show biz

Coronation Street newcomer Lucy, played by actress Anya Dewin, has been lashing out after her dad Richie murdered her mum Rachel, but fans are predicting a twist

Coronation Street‘s Lucy is sparking concern with her scary behaviour after a traumatic plot played out.

Lucy’s dad Richie has been arrested for the murder of his wife, Lucy’s mother, Rachel. Tim Metcalfe found Rachel dead at the house, with Richie having blood on his shirt.

Tim has taken Lucy in, and Lucy isn’t allowed to see her dad. Richie claims he killed Rachel in self-defence, with Lucy backing this.

Lucy told Sally and Tim about Rachel apparently tormenting her dad for a while, hitting him too. She claimed Richie acted in self-defence after Rachel tried to hurt him again.

Lucy has been lashing out in the fallout, while we have also seen her traumatised and experiencing nightmares and sleepwalking. While some fans think Lucy is traumatised after potentially witnessing Richie killing her mum, others have an even darker theory.

Some fans think the reason for her behaviour is because she killed Rachel, and that her dad is taking the blame. A fan said: “Anyone else already thinking Lucy did it and Richie is just covering for her?

“That’s quite a temper she has there.” Another fan agreed: “How do we know she didn’t kill her mum? Quite a temper she’s got there.”

A third fan wrote: “Did Lucy kill her mum and the dad is covering by taking the blame.” A fourth said: “My guess is Lucy killed her mum and her Dad is taking the blame.”

Another added: “I’m thinking Lucy killed her mum to stop her hurting her dad, but he’s taking the blame for it.” A final post read: “After last nights #Corrie i am convinced that Lucy killed her mum.”

Others pointed out that the trauma would make her lash out. A fan said: “Richie killed Rachel and Lucy may have seen it. A big fight must have happened when he immediately got back.

“Lucy is having sleep terrors and also sleeping walking due to the trauma. It was proper heartbreaking to hear her cry like that, and t comforting her.

“So Lucy claims that her mum attacked her dad first with a knife, and Richie had to hit her with the doorstop in defence.” Another fan said: “Did Lucy see her abusive mum push her dad over the edge?”

It comes as Corrie fans were left convinced one cast member had leaked a massive spoiler on social media this week. Not only that, but some were convinced it gave away the ending of a major storyline currently airing on the show.

As the future of one character remains up in the air after a murder twist, fans questioned if a social media post ruled out at an exit. Lucy Fallon, who plays Bethany Platt on the soap, posted something on her Instagram this week.

It was a lovely snap of her and her co-star Tina O’Brien, who plays her onscreen mother Sarah Platt. In recent scenes, Sarah confessed to accidentally killing villain Theo Silverton.

She was arrested and charged, and she now faces a court case, with her currently in prison. So when Lucy posted the picture of her and Tina on the set of the ITV soap, fans immediately speculated what it might mean.

Some fans decided it had to mean Sarah was out of prison in a matter of weeks. But this photo is not likely to be a spoiler, and it doesn’t actually mean Sarah’s fate is revealed at all.

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

ROBBIE Williams has revealed he has been diagnosed with autism at the age of 52 — and pals say he is taking it in his trademark stride.

The music legend recently sought a professional assessment after “feeling like there was something he was missing” about himself.

Robbie, who was also previously diagnosed with ADHD, casually revealed the news during a launch for the autumn/winter collection of his Hopeium clothing brand.

He said: “I’ve got ADHD. I’ve just found out I’ve got a bit of autism as well, which I f**ing love, because it explains so much, and it’s like a get-out-of-jail card now.

“If I do all the weird s*** that I do, I go, ‘Sorry, I’m autistic.’”

The married father of four went on: “With ADHD, you can completely and utterly concentrate on something 100 per cent.

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“But absolutely everything else, you just cannot do it. Ask my kids.”

The former Take That star, who also suffers from clinical depression, opened up about his creativity.

He said: “I’m completely and utterly obsessed with creating images and funny things, and if I’m creating images and making what I think are funny things, I’m not thinking about ‘me’.

“My brain is incredibly creative, and it can be creative about everything in the world, including things that can cause you to panic or be scared.”

He also revealed that he struggles to concentrate with background noise or distractions as he becomes overstimulated, saying: “It really throws me off.”

Since being diagnosed just a few weeks ago, The Sun can reveal the singer has met with an AuDHD expert — someone who specialises in both autism and ADHD.

Robbie hopes the meetings will give him a greater understanding of his behaviour.

A source told The Sun: “Robbie has known for some time about his ADHD, but he always felt there was something he was missing.

“Someone suggested he could be autistic, and so within the past few weeks, he sought private medical advice and underwent an assessment.

It’s still early days, but Robbie has spoken with an AuDHD expert to get a greater understanding of what the diagnosis means for him and what options can be put in place to make life easier.

“Like with everything life throws at him, Robbie is taking the diagnosis in his stride.

“It’s business as usual. The diagnosis just gives a greater understanding of what makes Robbie Robbie.”

The Sun was the only newspaper Robbie met during the intimate launch in front of fashion bigwigs at Flannels on London’s Oxford Street.

He told us he hopes his Hopeium brand will bring some fun into the notoriously uptight and judgemental fashion industry.

His new tongue-in-cheek range includes “Gandhi” football tops and shirts adorned with images of a hand flipping the middle finger. Chuckling, he said he is already planning to bring out a Dalai Lama version.

Robbie had a well-documented battle with alcohol and substance abuse in the nineties and early noughties.

But he claimed he is now addicted to creating art and clothes after being clean and sober for over two decades.

Robbie said: “I really got into drawing and creating. I think it’s my addict’s gene. Look, I can no longer do cocaine. No longer do MDMA, no longer drink, so, you know, where does the addiction go to?

“Well, it goes to several places, and one of them is clothes.”

Robbie went on: “It’s a bit of silliness because I love silliness, and there doesn’t seem to be any silliness in fashion.

“It seems to be outlawed because, you know, as much as I love fashion, it’s properly pretentious and very, very serious, isn’t it?”

Robbie plans to draft in his wife Ayda Field, 47, to model the collection in a bid to boost sales.

Robbie, who has recently dramatically trimmed down after turning to weight-loss jabs, also hopes to make his catwalk debut at London Fashion Week.

He said: “Hopefully we will see me modelling it on the runway.

“I mean, I’m in decent nick now, so yeah. I’ve been looking after myself. I’d be happy if any artist started wearing the brand, and Ayda will wear it too.”

He added of his new clobber: “I should be wearing it on my tour – it would make marketing sense.”

The singer is set to play shows across Europe and South America this autumn.

He is also hotly tipped to play Glastonbury next June for the first time since 1998, with sources saying he could follow in Sir Rod Stewart’s footsteps and play the Sunday Legends slot.

Last month, a clip of Robbie went viral after something appeared to fall out of his nose during an unplanned live appearance on German TV at the World Cup in New York.

Some viewers thought Robbie was back taking cocaine.

Rather than fearing for his career, Robbie laughed off the suggestion he had relapsed, and believes no one cares anyway.

