series

People are raving on about the drama series which is believed to be a ‘hidden gem’ and it’s available on a number of TV networks, including Disney+. So have you seen this before?

Looking for the next big TV series to binge-watch? It can be hard finding a new show to watch, especially if you’ve just finished something decent on Netflix or Amazon Prime.

Now people are raving on about a ‘hidden gem’ they found – and it’s available on a number of TV networks, including Disney+. After one TV fan asked for recommendations in a popular thread, many people flooded the comments section where they offered a number of suggestions, one of them being Will Trent, a American police TV drama. The series follows a Special Agent of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations.

As a child, Trent was abandoned and forced to endure a harsh coming-of-age in Atlanta’s overwhelmed foster care system. It was based on one of prolific New York Times author Karin Slaughter’s bestselling books.

The Reddit post read: “Any current network (CBS, ABC, NBC, etc.) TV shows that are any good? Most of the shows I currently watch are on streaming services and I’m wondering if there’s any hidden gems I’m missing out on.”

Many people shared their suggestions, including High Potential and The Rookie.

But plenty of viewers labelled Will Trent as a must-see. The series, which is also available on other network channels, can be streamed on Disney+ for subscribers.

The series was developed by Liz Heldens and Daniel T. Thomsen which stars Ramón Rodríguez and premiered on January 3, 2023, on ABC.

A year later in April, the series was renewed for a third season which landed on January 7, 2025. Then months later, the series was given the green light for a fourth season which finally premiered on January 6, this year.

The series follows Will who grew up in the Atlanta foster care system after being abandoned as a child. Despite being dyslexic and his upbringing having a lasting effect on him, he became a Special Agent in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

Will, a highly observant character, had been assigned a corruption case involving the Atlanta Police Department which shares an office building with the GBI.

The story also shows his on-again off-again relationship with APD Detective Angie Polaski, a childhood friend from the foster care system.

Will Trent has a 7.7 out of 10 rating on IMDb and 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. To watch it on Disney+, you must have a subscription on the streaming platform.

A must-watch new documentary series has just hit Netflix and it’s a must-watch for foodies

Netflix has just released a compelling documentary series that follows a globally renowned TV chef as he tackles the most formidable challenge of his professional life.

The fresh six-part series launched today (Wednesday, 18th February) is essential viewing this week for food lovers.

Not only will it leave you salivating over Michelin Star-calibre cuisine but it also provides unprecedented access to one of Britain’s most cherished culinary icons.

Being Gordon Ramsay tracks the Kitchen Nightmares star’s latest audacious venture: launching five distinctive dining experiences atop 22 Bishopsgate, amongst London’s loftiest skyscrapers.

Throughout the thrilling behind-the-scenes look at the pioneering food and beverage enterprise, audiences will also discover Gordon’s domestic life with his wife Tana and their six children, reports the Express.

The London-based celebrity, who also maintains properties in Cornwall and Los Angeles, divides his time between treasured moments with his family and the gruelling demands of his career both domestically and internationally.

Admirers of the celebrated chef will experience poignant scenes as Gordon farewells his daughter Tilly to culinary school and reconnects with his youngest children following weeks of separation, alongside touching and frequently amusing exchanges with the chef and his wife as they playfully quarrel during the taxing new undertaking and reflect on their formative years together.

Netflix’s synopsis for the six-episode series guarantees a “pulse-racing” experience as “pressures mount” on the A-list chef.

Audiences will also be moved by his candid conversations about “fame and parental guilt” before Gordon “turns up the heat” in the nail-biting finale.

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Within hours of its release, subscribers have already been championing Being Gordon Ramsay as they flock to watch the must-see new docuseries in their thousands.

One fan characterised the series as “Pressure. Passion. Perfection” on X, whilst another shared: “gordon ramsay chaos? i’m already hooked.”

Another posted: “Gordon going all-in on five restaurants at once with £20M of his own cash? This is gonna be absolute chaos… and I’m 100% here for it Already hitting play tonight.”

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“I will be there!” another user vowed, and someone else concurred: “Oh I will be sat!”

The series has also garnered favourable reviews from critics thus far, with The Telegraph labelling it “stressful” yet “surprisingly enjoyable”, adding it “puts the Beckhams to shame”.

Are you craving mouthwatering exclusive insight into the life of Britain’s leading chef? Netflix has certainly delivered this week.

Being Gordon Ramsay is available to stream on Netflix.

Artist Ako Castuera is best known for her work on the award-winning animated series “Adventure Time.” As a writer and storyboard artist, she helped intrepid heroes Jake the Dog and Finn the Human become iconic toon characters.

Though she brought flying rainbow unicorns and a platoon of plotting penguins to life on screen, there’s more to Castuera’s resume than hyper-imaginative animation.

Ceramist, writer and storyboard artist Ako Castuera in her studio.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

The Echo Park-based creative is also a professional ceramicist whose hand-built vessels and sculptures have been on display at the Japanese American National Museum of Art, Oxy Arts and the Oakland Museum of Art.

In this series, we highlight independent makers and artists, from glassblowers to fiber artists, who are creating original products in and around Los Angeles.

While Castuera’s studio is filled with its fair share of playful “Pee-wee’s Playhouse”-themed ceramic charms and anthropomorphic banana figurines, her craft is just as much devoted to highlighting Southern California’s natural resources and Indigenous people, as well as her own Mexican-Japanese heritage.

“‘Whimsy’ is a word that’s been applied to my work a lot. This is not my word,” she said during a recent tour of the Monrovia workspace she shares with her husband, artist Rob Sato, and fellow ceramicist Rosie Brand.

Ako Castuera’s work is anthropological and at times unusual, like her foot box sculptures. She also feels a special connection to her tools. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

“Not that whimsy is negative, but I do feel like it doesn’t really get a handle on the substance of what I feel I’m working with, as far as the depth of the clay, the depth of the experience, of the land.”

She sat perched on a stool at her workbench, using a smooth stone to grind soil clumps into fine dust as she talked. She collects the red earth during nature walks around the San Gabriel Mountains area — whether the riverbed of the Arroyo Seco, or the foothills of Claremont, her hometown.

“This is special dirt,” she explained.

To her, it has a presence, a life of its own and a cherished history. She uses it to make anything from trinket boxes to ornate geometric vases to statuettes of quizzical creatures.

Some of her most recent creations stand on a nearby wooden shelf. They’re ceramic depictions of Pacific tree frogs and great herons, both denizens of the L.A. River. The waterway has long been a source of inspiration for Castuera.

Ako Castuera’s work ranges from massive pieces to the miniature, like these figurines.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

“I love the L.A. River,” she said. “It’s my neighbor. It’s my teacher. It’s a place where I walk and bike.”

She regards the river as a muse and wants to inspire Angelenos of all ages to appreciate it. To that end, she teaches youth workshops at the riverside arts hubs Clockshop and Sooki Studio. What’s more, the river was a “main character” on “City of Ghosts,” the L.A.-celebrating, Emmy-winning Netflix animated series she directed. She’s even been known to use some of its water to transform soil into moldable clay.

