FOLLOWING the tragic news of actress Catherine O’Hara’s passing at the age of 71 following a short illness, her Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin paid a touching tribute to his “mama”.
The two starred in the iconic film together back in 1990, where he played the mischievous Kevin McCallister while she portrayed the role of Kate, his long-suffering mum.
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Macaulay Culkin has paid a heartfelt tribute to his co-star Catherine O’Hara following her deathCredit: GettyThe Home Alone actor was seen for the first since the news brokeCredit: BackGrid
They reunited two years later for the sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York and have continued to share a mother and son bond over the years.
The pair showed just how close they are when she honoured him at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2023.
As the world mourns the legendary actress, let’s take a look at her relationship with Macaulay and their extremely close bond…
Heartfelt Tribute
Macaulay was one of the first to pay tribute to the Schitt’s Creek star as he posted two pictures from Home Alone and the Hollywood Walk of Fame Ceremony on his Instagram.
“I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you. But I had so much more to say.
“I love you. I’ll see you later,” the 45-year-old signed off.
Heartbroken Home Alone fans flocked to the comments section as one said: “Oh my god, I can’t believe it. Rest in peace Catherine. Thank you for taking care of Kevin.”
Another social media user penned: “A part of our childhood has been shattered today. Heartbroken.”
The pair worked together in the iconic Christmas film as well it’s sequelCredit: 20th Century Fox
Hollywood Walk of Fame reunion
She attended his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in December 2023 and honoured him as he received his star.
Catherine gushed in her speech: “Home Alone was, is and always will be a beloved global sensation… the reason families all over the world can’t let a year go by without watching and loving Home Alone together is because of Macaulay Culkin.”
She went on to praise his professionalism and passion for acting, as well as bringing his “sweet and twisted yet totally relatable humour” to every project.
“Macaulay, congratulations. You so deserve your star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“And thank you for including me, your fake mom who left you home alone not once but twice, to share in this happy occasion. I’m so proud of you,” she joked.
She honoured him at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in December 2023Credit: Getty
Mother and son bond
Despite it being more than three and a half decades since Home Alone released, the co-stars have continued to share a deep bond with one another.
During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live! In 2015, she revealed the two had a sweet reunion at an art opening.
“He was coming out and he went, ‘Mommy!’ and I said, ‘Baby’,” Catherine told host Andy Cohen.
He also confirmed that he called her “mom” each time her saw her, proving their bond was unmatched.
Macaulay told New York Times in 2024: “She opens up her arms – she goes, ‘Son’.”
On-screen reunion
The much-loved duo delighted fans back in 2024 when they reunited on-screen for a Christmas ad for Freedom Unlimited alongside Kevin Hart.
Catherine was seen walking into a shopping mall before shouting out her iconic “KEVIN!” dialogue.
The co-stars shared a warm embrace, with Kevin joining in on the hug with the two.
Excited fans couldn’t believe their eyes as one gushed: “This is hysterical. I love these nostalgic commercials.”
Somebody else added: “So beautiful, a home alone reunion.”
Co-star chemistry
Macaulay and Catherine’s on-screen camaraderie translated off-screen, with many Home Alone fans believing they were actually mother and son in real life.
She recalled to Today in 2024: “A child came up to me, like, a little 8-year-old, in a mall. ‘Are you Kevin’s mom?’
“I said, ‘Well, yeah, I played Kevin’s mom in a movie, yes’.
‘Why did you leave him?’ ‘Sorry. It was in the script!’,” she remembered.
Speaking to PEOPLE back in 1990, when the film first released, Catherine described then 9-year-old Macaulay as ”a darling little guy who has been acting since he was 4, so he’s very professional.”
“He comes in knowing all his lines, knowing where to hit his marks — he even knows all the other actors’ lines.
“I expect he should become the head of the studio by the time he is 12,” she joked.
They’ve shared a deep bond since starring as the iconic mother and son duoCredit: Twentieth Century Fox / Supplied by LMK
CHILLING dispatch audio has revealed screen legend Catherine O’Hara was “struggling to breathe” before she died early on Friday morning.
O’Hara, 71, best known for her roles in Home Alone, Beetlejuice, and Schitt’s Creek, was reportedly rushed to a Los Angeles hospital in a serious condition.
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Catherine O’Hara, 71, has sadly passed away after a brief illnessCredit: GettyAnnie Murphy and Catherine O’Hara in Schitt’s Creek, 2020, which catapulted her back into the spotlightCredit: AlamyCatherine O’Hara became a household name after appearing in the Home Alone franchise in the 90sCredit: AlamyThe Home Alone star made her final public appearance with husband Bo Welch at the Primetime Emmys in September 2025Credit: GETTY
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to reports of a medical emergency after a 911 call was placed from her Brentwood home at 4.48am.
Dispatch audio obtained by PageSix revealed the actress was having difficulty breathing in her final moments.
Tragically, she passed away hours later in hospital.
A cause of death has not yet been confirmed, though her talent agency CAA said she suffered from a “brief illness” just before her death.
Tributes to the comedy icon have begun to pour in from across Hollywood after her untimely death.
Macaulay Culkin, who starred as the actress’s son in the Home Alone films, remembered O’Hara as “mama”in a heartbreaking poston Instagram.
“Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you, but I had so much more to say,” Culkin wrote.
“I love you. I’ll see you later.”
O’Hara played Kate McCallister, the mother of Culkin’s character, Kevin, in the first two Home Alone movies.
Heartbroken Macaulay Culkin calls Catherine O’Hara ‘mama’ in a tribute on InstagramCredit: Instagram/culkamaniaCatherine O’Hara and Macaulay Culkin were still close after starring in Home Alone togetherCredit: Alamy
Catherine O’Hara dead at 71
Iconic Home Alone actress Catherine O’Hara died on January 30, 2026. O’Hara was 71.
Biography:
Catherine O’Hara, who was born in Toronto, Canada, began her acting career in comedy in 1974 after joining the cast of The Second City, which was televised in both Canada and the United States.
O’Hara expanded her career in television in the mid-1970s, appearing in small roles on the CBC series Wayne and Shuster, the film The Rimshots, and the children’s series Coming up Rosie.
She gained prominence in Hollywood in the 1980s, after she was cast in the classic horror-comedy film Beetlejuice.
Starring alongside Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, and Winona Ryder, O’Hara portrayed Delia Deetz.
In 1990, O’Hara starred alongside child actor Macaulay Culkin in the holiday blockbuster Home Alone.
She reprised her role as Kate McCallister, the mother of the young troublemaker Kevin McCallister, portrayed by Culkin, in the film’s 1992 sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Both installments of Home Alone were massive hits at the box office, and to this date, remain among the most successful Christmas movies of all time.
After the success of Home Alone, O’Hara continued to appear in several films throughout the 1990s, including the comedy-drama The Paper, Waiting for Guffman, and the Western film Wyatt Earp.
O’Hara also had several voice artist appearances, including The Nightmare Before Christmas, Chicken Little, and Monster House, among others.
She had a career resurgence in 2015 when she appeared as Moira Rose in the Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek.
In 2025, O’Hara had a main role in the Apple TV+ comedy series The Studio.
Throughout her career, O’Hara received various awards, including two PrimeTime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
She had two children with her husband, Bo Welch, whom she met on the set of Beetlejuice.
AWAY FROM THE SPOTLIGHT
O’Hara skipped the Golden Globes on January 11, despite receiving a nomination for Best Supporting Performance by a Female Actor for her role in the Apple+ TV series The Studio.
It was not clear why she did not attend the ceremony.
Catherine O’Hara and Seth Rogen in The Studio currently streaming on Apple+Credit: Apple TVCatherine O’Hara, Patrick J. Adams and Seth Rogen at The Studio world premiere in March 2025Credit: Getty
“She was scheduled to film, but they reworked the schedule to focus on scenes without her character,” the source said.
“It was not widely known she was dealing with any health or major issues.
“I don’t believe she ever filmed anything for season two,” the production insider claimed.
Catherine’s unexpected passing has sent shockwaves through the cast and crew of the Apple+ TV series, who were completely blindsided by the tragic news.
LONG, STORIED CAREER
O’Hara was born in Toronto, Canada, before moving to the United States.
Her career spanned more than 50 years, stretching across TV, movies, and sketch comedy.
She started out in sketch series Second City Television in the mid-1970s.
O’Hara won an Emmy as part of the show.
But she shot to superstardom in the beloved 1990 Christmas movie Home Alone, in which she played Kevin McCallister’s mother.
Catherine O’Hara regained popularity during her run on Schitt’s Creek alongside long-time collaborator Eugene LevyCredit: APEugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara had a long comedy relationship, starring together in Best In Show in 2000Credit: Alamy
She remained close with onscreen son Macaulay Culkin, and supported the actor in 2023 at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony.
Later in her career, she had a pop culture resurgence with smash hit comedy Schitt’s Creek, opposite her longtime friend Eugene Levy.
The show aired from 2015 until 2020, and earned O’Hara two Emmys for her role as eccentric former soap star Moira Rose.
She was featured in a documentary about late Home Alone co-star and close friend John Candy, which premiered in 2025.
O’Hara also stole scenes as heartbroken therapist Gail on The Last Of Us’ second season opposite Pedro Pascal.
Catherine O’Hara Tributes
Iconic actress Catherine O’Hara, who is best known for her role as Kate McCallister in the Christmas classic Home Alone, died on January 30, 2026. She was 71.
Tributes:
Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin: Mama. I thought we had time. I wanted more. I wanted to sit in a chair next to you. I heard you but I had so much more to say. I love you. I’ll see you later.”
