Peter

The star, who died aged 76, also presented the schools show Our World and pioneering deaf community shows Listening Eye and Insight.

One of the stars of Children’s ITV has died aged 76. Tributes are being paid to Peter Llewellyn-Jones, who played Mr Grimley in The Riddlers, which was a teatime fixture throughout the Nineties.

The Riddlers featured the adventures of Marjorie Dawe, played by Victoria Williams, her neighbour Montgomery Lancelot Grimley, played by Llewelyn-Jones, and two Riddlers – puppet creatures – called Mossop and Tiddler.

The show, which was produced by Yorkshire Television, was a huge success, running for 224 episodes on ITV from 1989 until 1998. Five videos, two DVDs and a series of Riddler books were also released.

Away from Riddleton End, Llewellyn-Jones also presented on Our World, an ITV schools series about how children approach life that ran during the Eighties and Nineties.

He was also a prominent British Sign Language (BSL) advocate and appeared in the children’s TV show Insight, which produced sketches and short stories for deaf and hard of hearing young people from 1980 to 1984.

Llewellyn-Jones also appeared on its successor, the BBC’s Listening Eye, a pioneering show for the deaf community which later became Sign On.

The British Deaf Association paid tribute in a signed video, saying: “Today the British Deaf Association is deeply saddened by the passing of Peter Llewellyn-Jones, a BSL champion and strong ally of the deaf community for over 50 years.

“Peter had a long and valued association with the BDA, supporting our work and contributing to BDA events over many decades.

“From the early BDA Summer Schools through to wider national Deaf community events, he played an important role in improving communication and access between Deaf and hearing people.

“Peter was a visionary leader and pioneering advocate for linguistic rights.”

One fan responded to the news, writing: “Sad to hear that Peter Llewellyn Jones has passed away, I love The Riddlers and I remember buying it on video, when I was a kid.”

Peter Cullen, the voice actor whose regal timbre as the heroic Optimus Prime in the “Transformers” franchise and deep tone as the gloomy Eeyore in “Winnie the Pooh” projects who was beloved by generations, has died. He was 85.

Cullen died Wednesday in his Los Angeles home, his agent Kevin Motley confirmed to The Times on Thursday. A cause of death was not given.

He “passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family — and held in the hearts of his many friends and countless fans worldwide,” his family said in a statement. They ask “that you honor his remarkable legacy by serving your communities and leading others with compassion, integrity, and loyalty and always remember ‘be strong enough to be gentle.’ ”

A prolific voice actor whose work spanned television shows, movies, video games and even theme park rides, Cullen amassed more than 200 credits over his career. This includes the eponymous giant ape in the 1976 remake of “King Kong,” the villainous vehicle KARR (Knight Automated Roving Robot) in the “Knight Rider” TV series and the clicks and trills of the deadly alien hunter in the original “Predator” film.

But Cullen is best known for his work in animation and children’s cartoons in the 1980s and ‘90s.

His signature role was Optimus Prime, the leader of a heroic faction of sentient alien robots known as Autobots who battle the villainous Decepticons in the “Transformers” franchise. Cullen often spoke about how his voice for the leader — who transforms into a truck — was inspired by his older brother, Larry, a Marine who had served in Vietnam.

On the day of his “Transformers” audition, Cullen had mentioned to Larry, his roommate at the time, that he was on his way to try out to be the voice of “a hero truck.”

Larry responded, “Well, if you’re gonna be a hero, be a real hero. Don’t be a jerk … Be strong enough to be gentle. Be understanding. Be compassionate, and be able to kick ass — in a good way,” Cullen previously told The Times.

“He said it in a voice that was subdued and calm,” Cullen continued. “He’s 13 months older and 6 inches taller. Made of steel. He was my hero. [His words] weighed heavily on me. So I’m at the audition reading the breakdown of the character and what I have to say in the audition. I can just feel Larry’s words coming out of my mouth. So, I took his sound — my first words were, ‘My name is Optimus Prime.’ ”

“Transformers” voice actors Peter Cullen, left, and Frank Welker at the 2024 Comic-Con Fan Expo in Rosemont, Ill.

(Rob Grabowski / Invision/Associated Press)

Cullen originated the role in the 1980s animated “Transformers” series, referred to by fans as “G1” or “Generation 1.” The era also includes the big-screen “The Transformers: The Movie” (1986), which featured the beloved character’s controversial death, but the character eventually returned after fan outcry.

When “Transformers” jumped to live action in Michael Bay’s 2007 film, Cullen was once again tapped to voice Optimus Prime. He continued through the follow-up films, including “Revenge of the Fallen” (2009), “Dark of the Moon” (2011), “Age of Extinction” (2014) and “The Last Knight” (2017), as well as the 2018 prequel “Bumblebee” and “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” (2023).

He told NPR that returning to play Optimus Prime in these films was “like slipping into an old pair of shoes that you hid in the back of your closet.”

Cullen was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for his work as Optimus Prime in the TV series “Transformers: Prime” in 2011 and won a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Children’s and Family Emmy Awards in 2023.

Peter Claver Cullen was born on July 28, 1941, in Montreal, to American parents Henry and Muriel Cullen. One of four children, he graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1963. He later did Shakespeare for a summer in Stratford, Ontario, before working for a year at the Crest Theatre in Toronto as a member of the repertory company, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

He told NPR he discovered his talent for doing different voices while working on a farm as a child and imitating animals.

Besides Optimus Prime, one of Cullen’s favorite roles was Eeyore, the endearing but pessimistic donkey from “Winnie the Pooh.” Cullen first voiced the character in “The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” series, which aired from 1988–1991. He continued his work as Eeyore through numerous franchise installments, including “The Tigger Movie” (2000), “Piglet’s Big Movie” (2003) and “The Book of Pooh” series.

“I enjoyed doing Eeyore because he was simply charming,” Cullen said to NPR. “And I get an awful lot of reactions from, especially, young kids, when I go up and just say [in Eeyore’s voice], ‘Hello. Thanks for noticing me.’ And to see their faces light up, that to me is one of the great joys.”

Cullen is survived by his four children, Angus, Claire, Pilar and Clay, according to the Associated Press.

ABBEY Clancy and her husband Peter Crouch got boozy during a wine tasting and it was all caught on camera.

The TV personality admitted she was “trollied” and “absolutely p***ed” as she made a dirty joke.

The famous couple filmed a special episode of their The Therapy Crouch podcast and were joined by Abbey’s friend Liberty who instructed them on all things wine.

But as they were learning more about wine, Abbey admitted to feeling “trollied,” when Liberty informed her she was meant to spit out the wine they were tasting to prevent from getting drunk.

“This wine tasting has taken a turn,” Peter joked.

Then Liberty tried to educated them with a special trick on how to discern if a wine was good quality or not.

