Almost a million young people are still out of work, education or training, new data suggests.
The number of so-called Neets – those aged 16-24 who are unemployed or economically inactive in the UK – had fallen slightly to 946,000 between July and September, down from 948,000 in the three months before, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This latest figure equates to one in eight young people.
Announcing a scheme to help young people get access to paid work, education, and apprenticeships, the government said Neet numbers had been “Far too high for too long”.
The numbers of young people who are Neet have been consistently above 900,000 since early 2024 and reached an 11 year high of 987,000 earlier this year.
Young people not in employment can be unemployed – which means they are actively seeking work – or defined as economically inactive – meaning they are not seeking work.
The majority of young people (580,000) who are Neet fall into the economically inactive category, compared to 366,000 who are unemployed.
A rise in long-term sickness among young people has been one of the main causes of economic inactivity over the past three years, according to research by the Youth Futures Foundation.
Nathan wants to find a stable job and eventually open his own business
Nathan, 21, is currently Neet and is on a six-week employability course in Leeds, run by The Spear Programme, a charity that supports young people across the country by giving coaching them in communication and interview skills.
Working with the charity has helped build his confidence in job interviews, Nathan told the BBC.
“I’ve gone into a good few interviews now, not knowing what to say,” he added.
“They [The Spear Programme] help you build your confidence going into interviews, so that you are speaking clearly with a meaning of why you’re there.”
Around half of the charity’s referrals come from the job centre, and all the young people on the course have at least three barriers to work, which could include having been in care, having fewer than five GCSEs or mental health challenges.
Nathan was excluded from five schools as a child, but now he wants to move on and build a future.
“You don’t realise between 16 to 21, those ages are when you have to start thinking about what you want to do with your life. The school years matter,” he said.
Nathan’s dream is to open his own gym business, and he wants a stable job to help him achieve that. Businesses should do more to take chances on young people, he said.
Historically, more women than men have been Neet, but in recent years that trend has reversed.
In July to September 2025, an estimated 512,000 of all male 16-24-year-olds were Neet, compared with 434,000 of young women.
In 2023, almost one out of every five (19.5%) young people who were Neet had a mental health condition, according to the Department for Education.
Megan Williams runs a charity which helps young people with skills coaching
Megan Williams runs the Spear Programme and has worked with Neets for 20 years. She says the charity is seeing increasing numbers of young people who are struggling with their mental health and isolation.
“A lot of them are struggling to do day to day tasks like get out of bed, get washed, get dressed,” she said.
“Engaging with work and education feels very far away for a lot of them.”
But employers should take chances on people with less work experience or qualifications because “there are really work-ready motivated young people out there” she said.
In response to today’s figures, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said a planned “Youth Guarantee” scheme would ensure young people “have access to education, training, an apprenticeship – or ultimately guaranteed paid work if they cannot find a job”.
McFadden said the government wanted to make sure “every young person has the chance to succeed, no matter where they are from or what their background is”.
Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to lay out more details in the Budget of plans to offer a guaranteed work placement to young people who have been on Universal Credit for 18 months without “earning or learning”. Those who refuse to take part may risk losing benefits.
Former Health Secretary Alan Milburn will lead an independent investigation into what is behind the rise in youth inactivity, the department for Work and Pensions recently announced, with a particular focus on the impact of mental health conditions and disability.
The largest quarterly Neets total was recorded in July to September 2011, when the number peaked at over a million after the 2008 financial crisis.
Since 2021, Smith also has been an analyst on ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” pregame and halftime studio show.
But he isn’t anymore, at least not on a full-time basis.
This week, ESPN announced a new “NBA Countdown” broadcast team that features host Malika Andrews and analysts Brian Windhorst, Michael Malone and Kendrick Perkins, with frequent contributions from Shams Charania.
Smith said Tuesday on “The Stephen A. Smith Show” that he hadn’t been demoted from his status as a show regular, as some outlets suggested. Instead, he said, the change was something he had asked for while negotiating his reported five-year, $100-million contract to remain with the network earlier this year.
Why? Smith said he simply no longer has the time.
“I didn’t want to be on the show,” Smith said. “I negotiated coming off of it. Now I love doing ‘NBA Countdown,’ but once the countdown show is over, I got other things to do than to be in studio, watching the doubleheader and coming on at halftimes. I got other stuff that I want to do, to prepare for ‘First Take’ the next day, the next morning, and to do an abundance of other things that I aspire to do.”
Smith said his departure from “NBA Countdown” had been reported “months ago,” and he is correct. In breaking the news of Smith’s new deal with ESPN in March, The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand wrote that Smith “will not be a regular on ESPN’s premiere NBA pregame show anymore.”
ESPN did not immediately respond on Wednesday to a request for a comment.
Smith added that he will continue to make frequent guest appearances on several ESPN shows, and that includes “NBA Countdown.”
“If they need me in L.A. for ‘NBA Countdown,’ I’ll be there,” Smith said. “Matter of fact, I have days in my contract to be there. I just don’t have to be there full time.”
There’s a reason crowds endure yearly price increases and jammed sidewalks at Disneyland each November through early January. It’s the merriest time of the year — and arguably when the resort is at its glistening, glowing best with seasonal food offerings, holiday ride makeovers and unique live entertainment options.
Disneyland, of course, is home to the long-running A Christmas Fantasy Parade, but I’d argue it’s not even the best processional happening this time of year. And this year, even Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, though not part of Disneyland’s holiday programming, is finding new ways to get festive.
Here’s a sample of some of my favorite things to do at the park this holiday season, which runs through Jan. 7. If you’re curious to check it out but looking to save a little on tickets, Disneyland has announced a new California ticket offer that goes on sale Dec. 3 and takes effect Jan. 1. The deal is for a three-day park-hopper ticket, which can be used on non-consecutive visits, and starts at $249 per person, which amounts to $83 per day.
If you go, don’t be shy, and say hi, as it’s the time of the year when I visit most often.
Don’t miss Disneyland’s best street party
The ¡Viva Navidad! street parade is one of Disney California Adventure’s most lively, diverse and dance-focused offerings.
(Disneyland Resort)
There’s one show at the Disneyland Resort that each year, without fail, brings me to tears — tears of joy, but also tears of surprise that something so lively, diverse and dance-focused exists at a Disney park. That show is California Adventure’s ¡Viva Navidad!
A boisterous celebration of Latin art and music from beginning to end, ¡Viva Navidad! uses the characters from Disney’s mid-1940s goodwill film “The Three Caballeros” as a jumping-off point to showcase folklórico dancers, mariachis and 12-foot-tall mojiganga puppets (large-scale, papier mâché sculptures that dizzyingly rocket up and down a small portion of California Adventure). The show, which came from the minds of Susana Tubert and her team at Disney Live Entertainment, feels a bit like a Mexican street parade and works because it extends a hand to guests of all walks of life. Though launching with Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime,” it ends with the always-festive “Feliz Navidad” from José Feliciano.
Running since 2014, ¡Viva Navidad! is a blast. It’s a treasure. The only quibble is the show primarily runs on weekends only.
Embrace a cultural tradition — with stories, candles and thoughtfulness
“A Musical Christmas With Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland & Miguel” is an evening performance at Disneyland that centers on a mariachi band and is inspired by Las Posadas.
(Joshua Sudock / Disneyland Resort )
Introduced last year, California Adventure’s “A Musical Christmas With Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland & Miguel” features the star of Disney/Pixar film “Coco” but, like ¡Viva Navidad!, is rooted in cultural traditions. Specifically Las Posadas. Think a festive procession that travels among the community, Las Posadas are traditionally staged in Mexico between Dec. 16 and 24. In their purest form, Las Posadas depict the biblical story of Joseph and Mary and the search for shelter at the time of Jesus’ birth.
The Disney performance, which typically runs on weekdays, deviates from the religious overtunes. But some of the key touchstones — a mix of music and stories, a centering of children with candles — are present. It begins with a trot to the center of California Adventure to the tune of “El Burrito de Belén” and throughout the course of the show it will touch on such staples as “Jingle Bells” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” albeit in bilingual renditions.
The show’s narrator and singer regales guests with tales of how different Latin countries present stories of Santa Claus, or, say, the joy of unwrapping a tamale. The climax instead of the street performance is a candlelit rendition of “Silent Night,” with audience participation. What a moment ago was festive theme park fare becomes something more reflective, all while slightly nodding to the holiday’s more spiritual underpinnings.
Participate in a fantastical holiday at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Life Day is a fictional holiday exclusive to the “Star Wars” universe.
