CHERYL TWEEDY is set to make a huge comeback with her own documentary.
The Girls Aloud singer has kept a low profile in recent years, but remains one of the UK’s most successful female solo artists and telly stars.
Cheryl is set to make a huge comeback with her own documentaryCredit: GettyCheryl with late One Direction singer Liam Payne, the father of her sonCredit: Alamy
I’m told she is in early talks to create a film about her life and look back at her past successes.
The plan is to document her rise to fame auditioning on Popstars: The Rivals and being a judge on The X Factor as well as touching on her love life.
Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter
Thank you!
She is currently single after high-profile marriages to footballer Ashley Cole and restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernanzed-Versini plus relationships with US dancer Derek Hough and the late One Direction singer Liam Payne, who is the father of her son Bear.
A source said: “Cheryl is incredibly picky about what she chooses to do these days and spends a lot of time on motherhood, but she feels like she has a story to tell.
Her PR man did not respond when I reached out for comment.
Last year it was reported that Cheryl was in talks to make a telly comeback by appearing on The Voice, and she was spotted having a low-key dinner in Italy with pal Will.i.am, who is a mentor on the ITV talent show.
Over the years Cheryl has featured in several high-profile documentaries including Access All Areas, which followed her first solo arena tour.
Speaking about the 2012 doc, she said: “I literally had a friend of mine filming so that I would not feel like I had a camera crew in my way and at times forgot myself.
“I have since regretted this decision. The number of times I cringed watching it.”
I’m sure fans would love to go behind the scenes with Cheryl.
SLIPKNOT ‘CUT TIES’ WITH SID
Sid Wilson and Kelly Osbourne before their splitCredit: Getty
SID WILSON has been “kicked out” of heavy metal band Slipknot after 28 years, according to sources.
The American DJ and keyboardist, who joined the group in 1998, is understood to have been sent packing on Friday.
It comes just five months after Sid – known in the band as #0 – split from his fiancée Kelly Osbourne.
I can reveal Slipknot have also parted ways with the PR company that has represented them since 1995.
A source close to the band told TMZ, “Sid was notified late Friday afternoon that he has been permanently kicked out”.
The musician proposed to Kelly backstage at her dad Ozzy Osbourne‘s final Black Sabbath gig at Villa Park in Birmingham last July.
Just weeks later, Kelly suffered heartbreak when Ozzy passed away.
She and Sid had started dating in 2022 and had son Sidney at the end of the same year.
However, she has since sparked fresh romance rumours with her supposed new hairdresser partner Kiinicki – a Los Angeles-based barber and creative behind the brand Hella Good Hair.
Kelly shared snaps of herself with Kiinicki, who uses they/them pronouns, in April.
And the pair were spotted at an after-party following Lily Allen‘s gig at the London Palladium in March.
Sounds like Kelly has got Sid out of her hair.
JESSICA’S NETFLIX DOCU
Jessica Simpson is set to have her life made into a Netflix documentaryCredit: Getty
AMERICAN singer Jessica Simpson is set to have her life made into a Netflix documentary.
It will be developed by director Joe Pearlman, who created Robbie Williams’ docu-series and Lewis Capaldi How I’m Feeling Now film.
A source said: “It will be a four-parter similar to Robbie Williams’ one. Like him, Jessica has faced her demons and been through trauma having started in the music industry aged 17.
“Filming is expected to start this year and will show Jessica talking about everything she’s been through.”
SAM THOMPSON and Pete Wicks seem to be building an empire – having joined forces on a new financial venture.
I can reveal that former Made In Chelsea star Sam and ex-Towie hunk Pete, who own Staying Relevant Productions and co-host a podcast, have set up PWST Investments Ltd.
Details lodged with Companies House show the nature of the business is “security dealing on own account”, which relates to investing in stocks and shares, futures, securities and commodities.
A source said: “Sam and Pete have become comedy gold on their podcast, but they are serious when it comes to business.”
Move over power couples, bromances are big business.
Peacock, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, reached profitability for the first time, boosted by FIFA World Cup, NBA playoffs and reality dating show “Love Island USA.”
The milestone comes as Comcast Corp. prepares to spin off NBCUniversal entertainment and news media businesses into a separate company. Peacock, which launched in 2020, grew its paid subscribers by 4% to 48 million in the second quarter, compared to the previous quarter. The company said Peacock’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization was $189 million.
“In just six years, we built Peacock into a streaming business with real scale in the U.S.,” said Brian Roberts, chairman and co-CEO of Comcast on Thursday in an earnings call, adding that Peacock has added 2 million paid subscribers in each of the last two quarters.
Co-CEO Mike Cavanagh said that performance “reinforces the value of NBC, Telemundo, Bravo, and Peacock together as one integrated media business with continued opportunity to drive stronger engagement, advertising, and profitability into the future.”
Comcast plans to spin off Peacock, NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, Bravo, Universal film, television studios and theme parks and British TV service Sky into its own separate company, with a goal of completing the separation in about a year.
Michael J. Wolf, CEO of Activate Consulting, said Peacock’s first profit proves that live sports and premium programming “remain the single most powerful anchors for consumer attention and subscriber growth.”
“As Comcast prepares to spin off NBCUniversal, freeing it from legacy cable, a standalone NBCU is now structurally positioned to compete at the highest level of streaming,” Wolf said in a statement.
Peacock was the last major premium subscription video-on-demand service launched by a legacy studio to reach profitability, said Brandon Katz, director of insights and content strategy at Greenlight Analytics. The streaming service is available only in the U.S. and certain U.S. territories. Its reach is much smaller than other rivals like Netflix, which has about 80 million households in the U.S. and Canada.
“It was a long and arduous process for Peacock to reach profitability, and this is obviously a very important step for their business, but one small step in a much larger journey,” Katz said.
The Peacock news was part of Comcast’s earnings results. Comcast said revenue declined 1% to $29.9 billion in the second quarter, compared to a year ago, hurt by the loss of broadband residential customers.
Net income was $3.5 billion, down 68% from a year ago, when its profit was boosted by a $9.4 billion gain from Comcast’s sale of its share in Hulu.
Content and experiences revenue increased 22.9% to $10.7 billion, thanks to increases in advertising and theatrical revenue from popular movies including “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” horror movie “Obsession” and the international distribution of “Michael.”
Comcast’s stock closed Thursday at $21.92 a share, down about 7%.
The Northern Ireland born and New Zealand actor, best known for playing Dr Alan Grant in the Jurassic Park franchise, died on Monday, just months after he was deemed “cancer-free” following a battle with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma.
Sam was best known for his legendary Jurassic Park role but the actor also once appeared in a ‘masterpiece’ 2002 drama series alongside Keira Knightley.
Doctor Zhivago was released in 2002. It is based on the 1957 novel of the same title by Boris Pasternak, which was also turned into a film in 1965.
The 2002 series is available to watch on ITV and ITVX, who have described it as: “Keira Knightley stars in this gripping drama set in the tumultuous era of WW1 and the Russian Revolution. Dr Zhivago finds himself tormented by his his love for two women.”
