CRUZ Beckham has claimed estranged brother Brooklyn blocked all of his family on social media – including his parents David and Victoria and his sister Harper.
It comes amid reports the former England footballer, 50, and fashion designer Victoria , 51, unfollowed their eldest son and his wife Nicola Peltz, 30, on Instagram.
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Brooklyn Beckham blocked all of his family on social media – including his sister Harper and parents David and VictoriaCredit: Getty Images for Supergoop!Nicola has also unfollowed the Beckham clanCredit: GettyThe Beckham family before the family fall outCredit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images
Cruz, 20, today addressed the unfollowing drama and hit back in a post on his Instagram Story.
He revealed that Brooklyn, 26, removed the entire family – including 14-year-old Harper – from his social media.
The musician confirmed his parents woke up to being banned from seeing Brooklyn’s profile, and said: “My mum and dad would never unfollow their son.
Brooklyn’s wife Nicola is also not following any of the Beckham family on Instagram – weeks after the couple were absent from David’s long-awaited knighthood celebrations.
Meanwhile David and Victoria were not present for Brooklyn and Nicola’s New York wedding vow renewal in August.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2022, were last pictured with David and Victoria last Christmas.
Victoria shared a snap on Instagram on Boxing Day alongside David with her three sons, daughter Harper and Nicola.
She wrote: “Being together for the holidays makes me so happy. I love you all so much.”
The Sun told this week how Victoria is determined not to let the fallout with Brooklyn and Nicola ruin their Christmas.
Referring to how close Brooklyn was to his grandparents, a source told The Sun: “Brooklyn spent so much time with her parents Jackie and Tony for the first few years of his life.
“They had such a special bond, while Sandra (David’s mum) looked after him so much growing up.
“Harper really misses her big brother and Nicola.
“Victoria is hoping that Brooklyn at least calls his grandparents over Christmas.
Taking to his Instagram Stories, David, 50 shared a photo of himself, wife Victoria, 51, and children Romeo, 23, Cruz, 20 and Harper, 14, celebrating his MLS title in Miami.
However, what was poignant in the post was that he also shared a throwback snap of himself with Brooklyn, 25, and his brothers after winning the same cup as a player with LA Galaxy in 2011 and 2012.
He captioned the snaps with: “License to cry.”
The sweet post could be seen as David’s olive branch to his son, as we approach Christmas.
TELLING SWIPE
It comes as Victoria recently revealed it takes a lot for her not to get on with another woman.
She said in an interview on Andy Cohen‘s Sirius XM’s radio show: “I’m a girl’s girl. I mean you’ve got to be a real ae for me to not get on with you if you’re a woman.”
The fashion mogul continued: “Because I love, I love women, you know, and that’s part of the reason why I do what I do with fashion and beauty.
“I want to empower women. Yes. And I want to share my tips and tricks with women.”
Things took a turn in the family feud earlier this year when Brooklyn and Nicola organised a wedding vow renewal in the summer but none of the Beckhams were invited to the lavish ceremony.
Just a little over a year after an all-time performance as “Saturday Night Live” host (one of the best of that season, truth be told), Ariana Grande returned again to show off some of her talents: mimicry and comic timing, dance moves, and, of course, a spectacular singing voice.
But she also showed a lot of grace by ceding the spotlight to her “Wicked” co-star Bowen Yang, who confirmed before this week’s episode that he is exiting “SNL” midway through his eighth season. At several turns of this week’s show, particularly in a closing sketch about a retiring Delta Sky Club employee that served as Yang’s emotional goodbye, it was clear that Grande understood the assignment: this was Yang’s night, not hers.
Which isn’t to say Grande wasn’t great. She started strong with an “All I Want For Christmas” takeoff in her monologue, played an Elf on the Shelf who’s been cut in half in a support group sketch, exchanged a costume soul patch with Marcello Hernández as one of two dramatic dance instructors, and perhaps most memorably in this outing, played Macaulay Culkin‘s character Kevin in an extremely bloody parody of “Home Alone.”
But in his last show as a cast member, Yang got to appear in nearly every sketch as well, from a brief appearance in the “Home Alone” sketch to playing Yoko Ono in the Peacock special skit to reprising his Trend Forecaster character on “Weekend Update” with former cast member Aidy Bryant.
If Grande wasn’t as locked in as last time (she broke character laughing a few times), it didn’t matter much because she was as funny, energetic and eerily accurate in all her impressions. It felt very much like Grande was there less to promote the new “Wicked” movie than to help a friend say goodbye.
Not surprisingly, President Trump (James Austin Johnson) had a lot to say in a holiday address to the nation while also hugging a Christmas tree (“Remember when I did this with flag? I’m hugging tree now.”) and reading his stage directions out loud, an interesting new wrinkle to Johnson’s masterful impression. Trump reminded the country that “Arctic immigrants are coming in through our chimneys and stealing our milk and cookies” and discussed the recently voted on name change to the Kennedy Center, now “The Trump-Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts No Homo,” saying it is just the beginning. His name will be on the Trump Washington Monument, the Trump Lincoln Memorial and “Big Elphaba,” his name for the Statue of Liberty. Why so many names on things? “We had to take it off so many files,” he said, a reference to the much-redacted, newly released Epstein Files. Johnson’s impression is getting slurrier and even more meta, but continues to deliver on random pop culture references, which this week included the Indigo Girls, “The Hunger Games” and the videogame “Metal Gear Solid.”
Grande’s monologue briefly touched on the idea of bringing back old sketches such as “Domingo” from her last appearance before declaring cheekily, “When something is perfect, it doesn’t need a sequel.” She talked about how hard it is to find gifts for people she doesn’t know well, like her cousin’s boyfriend, Steve, which led to a whole music number to the tune of “All I Want for Christmas,” including Yang and other cast members giving suggestions on gifts like back massage coupons or a box of raw oysters. The lyrics weren’t all easy to understand unless you had captions enabled, but Grande sang the heck out of the Mariah Carey song.
Best sketch of the night: Take a bow, Bowen
Was it the funniest sketch of the night? No, that would probably be the Elf on the Shelf support group or the “Love is Blind” reunion. But Yang’s last sketch, about an elderly Delta Sky Club worker passing out eggnog and working his last shift, was heartfelt and sweet. Even a casual fan of Yang and “SNL” would be hard pressed not to get choked up by Yang talking about his time on the show to his wife (Grande), who replied, “All the egg nog you’ve made over the years. Some of it was great. Some of it was rotten.” “And a lot of it got cut,” he replied. Bowen broke down a few times while expressing his love for the people who work on “SNL” and sang through tears a version of “Please Come Home for Christmas” with Grande. “Egg nog is kind of like me — it’s not for everyone, but the people who like it are my kind of people,” he said to riotous applause. When he said he wanted to go out on top, she responded, “Oh, everyone knows you’re a bottom.” The capper to the sketch: Cher appearing as his Delta boss to tell him, “Everyone thought you were a little too gay. But, you know what? You’re perfect for me.”
Also good: The holiday duets you didn’t know you needed
When you’ve got Grande on board, it’s hard to resist falling back on lots of celebrity impressions, especially if they involve singing. For this piece, random performers are paired up for duets to try to replicate the magic of David Bowie and Bing Crosby’s “Little Drummer Boy” to varying degrees of success. Grande and Johnson were paired up twice: as Katy Perry and Bob Dylan and then again to close the sketch as Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion. It’s impossible to overstate how good Grande is at mimicking other singing voices, but the surprise here is how well Johnson keeps with her as Bocelli. Other standouts: Hernández as Bad Bunny, a backflipping Benson Boone (it was likely a stunt person and not a cast member, we never see his face) and Veronika Slowikowska as Bjork.
‘Weekend Update’ winner: Mistletoe, you are on watch!
Kam Patterson did well as Michael Che’s 12-year-old nephew Tyson, who goes back and forth between being a sweet kid and threatening Santa Claus for not bringing him a bike for Christmas last year. And this year’s holiday joke swap was weirdly one-sided with only Michael Che writing heretofore-unseen jokes for “Update” co-host Colin Jost to read. But Bryant returning to reunite with Yang for their arch Trend Forecasters bit won the week. They targeted mistletoe, musical intros that go “1, 2, 3, 4!” and in Chinese Trends, orange chicken. The duo repeated their catchphrase, “Go to bed, b—!” to each of these outgoing trends before declaring that waving pride flags, Marge Simpson hair and Michael Che are out. Of course, a stunned Michael Che was shown with a big blue wig and little pride flags in his hands.
Emmerdale fans have a lot to look forward to on the ITV soap this Christmas – and this is when they can tune in as all the drama unfolds over the festive period
There will be plenty of drama in the Dales over the Yuletide period
Emmerdale fans are looking forward to tuning in on Christmas Day – and it’s looking like quite a dramatic time during the festive time on the farm. Viewers of the long-running ITV soap, which first aired in 1972, would expect nothing less from the programme but it’s already been quite the year for the residents of the Yorkshire-based village.