“The more people who are brought into a sense of kinship with the river, the better,” she said. “Because then, they really feel like ‘The river takes care of me; I want to take care of the river.’”

Castuera’s work has an anthropological bent, as well as an ecological one. For example, her research into Southern California’s Kumeyaay and Cahuilla Indigenous tribes inspired a series of large jars patterned after ollas, traditional pots used for water and seed storage. She plans to incorporate these jars into an immersive installation that will be on view at the Candlewood Arts Festival in Borrego Springs in March and April. And last fall, she hosted a community event with Los Angeles Nomadic Division in which she discussed how soil played a vital role in the societies of both the Gabrielino-Tongva tribes of L.A. and the Ryukyuan people of her mother’s native Okinawa.

Finding the sweet spot where cultures combine is a constant source of motivation for Castuera. She’s created her own twist on shisa, lion-dog statues that are common sights all around Okinawa. And she’s currently working on a collection of small sculptures honoring her patrilineal ties to Puebla, Mexico. Her “taco babies” were inspired by one of the region’s best-known dishes, tacos árabes, which combine flavors from Mexico and the Middle East.

“I was thinking about the beauty of being in a living mix and what that would look like personified,” she said of the wee figures wrapped in colorful tortilla-like blankets.

Ako Castuera makes ceramics for the love of the process, not the final product.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

Some of Castuera’s work makes it into gallery shows and some she sells. But just as often, she smashes it and takes the soil back to where she originally found it. It’s a habit of creating and destroying that she formed as a student at Claremont High School, where she studied the craft for two semesters, yet fired zero pieces.

“I don’t think I could’ve articulated this at 15, but it’s about the process of building, not the process of creating a product. It’s about working with the material — just making the space and the time for that practice,” she said.

“The excitement and the magic is really about the discovery of the unexpected. It’s so engrossing and it really just gets me engaged with life.”

Caracas, February 17, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela’s Navegantes del Magallanes claimed the 2026 Serie de las Américas baseball tournament after defeating Colombia’s Caimanes de Barranquilla 10–9 on Friday, February 13, at the Estadio Monumental Simón Bolívar in Caracas.

The Colombian squad stunned fans with a commanding 5–0 lead in the opening inning and maintained a five-run advantage for much of the game. However, Magallanes engineered a dramatic comeback that will become one of Venezuela’s most celebrated baseball victories, scoring seven unanswered runs in the eighth inning to overturn the deficit.

The Venezuelan team, representing the host nation for the tournament held from February 5 to 13 in Caracas and La Guaira, stumbled in its opening match against Panama before rallying and stringing together consecutive wins. This included a decisive 9–1 semifinal victory over Cuba to book a place in the final.

The 2026 Serie de las Américas—the second edition of this regional international baseball competition organized by continental baseball league associations—brought together national teams from Cuba and Curaçao, and the winter league champions from Venezuela, Panama, Nicaragua, Colombia, and Argentina. The tournament featured a round-robin phase followed by semifinals and a championship game.

Navegantes del Magallanes secured its place in the tournament after winning the Venezuelan league in early February. 

Venezuela’s participation in the Serie de las Américas became possible after the country opted out of the February 1–7 Serie del Caribe, following decisions by that event’s organizers to relocate the tournament amid claims of “political conflicts” linked to the January 3 US military strikes and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro.

The Venezuelan professional league initially suspended its Round Robin phase following the attacks, though play resumed on January 7 and continued through the Serie de las Américas.

On Saturday, the champion Magallanes were welcomed at Miraflores Palace by acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who praised the team’s achievement. 

“When they achieved victory, I felt the joy of seeing a country rise up and demonstrate its winning spirit. The most important jersey we Venezuelans wear is that of Venezuela; you wore it and showed that there is no adversity we cannot overcome,” Rodríguez said.

The Venezuelan leader also formally expressed Venezuela’s desire to once again host the regional tournament in 2027.

ATHENS, Greece — Israeli producer Dana Eden, best known for co-creating the International Emmy-winning espionage thriller “Tehran,” has died suddenly in Greece, Israeli public broadcaster KAN said Monday.

Eden, 52, was found dead in a hotel in the Greek capital, Athens, a Greek police official said, adding that initial indications suggested she had taken her own life and there was no suspicion of foul play. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as Greek police do not comment publicly in such cases.

KAN said Eden was in Greece for the filming of the hit series’ fourth season.

“Dana was among the leading figures in Israel’s television industry and played a central role in the creation and leadership of some of the most prominent and influential productions within the corporation,” KAN said in a statement. It did not give a cause of death.

“Her professional work, uncompromising dedication, and love for creation left a deep mark on the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation. KAN shares in the deep sorrow of her family, friends and colleagues,” the broadcaster said.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page, Eden’s production company, Donna and Shula productions, sought to dispel rumors that the producer had been killed.

“The production company wishes to clarify that the rumors of a criminal or nationally motivated death are false and unfounded,” it said.

“This is a moment of great pain for the family, friends and colleagues. We ask that Dana’s dignity and the privacy of her loved ones be respected,” the production company said.

Israel Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar, in a social media post on X, said it was “with great sadness” that he had received the news of Eden’s death, describing her as “one of the most prominent and influential producers in the Israeli television industry.”

“Dana left a deep mark on Israeli creation and brought our story to international stages with pride, talent and courage,” Zohar said.

“Tehran,” which premiered in Israel and on Apple TV in 2020, tells the story of Tamar Rabinyan, a young Mossad operative tasked with hacking into and disabling the Iranian nuclear reactor so the Israeli military can carry out an airstrike. The show was named best drama series at the 49th International Emmy Awards in November 2021.

Eden started working in TV production in Israel in the 1990s, working on shows including comedy “Yom Haem” and crime drama “Magpie,” before finding international success with “Tehran.”

In 2018, her show “Saving the Wildlife” won best TV magazine for children and youth at the Awards of the Israeli Television Academy.

Kantouris and Becatoros write for the Associated Press. Kantouris contributed from Thessaloniki. Matt Kemp in London contributed.

Ardal O’Hanlon is famed for Father Ted, My Hero, and, of course, Death in Paradise as DI Jack Mooney

Netflix fans have been “hooked” by this “hilarious” new series which quietly stars a Death in Paradise icon.

Since leaving his days at Saint Marie behind as the lovable DI Jack Mooney, Irish star Ardal O’Hanlon has featured in Derry Girls, The Woman in the Wall, Extraordinary and Sherlock and Daughter, just to name a few.

Now, BBC Death in Paradise fans have stumbled upon his latest venture with Netflix’s newly released Irish comedy-drama How to Get to Heaven from Belfast.

Released last week, the eight-part comedy revolves around friends Saoirse (played by Roisin Gallagher), Robyn (Sinead Keenan) and Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne) who learn that their troubled friend Greta (Natasha O’Keefe) has mysteriously died.

O’Hanlon is behind the wacky and upbeat Seamus, the manager of the local seaside hotel where the three women stay as they investigate their friend’s death.

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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.

Netflix fans haven’t been able to stop singing O’Hanlon’s praises with one fan describing him as an “absolute icon” in How to Get to Heaven from Belfast.