Meanwhile, a synopsis adds: “Having witnessed his father’s suicide, Yury is sent to live in Moscow with his uncle, aunt and cousin. Whilst there, he becomes captivated by a stunning young girl called Lara.”
The character of Yuri Zhivago is played by Hans Matheson, Keira plays Lara Guishar Antipova and Sam plays Victor Komarovsky. Other cast members include Kris Marshall as Pasha Antipov/Strelnikov, Celia Imrie as Anna Gromeko and Hugh Bonneville as Andrey Zhivago – to name just a few.
The series, directed by Giacomo Campiotti, has an impressive 78% Rotten Tomatoes score with many viewers calling it a ‘masterpiece’. One person said: “A masterpiece by Giacomo Campiotti”, adding: “It deserves an Oscar.”
Another fan put: “Wow – this was fantastic! It really all came together with the last installment and truly broke my heart. I don’t see how anyone could not fall madly in love with Hans Matheson as Yury, and Kiera Knightley brought such maturity and worldliness to such a difficult role (amazing at such a young age).
“Both actors should be commended. And as for Sam Neill! He was amazing. The screen practically frosted up when he appeared!”
A different viewer commented: “I haven’t seen the 1st version of Dr Zhivago or read the book but this film is absolutely amazing. I suppose i can’t really judge because of not really knowing the story before this, but as far as I can tell Its a wonderful love story although it is shocking in bits of it.”
Meanwhile, another person added: “I have never seen the original Doctor Zhivago film, so I can’t take any prejudged bias. This mini-series is possibly the best UK mini-series I have ever seen and is a sign that perhaps the UK networks are serious about creating some top quality drama television that HBO have been producing for ages!
“The acting is top quality, however, Sam Neill on top form steals every scene he’s in, and that’s saying something with the quality around him on screen.”
Doctor Zhivago is available to watch on ITV and ITVX
The final weekend of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is here, with France and England playing for third place on Saturday before defending champion Argentina takes on 2010 winner Spain for the title on Sunday.
Here’s everything you need to know about the last two matches of the 39-day, 48-team tournament in North America (all times Pacific).
Saturday’s third-place game
France vs. England
France star Kylian Mbappé smiles during a World Cup semifinal match against Spain on Tuesday.
(David Ramos / Getty Images)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla. Time: 2 p.m. TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming:Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: This is a game neither team really wants to play. The disappointment of missing the final is fresh and the weather report calls for temperatures in the high 80s with 68% humidity and a chance of thundershowers — a brutal South Florida summer day. The $2-million difference in prize money between third and fourth place isn’t likely to make any of that more palatable. Still, the game will have meaning for France since it will be the final match for coach Didier Deschamps, the winningest World Cup manager in history. And captain Kylian Mbappé, tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for most goals in the tournament (8), has a chance to become the first player to win consecutive Golden Boots. England is playing in the consolation final for the second time in three World Cups; it lost to Belgium 2-1 in 2018. But this one will probably sting even more since the Three Lions were five minutes away from their first final in six decades before collapsing against Argentina. This could be the last World Cup game for England’s Golden Generation of Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, John Stones and Jordan Henderson.
Sunday’s championship game
Spain vs. Argentina
Argentina star Lionel Messi celebrates after a win over England in the World Cup semifinals on Wednesday.
The buzz: Argentina has a chance to become the first repeat World Cup champion since Brazil in 1962, which would give Messi another grand achievement in his sixth and likely final World Cup. Messi enters the weekend as the all-time leader in goals, assists and games played in tournament history. But unbeaten Argentina hasn’t made things easy, with its winning goals in the four knockout-round games coming in the 92nd minute or later. Spain, the reigning European champion, will be playing to put a second star on its jersey to match the one it won in 2010. La Roja, with the sixth-youngest roster in the World Cup, got to the final on the strength of spectacular defense led by Unai Simón, who has six clean sheets in seven games. Mikel Oyarzabal is the team’s leading scorer with five World Cup goals. The teams had one common opponent in this tournament, tiny Cape Verde, a World Cup debutante. It played Spain to a scoreless draw in its opener, then held Argentina to a 1-1 standoff into extra time before falling.
The buzz: This game would be far better suited as a final than a semifinal. Both are unbeaten — in fact, Spain is unbeaten in its last 36 games, one shy of the all-time record. For France, a win would put it in the final for a third straight World Cup while Spain is hoping to get back for the first time since 2010, when it won its only title. The teams got here in different ways. Spain has walked a razor’s edge, giving up just a single goal in the tournament and winning its last two games on late goals from substitute Mikel Merino. France has bludgeoned the opposition, scoring 16 goals while conceding just two. Kylian Mbappé has scored eight times and has 20 goals in 20 World Cup games, leaving him one back of Lionel Messi’s all-time record. It seems unjust that one of these teams will finish its World Cup in the third-place game.
Wednesday’s semifinal
England vs. Argentina
England’s (from left to right) Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Morgan Rogers celebrate after defeating Norway in the World Cup quarterfinals on Saturday.
The buzz: Both teams are unbeaten and each survived scares in the quarterfinals, with England outlasting Norway in extra time in brutal weather in Miami and Argentina beating Switzerland in extra time in Kansas City. Jude Bellingham had a brace in each of England’s last two games to match teammate Harry Kane’s six goals in the tournament. Bellingham is the first player to score at least two goals in consecutive World Cup knockout matches since Diego Maradona in 1986. Argentina, the reigning champion, is unbeaten in its last 12 World Cup games, but four of its last six knockout-stage games have gone to extra time or penalties. Argentina has gotten eight goals and two assists from Messi in this World Cup.
Netflix (NFLX) is reportedly looking into live TV and streaming bundles to counteract slipping viewer engagement, even as the streaming giant enjoys rising profits and industry-low cancellation rates.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, the streamer is rethinking some
The 2026 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals are set to begin Thursday when Kylian Mbappé and France take on an upset-minded Morocco team.
World Cup co-hosts U.S., Canada and Mexico will be watching from the sideline after being eliminated in the round of 16.
Here’s everything you need to know about the World Cup matches being played Thursday, Friday and Saturday across the U.S., Mexico and Canada (all times Pacific).
Thursday’s quarterfinal match
France vs. Morocco
France’s Kylian Mbappé jogs on the field during a win over Iraq in the World Cup on June 22.
The buzz: France, bidding to make its third consecutive World Cup final, needed a penalty kick from Kylian Mbappé to dispatch stubborn Paraguay, a third-place team, in the round of 16. France has scored 16 times — Mbappé has seven of them, giving him 19 career World Cup goals — while goalkeeper Mike Maignan has conceded just two goals in five matches. Morocco, a semifinalist four years ago, advanced with a 3-0 win over Canada that ran its unbeaten streak to 34 games. Azzedine Ounahi scored twice in that game and is one of three Moroccan players with multiple goals. Morocco, a former French colony, has almost as many French-born players on its roster, six, as it does native Moroccans, seven.
Friday’s quarterfinal match
Spain vs. Belgium
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón catches the ball in front of Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo during Spain’s round-of-16 win on July 6.
