Category Entertainment News

Killing Eve legend Jodie Comer has revealed the usual way she chooses new roles, admitting she follows her instincts nowadays as she prepares to tour with a play

Jodie Comer says she relies on her instincts when choosing new roles to play. The actor, 32, will be in a touring version of the play Prima Facie and stars in new post-apocalyptic horror sequel 28 Years Later.

Looking back on her work in Free Guy, a 2021 action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds, she says it gave her a moment of clarity about her career: “It was my first film and I had the most amazing experience on that job – they were just the most gentle, inclusive, supportive people, and it was incredibly fun… But I realised, when I was coming home, Ah, there’s something I’m not feeling. I feel like I’m not stretching. Or not discovering. And I realised that it was the emotional part of it. I wasn’t exercising [that] part of myself.”

Speaking to GQ, she added: “I realised that’s actually where I get my fulfilment – trying to find those places. If the instincts aren’t there, if I’m not excited by it, then I just don’t want to go near it because then I’m pulling from an artificial place. It feels almost dishonest with myself.”

In 28 Days Later a virus called “rage” has obliterated the country. But in real life she struggles to summon up her own rage and it often turns to another emotion.

Jodie said: “I’ve realised my own [rage] just immediately goes to a very emotional place – my anger can so quickly go to tears. I think I swallow it as well,. I think, as women, we suppress it and that’s probably why I have trouble accessing it – I’ve done that so much that it feels kind of foreign, like I’m not quite sure where to pull it from.”

The actor, who is best known for playing Villanelle in BBC spy series Killing Eve previously starred in a run of Prima Facie in London’s West End in 2022. It follows the story of a barrister named Tessa, who specialises in defending men accused of sexual assault, and whose view of the legal system changes after she is sexually assaulted herself.

Speaking about the reaction to the play from men, she said: “I imagine it’s quite confronting, I don’t know. Maybe also, when they read what it’s about, they think, ‘well, that’s not something that’s directed at me’.

“I imagine, for a man, it will force them to look back at their own behaviour, which I imagine would be – or could be – potentially very uncomfortable. But (sexual assault) isn’t ‘a woman’s issue’, you know what I mean?”

She added that a male police officer who had visited the show wrote a letter to the production afterwards. Jodie said: “I don’t think I’ve had a deep, meaningful conversation with many men about the play, actually.

“I do know there was a male police officer that came in one night, and he wrote in to the production.

“He was kind of saying, ‘this is me – I see myself, and I recognise the kind of work that needs to be done as a police officer’.”

The actor, who is best known for playing Villanelle in BBC spy series Killing Eve, said many women had contacted the production after seeing it to share their personal stories.

Speaking about the interactions, she explained: “It’s so beautiful, and it’s so rare, for someone to look you in the eyes and share something of themselves, and there’s so much that isn’t said, but even in just the briefest of moments, it’s like, ‘that was me, or, I feel that’.”

Justin Baldoni’s $400m lawsuit against It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively has been dismissed, according to reports. The legal debate kicked off following Blake and Justin’s time working together on the film, that was released last summer.

Blake initially launched a sexual harassment lawsuit against Justin – who has strongly refuted the claims. However, he hit back with a $400million defamation claim against her, her publicist and husband Ryan Reynolds, all of whom have dismissed the accusations.

Additionally, Justin launched a $250 million libel case against the New York Times over their coverage of Blake’s allegations. However, the $400million lawsuit has reportedly now been dismissed.

A spokesperson for Blake told the Daily Mail: “Today’s opinion is a total victory and a complete vindication for Blake Lively, along with those that Justin Baldoni and the Wayfarer Parties dragged into their retaliatory lawsuit, including Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Sloane and The New York Times.

“As we have said from day one, this ‘$400 million’ lawsuit was a sham, and the Court saw right through it. We look forward to the next round, which is seeking attorneys’ fees, treble damages and punitive damages against Baldoni, Sarowitz, Nathan, and the other Wayfarer Parties who perpetrated this abusive litigation.”

Last month, Blake’s pal Taylor Swift was dragged into the scandal when she was officially subpoenaed to appear as a witness. The pop star was delivered a legal notice by Justin’s lawyer Bryan Freedman – a decision which had been slammed by her team as a tactic to create clickbait.

In a move that appeared to please Blake and Taylor, it was confirmed Justin would no longer be calling on the Bad Blood hitmaker to appear as a witness. Bryan Freedman had claimed Blake had called on “her high-profile friends” including Taylor to “manipulate Justin at every turn.”

Taylor, who is close friends with Blake, licensed her hit song My Tears Ricochet to be used in the film but was not involved in the making of It Ends With Us, said her reps.

They slammed the subpoena, claiming it was “designed to use Taylor Swift ’s name to draw public interest by creating tabloid clickbait instead of focusing on the facts of the case.”

Justin’s legal team dropped the subpoena last month, as Blake’s spokesperson said they were “pleased” with the decision. “We supported the efforts of Taylor’s team to quash these inappropriate subpoenas directed to her counsel, and we will continue to stand up for any third party who is unjustly harassed or threatened in the process,” they told People.

“The Baldoni and Wayfarer team have tried to put Taylor Swift, a woman who has been an inspiration for tens of millions across the globe, at the center of this case since day one,” they claimed.

They alleged that “exploiting Taylor Swift’s celebrity was the original plan in [PR professional] Melissa Nathan’s scenario planning document, and it continues to this day.”

“Faced with having to justify themselves in federal court, they folded. At some point they will run out of distractions from the actual claims of sexual harassment and retaliation they are facing,” they said.

The Mirror has contacted Justin’s representative for comment.

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Actress Tamzin Outhwaite has issued an update on her love life and the major change she is making going forward following her split from ex boyfriend Tom Child last summer

Tamzin Outhwaite has made a life-changing vow following the split from her boyfriend Tom Child after six years together. The actress, 54, met Tom, 33, at a yoga class in 2017 and their love blossomed away from their mats.

However, things were not meant to be between the pair as they went their separate ways last summer. Tamzin has been open about her struggle with love, having previously been married to actor Tom Ellis, 46.

They split in 2014 amid cheating allegations while Tom was filming Once Upon A Time with actress Emile De Ravin. After six years in a relationship with someone two decades younger than her, Tamzin has revealed she is now ready to be on her own.

Tamzin and Tom parted ways amicably and have remained one of each others best friends. Yet, after their split Tamzin has decided to make a huge change going forward in her love life with a very strict rule.

She told Hello Magazine: “He’s still one of my best friends, and I adore him. But I had to say: ”I don’t want to share a bed. I’m in a phase where I need to be on my own’.”

Last year, Tamzin opened up to the Mirror about her newfound single status. “I’m happy single,” she told us. “There’s a lot on! Life is really busy, throwing a relationship into that is a whole other thing.

“Freedom fills up my cup, freedom to do as you please is a lovely thing. That makes me happy.” Tamzin, who took part in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special last year, said she is on a quest to challenge herself, build on things that make her happy and “fill up my own cup”

“I’m just trying to stay open, get out of my comfort zone and do different things to help me grow,” she added. “I’m on a bit of a mission at the moment. I want to do more things that give you fear because even going through the fear is important. That’s where your growth happens as a person.”

Tamzin’s change in pace began after the menopause hit while she was trying to juggle her busy life as an actress, a mum-of-two, and a doting daughter to her elderly father who lives “at the end of the garden”.

She decided to throw herself into wellness, learning breathwork, stepping up her yoga practice and building a sauna in her spare room.

Tamzin said: “Taking stock, taking a breath and retreating is something I’ve been learning to do so I can fill up my own cup then come back into my life and do everything that I do, which is keeping up a career, keeping up home, keeping up everything to do with my children and my dad, who lives with me at the end of the garden.

“It’s making sure everyone is OK. I’m not a saint but juggling all the plates and a career on top of that can be quite stifling.”

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The Dancing On Ice judge, 34, visited a neonatal clinic for the first time since her daughter was born two months premature in 2023 and needed intensive care

Former Strictly star Oti Mabuse today re-lived the traumatic early birth of her baby – after jetting 3,000 miles to west Africa to meet stricken mums nursing premature tots. The pro dancer, 34, returned to a neonatal unit for the first time since she endured a 16-hour labour with her daughter, who arrived two months early, weighing 3lbs, in 2023.

The baby spent the next six weeks in intensive care at University College London Hospital after she was born with an infection and Oti developed sepsis. Baby and mother recovered, but the Dancing On Ice judge has revealed her trauma after visiting a UNICEF-funded specialist clinic in Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) in Africa.

In the city of Abidjan she saw how premature babies are receiving critical life-saving treatment and daily care including a UNICEF programme called “Kangaroo Mother Care” which promotes the importance of skin-on-skin contact.

Reflecting on her own experience, Oti said: “I remember the only way I could touch my child and have skin-on-skin was through this glass window – there’s no mother who wants to experience that.”

According to UNICEF, globally in 2024 an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday, including 2.3 million newborns who died within the first 28 days of life1. In Cote D’Ivoire, lack of access to specialised care is one of the reasons that prematurity is the leading cause of death for children under five.

In Abidjan, the UNICEF team provides breastfeeding support clinics and regular check-ups until the babies are school age alongside locally made loin cloth slings, so mothers remain in close contact with their babies.

At the hospital, Oti – married to fellow dance champ Marius Iepure, 42 – met Ouattara, a mother whose first baby was born prematurely and needed critical care. Sadly, without access to specialised support, her baby died six days later.

Thankfully, her second baby, Abdul, although born prematurely again, was rushed to the UNICEF centre where they stayed for three weeks to get the care and attention they needed.

Two years later, Abdul is a healthy and happy little boy. Oti also visited a UNICEF-supported foster care home, where the organisation supports children providing food and ensuring they stay in education or have vocational training. There, Oti met Madame Massandje, who has been trained by UNICEF to identify children living on the streets and offer them safety in her own home.

As a result, she currently has 15 children in her care – four girls and eleven boys aged three to fifteen. Speaking about her inspiring trip ahead of Soccer Aid for UNICEF, Oti said: “Visiting Côte d’Ivoire with UNICEF UK showed me the first-hand impact of the importance of vital care for children and their parents – especially for those that are born prematurely.

“My own baby was born prematurely, so seeing the work and meeting mums like Ouattara brought everything home. I know how vital that care and support is in those early days. Worldwide an estimated 4.8 million children died before reaching their fifth birthday in 2024 – deaths that were mostly preventable.

I also met incredible foster carers like Madame Massandje, who are changing children’s lives and helping give them the start in life they deserve. These experiences showed me the real difference donations make. That’s why I’m so proud to be part of Soccer Aid for UNICEF – to help give every child a safe, healthy start in life.”

A UNICEF appeal film of Oti’s trip will feature during Soccer Aid for UNICEF, which will be broadcast on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player at 6pm on Sunday June 15.

This year, thanks to the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, every donation you make to Soccer Aid for UNICEF will be doubled – up to £5 million.

Frederick Forsyth, the author of The Day of The Jackal, has died at the age of 86 after a brief illness, his literary agents Curtis Brown said.

The journalist turned novelist is known for works including The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol and The Dogs of War. His politicial thriller The Day of the Jackal was first released in 1971 and follows a professional assassin known as the Jackal. It notably inspired the film adaptation of the same name in 1973, starring Edward Fox, and more recently a TV show, starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch.

It’s just one of his novels to be adapted for the screen, with other examples including the Fourth Protocol. The Cold War novel, which was released in 1984, was followed by a film version in 1987, which starred Michael Caine and Pierce Brosnan.

Although known for his thrillers, Frederick also wrote the Phantom of Manhattan, released in 1999, which is considered a sequel to Gaston Leroux’s Le Fantôme de l’Opéra from 1910. The Phantom of the Opera musical is based on Gaston’s novel and its sequel Love Never Dies is said to have been inspired by Frederick’s novel.

Prior to his career as a novelist, Frederick was a journalist, with him having worked for the likes of the BBC. He was a columnist for the Express for more than two decades and said upon his departure from the role in 2023: “It is now time to step back and retire and that must include saying a fond goodbye to the column.”

It was announced last month that Frederick would be among those featured on the new series of BBC Arts’ In My Own Words. The show consists of “intimate” first-person testimony and archive to explore the careers and life stories of its guests.

Frederick said about his involvement: “Having spent my career telling other people’s stories, I now find myself in the unusual position of subject rather than storyteller. It has reminded me of the incredible luck I have had, the fork in the road moments, and the deep gratitude I feel for having been part of it.”

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Vogue Williams, who is now married to Made in Chelsea’s Spencer Matthews, has spoken about her first marriage to former Westlife singer Brian McFadden on occasion

Presenter Vogue Williams has spoken about her divorce from Brian McFadden. She’s opened up about the aftermath of their separation whilst reflecting on her growth as she approaches her milestone 40th birthday this year.

Vogue, now 39, was married to former Westlife member Brian, now 45, from 2012 to 2017, though their separation was announced two years prior. She has since spoken about her ex-husband on occasion, including having written about their marriage in her new autobiography Big Mouth.

She spoke about him again whilst a guest on a podcast in an episode released last month. Vogue told host Bryony Gordon that she thought she had “ruined” her life by getting divorced from Brian at the age of 31.

Speaking about her fortieth birthday later this year, Vogue said: “I think I’m excited about it because remember like … remember being liked 19 or 20, you think that 40 year olds were just really old and battered, but then when you actually get to it, you’re like ‘this is a really nice moment’.”

She continued on the Life of Bryony podcast: “I think in your thirties, you’re trying to figure stuff out a little bit more. Because I remember … I was divorced at 31. I was like ‘basically that’s it I’ve ruined my life. I’m never gonna have kids. I’m never gonna do what I always wanted to do’.”

Vogue, who now has three children with her husband Spencer Matthews, whom she married in 2018, added: “And then you see how your life actually starts to unfold, and that’s why I think it’s exciting to move into your forties.”

Elsewhere on the podcast, Vogue said that she considers herself to have been “too young” to get married to Brian, having been 26 at the time. She told Bryony that she “wasn’t mature enough” then but was “in love” with the singer.

In an interview published last month, Vogue told the Times when she thought the marriage was at risk. She said: “Maybe not long after we got married. Probably just before. I knew that it probably wasn’t the greatest of relationships, but I was very young.”

She suggested that it’s “hard to admit defeat” in any relationship and told the outlet that she found it “embarrassing” at the time. She said that it was “such a big failure” and noted that her separation from Brian was “very public”.

Vogue added that she found it “mortifying” to be divorced in her early thirties and that it was far from where she had hoped that she would be at that age. She said that she had wanted to be married with kids at 30, “not divorced and single”.

Years later though, she’s now married to former Made in Chelsea cast member Spencer, with whom she shares three children. The couple celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary yesterday after tying the knot back in 2018.

Reflecting on the milestone, Vogue wrote in a post joint post with her husband on Instagram last night: “7 years married today. 3 kids, two dogs and a whole lot of fun.”