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DETAILS from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s elaborate wedding have been revealed, including the custom dress the singer wore and who stood beside them on their big day.

The couple exchanged vows on Friday at Madison Square Garden in New York City in an extravagant ceremony.

The U.S. Sun obtained a press release from Taylor’s rep shortly after the nuptials, which revealed some specifics about the special occasion.

Both the bride’s and groom’s looks were created by Christian Dior Haute Couture, designed by Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of Dior Women’s, Men’s, and Haute Couture Collections, in close collaboration with the newlyweds.

Their shoes were custom-made by Christian Louboutin, and Taylor wore Cartier jewelry, per the release.

Some fans had already suspected that Taylor would wear a Christian Dior gown after she appeared to drop an Easter egg during an outing in April.

Read More on Taylor Swift

TAY’S DAY

Taylor Swift announces she’s married on MSG signs after Adam Sandler officiated

GREAT GOWNS

A-listers dazzle at Taylor’s wedding with shock ex-BFF appearance after ‘feud’

Taylor stepped out with a buttercup yellow Dior bag from Anderson’s debut show in the spring, leading many to speculate that she’d chosen him as the designer for her wedding dress.

The “royal wedding” is the designer’s first couture wedding dress for a world-renowned celebrity.

The lovebirds also did not have the traditional bridesmaids or groomsmen; instead, Taylor’s brother, Austin Swift, served as her Man of Honor, and Travis‘ brother, Jason Kelce, served as his Best Man.

It was a day to remember for the pair and their guests, as comedian and friend Adam Sandler officiated the ceremony.

Screens outside The Garden flashed signs that read, “JUST&T MARRIED!” about an hour after the ceremony began.

Fans showed their love for the beloved couple, gathering outside the venue and singing Taylor’s hit song, Love Story.

The reception is currently underway, continuing the three-day wedding festivities with 1,000 guests in attendance.

Rumors previously circulated that Taylor and Travis had already tied the knot in a private ceremony in Tennessee.

However, The U.S. Sun exclusively spoke to a relative of Taylor’s before the ceremony, who assured that the NYC bash would be the couple’s first wedding.

It was previously believed that Taylor’s BFFs, Selena Gomez and Gigi Hadid, were a part of the songstress’s bridal party.

It was also thought that Taylor’s childhood best friend, Abigail Anderson, would serve as her Maid of Honor.

Abigail made a major faux pas with her wedding ensemble when she was seen wearing the exact same $800 Sau Lee dress as Laura Kruk, the fiancée of New York Giants wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster.

Hundreds of other celebrity guests stunned in their “black tie” ensembles, including Ed Sheeran, Karlie Kloss, Bradley Cooper, Dakota Johnson, and Ellie Goulding.

Many of Travis’ NFL buddies and their wives also attended the big event.

The high-profile affair prompted a massive police presence, street closures, and parking restrictions around the venue.

The U.S. Sun exclusively revealed that some NYPD cops expressed their frustrations over the large-scale event taking place during a near record-setting heat wave and the July 4 holiday.

Police have also posted up outside of Taylor’s $50 million Tribeca compound, which served as the headquarters for the wedding day.

It doesn’t appear the chaos will die down anytime soon, as the festivities are expected to continue into the weekend.

No other public events have been booked at the venue until next week.

We did it! America made it to 250 years of existence!

OK, not everyone may be feeling especially celebratory as we hit the semiquincentennial, as culture critic Mary McNamara wrote in her essay this week, but we can still find some solace in wanting to do better and be better. I’ve always believed the arts are a reflection of the heart and soul of a people. And in a country as multicultural and diverse as ours, that can look very many different ways. While it’s true that social media and the internet at large has siloed us, nothing stays the same and, like it or not, change and progress are very much at the root of America’s existence, as is acceptance of different ways of living. What makes this country great are those varied experiences and how art can be an entryway to them.

It’s among the ideas that my colleagues dug into this week as they examined culture through the lens of America’s 250th anniversary, detailing 10 films that capture America in times of profound change, the quintessential American song, artworks that redefine what it is to be American, what literature belongs in the American canon, how playwrights have embraced the country’s diversity and why orchestras have been sitting out this Fourth of July. Television critic Robert Lloyd also wrote about a number of recent series, both historical and satirical, that take a closer look at America’s history (you will learn, laugh, cry or all three).

If that gives you enough inspiration, there are several Fourth of July events to watch over the weekend, including traditions like the “Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks Show,” now in its 50th edition, on NBC, Telemundo and Peacock, and Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest on ESPN and ABC as part of their “Disney Celebrates America” programming. If you’re looking for something fresh, the America250 initiative will be streaming a ball drop from Times Square in New York beginning Friday night, which CNN is also covering via “Independence Eve Live With Anderson & Andy: Celebrating 250,” a New Year’s Eve-style production with Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen. Similarly, PBS will be broadcasting “A Capitol Fourth: 250th Weekend Celebration” from the U.S. Capitol and from George Washington’s home in Mount Vernon. It will feature performances from the National Symphony Orchestra, Trace Adkins, Patti LaBelle, Kool & The Gang and more.

On Saturday, America250 will stream “America’s Block Party” from the L.A. Memorial Coliseum, which features performances by Chris Stapleton, the Smashing Pumpkins, Chaka Khan and Anthony Ramos. CBS will also air some of those acts on “The Great American Block Party 250,” along with performances from the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., by the Zac Brown Band, Jon Batiste, Goo Goo Dolls and the War and Treaty (it will also stream on Paramount+).

In keeping with this week’s theme, we’ve also rounded up several series and films that we recommend watching over the long holiday weekend that tell a story about America or Americans in all their glory — imperfect, diverse and unique. Now that’s something to celebrate. — Maira Garcia

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Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

“The Americans” (Hulu)

Matthew Rhys as Philip and Keri Russell as Elizabeth in “The Americans.”

(FX )

This series may seem like an odd choice to recommend during the July 4 holiday, particularly when the main characters are driven by values that are pointedly un-American. The FX series, which concluded its six-season run in 2013, stars real-life couple Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys as Russian spies posing as a suburban couple living in Washington in 1981. Critics celebrated the drama as the couple took on their assignments to undermine the U.S. government while also concealing their true identities from their friendly neighbor — an FBI counterintelligence agent — and their two American-born children. Their journey is further complicated as they grow more attached to American lifestyles and values. Rhys, who is currently stirring up awards season buzz with his lead roles in Apple TV‘s “Widow’s Bay” and Netflix’s “The Beast in Me,” won an Emmy for lead actor in a drama during the show’s final season. Fans of “The Americans” are still shaken by the memory of the devastating series finale. — Greg Braxton

“Spirit of ’76” (VOD)

Jeff McDonald, left, David Cassidy and Steven McDonald in “The Spirit of ’76.”

(Philosophical Research Society)

In this energetic, colorful, low-budget 1990 ode to the bicentennial year, travelers from a colorless 2176 attempt to travel to 1776 to reclaim foundational knowledge lost when “the magnetic storm degaussed all recorded history.” They arrive instead on July 4, 1976, where a different sort of freedom holds sway — freedom to get down, freedom to boogie. It’s a friends-and-family affair, written and directed by Lucas Reiner, with appearances by his brother Rob and father Carl; a story co-authored by Roman Coppola; and costumes by his sister Sofia. David Cassidy and Olivia d‘Abo star as among the visitors from the future; Leif Garrett (like Cassidy, a 1970s TV and pop idol) is a disco-mad lothario. Also on board are Tommy Chong, Barbara Bain, Don Novello, Moon Zappa and performance artists the Kipper Kids as men in black. Julie Brown is a sex worker who has something to say about the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution that will sound distressingly timely. Brothers Jeff and Steve McDonald — from the band Redd Kross, and not playing brothers — are the bike-riding, long-haired, slang-slinging teens who join in to help the time travelers accomplish their mission. One word: tetrahydrozoline. — Robert Lloyd

“The Simpsons” (Disney+, Hulu)

“The Simpsons” has long been an American staple on television.

