Jordan Stephens said he challenged a man in a gym sauna who claimed he could not relax around gay men, calling out what he described as a double standard about sexualisation in straight spaces.

The musician and actor shared the story on the Miss Me? podcast with co-host Miquita Oliver, while talking about why he enjoys queer venues.

Stephens, who recently split from LGBTQ+ ally and all-round icon Jade Thirlwall, said he feels “able to experience joy” in a “non-judgmental space” in queer spaces, referencing London venues including Dalston Superstore and The Divine.

What Jordan Stephens said happened in the sauna

Stephens said the conversation began in “a sauna at his local gym”, after he overheard one man asking another about enjoying a night out at a gay bar. He said he joined in, agreeing with the idea that queer parties can feel safer.

He recalled the man describing an atmosphere where “there wasn’t this kind of like base level aggression”.

Stephens then recounted the moment the second man voiced discomfort about being sexualised by gay men.

“One of the guys went, ‘Yeah, but the thing is, when you’re in these spaces, yeah, like, I don’t know if I can relax ’cause I don’t know what they’re thinking,’” Stephens said.

He said he pushed back by pointing to what he saw as hypocrisy in how some straight men behave in other nightlife environments.

“Yet you’re willing to be in a straight space where you’re doing the same thing to women,” Stephens replied.

He added: “So you know that there’s a level of discomfort with experiencing the idea that you might be being sexualised, but you are willing to be the person doing it in a whole other space.”

Jordan Stephens’ allyship

Stephens is an English musician and actor, best known as one half of the duo Rizzle Kicks. He has also acted in film and TV, including fronting independent drama Tucked which saw him take on the role of a drag queen, in 2018.

This year, Stephens attended the Trans Mission Live benefit concert for Not a Phase and the Good Law Project. Speaking at the event, he said: “Honestly, I feel like straight men will benefit from being in these spaces.”

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Around 100,000 people have HIV in England. There is currently no cure, though the vast majority can manage the virus with medication which hugely reduces the viral load to an undetectable level, which means they cannot pass it on. For a minority, though, the virus has mutated and become resistant to medication readily offered.

Now, the drug Lenacapavir will be offered to those at risk in the coming weeks – reportedly 92 eligible patients. That number is expected to rise to around 300 over the next three years.

One woman told the Mirror that the medication has saved her life.

She explained that she had been born with HIV and had tried a number of different medications, but had a fear of swallowing large tablets and eventually grew resistance to more readily available drugs. It saw her regularly admitted to hospital with a dangerously low immune system and related complications.

“Lenacapavir has been life saving for me,” she said, now living with a restore immune system and undetectable levels. “Before this medication, I was really unwell. Now I am working full time and am living a normal life. I’m not worried anymore and feel a lot happier.”

The woman shared praise for the NHS that it will be offered to people like her with a resistant form of HIV, adding: “It can make all the difference.”

How the new medication will work

Eligible patients will take a tablet for two days, followed by another on day eight.

Afterwards, they will have two injections, before having an injection every six months.

Health Minister Baroness Merron said the “landmark treatment will totally transform” the lives of those living with a drug-resistant HIV. Merron added that the Government is “determined to end new HIV transmissions by 2030”.

National AIDS Trust director Daniel Fluskey said: “This is a huge decision for people who need life-saving treatment and takes us a step closer to ensuring that no one dies from AIDS-related illnesses here in the UK.

“Over years too many people have lost loved ones, family, and friends because of a lack of access to medicine and the harm caused by stigma, prejudice, and discrimination. So when a new life-saving treatment is available it must get to the people who need it.”

It’s reported that around 100 people each year in England may need the new drug.

NHS England director for specialised commissioning John Stewart said: “This trailblazing new drug, approved for the first time by the NHS, is offering a lifelines to those people for whom options are limited, as conventional HIV treatments do not work. And it gives them the opportunity to live a normal, healthy and long life.”

Richard Angell OBE, Chief Executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, said: “It’s a great step forward and relief for those who need it that lenacapavir is now available as HIV treatment. For the vast majority of people living with HIV, existing treatments mean that they can live long, healthy lives and can’t pass on HIV. However, for the small number of people for whom a daily pill does not work – most likely those who took earlier HIV medication or acquired HIV at birth – the option of injectable treatment presents them with hope. For them, this news is not just game-changing, it’s life-saving. We’re grateful to everyone who has worked so hard to make this happen.”

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The commercial, uploaded to the brand’s social media on 2 June and titled “The Boyfriend”, features a young woman introducing her new boyfriend to her dad. But rather than focusing on the introductions, the boyfriend becomes completely mesmerised by a floating Cheez-It hovering near the father’s face.

“Oh wow. You are even cheesier, yummier, and saltier in person,” he tells the confused father. He continues admiring the cracker, saying: “You’re making my mouth water. Just so delicious. If I could just…”

He then lunges forward and takes a bite of the Cheez-It, which is positioned directly in front of the father’s lips, creating what One Million Moms describes as something that “looks suspiciously like a kiss on the mouth”.

The joke is, of course, that the boyfriend is talking about the cracker rather than his prospective father-in-law. The commercial ends with him happily eating Cheez-Its while the father and daughter awkwardly discuss what just happened. The tagline? “Cravings can happen anywhere.”

One Million Moms, a group created by the American Family Association, was apparently not amused.

“This ad demonstrates weak marketing,” the group complained in a 12 August post to their website, arguing that Cheez-It should have the “corporate responsibility” not to use what it considers an offensive euphemism. The group has also launched a petition demanding that the company cancel the commercial, describing it as “vulgar” and “extremely irresponsible”.

Who are One Million Moms?

One Million Moms has a lengthy history of campaigning against LGBTQ+ representation and what they deem “inappropriate” content in advertising. Just this year, One Million Moms has taken a stance against Deochii’s Levi’s Jeans Super Bowl commercial, Michelle Visage’s PrEP public awareness campaign, and Megan Fox’s Dr Squatch ad.

Despite its name, One Million Moms does not appear to actually have a membership of one million people, and its petitions have historically attracted nowhere near that number of signatures. Its latest Cheez-It petition had slightly more than 12,000 signatures at the time of writing.

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The actor’s death was announced on Sunday (16 August) via a statement from her father. According to TMZ, police responded to an incident involving the actress on Sunday, and there is an investigation ongoing, with a further report saying police found no initial signs of foul play and the circumstances to Panettiere’s death did not appear suspicious, ahead of an autopsy which will be performed on 17 August.

According to Page Six, paramedics responded to a call of a woman in “cardiac arrest” after a suspected “overdose”, with emergency responders performing CPR, though she was sadly pronounced dead at 2.32pm.

In the statement, her father, Skip Panettiere, said: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”

He went on to ask for privacy for her family as they “take time to process this unimaginable loss”.

Panettiere began her acting career at just 11 months old, with her first role being a toy advert. At age nine, she voiced Dot in A Bug’s Life, which was her film debut. From this point on, Panettiere worked steadily before taking on the iconic role of Claire Bennet in Heroes. The hit show ran for four seasons and catapulted Panettiere into fame.

She also went on to star in the hit show Nashville as troubled musician Juliette Barnes. This role earned her two Golden Globe nominations and saw 11 of her songs enter Billboard’s Hot Country Songs charts.

Following the birth of her daughter in 2014, Panettiere struggled with anxiety, depression, substance abuse and alcoholism. She gave full custody of her daughter to her ex-partner, Ukrainian heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, in 2018 so that she could focus on her recovery.

Panettiere got candid about her journey in a 2022 interview with People, saying: “This hasn’t been easy and there were a lot of ups and downs. But I don’t regret even the ugliest things that have happened to me. I feel incredibly accomplished. And I feel like I have a second chance.”