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She explained how the indent at the bottom of the bottle indicated quality, and the deeper the curve, the better the wine.

“The deeper the dip in the wine the more expensive,” Liberty explained and then tasked Abbey with feeling the indent of the bottle she was holding. 

Abbey then threw in her dirty quip: “Well the deeper the dip… so are you meant to thumb it in…?”

The joke left Peter and Abbey in hysterics and Liberty struggled to get them back on track to finish the wine tasting.

The couple’s popular podcast has become a place for them to share many secrets of their marriage, including when Abbey went through Peter’s phone.

She admitted earlier this month that she had sneaky peek at the ex-footballer’s messages behind his back, but didn’t like what she saw.

“I went through your phone,” to which an unimpressed Peter replied: “Which you shouldn’t do.”

Abbey tried to justify it, saying: “Everyone does that, every girl does that.”

Abbey went on: “But I find out things from you by doing that

“I found out you had this crush on Jet from the Gladiators, which I didn’t speak to him [Peter] for two days after and he was like ‘Abbey, she’s like 60’ and I was like ‘I don’t care, it made me physically ill’, I was so upset.”

Peter said: “But I’m allowed to fancy someone from 25 years ago…”

Abbey interjected: “I know, but still knowing my husband fancies someone else.”

Jet, real name Diane Youdale, was a main cast member on the original UK television series Gladiators from 1992 until 1996.

Aug. 19 (UPI) — Billionaire tech investor Peter Thiel has withdrawn from a high-profile libertarian summit in Argentina where he was scheduled to appear alongside President Javier Milei, days after protesters dressed as Gandalf demonstrated outside his $12 million Buenos Aires mansion.

Thiel had been scheduled as one of the central speakers at the “Vientos de Cambio,” or “Winds of Change,” summit on Sept. 1 and 2 in Buenos Aires, organized by the Libertad y Progreso Foundation. He was expected to hold a public conversation with Chilean commentator Axel Kaiser, while Milei was scheduled to close the gathering, according to Argentine news outlet elDiarioAR.

The foundation said Thiel canceled because of scheduling and logistical issues and did not connect his decision to the protest.

“Due to scheduling and logistical reasons completely unrelated to the organization of the event, Peter Thiel will ultimately be unable to travel to Buenos Aires,” Libertad y Progreso said in a statement cited by elDiarioAR. The organization said Thiel and his team had tried to reconcile the appearance with previous commitments but that travel difficulties made his participation impossible.

The summit is intended to showcase Argentina’s economic transformation under Milei and will bring together government officials, investors, academics and think tanks from Latin America, the United States and Europe. Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Deregulation Minister Federico Sturzenegger are among the government officials scheduled to participate, according to La Nación.

Thiel’s withdrawal came after an unusual demonstration Monday outside his home in Barrio Parque, one of Buenos Aires’ most exclusive neighborhoods.

A group of protesters wearing gray robes, pointed hats and white beards dressed as Gandalf, the wizard from J.R.R. Tolkien‘s The Lord of the Rings, gathered outside the property carrying a banner reading, “You shall not pass,” La Nación reported.

The choice of character was a pointed reference to Thiel’s well-documented fascination with Tolkien. Thiel co-founded data analytics company Palantir Technologies, whose name comes from the “palantíri,” seeing stones in Tolkien’s fictional universe that allow their users to communicate across long distances and view faraway events.

The demonstrators protested Thiel’s growing presence and investments in Argentina, including a recently disclosed $76 million stake in oil producer Vista Energy, according to elDiarioAR.

Thiel Macro LLC reported holding 1,189,792 American depositary shares of Vista at the end of the second quarter, worth approximately $76 million and representing about 1% of the company, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing cited by La Nación. The Vista investment was the fund’s second-largest reported equity position behind Amazon and represented about 18% of its reported stock portfolio.

Vista is one of the major operators in Vaca Muerta, Argentina’s massive shale oil and gas formation, making the investment Thiel’s most significant publicly disclosed financial bet in the country.

His financial expansion has come alongside increasingly visible ties to Milei and senior members of his government.

Thiel met with Milei at the Casa Rosada presidential palace in April, part of a series of meetings between the two over the past two years. El País reported that the April meeting was their fourth since 2024, following encounters at the Casa Rosada in January 2024, at the Milken Institute conference in Los Angeles that May and another meeting in Buenos Aires.

During his latest stay in Argentina, Thiel also met with presidential adviser Santiago Caputo, while Economy Minister Luis Caputo received him at the Economy Ministry in May, La Nación reported.

Thiel temporarily settled in Buenos Aires with his husband and children in early April and purchased a six-bedroom mansion in Barrio Parque for about $12 million, according to La Nación.

His outreach has extended beyond Milei’s political circle. On June 3, Thiel held a more than three-hour meeting at his home with opposition lawmaker and social leader Juan Grabois, one of Milei’s most outspoken political opponents. Grabois later said the meeting was intended to help him understand the political and technological project of Silicon Valley’s emerging elite.

Peter Katsis, a music manager who helped shepherd the careers of Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction, Morrissey and Backstreet Boys, has died. He was 69.

Representatives for Katsis confirmed his death on Thursday in Los Angeles, from complications of congestive heart failure, in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter and Billboard. “To the music world, Peter was one of the most influential managers of his generation. His vision, instincts and fierce belief in his artists helped shape some of the most important careers in music for more than four decades. He saw possibilities others didn’t, inspired those around him to dream bigger, and fought relentlessly for the people and artists he believed in,” his family said.

“Peter was simply larger than life. He loved fiercely, laughed loudly and lived with extraordinary courage and conviction. Above everything else, he loved his family. He was our strength, our fiercest advocate, and the person we could always count on to believe anything was possible. The void he leaves in our lives and our hearts is immeasurable.”

Katsis’ career began in Chicago, where he managed the groundbreaking industrial rock group Ministry. He also worked with emerging regional house music acts, helming A&R for the essential label Trax Records and booked acts like Marshall Jefferson and Adonis at globally prominent nightclubs.

After moving to Los Angeles in the early ’90s, he worked with the Cramps and other experimental rock acts before joining Jeff Kwatinetz at the Firm. There he managed hard rock acts including Korn and Limp Bizkit, helping make them superstars of the “TRL” era. He also worked with 30 Seconds to Mars, rapper Snoop Dogg, and played a major role in building Audioslave, the supergroup of Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell and members of Rage Against the Machine.

Katsis took on diverse pop acts like Enrique Iglesias as well, and helped turn the Backstreet Boys into a stadium act, breaking Ticketmaster records for its 1999 Into the Millennium tour.

In 2008, Katsis co-founded a new management firm, Prospect Park, with Kwatinetz and Rich Frank, building a roster that included Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction and Morrissey. Katsis also repped Liz Phair, 311, Bush, Fever 333, and pop groups Pentatonix, One Republic and 5 Seconds of Summer.

Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan wrote on Instagram that he was “Heartbroken that Pete is gone. He meant a lot to Chloe and I as a dear friend and extended member of our family. He will be missed and I’ll always cherish his intense candor and deep love of great music; which was infectious. And he deserves immense credit for helping to usher in the alternative revolution of the ’80s and ’90s and beyond. He was truly one of a kind. One of a us. And Chicago royalty through and through.”

Katsis is survived by his sister Anastasia and his son Ian.

KATIE Price and Peter Andre could be set to come face-to-face for the first time in 16 years.

The warring exes have not been in the same room since their divorce in 2009 but there is now a plan to reunite them for the very first time.

And it could all be down to daughter Princess Andre.

The budding star confirmed on her reality show, The Princess Diaries, that she has a plan for them to come face-to-face later this year.

Princess is planning a huge launch event for her cosmetics company and is planning to invite both her parents to attend the bash.

Confirming her plan on her show, Princess told Katie of what she was planning to do.

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Princess said to her: “For my official launch, I will probably just invite close family and friends.”

Katie went quiet as she replied: “Yeah… I mean, I still haven’t met up with your dad face-to-face yet.

“It is weird, isn’t it?”

Princess agreed before adding: “But everything happens for a reason1”

Katie then appeared to take a swipe at Peter and their split as she added: “Does it?

“I think some things could have been avoided but it is what it is and you just move on.”

Princess nevously smiled after her mum’s comments before the conversation drew to a quick close.

Later on, Princess told brother Junior of her latest plan.

Before their chat, Princess told the camera: “It is so important for me that for my official launch, I have as many friends and family there as possible.”

She then said to Junior and his girlfriend: “Mum and Dad are in a truce now so I am just gonna invite Mum and Dad and whoever wants to come, comes.

“It might be quite awkward though.”

Junior appeared unconvinced by the plan as he replied: “Yeah, their first time in a room?

“When I used to perform, I never invited mum and dad to one show so it could be good and they’ve got a truce.

“And it is about you and supporting you so yeah, I love that.”

Spoiler alert: This post contains details from the new film “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

Apparently Tom Holland isn’t the only “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” creative with a bad habit of accidentally spoiling movies.

Grammy winner Steve Lacy joined the festivities during the film’s Hollywood premiere on Monday, detailing more than just his original song for the latest “Spider-Man” flick. The “Oh Yeah” and “Bad Habit” singer also allegedly spilled the beans on “Stranger Things” alumna Sadie Sink‘s “Spider-Man” character, which Marvel has kept tightly under wraps. Lacy delivered the accidental reveal while speaking with Twitch star Valkyrae, who hosted the film’s official red carpet stream. During Monday’s carpet, Valkyrae asked Lacy to name his favorite character from the movie “without spoiling anything,” according to video shared on social media.

“Jean. I like Jean,” he responds, “she’s the villain but, like, there’s a reason to her madness.” After Valkyrae asks whether his answer was a spoiler, Lacy seemingly tones down his enthusiasm for the character. “I like her character. I don’t know why.”

Lacy didn’t quite link Sink with this mystery Jean. Still, it’s worth noting that Sink’s role has been the subject of much speculation, with fans suspecting she would play Marvel-verse X-Men telekinetic and telepath Jean Grey. Sink would be the third actress to play the role, after Famke Janssen and “Game of Thrones” alumna Sophie Turner. (Another Marvel universe Jean is Jean De Wolff, a Spider-Man ally who was a police detective and captain.)

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” will also see Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon reprise their roles and also features Mark Ruffalo and Jon Bernthal among others. Holland recently starred alongside Zendaya and Bernthal in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”

The trailer, released in March, shows Peter/Spider-Man (Holland) reeling as he struggles to reconnect with his friends. To his dismay, MJ (Zendaya) has a new man in her life. As in the previous films, Peter attempts to balance his personal woes with superhero struggles — but he’ll have another Avenger in his corner. The clip shows Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner (a.k.a. the Hulk) guiding Peter through an “enormously dangerous” physical evolution and teases several baddies, including Bernthal’s antihero Punisher.

Sink has been all-in on the “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” press tour, managing to keep tight-lipped about her role. Earlier this month, Marvel shared playful videos of Sink somewhat discussing her role to help stave off eager fans’ curiosity. In one clip, she provides “Spider-Man” fans with three incredibly helpful clues: She does not play Spider-Man, she does not play Aunt May (who perished in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”) and she is definitely in the latest movie.

When it comes to spoiling “Spider-Man” and other Marvel films, it often seems like the call is coming from inside. Over the years, Holland has gained a reputation for his loose lips, spoiling plot details from “Spider-Man” and “Avengers” films.

Maybe accidental spoilers are just par for the course?

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” hits theaters, with showings on Thursday leading into Friday’s release.

PETER Andre has said ‘it hurts too much’ seeing his sick mother in Australia amid her declining health.

The singer’s mum Thea, 90, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s back in 2023.

Peter took to Instagram and shared a video marking his father Savvas’ 93rd birthday.

In its caption, the star explained his poignant reason for not including Thea in the clip.

He wrote: “This video touches my heart in every way. It’s my dad’s 93rd birthday today.

“I decided not to show mum in this video because it hurts too much.

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“But I want to thank my sis for sending this. Love you mum and dad so so so much. More than they will ever know.”

Continuing, Peter said that he speaks to his parents “every single day, sometimes twice.”

He added: “I tell them enough how much they mean to me ( if it’s ever enough ).

“Thank god for FaceTime. Going to see them and I cannot wait. Να ζήσεις dad.”

One person commented: “Sending so much love xxx.”

Another added: “Your mum and dad are such wonderful people. Watched them through all your shows. Your dad looks amazing for 93..lots of love to them.”

Last December, Peter shared a heartbreaking update on Thea’s condition, saying he worried Christmas 2025 would be her last.

He told OK! Magazine: “Of course I worry this could be Mum’s last Christmas.

“She’s very delicate. Her Parkinson’s has progressed quite a bit.

“Her speech is almost gone. She’ll say a word or two. It’s heartbreaking, because she’s our world, our pillar of strength.”

KATIE Price has shared a sweet snap from a day out with her boys after Princess broke her silence on the former glamour model’s truce with their dad Peter Andre.

Katie, 48, Junior and Harvey looked as though they were having the best time as they soaked up the sun.

The trio appeared to be spending some quality time together at the stables amid Katie’s rocky relationship with conman Lee Andrews.

Podcast host Katie posed resting her arm affectionately on Harvey’s shoulder as they smiled at the camera.

Junior, who is following in his dad’s footsteps as a musician, was seen grinning ear-to-ear in the background of the pic posted on Instagram.

