Tag: TV and Film

Amber Heard makes rare comments about Johnny Depp trial in new documentary

Amber Heard has made rare comments about the high-profile Johnny Depp trial in the new documentary Silenced which was screened at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on Sunday.

The mother of three explained her motives for the appearance were not about her. “This is not about me. I have lost my ability to speak. I am not here to tell my story. I don’t want to tell my story. In fact, I don’t want to use my voice anymore. That’s the problem,” Amber can be heard saying in the documentary.

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Amber makes appearance in docu Silenced

Amber explained that the case was very much a ‘catch 22’ situation. “The outcome of that trial depended on my participation, and I depended on the outcome of that trial. When I first met [Robinson], I immediately got the sense that she got the bigger picture. What has happened to me is an amplified version of what a lot of women live through,” she added.

Amber recalled being the subject of public scorn. “I remember at the close of the trial, the idea that I could say something to the press came up. [Robinson] asked if I was sure about that. [I thought], ‘If they throw things at me, it will make this point more obvious.’ I didn’t understand it could get so much worse for me as a woman, using my voice,” Amber went on.

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Amber and Johnny Depp in the courtroom 2022

The actress did end the interview on a positive note however. “It gives me strength seeing other people take on the fight. Women brave enough to address the imbalance of power. Looking at my daughter’s face as she grows up and slowly starts to walk into this world… I believe it can be better,” she concluded.

Amber now lives in Madrid, Spain, with her children after relocating from the US in the fall of 2022. Her move came shortly after the extremely high-profile defamation trial brought on by her Hollywood A-lister ex-husband.

Amber and Johnny went to court in April 2022 in Virginia, and the case ended two months later. They later went to trial in the UK, a case that settled in December 2022.

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Amber has made Madrid her home

The public scrutiny and controversy surrounding the trial were thought to be a reason why Amber wanted to restart her life on her own terms.

A year after moving to Europe, a former director of Amber’s, Conor Allyn, told People that she had “moved on” from the tense legal battle and added: “She’s living her best life in Spain with her daughter and just finding happiness in that way.”

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Amber and Johnny in happier times, 2015

Since then, Amber has mostly stayed out of the spotlight, though she worked on the film In the Fire in summer 2023. The Aquaman sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, was also released that year following its delay.

Other than the odd film project, Amber lies low with Oonagh and her twins in sunny Spain.

Faye James

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January 25, 2026
Heated Rivalry review: this steamy queer hockey romance sears your heart and leaves you clamouring for more

For romance readers, male/male ice hockey stories are nothing new, thanks to huge successes like Icebreaker by Hannah Grace and Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy. But it’s Rachel Reid’s 2019 Game Changer series – and namely its second instalment, Heated Rivalry – that’s bringing the genre to a whole new audience.

Brought to life by Jacob Tierney and Canadian streamer Crave, it’s also one of the best book adaptations I’ve had the pleasure of bingeing (more than once, I admit).

Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams in Heated Rivalry

Heated Rivalry begins in 2008 and follows two rookie ice hockey players, “Ottawa’s own” Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Russia’s Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), competing in the National Hockey League. Shane plays for the Montreal Metros while Ilya plays for their rival team, the Boston Raiders.

Both are formidable on the ice – Shane is unsociable, obsessively disciplined and has the highest hockey IQ in the game, while Ilya is cocky, a strong skater and knows just how to get under his opponents’ skin.

WATCH: Heated Rivalry Official Trailer

But it’s off the rink where Heated Rivalry truly comes alive. What begins as a lust-fuelled hook-up between sworn rivals gradually evolves into an emotionally charged, eight-year relationship that sears your heart and leaves you clamouring for more.

“Do I make you curious?” a steely Ilya asks Shane during one of their earliest encounters – and it’s a line that perfectly encapsulates the series. Enemies-to-lovers is a familiar trope, but Heated Rivalry offers something refreshing that even the most cynical romance viewer can’t resist.

© Sabrina Lantos
The show has garnered a cult following

Meeting up in secret after games, Shane and Ilya initially connect through sex – and there’s plenty of it, particularly in the first episode – but intimacy soon becomes their shared language when words and feelings feel out of reach.

Beyond hiding their attraction to the outside world – no active player in the NHL, both fictional or real, is openly out as gay – both men grapple with personal demons. For Ilya, it’s the crushing expectations of his Russian family, while Shane fights to maintain his Asian-Canadian role model image while slowly coming to terms with his sexuality. The result is a beautifully frustrating push-and-pull, fuelled by desire, fear and a whole lot of yearning.

© Sabrina Lantos Â© 2025
Christina Chang plays Shane’s mother Yuna

“The result is a beautifully frustrating push-and-pull, fuelled by desire, fear and a whole lot of yearning”

Yes, the sex scenes are a major talking point, but it’s the quieter, more tender moments that linger the longest – like when Shane cradles Ilya’s jacket like it’s the most precious thing in the world, or when Ilya strokes a hesitant hand to Shane’s bruised cheek. Even at its most explicit, the series handles intimacy with care – from the thoughtful choreography and lighting to Ilya’s constant verbal check-ins around consent.

Several scenes have gone viral, from Ilya’s Russian monologue (kudos to Connor Storrie’s accent) to an infamous club sequence accompanied by the now-viral song All the Things She Said by t.A.T.u. And that’s all before the widely discussed cottage-set finale, which has since inspired “I’m coming to the cottage” merch hats.

Fans of the book will be pleased to know that the show follows the dialogue closely, with just a few welcome tweaks to chivvy the plot along and flesh out some of the supporting characters like Svetlana and Rose. The overall production – from script to costume (shoutout to Ilya’s tiger shirt) and soundtrack – feels slick, lived-in and sophisticated despite the modest budget and mere 37-day run of filming.

© Sabrina Lantos Â© 2025
Sophie Nélisse plays Rose Landry while Ksenia Daniela Kharlamova is Svetlana

Much has been made of the show’s overwhelmingly female fanbase and what that reveals about what audiences actually crave from the romance genre. Perhaps it’s a portrayal of masculinity that feels softer, safer and more emotionally accessible – or the ease with which viewers can recognise themselves in both Shane and Ilya without complication.

Heated Rivalry has undeniably struck a chord, even inspiring people to focus on their fitness and reflect on their own romantic relationships. It’s giving viewers something they feel they haven’t seen before, and it’s utterly addictive. With seasons two and three already greenlit, all that’s left to say is: I guess I’ll see you next season.

Heated Rivalry is available to watch on HBO Max in the US and Sky and NOW in the UK.

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Abby Allen

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January 12, 2026
Netflix viewers praise ‘gripping’ 8-part mystery thriller with Midsomer Murders star

Netflix viewers who tuned into Run Away, the eight-part mystery thriller starring Gavin & Stacey‘s Ruth Jones and Midsomer Murders‘ Annette Badland, are hooked after all eight episodes landed on the streamer on New Year’s Day.

The new series, which is based on Harlan Coben’s 2019 novel, follows a father called Simon, whose world turns upside down when his eldest daughter Paige (Ellie de Lange) runs away from home.

You know you’re in for a treat when a project comes from Harlan Coben, whose novels have inspired major on-screen hits like Netflix’s Fool Me Once and The Stranger, as well as Prime Video’s Lazarus.

Having seen the first two episodes ahead of launch, I can say that fans of twisty mystery thrillers with a clever sleuth will find plenty to enjoy. The show fits neatly into Netflix’s growing catalogue of Coben thrillers, which tend to favour twisty narratives and morally complex characters. Plus, with a cast including James Nesbitt, Ruth Jones, Minnie Driver and Alfred Enoch, how can you resist?

WATCH: Run Away Official Trailer

Keep reading to find out what fans are saying about the new series…

© Ben Blackall/Netflix

What are viewers saying about Run Away?

The show has gone down a treat with viewers, who have hailed it as “excellent” and are bingeing multiple episodes in one go in true Harlan Coben style.

“Going on to episode 6, it’s brilliant!!” penned one viewer on Instagram, while another wrote: “We’re on episode two and we’re hooked.” A third added: “Watched three episodes so far… so gripping.”