The buzz: Spain is the first team in World Cup history to record six consecutive shutouts and goalkeeper Unai Simón has gone 609 minutes without allowing a World Cup goal, a streak that dates to group play of the last tournament four years ago. Spain, however, has struggled to score consistently, collecting a goal or less in three of its five games, including a round-of-16 win over Portugal on Mikel Merino’s goal in stoppage time. Mikel Oyarzabal is Spain’s leading scorer with four goals. Belgium earned its place in the quarterfinals by thumping the U.S. 4-1 in Seattle in its most complete game of the tournament. Belgium outshot the Americans 15-7, putting seven on target. Charles De Ketelaere had a brace in the first half and Belgium never looked back. For an aging golden generation of Belgian players, including Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Thibaut Courtois and Axel Witsel, this might be the final chance to grab a title.
Saturday’s quarterfinal matches
Norway vs. England
England’s Harry Kane celebrates after scoring during a win over Mexico on July 5.
(Eduardo Verdugo / Associated Press)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla. Time: 2 p.m. TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming: Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: The forecast calls for temperatures in the high 80s, humidity at 77% and a chance of rain, challenging conditions for two teams from northern Europe. Norway, which knocked off Brazil to reach the quarterfinals for the first time, has scored 12 times in five games — Erling Haaland has seven of those, including both against Brazil — but has conceded nine, winning just once by more than a goal. Haaland’s 39% shot-conversation rate is the best in a World Cup since 1986. Unbeaten England had to gut out a tough win in the rare air of Mexico City with just 10 men to reach the quarterfinals for a third straight time. Captain Harry Kane is fourth in the Golden Boot race with six goals.
Argentina vs. Switzerland
Argentina’s Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring against Egypt on July 7 at the World Cup.
(Associated Press)
Where: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Mo. Time: 6 p.m. TV: Fox, Telemundo | Streaming: Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: Unbeaten Argentina needed three goals in 13 minutes to stay that way, barely escaping its round-of-16 game with Egypt on Enzo Fernández’s goal in stoppage time. Lionel Messi’s tying goal in the 83rd minute extended his World Cup scoring streak to nine games. He entered the quarterfinals leading the tournament with eight goals. Switzerland, also unbeaten, eliminated Colombia on penalties to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 1954. The Swiss have nine goals, three of those coming from 20-year-old Johan Manzambi, the youngest player on the team.
Nexstar Media Group’s The Hill, the political web site that started as a free newspaper read in most congressional offices in Washington, is launching a new direct-to-consumer streaming service that will be behind a paywall.
Starting Wednesday, Nexstar will offer The HIll Insider, which will carry daily streaming video programs and newsletters. Subscribers will also be able to interact with The Hill’s journalists and analysts, who will take questions live.
The service, available for $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year, is the first digital subscription product for the Irving, TX-based Nexstar, the largest owner of television stations in the U.S. Premium memberships are available for $9.99 a month, or $99.99 a year, which will be ad-free and offer access to live events presented by The Hill.
The endeavor is the first subscription streaming service offered by Nexstar. The Hill already produces a free ad-supported streaming channel distributed on such platforms as Roku.
The free version of The Hill is the most viewed political web site in the U.S. with 1.24 billion page views in 2025, a year-to-year increase of 7%, according to Comscore. The Hill is known for offering brisk, up-to-date reports out of each branch of government in Washington, and is often linked to on other websites.
Nexstar, which also owns the cable network NewsNation, acquired The Hill in 2021 from New York-based entrepreneur James Finkelstein for $130 million. NewsNation adapted The Hill brand name for its Washington-based programs, including a Sunday roundtable show with Chris Stirewalt, politics editor for The Hill and NewsNation.
NewsNation politics editor Chris Stirewalt on the set of “The Hill Sunday.”
(NewsNation)
Stirewalt and the Washington journalists and commentators seen on NewsNation programs will be featured on The Hill Insider. The service will also use the resources of Decision Desk HQ, the political media firm that was the first to call President Trump’s victory on election night in 2024. Decision Desk will be involved in a streaming show called “Data Nerds.”
The Hill Insider will be aimed at the political junkie who wants to go deeper on polling data and hear longer, in-depth discussion on issues. Bill Sammons, senior vice president of editorial content for Nexstar, said the company’s research shows there is a national appetite for such content, as only 5% of The Hill’s current audience is based in Washington.
The Hill has long touted itself as non-partisan and Stirewalt hopes users will gravitate to the subscription version to become better informed about legislative and political issues and not reaffirm their existing opinions.
“My imagined audience is of people in America who are not addicted to politics but are addicted to good citizenship and the idea of fulfilling their civic virtue,” Stirewalt said in a recent interview. “And they would like to do it in a way that doesn’t insult their intelligence.”
While the free version of The Hill has been growing, the new subscription product enters a crowded field of digital programs and platforms aimed at the consumers of political news.
The launch comes as journalists from legacy media such as former CNN anchor Jim Acosta, former ABC News correspondent Terry Moran, and Chuck Todd, the longtime moderator of NBC’s “Meet the Press,” have launched their own daily podcasts and newsletters as second acts in their careers.
MS NOW, the progressive-leaning cable news channel, is entering the direct to consumer market later this year making the channel available outside of pay-TV packages for the first time. Like The Hill Insider, the MS NOW streaming product is expected to offer users additional benefits, such as access to live events and content not seen on the cable network.
Original topical programming that does not have a shelf life is challenging to sustain on a streaming service. When Fox News Media launched its streaming service Fox Nation in 2018, it carried a line-up of live, politically-oriented shows aimed at its conservative-leaning audience. The service eventually pivoted to documentary, movies and lifestyle programming and became the home of the annual Fox News fan event, The Fox Nation Patriot Awards.
The series comes from Law & Order creator Dick Wolf and examines gruesome killings from the perspectives of those directly impacted. Viewers hear from detectives and prosecutors, as well as the families of the victims.
It offers a complete overview of how law enforcement approached the cases, and how citizens were forced to mourn their loved ones.
Season 3, which is titled Homicide: New York, focuses on a serial offender who targeted victims in Central Park, a suspicious drowning at Soho House, and an unfiltered recounting of 9/11 from the officers who were at Ground Zero.
While many Netflix subscribers may have missed the show, those who caught it upon its release were thoroughly impressed.
An IMDb user raved “we need more,” before writing: “Amazing!! The editing was simply perfect, but the true stories oh my they were so sad but very interesting to hear.
“The people behind all the hard work to find out the results were brilliant and very well spoken about the cases and families involved! Need another 5 episodes!!!”
Get Netflix free with Sky
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
Someone else agreed with the praise, adding: “In True Crime Drama…This one STANDS ABOVE. There are a lot of documentaries out there regarding true crime. Dick Wolf has done an extraordinary job on bringing this one to the screen. I would say it’s one of the best written, true crime dramas ever made.”
While an X, formerly Twitter, user urged others to tune in. “If anyone’s looking for a good murder mystery, definitely recommend Homicide New York on Netflix,” they said.