Another said: “Loved him on Death in Paradise. He was my favourite”, while a third labelled the star as “absolutely superb”.

O’Hanlon headed up Death in Paradise for three years as DI Jack Mooney before he chose to leave Saint Marie and return to London with his daughter Siobhan Mooney (Grace Stone).

He finally came to the realisation that he had been running away from grief after losing his wife so Jack chose to finally face up to reality and start over again.

Death in Paradise went on to replace O’Hanlon with Ralf Little as DI Neville Parker, followed by the latest detective Mervin Wilson, portrayed by actor Don Gilet.

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How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is currently the number one watch on Netflix with the comedic thriller brought to life by the creative team behind the hit series Derry Girls.

Creator Lisa McGee told Tudum: “This is the show I’ve always wanted to make; a mash‑up of my two favourite genres, mystery and comedy.

“We want to keep you guessing and keep you laughing. I can’t wait for you to meet Saoirse, Robyn and Dara, and go on this wild, weird adventure with them – an Irish odyssey – full of twists, turns, and arguments about eyelash extensions.”

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is available to watch on Netflix.

ITV drama Betrayal, which stars Shaun Evans, will end with its final episode tonight

ITV has announced which programme will replace Betrayal in the TV schedule as the final episode airs tonight at 9pm.

The synopsis for the episode, which is available to watch on ITVX, reads, “With hours until the suspected attack on a university, John finds himself alone and in captivity.

“If he is to save the lives of those at risk, he must find a means of escape without alerting the men who are holding him and the allies whom he can no longer trust.”

The final instalment of the drama, which features Shaun Evans as M15 agent John Hughes and Beyond Paradise star Zahra Ahmadi, will be broadcast between 9pm and 10pm.

Set in Manchester, the show follows John as he juggles a crumbling marriage with the pressures of protecting national security, after becoming embroiled in a dangerous conspiracy involving an informant who’s murdered before sharing crucial intelligence.

The four episodes of Betrayal, which are available to watch on ITVX, have received mixed reviews from viewers.

Last week, the ITV drama sparked a backlash with fans, with many stating there were too many plot holes “too obvious to overlook”.

One wrote on X, “Most indiscreet MI5 worker ever.”

“I think an MI5 guy would know to hide a message on the lock screen,” someone else said.

A third asked: “After the two deaths at the start of #Betrayal episode 1, how come no one ran out after the first shot, and started filming with a mobile?”

“Shootout at the airport? In broad daylight? And did she crouch behind some explosive barrel?” queried another.

However, next Monday, season one, episode two of The Lady will air on ITV in its place.

The show will air between 9pm and 10pm, like Betrayal, and the synopsis teases, “Jane meets dashing businessman Luis Castillo and the two begin a relationship, but tensions soon erupt on a holiday in Greece, and she becomes increasingly unstable.

“As Jane’s carefully constructed composure starts to fracture and puts her position with the duchess at risk, a lifeline appears in the shape of the charismatic Tommy Cressman.”

Betrayal is available to watch on ITVX.

The forthcoming HBO show promises to do justice to the BAFTA award-winning source material that already has a global fanbase.

HBO has confirmed that it’s adapting a beloved fantasy video game series for the small screen.

The American cable network will be adapting the acclaimed video game Baldur’s Gate 3, which is set in the fantasy world of Dungeons & Dragons.

Baldur’s Gate 3 bagged game of the year at the 2024 BAFTA Game Awards, along with four other wins, cementing its status in the video games world. The video game has also been widely praised by players since it came out with the HBO series expected to grow its fanbase.

One fan gave a glowing review on Metacritic: “Absolutely beautiful game.”

They added in their critique: “I have around 200 hours now spent on this game and i’m still discovering more on my 3rd and 4th play throughs.”

While a second user posted an equally positive review: “The best new age RPG ever made. It perfectly encapsulates the scenery and feel of DND on the scale of a major video game release.

“The sheer amounts of decisions, both big and small, a player can make is both overwhelming and beautiful.”

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A third declared: “Masterpiece, best CRPG in the history of gaming, even so as we didnt have a great CRPG since Dragon Age 2 o Mass Effect 2 [sic].”

Yet another wrote: “Despite the odd bugs and broken quests, an exceptional game. This player of video games for 5 decades waited so long for something so rich and realistic.”

The drama series will be spearheaded by The Last of Us’ co-creator and Chernobyl writer Craig Mazin, who is confirmed to be writing, showrunning and executive producing the TV iteration.

Mazin said in a statement, as per Deadline, “After putting nearly 1000 hours into the incredible world of Baldur’s Gate 3 , it is a dream come true to be able to continue the story that Larian and Wizards of The Coast created.

“I am a devoted fan of D&D and the brilliant way that Swen Vincke and his gifted team adapted it.”

“I can’t wait to help bring Baldur’s Gate and all of its incredible characters to life with as much respect and love as we can, and I’m deeply grateful to Gabe Marano and his team at Hasbro for entrusting me with this incredibly important property.”

The Baldur’s Gate TV show is slated to be a continuation of the games and will focus on the story after Baldur’s Gate 3, with existing and new characters reeling from the events of the latest game.

This means that the show won’t be tied to the video games and can take its own direction and tell a story in its own right.

This is a sharp contrast to The Last of Us, which directly adapted the video game’s storyline as well as building upon the existing world.

Indeed The Last of Us’ second season was met with a far more muted response to the universally lauded first outing led by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.

The Last of Us is going to be ending with its third and final season, with Mazin recently paid tribute to the late Catherine O’Hara, who played therapist Gail in the post-apocalyptic drama.

HBO previously confirmed in 2025 that showrunner Neil Druckmann would be stepping away from the drama to focus on his existing commitments to his video game company Naughty Dog.

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Friends fans were left stunned when Netflix announced the beloved sitcom would be axed in December, but the series will return to UK screens in March

Netflix subscribers were left unimpressed after the streaming platform confirmed it would be dropping sitcom Friends from its catalogue in December.

The beloved series, which originally broadcast on NBC from 1994 to 2004, had been available on the platform since 2018, with all ten seasons ready to watch.

Following its departure from the streaming giant on December 30, UK audiences of the iconic 1990s series won’t have to wait long before it returns to their television screens.

Friends, starring Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courtney Cox, Matt Le Blanc, David Schwimmer and Matthew Perry, follows the lives of six mates living in New York.

It boasts a staggering 236 episodes, offering fans more than 88 hours of content. At the time, Netflix fans shared the reaction to the show getting removed as one user vented on X: “You cannot take Friends off Netflix. Every night without fail I watch it.”

Echoing these sentiments, a fourth added: ‘How can Netflix be taking Friends off in the UK? Literally the ONLY thing I go onto Netflix everyday for, I watch it non stop back to back, my absolute comfort show, may as well cancel my subscription.’

A fifth concluded: “Genuinely heartbroken Friends is being taken off of Netflix. Best TV show of all time.”

However it’s not all bad as all ten seasons will shortly be available to stream on HBO Max, which launches in the UK on March 26 – having operated stateside since 2020.

The platform, which also streams other popular series including Game of Thrones and Succession, will be accessible in the UK and Ireland from just £4.99.