He said: “Can I clear something up, please, as well? I didn’t relapse on cocaine at the World Cup, but now forever and ever and ever the internet will be assured of itself that coke fell out of my nose.

“No, it was Nicorette. The thing is, I thought about it the next day — I was lying in bed, and 50 million people had seen me supposedly relapse on coke at the World Cup, and I was like, ‘If I was on coke, it wouldn’t be a f***ing problem anyway, would it? Who f***ing cares?’”

And he said some people seemed to be pleased at the prospect of him doing class A drugs again.

He went on: “So many comments online were like, ‘Good for you, Robbie. Everyone loves the f***ing packet.’ So I made some new fans due to what they thought I was doing.”

Before Spain took on Argentina in the World Cup final last month, Robbie was front and centre in the closing ceremony, taking to the pitch to sing the official Fifa anthem Desire alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Italian singer Laura Pausini.

In keeping with still feeling like he’s just Rob from Stoke rather than one of the biggest-selling British singers of all-time, he swaggered towards the halfway line in a blue Adidas tracksuit – adorned with diamantes for the momentous occasion.

Robbie said: “The sparkles were added at the artist’s request, and it felt so comfy.

“It’s best to be comfy, so when they said, ‘What do you want to wear?’ I just said, ‘I want to wear a tracksuit. Can you put some jewels on it so it’s a bit showbizzy?’”

Insisting he is still just as ambitious as he was three decades ago, Robbie said of his future plans: “Lots of records. I’m 52, still ambitious, still have this gaping chasm that is unfillable.

“Still want, still need, still want to have purpose, I want to be out there doing things. I am still as ambitious as I was when I was 22 and it’s served me well. I have new music, new tours too.”

Robbie, who has been in the public eye since 1992, also said he would be ignoring snobbish critics, saying: “I don’t need validation from the po-faced fashion industry. I never got that from the po-faced music industry.

“I would like validation from the general clothing-buying public.”

For all their vaunted power, superheroes are at the mercy of the people who write them, draw them, play them on the screen, and by extension the producers and executives who decide what should go where and for how much. Sort of powerless, really.

Sometimes this combination of forces works out well for the hero, and sometimes not so much. The Green Lantern, a secondary figure in the DC Comics pantheon, had the ill luck to be trapped in a 2011 Ryan Reynolds film even its director didn’t like. Fifteen years later, he has had the very good fortune to be played by Kyle Chandler, and additionally to star in a television series — “Lanterns,” premiering Sunday on HBO — rather than a theatrical feature, with its investment in noisy set pieces and earth-shaking battles royale.

I’ve often championed the supposedly humbler medium as the best place to tell these stories, with the time to investigate character, in all its shadings and ambiguities, and a haven for concepts too quirky or niche or … conceptual for conservative big-budget theatrical IP exploitation. And here again, I have been proved right.

Creators Damon Lindelof (“Lost,” “Watchmen” and, best of all, “Mrs. Davis”), comic book writer Tom King and Chris Mundy, who wrote for “Criminal Minds,” “Ozark” and “Bloodline” (in which Chandler starred), have expressly looked to television for inspiration — specifically to “True Detective” (on which Mundy worked), with its uncomfortable partnerships, and “Slow Horses” (for its disreputable hero, I guess), with “Slow Horses” director James Hawes helming the first two episodes. (I detect a hint of “Fargo” as well, for its Midwestern plainscape, dark comedy and bigger-than-life yet somehow ordinary characters.)

“I’m a regular person, like you,” Hal Jordan (Chandler) says in a 1996 TV interview that opens the series; indeed, he’s only super powerful by reason of the gear that comes with the job, a human “beat cop” working as part of the Green Lantern Corps, an extraterrestrial galactic peacekeeping organization — the special ring and the lantern-shaped gizmo that charges it. It gives him the ability to fly and to manifest objects at will, most often a protective green bubble, but also a bottle opener and a $10 bill. (There’s a uniform, but for the most part, he leaves it in the closet.)

Watching that interview is young John Stewart (then a Lantern-obsessed child). We’ll meet him again in 2016, played by Aaron Pierre (“The Underground Railroad”), when most of the action takes place, as a former Marine sniper and art student — human talents that will prove useful — assigned to Hal as a “trainee,” ostensibly to provide backup if something happens to him. Hal, after two seemingly successful decades in the job, is unused to the company and suspicious of the arrangement. (“The big blue bosses may think you’re hot s— but you’re just a f—ing substitute teacher.”) He sets John tests that might kill him, if he is not actually trying to kill him. But he’s also the more genial of the two.

Through an agent whose identity the producers are counting as a spoiler — I’m sure I don’t know why — Hal receives a message that there’s hail in Rushville, Neb. (i.e., aliens!), at which point he jets off from the taco stand where he’s happily been signing autographs and posing for selfies, leaving John to fly there on his own, in the usual way, while the Stooges’ “No Fun” plays on the soundtrack.

They arrive, separately, in the aftermath of a high school football game that has left dead bodies on the field. (Hal suspects some sort of alien rumble.) Here we meet Kelly Macdonald, suppressing her Scottish accent as tough but tender Sheriff Kerry, asserting her jurisdictional rights. Hal finds her “something incredible.” (John: “I think she hates your guts.” Hal: “Yeah, but it’s the way she hates them.”) Kerry is married to lawyer Billy Macon (Jason Ritter), whose father, William (Garret Dillahunt), is a local bigwig, with a cowboy militia and a wife, Zoe (Poorna Jagannathan), who possibly not coincidentally meets John in a bar.

At 60, Chandler is arguably more attractive than ever, with the sort of seasoning that served James Garner so well as Jim Rockford, TV’s greatest detective. Five seasons of “Friday Night Lights” have cemented him in the popular consciousness as a preternaturally decent guy, which allows us to excuse Hal’s less creditable moments, or at least to see things through his eyes. Pierre, 32, who competes in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, has the body of a superhero; he plays John wound tight, humorless, grimly ambitious — he grew up letting his father shoot apples off his head to prove his fearlessness, the primary requirement for a Green Lantern — though the character warms up across the course of the season (which also takes place in 2026). The actors are at their best in their scenes together, which the writers make happen even when it seems impossible. (Spoilers, or I’d explain.)

Combining detective work and science fiction is nothing new — see “Sugar,” currently; “The X-Files,” classically. (And there’s an interrogation scene I’m pretty sure nods knowingly to “Blade Runner.”) “Lanterns” isn’t totally free of cliches, which is practically impossible for sci-fi and crime stories anyway, so many have been told over the years, and to some degree that’s just what we come for. But the series is fresh enough in its details and execution, and strong enough in its writing, and so well performed, that it feels quite original.

I watched “Lanterns” without any particular knowledge of the character, who has been around since 1940, and in this particular version since 1959. (I did a little reading afterward.) Happily, the show is not up to its cowl in DC cross-references and crossovers. There are fleeting mentions of Gotham and Metropolis (where Superman works) and Nathan Fillion reprises his bad-hair Green Lantern from the 2025 “Superman” movie (a long story), but “Lanterns” comes equipped with everything you need to know. Bringing in extra mythology wouldn’t make the confusing parts any less confusing, and would just confuse the parts that aren’t confusing at all. Most every character, whichever side they’re on — and it’s not always easy to tell, given that the aliens look exactly like the humans — comes with layers.