She published her memoir earlier this year, This is Me: A Reckoning, in which spoke about the struggles she has had with fame, addiction and recovery. She also spoke about her sexuality, coming out as bisexual. Of coming out, she said: “I had to wait until I was 36 years old to share that part of me, but better late than never.”

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In a 16 August interview with The Sunday Times, the X-Files and The Crown star revealed that one of her earliest relationships was with an older girl at her high school.

Anderson said: “It felt secretive and illicit and wrong and we had to hide”. She said the relationship was eventually discovered by a boyfriend she had later on, who broke up with her after finding out.

Despite the relationship, Anderson said she didn’t think of herself as LGBTQ+ at the time because she had also had a few relationships with boys.

“But I definitely felt I didn’t have the language for it,” she said. “Even later on when I had other relationships [with women] I’m not sure I ever thought of them as being potentially forever.”

Anderson previously discussed her high school relationship in a 2012 interview with Out, saying she had been “in a relationship with a girl for a long time” during high school. At the time, she also spoke about how her relationships and appearance during her teenage years challenged expectations of what was considered socially acceptable.

Now, Anderson says that, looking back, she recognises that there were parts of herself she simply didn’t know how to articulate. She said that when she was younger, “there were parts of my brain that thought [women] were temporary”.

Anderson has been married twice, to X-Files assistant art director Clyde Klotzalso and documentary filmmaker Julian Ozanne. In her conversation with The Sunday Times, Anderson offered a reflection on how she views partnership now. Although the person she considers her life partner “happens to be male”, she said she believes she would feel exactly the same way if that person were a woman.

“I’d feel, ‘This is my life partner,’” she said.

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While the movie, a sequel to 2019’s Frozen 2, isn’t out until 2027, fans at the 2026 D23 Expo in Anaheim, California were the first to get a glimpse of what to expect.

It was revealed that some supernatural forces approach as Anna and Kristoff tie the knot, with Elsa and Anna entering a crystallised world, seemingly the home of a mystery new villain.

Not much was seen of the villain, other than her long, manicured nails, though it seems she will have magical powers, just like Elsa.

More romance was also confirmed, with loveable snowman Olaf set to meet another snowman (or snowwoman?) called Samantha.

However, some fans are still hopeful there could be some sapphic romance for Elsa.

Is Elsa a lesbian in Frozen 3?

Sorry to break it to you, but it’s highly unlikely Disney would make its most popular character a lesbian, especially three movies deep.

LGBTQ+ representation is rare across Disney releases (though there is some), but given the recent and continuous attacks on queer media (like the Trump administration wanting warnings on LGBTQ+ shows), a canon, lesbian Elsa isn’y likely to be happening any time soon.

Despite that, some fans are hopeful that it will happen, and that the introduction of a villainous female would be the perfect opportunity for it.

Why do fans think Elsa is queer?

Unlike most Disney heroines, Elsa is not seen to have a romantic storyline, with that falling to her sister Anna, instead.

Some have also taken the song “Let It Go” to be queer-coded due to its lyrics of hiding one’s true self – or being in the closet. Again, something Disney has never (and likely will never) confirmed.

However, the cast and creators have previously spoken fondly of how much the Frozen films and messaging means to queer fans.

In a 2018 interview with Huffington Post, co-creator Jennifer Lee said: “I love everything people are saying [and] people are thinking about with our film – that it’s creating dialogue, that Elsa is this wonderful character that speaks to so many people. It means the world to us that we’re part of these conversations.

“Where we’re going with it, we have tons of conversations about it, and we’re really conscientious about these things.

“For me … Elsa’s every day telling me where she needs to go, and she’ll continue to tell us. I always write from character-out, and where Elsa is and what Elsa’s doing in her life, she’s telling me every day. We’ll see where we go.”

Similarly, Idina Menzel, who voices Elsa, has shown support to the idea of Elsa having a female love interest.

She told Huffington Post: “I would support [that]. I just want Elsa to find a wonderful partner in life, and to feel unconditional love in addition to what she receives from her sister.”

Menzel also reacted to the “#GiveElsaAGirlfriend” fan campaign in 2016, telling Entertainment Tonight: “I think it’s great that she’s stirring it up. Disney’s just gotta contend with that. I’ll let them figure out.” She added she would embrace the storyline “no matter what”.

Furthermore, speaking to Miley Cyrus on The Ellen Show in 2016, she said: “I’m a servant of Disney … I, Idina Menzel, say I am all for it, I think it’s a wonderful idea, a wonderful conversation that we should all have about whether a Disney princess or queen could be gay, but I can’t promise anyone that is gonna happen.”

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Herron shared the news in the comments of an Instagram post by fellow director Ally Pankiw, who last week revealed she had told her team “absolutely f****** not” when approached about the show.

“They’ve asked me twice and I’ve had to explain my answer is never gonna change from a no,” Herron wrote.

Herron is a highly experienced television director, best known for executive producing and directing the first season of Marvel’s Loki, as well as work on Sex Education, The Last of Us and Doctor Who.

Pankiw later shouted out Herron’s refusal on her Instagram Stories, writing: “Also want to shout out the amazing Kate Herron who also said no… twice! And that’s actually hard!”

The objections from both directors stem from JK Rowling‘s involvement in gender-critical politics.

Since 2020, the author has become an increasingly prominent campaigner for “women’s sex-based rights”, also offering legal funding to fight for them.

She will serve as an executive producer on the new series, which begins streaming on HBO Max this Christmas.

In an interview with Them, Pankiw said she hoped others would follow suit. “The more artists working at a high level who refuse to engage in work for companies that hurt marginalised communities… the more those companies will realise that maybe these investments are not as worth it as they thought,” she said.

The series’ cast have repeatedly been pressed on Rowling’s views. Bel Powley, who plays Petunia Dursley, said she “strongly disagrees” with the author’s beliefs, while John Lithgow and Nick Frost have also distanced themselves from her stance.

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The openly queer actress, a keen golfer for over a decade, shared the story during an appearance on the podcast In Your Dreams with Owen Thiele.

Stewart, who is married to director Dylan Meyer, reflected on the sport’s rigid, old-fashioned culture, noting the dress codes imposed on women players.

“You go golfing and it’s like the ladies have to wear like skirts in a certain level, and you’re not supposed to be a dirt bag and you can’t have your tattoos show,” she said.

She then recounted a hostile encounter with a fellow player. “I ran back to grab a putter that I left on a putting green or whatever, and I had some dude literally be like ‘Run!'” she said.

“And I turned around and I was like ‘Ah, f*** you man.’ And he went ‘F*** you, d***.'”

She added: “And I was like, welcome to golf!”

Stewart has spoken about her love of golf in interviews for years. She has previously revealed she scored a hole-in-one during the Covid-19 pandemic, telling Stephen Colbert about the feat in 2022, and is regularly photographed out on the course in Los Angeles.

The Twilight and Spencer star has long been one of Hollywood’s most prominent openly queer actors, and has spoken candidly in the past about the homophobia she has encountered both in the industry and in everyday life.

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The previous policy told trans employees that, where workplace toilets were gender-specific, they should use the facilities they felt safest in. It also said staff would not be expected to use disabled toilets as an alternative, but were welcome to if they chose.

The Co-op has now removed that language from its transgender and non-binary inclusion policy, which applies to its roughly 54,000 employees. The updated policy instead says that, wherever possible, the retailer will provide individual, lockable gender-neutral facilities, with decisions about access to gendered spaces made “sensitively and on a case-by-case basis,” as reported by The Sunday Times.

The change follows the UK Supreme Court’s April 2025 ruling on the legal meaning of “woman” and “man”, as well as new guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) stating that single-sex spaces should be provided based on biological sex. The guidance came into effect this month across England, Wales and Scotland and applies to a wide range of public and workplace settings.

