Todd Snider, a singer and songwriter beloved in the Americana music scene for his funny yet empathetic portraits of people struggling to survive an uncaring world, died Friday. He was 59.
His death was announced in a post on his Instagram account, which didn’t state a cause or say where he died. An earlier post signed by “Todd’s Friends & Family” said that he’d been admitted to a hospital in Hendersonville, Tenn., after experiencing breathing problems and that he’d been diagnosed with pneumonia; before that, he called off a tour this month after telling fans that he’d been injured in a “violent assault” outside a hotel in Salt Lake City.
Frequently compared to the likes of John Prine and Kris Kristofferson — both of whom mentored him at various points — Snider wrote about “how poor people sometimes cope with pain and hardship,” he told the New York Times in 2009. “A little drugs here, a little sex here, a little denial there.”
In a prolific recording career that stretched three decades, Snider made albums for labels owned by Prine and by Jimmy Buffett and for his own company, Aimless Records. Yet to many he was best experienced onstage, where he’d thread his songs into a kind of running monologue about his rough-and-tumble life.
Among his best-known tunes were the rollicking “Beer Run”; “Can’t Complain,” about a guy with “nothing to lose ’cause there is nothing to gain”; and “Alright Guy,” which opens with a scene in which a friend catches him leafing through “that new book with pictures of Madonna naked.”
“Said she’d never pegged me for a scumbag before,” he sings, “She said she didn’t ever want to see me anymore / And I still don’t know why.”
In his 2014 memoir, Snider told a shaggy-dog story about the time Garth Brooks summoned him to a studio to help him record a cover of “Alright Guy” in the guise of his alter ego, Chris Gaines.
“I was already starstruck before Garth walked up and introduced himself,” Snider wrote. “He said, ‘I thought you had red hair,’ because he’d seen me on the ‘Austin City Limits’ television show, and I’d dyed my hair red for that show. It wasn’t supposed to be red. It was supposed to be dark brown. My plan was to look like John Fogerty, but instead I ended up looking like the guy from the movie ‘Dumb and Dumber.’” (Brooks didn’t release the cover, though Snider said the country superstar sent him a check for $10,000 anyway.)
Todd Daniel Snider was born Oct. 11, 1966, and grew up in Oregon before making his way to Texas and then Nashville. His debut album, “Songs for the Daily Planet,” came out in 1994 via Buffett’s Margaritaville label; it closed with a motor-mouthed acoustic ditty called “Talkin’ Seattle Grunge Rock Blues” in which he lovingly lampooned the era’s alternative rock boom:
Now, to fit in fast, we wear flannel shirts
We turn our amps up until it hurts
We got bad attitudes, and what’s more
When we play, we stare straight down at the floor
A critics’ fave from the get-go, Snider earned rave reviews with 2004’s “East Nashville Skyline,” whose highlights include a characteristically wordy depiction of the culture wars then roiling America in the wake of 9/11 — “Conservative, Christian, Right Wing Republican, Straight, White, American Males,” it’s called — and “The Ballad of the Kingsmen,” in which he contemplates the meaning of the lyrics to “Louie Louie.”
Among the many other LPs he went on to release were 2009’s “The Excitement Plan,” which was produced by Don Was, and a 2012 collection of songs by Jerry Jeff Walker, the country-folk songwriter who’d served as a crucial influence on him. Snider’s most recent record, “High, Lonesome and Then Some,” came out in October.
Snider spoke openly throughout his life about his struggles with drugs and with chronic pain related to spinal stenosis. “I do a lot of things to try to help it, but I have to make peace with it, too,” he said of the condition in an interview last month with Rolling Stone. “Which hasn’t been easy.” Information about Snider’s survivors wasn’t immediately available.
James Bye is joining forces with Hollyoaks actor Gary Lucy in the West End show 2:22 A Ghost Story – and fans are excited to see the two soap stars on the stage together
James Bye as Martin Fowler in EastEnders(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Actor James Bye has landed his first major role since his EastEnders character, Martin Fowler, was killed off in the soap. The 41-year-old star is joining forces with Hollyoaks actor Gary Lucy, whose character Luke Morgan was also killed off, for a new theatre acting job in the West End. The two actors will play Sam and Ben in 2:22 A Ghost Story in next year’s shows.
The announcement was made by the official profile of the play on Instagram, with a poster showing the actors in their roles. It read: ” INTRODUCING OUR 2026 SAM AND BEN. @jimmybye and Gary Lucy will be taking #222AGhostStory across the UK through 2026!
“Joined by @shvornemarks returning as Jenny and @natalielauracasey as Lauren.” Fans were excited to see that James and Gary will be working together on the production – and many said they can’t wait to go to the theatre to watch the show.
“Amazing such a brilliant cast,” a person said. “Can’t wait. See you in Cardiff,” a fan added. A third wrote: “This is a great duo! I’m gonna come watch!”
“Ooooooooo brilliant, great casting,” someone else said. The West End show, a thriller play by Danny Robins, premiered in 2021 and received a Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best New Play the following year.
James played Martin in EastEnders from 2014 until he was killed off for the soap’s 40th anniversary episode this year. The character died after being trapped by a falling steel beam during an explosion at the Queen Vic pub. The episode aired on February 20 and saw Martin have a final moment with Stacey before he was crushed and died from his injuries.
After leaving the soap, James landed a job as Jane Austen hero Mr Darcy in the theatrical world premiere of Death Comes To Pemberley. Following his sudden departure from EastEnders, James said: “Saying goodbye is not easy, but after 10 years at EastEnders and on the night of the shows epic 40th anniversary – the time felt right. It’s an honour to leave on a story of this magnitude.
“A huge thank you to all the fans of the show – EastEnders wouldn’t be what it is without you – and to the BBC and EastEnders team for trusting me with this role for so many years. This fruit and veg man will always hold a special place in my heart. It’s time to look forward, and I’m incredibly excited for what the future holds. RIP Martin Fowler.”
Gary’s Hollyoaks character was killed off in July 2022 after suffering a fatal fall in Mallorca. Viewers were left heartbroken following Luke’s tragic death. “Wow I just finished Hollyoaks, I was not expecting Luke to go like that”, one fan wrote on X, then called Twitter.
“So sad watching Luke fall to his death on his stag. What a way to kill him off,” another echoed. “Can’t believe that’s the last of Luke Morgan,” someone else complained.
Meanwhile, a fourth said: “Hollyoaks playing that montage of Luke after he fell to his death has ruined my day. I loved him.”
SACHA Baron Cohen hooked up with a stunning Kylie Jenner lookalike 28 years his junior – just hours after his ex-wife said she had “cried” over being a single woman.
Sacha Baron Cohen hooked up with a stunning Kylie Jenner lookalike 28 years his juniorCredit: BackGridThe comic, 54, was spotted with American influencer Kelsey Calemine, 26, in HollywoodCredit: BackGridSacha appeared to exchange numbers with Kelsey before they left the nightspot in separate carsCredit: BackGrid
After they had left an exclusive new nightspot in Hollywood, the movie star chatted intimately with Kelsey, before handing her his pink mobile phone, as she appeared to tap her number into it.
Sacha, who is just two years younger than Kelsey’s 56-year-old dad, had spent two hours inside the club between 1am and 3am on Friday morning.
Kelsey and her friend had also emerged from it when the actor got talking to her outside.
Brunette Kelsey – wearing a figure-hugging pink dress – leaned in close to the actor as he whispered into her ear.
The US socialite and foodie influencer – who has 2.8million Instagram followers and is friends with Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and entrepreneur Lauren Perez – spent several minutes laughing and chatting with Sacha.
After appearing to exchange phone numbers they finally got into separate Ubers, as he waved fondly at her.
An onlooker said: “Sacha arrived at 1am at a hot new exclusive nightclub that is just up and coming in Hollywood.
“He was on his own with no security.
