True story behind BBC crime drama that sent fans ‘down a rabbit hole’
Sorting the fact from the fiction (Picture: BBC/Tannadice Pictures/Sally Mais) The second season of The Gold has once again brought the fallout of the Brink’s-Mat heist to the forefront of BBC viewers’ minds. Who was involved? How did they get away with it? And whatever […]
TV
‘Mortifying’ moment TV star crawls in underwear to lick yoghurt off boot
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Fans have days to binge ‘addictive’ historic drama before the new season
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Gogglebox star reveals life-changing health diagnosis that he’s ‘hidden for decades’
Gogglebox’s Daniel Lustig Webb has opened up about his nearly life-long health condition (Picture: Channel 4) Former Gogglebox star Daniel Lustig-Webb has publicly shared that he is deaf in one ear after decades of hiding his health condition. The 50-year-old TV personality rose to fame […]
TV
Former Gogglebox star Daniel Lustig-Webb has publicly shared that he is deaf in one ear after decades of hiding his health condition.
The 50-year-old TV personality rose to fame during his five-year tenure on the hit Channel 4 reality series which he featured on with his ex-husband Stephen Webb from 2018 to 2023.
Earlier this week he opened up to his 121,000 Instagram followers about the life-changing childhood diagnosis that has ‘shaped his life’.
‘I’ve been half deaf since I was a child,’ he said in a new interview.
He explained that he contracted mumps when he was younger causing an infection which ultimately led to ‘complete and permanent hearing loss in one ear.’
Before continuing to Scenemag: ‘For years, I hid it. I didn’t want people to see me as ‘different’ or less capable. At school, it was tough, I was often picked on and teachers told me I was “thick” because I struggled to concentrate, not realising it was because I couldn’t hear properly.
‘It made me really insecure. I thought I was just failing.’
He described trying to keep up in social situations ‘exhausting’ due to his condition and has at times been ‘forced to pretend’ he could hear what people were saying which took ‘its toll’.
‘I’ve had to learn to listen differently, and sometimes I just switch off,’ the Hove-based hairdresser added.
‘I feel ready to be open about it. At 50, I feel like it’s finally time to stop hiding and to be proud of who I am,’ he explained alongside his plans to learn sign language to connect with the wider community.
‘Deafness isn’t a weakness, it’s part of me,’ Daniel shared hoping to shed light on the ‘isolation and frustration’ that comes with being hard of hearing.
‘It’s part of millions of lives. And it should be talked about openly, without shame,’ he continued.
The latest figures from the Royal National Institute for Deaf People indicating upwards of 18 million adults across the UK are affected by hearing loss or tinnitus.
As he enters a new decade he is ‘learning to love and accept all parts of [himself]’.
Fans have shared their support for Daniel in the comments on Instagram.
‘You should never hide yourself you are a beautiful person inside and out,’ jopurdy2 said.
‘Be proud and loud, love and hugs,’ kim.mooney.779 shared.
Earlier this year, Daniel opened up about the impact of his breakup with his ex, Stephen.
The pair – who had been together for 11 years and married for six – announced their shock break-up in April 2024 but have remained in each other’s lives as friends.
In recent interview, however, Daniel revealed that he ‘didn’t see [the split] coming’ and called the end of their relationship ‘devastating’ and ‘traumatic’.
Speaking on podcast Suddenly Single, he said: ‘We were completely entwined for so long, with our businesses, the dogs, we were so close in everything we did.
‘There was nothing underhand happening, no-one had slept with anyone else.’
In the end, their differences became too much with Daniel adding: ‘Stephen was the complete opposite to me, and we’d say opposites attracted, but fundamentally that was our problem in the end.’
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All six episodes of ‘stressful’ Australian thriller finally free to binge in the UK
A ‘gripping’ thriller series based on a real-life UK crime is now available to stream (Picture: BBC/ Lingo Pictures/ John Platt) An Australian thriller based on a best-selling novel can now be binged in full in the UK. In 2020, the first season of the […]
TV An Australian thriller based on a best-selling novel can now be binged in full in the UK.
In 2020, the first season of the psychological thriller series The Secrets She Keeps hit screens.
Based on the book of the same name by acclaimed crime-fiction writer Michael Robotham, it was adapted by Sarah Walker and Jonathan Gavin, the former of which worked on shows including Home and Away, Neighbours and All Saints.
Set in Sydney, the series follows two women from ‘vastly different backgrounds with explosive secrets that could destroy everything they hold dear’.
It stars Jessica De Gouw (Arrow, Dracula) as Meghan Shaughnessy, who is happily pregnant with her third child. However, her husband Jack (Michael Dorman) is on edge, facing money issues and a stressful job.
Meanwhile, Agatha Fyfle (Downton Abbey’s Laura Carmichael) is also pregnant, with both women’s lives soon colliding.
At the time of its release, critics were somewhat unconvinced by the storyline but praised the lead stars’ performances.
‘Without performances as layered and emotionally sound as the ones Carmichael and De Gouw give, The Secrets She Keeps would be little more than the aforementioned pulpy ride,’ Paste Magazine shared.
‘The whole thing is held together by Laura Carmichael as Aggie, a compulsive liar played at the screeching end of camp, complete with weird, limp hair and beaky fury,’ The Sunday Times wrote.
‘The leads bring more than enough credibility to their roles to make the series worth watching,’ Decider added.
However, viewers gave much more glowing reviews.
‘It was gripping, and off-the-charts, and more than once, difficult and even stressful to watch. But this is what the best dramas do: they evoke a response from the viewer, and this did that in spades,’ user InnerWisdom1000 posted on IMDB.
‘Good casting, very entertaining and pretty tense at times. Would definitely recommend,’ Laura wrote.
‘First episode I wasn’t sure, but this series turned into a binge watch for me! Dark, and with some pretty good twists, the story of Agatha and Megan is brilliantly done. Agatha especially gets more and more bonkers in a sinister way,’ Juli added.
