show biz

A police drama that has gripped viewers is returning for a new series on the BBC

The BBC has shared a first look at the new series of a police drama fans have called “the best cop show”.

Belfast-set Blue Lights has become a huge success since it started in 2023, with viewers gripped by its first three series.

It is now set to return for a fourth run, and the broadcaster has given fans a peek at what’s to come in images showing Siân Brooke, Martin McCann, Katherine Devlin and Nathan Braniff back in uniform.

The series, which follows officers at the fictional Blackthorn police station in Belfast, will also see the return of Game of Thrones’ Richard Dormer.

He played Gerry Cliff in series one, and will be back alongside Hannah McClean as solicitor Jen Robinson and Jonathan Harden as disgraced former Inspector, Jonty, in an episode “that will answer important questions from the past”.

The new images come weeks after the BBC shared an exclusive clip from the new season.

The brief look at series four showed Constable Shane Bradley (Frank Blake) pulling over elderly driver David (Trevor Gill) and his passenger, Imelda (Rosamund Monteith), to quiz him about whether he had been drinking.

Fans are eagerly awaiting the new episodes, after declaring the first three series of Blue Lights were “excellent” and “outstanding”.

One posted a comment on IMDb.com saying the show was “entertainment at its best”, while another remarked: “As an ex-cop, I’m so sick of US made cookie cutter police shows. Blue Lights in my opinion is bang on what it’s like to be cop.”

“Brilliant acting, directing, production – award winning drama all round,” said someone else. “Absolutely outstanding British drama. It’s poignant, emotional, engaging. The cast are brilliant. Best show I’ve watched in a long time.”

“If you haven’t watched Blue Lights yet, you’re missing out on one of the best shows in years,” one fan wrote on Reddit. “This is a must watch show, one of the best of the 2020s and will one day be a classic,” they continued.

“Watched this whole thing in like a week, it is fantastic,” said someone else, as another wrote on Reddit that it was “a masterpiece of a show”.

“This is probably the best cop show since Southland and Bosch,” another viewer commented.

Blue Lights will be available on BBC iPlayer and BBC One this autumn.

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie‘s youngest daughter, Vivienne, is seeking to drop “Pitt” from her name, according to People.

The 18-year-old filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court to remove her father’s surname from her legal name, Vivienne Marcheline Jolie-Pitt. The reason for her request was listed as “personal.”

The request is a common theme among the Jolie-Pitt siblings since the couple’s marriage was formally dissolved in 2019 and divorce became finalized in 2024 after a long legal battle.

In August 2024, the court granted Shiloh’s request to drop the surname. Zahara and Maddox have both asked for the same, but their petitions are pending hearings.

Before her request, Vivienne had already informally dropped the last name. In May 2024, the youngest of six was credited as “Vivienne Jolie” on the Playbill for “The Outsiders,” a play she co-produced with her mom.

The couple wed on Aug. 14, 2014, nine years after they met while filming their movie “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” Jolie filed for divorce in September 2016 after the couple allegedly had a physical altercation aboard a private plane, which also involved several of their children.

The Los Angeles County’s Department of Children and Family Services and the FBI investigated the alleged physical altercation between Pitt and his son Maddox. No charges were filed against Pitt.

The court has scheduled a hearing for Vivienne’s request for Nov. 2.

Love Island fans have been left furious after dramatic scenes played out between Aidan and Priya and he tried to salvage his relationship with her after his “disrespectful” comment

Love Island fans have been left furious after dramatic scenes played out between Aidan and Priya. The couple had been going strong on the ITV2 reality dating show, but things went awry when Aidan made a comment about his significant other, claiming that she “pounced” on him when they were in bed.

The property broker, 23, came under fire from the public and his fellow contestants for the way he spoke, and swept the board on Wednesday night’s episode during the Graftie Awards, scooping up publicly voted titles of Flirtiest Performance, Plot Twist Award, and Raunchiest Moment.

After it all played out, Priya and Aidan had a heart-to-heart about where they are at as a couple as they went on their first date, with Aidan trying to explain that he doesn’t necessarily have feelings for the business development manager, 25, but still hopes to build some sort of future with her.

Speaking about his comment directly, she told him: “It makes a girl feel a certain type of way… it’s nasty.”

Later on, around the makeup table, the girls tried to persuade Priya that Aidan’s comment was “disrespectful” and opined that he would never have said it if he really did love her.

Taking to X, one fan said: “this series is just a priya humiliation ritual atp, and another said: “Priya… Calm down!”…. SORRY!???? Aidan bro dont piss me off”

A third wrote: “I’m sorry but Priya is not in the wrong. What Asian said is digusting.” A fourth said: “you definitely did deserve them aidan”

Other Islanders, including Jasmine, have accused the couple of being “fake” and viewers certainly had a lot to say about that as well.

One said: “Why can’t we vote couples out? I am so sick of mica and samraj and Aidan and priya they really don’t need any more time in there blowing their own horns saying there still there. ITS CAUSE WE CANT PUBLICLY VOTE.”

Another said: “Jas I like you but Julia’s opinion has f*ck all to do with her wanting to see Aidan and Priya together. We can all see that their connection isn’t real by the way Aidan carries himself. Please REST.”

Another said: “Jasmine wants Aiden’s validation so bad and it’s so disgusting to watch. This is a well educated woman embarrassing herself on live TV for bunch of losers. “

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Pat McAfee knows just what the world needs in 2026.

More Pat McAfee.

The former Indianapolis Colts punter and kicker already is seemingly everywhere — as the host of his own show every weekday on ESPN, as an analyst on “College GameDay” and guest on a number of other shows on the network, as a commentator/participant with WWE until earlier this year, as host of multiple podcasts, etc.

McAfee has not, however, released an album full of songs written and sung entirely by the two-time Pro Bowl selection himself.

That situation will be rectified in a matter of weeks.

McAfee announced Wednesday that he would be dropping his debut record, “The Diary of a Polarizing Figure,” on Aug. 14, a musical collaboration with country singer-songwriter Ernest.

“For as long as I can remember my mere existence has made people hate my guts,” McAfee wrote in an X post announcing the project. “I’ve been writing songs about it for 20yrs & it’s time to let them aht.. A LOT of headlines & narratives.. if I was to die, I’d like my kids to know exactly who their dad is.”

Although McAfee definitely has his detractors, it’s interesting that he’s putting out an album focusing on the haters, considering his current popularity is such that he is reportedly in talks for a contract extension with ESPN that would pay him more than $60 million a year.

Some online commenters have criticized McAfee for the timing of his announcement, which comes a day after a number of his ESPN colleagues were laid off by Walt Disney Co. McAfee reposted one such complaint on X and commented simply, “The Diary of a Polarizing Figure, August 14th, 2026.”

He said Wednesday on “The Pat McAfee Show”: “A lot of things are being said about me at this exact moment. [People] are going to hear my responses through these songs because these types of situations have been happening to me throughout my entire life. … Literally since elementary school I’ve had people that just don’t like me because I’m too loud and everything like that.”

In December, McAfee released a country-rock single called “Dookie,” also a musical collaboration with Ernest. A news release at the time stated that the single marked “a new partnership between McAfee and DeVille Records / Big Loud Records.”

Ernest told Whiskey Riff early this year that he and McAfee had recorded eight or nine songs together.

“Any EA Sports game should have a Pat McAfee song on it,” Ernest said in describing the former West Virginia standout’s musical style. “It’s locker room hype s—.”

Many athletes have attempted musical careers, with varying degrees of critical and commercial success. It would seem far fewer sports broadcasters have tried the same crossover, with John Tesh probably being the best-known example after his stint covering athletic events for CBS and NBC in the mid-1980s.

