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TOURETTES campaigner John Davidson said he was mortified after sparking a race row by shouting out the N-word at the Baftas. 

John later voluntarily left the ceremony amid shock at his swearing as Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan were on stage presenting an award. 

But the slur by John — whose life inspired the double gong-winning film I Swear — wasn’t cut from the BBC’s two-hour ceremony coverage at London’s Royal Festival Hall. 

Yesterday, bosses apologised and removed the episode from iPlayer. 

Last night John insisted he was “mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning”. 

And Bafta confirmed he left the room before the awards ended. 

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CUT OUT

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In statement the organisation said: “Early in the ceremony a loud tic in the form of a profoundly offensive term was heard by many people. 

“Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage at the time, and we apologise unreservedly to them, and to all those impacted.

“We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism. 

“John chose to leave the auditorium and watch the rest of the ceremony from a screen and we would like to thank him for his consideration of others on what should have been a night of celebration for him.” 

I Swear saw ­Robert Aramayo, 33, pick up Best Actor. It also won Best Casting. 

Scottish-born John, 54, is a campaigner for Tourette sufferers and aged 16 was the subject of a BBC documentary, John’s Not Mad, about living with the condition, which leads some to shout swear words. 

The Sun understands that Sunday night’s audience was not told a ­person with Tourette Syndrome was present.

Previously, at the Bafta TV awards, people have been warned in similar situations. 

A source said: “Neither host Alan Cumming nor any of the Bafta team warned people — the apology and comments came after the outbursts.” 

Cumming had said: “Tourette Syndrome is a disability. We apologise if you’re offended tonight.” 

Hannah Beachler, the production designer on movie Sinners, said: “What made the ­situation worse was the throwaway apology of, ‘if you were offended’. Of course we were.” 

It was reported BBC production staff did not hear the N-word — which meant it was left in the coverage.

However, a source added: “It was as loud and as clear as day.” 

The corporation said: “Some may have heard strong and offensive language.

“This arose from involuntary ­verbal tics associated with ­Tourette’s and, as explained during the ­ceremony, it was not intentional. 

“We apologise that this was not edited out prior to broadcast.” 

Soap spoilers for next week tease split drama, secrets exposed and a big return as well as other drama across Hollyoaks, Emmerdale, Coronation Street, EastEnders and Home and Away

It’s another big week for the soaps, with an past character returning to one show, and some secrets coming to light.

On Emmerdale there’s concern for one character who goes missing, before a plan is put into motion. There’s also split fears, while a crime could come to light.

Over on Coronation Street, One character prepares to propose but is thwarted by some upsetting news. Someone is attacked, while there’s a stressful situation or two.

On EastEnders fans can expect the return of a past character, after months of speculation. With that, there’s also a big discovery and a revenge twist featuring Max Branning.

As for Hollyoaks, there’s a sad confession and concern for a resident of the village. Home and Away also sees concern sparked, and someone’s health takes a turn. Here’s next week’s big spoilers…

READ MORE: EastEnders brings back Clare Bates for ’emotional reunion’ with stepdad NigelREAD MORE: Coronation Street preview: Kit rocked by attack twist and Jodie strikes again

Emmerdale

Bear is wandering alone on an isolated country road after leaving the hospital. Paddy is distraught over his dad being missing, with the police soon pointing out that Bear has broken his bail conditions.

They say after an assault on Jacob too, he’ll be held on remand when he’s found. When Paddy finds Bear, he thinks he can avoid Bear’s immediate imprisonment by paying for him to stay at a secure mental health unit. But will it work?

Cain is close to breaking point, and things worsen when he finds out Joe has arranged a herd inspection due to a suspected TB case. He knows it means nothing can be moved off the farm until they receive an all clear. Soon, Joe puts out his offer to buy the farm again, but Matty is keen to avoid this, but is the farm doomed?

Elsewhere, Cain wants Sarah to stop the car thefts, but she can’t help herself when she spots an expensive motor. Jacob’s furious to catch his wife in his boss’ car, and he’s even more hurt when she refuses to tell him why.

Jacob confronts Cain, and soon Charity does too. Liam advises Cain to tell his family about his cancer diagnosis. Also next week, after Laurel’s fall she continues to claim she has no memory of what happened.

Arthur is terrified his involvement will be rumbled, especially when Manpreet wants to speak to Laurel alone about her fall. Finally, Jacob opens up to Pollard about his tricky boss who is right behind him the entire time, while Jai and Kerry enjoy their secret workplace romance only for Kerry to risk things, as she mocks Jai in public.

EastEnders

Linda is worried about Johnny, and admits to Elaine she could have stopped Tim’s ‘test’ on Callum. Johnny is furious when he learns the truth, and after he’s forced to meet Tim to sign the paperwork, Tim insists on going for a drink just as Callum arrives.

Linda confides in Max who takes matters into his own hands with Tim. Linda finds out and is frantic, with Johnny forced to tell Callum everything. Callum is furious while also consumed with guilt. Max soon tells Tim never to step foot in Walford again.

Julie learns the care home has a place available for Nigel, while soon she and Phil face a decision when Nigel asks to see Clare. Phil tries to convince Julie to call Clare, but she puts her foot down, but something Lexi says soon changes her mind.

Clare returns to Walford, and soon clashes with Julie. When she visits her dad at the hospital, she’s devastated when he doesn’t recognise her. Later, Lexi urges Clare to make things up to Nigel while she still can. When she discharges Nigel, Julie is furious while the community rally around him as he heads home.

Soon, as Clare and Phil take Nigel to the care home to settle him in, the enormity of the situation takes a heavy toll on all three of them. Priya tries to reassure Nugget and Avani that Ravi is okay, while Jack fears Ravi is too unwell to continue his informant work.

Ravi ignores this, but something he uncovers leaves him panicked. Fearing Mark will be caught, he tries to warn him only for Priya to stop his plan, warning him he could lose everything. Yolande becomes increasingly worried by Patrick’s reliance on his use of AI featuring Anthony. Meanwhile, Patrick advises Howie not to waste another day getting Kim back, so he plans a big surprise.

Coronation Street

Cassie prepares to propose to Steve, only for Steve to get a devastating call that his dad Jim has died. Cassie decides not to go ahead with her plan, while after a toast Steve breaks down to Tim. Carla is shocked to find a baby in a car seat on the doorstep, and Lisa soon realises it’s Connie, the daughter of Carla’s brother Rob and his prison guard flame Mandy.

Carla refuses to care for Connie, while the baby does stay with them, leading to a sleepless night for all the family. When Carla later bonds with Connie, bouncing her on her knee, Lisa wonders if she’s making a breakthrough. Sally tries to offer Carla and Lisa parenting tips, but they’re not interested.

George is disheartened by negative reviews about his undertakers, knowing Annie is responsible, so Glenda takes action. Christina reports Annie to the police for defamation, only for George to be questioned over fraud allegations.

Brody quizzes Kit and Sarah about the attack on Mal, and it’s clear they are hiding something leading to a confrontation. Debbie helps Lou make bracelets for her girls, but an incident with Paula leaves Debbie shaken.

When Lou is attacked, Sally, Brody and the girls are shocked to see her injuries. Meanwhile, Debbie gets a visit from Carl who guilt trips her into giving him more cash. Sally has a warning for Debbie and as Debbie frets over Carl, the stress takes its toll while Ronnie is left furious about the money.

Later on, Debbie is struggling and Lou passes this onto Sally who tells Ronnie, leaving Debbie upset. David and Shona nervously watch as the hospital staff prepare Harper for her operation, and as the Platts arrive for support, it emerges Harper has suffered a minor bleed.

David loses his temper, and as Jodie leaves she allows a patient to think she is Shona and is Harper’s mum. When Shona comes across the pair talking, can she explain herself? Back at the house, Lily discovers Jodie’s secret box, finding the cutout photo of Bernie and Brian’s missing book inside.

She confronts Jodie, but how will she react? Theo continues to keep money from Todd, landing him with an unpaid phone bill and little money to buy Theo a birthday present, as well as fund his meal.

Hollyoaks

Warren is exhausted as he’s pulled between Mercedes and Gemma, while he helps Gemma amid her growing fears for her dad Donny. Gemma tracks Donny down to an abandoned house, where she tells him she knows what happened to him and that she has evidence to put Sully away.

Dodger is also desperate to expose Sully, but he’s ready to fight dirty. When Dodger reveals Sully’s associate, Griff, raped him, the room is left reeling at his hearing.

Meanwhile as Gemma fears for her dad, Misbah makes a dig at him leading to Gemma snapping, and soon Misbah and Warren both realise Donny was raped. Will Donny tell Vicky the truth? Prince is there for Vicky when she suffers a panic attack, but she’s shocked when she walks in on him using steroids.

There’s another surprise for Vicky when Dillon admits he’s been seeing Lucas in prison, where he lets slip Ste and Rex’s engagement. Sienna visits Cleo at the hospital and is forced to finally confess the truth

Home and Away

Remi’s avoiding Levi’s calls, and he soon drops the news he’s pulling the plug on the label with no record deal for Eddie. Remi soon ignores Sonny’s request for help. Eden grows concerned for Remi, while it’s Cash he confides in that he has a brain tumour.

Remi gets in touch with a neurosurgeon, but he’s not left hopeful by what they have to say, leading to a grand gesture. Soon, he suffers a seizure, but will he be okay?

Eddie is forced to explain why Jo left her after the train crash, confessing his fear about the roof collapsing. Jo ends things with him. At the hospital, Sonny struggles and he takes it out on Dana, forcing her to leave.

Kerrie tries to bond with Tane, while Leah and Justin are still on bad terms, with Justin not sure he wants their marriage to continue. Mackenzie and Levi are keen to spread their baby joy, while newcomer Holden asks Lacey out on a date and she panics after Theo’s recent death.

Home and Away is available to stream from 6am weekdays, with double bill episodes airing from 6pm on 5Star. Hollyoaks is available to stream on Channel 4’s streaming service now, while it also airs Mondays to Wednesdays on E4 at 7PM.

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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

Call the Midwife sees the comeback of popular characters as the nun’s health continues to spiral following her recent diagnosis.

Call the Midwife is welcoming back one much-loved family, and fans will be ecstatic.

In recent episodes of the BBC One drama, Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) has been rapidly declining in health, leaving her loved ones at Nonnatus House very concerned. On Sunday, 15 February, Doctor Patrick Turner (Stephen McGann) confirmed that the nun’s loss of appetite and exhaustion are the result of a chronic kidney disease.

The GP then devastatingly added, “Unless we can persuade her to accept what treatment there is, she’ll progress to end-stage renal failure fairly quickly”, as he also implied her deterioration has been rapid.

In the past, Sister Monica Joan has made miraculous recoveries from her medical issues, but this time, a subtle comment from her, “Maybe I do not care to go on for a long time”, appeared to seal her fate.

In forthcoming scenes airing during episode eight on Sunday, 8 March, Sister Monica Joan reunites with Bernie Mullocks (Christopher Reilly). The much-loved Mullocks’ family were introduced during series five before returning in series six as part of the ongoing Thalidomide story.