Did I ever fully understand what these factions were after, or even what exactly the factions were? Nope. Did it matter? Nope.

A former ABC News journalist is suing former colleague CBS News Chief Correspondent Matt Gutman over inappropriate remarks he allegedly made when they worked together several years ago.

Samira Said, a field producer for ABC News for four years, included the claims related to Gutman in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court against her former employer and its parent The Walt Disney Co. Gutman, who joined CBS News in January, is named as a defendant as well.

The suit cited two incidents where Said claims Gutman created a hostile work environment by making inappropriate sexual comments while on the job. While waiting on a public line with Said during an assignment, Gutman allegedly “initiated a discussion rating a female correspondent’s appearance and reducing her professional standing to a numerical score based on her physical attributes.”

Said claims the other male crew members on the assignment joined in and tried to draw her into the conversation by soliciting her views. Said declined and stated the conversation was inappropriate.

The suit cited another exchange when the two covered a press event for a movie release. Said claims she and Gutman disagreed about whether they should leave the work site. “In front of multiple coworkers, Gutman responded by making a sexualized insinuation that Said must have an after-hours date in the city,” the suit said.

The suit also said the remarks made in front of co-workers were demeaning and “reduced [Said’s] professional judgment to a sexualized stereotype.”

Gutman, 48, was the first high-profile talent hire by CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss, who took charge of the division in October 2025. He recently filled in as anchor of the “CBS Evening News” and scored higher ratings than the program’s regular anchor Tony Dokoupil.

Gutman spent 17 years at ABC News where he mostly reported from Los Angeles.

The suit also claims Said was wrongfully terminated from ABC News in 2025 after dealing with mental health issues. The suit accuses the company of violating California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act by not making accommodations for her.

A Disney representative declined comment as executives have yet to see Said’s complaint. CBS News and Gutman also declined comment, having not seen the suit.

Said was assigned to cover the 2022 shooting at the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where she was required to interview child survivors who had witnessed the killing of their classmates. Afterward, she told her supervisor she needed a short leave to attend to her health but was denied.

A psychiatrist eventually approved a medical leave. The suit alleges that shortly after it began Said continued to get assignment requests from David Herndon, then head of ABC’s Los Angeles bureau.

Said was assigned to cover the Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025. She was sent home three weeks in after a supervisor observed her deteriorating physical condition, according to the suit.

Said injured her foot later that year while covering a weather-related story in the area. She reported the injury to supervisors but was denied a request for medical leave after being evaluated by a company doctor.

Said is seeking compensatory and punitive damages along with her attorneys’ fees.

FALLEN MasterChef host Gregg Wallace has launched a new career as a tour guide – but his viewing figures are not so hot.

He’s set up a YouTube channel where he tours London uncovering interesting sights missed by visitors, provides snippets of history and noses out cheap food and drink deals.

In one video, he found a pub in Leicester Square serving as substantial lunch and a pint for £20.

Another – which has attracted just 8,000 views – concentrated on the best and worst lunches in the capital.

A third was a hunt for a £30 beer and food lunch, which has been watched just 4,600 times.

His £20 challenge was posted two weeks ago, and is his most-watched footage at 22,000 plays.

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But viewer Wendy said: “I had forgotten just what a good presenter Gregg is. Love his commentary style.

“Not sure about him on MasterChef but this is really good. Let’s hope views go from strength to strength.”

Another person wrote on his YouTube channel: “It was great listening to the history of London. Very well done Gregg.”

Earlier this year, he spoke of his money worries after being axed from the BBC cookery show after an investigation into alleged inappropriate behaviour.

Gregg, 61, told his followers on Instagram: “I’ve worried about it all of my life, even when I was earning a load of money, I still had a major worry over it.

“It’s more than worry, it’s an anxiety. It’s always been with me and I don’t really know where it comes from.”

He added: “It bothered me a lot at school that everybody seemed to have more than me, and as a teenager and as a young man.

“Everybody around me seemed to have more than I did. So I worked really, really hard and always put my money away.

“And I have always been safe for a number of years but it doesn’t stop the anxiety.”

He then touched on his exit from the BBC and how he was also selling shout-out videos on the Cameo platform.

 “So when I lost my job and all of my earnings,” he said:

“That anxiety just spiralled completely out of control. And, although people knock it, Cameo was the best thing that happened.”

Gregg added: “This money worry has been the one constant nagging fear for all of my life, and I’m sure I’m not alone.”

CURVY Kylie Jenner is hip to it as she promotes her new activewear range.

The US beauty mogul, 29, showed off her toned physique in a pink sports bra and matching leggings.

They are part of her Alo Yoga Pink Marshmallow collection — one more to add to the billionaire businesswoman’s portfolio.

Yet the mother-of-two is increasingly seeking privacy with actor boyfriend Timothée Chalamet, 30.

Reality star Kylie said: “Some of the most meaningful parts of my life happen when no one’s watching.”

She said: “Some of the most meaningful parts of my life happen when no one’s watching.

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“Those moments of stillness are what help me feel grounded and present, and I’ve learned to protect them.

“That’s what I love about this campaign – it reminds us that taking care of yourself starts with making space for the things that are yours alone.”

Well, we’re watching now.

Kylie recently ditched her clothes in steamy nude ad for her new Khy heels brand.

For almost 40 years, a stamp of approval from Oprah Winfrey has been the ultimate status symbol, and a near-guarantee of commercial success — just ask Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil.

Winfrey’s talk show launched in 1986 and became a sensation. The talk show raked in Daytime Emmy awards, and the host’s sway with the audience was undeniable. Winfrey’s influence was, and still is, so potent that marketing pros called the boost in sales following an endorsement “the Oprah Effect.” Books have shot to the top of bestseller lists, brands such as Spanx and Ugg have become household names and multiple television personalities have been launched, including two controversial health professionals whose endorsements from Winfrey haven’t exactly aged well for some fans.

During a recent interview with the Television Academy’s Emmy Magazine, Winfrey addressed her ties with the conservative TV personalities, saying “People criticize me for Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz, because of their politics or their views.”

In the ’90s, Phil McGraw was a licensed psychologist who co-founded a trial consulting firm and was hired to help Winfrey when she was sued in Texas for questioning the safety of beef on her show amid a mad cow disease epidemic happening in the U.K. According to disgruntled cattlemen, the “Oprah Effect” doesn’t just have the power to boost sales, it can drop them too.

Winfrey won the case in 1998, and was so impressed by McGraw that she invited him onto her show and he subsequently landed a weekly segment. A few years later, he launched his own talk show with Winfrey’s backing.

“Dr. Phil, he was so practical, so down to earth, so real. And he would ride in the car with me every morning on the way to trial, where I’m literally sitting on trial for six weeks. I felt that he was so instrumental in helping me. I thought, ‘Oh, you could help a lot of people. You should come on my show,’” she told the outlet.