(The Simpsons © 2025 by 20th Television)

With more than 800 episodes across 37 seasons, “The Simpsons” is basically on track to reaching its own semiquincentennial milestone. Its relevance in today’s landscape may be debated, but the animated series has audaciously and consistently captured the American experience with its piercing satire about societal and cultural events and shifts, as well as its reflections on the frustrations and absurdities of daily life for a middle-class family living in a quintessential American suburb — an ideal that has long stood as a standard of success for generations of Americans and now feels like a fantasy for many who still strive for it. (Insert GIF of Homer disappearing into a shrub here.) It’s one of the most entertaining time capsules of a good chunk of America’s run so far. And hey, there are plenty of July 4 episodes to pre-game, pair with, or distract from your social obligations. — Yvonne Villarreal

“American Movie” (VOD)

Bill Borchardt, left, and Mark Borchardt in the documentary “American Movie.”

(Sony Pictures Classics)

One of the breakout documentaries of the ’90s, Chris Smith’s portrait of aspiring Wisconsin filmmaker Mark Borchardt suggests that if you want to understand America, you could do worse than spend some time in his company. Borchardt has no Hollywood connections, no money and seemingly no realistic path to finishing his low-budget horror movie “Coven” (which he stubbornly insists on pronouncing “COE-ven”). Working the graveyard shift at a cemetery and battling his own drinking, he somehow keeps persuading friends and relatives to help him inch the film toward completion. The movie is often hilarious but it never makes Borchardt the punchline, leaving open the question of whether he’s a genuine outsider artist or simply incapable of recognizing impossible odds. When he starts feeling sorry for himself, he has a way of snapping out of it: “No one has ever, ever paid admission to see an excuse.” As America marks its 250th birthday, with so many of the country’s problems seeming unsolvable, Borchardt reminds us that impossible sometimes just means unfinished. — Josh Rottenberg

“Reservation Dogs” (Hulu, Disney+)

Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis), Elora Danan Postoak (Devery Jacobs), Bear (D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai) and Cheese (Lane Factor) in “Reservation Dogs.”

(Shane Brown / FX)

This is perhaps too on the nose, but what is the story of America without Native Americans and Indigenous storytellers? Don’t worry, “Reservation Dogs” is not meant to be a history lesson. A coming-of-age dramedy, the series follows a group of teenagers living in a small town in the Muscogee Nation in rural Oklahoma. Culturally specific and infinitely relatable, the teens are grieving one of their own as they navigate familiar perils of adolescence: future aspirations (or lack thereof), relationships and rivalries, family and more as they grow into who they are meant to be. Created by Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi, the show was celebrated for its representational milestones both in front and behind the camera for the entirety of its three season run. But what keeps this show on my perpetual rewatch list is its humor, heart and endless humanity. And Cheese! — Tracy Brown

“Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (Paramount+)

Una (Rebecca Romijn), Capt. Pike (Anson Mount) and Spock (Ethan Peck) in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.”

(Marni Grossman / Paramount+)

Despite being set on a starship traveling through the far reaches of space, “Star Trek” is a quintessentially American show that celebrates very American ideals and aspirations. The franchise depicts a future where good people want to do good, are endlessly curious, believe in justice and diplomacy and strive to maintain peace. They’re also willing to fight for what they believe in. “Strange New Worlds,” though created in our modern streaming times, captures a lot of the spirit and swagger of the original series — and not just because it features some characters that originated there. The show follows Capt. Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise as they explore strange new worlds and boldly go where no one has gone before. Pike wields a kind of empathetic, nice dad next door charm and all the capabilities of a decorated starship officer, which makes him a perfect ambassador for his exploratory mission. He’d probably also make a good host of a big Fourth of July backyard bash. — T.B.

“Mo” (Netflix)

Mo Amer in Season 2 of his eponymous Netflix series.

(Eddy Chen / Netflix)

The immigrant experience has been portrayed in a number of films and series over the years — though I’d argue there still aren’t enough. This series created by and starring comedian Mo Amer captures not only the realities of navigating the American immigration system, with its draconian requirements and regulations, but also the experience of multicultural life in the melting pot that is Houston, Texas. Here, Amer plays a fictional version of himself, a Palestinian refugee who is trying to get legal status while encountering personal and professional roadblocks at every turn. It’s funny and melodramatic, occasionally veering into silliness, but it brilliantly highlights the very real struggle of finding your place in the world when you don’t know where you can call home or where you belong (the Spanish saying, ni de aqui, ni de alla, neither from here nor there, applies). And it’s one of the very few humanizing onscreen depictions of the Palestinian American experience. — Maira Garcia

“Pose” (Hulu) and “Fellow Travelers” (Paramount+)

Mj Rodriguez as Blanca and Billy Porter as Pray Tell in “Pose.” (FX)

Tim (Jonathan Bailey) and Hawk (Matt Bomer) in “Fellow Travelers.” (Ben Mark Holzberg / Showtime)

The struggle for gay rights has been a long chapter in American history and in the case of these two series, one depicts it through New York’s ballroom scene and the other through the halls of Washington. “Fellow Travelers,” created by Ron Nyswaner and based on Thomas Mallon’s novel of the same name, depicts the romance between Hawkins “Hawk” Fuller (Matt Bomer) and Timothy “Tim” Laughlin (Jonathan Bailey) beginning in the 1950s during the height of McCarthyism and the Lavender Scare and goes through the decades, culminating with the AIDS crisis of the ‘80s. If you want a good cry this weekend, start here. “Pose,” meanwhile, is at turns celebratory and heartbreaking as it depicts the experience of a group of Black and Latino members of the ball scene in the ‘80s and ‘90s. The series highlights the opulent costumes and performers in drag who would leave it all on the floor for a chance at glory among their peers, but also the interpersonal relationships and challenges faced by trans characters like Blanca (Mj Rodriguez, who scored an Emmy nomination for her performance in 2021), Elektra (Dominique Jackson) and Angel (Indya Moore), as well as gay characters like Pray Tell (the inimitable Billy Porter). Both shows are reminders that LGBTQ+ rights were hard won and that the struggle continues. — M.G.

ICYMI

Must-read stories you might have missed

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are finally married.

After 16 full-length albums, a batch of brutal breakups, and a record-breaking world tour, Taylor, 36, has officially locked down her prince charming.

Kelce, 36, and the pop icon said “I do” on Friday in an extravagant ceremony just 10 months after the couple announced their engagement in August 2025.

Huge purple screens reading “JUST&T MARRIED!” lit up outside of Madison Square Garden around 7:30pm on Friday, roughly an hour after Taylor’s SUV was spotted pulling into the venue.

Taylor’s bulletproof gray SUV was met with cheering fans as she arrived around the rumored start time of her wedding ceremony.

Dozens of Taylor and Travis’ A-list guests flocked to Madison Square Garden well in advance of the wedding.

read more on taylor’s wedding

HERE COMES THE BRIDE

Taylor Swift’s SUV pulls into MSG ahead of America’s ‘royal wedding’

OUT OF STYLE

Bridesmaids or double up? Taylor’s BFF & NFL star’s fiancee in same $800 dress

Some stars spotted include Ed Sheeran, Karlie Kloss, Dakota Johnson, Bradley Cooper, Zoe Kravitz, Erin Andrews, Matthew Stafford and Graham Norton.

Soon after the couple exchanged vows, Dior revealed that the bride and groom’s looks were created by Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of Dior Women’s, Men’s and Haute Couture Collections in close collaboration with the bride and groom.

This was the designer’s first couture wedding dress for a world-renowned celebrity.

The newlyweds had custom shoes made by Christian Louboutin and Taylor wore Cartier jewelry.

The designer brand also confirmed that the couple did not have any bridesmaids or groomsmen.

Instead, Taylor’s brother Austin Swift served as her Man of Honor, and Travis’ brother, former Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce, was his Best Man.

“The ceremony joined both families together and was officiated by friend Adam Sandler,” the press release read.

Fans had been speculating who might be Taylor’s bridesmaids, and considered some of her close friends like Selena Gomez and Gigi Hadid as frontrunners.

Taylor’s childhood best friend, Abigail Anderson, and Laura Kruk, the soon-to-be wife of New York Giants wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster, stepped out in the same $795 gown with a floral corset-style bodice and a contrasting brown satin skirt, leaving fans suspecting the bridesmaids dressed had been revealed.

But it now appears to be a moment of matching as Dior confirmed the popstar had no bridesmaids.

The skies of New York City opened up soon after it was announced the couple was officially married, with people outside of MSG running to get away from the pouring rain.

Rumors had been circulating in the days leading up to the big ceremony that the couple had already wed in a private ceremony.

