The KnuckleHeadz may just be the thing to save America’s youth. They’re categorized too neatly as a punk band from Whittier, but they’re actually a movement: Southern California’s most raucous self-help program and hardcore band. The members are built like dockworkers and dressed like a deleted scene from “The Warriors”: black-and-green leather vests with a spiky-haired skull back patch. They are also the driving force behind the Punk Rock Fight Club, a Southern California-based organization dedicated to improving young men’s lives through fitness and structure. The rules are as strict as they are simple, and in this topsy-turvy world, truly radical: no hard drugs, no crime, no racists, no abusers. Respect yourself, your brothers and your community.
The KnuckleHeadz achieved a moment of internet fame after hosting a completely unsanctioned show in an unsuspecting McDonald’s for a hundred people. The viral clip of the show is the convenient entry point, but it sells short what the gentlemen have built. Onstage, the KnuckleHeadz are all sweat and spectacle: profanity-laced breakdowns, fans crowd surfing on boogie boards riding a human tide, and the green-and-black army in the pit pulling strangers upright. The absurdity of a fast-food slam pit, bodies and burgers briefly airborne — suggests anarchy. Look closer and you see choreography: Men catching falls, clearing space and enforcing a code. Punk has always promised salvation by noise. The KnuckleHeadz add a footnote: Salvation requires reps, rules and someone mean enough to care. Offstage, they run an infrastructure for staying alive.
The KnuckleHeadz in Whittier
(Dick Slaughter)
Founded in June 2021 by frontman Thomas Telles of Whittier, better known as Knucklehead Tom, and with the help of guitarist and tattooer Steven Arceo, aka Saus, of El Monte, the Punk Rock Fight Club (PRFC) has grown in a few years to six chapters and more than 200 members across Southern California. What started as a tight circle around a band hardened into a movement: discipline for kids who never got it, structure for men who need it, and a community without substance abuse . Prospects earn their way through mornings, sweat and commitment before they’re trusted with the skull back patch. The rules read like a brick wall and function like a doorway.
“I started the club because I wanted to do good in the scene,” Knucklehead Tom said “I wanted to create a tribe where we all supported each other, a family for people from all walks of life, especially those who came from broken homes. I wanted people to know they have somewhere to go and a family they can count on.”
Knucklehead Tom of The KnuckleHeadz puts his mic in to the crowd while performing with the band from Whittier.
(Dick Slaughter)
I first ran into the KnuckleHeadz and a few club members by accident three years ago in a London train station en route to the Rebellion Punk Rock Music Festival in Blackpool, a yearly event featuring more than 300 veteran and emerging bands. They were impossible to miss — part wolf pack, part brotherhood, pure energy. That year the KnuckleHeadz struck a chord with me, not just through their all-in, no-holds-barred performances, but also through their message, their obvious love for one another and their mission to better their community. Since then, I have taken a hard look inside both the band and the club; I visited their gym and attended many of their shows. I have met and talked with families and those the KnuckleHeadz and the club have helped. They have indeed, in many cases, worked miracles. But the guys don’t call them miracles. They call it Tuesday.
“Since we founded Punk Rock Fight Club, we paved way for what we knew was the movement and lifestyle many people in our scene needed,” Arceo said. “We’ve changed so many lives and with that our lives changed as well. We made a family built on brotherhood, loyalty with the camaraderie that can only be achieved through martial arts and punk rock. That’s something many of us grew up without. So to be able to bring this into the world is worth every sacrifice. We’re going on five years strong and will keep going till the day we die.”
The band’s ascent mirrors the spread of the club: a steady climb from underground slots to punk’s biggest stages. They earned a place on the final NOFX show and graduated from Rebellion’s side stage to the festival’s main stage. They’ve organized benefits for causes that don’t trend and for people who can’t afford to be causes. The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas recently added a piece of PRFC memorabilia, one of the club’s cuts — a leather vest with the skull back patch — to its collection, a true museum piece that still smells faintly of sweat. Next, KnuckleHeadz prepare for a U.S. run with punk legends GBH, the sort of tour that turns rumor into résumé.
Saus, co-founder of the KnuckleHeadz, wearing the band’s signature vest.
The Whittier dojo, KnuckleHead Martial Arts, is where the KnuckleHeadz code gets practical. It’s where guys run martial arts drills and where the mats serve double duty as community center flooring. During the band’s “F Cancer” benefit for 17-year-old Cesar “Little Cesar” Lopez II, the driveway became an impromptu slam pit. Inside, kids tumbled on the mats while guitars shook the walls. Families brought food, local businesses donated services, and more than $6,000 went toward treatments. In the carnival-like atmosphere outside, Little Cesar grinned and hyped the pit from the sideline, proving that joy, like violence, can be contagious.
One member, Bernard Schindler, 55, of La Mirada, came in after a life of ricochets: rehab, prison, relapse, repeat. The club gave him a schedule first and a future second, and now with the support of the club, he’s been clean and sober for more than two years.
Saus performing with the KnuckleHeadz during a Punk Rock Fight Club benefit show outside the KnuckleHeadz gym in Whittier.
(Dick Slaughter)
“Tom and the Punk Rock Fight Club completely turned my life around,” Schindler said. “It gave me purpose, discipline and a new family of brothers that push me to be better. I went from being a broken down drug addict to the healthiest I’ve ever been mentally, physically and emotionally in the 55 years I’ve been alive.”
Since getting involved with the KnuckleHeadz nearly three years ago, Schindler says he’s gotten closer to his family, including his three sons and his girlfriend, in addition to staying sober. “I can honestly say that I couldn’t have done it without Tom and our God-given club, the Punk Rock Fight Club,” he said.
The bassist known as Knucklehead Randy performs while riding on the shoulders of a fellow club member at a benefit show in Whittier.
(Dick Slaughter)
The PRFC trophy case is full of medals and awards, sure, but the real accomplishments are much quieter and miraculous. There are pay stubs where rap sheets used to be, text threads that start with the question “You good?” at 3:17 a.m., and apartment keys handed over when a kid can’t go home.
Hip-hop synth-punk artist N8NOFACE, now a fixture on lineups from the annual L.A. festival Cruel World tours with Limp Bizkit and Corey Feldman, calls Tom “my brother” and credits that code with keeping him aligned. “I was getting clean, and I’ve always believed that if you follow the right people, it helps you stay on your path,” N8 says. “Tom was about health, about not getting all messed up, about being a fighter and a warrior and taking care of your body first. To find that in punk was very different.”
When asked about his hopes for the future of the band, Tom says, “I just want to keep having fun. We love doing it and are grateful for all the love and support.“ The band is currently playing shows across SoCal with gutter punk legends GBH, including a show Friday at the Ventura Music Hall.
“With the club, I want to keep changing lives. It makes me happy to know that my son Nieko has an army of goodhearted uncles if anything were to happen to me. The righteous men in this club make me so proud.”
That’s the trick. That’s the point. In the noise between those truths, a lot of young men hear something they’ve never believed before: a future they’re allowed to keep.
Slaughter is a photographer and writer who has covered music and culture for countless outlets, including the OC Weekly and L.A. Times. He is a founding member of In Spite Magazine.
Vicky Pattison left fans in stitches after her Strictly partner Kai Widdrington exposed how she acts during rehearsals on the Get A Grip podcast
Strictly Come Dancing star Vicky Pattison’s partner Kai Widdrington has revealed a hilarious behind-the-scenes habit.
