show biz

Taskmaster made a return to our TV screens for a brand new series and viewers were quick to share their reaction

Taskmaster’s highly-anticipated return has sparked the same reaction from viewers.

Fans were quick to share their verdict just minutes into the return of the Channel 4 comedy show which returned to screens tonight (September 3) for its 22nd series. It introduced a brand new group of celebs taking on the bizarre challenges set by Greg Davies and his co-host Alex Horne.

The new series saw Richard Ayoade, Matt Lucas, Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie and Nina Conti enter the Taskmaster’s set for the first time. Richard Ayoade, best known for playing Maurice Moss in The IT Crowd, is joined by Matt Lucas, the Little Britain star and former Great British Bake Off host. Comedian Chloe Petts, Peep Show actress and comedian Isy Suttie, and award-winning ventriloquist Nina Conti complete the line-up.

As ever, the five comedians were handed a collection of strange and seemingly impossible challenges, with Greg ultimately deciding who deserves the coveted points.

The opening episode, titled In My Mind There’s A River, saw the stars thrown straight into the madness, with Greg and Alex putting them through their paces as they battled to impress the Taskmaster.

They first challenge called hunting for golden apples, where they had to search for and obtain the apples, with the usual Taskmaster opportunities for creative interpretations and questionable tactics. Up next was rearranging furniture and the stars were given a furniture-based challenge where their ability to interpret the instructions became important.

And finally they took on performing a duet with themselves, which was one of the more bizarre tasks, requiring the contestants to effectively perform both parts of a musical number.

It didn’t take long for viewers to share their reactions to the new series on social media as a flurry of fans claimed that it is the “best show on TV.”

One fan wrote: “Aaah, and #Taskmaster is back… suddenly the world feels normal again. The only TV show that makes me smile every time.” Another viewer was already in stitches after the opening challenge, posting: “First task in and I’m creasing already #Taskmaster.”

Others were equally enthusiastic, with one simply declaring: “Best show on tv #taskmaster.” A fourth fan added: “This is gonna be a fab series I feel it in my bones #Taskmaster.” And another agreed, writing: “Really fun opening to the series.”

You can stream the new series of Taskmaster on Channel 4.

WHILE most shy away from pain, Ellie Goulding leans into hers for new album I Know Too Much.

And it makes the ten-track record, out today, one of her greatest pieces of work.

Her searingly honest lyrics shine a light on the last two years of her life, while the mix of pacy beats and stripped-back acoustic ballads elevate her ethereal voice.

Part heartbreak, part rebirth, I Know Too Much takes listeners on a journey through deceit and betrayal before ending in a place of euphoria with final song Ravers.

The end of her marriage to art dealer Caspar Gopling has most definitely inspired some of the tracks.

But you can also see how fans might link some lyrics to her apparent unhappiness with her old management team, with whom she is now locked in a nasty legal battle after they parted ways earlier this year.

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Two ultimate diss tracks, Always Thinking Of You and Misremember You, are sure-fire hits for the broken-hearted.

Lyrically, the latter is raw, with Ellie singing: “All my friends would die if they knew I still see you in a good light from time to time. But I won’t let the truth get in the way of a good story.

“I’ll leave out all the details that don’t add up to your glory.”

On Always Think Of You, Ellie chides: “Run your mouth, when I post a pretty picture you would make me take it down.

“The s**t you did then I would never put up with now.”

She continues: “Losing your s**t over something small, throwing a fit like you’re two feet tall, blame it on me, or the alcohol, what do you know now, Mr know it all?”

For Your Entertainment and Loser are my stand-out favourites, with the lyrics on Loser enough to make any of her former flames cringe.

“See you got a new job, new life, got a new girl that’s fine, you’re not fooling anybody,” Ellie sings.

“You can change all your clothes, baby you’re still a loser.

“Change your cologne, you still smell like a loser.”

I’ll be singing that on repeat any time someone gets on my wick.

I wasn’t born in Los Angeles, but it’s the city that raised me. I moved here fresh out of college with a doe-eyed dream of stepping into the kind of art scene I’d read about in history books. Instead, it quickly became clear that I wasn’t going to be able to just waltz in with my Southern charm and big smile; there would need to be some sort of hack into the art world — a place rife with unspoken roles and gatekeeping — if I wanted to get anywhere as a non-nepo artist.

After years of blister-inducing heels-on-the-ground gallery hopping and late-night schmoozing, I found myself falling in love with this city and slowly realizing that the best parts of L.A. were rarely found in mainstream spaces. There’s an inventiveness here that comes from the sprawl of the city — artists like myself who are constantly improvising, building their own ecosystems because nothing is handed to them. I fell in love with how “never-ending” the artist’s practice can feel in Los Angeles, how a studio visit can veer into an hours-long conversation about life. It made the city feel less like a scene to fit into and more like a living, breathing network you have to contribute to before receiving anything back.

In 2014, Alex Benzer and I decided to put our hard-earned knowledge to work by creating Curate LA: a community-driven platform designed to pull back the curtain on the Los Angeles art world by mapping under-the-radar exhibitions and adventurous artist-run spaces, and connecting our audiences directly with artists, curators, galleries and collectors through candid interviews, weekly guides and real-time event recommendations. Because despite appearances, an art scene isn’t held up by pristine white walls; it’s built by the artists sharing a cig and an idea outside on the sidewalk, the gallerists stocking the free booze and championing new voices, and the person you meet sitting at the front desk who tells you about the cute spot around the corner with affordable bites.

For me, an ideal L.A. weekend is a little bit of all of that: a great studio visit that turns into an unexpected conversation, stumbling onto an unconventional exhibition of an artist I’ve never heard of, eating something delicious with friends who I ran into at a show opening, and ending the night at a bar where half of the room just spilled out from the gallery down the street. What I’ve made for you is my personal, slightly circuitous, weekend guide to Los Angeles’ sprawling creative landscape. These are my snapshots of the places and people that I return to, the ones that have fed me, surprised me, taught me something or made a long day of circling the block to find parking impossible to forget.

FRIDAY: Downtown → MacArthur Park → Koreatown

Greg Ito with “Personal Effects,” 2026, “The Spectrum Within,” 2025 and “Love is a Vessel,” 2026.

1. My first stop is visiting Greg Ito at his DTLA studio. I love the way his work draws me into a layered dreamscape and rearranges my sense of time and space. Greg is also a great storyteller. Pulling from archival family photos and childhood memories as a fourth-generation Angeleno in West L.A., his work weaves together a certain kind of nostalgia that always makes for a heartfelt studio visit. DM @gregitooo for availability and address.

   

   Eduardo Medrano at John Doe Gallery.

2. From there, I head over to John Doe Gallery, which is run by two artists, Eduardo Medrano Jr. and Alfonso Gonzalez Jr. They show some of the best up-and-coming artists in Los Angeles, and their openings are always a good time. It’s the kind of place where I’m just as likely to run into someone I know as I am to discover someone I don’t, which in my opinion is exactly what a good art space should do. 107 E. 11th St., Los Angeles. DM @johndoegallery for open hours.

   

   Vita Kari in front of “My Girlfriend Named Herself After a Water Bottle,” 2024, at their DTLA studio. Kari wears Barrio Drive.

3. You might recognize Vita Kari as “The craziest thing about being creative” personality from IG, but what you might not know is that they completed their MFA with a thesis on “Virality as Form,” wherein lies the proof in the pudding, a.k.a. their art. Vita uses textiles, performance and video to speak about internet culture, along with stunning visuals that incorporate their family’s Middle Eastern diaspora and history. DM @vitakari for availability and address.

   

   Samala Meza in her DTLA studio with works in progress.

4. I make my way over to Samala Meza, who creates soft, sexy paintings that look like she literally breathed a secret into them. Her studio is situated at Princess Castle, an artist-run studio space, so you can pop over to some other great artists while you’re there. DM @samalameza for availability and address.

   

   Devin Troy Strother on the roof of his studio overlooking DTLA.

5. Devin Troy Strother is an L.A.-born and -based artist and co-founder of Coloured Publishing, a printing press making books, zines, T-shirts and other editioned works, all by artists of color. Nestled among the produce district, there’s never a dull moment in Devin’s studio. Often working all hours of the night, there’s usually a cast of characters coming in and out, similar to the subjects you’ll see throughout his paintings. DM @devintroy for availability and address.

   

   Commonwealth and Council Team (L to R clockwise): Isabel Einaudi, Audrey Bui, Brenda Reyes-Chavez, Oliver Sweet and Young Chung.

6. What began as an artist-run exhibition space in Young Chung’s apartment 15 years ago has grown to be one of L.A.’s most championed emerging artist safe havens, Commonwealth and Council. I’ll always make time for this space if I’m in the neighborhood. 3006 W. 7th St., Suite 220, Los Angeles, door code: 01220 (please note that this space is not wheelchair–accessible). Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., @commonwealthandcouncil

   

   Holcomb in front of the Prince. Styled by Jocelyn Corona, wearing AYANEGUI, TANAMACHI and Vacr.

7. To round out the day, I recommend decompressing at the Prince in K-Town, a place where you can spot celebrities and L.A. artists under one roof. Many galleries have had their after-parties here, where you can catch up on the night’s gossip in a dimly lit booth over a kimchi pancake. 3198 1/2 W 7th St., Los Angeles. Call before your visit to confirm hours and dining details (this space is also not wheelchair–accessible). princektown.com

SATURDAY: Beverly Hills → Hollywood → Eastside

Jerson Hondall in the library of Gagosian Gallery, Beverly Hills.

