A deputy for the Medina County Sheriff’s Office in Texas fatally shot California-based food influencer Michael Duarte last week, a police spokesperson confirmed to TMZ.
The outlet reported on Wednesday that Duarte, who amassed a following on social media as “FoodWithBearHands,” died Nov. 8 after deputies responded to a disturbance call in Castroville, Texas. Law enforcement reported to a “male subject with a knife acting erratically.” The spokesperson alleges that Duarte threatened and approached the responding deputy, and did not follow numerous “verbal commands” to get on the ground.
“Duarte charged toward the deputy while yelling, ‘I’m going to kill you,’” the spokesperson told TMZ. The spokesperson added that the deputy fired two rounds from her “duty weapon” and struck Duarte. He was reportedly given medical aid at the scene and transferred to a nearby hospital, where he died. He was 39.
Neither representatives for the Medina County Sheriff’s Office or Duarte immediately responded to requests for confirmation on Wednesday.
Barbecue pellet company Bear Mountain BBQ announced Duarte’s death on Tuesday in a joint statement shared to his Instagram page. A GoFundMe fundraiser created to benefit his family confirms that Duarte died “in a horrible accident on Saturday” while he was traveling in Texas, three days after he and his wife celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary.
“The world may know him as ‘FoodwithBearHands,’ but to us, he was a loving husband, father, brother, and a great friend to many,” reads the fundraiser description. “We ask that you lift Michael’s family up in prayer during this extremely difficult time, especially for his 6 year old daughter Oakley, and his wife Jessica.”
The GoFundMe seeks to raise $100,000 to support Duarte’s family in covering funeral expenses and “bringing him back home to California.” Donors have raised more than $65,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.
Duarte, raised in the desert town of Calipatria, began his professional culinary career working in several restaurants in San Diego, he said in October. He began posting videos on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. After a “mental health crisis that led me to rehab,” Duarte continued to post cooking videos during his time off, including his first video, which featured his daughter, he said.
“That’s when I realized how happy creating content made me,” he wrote. “Over time, I began to see it wasn’t just a hobby — it could be a business, something bigger than myself.”
Over the years, he shared cooking recipes for alligator, iguana, frog legs, smoked duck and a variety of other dishes. His YouTube channel boasts a following of more than 260,000 subscribers and his Instagram page touts even more, with 845,000-plus followers.
“He had a rare gift for capturing the true spirit of BBQ: the smoke, the stories, the laughter, and the love for good food that brings people together,” Bear Mountain BBQ continued its statement.
The statement added: “But beyond the work, Michael was so much more. A proud dad who lit up every time he spoke about his daughter. A devoted husband whose love for his family was the center of everything he did. A good man with a generous heart, whose warmth and kindness touched everyone he met.”
The Big Brother finale is merely two days away, with one contestant set to be crowned the 2025 champion on Friday, November 14. Earlier footage showed Somerset farmer Cameron bagging an automatic ticket to the finale, whilst fellow housemates face eviction.
Yet the elimination won’t be broadcast until tomorrow’s (November 13) episode, merely one day before the finale, leaving supporters absolutely livid with tonight’s (November 12) show.
Rushing to X, within minutes, one supporter declared: “This is such a filler episode i can’t, GIVE US THE WICKED TASK AND EVICTION NOWWWWW.”
Another penned: “It really is annoying that they are making us wait till tomorrow, the day before the final to see who’s gone. @ITV just can’t do backdoor evictions right, there’s too many of them.”
A third commented: “Why isn’t the eviction tonight?”.
A fourth remarked: “It really is ridiculous that the last eviction before the final, a double eviction as well, happened this morning and won’t be shown until tomorrow. This series has been done so badly.”
Another slated: “This is so stupid and pointless.”
Tonight’s episode witnessed Big Brother assembling the housemates on the sofa for a regal challenge.
Given that Cameron had secured his pass to the final, he was crowned King of the house.
Big Brother declared: “King Cameron, your first decision is to appoint your Royal Aid. They will be your right hand.”
Jenny was chosen as his Royal aide, whilst Marcus took on the role of Court Jester, tasked with keeping the monarch amused.
Tate was subsequently picked as a Royal Comforter, whose duty involved serving as a personal footrest, whilst Emily became the Royal Cook, responsible for all culinary matters.
However, things didn’t go according to plan, with Tate being banished to the garden jail before having rotten tomatoes hurled at him.
But viewers were left disappointed with the episode, demanding “more” for finals week.
One X user posted: “the final week has been a bore.”
Another commented: “I knew this week #bbuk would be boring! These tasks dont create drama.”
Big Brother’s finale airs Friday, November 14 at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX
KING Charles had a letter hand-delivered to the Osbourne family after heavy metal legend Ozzy’s death.
Widow Sharon revealed she was left touched after the “amazing” monarch wrote to them.
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King Charles had letter hand-delivered to Osbourne family after Ozzy’s death, reveals SharonCredit: PAWidow Sharon revealed she was left touched after the ‘amazing’ monarch wrote to them.Credit: PA:Press Association
Speaking on The Osbournes podcast with her children, 73-year-old Sharon said: “If he did it for us, you know he does it for many, many, many people.
“Now here’s a man that does know what’s going on in the street with people. Not just politics, not just . . . here’s a man that cares about the environment, animals. He’s got a good heart.
“In the past — Ozzy’s birthday, when Ozzy was sick in hospital with the motorbike accident, he reached out.
“He’s a good, caring man with a good heart, and Ozzy’s, as me, we’re royalists and that’s it.
“And again, took the time out of his day to write us, have it hand-delivered to us, a note from the King for Ozzy’s passing with his condolences, that says so much.”
Sharon also revealed that she had received a message from US President Donald Trump, adding: “He knows what’s going on in the streets . . . and I can’t say that for our Prime Minister.”
Sharon joined mourners along with kids Aimée, Kelly and Jack. They had a private funeral the following day.
Kelly, 41, said she had not seen “an outpouring like that since Princess Diana died”, adding: “It wasn’t just the heavy metal community. It was the entire world.”
Sharon also revealed that she had received a message from US President Donald TrumpCredit: Getty
Ruby Rose has entered the ring to take a swing at Sydney Sweeney — blaming the actor, now known for her choice in jeans, for “Christy’s” disastrous debut.
“The original Christy Martin script was incredible. Life changing,” the former “Batwoman” star wrote in a Monday post on Threads. “I was attached to play Cherry. Everyone had experience with the core material. Most of us were actually gay. It’s part of why I stayed in acting.”
“Christy” stars Sweeney as Christy Martin, the groundbreaking boxer who raised the profile of her sport during her Hall of Fame career. The movie follows Martin as a closeted lesbian boxer trying to navigate her professional ascent, an abusive marriage to her toxic coach and her identity. It made just $1.3 million at the domestic box office during its opening weekend.
In her Threads post, Rose mentions “losing roles happens all the time” in Hollywood, but doesn’t hold back from expressing her disapproval that Sweeney is the one portraying Martin.
“Christy deserved better,” Rose said. “None of ‘the people’ want to see someone who hates them, parading around pretending to be us. You’re a cretin and you ruined the film. Period.”
Her comments appear to be in response to Sweeney’s Monday Instagram post in which she shared how “deeply proud” she was of “Christy” despite it flopping at the box office.