(Disneyland Resort)
OK, so this is a bit of a curve ball. It should be noted that what happens in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is not part of Disneyland’s traditional holiday programming, as Life Day is not an actual holiday, unless, perhaps, your religion is “Star Wars.” It’s also lighthearted good fun. Life Day has its roots in the beloved but campy and culturally questionable “Star Wars Holiday Special” as an event that originated on the Wookie home planet of Kashyyyk.
When Galaxy’s Edge opened in 2019, fans wondered if during the holiday season the land would get in on the Life Day action. Initially, fans started showing up on Nov. 17, the day the television special aired, for impromptu celebrations of their own. Credit Disneyland for embracing the guest-driven activity, so much so that the park started developing Life Day ornaments and shirts as well as offering limited time food specials.
This year, a red-robed Chewbacca holding a glowing orb — the official symbol of Life Day — will for the first time wander Galaxy’s Edge to meet with visitors. Disney hasn’t said for exactly how long this festive version of Chewbacca will be present in the land, but here’s hoping Life Day is celebrated at least until the end of Disneyland’s more conventional holiday proceedings.
After all, I enjoyed my morning paying respects to the fictional holiday, as I indulged in a limited-run anise-spiked sangria at Oga’s Cantina (the Joh Blastoh Sangria Gocola, $19.50) along with a large, fluffy slice of cinnamon toast topped with a richly sweet, cheesecake-inspired frosting and ornamental lychee pearls (Millaflower Toast, $13). The latter meant I essentially had dessert for breakfast, and while it was too sugary to finish — definitely share it — I couldn’t help but smile at the fact that Disneyland has embraced one of the silliest aspects of the space fantasy the land is dedicated to.
You’ll love the gingerbread (and other tasty delights)
The Festival of Holidays in Disney California Adventure is serving up two types of mac and cheese this year. On the left is the al pastor mac and cheese and on the right is the savory kugel mac and cheese.
(David Nguyen / Disneyland Resort)
I stopped in the lobby of the Grand Californian on my way out of the park for some Mickey-shaped gingerbread cookies and balked at a line that some guests said they had spent 40 minutes standing in. But having had it in year’s past, as well as a Halloween version of the cookie just a couple weeks ago, I can vouch for the fact that it is quality, soft gingerbread. Worth the wait? Your mileage may vary, but know that the best gingerbread cookie in Disneyland is actually inside the park at the Harbor Galley, where the cookies are smaller and rounder but also spicier and chewier. And 13 of them cost just $13.79, making them one of the more budget-friendly snacks in the resort. They’re a must.
Yet there’s much to sample across Disneyland’s two parks, its shopping district and hotels, so much so that I spent much more time on Sunday eating than going on rides. The bulk of my afternoon was devoted to the food booths of Disney California Adventure’s Festival of Holidays, where most items run between $6 and $9 (or buy a passport to try six items for $49). The highlight was an al pastor mac and cheese where I slathered the cubes of pork in the finest theme park cheese slop. Don’t miss some returning favorites, such as the barbacoa tamal de res, in which the beef is pleasantly tender, or the braised pork belly adobo, one of the heartier dishes at the festival. Just know that throughout the day booths may periodically run out of items, so be prepared to pivot.
Elsewhere, I sampled the creamy, rum-forward horchata with whipped cream ($18) at Downtown Disney’s Centrico, a frosty, mid-afternoon cinnamon-focused dessert drink, and made a note to come back for the seasonal, mole tamales. It wouldn’t be the holidays without a little eggnog, so I made it over to the Disneyland Hotel’s Broken Spell Lounge for its $19 cognac and rum-spiked rendition. It’s heavily alcohol forward, so next time I may simply stick to the space’s spirit-less house-made eggnog at $9. While there, don’t miss the French dip, which, albeit pricey at $34, is an ample, filling sandwich that debuted during last year’s holidays and became so popular with guests it stuck around.
Still on my must-try list: a gingerbread-cranberry cheesecake trifle at Disneyland’s Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe and the gingerbread pancakes at River Belle Terrace.
And of course, don’t miss the holiday ride makeovers, including Haunted Mansion and It’s a Small World
The Haunted Mansion is currently themed to “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” a charming, Christmas-focused makeover.
(Disneyland Resort / Christian Thompson)
In a way, Disneyland has been celebrating Christmas since August. That’s when its Haunted Mansion was remade into its “Nightmare Before Christmas” form and became a ride that largely cheers the Dec. 25 holiday.
While Disneyland’s original Haunted Mansion is the one after my heart, the overlay has its charms, namely the demented gingerbread house in the ballroom scene. This year’s rendition is filled with murderous red-eyed ravens up to no good, and in true Haunted Mansion fashion it has a pun for a name. The 13-foot gingerbread house is titled “A Murder So Fowl.” Pay close attention as you glide by, as not all these ravens and crows appear to survive a visit to the gingerbread mansion.
And while Disneyland’s early evening tree lighting tends to draw a crowd, you’ll want to make your way to Fantasyland at 5 p.m. for the nighttime illumination of the It’s a Small World facade. Here, tens of thousands of lights instantly flip on for arguably Southern California’s most memorable Christmas light display. It’s so bright, that nearby walkways will glow red and green and twinkle along with the playful piece of mid-’60s architecture.
The attraction itself remains a joy. The ride’s namesake song plays give and take with “Jingle Bells” and seasonal adornments adorably enliven the leisurely boat ride with even more cheer. The regular version is my favorite ride at Disneyland, and during the holidays it’s like riding through a giant, wintry music box.
The holidays may be one of the busier times to visit the Disneyland Resort, but it’s also a time when the theme parks are at their best.
A strange world is taking to the streets of Melrose Avenue this Sunday, Nov. 23, as CicLAvia touches down in partnership with the Netflix series “Stranger Things” in promotion of the show’s upcoming final season.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the car-free event will stretch from Vermont to Fairfax, with a reimagined street that brings the fictional town of Hawkins, Ind., to life. Fans are also encouraged to embrace an ’80s theme, so break out the neon, leg warmers and windbreakers.
With no starting point or finish line, participants are invited to go at their own pace and patron local businesses along the way. Take a break with over-the-top lattes, French baguettes, Filipino barbecue, an iconic hot dog stand, vegan ice cream, Uzbek cuisine and more. Here are 15 food and drink stops along the Melrose Avenue CicLAvia route.
James Bond star Pierce Brosnan looked dapperCredit: GettyLeigh-Anne’s bandmate: Jade Thirlwall also looked stunningCredit: GettyJade arrived with her boyfriend Jordan StephensCredit: PA
“It’s a clever way to invest her money as it’ll not only bring her a decent return but will see her bank balance grow over time.
“Maya did come up with the first company name, Blagging It Properties, but then changed it to something a little more sensible.
“She’s now the director of Penny Property Holdings and will start investing soon.”
Maya is also making her acting debut in the second series of Guy Ritchie‘s hit comedy- drama The Gentlemen.
The Sun revealed Maya had signed up back in May for a part in the Netflix series and filmed scenes in the summer.
Sabrina Carpenter brought her latest world tour in for a landing Sunday night at Crypto.com Arena, where the pop star will play half a dozen sold-out dates through Nov. 23 to wrap up her year-long road show behind 2024’s “Short n’ Sweet.”
I was at Crypto when Carpenter played the arena last November, just after “Short n’ Sweet” was nominated for six Grammys. (It went on to win prizes for pop vocal album and pop solo performance.) But since then she’s released a speedy follow-up LP, “Man’s Best Friend,” which itself earned another six Grammy nods this month, including album, record and song of the year.
So it seemed worth checking in on the tour again as Carpenter, 26, gets close to stepping offstage. At least for a moment, that is: Come April, she’ll be back in the spotlight to headline Coachella along with Karol G and Justin Bieber. Here are the seven best moments from Sunday’s concert:
1. Turns out that earlier visit to the Lakers’ home wasn’t quite as cheery as it seemed then. “This time last year, when I played this show, I was going through it,” Carpenter told the crowd Sunday night. “I was not in a good headspace, and thankfully because of that I was able to write a whole new album for you guys this year.”
“Man’s Best Friend” follows Carpenter’s breakup with the Irish actor Barry Keoghan, whom she seems to refer to in her song “Go Go Juice” when she threatens to drunk-dial an ex named Larry. “So thank you for Crypto last year,” she added, “’cause you really inspired ‘Man’s Best Friend’ and what was to come after that.”
2. Carpenter didn’t sing “Go Go Juice” on Sunday, though she did throw a few tunes from “Man’s Best Friend” into a set list still dominated by material from “Short n’ Sweet.” (“Short n’ Sweet” is the better of the two albums, so this was fine.)
