show biz

PETE Tong has hit back at a rival DJ as they are embroiled in a row over a music collaboration gone wrong.

American DJ John Summit took to X in a rant where he claimed that the Radio 1 star had ‘promised’ to release his music together, but then decided to work with Dutch DJ Franky Rizardo instead and “jacked” John’s remix.

Fans of Pete and Franky were excited when the DJs revealed they were releasing a new remix of Everything But The Girl’s Missing earlier this year, but ran into controversy when John made the public claims that he was meant to be involved too.

John wrote online: “hey @petetong thanks for promising to release my missing remix with u (while doing nothing in terms of production)

“Then jacking my remix to release with franky rizardo release class act you are. to think i actually looked up to u too.”

John then went on to claim that there was ‘proof’ and said: “Also i ended up doing the whole orchestral version myself which im premiering this weekend, thanks for the zero help”.

Read more entertainment news

big shock

Pop fans shocked to see huge US R&B star pole dancing on London underground train

FOX IN FAITH

Megan Fox transforms from saint to sinner & shows rarely seen tat in new pics

Pete hit back in a video, as he claimed discussions of working with John were simply that and never came to fruition, and that the project with Franky was an ‘independent’ one.

In a video, Pete said: “I’m disappointed. I don’t like being accused of things that aren’t true. If you’ve got a problem, pick up the phone – that’s certainly what I would preach.”

Going on to say that he had tried to call and text John with no avail, Pete claimed: “I think we acted correctly, we laid out the scenario to his team, for one reason or another, it wasn’t to be.

“They never got back to us, we carried on making the other version with Franky. And that’s it.”

Pete later explained: “We had positive conversations on text about doing a new version of his remix and at the same time I was talking to Franky.

“It’s quite normal when releasing a song to have different versions of the same song.

“I started the conversation with both of them, I got into it with John because he was particularly interested in the orchestra because he wanted to perform the song with an orchestra himself.”

Pete then said his management took over communication and told John they were also working on a version with Franky.

He claimed how his team then failed to hear back from John and chased him “multiple times” but never heard back.

Pete did hear back from Franky, he says, and they continued to work on their planned track.

Following John’s very public claims, Franky announced he was withdrawing from the release – saying it “no longer feels right”.

Death in Paradise star Danny John-Jules is unrecognisable as a taxi driver in new BBC comedy Ann Droid, starring alongside Diane Morgan

Actor Danny John-Jules became a firm fan-favourite on Death in Paradise.

He became one of the original cast members when the crime-drama first kicked off in 2011 as Officer Dwayne Myers.

The actor played the role for seven years before his departure in 2018. Yet devotees of the BBC programme have witnessed him reprise his role intermittently over the years, with his most recent appearance coming in the 2024 Christmas special.

Despite handing in his badge upon leaving, fans remain optimistic he might make a comeback in a forthcoming series.

However, in the meantime, he appears in a new BBC comedy, Ann Droid.

It charts the story of lonely widower Sue (Sue Johnston) whose son Michael (Paul Ready) opts to purchase her an AI eldercare robot to provide companionship and ensure her wellbeing.

Yet the robot she chooses to name Linda (Diane Morgan), receives a frosty reception as Sue makes her feelings abundantly clear that she doesn’t want a robot under her roof.

Throughout the six episodes, audiences will witness an unexpected friendship develop between the two as the series explores themes of loneliness, bereavement, humanity versus technology, and growing older, reports the Express.

While the opening episode broadcasts on Friday (July 17), all instalments are ready to stream on BBC iPlayer, with a well-known face making an appearance in episode two.

As Sue encounters her mate Eileen (Kathryn Hunter) waiting for a cab to transport her to her aunt’s 108th birthday celebration, the driver who arrives turns up in a vehicle looking somewhat battered.

The taxi driver, called Brian is portrayed by Death in Paradise’s Danny John-Jules. While Sue points out the hazards of his motor, Eileen tells her to calm down as Brian has been ferrying her about for more than 40 years.

He responds: “And I’ve only been sober for the last five!” Subsequently, Brian shows up once more when he brings Eileen back to meet Sue and Linda.

Before departing, he remarks: “Oh, I need some more customer reviews. Preferably ones above the two stars I’m getting at the moment. Would you mind?

“Oh, and don’t mention I got lost and had four pints at lunch or that I ran out of petrol and we had to walk the last 2km, ok?”

Ann Droid is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Hello! I’m Mark Olsen. Welcome to another edition of your regular field guide to a world of Only Good Movies.

I have been writing this newsletter, most weeks, for more than 10 years now. I wouldn’t even want to do the math on how many of them that would be, or just how many movies I have written about. That count is about to come to a close as this is the last one.

Don’t worry: I will still be covering the world-class scene of moviegoing in Los Angeles as well as writing about a broad swath of films and filmmakers, just finding new ways to go about it.

When this newsletter began, it was a catch-all for movie coverage and related events from The Times and eventually settled into a curated survey of the best new releases each week. We helped figure out what you should go see. As theaters reopened following the closures forced by the pandemic, the repertory scene in Los Angeles exploded, with new audiences turning out for old movies in astonishing numbers.

We followed their lead, flipping the focus of the newsletter to the rep scene while still keeping an eye on new releases. Venues around the city had a newly revived energy to match audiences’ enthusiasm. The Academy Museum opened with two gold-standard theaters, while the American Cinematheque expanded the number of screens it programs. (Just recently, it added the historic Village Theater in Westwood.) The Vista began bringing first-run films in 35mm and 70mm, along with classic movies. Vidiots opened in Eagle Rock, helping to redraw the map of L.A.’s movie-loving community.

The David Geffen Theater at the Academy Museum seats a thousand and is often fully attended.

(Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times)

The city has also seen the rise of itinerant pop-up series such as Mezzanine, Acropolis Cinema and Hollywood Entertainment pulling off must-see events. Smaller venues such as Now Instant Image Hall, 2220 Arts + Archives, Eastwood Performing Arts Center, Brain Dead Studios and the Philosophical Research Society have made a home to all kinds of movies. The Laemmle and Landmark chains have continue to play traditional arthouse releases and international films, while the Frida and Gardena theaters bring great movies to the South Bay.

Entities such as Revival Hub and MovieTown do a vital job of collating extensive listings info. (We will also continue to give monthly overviews of the best movies to see.) This is simply an incredible time for going to the movies in Los Angeles, arguably the best ever.

