show biz

Tzruya “Suki” Lahav, a violinist and poet who played with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in the mid 1970’s on some of the band’s most beloved LPs, has died. She was 74.

Yonatan Albalak, her son, posted on Facebook April 2 that his mother had been “gathered into infinity after a short and hard battle with the cursed disease” of cancer.

“She wrote songs that touched people’s hearts,” he wrote, describing her as “a special woman, smart, pure in heart and loving life. She was the best mom I could ever ask for.”

Lahav’s tenure with the group lasted only between 1974 and 1975, yet she contributed several standout moments to Springsteen’s catalog. She performed on “The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle” and its follow-up, the smash “Born to Run.” She played the famed violin intro to the classic single “Jungleland,” and performed the multi-tracked choir on “4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” after a church vocal group failed to turn up for the session. She also played on a fan-favorite, widely-bootlegged cover of Bob Dylan’s “I Want You.”

She entered Springsteen’s camp after her husband, Louis Lahav, engineered on Springsteen’s 1972 debut album, “Greetings From Asbury Park.” Lahav told the Jerusalem Post in 2007 that she joined the group as “a young girl in a flowing white dress from Kibbutz Ayelet Hashahar in the Upper Galilee, barely out of the army, barely married … I went from kibbutz harvest music to rocking with Bruce.”

She remained a major artist in Israel for decades after her tenure with Springsteen. She recorded with the Israeli rock band Tamuz, and wrote songs for prominent Israeli artists like Rita, including “Yemei Hatom” and “Shara Barkhovot.” She won the ACUM Lifetime Achievement Award and the Arik Einstein Prize there. In 1990, “Shara Barkhovot” was Israel’s submission to the Eurovision Song Contest.

Almost a year ago to the day, Jack Black hosted “Saturday Night Live” for the first time in 20 years, fresh off the success of “A Minecraft Movie.” Now, the star of another freshly minted videogame-to-movie hit, “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” has returned after crushing it last time with a high-energy performance.

Having reached the Five-Timers Club, as addressed in an obligatory monologue sketch featuring Jonah Hill, Tina Fey, Candice Bergen and others, Black was a returning hero. He’s frequently cited as one of the favorite hosts among the cast. And while this time may not have reached the frenetic highs of last year’s manic and musical outing, it had some memorable moments.

Most notable was a video for a country-style song about gaining wisdom and then completely forgetting what that wisdom was. Black sang in that sketch along with musical guest Jack White. Black also appeared as a frustrated office worker trying to get a coworker (Ashley Padilla) to stop talking to him and others annoyed by the woman.

Black paired up with Marcello Hernández to play martial arts instructors who teach unorthodox self-defense methods. It played to Black’s physical comedy chops, but something felt off about the execution, especially because of the hard-to-understand dialogue. Black played the last Spartan to be considered for inclusion in the group of 300 Greek fighters against Persia (spoiler: he doesn’t make it in). He played an intrusive Airbnb host with Melissa McCarthy, who was also on board for the Five-Timers sketch.

And, finally, he played one of a set of awkward husbands who come to life singing “Carry On Wayward Son” together.

While the monologue was a blast of fresh chaos (or at least the sense of chaos) with Black jamming out with White, the rest of the show didn’t have the same kind of verve, falling back on familiar sketch formulas. That said, Black committed throughout and sang well when he had the opportunity.

Musical guest Jack White appeared in a few sketches and performed “Derecho Demonico” and “G.O.D. And The Broken Ribs.”

Breaking a streak of cold opens featuring President Trump and/or members of his cabinet, this week’s opening sketch featured instead a March Madness NCAA post-game roundup featuring Ernie Johnson (James Austin Johnson), Kenny Smith (Kam Patterson), Charles Barkley (Kenan Thompson) and coach Bruce Pearl (Jeremy Culhane). The joke here was that Barkley, already known for being outspoken, has been getting kudos for speaking out in favor of immigrants on a CBS broadcast. On the show, he jokes that it’s “the first time I went viral without a prescription for Valtrex.” Emboldened, this version of Barkley keeps saying he’s going to be careful with his words, before weighing in on the Iran war, the Artemis II space mission (“A waste of money. They just flying around the moon.”) and the firing of former U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi. Bondi (Padilla) appeared to refute the comments, referring to “The final four… years of this country.” Barkley said he was going to choose his words carefully one more time before delivering, “Live from New York… It’s Saturday Night!”

For his induction to the Five-Timers Club, Black was joined by a jacket-clad Hill who revealed that there’s something wrong with the lounge where the Five Timers hang out. The room, indeed, appeared spooky and abandoned with cobwebs and Fey wearing a robe made out of Paddington, which she said she got after hosting “SNL UK” last month. Fey revealed the lounge has fallen apart after literally being run into the ground by too many Five-Timers Club sketches. The suave Hernández character Domingo appeared briefly but was conked on the noggin by White, who also achieved Five-Timers status, but as a musical guest. He left early to move his hearse: apparently musical Five Timers only get their parking validated for 15 minutes. Black chose to rock out to revive the lounge, launching into a version of White’s “Seven Nation Army” with the guitarist accompanying him. After a brief musical rockening, Black told the audience, “Stick around, we’ll be White Black!”

Best sketch of the night: If only we could remember why this song was so good

Beyond his spot-on Trump impression, Johnson has proven to be adept at musical impressions, and here he does a nice job launching into a country song, “Words to Live By,” about a man who hears his father’s dying words … and then forgets what the wisdom was that was imparted. Black takes over as a man who climbed a mountain in Tibet and spent 20 hours with a guru, only to forget what he learned while walking down the mountain and getting a text from his wife. That would have been plenty, but a third section features Andrew Dismukes as an annoyed father refusing to listen to his 6-year-old son’s words. “You don’t even know how to wipe your own butt,” he sings, “you maybe only know the names of like 30 weird Pokemon guys.” The three singers at least remember the name of the “Men in Black” device that erases your memory: The Neuralyzer.

Also good: There’ll be peace when you are done (watching this sketch)

What looked at first to be a repeat of a recent sketch about wine-drinking wives chatting in the kitchen and playing truth or dare instead pivoted to a scene about husbands stuck together in a den with nothing to talk about. That might have been premise enough for a piece about men having trouble making friends, but instead, a mumbled lyric for the Kansas song “Carry On Wayward Son” turned into a full-blown sing-along that peaks when the men jam out with ribbon sticks and strip their outerwear to reveal colorful jumpsuits. When you have a guest who can sing as well as Black, you’ve got to lean into that talent.