“He left the club at 3am just seconds after Kelsey and her friend left.
“He instantly noticed her.
“He was staring at Kelsey and then walked over and started chatting to her. Someone told me he had been flirting with her inside the club.
“Outside they were both very flirty and they didn’t stop laughing.
“He then walked over to her Uber when it came and gave her his phone which had a pink case and she typed her number into it.”
She has a mega-wealthy real estate developer father Robert Peck, 56.
Witnesses told how Sacha was flirting with Kelsey inside the club before being spotted chatting outsideCredit: BackGridKelsey Kelsey was previously linked to ex-England and Chelsea footballer Ben ChilwellCredit: InstagramSacha has recently divorce from actress Isla Fisher after 13 years of marriage, and have three childrenCredit: Getty
Insiders said Sacha, who was wearing a brown jacket and white trainers, has been “playing the field” after his marriage split to Isla.
She revealed that creating a fresh life from “a grassroots level” has been “tough”.
Discussing the moment her furniture arrived, Isla added: “I did have a bit of a cry because this was my first time as a single woman, being in a home of my own.”
‘LONG TENNIS MATCH MARRIAGE’
She and Sacha announced their split in April last year, saying that after a “long tennis match” their marriage had come to an end.
They met in 2001 and married nine years later in March 2010. They have three children.
Isla previously revealed how the methods of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung had helped her heal from the divorce.
The Jungian method is a therapeutic approach that explores dreams and symbols.
In a statement at the time, Sacha and Isla said: “We are proud of all we’ve achieved together and, continuing our great respect for each other, we remain friends and committed to co-parenting our wonderful children.”
In July Isla admitted: “I’ve had a tough couple of years but I’m making it through.”
It was understood the pair resolved their split amicably.
Pals of Sacha said that he’s enjoying being single and is having fun but he also gives out his number for career advice because of his respect in the industry.
Sacha became famous for his comic creation Ali G, with television series and even a movieCredit: Getty – ContributorSacha’s next comic character Borat saw him become even more famous, with a movie and a sequelCredit: Alamy
She posted on Instagram: “For all those men who say ‘Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free’ here’s an update for you. Nowadays 80 per cent of women are against marriage. Why? They realise it’s not worth buying an entire pig just to get a little sausage.”
They spent two hours at a Beverly Hills steakhouse and then left in a limo.
SACHA’S DATES
Kelsey – who has a food page where she reviews restaurants – was snapped in April with basketball player Michael Porter Jr, 27, at an Italian eatery in St Tropez, France.
She posts videos on social media of herself eating food and then rating it.
On her TikTok page she describes herself with the title: “I love food and food loves me.”
She also has a channel called “Cooking w Kels” where she shows her followers meals that she has made.
On Friday she posted pictures to her 2.8million followers on Instagram at a fashion event wearing the same pink dress as in our exclusive snaps.
She captioned it: “Lowkey eating.”
Fans posted online that Kelsey was bought a Tesla by dad Rob to “encourage her to drive” and that she once had an OnlyFans page.
Sacha rose to comedy fame in the 1990s with his character Ali G, a wannabe gangster with the catchphrase, “Is it because I is black?”
He won more fans with characters Borat Sagdiyev, a bigoted Kazakh journalist, and Brüno Gehard, a flamboyant Austrian fashion reporter.
It led to film hits including the Madagascar franchise, Anchorman 2 and Grimsby.
VATICAN CITY — Pope Leo XIV welcomed Spike Lee, Cate Blanchett, Greta Gerwig and dozens of other Hollywood luminaries to a special Vatican audience Saturday celebrating cinema and its ability to inspire and unite.
Leo encouraged the filmmakers and celebrities gathered in a frescoed Vatican audience hall to use their art to include marginal voices, calling film “a popular art in the noblest sense, intended for and accessible to all.”
“When cinema is authentic, it does not merely console, but challenges,” he told the stars. “It articulates the questions that dwell within us, and sometimes, even provokes tears that we didn’t know we needed to shed.”
The encounter, organized by the Vatican’s culture ministry, followed similar audiences Pope Francis had in recent years with famous artists and comedians. It’s part of the Vatican’s efforts to reach out beyond the Roman Catholic Church to engage with the secular world.
But the gathering also seemed to have particular meaning for history’s first American pope, who grew up in the heyday of Hollywood. The 70-year-old, Chicago-born Leo just this week identified his four favorite films: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “The Sound of Music,” “Ordinary People” and “Life Is Beautiful.”
In a sign of how seemingly star-struck he was, Leo spent nearly an hour after the audience greeting and chatting amiably with each of the participants, something he rarely does for large audiences.
Drawing applause from the celebrities, Leo acknowledged that the film industry and cinemas around the world were experiencing a decline, with theaters that had once been important social and cultural meeting points disappearing from neighborhoods.
“I urge institutions not to give up, but to cooperate in affirming the social and cultural value” of movie theaters, he said.
Celebrities just happy to be invited
Many celebrities said they found Leo’s words inspiring, and expressed awe as they walked through the halls of the Vatican‘s Apostolic Palace, where a light luncheon reception awaited them after the audience.
“It was a surprise to me that I even got invited,” Lee told reporters along the red carpet in the palace.
During the audience, Lee had presented Leo with a jersey from his beloved Knicks basketball team, featuring the number 14 and Leo’s name on the back. Leo is a known Chicago Bulls fan, but Lee said he told the pope that the Knicks now boast three players from the pope’s alma mater, Villanova University.
Blanchett, for her part, said the pope’s comments were inspiring because he understood the crucial role cinema can play in transcending borders and exploring sometimes difficult subjects in ways that aren’t divisive.
“Filmmaking is about entertainment, but it’s about including voices that are often marginalized, and not [shying] away from the pain and complexity that we’re all living through right now,” she said.
She said Leo, in his comments about the experience of watching a film in a dark theater, clearly understood the culturally important role cinemas can play.
“Sitting in the dark with strangers is a way in which we can reconnect to what unites us rather than what divides us,” she said.
A ‘hit and miss’ guest list that grew
The gathering drew a diverse group of filmmakers and actors, including many from Italy, like Monica Bellucci and Alba Rohrwacher. American actors included Chris O’Donnell, Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann, Apatow’s wife.
Director Sally Potter said she was impressed that Leo took the time to speak with each one of them. And she said she loved his comments about the value of silence and slowness in film.
“It was a good model of how to be and how to think about cinema,” she said, noting especially Leo’s defense of “slow cinema” and not seeing the moving image just in terms of algorithms.
Director Gus Van Sant said he liked Leo’s vibe.
“He was very laid-back, you know, he had a fantastic message of beauty in cinema,” he said.
Archbishop Paul Tighe, the No. 2 in the Vatican culture ministry, said the guest list was pulled together just in the last three months, with the help of the handful of contacts Vatican officials had in Hollywood, including director Martin Scorsese.
The biggest hurdle, Tighe said, was convincing Hollywood agents that the invitation to come meet Leo wasn’t a hoax. In the end, as word spread, some figures approached the Vatican and asked to be invited.
“It’s an industry where people have their commitments months in advance and years in advance, so obviously it was a little hit and miss, but we’re very pleased and very proud” by the turnout, he said.
The aim of the encounter, Tighe said, was to encourage an ongoing conversation with the world of culture, of which film is a fundamental part.
“It’s a very democratic art form,” Tighe said. Saturday’s audience, he said, was “the celebration of an art form that I think is touching the lives of so many people and therefore recognizing it and giving it its true importance.”
Winfield writes for the Associated Press. AP journalists Trisha Thomas and Isaia Montelione contributed to this report.
EXCLUSIVE: Charlotte Crosby is back with a new Paramount+ reality show, Geordie Stories: Charlotte Mam of Two, and has shared an update on her infamous feud with Vicky Pattison
18:30, 15 Nov 2025Updated 18:35, 15 Nov 2025
Charlotte Crosby has shared an update on her feud with Vicky Pattison(Image: WireImage)
Charlotte Crosby has shared an update on where she stands with Strictly Come Dancing star Vicky Pattison after their infamous feud. Speaking to The Mirror, the 35-year-old saying that they don’t speak “for obvious reasons”.