A spokesperson for the Co-op, which has been a vocal supporter of trans rights, said it updated the policy following legal advice and consultation with its staff networks “to ensure compliance with our legal obligations and to support our trans, non-binary and intersex colleagues”, in a statement to The Sunday Times.

The retailer’s former CEO Shirine Khoury-Haq had told The Telegraph last May that she would “protect trans people to the end” following the Supreme Court ruling. The Co-op has since been hit by significant leadership changes, with Khoury-Haq leaving earlier this year after claims of a “toxic” culture in the workplace. Chair Debbie White also announced her resignation last Monday (10 August).

The Co-op is not the only major UK employer to change its approach. Lloyds Banking Group also removed trans-inclusive toilet provisions in May, directing trans women away from women’s lavatories and toward gender-neutral facilities.

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Taking on the role of mean girl train stewardess Amber, Hytes stars alongside Marty Lauter (better known as Marcia Marcia Marcia) and Symone as her sidekicks Alli and Ayshleiygh.

As stewardesses of the Glamazonian Express, they’re at odds with Ginger Minj and Jujubee’s Tess and DeeDee, who sneak jobs on the train after their previous jobs on Stank Rail are taken away.

The camp, side-splitting film, from World of Wonder and also starring RuPaul as President Judy Gagwell, is a 90-minute run of non-stop jokes and tomfoolery that is sure to become a gay classic.

Ahead of the film’s UK cinema release on 21 August, PinkNews sat down to spill the tea with Brooke Lynn Hytes, herself.

PinkNews: So, how did the role come about? Were there lots of auditions, were you handpicked by Ru?

Brooke Lynn Hytes: I auditioned once. I sent in my tape, and then I got cast. [Laughing] Then I had to do a mud wrestling competition with another girl to officially get the role. No I’m just kidding. I had to mud wrestle Jimbo for the role.

How did you feel when you found out you got it?

I was excited. It was awesome. I didn’t process it very long because I was really busy at the time, but I was kind of like, ‘Oh, that’s amazing!’ And then I forgot about it until it was actually time to do it. It was a really quick process between audition, getting the script, filming. The thing with movies is, you get the script and then it changes every day anyway, but we didn’t get the initial script until a couple days before we actually started shooting. I think it was a couple-month window from when I auditioned, found out I got the role, and then we shot.

Your character is almost like the Regina George of the Glamazonian Express, how did you find it stepping into those high heels?

Oh, difficult. It was a real stretch for me… It was fun though, I had a great time. It’s always fun to play the villain – I think those are just more interesting, fun characters to do.

One thing that stood out to me with the film is it’s just constant jokes, camp fun, stupidess. How on Earth did you get through the script!?

Oh my gosh! I only broke once. If you’re going to watch the movie, there’s a great blooper reel at the end during the credits. I’m so glad the one time I broke on set was in there. I had to say a line to Jujubee and had to look at her while I was saying it, and she was just acting and being Jujubee, and I for some reason just could not stop laughing. That was the only time I broke though, I was very proud of myself.

I loved the blooper reel! It felt really reminiscent of old films that had them.

Yes! I love a blooper reel.

Is there one scene in the movie that you’re particularly proud of?

Yes, I like my entrance scene when we’re kind of walking down the corridor. I’m really proud of that scene. I think that’s the scene also with my most dialogue, which was really great. I’ve seen a lot of positive reactions to it online. And then also the scene where I got slapped by Ru. I’ll always be proud of that.

Iconic. There are some musical numbers in the film too, do you think your time on Drag Race and as a dancer helped with those?

Oh, totally, yeah. I haven’t danced professionally, gosh, since like 2012, so it’s not often that I’m put in a situation where I need to learn actual choreography choreography. I think as an ex-dancer, you always kind of worry that you’re going to lose it and you’re not going to be able to pick it up, and then it’s like riding a bike. Like the minute you get in there and start learning, you’re like, ‘Oh, I remember how to do this,’ and it comes back really quickly.

Aside from you, obviously, there are some huge names on the cast. Was there anyone you were particularly excited to work with?

Nicole Richie, because I love The Simple Life, and just one of those shows that kind of defined my youth and my early days of coming out and being a a gay person.

I literally had a shrine to Nicole Richie and Paris Hilton above my desk at university, so I’d have been the same.

Yeah, they were so iconic!

Drag queens and celebrities can sometimes have their diva moments, were there any behind-the-scenes antics you saw?

Honestly, truthfully, no. Everyone there was such a professional. There were no meltdowns. I think we were all just really happy to be there and happy to be making a movie that was going to be in theatres. Everyone showed up on time. Everyone knew their lines, even from our guest stars. Everyone was just excited and happy to be a part of this project because it was just fun, and we’re all there having a good time and just excited to be working together.

I feel like that really shows through on-screen.

I know it’s boring, but it’s true.

No, great to hear everyone was professional! We touched on your dancing, but you’ve had so many incredible moments in your career, even before Drag Race. Where does this rank on the list?

Oh my gosh, I think this is right up at the top of exciting, career-defining moments for me! Definitely top five.

Amazing. And there are hundreds of Drag Race girls around the world now, how does it feel to still be in demand, booked and busy off the back of the show?

I mean, the only word that kind of summarises it all is grateful. I’m grateful to World of Wonder and RuPaul for creating Drag Race. I’m grateful for them trusting me with Canada’s Drag Race. I’m grateful to Crave and Bell Media in Canada for continuing to make Canada’s Drag Race. I’m grateful to the fans who keep watching, who keep allowing us to make this TV show. I’m just grateful to be here. I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to work. I’m happy to still be relevant. Yeah, I’m just a happy camper.

You just mentioned Crave and Bell Media, who make Heated Rivalry...

It’s always so exciting whenever a Canadian TV show pops off. It was kind of like when it happened with Schitt’s Creek. Canadians just get so excited when the rest of the world cares about anything that we’re doing. So yeah, it’s very exciting for us.

We’ve said how the film is just pure, queer joy, and it comes at a difficult time for the LGBTQ+ community. How important was it for you to bring this film to the public?

Oh, so important. I mean, I think queer joy is a form of protest, and it’s a form of resistance. And showing up and showing the world that, despite everything that’s being thrown at us, that we are still able to be happy and successful and thrive is part of what we need to do to stand up for ourselves and stand up for our rights.

Absolutely! And what would you say to the little queer kids watching this film?

Anything is possible. Anything is possible. You can be whoever you want to be, however you want to be it. I think if you just apply yourself, work hard, believe in yourself, and if you can’t believe in yourself, know that other people believe in you, and let that push you and lift you up, and just keep going. And life is long. Sometimes success comes later, so don’t give up on yourself. Don’t put yourself on someone else’s schedule. To each in their own time.

That’s lovely. Finally, what’s next for Brooke Lynn Hytes!?

A nap [laughs]. What is next for me? I honestly don’t know. Canada’s Drag Race All Stars is happening right now. We have another season that will be coming out later this year, and then who knows? Honestly, I don’t. I’ve learned to kind of not plan and just be open to anything. So I’m open to whatever comes my way. The goal is just to keep working, whatever that means, whatever that looks like, just to stay booked and blessed.

STOP! THAT! TRAIN! is in UK cinemas 21 August.

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Hayden Panettiere’s final interviews are resurfacing online after the actor has died aged 36, with fans resharing her recent comments about recovery and looking ahead.

In a May podcast conversation with Jay Shetty, Panettiere spoke about feeling she had turned a corner after difficult years. “I finally feel like I have shaken off all of this darkness and this negativity,” she said. “I’ve closed one door and another door is opened … I can feel all the exciting possibilities. I feel like I have a lot more life to live.”

The comments came as she promoted her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, which coincided with her coming out publicly as bisexual.

Panettiere’s death was confirmed in a statement from her father, Skip, on Sunday, 16 August. It said: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her onscreen.”

