show biz

Coronation Street icon Beverley Callard makes heartbreaking admission amid cancer battle

Coronation Street legend Beverley Callard, who was diagnosed with the early stages of breast cancer, says she is trying to “disguise what she is going through” to appear on a red carpet

Coronation Street’s Beverley Callard has admitted that she is “even more nervous” than usual about going on red carpets amid her cancer battle. The actress, 68, who played Rovers landlady Liz McDonald on the ITV soap on and off for 30 years, revealed last month that she had been diagnosed with the early stages of breast cancer and is continuing to recover from her first bout of surgery.

The soap legend has been keeping fans up to date regularly, but after taking some much-needed time away from social media to spend time with her husband, she returned with another candid post on Tuesday evening, where she sadly explained she is trying to “disguise” any signs of her illness as she prepares to step in front of the cameras again to promote a project.

Beverley, who has been married to Jon McEwan since 2010, said: “Hi. An update. I’ve not posted for the last couple of days because to be honest, I’m just really tired, I’m rubbish at the moment. But also, a lot of your messages have been so great and lots of them said ‘Just take a bit of time for you!’ So I’ve done that and it was good for Jon and I just to have some quiet time because, obviously, it gets to him, just as much as me.

READ MORE: Corrie’s Beverley Callard in heartbreaking health update saying she’s struggling to eatREAD MORE: Corrie’s Beverley Callard cries as she shares health up date amid cancer battle

“Anyway, today has been a good day. I’ve had more energy and I actually went and had my nails done today, which was quite nice. But I was exhausted when I came back not doing anything!

“Another thing I wanted to talk about was…I have to, hopefully, go back to work on Sunday and Monday, just for two days but it’s to do promotion for a job that I filmed last year, a few months ago and I’ve got the most worrying thing. It’s a bit of a red carpet do and anybody who knows me knows I hate those things.”

The star, who recently signed up to appear in the Irish soap Fair City and was preparing to film her first scenes when doctors informed her she had cancer, insisted that she “loves” everything about being an actress apart from the publicity side of things and admitted that her fears have got “even worse” since her diagnosis.

She said: “I love my job, I love learning lines, I love creating a character but standing posing on a red carpet is my worst nightmare. But now [it’s] even worse because I feel lopsided.

“I’ve just had to have a lady come to alter a dress that I’m thinking about wearing, and try and disguise what I’m going through at the moment so I’m even more nervous about it.

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“I know loads of people will think ‘Ooh, red carpet, and getting all dressed up…’ I prefer being dressed like this, but there you go! I’m nervous and anxious about that, and I’m trying to prepare.” Beverley

“The other thing is that I’ve got the hospital again in the morning and hopefully I will find out tomorrow if I have to have a second procedure, that’s at 9am, so I’ll know more about where I stand then but I’m sending loads of love, and thank you for the love you’re sending me.”

The update comes just days after Beverley tearfully revealed she was struggling following her surgery. The Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps star told her followers: “Full disclosure, it’s a week today since my operation and I woke up this morning and I put yesterday’s clothes on – which were dropped on the floor last night when I went to bed.

I I’ve not cleaned my teeth, I’ve not combed my hair. I can’t answer my phone because if somebody says a kind word to me, I just cry.”

And I’m so absolutely, absolutely rubbish today and I’ve been like that all day. I’m really tired, I keep feeling a bit queasy but I’ve no idea why. And I just thought, ‘oh well I’m not going to post anything today because I don’t want to make people feel miserable’ – but maybe you are feeling the same.”

If you have been affected by this story, advice and support can be found at Breast Cancer Support.

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Nicole Kidman, 58, stuns as she steps out in a leopard-print coat in New York to promote new crime drama

HOLLYWOOD star Nicole Kidman hits  the spot in a leopard-print coat — as she  prepares to hunt baddies in a crime drama. 

The Aussie-American actress, 58, was in New York to promote her upcoming Amazon Prime Video series Scarpetta, in which she plays a forensic pathologist. 

Hollywood star Nicole Kidman stepped out in a leopard-print coat in New YorkCredit: Getty
The Aussie-American actress, 58, was promoting her upcoming Amazon Prime Video series ScarpettaCredit: Getty
The star had some suitable reading material as she promoted her new crime showCredit: Getty

It is based on a book series by Patricia Cornwell and launches next Wednesday. 

Meanwhile, Nicole and Keith Urban face the tough task of dividing their staggering £210million property portfolio as part of their divorce settlement. 

The former couple’s marriage is now officially over after the superstar pair finalised their split, and they’ve come to an agreement on how their collection of multi-million pound homes will be divvied up. 

According to documents, both Nicole and Keith will retain ownership of the properties already in their possession and the rest will be split to their mutual satisfaction. 

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It is believed the majority of the exes’ properties were all jointly purchased following their wedding in 2006. 

The most recent purchase came in 2023 in the form of a £5.7m three-bed apartment in Sydney‘s exclusive Landmark Latitude complex – their sixth property in the same high rise. 

They have another £13.3m wrapped up in the complex. 

Nicole and Keith first bought into the apartment block in 2009, picking up a sizeable 420-square-metre pad overlooking Sydney’s famous harbour for a cool £4.45m. 

A further £5.2m was splashed on a larger neighbouring apartment when that became available in 2012. 

The couple bought into the 19th floor in 2011, paying £2m on a smaller space that Nicole used as a home office. 

Nicole plays a forensic pathologist in the new crime dramaCredit: PA

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Todd Meadows ‘fell overboard’ during filming Deadliest Catch at sea

Todd Meadows – who appeared on Discovery Channel show Deadliest Catch – died aged 25 on Wednesday February 25, described as “the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady”

A TV star who died aged 25 last week is believed to have fallen overboard a boat.

Todd Meadows’ passing on Wednesday rocked the reality TV world as the young presenter was a popular expert on Deadliest Catch on the Discovery Channel. Now the United States Coast Guard Arctic District says the investigation has suggested Mr Meadows fell off a boat during filming for the programme.

The boat, called the Aleutian Lady, was approximately 170 miles north of the coast when the tragedy happened. The new statement from the Coast Guard reads: “Coast Guard watchstanders at the Arctic District command center in Juneau received notification from the fishing vessel Aleutian Lady, reporting that a crew member by the name of Todd Meadows fell overboard approximately 170 miles north of Dutch Harbor.

“He was recovered unresponsive by the crew approximately ten minutes later. First aid and attempts to resuscitate were unsuccessful, and the crew transported the deceased to Dutch Harbor.”

READ MORE: Todd Meadows dead: Discovery Channel star, 25, dies suddenly during filmingREAD MORE: Emmerdale star Eric Allan dies after incredible 48 year career

Dutch Harbor is a point at Unalaska, Alaska, where temperatures plunged to -14C on Wednesday. Officials there continue to investigate the death, which has left his family and fans heartbroken.

Captain Rick Shelford, also on the programme, told fans the tragic news this week on Facebook. He said: “February 25, 2026 was the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea. We lost our brother, Todd Meadows. Todd was the newest member of our crew, he quickly became family. His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone’s respect right away. His smile was contagious, and the sound of his laughter coming up the wheelhouse stairs or over the deck hailer is something we will carry with us always.”

Todd, who was a dad, was known for his time on the popular Discovery Channel series about the high-stakes world of crab fishing. The Facebook tribute added: “Todd’s love for his children, his family, and his life was evident in everything he did,” Shelford added. “He worked hard, loved deeply, and brought joy to those around him. Right now, our hearts are broken in a way that words can’t fully express. We ask that you lift Todd’s children and family in prayer and keep them in your thoughts as they face the days ahead without him.”

The post, which featured several photos of Meadows, concluded: “Todd will forever be part of this boat, this crew, and this brotherhood. Though we lost him far too soon, his legacy will live on through his children and in every memory we carry of him. Rest easy brother, till we meet again.”

In a separate statement to PEOPLE, a Discovery Channel spokesperson paid tribute to Meadows. The station said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows. This is a devastating loss, and our hearts are with his loved ones, his crewmates, and the entire fishing community during this incredibly difficult time.”

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Todd Meadows dead: ‘Deadliest Catch’ cast member was 25

Todd Meadows, a crewmember on one of the fishing vessels featured on the long-running reality series “Deadliest Catch,” has died. He was 25.

