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THE Nineties might have been ruled by boybands and girl-bands, but life at the top of pop could be tough.

And it was probably worse for the girls, as putting on extra pounds, dating the wrong guy or, heaven forbid, having a baby were hugely frowned upon by management teams.

New BBC documentary Girlbands Forever, the follow-up to last year’s three-parter about boybands, delves into an era where record companies had less regard for duty of care, days off or mental health.

It features members of Atomic Kitten, Eternal, Sugababes, Mis-teeq and Little Mix, providing insight into what it was like being in an all-female group in the Nineties and early Noughties.

The dream was to replicate the success of the Spice Girls, the all-conquering icons who sparked the girlband explosion.

And record labels invested millions in a bid to find the next big thing.

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But as the Spice Girls’ rivals All Saints found out, the pressure became unbearable.

So much so that when founding member Melanie Blatt informed managers that she and bandmate Nicole Appleton were pregnant, both were told to abort their babies.

The reason? They had just cracked America with No1 hit Never Ever and momentum could be lost.

Melanie, 50, explains: “I hadn’t been with my partner for very long, it was definitely a bit of a surprise It wasn’t people congratulating us. It was more like this look of dread and worry and the realisation that things are going to change.

“We flew to LA and at [airport] LAX our manager, he was behind us, was telling us to abort our babies.”

She added that her bosses told them they were “going to ruin everything” and “it was the end of the band”.

Melanie ended up having her baby with her partner, Stuart Zender, the bassist for band Jamiroquai.

‘Vomiting in toilets’

But Nicole, who fell pregnant with then boyfriend Robbie Williams, did not, which Melanie admits caused issues with their relationship.

She explains: “Nic and I had been best friends since we were 11. We took pregnancy tests in a hotel in Canada and spent that whole night discussing bringing our kids up together. It was one of the best nights ever.

“And it’s not really my place to talk about it, but unfortunately . . . it was a very uncomfortable situation because I kept mine, she didn’t. That was a really tricky part of my and our existence.”

All Saints, which consisted of Melanie, sisters Nicole and Natalie and main songwriter Shaznay Lewis, were always deemed a “cool version” of the Spice Girls and were far more rock ‘n’ roll.

Whereas Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton and Mel B found love with a footballer, an R&B singer and a dancer respectively, the All Saints girls dated rock stars, with Nicole marrying and having a son with Liam Gallagher.

Melanie says: “We were turning up to kids’ TV shows on a Saturday morning without having one wink of sleep. We looked fine, just a bit of vomiting in the toilets prior to CD:UK.”

After two albums, All Saints split in 2001, a disparity in earnings between Shaznay and the rest of the band being a major factor.

By the end of their existence as a group, Melanie says they “hated each other”.

She adds: “We’d fallen out, it was hell, it was ‘separate’ everything.

“It was just ridiculous but literally one of the proudest moments of being in that band was calling it quits because we didn’t stay for the money. We wanted to be done, we didn’t want to be with each other any more and we made that decision.

“We were in control. We were supposed to go on tour and we gave the money back and I’m so proud of that. That’s one of the only decisions we were all happy to make together, telling each other to f*** off.”

• Girlbands Forever begins on Saturday at 9.20pm on BBC Two.

Little Mix

AS girlbands moved into the 2010s, life did not get any easier, with social media now to contend with.

With Little Mix, Perrie Edwards, 32, bore the brunt of the online abuse due to her relationship with One Direction heart-throb Zayn Malik.

She explains: “Social media was dark, especially back in the day.

“Me and the girls used to get a lot of stick. Things we would wear or how we would look, people would pick us apart.

“You’re hurting enough as it is, never mind everybody having an opinion on it. Everyone wants to know your business and everyone feels like they have ownership in that.

“You can’t escape it. So you may as well sing about it.”

Life in girlbands was relentless, so Little Mix lasting ten years was a monumental achievement.

But Perrie, below, admits she almost quit when she was at her lowest ebb ahead of a gig in Las Vegas.

She says: “I didn’t want to go, I was so exhausted. I tried getting out of the trip and when I got there, I started experiencing panic attacks.

“I didn’t know what was happening at the time, I’d never experienced a panic attack.

“I ended up in a hospital. I didn’t want to let the girls down. They had to do it without me and I hated it and I really resented myself for it.”

She adds: “When you’re in a group dynamic, even though you’re going through stuff individually, you can’t just be selfish so I kind of put a brave face on a lot of time.

“I didn’t want to let the team down.”

Eternal

ETERNAL had a No1 smash hit with I Wanna Be The Only One in 1997, but their looks soon became a concern.

Founding member Kelle Bryan, 50, reveals: “People were always voicing concerns about my weight and about our weight as a band. Stylists would come along and say, ‘This doesn’t fit you, this doesn’t fit you’.

“We’re talking about an era where being a size zero was popular, so they sent us away to this place in the countryside where they were able to control what we ate.”

Atomic Kitten

WHILE on the 1999 Smash Hits Tour, Atomic Kitten’s Kerry Katona fell for Westlife singer Brian McFadden, but was ordered not to date him by management.

Kerry, 45, says: “They all went absolutely f*ing apes**t. I remember [Westlife manager] Louis Walsh saying, ‘I don’t like you, you’re trouble’.

Bandmate and best pal Natasha Hamilton, 43, adds: “It was definitely bad for the brand. Not from my point of view but from the label and management. They said girls can’t be seen with one of the boys in the biggest boyband in the UK because fan jealousy is a thing.”

Mis-Teeq

BEING an all-black group who rose up from the “underground scene” in 1999, Mis-Teeq felt they were discriminated against and given fewer opportunities.

Su-Elise Nash, 44, says: “We weren’t invited to the same premieres. Some magazines wouldn’t consider us for the cover because they didn’t think three black girls would sell.

“Our struggle to get there was definitely not as easy as it would have been if we had one white member or we’d all-white.”

Sugababes

WHEN Sugababes founding member Mutya Buena gave birth to her first child aged 19 – while the band were working on their fourth album – there was no let-up.

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Mutya, now 40, quit the group that same year in 2005 and was later diagnosed with post-natal depression.

Record label exec Darcus Beese says: “I remember standing in my kitchen trying to talk her down. I had no concept of post-natal depression. I would ask questions now like, ‘How’s your mental health?’.”

The Celebrity Traitors may appear like it is all fun and games on TV, but some of the participants have explained that they really did find it difficult to live under rules and deception for several weeks during filming

The makers of The Celebrity Traitors have confirmed mental health experts are on hand to support the contestants at all times after Jonathan Ross revealed he struggled while making the show. The star-filled version of the game show has been a ratings smash for the BBC.

But it seems lying to all those around you can play heavily on those taking part, both faithfuls and traitors alike. In a recent podcast, talk show host Jonathan, 64, admitted that he found it difficult to lie to the fellow stars in the first UK celebrity version of the show.

He was selected alongside comedian Alan Carr, 49, and singer Cat Burns, 25, as a traitor – and tasked with killing off fellow stars and working to manipulate the other contestants to wrongly guess who the traitors were. But speaking on his podcast, Jonathan remarked: “You’re on the defence this whole time” – and complained it was hard to be constantly lying.

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Fans of the Traitors will note that a psychologist, Victoria Plant, and a psychotherapist and counsellor, Tanya Taylor-Wright, are listed as part of the crew. A source told The Sun that the mental health experts were on hand to support those taking part.

They said: “People may think it is just a telly show, but when you’re living the game 24/7, it takes a toll. It was made clear to the celebrities that help was on hand for them if they were struggling with the mind games.

“There is a duty of care in television now, so medical experts are employed on set, but it was of paramount importance on The Traitors because of the nature of the show.”

A spokesperson for The Traitors confirmed to The Mirror that the exact same measures are put in place for the civilian version of the show – and that showmakers take ensuring the care and safety of contestants is met at all times extremely seriously. This always includes making a psychotherapist and a psychologist available to the cast.

The spokesperson said: “Since the very first series in 2022, we have had a dedicated welfare team and psychological support on hand at all times who monitor and regularly speak to all of the players in private to ensure they feel comfortable throughout the entire process. Our priority is and will continue to be supporting the well-being of our cast, and this is the case before, during and after filming.”

So far, the traitors have managed to avoid being uncloaked as the 16 faithful contestants have either been picked off like sitting ducks or tricked into banishing their fellow faithfuls.

Viewers have been left in amusement as the traitors have expertly taken out the other stars while competing to win a prize of up to £100,000 for charity. Alan spilled the first blood when he marked singer Paloma Faith for death in plain sight when he completed a task which involved planting a black mark on her face.

Jonathan’s time could be running out, however, as the faithful contestants have speculated that either he or Stephen Fry could be a traitor, but they voted out the Blackadder actor at a round table.

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Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chair Richard Collier-Keywood and director of rugby Dave Reddin have defended their positions amid criticism of the Union’s handling of regional restructuring.

The WRU’s preferred two-team model has been scrapped, following a six-week consultation process, having now opted to reduce the number of professional sides from four to three.