Harvey, 24, recently moved back in with Katie after “hating” living in his own flat.

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She confessed her son was “happiest” living at home and that certainly rang true as he enjoyed the fresh air with his family.

Katie captioned the sweet post: “Summer,” followed by a horse emoji, sun emoji and a yellow love heart.

This comes as it was revealed that both Katie and Peter are set to appear on their daughter’s reality show The Princess Diaries.

The formerly warring pair – who were married between 2005 and 2009 – called a truce earlier this year for the sake of their kids.

They announced the new chapter in a bombshell joint statement on Instagram back in February.

It said they’d reached an “understanding” and they wanted to focus on “creating a calm and supportive environment” for Junior and ­Princess.

Katie will appear in the first episode of Princess’ show, taking a glamping trip with her children to celebrate her birthday.

But, we are some way off ever seeing the former glamour model and her singer ex on screen together.

Princess said: “To be honest, I don’t think that would happen anyway. I don’t think divorced parents would sit in a room and have a conversation, but it’s not to say it would never happen.”

Junior, 21, went on: “The main thing is, it’s amicable. They’ve got a truce, but they’re not best friends and they don’t need to be.

“The fact that they’re both in it is great because it’s our parents. We love them, and want everyone to be involved. But yeah, they don’t need to cross paths.”

Princess told how she values ­having her loved ones on the show, adding: “It is way more fun for me . . . because I like having my family there.

“I guess it shows people they are calm — that yes, they’re not best friends but they don’t need to be.”

KATIE Price has today threatened her “truce” with her first husband, Peter Andre.

It came after four-times wed Katie, 48, reposted a series of social media swipes at the “controlling” star, 53, as fans continue to react to her explosive Sky documentary.

Today, the former pin-up shared two TikTok videos that were sympathetic to what she had been through with men.

One of the clips showed a snippet from her documentary where Katie was alleging that she “wasn’t allowed to go out” during her relationship with Peter, implying that he “controlled” what she did.

Over the short video was written: “Nothing could ever make me hate Katie Price after watching her new documentary.”

The second TikTok clip that Katie re-posted was a fan’s statement which read: “The Katie Price documentary is just a prime example of how a man can manipulate you, make you thinkyou’rer weak and basically knock any confidence that you had outoff.

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“That poor girl has been ruined by men over and over; we let them get in our heads and believe every bad word they say about us.”

What made it even more clear that the TV star was taking a swipe at her ex, was they were the only two videos that she has shared that aren’t plugging her CBD brand.

The fresh swipe threatens to derail their famous “truce”, which was called earlier this year.

Katie and Peter’s love story started in the I’m A Celebrity jungle in 2004.

After a whirlwind romance, they had an extravagant wedding the following year.

However after numerous reality shows following their lives, the relationship ended in acrimonious divorce in 2009.

Relations between the pair were fraught until they released a shock joint statement in February this year, agreeing to a truce.

Katie and Peter posted on social media: “We are both focused on creating a calm and supportive environment for our children. W

“e are hoping this is the start of a positive relationship.”

Speaking to The Sun earlier this month about the truce, Katie said: ““Do you know what, I’m at peace with myself.

“It doesn’t mean to say I’ll ever forget anything. But I’ve just got better things in my life. What’s the point in reminiscing about the past like that? I’ve got no energy for it.

“I want to put all my energy into me and the future. I’ve seen all the TikToks of us [fans often share clips of Pete berating Katie on their reality shows], so I don’t have to say anything.”

ABBEY Clancy and Peter Crouch have been accused of boasting about their wealth as they revealed they’ve moved to Portugal while their £3m UK mansion is renovated.

The Sun exclusively revealed last month, that the football legend, 45, is set to feature alongside his model wife, 40, and their four children, in a new fly-on-the-wall documentary.

The couple, who co-present The Therapy Crouch podcast, regularly delve into the ups and downs of married life.

Peter read out a question from a listener which asked: “Have you completely relocated to Portugal or are you there while renovating your home?”

Abbey replied: “Obviously we sold our house, we were looking for a new house, we thought we would try living in Portugal for a bit.

“We’ve absolutely loved it and you know it works perfectly for us because you know we can renovate our new place and all come back and it’ll be done.”

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Abbey explained that it had been a nice change and that she didn’t regret it at all.

She added: “The kids have loved it and you know it’s just been a great experience.”

However, some fans thought they were boasting about their wealth and one commented bluntly: “Yeah when you have bagfulls of money, yeah try another country.”

“Bet they’re in Quinta do Lago as it’s very fancy,” added another.

The couple were previously criticised by fans for ‘flaunting’ their enviable £3 million mansion while hosting a lavish Asian-inspired banquet.

The pair were giving a tour of their luxury estate prior to hosting an extravagant dinner party with lavish catering provided by London’s Nobu.

The multi-million pound property featured its own luxury cinema room and a spacious home office for Peter and his trophies.

Fashion-savvy Abbey had her own walk-in wardrobe, while the outside area boasted a ‘magical’ and ‘peaceful’ garden complete with a high-tech BBQ and swimming pool.

One fan commented: “We get it, you’re loaded. Well done.”

A second added: “How they live, we don’t need to know.”

“Once upon a time I might have thought this was amazing – now I’d rather cook a meal myself in my little house and listen to some music with my children,” mused a third.

Another user agreed: “I take it the ‘normal’ person can also get this or what’s the point in posting this other than to show off?”

Josh Grisetti, the Broadway actor who charmed audiences with roles in “Something Rotten!” and TV’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” has died, a family member confirmed to The Times on Monday. He was 44.

Grisetti died by suicide Friday, his “Something Rotten!” co-star Rob McClure first announced Sunday on Instagram, adding he is heartbroken and “not ready to even attempt to understand.” McClure also expressed his condolences to Grisetti’s wife and family. The Instagram post included photos of Grisetti and McClure over the years, including at Grisetti’s wedding. The actor married Mackenzie Perpich in 2020.

“Communities around the world will never be the same without him. We love you Josh,” McClure wrote in his caption. “Just a cataclysmic loss.”

On Broadway, Grisetti was best known for starring as Bottom brother Nigel alongside McClure’s Nick. The play follows the pair of brothers as they strive for success in the theatrical world amid William Shakespeare’s unstoppable rise. Grisetti portrayed Nigel Bottom from 2017 to 2018 for the show’s national tour. Grisetti also starred in musical comedies “It Shoulda Been You” and “Broadway Bound.” He appeared in award-winning off-Broadway productions including “Rent,” “Peter and the Starcatcher” and “Enter Laughing,” among others.

Grisetti’s regional credits also include “Spamalot” in Las Vegas, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” at the Reprise Theatre, “Beauty & the Beast” and “Peter Pan Goes Wrong” in La Mirada.