© Ben Blackall/Netflix

Run Away’s Rotten Tomatoes score

While it’s still early days, the show is currently sitting at an 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

In its four-star review, The Standard wrote: “James Nesbitt just about manages to hang onto our sympathies as Simon, and the sheer amount of camp melodrama we get delivered will go down nicely with a glass of Pepto-Bismol. Ahh… remember to keep those eyelids open.”

Meanwhile, Variety wrote: “Full of shocking twists and turns and gruesome violence, which are par for the course with all of Coben’s works, the show is an entertaining maze from its opening scene until the close.”

© Ben Blackall/Netflix

What is Run Away about?

The series follows multiple interconnecting plotlines, but first centres on Simon, who was living a perfect life before his eldest daughter Paige ran away and everything fell apart.

The synopsis continues: “So now when he finds her, vulnerable and strung out on drugs in a city park, he finally has the chance to bring his little girl home. But it turns out she’s not alone, and an argument escalates into shocking violence.

© Ben Blackall/Netflix

“In the aftermath, Simon loses his daughter all over again, and his search to find her will take him into a dangerous underworld, revealing deep secrets that could tear his family apart forever.”

© Ben Blackall/Netflix

What did the cast say about Run Away?

Speaking to press ahead of its release, James Nesbitt said: “To play this part, and the relentlessness of it, was a privilege, but also to then have the relationship that Simon has with Elena [Ruth Jones’s character] was very important. And it kind of came, I think, at a good time for both of us, not only in terms of finding the parts that you were playing, but also because you just need to have a bit of enjoyment in it.”

When asked what it was like to work with James, Ruth added: “I hadn’t worked with Jimmy before and I was a little trepidatious about it because I’ve always been a big admirer of his work and think he’s a brilliant actor and I felt slightly fraudulent.

“But instantly we just seemed to click and I think it’s a really lovely on-screen relationship because, spoiler alert, it’s not a romance, but I think that’s quite refreshing.”

All eight episodes of Run Away are available to watch on Netflix

Abby Allen

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January 1, 2026
Little House on the Prairie star says ‘everybody separated’ after show ended as she reflects on ‘tragic loss’

Rachel Greenbush is getting candid on how the end of Little House on the Prairie affected her — for years after its end.

The actress and her twin sister Sidney, now 55, joined the show when they were only three years old, sharing the role of Carrie Ingalls, the younger sister of lead Melissa Gilbert’s Laura Ingalls Wilder, daughter to family patriarch Charles Ingalls, played by the late Michael Landon.

The two were credited under one name, Lindsay Sidney Greenbush, and remained on the show through its eight seasons, leaving the beloved historical drama when they were 12 years old.

© Getty Images
The Ingalls family

Rachel, speaking at the Little House on the Prairie Final 50th Anniversary Reunion at the Strathearn Historical Park in Simi Valley, California earlier this month, reflected on her time on the Prairie set, and particularly her life after she left it.

In conversation with moderator Pamela Bob, cohost of the Little House 50 podcast, Rachel said: “It’s a really strange thing about acting and all actors know it, that it’s not forever, that you don’t know if it’s going to get renewed for another season,” noting: “You’re always on pins and needles, ‘Are we coming back? Are we not coming back?’”

She added that even though “logically” she knew it would end, even at 12 years old, she said: “Your heart feels like it’s never going to end. This is never going to end.”

The Greenbush twins both played the same character

“I don’t think I really realized how much it affected me until I was much older and went on the journey of reconciliation and self-discovery,” she said of the years that followed away from the Prairie cast and set.

“Everybody separated and I didn’t see anybody,” she recalled, adding: “And that was really hard for me personally because I didn’t realize how connected I had been to everybody until years later,” and compared it to parents getting a divorce, and not seeing your family anymore, per People.

She further reflected: “It’s almost a tragic loss, but I wouldn’t let myself acknowledge it because I was like, ‘But this is the profession. This is what we do.’”

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The twins have since largely left acting

“You make these really deep intense bonds working with each other every single day and then when it’s over you’re just supposed to be like, ‘Okay, that was nice. Bye.’ And it’s really hard that way.”

© Getty Images
Sidney and Rachel in 2024

And while the grief of leaving Prairie stayed with her for a long time, spending her childhood on the show, and the work ethic it instilled, also had other lasting effects that were positive. “If I tell you I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it,” she said. “And you can count on me to do that because I gave my word that I’m going to do it.”

She continued: “If I can’t do it, I will call you and say, ‘Hey, by the way, something’s come up,’ but I will never leave you hanging and just not show up. That’s something that I learned in my childhood because Michael [Landon], he wanted us to be prepared and he was depending on us to be little working actors.”

Beatriz Colon

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December 30, 2025
Meet The Celebrity Apprentice Christmas 2025 line-up – from Sarah Hadland to Thomas Skinner

The time has come for BBC viewers to journey back to the boardroom with the return of Lord Alan Sugar‘s Celebrity Apprentice. For this year’s festive special, 12 famous faces are competing to raise prize money for BBC Children in Need.

Split into two teams and told over two episodes, the celebrity candidates head to Lapland, the home of Father Christmas himself, where they are tasked with creating and marketing Christmas biscuits. But just like Santa’s elves, the celebrities have their work cut out for them as they attempt to impress Lord Sugar.

They are joined by Baroness Karren Brady and Mike Soutar, who steps in for Lord Sugar’s usual advisor Tim Campbell, who was unavailable due to scheduling conflicts.

So from TV presenters and actors to radio DJs and athletes, here’s the full list of celebrities taking part in this year’s Celebrity Apprentice Christmas Specials…

WATCH: The Celebrity Apprentice Christmas Specials Trailer

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

AJ is best known for hosting ITV’s Big Brother, Celebrity Big Brother and Channel 4’s Married at First Sight: Afters.

Reflecting on her experience, AJ summed it up in one word: “Magical,” she said. “Truly magical. Going to Lapland is a bucket-list experience for so many people, and I got to tick it off while being part of something that gives back. To combine that sense of fun, adventure, and teamwork with raising money for such an important charity, it doesn’t get better than that.”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Broadcaster and podcaster Angela Scanlon

The Irish presenter is known for her turn on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023, co-hosting the Get A Grip podcast with Vicky Pattison and presenting shows including The One Show and Robot Wars.

Speaking about her experience on the festive special, Angela told the BBC: “[It was] absolute chaos from beginning to end, but the most joyful chaos I have had in my life in a while, just brilliant. Honestly, I felt like I was back at school doing some sort of weird transition year project, which we were all ill-equipped for, but you know, no less committed. So yeah, brilliant. Absolutely loved it! Now go and buy our biscuit!”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Radio 1 DJ Charlie Hedges

Charlie is part of the BBC Radio 1 trio Rickie, Melvin and Charlie and has also presented Dance Anthems on Radio 1 Dance.

Explaining the “once in a lifetime experience”, Charlie said: “I’m so grateful to have been asked to do this for Children in Need. I cannot tell you how grateful I am. I feel blessed that I was a part of the experience and also just to have an insight into The Apprentice. As a viewer, I watch the show and it’s just mesmerising. So it was amazing to watch what goes on behind the scenes and how everyone works. And actually I think the production team needs a massive big-up because they’re some of the very best people I’ve ever worked with.”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Comedian Eddie Kadi

Fresh from the jungle on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, Eddie is also a stand-up comedian and presenter on BBC Radio 1Xtra.

Eddie called his stint on The Celebrity Apprentice “one of the best moments of my career”, before adding: “I certainly didn’t expect the hospitality, the way we were looked after, the fun that we had. Karren, Mike and Lord Sugar were so kind. For me, it’s something I will hold dear because I made some really, really good friends out of it as well. Which is what is it is all about.”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Actor Jake Wood

Best known as Max Branning on EastEnders, Jake also co-hosts the boxing podcast Pound For Pound with Spencer Oliver.

“I’ve met Lord Sugar a couple of times before, so I felt at an advantage really,” said Jake. “So I wasn’t as intimidated as some of the others, I would maybe say. But of course going into that boardroom is iconic and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be sat there with the whole team and to go through the full process that they actually go through on the show, and to get an insight into the reality of designing a product and the packaging and the name and the jingle in the TV advert, to do all of those things was amazing.”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Singer and TV presenter JB Gill

Best known as one quarter of the boy band JLS, JB first found fame on The X Factor back in 2008, before the band split in 2013. Now, he enjoys life on a farm in Kent and has presented Down on the Farm (2015) and Songs of Praise (2017).