Dr. Oz came into the fold, Winfrey said, by way of introduction from her best friend, fellow television personality and news anchor Gayle King.

“He explained practical things like colon cancer and bowel movements,” Winfrey told Emmy Magazine. “I thought he had the language for explaining medical things in a way that was helpful to me. I thought it would be helpful to many other people. And that is how they ended up on the show.”

Dr. Mehmet Oz made his debut on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in 2004, and in the next few years he made more than 60 appearances, offering health advice to viewers. In 2009, he followed in Dr. Phil’s footsteps and launched his own talk show, with Winfrey’s production company backing the venture.

In recent years, Dr. Phil has aligned himself with MAGA, and in October 2024 he spoke at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden presidential campaign rally. Last year, he embedded with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials during raids, including in Chicago, where he and his crew taped arrests.

In 2020, when Dr. Phil celebrated a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, he thanked Winfrey in his speech, saying she has mentored him and moved him forward in life. “No doubt about it… You cannot understand the power of the O factor,” he said. “There would be no Dr. Phil without Oprah, so blame her if you’re going to blame somebody.”

Similarly, Dr. Oz aligned himself with the MAGA and Make America Healthy Again movements. He ran for senate in Pennsylvania in 2022 with an endorsement from Trump. After losing, he joined the Trump administration as the administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Since McGraw and Oz became vocal allies of the Trump administration, news stories involving them have spawned a thread of replies and reposts with comments pointing the finger at Winfrey for platforming the men many moons ago.

“Oprah spun off Dr. Phil, Dr. Oz, and gave oxygen to Suzanne Somers’ and Jenny McCarthy’s toxic messages. Her impact on the public discourse around medical advice was pretty uniformly terrible. I am not a fan,” reads one post on X.

“If it weren’t for Oprah, this quack Dr. Phil would be a nobody. Oprah has a lot to answer for,” reads another.

And, “Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz are the two worst things Oprah ever foisted on the public.”

Winfrey may have platformed the men decades ago, but her stance is clear today: “Everybody has their own path in life, and it has not one thing to do with me, and I don’t have one thing to do with them. At the time, the reason and intention behind me giving them their breaks was I thought they had valuable information to share that had been meaningful to me.”

A new young adult series has entered the chat.

“Sterling Point” has all the hallmarks of your usual YA obsession — yearning, an awkward love triangle, a lack of adult supervision, an enviable waterfront setting and complicated friendships. Unlike most other YA series of the moment, it’s an original story that isn’t based on a book. Created by Megan Park, the writer-director behind Sundance hit “My Old Ass” and an actor with roots in the coming-of-age circuit in shows like “The Secret Life of the American Teenager,” the heartfelt drama centers heavily on the complex relationship between two teens who discover they’re half sisters after a death exposes a deep family secret.

It’s the latest series helping Prime Video step further into its WB/The CW era as a go-to destination for younger audiences, joining hits that include “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” “Every Year After,” “We Were Liars” and “Off Campus.” Not to show my millennial wrinkles, but unless the streamer invests in a campaign that evokes the spirit of late ‘90s marketing push known as “The Faces of WB,” what’s even the point of it all? Until then, in this week’s Guest Spot, we spoke with Park about the series that has teen drama enthusiasts hooked.

Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our writers recommend a six-part British television drama that recounts the tragic 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 and a 2007 stoner comedy directed by Gregg Araki that will help you mellow out and pregame this weekend’s latest addition to the genre. — Yvonne Villarreal

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Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

Phyllis Logan, left, Molly Geddes and Cora Bissett in “The Bombing of Pan Am 103.”

(Netflix)

“The Bombing of Pan Am 103” (Netflix)

Admittedly, I didn’t know a lot about the Pan Am flight disaster that this miniseries depicts, but I’m glad that’s no longer the case. This BBC production (it debuted in the U.K. last year) depicts the stories of American and Scottish investigators who spent more than a decade combing through evidence, clues and tips to bring justice to the families affected by the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. In 1988, the commercial jetliner was transporting 259 people, including 190 Americans, when it exploded over the skies of Lockerbie, Scotland, killing everyone on board and 11 Scots on the ground. Until the events of Sept. 11, 2001, it was one of the most lethal acts of air terrorism, according to the FBI. In the series, we see the gravity of the disaster, but also a deep layer of humanity, showing how Lockerbie and its citizens were irrevocably changed, yet their compassion never wavered, whether for each other or the victims’ families, who formed a lasting bond in an unlikely place. The main characters in the show are based on real-life people: Connor Swindells is DS Ed McCusker, who helped lead the investigation in Scotland; Patrick J. Adams is FBI Agent Dick Marquise, who led the American investigation; and the brilliant Merritt Wever is Kathryn Turman, a tireless advocate whose work led to reforms and services for families of victims. Be prepared to watch with a box of tissues. — Maira Garcia

Anna Faris, John Krasinski, center, Michael Shamus Wiles in 2007’s “Smiley Face.”

(Lacey Terrell / First Look Pictures)

“Smiley Face” (Prime Video)

This has been a stand-out summer for highbrow discourse about Homeric adaptations. As a reward, let’s get stupid with Gregg Araki’s 2007 stoner flick “Smiley Face,” a giddy, silly romp about a slacker (Anna Faris) whose troubles start when she snarfs a plate of pot cupcakes for breakfast. Her misadventures treat us to a tour of L.A. — from a Hollywood casting office to the Venice Beach boardwalk, with a pit stop at a meat-packing plant in El Monte. Even better, it’s a tour de force performance from Faris, who plays an impulsive mess with the fearlessness of a clown leaping into a kiddie pool of pudding. She deserved to make a dozen more movies just like it. (The “Scary Movie” franchise only halfway counts.) If “Smiley Face” gives you the munchies for a great new comedy, check out “The Wrong Girls” with Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat and Araki’s latest farce, “I Want Your Sex,” which stars a ferociously funny Olivia Wilde. — Amy Nicholson

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A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

Ella Rubin and Amélie Hoeferle in “Sterling Point.”

(Prime Video)

The enemies-to-lovers romance trope in a teen drama? It’s been done. “Sterling Point” anchors its premise on an enemies(ish)-to-sisters storyline. The coming-of-age drama opens with 17-year-old twins, Annie Jacobson (Ella Rubin) and her twin brother Connor (Keen Ruffalo), who were raised in New York City and inherit a Canadian island following the death of their estranged grandfather. The series follows Annie as she sets out to the island and encounters Ramona (Amélie Hoeferle), the half sister she didn’t know existed until she arrived there. Their initial friction gives way to a tight bond as they piece together emotionally heavy family secrets.

The series hails from Megan Park, who has become known for her nuanced stories about young people with films like “The Fallout,” a drama starring Jenna Ortega about the aftermath of a school shooting, and the Aubrey Plaza-led “My Old Ass,” about a teenager who meets her older self while on a mushroom trip. Over video call, Park discussed the “Sterling Point’s” origins, her hopes for Season 2 and the coming-of-age stories that she admired growing up. — Y.V.