8. I start the day by visiting one of my favorite people in the L.A. art scene, Jerson Hondall. Jerson worked for Curate LA back in the day, but now you can find him working as an artist liaison at Gagosian Gallery and serving on the board of LACE. He is a literal art encyclopedia, which you can see through his Instagram series #dosisdiariadearte, and he is one of the loveliest people you will find, so don’t be afraid to approach him if you see him out and about. DM @jersonhondall for availability.

   

   Jonny Negron in his Los Feliz studio featuring works in progress “virtue signal” and “tellurian lube.”

9. Next, I head east to Los Feliz to visit Jonny Negron at his home studio. His paintings make you feel like you’re sitting across the bar from some of the coolest people in the room. You might recognize his work, which was commissioned for Rosalía’s single “Dolerme.” There’s something about seeing his works in the exact place where they were made that makes the paintings feel even more alive. DM @jonnynegron777 for availability and address.

   

   LAST Projects exterior in Lincoln Heights with co-founder Ilona Berger and pup.

10. I then make my way to Lincoln Heights and visit LAST Projects, an alternative space and gem. This gallery has given many artists in L.A. their first shows in their early careers (myself included). It’s one of those places where I know I’m going to see something that makes me pause, even if I have no idea what I’m walking into beforehand. 206 S. Ave. 20, Los Angeles. Open Thursday, 1 to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 6 p.m. @last_projects

    

11. Next I visit Drex, owned and curated by Vivian Hicks, a vintage homeware store tucked into Cypress Park. With a knowledge of designers that is truly unmatched, Vivian scours the internet and estate sales to hand-select some of the most desired American Modern, Italian and French design collectibles ranging from the early 20th century to the early 2000s. DM @drex.drex.drex for an appointment and address.

    

    Huevos a la Mexicana breakfast burrito at Lupita’s Restaurant in Cypress Park.

12. I skipped breakfast, so Vivian recommends I go around the corner to Lupita’s Restaurant, and they do not disappoint with their huevos a la Mexicana breakfast burrito. Simple but effective. 2634 Idell St., Los Angeles. Open daily 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    

    Ever Velasquez outside of Charlie James Gallery on Chunk King Road, Chinatown.

13. Satiated, I hop over to Chinatown to visit curator Ever Velasquez at Charlie James Gallery. While her name might not be on the door, Ever is the star of the show, putting together show after show of L.A.’s hottest rising artists. 969 Chung King Road, Los Angeles. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment. @charliejamesgallery @ever.a.k.a.thegirlabouttown

    

    Human Resources exterior in Chinatown.

14. A few blocks away, there is Human Resources. An L.A. staple, HRLA has been around for 16 years now and continues to showcase some of the most experimental works coming out of the city. This space is truly a breeding ground for pure creativity and expression. Make sure to check the calendar on their website to see what’s happening. 410 Cottage Home St., Los Angeles. @humanresourcesla

    

    Drinks at El Prado in Echo Park.

15. Finally, I end the day at El Prado, a local artist watering hole. Nick Fisher, the owner, used to bartend his personal bar called FISHTANK at gallery openings and come up with the craziest drink concoctions and home-brewed beers on theme with whatever exhibition was opening that evening. With names like the Loudspeaker cocktail and a Blood and Fire Smoked Lager, they were sure to get you litty. You can still sample his creations at the bar, albeit they might not be as experimental as they once were. 1805 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles. Open Monday to Friday, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday to Sunday, 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. @ficknish, @elpradobar

SUNDAY: South L.A. → Mid-City → Pico

Aleza Zheng in her South L.A. studio featuring “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” 2026, “Of Providence,” 2026 and “All That Is In Heaven,” 2026.

16. I start Sunday with Aleza Zheng at the artist-run Tlaloc Studios. Much like her artwork, she is quite the whimsical, spontaneous person. The first time we met, I was deep in the trenches of L.A. Art Week, starving at my probably fifth art event of the day. I was ready to call it quits when Aleza popped out of her car, dressed to the nines, with multiple bags of In-N-Out. She’s been feeding me ever since. DM @alezazheng for availability and address.

    

    Dominique Clayton at Harun Coffee in Leimert Park.

17. From there I spend some time with Dominique Clayton in the heart of Leimert Park, where she was born and raised. Dominique is an L.A. native, curator and woman about town. She’s currently organizing Mom’s Night Out at Harun Coffee, a bimonthly meetup of mothers looking to connect with other creatives and artist moms. I love the way Dominique thinks about community — not as some abstract art world buzzword, but something you have to actually cultivate IRL. DM @lookatdominique to connect.

    

    Jamal Hasef in front of his mural “Sky is the Limit,” 2026 on 11th & Vernon in Leimert Park.

18. I make my way to see Jamal Hasef, who uses paint to move between the personal and the political, digging into the complex and sublime afterlives of the African diaspora in his canvases and portraits. You can check out his mural on the corner of 11th and Vernon or visit him at his studio in nearby Baldwin Hills. @_hasef_ DM for availability and address.

    

    Holcomb in front of Watts Towers in Watts, wearing Desigual and styled by Jocelyn Corona.

19. If you haven’t heard of or visited the fairy-tale world of Simon Rodia’s Watts Towers, you’re in for a treat. Next door to the famous landmark is the Watts Towers Arts Center, a historical site of political activism and assemblage art, most notably by L.A. legendary artist Noah Purifoy, who once ran the gallery. I love bringing people here because it reminds me of why I’m so enamored with the city: It’s weird, completely handmade and unlike anything else. 1727 E. 107th St., Los Angeles. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but you can check out the towers from the street any day of the week. wattstowers.org

    

    Books purchased from Reparations Club in Mid City (L to R): “Assata: An Autobiography,” “Love Poems’ by Nikki Giovanni, “Directed by Desire: The Collection of Poems” by June Jordan and “Communion: The Female Search for Love” by bell hooks.

20. By now I’m ready for some retail therapy, so I head to Reparations Club in Mid-City, my absolute favorite bookstore in Los Angeles. I could buy the entire store if my wallet and storage would allow, but on this particular trip my haul was “Assata: An Autobiography” by Assata Shakur, “Love Poems” by Nikki Giovanni, “Communion: The Female Search for Love” by bell hooks and “Directed by Desire: The Collected Poems of June Jordan.” Considering the state of literacy we are facing in this AI-driven world, I’d say we all could benefit from frequent visits here. 3054 S. Victoria Ave., Los Angeles. Open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. @reparations.club

    

21. And finally, I end the weekend with pure sustenance. My last stop is Merkato, an Ethiopian cafe where the walls are filled with eclectic knickknacks and the plates are eat-with-your-hands style, packed with flavorful goodness; it’s the kind of meal that makes you want to linger. If you have the time, don’t skip out on the traditional Ethiopian coffee. 1036 1/2 S. Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles. Open daily 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Shelley Holcomb is an artist, curator, writer and cultural leader, whose work spans painting, installation, storytelling, advocacy and making art more accessible.

The exterior of the two-story, beige-colored building looks like any other drab office space near the Hollywood Burbank Airport. But on a recent weekday afternoon, the inside was bustling with activity: hairstylists carried brightly colored wigs between soundstages, a prop artist was building a fake leg for an upcoming video and YouTube stars gathered in a lobby, fidgeting with their phones while they waited to film their next scene.

They were among more than 100 employees of Smosh Productions, which this spring moved into the 32,000-square-foot facility, from a much smaller location in the city, to accommodate their programming needs.

It’s the latest creator-run company deepening its roots in Burbank, a neighborhood long defined by such iconic studios as Disney, Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures.

Other influencer-led companies that have expanded production footprints in the city include Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal’s Mythical Entertainment and Alan Chikin Chow.

Internet content production is one of the few growth categories left in a Los Angeles production landscape that keeps shrinking.

“Being ‘Media City’ is a part of Burbank’s tagline. And it’s still true; we are just a different kind of media,” said Katelyn Hempstead, Smosh’s executive coordinator, on a tour of the new facility.

The company, owned by pioneering YouTubers Ian Hecox and Anthony Padilla, produces up to 10 hours of internet content weekly across five channels. Its programming ranges from sketch comedy to games and challenges for their fans.

Shoot days for digital productions rose 47% in the second quarter to 661 compared with the same period a year ago — even as the overall number of on-location shoot days dropped 13% during that period, according to FilmLA, the nonprofit group that tracks local filming.

“When people have an opportunity to work for a few days on a vertical series or [when] they make an income out of being an influencer and producing regular content for their various social channels, that does help the economy,” said Philip Sokoloski, a spokesman for FilmLA. “They still purchase things. They still utilize equipment. They may rent things from local supply houses.”

Cameras inside the “Who Meme’d It?” studio at Smosh Studios in Burbank.

(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

Burbank has more than 1,000 media and entertainment companies that generate about 66,000 jobs.

Although the city does not give a breakdown of jobs by category, the creator economy has fueled some of the growth in the city’s entertainment employment over the last six years, said Patrick Prescott, Burbank’s community development director.