My main takeaway from the experience of working on this newsletter is confirmation of my belief in the movies themselves and the community of people around them. I was recently at a sold-out screening of Akira Kurosawa’s “Ran” and the idea of sitting with nearly a thousand other people watching a Japanese movie from the 1980s, each connecting to the events on screen in their own way, was deeply inspiring.

Among my favorite recent developments is how many venues now name the show’s projectionists as part of a screening’s introduction, which is always met with an enthusiastic round of applause. It is a reminder that what this is really about is people, dedicated to something we love.

And since this isn’t really a goodbye, it seems fitting to turn to the movies once again, as another week demonstrates why the scene here in Los Angeles is so truly special.

A tribute to Sam Neill

Sam Neill and Nicole Kidman on the set of 1989’s “Dead Calm.”

(Michael Ochs Archives / Getty Images)

Anyone looking for an example of just how intimate the screening scene in Los Angeles can be should make their way to the New Beverly Cinema on July 24. The theater already had a three-night double-bill of Rob Reiner’s “Misery” and Phillip Noyce’s 1989 thriller “Dead Calm” booked when news broke last weekend that actor Sam Neill had died at age 78.

The New Bev quickly announced that it would make one of those screenings into a tribute to Neill, who co-stars in “Dead Calm.” Director Noyce, along with co-star Billy Zane and filmmaker Roger Donaldson (who worked with Neill on 1977’s “Sleeping Dogs”) will all be there to celebrate their friend and colleague.

“Dead Calm” is a tight thriller set within the confines of a small sailing boat. Reviewing the movie when it was first released in 1989, Sheila Benson wrote, “Neill is probably one of the screen’s most underrated actors … ‘Dead Calm’ was probably far and away his nastiest assignment physically, yet his presence, sexuality and all, is absolutely vital to the balance of the story.”

Remembering the actor as part of a rundown of his greatest performances, Glen Whipp described Neill in “Dead Calm” as “part Cary Grant, part MacGyver.”

Two by Ross McElwee

Documentary filmmaker Ross McElwee in his 1986 movie “Sherman’s March.”

(Music Box Films)

Documentary filmmaker Ross McElwee helped to reinvent the form with his 1986 film “Sherman’s March,” which comes with the explanatory subtitle of “A Meditation on the Possibility of Romantic Love in the South During an Era of Nuclear Weapons Proliferation.”

Ostensibly a film about Union General William Tecumsah Sherman’s campaign of destruction during the Civil War, the movie actually ends up being about McElwee revisiting old girlfriends and forging a few new ones along the way, reflecting on his own campaign of romantic misadventure. As charming as it is revelatory, the movie is being rereleased in a new 4K restoration.

McElwee’s latest film, “Remake,” reflects on the death of his son Adrian and whether the director himself had a detrimental effect on the boy’s life. Reviewing “Remake,” Tim Grierson calls it “especially revealing — both in terms of the glimpses we get of this father-son relationship and of unsolved mysteries that linger just outside the frame.”

A weekend with Robert Rodriguez

Quentin Tarantino, George Clooney and Salma Hayek in the horror movie “From Dusk Till Dawn.”

(Academy Museum)

The Academy Museum will present “A Weekend with Robert Rodriguez” to celebrate the 30th anniversary of “From Dusk Till Dawn” and the 25th anniversary of “Spy Kids.” It speaks to Rodriguez’s undersung range as a filmmaker that one movie is a bawdy, gory comedy about a criminals on the run who encounter an ancient den of vampires, while the other is a family-friendly tale of two siblings who discover their parents are secret agents and must rescue them from a supervillain.

Rodriguez will not only be present to talk about both movies, he will be performing music each day with a different band.

Reviewing “From Dusk Till Dawn,” which was scripted by Quentin Tarantino, Jack Matthews said it was “a film nerd’s fever dream, a Frankenstein’s monster of used movie parts, deliberately mismatched styles, and deliriously implausible characters.”

Elaine May’s secret success

Dustin Hoffman and Jessica Lange in the movie “Tootsie.”

(Everett Collection / Columbia Pictures)

One of the most exciting things about the ongoing revival of L.A.’s repertory scene is the upheaval of the notion of the “canon.” What are the most lauded movies of all time and who gets to do the lauding? Case in point is the now widely accepted coronation of Elaine May as a towering creative figure, no longer relegated to being merely a fringe character unfairly saddled with the commercial failure of “Ishtar.”

May is credited as director on only four feature films, though she’s an uncredited writer on a number of other projects, perhaps most notably 1982’s comedy “Tootsie,” starring Dustin Hoffman as a struggling New York City actor who finds success when he lands a part by secretly posing as a woman. Directed by Sydney Pollack, who also makes a tremendous turn as Hoffman’s agent, the movie will be playing at Vidiots on Saturday.

Finding new moves

Wiley Wiggins and Patrick Riester in the movie “Computer Chess.”

(Kino Lorber)

The very first thing I ever wrote under the banner of Indie Focus was about how independent filmmakers such as Andrew Bujalski and Alex Ross Perry were working on 35mm at a time when mainstream Hollywood was very much forcing the idea of shooting on digital. So it only seems appropriate that this final edition of the newsletter should include something on Bujalksi, who has long been one of my favorite contemporary American filmmakers.

“Computer Chess,” Bujalski’s oddball experiment in using antiquated video equipment to tell a heady, offbeat story about a weekend chess tournament in the early ’80s, will screen in a 35mm print at Brain Dead Studios on July 24, presented by Mezzanine. Bujalski will be present, along with Blair Barnes, a filmmaker who will be showing the L.A. premiere of his short “sitrep,” also shot on an analog-era tube camera.

New this week

Matt Damon and Zendaya in the movie “The Odyssey.”

(Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures)

Sure to be one of the biggest movies of the year, Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of “The Odyssey” opens today. Los Angeles audiences have multiple venues to choose from that are showing the film in Nolan’s preferred Imax 70mm format — these theaters are among only a small number across the world that are doing this. Presenting a movie in Imax 70mm isn’t the easiest endeavor. Eloise Rollins-Fife has a report on how that’s actually done. Get your epic on.

Reviewing the movie, Amy Nicholson wrote, “Nolan refuses to tremble before the canon. Grabbing mighty scissors, he cuts and rejiggers Homer and a bit of Virgil to transform these classical texts into his type of tale: one fixated on memory, self-identity, destructive genius and the slippage of time. As ever, it’s light on sex, heavy on wine-dark angst.”

