parents

A nepo baby with two very famous actor parents has bagged herself a role in the new Peaky Blinders movie – can you guess who her mum and dad are?

Ruby, 27, has followed in her parents footsteps as an actor and according to IMDB, she’s set to star as Agnes Shelby in the upcoming film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.

The highly-anticipated project is a direct continuation of the BBC One television series and has an epic cast.

Cillian Murphy is back in the role of Thomas Shelby alongside Stephen Graham, Sophie Rundle, Ned Dennehy, Packy Lee and Ian Peck.

Ruby joins other actors who are new to the Peaky Blinders world, including Rebecca Ferguson, Tim Roth, Jay Lycurgo and Barry Keoghan.

Her actor and filmmaker father is best known for his motion capture roles working with animation and voice work for computer generated characters.

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He’s starred in massive Hollywood films including The Lord of the Rings trilogy, King Kong and the Planet of the Apes reboot series.

His work has garnered him several BAFTA awards, a Daytime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe nomination.

Meanwhile, his wife also has an impressive resume, having appeared in massive shows including The Crown, Bridgerton and Grantchester.

And she most recently entertained fans in the BBC drama Riot Women, written by Happy Valley’s Sally Wainwright.

Have you guessed who Ruby’s famous parents are?

That’s right, it’s none other than Gollum actor Andy Serkis and his wife Lorraine Ashbourne.

As well as the projects previously mentioned, Andy has starred in other big projects including Avengers: Age of Ultron, The Batman and Venom: Let There Be Carnage.

The couple got married back in 2002 and live in London with their three children, Ruby, Sonny and Louis.

Ruby Ashbourne Serkis has already starred in some big productions, having bagged small roles in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies thanks to her dad.

She’s since carved out her own career with projects such as drama comedy film La Cha Cha and most recently, Netflix film Steve, alongside Cillian.

Ruby is also set to appear on stage at The Hampstead Theatre in Indian Ink, alongside Felicity Kendal and Gavi Singh Chera.

A synopsis for the play reads: “Satirising the self-importance of both academia and the ruling class, Tom Stoppard’s Indian Ink is an evocative meditation on art and love, exploring how creativity can bridge even the most profound cultural barriers.”

Both of Ruby’s brothers, Sonny and Louis, have also bagged the nepo tag and ran with it, and are also acting.

Sonny has appeared in mini series Masters of the Air, The Witcher, The War Below and Young Wallander.

While Louis is best-known for his role as Alex in the 2019 fantasy adventure film The Kid Who Would Be King.

Back in 2017, Andy directed the film Breathe, which is a true story about the love between Robin and Diana Cavendish.

Many fans thought the film was inspired by Andy and Lorraine’s own love story, having been married for 23 years.

However, Andy has clarified the project was inspired by the Cavendish’s story and the power of their love to overcome adversity.

WITH rain and snow battering the UK, trying to keep the kids busy can be tricky.

Thankfully there are some amazing indoor play attractions to go to – including one that claims to be one of the biggest in Europe.

The Playhive is found at Stockeld Park in North Yorkshire, which is one of the biggest indoor playgrounds.

Having opened in 2022 after a multi-million pound project, it has since won a number of awards including being named the best in the country.

Earlier this year it has won an Association of Indoor Play award for the second year running.

The website states it is a “journey through four interconnected worlds of space, air, the jungle, and sea”.

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Inside is everything from massive spaceships – with rocket walkways, ladders and nets – to planes and submarines.

Jungle-themed climbing walls and under-the-sea play areas are also part of the attraction.

There are even toddler-friendly areas too although parents must leave buggies outside.

The attraction is open from 9:30am to 5:30pm.

Ticket allow a 90-minute session start from £13.50, or pay £23.50 to allow access to the full Adventure Park.

There is also the Playhive Pizzeria for when kids get hungry, serving hot snacks and drinks.

Previous parents have raved about the attraction.

One said: “Playhive is a magical indoor play area, unlike anywhere we have visited before. Not a usual softplay.”

Another said: “The indoor Playhive is out of this world, and truly outstanding. The outdoor areas and the beautiful Enchanted Forest are a really wonderful and magical experience for little ones.”

And there are loads of other exciting Christmas attractions in the rest of Stockeld Park.

This includes ice skating and light trails, both ticketed events.