Most occupy flexible industrial space in the Airport district, leasing space for $1.65 to $2.81 a square foot, he said.

“It’s definitely a transitional period,” Prescott said. “There’s still something really valuable about sitting in a theater with a bunch of other people. But there’s also a lot of scrolling going on. Who’s generating that content? A lot of it’s generated here.”

Filmmakers work in the theater set at Dhar Mann Studios.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Due to anemic production activity, soundstages across L.A. have struggled to fill their studio spaces. That has opened up opportunities for new types of internet productions to fill at least some of the gap, said Sam Glendon, an industrial broker who’s handled several such deals. Creators building out their own space can pick up a discounted soundstage as a result, he said.

“There’s been this big supply-and-demand imbalance,” Glendon said. “It’s still a very niche type of clientele, but I’m certainly searching YouTube much more for who these people are and how many followers they have. Five years ago, I never did that.”

Controlling a studio matters to creators because it lets them move fast without a major studio’s bureaucracy, and platforms such as YouTube reward a steady, frequent posting cadence.

Alan Chikin Chow, behind the scripted YouTube high school drama series “Alan’s Universe,” moved his 13-person operation into a 10,000-square-foot Burbank facility in 2024 after outgrowing his Koreatown apartment.

“YouTube creators are the new trendsetters, and so we wanted to be associated with the big media in Burbank,” said Moris Zingman, the show’s lead producer. Proximity to the Warner Bros. lot helps land celebrity guests, too — Jacob Moncrief, Mythical’s studio president, said it’s an easy sell for shows like “Last Meals” when guests are already a few minutes away.

Filmmakers rehearse a scene in the restaurant set at Dhar Mann Studios.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Traditional media have taken note. Mythical Entertainment and Alan Chikin Chow both struck deals with Netflix in July. “Good Mythical Morning,” “Mythical Kitchen,” “Last Meals” and “Alan’s Universe” are all set to stream there alongside their YouTube releases starting later this year.

Dhar Mann Studios, one of Burbank’s biggest creator-run operations, added a deal with Disney last week for 20 episodes of family-oriented programming — its second major-studio partnership after a 40-title vertical-video deal with Fox Entertainment earlier this year.

Mann, 42, started making YouTube content in 2018 under the Dhar Mann Studios banner, centered around morality and motivational videos. The company now runs a 125,000-square-foot, three-soundstage facility with roughly 220 employees producing rotating sets — restaurants, school hallways, a courtroom, jail visitation rooms — designed to mimic a small town.

But Dhar Mann Studios doesn’t own its Burbank building — it leases the space — and this month the company bought a 108,000-square-foot production campus in Chatsworth for $23 million, with plans to relocate there by 2027, the Real Deal reported.

It’s the same pattern playing out across L.A.’s creator economy.

“The scale that creators have gotten to is ginormous,” said Sean Atkins, Dhar Mann Studios’ chief executive. “Media companies are always looking at what the next thing is. The answer isn’t that they become us or we become them. It’s somewhere in the messy middle, of which nobody knows right now.”

Most internet content work is mostly non-union and typically pays less than traditional film and TV jobs. SAG-AFTRA and the Motion Picture Editors Guild have started drafting new-media-specific contracts in response.

Even so, some workers welcome the opportunity.

Austin Scott, an editor who built a career cutting reality shows like “MasterChef” and “Dancing With the Stars,” recently landed his first big gig after three years of being unable to find post-production work, editing a YouTube series for Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat. Over eight weeks, he’ll work 12-hour days for $3,500 a week — below the $5,000 to $6,000 a typical TV editing job pays.

“My expectations are that it’s going to be harder work, longer hours, more notes, less money,” Scott said. “But there’s no work, so people are kind of forced to take what they can get.”

For reality TV network Bravo, the boat has sailed on any future work with “Below Deck Mediterranean” cast member Nathan Gallagher after he was convicted this week of assaulting his partner and castmate.

“Bravo does not plan on working with Nathan in the future,” a spokesperson for the network said Thursday in a statement shared with The Times. Gallagher has appeared in the last three seasons of the “Below Deck” spinoff, including its 11th season that premiered in June. Filming on the current season concluded before the superyacht bosun was arrested and charged in December on three counts of domestic violence against a 29-year-old woman. Bravo has no intentions to remove footage of Gallagher from the current season, The Times has learned.

Bravo cut ties with Gallagher after law enforcement officials in Australia announced Tuesday that Gallagher is “wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant.” The New South Wales Police Force said in a news release that Gallagher, 28, is believed to be offshore. Gallagher failed to appear for a court hearing on Tuesday but a judge still convicted him on the domestic violence charges, the New York Times reported.

According to an August police report shared with The Times, Ryde Police Area Command responded on Dec. 27, 2025, to reports of an alleged assault and arrested Gallagher at an apartment complex in the Australian suburb of Melrose Park. He was accused of assaulting an unidentified 29-year-old woman the day prior to his arrest. Although not named in the initial report, Gallagher’s “Below Deck” co-star Gael Cameron later filed an Apprehended Violence Application — a request made to a court to protect a person from somebody they believe could cause them harm — against Gallagher, according to Rolling Stone. The two share a young son.

Police also said in the August report that there were no “serious” injuries at the time of Gallagher’s arrest. He was booked at the Gladesville Police Station on three domestic violence charges: common assault, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and intentionally choking a person without consent. Gallagher was eventually released on bail.

The “Below Deck” star addressed his arrest for the first time last week, telling Rolling Stone in a statement he doesn’t believe the public “has heard the full story surrounding what happened” and he is prioritizing care for their son. “What has been publicly reported, however, represents only one side of what was an extremely complicated situation,” he said.

Police urged anyone with information about Gallagher’s location to get in contact.

Norah O’Donnell is returning to “CBS Mornings” in what is expected to be the start of a significant revamp of the struggling program.

CBS News told staffers Thursday that the former anchor of the “CBS Evening News” will become a co-anchor of the morning show on Tuesday Sept. 8 alongside Gayle King and Nate Burleson. O’Donnell is also a full-time correspondent at “60 Minutes.”

The addition of O’Donnell is the first step in a makeover for “CBS Mornings,” which will be redesigned to have a faster pace and more live interviews, according to people familiar with the plans and were not authorized to discuss them publicly.

There is also talk it will become more of a discussion program similar to MS NOW’s “Morning Joe.” The memo announcing her return was written by Jon Tower, a “CBS Mornings” senior producer who once worked on that program.

O’Donnell, 52, was part of the trio of co-hosts that gave CBS News the highest ratings in three decades, “CBS This Morning,” when she shared the desk with King and Charlie Rose. The program launched in 2012 and saw its ratings increase for five straight years. The audience levels fell off when Rose departed the program after he was hit with sexual harassment allegations in 2017.

“CBS This Morning” was renamed “CBS Mornings” in 2021, and adapted the theme music of the network’s popular weekend program “CBS Sunday Morning.” But the revamp never lived up to a promise to deliver the same in-depth stories as the Sunday program and failed to draw new viewers.

“CBS Mornings” has long been the ratings also-ran in the mornings behind NBC’s “Today” and ABC’s “Good Morning America.” But the program has hit record audience lows this year in part due to the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

Colbert was replaced by “Comics Unleashed” which is attracting about a third of the “Late Show” audience which was just over 2 million viewers. As a result, far fewer viewers are leaving their sets tuned to CBS after switching off for the night.

O’Donnell left the morning shift in 2019 to become anchor of the “CBS Evening News.” The program remained in third place in the ratings behind “ABC World News Tonight” and “NBC Nightly News,” but performed far better than John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois, the anchors who replaced her in 2025 and only lasted a year before they were replaced by Tony Dokoupil.

O’Donnell was content with a new role as a senior correspondent and contributor to “60 Minutes.” She has steered clear of controversies that have occurred at CBS News since Bari Weiss was installed as editor-in-chief, and showed a willingness to step up for big assignments.

O’Donnell’s put-me-in-coach attitude has turned out to serve her well as she was elevated to a full-time correspondent at “60 Minutes” and will soon be the center of a revamped morning program.

O’Donnell joined CBS News in 2011 as chief White House correspondent after a 12-year run at NBC News.

EXCLUSIVE Great British Bake Off spin off show Extra Slice has been replaced with a new show called Second Helpings which will now run alongside the main show with new hosts too.

Channel 4 are revamping the spin off show for The Great British Bake Off for the first time in 12 years – with new hosts and a show which airs the same day the main show goes out.

Extra Slice, which has been on screen for more than a decade and was fronted by Jo Brand and Tom Allen, will be replaced by a new series called Second Helpings hosted by Bake Off superfan Jon Richardson and Loose Women star Judi Love.

They’ll be joined by celebrity guests and bakers to look at the drama that has happened earlier in the evening on Channel 4. An insider said the plan was part of a major revamp for the show this year and an overhaul which has also seen Nigella Lawson join as a new judge, replacing Prue Leith who quit earlier this year.

“This is going to be a fresh new show, very different in style to Extra Slice,” a source told the Mirror. No strangers to the Bake Off tent, Jon and Judi have both previously taken part in The Great Celebrity Bake Off For Stand Up To Cancer, with varied results.

Confirming her new job, Judi said: “I’ve been lucky enough to be in the tent a few times and work alongside Jon, both were pure joy! Joining the show to talk all things baking and celebrate showstopping bakes, including some unique spins sounds like absolute blast. I can’t wait to get started and of course eat a few cakes or whatever treats they may have.”