This Christmas, there’s concern for Robron as a threat looms for newly reunited Aaron Dingle and Robert Sugden. When news of a possible return is shared not everyone is immediately happy about it, sparking a new feud. Ross Barton is blindsided when he finds out Aaron and Robert are planning to bring Robert’s son Seb back into their lives. Ross was Seb’s stepfather and helped raise him, until Seb’s mother Rebecca White sadly passed away.
What’s more, someone will be showing lurking in the shadows with intent and their reign of terror is only just getting started. When the trees outside his flat are set alight, Aaron once again blames Ross, only for Robert to uncover who the real culprit is. Will he be able to stop them? As Christmas Day arrives Aaron is puzzled when Robert heads off on a mystery errand. Soon there’s serious concern when he doesn’t return – so what has happened to Robert?
What time is Emmerdale on Christmas Day? What happens?
But when exactly will fans be able to catch all the Yuletide drama? Traditionally, the soap airs weeknights at 7:30pm in a half-hour slot, often just before Coronation Street. Eager fans can also watch the latest instalment from 7am on the day of broadcast by logging onto ITVX.
However, on Thursday 25th December, the festive special of Emmerdale will air at the significantly earlier time of 6:15pm. Prior to that, the programme will hit screens at 6:55pm on Christmas Eve and once the big day is all over, the soap air again at 6:30pm on Boxing Day.
Emmerdale will then resume its ordinary slot in the days after Christmas, and conclude the festive period with an hour-long special on New Year’s Day.
There’s lots more for fans of Emmerdale to look forward to this Christmas, as evil mother-and-son duo Celia Daniels and Ray Walters are fearing the game is up and they may need to flee, amid their shocking drug schemes being exposed. But with Ray growing closer to Laurel Thomas, could he dare to dream of starting things afresh away from his evil mum?
Kim Tate’s recent near-death experience leaves her pushing people away, and soon Joe Tate is furious by a confession from Lydia Dingle. Joe returns to Home Farm to patch things up with Kim but she sends him packing.
But when she falls and hurts herself, she calls for help only for Lydia to arrive and help her. Kim immediately dismisses her, and she’s soon facing Christmas alone.
Wrapping up Christmas, there’s a public marriage proposal happens, Paddy is missing his father Bear as he remains on Celia’s farm, and Vanessa and Charity are strong-armed into spending Christmas Day together. When Vanessa gets drunk, Charity fears the beans will be spilled as a threat looms.
The entire festive schedule for the ITV soap is as follows: :
Monday December 22 – 7.30pm (30 minutes)Tuesday December 23 -7pm (30 minutes)Wednesday December 24 (Christmas Eve) – 6:55pm (30 minutes)Thursday December 25 (Christmas Day)- 6:15pm (One hour)Friday December 26 (Boxing Day) – 6:30pm (30 minutes) Monday December 29 – 7:30pm Tuesday December 30 – 7:30pmWednesday December 31 – 7:30pmThursday January 1 (New Year’s Day) 7pm (One hour)Friday January 2 – 7:30pm
GEORGE Clooney is mourning the loss of his sister Adelia Zeidler who has died aged 65.
The Hollywood star’s sibling passed away on Friday (December 19) following a battle with cancer.
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Hollywood star George Clooney has confirmed his older sister Ada has diedCredit: GettyClooney with his older sister Adelia Zeidler during his wedding in Venice in 2014Credit: GettyAda was a talented artist and worked as a schoolteacherCredit: Facebook
Clooney, 64, described his sister – known as Ada – as his “hero” and praised her bravery.
He said: “My sister, Ada, was my hero. She faced down cancer with courage and humor.
“I’ve never met anyone so brave. Amal and I will miss her terribly.”
Ada’s official biography says she died “peacefully” while “surrounded by the people she loved” at St Elizabeth healthcare in Kentucky.
She was born on May 2 1960 in Los Angeles to mum and dad Nina and Nick, and was described as a “talented artist”.
She was named after her great-grandmother.
Her obit states: “A talented artist, she shared her skills as an elementary art teacher at Augusta Independent School for several years.
“In high school, her academic achievements qualified her to be a National Merit Scholar.
“Her love for reading connected her with other readers in a local book club.
“She was also a member of the Augusta Art Guild and was a past grand marshal of Augusta’s Annual White Christmas Parade.”
Ada married Norman Zeidler, a retired army captain, in Augusta in 1987.
While she led a very private life, she supported her brother publicly over the years, including attending his wedding to wife Amal in Venice in 2014.
Ada was snapped standing next to Clooney on a boat as they rode along a canal in the Italian city.
The siblings grew up together in Kentucky.
Clooney toldCBS This Morning in 2015: “My sister, I’m very close to.”
Their mum Nina told HGTV in 2006 how she once came home to find her children had thrown a house party, and had thrown cooked marshmallows all over the walls.
Ada pictured next to her famous brother during a boat trip along a Venice canalCredit: GettyGeorge and Ada as children with their mum and dad Nina and NickCredit: Alamy
The best of Los Angeles architecture in 2025 felt like attractive experiments with an uncanny sense of the future. They include micro-scaled production studios to a high school completed in two months after the Palisades fire to the mammoth LAX Metro Transit Center.
To celebrate her last show with Strictly Come Dancing, the cast surprised host Claudia Winkleman with a touching tribute that left her screaming as she struggled to open the final vote
21:20, 20 Dec 2025Updated 21:20, 20 Dec 2025
Claudia Winkleman left screaming after Strictly cast surprise her with tribute(Image: BBC)
Claudia Winkleman was left screaming after she was surprised with a touching tribute from the Strictly Come Dancing cast. As she informed audiences that the final vote of the season was open, she was shocked to see several dancers had donned replicas of the blazer she was wearing and wigs that looked exactly like her hair.
The host, who announced in September that she would be leaving the show after over a decade, screamed “No way!” when she noticed that not only had the dancers dressed up like her, but notoriously grumpy judge Craig Revel Horwood had as well. He remained stony faced as he stared at the camera from behind the fringe, but Claudia still reacted with utter joy.
Claudia kept covering her mouth, laughing and screaming as she realised what was going on. It was the most emotional she had been about her exit so far, as Claudia and Tess Daly, who is also leaving the show, both seemed to choose not to address their exit at the start of the show and instead focus on the dancers.
But this did not stop Claudia from making a statement with her final show. She herself had made a tribute to prior host of the show during the series by wearing a blazer with the words “Keep dancing” written on the back.
The words were the catchphrase of original host Bruce Forsyth. Claudia took over as a primary host for Bruce in 2014, co-hosting with Tess when he stepped down.
Elsewhere in the show, Claudia pretended she and Tess had decided to do a showdance. Though this was not an explicit joke about them leaving, when Tess turned down the opportunity to dance, Claudia jokingly said to the male dancers that had accompanied her to the dancefloor: “Apparently tonight is all about the finalists.”
It came as a surprise to many when Tess and Claudia announced that they would be stepping down from the show after over ten years on it. The pair made the announcement via Instagram.
In a joint statement, they said: “We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time.
“We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show.”
Taking to Instagram again, Tess and Claudia made a low-key goodbye to the show via another post. In this one, they shared a series of images from backstage, including one that showed off Claudia’s blazer. They captioned the post: “You better believe we’re gonna keep dancing.”
AS a headstrong leading lady in Bridgerton’s second series, Simone Ashley’s character Kate Sharma found her happy ever after.
But it seems that in real-life, the actress is still searching for The One after her brief romance with businessman Tim Sykes ended.
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Simone Ashley is still searching for The One after her brief romance with businessman Tim Sykes endedCredit: GettyThe couple had been spotted kissing at the US Open tennis tournament in SeptemberCredit: Larry MaranoSimone as Kate Sharma and Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton in the Netflix Regency rompCredit: �2023 Netflix, Inc.
The couple had been spotted kissing at the US Open tennis tournament in September, and holding hands as they sat courtside during a match at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
However, Simone has since unfollowed Tim on Instagram.
It’s not quite the fairytale love story her alter ego Kate enjoyed after marrying Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix’s Regency romp.
A source said: “Simone and Tim enjoyed spending time together during the summer.
“They have since decided that they want different things, so have ended their romance.”
It comes after Simone revealed she had split from her long-term boyfriend Constantin “Tino” Klein in February.
Chatting on BBC’s Woman’s Hour the following month about her new film, Picture This, she said: “It’s kind of ironic I’m promoting a romcom and, as of January this year, I’ve been entering my single era.”
Simone met former lawyer Constantin at the Grand Prix in Monaco in May 2022.
She later told Vogue magazine there was someone special in her life, but didn’t name him, explaining: “I’m very happy. We haven’t gone public yet.”