Home Alone co-star Devin Ratray: “One of the greatest people I ever met. It just doesn’t register. Bewildered and numb.”
The Last of Us actor Pedro Pascal: “Oh, genius to be near you. Eternally grateful. There is less light in my world, this lucky world that had you, will keep you, always. Always. The one and ONLY #CatherineOHara.”
Bravo host Andy Cohen: “Fell in love at first sight on SCTV and it only got stronger. Rest in Peace, Angel Catherine O’Hara.”
Beetlejuice co-star Justin Theroux: “Catherine. You will be so so missed.”
Comedian Tom Green: “I’m so sorry to hear the news that Canadian comedy legend Catherine O’Hara has passed away at 71. She’s kept me and millions of others entertained throughout my lifetime – from her brilliant work on SCTV, to Home Alone, Beetlejuice, Best in Show, Schitt’s Creek, and so many other films and television classics. Her characters brought so much joy and laughter to the world. It’s with a heavy heart that I share this today. Rest in peace, Catherine O’Hara — one of the greatest Canadian comedy icons of all time.”
Catherine O’Hara hosted Saturday Night Live twice, once in 1991 and again in 1992Credit: Getty
Despite being over 30 years old, this epic historical war drama film directed and produced by Mel Gibson about Sir William Wallace is still hailed as a “masterpiece” by fans.
Mel Gibson stars in this iconic period drama
A classic period drama movie starring Mel Gibson has won over fans who praised it as “literally the best film ever made”, and it’s on Film4 tonight.
Braveheart is a 1995 epic historical war drama film directed and produced by Mel Gibson, who portrays Scottish warrior Sir William Wallace as the lead role. The film depicts Wallace as the medieval Scottish patriot who is spurred into revolt against the English when the love of his life is slaughtered.
Leading his army into battles that become a war, his advance into England threatens King Edward I’s throne before he is captured and executed, but not before becoming a symbol for a free Scotland.
Despite being over 30 years old, the film is still hailed as a “masterpiece” by fans and the film has an impressive score of 76 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with countless five-star reviews from film fans.
One review posted: “One of the saddest and most epic things I’ve ever seen since the Planet of the Apes trilogy and Titanic; this movie shows the true meaning of love, passion and faith – that is how you make a masterpiece!”
Another added: “Quite literally the best film ever made. Holds up still, even 30 years later. Quality sweeping scenic views, amazing James Horner soundtrack, action, adventure, and a roaring rollercoaster of emotions that hits every vibe from its tales of love, tragedy of loss, moments of anger and vengeance, triumph, vindication, desperation, heart break… it’s all there.
“Many complain about the violence and gore, but it sets the stakes and makes clear the cold, dark and gritty nature of the world. Do yourself a favour and watch this masterpiece!”
A third said: “An epic and inspiring story full of heart put to film! One of the most iconic soundtracks of all time (Outlawed Tunes on Outlawed Pipes). The historical inaccuracies are there, [but] they don’t make this masterpiece a tad less spectacular.”
Another said: “Top three movies of all time. This movie is long but worth a watch. I’ve probably seen this movie more than 20 times. Great movie. Classic.”
Another wrote: “Beautiful cinematography, compelling characters, and intense, gory, and violent battle scenes, Braveheart is a thrilling and heartfelt experience after 30 years and has a great performance and direction from Mel Gibson.”
One more review praised the film by stating: “Braveheart is my favourite movie of all time. The story, action, characters and everything is perfect. The action in this movie is great.
“It’s a masterpiece. I love every second of this movie and it delivers one of the most iconic lines. This movie is a masterpiece and I’m not taking that back.”
Somebody else noted: “Astonishing movie. If you enjoy action-packed sequences of angry Scots, harrowing tales of love and impressive acting, then this movie is for you.”
Braveheart airs on Saturday January 31 on Film4 HD at 9pm.
This time 36 years ago, Fabrice Morvan was preparing for his first Grammy Awards. It had been a wild few years for the 23-year-old Parisian and his best friend Robert Pilatus from Germany. The duo known as Milli Vanilli had rocketed to fame, going from obscure dancers in Munich to dominate the pop music scene. Not only were they nominated for best new artist, but they were expected to perform live. Underneath it all, the pair were quickly reaching their breaking point.
Don Henley’s “The End of the Innocence” was nominated for both song and record of the year. Indeed, for the tens of millions of Milli Vanilli fans who bought their records, the 1990 Grammy ceremony marked an end of innocence of sorts. To this day, Milli Vanilli are the only artists in the history of the Grammys to have their award revoked.
L-R: The pop duo Milli Vanilli comprised of Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus, the subject of the Paramount+ documentary Milli Vanilli, streaming on Paramount+ beginning October 24, 2023.
(Ingrid Segeith/Ingrid Segeith/Paramount+)
“Rob and Fab,” as they were known, never sang — live or in studio — on any of the smash hit singles from their 6x platinum debut North American album, “Girl You Know It’s True.” Their Grammy performance was them lip-synching to a playback.
The real singing was done by paid session vocalists John Davis, Brad Howell and Charles Shaw while Rob and Fab captivated with their charisma, athletic dance moves and eye for style. In the wake of the fallout, Milli Vanilli remained steadfast that what they did was wrong. There was, in fact, plenty of blame to go around even if Rob and Fab suffered the brunt of it.
“They removed the platinum records from the wall at Arista,” says Morvan, now 59. He is perched on the edge of a poolside lounge chair from a boutique hotel in the heart of Hollywood. It’s a sunny December day, but he’s dressed all in black with glasses to match, slim fingers adorned with a custom silver skull ring. He loves the sunshine, but offers for my sake to move somewhere in the shade. Able to pass for decades younger, he now basks in life on the other side of infamy.
“They say the truth will set you free. The truth takes the stairs while the lies take the elevators. And that is true,” Morvan said. “So finally, after 35 years, my truth comes to the surface.”
(Stephen Shadrach)
Now, in a redemption as astounding as his rise, Morvan is back in the running for the 2026 Grammys as the only person in Recording Academy history nominated after a prior revocation.
This time, the voice is unmistakably his. Nominated in the audio book, narration, and storytelling recording category for his memoir “You Know It’s True: The Real Story of Milli Vanilli,” Morvan’s lilting French dialect and soft tone are hypnotizing and he has a natural knack for storytelling. The recording was performed alone in his home studio.
“They say the truth will set you free. The truth takes the stairs while the lies take the elevators. And that is true. So finally, after 35 years, my truth comes to the surface,” he contends. “And people, they get it, they understand that.”
Sadly, Rob Pilatus isn’t here to see it. Unable to handle the fallout and struggling in addiction, he died in 1998. In one of the more moving parts of his memoir, Morvan speaks to his former partner, laying bare for the first time some of the more unhealthy aspects of their relationship but in a way that makes clear his love for Pilatus runs deep.
After Pilatus’ death, Morvan tried his best to move on. He taught French at a Berlitz school for a while when not performing at small venues. “I’m not even looking at becoming big,” he told Times journalist Carla Rivera in a 1997 profile. He even had a stint on radio hosting “Fabrice’s Fabulous Flashbacks” for KIIS-FM. But he always returned to making music.
“Music was always there with me,” he says, his excitement building. So when it came to moving forward in life, and, I said, ‘OK, what am I going to do?’ Music kind of popped up and said, ‘Hey, show me how much you love me.’ And then I worked on that, and I learned how to play guitar, and I learned how to produce, and I learned how to write … it allowed me to take the pain away, to remove it.”
But after 20 years in Los Angeles, Morvan felt it was time to leave “Hotel California,” as he calls it, for opportunities in Europe. In a follow-up Zoom call from his home in Amsterdam, he confides that he almost felt like giving up, but figured maybe a change of scenery was what he needed.
“I was very disillusioned,” he says, headphones crowning his dreadlocked updo. “I found a producer that I could work with and build something with, but due to certain circumstances, it didn’t come together. So I met some Dutch people that wanted to launch a fashion line. And I heard that Holland was a place where dance music was evolving.”
Becoming a DJ, he played festivals and kept Milli Vanilli’s legacy alive, performing with a live band.
Morvan with his wife Tessa van der steen and their four children
While preparing for a project about 15 years ago, Morvan met his current partner, Tessa van der Steen, who is Dutch and works as a health and fitness coach and alternative medicine practitioner. Together, they have four children: a 12-year-old boy, 9-year-old girl, and a set of 4-year-old twin boys.
During Milli Vanilli’s heyday, powerful male (mostly white) figures held the cards, but in this phase of his life it’s women who play big roles. Not mentioned in his book is Kim Marlowe, who Morvan says, in the 1997 Times article was his manager and best friend. They at one point married; Marlowe quietly filed for divorce in L.A. in 2024.
Van der Steen, however, is the love of his life. She had no idea who he was when they first met, he was simply “Fabrice.” And according to Morvan, she is fiercely protective. “Fab is the most loving partner and father I could ever imagine,” Van der Steen writes over email. “We are soulmates. We have been together for more than 15 years. We understand each other, and it happens often that we are thinking of the same things, without saying a word.” She champions his efforts to release original music and continue performing.
In recent years, changes in culture, technology and the music industry have opened up conversations casting Rob and Fab in a more sympathetic light. Morvan himself took part in the well-received 2023 Paramount+ documentary “Milli Vanilli.” That same year, “Girl You Know It’s True,” a well-made biopic directed by Simon Verhoeven, came out.
And Morvan was caught off guard when Ryan Murphy featured Milli Vanilli prominently in his 2024 series on the Menendez brothers, a move introducing the group to new generations unfamiliar with the story. Motivated by the renewed interest, he recorded a stripped down, acoustic version of the Diane Warren-penned hit “Blame It on the Rain.”
