, Merrill played Kayce’s son Tate alongside Kelsey Asbille as wife and mother Monica Dutton.
Thomas Rainwater and his right-hand man Mo will both return(Image: PARAMOUNT)
It’s not yet known if Asbille will be returning, though Deadline suggests her absence may be explained within the series.
In addition to these three Yellowstone favourites, Y: Marshals has confirmed four more cast members joining Grimes and the previously announced Logan Marshall-Green.
Arielle Kebbel (Rescue: HI-Surf), Ash Santos (Pulse) and Tatanka Means (Reservation Dogs) are on board as series regulars.
They’ll be playing members of the US Marshals Belle, Andrea and Miles, respectively. Finally, The West Wing and Lost star Brett Cullen will take on a recurring role as Montana’s head of US Marshals, Harry Gifford, reports the Express.
The exact storyline for the upcoming Yellowstone spin-off is being kept under wraps, but a series synopsis has given fans a taste of what’s to come.
Brecken Merrill is back as Tate – but Kelsey Asbille’s Monica may not return(Image: PARAMOUNT)
Paramount+ half price sale
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Paramount+ is offering 50% off its Standard and Premium subscriptions until July 10.
According to Deadline, it states: “In Y: Marshals, with the Yellowstone Ranch behind him, Kayce Dutton (Grimes) joins an elite unit of U.S. Marshals, combining his skills as a cowboy and Navy SEAL to bring range justice to Montana, where he and his teammates must balance family, duty and the high psychological cost that comes with serving as the last line of defense in the region’s war on violence.”
In other news, Oscar-nominated actress Annette Bening has been confirmed to join another Yellowstone spin-off.
She’ll be taking on the role of Beulah Jackson, the boss of a competing ranch, in the tentatively named The Dutton Ranch, which will carry on the tale of Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser).
Y: Marshals will premiere in late 2025 – early 2026 on CBS. Yellowstone is available to stream on Paramount+.
LIDL will be selling a Thermomix dupe that is significantly cheaper than the original.
Savings of more than £1,000 can be made with this middle aisle purchase from the discount retailer.
3
The new Thermomix UK TM7 has been priced at £1,349Credit: Thermomix
3
Lidl has a version of the gadget for as low as £299Credit: Lidl
Lidl is about to sell a dupe of the Thermomix worth £1,349 for just £299 for Lidl Plus customers.
Called the Monsieur Cuisine Smart, this exciting kitchen appliance will be in stores from Thursday, September 4.
It is a multi-functional device that can be used for everything you need, from food processing, cooking, searing, steaming, kneading, blending, and stirring.
There are even programming options available for it to chop, shred, grind, pure or emulsify ingredients.
You can therefore make anything from soups, sauces, or vegetable, meat or noodle dishes.
The smart device has WiFi functions that provides free monthly recipe updates with a registered user account, along with over 600 pre-installed recipes with step-by-step instructions through its cooking pilot.
There is also guided video cooking for selected recipes, that can be played on its fast-reacting 8-inch display screen.
On top of that, there is voice control capabilities that can be activated via Google Assistant.
Kitchen scales have been integrated into the device to enable weighing of ingredients that have been placed directly into the pot.
With 1000W power, up to 1kg of dough can be processes, through 10 speed settings including turbo function for pulse blending.
I’m a thrifty cook – I avoid oven costs by making a whole roast chicken dinner in my slow cooker
Kneading dough or stirring soups and stews can be carried out in the anti-clockwise motion the Monsieur Cuisine provides.
Furthermore, its facilitates precise cooking with temperatures from 37-130C that can be set in five degree increments.
There is also a 99 minute timer.
All the accessories are dishwasher safe, including the 4.5L stainless steel blender jug and various attachments that include a steamer, blade, and mixer.
The product is exclusively available for Lidl Plus customers to reserve from August 21 to 25 on the Lidl Plus App.
Regular customers can then purchase the Monsieur Cuisine once they are available in store next month.
Lidl’s version of the Thermomix seems to come with many functionalities of the original, at a much more affordable price.
This deal comes after Lidl was also found selling another kitchen appliance that can be used for baking at a price £400 cheaper than others.
The budget-friendly retailer also had XL dual view air fryer available for just £79.99 this summer.
Lidl’s 15L Salter air fryer was half the price of Curry’s version, with six cooking functions and a sleek LED display.