Joking about his new job and paying tribute to the previous hosts, Jon, 43, said: “Bake Off is an institution. Jo Brand is a comedy God. Together with Tom Allen, they have made a spin off show that is warm, witty and unique. I pity the poor sap they lure into stepping into those shoes.”

Jo and Tom seem to have taken the news of the revamp well, which has ultimately seen them sidelined after fronting Extra Slice for many years. Jo was first on Extra Slice when it aired on BBC and then continued to work on Bake Off when it moved to Channel 4 in 2017.

The comedian said: “I’ve loved every minute of Extra Slice. The bakers have been brilliant, talented and remarkably calm for people whose pork pies are being discussed on national television. And working alongside my TV husband Tom has obviously been a joy, he’s always been more immaculately presented than anything in the tent.”

Tom, who joined in 2018, added: “I have loved working with the team and with the kindest person in television, Jo Brand. It’s been a joy to meet so many delightful Home Bakers from all over the world and learn about them through their cake creations. Please don’t tell anyone, but I have stolen the whisk.”

The new show will also bring viewers exclusive behind-the-scenes stories and unexpected revelations from those in the know, including Bake Off hosts and judges Alison Hammond, Noel Fielding, Paul Hollywood and new judge Nigella.

Sarah Lazenby from makers Love Productions, said: “We’re delighted to be serving up Second Helpings of Bake Off with comedy pals Jon and Judi. Together they’ll unpack all the gossip and memorable moments from the tent over a cup of tea in Cake Corner.”

Senior Commissioning Editor, Channel 4, Vivienne Molokwu agreed: “We have revamped Extra Slice by giving it a brand-new shape and a brand-new home.

“Second Helpings will be available on the same night as Bake Off meaning viewers don’t have to wait long to chew over what’s gone down in the tent. With the deliciously funny Jon and Judi at the helm we’ll all have a hilarious time talking all things sweet treats”.

Second Helpings will air weekly on Channel 4 alongside the new series of the Great British Bake Off when it begins later this month.

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

Fox News Media has parted ways with anchor Maria Bartiromo.

The company announced Thursday she is no longer employed at Fox News and Fox Business Network, effective immediately.

Bartiromo was anchor of the daily Fox Business Network program “Mornings with Maria,” which starting Friday will be called “Mornings with Fox Business.” Her weekend program “Sunday Morning Futures” will continue with fill-in hosts until a permanent replacement is named. Bartiromo has not appeared on any Fox News Media programs since August 9.

“We thank Maria for her work over the last 12 ½ years and wish her all the best on her next chapter,” a Fox News representative said in a statement, which offered no other details on the reason for her exit. But Bartiromo has been a problematic figure for the network in recent years, despite being a favorite of Fox Corporation Chairman Emeritus Rupert Murdoch.

Bartiromo was one of the network’s staunchest believers in President Trump’s false accusations of voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden. The claims, many of them perpetuated on Bartiromo’s Sunday program, resulted in Fox News paying a $787.5 million settlement to Dominion Voting Systems which sued the network for defamation.

Fox News recently had to issue an apology for comments made by Kevin O’Leary, the entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” personality, who said during an appearance on Bartiromo’s program that opponents of his Utah data center were being funded by the Chinese government.

Bartiromo is a major cheerleader for Trump and her departure is likely to generate speculation that she is headed for a role at the White House. The administration is currently in the process of hiring a new press secretary to replace Karoline Leavitt.

Bartiromo was a protege of the late Fox News chief executive Roger Ailes, who made her a star at CNBC when she became the first woman to report from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Ailes later recruited her to join Fox Business Network in 2013.

Social media star Amelia Dimoldenberg is making way for a new chapter, ending her beloved celebrity interview series “Chicken Shop Date” after more than a decade.

The British personality, who has disarmed A-list celebrities with her deadpan delivery and brought her distinct interview style to the Oscars red carpet, announced on Thursday that the final episodes of “Chicken Shop Date” are imminent and that new work is on the horizon. “I never thought I’d stop Chicken Shop Date, I thought maybe it would be a part of me forever, and in some way it always will,” Dimoldenberg, 32, said in her Instagram announcement, “but I feel like it’s now time to move on from this adventure and onto a new one.”

Dimoldenberg began “Chicken Shop Date” as a teenager. It first manifested as a column in a youth publication before the host eventually took it to YouTube in 2014. In the years since moving to the online platform, Dimoldenberg became a viral sensation, sitting down for chats and chicken with stars including Cher, Keke Palmer, Charli XCX, Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Garfield. She has published and produced, via her production company Dimz Inc., more than 100 episodes, with the series’ final installments on the way.

In her Instagram caption, the host reflected on her celebrity subjects over the years.

“I’ve spent my entire twenties sitting across from the most incredible people, people I’d always dreamt of meeting,” she wrote. “All of them charmed me (some more than others) and I definitely charmed them.”

She also wrote that “Chicken Shop Date” has been her “very own romcom” and also reflected on the show’s journey which has made her a staple on the awards circuit. She returned to the Oscars earlier this year to oversee its red carpet coverage.

“The beauty of my interviews is that they look so off the cuff,” she told The Times ahead of the ceremony earlier this year. “I think that’s what people like about me: I’m not going to be doing an in-depth look at their career or ask a very sincere question, but I will have done all my research so that I can ask them something that’s related to their movie or themes of their work or their interests that maybe catches them off guard. I don’t have to take the style of other reporters; I can do it in my own way.”

In the comments section, fellow social media stars and interviewers “Hot Ones” host Sean Evans and Ziwe celebrated Dimoldenberg. “Legendary run Amelia, I’ll be first in line for whatever’s next,” Evans wrote. Dimoldenberg and Evans appeared on each other’s shows in a crossover event in 2023.

For more than three decades, Liz Phair and Sleater-Kinney existed in parallel without ever quite meeting. They admired one another from afar, brushed shoulders only in passing, and, in some ways, represented opposing ways of challenging the limits placed on women in indie rock. Phair, who found novel and peerlessly smart ways to write about heterosexual skirmishes, used her ambitions to edge closer to the mainstream; Sleater-Kinney, one of the great duos of American rock, have succeeded in becoming the last band standing from the underground scene in which they emerged.

Both acts are about to share the stage for the first time, co-headlining a tour they’ve cheekily and earnestly named the Flannel and the Fury, with stops across the country, from El Cajon, Calif., to Ocean City, Md., and a night at Los Angeles’ Greek Theatre on Tuesday.

Yet, despite having spent more than 30 years orbiting the same world, they have had surprisingly little time together. This interview is one of a few substantial conversations they’ve ever had. It is, at first, slightly stilted. Carrie Brownstein and Corin Tucker (Sleater-Kinney) are in sync as always; Phair is clearly excited, but seemingly unsure of where to place herself in the dynamic. Now all in their 50s, the women have been asking similar questions of the same culture, and are only now getting the chance to compare answers.

“Sorry, I know you’re like, ‘Why aren’t you better friends?’ For me, that’s the point. I’m trying to be better friends,” says Brownstein. “Yeah, talk to us again when tour’s over,” Tucker adds.

Brownstein is sitting in a parking lot in Los Angeles, wearing a cardigan and glasses, people walking past her window, unaware of who’s inside. Tucker calls from her home, a blurred background behind her, wearing a white blouse and lipstick. Phair is at home too, makeup on and hair straightened, various musical instruments on the wall behind her. It’s a few weeks before their co-headlining tour, and Tucker has already loaded up all the equipment. She’s packed her suitcase too, full of socks she’ll throw away by the end of tour, and a wardrobe almost entirely of black.

“This is news to me,” says Brownstein. “I was thinking more of a chocolate brown. I will be all brown town.”

Phair is going for wine-like jewel tones. “A Cab Sav,” to be specific.

Phair, who’s had an on-and-off relationship with touring, is noticeably more nervous than Brownstein and Tucker. “It takes me two or three shows to get into it. At first I’m like, why are you all staring at me?”

Phair had been sitting on the idea of a co-headlining tour with Sleater-Kinney for a few years. She sheepishly says that she didn’t reach out herself, but got her manager to do it while she was working on the second half of her memoir. She’s been keen to share a bill with Sleater-Kinney ever since she heard their 1996 album “Call the Doctor.”

“By then, I’d started to pull back from indie rock,” says Phair. “I had gotten married, and I didn’t know I was pregnant at the time, but I was starting to drift out of this scene, and then they put out this kick-ass record, and I just remember thinking, I kind of want to be back in the game. It inspired me. It stuck with me.”

Phair felt she was atomized from the female coalitions of the ’90s, and that this co-bill might be a way to rectify that. “I’d love to be able to go back and sew it together again,” she says. “Here’s a band I was a fan of that meant something to me and now I can play with them.”

For Sleater-Kinney, Phair has long been more than a neighboring act. Tucker and Brownstein describe her as one of their “biggest inspirations.” Both have the same Phair favorite song: “Divorce Song.” “It’s a perfect song,” says Tucker. “I think I’ve put it on every mixtape I’ve ever made,” Brownstein adds.

By the time Phair released her debut album, “Exile in Guyville,” in 1993, she was the one of the two acts edging toward the mainstream. Within a year, she was on the cover of Rolling Stone.

