Podcasts

ACTRESS Keira Knightly has revealed that she’s a Nepo Baby but despite family connections the star has insisted that you ‘still have to deliver’.

Keira, 40, sat down to speak on Giovanna Fletcher’s Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast and made the shock confession about her family life. 

The actress is the child of TV star Will Knightley and her playwright mother Sharman Macdonald. 

Keira has put down her Nepo Baby status to being within a family of ‘jobbing creatives’.

On the pod Keira was asked by Giovanna “if the whole Nepo Baby thing annoyed” her.

Giovanna continued: “I think it’s a really difficult subject when you’ve got parents who are working and they’re jobbing creatives. You know but you still have to deliver. You still have to have a talent.”

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Keira replied: “I don’t know about annoyed, I think I am a Nepo Baby.

“I mean my first proper agent was because she was my mum’s best mate, and she’s still my agent today. So, I mean, I think it is true that there are connections that are made, and it’s true that within creative families, you know, a lot of the actors I know, it is generational. 

“And I think partly that is because it is a lifestyle; it’s a way of life that is quite other from a 9-to-5 job.”

She was then asked: “So, do you think it’s more a case, that we have to change our view of how we perceive even the word ?”

“Well I don’t know about that. I think it’s a similar thing to quite often builders, I was doing a lot of work on my house recently, and it’s a family of builders,” Keira quipped.

“You know, building companies go through generations. Doctors tend to go through generations. You get a lot of lawyers, I think you grow up in a particular environment, and if you like the environment you grew up in you will gravitate towards that environment.

Giovanna added: “Though you don’t see a doctor whose dad’s a doctor and go, “Nepo Baby”.

“No, you don’t. I mean, but look, the entertainment industry is very loud, the noise around the entertainment industry and I think you know that going into it. 

Speaking about her two children, whom she shares with musician James Righton, she added: “If my children, neither of them are showing any interest whatsoever, but if that’s what they choose to do, then that’s what they’ll have to deal with. And I’m sure they’ll have an answer to it. 

“Ultimately, with every job, no matter what it is, you might have help through the door, which is not nothing. But unless you bring the goods, you’re going to be chucked out very quickly.”

The Hollywood star began acting as a child on television.

She made her breakthrough into films with the 2002 film Bend It Like Beckham, and achieved international fame in 2003 after playing Elizabeth Swann in Pirates of the Caribbean film series.

Her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet in the 2005 romantic drama film Pride & Prejudice earned her critical acclaim.

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She later became known for her roles as the heroines of other such period dramas as Atonement (2007), A Dangerous Method (2011) and Anna Karenina (2012).

Keira’s latest hit role sees her play journalist turned detective in the Netflix drama The Woman In Cabin 10.

The future of streaming media just got a whole lot more interesting. I certainly didn’t see it coming, and I bet no one else did either. Last week, Netflix (NFLX 0.40%) and Spotify (SPOT 2.01%) teamed up to put some of Spotify’s top podcasts on the video-streaming veteran’s global platform.

Netflix and Spotify’s groundbreaking podcast partnership isn’t just another content deal. It’s a glimpse into a radically different entertainment ecosystem. Former rivals become allies, audio-only podcasts turn into TV shows, and the very definition of “content” becomes beautifully, chaotically fluid.

This is the streaming evolution nobody saw coming: Specialist platforms finally realizing that collaboration might just be the ultimate competitive advantage.

What’s happening?

Early next year, you’ll see a handful of Spotify podcast shows on the American Netflix service. The partnership starts with a couple of true crime talk shows, a larger set of popular culture and lifestyle shows, and a really heaping helping of sports-oriented podcasts. Other markets will gain access to these series later, though the exact timing and geographical reach remains unknown.

Spotify sees the team-up as an effective way to grow people’s access to these podcasts, including ultra-premium stuff like The Bill Simmons Podcast. As a reminder, Spotify paid $185 million for Simmons’ Ringer studio in 2020 and presumably even more for a renewal of that deal in March 2025.

Netflix’s management highlighted the growing popularity of video-style podcasts, giving subscribers one more content type to enjoy.

