The Apprentice candidate Lottie Lion has revealed she received death threats before last night’s series 15 premiere had even aired.
The 19-year-old hopeful is about to embark on one of the most exciting journeys of her life trying to bag Lord Alan Sugar’s £250,000 investment.
Instead, she’s been left terrified by threatening messages about death online, including one which read: ‘This could happen to you.’
‘Being involved in The Apprentice is a wonderful opportunity,’ the librarian told Daily Mail.
‘At a time like this in my life, I should be able to focus entirely on the process and winning an investment from Lord Sugar.
‘However, I have recently become a target of harassment from two young teenagers in the Taunton area.
‘I appreciate that being on such a programme does project me into the limelight – however, there is no excuse for such threatening behaviour.
The Apprentice candidate Lottie Lion receives disturbing death threats (Picture: BBC)
‘You never know if they are empty or not.’
Police are investigating the messages which were sent to Lottie in the early hours of Saturday morning, with the entrepreneur claiming she received approximately 40 terrifying texts.
‘The death threat occurred between 1am and 2am and they made threats to kill me and cause grievous bodily harm,’ Lottie continued.
Lottie is among this year’s candidates for Lord Alan Sugar’s £250,000 (Picture: BBC)
‘Due to the severity of the threats, I have to take the case seriously and am very grateful to Avon and Somerset Constabulary for being so thorough with their investigation.
‘I look forward to the process and won’t allow such thoughtless people to deter my concentration. I would like to remind everyone to always be kind.’
A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: ‘We are investigating claims of harassment against a Somerset teenager.
‘The 19-year-old has been subject to threats and abuse over social media from two other women. Police enquiries into the matter are continuing.’
The Apprentice airs Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC One.
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The only character who came even close to Shelly was Penny, who notched up an impressive 21%, with husband Leonard trailing behind with 14%.
But in a twist no one saw coming – even Sheldon – Bernadette landed in last place, beating out Amy Farrah Fowler, Raj Koothrappali and even Stuart Bloom for least popular.
Sheldon Cooper was voted the most popular character (Picture: Backgrid)
While we shouldn’t get too het up about the findings – given that they are all fictional characters – we’re still a little gutted for Bernie.
What has Mrs Rostenkowski-Wolowitz ever done to you?
But we might not have seen the last of Howard, Penny and co. as it was teased that a few of the characters could be reuniting for a spin-off at some point.
What’s everyone’s beef with Bernadette? (Picture: CBS)
Director Mark Cendrowski told Forbes: ‘At the end of The Big Bang Theory’s run, once we decided to end the show, Chuck Lorre, the creator, was like, “Look not everyone’s involved in this, it’s not a Big Bang episode.”
‘That doesn’t mean that won’t happen and, in a couple of years, maybe it’s a character or a couple of characters that catch up within a couple of years. Who knows if it will happen. I wouldn’t be a betting man on that, and I don’t know one way or the other.
‘I think with these characters you’re going to want to know what happens to them in a few years.’
He continued: ‘If in five years Chuck Lorre decided to bring back some characters and try something again, I would love to be involved. It would be just a continuation.
‘There’s plenty to explore with their lives and characters moving forward. That said, it would have to be its own show with its own reason for being.’
Count. Us. In.
Big Bang Theory is available to stream on Netflix and airs on E4.
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After auditioning five times previously, I finally made it onto the show (Picture: VH1/Logo)
My name is Shea Coulee and I didn’t come to play, I came to slay.
That was what I said when I walked into the RuPaul’s Drag Race ‘werk room’ for the first time – and I meant it.
It was season nine of the infamous competition and after auditioning five times previously, I finally made it onto the show.
You always wonder when watching these shows whether some people have been cast just to be the queen to go home early – but walking into that room, it was clear we were all there because we had earned it.
And oh my god, we really had to earn it. The audition process was intense.
They ask you to perform acting challenges, sending you scripts. You have sewing challenges, taking them through the process and the idea for your outfit. You have to be prepared for runway, with 10-14 looks.
I doubt there is any show out there with an audition process this rigorous. That is why every season is more and more polished than the one before it.
When I finally made it onto the show, RuPaul said he’d been watching me for three years, waiting for me to get to the perfect stage to appear on the show. It really is all about timing.
But back to the werk room. Stepping into it is like stepping into another world and you just think ‘let’s make some really great TV.’ You’re surrounded by your sisters (and in our case, Lady Gaga) who you share a special bond with.
I’m still in touch with pretty much all the queens from my series: Sasha, Farrah, Alexis, Nina, Jaymes Mansfield and Peppermint.
It was winning my first challenge that was the best bit of the show for me, though. Sasha and I were both crowned winners for our performance on ‘Good Morning Bitches’, the challenge where we had to act as presenters on an early morning TV talk show.
Then when I went on to win three more (the first queen of colour to win that many challenges). I felt validated, like all my hard work had paid off.
The worst bit of the series was definitely the Gayest Ball Ever episode, where we had to create three looks (rainbow she better do, sexy unicorn and Village People eleganza extravaganza), celebrating queer culture. There was also a rhythmic gymnastics aspect.
