Christy director reveals why Sydney Sweeney was the right choice to play iconic boxer
Christy Martin is one of the most influential female boxers of all time – and Sydney Sweeney is taking on her legacy for a new biopic.
Christy Martin's story is one that seems to have been patiently waiting to be told – and now, with the release of biopic Christy later this month, the time has come. The film follows Martin from her early years in West Virginia to her swift rise to the Boxing Hall of Fame, including her attempted murder at the hands of husband James V Martin. Sydney Sweeney – best known for her roles in Euphoria, The White Lotus and Madame Web, among many others – takes on the titular role. In an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com, Christy director and co-writer David Michôd and writer Mirrah Foulkes opened up about bringing Martin's story to the big screen, and why Sweeney was so right for the role. "There was something deeply exciting about the idea of Sydney Sweeney bringing [Christy] to life," Michôd said. "I'd seen what she could do as an actor and I knew that was going to be a massive journey to bring that character to life, it would be a massive journey for an actor." "And she was so up for it, which was great," Foulkes added. The duo went on to share their favourite moments of Sweeney's performance in the film, with both citing boxing sequences. Foulkes said: "I have one particular moment, which isn't a spoiler, which is quite early in the film, and it's when she has her first professional knockout in the ring. "And it's one of my favourite moments in the film. Sydney just does this sort of gorgeous, innocent, surprised smile, and it feels so of Christy – not Christy now, but Christy as a young woman – in terms of just this ball of excited energy, and shock that she's found something that she just happens to be so good at – knocking women out. "I remember seeing that on the day and going, 'there she is, there's Christy Martin.'" Read more: Sydney Sweeney stars in first look trailer for "sexy, seductive" film based on mammoth best-seller Sydney Sweeney details major body transformation for boxing biopic – gaining 30lbs for role Michôd echoed similar moments in the film, adding: "I love those moments too. I really like all the fighting in this movie. Each fight has its own personality, and is a reflection of who Christy was at that moment in her life. "You know, it starts off as this beautiful, innocent, 'I can't believe I've just knocked someone out,' and then next thing you know, because of stuff that's going on outside the ring, suddenly her fighting is full of rage. "And then her finding a kind of peace in the fighting. It's strange that when she's in the ring and she's pummelling another woman in front of millions of people, she's found a serenity in the middle of it all." It's hardly a surprise that Foulkes and Michôd saw the actor completely immerse herself in the role. Sweeney has already been vocal about her transformative journey to play Christy Martin, revealing that she gained more than 30 pounds to fully embody the athlete. In an interview with W Magazine back in June, she explained: "My body was completely different. I didn't fit in any of my clothes. I'm usually a size 23 in jeans, and I was wearing a size 27. "It was crazy! I was like, 'Oh my god.' But it was amazing. I was so strong, like crazy strong." Alongside Sweeney, Christy also stars the likes of Ben Foster as Christy's husband James V Martin, Merritt Wever as Christy's mother Joyce, Ethan Embry as Christy's father John Salters, Chad L Coleman as Don King and Katy O'Brian as Lisa Holewyne. Christy will be released in UK cinemas on Friday 28th November. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Bugonia ending explained: Was Emma Stone's Michelle an alien all along?
Put on your tinfoil hats – it's time to unpack Bugonia's final twist.
There’s a strong potential that Yorgos Lanthimos’s fourth project with Emma Stone might be their best yet – and with Bugonia now available to watch in cinemas, it feels like only a matter of time until the awards start rolling in. Based on the 2003 Korean film Save the Green Planet!, Bugonia follows two conspiracy-theorist cousins who become convinced that a powerful pharmaceutical CEO is actually a member of an alien race known as Andromeans. The ending of the film is a rollercoaster of absurd twists and turns, all of which culminate in an intense, and potentially hopeless, climax. So, if you want a recap of those final moments – or you haven’t actually seen the film and you just want to find out if Michelle was an alien or not, which is equally as valid – read on for your full breakdown. Bugonia ending explained: Was Emma Stone's Michelle an alien all along? So, after kidnapping a CEO, shaving her head, slapping her, bathing her in body lotion and accusing her of being an alien, it’s fair to say that Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone) is pretty much over the whole ordeal. After giving her some sort of disturbing electroshock therapy (in a scene that is particularly difficult to watch, might I add), kidnapper Teddy (Jesse Plemons) decides that not only is Michelle an Andromedan, she’s also an Andromedan empress. And, not wanting to disrespect the ruler of this extra-terrestrial race any more than he already has, allows her to wash, dress and eat a spaghetti dinner with him and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis). During the meal, though, it becomes apparent that Michelle and her company were directly involved of the physical decline of Teddy’s mother Sandy (Alicia Silverstone), resulting in her falling into a coma. The dinner party soon unravels into chaos, culminating in a fight between Teddy and Michelle, during which Michelle stabs Teddy with a fork. The confrontation is interrupted when Casey (Stavros Halkias), the creepy local Sheriff, knocks on the door, looking for any evidence that could help find out what has happened to Michelle. Don takes Michelle back down to the basement, while Teddy and Casey chat. Michelle offers to help Don and protect him from prison if he lets her go free, but instead, Don shoots himself in the head and dies. Hearing the gunshot, Teddy kills Casey and rages at Michelle. Michelle tells Teddy that the bottle of anti-freeze she keeps in her car is actually a specific Andromedan medicine that will wake up his mother, and in a panic, a frantic Teddy rushes to the hospital and injects his comatose parent with the liquid which, obviously, turns out to just be anti-freeze. Meanwhile, back at the house, Michelle discovers that this isn't Teddy's first rodeo – in the past, he has kidnapped and killed multiple other people he deemed to be Andromedan. Responding to the anti-freeze, Sandy dies, and a now-furious Teddy rides his bike back to the house to, once again, confront Michelle. Wanting to save herself, Michelle seemingly confesses to being an Andromedan, and launches into a lengthy monologue about how the Andromedans came to Earth and created humanity, but soon became dejected with how humanity progressed. Michelle claims her goal is now to help humanity overcome their violent nature. Michelle then agrees to take Teddy to the Andromedan headquarters. She instructs Teddy to drive her to her office, where she claims that her walk-in wardrobe is actually a transporter that will beam them up to the Andromedan homeland after she types a lengthy code into a calculator. Teddy, revealing himself to be wearing a homemade bomb, gets in the closet and, moments later, when the bomb detonates, is blown to pieces. Michelle is taken into an ambulance, and all seems OK. She's escaped the conspiracy theorists, survived the explosion, and she’s a human. Right? Wrong, because in one final twist, Michelle drags herself out of the ambulance, crawls back to her office and into her closet, where she then gets transported up into the Andromedan mother ship. That's right folks – Michelle was an alien all along. We are then shown a rather surreal sequence of Michelle discussing the fate of humanity with her fellow Andromedan senate. They eventually conclude that, unsurprisingly, humanity is not worth saving. Michelle pops a bubble, and we are then treated to a brilliantly haunting scene of every human being on earth, dead. The film ends where it began, with bees returning to a now human-less earth. What is the message of Bugonia? There are likely several moral threads one could draw from Bugonia – the critique of big corporate power, the question of whether humanity is worth saving, the blurring of lines between good and bad. Perhaps the most obvious, though, how easily humans can dehumanise each other – and how far we’re willing to go to prove ourselves right, even at the cost of our own morality. There is, perhaps, a complexity to this message, though. For if Michelle was an alien all along, does this revelation actually justify Teddy’s cruelty and violence towards her? Or does it instead highlight the idea that even if what we do is “correct”, our actions can still be evil? What if Michelle wasn’t an alien, and Teddy had just kidnapped a regular, human woman? Yes, perhaps her big-evil corporate actions would still be still wrong, she’d still have been complicit in the harm of Teddy’s mother – but would that mean she deserved what she got? While watching those final 10 minutes of the film, I couldn’t help but wonder if this alternative ending would have been somewhat more effective. Whichever way you take it, Bugonia’s ending is likely one that we’ll all be picking apart for a very long time – and is certainly a film that demands a second viewing once you know how it's all going to end. Bugonia is now available to watch in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
It: Welcome to Derry review – Blood-soaked prequel has its frights, and its flaws
Pennywise is back – this time, in a prequel series.
This review is based on the first five episodes of It: Welcome to Derry. As a lifelong Stephen King fan – with over 30 of his books in my collection and almost every film adaptation watched – you can probably imagine how excited I was when I heard that HBO was creating a prequel series to the It film series. A potential origin story of Pennywise the Dancing Clown, with Bill Skarsgård himself set to return? Yes please. The 2010s It movies, while obviously not perfect, always held something of a soft spot in my heart. Maybe it's because of the stellar cast, led as children by the likes of Sophia Lillis, Jaeden Martell and Finn Wolfhard, and as adults by Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy and Bill Hader, who managed to tap into King's iconic original universe in a way that was so wonderfully unsettling – from screaming in blood-soaked bathrooms to investigating monster-infested sewers. I went into It: Welcome to Derry with high hopes, and while the pay-off was far from a flop, it didn't quite reach the heights of its predecessors. The series follows a similar premise to the original films, only this time set in the 1960s. A kid goes missing and a bunch of other kids try to work out what's happened to him, only to discover that a certain ancient alien presenting most commonly in the form of a dancing clown is behind everything. Where this series differs, though, is with its adult characters. Several of them are the parents of the Derry kids, who also find themselves embroiled in their children's nightmares, while others – including a group of marines – are trying to end Pennywise for good. It's a strong set-up. And there's certainly a lot to enjoy in the series. The opening sequence, for example, is particularly stand-out. Without spoiling anything, it's remarkably nauseating, atmospheric and easily one of the best scenes across the first five episodes – making a solid return back to the monstrous horror that made the town of Derry so terrifying in the first place. The show is also visually impressive. Set in the '60s, there's enough to admire in the set and costume design, with the pastel hues of domestic suburbia juxtaposing against the literal horrors lurking under the surface of Derry – it's intelligently crafted. Notably, the opening credits are also hugely eerie – accompanied by a lullaby that sets the scene for scary before the action's even really kicked off. The problems arise, predominantly, with the characters. While some, like Lilly (Clara Stack) and Will (Blake Cameron James) have enough development across the episodes to resonate with, a large portion of the characters just simply don't land. Several are underdeveloped, underused and borderline uninteresting, with not enough time spent on them to make us care about their fates or even really remember their names. If the It films made us fall in love with the Losers Club in only two films – it's fair to question why Welcome to Derry struggles to do so over the course of a season. The plot itself also isn't the cleanest. With so many characters and storylines weaving together, from the kids, to the marines, to telepathic Dick Hallorann, to the parents, to the origins of Pennywise, the narrative can at times feel a little cluttered, unable to decide exactly which storyline is the most important and struggling to find a through-line between them. (Though there still may be time to repair this issue in the final three episodes.) Welcome to Derry does have all the tropes of a successful horror – enormous gore, dark rooms, childhood trauma. At times, it's guaranteed to make you jump. When the show leans into the uncanny – a creepy stranger following you around a supermarket, or having a conversation with a friend who's suddenly stopped blinking – the scares are massively effective, and truly skin-crawling. There are times, though, that it shifts into overexposure – revealing far too much of the alien and, in doing so, losing its fear factor. Because, really, is anyone actually that scared of a CGI monster-baby with multiple heads? I'm not sure. What I do know is that the show is far more effective when it's not trying to do too much, because ultimately, the more we see of It, the less frightening he becomes. Another of the show's strengths lies within its connections to the wider Stephen King universe. From nods to Shawshank Prison to an unexpected role for telepathic Dick Hallorann from The Shining (this time played by Chris Chalk), the Easter eggs are well handled. They don't solely serve as forceful, distracting fan service, but are cleverly connected to the storyline, and I'm excited to see how much further the references could go. (If we could get a glimpse of Rose Madder or Desperation in there somewhere, I'd be elated, but that's probably asking for too much). Of course, Bill Skarsgård is just as inhumane as ever as Pennywise – with his characteristic iconic grin and creepy, inflection-filled voice. And although his appearances in the show aren't exceptionally frequent, his monstrous presence is large, and you're always left awaiting his arrival. Skarsgård constantly remains the true horror of the show, even when he's not on screen. Taylour Paige's performance as protective mother Charlotte Hanlon was another standout. While not unexpected – this is the same woman who played Zola, after all – Paige's character remains one of the most interesting in the show, and despite not having the largest role in early episodes, what she does bring is compelling, and I look forward to seeing what the show does with her character beyond the first half. So, while Welcome to Derry perhaps isn't quite the nightmare I was hoping for, it's also not a total disappointment. For horror fans, and those who consider themselves to be Constant Readers (apparently that's the name of Stephen King's fandom), it will likely scratch an itch, especially as we head into the Halloween season. But if you're tuning in to Welcome to Derry and expecting to return to exactly the same sewers as It Chapters 1 & 2, perhaps you won't be floating too. It: Welcome to Derry is coming to Sky Atlantic and NOW on Monday 27th October 2025 – sign up for Sky TV. Check out more of our Sci-fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Add It: Welcome to Derry to your watchlist on the <a id="OWA8b702c45-bee9-94e4-f018-57518e78041b" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/download-the-app/?af_xp=custom&pid=website&c=editorial_content&is_retargeting=true&af_reengagement_window=30d" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-outlook-id="449c28d9-909e-4aab-b6b8-153454f55d5e" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Maika Monroe says The Hand That Rocks the Cradle remake is a "completely different movie" to original
The '90s cult classic thriller has been given the remake treatment with a certain scream queen at its helm.
It's been over 30 years since The Hand That Rocks the Cradle was released in all of its suspenseful, baby-stealing, white picket fence glory – and in the years since its release, the story about a vengeful nanny out to confront the family she believes stole her life has earned itself a cult following. Now, The Hand That Rocks the Cradle has been given the remake treatment, with the latest iteration of the domestic psychological thriller now available to watch on Disney+ in the UK – this time with It Follows and Longlegs star Maika Monroe stepping into the central role originated by Rebecca De Mornay. The remake appears to have a darker premise than its predecessor, this time around being described a horror-thriller, which is probably no surprise, given that Monroe has top billing on the film. While promoting her other upcoming film Reminders of Him during an exclusive chat with RadioTimes.com – the first trailer of which has just been released – Monroe spoke about how the new rendition of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle differs from the original, and reflected on the process of reinventing the classic. "The movie we made is a completely different movie," explained Monroe. "I mean, it's called a remake but we were not remaking a movie. "Really the only similarity is that there's a nanny that shows up and wreaks havoc on a family, but beyond that it's completely different characters. "So that felt nice that we weren't trying to copy. It felt very fresh and current." Although in this version, the eerily furtive nanny's name may be Polly and not Peyton, taking on a role that was so closely associated with De Mornay's iconic performance could have easily become an exercise of imitation for Monroe – so how did she approach it? "You know, I watched the original and I think what Rebecca did was so iconic," she said, "And my god, you know, just trying to honour that, but also, you know, just trying to do your own thing [was important]." Alongside Monroe, the film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Caitlyn Morales, Raúl Castillo as Miguel Morales, Caitlyn's husband, and Mileiah Vega as Emma Morales, Caitlyn and Miguel's daughter. There are also roles for Martin Starr, Riki Lindhome and Shannon Cochran. And with the film now available to stream, whether you're a fan of the original or not, it's certainly set to be a fun, if mildly unsettling, watch for the Halloween season. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle is available to watch on Disney+. You can sign up to Disney+ from £5.99 a month now. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Maika Monroe teases her role in film of Colleen Hoover's Reminders of Him as first trailer drops
As the first trailer for Reminders of Him is released, lead actress Maika Monroe exclusively shares how she brought Colleen Hoover's complex heroine to life.