Rick Shelford, the captain of the Aleutian Lady, announced in a Monday post on Facebook and Instagram that Meadows died Feb. 25. He called it “the most tragic day in the history of the Aleutian Lady on the Bering Sea.”

“We lost our brother,” Shelford wrote in his lengthy tribute. “Todd was the newest member of our crew, he quickly became family. His love for fishing and his strong work ethic earned everyone’s respect right away. His smile was contagious, and the sound of his laughter coming up the wheelhouse stairs or over the deck hailer is something we will carry with us always.

“He worked hard, loved deeply, and brought joy to those around him,” he added. “Todd will forever be part of this boat, this crew, and this brotherhood. Though we lost him far too soon, his legacy will live on through his children and in every memory we carry of him.”

A fundraiser set up in Meadows’ name described the deckhand from Montesano, Wash., as a father to “three amazing little boys” who died “while doing what he loved — crabbing out on Alaskan waters.”

According to the Associated Press, Meadows died after he was reported to have fallen overboard around 170 miles north of Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

“He was recovered unresponsive by the crew approximately ten minutes later,” Chief Petty Officer Travis Magee, a spokesperson with the Coast Guard’s Arctic District, told the AP. The Coast Guard is investigating the incident.

Meadows was a first-year cast member of “Deadliest Catch,” the Discovery Channel reality series that follows crab fishermen navigating the perilous winds and waves of the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and snow crab fishing seasons. The show debuted in 2005. No episodes from Meadows’ season has aired.

Deadline reported that the show was in production on its 22nd season when the incident occurred, with the Shelford-led Aleutian Lady being the last of the vessels still out at sea at the time. Production has subsequently concluded, per the outlet.

“We are deeply saddened by the tragic passing of Todd Meadows,” a Discovery Channel spokesperson said in a statement that has been widely circulated. “This is a devastating loss, and our hearts are with his loved ones, his crewmates, and the entire fishing community during this incredibly difficult time.”

Meadows is the latest among “Deadliest Catch” cast members who have died. Previous deaths include Phil Harris, a captain of one of the ships featured on the show, who died after suffering a stroke while filming the show’s sixth season in 2010. Todd Kochutin, a crew member of the Patricia Lee, died in 2021 from injuries he sustained while aboard the fishing vessel, according to an obituary. Other cast members have died from substance abuse or natural causes.



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Cause of death for Martin Short’s daughter Katherine revealed

A cause of death has been determined for Martin Short’s daughter Katherine, who took her own life in February.

She died Feb. 23 from a gunshot wound to the head, according to the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s database, which listed her case under her legal name, Katherine Hartley.

Her death was confirmed by her family in a statement to The Times two days later.

“It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short,” the family said. “The Short family is devastated by this loss and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.”

The 42-year-old was the eldest of three children adopted by the “Only Murders in the Building” star and his wife, actor Nancy Dolman. Dolman died of ovarian cancer in 2010, 30 years after marrying her husband. Martin Short’s sons are Oliver and Henry.

Hartley, whose body was found at her Hollywood Hills home by L.A. County Fire Department paramedics, legally applied for a name change in 2012 because of her famous father’s public persona.

“My father is a public figure. I am a social worker. I am concerned about potential harassment from future patients resulting from my association with my father,” she wrote in her name-change application, which was filed in October 2012 and approved Jan. 25, 2013.

After obtaining a bachelor’s degree in psychology and gender studies from NYU in 2006, she followed up with a master’s in social work from USC in 2010, People reported. In addition to having a private practice, she worked part time at Amae Health, a Los Angeles clinic providing mental health and psychiatric care, the outlet said. Suicide attempts and ideation are among the conditions the clinic says it specializes in treating.

The death certificate for Katherine Elizabeth Hartley, which was obtained by TMZ, includes a field denoting how the injury occurred. It reads, “shot herself.” According to the outlet, a note was found at the scene.

Martin Short has been hit with horrible news multiple times in recent months. In addition to his daughter, Short’s longtime pal Catherine O’Hara died Jan. 30 after battling rectal cancer and friends Rob and Michelle Reiner were killed in December.

Times staff writer Malia Mendez contributed to this report.

Suicide prevention and crisis counseling resources

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, seek help from a professional and call 9-8-8. The United States’ first nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline 988 will connect callers with trained mental health counselors. Text “HOME” to 741741 in the U.S. and Canada to reach the Crisis Text Line.

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Silent Witness Jack Hodgson star David Caves drops series 30 hint after BBC show finale

Silent Witness star David Caves has hinted at the BBC crime drama’s future after the latest series concluded

Silent Witness star David Caves has dropped a hint about the future of the show as the current series concluded.

The 29th series of the BBC crime drama, which centres on a team of pathologists probing mysterious deaths, finished on Tuesday night (March 3) with a nail-biting episode where Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox) found herself in peril after being drugged.

The programme has been a huge success with audiences and has been airing since 1996, so fans are hopeful for a 30th instalment, reports the Express.

As the final episode aired, David – who portrays Nikki’s spouse and colleague Jack Hodgson – gave a clue on X (formerly Twitter), posting: “Can’t believe that’s it for another series. To everyone who has watched and supported – thank you!”

“Here’s to the stories we’ve told – and to those still to come…” he added, tagging co-stars Emilia, Francesca Mills and Maggie Steed.

The latest series of the show kicked off in February and has featured several gripping tales including two-part finale Shame, which began on Monday (March 2).

It saw the team investigating what seemed to be the suicide of a British-Chinese pro-democracy activist, whose body was found floating in a lake.

However, as Nikki and Harriet Maven (Maggie Steed) delved deeper into the woman’s fate, evidence started to suggest something far more sinister had transpired and it became evident that things were not as they appeared.

There has already been a hint that Silent Witness is poised for a 30th series, after a photo emerged last month showing some cast and crew seemingly on location.

The image was posted on Instagram by Bodenham Arboretum in Worcestershire, accompanied by a caption which read: “For those of you who have visited Bodenham in the last two weeks you may have wondered what was going on… cryptic signage, trailers, security etc, occupying two of our car parks… well now all can be revealed..

“Bodenham had the privilege of being chosen as the BBC drama’s Silent Witness base camp whilst filming locally for the 30th series.”

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Silent Witness airs on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer

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‘Game of Thrones’ movie in development with ‘Andor’ writer

The blood of the dragon is headed to the big screen.

A “Game of Thrones” movie is in development at Warner Bros. written by “House of Cards” showrunner Beau Willimon, The Times has confirmed. According to Page Six, which first reported Willimon’s involvement, the “Andor” alum has already submitted a first draft.

While details of the plot have yet to be confirmed, the film will reportedly center Aegon the Conqueror, who was the first Targaryen monarch to sit atop the Iron Throne in the world of George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. According to the Hollywood Reporter, HBO is also developing the story of Aegon’s conquest of Westeros as a potential drama series.

King Aegon I is the Targaryen who started it all. Around 300 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” the dragonlord led a campaign, with his sister-wives Visenya and Rhaenys, to conquer six of the seven kingdoms of Westeros. He was the first ruler of the unified realm and launched the Targaryen dynasty.

His descendants revere Aegon the Conqueror so highly that he has numerous prominent namesakes. King Aegon II, whose controversial coronation is what sparked the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of Dragons, is a key character in the “Game of Thrones” prequel series “House of the Dragon” (portrayed by Tom Glynn-Carney). In “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” adapted from Martin’s “Tales of Dunk and Egg” novellas, young Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) is revealed to be the missing prince Aegon Targaryen. Even “Game of Thrones” eventually revealed that the show’s beloved Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) was a Targaryen named Aegon.

Other previously reported “Game of Thrones” spinoffs in the works include an animated project about “House of the Dragons” character Corlys Velaryon, also known as the Sea Snake.

The third season of “House of the Dragon” will premiere in June.

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What to know about the ongoing antitrust trial against Live Nation

After years of ticketing complaints and frustrations, the trial for the Department of Justice’s antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation is officially underway.

As part of its case, the DOJ has accused Live Nation of requiring artists to use its promotional services when they play a Live Nation-owned venue. Because so many venues are owned by the company, the government claims Live Nation’s alleged practices are anti-competitive.