Appearing together on the Get A Grip podcast hosted by Angela Scanlon, 41, and the TV star, 30, Kai teased that his celebrity partner pulls funny facial expressions during training. “We discovered this week the ‘Stank face’,” the 30-year-old joked. “When she’s really trying she’ll (acts it out).”
To which Vicky replied: “It’s like a toddler doing a poo. It’s awful. And I am not proud of it. I’m really upset.” Angela chimed in, “It is like an upside-down puppy,” while Vicky agreed, laughing, “Yeah… it’s like an old man.” This week, Vicky has been candid about the pressures of the competition. In a recent interview with Women’s Health UK, the 37-year-old admitted training has felt like “a baptism of fire.”
“All the pros are carved like angels, and I’m there sweating away in my gym gear,” she said.
“It’s both intimidating and overwhelming. But as you get older, you don’t often get the opportunity to get out of your comfort zone. I like to prove I’m capable.”
While she’s built physical strength through weight training, Pilates, and charity treks, Vicky fears it’s the cardio that might hold her back. “Everyone is so fit,” she added.
Reflecting on her earlier reality TV days, Vicky said she felt less pressure entering the I’m A Celebrity… jungle in 2015, saying, “When you went into the jungle, everyone thought you were an arsehole, but you knew you could go in and change people’s perceptions,” a friend once told her.
“Now I’ve spent 10 years working to show people that I was young, making mistakes, and I wasn’t the best version of myself… I’m scared that under this spotlight, I’ll mess up.”
The Heart radio presenter also revealed she’s returned to therapy. “Maybe it’s working-class feelings of being undeserving. Maybe it’s deep-rooted self-doubt. I don’t know what it is, but it’s all come back,” she said.
Last week on Strictly Come Dancing, the Geordie Shore star and her partner performed a Gatsby‑themed Charleston and earned a total of 25 points from the judges, despite receiving mixed feedback from the judges.
BROOKLYN Beckham snubbed a question about his mum Victoria Beckham’s Netflix documentary, amid the family feud.
Her eldest child with husband David is believed to have “quit” the family after he renewed his wedding vows with Nicola Peltz without them.
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Brooklyn Beckham snubbed a question about his mum Victoria Beckham’s Netflix documentary, amid the family feudCredit: EPAHer eldest child with husband David is believed to have “quit” the familyCredit: Getty
Brooklyn was notably missing from mum Victoria’s Paris Fashion Week event, where she was supported by her three other children.
He was asked by a Daily Mail reporter how his career as a chef was going, to which he replied: “Good. I’m building Cloud 23, I love it,” referring to his hot sauce brand.
He was then asked: “And what do you think of your mum’s documentary?” but Brooklyn was quick to turn away and walk off at that moment.
Brooklyn didn’t answer the question, and was instead ushered through the crowd at the cooking event.
The Beckham clan looked amazing last week, as they stepped out on the red carpet for Victoria’s new Netflix documentary.
It follows Victoria Beckham, 51, as she navigates her life, running her fashion and beauty empire in the global spotlight.
The global streamer promised exclusive access to her life, her family, and those closest to her.
Victoria dressed for the special occasion in a stunning white ensemble.
She was joined by husband David, sons Romeo and Cruz, daughter Harper and Cruz’s girlfriend Jackie Apostel.
However, Victoria’s eldest son Brooklyn was absent from the red carpet.
Despite this, the former Spice Girls singer reportedly put the family feud to one side to make sure Brooklyn, 26, appeared in the doc.
Sources close to the project revealed that Brooklyn featured in a scene where he helps clear the catwalk after the heavens opened and it poured with rain.
Inside a historic aircraft hangar in Playa Vista, crowds of people gathered on Thursday to browse the latest fashions from handbags to clothing and shoes as they prepared for the holiday shopping season.
These weren’t shoppers or retailer buyers browsing for the latest products. Instead, they were YouTube video creators who were being courted by brands from Lowe’s to Shark Beauty to encourage online audiences to buy their products.
Aaron Ramirez, a 22-year-old influencer who focuses on men’s fashion and lifestyle, stood in front of racks of carefully curated shelves of backpacks as he decided which items he would endorse for his 234,000 YouTube subscribers.
“I can make a video about anything that improves my quality of life and add a link to it,” said Ramirez. “I only recommend products that I really use and really like.”
The San Diego resident was among about 300 creators participating in YouTube’s annual benefit for creators dubbed “Holiday House” that helps internet personalities get ready to sell goods during the busy holiday shopping season.
The event — held at the cavernous converted Google offices that once housed Howard Hughes’ famous Spruce Goose plane — underscores YouTube’s desire to be a bigger player in online shopping by leveraging its relationship with creators to promote products in much the same way that rival TikTok does.
In August, YouTube introduced new tools to help its creators better promote products they plug in their videos. One feature uses AI to identify the optimal place on the screen to put a shopping link when an influencer mentions a product. If a customer clicks on that link and makes a purchase, the creator gets a commission.
Brands that were once skeptical about influencers have embraced them over time as sales-tracking tools have improved and the fan base of video creators has mushroomed.
“It’s like the people that you saw on television and before that the people that you listened to on radio who became the trusted personalities in your life,” Earnest Pettie, a trends insight lead at YouTube, said in an interview. “Oprah’s Favorite Things was a phenomenon because of how trusted Oprah was, so it really is that same phenomenon, just diffused across the creator ecosystem.”
Despite economic uncertainty and tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, shoppers in the U.S. are expected to spend $253.4 billion online this holiday season, up 5.3% from a year ago, according to data firm Adobe Analytics.
Social media platforms have helped drive some of that growth. The market share of online revenue in purchases guided by social media affiliates and partners, including influencers, is expected to grow 14%, according to Adobe Analytics.
Cost-conscious consumers are doing more research on how they spend their money, including watching influencer recommendations. In fact, nearly 60% of 14- to 24-year-olds who go online say their personal style have been influenced by content they’ve seen on the internet, according to YouTube.
“It’s more about discovery, understanding where the best deals are, where the best options are,” said Vivek Pandya, director at Adobe Digital Insights. “Many of these users are getting that guidance from their influencers.”
YouTube is one of the top streaming platforms, harnessing 13.1% of viewing time in August on U.S. TV sets, more than rivals Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, according to Nielsen. And shopping-related videos are especially popular among its viewers, with more than 35 billion hours watched each year, according to YouTube.
With YouTube’s shopping feature, viewers can see products, add them to a cart and make purchases directly from the video they’re watching.
Promoting and enabling one-click e-commerce from video has been huge in China, triggering a wave across Asia and the world of livestreaming and recorded shopping videos. Live commerce, also known as live shopping or livestreaming e-commerce, is a potent mix of streaming, chatting and shopping.
The temptation to shop is turbocharged with algorithms like that of TikTok Shop, enticing people to try more channels and products.
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1.YouTube content creators Diana Extein, left, and Candice Waltrip, right, film clothing try-ons during YouTube’s Holiday House shopping event at Google Spruce Goose on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 in Playa Vista, CA.2.YouTube content creator Peja Anne, 15, makes a video with beauty products as her mom Kristin Roeder films during YouTube’s Holiday House shopping event at Google Spruce Goose on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025 in Playa Vista, CA.
A YouTube content creator who declined to give her name browses YouTube’s Holiday House shopping event at Google Spruce Goose on Thursday in Playa Vista, Calif.
YouTube content creator Cheraye Lewis’ channel focuses on lifestyle and fragrance, and a brand deal with Fenty Beauty helped launch her content to larger audiences.
More than 500,000 video creators as of July have signed up to be a part of YouTube Shopping, the company said.