Image source: Getty Images.

Netflix gets sports content on the cheap

I think it’s a stroke of genius from both sides of the dealmaking table, though Netflix probably gets the sweeter end of this deal.

Netflix suddenly expands its burgeoning sports coverage very quickly by getting podcast rights, and without paying billions of dollars for direct event coverage deals. Leagues like the NFL, the NBA, and MLB want a lot of money for their game-tracking deals. For example:

• Comcast‘s (NASDAQ: CMCSA) NBCUniversal division is reportedly close to a three-year deal with Major League Baseball, priced at $200 million per year.

• The National Basketball Association signed an 11-year coverage deal in the summer of 2024, splitting the rights among NBCUniversal, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Prime Video, and Walt Disney‘s (NYSE: DIS) ESPN for about $7 billion per year.

• As for the National Football League, Netflix has nibbled on a few specific games, but the big contracts are found elsewhere. Comcast, Disney, Paramount Skydance (NASDAQ: PSKY), Amazon, and Fox (NASDAQ: FOX) are all paying billion-dollar sums per year for their specific slices of NFL media rights. Even YouTube entered this arena, as the Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) subsidiary inked a seven-year deal for Sunday Ticket coverage at $2 billion per year.

The financial details of the Netflix/Spotify partnership are not known, which suggests the payments may be small enough to not require public disclosure. After all, both partners are expecting positive outcomes from this contract. But even if Netflix is spending a few hundred million dollars, it still found a cheaper way to tap into the lucrative sports market.

Audio meets video (and beyond)

I think of podcasts as an audio-centered media format, but this deal was an eye-opener. Adding a few high-end cameras and decent lighting to the radio-like studio instantly creates a video stream instead, and a lot of people prefer that format. From the podcast creators’ point of view, I’m sure it doesn’t hurt to upgrade the studio environment and pay more attention to the visuals.

So the edges and borders between different content types are getting smudged. Spotify is doing video content and Netflix is adding audio-centric shows. And it won’t stop there. I mean, Netflix has dozens of video games already, and there’s a hidden “snake” game in the mobile Spotify app. Digital entertainment is digital entertainment, and specialists in one particular media type can easily expand to other fields.

That’s particularly true for the well-heeled global giant that started the video-streaming industry in 2011. Netflix has the resources to keep its business growth going by exploring new media types. Recent examples even include brick-and-mortar stores and the upcoming Netflix House experience centers in Philadelphia and Dallas.

Spotify video podcasts are coming to Netflix, further diversifying the types of content on the Los Gatos, Calif.-based streaming service beyond movies, TV shows and games.

The move reflects how many people are consuming their podcasts not just by listening, but by watching the podcasters conduct their discussions on video.

Roughly 70% of podcast listeners prefer their shows with video, according to a Cumulus Media study. Netflix and Spotify said the partnership will bring podcasts to Netflix that complement the streamer’s “existing programming and unlocks new audiences and wider distribution for the shows.”

There will be 16 Spotify video podcasts initially on Netflix in the U.S. in early 2026, with plans to include other markets, the companies said. Those video podcasts include sports programs like “The Bill Simmons Podcast” and “The Ringer Fantasy Football Show,” culture/lifestyle podcasts like “The Dave Chang Show” and “The Recipe Club” as well as true-crime programs like “Serial Killers.”

“At Netflix, we’re always looking for new ways to entertain our members, wherever and however they want to watch,” said Lauren Smith, the streamer’s vice president of content licensing and programming strategy.

Roman Wasenmüller, vice president and head of podcasts at Spotify, said this partnership helps creators reach new audiences and unlocks “a completely new distribution opportunity.”

Spotify began offering video podcasts on its platform about five years ago, offering an option to its podcasters who had previously been posting videos of their audio programs on YouTube.

Last year, the Swedish audio company unveiled new features that make it easier for creators to earn money from their video content and track their performance on the streaming service.

Netflix has also been diversifying the types of content it offers on its streaming service. Last week, Netflix unveiled a slate of games, such as versions of Boggle and Pictionary, that can be played on TV and are included with its streaming subscription.

