The Night Manager season 2 star Indira Varma has shared some devastating news on social media
BBC The Night Manager star shares devastating news as co-stars send support(Image: BBC)
A Night Manager star has shared some devastating news, with her co-stars sending their support. 52-year-old actress Indira Varma is currently portraying villain Mayra Cavendish in the popular BBC spy thriller’s second series.
Just days before the eagerly awaited finale broadcasts, the star revealed some heartbreaking news following the death of her mother. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday (January 28), Indira shared multiple photographs of her beloved mum throughout the years, accompanied by a moving tribute.
She wrote: “My dear eccentric Mama has gone at the age of 93. Everything she lived for was Art and adventure. She created for the love of doing not for recognition just for joy. My parents met in the 60s when mixed relationships were frowned upon.
“They didn’t care what other people thought. Life is to be lived with love and joy. Fear is the only thing that makes us hate. That’s it. I’m now an orphan. I miss their tempestuous interactions in a shared 3rd language and how they communicated through music, art, food, travel and Nature,” reports the Express.
Citing Nobel Peace Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore, Indira concluded: “I came to your shore as a stranger, I lived in your house as a guest, I leave your door as a friend, my earth.”
Several of Indira’s famous friends and co-stars flooded the comments with messages of support, including Grey’s Anatomy star Kevin McKidd, who wrote: “I’m so sorry for your loss Indira. Sending much love to you today.”
Ex-Coronation Street actress Millie Gibson commented: “So much love. Thinking of you,” whilst Ariana DeBose and Aimee Lou Wood posted multiple heart and dove emojis.
Countryfile presenter Anita Rani also wrote: “Sending you all my love darling. What a beautiful photo,” with Richard Armitage responding: “Sending my love and condolences to you and your family Indy. What an incredible life your mama had.”
Doctor Who boss Russell T Davies expressed similar sentiments, posting: “I’m so sorry, lots of love darling,” whilst Celebrity Traitors star Mark Bonnar said: “Oh Indira I’m so sorry – what an amazing photo.”
This news comes just days before The Night Manager’s highly anticipated second series finale. The continuation of the acclaimed spy drama sees undercover operative Jonathan Pine (Tom Hiddleston) infiltrate the criminal enterprise of Colombian tycoon Teddy Dos Santos (Diego Calva).
Viewers subsequently discovered that Teddy was actually the son of series one antagonist Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie). Furthermore, the illegal weapons trafficker was shown to have staged his own death, aided by Indira’s character Mayra – head of the Secret Intelligence Service.
Jonathan and Richard, aka Gilberto Hanson, were at last reunited last week, with the MI6 operative hell-bent on dismantling Richard’s criminal enterprise. He subsequently won Teddy’s allegiance after exposing Richard’s intention to cast aside his illegitimate son upon achieving his objectives.
The official synopsis for the finale states: “Pine works with Teddy to bring down Gilberto Hanson’s Colombia coup from the inside. But Hanson has found a new ally of his own. It’s winner takes all.”
Can Jonathan finally defeat Richard for good? That remains to be seen. What we do know is that the drama will return for another series, following lead actor Tom’s confirmation of the show’s renewal earlier this week.
The final episode of The Night Manager season two will air on Sunday (February 1) at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
Stranger Things fans are only just realising that show star Charlie Heaton is a dadCredit: SplashThe actor shares his 11-year-old son with ex-girlfriend Akiko Matsuura, who is 45Credit: GettyThe former couple (pictured in rock group Comanechi) were bandmates and met when Charlie was a teenager, with Akiko twelve years his seniorCredit: Not known clear with picture desk
And this week, Charlie has made a rare admission about his son, leading fans to only know find out he is a dad.
“He has just started getting into it,” the actor told US outlet PEOPLE.
He continued: “He got to come to set last year and that was really cool.”
Charlie’s rare insight into family life has left fans online more shocked that he has a son.
Talking on a Reddit thread, one fan said: “SON??!!!????!! TWEEN!!?!!??????!!!??”
Another wrote: “I’m 33, about the same age the mother of his child was when she was with him and had their baby. I can’t even fathom being with an 18/19 year old like he was at the time”.
“The fact that he has an eleven year-old; I am speechless. I am without speech,” said a third.
While another fan wrote: “What in the actual f***?? I can’t with the ages of Charlie, his kid, and the mother”.
Charlie was in a relationship with Akiko when they were bandmates in rock group Comanechi.
The duo met when Charlie was a teenager and are thought to have split shortly after Archie’s birth, but it’s not known exactly how long the relationship lasted.
The duo fell in love on the show’s set and confirmed their romance back in 2017.
The actor rose to fame in 2016 as a staple in the Stranger Things cast, with the show wrapping just last monthCredit: SplashCharlie has been in a relationship with his co-star Natalia Dyer for almost a decadeCredit: Getty – Contributor
In a state that’s home to nearly 40 million people and the fourth largest economy in the world, the race for California governor has been lost in the shadow of President Trump’s combustible return to office and, thus far, the absence of a candidate charismatic enough to break out of the pack.
For the first time in recent history, there is no clear front-runner with less than five months before the June primary election.
“This is the most wide-open governor’s race we’ve seen in California in more than a quarter of a century,” said Dan Schnur, a political communications professor who teaches at USC, Pepperdine and UC Berkeley. “We’ve never seen a multicandidate field with so little clarity and such an absence of anything even resembling a front-runner.
“There’s no precedent in the modern political era for a campaign that’s this crowded,” Schnur said.
Opinion polls bear this out, with more voters saying they are undecided or coalescing behind any of the dozen prominent candidates who have announced bids.
Former Rep. Katie Porter (D-Irvine) led the field with the support of 21% of respondents in a survey of likely voters by the Public Policy Institute of California released in December. Former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, also a Democrat, and former Fox News commentator Steve Hilton, a Republican, won the support of 14% of poll respondents. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, also a member of the GOP, won the backing of 10%, while everyone else in the field was in the single digits, though some Democratic candidates who recently entered the race were not included.
Recent gubernatorial campaigns have been dominated by larger-than-life personalities — global superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger, eBay billionaire Meg Whitman and Jerry Brown, the scion of a storied California political family.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, who vaulted into the national spotlight after championing same-sex marriage while he was mayor of San Francisco, has become a national force in Democratic politics and is pondering a 2028 presidential run. Newsom won handily in the 2018 and 2022 races for California governor, and easily defeated a recall attempt during the COVID-19 pandemic. He is barred from running again due to term limits.
Porter cheekily alluded to California’s political power dynamic at a labor forum earlier this month.
“Look, we’ve had celebrity governors. We’ve had governors who are kids of other governors, and we’ve had governors who look hot with slicked back hair and barn jackets. You know what?” Porter said at an SEIU forum in January. “We haven’t had a governor in a skirt. I think it’s just about … time.”
Gubernatorial contests in the state routinely attract national attention. But the 2026 contest has not.
Despite California being at the center of many policies emanating from the Trump administration, notably the detention and deportation of undocumented immigrants, this year’s gubernatorial race has been overshadowed. Deadly wildfires, immigration raids, and an esoteric yet expensive battle about redrawing congressional districts are among the topics that dominated headlines in the state last year.
