AMANDA Holden has shared a heartbreaking but beautiful tribute to her stillborn son Theo.
The star took to her Instagram story in honour of Baby Loss Awareness Week and tagged the charityTommy’s.
Amanda Holden has paid tribute to her stillborn son TheoCredit: Licenced by Story Picture AgencyShe posted a lit candle onto her Instagram story in honour of Baby Loss Awareness WeekCredit: @noholdenback/Instagram
In the post, Amanda showed a candle with the words “waves of light” on it.
The flame flickered in memory of her little one, who passed away 15 years ago.
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Amanda wrote: “Thinking of our beautiful son Theo and sending love to you all #waveoflight #tommys #babylossawarenessweek.”
Earlier this year Amanda opened up about losing her son, emotionally sharing how she still views herself as a “mother of three”.
Amanda shares two daughters with her husband Chris HughesCredit: InstagramShe found great support in her BGT co-star Alesha Dixon while navigating her pregnancy lossCredit: Instagram
She chatted about the experience on her show Amanda and Alan’s Greek Job with Alan Carr.
He wasstillborn at 28 weeksin February 2011, a tragedy which happened just a year after she miscarried another baby.
She told the comedian: “I always say I am a mother of three. Because I am.
“When we lost Theo, there wasn’t one moment where I thought ‘why has this happened to me?’
“But there also wasn’t a moment where I blamed God or anything.
“And the way I accepted it was to think that he chose me, just for those few months, to see what it was like to live, and develop, and be in the universe. “Then the universe took him back.
“Now I don’t think that’s religious, but I let him go back.
“And that was my belief, rather than he went back to Heaven as such.
“I felt like he went back into the universe and he is still out there and is part of our family”.
Amanda shares two daughters, Lexi and Hollie, with husband Chris Hughes.
Cuban American poet Kyle Carrero Lopez first learned what sanctions were as a child — not as a political measure, but as a gendered one. In his poem “Sanctions,” he describes how his father, a surly Cuban refugee who worked as a DJ, laid out the terms of acceptable masculinity.
“No dance class/no “girl toys”/don’t walk like that,” writes Carrero. “His anthem, his law, hammered, hammered, into me.”
The poem features in his debut book of poetry, “Party Line,” released in July by indie publisher Graywolf Press. As a gay, Black Cuban American, Carrero uses social etiquette as a springboard to critically examine how marginalized people learn to negotiate space — whether at a nightclub; in the stratified gay mecca of Fire Island; at a socialist magazine party; or in line for customs at the U.S. border. He cites Black cultural figures like the queen of salsa Celia Cruz, American fashion journalist André Leon Talley, the late French singer and dancer Josephine Baker and political activist Assata Shakur as guiding lights.
“There are two sides of me,” he told De Los. “Between the party girl and the politico is Kyle Carrero Lopez.”
Born in 1995 to Cuban parents in New Jersey, Carrero is now based in New York City, where he earned a master of fine arts in poetry at NYU and published his award-winning 2022 chapbook, “Muscle Memory.” He answered my phone call in South Carolina, while overlooking the Atlantic Ocean; his mother was on the precipice of getting married a second time. Carrero, already a poet, scholar, political organizer and nightlife host, would flaunt yet another title that weekend as wedding officiant. “My work is naturally in conversation,” he explained.
Many of the poems in “Party Line” came to Carrero after visiting Cuba for the first time in 2017, through the CubaOne Foundation. Inspired by the Birthright Israel program for Jewish youth, the nonprofit sponsored trips for Cuban Americans to connect with Cubans on the island. Yet for Carrero, this strengthened his political dissonance with many Cubans in the U.S., who’ve supported economic sanctions on the communist nation. In order to force regime change, in January the Trump administration levied an oil blockade on Cuba, triggering a humanitarian crisis.
Written with an unmistakably Caribbean verve and snappy, conversational meter, Carrero defines his stance on Cuba in no uncertain terms.
“This book really is for Cuban Americans,” he said. “Those of us who are not trying to destroy Cuba, that is.”
Carrero spoke to De Los about party politics, Black Cubanidad and how visiting the island changed his writing for the better. The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.
A lot of people fall back on these ideas about immigrant communities being all hard work and drudgery — but we come from a festive, dance-fueled culture. How did you get the idea to combine poems about parties with poems about politics?
I’ve always been involved in politics. I’ve done a lot of canvassing. In high school, I was in a learning community called the Civics and Government Institute. We did a “social reformers” panel, where you had to play somebody from a social movement. They had me up there dressed up as Elijah Muhammad in the 10th grade, asking me what I’d think of Obama. I had to drag Obama! These Nation of Islam people were not feeling the moderate Democrats.
But that informed my political engagement to this day. I was concerned with the language surrounding the embargo and U.S. aggression against Cuba. In my poem “Torricelli,” I talk about how [former New Jersey congressman and senator] Bob Torricelli wrote the Cuban Democracy Act, which he designed to, quote, “wreak havoc on that island.”
And I write a lot about nightlife. It is a family industry for me on both sides. My maternal grandfather ran a social club in New Jersey, a games parlor. My mom was a club kid. She was out all the time. Parenthood changed some things, but my father still had DJ gigs. Our basement was his studio. He’d leave the house at 9, 10 o’clock to go to the gigs. You know that new Jordan Firstman movie, “Club Kid”? I’m the original club kid.
How do you write for those who may not be ready to receive the club kid and the politico at once?
I like challenging assumptions that political people are drab and unglamorous — and that party people are brain-dead, escapist and have nothing to say. One of the problems I have with the ’90s club kid scene, as it existed, is they were extremely apolitical. And not only were they apolitical, but I would go so far as to say the club kids in the ’90s were a white supremacist entity. We don’t talk enough about how their whole thing was like whiteness and white privilege. All we’re here to do is have fun — and we see what that mentality leads to, right?
[The movie] “Party Monster”!
Yes, “Party Monster”! Michael Alig literally killed a man of color. That is not the party world that I live in. We don’t take off who we are just because there’s low lighting and fog and loud music. I’m going to respond the same way to harassment and perceived injustice as I would any other space.
To this day, there are white club kids in New York who are in the club talking in black-ccents and wearing imitations of black people’s hairstyles. And then if you call them out, they’re like, “Why? It’s a party!” And I’m like, “OK, but it’s a party where all of the music comes from Black people … you are a guest in this space.” Before I’m going to serve you a history lesson, let’s at least start with decency.
And though you may not think you’re doing politics … politics will still do you. Your club kid parents experienced politics by coming to the U.S. from Cuba. Can you tell me about their journey?
My father emigrated from Havana as a child. My mother was born to parents who emigrated in the 1950s during Batista’s regime. Cubans have a privileged relationship to immigration — the pipeline available to us [political asylum] was not the same for most people of Latin American descent.
My family came here not only as Cuban immigrants, but as Black immigrants. Politics happened to them. My father came to the U.S. in the late ’60s, getting called the N-word walking home from school with his two sisters…. They got hit so hard with belts that they would go home having soiled themselves. They were not only Black, but they didn’t even know what language or culture they were trying to assimilate to. There were layers of hatred…. When people talk about Cuban Americans, they think of white, rich Miami Cubans. It’s irresponsible to think in such a flat and one-dimensional way.
In the poem “Usefulness,” which was originally published in the Yale Review, you speak of how Black Cubans exist at the nexus of two different political agendas: the pro- and anti-Revolution contingents. Can you talk about that?
My opinion is very useful to many agendas. I joke that I would make a great Republican talking head. If I decided tomorrow that I wanted to get the GOP bag and be like, “Democrats are liars! I hate immigrants! I hate welfare! There’s two genders! We don’t need gay marriage!” — I would be a millionaire in under six months.
There’s a tokenism that happens when you exist at this nexus of identities. It’s true of the left as well sometimes. You could ask five different people in Cuba what they think about the government and they will give you five different answers. And that is OK! We need to allow that to be the case.
I don’t want what Trump and the Marco Rubios of the world want for Cuba — which is to seize it, to subjugate it and turn it into the next Puerto Rico. If people who are progressive and committed to Cuba’s autonomy don’t want that, I think part of [the work] is talking to Cuban people and hearing them out. I don’t think it’s acceptable to seek out only the opinions that match your own.
You bring up a historical moment that not a lot of Cuban Americans know about, which was the 1976 bombing of Cubana Flight 455, by an anti-Castro Cuban exile group. You said they planned on bombing a flight to Havana the week before, which your mom and her sister were on. How did they manage to avoid that?
[My grandfather] was an influential man. He knew the right people. So he heard something was going down and said, “I’m not putting my kids on that flight.” The flight went on as planned, but these men knew my grandfather and heard that his daughters were getting on the plane. To me that’s like getting on the list … sometimes you get into the party, or the plane [isn’t] bombed. It’s the same negotiation. Or just a moment of alignment.
What was it like visiting Cuba for the first time after the Obama administration eased travel and trade restrictions?
I don’t give Obama much, but he did try to normalize relations there. Unfortunately, Biden didn’t follow through with that, but for a second, we did care about Cuba.
The first time I went was in 2017, when I was 22. It was an incredible experience. My mother traveled to Cuba as a teenager; my father never went back. But they never discouraged me from going. I know that’s the case for a lot of Cuban Americans; there’s so much baggage. But once there was an easy path to go, it changed my life.
I write about Amiri Baraka’s time in Cuba, when he was earlier in his poetry journey — and his writing changed from being there. He wrote a poem called “Betancourt,” named after a young radical there. It made me more politically serious. I feel closer to my heritage, having done that.
What made you close the book with “I Saw Assata In Havana”? Did you really see Assata Shakur?
That was an imagined encounter. But it was the vision of what I imagine was her new life in Cuba — her second chance. I thought that it was a good ending note to land on, pushing against prevailing narratives.
I think the ways that we talk about our radicals — the Huey Newtons of the world, people like Kwame Ture or Angela Davis — we think of them as mythical beings, or, depending on who you ask, terrorists. But that disconnects them from their humanity. I wanted to create a portrait of [Shakur] as a normal lady who needed to pick up groceries sometimes. These were regular people who saw what was going on in the world and decided that they needed to do something about it. Each of us has that ability to enact change.
There are so many ways to make societal shifts, whether that’s writing to your officials or protesting or creating art that is challenging. What Shakur did was to say, “I don’t like this for my people. I don’t like this for the world I’m living in.” The same boot that’s on the necks of Black American people is on the necks of people in the Congo, people in Palestine, people of the global majority. We all have to share the planet. If we work together, we can have a world that can actually sustain itself.