They went Instagram official soon after, with Simone sharing a snap of Constantin on his birthday in December 2022, captioned: “The best birthday surprise for the best person.”
Let’s hope she will be lucky in love in 2026.
A MERRY LIL’ XMAS
LILY ALLEN gives her best Mrs Claus impression during her Christmas party.
The West End Girl hitmaker posed in white stockings and suspenders with a red fur gown at London gentlemen’s club, Stringfellows, on Friday.
Lily Allen gives her best Mrs Claus impression during her Christmas partyCredit: Dave BenettLily with Lola Young and Olivia Rodrigo at the eventCredit: Dave BenettLewis Capaldi was also spotted at the famous nightspotCredit: Dave Benett
Lily was joined by model Lottie Moss along with fellow pop stars Olivia Rodrigo, Ella Eyre and Lola Young.
Lewis Capaldi was also spotted at the famous nightspot.
Lily performed Roll The Dice at the party and encouraged a singalong of West End Girl.
LIZZO IN SPIRITED QUEST
POP star Lizzo is swapping showbiz for the drinks biz after necking tequila live on stage.
It comes after the US star appeared at the 2019 Video Music Awards clutching a gem-encrusted bottle of the spirit.
Lizzo is swapping showbiz for the drinks biz after necking tequila live on stageCredit: Getty
Lizzo called the drink “chaquila”– which means a chug plus tequila.
But now her firm, Lizzo LLC, has applied for a global trademark to use the word Chaquila to sell drinks.
Papers filed with the UK Government’s Intellectual Property Office reveal she wants to use the term to market “alcoholic seltzers; alcoholic carbonated beverages, except beer; alcoholic beverages, except beer”.
The legal documents were lodged just days ago and are yet to be rubber-stamped.
Lizzo has even sung about her favourite tipple on the track Love In Real Life.
She sings: “Tequila, do your job, girl, help me change my mind. How many shots this time? (One, two, three, four).
“Tequila, do your job, girl, give me salt and lime. To help me fix my life (one, two, three, four).” Drink it all in, Lizzo.
Now the telly chef has filmed a YouTube campaign for next year’s event alongside magician David Blaine and former NFL ace Jason Kelce.
Gordon Ramsay already has a couple of Super Bowl adverts under his beltCredit: Getty
The concept is how “Meh” the world would be without YouTube, and Ramsay’s role involves serving up a “meh-nu”. Geddit?
An insider tells me: “Gordon and David filmed their roles in London last week and Gordon was incredibly charming.
“David insisted on performing magic tricks for everyone.”
February’s Super Bowl is set to be star-studded with performances from Bad Bunny, and Charlie Puth.
BEYONCE TOUR TOP GROSSING
BEYONCE has spoken of her struggle to be taken seriously as an artist.
Her comments come as the US superstar saw her Cowboy Carter Tour named the No1 highest-grossing tour of 2025, according to US mag Pollstar.
Beyonce has spoken of her struggle to be taken seriously as an artistCredit: Instagram/Beyonce
The Texas Hold ’Em hitmaker saw the 32 stadium concerts gross a total of $407,600,113, (around £305million), with an average ticket price of £191.
She told Pollstar: “I’ve been touring since the age of 15, nonstop. I have slowly built my legacy brick by brick.
“This show is a testament to the power of consistency and the dedication put into any craft.”
On believing in herself when some of the industry did not, she continued: “I’ve learned at a young age that nobody invests in you like you invest in yourself. I’ve slowly built with every tour.”
She added: “The first tour Destiny’s Child did with Wyclef Jean, we toured in a minivan.
“On a later tour in the late ’90s, we did our quick changes in a muddy tent in the rain because we didn’t have proper dressing rooms, designing our own clothes because designers would not.
“A decade of visiting every radio station on Earth, advocating for ourselves. Slowly building into being able to tour with a small band.
“More building until we could tour with dancers.
“Finally, selling out my first arena as a solo artist. The decades of fighting with the promoters, convincing them that an R&B artist could sell out a stadium.
“I continued to invest in myself and stay focused on the vision.
“I’m beyond grateful for my fans that have been a part of my journey.
“It’s important to me that they leave the show reinvigorated and inspired, feeling more in love with themselves, and closer to the people they love.”
I was lucky enough to be at the tour this year and Queen B rules.
TIM RAPS RUMOURS
HOLLYWOOD actor Timothee Chalamet has quashed rumours he is masked rapper Esdeekid – by joining the Liverpudlian in a video for a remix.
Fans speculated the Wonka actor was the mysterious drill artist as they were said to have similar eyes.
Timothy Chalamet has quashed rumours he is masked rapper EsdeekidCredit: InstagramChalamet joined the Liverpudlian in a video for a remixCredit: Instagram
But in a 99-second video for EsDeeKid’s track 4 Raws posted online on Friday night, Timothee danced with the balaclava-clad bad boy in a cramped kitchen.
Timothee also referenced his rapper alter-ego Timmy Tim and his make-up mogul girlfriend Kylie Jenner.
The Oscar-nominated actor, right and below in the video, raps: “It’s Timothee Chalamet chillin’, tryna stack a hundred million, girl got a billion.”
While the full remix has yet to be released, the video clip has already received nearly two million likes, along with comments from UK rapper Central Cee and US rap star Rich The Kid.
Timothee is now promoting his upcoming movie Marty Supreme, in which he plays ping-pong prodigy Marty Mauser.
It’s a white laugh for Kyran
Snow White Drag Panto
★★★★☆
FORGET kids’ panto – this adults-only Snow White in London’s West End is packed with innuendo and belly laughs.
Drag Race UK champ Kyran Thrax slays as the venomous Wicked Queen, left, serving glorious glamour and killer one-liners, while newly-svelte Kitty Scott-Claus sparkles as the sassy Fairy.
Forget kids’ panto – this adults-only Snow White in London’s West End is packed with innuendo and belly laughsCredit: Supplied
The massive cast at the Emerald Theatre delivers outrageous comedy and audience banter, poking fun at everyone from Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor to Nigel Farage.
It’s pure festive filth – definitely not for snowflakes or prudes.
Grab your tickets quickly before it vanishes on January 4.
A proper cracker.
UNA TO HAM IT UP FOR CRIMBO FEAST
THE SATURDAYS’ beauty Una Healy is shunning traditional turkey this Christmas.
The Tipperary star explained: “We’ve got the bird flu in Ireland so we’ll have to have ham.”
It’s not the first time turkey has been off the Crimbo menu.
At last month’s Irish Post Awards she recalled: “My mum came to visit me and she bought the turkey. But it was so bad we had to throw it out. Even the foxes wouldn’t eat it.”
The Ready For Christmas singer says the glamour of life in the girlband – on hiatus since 2014 – is gone and she now drives herself to gigs, adding: “It’s back to basics. I do my own hair and make-up.”
It’s odd the moments you remember after someone’s gone.
Scrolling through a seemingly infinite number of clips featuring Rob Reiner being compassionate and kind, scenes from his movies that feature a bone-deep empathy for the ways human beings struggle and strive to be better, I kept thinking back to a little wink in “This Is Spinal Tap,” the 1984 mockumentary Reiner directed and co-starred in, playing filmmaker Marty DiBergi.
I’ve seen this movie so many times that I could probably act out the whole thing upon request. It provided a soundtrack to a family trip to Stonehenge several years ago. But thinking about Reiner in the wake of the horrible news that he and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their home on Sunday night, their son Nick subsequently charged with their murders, I randomly landed on the scene where DiBergi talks with Spinal Tap lead singer David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean) after guitarist Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) leaves the band.
St. Hubbins blithely insists he won’t miss Nigel any more than insignificant band members who played briefly in the group. DiBergi is stunned. He loves Spinal Tap and fears for its future. Reiner plays the moment with such sincere heartbreak, partly in character, but mostly I think because that’s who he was. Reiner couldn’t help it. He felt things deeply and spent much of his life working to make things better for those on society’s margins. He will be missed in so many ways.
I’m Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope newsletter. How to describe this week? None more black will do. But Christmas is coming, and that Vince Guaraldi song never fails to make me smile. Let’s look at some good news for those who made the Oscar shortlists this week.
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The film academy announced shortlists for 12 categories at the 98th Oscars, whittling down the list of contenders and offering a few indications about what films are scoring early points with voters.
Ryan Coogler’s critically acclaimed, genre-defying blockbuster “Sinners” picked up eight mentions, as did “Wicked: For Good.” Both movies placed two songs on the original song shortlist and both were cited in the newly created casting category.
The bounty for “Sirât,” the Oliver Laxe thriller that is unquestionably one of the most memorable movies of the year, offered an indication that the word of mouth on this movie is strong enough to land it a spot among the nominees for international feature.
