Culture (Page 9)

Gary Goldsmith becomes first Celebrity Big Brother housemate to be evicted For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails The Celebrity Big Brother housemates are getting ready to nominate again, after the Princess of Wales’s uncle, Gary Goldsmith, became the first contestant on this year’s Celebrity Big Brother to be evicted from the house on Friday (8 March). Months after the reality series titan returned on ITV, the celebrity version has been resurrected in the hopes of emulating the success of the latest civilian series, which was won by Jordan Sangha in November. Surviving contestants include X Factor judge Louis Walsh–Continue Reading

Uninhabited until the Portuguese arrived in 1471, the equatorial African island of Príncipe has a dark history as a slaving hub and a “place of exile for the desperados of Portuguese society: convicts, heretics and outcasts”. Today, it is “poor but paradisiacal”, says Catherine Fairweather in Condé Nast Traveller, its verdant forests home to as many endemic species as the Galápagos, and its golden beaches free of tourist crowds. Just 19 miles long and four miles wide, it lies 150 miles off the coast of West Africa, and is the smaller and wilder partner in the independent nation of São Tomé and Príncipe. Getting here from the UK involves “a layover in Lisbon, a touchdown in Accra and a nightContinue Reading

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Radio presenter Ken Bruce has expressed his hurt that the BBC allegedly failed to promote the news that, in 2019, his mid-morning programme became the most listened-to radio show in the UK. The veteran broadcaster, 73, regularly presented the Radio 2 show from 9.30am to midday for more than 30 years, until he left the station in March 2023 to be replaced by Vernon Kay. His decision came after the late Steve Wright was nudged out of his Radio 2 afternoon slot, while Simon Mayo, Graham Norton and the late Paul O’Grady alsoContinue Reading

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Pierce Brosnan has backed Cillian Murphy to take on the iconic role of James Bond. The 70-year-old Irish actor, who portrayed the international spy across four films from 1995 to 2002, was asked who he thought should take over from Daniel Craig who retired from the part in 2021. “Cillian would do a magnificent job as James Bond on His Majesty’s Secret Service,” Brosnan told the BBC on Thursday (7 March) at the Oscar Wilde Awards in Los Angeles. However, according to Murphy, 47, “that ship has sailed”. “I’m a bit old for that,” theContinue Reading

As Petula Clark once sang about heading downtown, the “lights are much brighter there, you can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares.” And she was right! A great downtown — one that is filled with vibrant cultural spaces, a variety of shops and high-quality restaurants — not only draws a crowd, but also elevates a city. Here are nine downtowns across the U.S. that are well worth your patronage. Boise, Idaho Boise boasts a walkable downtown  (Image credit: Darwin Fan / Getty Images) Lively without being overwhelming, Boise’s downtown offers an essential mix of stores, bars, restaurants and entertainment, all packed neatly into a historic district that’s easily walkable and bikable. Some downtowns empty out at night, butContinue Reading

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Stranger Things actor Brett Gelman says he believes the cancellation of his forthcoming book signing in Los Angeles is a result of the bookstore “giving into antisemitic intimidation”. Book Soup, on the Sunset Strip, is the third stop on Gelman’s book tour to cancel his appearance after receiving messages protesting the event. The store said the cancellation was “entirely a question of safety”, as it followed in the footsteps of San Francisco’s Book Passage and the Book Stall in Winnetka, Illinois. However, Gelman told the Los Angeles Times that he fears it hasContinue Reading

What happened? A jury in Santa Fe on Wednesday convicted Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the weapons supervisor on the New Mexico set of “Rust,” of involuntary manslaughter for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October 2021. Hutchins was shot by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal. The jury acquitted Gutierrez-Reed, 26, of evidence tampering. Who said what? Gutierrez-Reed, who allegedly brought live ammunition on the set, showed an “astonishing lack of diligence,” prosecutor Kari Morrissey said in closing arguments. “This was a game of Russian roulette every time an actor had a gun with dummies.” Defense lawyer Jason Bowles said Baldwin and “Rust” producers made Gutierrez-Reed a “scapegoat” because she was “the least powerful person” on the chaotic, low-budget set. Juror Alberto SanchezContinue Reading

The last proceedings of the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts ended in 1693. But 331 years later, religious witch hunts remain a common — if not well-publicized — occurrence in countries around the world. Women are the predominant targets, though men and even children are also persecuted for allegedly practicing witchcraft. While the practice is often thought of as a relic of the past, there is evidence that witch hunts may actually be increasing, not disappearing. Witch hunts remain a “global problem in the 21st century,” Deutsche Welle said, and is such a pervasive issue that Aug. 10 has even been designated “World Day Against Witch Hunts.” “Thousands of people are accused of practicing witchcraft every year, and many are “persecuted andContinue Reading

Warmer weather; green things: Spring is a season for levity and vegetable-heavy cooking. Hop into the season in a fresh way with asparagus, an unconventional take on biscotti and an optimal breakfast casserole for a crowd.  Stovetop asparagus (Image credit: Helen Rosner) If you were not informed otherwise, you might think the only way to cook asparagus was roasted or grilled. Incorrect! The legendary chef and author Edna Lewis knew that stovetop asparagus is its own special creature. Butter; salt; pepper; wily green stalks: Those are the only ingredients needed for a mind-shifting way with asparagus. Get the recipe. Spring potato salad with green garlic dressing (Image credit: Gentl and Hyers) An adage worth repeating: Spring is all about young, greenContinue Reading

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Harry Potter actor Sir Michael Gambon has left the entirety of his fortune to his wife of 61 years, Anne Gambon. The 82-year-old star of stage and screen, who was most loved for his role as Dumbledore in the hit movies based on the novels by JK Rowling, passed away in September last year after a bout of pneumonia. After his will was published on Tuesday (5 March), it was revealed that his long-term girlfriend, Philipa Hart, had been left nothing, in the three-page document seen by the Daily Mail. Hart, who is a setContinue Reading