The Neighbourhood is an ever-revolving door as another household will be moving into “KeepYourEnemies” Close.
Hayley Anderson Screen Time TV Reporter
22:05, 26 Apr 2026
ITV The Neighbourhood’s The Khans: (L to R) Maryam, Tara and Iman.(Image: ITV)
The Neighbourhood’s latest residents have opened up on the real reason they want to win the massive cash prize.
Situated in the stunning Peak District, Graham Norton’s family-friendly reality game show returned tonight, Sunday, April 26, where another household was brutally kicked off.
But their home won’t be empty for long as three sisters from Bradford, known as The Khans, are moving in, describing themselves as “competitive and tactical”.
Community engagement worker Maryam, 24, is the eldest of the three, followed by Oxford University student Iman, 21, and 19-year-old Tara who is an aesthetics practitioner.
Despite their “feisty” personalities, they shared with ITV why they wanted to star on The Neighbourhood and for them, it’s all about providing for their loved ones.
Iman explained: “We’d want to help out our family. Like we said, we’re from a single-parent household and my mum as of now is a carer for our nan.
“I think even for my mum to have a bit of money to do whatever she would want to do with it.
“She has always spent her time, her energy and her own money on us and my nan.
“If she wants to splash it on a holiday or get a new house, buy a car – genuinely just invest it in her.”
Tara then went on to elaborate that they would want a “more accessible house”.
She continued: “We currently live in a four-storey house, so it’s a bit tricky getting about if you’ve got mobility issues.
“If we win the £250,000 then we’ll definitely use it on a more accessible house.”
The Neighbourhood fans are going to have to wait a little while longer before they get to see how the Khans fare in the show though.
While the ITV series has been airing consecutively over the past few nights, The Neighbourhood will be taking a break, returning on Thursday, April 30.
The Neighbourhood is available to watch on ITV and ITVX.
SHE became the youngest ever Bond girl at 21 – and Gemma Arterton thinks one reason she landed the role as MI6 agent Strawberry Fields is because she teased 5ft 10in Daniel Craig about his height at the audition.
Now 40, the actress recalls how she had been relaxed about applying for the part in Quantum Of Solace because she did not realise quite how huge the 007 films were — and just tried out for “fun”.
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Gemma Arterton says her instant chemistry with Daniel Craig helped her land the role in James Bond movie Quantum of SolaceCredit: Camera PressGemma admits she knew little about the James Bond legacy when she turned up to auditionCredit: She is now set to star in ITV crime drama Secret Service, where she plays a senior MI6 operativeCredit: ITV
Talking about Daniel, 58, who played Bond for 15 years, she says: “He’s got his sense of humour, so that was good.
“I used to poke him a bit, like, I think that’s why I got the job.
“I did a screen test with him and I came on set and said, ‘Hi’, and he said, ‘Hi’. I said, ‘You’re not as tall as I thought you would be in real life’.
“He said, ‘That’s really nice of you to say so’. I was joking with him. I didn’t think I’d get it.”
After she landed the part, Gemma — who is 5ft 7in — says Daniel had to use height-boosting shoes for a few scenes when she was wearing stilettos.
Gemma, whose parents split when she was young, grew up on a Kent council estate with her mum Sally-Anne, a cleaner, and younger sister Hannah.
She said at the 2024 Marrakech International Film Festival: “I knew nothing about the Bond legacy because I grew up in an all-female household where we didn’t really watch movies.
“I literally didn’t know how big James Bond was, which sounds ridiculous because everyone else does. The surprise of how big it was — I couldn’t believe it.
“I auditioned for it because my agent told me to, not expecting to get it, and got it and just did it because it was fun.
“But I had an amazing time making it and it was huge. I had no idea what I was letting myself in for.
“We went on all these amazing locations. I had just left drama school, it was one of my first jobs, and it was the first time I was on a big film set.”
Now, Gemma is about to appear in another spy thriller — but this time she will take on the lead role in new ITVcrime drama Secret Service, which starts tomorrow night.
She plays Kate Henderson, who balances being a suburban married mother of two teenagers with secretly being a senior MI6 operative and heading the Russian desk at the intelligence service.
It is based on the book of the same name by ITV newsreader Tom Bradby.
Gemma says: “She trains spies and finds out some very important information, which is that there is a Russian spy within the British government.
“Her mission is to find out, by hook or by crook, who that is. It’s really gripping. It’s edge-of-your-seat stuff.”
For this role, Gemma did plenty of research and, with writer Tom’s help, she even met a real-life spy to perfect the part.
She told ITV’s This Morning: “I was lucky enough to meet someone who could advise me on how they negotiate their lives and live day to day — you know, their family and their kids.
“There’s a scene where I tell my kids what I do and they don’t believe me, they laugh it off. And that came from this previous spy and what happened when he told his daughter and she thought, ‘You’re joking’.
“But it was invaluable to me because it’s not just the high-stakes lives they live, it’s about the attributes they have to be a spy, which are very specific — very risk averse, good at problem solving.”
Gemma has made more than 30 films, but turned her back on Hollywood in favour of independent moviesCredit: Getty
Gemma has been acting since she was a teenager and was 16 when she first considered it as a career.
She says: “I come from a humble family. My father was a metal worker, my mother is a cleaner, and not involved in the arts in any way.
“I always liked performing and showing off. I didn’t know that acting was a profession really until I was about 16 and I was doing a lot of amateur dramatics as a hobby.
“There was a lady there who said, ‘You should go to college to study acting’.
“I thought, ‘OK let’s see what happens’. Then I saw Breaking Away and Dancing In The Dark and I was inspired.
“That’s when I realised I would like to give it a go.”
She first broke through with comedy film St Trinian’s in 2007, followed by Quantum Of Solace a year later.