Reflecting on his approach to the festive special, JB said: “I can’t say I was scared of Lord Sugar himself, but I had no idea what to expect. His reputation precedes him. But I ultimately wanted to get the best product or complete the task in the best fashion. So it was all very much an open book, let me go in there, see what it is, do what I do best, and be myself, and then we’ll see what happens.”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Paralympic athlete Kadeena Cox

Kadeena is a successful parasport athlete, having won two gold medals at the 2016 Summer Paralympics for C4-5 cycling and T38 sprint. In 2021, she braved the jungle on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and became the winner of the sixteenth series of BBC’s Celebrity MasterChef.

Speaking about when she received the news that she’d be on Celebrity Apprentice, Kadeena said she felt “predominantly excited because it was for Children in Need, which is such a massive charity and something I celebrate every year and try to be a part of that.”

She continued: “Plus, the show is amazing, it’s so well known. And honestly, a part of me just wanted to be fired by Lord Sugar. I wanted the finger pointed at me!”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Gladiators’ Legend Matt Morsia

Matt, who operates as Legend on the BBC’s Gladiators, is a bodybuilder and fitness coach, best known for his over-confident alter-ego on the endurance sports game show.

His trademark confidence seems to have carried over into his game plan for the boardroom, as he said: “The Apprentice is an iconic show and ultimately I knew I’d be good at it, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to showcase my entrepreneurial ability. The fact it’s for Children in Need was a huge bonus. To have a great time, win a competition and raise a lot of money for such a great cause is pretty incredible.”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Barrister and TV presenter Rob Rinder

TV star and barrister Rob is best known for fronting Judge Rinder, as well as co-hosting BBC’s travel show Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour alongside Rylan Clark.

When asked why he chose to go on Celebrity Apprentice, Rob revealed: “Because normally I’m the one doing the firing or at least the sentencing. I thought it was time to sit on the other side of the table, where the worst that can happen is Lord Sugar’s withering pronouncement that ‘you’re fired,’ not ten years at Her Majesty’s pleasure.”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Actress Sarah Hadland

Miranda actress and chummy Sarah is best known for starring opposite Miranda Hart on the hit sitcom, as well as competing on Strictly in 2024 with her professional dance partner Vito Coppola.

Sarah admitted she was nervous going into the process, explaining: “At one point Tom [Skinner] said, ‘We’re all businesspeople here,’ and I thought, ‘I’m not! Please don’t ask me what business I have’. Nothing, the business of show, Lord Sugar! It’s definitely not my comfort zone, my instinct is to make things funny. I did barrel in on the first day and said, ‘Hello!’. All three of them looked at me like I was mad. Quite quickly you realise you have got to have serious answers.”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Comedian Shazia Mirza

Shazia is a British comedian, actress and writer, best known for being a panellist on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff and appearing on Channel 4’s Celebrity The Island with Bear Grylls and SAS: Who Dares Wins.

A long-time fan of the show, Shazia explained why she said yes: “Because it was for Children in Need, so it was for charity and I wanted to do that. And also I’ve watched the show for a very, very, very long time and I’ve always found it very funny. So I thought, I think this could be a really funny thing to do.”

© BBC/Naked/Matt Crossick

Businessman and TV personality Tom Skinner

From the Strictly ballroom to Lord Sugar’s boardroom, Tom first appeared on the civilian version of The Apprentice back in 2019, and recently appeared on Strictly Come Dancing with his professional partner Amy Dowden.

Speaking on his return, Tom said: “Look, I absolutely loved going on The Apprentice. The process, the first time I went on it back in 2019, it changed my life, completely changed my life. I got married since, I’ve got three beautiful children, and I’ve got so much to thank the show and the producers and everyone from that experience, and it’s just an honour to be able to come back and this time have a bit of fun and raise some money for Children in Need.”

The first-ever full-length series of The Celebrity Apprentice is coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2026.

Where to watch The Celebrity Apprentice Christmas Specials

The Celebrity Apprentice Christmas Specials land on BBC iPlayer and BBC One on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 December from 9 pm.

Abby Allen

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December 29, 2025
BBC’s Waterloo Road shares ‘sad’ tribute to 2 stars lost in the same week

The team behind BBC‘s hit school-set drama series Waterloo Road shared a moving tribute on Monday, 22 December, after two of the show’s stars died in the same week: William Rush, aged 31, and Lorraine Cheshire, aged 65.

Both actors were a part of the show at the same time: William played student Josh Stevenson between 2009 and 2013, appearing in 168 episodes of the series, while Lorraine played Fleur Budgen, the first wife of English teacher Grantly Budgen, between 2007 and 2012.

On Instagram, the official Waterloo Road account shared a heartfelt tribute to the two stars, with black and white photographs of them. The caption read: “A very sad week for the Waterloo Road family. We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of William Rush and Lorraine Cheshire.”

It continued: “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to their families and friends during this very difficult time. It was [a] privilege to know and work with them.”

Lorraine Chesire’s death

The actress’ death was announced on Friday, 19 December by her partner John Dixon, who took to Facebook to share the news. He wrote, alongside a photograph of Lorraine: “The love of my life passed away early this morning 46 years and now my heart is broken. To the green fields beyond.”

Lorraine Cheshire also appeared in two seasons of BBC sitcom Early Doors and Channel 4‘s school-based drama Ackley Bridge, as school receptionist Lorraine Bird.

William Rush’s death

The death of William, who was the son of Coronation Street star Debbie Rush, was announced just days before by his mother.

Taking to her Instagram account, the 59-year-old shared a photograph of her son in a Manchester City football shirt, writing in the caption alongside it: “Our beautiful baby boy, William, passed away on 17th December. As a family, our hearts are completely broken, and there are no words that can truly capture the depth of our loss.”

She continued: “Even in our darkest moment, William gave the most precious gift of all. Through being an organ donor, he has given hope and life to other families, thinking of others right to the very end. His kindness and love will forever be part of his legacy.”

Debbie concluded her post by saying: “We kindly ask that our privacy be respected as we navigate this unimaginable grief. William will always be loved, always missed, and forever in our hearts.”

Josh Osman

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December 22, 2025
Hugh Jackman’s forgotten tech-noir thriller has fans calling for its ‘renaissance’

During the COVID-19 years, many films were released that entirely flew under the radar, and as a result, ended up flopping at the box office.

One such film was Hugh Jackman’s Reminiscence, in which he stars in alongside Rebecca Ferguson and Thandiwe Newton. However, the film has since found new life after being added to streaming services, including Apple TV+, and fans have been singing its praises.

A synopsis for the film read: “Nick Bannister, a private investigator of the mind, navigates the darkly alluring world of the past by helping his clients access lost memories. Living on the fringes of the sunken Miami coast, his life is forever changed as he uncovers a violent conspiracy while trying to solve the mystery behind a client who disappeared.”

However, with a confusing release schedule, the film was pushed back on several occasions to avoid competing with other major releases, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the film barely registered at the box office. It had been estimated by Variety that the film needed $110 million to break even, however, it only made $16.4 million.

Fan response

Viewers have been receptive to the 2021 film, with one writing on social media: “Reminiscence – a beautiful movie that deserved the attention of moviegoers. Too bad WB chose to experiment with their release policy for this one. A memorable portrayal from Hugh Jackman – action cum romance cum drama!”

A second added: “I genuinely thought Reminiscence was going to be a big hit with Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Ferguson especially with the trailer,” while a third commented: “Reminiscence never fails to make me sad. I need Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Ferguson to get a third movie where they both end up together and happy at the end,” and a fourth posted: “Someday, Reminiscence will have the renaissance that it deserves.“

© Alamy Stock Photo
Fans have been impressed with the film

However, film critics were less than complimentary about the movie. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film only has a 37% rating, with its consensus reading: “Although Reminiscence isn’t lacking narrative ambition, its uncertain blend of sci-fi action and noir thriller mostly provokes memories of better films.“

The Guardian’s Simran Hans only gave the film a two-star rating, calling it a “sci-fi noir you may want to forget”. Meanwhile, in a separate two-star review, Outtake Magazine’s Stanyo Zhelev said: “It has its moments and you probably won’t regret watching it – but it’s incredibly frustrating to see, it has all the ingredients of something truly special, yet never really pulls it off.”