I haven’t actually managed to watch my series back – it’s really hard to do. Watching yourself is a really confronting and strange experience. You think ‘do I really sound like that?’ ‘Do I really make that face?’. The only bits I can manage to watch through is where I’m acting.
It’s one of the lessons Drag Race has taught me – and one I would pass on to the Drag Race UK queens.
Just like in my season, I think it’s too early to tell who is going to be strong competition and I don’t want to place premature bets.
But I have met a handful of the queens before and I know they are going to deliver. I’ve toured with Cheryl Hole – she is a riot, kind and fun. Blue Hydrangea I met at Dublin Pride and Gothy Kendoll at New York Drag Con. With both of them I was taken aback by their beauty.
The queens of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK(Picture: BBC/ Leigh Keily / Matt Burlem)
My advice to all the UK queens is to have a lot of fun, don’t take yourself too seriously and be there for each other. Most importantly: don’t read the comments.
As my mom always says: ‘You can be the sweetest, juiciest peach but you’ll always meet somebody who doesn’t like peaches.’
Trolls want to be seen. They have an ego and search for validation – when you engage you give them that validation.
But in terms of challenges – the most notorious being Snatch Game – my advice is to just give into the character. Don’t overthink it as it will only slow you down.
In my season I did Naomi Campbell. I was at my first Drag Con on a panel when an audience member told me she had replied on Twitter.
I literally burst into tears and forgot everything going on around me. Her comments meant everything to me. She is a goddess in my opinion and has been an inspiration since I was four. In my mind she can do no wrong.
Drag has the power to change lives. I applied for the show because I wanted to share my art on a bigger platform, and it did that for me.
But in a wider sense, people are looking for an outlet and drag does nothing but encourage self expression and identity.
Politically – especially in the US – people just want to be seen and heard and nothing is louder than drag. It allows us to be bold.
As for whether I would go on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, I guess we’ll just have to see.
I’ve been rumoured to be on season five – just as I was on season four – and all I have to say is that rumours are rumours for a reason.
The Circle has become this autumn’s addictive watch – and if we’re honest with ourselves, a lot of that is down to Tim.
The 58-year-old theology scholar has melted the hearts of reality TV watchers everywhere with his vibrant outlook on life, calm demeanour and friendly nature.
In return, he’s embracing the social world, learning what hashtags are, and having a laugh that can make you cry with happiness.
Seeing as there’s so much negative stuff in the world going on right now, we felt it was only right to celebrate something that’s brought us joy over the past few weeks.
Whether he won the show is one thing, but he’s certainly one of the nation’s new favourite people.
Here’s just some of the times he was too pure for his own good, and made us love him even more.
This might just be the biggest moment of pure, unadulterated joy ever put to screen on reality TV.
Celebrating Brooke’s 25th birthday, The Circle were given an Oktoberfest themed party – complete with lederhosen, German music and massive horns.
Giving it a go, he told the others about his new gift, telling them: ‘I’ve got the biggest instrument I’ve ever had in my hands. I’m expected to blow it and it literally fills the flat!’
Free to do as he pleases, Tim let’s loose by dancing around the flat, with a beaming smile on his face the entire time.
He also excitedly declared: ‘I can do some twerking!’ as he shimmied his way around the room.
Seriously, if this didn’t put a smile on your face, or even his little giggle as he tried to blow his horn, then you have no soul.
Woody was there to save the day (Picture: Channel 4)
Being taught what WTF means by Woody
Tim has formed some unlikely friendships during his time in The Circle, but even though the #ScholarSquad is great in its own right, it’s his bond with Woody that’s melted our hearts.
The 18-year-old has proven to be an important ally to Tim, not just for the game, but also so he understands just what the hell’s going on.
Keen to pick up the lingo of the cool kids, Tim asked Woody to help him with his abbreviations.
Unfortunately he had to be the one to tell him what WTF means – which was a way more foul-mouthed than he gave it credit for.
He’s now getting a full grasp of hashtags and everything, thanks to the help of his younger peers.
Coming out as gay to the Scholar Squad
Georgina, Brooke and Tim formed a quick collection over their booksmarts and have become firm friends despite not ever meeting.
However, Tim got a bit uncomfortable when Brooke asked him his questions about his partner – because he hadn’t told anyone he was gay.
The sweet moment saw him declare he had been with his other half for the past 19 years after meeting with Grace.
He later admitted he normally bypassed the questions about his sexuality, letting his flamboyant outfit choices allow those around him draw their own conclusions.
Tim and Bey are besties (Picture: Channel 4)
Hanging out with Bey
Bey the cat is the untold star of the series as Tim brought his feline friend with him to keep him company while in solitude.
The pair have been seen hanging out, chilling on the sofa, and was even included in the birthday card for Brooke.
Standing up for sphinx cats everywhere when ‘Judy’ (aka Richard Madeley) started being mean about them, his sadness at it was almost too much to bear.
Seeing him lying on the floor staring into his pet’s eyes is just adorable.
Look what you guys did to Tim! (Picture: Channel 4)
Crying over Brexit
Tim has led a life more colourful than his wardrobe over the years, and is always prepared to fight a good fight.
So seeing the man that beings smiles to everyone around him start crying over Brexit was a heartbreaking watch.