Additionally, the race was frozen as former Vice President Kamala Harris, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta and billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso weighed entering the contest. All opted against running for governor, leaving the field in flux. San José Mayor Matt Mahan’s entry into the race on Thursday — relatively late to mount a gubernatorial campaign — exemplifies the unsettled nature of the race.
“We’ve made a lot of progress in San José, but getting to the next level requires bold leadership in Sacramento that’s going to take on the status quo,” Mahan said in an interview before he announced his campaign. ”I have not heard anyone in the current field explain how they’re going to help us in San José and other cities across the state end unsheltered homelessness, implement Prop. 36 [a 2024 ballot measure that increased penalties for certain drug and theft crimes], get people into treatment, bring down the cost of housing, the cost of energy.”
A critical question is who donors decide to back in a state that is home to the most expensive media markets in the nation. Candidates have to file fundraising reports on Feb. 2, data that will indicate who is viable.
“I know from first-hand experience that there comes a day when a candidacy is no longer sustainable because of a lack of resources,” said Garry South, a veteran Democratic strategist who has worked on national and state campaigns.
“You have to pay the bills to keep the lights on, let alone having enough cash to communicate with our more than 23 million registered voters,” he added. “They don’t have much time to do it. The primary is just months away.”
The state Democratic and Republican conventions are quickly approaching. A Republican may be able to win the GOP endorsement, but it’s unlikely a Democrat will be able to secure their party’s nod because of the large number of candidates in the race.
Political observers expect some Democratic candidates who have meager financial resources and little name identification among the electorate to be pressured to drop out of the race by party leaders so that the party can consolidate support behind a viable candidate.
But others buck the orthodoxy, arguing that the candidates need to show they have a message that resonates with Californians.
“There’s a lack of excitement,” Democratic strategist Hilda Delgado said. “Right now is really about the core issues that will unify Californians and that’s why it’s important to choose a leader that is going to … give people hope. Because there’s a lot of, I don’t want to say depression, but hopelessness.”
The BBC Breakfast presenter shared a major career announcement as he was supported by fans
BBC Breakfast presenter Ben Boulos announced his exit earlier this month (Image: BBC)
Former BBC Breakfast presenter Ben Boulos has announced his new TV role, weeks after his exit from the broadcaster.
Ben recently shared his final day on the red sofa, saying: “Just before we finish, just to share a bit of news about me. It’s my last appearance on Breakfast for the time being, I am off to take a new job elsewhere.
“But I will miss this place, I will miss this programme a lot.”
Becoming emotional, he continued: “I have had the most wonderful time on Breakfast.
“I just want to say thank you to the brilliant teams that we work with and above all thank you to everyone watching at home for letting me be a part of your mornings.
“It has been a real pleasure and a privilege.”
The presenter had appeared on Business Live, Talking Business, BBC World News and more over the last 16 years, and has now confirmed his new role.
Taking to Instagram, he shared: “Here it is… Very excited that I can now share news about my new job with you all – and delighted to be joining the brilliant team @cnbcinternational @cnbc in London where I’ll be an anchor on #SquawkBoxEurope alongside Karen & Steve, 5 mornings a week. More details on how you can watch and when, coming soon. Cannot wait to get started!”
Ben joins Karen Tso and Steve Sedgwick in early February, as Julianna Tatelbaum begins maternity leave, a press release announced.
It read: “Together, Ben, Karen and Steve will cover the most important market-moving and complex stories of the day.”
“I am delighted that Ben is joining the CNBC International team,” Head of TV News for Europe, Middle East and Africa, Leonie Kidd said.
“His specialist knowledge of global business and economics, combined with years of experience presenting to audiences across the UK and worldwide, will be an incredible asset. Ben’s ability to make complex financial stories clear and engaging is exactly what we need as we continue to grow our coverage and connect with new audiences.”
Ben was showered in support from his followers, with one writing: “Wishing you the very best in this new chapter!”
Another said: “Congratulations! This is very exciting news! Good luck on the new adventure. Least you are used to those morning alarms!”
“Just wonderful. Well done,” a third wrote, as another said: “How exciting. You’ll be fabulous I’m sure.”
Ben had previously teased his new role on social media, saying: “After 16 years of working at the BBC I will be leaving at the end of this week. My last shift will be presenting BBC Breakfast on Sunday 11 January.
“I’ve had the most wonderful decade and a half here, working with many brilliant people, a lot of that time spent working in that building there, but of course, those of you with long memories will remember that my BBC journey started in Chelmsford at BBC Breakfast, then onto Look East, Five Live, before coming here to work at BBC World News, BBC News Channel, World Service Radio, and then of course Breakfast up in Salford, where I’ve been working for most of the last three years.
“However, it is time for a change, a new challenge, a new year. I’m leaving to go and take up a very exciting opportunity elsewhere.
“All I will say at the moment is that I will still be in broadcasting, I will still be presenting on television, but I will share more details about it with you soon.
For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website
“But in the meantime, I just wanted to say, thank you for the messages and comments of support and encouragement over the past years, and a thank you for taking an interest and following me on here and I cannot wait to share the next chapter of my journey with you.”
He captioned the clip: “New year, new start, new challenge. A big change for me in 2026 and exciting times ahead!”
BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
After Paul Dano came under unexpected fire from filmmaker Quentin Tarantino in December, the “There Will Be Blood” star received support from fellow artists including Daniel Day-Lewis and Ben Stiller. A month after the drama, he is now returning the love.
Dano finally publicly addressed Tarantino’s controversial comments at the Sundance Film Festival during a 20th anniversary screening of “Little Miss Sunshine.” Speaking to Variety, he said the groundswell of support “was really nice.”
Tarantino appeared on Bret Easton Ellis’ podcast in December to rank his top 10 films of the century. The “Django Unchained” and “Pulp Fiction” filmmaker placed Paul Thomas Anderson’s oil drama “There Will Be Blood” at No. 5 on his list, and said specifically Dano — not his performance — was the “big, giant flaw” in the Oscar-winning film. “There Will Be Blood” stars Dano as fiery preacher Eli Sunday and Day-Lewis as oil tycoon Daniel Plainview.
When the movie was released in 2007, former Times film critic Kenneth Turan praised Dano as “smoothly effective” and gifted. Clearly, Tarantino thought otherwise.
“He is weak sauce, man. He’s a weak sister,” Tarantino said, adding that he thought “Elvis” star Austin Butler (who was a teenager launching his career on Disney Channel and Nickelodeon when the movie came out) would have been a better actor for the part. “He’s just such a weak, weak, uninteresting guy,” he said.
Tarantino added: “You put [Day-Lewis] with the the weakest f— actor in SAG?”
A handful of Dano’s collaborators immediately defended him. “Escape at Dannemora” executive producer Stiller praised him as “brilliant” and Reese Witherspoon called her “Inherent Vice” co-star an “incredibly gifted, versatile actor” and a gentleman. Matt Reeves, Josh Gad, Alec Baldwin and Simu Liu also voiced their support for Dano, whose credits include Steven Speilberg’s Oscar-nominated “The Fabelmans,” Bong Joon Ho‘s “Okja” and Oscar-winning director duo Daniels’ (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) “Swiss Army Man.”