Jury selection began Monday in a New York federal court and opening statements are expected Tuesday for the complaint first filed in 2024. Since then, the antitrust case against the Beverly Hills-based company has been streamlined — examining whether Live Nation uses illegal anti-competitive practices and whether the company and Ticketmaster should be broken up.

The legal proceeding is expected to last around a month, with Judge Arun Subramanian, who also presided over Sean Combs’ sentencing last year, at the helm.

Live Nation’s presidents Michael Rapino and Joe Berchtold, executives from competing companies like Anschutz Entertainment Group and Irving Azoff, the former Ticketmaster CEO, are expected to testify. Musicians like Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons and entertainer Kid Rock could also take the stand.

Key claims in the lawsuit

The original lawsuit led by a cadre of interested parties including the federal government, 39 states and the District of Columbia alleged that Live Nation and its subsidiary Ticketmaster have monopolies in various aspects of the live music industry, such as concert promotion, venue operations, artist management and ticketing services.

The lawsuit states that Live Nation manages over 400 artists and controls more than 265 venues in North America. Ticketmaster simultaneously controls around 80% of the primary ticket marketplace and is also increasing its involvement in the resale market.

Many of the large monopoly claims were thrown out during a pretrial hearing with Judge Subramanian last month, including an allegation that Live Nation’s industry power raises ticket prices and harms consumers.

The claim with arguably the greatest potential impact centers on whether Live Nation should own Ticketmaster. The two companies merged in 2010, a move that has frequently been considered controversial. Beyond the ownership of Ticketmaster, the DOJ claims Live Nation forces venues to sign exclusive contracts with Ticketmaster, barring the inclusion of other ticket vendors.

“For over a decade, Ticketmaster and Live Nation have promised reform, but meaningful competition has remained out of reach. The industry now stands at an inflection point: restore a competitive marketplace that supports innovation, or allow the status quo to continue narrowing options for American consumers,” Dustin Brighton of the Coalition for Ticket Fairness said in a statement.

“Yet the very competitors that could check this monopoly and restore balance are routinely boxed out by restrictive practices that limit innovation and reduce consumer options,” Brighton added.

Live Nation did not respond to a request for comment. When the complaint was first filed, the company called the claims “baseless.”

“Calling Ticketmaster a monopoly may be a PR win for the DOJ in the short term, but it will lose in court because it ignores the basic economics of live entertainment,” wrote Live Nation in a previous statement.

Next steps after the trial

If Live Nation loses the trial, the judge will decide how the company should be restructured, which could mean selling Ticketmaster to a competitor. Live Nation maintains the right to appeal such a decision, if it materializes, and take the matter to a higher court.

“If the court finds Live Nation violated the law, monetary penalties and behavioral commitments alone will not be sufficient,” Stephen Parker, executive director of the Independent Venue Association, said in a statement.

“The relief must be proportionate to the harm,” Parker added, “and that means structural separation of primary ticketing, resale ticketing, venue operation, national tours, advertising/sponsorship, and artist management must be seriously considered.”

Beyond the current DOJ trial, Live Nation is also facing a lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission and a handful of class action lawsuits from groups of concertgoers.

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Katie Price admits family were ‘p***ed off and angry’ at her for whirlwind marriage saying ‘I don’t blame them’

KATIE Price has confirmed her family were livid upon hearing she had married for a fourth time.

The star wed Lee Andrews in Dubai in January in a whirlwind marriage that took everyone – including her own family – by surprise.

Katie Price has confirmed her family were concerned following her marriageCredit: Louis Wood
The star reveals they were left worrying for herCredit: sophie_pricey/Instagram
Katie has opened up to The Sun in an honest chatCredit: Louis Wood

Now, chatting to The Sun for the first time about the romance in a wide-ranging interview, Katie has revealed just exactly what her family thought – and confirmed that her sudden marriage to Lee was hard on her wider family.

She says: “Of course my family are going to worry, I wouldn’t expect anything different.


Watch more of Clemmie’s interview with Katie Price on The Sun’s Showbiz YouTube channel


“They love me and they’ve seen me go through so much heartache, and the most horrific times.

“So I don’t blame them for being p***ed off and angry. They love me and I love them too.

“But I’m not a kid any more, I am 47, I can make my own choices, and I will. They have to give me that chance to go and find out for myself.

“You just got to let me be me; my life isn’t normal. There’s no textbook to any of this.

“Just let me enjoy the moment and enjoy my relationship.”

Despite the family worries, Katie has admitted she wants to take her marriage slowly despite affirming that Lee is “the one”.

She told The Sun she won’t introduce Lee to her children for a “year” if that’s how long it takes for the dust to settle.

Katie said: “Even if it takes a year they [the children] need stability.”

The former glamour model also reaffirmed her faith in her fourth marriage.

“I’ve gone for a beautiful human being who genuinely makes me happy, who I’m so in love with.

“And if I’m happy, please be happy for me.”

Katie’s marriage to Lee Andrews has been the showbiz shock of the yearCredit: mistraesthetics/Instagram
Katie spoke to Clemmie Moodie for The SunCredit: Louis Wood

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Call the Midwife’s Helen George says ‘real life is f**king hard’ as show comes to an end

Call the Midwife fan favourite Helen George has revealed why BBC viewers can resonate with the hit period drama as the latest series comes to an end

Helen George has made a heartfelt admission as the countdown to the final episode of Call the Midwife series 15 begins.

The last episode of the current season airs this Sunday (March 8) before the BBC drama is rested to make way for a Second World War spin-off prequel and a film.

Ahead of the farewell before the residents of Poplar take a well-deserved break, Helen, who stars as Trixie Aylward, revealed how the believes programme is so popular because it shows the “truthful” side to real-life which many viewers relate too.

She told Radio Times: “It’s ugly and it’s dirty and it’s painful and it’s hard – it’s f***ing hard -and all that is shown on Call the Midwife. Not grotesquely glamorised and not sensationalised. Just truthfully.”

Helen added the period drama, which follows a group of midwives working in the East End of London around the 1950s and 60s and now early 70s “won’t be the same” when the series returns.

The 41-year-old actress added: “It is just a pause, because we know it’s coming back but it won’t be the same, with different characters leaving and whatever.”

Writer Heidi Thomas previously told Yours last month: “I don’t think it’s the last series in the classic form but we are going to take a break from it for a couple of years.”

“We’re going to do a film that involves most the current cast, set in 1972, possibly 1973.

“We’re going to do that first, then we’ll return to the current style.

“Series 16 will have a slightly different setting because of changes in NHS. It’ll still be in the East End of London but possibly something like a small community hospital or a GP practice, but that’s something I’ll be working on later this year.”

The synopsis for the final episode of series 15 teases: ““Sister Veronica must decide her future now she is not currently a nun, but not fully part of the world either.

“The Maternity Home prepares to close its doors, but Dr Turner is determined to preserve equipment and resources for his patients until the last possible moment. The Mullucks fight for the rights of all Thalidomide victims, while Cyril and Rosalind prepare for their wedding.”

The BBC has also released a photo of Sister Monica Joan lying in bed, eyes closed, with her hands by her side.

Is this the end for the adored sister? Viewers will have to wait and see what lies ahead for Sister Monica Joan.

Call the Midwife continues Sunday, March 8 at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer

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A mural of Altadena at Sidecca clothing shop symbolizes hope

Every time Adriana Molina drives up Lake Avenue to her retro-style women’s clothing shop Sidecca in Altadena, she sees the new outdoor mural she commissioned for the store by muralist and illustrator Annie Bolding. It gives her hope.

“I’m here to stay, and this mural solidified my decision to reopen my business,” said Molina on a recent winter day, sitting next to Bolding inside the boutique. “I grew up in Altadena. The community has motivated me this whole time, and I want them to drive by this mural and smile.”

“ALTADENA.” The word — in big white letters, set against layers of blue — appears toward the top of the mural, on the store’s brick wall facing Lake. Above are the San Gabriel Mountains, painted a deep brown, California poppies and Mariposa Street and Lake Avenue street signs. Below are green grass, a monarch butterfly and Altadena’s Christmas Tree Lane. A bright blue house is on a multicolored striped path in the middle of the mural. Next to it, on a hiking trail, a sign says, “Welcome Home Altadena… With Love, Sidecca.”

For Molina and Bolding, the mural is a personal ode to the Eaton fire-ravaged community — art as a message of optimism and healing.