‘Weekend Update’ winner: A scandal that keeps ballooning

Patterson had some funny moments as the new Black version of Professor Snape slated to appear in the new “Harry Potter” series, but Sarah Sherman was tough to ignore as Kristi Noem’s husband Bryon, currently embroiled in a scandal over online chats. Sherman as Bryon Noem wore two giant balloons under a shirt, challenging “Update” co-host Michael Che and others to make fun of his kink. “I dare you to find one thing that’s funny about this whole situation,” Bryon said. The segment got more and more absurd as Bryon challenged the cue-card master Wally Ferensten, Lorne Michaels (shown having already left, leaving a spinning desk chair), Kristi Noem (Padilla) and even the dog she shot, shown in heaven with a halo. It was as distasteful a segment as you’d expect from “Update,” yet also somehow straddled the line between wallowing in the scandal and mining some genuine laughs out of it.

MOLLY-MAE Hague has showed off the complete overhaul of her bedroom as gets ready to welcome her second baby with Tommy Fury.

The Love Island darlings bought their stunning Cheshire mansion in 2024 for a whopping £4.75million.

Since then Molly-Mae has completely renovated the home, including redoing the master bedroom.

The TV star took to her dedicated remodelling Instagram account, Molly Maison, to show off the bedroom transformation.

Gone were the warm cream and brown tones, in favour for a more cool grey aesthetic.

Molly-Mae replaced the wooden four-poster bed with a standard double bed and giant leather headboard, behind which sat a wall-to-wall mirror.

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She also replaced the shell inspired circular ceiling fixture with a more sleek metallic and glass version.

At the other end of the room, Molly-Mae removed the inset arched shelves and cabinets for two floor-to-ceiling mirrors which sat on either side of the new, darker fireplace.

Molly-Mae also removed the TV from above the cream and black veined marble fireplace and replaced it with a stunning piece of artwork.

Two grey chaise lounges sat on either side of the room, replacing the cream one-seater armchairs that were there before.

Even the old bedroom was gorgeous, Molly explained why she felt the need to overhaul it completely.

“There was absolutely nothing wrong with the space before but because we’re planning to be here for a long time, we really wanted to make it feel completely like us… you all know how much I love my neutral, calming spaces,” she wrote.

“I honestly couldn’t be happier with how it’s turned out… I’m so excited to keep making more special updates to our new home.”

Molly-Mae and Tommy are parents to daughter Bambi, three, and are set to welcome their second child in a matter of weeks.

The Maebe founder recently revealed they had already chosen the name for their second child, and promised it would be just as unusual as their first.

“I think we’re pretty much set on a name now, which is crazy. Also just can’t wait for everyone to hate it, obviously it’s a different name – we were never gonna call our baby just an ordinary name, that was never going to happen,” Molly-Mae said on her recent YouTube vlog.

“I’ve only ever heard of one other baby being called this name.”

She added “Can’t wait for everyone to literally probably dislike it and be like ‘da f***?’, but yeah, it was never gonna be an ordinary name guys lets be honest.”

HOLLY Willoughby is turning up the heat — as she plans to install a sauna at her £8million London home.

The TV host, 45, has been researching fancy brands and asked her 8.1million Instagram followers about the health benefits of classic and infrared units.

Mum-of-three Holly and her telly producer husband Dan Baldwin, 50, bought the six-bedroom home in South West London last year.

Her sauna search comes as the ex-This Morning host and former golden girl of ITV shuns ­traditional broadcasters and prepares a comeback on YouTube with an edgier image.

A source recently told The Sun: “Charli XCX might think she’s the original Brat girl, but Holly will give her a run for her money.”

Recently Emma Bunton was spotted beaming alongside pal Holly at a Disney launch after the Spice Girls reunion was cancelled.

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The singer, 50, attended the press day of Disney Adventure World and World Of Frozen at Disneyland Paris in France.

She appeared to put her band’s woes to one side as she posed for pictures with her longtime friend Holly.

Baby Spice got into the spirit of things by donning a pair of Mickey Mouse ears as well as a tie with the famous character on it.

She looked chic in a white shirt tucked into a pair of straight leg jeans and a cream wool coat.

Emma wore her blonde locks straight and opted for a subtle make-up look.

Meanwhile, Holly wore a black t-shirt tucked into jeans with a black coat and some brown boots.

She too got into the Disney spirit with a set of ears as the two put on their widest smiles for photos.

The two women have been firm friends for several years and are often spotted socialising with their group of friends, including Melanie Blatt and Christine Lampard.

Finding a new TV show can be a chore in itself but luckily people have recently suggested a series which is the “funniest ever” that’ll make you “spit up laughing”

On the hunt for a new TV show to binge watch? Sometimes it can be difficult finding a fresh series which will leave you “hooked” after watching the first episode.

Recently, people went wild for a gripping series which is similar to Breaking Bad and Dexter. Now if you want something comical and we’re talking laugh out loud funny, then viewers are singing the praises of one show which is available on Netflix. It comes as one TV fan revealed they were on the search for something that “hooks you early” and stays good all the way through.

Posting on Reddit, the person visited the r/tvsuggestions forum for inspiration as many recommended Resident Alien.

They asked: “It feels like everything is overhyped lately and I keep getting disappointed after something people swear is amazing.

“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind popular shows, I just want something that actually lives up to it and doesn’t fall off after a few episodes.

“Ideally something that hooks you early and stays consistently good all the way through. Open to any genre at this point, I just want a show that delivers.”

In the comments section, people recommended Resident Alien which is “one of the funniest shows ever made”.

Someone commented: “For real! I absolutely adore it. Such a good storyline. Hard to watch it and eat or drink though. The sudden hilarious moments make me spit laugh.”

What is Resident Alien about?

The American science fiction comedy-drama TV series, which was created by Chris Sheridan, is about an extraterrestrial sent to wipe out humanity who kills a vacationing physician and takes on his identity.

After a crash landing on Earth in a small town in Colorado, the extraterrestrial, named Harry, is asked to do an autopsy on the town’s doctor, who died in unknown circumstances, and eventually takes over for the doctor at the town’s clinic.

With the moral dilemma of his secret mission, he also deals with the mayor’s young son who can see his true alien appearance. He also develops compassion for humanity and ends up defending them from other extraterrestrial threats.

The series ran for four seasons from January 2021 to August 2025 on Syfy, but now it’s available to watch on Netflix.

Rated a 15, the comedy has an 8 out of 10 rating on IMDB. Reviewers say ‘Resident Alien’ is lauded for its clever humour and engaging storylines.

Eugene Mirman appears to be in good spirits after being injured in a fiery car crash.

The comedian and “Bob’s Burgers” actor shared an Instagram update Friday to reassure fans he is “doing relatively alright, all things considered.” Mirman was hospitalized for serious injuries on Tuesday after being pulled out of the window of his Lucid Gravity that had caught fire after crashing into the Bedford Toll Plaza in New Hampshire.