Who are the Mullucks family in Call the Midwife?

In 2016, Rhoda Mullucks (Liz White) gave birth to a daughter, Susan, who was born with birth defects after taking medication prescribed by Doctor Turner. During birth, the nurses immediately realised Susan was born without properly developed arms and legs as the newborn struggled to breathe.

Rhoda and her partner Bernie were left surprised by the developments but dedicated themselves to being the best parents they could.

The show tackled the Thalidomide scandal again in series six, catching up with the Mullucks family 18 months after Susan’s birth, as Dr Turner helped fit her with prosthetic limbs before enrolling in nursery school. Bernie found Susan’s condition hard to comprehend, and even walked out of a meeting as tears filled his eyes.

Over the years, Bernie went from despising his child he once cruelly called a “monster”, to being terrified into over-protectiveness, afraid she would be the object of ridicule.

In 2022, the Mullocks family returned as Rhoda and Bernie welcomed another baby into their beautiful family. Their story continued as the parents’ mental health was also explored.

In an advance glimpse of the Call the Midwife episode, Bernie sits beside his wife, Rhoda, as she lies in a hospital. The couple hold hands as they look dishevelled, though it is unclear why Rhoda was admitted to the hospital.

In another sneak peek, Bernie is seen pushing a frail Sister Monica Joan in a wheelchair through the streets of Poplar, carrying a bouquet of white flowers.

Bernie and Sister Monica Joan also visit a church together, though it is currently unknown what brings the two back together.

The BBC drama has also released a photo of Sister Monica Joan lying in bed, eyes closed, with her hands by her side. Is this the end for the adored sister? Viewers will have to wait and see what lies ahead for Sister Monica Joan.

Call the Midwife airs Sunday at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer

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MUSE frontman Matt Bellamy has found some solace following his split from model Elle Evans, his wife of six years.

I’m told he has been spending time with sex therapist Gaia Polloni — who he dated for nine years in the Noughties.

A source said: “Matt and Gaia are still good mates and they’ve been spending time together following his split from Elle.

“It’s been a hard time for him, naturally, as it would be after the end of any marriage.

“Gaia has always been a great sounding board. Matt is focused on healing and moving forwards into co-parenting with Elle.”

Matt was seen in Notting Hill, West London, last week without his wedding ring and walking next to Italian Gaia.

SLUR SAGA

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They first started dating in 2001 and Matt popped the question six years later.

But in 2009, the relationship broke down and they called off their engagement.

After the break-up, Matt told an Italian magazine he would “do anything” to fix their relationship.

He went on to write Muse’s track Neutron Star Collision (Love Is Forever) for Gaia a year on from their split.

We revealed at the weekend that Elle and Matt had called time on their marriage.

They actually split in October.

A pal said: “Their relationship is very amicable. They are now focused on co-parenting their children and still get on very well.”

Matt had been splitting his time between London and LA – where Matt’s son from his relationship with Kate Hudson lives.

Now he is expected to spend more time in the UK, after admitting he wanted to come home.

The overseeing body of the annual BAFTA Awards says it is taking “full responsibility” for the racist slur an audience member with Tourette syndrome shouted while “Sinners” stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo took the stage at Sunday’s ceremony.

“We take full responsibility for putting our guests in a very difficult situation and we apologise to all,” the British Academy of Film and Television Arts said in a statement published Monday morning following widespread public outcry. “We will learn from this, and keep inclusion at the core of all we do, maintaining our belief in film and storytelling as a critical conduit for compassion and empathy.”

Jordan and Lindo were presenters for the awards show, which aired after a two-hour delay on the BBC, and took the stage at London’s Royal Festival Hall to present the visual effects category. Their segment was quickly interrupted when someone in the audience off-screen shouted the N-word. The co-stars, who are both Black, paused before their presentation.

Later in the program, BAFTA Awards host Alan Cumming addressed the outburst, referencing the nominated film “I Swear,” about Scottish Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson. Davidson, an executive producer for the BAFTA-nominated film, was in the audience and left his seat midway through the ceremony.

“The tics you have heard tonight are involuntary — that means the person who has Tourette syndrome has no control over their language and we apologize if it has caused offense,” Cumming explained.

The Mayo Clinic defines Tourette syndrome as a disorder that “involves repetitive movements or unwanted sounds (tics) that can’t be easily controlled.” According to the Tourette Assn. of America, some people who live with Tourette syndrome can also experience coprolalia, “an involuntary outburst of obscene words or socially inappropriate and derogatory remarks” that do not necessarily reflect the person’s “thoughts, beliefs or opinions.”

BAFTA echoed this sentiment in its statement and said it had made efforts to ensure attendees “were aware of the tics,” informing audiences at the beginning of the show that Davidson was in the room and “they may hear strong language, involuntary noises or movements during the ceremony.

Concerning Davidson’s use of the racist slur, BAFTA said “we apologise unreservedly to [Jordan and Lindo], and to all those impacted.”

“We would like to thank Michael and Delroy for their incredible dignity and professionalism,” BAFTA said.

The organization also acknowledged Davidson who, after leaving the ceremony, watched the rest of the show from a screen. Actor Robert Aramayo, who portrays Davidson in “I Swear,” bested Hollywood favorites for the leading actor prize.

Though representatives for Jordan and Lindo did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday, the co-stars spoke to Vanity Fair about the controversy. Lindo said he and his co-star “did what we had to do” for the ceremony, but he added he wished “someone from BAFTA spoke to us afterward.”

Davidson, in a statement published by Deadline, said that while his tics and outbursts do not reflect his beliefs, he is always “deeply mortified if anyone considers my involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning.” He did not directly mention Jordan or Lindo.

BBC apologized for not editing out the slur before broadcasting the ceremony, according to the Associated Press. The network had managed to edit out other portions of the ceremony — including filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr. saying “Free Palestine” — but not the racist slur, “Good Morning America” reported. The Guardian reported that producers also failed to hear the inappropriate remark during the original taping.

BBC said Monday that it will edit out the slur.

The controversial BAFTA Awards moment spurred backlash and conversations about Tourette syndrome. On social media, “Sinners” production designer Hannah Beachler alleged similar outbursts occurred three times through the course of the evening, once “directed at myself” and another “at a Black woman.”

“But what made the situation worse was the throw away apology of ‘if you were offended at the end of the show,” she posted on X. “Of course we were offended…but our frequency, our spiritual vibration is tuned to a higher level than what happened.”

Also on X, journalist Jemele Hill, “Superman” actor Wendell Pierce and Black List founder Franklin Leonard called out the expectation for Jordan and Lindo to carry on as normal after facing the racist slur, and the lack of immediate accountability from BAFTA.

“It’s infuriating that the first reaction wasn’t complete and full throatted [sic] apologies to Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan,” Pierce tweeted. “The insult to them takes priority. It doesn’t matter the reasoning for the racist slur.”

Jamie Foxx and “The Breakfast Club” host Charlamagne tha God also shared their takes on Davidson’s outbursts. Foxx alleged in a handful of Instagram comments that Davidson’s use of the racist slur was intentional. Charlamagne that God sought accountability from the teams behind Sunday’s awards ceremony and speculated that “somebody somewhere taught [Davidson] the language.”

“It’s just convenient he saved his most offensive outburst for Black people. OK?” he said. “I can be respectful of the condition but I don’t respect none of y’all that allowed him to be there with the condition.”

The radio host added: “Just because you have a disability does not mean we will tolerate the disrespect.”

Tourettes Action, an organization and research charity based in the United Kingdom, addressed the negative comments regarding Davidson’s outbursts and called for understanding and education about Tourette Syndrome.

“The price of being misunderstood is increased isolation, risk of anxiety and depression and death by suicide,” the organization said. “We hope that those commenting will take the time to watch the film, learn about Tourette’s, and understand the experiences behind moments like these. Education is key, and compassion makes a world of difference.”

KATE Moss led the glamour at Burberry’s star-studded show, as she joined big names at London Fashion Week’s show-piece event.

The model, 52, turned heads in a black Burberry trench coat and shiny navy dress while showing off her endless legs in sheer black tights.

The supermodel was joined by Romeo Beckham, 23, who rocked a maroon bomber-style jacket paired with loose-fitting maroon corduroy trousers.

The exclusive show was also attended by Aston Villa forward Morgan Rogers, 23, Arsenal women’s team footballer Leah Williamson, 28, and actress Daisy Edgar-Jones, 27.

Liam Gallagher‘s sons Lennon and Gene Gallagher also made an appearance.

But it was Kate’s look that sent tongues wagging – with the star dominating headlines during fashion week with her glamorous looks.

CLONE RANGER

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DOUBLE TAKE

Kate Moss, 52, and lookalike daughter Lila, 23, strip to bikinis on beach break

Kate, was recently revealed to be locked in a planning row with her neighbours in a swanky Cotswolds village.

Concerns were raised by Kate over her neighbour’s plans to install a new garden.

She lives in a £2.5 million countryside mansion in Little Faringdon, Oxfordshire, where locals say they have been fighting with a sewage system that is no longer fit for purpose.

It is because of the sewage system that Kate has blocked her neighbours’ planned construction project.

According to reports, she fears the plans would increase pressure on the already struggling sewage system.

GARY “MANI” MOUNFIELD’s legacy lives on thanks to a huge vault of unreleased music.

The rocker was laid to rest in December following his sudden death the month before.

I’m told there have been talks with his Stone Roses bandmates about releasing a song dedicated to him.

A source said: “Tracks Mani recorded with the band after their reunion in 2011, along with songs he made with Primal Scream, are all in a vault which could soon be opened.

“Mani was one of the most prolific musicians around and as well as playing with The Roses and Primal Scream, he was involved in numerous side projects.

“There are tracks featuring him by The Stone Roses, Primal Scream, Free Bass and Mantra Of The Cosmos.

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STARK WARNING

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“The hope is that these tracks will come out in tribute to him, possibly even as a compilation. It’s all early days but there are ongoing discussions about how best to pay tribute to his music legacy.”

After The Stone Roses reformed for concerts in 2011, they went into the studio to record new material and released two singles, All For One and Beautiful Thing.

But a third album never materialised, despite there being more songs.

Zak Starkey, son of Beatle Ringo Starr, revealed Mani agreed to be the bass player for Mantra Of The Cosmos but had to walk away after initial sessions to care for his wife Imelda, who died in 2023.

Drummer Zak said: “Due to his amazing strong woman Imelda being very sick, he couldn’t commit to Mantras.

“There was no substitute for Mani so we never had a bass player, it just wouldn’t have been right.”

Bella in nightclub hold-up

IT’S not often we see celebs falling out of nightclubs these days, given they’re more prone to neck a protein milkshake than a martini.

But Bella Hadid almost took a tumble outside the Chateau Marmont Hotel in Los Angeles.

Luckily for Bella, all those years walking in heels on catwalks means she’s a pro at keeping her balance – and she grabbed on to a handily parked 4×4 car to keep her upright.