A colorful mural.

A car passes by the new Altadena mural on the side of Sidecca apparel shop, which commissioned the piece after fire and floods devastated the community.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

When the fire tore through Altadena in January 2025, Sidecca and a few other stores on the north side of Mariposa Street’s bustling Mariposa Junction survived, while the other half-block of businesses burned to the ground. The fire leveled Bolding’s parents’ house off Lake and the home of one of Molina’s close relatives.

Molina staged pop-ups and sold merchandise online during months of remediation, and officially reopened Sidecca’s doors in November as part of Mariposa Junction’s larger comeback. Then the store suffered another blow: flooding and damage during rainstorms in late December. While Molina prepped to temporarily close her store yet again for renovations, Bolding began work on the mural. She started painting on the one-year anniversary of the fire and finished eight days later.

“On the day I started it, it was so cold and windy, and I was scared being up on the ladder,” said Bolding. “But getting to talk to community members while I was painting was very special. People were excited and honking as they drove by. That night, I drove up to the lot where my parents’ place was, and I stood there and all the feelings flooded back.”

The mural’s origin story is that of two creative women bound by strength and a desire to give back.

Molina, who has worked in the fashion industry for more than 30 years, opened Sidecca’s Altadena spot in 2023, after closing its longtime Pasadena location. Voted Pasadena’s best women’s clothing store five times by Pasadena Weekly, Sidecca sells fun vintage-inspired merchandise and clothes, from ‘50s style dresses to snazzy magnets, tote bags and sunglasses. A big rainbow zips across the top of one of the store’s walls.

A display in a clothing shop.

A display in Sidecca in 2023, two years before the Eaton fire devastated Altadena.

(Alejandro R. Jimenez)

“A few months after Sidecca opened in Altadena, my mom walked in and saw how colorful it was, and said, ‘This reminds me of my daughter,’ ” Bolding said. “With zero hesitation, my mom said to Adriana, ‘Here’s her Instagram. This is my daughter’s stuff.’ ”

Bolding, who goes by Disco Day Designs, calls herself “a joyful creator who loves to intentionally transform spaces.” Known for the bright murals she creates for brands and shops, Bolding gained attention on social media for a trash bin she painted with palm trees and stripes. She brought it to the 2024 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival as part of a contest organized by the festival’s sustainability partner, Global Inheritance.

“I fixated on the trash can,” said Molina. “I looked at Annie’s murals and was like, ‘Oh, she has to do something in here for us.’ ”

“Game recognizes game,” added Bolding, smiling.

Molina wanted to rebrand Sidecca with a new logo, bags and art, and connected with Bolding about that and a possible mural inside the store. “I wanted ‘Sidecca’ painted across a wall as an acronym that stands for style, individuality, diversity, expression, community, culture and art,” she said. “That’s who we are.”

Then came Jan. 7, 2025.

The store was closed all day for a holiday lunch. Then the winds picked up and the flames roared. Molina, who lives with her husband and two children on the Altadena-Pasadena, evacuated with her family to Long Beach and came back days later. She knew the store was OK because she’d seen it — intact — on the news.

“As soon as we could come up to the shop, we went,” Molina said. “There were ashes all over.”

Bolding and her husband were in Palm Springs fixing up an AirBnb they cohost when Bolding got a call from her mom about the fire in Altadena. She urged her mom, dad and younger brother to evacuate. After they did, their home burned down. Her parents now live in a Pasadena apartment.

When Molina started selling Altadena-themed merch on Sidecca’s website, Bolding donated three designs, including one with lively retro daisies. In July, she wrote an email to Molina reviving the idea of a mural, but outside versus inside, as an ode to Altadena.

“It felt like anything I could do to bring joy, let’s go,” said Molina. “And I really wanted a little house in there, and for it to say, ‘Welcome home.’ ”

The mural would be Bolding’s first public piece of art on a main street.

“Lake always felt like the road going home,” she said. “That rainbow road in the mural, leading to the mountains, is so symbolic. Very ‘Wizard of Oz.’ The mountains, their silhouette, have always felt majestic, safe, and why it was so heartbreaking anytime to see them burn. To me, they feel like mother.”

A woman in front of a colorful mural.

Muralist Annie Bolding stands in front of her new Altadena mural on the side of the Sidecca apparel shop. The work is Bolding’s first piece of public art on a main street.

(Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

Bolding’s joyful daisies decorated the Sidecca tote bag given to customers at November’s reopening, just before December’s intense rainstorms. Water gushed through Sidecca’s ceiling. Molina and her employee Manisa Ianakiev were overwhelmed.

“We were like, ‘Is this really happening?’ ” said Molina. “Then people started bringing tools and towels. It was an example of community.”

Bolding planned to start painting the mural Jan. 4, during the Altadena Forever Run, but rain swept through. After Molina’s landlord installed a plywood base, Bolding started on the mural several days later.

Since then, the shop’s ceiling has been replaced, and Molina is working on trying to replace the floor — while continuing to stage pop-ups and sell merchandise online — before fully reopening the bricks-and-mortar boutique this spring.

“People say, ‘Every time I go into your store, I just get happy. I’m in a better mood,’ ” said Molina. “I get that all the time. And what Annie has done, this mural, is beautiful. It makes me happy.”

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She was the biggest pop star of the 80s

SHE was the biggest pop star of the 80s yet looks younger now than when she shot to fame.

Fans are baffled by how youthful Taylor Dayne looks at 63 years of age.

Taylor Dayne looks so youthful in her 60sCredit: Instagram/taylordayne
The stunning singer has a slew of shows this springCredit: Instagram/taylordayne
She looks younger than when she shot to fame in the 80sCredit: Getty

Taking to her Instagram page this week, the stunning singer who shot to fame with her beloved single Tell It To My Heart, looked half her age as she posed in a raunchy outfit.

“I had such a fabulous time on stage in Seattle last night! What a great start to my weekend of performances,” she penned in the caption of the post.

In the slew of snaps she shared, Taylor looked so youthful with clear, smooth skin and a tiny waist.

One person commented, “Forever beauty.”

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Another swooned, “THE MOST GORGEOUS HUMAN.”

“Goddess,” added a third, while a fourth gushed, “Icon.”

“Wow. She looks amazing! Good for her,” penned a fifth.

And a sixth said, “Not aged a bit.”

Most read in Entertainment

Meanwhile, others were left baffled by just how ageless she looks.

“I’m confused. You look so different here,” said one.

“Too many filters. You don’t need them….” added a second.

While a third penned, “This is not Taylor Dayne. Looks nothing like her.”

And a fourth said, “Why does she look like Beyonce?”

Taylor is a singer, songwriter, and actress who became a pop icon in the late 1980s.

She is known for her powerful and strong vocals, and rose to fame with her debut single Tell It to My Heart.

Across her glowing career she has sold 75 million albums and singles worldwide.

She has a slew of shows throughout the year, with her set to take to the stage next in April.

The singing sensation grew up in New York and has never been married.

She has two children who were born via surrogate in 2003.

Taylor became famous with her debut single Tell It To My HeartCredit: Getty

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Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal stirs fears of mass layoffs

Four days after the stunning news that Paramount Skydance would acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount executives tried to calm fears that the blockbuster deal would result in massive layoffs.

In a call Monday, Paramount Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operating Officer Andy Gordon told Wall Street analysts that $6 billion in merger “synergies” would come from “non-labor sources” and not a “reduction in production capacity.”

Instead, Gordon said, the company would reduce costs by consolidating its streaming technology and cloud providers, finding marketing efficiencies and “optimizing the combined real estate footprint,” likely an allusion to widely anticipated plans that the new owners will consolidate operations around the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank.

Efficiencies aside, most Hollywood observers — including people who are familiar with Paramount Skydance Chief Executive David Ellison’s plans — predict that Paramount will be forced to make large-scale layoffs in order to offset the enormous costs of the mega-deal, which is valued at more than $111 billion (counting debt).

It’s a reasonable expectation, at least if history is any guide.

Many at Warner dread the kinds of cuts seen after Walt Disney Co. bought most of 21st Century Fox’s assets, resulting in thousands of layoffs as the two companies combined operations and shed redundant jobs.

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In the case of Warner-Paramount, the new company will have two film and TV studios, as well as two streaming businesses, two legal departments, two marketing departments and so on. It’s doubtful these overlapping functions will survive budget cuts.