He went on to ask for privacy for her family as they “take time to process this unimaginable loss”.

According to TMZ, police are investigating her death.

Motherhood and ‘work in progress’

In her July Momé cover interview, Panettiere said: “I’m a work in progress – we all are. I take each day as it comes. I’m doing the work, and I’m doing my best.”

She also spoke about motherhood and being separated for long periods from her daughter, Kaya. “I’ve been able to put her first no matter how I’ve felt or what I’ve experienced,” she said, adding that she hoped “one day she’ll understand my story, and why I wasn’t able to be with her all the time.”

She ended with a message to other mothers: “You’re stronger than you know. And you’re going to be just fine.”

Final public appearances

Panettiere appeared at the Harmony Gold Theater in Los Angeles on 26 May for a book signing and panel, where she spoke about the impact of discussing her mental health publicly.

“So many people have have come up to me within the industry and outside of the industry and shared their stories with me and said, ‘Because you’ve talked about your mental health, it gave me the courage to be honest about mine and get myself help and you saved my life,’” she recalled.

She added: “I was like, This is worth it. I can hopefully leave the world a better place than I found it.”

Panettiere rose to fame as a child actor, including a long run on the US soap One Life to Live, before becoming a global TV name as cheerleader Claire Bennet in NBC’s Heroes. She later starred as Juliette Barnes in Nashville, and has spoken publicly about postpartum depression, addiction recovery and experiences of domestic violence.

She was engaged to Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko, and they share a daughter, Kaya, 11, born in 2014.

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The X-Men brand has existed in multiple forms since the 1960s, but this forthcoming project is set to be unlike the rest.

Marvel Studios is releasing a new X-Men movie helmed by Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier, with The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes screenwriter Michael Lesslie penning the script.

Furthermore, Schrierer confirmed to Collider that Beef creator Lee Sung Jin and The Bear writer/co-showrunner Joanna Calo, both also worked on Thunderbolts*, are at work on X-Men.

Here’s everything we know so far about the X-Men reboot:

What will the X-Men reboot be about?

The X-Men are perhaps best known as characters from the 13 live-action films released from 2000 to 2020.

The rumours outlined that Lesslie pitched a full X-Men ’97-inspired roster for the team.

A whole new mutant team are set to descend on the MCU, replacing Fox’s previous X-Men franchise.

Marvel Studios figurehead Kevin Feige said Schrierer’s X-Men will be “very youth-oriented”.

Doomsday will likely be the finale for the original Fox cast, like Hugh Jackman and James Marsden, who have been confirmed to appear.

Then, Avengers: Secret Wars (out December 17, 2027) is set as the finale for Phase 6 and the Multiverse Saga. Directed by the Russo brothers, the film will likely mark the star of something new for the MCU franchise. 

Who is in the X-Men reboot cast?

Casting news for the X-Men reboot has been trickling in over the past few months, kickstarted by Sadie Sink’s casting as a mysterious character in the new Spider-Man movie.

When the film was released, it was confirmed that Sink was playing powerful mutant Jean Grey.

It was also announced that Heartstopper star Kit Connor had been cast in the role of Cyclops, and Samara Weaving would be playing Emma Frost.

Then, at fan-convention D23 2026, even more roles were announced. Christopher Abbott will play Professor Charles Xavier, Maya Boyd will play Storm, and Inde Navarrette will appear as Rogue.

It was then revealed that Adam Driver will be playing Nathaniel Milbury – also known as Mister Sinister.

When will the X-Men reboot be released?

D23 also confirmed the release date for the as-yet unnamed X-Men reboot – 5 May, 2028.

With Secret Wars scheduled to be released on December 17, 2027, the next few years may be a very busy time for MCU fans.

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

The post All we know on MCU X-Men reboot from cast to release date appeared first on PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news.

I went into this as a fan of RuPaul and his legion of queens, having seen every season of the US run which much of the cast is from. I was expecting over-acted scenes with cheesy jokes and over-the-top physical humour, which could have been plucked from a Drag Race acting challenge. What I got wasn’t that far from that – but girl, it really worked.

The film follows out-of-work train stewardesses Tess (Ginger Minj) and DeeDee (Jujubee) as they scam their way into their dream job on the luxurious Glamazonian Express. There, they bump into mean stewardesses Amber (Brooke Lynn Hytes), Alli (Marcia Marcia Marcia, credited as Marty Lauter) and Ayshleiygh (Symone) who make it clear they are not welcome. Before long, disaster strikes as a huge storm approaches, and it falls on Tess and DeeDee to safely stop the train before it crashes into a Make-A-Wish foundation trip at a Florida station.

The cast also features Mother herself, RuPaul Charles, as Judy Gagwell, the President of the United States, who has her own demons to work through. Brian Jordan Alvarez appears as co-conductor Cal, the himbo love interest of DeeDee, while SNL icon Chris Parnell plays Conductor Davenport, who finds himself incapacitated before long.

Latrice Royale, Rachel Bloom and Matt Rogers also have recurring roles, while there are cameos from Michelle Visage (obviously), Drag Race’s Angeria Paris VanMichaels and Monét X Change, Raven-Symoné, Nicole Richie, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Charo, Natasha Leggero, Drew Droege, Joel McHale, Guy Branum, Daniel Franzese, Riki Lindhome, Mayan Lopez, Missi Pyle, Jerry O’Connell, June Diane Raphael, Lisa Rinna, Jai Rodriguez, Paul Scheer, and Nicole Sullivan.

It’s a jam-packed cast, and some get a moment to shine more than others. Richie, for example, has some great moments, as does Visage – though that’s to be expected, given her closeness to RuPaul and Drag Race. Sarah Michelle Gellar’s recurring joke risks getting old – an extra time or two and it would have – but each time it still gets a chuckle.

Like Gellar’s repeated joke, there are other gags – “Now tell it to me gay” – which crop up multiple times. They’re obvious, and again risk feeling overdone, but each time add a new element, so it still feels fresh.

Fans of classic disaster movies might recognise some scenes. I’m told by my older-than-me boyfriend that some gags are more than a little inspired by Airplane!. He enjoyed them. And I, as a youthful 25-34-year-old who hadn’t seen Airplane! at the time, also enjoyed them. That’s a theme I felt throughout – you don’t necessarily have to have seen Drag Race for every reference to land, but knowing them makes it more enjoyable.

There are, of course, a number of moments directly lifted from Drag Race. We’ve got President Gagwell uttering RuPaul’s famous “don’t f*** it up!” line, “reading is fundamental” and a hat reveal to falling rose petals, à la Sasha Velour.

That isn’t to say it’s just reference after reference. The plot is solid, albeit not-all-that gripping, and the acting is fun. It’s not going to win any Oscars but, if you were hoping for that level of performance, you’re going to watch the wrong movie.

Despite uproar over her All Stars 10 win, Ginger Minj proves she’s worthy of the crown. Jujubee shows exactly why she’s a fan-favourite after all these years. RuPaul steals all her scenes. Symone and Marcia Marcia Marcia/Marty Lauter are perfect side-kicks, and Brooke Lynn Hytes is the embodiment of a Regina George-style character.

They clearly had a lot of fun making this film, and it shines through on-screen. While it feels at times like a vanity project for RuPaul and co., Stop! That! Train! stands up as a film outside of the Drag Race franchise.

“Is this a gay film?” I was asked by another journalist before the screening. “Very,” I told him. With that in mind, it might not be something to watch with your straight friends (if you have any). Instead, save it for a night in with a bottle of Prosecco or two with your girls and gays, and you’ll be in for a night of non-stop laughs and campery.

Oh, and make sure to watch the credits. They’re filled with fun bloopers – and there’s even a post-credit scene to wrap up one final plot point.

