Archive May 14, 2025

The Guy Ritchie thriller MobLand might not see a second season after receiving a mixed reaction from viewers over Pierce Brosnan’s Irish accent

TV executives are weighing up axing a star-studded Guy Ritchie thriller before its second season after some fans were less than impressed with Pierce Brosnan’s “unwatchable” Irish accent, insiders are suggesting.

The series facing the axe is Paramount’s MobLand, which boasts an expensive cast of stars other than Brosnan, including Helen Mirren and Tom Hardy.

But MobLand has seen a lukewarm reception from Paramount’s viewers and critics, averaging around 76 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, with some describing it as lacking in focus and “frustrating.”

A focal point for viewer confusion, however, is Brosnan’s accent, which is bizarre considering that Ireland is the country of his birth. The Sun has reported that this will be considered by executives deciding on MobLand’s future.

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The negative backlash is a surprise miss for 56-year-old legendary director Ritchie, fresh off the huge success of his criminal comedy thriller ‘The Gentlemen’ for competing streamer Netflix.

Speaking to the publication, an insider said:

“Viewers have been mocking his Irish accent — which is ironic given he was born in Ireland and lived there till he was four years old.

“But he’s always had a cut-glass English delivery.”

Brosnan was able to reclaim his birth accent for MobLand, where he stars as the head of the Harrigan crime family, Conrad.

The insider added: “Clearly making the shift back to an Irish accent was not as smooth as expected.”

Users on social media joked about the Bond star’s accent in the series, saying: “Brosnan has to be the only person born and raised in Ireland that can’t pull off an Irish accent.”

Noel and Liam Gallagher are preparing to wow fans at 17 gigs across the UK – starting at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on July 4 – in an incredible Oasis reunion

Bassist Andy Bell will join the Gallaghers for the Oasis reunion, according to reports today.

Since Oasis’ split in 2009, Bell has been impressing fans with his own band, Ride, and so it was unclear whether the 54-year-old star would be part of the Gallagher’s sell-out return. However, the musician has told a reporter he is in and is now preparing for rehearsals with Noel and Liam.

Bell, who joined Oasis in 2000 to replace bassist Paul McGuigan, said: “I’m in and I’m really looking forward to it. We’ll see each other on tour. Or rather, you’ll see me – I’ll hardly be able to see you in the audience.” Bell also wrote one song or more on each of Oasis’ final three albums.

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Oasis’ reunion tour starts on July 4 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, which is Bell’s home city. Sixteen gigs in the UK, as well as several abroad, follow, reaching the worldwife climax on November 23 in São Paulo, Brazil. Bell joins Gem Archer, Bonehead and drummer Joey Waronker who are also reuniting with the Gallaghers for the huge final tour.

But this stint will indeed be the final hoorah for the brothers, their co-manager Alec McKinlay told Music Week on Tuesday. He said: “This is the last time around, as Noel has made clear in the press. It is a chance for fans who haven’t seen the band to see them, or at least for some of them to. But no, there’s no plan for any new music.”

Bell’s comments to Austrian newspaper Oe24 come as Oasis get ready to rehearse ahead of their opening gig in Cardiff. More than 74,000 people are set to cram into the Principality Stadium for the performance, the first since Oasis made what was thought to be their farewell at V Festival at Weston Park in Stafford on August 22, 2009.

Fans have been trying to work out what the first song in nearly 16 years will be, and believe a recent Instagram post by the band offers a cryptic clue. The visual clue showed what looked like a setlist with five tracks listed – one notably swapped out for ‘Songbird’ from 2002, a crowd-pleaser among the Oasis faithful.

The teaser was captioned: “Less than two months to go. What’s your dream opener?” A post to the r/Oasis subreddit has since sparked a litany of fan theories as to what this puzzle signifies.

One user speculated: “What are all your thoughts on this? Seems odd, I’d never imagine they’d open with the last two? And why scratch out better man? Cryptic. Interested to hear what you make of it.”

Today’s horoscope for May 14 sees one star sign take time to reflect, as another focuses on demanding tasks

It’s Wednesday, May 14, and one star sign gets some positive results.

There are 12 zodiac signs – Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces – and the horoscopes for each can give you the lowdown on what your future holds, be it in work, your love life, your friends and family or more.

These daily forecasts have been compiled by astrologer Russell Grant, who has been reading star signs for over 50 years. From Aries through to Pisces, here’s what today could bring for your horoscope – and what you can do to be prepared.

Aries (Mar 21 – Apr 20)

You won’t hesitate to act when you spot a great opportunity to improve your skills or enhance your reputation. You have always been willing to explore new experiences especially if it looks like these can in some way bring improvements into your life.

Taurus (Apr 21 – May 21)

Revealing too much too soon will set a joint task off on the wrong foot. After a few stressful hours, some financial strain will be linked to household expenses. Someone you live or work with is starting to irritate you. Comments you usually overlook will start to become bothersome.

Gemini (May 22 – June 21)

Someone close has something special to celebrate and you won’t hesitate to let them know how pleased you are for them. Their adventurous spirit will encourage you to set your sights a little higher. Make the most of this opportunity to explore new possibilities. For your talents, too, are being acknowledged.

Cancer (June 22 – July 23)

A team effort starts strong right from the beginning. You’re in a great position now to pursue a goal that at one time seemed out of your reach. When working alongside like-minded others, you can go far. Not only this but the backing of your family provides a solid base from which to work from.

Leo (July 24 – Aug 23)

Although communication between you and a colleague is strained, you both have the same goal in mind and steady effort will lead to financial or material rewards. Acknowledgement of a recent application will be received. You might discover a mysterious supporter has been singing your praises.

Virgo (Aug 24 – Sept 23)

Continue to take a cautious approach to important tasks and assignments. The more thorough you are, the less likely it is that a senior colleague will criticise your efforts. You have the skills needed for this work and this is your chance to prove to others what you are capable of.

Libra (Sept 24 – Oct 23)

The reliability of a friend or colleague is being questioned. An error has occurred and though this may not have been intentional, it needs to be resolved. Even if the situation does not go as expected, consider giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Scorpio (Oct 24 – Nov 22)

A joint project will begin in a surprisingly leisurely way. Gradually it will make small strides forward. A partner is clearly in no hurry to get results and whereas at first you will appreciate their input, later you might wish you had chosen to go solo.

Sagittarius (Nov 23 – Dec 21)

You will find success after putting your creative ideas to use to tackle an on-going issue. Although you won’t see eye to eye with everyone and some people will object to your methods, what they cannot argue with is the positive results you achieve.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 20)

You will get a lot of satisfaction from taking on tasks that demand focus and discipline. Your work hours are packed with appointments, calls and interviews making you the ideal person to identify the best business opportunities.

Aquarius (Jan 21 – Feb 19)

Home, family and property matters will prove surprisingly interesting. People are interested in your thoughts and the power of suggestion will work to your advantage. You feel strongly about an issue and your passion makes you persuasive. It’s just a neighbour’s strange mood that causes some confusion.

Pisces (Feb 20 – Mar 20)

Take some time to reflect on and talk about where you might go now career-wise. You have a few potential paths to choose from so having a plan is crucial. It’s also essential to incorporate relaxation techniques into your routine.

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Claims made by Liam Payne’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy on his £24million fortune are likely to come to nothing, a leading lawyer has warned.

The One Direction singer, who tragically passed away last October, hadn’t made a will – meaning that his ex-partner Cheryl Tweedy, mum to their son Bear, has been handed control of the estate. Their young son is expected to be the sole beneficiary, alongside music lawyer Richard Bray, who’s been appointed an administrator.

Despite being left without any automatic legal claim, it’s been reported that might have a case if she were to fight for a slice of the estate.

Kate, who the MailOnline reported to have been receiving a £20,000 monthly allowance from Liam and had access to his credit card, might attempt a ‘reasonable financial provision’ claim – essentially arguing that she depended on him, according to experts.

And while they weren’t engaged, it’s been suggested that three pieces of ‘evidence’ could support her case – a note reportedly penned by Liam stating: “Me and Kate to marry within a year/engaged and 2gether 4ever 444”, the number ‘444’ often linked to spiritual reassurance, plus testimonies from Kate and Liam’s pal Rogelio ‘Roger’ Nores.

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But solicitor John Lambe, partner at Forbes Solicitors and expert in contentious estate claims, believes Kate’s chances are slim.

He explains: “Courts are generally very sceptical of informal, non-binding statements regarding future marriage intentions.

“Testimonies, whether personal conversations between Kate and Liam about a desire to get married and have children in the future, or a friend’s testimony about Liam asking him to be best man one day, would not carry the same weight as documented evidence or formal commitments like an engagement.

“The testimonies would not establish a legal or financial obligation, which a court would be looking for.”

Lambe explained how no matter now personal and genuine, this type of evidence would also fail to convince a court about the sincerity of future matrimony, as the couple weren’t engaged.

“In this sense, a claim on the estate would struggle because it’s unable to show the relationship was akin to a common-law partnership,” he said.

“The strength of evidence about Kate’s financial dependency on Liam will require a factual and consistent history of financial dependence.

The legal expert outlined how bank statements may well show deposits of a monthly allowance into Kate’s account, but it’s conceivable this could be dismissed as generosity.

“A successful claim would need to demonstrate that the financial support was substantial enough to establish maintenance,” he said.

“It’s also worth considering that the estate’s administrators and beneficiaries would most like contest the dependency and argue that the support was discretionary, rather than obligatory.