Bella shared snaps from her night out at the trendy haunt and revealed she was with New York designer Noah Ruttenberg and her stylist Mimi Cuttrell before making this spectacular exit.

EX-Coronation Street actor Adam Rickitt is relaunching his solo career.

He got the part of Nick Tilsley in 1997, and went on to have a No5 song with his debut single I Breathe Again in 1999.

But after album Good Times limped in at No41, he was dropped from his label.

Adam said online about going back into the studio: “We did a version of Breathe Again, which was nice. We’ve got a really good song idea. We’re going to record a new song.”

SCAM FEAR CUT SHORT J-LO HAIRDRESSER GIG

CELEBRITY hairdresser Chris Appleton thought Jennifer Lopez was a scammer when he first got an email from her.

He told Roxie Nafousi’s Rise With Roxie podcast: “I remember I got an email from J-Lo’s team.

“It was like, ‘Jennifer Lopez is doing her Vegas tour and she would, you know, want to work with you.’ I remember I ignored the first email because I thought, ‘Oh this is probably just spam or something’. And then I got another one and I remember thinking, ‘How does J-Lo know who I am?’.”

Unluckily for Chris, who counts Kim Kardashian among his famous clients, he ended up missing the boat because he failed to respond.

BANDS including A Day to Remember, The Primals and Creeper have joined the list of rock gods playing Download Festival.

The mega event taking place at Donnington Park from June 10 to 14 will also feature acts such as headliners Limp Bizkit, Guns n’ Roses, Linkin Park, plus Cypress Hill, Trivium, Bad Omens and Pendulum.

Tickets for the festival in Leicestershire will go on sale at 10am tomorrow.

JAIL JOB STIRS UP MARCUS

MARCUS MUMFORD says working with jail inmates gave him inspiration for new album Prizefighter.

The Mumford And Sons frontman said: “Alley Cat, I wrote in a prison actually. I go into prison and do poetry workshops and that came out of one of those sessions with the lads.

“I felt slightly conflicted about it to start with.”

While the track hasn’t yet been picked as a single, the record is going down a storm.

Prizefighter is on course to give Mumford And Sons their fourth UK No1 album on Friday, after topping the chart in the midweek update.

Marcus has been volunteering in prisons since the end of lockdown.

The singer added: “If all of us were defined by the worst thing we ever did, we’d all be f***ed.

“I believe in grace, I believe in mercy, I believe in responsibility, choices, consequences, of course.”

Good for him.

CRUZ GETS HIS BREAK IN EUROPE

CRUZ BECKHAM AND THE BREAKERS are making waves with sold-out shows in London, Brighton, Southampton and Leeds.

Now the youngest son of Posh and Becks has announced a European leg including gigs in France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Cruz said: “I’m so excited to get out on the road.

“I’ve always been inspired by bands who do it the right way.”
Their run of shows kick off tomorrow night at Mama Roux’s in Birmingham.

SIR David Beckham shared sweet snaps with daughter Harper at an exclusive ski resort and spoke of “making memories” with his kids amid his family feud with eldest son Brooklyn.

Becks, 50, is in Courchevel, France, with Harper, 14, and it looks like they’ve had a fun-filled week of fine-dining and snowy exploration.

Proud David shared a selection of their photos and wrote: “Creating memories with the kids either together or one on one has always been been important to me. 

“So this week Me and Harper created a few more memories. Love you pretty lady @harperbeckham.”

It comes a day after David came to the aid of a Brit tourist who fell over on the slopes in the French Alps.

A source said: “David saw the woman hit her head and was worried about her.

on gard

David Beckham’s best friend Dave Gardner takes swipe at Brooklyn

SAVED BY BECKS

Beckham becomes knight in shining armour as he helps injured skier at resort

“He took her skis off and made sure she was OK – he was a true gentleman.

“David was incredibly lovely, and so was the ski guide with him.”

Meanwhile, Harper recently reached out to estranged brother Brooklyn on Instagram sparking hopes she could be the one to thaw frosty relations.

She posted pictures showing her with Brooklyn and her other brothers Romeo and Cruz.

In one Valentine’s Day post she wrote, “I love you all so much, words can’t describe it” — while in another she called them “the best big brothers in the whole wide world”.

Harper’s posts were at first seen only by the 93 followers of her private account — but mum Victoria, 51, then reshared them with her 33.5million followers.

Brooklyn, 26, and Harper are not believed to be in touch, despite him reportedly feeling “protective” over her.

He does not follow her on Instagram and it is unclear if he has blocked her.

Last month Brooklyn posted a statement online blasting his parents and claiming brothers Romeo, 23, and Cruz, 20, had been “sent to attack me on social media, before they ultimately blocked me”.

He accused mum Victoria of “hijacking” his wedding day and “embarrassing” him with “inappropriate” dancing.

Brooklyn also sent a legal letter to Victoria and dad David, 50, insisting they contact him only via lawyers.

Harper was not mentioned. It is hoped that she, and other members of the wider family, may be able to ease relations with Brooklyn and his actress wife Nicola Peltz, 31.

Though he seemingly ignored his sister’s messages, sharing only a belated Valentine’s post in tribute to Nicola, in which he vowed to “forever protect and love you”.

LILY Allen has finally confirmed she’s in a relationship with Jonah Freud – a year on from her high profile split from ex-husband David Harbour.

The pop star has been pictured looking close with Jonah numerous times in the past few months, though hasn’t publicly addressed her relationship status… until now.

In a new interview with Grazia, Lily, 40, was asked who the last person she texted was, to which she replied: “My boyfriend.”

The smitten pair have recently spent time together in the romantic cities of Paris and Rome.

Jonah, who is great-great-grandson of Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud, sipped coffee outside acafée with Lily by his side in the Italian capital last month.

The couple stayed at the Hotel Locarno where they splashed out on a £800-a-night suite.

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RO-MAN HOLIDAY

Lily Allen & new lover take romance to next level on romantic trip to Italy

An eyewitness said: “We walked past her and it was my daughter-in-law who recognised her and went, ‘Oh my God, it’s Lily Allen’.

“We did a double take, and it was definitely her.

“She was with Jonah Freud. They were just having a coffee and a cigarette together.”

Days later they went to Paris for Fashion Week and were seen leaving an apartment together.

Lily confirmed she was dating again in October though coyly stopped short of confirming if she was seeing anyone seriously.

In a candid chat with Interview, she spoke of the pitfalls of dating apps when bouncing back from heartache.

She said: “They’re awful, especially if you’re going through heartbreak. 

“There is nothing more depressing than hundreds of people that are nothing like the person that you’re missing. It’s just like, ‘No, that’s not him. That’s not him. That’s not him’.”

Lily used her relationship breakdown as inspiration for her critically-acclaimed album West End Girl.

She recently told Vice: “I don’t think that it’s a particularly self-aware record. It’s a really angry record – and it’s a lot more about rage directed towards other people.”

On it, she appeared to accuse her Stranger Things star ex David, 50, of having an affair with a woman called Madeline.

It is reported Lily turned detective after growing suspicious that her hubby was cheating and caught him out on Raya — the same app where she met him in 2019.

Following the album’s release, the real life ‘Madeline’ spoke out, with New Orleans based costume designer Natalie Tippett, 34, claiming to have been involved in the fling.

David and Natalie reportedly began an affair while working on 2021 film We Have A Ghost, and he later allegedly flew Natalie to his home in Atlanta, Georgia.

He had married Lily the previous year in a Las Vegas ceremony.

MAYA Jama has signed up for another series of Love Island — putting an end to speculation.

The host, 31, last night wrapped on the All Stars’ spin-off and will officially be back this summer.

A source said: “Love Island wouldn’t be the same without Maya so bosses are thrilled to confirm she’ll be in Majorca this summer.

“She remains one of the most-loved things about the show.”

Maya has been hosting Love Island UK since January 2023, beginning with the show’s ninth series.

She replaced former host Laura Whitmore and has since continued to host All Stars and Love Island games.

FURIOUS FANS

Love Island fans left ‘raging’ as ITV show ends on nail-biting cliffhanger

BUCKLE UP, MAYA!

Maya Jama shows off sensational curves in plunging dress for Love Island

Last month Maya cleared up confusion with fans over where she currently lives.

Penned over a screenshotted DM of a fan saying, “Have I missed a chapter?? You’ve moved from London?” in response to one of her past Instagram stories, Maya explained how she’s bought multiple houses.

“To answer my dms right now lol I also bought a house in the Cotswolds last year so I’ll be there sometimes, maybe I need to do a lil catch up life update vid or something soon.”

Maya followed up the post with a quick video where she’s utterly beaming about the news.

Switching out her usual glam for a maroon hoodie with a yellow graphic, she addressed the camera candidly saying: “Writing it like that just makes you sound like a braggy f**k but I’m very proud of myself.

“Council house Queen to multiple property owner.

“Honey, thank you!!!” 

Maya was born and raised in Brisol and has Somali descent as well as Swedish.

She moved to London at the age of 16 to pursue a career as an actress, even auditioning for Skins.

Darkness engulfs me right before I step into a dream. The Oscar-winning Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu guides me from a pitch-black hallway into an open space, where beams of light and smoke, interspersed with sounds from the streets of Mexico City, create a vortex into a unique cinematic experience.

Inside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Iñárritu is giving me a tour of his new installation “Sueño Perro:” a sensorial celebration of his 2000 debut film, “Amores Perros,” in honor of its 25th anniversary. The only physical elements on display are six film projectors and the celluloid that contains frames of unreleased footage, which are shown on screens of different sizes around the room. Detached and unburdened by the need of a narrative, the images simply exist.

“I love doing installations,” Iñárritu says in Spanish. “It’s like playing a game with your friends. And it’s liberating for me, because I don’t have to think about selling tickets.”

Before arriving at LACMA, his “Sueño Perro” mesmerized audiences in Milan, Italy, and in his hometown of Mexico City. LACMA previously hosted Iñárritu’s intense and immersive project “Carne y Arena,” which allowed visitors to put themselves in the shoes of a person crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on foot.

In Milan and Mexico City, “Sueño Perro” occupied labyrinthine spaces with multiple rooms. Contained within a single room, the L.A. iteration is the “paranoic version,” Iñárritu says. Once inside, there’s no respite to the barrage of images and the soundscape that surround you. He aptly describes the projectors’ beams of luminosity as “light sculptures.”

Curiously, he notes, people have such reverence for these hypnotic streams of light that they duck to avoid disturbing them rather than crossing in front of them. Iñarritu wishes they would, in fact, disrupt the light, so their shadows can enter the frame and transform it.

Never-before-seen footage from “Amores Perros” projects from 35mm projectors across the walls at LACMA, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026.

(Sarahi Apaez / For De Los)

The projected footage is material that didn’t make it to the final cut of “Amores Perros”: a gritty, visceral drama following three different stories across different social classes in a chaotic Mexico City during the turn of the millennium. Back in 2018, Iñárritu learned that all his dailies (raw takes) from that shoot, which in most productions are thrown away, were preserved at Mexico’s National University (UNAM).