Can it do better than that? It should. Here are five suggestions for voters, including “Sirât,” as the lists are narrowed ahead of Oscar nominations on Jan. 22.
Cinematography: ‘Sirât’
“Sirât” contains so many surprising twists and turns that when asked to describe the plot, I simply tell people that it’s about a father who shows up at a rave in southern Morocco with his young son looking for his missing daughter. The long desert journey they end up taking is astonishing, and cinematographer Mauro Herce, shooting on 16mm film, captures every treacherous mile in dramatic detail.
Original score: ‘Marty Supreme’
Voting with the Los Angeles Film Critics Assn., I cast my ballot for Kangding Ray’s hypnotic score for (you guessed it) “Sirât.” But that was just one of many soundtracks that found its way into my life this year. Hans Zimmer’s synth-heavy “F1” score makes for propulsive listening while pedaling on an exercise bike and ranks among the celebrated composer’s best work. And I share Times film editor Josh Rothkopf’s enthusiasm for Daniel Lopatin’s throwback electronic beats in “Marty Supreme,” a delight for anyone who grew up listening to the ethereal soundscapes created by Tangerine Dream.
Casting: ‘Weapons’
I’m highlighting Zach Cregger’s horror-mystery “Weapons” here partially because of its inexplicable absence in the makeup and hairstyling category. I guess voters knew it was Amy Madigan in that bright red wig all along. That omission aside, “Weapons” is a prime example of what a great casting director can do, making use of familiar faces (Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, Madigan) in unexpected ways, finding the right child actor (Cary Christopher) to deliver big emotional moments and elevating emerging talent (Austin Abrams) to unexpected heights. Allison Jones, one of the greats, belongs among the casting category’s inaugural set of nominees.
Documentary: ‘My Undesirable Friends: Part 1 — Last Air in Moscow’
Julia Loktev’s five-hour chronicle of the chilling Russian crackdown on independent journalists has won documentary honors from both the Los Angeles and New York film critics. The doc begins in 2021, when the journalists, mostly women, are forced to label themselves as “foreign agents” simply for doing their jobs, covering Putin’s regime in a factual manner. Things intensify after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, turning “My Undesirable Friends” into a cautionary tale about the perils of bending to an autocrat. It goes without saying, but this is essential viewing.
Dianne Buswell made Strictly Come Dancing history this year as the first dancer to take to the ballroom and compete whilst pregnant, and the show’s tribute to her pregnancy left fans in tears
22:32, 20 Dec 2025Updated 22:32, 20 Dec 2025
Strictly fans in tears over show’s tribute to Dianne’s pregnancy(Image: PA)
Strictly Come Dancing gave a special tribute to Dianne Buswell‘s pregnancy during the live final. The dancer, who competed with fellow Aussie Stefan Dennis this year, was the first to compete on the show whilst pregnant.
During the final, the eliminated couples all took to the dancefloor again for a big group dance. When Dianne and Stefan performed their part of the routine, Strictly first paid tribute to Stefan’s legendary run on the TV show Neighbours by framing the couple as though they were in the title credits for the soap.
As the tribute continued, fans noticed another little tribute to Dianne’s pregnancy. The words that came up on the screen read: “Starring Stefan, Dianne and Bump!”
This tribute left fans in tears. One took to X to say: “‘And Bump’ is the moment I burst out crying, oh my God I’m such a wreck.” Another said: “Dianne and bump I’m sobbing!!”
Others used the moment to come to the dancer’s defence. “Can we give Dianne her own little trophy because that girl deserves it and more. The amount of hate, criticism and judgment she’s received the whole series just because she showed everyone you can still live out your passions even if you’re pregnant. What a woman.”
Throughout her time on the series this year, Dianne has faced heaps of scrutiny for continuing to dance, with many worried about how the cartwheels and running up and down stairs would affect the baby. The criticism came despite Dianne getting assurances from a doctor that dancing would be safe for the baby.
Dianne herself had to take to social media to hit back at trolls who said they “can’t watch a pregnant girl dance”. She shared a clip to her Instagram where she did a cartwheel and wrote over the top: “For all those people saying they can’t watch a pregnant girl dance! I just can’t help it when I hear the beat.”
She also shared a post to her Stories where she shared how much she hated the comments. Over a screenshot of a comment that said they were “uncomfortable” watching Dianne dance and that they felt the BBC had “made a mistake” by letting an “advanced maternal age mother” dance, Dianne wrote: “I have honestly had enough of comments like these.”
These were not the only times Dianne had to defend herself. After Stefan Dennis exited the show following an injury, one fan said they thought it was a set up to “keep her and baby safe”. A frustrated Dianne shared a statement on Instagram.
“I sound like a broken record but I’m seeing a bit of this floating around again! I know people say ignore it but actually why should I,” she said on her Instagram stories.
“I will speak up… I would love nothing more than to keep dancing this week next week the week after that so so on and so forth. In fact I have more energy this year than I did this time last year.”
She added: “Please respect Stefan who is extremely gutted to not be able to dance and stop presuming this was a set up! because believe me we would if we could!”
Lola Young has made a return to social media after an abrupt pause on her careerCredit: AlamyLola stepped back from the spotlight after a series of strugglesCredit: PABut she broke her silence to thank fans for their supportCredit: Refer to source
Lola, 24, returned to Instagram with some positive news for fans and promised she was doing a lot better.
“Hey, I just wanted to express gratitude to everyone who has given me time and space to gather myself and get my head in a better place,” she wrote in the heartfelt post.
“I’ve felt so much love and support from you all and it has helped more than you will ever know.”
Lola continued: “I am hoping to gradually get back to performing and continuing pursuing my dreams. Happy holidays to you all and can’t wait to see you in 2026.
“Life is a journey, nothing is perfect but today I am doing well. All my love always, Lola x.”
The London-born singer had just released her critically-acclaimed debut when she made the sudden decision to press pause on her career and cancelled her tour.
Announcing her departure in a heartbreaking statement shared on Instagram, Lola said she hopes her followers will give her a “second chance”.
“I’m going away for a while. It pains me to say I have to cancel everything for the foreseeable future. Thank you for all the love and support,” she wrote in a post at the time.
“I’m so sorry to let anyone down who has bought a ticket to see me, it hurts me more than you know.”
The singer had gone through a series secret struggles – from a mental health diagnosis to an ongoing nepo baby row and even legal issues.
Last year, while Lola’s biggest hit was climbing up the charts, she was checked into a rehab facility for an addiction to cocaine.
It’s thought she was admitted last November and the drug addiction swamped the singer for “a long time”, she said in an interview with The Guardian.
She also revealed she ‘hated’ her body after trolls flooded her social media accounts with cruel comments.
Meanwhile, when she was 17, she was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder.
The condition is a mix of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, according to the NHS.
Writing on Instagram in 2022, Lola explained: “I have struggled immensely learning to accept this part of myself, and I am still learning.”
Lola’s star exploded in 2024 and had just released her debut album when she paused her careerCredit: Getty
With the ongoing fracas over President Trump’s demolition of the White House’s East Wing, a number of other Trump administration-led attempts to remake the architectural landscape of Washington, D.C., have flown largely under the radar. This includes the sale and possible demolition of the Wilbur J. Cohen Building, which was completed in 1940 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
Part of what makes the building so beloved is a series of 1942 frescoes by Ben Shahn titled “The Meaning of Social Security,” commissioned as part of the Roosevelt administration’s robust New Deal art program. In a recent article in the New Republic, architectural historian Gray Brechin is quoted as calling the Cohen building, “a kind of Sistine Chapel of the New Deal.”
The structure, originally known as the Social Security Administration Building, has served as the headquarters for Voice of America since 1954. In March, Trump signed an executive order cutting funding for the agency that oversees VOA, and most of its staff was placed on administrative leave. In June, more than 600 VOA employees received layoff notices, and the service basically shut down.
At the beginning of this year, Congress agreed to sell the Cohen building, which had been suffering from major maintenance issues. The scope of the threat to the building became clear earlier this month when Bloomberg reported that “The White House is independently soliciting bids to recommend the demolition of the historic buildings [including the Cohen building], without the input of the General Services Administration, which maintains government buildings.”
“Federal properties can be sold quickly with limited public input. As powerful interests move in haste to sell this historic building, we call for the process to be paused and conducted with transparency, respect, and public participation,” the petition, which has garnered more than 4,700 signatures, states.
The Shahn frescoes aren’t the only precious New Deal artworks in danger. Other art housed in the Cohen building include murals by Seymour Fogel and Philip Guston.
I’m arts and culture writer Jessica Gelt wondering when enough is enough. Here’s your arts news for the week.