“[W]e don’t always just make art for numbers, we make it for impact,” Sweeney wrote in the caption accompanying a gallery led by an image of her bloodied but smiling. “[A]nd christy has been the most impactful project of my life. thank you christy. i love you.”
Attitudes regarding the “Euphoria” actor have been increasingly divided since her part in a controversial American Eagle ad campaign around her “good jeans.” Since then, it has been reported that Sweeney registered to vote as a Republican in Florida shortly before the 2024 presidential election and prominent right-wing figures including President Trump and Vice President JD Vance have voiced their support for the actor.
Sweeney, for her part, has avoided discussing her political beliefs. In the lead-up to “Christy’s” release, she told LGBTQ+ news site PinkNews that she was “excited” for the queer community to see the movie because “she is an unbelievable advocate for the community and I believe this is a beautiful story to tell.”
Married At First Sight viewers are set to witness an explosive reunion as hidden truths are finally exposed
MAFS UK (Image: Ellie Merridale/Channel 4 )
Married At First Sight is set for an explosive reunion as one bride storms off set in tears after a heated row with another co-star
The E4 hit dating show, comes to an end for another year and it’s safe to say the series has been full of explosive moments from the jump.
We’ve seen secret partner swaps outside the experiment, true love blossoming between a handful of couples and plenty of fiery rows spill on and off screen.
However it was one moment that sparked controversy after Julia-Ruth recently made a shocking admission about another groom.
Throughout the series, Julia-Ruth was open about her lack of interest in her matched husband Divarni, and they left the show before final vows.
She later left her fellow brides speechless when she revealed that she went on holiday with Maeve’s ex husband Joe after leaving the experiment.
Things took a turn for the worse when she went on to share that the pair were also intimate during their getaway together.
As expected things are about to turn explosive during the highly anticipated two-part reunion special, with the first episode set to air tomorrow (November 13) night.
In a preview clip shown at the end of tonight’s episode, all the couples that took part in the experiment reunited for a final dinner party as they got to finally find out which marriages had flourished and which had fallen apart.
It’s clear Maeve is still not over Joe and Julia-Ruth’s brutal betrayal as she left everyone shocked when she announced: “I heard that Julia-Ruth and Joe got matching tattoos.”
Things got heated at the table as Maeve was quick to ask Julie Ruth: “Would you want to be in a relationship with Joe, yes or no?
Julie-Ruth decided not to engage in conversation as she replied: “I’m not talking to you.” Meave snapped: “Well I’m talking to you.”
In a tense moment, Julie-Ruth started waving her hands in Meave’s face and it was clear that it didn’t go down well with the Geordie bride as she shouted: “Don’t put your hands to me like that man, don’t do it.”
Julia-Ruth is seen storming off in tears as fellow groom Davide follows right behind her.
Elsewhere, more hidden truths were exposed as Nelly dropped a bombshell to her fellow co-star as she said: “Seven lied to me, he lied to everyone and the experts.”
She added: “I found the evidence and I sent it to everyone because I’m not going to be made out to be crazy by someone like you.”
You can catch up on Married At First Sight on Channel 4
Isla Fisher has relocated to London and has a brand new homeCredit: ELLE Decoration/Ben AndersThe actress has opened up about her pad to Elle Decoration in their December/January issueCredit: ELLE Decoration/Ben Anders
Isla, 49, Sacha, 54 and their three children Olive, Elula and Montgomery had previously split their time between her native Australia, London and Los Angeles.
However, she’s now relocated to London and is embarking on a new chapter with a swanky new mansion.
The actress opened up to ELLE Decoration about her new abode and revealed why she chose to relocate to England’s capital.
She enthused: “It’s such a fabulous city. It’s a place where you can tell stories and I guess I’m writing my own one now.”
On the non-negotiables for her new home, Isla admitted: “I’ve been obsessed with weeping willows since I was a kid and there’s one in the backyard, so it felt like kismet.
“I wanted the kids’ bedrooms on my floor so that I can monitor smartphone use; there needed to be space for my family who live in Greece and visit me a lot and, lastly, outdoor space.
“With the Australian upbringing I was lucky enough to have, I’ve always been barefoot in the garden or on the beach, so this is as close as I can get to feeling like I’m home.”
The mum-of-three turned to interiors brand Soho Home to help deck her home out with furniture and gave an insight into her bold choices.
She continued: “I was always in [Soho Home’s] showroom trying to buy everything, and they said ‘We can help you!’
“It’s all very warm and casual, but glamorous. It’s theatrical, which is a bit like me as a person I suppose.
“I’m Agatha Christie-obsessed; I think that’s why I love Soho Home. It reminds me of Murder on the Orient Express – the craftsmanship and the glamour.
“It feels as if someone should be playing jazz in a corner, or smoking a cigar.”
Since embarking on her new chapter, Isla has now swapped out house parties for relaxation and unwinding.
The Confessions of a Shopaholic star said: “Trying to create a new life from a grassroots level, at least emotionally, has been challenging, but deeply rewarding.
Her stunning new home boasts chic interiors from Soho HomeCredit: ELLE Decoration/Ben AndersIsla has given a peek into her London mansionCredit: ELLE Decoration/Ben AndersHer home is a safe haven for her to relax and unwindCredit: ELLE Decoration/Ben AndersIsla’s new home reflects her new quieter lifestyleCredit: ELLE Decoration/Ben AndersThe cosy bedroom is decked out in warm orange and earth coloursCredit: ELLE Decoration/Ben Anders
“I’m enjoying this new version of my life. I don’t need to party in my house anymore. I love to get in the bath.
“I’ll light some candles, bring in my laptop and put on something on Netflix. That’s as exciting as it gets.”
Isla and Sacha first met in 2001 and married in 2010. They were believed to have been one of the strongest marriages in showbusiness – before quietly separating in 2023.
In June this year, they announced the finalisation of their £120 million pound divorce, 14 months after publicly announcing their separation.
In a message, posted simultaneously on both their Instagram pages, the pair said: “Our divorce has now been finalised.
“We are proud of all we’ve achieved together and, continuing our great respect for each other, we remain friends and committed to co-parenting our wonderful children.
“We ask for the media to continue to respect our children’s privacy.”
The full feature can be found in the December/January issue of ELLE Decoration on sale from 13 November.
The actress is best known for her leading role in Confessions of a ShopaholicCredit: GettyShe and Sacha Baran Cohen finalised their divorce earlier this yearCredit: EPA
The “Purge” movies are missing from the list, as are the entries in the “Saw” franchise. There are no “Evil Dead” titles. “The Exorcist” is suspiciously absent.
The list, in this case, is the favorite four films of Pope Leo XIV, f.k.a. Robert Francis Prevost of Chicago. The pontiff released the list via video ahead of a planned meeting Saturday with luminaries from the world of cinema.
To avoid the risk of being played off the stage by the academy’s orchestra, let’s share the winners quickly:
1. “It’s a Wonderful Life,” 1946 2. “The Sound of Music,” 1965 3. “Ordinary People,” 1980 4. “Life Is Beautiful,” 1997
That’s it. No “The Agony and the Ecstasy.” No “Pope Joan” or “Spotlight” or “Conclave,” for obvious reasons. No “Sister Act” or “Oh, God!” or any of the associated sequels, for less obvious reasons.