© Netflix
Critics slated the film upon its release

Some critics, including in the Chicago Sun-Times, unfavourably compared the film to hits like The Maltese Falcon, Inception and Vanilla Sky.

Who stars in Reminiscence?

Reminiscence has an A-list cast, with its leads being played by Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Rebecca Ferguson (Dune) and Thandiwe Newton (Line of Duty). It marked the second time that Hugh and Rebecca had acted opposite one another, following 2017’s The Greatest Showman.

© Alamy Stock Photo
The film had an A-list cast

The film also stars Cliff Curtis (The Meg), Marina de Tavira (Roma), Daniel Wu (Into the Badlands), Mojean Aria (The Enforcer), Brett Cullen (The West Wing), Natalie Martinez (Ordinary Joe) and Angela Sarafyan (Westworld).

Alongside its incredible cast, the film was also the directorial debut for Lisa Joy, who had previously directed Westworld, while also writing for the likes of Pushing Daisies and Burn Notice. Since 2024, she has been the executive producer for Prime Video’s smash hit, Fallout.

Matthew Moore

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December 18, 2025
BBC’s ‘brilliantly addictive’ 6-part drama is trending now

The BBC‘s latest scandal-filled drama has arrived on TV screens, and it’s currently climbing BBC iPlayer’s ‘Most Popular’ chart. The six-part series, Wild Cherry, is created and penned by Nicôle Lecky, known for her BAFTA-winning drama Mood, and follows ultra-rich families living in the gated community of Richford Lake. Eve Best (House of the Dragon) and Carmen Ejogo (True Detective) star as two mothers whose friendship is tested when their daughters become wrapped up in a shocking scandal.

With plenty of glamour, high-stakes tension and teen drama, it’s no wonder that the series is being compared to shows like Gossip Girl and Desperate Housewives. Keep reading for all you need to know about the new series, including what viewers have said about the show.

© BBC/Firebird/Natalie Seery

The series is set in the gated community of Richford Lake

What is Wild Cherry about?

Set in the gated community of Richford Lake, the series follows the seemingly perfect lives of super-mum Juliet (Eve Best) and business mogul Lorna (Carmen Ejogo). But when their teenage daughters, Grace (Imogen Faires) and Allegra (Amelia May), are accused of a shocking scandal at their exclusive private school, toxic secrets and lies ripple throughout the community.

The synopsis continues: “Wild Cherry is a coming-of-age drama for both mothers and daughters as they navigate privilege, power and social media. ‘Like mother like daughter’ rings loudly in a complex world, where danger and betrayal is never far from the surface – even in a perfect town.”

WATCH: The trailer for Wild Cherry

© BBC/Firebird Pictures/Natalie Seery

The series has been met with mixed reviews from viewers

What are viewers saying about Wild Cherry?

The series has been met with mixed reviews from viewers, with some left disappointed with the slow pacing while others hailed the first episode as “brilliantly addictive”. One person wrote on X: “If you haven’t started Wild Cherry, released today on BBC iplayer then you absolutely need to. It’s like nothing I’ve ever watched before. Imagine if desperate housewives was in the UK in 2025, but meets the show Clique with a sprinkle of Skins,” while another penned: “Binge watched over the weekend kept me guessing with all the twists and turns. BBC is on [fire] at the moment.”

A third viewer praised the performances from the cast, highlighting Louis Ashbourne Serkis, who is the son of actors Andy Serkis and Lorraine Ashbourne, writing: “Just binge watched #WildCherry and it was brilliantly addictive with plenty of valid points about the risks of #SocialMedia and #Influencers. Superb performances from everyone and particularly @LouisSerkis who is definitely becoming a versatile talent to watch,” while another added: “Wild Cherry last night was Fantastic, and #EveBest looked phenomenal.”

© BBC Studios/Lesley Edith

Eve Best and Carmen Ejogo star in the series

What have TV critics said about Wild Cherry?

The series received positive reviews from critics, with The Telegraph describing the show as a thriller that “tackles uncomfortable truths about parenting and teenage girls” in its four-star review, while The Guardian called the series a “fun, trashy thriller” in its three-star review.

© BBC/Firebird Pictures/Natalie Seery

All six episodes are available to stream on BBC iPlayer

How to watch Wild Cherry

All six episodes of Wild Cherry are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now. The first two episodes aired on Saturday 15 November.

Nicky Morris

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November 18, 2025
Why Tom Selleck is hesitant to join Blue Bloods spin-off Boston Blue

Tom Selleck has a lot of love for Blue Bloods and his work on it, but he is not so sure he’ll make it onto its spin-off, Boston Blue. When Blue Bloods was cancelled late last year, the cast, including the Friends alum, made no secret of their disappointment in the show ending after 14 seasons. And though the story of at least one of the Reagan family members, that of Donnie Wahlberg’s character Danny Reagan, lives on in the freshly-premiered spin-off, his on-screen dad still sees it as a different show that he’s not sure Frank Reagan belongs in.

Speaking with Hour Detroit, Tom, 80, confessed: “I don’t know if I would do Boston Blue — that’s another show,” and explained: “I think it’s partly my lot in life to make sure Blue Bloods has its place in television history, but I don’t think it’s my lot in life to keep playing Frank Reagan.”

© Getty Images
Tom played Frank for 14 years

And though he appears sure in his decision to not reprise the Frank character, he again relayed his disappointment in the cancellation of the mothership show, which aired its last episode on December 13 of last year. “It was a huge disappointment, and I still don’t know why CBS did it. If you get rid of the football, we were the sixth most popular series in all of television,” he said.

Recommended videoYou may also likeTRAILER: Boston Blue

Tom similarly told TV Insider last year: “I’m kind of frustrated. During those last eight shows, I haven’t wanted to talk about an ending for Blue Bloods but about it still being wildly successful,” adding: “I don’t believe in holding grudges, but if you were to say to the television network, ‘Here’s a show you can program in the worst time slot you got, and it is going to guarantee you winning Friday night for the next 15 years,’ it would be almost impossible to believe.”

Disappointment over the cancellation and hesitation to join the spin-off aside, his former co-star Donnie has maintained he is supportive of him working on Boston Blue. Recently speaking with Parade, he shared: “Of course, I spoke to Tom the minute I was deciding if this was something I was going to do. And I can’t really get into the details of those conversations, but he’s been very supportive.”

© WireImage
Donnie and Tom in 2012

“I can say, would I love for Tom to come up to Boston? Sure. Or would I love Danny to go to New York and visit Frank? Absolutely, yes,” he added, noting: “Tom’s always going to base his decisions on the work and material, and so yes, of course, I’d love to work with him on the show, and when the time comes, we will hopefully craft an idea that moves his heart and makes him want to do it.”

© FilmMagic
Donnie with his new Boston Blue co-star Sonequa Martin-Green

He also recently opened up about his decision-making regarding the show, mainly his choice to move forward with it. Speaking on CBS Sunday Mornings on Sunday, October 12, he emphasized: “I love Blue Bloods. I fought tooth and nail to keep it on the air, and here’s an opportunity to keep this character alive,” before noting: “And suddenly when I started to look at it through that lens it was like, ‘How do I not do this?’”

“If all of those millions of Blue Bloods fans don’t show up and love it, then I know we put our best foot forward,” he added.

Beatriz Colon

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November 17, 2025
Meet the cast of The CW’s Harlequin romance movies including Kat McNamara and Emeraude Toubia

Christmas is the season of romance so it’s no surprise that The CW is giving viewers the gift of love with six brand-new original movies all inspired from Harlequin romances. The network promises “heartwarming stories [that will] bring love, drama, and holiday magic to life,” which also bring together fan-favorite stars including Shadowhunters actresses Kat McNamara and Emeraude Toubia. The pair played best friends Clary and Isabelle in the Freeform series, and will both appear in new CW originals.