Stop! That! Train! is out in UK cinemas on 21 August.

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The 30-year-old Quebec-born star will join the wildly popular show as hockey player Wyatt Hayes. His casting announcement came as part of the second wave of new arrivals to the hit show.

He will be starring alongside the existing cast of Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play hockey rivals-to-lovers Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander.

As the hype for Heated Rivalry season two continues to mount, here’s everything you need to know about new cast member Robert Naylor…

Who is Robert Naylor in Heated Rivalry season 2?

In Heated Rivalry season two, Naylor will play Ottawa Centaurs’ goaltender Wyatt ‘Hazy’ Hayes.

Wyatt is a prominent character throughout Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series. He plays for Ilya’s team, the Ottawa Centaurs, having been the backup goaltender for the Toronto Guardians previously. 

When playing in Toronto, Wyatt befriended and supported gay player Ryan Price, the protagonist of Reid’s third book, Tough Guy.

Wyatt is a vocal queer ally who plays alongside Troy Barrett (Charlie Gillespie) and Ilya.

Naylor’s character is set to be an important presence for season two. The next season will draw on Role Model (book five), alongside the show’s central adaptation focus, The Long Game (book six). 

Role Model centres on the relationship between the Centaurs’ social media manager, Harris Drover (Justice Smith) and Troy. Meanwhile, The Long Game continues Ilya and Shane’s journey as a couple. Wyatt is a valiant LGBTQ+ ally who supports both couples.

Is Robert Naylor queer?

Naylor has kept his personal life private and has not publicly shared details about his sexuality or who he is dating. 

His social media presence has an air of mystique, with black-and-white headshot photography and red-carpet stills on his Instagram account.

What has Robert Naylor starred in before?

You may not necessarily recognise Naylor’s face, but you could very well have heard his voice. From 2007 to 2012, he voiced Dora Winifred Read, better known as DW, in the animated kids’ classic Arthur.

He has appeared in several French-language series, including Indéfendable and District 31. Naylor has most recently appeared in the romantic comedy Mile End Kicks.

The actor has also dabbled in music. In 2013, he released two singles, “Yes” and “Head North / Forever City”. In 2019, under the name Rb Naylr, he released “Why You EL?”

Heated Rivalry is streaming now on HBO, Crave and NOW. Season two is confirmed to premiere in spring 2027.

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The 27-year-old will join the wildly popular show as hockey player Troy Barrett. He will be starring alongside the existing cast of Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play hockey rivals-to-lovers Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander.

Heated Rivalry director Jacob Tierney has maintained that, despite Hollywood heavyweights wanting to join the cast, he’s committed to Canadian talent like Gillespie.

“We need Canadian talent, and we love Canadian talent. It’s not a burden, but it’s also something we literally have to do to get our financing,” Tierney said. Casting unknown actors certainly worked well for season one.

As the hype for Heated Rivalry season two continues to mount, here’s everything you need to know about new cast member Charlie Gillespie…

Who is Charlie Gillespie in Heated Rivalry season 2?

In Heated Rivalry season two, Gillespie plays hockey player Troy Barrett.

His character is a complicated one, a closeted player with a history of bullying. He joins Ilya Rozanov’s team, the Ottawa Centaurs, after a dramatic fallout with former friend and teammate Dallas Kent, who has been accused of sexual assault.

With a new team, Troy gets a fresh start. It’s also where he meets the team’s lovable, gay social media manager, Harris Drover (played by Justice Smith).

Troy is a central character in Rachel Reid’s book Role Model, the fifth book in her Game Changers hockey romance series.

Season two will also draw on Role Model, alongside the show’s central adaptation focus, The Long Game. In Role Model, Troy and Harris are the central couple.

Is Charlie Gillespie queer?

Gillespie has kept his personal life private and has not publicly shared details about his sexuality or who he is dating. 

Instead, his Instagram account mainly features his work, with behind-the-scenes details alongside candid shots of his life and trips.

What has Charlie Gillespie starred in before?

You will perhaps recognise Gillespie as Luke Patterson in the 2020 Netflix series Julie and the Phantoms. The cult favourite musical comedy-drama follows a teen girl who finds her passion for music by helping the band Phantoms. Gillespie plays Luke, the band’s singer and lead guitarist; he is also the central love interest.

Additionally, he’s had supporting roles in One Night Only and Totally Killer. However, he had a viral role in Splitsville last year thanks to his sculpted body.

Also, Heated Rivalry isn’t the first time Gillespie has played a hockey player. In Shattered Ice, he plays Will, a New England teenage hockey player who attempts to navigate life after his best friend, the school’s star player, dies by suicide.

With some previous experience on the ice, we can’t wait to see Gillespie lace up his skates and join Heated Rivalry.

Heated Rivalry is streaming now on HBO, Crave and NOW. Season two is confirmed to premiere in spring 2027.

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

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The LA-born star will join the pre-existing cast of Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams, who play hockey rivals-to-lovers Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander.

After announcing he’ll join the series as Harris Drover, Smith shared a message with Heated Rivalry fans.  

In his message to fans, Smith wrote: “I am moved by the support and love I’m getting from fans in my DMs, fans who have welcomed me with open arms and who already feel a responsibility to protect me.”

He also added: “I am beyond excited for the experience.”

As the hype for Heated Rivalry season 2 continues to mount, here’s everything you need to know about new cast member Justice Smith…

Who is Justice Smith in Heated Rivalry season 2?

Along with his casting, it was announced that Smith would play Harris Drover. 

Harris is the social media manager for the Ottawa Centaurs hockey team. The character is a lovable, openly gay man who loves connecting with others.

Harris is a central character in Rachel Reid’s book Role Model, the fifth in her Game Changers hockey romance series.

Season two will draw on Role Model, alongside the show’s central adaptation focus, The Long Game. In Role Model, Harris and complicated hockey player Troy Barrett (played by Charlie Gillespie) are the central couple.

Is Justice Smith queer?

Smith has spoken openly about his sexuality; in 2020, he came out as queer. He has publicly dated actor Nicholas L Ashe previously.

Last year, Smith opened up about who he sees himself dating in the future.  

Speaking to Gayety, he shared he had no plans to date women ever again, though he clarified that he was still attracted to women as well as men.

“I will never date a woman again,” he noted. “Not because I’m not attracted to them. But because I don’t like the feeling of having to be the man in the relationship.”

He also continued: “When I was dating women, I just felt like I always had to be the proverbial big spoon.

“What I like about same-sex relationships is that we both can kind of switch off and on what parts of ourselves we’re showing.”

What has Justice Smith starred in before?

Smith has been working in film, television, theatre, and even video games for more than a decade. Additionally, he’s been part of a number of high-profile projects ahead of Heated Rivalry.

Notably, he’s starred in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Detective Pikachu and Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves.

Additionally, Smith’s performance in HBO’s Genera+ion was acclaimed. He starred as queer, gender fluid character Chester. 

Speaking to The Daily Beast, the actor shared: “For so long, queer people have had to try to find their like representation in straight material. Now it’s kind of the other way around.”

Smith also made waves in his leading role as Owen in I Saw the TV Glow. The young character becomes obsessed with a mysterious late-night TV show which severs his reality. Jane Schoenbrun’s film serves as an allegory for the trans experience. 

Heated Rivalry season two is confirmed to premiere in spring 2027.

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The federal rule, finalised Tuesday (11 August), would prohibit Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program funds from being used for gender-affirming healthcare for people aged 18 and under.

The Trump administration’s Medicaid administrator, Dr Mehmet Oz, described the treatments as harmful and “sex-rejecting procedures” in a statement, while major medical organisations continue to support gender-affirming care as appropriate treatment for some transgender young people.

