The BBC celebrity edition returned on Thursday night with Claudia Winkleman choosing Love Island host Maya Jama, 32, and Grant, 69, as the first two Traitors of series two.

Jama, clearly delighted, told the camera: “Goodness. I don’t even know what to say! I’m so excited. I wanted to bring a different side of me out, and here she is. My villain era has begun.”

Grant’s apparent slip came soon after, when Lycett asked him: “What are you?” and Grant replied: “A Traitor”. Grant later reflected on the moment, saying: “That may be the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life. I was so thrilled to have been chosen as a traitor that in my unguarded excitement, I said, ‘Of course I’m a traitor’. I clearly need to defuse all the heat that’s coming in my direction.”

Comic Rob Beckett reacted: “I think you’ve just done something that’s never happened in the game – it is a bold strategy.”

Coffins, camp and ‘Claudiapatra!’

The launch episode leaned into the show’s gothic camp from the first minute, with Winkleman carried into a church inside a closed coffin before emerging to announce: “That was quite the nap.” Jerry Hall summed it up with one word: “Claudiapatra!”

The series two trailer had already promised another starry run, with 21 more famous faces entering Claudia Winkleman’s iconic castle after an acclaimed first series. As always, the cast includes a stellar line-up of LGBTQ+ contestants including Bella Ramsey, Sebastian Croft and Joe Lycett.

What is the recruit-or-murder twist on Celebrity Traitors?

The episode’s closing twist put Jama and Grant in a brutal position: they had to invite two celebrities to plead for a third Traitor spot, with the person not chosen set to be murdered.

They selected Amol Rajan, 43, and James Acaster, 41, and the show ended on a cliffhanger before revealing who would join them. In the final moments, both potential recruits were shown lying in coffins as they awaited the decision.

Rajan made his pitch bluntly: “I do think I am uniquely placed to take the heat off you. I’m here because I sniff out liars for a living.”

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Ramsey, who lists the likes of Pedro Pascal among their friends and co-workers, joins other out LGBTQ+ icons including Sebastian Croft, Joe Lycett and Myha’la in the Scottish castle.

The English actor, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, got their global big break in Game of Thrones, playing Lyanna Mormont between seasons six and eight.

They later landed the lead role of Ellie in post-apocalyptic drama The Last Of Us, alongside Pascal, which premiered in 2023.

Ramsey’s work in those two shows, both from HBO, have seen them receive countless award nominations, including at the Golden Globes, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Critics’ Choice Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards and TV BAFTAs, as well as many more.

Game of Thrones was the actor’s first major role in 2016, when they were just 12 or 13.

And they haven’t looked back, also appearing in CBBC’s The Worst Witch between 2017 and 2020, BBC/HBO series His Dark Materials in 2020, as well as the Netflix animated series Hilda from 2018 to 2023.

As for the big screen, Ramsey has appeared in the likes of Holmes & Watson (2018), Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023), and this year’s Prime Video film The Sheep Detectives.

But Celebrity Traitors is set to be Ramsey’s first time really being themself on television, rather than acting as a character.

Speaking ahead of the series’ launch, Ramsey suggested their career as an actor could come in helpful. They said: “I do think [acting skills] can give you a bit of an edge. For me, anyway, because again, if I was telling a lie, people would spot me instantly. Playing a character, it’s like that’s what I do!”

Is Bella Ramsey LGBTQ+?

Bella Ramsey came out publicly as non-binary in January 2023, and told The Guardian earlier in 2026 that they/them pronouns “feel the most accurate”.

Speaking to Louis Theroux in May 2025, Ramsey said they hadn’t thought about their pronouns until The Last of Us was being released. “I was so stressed out about it, because I didn’t know and I didn’t really care,” they said. They went on: “My thing right now is, call me how you see me. I’m so aware that I’ll get in a taxi and the driver will call me she because it’s a natural thing which happens in your brain, which I completely get. I’ve never been strict about they/them, because I think I just don’t really care. I’m very comfortable in who I am. I know it’s important for some people, but for me it’s not that important.”

The actor went on to discuss gendered categories at award shows, saying in May 2025 that it was “really complicated”, adding that they felt it was “important” to keep female categories to preserve “recognition for women in the industry”. There had been upset at the time from fans, when Ramsey was nominated in a female category at the Emmys.

In 2023, Ramsey also spoke of their sexuality, telling British Vogue they are “not 100 per cent straight”, adding: “I’m a little bit wavy, you know? That’s what I like to say.”

They have also spoken about feeling uncomfortable using specific labels when it comes to their sexuality.

What else should you know?

Bella Ramsey started being able to spend more time acting after moving to online school at the age of 12, which was more manageable as they are neurodivergent.

Ramsey told The Guardian in 2025 that they realised they worked better with older people on the Game of Thrones set because they are neurodivergent, adding: “That’s part of why I feel more understood by adults.”

They are a patron of Leicester-based Bamboozle Theatre, which offers experiences for autistic young people, or those with learning disabilities.

Aside from that, they have shown support for Palestine, signing an open letter calling for a ceasefire in Gaza in May 2025.

Ramsey also pledged solidarity with the transgender, non-binary and intersex communities following the 2025 Supreme Court ruling.

They have also been appointed as a Greenpeace Oceans Ambassador.

The Celebrity Traitors kicks off at 8pm on BBC One on 1 October.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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The ceremony is due to take place on 15 November in Glasgow, and comes as the Davidson-inspired film I Swear has picked up seven BAFTA Scotland nominations.

In a letter to BAFTA members, CEO Jane Millichip and Chair Sara Putt wrote: “Following those conversations and our wider risk assessment, we have made adjustments to enable John to attend in the way he has suggested to us, which is to watch the ceremony via video link from a separate relaxed space within the venue together with his family and friends,”

Why is BAFTA changing its plans for the Scotland Awards?

The changes follow the BAFTA Film Awards on 22 February 2026, when Davidson involuntarily shouted the N-word while Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were on stage presenting the first award.

Millichip and Putt wrote that Davidson has Tourette Syndrome and experiences coprolalia, “a type of vocal tic involving the involuntary expression of socially inappropriate words or phrases”. They added that such vocalisations are neurological in origin, occur outside the individual’s control, and do not reflect a person’s views, beliefs, character or intentions.

The letter said BAFTA consulted organisations including Tourettes Action and Tourette Scotland, and spoke directly to Davidson, before finalising the arrangements.

It also acknowledged the impact on other guests, stating: “At the same time, we know that involuntary vocal tics involving words relating to race, religion, sexuality or other protected characteristics can cause distress and harm to others, and it is BAFTA’s responsibility to plan for and mitigate any such impact on our guests.”

What does this mean for John Davidson and I Swear?

Davidson is a UK-based disability campaigner who has pushed for better understanding of Tourette syndrome and the stigma that can follow people with visible or audible tics, particularly in high-pressure public settings.

The updated plan arrives as I Swear continues its awards run, with the film’s seven BAFTA Scotland nominations considered the most in the awards’ history, according to Variety.

In February, Davidson said the BBC edited out a homophobic slur he involuntarily shouted after Alan Cumming made a joke referencing Peruvian bears, while another offensive outburst aired in error, prompting backlash and an apology from the broadcaster, as previously reported.