Beyond Friends, the streaming service will also feature programmes produced by HBO, Warner Bros, DC Studios and Max Originals.

The return of Euphoria, House of the Dragon and The Comeback, alongside the forthcoming Harry Potter TV series, and DC Studios series Lanterns, will all be available on the platform.

Oscar-nominated films Sinners and One Battle Another, which appeared in cinemas last year, will also be offered. HBO-produced shows have previously been available to stream in the UK through Sky and NOW – However, from 26 March onwards, content produced by HBO will be exclusive to HBO Max subscribers.

The two companies have reached an agreement that enables members to bundle both NOW and HBO Max subscriptions together, a change that all NOW Entertainment subscribers will be automatically transitioned to.

This arrangement ensures that HBO Max will be available for streaming in over 10 million households on its launch day.

Friends will be available to stream on HBO Max on its launch on March 26

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The show proved to be a hit with ITV viewers but the show is now reportedly facing an uncertain future

There’s bad news for fans of the reality show, The Fortune Hotel, as it’s been reported ITV has “shelved” the show with no confirmed plans for its comeback.

The series, fronted by Stephen Mangan, debuted in May 2024 with a second run following in August 2025, and was branded as the broadcaster’s rival to The Traitors.

The format brings together 10 pairs of contestants at The Fortune Hotel, where each receives a crucial briefcase. One case conceals the grand prize of £250,000 in cash, eight contain nothing, and one holds the feared Early Checkout Card.

Whichever duo ends up with that particular case at each episode’s conclusion will face an abrupt and dramatic exit from the competition. Daily, the contestants get opportunities to deduce who possesses which case by tackling engaging challenges, as the puzzle intensifies for those staying at the hotel.

Each episode reaches its tension-filled peak during the case exchange in the alluring Lady Luck bar, where every pair must choose whether to retain or switch their briefcase, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Audiences are kept guessing whether the couple holding the fortune managed to deceive their rivals and deflect attention, or whether their case will be mercilessly snatched away.

Home viewers remain informed throughout, privy to every scheme and tactic as events unfold. The well-received programme attracted substantial audiences but now faces an unclear path forward despite its millions of fans.

The Mirror has contacted ITV for comment. Nella and Tope emerged victorious in the latest series, walking away with an impressive £210,000. The pair triumphed over rivals Fred and Min, as well as Martina and Briony.

During the finale, the Hotel Game saw contestants frantically tackle a cunning puzzle in their rooms before dashing across the Caribbean Sea in the series’ final Day Trip Challenge.

Yet only one duo could depart with the prize money, and fortune favoured Nella and Tope in the concluding Night Cap. As Stephen Mangan congratulated the victorious pair, ITV viewers flocked to social media to express their reactions to the outcome.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, one fan wrote: “Fair play, they played a consistently strong game. #TheFortuneHotel.”

Another added: “I wanted Nella and Tope to win, and they won.” A third person said: “LET’S GO TOPE AND NELLA #thefortunehotel.”

A fourth social media user said: “Aww Nella and Tope ! ! I’m so happy for you #TheFortuneHotel #FortuneHotel. “Nella and Tope well well deserved. They played a great game,” a fifth person said.

Meanwhile, Sheffield mother and son duo Jo-Anne and Will claimed victory in the inaugural series, securing an impressive £210,000.

The Fortune Hotel is available to stream on ITVX

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Crime drama fans are being urged to watch the show if they haven’t already

Crime drama fans have highly recommended a “disturbing series” that made them feel physically sick, and it is available to stream.

Spanning across four seasons, True Detective has become a firm favourite amongst fans of police drama, with many branding it the “best show ever” and a binge worthy instalment.

Season 4 was released back in 2024, first premiering in the US on HBO and Sky Atlantic in the UK, with the series bringing in its highest viewing since it first debuted.

And it is streaming on Now TV and Sky as fans of crime drama are being urged to add it to their watch list if they haven’t already. Each season follows new detectives as they get to grips with a disturbing investigation.

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Now TV teased: “The lives of police detectives as they chase criminals, using unconventional methods. The officers struggle to gain control of their own personal demons as they attack different cases.”

Despite news of a fifth season being given the green light by HBO, some viewers are only just tuning in to the show for the first time.

In a TikTok video, one fan had not realised a previous season had been released as they said Night Country was worth a watch, adding: “Honestly you need to watch it.”

They continued: “They are all really good, and i mean they are good.”

Admitting they were now “glued” to their televisions screen, the TV fan added: “I’m glued now that’s me for the day, I’ll be on this all day now.

“If you’ve not seen it and you’re looking for something good to watch, I’d highly recommend this because it really is good..”

One person replied: “The first ever true detective is the best by far.” Another wrote: “It’s brilliant but disturbing, it takes a lot to churn my stomach but this did.”

A third added: “First series totally unbelievably good.” A fourth commented: “The first series is unbelievable, one of my most favourite shows ever.”

With an impressive score on 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences praised the “masterpiece” anthology series. One person wrote: “Outstanding. Really love Jodi and hope she keeps coming back to give us more. Rare talent!£

Another said: “I thought this season was possibly the best one yet, very spooky but also plenty of mystery and suspense and big coverups and murders to uncover.”

A third echoed: “It’s crime-horror-supernatural, but grounded in the realities and particular social circumstances of this small Alaskan mining town. Probably my favourite crime drama I’ve seen in a long time.”

A fourth penned: “One of the few things shows hooked me to the point where I “binge watched” the whole thing.”

The True Detective is available to stream on Now TV in the UK.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

The Netflix drama is based on a real-life case and follows a doctor uncovering a health scandal affecting the lives of thousands of children

A gripping new period drama based on a harrowing true story that impacted thousands of children is arriving on Netflix this week.

The series is essential viewing for anyone captivated by HBO’s Chernobyl and Netflix’s Toxic Town, which was released last yearreports the Express.

The Lead Children is set in the 1970s and charts the remarkable story of young doctor Jolanta Wadowska-Król (portrayed by Joanna Kulig), who takes on the government to expose the lead poisoning of young children in her local area.

The streaming service previously released a trailer for the six-part series, depicting children in the Silesia region of Poland becoming ill from “mysterious illnesses” before Wadowska-Król discovers widespread lead poisoning caused by the nearby smelter.

When she attempts to expose the truth about the innocent lives impacted by the scandal, she faces opposition from the authoritarian Communist government who seek to silence her.

Furthermore, workers at the smelting factory are left furious by the prospect of job losses, creating additional resistance to prevent the public health crisis from being exposed.

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The medic encounters threats to both herself and her family, but remains determined to expose the truth.

The Lead Children is adapted from the book of the same name by author Micha Jdryka.

Numerous viewers have commented beneath the trailer about the upcoming show, which is already drawing comparisons to HBO’s critically acclaimed Chernobyl. Viewers have flooded the YouTube comments section with praise for the upcoming series.

One remarked: “This looks like a much needed movie. Lead and it’s effects worldwide has been unimaginable (paint, pipes, etc) [sic].”

Another drew comparisons, posting: “Netflix’s response to HBO’S Chernobyl” whilst a third agreed: “This reminds me very much of Chernobyl.”