Charlotte and Vicky fell out over 10 years ago, when Vicky allegedly accused Charlotte of copying her fitness DVD before calling Geordie Shore “toxic”. Last year, Charlotte said that she would apologise to Vicky if she were to see her again, saying that she understood why she turned her back on the show.
“She kind of turned her back on us. She did s**g the show off and everything about it, and we weren’t happy with her doing that. But now, looking at where I’m at now, I actually look back at that and think, actually, she’d just grown up,” she said last February.
“Now that I feel it, now that I’ve started a family, I totally kind of get where she was at. But I couldn’t understand then. So I feel like I get her now because I’m in the same place she was back then.”
However, Charlotte has now admitted that the pair are yet to bury the hatchet. When asked whether she would do Strictly Come Dancing, with Vicky taking part this year, Charlotte said: “Yeah, she’s on there this year,” before swiftly moving on.
She later said that she still stays in touch with a handful of people from her Geordie Shore days – except for ex Gary Beadle and Vicky. “Holly [Hagan] and Sophie [Kasaei] are my best friends. I still speak to Aaron [Chalmers], Scott [Timlin], still very close to James [Tindale]. Basically everyone but Vicky and Gary – for obvious reasons.”
While Charlotte’s Geordie Shore days are far behind her, she is now the ‘Boss’ on Aussie Shore – the Australian spin-off. In her new Paramount+ show, viewers watch as Charlotte heads Down Under for work, but finds juggling her career and motherhood hard work.
“It wasn’t as enjoyable because there was just too much to think about across the board,” she said about filming her new show, which features her fiancé Jake and their two daughters, three-year-old Alba and nine-month-old Pixi. “There’s always a lot of overthinking because my kids are involved.
“You’re very protective over your kids and I found myself being protective over the stupidest things. We were in a restaurant and Alba kicked the waitress. I was overthinking it so much… ‘Is she going to look really bad?’ But I watched the episode back and I was more at ease because it wasn’t like that – two-year-olds are two-year-olds but I just can’t be bothered by that type of thing.”
As for what’s next, Charlotte is setting her sights on the jungle – having taken part in the Australian version before. “I was so bad on the Australian version – I didn’t care,” she said.
“But I had no one to do it for. I was younger, I had an attitude problem. I just saw it as a pay cheque. Whereas now, there are two young girls watching my every move and I’ve got something to prove to myself. To them, to the world.”
Geordie Stories: Charlotte Mam Of Two airs from Wednesday 19 November on Paramount+
BROADWAY star Elizabeth Franz has died at the age of 84, her husband has confirmed.
The Tony Award-winning actress had been diagnosed with cancer.
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Actress Elizabeth Franz has died at the age of 84Credit: AP:Associated Press
Her husband Christopher Pelham told The New York Times that she died as a result of the disease and a “severe reaction” she suffered from the treatment.
She died at home on November 4 in Woodbury, Connecticut.
Franz is best known for playing Linda Loman in a 1999 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of a Salesman’.
It was this role that earned her a Tony Award and solidified her name among other Broadway greats.
That production scooped four awards, including the one given to Franz for best featured actress in a play.
She was also nominated for her performances in ‘Brighton Beach Memoirs’, a comedy by Neil Simon in 1983, and in 2002 for her role in Paul Osborn’s ‘Morning’s at Seven’.
As well as her husband, she is also survived by her brother, Joe.
What would Jesus do if his early years were told as an unremarkable horror film?
It would probably be another opportunity to forgive, along with the very easy act of forgetting “The Carpenter’s Son,” a dingy alt-biblical slog that doesn’t even have the kitschy sense to use Nicolas Cage properly as a paranoid Joseph who isn’t sure if his kid comes from the good place or the bad one.
Writer-director Lotfy Nathan’s inspiration is an apocryphal 2nd century text called the Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which purports to describe the incident-filled childhood of a temperamental Jesus. It’s never been widely accepted Christian canon, but there’s no reason why what isn’t holy scripture couldn’t be a holy-moly script. In the Egyptian-American filmmaker’s retelling, a mixed-up boy (Noah Jupe) running from persecution with his devout dad, the Carpenter (Cage), and ethereal mother (a blank-faced FKA Twigs) is a superhero in waiting, with a bloody gauntlet of nightmares to get through first.
One of those is surviving his own birth, presented here in a sequence of torchlit, squishy labor that’s far from the twinkly manger of Christmas-diorama harmony. Onscreen, the text reads “Anno Domini,” in case it’s not clear whose umbilical cord is getting cut. “They’re coming for him,” his papa intones. Mom’s anguished childbirth moaning segues to those of young women nearby having their babies ripped from their arms and thrown into a bonfire. Barely escaping the scrutiny of the king’s killers, this new family escapes.
A time shift takes us to when the boy is 15 (not to mention sullen, bored-looking and wracked by violent visions of crucifixion). Our trio lands in a remote settlement that affords them the chance at a simple life, albeit under the Carpenter’s strict precautions against evil spirits: boarded windows, lots of praying, staying clean and making sure the boy sticks to his schooling. Attractive mute girl Lilith (Souheila Yacoub) draws the lad’s peeping gaze. But then there’s the young androgynous figure with mysterious scars (Isla Johnston), who seems intent on giving the new kid lessons in rule-breaking, not to mention cynical guidance about his destiny.
“You know who I am, but who are you?” this coaxing stranger offers, which is like a playground retort twisted to sound pseudo-philosophical. Nathan, via his thoroughly pedestrian directorial style, never exactly masks who it is anyway. But it sure makes for monotonous viewing. Meanwhile, the petulant Jesus starts feeling his powers and is suddenly called a savior by some, a malevolent sorcerer by others. Mostly, he’s one more uninteresting movie juvenile.
With its flat location visuals, B-movie gore (snakes pulled from mouths) and colorless score, “The Carpenter’s Son” is the uninspired origin story you never prayed for. But it really feels like a wasted opportunity when Cage is onscreen, sporting what appears to be a middle-aged man’s attempt at a Rachel haircut, saddled with boring dialogue about faith and fear and generally behaving like a reformed maniac under sedation.
“The Carpenter’s Son” wants to mix it up with an invented (and what some might call blasphemous) narrative about that time Satan almost seduced brooding teenage Jesus. But not letting Cage go biblical? That’s some kind of sin against cinema.
‘The Carpenter’s Son’
Rated: R, for strong/bloody violent content, and brief nudity
Netflix has announced a brand-new thriller led by Gangs of London star Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù, adapted from a hit crime novel, after others have enjoyed another thriller and some have watched a 10/10 series.
All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby will be getting the small-screen treatment by Netflix.
The story set in the Deep South follows Titus Crown (paled by Dìrísù), the county’s first black sheriff, who is being taunted by taunted by a serial killer.
Crown is haunted by his deeply religious mother’s sudden death as he tries to track down the murderer, who has been quietly targeting the African American community of Charon County, Virginia for years, supposedly in the name of god. Can Crown track the killer down before they strike again?
Netflix has confirmed the forthcoming show will consist of nine episodes and features an all-star cast, including Disclaimer’s Leila George, All American’s Daniel Ezra, John Douglas Thompson from The Gilded Age, The White Lotus’ Murray Bartlett, Nicole Beharie from The Morning Show, and On My Block’s Andrea Cortés.
Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s screenwriter Joe Robert Cole has written the series.
Cole said about signing onto All the Sinners Bleed: “The specificity of the world S.A. Cosby created truly swept me away, and Titus Crown seized my heart.”
The show is being executive produced by Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company Higher Ground Productions, alongside Amblin Television and author Cosby.