ROBBIE Williams has revealed his life-changing health battle for the first time, admitting ‘you’re always looking for the cure.’ 

The music star said he’s been secretly living with Tourette’s syndrome. 

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Robbie, 51, has claimed that his Tourette’s are ‘intrusive’ while speaking on a podcast about it for the first time. 

The music legend starred on the first episode of the new season of Paul Whitehouse and Dr Mine Conkbayir’s podcast I’m ADHD! No You’re Not. 

He said: “I’ve just realised that I have Tourettes, but they don’t come out. 

“They are intrusive thoughts that happen, I was just walking down the road the other day, and I realised that these intrusive thoughts are inside Tourettes. It just doesn’t come out.

“Not only that, you would think that a stadium full of people professing their love to you would work as (a distraction), but whatever it is inside me cannot hear it. I cannot take it in.”

LOVE Island’s Montana Brown has waded in to the aftermath of a huge show split with some brutal stark remarks.

The ITV2 matchmaking show contestant didn’t hold back as she took to her TikTok page to rant about the “f**king stupid” actions of one particular show winner.

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Fan-favourite Love Island alum Montana, 30, was speaking out after Millie Court, 29, and Liam Reardon, 26, split for the second time earlier this month.

At the time, pals claimed the “distance was difficult” between their bases in Essex and Wales and since then, former ASOS buyer Millie has been showing her ex what he’s been missing with a series of bikini clad snaps.

Business-wise, the pair’s podcast is now under threat following their break-up.

Yet while little detail is known about their unexpected parting of ways, mum of two Montana, who starred in the 2017 series, has revealed an unexpected feud.

She took to her TikTok page for a video showing her wearing a black running jacket and her hair brushed up in a bun.

Montana said: “I just saw a video from Millie and Liam’s podcast from Love Island about him f**king off with his mates on her birthday and so she had to go to her birthday party by herself.

“Why are all men the same?

“I’ve never known one of my friend’s partners, bar maybe like a couple, who aren’t just f**king stupid.

“They are all just indoctrinated.

“I would like to know, on a scientific level, why men are so annoying.”

She then captioned her clip: “Tell me why then.”

One fan was quick to react and quiz: “Did they break up over this then?”

Another mused: “Don’t expect less than worship.”

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A third then put: “He doesn’t like her enough, simple.”

POD FUTURE?

Recently, fans expressed their worries over the Liam & Millie podcast as a whole.

Awkward scenes showed the pair discussing marriage while privately battling their tough time.

Since its launch in October last year, there has been a new episode of the podcast every Tuesday and Thursday. 

But fans were quick to speculate when they didn’t get a new instalment as scheduled this month.

One wrote on social media: “Is this the end of the podcast too?”

Someone else commented: “How will it continue? Unless they’ve split and remained friends?”

The Sun reached out to representatives for Millie and Liam for comment. 

After winning the seventh series of Love Island in 2021, Millie and Liam split less than a year later. 

But fans were thrilled when they confirmed they were back on in May 2023. 

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LOUISE Thompson has broken down in tears and shared her “anxiety” over her son Leo’s “abnormal” behaviour.

Not only this, but despite wanting to grow her family, the former Made In Chelsea star, 35, also revealed she would “never carry another child.”

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The mum-of-one nearly died while giving birth to her three-year-old son and spent a month in intensive care with ‘serious complications’ followed by years in and out of hospital.

Now, speaking on a recent episode of her He Said She Said podcast with fiancé Ryan Libbey, Louise sobbed after seeing Leo speaking to what she assumed was an imaginary friend. 

Tearfully recalling the moment, she said: “I saw Leo on his bike perched up against a wall, and he was talking to himself as if he had an imaginary friend, and it made me fall in love with him so much.

“But equally and probably one of the reasons why it’s jerking tears is because, I guess for a second I thought, ‘oh god is this because he doesn’t have any siblings?’’.

As Ryan attempted to reassure his emotional partner, she revealed her first time mum fears that Leo’s behaviour was “abnormal.”

He reflected: “I think that’s very normal for kids, I’m pretty sure I had imaginary friends.”