But, Rick, one of Taylor’s relatives, exclusively told The U.S. Sun outside the Ritz Carlton in NYC on Friday, “The ceremony is today.”

“All the rumors are nonsense. Taylor and Travis haven’t got married. They are taking their vows today.”

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end popped the question after two years of dating in a private, at-home proposal surrounded by hundreds of flowers.

Their wedding comes after months of speculation from fans as to when and where the Swift-Kelce wedding would be held.

The couple ultimately chose to tie the knot at Madison Square Garden with a rumored 1,000 guests in attendance.

An entertainment executive said the multi-day extravaganza would kick off with an intimate affair at MSG on July 2, according to a bombshell report from the New York Times.

The private event would then be followed by a much larger ceremony in the same venue on July 3.

Some of Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs Teammates were reported to have booked blocks of rooms at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square as well.

A permit had reportedly been filed to shut down the streets surrounding the Garden from July 2 through July 4 – a major holiday weekend – and there had been no public events booked at the venue from June 29 through July 6.

Amtrak police were also reportedly warned well in advance of the impending celebrity nuptials.

In the months leading up to their nuptials, it was reported that Swift had actually been planning to completely transform her $32 million mansion in Rhode Island for the fairytale wedding.

Fans also believed the seaside ceremony would be held on June 13 – a reference to the Out of the Woods singer’s lucky number 13.

A source close to Swift told The U.S. Sun that she had planned to create a new garden at her home as the couple reportedly planned to drop $1.2 million on flowers alone.

Swift apparently began planting her preferred flowers in the new garden “months in advance,” gravitating toward red roses, hydrangeas, orchids and peonies.

“She wants the entire celebration to feel like a wave of flowers, with arrangements of white, purple, and pink orchids, plus blue, white, and pink hydrangeas, and peonies in pink, white, and red tones,” the source claimed.

“Taylor dreams of being fully surrounded by flowers, with lush floral bushes everywhere, making her teenage dream of marrying in a sea of flowers come true.”

Florals aside, The U.S. Sun previously revealed that the couple was planning to drop $8 million alone on security for the event.

The insider told The U.S. Sun that Swift had planned to create a “multi-day celebration” from Friday to Sunday for her wedding weekend, making it a “unique, unforgettable memory they’ll cherish for the rest of their lives.”

In terms of security, Madison Square Garden is ideal for the global superstar, as the venue features no windows, a large capacity and guaranteed privacy from rabid fans and paparazzi desperate for a glimpse at the high-profile couple.

Leading up to the wedding, neither Swift nor her NFL heartthrob had publicly discussed their wedding plans – leaving it all up to speculation.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

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NEW YORK — Manhattan was sweltering at 100 degrees and preparing to mark 250 years since the United States declared independence from Great Britain.

But on Friday, the city seemed transfixed by what might be the closest the country gets to a royal wedding: The nuptials of pop superstar Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Madison Square Garden and its surrounding streets — 31st and 33rd streets toward 6th and 8th avenues — were blocked off as guests arrived for the event. Fans craned their necks for any views they could get from the street.

The world-famous arena is reportedly set to transform into a “massive castle,” surrounded by a garden fit for pop culture’s royal couple, both 36. While the complete event details and guest list have been kept a secret, the Associated Press reportedly obtained a city permit showing Friday’s supposed wedding event is set to start at 5 p.m. Eastern time and could last until 4 a.m.

Secrecy surrounding the event is so tight that the reported venue has been cordoned off with privacy tents, tarps and barricades. But neither those measures nor Friday’s sizzling temperatures stopped fans from gathering in hopes of sneaking a peak at their longtime idol and sending Swift their well wishes.

“I heard we won’t be able to see her either way because the spot that they picked is going to be covered,” said Sarah Shrestha, 21, an Anaheim resident visiting friends in Manhattan.

Madison Square Garden was a good venue for the couple’s nuptials because “in interviews, [Swift] said she wanted to be able to invite everybody to the wedding so it’s still a good venue for that,” she added.

Ellie Kitschke, 13, and her mother, Mymy Nguyen, 38, were visiting New York City from Adelaide, Australia.

Ellie said she thought it was a weird choice for the venue.

“It’s like a stadium. I get that no one can come inside but I think it’s a bit much blocking up the roads,” added Ellie, who attended the Eras tour in Sydney with her mom.

The two said they also thought it was odd Swift didn’t choose a venue or date that included her lucky number, 13, saying it “didn’t add up.”

“If she does get married, we wish her well,” Nguyen said. “We’d love to see her.”

Emma Rasco, 19, was also surprised by the choice in wedding venue.

“When I heard it, I was like, that’s definitely a choice,” Rasco said. “It’s a little unconventional and very forward-facing.”

Swift and Kelce announced their engagement in August after two years of dating, to much fanfare. “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” Swift wrote in the caption of her Instagram post.

While the Swift camp didn’t release a guest list, various news organizations staked out local hotels and began counting bold-face names headed to the event. The New York Times obtained a schedule for the wedding, which included a cocktail hour followed by a 5 p.m. wedding and reception. The event was set to end at 2 a.m.

The couple were first linked in July 2023, when Kelce mentioned his desire to meet the pop superstar on his podcast, “New Heights,” and made their relationship public that September. Their coupling instantly captured the attention and hearts of fans around the world, and Swift’s presence at Chiefs games was even credited with bolstering female interest in NFL football.

Kelly, 36, is a longtime Swift fan who said she grew up listening to her music. She came from her apartment on the Upper West Side to 33rd Street to see if she could catch a glimpse of Swift entering the stadium.

“I feel like I was the same peer group growing up with her, and am just so happy that she had her happy ending,” she said. “I want to see what a Royal American wedding looks like.”

Kelly said she admires Swift and Kelce for donating to charity. The couple donated a combined $26 million to 20 local and national charities ahead of their presumed nuptials, Swift’s publicist told Business Insider.

“They really are a positive influence,” she added.

Kelly said Madison Square Garden made sense as a venue for the privacy and security of guests.

“It’s not an ideal wedding venue but they’re both creative and have their own stages in a way,” she added.

By mid-afteroon Friday, dozens of fans clustered near MSG as black SUVs and vans with tinted windows, presumably filled with wedding attendees, turned the corner toward the stadium.

New York Police Department sources told The Times that streets will be blocked off all Friday and should return to normal by Saturday morning.

Back in October, Swift told TV host Graham Norton that she was casting a wide net with the guest list, joking that she would invite “anyone I’ve ever talked to.”

“I shouldn’t have said any of that,” she added.

Pulling off an event of this magnitude — which many described as America’s “royal wedding” — required considerable preparation, with a particular emphasis on privacy. Guests were reportedly required to sign nondisclosure agreements before receiving any event details (although the NDAs were said not to have included any penalties for violating the terms).

While the Swift camp didn’t release a guest list, various news organizations staked out local hotels and Madison Square Garden and began counting bold-face names headed to the event. The New York Times obtained a schedule for the wedding, which included a cocktail hour followed by a 5 p.m. wedding and reception. The event was set to end at 2 a.m.

The couple were also linked to wedding planner Mark Seed, who previously orchestrated the 2023 wedding of Jack Antonoff and Margaret Qualley and the 2019 wedding of Jennifer Lawrence and Cooke Maroney. Seed is known for his elaborate event builds and notable discretion.

On the Tuesday before the event, workers were photographed installing a red carpet outside of MSG, which one individual allegedly said was for “a wedding,” according to Page Six. It was quickly removed that same day.

Lin reported from New York; Garcia and Eloise Rollins-Fife from Los Angeles.

One of the Celebrity Gogglebox stars had to take a minute after watching a terrifying scene

A Celebrity Gogglebox star walked off camera after viewing a creepy horror film that left everyone squealing.

The instalment of the Channel 4 show that aired on Friday (July 3) saw the celebrity armchair critics watching a range of programmes, from Countdown to Clarkson’s Farm. But many looked horrified as they tuned into horror film, Weapons.

The film is about 17 children from the same classroom who mysteriously disappear on the same night at the same time, and Jordan Banjo had to leave the sofa for a breather after watching scenes from the movie with fellow Diversity star Perri Kiely.

Many of the stars on the celebrity edition of the programme were seen looked terrified as they watched a scene where a creepy character called Aunt Gladys (played by Amy Madigan) visited a house and asked for a bowl instead of a glass of water.

