Category Entertainment News

Actor Pierce Brosnan has said it is a “given” that the next James Bond should be British. His comments comes following concerns that the franchise will not be British anymore in the wake of Amazon MGM Studios taking creative control over the 007 character.

In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, the former Bond also said he thought it was the “right decision” for the franchise’s long-standing producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson to hand creative control to Amazon.

“It takes great courage for them to let go”, said Brosnan. “I thought it was coming for some time I guess, but I think it was the right decision for Barbara and Michael. I hope that]Amazon] handles the work and the character with dignity and imagination and respect”.

In February, the US film and television production and distribution studio announced it will be co-owners with Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, who have produced the Bond films together since Brosnan’s first movie – 1995’s GoldenEye.

Brosnan, 71, who played Bond in four films, added that “no one really knows” what will happen to 007 in Amazon’s control.

“In this world that is moving so fast now, at the speed of light, (the change) does come with a certain lament”, he said.

The interview added that Brosnan said it was a “given” for Bond to remain British despite the new US owners.

He said: “History has been passed on and I’m very proud to have been part of the history and the legacy of Bond and the movies that I made with Barbara and Michael.

” That we moved the needle, that we brought it back to life. It had been dormant]for] six years and GoldenEye was such a success that it continued and went from strength to strength… I wish them well. “

Andrew Garfield, the British-American Spider-Man actor, is among the bookmakers ‘ favourites for the role, while the American Oscar Isaac and Chilean-American Pedro Pascal are also contenders.

British-born James Norton, who starred in Happy Valley, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who appeared in Kick-Ass and Kraven the Hunter, remain other names linked to the role to step into Craig’s shoes.

Before the Amazon announcement, the Mirror had reported uncertainty around the next Bond project and when it would start.

Daniel Craig’s final film No Time To Die was released in September 2021 and the following year in June 2022 Bond producer Barbara Broccoli said the next Bond film was a long way from starting.

At the time she told Deadline:” There isn’t a script and we can’t come up with one until we decide how we’re going to approach the next film because, really, it’s a reinvention of Bond.

“We’re reinventing who he is, and that takes time. I’d say that filming is at least two years away”.

With Amazon now in creative control and no new Bond appointed, it is likely to be up to three years before we see a new 007 unleashed on screen.

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If you’re keen to step into spring with a comfy new pair of kicks, look no further than Olivia Attwood’s go-to trainers, which have repeatedly appeared in various outfits recently. Praised as “very comfortable” and “stylish” by plenty of shoppers, the chic Adidas sneakers the TV presenter and Love Island star has been sporting are currently up for grabs in various sizes via ASOS – plus, they come in a range of colours if you don’t fancy copying Olivia’s preferred white shade.

READ MORE: Get Sabrina Carpenter’s signature look for less ahead UK leg of Short n ‘ Sweet Tour

READ MORE: We found a highstreet alternative to Holly Willoughby’s red Dancing On Ice Dress

The shoes followers of Olivia’s Instagram will have seen time and time again are the Adidas Originals Samba XLG trainers in white, which come in various shades and a wide range of sizes, spanning UK 3 to UK 12, including half sizes.

Retailing for £100, the versatile and fashionable shoes boast a new twist on a classic style, as the Samba receives a redesign and even more comfort. While the Adidas Sambas have dominated the streets for decades, the newest version stays authentic to the original look. Still, it comes with a new twist with influences from two dominant cultures: football and skateboarding.

Equipped with the signature XLG tooling, the sidewall pattern adds a dash of attitude to a subtle and classic style. These shoes also have a thicker midsole, giving it a slight lift.

Regarding comfort, these trainers boast a full-length EVA drop-in plus extra padding on the moulded tongue, ensuring your feet are kept snug and comfy whether you’re wearing them for a quick trip to the shop or a night out on the town.

Shoppers at ASOS can’t stop raving about these trainers, one 5-star reviewer beams, “This is a light and very comfortable shoes. It fits to all kinds of feet shapes”.

Further praise comes from this buyer, who writes: “I love the Samba line, but it was never meant for those with wide feet. The Samba XLG is just perfect and wearable for all day long without the discomfort of the Samba OG or the LT. It’s so good that I’m getting another, best purchase for those with wider feet. Perfect”.

And a third customer notes: “Absolutely love these! My first sambas! They’re really comfortable, look great and the sole gives me a little bit more height. Would definitely recommend”!

More love comes from this shopper who says: “I absolutely love my Adidas Samba trainer, perfect for any outfit, whether casual or dressed up. The quality is top notch. What’s even better is how unbelievably comfy they are, offering all-day support. They’ve quickly become my go-to pair”!

You can shop Olivia’s must-have trainers for £100 from ASOS or Adidas direct, or if you’re prepared to hurry, there’s a limited-time offer at Office, where you can grab a pair for £70 while this sale lasts.

A week after it was revealed that Maura Higgins and her I’m A Celeb campmate jungle king Danny Jones shared a kiss at a BRIT Awards afterparty, footage obtained by a newspaper revealed that the pair had stayed on drinking at a swanky central London hotel until 6am.