For the lightly country-fied “Manchild,” the singer and her dancers did a cute little line dance, and Carpenter’s live band powered “Tears” with some appealingly skanky disco-funk energy. The evening’s surprise song — the product of a regular bit in which Carpenter selects a tune via spin the bottle — was the new album’s “Nobody’s Son,” which emulates Ace of Base’s Nordic reggae more precisely than anyone else has in the past 30 years.
3. In one of the show’s other recurring bits, Carpenter pretended to arrest one of her opening acts, Amber Mark, with a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs before singing the very horny “Juno.” That song features Carpenter simulating a different sexual position every night; here, well, you can look it up on TikTok.
4. Shout out to Carpenter’s guitar player, Caleb Nelson, whose ripping solo in “Juno” made the tune sound just like the theme from “Beverly Hills, 90210.”
5. “I’m gonna give you a little bit of history that you didn’t ask for,” Carpenter said about halfway through the concert, which ended up being a selective rundown of gigs she’s played in L.A. since she was a teenager on the Disney Channel.
“I played the Roxy when I was 16, and then I think played the Wiltern,” she said. “Then I played the Fonda and then the Wiltern again. And then I went to the … the Greek! Went to the Greek, of course — that was the best night ever.”
6. It says something about Carpenter’s commitment to the concept of her show, which takes place in the various rooms of a late-’60s/early-’70s-style bachelorette pad, that after dozens of tour dates she’s still performing one of her most emotionally cutting songs, “Sharpest Tool,” while sitting on a toilet.
7. Carpenter closed, as she always does, with “Espresso,” and if you’d assumed that by now this breezy electro-pop bop would inevitably have lost some of its fizz, think again. “I’m working late ’cause I’m a singer,” she sang as she strutted down a runway jutting onto the arena floor. It’s a task she’s still up to.
The rapper and content creator have quickly become fan favourites, and despite taking home huge fees, their pay is still modest compared to some stars who have previously appeared on the show
09:01, 18 Nov 2025Updated 09:06, 18 Nov 2025
Aitch is the highest paid celeb this year… but it’s nothing compared to some previous stars(Image: James Gourley/ITV/Shutterstock)
I’m A Celeb fan favourites Aitch and Angry Ginge are taking home huge paychecks for their stints in the jungle, but compared to some bigger names that have previously been on the show, it looks like pennies.
The two joined the hit ITV show on Sunday (16 November) and within 48 hours, they had stolen the show with some fans saying they were “way too funny”. Ahead of the series starting, the rumoured salaries of this year’s cast were revealed, and Aitch was the highest paid celeb, banking £250,000, with Angry Ginge will pocket just £100,000 this year.
While these numbers are huge, it is far from the most ITV are thought to have shelled out to get a big star in the I’m A Celeb camp. Some figures have been estimated to be over £1 million, making Aitch and Angry Ginge’s fees look tiny. Here are the reportedly highest paid celebs and their fees…
Coleen is thought to be one of the highest paid celebs in the show’s history, having banked a rumoured £1.5 million. She appeared on I’m A Celeb in 2024, and she reached the final, ultimately coming second to McFly’s Danny Jones.
Her enormous fee was thought to be the result of having made so many headlines two years prior, when she claimed fellow WAG Rebekah Vardy had leaked posts from Coleen’s private Instagram account to the press, a move for which she was later dubbed ‘Wagatha Christie’. Rebekah sued Coleen for libel, but the case was dismissed by the courts.
Nigel Farage
The Reform politician also allegedly took home £1.5 million for his I’m A Celeb stint. In 2023, he came third, behind Sam Thompson and Tony Bellew.
Nigel’s time on the show was controversial, as he wasn’t shy about sharing his political beliefs with his campmates, causing arguments with some, particularly Fred Sirieix and Nella Rose.
When he was first introduced, he said: “I’m known for politics, for Brexit, and I’m a hero to some people and an absolute villain to millions. In the jungle you’re going to find the real me. You might like me more, you might dislike me more, but you will at least find out.”
Noel Edmonds
The Deal or No Deal star was the programme’s highest paid participant for five years, having entered the Jungle in 2018 with a fee of £600k. As he was only in the show for nine days, that meant he earned over £66k a day.
After leaving, Noel expressed his disappointment in not being on the show for longer. “I was hoping to hang around for a little bit longer,” he said. “I hadn’t even actually got into my stride.”
Boy George
Boy George, who joined the show in 2022, was said to be pocketing £800k initially, but that figure dropped to £500k. He addressed his pay, pledging to be worth every penny the ITV producers spent on him. He said: “I feel like I’ve been paid well for it so I’m going to be as Boy George as I can.”
Harry Redknapp
Eventual winner Harry Redknapp was also reportedly paid £500k for his time on the show. At the time, it was rumoured that the BBC were courting him for Strictly Come Dancing, and Harry later revealed that the I’m A Celeb fee was double that which was offered by the BBC. He said: “What happened was I’m a Celebrity came and offered me twice as much money so I went there instead!”
Caitlyn Jenner
The year after Harry went on the show, former Olympian Caitlyn Jenner also took away £500k for her time on the show. This huge fee was even addressed on the show, with Dec saying: “We’ve got reality TV royalty Caitlyn Jenner. Most people come into the jungle to lose a few pounds…” Ant then playfully added: “But she’s going to be gaining 500,000 of them according to the papers.”
Suranne Jones’ hit TV show Doctor Foster will reportedly be returning to screens after an almost decade-long break, according to TV insiders
In Doctor Foster, Bertie Carvel plays cheating husband Simon with Suranne Jones as his vengeful wife(Image: Drama Republic 2015)
Suranne Jones is set to bring back her best-ever TV character after an eight-year break.
The former Coronation Street star will reprise the lead role of Gemma Foster in the BBC One drama Doctor Foster. The award-winning series saw Suranne play a scorned GP who takes revenge on her cheating husband, played by Bertie Carvel.
According to a report, Suranne and the team feel there is “unfinished business” for the character. Filming is reportedly due to start next year, with a view to it potentially airing at the end of 2026 or early 2027.
A TV insider said: “There was always a sense of unfinished business with Doctor Foster as the storyline could easily roll on and on.”
“It went out on a massive high, too, with around eight million tuning in every week to watch the drama unfold between the three lead characters,” they added to The Sun.
More than 10 million people tuned in to see the finale of Doctor Foster’s first series in October 2015. It won multiple awards including the best actress Bafta for Suranne Jones.
The second series did similarly well and the finale was watched by an average of 7.2 million viewers, according to overnight figures. But the ending did split viewers as Gemma Foster and her ex-husband fought over their son Tom.
Speaking about the series in 2017, Suranne admitted it could be “uncomfortable” viewing at times but says the show has a ” weird, sexy edge to it. We all know what it feels like to be in a room with an ex-partner,” she goes on.
“Everybody has had a relationship, everyone has had exes, everybody has been in difficult circumstances. I’m sure myself and Bertie have had those thoughts and feelings; otherwise we wouldn’t be able to draw on them.
“But at the same time, with the style of writing and the style of the programme, you’re able to go further.
“It has a fantastical edge as well as being deep-rooted in naturalism. It also has an exaggerated way of showing how far you could go if you really wanted to.”
The Mirror approached the BBC about reports of a third series Doctor Foster but were told there would be no immediate comment.
Strictly Come Dancing fans were left confused after Vicky Pattison failed to appear on It Takes Two on Monday without any real explanation following her elimination from the show
19:43, 17 Nov 2025Updated 19:50, 17 Nov 2025
Vicky Pattison did not appear for an interview on It Takes Two – but she had an agreement(Image: PA)
Strictly Come Dancing fans were left confused after Vicky Pattison failed to appear on It Takes Two on Monday. The Geordie Shore star was eliminated from the dancing competition over the weekend and it’s tradition for the axed contestant to have their first interview on the show’s spin-off at the beginning of the following week.
Host Fleur East confirmed to viewers that Vicky and Kai would appear later in the week, but gave no explanation. But the Mirror can now reveal why Vicky was absent.
A source close to Vicky told us: “Vicky had it pre-agreed that she was going to celebrate her birthday with some friends and family. She has hardly seen them the last few months cos of training so it was a wonderful celebration but nothing too crazy.
“The BBC gave her permission to have the time around her birthday off and so she will be appearing on It Takes Two on Wednesday, it was all pre-agreed.”
The Mirror has contacted representatives for comment.
Vicky had faced Balvinder Sopal in the dance off, and the EastEnders actress appeared in her place, where she explained how ‘horrible’ it had been to compete against her friend for a place in next week’s Blackpool heat. She said: “I knew we were gonna be in the dance off, and when I saw who was lined up, I was like ‘This is awful.’