Things took a nasty turn when she took a wooden stick she had been fiddling with and dragged it across her hand, cutting it open, which left Jordan gasping.

He held a cushion up to block the screen as a man in the film was then seen opening his mouth and vomiting streams of back liquid.

“I need a break, I need a break,” Jordan said, as Perri exclaimed: “No!”

But the dancer then stood up and moved away from the chair, explaining: “I need a drink. Do you want anything?”

However, he soon rushed back, explaining to Perri that he when he had got to the kitchen he had spotted a bowel of water on the side and it had given him a fright. “No!” he said, sitting back down without having poured the drinks.

Fans were tickled by the scenes, with one posting on X: “So funny.”

Someone else posted on the platform, which was formerly Twitter: “Who doesn’t just love a bit of Celebrity Gogglebox. Always such an entertaining way to spend the time.” “The perfect switch your brain off TV this time of night needs,” they added.

Someone else said that it was “brilliant stuff”.

Another viewer said the series was “top notch”.

Celebrity Gogglebox airs on Channel 4.

Comedy saved Teruko Nakajima’s life.

In 2016, Nakajima received psychiatric care at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, diagnosed with depression, PTSD and suicidal ideation. Her doctors searched for ways to manage her stress by exposing her to various activities, including video games, serene Icelandic landscapes and an aerial silks performance. The last brought her anxiety down, revealing that the arts were the answer. Her doctor prescribed the arts, comedy specifically, so she went to the Upright Citizens Brigade for class.

She found a calling and a safe space in comedy.

“I didn’t know I was born a comedian,” Nakajima said. “Finally, I really felt I was accepted as a comedian, validated for who I am.”

Nakajima shares her healing journey to the stage in “Made in America,” which just had an encore performance at UCB on Tuesday after its award-winning run in 2022 (it is also available for streaming on UCB’s website through Tuesday). The one-woman show arrives in time for the United States’ 250th anniversary on Saturday, documenting Nakajima’s search for the American dream as a first-generation Japanese American woman. “Made in America” premiered in 2022 at the Hollywood Fringe Festival during Joe Biden’s presidency and following the Jan. 6 United States Capitol attack. In 2026, its musings on identity and belonging pierce through today’s political landscape shaped by Donald Trump’s second presidency.

“I wanted to let people know this is an American story,” she said.

“Made in America” is about Nakajima’s life. It begins in her mother’s womb. She felt so safe there, she yearned to return. Growing up, she experienced an emotionally and physically abusive life at home, recalling her father breaking furniture and her mother’s alcohol-induced belittling comments. But her name, Teruko, translates to a “shining child.” Thus, she proclaims in the show, “I’m a superstar!”

The beauty in “Made in America” is Nakajima’s ability to find the humor in her trauma. When the show transitions to her life in America, she talks about her life as a dominatrix in New York City and her struggles with romance in Los Angeles. Her comedic jabs at the American economy and humorous reflections juxtapose somber moments of stillness in the midst of her struggles. This balance puts her life into perspective, revealing a positive personality beneath a dark saga.

Nakajima performs “Made in America” at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.

(Nick Rasmussen)

“I look very happy-go-lucky and cheerful, but actually, I am a very dark person because I have a dark history,” she said. “I always wanted to leave my story behind. I wanted to leave my mark in this world before I died, so I needed to make something.”

The first class Nakajima took at UCB was John Flynn’s storytelling course. There, she started building pieces of the show without realizing it. As they added up, the idea for a show surfaced. After class one day, she asked Flynn to direct it. Flynn, who has been teaching at UCB in New York and L.A. for about 20 years, agreed.

“She disarms people,” Flynn said. “There’s something about her that is just so unique and so delightful that you won’t forget her.”

Flynn first met her at his storytelling open mic. She walked in with her emotional support dog Titi (also known as Tiny Teruko), wearing her signature red heart-framed glasses, without lenses. Soon, these glasses would make him double over in laughter when she performed and cried, dabbing her eyes with tissue through the frame.

“When you start to learn her story and the experiences she’s had, it is amazing that she is so positive,” he said. “She’s such a sort of undeniable positive energy that she just radiates all the time, which is so compelling and why people are so drawn to her.”

Revived at UCB amid Trump’s second term and the nation’s 250th birthday, Nakajima’s show doubles as a defiant immigrant love letter to America — and a refuge for audiences feeling alone.

(Nick Rasmussen)

Nakajima puts all of herself into the show. Aside from comedy, she has been a cheerleader in Japan, a salsa dancer in New York and a sculptor on the side — she loves sculpting MLB players’ butts; Derek Jeter is her favorite. In the show, she folds these aspects of her life into a single story, dancing from section to section. Comedy is more than just laughs; it’s storytelling.

“I am so good at cheering people up, since I was very little,” she said. “I had no competition with others because I’m the one and only. Nobody looks like me.”

Together, Flynn and Teruko parsed through her life stories to give the show an arc. For Flynn, it’s like carving away at what is already there to create something fun and cohesive, like a sculpture. “What’s fun about directing one-person shows like this is that it’s usually just two people in a room putting something together,” Flynn said.

Bringing the show back this year, the work gets sharper and tighter, but the biggest shift is in its conclusion. Once optimistic about the future of life in America, the show now has a stronger desire to make change. There was a sense of hope in 2022 for women like Nakajima, an immigrant who sought safety in a new country and struggled with abuse from her family and strange men. Today, as Trump’s immigration policies lean on deportation and discrimination, she simply wants to be seen.

“America, thank you for not giving up on me,” Nakajima said toward the end of the show. She is proud to be American, not just because she gets to have the same nationality as her dog Titi, but primarily because of the new life it offered her. America promised happiness. Whether it actually comes is another story, but in this one, the promise itself gave her a sense of purpose.

“After the show, people come to me in person and through messages,” she said. “A lot of people said, ‘I felt like I am not alone.’ That gives me so much hope and unity. I feel safe and like I have something to look forward to because I’m not the only one.”

Flynn realized how much he took for granted while working on the show with Nakajima. “I think, even though these are scary times and things seem to be going in directions that aren’t the best, there are still great people, and there’s something that is still there and is not dying and is still fighting,” Flynn said.

When she began her acting journey, Nakajima thought she’d turn to drama, but there’s something more unguarded in comedy.

Nakajima holding up her dog Titi during a performance of “Made in America.”

(Nick Rasmussen)

“I’m very authentic and invincible through comedy,” she said.

By the end of “Made in America,” Nakajima is no longer trying to find her way back to her mother’s womb. She is confident in her place in the world. She remembers that she is a star. She brings out her dog Titi, who was hidden on stage throughout the entire performance, and shares that UCB gave her a new outlook on life. Comedy breaks away her stresses and allows viewers to be vulnerable with her.

“I always wanted to feel safe,” she said. “I never had that. Finally, I found a safe space, and then I realized that I’m actually important. I’m actually worthy. I’m so happy right now to be able to express myself through comedy because it’s the truth.”

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s love story will reach new heights this week with a totally low-key two-day wedding bash at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

The billionaire pop titan and the NFL star, both 36, kicked off their wedding festivities Thursday afternoon with a rehearsal dinner at the famed sports arena. They have all but confirmed that they will then exchange their vows Friday in a grand MSG celebration with around 1,000 guests (including Swift’s celebrity friends and Kelce’s fellow sports stars) in attendance, at least according to numerous reports. The celebrity wedding will also reportedly feature heightened security around Madison Square Garden, performances by Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw, and a red carpet outside the arena.

Representatives for Madison Square Garden, Swift and Kelce have not responded to The Times’ requests for comment.

Swift and Kelce’s relationship began nearly three years ago during the singer’s blockbuster Eras tour with a simple request and a friendship bracelet. Read on to revisit the roots of Swift and Kelce’s whirlwind romance turned generational love story, from the Kelce brothers’ “New Heights” podcast to a romantic garden engagement.

July 2023: Travis Kelce shoots his shot

Swift and Kelce’s romance can be traced back to summer 2023, when the Kansas City Chiefs tight end attended an Eras tour concert at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs’ house. Kelce — a self-proclaimed Swiftie — told brother Jason Kelce in an episode of their “New Heights” podcast that he had a friendship bracelet with his phone number on it but didn’t get it to the singer. “I was a little … hurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her,” he said at the time. Eventually, the two got in touch.