On our radar
Grant Gershon conducts the Los Angeles Master Chorale at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
(Jamie Phan / Los Angeles Master Chorale)
Disney Hall-e-lu-jah It’s hard to imagine the holidays without music, and the Los Angeles Master Chorale has three days of caroling and chorusing that should lift anyone’s seasonal spirits. A new addition to the choir’s traditional offerings is the family-friendly “Carols for Kids” (11 a.m. Saturday. Walt Disney Concert Hall), featuring Youth Chorus LA and designed for even the squirmiest children, 6 and under. That will be followed by the “Festival of Carols” (2 p.m. Saturday. Disney Hall), a program of global holiday music. The group’s performance of “Handel’s Messiah” (7 p.m. Sunday. Disney Hall) is a worthy centerpiece of any celebration. If you’re ready to have your own voice be heard, “Carols on the Plaza” (6 p.m. Monday, across the street at the Music Center’s Jerry Moss Plaza), is your chance to join in on free outdoor caroling with family, friends and fellow Angelenos. Festivities conclude with the Master Chorale’s “Messiah Sing-Along” (7:30 p.m. Monday) back at Disney Hall where 2,000 voices will unite for the “Hallelujah Chorus.” — Kevin Crust Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave.; Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. lamasterchorale.org
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY The Fruit Cake Follies In its 27th year, this madcap holiday variety show promises “music, mirth and merriment.” 8:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with dinner at 6:30 p.m.; 1 p.m Sunday, with brunch at 11 a.m. Catalina Jazz Club, 6725 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood. catalinajazzclub.com
Guadalupe Maravilla: A Performance Expanding on his solo exhibition “Les soñadores,” the transdisciplinary artist creates a collective ritual combining sound, vibration and healers from around the world alongside L.A.-based artists. 8 p.m. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. redcat.org
Piotr Beczala The Polish-born tenor, known for his work in opera and the classical vocal canon, performs, accompanied by conductor and pianist Kamal Khan. 7:30 p.m. Broad Stage, Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica broadstage.org
“Wet” by Sahar Khoury at Parker Gallery, 2025
(Sahar Khoury / Parker Gallery)
Sahar Khoury The interdependence of materials and their social and cultural environments inspired the sculptor’s newest solo exhibition, “Wet,” a series of pieces created from ceramic, steel, iron, brass and aluminum. 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday, through Jan. 17. Parker Gallery, 6700 Melrose Ave. parkergallery.com
SATURDAY Christmas Joy Concert The free Third@First concert series continues with a program of carols, classic and new. 4 p.m. First United Methodist Church of Pasadena, 500. E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. thirdatfirst.org
Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps in the romantic drama “Love & Basketball.”
(New Line Cinema)
Love & Basketball Writer-director Gina Prince-Bythewood marks the 25th anniversary of her modern romance classic, starring Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Alfre Woodard and Dennis Haysbert. 7 p.m. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
The cast of “Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet.”
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet This 80-plus city tour offers a distinct blend of classical ballet with avant-garde circus techniques and global influences, complete with 10-foot-tall animal puppets constructed by Roger Titley. For its 33rd year on the road, the production adds a new character: Sweets the Dog, created by Barry Gordemer of the award-winning puppeteer studio Handemonium. — Ashley Lee Noon, 4 and 8 p.m. Saturday. Wiltern Theatre, 3790 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles; and 1:30 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday. La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd. nutcracker.com
SUNDAY Collecting Impressionism at LACMA This new exhibition traces how the museum built its collection and its pursuit of legitimacy through early acquisitions of American and California Impressionism and donations of paintings by Edgar Degas and Camille Pissarro from major Hollywood collectors. Through Jan. 3, 2027. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Resnick Pavilion, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. lacma.org
Actor Taylor Nichols, left, and director Whit Stillman at a 20th anniversary screening of “Metropolitan” at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
(Jemal Countess / Getty Images)
Metropolitan It’s hard to believe that it’s been 35 years since the young socialites of the “urban haute bourgeoisie” entered our consciousness via filmmaker Whit Stillman’s delightfully droll film and its banter-driven, Oscar-nominated screenplay. Stillman and actor Taylor Nichols will be on hand for a Q&A with the screening. 2 p.m. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. americancinematheque.com
WEDNESDAY
Aloe Blacc and Maya Jupiter host the 2025 L.A. County Holiday Celebration.
(Music Center)
L.A. County Holiday Celebration The Music Center’s annual spectacular features more than 20 local music ensembles, choirs and dance companies. The free, ticketed event will also be broadcast on PBS SoCal. Aloe Blacc and Maya Jupiter are this year’s hosts. 3-6 p.m. Dec. 24. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. musiccenter.org
— Kevin Crust
Dispatch: A director with a human touch
Cameron Watson is the new artistic director of Skylight Theatre Company.
(David Zaugh)
Stage director Cameron Watson has one of the best batting averages in town.
His productions of “The Sound Inside” at Pasadena Playhouse, “On the Other Hand, We’re Happy” for Rogue Machine Theatre at the Matrix and “Top Girls” at Antaeus Theatre Company were morale-boosting for a critic in the trenches, offering proof that serious, humane, highly intelligent and happily unorthodox drama was alive and well in Los Angeles.
Watson’s appointment as artistic director of Los Feliz’s Skylight Theatre Company starting Jan. 1 is good news for the city’s theater ecology. Producing artistic director Gary Grossman, who led the company for 40 years with enormous integrity, built the small but ambitious Skylight into an incubator of new work that embraces diversity and the local community.
Developing new plays is fraught with risk. Watson has the both the artistic acumen and audience sensitivity needed to usher Skylight through this perilous moment in the American theater when so many companies seem to be holding on by a thread.
Watson, like Peter Brook before him, knows how to convert an empty space into a realm of magic and meaning. For Watson, the play’s the thing. But for the spark to happen, actors and audience members need a director as intuitively attuned to the uncertain human drama as Skylight Theatre Company’s new leader. (The director’s current production of “Heisenberg” at Skylight ends Sunday.)
— Charles McNulty
Culture news and the SoCal scene
Moving in stereo The most Tony-nominated play in Broadway history, “Stereophonic,” is playing at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre through Jan. 2. Times theater critic Charles McNulty caught opening night and wrote that the first touring production fails to capture the high notes of the Broadway original. A few days later, I sat down for an interview at Amoeba Records with Will Butler, the former Arcade Fire multi-instrumentalist who wrote the music for the show. Our interview took place before Butler got onstage with the cast of the show for a short live in-store performance.
Boiling in Brooklyn Brooklyn was also on McNulty’s itinerary, where he saw Michelle Williams in the new revival of Eugene O’Neill’s “Anna Christie” at St. Ann’s Warehouse. “Michelle Williams seems to have unlimited emotional access. Her inner intensity expresses itself in a frenzy of volcanic feeling that can never be tamped down once it reaches its boiling point,” McNulty writes.
The name game The Kennedy Center continued its Trump-era transformation Thursday after the board voted unanimously to rename the world-famous performing arts venue The Donald J. Trump and the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. It remains unclear if the move is legal, or if the name change will need to be made official via an act of Congress.
Viva Las Vegas I got a look at newly revealed architectural plans for the Las Vegas Museum of Art, which is expected to break ground in 2027. Pritzker Prize-winning architect Diébédo Francis Kéré is designing the city’s first freestanding museum and says his ideas were inspired by the red rocks and canyons of the desert surrounding Sin City.
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LACMA United Workers at Los Angeles County Museum of art voted to unionize Wednesday. The vote in favor was 96%, and came after LACMA rejected workers’ requests for voluntary recognition. Staffers have expressed disappointment in management over what they are calling its anti-union campaign.
La malchance The Louvre is down on its luck. Maintenance issues have lately plagued the famous Paris museum, and then there was that infamous heist. Now workers have voted to strike over working conditions among other complaints.
Actress Roxy Shahidi’s final scenes aired earlier this year with fans heartbroken at the character’s exit, when she bid farewell to Leyla Harding after several years in the role
Eve Wagstaff Social Newsdesk Reporter
23:00, 20 Dec 2025Updated 23:00, 20 Dec 2025
One Emmerdale star admits she lost her identity following her exit from the soap
One Emmerdale star admits she lost her identity following her exit from the soap. Former Emmerdale actress Roxy Shahidi has spoken candidly about the emotional impact of leaving the ITV soap, admitting she struggled with her sense of identity after her character was written out.
Roxy played Leyla Harding, a long-standing and much-loved character on the show, first appearing in 2008 before returning full-time in 2013. After more than a decade on screen, Leyla met a tragic end earlier this year in dramatic scenes that saw several characters plunged into icy water following a limousine crash.
Although Leyla initially survived the accident, viewers later learned she died in an ambulance before reaching hospital, marking the end of Roxy’s 17-year journey on the soap.
Nearly a year on from leaving Emmerdale, Roxy has reflected on the transition and how it affected her personally. In an emotional Instagram post, she admitted stepping away from the role was far more challenging than she anticipated.