In fact, All the Sinnners Bleed was originally on former American president Obama’s summer reading list.
All the Sinners Bleed came out in 2023 and was named by the Guardian as one of the best crime and thrillers of the year, while The Times declared it thriller of the month and the Financial Times heralded it one of the Best New Crime Books.
Readers have left their book reviews for All the Sinners Bleed on Amazon, with one person saying in their five-star review: “I was gripped from the first chapter” and added: “Very refreshing to read a thriller from an African American perspective. I see a powerful Netflix series in the future!”
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This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
A second five-star review was titled: “Hoping it’s first of a series, more please.” The reader stated: “Excellent thriller, for fans of John Connolly and James Lee Burke; hope Netflix do it justice with the forthcoming series.”
A third top-tier review declared: “Simply exquisite. So brilliantly written. I cannot stress highly enough just how great SA Cosby’s prose is.
“The characters are multi layered and I deeply cared about their well being. That’s so rare in a thriller where normally plot overtakes any kind of character development. Titus is a gem and I won’t easily forget him.”
While a fourth person said: “Boy that was an intense read. Cosby is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. His books are bleak, gritty, disturbing but splattered with memorable characters and great story telling and at the heart of them the worst and best of human nature.”
All the Sinners Bleed is in development with Netflix
Cleto Escobedo III died at the age of 59 on November 11.Credit: GettyJimmy Kimmel paid tribute to his ‘inseparable’ childhood friend as he launches two fundraisers in his honorCredit: Getty
Now, his death certificate, seen by TMZ, reveals his cause of death was cardiogenic shock – a condition where the heart is unable to pump enough blood around the body.
But it further detailed other underlying health issues that contributed to his death.
It listed Vasodilatory shock (dangerously low blood pressure), disseminated intravascular coagulation (blood clots leading to organ damage) and alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver (advanced liver disease).
Other conditions including sepsis, chronic kidney disease, and pneumonia were also noted as underlying issues.
The most insulting thing about the success of Breaking Rust, an artificial intelligence “artist” that topped Billboard’s Country Digital Song Sales Chart this week, is the titles of the hits.
“Walk My Way.”
“Living on Borrowed Time.”
The EP — which is also on the charts — is called “Resilient,” as if Breaking Rust spent years playing for tips in empty bars. And maybe Aubierre Rivaldo Taylor, who is credited for writing the songs, did. But the bluesy voice we hear singing about pain and suffering did not overcome anything.
In fact, you could say this completely computer-generated country singer found chart success by mocking people. A year ago, a handful of loud industry folks in Nashville questioned whether Beyoncé, who was born and raised in Texas, was country enough to do a country album. Good times. Today AI-generated “performers” such as Breaking Rust and Xania Monet, which hit the Billboard R&B charts, are suggesting you don’t even need to be human to fit into those genres.
Eric Church, whose latest release “Evangeline vs. the Machine,” was nominated this month in the best contemporary country album category at the Grammys, told me he’s not too worried because fans still want to see live shows and “AI algorithm is not going to be able to walk on stage and play.” He says that the best thing the industry can do is establish AI music as its own genre and that award shows should establish a separate category.
“I think it’s a fad,” he said, adding that he finds it fun. “When people like a song or connect with an artist the ultimate thing for them is then to go experience that artist with people who also like that artist, that’s the ultimate payoff. You’re not going to be able to do that with AI.”
Church wraps up touring on Saturday at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. In addition to promoting the new album, this year his foundation began providing housing for victims of Hurricane Helene using funds from a benefit concert. The North Carolina native also released a single to raise funds to help his neighbors. You know, things only a flesh-and-blood artist can do. Regarding Breaking Rust, he said: “The better thing we should be doing is making the general public aware that it’s AI because … I don’t think they know that.”
“The biggest problem is the ability to deceive people or manipulate people because it looks real, it sounds real, it’s pretty disingenuous if you didn’t say it,” Church told me. “I’ve seen stuff from me that is online.… They take my face and they put it on another body.… My mom sent me one and I was like, ‘Mom, that’s not me.’
“That’s where it gets dangerous and that’s where it gets scary.”
If AI-generated “musicians” like Breaking Rust are a passing fad, as Church suggests, it’s one that’s been 50 years in the making. While use of the voice box on recordings goes back to the 1960s, it was the 1975 recording of Peter Frampton’s double live album, “Frampton Comes Alive,” that popularized its use. In the 1980s Zapp had a string of gold albums with front man Roger Troutman using the voice box technology to make his voice sound futuristic, and in the 1990s AutoTune went from being a tool producers use to fine-tune a singer’s pitch on a recording to being the featured sound on a recording. This gave us Cher’s global chart-topper “Believe.”
Over the decades, technology in the studio has made it possible for the vocally challenged to usurp craftsmanship and talent.
Before MTV debuted in 1981, we were warned that video was going to kill the radio star. That obviously didn’t happen. And now, AI-generated video can theoretically replace filmed human performances. But even that should not be a threat to real stars.
As with most things in life, when expertise is devalued, it’s easier to pass trash off as treasure. AutoTune and AI are enabling people who lack musical talent to game the system — like audio catfish.
When an artist like Church sings of heartbreak, listeners can identify with his lived experience. However, Breaking Rust is on the top of the charts with a song called “Walk My Way” … and the entity singing those words has never taken a step.
That’s not to say an AI ditty can’t be catchy. It most certainly can be. I just wonder: If the artist isn’t real, how can the art be?
L.A. Times Insights delivers AI-generated analysis on Voices content to offer all points of view. Insights does not appear on any news articles.
Perspectives
The following AI-generated content is powered by Perplexity. The Los Angeles Times editorial staff does not create or edit the content.
Ideas expressed in the piece
AI-generated performers mock genuine human experience by performing songs about heartbreak, suffering, and resilience without having actually lived through hardship, presenting false authenticity to audiences[1].
The public should be made explicitly aware when content is artificially generated to prevent deception and manipulation, as the current landscape allows industry professionals to obscure the artificial nature of performers.
AI technology enables individuals without genuine musical talent to bypass craftsmanship and expertise, allowing them to game the system by presenting artificial content as legitimate art on the same charts as human musicians.
Authentic art requires lived human experience; without that foundation, AI-generated performances cannot create genuine artistic expression or meaning, regardless of how commercially successful they become.
The industry should be concerned about how technology is devaluing expertise and allowing untalented creators to present what amounts to “trash off as treasure,” undermining the credibility of music as an art form.
Different views on the topic
The success of AI-generated content has garnered mixed reactions from audiences, with some music fans finding entertainment and enjoyment in artificially generated songs despite their artificial origins[1].
Some industry perspectives view AI music as an interesting experimental phenomenon to explore what is possible with emerging technology, rather than characterizing it as inherently problematic or threatening[1].
Audiences ultimately value the live performance experience and direct human connection with artists, suggesting AI-generated performers face natural limitations that prevent them from truly replacing human musicians in the marketplace.
Rather than opposing AI-generated music categorically, some suggest establishing it as a separate genre or distinct award category to differentiate it from human artistry without eliminating either form from existing simultaneously.
The integration of new technologies in music production has historical precedent, with innovations from voiceboxes to AutoTune coexisting with human artistry without destroying the value of authentic musical talent.
Netflix’s The Beast in Me has been a hit with viewers
WARNING: This article contains spoilers from The Beast in Me
Netflix’s latest gripping thriller, The Beast in Me, has been captivating audiences with its stellar cast and breathtaking locations, reports the Express.
The eight-part drama stars Homeland’s Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys, known for his role in The Americans.
The Beast in Me is the brainchild of the team behind Homeland and sees Danes portray Aggie Wings, a troubled author who becomes intrigued by her new neighbour Nile Jarvis (Rhys) after discovering he was the main suspect in his wife’s murder.
Nile is widely believed to have murdered his wife but managed to evade punishment.