Since then, she has made more than 30 films, including 2018’s Vita & Virginia, in which she played author Vita Sackville-West, who had a romantic relationship with fellow writer Virginia Woolf.
Talking about why she left Hollywood films behind to make more independent movies, Gemma says: “I think at the time it was very different in the industry to how it is now for women.
“In those films — not the Bond film. I had a really good time making that film, but the other ones — I didn’t feel very empowered.
“I didn’t feel like I had a voice and I didn’t feel comfortable. I always felt good doing independent films.
“My taste is that as well. I like independent film, it’s my passion. Usually, the stories are better and the characters are stronger and I felt like I had a voice on set.”
Films such as Byzantium, The Voices, Their Finest and The Disappearance Of Alice Creed followed, alongside performing with the Royal Shakespeare Company and starring in stage productions such as Nell Gwynn, which won her an Olivier Award in 2016.
On the Dish podcast, Gemma told how, when she starred in The Little Dog Laughed at London’s Garrick Theatre in 2010 with Tamsin Greig, Rupert Friend and Harry Lloyd, they had a novel way to try to dispel their nerves. Laughing, she said: “We used to play this game called bum slap.
“We’d be on stage before the audience came in, obviously, and you have to run around and smack each other’s bum.
“Basically, you have to smack as many bums as you can. And it was the best warm-up ever because you were all loosey goosey.
“I think I’d rather do bum slap than any of the old acting rituals.”
Gemma loves working in Britain because she gets to perform different accents.
She said: “I do enjoy a Liverpool, that melting pot of accents that is Lancashire, Manchester and Blackburn, it’s insane.”
Gemma says she only decided she wanted a career in acting when she was 16Credit: GettyGemma is married to Peaky Blinders actor Rory Keenan, and they prefer to keep a low profileCredit: Getty
Gemma herself had a Cockney accent before gaining her scholarship to the Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art, where it “softened up a bit”. London is now her home, but her mum still lives in Gravesend — and now does watch films, thanks to her famous daughter.
Gemma says: “She’s grand, she’s living the life. She’s down in Kent where I grew up, the same home — I paid off the mortgage.
“I think she does eventually watch my shows. She takes her time and needs to watch them with the subtitles on, maybe to absorb them.
“She’s very honest. She’ll say, ‘Why did you do that? You sold out there’.”
Gemma has her own family now, too — son Theo, three, and a baby boy whose name she has not revealed — with her husband, Peaky Blinders actor Rory Keenan, who she married in 2019.
They do not live a showbiz life, but he is supportive of her work.
Gemma says: “My family life is my world now, whereas before it was work.
“It’s made me hyper-focused on what I do want to do.
“Before, it was like, ‘I will do that with that director or that actor I like’, even though it wasn’t the best thing for me.
“But now it’s made me really specific about what I want to do, because if I’m going to be away from them, which I inevitably will, it’s hard.
“But if I’m in it and enjoy the work, then it’s OK.”
Timeline of James Bond actors
Over the years there have been seven actors who have played 007.
When you break a promise as clear as “No new wars,” you shouldn’t be surprised when even your most loyal supporters revolt. And that’s exactly what is happening to President Trump.
One such disillusioned supporter is Tucker Carlson — who on a recent podcast with his brother Buckley admitted, in essence, “My bad.”
“You wrote speeches for him. I campaigned for him. I mean, we’re implicated in this, for sure,” Tucker Carlson said during the conversation.
“In real ways, you and me, and millions of people like us, are the reason this is happening right now,” Calson confessed, referring to the Iran war. “We’ll be tormented by it for a long time. I will be, and I want to say I’m sorry for misleading people, and it was not intentional.”
Having worked for Carlson for six years at the Daily Caller, I’ve always found him intelligent and funny and generous, even as I have profoundly differed with him on a variety of issues throughout the Trump era.
It did my heart good to hear him accept some responsibility for what Trump has wrought.
A lot of people were complicit in boosting Trump, and some of them have even subsequently criticized him for various sins (failing to release the Epstein files, going to war with Iran, etc.). But this is the first time I can recall anyone of this stature explicitly apologizing for helping elect Trump. And that warrants a certain amount of respect.
Still, let’s be clear-eyed about what Carlson is — and isn’t — saying here. Specifically, it’s worth noting that the apology doesn’t extend to validating those of us who opposed Trump from the beginning.
In fact, it almost can’t.
Doing that would require the confessor to reinterpret not just Trump’s presidency, but also the entire ecosystem that made supporting Trump a viable option in the first place.
It would mean admitting that the framework he used to evaluate Trump was flawed, not just the outcome.
That would end up being perceived as an indictment on the broader Republican electorate — and on Carlson’s worldview and judgment — not just on Trump’s recent performance or (even more conveniently) the notion that Trump has changed or was co-opted by Israel (or whomever) since 2024.
It’s a much bigger ask than saying, “I regret this specific result.”
Specifically, Carlson is not conceding that the “Never Trump” crowd got it right — which is what those of us who have spent a decade opposing Trump (with little fanfare) have been dying to hear for a decade (even more so than “I’m sorry.”)
This is an important distinction, partly because it means that, although Carlson is now a convenient ally in the “resistance,” he is not opposing Trump for the same reasons that most Democrats or Never Trump conservatives oppose Trump.
If you put aside Trump’s decision to go to war with Iran, the Carlsons’ second-biggest criticism of Trump (based on their two-hour-long podcast) is his failure to more vigorously defend the Jan. 6 Capitol rioters.
That’s right. It’s not that he sicced immigration enforcers on immigrants and that they subsequently killed two American citizens. It’s not that DOGE fired lots of good people. It’s not that this president tried to use the Department of Justice to seek vengeance on his political rivals. It’s that Trump — the person who pardoned these people — wasn’t aggressive enough in defending the criminals who stormed the U.S. Capitol while trying to overturn the 2020 election results.