“I am extraordinarily thankful to the heroic people that pulled me from the car and to the warm, kind and talented staff at the hospital that cared for me and got me on the mend!” Mirman wrote in the caption accompanying a photo of himself bandaged up and holding a piece of art that reads “Life is an Adventure.” “I am thankful beyond words to be here and doing relatively alright, all things considered.”

He also thanked everyone who had reached out with “well wishes, love and kind messages.” While Mirman appears a bit banged up in the photo, it did not keep him from including a dash of humor in his update.

“I don’t have my phone, so haven’t been online much,” his post continued. “I do not recommend my method of decreasing screen-time. If you’re a friend who sent a kind, loving message, you should know that it was hard to not respond with, ‘I’d love to be on your podcast.’ I love you all and please take care of yourselves.”

Among those who helped Mirman before first responders arrived were New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte and her security detail.

“I want to thank the Trooper on my security detail and the bystanders who stepped up to help at the scene of the crash for their brave lifesaving efforts today,” Ayotte wrote Tuesday in a post on X. “Joe and I are praying for the full recovery of the driver who was injured today.”

Mirman voices middle child Gene Belcher in Fox’s animated comedy “Bob’s Burgers,” which is currently in its 16th season.

Patsy Kensit is reportedly returning to Emmerdale as villain Sadie King 20 years after her big exit, with ‘explosive’ scenes on the way when she heads back later this year

An Emmerdale villain is reportedly heading back to the ITV soap after 20 years.

Later this year, it’s been reported that TV star Patsy Kensit will be reprising her role as fan favourite Sadie King. The character debuted on the show back in 2004 as part of the King family.

The former wife of Jimmy King, who is still in the village with his new wife Nicola King, Sadie turned against the family when she teamed up with Cain Dingle to target them.

Cain ended double-crossing his former flame and her plan backfired, sparking her exit from the show in 2006. According to reports though she will soon be back, with “explosive” scenes on the way.

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According to a publication, the top secret signing was planned to shock fans. Of course there will be a little less “shock” now that the apparent signing has been leaked.

Emmerdale have yet to confirm if the news is true, while the Mirror has contacted ITV for comment. A source is said to have told The Sun: “This signing has been kept a top secret as bosses want Patsy’s return to shock fans.

“She is apparently delighted to be get her teeth back into the meaty role. Scriptwriters want to keep the show going with explosive plots and divisive characters.”

Fans began sharing the possible news online, not expecting it while several viewers have been calling for the twist for some time. One fan said: “SADIE KING IS COMIMG BACK? OH MY GOODNESS!”

Another posted: “Sadie King potentially making a return, ok I am sat for that!” A third fan added: “SADIE IS BACK,” while another simply said: “Sadie king is returning to Emmerdale.”

It comes amid another villain trying to kill a soap legend. Graham Foster was exposed for poisoning Kim Tate in a recent episode, tampering with her pain medication.

Kim collapsed and was rushed to hospital, where it was assumed she had accidentally taken too many of her tablets. But fans soon learned the shocking truth.

Graham was shown swapping her medicine bottles over, before explaining he’d swapped out her usual pills for a double dose of her medication. He suggested the plan was to kill Kim but it did not work, so now he was figuring out another way to get rid of “the pain in his neck”.

Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

IT’S a wrap for Maura Higgins as she steps out for a video shoot in a pink dressing gown.

The ex-Love Islander, 35, was in London filming an ad for hair care company TRESemmé.

Her former boyfriend, Towie’s Pete Wicks, and another ex-Love Island star, Olivia Attwood, were spotted snogging recently, confirming Maura’s suspicions.

But on a happier note, she now has the £17,000 Birkin bag, promised to her by the winner of the US version of The Traitors.

TV’s Rob Rausch sent it to rival contestant Maura after he nabbed all of the £165,000 prize money.

Maura recently revealed exactly what procedures she has had done to her face in a very rare admission.

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She opened up to her fans about getting work done in an Instagram Q&A earlier this week.

In the post, she revealed she gets Botox around twice a year, saying: “I do get Botox every 6-8 months and I had lip filler years ago but I haven’t had any in over 3.5 years now.

“Other than that, I haven’t had anything else done.”

Maura has previously admitted to having composite bonding on her teeth for a Hollywood smile in addition to her facial tweakments.

The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have reportedly reached a tentative four-year deal for a new contract.

Negotiations between the union and film and TV studios began in March, with union leaders prioritizing more robust healthcare benefits, streaming residuals and protections against the misuse of AI tools.

Puck co-founder and reporter Matt Belloni first reported news of the tentative deal Saturday. The agreement represents a departure from standard practice, adding one more year to the WGA’s usual three-year contract. Additionally, it includes health plan and pension increases, bumps in streaming pay and protections that will police licensing for AI training.

The new contract is still subject to ratification following a vote by union members. The WGA and AMPTP did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

This tentative deal is a promising signal that the Writers Guild could avoid a strike after 2023’s historic work stoppage that lasted 148 days.

Separately, the Writers Guild of America West’s staff union has been on strike since mid-February.

The union’s current contract is set to expire May 1. WGA is the first of the Hollywood unions to reach a deal. SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America still need to reach an agreement with the studios.

The actors’ union began negotiations with the studios in February and extended those talks in March, but paused in order for the AMPTP to finish negotiations with the writers’ union. SAG-AFTRA and DGA’s contracts each expire June 30.

The dark documentary left viewers ‘sickened’ as it followed internet sleuths hunting down a killer.

True crime fanatics are being urged to binge what they’re calling the “most disturbing documentary ever”.

Don’t F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer landed on Netflix in 2019 and follows an online manhunt.

The three-part docuseries chronicles a group of amateur internet sleuths who work to find a man called Luka Magnotta, after he shared a vile video online of himself killing two animals.

As he gained notoriety after the animal cruelty act, Magnotta’s crimes culminated in the murder of a student from China.

From the snippets of his crimes that Magnotta posted online, people in a Facebook group built a case against him to find out who he is.

Magnotta was convicted of murder in 2012 and is currently serving a life sentence.

The synopsis for the Netflix true crime docuseries reads: “A twisted criminal’s gruesome videos drive a group of amateur online sleuths to launch a risky manhunt that pulls them into a dark underworld.”

The harrowing series sparked a huge reaction from viewers, with many continuing to recommend it as one of Netflix’s most disturbing true crime programmes.

One person called it a “brilliant watch, it gets more horrendous as you watch too,” while another recommended it, saying, “100% yes, but I found it disturbing, ngl.” Someone else replied: “Same. That’s the one documentary I can’t watch again. So disturbing.”