As a matter of fact, not a single comedy at all, much less a goofy comedy. And on either the drama or comedy fronts, the pope definitely could have chosen at least one flick set in his former neck of the woods. Think “The Blues Brothers,” “Home Alone,” “The Untouchables,” “High Fidelity,” “Eight Men Out” or “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.” (Think “Chicago,” for goodness’ sake.)
Pope Leo will apparently be meeting Saturday with Hollywood types including, Variety reports, actors Monica Bellucci, Cate Blanchett, Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Viggo Mortensen and Chris Pine, plus directors Spike Lee, George Miller, Giuseppe Tornatore and Gus Van Sant.
Seems the pope “has expressed his desire to deepen dialogue with the World of Cinema, and in particular with actors and directors, exploring the possibilities that artistic creativity offers to the mission of the Church and the promotion of human values,” according to a statement obtained by CNN.
That sounds all well and good, and a person can’t really go wrong with the movies on the pope’s list — two of the four are best picture Oscar winners, and the other two are best picture nominees.
That said, let’s shed a tiny tear for the exclusion of “Bruce Almighty,” if only because Morgan Freeman could use a little papal recognition too.
Loose Women star Kelly Brook is about to head into the I’m A Celebrity jungle but has admitted that she is afraid of just about everything prior to the show’s launch
23:18, 12 Nov 2025Updated 00:17, 13 Nov 2025
Loose Women star Kelly Brook has admitted that she is ‘afraid of everything’ ahead of I’m A Celeb kicking offf(Image: ITV)
Kelly Brook has sparked fears that she could quit I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! before the show has even started. The model, 45, is one of the famous faces gearing up to take part in Ant and Dec’s reality show and recently landed in Australia but recent admissions from her could mean that it’s all over before it has even begun.
The Loose Women star will have to live in the jungle with her fellow celebrities, which include big names like Emmerdale legendLisa Riley, Spandau Ballet singer Martin Kemp and presenter Alex Scott amongst a host of others, and face all sorts of unpleasant things. Kelly discussed her phobias during an appearance on the How to Fail podcast – and it seems she may struggle.
Speaking to host Elizabeth Day, she admitted: “I’m even scared to get the Tube at Leicester Square… I wait for someone to be in front and behind me so I’m sandwiched. I’m scared of heights, snakes, spiders — all of those things.”
Kelly previously claimed she would never take part in the survival reality show and had always ruled it out because of her fears, but, upon announcing that she has changed her mind, she admitted that she now “didn’t give a damn”.
She said: “What changed? Really good question. A friend of mine got asked to have a meeting with the producers of I’m A Celebrity and I said, You have to do it, I love watching it, what an incredible life experience… I was thinking, why can’t I give myself that advice? I realised it was basically out of fear, and I thought, it’s about time that I live my don’t give a damn era!”
Before flying out, Kelly was spotted at Heathrow Airport with husband Jeremy Parisi as she prepared to say goodbye to home comforts – and her beloved dog, Teddy.
She admitted: “I am going to miss my dog Teddy and my husband Jeremy.” According to insiders, Kelly went above and beyond to make sure her pampered pooch was well cared for during her time away.
A source told The Sun: “Kelly is besotted with Teddy and he is used to fine dining, so Kelly spent all hours making sure the freezer was piled high with his special dinners.”
They added: “There’s everything from poached salmon with cavolo nero cabbage through to venison steak with Chantenay carrots. She didn’t have much time to get everything sorted among all her work commitments but catering for Teddy was the priority.”
Reports also claim Kelly even labelled Teddy’s meals to stop her husband from accidentally eating them.
Kelly, who married Italian model in 2022, is said to have finally been convinced to enter the jungle after years of saying she’d never do it.
Back in 2018, she told The Sun: “I hate confined spaces. I don’t want to eat eyeballs or sheep testicles. Even if I had a huge tax bill I had to pay it urgently, I still wouldn’t do it.” Now, seven years later, Kelly has had a change of heart – and fans are eager to see how the glamorous TV personality copes with bugs, bushtucker trials and jungle life.
LILY Allen was spotted looking rather cosy on a date night with a mystery man in London.
The smile singer, 40, was snapped stepping out of Michelin-starred Dorian in Notting Hill on Tuesday evening with a handsome fella called Jonah Freud.
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Lily was spotted out on a date in Notting Hill yesterday eveningCredit: GoffJonah was all smiles as he sat with the starCredit: GoffThey brought their leftovers home to enjoy laterCredit: Goff
Jonah is a writer but is best known as the son of PR executive Matthew Freud and Caroline Hutton.
Matthew is the nephew of the celebrated late artist, Lucian Freud.
The pair seemed enamoured in one another’s company, smiling and making eye contact in a seated leather booth.
Lily dressed for the dropping November temperatures, wearing a grey sweater, a long dark coat and a leopard print scarf.
Lily married David in 2020Credit: InstagramHe’s an actor in Stranger ThingsCredit: AFPAfter Lily’s marriage with David ended she had a fling with James NortonCredit: Getty
The pair tied the knot five years ago in Vegas after only a year of dating, but their love wasn’t meant to be.
Lily’s latest album, West End Girl, hints at David’s infidelity, as she caught him with a profile of his own on the celebrity dating app Raya.
She also detailed how she was pressured into an unwanted open relationship in the track “Madeline”.
Lyrics crooned: “We had an arrangement / Be discreet and don’t be blatant / There had to be payment / It had to be with strangers / But you’re not a stranger, Madeline.”
David hasn’t let the aftermath of Lily’s album drop deter him from the spotlight, as he continuing to make red carpet appearances to promote the final season of Stranger Things.
The couple appeared engrossed in conversationCredit: GoffShe wore a casual outfit for the dateCredit: Goff
The prey may change — the planets, too, their digital backdrops swirling like screensavers — but take comfort in knowing that when it comes to a “Predator” movie, we’re still talking about a dude in a suit. This time, that dude is New Zealand’s Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, a game 7-foot-3 actor whose eyes bulge behind those motorized mandibles and sometimes shine with feeling.
Despite his size, his Dek in “Predator: Badlands” is what you might call a baby: an untested youth who endures a sibling’s beatdown in the film’s opening moments. Their warlord father is displeased with both of them. After some extreme parenting that would be frowned upon in most societies, alien or otherwise, neon-green blood flows and Dek is hurtling toward another world, vengeance burning in his heart.
“Bring it home — for Kwei,” he mutters in an elaborate creature language invented expressly for the film. (The dialogue itself gets less attention.) Dek will seek the “unkillable Kalisk,” prove his worth in the hunt and, presumably, have some terse words with Dad upon his return.
Not to kill a Kalisk or anything but these Yautja (to use their species name) were never meant to carry a movie. Put one in a film with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the original 1987 summer action hit and suddenly the Terminator seems chatty. Pit them against the immortally gross creatures of “Alien vs. Predator” and the Yautja are nearly huggable.
But main characters they are not. “Predator: Badlands” has a misshapen gait to it, like a comedy skit drawn out to feature length. Fortunately, almost as soon as Dek lands on Genna, a planet of murderous flora, to bag his Kalisk, he runs into a babbling half-robot missing her legs who makes the movie much more compelling. You can either wonder how Elle Fanning, the tremulous heart of “A Complete Unknown” and this season’s “Sentimental Value” found herself in it, or smile at the good fortune of her being a stealth nerd who apparently loves a challenge.