How to compare prices to get the best deal
JUST because something is on offer, or is part of a sale, it doesn’t mean it’s always a good deal.
There are plenty of comparison websites out there that’ll check prices for you – so don’t be left paying more than you have to.
Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers.
Here are some that we recommend:
Google Shopping is a tool that lets users search for and compare prices for products across the web. Simply type in keywords, or a product number, to bring up search results.
Price Spy logs the history of how much something costs from over 3,000 different retailers, including Argos, Amazon, eBay and the supermarkets. Once you select an individual product you can quickly compare which stores have the best price and which have it in stock.
Idealo is another website that lets you compare prices between retailers. All shoppers need to do is search for the item they need and the website will rank them from the cheapest to the most expensive one.
CamelCamelCamel only works on goods being sold on Amazon. To use it, type in the URL of the product you want to check the price of.
3
Lidl Monsieur Cuisine Smart comes equipped with a screen displaying a range of recipesCredit: Lidl
Grindr is making the app a one-stop shop for its original entertainment.
On 7 August, the popular dating platform announced that users would no longer have to leave the app to access their original content, thanks to the new Grindr Presents feature.
Now, the company’s popular entertainment offerings, such as the Katya-hosted Who’s The Asshole podcast, the viral Daddy Lessons series, editorials, music drops, and more, will all be available via a new in-app content hub.
In addition to making it easier for user to access their content, Grindr revealed that all of it will be uncensored, so say goodbye to the unwanted bleeps and hello to Katya and friends’ uncut and profanity-filled interviews.
Lastly, the social media company teased that Grindr Presents isn’t a one-off decision; instead, it’s a “bigger shift” into “making Grindr not just where the gays are, but where the culture is.”
Grindr Presents isn’t the only new addition introduced on the app this year.
The intent-based option enables users seeking an immediate connection to upload text and photos to a real-time feed, separate from the main grid.
In a statement, the Chief Product Officer at Grindr, AJ Balance, gave insight into the new feature, stating that it “empowers users to find exactly what they want, when they want it – without the guesswork.”
“We built this intention-based feature based on feedback from our community so they can connect with like-minded people, without wasting time on mismatched expectations,” he said.
“Too often, people start a conversation only realize they’re looking for different things – one person wants a date, the other a quick connection. Right Now makes it clear who’s available and what they’re looking for, in real-time.”
Under the new policy, the app now requires UK individuals to confirm their age by uploading a “quick video selfie” or a video selfie paired with a photo ID.
For new users, the one-time action will be prompted during the registration process. Established users will be asked to complete the task upon opening the app.
UK individuals will be blocked from accessing the app until they complete the process, which uses biometric verification technology from FaceTec.
Lastly, Grindr has confirmed that user privacy will also be a priority, revealing that all documents and videos will “only be used for age assurance, are securely encrypted during the process, and are permanently deleted once age assurance is complete.”
For more information about the aforementioned changes to Grindr, click here.
The original “Spider-Man” trilogy, directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire, is returning to the big screen with a special addition.
For the first time, “Spider-Man 2.1” — the extended edition of “Spider Man 2” — will be playing in theaters in 4K in a limited engagement presented by Fathom Entertainment. This version, released on DVD in 2007, features eight minutes of new footage, including a fan-favorite scene in which J. Jonah Jameson, played by J.K. Simmons, tries on the Spidey suit.
More than two decades and 10 Spider-Man movies after the original trilogy premiered, “Spider-Man 2” consistently ranks among the best of the franchise by critics and fans. Starring alongside Maguire as Peter Parker (a.k.a. Spider-Man) are Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane “MJ” Watson, James Franco as Harry Osborn and Alfred Molina as Dr. Otto Octavius.
“The success of ‘Spider-Man’ in 2002 helped launch the modern era of super hero films. To this day, Tobey Maguire’s take on Spider-Man resonates across generations,” Fathom Entertainment’s Chief Executive Ray Nutt said in a press release. “At Fathom Entertainment, we celebrate fandom and I am delighted that ‘Spider-Man 2.1’ in 4K will make its theatrical debut, a true gift for longtime fans and a thrilling discovery for new ones.”