“To this day, it’s one of the best I’ve seen,” another viewer echoed, as someone else said, “This documentary is horrific. It’s stayed with me ever since I watched it.” One person left a review calling it “incredibly intense and horrific,” while another called it “unforgettable”.

Someone else said: “I was glued from beginning to end. Deanna and John did a wonderful job of describing their experience. There were many times I asked myself if this documentary was fiction cause it was so unbelievable at times. A must-watch! The ending will not disappoint. Again well done to the filmmakers!” Another praised: “Spellbinding and mesmerising and sickening but ultimately rewarding.”

After the series’ popularity, the creators behind Don’t F**k with Cats later discussed the struggle of balancing coverage of Magnotta and his crimes.

Producer Felicity Morris spoke at a Bafta session on the making of the documentary in 2020, saying: “A lot of the conversations that Mark [Lewis] and I had with them [the contributors] at the beginning were like, ‘What are we doing giving him a Netflix platform for his story?'”

After conversations with the two internet sleuths at the heart of the case, Deanna Thompson and John Green, producer Mark Lewis added, “We arrived at what we thought was a comfortable position, looking at the complicity with everyone who reads a crime story in the newspaper and who reads a crime novel.

“Crime and murder is something that we’re all fascinated in, and in a sense it was part of the story that we’re all – whether filmmakers or viewers – sort of complicit in this fascination with true crime and murder.”

Don’t F**k with Cats is available to watch on Netflix.

JONATHAN ROSS has gone up in my estimations after his recent good deed.

I can reveal that the veteran TV presenter splashed out £25,000 on a car for a contestant who took part in his latest Channel 4 gameshow.

Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing saw two people from different walks of life chained together 24/7 for the chance to win £100,000.

But when North London barmaid Tilly Martin lost out on a share of the mega prize money, Wossy took pity on her.

The kind-hearted dad-of-three, who is worth £30million, bought Tilly – who spends her spare time feeding the homeless – a Ford Puma once filming for the show wrapped.

A source said: “Tilly still lives with her mum and was really living hand-to-mouth.

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“Jonathan felt bad for Tilly after she lost out, so he quietly paid for a new car out of his own money to help get her on her feet. It was a little out of the ordinary but Jonathan just wanted to help and could see that a vehicle would make her life a little easier.

“He didn’t want anyone to know about his kind gesture, he just wanted to help – especially as she gave so much time to homeless people in the capital.”

In the show, Tilly was handcuffed to eccentric millionaire classic car businessman Anthony Saxon Kearsley.

She said on the show: “If I won a share of £100,000, to me, that’s lottery money.

“I think Britain is divided. You’re either really, really rich or you’re on your a**hole

“I work three jobs. I think when people first meet me, they think, ‘Oh, she’s a bit much’. I swear quite a bit. It just happens.”

Both Channel 4 and Jonathan declined to comment.

Dakota Mortensen’s storyline will be edited out of the upcoming season of “Vanderpump Villa.”

Mortensen, who regularly appears in “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” was set to be included in the third season of “Vanderpump Villa” — slated to premiere April 16 — as part of a getaway with members of DadTok, the group that consists of past and current partners linked to the MomTok influencers of “Mormon Wives.” Variety was first to report the decision.

Hulu declined to comment.

It’s the latest reality TV series caught in the relationship dust-up involving Mortensen and his ex, Taylor Frankie Paul.

Last month, a domestic violence investigation between the on-again, off-again pair prompted Season 5 of Hulu’s “Mormon Wives” to pause filming. Subsequently, the release of a video of a separate dispute in 2023 led to the shelving of Season 22 of ABC’s “The Bachelorette,” which featured Paul as its heroine. It has not yet been announced whether or not it will air at a later date.

Much of Paul’s story on “Mormon Wives” has revolved around her rocky relationship with Mortensen. Paul was previously arrested and charged in 2023, eventually pleading guilty to one count of aggravated assault; other charges were dropped. Part of that incident was documented on the series premiere of the show in 2024.

How does “Vanderpump Villa” figure into all of this? The third season of “Mormon Wives” featured the fallout from an explosive crossover with Hulu’s other reality series, which follows former Bravo star Lisa Vanderpump and her staff at various luxury European estates. “Mormon Wives” stars Demi Engemann and Jessi Ngatikaura were guests on that show’s second season and got embroiled in drama with staff member Marciano Brunette, who alleges he had intimate connections with both women. The recent fourth season of “Mormon Wives” revisits the crossover, with some of the women’s spouses partaking in their own “Villa” getaway that fuels more drama, including between Mortensen and Paul.

Mortensen isn’t totally out of the reality TV circuit, though. He is set to appear in “Unwell Winter Games,” a YouTube reality competition series produced by Alex Cooper, that premieres April 6.

BROOKLYN Beckham cut a stern figure as he took a long phone call outside of a hotel in Los Angeles.

The estranged son of Victoria and David Beckham paced outside of the steps of the hotel while on the 30-minute call during a day out with wife Nicola Peltz.

Brooklyn was dressed casually in a black t-shirt and Nike baseball cap outside the Sunset Plaza Hotel in West Hollywood on Friday. 

He completed the look with black Doc Martens and black jeans.

Brooklyn and Nicola married in 2022 and live in a £12million home in Los Angeles.

They have been at war with Posh and Becks since last year when they skipped David’s 50th birthday in May.

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Brooklyn confirmed he had severed all ties in January in an explosive six-page statement.

His tense phone call comes after it was reported that the couple has been approached by an US streamer for a tell-all series to rival his estranged parents’ Netflix deal.

His American management teams are said to be in early talks with production heads at Hulu.

An insider said: “Brooklyn is keen. Alongside documenting his culinary business venture, Hulu bosses will hope he will open up about the bombshell rift with his parents.

“This isn’t just any platform. Hulu which is owned by Disney is home to global smash hits like The Kardashians.

“They’d be instantly propelled firmly into the big leagues and in direct competition with Netflix, which, of course, has its own Beckham ties having run authored documentaries by both of his parents.

“Brooklyn and Nicola have been offered big money interviews before but turned them all down.

“When they do decide to speak, it will be on their own terms.

“They also want to make it clear they are not being controlled by the Peltz family and that they make their own decisions.”

Actress Nicola, 31, has appeared in several Hulu productions including The Beauty and When The Streetlights Go On.

Her billionaire dad, Nelson, once controlled a huge stake in Disney.

Nicola ramped up the war with David and Victoria last week by claiming her parents treat Brooklyn, 27, “like another son”.