Kat, who is a CW favorite after appearing in Walker: Independence with Jared Padalecki, and Arrow as Mia Smoak, will play Heather in Montana Mavericks, a NYC author who inherits a rundown ranch but finds that her plan to sell goes up in smoke when she meets the charming cowboy veterinarian next door. In Paws in the City, Emeraude plays Issa, a social media whiz who takes on a dog sitter job, and elsewhere, fans will see The Flash’s Danielle Panabaker in Second Guessing Fate, while Glee’s Amber Riley will fall in love with her contractor in Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell.

© David Brown

Montana Mavericks

Logline:

Heather (Katherine McNamara) is a best-selling author struggling with writer’s block until she unexpectedly inherits a family ranch in Montana. With her two best friends, Heather heads out for a “Yellowstone” adventure, intent on a quick sale – but surprise, surprise, Heather is left blindsided when she meets Cliff (Dennis Andres), the charming cowboy veterinarian next door.

How to watch:

Sunday, November 16 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT)

© Tahj Raju/ The CW

Second Guessing Fate

Logline:

Gemma (Danielle Panabaker) is a successful event planner who is told by a strange fortune teller that she is one last horrible date away from true love. Gemma then goes on what she hopes is her last blind date with Nick (Corey Sevier) but anything and everything goes wrong, including crashing her car into a handsome stranger, Enzo (Brendan Morgan). Is Gemma misreading the signs? And will the cynical big city girl take a leap of faith?

How to watch:

Sunday, November 23 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT)

© Kam Sylvestre

Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell

Logline:

Glee star Amber Riley stars as Savvy Sheldon, a busy working woman who has inherited a kitchen and a treasure trove of recipes from her grandmother. But when Savvy decides to invest in the kitchen and renovate, she meets Isaiah (Dorian Grey), a “dashing contractor [who] falls for more than Savvy’s delectable cuisine and may just be the secret ingredient to heating up Savvy’s love life’.

How to watch:

Sunday, November 30 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT)

© Eva-Maude Tardif-Champoux/The CW

Paws in the City

Logline:

When Issa (Emeraude Toubia) accidentally ruins a young starlet’s career, she becomes the most unemployable social media manager in Manhattan and is forced to take a job caring for Camila, a glossy-maned dachshund diva, whose owner is the attractive, yet reclusive Theo (Carter Jenkins). “What starts as a way to keep a roof over her and her 14-year-old sister’s heads turns into an opportunity for Issa to showcase her skills and reunite her family; it also might be the key to her success in life and love.”

How to watch:

Saturday, December 6 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT)

© The CW

Recipe for Romance

Logline:

Recipe for Romance is a classic enemies-to-lovers story as Sari (True O’Brien) is given the long overdue opportunity to prove herself when her parents put the family’s coffee shop in her hands. But when a new bakery, run by the annoyingly handsome and charming Gabe (Alex Mallari Jr.) opens right next door, the pair find themselves in the prank war to end all prank wars…

How to watch:

Saturday, December 13 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT)

© Vinuja Shanthasoruban/ The CW

Ordinary Girl In A Tiara

Logline:

Caro Cartwright (Katharine King So) is a vintage fashion devotee who agrees to harbor her childhood nemesis turned couture heiress Philippa Levreaux (Kathryn Gallagher). But despite—or perhaps because of—their differences, these two women help each other wrangle the challenges around them to find a way forward, be their best selves, and fulfill their dreams.

How to watch:

Saturday, December 20 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT)

How to watch The CW:

For traditional viewing, local The CW channels are available, or if you are a cord-cutter you can watch on The CW app on devices like Roku, Apple TV, and smartphone. Services such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or Fubo all also carry The CW. The CW website also has free streaming.

Rebecca Lewis

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November 14, 2025
Days of Our Lives cast reflect on 60th anniversary milestone

It’s a milestone few television shows ever reach. Hit soap opera Days of Our Lives has officially turned 60, and the beloved soap’s cast came together to celebrate with a special anniversary portrait that’s every bit as legendary as its six-decade run. The new image, released exclusively by People, brings together 42 actors who’ve shaped the show’s sweeping storylines of romance, heartbreak and resilience. As the cast marked the anniversary of the show’s 1965 debut, longtime stars reflected on what has made Days such an enduring part of TV history.

“It’s completely unheard of to go 60 years, and yet here we are,” said Deidre Hall, 78, who has played the iconic Marlena Evans since 1976. “I think it’s due to a lot of people doing a lot of things right. Everybody is pulling in the same direction as hard as they can.”

For Deidre, the secret lies in the teamwork behind the scenes. “The lighting guy, the sound guy, the makeup people… everybody is giving 110%. And that’s what you see on the screen,” she said. “My favorite part of Days is being part of a true ensemble where everybody is doing the best possible job they can.”

© Todd Williamson/Peacock via Gett
Days of our Lives cast and crew

Alison Sweeney, who first stepped into the role of Sami Brady in 1993, agreed that being part of such a legacy is “unbelievable,” saying she meets people “every day” who share stories about the show. ” The lessons I learned being a part of this cast and crew wherever I go… just how to treat people, how to be a professional, how to come to work on time, know your lines. It’s made me a better person,” she shared.

© Variety via Getty Images
Deidre Hall at the 52nd Daytime Emmy Awards

She also credits Days’ passionate fan base for keeping the show alive. “The relationship with the fans… I can’t stress it enough,” Alison added. “You can go online and see how the fans felt about the scenes, that it gives you such immediate feedback and then you have a chance to try again and do something different tomorrow.”

© NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via
Days of our Lives in 1985

For Susan Hayes, who joined the series in 1968 as Julie Williams, the show’s impact has been profoundly personal, saying her “whole life has turned out to be driven” by the show. “I met my husband through lucky casting on the show. Great marriage lasted 50 years. My mother became a professional writer because of Days of Our Lives. My closest friends, the people that I talked to and depend upon, have all been connected to this show,” the 82-year-old said.

Tamara Braun in a scene from Days of our Lives

After 60 years, the lessons still resonate. “Be prepared. Be patient. Stand up straight and do the best you can,” Susan added. “That works… no matter what you’re doing in life.”

Days of Our Lives airs weekdays on Peacock and has been renewed for two more seasons – proof that even after 15,000 episodes, the drama is far from over.

Nicola Conville

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November 8, 2025
Disney+ viewers left ‘crying’ by A-list casting update to beloved horror series

Any last words? Fans of Ryan Murphy‘s cult classic American Horror Story may typically be inclined to respond almost instinctively with, “Balenciaga!”, but it seems that they’re much too busy celebrating the series’ highly-anticipated return at the moment. As a Halloween gift to us all, Ryan Murphy’s production studio released a teaser for the new series of the hit horror show, which airs on Disney+ in the UK and FX in the US, giving fans a glimpse into the cast of the upcoming season, and it’s safe to say that this might just be shaping up to be the most exciting cast that the show has got together in years.

Alongside the likes of series regular Sarah Paulson, who also had viewers in a chokehold with her performance in Netflix‘s Ratched, and newcomer Ariana Grande, who proved that her acting chops are just as impressive as her pipes in Wicked, one of the most beloved actresses to grace the series is making her comeback for the first time in seven years.

Having last appeared in AHS: Apocalypse, the show’s eighth series that aired in 2018, Jessica Lange will be making her return, though all of the actors’ roles are as of yet undisclosed. The 76-year-old has been behind some of the series’ most iconic moments, and won Primetime Emmy Awards for her roles in two different seasons, so her return has gone down very well with fans online.

Taking to Instagram, one wrote: “QUEEN JESSICA IS BACK [crying face] [black heart emoji],” while another added: “Mother Lange the GOAT is back! Now I can’t wait for this season, Ryan [heart eyes emoji].” A third commented: “Omg I’m crying over here! Miss Lange is back”.

The full list of announced cast members so far is filled with series regulars: Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Angela Bassett, Kathy Bates, Emma Roberts, Billie Lourd, Gabourey Sidibe, Leslie Grossman, alongside newcomer Ariana Grande and returning icon Jessica Lange. The teaser ended with the line: “Surprise, [expletive]. I bet you thought you’d seen the last of me,” gesturing at a line from Emma Roberts’ beloved witch Madison Montgomery, revealing that the series would be released on Halloween 2026.