Since her acclaimed breakout role in It Follows in 2014 (which is soon getting a sequel I'm already seated for), California native Maika Monroe has rightfully earned her spot as the 2020s’ answer to Neve Campbell or Jamie Lee Curtis – a modern-day scream queen. From starring in Longlegs, the scariest film of last year (I won’t be taking any arguments), to the psychologically intense Watcher, to the uncanny-valley horror-comedy Villains, Monroe has become synonymous with all things dark and twisted – she’s an absolute final girl. Now, though, Monroe is stepping out of the scary. Her latest project (well, except for the upcoming 100 Nights of Hero and The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, that is) comes in the form of a Colleen Hoover adaptation titled Reminders of Him, the first trailer of which has just dropped – and you can watch it below. View oEmbed on the source website The story follows Kenna Rowan – a woman who, having recently been released from prison, attempts to reconnect with her young daughter and rebuild the past bridges she’s burned, despite her checkered past. Also starring the likes of Tyriq Withers, Lauren Graham, Rudy Pankow, Bradley Whitford and Lainey Wilson, Reminders of Him is a world away from sex demons and peeping toms, but perhaps just as emotionally intense as some of Monroe's previous roles. “I think after Longlegs, I was just really ready to try something completely different, and this sort of presented itself at the perfect time. I was just ready to try something new,” Monroe explains. And it’s no surprise Monroe was ready for something a little softer, especially considering the reports that she was so unnerved by looking at Nicolas Cage while filming Longlegs that her heart rate spiked to 170 beats per minute. (If you were unaware, the average resting heart rate is between 60 and 100.) In Reminders of Him, the character Monroe is taking on comes with brand new challenges. Kenna has often – unfairly, in my opinion – been considered something of an unlikeable protagonist – she’s grief-stricken, complex, and certainly filled with flaws. Monroe, however, says she was able to easily see beyond Kenna’s past actions when forging her character. “[Kenna] seemed very complicated to me, which I thought was interesting. It wasn’t just sort of a one-note character, which sometimes can happen in this genre of film. I felt there was so much to explore, and so many layers [to her]. “I feel like I always could understand where she was coming from, and she went through an incredible traumatic experience. Not only losing the person she loves most, but also giving birth and having this child taken away from her. I don’t know how one can continue on. “And I always felt for her, and thought I could understand her brokenness and also her toughness, and what it took for her to have this drive to continue on.” Taking on a character that has such a colossal fanbase behind her, from a book that is so beloved, of course comes with its own heavy expectations – and Hoover's fandom certainly aren't afraid of being vocal. So was Monroe particularly nervous about taking on such a responsibility? “With Colleen, she has such a massive fanbase, so of course there’s a pressure," she explains. "But also, immediately I connected with the character. Not only having a script but also an entire book to really understand the inner workings of this character was really helpful. So I’m hoping the fans are happy.” Monroe also reveals that Reminders of Him is the first of her book adaptions that Hoover has been a producer on, despite being the brains behind the likes of 2024’s It Ends with Us, this week’s release Regretting You and the upcoming Verity, starring Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson – so it seems this project has been particularly important to her. “Colleen was a producer, and on set every day, which she hasn’t been on one of her [adaptations] yet, so she was super involved, which I think paid off," says Monroe. “I was kind of left [to craft Kenna’s character]. I feel like we all knew what we needed to do. I think some conversations I had [with Colleen], I think she trusted me. And it was really nice to have her on set – if something came up or if I had a question, it was so great to have the source there.” The newly released trailer offers us an interesting look at Kenna's journey – from her trial, the early strings of her love for Scotty, and her complicated relationship with Ledger – and so far, it all seems perfectly book accurate. As for whether fans will be happy with the final product? Monroe is very positive. “We did a pretty great job of following the book,” she says. “So I feel like the fans will be really happy.” She laughs: "You know, we have a great orange truck! But yeah, it’s so hard to know. But my gut is that fans will be happy.” We’ll have to wait until 2026 to find out, but with Maika Monroe leading the project, there’s sure to be no lack of magnetism, whether she's saving her best friend from a sadistic, handbag-wielding widow or emotionally reckoning with the past – so I’d say she’s to be trusted. Until then, at least we have the trailer to tide us over. Reminders of Him will be released in cinemas on Friday 13th March 2026. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Savant could help stop violence in a digital age – so why have Apple delayed it?
The upcoming Apple TV+ political thriller has been indefinitely delayed.
Add The Savant to your watchlist. “How didn’t we see it coming?” It’s an age-old question – often asked in a painful silence after horrifying acts, or lazily written in Instagram comment sections and plastered on placards at protests. But this is precisely the question Apple TV+’s upcoming show The Savant wants to interrogate. How can we stop acts of violence occurring before they happen? How do we recognise the red flags? How can tragedy be prevented before it’s had the chance to become one in the first place? View oEmbed on the source website Inspired by a 2019 Cosmopolitan article detailing the life of a woman who infiltrates online extremist groups to prevent acts of mass violence, the show isn’t interested in over-dramatising its brutality. Uniquely, it instead aims to examine extremism at its source: in digital whispers, online forums and dark corners of the internet. Which is why the recent news that The Savant has been indefinitely delayed, reportedly due to recent, condemnable violent acts in the US, feels like it’s such a huge mistake. Though previously due to arrive on the platform today, Friday 26 September, on Tuesday an Apple TV+ spokesperson explained in a statement: "After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date." Of course, it’s understandable to see why networks and streamers are cautious of releasing such a harrowing series during a tense news cycle, when fiction is so closely echoing reality. But in this volatile, unpredictable climate, it’s not more silence we need – it’s clarity, learning, prevention. And that’s precisely what The Savant aims to make its viewers understand through its eight episodes. It just needs audiences to see them. The Savant hasn’t been alone in its concerns. Just earlier this year, Netflix released four-part drama Adolescence onto its platform, a show that floored audiences with its portrayal of a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering his classmate by stabbing her seven times in the car park behind their school – prompting worldwide scrutiny of toxic incel culture and the online “manosphere”. These shows serve as warnings. Signs that the red flags are always there – that a child showing his classmate a video of a beheading might actually be something that we should be concerned about, that when a young boy starts calling his mother a “b***h” because he heard some bitter man online doing it and thought it was funny, we tell him that it’s not OK before he becomes that same faceless man he’s seen in the videos. Or something worse. In an age of digital obsession, where conversations are no longer happening in small, quiet backrooms and instead in very wide, very encrypted, online spaces, they're increasingly becoming harder and harder to monitor – and more of it is happening. We’re no longer shocked when we hear another mass shooting has taken place, that another innocent life has been lost for some inconceivable reason that will no doubt be spun into political rhetoric and not mourned as the death of another living, breathing human being. We’re exhausted by it. We don't keep the news on in the background any more while we work from home or eat our dinner, out of fear we’ll accidentally stumble upon another story we didn’t want to – instead, we scroll past headlines and turn the channel to something that can distract us, something to make us forget that the horror outside our fronts doors is only a few inches from crawling in. And that’s why the delay of The Savant is so frustrating. Once again, we’re choosing to look away from the issues we need to confront directly – even when the issues are stood in front of us, screaming at us in the face, asking us to understand them, to intervene, to stop them. As lead actor Jessica Chastain herself put it: “I hate that this show is relevant, but maybe through this conversation and through unearthing this darkness in society, then we're gonna work together to fix it.” Classically, we might not view television as an intervention. Historically, these kinds of shows have always worked to solve problems backwards – from the aftermath to the origins, but in the case of The Savant, it’s exactly the origin that is most important. Of course, no TV show alone can stop a shooting – and it would be unethical to suggest as much. What it can do, though, is shift perspective; help us rebuild the narrative from punishment to prevention, and teach us what violence can look like before lives are lost. “How didn’t we see it coming?” We could have. We just looked away.
Jessica Chastain's new series The Savant could help stop violence in a digital age – so why delay it?
“How didn’t we see it coming?” It’s an age-old question – asked in the painful silence after every horrifying act, written lazily in Instagram comment sections, plastered on posters and placards at protests. This question is precisely what Apple TV+’s upcoming show The Savant wants to interrogate. How can we stop acts of violence occurring before they happen? How do we recognise the red flags? How can tragedy be prevented before it’s had the chance to become one in the first place? Inspired by a 2019 Cosmopolitan article detailing the life of a woman who infiltrates online extremist groups to prevent acts of mass violence, the show isn’t interested in over-dramatising its brutality. Uniquely, it instead aims to examine extremism at its source: in digital whispers, online forums and dark corners of the internet. Which is why the recent news that The Savant has been indefinitely delayed, reportedly due to recent, condemnable violent acts in the US, feels like it’s such a huge mistake. Though previously due to arrive on the platform this upcoming Friday, last night an Apple TV+ spokesperson explained in a statement: "After careful consideration, we have made the decision to postpone The Savant. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to releasing the series at a future date." Of course, it’s understandable to see why networks and streamers are cautious of releasing such a harrowing series during a tense news cycle, when fiction is so closely echoing reality. But in this volatile, unpredictable climate we are living through, it’s not more silence we need – it’s clarity, it’s learning, it’s prevention. And that’s precisely what The Savant aims to make its viewers understand through its eight episodes. It just needs audiences to see them. The Savant hasn’t been alone in its concerns. Just earlier this year, Netflix released four-part drama <a id="menur1221" class="fui-Link ___1q1shib f2hkw1w f3rmtva f1ewtqcl fyind8e f1k6fduh f1w7gpdv fk6fouc fjoy568 figsok6 f1s184ao f1mk8lai fnbmjn9 f1o700av f13mvf36 f1cmlufx f9n3di6 f1ids18y f1tx3yz7 f1deo86v f1eh06m1 f1iescvh fhgqx19 f1olyrje f1p93eir f1nev41a f1h8hb77 f1lqvz6u f10aw75t fsle3fq f17ae5zn" title="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/adolescence-season-2-release-date/" href="https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/adolescence-season-2-release-date/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Link Adolescence">Adolescence onto its platform, a show that floored audiences with its portrayal of a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering his classmate by stabbing her seven times in the car park behind their school – prompting worldwide scrutiny of toxic incel culture and the online “manosphere”. These shows serve as warnings. Signs that the red flags are always there – that a child showing his classmate a video of a beheading might actually be something that we should be concerned about, that when a young boy starts calling his mother a “b***h” because he heard some bitter man online doing it and thought it was funny, we tell him that it’s not okay before he becomes that same faceless man he’s seen in the videos. Or something worse. In an age of digital obsession, where conversations are no longer happening in small, quiet backrooms and instead in very wide, very encrypted, online spaces, they're increasingly becoming harder and harder to monitor – and more of it is happening. We’re no longer shocked when we hear another mass shooting has taken place, that another innocent life has been lost for some inconceivable reason that will no doubt be spun into political rhetoric and not mourned as the death of another living, breathing human being. We’re exhausted by it. We don't keep the news on in the background anymore while we work from home or eat our dinner, out of fear we’ll accidentally stumble upon another story we didn’t want to – instead, we scroll past headlines and turn the channel to something that can distract us, something to make us forget that the horror outside our fronts doors is only a few inches from crawling in. And that’s why the delay of The Savant is so frustrating. Once again, we’re choosing to look away from the issues we need to confront directly – even when the issues are stood in front of us, screaming at us in the face, asking us to understand them, to intervene, to stop them. As lead actor Jessica Chastain herself put it: “I hate that this show is relevant, but maybe through this conversation and through unearthing this darkness in society, then we're gonna work together to fix it.” Classically, we might not view television as an intervention. Historically, these kinds of shows have always worked to solve problems backwards – from the aftermath to the origins, but in the case of The Savant, it’s exactly the origin that is most important. Of course, no TV show alone can stop a shooting – and it would be unethical to suggest as much. What it can do, though, is shift perspective; help us rebuild the narrative from punishment to prevention, and teach us what violence can look like before lives are lost. “How didn’t we see it coming?” We could have. We just looked away. The Savant will premiere on Apple TV+ – sign up to Apple TV+ now. Add The Savant to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Jessica Chastain reveals why filming The Savant left her "more hopeful" about the future
"I'm always going to navigate from a place of hope because I do think that at our core, humanity and people are good."
From tackling terrorism in 2012 political thriller Zero Dark Thirty to being investigated by the FBI in 2017's Molly's Game, Academy Award-winning actor Jessica Chastain is no stranger to taking on challenging, real-life roles. And in her latest project, Chastain tackles a completely different threat, one that feels increasingly prevalent in today's society: the rise of online hate and extremism. The Savant is the latest eight-part thriller to drop on Apple TV+, and follows Jodi Goodwin (Chastain), a woman who becomes known as 'The Savant' for infiltrating online hate groups to stop acts of violence. The show is based on the Cosmopolitan article Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?, with the character of Jodi inspired by the anonymous subject of the article – a woman named only as 'K'. As with any politically relevant thriller, The Savant is undoubtedly an intense watch, but perhaps what makes the series so frightening is the fact that those Jodi infiltrates – the ones planning these hateful attacks – are far from the monsters you'd expect them to be: they're neighbours, doctors, even friends. Despite working with such a dark subject matter, and even with the knowledge that there really are so many of these people out there, Chastain tries to hold on to hope. When asked if filming The Savant made her more concerned or hopeful about the issues it raises, Chastain explained to RadioTimes.com: "I'm more hopeful, but I always choose to live from a place of hope. "I mean, there's that Dolly Parton quote, I'm not gonna say the quote because I won't be able to do it perfect, but it's something about, like, 'The rainbow only shows up after the rain'. Something like that, you know? "I hate that this show is relevant. I hate it. I hate that there are mass acts of violence. But maybe through this conversation and through unearthing this darkness in society, then we're gonna work together to fix it. We're gonna work together to protect our children, to create some legislations, to put some guardrails on the things that they're seeing. "I'm always going to navigate from a place of hope because I do think that at our core, humanity and people are good. And the ones who aren't are the ones who make the loudest noise. But there's more power in goodness." With a powerful performance from Chastain, who also acts as an executive producer on the show, The Savant also stars Nnamdi Asomugha, Pablo Schreiber, James Badge Dale, Cole Doman, Michael Mosley, Dagmara Domińczyk, Jordana Spiro, Trinity Lee Shirley and Toussaint Francois Battiste. The Savant will premiere globally on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on Friday 26th September, followed by new episodes every Friday – sign up to Apple TV+ now. Add The Savant to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Death in Paradise star returns for BBC spin-off – and filming has already started
It looks like we're returning to Shipton Abbot!