“I still have a copy of the magazine,” says Brownstein. “We were all so excited. Like, an actual artist made the cover.”

Nirvana had made this small corporate alliance permissible a couple of years earlier, finding a loophole as Cobain wore a T-shirt that read “Corporate Magazines Still Suck” on their Rolling Stone cover. It was a time when an antiauthoritarian stance was the only artistically credible one. Before we started calling one another “performative,” Tucker, Brownstein and Phair came from a time when “poser” was the worst insult and sin. They came from a scene of ideological puritanism.

“You know when people die their life flashes before their eyes, sometimes, it’s like that when I do a deep dive, and I’m like, God, there were a lot of rules. There was a lot of fear. And I don’t think anyone who wasn’t there would be able to picture it,” says Brownstein. “It took us a long time to get over it.”

“OK, can I ask the question? Can I get right in here? Because I want to know,” Phair chimes. “Do you think that’s because there weren’t enough women? You think women would have brought the inclusivity to inclusivity?”

“Unfortunately, no,” replies Tucker.

“We had these all-female festivals in Olympia, and we had our own publicist, and they were like, how dare we?” says Brownstein. “You know, it was just gatekeeping, that now seems sort of repugnant. But it was also a way to establish yourself in opposition to what felt like the only way to be.”

It’s part of why Sleater-Kinney declined an invite to play Lilith Fair, the mainstream precedent for so-called female solidarity in music. One of history’s most famous traveling all-female festivals, Lilith Fair was considered by many in the Riot Grrrl movement to be an early symbol of the commodification of “girl power,” female solidarity aligned with corporate ideals.

Sleater Kinney

(Robin Laananen)

“It seems like they haven’t really given credit to women in an independent milieu who have organized a lot of female-only shows for years,” Brownstein told the Dallas Observer in 1998.

“I think at the time we thought we were too cool to play Lilith,” Tucker reflects.

“I’ll just leave your answer,” says Brownstein.

Then she changes her mind four seconds later.

“I saw the Lilith Fair documentary last year and got FOMO, I kind of regretted not playing” she says. “But at the same time we had a handicap from a small indie punk community that was kind of didactic, there was a real rigidity to what you were and weren’t allowed to do. Even us signing with Matador in the U.K. was considered too big.”

Selling out, they all conclude, is no longer a concern for anyone. Phair’s son, who is Gen Z, often says the phrase “it’s time to get the bag.”

“You know, every artist has the right to get their bag,” says Phair. “I always felt that way and I was especially vilified for it.”

That vilification reached its apex when she released her mainstream-aspiring self-titled album in 2003, an album Sleater-Kinney said they hated in an interview with Rolling Stone that year, and which Pitchfork gave a rare 0.0 score in one of its most notorious reviews.

“I’d be on tour doing 10 interviews a day back-to-back, and I almost had to give these interviewers therapy, because they were so sad about my turn from indie rock,” says Phair.

Phair is adamant she made her mark on “every one of those songs, except maybe ‘Favorite,’” she says, referencing the chintzy, awkwardly phrased track where she sings about her underwear. Maybe it’s a metaphor, but more likely, it is just a song about her underwear. Safe to say it won’t be on the show’s setlist: “I will never play it live.”

The old argument about selling out now sits inside a very different touring economy. Sleater-Kinney and Phair’s co-headlining tour happens to follow a flood of co-headlining tours this year, from indie acts like Waxahatchee and MJ Lenderman to big marquee names like Usher and Chris Brown. With higher ticket prices and more competition — not only with other touring bands but with the allures of home comforts — audiences need a bigger draw. Artists want an opportunity to play to big audiences, as well as a better chance of “getting the bag.”

All three artists insist they won’t necessarily bring home the bag, nor is that why they’re doing this.

“All our budget’s gone on to the lighting designer,” jokes Brownstein.

“When I do these interviews with you guys, I get kind of excited and nervous because I feel challenged in the best way,” says Phair. “I think co-headlining bills, it does let you go into bigger venues than you could by yourself. But it also, for me, gives me creative food, like nutrition. It makes me grow.”

When the 53rd Telluride Film Festival kicks off Friday high in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, its lineup will span family rupture and sumo wrestling, AIDS and rock stardom, with films touching on astronomy, Rupert Murdoch and extraterrestrial biker gangs — a typically wide-ranging mix for a festival that likes to keep audiences guessing.

For festival director Julie Huntsinger, the films share less a theme than a feeling. “Tenderness is something that I see in a lot of the movies,” she says. “This is a very heartbreaking, tender year.”

Telluride’s intimacy is part of its peculiar power. Smaller and scruffier than the annual film events of Venice, Toronto or New York, the four-day festival has no competition or juried prizes and keeps its lineup secret until the last minute. Celebrities trade red-carpet formality for jeans and flannel, while audiences crisscross town between screenings in a high school auditorium, a Masonic lodge, the county courthouse and half a dozen other spaces pressed into service for the week.

For a festival that can feel this homespun, its awards-season footprint is remarkably large. Last year, five of the 10 eventual best picture Oscar nominees screened there: “Hamnet,” “Bugonia,” “Sentimental Value,” “The Secret Agent” and “Frankenstein.”

This year there are fewer obvious awards heavyweights in the mix, at a time when prestige and independent films have become harder to finance, distribute and sell to audiences. Then again, Telluride has never depended entirely on known quantities; films such as “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Moonlight” arrived with relatively modest expectations and left as major contenders.

“It’s such a quintessential Telluride lineup,” Huntsinger says of this year’s eclectic program. “They kind of always feel that way because they’re so handmade.”

Among the more than 40 films in Telluride’s main program are new works from major directors such as Martin McDonagh, Werner Herzog, Mike Leigh, Danny Boyle and Paweł Pawlikowski. This year’s Silver Medallion tributes — the festival’s signature career honorees — will go to filmmaker Andrew Haigh and actors Sandra Hüller and John Malkovich, who will make his first trip to Telluride.

John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell in Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine”

(Diego Araya Corvalan / Searchlight Pictures)

Haigh, whose films include “All of Us Strangers,” “Lean on Pete” and “45 Years,” returns with “A Long Winter,” adapted from a Colm Tóibín novella and relocated from the Pyrenees to the American Rockies in the 1950s. Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Caitríona Balfe, Kit Connor and Fred Hechinger star as members of a struggling family that begins to unravel after the mother disappears.

Huntsinger calls Haigh deeply humanist. “I don’t know how Andrew is so skilled at getting these performances but that is truly his gift,” she says.

Malkovich comes to Telluride with the dark comedy “Wild Horse Nine,” the latest from McDonagh, writer-director of “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “In Bruges.” Malkovich and Sam Rockwell play veteran CIA operatives who, after helping destabilize Salvador Allende’s government in 1973 Chile, head to Easter Island on a more personal assignment.

“It’s my favorite thing that McDonagh has ever done,” Huntsinger says. “He’s quite incisive. It is a timely film. And Malkovich is extraordinary.”

Hüller returns after a breakout 2023 Telluride, where she brought both “Anatomy of a Fall” and “The Zone of Interest.” She has another two films in the lineup this year: Markus Schleinzer’s “Rose,” in which she plays a woman passing as a male soldier during Europe’s Thirty Years’ War, and Pawlikowski’s “Fatherland” as Erika Mann on a journey back to postwar Germany with her father, the author and Hitler critic Thomas Mann.

Huntsinger seems as taken with Hüller herself as with her artistry — “so much intelligence and compassion for human beings,” she says.

Sandra Hüller and Hanns Zischler in the movie “Fatherland.”

(Agata Grzybowska / Mubi)

Elsewhere, Ira Sachs’ “The Man I Love,” starring Rami Malek, Tom Sturridge and this year’s guest director Rebecca Hall, looks back at New York’s queer creative community during the AIDS crisis. In Simon Stone’s “Elsinore,” Andrew Scott plays “Chariots of Fire” star Ian Charleson, who took on the role of Hamlet at the National Theatre while dying of AIDS. Scott’s performance is already generating early awards-season attention.

Huntsinger hopes audiences won’t overlook Arthur Harari’s “The Unknown,” an uncanny body-swapping drama starring Léa Seydoux that uses its genre premise to explore questions of identity and selfhood. “It is really dense and obtuse but I think it is rewarding and I hope people take up the challenge,” she says.

Telluride has long emphasized nonfiction and this year is no exception. Among the higher-profile entries are “Pete Townshend: Behind Blue Eyes,” a portrait of the Who guitarist and songwriter, and Nanette Burstein’s “Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff,” about the astronomer and science communicator. The slate also includes Bryan Fogel’s endurance-sports documentary “The Row”; Pegah Ahangarani’s Iran-focused “Rehearsals for a Revolution”; and Mark Cousins’ 16-hour “The Story of Documentary Film.”

“Everest: The Other Side,” from filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, follows mountaineers Hilaree Nelson and Jim Morrison as they prepare to climb Everest’s north face and attempt an unprecedented ski descent. Chin and Vasarhelyi won an Oscar for 2018’s “Free Solo,” their nerve-shredding chronicle of Alex Honnold’s ropeless ascent up El Capitan.

Huntsinger calls the new film “an even more complex, emotional, deep and profound examination of what we call the call of the wild.” After seeing it, she says, she ran into Chin and blurted out, “I’m so glad you’re alive.”