Although the first season was originally made available on BBC iPlayer, it was later taken down.
But two years after the second season was released, UK fans and those yet to tune in can now watch both in full on Channel 4, where the show has been uploaded this week.
The original novel was inspired by the kidnapping of newborn baby Abbie Sundgren in Nottingham in 1994.
Just three hours after her birth, Abbie was taken by a woman posing as a nurse, who kept her for 17 days.
At the time, author Michael Robotham was working as a journalist in London and covered the story, which he used as the basis of his novel nearly 20 years later.
‘The idea stuck with me and the turning point came when I thought about an added element — what if it wasn’t just a random baby that was taken? What if someone had faked a pregnancy and intended to steal a baby …and they had chosen the baby they wanted to steal,’ he previously told The West Australian.
While the novel was set in the United Kingdom, the television adaptation was set in suburban Sydney — a change the author encouraged.
‘When I was approached, I was asked if it was a deal-breaker to me, but it didn’t really cross my mind. It is a universal story. The TV series has done an astonishing job and Jess and Laura have done an amazing job playing two women from two different sides of the economic equation … one with a nice husband and a nice house in an expensive neighbourhood, the other, who is living in much poorer circumstances, just trying to get by.’
The Secrets She Keeps is streaming on Channel 4.
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Games Inbox: When will Mario Kart World DLC be released?
DLC is surely coming sooner or later (Nintendo) The Wednesday letters page ponders UK video game console preferences, as a reader speculates on the release date for Splatoon Raiders. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk Open questionsRead your review of Mario Kart […]
Gaming
The Wednesday letters page ponders UK video game console preferences, as a reader speculates on the release date for Splatoon Raiders.
To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk
Open questions
Read your review of Mario Kart World and it all made sense to me. Reviews seem to be coming out in the 8 to 9 range and from what I’ve played that seems to be about right. Like everyone, I’m confused as to why so little has been done with the open world, given how massive it is. So, like you say, do you mark the game down for not doing something obvious or do you just accept it’s something different to what you imagined?
We all assume Nintendo is going to add more with more DLC, but when? This year? Next year? Three year’s time? We literally have no idea. Nintendo is always secretive but this time I think it’s really hurting them, because everyone’s confused and making up their own theories. It’s silly because if they’d said: ‘We’ll have a ton of free content coming out all the time’ that would have been a real draw.
Now we don’t know what they’re doing, why they won’t tell us, and whether the DLC will be all paid-for or not. The core game is great but this weird way they’ve handled the open world feels like it’s pulling all the attention away from the stuff they got right.
Cranston
Secret plans
I have no problem with Mario Kart World getting a 9/10 but it is such a strange experience. Knockout Tour is probably the most fun I’ve had with a video game in several years and yet the open world stuff is just sitting there staring at me blanky, without anything to say.
It seems such an unlikely mistake for someone like Nintendo to make, that I feel there must be a reason and purpose to it, but while it’s easy enough to guess what that might be what I can’t understand is why they won’t tell us.
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A roadmap for the game, that promised tons of new tracks and characters and whatever would be a great PR move. Pack it in the box as an actual poster and it becomes a major talking point and an explanation for why the game’s so expensive. I just don’t get why they don’t do something like that.
Lumpy
Water good game
Been playing a bit of Wave Race 64 on Nintendo Switch Online.
Not only is it the best racing game Nintendo have made, it’s one of the best games ever made.
I wish they would do a remaster. The handling and wave physics feels as good as ever. Just be nice to have the frame rate and graphics improved. But it does still play brilliantly in its original, nearly 30-year-old form.
Simundo
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Xbox exclusive
This whole thing about Call Of Duty on Switch 2 is so stupid. The first Switch is the only Nintendo console it wasn’t on, and that was only because it doesn’t have a built-up online system like the Xbox and PlayStation 5. Nobody wants to play Call Of Duty on a modern Nintendo console unless they can absolutely avoid it. And if you care that much about it… you’d already have an alternative.
So far, I see no sign that Nintendo has done anything to upgrade its online services, so Activision were actually right not to bother in the first place.
Now if you wanted to make a spin-off that wasn’t so focused on online, that’d make sense, but they’re never going to do that. Or if they wanted to just port over Warzone, that’d make sense too as I’m sure Fortnite is quite popular on Switch.
A few months ago, I would’ve said the chances of an Xbox exclusive on Switch 2 was pretty high, or at least something that was Nintendo focused and would never sell much on other formats, like Banjo-Kazooie. But now I don’t know what’s going on.
I guess it’s because Activision Blizzard and Bethesda don’t really make anything Nintendo friendly, and Microsoft doesn’t want to put up the money for anything else.
Haymaker
Local pricing
Here in Hong Kong, I saw the Switch 2 plus Mario Kart bundle for around HK$4,000 (about £400). Most games were around HK$300-450 (£30-45) with standalone Mario Kart priced at HK$520 (£52). All in all, it’s not the pricing bloodbath I was fearing pre-launch, but I guess it’s partly due to lower taxes here in Hong Kong. I still don’t plan on getting it just yet as I can’t justify getting it for only Mario Kart. If it’d launched with an all-new Zelda, it would’ve been a completely different story!
Back I go to finishing the Switch 1 Zelda games in my backlog!
ttfp saylow (gamertag)
Now playing: Rolling Hills and Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Adding it all up
I guess you could’ve probably predicted that Splatoon would be one of the first games to be announced after launch and I’m fine with that.
Personally, I think there probably is a reasonable chance Splatoon Raiders will be out this Christmas. If I was to take a guess, I think Nintendo is packing this year with mid-sized games, like Hyrule Warriors and Metroid and this Splatoon spin-off, and they think that’ll add up to one bigger one.
That makes some kind of sense and while it’s probably wrong, because you can’t predict Nintendo, I’m logging that as my 1 in a million chance to say I told you so.