Creators who promote products can make money through ads and brand deals, as well as commissions.
YouTube already shares advertising and subscription revenue with its creators and currently does not take a cut from its shopping tools, said Travis Katz, YouTube Shopping vice president.
“For us, it’s really about connecting the dots,” Katz said. “At YouTube we are first and foremost very focused on, how do we make sure that our creators are successful? This gives a new way for creators to monetize.”
Companies like Austin-based BK Beauty, which was founded by YouTube creator Lisa J, said YouTubers have helped drive sales for their products.
“They’ve built these long-term audiences,” said Sophia Monetti, BK Beauty’s senior manager of social commerce and influencer marketing. “A lot of these creators have established channels. They’ve been around for a decade and have just a really engaged community.”
To be sure, YouTube faces a formidable rival in TikTok, which is a leader in the live shopping space (its parent company, Byte Dance, is being sold to an American investor group so that the hugely popular app can keep operating in the U.S.).
Two years ago, the social video company launched TikTok Shop, working with creators and brands on live shopping shows that encourage viewers to buy products. TikTok had 8 million hours of live shopping sessions in 2024.
YouTube says its size and technology create advantages, along with the loyalty its creators build with fans when it comes to product recommendations.
Bridget Dolan, a director of YouTube Shopping Partnerships, said “shopping has been in YouTube’s DNA from Day One” and that the company has been integrating shopping features into its viewing experience.
YouTube content creators peruse products and film content during YouTube’s Holiday House shopping event at Google Spruce Goose on Thursday in Playa Vista, Calif.
Santa Clarita-based YouTube creator Cheraye Lewis said that YouTube Shopping helped her gain traction and earn a trusting audience through quality recommendations. Lewis, who has 109,000 subscribers on YouTube, makes videos about items such as fragrances and skincare products.
Lewis has been a video creator for eight years and has worked with such companies as Rihanna’s beauty brand Fenty.
“I try to inspire women and men to feel bold and confident through the fragrances that they’re wearing,” Lewis said at the event Thursday. “I give my audience real talk, real authenticity.”
“I was just matching the tops. Do you know what I mean?” Galton attempted to clarify, to which James retorted: “Well, it’s going well so far.”
“Shut up. Let me concentrate,” Galton told him, continuing to spoon out the mixture.
Both James and Galton chuckled at their banter as they completed the dish, featuring golden pastry, succulent scallops, butter sauce and crispy lardons.
After finishing the dish, Galton confessed: “I’m delighted, that’s the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Their friendly ribbing continued throughout the programme, with Galton later quipping: “I was going to say you lost a bit of weight and then you turned to the side.”
James responded with a cheeky quip: “This is the last time we’re seeing Galton, but anyway.”
He proceeded to wrap up the programme, telling audiences: “That’s all we’ve got time for today before I go to the gym.” He added: “I can breathe out now.”
The programme welcomed guests including seasoned broadcaster Mariella Frostrup and culinary experts Jonathan Phang and Galton.
Mariella discussed her illustrious broadcasting journey, which included reporting on Live Aid, and reminisced about first hearing the iconic 1984 charity anthem Do They Know It’s Christmas?
Speaking about the tune, she revealed: “There was something about that record. Hearing Bono’s voice. It still gives me goosebumps. It just felt like an incredible song.”
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Mariella elaborated on how the track represented “something much bigger than ourselves” and noted: “We were sure we were going to change everything.”
She acknowledged it stood in sharp contrast to today’s climate where people feel helpless to create meaningful change amid current political circumstances.
The broadcaster has expanded into the food industry alongside Mary Berry’s chef daughter Belles Berry, with the duo co-writing the cookbook Menolicious which explores nutrition during the menopause.
Meanwhile, Jonathan revealed details about his former role representing top models during the 1980s, including legendary figures like Naomi Campbell and Tyra Banks.
When questioned about whether he longed for the glamorous fashion industry, Jonathan candidly informed James: “No. I’m glad it’s over.”
He has since established himself as an accomplished food author and chef, demonstrating his comforting chicken broth recipe.
James Martin’s Saturday Morning is broadcast on ITV, every Saturday at 9.30am
KEVIN Federline has continued his string of shock allegations against ex wife Britney Spears – with the dancer now claiming she punched their son in the face.
The couple’s war of words and bad blood has come to the fore with the release of teasers for his new book You Thought You Knew, set for general sale on October 21.
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Britney Spears’ ex husband Kevin Federline has continued his steady stream of jaw-dropping allegations against the starCredit: GettyIn a teaser for his new book, he has suggested the Lucky hitmaker ‘punched’ their youngest sonCredit: Getty – ContributorThe pair share two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden JamesCredit: Instagram / britneyspearsBritney hit back at her ex’s ‘gaslighting’ behaviour this weekCredit: instagram
He has already teased many shock revelations about his relationship with the Toxic singer and life raising their sons, Sean Preston, now 20, and Jayden James, 19.
The former professional dancer, 47, has used his tome to open up about his struggles co-parenting with Britney, 43, throughout her downward spiral from pop princess to troubled artist.
He has now suggested the mum of two “punched” their youngest “in the face”, according to Variety.
Kevin also wrote how she allegedly bleached their scalps without his consent and asked eldest Preston to “bathe with her.”
He suggested the kids had filmed some incidents on their mobile phones.
In another shock allegation, which followed Preston’s holiday with his girlfriend, he claimed she replied with the words: “Her response was chilling: she told him she wished he, his brother, and me were all dead.”
The Sun has gone to Britney’s reps for comment.
CLAP BACK
Earlier this week, Britney clapped back at what she dubbed “exhausting” claims from her former partner.
Kevin and Britney got married on September 18, 2004, just five months after they met but they split in 2006.
In a text post written in black font on a white background, she wrote: “The constant gaslighting from my ex husband is extremely hurtful and exhausting.
“Relationships with teenage boys is complex. I have felt demoralized by this situation and have always asked and almost begged for them to be a part of my life.
“Sadly, they have always witnessed the lack of respect shown by own father for me.
“They need to take responsibility for themselves.
With one son only seeing me for 45 min in the past 5 years and the other with only 4 visits in the past 5 years. I have pride too.
“From now on I will let them know when I am available.
“Trust me, those white lies in that book, they are going straight to the bank and I am the only one who genuinely gets hurt here.”
The US chart star then wrapped her emotive message with the words: “I will always love them [her boys] and if you really know me, you won’t pay attention to the tabloids of my mental health and drinking.
“I am actually a pretty intelligent woman who has been trying to live a sacred and private life the past 5 years.
“I speak on this because I have had enough and any real woman would do the same.”
MARRIAGE BREAKDOWN
In an interview with The New York Times, Kevin previously revealed he has kept his distance from his ex-wife and they “haven’t spoken in years,” following their divorce nearly two decades ago.
However, in his book, the DJ also revealed some of Britney’s alarming behaviour, which he learned mainly from their kids.
“They would awaken sometimes at night to find her standing silently in the doorway, watching them sleep — ‘Oh, you’re awake?’ — with a knife in her hand,” Kevin wrote.
“Then she’d turn around and pad off without explanation.”
Meanwhile, the Lucky songstress’ backing dancer has broken her silence on his allegations the pair enjoyed a steamy snog.
In a statement provided to Us Weekly, Britney’s representative said, ‘Once again [Federline] and others are profiting off her, and sadly it comes after child support has ended with Kevin.
‘All she cares about are her kids, Sean Preston and Jayden James, and their well-being during this sensationalism,’ they added.