And while there’s no reason to doubt Carlson’s remarks are sincere (he has been a vocal opponent of war with Iran) and meaningful (he’s an influential figure), his comments may also signal something else: a recognition that opportunity awaits.
Consider this: Trump’s political standing is in deep trouble (Trump’s approval rating is down to 33%, according to a new AP-NORC poll).
What is more, Trump’s fading fortunes aren’t just isolated to Trump. As always, there is collateral damage: JD Vance.
Once seen as Trump’s obvious heir, Vance now finds himself in a difficult position, defending the war in Iran and attacking the pope, while simultaneously releasing a book about his Catholic conversion.
In that sense, Carlson’s apology could be less a grudging epiphany than a strategic recalibration. It acknowledges that Trump has gone off the rails but stops short of examining why it was destined to go wrong in the first place.
Carlson gets close to the answer when he tells his brother, “there were signs of low character. We knew that,” but then dismisses it by saying “there are tons of people of low character who outperform their character.”
Without deeper reflection, this apology risks becoming just another pivot — one that has as much to do with positioning as it does with repentance.
And that would be a shame.
It’s easy to regret an outcome. It’s much harder to interrogate the instincts that led you (and tens of millions of Americans) to enable it.
Apologies like Carlson’s won’t close the chapter on this long national nightmare.
Passengers have been following these instructions for years, but a cabin crew member has now explained the important aircraft safety reason for keeping window blinds open during landings take offs
14:50, 22 Apr 2026Updated 14:50, 22 Apr 2026
Ever wondered why your plane’s window blinds must be up when landing? (Stock)(Image: FG Trade via Getty Images)
Have you ever wondered why cabin crew insist we keep the window blinds up when planes are taking off and landing? If you have, you’re certainly not alone – even frequent flyers are only now learning the reason behind this rule.
The explanation came to light following a video posted by traveller Quinn Kuntz. In footage filmed from her seat, she asked: “Can someone explain why European flights require the window shade to be open for landing? They are so strict about it.” Quinn concluded by pondering whether the rule applies “everywhere”, adding: “I just wanna know why.”
In response, cabin crew member Amelia Richardson was swift to provide a thorough explanation.
“Cabin crew here – lights off in hours of darkness – your eyes are adjusted to darkness in case of evacuation,” she began. “Window blinds open – danger can be seen outside and emergency crews can see in. Tray tables and bags under seats – saves critical seconds in an evacuation.”
Amelia went on with further instructions: “Emergency exits remaining clear – again saves critical seconds, emergency exits are a lifeline in an evacuation. Just remember an aircraft must be evacuated within 90 seconds. Listen to cabin crew, follow the rules. Everyone’s happy.”
A second person added: “Safety. There are no wing or rear view mirrors on a plane. It is so the passengers and crew can alert the pilot of anything untoward.”
A third concurred, writing: “In case the passengers notice something the pilot can’t or doesn’t see. Just an extra precaution.”
Meanwhile, a fourth TikTok user explained the rule has been implemented across the globe.
“Simple: if there a fire or emergency, flight crew needs to see what’s happening so they can better choose which side to evacuate passengers,” they said. “This is an international regulation. It’s worldwide they do this!”
Indeed, pilot school, BAA Training confirms this is correct in guidance on its website.
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“The first reason is your safety,” BAA advises.
“If anything happens during a take-off or landing, your eyes will already be used to the day or night light outside, thus you will be able to react more quickly.”
The firm goes on to state: “Another reason for keeping the blinds open is visibility of aircraft outside. If any problems occur with the engine or wings, the crew can see it out of those tiny round windows in a cabin.”
“If the aircraft needs to be evacuated, passengers and the whole crew is able to see which side of the aircraft is safer for evacuation.”
In an emotional statement, I’m A Celebrity… South Africa star Adam Thomas admitted he struggled in camp due to his health and clashes with David Haye and Jimmy Bullard
Adam Thomas clashed with Jimmy Bullard in a trial (Image: ITV/Shutterstock)
A friend of I’m a Celebrity… South Africa star Adam Thomas has spoken out after seeing the actor’s confrontational side on the show. The 37-year-old has faced a number of challenging moments in the all-stars series – and not just in the Bushtucker trials.
During the heated exchange, the actor criticised Jimmy for his decision to pull out and called him a “p***k”, while the sportsman branded his reaction “pathetic”.
The tension came after the Waterloo Road actor confronted David Haye over his behaviour in previous days. The boxer had been accused of “bullying” Adam by some viewers, following a series of remarks.
As tensions escalated, David branded his co-star “useless” and questioned his “mental strength” to complete challenges, despite Adam telling campmates he was unwell.
The actor eventually confronted David in a heated exchange, telling him to “shut up” before the boxer apologised.
Reflecting on the fallout, Ashley Roberts, who also appeared in the series, described the atmosphere as “tough” during a discussion on Heart Radio Breakfast.
The show’s host Jason King went on to say that seeing Adam in a more serious way on screen suggested he had been pushed to his limits.
“I know Adam very, very well and he is the loveliest, most cheerful, smiley, happy guy. If you’ve broken Adam, David, you’ve done something wrong,” he shared.
Ashley chimed in: “It was nice for him to stand up for himself. It starts as lad banter, but we could tell it was going too far.
“And then finally Adam was like, ‘I’ve just had enough’ and we were like, ‘Go on Adam!’ It was tough in there at times, it was tough in general just being in there, let alone having to deal with all of that.”
David was voted out of camp on Monday night. In his exit interview with hosts Ant and Dec, he said there was “no bad blood” between him and Adam and claimed it was banter.