If he wants advice from a peer, perhaps McAfee might seek it from Terry Bradshaw, the four-time Super Bowl champion and longtime NFL analyst who also has released a number of country/gospel albums and even had a top 10 country hit with a cover of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” in the 1970s.

McAfee said on his show that he “wrote this entire thing over the last 20 years or so in the notes section” of his phone.

“A lot of very personal stuff in here,” he said. “Finding my singing voice has been fun. That has been a blast. Then [to] all the incredible people in Nashville who have assisted and kind of helped me piece all this together, I’m so grateful and thankful.”

Tony Thorpe, the guitarist for the English glam-rock combo the Rubettes, has died. He was 80.

“It is with great sadness that we officially announce the passing of Anthony John Thorpe. He was a father to Clay, a husband to Shirle, a friend to many, and a mentor to countless musicians young and old,” read a statement posted to his Facebook page. “His recently failing health did little to diminish his fierce intellect and sharp sense of humour. He will leave an unfillable hole in the lives of all who knew him, or his music.”

The Rubettes formed in 1973 after a session-musician team cut several doo-wop inspired tracks including the single “Sugar Baby Love.” The song hit number one on the UK charts in 1974 when the band, known for its uniform of white suits, performed on Top of the Pops. The single also charted in the U.S. top 40 and became their best-known song, along with European hits including “Tonight,” “Juke Box Jive,” “I Can Do It.”

The band sold millions of singles, primarily in Europe, over its career. Thorpe sang lead on several songs in the band’s catalog, including the country-influenced single “Baby I Know.” He left the group in 1979, and the Rubettes continued to perform and record in various incarnations.

The Rubettes classic-lineup singer, Alan Williams, posted on the band’s official Facebook page, saying Thorpe was “Mercifully now at peace.”

“Dear Tony, our paths having crossed but fleetingly during which time was conceived wondrous music and often hilariously memorable moments. Your brilliance with the axe and the pen cannot be denied and remains with us, never forgotten. Rest now Cowboy.”

A BON Jovi tribute singer has been forced to change his name from One Jovi after a legal threat from the rockers’ lawyers.

Andy Hearn, 53, trademarked the jokey moniker after other performers tried to copy it.

But he then got a cease-and-desist letter from the ’80s hitmakers, named after lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, saying the tag was too similar.

Engineering fitter Andy, of Rotherham, South Yorks, has been in the band for six years but was worried about the costs of tackling the Livin’ On A Prayer stars in court.

He said: “I was disappointed a multi-billion-pound company would be bothered about someone doing pubs and clubs for a few pennies.

“I said, ‘If you think I’m a threat, then thank you — it’s a compliment’.”

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Andy said they claimed a tribute band name had to be at least 20 per cent different.

He said the exchange took place around three years ago and was resolved after several emails.

Andy was allowed to keep rocking Bon Jovi classics with his band – and at solo shows – under the ‘One Jovi’ name.

But he now releases his own songs under the tweaked moniker ‘Mr One Jovi’.

Andy insists it has not soured his love for the band, whose music he first discovered as a teenager.

He said: “It didn’t affect the way I feel about them.

“I remember listening to them when I was 14 and just absolutely loving it.”

Andy is now stepping out of Jon Bon Jovi’s shadow and chasing chart success with original music of his own.

Bon Jovi have been contacted for comment.

RIHANNA has nearly popped out of her pink see-through Savage x Fenty lingerie in brand new pictures.

The singer, 38, took to Instagram today to share a series of sexy snaps of herself rocking the bubblegum pink slip number.

She showed off her incredible figure and plenty of cleavage in the body-hugging outfit, just 10 months after giving birth to her daughter Rocki.

The mum-of-three took part in a beach-themed photoshoot for her own body-positivity and loungewear brand.

Shr rocked wavy blonde locks and plenty of pink blush to match her dress.

In one snap, Rihanna lay in an empty blue paddle pool as she delicately placed her hand on her chest.

In another, the songwriter thrust her bum in the air and through a blue and white pool float.

She captioned the post: “Luxe. Lace. Meet our new, softest stretch lace evaaaa.”

Her followers rushed to the comments section to compliment her as one penned: “Shine bright like a diamond.”

Another fan asked: “Is this the album cover?”

Somebody else gushed: “Body is tea,” while a fourth added: “Queen,” with several fire flame emojis.

Rihanna and partner A$AP Rocky welcomed their daughter Rocki in Los Angeles in September last year.

She shared a sweet Instagram post to confirm the news as she cradled the newborn who was wearing a pink outfit.

“Rocki Irish Mayers Sept 13 2025,” Rihanna announced in the caption.

Following months of speculation, Rihanna confirmed her pregnancy hours before the Met Gala in May as she walked down the streets of New York City with her bare baby bump on display.

She then arrived late to the red carpet of the prestigious fashion event in a tailored suit, her bump clearly visible.

The couple are also parents to sons RZA and Riot.

In October last year, A$AP dropped a big hint that he and Rihanna had secretly tied the knot.

After weeks of speculation, he kept fans guessing by adding: “I’m still not gonna confirm it.”

However, in another interview weeks later with Perfect magazine, he appeared to have had a change of heart, casually describing himself as the Umbrella hitmaker’s husband in a new interview. 

He said: “Being a father and a partner and a loving husband in my family is what makes me really, really happy.”

The two performers first got together back in 2019.

Laird was originally predicted to be a follow-up to Yellowstone set in the Scottish Highlands.

Laird is officially on the way, jam-packed with “family feuds, buried secrets and star-crossed romances”.

Paramount Plus has given the green light for Scottish Highlands drama Laird, described as an “epic family saga in which a proud Scot defies a shadowy American billionaire hellbent on buying up the glens”.

It has also been confirmed that this Laird of Castle Drummoch, who is “determined to protect his ancestral lands from oligarchical land grabbing” will be played by none other than Oscar-winning star Kenneth Branagh.

He is famed for blockbuster films like Belfast, Dunkirk, Agatha Christie’s Hercules Poirot and Oppenheimer.

Earlier this month, there were rumours flying that Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan was behind Laird with yet another prequel, following in the footsteps of his hugely successful series 1883 and 1923.

No new Yellowstone prequel series from Sheridan has been announced apart from 1944 which was previously confirmed by Paramount Plus.

So Laird appears to be an entirely separate project from the Yellowstone universe with its creators behind three other big shows.

Laird will be brought to life by Paramount Plus’ Mobland creator Jez Butterworth, Nine Perfect Strangers’ John-Henry Butterworth and The 100’s Georgia Lee.

Branagh is also going to be working behind the cameras as an executive producer and Darkest Hour filmmaker Joe Wright will be directing the pilot.

Describing the upcoming Scottish drama, head of originals for Paramount Plus Jane Wiseman said: “At its heart, Laird is about one man standing his ground against unchecked wealth and power.

“There’s something universally resonant about watching someone fight to protect what matters most, and with Kenneth Branagh leading the series, and an equally remarkable creative team, we can’t wait for audiences to root for the Laird of Castle Drummoch.”

President at Paramount Television Studios Matt Thunell added: “Jez, John-Henry, and Georgia have imagined a gripping drama that explores how far one family will go to protect their land and legacy.

“With Kenneth Branagh starring and Joe Wright directing, this is a singular creative team, and we are thrilled to once again partner with 101 Studios to bring this series to Paramount+.”

Laird will air on Paramount Plus.

The Odyssey is Sir Christopher Nolan’s long-awaited adaptation of Homer’s epic poem.

Groundbreaking new Christopher Nolan film The Odyssey stars a familiar soap legend.

EastEnders star Himesh Patel stars in the epic, which has already broken records with its cinematic release.