In 2023, Jayden and Sean moved to Hawaii with their dad and his new wife, Victoria Prince, and the their two half-sisters.
There were rife reports of a rift between the two sons and their famous mother, which was sparked after her conservatorship was terminated in November 2021.
Previously, the bubblegum pop queen apologized for “not being perfect.”
The pair were married for two yearsCredit: GettyKevin’s tome also alleges Britney held a knife while watching her sons sleep as well as suggesting she snogged a backing dancerCredit: GettyBritney meanwhile has been slowly rebuilding a relationship with her two sonsCredit: Instagram / britneyspears
Comedians Kumail Nanjiani and Ilana Glazer dropped out of performing at Salesforce’s annual tech conference this week after the company’s chief executive Marc Benioff made controversial remarks that showed his support for President Trump.
Last week, Benioff told the New York Times he thought Trump should deploy the National Guard to reduce crime in San Francisco, comments that sparked backlash from Silicon Valley philanthropists and Democrats.
On Friday, Benioff completely walked back his remarks and apologized.
“I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco,” he wrote on social media site X. “My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around the event, and I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused.”
Salesforce, a software company based in San Francisco, provides a platform that businesses use to manage customer data and track sales. The company confirmed the comedians dropped out but the entertainers haven’t said publicly what prompted the last-minute cancellation. A source close to the company told the San Francisco Chronicle that Nanjiani became ill and that led to his scheduled opener Glazer to cancel as well.
Nanjiani and Glazer haven’t publicly spoken out about Benioff’s remarks about the National Guard.
Both comedians, though, have been critical of Trump in the past and his anti-immigrant rhetoric. Earlier this year, Glazer spoke at a “No Kings” protest, which organizers say is to meant fight back against authoritarian policies pushed by Trump and his administration. This week, she promoted the next series of demonstrations, scheduled to take place on Oct. 18, stating it wasn’t a partisan issue on Instagram.
Benioff has grappled with a growing backlash since he made comments about Trump and the National Guard. The controversy overshadowed Dreamforce, a conference in San Francisco that featured well-known speakers including tech executives, government officials and entertainers.
Nanjiani played Dinesh in the HBO series “Silicon Valley” and co-wrote and starred in the Oscar-nominated 2017 film “The Big Sick.” Glazer co-created and starred in the Comedy Central series “Broad City” and the 2024 comedy film “Babes.”
In their absence, comedian David Spade performed at Dreamforce on Thursday afternoon, closing out the conference.
Ahead of the event, which ended on Thursday, Benioff appeared to dial back his remarks.
On social media site X, he said he was trying to make a point about making the conference as safe as possible.
“Keeping San Francisco safe is, first and foremost, the responsibility of our city and state leaders,” he wrote on X. Benioff also said he’s donating an extra $1 million to fund larger hiring bonuses for new police officers.
Benioff, who has previously said he’s an independent and was once a Republican, has backed Democrats and supported liberal causes such as a business tax for homeless services. But he’s also been critical of public safety in San Francisco and has threatened to move Dreamforce from San Francisco to Las Vegas.
The conference brings nearly 50,000 people to the city, generates $130 million in revenue for San Francisco and creates 35,000 local jobs, according to Salesforce. The company announced earlier this week it was investing $15 billion in San Francisco over five years to advance artificial intelligence.
On Thursday, prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist and Democratic donor Ron Conway resigned from the Salesforce Foundation board. In an email first viewed by the New York Times, Conway told Benioff that he “now barely recognize the person I have so long admired.”
“Your obsession with and constant annual threats to move Dreamforce to Las Vegas is ironic, since it is a fact that Las Vegas has a higher rate of violent crime than San Francisco,” Conway wrote in the email. “San Francisco does not need a federal invasion because you don’t like paying for extra security for Dreamforce.”
Conway, founder and managing partner of SV Angel, is widely regarded as the “Godfather of Silicon Valley” because of his early investments in major tech companies such as Google, Facebook and PayPal. SV Angel didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
A Salesforce spokesperson said in a statement they have “deep gratitude for Ron Conway and his incredible contributions to the Salesforce Foundation Board for over a decade.”
On Friday, entrepreneur and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs published an essay in the Wall Street Journal citing some of Benioff’s earlier remarks and claims that no one has given more to San Francisco. The widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs also founded and heads the philanthropic organization, Emerson Collective.
“The message beneath that comment was unmistakable: In his eyes, generosity is an auction—and policy is the prize awarded to the highest bidder,” she wrote. “But giving that expects control is anything but generous.”
Chris McCausland won the 2024 series of Strictly Come Dancing with professional partner Dianne Buswell, but the pair faced a number of challenges during their time on the show
Comedian Chris McCausland‘s triumph on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing came despite numerous obstacles – but not all of them were related to the Liverpool-born comedian’s retinitis pigmentosa, which robbed him of his sight almost entirely in his early twenties.
Indeed, he reveals, even if he’d retained his vision, he might have lost it regardless during rehearsal sessions for the programme.
While Chris and professional dance partner Dianne Buswell were rehearsing their Samba for Halloween Week, the Australian professional dancer, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Joe Sugg, kicked backwards a touch too vigorously.
Chris remembers that the dancer “caught me so hard in the face that I almost threw up and had to lie down for twenty minutes to recover”.
In his new autobiography, Keep Laughing, he continues: “I took the entire impact of her flying foot right on one eyeball. It’s honestly a good job they didn’t work already or I would have been doing that dance half blind anyway and Strictly would have had an insurance payout like no other.”
But the biggest challenge to the dancing pair wasn’t Chris’ condition, but Dianne’s.
Their apparently effortless Week Eight Couple’s Choice routine to John Lennon’s 1970 classic Instant Karma masked a hidden crisis.
The dramatic performance featured a sudden blackout which, Chris reveals, was intended to transport the studio audience and BBC viewers into his world of darkness. It was an extraordinary television moment, and both the programme’s judges and fans had an enormous emotional reaction.
However, what nobody else realised was that Dianne had been genuinely struggling in the lead-up to the live programme.
Chris revealed: “The only downside to this dance for us was that Dianne had been really ill all day, so we hadn’t been able to enjoy it as much as we would have liked.”
Dianna had been battling a stomach bug, and Chris quipped that the daring moment when the stage lights returned after the blackout to show him spinning rapidly with Dianne draped across his shoulders could have had some very nasty outcomes.
He penned: “She had been unable to keep anything down and had spent a lot of that day in or near a toilet, so we were just grateful that it was only the pyrotechnics that went off, or that fast spin out of the darkness could have been a very different surprise!”.
The routine earned thunderous applause from the crowd and a score of 33 out of a potential 40 points from the judging panel – Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke.
Craig declared the “poignant blackout moment” was “absolutely spectacular” whilst head judge Shirley became tearful and, as she composed herself, told Chris: “You come out every week with your heart on your sleeve, and you give us 100%.”
He revealed that if medical science were to find a cure for his blindness one day, he would first look up some video clips from his time on Strictly: “I’ll certainly have to sit down with Dianne, to watch our dances and actually see what we were able to accomplish each week.”
X FACTOR winner Joe McElderry says he’ll be ‘eternally single’ while opening up on his dating life.
The talented 34-year-old became a household name after he won the show in 2009, as a fresh-faced 18-year-old with Cheryl as his mentor.