“I won the world heavyweight championship against a seven-foot Russian giant,” he shared.
“So when a grown man tells me that a fun TV show – where we’re being paid handsomely every single day – is the hardest thing he’s ever been through, it’s just not a frequency I recognise. I was actually on my best behaviour in there, honestly.
“I’ve spoken to Adam, I’ve said my piece, and some of what’s still to air will speak for itself. I’ll leave it there.”
In a statement shared on Instagram on Sunday evening, Adam said the boxer “broke me” in camp and “pushed me to my limits”, adding: “I’ve told David this and he’s apologised – that’s that. I’ve moved on now, I’m not one to hold a grudge.”
BRITNEY Spears has checked herself into rehab after gentle encouragement from her sons.
The Sun understands she resisted going to an inpatient facility for a month following her arrest for driving under the influence at the beginning of March.
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Britney Spears has checked herself into rehab after gentle encouragement from her sonsCredit: APThe singer was arrested last month for driving under the influenceCredit: InstagramBritney has finally sought help after a series of heart to hearts with her sons Preston (left) and Jayden, who have rallied around her following the incidentCredit: Instagram
But Britney has finally sought help after a series of heart to hearts with her sons Preston and Jayden, who have rallied around her following the incident.
The news broke early this morning that she had agreed to receive treatment.
Insiders said Britney decided to attend a placement only if it was away from Los Angeles, as she is so suspicious of medical experts there.
A US source explained: “Britney has had some seriously bad experiences in the past when she’s been at her lowest ebb, and is terrified of anyone taking advantage of her.
“Over the last five weeks, her management team and friends have been trying to persuade her to seek professional help but she expressed deep fears that all facilities in LA were ‘against me’.
“Her deep suspicions about LA’s medical community still stems from her time in the conservatorship controlled by her dad. She always felt that they acted against her will and made her ill.
“However her sons have had several heart to hearts with her in recent days and persuaded her to try somewhere different, out of town, with new experts to assist her.
“Britney has gone to the facility, but has not made any promises about how long her stay will be. Her stay is voluntary so she can check out or walk away whenever she wants.
“Jayden especially has become extremely close to Britney recently and has moved in with her.
“He wants to make sure she is in a good place and mentally strong enough for her court appearance next month.”
Britney was arrested on March 4 after driving erratically and was found to have drugs and alcohol in her system.
The Toxic singer will be told about the extent of charges in court on May 4.
That agreement was terminated in 2021 but it’s not been smooth sailing since then, with erratic social media posts leading many to question her wellbeing.
Britney is said to have checked herself into rehab for substance abuseCredit: InstagramA US source said: ‘Britney has gone to the facility, but has not made any promises about how long her stay will be’Credit: WireImage
Actor Peter Capaldi is the latest big name to reject the chance to appear on the next series of Celebrity Traitors after Alison Hammond said she is just too busy
Peter Capaldi said he has his reasons for saying no(Image: (Image: BBC))
Doctor Who legend Peter Capaldi turned down Celebrity Traitors because he did not want the “level of exposure” the game of trust and treachery brings with it.
We’re getting closer to knowing who will be the next instalment of the spin-off after the success of the first series in 2025, which was filmed last April. Presenter Amol Rajan has signed up, insiders claim, but who else will star in the BBC show? Danny Dyer is another of the big names linked – but Peter won’t be pulling the cloak over his head.
The Thick Of It actor told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme he was asked to take part in the all-star version of the reality TV show, but said no. He isn’t the only one to reject the chance after Alison Hammond confirmed she won’t be heading to the castle – and said she has also had to turn down the chance to host Strictly Come Dancing, too.
Asked why, 67-year-old Scottish actor Peter, who played the Twelfth Doctor from 2013 to 2017, said: “Because I think there’s a level of fame that… I think it propels you into the public eye, at a level of exposure that I don’t really want.
“I like doing, you know, it’s like doing my music things – it’s very difficult for people in that business to understand that you want to keep it small.”
He added: “People keep saying to me, ‘Why don’t you do a bigger tour, or ‘ Why don’t you do a bigger release, or ‘ Why don’t you promote this more? I’m not doing it to be famous.”
On his previous leading role as the Doctor, the Glasgow-born star said he had “a little regret” when asked if he left the long-running BBC sci-fi show too early. He added: “It’s great fun being Doctor Who, but the pressure of it is quite intense.
“You’re sort of on all the time and you don’t want to disappoint anyone because even though I’m not Doctor Who, if people are meeting me they’d rather meet the version of me that is Doctor Who. So you try not to let them down, right?” Yeah, because I’m quite miserable and melancholic, really.
“And that was, that was one of the big changes in my life, I guess, which happened quite late, was I’m quite miserable really, but I thought you can’t be miserable if you’re Doctor Who. You can’t because you would disappoint people so I have to become cheerful all the time.”
The first series of The Celebrity Traitors aired on the BBC last autumn, with its nail-biting finale hitting a peak of 15.4 million viewers, according to the broadcaster.
It featured a star-studded cast including actors Celia Imrie and Nick Mohammed, singer Paloma Faith, author and actor Stephen Fry, broadcaster Jonathan Ross and comedian Alan Carr, who went on to win as a Traitor.
The spin-off series, hosted by Claudia Winkleman, brought in an average audience of 14.9 million people during its run – the biggest TV audience of 2025.
Olivia Attwood has hinted at why she never legally married Bradley DackCredit: Shutterstock EditorialIt came to light recently that Olivia and Bradley never were officially wedCredit: ITVThe former couple are going through a messy break-upCredit: Instagram
The Love Island legend left ITV bosses “blindsided” when it was revealed that their marriage was never made official, despite the broadcaster airing their wedding on TV.
Now, Olivia has hinted at why she never signed the official paperwork, which would have made her legally wed to Brad.