My last question for you is: What would you like to see happen for Cuba?
I’m not a politician; I’m an artist. My duty is not toward any specific government; it is toward truth. My Cuba position, as a Cuban American, is focused first and foremost on my home country’s contribution to the conflict. If Cuba is truly no more than a failed state, why not lift all of the restrictions? Let’s see what happens when Cuba is unimpeded by hostile U.S. policy. That’s how you can best prove your point, right? Unless, of course, you’re afraid of what Cuba could be.
Netflix replaced one of its top executives in a major management shake-up on Thursday, a day after the company announced it was laying off 6% of its staff.
Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria is leaving the company after a decade, Netflix said in a statement. She will be replaced by former Disney executive Peter Rice, who was most recently chairman of Walt Disney Television and chairman of general entertainment for Walt Disney Co.
“Peter is one of the most effective at-scale operators in the entertainment industry,” Netflix Co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos said in the statement. “His business acumen is sharp, his talent relationships are exceptionally strong, and his experience across TV and film is deep and broad.”
Bajaria’s exit comes as Netflix has been under pressure from investors to turn out more hit shows and movies and increase the amount of time consumers spend on the platform amid rising competition from other streamers.
“Due to the slowdown in massive hits and viewer growth, an ax was gonna fall on some executives who led content strategy,” said Ross Benes, senior analyst at research firm Emarketer.
Bajaria oversaw the teams responsible for Netflix content around the world. She joined Netflix in 2016 and was named chief content officer in 2023. She was instrumental in expanding Netflix’s reach internationally and the streamer’s push into live events.
Hits released on Netflix during Bajaria’s tenure include the 2025 animated movie “KPop Demon Hunters” and crime drama series “I Will Find You.” Under her leadership, Netflix grew its reach in live programming, streaming NFL games as well as WWE matches. The company also changed its film strategy to focus on fewer movies that aimed to be bigger and better.
She also played a key role in helping Netflix generate large audiences for its non-English-language original series, reality shows and programs that featured talent from underrepresented communities.
But her tenure also coincided with mounting challenges to growing Netflix’s business.
Free, ad-supported streaming services like YouTube are increasingly taking up more streaming hours and investors are concerned about how Netflix will continue to grow. YouTube represented 14.2% of streaming time in the U.S. on TVs compared to Netflix’s 7.8% in July, according to Nielsen data.
Netflix has said efforts like live programming have been successful at getting significant subscription sign-ups. While live programming represents 5% of Netflix’s content budget, it holds 1% of watch time on the streaming service, Sarandos has said.
The company also was poised to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, which would have dramatically increased its library of content, but Netflix bowed out of the auction after the price became no longer “financially attractive.”
Netflix stock has declined 40% from a year ago. Shares closed Thursday at $72.61, up 3%.
“The drop in share price has been staggering,” said Stephen Galloway, dean of Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film & Media Arts. “That plunge, plus the negative reaction to its move to buy Warner Bros. left it vulnerable, and so you have to do two things. One is right the ship, but you also need to send a message to shareholders that you’re taking action.”
In a memo to staff announcing the change in leadership, Sarandos wrote, “I know this is a big change in a year that has already had its share. But I also see an opportunity to take our slate to the next level, especially in UCAN [U.S. and Canada] where we have an outsize impact in creating big, buzzy hits that our members love and drive conversation around the world.”
Rice is an experienced corporate executive who spent nearly three decades navigating Rupert Murdoch‘s media empire, serving as president of 21st Century Fox and CEO of Fox Networks Group.
He also brings deep roots in the feature film world, having previously run Fox Searchlight Pictures, which could mean he will want to put his own stamp on Netflix’s film group, Galloway said. That group is currently led by executive Dan Lin.
“Netflix has fundamentally changed the way stories are made, shared and experienced around the world,” Rice said in a statement. “They’ve shown again and again that they’re willing to take chances on distinctive voices and fresh ideas, and I’m excited to work with the team to help bring even more great stories to members everywhere.”
Actor Tom Arnold unleashed on Chuck Lorre on X in response to the former “Roseanne” writer-producer’s claims in his new memoir, “Sitcom.”
“He thinks he’s brilliant & beloved like Norman Lear but Chuck ‘Chuckles’ Lorre’s a terrible human, an angry dry drunk who lies every time he opens his mouth,” Arnold wrote Tuesday.
Arnold and the ’90s sitcom’s co-creator and titular star, Roseanne Barr, were married Jan. 20, 1990, four months after he first appeared on the show as a poker pal of Barr’s TV husband and four days after Barr’s real-life divorce from her husband of 14 years, William Pentland, was finalized.
Barr and Arnold were hostile to their writing and producing colleagues on the show and the network, Lorre told the Los Angeles Times’ culture critic Mary McNamara in an interview published Tuesday, the day of the book’s release.
“We were punished, the writers,” Lorre told The Times. “The word ‘cruelty’ comes to mind. And I still don’t know why, why so much cruelty. It wasn’t like we didn’t want to make a great show. We were proud to be on that show.”
Hired in 1990 after Barr fired all of the show’s writers, Lorre recalls in the book that he had a rude awakening when he took the job.
“I was now the co–executive producer on the number one show on television. I swaggered into the office assigned to me and met Danny Jacobson (a world-class comedy writer who would go on to cocreate ‘Mad About You’ with, sorry, Paul — ‘My Two Dads’ — Reiser),” Lorre writes in “Sitcom.”
Chuck Lorre, pictured in 2024, related several anecdotes in his book “Sitcom” that didn’t sit well with Tom Arnold.
(Willy Sanjuan / Invision / Associated Press)
“Danny, having been fired by Roseanne for being talented, was packing up his stuff when I walked in. He showed me a sloppy, hand-scribbled couple of pages and explained this was a ‘script’ by the show’s new executive producer, Tom Arnold. It had been part of Danny’s job to write real scripts and put Tom’s name on the front page — as if Tom had written them,” Lorre continues. “Bob, myself, and several other staff writers would be ordered to do this on many occasions…. Was it a portent of bad things to come? You tell me.”
For her part, Barr admitted after the 1990 firings, “Yeah, I probably was difficult to work with, now looking back.”
“I don’t think I was as especially clear as I could have been,” Barr told former Times television writer Rick Du Brow in a November 1990 article. “It’s like being a woman and an administrator — I never had any background like that. I didn’t know how, like I do now, to go in and say, ‘This is what I want you to do.’ I think that’s common with women in business. I would go in there and try to get them to agree with me rather than tell them what I want to do.”
Arnold’s social media screed doesn’t directly address any of Lorre’s claims in the book but resorts to name-calling and his own claims against the producer, who went on to create or co-create sitcom hits including “Cybill,” “Dharma & Greg,” the Charlie Sheen-starring “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory” and its offshoots.
“He trashes Trump but he is Trump & he’s a bitter hack who actually believes his lame vanity cards at the end of his lame shows are Paddy Chayefsky worthy,” Arnold wrote, invoking the three-time Oscar-winning writer of “Network.” “Chuckle’s made $800,000,000 off the backs of very talented women & a naive cracked up Charlie Sheen (clean & sober since he’s not under Lorre’s strange, abusive tutelage) then trashes them all to make him feel cool but don’t worry, Chuck hates himself more than we ever could.”
Some thoughts on uber producer Chuck Lorre’s new book… https://t.co/KaUN4fen9h
Lorre’s accounts of Arnold in “Sitcom” included several other anecdotes, including one seemingly questioning the “True Lies” and “The Stupids” star’s trustworthiness.
“Executive Producer Tom was angrily explaining to Bob [Myer] and me that some bastard had stolen Roseanne’s love letters to him and sold them to the National Enquirer. His plan was to hire a private detective and get to the bottom of this treachery. And he did. It took one day. The detective found a cashed check for twenty-five grand from the National Enquirer made out to Tom Arnold. Mystery solved.”
Lorre was famously fired after two years on the show, which Arnold recalled in concluding his X post: “I wish everyone could’ve seen his arrogant, sad clown face the day Roseanne made me fire him.”
Barr later fired Arnold from “Roseanne” in 1994 amid their divorce. In 2018, after posting a racist tweet, Barr was fired from the “Roseanne” reboot, which was resurrected as spinoff “The Conners.”
Emma Willis has shared an update on Delta Goodrem after she was forced out of Strictly Come Dancing and admitted she could tell “something wasn’t right” with the pop star
19:28, 15 Oct 2026Updated 19:28, 15 Oct 2026
Emma Willis ‘knew something wasn’t right’ with Delta Goodrem before she was forced out of Strictly with an injury(Image: BBC)
Emma Willis has shared an update on Delta Goodrem after she was forced out of Strictly Come Dancing.
Pop singer Delta is currently in the lineup of celebrities trying their luck on the dancefloor. Whilst she and Kai Widdrington managed to top the leader board last week with their Salsa, it quickly emerged that the singer had done the show in “absolute agony” and on the Sunday, she went to hospital with a rib injury.
Appearing on Thursday’s edition of It Takes Two, Emma told host Ellie Taylor that it was somewhat obvious that something was amiss with Delta’s health at the time. She said: “It’s such a shame. I think it became quite apparent after the show that last week that something wasn’t right.”
Delta has been given a free pass – or bye – to the next round of the competition and, even though she will miss out on Icons Week, Emma said the cast and crew are hopeful this will mean she will be back and fighting fit.
She added: “We’re just hoping that because she has this bye week, by the week after, she’ll be good to get back. Fingers crossed!”
Delta, who is best known for starring in Australian soap Neighbours and released hits such as Innocent Eyes before representing her home country at Eurovision earlier this year, has broken her rib but is hoping to recover in time for next week and – following her doctor’s order – has been getting rest at home.
Taking to social media, she wrote: “Just wanted to come on here and say a big Thank you to everyone who has sent messages and wrote lovely comments the last couple of days, I see them all.
“Not the start to the week I’d hoped for but your support has meant the world. Also special big thank you to my amazing dance partner @kaiwidd who I will miss dancing with this weekend but I am so beyond grateful for his guidance and friendship through it all.. as well as the wonderful Strictly team!!”
She added: “Resting and recovering at home and will be cheering everyone on from my couch on Saturday night xx.” Delta had previously said she was “absolutely gutted” to be out the show for the week, and hoped she’d be back the following week.
