You’re not getting any Big Brother tonight (Picture: Rex Shutterstock)

Big Brother’s been back on the airwaves less than a week and the show – which kicked off its first series in five years on ITV on October 8 – is already bringing the drama.

We’ve already seen Hallie taking the brave step of admitting to the others that she is trans, unexpected arguments over salmon, the first shopping task of the series – complete with huge wigs – and of course one housemate’s time coming to a premature end in the first eviction of the series.

Consider us hooked already. Except we have to wait a while for the next instalment from the house – as there’s no Big Brother on tonight.

Why is Big Brother not on on Saturdays?

Why is Big Brother not on tonight?

It’s unclear why Big Brother is not on tonight, but it follows on from the same format as when the show last aired on Channel 5.

Those tuning in to catch their latest glimpse of house action tonight will instead have to settle for the movie Bad Neighbours, which is being shown at 9pm instead.

While Big Brother previously aired every night of the week, the final series in 2018 was also absent from the schedules on Saturdays – suggesting it’s likely to be a scheduling issue more than anything else.

It also means there’s no Big Brother: Late and Live tonight either as AJ Odudu and Will Best have the night off.

Metro.co.uk has contacted ITV for comment.

The good news is that it’ll be back on Sunday at 9pm, with Late and Live airing at 10pm.

And of course don’t forget you can watch the livestream from the house into the small hours on ITVX.

When is Big Brother on?

Big Brother is airing at 9pm on ITV2 from Sundays to Fridays.

Generally episodes are around an hour long – although this may vary depending on what’s happening on the show (for example eviction night instalments run slightly longer at an hour and a quarter).

The series is due to run for around six weeks, so you can expect to see the final some time in November.

The series is already doing well, having attracted over 2m viewers to its launch night show – which also aired simultaneously on ITV1.

If you’ve missed any episodes so far you can catch up with them via ITVX.

MORE : Big Brother house ‘threatened with major security breach’

MORE : Big Brother housemates up for eviction revealed and fans are ‘gutted’

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A reader and recent father of twins reveals how the debate over the price of Spider-Man 2 has been the catalyst for him to sell his console.

I’ve seen a lot of arguments back and forth about the price of Spider-Man 2 and whether it would be better value for money if it was longer or if it’s fine to pay $70/£70 for a game that only lasts 15 hours. Well, for me that’s kind of missing the point. Having recently become a dad to twins I suddenly find myself so short of money the thought of spending that much on a video game isn’t something I can even consider.

Naturally, I haven’t got much time either, but I should’ve been able to fit in a ‘short’ 15+ hour campaign, as I have been able to find the odd hour or two of quiet to indulge in those games I do already have. But I can’t justify the cost, not with all my responsibilities at the moment.

I realise that I could try and get a physical copy, beat it, and sell it but the whole argument over whether the game is worth the money or not has made realise that video games are just too expensive nowadays and this is probably the time to stop spending what little remaining personal cash I have on them.

You reach a limit like this, and you realise something has to change, that the things you used to spend time and money on when you hand no responsibilities are just not sensible anymore. I’m not going to accuse Sony or anyone else of being greedy or unfair – I understand why game prices are going up – but for me it’s reached a limit where I just have to say ‘no’.

It’s not just the games though. Spider-Man 2 is really just the straw that broke the camel’s back. It costs what it does but then you’ve got all the other games I’d be interested in this year, like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Alan Wake 2. Then on top of that talk of the Switch 2 and PS5 Pro…

Everything is just becoming too much; expense piled upon expense. I realise I don’t have to get any of these things but I think it’s best for me to decide not to, to make a clean break, before I’m tempted to carry on and my lack of willpower keeps finding excuses to get ‘just one more game.’

I will hopefully come back to gaming in a few years’ time and while I intend to sell my newer consoles I’ll keep the older ones to play some of my favourite retro games. I have been thinking, though, about what might have convinced me to carry on.

If Sony had a true equivalent to Game Pass that might have made a difference. I’ve never been a fan of Xbox games but if I could’ve played Spider-Man 2 for no extra cost, day one, that would have been mighty tempting, even if subscriptions are getting more expensive all the time.

But really, the price is only part of it. The other half is just wanting to be more responsible. I don’t think it’s right to be constantly thinking about where I can steal some time away from my kids, to play a video game.

I’ll need some ‘me time’, I’m sure, but not when it costs the price of a weekly shop to enjoy it. Everything is getting more expensive at the moment, but when that includes an unnecessary luxury like a video game I think you’ve got to take stock and consider your priorities. Thanks for listening.

By reader CollinsBlister

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE : Hours of Spider-Man and Super Mario Bros. Wonder footage leak online

MORE : The original PS5 Spider-Man was not a great game but perhaps Spider-Man 2 will be

MORE : All the unlockable Spider-Man 2 suits have already leaked online

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Kevin Owens has been unveiled as the newest member of the WWE SmackDown roster.