Seen gazing at each other in the video, the establishment they visited together soon after their 3am kiss was the Nobu Hotel in Central London. In the video, obtained by The Sun, only security guards were seen nearby, as the pair were seen chatting cosily and laughing together, filled wine glasses in hand.

Maura, 34, who on Sunday revealed she was leaving the UK and jetting off to LA, and Danny, 38, who it was reported travelled by car separately across London to a Sony party at the hotel.

According to the Sun, an onlooker said: “Danny and Maura seemed to be enjoying their night of partying and had no plans to call it a night. They were knocking back wine at the Nobu from 4am and seemed keen to carry on. They weren’t seen leaving before 6am”.

Rooms at the exclusive Nobu Hotel in London’s Portman Square, in the Marylebone neighbourhood close to Mayfair and Soho, start at £399pn but can go upwards of £700.

The website of the swanky hotel, which boasts 249 guest rooms and suites, Nobu’s world-famous restaurant and a ballroom, says, “Experience Nobu’s iconic cuisine and renowned hospitality where Japanese minimalism meets London’s cosmopolitan culture”.

With palatial suites and panoramic views of the London skyline, the hotel also contains the Nobu Wellness &amp, Fitness Centre, home to the first Nobu Pilates Reformer studio.

A 6-minute walk from Marble Arch tube, the luxurious hotel chain (founded by chef Nobu Matsuhisa and Hollywood legend Robert De Niro) has Japanese touches throughout. With a hotel in Shoreditch too, it is famed for its glam reputation and celebrity clientele, all happy to wait weeks to get a table at its coveted restaurant.

Regularly attracting A-listers including the Hollywood set when they are in town, it is a beloved haunt of the likes of Brad Pitt, Kate Moss, Tom Cruise and Elton John.

But it is best known for being the place Boris Becker had his infamous 2003 romp with a Russian model who was waiting staff there, which led to the end of his marriage and cost him nearly £20 million in divorce costs – as well as and maintenance for his unplanned daughter, who he recently admitted was conceived ‘ on the stairs – not in the broom cupboard’.

Starting off life as an unassuming sushi restaurant in New York thirty years ago, Nobu now has 56 restaurants and 36 hotels worldwide.

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Thomas Markle Snr, the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has opened up about his daughter’s decision to put aside her maiden name of Markle.

Even though it’s been nearly seven years since she walked down the aisle at Windsor’s St George’s Chapel, the Duchess is still often referred to by fans as simply ‘ Meghan Markle ‘ – but behind closed doors, this apparently isn’t the case.

In the second episode of her new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, the 43-year-old could be seen chatting away about fast food with actress Mindy Kaling, who remarked: “People wouldn’t believe that Meghan Markle ate at Jack in the Box”.

Gently correcting The Office US star, Meghan revealed: “It’s so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now. You have kids, and you go, ‘ no I share my name with my children’…I didn’t know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go ‘ this is our family name, our little family name'”.

Many fans struggled to get their heads around the idea of ‘ Meghan Sussex’, and this includes dad Thomas, whose relationship with his famous daughter has been strained since around the time of her May 2018 wedding.

In the show, Meghan fondly recalls memories of her grandmother making apple butter and her wish to continue this sweet preserve-making tradition for her own children. Meghan shared: “I think my kids will now connect this to coming home from school and smelling sweetness that wafts through the house when you are slow-cooking fruit”.

However, 80-year-old Thomas believes that Meghan’s grandmother Doris, who passed away in 2011 at the age of 91, would be “disappointed” to learn of Meghan’s name change.

Thomas told the Mail Online: “My mum loved Meghan very much but she would be so disappointed to hear that Meghan no longer wants to use the name ‘ Markle’. My mother was proud to be a Markle. So am I. Meghan never had a problem with the Markle name until she met Prince Harry”. He then sarcastically quipped: “Now I have to say, ‘ I am Meghan Sussex’s dad. ‘ ‘ ‘

Retired lighting director Thomas also took issue with Meghan’s claim that she was a” latchkey kid “who” grew up with a lot of fast food and also a lot of TV tray dinners”. He argued:” Like any single father who did a long day’s work, I’d occasionally put a TV dinner in the microwave. But most of the time we’d go out.

“After school, I would either pick her up myself and we’d go out to eat, or I’d send a car to bring her to the set. She grew up on the sets I worked on. She was never a latchkey kid.

” We lived in a great area, which was packed with restaurants. We ate out all the time. At weekends when I wasn’t working I’d take her to a dance class and then invite her and all her friends out for a meal. “

As detailed in the Netflix doc Harry &amp, Meghan, Thomas ‘ continued interviews with the press, including staged paparazzi photos of him preparing for the Royal wedding, causing the Duchess great distress. In 2019, excerpts of a letter Meghan wrote to Thomas begging him to stop was published in People magazine.

Thomas has never met his young grandchildren, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.

You can stream With Love, Meghan on Netflix now.

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Kristina Rihanoff has been pictured looking weary as she breaks cover for the first time following the news of her split from Ben Cohen.