“It was like looking through an album you haven’t opened in 25 years, which smells of dust,” he says. “Because of the distance, the images actually evoked a beautiful nostalgia in me.”

And that album was substantial. Iñárritu recalls that he and cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto shot an immense amount of footage, nearly 1 million feet of film.

Gael García Bernal from a scene in “Amores Perros,” released in 2000.

“It’s like the placenta that’s thrown away when a baby is born. Suddenly, that discarded material, rich in DNA, which was already dead but was once part of a living being, has a life of its own,” Iñárritu explains vividly. “I didn’t know that these fragments, this dead material could be resurrected, but light has given new life to something that was forgotten.”

Critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated for international feature film (foreign-language film back then), “Amores Perros” marked a watershed for the Mexican film industry, as an ambitious production that captivated both local and international audiences while unflinchingly portraying the country’s social ills from a humanistic standpoint.

“Look at Gael! He was 19 then. That’s a beautiful image of him,” Iñárritu says of “Amores Perros” lead García Bernal, whose shaved head is projected on one of the installation screens. The actor made his feature film debut in “Amores Perros” and has since had an extraordinary career.

At one point, three of the six projectors go dark — and the three remaining show the pivotal car crash that connects the film’s three narratives. Iñárritu and Prieto shot the imposing accident with nine different cameras. Seeing all nine different angles unspool in “Sueño Perro” provides a new understanding of the moment’s challenging orchestration.

Such a sequence evinces that “Amores Perros” was the work of an artist in his mid-30s willing to put it all on the line, uncertain whether he would get to make another film.

“I’ve changed a lot as a filmmaker, but I’m still the same idiot I’ve always been. That’s the bad news,” Iñárritu says laughing. “The other bad news is that I couldn’t make a film like that anymore, because of the number of shots and setups, and the energy behind each of those shots.”

The passage of time, in tandem with the film’s anniversary, allowed an opportunity for Iñárritu and screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga (who wrote “Amores Perros,” “21 Grams,” and “Babel”) to reconcile after a long-standing falling out. The two mended their bond in public last year during an event in Mexico City.

“It was very important for me to close this chapter,” Iñárritu explains. “There was something so special about our friendship as people — and our children were also very close. I truly missed him as a friend. As you get older, you realize that grudges and animosity are the worst investment; it’s like having a disease inside you and not wanting to let it go.”

While most exhibits celebrating a film’s legacy feature artifacts or costumes that appeared on screen, Iñárritu ultimately decided to opt out of that route. Initially, he admits, the director was tempted to find the scraps of the wrecked car that belonged to García Bernal’s character in the film, a black Ford, and place it at the center of the installation. But it was LACMA’s CEO Michael Govan who persuaded him to preserve the purer approach.

“Michael loved the idea of the projectors, of the light and memory. And he wisely told me, ‘Perhaps the material object will be distracting. This work is ethereal, and maybe something solid will create a knot.’ I thought it was a great reflection, and I said, ‘That’s true. I’m going to try for this exhibition to exist without physical matter, because it’s about the analogous, but also the immaterial, which is light and time.’”

The objects or “archaeological remains of a film,” as he calls them, cause Iñárritu great sadness. To him those relics are akin to looking at a collection of lifeless butterflies preserved in a box. “When I see the shoes that so-and-so wore or the dress that so-and-so wore, they seem to me like butterflies that once flew and now they’re dead,” Iñárritu says. “Objects that once appeared in film lack life afterwards. They’re like skeletons.”

(Sarahi Apaez / For De Los)

For young people who have mostly watched movies on their electronic devices, Iñárritu thinks witnessing “Sueno Perro” could spark great curiosity about the way cinema existed for most of its history: on film. It will allow them to think of cinema in a primal manner.

“We are organic beings, and our capacity for understanding and our development involves all our organs, and digital screens have forced us to perceive everything only on an intellectual level,” he says. Entering the installation, he hopes, will resemble the feeling of entering a womb or a cave. “The flickering light from the lamps in the projectors is reminiscent of the fire in caves when people gathered and shared stories,” he adds.

Sonically, “Sueño Perro” envelops attendees not in lines of dialogue or a musical score, but the sounds of life in Mexico City — from street vendors to a marching band — recorded over the years and brought to L.A. with the help of sound designer Martín Hernández, who’s worked on every single Iñárritu film since “Amores Perros.” And while some of those aural elements still exist today, “Amores Perros” also serves as a time capsule of a city that has evolved and mutated incessantly.

“I still recognize the city when I watch the film, but it makes me laugh so much to see the cars and the clothes of the time,” he says. “It now looks like the Paleolithic era. And I think, ‘I’m so old!” But yes, it was definitely a different city back then.”

(Sarahi Apaez / For De Los)

Like Iñárritu, I still lived in Mexico City, then known as Distrito Federal, when “Amores Perros” was released. In those days, international tourists often feared visiting the metropolis for fear of being kidnapped. To see Mexico City become a trendy, sought-after destination for “digital nomads” from the U.S. and elsewhere feels jarring.

“People from the U.S. have for so long been snobbish about Mexico, and now they go and say, ‘F—, this is a city with incredible cultural depth,’” Iñárritu says. “They realize that their snobbishness came from a misconception, based on propaganda they’ve been fed, which portrays us Mexicans only as “sombrerudos.’”

What’s so bewitching about Mexico City, and the country at large, Iñárritu thinks, is the people’s worldview and how they confront their realities.

“There’s no other country that has that kind of vitality, because despite all of its problems, and there are many — like how violence and corruption have become so normalized — the people have an energy, a joy, a vitality that’s very hard to find in any other city around the world,” he says.

On the subject of the ingrained issues that still plague his home country, Iñárritu recalls that those in power were not pleased with how “Amores Perros” addressed them on screen.

“The Mexican government was ashamed of the film,” he says. Whenever the film would win an award at an international festival, the Mexican ambassadors or diplomats in any given country would decline invitations to celebrate the accomplishment.

“They said it was a bad representation of Mexico, that what the film showed wasn’t Mexico,” Iñárritu recalls. “They said it showed too much violence. Give me a break, as if I were the secretary of Tourism.”

Aside from promoting this latest stop in the “Sueño Perro” installation’s journey, Iñárritu is in the post-production stage of his upcoming film “Digger,” starring Tom Cruise. Besides that, he’s also working on a project to honor Mexican American artist Judy Baca.

Baca is best known for the mural “The Great Wall of Los Angeles,” which extends for over half a mile along the Tujunga Wash and depicts the complex history of California. Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki shot a piece on this major work that will be screened at Walt Disney Concert Hall on March 7, alongside a special concert put together by Gustavo Dudamel and Gabriela Ortiz, and featuring several guest composers.

“I want to showcase the work of Judy, a Chicana who was 50 years ahead of her time and told the story of California through her eyes. I want it to be a landmark in Los Angeles. I want people to say, ‘You can’t go to L.A. and not see this mural.’”

As part of the ongoing celebration of “Amores Perros,” MACK has published a book featuring essays, behind-the-scenes photos, and storyboards. A double vinyl compilation including Gustavo Santaolalla’s score, plus tracks by generation-defining Mexican rock bands like Control Machete and Café Tacvba, has also been recently released.

Iñárritu hadn’t seen the film in a theater in many years. But when he saw it again at the Cannes Film Festival last year, he was pleased to realize it maintains its potency.

“I was struck by how well the film holds up. And it’s not just because I made it. It still has a rhythm and a muscle. It hasn’t aged badly at all. On the contrary, it’s like a young old soul,” he says with a laugh.

“Sueño Perro” will be open to the public from Feb. 26 until July 26.

Nicholas Cochrane played Andy McDonald in Coronation Street from 1989, but where is the actor now as the ITV soap kills off his on-screen dad Jim McDonald?

Coronation Street is poised to kill off Jim McDonald this week – but what became of the actor who portrayed his son Andy?

Andy (Nicholas Cochrane) first appeared on the ITV soap back in 1989, arriving in Weatherfield alongside mum Liz (Beverley Callard), dad Jim (Charlie Lawson) and brother Steve (Simon Gregson).

The McDonald family wasted little time in stirring up trouble on the cobbles. Andy himself became embroiled in numerous major storylines throughout his tenure.

His romantic endeavours proved catastrophic, with failed relationships involving several Coronation Street characters including Amy Nelson (Louise Duprey) and Paula Maxwell (Judy Brook). He also held a position at the Rovers and found himself caught up in Gerry Turner’s (Keith Woodason) armed siege.

Nevertheless, actor Nicholas was compelled to depart the soap alongside other prominent characters when a new producer took the helm in 1997. Andy’s exit storyline saw him relocating to Spain to take up a teaching position, reports the Daily Star.

The performer has made several return visits over the years, with guest appearances as Andy in 2000 and 2004. His most recent appearance came in 2009, when Andy came back for Steve’s wedding to Becky Granger (Katherine Kelly).

Regarding Andy’s father Jim, his last appearance was in 2018. In Monday’s episode (February 23), however, Steve learns his estranged father has been hospitalised.

Later in the week, he receives the devastating news that Jim has passed away. Following his departure from Coronation Street, Nicholas maintained a presence on television.

He featured in the ITV police drama Heartbeat, portraying golfer Barry Scripps, and in 2019 appeared in Doctors as Dean Telford, a father indebted to a local businessman.

Nicholas also ventured into theatre, joining the nationwide tour of Spring and Port Wine with The Middle Ground Theatre Company. He subsequently moved into TV presenting, appearing on Granada TV and MUTV, where he interviewed A-list footballers including Roy Keane and David Beckham.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**

Beyond television, Nicholas has presented radio programmes for Talksport and BBC5 Live. Outside of his professional life, Nicholas resides in Manchester with his wife Denise and their two children. In his leisure time, he now enjoys watching and participating in various sports.

Meanwhile, in 2020, Nicholas discussed the possibility of returning to Coronation Street. He told the Distinct Nostalgia podcast: “It would be good if the boys got back in touch and Andy ends up back in Weatherfield.

“It would be good if Steve needed an organ [transplant] or there were some reason why one of us stays and one goes. That would be best for me … it would be a good storyline.”

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Coronation Street airs Monday to Friday at 8:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX

JAMIE Foxx has claimed an audience member with Tourettes who shouted a slur at the Baftas “meant it” despite a charity saying it was “not intentional”.

John Davidson, who suffers from Tourette syndrome, let out involuntary shouts including a racial slur due to his condition during the ceremony.

The incident happened at the 79th annual British Academy Film Awards, which took place at the Royal Festival Hall last night.

The slur was shouted as actors Delroy Lindo and Michael B Jordan presented the award for special visual effects.

The actors, both stars of vampire horror Sinners, appeared to pause momentarily after the insult was heard but then continued presenting.

But Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx has now blasted John Davidson for his “unacceptable” outburst at the BAFTAs.

on gard

David Beckham’s best friend Dave Gardner takes swipe at Brooklyn

SLUR SAGA

BBC PULLS Baftas from iPlayer after audience member with Tourettes shouted slur

A fuming Foxx said on social media: “Out of all the words you could’ve said Tourette’s makes you say that. Nah he meant that s**t. Unacceptable.” 