After brand new general manager Nick Aldis was introduced to fans by Triple H himself, the Prizefighter was unveiled on Friday night’s episode as the replacement trade following Jey Uso’s move to Raw.

As revealed at Payback last month, Cody Rhodes had orchestrated a way for Jey to switch to the red brand after he walked out on WWE weeks earlier.

Although fans knew a wrestler would be moving the other way from Raw to SmackDown, a few weeks had passed without any answers before SmackDown last night.

Aldis told the fans: ‘I’m gonna cut right to the chase. As many of you know about a month ago, Cody Rhodes was instrumental in a deal which took Jey Uso to Monday Night Raw, and in exchange a Raw superstar must come to SmackDown.

‘So as my first official act, with Triple H’s blessing, I’d like to introduce SmackDown’s newest superstar right now.’

Despite Dominik Mysterio’s best efforts to halt the announcement, KO’s music hit and the former world champion stormed to the ring and laid out the Judgment Day star with a huge Stunner.

Owens’ move to the blue brand throws up some fascinating complications, particularly as he’s spent a large part of this year in a rekindled team with Sami Zayn.

His trade suggests that partnership is over with the beloved fan favourite remaining on Raw, which in itself could create more tension with Cody Rhodes.

As fans know, the storyline reason for the trade was the American Nightmare getting Jey Uso on Raw, but their recent Undisputed WWE Tag Team Title victory means they will both continue to appear on both programmes anyway.

KO in particular might not take too kindly to being moved away from his tag team partner Sami all for a trade that has almost been negated anyway thanks to the rules around the titles recently held by the lifelong friends.

WWE SmackDown airs Friday nights at 1am on TNT Sports 1.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE : WWE producer Nick Aldis had to think fast after wrestler ‘projectile vomited all over the ring’

MORE : NJPW star Will Ospreay ‘numb to death wishes’ before he turned major mental health corner

A reader regrets pre-ordering Modern Warfare 3 and suggests that Call Of Duty is currently the worst it’s been since the Xbox 360 days.

It’s Wednesday as I type this and I’m fully expecting Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard to be confirmed on Friday. So, all you people in the future as I type this, are probably already sick of hearing about it. But don’t worry, I’m not really here to talk about it. Although I will say that paying $69 billion for the makers of Call Of Duty is just about the worst bargain in corporate history, because Call Of Duty sucks. Or at least this year’s does.

I used to love Call Of Duty, I think most everyone did back in the Xbox 360 days. It’s had its bad games, but it’s kept its quality up surprisingly well given the yearly sequels, although I think it started to lose its mojo towards the end of the last generation. Maybe because that’s when they started to concentrate more on the free battle royales, or maybe the idea had just been done to death – but I think Black Ops 3 was the last one that I was properly into.

The first Modern Warfare 1 reboot was pretty good but the second not so much, I thought. You want to see the end of the story though, so against my better judgement I pre-ordered the third and… well, I guess they saw me coming.

A lot has been talked about whether Modern Warfare 3 is just DLC they repackaged and sold as a full game, but that really doesn’t matter – if it’s good, it’s good. Super Mario Galaxy 2 and Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom both started out as DLC and they’re two of the best games ever made, so clearly it’s no guarantee that the game will disappoint.

I realise the position with Modern Warfare 3 is different, but if it was originally just a new story campaign then it must be pretty substantial, they just need to bolt on new multiplayer and Zombies modes and, let’s be honest, how often do they really change between sequels?

Well, it turns out the answer is quite a bit because Modern Warfare 3’s multiplayer is a lot different. The problem is all the changes are for the worse. It is pretty obvious that the multiplayer maps being for the original Modern Warfare 2 means they were originally meant to be DLC for the last game but, again, that doesn’t really matter. These are some classic maps and revamping them for modern times is a good idea.

The problem is they haven’t been revamped at all. They’ve had a light remaster and that’s it, which means they’re still filled with camping sites and then you’ve got the terrible spawn points of the modern games on top of that. The spawn points are completely random, and it makes it impossible to come up with any kind of strategy or tactic whether you’re playing on your own or as team.

Domination is basically unplayable and that’s before you get into the lack of recoil on guns, the terrible visibility and colour saturation, and a TTK (time to kill) so slow it feels like you’re fighting with a potato gun.

I do kind of like the slower movement, although I acknowledge opinion is divided on that subject. I have not spoken to any regular player that has not complained about the spawn points though, agreeing that they all but ruin the game.

I shouldn’t have pre-ordered it, I realise that now, but I will definitely be thinking twice next time. I shouldn’t imagine that’s what Microsoft wants to hear after spending all that money but it’s true. Call Of Duty has only been getting by these last few years and now it’s at its lowest point, just as it becomes Xbox property.