“Spider-Man” will play in theaters Sept. 26 and Oct. 3, “Spider-Man 2.1” on Sept. 27 and Oct. 4, and “Spider-Man 3” on Sept. 28 and Oct. 5. Tickets will be available at Fathom Entertainment and participating theaters July 25.
Other films soon returning to theaters with Fathom Entertainment are “Clueless” (June 29-30), “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (July 13-16) and “The Sound of Music” (Sept. 13-17).
For decades, Pixar could hardly miss with its original animated films.
Whether the subject was toys, fish or a cantankerous old man, the Emeryville-based computer animation studio churned out hit after hit.
But since the COVID-19 pandemic, Pixar and other animation studios have struggled to break through at the box office with the same kinds of original movies that defined the industry. Instead, sequels such as “Inside Out 2” have ruled the genre.
This weekend, Walt Disney Co.-owned Pixar will face its latest test with the release of “Elio,” an original film about a young boy who seeks connection with aliens to make up for his loneliness on Earth.
The movie is tracking to bring in $18 million to $25 million in ticket sales from the U.S. and Canada during its opening weekend, according to box office analysis. (The film’s reported budget is in the range of $150 million to $200 million.)
That would be considered a soft debut by Pixar standards, indicating the dilemma the animation business — and the movie industry writ large — faces with original content. While audiences often say they want to see new stories, box office ticket sales show they gravitate toward sequels, reboots and other familiar fare.
“You need to be launching new franchises to keep the pipeline fresh,” said Doug Creutz, senior media and entertainment analyst at TD Cowen. “Since the pandemic ended, original animated films have just been getting killed at the box office … no matter how good they are.”
Pixar executives, nonetheless, say they’re committed to telling original stories, which are key to the future health of the industry.
“You wouldn’t have Pixar without ‘Toy Story,’ our first original film 30 years ago!” Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter wrote in an emailed statement. “And while we also love digging into new layers of familiar worlds and characters through our sequels, I’d say there’s a unique thrill in unearthing a new story.”
Disney and Pixar’s previous original movie “Elemental” made just $29.6 million in its opening weekend in 2023, causing many in the industry to write it off as a flop, before strong word-of-mouth reviews propelled the film to a solid worldwide gross of $496 million.
Sister studio Walt Disney Animation Studios has also recently struggled with originals, including 2022’s “Strange World” and 2023’s “Wish.”
The pandemic had a major effect on theatrical attendance for animated films. At the onset, studios including Pixar put their new animated movies on streaming services to give families something to watch during the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders and keep people from spreading the disease.
Movies such as 2020’s “Soul,” 2021’s “Luca” and 2022’s “Turning Red” were all sent straight to the Disney+ streaming service. Despite critical acclaim — winning an Academy Award for animated feature — “Soul” grossed just $121.9 million in worldwide theatrical revenue.
Even when movie theaters started reopening, families were slow to return due to health concerns and familiarity with watching movies at home, which dented animated films’ box office potential. Pixar’s 2022 “Toy Story” spinoff “Lightyear” did poorly at the box office partially due to this timing, as well as quality issues, marketing challenges and right-wing backlash to an on-screen kiss between a same-sex couple.
Other studios, too, face challenges with originals.
Universal Pictures’ 2023 original animated movie “Migration” also saw a soft box office total. The same year, Universal grossed more than $1 billion from “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” based on the Nintendo game franchise.
Last year, Universal’s “The Wild Robot,” which is adapted from a 2016 children’s book, debuted to strong reviews, but grossed $333 million in box office revenue, compared with the $492 million reaped by Paramount Pictures’ “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.”
So far this summer, many of the films that have propelled the box office are family-friendly — Warner Bros. Pictures’ “A Minecraft Movie,” and live-action remakes “Lilo & Stitch” from Disney and “How to Train Your Dragon” from Universal.
Last year, Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” hauled in nearly $1.7 billion in global box office revenue last year, while Universal and Illumination Entertainment’s “Despicable Me 4” grossed $969.6 million worldwide and Disney’s “Moana 2” made $1 billion.
The common denominator among these films? They’re all sequels, reboots or rely on known intellectual property.
But industry insiders and analysts say that simply focusing on new chapters of existing stories risks making the animation space stale.
“If you’re trying to grow the business, you need new content, you need new franchises, you need new things for people to be excited about,” said Creutz of TD Cowen.