When asked if the UK should have a second referendum on Brexit, he said no – admitting he fought really hard to remain and even fought with Nigel Farage on TV about it.
However, it didn’t work in his favour, and thinks it’s now too late to go back.
Silently weeping on the sofa after Woody called him a ‘saviour’ for his efforts, he said: ‘I think that’s probably enough of that, you know. I was broken-hearted.’
It’s also come out that he joined UKIP at one point in his life – to try and take them down from the inside.
Falling off the treadmill
Tim going for an afternoon stroll on a treadmill in the gym, wearing a three-piece suit and reading a book, is the kind of vibe everyone should aspire to have.
However, it literally nearly all came tumbling down on his chill when he went flying after dropping his book.
Getting too involved in grilling ‘Jay’ as he becomes more convinced it’s his mum catfishing (something he’s absolutely nailed, by the way), his smarts almost worked against him.
Thankfully he was able to recover before getting any permanent damage.
The Circle continues weeknights from 10pm on Channel 4.
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But some are complaining that Channel 4’s social media sensation is on just too late in the night, especially for those who have work in the morning.
The Emma Willis-fronted show airs at 10pm, and some viewers just cannot hack it.
Could the show reach an even wider audience if it aired even an hour earlier? Would Britain’s work-rate rise exponentially thanks to that extra hour in bed? Guess we’ll never know.
However, we can all agree The Circle is definitely worth staying up for.
The Circle continues at 10pm tonight on Channel 4.
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Little Mix have become The X Factor’s richest winners after earning a staggering £9million last year.
As a group the members Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall, have raked in more than £30million collectively since winning X Factor.
According to The Sun the only X Factor champ that has come close to the group in terms of earnings is apparently Leona Lewis, who won the show in 2006.
Their company Eternal Dance Media Ltd is thriving, according to documents lodged with Companies House, since being launched in 2011 when they placed first on the show.
The figures published on 30 September show Little Mix doubled their earnings over the last year, making £3.93million, while Eternal Magic Touring Ltd saw profits of £5 million.
Speaking after they split, Perrie told The Sun that they were ‘ready for a new start’.
Leigh-Anne added: ‘We were with Syco for seven years and had an incredible journey but it’s going to be nice to change it up and get a new view on us.
‘We definitely speak our mind now. If we don’t like it, we always say it.’
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Yannis and Charise are the first couple to not get married in the history of the show (Photo: Channel 4)
Don’t Tell The Bride approaches a landmark episode as the couple featured don’t actually get married, after producers scrap the wedding because of a rule break.
Yanis and Charise, from Birmingham, star in the instalment which sees the Brummie boy tasked with planning a wedding in Paris (outside the Eiffel Tower no less) and then flying back home to Birmingham on the same day for the reception.
Of course, this doesn’t go to plan (does it ever?) but the episode takes a turn for the worse when it emerges that the bridal party actually knows details of the wedding before its taken place – breaking the rules of the show.
The lies are found out in the newest episode of the show (Photo: Channel 4)
It’s revealed that Yanis’ emails have been compromised, and Charise knows specific details of the wedding – where its taking place and whose invited.
With the added realisation that the bride and groom to be have been in contact (another rule break) producers halt filming to announce that, for the first time in the show’s 12-year history, the wedding will not be going ahead.
Bride to be Charise doesn’t take the news that her wedding is now cancelled well (Picture: Channel 4)
Charise doesn’t take the news well, breaking down on the phone to Yanis and bosses.
With the cancellation of the wedding, the two become the only couple to not be married, and the only wedding to be stopped by the showrunners.
In turn, that’s £13,000 down the drain.
Producers pulled the plug on the wedding after the couple broke the rules (Photo: Channel 4)
Don’t Tell The Bride airs Sunday October 6th at 9pm on E4.
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Maisie was open about the downside of playing Arya Stark (Picture: BBC/HBO)
Maisie Williams has admitted that binding her boobs to play Arya Stark on Game Of Thrones left her feeling ashamed of her body.
The actress, now 22, was only 10 when she first joined the cast of the fantasy epic, and had to maintain a ‘boy-like figure’ as her small but mighty character took on Westeros.
However, this came at a price and she was left having to bind down her chest and hide her boobs through puberty in order to maintain the same young figure.
Speaking to Vogue, she said: ‘Around season two or three my body started to mature and I started to become a woman, but Arya was still very much like trying to be disguised as a boy.’
‘I had to have really short hair and they’d constantly cover me in dirt sand shade my nose so it looked really broad and I looked really manly,’ she continued.
‘They’d also put this strap across my chest to flatten any growth that had started and that just felt horrible for six months of the year, and I felt kind of ashamed for a while.’
Arya was meant to remain looking younger than she is even though Maisie was nearing 22 by the end (Picture: HBO)
Now that her time on the series is over, Maisie has admitted that she’s embracing the opportunity to take on more feminine looks in a way that she couldn’t as Arya.
‘In this new phase of my style it’s nice to look more feminine and have a real waistline,’ she said. ‘And, you know, embrace the body that I have.’
The actress has definitely been making up for lost time and has been killing it at Paris Fashion Week with the ultimate accessory, her hunky boyfriend Reuben Selby.