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Speaking at Bloomberg’s Screentime event on Wednesday night, Sarandos said (via Variety): “We think they’ll do great, and when the KPop Demon Hunters sequel comes, you can expect a very broad theatrical release.” He also described the plan as a “big, broad, global” rollout.

The sequel is expected in 2029. Sarandos’ comments came as he outlined how Netflix is approaching theatrical distribution differently depending on the type of film, with some projects positioned as big, communal “event” releases.

Why Netflix is betting on a big cinema rollout

Netflix’s confidence in the franchise is rooted in the scale of the first film’s performance on the platform. KPop Demon Hunters amassed 325.1million views in its first 90 days on Netflix and spent 63 consecutive weeks in the Global Top 10.

Sarandos also pointed to the film’s box office potential. Two months after debuting on Netflix, a singalong version grossed an estimated $19million across two days, with all US cinema chains playing it apart from AMC, which had previously boycotted Netflix over its reluctance to provide a 45-day theatrical window.

In Sarandos’ view, a cinema-first release can also change who shows up later on streaming. He said: “No disparaging movies in the box office, but movies that come out in the theatre do pretty well, what happens is the most passionate audience went to see it in the theatre, so by the time it comes to Netflix, you’ve lost that passionate audience, and you got the people that go, ‘Oh, I meant to see that,’ or ‘I’ll get around to that.’”

What Netflix’s cinema-first windows look like

Sarandos said Netflix will give some upcoming films a set theatrical window before they land on the service, and that Netflix will report box office for the first time for these cinema-first releases.

He said La Bola Negra, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew and Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory will have theatrical windows of 46, 50 and 47 days respectively, while The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth and Mosquito Bowl will have 27 and 26 days.

Sarandos also said Netflix put over 30 movies in cinemas last year for various periods of time, such as Frankenstein, starring Jacob Elordi, which was in cinemas for six months.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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In a Variety interview, the US comedian and actor said: “I don’t like it at all. It’s not cool. She’s a really strong person, I’ve witnessed it, and I don’t understand it. She knows how to handle this stuff though. She’s been around. So she’ll be OK, but I think it’s f***** up.”

Davidson and Grande dated for about five months in 2018 and got engaged. Asked where they stand now, he said: “I think Ariana’s f****** cool and immensely talented and an awesome girl. We’re not texting or whatever, but we’re cool.”

Why Ariana Grande has faced renewed scrutiny

Grande has faced a fresh wave of speculation, concern and bullying about her physical appearance after images of the singer and actor went viral in late July.

Renewed attention around her weight and appearance also followed her album Petal and its title track video.

In early August, Grande’s representative said she would “take a step back from visibility … which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny” after the conclusion of her Eternal Sunshine Tour, which ended on 1 September.

Grande later addressed the decision at a Chicago concert stop on 4 August, saying the break was not “reactive or impulsive” and that she had planned it “a long time ago.”

Her retreat from public life meant her planned appearance in the West End revival of Sunday In The Park With George was also scrapped. Co-star Jonathan Bailey later stepped back from the production to support Grande.

What is Pete Davidson up to?

Davidson is currently promoting a dramatic role in David Leitch’s heist film How to Rob a Bank, set for release in cinemas on 13 November. He reportedly gained 15 pounds of muscle for the part, playing a war veteran who robs banks to support his family.

Davidson rose to fame on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, becoming known for confessional stand-up and high-profile tabloid attention. As well as Grande, he famously dated Kim Kardashian for a while between November 2021 and August 2022.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Pete Davidson calls Ariana Grande body shaming ‘not cool’ as he defends ex appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The regulator also logged 91 complaints about the episode broadcast on 21 September.

The most-complained-about episode showed a conversation about microaggressions between Johanne and Pauline Adeyemo, which Rochelle overheard.

Johanne said: “My situation with Rochelle felt like a microaggression because I feel like if anybody else was over there heating up their food, say Rhianna [Collins], would [Rochelle] have reacted like that?”

She added: “And that’s how you can really decipher a microaggression a lot of times – is just put anybody there that looks like that person, would their behaviour still be the same?”

After hearing her name mentioned, Rochelle spoke to other housemates and asked: “Would you say, since we’ve been in here, that Rhianna and I have been racist in any way, shape or form?”

The disagreement later escalated into a kitchen confrontation. Johanne insisted: “Nobody said anything about Rhianna.” She also called Rochelle “stupid, dumb and a troublemaker”.

As the row intensified, Big Brother intervened and called Johanne to the Diary Room, saying over the speakers: “This is Big Brother, would Johanne come to the Diary Room?”

What were viewers complaining to Ofcom about?

The complaints about the 27 September episode were reported as largely focusing on alleged racism and bullying towards Rochelle, with Johanne’s comments among those referenced by viewers.

The 91 complaints about the 21 September episode were linked in reports to alleged racial remarks and comments about nationality between Johanne and Omar El Mayer, reports The Mirror.

The series has also faced disruption away from the main show. Tennis balls were thrown over the wall for the housemates to read during 30 September’s episode, with messages that referenced Rochelle, Johanne and Pauline’s row, as well as Philip Regan.

The results of this week’s nominations were also revealed, with Rochelle and Johanne set to go head-to-head during Friday night’s eviction.

PinkNews has contacted ITV for comment.

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Big Brother hit with 493 complaints of racism after Johanne and Rochelle row appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

In an interview with The Advocate, the 54-year-old actor said he has “all kinds of privilege”, but that a lifetime of being “othered” has shaped how he responds when he sees others being targeted.

“The only way I could be a more protected class of citizen in America is if I were an openly performative Christian nationalist. I’m white. I’m male. I’m upper middle class. I’m semi-famous. I have all kinds of privilege. And yet, I’ve been othered my entire life,” Wheaton said.

“And when I see other people experiencing that, I cannot help myself. I have to throw myself between those people and the people who are hurting them,” he continued.

Wheaton also offered a direct promise to trans people: “Sometimes people who won’t hear you will hear me, even when we’re saying the same thing. And if I can use that privilege to reach that person and make a change, that’s one less person who f***ing hassles you for existing.”

What has Wil Wheaton said about trans rights?

Wheaton attended NYC Pride in June, and has decorated his personal website with blue, pink, and white banners proclaiming “trans rights are human rights”. He also shared a Pride update in an NYC Pride Instagram post.

In the interview, he also spoke about the queer fans he has met over the years, including gay fans who told him he was their first crush. “Love is love!” he said.

Wheaton recalled still meeting “hot dads” who tell him he was their first crush, joking that he is the same age as them.

Wheaton broke out as Gordie Lachance in Rob Reiner’s coming-of-age film Stand by Me (1986), and later played Wesley Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, becoming a defining face of late-80s and 90s sci-fi fandom. In 2021, he said he called out Dave Chappelle over transphobic jokes while reflecting on how bigoted comedy contributed to his own past homophobia.

Wil Wheaton’s criticism of JK Rowling and the new Harry Potter series

Wheaton also criticised JK Rowling over her views on trans people, saying: “J.K. Rowling’s a piece of s***.”

He added that he thinks everyone involved in producing the new Harry Potter series should be deeply ashamed of themselves.