But beyond the box office, Pixar original films can get exposure — and drive business — through other parts of the Disney empire. Movies eventually debut on Disney+ and characters will show up on merchandise or in the theme parks, which can expand a film’s reach.
“Pixar is in the long-term business,” said David A. Gross, who writes a movie industry newsletter. “They want to create stories that last, and if that works in bringing back a sequel, great, but there is enormous value for streaming for these pictures, whatever they do in theatrical. There are a lot of revenue streams.”
Pixar intends to release three movies every two years, and the company’s strategy is to make one original for every sequel, company sources said. For instance, “Elio” was intended for release in 2024, but was delayed by the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes of 2023. Instead, it swapped with “Inside Out 2” since sequels can be easier to move through the production process due to existing assets.
“Pixar was really instrumental in defining the look and the feel and the tone of computer-animated films,” said Christopher Holliday, a senior lecturer in liberal arts and visual cultures education at King’s College London, who wrote a book about computer-animated films.
The company “is now at one of those crossroads where they are trying to balance films that have an audience built into them,” Holliday said. “And then they’re also balancing their identity as a studio of innovation that is pushing the boundaries and the limits of computer animation.”
Next year, Pixar plans to release “Toy Story 5” as well as an original film called “Hoppers” about a new technology that allows humans and animals to communicate. In 2027, Pixar said it will debut “Gatto,” an original movie about a cat with multiple lives.
“We think audiences love originals too,” Docter said. “Sure, it might be a bit harder nowadays to break through all the noise out there, but if we do our jobs, and create something that people will love, we trust that audiences will show up.”
THE Original Factory Shop has launched a closing down sale at yet another store.
A branch in Heswall is the latest store to announce its closure, leaving shoppers heartbroken.
1
The Original Factory Shop is closing down another branch
The Merseyside branch has launched closing down sale to help shift stock before it shutters for good.
Shoppers have a chance to grab up to 70% off selected lines, and 50% off electrical products.
The Henswell store opened two years ago in June 2023.
The exact date the store is closing has not yet been confirmed but The Sun will update this piece when we hear more.
Up to 11 TOFS stores are already to set to close this month, including sites across Worcestershire, Durham and Cumbria .
Meanwhile, another five stores across Nairn, Market Drayton, Troon, Blairgowrie and Castle Douglas have been placed up for sale.
The Original Factory Shop has told The Sun that negotiations are ongoing with landlords – making it unclear whether these shops will remain open.
It comes as part of a major restructuring carried out by new owner Modella Capital with a number of loss making stores having to close as result.
Over June nine of these stores will close, including sites in Dorest and Durham.
Another site in Middlewich is also set to close however a date is yet to be confirmed.
Popular retailer to RETURN 13 years after collapsing into administration and shutting 236 stores
You can see the full list of store closures here:
Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire – June 26
Perth – June 28
Chester Le Street, County Durham – June 28
Arbroath, Angus – June 28
Kidwelly, Carmarthenshire – June 28
Pershore, Worcestershire – June 28
Normanton, West Yorkshire – June 28
Peterhead, Aberdeenshire – June 28
Shaftesbury, Dorset – June 28
Staveley, Cumbria – July 12
Middlewich – TBC
Heswall – TBC
The following stores are also up for sale:
Nairn
Market Drayton
Troon
Blairgowrie
Castle Douglas
What’s been happening with The Original Factory Shop?
Private equity firm Modella bought The Original Factory Shop back in February and has since launched a restructuring effort to renegotiate rents at 88 TOFS stores.
Modella is known for picking up struggling retailers, having also recently acquired Hobbycraft and WHSmith‘s high street shops.
The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury’s hike to employer NICs will cost the retail sector £2.3billion.
Research by the British Chambers of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices by early April.
A survey of more than 4,800 firms found that 55% expect prices to increase in the next three months, up from 39% in a similar poll conducted in the latter half of 2024.
Three-quarters of companies cited the cost of employing people as their primary financial pressure.
The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year.
It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: “The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025.”
Professor Bamfield has also warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector.
“By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer’s household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.”
Nintendo is in many ways a different company now than it was back in 2017 when it released the Switch. For one, it has sold more than 150 million units of its hybrid TV/on-the-go console, making it the defining game device of the last decade.
Nintendo also expanded its universes beyond its game consoles. At long last, “Super Mario Bros.” became a blockbuster animated film, and there are now three Super Nintendo World theme park properties, including one here in Los Angeles at Universal Studios Hollywood.