Yet another fan agreed, stating: “Homicide: New York is insaneeeeeee. if you’re into true crime, you definitely want to watch it.”
All fifteen episodes of Homicide are available to stream now on Netflix
Fans are hailing the film as a ‘masterpiece’ and calling it their favourite movie of the year
The film comes from legendary director Edgar Wright(Image: Courtesy of Paramount Plus)
A gripping thriller based on a popular novel has finally landed on streaming and viewers are calling it a ‘masterpiece’.
The action-packed movie, adapted from a novel by Stephen King, hit cinemas last year and is tailor-made for fans of nail-biting franchises such as Mission: Impossible or Fast and Furious.
Its IMDb synopsis reads: “A man joins a game show in which contestants, allowed to flee anywhere in the world, are pursued by ‘hunters’ hired to kill them.”
The film was helmed by legendary director Edgar Wright, celebrated for cult favourites such as Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Baby Driver.
The Running Man is the most recent 2025 adaptation of King’s iconic novel, with Glen Powell taking on the lead role of Ben Richards – a part previously made famous by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 1987 original.
The supporting cast boasts an impressive line-up including Josh Brolin, Colman Domingo, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, Emilia Jones and Martin Herlihy, reports the Express.
The film currently holds a 61% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes alongside a 6.4 rating on IMDb, with legions of fans applauding this fresh take on the dystopian tale.
Now available on Paramount Plus, the streaming platform has teased: “The Running Man is a fun, unhinged deadly game show where contestants must survive 30 days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward.”
Over on IMDb, one enthusiast awarded the film a perfect 10/10, declaring: “Let me put it this way. I saw it at a matinee this afternoon and now I’m going back with my husband. I’m not a Glen Powell fan but I do live Edgar Wright movies and this one delivers. Don’t go see it if you want to relax!
“I read the Stephen King novel years and years ago and saw the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie years ago as well, so i can’t tell you how it compares, but this one stands on its own as the best action movie of the year… and maybe the decade…so far.”
A second viewer hailed the film as a ‘masterpiece of literary adaptation’, remarking: “Hands down the best adaptation of King’s work. You can literally watch the movie and turn pages. Powell’s Richards jumps out of the book.
“The ending got the Hollywood treatment, but still accomplished the same goal. I waited 34 years for a faithful version of this, and now we have it. The casting feels like they all read the novel.”
Get Paramount+ free for a week
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Telly fans can get seven days of free access to Paramount+ shows like Tulsa King and Dexter: Original Sin by signing up for a free trial via Amazon Prime’s Paramount+ channel.
Another cinema-goer commented: “One of the best movies of the year. After being trailer after trailer at the cinema for what seems the whole year, I was fearing this would be a total flop.
“I need not have worried because this is an action packed, well scripted remake of the original. Everyone is cast perfectly and all performances are great. It keeps you guessing throughout the movie and the twists and turns keep it going. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Well worth a visit.”
One further viewer chipped in: “It was perfect. Edgar Wright nailed I.T. on this expensive movie. The action, everything. A lot better than the 1987. It follows the book. Glen Powell did a great Job on playing the character Ben Richards.”
They even drew comparisons to other beloved action franchises, adding: “This film feels like a big mix of Fast and Furious and Mission: Impossible. I love the chase scenes.”
Over on Rotten Tomatoes, one enthusiastic viewer gushed: “Excellent film! Glen Powell did great with his character, Ben Richards.”
“Fresh! Intensely gripping all the way through. Great acting on all parts,” another remarked, while a further viewer noted: “Loved this. Im 100% certain that Stephen King will be so happy with this version of his brilliant book. Great all round really enjoyable watch.”
Not everybody was won over, however, with one person writing: “A real disappointment, falling flat both as social commentary and as an action movie.”
Another disgruntled viewer complained: “The first one was way better. Loved the satire and Richard Dawson, who was a game show host in real life, as the host in the original. Tired of remakes with all the social commentary without improving the whole movie.”
The Running Man is available to stream on Paramount Plus now.
Adapted from Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa’s 1958 novel of the same name, The Leopard is a lavish period drama set in 19th century Sicily, reports the Express.
The six-part Italian series charts the fortunes of the Prince of Salina and his aristocratic family during a turbulent era of great change.
The Leopard unfolds against the backdrop of the Risorgimento, or the unification of Italy, as various states across the Italian peninsula were brought together to form the Kingdom of Italy.
During this momentous period, widespread political and social upheaval, along with rebellions and revolutions, preceded the formation of the Kingdom of Italy.
A synopsis of the show from Netflix reads: “Based on what many consider to be one of the greatest Italian novels of all time, The Leopard is a dazzlingly sensuous epic, set against the backdrop of revolution in 1860s Sicily.
“At its heart is Don Fabrizio Corbera, the Prince of Salina, who leads a life surrounded by beauty and privilege. But as Italy moves towards unification and the old aristocratic order is threatened, he realizes that his family’s future is in jeopardy.
“New allegiances must be made, each one a threat to his principles. Eventually Don Fabrizio is faced with an impossible choice.
“He has the power to engineer a marriage, between the rich and beautiful Angelica and his nephew Tancredi, that could secure his family’s legacy, but doing so he would break his favorite daughter, Concetta’s heart.
“The series will be a modern exploration of timeless themes – power, love, and the cost of progress.”
The Leopard boasts an outstanding ensemble cast, including Everybody Loves Diamonds star Kim Rossi Stuart as Don Fabrizio Corbera, Prince of Salina, Benedetta Porcaroli from Netflix’s Baby as Concetta Corbera di Salina, Love & Gelato’s Saul Nanni as Tancredi Falconeri, and The Beautiful Summer star Deva Cassel as Angelica Sedara.
Further cast members include Astrid Meloni, Paolo Calabresi, Gaetano Bruno, Francesco Di Leva, Alessandro Sperduti, Jozef Gjura, and Romano Reggiani.
One viewer posted in their 10/10 review: “Cinematography is absolutely stunning. What a beautiful period piece ; costumes magical, This is a stunningly visually crafted masterpiece of a series.”
A second glowing review proclaimed it a “masterpiece”, with the critic stating: “This is an absolute must-see series! It could have actually been a cinema film, this is the perfection of its film making. An epic construction of story telling, acting, costumes, scenery and music offers an utter delight to watch.”
Get Netflix free with Sky
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky is giving away a free Netflix subscription with its new Sky Stream TV bundles, including the £15 Essential TV plan.
This lets members watch live and on-demand TV content without a satellite dish or aerial and includes hit shows like Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
A third top-rated review described it as an “absolute masterpiece”, elaborating: “The journey is beautiful, poignant, and brutally honest.”
Yet another awarded it 10/10 and celebrated it as a “masterpiece”, writing: “I wish there were MORE series like this: based on literature, ravishingly beautiful and (99%) aesthetically accurate.”
They went on to draw a comparison with Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes’ other notable series, remarking: “The Gilded Age could learn a lesson from “The Leopard’s” creative team.”
The Leopard is available to stream on Netflix now.
While the Unseen Bits episode has become increasingly popular over the years, it doesn’t always deliver the same dramatic impact as the main programme. So those craving a new fix of reality TV drama might well be searching for an alternative.