Strapped to Dek’s back C-3PO-style, the disembodied Thia (Fanning) fills the movie with a semi-stoned running commentary: “And what does the chewing — your outside fangs or your inside teeth?” she asks him. When a second Fanning shows up as Thia’s vicious sister Tessa, another “synthetic” built for dangerous off-world work, the film finds its groove as a new chapter in the continuing saga of our friends at the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, a fictional enterprise with such spectacularly bad luck at acquiring bioweapons, they should have faced a hostile takeover by now.
And, like virtually all of Hollywood’s anti-corporate sci-fi adventures, “Predator: Badlands” is, at heart, a pro-business statement, bowing especially deeply to James Cameron’s designs for 1986’s “Aliens,” including its squat vehicles, soulless directives (“The Company is not pleased,” says a computer who isn’t the screenwriter) and the colossal power loader that lets someone human-sized do battle with a beast.
There isn’t much of an original signature here. Returning director Dan Trachtenberg hits the beats competently but not too stridently, like a good superfan should. If you’re expecting Dek’s sensitivity to become an asset, give yourself a trophy. Yet if a machine — or a studio — can produce a robot as fun as Thia, there’s hope for this franchise yet.
‘Predator: Badlands’
In Yautja and English, with subtitles
Rated: PG-13, for sequences of strong sci-fi violence
George Clarke has admitted that his upcoming routine on Strictly Come Dancing means ‘so much more’ than just the routine because it will be dedicated to his family
Strictly’s George Clarke admitted he was struggling with pressure ahead of this week’s dance (Image: BBC)
George Clarke has admitted that his upcoming routine on Strictly Come Dancing means “so much more” than just the routine. The YouTube star, 25, is gearing up to perform a Rumba on Saturday’s edition of the BBC competition alongside professional partner Alexis Warr.
He said: “It definitely will be. Especially considering the past few weeks have been much much more ‘ok I can do the steps but can I perform?’ I feel like the steps are very important but the performance is everything to me because it’s a song that means a lot to me and my family. And yeah it is hard this week to not put the pressure on myself because it is a dance that I want to get right even more so.”
But, It Takes Two presenter Janette Manrara instantly stepped in to comfort George, and she reminded him: “You have got to let that go so you can enjoy it because it is about enjoyment. Like we was this past week!”
Just days ago, George admitted: “So my sister sang the song Somewhere Only We Know at my grandad’s funeral and it’s a song that means a lot to my whole family.
“My mum has had a lot of trouble in the last 10 years so I thought it’d be nice to use this platform to devote something to her and the rest of the family. Hopefully they’ll be less on the edge of their seat wondering if it’s going to go wrong.”
George has consistently been at the higher end of the leader board throughout his time in the competition so far, but admitted ahead of his next challenge that it can all feel ‘really strange’ to him because performing isn’t something he’s necessarily used to.
He said: “It’s really strange, the whole sort of performing side of it because that’s not something I do.”
Celebrity and PR expert Kayley Cornelius has speculated that George’s social media savviness is giving him is giving him an advantage in the competition. “As we see most years with Strictly stars, the type of content he’s now pushing out, he’s featuring Alexis in a lot of his videos, so he’s really trying to captivate the fans that may not have been familiar with him before,” she said on behalf of Online Slots provider Spin Genie.
He’s posting a lot more consistently and this new type of content seems to really be working with him, it seems to be pushing him on the algorithm more than usual. Strictly’s really bringing a whole new audience for him in that sense.”
She added that George’s large following – over 2.4m followers on TikTok – is also helping the BBC. “To be honest, I think George is doing Strictly more of a favour than Strictly is doing George,” she said.
“He’s bringing in a lot more of the viewers this year. I think there’ll be a conscious effort from the Strictly social team to make sure that he is featured more in the content going forward. They’ll know that a lot of George’s audience lands online. He has a large following, a really engaging, impressionable audience as well.”
She added: “George has had such an advantage point going into the competition. This year, the voting system has changed where they’ve moved votes online – that’s his bread and butter.
“He’s worked really hard, he’s performing well, and he’s just an all-round lovely person. So I think a combination of all three of those things will take him right to the finish line. And you know, with the betting markets at the minute, it is just looking like his competition to win now.”
LILY Allen looked incredible as she ditched her bra in a see-through dress at the Hunger Games premiere.
It comes after Lily, 40, released her ‘revenge’ album, West End Girl last month and on the record, sheappeared to accuse her ex David Harbourof having an affair with a woman she calls Madeline.
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Lily Allen attended The Hunger Games: On Stage premiere in Canary WharfCredit: GettyThe singer flashed her underwear in a see-through dressCredit: GettyMyleene Klass dazzled in a pair of sparkly shorts and platform heelsCredit: Getty
Looking better than ever, Lily stepped out in a black crochet style dress which exposed her underwear.
The Smile hitmaker wore her hair in a chic updo and finished her look with flawless makeup.
She was joined by other celebrity faces on the red carpet for The Hunger Games: On Stage The Global Stage Premiere at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre.
TV personality and Loose Women‘s Myleene Klass, 47, dazzled in sparkly shorts, sheer tights, platform heels and a black turtle neck jumper.
“You either accept your path completely and realise that even the pain and the slip-ups and the mistakes are all part of the journey, and that there’s truth and growth, wisdom and deeper empathy and connection in all that.
“It’s kind of like a house of cards, the minute you try to change one thing you kind of have to change it all.”
The Loose Women star put her toned legs on display in a pair of sheer tightsCredit: PAEx-EastEnders star Jessica Plummer looked trendy in denim jeans and chunky bootsCredit: Getty
The former chief executive of WPP’s Motion Content Group — the producer behind “Love Is Blind” and other reality TV shows — is suing the ad agency, saying he was fired after he flagged alleged improper billing practices.
In the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on Tuesday, Richard Foster said he was ousted after he repeatedly warned senior managers about alleged “kickback practices” involving the company’s “rebate-driven deals” that he said “were unsustainable, unlawful, and a significant threat to the Company.”
Foster, a 17-year veteran, led WPP’s media division that is the producer and co-financier of “Love Island” and some 2,500 other television shows around the world. The division was rebranded in 2023 as GroupM Motion Entertainment in the North America.
Foster alleged in his lawsuit that GroupM leveraged “client budgets to secure inventory deals” from media companies that included cash rebates, inventory discounts and other financial incentives, and that these transactions were not always transparent or disclosed to clients.
Over the last five years, the lawsuit states, the company “generated rebate-driven deals valued between $3 [billion] and $4 billion, of which it improperly retained approximately $1.5 [billion] to $2 billion.”
But rather than confront the issues, Foster claims executives “marginalized him, and ultimately terminated him and his team to cover up their own improper practices.”
WPP disputed the claims.
“The Company is aware of a lawsuit in the New York State Court filed by a former employee who was let go in a recent organizational restructuring,” a WPP spokesperson said in a statement. “The court has not yet made any findings in relation to the allegations and we will defend them vigorously.”
In December, Foster submitted a 35-page internal report emphasizing that there were opportunities to establish a new entertainment division, but warned that its use of rebates could pose “possible legal and reputational” risks to the company.
At one point, Foster alleged that he told one executive, that “WPP and GroupM have ‘been sleepwalking to the edge of a cliff and people don’t want to hear it.’”
In January, Foster said he was asked to discuss the report with Brian Lesser, global CEO of GroupM, who “expressed concern about the legal risks tied to GroupM Trading and said he would investigate this further.” Days later Foster claimed that he received a text from Lesser asking him to send a “sanitized version of the report” and “to exclude any overt criticism of [GroupM Trading] as that is not in the spirit of working together.”