“I was also incredibly grateful that the world spoke up for me so I didn’t have to,” Dano said at the Sundance screening.
Before Dano responded, though, Toni Collette (who played his mom in “Little Miss Sunshine”) chimed in, dismissing “that guy” Tarantino and speculating that “he must’ve been high.”
“It was just confusing. Who does that?,” she said, according to Variety. “Little Miss Sunshine” directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris also criticized Tarantino and praised their star.
During his podcast appearance in December, Tarantino also slammed Owen Wilson and scream king Matthew Lillard. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly published Wednesday, Lillard brushed off the shade and recalled the ensuing social media praise for his talents. “It was like living through your own wake,” Lillard told EW.
“All those R.I.P. emails or tweets and Instagram posts and TikToks, all of the things we see after somebody passes are so sweet,” he added. “And the reality is I just got to live through all of it firsthand — alive and kicking! I can’t imagine a more lovely reaction to what happened.”
Katie Price’s new husband Lee Andrews’ ex Alana Percival has begged the star to ‘run’Credit: Click News & MediaAlana issued an urgent warning about Lee as she branded him a ‘liar’Credit: Instagram/@wesleeeandrewsThe fitness enthusiast hit out at Lee for his behaviour during their brief relationshipCredit: Click News & Media
The mother-of-five got hitched for a fourth time in a quiet ceremony in Dubai with no loved ones present.
It came just hours after Katie revealed they had got engaged, calling it a “wedding at first sight”.
Incredibly, Alana, who works in property, said she got engaged to him there last September in the same way.
And two weeks before that, Crystal believed Andrews was going to ask her to marry him there too.
The family nurse practitioner from Texas said: “I was supposed to meet Lee at the Burj Khalifa two weeks before he proposed to Alana.
Incredibly, Alana, who works in property, said she got engaged to him there last September in the same way.
And two weeks before that, Crystal believed Andrews was going to ask her to marry him there too.
The family nurse practitioner from Texas said: “I was supposed to meet Lee at the Burj Khalifa two weeks before he proposed to Alana.
“We’d looked at rings, he told me he wanted to marry me.
“Luckily I had to cancel the trip because I was too busy with work.
“He would have proposed to both of us. Who does that?”
Mum-of-five Katie, who flew back from Dubai to her home in Horsham, West Sussex, on Monday, is understood to be standing by her new husband despite a string of disturbing allegations.
Hollywood heavyweights are joining a mounting wave of resistance against Immigration and Customs Enforcement after federal agents on Saturday fatally shot intensive care nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti.
The shooting occurred in Minneapolis, where protests erupted over the weekend after an ICE agent earlier this month shot and killed another Minnesota resident, Renee Nicole Good, 37, during an enforcement operation. Similar demonstrations started cropping up in weeks prior as the Department of Homeland Security launched a sweeping immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities.
Although government officials have claimed that Good and Pretti were both aggressors in their altercations, footage captured by bystanders appeared to contradict those claims.
Olivia Rodrigo, Pedro Pascal and other film, television and music industry notables condemned ICE on social media in the wake of its operations in Minnesota and across the country. (Likewise, attendees at the Sundance Film Festival, including Edward Norton and Olivia Wilde, criticized ICE’s actions and lauded the public for protesting them.)
Here is a list of celebrities who have spoken out.
Olivia Rodrigo
The pop rock singer slammed ICE in an Instagram story on Sunday, writing that the agency’s “actions are unconscionable, but we are not powerless.”
“Our actions matter,” Rodrigo continued. “I stand with Minnesota.”
The “Vampire” songstress also reposted a call to action by political commentator and digital creator Ben Sheehan, which called ICE a “murderous federal agency terrorizing an American city.”
“If you support this, you’re on the wrongest side of history you could possibly be on,” Sheehan wrote, urging social media users to call their senators and encourage them to filibuster an upcoming Homeland Security appropriations bill that would keep ICE funded at $10 billion for the rest of the fiscal year.
Pedro Pascal
“The Last of Us” star has shared several anti-ICE posts to his Instagram feed and stories. Earlier this month, Pascal described immigration enforcement activities as “unspeakable s— after unspeakable s—.”
Following Pretti’s shooting death, the actor wrote on Instagram, “Truth is a line of demarcation between a democratic government and authoritarian regime. Mr. Pretti and Rene Good are dead. The American people deserve to know what happened.”
Jamie Lee Curtis
The Academy Award winner has repeatedly condemned ICE’s actions in Minnesota, writing Saturday on Instagram, “Let the ICE storm of resistance ring loudly.”
Curtis also shared a statement from Pretti’s parents, which pleaded with readers to “get the truth out about our son.”
“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting,” the statement said.
“Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately he will not be with us to see his impact.”
Katy Perry
The pop singer in a Monday Instagram post encouraged her followers to “turn anger into action” by calling their senators.
“The power is in your hands,” the post read, followed by a script encouraging senators to block the DHS funding bill.
Billie Eilish
The “Birds of a Feather” singer this week called out her industry peers’ silence on the immigration crackdown. Eilish herself has regularly reposted anti-ICE statements on her Instagram story.
“Hey my fellow celebrities u gonna speak up?” she wrote in an Instagram story Monday.
Eilish also shared a video from her brother and frequent collaborator, Finneas, in which he called the government hypocritical for allegedly shooting Pretti because he had a gun despite yearslong defense of gun owners’ rights.
“You’ve spent 30 years straight telling us that children have to die so that we’re allowed to legally carry weapons everywhere in the United States,” the artist-producer said. “This guy was being beaten to a pulp on the ground, he didn’t draw his weapon. He had a weapon on him legally.”
Eilish also spoke out against immigration enforcement earlier this month while receiving the 2026 MLK Jr. Beloved Community Environmental Justice Award.
“We’re seeing our neighbors being kidnapped, peaceful protesters being assaulted and murdered, our civil rights being stripped, resources to fight the climate crisis being cut for fossil fuels and animal agriculture destroying our planet, and people’s access to food and health care becoming a privilege for the wealthy instead of a new basic human right for all Americans,” the singer said.
“It is very clear that protecting our planet and our communities is not a priority for this administration,” she continued. “And it’s really hard to celebrate that when we no longer feel safe in our own homes or in our streets.”
Florence Pugh
The “Thunderbolts” star in a Monday Instagram story reshared a post from NBC News listing the people who have been fatally shot by DHS since September.
“1 person being murdered is harrowing enough. 12? Killed by masked people with guns,” Pugh wrote. “Morals. Even that seems too light a word to use when it’s actually ‘are you okay with people being killed or not’?”
“No matter which way you voted, what you politically believe, is death truly the option that you support?” she wrote.
Mark Ruffalo
In a pair of Bluesky posts, Ruffalo called Pretti a “hero.”