The looming subject of artificial intelligence will also get its own moment in Telluride. A conversation called “The Humanity Dilemma” will examine what the festival calls the “species-level event” of AI’s rise and whether an AI-dominated future is inevitable. “I’m very worried about AI,” Huntsinger says.

For all the films Telluride has announced, the one that might generate the most chatter is still under wraps.

While Telluride routinely reserves “TBA” slots for popular repeat screenings, it has occasionally used them to spring an unannounced title on audiences — as it did last year with “Frankenstein.” This year it has set aside a prime Sunday night slot for just such a surprise: a world premiere involving, Huntsinger says, some “very known names.”

“Do not miss it,” she teases. “You just won’t see this one coming and your jaw will be on the ground for the entire length of the film.” Beyond that, Huntsinger falls back on the festival’s unofficial motto: “Underpromise, overdeliver.”

Inevitably, there will be guessing. One possibility is “The Social Reckoning,” a follow-up to “The Social Network” directed by its Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. This one’s about Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen and Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz and stars Jeremy Strong, Mikey Madison and Jeremy Allen White. It’s due from Sony on Oct. 9. The film was still undergoing reshoots in mid-July.

Huntsinger volunteers one thing: The mystery film is not Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Digger,” a gonzo satire starring Tom Cruise, Hüller, Riz Ahmed, John Goodman and Jesse Plemons. She says Iñárritu — whose last film, “Bardo,” had a rocky reception on the 2022 festival circuit — was adamant that the decision wasn’t about avoiding festivals.

“As I understand it, there’s a big twist that he would like audiences to discover as close together as possible,” she says of “Digger,” which premieres in London Sept. 22 before opening Oct. 2.

Two of last year’s biggest Oscar contenders, “Sinners” and “One Battle After Another,” also skipped fall festival launches, raising questions about how essential such festivals — Telluride among them — remain to an awards campaign.

Huntsinger understands why a studio might hesitate to expose a film to scrutiny months before release. “The stain can happen if something gets savaged very far ahead of a release,” she says. “There’s a lot at stake.”

But she isn’t convinced the model is broken. She still believes the smaller, more challenging films Telluride tends to champion have “genuine shots” in the Oscar race.

“Getting selected is the prize,” Huntsinger says.

After all the strategizing and prognosticating, what no one can predict is which films will actually connect once audiences arrive.

“I don’t know what people are going to fall in love with,” Huntsinger says. “People have become like cats rather than dogs. You just never know what they’re going to go for.”

EMILY Ratajkowski was spotted passionately kissing Dua Lipa’s ex during a romantic Rome getaway.

The model’s son Sly, five, who she shares with ex husband Sebastian Bear-McClard was seen holding her hand amid her PDA with Romain Gavras, 45.

The Brit, 35, took to Instagram in February to share a series of loved-up photos with the French director.

And it appears their romance has gone from strength to strength, with the pair looking blissfully in love during their latest holiday.

Emily, dressed in a black frock with a plunging neckline, could be seen staring adoringly at her man as they strolled the streets.

She pulled on a pair of sunglasses and swept her brunette hair back with her hands for an effortlessly chic look, but couldn’t take her eyes off Romain.

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After their smooch the pair were seen holding hands, with Emily also safely holding onto her son.

Romain carried a green shopping bag in his other hands as they continued to explore the Italian capital.

Emily hard launched the pair’s romance on social media earlier this year.

At the time, the model looked stunning in a skimpy red dress as she cheekily stuck out her tongue for the camera.

Another snap showed Romain gently caressing her head and wrapping his arm around her while she wore a figure hugging backless dress and held a drink in her hand.

Emily divorced movie producer Sebastian in 2022.

She previously had flings with Harry Styles, Shaboozey, and comedian Eric André.

Meanwhile, Romain previously dated Dua Lipa but after nearly a year together, the couple split up in 2023.

An insider said at the time: “Dua and Romain have gone their separate ways after a summer of love.

“She has blinkers on when it comes to her career and the pair ended the relationship before things turned sour”.

Long Lost Family is back with a new emotional episode on Thursday, where three brothers are reunited with a long-lost sister

A Long Lost Family guest makes an astonishing discovery on Thursday’s episode.

The emotional ITV series, hosted by Davina McCall and Nicky Campbell, sees the hosts strive to reunite family members who have never met, including twins separated at birth and young mothers who had to give up their babies.

In an exclusive clip obtained by the Mirror of Thursday’s episode, it sees guest Marie looking for her birth father. Marie is a train conductor working for Greater Anglia railways. She lives in Norfolk where she has lived her whole life.

It comes as Thursday’s episode also sees a guest called Avril, 77, reunited with her daughter after 60 years despite being told she’d never find her.

Marie grew up with her grandparents after her 17-year-old mother couldn’t look after her. She had a good childhood in a busy household as her grandparents had six children still living at home when they took on Marie.

The guest had some contact with her mother growing up but she was largely absent from her life. When Marie was 16, she wanted to know more about her birth father and confronted her mother. Marie recalls: “I just blurted it all out: ‘Where’s my dad?’, I wanted to know about my father!”

Marie was surprised to learn her birth father’s name and the fact he had visited her in hospital when she was born. In another shock, Marie discovered that her birth father had chosen her name. She admits: “That really touched me. Must have cared for me to do that.”

Over her life, Marie has often wondered about her birth father, wondering where he is and did he have more children, meaning she could have long-lost siblings. Marie emotional admits: “Even on the train, even at work, I’m constantly looking at people all the time wondering are they related to me.”

Sadly, Long Lost Family’s intermediaries are unable to find any trace of James in the UK but after uncovering his birth certificate they discover that before meeting Marie’s mother, James had been married and had three sons – Anthony, Paul and Ian.

The team manage to locate the brothers living in the same county as Marie, Norfolk. While Anthony wishes to meet Marie, he does not want to appear on camera, so Nicky goes to meet with Paul and Ian, who admit they didn’t really know their father or know where he is after years of trying to find him.

In an exclusive clip of the moment, it sees Nicky tell Paul and Ian about Marie, explaining that she works as a train conductor for Greater Anglia railways and lives in Norfolk too.

This discovery leaves the siblings floored especially as one of the brothers remarks: “I get the train to go to work in the mornings”, confirming it’s Greater Anglia railways. He adds: “So she could well be on that train taking my ticket, amazing.”

The brother is then shown a photograph of Marie, who he instantly recognises, as he exclaims: “Wow. I recognise her on the train. Yeah. Now I see the face, yeah. That’s amazing.”

He adds: “A couple of weeks ago, I actually had a slightly longer conversation with her. Yeah, talking about how they’re changing the timetables. I’ve always wanted to have a sister” to which Nicky sweetly replies: “Well you’ve got one and you never knew it!”

To which the guest admits: “No, 60 years I didn’t know. I live so close as well, all under our doorstep.”

The other sibling then reveals he recognises Marie from the train too, saying: “I think I may have done, I may have walked past, that’s uncanny! Looking forward to seeing her.”

Viewers will have to wait and see how Marie takes the news, and of course, the heartwarming and emotional reunion.

Long Lost Family returns at 9pm to ITV and ITVX on Thursday 3rd September

Love Island host Maya Jama’s mysterious role in the Gentlemen season two has been revealed.

Love Island icon Maya Jama has made her debut in The Gentlemen season two on Netflix.

A number of new faces are being welcomed into the fold of Netflix’s epic crime drama The Gentlemen season two, including Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville.

But someone who subscribers may not have been expecting to see in the eight-part second outing is Love Island presenter Maya Jama as it marks her first major scripted TV debut.

The only other acting experience that the 32-year-old has had was in a breif cameo role for Katherine Ryan’s The Duchess on Netflix six years ago.

With The Gentlemen season two now ready to binge-watch, fans are eager to find out all there is to know about Maya Jama’s role.

When does Maya Jama appear in The Gentlemen season 2?

It isn’t long before Maya Jama pops up on our screens as she features in the first episode of The Gentlemen season two.

She is mostly seen speaking to Kaya Scodelario’s Susie Glass but shows up once again in episode four.

Maya Jama’s The Gentlemen season 2 role explained

Maya Jama portrays a character named Aisha in the second season of The Gentlemen on Netflix.

She plays the wife of one of Eddie Horniman’s (played by Theo James) criminal associates, Prince Amir bin Abdullah al-Hadidi, brought to life by actor Amra Mallassi, reports the Express.

Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) describes her as a “clever girl” and “aspirational”, saying: “Looks after herself and everyone who comes within her orbit. She moved out to the Middle East five years ago to work in hospitality. Now she’s snagged herself a seat at the royal table.”

Talking about her experience shooting The Gentlemen, Jama described creator Guy Ritchie as “very personable” to Variety.

She continued: “He’s really kind and nice. He doesn’t feel as intimidating as you’d think, being who he is. He’s very personable and he would be like, ‘Yeah, you’re doing well’, and reassure me, which was really nice.

“He’s just really involved and kind of a genius to watch, because everyone’s practising their lines and then he says something that’s way better than the original. You just feel like you’re in the presence of greatness.”

The Gentlemen is available to stream on Netflix.