Many series about and catering to young adults right now, some of which are part of Prime Video’s lineup, are based on books that have built-in fan bases. Did that make “Sterling Point” a harder sell? What was your experience of pitching it?

Yes, I think people are always more nervous to take a risk on something brand new when you’re like, “This is just a weird idea I had in my brain, but trust me I think it’ll work.” But I was really lucky with Amazon being so supportive because they had just acquired “My Old Ass” and I think they understood the voice and the stories that I was wanting to tell with the show. I was shocked that people were willing to take the risk of being like, we’re going to go in a writers room and we’re going to figure out the show in an old-school way; we’re not going to rely on any kind of built-in audience or IP. I’m very thankful for Amazon for taking that chance on us. It’s not that I’m against adapting IP. I’m sure I would do that at some point, but I had an idea and somebody still wanted to listen to it, so I feel very grateful for that.

What inspired this story ?

I wanted to try [writing for] TV because I was like, “Well, eight hours is a lot more content than just making a movie.” That was a fun challenge to me. When I was acting, I spent so many years doing TV, so it felt like home. For me, it was the sisterhood story and sort of the the idea of these two young women who are connected by this woman that they don’t know and don’t feel like her death has necessarily affected either one of them, and it has very much affected both of them. I thought it was an interesting idea to explore, nature versus nurture. I come from a family where there’s a lot of adoption, and I had also never really seen a character like Annie where they were adopted and they didn’t have the desire to seek out their biological family, and that was just something they were fine with. That’s been an experience of a lot of people in my family. Oftentimes, [we see] stories about you know people wanting to find their biological family. Both of them exist, but I hadn’t seen the latter in a lot of things. I was excited to explore that.

Daniel Quinn-Toye, Bo Bragason and Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie in “Sterling Point.”

(Prime Video)

Identity, and how that’s shaped by our parents, drives so much of the story. What interested you in that parent-child or just familial dynamic?

I’ve always just loved stories that are about that; family dynamics are the most interesting to me because they’re so full of triggers, and everybody has some kind of crazy story within their family, or a mystery. At that age, you’re finally realizing your parents are just people too, and they maybe don’t know everything. And maybe you have different ideas or thoughts about how the world works than your parents, and that can sometimes not go over very well. It is an interesting time. And as a mom now with children — I have a 2- and 6-year-old — you think a lot about like, “Wow, how are my kids going to feel about A, B, and C when they’re this age? What’s my relationship going to be with them as teenagers and adults?” It’s so wild to think about. I was also writing it, thinking about a lot about the mom and the parents POV as well.

The show has romance or feelings of infatuation that are a hallmark of young adult dramas, but it’s not the focus of the show. It’s the relationship between the sisters. There’ve been studies saying that teens want less sex in TV and movies, that they prefer watching stories about deep friendships or platonic relationships. Was that top of mind for you at all?

You’re the first person who’s asked me that, and I feel like yes. We love a love triangle, we love a love story — it’s so fun and such an escape; it’s almost like an essential part of a show in a way. But especially this generation, their friendships are deeply important and they live at home longer, statistically. Their relationships, their parents, are a lot different than maybe millennials’. When I was in high school, I was never involved in romantic relationships. That was a later part of life, and I feel like I’ve talked to a lot of people, they were like, I wasn’t dating really in high school. I was not ready and not there yet. You don’t often see that. And so it was fun to have this this North Star that the real love story and the real heart of the show is the sisterhood, and I hope that sets the show apart in an exciting way, because it felt that way when we were writing it.

The season ends with Annie and Ramona essentially swapping locations. What are you interested in exploring in a Season 2 with these characters?

I have a whole bunch of ideas left, so we shall see. There’s a lot between these two young women having now experienced each other’s lives fully that is going to be really interesting to explore and pick up, hopefully, if we get the chance to. Listen, eight hours seem like a lot, but once you get into it, you’re like, “Wait, man, there’s eight hours more that I think I could get deeper into A, B, and C.” And there’s so many great supporting characters in the show, and we had stuff [for them] that we wanted to fit in for them in Season 1 that we just couldn’t fit in. Season 2 could be fun in that way, where you know these people and know the world, and now you can go more into [who they are.] Who is Oona’s mom? There’s all these other characters who we can get more into their world as well.

The YA genre is thriving right now. And it’s not even just young people tuning in — I feel like I see so many TikToks from millennials and Gen X talking about their obsession with them. Why do you think we’re still turning to these types of stories later in adulthood?

Because it’s nostalgic. It’s such a defining time in every single person’s life. It’s why young people are finding shows that we grew up on, like “One Tree Hill” or “Dawson’s Creek.” And why women in their 50s or 60s are still relating to the newer shows like “Off Campus” and and “Elle.” It doesn’t matter the era; it’s just the unique sort of idea that it’s the first this, the first that; the defining moments of our lives in so many ways.

In the spirit of this series, what were some of the coming-of-age films, TV series or books that shaped you?

I grew up in like the era of such great coming-of-age comedies — “Clueless” was a big one for me — and really epic rom-coms like “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” Those movies really stuck with me. I would say that Chris Columbus, as a filmmaker, makes movies like “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Step Mom” — those movies that are such wild ideas or really sad things, but you’re also unexpectedly crying. In “Mrs. Doubtfire,” you’re like, oh, this is a story about a dad who misses his kids, but it’s so heartfelt but also funny at the same time.” I want to make things that are heartfelt, which isn’t necessarily a cool word to some people. I think it’s cool because I want to make things that are meaningful but also lead with their heart, and you’re surprised when the emotion comes. It’s not just super, super dark or super, super light and fluffy; it hopefully falls perfectly right in the middle.

ICYMI

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Coronation Street’s Sarah Platt needs to watch out, as new prison pal Kacey has a secret agenda behind her protecting her – with spoilers giving away her real plan

Coronation Street‘s Kacey is not to be trusted, as she’s about to target Sarah Platt.

On Friday she was being all nice to a terrified Sarah, who is in prison for murdering Theo Silverton. Kacey took Sarah under her wing, vowing to protect her after an attack.

When Bethany Platt went to visit her mum, Sarah sang Kacey’s praises. It was clear Bethany wasn’t sold, but Sarah claimed Kacey had saved her, and was looking out for her.

But fans didn’t buy it, just like Bethany. They were quick to suggest the prisoner could not be trusted and it turns out they are correct.

According to spoilers for next week’s episodes, Kacey’s real intentions come to light. Sarah will be left terrified when the threats start, and there’s violence too.

Kacey enters Sarah’s cell in tears and informs her that her son has been arrested for armed robbery. Kacey begs Sarah to speak to her ex Kit Green, who is a detective.

Having just dumped Kit, she refuses. Kacey shares her hopes that Kit can help her son, but Sarah says she cannot get involved and won’t be speaking to Kit.

But things take a turn when a furious Kacey threatens her. Sarah still refuses to speak to Kit, even after her pal Todd Grimshaw finds out about the threat and tells her to do what Kacey says.

Kit is soon contacted, but he tells a desperate Sarah that if he were to help Kacey, he could lose his job. Kit also reminds her that she dumped him to stop him from ruining said career.