“Cold blooded murder in the streets of the USA by an occupying military gang, creating havoc,” the actor-activist wrote. “We have fought wars in other countries for less than this.”
Lin-Manuel Miranda
The “Hamilton” creator on Sunday collaborated with his parents, Luz Towns-Miranda and Luis A. Miranda Jr., on an Instagram post translating Pretti’s parents’ statement into Spanish.
“This cowardly violence cannot remain silent. We share his parents’ words en español because they deserve to be understood by everyone. Alex was a hero. And we demand justice,” the caption reads.
Glenn Close
The veteran actor in a Sunday Instagram post said she is “outraged and sickened” by the Trump administration’s actions: “The sickening hypocrisy, the blatant manipulation of facts and now the cold-blooded murder of American citizens.”
“I have felt for a long time that there are thousands and thousands of American citizens with cellars full of guns,” Close said. “I fear that ICE is giving them the excuse to pull the trigger.”
The “Fatal Attraction” star said the country is “waking up” to the threats posed to American democracy: “Mark my words: there will be hell to pay.”
Kerry Washington
The “Scandal” alum in a Monday Instagram post encouraged viewers to call their senators as she modeled the behavior on camera.
“The time to take action is now,” Washington captioned her video. “Let’s do it together. Because if you think what’s happening in Minneapolis cannot happen in your city or your state, it can.”
Cynthia Nixon
The “Sex and the City” star on Saturday claimed that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was spreading “morally reprehensible and disgusting lies” about Pretti and his killing.
Nixon also shared the statement from Pretti’s parents and encouraged viewers to do the same.
Busy Philipps
Philipps in a Saturday Instagram post reshared statements demanding justice for Pretti as well as the defunding of ICE.
“They will just keep murdering people and lying as long as they can,” the “Girls5eva” actor said, encouraging her followers to “take to the streets” and “boycott the businesses and people that support this.”
Martha Stewart
The television personality shared Monday on Instagram that her 14-year-old granddaughter — who is “sensitive to what is going on in our country as we all should be” — over the weekend messaged her, “I’m not sure it’s excusable to not be speaking up right now.”
Stewart said she took the sentiment to heart, writing, “I am disheartened and sad each and every day that we cannot demonstrate our sympathy for the beleaguered, that we are told immigrants, which most of us are or descended from, are unwelcome, that we cannot show our frustration in peaceful demonstrations and that we can be attacked and even killed by federal troops.”
“Things must and have to change quickly and peacefully,” she wrote.
Hannah Einbinder
The “Hacks” star in a Tuesday Instagram story said, “I’ve been trying to put my finger on why I have such a deep seated resentment towards people who haven’t used their platform to speak up against ICE.”
“I think it’s because, as a Jewish American in the diaspora, my entire life has been in the shadow of the Holocaust. I was given an in-depth education of exactly how a thing like that happens,” Einbinder wrote.
“I am watching the beginning of what took place in Germany before the Holocaust here in America and I take it incredibly personally when I see people with massive platforms refrain from using their voice to organize and rally their followers to try and stop it,” she continued, encouraging her industry peers and followers alike to stand up for immigrants.
The Chicks
“It’s happening right in front of us. They are killing Americans, disappearing human beings, and breaking up families,” country band the Chicks captioned a photo of a protest sign referencing their song “Not Ready to Make Nice.” (The group penned the ballad after lead singer Natalie Maines was widely slammed for criticizing then-President George W. Bush during a concert.)
“We cannot stand by and watch democracy disintegrate,” the band wrote. “Human decency isn’t Republican or Democrat. It’s American.”
Jonathan Van Ness
The “Queer Eye” star in a Saturday post on Threads wrote, “They charged tax payers $85 BILLION for ice to terrorize America. Tear gassing, beating, detaining innocent protestors / people, and they just killed another human being.”
Kristen Schaal
In an X post thanking fans for birthday well wishes, the comedian and “Bob’s Burgers” voice actor wrote, “I will remember this birthday as the day that Alex Pretti was held down on the street by 6 ICE agents and murdered. Shot to death. After he was sprayed in the face.”
Schaal continued: “I will remember @realDonaldTrump & everyone who works for & worships him saying this didn’t happen.”
Matt Rogers
The “Las Culturistas” co-host in a Monday Instagram story called for the abolishment of ICE: “This is too much collective pain for us to handle. It must stop.”
“Stop the terror and violence now,” Rogers wrote.
Kate Berlant
Berlant, who has previously spoken against ICE action in her native L.A., in a Tuesday Instagram story encouraged her followers to boycott the federal agency’s corporate collaborators, including Amazon, Whole Foods and Palantir.
Walton Goggins
“The White Lotus” star shared several anti-ICE posts over the weekend, writing in one Instagram story, “Alex Pretti was murdered. Renee Good was MURDERED. This isn’t about what political party any of us are affiliated with. This is about Humanity… this is … wrong.”
Mandy Moore
The “This Is Us” actor reshared media coverage of the events in Minnesota, writing, “We have eyeballs. We’ve seen the video. They executed someone else. I’m not sure how this ends. This is terrifying territory.”
Others including Ariana Grande, Jennifer Aniston, Amanda Seyfried, Hilary Swank and Justin Theroux have reshared anti-ICE content and resources for protesters on social media.
Actor Quinton Aaron, who shared the screen with Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side,” is reportedly showing signs of improvement after he was hospitalized for a blood infection last week.
Margarita Aaron, the actor’s wife, told Fox News and TMZ on Monday that her husband is “making significant progress” in his recovery, making minor body movements including opening his eyes and giving a thumbs-up. Though the actor is partially breathing on his own, Margarita Aaron said her husband remains on breathing assistance and antibiotics, according to Fox News.
A representative for Aaron did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday
“He’s a fighter; he’s a very strong fighter, and you know, he is making progress day by day,” she told Fox News, “and I believe God’s got him, and he believes God’s got him.”
The 41-year-old actor was hospitalized last week in Atlanta after he collapsed while walking up the stairs in his apartment, TMZ reported. He reportedly experienced pain in his neck and back days before his collapse and lost feeling in his legs before he fell. Aaron’s wife said she called 911 and her husband was slipping in and out of consciousness en route to the hospital, where he has since undergone several tests, according to TMZ. The outlet reported on Tuesday that doctors found a “rare cyst” on the actor’s spine.
Nonprofit organization Veterans Aid Network organized a GoFundMe page in support of Aaron, who the organization described as “part of a veteran family himself.” The organization said it has a “longstanding relationship” with the actor and seeks to raise $35,000 to help his loved ones pay for medical expenses and other recovery-related costs. Donors have raised more than $40,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.
“Quinton has spent his life inspiring others, reminding us that compassion and humanity still matter in this world,” reads the GoFundMe description. “Now, as he faces one of the hardest battles of his life, let’s surround him and his loved ones with that same compassion, strength, and care.”
In an update shared to the fundraiser on Monday, Veterans Aid Network said that Aaron “opened his eyes and has some feeling in his foot!” The update also said he remains on life support and will need a wheelchair upon his release.