Before Nile’s arrival, Pulitzer Prize-winning memoirist Aggie had been grappling with writer’s block, her life tainted by tragedy.
What ensues is a tense psychological thriller as Aggie seeks the truth while pretending to pen a new narrative for Nile.
The series also stars Brittany Snow, Natalie Morales, David Lyons, Tim Guinee, and Deirdre O’Connell.
The Beast in Me is packed with unexpected twists and turns, but viewers are particularly curious about one character.
Does the dog die in The Beast in Me?
Aggie’s pet dog Steve makes an early appearance in the show as danger looms.
In the series, it’s revealed that Steve was named by Aggie’s late son, adding a touching layer to his presence.
Fortunately, Steve the pooch makes it through to the finale of the Netflix thriller, allowing viewers to relax.
Steve isn’t the sole four-legged character in the programme, as Nile also owns a pair of guard dogs that form part of his sophisticated security apparatus protecting his residence.
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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
While Nile’s hounds get sedated and mistreated at one stage, they emerge unscathed by the show’s conclusion.
The Beast in Me’s showrunner Howard Gordon spoke to Tudum about what initially drew him to the venture.
He revealed: “One of the things that drew me to the show initially was that we’re living in a time with texts and threads and smearing people and jumping to conclusions, but it’s always been this way.”
Gordon continued: “Whether it’s Monica Lewinsky or Amanda Knox or Nile Jarvis, sometimes we are quick to make assumptions, and to believe what we’re reading, and to be led to believe what we want to believe for whatever set of reasons.
“But when we are forced to look at it from another angle, do we have the humility and the compassion to listen, and to revise the narrative?”.
The Beast in Me represents a collaboration between executive producer Gordon and actress Danes, who previously joined forces on Homeland.
Towie star Amy Childs has given a health update after her drastic weight lossCredit: InstagramThe 35-year-old has been open about her weight lossCredit: InstagramAmy is a mum-of-fourCredit: Handout
Now, in a new post, the 35-year-old reality favourite has shared an insight into her weight loss after receiving “a lot of comments lately.”
Amy snapped a selfie in the mirror of her walk-in wardrobe, and could be seen wearing a green crop top and black leggings.
She showed off her midriff and stood barefoot while holding one hand up in the air and displaying a glam makeup look.
Amy penned to fans: “Feel like I have to do this post!! A lot of comments lately about my weight. For the past few months I have been really focusing on my nutriton with @jon_jkphysique.
“I have been really honest with you all, after losing a lot of weight, I realised I needed to understand how to eat the right way and to eat the right foods.. it’s been tough but I have started to gain healthy weight back( a little way to go) but I have been going gym, focusing on weight training and working on being more toned.”
Amy continued: “I have also been having my weekly body treatments @3daestheticsuk (will be doing another reel soon) about this treatment.
“This is not an overnight thing and it’s taking time but a journey to be my best self for the family. So please no negative comments please…
“PS jons foods are amazing 👍🏻 please give him a follow.”
Fans flooded the comments with messages of encouragement for the star, as one person penned: “you look amazing well done to you be proud of yourself.”
A second added: “Gorgeous and honest,” and a third echoed: “You look great @amychilds1990 people always have too much to say on peoples weight etc, continue to do you and be fabulous.”
In September, Amy underwent a tummy-tightening treatment.
The Towie star – who used fat jabs briefly two years ago – shared a video of herself on Instagram at the time, telling fans: “So guys, I’m on a journey to feel my most confident self.
“After having four children, dealing with weight loss and stress, my body has been through a lot! But it’s September and the perfect time to reset and create new goals.
The 35-year-old beautician went on to speak about a treatment which claims to “help tighten and firm up” the tummy after losing some elasticity.
A representative for Amy told The Sun: “Two years ago, she briefly tried weight loss injections, but they made her feel unwell and really sick, so she stopped them immediately.
“After having her babies, she wanted to feel like herself again and worked with a nutritionist, which helped her lose weight in a healthy way.
“Still, she was left with a tummy that felt jiggly and loose. This year, after her mum became ill, she lost more weight due to stress which she has spoken about on the show as well as the stress of cancelling a wedding.
“Following this she has felt a renewed drive to focus on her health.
“Through balanced nutrition, consistent training and support from 3D ReFirm treatments, she’s now on a journey to become fitter, stronger, and healthier, inside and out and tackle the areas of concern like her crepey skin on her tummy.”
Amy shares two of her four children with fiancé Billy who she first met in 2000.
The annual music festival presented by Tyler, the Creator — which was supposed to take place this weekend on the grounds surrounding Dodger Stadium — will now happen Nov. 22 and 23 in the same location.
“Due to the fact this storm became an atmospheric rain torrential downpour we had 2 choices — cancel or move to next weekend,” Tyler said in a post on Instagram. “We chose the latter.”
The rapper, who last week was nominated for five Grammy Awards including album of the year for “Chromakopia,” added, “We understand this is not ideal so we will offer refunds.”
The show as rescheduled will feature a slightly pared-down lineup that includes performances by Tyler, ASAP Rocky, Doechii, Clipse, Childish Gambino, Earl Sweatshirt, T-Pain and others. Among the acts who dropped off the bill are Tems, Clairo, Sombr and Don Toliver.
Tyler launched Camp Flog Gnaw in 2012 as a one-day event at downtown’s Club Nokia (now known as the Novo). The festival expanded to two days in 2016 and moved to Dodger Stadium in 2018. Flog Gnaw is known for its eclectic booking and a carnival-like atmosphere complete with games, rides and funnel cakes. Performers at the festival’s 2024 edition included Tyler, Playboi Carti, Doechii, Vince Staples, Omar Apollo and André 3000.
This weekend’s storm is expected to bring heavy rain to Southern California and has triggered fears about flooding and mudslides, particularly in areas burned in this year’s destructive wildfires. A live taping of Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes’ ”SmartLess” podcast scheduled for Saturday night at the Hollywood Bowl was also called off because of weather.
BBC Breakfast hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt comforted a grieving guest on Saturday
BBC Breakfast shared tragic death news on Saturday (November 15) as a grieving mum “relives it every day”.
On today’s episode of the popular morning show, hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt kept viewers up-to-date with the latest news from across the UK and globally.
Joining them in the studio was Mike Bushell, who took charge of the sports segment, while Sarah Keith-Lucas provided regular weather updates throughout the programme.
Later on, Naga and Charlie shared the heart-wrenching story of 14-year-old Jacob Calland, who tragically lost his life earlier this year when his e-scooter collided with a car.
Jacob’s mum, Carly, has since initiated a campaign to alert other families about the potential dangers of e-scooters, reports the Express.
In a pre-recorded segment, Carly spoke about her campaign, stating: “The reason we’ve gone with empty chairs is because this Christmas, I am going to be sat at my Christmas table with an empty chair.
“The thought of that is hard, and I don’t want anyone else to have to sit with an empty chair at Christmas. My 14-year-old boy is not going to be with me this Christmas… I just want people to keep their families [close], because I’ve not got mine this year.”
While it’s legal to use an e-scooter through a rental scheme, riding private e-scooters on our roads is illegal, yet it happens frequently. Jacob’s mother isn’t campaigning for a ban, but she wants them to be regulated and made safer.
Carly made an appearance on BBC Breakfast, where she honoured her son by introducing his journey teddy bear.
“Jacob’s dream was to travel the world, so his ashes are inside the bear and he’s now travelling with us,” she shared.
“It’s comfort knowing that he’s by my side and I’m by his side, and we’re doing this journey together.”
Charlie then observed: “Whilst you’re obviously passionate and want to make change, that, in itself, can’t be easy because you’re having to relive something that is deeply, deeply painful.”
Carly continued: “I’m reliving it every day. The thing is for me, I like to turn my pain into Jacob’s power. I’m saving people’s lives. Every day I show up, every day I get through my days. It’s not easy. I do have bad days, but at the end of the day, Jacob’s legacy is going to save people’s lives.”