September 2023: Taylor Swift shows up for her guy

Taylor Swift watches the Chiefs take on the Chicago Bears at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on Sept. 24, 2023.

(David Eulitt / Getty Images)

The then-rumored romance quickly became commentary fodder for NFL broadcasts (sometimes to sports fans’ chagrin) but took a turn when Swift seemingly accepted Kelce’s personal invitation to a home game. She was seen cheering for him in a private box alongside his mother, Donna Kelce. Soon enough, Swift became a staple in the Chiefs audience. In the following months, Swift and Kelce further solidified their relationship, making it paparazzi-official during an after-party for “Saturday Night Live” and on her Eras tour in November when the singer changed her “Karma” lyrics to reference her budding romance.

February 2024: Super Bowl LVIII (Taylor’s Version)

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift smooch after Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas in February 2024.

(John Locher / Associated Press)

Swift and Kelce’s love notably played out at Super Bowl LVIII, where the Chiefs faced the San Francisco 49ers. When the Chiefs won, the Grammy winner joined Kelce on the field, kissing and hugging him. A week before the big game, Swift announced her album, “Tortured Poets Department,” at the Grammy Awards. The album seemingly refers to Kelce in songs “The Alchemy” and “So High School.”

The pair continued going strong throughout 2024. As Swift‘s tour continued, Kelce joined his superstar girlfriend on stage in London. She also returned regularly to Arrowhead Stadium for Chiefs home games during the 2024-25 NFL season. Swift ended her Eras tour in December 2024 and hosted a private wrap party to celebrate her musical marathon. Of course, beau Kelce was in attendance.

August 2025: Baby, just say ‘yes!’

The following year was a relatively quieter one for the couple. Kelce and his Chiefs failed to beat the Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LIX and Swift was in the midst of recovering from her tour and preparing for her newest album. But just when there seemed to be a lull in all things Taylor-Travis, the couple hit some major milestones.

First, Swift finally appeared on the Kelce brothers’ “New Heights” podcast. Remember, that’s where all of this started. The couple, of course, spoke about their whirlwind romance, but the main headline was that Swift would release her album “The Life of a Showgirl” later that fall. With songs “Redwood” and “Wish List,” it was pretty clear Kelce inspired Swift during the songwriting process.

Second, and more importantly, “Love Story” singer Swift announced on Instagram that she and Kelce were engaged. She shared photos from their dreamy garden proposal with the caption: “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” Kelce popped the question with an elongated old mine cut cushion set within an engraved gold band. Speculation on the details of their nuptials, including date and location, were almost immediately underway.

Since their engagement, Kelce and Swift have appeared together at a handful of high-profile events including the iHeartRadio Music Awards in March, courtside at Rocket Arena in Cleveland during the 2026 NBA playoffs and the Songwriters Hall of Fame induction ceremony in June, which honored Swift.

For now, welcome to New York, soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs.

MAREN Morris managed to dodge questions about her friend Taylor Swift’s wedding on live TV just hours before the pop superstar is scheduled to tie the knot.

The country singer performed on Today Friday morning in front of a packed crowd in the sweltering NYC heat as part of the morning show’s summer concert series.

After performing her hits Hard Liquor and Soft Rock and 80s Mercedes early Friday, Today’s Craig Melvin dropped a Taylor wedding question on Maren, taking her by surprise.

“It was reported yesterday by Variety that you are going to the wedding. What do you get as a gift for someone like that? Do you get a juicer?” Craig asked, as Maren nervously played with her hair and stuttered.

“I don’t know, what do you get? That would be a hard person to buy for,” she said uncomfortably.

“I’m so happy for them. This is such an incredible thing. I think she has such a close tie to New York.

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“And yeah…I’m so excited for them to celebrate their love. It’s so cool.

“There’s a lot going on this weekend. I’m happy to be here during this frenzy.”

According to Variety, Maren is attending the festivities on Friday evening, alongside fellow country stars Miranda Lambert and Kelsea Ballerini.

Taylor and Maren have been friends for years, and the latter even made a guest appearance on the pop superstar’s Eras tour in 2023.

The massive reception is expected to kick off later in the afternoon on Friday at New York’s Madison Square Garden, with other big-name guests including Zoe Kravitz, Adam Sandler, Sabrina Carpenter and Graham Norton.

As The U.S. Sun first reported, Gigi Hadid and Selena Gomez are expected to be bridesmaids, and both have been spotted out and about in NYC this week.

Last night, Taylor and Travis’ close friends and family members attended the rehearsal dinner, and emerged from the venue with little black boxes.

The boxes had a TT – the couple’s initials – on the outside.

MAYA Jama has revealed she risked being arrested in Ibiza after she accidentally took something from a bar without paying for it.

The Love Island host, 31, shared a new vlog on her YouTube channel as her hairdresser got her ready for a photoshoot to be a cover girl on a magazine.

Her hairstylist divulged: “We were in Ibiza and the bar was closing and we were walking back to the hotel, but we took our glasses and then the Spanish lady, she was chasing us down the road.”

Maya added: “So we came and gave them back! Otherwise we would get arrested!”

The hairdresser expressed: “We’d get arrested in Ibiza and that’s not what we want.”

Maya told the camera: “They weren’t even proper glass cups, they were plastic.”

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He continued: “We couldn’t take them and we didn’t know that at the time and then she was chasing us down the road.”

“It was quite funny but I’m glad we snapped out of it or else we would have got arrested for stealing plastic cups,” The Masked Singer star said.

“It wouldn’t even be worth it, we weren’t even doing anything cool.”

Her revelation comes after she headed into the Love Island villa to host the Casa Amor recoupling.

She turned heads in an incredible plunging black dress as she entered the villa for a second time this week.

Maya left fans applauding as she sided with a heartbroken Jasmine when Kavan came back to the villa with Charleen on his arm.

When Jasmine saw Kavan, who she was in a couple with, walk back into the main villa with the stunning Irish influencer – she was left taken aback and quite frankly, fuming.

After she processed the information, Jasmine asked Kavan if he had slept in bed with girls during Casa.

She also asked him if he’d kissed any girls outside of challenges.

His brother Aidan was quick to butt in, saying how he thinks this is a conversation for them to have in private.

“I’m allowed to speak to him. That’s who I was in a couple with,” Jasmine snapped at Aidan.

“Yeah, Aidan, let them two speak,” Maya then added in a stern voice.

Reacting to Maya’s hilarious snap back at Aidan, one person penned: “The fact even Maya’s sick of Aidan acting like the spokesperson.”

“Maya Jama is so real telling Aidan to let Jasmine and her couple speak. That’s a REAL ASS HOST,” said a second.

KATIE Price has made a rare sentimental remark about ex-husband Peter Andre in her new Sky documentary.

The reality TV star, 48, shared a sweet comment about ex Peter and how shy he used to make her feel in her latest series, Katie Price: Nothing To Hide.

In the documentary, Katie is sitting down watching her old I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! footage — the show on which she met Peter.

She then opened up about just how much she felt for Peter, calling him her “Prince”.

Katie said: “If I like someone like I liked him, I go all shy. I can’t look at them, and I go all like giddy. It’s pathetic, but that’s what I was like.

“You could see we were into each other and it is so cute to look at. By the end of it I was smitten with him.

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“Meeting Pete and being with Pete were the best times of my life, without a doubt.

“I had my prince, I knew I would be with him forever.”

Katie and Peter met in 2004 and started dating shortly after their time on I’m A Celeb ended.

They got engaged later that same year and tied the knot in 2005.

They went on to have two children, Princess and Junior, before divorcing in 2009.

Earlier this year, Katie married for the fourth time, tying the knot with self-proclaimed millionaire Lee Andrews.

The pair’s whirlwind wedding came after just a week of speaking online.

Recently Katie and Lee reunited after Lee was imprisoned in Dubai under accusations of fraud.

A-LIST stars from around the world will be crowding into Madison Square Garden today to see Taylor Swift’s marriage.

The extravagant event is set to welcome around 1,000 guests as the 14-time Grammy award winner ties the knot with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. But who will perform at the wedding?

Which megastars are rumored to take to the MSG stage?

With the number of stars in attendance, there certainly isn’t a shortage of possibilities as to who might be performing at the wedding.

Unfortunately, the Hollywood couple have reportedly enforced a strict no phones policy and required guests to sign strict non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to prevent word going around on the event.