Explaining the historical significance, one commenter noted: “She worked in Katowice and was one of the first to draw public attention to environmental pollution in an industrial region.

“Her actions led to the treatment of thousands of children and changes in public health policy. She is regarded as one of the most important figures in Polish social medicine.”

Another viewer praised: “One person who stood up doggedly and made a difference. Every citizen of the free world should watch it.”

The Lead Children arrives on Netflix on Wednesday, February 11, with all six episodes dropping simultaneously for worldwide streaming.

The compelling drama features lead actress Kulig, who reflected: “Lead Children shows resistance to change and the strength one must find within oneself to oppose it.

“In the character of Jola Wadowska-Król, I saw above all honesty, extraordinary courage, persistence, and uncompromising nature.

“Her life story poses the question of whether we, in her place, would find enough strength in ourselves to stand alone against the system.

“Proper preparation, the atmosphere on set – all this allowed me to completely immerse myself in the world of this character and feel her rhythm.”

She further commented: “It was a fascinating, intense, and exhausting job, but precisely because of that, a true one.”

The Polish-language series also features Michał Żurawski, Zbigniew Zamachowski, Marian Dzidziel, Agata Kulesza, Kinga Preis, and Sebastian Pawlak alongside Kulig.

Filming spanned across various locations in Poland, including Katowice, Ruda Śląska, Świtochowice, Zabrze, Gliwice, Bytom, and Warsaw.

The Lead Children will be released on Netflix on February 11

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website**

BBC iPlayer’s Kin has been hailed as the ‘best series’ by viewers, with the Irish gangland drama achieving a flawless 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes

BBC iPlayer’s gritty crime drama Kin has been winning rave reviews from audiences. The gangland thriller, which follows a Dublin criminal family embroiled in an underworld feud, has left viewers clamouring for more despite running for just 16 episodes.

Originally aired between 2021 and 2023, the show continues to win over new fans on Netflix and BBC iPlayer. The Irish-made series has also impressed critics, securing a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for its first series.

The show’s synopsis states: “A boy is killed, and his family embarks on a gangland war with an international cartel. But the Kinsellas have something the cartel does not, the unbreakable bonds of blood and family.”

The impressive cast includes Charlie Cox, famous for playing Marvel superhero Daredevil, alongside Game of Thrones star Aidan Gillen and Ciarán Hinds, who play rival gang leaders.

The drama kicks off with Michael Kinsella, the black sheep of the family, walking free from prison. The Kinsellas rely on local drugs kingpin Eamon Cunningham (Hinds). But tensions are rising as they grow weary of being under his thumb, and before long, all-out gang warfare erupts.

One viewer confessed: “I binge-watched all of Kin series one on Netflix yesterday, didn’t finish it until 3am,” continuing, “Really enjoyed it. When will series two be released? I need to do more bingeing into the wee small hours.”

One glowing review on Rotten Tomatoes gushed: “Best series I have seen, could not stop watching it, brilliantly written, acting superb, a must watch for me.”

A viewer took to IMDb to counter the negative reviews, asserting: “Surprised by the negative reviews because this is an excellent series, with great performances, realistic action and a good plot. None of your Hollywood 10-minute fight scenes; the violence is short, sharp and decisive.”

They continued: “The first season held my attention throughout, and I looked forward to every episode, even though I could see the ending coming a mile off. You could look at it as the copying of a great ending to a great movie or just a nod to that movie.

“I wasn’t sure about season two, but warmed to it after the first couple of episodes. I’m not fond of endings that leave parts of the story hanging for next season, but in this case, I’ll forgive them because it was, otherwise, the perfect finale to the main plot line.”

Another fan praised: “The series is deeply character-driven, with standout acting, sharp dialogue, and nuanced interactions that will have you on the edge of your seat, hanging on every word when things get real.”

They wrapped up their review by saying: “The action sequences are seamlessly incorporated, as one critic noted. Even as someone who doesn’t enjoy drama, I found this a fantastic watch.”

Meanwhile, viewers have been making comparisons to Love/Hate, the acclaimed Irish crime drama which ran from 2010 to 2014. One fan suggested: “Watch love/hate instead, especially S2 + S3. Up there with the best shows I’ve ever watched”.

Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

Movies that had limited awards releases last year are seeing their full-fledged openings this week. Top among them is “Pillion,” the debut from British writer-director Harry Lighton, starring Alexander Skarsgård and Harry Melling as two men who become engaged in a dominant-submissive relationship.

Alexander Skarsgård, left, and Harry Melling in the movie “Pillion.”

(A24)

In her review, Amy Nicholson writes of the film, “This fetishy adventure is a minimalist romantic comedy in which submissive meets dominant, and submissive explores his physical and emotional vulnerabilities. Marriage and a baby carriage are off the table; the journey matters, not the destination. … Lighton’s biker BDSM rom-com might sound niche, but free yourself to see it and you’ll discover it’s a universal romance.”

Emily Zemler asked Skarsgård about what has been guiding his decisions lately when choosing roles. As he said, “People think there’s this invisible ladder and you have to get to the next rung of the ladder. It’s easy to forget to check in with yourself and ask, ‘Well, what do I want to do?’ You can get swept away. I’m trying to get down the ladder to the ground.”

Some other notable openings this week are “Dracula,” “Scarlet,” “The President’s Cake,” “Natchez” and “The Love That Remains.”

Points of interest

‘Porn Chic’ revival at the New Beverly

Sylvia Kristel in the movie “Emmanuelle.”

(Severin Films)

For most of the month of February, the New Beverly will refashion itself into the Eros, the adult movie theater it was called throughout much of the 1970s. (There’s even a commemorative T-shirt.) Married film dudes throughout the city are presumably coming up with inventive rationales and/or excuses as to why they simply must attend some of these screenings.

The programming leans into what was referred to in The Times as “porn chic” — movies that were meant to work as cinema, even appealing to couples, while also fulfilling the needs of the raincoat crowd. This Friday and Saturday will be a double bill of Just Jaeckin’s 1974 “Emmanuelle,” starring Sylvia Kristel, and Bitto Albertini’s 1975 “Black Emmanuelle,” starring Laura Gemser.

When The Times’ Charles Champlin reviewed “Emmanuelle” after it opened in 1975 at the Fine Arts in Beverly Hills, he noted, “It may be the first porno film designed for people who don’t really want to see one.”

Other notable titles during the New Bev’s Eros month include “The Opening of Misty Beethoven,” directed by Radley Metzger under the pseudonym Henry Paris, Russ Meyer’s “Vixen” (with star Erica Gavin in-person), Ingmar Bergman’s “Summer With Monica,” Roger Vadim’s “Pretty Maids All in a Row,” “The Fireworks Woman,” directed by Wes Craven (credited as Abe Snake), Nagisa Oshima’s “In the Realm of the Senses” and Gerard Damiano’s “Deep Throat.”

Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood” will be playing on Fridays at midnight, which includes a knowing line about the Eros when Margot Robbie asks, “What’s happening at the dirty movie place?”