With Kit avoiding the plea, Kacey later turns violent with Sarah. She also warns Sarah that if anything happens to her son, it’ll be on her.

Fans had called it with Kacey from the moment they met her, with one writing on social media: “I want to trust that Kacey, but I don’t.” Another sad: “Bethany seems worried as well about Kacey helping her mum out.

“It’s definitely giving Kacey thinks she possibly can get Sarah as her property.” A third said: “Kacey already knowing that Kit is a cop, and wanting to help Sarah out if she has any trouble from that. That is a tad suspicious in my opinion.”

It comes as Corrie fans were left convinced one cast member had leaked a massive spoiler on social media this week. Not only that, but some were convinced it gave away the ending of a major storyline currently airing on the show.

Lucy Fallon, who plays Bethany on the soap, posted a snap of her and her co-star Tina O’Brien, who plays her onscreen mother, on Instagram.

Some fans decided it had to mean Sarah was out of prison in a matter of weeks. But this photo is not likely to be a spoiler, and it doesn’t actually mean Sarah’s fate is revealed at all.

Some viewers pointed out that the prison set is close to where they were, so there’s every chance Sarah is in prison. Then there’s the fact that some of the cast and crew were on set on Wednesday, when the selfie was posted online, enjoying the solar eclipse together. So it doesn’t even mean the pair were filming, they could have just been hanging out.

Coronation Street airs weeknights at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITV X. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Netflix said it is in the process of closing two of its gaming studios, as the division is making another round of organizational changes.

The Los Gatos, Calif., streamer said it closed the Hollywood-based gaming studio Night School, the maker of narrative games like “Oxenfree,” on Thursday and has proposed to close Helsinki, Finland-based gaming studio Moonloot. Night School was the first game developer Netflix purchased in 2021 as it expanded into gaming. At the time, the streamer was under pressure by investors to diversify its content to attract more customers, after experiencing two quarters of subscriber losses in 2022.

Night School viewed the acquisition at the time as “such a natural pairing” as the gaming studio wanted to stretch its narrative aspirations on original games and Netflix has a reputation of giving TV and film creators an “unprecedented canvas” to bring entertainment to millions of people, according to a blog post on its website.

In an email, a Netflix spokesperson said it is eliminating roles because the company believes it can operate more strategically and efficiently in its games business. The spokesperson declined to provide the number of workers affected.

Last year, the company shut down Boss Fight Entertainment, one of the gaming studios it acquired in 2022.

Games on Netflix have had mixed results. At the end of 2024, Epic Games executive Alain Tascan joined Netflix as president of the division and under his leadership, it has focused on key areas including kids, party games like “Netflix Minigolf,” narrative games and mainstream games like “FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition.” The company also removed games in part because they did not have high engagement from its library.

Last year, Netflix unveiled several party games including “Boggle Party” and “Pictionary: Game Night.”

In June, Netflix released a narrative game made by Night School called “Unhinged” about a woman who is trapped inside her apartment during a hurricane and is trying to find safety. Voice actors in the game include Zoë Kravitz and Sadie Sink.

In a July earnings presentation, Co-CEO Greg Peters reminded analysts of the market opportunity for games, with $150 billion in consumer spending not including ad revenue or markets in China and Russia. He said the streamer is seeing solid numbers from its cloud games such as FIFA and “Unhinged” and higher adoption and retention in the cloud games than mobile games. He also said there has been strong engagement and growth from kid games.

“We’re just getting started here,” Peters said. “We’re scratching the surface in terms of what we think the total potential of the space offers for us.”

The layoffs come as Netflix stock has declined 37% from a year ago. Investors are concerned about how much time people are spending on Netflix compared to rivals like YouTube. YouTube represents about 14% of streaming-watch time by U.S. viewers on TVs, compared to Netflix’s 8% in May, according to Nielsen.

In addition to games, Netflix has added other types of content to its streaming service over the years including live events like NFL football games and video podcasts.

SHE recently hard launched her new man following a turbulent on/off relationship with her Love Island ex Jack Fincham.

But former Towie star Chloe Brockett, 25, might not be ready to reveal everything about Daniel Price just yet. Here, pals tell us why the new romance has raised alarm bells – and the lengths Chloe has been going to to protect him.

We can reveal Chloe made the decision to edit out his ankle tag from pictures of them at a music festival.

An insider said: “Chloe really wants to show people she is happy and has finally moved on from Jack, but there are a few red flags.

“We noticed she had edited out his tag.

“Daniel is well known in and around Essex – he used to date Yasmin Oukhellou– so it’s no secret what he is like.

“Obviously we’re pleased she is having fun but it is a worry because of all the stress she went through before.”

Chloe hard-launched the relationship at the weekend, sharing a kiss with Daniel as they partied with pals.

One of them, influencer Mia Sully, shared a smiling snap with Chloe in which Daniel stood behind them facing the other way.

The black tag is clearly visible on his left leg, but when Chloe shared the same snap on her Instagram it had disappeared.

The Sun has contacted a representative for Chloe for comment.

Daniel has a child from his relationship with Essex girl Natalie Milton, who is friends with a number of the Towie set.

He also dated Towie star, Yazmin Oukhellou, in 2023.

Awkwardly, Chloe and Yaz were arch-enemies during their time on Towie as they clashed over their mutual ex James Lock.

They went on to have a massive feud while filming Ex on the Beach in 2024 having not spoken for four years previously.

Initially, the pair wiped the slate clean, with Chloe acknowledging her behaviour in the past wasn’t great and that she in no way wanted any trouble with Yaz.

But tensions rose as the series developed with Yaz insisting she was “the best bird” James ever had in a blazing row.

Earlier this year, Chloe made it clear she was done with ex Jack, who is now a bareknuckle fighter, after their eighth split.

They had a notoriously turbulent relationship, plenty of rows, and several splits.

In January, The Sun revealed Jack had checked himself back into rehab after he had relapsed into drink and drugs and had just £20 to his name.

He underwent a two-month stay comprising of £32,000 of treatment at Rainford Hall, Merseyside.

Cutting ties, Chloe posted on Instagram: “I want to write this to make this clear and final, me and my ex partner Jack are no longer together and haven’t been for quite some time.

“I want no association with this person, his actions and the things he does.”

CORONATION Street legend Beverley Callard revealed she’s ‘quite badly burnt’ from breast cancer treatment – amid sharing a new health update.

Liz McDonald actress Beverley, 69, first revealed in February that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Appearing on Irish chat show The Six O’Clock Show, the star has opened up about her current condition.

Beverley explained how the side effects of radiotherapy began to affect her after a few days.

She said: “Nausea, really tired and just wiped out a little bit.

“And I’m quite badly burnt. But I’m coping really well, actually.”

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This came after Beverley revealed she finished radiotherapy only a couple of weeks earlier.

She continued: “I got through it amazingly well. I didn’t have any time off work.

“I didn’t miss a day. So I was really sort of proud of myself for that.”

Beverley confirmed she was “back at work” and filming once again, referring to her current role as Lily Patterson on Fair City.