It came when she “liked” a video on Instagram which explained that by choosing to stay unmarried and not signing a wedding licence, Olivia would never have had a prenup with Brad.
The clip was captioned with: “Failing to sign on the dotted line was not an act of irresponsibility or forgetfulness… Olivia Attwood was doing what men have done for MILLENIA (protecting her [money emoji]).”
The star has made a HUGE fortune, and is a millionaire many times over, thanks to her rise to fame on Love Island in 2017.
Since then, she has become the darling of ITV, making documentaries left right and centre, as well as a slew of reality shows.
Olivia is also a radio star and podcaster, and is an ambassador for many lucrative brands.
All of this has boosted her bank balance massively, so it appears she made a decision to protect it and not get legally wed.
Meanwhile, Olivia and Bradley held their £200,000 ceremony for 80 guests at the five-star Bulgari hotel in London’s Knightsbridge in June 2023, two months before ITV aired it on their reality show, Olivia Meets Her Match.
Olivia is a very wealthy woman thanks to her lucrative careerCredit: Getty
She had even changed her name to Olivia Attwood-Dack, using that in her frequent appearances on ITV1’s Loose Women.
Yet it was recently revealed how they never had a legal marriage, as the union has not been logged with the General Register Office, the archive of all marriages and civil partnerships for England and Wales.
Olivia’s camp has claimed that the couple had planned to complete paperwork at a register office near their home in Cheshire six weeks after the wedding.
But they failed to ever sign anything as “Olivia uncovered a number of mistruths” and that her inability to trust Bradley “forced her hand in not being able to legally bind their union”.
A telly source said: “There were crisis meetings at ITV yesterday after this bombshell sent shockwaves around the network as bosses were under the impression that Olivia was married legally and it looks as if they didn’t do their due diligence.
“She always acknowledged him as her husband and used his name, so there was never any need to question the matter.
“ITV would never dream of intentionally trying to deceive their viewers and appreciate the severity of the revelation.
“The show now looks like a cash grab from Olivia and Bradley and makes a mockery of her fanbase”.
Olivia became a huge star thanks to her stint on Love Island almost ten years agoCredit: Rex
Despite the fallout from the revelation thatITV‘s “golden girl” was never legally married, Olivia has jetted to another country on work commitments.
Meanwhile, it comes just days after Olivia said she felt like a “f**king idiot” and admitted covering and lying for the footballer in a fiery statement.
Malcolm in the Middle is officially back and the actor who played older brother Reese has revealed that he has ‘never watched the show’ despite being a leading figure in it
Liam McInerney Content Editor
05:00, 10 Apr 2026
Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) with Reese (Justin Berfield) (Image: Carin Baer/FOX)
The actor who starred as Reese in Malcolm in the Middle has “never watched the show” back. Justin Berfield, now 40, has now returned to our screens for the reboot of the sitcom that ended two decades ago. He has lived a quiet life since then and recently revealed why he quit Hollywood.
But speaking on The Joe Vulpis Podcast, he confirmed that he had watched the four-episode revival, which was released on Disney+ today (April 10), but he still avoids the original episodes.
He said: “I watched it — and I never watched any of the Malcolm episodes.”
Host Joe, clearly surprised, pushed him further, and Justin continued: “I think I’ve, out of 151 episodes, I think I’ve just seen five… I just never watched them.
“I’m an actor… I cannot watch myself because I critique myself way too much.”
He was then informed that he was “great” as Reese but he responded: “I am like, I feel I didn’t hit that joke right, I feel like I messed that line up. I can’t watch myself.
“I’ll turn it on for my wife and kids and I’ll run away and leave the room. I’m like, ‘Let me know when it’s done.’”
He was then pressed on whether he will one day watch it back, given it might trigger some positive memories he had forgotten about.
Justin, who is now a stay-at-home dad who has worked as an onset producer and writer, said: “I don’t know… maybe. I just get uncomfortable watching myself. I know every actor is different and some people love watching themselves, I just can’t. I don’t know. I critique myself too much.”
The reboot sees Justin return as the older brother to Malcolm, played by Frankie Muniz.
He said it was interesting to see where all the characters ended up 20 years later — and he said Reese was still his “shortsighted but quick reacting” self.
Also returning is Malcom’s other older brother, Francis, portrayed by Christopher Masterson. And the siblings’ parents, Hal and Lois, played by Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek, are also starring in it.
The synopsis reveals: “After shielding himself and his daughter from his family for over a decade, Malcolm is dragged back into their orbit when Hal and Lois demand his presence at their 40th anniversary party.”
And as for what it was like being back on set after so long away from his former colleagues, Justin said: “It felt like a really, just a really long hiatus. When we were filming the show, you’d film for like eight months and then you’d take like two, three months off, and then kind of go back and do some things again and start seeing everyone, and that was like your year for seven years straight.
“And then we did this, it was obviously like 20 years since we’d seen each other for most of us. And you just kind of, it felt like time stopped, like we just got right back into it.”
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is streaming on Disney Plus from April 10
Remember when our president attacked a female journalist for asking uncomfortable questions with a casual, sincere, “Quiet, piggy”?
That was five months ago, a lifetime in the chaos of the Trump administration, but it was a telling moment about how not just our president but those crafting his policy view women and their place in society. Hint: It’s not at the top.
While I have not a bit of pity or dismay that Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem — the former U.S. attorney general and the former secretary of Homeland Security, respectively — were given the ax by President Trump in recent days, it shouldn’t be lost that this is another “quiet, piggy” week in an administration that is increasingly openly hostile to women in power.
When democracies decay, and especially when movements like Christian nationalism rise, an erosion of women’s equality almost always comes first. Bondi and Noem are part of a U.S. erosion that should alarm us all, whatever your gender identity.