Aaron has acted in scores of films, according to his IMDb page, but is best known for his turn in “The Blind Side.” The 2009 drama was based on Michael Lewis’ 2006 book of the same name, which tracked the story of football star Michael Oher, who was plucked from homelessness and poverty when taken in by wealthy couple Leigh Anne Tuohy and Sean Tuohy. The family is credited with Oher’s football success. Oher was an All-American player at Mississippi and a first-round draft pick for the Baltimore Ravens in 2009.
Aaron starred as Oher and Bullock as Leigh Anne Tuohy. The film was nominated for two Academy Awards and earned Bullock a prize in the actress in a leading role category.
“The Blind Side” was in the news again in 2023 when Oher sued his self-proclaimed adoptive parents, alleging the pair never officially adopted him and tricked him in 2004 into signing a legal document that deemed them his conservators. The pair denied the allegations and said the athlete’s lawsuit was a “shakedown.”
TWO years ago, Take That’s Howard Donald delivered 52 tapes to Netflix in an enormous Ikea bag.
He had spent the past 35 years quietly filming the band as they transformed from working-class lads into bona fide global stars.
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In one emotionally-charged interview, Gary Barlow talks about his struggle with bulimia, which started following Take That’s split in 1996 and his rivalry with RobbieCredit: NetflixGary says he spent 13 months rarely leaving the house as he struggled with his mental health and weight gainCredit: NetflixThe band had transformed from working-class lads into bona fide global starsCredit: Netflix
“Are you sure it wasn’t a Prada bag?” Howard teases as I interview the group to celebrate the release of a three-part Netflix docuseries based on that footage.
It was a bold move given the much-publicised trials and tribulations of one of Britain’s biggest bands, who have landed 12 No1 singles in their 35-year career.
The series features candid new interviews with current members Gary, 55, Howard, 57, and Mark, 54, alongside never-before-seen footage and photographs.
Robbie, 51, and Jason, 55, allowed archive chats with them to be used to narrate their part in the story.
In one emotionally-charged interview, Gary talks about his struggle with bulimia, which started following Take That’s split in 1996 and his rivalry with Robbie.
Taunts from Robbie are replayed during the documentary, with footage showing him saying: “My problem always was with Gary, I wanted to crush him. “I wanted to crush the memory of the band and I didn’t let go. Even when he was down I didn’t let go.”
Speaking at the premiere of the documentary at Battersea Power Station in South London on Monday night, Gary admits it was tough to watch.
‘Butt of the joke’’
He said: “It’s a narrative that I haven’t thought about for years and years. When we had our reunion we spent a lot of time talking about it and I remember leaving on one particular day and we’d discussed everything. And I remember leaving and my shoulders were light.
“And I’d not thought about it since because I’d not needed to. And it brought it all back. Tricky times they were.”
In the documentary, Gary shares previously unseen photographs of him as he struggled to find his purpose and says: “You’re the butt of the joke. It was so excruciating you just want to crawl into a hole.
“There was a period of 13 months where I didn’t leave the house once. I’d also started to put weight on.
“The more weight I put on the less people would recognise me and I thought, ‘This is good. This is what I have been waiting for. This is a normal life’.
“So I went on this mission then, if the food passed me I would just eat it. And I’d killed the pop star.
“I would have these nights and I would eat and eat and eat but however I felt about myself, I felt ten times worse the day after.”
At his heaviest, Gary, who has three children with his wife Dawn, weighed just over 17 stone.
He explained: “One day I thought, I have been out, it’s 10 o’clock, I have eaten too much, I need to get rid of this food.
It only took a few years to get that low, but it took me years to get back to who I wanted to be. Ten years probably.
Gary Barlow
“You just go off to a dark corner of the house and you make yourself sick. You think it’s only once and all of a sudden you’re walking down that corridor again and again.
“Is this it? Is this what I am going to be doing forever?”
By 2003, Gary turned his life around, and he said: “I just went, ‘No, I’m not having this any more, I’m going to change. I want to change and I’m determined that this is not who I’ve become’.
“It only took a few years to get that low, but it took me years to get back to who I wanted to be. Ten years probably.”
Discussing his recovery with The Sun in 2021, he explained: “I’ve been very strong-minded about how I live and what I eat.
“In general, I work on a 90/10 — 90 per cent sensible-choice food and ten per cent fun choices.
“Buy a nice little writing book, one you’ll feel good about holding and keeping on you at all times. Do a food diary every day, and look down and you’ll see what you’re doing wrong.
“A food diary will also show you what you’re missing in your diet. If you want to get serious and go to a dietician or to a friend and seek help, you can show them the diary.”
Howard is also painfully honest about how hard life was following the end of Take That.
In the documentary, Howard recalls returning home and says: “I felt like I was the only one who didn’t grow up, even though I was the eldest.
“I was a nobody in school, I didn’t go to university, I didn’t think I’d do anything but I felt like a superhero up on that stage.
“It was going towards a depressive state. I decided to go to the Thames.
“I was seriously thinking I was going to kill myself but I was too much of a s**tbag to do it.”
Speaking backstage at the premiere, Howard explains that the band did not want to hide the painful parts of their journey.
He said: “I think it is such a true documentary. You can easily do a documentary and take out all the bits that you feel uncomfortable with — and there are quite a lot of uncomfortable bits in there.
“But it’s true of the last 35 years of Take That. There is a lot of footage people have never seen. It’s good for people to see.”
Gary admits weight gain made him less recognisable – and briefly feel like he had found a ‘normal life’Credit: NetflixNetflix’s Take That is available to stream nowCredit: PA
Mark is also seen struggling to cope with life after the band, who landed their first Top Ten hit with a cover of Tavares’ It Only Takes A Minute in 1992.
He said backstage: “We were working hard, playing all these gigs and things got very hard — but then we got back together. Maybe miss out on the middle bit.”
‘I got a lot of stick’
Like Robbie and Gary, Mark attempted to launch a solo career, but was dropped by his label in 1997, a year after Take That split.
He added: “You start to feel very negative about yourself.”
Robbie and Jason’s clashes with the band’s former manager, Nigel Martin-Smith, are also discussed in the doc.
Robbie says: “Nigel as a manager, he never managed me, he managed Gary Barlow. I wanted him to love me but he never did.”
Jason adds: “When I was in Take That the first time around I was the dancer and I accepted that at the time.
“I don’t know if this is the time or place to say, I was told not to bother singing, ever.”
After the group came back as a four-piece without Robbie in 2005, they ceased working with Nigel and found new representation.
Of the change, Jason says: “Robbie and I got a lot of stick from Nigel. He made us all feel insecure.
“I could feel worthless in the band and I didn’t deserve to feel that. I didn’t want to feel that any more.
“We had chosen our own management, we had chosen our own people, we were in control.”
Director David admits there was some trepidation when it came to showing the three episodes for the first time.
In about 25 minutes we’d put things to bed that had haunted us for years.
Gary on Robbie feud
Speaking backstage alongside producer Gabe Turner, David said: “We talked long and hard about how to do it.
“There is some really hard stuff in there for them, it was a tricky thing for them to watch and it was nervy for us to watch it with them.