“And then they announced Vicky, and I was like ‘I just can’t…’ We became quite close, and our journey together has been really solid. I thought ‘I don’t wanna be the one…’ It was horrible, it’s horrible with anybody, but someone you’ve got close to, it’s not the way you want it to play out.”
Over the weekend, the former Loose Women star shared a video clip from her birthday party – which she hosted just as her sad scenes went to air. The post includes a message from a friend that reads ‘You are so special, never change. Love you.”
An emotional Vicky could be seen blowing out her birthday candles in front of a room her pals. The reality star, who has told how she has a constant battle with anxiety, said: “I know I let my nerves get in the way – and I will proper beat myself up over that. But I’ve never danced before sober and here I am, sober as a judge.”
Vicky, who was visited by her husband Ercan and their dogs during training this week, looked gutted to be sent home, but told presenter Tess Daly: “It was so lovely while it lasted, and I’ve had the nicest time. I knew this week was a difficult one for me, and I tried my hardest, as I have every week.”
She said that getting as far as week eight had far surpassed her own expectations. “Listen, I didn’t think I’d get past week one,” she insisted. “And I’m really honoured to have shared this experience with so many amazing people. Mostly with this fella right here.”
She told Kai: “You’ve been the best partner a girl can ask for. I’m so sorry I didn’t get you to Blackpool but I feel like I’ve won just by having you as my partner and I’m so grateful.”
Kai said she’d been a joy to teach, telling her: “You are everything that this series is about. Strong, confident, independent – and all that I can say is, I have loved every single second. I’m going to be gutted not coming to Blackpool with you on Monday. But I just want you to know that I feel like I have also won getting you as my partner.”
Fans previously said it was an especially brutal departure for Vicky because of Blackpool, her tango triumph last week, and also because Sunday was her 38th birthday.
One fan said: “Pretty shocking result, had Vicky down as a nailed on finalist and 50:50 winner along with Lewis (Cope).”
Another agreed: “Slightly distraught with the result because you were a definite potential winner and a firm favourite of mine, but I hope you’re extremely proud of yourself.VickyPattison, because you’ve done so amazing!!! We’re all proud of you lass!!”
But others felt Vicky had been let down on the night, claiming: “I did think the song didn’t go with the dance, the outfit didn’t go with the staging and the graffitied stairwell is almost designed to turn off the average Strictly viewer.”
One viewer added: “The dress was giving more Charleston vibes and the set was giving just ugly vibes.”
Balvinder is a lifelong fan of Strictly who has wanted to take part for 20 years – let’s help her to enjoy Blackpool this weekend
13:25, 17 Nov 2025Updated 13:25, 17 Nov 2025
Balvinder has survived four dance-offs – now it’s someone else’s turn(Image: BBC/Guy Levy)
Spare a thought for Balvinder Sopal. When she said last night that she just didn’t want to do the Strictly dance off, you’d have to have a heart of stone not to feel sorry for her, after she failed to get enough votes for the FOURTH time.
She’s now equalled 2015 contestant Jamelia for the all-time record she never wanted to hold – of having to fight for survival more than anyone else in the show’s history. One more, and she will take the title.
But surely, in Blackpool, the voting public needs to give the EastEnders star the support she deserves and let her just sail through to the following week without needing to perform twice? After all, in the jungle Ant and Dec have brought in new rules to stop the same people doing the Bushtucker Trials over and over again, so it seems only fair that Bal is also given a break.
The first time she was in the dance-off, against Ross King in week two, you could see it had massively knocked her confidence the following week. Since then she has also competed, and won, against rugby player Chris Robshaw, model Ellie Goldstein and now reality star Vicky Pattison.
The poor woman must be wondering how on earth she is still in the competition and also why it keeps on happening. But one thing is sure. Even though the situation is inevitably making her feel a bit unloved, it’s also making her fight. And boy, is she proving good at that.
Balvinder should also take heart over how judges have picked her to stay time and time again, showing that when she’s on the ropes, she can find something a little bit extra to impress them all. Craig said on Sunday that he’d noticed a “massive improvement” after her second go at the American Smooth – and so did the audience.
Of course today there are lots of people moaning that Vicky Pattison should have stayed in the competition – but the simple truth is that she and Kai were out of synch at times and it was all a bit messy while Balvinder and Julian went up a notch. They absolutely deserved to stay.
One fan lamenting Vicky’s demise moaned: “It’s crazy Balvinder got through – four times in the dance off, what does that tell you?” Well, what it tells me is that she’s got some resilience to come back each time and see off her opponents. Both women had the same score on Saturday, with 27 points apiece, but Bal did far better in the dance off. In the end, the decision was simple.
Balvinder is the perfect Strictly contestant – she’s not a trained dancer but she’s giving it her all and showing real signs of improvement each week. So let’s give her the treat she deserves for Blackpool – as a huge fan of the show for many years she’s bound to be hugely excited to make it to the iconic Tower Ballroom.
The Walford veteran many get to dance the Argentine tango that she’s long been dreaming to do this week – here’s hoping – but whatever she does, if it goes well, let’s stick some votes on her.
I’m backing an idea I saw being suggested by a fan who sensed she was “absolutely crushed” at the weekend. They said that if a few George Clarke fans threw Bal a side vote, she could have a week away from the dreaded red zone. “George would still avoid the dance off due to the apparent huge size of his fanbase and Bal could get a much needed break,” they said. Sounds like a plan to me.
So come on all you EastEnders fans. Suki needs you!
Inside an office in Hollywood, not far from the Walk of Fame and the Sunset Bronson Studios, Netflix executive Alain Tascan revealed new content coming soon to the platform — but it’s not a TV show or a movie. It’s a new game where U.S. viewers compete to win thousands of dollars.
The game show, called “Best Guess Live,” will run on weekdays at 5 p.m. PT, where hosts Howie Mandel and Hunter March will unveil a set of five clues. Mobile game players tune in to make their best guesses. The earlier they can guess correctly with fewer clues, the higher the chances they can win more of the prize money. The show, filmed in Van Nuys, is Netflix’s attempt at appointment gaming for its audience of more than 700 million viewers.
“Can you imagine where you not only can go and play a game, but you could win a life-changing amount of money each and every day, and it takes no time, it’s easy, and you just have your phone?” said Mandel, widely known for his hosting turns on NBC’s “Deal or No Deal” and “America’s Got Talent.”
The goal is to make playing games on Netflix “as simple as streaming a movie on a Friday, using the same innovative mindset that led Netflix to transform itself from a company shipping DVDs to streaming movies, shows and now games,” Tascan said.
Netflix has been investing in its games vertical for the last four years, with mixed results. Last month, the streamer’s co-CEO Greg Peters gave the company’s gaming efforts a B- grade. Under Tascan’s leadership, the division has focused on some key areas, including narratives based on Netflix programs, games for children, social party games and mainstream titles like “Grand Theft Auto.”
The changes appear to be working. The number of downloads for Netflix games has increased 17% to 74.8 million from January to October of this year compared to the same period in 2024, according to data from app analytics firm Appfigures. The company is also releasing fewer games, adding 16 titles this year compared to 35 last year, Appfigures said.
Netflix declined to comment on the Appfigures data.
The company has also removed games in part due to low customer engagement. Netflix has released 142 games, with 78 of them still active as of October, according to Appfigures.
Its two most popular mobile games were released on Netflix in the last two years, including “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,” which came on the platform in December 2023 and achieved 44 million downloads. The streamer released an original, the multiplayer party royale title “Squid Game: Unleashed,” last year with 21 million downloads. The game had tie-ins to the popular series’ second season where players could earn cash or wild tokens in the game if they watched a certain number of episodes.
Some analysts say there is still room for improvement.
Journalists participate in a games demo at a Netflix office on Wednesday.
(Netflix)
“It still seems pretty experimental,” said Ross Benes, senior analyst at research firm Emarketer. “I don’t get the impression that they are on gamers’ list of their go-to sources of entertainment.”
On Thursday, Netflix said its first slate of five games for the TV, including Tetris Time Warp, Boggle Party, Pictionary: Game Night and LEGO Party! are now available. Prior to the new slate, subscribers could only play Netflix games on their mobile devices.
When consumers load up the TV games, they will see a QR code they can scan on their devices and use them as controllers in the game. For example in Netflix’s version of Pictionary, users draw on their phones.
“A big switch in the strategy is really to make sure that we are eliminating any friction that somebody can encounter when they want to play,” Tascan said in an interview. “We believe that on TV, in particular, where people enjoy their different shows, is the best place to offer something very easily approachable.”