To this, Louise shared: “I guess Leo’s our only child and we’re still first-time parents and navigating all of those milestones for the first time.

“And you don’t really know what to expect when you have one child, you have nothing to compare it to, so I didn’t know whether that was normal.”

However, she then claimed a fan had got in touch with her to tell her that a child having an imaginary friend was a “sign of intelligence.”

Alongside the podcast clip, Louise wrote: “First-time parenting really is just learning on the go, isn’t it? 

“Every week there’s something new, something that makes you stop and think. 

“It can feel scary, but it’s also the most rewarding thing in the world.” 

I worried that it was because we haven’t been able to give Leo a sibling yet

Louise Thompson

Opening up about the support from fans, the brunette beauty wrote: “One of my followers messaged me to say that having an imaginary friend at a young age is a sign of intelligence.

“That was really kind of her because as an anxious first time mum navigating this whole world as each milestone passes, I worried that it was because we haven’t been able to give Leo a sibling yet.”

Numerous other fans followed and eagerly rushed to the comments to share their support and reassure Louise that Leo’s behaviour was in fact “normal”, as one said: “Bless though wonderful mummy tears. That raw protective emotion we feel is unmatched to one another.”

A second chimed in: “All the only children I know are so smart, great with people of all ages and very capable and independent thinkers.”

Meanwhile, a third penned: ”I have a daughter, only child, and I still worry and she’s 33! She is the kindest, most grounded girl and I’m so proud of her….. you’re doing an amazing job.” 

At the same time, one mother explained: “Our 5-year-old daughter used to have an imaginary friend called Boxy. I was worried at first but it’s very normal and also a sign of great imagination. I love her for it.” 

With the desire to extend her family in the future, Louise has also spoken of difficulties and admitted she will “never carry another child.” 

Our 5-year-old daughter used to have an imaginary friend called Boxy. It’s very normal and also a sign of great imagination

Instagram user

She told Grazia: “For a long time I was so triggered by babies – I couldn’t look at people’s babies and pregnancy announcements and those sorts of things.

“The tricky thing for us is that this just isn’t really possible in the conventional way because I’m not going to carry another child. 

“I really wanted to freeze my eggs and some embryos last year, but I was overcoming my stoma surgery for a good chunk and then that was when I started to feel really well.

“And I feel like I slightly missed the boat but I can’t put the blame on myself because there wasn’t really an appropriate time before I started taking a bit of a dip again.”

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MYLEENE Klass’ former husband has hit back at the popstar and broadcaster and claimed he’s been banned from seeing his kids.

It comes after the Hear’say hitmaker, 47, candidly opened up on her former husband Graham Quinn’s alleged “cheating” with a fellow celebrity.

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During a recent episode of Paul Carrick Brunson‘s We Need To Talk podcast, Myleene told how she walked in on her then partner, 51, and another woman unzipping each other’s clothes at her birthday party.

The Pure and Simple hitmaker — who wouldn’t divulge the female’s name but said she built her career off a “family brand” — revealed: “I walked in on him with a famous person on my birthday on a balcony. It was in my house.”

Now Graham, with whom she shares two daughters, has clapped back.

Pals of the music manager have suggested she is a “vindictive bully.”

A source told MailOnline: “He thinks she’s a bully.

“They believe it was especially ‘vindictive and calculated’ of Myleene to launch the bombshell broadside on what she would have known was the week of Graham’s 51st birthday.”

The Saturdays hitmaker Rochelle Humes recently posted a snap showing Graham on their family holiday to Ibiza.

PARENTING CLASH

As the cheat claims swirl, Graham’s comments about his parenting with MBE winner Myleene – who scooped her accolade services to women’s health – for have resurfaced.

In lines contained in a historic chat with Fathers4Justice, which have only recently resurfaced, the security manager said Myleene had “actively denied” him access to his two kids.

He suggested he was “banging his head against a brick wall” in his attempts for access.

In the piece Graham, who is based in Ibiza, wrote: “I haven’t seen my kids in years.

“The only exception is when Myleene begrudgingly met me in a car park off the North Circular Road in 2014.

“She lowered the window about three inches and I could see the girls in the back. That was it.