Collier-Keywood said: “I don’t accept it’s a mess at all. We went out with a proposal and we want to make change.”

Reddin added: “I don’t see the mess at all. It’s not going to be an easy process to get there but I’m hugely excited for the future.”

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BBC Breakfast staff are rumoured to be raging at the “double standards” of suspending Kaye Adams from Radio Scotland whilst their own presenters remain in their roles whilst under review

The staff of BBC Breakfast are reportedly furious at the network bosses’ “double standards” after Kaye Adams was suspended from Radio Scotland following bullying allegations, while their own presenters, Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt remain in their roles, despite a review underway for similar claims.

Adams was pulled from her BBC radio show after allegations arose about her ‘bullying’ her colleagues. But, BBC Breakfast hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt are under review for the same complaint, it has been alleged, and have not been suspended from their show.

BBC bosses are said to be considering a range of allegations about the duo, but while they have already taken action against Adams, they have not taken action against Munchetty and Stayt.

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A source said Adams’ suspension “put a cat among the pigeons” behind the scenes at the BBC: “The review on Naga and Charlie is rumbling on because new complaints keep coming up, which raise new questions, so they have to keep interviewing other people.

“The news about Kaye Adams’ suspension up in Scotland has put the cat among the pigeons because she’s been accused of the same thing as Naga and Charlie – bullying.

“People are saying it’s double standards and that the BBC are pandering to Naga particularly, because she is the big name because she has Breakfast and her 5 Live show. They are the nation’s broadcaster and should treat all complaints the same way.”

Adams was removed from her hosting job on BBC Radio Scotland while bosses conduct an inquiry. It is believed that complaints against the 62-year-old were raised under the BBC’s Call It Out scheme.

The initiative was set up after a review into the conduct of former MasterChef presenters Gregg Wallace upheld several allegations of inappropriate language and the misuse of power. The report also upheld an allegation that John Torode used inappropriate language. After allegations were brought against Wallace, a review into the working environment on MasterChef was conducted.

Following the review, both Wallace and Torode were told they would no longer be MasterChef’s presenters, though they did appear in the latest series as that had already been filmed. They will be replaced with Grace Dent and Anna Haugh for the next series.

The same Call It Out initiative that started from this situation and led to complaints from BBC Radio Scotland staff, rooted out complaints on BBC Breakfast.

When asked about the situation with Munchetty, Stayt and Adams, a BBC spokesperson said: “We do not comment on individual HR matters.”

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SHE was famously axed from one of the country’s biggest soaps after joining OnlyFans – and within weeks was among its top creators, earning hundreds of thousands from her racy snaps.

 But Sarah Jayne Dunn‘s X-rated spark has fizzled out, according to pals who say the former Hollyoaks star – who faced accusations she was promoting “pornography” last week – has been left out in the cold. Now, The Sun can reveal things have gone from bad to worse.

An insider told us: “There was a lot of fanfare when Sarah left the soap, and she made a big thing about why it was important to be on OnlyFans.

“It might look plain sailing, but it’s a real slog and actually very isolating. She knows people look at her at the school gates, and you only have to look online to see people’s disgust about what she does.”

Sarah, 44, has raked in some serious cash since she was sacked from Hollyoaks in 2021 after joining OnlyFans.

It’s a bit of a rabbit hole once you get started and pals are worried how far it will go

She made a whopping £121,000 in just 48 hours after her OnlyFans subscribers doubled overnight when she went public about her new career.

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Fans pay just over £11 per month to see Sarah strip off, and her posts have been liked more than 455,000 times since she joined the site four years ago this month. Her subscription numbers are no longer visible to fans.

But as the months have worn on, Sarah has had to deal with lewd, vulgar and creepy comments from her desperate subscribers, who constantly plead with her to flash more flesh.

In the last two weeks alone, her OnlyFans snaps have been littered with explicit remarks, piling on the pressure for even racier content – raising questions about what Sarah’s future on the site will look like.

Our insider continued: “Subscribers have naturally gone down, so Sarah has been working hard to produce more and more racy content. It’s a bit of a rabbit hole once you get started, and those who are still close to her are worried about how far it will go.

“Her son is getting older now, and it can’t be easy for him seeing her pictures and the headlines.”

Sarah has a nine-year-old son, Stanley, with her personal trainer husband, Jonathan Smith.

While she has previously shared a picture of Stan taking over her £20k pole-dancing room, which she had built in her garden, to play his video games, the ex-Oaks star tries to be careful around the youngster when it comes to her day job – because he is becoming “really inquisitive”.

She said last month: “He’s getting to that age where he’s really inquisitive about everything.

“I was sat in the bedroom the other morning doing my make-up, and he comes into the bedroom and goes, ‘Mum, what is p***y?’ I was racking my brain, going, ‘Oh my God, what has he seen?’ I’ve got this book next to my make-up mirror called P***y.”

Sarah – who played Hollyoaks’ Mandy Richardson from 1996 to 2021 – has made no secret of wanting to maintain her wealth and has recently trained as a pole dancing teacher to boost her income.

But she was left embarrassed and fuming after her fitness pole dancing class was banned by a Cheshire venue last week and labelled “borderline pornographic”.

It was the latest blow for the star who has struggled to land TV work and has lost two of her closest friends in her bid to become a top content creator.

Showbiz bust-up

We can reveal she is no longer speaking to Stephanie Waring, who played her onscreen sister, following her fallout with glamour model Rhian Sugden.

Raised eyebrows over her lifestyle choice is not something new for Sarah, who recently admitted she has constantly faced accusations she is baring all on OnlyFans.

She recently said: “Whenever I get stick, it’s because of people going, ‘Well, you’re getting your fl**s out,’ and I’m like, ‘I’m actually not, thank you very much.’

“People just associate the platform with porn. That’s fine, because the platform does have that content, but it doesn’t mean everyone on there is doing that.”

Hollyoaks bosses clearly had a similar view, and we can reveal that since joining OnlyFans, Sarah has had a bust-up with her former co-star Stephanie Waring.

An insider told us: “Sarah and Steph were always very close, but when Sarah started posting online, things between them started to change.

“They have barely spoken since, and Sarah definitely didn’t rush to support her when she was axed from the show last year.

“They don’t even follow each other anymore. It’s very sad it’s come to this.”

Steph has previously said she wouldn’t dream of using her body to make money – unlike Sarah.

Sarah is convinced Steph is one of the people who grassed her up to Hollyoaks bosses

An Insider

She told the Secure The Insecure podcast: “I don’t think I could ever sexualise myself in that way.

“I’m nearly 50 and I just don’t think that’s my angle… never say never, though. People change all the time.”

One of Sarah’s post-Hollyoaks ventures saw her co-host podcast Hot and Bothered alongside Page 3 legend Rhian Sugden, in which the pair discussed everything from sex toys to fetishes.

Sarah and Rhian even took part in a joint lingerie-clad photoshoot to promote their sex podcast – but the pair have since fallen out.

Rhian claimed she had been dropped from the joint podcast, despite reportedly investing thousands in it, and the pair are no longer thought to be on speaking terms.

In 2023, a friend close to the pair said: “Rhian reached out to Sarah after the whole Hollyoaks sacking drama, and she became a real source of support for her.

“They went in on the podcast together and had loads of fun making it – and had loads of listeners.

“It came as a real shock to everyone when Sarah just cut her out. There’s been no contact since, and it’s all very sad.”

Big show dreams

Sarah has also been left hanging by I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and Strictly Come Dancing bosses.

Last weekend, she made it clear to her OnlyFans followers how much she wants to land a spot on her dream show – Strictly.

She posted a picture wearing a see-through red bra with sequins, with her nipples clearly visible, and asked her followers: “Who’d like to see me on Strictly?!”

Sarah received just one response. The follower wrote: “People would [black love heart emoji] to see you on Strictly!”

The star also has her heart set on appearing in I’m A Celebrity, which is filmed in the Australian jungle.

A source told us: “Sarah has made no secret of the fact she would love to head into the jungle, or on the Strictly ballroom, but neither shows have come calling yet.

“They are dream paydays for most out-of-work actors and content creators, and she is desperate to appear on one.”

Another pal close to Sarah insisted:  “Sarah is under no pressure around her OnlyFans work, she is able to be fully in control of her life, work as and when she wants, and it’s afforded her numerous wonderful opportunities.

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“With regards to any mention of a fall out with friends, there is certainly no falling out from Sarah’s side, so this is news to her. Sarah is a huge fan of Strictly Come Dancing, so naturally would love to be on the show!”

It doesn’t look like BBC bosses will be calling her to swap pole dancing for the ballroom just yet, so for now, Sarah may have to stick to the sexy snaps.

As the production for the upcoming Harry Potter TV show continues, bosses have reportedly splashed out in a bid to make the show look as realistic as possible and not rely so much on CGI

The bosses for the upcoming Harry Potter TV show have provided a touch of royalty to the set. It’s said a famous screen locomotive has been delivered to Prince William’s garden, with Hogsmeade Station also on show.