I think for Nintendo the problem is Metroid Prime 4. It’ll probably review very well but it’s a Switch 1 game and the series doesn’t sell that much, so it’s not going to be much of a draw for the average parent at Christmas.
Since they’ve said it’s coming out this year I think they’re just planning to coast along on Mario Kart for now and rely on small fry for the fresh meat. Which does make sense because fans like me are interested in Metroid and casual gamers probably don’t care about anything but Mario Kart (and aren’t going to buying anything day one).
I do find the complete lack of any mention of a 3D Mario weird though. Not even teasing it in the first year is odd even for the big N.
Geln
The wisdom of youth
I overheard my 10-year-old son talking to his friends on his phone yesterday, while playing Among Us:
Him: The new GTA looks fire.
[All agree]
Friend: You have to be 18 to play it though.
Him: [Disappointed] Oh well…
Friend: Shame…
Him: [said seriously] …by the time it comes out we will be.
Major Kahonas
Taste of a nation
It always amazes me how mistakes Nintendo made in the 80s and 90s are still having a big effect on their current business, such that the Switch 2 can’t even outsell the Xbox Series X/S. Although how that became one of the biggest sellers I can’t even imagine. But then the UK is also the only country other than America that buys into Xbox, so I guess we’re pretty unique in terms of our gaming tastes.
We’ve never been as into PC games as the rest of the Europe either, as far as I understand, so basically we really only like PlayStation and Xbox, and mobile I guess. I wonder how that’s going to change as Xbox goes third party and it becomes more and more obvious that there’s no point in buying the console.
At that point we’re basically going to become PlayStation Land, not that Sony ever seems to show any appreciation for out unwavering loyalty.
I guess with each passing generation (in both senses of the word) Nintendo can grow its fanbase more, as they’re clearly on the up at the moment, but it’s not hard to see why Sony feels so confident and doesn’t feel the need to make much effort.
It’s just a shame they shut down most of their British developers, because I really would’ve liked to see them make a new The Getaway, or something similar, because they know there’s an audience for it.
Grant
Inbox also-rans
So if the PlayStation 6 is out in 2027, that means we should see Sony starting to talk about it next year? Basically, get through this Christmas with the PlayStation 5 then immediately start on the next next gen bandwagon. It’s inevitable but it seems far too soon.
Austin
I picked up Fast Fusion for my Switch 2 because it was cheap and I have to say I am super impressed by the graphics, they are top end PS4 quality and super smooth and fast. Not sure about the game itself so far, seems a bit clunky, but graphically it’s impressed me.
Donut
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Nintendo Switch 2 comparison: how do Switch 1 games play on the new console?
Pokémon Scarlet & Violet plays much better now (The Pokémon Company/Metro) Now that the Nintendo Switch 2 is out, we’ve tested a handful of the Switch 1’s best games to see how they run on the more powerful hardware. The Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t even […]
Gaming
Now that the Nintendo Switch 2 is out, we’ve tested a handful of the Switch 1’s best games to see how they run on the more powerful hardware.
The Nintendo Switch 2 hasn’t even been out for a week now and since review units weren’t sent out more than a week before launch it’s taking a while for some information to trickle down, as everyone rushes to try out all the new games… and many of the old ones.
While the Switch 1 boasts an incredible library of games, it isn’t the most powerful console around and one of the big appeals of the Switch 2 is seeing how older games can benefit from running on its hardware.
Aside from the paid-for Switch 2 Editions of certain games, Nintendo has issued free updates to a small selection of Switch 1 games that are meant to improve performance and add new Switch 2 features.
To see if it’s worth revisiting old games on Switch 2, we’ve tested a number of these free updates, as well as some games that haven’t received dedicated patches.
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Super Mario Odyssey
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Super Mario Odyssey already looks and runs great on Switch, so we weren’t sure how much of a glow up it would see on Switch 2. But while the update is pretty minor on the surface, you can quickly see a difference.
It still runs at 60 frames per second, but we noticed less stuttering, particularly around Mario’s shadow, and less lag on non-player characters, like the residents of New Donk City. Pop-in hasn’t been eliminated though, and it still uses that crosshatch effect that so many Switch games do, but that remains a very tiny blemish.
The colours in general seem much cleaner and pop more when in handheld mode, compared to the Switch 1. At first, this sounds strange when both consoles use LCD screens, but the Switch 2’s is higher resolution and better at reproducing bright colours.
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Luigi’s Mansion 3
Given it took as long to boot up Luigi’s Mansion 3 on Switch 2 as it does on Switch 1, we suspected it wouldn’t enjoy any sort of benefits on stronger hardware. Turns out we were right.
We tested a fresh save file on both consoles, one after the other, and as far as we can tell, Luigi’s Mansion 3 looks and performs exactly the same. But that’s not surprising as it was already the best-looking Switch 1 game and didn’t really need an update. It does, however, make us want Luigi’s Mansion 4 on Switch 2 even more.
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The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild’s performance upgrade is locked behind a paid Switch 2 Edition, but we were curious to see if the original game has any sort of enhancements if we just popped it into the console without the paid-for upgrade.
For the most part, the answer is no. The frame rate is still locked to 30fps and when we tried the Lost Woods section (the most infamous area for frame lag), things weren’t any better on Switch 2 compared to Switch 1. Although that area was improved with subsequent patches anyway.
One difference, is the load times. While they were never awful on Switch 1, they are noticeably much faster on Switch 2. Not instantaneous, so you’ve still got time to read through the on-screen hints, but you’ll definitely be spending less time in them.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
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We wouldn’t be surprised if the Switch 2 saw an updated version of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate instead of an entirely new sequel, but for the time being the Switch 2 is now the best place for Nintendo’s big crossover fighter.
While we didn’t notice any differences in performance and visuals, load times are definitely improved. We tested out eight player matches with the stage morph feature on and yet load times were practically instantaneous.
Same for the classic mode matches in single-player and loading alternate costumes for characters, which tend to take a while to appear on screen when selecting them on Switch 1.