The outburst, which was one of many unintentional interruptions, was explained as coming from John, who has Tourette syndrome.

John’s life story inspired the film I Swear which shares John’s journey from his diagnosis before much was known about the condition.

However, campaigners staunchly defended John after his outburst after criticism from Foxx.

Tourettes Action charity said: “We also want to address the negative comments that have surfaced following John’s involuntary vocal tics during the ceremony.

“We deeply understand that these words can cause hurt but, at the same time, it is vital that the public understands a fundamental truth about Tourette syndrome, tics are involuntary.

“They are not a reflection of a person’s beliefs, intentions or character.

“People with Tourettes can say words or phrases they do not mean, do not endorse and feel great distress about afterwards.

“These symptoms are neurological, not intentional, and they are something John – like many others with Tourettes – lives with every single day.”

The title is a nod to his uncontrollable swearing associated with the syndrome.

Earlier, the BBC apologised for the slur after some viewers were left shocked.

And the episode has now been pulled off BBC iPlayer after initial outrage.

The Beeb has confirmed the slur will be edited out of the version uploaded.

A BBC spokesperson said: “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the BAFTA Film Awards.

“This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and as explained during the ceremony it was not intentional.

“We apologise that this was not edited out prior to broadcast and it will now be removed from the version on BBC iPlayer.”

During the broadcast, the awards ceremony’s presenter Alan Cumming also issued an apology for the language viewers may hear.

He said: “You may have heard some strong and offensive language tonight. If you have seen the film I Swear, you will know that film is about the experience of a person with Tourette syndrome.

“Tourettes is a disability and the tics you have heard tonight are involuntary, which means the person who has Tourette syndrome has no control over their language.

“We apologise if you were offended.”

But the BBC sparked major backlash after the broadcaster edited out “Free Palestine” during one speech but declined to remove the racial slur at first.

The broadcaster removed the Palestine reference after an acceptance speech made by filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr paid tribute to those who are trying to “obtain a better life for their children”.

Davies Jr. closed his speech by saying: “To the economic migrant. The conflict migrant. Those under occupation, dictatorship, persecution, and those experiencing genocide. You matter.

“Your stories matter more than ever. Your dreams are an act of resistance to those watching at home.  

“Archive your loved ones. Archive your stories yesterday, today, and forever. For Nigeria, for London, the Congo, Sudan, free Palestine.”

Vernon Kay is hosting brand new BBC gameshow Do You Know Your Place? teaming up with The Traitors star Paul Gorton

The BBC has introduced a new quiz show Do You Know Your Place?, which launches on Monday 23 February.

However, according to The Traitors star Paul Gorton, who is co-presenting the show with main host Vernon Kay, he was originally down to be a guest until the host they had booked to present his segment had to pull out.

The new series sees Paul lead an ‘unreliable’ UK tour of a different destination each day with three celebrity players battling it out to sort unbelievable facts from fiction.

From locations in Belfast to Wrexham, celebrity guests include EastEnders star Nitin Ganatra, the Reverend Kate Bottley, Gladiator ‘Apollo’ Alex Gray, Anneka Rice, Susan Calman, Owain Wyn Evans and Max Fosh.

Alongside Paul’s tours, Vernon will task the celebrities with a number of in-studio games, each taking inspiration from the day’s destination.

Whoever gets the most points across the show wins the episode and a souvenir that Paul has sent back from his travels with points accrued across five days with the overall winner at the end of the week receiving an ‘I Know My Place’ sweatshirt.

Talking about the new series, The Traitors star Paul said of how he got the role, telling us in an exclusive chat: “I think it was two years ago, there was an idea to do kind of like a travel show with celebs and then have all these kind of games in there and almost pack everything that you’ve watched into kind of like one show in one location, do it all there.

“I was booked to be a guest on one of these early iterations and the host pulled out, because the host was going to be out with the celebs, so Vernon [who has the main hosting gig] would be out with the celebs type of thing, and whoever they booked decided to not show and said, ‘Oh I can’t do it now’, so instead of finding someone, let’s see if Paul wants to have a go.

“We did the pilot which was me and these three celebs and it was just off you go, have fun.

“And I think they quite quickly realised that it would be nice to have this lovely kind of homely studio element to it with an absolute megastar [Vernon] and then we’ll still have Paul running around in a storm, in the rain and in the freezing cold.

“Luckily it all worked, it all clicked together. I did my bit which was all kind of the VTs, then Vernon’s done his bit in kind of like a mock studio and they stitched it together and the BBC just, it feels very weird to me because, and Vernon will know this a lot more than I do, but they were saying pretty much everything never gets commissioned.

“But the BBC guys were just like ‘Yep, we love it, we want it’ and that got us to almost present day where I’ve been running around the country finding all the weird and wonderful and magnificent parts of the UK.”

Do You Know Your Place? airs on BBC Two, weekdays at 6.30PM, starting from Monday 23 February.

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Inside its sci-fi trappings — space travel, crazy technology, oodles of extraterrestrials — Pixar’s “Elio” is the story of an outsider kid who finds a new family. That’s true of the protagonist, a lonely boy who longs to leave Earth, and of the film itself.

“Elio’s” original mission was launched by Adrian Molina, co-writer of “Coco,” who worked on writing and directing the project for a couple of years before departing, officially to devote himself to “Coco 2.” Molina was replaced in “Elio’s” director’s chair(s) by Domee Shi, who helmed “Turning Red” and won an Oscar for her short “Bao,” and Madeline Sharafian, a story artist on “Coco” and story lead on “Turning Red.”

“The basic premise from Adrian’s beginning, five years ago, has stayed the same,” says Sharafian: “A lonely, weird little boy gets abducted by aliens and is mistaken for the leader of Earth. The biggest change we made, and everything rippled from there, was that Elio always wanted to be abducted by aliens, to find a place where he belongs.”

Shi says, “Both of us were weirdo kids in our respective hometowns who dreamed of not being the only one. I was one of the only kids in my school that liked anime. When I finally got into animation school, I was like, ‘I found my people, and I didn’t realize how much I wanted this.’ ”

One tectonic shift under Shi and Sharafian came from screenwriter Julia Cho, who co-wrote “Turning Red” with Shi: Instead of Olga (voiced by Zoe Saldaña) being Elio’s mom, she would be his aunt. Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) would lose both parents before the film. That reconfigured his alienation, so to speak. A harsh confrontation between mother and child usually rests on the foundation that they already know and love each other. For an orphaned boy and his guardian aunt, that closeness must be earned.

“That love isn’t a given,” says Sharafian. “There was no assumption it would be there. So when it is, it’s all the more moving.”

“Elio” directors Domee Shi and Madeline Sharafian’s shared “visual language” reshaped the film after they took on the project from its initial director, Adrian Molina.

(Pixar Animation Studios)

Amid the changes, Shi and Sharafian say the working relationship they established on “Turning Red” was invaluable.

Shi says, “Though we have different backgrounds, we grew up watching a lot of the same movies. Both of us love Miyazaki films, we love ‘Sailor Moon,’ we love Disney, Pixar.”

Sharafian adds, “We speak the same visual language. There would be many moments when it was time to come up with a new shot and we both drew the same thing.”

In its 28 previous features, Pixar had dabbled in sci-fi, but “Elio” is immersed in it, with just a soupçon of … horror?

“We’re huge fans of sci-fi horror,” says Shi, “and we wanted to use those moments with Elio’s clone and Olga to have fun, to playfully scare some kids — and some adults too.”

That “clone” is a dead ringer for the protagonist, but it emerged from space goo and formed into an eerily cheerful version of the boy, like something from “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” or “The Stepford Wives,” but nice.

“The movies that impacted me the most as a kid, a lot of them did scare me, but they rewarded me as well,” says Shi. “Our film has this Spielberg-y, comfortable, nostalgic, family sci-fi vibe. So when the audience is at their most comfortable, that’s the perfect opportunity to give ’em a little spook.” Both directors cackle.

Sharafian adds, “ ‘Close Encounters’ is so scary, but in an amazing, tense way, and the musical [phrase] the aliens sent, I was so haunted by that. When we had the universe reach out to Elio, we were like, ‘How do we capture that same feeling — we want to know more, but we’re unsure of their intentions?’ ”

Beyond Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “E.T.,” the shared influences of the sci-fi horror of “The Thing” and “Alien” influenced their choice of a virtual anamorphic lens for their cinematography and aping the visual noise and atmospheric mist in those films.

Among the changes Shi and Sharafian made to “Elio” is its “epic” widescreen aspect ratio.

(Pixar Animation Studios)

Shi adds that they also changed the aspect ratio from 1.85 (standard widescreen) to 2.39:1 (anamorphic widescreen, an ultrawide look): “It helped shots of Elio on Earth feel more lonely, but also made space feel more epic.”

“To lay that on top of” Molina’s existing work, says Sharafian, “completely changed what the movie looked like.”

The directors agree that most of the film seamlessly blends their input, though Shi specialized in the horror and action sequences, while Sharafian leaned into the emotional scenes.

“A lot of Act 1 was you, Maddie,” says Shi, “where he’s feeling soulful and lonely. I love that. Yearning, watching the stars. I feel like that’s probably from your own childhood.”

Sharafian chuckles and says, “Yes, I was very lonely! My sister and I say we had ‘rich inner lives’ because we didn’t have a lot going on outside.”

It’s not “Up”-level gut-wrenching, but the scenes establishing the heartbroken boy’s lingering trauma hit pretty hard.

“I feel like it’s good to be sad,” says Sharafian. “At Pixar, we’re lucky; we get to stay in a childlike headspace for a really long time. I think we forget how deep children’s emotions are and how, when you’re young, you’re already thinking about very sad things and dark things. So I don’t think it’s too much.”

DAVID Beckham’s close pal Dave Gardner appears to have confirmed which team he’s on when it comes to the Brooklyn Beckham family feud.

The football star’s best friend and former agent shared a photo to mark Cruz Beckham‘s 21st birthday – and seems to have taken aim at the other side.

The sports agent, 49, shared the photo on social media standing with a suited-and-booted Cruz and Marc Anthony.

The long-time family friend wrote: “Have a great day mate. Love ya Cruzie.”

Latino star Marc Anthony was at the heart of the Beckham wedding drama where he is said to have called Victoria Beckham, 51, to the dancefloor, rather than Nicola, 31, for the first dance.

He allegedly referred to the mother-of-the-groom as “the most beautiful woman in the room”, which left the bride ‘in tears’.

MOVING ON

Beckhams celebrate Cruz’s 21st birthday as Brooklyn hosts food festival amid feud

GOLDEN CRAWLS

Brooklyn & Nicola ‘plan to adopt child’ in fresh heartache for Beckhams

He recently broke his silence on the allegations which played a part in “ruining” Brooklyn and wife Nicola Peltz’s wedding.