Naga consoled the mother by concluding: “You’re entitled to as many bad days as you like, may I say.”
BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One at 6am
If you were affected by the issues raised in this story, organisations which can offer help include Child Bereavement UK and Sue Ryder
MARTIN Freeman has been branded “selfish” after he complained about the noise from nearby schools.
The Sherlock star recently won a year-long battle with planners to put in new windows at his £5 million mansion to block out the din, despite being in a protected area which has strict rules on building appearance.
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Neighbours of Martin Freeman have dubbed his complaints over noise from nearby school as ‘outrageous’Credit: GettyThe Sherlock star snapped up the five-bed mansion in 2016He recently had planning approved to install double-glazed windows to block out the noiseCredit: Getty
The planning inspector gave the green light for the new double-glazed windows after visiting the star’s home last month, and there were no submitted objections from neighbours.
Aside from the playground noise, Freeman had also insisted that most of the existing single glazed windows were so wonky from building movement that he couldn’t even open and close them properly.
In a statement, his planning agent said: “The noise is a major problem particularly during term time on weekdays due to the school located directly opposite.
“The new units will reduce noise pollution from the street and school, improving the building’s internal environment.”
But some are unimpressed with the actor’s grievances about noise, with one dubbing him “selfish” and saying he was “overreacting”.
Ex-schoolteacher, Simon Bridge, 70, whose property backs onto one of the schools, fumed: “If neighbours are complaining about schools, I think it’s outrageous.
“The children make a noise, of course, the whistle blows, but come on.
“Go and live somewhere else, that’s my feeling. You’ve got money, go away.
“I’m a great lover of theatre, music and everything and I have nothing against actors whatsoever. But I don’t like people complaining about children, hearing noise, that’s all.”
When asked if he had any problems with the noise himself, he replied: “Not at all. I love it. Because I’m an ex-schoolteacher, I’m used to school.
“To hear children playing and laughing, that’s wonderful.”
Freeman’s mansion is in close proximity to several schools.
Retiree Sam De Silva has lived in a block of flats opposite the junior school for 12 years and has no complaints.
Ex-schoolteacher, Simon Bridge, said he thought complaints about noise from the local schools was ‘outrageous’Credit: Ray Collins
He said: “Well, as far as I’m concerned, the only issue with me is finding a place to park my car. I haven’t come across any noise issues, you know.”
When asked about his thoughts on grumblings about noise, he said: “I think it’s a bit selfish , I guess.
“There’s not a lot you can do, you know. I think he’s overreacting.
“I’ve been here for 12 years, my dad lived here prior to me. He’s never complained.
“Honestly, it’s a bit silly. These schools didn’t crop up, you know?
“My daughter goes to school down the road and I heard Taylor Swift bought a house down that lane.
“So if she can buy a house adjacent to a primary school, why the hell should we be complaining?”
Planning battle
Officials at his local council failed to make a decision on time so the Sherlock star appealed to a Government planning inspector who gave the go-ahead.
The council later said they would have refused to grant planning permission as the new windows would harm the designated conservation area.
Freeman’s planning agent said: “To all practical intents and purposes, the replacement windows would retain the appearance of the original single glazed windows and the appearance of the appeal property would be preserved.”
They said in a statement that planning officers wanted to negotiate on the application to a point where it could be approved but Freeman did not want to make changes.
A local caretaker, who didn’t want to be named, has worked in the area for nearly 30 years and said: “It’s only noisy when the kids are going in in the morning and coming out at night. But that’s where the house is isn’t it?
“What are you going to do? There’s a school there, a school there, a school there.
“The thing is, right opposite his house is the playground. So when I go past sometimes, the kids are in the playground running.
“But what’s that? Ten minutes – then it’s done.
“I don’t see him about much, he’s always away working. If he was here every day, I’d understand it.”
Other residents said the sound of children was a “joyful noise” and that they “wouldn’t have any complaints”.
The Office star’s Arts and Crafts-style pad boasts a basement gym, wine cellar and summerhouse and dates back to 1883 but is not listed.
He bought the massive mansion after cashing with with Hollywood movies Love Actually, Black Panther, Captain America: Civil War.
Stories will long be told about what Gazans have endured these last couple of years, and movies will be part of that unburdening. This spring, Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi believed she would be unveiling a uniquely dignified portrait of one Palestinian woman’s experience when the Cannes Film Festival accepted her documentary “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk,” which comprised her year of spirited video chats with positive-minded 25-year-old photojournalist and poet Fatma Hassona. The day after the Cannes news, Hassona and her family were killed by an Israeli missile.
It’s not unheard of for a completed movie to become something entirely different overnight. But what’s quietly miraculous about “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk,” considering its added tragic weight, is what the force of Hassona’s personality and Farsi’s filmmaking choices still manage to do: speak to what’s ineffably beautiful about our human capacity for hope and connection.
In her opening narration, Farsi explains how she’d been looking for a way into Gaza to understand it beyond the media reports. Physically, that proved impossible, but through a refugee friend, she was connected to Hassona in April 2024. In their first video call, which Farsi, then in Cairo, recorded with a separate smartphone, Hassona’s beaming face immediately dispels any notion that all Palestinians must exist in a defeated state amid relentless bombing. Asked how she feels, Hassona — who had just witnessed a huge explosion the day prior — says, “I feel proud.” With unforced lightness, she assures Farsi that they will continue to live their lives and laugh, that they are “special people.” She knows every day is about actively not letting themselves get used to it. The documentary’s title is Hassona’s description of what she does when she leaves her house.
You believe her. That high-wattage smile registers as whatever the opposite of a bomb is. But it’s also easy to notice Farsi’s ingrained cynicism about the state of things, having once been imprisoned as a teenage dissident during the years following her country’s Islamic Revolution, now in exile. In her voice-over, Farsi describes meeting Hassona as if encountering a mirror, realizing “how much both our lives are conditioned by walls and wars.”
Farsi threads in many of Hassona’s photographs. The images of daily life amid destruction and rubble — children, bicyclists, workers, laundry drying from high floors in a half-destroyed building — hint at an inextinguishable flame carrying on through a campaign of death.
Though Farsi knows how to ask for details about her life in Gaza, the vibe isn’t one of interviews conducted to make a film, but a genuine curiosity and warmth, the ebb and flow of real interaction captured whenever possible. Meanwhile, war, politics and failed leadership can be glimpsed in brief interludes of news reports on Farsi’s television. But they’re always cut short, as if to say: I’d rather hear from my friend who’s living it.
Hassona’s face becomes so familiar to us, we can tell when her cheery disposition is hard to maintain. But her energy and hope never feel like depletable resources. “I want to be in a normal place!” she blurts out in one of their last conversations, almost as if she were a musical protagonist about to break into song. But Hassona never got more than a first act.
Farsi doesn’t draw the ending out: just sparsely worded text after witnessing their final chat, followed by a video Hassona had taken rolling through her devastated city, somehow grounded in a palpable, undying everydayness. You’ll feel loss, but the afterimage of this singular woman’s belief in finding light is what will burn.
‘Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk’
In Arabic and English, with subtitles
Not rated
Running time: 1 hour, 53 minutes
Playing: Opens Friday, Nov. 14 at Laemmle Monica Film Center, Laemmle Glendale
Tiffany Calver has quit her role on BBC Radio 1 after seven years on air and has been inundated with messages from her celebrity friends over her decision to step down
20:26, 14 Nov 2025Updated 21:09, 14 Nov 2025
Radio 1 star suddenly quits long-running role with emotional message(Image: BBC )
A broadcaster has quit her role on BBC Radio 1 with an emotional message. Tiffany Calver, 31, first joined the station in 2019 as a replacement for fellow DJ Charlie Sloth but announced on Friday evening that she had made the decision to ‘move on’ after so many years on air.