Unfortunately, online doesn’t seem to have got any better. It took us forever to find even one other player to match against and although we didn’t spy any frame drops or input lag, we were unable to check how online play fares with four or more characters on screen at once.
Plus, our matches usually lacked items and busy stages, so things may be different during more chaotic matches. It has also been reported that there can be issues with online matches if the Mii Fighters are involved, but that’s a small problem that should be fixed eventually.
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Bayonetta 3
At first, we were concerned Bayonetta 3 hadn’t seen any improvements when we booted it up on Switch 2, as it didn’t load any quicker than it does on Switch 1. However, once we got into the game proper, it was obvious even from the level select screen that the frame rate has been significantly increased.
Bayonetta 3 runs fine on the Switch 1, but its frame rate can get choppy at times, which isn’t ideal in a fast-paced action game. Fortunately, Bayonetta 3 now runs at a silky smooth 60fps on Switch 2, at least during gameplay. Cut scenes don’t seem to be affected but that’s hardly a deal breaker.
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Astral Chain
While we’re on the subject of PlatinumGames, we had hoped that its 2019 Switch exclusive Astral Chain would enjoy as much of a glow-up on Switch 2 as Bayonetta 3 does.
Unfortunately, it appears there are no significant differences between running Astral Chain on Switch 2 compared to Switch 1. The frame rate is still capped to 30 and it doesn’t look like load times are improved either.
It’s a real shame, since Astral Chain is still fantastic, but it’s more difficult to recommend in a time where 60fps is normalised, particularly for action games.
The next best thing would be an Astral Chain 2 designed specifically for Switch 2, but while rumours say that such a project exists, it’s experiencing a very rough development cycle, not helped by the many staff departures at PlatinumGames.
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The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Not the most obvious game to test for its technical performance but while this remake of the old Game Boy classic was purposefully low-fi in terms of visuals it is one of the few Nintendo published games infamous for its poor frame rate.
That always seemed odd considering the game’s simplistic graphics, to the point where some wondered if the choppy performance was on purpose, in some half-cocked attempt to channel the clunkiness of 8-bit gaming.
Playing it on Switch 2, it’s made plain that it wasn’t intentional, as it now runs at what seems to be a silky smooth 60fps. If you were put off buying it before, because of the issues, it works perfectly now and looks great on the Switch 2’s portable screen.
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Pokémon Scarlet & Violet
Out of everything from the Switch 1’s library, Pokémon Scarlet & Violet might have benefitted the most from the Switch 2. While we maintain it’s a much better game than Pokémon Sword & Shield (especially once the infamous bugs were ironed out), that’s very much in spite of how low-tech it is.
A trailer for how the game runs on Switch 2 already demonstrated how smoother everything is, but we had to witness it ourselves and the improved performance almost feels like witchcraft. Whether it was during battles, cut scenes, or when multiple Pokémon were on screen at once, we never noticed the frame rate dip at all.
Residents of Paldea stroll past at a consistent pace, instead of looking like they’re trapped in a zoetrope. To our amazement, even the online tera raids maintained a consistent 60 frames per second. If the Switch 2 can ensure this level of performance even during online play, it only makes us more excited for the potential of the next set of games.
It’s not a truly perfect redemption arc for Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, however. The upgraded performance only makes the flat art style and graphics all the more obvious and there is still some very noticeable pop-in at times. But if you never played it on Switch 1, or dropped it because of its original performance, the Switch 2 really is the best place to experience it.
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Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Thanks to Pokémon Scarlet & Violet’s dedicated Switch 2 upgrade, Pokémon Legends: Arceus only looks more technically inept than it did when it launched in 2022.
Considering it didn’t receive its own upgrade, we didn’t expect it to run that much better on Switch 2, but it’s still disappointing to be proven right. The frame rate is still locked to 30fps, pop-in is aplenty, and textures remain flat and very ugly when up close. We’ve heard some claim load times are faster but we honestly couldn’t tell.
At least its successor, Pokémon Legends: Z-A, not only appears to run better on Switch 1, based on early footage, but its separate Switch 2 version sports a much smoother frame rate, that makes everything look a lot cleaner.
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Wynne Evans becomes tearful over Strictly scandal a day after announcing engagement
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Wynne Evans became choked up as he spoke on This Morning about his Strictly Come Dancing scandal, just a day after announcing he is engaged.
The Welsh opera singer, 53, was sensationally dumped from the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour earlier this year over comments he made involving host Janette Manrara.
The ‘unacceptable’ joke referenced having a threesome with the dancer, 41.
Soon after he apologised, saying he was ‘deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate action caused’ and would take a break from the public eye for ‘self-reflection’ and to ‘prioritise my wellbeing’.
At the time it was reported that he’d been dumped by his girlfriend Liz Brookes, 50, but it was then quickly clarified she was helping to ‘rally around him’.
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Evans appeared on This Morning just a day after announcing they are now set to tie the knot, and spoke about how the negative attention from the scandal had a profound impact on his mental health.
Evans sat down with Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley in the ITV studio and said the scandal took him ‘to the darkest spot of his life’ when the attention ‘wouldn’t stop’.
‘I was at my lowest ebb, I wanted to end my life. I would have if I hadn’t been surrounded by people,’ he said.
At one point, Evans said that he remembered expressing suicidal thoughts to his grilfriend.
‘I remember saying to my girlfriend, “I have to kill myself. I have to because this is what they want”,’ he said, becoming choked up with emotion,’he shared.
‘You’re full of these thoughts the entire time and it takes over your life.’
Evans went on to say that he was monitored by a crisis team for a month and that his friends, family and girlfriend set up a schedule to ensure that he wasn’t alone at any point in the day.
His appearance in the ITV studio comes just a day after he posted a photo of him down on one knee while in holiday in Morocco, captioning the Instagram post: ‘Big news… I got engaged! 💍
‘This weekend in Morocco, somewhere between the couscous, the camels, and me limping around the souks like a man with no spatial awareness, I proposed to Liz — and she said yes! (No take-backs, I’ve checked.)