She concluded: “I don’t know the actual prognosis yet, I see my oncologist again in two weeks time. So I’ll know more then, but I’m doing well.”

The actress also shared how other people said to her: “You shouldn’t be working, you should be at home.”

She elaborated: “But if you are, you just sit and feel sorry for yourself.

“Believe me, I’ve done that as well, as we all do. But I need my mind to be occupied.

“If I’ve got lines to learn, it really helps. And believe me, I’ve had loads to learn, so it’s been good.”

Bev has been open with fans about the gruelling side effects as she battles cancer, and last week revealed her treatment had left her “sore and tired”.

The star told her followers: “I’ve got to speak to the hospital tomorrow.

“I’m not sure that I’m healing as well as I should be. But I’m so burnt and it’s just driving me mad.

“Also, incredibly nauseous.”

JAMIE Redknapp shared loved-up snaps with wife Frida as they enjoyed a family holiday in Italy.

It comes just days The Sun revealed that after Jamie’s ex-wife Louise Redknapp split from her boyfriend Drew Michael after two years.

The ex-Eternal girl group star, 51, separated from the businessman and former Army officer, 42, earlier this year.

They had been dating since autumn 2023 but called time on the relationship and he is believed to have left the UK.

Meanwhile, Jamie, 53, is busy enjoying a romantic getaway with his wife of five years Frida and their son Raphael, four.

The pair shared a sweet photo of with their arms around each other while out sightseeing.

Frida then put on a stunning display in an off-the-shoulder mini dress and white heels as she glammed up for dinner.

They also shared snaps of them enjoying some quality time together at the pool.

The Sun revealed this week that Louise and Drew had ended things.

But friends insisted she is thriving as a singleton and she recently jetted off twice on girls’ trips to Ibiza.

A source said: “Louise and Drew decided to end things a little while ago.

“Things had been really good between them but it felt like their relationship had run its course and they both thought it was best to move on.

“It was all very amicable and although it’s never fun when a relationship ends, Louise has thrown herself back into her social life and her busy work schedule.

Drew’s thought to have moved abroad for work so it’s been a clean break.

“She’s in no rush to jump back into another relationship because she feels very fulfilled with her life right now, but she’ll see what happens.”

Speaking about Drew last year, she said their relationship had inspired the track Manifesting on her fifth solo album, Confessions.

Louise, who shares sons Charley, 22, and Beau, 17, with Jamie, added: “Drew is great with my boys.

“He’s just a really great guy.

“I feel very lucky to have met him.”

Louise separated from Jamie in 2017 following a stint on Strictly.

She said of their separation: “I couldn’t just keep on kind of just being there existing — I’m an entertainer.”

Jamie went on to wed model Frida Andersson in 2021 and they have a son, Raphael, four.

Period drama fans will love this new film set in stunning Mauritius in the 1920s

Fans of Bridgerton are set to be captivated by a tale of “forbidden love” set in 1920s Mauritius.

Starring Ellie Bamber and Mehdi Dehbi, the film is described as a “haunting, tragic love story” that is “woven into a complex tapestry of beauty and brutality”.

Willow star Ellie plays Lucy, a 17-year-old who has been orphaned and so is sent to live with her uncle George on the idyllic island, where everything seems perfect thanks to its turquoise waters and golden sugarcane fields.

However, all is not what it seems and beneath the beauty of the island “lurks a sinister system of abuse, oppression, and control”. And Lucy’s uncle, who is played by Rupert Penry-Jones, may not be quite as charming as he appears to start with.

A synopsis said: “As Lucy begins to see the cracks in this picturesque island, she encounters Krishna (Mehdi), an indentured labourer bound to a life in stark contrast to her own. His kindness and quiet defiance awakens something in her that the world around her forbids.

“Both their lives have been shaped, bought, and sold by men who trade in power behind closed doors. In each other, they find freedom and purity.

“Their forbidden love becomes their refuge: a secret island paradise untouched by the ocean of darkness surrounding them.”

“But this paradise cannot last,” it continues. “As the forces determined to keep them apart close in, Lucy and Krishna must decide if their love is worth everything it will cost them.”

The film – which also stars Rhona Mitra and Amy Beth Hayes – is based on the novel Prisoner of Paradise which was written by Romesh Gunesekera.

It was originally due to be called Ambleside, but its name was later changed to Prisoners of Paradise.

The movie is now available to buy in the UK, where it is already drawing fans just days after being unveiled.

“You breathed life into Lucy, captivating us,” one person said on Instagram of Ellie’s performance, as another said: “What a beautiful adventure in paradise.”

Others said it was “amazing” and one person posted a message on the platform saying it was “beautiful”.

Prisoners of Paradise is available to purchase on the Sky Store.

Following the latest news that beloved Loose Women panellist Denise Welch is departing the ITV show, many viewers are now labelling the programme a ‘sinking ship’

Daytime TV favourite Loose Women has recently undergone some of the most sweeping structural and staffing shake-ups in its 26-year history, and following the latest news that beloved panellist Denise Welch is departing the show, many viewers are now labelling the programme a ‘sinking ship’.

As part of a sweeping broadcaster-wide cost-cutting drive by ITV, the format of the show has changed dramatically this year. Rather than broadcasting all year round, Loose Women was scaled back to a seasonal format in January, airing for just 30 weeks a year. The show also axed its live studio audience entirely. This decision led to the dismissal of long-serving studio warm-up comedian Lee Peart, sparking an emotional outcry from remaining cast members.

Loose Women also vacated its former home and relocated to The H Club Studio in Covent Garden. It now shares a centralised, 360-degree LED-walled studio space with This Morning and Lorraine in a bid to significantly slash production costs.

While its standard runtime remains one hour (12:30 pm to 1:30 pm), the show has trialled temporary extensions – such as 15-minute “extra time” segments to accommodate sports scheduling and specific themed features.

It was also revealed this month that panellist Nadia Sawalha had been dropped from the programme by ITV following controversy over her beliefs. Now, news has broken today (August 13) that Denise Welch has quit the show.

The 68-year-old, who has appeared on-and-off the programme for 25 years, says she wants to throw herself wholeheartedly into her acting career, which she has described as her true passion and “first love”.

She has enjoyed a remarkable professional resurgence of late, landing major television roles including the Channel 4 sitcom Stepping Up and the Channel 5 drama Forever Home.

In a video uploaded to her personal Instagram account, Welch opened up about the reasoning behind her departure.

She said: “Acting has always been my first love and, I think, the thing I’m best at.

“At the moment, I’m having the most wonderful opportunities coming my way and I’m grabbing them by the you-know-whats and running with it for this new chapter of my life.”

Reflecting on her time on Loose Women, she added: “This show has been part of mine, and my family’s life, for nearly a quarter of a century. I have the most wonderful, wonderful memories.

“I’ve shared my life with you, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I’m very Marmite, but I cherish all the comments, good or bad, that I’ve had over the years.”

Amid growing public speculation over the state of the show, she moved to clarify her relationship with her fellow cast members, adding: “I’ll miss everybody, but I will remain friends with the whole gang because, despite what you might read, we are a happy band of campers.”