Former soap legend Himesh is a face familiar to many after he played Tamwar Masood, the slightly geeky son of the Masood family, on EastEnders between 2007 and 2016.

As the first Muslim family to live in Albert Square since the Karims in the late 80s, and the first Asian family since the Ferreiras in 2003, the Masoods brought a fresh perspective to the long-running BBC soap, and they quickly rose in popularity.

During his time in Walford, Tamwar was seen helping his family with their business and putting his Oxbridge dreams on hold. Eventually, he left Walford to travel the world with Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill), whom he later married, but the couple ultimately divorced.

In 2016, after nearly a decade, Himesh decided to leave his role on EastEnders to pursue new opportunities in his acting career. It seems to have been a very wise decision, as he is now a movie star with his latest role in the blockbuster movie The Odyssey.

Who is Himesh Patel in The Odyssey?

Sir Christopher Nolan’s new movie, an adaptation of Homer’s Ancient Greek epic, stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek King of Ithaca, on his perilous 10-year journey home after the Trojan War.

The highly anticipated film, released on Friday, July 17, is the first-ever feature film shot entirely with IMAX cameras.

It has brought in a huge $264.1million (£196m) worldwide in its first weekend, surpassing the $249million (£185million) opening of The Dark Knight Rises (2012), which went on to be Nolan’s highest-grossing film, exceeding $1billion.

In the film, Patel plays Eurylochus, Odysseus’ trusted second-in-command. He’s not only fiercely loyal, but he also calls out Odysseus and serves as his conscience as they try to make their dangerous trek home to Ithaca.

The Odyssey features a star-studded A-list cast alongside Himesh and Matt Damon, including Zendaya, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson.

“Everything I’ve done in the last seven to eight years has been beyond my wildest dreams, but this movie was such a singular experience,” Himash told the Radio Times.

“There is only one guy who makes movies like this. I don’t know where my career is going but even if I have the privilege of working with Chris [Nolan] again, it won’t be this story, it won’t be this sort of thing.”

Since his EastEnders exit, Himesh has taken on significant roles in several notable films, including Danny Boyle’s Beatles-inspired film Yesterday (2019) and Christopher Nolan’s time-manipulating film Tenet.

In addition, he played the part of Jennifer Lawrence’s character’s romantic partner in the Netflix disaster film Don’t Look Up.

What are viewers saying about The Odyssey?

The Odyssey has already received rave reviews, and taking to Rotten Tomatoes, one viewer dubbed the movie “phenomenal”, while another added: “This is a cinematic masterpiece. Guaranteed Oscars sweep this year!”

A third chimed in: “Film. Of. The. Year. Possibly the decade”, while another added: “A cinematic masterpiece”, while another added: “Got to be one of the best adaptations of all time.”

“The Odyssey is an absolute masterpiece and my favorite movie of the year so far. Christopher Nolan delivers a visually breathtaking epic that had me glued to the screen from beginning to end,” added another.

The Odyssey is available to watch in various cinemas across the UK

Lily Allen’s phenomenal musical comeback with West End Girl caused quite the stir.

Lily Allen fans will see the star as “she’s never been seen before” in a “redefining” new documentary.

Pop star Lily Allen was a cultural icon in the noughties, and was recently catapulted back into the spotlight after an eight-year break, thanks to her scandalous hit album West End Girl.

Now, the Not Fair singer is at the heart of an upcoming biographical documentary “offering an intimate portrait of the life and career of a global icon and voice of a generation”.

Set to be released on Prime Video, the film will take a deep dive into her “extraordinary journey” and why she has remained a cultural force for the past two decades.

The special will feature interviews from those closest to the star to give subscribers a real insight into the musical legend’s life away from the cameras.

The official synopsis teases: “As a pioneering woman in modern music, Lily’s sharp wit and candid storytelling directly paved the way for a generation of today’s biggest female artists.

“This is a story of resilience, reinvention, and an artist reclaiming her narrative on her own terms.

“This is Lily Allen as she’s never been seen before. Raw, real, and redefining what it means to thrive in the spotlight.”

So far, a release date for the Lily Allen documentary hasn’t been confirmed by Prime Video but it will be sometime in 2027.

Her shocking fifth studio album West End Girl was written following the collapse of her marriage to Stranger Things star David Harbour.

The famous couple first started dating in 2019, got married the following year and separated in 2025.

In her 14-track West End Girl album, she accuses Harbour of infidelity and talks about their open marriage agreement.

Harbour has since addressed the album in an interview with Variety, saying “stories are complex” and that “it wasn’t my experience”. Nevertheless, he does “respect her creation of art to channel her experience”.

The Lily Allen documentary will air sometime in 2027 on Prime Video.

Susanna Reid issued an update to her followers and shared a tribute to one of her Good Morning Britain colleagues.

Susanna Reid has confirmed she will be off-air for several weeks.

The Good Morning Britain presenter, who hosts the ITV daytime show alongside the likes of Richard Madeley and Ed Balls, fronts the programme from Monday to Wednesday.

However, she’s now revealed she won’t be back on screens for a while, with replacements stepping in.

Susanna confirmed that she’d be taking her annual summer break in a message on social media.

Alongside a snap of her in the Good Morning Britain studio wearing comfy slippers, she wrote: “SHOES OFF, OUT OF OFFICE ON! Time for my summer break – but also time to say goodbye to our wonderful Director @stuearl who has been the champion of this programme for a decade. Thank you for everything Stuart.”

Susanna went on: “@edballs and I will be back September 1st after our travels. THANK YOU to our amazing viewers for watching and for contacting us and sharing your views – never a “waste of time” being on this brilliant programme and thanks to everyone on Team.”

Susanna’s ‘waste of time’ comment appeared to reference a moment from the programme on Wednesday, July 22, after an interview with Robert Jenrick.

In an awkward aside, the Reform MP could be heard saying, “Well that was a waste of time” after his interview with Susanna and Ed.

After making light of the moment with her message on social media, Susanna was showered with support, while her co-stars also paid tribute to their colleague.

Kate Garraway wrote: “We’ll miss you both @susannareid100 @edballs and @stuearl – we’ll miss you so much – good luck with your next adventure!!!”

Strictly’s La Voix said: “Pyjamas for me and slippers for you! It’s contagious causal glamour!”

One follower meanwhile commented: “We will miss you. Enjoy your holiday,” as another added: “Love the slippers! Have a fab break, see you in September.”

Another echoed: “Aww going to miss you,, but have a lovely break with your family and friends.”

Susanna’s announcement comes after she took a break from the show earlier this year, teasing a “special project”.

After an extended programme that ran into Lorraine Kelly’s usual ITV slot to provide commentary after Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation speech, Susanna confirmed after the show ended that she was taking a break.

She teased on social media: “BREAKING! At 9.30 this morning the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer RESIGNED as Prime Minister live @gmb. ANOTHER resignation at Number 10 in the last DECADE after Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and Sunak.

“I’m on a special project and will be back @gmb on Monday 6th July, the week that nominations for a new leader open. See you then @itv.”

One person replied: “You will be missed Susanna.” Another said: “Oh it’s never the same when you’re not there!”

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.

Clive Masters has officially arrived in Walford, and while he gets to know Linda Carter, let’s take a look at the actor’s family life off-screen

EastEnders newcomer Jason Durr has a famous wife who television and gardening fans will know.

During Wednesday’s (July 22) episode of the BBC soap, Jason officially arrived in Walford as Clive Masters, a local Councilor and potential love interest of Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).

As the local community centre is at risk of closing down and being redeveloped, Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) put Linda in touch with Clive, who might be able to help with their fight to save the venue.

During their first meeting, it was clear that there was romantic chemistry between Linda and Clive as they opened up about their former partners, and they were set to grow closer in forthcoming episodes.