‘She’s clever, she’s kind, she’s got excellent taste in men. Absolutely no idea how I pulled that off, but here we are! Feeling very lucky, very happy, and just a tiny bit smug.’
In the post, Wynne also shared a photo of their hands holding glasses of champagne, with Liz’s engagement ring front and centre.
Liz, who runs her own successful events company in Cardiff, met Wynne at one of her events.
Following the news a source told The Sun: ‘It has been a tumultuous six months for Wynne, but Liz has been his absolute rock throughout.
‘Finally, some wonderful news for Wynne and his inner circle to celibate and everyone is chuffed for them both.
‘He secretly bought an engagement ring and squirrelled it away for their holiday and then popped the question over champagne.’
They added: ‘Liz has been incredible over the past few months, supporting him through thick and thin, and had his back throughout, but obviously Wynne is telling everyone she’s a lucky girl!’
Wynne and Liz are believed to have started dating last year after his divorce from his wife of 17 years, violinist Tanwen Evans.
The former couple share two children, daughter Ismay and son Taliesin.
Wynne has previously spoken about the impact of his divorce, telling BBC Radio Wales: ‘It was almost like grief, but you can’t grieve for somebody that’s still there. So, it really affected my mental health, my confidence and my ego – it totally changed me as a person.’
‘It made me very aware of being alone. And, even though I was only 46, I had this irrational fear of dying on my own.’
Wynne’s engagement comes a few months after he was axed by the BBC, who didn’t renew his one-year rolling BBC Radio contract following a four-month investigation.
He confirmed in an Instagram statement: ‘It breaks my heart to say the BBC has decided not to renew my contract, so I won’t be returning to my radio show. I’m gutted. That show wasn’t just work — it was home. It was us. We laughed, we cried, we sang like nobody was listening. And somehow, through the airwaves, we became a family.’
A spokesperson for the BBC told Metro: ‘Wynne Evans is not under contract with the BBC. He is not returning to the mid-morning show on BBC Radio Wales and there are currently no plans to work with him.’
Samaritans are here to listen, day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org for more information.
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Governors Ball 2025: PAPER's Version
I like to call myself a Governors Ball truther — a real die-hard, try-hard, Gov Ball fan if you will. Back in 2018, after attending the fest the first time, I came back home to Atlanta, professed to anyone who would listen that I wanted […]
Music
I like to call myself a Governors Ball truther — a real die-hard, try-hard, Gov Ball fan if you will. Back in 2018, after attending the fest the first time, I came back home to Atlanta, professed to anyone who would listen that I wanted to be a music journalist, blew my entire life up and ran away to build a new one in New York City. Spoiler: it worked out.
You’re probably thinking — wow, that fest must be so glitzy, so fancy, so over the top. But no, no friends, that is not the magic of Gov Ball. Going to this fest after visiting the likes of Coachella takes a recalibration of sorts. Regardless of your access level, we’re all one in the Big Apple, so don’t try to impress anyone with your all-access wristband or your (very cute, might I add) New York City-bred two-piece look you wore to Olivia Rodrigo (thanks to NYC’s own Emerson Isa!). In the city that never sleeps, from artists on stage to teenagers who snuck into VIP, we’re all one.
Even with the downpour that cut the fest short on Saturday (rain is as we know, a Gov Ball tradition), the festival’s energy — the sort of laid back but still getting shit done vibe you catch on a Saturday Manhattan=bound L train was palpable. Acts like The Beaches, Tyla, Conan Gray and Wallows made us eager about the future of music. Hozier performed despite being under the weather. David Byrne got on stage with Olivia Rodrigo. Tyler the Creator reminded us what it means to push the boundaries of music and art.
Somehow in between the stages, hiding from rain and a search for a glizzy I never found (can we please bring back more glizzy stands next year) PAPER got to chat with some of this year’s stars and grab exclusive photos while we were at it. (like Role Model, The Japanese House, Raye, Snow Wife and Glass Animals). Below, check out our shots from Jamie Pearl (who grabbed some goodies of Tyla, Conan Gray, Frost Children and the rest of our interviewees) and get the inside backstage scoop of Governors Ball 2025.
– Erica Campbell, Music Editor
Role Model
What’s the best part of going to music festivals?
Getting to see other concerts for free. You don’t have to pay to see Clairo and I reap the benefits.
Who are you most excited to see for free today?
I want to see Mk.gee but our sets overlap. So I’m going to have to run and we’ll see if I make it.
Who has been your favorite “Sally” so far?
I made the mistake of doing my mom very early on. So now I have to say my mom forever. Renee Rapp was great, but I have to say my mom just to sound like a good person. My mom was the best Sally.
What can fans expect from you next?
Music, at some point. At some point, eventually.
Last summer was Brat Summer, what’s the theme of this summer?
Charli kind of laid it out. It’s Lorde summer, Blood Orange summer. Who else? Turnstile summer. Sabrina, I think, maybe. She just put out a new song. It’s everyone’s summer.
What song are your fans really vibing to live right now?
“Some Protector.” The bridge of that song seems to be a standout.
What’s your favorite fan interaction recently?
Some guy asked me for my phone number in a coffee shop a few days ago and I switched the numbers around. I’m not going to give out my number but I’m too nice to say no, so I just put in a different number.
The Japanese House
You’ve been on tour, what songs are fans having the most fun with live?
The song that, maybe people aren’t having the most fun with, but I’m having the most fun with, is “Boyhood,” because I always like to do a little shoutout to my gays and to my trans fans because I feel like it’s the most important time in the US to speak out about trans rights. I feel like I’ve really made a point of doing that on my tour so hopefully there’s a few trans kids in the audience that feel seen.
Last summer was Brat summer. What’s this summer’s theme for you?
For me, home. I’ve just moved back to London with my new wife. I’m looking forward to being settled. Being in one place for more than two weeks will be really nice.