“It’s quite hard to put into words just what it means to be given the opportunity to live your dream for as many years as I have had the pleasure of doing. I will never be able to quite explain the sheer magic that happens when you press play on that first song, or greet your listeners for the first time on air every week, and I will miss it dearly.”
During her time at the radio station, Tiffany became known for curating playlists and made history as the first female to host Radio 1’s Rap Show before moving on to her current position.
She added: “I am so grateful for the memories made and for the opportunity to grow as a broadcaster during my time in one of the best places for radio in the world. I feel like now is the right time for me to continue to grow, but from outside of the station.
“Most importantly, I want to thank those of you who have tuned in and spent some time with me and my never-ending quest to keep finding and sharing the music I love with you all every week. That part will never change, as big as this might feel.
Tiffany was inundated with messages from celebrity pals, including Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall, who wrote: “We [love] you! Excited for your next chapter,” whilst Love Island host Maya Jama wrote: “gwan!” and emblazoned her comment with a series of clapping hand emojis.
BBC’s RadioXtra account wrote: “You’re going to be SO missed! Thanks for 7 incredible years of passion and for championing the artists who matter!”
When Tiffany landed her own show in 2023, Kenny Allstar took over from her on Rap Show. At the time, he said: “From the age of 11, I remember taking my mother’s cassette tapes to record The Rap Show on Saturdays.
“This was more than a radio show it was my entire social life. I always wanted to one day be the host of this powerful slot on these powerful networks.
“I hope to uphold the legacy that Tiffany left in place and continue to showcase the hottest in Hip Hop music on a global scale”.
ONCE voted the greatest rock song of all time, Bohemian Rhapsody entered the charts 50 years ago this month – and became a huge No1.
The six-minute track — which has sold more than 6million copies worldwide — climbed to top spot in the charts and stayed there for nine weeks while Queen were on the road touring.
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The groundbreaking track’s video, filmed in November 1975, was based on the Queen 2 album cover shown here and credited with being a big part of its successCredit: Wales News ServiceFreddie Mercury, seen here playing with Queen at Wembley in 1984, was terrified of performing Bohemian Rhapsody live and almost caused a riot by once leaving it off their setlistCredit: AlamyThe incredible tale of one of the most famous singles in UK history is now told for the first time in an interview with Peter Freestone, above, one of Freddie’s closest friendsCredit: Peter Freestone
That meant its first Top Of The Pops airing in November 1975 was accompanied by a rushed video which had taken the band just four hours to make on a budget of £4,000.
In fact, singer Freddie Mercury was terrified of performing the fan favourite live, and almost caused a riot by once leaving it off their setlist.
The song even divided opinion over whether it was about his sexuality.
Peter was also his housemate and personal assistant of 12 years.
‘Genius move’
Today, he gives an intimate insight into Freddie’s life and the song that will forever be linked to him.
He tells The Sun: “For most people, if you mention Queen, the first thing they say is Bohemian Rhapsody.
“But the reality was that Bohemian Rhapsody was the one song that he hated playing on the piano.
“He was scared every single time.
“He didn’t enjoy it live because there is a section when it is just the piano, which you couldn’t hide among banging drums and thrashing guitars.
“Even some years after its release, he dreaded playing the piano solo in it.
“He was petrified of playing the wrong notes, and that everybody would laugh at him.”
Peter, 70 — who lived with Freddie at his Garden Lodge home in Kensington, West London — went on: “Just as iconic as the song is the video, but the truth is that it was filmed in a rush at Elstree Studios just so it could be given to Top Of The Pops while the band were away on tour.
“Freddie was very much a man of today and tomorrow.
“He likened his music to tissues — you pick them up, use them and throw them away.
“But I know he’d be proud of Bohemian Rhapsody’s relevance, 50 years on.”
The song topped the charts in November and December 1975 and had sold more than a million copies by the end of January the next year.
It peaked for another five weeks after Freddie’s death in 1991 and became the UK’s third best- selling single ever, also topping Greatest Hits Radio’s Top 500 songs of the 70s, 80s and 90s in 2020.
It was basically three songs in one going around in Freddie’s head, but he couldn’t finish anything off. In the end, they sort of pitched it all together. It was a genius move from the band.
Peter Freestone on how the iconic song came to be
Queen guitarist Sir Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor performed Bohemian Rhapsody with a full orchestra and chorus at the Last Night Of The Proms in September.
Brian — who stumbled over his guitar solo at the end — once said: “I think Bohemian Rhapsody is something you can never get bored with.”
But Peter reveals the mega-hit is actually a mash-up of tunes the band struggled to make work individually, so they were merged into a rock- opera epic.
He says: “It was basically three songs in one going around in Freddie’s head, but he couldn’t finish anything off.
“In the end, they sort of pitched it all together.
“It was a genius move from the band.”
The true meaning of the song has long remained a mystery.
“In the line ‘Mama, just killed a man’, he’s killed the old Freddie — his former image.”
‘Crowd went mad’
But Peter revealed he has his doubts that Freddie would have written a song being so frank about his sexuality amid fears over what his parents would think.
He said: “Being gay was illegal until the Sixties, so he was fighting against his background.
“His parents were very religious and I don’t think he would have thrown it in their face like that.
The original vinyl singleCredit: AlamyQueen bassist John Deacon, left, and Freddie hastily filming the song’s budget music video at Elstree Studios in 1975Credit: Getty
“Bohemian Rhapsody was about love, though.
“All his songs are either about finding it or losing it.”
He also revealed that the only time they left it out of a live show — on a 1980s tour date in Canada — it left the crowd fuming.
Peter says: “It was the start of the tour, and the only time in the 12 years I knew them that they left it out — and the crowd went mad.
“When the encore finished, the crowd started chanting for it.
“But the show had finished.
“It was back in the setlist the next night.”
Yet for many, it is the ground-breaking video — showing the band performing, featuring close-up shots of their faces and portraying them in silhouette — that made the song so memorable.
It was first aired on BBC One’s Top Of The Pops on November 20, 1975 — ten days after it was filmed.
Peter said: “It was pioneering for its time.
“It was a product of its time.
“It was influenced by Doctor Who, which at the time had used silhouettes moving like in the video.
“It was put together very quickly.
“The band were on tour at the time and needed to record a video for Top Of The Pops as they couldn’t be there in person.”
It was through a ballet performance to Bohemian Rhapsody that Peter, who was working in costume for the Royal Ballet at the time, became Freddie’s personal assistant.
He would watch Countdown every day, religiously. He loved playing Scrabble, too
Peter on Freddie
The pair met when the Queen frontman was performing a charity gala in 1979.
Peter said: “I never had a contract because they could never create a job description.
“My job was basically living Freddie’s life alongside him.
“I did normal, day-to-day things like answer the telephone, answer the door, go shopping, do some cooking, do cleaning, so that he could concentrate on creating the music.”
Peter also got to know the off-stage Freddie through sharing his home.
He recalled: “He loved laughing.
“He always enjoyed himself.
“He would wake at 9am every morning, even if he’d got into bed at 2am.
‘I’m white trash’
“He’d have a cup of tea and loved to go to the garden at look at the koi carp.
“The Sotheby’s and Christie’s catalogue and the Architectural Digest were always in the house.
But Peter revealed there were also fun nights out — including one when Freddie flung model Samantha Fox around on stage.
Peter said: “I will never forget it, and I don’t think she will either.
“It was at a party after the Wembley shows in 1986, on a roof garden in Kensington High Street.
“Freddie grabbed Samantha and was swinging her around.
“And they were singing, and howling with laughter.
“I was thinking, ‘Oh God, don’t drop her’.”
On another occasion, Peter had to pluck Freddie out of a bin following a 1980s booze session in a US bar with pop act The Village People after his drink was spiked.
He said: “They were having a great time in this big American bar.
“Freddie was enjoying himself.