With the set costing £4million, a half a mile of track is ready to run through woodland which is approximately a mile to the back of Forest Lodge in Windsor. It’s claimed bosses have spared no expense for the new production, with the set up likened to that of a military operation.

“The creative team wants the new TV show to look as realistic as possible and not rely so much on CGI like the Harry Potter movies,” an insider said.

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Speaking to The Sun, the source said: ““That was why they wanted the forestry on the Prince of Wales’s doorstep to replicate the Scottish Highlands. Thankfully it’s far enough away that it won’t disturb the royals — but close enough that they could easily nip down to make a flying visit.”

And it’s said that could be music to the ears of William’s children, Prince George, 12, and Princess Charlotte, 10, with the pair reportedly big fans of the franchise. It’s claimed the kids’ grandfather, King Charles, has read the JK Rowling’s books to the youngsters.

In 2017, Queen Camilla revealed the sweet family connection, saying the King “does all the voices, because he is a brilliant mimic”.

As the set started coming together, lorries were seen transporting the Hogwarts Express into Windsor Great Park last week. Despite being hidden under tarpaulin, the iconic shape was clearly recognisable to fans.

With filming under way, the series for HBO television is expected to be released in 2027. It comes 15 years after the unforgettable Deathly Hallows Part Two film was released..

Each series of the new TV drama is expected to focus on a novel, diving into the books in more detail than the iconic movies. It has been reported that Warner Bros is auditioning both men and women for the role of the terrifying Lord Voldemort, a part that was originally brought to life by actor Ralph Fiennes.

In July, HBO shared the first sneak peek at this production. It comes after in the months leading up to the start of filming, some of the cast list was announced.

It included 11-year-old Dominic McLaughlin playing the main character of Harry Potter, while Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout were announced to be playing Hermione and Ron respectively.

“This is the first official image of Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter for the upcoming series on HBO Max,” X account Daily Harry Potter wrote in a Twitter/X post in July.

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The Great British Bake Off finalist Dr Josh Smalley spoke to the Mirror recently about what it’s like to compete on the show, including sharing his thoughts on Alison Hammond

Dr Josh Smalley has revealed what it was like filming the Great British Bake Off. The former contestant, who was a finalist on the Channel 4 show in 2023, shared behind-the-scenes details in an interview with the Mirror this week.

The chemistry researcher and science communicator, 29, competed on the fourteenth series of the show, which aired two years ago. He made it to the final of the baking contest after impressing the judges and was declared a runner-up, with Matty Edgell taking home the trophy instead.

Josh reflected on his experience in the iconic tent in an interview with us earlier this week, ahead of him delivering a talk at the New Scientist Live festival next month. He spoke about the two hosts of Bake Off, the hardest aspect of competing and revealed what happens to leftover cakes.

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Josh, who said that he had applied for Bake Off as an opportunity to “challenge” himself, described taking part in the show as the “best experience”. The baker told us that he had dreamed of being on it but never thought he would.

He said that the twelve contestants, who have stayed in touch since filming ended, “instantly just got on”. Josh said that they met at their hotel prior to the first challenge but they only saw judges Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith “just before the first bake,” which he found to be “quite scary”.

Josh said about the competition: “The saddest part every week was that somebody was gonna have to go home.” He added: “You wanted everybody to do well, because you could see these incredible things coming together all around you. You just want everyone to do their best.”

Asked if he was surprised by any aspect of filming, Josh, who said he had watched the show since it began in 2010, teased that he had expected there to be more time for baking than the deadline viewers are told about. After suggesting that he had thought there to be a “quick break,” he said: “Nope, it’s 2 hours, that’s it!” He added: “It was very strict on that. So you don’t get extra time.”

He later said that the time limits are the “real challenge” for contestants. Josh told us: “All of the bakers on every series, if given unlimited time to make what they wanted to make … they would make an incredible bake. The real challenge is being able to squash all that into 2 hours.”

Speaking about the “stress” and temperature in the tent, he said: “There’s a lot of stressful moments as well [as the fun]. When you’re having to remake something for the third time because it’s not worked right it’s quite stressful.”

Josh also mentioned being critiqued in person by Paul and Prue. He said: “The pressure of having your food judged and being literally nose-to-nose with [the judges] as they dive into it and taste it, and then you’ve got to hear their instant feedback – that was a bit nervy as well.”

Discussing what happens to the leftover bakes that aren’t eaten by the judges, he said: “After a long day’s filming, and there’s a very hungry crew, and bakers, it soon disappears. Don’t worry about that. There’s no wastage at all.”

Josh added that he was keen to try his co-stars’ bakes after hearing any positive feedback from the judges. Speaking about trying each other’s cakes, he said: “We all got a piece of it brought afterwards so we got to try bits of it.”

He continued: “The majority of the bakes on the show are sweet [though], so there comes a point with all the practising as well, where you’ve just … you’re sort of sick of eating cake because you can’t take any more sugar.” He added that any savoury challenges, like bread week, were “the best”.

“They were the best ones because just like you were craving savoury,” he told us. Josh added: “So once it was one of those ones we just … we would all dive in and eat it all.”

Josh appeared on the first Bake Off series co-hosted by Alison Hammond, with her having joined Noel Fielding that year. He said: “She was incredible. She was so lovely and I think [together] they just bounce off each other.”

He said that Alison and Noel had a “great chemistry,” before saying: “I loved it when they came round. They always would come round at the worst time possible, deliberately so.” Josh added that Alison was a “welcomed addition” to the show and that she was on hand to “encourage” the bakers.

Since competing on the show, Josh has remained in the science field, with him now a postdoctoral research associate and science communication champion at the University of Leicester. He also founded the Science Kitchen, described as a “pioneering on-campus kitchen and laboratory” that provides a platform “to educate, entertain, and inspire,” at the university.

Discussing his decision to remain in that industry, he said: “I just thought that it would be an amazing opportunity to try and use the platform of the Bake Off to be able to do what I’ve always done and just do it on another scale up. […] Now, I get to blend my two passions of the baking and the chemistry, and I get to go and do all sorts of online videos, and shows and talks all the way round the country and get to educate the public and young audiences all about science and baking, and hopefully make science, chemistry in particular, interesting, engaging, accessible but through the means of food, which we all love.”

He’s now preparing for a talk at New Scientist Live, which promises “talks, immersive exhibitions and boundary-pushing science experiences” at ExCeL, London, next month. Josh said that the event will have “an amazing array of speakers”.

Teasing his talk, the Spooktacular Science of Baking, which is being held on October 19, Josh said that it will feature a vomiting pumpkin and chemical reaction display. There will also be bakes and chemistry demostrations. Josh added: “Delving into and close up as to what’s actually going on in our bakes.”

Speaking about baking, he said: “You just follow the recipe and then you get the result at the end.” He added about introducing the science behind it: “You just see people’s reaction to actually then think, something that they have made or been doing for years and years and years, suddenly now someone has told them actually why we do that.”

He gave examples such as why a recipe may require room temperature butter or ingredients being used in a certain order. Josh said: “It’s really fun to be able to actually explain, from a chemistry point of view, what’s actually happening there.”

Further promoting his talk, he said: “We know we all love to be in the kitchen, either eating what we’ve made, or having a go and playing around experimenting. So if you like food, and you want to learn a little bit more about how baking and how cooking works, then this is the talk for you.”

Josh continued: “Also, you’re gonna get a little sprinkle of the science [behind it] as well.” He then added: “And it’s gonna have a few sort of like pops and bangs and fizzes and things so it will be a nice, immersive experience.”

Josh Smalley is speaking at New Scientist Live which takes place on October 19-20 at ExCeL, London. To book tickets visit the event’s website.

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EXCLUSIVE: Hollyoaks and Loose Women star Sherrie Hewson says older television viewers are being treated like “coffin dodgers” and more older people need to be seen on screen

Sherrie Hewson says TV bosses need to make more shows with older people in them.

The former Loose Women star, 75, believes mature telly fans are being treated like “coffin dodgers” and broadcasters are “chasing the young and forgetting the old”.

According to a new report called The Upper Third, commissioned by Freeview broadcaster Great! TV, more than a quarter of viewers feel forgotten by today’s TV producers, despite watching more television than any other age group.

The Great! network – including Great! TV, Great! Action, Great! Mystery, and Great! Romance – is relaunching for the very audiences who feel left behind by normal TV, prioritising much-loved and classic, high-quality TV series and movies.

Speaking about the campaign, Sherrie said: “This is a brilliant campaign and long overdue. If you lived in my world, you’d know this is exactly what people want.

“Today’s TV so often chases the young and forgets the rest but for many of us, the joy of great television has always been simple – you just watch a show and you laugh, or you don’t. Funny is funny.

“Look at the adverts on television, you never see older people in adverts unless they’re in a funeral parlour or a cremation or life insurance. It’s like we’re being treated like coffin dodgers or something.”

She continued: “I did the remake of Are You Being Served? and I played Mrs Slocombe and we got something like eight million viewers for that one episode and every character in that is older. Everybody loved it.