Or there is the huge The Christmas Adventure, where kids can meet Santa and watch live theatre shows.

There are also onsite food and drink areas, such as the Woodland Cafe and Gretel’s Cabin.

When the weather is better, there are also mazes and huge outdoor playgrounds to explore.

The nearest cities to Stockeld Park are Leeds and York, both around a 40 minute drive.

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In the mean time, here are some other indoor attractions to explore in the UK.

And here is one of the newest indoor attractions in the UK.

NEPO babies Cruz and Romeo Beckham went undetected as they enjoyed lunch away from the spotlight.

The famous brothers, aged 20 and 23 respectively, blended into the background at Phat Phuc Noodle Bar in Chelsea.

Sources said the pair appeared “relaxed” as they joined friends and Romeo’s girlfriend Kim Turnbull, 24, at the eatery.

“Cruz was relaxed, having conversations with his friends,” an onlooker told The Sun.

“He was there for about 20 mins after I’d arrived.

“He queued like everyone else.

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“He seemed known to the bar,” they explained.

Their brother Brooklyn, 26, was nowhere to be seen, as well as their parents, David and Victoria Beckham.

Cruz’s quiet lunch comes after he reportedly had his driving licence revoked after being caught speeding in 20mph zones.

He lost his license after racking up two speeding tickets within two years of passing his driving test, according to MailOnline.

Cruz had fallen victim to going over the limit in 20mph zones twice and is one of 500,000 caught in areas with the same limit.

Cruz’s second incident is believed to have taken place on September 2, according to the Mail, telling Instagram he was doing “24 in a 20”.

If a driver receives six or more points on their licence within two years of passing their driving test, their licence is immediately revoked and made void.

Cruz will now have to re-take both his practical and driving theory tests in order to re-obtain a licence from the DVLA.

“It’s infuriating but he seems to have taken it on the chin,” a source said.

He famously owned a burgundy Land Rover, which he took to McDonald’s to celebrate passing his test just under two years ago.

Cruz is understood to frequently drive himself between the family’s West London home and his parents’ Cotswolds mansion.

It was only the other day that he joined another family member for another outing in London at Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland.

He was on sibling duties for the VIP launch event as he looked after his 14-year-old sister Harper, joined by girlfriend Jackie Apostel.

Heading around the park with a big group of friends, the famous family members documented everything on Instagram.

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Posing for a snap with his partner, 30, the Beckham brother seemed to take the girls on all the attractions.

He filmed a short clip in what looked to be a circus fun house, also sharing pictures of several carnival game prizes.

GARDEN centres are one of the quaintest places to visit on a weekend, and the oldest one in the UK dates back 70 years.

But it isn’t all about plants and afternoon tea – as it even holds festivals and epic Christmas events.

Stewarts has three garden centres around the UK; Stewarts Christchurch, Stewarts Abbey in Fareham and Stewarts Broomhill in Wimborne which is its oldest.

The business‘s founder, Edward Stewart, was inspired to create the garden centre model after seeing them in America and is credited with bringing the concept to the UK.

The beginning of the business was in 1742 when the family began its plant nursery in Dundee.

It wasn’t until later on in 1859 that the family business moved down to Dorset.

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Stewarts Broomhill, which is the oldest of the three sites, first opened in 1955.

It’s not just your basic plants; it sells outdoor garden furniture, homeware, gifts, gardening tools, grow your own materials, and the likes of bird baths and insect houses.

They hold seasonal events too, like the upcoming Santa’s Winter Wonderland, starting on Saturday, November 22.

Families can wander through the wintry scene, check out the elves’ workshops, and Rudolph’s stable.

For the very first time, after meeting Santa, kids can explore the secret toy store and pick out a gift.

There are photo opportunities too from taking a ride in a Christmas campervan, to becoming a gingerbread man, and and elf.

Tickets to meet Santa and his elves at the Broomhill Garden Centre are £19.50 for children between 7 months and 12 years old.

Tickets for babies (0-6 months old) and adults are £3.50 each.

Each garden centre is also offering Winter Wonderland tickets for SEN sessions which will have a calmer atmosphere.

On Tripadvisor, one parent wrote: “It’s always a pleasure to visit at any time of year but at Christmas the most amazing spectacular is on hand when Santa Claus arrives exciting the youngsters of our family.”