“I went to the toilet then one of our friends came to get me and said, ‘You better come quick’.
“I headed back in and I could hear raucous laughter.
“There was Freddie in white singlet, jeans and trainers, jumping up and down in this big, netted bin, full of beer cans and plastic cups . . . jumping up and down, and shouting, ‘I’m white trash. I’m white trash’.
“We later found out his drink had been spiked, but he was okay.”
Bohemian Rhapsody won a Brit Award for the band in 1977Credit: Shutterstock EditorialBrian performed the famous track at the 2025 Proms in SeptemberCredit: BBC
Peter told how he misses Freddie “every day” and feels proud whenever he talks to others about him.
He now does tours and shares memories of the singer’s life.
Peter lives in the Czech Republic and runs an Aids foundation there.
He has talked to more than 70,000 people across the country about the illness, which Freddie had before his death from pneumonia in 1991.
Sometimes a person needs to find a new hobby — one that doesn’t involve terrifying celebrities.
An Australian man who threw his arms around Ariana Grande after charging at her Thursday during arrivals at the Singapore premiere of “Wicked: For Good” has been charged with being a public nuisance, the BBC reported.
In various videos capturing the incident, as Grande greeted hundreds of fans lined up behind a barricade along a yellow carpet at the premiere, the man can be seen jumping a barricade on the other side of the carpet, running toward her with his arms and legs flailing, then grabbing her roughly around the neck and shoulders before turning and smiling happily for the cameras. Cynthia Erivo, who was walking with her co-star as well as Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Yeoh, immediately got between Grande and the man and appeared to shout at him.
Security then escorted the man away from the very shaken star, who plays Glinda in the “Wicked” movies. He was arrested, charged and later released, according to the BBC, which identified him as Johnson Wen, 26. If convicted, he could be fined more than $1,500 in U.S. dollars.
Wen, who goes by the name Pyjama Man on Instagram, considers himself a “stage invader” who has surprised major stars including Katy Perry and the Weeknd. He has been carted off by security at a Paris Olympics track and field event and more than once ran onto soccer pitches during high-profile matches. Wen seems to post media coverage of his bad behavior as a badge of honor on his Instagram account, where he refers to himself as a “Troll Most Hated.”
One video of the event, incidentally, can be seen on Wen’s Instagram grid, where he had the nerve to write as his caption, “Dear Ariana Grande Thank You for letting me Jump on the Yellow Carpet with You.”
“you literally assaulted her and you’re posting it? bro you deserve to be in jail there is something severely wrong with you,” one commenter wrote below the video.
Another went into it in more detail, writing, “Congratulations. You managed to turn what should’ve been a magical premiere into a global showcase of your complete inability to behave like a functioning adult. … Rushing a woman — any woman, let alone someone who has survived unimaginable trauma — is not ‘a prank’. It’s not ‘a stunt’. It’s not ‘funny’. It’s pathetic, dangerous, and shows a total lack of respect for boundaries, safety, and basic human decency.”
After giving Erivo props for her quick response, the second commenter closed by saying, “You didn’t get attention. You got exposed — as reckless, inconsiderate, and utterly unaware of the impact of your actions on a woman who has already lived through real horror.
“If your goal was to be remembered, congratulations again: You’re remembered for all the wrong reasons. And trust me — no one is impressed.”
A third person addressed their comment to Instagram, writing, “why is this person allowed to continually post videos of himself assaulting/harassing people? It’s distressing and disgusting and unlawful. @instagram Please make him go away.”
Grande has not commented publicly on the incident.
The New York City premiere of “Wicked: For Good” is scheduled for Monday. The second half of the two-part big-screen adaptation of the Broadway musical “Wicked” opens wide in U.S. theaters Nov. 21.
Coronation Street viewers were left feeling ‘uncomfortable’ following Friday night’s episode after an already-controversial plot on the ITV soap took a worrying turn
21:00, 14 Nov 2025Updated 21:46, 14 Nov 2025
Coronation Street viewers were left feeling ‘uncomfortable’ following Friday night’s episode(Image: ITV)
Coronation Street viewers were left feeling ‘uncomfortable’ following Friday night’s episode. The world’s longest-running TV soap just welcomed back fan favourite Eva Price (Catherine Tydlesley) last month, and she came with her new family in tow, but it wasn’t long before the drama kicked off.
Eva now runs the Rovers with her partner Ben Driscoll and his mother Maggie, and they live there with Ben’s sons Will and Ollie, as well as Eva’s little girl Susie. But it was soon revealed that that 15-year-old Will has been having an affair with his athletics coach Megan, whom he had been seeing when he initially refused to move from Hull. The family are yet to discover this, but are well aware of Will’s fondness for his teacher and things took a turn for the worse after he exhibited some worrying behaviour.
In the latest instalment of the ITV soap, Megan and Will arrived back from a trip that they had claimed was for a sports competition and she tried to end things with him but he was having none of it and stormed off out of the car. Later on, Ben caught her on the street and insisted on giving her some petrol money before inviting her in for dinner. Megan reluctantly went and officially rescinded her duties as Will’s coach in front of the family.
Over their meal, Will pretended that a girlfriend from Hull had dumped him that morning, to which his grandmother said: “The surest way for a lad to get over a girl is to get over the next one, she must have been doolally to split up with you!” Will insisted that it wasn’t anyone’s fault, and Megan, unable to take it anymore, made her excuses and left.
Will became insistent that he would never get another coach like Megan, and needed to be in Hull for his athletics. While Ben was coming round to the idea of Will moving back to Hull alone, Eva and Maggie were dead against the idea. Ben tried to put his foot down, but Eva and his mother went behind his back and made other arrangements. Pretty soon, Megan joined the family in the back room of the pub again, where Maggie explained: “You might’ve been happy to abandon Will, but we weren’t. I called Megan, we had a few drinks, and we found a solution.”
Megan said: “Your gran’s paying me to come over here two days a week for some one-on-one training sessions!” Maggie then insisted that money was no object and she was just pleased to see Will happy again. But viewers were outraged at the twist, as this means that Megan will be sticking around to continue her illicit relationship with the teenager.
Flocking to social media, one wrote: “#Corrie how old is that trainer, he’s only 15, find it an uncomfortable storyline,” whilst another said: “Ben to Megan: “Will trusts you.” Oh, Ben, you have no idea [sad emoji].”
A third raged: “Ben wants to thanks Megan for everything she has done. He wouldn’t want to be thanking her for everything she has done if he knew that she is doing his son [vomit emoji]” and a fourth added: “It’s really worrying how Eva & Ben trust Megan. Just like how in real life parents trust adults around their kids, not knowing that they could be predators!”
Actress Beth Nixon, who is making her television debut with the role, recently teased that her alter-ego is set to get a job at the local secondary school, and will strike up some sort of relationship with fellow teacher Daniel Osbourne (Rob Mallard), who is the son of Ken Barlow, all in attempt to cover her tracks and make her young lover jealous.
She said: “She’s a maths teacher and PE coach, she coaches Will and does athletics on the side. She meets Daniel when she’s in Weatherfield training Will, and then he gets her the job at Weatherfield High. So she eventually moves to be closer to Will and becomes a PE teacher.
“I think she’s calculated with it because, one, it’s a good cover story. But two, she’s also able to make Will jealous and further manipulate him, further deepening his obsession. But I think that over time, she does develop some kind of feelings for Daniel and she does get emotionally involved with him, and it’s not just a cover like she’s telling Will.”
“But obviously, she’s just getting herself into more and more of a mess because if she does eventually develop feelings for Daniel, she can’t then leave Will because it’s all going to come out, and she needs to silence him, keep him quiet.
“So she’s kind of spinning all these plates and having to juggle all these different things, which adds to her stress. She’s like a duck, calm, cool, collected on the surface, but underneath she is going crazy.”
Coronation Street is on ITV and STV at 8pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday and ITVX and STV Player at 7am