A 1976 article in The Times by Barry Siegel states that there were then 47 adult theaters operating within the city limits of Los Angeles, even while charting the rapid rise and quick decline of porn-chic movies in the wake of the success of “Deep Throat” in 1972.

‘sex, lies and videotape’ with star Laura San Giacomo

Laura San Giacomo in the movie “sex, lies and videotape.”

(Criterion Collection)

The Los Angeles Film Critics Assn. continues its 50th anniversary series at the Egyptian Theatre on Tuesday with a screening of Steven Soderbergh’s 1989 debut feature “sex, lies and videotape,” a key title in kicking off the independent filmmaking scene of the 1990s. Actor Laura San Giacomo, who won LAFCA’s New Generation Award for her performance, will be there for a Q&A moderated by Lael Loewenstein.

Soderbergh was all of 26 years old when the film premiered at what was then called the U.S. Film Festival (the precursor to Sundance), where it won the audience award before heading to Cannes, where it won the Palme d’Or. (James Spader picked up an acting prize there too.) Among the film’s many other accolades, Soderbergh would also be nominated for an Academy Award for original screenplay.

Spader plays Graham, an enigmatic wanderer who inserts himself into the lives of his old friend John (Peter Gallagher), his wife Ann (Andie MacDowell) and her sister Cynthia (San Giacomo), drawing out all manner of confessions and revelations.

In her original review of the film, Sheila Benson called the film an “electrifying psycho-sexual comedy … the funniest and saddest American movie since Jim Jarmusch landed straight in the middle of our consciousness, and it’s possibly the most compelling.”

Benson added, “What is not apparent from a thumbnail description is the film’s lacerating wit, its beautiful look and sound, and the bravura quality to each performance. Or the terrible vein of melancholy that Soderbergh touches.”

‘In the Soup’ in 35mm

Steve Buscemi and Seymour Cassel in the movie “In the Soup.”

(Factory 25)

Winner of the Grand Jury prize at 1992’s Sundance — the same year “Reservoir Dogs” premiered there — is “In the Soup.” Directed and co-written by Alexandre Rockwell, the film follows an aspiring filmmaker (Steve Buscemi) who falls in with an irresistibly charming gangster (Seymour Cassel, who won Sundance’s first acting award) as his erstwhile producer. A recently restored 35mm print of the film will be playing in L.A. for the first time Sunday at Brain Dead Studios.

The cast of the film also features Carol Kane, Jim Jarmusch and Jennifer Beals, the last married to director Rockwell at the time. Reviewing the film in November 1992, Kenneth Turan called it “a charming pipsqueak of a movie, a playful film of ragged and shaggy appeal.”

Director Michael Almereyda on the ’90s vampires of ‘Nadja’

Elina Löwensohn in the movie “Nadja.”

(Arbelos Films)

As much a survey of late-night diners, bars and 3 a.m. conversations, Michael Almereyda’s “Nadja” is very much a vampire film. It is also a wonderful example of the creative freedom of the ’90s indie boom — everything from its cast to its look to its deadpan humor.

Executive produced by David Lynch (who paid for the film out of his own pocket and appears in a small role), “Nadja” combines the 1936 horror film “Dracula‘s Daughter” with Andre Breton’s 1928 surrealist novel “Nadja.” In the movie, a New York City vampire (Elina Löwensohn) looks to avenge the death of her father at the hands of Dr. Van Helsing (Peter Fonda) while also dealing with a complicated swirl of relationships involving her brother (Jared Harris), his nurse (Suzy Amis), Van Helsing’s nephew (Martin Donovan) and his wife (Galaxy Craze).

Re-released by Grasshopper Film and Arbelos Films with a streaming and home video release to follow, the new 4K restoration of the film’s original version that premiered at the 1994 Toronto International Film Festival is a few minutes longer than what played at Sundance just a few months later. (It was there that Almereyda also made the documentary “At Sundance,” interviewing filmmakers for their thoughts on the future of movies.) This new “Nadja” is playing on Feb. 6 and 8 at the Philosophical Research Society, then at Vidiots on Feb. 21 and 22 and Frida Cinema on Feb. 25 and 26.

On the phone from Sao Paulo, Brazil, where he is prepping an adaptation of Don DeLillo’s 2016 novel “Zero K,” the thoughtful and reflective Almereyda shared some of his memories of making the film.

Peter Fonda, left, Jared Harris, Martin Donovan and Galaxy Craze in the movie “Nadja.”

(Arbelos Films)

How did you get the idea of combining “Dracula’s Dracula” with Breton’s “Nadja”?

Michael Almereyda: It was fairly spontaneous. David Lynch had offered to help me make a movie if I could come up with something that was definably genre. And I went to [NYC movie theater] Film Forum at a time when — do you remember [film historian] William K. Everson? He would show up at Film Forum unannounced to start talking before the movie. This was one time when I showed up late and he was talking and they read a raffle ticket and there was silence. And I reached in my pocket: I had won the raffle. And that was to get a book of William K. Everson’s about horror movies. And so it was kind of a gift that I read about “Dracula’s Daughter.” I’d never seen it and I liked the outline of the plot and I chased it down and it felt like I could retrofit a number of ideas I had about New York with that story. It felt like the two things talked to each other.

One thing about vampire movies is that the best ones are always about something else. For you with “Nadja,” what’s the something else?

Almereyda: It’s not really a scary movie and it wasn’t really designed to be. It’s certainly atmospheric but the emotion of it, when I saw it again recently, had to do with both the comic aspects of being in love and the miserable aspects. It’s kind of a side-winding answer, but that’s partly what it’s about. It’s about family ties, obviously. I think I made or wrote enough scripts about tangled families that I began to sort of get over it. But we all come from these families.

David Lynch in the movie “Nadja.”

(Arbelos Films)

Did David Lynch‘s presence impact the tone at all? Do you feel the movie became in any way Lynchian?

Almereyda: Well, David’s impact on me and my whole generation of filmmaking and the generation behind us is vast. And I wouldn’t want to pretend it’s not, but direct influence is kind of minimal. It might be more fair to say that David’s art school background rhymes with mine. And that we had similar influences. People don’t really talk about how much David did or didn’t know about Maya Deren and Cocteau, but it’s kind of hard to miss. And there was just a certain sensibility and attitude. I felt close to David’s Midwestern-ness, and you combine that with some fondness for and knowledge of French culture, including surrealism, and you’re halfway to David Lynch without specifically thinking about it.

I really haven’t addressed this question much, but when he died, I ended up writing a fair bit of my memories and it’s moving to me how much impact he had when he died. There was such a wave of mourning and celebration, too, that it felt more phenomenal than he could have anticipated. It was clear how famous he was — how recognizable he was — within the time I knew him. But the love of David Lynch is really moving to me and it’s still something we’re swimming in, I hope, in a dark time.

For all the difficulties of being an independent filmmaker, what keeps you doing it?

Almereyda: I’m stumped. I was just going through my head and I know you just interviewed Ethan Hawke and he’s a true comrade that I’ve been lucky to work with a few times. And he was in the interview with Rick Linklater when we did our “At Sundance” movie. They had “Before Sunrise” at the festival and Rick started by quoting Truffaut, talking about the future of film is the personal film.