“They allowed us to push them to that place. We asked them to lay down their story and they allowed us to take them to that place.”
Gabe added: “Episode two is punchy. With a lot of documentaries you are building that relationship for the first time, you’re working on the fly, but these guys know us and know what we want to do.
“I felt really positive about how little they wanted to see it. They handed us the keys and said, ‘Do you thing’.”
As well as the tough times, Take That fans get a front seat to the inner workings of the group’s comeback with Robbie in 2011.
‘Haunted us for years’
Opening up about healing their old wounds, Robbie says: “I needed Gary to listen to my truth.”
Gary continues: “There were things around people not being supportive of his songwriting and his weight. I’d called him Blobby rather than Robbie one day, which I shouldn’t have done.
“Then I hit him with things he had done to me that I didn’t like
“In about 25 minutes we’d put things to bed that had haunted us for years.”
As well as hearing original demos on the series, fans also get treated to a new single, You’re A Superstar, at the end of the third episode.
The track, taken from their tenth album, is expected to be released later this year.
We’ve got the first steps, we’ve got the Netflix documentary, then we’ve got the Circus tour, then there will be new music.
Gary
Backstage at the screening in London, Howard said the trio have spent months working on the material, adding: “It’s going really well.
“We’ve all been writing separately, writing together and I think we’ve got a really good choice of really good songs.
“We are really proud of them and we just can’t wait for people to hear them.
“We’ve got the first steps, we’ve got the Netflix documentary, then we’ve got the Circus tour, then there will be new music.”
Mark continued: “The tenth album feels quite special. I am really excited about what I am hearing.
“It’s given us a boost, the songs that are coming through and the fact it’s our tenth record, it’s like ‘Go on guys!’.”
Ahead of their 17-date Circus Tour, which kicks off at St Mary’s Stadium in Southampton on May 29, fans will be wondering now if history will repeat itself — and Robbie will rejoin again.
And Gary for one is hopeful, saying yesterday: “At some point it’s going to happen.
“And that’s one of the wonderful things about our band — you never know what’s around the corner.”
Netflix’s Take That is available to stream now.
Gary shows off his buff physique while on holidayCredit: BackGridGary and Take That in 1992Credit: Getty
BRAVE BOYS GO WARTS AND ALL
THESE days, most big stars who promise a warts-and-all documentary about their lives end up pulling a Kim Kardashian and overseeing every last scene.
But not Take That, who were brave enough to hand over hundreds of hours of footage to Netflix to tell their story.
For the most part, the three-parter is the most mesmerising trip down memory lane – with Gary, Howard, Jason, Robbie and Mark starting their career in the band by performing in gay clubs and then school halls in a desperate bid to make it.
But with all the hilariously fun Nineties fashion and moments of shared joy, there is a heavier undertone that echoes around episode one before loudly arriving in the second.
The realities of being shoved into the emotional mincing machine, which was sadly part and parcel of being a pop star in the Nineties, are hard to watch.
My heart hurt as Mark, who penned my favourite Take That song Shine, begged people to ask about his solo music when the band split in 1996 – and when Jason admitted he was told that he was only good enough to dance and “shouldn’t bother singing”.
And I was close to tears as Howard recounted reaching such a desperate point after they split that he considered taking his own life.
I’m lucky enough to work with big musicians regularly and, each time, I am reminded that no matter how famous they are, they are all human.
I’ve watched artists break down backstage under the strain of big tours and have been privy to quiet moments of anxiety and fear over their chart performances.
For Take That to pull back the showbiz curtain to allow the public and fans to see the realities of the highs and lows of fame was a brave move – but, boy, it paid off.
The star told what lay behind her dropping one and a half dress sizes reaching a svelt size eight
11:50, 27 Jan 2026Updated 11:51, 27 Jan 2026
Carol will step down in April(Image: )
Carol Kirkwood is well known in front of the camera. As a BBCweather anchor and best selling author she was known for her curvy figure and had even spoken of plans to lose weight.
However, it took something out of her control for the pounds to suddenly drop off. It was at the start of 2025 that she suddenly found herself struck down by a “terrible” illness which led her to drop around one and half dress sizes.
The now 63-year-old developed a tough bout of food poisoning which saw her losing weight and led to a complete switch in her lifestyle. This not only changed her eating habits but transformed her complete outlook on life and what she ate.
The presenter announced on Tuesday she is quitting the broadcaster after more than 25 years to spend more time with her husband, Steve Randall, who she married in 2023. She said the two have been “like ships that pass in the night” thanks to her early starts.
But she previously told how her life changed after suffering food poisoning. She told OK magazine: “Afterwards, I just ate two slices of toast for two days and I wasn’t hungry.
“I’m a snacker. I love chocolate, a glass of wine, crisps, and I thought, ‘Right, you don’t need all this food’. Now I eat when I’m hungry rather than just eating because I can.”
The star did not say how much weight she’s lost saying at the time “my weight is a state secret” but admitted that she was “probably a dress size-and-a-half” smaller. She said she now fitted comfortably into a size 10, and sometimes even an eight.
She said: “I’ve got lots of clothes from years of doing telly. When I couldn’t get into them, I put them away. Now I can. It feels like I’ve got a whole new wardrobe, but I don’t. It’s old clothes that I’m wearing again.”
Carol said she had now discovered how to balance what she ate. She said: “I’ve done every single diet going but now I’m not depriving myself of anything. If I want a piece of chocolate, I’ll have it, but then I actually don’t. It’s like somebody’s flipped a switch in my head.
She told how her day starts at 2.45am. She added: “By 9.30am, if I’m a bit peckish, I’ll have an apple or a banana, then, after my shift, I get home and eat whatever the dickens I want, perhaps a toasted pitta with rocket, tomatoes, sweetcorn, peppers and chicken. In the evening, I might have another pitta with hummus, or some peppers with hummus and, because I’m eating this way, I’m not hungry between meals any more.”
She also was quick to quash any rumours that she had used weight-loss injections. She said: “I have had a couple of emails saying, ‘It’s obvious you’re doing this.’ Each to their own. If somebody wants to do that, I’m not going to judge them — it’s their bodies, their life — but I’m glad I’m doing it this way,” she insists.
The star will leave the BBC in April and today explained her reason behind the decision. She told presenters Sally Nugent and Jon Kay: “I love my job, I’ve loved working at the BBC, but I love my husband more than my job. More than everyone, I should say.
“We only got married a couple of years ago and we’re ships that pass in the night so I’m so looking forward to [spending more time together]. The future is rosy and the time is right, absolutely right for me to go.”
After starting her BBC presenting career on the News channel, Kirkwood went on to appear regularly on BBC One. She has been the main weather presenter on BBC Breakfast since 2010.
As well as fronting the daily bulletins, Kirkwood often presented the weather on location, including from Wimbledon, the Chelsea Flower Show and royal events. She has also reported for The One Show and competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, reaching week eight with her partner Pasha Kovalev.
A TOP DJ has scrapped his upcoming tour after doctors warned him he’d need emergency surgery.