Eventually, Foster said he was terminated on July 10. He is seeking $100 million in damages.
“Richard Foster devoted nearly two decades to helping build one of the world’s most successful media and entertainment creation operations,” his attorney, William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors, said in a statement. “When he stood up for transparency and accountability at WPP, he was let go. This case will shine a light on systemic misconduct and the retaliation faced by an executive who refused to go along to get along.”
Crocodile feet, fish eyes, a live spider – they’ve all been on the menu for I’m A Celeb stars over the years…
18:35, 12 Nov 2025Updated 18:39, 12 Nov 2025
Lisa Riley will be spared animal-based eating challenges(Image: ITV)
I’m A Celeb’s toughest trials are undoubtedly the eating and drinking nightmares where real animal parts are served up or whisked into a smoothie, with everything from croc feet to fish eyes – and in one particularly grim episode involving Ferne McCann, a live spider – on the menu.
Each series there tends to be a vegetarian or two who doesn’t have to take part in the animal-chomping spectacle. This year Lisa Riley, 49, falls into that category. The Mandy Dingle actress is a committed vegetarian who in recent years has lost 12 stone with rigorous veggie meals and by cutting out bread and booze.
The Emmerdale legend, who arrived in Australia on Sunday, will not only be served up special meals in camp – meaning no kangaroo tail for her – but when it comes to the trials, she’ll have fruit-based vegetarian options.
Fans have long insisted that vegetarians get an easier ride on eating trials, with many saying that while the likes of Bev Callard – who is vegan – had to eat fermented plums and cheesefruit, it wasn’t as challenging as munching sheep penis or deer testicle like some of her co-stars had to.
In 2019, I’m A Celeb bosses announced that live insects would no longer be eaten on the show – with only dead creatures consumed on the show. Wildlife presenter Chris Packham said he was “very pleased” and called it a “first step”.
Lisa joked that she was arriving in Australia to reprise the Emmerdale spin-off Dingles Down Under. She told reporters: “I am a Dingle I can cope with anything, I’m from the north… we are made of tough skin.
“We did Dingles Down Under many years so and I feel it’s only right we do it again.” Lisa also insisted she could handle bugs crawling about, saying: “I’ve worked on a farm and it’s part of the job.”
Lisa’s character Mandy – who she has played for 10 years – is set to take a break from Emmerdale, with a source explaining that her disappearance from the soap while she appears on I’m A Celeb explained by her leaving the village to visit a pal.
An insider told The Sun: “Mandy’s exit will be lowkey and very brief”. They continued: “Lisa filmed her scenes last week, Mandy goes to visit friends and will be back before you know it.
FORGET who will be the next Bond or AI taking over acting.
There’s currently a bigger issue that’s tearing Hollywood in two… and standing in the middle of it is a doe-eyed firebrand named Sydney Sweeney, who might – or might not – know exactly what she’s doing.
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Sydney Sweeney has had a tumultuous 2025Credit: GettyShe came under fire for this American Eagle advert, which claimed she had ‘Good Jeans’Credit: American EagleShe’s previously flogged soap made with her own bath waterThe star attending a screening of her latest movie, Christy, last monthCredit: Getty
Over the past few months, Sydney, 28, has found herself in the eye of a raging public storm, thanks to never-ending questions over her social and political leanings, and her unapologetic refusal to set the record straight.
On the one side, we have fans, mostly on the right, praising their “anti-woke warrior” after she chose not to comment on or apologise for her controversial American Eagle advert.
On the other, the woke corner of the internet accuses her and the commercial – which plays on saying she has “good jeans/genes” – of having a Nazi-like stance on eugenics.
So, the fact that she hasn’t desperately begged for forgiveness in the wake of all the frenzy and outrage is music to woke-fatigued ears.
Add to that the fact that Sydney’s been revealed to be a registered Republican and a MAGA supporter – with President Donald Trump himself publicly praising her – and it’s no surprise she’s copping flak to go with her fandom.
In the past week, whether coincidental or not, her Oscar-touted biopic Christy has definitively bombed at the box office, making a paltry $1.3million in the US in its opening weekend.
Now, no one knows what to think. Has the young budding starlet, who could have been Hollywood’s next leading lady, shot herself in her genetically blessed foot? Or is this all just a storm in a teacup?
The jury’s still out, but for every commenter yelling “anti-woke warrior”, there’s another shouting “white supremacist!”
Yes, Sydney’s swiftly becoming the most polarising thing since pineapple on pizza.
And that’s before you consider her other public stunts – including, but not limited to, her overtly sexual self-branding and her apparent romance with another very controversial character in Scooter Braun.
Scooter, 44, is the disgraced record executive who people’s princess Taylor Swift called a “manipulative bully” after he bought the rights to her first six albums and blocked her performing some of the songs.
With all this in mind, getting into bed – so to speak – with such a figure may not do Sydney any favours. But does she care?
Fresh fury
Last week, the star caused fury again, after speaking to GQ to promote her new movie Christy, in which she plays the boxer Christy Martin.
During the – at times – uncomfortable chat, the topic turned to all the noise surrounding the alleged white supremacist undertones of her American Eagle “good jeans” ad.
Her new biopic tells the tale of former professional boxer Christy Martin, who became one of America’s best-known female boxer in the 1990sCredit: AlamyThe film proved a box office flop in its opening weekendCredit: AlamySydney previously starred alongside Glen Powell in Anyone But YouCredit: AlamyHer breakthrough role was in the HBO series EuphoriaCredit: Alamy
The interviewer began: “White people shouldn’t joke about genetic superiority; that was the conversation. Since we’re talking about this, I just wanted to give you an opportunity to talk about that situation specifically.”
Seemingly unfussed, Sydney simply replied: “I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear.”
Elsewhere in the Q&A, she said: “I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans. I’m literally in jeans and a T-shirt every day of my life.”
As for President Trump’s praise for the jeans campaign – he called it “the hottest ad ever” specifically after hearing that Sydney was a registered Republican – the actress remained coy. She simply responded that his endorsement was “surreal”.
Again, the masses were divided. Fans – and some loyal celebrity friends – spoke out in defence of the Euphoria star.
Sydney’s former Anyone But You co-star Glen Powell called the public indignation over the ad “bulls***”, while Amanda Seyfried – who’s starring in the upcoming movie The Housemaid alongside Sydney – commented under one of her posts: “You Kill. Brave and true.”
She’s also been publicly supported by Euphoria co-star Maud Apatow and fellow lightning rod Nicola Peltz-Beckham, who have both liked her Instagram posts over the past week.
Ruby Rose tore into Sydney this week, calling her a ‘cretin’ who ‘ruined the film’Credit: GettyAimee Lou Wood posted a vomit emoji under a post that talked about the now notorious jeans adCredit: AFPDownton Abbey actor Dan Stevens joined the anti-Sydney pile-onCredit: GettyChristina Ricci responded ‘100%’ to a video chastising the actressCredit: Getty
Woke backlash
But then, there are the celebrities who have no time at all for Sydney’s supposed alt-right politics – and they’re letting it be known.
In response to YouTuber Jupiter Baal’s video – shared to Instagram – in which he chastised the actress and said, “She was given an opportunity to push back, she didn’t, therefore she’s in on it”, actress Christina Ricci responded: “100%” .