Already, consolidation plans are underway.

This week Paramount announced it would combine the two streaming services — Paramount+ and HBO Max — to reach a total of more than 200 million subscribers and better compete against the behemoth Netflix, which boasts 325 million subscribers worldwide.

Ellison was full of praise for the HBO team on Monday’s analyst call, saying the premium service was a “crown jewel” and that it will “continue to have the resources and independence to do what it does best.”

He also reiterated that there is “no intention to pull back on production,” and that the company intends to make 30 films a year — 15 apiece from Paramount and Warner Bros.

“We have all the economic incentives to make sure that we grow this business and are going to invest in content to basically achieve those goals,” Ellison said Monday.

But this deal also includes $79 billion in net debt — a staggering load that overshadows even that of the merger that resulted in Warner Bros. Discovery. That amount became an albatross around that company’s neck and led to waves of layoffs.

“What everybody’s hoping is that the noise that’s being made around prioritizing content will hold true,” said Kevin Klowden, a Milken Institute fellow focused on entertainment and technology. “But until they see that happen, it’s really a question.”

Further job losses would be a blow to an industry that has been reeling from a steady drumbeat of job cuts fueled by media consolidation, dwindling streaming profits and the migration of film and TV jobs to cheaper states and countries.

Paramount executives have said the deal is expected to close in the fiscal third quarter of this year, and Ellison said he was “absolutely confident” they will meet that goal, based on conversations with regulators.

Despite support from the Trump administration, the acquisition is not yet final. Already, California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta said he was in communication with other states’ attorneys general about challenging the merger on antitrust grounds, saying it wasn’t a “done deal.”

And on Monday, Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-San José), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) called on Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to provide details of their conversations about the merger with Ellison and Netflix co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos, highlighting the role of politics in the auction.

Paramount plans to keep the two studios separate for now, though company executives have discussed combining operations at the Warner Bros. Burbank lot at some point, according to sources close to Paramount who were not authorized to speak publicly. That could mean a wind down at the historic Paramount lot on Melrose Avenue — and more job losses.

The anxiety over looming cuts is especially deep inside Warner, where staff are still trying to process the news, according to people I spoke with. They noted that when Netflix was the winning bidder, co-Chief Executives Sarandos and Greg Peters came to the Burbank lot and spoke with several hundred of Warner’s senior leaders and outlined their plans, giving staff more clarity about a future under their ownership. No such conversations have occurred with the Paramount team, they said.

“I think genuinely, everyone’s nervous and a little uneasy,” said one Warner Bros. Discovery employee. “With the Netflix option, people had become a little more hopeful. But this outcome is a little more frightening for the staff.”

Stuff We Wrote

Film shoots

Number of the week

sixty-four point one million dollars

After 30 years, the Ghostface killer has still got it. Paramount Pictures and Spyglass Media Group’s “Scream 7” topped the box office this last weekend with $64.1 million in the U.S. and Canada, marking a franchise-best domestic opening. Globally, the film made $97.2 million.

The film centered on original franchise actors Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox, and featured numerous callbacks to the previous movies.

But the film’s debut did not come without controversy. Pro-Palestinian groups protested outside the “Scream 7” premiere on the Paramount lot last week and called for a boycott of the film after franchise star Melissa Barrera was fired more than two years ago for her comments on the Israel-Hamas war.

What I’m watching

On Sunday, I watched the UCLA women’s basketball team dominate USC in what I think is one of the best college rivalries out there (though I’m probably biased. Go Bruins!)

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Who does Gregory Bridgerton marry?

Who does Gregory Bridgerton marry? – The Mirror


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Singer Adriana Araujo dies from brain aneurysm just six years after rising to fame during Covid lockdown

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Singer dies of brain aneurysm aged 49, Image 2 shows Singer dies of brain aneurysm aged 49

SINGER Adriana Araujo has died of a brain aneurysm just six years after finding fame for her inspiring performances during Covid lockdown.

Adriana tragically collapsed at home on Saturday night and was rushed to hospital in a “very serious and irreversible” condition.

Adriana Araujo was just 49-years-oldCredit: Jam Press
The singer gained fame during the Covid pandemicCredit: Jam Press

The chanteuse remained in a coma from an aneurysm which caused “extensive bleeding” to the brain.

Sadly, she passed away at the Odilon Behrens Metropolitan Hospital in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on Monday.

She was just 49.

Adriana, who had over 70,000 Instagram followers, was considered one of the leading stars of Brazil’s samba scene.

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She was raised in the favela of Pedreira Prado Lopes in Belo Horizonte, taking part in Afro dance and theatre workshops in the community.

Adriana launched her solo career in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic.

She performed concerts for the local community from her rooftop and livestreamed them to her growing online audience.

Her lockdown shows helped to raise funds for poor families in the Primeiro de Maio and São Marcos neighbourhoods.

In 2021, the samba star released her album Minha Verdade (My Truth), bringing together her own compositions and collaborations.

The album addressed themes such as Black pride, ancestry, love, and motherhood.

Ariana was rushed to hospital on Saturday nightCredit: Jam Press
She was considered one of the leading stars of Brazil’s samba sceneCredit: Jam Press

Following her death, the singer’s team said in a statement: “Today we say goodbye to our beloved Adriana Araújo.

“Adriana was much more than a great voice of samba, she had a warm embrace, an easy smile, a generous heart, and a joy for life that illuminated everyone around her.

“Samba will deeply feel her absence.”

She leaves behind her husband Evaldo and son Daniel.

Her lockdown shows helped to raise funds for poor families in the Primeiro de Maio and Sao Marcos neighbourhoodsCredit: Jam Press

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Jade Thirlwall drops biggest hint yet that full Little Mix reunion is OFF after ‘fury’ over Jesy Nelson’s comments

JADE Thirlwall has dropped a major clue that a Little Mix reunion if off the table after Jesy Nelson’s recent interview.

The Sweet Melody hitmaker, 33, said there were lots of sweet symbolisms behind the number three when it came to her career.

Jade Thirlwall dropped a huge hint that full Little Mix reunion is OFF the tableCredit: Capitalbuzz/Instagram
Jade said there were lots of sweet symbolisms behind the number threeCredit: Getty
Jesy Nelson made some bombshell claims about the ‘real reason’ behind her Little Mix exitCredit: Instagram

Just last month, Jesy made some bombshell claims about the “real reason” behind her Little Mix exit, which ultimately dashed hopes of a reunion.

Speaking at the BRIT Awards on Saturday, Jade praised bandmate Leigh-Anne Pinnock on her solo album, My Ego Told Me To, which was released last month.

During an interview with Capital, Jade said: “I’m so happy for her. I’ve been chatting to her today saying how proud I am.

“So deserved, the album’s amazing.”

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Referring to Leigh-Anne’s album going top three in the charts, Jade said: “And I feel like it’s some weird cosmic energy that we’re all number three and that we’re a three, three, three.

“I feel like it’s quite special, very happy for her.”

Little Mix currently consists of three members – Jade, Leigh-Anne and their fellow bandmate Perrie Edwards.

The group was previously a four-piece before Jesy quit in December 2020.

Jesy, 34, revealed the truth behind her sudden departure.

The singer shocked fans when she revealed her secret suicide attempt days before quitting the group – suggesting her cry for help was ignored by her bandmates.

The revelation came after Jesy thrilled fans with news their six-year feud was over after the girls had privately reached out.

While Jesy gave fresh hope about the possibility of reconciling with her bandmates on stage, the girls’ reactions following her comments suggested an entirely different story.

A source told The Sun: “Jesy’s confession has obviously opened up a can of worms for the girls.

“The documentary itself and the backlash that has followed, has brought up a lot of bad feeling from the past.

Jesy (second left) revealed the truth behind her sudden departure in a recent documentaryCredit: Getty

“It’s been upsetting for the girls, but they are focused on their solo careers and the future now.”

While on her tour of That’s Showbiz Baby! in the US, Jade broke down in tears on stage as she sung Natural at Disaster.

The track is said to have been written about her struggling friendship with Jesy, with lyrics including: “It’s hard to love you when you hate yourself. Can’t be there for you without negatively impacting my mental health.”