Will the pair take a chance on a little romance? The former Queen Vic landlady is yet to find love following the presumed death of her beloved husband Mick, played by Danny Dyer, who disappeared at sea on Christmas Day 2022.

Speaking about joining the cast of the BBC soap, Jason, 58, said: “Few shows command their place in the national conversation quite like EastEnders, so I’m delighted to be joining the cast as Clive Masters. Working with the wonderful Kellie Bright has been an absolute joy and pleasure from day one.”

He added: “All the cast, crew and production staff have been incredibly generous, welcoming and good humoured. I’m excited for audiences to meet Clive and see what’s in store.”

Who is Jason Durr married to?

Former Heartbeat star Jason has been married to TV presenter Kate since 2004, after they met while in Majorca, Spain. Kate, a former actor and model, is a garden designer and has even won a Royal Horticultural Society gold medal for her expertise.

In 1984, Kate enjoyed a brief stint in the children’s drama Grange Hill and starred in the television series Perfect World and Sam’s Game, both of which aired in 2001.

She has had success presenting, hosting Dream Ticket, Night Fever, and An Audience with Lennox Lewis, and is best known for her Guinness World Records presenting work.

The couple lives together in Wiltshire, and Kate often shares pictures on her Instagram of her stunning garden and many gorgeous outdoor designs.

Jason and Kate have three children together, two daughters and a son, and they usually keep their family out of the spotlight.

On Wednesday afternoon (July 22), Jason appeared on This Morning to talk about his latest acting role on EastEnders and paid a sweet tribute to his “lovely” wife.

Speaking to ITV daytime hosts Dermot O’Leary and Alison Hammond about learning his scripts, he said: “You’ve got to be absolutely pinpoint perfect with your dialogue, and it’s just a joy to be working with other regulars, who get it.”

Jason added, “Keep reading it. It’s one of those things, repetition, parrot fashion, you know, that kind of thing. The kids help me, my lovely wife helps me.”

Before marrying Kate, Jason was married to an Australian named Jeanine between 1995 and 2000. She was a singer-songwriter, and the pair were together for five years before splitting.

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer

On stage at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, a far cry from the sweaty basement punk shows of the band’s early days, Jimmy Eat World played breakthrough power pop hit “The Middle” as the sold-out crowd sang along with the final chorus that “everything will be all right, all right.”

“It really is incredible to us to think about everyone who bothered to spend time with this record and made something of it for themselves over 25 years. This is your guys’ record as much as it’s ours, really,” singer-guitarist Jim Adkins said from the stage.

The band, which has generally shied away from nostalgia plays over its 30-plus year career, is performing the platinum-selling “Bleed American” album in its entirety on tour this summer, including a stop at Warped Tour in Long Beach on Saturday, a matching bookend to the band’s original promotion of the album.

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“It solidified us as, ‘This is what we do. Let the day job go.’ It turned into full-time rock and roll. And that moment only happens once, so it felt appropriate to honor it at 25,” bassist Rick Burch said backstage before the band’s Brooklyn tour stop in June.

Released on July 24, 2001, “Bleed American” was one of the last great rock records of the monoculture, arriving months before Apple’s iPod launched and made shuffle the default and 15 years before streaming became the dominant way to consume music.

“When ‘Bleed American’ took off it was right at the transition of the internet,” says Jim Adkins.

(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)

A hit with Hollywood roots

Just over a quarter of a century ago, four guys from Mesa, Ariz., came to L.A. to record their fourth album.

Jimmy Eat World’s Adkins, Burch, drummer Zach Lind and guitarist Tom Linton earned recording money between tours by working construction, driving around car dealership customers and selling art supplies and auto parts.

The band had cut ties with Capitol Records after 1999’s “Clarity” — a sweeping, lush and highly influential work highly regarded by their contemporaries that would inspire third-wave emo superstars including My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy and Paramore — that the major label had no idea how to market, even after “Lucky Denver Mint” got pickup on L.A.’s alt rock tastemaker KROQ-FM.

“If that song would have been on ‘Bleed American,’ that would have been a No. 1 song,” said Jim Suptic, of Kansas-based second-wave emo band the Get Up Kids, who have been on the “Bleed American” anniversary run. Suptic said that he was inspired to start the band after seeing Jimmy Eat World live in the mid-’90s.

With the band’s tight budget, producer Mark Trombino, who produced “Clarity” and predecessor “Static Prevails,” worked with the band for free in L.A., banking on the future success of the album. After recording drums at Cherokee Studios, the band relocated to Harddrive Analog & Digital Recording in North Hollywood to make the bulk of “Bleed American.”

“The studio was so small, it didn’t have a lounge,” Lind recalled.

But there was a bus stop outside they used instead, where they would hang out with “an assortment of characters,” Adkins said.

He and Lind commuted to the Valley from Redondo Beach, where they crashed on the floor of Lind’s brother’s place. Linton fondly remembers the great food in the city and hanging out with friends in other bands while Burch spent downtime skateboarding in L.A.

Even without the cash or support from a label, recording “Bleed American” didn’t feel like a do-or-die moment for the band’s future.

“We just kind of figured we might have to go out and just release this ourselves. Let’s just do the best job we can, and be happy with what we put out,” Linton said.

But with the buzz growing around the new music, record labels came calling.

‘The Middle’ meets the moment

By the time the album dropped in July 2001, the guitar-heavy snarling title track of “Bleed American” had already been in regular rotation on alt-rock stations for a month.

After a stint on the Warped Tour, Jimmy Eat World set out on a U.S. headlining tour in the fall, with Hey Mercedes opening.

“I remember that tour in particular, them sort of really finding their confidence in their voice and their shows and their performance and the whole package. And this was before ‘The Middle’ really broke, but I could tell that they were really firing on all cylinders,” said Hey Mercedes singer-guitarist Bob Nanna, whose influential emo group Braid first played with Jimmy Eat World in 1998.

The album landed on the Billboard charts three weeks after its release, and while its peak position was 31, it remained on the chart for 70 weeks. (A couple of months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the name of the album was changed to “Jimmy Eat World” on pressings before reverting to the original title in 2008.)

“When ‘Bleed American’ took off it was right at the transition of the internet,” Adkins said.

By 2002, “Bleed American” was taking off due to the popularity of the song “The Middle.”

(Scott Gries / Getty Images)

The media landscape hadn’t yet transformed. Rock music magazines like Spin, NME, Alternative Press and Kerrang! were thriving. The band made the rounds on the late-night talk shows as “The Middle” video clip played on MTV’s popular show “Total Request Live.”

“Things hadn’t splintered out into a zillion niche locations just quite yet,” Adkins said.

By March 2002, “The Middle” had hit the Billboard charts, where it climbed to No. 5 by the summer and spent 33 weeks on the Hot 100.

“They were a real band that had a radio hit, and not a radio band reverse engineered,” the Get Up Kids’ Suptic said.

The success was surreal for the band members as they heard the song on the radio, in restaurants and the gym. Today, you can still summon an entire generation with the opening guitar melody.

“I understand why that song has resonated,” Lind said. “I think there’s a few themes in the album that resonate with people in times when things are going tough. You know, ‘The Middle’ is definitely one of those songs that so many people have found encouragement from, whether they’re dealing with a breakup or going through cancer.”

“It seems like one of those songs that people have used to feel better and I think that’s obviously really powerful.”

“It solidified us as, ‘This is what we do. Let the day job go.’ It turned into full-time rock and roll,” says bassist Rick Burch about the success of “Bleed American.”

(Evelyn Freja / For The Times)

Here we are now

But the fans selling out the tour dates around the U.S. know much more than the hits, singing along to the deep cuts after traveling hundreds of miles to get to the show, in some cases.