Likewise, fellow The White Lotus star Aimee-Lou Wood made her own feelings known – posting a vomit emoji under a post that talked about the now notorious ad.
According to insiders, Sydney’s Euphoria co-star Zendaya is refusing to speak to her co-worker, and she won’t be associated with her in any capacity…which makes their future promo trail for season three of Euphoria tricky.
“It’s a difficult position for Zendaya to be in,” a source told Mail Online this week. “Because if she even stands next to Sydney on the red carpet, it can be read as her excusing Sydney’s views on Trump and her refusal to apologise for the racist ad.”
I did a jean ad. I mean, the reaction definitely was a surprise, but I love jeans. All I wear are jeans.
Sydney Sweeney
Then, there’s model and actress Ruby Rose, who went apoplectic on Tuesday in response to a post shared by Sydney.
Earlier in the week, Sydney had reflected on the film’s box office failure, telling her followers: “We don’t always just make art for numbers, we make it for impact. And Christy has been the most impactful project of my life.”
But Ruby – who had previously been cast in the project before being let go – was having nothing of it, writing in a scathing Threads post: “Everyone had experience with the core material. Most of us were actually gay [like Christy]. It’s part of why I stayed in acting. Losing roles happens all the time.
“For her PR to talk about it flopping and saying SS [Sydney Sweeney] did it for the ‘people’. None of the ‘people’ want to see someone who hates them, parading around pretending to be us. You’re a cretin and you ruined the film. Period. Christy deserved better.”
She later doubled down in her comments again, calling Sydney a “psychopath”.
Joining the anti-Sydney brigade, Downton Abbey actor Dan Stevens reshared a post which read: “Sydney Sweeney’s GQ interview is a reminder that ‘not having a stance’ on white supremacy is 100% having a stance on white supremacy.”
Sydney’s former Anyone But You co-star Glen Powell called the public indignation over the ad ‘bulls***’Credit: GettyAmanda Seyfried said Sydney was ‘brave and true’Credit: GettyShe’s also been publicly supported by Nicola Peltz-BeckhamCredit: GettyEuphoria co-star Maud Apatow also liked Sydney’s Instagram postCredit: Getty
So, what’s the strategy? And is there even one to begin with?
Brand and culture expert Nick Ede is unconvinced. Speaking exclusively to The Sun, he says that – whether it’s naivety or not – Sydney’s not helping her career prospects, proven by the fact that her most recent film flopped.
He explains: “She’s a young girl – she’s making a lot of money, but this proves she’s not a box office draw.
“That not only goes towards her movie career, but her brand deals too, and suggests that the equity she had really isn’t there anymore.
“She might decide to write an autobiography at this early age and be really honest about her opinions and how she felt. And that’s always a cathartic way of getting your story across and winning the affection of the public again.
“But I think she’s almost too big now to be a character in a film or a show. You just go and see Sweeney and that can be really detrimental to her in the future.”
No backing down
All evidence so far suggests that apologising for herself is the one thing Sydney’s not willing to do.
Last year, she teasingly wore a T-shirt that read: “Sorry for having great tits and correct opinions”.
The suggestion was that she knew that people were writing her off as an overtly sexualised starlet – but that she was laughing all the way to the bank.
What’s more, in her most recent GQ interview, she again hinted at her secret shrewdness.
She said: “I think as time goes on, people will see that I’m way more aware of things than people think.”
Sydney has refused to back down over criticismCredit: GettyShe has faced scrutiny from Hollywood rivals over her Republican linksCredit: Instagram
Then, in response to the interviewer’s claim that – by not speaking more about her intentions – she’s giving us permission to “keep taking what you do and putting it up on our board of ‘What does Sydney think?’ the actress remained non-committal.
“I can’t wait to see what the board says,” she deadpanned.
Last laugh
Sweeney has also got billionaire Jeff Bezos in her corner, who’s reportedly invested “seed money” into a private equity business that will help Sydney launch her very own lingerie line soon.
Now that Jeff’s Amazon Prime empire has the rights to the James Bond franchise, his admiration for the actress might just clinch her that ultimate prize of being the next Bond girl.
In which case, again, this could all be nothing but hot air surrounding her supposed demise – and prove she might have the last laugh anyway.
LONDON — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused to say Wednesday whether he would urge President Trump to drop his threat to sue the BBC for a billion dollars over the broadcaster’s edit of a speech he made after losing the 2020 presidential election.
During his weekly questioning in the House of Commons, Starmer was asked by Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, whether he would intervene in the row between Trump and the British public broadcaster, and to rule out the idea that the British people would hand over money to the U.S. president.
Instead of responding directly, Starmer reiterated the government’s line since the BBC’s director-general, Tim Davie, announced his resignation on Sunday because of the scandal.
“I believe in a strong and independent BBC,” he said. “Some would rather BBC didn’t exist, I’m not one of them.”
However, he added that “where mistakes are made, they do need to get their house in order.”
In an interview that aired Tuesday on Fox News, Trump said he intended to go through with his threat to sue the BBC, a century-old institution under growing pressure in an era of polarized politics and changing media viewing habits.
“I guess I have to,” he said. “Because I think they defrauded the public and they’ve admitted it.”
The president’s lawyer, Alejandro Brito, sent the threat to the BBC over the way a documentary edited his Jan. 6, 2021, speech before a mob of his followers stormed the U.S. Capitol. The letter demanded an apology to the president and a “full and fair” retraction of the documentary along with other “false, defamatory, disparaging, misleading or inflammatory statements” about Trump.
If the BBC does not comply with the demands by 5 p.m. EST Friday, then Trump will enforce his legal rights, the letter said.
The row centers on an edition of the BBC’s flagship current affairs series “Panorama,” titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
The third-party production company that made the film spliced together three quotes from two sections of the 2021 speech, delivered almost an hour apart, into what appeared to be one quote in which Trump urged supporters to march with him and “fight like hell.”
Among the parts cut out was a section where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully.
BBC Chairman Samir Shah apologized Monday for the misleading edit that he said gave “the impression of a direct call for violent action.”
In addition to Davie’s resignation, the news chief Deborah Turness quit Sunday over accusations of bias and misleading editing.
As Jasmine Harman addresses her husband’s heart attack in her brand new series, the Mirror takes a look at the A Place In The Sun star’s family heartbreaks, including the devastating loss of her sister-in-law
15:07, 12 Nov 2025Updated 15:08, 12 Nov 2025
Jasmine Harman recently opened up about her husband’s heart attack(Image: ITV)
A Place In The Sun star Jasmine Harman has opened up about her husband’s heart attack horror, and it’s sadly not the first family struggle she’s endured.
While filming a recent episode of Jasmine’s Renovations In The Sun, 46-year-old cameraman Jon Boast, whom Jasmine met on the set of A Place In The Sun, began suffering persistent chest pains while renovating their family home in Estepona, Spain.
In dramatic scenes that aired yesterday, Jasmine, who will this week celebrate her 50th birthday, told viewers: “So, we’re at the hospital now. Jon had a funny turn at home, and I had to call an ambulance, but he’s sleeping now, having a little rest. Hopefully it’s nothing serious, but we’re just waiting for some test results.”
Giving an update from his hospital bed, brave Jon said: “Just when we thought we were getting back to normal life, or as normal as life could be, mid-renovation, and I was getting back on my feet.