And seemingly in another swipe at Jesy after Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix was released, Jade chose to play Natural At Disaster over her latest Instagram post.

Sharing video footage from behind the scenes at her show in Chicago, JADE wrote: “And all that jazz.”

One fan commented: “The song choice… I hope you’re not shading Jesy. I love you all.”

Jesy’s revelations sent Little Mix’s fanbase into a spin – with some rival supporters clashing online.

Recalling the painful breakdown of Little Mix’s friendship days before her overdose, Jesy said: “I sat ­everyone down to explain how I was feeling and I remember one of the responses being, ‘Are you done now? Is that it?’

“She [one of the girls] was like, ‘Can I go now?’”

Fighting back tears, Jesy added: “That made me feel really alone. I felt like there was no point. That no one cared.”

Her comments apparently sparked social media rows, with some fans “picking a side”.

However, others insisted: “Jesy sharing her side of the story of what happened shouldn’t be viewed as her trying to villainise them. Me nor you truly don’t know what happened between those girls so trying to sit there and call someone a liar as if you know better than her is very weird.”

Another said: “Both sides have faults and both sides have valid feelings. It’s really not that hard to understand.”

Someone else added: “I’m proud Jade, Leigh-Anne and Perrie reached out to her when Jesy was pregnant because they are good people all three of them. I just hope they can all move forward now and heal.”

Jesy revealed her secret suicide attempt days before quitting the groupCredit: Getty

How to get help

EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide

It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.

It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.

And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.

Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.

If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:

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Gina Gershon on ‘Showgirls,’ living in the Valley, standing up to men

On the Shelf

Alphapussy

By Gina Gershon
Akashic: 288 pages, $27

If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.

Gina Gershon considers herself a storyteller, first and foremost. When we connect via video call, Gershon admits this is the first interview she’s done since submitting the manuscript for her latest book, “AlphaPussy: How I Survived the Valley and Learned to Love My Boobs.”

“I don’t have my spiel yet!” she warns, inquiring for the first of a few times what I thought of it and whether I enjoyed it. Despite the many decades Gershon has been treading the boards, starring in indie films and Hollywood star vehicles, and stalking the stage as a singer-guitarist, she still really cares about what you think, even if it won’t change her own mind. Perhaps that’s the key to her professional longevity.

“AlphaPussy” is neither a memoir nor a guide to self-betterment, but elements of both feed into Gershon’s stories. Each wittily titled chapter plunges readers into Gershon’s freewheeling 1970s childhood, defiant adolescence, burgeoning performance career and collaborations with some of the biggest names in film (including Sharon Stone, Paul Verhoeven and Tom Cruise). Most of the stories take place in the San Fernando Valley, where young Gershon was discovering weed, mushrooms and rock ‘n’ roll. This is not a titillating tell-all, and all the better for it.

"AlphaPussy" by Gina Gershon

“AlphaPussy” by Gina Gershon

(Akashic Books)

“This book realistically started during COVID,” Gershon explains from her New York home. “I’d told my book agent, a friend, some stories one day when we were drunk, and he kept prodding me to write a book. I was hesitant, though. I’m not a tell-all gal, that’s not my MO.”

She adds, “It was during lockdowns, and I think his mother was sick and he was having a hard time, so when he said, ‘Just write me stories to keep me cheered up,’ I started to write stories in no particular order, whatever bubbled up, because otherwise I figured I’d forget them one day.”

At the same time, Gershon had observed that young women weren’t feeling empowered to advocate for themselves in their personal relationships and workplaces.

“I noticed that especially with younger women friends of mine, they’d tell me about things they were going through on set or with their bosses, and I don’t know if it’s a millennial thing, but I said, ‘Why don’t you just look him in the eye and tell him to stop?’ and there was this sense [for me] of ‘Why can’t you do that? Because if you don’t, you’ll always be prey to these guys.’ ”

She clarifies that she means “annoying” men rather than abusive men.

“I’m not that tough,” admits Gershon. “But I’d learned how to maneuver a lot just from growing up in the Valley, and it was a crazy time to be living there. So I thought about the stories that led me to be able to steer myself through toxicity.”

Gina Gershon, wearing a red dress, poses in front of a patterned curtain.

In her new book, Gina Gershon recalls the industry vitriol toward her 1995 erotic film “Showgirls.”

(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)

And also to steer herself through well-intended advice, both personal and professional, to follow her instincts.

“Listen, it’s not like I’ve had the most normal career. I’ve done most of my projects despite warnings from other people and from my agents saying, ‘You can’t do this, you’ll ruin your career.’ I’m like, ‘Why? I like this project!’ ”

One of those projects, most infamously, was “Showgirls,” which gets plenty of mentions in the book.

As Gershon recalled, it was 1994, and an astrologer had predicted her major breakout role would arrive in October that year, testing the young actor and her ability to cope with notoriety. Great, thought Gershon, bring it on.

Months later, Gershon was hanging from the ceiling, dressed in bondage gear, reflecting upon her early acting goals to perform Chekhov, portray Medea and stun audiences into silence.

She was on the set of “Showgirls” (or “Survival of the Titties,” as she nicknames it), dressed in one of the many glittering, spangled, flimsy outfits that her character Cristal Connors parades about wearing as a veteran of Vegas striptease. That role, and the vitriol from within the industry toward the movie (a flop turned cult favorite), still stings.

“I was super excited going into ‘Showgirls.’ As I talk about in one of the chapters, it was just very different when I got there. It was a completely different show than I thought I was going to be doing. … I thought it was gonna be one of [director Paul Verhoeven’s] dark Dutch films.”

Realizing that it was something else, to say the least, Gershon pivoted.

“I learned how to deal with an insane environment while keeping focused on what it is that I was trying to achieve with the part, without getting swallowed up by the insanity, which is a valuable lesson, you know? I mean, it’s a good lesson to learn no matter what you’re doing.”

Last year, Gershon watched the movie for the first time in decades.

“I hadn’t seen it in a zillion years, and when I saw it, I understood it a little bit more. It made me feel tense, but I also thought, ‘Oh, interesting.’ Some scenes that I thought shouldn’t have been there and others that absolutely have to be there. I saw it with a different lens.”

She says, “Weirdly, I feel like I’m not supposed to be talking about ‘Showgirls,’ although I think I have five chapters about ‘Showgirls’ [in the book]. I did the ones that I thought were kind of funny and fun and had some sort of growth in it for me.”

Having recently wrapped filming on “an independent film, a trans love story” in Palm Springs, penned a script and midway through writing another, Gershon doesn’t intend on writing another book anytime soon. Still, “there’s so many stories I left out,” she concedes.

“I could write three more books with things, but I really wanted to stay on point with the themes of manipulation, survival, and moving around and being able to stand on your own two feet and know who you are and to have agency over your life, especially as a woman, especially as an actress, especially in this world.”

Gina Gershon, wearing a red dress, poses in front of a colorful wall.

“I’m not that tough,” says Gina Gershon. “But I’d learned how to maneuver a lot just from growing up in the Valley, and it was a crazy time to be living there. So I thought about the stories that led me to be able to steer myself through toxicity.”

(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)

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Fitness influencer Malibu Fit Maxx admits he lied about getting caught in explosion while serving in the army

A FITNESS influencer has confessed to lying about getting caught in an explosion.

Influencer Malibu Fit Maxx has admitted that he lied about the ordeal while serving in the army.

Malibu Fit Maxx has apologised about telling his followers a lieCredit: Instagram
The influencer, whose real name is Lee Markham, took to social media in the candid videoCredit: malibufitmaxx/Instagram

The fitness influencer, whose real name is Lee Markham, shared a video this week where he revealed that he lied about sustaining an injury from an improvised explosive device while on active duty.

Speaking in his candid video, the influencer said: “I wanted to talk to you directly about the claim that I made, taking an IED blast to the face.”

He then said how he was “deeply proud” to have served in the military between 2005 and 2010.

The internet star explained how he received negative comments online about his appearance, which in turn let to him making a false claim about his time serving in the army.

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“I’ve always got comments about my face and appearance.

“Some of them were harsh. And to be honest, I didn’t handle it well,” he began.

“I was new to being in the public eye and I didn’t know how to handle the criticism.”

He went on: “Instead of facing that right away, I made a bad decision and put ‘IED Survivor’ in my bio. That was not true and it was wrong.