“This time last year, I was coming to terms with having to leave this lot behind. Not just colleagues, but friends and family,” she wrote.
She went on to explain how deeply intertwined her character had become with her own sense of self, adding:
“Playing Layla wasn’t just a job; she was a huge part of my identity, and some days I spent more time being her than being myself.
“Losing that sense of identity was hard, but long walks with Mr Cooper [her pet cockapoo] gave me space to breathe, reflect and stay hopeful.”
Since leaving the soap, Roxy has shifted her focus towards wellbeing and has been teaching yoga online. She revealed the practice helped her process the emotional fallout of the change.
“Yoga once again became my anchor on the hardest days, moving my body helped me move through grief, loss and uncertainty,” she continued.
Adding that her yoga platform has helped her build a new chapter in her life, she went on: “Now YogaRox has grown into a new home, a new family, and a new sense of self.
“I don’t know exactly how I’ll get there, but I know where I’m going. Thank you to everyone who’s supported me through a year of challenge, growth, and transformation; here’s to 2026.”
Her post was quickly flooded with supportive messages, including from former Emmerdale co-stars. Laura Norton, who plays Kerry Wyatt, commented: “You’re amazing. You are very missed. Sky is the limit.”
Fellow soap stars Claire Sweeney, Isobel Hodgins and Ross Adams also shared messages of love.
Fans echoed the sentiment, with one writing: “You are still so missed by us Emmerdale fans. But you are smashing it now with your new projects, you are amazing!! Xx”
Another added: “I miss seeing you shine on my screen every night but being able to see you absolutely smashing the yoga is everything, heres to an amazing 2026 and I hope the new year brings you nothing but happiness and big achievements.”
LOVE Island star Lucie Donlan is shockin’ around the Christmas tree in a saucy low-cut Ann Summers dress.
The model, 27, helped the raunchy retail chain launch its Styles range, including this red All Wrapped Up festive number with a giant bow.
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Love Island star Lucie Donlan modelled this saucy low-cut Ann Summers dressCredit: Ann SummersThe model sleighing it in the company’s Sexy Santa Basque setCredit: Ann Summers
She has also been seen sleighing it in the company’s Sexy Santa Basque set.
“When I first arrived it felt like stepping into nature as the whole hotel has been beautifully designed with sandy warm colours inspired by our planet and aspects of rich cultural Emirati heritage.
Lucie has been in a relationship with her former co-star, Luke Mabbott, 29, with the pair going on to become engaged in 2021.
Back in December the loved-up pair got accused of ‘getting engaged for likes on Instagram’ when they celebrated their proposal on holiday.
Luke shared a snap from their special moment with the caption: “2 year’s engaged…”
Some took to the comments section to share how confused they were by their engagement.
One user commented: “I’ve always said that an engagement isn’t real unless they’ve set a date for a wedding.
They continued: “Otherwise, it’s just like my plan to be a millionaire: it’s it’s vague goal without any realistic “when” or “how”.”
The couple shot to fame on different series of Love Island.
Lucie helped the raunchy retail chain launch its Styles rangeCredit: Ann SummersLucie looks striking in this green elf setCredit: Ann Summers
Pete Davidson has officially entered fatherhood, welcoming his first child with British model-actor Elsie Hewitt.
The former “Saturday Night Live” comedian, 32, and his girlfriend, 29, are new parents to a baby girl, Hewitt announced Thursday. “Our perfect angel girl arrived 12/12/2025,” the model captioned her Instagram post.
Hewitt shared scenes from Scottie Rose Hewitt Davidson’s arrival, including their first family selfie, images from the labor room and snaps of her own post-push sushi meal. In her caption, Hewitt described her daughter as “my best work yet.”
“I am absolutely overflowing with love and gratitude and disbelief,” she added.
Davidson apparently had other words to herald the arrival of his first child: “Wu tang forever.”
The pair welcomed their first child after less than a year of dating. Davidson (whose dating history notably includes high-profile relationships with Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande) was first romantically linked to Hewitt (who previously dated Jason Sudeikis and Benny Blanco) in March when they were seen kissing in Palm Beach, Fla. Two months after making their relationship red carpet official, the couple announced in July they were expecting a little one.
In addition to recovering from labor, Hewitt revealed that she is simultaneously bouncing back from another procedure. In an Instagram story posted Thursday, Hewitt shared a selfie of herself in a pink hoodie with an ice pack around her cheeks as she held onto her daughter’s car seat.
“Who else had to get a wisdom tooth removed directly from the hospital the day after they gave birth,” she captioned the photo.
A GROUP of office workers were left shocked when they learned their colleague is a former child star, and had a role in an iconic festive film.
The actor now keeps a low profile working as a Logistics Manager for the upcoming 2026 Commonwealth Games, which will take place in Glasgow. But do you recognise him?
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Office workers had the highlight of their week when they realised their colleague is a former child starCredit: tiktok@commonwealthsportJoe Lane was left mortified when his co-workers realised he was in the Nativity! movie back in 2009Credit: tiktok@commonwealthsportJoe portrayed Edward, one of the key characters in the hit film NativityCredit: Lionsgate
He portrayed schoolboy Edward in the film, which is centred around a heartbroken primary school teacher’s journey to make his class’s nativity play reach Hollywood, and win his ex-girlfriend back in the process.
In a TikTok shared by Joe’s colleagues, the former actor was left red-faced when they figured out his famous past.
The clip showed Joe, dressed in a Christmas jumper and a festive headband, as he is shaken by his colleagues.
It then cuts to clips of him in the movie, before his colleagues recreate a hilarious moment by his character Edward.
Joe’s starring moment in the film saw him take to the microphone during the final Nativity performance and impersonate fart sounds with his armpit.
The former child star had his head in his hands when his co-workers cornered him at his desk and re-enacted the funny moment in the TikTok video.
“When you find out your colleague was in the nativity films,” read the video, with the caption adding: “The most exciting office development this week”.
The film was cast by producers holding open calls for local kids in Coventry, with the aim to use non-professional actors for an authentic feel.
After appearing in the first movie, Joe appears to have steered away from continuing an acting career.
He went on to become a semi-professional rugby player, before moving into logistics for sporting events.
Coventry-born Joe is now living in Glasgow after spending time in Australia and London.
It appears he has been keen to keep his famous past under wraps in the workplace.
One TikTok user commented on the video to reveal that they had previously worked with Joe, and had no clue of the connection.
“I worked with Joe at Coventry Rfc and unless I was out of the loop he kept this very well hidden!” they said.
Another commenter joked “So he didn’t become shrek??”, referencing the scene in Nativity! where character Mr. Poppy told Edward, “You could be Shrek”.
Joe as Edward, centre, in the Christmas smashCredit: LionsgateJoe was less than impressed when his colleagues reenacted his famous screen momentCredit: tiktok@commonwealthsport
Cadi Mullane, who played Crystal – one of the main children in the film – previously detailed what filming was like in a TikTok video.
She said: “I was part of an agency called Stagecoach, they were looking for kids who were really chatty, who could dance a little bit and sing a little bit. Apparently that was me.
“There was about seven auditions. But I’m from Wales so I had to keep travelling up to London which was a bit annoying, but it was OK because I really wanted to be in a film.
“They looked at how well we could sing and how well we got on with the other kids, cause that was important, obviously.”
Cadi went on to recall how the movie filmed throughout the summer, with no scripts for the children.
She said: “It was filmed in Coventry but obviously I’m not from Coventry so we all stayed in a hotel together. It was like The Suite Life Of Zach and Cody, honestly.
“There was no scripts. Everything was improvised, except from some bits. We basically just spoke loads of rubbish, and then we were asked to say it again on camera.”
The film is centred around a Coventry school’s nativity show and their feat to take it to HollywoodCredit: AlamyThe film was fronted by award winning actor Martin FreemanCredit: AlamyA number of local children took part in the film, with producers hiring non-professionals for an “authentic feel”Credit: Alamy
Bowen Yang, a fan-favorite cast member of “Saturday Night Live,” is leaving the series after this week’s episode.
Representatives for Yang and “Saturday Night Live” did not comment on the move Friday. However, on Saturday, he confirmed his upcoming departure via a post on his Instagram account. “i loved working at SNL, and most of all i loved the people. i was there at a time when many things in the world started to seem futile, but working at 30 rock taught me the value in showing up anyway when people make it worthwile,” he wrote. “i’m grateful for every minute of my time there.”
Yang also thanked Ariana Grande, this week’s host and his “Wicked” co-star,” for “sending me off in the dreamiest way I could imagine.” The pair, alongside musical guest Cher, were seen in promos for Saturday’s episode.
There has been recent speculation about whether Yang would finish the current season of the show. He has appeared on “SNL” since Season 45 after a year of working on the writing staff.