The post Wil Wheaton on being gay fans’ ‘first crush’ and why he speaks up for trans people appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The behind-the-scenes rule was shared at a BBC screening ahead of the launch of The Celebrity Traitors, which starts on BBC One tonight (1 October) at 8pm.

Speaking at the screening, Fay said (via Daily Mail): “Claudia is not allowed jewellery when we do the Traitors pick. We’re very strict on that, in case it jangles.”

Shrouded in secrecy

The selection happens at the roundtable in the opening episode, with contestants sitting blindfolded as Winkleman moves behind them and taps the chosen Traitors on the shoulder. It is designed to be as silent as possible, so nobody can clock who has been picked and ruin the entire game.

The tension is not just for the players. Winkleman admitted she “gets scared” and “panics” during the Traitors pick, telling The Independent: “I have to wear spiky, noisy, scary shoes. I feel like I’m doing flamenco because I stop a lot.”

Winkleman also said she worries about the noise her outfit might make, adding: “Yes, and there’s some fabric that I think are noisy, even though I’ve been told fabric does not make a noise.”

When is The Celebrity Traitors on BBC One?

The Celebrity Traitors begins tonight on BBC One at 8pm, with celebrities competing to win up to £100,000 for their chosen charity. This year’s contestants include pansexual comedian Joe Lycett, as well as queer actors Sebastian Croft and Bella Ramsey.

Winkleman, a long-running fixture of BBC entertainment, has become a defining face of The Traitors, with her heavy fringe, dark eyeliner and gothic-country wardrobe widely imitated and memed. She described her style on the series as “human crow meets golf caddie meets the artful dodger”.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

The post Claudia Winkleman slapped with ban by bosses during Celebrity Traitors pick appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

In a new interview with Variety, Innanen discussed the response to Paul Baker, who was introduced to FX’s comedy series as a love interest for Issa, played by Amita Rao, before becoming involved in a complicated relationship with Anton, played by Owen Thiele.

Season 2 of Adults, which premiered in late August, follows a group of five friends hanging out in their shared house in Queens. Paul Baker is introduced as the most recent addition to the friend group, with the show leaning into his relentlessly sunny energy as it throws him into messy relationship territory. Paul Baker’s sexuality has been a central part of the show’s second season, with the character portrayed as being attracted to people regardless of gender.

Innanen, who identifies as straight, was asked directly whether he was sensitive to accusations of queerbaiting given that he plays a sexually fluid character.

“I think my understanding is that queerbaiting is when someone is falsely portraying themselves as queer,” he said.

“And Paul Baker is pretty fluid to the core, and I think that that resonated with many people.”

“There wasn’t much queerbait to him”

The question of queerbaiting emerged around the character’s introduction and subsequent storyline, particularly because Paul Baker is a sexually fluid man who is also involved in relationships with women.

Innanen acknowledged that some viewers had questioned the decision to have a bisexual or fluid male character in a heterosexual relationship, saying he was aware of “some critique in the beginning of the bi guy or fluid guy who’s in a heterosexual relationship”.

But he said the show’s love triangle ultimately felt consistent with who Paul Baker was.

“I think that there wasn’t much queerbait to him,” Innanen said.

Rather than presenting his sexuality as a source of angst or as a twist, the series treats Paul’s attraction to different genders as part of his broader personality. His openness and willingness to follow his feelings are also repeatedly used to frustrate the other characters, who struggle to determine whether his warmth towards them is romantic or simply part of his naturally affectionate personality.

Innanen described Paul as someone who is “deeply kind to everyone”, saying that this quality can make it difficult for other characters to work out whether he actually has a crush on them.

Queer roles have long been played by actors of different sexualities, and the question of who gets to portray LGBTQ+ characters has regularly generated debate. Queerbaiting, meanwhile, is generally used to describe situations where queer possibilities or identities are deliberately teased without meaningful representation, rather than simply describing a straight actor playing a queer character.

For Innanen, the distinction is important. He argues that Paul Baker is not pretending to be queer for the audience or teasing a sexuality that the series ultimately refuses to acknowledge. His fluidity is explicitly part of the character and directly informs the relationships and storylines of the second season.

Fans say Paul Baker helped them understand their own sexuality

Innanen also revealed that the response to Paul Baker has gone beyond fan interest in the show’s complicated love triangle. He said viewers have approached him to tell him that watching the character helped them understand their own sexuality.

“I hadn’t experienced it until this season that people were coming up to me and saying that Paul Baker helped them learn about their own sexuality, or that they discovered that they weren’t bi, they were fluid,” he said. A response which Innanen admits has made him more conscious of the responsibility that comes with portraying the character.

“I’ve really felt — not pressure, but that there’s some type of representative responsibility here,” he said. “I was just really glad that it could do that, and that it could be represented so well.”

Paul Baker was originally written differently

Paul Baker was not always intended to be the character viewers now know. Innanen told Variety that the character was originally written as being from Colorado and had more of a “f*ckboy element”. The show’s creators, Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, rewrote Paul as Canadian after casting Innanen, who is from Canada.

According to Innanen, the changes also brought more sweetness to the character.

He said the creators told him that the Canadian aspect helped bring out a quality of kindness, whereas the original version of Paul was more of a player.

That evolution appears to have become important to the character’s second-season storyline, in which his relationships with Issa and Anton become increasingly complicated. Paul is married to Anton while also being romantically involved with Issa, creating a love triangle that the show treats as an extension of his willingness to embrace complicated relationships rather than a conventional coming-out narrative.

Asked where he would like Paul to go next, Innanen said he hoped the character could find some stability with Anton.

“I hope to see a more liberated Paul Baker, and a more stable, in-love Paul Baker,” he said.

Innanen almost appeared in Heated Rivalry

In the interview Innanen also revealed that he had been offered a role in Heated Rivalry, the hit adaptation of Rachel Reid’s hockey romance, but ultimately had to turn it down because of scheduling.

He declined to reveal whether the role would have involved a sex or love scene when asked directly, saying only that he loved and admired everyone involved with the show.

“I don’t know what I can say about any of that,” he said. “But I love everyone involved. It’s a pretty kick-ass crew.”

The actor is now filming the second season of Dan Levy’s Netflix series Big Mistakes, having previously built a substantial social-media following and appeared in Canadian comedy The Office Movers.

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A spokesperson confirmed to Sky News that she died at home in the New Forest, surrounded by her family on 30 September.

Rantzen is best known for presenting BBC series That’s Life! between 1973 and 1994. She received an OBE for services to broadcasting in 1991, a CBE in 2006 for services to children, and was made a Dame for services to children and older people in the 2015 New Year Honours.

Throughout her career, she founded charities Childline and The Silver line, to provide support for both young and old.

And she provided a safe space for LGBTQ+ with her charity work, as well as her broadcasting career.

Coming out

On 4 November, 1996, Rantzen hosted an episode of her show Esther about coming out.

It came just four years after same-sex attraction was declassified as a mental illness by the World Health Organisation, four years before the ban on lesbians, gay men and bisexual people serving in the armed forces was lifted, when the age of consent was still not the same as it was for straight people, and before Section 28 was repealed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

During the show, Rantzen spoke to Right Said Fred singer Richard Fairbass, who spoke of his coming out journey.