Her announcement triggered an enormous outpouring of support from her fellow panellists, underscoring her reputation as the “beating heart” of the show.

Host Kaye Adams wrote: “You have broken my heart but I shall watch your Den-aissance with love and pride.”

While Nadia Sawalha added: “You are such a fantastic actress. Fly high lovely.”

Scores of fans also told Denise how much they had enjoyed watching her on the programme, though some predicted its decline following her exit and other recent developments.

One person wrote: “It’s not fun to watch anymore and it feels like people are not allowed to have different opinions on the important things! Plus ITV deciding to get the rid of the audience is the beginning of the end. You were my favourite one!”.

Another claimed Loose Women is “grinding to a halt”, while a third added: “I’m glad you jumped before the ship went down.”

The news comes amid separate claims that ITV recently shelved a Loose Women spin-off project as part of sweeping budget cuts across the broadcaster.

In July 2026, reports emerged that ITV executives quietly pulled the plug on a planned Loose Women spin-off podcast.

An insider noted that while the broadcaster remains hopeful for another run in the future, the project will not feature on the immediate calendar due to sweeping cost-cutting measures impacting ITV Daytime.

For every actor, musician, writer and artist who has become a wealthy and enduring celebrity, exponentially more of them have enjoyed a brief, shining moment, never to be heard of again. What separates those who last from those who fade away? Is it luck, talent, drive, destiny? All of the above?

It’s an intriguing question that may have no definitive answer, but one that director Kent Jones (2018’s acclaimed “Diane”) and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Samy Burch (“May December”) lovingly and lyrically consider in the often first-rate “Late Fame.” The film is based on an 1895 novella by Arthur Schnitzler (also author of the book that became “Eyes Wide Shut”), which went unpublished until 2014.

A quietly captivating Willem Dafoe plays Ed Saxberger, a New York post office veteran of 37 years in a seemingly satisfying if decidedly low-key existence. For him, it’s work, then maybe a game of pool with his blue-collar buddies at a local bar (though he’s six years sober) and a solo return to his Greenwich Village walk-up.

That is, until one night, he’s approached outside his apartment building by a somewhat affected but seemingly earnest young man who goes by his last name, Meyers (Edmund Donovan). With his elevated speech, tony air and throwback attire, he’s like someone from another era; you could see him as one of Jay Gatsby’s pals or a bon vivant who drops by on “Downton Abbey.”

Meyers proceeds to tell an astonished Ed that he’s a huge fan of his long-forgotten 1979 poetry collection entitled “Way Past Go,” the postal worker’s fleeting brush with literary success. “They just slap you across the face with their style and with their relevancy,” extols Meyers of the poems. “They’re timeless.”

Really, what writer, no matter how detached from their past, could resist that kind of sweet talk?

A meet-up with Meyers’ “artistic community,” a circle of so-called intellectuals known as the Enthusiasm Society, leads Ed to humbly dip a toe back into his vanished creative side. He’s not unaware that Meyers’ mostly 20-something male friends have — like many — romanticized the gritty abandon of lower Manhattan’s bygone literary scene and perhaps Ed’s tenuous place in it. They might be poseurs tossing around references to Ginsberg and Bukowski, but the welcome mat the group offers Ed is enticing and inspiring.

Still, a visit to Meyers’ sleek apartment, admittedly paid for by his parents, confirms for Ed the kind of youthful privilege at play here, so unlike the scrappier downtown bohemia of his own artistic heyday.

The wild card in the Society is Gloria (Greta Lee, dazzlingly good), an impish sprite who’s hard to pin down. Is she really a working stage actor? Ed gets swept up in her performative antics and elusive, larger-than-life allure. (She’s older than her fellow Society members but decades younger than Ed.) When they develop a teasing flirtation, it’s one of the less credible turns here, given how authentic Ed is — and how dubious she appears (though some truth on that front will later unfold).

This tilt toward Gloria causes the film to lose its way a bit, pulling focus from the more potentially vital mentor-disciple dynamic between Ed and the anxious, navel-gazing Meyers. Plus, Donovan is excellent here, so less of him is, well, less.

That said, there’s a bravura second-act scene that finds Gloria performing an impassioned version of the 1929 Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill torch song “Surabaya Johnny” for an appreciative cabaret audience, one that includes a rapt Ed. It verifies Gloria’s singing talent and proves a perfect match for her showy, cagey persona: the love child of Marlene Dietrich and Sally Bowles.

If the story has a through line, it concerns the planning and execution of an evening of live readings from the Society’s works, with a new poem from Ed as its centerpiece. A few of the obstacles layered in — Ed’s struggle to write and some show-night personality conflicts — feel a tad obligatory. But the event itself has its high points, including the piece Ed finally reads.

In addition, an awkward meeting between Ed and a smooth literary agent (Jake Lacy), along with a mini-subplot involving phone calls from Ed’s frustrated sister about their dying brother, come off slightly wedged in. Not much payoff there.

No matter. There’s wisdom and depth to the film’s themes of growing old, dashed dreams and the magic of rediscovery, plus a deliciously ironic final twist. Jones manages his superb cast with aplomb and cinematographer Wyatt Garfield evocatively captures lower Manhattan’s wintry, burnished glow.

A period drama with a famous cast has been added to BBC iPlayer and fans are gripped

A “remarkable” period drama based on a best-selling book is available to stream now and fans have said it’s a “must watch”.

The Boys in the Boat, which stars Joel Edgerton and Callum Turner, is based on the popular 2013 book by Daniel James Brown and follows the University of Washington rowing team as they set their sights on competing in the Olympics.

Set during the Great Depression, it follows Joe Rantz (played by Callum), a struggling student who joins the rowing team simply to earn enough money to stay in college. He and a group of other young men face financial trouble and hardship but rise through the ranks with their rowing skills, with Joel as their coach Al. Their journey eventually takes them all the way to the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Directed and co-produced by George Clooney, the movie made a splash when it was first unveiled in 2023 and it is winning over a new audience after it was added to the BBC iPlayer, where it is streaming now.

One fan wrote on Reddit that the movie was “remarkable”, while others called it “outstanding”.

Several noted how emotional it made them, with one posting on Letterboxd that it “had me crying” when they tuned in.

“I got goosebumps, my heart was racing, I cried,” said someone else, as another described it as “an emotional rollercoaster”.

Another person said that it left them “sobbing”, and someone else wrote online: “Made me laugh, it made me cry a little, it inspired me.”

One fan said they were “choked up several times” watching as Joe and the rest of the team strove to make their dream of Olympic glory come true.

Discussing a part of the film in Frontpage magazine, one person said: “I swear to deity, I started crying right then; I would go on to cry multiple times throughout the film.”

“I absolutely loved it (and had a tear in my eye),” said another.

The Boys in the Boat also stars Peter Guinness, Jack Mulhern, Thomas Elms and Luke Slattery. Actress Hadley Robinson stars as Joyce Simdars, Joe’s love interest, in the film.

The Boys in the Boat is available on BBC iPlayer.