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X FACTOR winner Joe McElderry says he’ll be ‘eternally single’ while opening up on his dating lifeCredit: SuppliedJoe won the X Factor in 2009Credit: Rex FeaturesHe has spoken to The Sun about his new tourCredit: Channel 4
But where his career has thrived, Joe’s not had the same success when it comes to dating.
Joe referred to himself as “eternally single” in a chat with The Sun, while adding: “I’ve been single for a very, very long time.
“And I mean I listen, I’m open to meeting somebody and I’d love to meet somebody, but I think dating is so hard now.
“Online dating is a minefield, and I don’t think people meet people unless it’s on dating apps now, which is crazy. It’s kind of sad in a way.”
And if he is to meet someone, they’d have to get the green light from his grandma Hilda.
Joe continued: “She’s a very good judge of character. You’ll know if she doesn’t trust somebody or she doesn’t like somebody.
“In our industry, you can come across some dodgy people, but she can call it out in seconds of somebody walking in a room and I’m like, that’s a wise woman.”
Joe shares a very close bond with his grandma Hilda, with the pair set to do a live recording of their popular podcast That’s Ridiculous, on October 23rd.
The booked and busy star is also delighting audiences across the North East with his autumn tour, culminating in his one-night-only Festive Party at Newcastle’s O2 City Hall on 1st December.
Sharing more about tour life, the Climb singer told us: “It’s a very short tour in comparison to what I normally do, but I’ve been on the road with Joseph the musical since January.
“We finished that in August, and the original plan was to kind of just have October off, and chill out, and then I got halfway through the year and I was like, I feel like I’m gonna miss touring.
“So we managed to kind of shoehorn in about 10 shows, it’s been great. We’ve done three of them already and it’s been lovely and it’s my favourite thing to do, just to be in the room with people that support me and know my music.”
The star shared his pre-show ritual which he has stuck by for years – but admits it’s “not for everyone.”
Joe continued: “The weirdest thing I do is I gargle bicarbonate of soda.
Joe’s tour dates
Fans still have the chance to catch Joe live throughout October, with highlights including his special That’s Ridiculous live podcast with Grandma Hilda at The Customs House in South Shields.
23 October* – Customs House, South Shields
24 October – Customs House, South Shields
25 October – Customs House, South Shields
26 October – Playhouse, Whitley Bay
“Years ago, a wonderful supporter of mine sent a letter in and he was saying how it’s like an remedy, and so I read this letter and I thought that sounds a bit strange, but I’m going to give it a go and honestly, I mean I’m not a doctor, so if anybody reads this as advice, do it at your own risk, but it’s like a miracle cure for the voice, it’s like a natural antiseptic.
“You don’t swallow it or anything, it’s just a gargle on your voice. But I swear by it. I have it half an hour before the show. I sometimes have it in the interval of a show. And I even have it in a quick change if I’m struggling on a show day.”
The 34-year-old admits huge singers have taken his advice in the past after asking what could work to help their vocal chords.
“It does taste disgusting, but honestly not one person has ever come back and gone, #that didn’t work,’” Joe added.
Tickets for both the tour and the festive show at O2 City Hall are available via Joe’s official website and venue box offices – www.joemcelderryofficial.com.
X factor winner Joe with his grandma, Hilda, during his X Factor heydayCredit: AlamyWhere his career has thrived, Joe hasn’t had the same success when it comes to datingCredit: SuppliedThe star is currently doing an autumn tourCredit: SuppliedJoe became a household name after winning Britain’s biggest singing contestCredit: Pixel
The Pentagon issued a statement blasting the streamer’s programming and leadership Friday following an inquiry about the new series “Boots” from Entertainment Weekly. While the response from Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson did not directly address the gay coming-of-age military show, it did slam Netflix for following an “ideological agenda” that “feeds woke garbage to their audience and children.”
“Under President Trump and Secretary [Pete] Hegseth, the U.S. military is getting back to restoring the warrior ethos,” Wilson’s statement said. “Our standards across the board are elite, uniform, and sex neutral because the weight of a rucksack or a human being doesn’t care if you’re a man, a woman, gay, or straight. We will not compromise our standards to satisfy an ideological agenda, unlike Netflix whose leadership consistently produces and feeds woke garbage to their audience and children.”
Based on Greg Cope White’s 2016 memoir “The Pink Marine,” “Boots” follows Cam Cope (Miles Heizer), a gay teenager who enlists in the Marines at a time when being gay in the military was still a crime. Noting the show’s timely themes, Times television critic Robert Lloyd called it a “perfectly decent, good-hearted, unsurprisingly sentimental miniseries” in his review.
The show’s creatives also worked closely with several advisors with past military experience to authentically portray the Marines and military life in the 1990s.
The Pentagon’s criticism against Netflix follows the recent campaign led by billionaire Elon Musk calling for people to cancel their subscriptions to the streamer. The on-again/off-again Trump ally railed against Netflix on X earlier this month after clips of “Dead End: Paranormal Park,” an animated Netflix series featuring a trans character, was making the rounds on the social media platform. The show was canceled after its second season was released in 2022.
Despite being the target of right-wing ire, Netflix also has a history of being called out for its anti-trans programming. In 2021, transphobic remarks made by comedian Dave Chappelle in his special “The Closer” led to protests, walkouts and even a resignation of a trans employee. The streamer followed that in 2022 by releasing a comedy special from Ricky Gervais that also featured transphobic material.
Vanessa Feltz, who was sometimes seen on This Morning on ITV, engaged to musician Ben Ofoedu in 2006 but, despite planning to tie the knot in the years since, never got married
03:33, 18 Oct 2025Updated 05:35, 18 Oct 2025
Vanessa Feltz says she feels ‘unattractive’ when relationship don’t work out(Image: Rowan Griffiths / Daily Mirror)
Vanessa Feltz has admitted she feels “demoralised and unattractive” when potential relationships don’t work out.
The broadcaster has been introduced to men following her split with musician Ben Ofoedu, 53, earlier this year, but despite the rendezvous, nothing significant has stuck, it is thought. Vanessa, 63, became tearful when she confirmed she and Ben ended things in 2023, having been together for nearly 20 years.
Speaking this week, the unlucky-in-love presenter said she doesn’t use dating websites and prefers friends to introduce her to potential partners. However, she added: “It’s hard. I’m too famous to be on websites. I would like to be introduced by a friend, but when it doesn’t work it is hard not to feel demoralised and unattractive.”
Vanessa, originally from north London, was married to Michael Kurer, a surgeon, for 15 years until their divorce in 2000. She shares two children and four grandchildren with Michael. Recalling her split with Michael, Vanessa said in a previous interview she “was too open” with her daughters “about information and how I was feeling”.
But Vanessa began dating Ben as her children grew older, and enjoyed a long relationship with the singer. They became engaged in 2006 but, despite planning to tie the knot in the years since, never got married and parted ways in 2023. Speaking about the split, Vanessa previously said: “It’s clear that it’s over and I really do feel that once the trust in a relationship is gone then you can’t really get it back and that’s what I would tell anyone else to do.
“And so I just wanted to say that obviously I feel incredibly sad and I am pretty disappointed and shocked and all those horrible things but also full of resolve. I am not going to let this defeat me.”
Her followers on Instagram showed huge support for the star, who was on Celebrity Big Brother in 2001, around one year after her divorce.
The latest heartbreaking admission, said to a Daily Mail reporter at an event this week, comes as Vanessa continues to present her self-titled TV show on Channel 5. Devised as a chat show to rival Loose Women in the lunchtime slot, the programme sees Vanessa discuss topical issues and debates with a panel of guests, often including model Nicola McLean, presenter Sarah Cawood and journalist Afua Hagan.