“Thank you, Josh, for sharing your beautiful energy and immense talent with us,” the La Mirada Theatre said on Instagram.

The actor, in what would be his final Instagram post, announced he departed a production of “Legally Blonde” at the Trentino Music Festival for “personal reasons” before the show’s opening.

The festival also mourned Grisetti in an Instagram post Monday: “Josh was a loving and caring person who was deeply dedicated to his friends, his students, and his colleagues. He was beloved by all who knew him, and he will be deeply missed by our students, faculty, and staff.”

Grisetti, born in December 1981 in Roanoke, Va., acted throughout childhood and performed in a variety of productions, including a kindergarten production of “Peter Rabbit” and high school productions of “Anything Goes” and “Flowers for Algernon.” He officially earned his Actors’ Equity card in 2004 for a production of “Where’s Charley?” at the Goodspeed Opera House, he told Playbill in 2009.

He also pursued a career in TV and film, most notably appearing in the Emmy-winning series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” He appeared as comedy writer Ralph Emerson in the series’ fifth season. He also had roles in shows “The Knights of Prosperity,” “Nurse Jackie” and “The Good Fight.”

He appeared in the film adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri’s “The Namesake,” “The Immigrant,” “The Revolutionary Road” and “Men in Black 3,” among other movies, according to IMDb.

Grisetti, who also directed various musical productions, notably brought his talent and experience to Cal State Fullerton and Loyola Marymount University, teaching acting, musical theater and business. He also authored “God in My Head” in 2016, an “irreverent spiritual memoir” that details his accidental meeting with God through a “hallucinogenic journey.”

During his time on “Price of Broadway” in 2015, Grisetti reflected on luck and breaking into the industry. “Luck is required to kind of spark some things in this business a lot of the time, but then talent is what keeps you there,” he told Playbill.

“You start making your own luck, you start forging your own connections and making it happen.”

LOU Teasdale has split with footballer Andy Carroll for a third time – and for her sake, I hope this time it’s for good.

To me Andy is a classic Peter Pan, a man seemingly devoid of the ability to grow up and stop partying like he’s a single twenty-something.

We saw it in the run up to his marriage to the lovely Billi Mucklow back in 2022, when he made a buffoon of himself by passing out topless in bed with two women in Dubai, and now it seems history is repeating itself.

I watched him sidling up to two rather attractive women at Glastonbury last year and although it might have just been a flirt – who doesn’t get turned on by The Prodigy? – it was enough to get the red flags waving in my mind.

If you feel like this is the nineteenth time Andy and Lou have split over the past year, you’re a little way off but not totally incorrect.

They’ve been more on and off than my laptop over the past 12 months so I am hoping, if only for Lou’s sake, that this is the final time.

If she was one of my mates, I’d be staging an intervention because enough is enough.

This time around, insiders have said it’s Lou who has kicked Andy to the kerb, after he flew off on a boozy holiday to Ibiza, despite supposedly promising her he wouldn’t touch drink to save their relationship.

Lou, a respected make-up artist, has now wiped Andy from her social media.

But why she stood by him time and time again is what I cannot understand. They first started dating back in the autumn 2024 and on social media, naturally, it all seemed rather rosy.

Andy had only been single for a short time, following the end of his ill-fated marriage to Billi, the mother of his three youngest children.

But from the outside, all appeared to be well. And, long had been forgotten the scandal that had engulfed the lead up to their wedding back in 2022.

To recap, and if you don’t remember, Andy ended up landing himself in hot water after getting so drunk at his stag do in Dubai that he ended up topless and in bed with two women – who took photographs of him and shared them with pals.

I reported on the story at the time as I knew people close to Billi.

The former reality star was so humiliated by the footballer she almost called off the wedding.

Nothing happened between Andy and the women who partied with him in Dubai, but her friends confessed to me at the time that they were begging her not to marry him.

But their pleas fell on deaf ears and the pair looked genuinely happy in their wedding pictures in the summer of that year.

But fast-forward two years and they announced they were divorcing.

I rang one of her pals after hearing of his latest split with Lou and they made a pertinent point.

“Marrying Andy was something Billi did for love but it was never going to work out,” a friend admits.

“We told her not to go through with it but everything was in place for the wedding, calling it off would have been a nightmare.

“She did love him deep down and wanted to move past it though.

“Andy might not have cheated in Dubai but he was as drunk as a skunk and topless in bed with two women.

“What does it say about your future husband that he’s going to put himself in this position?”

Well, quite.

Not long after his split from Billi was revealed by The Sun, it emerged Andy had started dating Lou.

There was no crossover between the relationship and on the outside, things between Andy – who has two older children from a previous relationship – and Lou seemed happy.

Their Instagram accounts were full of snaps of them together in France, where Andy had been playing for fourth tier club Bordeaux.

But less than a year into their relationship, it all started to get a bit messy.

Lou, who is sober and has been for over a decade, appeared to have no issue with the fact Andy drank alcohol and the pair made it work.

But last summer, things came to a head in Mykonos – with Andy being quizzed by the police twice after two very public rows last June.

The first incident, at the Nikolus Tavern, was so shocking, a restaurant worker went on the record and told us Andy was “very drunk and furious” with Lou.

He added: “He was using very bad words. It was improper behaviour. The woman looked very upset.”

After speaking to police, Andy was allowed to return to Lou but just hours later alarmed staff called cops again after reports of damage to their £500-a-room at a posh hotel.

Andy was taken to a station for questioning but was released without being arrested. Despite the two incidents, Lou stuck by Andy and their relationship continued.

For eight more weeks, the pair went back to posting loved-up selfies online, until out of the blue – Andy’s pals confessed he had dumped Lou last August.

And thus the madness started.

A friend close to Andy was less than charming about their relationship when they told us about the break-up and said: “Andy got sick of Lou’s demands and her influencer lifestyle.

“She’s always posting on social media and he hates that. He told her it was over this week. He’s single now.”

Days later, Andy then confessed he’d “made a mistake” and they got together again.

But fast forward a few weeks and they split up once more.

This time was after a “make or break” holiday, with a friend saying: “They’ve tried to make it work, but they’re just too different.”

Bizarrely, even after all of this – they ended up patching things up – but unsurprisingly it’s now over again.

That relationship, which has become a very tedious version of Groundhog Day, should, in my opinion, end for good now.

And Lou, I implore you not to take Andy back.

There are only so many times someone can drag you down before something has got to give.

I had the misfortune of standing next to the Dagenham and Redbridge player at Glasto last summer as I watched The Prodigy and he got very friendly with two women during the set.

Lou had been on-site with Andy that weekend but by this point had retreated to the Babington House for a well-earned rest from the stench of the long-drops at Worthy Farm.

Being honest, I can’t work out what annoyed me more – having a colleague poke me repeatedly because Andy was all over these women while my favourite song Smack My B**** Up was playing or the fact he had the gall to act like a single man when he was in what appeared to be a loving relationship.