The TV games are the latest iteration in Netflix’s effort that began four years ago. The company had beefed up its staff after acquiring four gaming businesses — Glendale-based Night School, Boss Fight Entertainment out of Allen, Texas, Finland-based Next Games and Spry Fox based in Seattle.
Netflix shut down Boss Fight Entertainment last month.
The gaming division efforts were first led by Mike Verdu, a former Facebook and Electronic Arts executive. He later transitioned to a role focusing on transforming game development and player experiences with generative AI in November 2024 and left Netflix earlier this year. Tascan, a former executive at Epic Games, was named Netflix’s president of games in July 2024.
Games has been an attractive area of investment for some companies, as younger audiences spend a lot of time playing titles like Roblox, Fortnite and Call of Duty. Tascan estimates there are 3 billion gamers in the world and with Netflix having an audience of more than 700 million people, “the Venn diagram is pretty large.”
The streamer on Thursday also announced new mobile games for kids, including digital coloring book “Barbie Color Creations” and a hairstyling game, “Toca Boca Hair Salon 4.”
It can be challenging for companies to get into the space. For example, in 2023, Google shut down its gaming service Stadia after it failed to gain traction with users.
Tascan said Netflix is not competing against traditional gaming consoles but is looking to innovate and find new ways to reach its customers.
Tascan said he is encouraged by the reactions he has seen.
“It’s a step in the right direction,” he said. “But at the end, how many people are going to have the same reaction? We are a company driven by data, and our main data is, how many people are going to engage?”
Tascan said he thinks it will be a few short years before Netflix becomes the Netflix of games. He hopes the division can improve from Peters’ grade of a B- to a higher level.
“What I hope is, by the end of the year, we’ll upgrade to an A, hopefully A+,” Tascan said.
Times editorial library director Cary Schneider contributed to this report.
Jack Osbourne has admitted he feels ‘very nervous’ as he joined other famous faces on I’m A Celebrity, but said his late father Ozzy would have encouraged him to do his best
22:59, 16 Nov 2025Updated 22:59, 16 Nov 2025
Jack Osbourne has joined I’m A Celebrity(Image: ITV)
Fans of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! have all been saying the same thing about Jack Osbourne, who has joined the show in Australia. Ozzy Osbourne’s son has joined the likes of comedian Ruby Wax, Spandau Ballet’s Martin Kemp, model Kelly Brook and Emmerdale star Lisa Riley on the show, presented by Ant and Dec.
Completing the line-up are rapper Aitch, comedian Eddie Kadi, EastEnders actress Shona McGarty, sports broadcaster Alex Scott and social media star Morgan Burtwistle, who is known as Angry Ginge.
As viewers enjoyed the first episode this evening, many complemented Jack on his looks, with a person writing on X: “Is Jack Osbourne a bit handsome??” Another wrote: “I fancy jack osbourne so much.”
“Jack Osbourne looks really good,” a third posted. “Ok… why is Jack Osbourne kinda hot?” another viewer tweeted, while another said: “Jack osbourne looks so gorg in im a celeb”.
A viewer was more hesitant, posting: “Hear me out but… jack osbourne is hot?” Another said: “God i love jack osbourne.” Other proclaimed the TV star their winner from the very first episode.
Jack shared he was joining the show with “very mixed emotions” but added that he thought his dad would tell him to “just f***ing do it.” The TV personality has been very open about his grief following his father’s death, talking about it on his podcast with his mother, Sharon, and sister Kelly.
Announcing he would be joining I’m A Celeb, Jack posted on social media on Tuesday: “Hey folks! Well I was told to keep this a secret but the cats out of the bag now. I’m headed into the jungle for a few weeks. Why you might ask?
“I guess I’m just a sucker for punishment hahaha. My team will be managing my social media while I’m away, so don’t worry, they will be keeping you all updated. Wish me luck cause I’m gonna need it. Before I go, does anyone have a good recipe for how to cook a crocodile?”
Earlier this week, Jack told us he only learnt he was heading Down Under a couple of weeks ago, which he described as a “last-ditch effort” after someone else seemingly dropped out of the show. “I only knew I was coming out here like 10 days ago. So it was literally 10 days,” he said.
Before heading to the jungle, he spent a few days loading up on comfort food. He said: “I stocked up on some chocolate digestives and some Pot Noodles… I’m going to live the high life.” The TV star, 39, admitted he expects some personal topics to come up as the cast bond, but said there are limits on what he is prepared to share on national television when it comes to family matters, including his late dad Ozzy, who passed away aged 76 in July.
Asked whether he will open up during the late-night chats the show is known for, Jack said: “I mean, it’s hard not to. I mean, I’ve done my fair share of projects with people in situations like this, like Adrenaline Junkie or things like that. I think it’s just a natural part of bonding with people.
“And I think this show would fall under the trauma bonding kind of category. I think things will naturally come up and I’m not necessarily going to stray away from too many things. But obviously there are certain things that I probably won’t discuss on a nationally televised TV show that’s filmed 24/7.”
Jack, who recently celebrated his 40th birthday, said he is “not a big bug person” and feels “very nervous” for the show. The TV presenter said his mother Sharon and sister Kelly have given him their full support. He added: “Mum and Kelly, yeah they are absolutely going to be watching. They are supportive.”
Remember the brave, talented theater students at Eliot Arts magnet school who lost their school, homes and theater to January’s Eaton fire and went on to perform their spring musical, “Shrek Jr.,” to a sold-out crowd at the Ahmanson Theatre?
Those kids are still displaced from their school, but not from the tenacious community spirit that guided them through the aftermath of that trauma. Their next chapter: a four-day, three-night class trip to New York City to see the sights and attend Broadway shows and workshops.
“After ‘Shrek’ last spring, I sat down with a group of my advanced theater students, and I said, ‘Dream big. What else would you want in your fantasy world?’ Big things have happened for us this semester after the fires,” their drama teacher, Mollie Lief, said in a phone interview. “And they said, ‘We want to go to New York City.’ And I just thought, ‘OK, we’re gonna make this happen.’”
The class has now met its initial $75,000 fundraising goal toward “Broadway Bound: A drama and dance trip to NYC,” which Lief will lead along with dance teacher Billy Rugh, who choreographed “Shrek Jr.” The funds, which will help cover the partial or full cost of taking 61 seventh and eighth graders to the Big Apple from April 7-10, were raised in about 28 days through a school fundraising campaign app called SnapRaise.
Lief credited actor Gillian Jacobs — who Lief calls “our fairy godmother” — with spreading the word to friends in film and TV, which is why the initial goal was met so quickly. Fundraising remains ongoing for the trip, as well as the school’s spring musical, but the class can now rest easy that everyone will be able to go.
“I think everybody was skeptical that we were going to be able to raise that much money and make it happen. But if Eliot’s good at anything, we are good at making big things happen,” said Lief.
Speaking of which: The other really big thing that Lief wants for the kids is a meeting with Broadway superstar and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda sent a personal message of support to the students via video when they performed at the Ahmanson, so he’s aware of them and their extraordinary story.
“They just love him,” Lief said of Miranda. “We had a Lin-Manuel Miranda day for Hispanic Heritage Month, and everybody dressed up as him or a character from one of his shows. They are all obviously obsessed with ‘Hamilton,’ which is a show we’re trying to see when we’re in New York.”
Three Broadway shows are part of the trip’s itinerary, as well as a theater and dance workshop or two. Also on the agenda: plenty of New York pizza, a jaunt through Central Park, a sightseeing cruise and a Big Bus tour.
“They’re super pumped,” Lief said of the kids who are currently rehearsing for their newest show, “The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood.”
On our radar
Grant Gershon will conduct the Los Angeles Master Chorale in David Lang’s “before and after nature” Sunday at Walt Disney Concert Hall.
(Jamie Phan / Los Angeles Master Chorale)
before and after nature The fall’s third and largest major environment-themed work is David Lang’s “before and after nature,” an evening-length score that was commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and had its premiere in the spring at Stanford University in conjunction with the Doerr School of Sustainability. Here, Lang explores, in his almost Hildegard-like glowing vocal writing, the human relationship with a nature that doesn’t need us, or want us, yet we insist on being the center of everything and making an inevitable mess of it. The instrumental ensemble is Bang on a Can All-Stars (Lang having been a founder of the New York music institution). The performance includes a video component by Tal Rosner, and Grant Gershon conducts. — Mark Swed 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. lamasterchorale.org
A 1989 billboard poster about museum representation by the Guerrilla Girls.