First, the obvious. Good riddance. Noem seemed to relish cruelty, and treated her job like a costume party, constantly mugging for cameras with guns and faux toughness as if the dismantling of lives and imprisoning even children was a game. Never mind the grift.
Bondi, meanwhile, always seemed like the football team’s third-favorite cheerleader, desperately vying for the attention of the jock-gods around her, even if it meant groveling for approval, even if it meant selling out all women with her ultimate censoring of the Epstein files.
But while Bondi and Noem were obviously incompetent, incompetence has never been a fire-able offense for Trump. Just ask Pete Hegseth, whose Thor fantasies are currently playing out in an all-to-real war. Or Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has dismantled American science while glorifying beef tallow and workouts in jeans. Don’t even get me started on Kash Patel.
It’s no accident that women at the top of Trump’s administration are being purged. They were useful in the first days of the regime, while power was still being consolidated and shimmers of diversity were helpful. But as the sexist and racist nature of the MAGA machine has gained mainstream acquiescence if not acceptance, the need to keep up the appearance of diversity is less and less.
Take, for example, the far-right attacks on Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett after her pointed and skeptical questions recently on Trump’s attempt to end birthright citizenship.
This is the same Texas gentleman who went viral recently for proclaiming, “Women, shut up! Of course. It is literally an offense to God” for women to have influence in the governing of society.
He’s also part of a group of far-right religious leaders — including a pastor associated with Hegseth — who support ending women’s right to vote and replacing it with a single “household” vote cast by, you guessed it, men.
Bondi and Noem may be the most high-profile examples of how this misogyny is playing out in MAGA reality, but they aren’t the only women forced out of power by Trump and his cronies this year. It’s a push that is far more systematic and insidious than we are giving them credit for. Hegseth has all but wiped women out of the top ranks of the military — just recently personally knocking two women off a promotions list.
RFK Jr. and others, meanwhile, are busy pushing women out of science. The Washington Post pointed out that last year at this time, the feds purged women and people of color from the boards that review the science and research happening at the National Institutes of Health— 38 out of 43 experts that were fired were women and minorities.
A report out last month also found that all those attacks on universities last year, with the cutting of grants even in areas such as cancer research — disproportionately affected female scientists. Many of these female scientists, especially younger ones, will never recover from those quashed research projects and lost jobs in a field that demands results and published work, meaning we are looking at a generational loss of female scientific talent.
And let’s not forget Renee Nicole Good, shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis who, with as much casualness as Trump’s “quiet, piggy,” said “f—ing b—” after shooting her and walking away.
Bondi and Noem aren’t just unqualified villains shown the door. They are villainesses.
The Trump administration knows the difference, and so should we.
A flight attendant has shared the little-known reason passengers are welcomed onboard planes – and it has nothing to do with manners
14:57, 04 Apr 2026Updated 14:57, 04 Apr 2026
Flight attendants have a wealth of flying knowledge(Image: Peter Bannan via Getty Images)
A flight attendant has lifted the lid on a trade secret about the moment passengers board a plane. The little known fact explains why passengers are welcomed at the aircraft doors during boarding.
Most air travellers are well acquainted with the customary warm reception at the plane doors, which typically involves broad smiles and even some direction on locating their allocated seat. The most widespread assumption is that this is simply a display of good customer service, with the flight attendants, the public face of any airline, setting the tone with courtesy and decency.
Another presumption is that the welcome is intended to set passengers up for an enjoyable flight experience, or perhaps verify boarding passes one last time. However, one serving flight attendant claims that hospitality is not the primary driving force behind the warm greeting. The genuine reason for the friendly reception is to carry out a visual assessment of passengers from head to toe before take-off.
In a now- viral TikTok clip, MrsMiva – who claims to work for TUI out of Stuttgart airport – has revealed that flight attendants use the boarding process to assess whether passengers are fit to fly. According to the content creator, flight attendants are checking to establish whether passengers may be “too drunk or sick to fly”.
In the caption accompanying the video, MrsMiva also clarifies that the greeting enables attendants to identify who could potentially assist in the event of an emergency. The video has been watched over 18 million times and sparked a flurry of discussion in the comments.
Numerous users confirmed they’ve definitely experienced the cabin crew greeting and that the reasoning behind it makes perfect sense. One commenter who purported to be a long-serving attendant verified the policy as well, writing: “FA (flight attendant) of eight years – or to check if they could be an ABA (able-bodied assistant).”
The comments also started to diverge into the various types of cabin crew passengers had come across. Some remarked they had “really chill” attendants, while others noted theirs were supportive when they were in poor health to travel.
Being able-bodied and physically capable is essential for passengers seated adjacent to emergency exit doors, which is potentially why attendants verify this at the entrance. Emergency exit seats are highly sought-after given that they provide additional legroom and have no row ahead of them.
That being said, occupying these seats means that a passenger must be willing and capable of helping cabin crew in the improbable event of an emergency. For this reason, Ryanair’s terms and conditions stipulate that it “can change your allocated seats at any time, even if you had reserved it, if we need to do this for operational, safety or security reasons.”
According to the airline’s regulations, passengers wishing to occupy rows 1, 16, or 17, where emergency exits are situated, must fulfil specific requirements. These include being aged over 16, being physically capable of assisting during an emergency, travelling without an infant, not requiring any special assistance at the airport, not needing a seat belt extender, and not having an extra comfort seat reserved.
Should the added responsibility of emergency exit seats not appeal to you, there are alternative methods to guarantee extra legroom while on board.
Do you have a story to tell? Email: emma.mackenzie@reachplc.com
Choosing the right seat on the plane can determine a lot for your overall flight experience, and a travel expert has revealed exactly why you should avoid booking 11A
You might want to think carefully about choosing your seat on the plane(Image: Getty Images/Stock Image)
We all have a preferred window or aisle seat when flying, but one travel expert has revealed the exact seat you should always avoid.