Another added: “We went to visit Father Christmas today. It was excellent for the whole family. The Grotto was beautiful, snow was brilliant and the lights were bright and pretty. My little girl loved it.”

At certain garden centres, events are held throughout the year too.

Stewarts Broomhill Garden Centre has held events like the Primrose Festival Nursery Open Day – which demonstrates how to grow Primroses – and you got a cream tea included.

Meanwhile, the Stewarts garden centre in Christchurch, Dorset, held its own Grill Fest over the summer holiday.

Over a weekend it held barbecue demonstrations – with plenty to eat of course, live music and expert tips on how to do alfresco cooking.

There are other expert talks on how to grow trees, rewild your garden, wildlife gardening and planting bulbs properly.

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Here’s one garden centre which is one of the fanciest in England…

Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey spent her childhood at one of the biggest and fanciest garden centres in the UK…

It might not sound like the most thrilling destination for kids, but I spent my childhood exploring one of the UK’s fanciest garden centres.

Growing up in the Cotswolds, it meant my local one was the Burford Garden Centre.

It’s been open since 1975 and is still family-owned and run.

Across the 21,000sqm estate is more than just a garden centre (although that is also extremely extensive, selling everything from flowers to trees that cost as much as £7k).

There is also an on-site bookshop, as well as shops selling clothing, food and interiors, and even artwork. Expect some of the fancier brands, such as Barbour and Le Creuset on the shelves.

There are “Bulb Markets” to stock up on flowers in the spring time.

The onsite cafe and bakery is a must visit too.

The Glasshouse Cafe feels more like a chic European eatery, with wicker shades and palm trees.

Make sure to grab a giant scone – so delicious we even ordered a batch for my sister’s wedding. It even has events including stitching classes, rare book courses and fish mornings.

But my favourite time to visit is Christmas, as the exhibits are spectacular.

For more days out in the UK, check out the farm shop that’s the ‘Harrods of the North’ and is loved by Molly-Mae – with forest lodges and hot tubs.

Plus, check out the inside of the UK’s biggest garden centre with soft play, shopping village and its own tea room.

A record number of families in England were fined in the last school year for unauthorised holidays

Parents considering taking their children on holiday during term time have been cautioned that it could prove more costly than expected. A record number of families in England were fined during the last academic year for unauthorised absences.

Over the past school year, more than 443,000 fines were handed out to parents who removed their children from school during term time for holidays, marking a 53 per cent rise compared to pre-Covid levels. Many families point to the exceptionally high prices of breaks during official school holidays, especially for trips abroad.

Attitudes towards school attendance are also believed to have relaxed following the Covid-19 pandemic. Before the outbreak, local authorities issued just 288,000 penalty notices in the 2018/19 academic year, reports Bristol Live.

The escalating issue was discussed in Parliament in October this year. However, with some councils increasing penalties for non-attendance, Alvaro Iturmendi, travel insurance expert at Confused.com, cautioned that the true cost to parents could exceed initial expectations.

“For many families, taking a term-time holiday can seem like an appealing way to cut costs. Our research found that parents or guardians say they saved £567 on average, especially as prices often surge during peak school breaks.”

“That’s as our research also found that UK parents and guardians were issued £41 million in fines for term-time holidays between 2022 and 2024 by local councils. Fines are typically issued per child, per parent, and what might start as an £80 fine can quickly rise to £160 for a two-parent household in England, with costs multiplying further for families with more than one child.

“Over half (56%) of parents and guardians said the main reason they take the risk and travel during term time is because it’s cheaper outside of school holidays. While a third (33%) of parents believe that travel is just as important as formal education, and 14% admitted they booked before realising the school term dates.

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“However, if term-time travel becomes a regular occurrence, councils have the power to take legal action. That’s why we created a school fines calculator to help parents get clarity on the potential costs and local authority rules before making any decisions. Regardless of when you travel, family holidays can be very expensive, and for families facing fines it’s one more cost added on top of an already pricey getaway.”

Studies indicate families are forking out nearly £400 extra per person on getaways taken during school time. This has led Paul Whiteman – general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers – to conclude that penalties are failing to discourage parents.

“For many families the threat of a fine is not acting as a significant deterrent in the way the government hoped it would. This is largely due to the exorbitant charges for holidays outside of term time,” Whiteman said. “We have long-argued that fines are a blunt tool for tackling this issue and the data appears to bear this out once again.”