“But truly I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart,” he said.

He added: “I have always tried to promote positivity and support for others, especially veterans.

“But I understand that my actions here contradict that. I take full responsibility for it,” he said later in the video.

Keen to regain the trust of his followers and fans, he added: “I know words alone will not fix this.

“Trust is earned. It’s not owed.

“All I can do is be honest with you guys going forward and let my actions speak over time.”

The Influencer Insider – Get all the gossip on all your favourite online stars

Want to know more about the influencer who faked cancer? Read all about Brittany Miller and her sham career here.

We have all the inside gossip about Ladbaby mum’s incredible weight loss here.

And talking of weight loss, we know all about what is going on with B&M queen Becki Jones, which you can read up on here.

If health influencers are your thing, then read this on the man behind Tonic Health and his dubious claims here.

His followers were divided in the comments section.

One person penned: “hanks for keeping it real bro. You’re one of the only accounts on here that brings true happiness to so many people.

“Don’t ever forget that and don’t ever stop going, bro.”

While another said: “This is a great example of taking accountability. You turned that from a disaster into a humble moment that other men can learn from. Respect!”

“Apologised like a man and didnt make excuses or keep lying – still a legend in my eyes,” added a third.

Meanwhile, someone else penned: “Bro only making this video because he got called out publicly. This is not accountability, this is damage control.”

And another slammed: “You ain’t sorry you’re only sorry because you got caught.”

Some fans were divided by his apology videoCredit: malibufitmaxx/Instagram

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‘Moving’ true crime documentary leaves viewers ‘crying all the way through’

The Channel 4 documentary is said to be “both harrowing and moving in equal measure”

A “moving” true crime documentary newly released on Channel 4 has left viewers “crying all the way through”.

The Dunblane Tapes takes viewers back to 1996 to a tragic mass shooting that saw over a dozen primary school children killed. The heartbreaking documentary spans across 73 minutes as it tells the devastating impact of those still dealing with the loss, as well as the successful campaign launched to ban weapons in the UK.

With previously unseen footage, a Channel 4 synopsis states: “After the 1996 mass shooting at Dunblane, a campaign was launched to ban private handguns in the UK. This remarkable story is now told through unseen footage filmed by a bereaved parent.”

The documentary, released to mark the event’s anniversary, was previously aired on Channel 4 last month, but is now available to stream online for those who missed it.

It has been dubbed an “emotional roller coaster” and viewers have been left in tears following the harrowing instalment. Taking to social media, one viewer previously wrote: “Just finished watching The Dunblane Tapes on Channel 4. Extremely upsetting watch, but the families who were devastated by what happened changed the law of the land and definitely stopped it happening again.

“Also extremely pleased the perpetrator’s name was not mentioned, I won’t mention it either as he doesn’t deserve to be mentioned. Please watch it, it’s humbling and devastating and I remember it like it was yesterday, it was 13th March 1996.”

One TikTok viewer, who was wiping away tears while discussing the film, said in a video: “Well I went into this documentary knowing it was going to be sad but oh my God… It is heartbreaking.”

They added: “It’s awful it’s so sad but definitely give this a watch. It’s really well made, just heartbreaking.”

In another video, one person said: “It’s meant to be an absolute emotional rollercoaster. I’m not sure if I can handle this one I’ll be honest.”

Another replied: “I just blubbed the whole way through the Dunblane Tapes”, as one person commented: “Cried all the way through the Dunblane one so so sad.” A third commented: “The Dunblane Tapes was so moving. I cried my eyes out.”

Over on X, one Channel 4 viewer said: “Watching #TheDunblaneTapes.. 7 mins in and I’m already in tears. Gonna be a difficult watch. So close to home.”

Another wrote: “Cried lots watching deeply moving #TheDunblaneTapes.” A third added: “@Channel4 has just done it again with #TheDunblaneTapes. Both harrowing & moving in equal measure.”

The Dunblane Tapes can be streamed now on Channel 4 online. For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website.

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Evil Dead’s Bruce Campbell, 67, reveals he has cancer saying ‘sorry if it’s a shock

EVIL Dead actor Bruce Campbell has revealed he has cancer in an emotional Instagram statement.

The 67-year-old screen star told fans in the message “sorry if it’s a shock – it was to me too”.

American actor Bruce Campbell has revealed he has cancer in an emotional Instagram statementCredit: Alamy
The Evil Dead star reassured them he is a ‘tough old son of a b***h’Credit: Alamy
The 67-year-old has told how his cancer is ‘treatable not curable’Credit: Alamy

Yet the Michigan-born horror actor was then quick to reassure them “fear not, I am a tough old son of a b***h”.

Bruce has revealed he has a “treatable but not curable” form of the disease and will need to take time away from work to recover.

The Hysteria! star wrote in a text post uploaded to his Instagram grid: “Hi folks these days when someone is having a health issue its referred to as an ‘opportunity’ so let’s go with that – I’m having one of those.

“It’s also called a type of cancer that’s ‘treatable not curable’.

“I apologize if that’s a shock, it was to me too.”

Bruce who was in cult flicks Crimewave and Maniac Cop added: “The good news is, I’m not going to go into any more detail.

“I’m posting this, because professionally, a few things will have to change – appearances and cons and work in general need to take [a] back seat to treatment.

“There are several cons this year summer [sic] that I have to cancel. Big regrets on my part.

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“Treatment needs and professional obligations don’t always go hand-in-hand.

“That’s about it. I’m not trying to enlist sympathy – or advice – I just want to get ahead of this information in case false information gets out (which it will).

“Fear not, I am a tough old son-of-a-b***h and I have great support, so I expect to be around a while.

“As always, you’re the greatest fans in the world and I hope to see you soon!”

Fans were also quick to offer words of support for the science fiction TV star.

One insisted: “Cancer doesn’t stand a chance. Hail to the king, baby. We love you Bruce.”

A second put: “Sending you all the best, Bruce!”

A third posted: “You are loved and must feel the terrific support flooding your direction! You definitely have this!”

One then added: “Hail to the King, baby.”

Bruce is best-known for his role in the Evil Dead franchise, playing Ash Williams.

He is the only character to appear in each instalment of the series and battles a series of possessed creatures called Deadites, who have been taken over by the Kandarian Demon.

His stints in the Evil Dead movies saw him voted as the greatest horror movie character ever back in 2013.

His personal profile has rocketed thanks to his movie status, with many hailing Bruce a cultural icon.

In 2007, he featured in a parody of his movie career in My Name Is Bruce.

He previously told dvdtalk.com of filming the gory Evil Dead instalment and said: “In retrospect, it’s funny as hell.

“The last three days of shooting Evil Dead we never fell asleep. At the time we were just zombies.

“Various people would fall asleep in the middle of the woods and we’d find each other randomly.”

He added: “We didn’t even think we’d finish the movie, so there was none of this, ‘Wow, I hope we make a hit!’

“We were just hoping we’d get the hell out of Tennessee in one piece. We were wrecking rental cars, rental trucks, cameras, wrecking actresses and ourselves. Everything.

“We were getting poked, bitten, scrapped, and my brother fell off a cliff.

“It was a comedy of terror. That was the most terrifying part: making the movie.”

Bruce has been hailed a horror movie icon by fans – who have been quick to issue messages of support in his health battleCredit: Alamy
He told how his plan is ‘to get as well as I possibly can’Credit: Alamy
He has opened on the real-life horrors while filming Evil DeadCredit: Alamy
He has also had a cameo in SpidermanCredit: YouTube

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Michael Jackson abused boy at homes of Elton John, Elizabeth Taylor, lawsuit says

Four siblings who were part of Michael Jackson’s secret “second family” have filed a lawsuit revealing the depths of the alleged sexual abuse they suffered as children, including claims that the singer molested one of the boys at the homes of Elton John and Elizabeth Taylor.

The lawsuit, filed against Jackson’s estate in California’s Central District Court on Friday, accuses the late singer of grooming, drugging, raping and sexually assaulting four of the Cascio children — Edward, Dominic, Marie-Nicole and Aldo — over the course of more than a decade, beginning when some of them were as young as 7. A fifth sibling, Frank Cascio, is not a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

The pop icon used code phrases such as “Can I have a meeting,” “Yogi Tea,” “Neverland,” and “Go to Disneyland” to encourage the children to engage in “extreme sex acts” with him, the suit alleges. He plied them with wine — “Jesus Juice” — and hard liquor — “Disney Juice “ — and used drugs to make them more compliant, according to the lawsuit.