What are you most excited to share with your fans next?
The thing I’m most excited to share with fans next is my next album. I’m not sure when exactly it will come out, but it’s definitely on the way and it’s been a very interesting album to write. I’m taking my time with it. I’m not going to rush it. But there’s definitely some songs on there that I just feel are so integral to me as for how I want to sound as an artist and the kind of thing that I want to create. It’s interesting exploring happiness. I haven’t really written about that before so it’s going to be an interesting experience to share that and see the response.
Snow Wife
Tell us how the reaction to BODYOLOGY has been and how you are feeling about having it out in the world?
It doesn’t feel real yet. I’m waiting for it to feel real. I think that whenever I’ve been playing these shows, I’m like “Alright, it’s out. It’s out.” But it’s been amazing. I’ve been seeing people dance to it and I’m excited to keep touring it and sharing it with the world and spreading the thesis of Bodyology.
What track are you having the most fun performing right now?
Honestly, “If God is Real, Then Heaven is a Club,” which is really awesome because that is one of my favorite songs. So I’m excited that people are gravitating towards her.
What’s the thesis of Bodyology?
The thesis of Bodyology? It’s a study of pop music through dance. So let’s have a dance-oriented summer.
Glass Animals’ Dave Bayley
What’s been your favorite memory from your current Tour of Earth shows so far?
Oh my god. We have had a lot of absolutely wild shows, playing venues that we never thought we’d play. We did MSG, which is crazy. We did the Forum, that was crazy. We did Red Rocks, that was crazy. We did so many incredible places. My favorite memory? We brought my dog to his first show and that was, sadly, my favorite memory- bringing my dog, Woody, to the London show. He loved it. In London, everything is so cramped. He’d never seen that much open space before.
What’s the sleeper hit or song you’re surprised fans vibed with from I Love You So F***ing Much?
Sleeper hit off of I Love You So Fucking Much? There’s a song that I wasn’t expecting people to like. It’s quite a weird song. It’s called “How I Learned to Love the Bomb.” It’s kind of the rockiest song on there. It’s very guitar-based with a big beat behind it. It’s different than anything we’ve ever done before, but it’s the biggest song we’ve done live.
How do you want people to feel when they leave a Glass Animals show?
I hope people have fun. That’s the main thing. But I think the best thing about music and performing live — and this is going to sound so cheesy — but it’s the togetherness of it. It’s all of these people being on the same wavelength at the same time. It’s a really powerful thing. There’s a lot of love in one room. Everyone loses their ego for a second and I think that’s a very important thing to do sometimes.
Last summer was Brat summer, what’s this year’s theme of the summer for you?
I didn’t even realize it was summer. I’ve been on a tour bus for nine months. The word of the summer? I’m going back to my dog again, Woody. It’s Woody summer. It’s all about you, Woody. I miss you. I haven’t seen him in a long time, I’ve been on tour. I miss that guy.
RAYE
What are you most excited to share next with fans?
I’m excited to share new music, honestly. I’ve spent quite a lot of time chipping away at my attempt at album two. I don’t have an album title yet and it’s stressing me out but I have music that I’ve made that I really love. I feel like I’m 60% there with my demos, but demos mean you chew them, throw them on the floor, look at them in light, cut them up, cuss them out. So anything can happen. But bones are forming and it’s exciting. The bar is high. It’s a lot of pressure. It’s a weird dynamic to navigate because I’ve been able to build a lot of momentum from these amazing opportunities and stages that I’ve been given. But you need the time to let the art form correctly. I’m also so single and so unaffected by any of that. It’s a barren wasteland, there’s nothing to report, romantically, inside me. And that’s quite a big part of what goes into making music. But the absence of that has allowed me to go and create. It’s definitely a journey. But I think I’m trying to do it from the right place. I’m trying not to be intimidated by anything that shouldn’t matter, like numbers and time. But they kind of do matter but they shouldn’t. So, anyway, yeah. Fingers crossed I make a good album. That’s all I really want to do.
We just saw your phenomenal performance, how do you hope fans feel when they walk away from a Raye show?
Performing live, to me, is everything. I literally live to go on a stage and try my best to bring some sort of joy or mutual understanding, a safe space, release, endorphins. I live for that. I’m such a people pleaser as well. The only thing I can hope for is that people go away from my show and they feel good or they feel seen or that they’re coming down from a great feeling. Because that’s how it feels when I leave a stage, especially when it’s a good show and I feel like the audience cares or gives a shit. So yeah, positive feelings.
Photography: Jamie Pearl
Cast of series getting Netflix reboot admit one episode ‘wouldn’t happen today’
The Little House on the Prairie cast suggested one episode wouldn’t be made today (Picture: Getty) The cast of Little House on the Prairie has unpacked a wild episode of the beloved show, insisting it wouldn’t see the light of day today. The drama ran […]
TV
The cast of Little House on the Prairie has unpacked a wild episode of the beloved show, insisting it wouldn’t see the light of day today.
The drama ran for nine seasons between 1974 and 1983, and focused on the Ingalls family living in Walnut Grove in Minnesota, at the end of the 1800s.
Michael Landon, Melissa Gilbert, Karl Swenson, Richard Bull and Karen Grassle made up the cast, while stars Alison Arngrim and Dean Butler teamed up with Pamela Bob to start a podcast looking back on their experiences ahead of the upcoming Netflix reboot.
Appearing on the latest episode of Little House 50, they reflected on season four episode Here Comes the Brides, which aired on December 5, 1977 – it followed Adam Simms (Joshua Bryant) and his ‘shoeless’ son Luke (Bob Marsic) moving to town and causing a stir with locals.
While Adam made a beeline for Eva Beadle (Charlotte Stewart), Luke quickly fell in love with Nellie (Alison) – with the youngsters running away to tie the knot.
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Their marriage didn’t last long and was very quickly annulled, but that wasn’t the only ceremony to shock locals, as Eva and Adam also went on to get married.