I’m not saying anything happened with those women, or that his actions went beyond a flirt and someone to lean on late at night.

But when a man truly loves a woman, he doesn’t give another one a second look, let alone put his arms around them when his missus’ back is turned.

We’ve all been the woman, or man, that forgives stupidity because we love. But as the old saying goes, once is happenstance, twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern.

Don’t let him make a mug of you, Lou.

The Blue Peter presenter was a familiar face on our TV screens in the 90s and early 2000s

A Blue Peter icon has carved out an entirely new career path away from kids’ TV.

Katy Hill shot to fame in the late 90s across some of the biggest TV and radio programmes around.

She fronted much-loved children’s show CBBC Blue Peter from 1995 to 2000 and spent five years taking on incredible stunts, including flying with the RAF’s Red Arrows team, a feat no civilian had achieved before.

Riding high on her success and widespread popularity, she moved across to BBC One’s Live and Kicking until 2001. The star then presented Top of the Pops, Football Fever, BBC’s Holiday and her very own weekend show on Capital FM.

Katy was also a regular contributor to glossy publications such as Cosmopolitan Hair and Beauty, Hello! and Closer.

In 2004, she claimed second place on Channel 4’s The Games. As her career progressed, she hosted programmes for Heart Radio, penned weekly blogs and stepped in as a stand-in presenter on ITV’s Daybreak.

During an appearance on Good Morning Britain last year, Katy shared her lifelong passion for presenting, saying: “I wanted to present that show since I was five.

“It was because this was the ’70s, right, you guys know this? There had been no girl power. That was the place I saw girls jumping out of planes, flying fast jets and fast cars. Generally, it’s pretty cool. I was like: ‘That’s the job for me!'”

However, nowadays, Katy, 55, is far less visible on our television screens, having transitioned into life coaching after establishing her own business.

Describing herself as an ‘Internationally Certified Success and Confidence Coach’, she regularly shares motivational content across social media. Katy also runs her own newsletter, The Limitless List, which delivers inspiring quotes and uplifting messages.

Alongside her television work, she now provides programmes, live groups and one-to-one coaching sessions to support her members.

Katy’s Instagram bio reads: “The shy kid who refused to play small and spent 30 years on TV! Now empowering women like YOU to UNLOCK your CONFIDENCE and CLAIM the SUCCESS you deserve!”

Katy is happily married to Trey Farley, her former co-presenter on Live and Kicking. The couple have been blissfully married for over two decades and share two children, daughter Kaya and son Akira.

In July 2023, Katy and Trey celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary, with the former television presenter sharing a touching tribute to her husband on social media.

She posted photographs from their wedding day and wrote: “20 Years of US! 20 Years of Mr and Mrs Farley! What a ride we’re on @rocaflix … nobody else I’d rather be doing LIFE with! Happy 20 babe! Let’s make more amazing memories! X (Ours was the Hans Zimmer version – obvs!)”

Prior to marrying Trey, Katy was previously wed to her childhood sweetheart, Andrew Frampton. They tied the knot in 1999 but separated in 2001.

KATIE Price has made a rare sentimental remark about ex-husband Peter Andre in her new Sky documentary.

The reality TV star, 48, shared a sweet comment about ex Peter and how shy he used to make her feel in her latest series, Katie Price: Nothing To Hide.

In the documentary, Katie is sitting down watching her old I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! footage — the show on which she met Peter.

She then opened up about just how much she felt for Peter, calling him her “Prince”.

Katie said: “If I like someone like I liked him, I go all shy. I can’t look at them, and I go all like giddy. It’s pathetic, but that’s what I was like.

“You could see we were into each other and it is so cute to look at. By the end of it I was smitten with him.

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“Meeting Pete and being with Pete were the best times of my life, without a doubt.

“I had my prince, I knew I would be with him forever.”

Katie and Peter met in 2004 and started dating shortly after their time on I’m A Celeb ended.

They got engaged later that same year and tied the knot in 2005.

They went on to have two children, Princess and Junior, before divorcing in 2009.

Earlier this year, Katie married for the fourth time, tying the knot with self-proclaimed millionaire Lee Andrews.

The pair’s whirlwind wedding came after just a week of speaking online.

Recently Katie and Lee reunited after Lee was imprisoned in Dubai under accusations of fraud.

When David Jacks published a biography of Peter Asher in 2022, the veteran record producer and manager expressed surprise that anyone would have deemed his life worthy of the treatment. Four years later, he’s no less baffled to have become the subject of a new documentary, “Peter Asher: Everywhere Man,” directed by the filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine.

“It just seemed to me,” he says, “that I wouldn’t be that fascinating.”

The movie, in theaters now, argues otherwise: A child actor alongside his two younger sisters, the bespectacled Asher became an unlikely pop star during the British invasion as half of the duo Peter & Gordon, whose debut single, “A World Without Love” — written by Paul McCartney — hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 1964. (McCartney offered the song to Asher while the Beatle was dating Asher’s sister Jane.) In 1968, the Beatles made Asher head of A&R at Apple Records, where he signed James Taylor; the two soon moved to Los Angeles and turned Taylor into music’s biggest heartthrob folkie.

Asher went on to shepherd Linda Ronstadt to stardom and to produce records by Diana Ross, Cher, Bonnie Raitt, Randy Newman, Neil Diamond and 10,000 Maniacs, among many others. And at 82 he’s still at it: Last year he produced Barbra Streisand’s latest duets album — they’re due to start work on a new Streisand solo LP, he says — and he’ll perform a show of his own July 19 at the Grammy Museum. Asher, who broke his leg in a recent fall, spoke about it all the other morning at his home in Malibu, where he walked into the kitchen using a cane before sitting down at a table set with pastries and several of the day’s newspapers.

What unites the jobs of musician, producer, executive, manager? What’s the through line?
Love of music and admiration for the people who do it. They’re very different jobs, and I came at them from very different perspectives. Record production was something I set out to do once I understood what a record producer did. Hire musicians much better than yourself and tell them what to do? That’s a cool job — how do I get in on that racket? Whereas I never had any ambitions to be a manager. It’s just that when James and I decided to go out on our own and try to put a career together, we didn’t know who we trusted to do it, so I kind of went, I’ll do it.

What’d you discover about the job of management?
The ingredients are common sense, not being a crook and having a great client.

Which is the hardest of those three?
The last one. I got to induct the first managers inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: Brian Epstein and Andrew Loog Oldham — the Beatles and the Stones. That’s the hard part. The only thing that would tempt me back into management would be lightning striking for a third time — to see James, to see Linda, then to see somebody comparably brilliant, which I occasionally do. But usually they have a manager already.

