Patrick Muldoon, known for his roles on “Days of Our Lives,” “Melrose Place” and “Starship Troopers,” has died. He was 57.
The actor and producer reportedly died Sunday, his manager confirmed to Variety. According to Deadline, Muldoon died suddenly after a heart attack. The Times has reached out to Muldoon’s reps for comment.
Muldoon originated the role of Austin Reed on the daytime soap opera “Days of Our Lives.” He first portrayed the aspiring boxer and brother of Lisa Rinna‘s Billie Reed from 1992 to 1995, and returned to reprise the role from 2011 to 2012 (the character had since become a forensic accountant).
“Austin is a wonderful role,” Muldoon told The Times in 1995. The actor explained he took his “sweet time” mulling over whether to leave the show because “it was one hell of a decision to make.”
“I’m leaving for no other reason than why other people leave soaps,” Muldoon said at the time. “To take a shot at doing other things like nighttime, movies and other things. … I feel confident right now so I figured I better take the shot sooner than later. If I don’t, I’ll always wonder ‘what if.’ ”
He played the recurring villain Richard Hart on the primetime soap “Melrose Place” for three seasons beginning in 1995. Muldoon’s big-screen roles include Zander Barcalow, a pilot and rival of Casper Van Dien’s Johnny Rico, in Paul Verhoeven’s 1997 movie “Starship Troopers.”
Born September 27, 1968, in San Pedro, Muldoon’s early passions included football. He started playing at the age of 6 and would go on to play at Loyola High School and then at USC.
“I did fairly well for being a smaller tight end,” Muldoon told The Times in 2012, adding that getting run over during practice by USC teammateJunior Seau — the late linebacker who had a 20-year NFL career — was among the factors that led him to pursue acting instead. Muldoon began his acting career during the sport’s offseason, and his earliest roles were on shows such as “Who’s the Boss?” and “Saved by the Bell.”
In addition to acting, Muldoon was a producer with credits on films such as “Riff Raff” (2024), “Marlowe” (2022), “The Card Counter” (2021) and “The Comeback Trail” (2020). Most recently, he shared on Instagram his excitement of being among the executive producers for the upcoming film “Kockroach.”
Jeremy Clarkson’s choir has reportedly landed a starring role on his new series after wowing with their Britain’s Got Talent audition that sent them straight to the semi-finals
Jeremy Clarkson’s choir have landed role in ‘uplifting’ new series after wowing on BGT(Image: ITV)
Jeremy Clarkson’s choir has landed a starring role on his new series after wowing with their Britain’s Got Talent audition. The former Top Gear presenter, 66, has documented the ups and downs of Diddly Squat in the Cotswolds on his Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm since 2021, with a fifth batch of episodes expected to be released later this year.
Just weeks ago, Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir auditioned for the ITV reality competition and managed to win Amanda Holden’s Golden Buzzer, sending them straight through to the semi-finals after wowing with a rendition of Elbow classic One Day Like This. Just prior to belting out the famous track, member Katrina explained to the judges that Jeremy himself had set the choir up, having been sponsored by the Hawkstone Brewery that the TV star co-owns in the Cotswolds.
With the live semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent just weeks away, insiders have revealed that the group of more than 30 farmers, will also enjoy another television stint with a role on the next series of Clarkson’s Farm.
A source said: “Filming for series five is well and truly under way and the finished show is likely to air next year. Fans will, however, be able to see series four in a matter of weeks, though according to Jeremy it’s a rather darker season than we’ve been used to.”
Speaking to The Sun, the source added: “Hawkstone Farmers’ ChoirBut the appearance of the Hawkstone Farmers’ Choir in the following outing is going to make it more uplifting. They’re going to have to get used to being even more famous though.”
Just after their success on BGT was aired in March, Jeremy took to social media to congratulate them. He said: “I watched Britain’s Got Talent tonight for the first time because the Hawkstone Choir were on and they were just fantastic.
“These guys are all farmers and they work incredibly hard for really incredibly small rewards, and to see them all on that stage with all that love in the room made my heart sing – I actually welled up.”
While visibly holding back tears he went on to thank Amanda Holden for pressing the Golden Buzzer. He added: “It shows that people quite like farmers. They were very very good, well done all of you. I’m a very happy man tonight.”
The short video attracted comments from fellow BGT viewers, one wrote: “I was crying like a baby, the sentiment, the emotion, they’re sensational. They Will Win.” Another wrote: “Truly awesome really heartfelt.”
Speaking about getting the Golden Buzzer, Katryna Shell from Northumberland said: “The choir has turned into something so much more than singing…
“We have come together as a community, something I didn’t even anticipate. The choir is filled with all sorts of people with varying ages, singing experience, parts of the country, but we all have farming linking us together – it’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.”
Hugh Thomas, from Pembrokeshire said: “I had to pinch myself – this was really happening to an old boy from Pembrokeshire! Performing on National TV wasn’t something I ever envisaged… More importantly it will shine a light on agriculture, farming and the rural economy.”
The California Supreme Court ordered attorney and former law school dean John Eastman disbarred on Wednesday for his role aiding the Trump administration’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election.
Eastman’s attorney, Randall A. Miller, told the Associated Press that the court’s decision “departs from long-standing United States Supreme Court precedent protecting First Amendment rights, especially in the attorney discipline context.” Miller did not immediately return an after-hours phone call seeking comment from The Times.
State Bar Chief Trial Counsel George Cardona said in a statement that the ruling “underscores that Mr. Eastman’s misconduct was incompatible with the standards of integrity required of every California attorney.”
“Today’s California Supreme Court order disbarring John Charles Eastman from the practice of law in California affirms the fundamental principle that attorneys must act with honesty and uphold the rule of law, regardless of the client they represent or the context in which that representation occurs,” said Cardona said.
The Supreme Court’s decision affirms a 2024 ruling from State Bar Judge Yvette Roland that Eastman be prohibited from practicing law.
In a marathon trial that lasted off and on from June to November 2024, the State Bar, which regulates lawyers in California, argued that Eastman was unfit to practice law for peddling bogus claims that fraud cost Trump the election and for promoting a fake-elector scheme to block the electoral count.
“It is true that an attorney has a duty to engage in zealous advocacy on behalf of a client,” Roland wrote in 2024 in a 128-page ruling. “However, Eastman’s inaccurate assertions were lies that cannot be justified as zealous advocacy.”
Roland found Eastman culpable of 10 of 11 counts of misconduct.
Eastman fomented “predictable and destructive chaos” when he stood beside fellow Trump adviser Rudolph W. Giuliani on Jan. 6, 2021, and told an enormous crowd at the Ellipse that the election had been fraudulent, the bar argued.
Eastman claimed he was acting in good faith, and as a vigorous champion of his client. But State Bar attorneys argued that “the evidence, including his often not-credible trial testimony, shows that he held — and still holds — truth and democracy in contempt.”
Despite Eastman’s repeated assertions that Joe Biden’s victory was illegal, Roland ruled, Eastman’s own words showed he knew that proof was lacking.
The judge cited an email that Eastman sent to a friend, Cleta Mitchell, on Nov. 29, 2020, acknowledging that fraud serious enough to sway the results could not be proved.
“It would be nice to have actually hard documented evidence of the fraud in the areas to which the analyses pointed,” Eastman wrote.
After the 2024 ruling Eastman responded on his Substack writing that he hoped the California Supreme Court or U.S. Supreme Court would “step in to put a stop to this lawfare that has become a serious threat to the First Amendment, the right of controversial clients and causes to legal representation, and more broadly to our adversarial system of justice.”
Eastman has a long history in California’s conservative legal circles. He was hired by Chapman’s law school in 1999 and was dean from June 2007 to January 2010, then continued to teach courses in constitutional law, property law, legal history and the 1st Amendment.
He retired in early 2021 after more than 100 Chapman faculty and others affiliated with the university signed a letter calling on the school to take action against him for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection.
Wednesday’s decision is a bookend in a lengthy investigation into Eastman’s actions that began in 2021. In October of that year, the nonpartisan legal group States United Democracy Center filed an ethics complaint calling on the State Bar to investigate Eastman’s Jan. 6 actions.
Christine P. Sun, senior vice president of legal at the States United Democracy Center, said on Wednesday that the court’s decision is “part of a broader reckoning for those who seek to undermine the rule of law.”
“Eastman played a central role in the plot to overturn the 2020 election—pressuring state officials, advancing baseless claims in court, and promoting a fringe theory that the vice president could reject certified electoral votes,” Sun said in a statement. “His unethical actions have had real, lasting consequences for our democracy, and we applaud the California Supreme Court’s decision to disbar him.”
Staff writer Christopher Goffard contributed to this report
Niall Currie has left his role as Portadown boss with immediate effect with two games of the Irish Premiership season remaining.
Currie took over as Ports boss for a second spell in October 2022 after previously managing the club between 2016 and 2018.
His last game in charge was Saturday’s heavy 4-0 defeat against relegation-threatened Crusaders in which Currie criticised his side’s “abysmal” performance.
Currie could not prevent the club from being relegated in the 2022-23 season, but he led the Ports back to the top flight at the first time of asking as they won the Championship title the following campaign.
They also reached the BetMcLean Cup final in 2024, but were beaten in the final by Linfield.
He then guided Portadown to an eighth place finish in their first campaign back in the Irish Premiership last season, two points off seventh and a spot in the European play-offs.
The club currently sit 10th with two games left to play, away to Ballymena United on Saturday and away to Bangor on Saturday, 25 April.
The 53-year-old has also managed Dundela, Carrick Rangers, Ards, Loughgall and Annagh United.
The Walt Disney Co. has begun a broad round of layoffs, which will result in 1,000 jobs being cut across multiple divisions within the Burbank entertainment giant.
The layoffs, which began Tuesday, will ripple across Disney’s television and movie studios, sports giant ESPN, its product and technology unit, corporate functions and marketing, according to a person familiar with the retrenchment but not authorized to comment.
Chief Executive Josh D’Amaro notified Disney staff members about the looming cuts on Tuesday morning. In the message, viewed by The Times, D’Amaro acknowledged the elimination of roles would be difficult.
The move follows Disney’s announcement in January that it would consolidate Disney’s sprawling marketing division.
“Over the past several months, we have looked at ways in which we can streamline our operations in various parts of the company to ensure we deliver the world-class creativity and innovation our fans value and expect from Disney,” D’Amaro said in the note.
“Given the fast-moving pace of our industries, this requires us to constantly assess how to foster a more agile and technologically-enabled workforce to meet tomorrow’s needs,” D’Amaro wrote. “As a result, we will be eliminating roles in some parts of the company and have begun notifying impacted employees.”
After officially taking the reins, D’Amaro told employees he wants the company — which includes film and TV studios, a tourism division, streaming services and live sports programming — to operate as “one Disney,” saying the global businesses all play a role in deepening consumers’ relationship with the brand and its characters.
Traditional entertainment companies have been reeling from the steady erosion of what was once an economic pillar — programming fees from ESPN, Disney Channel and other popular outlets.
Disney erased at least 8,000 jobs after D’Amaro’s predecessor, Bob Iger, returned for his second stint as CEO in November 2022. Iger determined that Disney was cranking out too many TV shows and made-for-streaming movies, many of which didn’t live up to the company’s high standards of quality and diluted its blockbuster franchises.
This year, the company has been centralizing its operations, including folding its marketing for entertainment, sports and experiences into a single division that reports to Asad Ayaz, its chief marketing officer.
The streamlining is a way to reduce expenses and better organize a sometimes confusing reporting structure.
“Despite these difficult decisions, I remain optimistic about where we’re headed as a company,” D’Amaro said in Tuesday’s note.
“Compassion and respect remain at the heart of our company,” D’Amaro wrote. “As we move forward through this transition, our priority is to support those impacted and help each person navigate what comes next with resources, guidance, and direct support.”
“I’m deeply grateful for all of your contributions and for the dedication, professionalism, and care you bring to your work each day,” D’Amaro said. “Even in challenging moments, you continue to demonstrate what makes Disney so special.”
Reacher star Alan Ritchson will be headlining a new reality series for Netflix from the producer of Survivor and The Apprentice
Reacher star Alan Ritchson to host intense Netflix show from Survivor producer(Image: PRIME VIDEO)
Alan Ritchson, the star of Reacher, is set to host a new, intense reality survival series for Netflix.