It was revealed today that Delta’s planned dance to Dolly Parton’s Jolene with Kai Widdrington will be performed instead by Amy Dowden.
A spokesperson for the show had said: “Due to injury, Delta Goodrem has been advised by doctors to rest and, as a result, will not dance on this weekend’s Strictly Come Dancing.
“In line with the rules of the show, Delta and Kai will receive a bye through to next week when it is hoped they will be able to dance again. We wish Delta the very best as she continues her recovery.”
Delta added: “I’ve been loving every second of this experience, so having to sit this one out is heartbreaking – especially after the high of Saturday night.” “I cannot tell you how much I love being a part of this magical show. I’m going to focus on resting and recovering, and hopefully I’ll be back on that dancefloor very soon. Thank you so much to everyone for all the love and support. It’s so appreciated. I’ll be cheering everyone on from the sidelines this week!”
Sources revealed that Delta’s rib injury “deteriorated” and she was “in absolute agony” performing. She was later rushed to hospital to undergo tests but is now resting at home.
A source said: “Delta has been pushing herself as far as possible to impress Strictly viewers. A small injury at the start of last week has quickly deteriorated. On Saturday night, despite putting on a brave face and smiling, she was in absolute agony.
“Filming didn’t wrap until late Saturday night and she was exhausted. The plan was to go home and get some rest but she could hardly sleep. On Sunday morning she was raced to A&E and then spent most of Monday also at the hospital.”
Rob’s murder left all the Faithful confused while banished Hannah admitted her spreadsheets hadn’t helped her as a Traitor
Beckett’s kicked the bucket – as Claudia described his murder
While comedian Rob Beckett found being murdered funny in The Celebrity Traitors, Professor Hannah Fry said she’d cried more during her five days of playing the game than at any other point in her life.
Hannah was banished at the round table last night with 12 of the 15 remaining players writing her name on the slate – giving them a landslide 80% victory. Speaking straight after leaving the castle, she admitted that she’d found her time there to be a rollercoaster of emotions. “I laughed more, cried more and got more excited than I ever have in the entirety of the rest of my life combined,” she explained.
“I really preferred being Faithful. I think it’s just a much more authentic experience,” she added, saying that one of the lessons learned was that she hated “lying to people’s faces”. “I think there’s actually some pride in being a rubbish Traitor.”
The maths guru, who has two daughters aged eight and six with her ex-husband, said that being a Traitor had been far harder than playing as a Faithful – which is what she’d gone into the game to do. “One of the reasons why I didn’t want to be a Traitor is because the only way your game ends is by being banished or winning – having people vote for you and having heat on you is part of the role of being a Traitor.”
Hannah confessed she’d avoided voting for Julie Hesmondhalgh out of guilt because the actress was “lovely” and had instead gone for Jerry Hall as “the one person on that whole table who could handle being voted for”.
The 42-year-old said she always knew she might not last long in the game. “On the first day, I asked Michael Sheen who he would murder, and he said, ‘You’. At that point I knew I was really in trouble.”
And the BBC presenter also confessed that getting the roman numerals right in her final mission – to help with the group £8,000 – had been far tougher than it looked. “I knew that everyone was going to expect me to be the one to solve it, but I think people have this image in their heads that mathematicians just sit around thinking of big numbers all day – it couldn’t be further from the truth. I haven’t used a number since I was about 16, I’m all about the x’s and y’s.”
Along with the trickier moments, there was also some highs. “Killing Rob Beckett was one of the best evenings I’ve had in my entire life,” she laughed. “I was running through the woods in the middle of the night, opening the door to Rob’s face. It was delightful.”
Speaking after being killed face-to-face with the traitors, dad-of-two Rob said that he cared less about the game and more about the juicy stories the other celebs were sharing in the castle. “What I loved most was meeting everyone and talking to them,” he explained. “When you have Michael Sheen, Richard E . Grant, Jerry Hall, James Blunt, I don’t care who’s a Traitor. Give me the anecdotes, I want the gossip. So everyone was going back to the hotel writing ideas of who it might be in their notepad, and I’ve got a notepad full of anecdotes that they told me that can only get wheeled out when I’m drunk at a party.”
When The Traitors arrived as his crypt to tell him he’d been murdered, he responded jovially: “Thank you very much James Acaster!” But he did say he expected comedy sidekick Romesh Ranganathan to “avenge my death”.
Rob, 40, reckoned the only Traitor he’d potentially identified at the start was Richard E Grant – so was “gutted” when the actor blurted it out. But the funnyman realised too late how James Acaster had been giving him a wide berth. “I gave James the benefit of the doubt because he desperately wanted to be a Faithful, but then that’s the oldest trick in the book, saying that. He had been really quiet, and on reflection, he’d avoided me a lot which makes sense, because I know him quite well. And then Maya Jama does not change her personality, whatever’s happening. So she’s going to be a great Traitor, I think she could win it.”
Confessing he was happy to go home because he’d been missing his kids, aged eight and 10, Rob said his highlight in the castle has been hitting it off with Jerry Hall. “I love her. She’s got such an amazing energy. She’s just so chilled. We just floated on together. She tells me her life motto probably every eight minutes, and that is ‘what will be, will be’.”
He now wants Jerry, 70, to win – along with his close pal Romesh. “Jerry Hall’s my pick, a rank outsider, but she’s my pick. The ultimate finale would be Leigh-Anne, Jerry and Romesh staring down Acaster. Three on one and they take his sorry ass to the cleaners.”
He believes his relaxed way of playing the game far outweighs the high-pressure path that Hannah had been forced down. ”I’d say, don’t stress yourself about it. All the money goes to charity. Have a good time for a long time.”
One of the surprising things Hannah discovered in The Celebrity Traitors was that she is actually related to Irish comedian Joanne McNally because their cousins are married. “We’re basically sisters,” she laughed. “I really loved her so much. She described herself as coming out of the womb as a show pony – that’s the perfect description of that woman. She is phenomenal. She knows exactly who she is, and she is totally unapologetic about it. I cannot tell you how much I admire her.”
While she’d like to see Joanne win, Hannah now thinks that fellow Traitor Maya or Faithful Leigh-Anne are the most likely to reach the final. “I think Maya is playing the most amazing game. When someone looks like that, I think that you expect her to have a bit of a chip on her shoulder because she’s one of the most beautiful women alive, but she’s also just so much fun. No airs and graces, totally delightful to be around.”
She also believes that Leigh-Anne has a great chance in the game, because she’s been woefully underestimated. “My God, that woman hasn’t got a single thing wrong. She’s the most perceptive person I’ve ever come across in my entire life. Is she psychic?
“Leigh-Anne needs to keep quiet about how good she is because I don’t think people have necessarily noticed. As soon as Maya notices that Leigh-Anne is that good, she’s going to kill her.”
Last night’s episode ended with boxer turned YouTube star King Kenny being recruited into the turret – much to his enormous surprise. “Being a Faithful was fun, but being a Traitor is going to be better,” he declared.
Urging Maya Jama and James Acaster not to double-cross him, he admitted he had concerns about joining them halfway through the game. “I worry the Traitors can switch on me at any time.”
REVIEW: The recruited comedian has bragged that he hasn’t told one lie during his time in the game but surely he’ll come unstuck soon?
21:06, 15 Oct 2026Updated 21:07, 15 Oct 2026
James never wanted to be a Traitor and so it’s fair enough that he is struggling to behave like one
James Acaster is playing Celebrity Traitors in a brand new way, having been recruited to the dark side very much against his will. But against all expectation, he’s acing it.
The comedian, who told host Claudia Winkleman that he had no desire to be a Traitor at the start of the show, was picked to be one anyway, by Maya Jama and short-lived eejit Richard E Grant.
And while it was almost annoying when he simply refused to join in with Maya’s murderous glee as they pulled the plug on Bella Ramsey, I’ve come around to the idea so much that I’m finding his gameplay quite admirable.
Somehow James is managing to succeed as a Traitor while playing as a Faithful. Yes, it’s quite weird, but against the odds he’s making it work. And watching him try to justify every little thing he does – presumably so he can sleep at night and also so he can point this out to everyone afterwards – is fascinating.
In tonight’s episode he told King Kenny, the latest Faithful to make it through the turret’s revolving door: “I’m basically playing the game as a Faithful – I haven’t told a single lie yet, but I’m protecting Maya.”
He seemed almost happy, presumeably on the back of the previous night’s murder having gone so well. Because while Ross Kemp would have been FURIOUS to get murdered, and Romesh Ranganathan might have been a bit miffed too, Rob Beckett just laughed at them.
Afterwards James said he wished ALL the murders could be done face to face, because it had helped to ease his conscience when he saw that Rob, at least, was very much remembering it was all just a game.
Because he’s more Faithful than Traitor James has had no qualms about voting out two fellow baddies so far – Richard E Grant and Hannah Fry. So Kenny is right to be worried about being double crossed by him or Maya Jama, but for now James is genuinely delighted to have the fellow avid Faithful on board. “I’m feeling much more relaxed now that Kenny’s on the case,” he said. “You know when you get someone who comes in at work who you know will actually do all the jobs – and you can just hold a broom and look like you’re doing something.” Yup, James is going to hide behind Kenny for all he’s worth.
Meanwhile Maya is having a tough time of it because the Traitors are dropping like flies. I mean yes, she does keep voting for them too. But still, she must be feeling a bit lonely.
Now the Faithful are all pumped up again and Bash (Sebastian Croft) keeps mentioning James Acaster as a potential Trator so it might not be long before he’s forced to defend himself.
I wish someone would just ask him: “Are you a Traitor?” because if he can’t lie, it’ll be Richard E Grant all over again. Roll on tomorrow’s episode…
Celebrity Traitors fans think that comedienne Joanne McNally will be banished from the castle next after she made something of a huge mistake during the roundtable
21:38, 15 Oct 2026Updated 21:38, 15 Oct 2026
Celebrity Traitors fans think Joanne McNally will be banished from the castle next(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Studio Lambert/Cody Burridge/BBC Creative)
Celebrity Traitors fans think Joanne McNally will be banished from the castle next.
The Irish comedienne, 43, is currently playing as a Faithful on Claudia Winkleman’s hit BBC game show but one tactic she seems to have employed at the roundtable has seemingly sealed her fate. During Thursday’s episode of the programme, she voted for actor Sebastian Croft to be banished, thereby claiming she believed he was a Traitor.