“You don’t have to remake these shows but just make the older shows more accessible so people can see them.”

Sherrie thinks entertainment shows such as Naked Attraction are taking too greater priority over the dramas and sitcoms she grew up loving.

She added: “Somebody’s paid to have these commissioned and I don’t get it. Maybe it’s because I’m the age I am but my daughter who’s 40 thinks its awful to so it’s not just me.”

Sherrie is currently playing Martha Blake in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, the mother of serial killer Jeremy Blake (Jeremy Sheffield).

She is also known for playing Maureen Holdsworth in Coronation Street, Lesley Meredith in Emmerdale, Joyce Temple-Savage in Benidorm and for her stint as Loose Women panellist.

A RYDER CUP star was dumped out of the BMW PGA Championship after three rounds – following a rarely-seen SECOND CUT.

All 12 Team Europe players plus captain Luke Donald teed it up at Wentworth this week in the last big event before they fly to New York to face the USA.

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But DP World Tour chiefs were forced into an unusual rule change.

A whopping 86 made it through the regular cut at the mid-way point after 36 holes on Friday evening – with 26 players tied on two-under-par.

However, a secondary cut can be introduced by the Tournament Director after the third round on Saturday to reduce the field for the final day if more than 84 make it to the weekend.

The secondary cut is designed to ensure the maximum number of players on Sunday is 78.

This was the first time the little-known rule was implemented on the DP World Tour since the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in 2023.

That ensures the leaders can go out at 11.10am on Sunday – allowing enough time for a possible play-off and to stick to TV schedules.

However, it was bad news for Robert MacIntyre.

The fiery Scot – who slammed his driver into the ground after a wayward tee shot on the sixth hole – missed out on a tee time for Sunday’s final round as one of the unlucky 13 to miss the additional cut.

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His level-par 72 kept him at -2 and sent him packing alongside Alex Fitzpatrick and Niklas Norgaard among others.

But unlike the regular cut, the 13 golfers ditched after Saturday are still entitled to both ranking points in the Race To Dubai and prize money from Wentworth.

Tommy Fleetwood, fresh from his maiden PGA Tour win, just scraped through to Sunday on -3 with Rory McIlroy two shots better off.

Justin Rose, Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry are all at -7 with Ludvig Aberg and Matt Fitzpatrick on -10.

But MacIntyre’s European team-mates Viktor Hovland (-12) and Tyrrell Hatton (-13) will be hoping to chase down the leaders Alex Noren and Adrien Saddier on -15.

Ironically, Noren is a vice-captain for Donald at Bethpage Black in two weeks’ time.

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Ryder Cup line ups

Here are the players who will be competing in the Ryder Cup…

Team Europe

• Luke Donald (C)
• Shane Lowry
• Jon Rahm
• Sepp Straka
• Viktor Hovland
• Ludvig Aberg
• Matt Fitzpatrick
• Rory McIlroy
• Robert MacIntyre
• Tommy Fleetwood
• Justin Rose
• Rasmus Hojgaard
• Tyrrell Hatton

Team USA

• Keegan Bradley (C)
• Justin Thomas
• Collin Morikawa
• Ben Griffin
• Cameron Young
• Patrick Cantley
• Sam Burns
• Scottie Scheffler
• JJ Spaun
• Xander Schauffele
• Russell Henley
• Harris English
• Bryson DeChambeau

HEALTH Secretary Wes Streeting has told wasteful NHS bosses there is “nowhere to hide”.

It comes after league tables revealed three quarters of hospitals are in debt.

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Mr Streeting vowed a crackdown after rankings showed 99 out of 134 major NHS trusts in England are blowing budgets.

At least 38 fell to the sub-standard third or bottom fourth tier due to financial mismanagement.

They were relegated even if their medical care was good. In all 80 per cent of NHS hospitals were rated below standard.

Mr Streeting has refused to increase the £200billion health budget without tough reform.

Hospitals are estimated to have gone into the red by more than £600million last year.

That is while a record 2,600 bosses are paid over £110,000 a year, and some over £300,000.

Even chief executives at the ten worst-ranked hospitals are earning more than PM Sir Keir Starmer’s £172,000 salary.

Mr Streeting said: “Any football supporter will tell you the table doesn’t lie.

“Now there is nowhere for wasteful spenders to hide.”

He ordered hospitals to slash spending on agency staff and stop sending letters by post.

The NHS’s costly London HQ will close.

Bosses who cannot balance their books will also be denied pay rises and bonuses.

NHS England boss Sir Jim Mackey said tough measures are beginning to stem losses.

Think tank Policy Exchange said: “NHS bosses need to turn hospitals around, with their own jobs and bonuses on the line if they fail.”

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GMB stars are fuming at being told they can no longer eat buttered toast in the mornings.

They were among ITV staff warned this week that toasters were banned in their new studios because of health and safety fears.

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In a meeting attended by presenter Susanna Reid — who has previously spoken of her love of peanut butter, apple and toast — staff were also warned they would have no canteen.

A carb-loving insider said: “It is mutiny down at Good Morning Britain HQ.

“Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

“But the new offices’ kitchen is in a basement with no windows or natural light, so smoke from a toaster is a serious health hazard.

“Those on the night shift who prepare the breakfast show are especially cross as they love their morning toast.

“And there is no canteen so everyone will have to start bringing in their Tupperware packed breakfasts.

“And whilst this seems like extreme cost-cutting, everyone was bamboozled to discover a yoga studio was being built on the roof. It’s all very bizarre.”

As part of an ITV cost-cutting overhaul, production on Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women will move away from BBC Studioworks’ Television Centre from January.

GMB, meanwhile, is being relocated to ITN on Gray’s Inn Road.

Bosses have tried to ban the bread-browning machines before — but backed down after then-host Piers Morgan shamed them on air.

Amanda Barrie used to fear that her sexuality would cost her her role on Coronation Street and is certain she would have been sacked if bosses found out

Amanda Barrie used to fear that her sexuality would cost her her role on Coronation Street. The actress, who will celebrate her 90th birthday this weekend, is best-remembered by fans of the world’s longest-running TV soap as Alma Halliwell, and initially appeared in 1981 for a brief stint before appearing regularly from 1988 until 2001.

Over the years, viewers watched the supermarket worker marry fellow legend Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs), and will also recall her partnership with Gail Platt (Helen Worth) when they ran the café for a number of years and her long friendship with Gail’s mother Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls). In 2001, she left the programme for good when her character succumbed to cancer, and in 2003, Amanda came out as bisexual.

But the TV star, who married former Mirror journalist and crime novelist Hilary Bonner in 2014, is now certain that had she come clean about her sexuality any sooner, she would have been dismissed from the programme, although she appreciates now that she has no evidence to back up this claim.

READ MORE: TV legend Amanda Barrie says she’s spillling the beans with tell-all memoir as she turns 90READ MORE: Corrie’s Amanda Barrie: ‘I’m sworn off pork after op to put pig valve in my heart’

During an appearance on Thursday’s Good Morning Britain, she told hosts Kate Garraway and Ed Balls: “Somebody shopped me to the press. I should’ve known better but I never kept my life from anybody, all my friends know everything.

“I think people thought it was catching, you were pushed away and whispered about in corners. They would not, and I swear to God, I’ve said this but I can’t back it up, I know that I would’ve been sacked from Coronation Street.

“They would’ve got rid. You couldn’t have said ‘It would’ve been that person who did it or that…’ it would’ve been ‘Oh we don’t want anything to do with that, darling.'”

Once Amanda, who has just released her memoir I’m Still Here, had come out, she actually got a pleasant surprise with the reaction she received, having anticipated the worst.

She explained: “I expected to be stoned in the street, I got a lot of hugs. What was I in such a state about? Because it was just ‘Oh, I see, oh…'” before adding: “You automatically revert to the way you’d always behave, lurking about with your head down editing your life is what you do. You change they, he, she, all that editing…”

Amanda and Hilary, who live between Covent Garden and Somerset, are amazed how much public attitudes have changed over the years. For Amanda’s adamant she could never have come out before Alma’s death on Corrie in 2001, but now appreciates the inclusion and diversity within the show.

She said: “It wouldn’t have been the bosses who caused a problem so much as some of the other cast,” she reveals. ”My close friends like Helen Worth all knew the truth. But you heard other people say certain things….Not naming names.

“Now there are so many LGBTQI characters on the show I often joke they should rename it Canal Street! [after Manchester’s gay bar district]. What happened after I left? It’s not contagious, you know!”

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A POPULAR Loose Women star has landed a huge new weekend TV gig after impressing bosses.

This panellist, 45, shared the news on Instagram after becoming a key player at ITV.

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Loose Women anchor Charlene White revealed her exciting news today.

The TV star told fans that her Talking Royals podcast is now being turned into a weekly TV show that will air on Sunday mornings on ITV and ITVX.

The show has proved popular as a podcast and revisits historic moments from royal history, alongside discussing the headlines of the day.