She also spoke to radio presenter Peter Price, who acknowledged his own painful experience of coming out.

Early trans representation

During the 1980s, long before trans people became a political punching bag but when the topic was still deemed taboo, Rantzen interviewed some transgender people.

The programme also featured Janett Scott, the former president of transgender support group Beaumont Society.

Rantzen and the show have been credited for bringing visibility to trans issues in a time when they were virtually invisible.

Rona Rees, who has appeared on BBC Radio Cymru, has said seeing it was a “eureka” moment for her, prompting her to get in touch with the Beaumont Society and start her transition.

Years later, in 2018, Rantzen presented a national citizenship award to a transgender volunteer, Ben Whelan, whose work in Leamington was branded “inspirational”.

Childline

Dame Esther Rantzen launched Childline in 1986, off the back of her show That’s Life!, the first national helpline in the UK for children in danger or distress.

The helpline also supports young people who are struggling with their sexual or gender identity, with their gender identity pages launching in 2015.

In June 2019, the helpline revealed it had received 6,014 calls during the previous year from young people about sexuality or gender identity, averaging 16 calls every day.

Ranzten said at the time: “I’ve met young people who were desperately unhappy because they couldn’t talk to anyone about issues regarding their sexuality or gender, and often turn to Childline because they fear they’d lose their friends and be rejected by their families if they disclosed their feelings to them.

“I’m glad that they felt able to talk to Childline and reveal their feelings without being judged or stigmatised.”

She went on: “If we create a taboo around them, that can make children feel guilty, rejected and in some cases has even led to depression and even suicide.

“We all need to listen sensitively and support young people and protect them from this profound unhappiness and loneliness.”

In June 2026, the NSPCC, which runs Childline, said it had delivered 2,457 counselling sessions to children and young people with concerns relating to their sexuality or gender identity, with 43 per cent being about coming out.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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Blue Moon Bar, a queer venue in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville neighbourhood, said on Wednesday (30 September) that it had called off that evening’s Open Stage because of the volume of threats directed at the business.

The cancellation came days after photographs from a 23 September Open Stage performance circulated online, appearing to show a drag performer wearing black makeup on their face as part of a character portrayal.

In a statement shared on Facebook, Blue Moon said it was receiving “too many death threats for us to feel comfortable putting on the show this evening”.

The venue said it hoped to resume the Open Stage the following week.

The initial incident prompted widespread criticism from members of Pittsburgh’s Black and LGBTQ+ communities, while the performer, event hosts and bar management have all apologised.

What happened at Blue Moon Bar?

The performance took place during Blue Moon’s weekly Open Stage Wednesday on September 23. According to the bar, management was not present at the time, and two guest hosts who do not normally host the show oversaw the event.

Management said it did not become aware of the performance until almost a week later, after photographs began circulating.

“We’re amazed we even have to say this… but blackface is not OK!” the bar wrote in its initial apology on 29 September.

The venue said it was “blindsided” by what happened and had spoken to people who witnessed the performance and the hosts before issuing its statement.

“We know that this new performer didn’t intend to cause such harm with their performance, but unfortunately that is what has happened,” management wrote.

The bar nevertheless accepted responsibility for what occurred at its venue, saying: “Whatever the intent, blackface is racist and harmful and it is never acceptable.”

Alongside the statement, Blue Moon posted a photograph of a sign in its performer preparation area explicitly prohibiting “performances based on race, ethnicity, or nationality” when the depiction is not the performer’s own identity.

Management also said it would improve the screening of performances at the Wednesday Open Stage and make clear to both performers and audiences that racially offensive performances would not be tolerated.

The Open Stage has reportedly been running at Blue Moon for 14 years.

Black LGBTQ+ advocates call for greater accountability

Ciora Thomas, founder and executive director of SisTers PGH, a Black- and trans-led organisation supporting people of colour, trans and nonbinary people in southwestern Pennsylvania, criticised the fact that the performance was allowed to continue in a statement to QBurgh on 30 September.

Thomas said the performance should have been stopped as soon as it began. “Cut the music. Cut the cameras,” Thomas said. “The performer should not have made it through a full set while people entertained it.”

Thomas also described that they felt the incident reflected what she described as a longstanding problem with discrimination against Black people within LGBTQ+ spaces.

“I was disgusted but not surprised,” Thomas said.

“When you hear these kind of things, what are you going to do next? What’s your next action? Show us what it’s going to be when racism shows up in the bar.”

“How this person was even allowed to step onstage wearing this is beyond me,” local Black LGBTQ+ activist Chauntey MoNique wrote in a comment on Facebook, alleging the performer wore black makeup to imitate Hexxus from FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992).

The two hosts of the 23 September open stage also issued apologies. Brayden Butter wrote that they and their co-host “failed” to make a quick decision, adding: “Blackface references cross [a line], regardless of intent,” and said they will take “a long break” from co-hosting because they lack “the quick thinking and responsibility necessary for that environment.” Co-host Catty Wampus apologised too, writing: “It should have been put to a stop at first sight…”

The performer also apologised in a statement dated 28 September, writing: “My attempt for accuracy in a cosplay caused an egregious error that resulted in harm to a community I love and care for… Intent does not matter when it comes to the effects of what’s been done.”

Similar rows have played out in LGBTQ+ nightlife before, including when gay clubs issued apologies for allowing racist drag shows with queens in blackface in 2021.

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Jonathan McKinsey, 40, was found with multiple gunshot wounds in a California car park, on Saturday afternoon, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, McKinsey’s parents-in-law, were arrested at the scene.

Witnesses told KGO-TV in San Francisco they heard a flurry of gunshots before seeing the victim on the ground. “I saw the guy drop to the floor: head bloody and chest bloody,” witness Assad Razawi said. His daughter added that her father saw the couple “walking together and then casually walk away from the shooting”.

Police have not disclosed a motive.

The New York Times confirmed McKinsey’s death. He was the newspaper’s director of engineering for games player experience. The Times’ Games division includes long-running puzzles such as The Crossword and newer hits including Wordle.

What police say happened

McKinsey’s body was found at 15:00 on 26 September outside the Dublin Sports Grounds,35 miles east of San Francisco.

The couple were arrested at the scene soon after by a passing officer, and were held at the Santa Rita jail. They were due to appear in court on Wednesday, where they were formally charged.

According to The Guardian, prosecutors said Zhang admitted to shooting McKinsey, and a firearm was found in his car. The murder charges also include an additional allegation of lying in wait, which alleges the shooting was premeditated.

Court battle

McKinsey and his wife had been involved in a number of legal disputes over the past year, and had filed for divorce in December. They were still engaged in a child-custody battle when he was killed, and each had filed for domestic abuse restraining orders against the other.

According to the KGO, McKinsey had accused his in-laws of alleged abuse because of his trans identity. Court documents alleged Mckinsey’s father-in-law punched him in the chest after a double mastectomy, and his mother-in-law aimed anti-LGBTQ+ slurs at him and his eldest child.

Last year, McKinsey pleaded not guilty to two misdemeanour charges of domestic abuse, as per ABC, after he was accused of slapping one child and leaving another child at home while he was shopping. He reportedly acknowledged he had slapped the child, but alleged his wife had left the house without telling him their youngest child was asleep upstairs.