Emmerdale actress Nicola Wheeler was left “gutted” by her long-term co-star’s exit, following emotional scenes that brought viewers to tears

Last week, Emmerdale fans were left in tears as long-term resident Jimmy King, played by Nick Miles, lost his life in a horrific car accident. The actor had played Jimmy for 22 years, with much of that time spent portraying the husband of Nicola King.

His on-screen wife, Nicola Wheeler, has now opened up about the sad moment Nick told her he was stepping away from the soap.

Speaking to My Weekly magazine, the 52-year-old revealed: “I’ve worked with Nick (Miles) for 17 years. It was Nick who told me the news he was leaving. He contacted me after he’d told his real wife. We will stay friends, so it’s not like I won’t see him, I just won’t see him being Jimmy King again, which is odd.”

Nicola also reflected on filming their final scenes together, telling the Press Association that it suddenly dawned on her that it was the end of an era for their characters.

She said she felt “gutted” by the end of Jimmy and Nicola’s long-running partnership, explaining that filming the death scenes felt particularly strange. Episodes are shot out of order, she said, meaning the reality of Nick’s departure did not always feel real – while part of her also did not want it to be over.

Despite her sadness, Nicola praised the scripts, describing the farewell scenes as “beautifully written”, adding that she wanted to do them justice, even though filming them made the ending feel final.

Reports of Nick’s exit first emerged in May, amid claims that his contract would not be renewed and that producers had informed him earlier in the year.

While he has not addressed the reason behind his exit specifically, he has admitted that the script left both him and others who read it in tears.

Jimmy’s final scenes saw him telling his wife he loved her before succumbing to injuries sustained in the crash. As the tragedy played out on August 27, viewers flocked to X to share their sadness.

One said the soap “won’t be the same without Jimmy King,” while another admitted they were “in bits”.

Sharing what she believes could be next for her character, Nicola said: “I can’t imagine the character would ever fully move on.

“I think there’s always going to be part of her that loves him. Her heart will grow to fit another love in, but she will never let Jimmy go.”

She also teased a new storyline involving Kev Townsend, played by Chris Coghill. “Something happens in which I can only say Nicola behaves appallingly, and Kev is a gentleman, and I think from that moment she starts to see him in a different light,” she added.

Emmerdale continues tonight at 8pm on ITV and ITVX.

The fans of the BBC show think one beloved character should take the spotlight and lead the Saint Marie team.

It looks as though Death in Paradise viewers are in agreement for a shake-up.

Earlier this year, the beloved BBC crime drama came to an end after a dramatic series for DI Mervin (Don Gilet). Following a season of new additions, family reunions and a much-welcomed return, people are eager to see what’s next in store for the Saint Marie police team.

The programme ended with DI Mervin deciding to let his niece remain with him on the island as her dad and his brother, Solomon (Daniel Ward), finished his time in prison. Elsewhere in series 15, people saw the new DI grow closer to Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson).

While the pair worked together to solve the crimes on the island, their relationship got stronger as he often turned to her for advice and guidance. As people gear up for the annual festive special later this year, they are looking forward to the return of the beloved characters.

However, it seems as though many are calling for a major shake-up for the island, with demands for DS Naomi to step up in the new series in a higher role. During a discussion thread on Reddit, one person shared their thoughts on the matter.

They commented: “Although I adore Don Gilet/Mervin, I think it’s time for a female inspector. Naomi would be awesome as Inspector, with Mattie as her Sgt. I really hope that before the series ends and/or she leaves, they give the character a chance to advance.”

Someone else added: “I would love for Naomi to be the DI at some time.” As another wrote: “She’s really spot on. I hope the writers show more of her investigative skills this season.”

In another thread, someone shared: “I really hope when there is a next inspector that Naomi gets the nod. Watching her navigate being in charge would make a good story.” The demand for a change comes after actor Don Gilet joined the BBC show back in 2024.

He joined the long-running drama following the exit of actor Ralph Little, who played Detective Inspector Neville Parker for four years.

As each lead DI has been fronted my a male since the series began, could there be a first female DI on the way for Death in Paradise?

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the BBC drama has been recommissioned for another two series. There will also be two more Christmas specials for fans to look forward to.

Speaking about the news, Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said: “Death in Paradise is a global phenomenon and we are incredibly proud to have it on the BBC, where it goes from strength to strength. It’s with great pleasure that we share the news that we’ll be returning to Saint Marie for two more sun-soaked series and Christmas specials.”

Meanwhile, Tim Key, Executive Producer, Red Planet Pictures added: “We remain incredibly proud of the show and the team that makes it, and delighted that the audience continue to love it as much as we do.

“The response to our latest series has been wonderful and we can’t wait to get started again – we’ve got something very special lined up to kick off our 16th season, with a big surprise setting it up in our Christmas special. Watch this space…”

Death in Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

AN emotional Stacey Solomon has revealed that she’s sold £1.3m ‘dream home’ Pickle Cottage.

The Sort Your Life Out presenter, 36, took to her Instagram story alongside husband Joe Swash, 44, to share the news.

The pair, who tied the knot in the garden of their former home in 2022, bought the property back in 2021.

Now, five years later, they have decided to “start a new chapter” with their three kids Rex, Rose and Belle, as well as Stacey’s older children Zachary and Leighton.

Speaking to her 6.1 million followers, Stacey said: “We are leaving Pickle Cottage, we are moving out of Pickle Cottage, which I never thought I’d say, imminently.

“The reason we haven’t said anything up until this point is, anyone who has moved before knows what it is like. You don’t know if it is going to actually happen before it happens.

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“Also, leaving Pickle Cottage was a massive, massive, decision for us, we had a lot of people we needed to speak to, we needed to get the kids around to the idea and speak to all our neighbours and lovely friends in the area. There were so many people we needed to speak to before we told everybody.

“Then also, even the thought of selling Pickle Cottage would be impossible if everyone knew we were selling Pickle Cottage.

“Does that make sense? We have just waited until someone amazing come along and fell in love with the cottage.”

Stacey continued: “Pickle Cottage is our dream house, as soon as we moved here we fell in love with it and I still love it so, so, so, so much.

“It’s a really special place to us. I gave birth to both of the girls there, we got married there, it’s just so special to us.

“But for a little while we have always wanted to rescue more animals, grow more vegetables, my vegetable patch, I have got so much joy out of it, but it’s on Farmer Scott’s land. So if he decides to do something with that land, it’s gone.

“So we have always been thinking if there was ever a chance to move further out and to get a bit more land, then we would consider it.

“We saw somewhere, found somewhere, and I was like ‘Oh my God’ and I was like, we could have a massive vegetable patch and we could offer our land to animals who need it and stuff like that.

“We could bring the horses back there, the ponies, and we went to see it…”

Joe chimed in: “We fell in love. It wasn’t an easy decision, like we said, we’re leaving behind somewhere we built our lives together at Pickle Cottage but now we have find somewhere where we can see our family growing and really flourishing. And this is the place.”

Stacey ended the video with: “So it’s time to say goodbye to Pickle Cottage, which feels so weird and basically move across to our new chapter.

“It’s a project, we’re moving somewhere really, really different. And it needs a lot of love. What I can say is I loved bringing Pickle Cottage back to life.

“I had so much joy from that. I genuinely, every single thing I did there, I loved.

“I will truly miss Pickle.”

Stacey captioned the post: “A new chapter…”

Fans rushed to the comments section to share their love and support about their huge move.

One said: “Good luck on your new journey.”

Another wrote: “Can’t wait to see it!! Happy for you all!”

A third chimed in: “You did such a great job before and you will again.”

“Living the dream guys,” a fourth added.

Over the years Stacey has shared her renovations online.

EXCLUSIVE: Crissy Rock has admitted she would love to join the Loose Women panel following the exit of Denise Welch and revealed that there was a time she could have had a part in Coronation Street

Crissy Rock has revealed that she would like to join Loose Women. The actress, 67, is probably best known for playing hotel manageress Janey Yorke during the first four series of the sunny sitcom Benidorm, and has also had an incredibly successful career as a stand-up comedienne.

Over the years, the TV star has appeared on the ITV lunchtime chat show, which has recently seen the exits of long-serving panellists Denise Welch and Nadia Sawalha, that she would jump at the chance to become a full-time panellist.

Speaking to The Mirror ahead of starring in a nationwide tour of Tits Up!, she said: “I would love to be a panellist, instead of just going on talking.”

When it was suggested that she could act as a replacement for Denise, who recently quit after more than 20 years, Crissy said: “Oh yeah, I’ll have to get in there!” Denise, also known for her roles in Waterloo Road and Coronation Street, said she was stepping down because acting is her “first love and the thing she’s best at,” so would like to make the most of new opportunities.

Crissy shot to fame when she took on the role of Maggie in the Ken Loach film Ladybird, Ladybird in 1994 and won critical acclaim for her performance. Since then, the Liverpool-born star has appeared in episodes of Peak Practice, Brookside and Dalziel and Pascoe, whilst also treading the boards regularly in productions such as Snow White, Cinderella and Menopause the Musical.

Shortly after Crissy competed on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in 2011, there was speculation that she could be about to join the cast of Coronation Street as the sister of Jackie Dobbs, played by fellow Liverpudlian Margi Clarke – but it never came to fruition.

She said: “I’ve never done Coronation Street, ever. There was rumours, but it never, ever happened. It never come about. It would have been lovely, that, wouldn’t it? To play Margi Clark’s sister, Tyrone’s auntie. That would have been a good thing, but it just never happened.