An excited Charlene shared the news that the show was now going to be on TV, and told fans: “Some work news… ITV liked our @itvnews Talking Royals podcast so much, it’s heading to Sunday mornings on ITV1 and ITVX from Sept 21st at 12.30pm.

“It’s a modern take on a centuries-old establishment. Join me @chris.ship.itv @lizzierobinsonitv and a mix of incredible guests for debate, updates, and analysis.

“And since flags are having a moment .. do notice that our backdrop represents the Commonwealth countries, of whom the King is also head. A fact often forgotten in the current climate.”

Fans immediately rushed to congratulate Charlene, one fan wrote: “Well done! Can’t wait to watch!”

Another added: “Awesome news Charlene!”

This one said: “Brilliant news, congratulation!”

Hailing from Greenwich in South London, Charlene’s journalism career began as a reporter on Radio 1’s Newsbeat and its sister digital station, BBC Radio 1Xtra back in 2002.

Charlene got her big break into TV six years later, when she landed a job as an ITN newsreader.

In 2014, she became the first black woman to present ITV News at Ten.

In 2021, it was announced that Charlene would be the new anchor on Loose Women.

Speaking at the time about joining the show, she said: “This is rather exciting, isn’t it?

Regular Loose Women panellists

Katie Piper – Former Strictly Come Dancing star, activist, model and author

Sunetra Sarker – A former Strictly Come Dancing star, and known for her role in Casualty

Kaye Adams – Scottish journalist and one of the original Loose Women

Christine Lampard – ITV presenter

Ruth Langsford – Presented Loose Women on and off since 1999

Jane Moore – Sun columnist and former I’m A Celebrity contestant

Coleen Nolan – Became known for her family girl band called The Nolans and went on to compete on Celeb Big Brother

Nadia Sawalha – Former EastEnders star and Celebrity MasterChef winner

Stacey Solomon – Known for her reality show Sort Your Life Out and winning series 10 of I’m A Celeb

Janet Street-Porter – A journalist and president of the Ramblers’ Association

Brenda Edwards – Came fourth on The X Factor and went on to become a pop star and act in hit musicals such as Hairspray

Charlene White – Lead presenter at ITV News London

Kelle Bryan – Former EastEnders star and was in girl group Eternal alongside her sisters. Also starred in Hollyoaks

Olivia Attwood – Love Island star who joined the cast of The Only Way Is Essex

Frankie Bridge – Participated in Strictly Come Dancing and came third on I’m A Celeb in 2021

Judi Love – A stand up comedian and radio presenter, who has also made a variety of TV appearances in shows such as Strictly Come Dancing, Celebrity MasterChef, and Taskmaster

Linda Robson – Played iconic character Tracey Stubbs in Birds Of A Feather

Denise Welch – A soap queen, she starred in Coronation Street, Waterloo Road and Hollyoaks. Also the mother of Matt Healy, the lead singer of pop rock group the 1975

Gloria Hunniford – TV presenter who’s appeared on The Masked Singer and Strictly

Penny Lancaster – Model who is married to Rod Stewart

Dame Kelly Holmes – Double Olympic gold medallist in the 800m and 1500m

Myleene Klass – Member of pop group Hear’Say and classically trained musician

Ayda Field – American actress who is married to Robbie Williams

Sue Cleaver – Known for playing Eileen Grimshaw on the ITV soap opera Coronation Street

Kelly Brook – Model who found fame on The Big Breakfast with Johnny Vaughan

Mariella Frostrup – British-Norwegian journalist and presenter

“I am very happy, thank you so much for having me, ladies.”

Charlene added: “I am, I’m officially a Loose Woman! I am honestly absolutely stoked.

“I have been buzzing all this time to be able to reveal that I am the latest and the newest Loose Woman.”

Away from Loose Women and ITV news, Charlene has also dipped her toe in reality TV.

She has appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, and also Celebrity Gogglebox.

EXCLUSIVE: The 25-year-old actor, who plays the son of shopkeeper Dev, Aadi Alahan, left the soap on Wednesday night – but says it was his decision to ‘spread his wings’ and play other characters

After an emotional farewell last night as his character, Aadi Alahan, left Coronation Street’s famous cobbles to start a new life in India, actor Adam Hussain reveals it was his decision to quit.

Having joined Corrie in April 2020 as Dev and Sunita’s son, Aadi, Adam took over from Zennon Ditchett, who had left Weatherfield to concentrate on his A-levels. Prior to that, Aadi and his twin sister Asha were played by triplets Hannah, Harris and Ria Ahmed.

But after five years, the actor says he decided to leave to “spread his wings” and play other characters. And his brave move has clearly proved to be a good one as Adam reveals today he has already bagged himself a role in a new feature film, overseen by award-winning horror director Richard Stanley.

In his only newspaper interview talking about his departure, the actor, 24, tells the Mirror: “My life has changed for the better since I joined Corrie and it has been such an honour to be part of the amazing cast.

“I joined during the Covid pandemic, which was a weird and surreal time to take on a new character. I’ve loved playing Aadi, I have made good friends on the set, and I am going to miss Corrie dearly.

“But I am going to be 25 in October, and I felt it was the right time to leave. It was my decision, and the producers were so understanding.

“I want to spread my wings a little, go out in the big world and see what else I can do. I am really excited as I’ve got a new role in a horror feature film. I can’t say too much yet, but I am looking forward to it.

“I feel lucky as I’ve also been to lots of other auditions since I finished filming my Corrie scenes in June, and I’ve filmed a part in a short film, Spice For Life, too. We are sending it off to film festivals at the moment. It’s an exploration of cultures coming together.”

He is, however, glad Corrie bosses decided not to kill Aadi off. “It’s very relieving to know I can always return whenever I want to,” smiles Adam. “And they’ve told me the door will always be left open if I ever want to come back. My friends on set were gutted when I first told them, but they also understood. They now have high aspirations about what I am going to get up to in the coming years!”

Over the past few weeks, Aadi’s life has spiralled out of control as he turned to booze to get over the guilt of Lauren accidentally drinking his laced drink and the stress of running a business.

It was his dad, Dev, who told him to go and start a fresh life in India with his cousin, Vikram. Initially, Aadi was opposed to the idea, but eventually he came to the realisation that it was the perfect chance to wipe the slate clean.

“He has been really struggling financially with keeping the business running,” explains the star. “But his life spiralled because he also felt so guilty about what happened to Lauren. He started drinking a lot. At first, Aadi was distraught that his dad wanted to send him away, but he knew eventually it was the right decision to get away and have a fresh start.”

Adam says he had mixed emotions filming his final scenes. “It was both scary and exciting,” he adds. “I had a whole mix of emotions because I did get very nostalgic. I also knew it was the right decision to go.”

But thankfully, he says he didn’t fall to pieces shooting the emotional farewell scenes. “I actually had to use a tear stick for when Aadi started crying,” he reveals. “It’s been fun to film this storyline and I also think it has been good to show business owners who are struggling that they aren’t alone. It can be really tough running a business, as Aadi found.”

Admitting he has grown up a lot during his time on Corrie, Adam says he is particularly proud to have been involved in some gritty storylines. From being shot at while protecting his fiancée, Kelly Neelan, and accidentally letting Lauren Bolton drink LCD to having an affair with married woman Courtney Vance and staging a fake robbery at the corner shop, the actor says he has loved the many twists and turns his character has faced.

“I was 20 when I joined Corrie and I’ve learnt so much,” he says. “I still feel like a kid at heart but I am older now and these five years have flown by. It seems like only yesterday I was arriving on set for the first time to play Aadi. I’ve grown in confidence and I’ve learnt so much about how it works on a soap set as well as the industry as a whole.”

He picks out a car explosion in 2021 that saw Aadi fight for his life as one of his favourite plotlines. He also loved filming scenes a year later with Millie Gibson, who played Aadi’s fiancée, Kelly. She had been kidnapped by her dad’s criminal associates and was about to be shot. But loved-up Aadi jumped in to save her and took the bullet. Thankfully, the gunshot missed vital organs, but he was then left distraught when Kelly decided to leave Weatherfield for good.

“Aadi got shot trying to protect Kelly,” he recalls fondly. “It was such an honour and pleasure to work alongside Millie. We used Hollywood-style equipment, which was exciting. It was also great fun filming the car explosion stunt in the countryside.

“Filming in the pandemic was also obviously a surreal time, too. We had to keep a seven-metre distance with only two people in each scene at a time, which made filming quite difficult.

“But it’s been fun playing Aadi. I like how he enjoys playing the hero, but he has a flawed side as well. I love his awkwardness!” He also admits he is going to miss Jimmi Harkishin, who plays his on-screen dad, terribly. “I find Jimmi so funny,” he says. “He took me under his wing and showed me the ropes. I learned a lot from him, and he became my second dad – my work dad.

“I’ve kept the ‘golf ball’ set Dev gave Aadi when he asked him to be his best man as a memento. It’s in a chest at home, along with other mementoes from all my other acting jobs.