(Getty Research Institute)
How to Be a Guerrilla Girl The Guerrilla Girls famously shield their identity by wearing gorilla masks in public, but this show will unveil “how-to” information on their effective techniques of data research, distribution and culture jamming. Drawing on the witty protest group’s early archives, acquired in 2008 by the Getty Research Institute, their 40th anniversary will be celebrated by an exhibition of materials outlining the collaborative process that goes into their ongoing demands for art world equity for women and artists of color. A selection from their dozens of posters and ads will be displayed. — Christopher Knight Tuesday through April 12, 2026. Getty Center, Research Institute Galleries, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Los Angeles. getty.edu
The Broadway production of the musical “Suffs.”
(Joan Marcus)
Suffs This musical by Shaina Taub, which won Tony Awards for book and original score, turns the history of the 20th century American women’s suffrage movement into a show that rallies the spirit of democracy. The plot follows Alice Paul and a new generation of radical activists who are testing new tactics in the fight to secure women the right to vote. During the Broadway run, Hillary Clinton, one of the show’s high-profile producers, went on the stump for “Suffs,” endorsing its much-needed lesson that progress is possible, if never guaranteed. — Charles McNulty Wednesday through Dec. 7. Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. broadwayinhollywood.com
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
Olga de Amaral, “Gran Muro, Panel 7B,” 1976. Cotton, wool, horsehair, sisal and/or jute, rayon, nylon, raffia. 130 x 175 in.
(Mark Waldhauser / Photo from Lisson Gallery)
Olga de Amaral This solo exhibition of work from the Colombian artist’s six-decade career emphasizes her use of weaving, painting and sculpture, with variable scale, form and materials, including linen, wool, horsehair, Japanese paper, acrylic and precious metals. Opening, 6-8 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Lisson Gallery, 1037 N. Sycamore Ave. Los Angeles. lissongallery.com
60 Miles East: Riverside’s Underground Punk Rock, Hardcore & Ska Scene, from the late 1980s to early 2000s An exhibit of photography devoted to a distinctive music scene that made the most of its outsider existence in exploding exurbia. Riverside Museum of Art, Art Alliance Gallery, 3425 Mission Inn Ave. riversideartmuseum.org
SATURDAY
Yaphet Kotto, Sigourney Weaver and Ian Holm in the 1979 film “Alien.”
(Robert Penn / 20th Century Fox)
Alien Ridley Scott’s 1979 sci-fi classic screens in 35 mm to capture all of its oozing, Xenomorphic chest-bursting glory. Sigourney Weaver, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto and Tom Skerritt star. 7:30 p.m. Academy Museum, 6067 Wilshire Blvd. academymuseum.org
Creative Continuities: Family, Pride and Community in Native Art Three contemporary Plains Indian artists, John Pepion (Blackfeet), Brocade Stops Black Eagle (Crow) and Jessa Rae Growing Thunder (Dakota/Nakoda), each curated a section of this exhibition exploring aspects of Native culture through the lens of works created by their ancestors. Saturday-June 2027. Autry Museum of the American West, 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park. theautry.org
Jlin A 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist, the electronic music composer a.k.a. Jerrilynn Patton’s latest album featured collaborations with Philip Glass, Björk and Kronos Quartet. 8 p.m. Saturday. UCLA Nimoy Theater, 1262 Westwood Blvd. cap.ucla.edu
Baratunde Thurston will perform Saturday at Carpenter Center.
(Roy Rochlin / Getty Images for Unfinished Live)
An Evening with Baratunde Thurston The comedian and futurist ponders interrelationships between people, nature and technologies through stories. 8 p.m. Carpenter Center, 6200 E. Atherton St., Long Beach. carpenterarts.org
SUNDAY Radical Histories: Chicano Prints from the Smithsonian American Art Museum Six decades of art featuring 60 works by 40 or so artists and collectives that reflects an era of rebellion and cultural solidarity. Through March 2, 2026. The Huntington, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino. huntington.org
Something’s Gotta Give The American Cinematheque’s tribute to Diane Keaton continues with director Nancy Meyers’ 2003 romantic comedy co-starring Jack Nicholson, Amanda Peet and Keanu Reeves. Meyers joins film critic Katie Walsh for a Q&A. 7 p.m. Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. americancinematheque.com
Takács Quartet The chamber music ensemble performs a program featuring works by Joseph Haydn, Clarice Assad and Claude Debussy. 4 p.m. Broad Stage at Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St. broadstage.org
TUESDAY Brahms Strings Members of the L.A. Phil perform contemporary American composer Jessie Montgomery’s “Strum” as well as19th century masterworks by Johannes Brahms. 8 p.m. Tuesday. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
THURSDAY Lonnie Holley and Moor Mother The two artists collaborate for an evening of free jazz and spoken word rooted in Afrofuturism. 7:30 p.m. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
Prieto The L.A. premiere of poet and performance artist Yosimar Reyes dives into his experience growing up queer in East San Jose. 8 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Nov. 21-22; 2 p.m. Nov. 23. The Rosenthal Theater at Inner-City Arts, 720 Kohler St., Los Angeles. brownpapertickets.com
New Original Works (NOW) The third weekend of REDCAT’s annual festival of experimental performance features a program of works by Lu Coy, jeremy de’jon guyton and Luna Izpisua Rodriguez. 8 p.m Thursday-Saturday. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A.redcat.org
Shelley Conducts Carmen and Daphnis and Chloe Artistic and music director designate Alexander Shelley conducts the Pacific Symphony in a program of Bizet and Ravel, as well composer/pianist Gabriel Montero’s “Latin Concerto.” 8 p.m Thursday; 8 p.m. Nov. 21-22. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. pacificsymphony.org
Culture news and the SoCal scene
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art has officially set its opening date for Sept. 22, 2026. The Times got an exclusive peek at a few interiors, including the research library and the entrance lobby. We also took some great photos of the building as it currently looks and made a short video. Take a peek.
Times classical music critic Mark Swed weighs in on opera’s “long and curious fetish for the convent” in his review of Sarah Kirkland Snider’s “sincere and compelling ‘Hildegard.’” L.A. Opera’s collaboration with Beth Morrison Projects is based on “a real-life 12th century abbess and present-day cult figure, St. Hildegard von Bingen.” The show, which premiered at the Wallis last week, “operates as much as a passion play as an opera,” Swed writes.
Swed also took in a show featuring Zubin Mehta, the 89-year-old Los Angeles Philharmonic’s conductor emeritus, as he led the orchestra in Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony. Swed calls Mehta “a living L.A. icon.”
Times theater critic Charles McNulty touched down in New York City to review “The Queen of Versailles,” an adaptation of Lauren Greenfield’s 2012 documentary about a family building a supersized American home. McNulty found the musical unwieldy despite Michael Arden’s superb direction, but he reserved special praise for its star, Kristin Chenoweth, “who is bearing the weight of a McMansion musical on her diminutive frame and making it seem like she’s hoisting nothing heavier than a few overstuffed Hermes, Prada and Chanel shopping bags.”
Sculptures by the entrance of the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
I enjoyed writing about the $15-million renovation of the Norton Simon Museum, which has been unveiled in tandem with the organization’s 50th anniversary. In addition to new signage, improved curb appeal and a more accessible pedestrian entryway, the museum restored the 115,000 Heath tiles that clad the building’s exterior.
Times art critic Christopher Knight has the scoop on trouble at the Palm Springs Art Museum, which is facing a trustee revolt after hiring its new director, Christine Vendredi — the fourth such leader in just seven years. A week after the hire, “the chair of the search committee tasked with filling that position, trustee Patsy Marino, resigned from the museum’s board citing ‘inappropriate interference and attempts to influence the process’ on the part of the museum’s executive committee, individual trustees and other unidentified museum staff and donors,” Knight writes. To date, 22 trustees have exited, and it has been revealed that no other candidates were interviewed for the role.
Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts announced a major departure: Robert van Leer is stepping down as executive director and chief executive of the Wallis to take on the role of the new performing arts program director of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Van Leer has been at the Wallis since April 2023, and was instrumental in inviting a host of prominent performing arts organizations to make the Wallis their home, including Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, L.A. Dance Project, Los Angeles Ballet, BODYTRAFFIC, and Tonality.
“Specter,” a sculptural installation for Desert X by L.A. artist Sterling Ruby, just outside Palm Springs in 2019.
(Carolina A. Miranda / Los Angeles Times)
Big changes are coming to Desert X as it plans its sixth exhibition in the Coachella Valley, and its 10th worldwide. Over the past decade, the organization has commissioned more than 100 artists to create site-specific work in the desert. For its 10th anniversary exhibition, Desert X has announced new dates and an extended timeline. The next show is scheduled to open on Oct. 30, 2027, and will run through May 7, 2028, to coincide with other important area cultural events including the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Modernism Week, Frieze Los Angeles and the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Carol Burnett has endowed a new scholarship at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. The annual award will support undergraduate students in the school’s Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program. The inaugural scholarship has been awarded to first-year theater major Alexa Cruz.