Yang took on a variety of roles in the NBC sketch comedy series, including impersonating Vice President J.D. Vance, Fran Lebowitz and pygmy hippopotamus Moo Deng. Yang received his fifth Emmy nomination for his work on “SNL’s” historic 50th season.
Outside of “SNL,” Yang has appeared in several other projects recently. He co-hosts the popular podcast “Las Culturistas,” with fellow comedian Matt Rogers, and their seminal Las Culturistas Culture Awards was televised for the first time this year, airing on Bravo and streaming on Peacock. Yang also appeared in the “Wicked” film and its recent sequel, “Wicked: For Good,” and has starred in several other feature films, including “The Wedding Banquet,” “Fire Island” and “Dicks the Musical.”
In early December, Yang confirmed he and Rogers would be co-writing and starring in an untitled comedy for Searchlight Pictures. The movie will reportedly follow two Americans who fly across the world to try to get into the exclusive Berghain nightclub in Berlin.
Yang is not the first “Saturday Night Live” cast member to leave midseason — he joins the company of past “SNL” greats like Cecily Strong, Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler and a handful of others who exited the show outside of the traditional period for departures while the show is on summer hiatus.
Prior to the start of Season 51, NBC and executive producer Lorne Michaels made some major cast changes, adding five featured players after a series of departures. Ego Nwodim, Heidi Gardner, Michael Longfellow, Devon Walker and Emil Wakim exited the series before the season premiere in October.
Tommy Brennan, Jeremy Culhane, Ben Marshall, Kam Patterson and Veronika Slowikowska joined the cast for the current season. Marshall was previously on the “SNL” writing staff and is known for his on-camera appearances as a part of the Please Don’t Destroy comedy trio.
The 51st season of “Saturday Night Live” will continue in early 2026 and run through the end of the television season in May.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are leaving Strictly Come Dancing the 2025 series draws to a close
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s “true feelings: about leaving Strictly Come Dancing might have been uncovered.
The beloved hosting duo shocked fans back in October when they announced that they would be stepping down from the programme at the end of the current series.
They have fronted the BBC programme together since 2014, with Claudia replacing Sir Bruce Forsyth, who presented the original series with Tess from 2004.
Tess previously took to Instagram to share a statement, and was showered in support from fans and friends alike. She wrote: “After 21 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye to Strictly Come Dancing.”
The star added: “This isn’t a goodbye to glitter, sequins, or Saturday night sparkle (I could never say goodbye to those!). Strictly will forever hold a special place in my heart – but it does feel like the right time to hand over the reins.”
Tess and Claudia will present their last live show tonight (Saturday, December 20), as Strictly returns to screens for this year’s grand final. The pair will then appear on the show’s festive special on Christmas Day, where they will take part in a memorable performance.
Now, a body language expert has examined Tess and Claudia’s recent TV appearances and pointed to subtle gestures that hint at unease behind the scenes.
Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Darren Stanton explained that the pair’s body language suggests that they are nervous ahead of their Strictly exit.
“What stands out for me when I watch Tess and Claudia discuss their departure in interviews is how their posture, voices, and micro-expressions always soften more than usual. It’s clear they are masking a good deal of emotion beneath a very controlled surface. From a body-language perspective, it doesn’t read like a light or casual decision,” he said.
“There are clear signs of nerves from both of them about the future, visible in subtle cues such as lip biting, the way they look at each other, and how they turn toward one another when discussing their departure, almost as if they are operating as a single unit.
“It doesn’t seem to be apprehension about the future itself, but about the difficulty of leaving something familiar.
“Tess, who has been part of the show for a long time, shows small gestures and micro expressions of nerves, like wringing her hands. Claudia shows similar gestures, proving that they both feel the impact of leaving the show.”
Since the announcement of Tess and Claudia’s exits, speculation has been swirling over who could step into their shoes, with Zoe Ball, Janette Manrara, Fleur East and Rylan Clark all in the running.
Tonight, Karen Carney, Amber Davies and George Clarke will battle it out for the chance to lift this year’s Glitterball Trophy. They will each perform three dances in the hopes of impressing the judges and voting public. These include a Showdance, Judges’ Choice, and their favourite routine from the series.
Strictly Come Dancing is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
Timothee just dropped a rap music collabIt instantly debunked the rumour that Timothee is secretly rapper EsDeeKidHe also appeared to reference his girlfriend Kylie in the lyrics despite breakup rumours swirlingCredit: Getty
The wild theory is based off of supposed fan “evidence”, drawing similarities between the shape of the pair’s eyes an faces, hands, and fashion choices.
The young star has also been facing swathes of break-up rumours, after viewers noticed that him and girlfriend Kylie Jenner appeared to look “bored” together at a New York Yankees game.
Timothee has been accused of acting “cold” towards the Kylie Cosmetics founder during the holiday season.
He’s been doing lots of press in recent weeks following the release of new film Marty Supreme.
However in his recently dropped rap collab 4 Raws – alongside masked singer EsDeeKid himself – Timothee sang some lyrics that seemed to highly praise his stunning significant other.
Collaborating with EsDeeKid in itself instantly debunked the rumour that the rapper could possibly be Timothee.
Meanwhile lyrics such as “My girl’s worth a billion,” stood out in the single, in possible reference to Kylie’s wealth and hard work.
It could also be Timothee’s way of describing Kylie, 28, as utterly irreplaceable.
Timothee and Kylie were first linked back in 2023.
Rumours about their romance began to fuel in January after they were spotted together during Paris Fashion Week.
But it wasn’t until September 2023 that they hardlaunched as a couple, kissing at a Beyonce concert.
In the years to follow the star-studded duo have attended many public events together including the Golden Globes and the Oscars.
They’re often seen looking loved-up on a red carpet, and have piled on the PDA lately to help combat split rumours.
Early this month Kylie attended the premiere of Marty Supreme with her beau and they posed up a storm for the cameras.
Timothee wrapped his arms around her waist as they both wore matching bright orange outfits and smiled for the cameras.
They smiled at one another, looking incredibly happy.
Timothee and Kylie attended the premiere of Timothee’s movie Marty Supreme earlier this monthCredit: GettyThey looked very loved upCredit: Getty
What do fallen empires leave behind? Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida’s new work of fiction attempts to answer that question. “Three Stories of Forgetting” probes the inner worlds of three men scarred by their participation in Portugal’s history of rapacious colonialist intervention that ended in 1999. For nearly 600 years, the European republic was involved in a bloody land grab that at its peak controlled over 5.5 million square miles across Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Pereira de Almeida’s protagonists — Celestino, a slave trader; Boa Morte, a former soldier who had been conscripted to fight his fellow Africans in the Guinea-Bissau War of Independence; and Bruma, an elderly plantation worker — live in a liminal state between past and present, searching for some measure of solace in a world that offers none. I chatted with Pereira de Almeida, who was born in Angola but was reared in Lisbon, about her haunting triptych of stories.
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Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida is author of “Three Stories of Forgetting,” a new novel exploring the legacies of slavery, colonialism, and the Portuguese Empire.
(Humberto Brito)
Three stories of forgetting … but nothing is forgotten among these men.
All three men are tormented by what they can’t forget, although they don’t feel exactly guilty, in the case of Celestino and Boa Morte. Bruma is a different story. The “forgetting” of the title relates to the omission of the figures who do not appear in the book, or who appear only occasionally, episodically. Those who are forgotten are the victims and their story. These three stories are also chapters of a more general story of violence, that of colonialism, whose victims are largely forgotten to this day.
Boa Morte, a valet in Lisbon, carries an enormous burden of guilt; in order to expiate it, he tries to save a young street vagrant. Of course, all attempts at redemption in the book are futile — why is that?
I don’t think redemption is as common as much of today’s fiction seems to suggest. The experience of guilt or of an existence haunted by ghosts seems more common to me. Boa Morte was forgotten by Portugal, the country for which he gave his life, and his hateful behavior left him utterly alone. What would redeem his life? Boa Morte is inspired by a man I knew who became my friend and lived on the streets of Lisbon, just like the character. One day, he was found dead in an alley. Not all lives know redemption.
The three protagonists are captives of their pasts, because the past is still present. Can you speak to that?
After reading [British philosopher] Peter Geach’s sentence that opens his book “The Virtues,” I became interested in inquiring into the lives of people who may be, so to speak, “dead in the eyes of God.” The problem with this possibility, however, is that we may die in the eyes of God early in life, without knowing it, and yet live to old age and remain here.
This sentence is important to me, regardless of its religious meaning. It is important in that it opens up the possibility that we may have exhausted our share of grace in life and, as humans, need to keep going.
All three of these characters are looking for some kind of solace — whether it’s reverting to some kind of quiet life among living things that don’t talk back, or building a lean-to as a kind of sanctuary.
Perhaps these places they seek are, in very different ways, the only possible remnants of rest: and also places where questions have ceased. Among living things that don’t talk there are no witnesses, there is no guilt.