That makes the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 something of an event, and arguably the most important tech instrument of the year.
The Times’ Features Columnist Todd Martens plays Nintendo Switch 2’s upgraded version of “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” on the console’s handheld mode.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
So, the good news. The pricey Switch 2 is a worthy successor to the original. And unlike the motion-controlled Wii in 2006 or the dual-screen Nintendo DS in 2004, this play-it-somewhat-safe console takes an if-it-ain’t-broke philosophy to gaming, continuing Nintendo’s legacy rather than redefining it. While it’s bigger, stronger, better feeling, higher-res and comes with a couple new tricks, overall it’s primarily a refinement of the original Switch’s ideas.
The first game company to make interactive characters household names — Donkey Kong, Mario, Link, take your pick — Nintendo has become a full-fledged, cross-media storytelling company. And it has done so via a medium that in its most mainstream form is only about four decades old.
The Switch 2, officially released June 5 and selling for $449.99, is the vessel for which Nintendo will reveal its play-focused worlds for likely the next decade. The reception from consumers may be inspiring but brings with it a host of questions.
The Switch itself is far from obsolete, despite being significantly less powerful than Sony‘s PlayStation and Microsoft‘s Xbox consoles, due largely to its hybrid design. And consumers may be forgiven for wondering why — or when — they should upgrade to a machine that looks, feels and plays similar to the one they currently own, especially when Nintendo is unleashing only one new core game for it this month, the dazzling “Mario Kart World.”
The Nintendo Switch 2 with its accessories, a Pro Controller and camera. Each is sold separately.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
Valid, but I believe those who make the leap will be happy in their investment, even if its lineup of exclusive games is relatively barren for now. There are enough improvements to make the Switch 2 feel fresh.
I’m eager, for one, to see how its controllers, the detachable “Joy-Cons,” evolve, as they now have the ability to act as a mouse. This has already come in handy in the strategy game “Civilization VII,” a title I waited for the Switch 2 to play and one that can utilize the more precise maneuvers mouse controls provide. First-person shooters should benefit even more.
And then there are its chat features, which can be enhanced with an optional Nintendo camera ($54.99). While serious gamers who use services such as Discord may not need a console to facilitate chatting with friends, the Switch 2 makes connecting and conversing safe and easy for the gamer who plays primarily solo. One can can only talk with approved friends, and Nintendo will verify accounts and a phone number to do so. Simply touch a button on the Joy-Con, and the chat feature is enabled.
My circle of connections who own a Switch 2 is currently small, so I haven’t experimented with these accoutrements as much as I would have liked, especially the CameraPlay feature that allows users to overlay their own faces on drivers in the game. Other features will no doubt come in handy during “Mario Kart World,” saving my friends and I from conversing via text. And they would have been a godsend during the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when every Switch owner was eager to share their “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” creations with their pals.
All of this says nothing about how good the Switch 2 simply feels. The Joy-Cons now connect magnetically rather than having to lock into place, and while it’s perhaps an incremental upgrade, snapping them into the console is one of those tech creations that feels like magic, like the first time one uses a touchscreen. It’s slightly larger, and I find a more robust Switch 2 is easier to handle, my arms less likely to grow tired when playing in bed.
The Nintendo Switch 2 controllers — its “Joy-Cons” — now connect magnetically.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
The screen is 1080p, making just about every old game feel brighter, crisper and less fuzzy, and the Switch 2 has support for 4K TVs. “Super Mario Odyssey” has never looked so clear, and $9.99 upgrades to “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” and “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” will have you wanting to revisit — or jump back into — each of those titles, as refreshed resolutions and frame rates have us seeing the worlds anew.
Battery life, however, might be a challenge. In handheld mode I was able to get about two hours of “Mario Kart World” before needing to recharge. The console fared better with independent and smaller games.
But the real reason to buy a new gaming console is for its next-generation games. Nintendo is counting on “Mario Kart World” to be enough initially to entice buyers. It’s a safe bet, when one considers that “Mario Kart 8” is one of the bestselling games of all time, having sold more than 67 million copies. Many an original Switch was likely a “Mario Kart”-focused machine, and though I prefer my plump plumber when he’s exploring the Mushroom Kingdom on foot — running, jumping and power-upping his way to rescue his friends — I am not immune to the charms of “Mario Kart World.”