Lifting the lid on the instalment, Alison declared: ‘I love this episode so much … It’s just a display of adolescent rebellion, pouting and smoking, massive hormonal love… it really is Romeo and Juliet just gone berserk.
‘The hormones go wild, it’s just crazy.’
‘I am 15 in this episode,’ she clarified, branding it ‘one of her favourite’ episodes. ‘It aired in December, so we shot it a few months before. I would have just turned 15 in January.
‘So I was 15, probably in a few months when we shot this.
‘I was super super super puberty, teenage insanity happening. It was hilarious. So, it was so perfect. The first time she rebels against her mom, the first time she falls in love…’
However, while the actress was 15 during filming, she shared that her character was two years younger.
‘I’m sorry, I’m 15, so she’s just barely 13,’ she continued. ‘This cat is playing, I guess, 16, 17? He’s 27 years old. He was late 20s, definitely older than 25.’
Alison later corrected herself and explained that Bob was 22 at the time.
She joked about the fictional Walnut Grove natives: ‘We’re children, teenagers… We’re not just like, “Gee, he’s cute! Hi there”. We’re like, “[Forcefully] Hi, what are you doing later?”
‘They’re young girls, these children, accosting a grown man who they have not been introduced to…’
Pamela agreed that there was no ‘swag or subtlety’, quipping: ‘It’s straight in for the kill.
‘There is no swag on the prairie. No one’s got game on the prairie.
‘That would not happen today, right? Casting a full-grown adult to play or even kiss – and it was an innocent kiss, but it’s a kiss – a minor.’
Alison added that, if those scenes were being filmed now, there would be intimacy coordinators on set to help ensure that everyone involved was safe and comfortable.
The actress recently left fans devastated when she confirmed that she would not be popping up on the Little House on the Prairie reboot currently in the works at Netflix.
Bosses teased that they would offer a ‘fresh take on the iconic story’, with Rebecca Sonnershine leading the way as showrunner and executive producer.
Alison, who played Nellie Oleson from 1974 to 1982, later shared that her original castmates would be taking a back seat.
‘None of us, as far as I know, our gang, are in at this point,’ she told ReMIND, adding: ‘I have been joking for years that I’m finally old enough to play Mrs. Oleson, so call me!
‘This [show] is part of the Laura Ingalls Wilder multiverse. So concerns that they’re going to run amok away from the books and make it into something weird – not happening.’
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Fiona Harvey says she’s going blind during ‘stress’ of Baby Reindeer lawsuit
Fiona Harvey is currently locked in a court battle with Netflix (Pictures: Bradley Page/ AP) The woman who inspired Richard Gadd’s hit series Baby Reindeer has revealed she is going blind. Fiona Harvey, 59, a Scottish law graduate, is currently at the centre of a […]
TV The woman who inspired Richard Gadd’s hit series Baby Reindeer has revealed she is going blind.
Fiona Harvey, 59, a Scottish law graduate, is currently at the centre of a multi-million dollar defamation lawsuit against Netflix.
Last year the dark comedy was released on the streaming service, which stated at the start that it was ‘a true story’.
The seven-episode series was written by and based on the real-life experience of Gadd, who plays amateur comedian Donny. Over the course of several years, he is stalked and abused by Martha, played by Jessica Gunning.
Following its release, internet sleuths seemingly found the ‘real Martha’ – Harvey – who has taken the streaming giant to court, demanding £132million for her supposed depiction in the series.
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Now, however, Harvey has shed light on how she has been diagnosed with background retinopathy.
The law graduate told the Record: ‘I’m going blind and it’s not surprising with the stress I have been under as a result of Baby Reindeer.
‘I am diabetic and had always been able to keep my blood sugars under control, but my blood sugars have been wild ever since Richard Gadd’s show aired.
‘I am not sleeping properly, I’m not able to eat properly, I’m not able to get proper exercise because I’m virtually a prisoner in my own home.’
It is said that Harvey received confirmation that she had the illness on Thursday after undergoing eye tests at a London hospital.
The condition affects people with diabetes and occurs when high blood sugar levels damage light sensitive tissue.
Although people with stage one of the disease do not suffer vision loss, it is more than likely that vision problems will continue over time.
According to the Record, a copy of the letter confirms her diagnosis, saying: ‘Dear Dr Fiona Harvey, Your test results show that you do have background retinopathy.’
Harvey went on to add that her sugars ‘were fine’ until Baby Reindeer and it ‘led to all my physical health problems’.
‘I don’t have money for proper food. I feel it could lead to blindness very quickly in both eyes,’ she continued.
Previously, Harvey alleged that the series falsely implied she had sexually assaulted Gadd and had been sent to prison for stalking him.
Although Netflix filed a motion in July to throw the suit out in July, a judge ruled towards the end of last year that Baby Reindeer did not live up to its billing as a ‘true story’ and has allowed Harvey to pursue the court case.
Netflix has defended the lawsuit and Gadd’s ‘right to tell his story’, but at the crux is the claim that Harvey has no criminal convictions, unlike Martha.
The streaming platform continues to argue in legal papers that the alleged defamatory statements are ‘substantially true’.
This year, Gadd, of Fife, has been filming his follow-up drama called Half Man in Glasgow which will also feature Jamie Bell.
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Nintendo Switch 2 outsells Switch 1 launch by over 100% but fails to beat PS5
Only a couple of UK retailers held midnight launches (Credits: David Parry/PA Media Assignments) The Nintendo Switch 2 has already sold over 160,000 consoles in the UK and become Nintendo’s fastest selling console ever. Although there’s still no official sales figures for the Nintendo Switch […]
Gaming
The Nintendo Switch 2 has already sold over 160,000 consoles in the UK and become Nintendo’s fastest selling console ever.
Although there’s still no official sales figures for the Nintendo Switch 2 everything points towards it being a massive worldwide success, selling more units in its first day than any other console.