“This afternoon, when we were with one of the builders, I got sort of pains in my chest and tight chested, aching arms. We called an ambulance and now I’m in hospital, and the blood test results suggest that I’ve had a mild heart attack.”
Speaking out for the first time about the ordeal, Jasmine told The Mirror that Jon has recovered and is back working. She said: “I know this sounds strange, but even with the background of what could have happened and worrying he could have died, it makes you feel lucky he just had a mild heart attack and everything is fine. But the challenges life throws at you has made me take things in my stride a lot better than I used to.”
Here, the Mirror takes a look at some of the painful heartbreaks mum-of-two Jasmine and her family have had to deal with over the years…
Back in 2016, Jon tragically lost his sister, Joanne ‘Jo’ White, who died suddenly after going into cardiac arrest. Jo was just 40 years old, and her death came as a terrible shock to loved ones. In the years since, Jon has thrown himself into supporting CRY, a charity which helps to screen for cardiac risk among young people.
A video previously shared via Jasmine’s Instagram sees a tearful Jon announce: “I support CRY in memory of my amazing sister, Joanne White. [She] passed away suddenly in the night in 2016, from sudden cardiac death.
“Jo was an amazing mother, daughter, auntie, wife and sister. The reason I support CRY is they were there for her family when she was taken so suddenly, offering us guidance and immediate screening.”
Asserting that Jo would have wanted her story to be used to raise awareness, Jon continued: “CRY continue to support us with yearly heart screenings of myself and some of Jo’s family. […] Any funds raised will continue to support the amazing work CRY do in their research, the screening of young people for potential heart problems and raising awareness of young, unexplained cardiac deaths.”
In her new series, Jasmine explained that she and Jon had decided to move to Spain partly because of the shock of losing Jo. She said: “She was fit, well and very healthy. It was a very big shock.”
Baby agony
Jasmine and Jon share two children together, Joy and Albion, but their road to a happy family life was far from easy. Opening up in an interview with Fabulous magazine, Jasmine, whose two children were both welcomed via IVF, spoke candidly about the heartache she and Jon faced when trying to expand their family.
Back in 2017, the couple had tried for baby number three, only for their hopes to be dashed when the embryo didn’t implant. Jasmine shared: “Sadly, when we tried for a third baby in 2017, our embryo didn’t implant. This came so soon after losing Jon’s sister, Jo, who died suddenly at 40 from an unexplained heart problem.”
She continued: “We’d hoped that welcoming a new baby might have lifted the family and brought fresh joy after such a painful time, but instead we were reminded how fragile and precious life can be.”
Mum’s extreme condition
Although Jasmine is well used to looking around beautiful homes, she faced a very different sort of challenge in 2011, having set about helping her extreme hoarder mother clear away 30 years’ worth of clutter. This emotional journey was highlighted in the BBC doc My Hoarder Mum & Me, which resonated with many viewers.
In a candid 2023 episode of This Morning, the property guru gave a heartfelt joint interview with mum Vasoulla, admitting that she previously found her condition “embarrassing”, and feared it would affect the career she’d worked so hard for.
Speaking with Dermot O’Leary and Allison Hammond, Jasmine shared: “In fact, when I started working in television, it was my biggest fear that someone would find out about the way I’d grown up and the way that we lived at the time.”
However, gaining a deeper understanding of her mother’s hoarding and where it stems from has helped her prioritise “having a loving relationship” with Vasoulla, putting aside the fights they once had.
Recognised as a mental health disorder as of 2013, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines hoarding as “an accumulation of possessions due to excessive acquisition of, or difficulty discarding possessions, regardless of their actual value”.
During the same interview, Vasoulla explained that the 1958 murder of her father, Evangelos, who was just 32 when he died, triggered her anxiety-based disorder. After the killing, Vasoulla and her mother Maria fled their home country of Cyprus for England, and it’s then that the hoarding started.
According to Vasoulla: “We moved from Cyprus when I was about three, so I left my baby things back home and started collecting trinkets in bombed-out houses that were still about in the early Sixties, after the war – trinkets that I treasured.
“Then we moved back to Cyprus for a couple of years, and those things all got lost. Then we moved back to England and all my new ties got lost – so I just had lots of upheaval, lots of loss.”
She continued: “It’s more the loss, like a bereavement. Losing your father is a big thing, moving country …you lose everything, and you get a new place to live. The trauma of loss [is] something that a lot of people have as the onset of their hoarding behaviour.”
Jasmine’s Renovation In The Sun is now available to watch on Channel 4.
Zoe Ball has hinted at a new chapter in her lifeCredit: GettyZoe revealed she has a new man living in her home and called him her ‘lodger’She previously dated construction woker and model Michael Reed for five yearsCredit: Rex
Zoe, 53, revealed her new living arrangements to co-host Jo Whiley when discussing Christmas gifts.
She said: “I’ve got this thing that I bought online, which is sort of like you hold the handle and it’s loads and loads of different bits of wood and you whack your legs and your underarms with it.
“It really helps circulation. I think it’s quite good for lymphatic drainage.
“I bought loads of them for people for Christmas …”
The fan-favourite broadcaster previously lived there with her ex Michael yet it appeared she was eager for a fresh start.
Zoe called time on her relationship with the model in May 2023 after five and a half years together – with pals at the time saying they had “run their course”.
A source revealed she then traded in life in her rural Sussex home – complete with a swimming pool and tennis courts – for the more “lively” surroundings of Brighton and Hove.
Zoe sold up after the sad death of her beloved mum.
Zoe told how she struggled particularly on the anniversary of her mum’s death and said there was “a lot of crying and pain” that “still has to come out.”
Zoe with ex Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) their son Woody and daughter NellyThe star with boyfriend Billy Yates, who tragically died in 201 following a battle with depression
Alfredo Flores is always moving, but you wouldn’t know it from the precise stills he takes of Sabrina Carpenter emerging onstage, her cheekiness and sparkly go-go boots shining through his images.
The portfolio of 36-year-old Flores, Carpenter’s tour photographer, is already familiar to most. Those photos of Carpenter posed with the tour stop’s city labeled on a mug and sealed with a kiss — that’s Flores’ work.
He has captured Carpenter’s rise from her “Emails I Can’t Send” era to the dazzlingly successful Short n’ Sweet tour, the work from which earned Flores the iHeart Radio Award for favorite tour photographer and puts him back on the road next week for an additional North American leg, including her six-night run at Crypto.com Arena next week.
But Carpenter’s towel reveals, set changes and winks won’t look exactly the same.
“Creatively, I just try my best to figure out different ways to shoot the same show,” said Flores, fresh off VMAs adrenaline and the release buzz of Carpenter’s latest album, “Man’s Best Friend.”
He constantly alters angles and lenses, including long, short and fish-eye, all with his Canon — the camera brand he’s been loyal to his entire career. However, that doesn’t make his first forays into photography any less impactful.
Alfredo Flores smiling with Sabrina Carpenter.
(Courtesy of Alfredo Flores)
Flores’ trajectory as a live music photographer is informed by the era he grew up in, one of disposable cameras, 24-hour photo labs, VHS camcorders, photo books full of family vacation pictures and the visionaries behind the hits that made us press the replay button on CD players.
He recalls his path was charted before him one afternoon in his native Belleview, N.J., on a sick day home from school in the form of the VH1 show “Pop-Up Video,” which featured music videos accompanied by trivia-filled text bubbles.