“Mario Kart 8” was released back in 2014, meaning these cute-but-vicious races are now nostalgia bait for another generation. And “World” marries some Nintendo weirdness — you can now race as a cow — with its penchant for playful world building. I’m smitten, for instance, with the game’s approach to races, which makes driving among the Mushroom Kingdom landscapes as important as it does wacky tracks that encompass everything from Route 66-inspired hokeyness to careening amid giant ice cream palaces.
The Nintendo Switch 2’s detachable controllers — its “Joy-Cons” — can now be used as a mouse.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
There’s now a so-called “free roam” mode, allowing us to simply drive off course and explore the wonders of the Mushroom Kingdom. Though there could probably be a few more hidden mini-games, I find it relaxing and full of little surprises. Instead of zooming by Yoshi’s Cafe, I can now pull up, enjoy some speed-boosting ice cream, admire the animation work and take in the delightfully down-home soundtrack, an orchestral, slightly upbeat and cartoonish approach to classic American big band, jazz and Western stylings. As an insomnia sufferer, I’ve spent a few recent sleepless nights just roaming around “Mario Kart World,” driving through empty castles-turned-racetracks.
Then there’s “Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour.” This is a $9.99 introduction to what the Switch 2 can do, full of odd little mini games, most of them able to be completed in a minute or two. One shows off the Switch 2’s touch screen, having us use the device as a sort of Twister board for our hands. Others use the Joy-Con as a mouse to swing wildly at a golf ball or dodge falling metallic obstacles. Sometimes they’re not games at all but rather tech demos designed to show off, say, the rumble vibration effects in the controllers.
One simply had me using the Switch 2’s backing stand to try and match the degrees for which it was asking me to place the console. “I’ve never seen such amazing angling!” it told me after completing the task. Why, thank you.
It’s cute. I’ve completed a little more than half of it. It reminds me a bit of mid-’80s PC work “Little Computer People,” as it turns the Switch 2 into a living, theme park-like mall space full of tiny humans. Though I do recommend springing for it if you buy into the Switch 2, it’s ultimately a game-as-tutorial and should have been included with the system, especially since one of its goals is having us better appreciate the tech behind the console.
The most common question I’ve received — understandably so — is if I believe the Switch 2 is “worth it.” While it’s difficult to tell someone to drop close to $500 for a gaming machine and then another $80 for “Mario Kart World” (you’re also probably going to want the $84.99 Pro Controller, as it’s a more ergonomically-friendly way to play via the TV), those with the means and in the market for a new gaming console will likely be pleased. Thankfully, your Switch controllers will work with the Switch 2, saving you some financial upgrade headaches, and with 256 GB of internal storage, you likely won’t need a memory-expanding microSD Express card right away, although you will need a new case due to the console’s bigger size.
The Times’ Features Columnist Todd Martens plays “Nintendo Switch 2: Welcome Tour” in handheld mode.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
Blissfully, upgrading from a prior Switch to the Switch 2 is relatively easy. One logs into their Nintendo account, and places the two consoles next to one another while data is transferred. I brought over a handful of games, which took about half a day. Download speeds varied. “Tears of the Kingdom” was loaded in about 20 minutes, whereas a bigger game such as “Cyberpunk 2077” took about three hours.
Part of buying a new gaming console is the gamble of, betting on new games rolling out over the coming years that will hopefully make the device a worthy investment. Early signs are promising; “Donkey Kong Bananza” is due July 17. I played the game at a Nintendo media event earlier this year and I’m eager to get my hands on it as it embodies Nintendo’s play-as-discovery principles. Our friendly but grumpy banana-crazed ape can essentially power his way through the world, stomping and smashing new pathways to make this a game about exploration as much as it is any challenges.
That’s long been Nintendo’s approach to play and storytelling, and that likely isn’t going to change anytime soon. The Switch became the most popular gaming console of the decade by giving us games that became global phenomena, be it “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” or “Tears of the Kingdom” (I’m most partial to “Super Mario Odyssey”).
And to buy a Switch 2 is to trust the Nintendo design team to continue to deliver. It’s early days, but I feel good about that gamble. After all, I have a cow in a kart waiting for me to get back into a race.