You can’t write stories like these without some degree of empathy — do you feel sorry for these men? What do you feel for them as a writer?
I agree with that. I don’t feel sorry for them, but I tried to get closer to them and understand them, without imposing my ideas and opinions on them, something I don’t like to do when I write novels. Instead, I preferred, as I usually prefer, to fly around them like an insect, to study them, to let them talk to me: It is a non-imposing approach, which lets the characters speak. In general, I tend to be interested in characters I don’t like and who wouldn’t treat me with the kindness I show them. It’s my way of seeking justice, in its contradictions, and of exploring ambiguity in human behavior: I want to create hospitality, and that means being able to extend my hospitality to characters whose deeds I condemn.
(This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)
📰 The Week(s) in Books
Carolyn Kellogg, Bethanne Patrick and Mark Athitakis select the best books of the year for The Times.
(Photo illustration by Josep Prat Sorolla / For The Times; book jackets from Scribner, Riverhead and Penguin Press)
Jim Ruland talked to Thurston Moore about his new book that chronicles the Sonic Youth guitarist’s love of free jazz. “I go out with my band and I play typical band gigs,” says Moore, “but I prefer being in a basement with a free jazz drummer any day of the week.”
Mark Athitakis finds favor with W. David Marx’s “Blank Space,” a sharp critique that maps the decline of our present culture, as well as Adam Morgan’s biography of 20th century literary firebrand Margaret C. Anderson, a trailblazer who bucked the prevailing culture to champion challenging art, including Joyce’s “Ulysses.” “If we want more works like ‘Ulysses’ in our world (and far less cringe) … it will demand a stubbornness from creators and dedication from consumers that the current moment is designed to strip from us,” Athatakis writes.
Apollo, one of two bookstore cats, sleeping in a box at the Iliad bookstore in North Hollywood.
(Gerard Burkhart / For The Times)
The San Fernando Valley has lost many of its beloved bookshops over the last two decades, but North Hollywood’s Iliad bookshop remains. The store, which first opened its doors 28 years ago and remains the greatest purveyor of used books in all of Los Angeles, is the kind of tangled labyrinth teeming with titles that one can get lost in for hours. I spoke with Dan Weinstein about what is moving out of the doors this holiday season.
What is selling in the Christmas rush this year?
We tend to sell the same kinds of titles all year round, so it’s standard literature, science fiction and the handful of authors we can’t keep on the shelves: Octavia Butler, Charles Bukowski, Sarah J. Maas and Brandon Sanderson. Also, a lot of gift cards! Actually, January is our strongest month for sales — winter kicks in and people like to stay at home and read.
Full disclosure: I’ve been a loyal Iliad customer since the ’90s. Do you tend to see the same faces across the years?
Oh, we have very serious hardcore customers that come over and over again. Some of them even come on a daily basis. Fortunately, we are always putting good new inventory out.
What about Hollywood business? You have a tremendous inventory of art and photography books. Do set designers come in to find inspiration?
We do sell a lot to the entertainment industry. That really keeps us alive. If we were doing business in a city other than Los Angeles, I don’t think we would do nearly as well.
Netflix’s Man vs Baby has been a hit with viewers and they can’t get enough of the picturesque village at the beginning of the series.
Man vs Baby, featuring Rowan Atkinson reprising his role as Trevor Bingley, has become a massive hit on Netflix. The festive comedy is a four-part sequel to Man vs Bee, and it sees Trevor taking up a new position as a school caretaker. Following his separation from his wife, Trevor leads a simple, somewhat solitary life in a quaint rural cottage that still relies on a coin meter for electricity. He was looking forward to his daughter’s Christmas visit, but a change of plans left him alone.
After a string of unexpected events, Trevor ends up house-sitting a luxury penthouse in London, where most of the story unfolds. However, viewers have been captivated by the idyllic village featured at the start of the series, which is currently topping the Netflix charts, and are eager to know its location.
The opening scenes of this Christmas comedy were shot in the charming village of Aldbury in Dacorum, Hertfordshire. Dacorum Borough Council proudly shared a snapshot of the film crew on their Facebook page, delighted to see their picturesque locale gaining recognition.
They explained: “The production, which includes Rowan Atkinson among its cast, brought a festive transformation to Aldbury last winter, complete with snow-covered streets, Christmas trees, and seasonal decorations. Working under the production code name St James, Aldbury Parish Council supported the Netflix team throughout the process, with local residents and businesses helping to ensure smooth filming.”
“Hertfordshire Film Office also assisted with traffic management. Many community members had the opportunity to observe filming, with several external scenes shot around the village. Thank you to everyone involved in supporting another production in Dacorum.”
The picturesque village of Aldbury, home to fewer than a thousand residents, centres around Aldbury Village Store. Viewers are also treated to glimpses of the village pond, the historic manor cottage, and the Greyhound Inn’s exterior, the beloved local pub.
The scenes depicting St Aldwyn’s Church of England Primary School were actually filmed at Longfield Hall, a Victorian community venue dating back to 1904 in Camberwell, South London. For the railway station sequence, whilst Tring Station was nearest, its contemporary appearance meant producers opted for Ongar railway station in Essex instead.
Enjoy Dacorum portrays Aldbury as a “pretty, traditional English village with a church, village pond, ancient whipping post and stocks and two pubs”. Thanks to its quintessentially charming character, the village has become a sought-after filming destination for major productions including Midsomer Murders and the second Bridget Jones film.
The 2023 film Lord of Misrule also featured scenes shot in Aldbury, with the Parish Council publishing a touching note from the production crew on their website. They said: “It has been an enormous privilege for us to shoot our movie in such a beautiful, characterful setting and I think we’ll all take a little piece of Hertfordshire away in our hearts as we leave.”
Actor Atkinson reflected on how the concept of a solitary Christmas formed the foundation of the series, explaining: “I certainly like Christmas, like most people. I was quite drawn to the idea of, without wishing to spoil the plot of Man Versus Baby, a lonely Christmas.
“Other than having the baby for company, Trevor’s alone because his daughter has booked a last-minute holiday to Barbados. He’s flat-sitting at Christmas without any of his family around him, and that can be hard.
“When we first see him, he’s got all these presents wrapped by a tiny tree decorated with Heroes wrappers, and he’s looking forward to it, and then he gets abandoned by his family, which is quite sad.”
The series has garnered glowing reviews from both viewers and critics, who have praised it as ideal family viewing. The Mr Bean star explained: “As long as people enjoy what I’ve put a lot of effort into producing, I’m happy. I’ve worked on this show every day of my life for the last year and a quarter, at the very least. I definitely put in the hours.
“I’m someone who does that. I don’t just turn up to act the role: I’m part of the writing and very much part of the post-production, so I’m in every sound mix and visual effects meeting. I’m there from the bitter beginning to the bitter end and so it’s a big commitment. If all of that effort ends up in something good that people like, that’s all you can hope for.”
ZOE Ball has bid her final farewells to her BBC Radio 2 show today.
The radio presenter, 55, announced she would be leaving her beloved Saturday show earlier this month, with today being her final time on air.
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Zoe Ball is leaving her BBC Radio 2 Saturday showCredit: BBCRadio presenter Zoe outside BBC Broadcasting House ahead of her final showCredit: PAZoe was greeted by fans outside the studio before going on airCredit: PA
She was greeted by fans outside Broadcasting house before taking to the airwaves.
It comes just a year after Zoe stepped down from her breakfast programme on the same station, after hosting it for six year.
Though Zoe won’t be completely absent from the airwaves – continuing to host specials on the station less frequently.
Presenter Romesh Ranganathan today handed over to Zoe before her show kicked off at 1pm.
Romesh compared Zoe leaving to a “death in the family” and shared heartfelt messages from fans, before adding: “It’s your last show! I’m gonna miss seeing you every Saturday.
“How are you feeling?”
Zoe replied: “It’s my last Saturday show … I’m feeling like everybody else is feeling at this time of year …
He said: “Is it true you’re leaving your Saturday show because of …”
He then quipped: “Sally on traffic, it’s that, let’s put that down now.”
Zoe played along and said: “Sally and I have been in love with each other for a long time and we’ve decided we can’t possibly work in the same building anymore because the magnetism is too much.”
Zoe’s announcement comes after she was included in the BBC’s “Golden Ten” shortlist of presenters tested for the perfect on-screen partnership to replace Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.
The news has sparked excitement that Ball could be in the running to replace Tess and Claudia as Strictly Come Dancing host.
The 55-year-old is a frontrunner to host Strictly after previously presenting It Takes TwoCredit: GettyClaudia and Tess revealed in October the bombshell news they were leavingCredit: PAZoe happily stopped for snaps with fans outside Broadcasting HouseCredit: PAZoe has quit her Saturday afternoons slotCredit: Instagram/@bbcradio2