The federal government currently covers around 50 per cent of Medicaid costs for children and 65 per cent of CHIP costs. Massachusetts says it will use its Affirming Health Care Trust Fund to make up the difference if federal funding is cut off. As reported by Boston public radio station WBUR, legislative leaders have said that the fund held $8.5million as of July.

MassHealth spent $3.6million on gender-affirming care for members aged 18 and under in 2024, with more than $2.6million going toward hormone therapy. It remains unclear whether the state will also cover puberty blockers under the new arrangement.

The Healey administration said it is committed to ensuring Massachusetts residents can continue to access gender-affirming healthcare. “President Trump continues to attack the health and wellbeing of all people,” Gov. Maura Healey told GBH News in a 13 August statement. “Here in Massachusetts, we are going to keep working with providers to make sure that everyone – including LGBTQ residents – can get the essential health care they need.”

Attorney General Andrea Campbell called the federal rule “unlawful” in a 12 August statement and said the state plans to challenge it in court.

The federal changes are currently scheduled to take effect on 13 October, with a six-month tapering period for young people already receiving hormone therapy. Mental healthcare for transgender MassHealth and CHIP members would not be affected.

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Former NBA (National Basketball Association) players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White have claimed they are eligible for the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) draft. The draft isn’t until next April.

Freedom, who retired in 2022, declared he was a WNBA prospect. He wrote: “If simply declaring who you are is all that’s required, then I meet every single requirement necessary to compete in WNBA.

“My team and I have carefully examined the WNBA’s eligibility critera and governing framework surrounding self-identification and inclusion. Based on the current guidelines, I can and am officially declaring my eligibility for the upcoming WNBA draft in April 2027.”

Additionally, White, who retired in 2018, also declared his eligibility. He told Fox News: “I’m transgender. I’m a woman. I identify as sometimes identifying as a woman for purpose of basketball, professional basketball, so I’ll be declaring for the WNBA draft in 2027 as well.”

White went on: “I’m a young Black, hopefully United States Senator that would like a fair chance to participate as a sometimes-identifying-as-a-transgender-woman athlete.”

The league has now responded to this transphobic stunt that mocks trans athletes. Currently, there are no out trans players in the league.

Currently, the WNBA’s policy states that “only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA”. The rule has no explicit language referencing gender identity or sex assigned at birth.

“There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalise others,” a league spokesperson told the Associated Press.

The statement came after an anti-hate task force met to discuss recent issues surrounding the WNBA, including the social media attacks on trans athletes.

“Today’s meeting covered a wide range of topics, including ongoing discussions on transgender athletes and the continued hate and vitriol directed at players online,” the WNBA statement said. 

“We will continue to engage all league stakeholders in the coming weeks and months. We will approach these important conversations thoughtfully and in alignment with the values of our league.”

This discussion began last month when Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham shared her perspective on trans athletes. She told ESPN that banning trans women from women’s sport was “common sense”, drawing both praise from gender-critical figures and criticism from trans rights supporters.

“I think that I am here to extend love,” she said. “But I also think with that love is truth, being honest.”

She added, after saying she “does not hate” trans people: “I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.”

Following JD Vance’s support for Cunningham, Caitlyn Jenner also weighed in on the controversy. When asked about the topic, Jenner criticised commissioner Cathy Engelbert. 

Jenner said: “They’re showing the hypocrisy of what’s going on out there in the WNBA.”

“XX, you’re in; XY, you’re out. It’s that simple,” Jenner said, adding: “We have to protect women’s sports.”

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This marks the latest move from the Trump administration to restrict access to trans healthcare and spread an anti-trans ideology.

The federal investigation the administration is pursuing alleges that hospitals incorrectly billed insurers for transgender health care procedures to make a profit.

A report by the Department of Health and Human Services alleged that there have been millions in insurance claims for treatments. These procedures also include the likes of puberty blockers and hormone therapy.

The report is titled Wolves in White Coats: How Doctors and Hospitals Pushed and Profited from the Fraud of “Gender Medicine”. 

“Some pediatric gender clinics and children’s hospitals have apparently used misleading or even fraudulent diagnostic and billing codes to ensure that insurance companies will cover the procedures,” Vance wrote in a letter calling for the investigation, Politico reported.

The Trump administration is reportedly seeking reviews of gender-affirming care at more than 200 hospitals and clinics.

Gender-affirming surgeries are very rare among minors

This push arrives after Medicaid funding was cut to hospitals that offer gender-affirming care for minors. This care applies to not just transgender minors, but nonbinary, intersex, and cisgender patients as well.

President Donald Trump celebrated the change in a Truth Social post, describing gender-affirming healthcare as “barbaric” and saying the rule would spare children from what he called potentially harmful procedures. It’s a further attempt to advance an anti-transgender ideology.

Trump also wrote: “the Dumocrat Party wants your kids to be able to chop off their reproductive organs before they are old enough to vote”.

Trump’s Medicaid cuts are set to take effect on October 13. However, legal challenges have the potential to delay or block the rule.

Gender-affirming surgeries are very rare among minors, according to research published in JAMA Network Open. For pre-teens, these sorts of treatments are virtually nonexistent.

Trump’s new rule seeks to ban the more commonly used forms of care, including puberty blockers and hormone treatment.

Medical and LGBTQ+ organisations have strongly criticised the policy. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has cited research indicating that access to gender-affirming care can improve mental health outcomes.

Furthermore, regret about gender-affirming surgery is rare, with a rate of approximately 1.94%, according to a 2024 study.

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In it, he could be seen imagining what it must be like for actors who have already been cast but whose roles have yet to be announced.

In a November 2025 episode of Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster, Acaster riffed about unannounced cast members watching each new casting reveal and worrying about how audiences will react, before jokingly imagining what an actor cast in a huge role such as Voldemort must be thinking.

“’I’m f****** Voldemort! I’m Voldemort! That’s a huge part! A huge part! They’re not letting anyone get away with this! I just wanna get away with it! I hope when we announce my one, and everyone knows I’m in it, I hope that everyone just responds like they did in the old days to Harry Potter and they’ll just think it’s exciting. Is that too much to ask? I thought it’d be exciting,’” Acaster said.

He also joked about the possibility of an actor having to explain their decision to work on the series despite controversy surrounding it.

“‘I’ll say I didn’t know there’s any controversy, or I’ll say that we don’t agree. We don’t agree but I can still work with her,'” he said.

Nicholas Hoult was confirmed to have been cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in season two of HBO’s Harry Potter TV series by Deadline on 11 August, leaving many of his LGBTQ+ fans feeling disappointed.

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Jenner appeared on Fox News on Wednesday (13 August) to weigh in on a row that has engulfed the WNBA in recent weeks. Asked whether the players were making a valid point or going too far, she said: “They’re showing the hypocrisy of what’s going on out there in the WNBA.”

The controversy began last month when Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham told ESPN that banning trans women from women’s sport was “common sense”, drawing both praise from gender-critical figures and criticism from trans rights supporters.

It escalated when former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White declared themselves eligible for the WNBA draft in a stunt mocking trans athletes, claiming they now identified as women.

Jenner used the appearance to call on the WNBA to adopt a hardline stance, criticising commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who had said there were “no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA” and denounced “bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalise others”.

“XX, you’re in; XY, you’re out. It’s that simple,” Jenner said, adding: “We have to protect women’s sports.”

There are no known transgender women currently playing in the WNBA, and the league has said it has had no eligibility issues before it.

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

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The global girl group – currently comprising Daniela Avanzini, Sophia Laforteza, Yoonchae Jeung, and queer members Lara Raj and Megan Skiendiel – are back with new music, just weeks after they released “Animal”, also taken from Wild.

In the new music video, the group bring their trademark dynamic choreography and sizzling costumes, heating things up even more in this heatwave.

The song is perfect for the club, with a heavy bass-line and drum track, and is reminiscent of the noughties thanks to its lighter, synth pre-chorus.