Maisie is now embracing her inner fashionista (Picture: Rex)
Maisie was well and truly put through the ringer as Arya on the HBO/Sky Atlantic series, becoming one hell of a stunt woman in the process.
After defeating the Night King and setting sail to discover what was west of Westeros, Maisie reckons she would be ‘like Dora The Explorer’ now.
Which we totally see and support.
Game Of Thrones is available to watch on catch up via Sky Atlantic and NOW TV.
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The Circle’s newest contestant Jack took everybody to school last night and divulged a secret about hippos that has genuinely blown our minds.
The 29-year-old described himself as a ‘travelling Peter Pan’ and decided to prove himself as the next Sir David Attenborough by sharing a particularly strange fact.
Did you…know that a hippo’s milk is pink? Or that hippos even made milk in the first place? You learn something new every day!
Jack is one of the Circle’s new arrivals and has already dropped one surprising fact (Picture: Channel 4)
And if you thought the newbie was joking…think again! We (well, Google) have confirmed that, yes, hippos do in fact make milk that is pink.
Of course, fans were floored by this apparently undiscovered fact.
One viewer, however, did some digging and disputed Jack’s fact:
So now we don’t know what to believe!
Jack is one-half of The Circle’s new arrivals, and they’ve happened to join the group just in time for another ranking. Fancy that!
The Circle continues tonight at 10pm on Channel 4.
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Siddiq and Michonne in The Walking Dead (Picture: AMC)
The Walking Dead is on an upswing after showrunner Angela Kang and Samantha Morton’s Alpha began calling the shots, but there’s one character stepping forward for his juiciest role yet in season 10.
Siddiq, played by Avi Nash, joined the show as Carl’s (Chandler Riggs) vessel of hope back in 2017, used to remind father Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) of their previous ways where new survivors were welcomed and not shunted with hostility.
While he’s largely remained a supporting player since, Siddiq had his biggest moment yet last season — delivering a moving speech to camp as the lone survivor from Alpha’s brutal massacre which killed over ten people.
With survivor’s guilt hanging over him, and the arrival of his baby with Rosita (Christian Serratos), season 10 looks set to be a key turning point for the character. Avi Nash, however, believes Siddiq has quietly been fundamental to the plot since he arrived on the show.
‘It’s tough right because we’re such a huge cast,’ Avi told Metro.co.uk. ‘It’s fundamentally an ensemble show so there are definitely times where I wish I had more to do.
‘At the same time, if we look at what Siddiq’s been able to do — all my stuff in season eight was with Andy [Andrew Lincoln] that was fundamental to the plot of that season. All my stuff in season nine was with Danai [Gurira] and it was fundamental to the plot, and I was able to put the cherry on top at the end of the season as an actor.
Avi Nash plays Siddiq in The Walking Dead (Picture: AMC)
‘I was able to give that big speech which kind of was a frank departure from the way that this show often deals with traumatic moments. Often the show would have ended with the scene in the barn and their heads on sticks, but instead we had this footnote which was a lovely moment for me as an actor, and a terrible moment for Siddiq. So it’s really hard for me to complain.
‘We pick up in season 10 where we left off at the end of last season which is the terror of living next door to these Whisperers. The only person who has seen that up close is Siddiq and so he has a lot to say, a lot to do, a lot to feel, and a lot to fear this year.’
The first episode of season ten serves as an opening to the Whisperers war, catching up with survivors across camps as the masked threat comes back into view. While the Whisperers are a clear danger to their survival as a whole, Siddiq undergoes a more personal, internal struggle of his own between fatherhood and surviving this brutal attack.
‘He’s dealing with survivor’s guilt as well as PTSD and panic attacks,’ Avi said. ‘Fundamentally that experience I think broke him in many ways and lot of this season is an internal journey for him to try and figure out if he can put the pieces back together.
‘Part of the survivor’s guilt is he wishes he could put Alpha’s head on a pike, but I think another huge component of it is he wishes he could just be the way he was before experiencing that. He wants to go back to the Siddiq that could tell Rick that your mercy should prevail before your wrath, and instead we’re seeing a Siddiq this year who at the slightest mention of the Whisperers could have a flashback and he’s back there in the barn on his knees.
‘He’s really struggling with, how do I exist now? Can I pull myself out of the hole of my memories? And how do I do it in time to raise my child? It’s very complicated, very scary, and there’s a lot of fear involved more than revenge for him.’
It’s a scary time for The Walking Dead behind-the-scenes too. This tenth season will see Michonne’s Danai Gurira leave the show after seven years, another major departure following Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes in season nine and Chandler Riggs as Carl in season eight.
Siddiq was taken under Rick’s wing after Carl’s death (Picture: AMC)
Rumours of her exit began to circulate earlier this year but it was only officially confirmed by Danai herself at San Diego Comic Con in July. Avi, however, knew about Danai’s desire to leave way before after growing close during filming.
‘We may have shot the sh*t about it at some point last year when no one was supposed to know,’ Avi said. ‘But you didn’t hear that from me.
‘Secrets on The Walking Dead are funny because sometimes you find out way before you’re supposed to and then you have to keep it a secret that you know the secret. Danai and I are quite close, we worked a lot together last year and have very much a sibling relationship outside of the show as well, so I knew it’d been something that was on her mind.