Fans traveled from states like Michigan and Texas for the tour kickoff at Red Rocks in Colorado.

Robie O’Donnell took the train up to New York from the Washington, D.C., area to take his 12-year-old daughter to her first Jimmy Eat World show. The Brooklyn show was his 25th after he discovered them in the late ‘90s from a recommendation on the Get Up Kids’ website.

Behind him in line hours before doors opened was Jane Kung, who was only 8 when “Bleed American” was released and got into it when she was in high school. She didn’t want to miss the chance to hear it live.

“The fact that so many people wanted to come see this is something I didn’t expect,” Adkins said about the tour.

The fans get a chance to geek out over the rarely-played deep cuts from the album, like “Your House,” which required a revamp because of the studio work on the song, and the live debut of “(Splash) Turn Twist,” which was on the Japanese import of the album. Even louder than the sing-along to “The Middle” is the call and response from the crowd on the album’s second-biggest hit, “Sweetness.”

“Having this piece that we’ve created be embraced by so many is a very accomplished feeling,” Burch said.

Nanna even ventured into the crowd after Hey Mercedes opened the Brooklyn show, singing along to “A Praise Chorus,” the band’s crunchy guitar-filled love letter to rock music, among others.

“The world is a tough, s— place now and to have these moments where everybody can sing along to something that’s just pure joy was really soul enriching,” he said.

It began as a whimsical idea that occurred to Daniel Leigh after an idyllic trip to the United States: Sell his family’s five-bedroom home in England and travel the world with his wife, Lauren Vaknine, and their two children.

So he was surprised when, a few months later, Vaknine and their children, Braxton, 10, and Viva, 7, agreed to go along with the plan.

“We’re not really travelers,” Leigh said. “We’ve always watched others travel.”

When they got back from their trip to America in March, they noticed that others had successfully raffled their homes on the British website Raffall. The online platform raffles everything from cars to homes, including one man who promoted his house to Americans last year as a “safe haven from Trump.” The couple decided to try it too.

The home is located just 20 minutes outside of London in Elstree.

(Lux Visuals Ltd.)

In June, they put their house in Elstree, about 20 minutes from London, up as a sweepstakes prize online and began selling tickets for five British pounds each, or $6.75.

“While someone new makes memories in our home, we get to go and make some of our own,” said Leigh, who has worked in educational recruitment in London for more than 20 years.

Leigh got the idea after reading a New York Times article about Imelda Collins, who raised about $1.4 million last year by raffling her two-bedroom cottage in Ireland. She sold 206,815 tickets at $6.70 each, and in October, Collins sold her cottage to Kathleen Spangler, a 29-year-old U.S. Marine Corps officer from Dayton, Ohio, who had bought three tickets on a whim and promptly forgot about them.

Leigh and Vaknine, both 42, grew up in the same village and went to high school together.

But after their family trip to New Orleans; Asheville, N.C.; and South Carolina spots Charleston, Folly Beach and Lake Keowee, they began to wonder if they wanted to stay in the same town forever. Kayaking and seeing the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains made them rethink their life.

The couple’s open kitchen was renovated in 2021.

(Lux Visuals Ltd.)

The living room.

(Lux Visuals Ltd.)

“Living on a lake was the most peaceful life I’ve ever had,” Leigh said. “It was perfect. In England, the kids spend most of their time indoors because of the weather, and we have to keep them busy with things like trampolines or indoor parks. Every family outing costs about $300. You can’t just go to the lake, the beach or hike in the mountains.”

Leigh said they have worked hard to build the life they thought they wanted, with two kids, their dog and a home. But after achieving professional success, they realized it was not the future they hoped for.

“We keep chasing goals that always seem just out of reach, simply because we feel we have to keep going,” he said. “There’s so much life to live. We’re seeing many of our parents and our friends’ parents pass away, and it makes you realize that life can feel like a conveyor belt. You either live or you just keep moving along.”

For Vaknine, a holistic wellness coach who was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at age 2, selling their home and traveling the world carries even deeper meaning.

“I have been on a long journey,” said Vaknine, who has been in remission for the past decade. “From being head-to-toe disabled to being fully able-bodied, you don’t come through that without realizing that there is so much more to life than working, taking the kids to school and making dinner in the same house every day. For me, the extraordinary life isn’t about mansions, yachts or extravagance. It’s about experiencing life fully, finding deep inner joy, and I can’t do that if I stay within the same four walls in the same town I grew up in.”

Her husband added, “She lives a life of gratitude for everything. That’s what this is about: Let’s live life in the moment and do what we can when we are fully able.”

Their five-bedroom home, which is estimated at about $2 million, is on a quiet cul-de-sac with just five other houses in Hertfordshire, England. It has 2,226 square feet of living space, a south-facing garden, an open-plan kitchen, a dining and living room renovated in 2021, plus a home office and gym.

Leigh said they are not trying to make a profit, but they need to sell 550,000 tickets to cover the property’s costs, legal fees, taxes, prize money and raffle expenses.

“The ticket target has been set to cover all of the associated costs, so it’s unlikely there will be much left over,” he said. “If ticket sales exceed the target, then certainly, but that’s not the goal.”

If they don’t reach the ticket target, a winner will still be chosen and will get 50% of the money raised. They hope the winner gets the house.

One of the home’s bathrooms.

(Lux Visuals Ltd.)

One of the five bedrooms in the couple’s home.

(Lux Visuals Ltd.)

One reason homes aren’t auctioned often on the site, he said, is that you have to promote them yourself. Leigh estimates they’ve spent about $17,000 so far and are about to spend another $15,000 on Meta advertising. They also have to pay for their own legal advice.

The raffle has become a family project, and their children have helped with promotion. In one video, Braxton asks what might be the most important question about their move: “Are we bringing the dog?”

“We may have to leave him with family for a while,” Leigh said of their dog Story. “He’s the size of a small pony, so traveling with him could be a challenge. He’d definitely be missed, though.”

Working together to promote their home has been a valuable lesson for their children, Leigh said, showing them “that if you put your mind to something, you can do it. I want them to see hard work. It’s not just fun to do videos. It’s staying up till midnight, getting up early, running two jobs and making sure you don’t miss an interview. And in the end, the kids will see that life can change, and there’s a world out there if you make it happen.”

The family recently spent time in North Carolina, South Carolina and Louisiana. “We’re huge fans of America,” Leigh said. The couple hope to visit all 50 states after their home is raffled on Dec. 7.

(Daniel Leigh)

The kids aren’t worried about losing their home, Leigh said. “They are excited about going on a holiday, which we hope will include Australia, India and every state in America.”

With a record number of Americans applying for British citizenship, the couple’s raffle may be well-timed. The winner, chosen randomly by Raffall on Dec. 7, will get a mortgage-free home with all legal fees and taxes paid, plus $45,000 for household bills. The property transfer may take up to 60 days or longer according to Raffall’s terms and conditions.

Part of every ticket sale will go to Solace Women’s Aid, a British charity supporting women and children affected by domestic violence. Leigh notes that not every state can take part in Raffall competitions because of different state gambling, lottery and consumer protection laws.

At a time when many people are trying to choose between traveling or saving for a house, the couple is offering raffle entrants a chance to do both.

That’s the point, Leigh said: “If not now, when? That question changed everything.”

ABBEY Clancy revealed her and Peter Crouch’s daughter Sophia Ruby was nearly arrested while going through airport security.

The model, 40, opened up about her recent family trip to New York with her kids Sophia, 15, Liberty, 11, Johnny, eight and Jack, seven.

But things took a surprise turn when US immigration grilled Sophia when she made a ill-timed joke about a “gun” while entering the US.