What’s the last new act that knocked you out?
Ed Sheeran.

Was that just because he looks like he could be your grandson?
That certainly crossed my mind.

As a producer, your records helped define the sound of rock in the ’70s.
The so-called California sound.

Then the zeitgeist shifted.
One became aware of that. Pop music got very electronic, which I loved.

Was there a place for you in that style?
I didn’t consciously try to make records in that style because I don’t think I could have — not as well as they were being made anyway.

What’s a record from the early ’80s that made you think that?
“Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).” I couldn’t do that.

Back to the ’70s: The doc is filled with pictures of James looking —
Like a movie star. With the cover of “JT,” I finally went all the way and said, “We’re doing the the glamour shot.” Then we did “Flag,” which everyone hated.

With the maritime flag. A truly perverse album cover.
I loved it. James loved it. Everyone thought we were crazy.

How crucial do you think James’ good looks were to his whole proposition?
I don’t know.

Oh, come on.
I really don’t. I mean, how would you gauge that? There’s probably girls who fell in love with him without listening to the record.

I think you just gauged it.
If he was ugly, would he be as big a star? Probably not.

(Evan Mulling / For The Times)

Same applies to Linda, right?
When I first saw Linda, it was stages of realization. Someone said to me, “You’ve got to go down and see this girl at the Bitter End.” I walk in and she’s singing so well — unspeakably good. Then she looks incredibly great — barefoot, short-shorts. Oh, my God, my heart. Then you meet her, and it turns out she’s a remarkably brilliant woman — extremely well read. You just kind of go, “All these things together — how can it be?” It’s the same thing talking about the Beatles: If you cast it like the Spice Girls, you still couldn’t have gotten four to fit together so perfectly.

Did you like the Spice Girls?
Terrific. “Tell me what you want / What you really, really want” — it’s a smash. And yet none of them are particularly good singers, which is kind of the point.

I went to an event not long ago where Paul McCartney played his new album for a small group of fans. It was fascinating to see the spell McCartney casts over people.
He’s had to get used to it — to admit to himself that he can’t meet people who aren’t amazed that they’re meeting him. Even as someone who’s known him off and on for a long time, you still get the wave of: Holy s—.

You’re still amazed to be around him?
Of course. I get it less — I’m ready for it. But you can’t pretend he’s not Paul McCartney. And he’s gotta live with that his whole life.

You grew up a member of the upper crust, I think it’s fair to say.
I don’t think we were that crusty. But upper, probably, yes.

I wondered how that situated you to live and work among artistic types.
If anything, the upper crust have more time to be artistic — less preoccupied with getting a job and making a living. But my parents worked incredibly hard — we weren’t upper crust in the sense of inherited wealth. My father was a doctor, my mother was a professor of music. But I never struggled, to be honest. I had a comfortable allowance, and then I went to school and worked hard. Everyone talks about sharing a flat with a million people, living on borrowed sandwiches — I skipped that phase.

Did that shape you in any meaningful way?
I don’t know. But I think when people do struggle, it becomes a meaningful part of their lives to get away from it. With someone like James, the struggle was a struggle with drugs. Now he says the worst thing about drugs is they’re a complete waste of time — you waste time doing nothing except looking for drugs. And I think that made him anxious to succeed and to be taken seriously.

I’m sure you saw the New York Times’ list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters.
You knew it was gonna be silly. Randy Newman, for God’s sake — you just cannot not include him.

No Neil Diamond either.
Insane.

And no Billy Joel.
[Shrugs].

How’s your health?
High blood pressure, high cholesterol, need to work out more — old man stuff. Other than that and a broken leg, great.

You’re OK with the cane?
It’s a considerable upgrade from the wheelchair. I like the cane — it’s kind of elegant.

What seems scarier: the body going or the mind going?
The mind going. And it is, slightly. I had a stroke, and bits of my brain aren’t quite working right. But compared to other people I know, I’m fine.

We’re at a moment when a lot of foundational rock ’n’ roll figures —
Are dying. It’s all the rage.

What’s it feel like to see your friends and colleagues go?
Better them than me.

Couple more for you: You managed Courtney Love for a spell.
I met her here in Malibu. I also managed Pamela Anderson for a while because she was a neighbor and asked me to help.

What, you put a shingle out?
“Manager for hire.” I’m trying to remember how I first met Courtney — I think Merck Mercuriadis was talking to her about publishing and Kurt stuff. I liked her. Very smart. I like smart women.

She’s easy to work with? Hard to work with?
Impossible to work with.

What’s James Taylor’s best album?
“JT,” maybe.

What’s Linda Ronstadt’s best album?
“Heart Like a Wheel.” With Linda, it’s unfair because they’re so radically different. How do you compare that to a mariachi record and then to Nelson Riddle?

Working with Riddle on those albums must have been a thrill.
He told us all these incredible stories about Frank Sinatra, who he didn’t like although he admired him enormously. It was John David Souther who originally suggested Nelson. Linda had tried doing the album a different way — did some versions with Jerry Wexler and it didn’t work out. So we had a meeting with Nelson: Would he consider doing a couple of arrangements for us? He went, “No.” We said, “What?” He said, “I’ll do an album, though.”

“A World Without Love” was one of eight songs to top the chart in 1964 with “love” in the title. What’s that say about pop music in the mid-’60s?
Same thing it says about pop music of all time: It’s either “I love you” or “She loves you” or “Why don’t you love me?” Weird Al pointed out to me that when you’re looking for a parody of a song, any song that has “love” in the title, substitute “lunch” and it’s funny. “A World Without Lunch” — I mean, who would want to live in such a place?

MARGARET Kerry, the actress and dancer who helped bring Disney’s iconic Tinker Bell to life, has died aged 97.

The star, whose movements inspired Disney’s mischievous fairy in the 1953 classic Peter Pan, passed away after a battle with lung cancer.

Kerry died peacefully on June 11 in North Carolina surrounded by her children, according to her family.

In a statement, they said: “It is with profound sadness that we share news of the passing of Margaret Kerry (Boeke), our beloved Tinker Bell.

“Margaret passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on June 11, 2026, in Wilmington, North Carolina.

“Her three adoring children, Ellen, Christina and Eric, were with her as she lost her courageous battle with lung cancer at the age of ninety-seven.”

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The tribute added: “And remember, on any given night, look up into the night sky and search for that ‘Second Star to the Right’. Upon closer look, you might just notice that star shining a little brighter in Margaret’s honor.”

Kerry became immortalised in Disney history when she was chosen to model the movements of Tinker Bell for Peter Pan.

Standing just 5ft 2in tall, she spent months on a vast Disney soundstage acting out scenes for animators, wearing a swimsuit and imagining interactions with characters who weren’t really there, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Recalling her unusual audition, she said in a 2003 interview: “They were looking for a young girl who was comfortable with dance movement.”