Brooklyn, 26, accused his mum of “hijacking” his and Nicola‘s special moment and claimed she danced “inappropriately” leaving him “embarrassed”.

Marc has been a long-time family friend of the Beckhams, meeting David when he played for Real Madrid around 2005.

Four-time Grammy winner Marc, who is one of Jennifer Lopez’s exes, had offered to perform at the wedding as a gift to the couple.

The family, minus Brooklyn, celebrated Cruz’s birthday last week at The Maine Mayfair in London.

He was joined by his parents as well as siblings Romeo, 23 and Harper, 14, as well as his girlfriend Jackie Apostel, 30 and Romeo’s partner, Kim Turnball, 24.

Meanwhile Brooklyn was busy hosting his very own food festival in Miami, Florida.

Proud dad David appeared to take a swipe at Brooklyn as he praised his youngest son Cruz as “fiercely loyal to family” in a birthday tribute.

The 50-year-old took to Instagram to share an adorable video of some of Cruz’s best moments over the years.

Proud dad David shared a heartfelt caption for his boy as he began: “Happy 21st birthday to my little boy – not so little anymore but the proudest thing that I am of you is the person and the man that you have become.

Seemingly taking a dig at Brooklyn, he continued: “You are kind, considerate and fiercely loyal to your family, friends and everyone around you which makes you a very special person.”

Picture-posting Dave‘s exes include actress Liv Tyler and former Hollyoaks star Davinia Taylor – who he both shares children with.

He recently attended David’s swanky 50th birthday celebrations with his partner, Victoria’s Secret model Jessica Clarke.

Dave met his pal David during his stint at Manchester United Youth Club and the pair have been close from the age of 14.

The footie star was also best man at his wedding in 2003 and made godfather to his son.

Marc previously told The Hollywood Reporter: “They’re a wonderful, wonderful family. I’ve known them since before the kids were born. I’m godfather to Cruz.

“I’m really close to the family. But I have nothing to say about what happened there. It’s extremely unfortunate how it’s playing out — but (how it’s playing out) is hardly the truth.”

When the pandemic hit, and reality settled in that life would be isolated and mostly inside, Grammy winner Anderson .Paak found himself on the outside looking in, in a way he didn’t anticipate. “I was the odd man out. My son was 8, and BTS took over the whole house,” .Paak explained in an interview with The Times at his WeHo lounge, Andy’s. “It was a K-pop storm. Before that, me and my son were bonding off of my music.”

.Paak’s son, Soul Rasheed, and his now ex-wife originally from Korea, Jaylyn Chang, had become obsessed with K-pop alongside much of America, which reminded .Paak of the intensity of Beatlemania. Black American music influenced the birth of a new style, which formed and expanded across oceans, then returned to the U.S. and exploded. This effect in the .Paak household was palpable, causing Soul and Chang to deeply bond in a new way. .Paak himself, as a soul, R&B and hip-hop aficionado, was tapped into the source, but not the reinterpreted subject. So he had to find a way in.

Soul, at the time, like many 8-year-olds, had also become obsessed with becoming a YouTuber. Besides .Paak’s music, the father-and-son duo had also previously connected over humor, so .Paak started there. They began with funny skits and eventually fused them with BTS dances. Soon, there were even videos featuring them comedically educating each other about their individual music tastes. “I loved it,” .Paak recalled, getting lost in the memory. “I was getting to know him more, and he was getting to know me. My mom would always say, ‘It’s one thing for your kids to love you, but it’s another to share things you’re interested in.’ It wasn’t like I was being Anderson .Paak, I was just Dad.”

“I was getting to know him more, and he was getting to know me,” .Paak said of bonding with his son, Soul.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

Through this exploration and the realization of a potential continued familial bond, a story idea emerged, then a treatment for a K-pop-centered film that .Paak would direct and he and Soul would both star in. .Paak then began directing a slew of music videos as the pandemic began to fade, building a portfolio and gaining experience in the medium. But he could start to sense Soul’s interest fading as time passed. After a few failed pitch attempts, .Paak urgently enlisted the help of one of his oldest friends and fellow entertainer, Jonnie “Dumbfoundead” Park, who brought .Paak and the idea to Stampede Ventures.

“The pitch was from an idea that Anderson had, and [to introduce it], we showed them this TikTok that he had with his son,” Park recalled over Zoom. “Anderson was like, ‘Do you know anything about BET, son?’ And [Soul] was like, ‘No, but I know BTS.’ Then they were just going back and forth, arguing about BET and BTS. That was literally the deck, [us saying] we would take that energy and put it into a two-hour film. They loved it. As soon as we walked out of the office, Anderson looked over like, ‘Are we greenlit?!’ They just understood it, the whole intergenerational, intercultural element of Black and Korean.” Stampede combined forces on the project with Live Nation Studios and .Paak’s debut feature “K-Pops!” was off to the races.

It’s important to note that .Paak is himself Black and Korean. His mother was adopted from Korea by a SoCal Black American military family and .Paak’s father was also a Black military officer. Thus, while his mother was born in Korea, he was raised almost entirely within a Black cultural space. .Paak didn’t experience much direct exposure to Korean culture until his 20s, when he met Chang at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. As an immigrant directly from Korea, Chang showed him the fortitude of structure amid her community. He was also taken by their inherent family value system. “In Korean households, you stay in the house until you get older so you can take care of your parents, and your parents can help take care of the kids,” .Paak explained. “There’s an infrastructure that’s worked out. Also, Korean food is important, as is learning the language. I was drawn to that. My son didn’t eat anything outside of Korean food for so long, and he’s just now getting into tacos.”

.Paak then further explored his Korean side through a burgeoning friendship with Park, which happened a bit later, after Chang had already given birth to Soul. Park introduced .Paak to K-town-based Korean culture through their shared music scene. “The people that came from K-town had a lot of Latino and Black influences as well,” .Paak remembered. “There was a little more of a melting pot, and it was more urban. But in a similarly communal way [to Koreans from Korea], they were all hanging out in K-town with other Korean friends. They’d drink soju, and go to after-hours where you had to have somebody Korean with you.”

While .Paak had some opportunities in adulthood to grasp a bit of his Korean heritage, in “K-Pops!,” through his main character BJ, he also got to actualize what his mother may have missed. In the film, BJ, a failed karaoke bar R&B musician, gets a lucky chance to go to Korea and be the drummer for a popular K-pop competition series. There, he bumps into his estranged ex-girlfriend’s son, Tae Young (played by Soul), who is competing on the show. He then finds out that the kid is his. While a messy transition ensues, BJ and Tae Young eventually get to galavant around Korea and work together to try to win the competition. Through this exploration, BJ finds out he can thrive in Korea while still holding onto his Blackness. .Paak’s mother’s dive back into her roots had a different result. “My mom went abroad and spent a year in Korea, but when she went there, she just didn’t like it,” .Paak explained. “In the movie, initially, BJ doesn’t really have any connection to his Korean side and doesn’t really care to know, but then he finds a bridge.” That bridge is music.

Actor Yvette Nicole Brown, who in “K-Pops!” plays BJ’s mother, proclaimed over Zoom that, “Everything about the film and the music in it is Blasian, every culture is celebrated and massaged and made into something beautiful.” .Paak made a concerted, intentional effort to explore both the Black and Korean sides of K-pop in two scenes.

The first is an early breakdown initiated by Soul’s character, Tae Young, who explains the structured roles of a K-pop group, which may be fun for superfans and educational for laypeople to the genre. The next is a winding presentation by BJ to Tae Young about the influence of Motown groups like the Jackson 5 and boy bands like New Edition on the momentum of K-pop’s rise. It’s particularly poignant because it is all shot at a record store on the streets of Korea, where .Paak explained he actually found the records he was referencing. “There’s nothing wrong with people doing their interpretation of Black music, as long as you pay homage and as long as you respect it and take care of it,” .Paak declared. “Because [if you do], then they’ll take care of you, but the moment you don’t, you’ll see what happens … I wanted to explain that history because that’s how I saw it.”

Real-life father and son, Anderson .Paak, left, and Soul Rasheed, co-star in “K-Pops!”

(Jake Giles Netter)

”K-Pops!” has as much of who .Paak and Soul are as father and son as he could fit in. There are appearances by legacy Black artists like Earth, Wind & Fire, as well as K-pop stars like Vernon from Seventeen. There are original songs co-written and co-produced by .Paak and musician Dem Jointz, that feature K-pop fused with soul and funk, one of which Tae Young performs as his finale competition number (soundtrack arriving soon). The film was shot in both L.A. and Korea and provided ample time for bonding (especially during scenes filled with off-the-cuff humor) that .Paak envisioned from the beginning. Yet still, at the time they were about to shoot, .Paak almost couldn’t get Soul on board because he had turned 11 and wasn’t as into K-pop or acting comedically anymore; he insisted he was instead “into Slipknot.”

The duo did find their footing, though, and executed a winding story that centers on their connection. As a burgeoning teenager in 2024, Soul went with his father to the world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, along with a plethora of Korean relatives from his mom’s side. .Paak anxiously awaited their full reaction to the culmination of his quest for a deeper bond.

“Everybody really enjoyed it,” .Paak remembered, relieved. “[Soul] was like, ‘I’m proud of you, Dad.’ I asked him, ‘You think you would ever do part two?’ He was like, ‘Nah, I don’t think acting is my passion, but I’ll never forget those moments … You know what? On second thought, it depends on the script.’ But I think he’s really proud of it. I think it’s something like, when he gets older, he’ll see how special it is as well. But yeah, he didn’t say it’s cringe.”

“K-Pops!” has its L.A. premiere on Tuesday and debuts in select theaters Friday.

Good Morning Britain star Susanna Reid has been criticised for the comments she made about Tourettes syndrome, with some branding it a ‘totally uncaring, stupid and dismissive’ remark

Susanna Reid has been slammed by ITV viewers for a “totally uncaring, stupid and dismissive” remark about Tourette syndrome during a discussion on Good Morning Britain.

The presenter has come under fire for comments she made whilst discussing John Davidson, a Tourette’s campaigner who had his life serialised in new movie I Swear. Actor Robert Aramayo played the role of John in the movie, which he won Best Actor for last night.

During the BAFTAs last night, as Sinners stars Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented an award, John was heard shouting “shut the f**k up” and “boring” at the actors before using the N-word.

Now, Susanna Reid has been criticised for her comments about Tourettes whilst discussing the news. She said that she was still “thinking about the language'” and branded it “completely unacceptable”.

She referenced that people with Tourettes couldn’t control their ticks, but added: “There’s plenty of people watching who say, ‘Why should a racial slur ever be accepted or simply brushed away?'”

Ed then said: ‘There’s two different issues. If this racial slur was said at the awards ceremony, it shouldn’t have been broadcast. The guy who has Tourette’s – apologising for his disability is not fair or right. It’s not in his control. If it was me, I would have bleeped out the racial slur and not had the apology.”

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Susanna added: “But it’s absolutely vital that you apologise for it. A racial slur is always something, presumably, that needs to be apologised for.” Ed then replied: “They ought to have apologised for having it on the programme, but apologising for the gentleman with Tourette’s, you can’t apologise for his disability.”