But the majority of the players had correctly guessed that scientist Dr Hannah Fry was in fact a Traitor, and this was not the first time Joanne had gone against the status quo. She said: “I feel like we’re getting into the habit of punishing vocal Faithfuls, and, at the roundtable, you cannot.”
In the turret, Maya told fellow Traitor James Acaster: “She could blow the whole thing up but no one is expecting her because she’s so all over the place.”
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Earlier in the episode, Joanne seemed to raise suspicion that she was a Traitor, accidentally claming that she had been the Hide & Seek game when Ross Kemp said: “I looked at everybody when we got out of those cars and I thought I was going home, and it was honestly, an awful experience.”
It was then that Joanne bizarrely chimed in with: “It was horrible…it was…I wasn’t there I mean but I was watching.”
At the roundtable, Hannah had claimed that Traitors tend to deflect attention from themselves by voting against the grain.
Reacting to the apparent tactic, one fan wrote on X: “Hannah bringing up traitors voting for random people followed by Joanne voting for Bash… babes.”
Another said: “i do fear joanne is absolutely f***** at the next round table though, especially after throwing out a random vote for bash when almost everyone else had gone for hannah, even the actual traitors. it’s not looking good for her.”
A thrid wrote: “Joanne on another planet because her logic is nonexistent lmao,” and another said: “One of the traitors could wear their traitors cloak to the roundtable and Joanne would somehow vote Claudia.”
A fifth said: “Hannah’s point about traitors not voting for who everyone else seems to vote for is a good point, but why is Joanne not being questioned when she keeps doing exactly that.”
Los Tigres Del Norte will perform this Saturday at Anaheim’s Honda Center. Ahead of rocking the Pond with its classic hits, the famed norteño band brought its signature sound and activism to NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert. The performance closed out the series’ Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, dubbed as “El Tiny.”
Composed of the Hernández brothers (Jorge, Hernán, Eduardo and Luis) and cousin Óscar Lara, Los Tigres Del Norte was founded in the late 1960s in the Sinaloan town of Rosa Morada and settled in San José. It has sold millions of records worldwide with songs about the drug trade, unrequited love and immigrant life in this country.
That theme of immigrant struggle within the U.S. was top of mind when the group performed at NPR’s Washington, D.C., offices.
The group was recently honored by the city of Minneapolis in September for defending the rights of immigrant communities for decades, and for standing in solidarity with the city following the large-scale immigration enforcement campaign that took place there earlier this year. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey proclaimed Sept. 9 Los Tigres del Norte Day.
“[Following the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids], they told the people of Minneapolis, the Latino American community that we are one, that we are united and that we’re going to do everything possible for the people that we love,” Frey said in a September news conference.
Los Tigres’ director and lead vocalist Jorge Hernández told The Times the honor came as a surprise to the group, who was in town for the 39th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards to present the people of Minnesota with the Humanitarian Award for their collective acts of solidarity with the immigrant community throughout the ICE raids.
The frontman said he was humbled by the action and was touched to spend time with members of the Minneapolis community who worked on the front lines during the ICE surge.
“There were Latinos present who set an example for how to support people in [a time of chaos],” Hernández said. “Those who were documented brought food to families who were undocumented so that they didn’t have to go outside to face the problems that were made possible due to [the Trump administration]. It’s because of action like those that we showed up for the city.”
Immediately after its time in Minnesota, the band flew out to film the Tiny Desk set.
The performance was a long time coming, according to Hernández.
“It was something beautiful and historic for us which should’ve happened 10 to 15 years ago,” he said, blaming conflicting schedules for the delay.
Though postponed, the 73-year-old musician knew the band’s messages would land with as much timeliness as ever.
In his introduction for Los Tigres Del Norte, NPR’s “Alt.Latino” host and “El Tiny” coordinator Felix Contreras spoke about why he wanted the band to perform as part of Tiny Desk’s month-long celebration of Latinidad.
“Our community is under attack and it’s not the first time … and it takes away our humanity,” Contreras said before Los Tigres kicked off the set with their hit “Somos mas Americanos.” “And for as long as I can remember, these gentlemen have been giving us back our humanity.”
Opening with the 2001 track was notable as the song flips jingoist U.S. narratives about who can call themselves American. The lyrics assert that Mexicans are more American than “gringos” and highlight how a large swath of the U.S. once belonged to Mexico.
Los Tigres let their songs do all the talking as they played straight through a series of tunes from across several decades, including 1995’s “Golpes en el Corazón,” 1997’s “Quiero Volar Contigo,” 1989’s “Ni Parientes Somos” and the 1986’s bittersweet single “La Puerta Negra.”
Hernández said the group wanted to use the platform to bring further awareness to the struggles immigrants continue to face in this country with an audience that notably skews more American than Los Tigres is accustomed to.
“We performed songs that talk about the problematic systems [in the U.S.] that have been around for years, but that are right now worse than ever before,” Hernández said. “The songs we sang [for Tiny Desk] have a lot to do with our society. I hope the wider public can listen to it and translate the songs to English so that they can connect to the lyrics.”
He said he hopes that the band can set an example for younger people that political messaging through music can empower artists, not hinder them.
“We’ve been singing songs since the ’70s about immigration and problems our community faces,” Hernández said. “As an artist, if you see a problem that affects your community, no matter how much you ignore it, you must realize that you are an active participant. You can’t stay quiet, your songs should talk about your problems so that through your work you can connect with and inform people.”
One thing that has continued to surprise and inspire Hernández over the last few years is seeing younger generations of fans celebrate his group’s music.
“They are the future and we sing our songs to them so that they can hear about the problems in our community that have existed and that persist,” he said. “At some point in life you will face big problems and it will be important that you know your history, what you stand for and how to defend yourself. We want to help people know their rights and be prepared to know how to act in difficult times like right now.”
The Kelly Clarkson wooden bird feud continues to soar as the New York City novelty shop accused of disrespecting the “Voice” star sets a whopping $15 million price for the hand-cranked singing automata bird.
The one-of-a-kind chirping bird, known as Molly, is at the center of a media frenzy after shop owners at Art of Play — a high-end “curiosity shop” in Brooklyn that sells luxury playing cards, puzzles and other amusements — refused to part ways with the permanent fixture after a sale inquiry from Clarkson led to an alleged un-pheasant interaction she later called out online.
Now it appears that shop owners are changing their perch — and price point — with shop co-owner Adam Rubin confirming to NBC News that Molly is now valued at $15 million.
Rubin told the news outlet that if the business parts ways with the wooden puppet, store employees will receive a $15,000 bonus and the bird’s artist, Bliss Kolb of Seattle, will receive $1 million. The store would also use the profits to build a display dedicated to Molly.
But it appears that the bickering feud is not over yet.
Rubin was seen speaking to an unnamed individual about the incident in a video obtained by the California Post, originally published Tuesday.
“If it is this intense to be mentioned by Kelly Clarkson, imagine how intense it is to be Kelly Clarkson every single day,” Rubin said of the music artist. “I have sympathy for her … but it’s so hard to forgive her actions after she walked out the door.”
Clarkson did not respond to The Times’ request for comment.
Ruffled feathers
The interaction involving Clarkson first came to light on Saturday after the “Because of You” singer took to social media to call out a distasteful experience she had at Art of Play, which she compared to the scene in the 1990 film “Pretty Woman” where Julia Roberts’ character is treated poorly by retail workers.
“Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy and literally was looked at as if I couldn’t afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me,” Clarkson wrote on X. “Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale. But y’all should go check out Art of Play in Brooklyn if you enjoy being treated like Julia Roberts character in Pretty Woman. For sure, check it out.”
Many fans sympathized with Clarkson’s shopping experience and took to social media to denounce the actions taken by the shop.
In response, Art of Play later shared in a Sunday Instagram post that the item the “Since U Been Gone” singer had expressed interest in was Molly, a singing and dancing bird which plays an important role in the magic shows hosted at the shop.
“Molly is permanently attached to the wall and isn’t for sale,” the Sunday post on Instagram read. “Imagine our surprise when our small local business was suddenly attacked by 8 million people who have never visited our store. It’s been a surreal experience to be the focus of such widespread outrage after just one mention by a celebrity.”
After the boutique’s statement, Clarkson doubled down on her claims on her Instagram stories with photos featuring a price tag on the bird that contradicted the shop’s first statement.
“Cool, cool. Sure, it wasn’t for sale. That’s the narrative Art of Play is gonna go with,” Clarkson wrote in a post shared to her Instagram Stories Sunday. “[S]o the whole conversation we had when I asked you if it was for sale whilst pointing to the price tag hanging on the wall with the title Singing Bird didn’t happen as you elevator eyed me saying in a condescending tone ‘yes, it’s for sale but it costs 15,000 dollars so if you’d like me to find something comparable for you I can.’ That all never happened and now it’s not for sale.”
“Okay, cool,” the post continued. “So you’re not only rude, you’re also a liar. Got it.”
Although there are some online social media photos that show no visible price tag next to Molly, internet sleuths were able to locate other images with a visible sticker price to the side.
While the singer said that she loves and supports small businesses, she added “but you don’t get a free pass to treat people less than in your store just because you are a small business.”
“It’s not that hard to be kind,” Clarkson wrote. “I never blast people but you my friend were an exception. Your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren’t.”
Art of Play responded to the former talk show host by issuing another statement on Instagram Sunday, which included additional details about “the 5 minutes [Clarkson] spent in the store.”
According to Art of Play, it had explained to Clarkson that Molly “is permanently attached to the wall and serves as a de facto mascot” for the shop and while the piece is not for sale, “a nearly identical automaton is owned by the creator of the machines.” Its artist, Kolb, told owners that “he would be willing to part with Molly’s twin for $15,000.”
The shop also claims they offered to show Clarkson another model made by a Germany clockmaking shop that was available to take home the same day for about $2,000 but “[s]he did not stick around long enough to see it.”
“We’ve reached out to Kelly directly to try and clear the air,” the post added. “We really do wish her the best and hope that someday we can all laugh about this misunderstanding.”
Fowl play
Clarkson knew her millions of fans would “weaponize themselves” and “debase themselves on behalf of a millionaire they’d never met,” Rubin said in the video clip published Tuesday.
According to Rubin, online criticisms against the store emerged 15 minutes after Clarkson left the store.
“People way more famous than Kelly Clarkson have come in here and been treated just the same as everybody else,” he added.