Josh Osman

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November 1, 2025
Nightmare-inducing British children’s characters you probably forgot about

Halloween is the spookiest night of the year, and while many will be more than happy to curl up in front of the sofa with the lights dimmed streaming every horror movie, there’s others who might opt to avoid the frights. Normally, children’s television is a safe bet, with the episodes aimed at a younger audience generally guaranteed not to have anything that’ll make you afraid to sleep with the lights off. But these characters ended up giving not only children, but plenty of adults nightmares, even from shows that are normally tame. Scroll down to see the most frightening children’s TV characters, if you dare…

© BBC

I still can’t sleep well after these two…

The Bear and the Lion – Teletubbies

It was meant to be one of the seven ‘Magical Events’, and yet this episode ended up traumatising a generation of Teletubbies viewers, including this writer. The Scary Lion with Big Scary Teeth and The Bear with Brown Fuzzy Hair were seen chasing around the titular characters with a strange and eerie music playing in the background.

Viewers were more scared by the Bear’s sharp claws and eyes rolling around its head as it chanted: “I’m the Bear, I’m the Bear, and I’m coming,” over and over again. The episode is still discussed online, with one commentator saying: “The lion and bear episode of the Teletubbies is the scariest thing to have ever aired in television history and if you disagree, you’re wrong.” A second added: “The lion and the bear in the Teletubbies were HORRIFYING. I used to run up the stairs in pure panic every time they came on-screen.”

Complaints started flooding in to the BBC when the episode first aired back in 1997, and the corporation ended up taking action. Repeats of the episode starting from 2001 changed the Bear’s voice and swapped the music to something more light-hearted. But the damage had already been done, with some countries removing the whole episode from their rotations, and I still get the shivers whenever I think about the episode.

© BBC

Eerie silence speaks volumes

The Groke – The Moomins

Tove Jansson’s iconic Moomin series might seem like light-hearted fun for all ages, but one particular episode of the 1990 cartoon ended up unnerving several viewers. In episodes 6-8 of the series, the Moomins first encounter the monstrous Groke, searching for a shell. My sister regularly recounts how terrifying the original episode was simply due to the creature’s imposing figure and lack of dialogue. It was the emptiness and solitary stare, in which she never blinked, that ended up unnerving viewers.

One social media commentator noted: “This one was particularly scary, the Hufsa, or the Groke. It made everything cold and it growled. Traumatizing.” While a second added: “‘This Groke character is rather scary looking. Maybe we should try to make her harder to see for our network, so the kids don’t get scared’. Welp, mission failed. I remember The Groke being [the] scariest [expletive] thing ever, when I was a child.“

© BBC

The mask of Mr Noseybonk was horrifying!

Mr. Noseybonk – Jigsaw

Broadcast between 1979 and 1984, Jigsaw was a show aimed at children aged between four and seven, however, it ended up having one of the most terrifying things to have ever been put on screen, Mr. Noseybonk. The character was known for his largely extended nose and toothy grin and despite being intended to entertain, he instead terrified.

Taking to social media, one said: “From 1980 to 1984, lighthearted Children’s BBC puzzle series/sketch show Jigsaw was haunted by NOSEYBONK. Intended to be a whimsical childlike innocent, he ended up terrifying kids, like Mr Bean directed by David Lynch,” and a second posted: “He has given me a LIFELONG fear of long noses. I’d managed to avoid seeing him for over 40 years and then last year there was a picture of him posted up on some reddit forum and that night I woke screaming. And twice more that week.”

Speaking to SyFy magazine in 2018, X Files writer Benjamin Van Allen revealed that the character was the inspiration for his Mr. Chuckleteeth character in the horror series. “Mr. Chuckleteeth was actually inspired by an old British kids TV show called Jigsaw,” he explained. “There’s a character in Jigsaw called Mr. Noseybonk. He kind of looks like Mr. Chuckleteeth a little bit, so that was the inspiration for me when I was writing the character. It was the starting point for the design, but we really made it our own thing. My inkling is that it might also have been the inspiration behind Jigsaw, the character in the Saw films.”

© Shutterstock / BBC

The scarecrow scared in both incarnations

Worzel Gummidge

Even though he’s one of the heroes of his series, plenty of children have found talking scarecrow Worzel Gummidge absolutely terrifying. Whether it’s the nature of a scarecrow coming to life or his ability to remove his own head and keep speaking, many still shudder when they hear the theme. It’s not just the original that terrified viewers, as the reboot has attracted plenty of attention with some suggesting the character resembled classic horror villain Freddy Kreuger.

Reflecting on the series, one said: “I also used to find Aunt Sally scary as hell too – the whole thing just seemed to have an odd atmosphere to it. Wurzel was just weird, Aunt Sally seemed to hate him and that seemed to create a weird air of conflict,” while a second shared: “Scarier than 1970’s Dr Who. And that is saying something,” and a third penned: “The original was terrifying. Aunt Sally gave me nightmares for weeks and I refused to watch it after her introduction.“

© TV Times/Future Publishing via G

Hartley’s unkempt appearance was too much for some

Hartley Hare – Pipkins

Puppets raised a generation from the Muppets to Sooty, we all have fond memories of these entertainers, but one ended up scaring instead of thrilling. While Pipkins had plenty of puppets, from Topov the Cockney monkey to Octavia the Ostrich and Mrs Penguin, it was Hartley Hare that unnerved many. Several complained about his mangy appearance, with some comparing the children’s character to a reanimated zombie.

Noting his scariness, one person on X wrote: “Another favourite on our (very unscientific) poll of scariest childhood horrors was Hartley Hare. If there was ever a sinister hybrid of abused oven glove and reanimated roadkill then Pipkins’ own Hartley Hare was it. Voiced by Nigel Plaskitt he terrified a generation,” while a second said: “As children’s television icons go, the myxomatosis-riddled fleabag that was Pipkins’ HARTLEY HARE was pretty unique. Terrifying to behold and camp as Christmas, I adored him, then and now.”

© Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock

Mr Blobby was a British icon

Mr Blobby – Noel’s House Party

Mr Blobby was meant to entertain children with his clumsy antics, but his electronically distorted voice, that only ever repeated variations of the word ‘blobby’, and his crazy green eyes, had children heading behind the sofa instead of laughing along with him.

One of those who found the character frightening is comedian Jack Whitehall, with the star attempting to hide away under his desk when the character made a cameo on The Big Fat Quiz. When Blobby was compared to the Teletubbies, Jack replied: “Teletubbies? They’re joyous, Blobby was evil.” When the character appeared on the show, Jack exclaimed: “How the [expletive] were you allowed near kids?“

Matthew Moore

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October 31, 2025
11 celebrities you didn’t know were royal descendants

While many of our favourite celebrities are like royalty in our eyes, you may be surprised to learn just how many of them are related to actual royalty. What’s more, many of them share common ancestors, meaning some of Hollywood’s biggest stars are also related too.

From the two pop queens linked to Queen Camilla, to the American celeb thought to be the closest American relative to the late Queen Elizabeth II, these stars’ family trees stretch across centuries of European history, revealing a web of royal connections you definitely never expected. HELLO! takes a look at the famous faces you never knew were secretly of royal descent…

© Gareth Cattermole,Getty Images for Disney

Beyoncé

It seems pretty fitting that Beyoncé – regularly referred to as Queen Bey – is related to a real-life queen. The Texas Hold ‘Em singer is Queen Elizabeth II‘s 25th cousin once removed, connected by their shared ancestor, Henry II, who ruled in the 12th century. The singer is no stranger to rubbing shoulders with royalty either – she shared a heartfelt meeting with the Duchess of Sussex at the premiere of Disney‘s The Lion King in 2019, telling Meghan, “We love you guys”.

© Penske Media via Getty Images

Madonna

The “Queen of Pop” is more than just music royalty – she’s actually related to Queen Camilla. Madonna and the Queen are ninth cousins once removed, and are both descendants of Zacharie Cloutier, a 17th century French-Canadian who was a founding figure in the Quebec colony. A master carpenter who was a “bourgeois seigneur” – a person of considerable wealth – Zacharie and his wife Xainte Dupont have thousands of descendants today, and we’re still hoping for a Madonna and Camilla meet-up.