The former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer, 47, looked deep in thought as she sported a black furry coat, black jogging bottoms and trousers. She accessorised her look with heart shaped drop earrings and dark sunglasses, which she wore on her head. Kristina clutched onto an iPad which had a pink cover on and had a bag hanging from the same arm.

Professional dancer Kristina stared straight ahead of her as she wore fluttering eyelashes for the outing, which marks the first time she’s been photographed since the news of her break-up from Ben emerged. She appeared to have minimal makeup on as she walked alongside her daughter, Milena Rihanoff-Cohen, who she shares with her husband Ben, who was born in 2016.

Milena wore a pink floral patterned top with a pair of washed denim jeans, pink trainers and a grey coat. The little girl appeared deep in conversation with her mum as her long mousey brown locks tumbled down.

The sighting comes days after it was revealed Kristina and Ben, 46, have split after their companies racked up debts of £1million. The split news was labelled the “curse in reverse” as a source claimed to The Sun that the “past six months has been hell” for the couple which has “torn the love they had apart”.

They added: “For the sake of their family, they have chosen to go forward as separate individuals. Those close to them who know them as a couple had hoped they would be able to work things out but for now it’s over and it looks like there’s no going back”.

It has been claimed their love life suffered after their health company Soo Yoga Group ran up debts of £488, 470. Cohen resigned from their firm last year and it is a year late with posting accounts. Another of their fitness firms – Yoga Wellbeing Limited – has debts of £63, 000. The firm has failed to file accounts for three years and Cohen resigned in September 2022.

Cohen quit Soo Greens Limited three years ago and the business has racked up £54, 000 debts. While fitness company Beyond Wellbeing was dissolved in 2022 with debts of £22, 000. Cohen also quit as a company director of struggling web firm Silicon Networks in 2020 – the company is in liquidation with debts of £275, 000, including a £98, 000 tax bill owed to HMRC. His anti-bullying charity the Ben Cohen Standup Foundation was dissolved last year.

The couple first met on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 while Ben was married to Abby Cohen. They welcomed their daughter in 2016 and confirmed their engagement in 2022.

A few months before their split, the pair appeared in court where they said they were so in debt they are “fighting not to lose their relationship and their home”. They were in court after Kristina was caught driving her Audi Q3 without insurance. The court slapped her with six points on her licence but faced a ban for totting up 12 penalty points.

She had been to court to appeal the conviction for driving without insurance with her husband appearing as her witness. During the hearing, Ben said he had ignored a text from his insurance company. Ben said in court: “I get up every day and I fight not to lose everything to lose my cars and my house and my relationship. I’m so overdrawn… We’re still living together. We’re in it financially.

” We’re in business together so the problem is that we opened the business before Covid and we got the worst severities of it and in all honestly this is just another problem for me to deal with. I’ve got credit cards that are overdrawn. I’m overdrawn in both accounts. We have got a business debt because of Covid. It’s just another problem. “

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EastEnders star Lorraine Stanley has unveiled her new on-screen role since quitting Walford.

The 48-year-old is best known for playing the loud-mouthed Karen Taylor on the BBC soap. Her character was last seen leaving Albert Square after attending the funeral of her son, Keanu. Lorraine previously appeared on the soap before her stint as Karen, playing Thelma Bragg. It now seems the actress has left her soap opera days behind, after starring in a new steamy movie.

Lorraine appears in the flick Departures, alongside the likes of Coronation Street actress Kimberley Hart-Simpson and Hollyoaks hunk David Tag. The LGBTQ+ film – which features nudity and sex – follows the life of a young man named Benji, played by Lloyd Eyre-Morgan, as he struggles to move on after a tough breakup with his ex, Jake, played by Tag.

She plays Benji’s mum, Janet, while Kimberley portrays a sex worker named Nicky Wheatley. Speaking about her role in the film, Stanley told Digital Spy: “Janet is Benji’s mum and she doesn’t mince her words! She’s very, very old-school.

” She would probably have preferred her son to be straight. She’s bold and honest with her words and choice of language – that’s probably putting it mildly “she continued”. But she’s a lovely person. She wears her heart on her sleeve and ultimately she’s there for her son through his break-up. “

The actress continued to gush over the project, adding:” It’s a story of love and loss. It’s the yin and yang.

“It’s heavy at times, but there are funny moments too. That’s the kind of thing I enjoy watching, and I love being part of projects like that”.

Lorraine previously announced she had taken on a new stage role after leaving EastEnders. On her exit, she said that although she was “sad”, it was also “exciting” as she can now “go and do what I want”, telling The Sun: “You can get a bit relaxed there and a bit comfortable. So I want to be out of my comfort zone”.

The former soap star previously played Queen Rat in the 2024 Pompey Panto production of Dick Whittington. Sharing the exciting news with fans on Instagram, Stanley penned: “I can’t wait for this!!!! Panto in my home town with me old mate Jack Edwards is going to be epic!!! Ratty is coming to play Kings Theatre get your tickets early (link in bio) and I’ll see you after the show Xxx @stageyjackedwards @kingstheatre #pompey #pompeypanto #portsmouth #theatre”.

In her personal life, Lorraine also shared photos on Instagram after shedding an impressive five-stone.

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