That’d certainly be an impressive feat, but Nintendo itself has yet to substantiate these claims. Earlier today, though, additional sales data has been shared, and it at least gives an indication of how the Switch 2 has performed here in the UK.
Although no exact figures have been given, it’s said that the Switch 2 has had the best UK launch of any Nintendo console ever. Although given the company’s history in this country, it’s difficult to know exactly what that means.
The data comes courtesy of market research firm NielsenIQ, which shared its findings with The Game Business, adding that the Switch 2 outperformed the Switch 1 by more than two to one.
On top of that, it outperformed the Nintendo 3DS, which was the original record holder for the biggest Nintendo hardware launch in the UK.
For the record, the Switch 1 managed 80,000 units in the UK at launch while the 3DS sold 113,000 units. So the implication is that the Switch 2 sold over 160,000 consoles.
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The only Switch 2 figures we have so far are from Currys, which says it sold 30,000 pre-orders at its stores, which they seemed to be very happy with.
NielseinIQ adds that this only makes the Switch 2 the fourth best-selling console launch in the UK, trailing behind the Xbox Series X/S, the PlayStation 4, and especially the PlayStation 5.
Coming out in the middle of lockdown, the PlayStation 5 was a huge deal in the UK, when it launched in 2020, and went on to become the country’s best selling console in 2021.
As The Game Business points out, the original Switch and the Wii had weaker launches in the UK than the PlayStation 3 and Xbox One.
The UK has always been Nintendo’s weakest international market, which can be traced all the way back to the original NES from the 1980s.
Not only did the UK not receive the console until 1987 – four years after its initial Japanese launch and two years after the US – but it and its games were badly overpriced and little effort was made in converting it for PAL televisions.
Nintendo didn’t even have a proper UK headquarters at that time and it wasn’t until the GameCube that they started taking the region seriously, with the Wii and DS being the first time that Nintendo’s success in the UK mirrored that of the rest of the world.
The good news for Nintendo is that things have been steadily improving since then and doubling the Switch 1’s debut is quite a feat.
In the run up to the Switch 2’s release, some analysts predicted it would be the biggest console launch ever, although Nintendo is only aiming to sell slightly more than the original Switch managed in its launch period.
This more conservative outlook can likely be chalked up to Nintendo opting to play things safe due to all the uncertainty caused by US president Donald Trump’s tariffs. Plus, it looks better for them if they easily beat their goals.
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Netflix fans feel ‘violated’ by spitting scene in trailer for new series
Lena Dunham’s latest Netflix series Too Much will air next month (Picture: Ana Blumenkron/ Netflix) It’s been more than a decade since HBO’s Girls first hit our screens in 2012, and now Lena Dunham is back for her latest project. Titled Too Much, the Netflix […]
TV It’s been more than a decade since HBO’s Girls first hit our screens in 2012, and now Lena Dunham is back for her latest project.
Titled Too Much, the Netflix show stars Hacks’ Megan Stalter as Jessica, who is a New York workaholic in her mid-thirties.
Reeling from a broken relationship, she decides to take a job in London to live a life of solitude.
But after she arrives, she meets Felix (Will Sharpe), who seems to be a less-than-suitable partner.
Despite this, she finds that their unusual connection is impossible to ignore.
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The trailer landed on June 10, and while many fans can’t wait for the romcom to arrive on the small screen, others were preoccupied by a certain ‘spitting scene’.
The moment in question sees Felix spit in Jessica’s mouth, and users have said watching it made them feel ‘violated’.
@AmandaBaker-Patterson wrote: ‘THE SPITTING IN MOUTH SCENE VIOLATED ME,’ while @jhinjhin00_1 echoed, ‘That spitting scene is not gonna leave me for a while now’.
@mltdmlks added: ‘The spitting really caught me off guard omg,’ and @chicoulino said: ‘I paused at the spitting scene to read the comments, okay I’m not alone.’
@kennetherhabor5543 joked: ‘Yeah, the spitting scene was ‘Too much’ for me.’
And @cjwhite18 wrote: ‘As a gay man. That spitting scene is tame. Y’all freakin over nothing.’
Meanwhile, many commenters have heaped praise on the upcoming series. @treemu.c said: ‘We love a plus size lead, who knows what she wants💁🏻♀️ So excited for this!’
@geminithetwins added: ‘Wait, am I actually excited about a Hollywood rom-com?!’
And @RandomPersonOnEarth678 joked: ‘Emily in Pari- I mean London.’
Written and directed by Girls creator Lena and from the producers of Love Actually, Too Much will officially launch on Netflix on July 10.
The streaming platform has also revealed that five guest stars — Andrew Scott, Jennifer Saunders, Kit Harington, Rita Ora and Jessica Alba — will feature in the show.
Speaking at the Next on Netflix event in London earlier this year, Lena said that while her own experiences of moving to and living in the UK informed the storyline, the Hacks star made the role her own.
‘I’m sure many of you have fallen in love with Megan Stalter from her work as Kayla on Hacks, the not very competent, but utterly delightful assistant.
‘What I love about her is she is truly an old-fashioned physical comedian in the vein of, you know, Carol Burnett or Elaine May, but she has something really modern and also really sweet about her, and she can move between intense comedy and heavy drama with ease,’ she explained.
‘She just felt like the perfect foil to feel how Americans contrast against the people of this nation, because it didn’t take very long for me to realise that while you technically speak the same language, there are some vast differences that I am still coming to understand.’
The 38-year-old went on to share that while the show ‘does touch on some heavy topics’, it was ultimately a comedy whose goal is to ‘bring joy’.
‘You can take a half hour away from your day and feel like you are part of a world that is truthful, but just a little more sweet and tender than the actual world that we live in,’ she added.
Following the end of Girls, Lena has appeared in shows such as American Horror Story and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. She has also directed the first season of Industry, created the comedy Camping and executive produced Genera+ion.
Too Much will be available to stream on Netflix on July 10.
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