Fans of Death in Paradise, rejoice, as filming for the show's much-loved spin-off Beyond Paradise is reportedly underway for its fourth season. Kris Marshall is set to return to the fictional Devonshire town of Shipton Abbott, reprising his role as the charming Detective Humphrey Goodman. As reported by The Express, a fan account on Facebook confirmed that season four of the cosy crime drama had began filming, posting a series of behind-the-scenes pictures. Such pictures included a shot of a sign indicating "BP Unit", alongside a caption reading "Back filming in Cornwall". Other fans in the comments quickly appeared to identify the location, with one eagle-eyed viewer writing: "The sign is at St Mellion Golf Club; it's where they store their filming trailers and lorries." While the BBC are yet to confirm an official air date for season 4, it's expected to air some time in 2026. So far, plot details also remain scarce, though there are certainly enough loose-ends to tie up in the new run. The third season of Beyond Paradise wrapped up on something of a tragic note, with Humphrey and Martha saying goodbye to their foster daughter Rosie. Fans are, of course, eager to find out what could happen next for the couple: Will they welcome another foster child into their lives? And will they finally tie the knot? Marshall joined the original Death in Paradise series in 2014, taking over from Ben Miller as the lead Saint Marie detective. He departed the main series in 2017, with his character choosing to return to the UK, but his story continued in 2023 in Beyond Paradise, with Humphrey now settled and ready to marry fiancée Martha (Sally Britton). Aside from Marshall, we'd also likely expect returns from Sally Britton as Martha, Barbara Flynn as Anne Lloyd, Zahra Ahmadi as DS Esther Williams, Dylan Llewellyn as PC Kelby Hartford, Felicity Montagu as Margo Martins, Melina Sinadinou as Zoe Williams and Jade Harrison as CS Charlie Woods, in the upcoming run. Meanwhile, over in Saint Marie, original series Death in Paradise has been confirmed for a 15th season, with actor Don Gilet confirming on Instagram that he and the rest of the cast and crew would begin filming in April. Beyond Paradise seasons 1-3 and Death in Paradise seasons 1-14 are available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Lana Del Rey albums in order: Full albums and track lists
From Born to Die to Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd, it's easy to get lost in Lana Del Rey's iconic discography – so we're here to help.
With Lana Del Rey’s 10th studio album one of the most anticipated new records of 2025, what better time to revisit the star’s discography? Having originally forged her career under her real name, Lizzy Grant, the New York native broke onto the scene back in 2011 with Video Games, quickly leaving her mark across the world with her soulful '60s-inspired tones. With groundbreaking 2012 debut album Born to Die, Lana solidified her status as one of the most exciting songwriters of her generation – and went on to gain even more of a cult following with 2019's Norman F**king Rockwell. Known for stylistic, haunting lyrics, and her dreamy, melancholic voice, Lana Del Rey has crafted an artistic universe of her own over the last decade, and she shows no sign of slowing down (nor do her legendary song names, for that matter – I'm looking at you, Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he's deep-sea fishing). Read on for everything you need to know about Lana Del Rey's albums – from release order to track lists. Lana Del Rey albums in order: Full albums and track lists Lana Del Rey has released nine studio albums. Her 10th album, which has gone through several title changes, including Lasso and The Right Person Will Stay, was initially set to come out in May 2025 – but back in April, the singer confirmed that it will not “come on time” – and that it will have a new title. Her albums in release order are as follows: Lana Del Ray AKA Lizzy Grant Born to Die Born to Die: The Paradise Edition Ultraviolence Honeymoon Lust For Life Norman F**king Rockwell Chemtrails over the Country Club Blue Banisters Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd Untitled 10th album (upcoming) Lana has also recorded one spoken word album, Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass, which features 14 poems from her poetry collection of the same name. Buy Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass on vinyl here Read on for full track lists of each album. Lana Del Ray AKA Lizzy Grant (2010) Kill Kill Queen of the Gas Station Oh Say Can You See Gramma (Blue Ribbon Sparkler Trailer Heaven) For K Part 2 Jump Mermaid Motel Raise Me Up (Mississippi South) Pawn Shop Blues Brite Lites Put Me in a Movie Smarty Yayo Lana Del Ray, AKA Lizzy Grant, is the debut studio album by Lana Del Rey – though, at the time of release, she still spelled her name as Lana Del Ray rather than Lana Del Rey. The album introduced fans to the idiosyncrasies that would later become recognised as signature elements of Lana's style. The album was never released physically, though the tracks can still be found on platforms such as YouTube. One song on the album, Yayo, was later re-recorded for the extended version of Lana's second album, Born To Die. Born to Die (2012) Born to Die (reached No.9 in the UK charts) Off to the Races Blue Jeans Video Games (reached No.6 in the UK charts) Diet Mountain Dew National Anthem Dark Paradise Radio Carmen Million Dollar Man This Is What Makes Us Girls Without You Lolita Lucky Ones Lana's second album, and the one which would become known as her breakout record, Born to Die is an alternative pop album that chronicles the themes of love, loss, disillusion and Americana, with songs like Video Games, Radio and Summertime Sadness having earned cult status since their releases. In 2023, Born to Die made history as the second album by a woman to spend over 500 weeks on the US Billboard 200. It has since earned widespread acclaim, consistently ranked among the greatest albums of all time by major publications, including Billboard and The Guardian. Buy Born To Die on vinyl here Paradise (2012) Ride American Cola Body Electric Blue Velvet Gods & Monsters Yayo Bel Air Less of an album in its own right and more of an extension of Born to Die, Paradise was released some 10 months after its predecessor. It was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, and added eight tracks to Born to Die's B-side. A bonus short film, Tropico, was released alongside the EP, set to three songs: Body Electric, Gods & Monsters and Bel Air. Ultraviolence (2014) Cruel World Ultraviolence Shades of Cool Brooklyn Baby West Coast Sad Girl Pretty When You Cry Money Power Glory F**ked My Way Up to the Top Old Money The Other Woman Black Beauty Guns and Roses Florida Kilos Is This Happiness With a far darker premise than the former, Ultraviolence marks Lana Del Rey's third studio album. Delving deeper into Lana's classic themes with more of a gritty, brooding, psychedelic rock influence than Born to Die, the album debuted at number one in 11 countries, and at the time of release, held the record for the largest album sales debut by a female artist. Buy Ultraviolence on vinyl here Honeymoon (2015) Honeymoon Music to Watch Boys To Terrence Loves You God Knows I Tried High by the Beach Freak Art Deco Burnt Norton (Interlude) Religion Salvatore The Blackest Day 24 Swan Song Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood Perhaps the perfect album for a languid summer in Treviso, Honeymoon's lustful jazz and hypnotic strings debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Initially set to be titled Music to Watch Boys To – named after the album's second track – Honeymoon incorporates influences from a range of artists, including David Bowie and Nina Simone. Buy Honeymoon on vinyl here Lust for Life (2017) Love Lust for Life (feat The Weeknd) 13 Beaches Cherry White Mustang Summer Bummer (feat A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti) Groupie Love (feat A$AP Rocky) In My Feelings Coachella – Woodstock in My Mind God Bless America – and All the Beautiful Women in It When the World Was at War We Kept Dancing Beautiful People Beautiful Problems (feat Stevie Nicks) Tomorrow Never Came (feat Sean Lennon) Heroin Change Get Free We've had pop, rock and jazz – now it's time for hip-hop, for Lana Del Rey's fifth album, Lust for Life, stands as one of her most unique releases. With features with everyone from The Weeknd and A$AP Rocky to Sean Lennon and Stevie Nicks, Lust For Life proved Lana's true versatility, and that her haunting, angelic vocals can effortlessly adapt to any track. Buy Lust for Life on vinyl here Norman F**king Rockwell (2019) Norman f**king Rockwell Mariners Apartment Complex Venice B**ch Doin' Time F**k it I love you Love song Cinnamon Girl How to disappear California The Next Best American Record The greatest Bartender Happiness is a butterfly hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have – but I have it Undeniably one of the best, if not the best, album on this list, Norman F**king Rockwell was the first of Lana's albums to be nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys. Met with widespread critical acclaim upon its release, NFR has everything from a 10-minute long Los Angeles lullaby to a cover of a Sublime track so good you'll forget it wasn't originally hers, and has been named by everyone from Rolling Stone to Apple Music to Billboard as one of the best albums of all time. From its reverent opening to a cathartic climax, there's no wonder that Pitchfork readers voted NFR the best album by a female artist of the last 25 years. Buy Norman F***ing Rockwell on vinyl here Chemtrails over the Country Club (2020) White Dress Chemtrails over the Country Club Tulsa Jesus Freak Let Me Love You Like a Woman Wild at Heart Dark But Just a Game Not All Who Wander Are Lost Yosemite Breaking Up Slowly (feat Nikki Lane) Dance Till We Die For Free (feat Zella Day & Weyes Blood) The first of Lana's albums with a country influence, Chemtrails over the Country Club, as well as Blue Banisters, are sometimes known as Lana's 'Covid' albums – having both been released during the pandemic and containing subtle references to such. Chemtrails is Lana's shortest album, coming in at only 45 minutes long, and, according to Lana, it honours her female friends and family, with songs like White Dress capturing Lana's perfect falsetto notes and transcendent melodies. Buy Chemtrails over the Country Club here Blue Banisters (2021) Text Book Blue Banisters Arcadia Interlude – The Trio Black Bathing Suit If You Lie Down with Me Beautiful Violet for Roses Dealer Thunder Wildflower Wildfire Nectar of the Gods Living Legend Cherry Blossom Sweet Carolina Lana's seventh album, Blue Banisters, was released the most quietly – with Lana having deactivated many of her social media accounts prior to its release. Upon its released, Lana explained: "I didn't promote it, period, at all. I didn't want anyone to listen to it. I just wanted it to be there in case anyone was ever curious for any information." Nonetheless, the album, which is perhaps one of Lana's most introspective, delicate, personal works (especially the 11th track on the album, Wildflower Wildfire) was received well by critics. Buy Blue Bannisters on vinyl here Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd (2023) The Grants Did you know that there's a tunnel under Ocean Blvd Sweet A&W Judah Smith Interlude Candy Necklace (feat Jon Batiste) Jon Batiste Interlude Kintsugi Fingertips Paris, Texas (feat SYML) Grandfather please stand on the shoulders of my father while he's deep-sea fishing Let the Light In (feat Father John Misty) Margaret (feat Bleachers) Fishtail Peppers (feat Tommy Genesis) Taco Truck x VB Often considered the sister album to Norman F**king Rockwell, DYKTTATUOB is Lana's most recent album, and the second to have been nominated for Album of the Year. Praised by critics for its profound lyrics and exceptional production value, the album marked a powerful return to form for Lana – ruminating, cinematic and deeply soulful. Buy Did you know there's a tunnel under Ocean Boulevard on vinyl here Untitled 10th album (expected in 2025) Henry, come on Bluebird 57.5 (expected) Quiet in the South (expected) Stars Fell on Alabama (expected) Lana's upcoming 10th studio release has gone through several transformations leading up to its release. Originally titled Lasso, then The Right Person Will Stay, the project is now reportedly going by the title Classic, though this is yet to be confirmed by Lana herself. The album was initially due to be released on 21st May 2025, but back in April 2025, Lana took to Instagram to explain that the upcoming album will not "come on time". Described by Lana as a "classic country, American, or Southern Gothic production," the album is also expected to feature covers of tracks such as Tammy Wynette's Stand By Your Man and John Denver's Take Me Home, Country Roads. Check out more of our Radio coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Final Destination at 25: Bloodlines continues a franchise that never dies
On 17th March 2000, flight Volée Airlines Flight 180 crashed onto our screens. Twenty-five years later, the Final Destination franchise continues to terrify audiences with its relentless, iconic legacy. From defective roller coasters to faulty tanning beds, Final Destination has taught us fear in the everyday – turning the most mundane experiences into death traps and making us wonder whether every intrusive thought that passes through our heads could be a premonition. What began as a standalone horror has cascaded into a cinematic phenomenon, spawning five sequels that have collectively grossed over $100 million at the box office. Each instalment has been bloodier and more brutal than the last, finding new, twisted ways to terrify us with every run. And now, Final Destination Bloodlines is set to arrive in cinemas, passing down the terror to a whole new generation of horror fans. Over two decades on, Final Destination’s legacy certainly loomed over the heads of the cast and creators of Bloodlines. Stepping into such a beloved franchise didn’t prove particularly easy, as the cast reveal exclusively to RadioTimes.com. "We tried not to think about it," laughs Rya Kihlstedt, who plays distant mother Darlene in Bloodlines. "It’s been so long since number five that if we leaned into that too much, there would be a lot of pressure, and yet it also allowed us to look at it as a separate film." Such a sentiment is echoed by Teo Briones, who plays Darlene’s son Charlie. "If we thought about it too much, we’d lose our minds," he laughs. For some, stepping into Final Destination was a dream come true. "I was a massive fan of the franchise," says Richard Harmon, who plays Erik. "I watched the first one when I was 11 years old without my parents knowing. I’ve seen them all multiple times, so it was an honour to be part of the franchise. It’s horror greatness." And he’s not wrong. From ladders through eyeballs to dismemberments by fences to nail guns to the head, it is the inventive deaths and terrifying premonitions of Final Destination that make the franchise so brilliantly unique. There is perhaps no scene better to demonstrate how well Final Destination taps into our fears than the opening sequence of Final Destination 2, in which our leading lady Kimberly (AJ Cook) has a vision of a massive highway pile-up, caused when logs detach from the back of a logging truck. It was the scene that traumatised a generation and has left its audiences with a permanent fear of getting behind the wheel. View oEmbed on the source website "The opening premonitions are all so incredible. I mean, the opening pile-up with the logs is, of course, unbeatable," says Adam Stein, co-director of the latest run. Stein also highlights the gymnastic death from Final Destination 5 as another personal favourite: "It’s such masterful filmmaking. You’re just watching close-ups of a screw, and feet missing it. And nothing’s happening, but you’re feeling such tension and suspense. And that definitely inspired us." For Anna Lore, who plays Julia – the sceptical cousin of Kaitlyn Santa Juana’s lead character Stefani – the escalator death in the fourth film stands out as particularly memorable, as does the laser eye surgery debacle in the fifth film. Though, for Lore, it’s the subversion of expectation so present in Final Destination that draws her in. "She goes to get LASIK, and you’re worried about the LASIK the whole time, and then she dies by falling out of a window. It’s the subversion. I like those deaths." Harmon adds another gruesome moment to the list: "The moment in Final Destination 2 where little Timmy runs into the pigeons to scare them off and a pane of glass squishes him. I was in love after that." It’s no wonder that, with so many ways to die playing out on screen, some of the cast went home with death playing on their minds. "There was a lot of conversation on set about ways to die," recalls Kihlstedt. "I’m afraid of electrical cords after this movie," laughs Kaitlyn Santa Juana, who plays protagonist Stefani in Bloodlines. "This movie scarred me for life." And after 25 years, what keeps fans wanting to return to these films, despite the premise remaining largely the same? "In the horror movie realm, there are so many different genres," says Kihlstedt. "I think people really like the scare, the dolls, the killers – this (franchise) really stands on its own because it kind of has all of it. It has body count, and gore and humour." And she’s right – Final Destination stands apart not just for the fact people die, but for how they die. It’s what makes the franchise so compelling. Each scene is so brilliantly coordinated, playing out like a twisted puzzle before the inevitable, gory outcome. We go into every Final Destination film knowing that people (most of the time, everyone) will die. We keep watching to find out exactly how it happens. "The fan base in incredible," adds Santa Juana. "The fans really uphold this franchise. For something so scary and gory, there’s so much love." And it seems Briones agrees: "For me, going into this franchise was making sure we did service to the fans, and that we made a movie that they want to watch." For Santa Juana, stepping into Final Destination was a particularly unique experience, following in the footsteps of the franchise's past leading ladies – Kimberly Corman, Wendy Christensen (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and, of course, Clear Rivers (who gets a mention, albeit brief, in the latest run). So, what was it like preparing for the final girl – the Final Destination girl, if you will – role? "I got an acting coach," she explains, "I kind of made [Stefani] at first a detective, then in the middle she was a protector, and then at the end, she was a survivor. So, on the days we went to set, I was like, 'Where are we in the story, who am I right now?' And that’s how I found my through-line." As for the future of the franchise, there is currently no word on if it will continue with a seventh run. Santa Juana and Briones, though, have a few interesting ideas. "We need a movie about a movie set. Number seven. Who do I call to make this happen?" Santa Juana jokes. "It should be about filming a Final Destination movie!" Briones laughs. And though their ideas may simply be jokes, it’s not something that seems entirely out of possibility. For what is so superb about Final Destination is its ability to make any moment horrifying. Indeed, from that first flight back in 2000 to the present day, Final Destination has kept audiences on the edge of their seats. You might not be able to cheat death, but the legacy of Final Destination will never die. Final Destination Bloodlines is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Final Destination Bloodlines directors reveal scene that was altered for final cut
One particular moment could have played out quite differently.