“I grew up watching Corrie and it’s been so surreal to be able to say I’ve been part of the cast. I have to pinch myself sometimes!” Both his charity shop worker mum, Nora, and dad, Azark, a retired hospitality worker, are very supportive of his decision to leave and have even let him move back in with them in Manchester.

Adam – one of four siblings – says they’ve always encouraged him to follow his dreams. “I got into acting when I was in secondary school. I was a quiet child and getting up on the stage was therapeutic for me. It helped me come out of my shell. Mum and Dad are so proud and we watched last night’s scenes together at home.”

After dropping out of college to attend an acting class run by his now-agent Darren Gordon, Adam landed several TV roles including playing Josh Nubhai in ITV’s The Bay for two seasons. He also starred in Absentia and No Man’s Land.

Adam, who is single, says he hopes to one day travel the world with his job. “I’ve already travelled quite a lot before I took on the Corrie role,” he explains. “I would love to travel everywhere, especially America. I want to get into films and the feature film I’ve been signed up to do is a great stepping stone.

“I am single at the moment. I want to concentrate on my work.” However, he stresses he’s not about to change careers. One newspaper report suggested he was working for his family tailoring business in between roles. “My brother-in-law owns a tailor,” he explains. “So, every now and again I go and help out!”

As for whether he thinks he will ever return to Corrie’s cobbles in the future and the actor smiles as he stresses: “Never say never! But I do hope Aadi does get a second chance in India. He is going to live with his rich aunt, so you never know, he might turn out to be the new Prince of Mumbai!”

– Coronation Street runs Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 8pm on ITV1. Episodes can also be downloaded on ITVX.

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ITV bosses have reportedly offered boxing champ David Haye a spot on the next season of I’m A Celeb’s All Stars spin off – with one major topic expected to be discussed around the campfire

I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! is planning to add boxing champ David Haye to their knockout line-up of the next All Stars spin-off season. The former heavyweight champ, 44, first appeared on the long-running ITV reality show’s twelfth season back in 2012.

And he may be returning to the jungle as one of the All Star contestants for the spin-off series that sees past participants return for another round of stomach churning trials. The first season of the All Stars version, titled I’m a Celebrity… South Africa, aired in 2023 with Myleene Klass being crowned winner.

And now a string of popular former contestants are being lined up for a second trip to the outback – with David among the top names wanted to take part in the series. He came third when he participated in the series the last time behind winner Charlie Brooks, of EastEnders fame, and Pussycat Dolls runner-up Ashley Roberts.

READ MORE: Emmerdale’s Adam Thomas in ‘advanced talks’ for I’m A Celebrity All Stars returnREAD MORE: The Only Way is Essex original stars now as show celebrates 15-year anniversary

Since then, David’s foray into the world of media stardom has seen him appear in shows including The Big Narstie Show and his own David Haye versus series, which saw him interview and train with major celebrities.

A source told The Sun: “David was delighted to get the call from ITV. As viewers know, no chats are off-limits around the campfire, so they can expect to see David grilled over his quirky relationships.” The Mirror has contacted representatives of David and ITV for comment.

It is expected that the new season of the ITV show will begin filming in the autumn months when a string of other former contestants will return to the wilderness to survive on basic rations. Football icon Harry Redknapp, 78, who won in 2018, and Gemma Collins, 44, who quit the show after three days in 2014, are among names linked to the new season.

A number of familiar faces are expected to jet to Australia in November to film the next season of the main I’m A Celeb series. It will be the 25th outing of the show – which first aired way back in 2002.

Hosts Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly will travel Down Under to preside over all the terrifying trials and encourage the celebs to eat revolting meals and drinks. The 2024 season of the show was won by McFly singer Danny Jones.

But the 39-year-old singer has had a difficult few months since he was crowned the king of the jungle. He was shamed in March when video footage emerged of him locking lips with fellow I’m A Celeb 2024 contestant Maura Higgins, of Love Island fame.

The footage sparked shock among his fans – who have championed his marriage to beauty contestant Georgia Horsley – a former Miss England winner. The couple have been an item since 2009 and they have been married since 2014.

They also welcomed a son named Cooper who was born in 2018. Danny offered a groveling apology to his wife which he issued via social media soon after his extramarital kiss went viral.

In a statement, the McFly singer said: “Hello everyone, sorry it’s taken me a while to post this but I’ve taken some time out to be with those closest to me. I want to deeply apologise to my wife and family for putting them in this situation. I love them so much and we’ll continue to deal with this privately.

“I love you guys, thank you for your patience, understanding, and support. See you all soon, Danny.” Meanwhile, a source close to Danny revealed at the time that he was “mortified” by what happened as well as the “awful situation he has put everyone in”.

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Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who struggles with setting boundaries in any type of relationship.

That sound you hear is the lingering sigh of relief — or is it sadness? Confusion? The frustration over what could have been? — as “And Just Like That” completed its last sprint in heels this week. The “Sex and the City” sequel concluded its three-season run with a Thanksgiving from hell and an epilogue for Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda, Lisa and Seema that will surely generate plenty of TikTok analysis to occupy us all weekend. The decision to end the series was surprising, sure, but hardly shocking — even if it still feels like a fever dream that’s not quite over. Our crew of dedicated watchers unpacked some of what they’re feeling — grab a slice of pie, pull up a chair and join the attempt to process it all. It’s a safe place.

But don’t fret, there are some other peeps you can add to your friend group to help ease the loss. Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen prove that men and women can be strictly (incredibly co-dependent) friends in Apple TV+’s “Platonic.” The comedy returned earlier this month for its second season, and creators Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller dropped by Guest Spot to discuss the challenges of making opposite-sex friendship more compelling than a romance, plus the story behind the perfectly pathetic pet name they have Rogen’s character saying all season.

Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations include a crime drama that sees a “Clueless” star enter her sleuth era? That’s right, TV critic Robert Lloyd tells you about a new Acorn series that stars Alicia Silverstone as an L.A. divorce lawyer who hightails it to Ireland after receiving a mysterious message from her estranged father. If you’re in the camp of people who prefer shows with a lighter touch on death, culture columnist Mary McNamara drops in to suggest an old-fashioned workplace/fish-out-of-water comedy set in the world of probate law — Huh, you say? Trust us! It’s funny!

ICYMI

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Daniel Dae Kim is the star and executive producer of Prime Video’s “Butterfly.”

(Ariana Drehsler / For The Times)

Daniel Dae Kim hopes ‘Butterfly’ can be the ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ of spy thrillers: The actor discusses bridging Korean and American culture on his new show, how “inclusive” isn’t a bad word and good allyship in action.

Developing ‘Alien: Earth’ was all about building suspense — and getting classic ‘Alien’ lore just right for TV: Noah Hawley leaned into the ‘Alien’ franchise’s retro-futurism when making ‘Alien: Earth,’ adding Peter Pan mythology and Easter eggs.

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Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

Alicia Silverstone as Fiona Sharpe in Acorn’s “Irish Blood.”

(Szymon Lazewski / Acorn TV)

“Irish Blood” (Acorn)

Alicia Silverstone stars as Fiona Murphy, an American divorce lawyer — no husband for her! — whose unsuspected past comes calling in form of a photograph mailed from Ireland, showing a picture of a locker with a phone number written on the backside. Not being me, she calls it right away and so begins a dark treasure hunt that brings her to Wicklow, Ireland, where she discovers the father (Jason O’Mara in flashbacks) who left on her 10th birthday was living, and is now dead, under possibly suspicious circumstances. She also discovers a briefcase full of clues; family she didn’t know she had; an inherited house; potential romance with the local owner of a boxing gym (Leonardo Taiwo); and a quirky policewoman (Ruth Codd), excited to help when Fiona is mysteriously attacked. As in many, or most, stories in which a city person travels to the country — “I Know Where I’m Going” or “Local Hero,” just to be Celtic about it — Fiona will experience a feeling of renewal, notwithstanding the threat of death. The mystery keeps you guessing, the characters are appealing, and Silverstone gives a lovely, lived-in performance. — Robert Lloyd

“Fisk” (Netflix, Season 3 premieres Wednesday)

I can’t say I was looking for a comedy that revolved around Australian probate law, but one found me and now I’m hooked. Co-created by and starring Australian comedian Kitty Flanagan, “Fisk” is an old-fashioned workplace/fish-out-of-water comedy that follows recently divorced Helen Tudor-Fisk (Flanagan), who has fled the shining lights of Sydney for the more sedate Melbourne where her father, a retired Supreme Court justice, lives. And she needs a job. After a disastrous interview with a legal recruitment firm — Fisk only wears brown, has no references and “is not a people person” — she lands at Gruber & Gruber, a small firm dealing mostly with wills. Ray Gruber (Marty Sheargold), an easily distracted schlub, is thrilled to hire the daughter of a Supreme Court justice; his sister Roz (Julia Zemiro), a woman so tightly wound she controls the key to the firm’s one restroom, is not. But Roz has been suspended; hence the need for Helen. Misanthropic and quietly contentious, Helen has little patience for client hand-holding, social niceties and, well, patience; but, as time inevitably tells, she is a good lawyer and her heart is not nearly as hard as she wants everyone to believe it is.