Per 100g: calories, 308 fat, 10.2g sugar, 4g salt 1.09g
8
Aldi’s pizza cooked in 12 minutes
It cooked nicely in 12 minutes and was big enough to feed four people.
The base was deliciously crispy and the cheese and tomato topping tasted authentically Italian.
I haven’t tried this flavour from Aldi before, but absolutely will in the future – my winner – and less than half the price of Pizza Express, that’s dinner sorted.
Taste: 10/10 Value: 10/10 Overall rating: 10/10 Out of 30: 30
Per 100g: calories, 238 fat, 7.7g sugar, 3.9g salt 1.09g
8
Asda’a pizza offered good value for money
It cooked well in just over 12 minutes and the generous size means it would satisfy four people, especially if you add a couple of sides.
The topping was plentiful and the fact that you’re getting a lot of pizza for your money means that this is a good staple for a family if you’re unsure what to serve up for dinner.
Taste: 9/10 Value: 7/10 Overall rating: 8/10 Out of 30: 24
The Grand Tour was hosted by Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond for Prime Video but there’s now speculation over their potential replacements on the show
22:42, 29 May 2025Updated 23:18, 29 May 2025
There’s speculation over Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond’s potential replacements as hosts of the Grand Tour(Image: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
There’s speculation over the line-up for the Grand Tour, with news hosts said to have signed up. It’s been teased that Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond‘s apparent replacements are “younger” and “cooler”.
Jeremy, 65, James, 62, and Richard, 55, hosted the Prime Video show together from 2016 until it ended last year. They are looking back over it in four special episodes though. One has aired so far and it was previously announced that the others will be released “later this year and into 2026”. It has now been reported that their replacements for the Grand Tour have been decided. It’s claimed that Thomas Holland and James Engelsman – who run the Throttle House channel on YouTube – will front the motoring TV show with viral trainspotter Francis Bourgeois, 24, moving forward.
It’s been reported that TikTok star Francis Bourgeois is lined up as a new host for the Grand Tour(Image: Katielee Arrowsmith/PinPep)
A source has told the Sun: “Thomas and James are as knowledgeable about motors as Jeremy, Richard and James – the only difference is they’re younger, cooler and a lot more social media savvy. Francis became famous for his love of trainspotting and will be bringing his humour to the show.”
Thomas and James are behind the brand Throttle House, which has more than 3 million subscribers on YouTube. Through the channel, the pals post “everything from car reviews to track tests, to epic adventures”. Launched by Thomas, the channel dates back to 2013 and James later joined as a presenter in 2018.
Francis – whose real name is Luke Nicolson – instead rose to fame through TikTok in 2021. He’s known for posting content about trains, including footage of himself trainspotting, and has more than 3 million followers on the platform.
It’s claimed that he will front the show alongside the duo behind Throttle House, which includes Thomas Holland(Image: Instagram/thomasholland_th)
It was reported earlier this year that he was being considered for the Grand Tour. A source previously told the Sun: “Francis is a big noise online and Amazon producers are hoping to bring him into the mainstream. […] Francis is not just a social media sensation but trained as a mechanical engineer so knows his stuff.”
The latest speculation about the line-up comes after former host James May suggested that a younger generation should take the helm of motoring shows like the Grand Tour. He spoke about stepping back on Australia‘s ABC News in March.
After suggesting that he wouldn’t reunite with Jeremy and Richard in such a role, he said: “It was probably time for us to stop because we always said we would land it … we would land it with dignity not fly it into the cliffs. That’s the way we used to talk about it. We have come close to flying it into the cliffs a few times so it was probably the right time to stop.”
Thomas’ presenting partner James Engelsman is said to be the third new host of the Prime Video show(Image: Instagram/jamesengelsman)
Discussing the future, he suggested that the former Top Gear presenters are “getting on a bit”. He then proposed that a “younger generation” should find a “new way” of discussing motoring, as opposed to their potentially “dated” view.
He said at the time: “We’re getting on a bit. Our view of the subject is probably becoming a bit dated. It’s time for a younger generation to reevaluate it and think of a new way of talking about things like cars and transport generally.”
James expressed hope that “somebody out there” will be able to, though said he wasn’t sure “exactly” how. He said in the interview: “I don’t know how they’re going to do it exactly but I feel sure there must be somebody out there.”
The Mirror has reached out to Amazon Prime Video for comment.