But thanks to a handful of leaks, we aren’t left completely in the dark as to who may take the stage at MSG.

Country legend Tim McGraw is among the names widely believed to be performing, with the bride having named her debut 2006 single after him.

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Fleetwood Mac star Stevie Nicks is a confirmed guest for the wedding of the most-streamed female artist in history, but rumors will tell you that she’ll be more than just another attendee – but rather that the 78-year-old is set to perform.

Ed Sheeran is another name potentially playing some live tunes as Swift herself said in a radio interview: “It would be hard to keep him from it, I think! If there’s a stage, you know that he’ll be on it.”

Will the bride sing to Travis?

Fans have been keen to jump on social media websites like TikTok, Reddit, and X to leave their opinion on whether Taylor will perform for her newlywed.

And the general consensus seems to be that she most certainly will! With the main question being what song she will perform for him.

In fact, some Swifties believe that the ultimate wedding present would be a brand new song made especially for the occasion.

That of course, for someone with the talent of Taylor Swift, shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

There is logic behind the theory too, with fans pointing towards the fact the 36-year-old has written songs for nearly every major chapter of her life.

If not an entirely new, unreleased song, fans predict that she will perform a mashup of the songs she has already written about Kelce during the Eras Tour, for example; ‘Lover’, ‘The Alchemy’ and ‘So High School’.

Moving away from her husband though, supporters of the singer-songwriter also have suggested the possibility of Taylor dueting with Tim McGraw.

The country will celebrate its 250th birthday Saturday, and it seems nobody quite knows how to feel about it. Being a thoughtful American in 2026 has become an art form unto itself — a balancing act two-and-a-half centuries in the making. Marking the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence requires the acceptance of a paradox so profound that it feels almost insurmountable: The great American experiment has failed; and it is also a triumph.

I’m writing this at near midnight on a muggy night in Pennsylvania — about 300 miles from Philadelphia, where in 1776 the Continental Congress adopted a document bearing one of the most famous and idealistic lines ever written: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Hundreds of years later, the course of human events has once again made it necessary for us to dissolve certain bonds, only the resulting revolution has been metaphorical and waged largely online. We have become a people pitted against one another in thought and in action. In the words we write on social media, the news we choose to consume on our siloed feeds, and the way we treat those who believe differently than we do.

How do we come together to celebrate the monumental achievement of this improbable democracy, which should be made stronger through our respectful disagreements and ability to compromise in search of a higher truth? It may be foolish to say we must lead with kindness when so much raw anger abounds, but that is all we can do. It is what we must do.

Art can help — the music, paintings, dances and plays that remind us in myriad ways that we are not alone. You’ll have access to plenty of such sustenance on this highly anticipated anniversary weekend. So if you are, like me, facing the fireworks with trepidation, find a way to lock into a favorite song, or read a poem that moves you, and the worry will pass. It always does.

I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt, watching the fireflies. This is your arts and culture news for the week.

The week ahead: A curated calendar

SATURDAY

Richard Dreyfuss, left, Roy Scheider and Robert Shaw in the 1975 movie “Jaws.”

(Universal Pictures)

Jaws
Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the theater, a series of shark attacks are expected across the city Saturday afternoon as Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster screens at the Academy Museum’s David Geffen Theater (in 4K), the American Cinematheque’s Aero Theatre (in 35 mm) and Vidiots’ Eagle Theatre.
2:30 p.m. Saturday. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org; 3 p.m. Saturday. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. americancinematheque.com; 1 and 4:30 p.m. Vidiots Eagle Theater, 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd., Eagle Rock. vidiotsfoundation.org

TUESDAY

National Museum of the Aftermath screening series
Kevin Jerome Everson and Claudrena N. Harolds’ short film “Foosball: U. of Virginia Charlottesville, VA 1976” (2013), inspired by a photograph of two students playing a game, examines Black life at UVA; and Andrea Fraser’s feature documentary “This meeting is being recorded” (2022) gathers a group of a self-identifying white women to discuss unconscious racism and their own roles in white supremacy.
6 p.m. Oxy Arts, 4757 York Blvd. oxyarts.oxy.edu

WEDNESDAY

Brian Quijada, left, and Nygel D. Robinson in “Mexodus.”

(Thomas Mundell)

Mexodus
Direct from an award-winning off-Broadway run, this new musical created and performed by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson illuminates a lesser-known fork of the Underground Railroad, one that branched south across the Rio Grande.
Previews, 8 p.m. Wednesday, 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. July 10, 2 and 8 p.m. July 11; continues through Aug. 2. Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Ave. pasadenaplayhouse.org

New Swan Shakespeare Festival.

(New Swan Shakespeare Festival)

New Swan Shakespeare Festival
The annual summer-long event, featuring professional theater artists, UC Irvine alums, current graduate and undergraduate drama students and faculty, returns for another repertory season of classics under the stars at its intimate, 130-seat, portable, mini-Elizabethan space. “Romeo & Juliet,” directed by Rachael VanWormer, resets the tragic romance to the American Dust Bowl; “The Merry Wives of Windsor Cove,” adapted by Anna Fitzgerald & Eli Simon, with music by Zachary Dietz and directed by founding Artistic Director Eli Simon, brings the rollicking comedy to a 1950s SoCal surf town, powered by a live skiffle band.
“Romeo & Juliet,” 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, and various dates through Aug. 29. “Merry Wives,” 8 p.m. Wednesday, and various dates through Aug. 30. UC Irvine campus, 4000 Campus Drive. newswanshakespeare.com

Wilkins Conducts Bernstein & Ellington
Thomas Wilkins guides the L.A. Philharmonic in a program of classical Americana featuring selections from Valerie Coleman, William Grant Still, a newly arranged song cycle from Shaina Taub’s Broadway hit “Suffs,” Leonard Bernstein and Duke Ellington.
8 p.m. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com

Zoot Suit
Join writer-director Luis Valdez and star Edward James Olmos for a 45th anniversary screening of the film, an adaptation of Valdez’s groundbreaking play, the truly L.A. story of the 1942 Sleepy Lagoon case and Zoot Suit Riots. Audiences are encouraged to come in costume and arrive early for the “Pachuco Boogie!” Produced in partnership with the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, Self Help Graphics and Pachuco Car Club.
8 p.m. The Ford Ampitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East. theford.com

THURSDAY

Randal Goosby.

(L.A. Phil)

The Classical World Cup
Tito Muñoz conducts the L.A. Phil in a salute to “the beautiful game” (soccer to Americans) with works spanning the Americas by Alberto Ginastera, Samuel Barber (with Randal Goosby on violin), Silvestre Revueltas and Aaron Copland; plus the world premiere of “The Art of the Goal,” an original mixed-media concept film by director Josh Kahn and composer Adam Schoenberg. Commissioned by the L.A. Phil, the piece blends footage of elite training and match play featuring the Los Angeles Football Club with orchestral music.
8 p.m. Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave. hollywoodbowl.com

The SoCal scene

(Matt Chase / For The Times)

Celebrations for the country’s 250th birthday have been muted thus far (at least compared to the bicentennial 50 years ago), but our Entertainment and Arts team noted the moment by examining the ways the artists we cover have interpreted the nation’s complex history. Times theater critic Charles McNulty wrote that a “cohort of playwrights, breathtakingly diverse demographically as well as aesthetically, has been rejuvenating American theater.” Contributor Shana Nys Dambrot looked to local museums and identified nine works of art “exploring and expounding upon, in celebration and critique, what it means and what it feels like to be an American.” Times classical music critic Mark Swed compared the artistic and institutional responses of 2026 to the past, lamenting that “None of this comes close to comparing with the attempted civic zest of 1976.” Check out the rest of the collection of stories and essays, including Mary McNamara’s column reminding us that even in troubled times 250 years is worth celebrating because “the Constitution was written ‘in order to form a more perfect union.’ Not ‘perfect,’ but ‘more perfect.’ As in better,” and a list of 10 essential movies that capture crucible moments in U.S. history; find out what Times pop music critic Mikael Wood calls the “quintessential American song,” and which books are being read in L.A. high schools and which classics remain relevant.

Carene Rose Mekertichyan , left, and Brent Charles in “Coriolanus” at the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival.