The Algerian-French music star, 39, told fans a health issue he’d been battling “finally caught up with me” and that he can’t “push or delay” further treatment.
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A top DJ has been forced to scrap his upcoming gigs after being told he needs emergency surgeryCredit: GettyDJ Snake released a statement on social media where he told how a health issue had ‘finally caught up with me’Credit: GettyHis surgery means shows in India and Canada will be cancelledCredit: Getty
DJ Snake, whose real name is William Sami Étienne Grigahcine, then revealed he’d “need a month to fully rest and recover”.
While the In The Dark hitmaker did not reveal the exact nature of his illness, it has prompted him to postpone tour dates in Canada and India.
The record producer, who produced Lady Gaga‘s hit Applause alongside the tracks of many other well-known stars, posted a statement on social media to reveal the worrying news.
He wrote in a post with black text on a white background: “Hey guys.
“I’ve been battling a health issue for a while and it’s finally caught up with me.
“After talking with my doctors I need to have surgery in early February.
“It’s something I can’t push or delay anymore, and I’ll need a month to fully rest and recover after that.
“This means cancelling all my shows, including the India tour and that decision has been incredibly hard.
“But I need to get back to 100 per cent and this is the only way.”
DJ Snake, whose debut track Turn Down For What with Lil Jon was released to huge acclaim in 2013, added: “Thank you for your love and understanding.
“I will be back soon, stronger than before. William.”
He finished his upload with a white love heart Emoji icon.
Fans on X were quick to react and one wrote: “Wish you all the best. Get well soon”.
A second posted: “Hope it goes smoothly,” as a third uploaded: “Get well soon’.
One then added: “Get well soon DJ. Waiting for your great comeback”.
This isn’t the first time DJ Snake has cancelled a show.
In 2015, he was sadly injured in a car crash alongside electronic producer Tchami, and the pair were forced to miss Toronto’s Monster Mash Festival.
SNAKE SUCCESS
Previously, DJ Snake told how his stage name came about following a nickname in his youth.
It was sparked after he was known for graffiti and avoiding the police in his youth.
He said of his moniker: “When I started DJing, everyone called me Snake in my city first, I was like DJ Snake, OK let’s go for it.
“The name sucks, but it’s too late now.”
He also revealed to Rolling Stone Magazine the real reason for his sunglasses-clad look.
He told the publication: “In the clubs, people were dancing, but now they were just looking at me, like I was gonna do some magic tricks or some s**t, so I was panicking for real.
“I was petrified of making a mistake, and one of my friends told me to wear some sunglasses so that I couldn’t see the whole crowd.
“Now it helps me stay in the zone, stay focussed.”
He is a Grammy Award nominee, having scooped the nod in 2012 for Lady Gaga’s Born This Way album.
In 2016, he was also named on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.
He was unimpressed after the Ligue 1 heavyweights dropped their traditional Phil Collins entrance track – even though they replaced it with one of the DJ’s own hits.
PSG have taken the field to the sound of Collins’ 1985 hit ‘Who Said I Would’ for almost 30 years.
But in 2021, the Paris club dropped the song in favour of DJ Snake’s ‘Intro Mixed’.
The DJ then claimed the bespoke track was initially only intended for the one-off video to announce the arrival of superstar Lionel Messi that year.
The In The Dark DJ told how he’d ‘need a month to fully rest and recover’Credit: InstagramHe has worked on Lady Gaga track Applause, to name a fewCredit: Splash NewsDJ Snake, whose real name is William Sami Étienne Grigahcine, recently told of the reason behind his sunglasses-clad lookCredit: Getty
Since premiering her new floor routine, Olympic medalist and Bruin Jordan Chiles has been riding a surge of emotions. Her choreography has gone viral, and she placed first in back-to-back meets which helped push her to the top of the national ranks with multiple all-around individual titles.
“I’ve tried everything,” Chiles said before her triumphant moment during a team victory at Michigan State. “The scores are the scores. This is the beginning of the process of the judges getting back into the flow of things.”
Instead of focusing on a matter she has no control over, Chiles said she’s having fun and doing the best she can every time she hits the mat.
“Is every single time going to be perfect?” Chiles asks. “Probably not, but I’m going to make it as perfect as I can.”
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The choreography was one of the hardest elements to figure out — topping her last viral floor routine that featured Prince’s music initially felt impossible. During her run to the 2024 Paris Olympics, she heavily featured Beyoncé in her floor routine and received a bouquet of flowers from the legend. Chiles’ final UCLA floor routine started to click once she realized it wasn’t about surpassing herself, but rather showcasing what the future holds and inspiring young gymnasts to be themselves.
“It’s being authentic to who you are and authentic in ways that you want to shine and do what you have to do,” Chiles said.
The music supporting her performance includes icons Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, Stevie Wonder and Tina Turner, a deliberate choice by Chiles. She wanted to highlight the legacy of the uniform she’s worn for the last four years as a Bruin.
Her experience on “Dancing With the Stars” during the summer, when she finished third, broadened her palette of dance styles. Being around talented dancers helped her see what dance elements could be added to her floor routine, said BJ Das, associate head coach and choreographer of the Bruins.
“She’s like a sponge,” Das said. “She learns quickly and she observes and she really takes in the world around her.”
When they came together to devise the last routine of her college career, they wanted to create a piece that would be timeless and engage the audience. Chiles wanted to bring people together through joy, passion and energy with music everybody would love.
“We wanted people on their feet, getting into it,” Das said. “… I think that’s always been her mark, on the sport of gymnastics … just really being herself.”
Collaborating came naturally for Chiles and Das. Through their years together, the trust they built turned the process into a fun experience that came together faster than expected.
“When I bring her ideas, she’s generally on board and she’ll have her own ideas and we just feed off each other,” Das said.
The work doesn’t stop between competitions. Throughout the week they focus on refining Chiles’ form and sticking landings as they fine-tune her overall performance. The routine is advanced, requiring significant endurance and cardio training.
Das also works on making the presentation crisper and sharper each week.
“The performance for her is so natural that it’s always gonna be there,” Das said. “I just want the movement quality to keep elevating as the season goes on and she gets more and more comfortable with the routine.”
UCLA gymnasts Nola Matthews and Tiana Sumanasekera cheer as Jordan Chiles lands a jump during her floor routine at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 17.
(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Any time she hits the mat, Das wants Chiles’ performance to shine a light on her impact on the sport of gymnastics. She wants the routine to exemplify Chiles’ voice in the sport — showing the importance of versatility and staying true to herself.
From her air guitar movement during the Stevie Wonder section to the shimmy during the Tina Turner section, every movement in the exercise captures her personality.
“I hope that this routine just emphasizes the freedom that you can have while being in the sport of gymnastics,” Das said.
Chiles’ floor routine allows her to command the attention of everyone in the building. Fans in the stands all get on their feet when it’s her turn to compete. She’s the anchor of the UCLA floor rotation. Her teammates long ago memorized her routine and enthusiastically cheer her on every time she competes. The audience roars approval after she executes a fun dance sequence or a difficult tumbling sequence. Her coaches grin and join the crowd cheering for Chiles.