Branded as ‘unhinged’ by audiences, the dating programme first launched on MTV in 2014, before transferring to streaming platform Paramount in 2023, reports OK!.
Audiences follow a group of men and women who have been secretly paired with their ‘perfect partner’ by a matchmaking algorithm. They are then placed under one roof and must attempt to discover their other half.
If the participants successfully identify all of the perfect couples, they secure a prize fund of up to $1 million. The contestants are free to pursue any romantic connections within the house, much like in Love Island.
However, they have the distinctive option to consult the ‘Truth Booth’ to confirm if they are genuinely a match.
While the American series falls into the same category as Love Island, some audiences believe it compels contestants to genuinely pursue authentic romantic connections rather than coasting in friendship pairings until the finale.
Heading to Reddit, one enthusiastic viewer shared their thoughts: “I just watched the two seasons on Netflix and it’s what I always wanted Love Island to be. People actually mixing, doing things, partying,… Instead of policing people if they dare talk to a person, they’ve been ‘coupled up with’ for a day.”
They went on to say: “I think LI need to look at shows like that and apply some things. Give them incentive to not just pick a person at the start and then chill for weeks.”
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Viewers have also posted glowing write-ups, with one social media user writing: “I love drama and cat fights so if you love to entertained I would watch it. Couples being broken up and people getting jealous it’s so interesting.”
Another enthusiastic fan declared: “Just binge watched season 1 of [Are You The One]!!!! ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! HOW IS THIS SHOW NOT MORE POPULAR!?”
Are You The One? is streaming now on Paramount Plus
It centres on David Burroughs, a father wrongfully imprisoned for his young son Matthew’s murder. But when he discovers Matthew may be alive, David is forced to escape and uncover the truth.
The show only has eight episodes, which many viewers have already devoured over the last week.
Those on the hunt for another bingeable crime drama should look no further than Black Bird, streaming now on Apple TV+.
Starring Taron Egerton, the six-episode drama was inspired by the real story of Jimmy Keene. Once an aspiring sports star, Jimmy’s life takes a turn when he starts dealing drugs. He gets caught and is unexpectedly sentenced to 10 years in prison on drug and weapon charges.
But Jimmy is soon gets a life-changing offer from the FBI: he must befriend suspected serial killer Larry Hall and coax a confession out of him to help find the bodies of over a dozen women. If successful, Jimmy would have his criminal record wiped.
Get Apple TV free for a week
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
TV fans can get Apple TV free for a week to stream shows like Ted Lasso, Severance and Slow Horses.
The drama dives into the dangers Jimmy faces along the way, as well as convicted killer Hall’s (played by Paul Walter Hauser) chilling crimes.
Critics and casual viewers were completely captivated by the series when it first hit screens in 2022. It bagged a stellar 98% score from Rotten Tomatoes reviewers, alongside a slightly less-generous 95% rating from audiences.
These figures are significantly higher than I Will Find You, which has earned a 60% critical rating and 65% audience score.
Raving about Black Bird, one fan said: “It was a gripping thrill ride from start to finish. Beautifully acted and very well written. The worst part about the show was that it ended!”
A second praised: “Chilling but surprisingly heroic true-crime drama! The tension never lets up, pulled along by an incredible story and great performances.”
While a third fan added: “I literally watched all six episodes in a row because I needed to know what happened. It’s gripping, intense, and at some points I just wanted it all to be over because the psychological pressure on Jimmy becomes almost too much even I felt it— but in a way that keeps you hooked.”
And a final viewer gushed: “As a guy who thought he check out one episode, Black Bird absolutely wrecked my sleep schedule—in the best way.”
Amazon’s Prime Day sale is underway, and members can subscribe to platforms such as Apple TV, Paramount+ and MGM+ with up to 60% off.
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Project Haily Mary is streaming now on MGM+
Amazon has slashed the price of Apple TV, Paramount+ and MGM+ by up to 60% to mark the start of its latest Prime Day sale. On Tuesday (June 23), the retail giant kicked off its latest site-wide sales event, where subscriptions for several major streaming platforms now start at £2.99.
During the sale, Amazon customers can bag an Apple TV subscription for half price at £4.99 (was £9.99) per month. Those securing the deal will lock in the lower price for two months, after which it reverts to the usual £9.99 until cancelled.
Similarly, MGM+ – the home of Project Hail Mary – is now £2.99 (was £5.99) for two months, while Paramount+ is £2.99 (was £7.99) for one month. The deals are running until July 2 and come as Amazon kicks off its Prime Day 2026 sale.
A caveat is that both the reduced streaming subscriptions and free trials will roll on to standard paid subscriptions at the end of the promotional period. This means subscribers should make sure to cancel their subscription before the end of the discounted or free period if they want to avoid paying the standard rate.
Amazon customers can subscribe to Apple TV through Prime Video for £4.99 per month for two months until July 2.
Elsewhere, Sky is giving away streaming subscriptions at no extra cost with its TV packages, with customers signing up for the £24 Ultimate TV bundle able to claim free access to Netflix, HBO Max and Disney+. It also comes with around 135 channels, including Sky Atlantic
For those opting for Apple TV, the streamer has released some highly acclaimed titles already this year. Including comedy horror Widow’s Bay, which holds an impressive 98% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Just launched is the sophomore season of Sugar. The neo-noir detective series led by Colin Farrell as private investigator John Sugar.
Also available to stream are beloved series like Ted Lasso, Severance and Slow Horses. Alternatively, Apple TV offers a seven-day free trial when signing up directly on the platform.
MGM+ also has some hit new titles streaming now, such as Ryan Gosling’s space epic Project Hail Mary. The box-office smash only hit cinemas in March but is included at no extra cost with the Amazon deal, alongside series like Outlander and the James Bond film catalogue.
On Paramount+, members can catch the latest series of Michael Fassbender’s spy thriller The Agency and new episodes of Yellowstone spin-off Dutton Ranch. These are also available on the Paramount+ platform, which is running its own £2.99 deal.
The Icelandic Nordic noir thriller follows police officer Aníta as she investigates dark secrets
19:00, 20 Jun 2026Updated 19:02, 20 Jun 2026
The chilling programme received good reviews from critics(Image: U)
Black Sands is returning for a second series on U.
The Icelandic crime thriller, which devotees of ITV’s Broadchurch ought to appreciate, resumes 14 months following the startling events of the opening season, with the small coastal town of Glerársandar still grappling with the revelation that a serial killer had been concealed in plain sight amongst its inhabitants.
Central to the new series is police officer Aníta, who is adapting to life as a new mother while wrestling with a powerful urge to return to work.
Her world is thrown into turmoil when a woman perishes in what seems to be a suspicious car crash. Driven to unearth the truth, Aníta becomes embroiled in the investigation alongside her friend and colleague Fríða, who is heading up the official police inquiry.
As the case progresses, sinister secrets from the town’s past start to surface. The investigation traces back to a former foster home with connections to Aníta’s own family, revealing decades of concealed trauma and lingering questions, reports Wales Online.