(Grettel Cortes)

It’s summer and that means that outdoor theater is upon us and McNulty reviewed the Independent Shakespeare Co.’s Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival production of “Coriolanus.” “It’s hard to love ‘Coriolanus,’ but it’s equally hard not to be impressed by its ambition, originality and dramatic rigor,” wrote McNulty. This “production isn’t going to win awards for subtlety, but the storytelling is crisp and vivid. And even those unfamiliar with the tale — the vast majority of attendees, in all likelihood — should find it engrossing.”

It’s hard to believe that the ABBA jukebox musical “Mamma Mia!” premiered 25 years ago. Times staff writer Eloise Rollins-Fife went backstage at the Ahmanson Theatre to visit with the behind-the-scenes crew who put so much joy into the sequin-bedazzled extravaganza on display in the show’s anniversary tour — many of whom worked on the original production and tours.

Katie Simons profiled 99-year-old Sierra Madre resident Monson de Kansky, a onetime top ballerina who went to teach Parisian royalty, raise a family and still teaches ballet.

Hollywood set painters whose work in the Tinseltown dream machine often went overlooked and uncredited are getting their due in “Staging California in Early Hollywood” at the UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art in Costa Mesa. Times staff writer Julius Miller spoke with museum director Kathryn Kanjo and assistant curator Michaëla Mohrmann about the institution’s first exhibition since UC Irvine acquired OCMA last September and Kanjo’s appointment in December.

Culture news

Rosalie Tucker, executive director of Pieter Performance Space (standing left); Andrew Pearson of Bodies in Play (second from left); Lena Martin (second from right) and Mandolin Burns (right) of Crawlspace; Dani Burd of Indigo Dance Company (bottom left); and Adie San Diego (bottom right).

(Ariana Drehsler/For The Times)

The last few years have been rough for most arts institutions and many L.A. dance spaces have closed. Contributor Steven Vargas reported on how surviving dance companies and artists are forging ahead in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic and diminished funding.

The Centre Theatre Group announced that a world tour of the acclaimed stage adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki’s Academy Award-winning animated film “Spirited Away” will open the Ahmanson Theare’s 2027-28 season. “We are honored to bring the wonder of ‘Spirited Away’ to the Ahmanson Theatre for an exclusive US engagement, offering our community the gift of experiencing one of the most cherished stories of our time, reimagined for the stage in a once-in-a-generation theatrical experience,” said Douglas C. Baker, Center Theatre Group producing director, in a statement. The production, from Toho Co., will open at the National Theater in Taipei on Dec. 16, before continuing on a national tour of Japan from March-August 2027, followed by stops at the Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto (May-August 2027), and the Ahmanson (September–October 2027). The tour will conclude with a return to the London Coliseum (March-July 2028), where it had its European premiere in 2024 following a sold-out tour of Japan in 2022. Casting will be announced at a later date.

The British theater lost two stalwarts this week. Penelope Keith, best known for the sitcoms “The Good Life,” which aired on PBS in the U.S. as “Good Neighbors,” and “To the Manor Born,” has died at age 86. Keith joined the Royal Shakespeare Co. in 1963, won a BAFTA Award in 1977 for “The Good Life” and continued her stage career into her 80s. The New York Times reported that Michael Byrne, a noted actor of stage and screen, also died this week at 86. Byrne created the role of the suspected torturer Dr. Miranda in the premiere production of Ariel Dorfman’s 1991 play “Death and the Maiden” in London. Other notable theater roles were with Siân Phillips in “Juliet and Her Romeo,” Polonius in “Hamlet,” Cassius in “Julius Caesar” and Prince Hal in “Henry IV.” The actor also appeared in films such as “Force 10 from Navarone,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” “Braveheart,” “Gangs of New York” and “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.”

— Kevin Crust

And last but not least

If pyrotechnics (or drone shows!) are your thing and you’d like to celebrate the Fourth of July with a bang, Times staff writer Christopher Buchanan compiled 52 places and favorite spots to watch the festivities in Southern California.

Wimbledon favourite Clare Balding once shared a very personal story from her school years

BBC Wimbledon presenter Clare Balding has revealed an “absolutely horrifying” incident from her youth, long before her illustrious broadcasting career took off.

Speaking back in 2024 on the Rosebud Podcast with Gyles Brandreth, the 55 year old reflected on the “awful” experience.

BBC star Clare said: “I got into a lot of trouble when I was young. When I first went off to boarding school, I think I felt an enormous pressure to be one of the crowd.

“So I think I was very susceptible to peer pressure, so getting in with the ‘in-gang’ required doing quite daring things, one of which was shoplifting.

“And of course, I got caught, and I got suspended at only the beginning of my second year at school.”

The broadcaster continued: “And I remember that being so shameful, because also when I rang home my parents weren’t there. So Vicky, who was my father’s terrifying secretary – the scariest woman…

“Think of all those films. She came to get me. That was absolutely horrifying and the shame of it… I thought I was going to be expelled. So that was awful.”

Yet Clare – daughter of racehorse trainer Ian and Emma Balding – managed to turn things around following this setback, reports the Express.

She subsequently flourished at Downe House School near Thatcham, Berkshire, securing a place in the first team for lacrosse and being elected as Head Girl.

Clare described being named Head Girl as a “big deal”, explaining that the coveted role was awarded by a teacher vote rather than a pupil election.

The podcast episode was recorded as a Valentine’s Day special, and also featured Clare’s wife, radio host and journalist Alice Arnold.

The couple entered into a civil partnership in 2006 before tying the knot in a private ceremony in 2015.

Clare has been a familiar face on British television for more than 30 years, building an impressive career spanning BBC Sport, Channel 4 and BT Sport.

She will be taking the helm at Wimbledon today (July 3) on the BBC, as she fronts coverage of the nation’s most cherished annual tennis tournament.

CARRY On actor Leslie Phillips’ family is set for a High Court ding-dong over his will, The Sun can reveal.

The late star‘s estate is suing his wife, Zara, at the High Court, after she refused to move out of their £4.4million marital home.

The long-running spat is said to have strained the relationship between Zara, 68, and Harry Potter actor Leslie’s children, who say they are entitled to the proceeds of the Edwardian mansion’s sale.

Leslie, who died in November 2022 at age 98 after an eight-decade showbiz career, left his family a huge £5.3million fortune and dictated exactly how his belongings should be shared.

He gave his OBE and CBE medals to his grandchildren and a Buddha statue to his third wife, Zara Phillips.

But the actor, known for his “Ding Dong,” “Well, Hello” and “I Say” trademark lines, also stipulated his posh West London house should be sold exactly two years and nine months after his death.

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But Zara has repeatedly insisted Leslie, whom she wed in 2013, had promised she could stay there for the rest of her life.

She even claims his will was changed without her knowledge to force the sale of the property and hand more cash to his kids.

At the four-storey Edwardian house, filled with pictures of Leslie, Zara previously told The Sun: “This is my marital home.

“I want to live here for the rest of my life, not to move out.

“Leslie always promised me I could stay here.

The will, seen by The Sun, says the £4.4million house is to be sold two years and nine months after his death, with the proceeds going into a trust.

It means the deadline for the sale passed in August 2025, but Turkish social worker Zara has not moved and is determined to stay put.

The sale trust would have been split between Phillips’ four children from his first marriage, Caroline, Claudia, Andrew, and Roger, as well as Zara.

Phillips’ two sons and two daughters were each left £50,000 in the will, while his 15 grandchildren were each awarded £5,000.

Zara was left £155,000, along with ten of Phillips’ belongings, each worth as much as £1,500, and more than 25 per cent of the shares in the trust fund.

The house spat will now be decided at London’s High Court, though Zara insists she has not been told about the case.

A case filed this week names the Estate of Leslie Samuel Phillips CBE as the claimant, and Zara Phillips as the defendant.

It is listed as a Part Eight claim, meaning the parties do not agree on the facts, and is said to be a case about “provision for family/dependants”.

Speaking outside her home yesterday, Zara told The Sun: “I am very surprised. I had no idea about any of this.

“Leslie’s children have not been in touch with me at all.

“If they want me to come to court, I will do.

“I will come to court and fight it if I must.

“I am planning to stay put. I have no plans to move out – this is my home.

“I will have to speak to my lawyers.”

Zara met Leslie in 1995, but the couple were friends for 18 years before they married.

Leslie was walking near his home when he saw Zara, then a 39-year-old widow, who insisted she did not know the star was world-famous.