‘As the news broke, you might know that something is happening but when it does happen, it still feels like it’s too soon. So we all had an emotional goodbye with Danai and with Michonne as well. I think the writers and Angela [Kang] particularly have done a really good job of crafting her exit in a way that pays tribute to her character and pays tribute to the legacy of her work.
‘Even though we knew it was coming and it was sad for it to happen, it’s been done in a really lovely way.’
Norman Reedus, Nadia Hilker, Cooper Andrews, Eleanor Matsuura, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Cailey Fleming, Danai Gurira, Ryan Hurst, Avi Nash and Melissa McBride at Comic Con (Picture: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for IMDb)
The absence of characters on The Walking Dead however doesn’t necessarily mean the end. Rick Grimes will return in a trilogy of movies, with it unknown whether Michonne will also make an appearance, and characters often return in flashback sequences.
While there’s a concern the main show could slowly wither without some of its main players, the lasting legacy of Andrew Lincoln’s work on the show still lives in the new cast.
‘The bones of the show are really good and a lot of that is due to the writers that we have, the directors we bring in, the producers, and fundamentally the legacy of Andrew Lincoln,’ Avi said.
‘We all go to work even though Andy’s not there and we kind of say, “What would Andy do?” I’ll show up for off-camera stuff on the day that I’m not working because that’s what Andy would do, and everyone does that. The people that began this thing have such a strong ethos for work that the show hasn’t really been allowed to change a lot, because we want to keep them proud.
‘The family, it shrinks and grows and the ghost of Andy remains, and the spirit of The Walking Dead stays true I guess.’
The Walking Dead season 10 kicks off on Sunday 6 October in the US, and returns in the UK on Fox Monday 7 October.
Will Kim Kardashian get Making A Murderer’s Brendan Dassey out of jail? (Picture: Getty Images)
Kim Kardashian has thrown her support behind Making A Murderer’s Brendan Dassey, and we can’t help but think she’s hoping to try and get the prisoner released from jail.
The convict is currently serving a life sentence since he confessed to the murder of Teresa Halbach at the age of 17 to the police.
It’s a confession that also secured the fate of Steven Avery, although both continue to protest their innocence, with Dassey’s lawyers claiming the confession was coerced from him.
And now, he has once again claimed he is innocent when writing to Wisconsin’s governor for a pardon.
In a letter shared onto social media, the 29-year-old revealed all of his favourite things before congratulating the governor on their position.
He then followed this by adding: ‘I am writing to ask for a pardon because I am innocent and would like to go home.
‘If I would get to go home I would like to get a job involving video games. I would like to take care of my mom and would one day like a son and daughter of my own.’
Brendan continued: ‘I would name my daughter Grace and my son Mizar which is a name of a star in the big dipper.’
Signing off the letter, he said: ‘That is all for now, take care and until next time. The complete and innocent Brendan Dassey.’
After reading the note, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star was keen to raise awareness of the letter and shared it with her 62million followers.
He has recently asked for a pardon (Picture: AP)
Alongside the retweet, she posted: ‘Please @GovEvers Read this letter.’
This isn’t the first time the 38-year-old has rushed to a prisoner’s side, as she recently helped to free Alice Marie Johnson who was also facing life, without parole.
After the case was a success, she then threw herself into a four-year apprenticeship with a San Francisco law firm last year – proving she’s both beauty and brains.
Sharing her legal aspiration, Kim told US Vogue: ‘The White House called me to advise to help change the system of clemency.
‘And I’m sitting in the Roosevelt Room with, like, a judge who had sentenced criminals and a lot of really powerful people and I just sat there, like, “Oh, s**t. I need to know more.”’
She added: ‘I wanted to fight to fix it, and if I knew more, I could do more.’
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Back in 2014 we all became quite obsessed with a little ol’ podcast called Serial, which focused on the case of Adnan Syed for its first series.
Over 12 episodes we listened, captivated by Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder as they introduced, along with their team, us to the 1999 murder of Baltimore student Hae Min Lee and the conviction of her ex-boyfriend, Adnan, for the crime.
From then, we were detectives, picking apart every crime like we knew what we were talking about.
Now there is a cacophony of true crime podcasts, TV shows and documentaries to whet our whistle (almost too many to keep up with) as we’ve become utterly obsessed with the genre.
Blood and guts and splatter and prison – if it’s not factual, we don’t want to hear about it.
The smorgasbord of offerings arguably wouldn’t exist today had it not been for Serial. A ground-breaking concept that kicked off the morbid fascination with crime in mainstream pop culture.
There were many copycats but none quite captured the dulcet tones of Koenig as she took us through the case of Adnan.
Adnan’s case gripped the world
The intrigue is deep with this case, seeing as an anonymous tipster accused Adnan of the murder, and his first trial ended in a mistrial. After a six-week second trial, he was found guilty of his former girlfriend’s murder on 25 February, 2000, and given a life sentence, despite pleading his innocence.
Released as a spin-off of This American Life, Serial brought a new era in podasting that focused on the storytelling aspect of crime. Reliving the moments but reeling in as many voices involved as possible, which Adnan even speaking to Sarah from behind bars.