Kenneth Turan spoke to Nolan about the movie’s origins, saying, “I’ve been telling this story in all my films for years. It’s a family story, a love story, a revenge story, a war story, a coming-of-age story. It’s a very strong foundational text for me.”

Netflix stock plunged 9% on Friday morning to $67.74 a share, after the streamer’s second quarter earnings report renewed concerns among investors and analysts about the streamer’s future growth.

The Los Gatos-based company on Thursday narrowed its 2026 forecast to $51 billion to $51.4 billion from $50.7 billion to $51.7 billion, causing equity analysts to cut their estimates. The stock reached a new 52-week low on Friday and is down 49% from a year ago.

“This outlook likely reinforces investor concerns,” wrote analysts from Guggenheim Securities in a research note on Friday, which has a “buy” rating on the stock.

Netflix did not immediately respond to a request for comment on its declining stock price.

Investors have been skittish about the amount of time people spend on the streaming platform. Netflix’s share of TV viewing time in the U.S. has steadily declined in recent months as YouTube has gained market share, according to Nielsen data.

Investors are concerned that if people spend less time watching Netflix, it could cause people to cancel their subscriptions and make it more challenging for Netflix to raise prices in markets like the U.S.

Netflix said engagement is healthy on its platform and its programs continue to draw large audiences with popular shows like crime drama series “I Will Find You.”

Netflix said subscribers watched more than 97 billion hours on the streaming service in the first half of the year, up 2% from a year ago.

“We are increasingly concerned that younger generations are less interested in long form content as their time migrates to ‘free’ social media platforms,” wrote Jeffrey Wlodarczak, CEO of Pivotal Research Group in a report on Friday, who has a hold recommendation on Netflix stock. “We believe this will result in slower subscriber growth and attempts by the company to offset this via more aggressive price increases and investment in content.”

Netflix executives in a Thursday earnings presentation emphasized that measuring engagement at the company goes beyond hours spent watching the streaming service.

“There is not a linear relationship between view hours and revenue and profit because all hours are not created equal,” said Greg Peters, Netflix co-CEO on an earnings presentation on Thursday. “All hours don’t provide the same kind of value to the business.”

The streamer said it plans to allocate just over 5% of its content spend on live programming this year. Live content has been a key driver for subscriptions, accounting for six of the top 10 new member sign-up days over the last five years, the company said, even though it makes up roughly 1% of overall watch time this year.

The company is also diversifying the content it offers on its platform, adding live sports games and video podcasts, in addition its large library of TV shows and movies.

Netflix revenue rose 13% to $12.6 billion in the second quarter. Net income was $3.4 billion, up 9% from a year ago.

The company said its advertising business is on track to reach $3 billion in revenue this year, double the amount in 2025.

The Hairdresser Mysteries seems to have won over TV viewers as it launched to favourable reviews on BBC One

A new BBC detective series has left fans “obsessed” as it launches with positive reviews.

The Hairdresser Mysteries made its debut on Friday, 17 July at 2pm. Written by playwright Jim Cartwright, the series centres on Lily Petal, a talented hairdresser whose obsession with all things 1970s is matched only by her flair for styling.

After leaving the fast-paced world of an upmarket London salon, she relocates to a small hairdressing shop in a quiet northern market town in search of a slower pace of life. However, that plan quickly unravels when a string of suspicious deaths begins unfolding around her new home.

Before long, Lily finds herself solving crimes instead of simply cutting hair, with sharp-minded assistant Clary Coombs by her side. Their unlikely detective team is completed by the town’s resident busybody, Wincey, and enthusiastic Police Constable Adam, who all become caught up in a series of investigations.

Leading the cast is Sally Phillips as Lily, the fashionable salon owner whose knack for uncovering clues proves just as useful as her skills with a pair of scissors. The 56-year-old actress is widely recognised for playing Shazza throughout the Bridget Jones film series.

Taking on the role of Clary is Charlotte Jordan, whose character’s intelligence and eye for detail make her an invaluable partner in Lily’s amateur sleuthing. The 32-year-old actress is best known to television audiences for portraying Daisy Midgeley in Coronation Street, a role she held between 2020 and 2025.

Promoting the show on Instagram, actress Charlotte penned: “The Hairdresser Mysteries’ drops on @bbcone and @bbciplayer today with the schamazinggg @sallysmack @isunetra and @bencastlegibb.

“Welcome to Blosson Vale. Where everyone’s a little bit odd…and someone usually ends up dead. New episodes every Friday for the next six weeks.”

After seeing her post, fans couldn’t get enough and headed straight to the comment section to share their thoughts. One social media user wrote: “So obsessed, already need another series!!”

Another wrote: “LOVING IT SO FAR!! Lily and Clary are already an ICONIC duo!!”

Fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, also shared similar sentiments, with one writing: “I guess a lot of us were just watching because it was Charlie Jordan’s first job after Corrie and she was brilliant.”

The Hairdresser Mysteries airs Fridays at 2pm on BBC One.

Things took a hilarious turn during one instalment of Channel 4’s Come Dine With Me as one guest pointed out a ‘stolen’ ingredient

A host on Come Dine With Me was savagely called out by one of his guests, as they believed he had stolen an unexpected item for one dish.

The much-loved Channel 4 programme, which sees four or five amateur cooks from the same local area take turns hosting a three-course dinner party in their own homes, was back for the last instalment of the week.

On Friday July 17’s episode, which is a repeat that was set in Cardiff, it was the turn of chiropractor Pete to impress his guests Angharad, Claire, Charlotte and David, with his dishes which included a lemon posset and Glamorgan sausages.

While at the dinner table, Pete also provided “edible flowers” for his guests but the host was unfortunately left red-faced when he was questioned about where he sourced the flowers.

Angharad asked of her flower: “Where did you get this from then?” Pete replied: “This I cropped from near Llandaff Cathedral.” But Angharad was not convinced by Pete’s tale.

She bluntly replied: “You stole it!” Trying to justify where he got it from, stating that he retrieved the flowers from a pathway, David chipped in that he often walked his dog in that direction.

Questioning whether the flowers were clean enough to eat, Claire said: “I hope you washed those!”

This later led to Pete’s guests discovering that he failed to make his own pastries for one of his dishes. But despite calling him out, all the guests agreed that Pete’s food and hospitality was top-notch.