The programme has been renewed for a second series, and TV sources say Vanessa is tipped to take some of the Loose Women audience when the ITV show goes down from 52 weeks to 30 next year.
Hard-of-hearing BBC viewers were baffled as Pulp belted out Spike IslandCredit: InstagramThe song was wrongly subtitled with lines from Agatha Christie’s Miss MarpleCredit: Alamy
Hard-of-hearing viewers were baffled as the frontman belted out Spike Island at the Mercury Prize awards ceremony on Thursday night.
Subtitles as he prowled the stage included, “Oooh then… Then the secretary girl came up with Heather Babcock”.
He also appeared to sing, “Dr Haydock, I would be very distressed if I thought you believed”, as well as “On and on she went” and “Honestly, she did go on so!”
Jarvis, 62, later posted snaps online, and wrote: “It appears our performance was accompanied by…… the subtitles to an episode of Miss Marple!”
Subtitles as he prowled the stage included, ‘Oooh then… Then the secretary girl came up with Heather Babcock’Credit: InstagramSinger Jarvis Cocker also appeared to sing, ‘Dr Haydock, I would be very distressed if I thought you believed’Credit: InstagramFans lapped it up, with some saying they could be real Pulp lyricsCredit: Instagram
There you are, sitting in traffic in your car, listening to Taylor Swift on Spotify because it’s easier than subjecting yourself to a new, more challenging artist. An ad pops up in your stream. It’s serious stuff, evidenced by the dystopian tone of the narrator: “Join the mission to protect America,” the serious man’s voice commands, “with bonuses up to $50,000 and generous benefits. Apply now … and fulfill your mission.”
It’s an Immigration and Customs Enforcement recruitment ad, part of the Trump administration’s investment of $30 billion to add more than 10,000 deportation officers to its ranks by the end of the year. You would have been spared the outrage if only you had paid for Spotify’s ad-free tier of service, but there’s no way the audio streamer is getting your money now. You’ll be switching to, say, Apple Music. Maybe Tidal?
The experience of being subjected to recruitment ads for a domestic military force, assembled by a power-hungry president, has generated intense backlash that’s culminated this week in calls for boycotts of streaming services and platforms that have featured ICE spots. They include Pandora, ESPN, YouTube, Hulu and Fubo TV. Multiple HBO Max subscribers bemoaned on X that they were subjected to ICE recruitment videos while watching All Elite Wrestling: “Time to be force-fed ICE commercials against my will for two hours again #WWENXT,” @YKWrestling wrote.
Recruitment ads — Uncle Sam’s “I Want You” poster comes to mind — are an American staple, especially in times of war. But the current recruitment effort is aimed at sending forces into American cities, predicated on exaggerated claims that U.S. metro areas are under siege and in peril due to dangerous illegal immigrants, leftist protesters and out-of-control crime rates. The data, however, does not support those claims. The American Immigration Council found that from 1980 to 2022, while the immigrant share of the U.S. population more than doubled (from 6.2% to 13.9%), the total crime rate declined by over 60%.
Yet there’s a far scarier doomscape on the horizon if ICE’s recruitment efforts are successful: a mercenary army loyal only to Trump, weaponized to keep him on the throne. If that sounds more dystopian than the aforementioned Spotify ad, consider that the administration has spent more than $6.5 million over the past month on a slew of 30-second commercials aimed at luring in police officers.
The ads aired on TVs in more than a dozen cities including Chicago, Seattle and Atlanta and opened with images of each specific metro area’s skyline. Then came the commanding narration: “Attention, Miami law enforcement!” It’s followed by the same messaging that is used in ICE ads across the country: “You took an oath to protect and serve, to keep your family, your city, safe. But in sanctuary cities you’re ordered to stand down while dangerous illegals walk free — Join ICE and help us catch the worst of the worst. Drug traffickers. Gang members. Predators.”
But are the ads working? It’s hard to say since transparency isn’t a hallmark of the MAGA White House. For what it’s worth, a Sept. 16 press release from the DHS claimed that it had received more than 150,000 applications in response to its campaign and had extended 18,000 tentative job offers.
As for the power of consumer-led boycotts, there’s hope. More than 1.7 million Disney, Hulu and ESPN subscriptions were reportedly canceled between Sept. 17 and Sept. 23 during Jimmy Kimmel’s temporary suspension by ABC (Disney is ABC’s parent company). The network pulled the show after the host’s comments related to Charlie Kirk’s assassination angered MAGA supporters and the Trump-appointed FCC chair appeared to threaten the network. But after a week with a significant increase in cancellations — a 436% jump compared to a normal week — Kimmel was back on the air.
As of today, Spotify appears unmoved by the pressure to pull those intrusive ICE ads. “This advertisement is part of a broad campaign the US government is running across television, streaming, and online channels,” a Spotify spokesperson said in a statement this week. “The content does not violate our advertising policies. However, users can mark any ad with a thumbs up or thumbs down to help manage their ads preferences.”
Thumbs down. Frowny emoji. Cue the dystopian narrator for a counter ad: “Join the mission to protect America: Cancel Spotify.”
Coronation Street Becky Swain works on getting close again with her ex Lisa Swain next week, amid her plan to ‘oust’ Carla Connor out of the family on the ITV soap
00:00, 18 Oct 2025Updated 00:09, 18 Oct 2025
Becky Swain gets to work on winning over her ex Lisa Swain on Coronation Street next week.
A new preview reveals the moment the pair grow closer again, as they reminisce about the past and discuss the moment that tore them apart. Becky faked her death four years ago and fled to Spain, with it revealed someone was after her.
DI Costello helped cover it all up and now it’s been teased the pair are hiding much more, and that Becky is “a villain”. Corrie boss Kate Brooks has revealed that we’re yet to see just what Becky is fully capable of, but she’s out to “oust” Carla Connor from the family.
Lisa was ‘widowed’ after Becky’s fake demise four years ago, and in the past year she’s grown close to new partner Carla. Just months ago the pair got engaged, only for Becky to rock up – and now it’s clear she’s out to ruin it all.
While it’s not known what she has up her sleeve, we do know she’s desperate to have her wife and their daughter Betsy Swain back. She wants the family back together again, and Carla is stopping that.
Carla’s existence alone proves difficult for Becky’s agenda, never mind the fact Carla is clearly suspicious of her ‘rival’. So perhaps with Carla in Ireland, we’re about to see Becky make her first move.
In a new preview clip, Becky spends some time alone with Lisa amid trouble with Betsy after her arrest. The pair are on the sofa having enjoyed a curry and a glass of wine.
Lisa is a little tipsy, and the pair are debating whether or not to watch Game of Thrones “like they used to”. Becky very quickly reminds Lisa of the life they once had, and how they’d spent nights often at home with a takeaway and watching the telly.
Lisa is thoughtful as she remembers this well, but she quickly points out the reason it all stopped was because Becky died, or at last she thought. Becky guilt trips Lisa with a comment about it not being fun and games for her, having to hide out from criminals.
As she tells Becky how hard it was without her, Becky tells her she wishes she could turn the clocks back to a time that they were together as a family, wishing she could have stopped everything that led to her fleeing. Caught up in the emotions, Lisa agrees with her that she too wishes they could go back.
As Lisa appears emotional, Becky strokes her hair, leading to Lisa grabbing her hand and placing it against her face. This, and the fact that Lisa misses the way things were, leaves Becky smiling, no doubt believing she may have a chance of winning Lisa back.
But what will Lisa do, and is the moment on the sofa not what it seems? After all, Corrie boss Kate hinted Swarla, Carla and Lisa, could survive the drama with Becky, with twists ahead for the newcomer – but how far will Becky go to get what she wants?
A BBC star’s nepo daughter has revealed her addiction battle on her new single.
The singer has opened up for the first time about struggling with addiction, ADHD andsubstance abuse.
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A BBC star’s nepo daughter has revealed he addiction battle on a new singleCredit: instagramLine of Duty star Adrian Dunbar’s daughter, Madeleine Dunbar, 37, whose artist’s name is Minx has explored her past in her new music video.Credit: instagram
Line of Duty starAdrian Dunbar‘s daughter, Madeleine Dunbar, 37, whose artist’s name is Minx has explored her past in her new music video.
The artist took to Instagram with an image of herself spread across a lime satin bedspread with beer cans rolled into her hair as curlers
In the image she is surrounded by lines of fake white powder, pill packets and bottles.
The artist said: “My name is Madeline Dunbar, My artist name is Minx.
“Messy, Messy ADHD Queen and I am writing songs about it.
The camera then flips to Madeline’s cat and she jokes: “Oh that’s my cat Tony. I think he thinks I’m relapsing.
“Don’t worry baby boy we are not going back there. That is just my ADHD medication crushed up on a golden plate.”
Madeline then bursts into laughter and adds: “Anyways if any of this stuff resonates with you in the right place.
“I’m about to release a track called Dopamine on the 1st November.
“I think you’re gonna f**k with it.”
The singer describes her music as “high-energy pop rap with hip hop, house and Latin influences”, drawing inspiration from Madonna, Lady Gaga, Janelle Monae and Rosalia.
Lyrics from the song include: “And every time I think that I’m in control / You serve another cocktail of chemicals / And it’s nice, but I wonder”
In an earlier post the singer wrote: “Fully clean and sober writing songs about addiction is cathartic but sitting in front of my favourite vices (albeit fake substitutes) was a bit triggering.
“It also made me feel a great sadness for the person I once was and the people still suffering.
“This track is a foray into the desperation felt by anyone suffering with adhd or addiction or like me, both!
“The frenzied need to feel better to feel different to feel normal.
“The futile necessity of instant gratification because that low dopamine is REAL and makes you feel so f***ing empty and unenthused.
“If you or a loved one are struggling speak out and seek help. It can be done, we do recover.”
Adrian is wed to his Australian actress wife Anna Nygh, after they got married in 1986 – as well as Madeline he also has a stepson with Anna.
Madeline has said her music is influenced by Madonna and Lady GagaCredit: instagramThe singer has opened up for the first time about her addictions and ADHDCredit: instagramHer father is best known for his role as Superintendent Ted Hastings, the head of an anti-corruption squad in Line of DutyCredit: PA
LONDON — Prince Andrew said Friday he is giving up his royal title of the Duke of York and other honors after his friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein returned to the headlines.
Andrew, the younger brother to King Charles III, said in a statement released by Buckingham Palace that “the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family.”
“With His Majesty’s agreement, we feel I must now go a step further. I will therefore no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me,” Andrew said in his statement Friday. “As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me.”
The news came in the wake of the release of excerpts of an upcoming posthumous memoir from Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who has alleged she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew when she was 17.
It’s the latest fall from grace for the 65-year-old prince, who had already stepped down from public life in 2019 over his links to Epstein despite his denials of any wrongdoing.
Giuffre died by suicide in April at the age of 41. In the memoir, she details alleged encounters with Prince Andrew, who she sued in 2021, claiming that they had sex when she was 17. Andrew denied her claims and said he didn’t recall having met her.
Andrew, once second in line to the British throne, has long been a source of tabloid fodder because of his links to Epstein, other questionable characters and money woes.
His attempt to refute Giuffre’s allegations backfired during a November 2019 BBC interview. Viewers saw a prince who proffered curious rebuttals — such as disputing Giuffre’s recollection of sweaty dancing by saying he was medically incapable of perspiring — and showed no empathy for the women who said Epstein abused them.
Within days of the interview, Andrew stepped down from his royal duties. Giuffre sued him and the case was settled in 2022 for an undisclosed sum. A statement filed in court said that the prince acknowledged Epstein was a sex trafficker and Giuffre was “an established victim of abuse.”
As well as no longer using the title of the Duke of York, a long-established title that was gifted to him by his mother Queen Elizabeth II at his wedding to Sarah Ferguson in 1986, Andrew will also give up other titles: Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. He will remain a prince, which he has been entitled to since birth.
Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson will also no longer use the title of Duchess of York. Their children, Beatrice and Eugenie, will remain princesses.
Andrew’s chaotic marriage to Ferguson, widely known as Fergie, lasted a decade though the two remain close, living together at a 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle. He has long been criticized for his opulent, globe-trotting lifestyle.
Andrew had been the poster boy of the royal family for many years, and his romantic links to a number of models and starlets during his youth were widely chronicled in the British press.
His star status within the royal family was at its peak after he flew in multiple missions as a helicopter pilot in the Royal Navy during the 1982 Falklands War when British forces sailed to the south Atlantic to eject the Argentine military that had invaded the U.K. overseas territories.
Emmerdale have released a preview for next week that sees Kev make his return to the village after his prison release, where he drops a claim on a confused Victoria Sugden
00:00, 18 Oct 2025Updated 00:09, 18 Oct 2025
Robert Sugden’s drama with his secret husband Kev continues on Emmerdale next week.
The character is still hiding the truth about Kev, with only his sister Victoria Sugden knowing who he is. But even she is in for a bombshell of her own, thanks to a comment made by Kev next week.
A new preview shows the moment Robert and Kev are reunited, hugging it out as Kev shows up to see him. Of course he’s staying with his partner Aaron Dingle, with both Aaron and Kev unaware of each other’s situation with Robert.
That all changes next week when Aaron spots Kev and Robert kissing, and the truth comes to light. Prior to this, Robert is hiding his whereabouts from Kev, claiming to be working on the farm when actually he’s been with Aaron.
He’s still trying to live two separate lives until he has to spill all, still believing he can keep Aaron and Kev separate. But Kev’s bombshell claim to Victoria sparks more questions, as it emerges Robert has lied about his sister.
Kev announces that Victoria is “looking well” for someone who has had brain surgery. Victoria is baffled, demanding answers from Robert who confesses he lied that he was caring for her.
Having to explain why he’s not been visiting Kev, he’s lied to his husband that Victoria had an operation on her brain and needed to be looked after. In the preview clip, Kev checks in on Victoria with Robert watching on awkwardly.
Victoria then finds out from Kev that he’s staying with Charles and Claudette Anderson as part of his outreach programme. Victoria points out Robert didn’t tell her this information, to which he feigns surprise over missing out this part.
When Kev pops out of the room, Victoria wastes no time in making it clear to Robert that the time is now to confess all. With Kev now staying in the village, she knows it’s only a matter of time before he and Aaron meet.
With that, she tells Robert he has to confess about Kev to Aaron before he finds out from someone else. Robert places his head in his hands, realising he’s in trouble.
Next week spoilers have revealed Kev is introduced to Charles and Claudette, and he soon runs into Aaron. A teaser preview has hinted that Robert tells both Aaron and Kev that neither of them have anything to worry about – but will he regret this?
SUPERSTAR Taylor Swift has quietly donated $100,000 to help save the life of little girl fighting cancer.
The Sun can reveal the Look What You Made Me singer, 35, made the huge donation on Friday night after finding herself trawling the pages of GoFundMe.
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Taylor Swift has donated $100,000 to help a young girl battling cancerCredit: APLilah is one of just 58 people in the world with her conditionCredit: standwithlilah
The singer’s money will go towards to helping a little girl named Lilah who suffered her first seizure aged 18 months before having surgery to remove a stage 4 tumour just weeks later.
She has since been diagnosed with a very aggressive form of brain cancer – with only 58 known cases in the world.
A source said: “Taylor has always been keen to give back and help others but even by her standard this is staggering.
“She often finds herself on GoFundMe reading about the plight of others and Lilah’s story really touched her.
“Hopefully, her donation can help bring an end to her years of pain.”
Lilah’s mum previously took to social media to reveal how she turned to Taylor’s music to help get her through her darkest moments.
She even almost named her daughter after Taylor’s 2020 single Willow.
Posting on Instagram, she wrote: “Also Lilah’s name was originally going to be Willow.
“We were set on that name my whole pregnancy but ultimately ended on Lilah. I listened to Taylor my whole pregnancy and then birthed a mini Swiftie.”
Lilah loves Taylor’s music and during her cancer treatment she always found joy in it. I hope Lilah gets through this diagnosis and gets to one day go to a Taylor Swift concert in person. I know she would love it.”
After two rounds of chemo Lilah and her family are now trying to figure out the next stage of treatment.
Her family added via her GoFundMe page: “All the donations we receive will help us with travel expenses and paying bills as we are still out of work while Lilah is in treatment.”
Lilah was originally going to be named after Taylor Swift single WillowCredit: Getty
British actor Samantha Eggar, the Oscar-nominated star of films including “The Collector,” “Doctor Dolittle” and David Cronenberg’s “The Brood,” has died. She was 86.
Eggar died Wednesday evening, her daughter Jenna Stern announced Friday on Instagram. Stern said her mother died “peacefully and quietly surrounded by family” and recalled being by the actor’s side “telling her how much she was loved.” A cause of death was not revealed.
Stern described her mother, who was also a prolific TV actor, as “beautiful, intelligent, and tough enough to be fascinatingly vulnerable.”
Eggar pursued a film career that spanned the 1960s to the 1990s and was most celebrated for her work in “The Collector,” directed by William Wyler. The psychological horror movie, based on John Fowles’ novel of the same name, featured Eggar as the youthful art student abducted by a reclusive young man portrayed by Terence Stamp. For the thriller, Eggar collected the Cannes Film Festival‘s actress prize plus a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination.
After the film’s release, Eggar secured numerous roles, notably in the 1967 iteration of “Doctor Dolittle” opposite Rex Harrison, “Walk, Don’t Run” with Cary Grant, “The Molly Maguires” and “The Walking Stick.”
One of Eggar’s most memorable roles was in Cronenberg’s “The Brood,” released in 1979. She starred as Nola Carveth, a mental patient receiving radical psychotherapy treatment amid a series of mysterious murders. The film also starred Oliver Reed and Art Hindle.
Throughout her film career, Eggar also appeared in scores of television series ranging from “Anna and the King” (opposite “The King and I” star Yul Brynner), “Starsky & Hutch,” “The Love Boat” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Her more substantial TV roles included a voice-acting part in the animated series “The Legend of Prince Valiant,” which ran for two seasons, and a stint as Charlotte Devane on the daytime drama “All My Children.”
The actor also lent her voice as Hera in Disney’s “Hercules,” then reprised the role in the animated classic’s spinoff video game and TV series.
Eggar was born March 5, 1939, in Hampstead, London. Her father was a British Army brigadier and her mother served as an ambulance driver during World War II. She studied art and fashion at the Thanet School of Art and pursed acting at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, according to a statement her daughter shared. Later in life, Eggar returned to the stage, performing “The Lonely Road” at the Old Vic and “The Seagull” at Oxford Playhouse and Theatre Royal, Bath.
She also brought her talents to radio, lending her voice to more than 40 productions for the California Artists Radio Theatre. Eggar was an animal enthusiast and supporter of several environment and health causes.
“Samantha Eggar will be remembered not only for her unforgettable performances but for her generosity, wit, and love of life,” the statement said.
Eggar is survived by her children Nicolas and Jenna, grandchildren Isabel, Charlie and Calla; and sisters Margaret Barron, Toni Maricic, and Vivien Thursby.
Coronation Street fans witnessed the moment Becky Swain and DI Costello met up onscreen, weeks on from us finding out he helped her fake her death as she was ‘in danger’
20:55, 17 Oct 2025Updated 20:55, 17 Oct 2025
There was a moment on Coronation Street on Friday night that left fans convinced they’d seen Becky Swain’s true colours(Image: ITV)
There was a moment on Coronation Street on Friday night that left fans convinced they’d seen Becky Swain’s true colours.
After weeks of speculating about her intentions and what she might be hiding, viewers finally saw a tense exchange between her and DI Costello, the man who helped fake her death four years earlier. Becky rocked up and shocked her ‘widow’ Lisa Swain recently, as well as their teen daughter Betsy Swain, with both of them led to believe Becky had died in the line of duty.
It’s clear Becky is trying to get her family back, with Corrie boss Kate Brooks confirming Becky is keen to oust Lisa’s fiancée Carla Connor out of the fold. Carla is suspicious of Becky, but she’s not the only one with Kit Green involved too, not to mention fans being convinced there’s more to why Becky went into hiding, and what she and Costello have been up to.
So when Betsy found herself arrested on Friday, it soon became clear there was more to the tale. It all stemmed from Betsy’s social media post that featured Becky in, with Becky meant to be keeping a low profile.
With Lisa worrying about where her daughter had been, Becky offered to help track her down only for Kit to drop some big news. Betsy had been arrested, accused of wrecking a car and resisting arrest. Of course it didn’t take Becky long to realise Costello was behind this.
As Becky offered to be there for Lisa, worming her way into the house amid their daughter being stuck in a cell, fans believed she was doing the unthinkable. Some fans claimed Becky wasn’t even bothered about poor Betsy’s ordeal, instead using it as a means to get closer to a troubled Lisa.
Not only that but some fans feared Becky could have orchestrated it, while this seemed not to be the case as Becky appeared shocked when she figured it all out. That said, she still managed to come up with a plan to threaten Costello who was admant she must return to Spain.
She told Costello that she’d go but only if she went with Lisa and Betsy, telling him he needed to make this happen. So while Betsy was still in a cell fearing for her future and Lisa was in turmoil, leading to a clash with Becky, Becky herself was a little preoccupied trying to turn it into a way of getting her family back and away from Weatherfield.
Fans suggested we were seeing Becky’s true colours and intentions, amid soap boss Kate confirming Becky was “a bit of a villain”, and we would soon learn what she was fully capable of. One fan tweeted: “So much for Becky fearing for her safety and needing to keep a low profile, just walking down the cobbles and then meeting Costello in the alley. Yeah she’s not fearing for her life it’s all an act and lies.”
Another viewer said: “So maybe Becky didn’t orchestrate Betsy getting arrested but when she found out Costello did as leverage to send Becky back to Spain, she was okay with letting Betsy spend the night in jail to get some alone time with Lisa. Give her the Mum of the Year award.”
A third fan commented: “Becky knew Costello stitched Betsy up and she made a plan to stay the night with Lisa and conveniently brought a bag.” A fourth added: “Becky and Costello scenes. Remember those are just the tip of the iceberg with these two.”