A Devil Wears Prada sequel, a third Princess Diaries and now, a sixth Final Destination film – could it be the 2000s are returning? Already hailed as one of the best in the franchise, the latest sequel, Final Destination Bloodlines, offers a unique twist on the franchise's usual format. While in all the past films, the main character has a premonition of the way they and their friends will die, this time, the lead (played by Kaitlyn Santa Juana) inherits her grandmother's premonition from the 1960s. As usual, though, all the same regular bloody, brutal chaos ensues. And now, speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, directors Adam Stein and Zach Lipovsky have revealed which scene in the film could have looked completely different. Lipovsky explained: "One sequence that eventually became the backyard barbecue, originally before that it was actually more like... Chuck E Cheese, sort of family, kids' restaurant, where you've got sort of arcade machines and bowling and bumper cars, and all sorts of stuff like that. "But eventually, it made more sense to do that in a backyard where it's all about family, and kind of has the relatability of all the things that everyone experiences, you know, when you go over to someone's house. "So that felt better for that scene, especially as they're saying goodbye to a family member who's just died. And so we tried to bring all the different things that could come to life in a backyard barbecue." Read more: Hailee Steinfeld "forever grateful" to Sinners role for pushing her to research her multiracial heritage Thunderbolts* isn't really like an indie film, director emphasises One could only imagine the Final Destination-esque carnage that could have ensued in an environment such as a Chuck E Cheese – drowning in a ball pit, an exploding arcade machine, a faulty animatronic? The possibilities are endless. Marking 25 years since the first film, a certain scene in Final Destination Bloodlines also reportedly broke the record for the oldest person to be set on fire on camera, with 71-year old stunt actor Yvette Ferguson coming out of retirement for the scene. Final Destination Bloodlines is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Final Destination Bloodlines director opens up on working with Tony Todd on his final movie
Todd is the only actor to have appeared in all six Final Destination films.
This week, Final Destination is returning to cinemas for its sixth outing: Final Destination Bloodlines. Since debuting back in 2000, the franchise has grown a huge fanbase and has long been admired for its unique premise – a character experiences a premonition that allows them, and often their group of friends, to escape from a deadly disaster, only to later find that Death is still coming for them. Over the entirety of its 25-year run, only one actor has returned for all six of the films – horror legend Tony Todd, who sadly passed away in November of last year at the age of 69. Playing the mysterious William Bludworth in all six films, Bloodlines is the last to feature Todd, and also the first to delve a little deeper into his character. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Final Destination Bloodlines director Zach Lipovsky reflected on the experience of working with Todd. "We were so grateful to have him there," he said. "We knew he was ill when we were working on the film and writing the film, and he was very, very eager to be in the movie, even though he was sick." He continued: "So it presented itself as a potential moment where we could give his character, that he's had in all these films, more of a backstory. To make him a bit more of a character rather than this sort of mentor figure that shows up. [And] give a bit more of an explanation of who he is, which he was very excited about. "And then also craft the ability for him to have a goodbye. You know, when we were filming that scene we knew that it was likely his last Final Destination movie, and potentially his last movie ever." Lipovsky also explained that Todd's scene was intentionally crafted as a farewell. He explained: "The narrative was built around that idea that Bludworth would be saying goodbye to the characters, but also, on another level, that he was saying goodbye to the audience. Read more: Thunderbolts* star Lewis Pullman breaks down how movie tackles mental health Tom Hardy recalls struggling with Havoc action scene: "I'm not gonna make this" Lipovsky added that he and co-director Adam Stein "worked very closely" with Todd, and that the actor "had so much fun with the cast – there was like this electricity with him and the cast". On filming Todd's emotional final scene, Lipovsky said that it was a particularly poignant moment on set: "When it came time for his last moment in the movie, which is quite powerful, we told him to, for a moment, throw the script away and sort of speak from the heart about what was on his mind, about what all these movies have been about, what his life had been about, thinking about his own mortality and Bludworth's mortality, and just [letting] us know what was on [his] mind. "And those lines about cherishing what you have all came from him in that moment. And I think that's why it's so powerful, is it's really earnest and honest, and it's been something we thought about a lot, and even through the whole rest of making the movie, [we've] been trying to cherish every second, just like he said, because you can see how much it meant to him." Final Destination Bloodlines will be released in UK cinemas on Wednesday 14th May. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Lana Del Rey 10th studio album: Release date speculation and latest news
Here's everything we know about the highly anticipated release.
Lana Del Rey is preparing to release her much-anticipated 10th album – although the journey to release has not been an easy one. The release, which is set to lean into a more country sound than her previous projects, was initially named Lasso when first announced, with a confirmation she was re-teaming with Jack Antonoff as well as country singer-songwriter Luke Laird. However, in November 2024, Lana confirmed the name was changed to The Right Person Will Stay, and in April 2025 she told fans it had been changed again, only this time keeping fans in suspense on what she'd landed on. That's before we get into the difficulty with keeping to the release schedule, which has also changed multiple times. We're certain it will be worth the wait, though, with the singer slowly dropping singles from the release before the album is finally unleashed onto the world. Here's everything we know about the upcoming release... When is Lana Del Rey's next album release date? Currently, it is not known when the album will be released. However, Lana is set to go on a world tour this year to promote the release, so it can't be too far away. She'll be coming to the UK in June and tickets are on sale now. Speaking on Instagram to fans, Lana confirmed that the original 21st May deadline will not be met, but it is on its way, simply telling followers: "You know it’s not gonna come on time, right?" She then joked: "Should I even tell you that the name changed again? Maybe I’ll wait." When titled Lasso, the new album was meant to drop in October 2024, but was halted by Lana after she felt an "energetic pause" that stopped it getting done. She told People that month: "I think all the songs have been Americana and I want to wait to see what the musical atmosphere feels like. "Cause I don’t usually feel like I need a pause in the creation process, but if there’s a literal energetic pause that almost feels like physical, then I have to wait and I don’t know why." From there, it was changed to The Right Person Will Stay before she said it was changed again. What is Lana Del Rey's new album tracklist? Currently, there is no official tracklist for her new album. However, it is speculated that there will be a total of 13 songs on the album. The tracks that have been confirmed so far are: Henry, Come On Bluebird As well as these, during her Stagecoach Festival performance on Friday 25th April, Lana debuted three previously unheard songs: 57.5, Husband of Mine and Quiet in the South, all of which are likely to feature on the album. There has also been speculation that two covers of popular country songs could also be featured on the tracklist: Stand By Your Man, originally by Tammy Wynette, and Take Me Home, Country Roads, originally by John Denver. The latter song was officially released by Lana in 2023. What singles has Lana Del Rey released from her new album? On 11th April 2025, Lana released the first single from the upcoming album. The song was called Henry, Come On, and is available to listen to here: View oEmbed on the source website The release was in anticipation of her headline slot at Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California. While performing new song 57.5, which is yet to be released officially, at the festival, Lana said that she "kissed Morgan Wallen and it kind of went to his head". Wallen is yet to comment himself about the claim, and Lana hinted at the show it would be the only time she would sing it, suggesting it would be changed for the album. On 19th April, she released the song Bluebird. On the same day, Lana explained via a video on Instagram that the song is about a real-life event, when a bird flew into her window during a time of confusion in her relationship. She explained: "I had been seeing someone for a very long time and we hadn't seen each other for a while, and he called and he asked me if I wanted to go for a walk. "I was kind of excited, but I didn't think it was a very good idea. And I said yes, and I started getting dressed, and all of a sudden a bird smacked into the double pane window doors of my bedroom, and I was shocked. I opened the little door and I saw this little... I think it was like a little sparrow, right there. And I just was so emotional." The simple yet powerful ballad brings Lana's haunting vocals against an acoustic guitar and violins, and the full audio is available to listen to below. View oEmbed on the source website Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
How The Last Showgirl illustrates the ultimate female paradox
"Feeling seen, feeling beautiful, that is powerful."
Only two years ago, 57-year-old Pamela Anderson went viral for her choice to go without make-up at Paris Fashion Week. “I'm make-up-free at home, so why not for Paris Fashion Week?" she told People magazine. "I really didn't know anyone would notice it, but I'm glad it became a positive message.” And people did notice, because since then, Anderson has continued to make headlines for a choice she sees as liberating, appearing at the Golden Globes, the Met Gala and even the Oscars in long, glamorous dresses, all while showcasing a fresh, minimally-makeuped face. "It's very freeing to be comfortable in your own skin," she explained. The act marked a shift for Anderson, who is best known for being a ‘90s sex symbol after her role as CJ Parker in Baywatch – and a face that became synonymous with red swimsuits. And just as any beautiful woman in the ‘90s, Anderson has long been scrutinised by the public eye, following her whirlwind marriages and a leaked sex tape that was stolen from her. It was only in 2022 that the most controversial and traumatic period of her life was dramatised for the Disney Plus series Pam & Tommy by a group of predominantly male producers who never even asked her if it was OK. Despite Anderson’s newfound approach to beauty, though, some still remain sceptical. “I’m not buying it,” I read recently in a long-form article, dismissing Anderson’s no-make-up look as nothing more than a publicity stunt for the cameras. “What’s so ‘ethereal’ about not wearing any make-up?” Her critics argue that, because of her past as a Playboy model and her decision to have a boob job, Anderson is somehow disqualified from presenting a look she believes liberates her. Anderson cannot win. No matter what she does, there will always be someone ready to criticise her. And that’s the problem. If we want to support women, we must support all women, and that includes the ones with pretty faces and fake boobs. Women are allowed to choose the identity they want – whether you like it or not. “She’s not the sort of woman I want to look up to.” Guess what? She didn’t ask you to. It appears this idea is mirrored in Anderson’s latest film The Last Showgirl, in which Shelly, a middle-aged Las Vegas showgirl (played by the star in truly heartbreaking form – a form that was snubbed by the Oscars, might I add), who must face a harsh reality when she learns that her beloved revue Le Razzle Dazzle is scheduled to close after 30 years. As the film unfolds, we begin to understand that Shelly has a strained relationship with her daughter Hannah (Billie Lourd), mostly because Shelly struggled to balance the career she adores with single motherhood. Hannah’s father, Eddie – the producer of Le Razzle Dazzle – has, meanwhile, never been present in her life, despite knowing of her existence and seeing his daughter’s mother work herself to death almost every day. Shelly has spent the majority of Hannah’s life trying to balance the career she loves with the daughter she adores, and, in Hannah’s eyes, her career always came first. And now, such career is faltering, because Shelly is getting older. “You were obviously hired at Le Razzle Dazzle because you were beautiful and young a long time ago,” a director coldly informs her during an audition. View oEmbed on the source website The Last Showgirl is a staunch reminder of the fact that women cannot have it all – a family, a career. It’s the ultimate female paradox. In the same way to the actress who plays her, Shelly can do no right to society. If she’s a dedicated mother, she must sacrifice her career, but if she focuses on her career, she sacrifices being the mother her daughter needs. And now, she has lost both. Her daughter resents her, and her career has been lost because she, no longer, is considered young and beautiful. But while The Last Showgirl may paint a sobering picture of womanhood, the fact the story is even being told by a 57-year-old woman carries significant weight. In fact, middle-aged women are increasingly reclaiming the spotlight, what with Nicole Kidman exploring her sexuality in Babygirl, Demi Moore proving her worth in The Substance and Renée Zellweger discovering new romance as a 52-year-old mother of two in the latest Bridget Jones film. After years of being a supporting character, the wife or the daughter or the mother of a much younger protagonist (unless they're a man, of course, who are almost always allowed to be older), women above 50 are re-entering spaces where they were previously called “old” and “ugly”. “But we still have a long way to go. All of these women are white and straight. They aren’t representative of us all,” yes, and of course there should be further room to tell every woman’s story. There is still a lot of work to be done in crafting a space for women who haven’t had it as ‘easy’ as Pam – but a win’s a win, for now, and there is no space to put one woman down to lift another up. “I’m beautiful. I’m 57, and I’m beautiful, you son of a b***h,” proclaims Shelly in the final act of The Last Showgirl, and this International Women’s Day, it’s about time we tell her she’s right. The Last Showgirl is available to watch in cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Oscar predictions 2025: Who will win and should win Best Actress?
It looks like it's Moore vs Madison for the golden statuette.
The race for Best Actress is undoubtedly the most controversial category in this year’s Oscars cycle. From the absence of intimacy coordinators to resurfaced problematic tweets, there has been more than enough drama to go around. But as the Academy prepares for the biggest night in film, who will walk away victorious? At the moment, Demi Moore seems to be the frontrunner. At 62 years old, Moore has defied critics who scrutinised her body, marriage and career with her electrifying, genre-defying, socially relevant performance in The Substance. Having already taken home the Golden Globe and delivered an emotional speech on Hollywood’s dismissal of her in the 1990s, a win for Moore would not only be an apology from the industry, but also an overdue victory for the horror genre and a female-directed film, both of which have long been swept under the rug by the Academy. Moore certainly faces some stiff competition, though, and none of her opponents are more formidable than fresh-faced Mikey Madison, who captivated audiences with her role as Ani in Sean Baker’s comedy-drama Anora. Then there's industry veteran Fernanda Torres, who plays a grieving wife dealing with the forced disappearance of her congressman husband in Brazilian political biography I’m Still Here. Sponsored by Vue Save up to 30% on the latest releases at Vue in 2025 Are you a movie lover who always wants to be up to date with the latest releases? Then you're in luck, as RadioTimes.com readers can enjoy new films at Vue Cinemas for less. Customers will receive up to 30% off films with Vue Pass, as long as they have a RadioTimes.com account. It's a great time for new releases, with films such as Wicked, Nosferatu, The Brutalist and Moana 2 taking UK cinemas by storm. Head to your nearest Vue to catch these movies and more for up to 30% less if you're signed up as a RadioTimes.com member. Save up to 30% with Vue Pass At only 25 years old, Madison has had a breakthrough role with Anora, and her performance is undoubtedly the best of her career thus far – as evidenced by the multiple awards she has received across this award season (including a Critics Choice and a BAFTA). As Ani, Madison is electric and screen-stealing, providing a performance that was almost certainly the reason behind Anora’s Palme d’Or win at the Cannes Film Festival. Despite this, the film has been met with debate regarding the presence of intimacy coordinators, especially after Madison admitted to declining one when offered the chance by Baker, with some suggesting than an intimacy coordinator should be a protective requirement for actors and not just a question from a director. The most traditional nominee in the race, Fernanda Torres's performance in I’m Still Here is poignant and powerful, and has been praised for its depth. Torres’s nomination is already a historic feat – she is only the second Brazilian woman, after her own mother, to be nominated for the category in question – but her presence is not without its own looming controversy, with Torres forced to apologise shortly after the film’s release when footage resurfaced of her performing a comedy sketch in blackface years ago. But the competition doesn’t just stop there. Karla Sofia Gascón also stands in the Best Actress storm for her hugely divisive role in Netflix’s comedy-slash-musical-slash-serious-crime-flick Emilia Pérez. After a large-scale social media controversy involving the resurfacing of problematic tweets, though, Gascón’s prospects have been largely diminished, even though if she were to win, she would make history as the first openly transgender woman to receive the award. Rounding off the roster is Cynthia Erivo, nominated for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked. Already an icon to musical fans, Erivo had huge boots, and even bigger lungs, to fill taking on Elphaba – a role originated by 'Queen of Broadway' Idina Menzel in the original's stage production – but her performance was received warmly by critics, who praised her heartfelt characterisation and vocal mastery. Although for the moment, Erivo seems to have fallen underneath the rubble of her fellow nominees, Wicked: For Good is set to be released later this year, meaning Erivo’s golden statuette chances may not be completely lost. View Green Video on the source website The Academy Awards will take place on Sunday 2nd March. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
From an ambitious sex worker to the Wicked Witch of the West – who will be awarded Best Actress at this year's Oscars?
The race for Best Actress is undoubtedly the most controversial category in this year’s Oscars cycle. From the absence of intimacy coordinators to resurfaced problematic tweets, there has been more than enough drama to go round. But as the Academy prepares for the biggest night in film, who will walk away victorious? At the moment, Demi Moore seems to be the frontrunner. At 62 years old, Moore has defied critics who scrutinised her body, marriage and career with her electrifying, genre-defying, socially relevant performance in The Substance. Having already taken home the Golden Globe and delivered an emotional speech on Hollywood’s dismissal of her in the 1990s, a win for Moore would not only be an apology from the industry, but also an overdue victory for the horror genre and a female-directed film, both of which have long been swept under the rug by the Academy. Moore certainly faces some stiff competition, though, and none of her opponents are more formidable than fresh-faced Mikey Madison, who captivated audiences with her role as Ani in Sean Baker’s comedy-drama Anora. Then there's industry veteran Fernanda Torres, who plays a grieving wife dealing with the forced disappearance of her congressman husband in Brazilian political biography I’m Still Here. At only 25 years old, Madison has had a breakthrough role with Anora, and her performance is undoubtedly the best of her career thus far – as evinced by the multiple awards she has received across this award season (including a Critics Choice and a BAFTA). As Ani, Madison is electric and screen-stealing, providing a performance that was almost certainly the reason behind Anora’s Palme d’Or win at the Cannes Film Festival. Despite this, the film has been met with debate regarding the presence of intimacy co-ordinators, especially after Madison admitted to declining one when offered one by Baker, with some suggesting than an intimacy co-ordinator should be a protective requirement for actors and not just a passing question from a director. The most traditional nominee in the race, Fernanda Torres's performance in I’m Still Here is poignant and powerful, and has been praised for its depth. Torres’s nomination is already a historic feat – she is only the second Brazilian woman, after her own mother, to be nominated for the category in question – but her presence is not without its own looming controversy, with Torres forced to apologise shortly after the film’s release when footage resurfaced of her performing a comedy sketch in blackface years ago. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/02/Emilia-Perez-Karla-Sofia-Gascon-Zoe-Saldana-2dcbfec.jpg" width="7200" height="4800" alt="Karla Sofía Gascón as Emilia Pérez looking at the camera with a soft smile, and Zoe Saldaña as Rita Moro Castro out of focus in the background." title="Karla Sofía Gascón as Emilia Pérez and Zoe Saldaña as Rita Moro Castro in Emilia Pérez" /> But the competition doesn’t just stop there. Karla Sofia Gascón also stands in the Best Actress storm for her hugely divisive role in Netflix’s comedy-slash-musical-slash-serious-crime-flick Emilia Pérez. After a large-scale social media controversy involving the resurfacing of problematic tweets, though, Gascón’s prospects have been largely diminished, even though if she were to win, she would make history as the first openly transgender woman to receive the award. Rounding off the roster is Cynthia Erivo, nominated for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked. Already an icon to musical fans, Erivo had huge boots, and even bigger lungs, to fill taking on Elphaba – a role originated by “Queen of Broadway” Idina Menzel in the original's stage production – but her performance was received warmly by critics, who praised her heartfelt characterisation and vocal mastery. Although for the moment, Erivo seems to have fallen underneath the rubble of her fellow nominees, Wicked: For Good is set to be released later this year, meaning Erivo’s golden statuette chances may not be completely lost.
Yellowjackets season 3 cast: Meet the characters
Eat your heart out – Yellowjackets is back for a third season.
*Warning: This article contains spoilers for Yellowjackets seasons 1 and 2.* There's so much to love about Yellowjackets, the Paramount Plus survival epic about a high-school football team stranded in the wilderness after their plane crashes. From the split timeline, the balance of horror and humour, the imaginative twists and the supernatural elements, it's no wonder the show has amassed a huge following. Another of the show's undeniable charms is its star-studded cast, with '90s icons like Christina Ricci and Melanie Lynskey playing the adult versions of the teens. Whoever was responsible for finding their teen counterparts must be a genius too because they bear a striking resemblance to their adult iterations. With season 3 upon us, read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Yellowjackets. Who's in the cast of Yellowjackets season 3? The main cast of Yellowjackets season 3 is as follows. Scroll down for more information on the actors and where you've seen them before. Melanie Lynskey and Sophie Nélisse as Shauna Shipman Tawny Cypress and Jasmin Savoy Brown as Taissa Turner Christina Ricci and Sammi Hanratty as Misty Quigley Sophie Thatcher as Natalie Scatorccio, AKA 'Nat' Ella Purnell as Jackie Taylor Lauren Ambrose and Liv Hewson as Vanessa Palmer AKA 'Van' Simone Kessell and Courtney Eaton as Lottie Matthews Sarah Desjardins as Callie Sadecki Steven Krueger as coach Ben Scott Warren Kole as Jeff Sadecki Kevin Alves as teen Travis Martinez Elijah Wood as Walter Tattersall Hilary Swank as TBA Joel McHale as TBA Melanie Lynskey plays adult Shauna Shipman Who is Shauna Shipman? Shauna went on to marry Jackie's former boyfriend Jeff and they have a daughter called Callie, who she has a strained relationship with. Shauna had an affair with an artist called Adam, who she murdered due to her belief that he was the one blackmailing her. But it emerged that Jeff, who was having money troubles, was behind the scam. Where have I seen Melanie Lynskey before? Lynskey recently appeared in HBO-Sky Atlantic drama The Last of Us. She's also known for Heavenly Creatures with Kate Winslet, Hulu's Candy, HBO comedy-drama Togetherness, The Informant with Matt Damon, Netflix's I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore, Away We Go starring John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, and comedy Two and a Half Men. Sophie Nélisse plays teen Shauna Who is teen Shauna? Shauna, along with the rest of the high school girls' football team, was stranded in the middle of nowhere after the plane that was carrying them to nationals crashed. She was best friends with Jackie but their relationship fell apart after Shauna and Jackie's boyfriend Jeff slept together, and Shauna fell pregnant. Where have I seen Sophie Nélisse before? Most recently, she starred in The Kid Detective with Adam Brody. She's also fluent in French and has appeared in numerous French films and TV shows. Tawny Cypress plays adult Taissa Turner Who is Taissa Turner? In season 1, Taissa worked in politics, campaigning to become the state senator of New Jersey. But her career – as well as her family life – soon unravelled as she became haunted by her past trauma. She has a son named Sammy. Where have I seen Tawny Cypress before? Cypress has appeared in superhero drama Heroes, police procedural Unforgettable and crime drama K-Ville. Jasmin Savoy Brown plays teen Taissa Who is teen Taissa? After the plane crash, Taissa grows close to Van and the pair become romantically involved. While stranded in the wildness, she also begins sleepwalking and eating dirt, which continues in the present day. Where have I seen Jasmin Savoy Brown before? She has appeared in legal drama For the People and Damon Lindelof's The Leftovers. She has also starred as Mindy Meeks-Martin in the rebooted Scream franchise (5 and 6) and will reprise the role in the upcoming Scream 7. Christina Ricci plays adult Misty Quigley Who is Misty Quigley? Misty works in a nursing home, but she'd make a great PI and spends her time engaging in amateur sleuthing. She lives alone and has an African grey parrot who she loves dearly. Like her teen self, she isn't afraid to overstep the mark morally if it means getting what she wants. Where have I seen Christina Ricci before? She recently starred in Netflix's Wednesday opposite Jenna Ortega. She's best known for The Addams Family, Sleepy Hollow, Casper, Speed Racer, Buffalo '66, Monster and The Opposite of Sex, among others. Sammi Hanratty plays teen Misty Who is teen Misty? The team's equipment manager. She's an outsider who is desperate to be liked but often alienates people with the things she says and does. Misty might give the impression that she's a pushover, but underestimate her at your own peril. Where have I seen Sammi Hanratty before? You might have watched Hanratty in the US series of Shameless, supernatural horror Salem and action-drama The Unit. Sophie Thatcher plays teen Natalie 'Nat' Scatorccio Who is teen Natalie Scatorccio? Nat, another member of the football team, is a tough cookie who doesn't shy away from confrontation when it's necessary. She also grew up with an abusive father. After the crash, she becomes romantically involved with Travis, the coach's son. Where have I seen Sophie Thatcher before? Her most prominent role before Yellowjackets was in Quibi series When the Street Lights Go On. She has since become something of a screen queen, starring in the likes of The Boogeyman, Heretic and, most recently, Companion. Ella Purnell plays Jackie Taylor Who is Jackie Taylor? Jackie was the captain of the girls' football team and one of the most popular students at school. She fell out with Shauna after learning that her best friend and her boyfriend Jeff had slept together. Jackie froze to death in the season 1 finale, but returned for several guest appearances in season 2 as a figment of Shauna's imagination. She also looks set to appear in season 3 in flashbacks, if the trailer is anything to go by. Where have I seen Ella Purnell before? Since Yellowjackets, Purnell has made a name for herself in several acclaimed video game adaptations, having starred as Lucy in Fallout and providing the voice of Jinx in Netflix's Arcane. She has also starred in Sweetpea, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Starz series Sweetbitter, Never Let Me Go, Maleficent and ITV period drama Belgravia. Lauren Ambrose plays adult Vanessa 'Van' Palmer Who is Van Palmer? Van is more introspective than her teen counterpart, and lives with guilt over her past actions. She reveals in season 2 that she has been diagnosed with cancer. Where have I seen Lauren Ambrose before? Ambrose is best known for HBO's Six Feet Under and Apple TV+ series Servant. Liv Hewson plays teen Van Who is teen Van? Another member of the football team. She falls in love with Taissa and is almost killed by a wolf, but miraculously manages to survive. Where have I seen Liv Hewson before? You might have watched Hewson in Netflix's Santa Clarita Diet. Simone Kessell plays adult Lottie Matthews Who is Lottie Matthews? Lottie runs a wellness commune called Camp Green Pine, and in season 2, we learn her visions have returned after decades. Where have I seen Simone Kessell before? You might Kessell her from crime thriller Reckoning, ABC's The Crossing, and Fox's Terra Nova, among others. Courtney Eaton plays teen Lottie Who is teen Lottie? Another member of the football team. Lottie began experiencing visions after her medication ran out, but fans of the show were split as to whether it was tied to her worsening mental health, or if she has supernatural capabilities. Where have I seen Courtney Eaton before? She appeared in Mad Max: Fury Road and Gods of Egypt. Elijah Wood plays Walter Tattersall Who is Walter? Walter first appeared in season 2, contributing to the citizen detective board as PuttingTheSickInForensics with his theories about Adam Martin's disappearance, a move which brought him into Misty's life. Where have I seen Elijah Wood before? Wood is best known for playing Frodo Baggins in the Lord of the Rings films. Other credits include TV series Star Wars: The Resistance, The Afterparty and I'm a Virgo. Steven Krueger plays coach Ben Scott Who is coach Ben Scott? The assistant coach of the high school girls' football team who ends up stranded alongside them in the wilderness following the plane crash in season 1. He set the girls' cabin on fire in the season 2 finale, which is sure to have some serious consequences. Where have I seen Steven Krueger before? Krueger is best known for his role as Josh Rosza on CW's The Originals. Other credits include Pretty Little Liars and Two and a Half Men. Sarah Desjardins plays Callie Sadecki Who is Callie Sadecki? Shauna and Jeff's teenage daughter, who becomes embroiled in her mother's crimes in season 2 and looks set to take on even more of a pivotal role in the show in season 3. Where have I seen Sarah Desjardins before? The actor has previously starred in Riverdale, Under the Banner of Heaven and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch. Who else stars in Yellowjackets season 3? Other surviving members of the football team in season 3 are: Alexa Barajas (The Flash) as Mari Keeya King (Van Helsing) as Akilah Additional cast members in season 3 include: Warren Kole (Shades of Blue) as Jeff Sadecki – Shauna's husband and Jackie's ex-boyfriend. Kevin Alves (Locke and Key) as teen Travis Martinez – He was romantically involved with Nat during their time in the wilderness. He later dies but circumstances around his death remain a mystery. Hilary Swank and Joel McHale have also joined the cast as guest stars, but little is known about their roles as yet. Read more: Yellowjackets season 2 reveals what happened to Lottie Yellowjackets season 2 reveals Jackie’s grisly fate Former Yellowjackets cast members Juliette Lewis plays adult Natalie 'Nat' Scatorccio Who is Nat Scatorccio? She suffers from addiction and has endured numerous stints in rehab. She spends much of season 1 looking into Travis's death, and she also tries to take her own life, but her attempt is foiled when she's kidnapped. Nat can also hold her own in a fight and knows her way around a gun. She meets a grisly end in season 2 when she becomes the target of Lottie's hunt ceremony – and is accidentally killed by Misty. Where have I seen Juliette Lewis before? Her CV includes Cape Fear with Robert De Niro, Hysterical Blindness with Uma Thurman, and August: Osage County with Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. She recently appeared in Hulu-Star true crime series Welcome to Chippendales and the recent adaptation of Queer as Folk. Yellowjackets season 3 will stream on Paramount Plus from Friday 14th February 2025. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Why the Oscars battle between The Substance and Anora is so ironic
The race for Best Actress in a Leading Role is on.
"The Anti-Pretty Woman" is the tagline that many critics widely embraced after watching Sean Baker's latest comedy-drama, Anora. The story of a sex worker who is not 'saved' in its final act, Anora follows Ani (played by Mikey Madison), a feisty, high-price New York stripper who embarks on a whirlwind romance with Ivan (Mark Eydelshteyn), the filthy rich man-child son of a Russian oligarch. The film has garnered widespread acclaim, with the Academy announcing this afternoon (23rd January) that it has earned six nominations at this year's Oscars – with Madison tipped by some to win for Best Actress. You’ll understand, then, why I had high expectations going in to this film. A feminist triumph that flips the classic Cinderella story on its head? Count me in. However, when I settled in to watch Anora – feet up, popcorn in hand – and the opening scene consisted entirely of a voyeuristic long shot of stark naked women strip-dancing to a cheesy Take That song, I realised that the film wasn't quite the feminist statement I'd been led to believe. Immediately, the film fails to analyse its protagonist. Ani’s character feels shallow and lacks nuance. Yes, she's a 20-something, hot-headed, naive sex worker – but what else is she? Despite its 139-minute runtime, of which there are some painfully long, not-very-much-happening moments, we somehow get very little exploration of Ani herself. She is seen in the strip club, she is seen in bed with Ivan, she is seen mourning the breakdown of her month-long marriage. We know very little of her history (past one brief mention), how she found herself in sex work, what she thinks about her job, what she does on her off days. What we do see, though, is Ani having sex. Lots of it. Perhaps we don’t need to know everything about our protagonists, and it’s their mystery that makes them interesting. But it remains almost laughable that we learn ostensibly more about Ivan’s life than our titular character’s. It also seems an odd decision that the character of Igor, who spent the first half of the film tying Ani up while she screamed "rape" (hilarious, am I right?), is the one who facilitates Ani’s eventual realisation, not herself. There are one or two saving graces in the first and final acts, though, and if it wasn’t for Mikey Madison’s remarkable performance (the great saviour of the film), these scenes would likely have lacked any real impact. Madison shines when she’s actually given material to work with, rather than being stuck as the punchline of a rich man’s joke. It’s a shame that Ani couldn’t have been a fully realised character throughout Anora. While the film holds potential, the problem with Anora is that it is ultimately self-destructive. Director Sean Baker has long been known for his preoccupations with sex workers and his exploration of the misconceptions surrounding them. I cannot and will not speak for his other films, having not seen his entire filmography, so it’s possible that his other movies effectively and respectfully destigmatise sex work, but in the case of Anora, it feels like yet another case of a male director designing his underdeveloped female characters primarily for the male gaze. I’ve been told that to tell a story about sex workers we simply must include scenes of eroticism. "But sex workers take their clothes off! It makes sense. How else could it have been done?" And yes, in some cases, that might be true. But it doesn’t have to be done in such a male-centric, voyeuristic way – and Janicza Bravo's 2020 black comedy Zola stands as a prime example of how to approach the subject of sex work without resorting to that lens. I have long been vocal about how I think Zola is a well constructed tale of sex workers. In Zola, sex workers are not superficial – they are interesting, funny, fully-rounded, distinctive individuals that, despite the short runtime (40 minutes shorter than Anora), we grow to care about. Even the borderline villainous Stefani (Riley Keough) has emotionally charged nuances, despite her unfavourable actions. Unlike Anora, Zola features nudity that is exclusively male – it's only Stefani’s clients who are shown undressed. In the brief scenes where Zola (Taylour Paige) and Stefani engage in sexual acts, these moments are framed as expressions of power for the women involved. Zola was clearly designed by Bravo with a female-centric gaze in mind, not a male one. (Because, yes, Anora, men get naked too.) Indeed, it appears now, with this year’s Academy Award nominations officially confirmed, that Anora's lead is going head-to-head with the other critically-acclaimed female-fronted film of the year – The Substance. For those who somehow managed to miss this wildly surreal, culturally significant film, it follows Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), an ageing Hollywood actress who discovers that she can relive her youth and maintain her fame by taking a black-market drug aptly named 'The Substance'. In The Substance, writer and director Coralie Fargeat reflects poignantly on Hollywood’s treatment of women over 50 – women with wrinkled foreheads and sagging skin, women who've been told so often that they are no longer beautiful that they tragically start to believe it. Yes, there is nudity. Yes, there is sexuality. But Fargeat does not waste time open-mouthed, drooling over the bodies of her female characters – nor does she invite her audience to. Instead, she comments explicitly and expertly on how women’s bodies have been relentlessly overanalysed, overshamed and oversexualised by society, specifically the entertainment industry, while infusing her characters with intricate personalities, deep imperfections and vivid distinction. View Affiliate Playlist on the source website Moreover, it is also a quiet stroke of brilliance that Fargeat chose to cast Demi Moore, a woman who has long been scrutinised under a microscope of misogyny ("a popcorn actress," as Moore recently revealed she was called by an unnamed producer), in the lead role. As someone who understands Hollywood's disparity between youth and ageing better than most, Moore's performance only deepens the meaning of The Substance – not that it wasn’t already powerful. (The scene where Elisabeth hysterically puts on and wipes off her make-up is one particular moment that even I have lived through, and haven’t been able to shake since my first viewing.) It’s striking that the two films vying for Best Actress in a Leading Role are, one, a borderline pornographic tale of a young, beautiful woman, and the other, a commentary on how women shouldn’t have to be young, hot and naked to get a job. The irony is glaring. Now, this isn’t at all to pit Madison and Moore against each other, for it would be a huge disservice to do so. Both women were magnificent in their roles – and both are deserving of kudos. But if Madison is to triumph over Moore at this year’s Oscars, Hollywood is doing little more than proving every last point of The Substance right. This discourse is nothing new, though. In fact, just last year, Emma Stone won her second Oscar for portraying Bella Baxter in Yorgos Lanthimos's Poor Things – a child-brained, female Frankenstein's-monster-turned-sex-worker disguised as a figure of feminist liberation. While Stone received widespread acclaim for her performance, many seemed to overlook the fact that her journey to 'liberation' is almost entirely defined by sex. That’s not to say there’s anything inherently wrong with sex scenes – in fact, if they are done right, they can at times be crucial to a film’s storytelling – but by the time the fifth, sixth, or seventh raunchy scene flashes on screen, it’s hard not to view it as gratuitous. In a disturbingly similar fashion to Anora, Poor Things' male creators conflate the reality of feminism with the male illusion of feminism, and the film suffers from a serious lack of understanding of the female experience. Download the Radio Times app for more Oscars 2025 coverage – including interviews with the stars and exclusive features. At its core, this discussion reflects a broader issue within the Academy itself that has long been posited – the male-centric, anti-feminist mentality that shapes how we view media, rooted in the belief that 'if a girl likes it, it’s probably bad'. Society’s obsessive focus on female sexuality and women’s bodies is entrenched, and it’s becoming increasingly clear that this is a deeply ingrained problem, one that may be impossible to fully change – sex will always sell. However, it’s important that we continue to scrutinise so-called "feminist" media and hold it accountable for its shortcomings. It remains to be seen who will take home the coveted golden trophy on 3rd March – only time will tell. But I, for one, will be sat on my sofa at 3am with my fingers crossed on the big night, praying that the Academy will "respect the balance". (Though there's always a chance Fernanda Torres might bag the award, and all of this will be futile...) Anora is available to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video. The Substance is available to watch on Prime Video. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Batman Part II: Release date, cast and latest sequel news
The Caped Crusader returns... eventually.
*Warning: Spoilers for The Batman ahead* Among all the excitement about the beginning of James Gunn's rebooted DC Universe this year, question marks have remained over some of the studio's existing films – perhaps none more so than The Batman II. The film – which will be the second to star Robert Pattinson as The Caped Crusader following The Batman in 2022 – exists separately to Gunn's new franchise, although there have been some suggestions (no more than rumours at this stage) that it could later be folded into the DCU. Fans have already been waiting a while for the second chapter in the saga, and although there's still a fair bit longer to go, we were given some good news at the start of 2025 that filming was set to commence later in the year. Speaking to Deadline at the Golden Globes, writer and director Matt Reeves said: "I can tell you that we’ll be shooting this year" while the trade publication also revealed that they'd heard a summer start date was planned, keeping things on track for the already delayed 2027 release. The sequel is set to be a star-studded event, with Reeves revealing that it will feature Colin Farrell's Penguin – who was most recently seen in his own critically acclaimed spin-off series The Penguin – as well as Andy Serkis as Alfred and Jeffrey Wright as Jim Gordon. Interestingly, Pattinson's Batman did not appear in The Penguin, with Reeves recently explaining to Digital Spy: "[Batman’s] out there trying to grapple with the aftermath of everything that happened, which to some degree he blames himself for." Reeves also said that fans can expect the film to "dig into the epic story about deeper corruption, and it goes into places that he couldn’t anticipate in the first one. The seeds of where this goes are all in the first movie. It expands in a way that will show you aspects of the character you never got to see". Fans are also expecting Barry Keoghan's Joker to make an appearance, following his cameo in the first film, but Keoghan himself has said he "can't say much" about his ongoing role in the franchise. But what else do we know about Reeves's plans for The Batman Part II? Be warned: spoilers for The Batman follow. The Batman Part II release date We still have a long time to wait, as the film is now scheduled to be released in cinemas on Friday 1st October 2027. On Friday 27th December 2024, it was reported that the release date for the film had been pushed back yet again. This is the second delay for the Batman sequel. In March 2024, it was delayed a year, from October 2025 to October 2026, and now it's been delayed until 2027. Following the second delay, James Gunn took to Threads to write: "Matt is committed to making the best film he possibly can, and no one can accurately guess exactly how long a script will take to write. "Once there is a finished script, there is around two years for pre-production, shooting and post-production on big films." He later defended the gap, explaining: "To be fair, a 5 year gap or more is fairly common in sequels. 7 years between Alien and Aliens. 14 years between Incredibles. 7 years between the first two Terminators. 13 years between Avatars. 36 years between Top Guns. And, of course, 6 years between Guardians Vol 2 and Vol 3." The title was confirmed on 31st January 2023 as The Batman Part II. The Batman Part II cast and character speculation Robert Pattinson and Zoë Kravitz will be reprising their roles as billionaire socialite Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, and Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, in The Batman Part II, it was confirmed at CinemaCon 2022. Pattinson previously discussed his intentions for the trilogy in a 2021 interview with Empire, noting: "I’ve made a kind of map for where Bruce’s psychology would grow over two more movies. I would love to do it." He also confirmed that if Warner Bros was to approach him about reprising his role once or twice more, he wouldn’t hesitate to say yes. "I would love to do it," Pattinson said, as producer Dylan Clark added: "As the first stand-alone Batman in 10 years, the hope is we can lay a foundation that you can build stories upon." There's also plenty of scope for more character development when it comes to Selina Kyle (Big Little Lies' Zoë Kravitz), who is clearly still developing her alter-ego of Catwoman in The Batman. The same goes for detective James Gordon (Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright), who's only a lieutenant in The Batman rather than a Commissioner, as he's more widely known. Sadly, John Turturro is unlikely to return as Falcone after he was shot and killed by antagonist The Riddler/Edward Nashton (Paul Dano), and the same goes for Peter Sarsgaard as the late DA Gil Colson. However, we do know that Colin Farrell is expected to be back as Penguin, following his character's development in his own spin-off show. Reeves told Variety in September 2024: "There are details that actually connect right into the way the next movie begins, and the way that Oz enters that world as we hand the baton back to Batman, and Batman is on another case." It also seems possible that Dano could reprise his role as The Riddler, having told RadioTimes.com, when asked about potential sequels: "If I'm called back to Gotham, I'll be there." Then, there's the question mark over Barry Keoghan's role as the Joker, after he was teased in a cameo scene at the end of the first film. Keoghan has remained tight-lipped about a potential appearance, but for our money it seems very likely he'll make at least another short appearance, perhaps teeing up a bigger role in a third film. Here's a list of who we expect to see in The Batman Part II: Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne / Batman Zoë Kravitz as Selina Kyle / Catwoman Colin Farrell as Oswald Cobblepot / The Penguin Jeffrey Wright as James Gordon Andy Serkis as Alfred Pennyworth The Batman Part II plot speculation Unsurprisingly, specific plot details are being kept under wraps for now, but Pattinson has shared which Batman villains he would like to see tackled next in the series. "I’d love to do something like Court of Owls," the actor told Den of Geek, adding: "There are elements of The Batman which are kind of horror and I think it really feels quite new for Batman." Pattinson has also mentioned the killer Calendar Man as a potential villain, as well as Mr Freeze. Reeves recently told Collider that he wanted to do explore a more "grounded" take on Mr Freeze, explaining: "In my view, I just feel drawn to finding the grounded version of everything. So to me it would be a challenge in an interesting way to try and figure out how that could happen, even the idea of something like Mr Freeze, that is such a great story, right? "I think there's actually a grounded version of that story, which could be really powerful and could be really great." Asked around the time of the first film's release whether there were any specific comics he'd like to see adapted for a sequel, producer Dylan Clark was rather more vague. "I think it's incumbent on us to create new stories that are true to the comics that people know and love," he told RadioTimes.com. "So, you know, on this one, Robert read all the comics and there were certain things that we borrowed from multiple storylines. "But really, Matt wanted to create a unique way into Batman and create a unique story. And then my hope is that people go, 'Oh, that's from Long Halloween, that's from Year One, is that a little bit of Killing Joke? And is that Arkham Asylum there?' Those things are important to us, but really for us we wanted to do our own story." Clark also said the creative team "inevitably" had ideas about sequels, but remained relatively tight-lipped about what those ideas might be. "Do we have ideas about the sequels? You just inevitably do, because you'll start to say, you know, wouldn't it be cool if... you know, what we haven't seen yet. And, you know, we didn't get enough of Alfred in this movie, or, you know, Gordon's gonna do this in his career. "So, you know, with 80 years of Batman in the canon and all these great comics, there are multiple storylines that are just exciting." Speaking to Variety in 2024, Reeves teased the plot of the film even more, saying it is "going to dig into the epic story about deeper corruption, and it goes into places that he couldn’t anticipate in the first one. The seeds of where this goes are all in the first movie. It expands in a way that will show you aspects of the character you never got to see." He continued: "Batman is constantly battling these forces. But those forces can’t be entirely exorcised. So the next movie delves deeper into that." And at the Golden Globes at the start of 2025, he added to Deadline: "We’re doing something where the story continues from, but I hope that people will be surprised by." As for the idea of the films being folded into Gunn's DCU, he said: "I mean, it really comes down to whether or not it makes sense. What's been great is there was a story that I wanted to tell that we're calling The Epic Crime Saga which is the thrust of what we wanted to do. It's been important to me to be able to play that out. James and Peter have been really, really great about that and they're letting us do that." Is there a trailer for a sequel? Hold your horses! It's far too early for a trailer, but now that a sequel has been given the go-ahead, fans might not have too long to wait. Watch this space! Read more: The Batman ending explained: How does Robert Pattinson film end? Read more: How to watch Batman movies in order and where to stream Read more: The Batman producer reveals there are “inevitably” ideas for sequels Read more: The Batman soundtrack - full list of music in DC Comics film The Batman Part II will be released on Friday 1st October 2027. Check out more of our Sci-Fi or Film coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who spin-off is "far from transmission" says Russell T Davies
Davies has provided fans with an update on The War Between the Land and the Sea.