The Cardiff-based episode, which was first broadcast last year, caused quite a stir.

One social media user took to Facebook at the time and wrote: “I love when guests get upset that the host didn’t make their own pastry. Who makes their own pastry? Shortcrust maybe, but I think using store-bought puff & fillo pastry is totally ok!”

Another added: “Competitors do make their own puff, shortcrust pastry but not filo, it is very fiddly I think.”

At the end of the show, the guests found who was the winner of the week and received a cool £1,000 prize.

Come Dine With Me airs weekdays at 6:30pm on Channel 4

Loose Women presenter Kaye Adams confirmed the ITV daytime show will be off air for several weeks.

ITV is undergoing a scheduling shake-up as Loose Women is set to be off air for several weeks.

During the programme on Friday, July 17, presenter Kaye Adams made an announcement and confirmed when the show would return.

The Scottish presenter was back on Loose Women alongside GK Barry, Oti Mabuse and Kelle Bryan, as they marked the end of the week, and the end of the programme for a short break.

Kate shared: “we’re done for the summer. We will not be gone for long though, we’ll be back in September. For now, have a fabulous weekend, a fabulous summer and we’ll see you very soon!”

The scheduling change follows a wave of budget cuts which impacted Good Morning Britain and Lorraine, alongside Loose Women.

It was revealed months ago that Loose Women would now only broadcast for 30 weeks rather than its customary 52, reports the Express.

During the shake-up, Lorraine Kelly’s show has been reduced to 30 minutes, and also operates on a seasonal schedule only.

The biggest change that faced Loose Women was the fact live audiences were scrapped, as well as several behind-the-scenes job.

Presenter Nadia Sawalha previously shared her devastation that warm-up performer Lee Peat was dropped, saying: “I am totally devastated by this fact, I can’t get over it at all. Not only because the audience is so important for the show, but also my dear friend Lee who I work with every day.”

Coleen Nolan also shared her concerns for the cast and crew, calling those redundancies “heartbreaking” and “devastating”.

Loose Women also relocated in January to a basement studio of a former private members’ club in Covent Garden, sharing the venue with This Morning and Lorraine.

Announcing the changes last year, Kevin Lygo, Managing Director of ITV’s Media and Entertainment Division, previously said: “Daytime is a really important part of what we do, and these scheduling and production changes will enable us to continue to deliver a schedule providing viewers with the news, debate and discussion they love from the presenters they know and trust as well generating savings which will allow us to reinvest across the programme budget in other genres.

“These changes also allow us to consolidate our news operations and expand our national, international and regional news output and to build upon our proud history of trusted journalism at a time when our viewers need accurate, unbiased news coverage more than ever.”

Loose Women can be streamed on ITVX

This article contains many spoilers for “Heartstopper Forever.”

In the early minutes of “Heartstopper Forever” — the feature film finale of Netflix’s hit teen romantic dramedy series — Charlie Spring (Joe Locke) notices a crooked photo strip on his boyfriend Nick Nelson’s (Kit Connor) bedroom wall. Gently pulling down the pictures, taken on the beach day they made their relationship official, Charlie smiles wistfully at their younger selves: “We look like babies.”

It’s a line that applies to the characters as much as it does to Locke and Connor. Four years after being catapulted into global stardom, the pair are bidding a bittersweet farewell to the roles that have defined their own coming of age.

“Season 1 does feel like an immensely long time ago that I do look back and think, ‘Yeah, we do look like babies,’” Connor says, with Locke nodding in agreement next to him on a recent video call from London. “‘Heartstopper’ itself was this tiny little show that was clearly something quite special to us, but we didn’t really think or know anyone was going to watch. And, suddenly, it became this thing that was immensely important to a lot of people.”

Adapted by Alice Oseman from her own bestselling graphic novels, which originated as a webcomic in 2016, “Heartstopper” chronicles the endearing love story between high-strung, gay overthinker Charlie and kind-hearted, bisexual rugby player Nick at an all-boys’ school in England.

Nick (Kit Connor) and Charlie (Joe Locke) in a scene from Season 1 of “Heartstopper.”

(Netflix)

Upon its debut in 2022, the show was lauded for its unabashedly joyful, tender portrayal of queer youth — a refreshing departure from the trauma-heavy narratives that dominate other teen dramas. Even as “Heartstopper” ventured into darker thematic territory, such as Charlie’s history of eating disorders and struggles with self-harm, Oseman’s writing never lost its deft, light touch.

From the outset, Oseman knew she wanted to end “Heartstopper” with Nick going off to university in Leeds and Charlie, who is a year younger, finding independence as head boy at school. But with her cast growing increasingly more in demand every year, the author-turned-screenwriter says it would have been logistically difficult to make a fourth and final season.

After Netflix greenlit a two-hour finale instead, Oseman elected to zero in on her protagonists — not unlike her comics — rather than give each character their own, heavily condensed arc. “I think that was definitely the right decision, because we really get to spend a lot of time with Nick and Charlie and not feel like we’re missing anything,” she says.

Directed by Wash Westmoreland (“Colette,” “Still Alice”), “Forever” finds the first loves grappling with the reality of an impending long-distance relationship, leading to a rash breakup and, ultimately, an emotional reconciliation. In a surprising role reversal, as Charlie confidently steps into a leadership role as an advocate for other LGBTQ+ students, Nick is left to discover his own identity and self-worth outside of being the protective, supportive boyfriend.

On the set of “Heartstopper Forever” as Connor and Locke film a scene from the movie.

(Samuel Dore / Netflix)

Connor, who also executive produced the film with Locke, felt Charlie and Nick’s romance would be better wrapped up in a feature-length format. “There were a few very important and crucial, but short and intense [plot points] — the breakup and the time apart, and the eventual makeup and the two of them discovering who they are without one another,” he explains. “Doing it in a shorter period, I thought, would make those things hit that much harder and feel that much more visceral.”

Unlike previous seasons in which she could rely on her existing comics as storyboards for the show, Oseman was working simultaneously last year on the sixth and final volume of the “Heartstopper” comics, released earlier this month, and the “Forever” screenplay.

Juggling the same story in two different formats turned out to benefit each end product. “When I finished writing the first draft of the script, it actually made me do a really big rewrite of the comic, because it helped me see which moments were really important and which moments didn’t need to be there,” she says. (One of the pivotal scenes was the Pride parade, filmed on the last morning of production.)