What at first appears to be a tragic accident quickly evolves into a considerably more intricate mystery, with startling revelations and devastating ramifications for those caught up in it.
Throughout the eight-part series, viewers can anticipate twists as long-buried truths emerge, relationships are put to the test, and suspicion descends upon numerous residents. As the pressure intensifies, Aníta grapples with both the investigation and her own personal demons, paving the way for a dramatic finale.
Season two of Black Sands arrives on U on 20 June, with all episodes available to stream from launch day.
Fans who have already delved into the crime thriller have offered mixed verdicts on the programme, though it has garnered acclaim from critics.
Reviewer Kelly Luchtman commented: Black Sands is a very satisfying series with fantastic acting, especially by Steinunn Ólína Thorsteinsdóttir, who has mastered the dangerous charm of Elín’s character.
“We can feel the oppressive sadness of the town, and empathize with Aníta, even if it’s her own bad decisions that are the impetus for her return. People have criticised the running time of the series and the agonising slowness of solving the crime. I agree it could have been 6 episodes instead of 8, but I still binged it.”
Black Sands series two is available to watch on U.
Diversity in last year’s streaming films followed the same downward trend as theatrical releases, a new study found, with the percentage of people of color directing, writing and leading films diminishing.
In past years, streaming was considered a more accessible outlet for early-career female or BIPOC filmmakers, which was reflected in data about gender and racial representation. According to Part 2 of UCLA’s 2026 Hollywood Diversity Report, which was released Wednesday and analyzed all of the original English-language films distributed on major streaming platforms in 2025, that trend reversed across every category studied.
The share of streaming films directed by women declined to just over 23%, the lowest it’s been since 2022, when the annual study began analyzing streaming and theatrical films separately. Among those female directors, an overwhelming majority (81%) were allotted budgets below $20 million, while more than a quarter of the films directed by white men exceeded $50 million.
Only about 31% of streaming films last year had BIPOC directors, down 10% since 2024, when the proportion more closely reflected U.S. demographics.
“This is an industry in flux — and in reverse, especially when it comes to diversification,” Darnell Hunt, UCLA’s executive vice chancellor and provost and the report’s co-founder, said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, as we’ve seen with theatrical films, we’re now seeing the impact of this current political climate in very meaningful and concrete ways,” he continued. “As budgets tighten, opportunities for filmmakers of underrepresented backgrounds are always the first to be squeezed out.”
Despite losing ground behind the scenes and in front of the camera, women and people of color continued to drive streaming viewership in 2025, the report found.
The year’s biggest streaming hit, “KPop Demon Hunters,” was also the most-watched original Netflix film of all time, and according to Neilsen ratings, it was most streamed by women in Latinx households, followed by women in Asian and Black households. The report acknowledged the film as a “bright spot” in a disappointing year for diversity.
Michael Tran, a sociologist who co-authored the report, noted that the film’s impact and earnings potential could have been even greater with a theatrical release.
“It was a missed opportunity for theaters,” Tran said. “We’ve tracked how diverse films tend to succeed at the box office, here and abroad. For ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ we could have been talking about record-breaking box office receipts in addition to topping the ratings.”
When “KPop Demon Hunters” did briefly screen in theaters — for two days last August, with over 1,750 locations domestically and more than 1,150 sold-out screenings — it was the No. 1 movie that weekend, earning about $18 million in ticket sales (though Netflix does not report exact box office figures).
Data from the report also indicated that streaming films with at least somewhat diverse casts tended to outperform in terms of audience and social media engagement.
However, overall cast diversity in streaming films declined in 2025. For the first time since 2022, films with a majority-BIPOC cast did not represent the plurality of streaming titles. Most notably, the percentage of lead actors of color dropped from a high of 51% in 2024 to 36% in 2025.
Report authors called it an “industry-wide chilling effect” reminiscent of a similar decline in diversity among theatrical films in 2024. That said, streaming films continued to star BIPOC leads more often than their theatrical counterparts, the study found.
The overall number of streaming films also declined. While the annual UCLA report typically examines the top 100 original, English-language movies across streaming platforms, this time, there were only 89 for researchers to analyze.
In addition to studying race and gender demographics in the film industry, the report also examined on-camera representations of disability. According to the study, while adults with a disability make up at least 26% of the U.S. population, actors with a known disability represented 6.5% of total streaming movie actors, which is in line with the previous year.
According to the study’s authors, streamers hoping to compete in a fast-paced, globalized market should increase their diversity efforts in light of these results.
“Kids under 18 are already majority BIPOC. There’s no going back if a studio wants to be profitable and relevant to Gen Z and Gen Alpha,” said report co-founder and co-author Ana-Christina Ramón. “Severing all brand loyalty now will only make it more difficult to regain long-term subscribers in the future.”
Fox Corporation has agreed to acquire the streaming platform Roku Inc. in a deal valued at $22 billion, the companies announced Monday.
The deal will combine the Murdoch family’s media assets, which include its news, sports and broadcast channels, with the San Jose-based streaming platform that reaches 100 million consumers globally.
The acquisition would give Fox access to consumer households at a time when the traditional pay-TV universe continues its slow decline as viewers move away from cable and satellite services to video streaming. Fox already owns the free ad-supported streaming service Tubi, which recently became profitable.
“This is a defining moment for Fox and a natural extension of the deliberate and focused strategy we have been executing for nearly a decade,” Fox Corp. Executive Chair Lachlan Murdoch said in a statement.
By owning Roku, Fox gets access to data from the 100 million households connected to the service, which can be used to better target audiences with advertising. The combination would also make Fox less dependent on traditional pay TV platforms for the distribution of its channels.
According to Nielsen data, 21% of all internet-connected TV viewing comes through Roku. The Roku Channel, which carries 500 ad-supported streaming networks, accounts for 3% of all TV viewing.
An image of a Roku branded TV.
(Roku)
Research firm Emarketer projects ad revenues of $3.57 billion for Roku this year, up 19% from last year.
Lloyd Grief, chief executive of the Los Angeles investment bank Greif & Co., said Roku would have been challenged to compete against far better capitalized competitors in the streaming business and that a sale was “inevitable.”
For Fox, the proposed deal makes them a larger player in the digital advertising business. Emarketer senior analyst Ross Benes said the Roku business will “more than double,” the company’s revenues in that area.
“It remains to be seen how well the combination of a digitally innovating streaming company will mesh with a media conglomerate rooted in legacy assets,” Benes said.. “But the strategy makes sense and it jibes with the continual consolidation that’s occurring in streaming.”
Fox sold its TV and movie production assets to Walt Disney Co. in 2018. Rather than invest heavily in scripted entertainment to compete with emerging streaming companies, Fox decided to concentrate on sports and news.
The Roku deal will put Fox deeper into the distribution network. Over its history, the company has held stakes in satellite TV provider DirecTV and Sky TV.
The companies said they are committed to keeping Roku as a “partner-friendly” platform that carries program services that compete with Fox. Brian Wieser, a consultant at Madison and Wall said that might require some convincing.