Speaking on the latest episode of their podcast The Therapy Crouch, Abbey said: “Sophia nearly got arrested at the airport, we’re landing in New York, it’s kind of security heavy… strict.

“Those immigration officers are not fun. You cannot crack a joke with them.

“Sophia renewed her passport since she last visited the US and she had to do her fingerprints.

READ MORE ON ABBEY CLANCY

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Abbey Clancy & Peter Crouch accused of boasting about wealth amid Portugal move

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Abbey Clancy strips topless for new snaps and writhes around in her knickers

“Sophia was like ‘why do I have to do fingerprints? Is that in case there are fingerprints on the gun?’

“They were like ‘sorry Miss, what did you say? What fingerprints on the gun?’ and then she was like ‘there’s guns here and you could have my fingerprints…’ and they were like ‘what? your fingerprints are on a gun?’.”

Abbey was then forced to intervene to explain that her daughter was just making an observation about how they catch criminals.

The mum-of-four continued: “I was like ‘no, my daughter is not saying her fingerprints are on a gun’, she’s saying ‘is that how you catch criminals, if fingerprints are on a gun?’”

But things went from bad to worse when a woman left a bag unattended next to Abbey in a queue, leaving security panicked.

Abbey said: “A lady left her bag and the queue spirals and everyone was going ‘whose is this?’

“At this point she was at the opposite end and I was right near the bag and I was thinking f***ing hell, so this poor woman got accused of leaving a bomb bag.

“She just left it at the end as she didn’t want to keep carrying it.

“So then we got our bags and the driver left us because we were taking too long and I just burst into tears.”

Just last week, Abbey and Peter were accused of boasting about their wealth after moving to Portugal while their £3m UK mansion is renovated.

Peter read out a question from a listener, which asked: “Have you completely relocated to Portugal or are you there while renovating your home?”

Abbey replied: “Obviously, we sold our house, we were looking for a new house, we thought we would try living in Portugal for a bit.

“We’ve absolutely loved it and you know it works perfectly for us because you know we can renovate our new place and all come back and it’ll be done.”

However, some fans thought they were boasting about their wealth and one commented bluntly: “Yeah when you have bagfulls of money, yeah try another country.”

“Bet they’re in Quinta do Lago as it’s very fancy,” added another.

The couple were previously criticised by fans for ‘flaunting’ their enviable £3 million mansion while hosting a lavish Asian-inspired banquet.

The pair were giving a tour of their luxury estate prior to hosting an extravagant dinner party with lavish catering provided by London’s Nobu.

The multi-million pound property featured its own luxury cinema room and a spacious home office for Peter and his trophies.

Fashion-savvy Abbey had her own walk-in wardrobe, while the outside area boasted a ‘magical’ and ‘peaceful’ garden complete with a high-tech BBQ and swimming pool.

One fan commented: “We get it, you’re loaded. Well done.”

A second added: “How they live, we don’t need to know.”

AMERICAN streamer MrBeast has married his stunning fiancée in a week-long bash on Richard Branson’s private island retreat.

Top YouTube creator MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, has tied the knot with Thea Booysen.

After dating for four years, Jimmy and Thea got said ‘I do’ on Richard Branson‘s ultra-luxury Necker Island resort.

“I found MrsBeast. And it was the best day of my life,” he announced on Instagram, alongside a sweet snap of them on their wedding day.

Fans rushed to the comments to congratulate the newlyweds, with one person writing: “All the best for your newly married life and congratulations both of you.”

Another then wrote: “Really happy for you guys, may god keep you together forever.”

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The couple’s wedding was attended by 70 loved ones, as per reports.

Their lavish wedding kicked off on July 14, with the festivities going on for a week at the stunning 74-acre private island in the Caribbean.

The couple first met when MrBeast was visiting South Africa, Thea’s home country.

Both Jimmy and Thea are gamers and content creators, though she was quite shocked by how down-to-earth he was.

Speaking to People, Thea said: “When I met him, I was quite surprised how down-to-earth he was, and also how intelligent he was.

“I thought YouTubers were just sort of a persona, but when I met him, I was quite surprised to see that he’s actually a nice guy. He wasn’t sitting there with an ego.”

MrBeast’s YouTube channel has over 500m followers, and his Instagram page is nearing 90m followers.

The 28-year-old content creator was born in Wichita, Kansas, but is now based in North Carolina.

He first joined YouTube in 2012 when he was just 13.

He began by uploading videos of video game playthroughs and net worth estimates of fellow YouTubers.

MrBeast has now scaled his massive YouTube stunts into a global, multiproduct production studio. 

Under Beast Industries, he oversees a media empire, food lines (Feastables and Lunchly), analytical tool Viewstats, and licensing deals. 

JADE Thirlwall has split from Jordan Stephens after six years as a couple.

The Little Mix star began dating the Rizzle Kicks singer in 2020 and had since moved in together – dividing their time between homes in London and Margate.

But The Sun has learned they separated earlier this year, although are still close.

A source said: “Jade and Jordan had a very serious and loving relationship but recently they have had some frank discussions about their future and have decided to separate.

“It’s not been an easy time but they’ve both been throwing themselves into work.

“Their friends adore them as a couple and are really hoping they get back together but it’s still very raw at the moment.”

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Reps for both Jade and Jordan have been approached for comment.

Last month, they failed to post about their sixth anniversary together, which they had shared updates about in the past.

They have also not been photographed together for several months – with their last red carpet appearance as a couple being at February’s Brit Awards where they partied until the early hours.

Neither have posted about each other on Instagram since mid-March, and Jordan recently wiped all of the TikTok videos they made together from his profile.

When asked in June about progress on her second album, she hinted at her heartache.

She told The Fader: “I’m just writing stuff. Whatever I’m going through at the minute, like privately, I’m sort of putting pen to paper.

“I think this is the exciting phase or the experimental phase, where you don’t know what it’s going to be yet.”

Jade also attended her bandmate Perrie Edwards’ wedding in Portugal last month without him.

The Sun first revealed they were dating in 2020 after they went on a series of socially distanced walks during the Covid lockdowns.

The Shout Out To My Ex singer said she “slid into his DMs” after a friend suggested they would be a good match, and they had dates on video call.

She explained: “It was through a friend. I slid in the DMs. I’d been doing this for quite a while. I kept getting pied left, right and centre.

“Jordan and I did a few Zoom dates in lockdown. We made a joke and said it was business and put suits and ties on and asked each other questions. I did the full shebang, a full suit.

“Then we had a socially distanced date in Greenwich park, apart from each other just chatting.”

Jordan recently took over as co-host of the popular Miss Me? podcast with Miquita Oliver, replacing Lily Allen.

Fans had noticed he hasn’t spoken about Jade on the podcast for several weeks.

He had a successful career as one half of pop duo Rizzle Kicks from 2008 to 2016 before relaunching the group in 2024.

As a musician, Jordan also worked on her debut album That’s Showbiz Baby! which was released last year.

Jade said at the time: “I actually really didn’t want to date a musician. I’d done it previously; it never works out well. But it’s amazing now. We write together.

“He’s on my album; I’m on his. Jordan’s on the backing vocals for Headache.”

She is currently on a festival tour which will see her spend August travelling across America, Japan, Ireland and the UK.

OAKLAND — The 17th year of Mosswood Meltdown at Oakland’s Mosswood Park brought with it a parade of free-thinking freaks on stage and in the crowd that descended on a punker’s picnic paradise for its annual outing of 20 bands over three days last weekend.