© Getty Images for Vanity Fair

Ralph Fiennes

He may have only played a king in The Return, but it turns out actor Ralph Fiennes is actually the eighth cousin of King Charles himself. The Harry Potter actor and The King are both descendants of King James II of Scotland, who succeeded to the Scottish throne at six-years-old during the 1400s. Ralph told People magazine about the time Charles visited the set of the James Bond film Spectre, revealing that his distant relative was “very charming” and “warm”.

© Getty Images

Celine Dion

Another one of Queen Camilla’s star-studded relatives is Celine Dion. The My Heart Will Go On singer and the Queen are both related to Jean Guyon, a Frenchman who also settled in Quebec, making the pair 10th cousins once removed. She’s also another relative of Zacharie Cloutier, which also makes her ninth cousins once removed with Madonna – this family tree has no shortage of star power!

© Getty Images for The Red Sea International Film Festival

Johnny Depp

During an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? in 2011, Johnny Depp discovered that he’s actually related to Queen Elizabeth II. A genealogist traced Johnny’s lineage back over 500 years, and discovered the pair share a common ancestor, King Edward III, who reigned during the Medieval period. This makes the Pirates of the Caribbean actor and the late Queen 20th cousins, and though they’ve never formally met, the pair briefly made contact on the set of Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow in the ’90s, Sir Michael Gambon told The Telegraph. The Queen came riding past with Harry Herbert, the 17th Earl of Pembroke, with Johnny reportedly asking afterwards, “Was that the Queen?”

© Getty Images

Ellen DeGeneres

Former daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres never got the chance to sit down with the Princess of Wales – which would’ve been a fabulous chat, considering the pair are related. Kate and the famous funnywoman are 15th cousins, sharing a common ancestor in Sir Thomas Fairfax, an army officer during the English Civil War, and his wife Anges Gascoigne. Ellen found this fact out shortly before the Prince and Princess of Wales’ 2011 wedding, jokingly telling Extra TV’s Terri Seymour that she had a “beautiful outfit picked out” for the pair’s lavish nuptials.

© Getty Images for Lionsgate

Guy Ritchie

The Princess of Wales is also cousins with another famous celebrity – sixth cousins with film director Guy Ritchie, to be exact. The pair share a common ancestor in David Martineau, a surgeon in the 18th century who was part of a well-known Unitarian family from Norwich. Kate and Guy are also friends in real life, with the Snatch director scoring an invite to her wedding to Prince William in 2011 – sorry, Ellen!

© John Nacion,Variety via Getty Images

Kit Harington

He’s more than just the heir to the Iron Throne – Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington is related to real-life royalty. Kit’s paternal eight-times-great-grandfather was King Charles II of England, meaning he shares an ancestor, King Charles I (Charles II’s grandfather), with the current King Charles III – if you can keep up with all those Charleses, that makes Kit and the King roughly 9th or 10th cousins.

© Getty Images

Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch may have just been acting as King Richard III in The Hollow Crown, but turns out he’s actually related to him. Benedict is the second cousin 16 times removed of Richard, the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and the last monarch to die in Battle. Cumberbatch’s family connection earned him an invite to read a poem at the monarch’s reburial ceremony at Leicester Cathedral in 2015. The Sherlock actor is reportedly also connected to other royals like Queen Elizabeth II and Lady Jane Grey; he met the former queen when she presented him with a CBE in 2015, an experience he described to the BBC as “extraordinary” and “nerve-wracking”.

© Heidi Gutman,BRAVO via Getty Images

Hilary Duff

Did you know singer Hilary Duff is reportedly the American celebrity most closely related to Queen Elizabeth II? The pair share an ancestor in King Edward III – the same as Johnny Depp – while Hilary is also descended from Robert the Bruce, who was the King of Scotland in the early 14th century. This makes the former Lizzie McGuire star and the late Queen 18th cousins, as well as distantly related to the Pirates of the Caribbean actor.

© WireImage

Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal

Descended from a Swedish noble family, brother-sister acting duo Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal are 19th cousins of the late Queen Elizabeth II through their shared ancestor, King Edward III of England. If you’re keeping up (it’s quite the family web), that also makes Jake and Maggie related to Johnny Depp and Hilary Duff. Talk about a family tree packed full of both acting royalty and actual royalty!

Romy Journee

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October 29, 2025
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman confirm Strictly exit in shock announcement – see statement

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have announced they will be leaving Strictly Come Dancing after the latest series ends. The pair announced the news on Instagram on Thursday and said in a joint statement that “now feels like the right time” for them to depart the BBC show.

In a video, Tess said, “After 21 wonderful years on Strictly, we have decided that the time is right to step aside and pass over the baton.”Tess and Claudia’s statement”We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time. We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day.

“We will cry when we say the last ‘keep dancing’ but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza.”What have viewers said about the announcement?Viewers shared their devastation in the comments section, with one person writing: “NOOOOOOO. The best presenting team on telly,” while another added: “End of an amazing era! What a team!”

Nicky Morris

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October 23, 2025
DWTS season 34: all of the 2025 theme nights leading up to the big finale

Dancing with the Stars loves a good theme. Following this year’s Sept. 16 premiere, season 34 of DWTS has featured the following themes: One-Hit Wonders Night (where couples danced to songs that you loved by artists you never heard from again), TikTok Night (featuring songs that have gone viral on the social media platform), Disney Night (a classic DWTS theme, brought to you by some ABC/Disney corporate synergy) and Dedication Night (another staple in the DWTS world in which contestants dedicate their performances to someone meaningful in their lives).

And as the competition heats up, the themes continue to get more creative. These are all of the theme nights DWTS has planned for the rest of the 2025 season.

© Disney
Hilaria Baldwin and her family visit Disneyland during Disney Week on DWTS

Week 6: Wicked Night

Oct. 21 is Wicked Night, where the top 10 remaining couples will perform to songs from Wicked and Wicked: For Good, including “Defying Gravity,” “Popular,” “Dancing Through Life” and “For Good.” Jon M. Chu, the director of both films, will serve as a guest judge. ABC has also said that the show will feature “special video messages” from the cast, including Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey and Michelle Yeoh.

© Universal
Wicked Night is up next on DWTS

Week 7: Halloween Night

Three days before Halloween, the DWTS ballroom will get spooky with one of their annual traditions.

© Disney
Season 32 of DWTS got into the Halloween spirit with hair-raising transformations and spine-tingling routines

Week 8: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night

Entering the final month of DWTS shows, Nov. 4 is Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Night. While this specific theme hasn’t been done before, DWTS has previously done similar iterations to celebrate rock and roll anthems, including last year’s Hair Metal Night.

Week 9: DWTS’s 20th birthday party

Can you believe it’s been 20 whole years of DWTS? Nov. 11 will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the celebrity ballroom competition show.

Week 10: Prince Night (Semi-Finals)

DWTS contestants are going to party like it’s 1999 on Nov. 18, when the show celebrates Prince Night in honor of the legendary music artist. DWTS typically does one night a season dedicated to a specific artist (previous seasons have celebrated Taylor Swift, Michael Bublé and Whitney Houston). While songs haven’t been announced yet, host Alfonso Ribiero has claimed Prince Night as “my night,” teasing some fun costumes he plans to show off.

© Getty Images
Previously, DWTS has celebrated music icons such as Taylor Swift, Whitney Houston and Michael Bublé

Week 11: Finale

Nov. 25, just two days before Thanksgiving, wraps up the end of DWTS season 34 with a three-hour finale that will culminate in one of the remaining (usually four or five) dance pairs taking home the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

Hannah Yasharoff

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October 21, 2025
Strictly 2025 LIVE: Amber Davies to perform series’ first Argentine Tango as song and dance routines confirmed

After disappearing from Movie Week, Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell will be back this week. However, his wife, Gail, revealed the frantic phone call she received from him about the news of the illness that prompted him to pull out of the performance. See the full story here.

Matthew Moore

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October 18, 2025
The Naked Gun star dies aged 98

The Naked Gun star Ed Williams has passed away surrounded by family, following an illustrious Hollywood career spanning 40 years. The 98-year-old’s death was announced by his granddaughter, Stephanie Williams, who shared with The Hollywood Reporter that he died in Los Angeles on October 2, although the cause of his death is yet to be revealed. Ed rose to fame in Hollywood playing priests and reverend characters, before nabbing a part in the short-lived 1982 TV series Police Squad! alongside Leslie Nielsen.

Despite the show’s cancelation, it went on to find new life in the movie franchise The Naked Gun, which followed Leslie’s bumbling detective Frank Drebin. Ed played Ted Olsen, a lab scientist, in all three films, including in The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988), The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) and Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994). The franchise was rebooted in 2025, starring Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson in the lead roles.

He also gained notoriety for portraying the reverend and wedding officiant in 1991’s Father of the Bride, which co-starred Steve Martin and the late Diane Keaton, who passed away aged 79 on October 11 following a battle with pneumonia. Ed also starred in Ratboy (1986), Nickel & Dime (1992), High Strung (1992) and Carnosaur (1993), and made cameos in Madame’s Place, Cheers, MacGyver, LA Law, Matlock, Hooperman and Sisters.

His final credited role, as per IMDb, was in the TV series Hollywood Radio Players from 2022 to 2023, proving that he worked well into his 90s. Ed moved to Hollywood with his wife, Nancy, in 1955, and got a job teaching at The Don Martin School of Radio and Television Arts and Sciences.

Despite his acting dreams, he chose to focus on his teaching work rather than spend his time auditioning. “I do not approve of professors that go out and moonlight and make a lot of money on the side and neglect their classes,” he told Pacific Pioneer Broadcasters. “That used to make me mad to hear that.” This meant that Ed went 24 years without an acting gig.

© ABC
Ed portrayed Ted Olsen in The Naked Gun film franchise

He continued: “I felt like the [guy] who’s been trained to be a surgeon, but he didn’t quite get in the operating room. I wanted to get in the operating room.” The father of two added that his agent “loved to put” him in parts where he portrayed ministers and priests, which meant that he “got stuck on a lot of ministers for a long time there”.

© ABC
His Hollywood career planned four decades

His time working on Father of the Bride as a reverend was “a pleasure”, he said, and Ed was “grateful to be in it”. As for his most famous role in The Naked Gun franchise, the veteran actor shared that his co-star, Leslie, was “a consummate professional” who “really knew how to do it and do it well”.

© Pacific Pioneer Broadcast/YouTube
He is survived by his wife and two kids

Ed is survived by his wife, Nancy, whom he married in 1954, as well as his sons, Fred and Ian, and his grandchildren, Stephanie and Maureen.

Faye James

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October 16, 2025
Watch Reese Witherspoon lead tributes to ‘indelible’ Diane Keaton as Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Steve Martin praise ‘complete original’ star

Reese Witherspoon paid a tearful tribute to the late Diane Keaton while on stage at the Hello Sunshine Shine Away Festival on Saturday, October 11, 2025. Reese starred alongside Diane in the 1991 movie Wild Flower, and told guests a heartwarming story of how Diane helped Reese to find her footing in the Hollywood industry. After a panel with author Harlan Coban, with whom she has collaborated on a new thriller, Reese said: “I just wanted to talk to you for one second because – and I’m gonna try and get through this without tearing up – but I don’t know if you guys heard that Diane Keaton passed today”.

“I had to take a second to really think about it because when I was 15-years-old, Diane was really important to me,” said an emotional Reese. “She was one of my first mentors in this business when I was 15 and from Nashville, Tennessee, and I didn’t know anybody.” Reese then shared that during one of her earliest auditions, she had a “big country accent” that Diane did not believe was real.

“I said: ‘I’m Reese Witherspoon, I’m from Nashville, Tennessee.’ And she said, ‘Are you making that [accent] up?’ And I said: ‘No, ma’am, I’m from Nashville, Tennessee, and I’d love to be in your movie.’ And she told me: “You’re hired, you’re hired today, tomorrow, and the next day. I don’t know who you are, but I am so excited to have you.’”

“That was one of the most important summers of my childhood because she really took the time to pull me aside and say: ‘Stand up straight. I want you to have good posture. If you’re going to be an actress, you’ve got to work on your posture, okay?’” Reese told guests, adding: “What I loved about her is she was such an original, and if you just close your mind and think of Diane Keaton… I guarantee you, from Annie Hall to The Godfather to Something’s Gotta Give, she is just incredible and indelible and just a truly original person.”

© GC Images
Diane has died at the age of 79

“So for Diane, watch one of her movies and wear a really cool, interesting outfit, take a cool picture, and just live your dream. Be your unique, interesting self, I think Diane would be really happy, so rest in peace Diane,” Reese concluded.

Oscar-winning actress Diane died at the age of 79, her family shared with People magazine. Further details were not available at the time of publication, and her loved ones have asked for privacy, according to a family spokesperson.

© Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock
Martin Short, Diane, Steve Martin and Kimberly Williams in Father Of The Bride II in 1995

Known for her work in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall, romcoms First Wives Club and Father of the Bride, and the mob thriller The Godfather, Diane’s co-stars from across the decades paid tribute following the news of her death.

Her longtime friend Goldie Hawn posted a lengthy celebration of Diane’s life, writing: “Diane, we aren’t ready to lose you. You’ve left us with a trail of fairy dust, filled with particles of light and memories beyond imagination. How do we say goodbye? What words can come to mind when your heart is broken? You never liked praise, so humble, but now you can’t tell me to “shut up” honey. There was, and will be, no one like you.”

© WireImage
Diane and Goldie have been longtime friends for decades

“We agreed to grow old together, and one day, maybe live together with all our girlfriends. Well, we never got to live together, but we did grow older together. Who knows… maybe in the next life,” added Goldie, who appeared in First Wives Club with Diane. “Shine your fairy dust up there, girlfriend. I’m going to miss the hell out of you.”

© Ron Galella Collection via Getty
Diane and Bette in 1997

Fellow First Wives Club co-star Bette Midler wrote on Instagram: “The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton has died. I cannot tell you how unbearably sad this makes me. She was hilarious, a complete original, and completely without guile, or any of the competitiveness one would have expected from such a star. What you saw was who she was … oh, la, lala!”

On Instagram, actor Steve Martin posted a screenshot from an Interview magazine article where Martin Short asked: “Who’s sexier, me or Steve Martin?” to which Diane simply replied: “I mean, you’re both idiots.”

© WireImage
Diane and Steve worked together on Father of the Bride

Steve, who starred in Father Of The Bride with Diane, captioned the post: “Don’t know who first posted this, but it sums up our delightful relationship with Diane.”

9-1-1: Nashville star Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who also starred alongside Diane in Father Of The Bride, said in a tribute on Instagram that working with her “will always be one of the highlights of my life,” adding: “Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your talent, and above all, your laughter.”

Diane was nominated for Oscars for her roles in Something’s Gotta Give, Marvin’s Room and Reds, in which she starred opposite her former love Warren Beatty, and she won the Best Actress Oscar for Annie Hall. She also won two Golden Globes and a BAFTA.

Rebecca Lewis

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October 11, 2025
Strictly 2025 LIVE: Cynthia Erivo becomes first-ever guest mentor ahead of movie week and Couples Choice debut

It was announced on Friday that the all-Aussie pair, Dianne Buswell and Stefan Dennis, won’t be performing tonight as Stefan is unwell. Announcing the news, the official Instagram account for Strictly Come Dancing shared a post which read: “Due to illness over the past few days, Stefan Dennis has been advised by doctors to rest, and as a result, he will not dance this weekend.

“In line with the rules of Strictly, Stefan and Dianne will receive a bye through to next week when they will hopefully be allowed to dance again.”

© BBC/Guy Levy
The pair will not dance this week

It hasn’t been confirmed why Stefan has fallen unwell, but one woman ready to wish him better was his wife of 25 years, Gail. She shared a gushing message to her husband, sharing more details about his situation.

“A year ago, almost to the day, I got a frantic call from @neighbours , saying that Stefan was being rushed to emergency. Then this week … a frantic call came again,” wrote Gail on Instagram. “Thankfully he will be ok, but I know he will be so sad and extremely disappointed that he can’t perform this week on @bbcstrictly .. but believe me, these two moments have been the only things that have kept him from going to work! He is such a super trouper. So please rest up darling, your body is shouting at you again. Make sure you listen!.”

Isabelle Casey

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October 11, 2025