While the whole radio serial from which it borrowed its name might not have taken off as we thought it might, there are now countless true crime series for which to sink our teeth into.
The TV series spawned a new insight
Sky Crime’s Emily-Jayne Wilde told Metro.co.uk of the fascination kickstarted by Serial: ‘There was a real spike in 2014 with the Serial podcast and The Case of Adnan Syed. It allowed the listeners to unpick all this evidence and become the arm chair detective and then the following year it was The Jinx and the incredible ending to explore.
‘Since then it continued to spiral and what was an episodic case has now become serialised. We consume it so readily with one case across multiple episodes like you would with a drama. Serial was the time when it all took off.’
According to many, it also revved a fascination with the ‘good guy’, ‘bad guy’ rhetoric, and made us question the competency of police in the same way that has infiltrated its successors. Because apparently we, the listener/viewer, know better, right?
But did Adnan do it?
We still don’t know for sure, even though subsequent offerings, including The Case Of Adnan Syed attempted to open the case back up for interpretation.
Still, it was the viral hit of Serial that catapulted the genre, so suppose we have it to blame for our weekend true crime binge-fests.
Thanks, Koenig.
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Laila Ali un-masked as the Panda on The Masked Singer (Photo: Backgrid)
Muhammed Ali’s daughter Laila Ali revealed her surprising vocal talents last night as she was unveiled in The Masked Singer in the US.
The former undefeated professional boxer took to the stage to perform a rendition of Kelly Clarkson’s hit (What Doesn’t Kill You) Stronger and DJ Khaled’s All I Do Is Win but was sadly eliminated, despite surprising everyone with her pipes.
Ali’s masked competition bested her with versions of Sucker by the Jonas Brothers and Aretha Franklin’s Respect.
Ali performed tracks by Kelly Clarkson and DJ Khaled before facing the chop (Photo: Backgrid)
The judging panel, made up of Nicole Scherzinger, Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, and Robin Thicke, had their work cut out (as always) trying to figure out who it was behind the Panda mask. But it was Blurred Lines crooner Thicke who correctly predicted Ali’s identity.
‘I’ve always been shy about singing,’ she said. ‘But it was fun to perform without anyone knowing.’
Ali was previously an undefeated professional boxer (Photo: Backgrid)
‘This was the first time I’ve ever lost something like this,’ she added. ‘It was very humbling. It’s been fun.’
She was last seen at church with her two sons the day before.
Susan with her two sons Charles and Braden (Picture: Oxygen)
Susan is still technically listed as a missing person, but her husband Josh Powell was named as a person of interest in her disappearance.
Josh’s actions after her she vanished, including a lack of concern for her welfare and the fact he liquated her retirement accounts, aroused suspicion.
He had also previously talked to co-workers about how to hide a body in the Utah desert, and his oldest son told investigators his mother had joined them on a camping trip but never returned.
Susan’s husband Josh was named as a person of interest in the case (Picture: Oxygen)
A secret will belonging to Susan was also found, in which she had stated: ‘I want it documented that there is extreme turmoil in our marriage’ and ‘If I die, it may not be an accident, even if it looks like one.’
Susan’s disappearance sadly wasn’t the end of the tragedy which was set to befall her family, as, in 2012, Josh killed himself and their sons Charles, (born in 2005) and Braden (born in 2007) by blowing up their house.
Custody of the boys had been awarded to Susan’s parents, but at the time they were with their father on what was supposed to be a supervised visit.
Josh killed himself and his two sons in 2012 (Picture: Oxygen)
Josh’s brother Michael, who was suspected of helping Josh with the murder or removal of Susan’s body, also took his own life the following year.
Even though the case was closed in 2013, what happened to Susan is still not known for sure.
The Disappearance of Susan Cox Powell stars on Sky Crime on November 3.
Drag Race has finally arrived on these shores (Picture: BBC)
The moment all self-respecting RuPaul’s Drag Race fans have been waiting for is here – as the UK version of the show is about to land on our screens.
Following a whole lot of speculation about a UK version of the show, BBC Three went ahead and confirmed it was happening at the end of last year, with 10 queens from all over the UK bidding to become the nation’s first drag superstar.
Expect plenty of glamour, a whole lot of filthy humour and some big guest stars on the panel when the series hits the BBC iPlayer on Thursday.
But just what time should you tune in, and who can you expect to see? Here’s what you need to know…
What time is RuPaul’s Drag Race UK released?
You don’t have too much longer to wait for your dose of Drag Race UK, as the BBC Three series debuts on Thursday evening at 8pm.
Where can you watch RuPaul’s Drag Race UK?
The series will be available via BBC iPlayer, which is where most new BBC Three shows are released.
At the moment that’s the only place you’ll be able to see it – although BBC Three shows are sometimes aired on BBC One also, so keep an eye on those schedules.
There are eight episodes in total, with new episodes released weekly at the same time on iPlayer.
Who is in the RuPaul’s Drag Race UK line-up?