As first-time producers, Locke and Connor also provided script notes that directly influenced the story. For instance, “there was no scene between Charlie and Mr. Ajayi in the original script,” says Locke, referring to the gay art teacher, played by Fisayo Akinade, whose classroom became Charlie’s safe haven from bullying before he befriended Nick. “I was like, ‘That scene in Season 1 with them is so pivotal to the story. It would be really lovely to have just a little moment for them in the film that circles on that chapter of their relationship.’ And straight away, Alice was like, ‘Yeah, great idea. Let’s do this.’”

For his part, Connor always feared that the show’s “rose-tinted” approach, though part of the story’s appeal, “would not be nuanced enough to talk about the complexities of being human and being young.”

Locke says he proposed a scene with Fisayo Akinade, who plays art teacher Mr. Ajayi, as a way to circle back on their relationship.

(Netflix)

“There was one moment where I was like, ‘Oh God, I hope these young people watching “Heartstopper” don’t suddenly forget that these kids are human, and that these kids can make mistakes and still be lovely, delightful and good people,’” Connor says. With Oseman and Locke, Connor was adamant about “finding the place [where] these characters were being treated in a way that we all felt good about.”

According to Oseman, Locke and Connor were also heavily involved in selecting a new intimacy coordinator, Robbie Taylor Hunt. Over the years, the amount of sex — or lack thereof — in “Heartstopper” has been the subject of much discourse. “It always annoyed me slightly that people were like, ‘Oh, this is so unrealistic. They’re not having sex.’ They were underage. What do you want us to do?” Locke says with a wry laugh.

Oseman has learned to tune out that online chatter, accepting that she cannot please everyone — let alone represent the entire spectrum of the young queer experience. With each season and now this film, her creative team chose to age up the story slightly. After Charlie and Nick lost their virginity to each other at the end of Season 3, the film uses physical intimacy to reveal more about their maturing relationship.

Locke says those scenes were necessary to the plot. “The pier sex scene is this carnal lust between these two people who need to get it out. The sex scene in the pillow fort is a moment of connection for them,” he says. “And the big sex scene at the end of the film is the reconciliation of their relationship.”

In the end, Nick and Charlie decide to give their relationship another shot, confident that their love can defy the conventional wisdom that teen romances rarely last. But what they learn during their split is “that you can’t put all of your hopes and dreams, your mental health and your ability to survive into one person, because it’s not fair on yourself and on that other person,” Connor says.

Over the years, the amount of sex, or lack of it, in “Heartstopper” has been the subject of online discourse. The film shows more physical intimacy.

(Netflix)

The film’s epilogue, like in the comics, offers a brief glimpse of Charlie visiting Nick for a weekend in Leeds, ending with the two of them looking through the pages of a scrapbook that still has room for new photos. While Oseman has her own vision of Nick and Charlie’s future in 10 years — they’d be newly married with a dog, she believes — the actors who play them aren’t so sure.

“I feel like the beauty of ‘Heartstopper’ is that we get to see a chapter of these two young men’s lives, and it ends in a way that doesn’t promise anything,” Connor says. “Even if they were to not end up together eventually, it wouldn’t make the experience that they shared together any less special or pivotal to who they are as people. I think that’s kind of beautiful.”

Locke is reluctant to divulge his own interpretation of the characters’ future, preferring instead to let viewers make sense of the hopeful ending. “I hope they’re happy,” he says simply. (But for the record, the actors both believe that Charlie and Nick will stay together. “Of course, we all hope so,” Connor clarifies.)

Although she is ready to tell new stories, Oseman believes that she will be revisiting Nick and Charlie, who first appeared in her 2014 debut novel “Solitaire,” “in small ways for the rest of my life.”

“I think there definitely won’t be another 10-year-long webcomic — probably not — but I love thinking about what Nick and Charlie might be up to when they’re 40 or 60,” Oseman says. However, she adds, “I think the main story of ‘Heartstopper’ has concluded, and I do feel good about that.”

Like their high school characters, Locke and Connor are ready to graduate from the “Heartstopper” universe. Wary of being typecast, they have established themselves as versatile stage actors, making their Broadway debuts in “Sweeney Todd” and “Romeo + Juliet,” respectively. Onscreen, Locke joined the Marvel universe in “Agatha All Along,” while Connor has explored vastly different cinematic genres — his next major project, the film adaptation of the dark fantasy video game “Elden Ring,” will reunite him with “Warfare” director Alex Garland.

Even on the day of our interview, Connor and Locke looked a world away from Nick and Charlie. Locke wore an all-black designer outfit, while Connor — dressed in a light blue striped button-down over a white tank and khakis — had traded Nick’s signature floppy hair for designer stubble. Yet both actors have made peace with the reality that they will forever be linked to each other and their roles. “That’s part and parcel of the job,” Connor says.

Fittingly, the last scene Connor and Locke filmed as Nick and Charlie was the anniversary scene in the park where there is a fallen tree with the letters “N+C” carved into the trunk. “It was lovely because it was back to how a lot of the ‘Heartstopper’ experience has been, which is just me and Joe,” Connor says.

“I love thinking about what Nick and Charlie might be up to when they’re 40 or 60,” says creator Alice Oseman. However, she adds, “I think the main story of ‘Heartstopper’ has concluded, and I do feel good about that.”

(Netflix)

Would they be open to revisiting Charlie and Nick’s love story as older adults? “In 10, 15, 20 years, who knows? Maybe,” Connor says. “Even if Alice were to decide that they wanted to make a TV show about another character in the universe of ‘Heartstopper’ and they wanted us to cameo or something, then, hey, maybe.”

While the “Heartstopper” team expected the series to resonate with younger audiences, they have been particularly moved by the reactions of older queer viewers, who have marveled at the strides in LGBTQ+ representation onscreen. Coming from the world of young-adult fiction — where she notes stories of queer joy are abundant — Oseman recalls being surprised that “Heartstopper” was treated as an anomaly in mainstream media. Still, she is proud to have helped move the needle on LGBTQ+ representation, particularly when such characters remain underrepresented.

“My hope is that people will be able to look back … and say, ‘Hey, “Heartstopper” did really well. Let’s make another queer show that’s got the [same] ‘queer joy’ vibes,’” Oseman says. “I hope it’s been able to give that encouragement to the people in power to let there be more stories out there because we just need more, different kinds of queer stories.”