At the time, Leslie was married to his second wife, Bond actress Angela Scoular, who took her own life after her cancer returned in 2011.

The executor of Leslie Phillips’ estate, solicitor Martin Terrell, said he could not comment on an ongoing case.

“I’ve talked about rain on this show more than I have in my entire life,” Kittrell says.

It was a constant consideration, both on set and in the writers room. Weather became a way to distinguish Elle from those around her in Seattle. The locals never carry umbrellas; Elle shows up with a pink one.

“We had a writer from Seattle who always said the city gets a bad rap because of the rain,” Kittrell says. “But the rain is what makes it beautiful — it makes Seattle green.”

Elle entering the halls of Rainier West High School with her pink umbrella.

(Kimberley French / Prime Video)

That philosophy stayed with the writers, later showing up in a line Miles (Jacob Moskovitz), Elle’s crush, says to her, and ultimately leading them to Garbage’s “Only Happy When It Rains” as the show’s theme. “We were like, of course,” says Kittrell. “This is what we’ve been talking about the entire time.”

The song was originally meant to end the pilot. “Then we decided we should just be hearing it in every single episode,” says Neustadter. (The pilot instead uses Radiohead’s “Creep,” which also bookends the series.) The main title sequence, an animated “saga sell” from the studio Shine, tells the story of Elle’s move from Bel-Air to Seattle.

“We’re constantly reminding the audience of the contrast between Elle’s essence and the world she’s now in,” Neustadter adds. “There’s an optimism to ‘Only Happy When It Rains’ that feels very Elle Woods. And the irony of it is so delightful.”

Peter Davison, who played Tristan Farnon in the original All Creatures Great and Small, went on to become the fifth Doctor Who – and his family is just as star-studded, with daughter Georgia married to David Tennant

The original All Creatures Great and Small star who played Tristan Farnon is related to a very famous television star.

The reimagined version of the beloved period drama is set to return to Channel 5 later this year for its seventh series, accompanied by a Christmas special which has already wrapped filming, according to Siegfried actor Samuel West.

The revamped programme premiered in September 2020, following the adventures of veterinary surgeon James Herriot (portrayed by Nicholas Ralph) as he navigates relationships with local farming folk and cares for their livestock throughout the Yorkshire Dales, while developing feelings for a farmer’s daughter.

Spirited assistant vet Tristan Farnon is brought to life by Callum Woodhouse in the contemporary version, who has previously featured in Cold Feet, The Durrells, and, more recently, The Fortune.

Running from 1978 to 1990, the original All Creatures Great and Small series premiered on the BBC, inspired by the working life of Alf Wight, the renowned Yorkshire veterinary surgeon who adopted the pseudonym James Herriot, reports Wales Online.

His real-life encounters and anecdotes were chronicled in a collection of books that were later transformed into the television phenomenon.

What happened to the original Tristan from All Creatures Great and Small?

In the first adaptation, when James Herriot, brought to life by Christopher Timothy, relocated to the Dales, he secured employment with no-nonsense veterinary practitioner Siegfried Farnon (Robert Hardy) at Skeldale House.

This brought James into contact with numerous colourful personalities in the village, including Siegfried’s younger brother, Tristan Farnon, an eager member of the practice and a character viewers adored throughout the programme’s 12-year duration.

Tristan was played by none other than actor Peter Davison, who has enjoyed a decades-long career.

The 75-year-old, hailing from London, is perhaps most recognised for his portrayal of the lead role in the science fiction series Doctor Who.

From 1981 to 1984, Peter embodied the fifth Doctor, who became instantly famed for his cricket-themed attire. He held the mantle of the legendary Time Lord for three years before actor Colin Baker took over.

He’s also celebrated for portraying David in At Home with the Braithwaites, DC Davies in The Last Detective, and CPS Director Henry Sharpe in Law and Order: UK.

Beyond Paradise viewers will recall Peter as Richard Baxter in the second series of the BBC detective programme, which broadcast in 2024. His latest appearances include The Gold, The Larkins, and Gentleman Jack.

Family life

Off-screen, Peter is married to actress and writer Elizabeth Heery. The pair tied the knot in 2003 and have two sons together, Louis and Joel.

Both lads have pursued careers in acting like their parents, with Louis appearing in Holby City as Parker Whitfield, Poldark as Geoffrey Charles, and in Vikings: Valhalla as Prince Edmund. Most recently, Louis portrayed Leo Quinn in the BBC series Death in Paradise, which broadcast earlier this year on BBC One.

Meanwhile, his brother Joel has appeared in the series Mammoth, The F1rst Team, and the podcast series Doctor Who: Stranded.

Peter isn’t the sole Doctor Who star in his family, as his daughter, actress Georgia, is wed to the tenth Doctor, David Tennant. Peter had Georgia with his ex-wife, Sandra Dickinson, an American actress who has featured in Batman.

Following an audition for an earlier episode of the sci-fi series, Georgia, 41, secured the role of Jenny in the 2008 episode, ‘The Doctor’s Daughter’ – a rather fitting coincidence.

Throughout filming, David, 55, relished working alongside her on set, and following their introduction, Georgia was particularly taken. In 2020, the couple featured on That Gaby Roslin Podcast, where they discussed the beginning of their relationship.

“I very much forced it into happening, didn’t I?” said Georgia. “I was very much the driving force. Had I not worked quite so hard, it might not have happened.”

David responded: “That makes it sound like I was resistant, which was not what happened. I thought we were an unlikely life partnership, I suppose. There is a bit of an age gap.

“Because Doctor Who had run through my life like a stick of rock, to end up marrying the daughter of one of the Doctors, it all felt a bit stupid… that wasn’t really likely to happen. So there were a lot of things against it.”

The pair shares five children together: Olive, Wilfred, Doris, Birdie, and Georgia’s eldest child, Ty.

All Creatures Great and Small is available to stream on Channel 5

Netflix viewers are binge watching the four part series, which has already found itself in the top 10

A “disturbing” true crime series that gives viewers nightmares is available to stream in full.

Earlier this week (July 1), streaming giant Netflix released four part series Worst Neighbor Ever, which comes from the same creators of shows Worst Ex Ever and Worst Roommate Ever.

Spanning across four episodes, it plunges viewers into real life neighbour disputes that often escalate to violence, and even murder. Through chilling body cam and CCTV footage as well as heartbreaking interviews with victims, the series also offers a unique approach by using animated re-enactments.

Promising to show cases that are “more shocking than ever”, an official synopsis teased: “You think you know your neighbors? Think again.

“This new series features first-hand accounts of violence, intimidation, and harassment that are more shocking than ever. Through compelling testimonials, startling body cam footage, and animated re-enactments, Worst Neighbor Ever proves the people next door aren’t just a nuisance – they’re lethal.”

The cases included a huge insurance scam explosion that had a catastrophic impact on one community, as well as a suspect’s chilling moves before a brutal shooting that left one dad dead.

Already, Worst Neighbor Ever has found itself in the top 10, surpassing other new releases taking the top spot.

Viewers cannot stop binge watching the four part anthology series, with some having “nightmares” from the harrowing cases shown.

Taking to X, one person wrote: “Episode 3 of #WorstNeighborEver has in my tearssssss. J**** man.” Another said: “#worstneighborever is crazy.”

A third fumed: “this #WorstNeighborEver series is ridiculous. there’s really some evil people out here.”

A fourth added: “These #WorstNeighborEver cases get worse and worse omg.” A fifth commented: “Episode 3 of worst neighbor ever just ruined my mf dayyyyyy!!!!!”

Another stated: “Every single episode of #WorstNeighborEver has made me cry, episode 3 especially.”

Over on TikTok, one true crime fan said the show was “unbelievably shocking” as they said in a video: “It did not disappoint, it was absolutely fantastic and I am shocked beyond belief.” They added it made then “so sad and so angry”.

One person replied: “just watched it the first episode was gut wrenching”, as another echoed: “OMG just finished watching it, I was bawling my eyes out he didn’t deserve that.”

A third added: “Thought it was so good, and so disturbing.” In another video, one reviewer stated the ‘Worst Ever’ collection has them “locked in every time”, as another said they were “not prepared” when watching the heartbreaking episode. A third penned: “It gave me nightmares.”

Worst Neighbor Ever can be streamed on Netflix