“It was Mariah Carey’s music video for ‘Honey,’ and it said, ‘This video is directed by Paul Hunter. The location is Puerto Rico. This is an extra. This is a body double,’ ” said Flores, who added, “And it clicked in my brain, ‘Oh, this is something that people create’ … and that’s where my interest really peaked in a more professional way.”
In 2008, when the ultimate music video platform was no longer VH1, but YouTube, Flores moved to Los Angeles and sought out the minds who inspired him — the directors and producers who shaped his camcorder and disposable days, before he ever strapped a Canon around his neck.
“I went to the [Geffen Records] offices every day until I got a yes,” said Flores.
He spent his initial internship days showcasing his perceptive eye by compiling magazine photos for music video storyboards. It was this eye that quickly put Flores on set, shooting bonus footage for a 2009 Nickelodeon production, “School Gyrls.” The made-for-TV movie featured a certain Canadian teen who benefited from the YouTube boom.
The Justin Bieber cameo would develop into a working relationship, allowing Flores to pursue the art form that prompted his move to Los Angeles: directing music videos.
Flores’s music video for Bieber’s song “Love Me” encapsulates the early stages of Bieber’s career. Flores intercut Bieber singing to the camera with footage of fans, behind-the-scenes chats with Usher and numerous angles of Bieber’s signature look — the swoop that inspired hair flips round the world.
Years later, in 2020, when the world stopped, Flores didn’t. He co-directed Bieber once again for the “Stuck with U” music video, a montage of loved ones dancing and embracing in their homes. It was 4 minutes and 17 seconds of celebrated togetherness in the midst of government-enforced close proximity. The song is a duet between Bieber and Ariana Grande, an artist whom Flores defines as a “once-in-a-lifetime kind of talent.”
Flores spent much of the 2010s working with Grande, all angles taken into consideration. From her upside-down album cover for “Thank U, Next” to co-directing her more festive side for the “Santa Tell Me” video to incorporating nostalgia into a Grande-Victoria Monét collaboration, “Monopoly.” Co-directing the friendship anthem’s music video, Flores nodded to a ‘90s upbringing by using a decent amount of camcorder footage.
“Joan [Grande’s mom] probably has so many VHS videos of Ari growing up. And Beth [Carpenter’s mom] has so many VHS recordings of Sabrina,” he said.
The artistic journeys of Carpenter, Grande and Flores are intertwined with the sought-after music video director Dave Meyers. The Grammy winner has bestowed the world with distinct visuals, such as Kendrick Lamar re-creating “The Last Supper” while rapping “HUMBLE.,” Britney Spears accepting an acting award in the midst of belting out “Lucky,” and Grande as an ethereal being singing “God Is a Woman.”
Meyers directed two music videos for Carpenter’s “Short n’ Sweet” album with Flores as the behind-the-scenes photographer. Both videos helped facilitate Carpenter’s catapult into the cultural lexicon with the summer-infused shots in “Espresso” and the “Death Becomes Her” story line in “Taste.”
Alfredo Flores in the photo pit for Sabrina Carpenter.
(Courtesy of Alfredo Flores)
“BTS for me in the hands of Alfredo feels like a living yearbook of the experience we all had. I’m so deep in the creative process that I’m not self-aware of what’s happening, and to re-watch through his work allows me to enjoy the stories being told all around us. The capturing of the actual process, the passion we all share to create — those are the stories he captures over and over,” said Meyers.
Often, Flores takes those candid moments even further with a Polaroid camera — he points, shoots and hopes for the best. The instant photo is at the mercy of light and luck, which are part of the magic, he said.
“It’s the color, the grain, the imperfection of it all,” he said.
By definition, pop music is inextricably tied to its time period, the subject matter and sound speaking to its modern, often younger audiences. This can denote a fleeting quality, a trend to pass us by, not unlike the evolution of photography and videography.
However, the artists of today suggest otherwise. Carpenter covered Abba’s hit “Mamma Mia.” Grande sampled ‘N Sync in her “Thank U, Next” album. Both MTV and VH1 still have something to teach the music video directors of today. There’s lasting power in pop songs as are the mediums we associate with them. Who are we creatively if not an amalgamation of all we’ve seen, the people we know, the ways in which we originally consumed them?
“When I work with an artist we have longevity,” said Flores.
Not a surprising sentiment from the man taking a backstage Polaroid picture of a Gen Z pop star who praises disco.
Amazon Prime subscribers have been urged to check out a new psychological thriller that’s set to be released onto the streaming service on November 14 – are you going to give it a watch?
12:06, 12 Nov 2025Updated 12:35, 12 Nov 2025
Amazon Prime Video fans can’t wait to check the show out (stock image)(Image: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
Amazon Prime viewers are being urged to check out a gripping new psychological thriller that showcases a well-known comedian in an entirely different role. Malice, launching on Amazon Prime Video on November 14, centres on “a charming tutor who infiltrates a wealthy family’s life”.
As the episodes progress, his dark intentions become apparent when his “vengeful plot unfolds, the family must confront the enemy living under their own roof”. Featuring David Duchovny, Carice van Houten, and Jack Whitehall, audiences are eagerly anticipating the programme, with numerous people sharing their excitement about Whitehall’s role. After seeing the trailer, one viewer commented: “I’ve never thought of Jack as a villain, but now I can’t unsee it. There’s something unhinged about him that I love.”
While another added: “Comedians make the best dramatic actors, Jack Whitehall looks like he’s gonna be amazing in this! Holy Cow!”.
A third remarked: “Jack Whitehall went from Comedian movie actor to drama movie actor.”
While someone else concurred: “Comedians being killers just works cause they got the charisma to lure people in. I think out of the bunch of these types we’ve gotten this’ll be one of the better ones.”
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A further viewer wrote: “Man, even Jack Whitehall can contribute to the British villain trope!”
While another enthusiastic fan remarked: “That’s Jack Whitehall? ! Wow impressive!”
A final viewer commented: “A villainous Jack White? Outstanding! I can’t wait. Woo-hoo!”
Jack Whitehall launched his professional stand-up comedy career in the mid 2000s, making his first major television appearance in 2008.
Since then, he’s gone on to feature in numerous shows and films including Fresh Meat, The Queen’s Corgis, Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again, and Bad Education.
The 36-year-old secured the King of Comedy title at the British Comedy Awards in 2012, and has received seven other nominations including the Breakthrough Award at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards in 2013, and Comedy Performance at the Royal Television Society in 2013.
Plot of Malic
Discussing Malice’s storyline, an Amazon Prime statement reveals: “Adam (Jack Whitehall) is a charismatic tutor who charms his way into the life of the wealthy Tanner family while they’re on holiday in Greece.
“When the family’s nanny falls dangerously ill, Adam orchestrates his way into their London home, and his true vengeful nature begins to emerge..
“Adam now starts to turn Jamie Tanner (David Duchovny) and Nat (Carice Van Houten) against each other and secretly plots to bring down the entire family.
“When Adam’s obsession with the family raises questions, those who dig deeper into his past find themselves playing a dangerous game.
“With his world collapsing around him, Jamie starts to realise that Adam may be responsible for all their recent disasters – but is it too late to save his family?
“In this revenge thriller that proves the past never stays buried, one question remains: how do you protect your family from the enemy within.”
Malice will be streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the UK from midnight GMT on Friday, November 14, 2025.