Connor believes that anyone can enjoy the show because “Heartstopper” simply captures the universality of “human beings being happy and being in love.”

“Obviously, the [queer] representation is incredibly important. I think that the very existence of the show and the comfort and safety that it can bring people is one of the things that makes it so special,” Connor says. And the demand for such stories “isn’t going to change,” he adds. “Queer people are always going to exist.”

On Monday, more than 40 fake trophies were stacked at the base of a 10-foot-tall “Iran War Participation Trophy” made for President Trump and placed on the National Mall by the anonymous satirical activist group Secret Handshake.

The large golden trophy is part of a growing trove of protest art pieces erected by the group since Trump was reelected to his second term in office. Previous installations, which have all received the necessary permitting for legal display, include one of Trump and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein holding hands, and a playable retro video game called “Operation Epic Furious: Strait to Hell.”

The new participation trophy is equipped with a plaque that reads:

“We hereby award President Donald J. Trump this participation trophy for his enthusiastic involvement in the Iran War. While some concern themselves with military strategy, diplomacy, or measurable outcomes, President Trump demonstrated the courage to participate regardless of the final score.

As recipient of this prestigious award, President Trump joins the ranks of children everywhere who receive recognition for simply showing up. We join you in celebrating this remarkable achievement.”

Secret Handshake noted in a letter to The Times that the installation serves as the nation’s first official “Donald Trump Trophy Donation Center, encouraging the public to drop off their own personal trophies, medals, and ribbons at the base of the monument for The President to claim as his own. Together, we hope that if enough trophies are donated he will be perceived as a winner and not feel the need to bomb other countries.”

A representative for Secret Handshake said the dozens of donated awards include certificates, trophies, medals, a wrestling belt and a Kennedy Center sash.

“I’m really thrilled to see people taking an active interest in joining in and bringing their own creativity and having their own voice heard by adding trophies to the base of this instillation,” the representative wrote in an email. “I think it’s exciting and I think when people can take a moment to tangibly express their opinion about this government’s war it helps to create a reminder that we aren’t alone. This isn’t normal. This shouldn’t just be accepted at face value.”

One of the best offerings is titled, “First Place in ‘I Know a Pool guy,’” and reads in part, “Participation trophy for Donald Trump in recognition of his renovation of the nation’s historic reflecting pool to more clearly reflect his efforts to criminalize the touching of a public monument in order to cover up the damage he caused …” The award also recognizes Trump’s “development of American Flag Blue pool liner, which he said was indestructible (unless cut by left wing radical terrorist vandals).”

Secret Handshake has extended an offer to “hand deliver both the participation trophy and all smaller trophies to the Trump Administration for The President’s glowing collection of fake accolades.”

I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt taking First Place in time wasted mulching my garden in the heat. This is your arts and culture news for the week.

The week ahead: A curated calendar

FRIDAY

“Etai & Felipe Pantone: Parallel Practices: Tailored Structures & Kinetic Surfaces” at albertz benda.

Etai & Felipe Pantone
“Parallel Practices: Tailored Structures & Kinetic Surfaces” combines Pantone’s wall-based artworks and a series of collaborative design pieces to challenge ideas of use, intimacy and lived experience, placing each work in the interconnected artistic system.
Opening, 6:30–9:30 p.m. Friday; exhibit continues through Aug. 8. albertz benda, 8260 Marmont Ln. albertzbenda.com

New Swan Shakespeare Festival
The Bard is back in the O.C. at the troupe’s open-air, Elizabethan-style portable theater with “The Merry Wives of Windsor Cove,” a musical adaptation set in a 1950s SoCal beach town, in repertory with “Romeo & Juliet,” the classic tragedy reimagined amid the scarcity of the Dust Bowl.
“Merry Wives,” 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday, Thursday and various dates through Aug. 30; “Romeo,” 8 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and various dates through Aug. 29. New Swan Shakespeare Festival, Inner Ring Road, UC Irvine. newswanshakespeare.com/

SATURDAY

“Cyrano” at the Old Globe, San Diego.

(Ben Wiseman)

Cyrano
An irreverent take on “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand, adapted by Jason O’Connell and Brenda Withers, directed by Annie Tippe.
Previews, 8 p.m. Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday; opening night, Thursday, 7 p.m.; continues through Aug. 9. The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park, San Diego. TheOldGlobe.org

F**king Strangers
The world premiere of a dark comedy about love and loneliness by Erik Patterson, directed by Chris Fields.
Previews, 8 p.m. Friday; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 4 p.m. Sundays; through Aug. 24. Echo Theater Company, Atwater Village Theater, 3269 Casitas Ave. echotheatercompany.com

Yoko Ono’s ‘Sky Piece to Jesus Christ’ + ‘Cut Piece’
A six-piece classical music ensemble from the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra will be gradually wrapped in gauze until the musicians can no longer play their instruments in “Sky Piece,” first presented to the public by Ono at Carnegie Recital Hall in New York in 1965. In “Cut Piece,” performed by artist MPA, the audience will be invited to cut away pieces of the artist’s clothing to take with them while the artist sits silently onstage. The performance was premiered by Ono at Yamaichi Hall in Kyoto in 1964.
6 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. redcat.org

Marvelous Musicals
Professional and student dancers perform numbers from classic shows to modern favorites.
6:30 p.m. Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Dr. thebarclay.org

Koak, “Portrait of Myself, the Shell,” 2024. Flashe and acrylic on linen; diptych. 74 x 118 inches

(Photo by Chris Grunder. Courtesy of the artist and Perrotin.)

Summerlove Sensation
A group show featuring Isabelle Albuquerque, Alex Anderson, Mustafa Ali Clayton, Gregor Hildebrandt, Susumu Kamijo, Rae Klein, Koak, Asuka Anastacia Ogawa, Katherina Olschbaur, Jean-Michel Othoniel, Andrew J. Park, Gahee Park, Aya Takano, Honor Titus and Pilar Zeta.
Opening, 6-9 p.m. Saturday; exhibition continues through Aug. 28. Perrotin Los Angeles, 5036 W. Pico Blvd. perrotin.com

A Weekend With Robert Rodriguez
The multi-hyphenate filmmaker will be on hand for anniversary screenings of “From Dusk Til Dawn” (1996) and “Spy Kids”(2001) with the filmmaker in person and performing with his musical groups, Chingon Band and The Rodriguez Family Spy Band.
“From Dusk,” 7 p.m. Saturday. “Spy Kids.” 2 p.m. Sunday. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org

SUNDAY

Tensions, Personified
Readings of four short plays by John Binder are presented as part of the Odyssey’s Thresholds of Invention series.
4 p.m. Odyssey Ensemble Theatre, 2055 South Sepulveda Blvd. odysseytheatre.com

TUESDAY

Ann Noble, left, and Robin McDonald in “Dead Man.”