— Jessica Gelt
And last but not least
Looking for a decadent holiday gift for an art lover? How about a $295 chocolate bar made by andSons Chocolatiers in collaboration with Ed Ruscha? The 73% Peruvian dark chocolate bar is an edition of 300 and comes in a cloth-bound box, which, according to the Beverly Hills-based chocolate company’s website, features “a reproduction of Ruscha’s 1971 lithograph ‘Made in California’” and “bears the relief of the West Coast’s rugged topography from the Pacific Ocean eastward to the Santa Lucia Mountains.”
If you’ve watched the Screen Actors Guild Awards over the years, you’ve heard the name of the prize countless times, even if it hasn’t quite registered.
Now, in an effort to lean into the name of the statuette and streamline the show’s title, the Screen Actors Guild Awards announced Friday that it is renaming the ceremony to the Actor Awards. Or, if you want to get precise (and a bit verbose): the Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA.
“Now that our global audience is really growing, people don’t always understand what the union name is,” says awards committee chair JoBeth Williams. “But ‘the Actor Awards’ they recognize and they know they’re going to see their favorite actors when they tune in.”
The SAG Awards have long been a reliable precursor to the Oscars on the awards season calendar, with last year being an exception. (Chalamet, Moore and “Conclave,” winner of the guild’s best picture equivalent, the ensemble honor, did not repeat their SAG successes.)
Since the event moved to Netflix in 2024 from TNT and TBS, viewership numbers have increased, besting pre-pandemic levels. Last year, per Netflix, the ceremony received 4.3 million views on the platform.
That’s a far cry from just four years ago, when the pandemic forced ceremonies to postpone and shuffle dates, and the Grammys thought nothing of landing on the SAG Awards’ original date. (SAG-AFTRA voiced its “extreme disappointment,” then slunk off to Easter Sunday for a scheduled one-hour telecast.)
“[Netflix] saw the potential of the show to really grow an audience,” says Jon Brockett, longtime showrunner and executive producer. “We’re on 190-plus countries now on Netflix. So the simplification of the name, from a global perspective, should bring about even greater awareness to understand who we are and what we’re all about.”
Which is, in a word: actors. Like the Golden Globes, the Actor Awards (we’ll just start calling it that now, trying it out for size) reward lead and supporting performances in movies and television, and, in lieu of “best picture” or “best series,” prizes for acting ensembles. Unlike the Golden Globes, the ceremony has not been beset by scandal or raised questions about unethical self-dealing.
Nominations for the Actor Awards are chosen by two nominating committees, one for film and one for television, comprising 2,500 SAG-AFTRA members that are randomly selected each year. Winners are then selected by active SAG-AFTRA members, a massive voting body numbering more than 130,000.
“We are all doing what these folks up there on the screen do, so we have a strong sense of what it takes to do that and what it takes to make it really special,” Williams says of the awards’ voters. “The eyes of the voters are very tuned in to what actors do.”
The Actors Awards will stream live on Netflix on March 1. Nominations will be announced on Jan. 7.
Mystery swirls around the Strictly results show as the couple eliminated is leaked during the show’s taping, despite audience members handing in their phones
23:04, 15 Nov 2025Updated 23:13, 15 Nov 2025
Strictly Come Dancing mystery as result leaks during the show(Image: PA)
Questions are being raised about how spoilers are leaked about the Strictly Results show, as the couple eliminated was revealed while the results show was still being filmed.
Every Saturday, the Strictly main show airs live, but the Sunday results shows are filmed immediately after the live show is screened with the same audience sitting in for both. As such, the audience are aware of who has gone home almost a full day before the wider public are.
To prevent the result leaking, audience members are not allowed to have their mobile phones in the studio and those that bring phones with them are required to hand them over to security.
They can collect them from when they leave. However, the celebrities, their family and friends, pro dancers and production crew are all allowed to keep their mobile phones.
Despite the tight control on communication from the audience to the outside world, spoilers for the results show have continued to leak as it is filmed, making some wonder how this is possible.
Spoilers have long been an issue on the show, but this is the first year where they have leaked as filming is still underway. A source told the Sun that spoilers “plague” the show.
“Spoilers have plagued Strictly for years with fans struggling to avoid finding out who leaves before the Sunday results show airs. Now, results are ending up online while the cameras are still rolling.”
There are multiple ways that spoilers from the show are leaked, but those dropping during the show’s filming appear to be leaked to a TikTok user called Shirleigh Humphreys.
Shirleigh, who goes by Shirleighshirlz, consistently streams her live reaction to finding out who has been eliminated around 10:30pm on a Saturday, a time when filming sometimes has not wrapped on Strictly Come Dancing.
In one video, she revealed that she gets her information during the show’s filming: “I have my own moles and this particular mole was fantastic for giving us live coverage of the Strictly Results while it was taping.”
Last week, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey found himself in the dance off with La Voix, and the judges ultimately decided to save the Drag Race star, sending Harry home.
With Vicky and the bottom of the dance-off, there is some fear that the Geordie Shore star will be heading home. This week is an important one for celebs to make it through, as next week, they head to Blackpool for the one of the series’ biggest shows.
No arguments were settled about the Rogers-Bellingham conundrum on this night, other than to confirm the childhood friends from the Midlands are giving Tuchel the most pleasant of selection headaches.
The betting would still be on Bellingham starting the World Cup, but Rogers has made his mark. Bellingham is likely to start against Albania in Tirana, so it is now over to him.
Manchester City’s Foden is an outsider to force his way into that discussion, but there is no doubt he made a big impression on Tuchel with a lively 25-minute cameo, forcing his way through dangerous central areas, where the head coach wants him, creating several moments of danger as well as setting up Eze’s goal.
Kane is, understandably, an immovable object as England’s spearhead, but Foden is clearly in Tuchel’s thinking as he said: “He was excellent. You can see he is full of confidence. He showed it.
“I like to have him in centre of pitch in close connection with other players. He did well. It is a big ask to challenge Harry at the moment. He is in the shape of his life. But to be an accomplice and share some minutes, then he is an option.
“You can see he is full of confidence. You can see it in the first minutes when you meet him. You feel he is light and he is smiling. His movements are a joy to watch, you can see he is competitive.”
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, yet to concede a goal in World Cup qualifying and with a record 10th successive clean sheet, also echoed the benefits of Tuchel’s squad strength.
He said: “It just gives us variety, and everyone knows how great Harry is at coming down low to get the ball and start spraying balls. Phil Foden comes on and nearly gets two goals. It’s great to have those options going forward.
“We have got the depth as team England. You have to be playing well and Jude is playing well at his club. It’s his first camp since the summer. He has come on tonight and made a massive impact.
“You have to give that credit to Morgan, he has come in the last few games and stepped up. The manager has put the trust in him even though we have someone like Jude and Phil on the bench. We have a lot of options. It’s about being team England sticking together moving forward.”
Foden’s Manchester City team-mate Nico O’Reilly made an accomplished senior debut at left-back, a position still up for grabs, while Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa grows in stature with every game, a genuine contender for a place in central defence with John Stones and Marc Guehi.
Rashford faces competition on the left flank, especially from Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon, missing here with a hip injury, as well as Arsenal’s Noni Madueke when he is fit again, but his renaissance at Barcelona has put him back in the frame.
He had moments at Wembley, especially with some superb sleight of foot, but both he and Tuchel would have wished for better end product. He still has work to do to keep rivals at bay.
The scenery for England’s World Cup auditions now shifts to Tirana against Albania on Sunday – with it all still to play for in the battle for places.
The town is a haven for those who enjoy a countryside walk as well as fans of this famous sitcom and it’s easy to see why – with stunning views of Yorkshire
08:00, 13 Nov 2025Updated 08:40, 13 Nov 2025
The town draws in walkers due to its close proximity to the Peak District (Image: Photos by R A Kearton via Getty Images)
If autumn leaves you yearning for a countryside stroll whilst getting up close with nature, this charming town nestled in the Holme Valley provides the ideal getaway.
Famous for its breathtaking panoramic views stretching across Yorkshire, Holmfirth brims with year-round festivities and endless discoveries waiting to be made. Those unfamiliar with this picturesque spot may have actually glimpsed it from their own living rooms whilst tuning into the beloved sitcom Last of the Summer Wine.
This delightful town served as the setting for the characters’ adventures and continues to attract devoted fans of the series, eager to step into what feels like a make-believe world. Yet it’s wonderfully authentic, enveloped by verdant landscapes and positioned merely six miles south of Huddersfield and 14 miles west of Barnsley.
Holmfirth actually houses a dedicated exhibition celebrating the much-loved programme. One visitor shared their experience on TripAdvisor, writing: “The building itself is Compo’s house from the series, which is extra special; there are lots of memories, pictures and extras from episodes from the show.
“The visit brought back many childhood memories of something I used to enjoy watching. Well worth a visit, and you have Nora Batty’s house above to grab a photo on the steps.”
The boundary of the Peak District National Park sits merely two miles distant, making Holmfirth a natural pit stop for enthusiastic ramblers and hiking enthusiasts passing through the area. The renowned Holmfirth Circular trail begins in the town centre, winding through the picturesque Hope Valley before returning visitors to the charming cobbled streets where they started.
The stunning circular route takes approximately two to two and a half hours to finish and boasts an excellent 4.6 rating from experienced walkers. Spanning roughly 7.2km in total, the path is considered suitable for people of all fitness levels and walking abilities.
The town’s very own vineyard proves a major attraction, offering visitors hours of wine tasting and sampling premium local vintages. Holmfirth Vineyard provides guests with comprehensive guided tours explaining the wine-making process, culminating in tastings of varieties produced on-site.
Alternatively, many travellers simply call in for a delightful breakfast whilst taking in views across the Yorkshire countryside. One visitor wrote on TripAdvisor: “Spent the day at Holmfirth Vineyard and Restaurant, and what an experience!
“We were treated to a fascinating insight into the history of the business; it’s amazing to see the passion and dedication that goes into every bottle. The wine tasting was a treat, and it all wrapped up beautifully with a delicious Sunday dinner!”
Another visitor said: “The view on arriving was spectacular, and afternoon tea was delightful and filling. The wine tour and tasting were interesting, knowledgeable and entertaining; we all enjoyed it.”
Holmfirth thrives on festivities, hosting the annual Holmfirth Film Festival each year – a celebration featuring an extensive range of films from neighbourhood creators to global cinema, all within this compact town. The area also stages a yearly Arts Festival alongside a community market that presently operates on both Thursdays and Sundays.
While Middleton-Patel stole the show by the end of the night, it was Earps who was the focus before kick-off.
The mural of Earps, painted outside Old Trafford following her heroics with England at Euro 2022, bore a ‘Welcome to Manchester’ message which felt riddled with irony as she stepped out in the pouring northern rain in the opponent’s colours.
She was a heroine to many during her time at United and played a key role in the club’s first FA Cup victory, and their rise up the Women’s Super League table.
This time she was a football enemy, arriving in a cloud of controversy, and received boos when her name was read out by the stadium announcer.
More boos followed when she touched the ball, mixed in with some cheers from loyal followers, until she eventually received the adulation of the Old Trafford crowd when she walked along the stands applauding them at full-time, and was warmly received in return.
“A lot of the public has great interest in seeing Mary play. I’m very happy to have a player like her in our team,” said PSG boss Paulo Cesar afterwards.
“The fans here were clearly behind her. At the beginning, perhaps not, but by the end of the game her quality shone through.
“She put in a great performance today and she gives confidence to the team. I’m very happy with her.”
Skinner said in his pre-match media conference he expected the United fans to make life difficult for Earps as an opponent, but hoped she would receive the respect she earned during her five-year spell at the club before leaving in 2024.
When she left the pitch to cheers from the home fans and hugs from former team-mates, the controversy of the past two weeks surrounding her book felt a distant memory.
“It was nice. I said to her at the end to look after herself. Mary is a really intelligent woman and she has been the world’s best so she understands it,” said Skinner.
“It was a lovely atmosphere and she got a cheer when she walked down at the end of the game, and hopefully that helps her in the situation and how she feels.
“After the game it was always going to be friendly with Mary, because she was a big part of what we have done – and we should never forget that.”
Loose Women star Kelly Brook is about to head into the I’m A Celebrity jungle but has admitted that she is afraid of just about everything prior to the show’s launch
23:18, 12 Nov 2025Updated 00:17, 13 Nov 2025
Loose Women star Kelly Brook has admitted that she is ‘afraid of everything’ ahead of I’m A Celeb kicking offf(Image: ITV)
Kelly Brook has sparked fears that she could quit I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! before the show has even started. The model, 45, is one of the famous faces gearing up to take part in Ant and Dec’s reality show and recently landed in Australia but recent admissions from her could mean that it’s all over before it has even begun.
The Loose Women star will have to live in the jungle with her fellow celebrities, which include big names like Emmerdale legendLisa Riley, Spandau Ballet singer Martin Kemp and presenter Alex Scott amongst a host of others, and face all sorts of unpleasant things. Kelly discussed her phobias during an appearance on the How to Fail podcast – and it seems she may struggle.
Speaking to host Elizabeth Day, she admitted: “I’m even scared to get the Tube at Leicester Square… I wait for someone to be in front and behind me so I’m sandwiched. I’m scared of heights, snakes, spiders — all of those things.”
Kelly previously claimed she would never take part in the survival reality show and had always ruled it out because of her fears, but, upon announcing that she has changed her mind, she admitted that she now “didn’t give a damn”.
She said: “What changed? Really good question. A friend of mine got asked to have a meeting with the producers of I’m A Celebrity and I said, You have to do it, I love watching it, what an incredible life experience… I was thinking, why can’t I give myself that advice? I realised it was basically out of fear, and I thought, it’s about time that I live my don’t give a damn era!”
Before flying out, Kelly was spotted at Heathrow Airport with husband Jeremy Parisi as she prepared to say goodbye to home comforts – and her beloved dog, Teddy.
She admitted: “I am going to miss my dog Teddy and my husband Jeremy.” According to insiders, Kelly went above and beyond to make sure her pampered pooch was well cared for during her time away.
A source told The Sun: “Kelly is besotted with Teddy and he is used to fine dining, so Kelly spent all hours making sure the freezer was piled high with his special dinners.”
They added: “There’s everything from poached salmon with cavolo nero cabbage through to venison steak with Chantenay carrots. She didn’t have much time to get everything sorted among all her work commitments but catering for Teddy was the priority.”
Reports also claim Kelly even labelled Teddy’s meals to stop her husband from accidentally eating them.
Kelly, who married Italian model in 2022, is said to have finally been convinced to enter the jungle after years of saying she’d never do it.
Back in 2018, she told The Sun: “I hate confined spaces. I don’t want to eat eyeballs or sheep testicles. Even if I had a huge tax bill I had to pay it urgently, I still wouldn’t do it.” Now, seven years later, Kelly has had a change of heart – and fans are eager to see how the glamorous TV personality copes with bugs, bushtucker trials and jungle life.
Eddie Murphy has solidly been established as Hollywood royalty after a decades-long career stretching from “Saturday Night Live” to “The Nutty Professor” to “Dreamgirls” and beyond.
A key hallmark of Murphy’s status is his voluminous gallery of offbeat characters — an impeccably attired prison convict, a clumsy professor, a wisecracking donkey, an elderly Jewish man and even an obese, abusive wife.
In Netflix’s “Being Eddie,” now streaming, Murphy lifts the veil on the persona he feels the closest to — Eddie Murphy.
Directed by Angus Wall (an executive producer of “The Greatest Night in Pop”), the documentary traces the meteoric rise and triumphs of Murphy, who seldom grants interviews and is fiercely private about his creative process and personal life.
With his trademark humor and probing insight, the entertainer offers candid perspective of his trajectory from a kid in New Jersey performing stand-up to joining “Saturday Night Live” right out of high school, his string of hit films (“48 Hrs.,” “Trading Places,” “Eddie Murphy Raw”) and his transition from foul-mouthed provocateur to family-friendly films.
Eddie Murphy, left, with his brothers Vernon Lynch and Charlie Murphy.
(Photo from Eddie Murphy / Netflix)
He also addresses some of his misfires (“Vampire in Brooklyn”), and throws more than a little shade at “Saturday Night Live” and the Academy Awards (“I haven’t gotten an Oscar, and I’ve done everything”).
The film is largely set at Murphy’s castle-like estate, where he’s seen hanging out with his 10 children and second wife, Paige Butcher. (“My legacy is my children, not what I did at work,” he says. “My kids are the center of my life. It’s all about them… If you put your family first, you will never make a bad decision.”) Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Kevin Hart and Pete Davidson are among the numerous entertainers who comment on Murphy’s influence on popular culture.
The following are some of the more fascinating takeaways from “Being Eddie.”