“You always hear things. Like ‘Oh, Benidorm’s going to come back.’ but is it or isn’t it? We don’t know, and I’m just as in the dark as everyone else!”

Benidorm began in 2007 and, over the course of 10 series, followed the escapades of a group of British holidaymakers, with a host of names such as Sheridan Smith, Siobhan Finneran, and Hannah Waddingham all checking into the Solana hotel during its long run.

Whether a Benidorm revival is on the cards or not. Crissy admitted that even though she had been in the industry for years before it all began, that was the role that cemented her status in showbiz.

She said: “I’ve been an actress way before Benidorm, but I think Benidorm because of what it did and how it influenced everyone, and it become like a cult thing, it did, in my eyes, put me firmly back on the map, you know what I mean?”

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Jason Watkins and Robson Green are back for the next chapter in their dangerous game of cat and mouse.

Channel 5’s The Game season two is well underway with fans already desperate to find out what happens next.

Patrick Harbottle (played by Robson Green) continues to attack Huw Miller (Jason Watkins) and his family from behind bars but this time, he sets his sight on his daughter Margot (Indy Lewis).

This time around, Patrick goes a step further in the second episode, getting prison guard Jackie ( Tanya Franks ) to break into her flat and steal her diary in a bid to really get under Margot’s skin.

Things get even more intense though when she discovers that Huw has secretly visited Patrick in prison again, causing her to “explode”.

But the worse could still be yet to come as she grows suspicious that Patrick has hired someone to stalk her.

But as she grows suspicious that Patrick is hiring someone to stalk her, will Margot be able to trust that her own father wasn’t somehow involved?

When is Channel 5 The Game season 2 next on?

Channel 5’s The Game has returned one year later for its second series which made its debut last night, Tuesday, September 1.

Fans have since been treated to episode two this evening, Wednesday, September 2, but unfortunately, its third instalment won’t be airing on Thursday night as expected.

Channel 5 viewers are going to have to wait until the following week for the remaining two episodes of the four-part drama.

The Game season two, episode three, will be shown on Tuesday, September 8, and the grand finale on Wednesday, September 9, both at 9pm, on Channel 5.

What will instead be taking its place tomorrow night will be the sixth and final episode of Benidorm is Murder starring John Hannah.

The intense official synopsis for the finale reads: “A farewell party takes a deadly turn after a power cut plunges the gathering into darkness.

“When the lights return, one guest lies dead on the floor, a kitchen knife in his chest.

“Forced to investigate to clear his name, Dennis reconstructs the blackout second by second, exposing contradictions in the guests’ stories and asking whether the killing was a sudden act of rage or meticulously planned.”

The Game is available to watch on 5.

The Quintanilla family is taking their personal disputes to the public.

On Tuesday, A.B. Quintanilla III — brother of the late Tejana singer Selena Quintanilla — uploaded a statement to Instagram claiming that there is a lawsuit involving Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga, as well as “facts and circumstances” related to their father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr.

According to the Latin Grammy-winning producer and songwriter, the lawsuit began a “few months ago,” but he shared that the circumstances surrounding the case have been simmering for years.

“What led me to this point did not start a few months ago. It comes from years,” stated A.B. “Years of accumulated situations, decisions and circumstances that for a long time I chose to keep silent out of respect, out of loyalty, and above all, because it involved my own family.”

While no clear wrongdoing was presented in his statement, the Kumbia Kings musician shared that, when the time is right, he will disclose his side of the story. “I was never the type to wait for the paycheck from someone else’s hard work to come to my door,” he added.

After his post, Suzette and Marcella Quintanilla, their mother, published a joint statement Wednesday morning on the official Selena Instagram account, claiming that the parties involved were not served a lawsuit, nor have they been able to locate the alleged lawsuit in public records.

“[Suzette] has received no court-filed complaint, summons, petition, or other legal pleading concerning the allegations A.B. is describing,” read their statement. “So, we ask a simple question: What lawsuit? Where was it filed? What is the case number?”

In a subsequent Instagram post uploaded Wednesday by A.B., he alleged that Suzette and her lawyers were notified with the corresponding documents via mail and electronic mail; the carousel also contained a letter by Manatt, Phelps & Phillips addressed to Michael A. Trauben, Esq., of Sign, Sign & Trauben.

“She was notified of a lawsuit related to her fiduciary duties, that is, her legal obligations to act with loyalty, transparency and in the best interests of those she was responsible to,” read the statement uploaded by A.B. “She responded, but did not provide what was being requested: contracts, documentation and financial information.”

The Times attempted to locate the lawsuit in Nueces County, Texas, court — headquarters for Q-Productions, an entertainment company founded by Abraham, as well as the Selena Museum — but was unable to locate any case filings related to “Suzette Quintanilla” or “Suzette Arriaga.”

The only available case involving Suzette is a California lawsuit she filed against clothing company Shein in March over unauthorized merchandise that featured her late sister.

In their Sept. 2 Instagram post, Suzette and Marcella claimed that A.B.’s insinuations concerning Suzette, Abraham and the overall Quintanilla family were false.

The pair also addressed rumors that Suzette is selling personal belongings related to Selena, stating that “any potential sale of an ownership interest in a company is entirely separate and should not be mischaracterized as the sale of Selena’s personal items.”

“There was no theft by Suzette. Suzette has not stolen, misappropriated, or improperly taken money or property belonging to A.B., Abraham, Chris, Selena’s estate or any family-owned or jointly owned business,” read the statement. “If A.B. has evidence that Suzette stole or misappropriated anything, he should present it.”

This online dispute comes almost nine months after Abraham’s death on Dec. 13, 2025. The patriarch played a crucial role in the development of his daughter Selena’s career, establishing his family-led band Selena y Los Dinos in the 1980s as a way to meet financial needs. With A.B. on bass, Suzette on drums and Selena as the tender vocalist, the group would eventually sign their first recording contract with Freddie Records in 1984.

In 1995, after Selena’s tragic death at the hands of Yolanda Saldivar, the former president of her fan club, Abraham dedicated his life to safeguarding her legacy and overseeing primary control over her estate. This included managing the rights to her image, name and likeness — at times, to controversial ends.

“If he is alleging wrongdoing by Abraham, he should clearly state what he is alleging rather than leaving the public to speculate about a man that is no longer here to respond for himself,” stated Suzette and Marcella jointly.

A.B. and Suzette’s representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In his Wednesday Instagram statement, A.B affirmed that more information will be shared via his lawyer on Friday.

A guest on The Repair Shop: Beyond The Barn opened up about the tragic death of their son.

A guest on The Repair Shop has opened up about their heartbreak after the tragic death of their son. The BBC programme returned to screens on Wednesday, September 2, with the first episode of Beyond the Barn.

The series follows experts restoring precious items from guests across the country, while also discovering what happened after the special items were restored.

The items included in tonight’s episode were a replica of Doctor Who’s robot dog K-9, a cowboy hat worn by musician John Cambridge, who played alongside David Bowie, and a leather case used by a cook who catered for Winston Churchill during World War II.

Luthier Julyan Wallis, who repairs instruments and guitars, also set to work on restoring a ukulele, after the owner’s parents brought it in following his tragic death in a motorcycle accident.

Couple Colin and Trish were looking for Julyan’s expertise to return the music to their precious instrument. Showing the broken ukulele, with its strings torn out of place, Trish explained: “This is our son’s ukulele. He was killed in November 2022 in a motorcycle accident.”

“Awful, I’m really sorry to hear that,” host Will Kirk replied. Trish went on: “Cameron had lots of musical instruments, he loved music.” Colin continued: “He grew up in a very musical house, his brother played guitar and Cameron wanted to play guitar too.”

They shared how their son played guitar, bass guitar, double bass, banjo and accordion. “He was a teacher in Thailand,” Trish went on. “When he went off to Thailand he took the ukulele and a chess set, and nothing else.”

Paying tribute, Colin called Cameron “outstanding”, as Trish shared: “He loved people, he was a caring person. He hated to see anybody sad, down, music was part of the way he tried to make people happy.”

Will replied: “This must have meant quite something to him.” Trish and Colin wanted to restore Cameron’s most-prized possession so that she could one day play it herself.

Cameron’s ukulele had been broken after a friend sat on it, with Colin sharing: “We heard a crunch. But Cameron, being the type of person he was, he didn’t want the friend to be upset so he threw it over his shoulder and denied that it was there. It landed in some bushes near the house, I think he knew it was beyond repair so he left it there. And I think it rested there for about six months.”

When Trish and Colin travelled to Thailand to bring Cameron’s body home, they couldn’t find the ukulele at first. “There were lots of tears,” they recalled. Trish explained how they found the ukulele when her sunglasses “flew off”, with Colin saying: “It was almost as if Cameron was saying, don’t forget my ukulele.”

Trish broke down in tears as she reflected on the moment she saw the broken instrument. She said: “For me it was, Cameron’s gone and that’s gone too, because it’s smashed.” She added: “Cameron touched this, he touched the strings, he held it close to him, almost hugging it. I’ll be able to do the same, it will feel like I’ve got a little bit of Cameron back.”

The Repair Shop: Beyond the Barn is available to watch in BBC iPlayer.