Hosted by the pencil-mustachioed art film icon John Waters, it began with a “pre-party” that exploded with main-event energy courtesy of lo-fi indie rock heroes Pavement, along with Wednesday and Vivian Girls on Friday night. The main fest lineup, topped by underground legends Iggy Pop and Bikini Kill, brought wild music with a message of unity among generations of punks to the tree-lined stages surrounded by a city that knows how to throw a good-time rager while staying deathly serious about its musical taste. Here are 10 moments that stood out at this year’s fest.

John Waters hosted the entire weekend, bringing his cackle-inducing foul-mouthed band intros to nearly every set at Mosswood Meltdown.

(Dick Slaughter)

Saturday

Singer/guitarist Toyozo (Yusuke Toyoshima)of The Fadeaways at Mosswood Meltdown

(Dick Slaughter)

The Fadeaways stand out early

Performing Saturday in Mosswood Park was a homecoming for Japanese revival rockers the Fadeaways. It was barely a year ago that they played a guerilla-style set by the festival entrance for a crowd of unsuspecting new fans. Going from ground level to being introduced on the main stage by Waters was a bucket-list achievement. “Their intense leaps in the air remind me of a throwback ricocheting tear-gas canister landing in a crowd of ICE agents,” the fabulously filthy host told the crowd before bringing them up. When they took the stage, the band wasted no time exploding into a searing 10-song set led by “That Girl” and including a screeching cover of the Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie.”

Snooper lead singer Blair Tramel performing on the Field Stage at Mosswood Meltdown

(Dick Slaughter)

Snooper and its puppeteers of chaos

Performing its third set at the festival since 2022, this Nashville four-piece band has quickly become a staple of this fest thanks to a larger-than-life-size puppet show and an electro-shock energy that helped it rumble through an early set on the Field Stage Saturday. Frontwoman Blair Tramel let the creativity of her paper-mache puppets made for the show match her highly caffeinated caterwaul on songs like “On the Line” and “Long Way,” where blown-out guitar tones, glitchy beats and shrieking vocals took Saturday’s decibel level unapologetically into the red.

The Spits performing on the Amphitheater Stage at Mosswood Meltdown.

(Dick Slaughter)

The Spits went full throttle

The sunken Amphitheater stage was a tough place to see anything if you didn’t show up to grab a spot at least 20 minutes early (or just climb a tree). But sweating in the sun to watch a band like the Spits, another Mosswood favorite, was worth pre-planning to get into the pit. The four-piece from Kalamazoo, Mich., hilariously clashed with the all-pink game show backdrop of the stage. Entering in sleeveless denim vests backed with a hailstorm of machine samples and maniacal Vincent Price laughter, the band clearly wasn’t playing any games as the members pounced on the crowd with 26 songs performed at breakneck speed, with dirty, piston-pumping rhythms on “Spit Me Out,” “Rip Up the Streets,” “Bring” and “SK8.”

Mannequin Pussy singer Missy Dabice and bassist Colins “Bear” Regisford on the Field Stage at Mosswood Meltdown

(Dick Slaughter)

Mannequin Pussy end with a loud bark

Blissfully ferocious and never short on words from the stage, frontwoman Missy Dabice didn’t get to say as much as she wanted to between songs due to the brevity of a festival set. But after a well-received set full of songs off 2024’s “I Got Heaven” and 2019’s “Patience,” Dabice still left room for some fiery parting words that embodied the tone of the weekend before wrapping things up with the band’s seething battle cry “Loud Bark.” “Don’t forget to celebrate the beauty of life while in every breath in turn fighting against fascism in every section of this country, good night!”

Otoboke Beaver drummer Emi “Leo” Morimoto performing on Saturday at Mosswood Meltdown

(Dick Slaughter)

Otoboke Beaver’s fury lights a fire

This quartet from Kyoto, Japan, put the Mosswood crowd in a stranglehold at the Field Stage and didn’t let up once during its entire set of math-rocky, manic, candy-colored fury. Even if you had no idea of the meaning behind song titles like “Don’t Light My Fire” or “I Am Not Maternal” or “Hey Where’s the Thank You?” sung mostly in Japanese, its joyous hell-raising energy left a lasting impression with the crowd. You couldn’t help but smile watching the members shred as an inflatable, beaver-shaped inner tube bounced around the mosh pit while they did their best to sound like a satanic garage band.

Iggy Pop headlining Saturday night at Mosswood Meltdown.

(Dick Slaughter)

Iggy Pop’s eternal lust for life

Iggy Pop’s ability to stay shirtless and savage at 79 goes beyond scientific explanation. One can only assume he’s made a deal with the devil that he’ll never stop performing. That seemed OK with the packed crowd that watched him headline Saturday night, rolling through all the Stooges and solo classics that made him the king of the underground. He kicked off his 18-song set with “T.V .Eye” and continued ripping into “Raw Power and “I Got a Right” before anyone in the crowd had a chance to catch their breath. With the Los Tropicanos backing band behind him, Iggy’s energy was transferred through the players who bolstered his catalog of Detroit-bred proto punk with tight precision and the right amount of stumbling sleaziness. Though he ended the set in a cage from “Wild One” to “Mass Production,” it’s clear that he’ll never be confined and that should give us all a bit of extra hope for ourselves.

A crowd surfer at Mosswood Meltdown.

(Dick Slaughter)

Sunday

Peaches Christ performing on the Field Stage at Mosswood Meltdown.

(Dick Slaughter)

Peaches Christ sings with punk pride

The fire on stage for Day 2 of the fest started early by a pack of drag queens led by Peaches Christ. She sauntered on the stage with electrified green and purple hair and Vivienne Westwood-style chic to perform a cover of the Sex Pistols’ “God Save the Queen.” Showing the true rainbow colors of the punk scene has always been an important aspect of Mosswood’s ethos and as a staple of the fest, Christ compelled everyone in the crowd to sing loud and proud as she and her squad each took turns performing classics from the canon of mosh pit hits including “New Rose” by the Damned and “Add It Up” by Violent Femmes. Following her was fellow queen Kochina Rude who came out dressed as Pee-wee Herman to perform the Germs’ “Lexicon Devil” before stage-diving into the crowd. Between flamboyant showmanship and a strong commitment to the vocals on tough songs like Suicidal Tendencies’ “Institutionalized” (slayed by Trixxie Carr) the LGBTQ community’s spirit was on display throughout the set.

Drummer Nick Aguilar and bassist Nikki Piclle of Frankie and the Witchfingers.

(Dick Slaughter)

Frankie and the Witchfingers leaves the crowd spellbound

Casting a spell on the crowd with their sharp synth-laden aggression and bouncy ‘80s dance punk rhythms, Frankie and the Witch Fingers arrived with a bang in the late afternoon sun. With a guitar hiked up to his clavicle, frontman Dylan Sizemore convulsed with energy that saw the power of every chord electrify his bones during the jam-heavy “Conducting Experiments” while the rhythm section of drummer Nick Aguilar and the neon green-haired bassist Nikki Pickle kept the crowd bouncing and magnetized the attention of eyes all around the fest. The best crowd surfing of the day came thanks to a seasoned, white-haired fest attendee in a bike helmet who was getting tossed around like a white-water rafter. The head gear was definitely a smart idea.

Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein of the Return of Jackie and Judy perform on the Field Stage at Mosswood Meltdown.

(Dick Slaughter)

The Return of Jackie and Judy revive the Ramones

It’s one thing to perform a set of cover songs, but it’s another thing to play tunes that ensure the vibe of an entire festival is covered as well. “I hope you like the Ramones ‘cuz that’s all we’re playing,” said Carrie Brownstein of Sleater Kinney. Alongside SK bandmates Corin Tucker, Toko Yasuda and “Portlandia” co-star/“Saturday Night Live” comedian Fred Armisen, the quartet formed Ramones tribute the Return of Jackie and Judy. From the thunderous opening chant of “Blitzkrieg Bop” (“Hey! Ho! Let’s Go!”), the all-age crowd strapped in for a roller-coaster ride of leather-clad punk classics that had everyone shouting along. Brownstein did a good job of meeting the moment with both joy and reverence, at various points talking to the crowd about the enduring spirit of the songs as well as dedicating “Rock-n-Roll Radio” to L7 bassist Jennifer Finch, who died Saturday.