Which of the queens will be crowned series champion? (Picture: BBC)
Here’s who’ll be competing for that coveted drag superstar title:
Divina de Campo, 35, from West Yorkshire
Crystal, 34, from London
The Vivienne, 27, from Liverpool
Scaredy Kat, 20, from Wiltshire
Gothy Kendoll, 21, from Leicester
Cheryl Hole, 25, from Essex
Sum Ting Wong, 30, from Birmingham
Blue Hydrangea, 23, from Belfast
Baga Chipz, 29, from London
Vinegar Strokes, 35, from London
Who are the judges on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK?
Maisie Williams is among those joining the judging panel (Picture: BBC)
RuPaul will be joined by Drag Race regular and current Strictly Come Dancing contestant Michelle Visage, while Alan Carr and Graham Norton will also feature as regular panellists.
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Alexa Mansour as Hope, Aliyah Royale as Iris (Picture: Sarah Shatz/AMC)
The first photos from The Walking Dead’s third spin-off series have been released, showing our first look at the new cast.
The new show marks the third series in The Walking Dead universe, which centres around two female protagonists in the first generation to come-of-age within the apocalypse.
The new spin-off is set to make its panel debut at New York Comic Con on Saturday, so an official name for the show might be released then.
The Walking Dead’s third spin-off is expected next year (Picture: Sarah Shatz/AMC)
The series stars Aliyah Royale (who plays a character called Iris) and Annet Mahendru (Huck), Alexa Mansour (Hope), Nicolas Cantu (Elton) and Hal Cumpston (Silas).
The Walking Dead writer and producer Matt Negrete serves as showrunner on the series, co-created with chief content officer of the franchise, Scott Gimple. Kong: Skull Island’s Jordan Vogt-Roberts will direct the series.
An official synopsis reads: ‘The third instalment of the franchise will feature two young female protagonists and focus on the first generation to come-of-age in the apocalypse as we know it.
‘Some will become heroes. Some will become villains. In the end, all of them will be changed forever. Grown-up and cemented in their identities, both good and bad.’
This new show joins a growing ‘universe’ plan for The Walking Dead, which includes the main show, spin-off Fear The Walking Dead and the planned Rick Grimes movie trilogy.
You can check out more photos below.
Alexa Mansour as Hope, Hal Cumpston as Silas (Picture: Jojo Whilden/AMC)
Alexa Mansour as Hope, Aliyah Royale as Iris, Nicolas Cantu as Elton (Picture: Sarah Shatz/AMC)
Nico Tortorella as Felix, Annet Mahendru as Huck (Picture: Jojo Whilden/AMC)
Alexa Mansour as Hope, Aliyah Royale as Iris, Hal Cumpston as Silas, Nicolas Cantu as Elton (Picture: Jojo Whilden/AMC)
The Walking Dead’s third series is expected to be released in 2020.
RuPaul’s Drag Race is about to hit UK screens with Graham Norton, Michelle Visage, RuPaul, Maisie Williams as judges (Picture: BBC / World of Wonder / Guy Levy)
Get ready to sashay away from your social life, because Ru Paul’s Drag Race is coming to UK screens imminently!
Drag Race, hosted by legendary drag performer RuPaul, aims to uncover the “next drag superstar.” And now the first ever UK version is almost here, showing on BBC Three from 8pm on Thursday 3 October.
Who are the judge’s on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK?
Ru himself takes a central role in the judging panel and is joined by his longtime TV partner, Michelle Visage, who you might also recognise from this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
There’s more special guests too: musician MNEK, Strictly’s AJ Pritchard and his brother, Love Islander Curtis, have been announced as Drag Race superstar coaches.
Who was a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race in the US?
Believe it or not, Drag Race has already been on US screens for a mammoth 10 years already.
The original American version has seen countless superstars and big names appear as guests on the show.
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK is on Thursdays at 8pm on BBC Three and iPlayer.
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Emelle had her phone stolen by moped muggers (Picture: Studio Lambert/Channel 4)
The Circle’s Emelle Smith has become a victim of ‘moped muggers’ in London just five days after leaving the Channel 4 show.
The 31-year-old model had just arrived Euston Station yesterday evening, after coming in from her hometown of Manchester, when she was attacked and had her phone stolen.
Thankfully, the star was unharmed in the incident.
Speaking exclusively to Metro.co.uk about the attack, she said: ‘I had it stolen as soon as I got back to London yesterday.
‘I literally just got off the train and was looking for my Uber on my phone, and someone came past and took it. I couldn’t believe it, he literally just cycled past and he hit me a bit. Took it and tried to give me a back hand so I couldn’t chase him. Even though I couldn’t have chased him because I had a 10-tonne suitcase.’
‘It just took me ages to get home. Should’ve taken me 20 minutes and it took me 90 minutes,’ she added. ‘You don’t realise literally how much you use it for.’
Emelle left the show after players were forced to vote on looks alone (Picture: Channel 4)
Thankfully, her time in The Circle had, for the most part, taught her how to live without it, though learning to navigate London is a lot more difficult when you don’t know the city.
And during her time in the game, in which she slightly reinvented herself to become a 26-year-old straight girl, and not 31 years old and gay, she realised that it wasn’t as essential as she’d come to feel it was.
‘When you’re inside [The Circle] you didn’t really need it for anything, so I didn’t really miss it to be honest,’ she said. ‘It was quite nice to have a little detox.’