Doctor Who boss Russell T Davies has billed an upcoming spin-off as "one of the greatest shows of [his] entire career" – but has warned it'll be a little while before it makes it to our screens. With the 2024 Christmas special but a distant memory, showrunner Davies has provided fans with an update on The War Between the Land and the Sea, which is set to expand the Whoniverse even further. Speaking to Doctor Who Magazine about the spin-off, Davies said: "It's my job to hype, but the hype for that show is still way, way off – it's far from transmission. "Here, right now, in the cool, dry downloads of a distant gaze, I can tell you... that's one of the greatest shoots of my life and one of the greatest shows of my entire career. "You can doubt me and cry hype... and get left behind. Oh my God, it's good!" Filming for the five-parter began in August, and is set to pick up with some familiar characters from Doctor Who as they attempt to prevent a war involving classic monsters the Sea Devils – and it's clear Davies is excited about what's to come. The mysterious synopsis for the spin-off reads: "When a fearsome and ancient species emerges from the ocean, dramatically revealing themselves to humanity, an international crisis is triggered. "With the entire population at risk, UNIT step into action as the land and sea wage war." So far, several cast members have been announced for the series, with Doctor Who alumni Jemma Redgrave, Alexander Devrient and Ruth Madeley reprising their original roles as UNIT boss Kate Lethbridge-Stewart, UNIT staff member Colonel Ibrahim and scientific advisor Shirley Anne Bingham, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Russell Tovey set to play brand new characters. As for if there there be a cameo from the Doctor himself – only time will tell. Doctor Who aired its most recent episode, the 2024 Christmas special, on Christmas Day, which saw a viewership of 4.11 million. Season 15 is set to air next year, and will pick up with Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor as he journeys across the universe with a new companion played by Varada Sethu. Doctor Who Magazine 612 is on sale from Thursday 2nd January from Panini priced £7.99 (UK) and is also available as a digital edition from Pocketmags priced £6.99. The War Between the Land and the Sea will air on BBC One on BBC iPlayer. Doctor Who season 15 will be released in 2025. Check out more of our Sci-Fi coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Squid Game season 3 gets release window update as creator teases what's next
The second season of the acclaimed Korean drama has just dropped on Netflix.
*Warning: Spoilers for Squid Game season 2 ahead* Despite the second season of Squid Game dropping on Netflix only two days ago (26th December), it appears that we already have news on when the third instalment could arrive on the streamer. Season 2, which concluded with a dramatic cliffhanger, left viewers clamouring for more, and creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has now hinted that season 3 could arrive as soon as summer or autumn of 2025. In an interview with Variety, Hwang Dong-hyuk said: "After season 2 launches, I believe we will be announcing the launch date for season 3 soon. I probably expect that to launch around summer or fall next year. "But as for the storyline of the third season, Gi-hun having lost everything, including his best friend, and all of his attempts going to failure, it’s now, what is he going to be like? "What state is Gi-hun going to be in? And what will he choose to do. "Will he continue on with the mission? Is he going to give up or persist? And so you’re going to meet our character Gi-hun at a very critical crossroads as we begin the third season. "Gi-hun will not be the man he was in season 2." Squid Game was renewed for a third and final season before the second had even aired, with the concluding episodes having already been filmed. Read more: Who plays Thanos in Squid Game season 2? Meet Korean rapper TOP Squid Game season 2 cast: Full list of actors and characters Season 2 saw former winner Gi-hun (aka Player 456) return to the deadly competition to bring down the people responsible, with a whole host of new characters joining the series. Fans may have also noticed a mid-credits scene in the season 2 finale, which hinted at the return of the Red Light, Green Light robot schoolgirl. Of this, Hwang Dong-hyuk teased: "If you saw the hidden clip after the ending credits roll after the last episode of season 2 – if you watch that clip, it’s going to give you a slight hint as to where season 3 might take you." Squid Game seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Call the Midwife ratings confirmed for 2-part Christmas special
The overnight ratings for this year's Call the Midwife Christmas special are in, and they certainly reflect the popularity of the show, with millions tuning in to watch the beloved period drama over this festive season. This year, for the very first time, the episode was split into two parts, with the first airing on Christmas Day (25th December) and the second airing on Boxing Day (26th December). As confirmed by the BBC, the first episode drew in a total of 4.42 million viewers. Its viewership was topped only by Gavin & Stacey (12.32m), Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (9.38m) and The King's Speech (6.82m), marking the first time that all 10 most watched Christmas Day shows were screened on BBC One. Meanwhile, the second episode topped the Boxing Day charts, peaking at round 4 million viewers and beating a new episode of Outnumbered to the top spot. The 14th season of Call the Midwife is set to land on screens this upcoming January, and is expected to tackle several storylines, including Nancy's new romance, Trixie and Matthew's marriage and Joyce being subjected to racism. Read more: Call the Midwife's Nancy swept off her feet as romance deepens Call the Midwife reveals update on Trixie and Matthew – and when she'll return again Renee Bailey, who plays Joyce, recently spoke to RadioTimes.com and other press about the latter storyline, expaining: "I feel like it's a lot of her balancing all the cases that she deals with, but also the intersections of being a Black woman from the Caribbean in this country, where she's not always going to be wanted, but still having to be a professional and having to paint on a smile and still go to work every day. "We all do that in different ways in the workplace anyway, but that is a big thing for her this season as well… the mask that you have to wear as a health professional when you're experiencing or witnessing people experiencing things that you might have experienced yourself … and having to just push it all down and still show up." Call the Midwife season 14 begins on Sunday 5th January at 8pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Olivia Hussey – star of 1968's Romeo and Juliet – dies, aged 73
The actress won a Golden Globe for her role as Juliet.
Olivia Hussey, best known for starring as Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli's adaptation of classic Shakespeare play Romeo and Juliet, has died at the age of 73, it has been confirmed. The news was announced in a statement posted to the actress' Instagram page, which read: "It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Olivia Hussey Eisley, who went peacefully at home surrounded by her loved ones on December 27th. "Olivia was a remarkable person whose warmth, wisdom, and pure kindness touched the lives of all who knew her. "Born on April 17th, 1951 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Olivia lived a life full of passion, love, and dedication to the arts, spirituality, and kindness towards animals. "Olivia leaves behind a loving family – her children, Alex, Max, and India, her husband of 35 years David Glen Eisley, and grandson, Greyson, and a legacy of love that will forever be cherished in our hearts. As we grieve this immense loss, we also celebrate Olivia’s enduring impact on our lives and the industry. "We thank you for your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we mourn the loss of a truly special soul." Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Hussey studied at Italia Conti Academy drama school and was acting professionally by the age of 13. She was only 15 years old when she was cast in Romeo and Juliet, and went on to special David di Donatello Award and the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year for the role. Aside from starring as Juliet, she was also known for her role as the Virgin Mary in 1977 miniseries Jesus of Nazareth and also became something of a scream queen after starring in several horror films, including 1974's Black Christmas, Psycho IV: The Beginning and Stephen King's IT (both in 1990). She also worked as a voice actress, lending her voice for several recent Star Wars video games including Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, Star Wars: Force Commander, and Star Wars: The Old Republic. She is survived by her husband, three children and a grandson.
Why Strike and Robin's relationship should stay platonic in The Ink Black Heart
Strike and Robin have a new case on their hands – let's hope a romance doesn't ruin it.
That’s right, folks: Strike will soon be back on our screens for its sixth season, this time for four-episode instalment The Ink Black Heart. And with its return, the internet will, no doubt, once again be rife with desperate fans clamouring for our leads, Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, to finally admit that they're wildly in love, get married and ride off into the sunset – or down Denmark Street, in their case. Only last week, Holliday Grainger, who portrays the effortlessly kind, deeply perceptive, and much-loved Robin Ellacott in the series, teased that there’s a romantic moment that "nearly happens" between the crime-solving duo in the new season. She was quick to clarify, however, that it doesn’t go anywhere – "they retreat from it", she explained. With that, I could practically hear the hearts of thousands of X (formerly Twitter) users shattering, complaining that, once again, their hopes and dreams have not been fulfilled. Yet, personally, I couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. There’s a persistent and often frustrating trope within television – and in society more generally, for that matter – that we simply cannot have platonic relationships between men and women. In almost all on-screen narratives, friendship takes a backseat for romance, which seems to be the only conceivable endpoint for any partnership between a man and a woman. And while, yes, an on-screen romance can be deeply poignant for some viewers, it’s painfully unrealistic to presume that every on-screen male/female partnership has to end up with love. For the past five seasons, I’ve tuned in to each episode of Strike with bated breath, fingers crossed that Cormoran (Tom Burke) won't suddenly decide to lean in over the top of Robin's desk for a kiss. My fears have almost been realised on a handful of occasions, none more intense than the moment Cormoran burst through the chapel doors during Robin’s wedding, just seconds away from shouting, "I object!" Fortunately, that didn’t happen. Instead, he merely knocked over a metal vase, drew some unwanted attention to himself and smiled wistfully in a radiant Robin's direction. Read more: Strike's Tom Burke, Holliday Grainger on future: 'It feels worthwhile playing it through to the end' Strike: The Ink Black Heart first-look pictures show Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger cracking new case Now, I’m not going to sit and pretend that there’s no reason for fans to 'ship' CorMin (or CorBin, or EllaStrike – I can’t say I’m particularly sold on any of those). Anyone with eyes can see there is some sort of love between the two of them. As Robin herself puts it in Lethal White, "The only person who isn’t at me all the time is my work partner," and she’s not wrong. The chemistry between them is palpable: they share a deep connection that neither have yet managed to find in anyone else. But that doesn’t mean that they need to fall victim to the cliches of a forced romance. There’s enough beauty in their friendship to admire – and let’s be honest, falling in love with your employee? Definitely a bit of a red flag. What’s more, if the duo does fall victim to some sort of predictable heteronormative romance, Robin risks becoming just another love interest of a dramatically nomadic "I only like one person in the world and it’s you" male protagonist, and she is so much more than that. Robin is wildly intelligent and relentlessly determined – not to mention a master improviser (the scene in Lethal White when she first invents the Venetia Hall character and asks for an "Earl Grey with soy milk" lives in my head rent free). Considering Robin is arguably the best part of a show that already has some substantial flaws (seriously, I’m still not sure what on earth was going on in The Silkworm), turning her into a generic romantic partner would be a serious cop-out. After all, Robin has already been through her fair share of drama: not only has she been traumatised and cheated on by her man-child husband during the worst time of her life, she's now halfway through a much-needed divorce. So the last thing Robin should do is fall into a relationship that will massively disrupt the one stable aspect of her life – her job. She needs a love that is not grounded by romance but by companionship, and for the last five seasons, Cormoran has been able to provide her with that. And no, this isn’t just about Robin – because changing the nature of their partnership would affect the show as a whole. Introducing romance would simply ruin what we have come to love so much about the dynamic between our two leads – their adventures, their playful banter, that warm, gently teasing humour that connects them. Romance would be far too limiting for them. The longevity of Strike relies on Cormoran and Robin maintaining their tension – the unspoken understanding that, despite the way they may feel about each other deep down, they are ultimately far better off as friends. Although I may not have read the books the series is based on, I’ve come to understand that even in the source material, Robin and Strike’s connection remains deeply comforting but platonic, constantly teetering on the edge of the unknown. However, television adaptations aren’t exactly known for sticking closely to the original storyline – sometimes for the better, but often for the worse. (As much as I loved the TV adaptation of Daisy Jones & The Six, for example, I’m perpetually haunted by what they did with Daisy and Billy.) Perhaps I have no need to worry; perhaps the pros up in Strike’s writers' room have my best interests at heart and they won’t turn Robin and Cormoran's intricate bond into a boringly ordinary romance. Perhaps not. Either way, there’s definitely some truth in the face that Strike and Robin might be soul mates – but why is it that soul mates can’t just be two best friends? Strike seasons 1-5 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Season 6 will begin airing from Monday 16th December. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
David Tennant confirmed to return as "warm, witty, whip-smart" host of EE BAFTA Film Awards 2025
The Doctor Who star is returning to host Britain's biggest film night for the second year running.
