Category Entertainment News

Miriam Margolyes has declared that her role as Professor Sprout in Harry Potter was ‘not a career highlight’ just a year after telling adult fans of the films to ‘grow up’

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Miriam Margolyes has disclosed that appearing in Harry Potter was “not a career highlight” – just one year after telling grown-up fans of the magical franchise to “grow up”.

The seasoned actress, 84, portrayed Professor Pomona Sprout in the film series, but she doesn’t regard it with the same reverence as some of her other work.

Miriam, who secured a BAFTA for her performance in Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence, delivered her latest Potter criticism during a chat on Ireland AM.

Host Elaine Crowley enquired: “I suppose when you look at your career over the years, I know you’re a mad fan of Dickens. You think he’s perhaps overlooked in terms of Shakespeare. Your career from Harry Potter to everything else to Doctor Who you’ve done it all, been there for it all, but do you have any particular role that was a highlight for you?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Miriam responded: “Yes, there are certain things… I mean Harry Potter is not for me a highlight.

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“That was a delightful experience because I was working with Maggie Smith whom I adored and she was lovely to me. She is not always lovely to everybody but she was lovely to me.

“Oh yes, if she didn’t like you, you knew it, you know. But she was great, she was fabulous”.

Downton Abbey legend Maggie passed away last year at the age of 89 and she memorably played Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter.

Miriam, known for her role in Romeo + Juliet, has shared some of her career highlights, including her latest film with Stephen Fry, A Friend of Dorothy.

The film tells the tale of a “lonely widow’s quiet life is upended when a teenage boy accidentally kicks his football into her garden”.

She described the film as “really quite good” and delved into her character’s emotional journey, dealing with “deep pain in her heart” after having a disabled child completely altered her nature.

The telly star was in Ireland promoting her new memoir, The Little Book of Miriam.

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Despite downplaying the significance of Harry Potter in her illustrious career, it’s not the first time she’s ruffled the feathers of wizarding fans.

Last year, she told Potter fans they “should be over that by now”, adding to New Zealand broadcaster TZNZ: “It was 25 years ago, and I think it’s for children.

“I do Cameos and people say they are doing a Harry Potter-themed wedding, and I think, ‘Oh gosh what is their first night of fun going to be?'”

She also spoke about Cameo, a platform where fans can pay celebrities to create personalised videos, during her appearance on The Late Late Show with Patrick Kielty last weekend.

Miriam revealed she has “never earned so much in my life” thanks to the site, exclaiming: “How lucky am I?”

Grim footage from the White House shows President Donald Trump once again speaking dismissively to a female reporter, refusing to answer her questions while referring to her condescendingly as ‘darling’

President Donald Trump has left social media users repulsed following a patronising exchange with a female reporter, which saw him deflect her questions with an irrelevant response many have deemed misogynistic.

Addressing President Trump at the White House, the journalist asked: “As China defends its presence in Latin America, what role do you see for the US?” Cutting her off with a smirk, the 79-year-old turned to his Vice President, JD Vance and said: “I just like to watch her talk.”

In a dismissive tone some have described as “disgusting” and “demeaning”, President Trump told the media professional: “Good job. Thank you, darling.” Notably, he did not bother to answer her question. Footage shows Trump’s team laughing along as he attempts to humiliate the reporter, simply for doing her job.

READ MORE: Donald Trump’s UK golf courses in red after recording losses despite huge sales

A video of the sexist incident has since gone viral, with a number of people pointing out that, had such condescending language been used in any other workplace, disciplinary action would likely be taken.

Commenting beneath the video, which was shared on social media platform X, one person wrote: “He treats all women as objects that only exist for his amusement. Self-respecting women don’t want anything to do with him.” Another tweeted: “Has any other leader of the free world countries ever consistently spoken to female reporters so rudely, disrespected them or even told them to shut up? The answer is a definite no.”

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This follows another recent incident aboard Air Force One, where Trump spoke down to reporter Dasha Burns of Politico, after she questioned him on the topic of tariffs in China. Refusing to engage with her questions, Trump told Burns, “Let’s get somebody else to ask some questions, you mind? Because Politico is fake news.”

Unfortunately, Trump’s disrespectful treatment of women in the media is nothing new. Back in August 2015, when the businessman turned politician was making his first bid for the Oval Office, then Fox News reporter Megyn Kelly called Trump out at the Republican Party presidential debate, for having referred to women as “fat pigs”, “slobs”, and “dogs”.

Trump responded with a cruel joke about comedian Rosie O’Donnell, to which Ms Kelly replied: “Does that sound to you like the temperament of a man we should elect as president?” This marked the beginning of Trump’s targeting of Kelly, who he described as having “zero respect for” during an interview with Fox News.

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POTUS even appeared to make a sexist reference to menstruation during a separate interview with CNN, in which he said of Kelly, “There was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever.” Such remarks set the tone for a presidency in which even the slightest criticisms by members of the press have been deemed “fake news” by the reality TV-trained politician and his often fanatic followers. And female journalists have been subjected to particularly grim treatment.

On this particular subject, Elisa Lees Munoz, the Executive Director of the International Women’s Media Foundation, previously told The Independent: “We know that he does not discriminate on gender with regards to his criticism and his attacks, but we have particularly noticed the way that he attacks female journalists and it is a very gendered attack, which really demonstrates some misogynistic tendencies that we see online and in the streets every day.”

Reflecting on the purpose of these often very personal attacks, Ms Munoz explained: “It is really designed to shut them up, to try to get them to stop working, to belittle, to humiliate.”

Do you have a story to share? Email me at julia.banim@reachplc.com

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The Victoria’s Secret runway show, which took place in New York on Wednesday (October 15), saw Jude Law’s daughter, Iris Law, make her debut at the event as she strutted her stuff in an edgy look

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Many people were excited to watch the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show this week as it came back for its second year after a six-year hiatus.

The runway show, which took place in New York on Wednesday (October 15), saw a return to its classic ‘glamorous and sensual’ style as the brand are reportedly focused on ramping up sales. Several stars hits the stage for the runway in New York, including Jasmine Tookes who made history by opening the show while nine months pregnant. She was seen wearing a baby‑bump–accentuating ensemble, which was streamed live on Amazon Prime Video, as she cradled her stomach.

Bella Hadid also captured attention as she hit the runway after being hospitalised last month due to health complications.

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However, Jude Law’s daughter – Iris Law – really used the show as an opportunity to put her mark on the fashion industry.

The 24-year-old, who is also Sadie Frost’s daughter, has walked in several high-profile fashion shows throughout her career. She made her runway debut at the Miu Miu autumn/winter 2020 show during Paris Fashion Week, alongside models like Kaia Gerber and Storm Reid.

Since then, Iris, who was born in the US, has appeared on the runways of several other prestigious brands such as in the Roberto Cavalli during the autumn/winter 2022 show in Milan.

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She also took part in the Versace runway at Milan Fashion Week in September 2023, wearing a purple floral dress over bikini bottoms with sky-high orange wedges

As well as this, she has fronted campaigns for top brands such as Burberry, Versace, and David Yurman.

Wednesday’s show saw Iris make her debut at a Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show though, as she was seen wearing a sporty, edgy look featuring black-and-white boy shorts with silver trim, a cropped tee reading “Naughty-ish,” a beanie showcasing her platinum blonde pixie cut, as well as athletic socks, high-top trainers, and wrist sweatbands.

Iris was also seen posing backstage in VS underwear and the brand’s iconic pink striped dressing gown.

Taking to her Instagram page, she also shared some behind-the-scenes shots as she sported the infamous VS angel wings while in a lift. She also showed herself working out, getting herself a sweet treat and posing in Victoria’s Secret lingerie.

Jennifer Aniston has taken on a new fitness challenge with Pvolve and as a part of that shared a video with fans of her working out in a crop top and leggings

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Jennifer Aniston has stunned fans by showing off her sculpted abs in a new workout video for a new Pvolve fitness challenge.

The Friends actress, 56, looked incredible as she worked out while wearing a mix of different sports bras and low-cut leggings that highlighted her physique.

She created the clip in collaboration with Pvolve, which is a fitness brand that focuses on resistance-based training and using low-impact movement to help women build core strength.

Jennifer captioned her post: “The @pvolve Fall Challenge is here and I’d love it if you joined us. By doing the challenge, you’re supporting @wimedicineorg — a foundation that supports groundbreaking research to advance women’s health.”

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Fans were quick to flood the comments section with praise for the actress’s impressive physique. One wrote: “Jennifer’s body is the perfect mix of strength and elegance … truly an inspiration!”

Another added: “You’re staying in great shape!” while a third said: “God, you are just winning at life! Healthy, gorgeous and you look so happy! Truly inspiring.”

The stunning actress’ latest video comes after she made a candid admission about her fertility struggles, after years of facing cruel questions about when she plans to have children.

The actress has openly admitted that she battled to become a mother for two decades, before eventually giving up on having a biological baby.

During a recent appearance on the Armchair Expert podcast, Aniston shared that she went through multiple unsuccessful rounds of IVF and other fertility treatments, including hormonal therapies and specialised fertility diets, before accepting that motherhood was not part of her path in life.

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She shared: “When people say: ‘But you can adopt,’ I don’t want to adopt. I want my own DNA in a little person. That’s the only way, selfish or not, whatever that is, I’ve wanted it.”

Thankfully she has been able to come to terms with what her life looks like without a kid, adding: “It’s so peaceful. But I will say there’s a point where it’s like out of my control. There’s literally nothing I can do about it.”

She went on to explain that while she once imagined having children with past partners, she is content with the life she’s built, adding: “It just wasn’t in the plan, whatever the plan was.”

In a 2022 interview with Allure, Jennifer spoke about how she wished she had frozen her eggs earlier, but added that she has “zero regrets” and is grateful for the lessons her fertility journey taught her.

The actress has continued to focus on her fuelling her body through eating healthy salads and keeping up with a strict workout regime.

The Morning Show star was recently pictured glowing at a red carpet event for the new season of the Apple TV drama, where she was supported by her new boyfriend, Jim Curtis.

The pair’s romance first became public in July when they were seen celebrating American Independence Day in Mallorca with some of Jennifer’s friends from Hollywood, including Jason Bateman and his wife, Amanda Anka.

The new coat has been dubbed “stylish” and “fabulous”, with shoppers keen to snap it up for autumn

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Sainsbury’s shoppers are heaping praise on a “fabulous” jacket they’ve spotted online. The retail giant is well known for its on-trend and affordable fashion – and now there’s a new must-have in stock.

Customers are eager to snap up the Tan Contrast Collared Barn Jacket, which costs £45 and comes in a range of sizes, though it is selling out quickly. The Sainsbury’s jacket features long sleeves, a collar and front pockets.

The full product description reads: “Update your outerwear this season with our tan barn jacket. Designed in a durable fabric, it’s been made with a contrasting brown collar in a corduroy material.

“Finished with zip and popper fastenings. An easy-to-wear piece for autumn/winter outings.”

The Sainsbury’s jacket has achieved a 4.8 star rating online, accumulating numerous glowing reviews. Among them, one customer said: “Great jacket. Not one to buy from Tu but this purchase a great addition to my winter wardrobe.”

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A second wrote: “Great fit. Cosy autumn jacket. This jacket is a great fit. Very comfortable. Definitely worth the money. Would recommend.”

A third happy review read: “Amazing buy. This is an amazing jacket for the price. Great quality and looks expensive. Very impressed and will definitely buy more TU clothing.”

However, some shoppers claimed the sizing of the jacket was on the bigger side, which is something to keep in mind when ordering online. A number of shoppers said sizing down in the jacket was ideal.

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Despite this, others continued to praise the jacket. One shopper said: “Recently bought and delighted with it. Have had loads of compliments, everyone thought it was a designer jacket!”

Another wrote: “I have now returned but reordered in a size 12. This jacket is lovely and warm. It has lots of stylish features, including a zip plus popper fasteners. The pockets also have fasteners. With an adjustable inner cord it is going to a must wear this winter. Also a colour that will go with anything!”

Reality TV star and model Katie Price publicly named the famous man who allegedly raped her two decades ago on stage this week, after first talking about the experience in 2009

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Model Katie Price publicly named the British celebrity she says allegedly raped her over 20 years ago during her ongoing UK theatre tour with Kerry Katona.

On stage at her An Evening with Katie Price and Kerry Katona show in Stockport earlier this week, the mum-of-five, 47, is said to have “blurted out” the identity of the famous man who allegedly attacked her two decades ago.

But while this is the first time Katie has named her alleged rapist, she has previously discussed the attack and shared why she never reported the man to the police.

In 2009, Katie wrote about being attacked by a “famous celebrity” in her column for a national magazine. Katie, who was 31 at the time, said she had no plans to make a formal complaint and would “absolutely never” name the man.

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Following the column gaining national attention, Surrey Police released a statement. The force confirmed that they had recorded an incident but no allegation had been made and they did not plan to investigate unless Katie voluntarily came forward.

A spokesman said at the time: “Surrey Police treats all reports of sexual offences very seriously and investigates them thoroughly, encouraging anyone who may have been a victim to come forward and providing specialist officers to support them.

“Based on our enquiries and the lack of substantiated information – particularly around locations and dates of any allegations – we have recorded an incident, but due to its very historic nature we are dependent on Miss Price’s co-operation to formally record a crime and continue any investigation.”

Katie discussed the rape again in 2017, saying: “I was raped by a celebrity but no, I’ll never name him, I just don’t want the drama. I don’t even know if he knows that I’ve spoken about him, I doubt he does.”

In 2019, 55,259 rapes were reported across the country, but during the same period, there were just 1,659 rape prosecutions and 702 convictions.

Speaking to the Mirror in 2023, Jayne Butler, CEO for Rape Crisis, explained to the Mirror why many women don’t have faith in the police and current legal system when it comes to reporting cases of rape and sexual abuse.

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“5 in 6 women who are raped don’t report it to the police, citing embarrassment, not thinking the police will be able to help, and feeling humiliated as reasons why,” she told us.

But it’s not just a lack of hope that reporting your assault will result in a conviction that puts some victims off speaking to authorities. RASA Merseyside, who work with victims of sexual violence to give them back the life they had, told us how “shame, guilt, fear of friends and family finding out and blaming them, losing friends, not being believed, losing phone, fear of medical exam, and so much more” also plays a part when decided not to report rape to the police.

“Imagine telling a complete stranger about the worst and most intimate thing that has ever happened to you. Imagine knowing that this complete stranger will not be there to believe you or to support you, but to ascertain if you are telling the truth. Imagine that first contact,” the organisation based in Bootle, Liverpool tells us when discussing why some rape victims don’t feel comfortable speaking to the police.

“None of us know how we would react until it happens to us but it is unlikely and unrealistic to expect that the first thing we would want to do is tell a stranger – and one who may simply see it as yet another case that day.”

*If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999