Choosing the right seat on a plane can certainly come with its bonuses. Whether that’s more legroom, closer to the bathrooms, being the first row to be served refreshments, or a quieter spot near the back, away from babies. Yet some seats can be a disadvantage.
Window seats are popular among travellers, particularly for those wanting to enjoy the view during take-off or landing, for a little more privacy, or to take a little snooze against the cabin. One favoured window seat on planes has been 11A, due to its positioning near or over the wing, which is thought to offer less disruption from turbulence.
While it may sound appealing, 11A might not be as relaxing as it sounds. Andrea Platania, operations manager at airport transfer platform Transfeero, said that this specific seat often leaves passengers disappointed.
“Seat 11A might sound ideal because it’s by the window, but it can quickly become frustrating, especially on anything longer than a short hop,” the travel expert said. “You’re quite far from the toilets, which isn’t ideal, and getting in and out of that seat can be awkward.”
Andrea also explained that this seat can prove tricky for those who want to move around and stretch during the flight. “If you’re in 11A, you’re relying on the people next to you to move every time you want to get up. That might be fine once or twice, but over a longer journey it becomes inconvenient very quickly.”
It’s a seat that can also feel a little cut off from the rest of the cabin. “You’re not close to the aisle, so you don’t have that easy access, and you’re not in a premium position either. It ends up being a seat that looks better when you book it than it feels when you sit in it,” he outlined.
But that’s not the only seat you might want to think twice about booking. The expert said that seats 11A and 11F are among the “least rewarding seats” on a flight.
“Seats like 11A and 11F are often overlooked when people are booking, but they’re right in that middle section of the aircraft where you lose a lot of the small conveniences. They don’t seem bad on paper, but in practice, they’re some of the least rewarding seats to be in, Andrea said.
Yet one of the biggest disadvantages of these seats is during food and drink service. “On most short and mid-haul flights, cabin crew will begin service from both the front and the back of the plane, then work their way towards the centre. If you’re sitting in rows like 11, you’re effectively last in line from both directions.”
It can become even more of a drawback during busy flights. He said: “Passengers in seats like 11A and 11F are far more likely to find that popular snacks, meals, or even drinks have already run out by the time the trolley reaches them. It’s something people don’t think about when booking, but it becomes very obvious once you’re in the air.”
If that wasn’t enough to deter you from seats 11A and 11F, Andrea noted that they are inconveniently positioned on board. “You’re not particularly close to the toilets, and you’re not near the exits either, so you don’t get the benefit of convenience in either direction.
“You’re just in that middle zone where everything takes a bit longer.” So next time you book your plane seat, have a think about where you’d rather sit, whether that’s to ensure you’re one of the first to be served your meal or somewhere to ensure little disruption during your flight.
Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com
Malcolm in the Middle star Justin Berfield spent years playing older brother Reese in the beloved American sitcom and he has now given his first interview in almost 20 years ahead of its reboot
Liam McInerney Content Editor
08:17, 31 Mar 2026
Malcolm (Frankie Muniz) with Reese (Justin Berfield) (Image: Carin Baer/FOX)
The actor who famously played Reese in Malcolm in the Middle has broken his silence after 20 years — and revealed the real reason he quit Hollywood.
Justin Berfield is back on our screens next month with the four-episode revival of the popular show that ended two decades ago. And he has now revealed why he has remained so quiet since then.
Speaking on The Joe Vulpis Podcast, Justin, now aged 40, was asked whether he had done any other podcast or interview since the sitcom ended.
He replied: “No, like podcasts weren’t a thing and I’ve always just said no because like I wasn’t working on anything. I’m just like a stay-at-home dad! So, why am I going to do a podcast?
“Because I’m just chilling at home with my kid. So unless I had something to talk about, I’m like, I don’t want to go on a podcast.”
He then explained that he has remained in the industry by working behind the camera as an onset producer and writer on various projects.
And he added: “I was just like, I don’t care (about going on podcasts). I’m enjoying my life. Unless I have something to talk about current. I don’t want to go back in time and talk Malcolm.”
However, he is now more than happy to talk about the beloved sitcom, given Hulu’s Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair is set to land on Disney+ in April.
The final episode of Malcolm aired in May 2006 and Justin revealed in the rare interview why he quit Hollywood soon after.
He said he moved to Colorado with his wife, Liza, after filming because he just wanted a change of scenery.
Giving an insight, he said: “Lots of fly fishing. I still miss it. I love it because I just loved being somewhere so secluded. I was still living in Denver so I was like in the city because I still like access to sports teams and good restaurants and things like that. So I wasn’t living in the mountains or anything like that, even though I went to visit them quite often.
“But I kind of separated from Hollywood and I just got to live somewhere else for once because I grew up here and I just wanted to live somewhere else.
“At that time I had no kids, so I was like, this is the perfect time to do this. So we lived there for three years and then we moved back to LA.”
He also revealed that he quit acting and was never “in demand” after the show.
However, he said he never had the intention of becoming the next Leonardo DiCaprio and that he has loved being a stay-at-home dad to his two children in recent years.
The new series of Malcolm in the Middle will see Justin return as the older brother of Malcolm, played by Frankie Muniz.
Malcolm’s other brother, Francis, played by Christopher Masterson, is also set to return, as are Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek who play parents Hal and Lois.
And asked what it was like being back on set with his old colleagues, Justin said it felt like no time had passed at all.
He added: “It felt like a really, just a really long hiatus. When we were filming the show, you’d film for like eight months and then you’d take like two, three months off, and then kind of go back and do some things again and start seeing everyone, and that was like your year for seven years straight.