It's official – David Tennant will once again return to the Royal Festival Hall as the host of the 2025 BAFTA Film Awards. This is the second time 53-year-old actor, best known for his roles in Good Omens, Harry Potter, Broadchurch and, of course, Doctor Who, will host the star-studded event – having been widely praised for his charm during this year's ceremony. Tennant was most recently seen on our screens as Lord Tony Baddingham in Disney Plus drama Rivals, the power-hungry managing director of Corinium Television. He is also set to appear in the upcoming Netflix adaptation of The Thursday Murder Club. Tennant follows the likes of Stephen Fry, Joanna Lumley, Graham Norton and Richard E Grant, who have all hosted the event in previous years. The BAFTA Film Awards will once again be held in Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, and though a specific date has not yet been announced, the ceremony usually occurs during the first few months of the year. Last year, the ceremony saw the likes of Oppenheimer, Poor Things, The Zone of Interest and Anatomy of a Fall taking home awards. This year, Steve McQueen’s Blitz, Andrea Arnold’s Bird and Edward Berger's Conclave are just some of the pictures predicted to win the coveted trophies. Speaking on the announcement, CEO of BAFTA Jane Millichip said "We couldn’t be happier that David Tennant is returning to host the EE BAFTA Film Awards in 2025. "He is an absolute pleasure to work with, and his performance this year was simply outstanding – warm, witty, whip-smart, and with a delightful touch of mischief. "It is a privilege to share Britain’s biggest celebration of film with TV audiences worldwide, and to recognise the extraordinary creativity of those who power the British and global film industry." The longlists for the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards categories will be announced on Friday 3rd January 2025, followed by the nominations on Wednesday 15th January. The BAFTA Film Awards will air in 2025. If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Film hub for all the latest news. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who left Strictly 2024? Eleventh celebrity to be voted out revealed
We now know which four couples will battle it out in next week's final.
*WARNING - CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE STRICTLY COME DANCING WEEK 11 RESULTS SHOW* It's been an emotional week for the Strictly Come Dancing pairs, with all four of the remaining couples hoping to make it to the much anticipated final on Saturday 14th December. But sadly for one couple, their journey was cut short following another dance-off. This week, the dreaded dance-off saw Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał up against Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec. Despite Tasha and Aljaž receiving a perfect score of 40 during the live show, the results of the public vote meant that both couples had to perform their dances again. First, Tasha and Aljaž danced their Waltz to (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman by Aretha Franklin. Then, Pete and Jowita performed their Argentine Tango to Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve. Soon it was time for the judges to give their verdicts, and with Craig Revel Horwood, Motsu Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all choosing to save Tasha and Aljaž, it was announced that Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystał will be leaving the competition. Speaking about his time on the competition following their elimination from the show, Pete said: “It's been wild. I've been quite honest about the fact that I didn't necessarily want to do this [Strictly] in the first place, but everyone else wanted me to do it, and I am so, so glad that I did it! "You don't always have to be the best, but if you enjoy something then why shouldn't you have a go at it? I've tried my best from day one, I said I was in for a penny, in for a pound and I've done it, it's been beautiful.” Of his dance partner, Pete said: "There's a lot of things I'm going to take away from this, but one of the most special things is you [Jowita] and I mean that, because you're one of the most incredible people – not just as a dancer – but as a person. "You've been a ray of sunshine for me. You've helped me through things in the past three months that I didn't think I could do and you made me believe in myself and that means more to me than anything.” Jowita went on to add of her dance mate: "I just want to say thank you, thank you for the trust you have given me since day one. I know it wasn’t easy, but with your hard work, your commitment and your heart, which is the most amazing thing, you were winning every week!" With Pete and Jowita now out of the competition, Tasha and Aljaž will face Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, JB Gill and Lauren Oakley, and Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell in next week's final. Who will take home the Glitterball? We'll just have to tune in to find out! Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 14th December on BBC One and iPlayer. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Coronation Street 'set to air Richard Hillman ghost return' amid Gail Platt exit
It looks like the cobbles are about to get a little spooky...
It appears that Coronation Street's Gail Platt (Helen Worth) might be welcoming a very unexpected visitor ahead of her exit this year. The Sun have reported that actor Brian Capron will return to the cobbles as Gail Platt's murderous husband Richard Hillman, despite the character having drowned 21 years ago following a car crash. This time, however, the character is set to return as a ghost. Richard Hillman was once known as one of the most terrifying characters on the street, reigning terror on the Platt family and various other residents of Weatherfield. Some of his past storylines included leaving his business partner Dougie Ferguson to die, murdering his ex-wife Patricia, kidnapping Gail, Sarah and David, and setting mother-in-law Audrey's house on fire. The character is set to make a return in as a vision, as Gail prepares to marry Jesse Chadwick (John Thomson), and will change the course of her future in one way or another. RadioTimes.com has reached out to ITV for comment. On Capron's return, a source told The Sun: "It’s a huge coup – and the first time a character has ever returned as an apparition. "The horrific scenes were massive at the time and Gail’s bad judgment in marrying ex Richard ended up being one of her biggest storylines, along with his reign of terror in Weatherfield. "Of course, Richard perished but he is back from the dead and there will be scenes of dialogue between him and Gail. She is clearly still haunted by him." Of course, this report follows the news that Helen Worth will be leaving Corrie after 50 years on the ITV soap. Speaking on her exit, Worth said: "This year felt like the perfect time to leave the show after celebrating 50 years in the most wonderful job on the most wonderful street in the world. "I made the decision at the start of the year and spoke to the producers who were very kind and understanding." "I have been truly blessed to have been given the most incredible scripts week in week out, and to have worked with fantastic actors, directors and a brilliant crew." She added: "The past 50 years have flown by and I don't think the fact that I am leaving has quite sunk in yet." Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
James May compares Dull Men's Club to Grand Tour: 'It's much more relaxed'
The former Top Gear host opens up on his new show, James May and The Dull Men’s Club.
With The Grand Tour now officially a thing of the past, host James May has a new project on his hands — the brand new Discovery+ show James May and The Dull Men’s Club. Inspired by online 'Dull Men's' forums, the programme will show May "inventing solutions to modern day problems," such as cooking a casserole in his washing machine and cracking a walnut with a sledgehammer. And now, speaking to Radio Times magazine, the former Top Gear presenter has opened up on making the new series, including its similarities, or differences, to his previous adventures. When asked what it was like making James May and the Dull Men's Club after The Grand Tour, May explained: "It’s the difference between pottering and going out to work. "We had 60 or 70 people on those big trips. While not arduous, it got quite intense and stressful. Here, it’s seven of us, which is relatively relaxed." Despite that relaxation, however, May did clarify that neither the show, or he himself, are "dull", saying: "I don’t think it is dull! I’m a bit bored with the idea that men are dull because they like going into their workshops or lofts to make things or paint pictures. "I’ve argued with the producers and the channel about this – it’s meant ironically. I don’t think we should use it to beat men and say the era of 'the bloke' is over. "Some basic manly qualities are under threat. Many people mistakenly think it’s dull – but we’ll show them!" Read more: James May says Clarkson's Farm has given his Grand Tour co-star "a new purpose" MasterChef's John Torode breaks silence on Gregg Wallace in statement Recently, May also reflected on his former Top Gear years, defending the series from criticism. Speaking to The Telegraph, May said: "Top Gear was very much of its time. Social attitudes towards the car have changed quite a bit. These days, it’s become more political." "It was just painfully honest. It was a view of the world, distorted through the eyes of people who were unreasonably concerned about cars." James May & The Dull Men's Club is available to watch on Discovery+. Get a 7-day free trial for Discovery+ with Amazon Prime Video. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who left I'm a Celebrity 2024? All the eliminated contestants
Tonight's the night – it's the I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here final! So far, eight celebrities have been evicted from the camp, with only three remaining in the competition after enduring weeks of tough Bushtucker trials. Last night's episode (8th December) saw the return of the iconic Celebrity Cyclone challenge, which saw the remaining campmates reign victorious. However, one campmate, of course, eventually had to leave – but who was it? And who is left in the running to be crowned King or Queen of the jungle? Read on for everything you need to know about the eliminated campmates. Who left I'm a Celebrity 2024? Oti Mabuse – Episode 21 Just narrowly missing out on the final, dancer and presenter Oti Mabuse was the celebrity who had to wave goodbye to the jungle last night. After tackling the cyclone challenge alongside her fellow campmates, it was announced that Oti had received the least amount of votes by the public and would be exiting the jungle, leaving Coleen Rooney, Danny Jones and Reverend Richard Coles as the final three. Oti was greeted over the bridge by her husband, Marius Lepure, as well as Ant & Dec. Speaking to the presenting duo, she said: "You just come out as a stronger different person." She continued: "I have learnt to be happy with who I am. And that group allowed me to be all different versions of myself. I feel mentally and physically stronger." GK Barry - Episode 2o Alongside Alan Halsall, GK Barry was the latest celeb to wave goodbye to the jungle. Reflecting on her time in the jungle, GK said: "That was hell. I wouldn't put my worst enemy through that." Ant & Dec praised GK for her participation in the Bushtucker trials, joking that she was "scared of everything". GK also went on to praise her fellow camp mates, saying that their presence "made it great". Alan Halsall - Episode 20 Alan Halsall was one of two of last night's evictions, alongside podcast host GK Barry. Speaking to Ant & Dec following his exit, the Coronation Street star said his time on the show was "nothing like I expected". He continued: "I expected camp life to be how it was but you can't ever know what the people are going to be like. I met 11 amazing people and didn't expect to make so many friends so quickly." Maura Higgins - Episode 19 Maura Higgins, along with Barry McGuigan, became one of the latest celebrities to be eliminated from the I'm a Celebrity jungle. During her exit chat with Ant and Dec, Maura said: "I'm really happy! I said it last night, I said it this morning, I was like, 'It's my time'. I had a gut feeling and my gut feeling is never wrong!" She added that she "really did embrace" the challenge and admitted she "didn't think" she would have liked as much as she did. Asked who she wanted to win, Maura said: "I love every single one of them, I want Father Richard to win! He would not expect it." Barry McGuigan - Episode 19 In a double elimination, Barry McGuigan was eliminated from the I'm a Celebrity jungle alongside TV personality Maura Higgins in a twist not many saw coming. After the news was revealed that he would be leaving camp, Barry said: "As I'm the original cyclone, I am kind of disappointed with that slipping and looking like a clown, it would've been great!" Asked who he would like to win, Barry shared his support for McFly singer Danny Jones. No one - Episode 18 You read that correctly, no one was sent packing last night (4th December) on I'm a Celebrity. It was revealed that the celebrities were to take part in a competition which could give one of them a golden ticket straight to the Celebrity Cylone, which included safety from two evictions. All the celebrities had to do was take part in the Arcade of Agony! Viewers will have to tune in on Thursday 5th December to find out who it will be. Melvin Odoom - Episode 17 After two weeks in the jungle without his usual luxuries, BBC Radio 1 DJ Melvin Odoom was evicted from the show following a public vote. But he left a happy man – and with a date with Carol Vorderman potentially on the cards. The radio presenter hadn't kept his admiration for the Countdown host a secret during his time in the camp and, after he role-played asking her out on a date to his campmates, Carol sent a voice note to I'm A Celebrity... Unpacked saying: "Jungle man, keep doing what you are doing, you're doing a brilliant job. See you on the other side." Following his eviction, Melvin told the show's hosts Ant and Dec: "I was ready to go. It's been a really wild experience ups and downs. I love every single person in there. You could spend time with anyone and they had your back. I had a few days when I was quiet and they checked on me. Oti is my girl, Danny and Bazza." Speaking further about his friendship with Oti, he added: "She was like my sister in there, she had my back at all times." Tulisa Contostavlos - Episode 16 Tulisa Contostavlos became the third celebrity to be eliminated from the jungle after finding herself in the bottom two alongside Oti Mabuse. Following her exit, Tulisa posted on her Instagram Stories: "Guys, I'm out. I'm showered, I'm fresh, I'm with the family. "I want to say thank you all so much for all your support. Honestly, I can see people stressing, 'Why you out so early?' Don't worry about me, I'm fine. I've got chocolate, I've got pizza, I've got wine. I am living my best life." She continued: "Thank you all so much, honestly. What an experience. I love you guys so much." Dean McCullough - Episode 15 Dean McCullough was the second contestant of the 2024 series to be evicted following a public vote, with hosts Ant and Dec revealing the news live on Sunday night (1st December). The star took on seven trials and bagged 33 stars for camp during his time in the jungle, but proved to be a divisive figure on the show after struggling in trials and complaining about his camp chores to his fellow cast mates. Speaking afterwards, the BBC Radio 1 DJ said: "I have really, really soaked up this whole experience, all the trials, you know, the things that I faced. I got stuck in at camp, done a bit of everything, and I really, really, really enjoyed it." He continued: "And when I woke up this morning, I thought, if I go today, I am over the moon because I've not missed out on anything." Jane Moore - Episode 13 Jane Moore was the first campmate from the 2024 series to be eliminated following the public vote. The journalist and Loose Women regular was in the bottom two alongside BBC Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough – but it was revealed that Jane had received the most votes from the public. "Hard work doesn't get rewarded, let's put it that way," Moore said upon hearing the news she would be leaving. Speaking of her time in the jungle, Moore told hosts Ant and Dec: "I have lived it and it's just such a weird and magical experience. People always say it's the best experience of your life, [I] wouldn't say that with the rain. [I've] never been so soaked in my life, constantly. "At least there's no more washing up, I'm never washing up again." She also said she had "enjoyed getting to know the others and ask them questions". "We've all got each other's back," she added. "Them getting to know me was great too. Because I'm a journalist, they were initially like, 'Hang on, what's this going to be like?' "A lot of them said they talked about things with me they haven't for years and they felt better for it." I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! continues on ITV1 and ITVX tonight at 9pm. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.