“Other content owners may still need Roku’s distribution, but they may be less comfortable with the idea that one of their competitors controls an increasingly important part of the streaming interface,” Wieser wrote in his note on the proposed deal.
Roku shareholders will receive a combination of cash and Fox Corporation stock valued at $160 a share.
The companies say they expect cost savings of $400 million in the combined entity.
Roku was founded in 2002 by Anthony Wood, a British digital entrepreneur. The company launched a streaming device, the Roku player, in 2008. Within six years, the company sold more than 10 million devices, as the popularity of streaming video rapidly grew.
Fox Corp. shares were down 10 to 15% on news of the deal, trading around $55.57 Monday morning. Roku shares were down slightly to $142.
Times staff writer Wendy Lee contributed to this report.
An award-winning crime drama that boasts a stellar cast including Sherdian Smith and Stephen Graham has been dubbed as ‘one of the best dramas around’
‘Outstanding’ crime series stacked with stars including Tina O’Brien streaming for free(Image: Getty Images)
A gripping and compelling BBC crime series that has been dubbed “one of the best dramas around” is now available to watch online.
Originally airing in 2010, Accused includes 10 individual episodesspread across two series, each following a different character on trial and how they came to be accused.
The first series stars the likes of Christopher Eccleston, Mackenzie Crook, Coronation Street’s Tina O’Brien, Peter Capaldi, and Naomi Harris across six hard-hitting episodes.
It was followed by a second series in 2012, with Sean Bean, Stephen Graham, Olivia Colman, Sheridan Smith, and Anna Maxwell Martin among the stars joining the cast.
Created by Time writer Jimmy McGovern, Accused was a smash hit and bagged a BAFTA TV nomination for Best Drama Series in 2011, with Juliet Stevenson also receiving a nod for her performance in episode three.
Two years later, Olivia Coleman won Best Supporting Actress for her role in series two at the BAFTA TV Awards and also the Royal Television Society Programme Awards, while Sean Bean won Best Actor at the International Emmys.
The gripping anthology series, available to watch on ITVX, also received rave reviews from critics, earning a score of 7.9 out of 10 on IMDb. One viewer praised the show and said, “Blown away. I can’t believe it took me so long to find this series!!!
“This is what happens when top writers and some of Britain’s most impressive actors emotionally involve themselves in making great drama. What a theme! That on paper, through the courts, there is simply a charge and a decision, without the truth behind the whos, whats, whens, and whys. One of the best dramas to date!
Another agreed: “Absolutely outstanding. Can’t recommend this series highly enough. Each episode, bar one, is a separate story, and every one is outstanding, brilliantly acted, and scripted. Stellar cast under brilliant direction- you can’t go wrong. Trust me.”
A third penned: “Very well done. This is a very well-done show and at times difficult to watch because of how real it seems. The performances are incredible, as is the writing.
“You understand these characters in a way that is rare and sometimes disturbing. As I said, this is not easy viewing, but it’s certainly worthwhile.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to start Thursday with Mexico facing South Africa in Mexico City and South Korea taking on Czechia in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The tournament then heads north on Friday, with Canada facing Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto before the United States opens Group D play against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium.
Here’s everything you need to know about the matches through the opening days of the 39-day, 48-team tournament across the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Here’s a look at Thursday’s matchups (all times Pacific):
Mexico vs. South Africa
Mexico’s Raúl Jiménez, left, celebrates after scoring during an international friendly against Serbia on June 4.
The buzz: Although the World Cup will be shared by three countries for the first time, Mexico gets the honor of playing the opening game. No country has played host to more World Cups than Mexico, which also staged the tournament in 1970 and 1986. Both times the first game was played in the iconic Azteca Stadium, where the World Cup kicks off again. The first two times the World Cup was played in Mexico, the home team made the quarterfinals and El Tri, playing under coach Javier Aguirre, a midfielder on the 1986 team, seems poised for another long run. Mexico is unbeaten in eight games this year, including wins over World Cup qualifiers Panama, Ghana and Australia and draws with Belgium and Portugal. Mexico has given up just one goal in the past eight months. South Africa, which played Mexico to a draw in the opening game of the 2010 World Cup, is winless in 2026.
South Korea vs. Czechia
South Korea’s Son Heung-min controls the ball in front of El Salvador’s Brayan Landaverde during an international friendly match on June 3.
The buzz: South Korea is one of five countries to have played in the past 11 World Cups — and it’s the only one of the five never to have won the tournament. And the only two times South Korea played in a North American World Cup, in 1986 and 1994, it failed to win a game. Still, with an offense led by LAFC’s Son Heung-min, the MLS leader in assists, and a defense anchored by Bayern Munich center back Kim Min-jae (aka The Monster), the Taegeuk Warriors are a formidable foe. Czechia, playing in the World Cup for just the second time as an independent nation, has been unimpressive in its tournament warm-ups; its last win over a World Cup qualifier was a 2-1 win over Norway 27 months ago.
Here’s a look at Friday’s matchups:
Canada vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina
Bosnia’s Edin Dzeko heads the ball during a World Cup qualifying match against Italy on March 31.
The buzz: Alphonso Davies has been ruled out of Canada’s World Cup opener in the hope that he will be available for the rest of the tournament. And his absence will be felt since Davies, sidelined since May 6 with a hamstring injury, is not only the team’s best player but also its captain. The injuries are piling up for Canada, which lost center back Moïse Bombito and forward Marcelo Flores to injuries after the World Cup roster had been determined. Under American coach Jesse Marsch, the team entered the top 30 in the FIFA world rankings for the first time, losing just five times in 29 matches, but still looking for its first victory in a World Cup match.
Bosnia, playing in the World Cup for the second time since gaining independence, is led by 40-year-old Edin Dzeko, the country’s all-time leader in caps and goals. It qualified for the World Cup by drawing Wales, then Italy, and beating both on penalty kicks in a pair of UEFA playoffs in March.
United States vs. Paraguay
U.S. forward Christian Pulisic controls the ball in front of Senegal’s Krepin Diatta during an international friendly on May 31.
(Jamie Squire / Getty Images)
Where: SoFi Stadium | Inglewood Time: 6 p.m. TV | Streaming: Fox, Telemundo | Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: With a goal and an assist in the Americans’ penultimate warm-up with Senegal, Christian Pulisic broke out of a career-long scoring drought and proved himself ready for the World Cup. But he’ll need help from his supporting cast if the U.S. is to get out of group play and this game could be key to that goal. Paraguay’s schedule over the past year featured several games with World Cup qualifiers, including wins over Mexico and Uruguay, draws with Japan and Ecuador and one-score losses to Brazil, Morocco and the U.S. Its leading scorer is midfielder Miguel Almirón, who plays in MLS with Atlanta United.
Here’s a look at Saturday’s matchups:
Qatar vs. Switzerland
Qatar’s Akram Afif plays during an international friendly against El Salvador on June 6.
(Luiza Moraes / Getty Images)
Where: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara Time: noon TV | Streaming: Fox, Telemundo | Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: Qatar made its World Cup debut four years ago and became the first host to exit the tournament without a point, losing all three group-play games by two goals each. The team has improved dramatically since then, beating Mexico to reach the quarterfinals of the 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup. But its World Cup preparations were disrupted by war in the Middle East, which forced the cancellation of scheduled friendlies with Serbia and Argentina. As a result, the team has played just twice in the last seven months and hasn’t scored a goal since last December.
Switzerland, meanwhile, is ranked in the top 20 in the world by FIFA, has lost just twice — to No. 2 Spain and No. 10 Germany — in its past 17 tries and made the quarterfinals of the past two Euros.
Brazil vs. Morocco
Brazil’s Casemiro, right, celebrates with teammate Vinicius Junior after scoring against Panama during an international friendly match on May 31.
(Bruna Prado / Associated Press)
Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. Time: 3 p.m. TV | Streaming: FS1, Telemundo | Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: Group C gets off to a compelling start with sixth-ranked Brazil, the tournament’s only five-time champion, facing No. 7 Morocco, the surprise team of 2022. And both come in hot: Morocco has lost just one of its past 45 games, dating to January 2024, while Brazil has beaten World Cup qualifiers Egypt, Panama, Croatia, Senegal, South Korea, Paraguay, Colombia, Ecuador and Mexico over the past 24 months.
Barring a major stumble, both will make it out of group play but this game will likely determine which will go through as a group champion, giving it a much easier path through the knockout rounds.
Haiti vs. Scotland
Haiti’s Frantzdy Pierrot controls the ball in front of Tunisia’s Mohamed Amine Ben Hamida during an international friendly on March 28.
(Vaughn Ridley / Getty Images)
Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass. Time: 6 p.m. TV | Streaming: FS1, Telemundo | Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: Though lacking the sizzle of Brazil-Morocco, Group C’s other first-day matchup is no less important. With eight third-place teams advancing out of group play, a win here would give either Scotland or Haiti a solid shot at going through while a draw could doom both.
Haiti, participating in the World Cup for just the second time — and the first time since 1974 — hasn’t played at home in five years because of violence and instability in Haiti. But it thumped New Zealand 4-0 in one of its final World Cup tuneups and lost to three other World Cup qualifiers — the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Tunisia — by just a goal in the past year. All but three of the players on Haiti’s roster play for first- or second-division teams in Europe or the U.S.
Scotland had an easier time in qualifying and won its past two World Cup tuneups, beating Curacao and Bolivia by a combined score of 8-1. Its top player is Liverpool defender Andy Robertson but its oldest is goalkeeper Craig Gordon, at 43 the most senior player in the tournament.
Australia vs. Turkey
Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan warms up before an international friendly match against Mexico at the Rose Bowl on May 30.
(Luiza Moraes / Getty Images)
Where: BC Place, Vancouver, Canada Time: 9 p.m. TV | Streaming: FS1, Telemundo | Fox One, Peacock
The buzz: Turkey could be one of the surprise teams in the tournament after qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 2002 with a pair of 1-0 wins over Romania and Kosovo. Turkey has risen five spots, to No. 22, in the FIFA world rankings in the past ninth months, its best showing in a decade. And in the last year it has beaten the U.S. and tied No. 2 Spain. Its best player is Inter Milan midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, Turkey’s active leader in caps and goals.
Australia had its best-ever World Cup four years ago in Qatar, winning twice and advancing to the round of 16 for the first time since 2006. But it has struggled of late, losing four of its past six games to fellow World Cup qualifiers.
Nearly 17 years after the King of Pop’s death, Michael Jackson is dominating the box office, television ratings and headlines.
“Michael,” the biopic about the star that hit theaters in April, has surpassed $900 million at box offices globally, according to Deadline, making it the second-highest-grossing film of 2026 behind “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which hit $1 billion. Although “Bohemian Rhapsody” is still the highest-grossing musical biopic, “Michael” is a mere $11 million behind and will likely snag the title in coming weeks.
The film, which stars Jackson’s nephew Jaafar Jackson, follows the “Thriller” hitmaker from his early career leading the Jackson Five to reaching pinnacle star status in the late ’80s. The film’s timeline ends before 1993, when Jackson faced sexual abuse allegations brought by 13-year-old Jordan Chandler.
On Tuesday, “Michael” was released to streaming services, and fans at home can rent or buy on-demand from Amazon Prime Video and other platforms.
Also available for streaming is the Netflix docuseries “Michael Jackson: The Verdict,” which became available on June 3 and dominated the streamer’s charts with nearly 18 million views in its first week. The three-part series examines the pop star’s 2005 molestation trial, in which he was acquitted of all charges, and features key players from the trial, including jurors, eyewitnesses and prosecutors.
The lead prosecutor, Ron Zonen, spoke with TMZ on Tuesday and said that, although he wasn’t sure audiences would view the allegations with a different lens 20 years later, he wanted the documentary to be “as accurate as possible” and feature “the perspective of people who were involved in the trial.”
As far as the response from viewers, Zonen told the outlet that he’d received threats via email. “Well, there are people who are fans, who express their displeasure at the position that we took in this documentary, and express their displeasure very clearly to me,” he said, adding that he’s not bothered by the bad blood with mega-fans, and that the threats were more numerous at the time of the trial.
An ITV series that fans keep rewatching is now streaming for free and boasts an impressive 97% Rotten Tomatoes score
‘Incredible’ detective series ‘better than Vera’ now streaming for free(Image: ITV)
Fans of Vera looking for their next bingeable detective series need look no further.
Back in 2011, ITV’s crime drama Scott & Baileyaired on screens, starring beloved actors Suranne Jones and Lesley Sharp as DC Rachel Bailey and DC Janet Scott.
An instant hit, Scott & Bailey, which attracted around seven million viewers per episode, aired for five series, before ending in 2016 – much to the heartbreak of the show’s loyal legion of fans.
The series also boasted a star-studded cast, made up of Suranne, Lesley, Amelia Bullmore, Nicholas Gleaves, Danny Miller and Pippa Haywood. And over the years, Scott & Bailey garnered several award nominations during its run, including a BAFTA TV Award nomination for Best Drama Series in both 2012 and 2013.
The programme also bagged rave reviews and boasts an impressive 97 percent Rotten Tomatoes score. “Finished Scott and Bailey. What a brilliant series!” declared one person on a Reddit thread.
Someone else said: “I thought it was phenomenal, same writer as Happy Valley, if you liked that you’ll like S&B.” A third chimed in: “Much better than other cop shops like Vera.”
Another wrote: “I’m watching it for a second time and I still don’t want it to end.” A fifth said: “One of my all-time favorites, I loved the friendship between them.”
In 2016, lead star Suranne spoke about the decision to end Scott & Bailey. She told Radio Times: “We said we weren’t going to do another one last series, and then when ITV said, ‘Would you like to do another one?
“We kind of thought [why not], because there’s been quite a break between the last one and this one. And then I said, ‘Oh I’d quite like to produce as well,’ so they said yes come along and do that. So the whole thing was a goodbye in a sense.”
“We were going to do a short thing, I was going to produce, and be properly on the team, because I’ve always put my nose in.”