Maybe they’ve got some big plan for bringing it back to its former glory but even if they have that’s going to take, what? Five years? By that point I think they’re going to be having serious second thoughts about this whole deal…

By Taylor Moon

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE : 18 minutes of Payday 3 gameplay leaks and it looks exactly like Payday 2

MORE : Payday 3 drops first teaser trailer for the New Year after silent 2022

MORE : Payday 3 will focus on original crew – set in New York

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WWE boss Triple H has unveiled British wrestling legend Nick Aldis at the new General Manager of SmackDown.

The company’s chief content officer made a rare appearance for Friday night’s ‘season premiere’ of the blue brand and shook things up by introducing a brand new authority figure.

It’s been a long time since either Raw or SmackDown had an on-screen GM in place, with backstage producer Adam Pearce ruling over both shows in recent years as a ‘WWE official’.

That’s all changed now though with the former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion making his long awaited debut with the sports entertainment giants, while Pearce is the new GM of Monday Night Raw.

Following the big announcement, he tweeted: ‘The opportunity of a lifetime. Thank you @TripleH @WWE Onwards and upwards for the blue brand! #SmackDown’

Known as the National Treasure in the National Wrestling Alliance and beyond, fans will be hoping this marks the beginning of Aldis working towards an in-ring role for the company.

Earlier this year, he reached an agreement to work as a backstage producer, which involves helping wrestlers put together their matches to make sure they fit with the plan.

Now, he’s appeared as an on-screen character for the first time and looks set to make an impact in a totally new environment.

His fellow countryman and current Raw commentator Wade Barrett previously admitted he would love to see Aldis in WWE, and he had high hopes for this career once he arrived.

He exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘He’s a fantastic talker, he’s got a great look, he’s a really good representative for this industry in general, and I love his classic throwback in-ring style.

‘It reminds me a bit of Harley Race, kind of the pompous Englishman element adds to it as well. I’d love to see Nick involved.’

WWE SmackDown airs Friday nights at 1am on TNT Sports 1.

Got a story?

If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.

MORE : NJPW star Will Ospreay ‘numb to death wishes’ before he turned major mental health corner

MORE : WWE producer Nick Aldis had to think fast after wrestler ‘projectile vomited all over the ring’

A reader is unimpressed by the newly released Payday 3 and thinks its problems are emblematic of recent video game sequels.

Sequels can be a blast. Remember Halo 2? Portal 2? Red Dead Redemption 2? Hell, Half-Life 2 and Silent Hill 2? Shrek 2?! All certified classics in their own right, which introduced extra depth, fresh gameplay mechanics, and world building to their franchises and the community behind them, giving people more of what they wanted in an innovative and creative manner.

So what the hell is happening recently?

A notable example I’d like to focus on is Payday 3. A well established franchise that has had an excellent sequel, Payday 2, be its driving force for 10 years – until recently when Payday 3 led to its predecessor being retired and gave it the well-earned rest it deserved.

Its price point: attractive. The visuals: much better. Game mechanics: fresh and interesting. It looked to be shaping up well, improving on the previous game and giving it a nice lick of paint in a new engine. And yet even with considerable community and financial support it has still turned out to be a complete mess.

The majority of the characters are gone, thanks to an awkward plot point that states that the gang has been broken up due to a police incident – delivered in what looks to be a Redfall style concept art PowerPoint. This is in part understandable, due to having to monetise the game in the long term (plus the problem of the licensed characters), but the production value drop off in comparison to Payday 2’s neat live action backgrounds, that made the game feel alive.

No quick play results, in a rough matchmaking experience, and no proper single-player means an overreliance on online (as evidenced by the launch week fiasco). Less gameplay mechanics mean less depth and a small selection of maps further limit its replayability. It’s quite the rabbit hole when you start looking past the fun gunplay, which in itself feels like a shadow of its former self, with the lack of weapon modifications and akimbo variants.

Sequels currently feel like they are simply a way to earn money and keep major companies afloat. Phil Spencer’s remarks on the gaming industry simply say what everyone else is thinking currently: sequels are rehashes done for the sake of it being a sequel to keep an IP’s name in the game, which is the exact opposite of what these games need to be.

Looking at Modern Warfare 3 and a previous Reader’s Feature on how it’s essentially a grift, alongside the new Assassin’s Creed Mirage… both come from top triple-A studios that are continuously resting on their flagship titles. There’s certainly nothing wrong with sequels in general but done in this vein it makes enjoying these games difficult, where no new innovation occurs besides fresh ways to monetise the gaming experience.

Sequels like Payday 3 are an interesting case. Yes, it’s a poor game, but if anything Starbreeze had their hand forced. They have filed for bankruptcy in the past and this game is a way to support them getting back into the game (no pun intended). But it still feels as though we are being cheated; the mismanagement and pressure to deliver means another sequel has been released simply to push an IP for the sake of it.