(Carolina Rodriguez)

Dead Man
Ann Noble writes, directs and performs in this clown noir murder mystery co-produced by Theatre Ghosts. Co-starring Christian Haines, Jeffrey Johnson and Robin McDonald.
8 p.m. Tuesdays, through Aug. 4. Echo Theater Company at Atwater Village Theatre, 3269 Casitas Ave. echotheatercompany.ludus.com

UCBackrooms
A one-night-only immersive, participatory comedy experience turns the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre into an escape room.
Shows begin every 15 mins., 6-7:30 p.m. Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, 5919 Franklin Ave. ucbcomedy.com

THURSDAY

Falsettos
The O.C. theater company The Wayward Artist presents William Finn and James Lapine’s Tony Award-winning, sung-through musical set in 1979 and 1981 about a Jewish man who leaves his wife and son for his male lover, and the ensuing upheaval to their lives.
8 p.m. Thursday, July 24-26 and July 30-Aug. 2. Irvine United Congregational Church, 4915 Alton Pkwy. thewaywardartist.org

Arts anywhere

Jason Huber, from left, Scott G. Jackson and Dana Dewes in “The Price” at Pacific Resident Theatre.

(Ian Cardamone)

The Price
The critically acclaimed production of the Arthur Miller drama at Pacific Resident Theater closes this weekend. “‘The Price,’ directed by Elina de Santos, thrives in the intimacy of Pacific Resident Theatre’s main stage,” wrote Times theater critic Charles McNulty when he reviewed it in April. “There’s not a moment in the play that isn’t deeply inhabited by a cast that understands the value of listening.” But don’t worry if you are unable to make it to the Westside. The final two shows will be available from the League of Live Stream Theater for $35, which includes a 24-hour on-demand replay.
2 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m Sunday. Pacific Resident Theatre, 703 Venice Blvd., Venice; streaming at lolst.org/theprice

— Kevin Crust

Culture news and the SoCal scene

Miller Friedman, Ashley Maimes, Jonathan Blandino and Torianna Turnbow in Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum.

(Ian Flanders)

Summer is the ideal time to see theater out of doors (well, maybe not this broiling week, but at other times), and Times theater critic Charles McNulty has compiled this breezy list of “11 enchanting places to see outdoor theater in Southern California.” Spoiler alert: Shakespeare is well-represented, but remember, the Bard’s work was originally staged in an open-air theater.

McNulty also headed to Pasadena Playhouse for the opening of the two-person hip-hop musical “Mexodus,” which tells the little-known story of an Underground Railroad route to Mexico. McNulty was taken with the show, which arrived at the Playhouse after its award-winning off-Broadway run, calling it “hands down the most charming, innovative and warmly embracing new musical I’ve seen in the last year.”

Artist Betye Saar is photographed at her home in Laurel Canyon on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.

(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)

Betye Saar turns 100 on July 30, but the famed artist is still more interested in creating new work than discussing her groundbreaking legacy. Times contributor Tara Anne Dalbow wrote this lovely profile of Saar after a visit to her vibrant home studio in Laurel Canyon. “There are certain people who redefined what was a very narrow definition of American art, and Betye is absolutely one of them,” curator Zoé Whitley told Dalbow.

Los Angeles County Museum of Art this week revealed that artist Vija Celmins and filmmaker Denis Villeneuve will be honored at its upcoming Art + Film Gala, the first to be hosted since the spring opening of LACMA’s new David Geffen Galleries.

Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts — better known as the Soraya — on the campus of California State University Northridge.

(The Soraya)

If you’re interested in buying single tickets to shows that are part of the Soraya’s upcoming season, now is the time. The venue just opened up its access from membership presale to the general public. Sutton Foster, Dance Theatre of Harlem and Audra McDonald are all making their Soraya debuts, as is the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

— Jessica Gelt

And last but not least

And you thought making the “Mona Lisa” out of Legos was hard. The company has now paired with Vienna’s Belvedere Museum to release a 4,000-piece Lego set of Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss.” You can buy the set, beginning Aug. 1, for $299.99.

EXCLUSIVE: The Chase star shared his Achilles’ Heel after backlash to a wrong answer ahead of a new spin-off, The Chase Around The World.

The Chase star Shaun Wallace has confessed the “worst mistake” he made on the show.

The ITV personality has returned to screens with his co-stars including Anne Hegerty and The Chase host Bradley Walsh for a new spin-off series.

Once again, he’s putting quiz fanatics to the test but this time, it’s all around Europe.

The Chase Around The World sees six teams racing across European landmarks in a bid to win £100,000 prize.

Shaun described the spin-off as “reality television meeting with a quiz” as he admitted everyone “is pushed out of their comfort zone”.

Ahead of the series airing, The Dark Destroyer recalled one of his worst quizzing moments, as he revealed some topics he knows nothing about.

He shared: “As I always say, it takes courage to be a contestant on a quiz. Whether you get one or whether you get seven, it takes courage to put yourself forward, to sit in a chair to be thoroughly examined.”

Speaking to The Mirror and other press, Anne added: “There are times when someone, maybe just one person, gets through to the final Chase, and they set five or something, and if it’s me, the first thing I’ll say when I come out is, ‘Look, you’re the one that got through, everybody else got caught, you didn’t’.”

Recalling his own error, Shaun admitted “Every Achilles has a heel”.

He went on: “I’ve never watched The Simpsons, remember that time they asked me the colour of Marge Simpson’s hair? I said orange. The abuse I got on Twitter would make you want to quit the show.”

Shaun went on to say that like with soaps, he’d just guess an answer, and he was asked another Simpsons question where he had no choice but to do the same thing.

“They then asked me, who is the eldest Simpsons child, for £50,000?” he said.

He went on: “I know there’s three, Maggie, Lisa and Bart, and it took me six seconds to work out which one is it.”

