Australia completed a comfortable seven-wicket win in a rain-shortened first ODI against India in Perth, with Virat Kohli dismissed for a duck on his international return.
Damp conditions saw the match reduced to 26 overs-a-side, with India eventually posting 136-9 after their innings was halted for rain six times.
The visitors were plagued by regular wickets, with Rohit Sharma and Kohli, both playing their first international match since March, departing inside the powerplay, the latter for an eight-ball duck.
The dismissals of Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer saw India slip to 45-4 in the 14th over before KL Rahul, top-scoring with 38, rebuilt his side’s innings alongside Axar Patel (31) and Washington Sundar.
However, the latter’s exit in the 24th over sparked another flurry of wickets, with India losing 4-21.
Josh Hazlewood led the way with the ball, taking 2-20 from seven overs, with Mitchell Owen and Matthew Kuhnemann also taking two wickets.
Australia also lost two powerplay wickets – Travis Head and Matthew Short both dismissed for eight – but made light work of chasing their revised target of 131.
Mitchell Marsh anchored his side’s innings with an unbeaten 46 (52), sharing a 55-run third-wicket partnership with Josh Philippe (37 off 29) before seeing Australia over the line alongside ODI debutant Matt Renshaw (21* off 24) with 29 balls to spare.
The second ODI will take place in Adelaide on Thursday, 23 October.
The win was set up by centuries in the first innings by Yashasvi Jaiswal (175) and Gill (129*).
West Indies were bundled out for 248 in reply but did manage to fight back and make India bat again with a better second-innings showing.
John Campbell and Shai Hope hit dogged centuries, taking the tourists to 271-3 before Hope was bowled by Mohammed Siraj and the middle order collapsed.
Six wickets fell for 40 runs, before some late hitting by number 11 Jayden Seales added enough runs to give India a chase of sorts.
However, the hosts were always going to win once Rahul and Sai Sudharsan, who added 39 to his first-innings 87, put on 79 for the second wicket.
India’s next assignment is a white-ball tour of Australia, which will be broadcast ball by ball on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, before they welcome South Africa for a two-Test series.
West Indies begin a tour of New Zealand on 5 November. They are sixth in the WTC standings, with New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa only below them because they are yet to complete a Test in this latest cycle.
After last week’s worrisome Season 51 debut with Bad Bunny, it seemed like a 50/50 chance on whether the second episode of the season with guest host and beloved “Saturday Night Live” alum Amy Poehler would turn things around. Would the writing feel sharper and less obvious in the hands of a veteran sketch performer?
Poehler, host of the popular podcast “Good Hang,” made all the right moves and may have even overextended herself, appearing in almost every sketch, including the cold open and “Weekend Update” for a joke-off. You could (and should) give Poehler lots of credit for her boundless energy, which lifted weaker sketches, like one about a menopausal mom who goes goth and one where Poehler and Bowen Yang are the composers of the “Severance” opening theme (the joke is that their theme songs always start with a “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”-like rap as their first draft).
Poehler also got a little help from some long-time friends and alums, including Tina Fey, appearing as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the cold open, and Seth Meyers, returning to the “Weekend Update” desk with Poehler and Fey.
Maybe podcasting has allowed Poehler to store some stage energy to burst-fire on “SNL”; she put in a great performance for a solid episode overall.
Musical guests Role Model performed “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out,” with a surprise appearance from Charli XCX as Sally, and “Some Protector.” Before the close, “SNL” memorialized Diane Keaton, whose death was announced Saturday, in a title card. She never hosted “Saturday Night Live” but was portrayed on the show multiple times.
The cold open this week parodied Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi’s contentious meeting this week with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. Poehler appeared as Bondi and responded to questions from Democratic senators with a series of withering insults she described as “roast-style burns I have on this piece of paper.” After mocking them and avoiding questions about the indictment of James Comey and the Jeffrey Epstein files, Bondi makes way for Noem (Fey, returning to “SNL” cold open politics), who joins in the mocking, telling one senator, “That makes me laugh more than the end of ‘Old Yeller.’ ” After being reminded that a dog gets shot at the end of that film, she responds, “Dogs don’t just get shot. Heroes shoot them.” While the first half of the cold open was shaky, with insults that weren’t landing despite Poehler’s forceful delivery, Fey’s appearance livened things up and ended strong with a call-and-response between Fey and Poehler that made fun of ICE recruitment ads. “Do you take supplements that you bought at a gas station?” Noem asked, “buckle up and slap on some Oakleys, big boy, and welcome to ICE!”
Poehler’s monologue was sweet, wistful and self-deprecating. “I found my first love here,” she said, “being famous.” She went on to describe her life now, saying, “I am a podcaster. If that’s not a recession indicator, I don’t know what is.” She also pointed out that this episode marked the actual 50-year anniversary of “SNL,” which first aired on Oct. 11, 1975. “Just like (host) George Carlin, I am extremely high,” she said. Poehler poked fun at AI actors who’ve been in the news and might want to take her job. “You’ll never be able to write a joke, and I am willing to do full frontal, but nobody’s asked me, OK?” she concluded defiantly.
Best sketch of the night: The thigh squeezes are bigger in Texas, too
It may be a little late to the party (the show came out in July), but this mock trailer for Netflix’s “The Hunting Wives” hits all the right notes with Poehler as frequently topless Margo and Chloe Fineman as Sophie (Malin Ackerman and Brittany Snow, respectively, on the series). The trailer promises that as the women get hornier and drunker, thighs will be squeezed and guns will be drawn. Aubrey Plaza appears as a new wife from California and soon she’s being caressed by all the other women in the cast as they make mimosas. A few great lines from this one: “It’s like ‘Call Me By Your Name’ for women who shop at Bass Pro Shop,” and “Don’t watch it on a plane.”