Sixteen years ago, writer and academic Daniela Gerson met her future wife Talia Inlender at a mutual friend’s birthday party in Los Angeles. Although Gerson came with a date, she felt a strong pull toward Inlender, an immigration lawyer who shared Gerson’s passion for narratives of exile both past and present. As it turned out, Inlender’s grandparents hailed from Zamosch, the same town in Poland where Gerson’s grandparents lived. As Jews, both families were caught in the double bind of Hitler’s genocidal reign of terror and Stalin’s scorched earth campaign through Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Countless thousands were displaced, tortured and killed, but what became of Gerson and Inlender’s ancestors?

This is what Gerson set out to discover in a five-year journey that took her to Poland, Austria, Uzbekistan and Ukraine, sifting for clues that would culminate in the writing of her new book “The Wanderers.” I chatted with Gerson about her families’ extraordinary tale of resilience and survival.

✍️ Author Chat

Your grandparents were in perpetual exile for almost a decade. They have to leave Poland to escape Hitler’s purges, only to wind up in Ukraine, which results in them being sent to a gulag in Siberia. They had slipped Hitler’s noose but wound up in Stalin’s crosshairs.

I hesitate whenever I’m speaking about it, but it’s one of those things where I’m like, was it the worst thing that ever happened to them? Because their firstborn son had just died, and so that was horrific. They’re mourning their firstborn son, who died immediately of disease upon arriving in Ukraine, [then] almost immediately they’re packed into these cattle cars, with lice crawling all over them. People are sleeping on top of each other, throwing dead bodies out of the train. … The journey takes weeks and they find themselves in this desolate forest hell.

But what’s interesting is this was somehow the better alternative to Poland. As you point out in the book, those who endured the gulag wound up with a higher survival rate than those that remained in Poland.

The deportation saved their lives, and it saved probably about a hundred thousand Jewish lives. It wasn’t just Jews, though. Stalin was also targeting Polish Catholics, and thousands of these prisoners also survived the gulag.

You went to Lviv with your wife to research your family’s exile there, at a time when Ukraine was already at war with Russia. What was the country like when you were there?

It was an odd dissonance. Lviv is just an incredible city. Everywhere were signs of war, but also of people enjoying life. You felt the pain. When I was there, a friend of one of my colleagues was killed. And there was an attack the day after I left. But at the same time, music was everywhere in the streets. Couples were out. The city was beautiful — you could feel both the joy of life and the intensity of war all at once.

Jumping forward in your grandparents’ story: After the war ends in 1946, they go back to Poland, only to be faced with pogroms. After all the forced repatriation and deprivation, they can’t even go home. Why did they not try to go to America?

Not everyone wanted to move to America; some people wanted to move back to Poland. Then Stalin moved the borders of Poland and all of these people are being relocated, the returned people from the Soviet Union, Jews and Polish Catholics, are getting moved to western Poland, what they called Reclaimed Territory. And they face another pogrom there.

Your book is being published at a time when antisemitism is on the rise around the world.

I think it’s become a real issue. It’s an incredibly challenging time to talk about both being Jewish and what it means, and why antisemitism has been so persistent throughout Jewish history, but then to also look separately at the Israeli government’s actions and be able to talk about both separately. To perhaps be in opposition to the Israeli government actions, but also to say the Jews should have rights like any other people. It’s not a binary issue.

“The Wanderers” has a remarkable coda, when your father, who was born when your grandparents were in exile, winds up becoming a lawyer investigating Nazi war crimes.

My father had worked at the U.S. Department of Justice when he was invited to be the first trial attorney for the newly formed Office of Special Investigations. It prosecuted Nazi collaborators who had lied about their participation on immigration forms. He valued the experience deeply but only lasted a year there, ready to move on for a new experience as he often did in his far-reaching and peripatetic career. Toward the end of his life he would reflect upon how the immigration trespasses of the Nazi collaborators he prosecuted were not very different from his own parents’, even if their World War II pasts were very different.

(This Q&A was edited for length and clarity.)

📰 The Week(s) in Books

Author Karan Mahajan’s long-awaited novel “The Complex” confronts India’s hidden histories.

(Los Angeles Times illustration; images from Briscoe Savoy and Viking)

Actor-turned-memoirist Andrew McCarthy has published “Who Needs Friends,” a book about male friendship in a time of social isolation. “Men have no monopoly on loneliness, but it is a massive issue,” McCarthy tells Malina Saval.

“The Complex” revisits the roiling cultural wars of ’80s and ’90s India, when reformists clashed with the repressive policies of the country’s ruling regime. “The book itself was written in solitude and edited in silence because I was trying to mentally travel back in time to 1980s and 1990s India,” author Karan Mahajan tells Sibani Ram.

Thirty-one years after publishing “Bird by Bird,” her beloved guide to writing well, Anne Lamott has now dropped “Good Writing” with her husband, Neal Allen. In a joint interview with Meredith Maran, Lamott and Allen discuss the book’s origins: “I carried around these rules for improving sentences for years,” says Allen. “I think a lot of writers do a book because they notice it’s not out there, and why isn’t it? And then they shrug, ‘Well, I guess it’s up to me.’”

Finally, Paula L. Woods interviews four mystery novelists about their buzzy new books.

📖 Bookstore Faves

The Ripped Bodice is an independent bricks-and-mortar bookstore in Culver City specializing in romance novels.

(Joel Barhamand/For the Times)

Established by sisters Leah Koch and Bea Hodges-Koch in 2016, the Ripped Bodice in Culver City has become a go-to bookstore for romance fiction, which is one of the few literary genres that has been exploding thanks to the romantasy genre and its standard-bearer, author Sarah J. Maas. I talked to general manager Taylor Capizola about the books that customers are excited about right now.

Who are your customers?

We cater to romance lovers and skeptics alike, priding ourselves on finding the perfect romance book for anyone. While most of our customers are romance enthusiasts, we often get visitors who heard about our store through word-of-mouth or social media, so it’s become a bit of a destination location for residents of Los Angeles and tourists as well.

Sarah J. Maas, the queen of romantasy, has two new novels being published later this year. Is excitement already building for that?

Romantasy is currently one of the biggest and most popular genres in all of literature. Excitement is already building around independent bookstore exclusive editions of Maas’ books, potentially signed copies and special events to launch both books. This includes midnight release parties, which we have done for other book releases, including Maas’ third book in the “Crescent City” series. While we haven’t officially announced a midnight release party, it is in the works so we can ensure these books get into readers’ hands as quickly as possible, all while having fun doing it!

Why are romance fiction fans still shopping at your store, as opposed to downloading digital books?

Brick-and-mortar bookstores endure in the digital age for several reasons, but we pride ourselves on being not only a place to buy books, but also a community space. Third spaces are disappearing quickly, and we take that responsibility incredibly seriously, offering multiple author signing events every single week as well as book clubs, craft nights, comedy nights and more. It’s important to have a space where people with like-minded interests can meet, hang out and collectively indulge in their beloved hobbies.

The Ripped Bodice in Culver City is located at 3806 Main St.

(Please note: The Times may earn a commission through links to Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores.)

BBC fan-favourite medical drama Casualty has been off-air for a couple of weeks.

Casualty viewers have been left disappointed once again following a BBC schedule shake-up.

Fans of Casualty may have noticed a change to the BBC schedule tonight, April 4, as the much-loved medical drama has been taken off-air once again.

The series was pulled from the schedule last week, to make way for the The Big Night of Musicals, and fans hoped it would return to screens soon.

However, the drama continues to be absent from the Saturday evening schedule as another big event has taken precedent, leaving viewers disheartened.

In December 2025 it was announced BBC Studios had won the contract to continue to produce the next three seasons of the long-running show.

Yet fans have missed seeing their favourite Holby characters in action for two weeks in a row, and here is all you need to know about why the series will not be airing this week.

Why isn’t Casualty on tonight?

Casualty will not be airing on BBC One tonight as the channel is hosting coverage of The FA Cup for most of the evening.

Match of the Day Live will be on from 5pm until 10.05pm, with two separate games being shown, taking over Casualty’s usual slot.

The quarter-final coverage will see Chelsea and Port Vale go head to head first, followed by Southampton and Arsenal.

Fans will have to wait until Saturday, April 11, before Casualty returns to the BBC One schedule.

Casualty went off air in September 2025 and took a five month hiatus before returning in January this year.

Having first aired in 1986, Casualty is the longest running primetime medical drama in the world.

Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts on the show’s absence, with one saying: “Settled down for Saturday night telly and just realised there is no #Casualty.”

Another fumed: “When the BBC f**** about with Saturday night schedules, why is #Casualty always the first, erm casualty?”

Towards the end of the year, the show will move to a new fictional hospital in Wales, with various Welsh characters set to be introduced.

Casualty returns to BBC One on Saturday, April 11 at 8.30pm

Beyond Paradise fans think Humphrey and Martha will leave Shipton Abbott for good

Beyond Paradise enthusiasts have voiced a devastating theory that Detective Humphrey Goodman (portrayed by Kris Marshall) will depart the Shipton Abbott police force to protect one of his team members.

During the opening episode of series four, Humphrey was informed by his new superior that, due to budget constraints, he must dismiss one of his colleagues.

Yet, while Humphrey has not yet broken the devastating news to the team, viewers believe they’ve already determined who will be departing – and there will be more than one exit on the cards.

One viewer commented on social media, “Could this be his last outing as they are looking to reduce staff? May he goes to save the others?”

Another concurred, “I was thinking the same thing,” while a third speculated, “Could be Humphrey, maybe he and Martha go back to Saint Marie?”, reports the Express.

“I’d love for this to happen,” a fourth enthusiast continued, with another suggesting, “Humphrey leaves to save the station and takes a job in Saint Marie.”

After Friday evening’s second episode, Zoe Williams (Melina Sinadinou) revealed to PC Kelby Hartford (Dylan Llewellyn) her intentions to leave Shipton Abbott and embark on travels to Australia.

Certain viewers also suspect Kelby might ultimately depart to travel alongside Zoe. One fan posted on social media, “Is Kelby going to leave to go travelling with Zoe?”

Another proposed, “Zoe off to Dolphin Cove would be great!!! Kelby in tow even more amazing (as long as he comes back) Poor Esther.”

A third enquired, “Kelby and Zoe off travelling?” Fans were equally quick to spot the nod to Death in Paradise spin-off, Return to Paradise, and were delighted at the possibility of a crossover between the two series.

As Zoe and Kelby crossed paths, Zoe remarked, “Sorry, I was miles away.”

“In Dolphin Cove,” Kelby replied, to which Zoe asked, “Have you been?”

“I wish,” the police officer responded. “It just says there. Sorry, I wasn’t snooping; it caught my eye. It looks like paradise. Are you planning on a holiday?”

“I am thinking about going travelling, seeing a bit of the world,” Zoe replied. “That is what life is about, isn’t it?”

Beyond Paradise is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

CHLOE Madeley and her rugby star ex-husband have proven there’s no bad blood between them these days.

Chloe and James Haskell – who divorced in 2023 after a five-year marriage – took to Instagram to show off some impressive moves, as Chloe used a shirtless James as a human teeterboard.

The former couple – who share daughter Bodhi, three – filmed themselves in a living room, trying to master some one-on-one acrobatics.

Both heavily into fitness, the pair were replicating another social media video of a different couple doing the same routine.

Chloe, 38, was transparent about the potentially eyebrow-raising video, captioning it: “Yea ok it’s a tad unconventional but it’s also top tier content so here we are.”

In the clip, Chloe was seen balancing on James, 41, who showed off his shirtless muscular frame in the process.

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Dressed in comfy sweatpants and a hoodie, Chloe sat on the floor in front of her former spouse, facing away from him, as James held onto her arms.

Chloe then attempted to roll backwards several times without much luck, trying to contain their giggles in the process.

The pair eventually managed to pull off the trick, as Chloe rolled into James, placing her feet onto his bare stomach and launching herself upwards.

James clung onto his ex-wife before she toppled forward in fits of laughter.

The pair shocked fans when they split three years ago, after they welcomed their daughter in 2022.

Chloe – who is the daughter of TV duo Richard and Judy – has opened up about the split, branding it “really unbelievably stressful”.

Their divorce was recently finalised, with Chloe saying: “It’s fine now, but the process has been incredibly emotional and volatile.

“We have weeks where everything’s fine and we get on really well. And then we have weeks where we don’t agree on something or someone gets frustrated or angry, and then we don’t speak.”

James is set to appear on the new series of Celebs Go Dating, and insists he discussed it with Chloe ahead of signing up.

Of the decision, he said in a podcast interview earlier this month: “I loved the experience… I went on Celebs Go Dating not necessarily to find love but to showcase myself in a different light.

“I think Celebs Go Dating was a way of going on there, having fun, meeting someone, and I think being very aware that my daughter will be watching one day so being very respectful of my ex.

“I obviously talked to her about it and yeah, I’ve had five dates, they’ve all been lovely people but one I might date again.”

Following their secret split, a source said: “Chloe and James have been fighting for a long time to make a go of their marriage. 

“Having a young baby, and James being away so often would take a toll on anyone. But some of James’ behaviour was upsetting, and he knows that.

“Things are completely civil between them, and they shall remain friends. Bodhi is their number one priority.”

OLIVIA Attwood has confirmed she’s undergone a cosmetic procedure just weeks after splitting from husband Bradley and her new budding Pete Wicks romance.

The reality star and documentary maker posted a series of serene photos to her Instagram page, showcasing her latest cosmetic treatment.

The former Love Islander looked fresh-faced in the pics, showcasing a glowing complexion and a plump smile – as a result of having new lip fillers.

“I had some lip filler for the first time in 2 years and I can’t stop pouting,” she wrote alongside the snaps.

Olivia has faced a tricky couple of months, revealing the end of her marriage to footballer husband Bradley Dack.

As well as the scandal surrounding her ex’s fidelity, Olivia, 34, saw her marriage exposed as a sham and swirling rumours that she is now dating long-time pal Pete Wicks.

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Yet her carousel of photos showed fans that she’s still thriving, not letting the whisperings get her down.

The star was indeed seen pouting across the array of images as she stepped out in different outfits attending various events.

In some, she was seen sporting a bottle green fur jacket over checked black slacks.

Others saw her in a limo and at a party with pals, donning a plain black sweater and skinny stonewash jeans.

She snapped further images in a chocolate mini-skirt and matching blazer, a tie around her neck, blonde mane swept back in a tight, conservative ponytail.

Other images showed pet dogs, shopping trips, a pair of new high heels and behind-the-scenes snaps on set.

In a final image, Olivia was filmed stood in a lift, pouting again for the camera, showcasing her style in a black leather cropped jacket, matching shorts and knee-high boots.

Fans were pleased to see Olivia enjoying herself amid the various scandals circling her in recent times.

“Dump the boy get the filler… the only way is up baby girl,” one commented under the snaps.

Another penned: “Love to see you smiling and laughing!”

The post also appeared to confirm that Olivia has custody of the dogs she shared with Bradley, with many fans picking up on this in the comments.

“Great substitute for a man, dogs are life savers and your girls are beautiful,” one penned.

Another wrote: “My main concern has been he better not take the dogs from Liv!”

Olivia admitted this week that she is finally feeling good about herself again amid the drama, and that she’s dating again, after being seen kissing Pete Wicks.

Opening up about the recent scandals, the ITV star admitted she “covered up” much of what was going on in her marriage and even arranged therapy for her footballer ex.

In a statement posted on Instagram, Olivia said: “I have stood by Brad for the last ten years during which he lied & cheated on me multiple times. The breakdown of our relationship is because of this.

“I of course now feel like a f***ing idiot (Especially as more things come to the surface).”

This was the first time she had publicly addressed why her marriage was over, but has also suffered backlash amid a fakery row involving her TV wedding.

The Sun revealed ITV‘s “golden girl” Olivia was never legally married, yet she has insisted that she is “not pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes”.

Meanwhile, a pal of Pete and Olivia recently confirmed: “They have been spending a lot of time together and an unexpected romance has blossomed from friendship.”

STEPS singer Lee Latchford-Evans has confirmed his wife has given birth to their second child.

The couple first revealed they were expecting another baby on Christmas Day last year but Lee has now confirmed their bundle of joy is here.

Taking to Instagram, Lee, 51, tagged his wife, Kerry Lucy, as he shared a snap of himself walking out of the hospital and carrying the newborn in a baby travel seat.

Lee captioned the snap: “Here we go again!”

He added both a blue and purple love heart as to keep his fans guessing over the gender of the newborn.

Kerry later re-shared the post to her own Instagram story.

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The couple were immediately met with well-wishes from fans as one penned: “Oh this is wonderful news!! Congratulations!! X.”

With another writing: “Congratulations on your baby news.”

Lee’s Steps bandmate, Faye Tozer, also commented to say: “Bursting with joy for you all! Can’t wait to meet little one.”

It is the second baby for married couple Lee and Kerry.

Lee and Kerry-Lucy welcomed their first son Leo in July 2021.

The couple, who have been together since 2007, had previously suffered a devastating miscarriage.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Lee opened up on how he and Kerry went through a period of time where they felt “resentment” towards their friends who were expecting or already had babies.

“We’ve wanted a baby for so long. We did start thinking, “Why isn’t this working for us? What’s wrong with us?”

“You doubt each other slightly, but luckily we have a very strong relationship.

“We went through a time where all of our friends were pregnant and people were always walking past us with prams and I guess we hated that and had a bit of resentment towards them, which I know we shouldn’t have.

“It was difficult and frustrating.”

COLEEN Rooney made sure to celebrate her 40th birthday with a star-studded party at her family home.

The famous wife of Wayne Rooney hosted a knees up with her nearest and dearest for her milestone birthday, which took place in a white marquee at the family’s £20m mansion.

The celebrations are set to span over the Easter weekend with a host of famous faces attending.

Coleen was seen partying the night away in a floor-length purple dress with fishtail detail at the bottom.

There were large bouquets of flowers and hundreds of pink balloons in an arch at the entrance to a marquee which had been specially erected for the bash.

Ensuring no expense was spared, Coleen let her hair down for the big bash.

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It featured a glittering A-list guest list with one attendee arriving via helicopter which touched down on the grounds of Coleen and Wayne’s home.

Among the arrivals was Irish footballer Darron Gibson as well as singer Dermot Kennedy.

The WAGs were all out in force with Peter Crouch’s model wife Abbey Clancy and Kyle Walker’s wife Annie Kilner both in attendance at the luxe Cheshire bash.

Kaya Hall was also spotted pulling up to the house alongside her partner, footballer, Phil Jones.

Real Housewives star Tanya Bardsley is also thought to have headed to the party as she showed off her getting ready process before the bash.

Wayne is believed to have pulled out all the stops in order to ensure Coleen had a special day and even booked A-list entertainment for the evening – with speculation rife that Westlife sang for the guests.

An insider told the Mirror of Coleen’s big day:  “Coleen parties like a good northern lass.

“She’s a very normal girl at the end of the day – she just likes a good time and having fun. It will be epic.”

Earlier in the day, preparations were in full swing, as an outdoor seating area with additional toilets were seen on the front lawn of the sprawling family home.

Workmen were spotted last weekend erecting the large structure at the ­couple’s £20million Cheshire mansion, with more workmen seen working on the marquee and additional structures today.

With the sun shining over the lavish pad, workers were seen unloading a lorry.

They were likely adding finishing touches to the outdoor structures and making sure everything was ready for tonight’s bash.

Some of the celebrations will take place now, and some later on in the year.

Mum-of-four Coleen previously confirmed that more than one event is planned to toast turning 40.

The I’m a Celebrity star told OK! magazine: “I’m looking forward to it.

“I love a birthday and a celebration.

“I have decided to enjoy a couple of different celebrations with family and friends over the year and with my birthday falling over Easter weekend, some friends are away — so any opportunity to extend the celebrations.”

On the morning of Good Friday, which happens to be Coleen’s actual birthday, her husband Wayne paid tribute in a sweet way.

Wayne took to social media to mark the milestone with a series of sweet throwback snaps and gushing caption.

Wayne penned: “Happy 40th Birthday to the best wife and mum we could wish for.

“We can’t wait to celebrate with you and love you all the world.”

The photos were of Coleen and Wayne over the years, looking smitten and all loved up.

Some snaps were from sun-soaked holidays and festivals, others of them at Wimbledon, and additional photos of the couple with their four sons.

Fans flocked to the comment section to wish Coleen a happy birthday, with some mentioning the sweet array of snaps.

“Happy 40th Birthday Coleen enjoy celebrating,” penned one.

“Happy birthday to the original wag. You are an inspiration,” added another.

Celebrities also flocked to the comments to wish Coleen a happy birthday.

“Happy 40th Birthday Coleen,” Andy Whyment from Coronation Street penned.

Tony Bellew added: “Happy birthday girl.”

Musician Jamie Webster wrote: “Happy Birthday @coleen_rooney x.”

Our Yorkshire Farm star Reuben Owen returns to Channel 5 this weekend.

Reuben Owen has been gushing over his girlfriend on social media.

Fans of Our Yorkshire Farm can tune in this weekend to watch Amanda Owen‘s son Reuben in a repeat episode of his documentary series, Reuben: Life in the Dales. The show chronicles young Reuben Owen’s journey as he works to expand his heavy plant machinery enterprise alongside his closest mates, Tommy and Sarah, in the picturesque Yorkshire Dales.

Tonight’s episode on Channel 5 (April 4) takes viewers back to the beginning of Reuben’s second year in business, just after he’d secured a contract to breathe new life into a disused fishing pond at an impressive country estate in County Durham.

His venture has flourished remarkably, and devoted viewers are eager to discover more about the rising star’s life beyond what cameras capture. Here’s the lowdown on Reuben, covering everything from his age to his romantic history.

Reuben Owen’s age

As the second-eldest among the Owen children, Reuben follows his older sister Raven. Born in November 2003, he’s presently 22 years old and will mark his 23rd birthday later this year. His siblings include Raven, 24, Miles, 18, Edith, 15, Violet, 15, Sid, 14, Annas, 12, Clemmie, 10 and Nancy, nine.

Remarkably young to be helming such an operation, the television personality runs Reuben Owen Ltd, a thriving five-star business that tackles various projects from muck shifting to drainage and landscaping work. Through the company’s Facebook page, he regularly posts updates about his daily activities and ventures.

His latest update revealed: “Some pictures of the team putting in a new water supply last week, 900m of pipe in one day over some very boggy ground.” Thousands of followers responded to the update, with numerous people commending him for his outstanding efforts.

Who is Reuben Owen’s girlfriend?

Reuben is in a relationship with Jessica Ellwood, whom he met at a Young Farmers’ convention in 2024. Jessica helps run her parents’ Brough Castle farm, which houses 400 sheep, 80 milk cows, three horses, 200 cattle, two cats and three dogs.

The duo made their relationship official in November 2024, with Reuben previously hinting that wedding bells might be approaching. In February 2026, they celebrated Valentine’s Day with a romantic escape, and Reuben shared several charming photographs from their trip on Instagram.

He posted: “A romantic weekend away with my love @jessica.ellwood1 for valentines day #loveyousomuch #mylove.” Reuben is plainly smitten with Jess, declaring in another update: “My darling @jessica.ellwood1 love working with you #lovemygirlfriend.”

Jess, who maintains her own Instagram presence, displays similar enthusiasm when posting pictures with her partner. The couple recently embarked on a hot air balloon adventure, with Jess posting: “What an amazing experience flying over your home in a hot air balloon.”

The farmer had previously been in a relationship with Sarah Dow, though Reuben confirmed she had pursued her “own way” after Life in the Dales wrapped up. The pair, who were childhood sweethearts introduced through a mutual acquaintance, called time on their romance in May 2024.

During an appearance on Lorraine Kelly’s programme, he explained: “Me and Sarah were together, we’re no longer together but we’re still very good friends. She’s kind of gone her own way and is pursuing her own career.”

Reuben: Life in the Dales airs on Channel 5 on Saturday, April 4 at 5.45pm

A CLASSIC British rock band’s touring plans have been put on hold until one member gets a bill of clean health.

The band YES was due to embark on an 11-date European tour this month, launching in Glasgow on April 22nd – but the group’s guitarist Steve Howe has to undergo essential surgery, forcing the band to announce a change in plans.

YES was set to play their much-loved 1971 album Fragile in full, after the success of their North American tour in 2025.

But taking to Instagram, the group have issued a statement explaining the need to postpone.

“The upcoming YES ‘Fragile’ UK and EU Tour has had to be postponed as guitarist Steve Howe requires an essential operation that requires recovery time,” read the statement on social media.

“This decision has been made to ensure that Steve can return to the stage in full health and deliver the performances that fans deserve.

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“We are working hard to reschedule the UK and EU shows to a later date, with full details to be announced after Easter.

“Steve Howe and YES would like to thank their UK fans and hope for their continued support at this time.”

The post explained that tickets would be valid for the rescheduled dates and that the concerts would take place later in 2026.

Fans took to the comments underneath the post to express concern for Steve, wishing him well.

One wrote: “The most important thing is Steve’s health… wishing a full and speedy recovery to one of rock’s greats!”

YES released Fragile as their fourth album – and it’s widely considered their best among fans and critics alike.

The group formed in 1969, but Steve didn’t join until a year later, replacing original guitarist Peter Banks.

The group gained considerable recognition with their third and fourth albums – The Yes Album and Fragile – which were both released in 1971.

The latter included famed single Roundabout.

Over the decades, 20 different members have been part of YES, including founding members Jon Anderson, Chris Squire, Bill Bruford and Tony Kaye.

Steve is the only remaining member of his era, now joined by lead singer Jon Davison, drummer Jay Schellan, keyboard player Geoff Downes, and Billy Sherwood on bass.

In 2017, the group had to cut another tour short due to personal circumstances when Steve’s 41-year-old son tragically died from a heart attack.

YES are considered the pioneers of progressive rock by many music fans, known also for their impressive live performances, and are members of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

The band originally split in 1980, with some members attempting to launch spin-off groups, which mostly failed to take off.

One of these groups ended up comprising mostly of ex-YES members, and in 1983 the band was re-launched.

More incarnations of the group followed, with Steve eventually leaving in the early 1990s, returning later that decade, before the group split again in the early 2000s.

They reformed again in 2009 and have recorded new material and toured on-and-off ever since, marking their 50th anniversary in the process.

In 2024, former keyboardist Rick Wakeman left the group, saying he felt it was “time to call it a day”.

Steve and the other current line-up have continued with the group without Rick over the past two years.