As recently as November, Milli Vanilli came up in the zeitgeist, sparked by a comment on X by veteran producer Jermaine Dupri commenting on AI “artists” charting on Billboard.
Of course there are still detractors, but in an era in which public cancellations abound and apologies are scrutinized for any whiff of inauthenticity, Milli Vanilli’s wrongdoings can now seem quaint.
Benjamin Matheson, assistant professor at the University of Bern’s Institute on Philosophy, studies collective shame and writes on celebrity apology. He offers the startling thought that certain fans might be more willing to forgive a moral wrong, even an egregious one like unlawful intercourse with a minor in the example of director Roman Polanski, as opposed to artistic deception because it can be seen as more authentic.
“I think that perhaps,” Matheson writes over email, “Milli Vanilli suffered because they were an early ‘created’ pop band, and the public hadn’t been acclimatized to this kind of music. Whereas now I think people are much more comfortable with autotuning, AI music, and so on — though I’d love it if there was a bit more push back on this kind of thing.”
Morvan has plenty of thoughts on the state of the music industry past and present. He welcomes the change in perspective, and while he doesn’t live in regret, looking back, he would give his younger self a little advice.
“Keep working on your craft now. No matter what, and don’t ever start drugs. And don’t let your buddy Rob start with that. With those two, things would have been different.”
The pop duo Milli Vanilli comprised of Rob Pilatus(left) and Fab Morvan are the subject of the Paramount+ documentary Milli Vanilli, streaming on Paramount+ beginning October 24, 2023.
(Paul Cox/Paramount+/Paul Cox/Paramount+)
When the Los Angeles Tribune editorial staff selected “Girl You Know It’s True” as its movie of the year, Morvan met Parisa Rose, his co-writer and executive producer for the recording of the memoir. Rose, a first-time author and mother of two, first met Morvan when she interviewed him for the quirky paper — now in its fourth revival. She is now chief operating officer of the Tribune, which has expanded to include a publishing house.
Rose, who grew up in Pasadena, helped Morvan reckon with parts of his background he had long buried. One of the most compelling parts of the memoir is when he breaks the fourth wall, narrating letters to individuals from his past.
“You need to say everything you have never said before to them that you’ve always wanted to say,” she says of the exercise they conducted for the interludes. “You need to know that this is the last conversation you will ever have with them. And you need to imagine they are sitting across from you now.” Reached over the phone, Rose said she also helped with research, uncovering details on the seaside sanatorium in France where Morvan spent much of his early childhood.
A great part of Morvan’s motivation for the memoir was to leave a legacy for his kids. His oldest son is getting into music and recently found an old Milli Vanilli vinyl and plays it along with Daft Punk and Michael Jackson. Remaining “zen” about the idea of winning, he’s enjoying the moment. And the big dreams never die. He plans to tour in the next year and come back to perform in America. And who knows? Maybe one day he can play Coachella.
He’s particularly thrilled over his Grammy outfit, a collaboration with Spanish designer Helen López, whom he previously worked with on a Milli Vanilli-inspired line. “When you’ll see what I’m wearing … you’ll see that I don’t play,” he says with a twinkle in his eye. “No matter what the outcome in life, you have to just be, be in the moment. Enjoy the moment. Whatever happens will lead you to something else. I have no expectations.”
Come Dine with Me has been a staple on telly screens for years but who is the narrator of the beloved Channel 4 series?
Joe Crutchley Screen Time Reporter
06:00, 31 Jan 2026
Channel 4 Come Dine With Me narrator’s secret soap role and fans will be floored(Image: Channel 4)
The Come Dine With Me narrator has a secret soap past that will leave fans floored.
The long-running Channel 4 show premiered way back in 2005, and sees contestants cook three-course meals in an attempt to impress their guests and secure a cash prize.
And since its debut all those years ago, Come Dine With Me has become a hit with viewers. But there is one person in particular who is likely to be integral to its success: the show’s long-running narrator.
The voice adding comedy gold to Come Dine With Me is none other than Dave Lamb. The actor and presenter often leaves fans in tears of laughter thanks to his witty yet scathing commentary.
As well as Come Dine With Me, Dave has also lent his hilarious tones to shows like Dangermouse and the Come Dine With Me spin-offs set in South Africa and Ireland. Horrible History fans will also recognise him from the sketches on the children’s history comedy show and he’s also been in Horrible Histories – The Movie: Rotten Romans.
What’s more, Come Dine With Me Fame, Dave starred in EastEnders. He played a bouncer in two episodes, airing on June 1 and June 3, in 2004.
Meanwhile, last year, Dave opened up his time on Come Dine With Me and shared some insider information about the show. Appearing on the podcast Off Air with Jane and Fi, Dave was asked if he’s ever ‘crossed the line’ with his iconic narration. He responded: “I really hope not. A lot of the time everything I say is scripted, because of the way it’s filmed.
“Obviously, they’re condensing five full days and nights of filming into five half-hour episodes. So they have to craft a very tight story, with a proper narrative arc. So they have to be very precise about what gets said.
**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**
“I’m reading from a script, which I’m allowed to ad-lib around. If anything, I will try and tone it down rather than making it more cutting.
“I think what this show does really well is bring everyone with it. I don’t think there’s a nastiness to it, at least I hope there isn’t. It’s not about shooting fish in a barrel or trying to get one over on people. It’s about trying to have fun.
Eva Longoria, John Leguizamo and Xochitl Gomez are among the 100-plus Latino actors, artists and creatives who have signed an open letter calling for accountability in Hollywood — citing longtime discrimination in casting and storytelling.
The public statement follows the controversy surrounding Odessa A’zion, who dropped her role as a Latina character in Sean Durkin’s “Deep Cuts,” following online backlash over the actor herself not being Latina.
“Recent casting decisions around the character Zoe Gutierrez in A24’s ‘Deep Cuts’ have exposed a troubling pattern,” the letter states. “We acknowledge and commend Odessa A’zion for listening, reflecting and deciding to exit the project and become an ally. Yet how did this happen?”
Earlier this week, the Wrap revealed that the “I Love L.A.” and “Marty Supreme” breakout star was cast as Zoe Gutierrez in the A24 film adaptation of Holly Brickley’s music-filled coming-of-age novel. The character’s identity plays an important role in the book, as she is written as a half-Mexican and half-Jewish lesbian.
Though the 25-year-old announced Wednesday night that she had dropped the role — admitting through her Instagram stories that she had not yet read the book, nor learned of all the character’s traits — the incident has unearthed questions about Latino representation in Hollywood.
“This isn’t about Odessa,” said Xochitl Gomez to The Times on Friday. “It’s about the executives, the producers and the whole system at the top. They thought it was OK to not even audition Latinas for the role in the first place. Latinas were pitched, including me, but we were told that there was an actress with an exclusive offer. This role never showed up on the casting grid because it was already gone.”
Xochitl Gomez attends “REBBECA” LA Premiere on November 30, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by JC Olivera/Getty Images for State of the Art)
(JC Olivera / Getty Images for State of the Art)
According to UCLA’s 2025 Hollywood Diversity Report, Latinos were cast in only 1% of the leading roles in the top 104 English-language films released theatrically in 2024, despite constituting roughly 20% of the total U.S. population.
In TV, representation is just as stark. Latinos are cast in only 6% of all roles across the top U.S. broadcast series, as per a recent study by ¡Pa’lante! — a Latino representation initiative from the USC Norman Lear Center — which also found that 1 in 4 Latino characters are depicted as career criminals.
“The absence of Latina audition opportunities, and the choice to replace a clearly Latina character with a non-Latina actress, signals a broader, ongoing erasure of our community from the stories that define our culture,” the letter continues. “This is not about any one actor or project. It is about a system that repeatedly overlooks qualified Latino talent even as our identities, histories, and experiences fuel the most enduring stories.”
The signatories request that Latino actors be hired for a diverse range of roles, including non-stereotypical leads. There is also a demand for more Latino executives to be involved in green-lighting projects and the inclusion of Latino consultants, writers and producers from the earliest stages of development. Finally, there is a call on Hollywood to create mentorship, scholarships and opportunities that expand access on all levels of the ecosystem.
This plea by marginalized creatives is not the first pushback — nor likely the last — against a stagnant Hollywood machine.
As early as the 1920s, the portrayal of Latinos was so negative that the Mexican government, and even Woodrow Wilson reportedly told Hollywood producers to “please be a little kinder to the Mexicans.”
In 1999, the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) and the National Assn. for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) called for the boycott of broadcast networks’ 26 new fall series because they did not feature a non-white lead, sparking dialogue over the diversity of Hollywood at the time.
Comedian Chris Rock blasted the industry in a 2014 essay for its omission of Mexicans in Los Angeles, where nearly half of the population is Latino: “You’re in L.A., you’ve got to try not to hire Mexicans.”
Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) — who in recent years has nominated several Latino-focused films to the Library of Congress National Film Registry — also penned a 2020 column in Variety, underscoring the dearth representation of Latinos in entertainment and the consequences of omission. “Prejudice has existed in the United States for generations, but the image of our community created by film and television has done little to counter bigoted views, and too often has amplified them.”
Another letter published in October 2020 with over 270 showrunners, creators, television and film writers signatures — including Lin-Manuel Miranda and “One Day at a Time” co-creator Gloria Calderón Kellett — called for systemic change in the industry. “We are tired,” they wrote.