Fans of the ITV show fumed over Susanna’s comment, with one writing: “The actor in the film regarding Tourette’s wins an award but Susanna states that we need to apologise for the consequence of that disability in real life.” Another added: “You shouldn’t apologise for #TouretteSyndrome, it can’t be helped. You should never apologise for an illness…no one asked to have the illness.”

Yesterday, at the awards, host Alan Cumming addressed the comments. He told the audience: “You may have heard some strong offensive language tonight, but if you’ve seen the film I Swear, it’s about the experience of a person with Tourette syndrome.

“It is a disability and the ticks you have heard tonight are involuntary that means the person who has Tourette syndrome has no control over their language and we apologise if it has caused offence.”

A BBC spokesperson added: “Some viewers may have heard strong and offensive language during the Bafta Film Awards 2026. This arose from involuntary verbal tics associated with Tourette syndrome, and was not intentional. We apologise for any offence caused by the language heard.”

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Dani Dyer opens up about her dad Danny’s past rehab stint on their new show together The Dyers’ Caravan Park

Dani Dyer discusses the emotional letter she sent to her dad Danny Dyer during his past time in rehab on their new show The Dyers’ Caravan Park.

The Sky show sees Danny, 48, who loves a caravan park, attempt to save the great British holiday by reviving Priory Hill in Leysdown, Kent.

Danny, who has fond memories of his caravan holidays in the 1980s, is investing his money, time and hard work to bring back the spirit of the classic family holiday alongside daughter Dani, 29.

The father and daughter have a very close bond, having worked together on other projects such as True Love or True Lies, their hit podcast Sorted with the Dyers and travel show Absolutely Dyer: Danny and Dani do Italy.

Opening up during the show, Dani speaks about her close bond with dad Danny, where she reflects on his past time in rehab.

At the time, Danny was on EastEnders playing Mick Carter, a role he played from 2013 to 2022, he headed to rehab in Cape Town in 2016 after he was “slowly killing himself” by being “off his head”.

Danny previously told the BBC receiving a letter from his daughter Dani while at a rehab facility in 2016 was what convinced him to continue his treatment.

The father-of-three, who first met wife Jo Mas when they were both 14, managed to turn his life around with the help of rehab, therapy and meditation.

Talking about her dad’s journey on The Dyers’ Caravan Park, Dani says: “You know when your brain just doesn’t want to remember things? Like, it just blocks it out?

“He [dad Danny] went to rehab a couple of times. I remember the first time, I didn’t really remember the first time that he went and I wrote him a letter.

“I still to this day, I can’t remember what I wrote. You know, like when everything was such a bubble and everything was just so intense at the time.

“I knew he’d gone, but I knew that there was a reason. Like, if he hadn’t gone away, like, God knows where he’d be now.”

Talking about their close bond, Dani made an emotional death admission about her famous dad: “When he goes, I’ll have to stuff him, because I’ll need him in my garden forever. He can never leave me. He has to outlive us all.”

The Dyers’ Caravan Park launches 24 February on Sky and NOW.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**

This story contains spoilers for Episode 6 of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”

Ira Parker intended the very last scene of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” Episode 6 (titled “The Morrow”), to be just “something that was a little funny.”

Sunday’s season finale of the HBO fantasy series ends with everyone, including the royal Targaryen entourage, departing Ashford after the conclusion of the trial and tournament. Just before the credits roll, Prince Maekar, who notices his young son Aegon is once again missing, frantically shouts, “Where the f— is he?”

“To be honest, the very, very, very end was almost just meant as a joke,” the showrunner says during a recent video call. “But I think people — both in my writing camp and in the HBO camp and probably in the world — took that quite literally. So I’ve maybe had to deal with it a little bit more in Season 2 than I was planning to.”

“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” showrunner Ira Parker, right, with director Sarah Adina Smith on the set of the fantasy series.

(Steffan Hill / HBO)

Starring Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall and Dexter Sol Ansell as Prince Aegon Targaryen, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is an adaptation of George R.R. Martin novellas set in the same world as his “A Song of Ice and Fire” series. These “Tales of Dunk and Egg” stories take place around 100 years before the events depicted in “Game of Thrones.”

The moment in question could be a big deal for some fans of Martin’s novellas. The scene is not included in “The Hedge Knight,” the book upon which the first season of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is based. Whether Egg had Maekar’s permission to join Dunk’s travels as his squire is left more open ended in the novella itself.

While the young prince said he had his father’s blessing, “it’s not confirmed canonically” in the book, says Parker. “We haven’t done anything egregious here, I don’t think. [And] I believe it from a character perspective. I believe that Egg would do that again, because he’s already done it. We’ve seen him. He runs away. That’s sort of his thing. And he lies to people.”

Without sharing any details, Parker teases the situation will be addressed again next season.

Dunk (Peter Claffey) in the season finale of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”

(Steffan Hill / HBO)

The showrunner, who co-created the series with Martin, admits that approaching “The Morrow” was “daunting.” Set in the aftermath of Trial of Seven, Episode 6 involved “a lot of creation” to stretch out the remaining events from the source material.

“Very early on, all of us knew that we weren’t going to add any story,” says Parker, who previously worked on “Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon.” “The story is the story. We’re going to be 100% faithful to the novellas in that respect. But where we could add, because we needed about another 50% of material in order to fill out even our six 30-minute episodes, was going to be in the characters.”

This has meant the show has spent more time with the very relatable Dunk and his precocious charge Egg. Its supporting ensemble including Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) and Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas), who give Dunk a helping hand, have also been more fleshed out. This has allowed audiences to just “enjoy hanging out in this world.”

“I wasn’t always convinced that people would allow us to do it,” Parker says. “Hanging out in Westeros. It meant a little bit of a slower start. Luckily, people have come along with us on the ride. … We really just hoped that people would be charmed enough by these characters and the story and want good things for Dunk.”

Like “The Hedge Knight,” the episode concludes by teasing Dunk and Egg’s journey to Dorne, but Parker confirms Season 2 will be an adaptation of the second novella, “The Sworn Sword,” which takes place a year and a half or so after the events of “The Hedge Knight” and sees the pair in a part of the Reach.

“I love ‘The Sworn Sword’ because I think it’s very funny, and I think the sort of ‘will they / won’t they’ between Dunk and Lady Rohanne is just good territory for us,” he says. (Parker said they considered setting Season 2 in Dorne but that it would have taken too much time to flesh out the story even with Martin’s notes.)

In a conversation edited for clarity and length, Parker discussed his collaboration with Martin, every aspect of the show being a reflection of Dunk, and “A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms.”

Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings), left, and Dunk (Peter Claffey) while a maester (Paul Murphy) looks over the injured hedge knight.

(Steffan Hill / HBO)

The show is called “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” but in the finale, Egg points out to Dunk that there are actually nine kingdoms in Westeros. Can you explain that moment and actually showing the alternate title card?

The situation is so overwrought in this episode. With Baelor’s death and with everything that Egg has gone through, which we see him struggling with. Where Dunk’s head is at, going off alone again. The fact that they both get together is wonderful and uplifting, but we sort of had to reassure the audience — that even though Egg is now officially a prince and Dunk knows that, and this tragedy has come to pass between the two of them, the core of that relationship, what we learned to love about their relationship before all of this happened, actually still remains. So that was the importance of having a type of conversation like that. It didn’t necessarily have to be the conversation about the kingdoms, but just Egg, in his way, making sure that Dunk never feels like he knows anything. And it is a wink to the audience and to the fans [who have raised questions about the number], but we’re not changing the name of the show.

You mention Egg’s struggles and we do see just how much anger he has toward his brother Aerion in this episode. What were your thoughts on depicting that onscreen and what it says about Egg?

I talked to George a little bit about Egg and his motivations early on, and George said kids feel disappointment more acutely and that that is a huge part of it. It’s not to be discounted. I don’t want to go out there and say it’s because of Targaryen trauma and everything he’s been through. He’s a boy. Things were happening that were very nice for him that he was very happy about. Then it was all taken away and he blames people. He feels like he’s caused all these problems [for others], and when that doesn’t have a place to land, that’s what turns into anger. It just sort of brews up inside of you.

He sees Aerion as the true cause of all this. At that young age, he doesn’t know how to undirect that. He has some sort of a father there in Maekar. But the fact that he ends up with Dunk, that’s the whole story of Episode 6. Is Dunk, after all this, going to decide to save this kid who is just going to be thrown to the wolves otherwise? Who’s not going to get what he needs to direct his frustration and his disappointments to good energy targets? Kids who have that end up, generally, in better situations than kids who don’t.

It’s very important for me to show the importance of having a mentor in your life. We’re obviously very thematically about fathers and sons, knights and squires, and, to a certain extent brothers. But it is, at the core of it, what it is to have a teacher. Dunk had that in Ser Arlan. Dunk certainly has no obligation to do anything for this family at this point and he does it … because it was done for him. So he’s paying it forward, being a benefit to the person next to him.

Dunk (Peter Claffey) is ready for his next journey.

(Steffan Hill / HBO)

That’s one thing that sets Dunk apart. He’s one of the few people we see in this world who believes in doing good and that that’s what he’s supposed to be doing.

There’s an addition to that, which is that he wants so badly to do good and do right by his mentor who taught him what a knight was supposed to be. But there is this feeling that the world isn’t going to let you do that. We see somebody like Ned Stark, who’s very honorable, [but] probably suffered ultimately from his naivety — his belief in others. Dunk, I think, has one extra level. Or maybe I’m just projecting that onto him because sometimes I think about how to protect myself in this world where not everybody always has the best intentions. You so badly want to do good, but then there’s also the reality of that, and a big part of Dunk’s early journey in this world is learning those lessons.

Maybe that’s just because my head is also stuck in Book Two, where I think that is brought even more to the forefront. But he’s never going to change. He’s always going to be hopeful.

You did a Reddit AMA recently and you responded to someone who had asked about the show’s production budget that everything in this show was a reflection of the lead character. Can you explain what you meant by that?

It’s very chilling at the beginning to realize that you have one [point of view] character, but then when you realize how many facets go into making up that one person — from costumes, cinematography, music, everything — you realize you actually are telling a lot of different stories, just about one person and how they relate to the world. You have to make sure that that is one hell of an immersive experience, because it’s not like you could just have an audience member tune out if they don’t like the Dunk story this week. We had to make you feel in every single episode that you are in that situation, that you can somehow relate to Dunk and what he’s going through. This is because it’s about to get even tougher for him. Hopefully the people who come to us for the light, fun, enjoyable take on Westeros will stick with us through some of the harder, trickier, grimmer moments. Because this is George R.R. Martin’s world, and it gets dangerous.

But it was actually a very nice, natural way for us to differentiate ourselves [from the other shows]. We’re not a prequel. These are novellas that have existed for 30 years. It’s more organic. Rather than being so grand and epic in scale, it’s still small and simple and hopeful. [Dunk’s] still basically just a kid. It’s two kids setting out to have a little bit of fun. There’s got to be some some whimsy about it. That very easily allowed us to find our own voice.

Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) has a lot of anger for his older brother.

(Steffan Hill / HBO)

How is it like to work with George R.R. Martin?

He has been wonderfully collaborative. It’s been the most fulfilling creative partnership of my whole life. A lot of people can start out in this industry reading your stuff and telling you what they think is wrong without asking you why you did something the way that you did it. Giving you the benefit of the doubt and the conversation jumping off from there, George is very good at that. Whenever he would call me about a new script, we’d talk out what’s in my head in the version of events that led me down this path. And then he talks about why he either did it another way or has issues with it. It becomes a very natural conversation. It’s an extension of a writer’s room with a living legend, one of the greatest living writers in the world today. He just likes talking about this stuff with you, and I like talking about it with him.

What were your earliest conversations with him about “Dunk and Egg” like? Did you already have an idea of how you wanted to do the show before you talked to him?

I swung pretty wildly at the beginning from the point where HBO sent it to me — where I thought “Game of Thrones” shows are 10 episodes, an hourlong each, how could we possibly do that with these three novellas — to finding out what HBO’s intentions were for it, finding out what George’s intentions were for it. Having conversations with George about what he likes, why Dunk is his sole POV character. Why, for example, he never wrote any Egg chapters. He has so many specific thoughts on all of this that that really helped inform what my approach was going to be.

I think it was very important for me to go into that first meeting, when I flew to Santa Fe to meet him, with a mile-high preparation. I knew everything possibly in and around this world and these characters, and I had a lot of pitches, if it came to that. But I didn’t go in there and lead with that. I just went and I sat down and we had conversations. I asked a lot of questions and I listened a lot. And then I went back and I re-formed and I went off and wrote a pilot. Then we were off to the races.

Raymun Fossoway (Shaun Thomas), left, was a true friend to Dunk (Peter Claffey).

(Steffan Hill / HBO)

You worked on “House of the Dragon,” which is such a different show, even though it’s in the same world. How did your time there affect how you wanted to approach this show?

That room was one of my favorite rooms that I’ve ever been in. Ryan Condal is a true writer’s writer. He has so much love for this world. It’s funny because everybody thinks comedy rooms are just so funny all the time, everybody’s cracking jokes, and drama rooms are so serious because of the material. It’s actually often the exact opposite. In drama, because comedy is not currency, everybody’s just cracking jokes all the time. And Ryan has such a sharp wit; we share a very similar sense of humor. I think it was him who put me forward for this to HBO when they were looking for a writer for “Dunk and Egg,” and I’m very grateful.

Our room for “Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” was very different. We hired all drama writers, just people that have different sensibilities. I felt like I was living my very best days. We had 11 days in that writer’s room because the writers’ strike shut us down so quickly, but we knew that that was coming up. So we got going as fast as we possibly could and we broke as much as we could. Then I assigned scripts the very last day. But those 11 days in that room, I think we broke, ultimately, 20 seasons of a show by accident.

We were having so much fun, we were creating it all for the first season. We did it all for six episodes. As soon as we got back from the strike, a few of my writers were just like, “How do you expect us to write 35-minute episodes with these beats to be broken?” We pulled it a lot, lot back from what that was, but writers rooms are the happiest place on Earth, or least lonely place on Earth. It’s not always happy — it’s hard sometimes.

KATIE Price has proudly brandished a pregnancy test days after claiming she’s pregnant with her sixth baby.

The Sun exclusively revealed the former glamour model said I Do with businessman Lee Andrews in a plush ceremony in Dubai last month.

Over the weekend, it was revealed the pair made their marriage legal in a second ceremony.

Now Katie, 47, has taken to her bathroom to tease the next steps in their relationship.

Last week she appeared to confirm she is expecting as she claimed “I’m having his baby”.

The parent of five’s new video saw her posing in a white T-Shirt, holding a test with her pink manicured fingers.

AISLE BE BACK

Moment Katie Price & new hubby exchange vows in second wedding ceremony

I DO… AGAIN

Katie Price’s marriage made legal FIVE days ago in 2nd ceremony despite fears

Her huge wedding ring was on full display in the clip, which saw her brush her dark locks over her shoulder and flash a smile to the camera.

Yet she covered up the window box on the test, meaning the verdict could not be seen.

She then said: “Hey guys so all the speculation.

“If you want to see the truth subscribe and you will see the answer”.

She then flashed a pose to end the clip and added a subscription box.

Katie married Lee after two weeks of knowing him.

She then stunned fans by appearing to confirm that she’s expecting his baby just hours after meeting his dad.

In her apparent baby announcement, Katie was also quick to take a swipe at Lee’s ex partner Alana Percival, who he was engaged to last year.

In a shock rant, Katie took to social media and said: “Alana I know rejection doesn’t feel nice and I’m married to Lee Andrews the man you want and will never have again.

“Your constant lies and put downs is clearly showing how bitter you are, go live your life little girl.

Who is Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews?

KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?

• Katie Price has married businessman fiancé Lee Andrews in a whirlwind wedding
• It is the fourth time Katie, 47, has been a bride. She has also been married to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler
• Katie and Lee met just after being introduced on social media
• Lee claimed he is a billionaire in a failed clip from his acting career
• He now claims to be a Dubai-based businessman
• Yet The Sun has unmasked him as a fantasist who faked celebrity links using AI-generated photos and recently talked about marrying two other women
• Failed actor is just another title to add to Lee’s questionable CV, after he claimed to have once worked as the Director of Philanthropy at The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust)
• Lee also shared images – since proven to be AI – of him working with Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian
• It’s been revealed shameless Lee told former girlfriends that he had studied at Cambridge University, and has a PhD in biotechnology science
• But The Sun has seen a response from the university explaining it could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student with a date of birth they had provided
• His LinkedIn profile says Lee has been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015
• Lee was also mocked for repeating the exact same wedding proposal on Katie – that he did for another woman just four months ago.

“I know the truth and your now embarrassing yourself, go and have the little respect for yourself that’s left.

“I know all about you and who you are.

“At least I’m the real woman he has found and deserves, but please just enjoy watching us build our empire as I’m having his child.

“I’ll enjoy the ride and big d*** energy now, I’m in the saddle.

“He’s the most beautiful human I know who never took anything from you.”

Katie furiously added: “Now disappear back under that bridge you irrelevant little troll.”

While Lee also appeared to confirm the baby news by sharing a picture of him and Katie and writing: “Perfect couple, soon to be triple.”

Over the weekend, he shared an image seemingly showing him cradling Katie’s tummy with his hand.

Katie was previously issued a warning by Lee’s exes Alana and Crystal Janke, who he dated at the same time last year. 

Last month Alana, 32, and Crystal, 40, told The Sun exclusively how they were hoodwinked by the businessman — branding him a lying swindler who preys on women.

IT’S FAIR to say that Robbie Williams’ iconic song Angels is the most famous of his back catalogue and always gets everyone singing.

However, the man who claims to have originally wrote the song almost 30 years ago has reignited the decades old feud this week as he gave fans the inside story in a slew of new TikTok videos.

Irish singer-songwriter Ray Heffernan has always maintained that he wrote the first version of Angels in 1996.

However, although former Take That star Robbie confirmed that he recorded a demo with Ray, he has maintained he rewrote it significantly with Guy Chambers.

The singer also bought the rights to Angels from Ray for £7,500 before it was released in 1997.

However, over the years there has been a lot of bad blood between the two men concerning the song, and this week the feud over the iconic tune was reignited.

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It came when Robbie appeared on Radio 2 to talk about his debut album, and said: “I spoke a lot about the album I wanted to make, but the one I did make was Life Through A Lens.

“My memories of making it are, it took me less than two weeks with Guy Chambers to write the whole album.

“That didn’t necessarily mean that it was going to be a success. My album came out and it sold 33,000 copies in three months and that is not what EMI expected to do.”

Continuing with his story, the singer said: “I was about to be dropped and then fortunately I dropped The Angels, didn’t I?

“And it gave me the career that I’ve got today. I’m incredibly grateful for that song.”

But it was this last comment that appeared to really annoy Ray.

Sharing a POV video, the songwriter was seen on his couch reacting in response to Robbie’s comment about Angels, as he wagged his finger at the video and tutted with disapproval.

Since then, Ray has been dropping videos on TikTok, where he has been talking about Angels and how he “signed his rights away” to the song.

He also posted a throwback video of Robbie from 1997 where the singer talked about how he “wrote Angels in a couple of hours”.

Ray captioned the short clip with: “Body language never lies.”

The Sun has reached out to representatives of Robbie Williams for comment.

The last time the pair’s Angels feud was reignited was three years ago – again following Rob’s comments about writing the song.

It came after Ray was left incensed after listening to a Gary Barlow podcast in 2023 where the subject of who wrote Angels popped up again.

Robbie told his former Take That bandmate: “I was off my head basically, the record company has spent a lot of money signing me.

“I made a big song and dance about leaving Take That and wanting to do my own thing, and I hadn’t done anything.

“I thought I’d better get down to it, figure out my voice, and whether I can actually do this … I was at my sister’s house in the garden with a pen and a paper and I thought, right then, I’d better come up with something..(so I wrote) ‘I sit and wait .”…

Robbie then reportedly branded Ray a “fantasist” in the comments section of the podcast, after the songwriter revealed he was unhappy with what had been said.

Ray told The Irish Sun at the time: “How can Robbie Williams call me a fantasist?

“I have always maintained that as a young man, I wrote a song with Robbie, that went on to become his hit song Angels and my story of how that came about has never changed.

“Robbie now says publicly that I’m a fantasist. My question is what part of this am I making up?”

Ray also previously shared with The Irish Sun a picture featuring himself, Robbie and his family on the day he says they wrote the song together.

It was during Christmas 1996 when he met the singer in Dublin’s Globe pub.

Later the same evening, Ray claims that he invited Robbie around to his mum’s place to hear a song he’d just written.

Ray recalled: “We didn’t waste any time, starting that night where I got the guitar out in my mum’s house and played him this song I had been working on.

“This picture was taken the next night day when we played this new song. Robbie loved the song so much, he booked a studio to record his own version the next day.”

A few months later, Ray found out that Robbie was going to record Angels for his next album.

“I contacted Robbie’s management and his people said they would give us an amount of money if I signed a waiver denouncing any rights I had to the song,” he told us.

Robbie later worked on the song Angels with songwriter Guy Chambers.

The song went on to become the singer’s biggest selling single to date AND one of the biggest songs of the 90s.

Speaking about selling the rights to the song, Ray said: “I accepted a deal worth £7,500 to pay me for ‘all and any creative input’ into the song.

“I have the legal documents to prove it. So I am not making this up. You could certainly call me a dreamer in life but not a fantasist. I have never lied about this story, and every part of it is true”.

Back in 2017, Robbie defended the decision to pay Ray for Angels.

“We could have gone to court, and it all would have been down to whether what way the judge wakes up that day out of bed … So I gave him some money, and he went away,” the singer said.