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Hollywood star Robert Redford was regarded as the godfather of independent cinema and graced screens both as an actor and director over the course of his career

Hollywood star Robert Redford was regarded as the godfather of independent cinema and graced screens both as an actor and director over the course of his decades-long career. The iconic screen legend passed away peacefully in his sleep at his Utah home, surrounded by family and friends.

The actor, director, producer, and environmentalist is renowned for his roles in timeless films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, All the President’s Men, The Way We Were and Out of Africa. He bagged an Oscar for directing Ordinary People in 1980 and was honoured with a lifetime achievement Oscar in 2002 for his significant contributions to cinema.

A statement from Redford’s publicist Cindi Berger, chairman and chief executive of talent agency Rogers and Cowan PMK, said: “Robert Redford passed away on September 16, 2025, at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah – the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved.

“He will be missed greatly. The family requests privacy.” Following his death at the age of 89, here is a brief timeline of some of his most prominent films over the years.

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1969 – Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid

The actor’s rise to fame was kick-started after starring in the 1969 Western, Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid. Set in 1890s Wyoming, the film follows two free-spirited gang leaders, Butch Cassidy, played by the late Paul Newman, and The Sundance Kid, played by Redford, on their journey to South America with the hopes of evading the law after a robbery goes wrong.

1969 – Downhill Racer

Directed by Michael Ritchie, the film follows a young and quietly cocky Olympic skiing champion, David Chapellet, as he joins the US ski team in a bid to break all existing records. Redford’s performance won him a BAFTA in 1971 for Downhill Racer as well as for Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid. He also took home the best actor Bafta for Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here that same year.

1972 – The Candidate

The political comedy-drama was made on the cusp of president Richard Nixon’s re-election, an irony that was difficult to overlook as the film follows a hopeful democratic candidate, Bill McKay, whose campaign for the US senate begins to take its toll at the expense of his real values and ideals. The result is a tired and watered down candidate that appears to become more popular the less he gives and stands for.

1973 – The Sting

Redford reunited with Newman, swapping the wild west for the Great Depression, as two con men team up to avenge the death of a friend by swindling the fortune of a big-time mobster. It was for this picture that he received his first Academy Award nomination for his performance, with the film taking home seven Oscars, including for Best Picture.

1973 – The Way We Were

The romantic-drama follows two radically politically different students, Katie Morosky, played by Barbra Streisand, and Hubbell Gardiner, played by Redford, as their love for each other is strained when their worldviews clash, putting them to the test to see if they can truly make their relationship work.

1974 – The Great Gatsby

The actor starred in the film adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel as Jay Gatsby, the extravagant millionaire next-door neighbour to Nick Carraway, played by Sam Waterston, who momentarily enters his life and observes it in all its obsession and tragedy.

1976 – All The President’s Men

Starring alongside Dustin Hoffman, the pair portrayed The Washington Post reporters, Bob Woodward (Redford) and Carl Bernstein (Hoffman) to recount how the journalists uncovered the details of the Watergate scandal that led to President Nixon’s resignation.

1980 – Ordinary People

Taking on the role of director, Redford went on to win an Academy Award for Ordinary People – a psychological drama which stars Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore and Judd Hirsch. The film follows an affluent family in the aftermath of the death of their other son with the strain taking its toll on each of them and their relationships with each other.

1984 – The Natural

The film adaptation of Bernard Malamud’s novel of the same name stars Redford alongside Robert Duvall and Glenn Close in a story that follows a struggling baseball team until an unknown mysterious player appears and turns their luck around.

1994 – Quiz Show

Returning to the director’s chair, Redford received two Academy Award nominations, including for best directing and best picture in 1994 for the thriller, which follows a young lawyer, Dick Goodwin, as he investigates a game show and one of the programme winners, Charles Van Doren, played by Ralph Fiennes, to expose the truth behind its apparent success.

2013 – All Is Lost

The one-man survival drama follows a solo voyager (Redford) as he is adrift in the middle of the ocean after a shipping container damaged his boat. Lost at sea he is forced to face extreme conditions and make do with what little he has left in order to survive.

Rocky star Dolph Lundgren has shared an update on his health ten months after being declared cancer-free following a private eight year battle

Dolph Lundgren says he is feeling “very well” after triumphing over cancer last year. “NED, they call it. No evidence of disease,” the Rocky star revealed at the BAFTA TV Tea Party in Beverly Hills.

The Swedish actor, 67, revealed he had privately battled cancer for eight years, first diagnosed with lung cancer in 2015. After going into remission, the cancer returned in 2020, and a doctor warned he had only two to three years left to live.

“It was a tough fight to have for about five years. Actually, about three bad years, but now it’s better – so I’m back to normal, working out,” he said.

While his workouts are now less intense, Lundgren insists he can still do “everything” he did before his diagnosis. The actor told People: “I’ve calmed down a little bit. I don’t stay out as late. I don’t work out as hard, but I do hit the gym four, five times a week. I am just a little kinder to myself physically, I think.”

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He reflected on the perspective his illness brought in a recent social media update as he said: “Every day, I’m more grateful for everything I have and everything the universe has given me, and I try to really enjoy the people I love – my kids, my wife and my friends.

“It’s been a big eye-opener and it’s actually been a positive experience for me, I think. If I hadn’t had cancer, I may have done a crazy stunt and killed myself that way, because I was just a little bit too intense before.”

Lundgren, who shares daughters Ida, 29, and Greta, 23, with his first wife Anette Qviberg, married Emma Krokdal in 2023.

He has speculated that the steroids he took during his bodybuilding and action film career could have contributed to his illness.

“I tried steroids back in the ’80s and ’90s. I don’t know if that is something to do with the cancer, of course it struck me as it could have something to do with it. I thought about it, you always think you’ve made a mistake. I think maybe there is some connection between testosterone therapy and cancer,” he said in a previous social media post.

Discussing his 2020 relapse, Lundgren said: “In 2020, I was back in Sweden and I had some kind of acid reflux, I didn’t know what it was so I did an MRI.

“They found that there were a few more tumours around that area. They found one more tumour in the liver, so I was like, aw s*** okay. At that point, it started to hit me that this was something serious.

“The surgeon called me and said it had grown, it was too big, it had grown to the size of a small lemon. I asked them how long do I have left, I think he said two-three years but I could tell in his voice he thought it was less. I thought that was it for sure.”

After a second opinion, Lundgren underwent treatment and surgery to remove multiple tumors, recalling: “It’s the day after my surgery, they took out one tumor, then they took out another two they found and another three small ones. Hopefully it’s cleaned out, if it dies, it dies.”

He announced his victory last November in an emotional announcement. At the time, he wrote: “Health update – finally cancer free with gratefulness and excitement for a bright future. Thanks for all your support always.”

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But Judge Anton insisted it was not a problem as viewers always grow to love the line ups of long running BBC series

TV judge Anton Du Beke has admitted that he does not recognise many of the stars picked for Strictly Come Dancing these days. Echoing public criticism that the BBC dance show’s line-up can sometimes lack a little lustre or the big names of previous years, he admitted the first time he would see some of them could be on the ballroom.

Anton said: “When I first started, we sort of knew them, but now as you get older… there are a number of people on the show that I am not familiar with.” Speaking of last year’s model contestant Tasha Ghouri, he added: “I mean last year, Tasha? I did not know Tasha. No, I don’t know a number of people on the show.”

But he has got used to being a bit baffled, as more online personalities are introduced onto the show, explaining: “You don’t know who they are, but that is normal.”

He said of the 25-year-old YouTuber taking to the dancefloor for 2025: “There is that lovely boy George Clarke doing it this year. I thought it was the buildings fella, George Clarke the architect.”

And although he has now watched performances by the contestants who will be strutting their stuff on telly from this Saturday, he hasn’t seen enough to pick a winner.

Anton, 59, recalled how he was asked for an early opinion at the recording of the launch show and said: “They made it down the stairs unaided. I don’t know what you want me to say. Ask me next week when they have danced a bit.”

This year’s 15 celebrities include four reality TV stars: Vicky Pattison, 37, Thomas Skinner, 34, Dani Dyer, 29, and La Voix, 45. There are four sports stars too: sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, 37, footballers Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, 53, and Karen Carney, 38, and rugby union’s Chris Robshaw, 39.

It is actors who make up the biggest group, with five: Stefan Dennis, 66, Alex Kingston, 62, Balvinder Sopal, 46, Ellie Goldstein, 23, and Lewis Cope, 30. There is also presenter Ross King, 63, and YouTuber George.

Speaking at an event to launch his new novel, Monte Carlo by Moonlight, Anton said he will soon be reading the celebrities’ body language. He said of judging: “As I sit ther,e I know exactly what has been going on. I can see by this routine what sort of a week you have had and I laugh.

“If they start at the top of the stairs and walk down, they have had a very difficult week, like they are wasting as much time as they can until they get on the floor and have to take hold. The waltz is always lovely to judge. You can always see how good and bad their week has been by how long they stay ‘in hold’.”

After years of grumbles that contestants with dance experience – such as Lewis Cope – have a head start, Anton conceded it is tru,e but that the advantage is only slight. “It will help them a bit. I have not seen many of those who have actually won.”

And he had some tips for the professionals, too. “Learn that it is not about you. I was always aware of that. It is not my name they say first. It is the celebrity’s name.” Anton, who has eight-year-old twins with wife Hannah, also urged BBC bosses to tweak the rules on voting.

This year voting via premium phone lines has been axed and instead viewers have a brief opportunity on Saturday nights to vote online. But Anton thinks voting should go on all week, as many Strictly Come Dancing fans catch up on iPlayer.

He said: “I remember when we started the show, you could vote all week. Now you have a little window, and that is a shame because some people can’t watch it on a Saturday night.

“They might be working or may go out. I would like people to be able to vote during the week as everyone is invested even if they watch it on catch-up, so give them the opportunity to vote.”

And as for the show’s enduring popularity as it enters its 23rd series, he said: “The show works because we re-cast it every year and now we have a couple of new pros. There is an extraordinary amount of enthusiasm for it. The room is always enthused and I think that transfers to people watching it.

“You can like it for different reasons. You can like it for the frocks, the group dances, the couples or want to see how people are getting on. You can like the judges – or not like the judges!”

* The launch show of the new series of Strictly Come Dancing is on at 6.40pm on Saturday on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer.

Trisha Paytas has been praised by fans after she interviewed an “iconic” guest on her Just Trish Podcast

Internet sensation Trisha Paytas has been showered with praise following the airing of her “best episode ever” this week.

The YouTube celebrity, who first shot to fame in 2010 thanks to her online persona, continues to go from strength to strength, amassing fans globally. She gained notoriety through her YouTube channel and has also graced reality TV shows such as Celebrity Big Brother.

She’s no stranger to giving fans a glimpse into her life online, sharing her adventures with her husband and their three children. Trisha frequently posts vlogs, podcasts, and food-related content on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

Now, she’s being lauded by fans for her “best ever episode” after interviewing an “iconic” guest. This week, Trisha updated her Just Trish Podcast on YouTube with special guest Demi Lovato.

In sharing the video, she penned: “Demi Lovato on Her ICONIC New Music Video, Past Eras and Mental Health Journey.”, reports OK!.

The video has already garnered over 400,000 views as fans express their enthusiasm.

One viewer commented: “This is honestly one of the best episodes I’ve ever listened to, hearing demi talk about her journey and it just seems so alligned with trish finding stability, waiting all their life to just be happy and now they both finally have it. only critique is i wish this ep was longer, but i know demi is booked and busy.”

Another exclaimed: “NO WAY TRISHA INTERVIEWING DEMI! ! ! ! Demi was my childhood. I’m so proud of Trisha and the Just Trish crew! ! ! !”.

A third added: “WHAT! ! ! Demi lovato is your guest, you can no longer say your NOT an icon trish! ! This is huge.”

A fourth commented: “This was the best pod ever. I was smiling the whole time, the vibe felt amazing, we love healing queens, this healed a part of my soul.”

Another penned: “This interview is phenomenal, Trisha! ! I’ve learnt so much more about Demi that i hadn’t heard before and so excited to hear the new album.”

One person described it as “crazy”. Trisha also shared behind the scenes snippets before the podcast was released on her TikTok as one fan wrote: “TRISHA THIS IS BIG.”

Another replied: “You don’t know what this means to me.”

The star has been candid about opening up regarding her mental health, having previously been misdiagnosed and later diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, as well as discussing a previous “downward spiral”.

Recently, she was inundated with support after sharing an emotional Instagram update.

She wrote: “I’m so glad I didn’t give up on life. It all worked out. Please take this as your sign, to keep going.”

Rolling In The Deep singer Adele could make a comeback in 2026 at the NFL Super Bowl, just two years after her last concert residency in Munich

Adele is set to be toying with the idea of performing at the 2026 NFL Super Bowl halftime show. The Someone Like You singer has been reportedly approached to perform during the break of play at next year’s Super Bowl.

The performance slot, which has seen the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, and Beyonce take to the stage, is regarded as one of the most-well-viewed television events in the world. And according to reports, the Grammy Award-winning singer is tempted to take the NFL producers up on an offer to sing at the halftime show.

Back in 2016, the singer-songwriter turned down the Super Bowl performance, arguing the “show is not about the music”, adding “maybe next time”.

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It seems “next time” may have come, as she is speculated to be considering the performance, as well as a series of stadium shows next year. This is despite telling fans at the end of her Las Vegas residency that she “will not see you for an incredibly long time”.

She explained: “I will hold you dear in my heart for that whole length of my break, and I will fantasise about these shows and any shows that I’ve done over the last three years. It has been amazing, I just need a rest. I have spent the last seven years building a new life for myself, and I want to live it now.”

Adele hasn’t performed in the UK since BST Hyde Park in 2022. In 2024, she built her own venue in Munich for a series of outdoor concerts and then took on a Las Vegas residency.

Sources close to Adele have said she will only perform events that allow her to travel less so she can spend time with her family. While performing in Munich, Adele travelled between the city and her home in Los Angeles, just like she did when she was completing her Las Vegas residency.

The singer has one child and is engaged to Rich Paul, an agent to many NFL players, who may well be at the Super Bowl anyway.

Another singer who has been speculated for the halftime show is Taylor Swift, who recently got engaged to Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce. NFL Comissioner Roger Goodell said in an interview with NBC that Taylor was “welcome” to perform and teased that something might be in the works.

“We would always love to have Taylor play,” he said. “She is a special, special talent, and obviously she would be welcome at any time.”