With a revolving cast of clients, and the requisite Gen Z assistant (here played to great effect by Aaron Chen), “Fisk” is a deceptively small show — “The Office” seems hectic and flashy by comparison — but it deftly mines the mundane and often quiet absurdities of life to laugh-out-loud effect. Flanagan, too, plays it close to the vest (or in this case, an over-large brown suit), making Helen the queen of the raised eyebrow and muttered aside. She is neither savior nor saint — many of her problems are of her own making — but anyone who has ever wondered why ordering a smoothie, or renting an Airbnb, or having a straight-forward conversation about just about anything has to be so complicated these days will find a “but that makes no sense” advocate in “Fisk.” — Mary McNamara

Guest spot

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen in Season 2 of Apple TV+’s “Platonic.”

(Katrina Marcinowski / Apple TV+)

In “Platonic,” the only will-they/won’t-they tension is about whether two longtime friends with co-dependency issues can avoid a breakup of their friendship. The Apple TV+ series stars Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne as formerly estranged besties who, in the first season, rekindled their friendship at pivotal junctures in their lives — Sylvia (Byrne) is a married mother of three children who feels unfulfilled, while Will (Rogen) is a middle-aged hipster and brewer going through a divorce — and help each other in their quest to get back on track. The series returned earlier this month with Will experiencing cold feet at the prospect of marrying his fiancée (and boss), while Sylvia, who is helping to plan the ceremony, gets caught in the crosshairs just as she must contend with developing sore spots in her own marriage. Creators Delbanco and Stoller stopped by Guest Spot to discuss how platonic friendships can be love stories, too, and the story behind this season’s embarrassing pet name.

What is the challenge in depicting a platonic friendship between people of the opposite sex when viewers enjoy character shipping? How do you make “just friends” something to root for?

Stoller: It’s definitely a challenge to break story as almost all TV show plots involve either sex or murder. But the funniest comedies explore human relationships honestly. Our artistic project with “Platonic” is to delve into the complications and rewards of male-female friendships. We think anyone who’s ever had this kind of friendship will find the show relatable. While “Platonic” is a hang-out show, we also are invested in the show having a strong story drive. We think we have figured out series arcs for our characters that go deep on midlife and hopefully will make you laugh out loud.

Delbanco: In a way, platonic friendships are love stories too — not exactly the same kind of love stories, of course, but they do have certain similar preoccupations: Can we survive our disagreements? Are we ultimately good for each other or not? Is our relationship going to last through all of the phases of our lives as we change and grow? Ultimately, we’re hoping we can make viewers feel the same degree of investment in “will they make it” as friends that we’re all accustomed to feeling in rom-coms. It’s definitely a creative challenge, but we all know how important friendships are to our overall emotional health, so it stands to reason that they deserve some exploration onscreen too.

This season provides an opportunity to explore the intimidation factor of a new significant other experiencing the Sylvia-Will dynamic. How did that make you think about Will’s fiancée, Jenna [Rachel Rosenbloom]?

Stoller: We originally conceived of “Platonic” as an anthology series where we were going to explore a different platonic friendship each season. While shooting the first season, we had such a great time making it that we asked Seth and Rose if they wanted to do more of the show together, and luckily for us they said yes. The Jenna character had been created to give Will a happy ending. We knew that to make more episodes of the show we would have to give Will a new conflict. We knew that Sylvia needed to understand Will in a way Jenna just didn’t. But we also wanted Jenna to be a legitimate partner for Will. So in the Season 2 writers’ room, we reconceived Jenna to just be operating at a slightly different wavelength than both Will and Sylvia. We worked with Rachel Rosenbloom, who plays Jenna and is super funny, to figure out a character that was just a little out of step with both Will and Sylvia.

Delbanco: We really wanted to write Jenna as a human, relatable character rather than a one-dimensional “lame girlfriend” type of comedy villain, because at its core, the insecurity that Jenna feels about Sylvia is a feeling most of us have had before: Who is this woman my boyfriend/fiancé/husband spends so much time with, and how can I be sure he isn’t actually in love with her? Likewise, we didn’t want Jenna to be someone Sylvia could easily dismiss: In many ways she’s good for Will, and intimidating in her own right. There have been so many amazing comedies about introducing a significant other to your parents, and your family, but there’s a lot of great dramatic tension to mine when new love interests collide with old friends.

What is the backstory with the “penguini” pet name? What were other iterations before you landed on that one?

Stoller: We just tried to think of the most embarrassing thing that Will would have to say in front of Sylvia. And so “penguini” was born. Hilariously, one of our locations where we shot this season turned out to be right next to a restaurant called Caffe Pinguini.

Delbanco: It made us laugh so hard to imagine Seth having to use a private baby-talk, lovey-dovey voice — it just doesn’t suit his character, and it’s so mortifying to be overheard in that mode. It felt like a strong way to announce that something new was going on with him this season.

What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?

Stoller: I just watched the Billy Joel documentary [“Billy Joel: And So It Goes,” HBO Max]. I’ve always been a fan of his, but the documentary uncovers a lot of pain and history I was unaware of. It made me revisit his music and understand it in a whole new light. I also just saw the film “Sorry, Baby” [VOD], which is hilarious, beautifully-shot, moving and even, at times, slightly scary.

Delbanco: I recently finished the second season of “Wolf Hall” [PBS.org], and I can’t stop thinking about it — I loved the novels and was floored that they were adapted for the screen with such incredible depth and power. The finale is still haunting me even though I watched it weeks ago. Main takeaway: I am so freaking glad I wasn’t born during the reign of Henry VIII.

What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?

Stoller: I watch “Rushmore” [Hulu, Disney+], “When Harry Met Sally” [VOD] and “The Shining” [VOD] once a year. The endings of both “Rushmore” and “When Harry Met Sally” never fail to make me cry. Every time I watch “Rushmore,” I notice a new detail. And “The Shining” casts a hypnotic spell that makes me want to revisit the Overlook [Hotel] again and again.

Delbanco: I guess we’re an early Wes Anderson household, because “The Royal Tenenbaums” [Hulu, Disney+] is the movie I see on repeat when I close my eyes. It makes me laugh and also cry in all the right ways, and I love its desultory, romantic mood. I don’t think any scene has ever worked for me as well as Gwyneth Paltrow’s walk towards Luke Wilson when she gets off the bus. The bus station! Her fur coat! Nico! What could ever top it?

Welcome to Screen Gab, the newsletter for everyone who channels Wednesday Addams’ contemptuous energy every day of the week.

After a nearly three-year absence, everyone’s favorite unamused teenager is back. “Wednesday,” Netflix’s spinoff of “The Addams Family” franchise that stars Jenna Ortega, became a megahit when it debuted — spawning memes and a dance craze that took TikTok by storm. Revolving around Wednesday’s adventures at Nevermore Academy, the boarding school for outcasts she’s forced to attend, the supernatural comedy returned this week with the first half of its eight-episode second season. (The rest will drop in September. And a third season has already been ordered.) Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who created the series, stopped by Guest Spot to talk about the new episodes, including the unforgettable way Steve Buscemi, who plays the new school principal, made early-morning shoots more bearable.

Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our streaming recommendations are a bit off the beaten path: TV critic Robert Lloyd encourages you to dive into the oeuvre of Australian-based internet humorist Natalie Tran, and film critic Amy Nicholson tells you about a different body-swapping film if the new “Freaky Friday” sequel isn’t your thing.

ICYMI

Must-read stories you might have missed

After years working a propane job in Saudi Arabia to earn their retirement nest egg, Peggy and Hank Hill return to a changed Arlen, Texas. Meanwhile, Bobby, center, is living his dream as a chef in Dallas, enjoying his 20s.

(Hulu)

Aging up the characters in the ‘King of the Hill’ revival was not only easy, it was ‘a relief’: Pamela Adlon, Lauren Tom and Kathy Najimy spoke about returning to the animated series, how they aged up their characters’ voices and why it’s the best job ever.

Spike Lee’s new Denzel Washington movie is much more than a Kurosawa remake: The director’s latest, a supercharged ransom thriller set in his beloved New York City, shows the filmmaker reinvigorated and uninterested in slowing down.

Column: Ad-supported streaming is the future. So why is the experience so bad?: Poorly placed, low-quality, repetitive ads are more the scourge of streaming than they ever were of broadcast prime time.

If anyone can make a movie now, what does Hollywood still stand for?: From AI-native studios to interactive platforms, a new generation of storytellers is challenging Hollywood’s role as the center of the entertainment universe.

Turn on

Recommendations from the film and TV experts at The Times

Internet humorist Natalie Tran, left, joined “The Great Australian Bake Off” as co-host in 2023.

(Stu Bryce/Foxtel Group)

Natalie Tran’s communitychannel (YouTube, Instagram)

A thousand thanks to whatever algorithm brought Natalie Tran, a brilliant Australian internet humorist, back into my feed. In a typical video essay, Tran will notice an odd or annoying thing about modern life or take a random idea that’s crept into her head and create a speculative playlet in which she takes on all the parts. The great library of this work, which posted pretty regularly from 2006 to 2016, and irregularly since, resides on Tran’s YouTube-based communitychannel (1.77 million subscribers), but it is timeless, smart and funny across years, generations, continents and hemispheres. She might take on matters as mundane as a lost phone on silent, the types of friends you shouldn’t see movies with, or her inability to keep house plants alive; or as left-field as imagining monsters dressing up as humans on Halloween, a school for flies, or the person whose job it is to measure the height of celebrities. Nowadays she posts at communitychannel on Facebook and natalie.tran on Instagram, and co-hosts “The Great Australian Bake Off,” the down-under franchise of the British original, whose current season you can also find online, officially or not. — Robert Lloyd

“Dating the Enemy” (Tubi, Prime Video)

Wanna get freakier than this week’s “Freaky Friday” sequel? This edgy 1996 body swap rom-com stars Claudia Karvan and a pre-fame Guy Pearce as estranged exes Tash and Brett — she’s a nerdy science journalist, he’s an egomaniac veejay — who are horrified to wake up in each other’s skin. Both are workaholics, yet neither respects the other’s career goals. (“What’s Pearl Jam?” Tash asks.) Australian writer-director Megan Simpson Huberman’s inspired idea is that the girl is the geek, and the man is the sex symbol. “I have got a great ass!” Pearce’s Brett gloats. The future Oscar nominee has a gas peering down his undershorts to understand his new mechanics. While the former lovers’ mutual hostility leads to several funny bits of vengeance, Huberman smartly notes the tiny differences in how each one is treated as they stumble through the world — and their moments of reconnection, while incredulous, are incredibly sweet. — Amy Nicholson

Guest spot

A weekly chat with actors, writers, directors and more about what they’re working on — and what they’re watching

Joonas Suotamo as Lurch, left, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia, Jenna Ortega as Wednesday, Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley and Luis Guzmán as Gomez in “Wednesday.”

(Helen Sloan / Netflix)

“Wednesday” makes its big return this week with its morose titular character (Jenna Ortega) now navigating life as a local celebrity. But even after saving Nevermore Academy, the school for supernatural misfits that she attends, from destruction, things are hardly sunshine and rainbows — a relief, really, because she’d hate that. There’s a new mystery and looming threat to keep her psychic powers occupied. And this time, her family — namely, her mother Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and father Gomez (Luis Guzmán) — figure more prominently in the spooky and morbid tension. The season is broken up into two parts — the first four episodes were released this week; the rest will be released Sept. 3. Creators and showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar stopped by Guest Spot to discuss why they wanted to make the new season a more familial experience and the standout guest star moments. — Yvonne Villarreal

Wednesday Addams has often been described as “emotionless,” “antisocial” and “morbid.” How would you describe her? And how did you want to push against that perception of her in Season 2?

Millar: While Wednesday would certainly self-identify with all three, I would argue she is, in fact, deeply emotional. She is a character who struggles to express herself, often engaging in a silent internal war when she breaks her own personal code. She’s boxed herself into an identity and considers any emotional response as a kind of failure.

Gough: Our goal is to consistently place her in situations that challenge this rigid self-perception. We think of her emotional development in terms of micro-progressions. For most protagonists, a “hug” might be a throwaway gesture — for Wednesday it’s seismic. Her internalized struggle with vulnerability is something she’ll carry into adulthood. She may never feel fully at peace with the world, but hopefully she will discover a way to co-exist with it — on her own terms.

The season brings Wednesday’s family more into focus. What is most appealing about delving into their dynamic?

Millar: In Season 1, we focused on Wednesday carving out a life away from her family for the first time — we didn’t want the show to feel like a retread of a traditional Addams Family movie. Now that audiences are grounded into the world of Nevermore, it felt like the right moment to see more of the iconic members of the Addams family.

Gough: We loved the idea of her family literally living next door — its a delicious complication for a character like Wednesday. She can’t escape them, especially her mother. The Morticia-Wednesday dynamic is a central thread this season, and their mother-daughter tension felt very real — even when it culminates in something as heightened as a sword fight in the woods.

You have a number of prominent names, including Steve Buscemi, Christopher Lloyd and Lady Gaga, joining the ranks this season. What’s been the biggest “pinch me” moment so far?

Millar: There were so many “pinch me” moments. One that stands out for me: Joanna Lumley, who plays Grandmama Frump, sipping a Bloody Mary in the middle of a vast Irish graveyard. Surreal doesn’t begin to cover it.

Gough: An unforgettable moment for me was watching Steve Buscemi dad-dance to Bruce Springsteen at 3 a.m. We were shooting the scene in the middle of July, but it was bone chillingly cold as only an Irish summer can be. Still, Steve would come out dancing with the same off-the-wall energy every single take. He was the only reason the extras made it through the night. It was weird and wonderful — and very, very “Wednesday.”

What have you watched recently that you are recommending to everyone you know?

Millar: “Dark Winds” on AMC. It’s led by the phenomenal Zahn McClarnon, and it’s a show I had heard buzz about but never had a chance to watch until recently. The premise isn’t flashy — a ’70s set police procedural on a Navajo reservation — but the acting and storytelling are exceptional. I binged all three seasons in a week. Despite its limited budget, the series manages to capture the haunting beauty of the Southwestern landscapes. It deserves a lot more critical and audience attention.

Gough: A show I am genuinely going to miss is “The Handmaid’s Tale” [Hulu]. It’s been remarkably consistent across its run. Miles tapped out midway through Season 2 as it veered into “torture porn territory,” but I stuck with it and am glad I did. The storytelling is razor-sharp, and is written with deft craft and humanity. Cinematography is sumptuous and the performances are universally excellent. It’s definitely not comfort TV — it challenges you — but it rewards your attention. It’s a show I always recommend.

What’s your go-to “comfort watch,” the movie or TV show you go back to again and again?

Millar: Generally, I don’t rewatch TV shows. There is simply too much out there to keep up with. But movies? That’s a another story. I have a particular weakness for movies set in Los Angeles — “Heat” [The Criterion Channel, Prime Video], “Drive” [VOD], “Blade Runner” [VOD]. And anything by Spielberg, honestly — from “AI” [VOD] to “Jaws” [Netflix] to “Lincoln” [VOD] — his visual storytelling is so masterful, it feels like a free film school in every frame.

Gough: Having collaborated with Tim for over 5 years now, I have a soft spot for his work, especially “Edward Scissorhands” [Disney+] and “Ed Wood” [VOD]. If “Ed Wood” were released today, I am convinced it would win best picture. It remains one of the greatest love letters to filmmaking ever made.

A long-wondered game show secret has been revealed by a TV insider, ending much speculation.

Ever wondered how some game show contestants win the jackpot and others who deserve it more don’t? Well, this could be the reason why.

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The TV Insider

Gameshow host Richard Osman has finally answered the question about how some shows stop contestants from winning the top prize.

The Pointless and House of Games star revealed that certain questions are given to those taking part in the programme in a bid to keep cash prizes to a minimum.

On his podcast which hosts alongside Marina Hyde, The Rest is Entertainment, the pair often reveal the secret tricks used by the industry to ensure the success of certain shows and films.

Most day-time and evening gameshows have huge cash prizes, which can sometimes reach six or seven figures.

But most of the time, many contestants, despite showing great promise, only end up with a fraction of the maximum amount.

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The secret trick

The 54-year-old said: “The questions wouldn’t be weighted particularly in that way,” he said. He went on to add: “But lots of formats have ways of ensuring there isn’t a payout.”

He added: “So, you’ll do a final round where you could win or you couldn’t win the jackpot.”

He later went on to explain that the cash prize at the end of each round depends on an algorithm for players.

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Richard said: “You always have an algorithm. Daytime budgets are very small, but in your budget will be a line item for prize money.

“So, when we used to make Deal or No Deal, for example ― and it’s a good example, because it’s all about money ― you’ve got that £250,000 box all the way down to the 1p box.”

Simon Cowell’s million-dollar failure

He also explained that there have been many game show failures.

Simon Cowell once launched a game show in the USA

Wanna Bet? was hosted by tele rating’s safe pair of hands, Ant and Dec, and was based on the idea of the gambling game Red or Black.

However, Osman revealed that in the first four episodes in a row, the contestants ended up bagging the total pot – a jaw-dropping $1 million.

The car crash of a show therefore, only lasted six episodes before it was cancelled, becoming one of Ant and Dec’s rare failures.

He then compared this to his former show Pointless, which offers £16,500 per day.

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It means that if one team walks out with the top prize fund, others will suffer in the following games.

Having hosted hundreds of episodes of Pointless since it aired in 2009, Osman knows a thing or two having tv formats.

Osman was also the brains behind some of our favourite entertainment shows such as 8 out of 10 Cats, Have You Been Watching, Only Connect, Total Wipeout, Prize Island, and 10 O’Clock Live.