Mainly, Emelle is just thankful that the incident was quick and didn’t leave her in bigger trouble.
‘There’s some pictures and stuff [that I’ve lost], but what can you do?,’ she said.
‘It could’ve been worse, at least he didn’t, like, hurt me or anything. Just pictures and stuff like that mostly that will go amiss.
‘I’ve blocked it as soon as I got home, and I don’t have nudes on my phone. Can you imagine it?! Thankfully I’m not a nude pic sender.’
The Circle airs weeknights at 10pm on Channel 4.
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Helen Mirren gives one of the performances of her career in Catherine The Great (Picture:Sky/Getty)
Helen Mirren is back on the throne where she belongs in Catherine The Great, but this could well be her finest performance as a monarch to date.
HBO and Sky have proved themselves to be match made in heaven, teaming up again following the biggest success story of the year in Chernobyl, which went on to sweep up at the Emmy Awards and become the highest rated TV show in IMDB history.
Catherine The Great could easily take it mantle.
The four part miniseries follows Catherine’s sudden reign from 1762 to 1796 after she overthrew her husband Peter III, becoming among the most powerful leaders of the Western World. If getting to the throne took cut-throat determination, keeping it was another level. The circumstances surrounding her rise to power were at the very least suspicious, at worst it’s potentially murder.
In turn, her allies are few and far between; even her own son (played by Joseph Quinn) is out for her downfall. It’s a lonely place at the top until she finds a passionate love in military leader Grigory Potemkin (Jason Clarke). Beneath what is undeniably a spectacle comparable to big screen blockbusters, it’s the greatest love story you may have known nothing about which gives Catherine The Great its heart.
Monogamy is off the table, but Catherine’s enamoured and on the surface so is he. Whether the feeling was actually mutual or she was Grigory’s bread and butter is disputed, but makes for a captivating watch all the same.
Drawing from Catherine’s real life letters, the series is a stunning tribute to what truly made the Empress great. Mirren perfectly captures a wicked humour which rarely compliments women in power on screen, discarding the popular myths of her wild sexual exploits, there’s a humanity which has been silenced in the history books. And the truth is so much more interesting than the legend.
Mirren has spent most of the press campaign shutting down the popular tale that Catherine – who survived massacres, spent two decades successfully fighting off threats to her reign and is, 400 years on, regarded as one of the triumphant leaders ever recorded – was killed having sex with a horse.
During the two decades covered in Catherine The Great, battle scenes reminiscent of Game of Thrones add another layer of bloody carnage to what is otherwise a classic period drama, with welcome shock and gore which inevitably equates to more heartbreak.
While Catherine is clearly more than the infamous man-eater of the 18th century, her promiscuity isn’t ignored. If anything its celebrated. HBO have never shied away from sex and they’re not going to start here, but it always feels necessary rather than steering towards gratuitous.
Naturally, the lavish costumes, Mirren continually draped in diamonds make for a beautiful watch, but beyond the aesthetic there are two women who deserve to be celebrated. Mirren, obviously, who has only overthrown herself as the greatest portrayal of a monarch but even more so, Catherine.
Her reputation has been tarnished by so many, but her legacy is extraordinary. A small German girl who grew up to be the leader of the strongest Empire in the world, and ruled it greater than any man before her. A champion of vaccination, determined to educate women – her foresight was unheard of.
Catherine The Great is more than entertainment, it’s the story which is overdue its credence; an essential watch.
Catherine The Great airs tonight at 9pm on Sky Atlantic and will be available to stream on NOW TV.
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But, like any reality show, its contestants can’t stay forever.
So, who has left The Circle so far?
Who has left The Circle so far?
Emelle was the first to go (Picture: Studio Lambert/Jack Bridgeland/Channel 4)
1) Emelle
The first to be ‘blocked’ from The Circle was Emelle in Episode 4.
Emelle was blocked by catfish James and national sweetheart Tim in a move that shocked both contestants and viewers. When the results came in, she was heard crying in the bathroom as her co-stars stood open-mouthed at the news.
Second to go was Sy (Picture: Channel 4)
2) Sy
Farmer Sy was chosen to leave The Circle by the two influencers Tim and James, who held the coveted position together for the second time in a row.
Despite initial disappointment at the news, the reality star seemed excited about making a return to the farm to see his beloved pigs.
It was James who announced the decision to the group, by saying: ‘Me and Tim are so grateful to be in this position, thank you all for putting us here.’
He added: ‘The reason is we feel as though we are not as well connected to this person as the others.’
Richard’s time on The Circle was short but (mostly) sweet (Picture: Channel 4)
Richard, who played as catfish Judy, was given the power to grant immunity to one player, Georgina Aurelia, and chose to meet her face to face.
Georgina was shocked to see Richard standing in her doorway and burst into tears when he praised her for being open about having Crohn’s disease and living with a stoma bag.
‘When I spoke to you yesterday, I had to still be Judy, but everything I said to you was from the heart,’ he told her.
‘Our conversation was totally real… everything I said to you about your bag and your bravery was completely genuine. It’s the only genuine thing I’ve done all week.’
It was clearly an emotional watch for many viewers:
