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Rivals’ Rupert Campbell-Black star may be a literary sex god but his wife gave a blunt response to his nude scenes.

Rivals actor Alex Hassell met his wife at drama school and she warned him to be wary.

Rivals fans are on the edge of their seats awaiting the arrival of season two on Disney+, starring Alex Hassell as the entitled millionaire Tory MP Rupert Campbell-Black.

The new outing will continue to follow the rivalry between Campbell-Black and Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant), while treating viewers to more tantalising romps.

Essex-born actor Hassell’s character may spend a lot of time in the nude, but the star’s famous wife once warned him about avoiding nude scenes.

The 45-year-old star previously told inews that his wife said to him him he’d better stop “before I get a name for myself”, going on to say he’s “not particularly body shy”.

Here is all you need to know about the star’s famous wife and how they met.

Who is Alex Hassell’s wife?

Hassell, from Southend, is married to actress Emma King and the pair tied the knot in January 2011.

King has previously taken on guest roles in Netflix’s Cowboy Bebop, The Vanishing and The Cry, and she often appears alongside her husband at red carpet events.

The pair met at drama school but didn’t get together until years later, after King went to see one of Hassell’s shows by his theatre group, Factory.

He explained to Square Mile: “She came to see a Factory show and we both asked for each other’s number off the same person.”

They have since worked together on multiple occasions, including at RSC productions and on an episode of Cowboy Bebop.

The publication went on to say his wife is “thrilled about Rivals”, which has become an international hit.

Hassell and King had a rather private wedding in front of friends and family, both preferring to keep their relationship out of the spotlight.

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However, King has previously shared plenty of photos of the pair on her Instagram account and she wrote a sweet tribute to her husband on their tenth wedding anniversary.

Next to a collection of snaps from their big day, she said: “Happy anniversary @alexanderhassell I never knew it was possible to feel this loved or to love this much.

“I don’t always know what I’m doing but I know I couldn’t do it without you.”

Rivals season 2 airs on Disney+ from May 15.

ASHLEY Roberts has stripped down to a tiny leather corset and red bra as she shook her bum while recreating iconic Pussycat Dolls moves.

The Heart Radio host, 44, turned up the heat as she tried on one of her racy outfits that she performed in back in the day.

Her waist cinched into the zipped up black corset which she paired with a sparkly red bra and the tiniest short shorts.

She turned around to reveal a bow and a piece of material on the back as she shook her bum in the air like she just didn’t care.

Shocked by the outfits they used to wear, she expressed: “No tights?,” before scrunching up her face and saying: “I don’t know about this one.”

Ashley then tried on a black top with straps which was paired with a high-waist ruffled grey skirt.

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Clearly getting into the groove, she began dancing and singing to the group’s hit song ‘Don’t Cha’.

The I’m A Celebrity star showed off yet another look, as she posed in a long-sleeved red Adidas top which cut off at her midriff and went with some matching red shorts.

She captioned the post: “Dolls, you asked for it, had a lil @pussycatdolls archive to try on.”

Her fans rushed to the comments section as one gushed: “The Doll Domination tartan looks were THE moment.”

Another follower enthused: “The second outfit is everything!”

Somebody else said: “You are so beautiful woman,” and a fourth added: “So iconic Ash.”

In March, she announced the Pussycat Dolls were returning as a trio with Nicole Scherzinger and Kimberley Wyatt.

They revealed their comeback with their new single, Club Song and will also be embarking on a world tour this year.

They were due to begin the tour with 33 dates across US and Canada, starting in Palm Beach, California on June 5 but this will no longer be happening.

They struggled to sell tickets despite slashing prices to $30, and several dates still had as much as 80 percent of the seats available.

Rehearsals were due to start last month but were delayed and had not formally started before the plug was pulled.

However, they will go ahead with the European leg of the PCD Forever tour, which is due to begin in Copenhagen on September 9.

It will see the group perform arena concerts in Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Dublin, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester and London.

Insiders insisted their ticket sales have been far better in Europe than in North America, with shows in Warsaw and Paris already sold out.

Disney+’s Rivals is back for a second series, with a string of new faces joining the cast of the hit British comedy-drama

Rutshire is set to welcome fresh faces for Rivals season two, with some recognisable stars joining the fray.

Disney+ is set to launch the second instalment of its hugely successful British comedy drama Rivals tomorrow (Friday, May 15), reports Somerset Live.

The streaming service will release the opening three episodes simultaneously, plunging viewers back into the flamboyant realm of 1980s regional television, complete with its big hair and eye-watering fashion choices.

Disney+ has teased the upcoming series with this synopsis: “In the second season, the battle for the Central South West television franchise reaches fever pitch as the war between Corinium and Venturer enters a dangerous new phase.

“More ruthless than ever, Tony Baddingham is determined to dismantle his rivals piece-by-piece, weaponising scandal and manipulating those closest to him to maintain his grip on power.”

“Amidst the hedonistic glamour of 80s excess, the personal lives of our Rutshire heroes spiral into chaos. Marriages fracture under the weight of ambition, illicit affairs threaten to shatter families, and long-buried secrets ignite with explosive consequences.

“As rivalries push everyone to the brink, loyalties are tested and hearts are broken in the pursuit of victory. But what is the true cost of war?”

Alongside the new plot developments, several fresh performers are entering the mix. Here’s your guide to the latest additions and their previous work.

Who is in the cast of Rivals season 2?

Helen Gordon – Hayley Atwell

English-American star Hayley Atwell portrays Rupert Campbell-Black’s (Alex Hassell) former wife and mother to his two children.

Atwell has made her mark playing Peggy Carter in Marvel’s Agent Carter series and various Marvel blockbusters, alongside appearances in the Mission: Impossible franchise with Tom Cruise and Netflix’s Heartstopper.

Malise Gordon – Rupert Everett

Acclaimed actor Rupert Everett takes on the part of Helen’s new husband Malise Gordon, who previously served as Campbell-Black’s show-jumping coach and mentor.

Everett boasts an extensive career dating back to the 1980s, with memorable performances in My Best Friend’s Wedding alongside Julia Roberts, An Ideal Husband, Napoleon, My Policeman, and The Serpent Queen.

Sebbie Carlisle – Maxim Ays

Emerging talent Maxim Ays brings Sebbie Carlisle to life in the latest series, having previously appeared in The Larkins, Sanditon, Boarders and Still So Awkward.

His television credits also include Doctor Who, Grantchester and Truth and Treason.

Dommie Carlisle – Bobby Lockwood

Completing the fresh additions is Bobby Lockwood as Dommie Carlisle, with the actor’s previous work including Wolfblood, Here We Go, Casualty, The Tower and Tell Me Everything.

He’s also shared screen time with Rivals colleague Emily Atack on The Emily Atack Show, while making brief appearances in The Diplomat, Grantchester, ITV’s Grace, and Dunkirk.

Rivals season 2 returning cast in full The second series of Rivals will welcome back its expansive ensemble, with Good Omens’ David Tennant reprising his role as the scheming Lord Tony Baddingham, His Dark Materials’ Alex Hassell as former Olympian-turned-Tory MP Rupert Campbell-Black, and Poldark’s Aidan Turner as ex-BBC journalist Declan O’Hara.

Bloodlands’ Victoria Smurfit will return as Declan’s actress wife Maud O’Hara, joined by Black Lightning’s Nafessa Williams as TV executive Cameron Cook, and The IT Crowd’s Katherine Parkinson as Rutshire’s romance novelist Lizzie Vereker.

Additional cast members include Sex Education’s Bella Maclean as Taggie O’Hara, EastEnders legend Danny Dyer as Freddie Jones, Sherwood’s Claire Rushbrook as Lady Monica Baddingham, The Crown’s Oliver Chris as James Vereker, ITV’s Maternal’s Lisa McGrillis as Valerie Jones, The Inbetweeners’ Emily Atack as Sarah Stratton, and W1A’s Rufus Jones as her husband Paul Stratton.

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Completing the impressive roster are The Musketeers’ Luca Pasqualino as Basil ‘Bas’ Baddingham, Wild Cherry’s Catriona Chandler as Caitlin O’Hara, The Split’s Annabel Scholey as Beattie Johnson, Outlander’s Gary Lamont as Charles Fairburn, Wolf Hall’s Hubert Burton as Gerald Middleton, The Winter King’s Gabriel Tierney as Patrick O’Hara, How To Have Sex’s Lara Peake as Daysee Butler, and Call The Midwife’s Bryony Hannah as Dierdre Kilpatrick.

Rivals season 2 launches on Disney+ tomorrow and airs weekly on Fridays

A 90s heartthrob looked worlds away from his West End heyday as he was snapped in Essex this weekend.

Donning a leather jacket over an all-black ensemble, the star, 57, added a heavy chain around his neck during a shopping trip, but would you recognise him?

It’s Darren Day behind the brand new look, with the singer and actor snapped visiting a jewellery store near his home.

The star is best known for his bright blonde locks and clean-shaven look, but is now sporting a beard and moustache.

He was spotted enjoying an energy drink during the solo outing whilst popping into several shops, holding a tote bag and small cactus.

It comes after Darren became a grandfather earlier this year, with his 21-year-old son Corey welcoming his first child, a son named Colton, with girlfriend Erin Mitchell.

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Darren shares Corey with former Hear’Say singer Suzanne Shaw, whom he split from in 2005 following a whirlwind romance.

Suzanne and Darren had a short-lived romance in the early noughties, with the latter leaving soap star Suzanne when Corey was just seven weeks old.

Darren began a romance with Suzanne in 2003, while he was still engaged to fellow actress Adele Vellacot.

He then split from Adele and began a relationship with Suzanne, with the pair staying together for 18 months and even getting engaged.

But in 2005, on Mother’s Day, Darren famously walked out on Suzanne and Corey.

They became grandparents for the first time in March following Colton’s birth, and shared snaps together from hospital to show they were friendly exes – despite the historic drama.

Darren has had a famously tumultuous love life which has included six engagements – with the actor hailed as one of showbiz’s most notorious womanisers.

However, he has been with other half Sophie Ladds since 2017, getting engaged back in 2020.

Darren is also still performing on stage and recently appeared in a pantomime production of Mother Goose for Easter.

EUROVISION fans have picked their first ten finalists after the 70th edition of the iconic song contest kicked off in Vienna.

The BBC aired the first semi-final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest at 8pm on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.

Austria is hosting the world’s biggest music competition for the third time after JJ stormed to victory in Basel last year with Wasted Love.

Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski are hosting the show, with Emily Busvine looking after the Green Room.

Rylan and Angela Scanlon are providing commentary from the Wiener Stadthalle.

What happened in the first Eurovision semi-final?

A total of 15 countries competed for 10 Grand Final spots on Tuesday night.

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Pre-qualified Italy and Germany were slotted in after the sixth and 10th songs respectively.

Both nations were performing and voting, but not competing for a place in the final.

After all acts had performed, it was down to Eurovision fans to vote for who they want to see in Saturday’s final.

Just ten countries were picked and they were:

• Moldova – Satoshi, Viva, Moldova!
• Sweden – Felicia, My System
• Croatia – Lelek, Andromeda
• Greece – Akylas, Ferto
• Finland – Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen, Liekinheitin
• Israel – Noam Bettan, Michelle
• Belgium – Essyla, Dancing on the Ice
• Lithuania – Lion Ceccah, Sólo quiero más
• Poland – Alicja, Pray
• Serbia – Lavina, Kraj mene

Viewers in the UK were not able to vote during the first semi-final, but things are going to change tonight.

What is the Eurovision semi-final 2 running order?

The second Eurovision semi-final follows at 8pm on Thursday, May 14, live on BBC One and iPlayer.

Another 15 countries will battle it out for the remaining 10 places.

Pre-qualified France, Austria and the UK will slot in after the fifth, eighth and 12th songs respectively.

These countries are performing and voting, but not competing for a place in the final.

The order for the second semi is as follows:

• Bulgaria – Dara, Bangaranga
• Azerbaijan – JIVA, Just Go
• Romania – Alexandra Căpitănescu, Choke Me
• Luxembourg – Eva Marija, Mother Nature
• Czechia – Daniel Žižka, Crossroads
• France (non-competing) – Monroe, Regarde !
• Armenia – Simón, Paloma Rumba
• Switzerland – Veronica Fusaro, Alice
• Cyprus – Antigoni, Jalla
• Austria (non-competing) – Cosmó, Tanzschein
• Latvia – Atvara, Ēnā
• Denmark – Søren Torpegaard Lund, Før vi går hjem
• Australia – Delta Goodrem, Eclipse
• Ukraine – Leléka, Ridnym
• United Kingdom (non-competing) – Look Mum No Computer, Eins, Zwei, Drei
• Albania – Alis, Nân
• Malta – Aidan, Bella
• Norway – Jonas Lovv, Ya Ya Ya

This is the show where UK fans can pick up the phone and vote.

When is the Eurovision Grand Final?

The Eurovision 2026 Grand Final takes place on Saturday, May 16, with the show getting underway at 8pm on BBC One, iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.

A whopping 25 acts will perform – the top 10 countries from each semi-final, alongside hosts Austria and the Big Four of Germany, France, Italy and the UK.

The full Grand Final running order won’t be locked in until after the second semi-final.

A draw will decide if each of the qualifying nations is slotted into the first or second half of the show.

Another draw has already determined that Austria are the closing act, meaning the host country is set to be the 25th and final performance of the night.

Graham Norton is back behind the mic for the BBC’s live coverage, with former Drag Race winner Tia Kofi heading up the broadcaster’s backstage and digital coverage.

A World War II veteran who just turned 105 shared his secret as he appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain

A World War II veteran who just turned 105 shared his secret as he appeared on Good Morning Britain.

Flight Lieutenant Colin Bell, the last surviving World War II Mosquito bomber pilot, was on the ITV show on Thursday (May 14) and viewers were “amazed” at how youthful he looked.

Hosts Kate Garraway and Richard Madeley quizzed him about his secret, and Colin shared that being “lucky” had a role as he paid tribute to his late wife of 73 years. He also told the presenters that he avoids negative people “like the plague”.

Colin was talking about a recent return to the skies and writing his bestselling book, Bloody Dangerous, when Richard said: “Colin, I, I just don’t know how you manage to be so trim and fit and so strong.” “You’ve got you’ve got a quick secret of 105, haven’t you, of how you managed to be so fabulous?” Kate added.

“Well, I’m not fabulous,” the former pilot replied. “But I’m very lucky. And that plays a very large part in one’s life. I’ve been very lucky all the time. I was lucky to be married to the best woman in the world for 73 years.

“And unfortunately, I lost her eight years ago. But, you know, you just have to get on with life, don’t you?”

Richard suggested that after every mission he flew, Colin’s chances of coming back safely from the next one went down.

But the centenarian said: “No, I disagree with you. It’s like flipping a coin. You stand the same chance when you flip a coin as it is when you’re coming back from an operation. The chances of survival are exactly the same for every trip that you go out, except that you’re most vulnerable in your early stages when you haven’t got experience.

“Because without experience see, until you’ve actually been out and experienced being shot at… nobody can tell you what it’s like. But when you’ve experienced it and you know how, then you become less vulnerable.”

After Kate commented on his “positive” view, Colin replied: “Well, you would need to be positive. I like positive people, and I avoid negative people like the plague.

“Let’s put it this way. It was a job that had to be done. I think I lacked quite a lot of imagination, which was in my favour. I think I was pretty thick. But I got on with it because, as I said, it was a job that had to be done.”

Viewers watching at home were impressed by Colin’s story and youthful appearance, with several posting messages on X.

“105!? Woah, Amazing…! What a man,” one said on the platform, which was formerly Twitter. “105, good for him,” said another.

One wrote: “Colin Bell, where’s his knighthood!!! 105 still going strong and he’s amazing, totally on the ball still. Thank you for your service Sir.”

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

The BBC has confirmed that a comedy that had viewers ‘howling’ will be back for a third series

A BBC comedy that had viewers “howling” with laughter is set to return.

Mammoth, which is about about a PE teacher from the 1970s getting a second chance at life, started in 2024 before returning for a series two. And now the broadcaster has confirmed that it will be back for a third run, with filming due to start in Wales this year.

Starring Death Valley‘s Mike Bubbins as Tony Mammoth and Car Share ‘s Sian Gibson as his daughter, the series followed the teacher when his body was discovered frozen in time, after he was thought to have died in an avalanche during a school trip in 1979. He then attempts to rebuild his life in a world that has completely changed.

The BBC said the next series, which will be comprised of five episodes, will see Tony still trying to fiund his place in society “but due to his thin skin and inability to keep his thoughts to himself, he often puts his big retro shoes in it, on all fronts”.

“I can’t wait for people to see the next adventures in the life of Tony Mammoth,” said Mike. “He’s back funnier, bolder, and dafter than ever.

“When I first came up with the idea, I didn’t dream that in a few years it would be back for a third series.

“It’s once again been a lot of hard work for me, Paul Doolan and Luke Mason (co-writers), although when the three of us spend our days in a room together laughing, I’m reminded that it’s not exactly the same sort of hard work that my grandad did toiling away as coal miner for 50 years.

“Although, in fairness, we have both never won a BAFTA. So make sure you watch the new series, and don’t forget… Mammoth is the word!”

Josh Cole, CCO of BBC Studios fiction and comedy, says: “We’re delighted to be delving deeper into Mammoth without leaning too far into the traumatic decades he spent frozen alive in the ice.

“We’re so proud of this show: a big, bold, laugh out loud creation from a unique voice.”

The BBC’s director of comedy Jon Petrie said the series was “warm, daft, joyful and full of heart”, adding: “Audiences have really taken Tony Mammoth and his ridiculous misadventures to their hearts too, and we’re very proud to keep backing such brilliant original comedy from Wales.”

Mammoth has been popular with viewers since it began two years ago, with one person on Imdb calling it “a cracking comedy” and a Reddit user saying it was “one of the best recent comedies”.

“I was f****** howling,” said someone else, as one critic called it “an absolute gem of a comedy”.

Mammoth will return for a third series on BBC iPlayer, BBC Two and BBC One Wales.

Look Mum No Computer will perform in the semi-final on Thursday night, but has already got a place in Saturday’s live grand final

She was parachuted in to take on the role vacated by Scott Mills – now new Eurovision Song Contest presenter Angela Scanlon is backing the UK to do well on Saturday.

The bookies have so far placed our act Look Mum No Computer way down in 18th place, with odds of 250-1 to triumph.

But everything could change after viewers get to see the full staging in Thursday’s semi-final, including some “risky moves” by performer Sam Battle, whose song is a fusion of synths and electronic-bass.

At one point he is rumoured to be standing on a table being carried by a team of four dancers. “There’s something really exciting about an act that feels completely original – and that’s what he brings in spades,” Angela told the Mirror. “Eins, Zwei, Drei has personality, energy, and that slightly unpredictable edge that Eurovision audiences love. If the performance lands the way it promises to, I think it could really connect. And ultimately, that’s what it’s all about – creating a moment people remember.”

The Your Home Made Perfect presenter, 42, is thrilled to be hosting the two semi-finals on BBC1 alongside Rylan Clark this year, describing the event as “the world’s biggest music festival, talent show, and theatrical spectacular all rolled into one.” But she admitted that the complicated voting system, which incorporates votes from national juries as well as viewers at home all over the world, would again “test your emotional resilience”.

One source who has seen the UK’s rehearsal said: “Sam could surprise everyone with his staging. He’s very cool and there are some risky elements with him dancing on top of things. It’s precarious and a bit dangerous.”

On Thursday Look Mum No Computer will take part in the second semi – even though the UK’s place in Saturday’s final is guaranteed. Others performing on the night include former Neighbours star and judge of The Voice Delta Goodrem, for Australia, and ex-Love Islander Antigoni Buxton, who is singing for Cyprus.

Other countries vying to get through the second semi-final include Ukraine, Bulgaria and Denmark.

Rylan, who has been part of the BBC’s Eurovision coverage since 2018, when he took over from Mel Giedroyc, said he loved getting into the commentary box and meeting up with international friends old and new. “There are commentary teams from all over Europe and in that week, you all get to know each other pretty well,” he explained. “After doing it for so long, the commentary box level is one big party, and I love seeing my fellow commentators from other countries.”

Rylan was said to have been “devastated” when Mills lost his job at the BBC in March, because they had become close friends outside of work. Mills was sacked from the BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show over personal misconduct relating to “serious sexual offences against a teenage boy”. A police probe which ended in 2019 found insufficient evidence to bring charges.

But he was also informed that he will not work for the BBC again.

Despite this Rylan, 37, has vowed to enjoy himself while in Austria for the ESC. “This year we’re heading to Vienna to have some fun.,” he insisted. “Is there anything that’s not been done? We’ve had butter churning, singing in the rain, and even Bonnie Tyler singing on a mechanical lift. It’s unique. And that’s what Eurovision is all about – the unexpected.”

The current favourite to triumph on Saturday is Finland, with Greece, Denmark, France and Australia also looking strong.

The UK has not won for 29 years, but came close in 2022 when Sam Ryder finished in second place with Space Man, drawing 466 points. Last year’s UK entry Remember Monday came 19 ^th with 88 points and the previous year Olly Alexander finished 18th with 46 points.

– Eurovision Song Contest, BBC1, Thursday 8pm and Saturday 8pm

—

HOLLYWOOD star Demi Moore showcases her chic side at the Cannes Film Festival.

The US actress, 63, wore a strapless, violet gown for a screening of French romantic comedy La Vie D’Une Femme.

She was joined on the red carpet by stars including Gillian Anderson and Ruth Negga.

Demi was last at Cannes in 2024, promoting her film The Substance, which won her a Golden Globe for Best Actress.

Just months ago, Demi capped off a stellar career comeback by being named Glamour’s Woman of the Year.

She was interviewed by her Substance co-star Margaret Qualley for the mag and said: “With everything I’ve been through, which has been a lot, I wouldn’t trade where I am today.”

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She added a difference with her younger self is the “freedom to know I don’t have to have the answer, and life is not going to be completely stolen from me if I somehow don’t know”.

During Demi’s emotional Golden Globes acceptance speech last year, she spoke of having been at a “low point” and not thinking she was “enough”.

The actress has battled countless traumas and rejections during her life – including her biological dad leaving before she was born, saving her drug addicted mum from suicide, two spells in rehab and being raped aged 15. 

The star of Ghost, Indecent Proposal and A Few Good Men’s return to form in the satirical horror movie The Substance is one of the greatest Hollywood comebacks of all time.

Considering the amount of comedy that was dropped on L.A. last week for the third Netflix is a Joke Festival, the idea that anyone can see it all is laughable. Yet of course, like fools, once again we tried. Between big outdoor shows, theaters and intimate club gigs, the seven day smorgasboard of stand-up, improv, variety shows, marathons and more was a wild ride we won’t soon forget. Here is our list of the funniest shows we saw at Netflix is a Joke 2026.

Monday, May 4

Ron White, from left, Jim Jefferies, Sam Jay, Shane Gillis, James McCann and Dan Soder at the Hollywood Bowl.

(Adam Rose / Netflix)

Shane Gillis and Friends
Hollywood Bowl
As a sea of comedy fans filled up the Hollywood Bowl to kick off the first outdoor event at Netflix is a Joke, Shane Gillis brought the energy of a season-opening football game to L.A.’s biggest bandshell. Commanding a solid roster of veteran comics including James McCann, Sam Jay, Ron White, Dan Soder, and Jim Jeffries, Gillis took on the role of a grizzled and playfully perverse football coach hosting the night and telling funny stories about his days as a very average high school football player on crappy all-white teams before he blew up in comedy.

“Whoever the home team was in high school football you got to pick the intro song that you would run onto the field to to get hyped. So when me and the white guys were the home team, our music would be like ‘Cut my life into pieces…’ [singing Papa Roach’s “Last Resort”] something scary, something suicidal. That’s as intimidating as white dudes get…sad. Those are the most dangerous whites. If this game doesn’t go well I might shoot this whole thing up on Monday,” Gillis joked.

Fortunately it did go pretty well throughout the night as Gillis brought up each comic that used their different styles to score plenty of laughs throughout the night. (Nate Jackson)

Mike Ward
Dynasty Typewriter

Comedy transcends lines and borders, so when we heard that comedian Mike Ward hopped his own border in Canada to be at Dynasty Typewriter, we were all in. Rachel Bonnetta opened the show with a mix of playful confidence and high-energy hilarity, perfectly warming up the crowd before introducing the main attraction to fans. Record breaker and a master of storytelling in French, he didn’t disappoint with his all-English crossover, covering everything from his legendary Supreme Court of Canada case to teenage lust, dating after marriage, attempting generosity, and “trunk love.” Ward mentioned jokes translating from French to English and how they’d hit, but he was definitely in his element, and it all translated to perfect laughs. (Ali Lerman)

Tuesday, May 5

Theo Von and Mike Tyson record a live podcast at the Wiltern.

(Matthew Salacuse/Netflix )

Theo Von: ‘This Past Weekend’ Live- Guest: Mike Tyson- The Wiltern

Stand-up might own the Netflix Is a Joke Festival, but the podcasts they delivered are absolutely worth talking about. For Theo Von’s first-ever live taping of his hit podcast “This Past Weekend,” he landed the ultimate guest: Iron Mike Tyson. The sold-out crowd at the Wiltern erupted the second Von hit the stage, but that was nothing compared to the deafening roar of screams and “We love you, Mike!” when Tyson walked out.

Tyson admitted he wasn’t familiar with Von, but thankfully stated he did indeed like him, because that would have really messed up the rest of the episode! The two share an inquisitive and child-like energy, turning heavy conversations about growing up broke, the solitude of incarceration, and desperate cries for attention, into something remarkably light. Tyson’s vulnerable side was also on display while speaking about his daughter dying tragically, God’s plan for him, and speaking about his mentor Cus D’Amato, which quite literally brought him to tears. Can a show be heartfelt and insane at the same time? Definitely interested to see how they edit a few things, but when this knockout episode comes out, you’re truly in for a beautiful treat packed with plenty of wild moments. (A.L.)

Seinfeld featuring Leanne Morgan
The Greek Theatre

Blending the big-city humor with hilarious Southern comfort might sound like an odd pairing when talking about comedy, but something about the combo of Jerry Seinfeld and Leanne Morgan just works. Yes, we love a good rant about the terrors of technology from a comedy legend like Seinfeld, who got famous long before the advent of artificial intelligence and smartphones. But his crotchety comedy on a cold night at the Greek Theatre was complimented by Morgan’s ability to add warmth and sweetness to her smack talk about being a small town cheermom in the world of competitive cheerleading which she described as “the Olympics meets Honey Boo Boo.”

Most big comedy shows at the fest had a strict no cellphones policy, Seinfeld was content with just reminding us that our friends are all sick of our stupid cellphone videos. “They don’t care what you’re doing, your life, your experiences, any more than you care about what your friends are doing…everyone is sick of everything. That’s where we’re starting tonight.”

Both are recognized around the world for being on popular TV shows bearing their names. One star seemed genuinely enthralled that people recognized her and clapped when she came out, the other one seemed like he couldn’t get out of the show fast enough and get back to bed. But the mix of both energies of these authentic polar opposites worked well together to keep the crowd laughing. (N.J.)

Wednesday, May 6

David Spade, Dana Carvey and Chris Rock at the Orpheum Theatre.

(Kit Karzen / Netflix)

‘Fly on the Wall’ podcast with Dana Carvey, David Spade and Chris Rock
The Orpheum Theatre

The best way to get amazing stories out of a famous comedian is to be one yourself. It’s the reason a podcast like “Fly on the Wall” with David Spade and Dana Carvey succeed at squeezing the best out of their guests who are often on somebody’s Mt. Rushmore of Comedy. For the festival, the two “Saturday Night Live” alumni brought out the big guns by inviting their buddy Chris Rock downtown — ”way downtown” by his estimation — at 6 p.m. last Wednesday to the Orpheum for a live taping of the podcast. The three stars began by diving ever-so-casually into stories about their interactions with Michael Jackson, Tupac, Kanye and Dave Chappelle. Rock also got to expound on the classic period where he released some of the best comedy specials ever made.

He talked about his groundbreaking hour “Bring the Pain” being the result of doing as many shows as possible to pay for a divorce and as a result, “I got way better” he told Carvey and Spade. “Then I went on a Rocky run where he was knocking motherf— out.” He took that momentum into his next classic special, 1999’s “Bigger & Blacker,” that helped reshape the face of stand-up. “There’s a time in your life when you’re just a vessel and I was in that point of my life,” Rock said. (N.J.)

Nate Jackson at Laugh Factory Hollywood

It’s a skill for a comedian to be able to sit in the pocket of a crowd’s energy and keep a room full of people laughing and on their toes at the same time. Try doing it for six shows back to back. While it’s not the most consecutive sold-out shows he’s ever done at a venue (last year he delivered nine in a row at Zanies in Nashville), Nate Jackson’s ability to leave a mark on the fest at his week-long residency at Laugh Factory Hollywood was akin to watching an executive chef doing a week of cooking in his restaurant. In Jackson’s case that meant delivering some third-degree burns in the front several rows of the crowd known as the “roast zone.” When it comes to killing his customers Jackson prefaces every show the same way. “Rule number one, if I look at you and you don’t want no smoke, look away,” he told the Laugh Factory crowd.

“That is the rule and the standard, I do not get people unless they lock eyes and give me consent. As a matter of fact, this is called the Roast Zone. If anybody is accidentally down there, it’s time to get the f— out. Because rule number two is, if I look at you and you look at me and I start and you don’t like what I decided to talk about, looking away will no longer save you.” To the people that got a little too charred during his show, don’t say he didn’t warn you. (N.J.)

Thursday, May 7

Noah Wyle and Jon Stewart at the Hollywood Bowl.

(Adam Rose / Netflix)

Night of Too Many Stars
Hollywood Bowl

It was a starry, starry night at Thursday’s sold-out Hollywood Bowl Netflix is a Joke Presents: Night of Too Many Stars epic comic bonanza fundraiser benefitting autism programs nationwide, including Autism Speaks. Founded in New York by writer-producer Robert Smigel and his wife Michelle in 2003 following their son Daniel’s autism spectrum disorder diagnosis, the Los Angeles gala was hosted by longtime supporter Jon Stewart and featured a roster of top–tier stand-up talent including Niki Glaser, Ali Wong, Conan O’Brien, Tiffany Haddish, Sarah Silverman, John Mulaney and Adam Sandler, who closed the show with a trio of upbeat tunes. Cast members of reality shows such as “Love on the Spectrum” were also on deck to introduce comics, and auction items throughout the event raised crucially needed funds for individuals on the spectrum: a mock “physical examination” by Noah Wyle, star of HBO’s juggernaut medical series “The Pitt” fetched $18,000; a woman paid $50,000 to be animated into an episode of “The Simpsons.” One man stood up and donated $100,000 with no prize attached. The most special part of the night: I attended along with my son, 19, who is on the autism spectrum and laughed and smiled for three hours straight. (Malina Saval)

Wanda Sykes
Dolby Theatre

Politics, family, inflation, racism, weight gain and greed were among the multiple topics lampooned by Wanda Sykes during a dynamic and often wickedly funny tour stop at the Dolby Theatre last Thursday. Despite the large venue and packed-in audience, Sykes created an intimate club vibe, walking onstage in a utilitarian jumpsuit and instantly bonding with the audience over just how weird things have become in present-day America.

She likened 2026 to the Upside Down in “Stranger Things,” but populated with pedophiles, grifters and racists instead of demogorgons. Turn it upside down “and a billionaire falls through the ceiling,” she said. Her impersonation of Trump dancing and chatting with Epstein in the now infamous video clip was pure brilliance. How a 5-foot-2 Black woman looked more Trump than Trump was a feat unto itself.

Sykes also bemoaned the greed behind things marketed as conveniences, like supermarket self-checkout (“We’re working for free!”), food delivery bots and airport wheelchairs that get passengers to their gate without attendants. “That was someone’s job!” she said. Then added, “What if walking fast and [pushing heavy things] was the only thing they were good at?” Opening for Sykes was her former sidekick on “The Wanda Sykes Show,” Keith Robinson. (Lorraine Ali)

“Kill Tony”
Intuit Dome

The number one live podcast in the world, “Kill Tony,” returned to its roots in our beloved city on Thursday, and this time for the local masses at Intuit Dome. Co-hosted by Tony Hinchcliffe and Brian Redban, when there’s a show of this caliber during a festival, you just know the guests are going to be jaw droppers. Fighting the L.A. traffic to kick off the Dome show were Jelly Roll and Teddy Swims backed up by the Kill Tony Band, maybe? You know, it was hard to hear through all the women screaming. Kidding, we were all scream-singing, and it was such a fun way to start a show. Sitting on panel were beloved KT guests Harland Williams and Gabriel Iglesias, and the “legends bucket” made its way to its first arena in L.A., and the pulls were indeed clutch. Ron White, Joe DeRosa, and Tony’s number one favorite comic, Tony Hinchcliffe (played by Adam Ray), showed the crowd exactly what effortless and absolutely merciless veteran comedy looks like. Between bucket pull madness, a ton of Golden Ticket winners dazzled throughout, treating L.A. to a little slice of what we see in Austin on Mondays. (AL)

Friday, May 8

“Stamptown” at the Montalbán Theatre.

(Aaron Epstein / Netflix)

‘Stamptown’
Montalban Theater

Comedy variety show “Stamptown” begins with master of ceremonies Jack Tucker (the clown persona of Zach Zucker) descending from the ceiling covered in sweat as pyrotechnic flares explode on stage and electric guitars summon him before he falls flat on his face. But don’t worry, it only gets more insane from there. Part musical revue, part comedy showcase, and part circus — “Stamptown,” which filmed its shows for an upcoming Netflix special, is what happens when the lunatics get control of the asylum and decide to put on a Las Vegas show from hell. Tucker’s rapid-fire delivery is punctuated with sound effects, music cues, and the use of a variety of props dangling from his person at all times (including handcuffs, a wad of cash, and two guns). Featuring celebrity cameos, acrobatic stunts, full-frontal nudity, and the show’s stagecrew and audience members getting in on the chaos — “Stamptown” is a true homage to the theatrical possibilities of performance that toes the line ofwhat you think is possible to be done under the label “comedy show.” “Stamptown” at the Montalbán was filmed as part of a Netflix special that will air later this year, which any lover of brain rot and pageantry should be sure to check out. (Leila Jordan)

Dave Chappelle
The Palladium
We’re not allowed to say anything about went on at the Dave Chappelle three-show residency at the Palladium other than the fact that it was an evening of music and comedy. Per usual they locked up the crowd’s phones to see his show but fortunately there were plenty of actual cameras capturing what went on so hopefully you get to see what we saw very soon. (NJ)

Hasan Minhaj versus Ronnie Chieng
Dolby Theatre
Known for their spirited debates on “The Daily Show,” political satirists Hasan Minhaj and Ronny Chieng faced off in a comedy showdown where they challenged one another to prove who is better suited to fix a broken America, Asians (Chieng is from Malaysia) or Indians (Minhaj’s parents are from India)?

Never mind that Indians are South Asians, the two comedians got plenty of laughs backing up their absurd arguments with flow charts, graphs, curated news clips, a faux AI bot called “Niri,” and plenty of racist rhetoric. They broke down the debate into categories: Who’s better at academics? Business and the economy? Cuisine? Chieng argued that Asians are better at sports with a list of Olympic gold medal wins over the past three Summer Games. He won’t use all of Asia, he said, just China. Result? The country had over 100 gold medals. India had just one. Minhaj wondered aloud: For people who love gold so much, why is it so hard for us to win one?

Their choreographed debate exploited and skewered stereotypes via expert timing and pointed wit, hitting home with the predominantly Asian and South Asian audience. (L.A.)

Saturday, May 9

Atsuko Okatsuka with Margaret Cho and Trevor Noah at the Orpheum.

(Andrew Max Levy / Netflix)

Atsuko Okatsuka
The Orpheum Theatre

An Atsuko Okatsuka show is typically full of surprises as a result of her offbeat humor and twerk-master physicality. Her show at the Orpheum is the result of a brand-new hour she’s been performing on her Big Bowl Tour and includes plenty of jokes about dinosaurs and love of Jamaican dancehall choreography. But before she even took the stage with new material, fans got gleefully blindsided by the appearance of two comedy titans, Margaret Cho and Trevor Noah, who came out to deliver punchy opening sets that got loads of laughter to set the tone for Okatsuka’s evening of examining reality through her absurdist lens as an artistic performer who often feels like she’s from another planet. At the end of the show she announced that after releasing her first two specials on HBO (“The Intruder” in 2022) and Hulu (“Father,” which came out in 2025) her next special will be released (surprise!) on Netflix in 2027. (N.J.)

‘My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ Reunion

“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” premiered on the CW Network in 2015 and managed to tell a complete four season story about mental illness in a musical comedy series that featured parody songs on everything from “Cats” to modern pop music to Jewish folk songs. Seven years after it ended, the cast and creatives behind the show reunited to perform a stripped-down selection of the series’ beloved songs. But this concert is not meant to serve as an introduction for those unfamiliar with the original show. The reunion performance is a tribute both to the miraculous existence of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” and to the devoted fans who still know all the words to songs like “Let’s Generalize About Men” and “Don’t Be a Lawyer.” (L.J.)

James McCann
Hollywood Improv (Main Room)

Australian-born comedian James McCann topped the bill Saturday night at the Hollywood Improv, and the eclectic crowd packed the place ready to celebrate his arrival in L.A. Host Benton Harshaw and openers Ruby Setnik and Sam Campbell absolutely connected and killed. And if my word count were double, they’d get individual praise for setting the room up perfectly. High energy was the vibe when McCann got on stage to wild roars from the 9:30pm early show crowd and his energy match, noting he was excited to be at the historic club himself. Mullet looking flawless, poems in tow, and dark humor dialed to an 11, he questioned L.A.’s homeless crisis, may have questioned the audience a bit too much, and tore through his thoughts on a census overhaul, the insanity of the TV show “Survivor” (yes, it’s still on), the glory days of drinking, and having visions of finally being successful enough to hire his dream team. (A.L.)

Tom Segura, left, and Bert Kreischer speak during the Two Bears 5k event at the Rose Bowl.

(Jerod Harris / Getty Images for Netflix)

2 Bears 5K
Rose Bowl

Can’t. Type. Too. Sore. And that’s not even from the run-walking, it’s from the afterparty inside Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena. Whether you kicked off this magical day of athleticism in downward dog with Ari Shaffir, or if you went straight for the starting line with Bert Kreischer, Tom Segura, and a svelte-looking Jelly Roll (bravo!), there was stretching, pacing, sweating and rejoicing to be had. The hang was so casual it allowed participants to rub elbows with a surplus of comics on hand like H. Foley, Kevin Ryan, Steph Tolev, Jefferson McDonald, Joe DeRosa, Jessimae Peluso, Greg Fitzsimmons, Daphnique Springs, Brittany Ross, Ian Fidance, Kim Congdon, and Dave Williamson. The finish line led runners directly into the Rose Bowl where there was plenty of Por Osos flowing, snacks, interactive games and recovery stations, and a live taping of 2 Bears 1 Cave with our favorite boys and celeb participants.

Sunday, May 10

Marcello Hernandez performed with Feid at the Hollywood Bowl on Sunday.

(Koury Angelo / Netflix)

Marcello Hernandez and Feid
Hollywood Bowl

On “Saturday Night Live,” he plays a Latin Lover named Domingo. But at the Hollywood Bowl on Mother’s Day Sunday, headliner Marcello Hernández riffed on his real life as a mama’s boy growing up in Miami — expanding on material from his 2026 Netflix special, “American Boy” — and duly invited out his mom, Isabel, who was met with a standing ovation. “God gave me a mother who worked her entire life for me,” said Hernández, who eased on his elastic goofball schtick to exalt immigrant mothers. “Today, I give thanks to her — and to all the mothers who are here, as well as those you left back home.”

Attended by nearly 17,000 people, the Bowl’s biggest Spanish-language comedy event also featured a special (and sensual) musical performance by Colombian reggaeton heartthrob Feid, as well as Mexican comedian Sofia Niño de Rivera, who opened the show with her own riotous act. At some point she asked the audience if beating piñatas had been canceled by the woke mob; you’ll just have to trust me when I say it’s even funnier in Spanish. (Suzy Exposito)

Roast of Kevin Hart
Kia Forum
Los Angeles showed up to the Forum in Inglewood for the roast of Kevin Hart, the comedian we love to hate but also love to laugh with. It was a brutal takedown of Hart that could only be accomplished by the utmost respect and love from his peers. A surprise appearance by his longtime rival Katt Williams brought the entire house to their feet. Sheryl Underwood expertly executed the punchlines and made the culture the star of her set. Chelsea Handler could have been the star of her own show. The Rock’s WWE entrance brought the heat of the pyrotechnics to the stage with his explicit propositioning of Hart’s wife, Eniko, and an attempt to breastfeed Hart. Some controversial jokes by lesser, edgy comedians fell flat but Jeff Ross, the master of roasts, held the tempo together and kept the roast moving forward. There was something for everyone in this, as Hart, the hardest working person in comedy, has become famous for. (Janelle Webster)

Flight of the Conchords
The Greek Theatre

Experiencing Flight of the Conchords at the Greek is something many fans of their lusty, yet-bone-dry musical comedy haven’t gotten to experience in a while. It’s been eight years since Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie have put us on “Business Time” with their stripped down odes to sexy R&B mixed with a hint of yacht rock, hip-hop power pop and whatever else they decided to throw together from their bag of classic jams that earned them fans in the early aughts. Following a killer opening set from comedian Arj Barker, Flight of the Conchords took the stage looking a bit more like silver foxes than young birds, which made the timeless chuckle-inducing tunes like “Robots,” “The Most Beautiful Girl (In the Room),” “Hurt Feelings” and “Business Time” land with even more impact as the crowd enjoyed some long-awaited nostalgia. Did they forget a few lyrics? Miss some solos? Mess up entire songs? Sure! But with a dose of Kiwi banter and the ability to laugh at themselves, the mistakes only made the show funnier and a reminder of why we’ve missed them. (N.J.)

BARBIE actress Margot Robbie stands and delivers in a dandy highwayman outfit.

The Aussie, 35, wore a black tailcoat jacket with gold embroidery — like 1980s singer Adam Ant.

She was attending the London West End premiere of the play 1536 — a drama about three Essex women set in Tudor England during Anne Boleyn’s downfall.

Margot, a producer on the play, said at The Ambassadors Theatre: “The conversations these women have are the same ones that women now are having.”

Earlier this year we revealed how Margot was named the world’s most beautiful woman.

The Aussie beat fellow actress Scarlett Johannson to the honour in the poll organised by website Ranker.

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There were more than seven million votes cast in total.

But the married mum-of-one has not always been convinced about her looks.

She once said: “In my big group of girlfriends at home, I am definitely not the best looking.

“I did not grow up feeling like I was particularly attractive.”

After watching his mother perform in a production of “A Raisin in the Sun” at Compton Community College when he was 9 years old, Anthony Anderson knew appearing on stage would be his life’s work. Over the next handful of years, he enrolled in programs across Los Angeles to achieve that dream. Then, one morning after finishing a class at the Southern California Regional Occupational Center in Torrance, Anderson saw a Post-It note on a bulletin board that caught his attention. The note informed aspiring artists about a newly formed arts school. To be admitted, they had to submit an audition tape.

“I ripped it off the board, and I brought it home to my mother, and I said, ‘Mom, if I can get into this school, can I go here?’” Anderson says. “She said, ‘If you can get into that, yes.’”

Months later, Anderson received a letter informing him that he had been accepted into the inaugural class at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts.

Founded in 1984 and opening its doors to students in 1985, Los Angeles County High School for the Arts is located on the campus of Cal State L.A. It was established to provide students (currently 550) with conservatory-level arts training and college-prep academics within the public education system. LACHSA isn’t associated with LAUSD; instead, it partners with the Los Angeles County Office of Education, which provides funding to support it.

“I felt it to be very important that I was in an environment where other students had the same passion as I did for the arts, in particular, theater,” Anderson says. “Being around other students who had the same passion and drive that I had as an artist was very influential.”

Over the years, LACHSA has featured a who’s who of alumni across various disciplines, including musicians Phoebe Bridgers and Haim, actors Jenna Elfman and Belissa Escobedo, and visual artists Robert Vargas, Tomashi Jackson and Kehinde Wiley. For the past seven years, the school has been ranked as the top public high school for the arts.

Drew McClelland (second from right) with students from LACHSA’s Cinematic Arts Program and actor William H. Macy (far right).

(Courtesy of LACHSA)

While the school’s accolades focus on the arts, LACHSA also aims to give its students experiences that extend beyond the program. Days are structured so that students take academic classes in the morning and arts in the afternoon. With this format, they meet and get to know classmates from other disciplines.

Former “SNL” cast member Taran Killam points out that this also promotes the school’s social and economic diversity, acting as a mini-college experience.

“It’s such a melting pot, but you have this beautiful, focused bonding,” he says. “It’s a rare thing for kids to know, but LACHSA students are ambitious. It’s very unifying when your background is so disparate and so diverse. It’s what makes it special, and you can’t get this experience in a traditional school.”

Lara Raj attended several arts-focused high schools as she moved during her childhood. With that in mind, the member of the girl group Katseye cites LACHSA as having a major influence on her artistic development. During her time at LACHSA, Raj took music, fashion and acting classes, and says its music tech class was her favorite. There, she learned how to create beats and write songs.

“I developed my songwriting and fell in love with it through those classes,” Raj says. “I was excited to go to school every day. And I hate school.”

Before attending LACHSA, singer-actor Josh Groban didn’t know a school specializing in the arts was an option. After bouncing around schools and realizing he needed a different education to express himself equally academically and artistically, he ended up at LACHSA. There, he found like-minded, artistically inclined outsiders.

Josh Groban, a former student of LACHSA, credits the institution with helping him find his voice.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

“I was a kid who didn’t quite know how to fit in,” Groban says. “Then at [LACHSA], I was surrounded by other students who, I think, didn’t know how to fit in either. We were there for the same reasons, which is that we felt like we needed the nourishment of the arts and being able to express ourselves on a daily basis.”

Half of LACHSA’s funding is provided by the state, with the rest provided by the LACHSA Foundation, a registered 501(c) (3). According to its executive director, Trena Pitchford, the foundation has invested $1 million each school year.

“People always ask me when I tell them I went to LaGuardia and to LACHSA if they were private schools,” Raj says. “I tell them it was created by people who are passionate about the arts and want to inspire kids.”

“There’s a part of LACHSA that I think is a discovery point for a lot of Los Angeles County, and even the nation,” Pitchford says. “There’s so much opportunity for the school, and they’re doing it on a limited budget. What would happen if they were fully funded? What would happen if the foundation had a $40 million endowment? That would fully sustain what they’re doing right now.”

LACHSA students posing in front of the entrance to the Greek Theatre

(Courtesy of LACHSA)

LACHSAPalooza, the culmination of the foundation’s two-year fundraising campaign to celebrate the first 40 years of LACHSA, will take place at the Greek Theatre on May 30. There, student artists will perform alongside Ozomatli, Jon B., April Showers and more. From a fundraising standpoint, the foundation has high hopes of raising $2.5 million.

“We have both annual goals in terms of investment as well as sort of big visions, big dreams of where we think LACHSA could go for the next 40 years,” Pitchford says. “We also hope to put LACHSA on the national stage.’

The honorees for the night are the late Pat Bass, LACHSA’s gospel choir director, retiring LACHSA theater department chair Lois Hunter, and Jerry Freedman, a longtime social studies teacher at the school.

For Anderson, who is serving as the night’s host, seeing Freedman recognized is very meaningful.

“He was there from the school’s beginning,” Anderson says. “He was there when I started, and he’s still there and is still beloved by the students 40-plus years later. I’m looking forward to honoring him.”

As an arts-based school in the long-standing entertainment capital of the U.S., LACHSA can educate and enable the next generation of artists to discover their voices in the backyards of production companies, studios and record labels.

“The freedom that a LACHSA student gets on the campus to discover who they are is exciting,” Pritchard says. “It’s very innovative, very creative, and it’s forward thinking, future forward. It’s an exciting and thrilling place to be.”

Alumni agree. Without LACHSA and, in turn, a focused public arts education, pursuing a career in the arts would have been more difficult and more costly.

“It helps develop souls to be fully fledged human beings who feel like they can go off into the world and be the best versions of themselves,” Groban says. “We all felt like we were free to be who we wanted to be.”

“Specialty-focused high schools like LACHSA, be it arts or any other topic deserving of protection, because it is a gathering place for exceptionally talented, ambitious, driven kids,” Killam says. “And aren’t those the kind of people we want to be cultivating in society?”

TONIGHT, Delta Goodrem is hoping to turn Australia’s Eurovision fortunes around.

The Born To Try singer is banking on her track Eclipse to get her country into Saturday’s grand final for the first time in three years.

She will compete in the second Eurovision Semi-Final live in Vienna alongside the UK’s entry Look Mum No Computer and former Love Island
star Antigoni Buxton .

The reality star is representing Cyprus with her song Jalla.

Australia, who have competed in the contest since 2015, has failed to make it past the semi-finals since 2023, when Voyager’s track Promise saw them finish in ninth place in Liverpool.

Speaking to Bizarre, Delta revealed she has put just as much effort into the production of her performance as she has the song itself.

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Delta said: “I have definitely been learning on the job.

“This is my first ever Eurovision. The staging is just as important as the song.

“When I was working on the track, I wanted to make sure there was a lyric that lends itself to a journey in the production.

“I wrote it thinking about what the staging looks like and what exactly we are saying in the song.”

Admitting she was like a kid in a candy store when choosing her stage
effects, Delta added: “You can do all sorts of things.

“They give you a long list.. honestly, what an amazing opportunity.

“You can have fire, wind, you name it. I felt like I was going shopping.”

Last year’s 2025 contest in Basel, Switzerland, was watched by a
staggering 166 million people.

However, Delta insists she isn’t fazed by the massive global audience
set to watch her tonight.

She said: “It doesn’t matter if it’s Hackney, the Commonwealth Games,
Eurovision, or my outdoor pop-up in Camden earlier this year, I care
just as much about every single performance.

“My game plan is simple, stay true to myself and bring it.”

While Delta is determined to make her country proud, she isn’t taking
things too seriously.

In fact, she says bonding with fellow contestants has been a highlight.

Delta said: “Eurovision is completely its own world. I met a lot of artists in Oslo earlier this year and you naturally find your friends. Denmark’s Soren Torpegaar came up to me and told me how he went to one of my shows the last time I was in Denmark. It was really sweet.

“Honestly, the whole process has been amazing.”

LOVE Island stars Millie Court and Whitney Adebayo have left fans confused as to if it’s all over with their American boyfriends Zac and Yamen as they continued to fuel split rumours.

The pair have posted a string of cryptic clues, hinting they have called it quits with their partners just months after the All Stars series ended.

Taking to TikTok, Whitney, 28, shared a video of her and Millie having a boozy girls night – and fans are convinced they’re now single.

Sitting in their PJs on a bed they could be seen cheersing their drinks as the words, “so we’re gonna heal” played over the top of the clip.

The sound continued: “We’re gonna start again. You’ve bought the orchestra, synchronised swimmers. You’re the magician.

“Pull me back together again, the way you cut me in half.”

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Millie, 29 and Whitney burst out laughing while the sound played and she captioned the post with six laughing face emojis.

While some fans in the comments thought the pair were joking with their viewers amid the break up rumours, others were certain they had parted ways with their villa hunks.

One fan penned: “Sounds like another break up.”

Another fan wrote: “The healing journey continues.”

Meanwhile, a third fan said: “They’re joking, rage baiting I love it.”

Whitney’s man Yamen first sparked split rumours earlier this week following a bold social media post to his “exes.”

He shared a montage of him in various places around the world and added: “Never block your ex. 

“Always let them see what they missed out on.” 

Stunning blonde Millie also made waves this week when she replied to a fan’s message asking if she was ok.

Millie said: “I am all good… I do feel like I have been very quiet with content and haven’t been posting much on any platform really. 

“I was away for a whole month and then last week was really busy with work and things I couldn’t actually show you guys. 

“And then catching up with friends and family and I didn’t want my phone to be in my face or their faces… big catch ups were needed.”

Rushing to the comments fans were quick to point out that she didn’t mention Zac at all.

Both Whitney and Millie are yet to officially address the rumours.

RIVALS star Emily Atack has sent pulses racing at the sexy bonkbuster’s London world premiere as she donned an incredible plunging silver dress.

The blonde bombshell, who plays temptress Sarah Stratton on the Disney+ show, sizzled in the daring outfit as she was snapped alongside her co-stars.

Emily, 36, went all out for the premiere wearing a sculpted silver gown that hugged her sensational figure as it flared out at the bottom.

The dramatic dress was complete with a low-cut sweetheart neckline, a huge bow down the centre and a matching bag.

She had her blonde locks styled in loose waves and she finished the look with simple silver jewellery – small hoop earrings and a single diamond bracelet.

The actress wowed in a natural makeup as she was seen hugging her on-screen husband Rufus Jones – who plays Paul Stratton. 

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Glamourous Emily smiled and waved to fans as she walked the star-studded red carpet.

The premiere for Rivals series two, which lands on Disney+ this Friday, was held at the BFI IMAX South Bank in London.

All the leading castmembers were present on the carpet with Bella Maclean (Taggie) and Alex Hassel (Rupert) posing together before making there way inside.

Danny Dyer (Freddie Jones), 48, looked very dapper in a dark grey suit and turquoise shirt as he was pictured with Katherine Parkinson (Lizzie Veriker).

Elsewhere, David Tennant and Nafessa Williams – who play Lord Tony Baddingham and Cameron – looked sensational as they made their debut.

Stunning Nafessa, 36, put on a leggy display in a beautiful pink ensemble.

The top of her dress was a tightly-fitted corset and the skirt, embroidered with sparkles, knotted at the waist before flowing down.

David, 55, put a spin of the classic suit and opted to wear one of purple velvet.

Other stars Aiden Turner (Declan O’Hara), Victoria Smurfit (Maud O’Hara), Claire Rushbrook (Lady Baddingham), Lisa McGrills (Valerie Jones) and Catriona Chandler (Caitlin O’Hara) made an appearance ahead of the big launch.

Stanley Tucci, Fleur East, Lady Penny Lancaster, Felicity Blunt and Dee Koppang and were also spotted by fans on the carpet.

Rivals, based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s 1988 novels, became an instant hint after it debuted on Disney+ in October 2024.

The raunchy comedy-drama was of course renewed for a second season and fans cannot wait.

This series has 12 episodes – four more than the previous- and the first three will be released on Friday 15 May, three more the following week and then the rest will come at a later date.

Donald Gibb, the actor who played the hulking fraternity bro Ogre in “Revenge of the Nerds” and Ray “Tiny” Jackson in “Bloodsport,” has died. He was 71.

Gibb’s son Travis confirmed his father’s death to TMZ on Tuesday evening after he died earlier that day at home in Texas surrounded by family. Gibb, a former professional wrestler under the name “Don Gibb,” succumbed to “health complications,” according to his son.

A statement from the family, provided to People, described Gibb as a father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle, friend and actor.

“Known for his larger-than-life presence on screen and his kindness off screen, he brought joy, laughter, and unforgettable memories to countless people throughout his life and career,” the statement said.

“Above all else, Donald treasured his faith and the people he loved,” it continued. “His strength, generosity, and spirit will never be forgotten by those who had the privilege of knowing him personally and by the many fans whose lives he touched over the years.”

“Bloodsport” star Jean-Claude Van Damme remembered Gibb in an Instagram story, posting a photo from 1986 and writing “Rest in peace, my brother.” He also reposted a reel showing himself and Gibb in the 1988 movie.

“Whether he was the lovable brute Ogre in Revenge of the Nerds or the fearless Ray Jackson in Bloodsport, Donald brought a heart as big as his frame to every role,” the caption on the reposted reel said. “Watching him alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme was the ultimate display of brotherhood on screen. In the clip, JCVD asks, ‘What took you so long?’ It’s a bitter-sweet reminder that while he’s gone too soon, his legacy in the martial arts and 80s cinema world is timeless. ‘Anytime, anyplace, anywhere.’”

A representative for Gibb didn’t respond immediately Wednesday to The Times’ request for comment.

Gibb had about 100 credits, including the sequels “Bloodsport” and the movie and TV sequels to “Nerds.”

Born Aug. 4, 1954, Gibb started his career in the early 1980s with uncredited roles in “Any Which Way You Can,” “Stripes” and “Conan the Barbarian.” His TV credits included episodes of “Cheers,” “MacGyver” and “The Young and the Restless.”

He acted into 2011, then tagged on one last credit, for the 2026 movie release “Hands.” According to IMDb, that filmed sometime in 2023 or 2024.

NIKITA Kuzmin shared a heartbreaking post to Instagram today announcing his grandad has died.

The emotional tribute received a lot of love from fans as well as other members of the Strictly cast.

In the first picture in the carousel of snaps, Nikita is pictured beside his granddad beaming at the camera.

Others show the duo spending time with friends and other members of family.

The professional dancer emotionally penned a tribute in the post’s caption, writing: “Looking at these pictures my heart is beating so fast and I’m not sure what to write or how to even begin expressing how much I love you.

“Just memories of when I thought you’re the fastest walker in the world and how when I was a teenager I was proud of speeding past you, but you still were the quickest grandad in town.

tumbleweed

Awkward moment Amber Davies’ Strictly gag falls flat & leaves Claudia speechless

off stage

Strictly’s Nikita Kuzmin shares pic with Amber Davies’ boyfriend after head kiss

“But specially how much you always took care of us, no matter what, always there.”

Nikita finished the post off by writing, ‘I love you, Grandpa,” in Russian followed by a red love heart emoji.

Strictly contestant Tasha Ghouri led the comment section, sharing two love heart emojis.

Actress Sarah Hadland added another series of hearts.

Meanwhile a fan wrote: “Thinking of you and your family. Sending hugs.”

Another fan added: “Sending so much love.”

Nikita joined Strictly Come Dancing as a pro dancer back in 2021.

In his first year on the show he was paired alongside Gordon Ramsay‘s daughter Tilly.

This article contains spoilers for the penultimate episode of “The Boys.”

There’s just one episode to go in the fifth and final season of Prime Video’s irreverent superhero satire, “The Boys.” The topical, darkly funny, whip-smart series from Eric Kripke follows a band of vigilante misfits who fight to expose the all-powerful, corrupt conglomerate Vought International and its stable of villainous superheroes.

Among the ragtag crew of antiheroes is Frenchie, played by Tomer Capone. Frenchie is the de facto chemist and inventor of the group, a former assassin for hire whose drug-addled brain is constantly concocting news ways to kill immortal Supes (superheroes). Yet he’s deeply connected with the feral Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara), who was nonverbal when he helped save her from human traffickers who sought to cash in on her Supe strength. Their bond — both are outsiders who suffered abuse as children — is one of the few emotional soft spots in the otherwise fast-moving series about America’s rotten power structure, manipulative media and the gullibility of the public.

Though fans of the show are already mourning the end of “The Boys,” they were dealt another major blow Wednesday, when in Episode 7 beloved Frenchie met his fate at the hands of the sociopathic head Supe, Homelander (Antony Starr). Israeli actor Capone talks about the scene, the end of the show and how to cope with the loss of Frenchie. This conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

OK, so the big question first. Do you actually speak French?

En vous? Moi? [Laughs] OK, a little bit, but it’s a different kind of French. But that wasn’t the difficult part. Frenchie, to me, is one of those characters for an actor, that’s a gift. It’s something I prayed for. It’s a full-on character. He’s an outsider. He’s a foreigner. The way he walks, the way he talks. We can also talk about the crop tops and the hairstyle …

He’s a full-on character, and the French aspect was only part of it. There was also the sign language with Kimiko, and the connection. For me, the emotion and connection was the bigger aspect of portraying Frenchie.

Are you ready for all the tears of your fans once they witness Frenchie’s demise? He sacrifices himself to lure Homelander away from Kimiko. She is saved, but he is killed in the process.

Oh my God, I can’t watch it. I didn’t watch it. I can’t. I’m too involved.

Tomer Capone on the scene with his character’s demise: “Oh my God, I can’t watch it.”

(Jasper Savage/Prime)

So you really haven’t watched the scene yet?

No. It’s the longest character I ever had in my career, and I can’t. Something tells me not yet.

When you shot that scene, was there an intensity on set? How did that play out?

Intensity is always around the show because there’s so much to accomplish doing “The Boys.” But funnily enough, that specific scene was the most tranquil and quiet set I’ve experienced. I remember standing there with the amazing people of the cast and crew, and we’re talking about how the scene is going to play out. I felt this quietness, like everybody was like inside themselves, so I started to get nervous. I said, “Oh my God, they’re expecting something.”

But very quickly, I decided that I’m just going release all the [plans], thoughts or ideas that I had about the scene. I literally went into this mantra that said, “Frenchie, here’s the keys. Drive the car.” And you know what? It was the right way to go. It made sense. It felt very respectful and spiritual. Those kind of scenes come once in never, where you feel like you’re letting the character drive, and you’re just gliding behind it.

“The Boys” is based on the 2000s comic book series of the same name by writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson. But the show is unlike any comic book adaptation out there. In fact, it mocks superhero culture.

The biggest gift of working [with] Eric Kripke, the writers and this show is that even as things are moving fast and big things are happening, they’re emotionally backed up. And as a character and an actor, it’s like, OK, I understand what I’m doing. This is the world and what we’re playing. You get where it is going, and why it needs to happen.

Were you surprised when you first learned about Frenchie’s fate?

I wasn’t surprised when I heard from Eric that Frenchie was continuing on to the big field [in the sky]. I had this feeling. I didn’t want to say it out loud. It’s like, at this point, the fifth season, we all felt it. We knew where it was going,

But Frenchie is the empathy and compassion of this series. I actually cried when he was killed off. The empathy is gone, and now we’re left with soulless, terrifying Homelander.

But Kimiko lives.

True, but I haven’t seen the finale. How does Kimiko go on without Frenchie?

Well, let me tell you… [laughs]. I can’t tell, but I can say that I do think Episode 8 is going to blow the audience and fans’ minds with where it goes. That’s the only thing I can say. It evolves into something that resonates.

When it comes to pushing the envelope, “The Boys” is renowned for going where most shows won’t. It drove a speed boat into the side of a whale, imbued superheroes with powers such as toxic vomit and a giant killer penis. Then there was the flying killer sheep. Was there ever a moment too far for you?

Almost every episode has those moments … I remember they told us about the whale, and they said they were still figuring out how. It was a surprise. So I’m driving to set, and it was a sunny day on the shore of Toronto, then all of a sudden, my windshield, everything is covered with this [big shadow], and I’m like what’s going on? Clouds? Is going to rain? The day is ruined! Then I look up and see them [trucking] in a real-size animatronic whale. People that had nothing to do with the show were stopping their cars and looking at this whale moving on the Toronto shore. It was like, OK, here we go.

And there was the musical sequence [in Season 3, Episode 5, when a hospitalized Kimiko imagines her and Frenchie dancing to “I Got Rhythm.”]. Karen and I were on set, and there’s like 30 professional dancers stretching behind us, beautiful and fresh and clean. And we’re looking at each other like, what is this show? What are we doing here? As an actor, you pinch yourself. It’s an experience.

Frenchie (Capone) and Kimiko (Fukuhara) in Season 3’s musical number.

(Amazon Studios)

The musical number, did you actually have to practice the choreography for that?

Oh, day in and day out. I thought I knew how to dance. Apparently I needed some work. Luckily, Karen is a total badass in terms of her commitment, and we practiced it day and night, even working on it off set between other scenes, just working in the movements, trying to get it right. But I learned something very fun about myself. Usually, I don’t like to watch myself on screen, like a lot of actors don’t. From time to time, I would watch an action scene or me fighting because I want to see if I got the choreography right. And I learned that I can watch myself dance too.

With all the fighting in that show, that’s also requires quite a bit of physical acting.

We have the best stunt teams in the business. They made our life very easy compared to the crazy stuff we had to do. Saying that, I don’t miss the harnesses that they put on us. I will not miss that

Harnesses?

I remember when we shot the first episode where Frenchie, Hughie (Jack Quaid)and Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) are captive in the camp. And then I think Starlight flies me off out of the camp. It was like minus 40, snowing. We’re on our harnesses, and we’re just flying away. It’s an experience.

“The Boys” has brilliantly captured the political craziness in America, but told through the world of egotistical superheroes. For example, Homelander claimed he was lord and savior around the same time President Trump posted an AI image of himself as Jesus.

How they predicted some of the stuff, it beats me. You’re going to have to ask Kripke and his writers. But I love that the show tackles all that. For me, portraying Frenchie is about humanity. About how in chaos and in fear and in the craziness of “The Boys’” world, people still choose love and compassion and that’s really the heart of “The Boys.” Or maybe that’s just from Frenchie’s perspective, where it’s all about family, loyalty and protecting the ones you love.

How did you imagine the character of Frenchie when you first learned of the show?

When I got the audition, I didn’t know about the source material. I didn’t know about the novel, or the graphic comic book. So I went online, and I started researching Frenchie. And the first picture that came in was this buzz cut, crazy, goggle-wearing character. I said, what really? Frenchie specifically is illustrated and drawn so different from volume to volume. It gave me so much space to create something in between those worlds. Then picking the brain of Eric Kripke and building a whole story and backup story for the characters. We already knew, in a way, where it was going, so we had the privilege of understanding the arc of the bigger picture for “The Boys.”

Do you have a favorite Frenchie moment?

Yeah, I do, but it’s not what you might expect to hear. It’s from Season 1. There was this scene with Frenchie and Petit Hughie. Hughie comes out of his father’s house [and he’s upset]. I say that I understand because my father was bipolar too, and [he tried to smother me with a] Hello Kitty duvet. It’s just it’s one of those moments when we couldn’t get those two lines out. We kept breaking. I think it’s the longest scene Jack and I ever had in the show. It was something like 14 takes. All the cast and crew were breaking too. It was like, should we just give it up? But I was fighting for it. No, I can do this! Now it’s a [fan] favorite quote. So that means a lot. I fought for that line!

Have you thought about how you’ll console distraught fans once they’ve seen Episode 7?

Oh, my God. Do you have any tips for me, please?

Sorry, no. I’m in mourning too.

Frenchie will live forever. Viva la Frenchie.

CANNES, France — Greeting from the Croisette, where the 79th Cannes Film Festival is underway — and where the Envelope has its inaugural Cannes issue.

I’ve been hard at work since before the Oscars assigning and editing stories about the global film industry and this storied event’s role in it, albeit with an L.A. twist. And with this special edition of the newsletter, you too can be a part of the “Entourage,” at least vicariously. Read on for more highlights from the issue, and be sure to check out Amy Nicholson and Joshua Rothkopf’s conversation about the Cannes films they’re most excited to see before you block out your schedule.

Cover: Almodóvar, uncensored

(Shayan Asgharnia / For The Times)

You know you have a juicy interview on your hands when you wake up to it being aggregated by the trades, and I can’t really blame them: Columnist Glenn Whipp’s cover profile of Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar, in competition here with his new film “Bitter Christmas,” is chock full of pungent quotations.

At 76, the filmmaker is unafraid to speak his mind, whether it be about the apolitical Oscars or the decline of American democracy. But his metafictional treat, in which an acclaimed filmmaker falls out with an old friend over pilfering real life for inspiration, shows that he’s equally willing to turn that critical lens inward. It’s the film, he says, “where I’ve been cruelest with myself.”

Digital cover: Cannes kid Diego Calva

(Ian Spanier / For The Times)

In one of those serendipitous intersections editors dream off, it’s Almodovar that our digital cover star is most amped to meet during the fortnight: “If Almodóvar shakes my hand, I can die in peace,” Diego Calva tells contributor Carlos Aguilar.

With two films at the festival — Jordan Firstman’s “Club Kid,” playing in Un Certain Regard, and Nicolas Winding Refn’s highly anticipated out-of-competition title “Her Private Hell” — Calva, who appeared earlier this year in “The Night Manager” Season 2, may be hard for Almodóvar to miss. But the actor isn’t letting the auspicious moment go to his head. “My friends don’t care whether I have seven Golden Globes or if I’m not working at all,” he says. “To them, I’m just Diego.”

What’s next for Nollywood

(Photo illustration by Stephanie Jones / For The Times; photos courtesy of Anthill Studios, African International Film Festival)

I admit I didn’t know much about the Nigerian film industry beyond the term “Nollywood” before reading Daron James’ deep dive on how the West African country is charting a new course after its recent streaming boom went bust. Now I’m eager to see if its embrace of theatrical exhibition — including, gasp, building more cinemas — can rub off on its American namesake.

Nollywood may produce “the second most movies globally after India,” as James writes, but “creative hustle… is still as important as ever.”

More coverage of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival

FOR someone whose face never moves, Katie Price couldn’t hide her emotion yesterday as her husband Lee Andrews stood her up on live TV.

What was supposed to be the loved-up couple’s chance to quieten the naysayers turned Katie into a laughing stock as she desperately tried to explain Lee’s absence amid claims he had been detained in the UAE. We’re told the public humiliation was a step too far for those close to Katie, 47, but has it been enough for her to see the light?

An insider said: “It’s not nice to see Katie put on the spot like that. All she ever does is try to be the perfect wife, but she’s struggling with the constant uncertainty.

“Her inner circle are worried it’s going to take its toll on her. It’s put a lot of pressure on the other relationships in her life – like with her sister Sophie, who has been terrified about Lee’s intentions from the start.

“Katie has been through so much heartache in the past and been treated so badly by men, and they think she deserves more – or at least some transparency.

“It’s one thing Lee supposedly missed the flight, but the videos of him at the airport while he desperately insists he is still coming are a hard watch. There is a feeling that he needs to accept the game is up, and they are just worried about how Katie will react when she realises that something is amiss.”

The couple, who tied the knot in January, were due to appear on GMB yesterday. It was set to be their first joint telly interview and a chance for them to set the record straight. 

But while Katie, who had been visiting Lee in Dubai, made it back to the UK, Lee was nowhere to be seen. What followed was a bizarre game of will-he, won’t he, while poor Katie was left struggling alone. 

There is ongoing speculation that Lee, 43, is unable to leave the United Arab Emirates city after allegedly forging his ex-girlfriend Dina Taji’s signature to secure a £200,000 loan – something he’s strongly denied. 

Presenters Susanna Reid and her co-host Ed Balls told how they had approached the Foreign Office to see if Lee had a travel ban.

They said they had been informed they had “supported a British man detained in the United Arab Emirates”.

When the pair quizzed Katie as to whether this was Lee, she said he had denied it in a voice note and added laughing emoji icons to his message.

Explaining the reason for his no-show, Katie, who wore a pink shirt and gold hoop earrings for her chat, said: “He just didn’t make the flight.

“He’s coming here to spend quite a few months now. He’s been sorting out my visa, my international driving licence.

“He’s flying from Muscat, and he had things to do; he didn’t make the flight, but he’s at the airport now”.

Lee reinforced her words as he took to his social media page from the departures lounge.

He praised Katie’s appearance on GMB and said: “Yes, I am at the airport and flying to my wife, who did very well on GMB today.

“And I am on my way to her. I had a couple of things that I had to do last-minute; I couldn’t make the show. I was hoping to get on there with the Zoom link, but they carried on with Kate, and she did really, really well”.

Mum of three Susanna mused: “I wonder if he’s telling you everything, do you trust him?” to which Katie said, “Yes”.

He then asked if Lee was normally unreliable, and she replied: “Not with me”.

Our insider added: “Katie was desperate to keep painting a happy picture, but the cracks are starting to show. She will have been upset about the line of questioning about the man she loves. She is a hopeless romantic and wants to believe the best in Lee, even if no one else does.”

The interview was a disaster, and clips of Katie frantically trying to defend Lee quickly went viral, and Lee was heavily scrutinised. Some people claimed the video he shared wasn’t filmed where he said it was, while others felt sympathy towards her.

Who is Katie Price’s husband Lee Andrews?

KATIE Price tied the knot with Lee Andrews in January 2026. Yet who is he?

• Katie Price has married businessman fiancé Lee Andrews in a whirlwind wedding
• It is the fourth time Katie, 47, has been a bride. She has also been married to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler
• Katie and Lee met just after being introduced on social media
• Lee claimed he is a billionaire in a failed clip from his acting career
• He now claims to be a Dubai-based businessman
• Yet The Sun has unmasked him as a fantasist who faked celebrity links using AI-generated photos and recently talked about marrying two other women
• Failed actor is just another title to add to Lee’s questionable CV, after he claimed to have once worked as the Director of Philanthropy at The Prince’s Trust (now The King’s Trust)
• Lee also shared images – since proven to be AI – of him working with Elon Musk and Kim Kardashian
• It’s been revealed shameless Lee told former girlfriends that he had studied at Cambridge University, and has a PhD in biotechnology science
• But The Sun has seen a response from the university explaining it could not find a record of Lee being registered as a student with a date of birth they had provided
• His LinkedIn profile says Lee has been a Member of the Board of Advisors to the Labour Party since 2015
• Lee was also mocked for repeating the exact same wedding proposal on Katie – that he did for another woman just four months ago.

One person commented: “I actually feel a bit sorry for her.”

Another remarked: “This is so sad. The penny still has not dropped, even though GMB know its him that’s been detained as they would have had it confirmed. I hope Suzannah told her after the cameras stopped rolling.”

And as the day went on, it seemed less and less likely Lee would actually arrive, despite his insisting he was on his way.

There certainly seems to be some confusion with the couple’s timeline – over 12 hours before she was due on GMB, Katie posted on her social media – in a video which has now been deleted – to reveal Lee was joining her 

She said on social media: “Where the hell is my husband? Lee will not be on Good Morning Britain with me!!”

She added: “Well, he is not coming, which is gutting really as he said he was coming, so I’m getting the house ready for me”.

And for the first time, the tide might be slightly turning for Katie, and in a surprise movie, she did lay down an ultimatum.

Katie said that although Lee “pays for” her flights to Dubai, she needs him to be more present in the UK.

The mum-of-five, who hasn’t even been able to introduce her kids to Lee, said: “I’ve been in Dubai, I came back on Friday.

“But because I can’t keep going to Dubai, because obviously I’ve got work and my kids here.

 Susanna quipped: “And it’s expensive”, and Katie replied: “Well, he pays for it anyway.”

“But I can’t keep going to Dubai.”

Katie believes that Lee will now be joining her for a few months in the UK, but whether he ever makes remains to be seen. 

The true text messages between Steph and Danny have now been exposed following the dinner party chaos

The Married At First Sight Australia reunion is proving to be an absolute rollercoaster, with no shortage of explosive moments.

During last night’s instalment (May 12), fans of the reality phenomenon were treated to yet more fireworks when Bec unleashed a shocking revelation, alleging her ex Danny had been swapping flirty messages with fellow participant Steph.

On the programme, Steph had tied the knot with Tyson, though their romance fizzled out ahead of the final vows, while Danny similarly pulled ended his own relationship during the ultimate final commitment.

Yet behind the scenes, it emerged Danny and Steph had been messaging one another, with whispers suggesting Steph had even forwarded a bikini snap of herself.

During last night’s broadcast (May 12), word spread about the bikini images, prompting Bec to erupt: “You’re contacting my ex-husband, you’re meant to be my friend … Who do you think you are?”

Bec further alleged the duo had traded voice messages, with Danny also sending Steph love heart emojis – though he insisted he shares the symbol with everyone, reports OK!.

Eventually, a tearful Bec walked out of the Dinner Party, confessing that despite Danny shattering her heart, she remained in love with him – sentiments he did not share.

Speaking to producers on the programme, Steph confessed she felt no attraction towards Danny and would not pursue anything with him. But what really transpired between the two? The text messages between the pair have now come to light.

Woman’s Day reports that Stephanie made the first move, checking in on Danny’s wellbeing. Steph revealed she’d been “working, walking and working out man. Dating. Having fun”.

In one exchange, Steph urged Danny to attend the reunion, hoping he’d help her “go hard” on ex Tyson following their turbulent split. One message read: “I think you should come and if it gets too much, just leave. But I say that because I wanna see everyone and I’m just being selfish.”

Other messages saw them poking fun at contestants who’d left their jobs for the show, with Danny writing: “Living in dream world thinking you’ll make good coin off the back of mafs haha.”

The duo also swapped voice notes, while Steph sent Danny a series of snaps from a recent getaway, including the bikini shot that Bec had questioned.

Nine.com.au reports that Steph had previously posted the photograph herself on Instagram stories, labelling it the “bikini photo in question”, linked to a November 2025 upload. The image shows her sporting a bikini top paired with shorts.

Her caption, which accompanied various sightseeing shots plus another bikini snap, read: “Sunbaking/burnt, bug/gies, saunas, sightseeing, HPC, Hamilton.”

Speaking to Nine, Steph insisted the exchange was completely innocent, saying: “I went to Hamilton Island with work, and he said he’d never been there. I sent him a couple of photos, one of which was me in a bikini, which had already been posted on social media.”

Married At First Sight Australia can be streamed on Channel 4.