After choreographing and performing a mime routine to music, she landed the role and became the inspiration behind one of Disney’s most recognizable characters.

This is a breaking news story. More to follow…

When Kings’ new head coach Peter Laviolette took a tour around the Los Angeles area, he thought he was only going to get a one-bedroom home with a view of the water. His children, though, piped in: “Make sure you get a four-bedroom,” Laviolette remembered his three children saying.

During Laviolette’s time away from the sport, the 61-year-old traveled to Scotland and watched his son play in the East Coast Hockey League. The time away has given Laviolette time to rethink his coaching, and after 30 years of coaching, including 23 as a head coach in the NHL, he’s bringing a trident approach to reshape culture and win games. Centering a hockey family is one part.

“For me, there’s three real important pieces,” Laviolette said. “First, build a family inside the locker room, inside the organization. Secondly, to really work to try and build the culture to get players and organizations to think about the choices they make and how that can affect the culture. And then the third part is the actual game on the ice, just making sure that every day from the start of training camp we work at the game.”

Los Angeles hired Laviolette to a three-year contract after he spent a year away from the sport. Laviolette’s coaching experience stretches 1,594 games, the ninth-highest career total, with six teams: the Capitals, Flyers, Islanders, Hurricanes and Predators. Most recently, he was fired by the Rangers in 2025 after two years with the team.

His postseason success might be the biggest draw for the Kings, who have seen middling success in the years since their second Stanley Cup title in 2014. Los Angeles made the playoffs each year since the 2021-22 season, but the team did not advance past the first round.

Meanwhile, Laviolette is only the fourth coach in hockey to lead three teams to the Stanley Cup Final. He last won with Carolina in 2006, but he earned two President’s Trophies in 2017-18 and 2023-24 with the Predators and the Rangers.

Kings general manager Ken Holland, left, and Peter Laviolette pose for a photo during the new coach’s introductory news conference Wednesday at the team’s training facility in El Segundo.

(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)

Still, Laviolette, despite his track record of first-year turnarounds, is joining a team in flux. The Kings fired coach Jim Hiller after the Olympic break. Interim coach D.J Smith helped guide the team to an 11-6-6 finish, aided in part by a trade for Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, whom Laviolette has also coached.

“I had a really good relationship with Artemi in New York,” Laviolette said. “He’s one of the most talented players I’ve ever coached, and I’m really happy to get to work with him again. He’s an amazing talent.”

Using the winger to go on the prowl is one of the small changes Laviolette plans to bring. The Kings have historically prioritized defense in a league that has shifted to attacking. Los Angeles fell to 30th in goals per game last season (2.68), the first time the Kings averaged fewer than three goals since the 2021-22 season. The team was also 28th in power-play percentage at 17%. Laviolette acknowledged that Los Angeles needed to change, highlighting that an attack-forward mindset has been a keystone of his coaching.

“I don’t think it should be irresponsible to defense,” he said. “But through my experiences, and even just watching the playoffs right now, this is an attack-oriented game, and you have to be willing to move.”

Where does Panarin fit?

“He has the ability to be a game-breaker and a difference-maker,” Laviolette said. “He’s not just a goal scorer. He’s not just a playmaker. He’s elusive. He’s shifty.”

The goal for next season is to score 250 times, according to Kings’ vice president and general manager Ken Holland. The team scored 220 last season.

“We’ve got to get back to scoring more goals,” Holland said. “Part of that’s going to be personnel driven, part of that’s going to be probably style‑of‑play driven, mentality, and certainly the head coach has a lot to do with it.”

As Laviolette meets current staffers and decides whom to bring in, Holland is managing the phones to reach out to assistant coaches and players. Smith has definitively moved on. Phil Housley, whom Laviolette described as an “excellent coach,” could be another potential candidate. Housley worked with Laviolette as one of the Rangers’ assistant coaches between 2023 and 2025.

Still, it’s hard to say the Kings will be a Cup contender with Laviolette. His teams tend to dramatically decline two or three seasons after his hiring. He struggles to develop younger players, instead relying on veterans to carry the weight. Laviolette will have to amplify players like Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke, each a talented 23-year-old with high ceilings.

The Kings’ success will rest in how well Los Angeles adapts to Laviolette’s coaching trident. The veteran coach, to his credit, projected confidence.

“When you put those three things together,” he said. “You can really become an unstoppable force.”

Peter Laviolette will be the next head coach of the Kings, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told the Associated Press on Monday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Kings hadn’t yet announced the results of their lengthy search for a permanent replacement for interim coach D.J. Smith, who replaced Jim Hiller in March.

The 61-year-old Laviolette is expected to get a three-year contract to take over his seventh NHL team. The Kings have made the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, but they’ve also endured five straight first-round exits under three head coaches and two general managers.

Laviolette is returning to the NHL after being fired by the New York Rangers in April 2025. He has also led the New York Islanders, Carolina, Philadelphia, Nashville and Washington during a 23-year head coaching career highlighted by a Stanley Cup championship with the Hurricanes in 2006.

Laviolette’s teams have reached the postseason in 11 of the past 14 seasons he finished behind a bench, and he also led the Flyers (2010) and the Predators (2017) to the Stanley Cup Final. His 1,594 career games coached are the ninth most in NHL history.

In his first West Coast NHL job, Laviolette is taking over a good team that is stuck in a profound rut, unable to become a Stanley Cup contender.

General manager Ken Holland fired Hiller shortly after the Olympic break in the coach’s second full season in charge, and the Kings went 11-6-6 after Smith stepped up from his assistant’s role. Smith, who was a candidate for the permanent job, got the Kings into the final Western Conference playoff spot — but Los Angeles was swept out of the first round by the Colorado Avalanche.

The Kings’ four previous first-round exits were all at the hands of the Edmonton Oilers, leading to the departure of general manager Rob Blake a year ago.

The Kings still haven’t won a playoff round since raising the Stanley Cup in 2014, but the roster has a solid core of talent despite the retirement of longtime captain Anze Kopitar.

Holland acquired high-scoring forward Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers last winter, and high-scoring forwards Adrian Kempe, Quinton Byfield and Kevin Fiala are all returning.

The intense Laviolette became known for creating aggressive offensive attacks and making quick franchise turnarounds in his previous stops. He could be part of an organizational shift for the Kings, who have spent two decades as a philosophically defense-first team — to the regular detriment of their offense.

The Kings finished 29th in the NHL in scoring last season with just 220 goals, easily the fewest among playoff teams. They are in the bottom half of the NHL in scoring over the past five seasons despite making the playoffs every year.

Holland publicly wondered whether the Kings are too defensive-minded after they scored just five goals in their four-game sweep at the hands of the Avalanche, but he didn’t commit to a change in team philosophy.

Beacham writes for the Associated Press.