The acclaimed actor, known for playing the iconic action hero on Prime Video and for the Netflix film War Machine, will challenge a group of high-profile contestants — from influencers to “headline-makers” — in a series of outdoor challenges designed to test their “resilience and grit.”
The currently untitled series will strip away modern luxuries, forcing players to rely on their instincts and determination. “Do they have what it truly takes to endure? Will they risk losing their carefully curated personas in the process? And who will break first under the pressure?” a synopsis from Netflix Tudum teases.
Ritchson, an experienced outdoorsman himself, will guide the contestants, “pushing them beyond their limits and into the unknown.”
The show is executive produced by Jay Bienstock, known for launching major reality hits like Survivor and The Apprentice, guaranteeing addictive viewing.
He is also executive producing, along with Julie Pizzi, Rupert Dobson, Gayani Wanigaratne, and co-executive producer John Faratzis.
The upcoming series will be joining Netflix’s already huge catalogue of popular reality shows, which is only set to grow over the coming years.
Fans have devoured the likes of Squid Game: The Challenge, Million Dollar Secret, and Is It Cake? so far.
Netflix is also in production on The Golden Ticket, inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Win the Mall, a thrilling retail rivalry competition hosted by Haley Baylee, both set to be released this year.
A synopsis for the former reads: “To achieve sweet success in this high-stakes social experiment, players will have to adapt and strategize, as a golden ticket only gets you so far. Wonka’s guests must withstand games, tests, and temptations designed to prove their instincts, resilience, and ability to thrive in the chaos of a retro-futuristic dreamscape.”
Get Netflix free with Sky for Bridgerton Season 4
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‘Dearest gentle reader’, as the fourth season of Bridgerton follows second son Benedict love story, there’s a way to watch this fairytale-like season for less.
Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan. This lets customers watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes the new season of Bridgerton.
And Win the Mall will follow “10 teams of expert shoppers competing to gain control of storefronts, increase their spending power, and outmanoeuvre rivals in the ultimate retail experience.”
Keep your eyes peeled for more updates on Netflix’s must-watch TV tournaments.
The ball is back in LeBron James’ hands, and he is thriving in his “new” role as the Lakers’ primary caretaker.
James is in this position in the wake of injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. He had been the third option behind Doncic and Reaves, and he shifted back to a role he has been very accustomed to playing over his 23-year career.
James has been a force over the last three games, with his latest standout performance coming Friday night in the Lakers’ 101-73 win over the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Arena.
James finished with 28 points, 12 assists and six rebounds helped the Lakers secured at least the No. 4 seed in the uber-tough Western Conference.
The Lakers still have a shot at the third seed if they beat the Utah Jazz at home on Sunday and if the third-place Denver Nuggets lose at San Antonio on Sunday, the final day of the regular season. Because the Lakers won the tiebreaker over the Nuggets, they would get the higher seed over Denver if the two teams finish with identical records.
Whomever the Lakers wind up facing in the playoffs, coach JJ Redick believes teams want to face his group because of their injuries. Doncic and Reaves are not expected back for the first-round of the postseason.
The Lakers, however, do still have James — and he has been masterful.
James was 10 for 16 from the field against the Suns and two for two from three-point range.
Over his last three games in this new role, James has averaged 24.6 points, 12.6 assists and 7.6 rebounds, shooting 60% from the field and 46% from three-point range.
Lakers guard Luke Kennard, center, controls the ball in front of Phoenix guards Amir Coffey, left, and Jamaree Bouyea during the first half Friday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
He was on point from the very beginning against the Suns.
James quickly went by a defender on a back-door cut, took a pass from Luke Kennard and threw down a two-handed, rim-rattling dunk. James stood and flexed in front of his teammates on the bench, who stood to give their approval. The Suns called time out with four minutes and 53 seconds left in the first quarter, giving the fans more time to appreciate what James was still able to do at 41 years old.
The Lakers are 52-29 and are confident they’ll be ready to face any opponent in the playoffs.
“I’m sure everybody wants to play us. Let’s get that out there, like, everybody wants to play us,” Redick said before the game. “Probably teams that are in a position where they can start looking forward to potential second-round matchups as well. … Again, I’ll say what I told the team yesterday, what I told you guys after the game, we have to figure out the formula and the belief for this group to be successful. And so that’s our focus for tonight and that’s going to be our focus on Sunday.”
Notes: Lakers backup center Jaxson Hayes missed his third straight game with left foot soreness, but he has been making progress. “Hope to have him back Sunday,” Redick said. “But yeah, he’s still day to day.” … The Lakers waived guard Kobe Bufkin. It means the Lakers have a roster spot available to sign another player for the playoffs. “We’re evaluating all the options we have,” Redick said. … Marcus Smart, who had missed nine straight games with a right ankle contusion, had six points in 18 minutes.
Death in Paradise star Ralf Little discusses his new stage role in The Spy Who Came In From The Cold UK tour on BBC Breakfast
Shivon Watson Screen Time Reporter
18:02, 10 Apr 2026
BBC Breakfast: Ralf Little jokes about his new theatre role
Death In Paradise star Ralf Little has opened up about his “disappointing new role”.
The 46-year-old, who shot to fame on BBC sitcom, The Royle Family, appeared on Thursday’s edition of BBC Breakfast to discuss his new stage production, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold.
The theatrical adaptation of the John le Carré novel has embarked on a major UK tour following a sold-out, critically acclaimed West End run. It plunges audiences into the murky world of Cold War espionage, where betrayal is rife and ethical boundaries are perpetually blurred.
Playing lead character Alec Leamas, a British intelligence officer, Ralf spoke to BBC Breakfast hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt about how this part contrasts with other spy-themed dramas. Drawing comparisons between The Spy Who Came In From The Cold and Ian Fleming’sJames Bond, he said: “It’s not like that at all,” reports the Express.
“I don’t get any gadgets, I don’t get to drive an Aston Martin and I was very disappointed because that was really the only reason I wanted to do it,” he joked.
Picking up on his disappointment, Naga questioned why he chose to take on the role. Ralf added: “I know! There’s no glamour at all!”
Despite his misgivings, Ralf added: “I don’t want to have to be given refunds, but I think people will really enjoy it.”
Regarded as a global bestseller for over six decades and featured amongst TIME Magazine’s 100 greatest novels of all time, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold showcases le Carré at his most razor-sharp – delving into betrayal not merely between nations, but within the human soul.
In March 2024, TV fans were left heartbroken following Ralf’s exit from the much-loved detective drama Death in Paradise.
Having portrayed Detective Inspector Neville Parker since 2020, Ralf brought a unique blend of endearing awkwardness and emotional complexity to the part, swiftly establishing himself as a firm favourite amongst viewers.
His departure allowed the character’s journey to reach a natural and fulfilling conclusion, while simultaneously paving the way for new faces and fresh dynamics on the island of Saint Marie.
Although audiences were saddened to see him leave, his contribution made an enduring mark on the programme’s legacy.
Opening up about his exit, Ralf revealed his role felt “completed” and had a “beautiful and poignant” ending.
BBC Breakfast airs Monday-Sunday from 6am on BBC One
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Last month, images hit the internet showing a very stealthy, extremely long-endurance, very high-altitude intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance drone commonly (and unofficially) referred to as the RQ-180, or an evolution thereof, landing at a base in Greece. Many questions remain about the uncrewed aircraft and why it might be operating from Larissa Air Base.
However, as we noted in our initial reporting, the current conflict with Iran would be a very relevant fit for what the RQ-180 was likely designed to do. Furthermore, a secretive late Cold War-era drone program known as Quartz, intended to persistently monitor mobile nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles deep within the Soviet Union, offers a window into exactly why the RQ-180 could be in high demand in the Middle East now. There is no higher-priority standing mission for Operation Epic Fury at this time than finding and destroying Iranian launchers.
In many ways, the shadowy Quartz program from decades ago was a progenitor for what became a very large flying wing uncrewed aircraft that shares the planform of the B-21 (and the original B-2 design) and is likely at least part of the RQ-180’s origin story.
Strange arrival over Greece
To recap quickly, on March 18, local Greek news website onlarissa.gr first published pictures of what it misidentified as a B-2 bomber landing at Larissa Air Base, also known as Larissa National Airport. The base, which belongs to the Hellenic Air Force, but is also known to host U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drones, is situated in the city of the same name.
This aircraft seen over Larissa, Greece is not a B-2 like the local Greek news reported or an RQ-170, but is in fact best imagery ever published of the RQ-180, an undisclosed low observable drone used by the USAF. Location suggests use in the Iran conflict https://t.co/Pa9whNlQSVpic.twitter.com/UsDxy9Tc4n
Onlarissa.gr outlet followed up its initial reporting by posting a video of the drone, seen below. Additional and increasingly more detailed imagery has subsequently emerged.
Το αμερικανικό βομβαρδιστικό Β-2 πάνω από τον ουρανό της Λάρισας
Per onlarissa.gr, the highly exotic aircraft had landed at Larissa after experiencing some kind of technical issue, citing unnamed sources. This remains unconfirmed, but it would explain why the drone touched down in broad daylight, rather than coming in under the cover of darkness. It could also have diverted there with an emergency, while operating out of another location, even one in the continental United States. It is worth noting that Larissa Air Base appears to have unique facilities built in recent years that seem to be very well suited for housing an aircraft like this.
TWZ previously reached out to U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and the Pentagon for comment, but has not received any responses as of the time of writing. In a story published on March 24, Air & Space Forces Magazine said U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) also declined to comment.
Attention was also subsequently called to U.S. Air Force cargo planes having been tracked making unusual flights from Edwards Air Force Base in California to Larissa recently. One of those flights came on February 25, while another one occurred on March 9. A C-5M also flew to Larissa from Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma on February 25, according to Aviation Week. Whether there is any connection between these flights and the drone spotted at the base has not been confirmed at this time. Edwards is the Air Force’s main hub for aviation test and evaluation efforts, and flight testing of the RQ-180 was reportedly at least managed from there in the 2010s. The Air Force could also have moved other assets to Larissa via Edwards.
These photos are really interesting as they explain the two C-17s which flew from Edwards Air Force Base to Larissa Air Base in Greece in early March and late February.
The current state of the RQ-180, or any designs that have evolved from it, on a programmatic level, is very murky. In addition to testing at Edwards, past reports have said that a unit at Beale Air Force Base in California began flying the drones operationally, at least on a limited level, by 2019. There has been talk of a large flying wing aircraft similar in configuration to the B-21 Raider bomber flying out of Plant 42 in Palmdale, also in California, under the cover of darkness for years.
There are very strong indications that a photograph that appeared on Instagram in October 2020 of an unmanned aircraft flying in the skies over California’s Mojave Desert near Edwards Air Force Base was the first sighting of an RQ-180. That picture also notably showed a drone with an overall white paint scheme. That aligned with a report from Aviation Week that the design had gained the nicknames “Great White Bat” and “Shikaka.” The latter of these is the name of a fictional sacred white bat that is at the center of the plot of the 1995 Jim Carrey comedy Ace Ventura 2. The drone seen recently flying over Larissa has an overall black or otherwise dark-colored paint job. TWZ has noted previously that an overall white/cream/light pastel color scheme could help the drone to hide better at high altitudes during the day, but that a dark scheme would be more relevant at night. It is very possible, if not probable, that multiple schemes have been tested for a drone expected to fly sorties lasting multiple days.
A notional rendering of the Northrop Grumman drone commonly referred to as the RQ-180. Hangar B Productions
There certainly has been no clear evidence, at Beale or anywhere else, of the establishment of the kind of infrastructure that one would associate with the RQ-180 reaching a more advanced operational state and serial production. It is possible that the drone could share facilities with the B-21 under the larger umbrella of the Long Range Strike (LRS) family of systems. The RQ-180 is very likely intended, in part, to work in concert with the Raider, and there may even be some commonality between the two aircraft. The RQ-180 and/or related designs very likely played a direct role in risk reduction efforts that helped sell the Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) concept, and possibly the win by Northrop Grumman of that contract.
B-21 Takeoff and Landing
So, where the RQ-180 stands in terms of its overall capacity and its future remains unclear, but they are clearly being used on operational sorties, at least in a limited manner.