Kathleen Hanna and Tobi Vail of Bikini Kill performing on Sunday at Mosswood Meltdown.

(Dick Slaughter)

Bikini Kill passes the torch

The entire vibe around Sunday was fueled by female empowerment thanks to riot grrrl godmothers Bikini Kill. Throngs of young girls in Day-Glo punk garb and face paint mashed against the barricade to see the roots of revolutionary aggression come crashing through the chords of classics like “Carnival,” “Alien She” and, of course, “Rebel Girl.” But frontwoman Kathleen Hanna was just as stoked to see them having a good time in front of her. “I can’t wait to open for you in 10 years,” Hanna said to inspire all the girl bands yet to form in the crowd. . Giving a shout-out to female-fronted young bands like Bitchfit that played one of the most impressive ground-level sets of the weekend was a warm and fuzzy torch-passing moment that summed up the reason a festival like this is still so vital to the survival of punk culture.

Actor Kaylee Hottle, best known for her portrayal of a young deaf orphan who shares a special bond with the giant guardian ape in “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” has died. She was 18.

Hottle died Tuesday morning after the car she was a passenger in crashed into a culvert off the side of the road in Ijamsville, Md., the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Her father, Joshua Hottle, confirmed her death in a video on Facebook.

“I am taking a flight that I never would like to take,” he wrote in the caption of the video post, in which he explained the situation in American Sign Language. He was on his way from Texas to claim her body, according to TMZ.

The Texas School for the Deaf also addressed the actor’s death on social media.

“It is with profound sadness that we share the heartbreaking news that one of our TSD seniors, Kaylee Hottle, tragically passed away yesterday in a car accident in Frederick, Maryland,” read the Instagram post. “Our hearts are with Kaylee’s family, friends, classmates and everyone who knew and loved her during this incredibly difficult time.”

Hottle’s breakout role was in the 2021 MonsterVerse crossover “Godzilla vs. Kong,” which marked her big-screen debut as the young orphan Jia. Jia is the last remaining survivor of the Iwi tribe on Skull Island who shares a connection with Kong, the island’s protector. Her adoptive parent, Dr. Ilene Andrews, is a linguistics expert and Kong researcher, played by Rebecca Hall. Hottle reprised the role in the 2024 follow-up, “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire.”

“After I watched the movie, I thought, ‘Wow, this is going to make such a big impact,’” Hottle said in a 2024 interview with New York’s WABC. “I was so excited. She’s a young deaf girl, just like many others out there. And this journey that she’s going on is just going to be so amazing.”

The actor, who was born in Atlanta, was from an all-deaf family, which included four generations of deaf relatives on her father’s side, according to IMDb.

Authorities said Hottle was one of two passengers in the 1995 Honda Accord that was involved in the crash. While the incident is still being investigated, the Sheriff’s Office said in its news release that “excessive speed is believed to be a contributing factor in the collision.”

Millie Bobby Brown, who also appeared in “Godzilla vs. Kong,” was among those who shared tributes to Hottle following the news of her death.

“I’m so devastated to hear this,” she wrote in her Instagram story, which included a black-and-white photo of Hottle as Jia. “You will be deeply missed Kaylee.”

“I am absolutely gutted about the passing of sweet Kaylee Hottle,” Oscar winner Marlee Matlin wrote on Instagram. “May her beauty and talent be a memory for eternity. … Such a privilege to have met Kaylee last year. Please be kind to one another. Take the time to listen to your child. Say 🤟🏼 each time you part. 🩵”

TEEN Mom alum Nathan Griffith looks like he’s aged quickly during his latest stint in prison.

In his latest mugshot, former MTV star Nathan, 38, has deep wrinkles in his brows and a long beard as he serves time behind bars in Nevada after he was arrested twice for domestic violence in the past few years.

As The U.S. Sun previously reported, he was sentenced to four years in prison in May 2025 after he was charged with domestic battery in 2023 and again two years later.

He was busted for strangling his sister Heather in the first incident, then charged with assaulting his ex-girlfriend Anastasia and violating his probation in the second.

Nathan had a hearing to request an early release on parole in April, The Ashley’s Reality Roundup first reported.

“I have failed in my decision-making,” Nathan said during the hearing, according to the outlet.

“I have failed in numerous of things I have done in life. And I have failed as a human. Words cannot express how regrettable I am in for my decisions and actions.

“Over the last few years, I became so pathetic that I didn’t care about myself or anything, not even my life.

“I’m sure the parole board has received a few letters describing who I was in my former years, of how great of a person I was.

“We can sit here listening to the many marvelous things I have done and accomplished, or how nice, kind and charitable I am.”

“But the attributes and accomplishments did not land me here in prison.

“My lack of insight and compassion, and selfishness has put me here. I was hurting so intensely inside that I couldn’t manage my pain nor myself.”

He also admitted he struggles with alcoholism, The Ashley added.

As The U.S. Sun reported, he checked into rehab in 2024, though sobriety did not seem to stick.

Nathan is actively working to change his life in prison, he claimed during the parole hearing, completing 11 education certificates, including a trauma program and anger management course.

His parole was approved in July, though he does not have to legally be released until November.

Nathan is the ex-fiancee and second baby daddy of Teen Mom star Jenelle Evans, with whom he shares son Kaiser, 12.

Nathan is still married to May Oyola after their 2022 wedding, despite separating for a brief time in 2025.

In 2021, he told The U.S. Sun he struggles with PTSD and other mental health issues after serving time in the United States Marine Corps.

A hit crime series series that delves into unsolved murders is available to binge

A series that explores real unsolved murders is streaming on ITVX and viewers are “obsessed”.

Cold Justice follows former Texas prosecutor Kelly Siegler and her team of investigators as they look into old cases that nobody ever managed to crack.

Murders they explore include the death of a young journalist and the killing of a family of four on Halloween. Another episode focuses on a young man who discovers his father dead on his front steps.

The show, which first hit screens in 2013, has proved enormously popular with audiences, with many posting messages online saying that while it is “disturbing”, it makes for a “gripping” watch, reports Wales Online.

“Perhaps the best real crime show on TV,” one viewer wrote on IMDb.com. “I enjoy this show best of all the many crime shows I watch.”

Somebody else said they were “obsessed”, as another said: “Love the show… I’ve been hooked since the first episode.”

“Just found this show and I’m so addicted,” one person wrote on X, which was formerly Twitter.

“Kelly and her team plus the officers really care about these cold cases and want to solve them for the families to get their justice. Really feel Kelly has her heart 100% in this show and I’m hooked. Two seasons down in three days!”

“I’m obsessed with Cold Justice,” remarked somebody else. “I am always in absolute awe watching how brilliant @SieglerKelly is. She just seems like a kind, sympathetic, people person who actually wants to bring answers to these poor families.”

One fan said they had “never missed an episode”, adding: “I am beyond obsessed with the closure and hard work @SieglerKelly and her team do to help with these cases. If you haven’t watched Cold Justice you should definitely start.”

“It is the best show out there!” exclaimed another fan.

“It’s the best show on TV and helping so many families,” commented another.

Nine series of Cold Justice have aired since it began 13 years ago, with Kelly and the team helping to secure a number of arrests and convictions as a result of their investigative work.

Cold Justice is available on ITVX.