“Hootie Frutti” is a similar vibe to Katseye’s tracks like “Gnarly” and “Pinky Up”, but the full EP features other songs that fans who really want to hear the girls sing will enjoy.

Katseye release new EP Wild

Previously released songs “Pinky Up” and “Animal” are the first two tracks on the five-song EP, following by new single “Hootie Frutti”.

Next up is “Bel Air”, a break from the heavy noise, a retreat from the dance floor, perhaps. And, like “Animal”, it allows the girls to show off their vocal abilities.

They sing about an ex who whispered them big dreams, then snatched it away. But this isn’t some sad song that will leave you needing to dry your eyes, with it’s repetitive melody and backing track feeling like a summer evening.

Finally, “That Way” has an air of “Gabriella” and “Animal”, with its almost vintage-feeling sound. After singing of a break-up in “Bel Air”, the members are on the hunt for someone new – though maybe not Mr (or Mrs) Right.

With lyrics packed full with innuendo and sensuality, it’s hard not to get it stuck in your head. Add on to that the airy vocals and harmonies, and it could quite easily become a favourite among Katseye fans.

There’s also another song “Unloveu” which is exclusive on the Target version of the physical release in the US.

The entire EP shows a more mature side to the group, which fans around the world will soon get to experience themselves.

Katseye are heading out on tour around Europe from 1 September, starting in Dublin, before three nights in the UK in London and Manchester.

After a run of dates in Europe, they return to the US and Canada, before heading down to Mexico.

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With the new track and music video, the 31-year-old “Rush” hitmaker is launching a new era. His fourth album, titled She’s The Best, arrived October 9.

The track is a love letter to all shades of womanhood, with the singer repeatedly singing, awestruck: “That girl, wow. She’s the best.”

In the music video, Sivan’s narration of what he loves about an unnamed woman is paired with a collage of women performing, including drag queens and stage performers.  

In the music video, the Australian stars Sivan and Kidman are major features. Kidman appears strutting down the street in a black leather dress, sunglasses and a feathered jacket, smoking a “thin little cigarette”. 

“Nicole Kidman in a Troye Sivan video was not on my bingo card but I really love it,” the top YouTube comment reads.

In the video, Sivan is performing at a club while Kidman watches him attentively. They then dance together briefly.

‘Nicole Kidman in a Troye Sivan video was not on my bingo card’

Towards the end of the video, Sivan also appears in drag, as he did in his 2024 music video for “One of Your Girls”. He and Kidman are sashaying through the backrooms of a club.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 15 winner Sasha Colby was also featured as a notable cameo in the music video.

“She’s The Best” was written and produced by Sivan, Jack Antonoff, Leland, Styalz Fuego, and Charli XCX’s husband, 1975 drummer George Daniel.

“The vocal that you hear at the end of ‘She’s the Best,’ it’s Charli,” Sivan said during a recent conversation in the Rolling Stone Studio.

“We’ve found ways to work these women into the songs. I don’t want to speak for him, but I think for both George and I, Charli is obviously a very, very, very special person to both of us, and so to have her on that song in some small way is very meaningful to us.”

Speaking about the meaning  of the track, Sivan highlighted the importance of women in his personal life.

“To be able to have made music with Ariana [Grande] or Lily-Rose Depp, then touring with Charli [XCX] and growing up alongside her… I’ve always just loved being in the orbit of these women,” he said.

“’She’s the Best’ was the first time I wasn’t trying to psychoanalyse myself, and I wasn’t writing about men,” he also added.

“The one thing that has been constant in my whole life is the women in my life, and the feminine people in my life.”

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Sharing a screenshot of a text exchange on Instagram, Pankiw, who directed Black Mirror episode “Joan Is Awful”, revealed how she responded when approached about the franchise.

“Harry Potter? Hard no?” the message reads. Her reply: “Absolutely f****** not! lol. (But thank you for asking).”

Pankiw made her reasoning clear in the caption: “It simply is this easy to say no to funding transphobia!”

She added that the approach had been for directing, not acting.

Her stance comes as HBO’s Harry Potter TV series continues to draw criticism over creator JK Rowling’s involvement and her long record of gender-related campaigning.

Several of the actors announced for the upcoming series have faced backlash online, with critics arguing that lending their names to the project suggests they support Rowling, who serves as an executive producer and stands to profit from it, or her views.

The cast have responded to that criticism in varying ways.

John Lithgow, who is set to play Dumbledore, admitted it had been a “hard decision” to join the Harry Potter reboot because of the controversy, and said he found Rowling’s views “ironic and somewhat inexplicable”.

Nick Frost, cast as Hagrid, told reporters that he and Rowling “don’t align in any way, shape or form” on the issue.

Bel Powley, who will play Petunia Dursley, said she “strongly disagree[s] with JK Rowling’s views on gender“, adding that “the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance”.

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In a 13 August profile with British Vogue, the Oscar-winning actor recalled visiting trans clubs early in her career, where she lovingly recalled how trans women taught her how to do her hair and makeup.

“I used to go to trans clubs. That’s where I learnt to do my hair and makeup,” Kidman said. “I would sit down as a little freckled-faced red-headed girl and they would make me beautiful.”

Kidman went on to describe the elaborate makeovers she received, saying the women would do a full glam routine on her while there.

“They would do my lashes and straighten my hair and put hairpieces on me and makeup. I would walk out of there and I would feel pretty. I would feel like I was transformed,” she said.

The actor suggested those experiences played a role in shaping her relationship with fashion, beauty and performance, adding: “And so that’s probably where it all started for me – clothes and make-up and hair – and then all of it mixed with studying literature and loving acting.”

Trans women and drag artists have had a significant and longstanding effect on beauty and makeup culture as a whole, utilising highly skilled approaches to cosmetics and popularising aesthetics that have subsequently entered mainstream beauty culture.

While Kidman’s admiration for those trans women who helped build her passion for aesthetics earlier in her life, she’s also embraced her status as a camp icon and publicly stated it would be her “dream” to perform her meme-worthy AMC commercial alongside a drag queen in a March 2024 interview with Elle. “I’ve got to be able to do that at some point,” she said.

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Heated Rivalry has added five new cast members for season two, including one with a rather unexpected past role.

Schitt’s Creek star Emily Hampshire and Canada’s Drag Race winner Priyanka are joining, as are Young Royals actor Edvin Ryding and Black Mirror star Sabrina Jalees. But it’s Robert Naylor that has a surprising previous acting credit.

Hampshire will play Vanessa, while Priyanka has been cast as Tarek. They are both friends of Fabian, from the book Tough Guy, which suggests casting announcements for both Fabian and Ryan will be imminent. Abdalla Amour is rumoured to have been cast as androgynous musician Fabian.

Meanwhile, Ryding will play Luca Haas and Jalees will portray Farah Jalali, who is Shane and Ilya’s sport agent. Naylor will play Wyatt Hayes, the Ottawa Centaurs’ goaltender.

Justice Smith and Charlie Gillespie were previously announced to play Harris Drover and Troy Barrett.

Which books season 2 will adapt

The first season adapted books one and two in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series. Season 2 is set to adapt the sixth book, The Long Game, while introducing the lead characters of book five, with Smith and Gillespie playing that pairing.

The casting of Hampshire and Priyanka are a sure sign book three, Tough Guy, will also feature.

Who are the new cast members?

Hampshire is best known for playing Stevie Budd in the Emmy-winning sitcom Schitt’s Creek, and has also appeared in projects including 12 Monkeys.

Priyanka won season one of Canada’s Drag Race and has built a mainstream profile through performance, comedy and music.

Swedish actor Ryding is best known for appearing in Young Royals and 28 Years Later, and has already amassed a strong fanbase at just 23.