Iranian missile threats persist
After more than five weeks of fighting, the conflict with Iran is still grinding on. Despite the United States and Israel having substantially degraded the ability of Iranian forces to launch retaliatory missile and drone strikes, they have not stopped entirely. Iran has been digging out underground missile bases struck by American and Israeli forces and getting them back into operation, sometimes within hours, The New York Times reported just last Friday, citing U.S. intelligence reports. That followed other reports stating that Iran still retains a vast arsenal of missiles and drones, as well as a significant number of launchers to fire them.
U.S. forces drop precision munitions on underground military targets deep inside Iran to further degrade the Iranian regime’s ability to project power in meaningful ways beyond its borders. pic.twitter.com/ciQRbE0KFM
In recent weeks, publicly available data from multiple sources has, at times, shown relatively small, but noticeable upticks in Iran’s launches. There are also signs that more of those threats are evading interception, though whether this has translated to more damage and/or casualties from impacts is unclear.
Iran’s missile and drone arsenal has taken a hit, but what remains is being used more efficiently. Tehran continues fire an average of 21 missiles per week — with an uptick in its hit rate and ability to impose costs.
The talking point of “launches are down 90% since day 1” is true but so is “launches are up since last week”. The latter is the more important indicator at the moment. https://t.co/Oa4sZPOgWx
When it comes to launchers, Iran has invested heavily over the years in road mobile designs for firing ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones. This includes types that can be hard to distinguish from normal civilian trucks, especially those used for launching short-range ballistic missiles.
✈️🎯60+ strike flights: The IAF completed additional waves of strikes in western Iran targeting the Iranian regime’s missile launchers, defense systems, and live-fire arrays. pic.twitter.com/I1rRLBJlUR
Iran also has extensive underground ‘missile cities’ and other hardened sites that launchers can sprint to and from, and even fire from within in some cases. Beyond the main missile storage and launch sites, Iranian authorities have clearly had plans to disperse these weapons across the country. Reports have said that more authority to employ them has been delegated to lower echelons of command to minimize the impacts of separate U.S. and Israeli strikes on command and control nodes, as well.
On top of all this, Iran still has longer-ranged ballistic missiles that it can fire from areas further to the east, where the volume of U.S. and Israeli strikes has only more recently begun to grow. What’s left of Iran’s air defenses, which presents a real threat, is therefore likely to be more intact in those regions. In general, many of Iran’s air defense systems are also road mobile and can pop-up suddenly. All of this creates challenges for finding and fixing Iran’s remaining launch capacity, let alone neutralizing it.
Three weeks of Operation Epic Fury.
The Joint Force owns the skies, but Tehran holds the Strait. Additional U.S. fighter aircraft and naval assets arrived in both theaters, and Marine expeditionary forces are en route.
The Israeli Air Force has dropped over 16,000 bombs in Iran since the start of the war, in over 800 waves of strikes, the military says.
According to the IDF, over 10,000 separate strikes have been carried out on 4,000 targets. pic.twitter.com/gkU4rW4s8T
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) April 1, 2026
In this context, there is a clear need to be able to readily detect launchers, which can pop out suddenly and unexpectedly from cover, across vast areas. Known missile storage sites and launch areas around them also need to be persistently surveilled. The ability to find launchers faster opens up new options for striking them. Just tracking and recording their typical movements would also help further refine interdiction and intelligence-gathering strategies going forward.
As TWZ has previously explored in great depth, the RQ-180 is best understood as a very high-flying, very long-endurance, and very stealthy intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance platform that is capable of penetrating and persisting deep into enemy airspace. Its primary means of achieving that mission would be a radar with ground moving target indicator (GMTI) and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capabilities, but radar would be just the primary component of a larger sensor package, which would likely include powerful electro-optical sensors and passive radiofrequency ones.
At its most basic, GMTI allows battle managers to see the enemy’s ground movements in real-time and then quickly adapt their game plan to counter those enemy forces before they can ever attack, or even pose a threat to friendly forces. GMTI is also a critical capability for detecting changes in force posture, establishing patterns of enemy movements over time, and identifying new targets of interest. Modern GMTI products can also be looped into a ‘kill web’ for rapid targeting purposes.
Some of this is also achieved through the aforementioned SAR mode, which basically provides a satellite-like image of a target area using radar. It also has the ability to see some things optical systems cannot, and, like GMTI, it can work under nearly all atmospheric conditions, day or night. When paired with GMTI, SAR can be used to help positively identify targets, as well as gain better situational awareness about the targets being tracked.
A generic example of GMTI tracks overlaid on top of a SAR image. Public Domain
Passive electronic intelligence collection that allows for radiofrequency-emitters to be quickly detected and geolocated via onboard antennas and interferometry-based computing is another part of the equation. Long-range optical sensors can also provide higher-fidelity intelligence and spot movements of infrared signatures over large areas. You can imagine how fuzing all these capabilities together, combined with advanced networking, on a single platform could be incredibly potent. Basically, detecting a target or target group of interest, and then training advanced sensors on it to rapidly build up a high-quality understanding of what is going on and even to provide real-time targeting data to ‘shooters’ would be this aircraft’s bread and butter.
All of these are capabilities that would be ideally suited to the very high-priority task at hand of searching for Iranian launchers across the country’s vast terrain.
This all brings us back to Quartz and the very specific mission set that drove that program. Quartz is the best-known codename for a drone conceived as part of what was officially dubbed the Advanced Airborne Reconnaissance System, or AARS program.
The lead-up to Quartz
AARS/Quartz was itself born out of a succession of earlier developments. Proving that using a stealth platform to penetrate enemy air defenses and to stay over contested territory for hours on end while transmitting data collected without being detected is one of the biggest revolutions in warfare of the 20th Century. This capability was demonstrated on the tactical side at the dawn of stealth technology by Northrop’s Tacit Blue. That aircraft was developed as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) highly classified Battlefield Surveillance Aircraft-Experimental (BSAX) program, which began in the late 1970s.
The Tacit Blue demonstrator. Northrop Grumman
Tacit Blue notably served as a periphery risk reduction effort for the Advanced Technology Bomber (ATB) program that would result in the B-2. However, its reason for being was to show that a stealthy aircraft carrying a huge radar can penetrate enemy air defenses and loiter for prolonged periods of time, collecting GMTI radar data and other intelligence information.
The radar for BSAX was a low probability of intercept design that had come from Pave Mover, another DARPA effort. Pave Mover ultimately led to the non-stealthy and now-retired E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft, but offshoots of that radar technology did end up elsewhere, including on the B-2. Low probability of intercept/low probability of detection (LPI/LPD) radars and communications suites are now key tenets of stealth aircraft design, in general. Keeping signal emissions, which an enemy can use to spot and track threats, to a minimum is critical for low-observable (stealthy) aircraft designs. Pave Mover was also tied into DARPA’s Assault Breaker program, which focused on proving out various technologies to enable standoff targeting of enemy forces, especially large Soviet armored formations on the move, deep behind the front lines.
An E-8C JSTARS aircraft. USAF/Senior Airman Jared Lovett
The famously ugly Tacit Blue, also nicknamed the “Whale,” produced results that were revolutionary, as you can read more about here. Even the most capable existing penetrating intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft available at the time, like the SR-71 Blackbird, could only take a snapshot in time of the enemy and its posture. Satellites were far more predictable and could only provide the same ‘moment in time’ intelligence, and in a much less flexible manner. Tacit Blue could watch for hours with the enemy not even knowing it was there.
An SR-71 Blackbird. Courtesy photo via USAF
This meant the quality of intelligence Tacit Blue was capable of collecting was of far greater value. Metaphorically speaking, the SR-71 was like documenting a wedding by loudly running through a crowd and snapping a few photos. Tacit Blue was like rolling hours of videotape at the same wedding by an invisible cameraman. It was an absolute game-changer. The information was also transmitted securely using a LPI data link in near-real-time so that it could be rapidly exploited, not once the aircraft returned to base.
A drone to hunt Soviet mobile ballistic missiles
AARS/Quartz can be seen as something of a strategic parallel to the more tactically-minded BSAX effort and the Tacit Blue demonstrator. It was conceived as a cooperative effort between the U.S. Air Force, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), and the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). NRO, the very existence of which was only declassified in 1992, is and has historically been responsible primarily for intelligence-gathering via satellite. However, it was also involved in ISR drone operations in the 1960s and 1970s.
The supersonic D-21 drone, seen here atop an M-21 mothership aircraft during a test, is one of the uncrewed aircraft programs NRO was involved in during the 1960s and 1970s. USAF
In the 1980s, the Reagan Administration grew concerned about a gap in reconnaissance assets, in the air and in space, to persistently track and monitor Soviet mobile nuclear-armed intermediate-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles.
“As spy satellite systems came on line in the 1960s, they shared the same fundamental operational scheme as the SR-71. Both conducted reconnaissance with relative impunity but were so fast that they only provided episodic coverage. The Soviet system of fixed air bases, missile silos, and command centers of the Cold War’s first 30 years favored ‘fast pass’ reconnaissance, however, so its weaknesses were not evident until the strategic equation shifted in the late 1970s,” Thomas Ehrhard wrote in a monograph, titled Air Force UAVs: The Secret History, which the Mitchell Institute for Airpower Studies published in 2010. “Soviet mobile missiles (both nuclear and air-to-air) and the advance of aviation technology opened the door for a true loitering surveillance UAV called AARS.”
Ehrhard pointed to three missiles as particular drivers behind the AARS program. The first of these was the road-mobile RSD-10 Pioneer, known in the West as the SS-20 Saber, a nuclear-armed intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with three warheads in a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) configuration. The SS-20 had an immensely destabilizing impact on the security environment in Europe. Its appearance was a central factor in the United States and the Soviet Union ultimately signing the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 1987.
A Soviet RSD-10 Pioneer/SS-20 Saber IRBM, at left, alongside a U.S. Pershing II medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), at right, on display at the National Air and Space Museum. The INF treaty allowed for the preservation of a small number of demilitarized RSD-10/SS-20s and Pershing IIs, but the rest were destroyed. National Air and Space Museum
The other Soviet missiles that helped make the case for AARS/Quartz were two ICBMs, the rail-mobile RT-23 Molodets (SS-24 Scalpel) and the road-mobile RT-2PM/RS-12M Topol (SS-25 Sickle).
RT-23/SS-24 SCALPEL MOD 1 ICBM
RT-2PM/SS-25 SICKLE ICBM
In his 2010 monograph, Ehrhard describes the Reagan-era view of the resulting problem set as follows:
“The technological problem of holding these mobile missiles at risk, one that NATO had never solved with the SS-20, now became vastly more complex [with the inclusion of the SS-24 and SS-25]. U.S. forces had to constantly monitor their movement and electronic emissions, something neither fast-pass satellites, U-2s, nor the SR-71 could accomplish. The mission also entailed breaking the over two decade-long declaratory policy of not overflying the Soviet Union, a prospect the Reagan Administration apparently felt was worth the gain. To complicate matters further, they needed a platform that could track those missiles in a nuclear detonation environment while flying from remote bases in the continental US. Operating and receiving imagery from such a craft beyond line-of-sight using space relays would prove daunting. The political and design challenges loomed large, but in the end the Air Force/NRO/CIA consortium opted for a leap-ahead system.”
With all this in mind, AARS/Quartz was seen as a national imperative. The very long-endurance drone, penetrating deep into Soviet airspace, would be able to locate many of these threats, allowing them to be targeted during the opening throes of a potential apocalypse – something we will come back to later on.
By the mid-1980s, contracts were doled out to Lockheed and Boeing to develop what at the time could be seen as the most ambitious ‘silver bullet’ aerospace program of its time, albeit one that had very few eyes on it as it was deeply buried in the classified realm. Ehrhard writes:
“To accomplish the loitering surveillance mission, this UAV needed autonomous (i.e., not remote controlled), highly reliable flight controls, and a design capable of intercontinental ranges from bases in the US zone of the interior with extreme high altitude capability (long wingspan with sailplane-type lift and multi-engine propulsion to reach altitudes more than 70,000 feet). Moreover, it had to carry an array of high-resolution sensors, high-capacity satellite communications capabilities, and various antennas—all in a package that was stealthy to the point of being covert. The cost of developing each technology piece alone would be staggering, but integrating them presented an even greater challenge – thus the project became a magnet for the best and most starry-eyed technologists in the black world. As one CIA engineer said in an anonymous interview, this project was ‘the cat’s pajamas,’ and ‘the single most fun project I ever worked on’ because it stretched every conceivable technology area.”
Ehrhard does not elaborate on the expected sensor package, but an LPI/LPD radar with GMTI and SAR modes, as well as other sensors, would have been needed for a stealthy platform tasked with this mission set. As noted earlier, electronic emissions, which can be detected passively, were also seen at this time as a key way to spot and track mobile missile launchers.
A highly ambitious undertaking
By all indications, AARS/Quartz was seen as a very ambitious effort from the start, but one that could yield impressive capabilities needed to address a mission requirement critical to national security. It should be noted that the U.S. military was pursuing a host of advanced stealth aviation technology programs at around the same time. Many of the efforts would go on to produce real results, if they hadn’t already by the mid-1980s, and this is just based on what is known publicly. Northrop’s stealthy Tacit Blue demonstrator flew for the first time in 1982. Lockheed’s F-117 Nighthawk reached an initial operational capability the following year. The Advanced Technology Bomber (ATB) program that would lead to the B-2 was well underway by this time, too.
Another look at the Tacit Blue demonstrator, as viewed from below. Northrop Grumman
In the end, AARS/Quartz did not fare as well as many of its contemporaries, at least from what we know. The program ran through the end of the Reagan years and into the 1990s under the administration of President George H.W. Bush. It morphed and changed hands considerably from a smaller ‘bleeding-edge’ NRO-led program into one that was integrated into a new national unmanned aircraft strategy. This, in turn, caused its mission set to balloon as a maelstrom of stakeholders demanded many capabilities out of a single platform that was already beyond the available technology of the era.
Ehrhard’s 2010 monograph sums up just how bloated AARS became by the 1990s:
“[David A.] Kier[, NRO’s Deputy Director from 1997 to 2001] said the large version of AARS, which according to some reports had a wingspan of 250 feet, cost less than a B-2, but more than $1 billion a copy. Reportedly, the production plan called for only eight vehicles at a cost of $10 billion, each of the vehicles capable of an amazing 40 hours on station after flying to the area of interest.”
“Air Force officials were so leery of the UAV’s autonomous flight concept (no pilot had moment-to-moment control) that they reportedly insisted the flying prototype carry a pilot to handle in-flight anomalies and that the final design include a modular, two-place cockpit insert to make it optionally piloted. ‘By the time everyone got their wishes included,’ Kier said, ‘it [AARS] had to do everything but milk the cow and communicate with the world while doing it.’”
“With all of AARS’s leading-edge sensors and communications links, each of which posed substantial technical challenges in its own right, flight reliability quickly became the biggest design hurdle, according to Kier. The technologies were so secret, and the value of the payload and the air vehicle was so great that its loss over unfriendly territory was unthinkable. One defense official remarked, ‘If one had crashed, it would have been so classified we would have had to bomb it to ensure it was destroyed.’”
“Sailing along on the glut of black money in the late 1980s, AARS kept moving forward despite its continually expanding, problematic requirements list. As happened with [the] D-21 and Compass Arrow [drone programs] in the early 1970s, however, AARS was about to have its most vital mission curtailed.”
A D-21 reconnaissance drone, also known by the codename Tagboard. USAF
“The end of the Cold War brought the expensive program to a halt. An Air Force general familiar with the project said: ‘When AARS was invented, there was more money than they [the NRO] could spend. After the Cold War, the money went away and projects like that could not possibly survive.’ Like predators stalking a wounded animal, manned alternatives to AARS emerged. One proposal would put a sophisticated target acquisition system on the B-2 stealth bomber –the so-called RB-2 configuration. The proposal had value as a terminal tracking system, but the RB-2 lacked a method of off-board cueing to direct it to a search area.”
…
“As it turned out, none of the alternative programs made the cut, for not only was the Cold War officially over with the dissolution of the Soviet Union, but the venerable Strategic Air Command was disbanded in June 1992. With that move, AARS lost its primary military constituent and the AARS alliance began to crumble.”
“…The Air Force pulled funding on AARS, and it was terminated in December 1992 by the intelligence community hierarchy just as it was to enter full scale development. AARS was, in the final analysis, a misfit. It was a major aircraft program backed by a satellite organization (the NRO), and a risky unmanned surveillance platform slated for a combat pilot-led Air Force—hardly an edifice solid enough to survive the removal of its strategic underpinnings. No one organization provided focus or advocacy for the program. As a result, the “perfect” surveillance UAV faded away even as the ultimate Cold War satellite system, Milstar, and the equally exotic B-2 stealth bomber managed to survive, backed as they were by one service, and powerful sub-groups within that service, who were culturally and operationally attuned to those configurations.”
A view of the official rollout ceremony for the B-2 bomber in 1988. USAF
Kier, who Ehrhard also identifies as the last AARS program manager, says the drone’s design ultimately evolved into something that “resembled a substantially scaled-up version of DARPA’s DarkStar.” Lockheed’s DarkStar, which eventually received the designation RQ-3, was a stealthy tailless design with an ovoid central fuselage and with very long, slender, and straight main wings. Boeing was also a major subcontractor for the RQ-3.
The RQ-3 DarkStar. USAF
DarkStar was also referred to as “Tier III-minus,” a moniker that reflected the requirements for the drone, which were truncated compared to a planned Tier III type. Tier III was a more direct follow-on to AARS, but was already envisioned as a smaller and less capable, and one would imagine less expensive, uncrewed aircraft. There were also additional lower capability tiers, one of which ultimately led to the RQ-4 Global Hawk. Ehrhard says some members of Congress and of industry did attempt to drum up support for a true successor to AARS/Quartz, unofficially referred to as Tier IV, but without success.
With regard to the RQ-3, at least two flying examples were built, the first of which crashed in 1996 after suffering a control system malfunction. DarkStar had vanished completely from the public eye by 1999, but it has since emerged that a direct line can be traced between it and the stealthy RQ-170 Sentinel via another secretive drone called the X-44A, which TWZ was first to report on back in 2019.
An RQ-170 Sentinel at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. USAF via FOIA
When it comes to AARS/Quartz, the full scale and scope of what exactly came out of the hundreds of millions, and possibly billions, spent on the program over at least a decade, remains unclear. Clearly, major leaps were made in the critical communications, command and control, structural, and sensor technologies needed to make the system a reality. There are rumors that sub-scale risk-reduction test articles were flown, but details surrounding the program remain highly secretive.
A mission requirement that rhymes
As we noted earlier, many questions remain about the RQ-180, as well as the overall status of that program. At the same time, fast forward some three decades or so from the end of AARS (and its immediate successors), and there are now echoes of the Cold War mission requirements that prompted that program, including in the current conflict with Iran.
The Iranian arsenal of conventionally-armed missiles is not anywhere near the same kind of threat as Soviet nuclear-tipped IRBMs and ICBMs. Still, they do present very real threats, especially for strikes on large critical infrastructure targets and as terror weapons when loaded with cluster munition payloads. The current conflict has demonstrated that strategy also puts immense strain on Israeli missile defenses, which could have broader ramifications, as you can read more about here. Iran’s short-range ballistic missiles offer additional flexibility against targets on land or at sea. In addition, it has been clear for years now that Iran is very willing to launch conventional ballistic missile attacks.
As already noted, the launchers for these missiles are mobile, and some are configured to look like typical civilian-style trucks at a casual glance. Some operate from hardened and underground bases. A number of those facilities were even built with ports that allow missiles to be fired from within, though it is unclear how extensively Iran has made use of that capability in the current conflict. These apertures have likely been repeatedly struck by the U.S. and Israel.
The underlying challenge of finding Iran’s ballistic missiles, and doing so with enough time to attempt to strike them before they launch, has clear similarities to the mission that drove AARS/Quartz. The Iranian case is perhaps more complex in certain respects, given the larger number of smaller missiles, many of which could be dispersed over a broad area. Still, the long-range weapons that threaten Israel are clearly the top priority and would be the easiest to spot for an asset like the RQ-180.
CENTCOM:
The Iranian regime is using mobile launchers to indiscriminately fire missiles in an attempt to inflict maximum harm across the region.
U.S. forces are hunting these threats down and without apology or hesitation, we are taking them out.pic.twitter.com/l4lxbTlAf4
🚨 WATCH: CENTCOM releases footage of strikes on fortified missile bases in southern Iran. The first footage includes hits on tunnel entrances and on mobile and stationary launchers at the missile base in Hajjiabad, Iran. pic.twitter.com/wuoi5GEhqp
— Major Sammer Pal Toorr (Infantry Combat Veteran) (@samartoor3086) March 22, 2026
Iran is responding to external threats by releasing a new video showcasing one of its underground missile tunnel systems, packed with missile engines, mobile launchers, and a range of advanced weaponry. The footage prominently features the Paveh cruise missile, the Ghadr-380… pic.twitter.com/ILsdlrPtQy
Furthermore, Iran’s air defenses have been significantly degraded after some five weeks of U.S. and Israeli strikes, on top of the losses during the 12 Day War last year, but threats remain. As noted, the northeastern end of the country has seen fewer strikes compared to other areas, overall. Total air supremacy over Iran has yet to be achieved.
This is not a hypothetical assessment either, as underscored by the recent loss of a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle. In the ensuing efforts to recover the F-15E’s crew, an A-10 Warthog crashed after being hit by hostile fire and two rescue helicopters were also damaged. American forces deliberately destroyed additional aircraft – reportedly two MC-130J special operations tanker transports and four Little Bird helicopters – inside Iran to prevent the capture of sensitive material. This came after the MC-130Js had become disabled after touching down at an austere operating location during the final mission to retrieve the downed Strike Eagle’s Weapon System Officer.
A picture showing a destroyed Little Bird, on the right, and the hulk of a C-130, to the left. via X
This is exactly the environment where a very high-flying, extremely long-endurance, and very stealthy drone, like the RQ-180, would be valuable, if not critical, to perform the aforementioned mission. The drone would simply fly outside the range of Iranian defenses if need be and likely fly nearly directly over most of them without fear of being shot down. From that perch, which could be far above where normal jet aircraft fly (60,000-70,000+ feet is possible) it would be able to monitor massive swathes of Iranian territory for movement of launchers and indications of launches, especially around known launch areas and storage sites.
AARS/Quartz was never intended to exist in a vacuum. It was explicitly seen as a part of an ecosystem that also included the B-2 bomber (to strike the targets the drone found) and the Milstar communications satellite constellation (to help transmit relevant data). The B-2 and Milstar did enter service, although the former did so on a very truncated level due to post-Cold War drawdowns. The U.S. military has made further investments since then in advanced networking capabilities as part of integrated kill web architectures. The B-2 and other relevant capabilities that could directly tie in with the RQ-180 are being employed publicly in the current conflict with Iran. It is possible, if not highly plausible, that this integration has already existed for years, in part as a result of the development of the LRS family of systems.
Another rendering of a notional ‘RQ-180’ design. Hangar B Productions
There is a degree of precedent here already, with regard to Iran specifically, with the RQ-170 Sentinel. RQ-170s are understood to have conducted extensive flights over Iran in the 2000s and into the very early 2010s, particularly to provide persistent monitoring of nuclear sites. Those missions were thrust into the public eye in 2011, when an RQ-170 went down in Iran and was captured largely intact.
The fact that the Sentinel has been flying operationally for nearly two decades, at least, also just underscores the degree to which stealthy, persistent drone surveillance capabilities had already advanced decades ago. That being said, the RQ-170 is a medium-altitude platform that was developed as a more tactical-level asset for surveillance of smaller areas. It does not fulfill the continued requirements for something like the RQ-180, able to fly at much higher altitudes over far greater distances for much longer periods of time, while carrying huge sensors, and was never intended to do so.
It’s also worth noting here that any decision to employ a highly secretive and sensitive asset like the RQ-180 over Iran would still carry major risks. Stealth aircraft aren’t invisible or completely immune to threats, and accidents do happen. As noted earlier, a technical issue of some kind may well be the only reason why we got a clear look at the drone during the day at Larissa in Greece, to begin with. At the same time, there is something of a precedent for taking these kinds of risks with regard to Iran, specifically, even outside of the demands of open conflict. After the RQ-170 went down in Iran, it is very likely that Russia and China had opportunities to analyze the drone in detail. But the technologies in the RQ-170, and its very design, are understood to be far less exquisite than what would be found in the RQ-180.
But even as an RQ-180 would have an even more pressing use case against a peer competitor like China, which is drastically expanding its nuclear arsenal and has thousands of road-mobile ballistic missiles, risking such a sensitive asset over Iran is paired with the high stakes involved with this operation, especially in regard to Israel. Iran’s massive and rapidly growing number of long-range missiles were a stated reason Trump decided he had to act now. The administration has said that soon Iran would be able to oversaturate any defenses if action wasn’t taken. It is this same threat that would be a major factor in using such a prized asset for Epic Fury, to do whatever possible to limit the damage to Israel, and to America’s Arab allies as well.
When the secretive drone first emerged at Larissa, comparisons were also drawn to an Israeli design referred to as the RA-01. That uncrewed stealth aircraft has a roughly similar planform, but is a smaller overall design that likely falls between the RQ-170 and the RQ-180. It has been very active during the conflict, being seen in videos. It would be of no surprise if it were tasked with hunting Iranian missile launchers, as well.
It should be stressed that we still do not know for sure why the secretive drone is at Larissa and what operations it might have been conducting, or still is, from the Greek base. As mentioned at the start of this piece, U.S. authorities have, so far, declined to comment on the uncrewed aircraft’s presence there at all.
At the same time, its emergence does come at a time when the capabilities of the RQ-180, or an evolution thereof, would be in extremely high demand to support current operations over Iran, and specifically to address the urgent need to counter Iran’s long-range weapons, just as the progenitor of the concept was meant to do nearly four decades ago.
WASHINGTON — President Trump said Tuesday that he expects the United States to end its involvement in the war with Iran within three weeks, declaring there probably will be “no reason” for American forces to stay in the region even as top defense officials maintain Tehran’s military capabilities have not been fully eliminated.
Trump told reporters during an Oval Office event that he is confident the U.S. objectives in the conflict will be largely achieved by then, whether Iran makes a “deal” with the United States or not.
“If they come to the table that will be good, but it doesn’t matter whether they come or not,” Trump said. “We’ve set them back. It will take 15 to 20 years to rebuild what we have done to them.”
Trump added that he believes the threats to the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil route, will be “all cleared up” by the time the U.S. leaves the region. But if issues remain, he said, that will not be a problem for the United States.
“That’s not for us,” he said. “That will be for whoever is using the strait.”
Trump’s comments came hours after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that, a month into the war, Iran still has the ability to launch offensive missiles, despite ongoing U.S. and Israeli efforts to weaken Tehran’s military capabilities and weapons programs.
“Yes, they will shoot some missiles, but we will shoot them down,” Hegseth told reporters at a Pentagon briefing, acknowledging the remaining threat.
The comment, made during the first public briefing on the conflict in nearly two weeks, underscored that despite weeks of intensive U.S. military operations and repeated assertions by Trump that Iran’s military has been “obliterated,” the threats posed by Iranian forces have not been fully eliminated.
Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters at the briefing that the U.S. military remains focused on “interdicting and destroying” Iran’s weapons warehouses and facilities.
“We’ve continued to do the work against Iran’s missile, drone and naval production facilities,” Caine said.
Although air and naval strikes have been the primary focus so far, U.S. officials have not ruled out the possibility of ground operations as thousands of American soldiers and Marines have begun arriving in the Middle East.
Hegseth said it is up to Trump to determine whether ground operations in Iran will become the next phase in the conflict, which the president has said he is open to ending through diplomatic talks.
Trump repeated over the weekend that Iran is “begging to make a deal” to end the war, but on Monday, the president threatened to target Iran’s power-generating plans and oil wells and even desalination plants if a “deal is not shortly reached.”
President Trump speaking Tuesday in the Oval Office.
(Alex Brandon / Associated Press)
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday that the administration will “operate within the confines of the law,” when asked about Trump’s threat to target infrastructure that would potentially harm civilians.
Caine told reporters Tuesday that the U.S. would only “strike lawful targets” when asked about American military considerations for civilian targets.
“We are always thinking about those considerations and developing options to be able to mitigate those risks,” Caine said.
Since the start of the war, Iranian officials have condemned a series of U.S. military attacks that have hit schools, including a Feb. 28 strike at an elementary school that killed at least 175 people, many of them children.
As Trump issues a new wave of threats on key infrastructure, he has at the same time touted ongoing diplomatic talks with Iran and reportedly told aides he’s willing to end the war without resolving Iran’s de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz that has rattled global energy markets.
Americans have also felt the financial pinch because of the war when it comes to energy prices. Gasoline prices in the United States reached an average of $4 a gallon Tuesday, a price that Trump says Americans are willing to pay to endure because “they are also feeling a lot safer.”
“All I have to do is leave Iran, and I will be doing that very soon and, [prices] will come tumbling down,” Trump said.
Hegseth, for example, said those diplomatic talks are “very real,” but stressed that the military pressure will continue alongside those negotiations and that ground operations remain an option.
“Our adversary right now thinks there are 15 different ways we can come at them with boots on the ground. And guess what? There are,” Hegseth said. “If we needed to, we could execute those options on behalf of the president of the United States and this department, or maybe we don’t have to use them at all. Maybe negotiations will work.”
He said the goal was to remain “unpredictable.” Caine added that the presence of U.S. ground forces in the region can serve as a “pressure point” as diplomatic efforts continue.
As the hostilities continued in the region on Tuesday, the State Department warned American citizens in Saudi Arabia that U.S. officials were “tracking reports of threats against locations where American citizens gather.
“We advise U.S. citizens that hotels and other gathering points including U.S. businesses and U.S. educational institutions may be potential targets,” officials wrote in a new warning.
And in Rome, Pope Leo XIV told reporters that he hopes Trump is “looking for an offramp” to end the war in Iran and made an appeal to “decrease the amount of violence,” according to the Associated Press.
Meanwhile, Trump administration officials have faced challenges in securing support from some U.S. allies, an issue that Hegseth and the president have publicly pointed out.
On Tuesday, Trump complained that countries have “refused to get involved” in the war and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. allies’ access to oil has been affected by Iran’s chokehold on the key waterway as a result of the joint operation launched by U.S. and Israel. But now, Trump wants those countries to deal with the strait.
“All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT,” Trump wrote on his social media website.
Trump added that countries will have to “start learning how to fight” for themselves.
“The U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” Trump wrote. “Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!”
In a separate post, Trump singled out France for barring Israeli military planes from flying over its airspace.
“The USA will REMEMBER!!!” Trump posted on his social media website.
At the Pentagon, Hegseth acknowledged that the U.S. military has faced “roadblocks or hesitations” from U.S. allies when asking for assistance or use of their bases — and said the president is simply noting that “we don’t have much of an alliance.”
“A lot has been shown to the world about what our allies would be willing to do for the United States of America when we undertake an effort of this scope on behalf of the free world,” Hegseth said.
The ex-Made in Chelsea star is set to join Clare Balding and Ade Adepitan to host The CHANEL J12 Boat Race this Saturday (April 4).
Broadcasting live from the banks of the River Thames, they’ll be stationed in a fresh studio at the starting line in Putney.
Oxford University Boat Club and Cambridge University Boat Club will battle it out oar-to-oar in one of the globe’s oldest and most prestigious amateur sporting events.
Alex Jacques will helm lead commentary, with Olympic gold-medal winning rower Martin Cross and Olympic silver-medal winning rower Jess Eddie as co-commentators, while three-time Olympic gold medallist Pete Reed OBE will serve as pundit, reports OK!.
Broadcaster and mathematician Hannah Fry will also be present to delve into the science of rowing, as well as championing Cambridge Men and Women in her capacity as Professor of Public Understanding of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge.
Coverage of The Boat Race will air from 13:30 to 16:30 on Channel 4 and Channel 4 Streaming, where Oxford and Cambridge Men and Women will tackle the iconic Championship Course, a 4.25-mile stretch of tidal Thames from Putney to Mortlake.
In addition to broadcasting the historic races between the two universities, Channel 4 will also spotlight the Youth Boat Race for the first time on British TV.
The Youth Boat Race, backed by the Oxford and Cambridge Rowing Foundation, is scheduled for Friday 3 April, with coverage included in Saturday’s broadcast.
Discussing his new role, Jamie confessed he “can’t wait”, stating: “The Boat Race is always such a brilliant day, it’s London’s party by the river. Joining Clare, Ade and the team to present coverage of such an iconic occasion is a pure thrill.”
The presenter and podcaster further added: “I can’t wait to meet the incredible athletes taking part and get in amongst the action with the fans on the banks of the Thames and at the finish line to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of the crews.”
This news comes as Jamie and his wife Sophie Habboo prepare to offer their fans a sneak peek into their private life in a new reality show.
The couple, who got hitched in April 2023, are set to feature in a brand new series on Disney+, which is slated to premiere on Thursday (April 2).
The programme will track the reality star couple during Sophie’s pregnancy and the birth of their son Ziggy. Ahead of the three-part series’ release, fans have been given a preview of what they can anticipate from the show.
In a teaser clip, the pair are seen having a heated argument, with Sophie labelling her husband’s behaviour as “unacceptable”. Jaime is shown standing in the doorway as Sophie becomes tearful during the dispute.
He stated: “I’m stressed, I am tired.” Sophie could be heard retorting: “But you just go behind my back, that’s so unacceptable.”
Elsewhere the couple were dealt a “bad news” blow during a hospital visit. Jamie revealed: “Bad news is that the baby, his arm is through the cervix. She (Sophie) needs to have an emergency c-section.”
The smitten duo are seen tearfully supporting each other during the birth of their first child. Jamie tenderly kisses Sophie’s forehead, reassuring her with the words, “It’s alright you got this. You got this”
The CHANEL J12 Boat Race 2026 will air on Channel 4 on Saturday, April 4 from 1.30pm and Raising Chelsea is available to watch on Disney+ from Thursday, April 4
Roy Hodgson said there was much he missed about football after coming out of retirement to return to the dugout as caretaker manager of Bristol City.
The 78-year-old accepted the role at the Championship club until the end of the season following the sacking of Gerhard Struber on Friday.
The former England manager has not worked since leaving Crystal Palace in 2024 and confirmed he will only be in the position for City’s seven remaining games, insisting he was “too old” for a long-term position.
“You don’t work at top-level football at my age really very often,” Hodgson said.
“I’d come to terms with that quite well then something like this happens and you realise that there’s a lot I do miss.
“Having this opportunity to get a feel for that again, and have a chance to work with a good group of players – it seems from what I saw this morning – and to relive being on the grass and doing the coaching, which I’ve always been really keen to do, and with a group of players without necessarily having all the drawbacks.”
Hodgson returns to the club where he began his career in 1982, spending four months as Bristol City manager during a turbulent financial time when the club nearly went out of business.
“I’ve been perfectly happy in my retirement period – a little bit bored from time to time – but a challenge like this was hard to turn down,” Hodgson said.
“Plus the fact it is Bristol which is a lovely city and I do have fond memories of my time here, despite the fact I shouldn’t have fond memories – I should be having nightmares.”
Actor James Tolkan, known for his role as the Hill Valley High principal in “Back to the Future” and the no-nonsense commanding officer in “Top Gun” has died. He was 94.
Tolkan died Thursday in Lake Placid, N.Y., where he lived, his booking agent, John Alcantar, told the Associated Press on Saturday.
In “Back to the Future,” Tolkan portrayed Vice Principal Gerald Strickland, who surveyed the school’s halls with a whistle around his neck and a tardy slip burning a hole in his pocket.
“You got a real attitude problem, McFly,” Tolkan’s character snaps at Michael J. Fox’s character, Marty McFly, in the cult classic 1985 film. “You’re a slacker. You remind me of your father when he went here. He was a slacker, too.”
The line became one of Tolkan’s most famous, and mega-fans would flock to Comic-Cons around the country to ask the star to call them a slacker, requests he typically obliged.
The actor had a number of film and television gigs through the 1960s and ’70s, but he was doing David Mement’s Broadway play “Glengarry Glen Ross” when he got the offer to play Strickland in “Back to the Future.”
“I always said, ‘I’m never going to Hollywood until they send for me,’ ” he told T.C. Restani during a 2015 interview. “And I said, OK, this is my chance. And of course, nobody realized that it was going to be such an important picture. But it was. It was one of those marvelous events where all the planets were aligned and ‘Back to the Future’ became this shooting star of a movie.”
Tolkan was also well known for drilling Maverick and Goose with swift reprimands and tough love between puffs of his cigar as their commanding officer, Tom “Stinger” Jardian, in the 1986 blockbuster “Top Gun.”
“That was very special, because when you make a movie you never know, but in ‘Top Gun,’ everybody felt like it was going to be a success,” Tolkan told Bob McCarthy during a 2016 Comic-Con interview. “ They just felt it, knew it right from the first day.”
Born June 20, 1931, in Calumet, Mich., Tolkan was the son of a cattle dealer — Ralph M. Tolkan. He moved around in his adolescence, spending time in Chicago and landing in Arizona after his parents’ divorce. It was there that his athletic skills got him noticed by the Eastern Arizona College football coach. Tolkan landed a scholarship to the college, but his academic career was short-lived, and he left to enlist in the U.S. Navy.
After a year of service during the Korean War, he was discharged due to a heart ailment, and with $75 to his name he set out for the Big Apple to try his hand at acting. In New York, Tolkan studied under Stella Adler and Lee Strasberg at the famed Actors Studio and started landing stage roles before working his way to the big screen.
Although his experience in the military informed the types of roles Tolkan would play — Army office, Air Force commander, police lieutenant, attorney — his work as an actor was his passion. “If you choose to be an actor, you have to choose to be an actor, and you have to stick with it through thick and thin,” he told a FanX audience member during a 2023 panel at the Salt Lake City pop-culture convention. “When things get tough, you can’t think about doing something else. You’ve got to say to yourself, ‘I’m gonna do this.’ ”
Other notable acting projects of Tolkan’s include the 1973 film “Serpico,” starring Al Pacino; the 1981 movie “Prince of the City”; the role of Napolean in Woody Allen’s 1975 film, “Love and Death”; and the 1983 film “WarGames,” in which he acted alongside Matthew Broderick.
Tolkan is survived by his wife of 54 years, Parmelee Welles.
After a wearying 24 hours at work in the midst of chaos over last week’s presidential election, an exhausted Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris took a moment to reflect on her role in the process.
“I feel so historic,” she said. Little did she know.
By ruling Monday that all of Florida’s 67 counties would have to complete their ballot recounts by 5 p.m. EST today–a move backed by the campaign of GOP Texas Gov. George W. Bush–the 43-year-old Republican became an unlikely pivotal player in the closest balloting in America’s history.
Harris contended she had no discretion to extend the deadline, except in the case of a natural disaster. “But a close election, regardless of the identity of the candidate, is not such a circumstance,” she said.
This, from a woman who once told an interviewer that she didn’t like “gamesmanship” in politics. A multimillionaire whose state position is due to be eliminated in 2002, Harris has spent much of her time in office as an influential patron of the arts.
In taking her hard line against time-consuming hand recounts sought by the presidential campaign of Democratic Vice President Al Gore, Harris incurred the icy disdain of former Secretary of State Warren Christopher, who accused her Monday of a “move in the direction of partisan politics.”
Republicans say otherwise. Former Florida Secretary of State Sandra Mortham, who lost to Harris in a recent primary battle, insisted “she’s doing exactly what her constitutional duties require, no more, no less. To me, this isn’t a political issue. This is whether someone is doing her job.”
The job requires oversight of Florida’s arts, libraries, historical sites and international trade, and supervision of corporate registration, business licensing and elections. It has been largely ceremonial–until now.
“It’s an extraordinary responsibility,” Harris said of her mandate to oversee the recount. “I’m very anxious. The process is so important here.”
Harris has won high marks from both Republicans and Democrats for her support of the arts. There has been speculation in political circles here that Harris might win an ambassadorship or arts post in a Bush administration, whose candidacy she supported.
Harris campaigned for Bush in New Hampshire, was a Florida delegate to the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia and was one of eight co-chairs of his Florida campaign.
“She was a diligent member of the Florida Senate and has been a fairly active secretary of state, from both a cultural and arts perspective as well as a foreign trade perspective,” said Florida lobbyist Ron Book, a Democrat, who helped raise money for Harris when she ran for the statewide office.
Harris’ short term has not been without criticism. She has flown around the world to promote Florida trade, but critics note she has spent more money on travel than Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. “I’m not abusing anything,” she said last month. “I’m working my heart out for the state of Florida.”
Harris grew up in Bartow, a small rural Florida town not far from Tampa. Her grandfather was the late Ben Hill Griffin Jr., a citrus and cattle baron who served in the state Senate.
After graduating from Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Ga., and studying art in Spain and philosophy and religion in Switzerland, she went into business as a marketing executive for IBM, then sold commercial real estate in Sarasota. Later, she earned a master’s degree in international trade at Harvard.
After the late Democratic Florida Gov. Lawton Chiles appointed her to the board of trustees of the Ringling Museum of Art, she sought more state money for the institution.
Disgusted with Sarasota politicians who did not have her commitment to cultural issues, she ran for the state Senate in 1994, collecting more than $20,000 in campaign contributions from a Florida insurance company called Riscorp. The firm would later be indicted in federal court for making illegal contributions to 23 candidates for state and federal offices, Harris among them. Harris, who was not charged, said she felt unfairly tainted by the scandal.
“If somebody hands you counterfeit money, how are you supposed to know it’s counterfeit?” she said.
As a state senator, she sponsored a bill that would have required parental notification before girls under 18 could get an abortion. But it was vetoed by Chiles.
Dubbed one of Sarasota’s “most prominent bachelorettes” by the local newspaper, her marriage in December 1996 to businessman Sven Anders Axel Ebbeson made headlines. They married at the Charlotte County government center, where she made her first campaign appearance. Then they flew to Paris.
Harris is worth about $6.5 million, mostly from stock in her family’s agricultural interests–she used $23,000 of her own money to run for secretary of state.
After one term as a state senator, Harris decided to run for statewide office, raising more than $1.5 million.
Harris won the 1988 GOP primary after a hard fight, then defeated her Democratic opponent.
Her first term will be her last. Harris will be Florida’s last elected secretary of state. Voters approved a change in the state Constitution that eliminates the position in 2002.
Perhaps it was predictable that reality TV would become a pipeline into American politics. After all, political theater was the ultimate unscripted spectacle before reality TV became a genre unto itself.
Consider the raw drama of the first televised presidential debate, where a sweaty Richard Nixon and confident John F. Kennedy traded barbs. Or Anita Hill’s should-have-been-damning testimony against then-Supreme Court justice candidate Clarence Thomas during Senate Judiciary Committee hearings in 1991. Or President George W. Bush’s 2003 “mission accomplished” speech from a carrier off the coast of California, mere weeks into a war in Iraq that lasted years.
Modern programmed reality TV isn’t political theater, but it has become a springboard into modern politics for some stars of the genre. From President Trump to Dr. Oz, Caitlyn Jenner to Sean Duffy, campaigns and political offices are littered with the names of former cast members from reality series. Here’s a list of the most memorable jumps from trash TV to the smoldering dumpster of 21st century politics.
Donald Trump, president of the United States, ’The Apprentice’
Before he was a two-time president of the United States, Trump was one of America’s most recognizable make-believe bosses thanks to his 14-season run on NBC’s reality competition “The Apprentice,” created by reality TV kingmaker Mark Burnett. With his practiced executive scowl and scripted boardroom catchphrase, “You’re fired!,” the show burnished his image as a decisive billionaire dealmaker, even as his real-life business results were far less impressive. Off camera, Trump’s businesses filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection six times between 1991 and 2014. Never mind. It was his knack for showmanship, and his undying need for attention, that proved the perfect entry into post-decorum politics. How does pretending to be in charge on a middling reality competition qualify anyone to safely and successfully run the most powerful nation on Earth? It doesn’t. Sleep tight.
Sean Duffy, Transportation secretary, ’The Real World’ and ‘Road Rules: All Stars’
Sean Duffy first appeared on MTV’s “The Real World: Boston,” where he was introduced as a flirtatious, conservative lumberjack/student hybrid. In short, he was a casting director’s dream. He later joined “Road Rules: All Stars,” where he met his future wife Rachel Campos-Duffy. Trading hot tub confessionals for courtrooms, Duffy became a Wisconsin district attorney and then a congressman. By 2025, he’d risen to secretary of Transportation under Trump, completing a career arc from staged arguments with pretend roommates to heated exchanges with the press about the effects of a government shutdown on airport safety. Dude.
After a fiery confirmation hearing, Mullin is now Trump’s second secretary of Homeland Security in the 2.0 administration, following the disastrous tenure of wannabe reality show star Kristi Noem. Mullin was not a reality star per se, but in his role as a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter he performed in cages for live, streaming and pay-per-view cable audiences. As an early 2000s champ in the sport, Mullin boasted an undefeated 5-0 record and the Oklahoma chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame inducted him in 2016. How do these MMA skills, or his former life running the family plumbing business qualify him to protect the national security of this great nation? It’s unclear, but his fighting instincts have already resulted in a viral moment out of a 2023 Senate hearing, when he challenged Teamsters President Sean O’Brien to a physical fight, offering to “finish it here.” Now he’ll be running the DHS. What could go wrong?
Omarosa Manigault Newman, former assistant to Trump and director of communications for the office of public liaison, ‘The Apprentice’
Newman became one of reality television’s more memorable villains thanks to her run on “The Apprentice,” where her Machiavellian ways and unapologetic ambition revolted viewers and impressed her fake boss. She would eventually parlay that dubious notoriety into more than one role in the first Trump White House. Her tenure was brief, ending in a high-profile departure and her accusation that Trump is a “racist, a bigot and a misogynist.” She then wrote a book, “Unhinged: An Insider‘s Account of the Trump White House.” Perhaps she’ll adapt her written account into a reality show, only to reignite her fame and win the White House. From there? She’d hire Trump, of course, then swiftly end his run on the show with two simple words: “You’re Fired!”
Spencer Pratt, Los Angeles mayoral candidate, ‘The Hills’
Best known as one-half of reality TV’s most polarizing couple on “The Hills,” Pratt built a reputation as a needling instigator, often leaning into the role of villain with annoying enthusiasm. After stints on other reality shows such as “Big Brother U.K.,” he began speaking out about local California issues, including wildfire recovery and environmental policy. Earlier this year Pratt, a Republican, announced that he would be running for mayor of Los Angeles in the upcoming mayoral election, challenging incumbent Karen Bass. Does he really want to govern the Left Coast, or is his candidacy a ploy for a new reality show? Let’s hope it’s the latter.
Caitlyn Jenner, California gubernatorial candidate, ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’
An Olympic gold medalist long before reality TV fame, Jenner reentered public consciousness through a show about nothing. The hit series relaunched her into the spotlight as a member of one of America’s most visible families. Using that fame, she ran as a Republican in 2021 in California’s gubernatorial recall election, positioning herself as a political outsider. Her campaign leaned heavily on her life story — from her athletic achievement to her personal reinvention — but she failed to keep up with the competition.
Clay Aiken, U.S. congressional candidate, ‘American Idol’
Aiken rose to fame as the earnest, vocally gifted runner-up on “American Idol” circa 2003. His polite demeanor, impressive vocal range and dramatic rendition of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” earned him a devoted fanbase known as the “Claymates.” Aiken went on to have a semi-successful music career before running for Congress in North Carolina as a Democrat in 2014. Aiken made the mistake of leaning into his strengths as a thoughtful, policy-oriented candidate rather than relying on his past achievement as a vapid reality show contestant. He lost, of course.
Jim Bob Duggar, Arkansas state House representative and state Senate candidate, ’19 Kids and Counting’
As the patriarch of TLC’s “19 Kids and Counting,” Jim Bob Duggar became synonymous with a conservative Christian lifestyle when the show aired in 2008; it garnered high ratings and ran for 10 seasons. He espoused many of the same ideals as an elected official in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2003, before leaving the political stage for reality TV. But the show was canceled in 2015 when the Duggars’ eldest son, Josh, admitted to molesting several girls, some of whom were his sisters. A conviction on child pornography charges followed. (More recently, his brother Joseph was charged with child sex abuse.) Jim Bob Duggar attempted a political comeback in 2021 when he ran for a vacated seat in the Arkansas state Senate, leaning on what he believed was his reputation as an upstanding family man. Reality bit back, and he lost.
Mehmet Oz, U.S. Senate candidate and administrator of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, ‘The Dr. Oz Show’
Like so many questionable figures Americans came to trust in the 2000s, Dr. Oz got his start as a frequent guest on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” He went on to launch “The Dr. Oz Show,” where he dispensed health advice to millions of viewers. His blend of seemingly measured medical guidance and on-camera charisma appealed to viewers who were tired of looking at egg-headed doctors, like the kind who practice real medicine off screen. He announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania as a Republican in 2021, focusing on an anti-establishment platform. He lost the general election to Democrat John Fetterman, but the doctor is still in. Trump appointed him administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor and vice presidential nominee, ‘Sarah Palin’s Alaska’
File this under “Folks who tried to reinvent themselves on reality TV after tanking in politics.” Sarah Palin served as the ninth governor of Alaska before being selected as Sen. John McCain‘s running mate ahead of the 2008 presidential election. After losing to Barack Obama and Joe Biden, she veered away from politics, a decision that probably had nothing to do with an ethics scandal dubbed Troopergate that involved Palin. Burnett saw an opportunity, producing the 2010 TLC reality series “Sarah Palin’s Alaska.” It followed the Palin family engaging in activities such as fishing, prospecting for gold and camping in the region. In short, it looked like a tourism ad for Alaska and was canceled after one season. It also failed to kickstart her political career. She lost her 2022 bid for Alaska’s U.S. House seat, failing in both a special election and her general election comeback attempt. Apparently it isn’t Sarah Palin’s Alaska, after all.
A CLIP of a ‘baby’ Louis Tomlinson on Waterloo Road, long before he was a global superstar, has tickled fans.
The BBC soap dug through the archives to unearth a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo from former One Direction star Louis.
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Louis Tomlinson has re-appeared in an old clip from soap Waterloo RoadCredit: BBCOne Direction star Louis can be seen in the resurfaced footageCredit: BBC
The clip shows a baby-faced Louis playing an extra during the show’s very first series in 2006.
In the footage, a concerned-looking Louis can be seen in the background of the school playground as fan-favourites Janeece Bryant (Chelsee Healey) and Donte Charles (Adam Thomas) get into a heated row.
To help fans catch the four-second appearance, the clip has been given the slow-motion treatment, asking: “Can you spot One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson in Waterloo Road?”
The Sun were the first to reveal at the start of the year that Zara and Louis had begun dating each other just weeks after she split from long-term partner, reality star Sam Thompson.
Singer-songwriter Louis is embarking on a world tourCredit: Getty
Disney has a new captain, and his eyes are on the stars.
Taking over the reins from Bob Iger on Wednesday, new chief executive Josh D’Amaro signaled a bold shift for the entertainment giant: a future where emotional storytelling remains the “North Star,” but cutting-edge technology provides the fuel.
From ESPN to the Magic Kingdom, D’Amaro said in his first letter to employees as the top boss that his mission is to turn a century of nostalgia into a more personal, high-tech reality for fans worldwide.
“Used thoughtfully, it can empower our storytellers, strengthen our capabilities, and help us create more immersive, interactive and personal ways for people to experience Disney,” he wrote in the Wednesday morning note.
D’Amaro also said he wants the sprawling company, which includes film and TV studios, a tourism division, streaming services and live sports programming, to operate as “one Disney,” saying the global businesses all play a role in deepening consumers’ relationship with the Mouse House.
That connection people have with Disney’s brand is key to the company’s future. Consumers have more film, TV and experiences to choose from than ever, meaning Disney needs to distinguish itself among competitors.
To do that, D’Amaro plans to focus on the emotions consumers feel when they encounter Disney. As an example, he reminisced about his own first visit to Disneyland more than 40 years ago.
He recalled the joy on his father’s face as the two rode Peter Pan’s Flight together. And when they soared over the miniature version of London on the ride, he remembered his father leaning in and saying, “See, I told you. It feels like we’re flying!”
“That feeling of flying I had on Peter Pan all those years ago is still real to me,” he wrote in the Wednesday morning note. “And today, I am honored to move forward with all of you — with ambition, optimism, and absolute confidence in what we can build together.”
That new era also included a goodbye to Bob Iger, who handed over the reins Wednesday and now moves into a senior advisory role for the rest of the year before his planned retirement.
The company paid tribute to Iger in a video during Disney’s annual shareholders meeting Wednesday morning.
With clips from his earliest public appearances as Disney’s CEO, a highlight reel of the acquisitions the company made under his tenure and even a nod to his previous career behind the anchor desk, the video highlighted Iger’s legacy at the company and the role he played in bulking up Disney’s franchises, global theme parks, sports and streaming platforms.
When asked in the video about where he’ll go from here, Iger laughed and replied, “To Disneyland.”
In a pre-recorded speech, Iger said his time at Disney has spanned much of his life and that he never expected to become CEO of the company — much less twice.
“Over the years, we experienced extraordinary change and faced real challenges that were particularly profound in the last three years,” Iger said. “It was daunting at times, but through it all, what sustained me was the passion I saw every day from great storytellers, innovators, leaders and people around the world.”
In his parting remarks during that speech, he expressed confidence in the new leadership team of D’Amaro and Dana Walden, who is now president and chief creative officer of the company.
“I will be cheering on Josh, Dana and all of you as I sail off into the sunset,” he said. “So thank you for the trust you placed in me, for the memories we created together, and for allowing me the honor of serving. It has meant more to me than I can say.”
The actor portrays John Worboys – dubbed the “black cab rapist” – in the upcoming series
Daniel Mays plays John Worboys in Believe Me(Image: ITV)
Daniel Mays has admitted he was “absolutely terrified” when he read the script of his new ITV drama Believe Me.
The actor plays convicted offender John Worboys – who was dubbed the ‘black cab rapist’ after preying on women under the cover of being a licensed taxi-cab driver.
He was convicted in 2009 for crimes including sexual assault and drugging with intent against 12 women.
“I actually underestimated how much it was going to affect me,” Daniel said as a first look image of him as Worboys was released.
“I’ve been a professional actor for 26 years, so I’ve done a lot of true crime and played a lot of wrong ‘uns. When I got these scripts, it absolutely terrified me, because I’m a father myself.
“My head immediately went to my 13-year-old daughter Dixie. She’s venturing out, going on trains, and before long, no doubt she’ll be in the back of a taxi. So as a father, I found it an incredibly disturbing and terrifying read.”
He continued: “It was a difficult thing to have rolling around in my head before filming.
“It was a very isolating character to play, by its very nature. When I was announced to play him, I got this tirade from family and friends and work colleagues who can’t quite believe it, going, ‘Why would you want to play something like that?’ So, the challenge was to humanise him, really, and that was a very difficult and unsettling thing to take on.”
The four-part series, filmed in Cardiff, focuses on the ordeal of Sarah (played by Peaky Blinders’ Aimée-Ffion Edwards) and Laila (played by Raised By Wolves’ Aasiya Shah), who reported sexual assaults by Worboys, and how their allegations were not thoroughly investigated.
ITV said it “tells the story of how the victims of one of the most prolific sex attackers in British history were failed by the system”.
Danny, known for Des and A Thousand Blows, said there’s “always a huge responsibility” playing a real person on screen, but that this was “a whole other level”.
He explained: “This is told from the perspective of the victims, and for them to tell their truth, have their stories told – the ordeals that they went through and the fight they took on against the Metropolitan Police and the court systems.
“So, when you’re dealing with that, the onus was on me to get it absolutely 110% right. That was paramount to me.”
Believe Me is coming soon to ITV1
If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 08 08 16 89 111 or visit their website, http://www.victimsupport.org.uk.
Catherine Zeta-Jones arrives on the red carpet at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The red carpet at the Oscars is the epitome of Hollywood glitz and glamour. We combed through our archives for photos of the Academy Awards since 2000 — from arrivals of the biggest stars to backstage candids to winners clutching their awards — to compile this trip down the Oscars’ memory lane.
So what do winners wear? Take a look at our collection below and you’ll see some of the best dressed stars through the years, including Lupita Nyong’o’s custom pale blue Prada gown in 2014 and Emma Stone’s gold Givenchy flapper-style dress in 2017. Around the dawn of the millennium, Halle Berry made a statement with an Elie Saab dress that had a sheer top with embroidered flowers when she won in 2002 while Reese Witherspoon went vintage with a beaded dress from Dior in 2006.
As we wait to see what the stars are wearing Sunday on the 98th Oscars red carpet, take a look at how Oscar fashion has evolved in the 21st century with photos of those who took home trophies for lead actress, lead actor, supporting actress and supporting actor.
2025
Mikey Madison shows off her leading actress Oscar for her role in “Anora” at the 97th Academy Awards.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Adrien Brody walks the red carpet at the 97th Academy Awards. He won the leading actor Oscar for “The Brutalist.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Zoe Saldaña accepts the supporting actress Oscar at the 2025 Academy Awards for “Emilia Perez.”
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Kieran Culkin poses with his Oscar for “A Real Pain” at the 97th Academy Awards.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
2024
Emma Stone won her second leading actress Oscar, for “Poor Things,” at the 96th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Cillian Murphy accepts the leading actor Oscar for “Oppenheimer” at the 96th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Da’Vine Joy Randolph won the supporting actress Oscar at the 96th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Robert Downey Jr. poses on the red carpet at the 96th Academy Awards before winning the supporting actor Oscar for “Oppenheimer.”
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
2023
Michelle Yeoh, who won the leading actress Oscar for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” arrives at the Governors Ball following the 95th Academy Awards.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Brendan Fraser clutches his Oscar backstage at the 95th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Jamie Lee Curtis, the supporting actress winner for “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” cries as she holds her Oscar backstage.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Ke Huy Quan stands atop the engraving station after getting his Oscar for supporting actor engraved.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
2022
Jessica Chastain arrives at the 94th Academy Awards before winning the Oscar for lead actress.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith pose on the red carpet at the 2022 Oscars. Smith won the leading actor award later that night after slapping Chris Rock during the show.
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Ariana DeBose holds her Oscar for supporting actress backstage.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Troy Kotsur accepts the supporting actor award for “CODA” from Youn Yuh-jung.
(Myung Chun / Los Angeles Times)
2021
The 2021 Oscars had a modified format without a red carpet due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2020
Renée Zellweger shows off her Oscar for lead actress for “Judy.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Joaquin Phoenix arrives at the 92nd Academy Awards. He won for lead actor for his role in “Joker.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Laura Dern, winner of the supporting actress Oscar for “Marriage Story,” shows off her hardware.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Brad Pitt wins the supporting actor Oscar for his role as Cliff Booth in “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
2019
Olivia Colman wins the lead actress Oscar for “The Favourite.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Rami Malek, winner for lead actor for “Bohemian Rhapsody,” poses in the photo room at the 91st Academy Awards.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Regina King arrives at the Academy Awards, where she won for supporting actress in “If Beale Street Could Talk.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Amatus Sami-Karim and Mahershala Ali pose at the 91st Academy Awards, where Ali won the supporting actor Oscar for “Green Book.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
2018
Frances McDormand was victorious for her role in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
( Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Gary Oldman tightly grips his Oscar for lead actor.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Allison Janney, winner of the supporting actress Oscar for “I, Tonya,” poses for photos.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Sam Rockwell and Leslie Bibb pose on the red carpet at the 90th Academy Awards. Rockwell won for his role as troubled police officer Jason Dixon in “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
2017
Emma Stone delivers a touching acceptance speech after winning lead actress for her role in “La La Land.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Casey Affleck holds up his Oscar for lead actor for “Manchester by the Sea.”
(Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times)
Viola Davis smiles backstage after winning the Oscar for supporting actress for “Fences.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Mahershala Ali arrives at the Oscars, where he won for his performance in “Moonlight.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
2016
Brie Larson won the lead actress Oscar for her role in the drama “Room.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Leonardo DiCaprio wins his first Oscar ever for “The Revenant.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Alicia Vikander is Belle of the ball at the Oscars, where she won for supporting actress in “The Danish Girl.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Mark Rylance walks backstage after picking up the supporting actor Oscar for “Bridge of Spies.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
2015
Julianne Moore shows off her lead actress trophy.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Eddie Redmayne arrives at the 87th Academy Awards, where he won gold for “The Theory of Everything.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Patricia Arquette poses on the red carpet. The actress won an Oscar for her role in “Boyhood.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
J.K. Simmons holds his supporting actor Oscar for the movie “Whiplash.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
2014
Matthew McConaughey accepts the lead actor award for “Dallas Buyers Club.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Cate Blanchett stuns on the red carpet before picking up the lead actress Oscar for “Blue Jasmine.”
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Jared Leto arrives at the 86th Academy Awards, where he won for his role in “Dallas Buyers Club.”
(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)
Lupita Nyong’o twirls her dress on the red carpet at the Oscars, where she won for her feature film debut in “12 Years a Slave.”
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
2013
Daniel Day-Lewis and Meryl Streep walk offstage at the 85th Academy Awards after Day-Lewis’ lead actor win.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Jennifer Lawrence holds up her Oscar after her win for “Silver Linings Playbook.”
(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Christoph Waltz gives an acceptance speech after winning for supporting actor.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Anne Hathaway wins for supporting actress at the 85th Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2012
Jean Dujardin cheers after his Oscar win for lead actor at the 84th Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Meryl Streep holds up her Oscar for lead actress for “The Iron Lady.”
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Christopher Plummer examines his Oscar for supporting actor.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Octavia Spencer cries as she accepts her Oscar for supporting actress.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2011
Colin Firth is photographed with his Oscar at the Governors Ball following his win for “The King’s Speech.”
(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
Natalie Portman arrives in style to the Oscars, where she won for her role in “Black Swan.”
(Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)
Christian Bale accepts his award for supporting actor during the 83rd Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Melissa Leo poses on the red carpet before her win for supporting actress.
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
2010
Jeff Bridges cheers after receiving the lead actor Oscar.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Sandra Bullock arrives at the 82nd Annual Academy Awards before winning an Oscar for her role in “The Blind Side.”
(Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)
Mo’Nique receives an Oscar for her role in “Precious” during the 82nd Annual Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Christoph Waltz accepts his award for supporting actor during the 82nd Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2009
Sean Penn accepts the lead actor Oscar for his role in “Milk” during the 81st Academy Awards.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Kate Winslet stands backstage after her win for lead actress at the 81st Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Sally Bell, Kim and Kate Ledger accept the Oscar for supporting actor awarded to Heath Ledger at the 81st Academy Awards.
(Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times)
Penelope Cruz receives her Oscar at the 81st Academy Awards for her role in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.”
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
2008
Forest Whitaker escorts Marion Cotillard off stage after presenting her with the Oscar for lead actress at the 80th Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Presenter Helen Mirren joins Daniel Day–Lewis backstage after his win for lead actor at the 80th Academy Awards.
(Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)
Tilda Swinton accepts the supporting actress Oscar for her role in “Michael Clayton” at the 80th Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Javier Bardem celebrates with the cast of “No Country for Old Men” after the film’s win for best picture and his victory for lead actor.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
2007
Helen Mirren accepts the Oscar for lead actress for her role in “The Queen.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Forest Whitaker accepts the leading actor Oscar for his role in “The Last King of Scotland.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Jennifer Hudson exits the stage with her Oscar after winning for supporting actress during the 79th Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Rachel Weisz wipes lipstick off of supporting actor winner Alan Arkin’s cheek while walking offstage.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
2006
Reese Witherspoon arrives at the 78th Academy Awards, where she took home an Oscar for lead actress in “Walk the Line.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Philip Seymour Hoffman accepts the Oscar for lead actor for his role in “Capote” at the 78th Academy Awards.
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
Rachel Weisz accepts the supporting actress Oscar for her role in “The Constant Gardener.”
(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times)
George Clooney greets fans at the 78th Academy Awards, where he took home the supporting actor Oscar.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
2005
Morgan Freeman, Cate Blanchett, Hilary Swank and Jamie Foxx pose with Oscar statuettes at the 77th Academy Awards.
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Jamie Foxx and daughter Corinne arrive at the 77th Academy Awards.
(Béatrice de Géa / Los Angeles Times)
Hilary Swank arrives at the 77th Academy Awards, where she would win an Oscar for lead actress in “Million Dollar Baby.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Morgan Freeman arrives at the 77th Academy Awards with his daughter, Morgana.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Cate Blanchett arrives at the Academy Awards, where she won an Oscar for her role in “The Aviator.”
(Béatrice de Géa / Los Angeles Times)
2004
Charlize Theron, Sean Penn, Rénee Zellweger and Tim Robbins pose with their Oscars at the 76th Academy Awards.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Charlize Theron, wearing Tom Ford for Gucci, arrives at the 76th Academy Awards.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Sean Penn accepts the leading actor Oscar for his role in “Mystic River.”
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Actress Renée Zellweger poses with her Oscar for supporting actress for her role in “Cold Mountain” at the 76th Academy Awards.
(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)
Tim Robbins, his then-partner Susan Sarandon and their son flash peace signs as they arrive at the 75th Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
2003
Adrien Brody, Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Chris Cooper prepare to pose with their Oscars at the 75th Academy Awards.
(Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times)
Adrien Brody reacts to his Oscar win for “The Pianist.”
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Nicole Kidman accepts the leading actress Oscar at the 75th Academy Awards.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Chris Cooper points to the camera after winning an Oscar for supporting actor for “Adaptation.”
(Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)
Catherine Zeta–Jones accepts the leading actress award at the 75th Academy Awards.
(Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
2002
Denzel Washington wins the leading actor Oscar for his role in “Training Day.”
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Halle Berry arrives at the 74th Academy Awards, where she won an Oscar for her role in “Monster’s Ball.”
(Kevin P. Casey / Los Angeles Times)
Supporting actress Jennifer Connelly and supporting actor Jim Broadbent smile at the 74th Academy Awards.
(Don Kelsen / Los Angeles Times)
Jennifer Connelly accepts her Oscar for her role in “A Beautiful Mind.”
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
2001
Benicio del Toro, Marcia Gay Harden, Julia Roberts and Russell Crowe pose with their Oscars during the 73rd Academy Awards.
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Russell Crowe wins an Oscar for his work on the film “Gladiator” during the 73rd annual Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Julia Roberts celebrates after winning the leading actress Oscar at the 73rd Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Benicio Del Toro clinches his fist after accepting the supporting actor Oscar for his role in “Traffic.”
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Marcia Gay Harden accepts her supporting actress Oscar at the 73rd Academy Awards.
(Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
2000
Michael Caine, Angelina Jolie, Hilary Swank and Kevin Spacey smile backstage at the 72nd Academy Awards.
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Kevin Spacey poses with his leading actor award for his role in “American Beauty.”
(Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)
Hilary Swank accepts her Oscar for her role in “Boys Don’t Cry.”
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Michael Caine accepts the Oscar for supporting actor during the 72nd Academy Awards.
(Robert Gauthier/ Los Angeles Times)
Angelina Jolie kisses her Oscar for supporting actress during the 72nd Academy Awards.
AN unexpected Brit name has been thrown into the ring to play the next James Bond.
Bookmaker Coral has announced the surprising news about who is currently in the lead to scoop the iconic role.
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Daniel Craig’s role as the MI5 agent is up for grabsCredit: RexBack To Black star Jack O’Connell is the current frontrunnerCredit: Alamy
It has been revealed that Jack O’Connell’s name is flying high after seeing support rise over the last 48 hours.
The SAS: Rogue Heroes star is a big contender to jump into James Bond‘s boots with odds to 8-1 (from 33-1).
“Jack O’Connell’s next James Bond odds have collapsed over the last couple of days, with the British actor now just single figures in our betting for the iconic role,” said Coral’s John Hill.
The new movie will be written by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Steven Knight – who was behind iconic TV show Peaky Blinders.
The 28 Years Later actor has come a long way since his days in the Skins cast.
O’Connell has played a variety of roles since he starred in the TV teen drama as James Cook from 2009 to 2010 – and for the show’s final season in 2013.
Ever since Daniel Craig said goodbye to the role in 2021 release No Time To Die, the role of super spy 007 has been up for grabs, with speculation rife over who should take over.
Coral stated the odds: 4-5 Callum Turner, 3-1 Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 3-1 Theo James, 6-1 Henry Cavill, 8-1 Jack O’Connell, 10-1 Anthony Boyle, 12-1 Harris Dickinson, 16-1 Jack Lowden, 16-1 James Norton.
Jack as James Cook in E4s Skins from 2009-2010Credit: E4Jack starred in movie SAS: Rogue HeroesCredit: BBCCould Callum Turner be the next 007?Credit: AlamyJacob Elordi of Wuthering Heights fame is a favouriteCredit: AlamyPeaky Blinders boss Steven Knight will be behind the movie and has worked with JackCredit: Getty
Who will be the next James Bond?
Names in the mix to play 007 include:
Tom Holland
Fans have come up with a theory that Hollywood producer Amy Pascal – who has worked with Tom for years – could be involved in casting the new 007 film.
Henry Cavill
After playing legend Superman, Henry Cavill is now being tipped to be the next James Bond.
The former superhero would step into the role with ease.
James Nelson-Joyce
The actor first impressed audiences with his acting skills when he starred in Little Boy Blue alongside the legendary Stephen Graham.
After the release of his new flick, Jacob is now said to hold high odds.
Callum Turner
The London-born star was top of the list and has previously dodged questions on whether he’d take on the role.
Harris Dickinson
The newcomer actor’s stock has risen greatly over the past few years with appearances in Where The Crawdads Sing and steamy flick Babygirl, opposite Nicole Kidman.
Ella Bruccoleri looks unrecognisable from her days at Nonnatus House as she takes on the leading role in new BBC period drama
Ella played Sister Frances in BBC period drama Call the Midwife(Image: BBC/Nealstreet Productions/Matt Towers)
Call the Midwife star Ella Bruccoleri has landed the leading role in new BBC period drama The Other Bennet Sister.
The 10-episode series, which is based on Janice Hadlow’s novel of the same name, follows the “overlooked” character of Mary Bennet, played by Ella, who looks unrecognisable from her days at Nonnatus House, where she featured as Sister Frances until 2022.
The series begins at Longbourn, where the Bennet family’s five unmarried daughters navigate the rigid expectations of Regency society.
“Her journey sees her leave her family home for the soirées of Regency London and the peaks and vales of the Lake District, all in search of independence, self-love, and reinvention,” the synopsis says.
“The series follows Mary as she steps out of her sisters’ shadows in search of her own identity and purpose, finding herself in the middle of an epic love story along the way,” it goes on.
Speaking to the BBC about her new role, Ella explained: “Mary’s not your typical period drama heroine.
“She lives in a world where, particularly for women, appearance is everything, and she doesn’t understand that value system at all.
“Instead, she turns to literature that offers a different viewpoint. Her favourite book is Fordyce’s Sermons to Young Women, because it argues that women shouldn’t have to be beautiful — they should be intelligent and pious.”
Giving fans further insight on her character, she added: “Mary Bennet has been written off by many members of her family, and as a result she’s written herself off too. When we meet her at the beginning of the series, she’s living with her family in a small village and has never really left that world.
“These are the only people she knows, and she understands herself through the values they impose on her. We know these characters from Pride and Prejudice, but it’s fascinating to see the impact they have on someone like Mary.”
Giving her thoughts on the new adaptation, the star said: “When I read Jane Austen, I’m always struck by how witty it is so witty, with humour in every line.
“Sarah Quintrell really brings that into the scripts, and Janice Hadlow’s book does the same. The novel is very different in style from Austen, but it feels like a genuine extension of Pride and Prejudice.
“Sarah’s scripts tread the line between comedy and drama better than anything I’ve ever read. It feels like a tragicomedy – it doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s also not afraid to delve into emotionally weighty material. That feels very true to Jane Austen.”
The Other Bennet Sister debuts on BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday (March 15) at 8pm
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