Even if it’s a fantasy, even if it’s a vampire movie, you’re still relating to your experience and your sense of an emotional reality. So that feels like a candle that doesn’t go out for me. And despite all the derailments and dead ends, I don’t question continuing. It just feels like a natural path, even if it’s winding and difficult.

In other news

Timothée Chalamet, tributee

Timothee Chalamet in the movie “Marty Supreme.”

(A24)

I will leave the ins and outs of this year’s awards campaigns to my trusted colleague Glenn Whipp at The Envelope, but one event jumped out as worth noting: Announced this week and immediately selling out is an eight-film American Cinematheque retrospective of Timothée Chalamet‘s movies, with the actor in person for all screenings.

Chalamet is currently an Oscar nominee as both actor and producer for “Marty Supreme.” And he has an impressive roster of collaborators who will be appearing with him to show their support, including Edward Norton with “A Complete Unknown,” Denis Villenueve with “Dune” and “Dune: Part Two,” Christopher Nolan with “Interstellar” and Elle Fanning with “Beautiful Boy.”

If there were some murmurs last year that Chalamet didn’t do enough conventional campaigning to win for his turn as Bob Dylan in “A Complete Unknown,” this year he seems to be pulling out all the stops.

The mini comedy series has been delighting Netflix viewers with fans eager for a second season.

A sinister black comedy has been captivating viewers since landing on Netflix in 2024. The Decameron, loosely inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio’s 14th-century book of the same title, follows a collection of aristocrats and their staff who flee to a countryside estate to escape the Black Death.

Their opulent retreat rapidly spirals into mayhem as hidden truths emerge and schemes unravel. Upon its debut, The Decameron garnered glowing critiques from audiences.

Writing on IMDb (the International Movie Database), one enthusiast gushed: “This series is very refreshing, goofy, fun and hilarious but also well scripted, performed and beautiful cinematography as well. I am trying not to binge this one out too quickly, yet I can’t wait for more!”

A second devotee penned: “I’m so happy I saw the positive reviews and gave this a go. It’s actually brilliant, well-played and so funny, I found myself laughing out loud several times.

“I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at the beginning of the first episode, but found myself quickly drawn into the story.”

They continued: “It’s crazy, clever and highly entertaining, with many surprise twists and turns which keeps you completely invested in the story and characters.

“The actors are playing their roles almost to perfection, capturing the stupidity of their character with what feels like such a natural ease. I cannot understand the negative reviews at all! I loved this.”

A third viewer remarked: “I am glad to see that the ratings have gone up since I started watching because I honestly did not understand the hate.

“I agree with other reviewers who refer to this as Shakespearean fun. It’s like a satirical version of Midsummer Night’s Dream. I’ve watched this attentively, then I’ve put it on in the background. It’s so hilarious!”

They continued: “If you are a literature, theatre, or history enthusiast, I think you will thoroughly enjoy this. I imagine the actors were having the best time while filming this.

“I hope there is a second season and that Netflix will continue to create content for the aforementioned literature, theatre, and history enthusiasts!”

However, not everyone was impressed with the TV mini-series. One disappointed viewer wrote: “This show is a puzzlement. It’s not funny. It’s not dramatic. There are some moments of uncomfortable ‘humour’ that fall flat. The whole thing falls flat.”

Another critic observed: “A 14th-century period piece brought to Netflix full of present day tropes… the comedy is not what you expect, there is none in this series.”

The eight-part Netflix series – available for viewing now – boasts an impressive ensemble cast, featuring Sex Education’s Tanya Reynolds, Derry Girls’ Saoirse-Monica Jackson, and Veep’s Tony Hale.

The Dodgers will make a return trip to the White House in recognition of their latest World Series title.

President Trump is planning to host the team but no date has been set for the ceremony, a White House official confirmed Thursday morning.

The Dodgers went to the White House following their two previous World Series championships, being hosted by President Biden in 2021 and President Trump last April.

A Dodgers spokesman declined comment Thursday.

Questions swirled around whether players would decline to go ahead of last year’s visit. Kiké Hernández said in 2018 he was unsure he would have done had the Dodgers won the World Series the previous year. Mookie Betts said he was undecided and needed to talk it over with his family first when last year’s visit was initially announced. After winning his first World Series with the Red Sox in 2018, Betts skipped their trip to the White House the following year during Trump’s first term.

Both players ended up going in 2025.

Manager Dave Roberts, who indicated in comments to The Times in 2019 he might not go to the White House if Trump was president, also participated in last year’s ceremony.

When asked at last weekend’s Dodgers’ fan festival about the possibility of returning to the White House this year, Roberts told The Times’ Bill Shaikin: “For me, I stand by: I’m a baseball manager. That’s my job.

“I was raised — by a man who served our country for 30 years — to respect the highest office in our country. For me, it doesn’t matter who is in the office, I’m going to go to the White House. I’ve never tried to be political. … For me, I am going to continue to try to do what tradition says and not try to make political statements, because I am not a politician.”

Though no date has been set for this year’s White House visit, the Dodgers will play the Nationals in a three-game series April 3-5, with an off day on April 2 following a six-game homestand to open the season.

The shocking true crime series is guaranteed to make viewers emotional

True crime fans are only just realising there is a harrowing true crime series that is not to be missed, and it is available for free streaming now.

Murder in the Family is a brutal true crime documentary series spanning across three episodes, each delving into its own shocking murder investigation.

Using police evidence and harrowing real life footage, the series shows the police investigation from start to finish in heart-breaking investigations that rocked a community.

Despite being first released back in 2023, true crime fanatics are tuning in to the “shocking” series that can be streamed on ITVX in full.

Telling the story of seemingly ordinary relationships that result in tragic consequences, the documentary explores the most burning questions of “how and why”.

ITV teases: “Explore three shocking British murders in this haunting crime doc. Told by those closest to the tragic events, discover the killers’ motives behind their fatal acts.”

The first episode plunges viewers into the shocking case of Cheryl Hooper as ITV penned: “Cheryl Hooper is shot dead by her husband – using shocking police evidence and intimate family footage, this documentary explores how and why.”

Many viewers have dubbed the series as a must watch. Previously taking to TikTok, one true crime fan said: “Guys, if you’re looking for something good to watch then watch Murder in the Family, it’s on ITVX, there’s three episodes and it’s absolutely brilliant. Very sad, but brilliant.”

In a separate video, another said recently they have discovered a whole host of true crime content available to stream on ITVX. They added: “I don’t know why I’ve never really looked through it properly before, but there’s actually loads and loads of true crime documentaries and I watched one of them this weekend.

“It was genuinely one of the most heartbreaking but I felt like I was watching it through the eyes of the victims. And I would highly recommend giving it a go.

“It’s called Murder in the Family, I think it was maybe released in 2022 so you might have seen it but I don’t remember watching it.”

They later continued: “I would check trigger warnings on this because it’s really, really sad and quite detailed and in some parts graphic I suppose you could say, but it’s such a focus on the victims, the victims families…”

In another video, one person commented: “The third one is shocking, really bad”, as another wrote: “This was wild.”