The “Thriller” singer’s connection to the Cascio family began in the 1980s when he met their father, Dominic Cascio Sr., at a luxury hotel in New York where the father worked.

The lawsuit accuses Jackson of “insinuating himself” into the Cascio family by using “obsessive attention, lavish gifts, access to his celebrity lifestyle, and declarations that he loved and needed each of them.” He invited them to travel around the world with him and celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas and his own birthday with them. He often spent long periods of time at their New Jersey home, where he also brought his own children, according to the complaint.

The chart-topping artist is accused of raping and molesting Edward “Eddie” Cascio at Elizabeth Taylor’s house in Switzerland as well as at Elton John’s home in the United Kingdom. Representatives for Jackson’s estate, Taylor’s estate and John did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The complaint alleges that the late singer abused the four siblings at international and national tour stops as well as at his Santa Barbara County estate, Neverland Ranch. That property became a central focus of the 2019 documentary “Leaving Neverland,” in which two of Jackson’s accusers, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, detail the abuse they suffered as children.

The complaint states that Jackson’s staff would help conceal and normalize his abuse of the Cascios; employees would deliberately book the parents hotel rooms away from their children, the suit says, so they could not tell how much time Jackson was spending with them.

The entertainer showed the siblings pornography and photos of naked children to desensitize them, the complaint alleges. He told them that his life, their lives and that of their family members would be destroyed if people knew what was going on.

“He told them to stay away from therapists and to avoid women, who he told them were ‘evil,’ ‘sneaky,’ ‘liars,’ and could ‘smell’ if something sexual had happened,” the complaint states.

For decades after the initial 1993 sexual assault claim against Jackson surfaced, the Cascio family did not speak up against the singer.

The performer convinced the parents to withdraw Aldo Cascio and Marie-Nicole Cascio from school on two occasions to “prevent disclosure of the abuse and gain more access to them,” the complaint alleges. The second time was shortly after authorities raided Neverland Ranch in 2003.

The Cascios’ longtime relationship with the superstar became known to the public when they appeared on Oprah in 2010.

During the appearance, they were billed as Jackson’s secret “second family” and said that they were reluctant to come forward but wanted to “show the world who Michael really was.” At the time, the family said that the siblings were never abused and that they didn’t believe the accusations against Jackson.

As the four siblings aged and exposés such as “Leaving Neverland” came out, their statements about their childhood relationship with the pop star shifted. In 2019, several members of the Cascio family entered a confidential settlement agreement with Jackson’s estate agreeing to remain silent about their relationship to the singer.

That agreement provided for Jackson’s estate to pay each sibling five annual payments of about $690,000 as compensation “for the many years that Jackson abused each of them and that the Jackson Organization enabled and covered up the abuse,” according to the complaint. The Cascios say that this amount is “wholly inadequate,” noting that the singer reportedly paid $25 million in 1994 to settle the abuse allegations made against him in 1993.

Now, the four siblings are challenging the agreement as part of their recently filed lawsuit, alleging that they were coerced into signing it without understanding their rights.

“Buried within the Document’s legalese was a purported release of the Estate from liability for Jackson’s crimes, and language that prohibited Plaintiffs from reporting Jackson’s crimes to law enforcement or anyone saying anything negative about Jackson, or holding the Estate accountable in court for its and Jackson’s wrongdoing,” the complaint alleges.

Marty Singer, an attorney for Jackson’s estate, decried the lawsuit as “a desperate money grab” in a statement to People. A representative for Singer did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

“The family staunchly defended Michael Jackson for more than 25 years, attesting to his innocence of inappropriate conduct,” Singer told People. “This new court filing is a transparent forum-shopping tactic in their scheme to obtain hundreds of millions of dollars from Michael’s estate and companies.”

The four Cascio siblings are asking a jury to award them financial damages — including some potentially tripled damages because they were abused as children — over their allegations of sexual abuse and cover-up. They are also asking the court to throw out the 2019 agreement they say was used to silence them and are also seeking a ruling that the estate cannot force their claims into private arbitration.

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‘Phenomenal’ war period drama is a ‘must-watch’ on Amazon Prime

The critically acclaimed war drama is currently streaming on Amazon Prime and stars an Oscar-winning Hollywood A-lister in a completely unrecognisable avatar.

A compelling wartime period drama has been branded essential viewing by audiences and critics, featuring an exceptionally gifted actor whose portrayal earned him an Academy Award.

Helmed by Joe Wright from a script by Anthony McCarten, this 2017 historical drama chronicles Winston Churchill’s tenure as Prime Minister during the Second World War, specifically focusing on the critical May 1940 war cabinet crisis.

The film takes its name, Darkest Hour, from the phrase used to describe those perilous early war days, when British forces were stranded at Dunkirk, France teetered on the brink of collapse, and impossible odds faced Britain and the Allied Forces. Churchill himself had used the term ‘Darkest Hour’ in his public addresses during that period.

The official synopsis reads: “The fate of Western Europe hangs on Winston Churchill in the early days of World War II. The newly appointed British prime minister must decide whether to negotiate with Hitler or fight on against incredible odds. During the next four weeks in 1940, Churchill cements his legacy as his courageous decisions and leadership help change the course of world history.”

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Gary Oldman takes on the leading role of Winston Churchill, becoming utterly unrecognisable as the British PM through a transformation requiring over three hours daily to achieve, using intricate makeup and delicate prosthetics.

Speaking to ABC News, Oldman revealed of his dramatically transformed look in the film: “It took three hours, 15 minutes and then getting into the costume and everything, it was just under four hours, 48 days consecutively.”

He added: “And then I would be dressed as Winston by the time the director arrived and the other actors for rehearsal. So it was very odd. They did not see me as Gary for three months for the entire shooting because I was always in my makeup.”

Shedding the character at the end of each gruelling day proved equally challenging. The acclaimed actor explained to the publication it was a “very slow process” whereby a special solution was required to dissolve his appearance, resulting in approximately 18-hour working days.

Oldman confessed he genuinely feared he “would not have the stamina” to endure the entire shoot, yet somehow pushed through and “loved every minute of it”.

Raking in $150 million at the global box office against a production budget of $30 million, Darkest Hour proved an undeniable commercial triumph, reports the Express.

Oldman was joined by Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane, Ronald Pickup, and Ben Mendelsohn who rounded off a stellar supporting cast.

Beyond its box office success, Darkest Hour earned widespread critical acclaim, securing six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup and Hairstyling, and Best Actor – the latter of which Oldman triumphantly claimed, along with the Oscar for makeup and hairstyling.

Boasting an impressive 84% critics’ approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Darkest Hour received widespread acclaim from reviewers, with one writing: “As a portrait of leadership at its most brilliant, thoughtful and morally courageous, “Darkest Hour” is the movie we need right now.”

Unsurprisingly, Oldman’s portrayal garnered particular praise, with one critic saying: “Oldman brings a wicked wit and compassionate heart to the role, one for which he seems almost superhumanly suited for – and that’s really saying something, consider how many great actors have played Churchill.”

Another impressed reviewer wrote: “It’s an amazing performance: the only star turn I’ve seen in which a famous actor visible in nearly every scene would be unrecognisable if we didn’t know his name already.”

Whilst a fourth critic succinctly said: “Darkest Hour is a one man show for Oldman. And what a show it is.”

Audience responses echoed similar sentiments, with one admirer writing: “A deeply gripping and entertaining vignette of leadership from one of history’s greatest. Superbly well cast and designed. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. Highly recommended.”

Another viewer said about the film: “One of those films that gives you goosebumps as Churchill bumbles his way into history (again). Oldman is superb as Churchill and the filing is so atmospheric you almost feel as if you’re in the House of Commons or his house with him. Kirsten Scott-Thomas and Lily James along with Ronald Pickup are perfect in their roles. If you’ve ever been in the War Rooms in London you can sense the claustrophobic hive of activity that unbelievably held the British war effort together. A film that I could watch more than once.”

A third admirer added: “Gary Oldman was indeed phenomenal on this one. And even without Gary’s performance, this would still be a worthy watch.”

Darkest Hour is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

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