The pushback continued in 2022, when actor Leguizamo penned an open letter in The Times about the history of Latino representation and the co-option of Latino stories — including that of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, who was portrayed by a brownface Marlon Brando in the 1952 film “Viva Zapata!,” and Al Pacino, who played the fictional Cuban character Tony Montana in the 1983 film “Scarface.”
Wrote Leguizamo, “There’s a fix for this: Cast more Latinos!”
Read the full open letter below.
Dear Casting Directors, Creative Executives, Writers, Producers, and Hollywood Leaders,
We write to you with urgency, because storytelling is humanity’s compass and Hollywood wields all the power. The stories you choose to tell, and how you tell them, shape public perception, cultural understanding, and who gets to see themselves reflected on screen. In these challenging moments that power comes with real responsibility.
Recent casting decisions around the character Zoe Gutierrez in A 24’s Deep Cuts have exposed a troubling pattern. We acknowledge and commend Odessa A’zion for listening, reflecting and deciding to exit the project and become an ally. Yet how did this happen? The absence of Latina audition opportunities, and the choice to replace a clearly Latina character with a non-Latina actress, signals a broader, ongoing erasure of our community from the stories that define our culture. This is not about any one actor or project. It is about a system that repeatedly overlooks qualified Latino talent even as our identities, histories, and experiences fuel the most enduring stories.
Latino communities are already underrepresented and misrepresented in ways that distort reality and harm real people. Casting decisions carry real weight: they influence who is seen as worthy of authentic storytelling and who gets to tell those stories with care, nuance, and authority.
We are calling for accountability, intentionality, and equity in casting and storytelling. Authentic representation means more than casting a performer who looks like the character; it means involving the communities being portrayed not just in front of the camera, but in the decisions that shape these stories from their inception. Our stories deserve to be shaped with the input, guidance, and leadership of Latino creators, consultants, writers, and performers at every stage.
We implore you to join us in concrete action:
Audition and hire more Latino actors for a diverse range of roles, including non-stereotypical leads
Hire Latino executives in your greenlighting rooms
Include Latino voices as consultants, writers, and producers from the earliest stages of development
Create and support pipelines: mentoring, scholarships, and opportunities that expand access all levels of the ecosystem
It is painful to have to write about Catherine O’Hara, so alive and lively a presence, in the past tense. O’Hara has lived inside my head — is it too corny to say my heart? — from “SCTV” to “Schitt’s Creek” to “The Studio,” on whose second season she was scheduled to start work, when she died, Friday at 71.
Any appearance constituted a recommendation for — a benediction upon — whatever she was appearing in; you felt she would only say yes to things that used her well, that sounded fun or interesting, and that her casting reflected well on the project and people who cast her. I think of her not as a careerist, but a Canadian. Of joining “Schitt’s Creek,” she said when I interviewed her in 2015, “it took me a few moments to commit, [but] I already trusted [co-creator, co-star] Eugene [Levy] as a writer and an actor, and as a good man who I could stand to spend time with.”
This is how it began for her, in Toronto, where her brother Marcus was dating Gilda Radner, who was in “Godspell” with Levy and Martin Short. “And it was really watching Gilda when I realized, ‘cause I’d always liked acting in school, that it was actually a local possibility. And then she got into Second City theater, and I was a waitress there — it’s like I stalked her — and then she did the show for a while and then took on a job for the National Lampoon. So I got to understudy or take her place — I got to join the cast, and Eugene was in it. It was really just the luck of having a professional actor suddenly in my life.”
As an “SCTV” early adopter, O’Hara was first attractive to me because she was funny, but she was also beautiful — a beauty she could subvert by a subtle or broad rearrangement of her features. Though fundamentally a comic actress, her characters could feel pained or tragic beneath the surface — even Lola Heatherton, one of her signature “SCTV” characters, an over-exuberant spangled entertainer (“I love you! I want to have your babies!” was a catch phrase) is built on desperation. Among many, many other parts, she played a teenaged Brooke Shields singing Devo’s “Whip It!,” Katherine Hepburn, a depressed Ingmar Bergman character, and, most memorably, chirpy teenage quiz show contestant Margaret Meehan, buzzing in with answers before the questions are asked, and growing tearfully undone as the host (Levy) becomes increasingly angry.
Elsewhere, she played a forgetful suburban mom in “Home Alone,” the work for which she’s arguably best known, given its ongoing mainstream popularity; an ice cream truck driver messing with Griffin Dunne in Martin Scorsese’s “After Hours”; and a tasteless art snob and indifferent mother in “Beetlejuice,” where she met her future husband, production designer Bo Welch. She shone in three Christopher Guest movies, paired with Fred Willard in “Waiting for Guffman” as community stars; opposite Levy in “Best in Show,” as a dog handler with a lot of ex-boyfriends; with Levy again in “A Mighty Wind,” as a reuniting ‘60s folk duo; and in “For Your Consideration” as an aging actress dreaming of an Oscar. In the great Netflix miniseries “A Series of Unfortunate Events” (also designed by Welch), she played an evil optometrist, the sometime girlfriend of Neil Patrick Harris’ Count Olaf, dark, cold, sexy. Last year, she picked up a supporting actress Emmy nomination as a dethroned but not knocked down executive in “The Studio”; she’s fierce and funny. And, though she was fundamentally a comic actress, she could play straight, as in the second season of “The Last of Us,” penetrating opposite Pedro Pascal as his therapist, and the widow of a man he killed.
Lived in across six, ever-richer seasons of “Schitt’s Creek,” Moira Rose is certainly her crowning achievement, a completely original, Emmy-winning creation whose quirks and complexities were embraced by a wide audience; going forth, she’ll be a reference to describe other characters — a “Moira Rose type” — with no explanation needed. With her original, breathy way of speaking, stressing odd syllables and stretching random vowels to the breaking point, her mad fashions and family of wigs, Moira is a sketch character with depth. Of all the Roses, she’s the one most resistant to adapting to their motel world, to coming down off the mountain, but she is as needy as she is condescending, and underlying her fantastic, tightly structured carapace is a fear that’s terribly moving when it shows through the cracks.
Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara in scene from “Schitt’s Creek.” The actors worked together frequently over the years.
(PopTV)
“I like to think she’s really threatened by this small-town life — because she’s been there, you know?” O’Hara said back when the series began. “That just makes it more threatening in my mind. And I like to think of her as more vulnerable than just snobby or superior. I think it’s way more insecure.”
Her tentative acceptance of her circumstance, as well as the show’s overarching arc, finds expression in the series finale, where, all white and gold, in flowing robes with long blonde locks cascading from beneath a bishop’s hat, she tearfully conducts the marriage of her son, David (co-creator Dan Levy). Speaking of a sort of wind of fate, she says, “All we can wish for our families, for those we love, is that that wind will eventually place us on solid ground. and I believe it’s done just that for my family in this little town, in the middle of nowhere.” You might cry, too.
I had the luck to speak with O’Hara several times over the run of the series. The last was in Canada, a day or two before the last day of filming. We sat on the apron of the Rosebud Motel, looking across the muddy parking lot to where fans were gathered on the road above.
“They’re there as much for each other as for us. It’s almost that we don’t have to be there, but we brought them together somehow.” That’s what actors and the stories they tell, give us — the joy, and sometimes the pain: A world of strangers, united in this awful moment, out of love for Catherine O’Hara.
Even the Harry Potter star in the cast failed to save this 1990s film from ridicule
Samantha King Content Editor
01:00, 31 Jan 2026
Ralph Fiennes starred in the nineties adaptation(Image: Paramount)
A forgotten period drama based that was slated by viewers has just been made available for free streaming.
Emily Bronte’s classic and controversial novel Wuthering Heights has inspired countless film and TV adaptations, with the most recent starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi hitting cinema screens in a matter of days.
However, years before Emerald Fennell adapted the page-turner for the big-screen in 2026, there was another that released back in the nineties. It starred Ralph Fiennes as the brooding Heathcliff opposite Juliette Binoche as Catherine Earnshaw, while Peter Kosminsky sat in the director’s chair.
Despite the starry cast, the 1992 release struggled to win over critics in particular with one calling it a “failed” adaptation. Meanwhile another described Fiennes’ take on Heathcliff as “demonic”.
“Peter Kosminsky’s Wuthering Heights is a drone, depressing, and exhaustively revolting excuse for entertainment,” another peeved critic penned.
At time of writing, it has a measly 33 per cent critics’ score on review site Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences gave it a more optimistic 66 per cent.
One fan described it as a “masterpiece”, adding: “Very well put together and the chemistry between the actor was awesome!” while another said it was their “favourite adaptation.”
Meanwhile a third shared: “Not a single adaption has ever truly done it justice – but this is my favourite of the adaptions for two reasons. 1) Ralph Fiennes manages to capture the essence of Heathcliff better than any other actor ever has and 2) Ryuichi Sakamoto’s soaring score together with the authentic filming locations really do bring the book’s atmosphere to life.”
A fourth, not convinced by the film, said: “Absolutely unwatchable. Could not make it 20 minutes in, terrible acting, strange casting. Don’t waste your time.”
Fans wanting to give it a go can now do so entirely for free, as the film has just been added to Pluto TV. The streaming service has also added three extra adaptations of the story to its library if the nineties flick doesn’t hit the spot.
Wuthering Heights (1970) starring Timothy Dalton and Anna Calder-Marshall; Wuthering Heights (1998) starring Robert Cavanah, Orla Brady, and Sarah Smart; and Wuthering Heights (2011) starring James Howson and Kaya Scodelario are all available to watch now.
Wuthering Heights (1992) is now streaming for free on Pluto TV.For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.
She portrayed a spoiled socialite turned impoverished rural motel manager in “Schitt’s Creek.” She played a self-centered stepmom who, when possessed by an evil entity, channeled Harry Belafonte’s voice singing “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” in 1988’s “Beetlejuice.” She was the harried, forgetful mom who left her son behind in “Home Alone,” a goofy ‘90s comedy that would become a Christmas classic.
Catherine O’Hara, who died Friday at the age of 71, brought to life dozens of characters over her 50-year career across film and television, and no two of her performances were alike. She might play an eccentric artist one moment, an insufferable snob the next, then a deceptively “normal” housewife, animating each with their own personality, quirks and ticks.
Though a comedic performer at heart, O’Hara, as they say, had range. From her recurring role as a grieving therapist in Season 2 of HBO’s dystopian drama “The Last of Us” to voicing and acting a plethora of bizarre characters in Tim Burton‘s films, O’Hara made her mark. Here are 10 of her most memorable roles.
I was just getting settled in my seat for the first showing of “Melania” at the Grove cineplex when Melania Trump walked in.
OK, it wasn’t the Melania Trump, as in the first lady. But it was a reasonable facsimile.
The impersonator, followed by a man filming with his phone, strode in like a model, flinging her hair back and smiling as she addressed the six people — many of them critics from various press outlets — in the auditorium who were among the first in Los Angeles to see “Melania,” the controversial documentary that features the first lady as star and producer.
“Hi, everybody. I want to welcome you all to my movie,” the impersonator said in a Slovenian accent. She wore a stylish dark pantsuit and high heels, a frequent motif in the film which chronicles the real Melania Trump in the 20 days leading up to the second presidential inauguration of her husband, Donald Trump.
After a few more words of greeting, the impostor Melania flashed another smile as she exited.
I was stunned and extremely frustrated that I didn’t have time to capture the moment. It’s rare to find yourself in the presence of a first lady —even a fake one.
During the film, my fellow viewers were mostly silent, although there were a few murmurs of laughter as Melania Trump outlined the burdens of coordinating the correct outfit and decor for her re-entry to the White House.
“My creative vision is always clear, and it’s my responsibility to share my ideas with my team so they can bring it to life,” she says at one point.
Later in the film, when Donald Trump was formally introduced at the inauguration as the 47th president, one older woman sitting near the front of the theater applauded. And I could see her smiling as, onscreen, the first couple made their way through the White House following the ceremony.
“Being hand in hand with my husband at this moment is very emotional,” she says. “Nobody has endured what he has over the past few years. People tried to murder him, incarcerate him, slander him. But here he is. I’m so very proud.”
I hoped that Melania would be around in the lobby as we left the theater to ask us how we liked the film. But I was disappointed. Melania had left the building.
WHEN Katie Price got married to Lee Andrews at breakneck speed, just days after they began dating, her loyal fans were left bewildered.
For her family, the reaction has been even more stark. Here, insiders tell us how Pricey’s son Junior responded to the Dubai nuptials – and why her closest ally, sister Sophie, has been left reeling as concern for the mother- of-five reaches an all-time high.
Junior Andre has been left reeling after his mum’s latest moveCredit: ITVKatie married Lee Andrews just days after meeting him in DubaiCredit: BackGrid
Hours after revealing her extravagant engagement, The Sun told how Katie and Lee had in fact got hitched with none of her family there. Her fourth marriage took place less than a week after she had met Lee.
It was an unusually quiet ceremony for the former glamour model . An officiator was seen in front of the pair reading from a script as Katie, who wore a £12 dress from Shein, said her vows.
She gushed about how happy she was, telling fans: “All I can say is ‘fatale’, and this was a wedding at First Sight.”
Yet celebratory messages from her nearest and dearest have not been forthcoming, despite Price, 47, returning to the UK earlier this week without Lee, 43, who has since been accused of being a ‘swindler’.
There’s only so much Katie’s kids can take. It is really not fair.
Insider
One source said: “It’s just another day on Planet Katie, and everyone has to deal with the consequences.
“She will always have a close bond with her children, but there’s only so much they can take. It is really not fair.”
Her son Junior, 20, has refrained from posting to his half a million Instagram followers in the days following the whirlwind wedding – which is not legally binding.
And it is not only Junior’s fans who have got the silent treatment from the singer.
Rather tellingly, we have been told that the rapper, who is “very close” to dad Peter and stepmum Dr Emily, has not contacted his mother to offer his congratulations on her marriage to Andrews.
A source said: “Junior is used to Katie’s increasingly erratic behaviour, but even this took him by surprise.
“He is so fed up with his mum’s constant dramas. He wants no part in it. He’s hardly going to send a congratulations message about a bloke he hasn’t even met.”
But while Junior is more resilient, sister Princess, 18, has given clues to her hurt feelings, taking to TikTok in the days following her mum’s wedding ceremony to post two emotional videos on the social media platform, including one featuring a tearful girl.
Sophie is understandably horrified by it all. It’s been incredibly draining for her. The sisters are incredibly close so it was very hard for Sophie not to know what was going on.
Insider
The writing on top of the clip reads: “I feel everything very deeply” with an accompanying voiceover on top of the clip that says: “I’m such an incredibly, stupidly, sensitive person that everything that happens to me I feel everything really intensely.”
Another featured a teen girl getting into bed and wiping tears from her eyes as she lets out a sigh.
The writing on top reads: “When the smallest thing upsets me, and now I have to be non-verbal and easily irritated for hours until I can let it go”.
Insiders say that despite the cryptic posts it is unlikely that Princess, who remains close to her mother, will publicly condemn her. But a pal of the star confided: “It is so selfish to create all this drama just before Princess is about to launch series two of The Princess Diaries. This should be her turn in the spotlight. Not her mums.”
In recent years as Katie’s fame has dwindled, she has become increasingly reliant on her younger half-sister Sophie, 36, who has devoted a large part of her life to looking after her.
Despite managing the wayward reality star, organising much of her chaotic life, and co-hosting a podcast together, Sophie was not invited to Katie’s wedding.
Fans thought Sophie looked very upset when she announced there would be no podcastSophie has been a huge support to Katie over the yearsCredit: RexSophie and Katie with their mum, Amy – who is said to be ‘beside herself with worry’Credit: Instagram
An insider said: “Sophie is understandably horrified by it all. It’s been incredibly draining for her. The sisters are incredibly close so it was very hard for Sophie not to know what was going on.
“They were due to record a podcast like normal this week, but at the last minute, they decided not to go ahead.
Their mum is utterly beside herself with worry.
“Sophie felt the need to say sorry to her fans, while Katie kept silent. It is quite typical of their relationship that Sophie is the one picking up the slack, and she’s honestly struggling with it at the moment. It has caused tension between the siblings, with Sophie just desperate for Katie to be ok.
“Their mum is utterly beside herself with worry – they have all been through so much with Katie, but thought the worst was over in recent years.
“They don’t believe Lee is the man he said he was and are just waiting for Katie to click. It was a huge relief when he did a U-turn on coming to the UK. Sophie was not ready to meet him and deal with all that.”
Sophie made her feelings very clear on the situation today as she shared a picture of the countryside and wrote: “This and never stepping foot in Dubai.”
Last night, Sophie took to social media to explain what was happening to the podcast.
Looking exhausted, she said: “Hi guys, how are you all? I know you’ve all been chomping at the bit to find out what has been going on. All our DMs have been going off,” she began in her video address.
Junior and Princess have not publicly spoken out about the weddingCredit: PAKatie was seen back in the UK this week – with no husband in sightCredit: SplashLee’s life has come into question since they married
“Let’s just say, it’s been one hell of a week. We have done over a 100 episodes of the podcast, which sounds absolutely nuts when it’s just me and Kate doing our b*s chat.
“We will be back next week as normal, and we will be able to update you guys on what’s been going on. It will be business as usual.”
Such was the emotion on display that one commentator posted: “’You are a good sister. Hope you’re ok, Sophie, you look like you’re holding back tears”
Sophie has always been outspoken about Katie’s relationships, while trying to be as supportive as possible.
Just a couple of weeks ago, she expressed her horror when Katie announced she was looking for a Richard Gere type.
She retorted: “Absolutely not, you need a break, you need time to yourself’.”
Katie completely ignored her, and when she announced her engagement, she gushed about finding her ‘real life Richard Gere’. The film is, of course, about a wealthy gentleman who sweeps a prostitute off her feet.
The sisters – who have an 11-year age gap- have talked in the past about being “like chalk and cheese”.
Sophie was just six years old when her big sister found fame, meaning that she doesn’t remember a time when Katie wasn’t in the spotlight.
However, Katie’s fame made her a target at school – and she was bullied by cruel classmates.
She recalled: “It was just girls saying nasty things, when you’re a teenager… You know what girls can be like.”
Yet a beautiful relationship blossomed, with the sisters becoming firm friends and podcast favourites.
But after the latest cruel snub, it might be a while before fans get a new episode of the podcast.
Katie has been saying she is missing her new manCredit: BACKGRID / INSTAGRAM
VICTORIA and Nicola clashed again this week – but for once it wasn’t with each other.
The pair released brand new modelling shoots on exactly the same day as they made a bid to put Brooklyn’s statement behind them.
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Victoria Beckham and Nicola Peltz clashed again this week – but for once it wasn’t with each otherCredit: GennyThe pair clashed at Paris Fashion Week, where Victoria launched her debut eyewear range on the same day that Nicola was showcasing her role with fashion brand GennyCredit: Victoria Beckham Eyewear/Mert and Marcus
As well as a pink trouser suit, Nicola wore a number of elaborate, colourful gowns for the brand.
Victoria meanwhile launched her debut eyewear range on the same day.
She posed up in a pair of her own frames and said: “I wanted strong, instantly recognisable silhouettes that felt effortless to wear, so the focus for this collection was really on refining shape and proportion.”
FORMER glamour model Katie Price’s new husband has challenged her cage fighter ex to a mixed martial arts match for criticising her whirlwind wedding.
Lee Andrews, 41, wants to take on Alex Reid, 50, in a one-on-one because he called her latest marriage irresponsible.
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Katie Price’s new husband Lee Andrews has challenged her cage fighter ex Alex Reid to an MMA bout after he criticised her whirlwind weddingIt comes after Reid, Katie’s second husband, slammed her fourth wedding, saying it was ‘irresponsible’ to marry someone she barely knowsCredit: PA:Press AssociationLee and Katie got married in Dubai at the weekend in a whirlwind wedding just days after meeting each otherCredit: BackGrid
The businessman goaded Reid as he told The Sun he wanted to fight him “anytime, anywhere” in Britain, Dubai or Abu Dhabi.
He also said he had spoken with Katie about the challenge only briefly, but insisted: “We do support each other.”
Lee — dubbed a “Walter Mitty” over his long list of outlandish or untrue claims including that he is Director of Philanthropy at The Prince’s Trust — confidently claimed he had his own experience in sparring, partial boxing and “elite fitness”.
He said he wanted it to be on an Ultimate Fighting Championship five-round match setting and said proceeds would go towards supporting mum-of-five Katie and charity.
It comes after Reid, who was Katie’s second husband, made his feelings plain over her fourth wedding.
He said: “It’s irresponsible on your family and the children to marry someone you don’t know.” Reid added: “I genuinely wish the man good luck marrying her.
“I hope the marriage lasts longer than the court-ordered debts that she still owes me and to many others, demonstrating accountability and responsibility.
“It’s not really her strong point. Maybe, he could be the best thing in the world to happen to her.
“He could help her pay her debts and be accountable with money.”
Her family are understood to be concerned about her, while an ex of Lee warned: “Run for the hills.”
Katie flew back to Britain by herself on Monday.
Lee claimed two days later that she went home early because of her children and insisted he had to “wrap a few things up” and would fly back the next day to join her.
But he appeared to U-turn when he posted an Instagram story yesterday seemingly still in Dubai.
He wrote: “Waiting for Katie.” And he said in the video: “I’m waiting for Katie to come out here, love you so much Katie.”
Reid, who divorced Katie in 2012 after a two-year marriage, was a professional in mixed martial arts from 2000Credit: Rex
Death in Paradise is back for series 15 and new recruit Sergeant Mattie Fletcher will be joining the team in Saint Marie – here’s everything you need to know about the character
Megan Nisbet Content Editor
19:00, 30 Jan 2026
Death in Paradise season 15 cast as Catherine Garton joins line-up (Image: BBC)
Elizabeth Bourgine’s Catherine Bordey, Shantol Jackson’s Sergeant Naomi Thomas, and Shaquille Ali-Yebuah’s Officer Sebastian Rose are all set to return for the 15th season. However, viewers will also meet a new face, Sergeant Mattie Fletcher.
Described as having a “rebellious” streak, Mattie is a fantastic addition to the Saint Marie squad. She’s brought to life by actress Catherine Garton, who steps into the cast following Ginny Holder’sdeparture from her role as Darlene Curtis. But what can BBC viewers anticipate from newcomer Mattie, and who is the actress behind her?
Sergeant Mattie Fletcher is the latest addition to the Saint Marie team. She’ll make her debut in season 15, episode 1, with Detective Sergeant Naomi Thomas (Shantol Jackson) and Officer Sebastian Rose (Shaquille Ali-Yebuah) helping Mattie find her feet.
However, settling in might prove more challenging than expected as secrets from her past start to surface.
Discussing what audiences can anticipate from Sergeant Mattie, Don Gilet, who portrays DI Mervin Wilson, explained: “There’s definitely something of a rebel in Mattie. We haven’t had that rebellious element, really. She’s a bit younger, probably a similar age, give or take, to Officer Seb Rose, but she’s seen a lot more.
“She’s a sergeant and she’s more experienced and is always on the front foot, whereas Seb is going through his rookie stripes. It’s great seeing how the two of them connect – there’s a nurturing side as well as a rebellious side. She’s a great addition to the team.”
Who is Catherine Garton?
Catherine Garton, who portrays Mattie, described her character as “tenacious,” adding: “She’s really fun to play. She’s sassy, but she’s like your big sister who will tell you what’s what, but you can also come to her if you need to. You can have a laugh with her. She’s very passionate about things, about her work and about the people that she grows to love, especially in the team. She’s also very determined, almost too determined sometimes..”
She went on: “Audiences can expect some action. Someone who’s lovable and who’s trying their best, but almost to a fault. She has something to prove to herself and to others and sometimes she can do that to her detriment, but it comes from a place of passion. They will see ups, downs and lots of sass!”.
Catherine Garton takes on the role of new recruit Mattie, having previously appeared in The Gray House as Talulah and Ibiza Narcos as Kelly. Catherine recently graced our screens in Russell T Davies’ Doctor Who spin-off, The War Between the Land and the Sea.
This festive BBC series featured Catherine as Corporal Jane Hart throughout all four episodes.
The filming for the spin-off concluded in 2024, and it was only after wrapping up that Catherine learned she had secured the role of Sergeant Mattie Fletcher, a new regular on Death in Paradise. She amusingly revealed that she was shopping in TK Maxx when her agent broke the news.
She recalled: “I was in the shoe section, one shoe off, sliding another one on and my agent called me and told me. It was a moment!”.
Speaking about her experience filming in Guadeloupe, where the fictional town of Saint Marie is located, Catherine enthused: “I loved it – everyone was really welcoming. Before going to Guadeloupe, I didn’t quite know what to anticipate, then it exceeded any expectations I could have had. I love the island. Guadeloupe is like a postcard. It’s quite unreal. Every time I walked out I was like ‘this exists, wow!’. It’s absolutely stunning. Everyone’s nice. I love the culture. The food’s great. Everyone I work with is great. I don’t have any complaints!”.
When asked about meeting the rest of the cast and crew, Catherine admitted: “It was intimidating at first, because this is the biggest kind of role I’ve ever had, but everyone was just so nice and so welcoming. I remember the first time I saw Shantol and the biggest smile ever. I feel like I have family there now.”
Death in Paradise season 15 kicks off on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on Friday, 30 January.
CATHERINE O’Hara has died unexpectedly on Friday, months after her final appearance alongside her husband Bo Welch.
Fans are reeling following the announcement, which did not reveal the Schitt’s Creek star’s cause of death.
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Catherine O’Hara, seen at the Primetime Emmy Awards in September 2025, has died at age 71Credit: FilmMagicThe Home Alone star made her final public appearance with husband Bo Welch at the Primetime Emmys in September 2025Credit: Getty
Catherine, 71 when she died, made her final appearance alongside her husband Bo back in September.
Photos show the couple dressed to the nines.
The Home Alone actress is wearing a black gown while her hubby sports a chic suit.
Her shoulder-length blonde hair was down with a slight curl in the ends.
She wore subtle makeup, including a nude lipstick color.
Catherine appeared in good spirits during the evening out.
She and Bo posed for photos together.
At times, he stood behind her with his hands on her hips.
OUT OF SIGHT
Months later, Catherine was nominated for a Golden Globe award.
She was schedule to appear at the January 11 awards show, where she was nominated for Best Supporting Performance from a Female Actor for her role in the Apple TV series, The Studio.
Unfortunately, she did not attend.
RIP
TMZ broke the news of Catherine’s death on Friday afternoon.
Sources with direct knowledge confirmed the iconic actress’ passing to the outlet.
A cause of death was not immediately available for the star.
Catherine O’Hara dead at 71
Iconic Home Alone actress Catherine O’Hara died on January 30, 2026. O’Hara was 71.
Biography:
Catherine O’Hara, who was born in Toronto, Canada, began her acting career in comedy in 1974 after joining the cast of The Second City, which was televised in both Canada and the United States.
O’Hara expanded her career in television in the mid-1970s, appearing in small roles on the CBC series Wayne and Shuster, the film The Rimshots, and the children’s series Coming up Rosie.
She gained prominence in Hollywood in the 1980s, after she was cast in the classic horror-comedy film Beetlejuice.
Starring alongside Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, and Winona Ryder, among others, O’Hara portrayed Delia Deetz.
In 1990, O’Hara starred alongside child actor Macaulay Culkin in the holiday blockbuster Home Alone.
She reprised her role as Kate McCallister, the mother of the young troublemaker Kevin McCallister, portrayed by Culkin, in the film’s 1992 sequel, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.
Both installments of Home Alone were massive hits at the box office and to this date remain among the most successful Christmas movies of all time.
After the success of Home Alone, O’Hara continued to appear in several films throughout the 1990s, including the comedy-drama The Paper, Waiting for Guffman, and the Western film Wyatt Earp.
O’Hara also had several voice artist appearances, including The Nightmare Before Christmas, Chicken Little, and Monster House, among others.
She had a career resurgence in 2015 when she appeared as Moira Rose in the Canadian sitcom Schitt’s Creek.
In 2025, O’Hara had a main role in the Apple TV+ comedy series The Studio.
Throughout her career, O’Hara received various awards, including two PrimeTime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
She had two children with her husband, Bo Welch, whom she met on the set of Beetlejuice.
While the exact cause of death has not been revealed, Page Six reported that she was rushed to a Los Angeles hospital in “serious” condition.
Paramedics were called the the actress’ home home at 4:48 a.m. on Friday morning, a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson confirmed to the outlet.
She was in “serious condition” when she was transported to the hospital.
PAYING TRIBUTE
Tributes to the actress flooded social media almost immediately after her death was announced.
“RIP Catherine O’ Hara. I know John Candy greeted her with open arms.”, one fan wrote.
Another posted on X: “Catherine O’Hara was an absolute genius for the entirety of her career.
“She will be terribly missed.”
A third posted: “Catherine O’Hara will be remembered most as the mom in the first two Home Alone movies
“But I’ll always remember her as Delia Deetz in BeetleJuice. RIP to a legend.”
ICONIC ROLES
Throughout her long career in Hollywood, Catherine appeared in many iconic films and TV shows.
She was an actress for more than 50 years.
Catherine got her star in the sketch series Second City Television in the 1970s.
She’s known for starring in Home Alone, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Home Alone 2, Schitt’s Creek and more.
ACTRESS Helen Flanagan has spilt the tea on her relationship with former Towie star James Argent – and what happened with a big X Factor singer.
As well as detailing behind-the-scenes beef on the Coronation Street set, Helen, 35, has lifted the lid on her time on Channel 5 reality show, Celebrity Super Spa.
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Helen has opened up about a flirtation with James Argent and James ArthurCredit: InstagramHelen and Arg bonded on the Channel 5 reality TV showCredit: Channel 5
Helen took part alongside Towie’s James Argent, celebrity chefs Rusty Lee and John Burton-Race, Shameless actor Jody Latham and Most Haunted’s Yvette Fielding.
The show aired in 2013 and followed six celebrities as they worked in a real-life spa in Liverpool.
The actress has now spilled the beans in her explosive new memoir, Head & Heart: Break-ups, Breakdowns and Being Rosie on her romances on and off screen.
The former Corrie star, who shares three kids with ex fiance Scott Sinclair, spoke about chemistry with Towie star Arg while they were on Channel 5’s Celebrity Super Spa.
She revealed: “I became firm friends with James ‘Arg’ Argent from The Only Way is Essex and we would spend all our time together.
“I know the producers were hoping for a show romance to develop and they’d try to push me towards him, dropping hints like, ‘Ah, you and Arg are so cute together…’
“But I was too mixed up over Scott and I didn’t even know if I actually fancied Arg although I did like him a lot.
“He definitely wasn’t my usual type. I usually went for sporty guys who were into their health and fitness whereas Arg would eat four Greggs sausage rolls for breakfast.
“I think he was probably more into me than I was him, but there was a brief moment of heat between us which felt… weird.
“We were in my hotel room, lying on the bed while he was stroking my back – I think it could have spilled over then, but there was something holding me back.
“And when that moment passed, it was like it was done. I wasn’t over Scott so it would have been a mistake to use Arg as a rebound.”
Opening up about a flirtation with former The X Factor star James Arthur, she said: “When I got back, I was booked to do a BBC Three comedy panel show called Sweat the Small Stuff which was presented by Nick Grimshaw and had Rochelle Humes and Melvin Odoom as the team captains.
“The episode I was on also happened to feature James Arthur who had won The X Factor in 2012 and you could say that we, erm, hit it off.
“Egged on by Grimmy, me and James flirted pretty outrageously throughout the filming and swapped numbers afterwards with a loose arrangement to meet up for a drink in the not too distant future.
“Nothing ever came of it apart from the exchange of some harmless WhatsApps, but once the episode aired a few days later, the press got hold of it and ran multiple stories saying we were dating.”
The Celebs Go Dating star added: “Scott was livid about it and tried everything he could to get hold of me, ringing my mobile and calling my parents’ landline.
“I didn’t want to speak to him. He’d been so horrible to me and I was trying to get over him, something I felt like I was making good progress with.”
The soap star split from her “toxic” relationship with her footballer ex in October 2022 after 13 years together and share three children – Matilda, Delilah and Charlie.
A reality TV series dubbed the ‘best show ever’ is returning for a second series and fans are predicting a ‘wild ride’.
Jury Duty: James Marsden stars in Amazon Freevee trailer
A reality TV series that has been branded the “funniest show” is returning three years after its first season.
Social experiment Jury Duty first aired on Amazon Freevee in 2023, with a second instalment hitting Amazon Prime Video in March this year.
The hoax sitcom follows a fake jury trial, with construction worker Ronald Gladden serving as a juror, unaware that the proceedings around him aren’t real.
Starring James Marsden as a fake juror, portraying an over-exaggerated, parodied version of himself, and a series of actors as the other jurors, including one who keeps falling asleep, Jury Duty shows the inner workings of a trial in the US.
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Everything that goes on is entirely planned, unbeknownst to Ronald, who thinks the people around him are actually as chaotic as they seem.
The documentary-style comedy sees Ronald share his baffled thoughts to the camera before realising what actually happened.
He later won $100,000 as part of the experience, saying his life “completely changed overnight” once it aired.
He added, “I had a feeling in my gut the whole time that something wasn’t right. They got me on camera multiple times saying, ‘I feel like I’m on reality TV. Like, this can’t be real. What’s going on?”
“The day of the reveal, everyone was so quick to let me know that, like, ‘Hey, we understand that none of this was real. But the one thing—that the relationships we formed were real.”
“They were so quick to just let me know that that wasn’t fake. And that honestly is what made the whole thing worth it for me.”
The series received a roaring response from critics and audiences alike, with three Emmy nominations, two Golden Globe nominations and a Peabody Award.
It is now set to return, Amazon Prime confirmed, but this time, Ronald will be free from the chaos.
A teaser trailer was posted on social media, captioned: “Welcome to the retreat. Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat premieres March 20 on @primevideo.”
The video took a look back at the original series, before teasing: “Now, we’re following a business on their annual company retreat. Except this is not a real company. It’s fake. Everyone involved is an actor. Except Anthony.”
One person is then heard saying: “If I go home and tell my parents about this stuff, they’re gonna be like, ‘You’re lying’.”
As per Deadline, Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat will follow a corporate offsite event at a family-owned hot sauce company, with Anthony featuring as a recently hired temporary worker.
The entire experience will be staged, with every “colleague” assigned a role around him, and scenes in conference rooms and during downtime, all orchestrated.
When the founder announces he’s preparing to step down, the retreat transforms into a clash between corporate ambitions and small-business values, with the future of the company and whose hands it will fall into all up in the air.
Fans have been left over the moon at the glimpse of a new season, with one writing: “I’m so excited to see this.”
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“Season 1 was too good, we are ready!” another wrote, as a third said: “Best. Show. EVER. Can’t wait for S2!”
“I don’t know how you can top the original, but I’m dying to see!!!!” someone else said.
Another commented, “If this is even half as chaotic as Jury Duty, we are in for a wild ride. But honestly, am I the only one wondering if they can actually pull off the ‘fake person’ trope again without everyone being suspicious? The bar is set so high. I just hope it’s actual comedy and not just another over-produced ‘reality’ mess. March 20th can’t come soon enough. I need to see if this lives up to the hype or if it’s just a one-hit wonder.”
When previously discussing possible future seasons of Jury Duty, showrunner Cody Heller told Variety: “Obviously, it would have to be a whole different universe. You couldn’t just do jury duty again, because then people would be like, “Wait a second”.
“But I do think that it’s possible. I do think there’s a million different worlds that this kind of thing could exist in.”
Jury Duty is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy tells the terrifying story of the American serial killer, spanning across eight episodes. Having first been released in the US last year, it will today (January 30) be released on ITV and ITVX.
It has been teased: “Prepare to take a deep dive into the mind and life of one of America’s most notorious serial killers with this drama that tells the terrifying story of John Wayne Gacy.
“From 1972-1978, thirty-three young men were kidnapped, murdered, and buried in a crawl space beneath their killer’s house. And no one was the wiser. Not for all those years. Why? He was charming and funny.
“Had a good, All-American job. Was a community leader. He even volunteered to entertain sick kids… while dressed as a clown.
“Devil In Disguise: John Wayne Gacy peels back the twisted layers of Gacy’s life while weaving in heartrending stories of his victims; exploring the grief, guilt, and trauma of their families and friends; and exposing the systemic failures, missed opportunities, and societal prejudices that fueled his reign of terror.”
The series has already been a hit with viewers, as one person said: “Honestly, one of the most harrowing and distressing things I’ve ever seen. Each episode takes time to honour and bring back to life one or more of the victims.”
Is Devil in Disguise based on a true story?
Yes, the ITV drama is based on the true story of the notorious American serial killer John Wayne Gacy, who murdered young men and boys in the 1970s. Although a dramatisation of his life and crimes, it is based on real-life events that occurred.
Known as the Killer Clown, because Gacy often dressed as one when volunteering at various events, he targeted young men and sexually assaulted many of them before killing them. And he went untraced from 1972 to 1978.
Across a six-year spree, Gacy murdered 33 young men before burying them in a mass grave under his own home in Chicago. Leading a double life, Gacy had a fascination with clowns, often using that persona to lure his victims.
But it wasn’t until 1978 that he was arrested and confessed to the crimes. His arrest came after the disappearance of teenager Robert Piest, who was Gacy’s final victim, which led authorities to suspect Gacy.
In 1980, he was convicted of killing 33 young men and sentenced to death before receiving the lethal injection at the age of 52 in 1994.
Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy airs tonight at 9pm on ITV.
The brief preview clip, shown after viewers complete season four, episode four, reunites audiences with fan favourites Anthony (portrayed by Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Bridgerton (Simone Ashley), reports the Manchester Evening News.
The couple are shown relaxing on a bed with their newborn baby, following confirmation that Kate had given birth in India during the Viscount and Viscountess’s travels abroad.
The pair, affectionately dubbed ‘Kanthony’ by devoted fans, appear utterly content with their precious bundle nestled between them.
Fans have already flocked to Reddit to share their reactions to the heartwarming scene, particularly after some had expressed disappointment about the limited Kanthony content in Netflix’s earlier season four trailer.
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Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Bridgerton.
One delighted viewer shared a screenshot of the adorable infant on Reddit, writing: “Makes me broody for another one”, accompanied by two crying emojis.
Another commented: “Looks like a little girl with those eyelashes.”
A third gushed: “THAT KANTHONY BABY IS GORGEOUSSSSSS OMMMMGGG [sic]”, whilst a fourth fan remarked: “I devoured the first part. Absolutely incredible. So glad Kanthony have finally made an appearance as well. But oh my the chemistry between Benophie [sic].”
The newly released trailer reveals Benedict Bridgerton (portrayed by Luke Thompson) proposing that maid Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) become his mistress, prompting her to storm off in bewilderment and revulsion.
Yet the sneak peek at season four, part two, hints that Benedict may choose to defy society’s strict conventions and pursue his true feelings.
In a pivotal moment, Benedict confides in Will Mondrich (Martins Imhangbe): “There is a woman. She is not a person of any rank, and I have upset her.”
Will responds with crucial advice: “No matter her rank, no woman truly desires to be hidden.”
These words could prove the catalyst for Benedict’s transformation.
Nevertheless, the preview teases plenty of tension, with Sophie and Benedict sharing longing yet strained looks as they navigate society’s expectations.
Sophie appears determined to depart Bridgerton House, attempting to convince Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) that her choice isn’t influenced by “anyone” in the residence.
Yet Violet clearly senses there’s something deeper to Sophie’s story and is intent on uncovering the truth – but will she manage before the maid departs?
The trailer builds to a crescendo with Lady Whistledown’s words: “Dearest Gentle reader, there are moments in our lives when we arrive at a crossroads.”
However, her words aren’t solely aimed at Benedict’s predicament, but also touch upon Violet’s blossoming romance with Lord Anderson (Daniel Francis), Francesca Bridgerton’s (Hannah Dodd) emerging feelings for Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), and Lady Danbury’s (Adjoa Andoh) choice to embark on travels rather than continuing as a lady’s maid to Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel).
There’s also an exchange between Violet and Benedict, where she questions her son: “Will you sacrifice your family? Whatever you choose, you must live with it forever. We all will.”
Considering Violet’s steadfast conviction in love above everything else, she may be encouraging Benedict to pursue his heart whilst ensuring he understands the ramifications of his choice.
Bridgerton season 4, part 2 will be released on Netflix on February 26
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The Night Manager season 2 star Indira Varma has shared some devastating news on social media
BBC The Night Manager star shares devastating news as co-stars send support(Image: BBC)
A Night Manager star has shared some devastating news, with her co-stars sending their support. 52-year-old actress Indira Varma is currently portraying villain Mayra Cavendish in the popular BBC spy thriller’s second series.
Just days before the eagerly awaited finale broadcasts, the star revealed some heartbreaking news following the death of her mother. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday (January 28), Indira shared multiple photographs of her beloved mum throughout the years, accompanied by a moving tribute.
She wrote: “My dear eccentric Mama has gone at the age of 93. Everything she lived for was Art and adventure. She created for the love of doing not for recognition just for joy. My parents met in the 60s when mixed relationships were frowned upon.
“They didn’t care what other people thought. Life is to be lived with love and joy. Fear is the only thing that makes us hate. That’s it. I’m now an orphan. I miss their tempestuous interactions in a shared 3rd language and how they communicated through music, art, food, travel and Nature,” reports the Express.
Citing Nobel Peace Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore, Indira concluded: “I came to your shore as a stranger, I lived in your house as a guest, I leave your door as a friend, my earth.”
Several of Indira’s famous friends and co-stars flooded the comments with messages of support, including Grey’s Anatomy star Kevin McKidd, who wrote: “I’m so sorry for your loss Indira. Sending much love to you today.”
Ex-Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson commented: “So much love. Thinking of you,” whilst Ariana DeBose and Aimee Lou Wood posted multiple heart and dove emojis.
Countryfile presenter Anita Rani also wrote: “Sending you all my love darling. What a beautiful photo,” with Richard Armitage responding: “Sending my love and condolences to you and your family Indy. What an incredible life your mama had.”
Doctor Who boss Russell T Davies expressed similar sentiments, posting: “I’m so sorry, lots of love darling,” whilst Celebrity Traitors star Mark Bonnar said: “Oh Indira I’m so sorry – what an amazing photo.”
This news comes just days before The Night Manager’s highly anticipated second series finale. The continuation of the acclaimed spy drama sees undercover operative Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) infiltrate the criminal enterprise of Colombian tycoon Teddy Dos Santos (Diego Calva).
Viewers subsequently discovered that Teddy was actually the son of series one antagonist Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie). Furthermore, the illegal weapons trafficker was shown to have staged his own death, aided by Indira’s character Mayra – head of the Secret Intelligence Service.
Jonathan and Richard, aka Gilberto Hanson, were at last reunited last week, with the MI6 operative hell-bent on dismantling Richard’s criminal enterprise. He subsequently won Teddy’s allegiance after exposing Richard’s intention to cast aside his illegitimate son upon achieving his objectives.
The official synopsis for the finale states: “Pine works with Teddy to bring down Gilberto Hanson’s Colombia coup from the inside. But Hanson has found a new ally of his own. It’s winner takes all.”
Can Jonathan finally defeat Richard for good? That remains to be seen. What we do know is that the drama will return for another series, following lead actor Tom’s confirmation of the show’s renewal earlier this week.
The final episode of The Night Manager season two will air on Sunday (February 1) at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
Stranger Things fans are only just realising that show star Charlie Heaton is a dadCredit: SplashThe actor shares his 11-year-old son with ex-girlfriend Akiko Matsuura, who is 45Credit: GettyThe former couple (pictured in rock group Comanechi) were bandmates and met when Charlie was a teenager, with Akiko twelve years his seniorCredit: Not known clear with picture desk
And this week, Charlie has made a rare admission about his son, leading fans to only know find out he is a dad.
“He has just started getting into it,” the actor told US outlet PEOPLE.
He continued: “He got to come to set last year and that was really cool.”
Charlie’s rare insight into family life has left fans online more shocked that he has a son.
Talking on a Reddit thread, one fan said: “SON??!!!????!! TWEEN!!?!!??????!!!??”
Another wrote: “I’m 33, about the same age the mother of his child was when she was with him and had their baby. I can’t even fathom being with an 18/19 year old like he was at the time”.
“The fact that he has an eleven year-old; I am speechless. I am without speech,” said a third.
While another fan wrote: “What in the actual f***?? I can’t with the ages of Charlie, his kid, and the mother”.
Charlie was in a relationship with Akiko when they were bandmates in rock group Comanechi.
The duo met when Charlie was a teenager and are thought to have split shortly after Archie’s birth, but it’s not known exactly how long the relationship lasted.
The duo fell in love on the show’s set and confirmed their romance back in 2017.
The actor rose to fame in 2016 as a staple in the Stranger Things cast, with the show wrapping just last monthCredit: SplashCharlie has been in a relationship with his co-star Natalia Dyer for almost a decadeCredit: Getty – Contributor
Radio 2 DJ Vernon Kay has spoken about meeting up with fellow Children in Need fundraisers has he spends more time looking back at his illustrious and eventful career
Vernon Kay has spoken about his Children in Need challenge(Image: ITV1)
BBC Radio 2’s Vernon Kay fought back tears after opening up about a difficult time and admitted that the pain of his latest challenge was worth it for the amount of money they raised for Children in Need.
Children in Need is the BBC’s annual fundraising extravaganza and part of their fundraising efforts sometimes sees celebrities taking on gruelling physical challenges.
Appearing on BBC Radio 2 at the end of his mammoth journey he told host Zoe Ball: “I’m absolutely exhausted, absolutely spent, physically, mentally. Is there anyone here who can replace a knee?”
Speaking about his work for Children in Need in 2026, Vernon talked about talking to fellow fundraisers Patrick McGuinness and Sarah Cox and how all three became emotional discussing what they’d done.
In 2025 Patrick completed a 300-mile cycling challenge for Children in Need whilst Sara Cox ran, jogged, and walked 135 miles over five days last year.
He told listeners: “I was with Patrick McGuinness and Sara Cox last night, yesterday afternoon, we were talking about Children In Need.
“Very emotional for all three of us I’ll be honest with you, every time each time one of us talked about what we’d done for children in need you could see us all welling up.
“But it’s not because of what we did but because of what you did, so once again thank you for that. The pain was worth it.”
This isn’t the first time Vernon has talked about important moments from his past as he recently looked back 29 years and shared a moment which he says changed his life.
The Bolton-born broadcaster said in a social media video discussing his modelling career and how it was getting scouted as a youngster that changed his life. His modelling work helped spark a career in broadcasting.
Following a stint as a magazine model Vernon, now 51, moved into presenting and went onto host shows such as T4, All Star Family Fortunes, and shows on BBC Radio 1 and Radio X.
Writing in a post on Instagram alongside a photo of himself, he said: “Dec96 Got scouted by @selectmodellondon @jameslnoel and it’s the day that changed my life! [heart emoji].
“Taking a look back at my modelling days….kind of a pivotal moment for me [crying laughing emojis]. This is the one picture people always throw at me but I don’t think it’s THAT bad. #BlueSteel.”