He was released from jail and told to complete a number of parenting classes. McKinsey was out on bail at the time of his killing.

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The couple shared the announcement in a joint Vogue interview and memoir excerpt published on Wednesday, 30 September.

Bush, 44, and Harris, 40, got married in an intimate upstate New York ceremony, with Harris’s children, Sloane and Ocean, there for the private celebration. Bush previously lovingly spoke of being a “bonus mum” for the children.

One Tree Hill icon Bush reflected on why they kept the milestone quiet at first, saying: “When you get to this stage in your life, you begin to unpack what’s yours and what’s always sort of been for everyone else,” adding: “It’s such a privilege to be able to perform as an athlete or an actor, but it also comes with certain costs.”

‘The visibility piece matters’

Harris stressed that their decision to go public was about more than their relationship. “This conversation is not about Sophia and I. We know the love we share,” she said, adding that “the visibility piece matters” for young people who may not yet feel seen.

Bush also explained that, after keeping their marriage private while they told loved ones in person, she wanted language that matched the reality of their relationship. “You’re not my partner, you know? You’re my wife,” she told Harris.

The reveal comes ahead of Bush’s first memoir, And I Will Tell You Mine: Notes from a Life in Progress, which is scheduled for release on 27 October.

Wedding details

The couple described a low-pressure day centred on family. Harris said: “The kids were just running and happy, and we picked flowers from the property and our daughter Sloane was holding them,” while Bush recalled: “It was so precious, and zero pressure,” adding that they ended the evening roasting marshmallows together.

Bush is best known for playing Brooke Davis on One Tree Hill and later starred in NBC’s Chicago PD. Harris is a former USWNT goalkeeper and a prominent figure in women’s football.

Bush publicly came out as queer and confirmed her relationship with Harris in April 2024. Harris was previously married to fellow footballer Ali Krieger.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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The 24-year-old was fined £2,884 and ordered to pay a £1,154 victim surcharge, £85 in costs and £500 in compensation.

The court heard the incident happened on 2 March at around 9pm, when the worker was cleaning near the alcohol aisle and a group of five men approached her.

As per the The Sun, prosecutor Mr Anderton told the court: “Mr Matthews asked her about Yorkshire puddings and then asked whether she liked English wood.”

Matthews then asked the worker, who “knew this meant penis” whether she was a lesbian after she said she did not like “Polish wood”.

Mr Anderton said the worker felt trapped because the men had surrounded her, and that she felt sexualised and uncomfortable during the exchange.

The court heard she gave one of the men her Instagram details to get rid of the group, before reporting what had happened to her manager.

What happened

The exchange was described in court as a sustained incident, rather than a brief comment in passing.

Chair magistrate Deborah Topping said: “It wasn’t just one or two words and then you walked away – it was sustained.”

The court also heard Matthews was on crutches at the time, while the worker had her arm in a sling due to a shoulder injury.

Matthews pleaded guilty to one charge of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Turning to religion

According to Matthews’ lawyer Mr Rathor, the social media star regretted his actions and had turned a new leaf after time in HMP Chelmsford earlier in the year.

“Since his release from prison he has been delivering a new message,” Mr Rathor said. “The two weeks spent in HMP Chelmsford made him turn over a new leaf. He’s turned to God and he wants to inspire the young.”

Inside the Manosphere

Matthews is part of the UK’s online “manosphere” ecosystem, a loose network of controversial creators and communities built around hyper-masculine, often misogynistic talking points.

Louis Theroux’s Inside the Manosphere helped push those online dynamics into the mainstream.

It also featured the likes of HSTikkyTokky, real name Harrison Sullivan, who took issue with the documentary.

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James weighed in as comedian and TV presenter Widdicombe continues to face intense scrutiny from some viewers following his first live show as a host on Strictly, with some calling for Ellie Taylor to replace him.

James argued that if audiences are not enjoying the programme, they should simply stop watching.

Ed James has his say

James described the reaction aimed at Widdicombe as “nasty”.

“Why is he getting a hard time?” he asked. “It’s a TV show?! If you didn’t like, him, switch off!”

The presenter said Widdicombe was “bound to have been nervous”, but said: “He’ll be just fine.”

James suggested viewers should be “a little kinder” and take their frustrations out in the gym, or over a glass of wine.

He shared a follow-up post, asking if social media has “made some people nastier”.

In a video, he said he’d had some backlash for telling people to be nicer, with some questioning why they should do what he says.

“People are being really nasty,” he said. “People are personally having a go at a guy who is literally just trying to do a job, and really early in the job. It’s his first live week. Is that necessary? Is that nice?”

Strictly pros weigh in

James’ comment section was soon filled with more than 1,000 fans having their say, with the post having more than 1million views.

Among them were Strictly pros Dianne Buswell and Lauren Oakley. According to The Mirror, Oakley posted a hands up emoji and added: “Yes!”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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Speaking on the How To Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast, the 63-year-old writer and producer discussed his relationship with Cole, 27, and reflected on grief following Smith’s death.

Davies addressed their 36-year age gap directly, saying: “[He’s] a lot younger, he’s 27, which is ridiculous, I know. But he’s Australian. They’re very grown up aren’t they, Australians?”

He went on to explain why he does not experience Cole as “young”, adding: “They know what’s what, he might as well be 40. It’s like, he’s kind of had a hell of a life actually. He’s seen a lot and done a lot and kind of fought his way to get to Britain.”

The Tip Toe screenwriter added: “He’s wonderful, and it’s a great lease of life in my life. He’s just gorgeous.”

Making space for late-husband

Davies also shared a small example of how their relationship makes room for Smith’s presence.

“My lovely boyfriend Oliver is completely respectful, and when I make him sit and watch The Chase, I’m like, ‘Andrew loved this. Watch this.’ Like that all the time, non-stop,” he said.

Smith died in September 2018 after a brain tumour diagnosis. Davies and Smith were together for two decades and entered a civil partnership in December 2012.

Living with grief

During the conversation, Davies also spoke about the reality of living with loss, saying: “I wish I could sit here and say, ‘Ah, do this and think of that’.”

He added: “But there isn’t a magic solution to grief, other than the fact that you need to earn a wage and you need to have your tea.”

In July, Davies described Smith’s death as his “greatest loss” and shared that he and Cole had celebrated their first anniversary that month.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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Ortiz, 36, has pleaded not guilty to trying to murder Rihanna, along with more than a dozen other felony charges stemming from the alleged shooting. Judge Maria Cavalluzzi made the ruling at a brief hearing on Tuesday (29 September) after psychiatric evaluations. Court documents containing details of those evaluations have been sealed.

What is Ivanna Lisette Ortiz accused of doing?

Police and prosecutors allege that on 8 March Ortiz arrived in a Tesla at the Beverly Hills-area property, pointed an AR-15 style rifle out of the window and fired at least 20 bullets towards the home and a neighbouring house.

No one was injured. Bullets tore through an Airstream trailer that Rihanna and A$AP Rocky were in at the time, and shots struck the wall of a nursery their children were in. Investigators said they found bullet holes in the trailer and on the exterior wall of the home’s second-floor nursery, where three kids were with their nanny.

Investigators said Ortiz denied trying to kill anyone after her arrest later that day, telling them: “I wasn’t attempting murder.”

Ortiz is charged with 10 counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and three counts of shooting at an occupied vehicle or dwelling.

What happens next in the Rihanna shooting trial?

The decision means the criminal case can resume after being paused. Ortiz was ordered to report for a hearing on Wednesday as the case returns to the regular criminal court process.

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Swift has released The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, an expanded edition featuring four new tracks: “Cleveland!”, “Patient Zero,” “Pink Clouding” and “Babylon.”

“Cleveland!” is described as being about Swift’s romance with Travis Kelce, who hails from Cleveland Heights. In the song, Swift sings: “Something we all can agree on / But my baby likes what he likes, oh-woah, oh-oh / He already took me to Cleveland / And showed me The Heights, so hate all you like / This is the love of my life, hey, hey, hey.”

On Wednesday, 30 September, the brothers discussed the track on New Heights, with Travis adding: “Shout out to Tay Tay, for making that song just giving the city a little more life.”

What did Travis and Jason Kelce say about ‘Cleveland!’?

Jason Kelce was just as enthusiastic, saying: “Dude, that song is incredible,” and adding that he and his wife, Kylie Kelce, had been listening to it a lot at home.

“There’s just something about it that makes you feel real good. It’s a great song,” Jason added.

Travis Kelce is a Kansas City Chiefs tight end and one of the NFL’s biggest current stars. Alongside Jason, a recently retired Philadelphia Eagles centre, he co-hosts New Heights, a sports-and-pop-culture podcast.

What’s in the ‘Cleveland!’ lyric video?

The “Cleveland!” release has also fuelled fan interest in the visuals around the track. People said the lyric video includes personal footage of Swift and Kelce travelling by car to Cleveland for a visit to his hometown.

The new music arrives nearly a year after Swift released her twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. When that album arrived on 3 October 2025, it already included romance-forward writing and a nod to Kelce and New Heights, setting the tone for the kind of lyric-led pop culture moment “Cleveland!” has now become.

The expanded album release has attracted a significant amount of criticism including from Pitchfork, who’s review ended “Taylor Swift will always have one of the greatest songwriting catalogs of all time. Not even Taylor Swift could take that away from her—but she sure is trying.” Ouch.

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Hanson could be seen reacting with a simple: “Wow.” The result made Hanson and Stewart the fourth couple to depart the competition this season.

They joined Conner Leavitt and Adele Zaikman, Sarah Jane Nader and Hailey Bills, and Giada De Laurentiis and Alan Bersten, who have already been eliminated.

The night also reshaped the leaderboard. At the end of week 3, Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov and Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson were tied at the top, while Guillermo Rodriguez and Witney Carson sat at the bottom.

Who is still in the competition after DWTS week 3?

With Hanson and Stewart out, twelve couples remain in the running for the Mirrorball Trophy.

They will be aiming to impress judges Carrie Ann Inaba, Derek Hough, and Bruno Tonioli as the season continues.

Hanson is best known as a member of pop-rock band Hanson, which broke through in the late 1990s with “MMMBop”. Stewart is one of the show’s professional dancers.

When is the next DWTS episode and what is the theme?

The competition resumes Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and Disney+, with streaming available the next day on Hulu.

Next up is “Yacht Rock Night”, with the official episode logline teasing: “Thirteen remaining couples cruise into “Yacht Rock Night,” with performances set to smooth grooves, soft-rock classics and iconic hits that defined the yacht rock era.”

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Speaking on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live, he told Jeff Lewis that he pays his 23-year-old babysitter $30 an hour for childcare. The Real Housewives reunion host, reportedly estimated to be worth around $50million, is dad to son Benjamin, seven, and daughter Lucy, four.

During Monday’s episode, Lewis pushed back immediately, telling him: “Oh, hmm. That sounds cheap to me. Especially from someone with your money.”

Lewis then questioned what Cohen paid for a recent period, asking: “She was there for two hours, and you gave her 60 bucks? Did that even cover the cab?”

Cohen, who recently made his red carpet debut with his new boyfriend Kevin Sobieski, corrected him, replying: “She was there for two hours and fifteen minutes, so I gave her $70.”

Lewis compared Cohen’s rate with what he pays at home, saying he pays his babysitter $37 an hour to look after his daughter, nine-year-old Monroe.

He also said he would have paid more for the same job, adding: “I probably would’ve given her 100 for two hours, two kids.”

The conversation has since prompted debate online about what counts as “normal” for childcare in New York, where Cohen is based.

On social media, fans have been left divided. One said: “That seems cheap to me in NYC for two children.” Another said: “That’s cheap for two kids in NYC.”

However someone else suggested: “$30 an hour is more than minimum wage in most states.” Someone else added: “That’s plenty for a babysitter!”

Andy Cohen on fatherhood

Andy Cohen welcomed both children via surrogacy. Benjamin was born on 4 February, 2019, while Lucy followed on 29 April, 2022.

Speaking on his talk show Watch What Happens Live in December 2018 before the birth of his son, he said: “Family means everything to me and having one of my own is something that I have wanted in my heart for my entire life.

“Though it’s taken me longer than most to get there, I cannot wait for what I envision will be the most rewarding chapter yet.”

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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The case was thrown out on 28 September after US District Judge Tiffany R. Johnson concluded the evidence did not establish the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a recipient of federal financial assistance, a threshold requirement for Title IX claims.

In her written ruling, Johnson said: “There is no evidence that the NCAA ever received, or could have received, federal funds. Thus, Plaintiffs’ Title IX claims cannot proceed.”

Gaines responded in an X post announcing an appeal, writing: “Of course, we will appeal,” and adding: “The goal from the beginning was to get this case before the Supreme Court.”

Why the judge said Title IX didn’t apply to the NCAA

The lawsuit was filed in March 2024 by Gaines and a group of current and former female collegiate athletes. It challenged the NCAA’s trans-inclusive policies, arguing they violated the athletes’ rights under Title IX.

Gaines’ legal team argued the NCAA received federal funds through a collaboration connected to concussion research via the Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium. Johnson found that an affiliation was not the same as being a direct recipient of federal money.

As set out in the judge’s order, Department of Defense funding went to the university and other research participants rather than to the NCAA. Johnson also granted the NCAA’s motion for summary judgment on the lawsuit’s other Title IX claims, closing the case at that court level.

What happens next in Riley Gaines’ NCAA lawsuit appeal?

To continue the lawsuit, Gaines’ side must file a notice of appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit within 30 days.

Gaines, a former University of Kentucky swimmer, became a prominent conservative media figure after the 2022 NCAA championships and has campaigned for restrictions on trans women and girls participating in women’s sport, appearing frequently in right-leaning media and at political events.

The lawsuit repeatedly referenced the 2022 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships at Georgia Tech, where Gaines tied for fifth place with trans swimmer Lia Thomas in the 200-yard freestyle final. Thomas also became the first openly transgender athlete to win an NCAA Division I championship, taking gold in the 500-yard freestyle.

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Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for Combs, said: “We never know how or why the BOP calculates and posts these dates.”

Combs is serving a four years and two months (50 months) sentence after being convicted last year on two prostitution-related charges. A jury found him guilty of two counts of transporting prostitutes across state lines for the purpose of sex, and acquitted him of racketeering and sex trafficking charges. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release.

What does the Bureau of Prisons listing show now?

The 21 January 2028 date is the latest in a series of shifting projections since Combs began serving his sentence at FCI Fort Dix.

An earlier projected release date was listed as 8 May 2028, before subsequent changes. The date was most recently listed as 5 February before now moving again to 21 January 2028.

Another adjustment was tied to alleged misconduct. The projected release date was previously pushed back to 4 June 2028 following allegations, denied by his attorney, that he drank moonshine and made an unauthorised three-way phone call.

A statement posted on Diddy’s X account said: “The rumors claiming Mr Combs was caught with alcohol are completely false.” It added: “His only focus is becoming the best version of himself and returning to his family.”

Why has Combs’ case stayed in the spotlight?

Combs is a rapper, producer and entrepreneur who rose to prominence in the 1990s and built Bad Boy Records into one of mainstream hip-hop’s defining labels. He is also known for hits including “I’ll Be Missing You”, and has remained a high-profile and polarising celebrity figure for decades.

The legal saga around him has played out publicly for years. In November 2023, Cassie Ventura accused Combs of rape and sex trafficking in a federal lawsuit.

In July 2025, he was acquitted of racketeering and sex trafficking charges but found guilty on two lesser transportation-for-prostitution counts.

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In the preview, Bowick frames her brother’s life as a story that held both joy and pain. “All great stories have comedy and tragedy in them, and that certainly was Matthew’s story,” she says. She then recalls the emotional struggle she says sat underneath his addiction: “My brother would talk about that feeling of emptiness or loneliness that he couldn’t quite fill.”

Bowick underlines the scale of what she describes as Perry’s efforts to recover. “He spent $7m trying to get sober,” she continues. “That’s how seriously he took his disease.”

Netflix has confirmed the series will be released on 27 October.

What does Mia Perry Bowick say in the Netflix trailer?

Bowick also explains why she chose to take part in the documentary. “It’s taken time for me to feel ready to share these memories and what it was like to love Matthew through all the complexity of his life, to see him as a whole person, not just as Chandler, and not just as someone who struggled with addiction,” she says.

She adds: “I hope this series gives everyone who loved him, whether personally or from afar, a deeper appreciation for who he truly was, and the legacy he leaves behind.”

The documentary is described as exploring “the full scope of who Matthew was: the comedic genius, the man who grappled with addiction, the advocate in the addiction and recovery space”.

What else has Perry said about the cost of getting sober?

Perry was best known for playing the iconic Chandler Bing on Friends (1994–2004). He discussed addiction and recovery publicly for years, including in his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

In the book, he wrote that he spent over $7m on 15 rehab stints, and later said in an interview it was likely closer to $9m.

Perry was found unresponsive in the pool at his residence on 28 October 2023 and was pronounced dead aged 54. It was later revealed he died of the acute effects of ketamine.

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The brothers’ claim names the band’s former sound engineer Huw Richards as a defendant, alongside his son Owain and Worcestershire-based auction house Littleton Auctions. The recordings are due to be sold on Saturday.

The archive is described as featuring Oasis soundchecks, rehearsals and “unfiltered dialogue and banter” between Noel and Liam during the band’s peak years, spanning 1994 to 2001. It is also described as consisting of 209 DAT tapes, 73 analogue cassettes and three MiniDiscs.

Richards was quoted as saying: “The quality of the audio is great; they are literally ready to be mastered and put on a live album,” though the sellers have said intellectual property rights would stop any buyer from commercialising the recordings.

What’s on the Oasis recordings due for auction?

As well as off-mic moments, the collection is said to capture the band in working mode, with soundchecks and rehearsals logged across the seven-year period.

It has also been claimed that the archive includes what is said to be the only recording of Oasis’s 1996 Loch Lomond concert.

Why are Noel and Liam trying to stop the sale?

Oasis say they retain the intellectual property and copyright, while Richards argues he is the legal owner because he made the recordings and has them in his possession.

Oasis Partnership, Sony Music and Big Brother Recordings are listed as claimants alongside Noel and Liam Gallagher.

Littleton Auctions managing director Ben Homer was quoted as saying: “The Oasis camp is aware of the auction and has expressed concerns, which is entirely understandable given the scale and significance of the material.”

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Danni, an HGV service centre administrator, became the first baker to leave the tent in Week 2 after failing to impress judges Paul Hollywood and Nigella Lawson across the biscuit-themed challenges, which ended with a biscuit mosaic showstopper.

Despite the disappointment, Danni sounded upbeat in her post-exit comments. “Oh my goodness I am really happy that I was the first one out because I know everyone in there has more skills than me,” she said. Danni added: “But I think I’ve learned something about myself, which is that in the right circumstances I can make quite a few friends.”

She also signed off warmly, saying: “Thank you so much, it’s been so lovely, it has!” and later reflected: “The writing was on the wall for me, so this wasn’t a surprise at all!”

Why did Danni leave Bake Off 2026 in Biscuit Week?

Biscuit Week saw the bakers take on three challenges, including American-style cookies for the signature and a “visually striking” biscuit mosaic for the showstopper.

Danni’s exit appeared to hit the tent hard. Some of her fellow bakers, including Clara and Shannon, were left crying after the elimination, and Yannis was visibly emotional after the exit of one of the tent’s most interesting characters.

Danni also had a couple of moments that viewers are unlikely to forget in a hurry. Asked for her standout memory, she said: “It was probably accidentally spraying my Bog Water all over Gary while blending down my greens.” During her showstopper presentation, she also joked about using cyanide as flavouring.

Who won Star Baker, and when is the next episode?

Tom, a Yorkshire hairdresser, was named Star Baker during Biscuit Week, marking him out as an early contender as the competition begins to take shape.

The 2026 series began with 12 amateur bakers, and the show returned to Channel 4 at 8pm on 22 September, with Lawson joining the judging panel for her first series.

The Great British Bake Off continues on Tuesday 6 October at 8pm on Channel 4, with 11 bakers remaining in the tent.

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The 42-year-old spoke about the disappointment while appearing on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast, reflecting on what she thought could have been her next step within the Strictly franchise.

Manrara became a familiar face to UK audiences through the BBC ballroom competition, first as one of its professional dancers and later as a presenter on Strictly companion show It Takes Two.

What did Janette Manrara say about the Strictly presenter job?

Manrara described the moment as a rare, career-shaking blow. She said the snub left her with “heartache” and was the “biggest rejection of her career”.

She also said she had spoken with Fleur East and Zoe Ball about the “grief” they all felt at missing out on the job.

In the same conversation, Manrara said she felt like a frontrunner to replace long-time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on the main show.

Where does this leave her in the Strictly franchise?

Manrara was a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing before moving into the companion show It Takes Two, where she co-hosted alongside Fleur East.

She and East were later axed from It Takes Two, with Ellie Taylor replacing them.

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Speaking to his Instagram followers from hospital, the The Only Way Is Essex star said: “I’ve been having these breakouts, I get welts that literally look like a toad.”

Norris, who revealed results of his facelift earlier this year, said his GP sent him for blood tests at a different hospital and “quite a few things” came back on the results. He added: “Because it was so extensive, the list just from the bloods, they’ve sent me to Guy’s Hospital.”

He said he was there for “several tests”, adding that he did not know exactly what he was being tested for.

Norris also shared a photo showing his back covered in a blotchy rash.

Bobby Norris asks for help

In the caption, Norris said tests arranged through his GP “came back with some extensive allergies” and that he had been referred to a specialist in London for further tests “to find out in greater detail what exactly I’m allergic to”.

He then appealed directly to people who might have been through something similar, writing: “Any fellow allergy sufferers out there?”

Norris also asked followers whether they, or anyone they know, react with “toad like welts” to particular foods.

Who is Bobby Norris?

Norris is a British reality TV personality best known for appearing on TOWIE. He has built a public profile through reality TV, celebrity media appearances and social media engagement, and he is out gay.

In 2021, he mocked trolls who claimed Boris Johnson paid him £5,000 to pretend he had COVID-19, after he tested positive for coronavirus.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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The aircraft landed in Tabuk, described as a civilian and military base in Saudi Arabia. In a short statement, the airline said the flight had “landed safely after an incident during the journey”.

Unnamed Israeli officials have been speaking to Israeli media, one of those officials told Channel 12 “A very serious disaster was averted”.

The Jerusalem Post also quoted an unnamed Israeli official as saying a “major disaster was narrowly avoided”.

How did a Dubai to Tel Aviv flight end up in Saudi Arabia?

The plane sent an emergency alert shortly after take-off, based on publicly available flight tracking information.

CBS News said an unnamed official confirmed Israel scrambled warplanes amid fears of a hijacking involving a plane believed to be carrying “dozens of its citizens”.

Reports of a hijacking also circulated elsewhere, but an unnamed Israeli security source told ABC News the incident was not a hijacking.

What do we know about the reported cockpit incident?

CBS News reported that Israeli media, citing security officials, alleged the incident was not a hijacking, but instead stemmed from a feud between the two pilots, and that everyone on board was safe. A regional official briefed on the incident separately told CBS that a fight broke out in the cockpit and apparently involved pilots.

An Israeli passenger on board the diverted flight told journalists that the crew asked passengers for help and that passengers and cabin crew tackled one of the pilots and had to help tie him down. Other passengers have reported that one the pilots was stabbed.

The New York Times also reported that Israeli officials said: “The plane was travelling from Dubai to Israel when the pilot and co-pilot appear to have gotten into a fight”.

Netanyahu’s office later said the situation was under control and Israel was working to bring the passengers home.

Flydubai (stylised flydubai) is a government-owned low-cost carrier based in Dubai, operating regional and medium-haul routes across the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Europe. It operates from Dubai International Airport as part of Dubai’s broader aviation ecosystem alongside Emirates, and has expanded rapidly since launching in 2009.

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Stuart Little star Lipnicki, 35, plays a paedophile character in the film, and said the combination of nudity and subject matter made the role “intimidating”.

Speaking to Hollywood Reporter, Lipnicki said he had been eager to take on more challenging work, adding that he’d “prayed for dark material” to sink his teeth into as an actor.

He also said he had prior experience with nudity on stage. “I’ve done full frontal before in a play, Lost Girls, so that part didn’t bother me as much,” he explained.

Lipnicki went on: “The paedophile element by itself is terrifying to tackle, and then you add the nudity. Not only are you a paedophile, you’re a naked, full-frontal pedophile. It was intimidating, to say the least.”

What happens in the full-frontal scene?

The Daily Mail says that in the scene, Lipnicki’s character is shown nude as Hansen “busts” him while he is trying to meet an underage boy for sex.

The film is directed by Lance Oppenheim, his first fictional feature film after specialising in documentaries. It revisits the world of televised predator stings associated with To Catch a Predator, a recurring segment on Dateline NBC in which Hansen confronted suspected child predators who were allegedly attempting to meet minors they had met online, who were actually adult decoys.

Primetime premiered earlier this month at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a seven-minute standing ovation.

From child stardom to adult roles

Lipnicki became famous as a child for playing Ray Boyd in Jerry Maguire (1996), and later starred in family films including Stuart Little (1999) and Like Mike (2002). He has spoken publicly about the difficulty of transitioning into adult roles.

In an ABC News interview, he recalled an audition at 19 where a producer told him: “You used to be cute. What happened?”

Lipnicki said: “He said I’m not attractive anymore and a lot of really rough stuff. I took it hard. I cried on my way home.”

Speaking in a 2017 Instagram post, which has since been removed, he opened up about the bullying he received as a child. The actor, who is straight, said: “I didn’t go a day without being called some form of gay slur, or a hateful slur pretty much every day of middle school.”

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The post Stuart Little’s Jonathan Lipnicki all grown up in new full frontal role appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

The 23-year-old publicly came out as bisexual early in the series in the Diary Room, but is yet to talk about it with his co-stars.

During Tuesday’s (29 September) episode, he discussed it with Big Brother again in the Diary Room, explaining how his girlfriend of “four to five years” reacted.

Big Brother called him in to the Diary Room to discuss his actions of the night before, which saw him threaten to climb over the wall in a fit of rage.

He said he was in a mood “because of life”, explaining: “I sit there worrying about my girlfriend. I sit there worrying about my nan and my family, my father.

“I mean, I have a lot of worries about the outside world in here. I mean, look, I come on here to obviously come out and say I’m bisexual and stuff.”

He continued: “It was a big thing for me especially at the time, more than anyone else, to be honest. My girlfriend was very good about it, and we we do have a very, very strong bond.

“I’ve been with my girlfriend for probably about four to five years now. There’s nothing really about it. Like, she didn’t really care, to be honest.” Yeah, she didn’t really care about this, of you.”

And while we love her reaction, fans have been left scratching their heads because Frankie told his co-stars earlier in the series that he was single.

On Day 2, he spoke about his “ex-girlfriend”, saying they split up for “personal reasons”. He told his co-stars that they had met in school, then got together when he saw her in the pub after lockdown, which suggests this would be the same girlfriend he was discussing during Tuesday night’s episode.

The clip recirculated on X after his latest comments, which left viewers very confused.

One said: “Okay well now I’m confused because didn’t Frankie say he had split from his girlfriend? Was he talking about a different ex?”

Another said: “People say lots of things, it don’t make them true, Big Brother contestants are allowed to lie like the rest of us.”

A third wrote: “No but he really forgot he broke up with his girlfriend or he can’t move on or something.”

‘He really forgot he broke up with his girlfriend’

Someone else said: “I’m baffled. He has an ex girlfriend he got with after lockdown, he’s still close with, the reason they broke up he’s not comfortable sharing (we all assumed was him being bi). He’s got a girlfriend for four to five years, he’s been struggling with being bi for two years, she’s fine with it. Right??”

Meanwhile, many others wondered what the truth to the situation was, as it appeared Frankie couldn’t keep his story straight. And some called for the ex-maybe-not-ex-girlfriend to share her side to the story.

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

Share your thoughts! Let us know in the comments below, and remember to keep the conversation respectful.

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