Lesbian actor and comedian Jalees has an impressive back catalogue, having written for Canada’s Got Talent and Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock. She has also acted in Transparent and Black Mirror.

But it’s Naylor who has the unexpected past role, having voiced Dora Winifred Read, better known as DW, in animated kids’ classic Arthur between 2007 and 2012. More recently, the Quebec-born star has appeared in a number of French-language series.

Heated Rivalry season one is streaming on NOW and Sky in the UK.

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The Reform UK leader won with 63% of the vote on a turnout of 44%. Farage will now return as the constituency’s MP

The highly publicised by-election was triggered after scrutiny about Farage’s financial backing. He was up against 34 candidates, including novelty opponent Count Binface, who came second with 27% of the vote.

Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and Restore Britain did not stand candidates against Farage. The Westminster parties dismissed the poll contest as a “gimmick” and a “circus.”

As reported by the BBC, Farage did not attend the count and told his supporters that Essex Police had warned him of an “organised campaign to disrupt and degrade the result”.

A Reform UK spokesperson said: “Essex Police advised Nigel not to attend the count tonight due to a credible threat against him.”

Essex Police have said they did not advise any candidate that they should not to attend the count.

‘It was safe to go ahead’

The Guardian also reported Essex police said there were no “incidents or issues” regarding the Clacton by-election on Thursday or overnight, and the decision of whether candidates attend the election count is “for individuals and their security teams”.

Speaking to reporters after the declaration, Count Binface addressed Farage’s claims. “I asked Essex police if there was any credible threat of disruption here and I can tell you they said unequivocally no, it was safe to go ahead,” he said.

Farage received 22,239 votes, 1,014 more than his winning total at the general election in 2024. When he first became the MP for Clacton, he increased his majority from 8,405 to 12,784.

Though Farage may have won, it will do little to silence the mounting investigation into his and and Reform’s financial affairs.

The parliamentary standards watchdog’s formal investigation into gifts and donations Farage failed to declare is set to resume. Farage has said the investigation was “being used as a political tool”.

The inquiry includes the £5 million gift received from Thailand-based businessman Christopher Harborne. Farage says he was not in politics at the time the gift was made. 

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The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) announced alongside Bulgarian National Television (BNT) that the coastal city will host the show in 2027, after speculation it would be held in the country’s capital of Sofia.

The event will take place at Arena Burgas, Bulgaria’s newest venue for sports and entertainment, which was opened in 2023.

It will take place on Tuesday 11, Thursday 13 and Saturday 15 May, 2027. Preview shows will also be available for fans to buy tickets for, taking place between Monday 10 to Saturday 15 May.

The announcement came after the EBU updated its rules to say winning countries may be barred from hosting if they are deemed unsafe.

Where is Burgas?

Burgas is Bulgaria’s fourth biggest city, just down the coast from popular party destination Sunny Beach.

It is known for its beaches and parks, as well as its culture and summertime events.

The city was selected from four options, with representatives of BNT and the EBU working with other international experts to evaluate the potential hosts.

They looked at proposed venues and production requirements, as well as local infrastructure such, accommodation and transport links, as well as whether the cities could host such a huge number of artists, production staff, media and fans.

Burgas and Sofia reached the final two during the selection process, after narrowing down bids that also came from Varna and Plovdiv. However, the three cities not chosen will still be involved with Eurovision Song Contest programming next year.

Burgas Airport is a short distance from the city centre, with a number of flight companies, including Ryanair, Wizz and TUI, providing travel from the UK.

Eurovision Song Contest statement

Martin Green CBE, the director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said: “We are delighted that Burgas will be the Host City for the Eurovision Song Contest 2027.

“Burgas brings something really special to the Eurovision Song Contest. It is a vibrant, welcoming city on the Black Sea with a strong musical and cultural identity, and it has the ambition, infrastructure and passion needed to welcome the Eurovision family.

“For the first Eurovision Song Contest ever to be held in Bulgaria, we want to create something that feels truly Bulgarian while also being unmistakably Eurovision – a celebration that brings people together through music.

“We thank all of the cities which showed such enthusiasm in their bids to host Bulgaria’s first ever Eurovision Song Contest.

“Together with BNT, the City of Burgas and our partners across Bulgaria, we are looking forward to creating an unforgettable Eurovision week in May and welcoming the world to Burgas.”

Is Bulgaria safe for LGBTQ+ visitors?

According to the UK Government’s travel advice, public attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community are less tolerant, especially outside of Sofia.

They also advise that there have been a handful of recorded incidents of hostility towards people perceived to be queer in Burgas, as well as Plovdiv.

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Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp will make his theatre stage debut this autumn, starring in Affluenza at Riverside Studios, a new drama set among the ultra-wealthy of the Hamptons that explores power, privilege and accountability.

The play runs from 26 September to 21 November 2026, and tickets are now on sale.

Schnapp, who came out as gay in 2023, said as per Variety: “I am so excited to make my stage debut in London with Affluenza,” adding: “I started talking with Andy Sandberg a few months ago about finding the right opportunity to work together, and it’s thrilling to now be bringing this play to life in London.”

He continued: “I wanted to be very intentional about what I took on next, and as I spend more time with this excellent script, I feel so connected to the characters.”

Schnapp, recently graduated college, added: “Without giving away too much, I get to play two very different roles, and it’s a story that’s really going to leave audiences talking and thinking.”

What Affluenza is about

Written and directed by Andy Sandberg, Affluenza is said to raise “thought-provoking questions about moral accountability, family legacy, and the American justice system”.

The story follows a teen whose drunken car ride ends in devastation, with the verdict coming down to a single question: can someone be too affluent to know the difference between right and wrong?

The play is inspired by true events surrounding a shocking legal defence, and explores the “ripple effects of power and privilege”.

Sandberg, a Tony-winning producer and the season’s artistic director, said: “I am incredibly excited to be launching this play and this season in just a few weeks and now with Noah Schnapp at the helm,” adding: “Noah is a brilliant young actor who has captivated audiences on screen, and now London audiences will have the opportunity to see him in his stage debut.”

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Shevrin Jones is currently in the running to replace Rep. Frederica Wilson, who is retiring, as representative for Florida’s 24th congressional district. Jones was Florida’s first out LGBTQ+ Black senator and, if he wins the seat, will become the state’s first out gay member of Congress.

On 11 August, many voters received a text message ahead of the Democratic primary, claiming: “Shevrin Jones was denied to donate blood to Covid Survivor due to testing positive for HIV/AIDS because of his homosexuality. This is not right stand with our Gay community.” [sic]

The message also declared that it was “paid for by Equality Florida”, which it was not, and included a link to video footage from a 2020 TV news story.

The story showed Jones being turned away from donating convalescent plasma under previous FDA guidance that restricted donations from sexually active queer men. However, that ban has since been overturned in favour of individual screenings for potential donors.

That same news coverage was also used against Jones when he first ran for Florida Senate back in 2020, a race which he went on to win.

Speaking to the Miami Herald on 11 August, Jones said: “What makes it so disgusting is that somebody decided to use my sexuality and HIV as weapons in a political campaign.”

He continued: “There are people across South Florida who are actually living with HIV every single day, raising families, going to work, serving their communities, and living full lives. I think their health status should never be used to shame them.”

Brandon Wolf, the spokesperson for Equality Florida, also defended Jones in a statement.

“This is a disgusting attack against a public servant who has poured his heart and soul into his community,” he said.

“We can all see it for what it is: a desperate attempt by a shady, dark money group supporting one of Shev’s opponents that traffics in ugly tropes, misrepresents a trusted statewide organization, and weaponizes a Black man’s identity.”

Wolf added that Equality Florida is pursuing legal action against the culprits, and said that Jones’ opponents’ “willingness or unwillingness to denounce this smear tactic today will tell us all we need to know about who you are.”

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