Also good: Don’t settle for just 100 years of legal experience
Pohler’s character in the Psychic Talk Show sketch was very funny, but the sketch about one-upping lawyers edges it out only because it goes to some extremely weird and dumb places for much longer than needed and incorporates what looked like the entire cast. What starts as a basic personal injury lawyer commercial explaining how the firm has 50 years of combined experience ends up including long-living turtles, Sarah Sherman as a vampire attorney named Dracu-Law, and an ageless tree, Yggdrasil (Yang), who once represented Zeus.
‘Weekend Update’ winner: Someday, that 13-pound baby is going to watch this
On a packed “Weekend Update,” Sherman debuted over-caffeinated Long Islander Rhonda LaCenzo, who rails against New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. And Marcello Hernández and Jane Wickline returned as a seemingly mismatched couple discussing their Halloween plans. But it was an epic joke-off featuring past “Update” anchors Poehler, Fey and Meyers facing off against current ones Colin Jost and Michael Che to make fun of the birth of a nearly 13-pound baby born in Tennessee. “It was so big that he slapped the doctor on his ass!” Poehler began. Some of the better jokes: “The woman zipped around the room like a deflated balloon.” “Did she give birth or did it drive out?” “The baby’s name is AHHHHH!” Poehler rounded out the contest by declaring, “The record was for loosest vagina and the previous held… by me!”
BIG Brother hosts AJ Odudu and Will Best have revealed a HUGE new twist that will see two familiar faces return.
On tonight’s show, Cameron B became the fourth housemate to be booted out of the house following a public eviction.
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Big Brother’s AJ Odudu and Will Best have announced a huge new twistCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
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Cameron B was sent packing tonight after a public evictionCredit: Shutterstock for Big Brother
So far ITV2 viewers have said goodbye to Emily Hewertson, who was in the house for a few hours, and Gani Khan, who became the second housemate to be evicted last Friday.
And earlier this week, ITV bosses made the decision to axe George following “inappropriate behaviour and language”.
But now Big Brother has decided to bring back not one but TWO former housemates to shake things up.
After Cameron’s eviction, Will told viewers: “Now it’s finally time to reveal next week’s game-changing twist.”
AJ said: “Next Friday, two more late arrivals will go into the Big Brother house and they’re not just any late arrivals.”
Will explained: “Two former housemates who may have gone too soon will be going back through those doors.
“So make sure you watch tonight’s Big Brother Late and Live because we’re going to have all the info.”
Kicking things off on the after show, Will said: “What a night we’ve had so far. Three housemates face eviction and two former housemates are going back in next week.”
Big Brother fans raced to Twitter with their predictions.
One wrote: “EMILY AND GANI RETURN?!!!”
Big Brother’s fourth evicted housemate revealed just days after George’s shock exit
A second posted: “My theory on the bigggg twist is 4 out 4 in like in Timebomb series of Big Brother where one of Emily or Gani return.”
The 25-year-old Bolton lad Cameron B entered the House on Day Two, alongside three other newcomers.
Axed star George Gilbert, 23, had also been on the chopping block before his shock exit.
Sources told The Sun that George left his co-stars horrified after making offensive comments which could be interpreted as antisemitic and was immediately called to the Diary Room and ejected from the house.
“Everyone was absolutely disgusted,” an insider said.
“Nobody could believe what he said – he was clearly out to shock people.”
Since leaving the house, George has said: “As a flag bearer of freedom of speech I never hesitate to discuss and question any topic regardless of how contentious it may be.
“Sadly, the boundaries of what is deemed offensive are subjective and I evidently went too far this time by crossing their line one too many times.”
He added: “It is a shame that specific debate could not be had and that it has had to end like this.
Talks aim at ending nearly two years of war in Gaza, with Israel’s leader expressing hope that the captives still being held there would be released in a matter of days.
Tom Hanks, Jane Fonda, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Kerry Washington, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Pedro Pascal, Maya Rudolph and more than 400 other artists signed an open letter organized by the American Civil Liberties Union calling for the defense of free speech in the wake of Kimmel’s benching.
The letter, which was published Monday, says Kimmel’s suspension marks “a dark moment for freedom of speech in our nation” and said that the government’s “attempt to silence its critics” runs “counter to the values our nation was built upon, and our Constitution guarantees.”
“Regardless of our political affiliation, or whether we engage in politics or not, we all love our country,” the letter continues. “We also share the belief that our voices should never be silenced by those in power — because if it happens to one of us, it happens to all of us.”
The letter came together over the weekend, according to Jessica Weitz, director of artist and entertainment engagement at the ACLU. The list of names continued to grow after the letter was published, she said.
“Behind those signatures are teams of people who made their own calls to their networks to ask people to join, feeling strongly that this attack on free expression must be called out,” Weitz said in a statement to The Times. “When speech is being targeted with so much precision, it takes courage from every single person to speak out — and the creative community is meeting the urgency of this moment.”
Kimmel’s late-night program, which airs weeknights on ABC, has been dark since Wednesday, when the Disney-owned network announced it will be “preempted indefinitely.” The decision came after two major owners of ABC affiliates said they were dropping the show because of Kimmel’s remarks about the suspect in the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Late-night hosts were quick to respond to the news, with Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon each commenting on Kimmel’s situation in their Thursday episodes.
Over the weekend, HBO talk shows “Real Time With Bill Maher” and “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver,” weighed in on the controversy, beginning with Maher, who focused on Kimmel in his monologue Friday. Maher referred to “Politically Incorrect,” his late-night show that was canceled by ABC in 2002 after advertisers pulled out following a comment by the host about the Sept. 11 hijackers, saying they were “not cowardly.” Kimmel’s show replaced Maher’s slot.
“I got canceled before cancel even had a culture,” Maher said. “This s— ain’t new. It’s worse. We’ll get to that. But you know, ABC, they are steady. ABC stands for ‘Always be caving.’ So Jimmy, pal, I am with you. I support you. And on the bright side, you don’t have to pretend anymore that you like Disneyland.”
Maher, who is a self-described “old-school liberal” and has been critical of the Democratic Party in recent years, said he disagreed with Kimmel’s comments about Kirk’s suspected killer but believed he shouldn’t lose his job over them.
“You have the right to be wrong or to have any opinion you want, he said. “That’s what the 1st Amendment is all about.”
“Last Week Tonight” host John Oliver zeroed in on Kimmel’s suspension and the Federal Communications Commission during his Sunday night episode. He blasted FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, directly addressed Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger and dove into the implications of the suspension in a nearly 30-minute-long segment.
“Kimmel is by no means the first casualty in Trump’s attacks on free speech. He’s just the latest canary in the coal mine — a mine that, at this point, now seems more dead canary than coal,” Oliver said. “This Kimmel situation does feel like a turning point, and not because comedians are important, but because we are not. If the government can force a network to pull a late-night show off the air and do so in plain view, it can do a f— of a lot worse.”
In addressing Disney head Iger, Oliver urged him to understand that “giving the bully your lunch money doesn’t make him go away. It just makes him come back hungrier each time.”
Oliver said his show is “lucky” to be in a different situation than Kimmel’s because neither HBO or its parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, owns broadcast networks, meaning they are “much less susceptible to pressure from the FCC.” He then cut to a news segment about how Paramount Skydance, the parent company of CBS, is preparing a bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, which Oliver followed up with repeated expletives.
“Did y’all really think we weren’t going to talk about Jimmy Kimmel?” host Whoopi Goldberg said. “I mean, have you watched the show over the last 29 seasons? No one silences us.”
FCC head Carr has indicated that “The View” might be the next subject of a future investigation.
The panel, including Ana Navarro and Alyssa Farah Griffin, also weighed in before Goldberg said, “We fight for everybody’s right to have freedom of speech because it means my speech is free, it means your speech is free.”
ANGE Postecoglou was left cursing his luck as Martin Dubravka’s stunning double kept him waiting for a first win.
Clarets keeper Dubravka pulled off two stunning stops in two amazing minutes, to leave Postecoglou throwing his hands up in frustration on the touchline.
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Neco Williams scored the fastest goal of the Premier League seasonCredit: Getty
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But Jaidon Anthony’s equaliser meant the teams shared the pointsCredit: Getty
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To be fair, it was no more than Burnley merited, in a game neither deserved to lose – or did enough to win – yet for Ange it is three games and counting as Forest chief without a victory.
First Dubravka went full length to push away an Igor Jesus header with the Forest sub’s first touch off the bench.
But while that was good, the Slovak stopper’s next was out of this world, getting down superbly to push Neco Williams’ volley behind as it flew through a packed area.
Mind you, defeat would have been harsh on a Clarets side which had gone ahead after barely 90 seconds.
With a start like that,, you felt maybe their ill fortune of recent weeks was about to change.
Seven days ago a rush-of-blood handball gifted Liverpool a last-gasp penalty winner, while a fortnight earlier there was an even harsher spot kick in an Old Trafford loss.
Well there was no luck involved in Williams’ early opener – just a finger-snapping strike that flew in.
When Fiorentino turned away a Douglas Luiz corner to the edge of the box, Williams hit a rocket that took a slight deflection, but not enough to deviate off a true line.
It certainly didn’t impact Dubravka’s chances of saving it – he wouldn’t have got close in any case – for the Welsh defender’s third goal in 111 Forest appearances.
Opposite number Quilindschy Hartman got in on the act with his own screamer which, while it was never likely to catch out Matz Sels, certainly warmed his palms.
And then Olekssandr Zinchenko joined in the full back fun with a swerving long ranger that Clarets keeper Dubravka was happy to beat away.
Moment Roy Keane shuts down Sky Sports host live on TV
If the Ukraine defender was nearly a hero at one end, he was swiftly case in the role of villain just minutes later, as Burnley levelled.
He was initially outjumped by Lyle Foster as Hartman hung up a deep cross which fell kindly for Jaidon Anthony on the left of the box.
Anthony’s strike was anything but crisp, although it was at least on target and would probably have crept in of its own accord.
Yet Zinchenko made sure it did when his attempt to clear merely saw him tumble onto his backside and hook the ball into the opposite corner.
Strictly speaking it couldn’t be classed as an own goal, given the ball was – almost apologetically – heading for the net, but ZInchenko should have done better.
To be fair to Forest, they dusted themselves down and were soon pinging it around again, and one pinball passing move had Dubravka diving to push away a Dilane Bakwa snapshot.
Mind you, Burnley went even closer to a winner with a thunderbolt free kick that would have taken Matz Sels hand into the net if he’d got anywhere near it.
Loum Tchaouna’a whipped-in 20-yard piledriver had the crossbar rattling so much you’d swear the woodwork was still shaking come the final whistle.
But it would have been even worse had it not been for Dubravka, who came up with those two stunning late stops.
And even when Dubravka was out of the equation – when Arnaud Kalimuendo looked sure to score at the far post, Hartman saved the day by blocking his goalbound drive.
At least it ensured Forest didn’t mark the 21st anniversary of Brian Clough’s death with defeat.
Yet ff it hadn’t been for the Burnley keeper, they’d have done so with all three points instead of just the one.
The fierce war of words between President Trump and ABC’s “The View” has long been a staple of the daytime talk show known for its spirited discussions about politics and pop culture.
But the signature “Hot Topics” segment that frequently blasts Trump has suddenly gone cold as speculation escalates that the Trump administration is considering taking action against “The View.”
Show host Whoopi Goldberg and her all-female panel has been conspicuously silent on ABC’s suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in the wake of blistering backlash over Kimmel’s comments about slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. The late-night host said during the monologue on his show Monday that the “MAGA gang” was characterizing Tyler Robinson, the Utah man accused in the shooting death of Kirk, “as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has indicated that “The View” might be investigated to see whether it qualifies as “a bona fide news program,” which would exempt it from the agency’s equal time rule.
The absence of commentary since the news about Kimmel broke on Wednesday has been particularly glaring after late-night hosts Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers and Jon Stewart criticized the decision by the Walt Disney Co.-owned network on their respective programs Thursday night. The network’s action has been largely condemned in entertainment circles, sparking major protests outside Disney headquarters and Kimmel’s Hollywood Boulevard studio.
MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace on Thursday called out the silence of “The View” during her “Deadline: White House” show, noting Walt Disney Co. had previously pledged $15 million to Trump’s library to resolve a defamation lawsuit over inaccurate statements about Trump by ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos.
“Those women are fearless, and the story didn’t come up,” Wallace said. “It’s obviously being felt and acted upon at ABC more broadly.”
Trump’s bitter campaign against “The View” and his desire to cancel it was highlighted last July after co-host Joy Behar declared that Trump was “so jealous” of former President Obama.
White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers fired back in a statement sent to entertainment venues calling Behar “an irrelevant loser suffering from a severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome … She should self-reflect on her own jealousy of President Trump’s historic popularity before her show is the next to be pulled off air.”
In sharp contrast to the current hush about the president, Goldberg and her co-hosts unleashed a vicious attack on Trump after he blasted the show during a campaign rally last year.
“So I watched that stupid ‘View’ where you have these really dumb people,” Trump told the large crowd, which responded with boos.
Saying that “politics can do strange things to demented people,” he relayed how he had hired Goldberg as a comedian before his political career, “and her mouth was so foul. She was filthy dirty, disgusting … I said I would never hire her again.”
The opening segment of “The View” the following day showed the hosts entering as Christina Aguilera’s “Dirrty” played.
Addressing Trump, Goldberg said, “As a matter of fact, I was filthy, and I stand on that … How dumb are you? You hired me four times … and you didn’t know what you were getting? How dumb are you?”
Co-host and senior ABC News legal correspondent and analyst Sunny Hostin weighed in: “Donald Trump, I want to thank you for personally (sic) telling so many lies and committing so many alleged crimes and providing us with material on a daily basis. You help us do our jobs, and I am so appreciative.”
Noting that she was a former prosecutor, she added, “I admit, I may not have spent as much time in a courtroom as you have … And like Madam Vice President Kamala Harris, I’ve had a history of prosecuting sex offenders, so thank you for keeping people like us in business.”
Hostin concluded with an invitation to Trump to come on “The View: “I’ll even give you a free ‘View’ mug — not to be confused with a mug shot. Because that’s your area.”
Walt Disney Co.-owned broadcaster ABC said it is pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live” indefinitely following backlash over the host’s remarks about slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
The move comes after station owner Nexstar Media Group said it is pulling “Jimmy Kimmel Live” from its ABC affiliate stations as a result of the comments.
The Irving, Texas-based Nexstar announced Wednesday that Kimmel will be off its stations for the foreseeable future.
“Nexstar strongly objects to recent comments made by Mr. Kimmel concerning the killing of Charlie Kirk and will replace the show with other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets,” a company representative said in a statement.
Kimmel said during a monologue on his Monday program that Tyler Robinson, the Utah man accused in the shooting death of Kirk, might have been a pro-Trump Republican. He said MAGA supporters “are desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
Kimmel then mocked President Trump for talking about the construction of a new White House ballroom after being asked how he was reacting to the murder of his close ally.
“Mr. Kimmel’s comments about the death of Mr. Kirk are offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse, and we do not believe they reflect the spectrum of opinions, views, or values of the local communities in which we are located,” said Andrew Alford, president of Nexstar’s broadcasting division.
Alford said continuing to give Kimmel a broadcast platform “is simply not in the public interest at this current time.”
Nexstar’s decision comes just after Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr blasted Kimmel and threatened to take action against ABC. Appearing on the podcast of right-wing commentator Benny Johnson, Carr said one form of punishment could be pulling the licenses of ABC affiliates, which likely got Nexstar’s attention.
Nexstar has ABC affiliates in 32 markets across the U.S., including in New Orleans, New Haven, Nashville and Salt Lake City.
Network affiliates dropping a late-night program over the political views expressed in it is unprecedented. The closest situation goes back to 1970, when CBS blacked out the image of activist Abbie Hoffman when he appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” wearing a shirt made out of an American flag.
ABC has removed Jimmy Kimmel Live! from its line-up indefinitely after the late-night host’s remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death.
Its parent company, Nexstar, announced on Wednesday that the show would be pulled, beginning with that night’s episode.
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Jimmy Kimmel Live! was pulled by ABC from its nightly lineup over the host’s Charlie Kirk comments
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Charlie was a right-wing activist who was shot and killed earlier this month while at a debate at Utah Valley UniversityCredit: AFP – Getty
They explained that the move was due to Jimmy‘s recent comments about Charlie’s killing, which they found “concerning.”
Instead, the network will air “other programming in its ABC-affiliated markets,” the statement read.
The remarks in question were made during Jimmy’s monologue on Monday night’s show, where the TV star said the “MAGA gang” was trying to “score political points” off Charlie’s murder.
He followed by mocking President Donald Trump’s reaction to the fatal incident in an interview.
Charlie was shot and killed on September 10 while on stage at a debate at Utah Valley University.
The 22-year-old shooter, Tyler Robinson, was arrested three days later.
Tyler was charged with murder and is facing the death penalty for the heinous act.
Although Jimmy’s commentary elicited some laughs from the live studio audience, viewers at home were stunned that he had gone that far.
“Jimmy is just as out of touch and delusional,” one critic commented on a video of the monologue that was shared on the show’s YouTube channel.
“My respect for Kimmel just degraded,” said another.
Stephen Colbert asks A-list audience ‘is anyone hiring-’ on Emmys stage just weeks after his show was canceled
In addition to the show’s suspension, the company demanded that Jimmy apologize to Charlie’s family and send a “meaningful personal donation” to them and Turning Point USA, an organization the father of two founded that advocates for conservative politics in high schools and colleges.
The talk show will reportedly be replaced on Friday with a Charlie Kirk tribute special on Sinclair’s ABC affiliate stations.
Just hours before Jimmy’s eyebrow-raising comments, fans applauded the TV personality for campaigning for Stephen Colbert to win the Emmy for Outstanding Talk Show Series.
Colbert did secure the win at Sunday’s 77th Primetime Emmy Awards for his hosting duties on The Late Show.
Current Late-Night Shows
Late-night shows have become a staple on American television, filled with humorous takes on news, interviews with guests, and music performances.
Jimmy Kimmel Live, ABC
Late Night with Seth Meyers, NBC
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, NBC
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, CBS
After Midnight, CBS
Watch What Happens Live, Bravo
The Daily Show, Comedy Central
Real Time with Bill Maher, HBO
He thanked his fellow nominees, Jimmy and Jon Stewart, for pushing for fans to vote for The Colbert Report alum following ABC’s abrupt cancellation of the long-running night-time talk show.
This isn’t the first time that Jimmy has gotten himself into hot water with his controversial comments on air.
However, this is a rare event that the former Academy Awards’ host’s show has been cancelled over his stunts.
The New York native only recently returned to his desk after taking his annual summer break, and in turn, had a revolving door of celebrities fill in for him.
Jimmy is one of the longest-running hosts of late-night TV, with Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s debut in 2003.
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Jimmy has been the host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! since its debut in 2003Credit: Getty Images – Getty
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Jimmy only recently returned to his hosting duties after taking an extended summer breakCredit: Getty
The visitors suffered a huge blow after just eight minutes when loose forward Morgan Knowles was forced off with a head injury after a high shot which earned Martin 10 minutes in the sin-bin.
The home fans breathed a sigh of relief moments later when half-back Lewis returned to the field after limping off, and George Delaney, on for Knowles, could have seen worse than a yellow card after putting his shoulder into Eribe Doro’s head.
Martin was stopped inches short and James Batchelor knocked on close to the line as Rovers looked to exploit their man advantage, but fine scramble defence denied them in a breathless and scoreless opening half-hour.
Martin nudged the hosts ahead after Joe Batchelor was punished for an off-the-ball hit on Jez Litten, yet Saints, under the cosh for long periods, went in level through Percival when Litten was pinged for ruck interference.
Joe Batchelor’s shoulder put the visitors behind for a second time soon after the restart when he illegally blocked Lewis from following up his chip and chase and Martin kicked a simple penalty.
Tom Davies was denied the opening try after Peta Hiku stuck a foot in touch, but Rovers ground their way to a six-point lead with two quick penalties, the second conceded by Delaney, who was forced to hold on after Lewis cut loose.
Showing signs of wear and tear, the visitors finally buckled, with Lewis unsurprisingly the man to unpick the lock in the 67th minute, setting up field position with a brilliant 40-20 kick before supplying the try assist.
Saints set up a nervy finale with a try out of nowhere when Cross chased down Jack Welsby’s kick ahead, but the hosts held on for a fifth successive win over the Saints and a third of the season.
SO far, everything she’s touched has been TV gold – but one of Alison Hammond’s shows is now heading to the TV scrapyard.
Over the past few years the This Morning presenter has landed a string of big programmes including ITV’s For The Love Of Dogs, Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off and her Big Weekend chat show for the BBC.
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Sky has axed Rob Beckett’s Smart TV which featured Alison Hammond and Josh Widdicombe as team captainsCredit: PA
But I can reveal that after just two series, the axe is falling on Rob Beckett’s Smart TV, the Sky panel show which featured her as a team captain alongside host Rob and fellow captain Josh Widdicombe.
A TV insider said: “It’s a surprise, given the show was well received.
“But Sky are increasingly turning their focus towards talent-led shows.
“They’ve already announced they’re bringing to an end another hugely popular stablemate, the sports panel contest, A League of Their Own.
read more on alison hammond
“It’s part of a pivot towards shows which don’t just feature talent but are fronted by them on a personal level — for example Danny and Danni Dyer‘s upcoming show where they operate a caravan park, as well as the new Gemma Collins documentary following her getting married and having IVF.”
Alison was being talked about as a major signing for Sky in 2022, which was before details of Smart TV had even been confirmed.
Bosses heralded her as “a brilliant addition”, saying they hoped to give her more projects, adding: “We don’t really golden handcuff any of our entertainment talent, but we do keep them busy so they sort of feel ‘a bit Sky’.”
A spokeswoman for Sky said yesterday: “After two brilliant series testing the telly knowledge of the nation, it is time for us to roll the credits on Rob Beckett’s Smart TV.
“Our huge thanks to the TV quizzing trio, Rob Beckett, Alison Hammond, and Josh Widdicombe who brought all the laughs to screen.
“We look forward to working together again.”
Alison Hammond, 50, shows off her huge ‘baby bump’ as she hits back at pregnancy rumours with toyboy lover, 27
Bizbit
IRISH detective drama Borderline is coming to ITVX in October.
Starring Line Of Duty’s Amy De Bhrun, and Eoin Macken, the six-part series follows two clashing police officers who are forced to collaborate on a serious crime.
It comes from the writer of Cold Feet, John Forte.
STEEL IN TEST OF METTLE
STEEL the Gladiator’s heart is as big as his biceps.
The BBC muscle man – real name Zack George – heads into the final stages of his 13 Days Fighting challenge for a baby-loss charity.
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Gladiator Steel pictured with TV’s Joe Wicks
He has so far raised more than £25,000 for Leo & Friends, to honour his son Leo who died at 13 days old.
Since August 18, Zack has completed a mile of burpees every day, with a stage in Cambridge today, followed by Loughborough later this week.
Pals including Gladiator Legend and fitness guru Joe Wicks have joined him along the way.
Zack said yesterday: “Extremely tired, body is sore and can hardly walk with the calf – but we’re getting it done.
“I wanted a challenge where I had to fight, like Leo did for 13 days.”
For more details and to support, see Zack’s Instagram page @zackgeorge.
SHERIDAN SHOCK AT KATE JOB
MANY will recall the bizarre moment on This Morning when Gyles Brandreth wrongly claimed Sheridan Smith was going to play Kate Middleton in a new drama.
But not Sheridan, who was blissfully unaware of the clanger 17 months ago.
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Sheridan Smith will not be playing Kate Middleton in a new dramaCredit: Shutterstock Editorial
She was shown the clip during an interview on Capital Radio yesterday and seemed as stunned as the rest of us.
The actress said: “How have I missed that?
“They actually announced that like it was real?
“Oh stop it, this is getting out of hand.
“That’s hysterical.”
Strangely, Sheridan’s pals often send her clips and memes, but didn’t pass on the one from This Morning.
A BLUE PETER BADGE? THAT’S F.A.B., ANTHEA
HERE’S one that Anthea Turner wishes she made earlier.
The veteran TV presenter has finally been awarded the top Blue Peter badge, more than three decades after her two-year stint on the children’s TV show ended in 1994.
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Anthea Turner has finally been awarded the top Blue Peter badgeCredit: James Stack
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Anthea in 1993 with her famous model from the showCredit: Rex Features
She picked up a highly-coveted Gold badge to mark the BBC series’ new era as HACKER T DOG joins cast members Abby Cook, Joel Mawhinney and Shini Muthukrishnan.
Anthea said: “I have coveted the golden Blue Peter badge for so many years and never got one – and now they’ve put this right.
“All these years I’ve been without one, and at every Blue Peter event I’ve hoped I would get one.
“It’s now even become a standing joke. So this is my proudest moment and I won’t forget it.”
Meanwhile, I’ll always remember her as the brains behind Blue Peter’s most famous “make” – a loo roll Tracy Island from The Thunderbirds.
Totally F.A.B.
DANNY’S RIVALS LIFELINE
DANNY DYER was “thrown a lifeline” when Rivals show boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins gave him the role of Freddie Jones in the Disney+ bonkbuster.
The actor and director had worked together on EastEnders.
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Danny Dyer says Rivals gave him a career after EastendersCredit: Getty
But after Danny left in 2022, it’s fair to say his career was a bit patchy.
Talking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Angellica Bell recalled speaking to him behind the scenes when he was a guest on The One Show and she was hosting.
She said: “I took him to one side and I said, ‘Oh my gosh you are insane in Rivals, and he was almost brought to tears.
“I saw him again and he sat down and he said to me, ‘Dominic gave me a lifeline, he saw something in me and it is like a renaissance.’
“He said not many people have given him an opportunity where he can grow in his art.
The duo met more than 20 years ago when she interviewed his band Busted on MTV’s TRL
Love Is Blind UK’s Emma and Matt Willis briefly followed the same path before they met with the celebrities both taking on roles in EastEnders.
The second season of Love Is Blind UK has gone down a storm with more instant connections and fiery personalities keeping Netflix subscribers hooked.
At the heart of it all are real-life married presenters Emma and Matt Willis who met back in 2004 when Emma, then 29, interviewed Busted on MTV’s TRL, including 22-year-old Matt.
Four years later, the pair got married at Rushton Hall, Northamptonshire and welcomed their three children in 2009, 2011 and then their youngest five years later.
But years before meeting, both Emma and Matt experienced what life is like in BBC ’s iconic Albert Square.
Presenter Emma Willis starred as a minor character called Jodie in an episode of EastEnders in 1999. (Image: BBC)
In November 1999, The Voice presenter had a guest role in an episode of EastEnders as a youngster called Jodie. She starred alongside Jodie’s mum, played by actress Joanna Hole, although there is little information on what her involvement in the episode was.
In a still image from the episode, Emma looks a lot younger and has longer hair, in comparison to her famous short haircut.
Meanwhile, Busted star Matt made a couple of trips to Walford, the first being an unnamed teenager on a skateboard in 1998.
The second of the two was a far larger role in 2014 when Matt was already well known for being part of the noughties pop band.
Busted star Matt Willis portrayed Stacey Slater’s boyfriend Luke Riley in EastEnders in 2014.(Image: BBC)
He was behind Luke Riley, Stacey Slater’s (Lacey Turner) long-term boyfriend who she was living with in London after she killed Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb).
Stacey had been pretending that her name was Jenny Smith but when he found out the truth, she headed back to Walford to live with Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace).
Luke still loved Stacey though and was willing to make another go of things, however, upon discovering she was a killer, he left for good this time, leaving her heartbroken.
Love Is Blind UK is available to watch on Netflix.
Lee’s visit comes two days before his crucial first summit in Washington, DC with US President Donald Trump.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has hosted South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Tokyo for a visit aimed at reaffirming security cooperation and showcasing friendly ties between the two East Asian neighbours facing common challenges from their mutual ally, the United States.
On his first official visit to Japan since taking office in June, Lee met Ishiba on Saturday at the premier’s residence to discuss bilateral ties, including closer security cooperation with the US under a trilateral pact signed by their predecessors.
“As the strategic environment surrounding both our countries grows increasingly severe, the importance of our relations, as well as trilateral cooperation with the United States, continues to grow,” Ishiba said in a joint announcement with Lee after their meeting.
The leaders agreed to resume shuttle diplomacy, expand exchanges such as working holiday programmes, and step up cooperation in defence, economic security, artificial intelligence and other areas. They also pledged closer coordination against North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
The snap election victory of the liberal Lee – following the impeachment of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol for declaring martial law – raised concerns in Tokyo that relations with Seoul could sour.
Lee has criticised past efforts to improve ties strained by lingering resentment over Japan’s colonial rule. The South Korean government last week expressed “deep disappointment and regret” after Japanese officials visited a shrine in Tokyo to Japan’s war dead that many Koreans see as a symbol of Japan’s wartime aggression.
In Tokyo, however, Lee reaffirmed support for closer relations with Japan as he did when he met Ishiba for the first time in June on the sidelines of a Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada.
Lee’s decision to visit Tokyo before Washington has been well received by Japanese officials, who see it as a sign Lee is placing great importance on relations between the two neighbours.
For Ishiba, who faces pressure from right-wing rivals within his governing party to resign over its July election loss, Lee’s visit and a successful summit could shore up his support.
Despite their differences, the two US allies rely heavily on Washington to counter China’s growing regional influence. Together, they host about 80,000 US soldiers, dozens of US warships and hundreds of military aircraft.
Japan and South Korea also share common ground on trade, with both agreeing to 15 percent tariffs on US imports of their goods after Trump had threatened steeper duties.
We “agreed that unwavering cooperation between South Korea, the US and Japan is paramount in the rapidly changing international situation, and decided to create a virtuous cycle in which the development of South Korea-Japan relations leads to stronger cooperation”, Lee said alongside Ishiba.
Lee’s visit comes two days before his crucial first summit in Washington with US President Donald Trump. The two men are expected to discuss security concerns, including China, North Korea, and Seoul’s financial contribution for US forces stationed in South Korea – something the US leader has repeatedly pressed it to increase.
The 2020 presidential election is history, but a legal dispute over Fox News’ reporting on President Trump’s false claims of voter fraud is heating up.
A motion for summary judgment by voting equipment company Smartmatic filed Tuesday in New York Supreme Court laid out in detail how phony allegations that it manipulated votes to swing the election to Joe Biden were amplified on Fox News.
The motion also described how the Fox News Media hosts who are defendants in the suit — the late Lou Dobbs, Jeanine Pirro and Maria Bartiromo of Fox Business — were allegedly committed to helping Trump prove his fraud theories so he could remain in office.
“I work so hard for the President and the party,” Pirro wrote in a text to Ronna McDaniel, then chair of the Republican National Committee.
Pirro left Fox News in May to become U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia.
Smartmatic is suing Fox News for $2.7 billion in damages, claiming that the network’s airing of the false statements hurt the London-based company’s ability to expand its business in the U.S.
Fox News settled a similar suit from Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million in 2023.
The motion alleged that on-air hosts repeated the fraud claims even though executives and producers were told they were false.
The Fox News research department, known as the “Brainroom,” allegedly informed network producers that Smartmatic’s role in the 2020 election was limited to Los Angeles County and that the company’s software was not used in Dominion voting machines, another false claim made on the air.
Fox News maintains the network’s reporting on President Trump’s false claims were newsworthy and protected by the 1st Amendment. But part of the company’s legal strategy has been focused on minimizing the damage claims.
Fox News has asserted that any problems Smartmatic has experienced in attracting new business are rooted not in its reporting but in the federal investigation into the company’s activities with overseas governments.
Last year, Smartmatic’s founder, Roger Alejandro Piñate Martinez, and two other company officials were indicted by the U.S. attorney’s office and charged with bribing Philippine officials in order to get voting machine contracts in the country in 2016.
While the Trump camp’s assertions that the election was fixed were not believed throughout Fox News and parent company Fox Corp., the conservative-leaning network gave continued to give them oxygen to keep its audience tuned in, the motion alleged.
The motion described a “pivot” that occurred on Nov. 8, 2020, when then-Fox News Executive Chairman Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan asked Fox News Media Chief Executive Suzanne Scott to address the decline in the network’s ratings after Biden was declared the winner of the election. The network also looked at research to evaluate why viewers were leaving.
“The conclusion reached based on performance analytics: give the audience more election fraud,” the court document stated.
Such thinking, the filing said, permeated the company, already in a panic over losing viewers to right-leaning network Newsmax. The upstart outlet saw a ratings surge after Biden’s win due to its unwavering support of Trump’s claims.
“Think about how incredible our ratings would be if Fox went ALL in on STOP THE STEAL,” Fox News host Jesse Watters said in a text to his colleague Greg Gutfeld.
Throughout November and December 2020, the three hosts named in the suit, Dobbs, Pirro and Bartiromo, repeatedly featured Trump’s attorneys Rudolph Giuliani and Sidney Powell as guests. They spread the falsehoods that Smartmatic software was used in Dominion voting machines and altered millions of votes.
Smartmatic’s work in Los Angeles during the 2020 election was meant to be an entry point for the company to expand its domestic business. The company’s defamation suit claims that Fox News obliterated those efforts by presenting the false fraud claims.
But Fox News believes that issues with Smartmatic’s $282-million contract with Los Angeles County could help advance its case.
On Aug. 1, federal prosecutors filing a legal brief alleging that taxpayer funds from the county went into a slush fund held by a shell company to help pay for its illegal activities.
Federal prosecutors handling the case involving Smartmatic’s business in the Philippines said they plan to detail similar alleged schemes out of L.A. County and Venezuela to show that the bribery fits a larger pattern.
Fox News attorneys have filed a brief asking for county records that they believe will help bolster their case. The network is also expected to try to get the Smartmatic indictments in front of the court to raise doubts about the company’s reputation.
A Smartmatic representative said Fox News’ records request is a diversion tactic.
“Fox lies and when caught they lie again to distract,” a Smartmatic representative said in a statement. “Fox’s latest filing is just another attempt to divert attention from its long-standing campaign of falsehoods and defamation against Smartmatic.”
The company added that it abided with the law in Los Angeles County and “every jurisdiction where we operate.”
Smartmatic’s Tuesday court filing also included information that contradicted public statements Fox News made at the time.
The document alleged that Fox News fired political analyst Chris Stirewalt and longtime Washington bureau executives Bill Sammon for their involvement in calling the state of Arizona for Biden on election night. The early call of the close result in the state upset the Trump camp and alienated his supporters.
But the motion said Rupert Murdoch himself signed off on the decision to sever Stirewalt and Sammon from the company in an effort to assuage angry viewers who defected.
The motion cited a communication from Dana Perino, co-host of Fox News show “The Five,” describing a phone call with Stirewalt after his dismissal.
“I explained to him — you were right, you didn’t cave, and you got fired for doing the right thing,” Perino said.
Both Sammon and Stirewalt now work in the Washington bureau of NewsNation, the cable news network owned by Nexstar Media Group.
Agreements, including those for the energy and trade sectors, have been signed during the two-day visit of the Iranian president.
Pakistan and Iran have signed agreements pledging to raise bilateral trade to $10bn and committing to work more closely to eliminate the menace of “terrorism” in favour of peace and prosperity in the region, as both nations have recently been embroiled in conflicts with their respective regional foes.
Sunday’s agreements across various sectors, including energy and trade, were signed during the two-day visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
“We have set a target of $10bn in trade and hope to achieve it as soon as possible,” Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, addressing a joint press briefing.
Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s stance of supporting Iran’s right to a nuclear programme for peaceful purposes under the United Nations charter and condemned Israel’s aggression against Iran, saying there was “no justification” for the 12-day June conflict in which the United States militarily intervened on Israel’s behalf.
He said the two countries would take effective steps to eliminate “terrorism” and open the avenues of prosperity in the region. Pakistan and regional rival India were on the cusp of their fifth all-out war earlier this year before a ceasefire ended several days of heavy and deadly aerial exchanges.
The Iranian president said, “My deep belief is that we can easily, in a short time, increase the volume of our trade relations from the current $3bn to the projected goal of $10bn.”
He thanked the government and people supporting Iran “during the 12-day terrorist aggression by the Zionist regime and the United States”.
Analyst Ammar Habib Khan of the Institute of Business Administration told Al Jazeera that the informal trade between Iran and Pakistan is likely to increase more than the formal trade target shared by the countries.
“Discussions have been held on how to formalise the informal trade that is already happening, whether it is oil, gas or something else,” he told Al Jazeera from Karachi.
The analyst said Pakistan’s normalising relations with Iran might lead to the creation of a trade route between Pakistan and Europe.
“It would be an efficient and logistically sound route,” he said.
Along with a high-level delegation, including foreign and defence ministers, Pezeshkian arrived on a two-day visit to Pakistan on Saturday.
Tense ties
Pezeshkian called for better border management and cooperation around the mutual border to counter security threats.
In return, Sharif said that Islamabad and Tehran have a common stand against “terrorism”, and no such activity would be allowed in Pakistan or Iran.
“We have to protect our borders and take strict steps against terrorism to open the roads to peace and development in the region,” said Sharif.
Relations between Pakistan and Iran have often been shaky, especially over cross-border tensions that escalated in January 2024 when both sides launched tit-for-tat missile strikes.
Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting from Islamabad, said Pakistan and Iran have agreed to cooperate in order to ensure violence is prevented on either side.
“They agreed to have more border management between the two countries,” he said.
Hyder added that the sides also discussed Pakistan acting as an intermediary between Washington and Tehran, among other countries trying to ease tensions between archenemies.
Despite the strains, the two countries have kept the diplomatic door open.
In May, the Iranian foreign minister visited Pakistan amid rising tensions with India. During the Iran-Israel conflict, Pakistan supported Iran’s right to self-defence and condemned the US attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The leaders of Pakistan and Iran also called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an end to Israel’s attacks in the enclave.
The two sides also inked a string of memorandums of understanding in the fields of information technology, law and justice, climate change, and tourism.
Zak Crawley was dismissed from the penultimate ball of day three after England had started to make steady progress in pursuit of an imposing 374 to win the fifth Test against India at The Oval.
The opener was bowled by Mohammed Siraj for 14 as the hosts reached 50-1 at the close, needing a further 324 runs to win, with Ben Duckett unbeaten on 34 to conclude another gripping day.
Despite Crawley’s departure, England will be boosted by the much-improved batting conditions after they spent most of the day in the field as India racked up 396 under brighter skies.
The pitch flattened and offered far less seam movement, with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s sublime 118 the highlight for the tourists.
There was also a surprising maiden Test fifty for Akash Deep, who added 107 for the third wicket with Jaiswal as England started poorly, unable to take the wicket of the nightwatchman until the final 10 minutes before lunch.
Deep was put down on 21, one of six dropped catches in the innings for England as their makeshift bowling line-up – without the injured Chris Woakes – toiled admirably but were again let down in the field.
Gus Atkinson pinned captain Shubman Gill lbw for 12 with the first ball after lunch as England improved, but Ravindra Jadeja continued his fine form with 53 and Washington Sundar, with India nine down, blitzed four sixes in a 39-ball fifty to give India the upper hand.
Josh Tongue claimed the final three wickets, having also dismissed Jaiswal earlier, to finish with 5-125 for his wholehearted efforts.
It feels fitting that England chased 371 to beat India in the opening match at Headingley to ignite a fiery series, though there is rain forecast for Sunday which could impact their aim of comfortably completing the highest Test chase at The Oval, which is currently England’s 263-9 against Australia in 1902.
BBC Sport pundit Phil Tufnell believes Ben Stokes’ ability to “break partnerships” was missed as England failed to take a wicket in the final two sessions of day four at Old Trafford.