The incident is “a perverse distortion of reality” after the store received thousands of hateful online comments and phone calls calling for an apology, Rubin said, who added that the singer’s actions have resulted in online attacks to store employees’ personal social media accounts and the doxxing of neighboring businesses.
“We didn’t know this was going to happen but Kelly Clarkson did it,” said Rubin. “And she needs to be held accountable for her actions.”
Rubin also added that what upset Clarkson was that “she didn’t get special treatment,” and that every person who enters the store is treated equally, even if they are a celebrity.
“The fact that anyone thinks we owe her an apology,” Rubin said, “when she threw a Molotov cocktail into our store and wallets on fire — they’re saying we owe her an apology? This is asymmetrical social warfare.”
GARETH Gates has shared a rare photo of his stunning teenage daughter Missy as he proudly revealed she has passed her driving test.
The Pop Idol star, 41, took to Instagram to celebrate the milestone, sharing a picture of his 17-year-old daughter holding up her practical driving test pass certificate.
Gareth Gates shocks fans as he shares snap with stunning rarely-seen daughter, 17Credit: Instagram/@gareth_gatesGareth proudly showed fans Missy had passed her driving test.Credit: Instagram/@gareth_gates
Alongside the snap, Gareth wrote: “My beautiful (not so little) princess passed her driving test today. Well done @missygates_x Daddy is super proud of you”
The singer, who usually keeps his daughter out of the spotlight, added: “How do I have a daughter that’s 17 and can drive?!”
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He also shared a second picture of the pair posing together beside a swimming pool at sunset, with Gareth wearing a white shirt and shorts while Missy opted for a grey top and flowing white skirt.
Fans were quick to congratulate the teenager, with one commenting: “Well done missy”
The singer usually keeps his daughter out of the spotlightCredit: instagram/garethgatesGareth shares his only daughter with ex-wife Suzanne MoleCredit: James Curley
Another follower recalled meeting Missy as a baby, writing: “I remember the day she was born- I was at your Joseph and the amazing technicolour dream coat show! Congratulated you backstage”
At the time, he joked: “I must, however, warn the good British public that Missy moo now has wheels so watch out!”
Gareth shares his only daughter with ex-wife Suzanne Mole and has previously spoken about her hopes of following in his footsteps with a career in music.
He revealed that Missy is a talented singer and dancer, explaining: “She’s got a great voice. She’s a great dancer. The more that she gets to be in and around that music world, the more that she learns.”
Big Brother fans weren’t impressed with one star’s actions during the latest episode
Philip sparked backlash on Thursday(Image: ITV)
One Big Brother star has sparked backlash after their comments in the house.
The hit reality series returned to screens on Thursday (October 15), ahead of the next eviction. Yasmin, Twinks and Rob will all face the public vote on Friday night (October 16). Yasmin notably received a killer nomination this week, while Twinks and Rob each received six nominations from their fellow housemates.
The housemates tackled another shopping task during the latest episode, as the house transformed into Big Brother’s body. The teams were given various challenges to determine who would be awarded the luxury shopping budget, while the losing side had to face basic rations.
Drama quickly ensued when Rochelle upset Harry during the task, leading to him storming out of the living area. Harry was supported by his fellow housemates as he broke down in tears in the bathroom.
But the tension didn’t end there, as Philip later shared his true feelings about Rochelle, who he has appeared to be close with in the house. During a whispered conversation in the garden, Philip told Lynx: “Lynx, I have wished for her to go.
“So, if she f****** goes, because it’s got that way now. I haven’t got no time for her. I haven’t, I’m telling you, I’m speaking honest with you. That’s why I have time in bed, because I want to stay away from her. And that’s no word of a lie that.”
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Philip went on: “Rochelle has said too much… And it’s funny what she kept saying to me and all. She’d say, ‘You’re my best friend in here.’ She said, ‘You’ll never turn on me, will you? Never turn on me.’ She kept saying that to me. She’s got too f****** much to say.”
Lynx added: “And it’s never-ending. And like you make such a pure soul like Harry get like that today, and then you come in the bathroom and make it about you. It’s just sometimes you just have to think about what you say.”
Philip continued: “See, she’s had a very privileged [life] from a child. I think she’s been spoiled, and I think she’s got away with everything. Everything she wants, she got. She never wants to listen about you, about your life, about your things. And do you know what? I’m not really interested and I don’t want to tell her.”
Lynx then said: “Since Sam went or like, when he was giving his reason to vote her, he was like, ‘All you talk about is me, me, me.’ God that stuck with me.”
Philip shared that Sam was “f****** right” about what he said, before concluding: “This is what she’s like. And come on, Lynx, she’s got on everyone’s [nerves]. She has. The ones [that have] gone and the ones [that are] here, she f****** has.”
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Viewers were left speechless after hearing Philip’s comments, with many sharing their shock on social media. “Not a good look,” one person wrote on X.
Another added: “Wow can’t believe Philip’s now turning on Rochelle. I sense a downfall coming.” A third said: “Not Philip showing his true colours after that chat about Rochelle!”
A fourth viewer echoed the sentiment, saying: “Philip is giving game player, sorry not sorry.” Someone else similarly shared: “Philip turning on his ‘best friend’ is not what I expected.”
The drama continued in the Big Brother house on Thursday, as one star struggled to control their emotions
Tensions rose in the Big Brother house on Thursday(Image: ITV)
Emotions ran high during the latest episode of Big Brother.
It’s been a tense week in the house, following the results of the latest nominations. Yasmin was instantly put up for eviction after receiving a killer nomination this week. It was soon revealed that Twinks and Rob would be joining Yasmin in facing the public vote, after they each received six nominations from their fellow housemates.
During Thursday’s (October 15) episode, the house was transformed into Big Brother’s body, as part of this week’s shopping task. The housemates, who remained in their two teams, were tasked with keeping Big Brother’s body healthy and happy.
Team captains Rob and Samuel became Big Brother’s brain, and were able to hold all the power. All the other housemates became blue and red blood cells, and had to obey every command given by their side of the brain. The team that performed the best would be rewarded with a luxury shopping budget, while the other team would have to make-do with basic rations.
It later became too much for Harry, as he started to feel the pressure of being in the house. “I feel like all our lot have f***** off. I feel like we’re just left and even then, Rochelle just said, ‘What did you do to stand out?'” he said.
Rob tried to comfort his friend, saying: “This process is hard enough without people making it harder for each other. You can tell me to shut up if this is an overreach, but from a couple of people it feels there’s an assumption that you can’t do a challenge.”
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Several jibes from his fellow housemates later proved too much for Harry. During the task, Rochelle told Harry to “f****** concentrate”, adding: “It’s really annoying. He won’t be laughing when he’s got no f****** thing to eat next week.”
Harry didn’t take too kindly to Rochelle’s comments, as he was soon seen slamming the bedroom door and rushing into the bathroom. Philip and Lynx stepped in to try and calm Harry down by getting him to take a moment in the toilet cubicle.
Harry soon emerged in tears, saying: “I feel s*** man. Just can’t be a****.” Rochelle later apologised to Harry, and became emotional as she reflected on her behaviour.
“I’m desperate to get home and just hope that I’m more patient and just different. I can just be horrible and I have to be better,” she tearfully said to Yasmin and Rhianna. Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Rob and Samuel acknowledged that they needed to support Harry more during their time in the house.
After watching the emotional scenes, viewers were quick to share their concern on X, with one person writing: “That is my worst nightmare – having a meltdown and like 6 people surrounding me. LET HIM BREATHE.” Another added: “Harry has a beautiful soul. Rochelle needs to leave.”
A third said: “Sad to watch Harry be so emotional, he’s clearly hurting.” Someone else echoed the sentiment, saying: “Seeing Harry sad has genuinely upset me.”
MOVE over Brad and Angelina – Hollywood has another bitter custody war on its hands, and this one is about to get even messier, with a 13-year-old boy preparing to give evidence against his own parents.
Oscar-winner Halle Berry and her ex-husband Olivier Martinez are locked in an explosive legal battle over their son Maceo after allegations of physical abuse plunged their already turbulent relationship into fresh crisis.
Halle Berry has been embroiled in perhaps the most bitter Hollywood custody battle yetCredit: GettyActress Halle out in LA with Maceo, who she is accused of physically abusing, this monthCredit: BackGrid
Today Maceo will appear in court to give evidence in a hearing over a restraining order sought by his dad, who has accused 60-year-old Halle of attacking the teenager during an argument at her home in September.
The judge has ruled that Maceo will testify, despite Halle’s objections, although his evidence is limited to the restraining order request and he will appear in a closed courtroom.
It marks a dramatic new chapter in a custody battle that has dragged on for years since the couple’s disastrous marriage collapsed in 2015 after just two years.
And while French actor Olivier insists his son deserves to have his voice heard, Halle claims the boy has been “coached and manipulated”.
The latest showdown erupted after Olivier, who is also 60, obtained a temporary domestic violence restraining order against Halle this month, accusing her of physically abusing Maceo on September 26 this year.
In the court filings, he alleged she jumped on their son, put her hands around his neck and choked him.
He claimed the row erupted after Halle called Maceo “stupid” over a game involving virtual reality glasses, and that afterwards a “traumatised” Maceo begged Olivier to pick him up.
The Hollywood beauty with French actor partner Olivier in 2012Credit: Getty – ContributorCourt papers say Maceo took this snap of Halle after alleged attackCredit: Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles
Halle has vehemently denied the allegations, insisting the pair were “roughhousing”.
She says the incident arose as she tried to enforce boundaries, claiming Maceo had been physically aggressive towards her.
In a statement, she said: “I have never physically, emotionally, or otherwise abused Maceo. I am a victim of domestic violence, and I help victims of domestic violence . . . I am not a perpetrator of violence. I would never hurt our child.”
She said: “I have never seen my mom hit, slap, choke, grab or physically abuse Maceo in any way.
“I have never seen my mom place her hands around Maceo’s neck, put him in a choke hold, restrict his breathing or engage in any conduct remotely resembling the allegations that have been made against her.”
Nahla described Halle as a “loving and devoted parent”.
It is a far cry from how it all began.
Halle and Olivier met in 2010 in South Africa on the set of the horror film Dark Tide, shortly after she had split from French-Canadian model Gabriel.
They got engaged in 2012 and married in France in July 2013, and Halle gave birth to Maceo that October.
For a time they appeared to have found happiness together, with Maceo’s arrival completing the family.
Now Halle’s lawyer Marina Beck has branded the court filing “entirely meritless and deliberately misleading”.
Court evidence includes angry message exchanges between coupleCredit: BackGridTexts between the couple shown in courtCredit: BackGrid
She claimed Olivier had repeatedly violated court orders, “misconduct for which Mr Martinez has already been legally sanctioned”, and alleged he has a history of “erratic, possessive and violent behaviour”.
Halle also accuses Olivier of ignoring evidence which she says contradicts his version of events, including statements from her now-fiancé Van Hunt, who was present, and what she describes as contemporaneous video evidence.
Her filing reads: “Van Hunt was physically present during the incident and is the only adult third-party eyewitness to the events at issue.”
She argued that Maceo has “a personal interest in minimising his own conduct”, claiming he has behaved similarly at school.
Halle told the court that making him testify would place him “directly in the middle of a highly contentious dispute between his parents” and risk harm to his wellbeing.
She added that he has spent the past two weeks mainly in Olivier’s care, discussing the allegations and the litigation.
But Olivier has launched a blistering counter-attack, insisting his son is the real victim.
Maceo and Halle had a bust-up over a VR headset, Olivier claimed in court papersCredit: BackGridHalle has found a fierce ally in 18-year-old Nahla, her daughter by former partner Gabriel Aubry, pictured together in 2013Credit: Getty
His lawyer Patrick Baghdaserians said: “We vehemently deny such allegations. The child is the primary victim here. Victims of abuse should be able to testify regarding the abuse inflicted upon them.”
He added: “We are not surprised that the opposing party does not want the child Maceo to testify.
“The opposing party is seemingly scared of what the child will say.”
Olivier said Maceo “was concerned that no one will believe him over his mother” and “wants to speak with the court to provide his side of the story”.
He continued in his declaration: “Given that our son is 13 years old, I believe it would certainly be in his best interest for him to address the court.
“I believe that our son’s testimony will be the key to the Court learning the full truth about the events that occurred on September 26.
“I am the parent who wants the truth to come out. I am the parent who does not want to suppress Maceo’s voice.”
Mr Baghdaserians warned that if their son was stopped from speaking, Olivier “fears that [Maceo] would be dissuaded from reporting problems or potential abuse in the future”.
The team also expected Halle “will try to prevent Maceo from addressing the court directly”.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Shelley Kaufman ruled that “the minor child shall not be coached” and reminded both parents that existing orders remain in force, including not discussing custody issues or court papers with him.
But Olivier has hit back by asking the judge to block Nahla from testifying, claiming she is “unquestionably biased” and has “no significant bearing” on the case.
He said it was not appropriate for Halle to “insert her daughter into litigation that does not involve her”.
Halle as Bond Girl in Die Another Day, 2002Credit: AlamyOlivier and Halle’s disastrous marriage collapsed in 2015 after just two yearsCredit: Getty
The hearing is set to be an agonising showdown for two exes who have been trading blows in court for years over how to raise Maceo.
The marriage was short-lived. The couple’s wedding took place in France on July 13, 2013, but cracks soon began to show.
In January 2015, showbiz news service TMZ reported that Olivier had appeared to push a worker at Los Angeles airport with a child car seat as photographers closed in.
He was named a suspect in a battery investigation but no charges followed.
By October 2015 the couple had confirmed their split, saying in a joint statement they were divorcing “with a heavy heart” and wished each other “nothing but happiness in life”.
Yet the bitter legal wrangling rumbled on for the best part of a decade, with their divorce not finalised until August 2023.
The settlement required Halle to pay £6,000 a month in child support, cover Maceo’s private school tuition and contribute more than £41,500 towards Olivier’s legal fees, with the pair sharing joint custody of Maceo.
But the courtroom clashes did not stop there. In 2024 the pair were back in front of a judge over co- parenting therapy, with Halle accusing Olivier of trying to delay it by taking “the summer off” to travel.
She then sought sole custody, claiming Maceo had “serious behaviour and learning problems” and that Olivier refused to get a tutor because it could interfere with their son’s football schedule.
Olivier disputed the claims. Halle also said she had spent more than £150,000 trying to “work with” her ex, and swiped at him over child support.
“As Olivier has advised this court, he lives off my child support,” she wrote.
Now Olivier has filed for sole custody and has been granted primary custody, along with a restraining order barring Halle from coming within 100 yards of him.
Halle said she had spent more than £150,000 trying to ‘work with’ her ex, and swiped at him over child supportCredit: GettyBerry has completed a court-mandated parenting programmeCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
She has been given two days a week of court-ordered visitation and every other weekend with Maceo.
She has also completed a court-mandated parenting programme.
For now, the battle lines are firmly drawn, with Halle fighting to protect her reputation and relationship with her son, while Olivier insists Maceo’s account of events must be heard.
And with Maceo due to take the stand today, the latest chapter in one of Hollywood’s most vicious custody disputes is set to unfold in a courtroom far removed from the glitz and glamour of the world that the former couple once shared.
The Sun has approached representatives for both Halle and Olivier for comment.
KATIE Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler yesterday told jurors he was attracted to older women as he denied child rape allegations.
The former stripper, 39, spoke about his affairs while married to the TV personality as he gave evidence at his trial.
Katie Price’s ex-husband Kieran Hayler told jurors he is ‘attracted to older women’ as he denied child rape allegationsCredit: Simon JonesThe former stripper, 39, was speaking about his affairs while married to Katie Price as he took to the witness box in his trialCredit: PA:Press Association
He is accused of three rapes and one sexual assault against a 13-year-old girl.
But the judge yesterday added four alternative counts of sexual activity with a child to Hayler’s indictment, which means the jury could convict him of those lesser offences if they clear him of the original charges.
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Hayler’s barrister, Arlette Piercy, asked him about cheating on Ms Price with three other women — including the family’s nanny, Nikki Brown — during their marriage.
He said Ms Brown was older than his then-wife. When Ms Piercy asked Hayler about his taste in women, he said: “I am attracted to older women. Michelle (Pentecost, his ex-fiancée) is also older.”
Hayler is accused of three counts of rape and one count of sexual assault against a 13-year-old girlCredit: GettyThe judge added four counts of sexual activity with a child to Hayler’s indictmentCredit: Getty
Hayler mentioned the two other women only by their first names, saying: “Jane was 16 years older than me and Chrissy was two years older than Kate.”
Hayler has previously admitted affairs with two of Ms Price’s pals, Jane Pountney and Chrissy Thomas.
During his evidence, he went on to accuse former glamour model Ms Price of coaching the girl he was alleged to have raped at a West Sussex address in 2016.
Hayler said he used the mum of five’s fingerprint to unlock her phone, on which he found a May 2017 text exchange between her and the 13-year-old.
Hayler’s barrister Arlette Piercy asked him about cheating on Ms Price with three other women — including the family’s nanny, Nikki Brown — during their marriage, pair pictured in 2013Credit: Dan Charity – The SunHayler has previously admitted affairs with two of Ms Price’s pals, Jane Pountney and Chrissy ThomasCredit: PA:Press Association
Asked why he accessed her phone, he said: “She was making allegations that I fancied maybe 15 or 20 different people. I wanted to see who she was talking to.”
Hayler admitted he was looking for dirt about an affair he believed Ms Price was having.
He denies all of the charges against him.
The alleged victim is not a member of his or Katie’s extended family.
The trial continues.
During his evidence, Hayler went on to accuse former glamour model Ms Price of ‘coaching’ the girl he is alleged to have raped at a West Sussex address in 2016Credit: SplashHayler denies all of the charges against himCredit: Simon Jones
Streaming giant Netflix has unveiled its list of brand new Christmas films that will be released on their platform one per week beginning on November 4
Netflix subscribers have four new Christmas films to look forward to(Image: Chris Large/Netflix)
TV schedules are always a major talking point when Christmas approaches – and it appears Netflix are embracing the festive spirit early by unveiling their Yuletide films for 2026, much to their subscribers’ excitement.
Even though we tend to go for the classics of Home Alone, Elf and The Grinch, it can be nice to try a new film, even if it does end up with you not being able to get back two hours of your life. It can be a chance to laugh, cringe, or even debate with family while spending that all-important time together.
Annually, the streaming platform adds four seasonal offerings to its already vast catalogue of movies. And now this year’s titles have been unveiled, as television critic Kate Ellen discussed.
“Every year Netflix announces four films in the run-up to Christmas, and we’ve had some real bangers,” she began in a TikTok video, highlighting Hot Frosty and The Merry Gentlemen as past examples. “Last year wasn’t so strong, but this year I think it is their [Netflix] best line-up yet.”
Kate proceeded to list each title, the first of which is available on Netflix early next month, with the others following every Wednesday.
A Dog’s Perfect Christmas – November 4
Ellen revealed that the first to arrive is A Dog’s Perfect Christmas, which lands on Netflix as early as November 4. She said: “It stars Dennis Quaid and Jess from Gilmore Girls [Milo Ventimiglia] as a Basset Hound who apparently can talk.
“Apparently Dennis is like a grumpy grandad who lost his wife a few years ago, and this year it’s up to him, the Basset Hound and his teenage granddaughter to pull the family together and save Christmas.”
Netflix adds in a brief synopsis: “From the bestselling author of A Dog’s Purpose, a tale of a family in crisis where a teenager, her grandfather and his trusty basset hound struggle to keep the household together at Christmas.”
The Gospel of Christmas – November 11
Seven days later, Tyler Perry’s The Gospel of Christmas arrives on Netflix.
“This one is set in New York and follows a pastor [played by actor and singer, Tank] who has inherited his family’s church,” Ellen went on.
“Apparently he’s going to be battling temptation and doubt – and needing to rediscover his faith before Christmas.”
Netflix’s synopsis adds: “Hark! The herald angels sing – and that’s not all they’re getting up to. A brand-new Tyler Perry movie is being gift-wrapped and tied up with a ribbon, right on time for the holiday season, and it features a series of vocal performances that are not to be missed.”
Guarding Stars – November 18
A week later is when “things get really exciting”, according to Ellen.
“This [Guarding Stars] stars Blair from Gossip Girl [Leighton Meester] and Dean from Gilmore Girls [Jared Padalecki],” she reported. “Jared plays an action movie star and Leighton is his no-nonsense bodyguard who is there to protect him over Christmas.”
Ellen also pointed out that Meester has already proven she is “good in Christmas romances”, having starred in the 2023 rom-com EXMas.
Netflix describes the film with this synopsis: “An upcoming holiday romantic comedy movie about a no-nonsense bodyguard assigned to protect a charming action star over the holidays. Of course, sparks fly, secrets unravel, and Christmas gets a lot more complicated!”
In a Holidaze – December 2
Rounding off Ellen’s list as December approaches is In a Holidaze, starring former Dance Moms favourite Maddie Ziegler.
She said: “She’s [Ziegler] playing a directionless 20-something who, after a romantic mistake of epic proportions, gets stuck inside a time loop, living the same Christmas at her family’s cabin again and again. And apparently she keeps going until she finds out what makes her happy.”
IMDb further explains: “Maelyn Jones’ holiday takes an unexpected turn when her wish for happiness at her family’s snowy Utah cabin results in a time-loop, forcing her to relive Christmas repeatedly.”
Writing in response to Kate’s clip, one TikTok user exclaimed: “I’m so excited for In A Holidaze! Based on a book I hope it’s good.”
A second person shared: “Oh I’m excited!” While a third pointed out: “You forgot to mention the leading lady for ‘the Gospel of Christmas’ is Fantasia who is a American Idol winner and Grammy Award winner and Golden Globe nominated.”
So, as you can see, this year’s festive schedule is absolutely jam-packed!
I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! will be back on screens from November 2026 and, as always, several huge names from the world of showbiz have been rumoured to be entering the jungle
Ant and Dec will soon be back with I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!(Image: James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
From November, the Geordie duo will come live from Australia with a fresh batch of stars braving all that the outback has to offer in a bid to become the latest King or Queen of the Jungle. Over the years, the programme has bolstered the careers of TV favourites like ex-Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona, Geordie Shore’s Vicky Pattison and former X Factor star Stacey Solomon.
Last year, Emmerdale star Lisa Riley, who plays Mandy Dingle, just missed out on a place in the final. As the nation prepares for the 2026 series, The Mirror takes a look at the stars who could be heading into the jungle this time around…
Wayne Rooney
Two years ago Wayne’s wife Coleen entered the jungle, which came on the back of her infamous Wagatha Christie trial against Rebekah Vardy and saw her bag what was reported to be one of the highest paycheques in the history of the show,
Now the football legend himself could be about to sign up for I’m A Celeb. It was recently claimed that bosses had been in “negotiations with him for some time,” but on a recent appearance on This Morning, he simply said fans would “have to wait and see.”
In other words: he did not deny it!
AJ Odudu
AJ is currently fronting Big Brother with Will Best but, like her co-host, currently competing on Strictly Come Dancing, she could also be about to become a contestant on one of the nation’s biggest reality shows.
A source said: “She’s had early conversations about taking part and has made it clear she can absolutely make the dates they need her to.”
Jesy Nelson
Best known as part of Little Mix, Jesy, 35, last year gave birth to their twin daughters Ocean and Story. both born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 1.
She successfully lobbied the government and joined forces with the Mirror to campaign to have all newborns tested for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) when her twin girls were diagnosed too late after irreversible nerve damage.
Speaking to The Sun, a source said: “Continuing to raise awareness around SMA for her girls is something Jesy is very keen to do, and she knows she can use a platform like I’m A Celebrity to reach millions.”
Along with Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer, and Michelle Tsiakkas, Nadyia fell victim to the so-called Strictly Come Dancing bloodbath last year after serving as a professional for a number of series.
It was said at the time that TV offers had been “coming in thick and fast” for the star, and she had been “in talks” with show bosses for a turn in the I’m A Celeb jungle.
Olivia Attwood
Olivia Attwood has enjoyed quite the TV career since she shot to fame on Love Island in 2017. Over the last few years, she has become a Loose Women panellist and fronted a number of investigative documentaries for ITV2.
She first entered the jungle in 2022 but had to withdraw on medical grounds after just 24 hours. She has previously said she would be open to the idea of a return if she could fit it into her pack schedule.
Su-Elise Nash
Su-Elise could be about to become the second member of Mis-Teeq to enter the jungle, after her bandmate Sabrina Washington competed in 2009 and has apparently been in early talks with I’m A Celeb bosses, especially after the Scandalous hitmakers reunited at Capital Summertime Ball.
Ricky Wilson
Ricky Wilson is known for huge hits like Ruby and I Predict a Riot as part of the Kaiser Chiefs. The Sun previously reported that he had “always politely declined” the jungle before, but could now have changed his mind.
Ben Stokes
Legendary cricketer Ben announced his retirement from the sport earlier this year, and could just be about to head into the I’m A Celeb jungle a matter of months later. Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: “Ben Stokes could soon be swapping cricket for crickets, if the latest odds are anything to go by.”
James Acaster has revealed the real reason Julie Hesmondhalgh was banished from the Celebrity Traitors castle and claimed it was edited out of the final broadcast.
James Acaster has opened up about an unseen moment on Celebrity Traitors
James Acaster has revealed the real reason Julie Hesmondhalgh was banished from Celebrity Traitors – and said it was not shown in the final edit of the show.
The actress, best known for previously starring as Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street, was the latest victim of the round table in the hit BBC series, after a campaign led by singer James Blunt, and revealed she had been a Faithful the whole time.
He told The Times: “In the edit James Blunt’s reason was that Julie was given the first shield. What actually happened is that when they did the shoulder tap for the Traitors ’ pick at the beginning, James told Julie who he thought was acting suspiciously around the table.”
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James spoke to Julie soon afterwards and told her that at that stage in the game, before the traitors knew who each other were, they would not be sharing theories because they might inadvertently incriminate an ally. He suggested that they should take note of who was not being forthcoming.
He continued: “Then Julie went into the room where James [Blunt] was, puts this to everyone, and says, ‘Like you, James. You’re not sharing your theories with anyone’, and James is thinking, ‘Well that’s not true, because I just shared mine with you at the table’.”
James said that when Julie was voted out, the You’re Beautiful singer presented this as evidence of lying. He added: “That’s why Julie got voted off. Which isn’t in the edit. If I was him, I’d be pretty gutted.”
Comedian James also revealed some behind-the-scenes detail about the filming of the hit show, saying contestants stay in a “Travelodge-level hotel about an hour from the castle in the Scottish Highlands, which is a bit of a trek each morning and night”.
They cannot leave the hotel without being chaperoned and have ten minutes each morning to FaceTime a friend or family member. He added: “A member of the production team is there with you, so you can’t have an authentic conversation because you can’t tell them anything that’s happening.
“At one point my partner said, ‘Have you caught the sun?’ I was saying, ‘Oh yeah, we were outside for one of the missions’. I was told I couldn’t even tell her that.”
A spokesperson for The Celebrity Traitors said: “Everyone experiences their own game in their individual way with many differing theories, opinions and multiple discussions throughout the day.
“Naturally, we could never include every minute of a day’s filming in any one episode where we need to focus on the key story moments.
“The round table offers an open forum for all of those theories to be presented and it is there that we see the most salient points come to the fore that succinctly convey how players reach the decision on who to banish in that moment.”
Celebrity Traitors continues on BBC One on Thursday at 8pm.
If you’re one of the (very rare) people who haven’t seen the first few episodes of the Celebrity Traitors, here’s what happened at the end of the last episode…
(Image: BBC)
The three Traitors – James Acaster, Maya Jama and Hannah Fry – had a big decision to make. They chose to play a fatal game of Hide and Seek with four of the Faithfuls. They were allowed to put themselves amongst the four but chose not to, hoping suspicion might fall on one of their chosen Faithfuls and they can safely slip under the radar…
They chose four stars – Leigh-Anne, Ross, Rob and Romesh – and will ‘kill’ one. However, they don’t know that Leigh-Anne has a special key which protects her from being murdered…
It was a crowning moment. Netflix appeared to have prevailed in an audacious $82.7-billion deal to scoop one of the industry’s most prestigious studios: Warner Bros. The move seemed to cement Netflix’s status as the ultimate Hollywood gate-crasher and its dominance as the leading new player in media.
Now, nearly a year later, the plotline for Netflix has dramatically changed. The streaming giant lost out to Paramount Skydance in its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery and is facing headwinds on multiple fronts.
That was underscored this week when the streaming giant Netflix began shedding 6% of its workforce, or about 1,000 jobs — believed to be the largest layoff in the company’s history and exceeding the last round of job cuts in 2022, when it reported subscriber declines.
On Wednesday morning, Ted Sarandos and Co-Chief Executive Greg Peters sent a note to employees confirming the job losses, adding that the bulk of the cuts would affect the tech, product, legal and human resources teams.
“Our mission — to entertain the world — is ambitious, and delivering on it requires us to be disciplined about where we prioritize our people and resources,” wrote Sarandos and Peters in the memo obtained by The Times.
The cuts mark the latest reductions across the film and TV industry. Other entertainment and media companies have slashed their payrolls, including Walt Disney Co., Paramount and Sony Pictures Entertainment during a period of economic uncertainty in Hollywood.
But the scale of such downsizing is unusual for Netflix. Industry analysts and insiders chalk up the reversal of fortune to several factors. Although it still dominates the television business, the Los Gatos company hasn’t been able to produce enough new hit franchises to replace culture-defining shows from years past such as “Stranger Things” and “Squid Game.”
At the same time, Netflix faces rising competition from rivals such as HBO Max, Apple TV, Hulu and others that have upped their game. Free, ad-supported streaming platforms such as YouTube are increasingly taking a larger slice of consumer streaming hours. And Netflix’s efforts to diversify its business into new areas such as games have yielded mixed results.
A Netflix building on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles in 2025.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
The upshot: Netflix continues to be the dominant video subscription streaming player with more than 325 million subscribers, but the time that consumers spend on the platform is growing at a slower pace than what investors want. In the first half of this year, consumer watch time on Netflix increased only 2% compared with a year earlier, even as content spending increased 11% to $20 billion this year. Netflix also narrowed its annual revenue forecast last summer, disappointing some investors.
“Netflix’s layoffs show that even the top streaming companies are not immune to stagnation and financial difficulties,” said Ross Benes, senior analyst at research firm Emarketer.
Amid the sobering signs, investors have grown restless. Netflix shares, which closed at $70.57 on Wednesday, have plummeted 42% in the last year. Part of that decline was fueled by anxiety among investors over Netflix’s deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, but the share price hasn’t rebounded even after that deal fell apart.
“They need to better prepare their balance sheet and economics since engagement has plateaued,” said Brandon Katz, director of insights and content strategy at Greenlight Analytics.
Katz said that Netflix’s five most-watched English-language scripted summer movie releases in their first eight weeks posted the lowest average hours watched compared with the streamer’s top five summer releases in 2025, 2024 and 2023, citing Nielsen data.
Sarandos acknowledged concerns about engagement at a Bloomberg Screentime event Sept. 30.
“Overall we’re not growing as fast as I want us to, and we’re working on making that move faster,” Sarandos said.
Netflix declined to comment on the layoffs.
“We’ll continue to invest aggressively in high-impact areas to improve our service and further drive growth and innovation,” Sarandos and Peters said in their memo to employees.
In some ways, Netflix has been victim of its own success. It has produced a string of shows and movies that have hit the cultural zeitgeist such as “KPop Demon Hunters” and “Squid Game.” But finding enough new popular shows that continue to drive subscriptions has been a challenge.
“A lot of these major hits are coming to an end at similar times, and they don’t yet really have heir apparents to replace them,” Katz said.
Sci-fi hit “Stranger Things” released its finale last year, followed by the young-adult drama “Outer Banks” and “Emily in Paris,” which ends this year. Netflix also announced that “The Witcher” and “The Lincoln Lawyer” will wrap after their next seasons.
What’s more, the second seasons of some shows with big followings have seen large view drop-offs compared with their first seasons. For example, the fantasy series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” season 1 debuted with 21.2 million views, but views for its second season dropped 59% to 8.7 million, according to Netflix data.
New series from Netflix also haven’t captured as much consumer demand as other competing shows from rival streamers, according to Parrot Analytics.
Last year, Netflix had just one show — the Japanese anime and manga series “Sakamoto Days” — that made it in Parrot’s top 10 list of first season original series on streaming platforms. Parrot’s ranking measures consumer demand in the U.S. and is based on digital interactions such as social media chatter and Google searches. By comparison, Netflix had three titles in 2022 alone: the true crime show “Monster,” the documentary series “Harry & Meghan” and the sci-fi mystery show “1899,” Parrot said.
Sarandos told investors in July that such declines are typical and that second season falloff is slightly improved this year. But popular shows on rival streaming services such as the medical drama “The Pitt” on HBO Max have not seen such declines. “The Pitt” drew even more viewers in its second season than the first.
To diversify its business, Netflix has expanded its programming offerings beyond TV shows and movies to include live sports, such as football and baseball games.
Although live programs have helped to spur significant subscription sign-ups, they still represent just 1% of watch time on Netflix while costing 5% of the company’s content budget, Sarandos has said.
Netflix also has added video podcasts that have helped to boost daytime viewing on the platform, and has made deals with YouTube creators to bring their content to the streaming service.
But some of the new content hasn’t clicked, particularly in games, analysts said. In August, Netflix shut down Hollywood-based Night School, the maker of supernatural adventure game “Oxenfree,” and said it was closing a Helsinki-based games studio.
“They are spending on a lot of things that haven’t necessarily proven to be effective yet,” said Rob Rosenberg, a partner at law firm Moses & Singer and former Showtime Networks general counsel. “It feels a lot like they’re trying to send a message to Wall Street that ‘we’re re-examining how we do business.’”
Meanwhile, Netflix continues to face more competition from rivals such as YouTube, which offers a free, ad-supported version of its video library.
Unlike Netflix, YouTube does not pay for the creation of many of the videos on its platform. Instead, creators or companies upload and produce the programs themselves and YouTube shares ad and subscription revenue.
YouTube’s share of streaming watch time in the U.S. on TVs has steadily increased. In July, YouTube represented 14.2%, compared with Netflix’s 7.8%, according to Nielsen.
The pressure to boost engagement on Netflix has caused tension within the company, particularly between the teams of people responsible for how programs are promoted on the platform and the employees responsible for bringing shows and movies on Netflix, according to people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to speak publicly.
Some blame the content for not being enticing enough, while others contend that the programs could be promoted better on Netflix.
“It’s a bit of a quagmire,” said one of the sources familiar with the matter. “There is a tension when things aren’t working. People tend to point fingers.”
In their staff memo, Sarandos and Peters said Netflix is on track to deliver its full-year forecast and will continue to invest in areas that improve its service and drive growth and innovation.
“Doing that means making focused choices across the business so we can keep delivering for our members, partners, employees, and investors,” they wrote.
Despite the downsizing, Netflix remains highly profitable. In the second quarter, the company generated $3.4 billion in net income, up 9% from a year earlier. Revenue rose 13% to $12.6 billion last quarter, including double-digit revenue growth in all of its regions. Next week, the company will share its third-quarter results.
The streamer is expected to get a boost from new seasons of popular shows — including season 4 of the political drama “The Diplomat” and spy series “Lupin: Part 4,” as well as Thanksgiving Eve and Christmas Day NFL games.
Having new seasons of popular shows such as “Lupin” and “The Diplomat” will help boost Netflix’s engagement, said Alejandro Rojas, vice president of applied analytics at Parrot Analytics.
“The new season is like a catalyst for people to watch the previous seasons,” Rojas said.
On the theatrical side, Netflix also has high hopes for upcoming movies including La Bola Negra, starring Penelope Cruz; and “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth” featuring Brad Pitt. Next year, Netflix will release the Greta Gerwig-directed film, “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew” on Imax screens.
Netflix has not signaled any changes to its strategy for releasing movies or TV shows. But some analysts said it could benefit from having more theatrical releases and by dropping episodes of shows once a week, instead of all at once, to generate more buzz for programs. They also expect that Netflix will be more disciplined in its content spending.
“While the company will expand its sports roles, it’s cutting back at a time when revenue matters much more than subscriber additions,” said Benes of Emarketer. “With pressure mounting, Netflix will look to turn the tide by getting a boost from low-cost content. The battle for top creators will become more pitched.”
Times staff writer SamanthaMasunaga contributed to this report.
Janette Manrara spoke about her husband becoming the latest person to get eliminated from the BBC show.
Janette and Aljaz met on the BBC show(Image: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Aljaž Škorjanec and Melanie Walters were the latest couple to get eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing.
Now former professional dancer on the BBC show, Janette Manrara, has shared how her husband Aljaz is feeling after he wasn’t saved by the judges during Sunday’s results show (October 11) with his celebrity partner Melanie Walters.
While she appeared on This Morning to speak with Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley about her role in a new play, the 42-year-old discussed balancing motherhood alongside her demanding career, particularly while Aljaz features on the BBC programme. The couple are parents to three-year-old daughter Lyra.
After praising their family and support network, she said of combining work and home life: “As long as you plan, if you’ve got a plan and you need the village. Between the two things, you can make it work. Aljaz has no clue, by the way, he just says, ‘Where is she today and who’s got her?'”
She continued: “He’s an amazing dad. At the moment, obviously, he’s left the competition now with Melanie (Walters). He’s sad about leaving the show, but he’s also super happy because he’s going to spend so much time with her (Lyra) now, which is nice.”
Although Aljaz is no longer in the running to lift the Glitterball trophy, he’ll still appear in the professional group dances. Elsewhere, Janette spoke candidly about her feelings upon missing out on the presenting role on the BBC show, reports Wales Online.
When veteran hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman departed from their positions on the BBC programme, speculation was running wild about who might step into their shoes.
While many had tipped Janette as a frontrunner — having previously been a professional dancer on the show before leaving to front spin-off programme It Takes Two — it emerged that she had auditioned for the role but was unsuccessful. The presenting duties ultimately went to Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe.
Ben noted that Janette had previously been forthright about feeling ‘heartbroken’ at being overlooked for the role. She responded: “Yeah, I’ve talked about it on Jamie Laing’s podcast, it was (tough) because Strictly was such a huge part of my life, I was there for almost 14 years.
“Aljaz is still in the show, so I just hoped that it would go in that way for me. But, it didn’t, and that’s ok because I think life finds a way of still giving you that magic that is needed for you. I really wanted to act. I had been working on my acting skills for the last couple of years, actually.”
She continued: “Then, I did Roxie Hart in Chicago on tour, and I got the bug for serious acting, so I really started to push that narrative. I think life has a funny way of closing one door and opening another, and that’s exactly what happened.
“Now I watch Strictly and watch Aljaz and everybody on the show, and I’m just buzzing for them. I’ve been there, and I know how exciting that feeling is.”
This Morning continues weekdays on ITV from 10am. Strictly Come Dancing airs Saturdays on October 17 from 6:15pm.
Charlene White, Brenda Edwards, Judi Love, and Kéllé Bryan returned to ITV screens this morning (Thursday, October 15) to front today’s instalment of Loose Women, where they were on hand to discuss the latest news and headlines from around the globe.
Just seconds in, today’s hosts shared some “sad news” that came as a shock as they expressed their love and support for their co-star, Ruth Langsford.
Earlier this week, Ruth took to social media to share the heartbreaking news that her dog Maggie had died, paying an emotional tribute.
On the show, Charlene said: “We’re going to start with some really sad news, actually. It came as a bit of a shock to all of us this morning when our Ruth shared the news that her beloved dog Maggie has sadly passed away.”
Sharing the emotional tribute Ruth had paid this morning, Charlene then added: “Loads of you watching will of course have known Maggie for years, wouldn’t they? All of us, she’s like a part of our family.”
Brenda said, “We were literally on the panel on Monday talking about Ruth and Maggie. Maggie is in every single conversation, and I’m sending so much love to Ruth right now because this is really sad.”
Admitting she didn’t understand the connection between owner and pet before she got her own cat, Judi added cat Bella is now a ‘part of the family.”
Charlene added: “We just absolutely adore Ruth, and we just know what a hit this will be”, as Kelle replied: “Absolutely, and I think the relationship between Maggie and Ruth’s mum has been one that we’ve all followed, and it’s been so lovely that every time Maggie goes in, mum lights up.”
The panel then sent their love for their co-star as tributes continue to pour in from fans and loved ones on social media.
In an emotional statement online, Ruth shared a photograph of Maggie as she wrote: “It is with a heavy heart that I tell you our beautiful Maggie has gone to sleep forever.
“She was 16 years old, and sadly, this was her time. Her passing was painless and peaceful, and we were with her until the very end. We are so thankful to have had her in our lives for 15 years… she gave us so much joy & unconditional love. We will treasure our memories forever. Rest in peace, our beautiful girl.”