Shaun ended up saying it was Lisa, and losing the huge sum. He added: “Questions are only easy if you know the answer, so one thing about us as quizzers is we’re brilliant quizzers, but we’re human, we make mistakes.”

Shaun, who won Mastermind in 2004 before The Chase, continued: “I use my transferable skills as a barrister, I think on my feet, I’m fearless. I’ve appeared in the Court of Appeal, I’ve done Old Bailey trials, so to answer the question in the final Chase or Mastermind grand finals is not going to phase me, but the one thing which has stood me well is my steadfast dedication to preparation because the more you prepare, the more chances you can be successful.

“And it’s not a chore… when we’re researching, it might seem like we’re going back to school. No, we’re doing it because we love it.”

The Chase Around The World airs Thursdays at 9pm on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player.

Customers are being sent emails that explain everything they need to be aware of

Sky is sending emails out to customers with a message about ‘security’. In the UK, Sky serves more than 25 million people, about 36% of all households. Sky Broadband boasts nearly 5.8 million active users and employs around 20,000 people across the UK.

In a new email delivered to its customers, the connectivity company reminded people about the importance of watching out for scammers. It said: “At Sky, we’re committed to helping you keep your account secure. So, we wanted to give you some tips on how to stay vigilant.”

Urging customers to stay safe and explaining what steps to take, Sky added: “Sometimes, scammers pretend to be trusted brands so that they can try to trick you into sharing your personal information or even placing an order they may ask you to send on to them when it arrives.

“If you’re unsure about a call, text or any other message, end the conversation. Head to the My Sky app or sky.com to see if anything looks wrong — be sure to check your account details and your recent orders.”

For customers who receive calls, texts and WhatsApp messages, Sky advises “stay vigilant”. It says: “Fraudsters can sound convincing, especially if they rush you, pressure you, or offer a deal that seems too good to be true.”

Remembering the following information “will help you stay in control”

• Sky will never ask for the password you use to sign into the My Sky app or sky.com
• Ask you to place an order on our website while on the phone with you.
• Tell you to share your screen on any device.
• Ask you to read out your full payment card details (unless you contacted us first).
• Pressure you into making decisions.

Sky says it always sends texts “from Sky”, adding: “Be cautious of other senders claiming to be us.” The company also says it will always give you the option to hang up and contact the customer service team if you’re unsure.

It added: “Use our verified Sky UK WhatsApp Business account — look for the blue tick. Remember, if anyone contacts you unexpectedly, sounds urgent, or asks for details, stop and take a moment.”

In terms of deliveries, Sky urges customers to be aware that if someone asks to return items they weren’t expecting to receive, or pressures them to return something using a QR code or courier. It says: “If you ever need to return Sky equipment, always use Sky’s official returns process.”

For more info, head to sky.com/returns. To find out more about how to protect yourself from scams, visit: sky.com/scamsafe.

What to do if you think you’re a victim of a scam

If you believe you’ve fallen victim to a scam, reach out to your bank right away if you shared any money or personal information. After that, make sure to report the incident to Action Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre. You can do this by calling 0300 123 2040 or by visiting the Action Fraud website. It’s important to act quickly to protect yourself.

Netflix on Thursday reported higher revenues and profit in the second quarter as it sought to assure investors about its growth prospects.

The streaming giant reported revenue of $12.6 billion in the second quarter, up 13% from a year ago. Net income during the period rose 9% to $3.4 billion.

Netflix said it expects revenue to grow 12% in the third quarter, but lowered its 2026 revenue forecast to $51 billion from $51.4 billion.

The results were roughly in line with what analysts had predicted and were driven by recent price increase and growth in advertising revenue. The latter is expected to reach $3 billion this year, the company said.

In a presentation with analysts, Netflix executives touted global expansion plans.

“We’re entertaining an audience approaching a billion people with still lots of room to grow into our addressable market on every measure,” said Spencer Neumann, Netflix’s chief financial officer, in the earnings presentation. “We believe we’ve got lots and lots of runway for solid growth ahead of us.”

Those comments appeared intended to assuage investors who’ve grown concerned that people could be spending less time on the streaming service as rivals like YouTube gain market share.

Netflix’s share of TV viewing time in the U.S. has steadily declined in recent months as rivals have gained market share, according to Nielsen data.

The streamer represented 7.8% of all TV viewing in the U.S. in April — the lowest percentage since May 2025. It was 7.5% in April 2025, Nielsen said.

By comparison, YouTube has seen its share of the streaming audience grow. YouTube’s TV viewing share in April rose to 13.4%, up from 12.4% a year earlier, Nielsen said.

Some investors fear that if viewership is down, subscribers could cancel the service, which would negatively affect the platform’s growing advertising business. It could also undercut Netflix’s ability to raise prices in the U.S. and other countries.

Those worries have caused Netflix’s stock price to plummet 41% in the last year. The stock closed on Thursday at $74.35 a share, up 1%. In after hours trading, the stock fell 8%.

“The engagement elephant continues to rear its head and investors are on edge that an earlier price hike in a seasonally tough period and lighter content slate could have driven more churn than usual,” wrote Morgan Stanley Research analysts in a research note.

On Thursday, Netflix said in a letter to shareholders it has a sophisticated understanding of its consumers and “we know not all hours are equal” and that engagement on its platform is “healthy.”

“The entertainment industry remains dynamic and competitive,” Netflix told shareholders. “We aim to stay ahead by executing against our three areas of focus: delivering more entertainment value, leveraging technology to improve every aspect of our service, and improving monetization.”

The Los Gatos-based company said it plans to allocate more than 5% of its content spend on live programming this year. Live content has been a key driver for subscriptions, accounting for six of the top 10 new member sign-up days over the last five years, the company said.

In the first half of 2026, Netflix said members watched more than 97 billion hours, up 2% from a year ago. Among the most popular shows: the crime thriller “I Will Find You,” which had 87 million views; and the romantic comedy film “Voicemails for Isabelle,” which garnered 71 million views.

Netflix has been adding new types of content to its platform, including video podcasts to help increase engagement with subscribers during the day.

As part of the diversification efforts, the platform has expanded its portfolio of live programming over the years, including adding NFL games and streaming Major League Baseball’s opening day game.

In 2022, Netflix had also faced investor pressure when it reported declining subscribers for the first time in more than a decade. That pushed the company to delve into other areas including advertising, gaming and cracking down on password sharing.