“I’ve always wanted to dance and I’m an entertainer,” Chiles said. “I love entertaining people not just because of my sport, but just because I know I have the opportunity to really show the world that there are other sides of me. I am more than just a gymnast.”
UCLA coach Janelle McDonald knew Chiles eventually would clinch her elusive perfect 10 as the Bruins work to improve their scores with an eye on winning a national championship.
“Jordan rises when the pressure comes,” McDonald said.
The Bruins’ defense has improved despite star Skyy Clark’s absence while he recovers from a hamstring injury.
“If you don’t give up layups and dunks, you’ve got a chance to stop people,” Cronin said. “However you accomplish that. … We’ve been trying to adjust defensively how we do things. Stuff that obviously to the lay person you might not see. … We have some weaknesses that we have to hide.”
Whatever Cronin implemented besides leaving his starters on defense for an entire practice, it worked well. UCLA limited Purdue to 28 points in the paint and Northwestern to 24 points in the paint en route to much-needed wins.
“Really focusing with our players [on] how good can their attention to detail can be when the score doesn’t hold you accountable to that,” Close said. “… I’m just looking for how are we going to continue to get better? We did get better [Sunday]. We only had four live-ball turnovers of our 13. We obviously need to get that number down in terms of offensive fouls and travels. But I do think we made some steps in the right direction.”
The No. 3 Bruins (19-1, 9-0 Big Ten) play at Illinois (15-5, 5-4) on Wednesday before a big test Sunday against No. 10 Iowa (18-2, 9-0) at 1 p.m. at Pauley Pavilion.
Survey time
UCLA men’s basketball coach Mick Cronin has had a lot of success with the Bruins, but his yelling on the sideline also has a few detractors. So this week’s question: Do you support Mick Cronin as coach?
My name is Iliana Limón Romero and I’m the assistant managing editor for Sports at the L.A. Times. As you may have noticed, longtime UCLA beat reporter Ben Bolch left The Times and signed off from this newsletter. We remain committed to UCLA coverage and providing you with a vibrant, insightful newsletter every Monday. If you have any questions or requests, email me at iliana.limonromero@latimes.com or contact our Sports newsletters editor listed below.
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Well, they do say any attention is good attention.
Actor Sydney Sweeney was in the spotlight Monday after being captured on video recently scaling the H of the Hollywood sign under the cloak of darkness — to hang up some bras.
TMZ reported on the footage, which was part of a promotion for Sweeney’s upcoming lingerie line. But according to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the alleged publicity stunt was not authorized.
The chamber owns the intellectual property rights to the sign, which is managed by the nonprofit Hollywood Sign Trust. Neither the chamber nor the trust knew about the apparent Sweeney stunt until they saw the video, officials told The Times.
“Anyone intending to use and/or access the Hollywood Sign for commercial purposes must obtain a license or permission from the Hollywood Chamber to do so,” the chamber’s chief, Steve Nissen, said in a statement. “The production involving Sydney Sweeney and the Hollywood Sign, as reported by TMZ, was not authorized by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce nor did we have prior knowledge of it.”
Nissen also said that the organization “did not grant a license or permission of any kind to the production … nor did anyone seek a license or permission from the Chamber for that production.”
Footage obtained by TMZ shows Sweeney climbing up the Hollywood sign to help string up a clothesline of assorted bras across the familiar landmark. The “Christy” star is accompanied by a small crew that is filming her handiwork.
The team did obtain a general permit to film in the area from FilmLA.
But as is explained both on the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Hollywood sign websites, filming the sign itself requires additional clearance and payment of a licensing fee. The chamber says a portion of the proceeds goes to a trust that assists in maintaining the Hollywood sign. Access to the Hollywood sign is generally restricted.
So far, a police report that could trigger a trespass investigation and review by prosecutors has not been filed, according to L.A. Police Officer Tony Im, a department spokesperson.
Built in 1923, the Hollywood sign was donated to the city 21 years later. Climbing or altering the sign are not permitted — and have happened over the decades. Famously, the letters were changed to “Hollyweed” by a local college student on New Year’s Day 1976 when California downgraded the possession of a small amount of pot from a possible felony to a misdemeanor. That stunt was repeated in 2017. In that case, the suspect was arrested on suspicion of trespass. In 1987, Caltech students changed the sign overnight to read “Caltech.”
Last February, a man was arrested after he climbed onto the letter D as part of a social media promotion and was taken into custody.
As for Sweeney, this is not the first time the actor has been scrutinized for promotional activity involving clothing. The “Euphoria” star previously faced backlash for the slogan of an ad campaign involving jeans. (Sweeney later addressed the controversy, telling the Hollywood Reporter that she was “surprised by the reaction” and that she “[doesn’t] support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren’t true.”)
Representatives for Sweeney did not respond to The Times’ request for comment.
Ralph Fiennes may have revealed his successor for the iconic role of Voldemort on the Harry Potter TV series as he named a huge name as being a ‘very good choice’
15:19, 26 Jan 2026Updated 15:19, 26 Jan 2026
The next Voldemort actor may have been revealed(Image: WARNER BROS)
An accidental leak appears to have named a legendary actor as Voldemort in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series. The HBO production is set to showcase JK Rowling’s book on the small screen after it had huge success in cinemas.
It will depict a new iteration of Harry’s story at Hogwarts and beyond, with fans of the franchise eager to find out more. And now, it appears as though one star from the movies has revealed who will be taking on his character’s role even though confirmation has largely been kept under wraps.
Ralph Fiennes‘ iconic performances as Voldemort are written in the history books and he opened up on a potential successor for the TV adaptation while on the red carpet for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple.
The Sun reports that the Hollywood star was asked: “Who do you think should fill your shoes for Voldemort in the upcoming HBO show?” Responding, he said: “I’m told they are already filled, aren’t they? I think Cillian Murphy is very good. A very good choice.”
In a video that was shared on TikTok, Ralph appeared slightly panicked. He added: “I’ve already said, I think Cillian Murphy is very good. I think they’ve cast it, haven’t they? You don’t know?”
Fans were buzzing with the apparent reveal. One user said on social media: “This is amazing news.” And another said: “Oh man this is a good casting actually.”
It’s unclear whether Ralph had just been commenting on speculation. It had previously been reported that the Tommy Shelby star was in line for the role, but the actor himself seemed to distance himself from the role.
He previously told Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast. “I don’t know anything about that,” he said when questioned about his apparent links.
“Also, it’s just really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does,” he added. “The man is an absolute acting legend, so good luck to whoever’s gonna fill those shoes.”
The series is set to feature Dominic McLaughlin as Harry. Arabella Stanton has been cast for the part of Hermoine Grainger, while Alastair Stout will star as Ron Weasley.
Elsewhere, Paul Whitehouse has been revealed for a role in the reboot too, alongside the likes of Bertie Carvel, Johnny Flynn, Bel Powley, Daniel Rigby and Katherine Parkinson.
Only one star will return from the film franchise. Warwick Davis is set to reprise his role as Professor Filius Flitwick.