One IMDB reviewer echoed: “This is the human side of the effects of horrific crimes, and it’s extremely well presented. Of course, that makes it gut wrenching to watch.”

Murder in the Family is available to stream on ITVX.

England successfully defended a target of 129 to win by 12 runs against Sri Lanka in an enthralling contest, completing a 3-0 T20 series sweep and entering the World Cup with momentum.

Sam Curran hit a career-best 58 after a top-order collapse as England finished on 128-9, before the tourists’ spinners took nine wickets to pull off an unlikely victory.

Will Jacks took 3-14, while Jacob Bethell secured the last four Sri Lankan wickets, including three in one over, to finish with 4-11 as the hosts were bowled out for 116.

Having chosen to bat, opener Ben Duckett was dismissed lbw for a golden duck, while Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton and Harry Brook were all removed for single figures prior to Curran taking his side to a score that still looked challenging to defend.

Having already lost the series with defeat in the first two games, Sri Lanka bowled superbly, with seamer Dushmantha Chameera taking 5-24, including the wicket of Curran with the penultimate ball of the innings.

Luke Wood and Liam Dawson took early wickets on a worn pitch, before Kusal Mendis and Pavan Rathnayake fell to consecutive deliveries from Adil Rashid and Jacks.

Sri Lanka were still favourites and reached 90-4 before Jacks struck again, removing Kamindu Mendis and Janith Liyanage in consecutive overs.

Part-time spinner Jacob Bethell then took control, dismissing Dunith Wellalage, Chameera and Dasun Shanaka in the 18th over.

Having been handed the final over, he wrapped up the match with the dismissal of Maheesh Theekshana, helping England set a record for the lowest total they have ever successfully defended in T20s.

England start their World Cup campaign against Nepal on Sunday, 8 February (09:30 GMT).

True crime fans can binge watch a harrowing series for free

A gripping true crime documentary series hosted by a late Hollywood A-lister is available to stream for free, the perfect binge watch for true crime fans.

Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and so are plenty of romantic watches. But for fans of true crime and criminal investigations, there is one show to put on your radar in the coming weeks.

Pluto TV has brought its single series channel dedicated to the Meet, Marry, Murder true crime documentary series. Hosted by Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Michelle Trachtenberg, it explores some of the most chilling cases where spouses are killed by their partners.

Focusing on how love turns deadly and investigates the darker side of marriage, the documentary hones in on one of the most common forms of murder – involving a married couple.

Pluto TV teases: “The single series channel dedicated to the ‘Meet, Marry, Murder’ true crime documentary series, hosted by Michelle Trachtenberg, explores chilling cases where spouses are killed by their partners, focusing on how love turns deadly and investigates the darker side of marriage.”

Meet, Marry, Murder will be available to stream completely for free on Pluto TV, with it being dubbed the perfect watch for fans of true crime. The series features emotional interviews as well as investigating how a life time commitment of love ends in disaster and heartbreak.

Taking to IMDB, many fans said the series was “one of the most interestingly detailed” documentary shows. One person praised: “This show is one of the most interestingly detailed true crime documentary shows. The stories are ones I had not seen or heard before as I watch quite a bit of true crime so that kept me watching.

“You hear from people very close to the story so you are very emotionally pulled in and get a large amount of detail to what led up to the sad event.” They added: “The show as a whole is a great true crime documentary series.”

Another person penned: “Did enjoy binge watching this though and the stories they made episodes on. Still love Michelle, just think maybe something else is for her in terms of hosting.

“Otherwise I enjoyed the performances and the way they build up certain twists in some of the stories. This kind of show is different because it’s not strangers, it’s people in marriages that spiral downwards.”

A third added: “Interesting new show and somewhat different then most true life crime shows. Michelle Trachtenberg who host this show in many ways is like Elvira Mistress of the Dark, Michelle, commentary on the case being viewed is very much same as Elvira’s remarks during the movie she is doing.

“Both women are very goth in the manner of dress and make up! While all the cases that Michelle does in Season 1 are ones I have already seen on other true life crime shows. That said, Michelle color commentary is unique to this show [sic].”

Adam Lewinson, Chief Content Officer, Tubi said at the time of release: “At Tubi, we are excited to expand our offerings within the true crime genre with the premiere of Meet, Marry, Murder.”

He added: “Viewers’ fascination with true crime content is ever-growing and we know Meet, Marry, Murder will captivate audiences and keep them at the edge of their seats.”

Meet, Marry, Murder is available to stream for free on Pluto TV.

BBC’s The Night Manager has aired its second series finale with Tom Hiddleston – and it was packed full of twists and turns

After six weeks of gripping drama, the second series of The Night Manager reached its explosive finale on Sunday, February 1, leaving viewers captivated as revelation after revelation unfolded.

Eight years following the thrilling season one conclusion which drew over 10 million UK viewers, Tom Hiddleston returned last month to portray former British intelligence operative, Jonathan Pine.

Drawing on the characters conceived by John le Carré, the inaugural series of the BBC’s The Night Manager followed Pine working as a hotel night manager before being enlisted by intelligence officer Angela Burr (Olivia Colman) to penetrate the inner sanctum of international arms dealer Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie).

Those watching the second series discovered Pine living under the alias Alex Goodwin – now a junior MI6 officer managing a modest surveillance unit in London – his existence reassuringly mundane.

Then one evening, a chance glimpse of a former Roper mercenary triggered a call to action and thrust Pine into a brutal confrontation with a fresh adversary: Colombian businessman Teddy Dos Santos (Diego Calva) – who turned out to be Roper’s son, reports Wales Online.

And whilst Roper’s ‘death’ had been established in a flashback, a subsequent twist disclosed he was, in reality, very much alive, paving the way for the duo’s spine-chilling reunion. After weeks of gripping drama, the final episode saw Teddy betray his father – attempting to sabotage the plan to destabilise Colombia.

During nail-biting scenes, despite Pine’s efforts to intercept the plane carrying the weapon, he realised that Roper had switched the aircraft.

As the episode drew to a close, Roper gained the advantage and killed his own son Teddy before escaping the country and reuniting with younger son Danny in the UK. Meanwhile, Pine was offered 50 million dollars to vanish, leave Roper alone, and begin a new life while Angela Burr was murdered in cold blood – all laying the groundwork perfectly for a third series.

Viewers flocked to social media platform X to share their reactions to the shocking finale.

One commented: “The Night Manager had one of drama’s great finishes. It really was one you’ll never forget. The cliffhanger of hangers.”

A second said: “This show is bloody insanely GOOOODDD.” A third posted: “WHAT AN ENDING WHAT A SHOW WHAT A CAST just don’t leave it another 10 years.”

Another added: “Always a twist.” And a fourth said: “Richard Roper is some guy.”

One fan posted: “Well that was splendid viewing and left nicely open for s3.” And another added: “I just hope it doesn’t take another 10 years for season 3.”

However, others were unhappy with the conclusion especially the killing off of Angela. One said: “Well the ending of #TheNightManager was a disappointment especially killing off Angela. Bit flat if I’m honest plus having subtitles that are unreadable is pointless, i just zoned out when they were on the screen.”