“I’ve thrown so much more money at it [trying to see his daughters] and I can’t afford much more.

“I’ve spent £20,000 and am probably further away from them now than I’ve ever been.

“It’s like banging my head against a brick wall.

“I’ve missed so many birthdays and Christmas days. I’ll never get that back.”

Graham, who married Myleene in 2011 and was with the star until their split in 2013, also opened up on the impact on his mental health.

He told how he was depressed “for years” and sought counselling daily.

In his piece, he added: “I’ve tried to get Myleene to see the light, but she’s not interested.

“She knows how much I love those girls and that it’s destroying me, but she doesn’t care – she’s got them all to herself and loves it.

“I don’t even know where they live any more. I can’t see them and I can’t speak to them on the phone. I’m blocked on Twitter and Instagram, so can’t see photos of them.”

Myleene’s rep had no comment when approached.

CHEAT CLAIMS

Graham and Myleene met when he worked as a security guard for Myleene’s pop group.

They had what was described as a “private, intimate” wedding in Norwich where just 16 family and friends were invited.

In the recent podcast, Myleene recently opened up on the infidelity claims.

She explained of Graham and the unnamed famous face: “It was my party.

“They weren’t having sex, but they were unzipping each other.

“[They said] ‘It’s not what you think’, but it is what I think. It’s the first thing they both said.”

Talking of her reaction she told MAFS expert Paul: “I kicked everybody out of the party, including his mum and dad. They went back to Ireland.

“And his dad said, ‘He doesn’t get it from me’. I was like, ‘OK’. I just remember that being quite a weird thing to say.”

Myleene admitted she struggled to see the woman continuing as normal after the run-in, explaining: “I’ve made peace with that situation now.

“But for a long time, it was very difficult to see their life . . . Not that I would wish that on a family. I don’t know, I feel conflicted.

“But my life literally just broke apart very, very publicly.

“And their life, they’ve managed to continue building a family brand on it and it felt so difficult for a long time. This is the person I caught him with.”

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FIRST Dates star Merlin Griffiths has teamed up with a top supermodel for a new podcast after his cancer treatment.

The barman from the Channel 4 reality show will be working alongside Jodie Kidd for the brand new project.

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Titled Three Landlords Walk into a Bar, they will do a deep dive on British pubs from ghost stories to industry analysis and will be chatting with some of the UK’s most successful publicans and industry leaders.

“Expect everything from ghost stories in Britain’s most haunted pub to tales of the Beatles, building inclusive spaces, and the importance of the perfect pint (of course),” read the announcement on Instagram.

In the accompanying video to the social media post, fans are given a preview of some of the guests and conversations that can look forward to hearing in the coming season.

Jodie shared it to her Instagram stories saying: “I loved doing this podcast.”

The supermodel is landlady at 16th century boozer, Half Moon in Kirdford, West Sussex, who has often spoken out about the importance of pubs to local communities.

“People are always surprised when they find out I run a pub. It’s one of the toughest yet most rewarding jobs,” she said in a statement about the podcast.

“There’s a whole world behind the bar that most punters never get to see – the highs, the graft, the sheer heart landlords pour in.”

Merlin who is the landlord of the Dog & Gun in Leicestershire also wants to raise awareness about the pressures facing pubs in the U.K.

“Being a landlord isn’t just about pulling pints and hosting quizzes – it’s late nights, leaky pipes, and learning to adapt fast,” he said.

“Amidst turbulent times for the industry, we wanted to sit down and explore how Britain’s pubs are evolving to stay at the heart of their communities – whether that’s finding new ways to get people in the door or embracing game-changing tech to serve up top-quality pints more efficiently and sustainably.”

Merlin’s new project comes as the bartender recovers from cancer treatment.

He was diagnosed with bowel cancer and had chemotherapy and two operations to remove a tumour in 2021.

Despite getting the all-clear from doctors that he was cancer-free, Merlin admitted to struggling after his treatment and that he still needed to be closely monitored.

Since his diagnosis Merlin has been vocal about catching bowel cancer symptoms early and has supported various NHS campaigns.

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