“And then we did this, it was obviously like 20 years since we’d seen each other for most of us. And you just kind of, it felt like time stopped, like we just got right back into it.”
The synopsis to the upcoming revival reads: “After shielding himself and his daughter from his family for over a decade, Malcolm is dragged back into their orbit when Hal and Lois demand his presence at their 40th anniversary party.”
Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Not Fair arrives on Disney+ on April 10
The winners of Jonathan Ross’ new Channel 4 reality series, Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing, appeared on Friday’s Good Morning Britain
The winners of Jonathan Ross’ new Channel 4 reality series, Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing, appeared on Friday’s Good Morning Britain (Image: ITV)
Channel 4 recently aired a new reality series that saw 18 people chained to someone who is their polar opposite for as long as they can manage, all in an effort to win a £100,000 prize.
Hosted by Jonathan Ross, Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing, saw nine couples forced to spend their every moment together, bound by a pair of handcuffs.
They slept in the same bed, showered together and even used the toilet in close proximity with their new companion.
Earlier this week, viewers saw Staffordshire porn star Rob, 32, and West Sussex homemaker Charlie, 44, who is a self-professed prude, make it all the way to the end, winning the show and a suitcase bulging with £100,000.
Appearing on Friday’s Good Morning Britain, the duo spoke about their time on the show and winning the programme. As per the reality series, GMB decided to handcuff the duo together for their interview.
Host, Ranvir Singh, said: “I’m afraid we’ve handcuffed you again… to really, like, hammer home the point that you were handcuffed.”
Talking about how they got involved with the show and if they knew what it was about, Charlie admitted: “I didn’t find out for quite a while!
“They approached me, found me on TikTok, and said, ‘We’re casting for a social experiment. We’re bringing two opposing worlds together, and we think you’d be great.’
“So I said to the family, ‘I’ve just had this message, what do you think?’ They were like, ‘Yeah, you’d be great, mum, go for it!’ Then it was down the line, weeks down the line, they said the show was called Handcuffed.
“[I thought I was getting involved in] a social experiment to bring two different worlds together and see if they could work together. I knew it would be a challenge, but I didn’t realise…”
It was a similar story for Rob, who recalled: “I was reached out on Instagram and I was like, in 2025, for me, was a Yes Man year. I don’t know if you’ve seen the film Jim Carrey Yes Man.
“That year, for me, was just like, whatever comes at me, I’m going to say yes to it and I did. I thought, you know what, I don’t care what it is, I’m just going for it and that’s what I did.”
Talking about why they think they won the show, Rob said: “Respect! Respect and communication, I think they’re the two biggest things.”
To which Charlie added: “And kindness. Rob was really kind and thoughtful and made the whole thing easier from the first moment.”
Good Morning Britain continues on weekdays at 6am on ITV and ITV X.
Ralf Little got emotional as he candidly opened up during the latest episode of Will & Ralf Should Know Better
Ralf Little got emotional as he candidly opened up during the latest episode of Will & Ralf Should Know Better(Image: U)
Death in Paradise star Ralf Little fought back tears as he shared the heartbreaking reason he doesn’t have children.
During the latest episode of Will & Ralf Should Know Better, Ralf, 46, and Will Mellor decided to face their fears, from dangling on a trapeze and tackling fatherhood to the ultimate horror of performing stand-up in front of a Glasgow crowd.
At the start of the show, Will, 49, pointed out to Ralf: “I think I’ve actually done something that you would find more frightening than any of that. What I’ve done that I think you’d find more frightening… is have a child.
“Yes, yes, actually commit to something, commitment. I have had two kids and brought them up. So, to give you a little taste, I’m taking you to a place, it’s like a charity set-up, where dads can go and learn how to be good parents. What to expect from a baby, how to be a parent” to which Ralf admitted: “This my living nightmare!”
At the charity set-up, Ralf was asked “what’s the worry about children” to which he admitted: “It’s a lot of work, innit? I bought a bread maker once and I loved making that bread, but after a little while, I was like, I’ll just unplug it and put it under the cupboard. You can’t really do that with babies, can you?”
The leader of the charity set-up then asked: “Ralf, what is it that you’re most afraid of?” to which the former Death in Paradise star said: “I’ve lived a lot of my life having a mentality where there’s nothing I can’t walk away from.
“It’s actually terrifying to me, the idea of loving something so completely and irreversibly. I can’t walk away from it intact. That’s terrifying to me.”
Following the charity set-up and being given a baby doll to look after, it made Ralf think deeper about why he doesn’t have children. He said: “Yeah, it’s been a funny old day. Just in general for me” to which Will added: “I can see it threw some questions into your mind that you weren’t expecting. I could tell from your reaction that you were a bit like maybe there is a reason a bit deeper why I haven’t had children.”
To which Ralf emotionally admitted: “For sure. My parents were fantastic with us and did the best that they could. But their relationship broke down really in a really difficult way and that was very difficult for us.
“You know, there’s no way of putting this that’s not blunt, but, you know, they had three kids and an idyllic family life and then one of the kids was alive one week and dead the next.
“Everything, their entire lives crumbled right in front of their eyes from that moment on. It’s like, you know, you can’t protect them.”
Ralf then fought back tears as he composed himself and continued: “My mum was really… my mum was really protective of us. Really protective.
“And it happened anyway. It happened anyway because you can’t wrap your kids in cotton wool and protect them 24-7. Like, it’s a lot. And it’s only when I’m forced to sort of say these things out loud that I realise quite what a lot it is.”
Ralf has said that the tragedy was partly to blame for his parents’ divorce and deeply affected his other sister Rowena – but it made him push himself academically and in extracurricular activities.
Will and Ralf Should Know Better is available to watch on Channel 4 and 4oD, as well as U.
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