By reader V

The reader’s features do not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.

You can submit your own 500 to 600-word reader feature at any time, which if used will be published in the next appropriate weekend slot. Just contact us at gamecentral@metro.co.uk or use our Submit Stuff page and you won’t need to send an email.

MORE : 18 minutes of Payday 3 gameplay leaks and it looks exactly like Payday 2

MORE : Payday 3 drops first teaser trailer for the New Year after silent 2022

MORE : Payday 3 will focus on original crew – set in New York

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Readers discuss their usual tactics for beating video games and how they decide when to give up and when to multitask.

The subject for this week’s Hot Topic was suggested by reader Fennel, who asked what you count as beating a game and if it just means having completed the story or everything 100%.

Everyone had a slightly different approach and while most agreed that getting to the credits counted as beating a game, others liked to go further, especially for trophies and achievements.

Impossible Mission
As someone who has amassed thousands of games over the years, there’s no way I can complete all of them. There are some games I play that I feel I have experienced all they have to offer within the 15 hour mark and just give up on (Far Cry 5 and Dying Light springs to mind) but it’s rare that I stick to one game to completion and play nothing else.

The last I did this with was Elden Ring last year, which I played for a solid month to 100% Steam achievement completion. I’ve played other games to completion since but not in-between playing others.

I’ve been more wary in the past couple of years with my purchases too and seeing if I actually would find the time to finish them. I really want to play Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom but Breath Of The Wild took me over 120 hours to finish, I don’t have it in me just yet.
Cold Waste

Stick to the plan
I must admit I’m quite a tenacious wee fellow, so if I start a game I tend to finish it. Due to this, I tend to only buy games that I know I’ll likely be able to finish, and plan which games I start based on that. Thinking of the games I’ve bought myself in recent years I think I’ve finished them all but it does tend to mean I won’t start really long games after finishing a long game recently. It does provide nice palette cleaners between the longer games though, interspersing games like Inscryption and Inside, between longer games like Xenoblade Chronicles and Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom.

I have tried things like Game Pass but find I’ll start so many games and not even try and finish them, as you’re not quite invested in them, having not consciously decided to buy them. It felt more like window shopping, downloading it, having a wee gander to see what it’s all about and then on to the next fairly interesting game, all the while not seeing much of any of them.

For that reason, I’ve decided the more considered approach of reading previews and reviews and buying and investing my money and time in a game I have chosen is my favoured way of buying and playing video games.
Paul Conry

Staying power
I try and beat every game I play.

This is in stark contrast to my gaming youth, where I would rarely finish anything. I’d say that during a prolific year of my 30s I’m sure I beat more games than the whole of my childhood, teens, and twenties combined.

As a general rule, though, if I’m really not enjoying a potentially long game I’ll stop. A recent example of this is Immortals Fenyx Rising, which I started to find a bit repetitive about five hours in and dropped.

Earlier this year I played through Dark Void, an Uncharted clone that couldn’t be more generic, because it was a short experience, and I don’t think I can accurately form an opinion about a game unless I’ve seen the credits.

I’d advise that everyone tries to see a game through if they’re 70-80% there.

It’ll leave a more lasting impression and make any potential sequel more appealing.
ANON

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Post credits scene
I try to at least finish and by that I mean get to the credits screen, every game I own. Even online shooters like Apex Legends have a natural end for me. After all the achievements were awarded and a handful of wins I found it had reached its end for me.

I don’t see the point of buying a game and not finishing it. I’ve not got endless cash, so I still played like I did 20 years ago. I might have a pile to get through, but I will get to each one.

I can only remember one game I never finished as it was so difficult, I gave up on it. No, it wasn’t a Souls game.

As I’ve said before, you can come and go on a game, as long as it’s not online only and the servers shut. I’ve never paid full price either, as I tend to get used or from a key seller. I’m still on Read Dead Redemption 2 several years after release but am only maybe a dozen missions in.

On the other end I’ve played through the Batman: Arkham games several times, including the Riddler trophies.

If I’m stuck, I’ll go on YouTube to find a cheese or easy strategy.

Going by the achievements I’m on the lower percentage of people doing this now.

I finished the new Turtles game and I think it was under 20% of people had the achievement. This is a two-hour game and people can’t play through it? I don’t know.

Anyway. Have a good weekend all.
Bobwallett

Sunk cost fallacy
When I was younger and only got a handful of new games a year, I’d (try) to play everything through to completion. These days I’m quite happy to abandon a game I’m not enjoying.

Two recent examples would be Red Dead Redemption 2 and Deathloop. I gave them both three to four hours but found them very uninteresting so moved on to something else. There are too many other games I want to try to bother continuing. Since I only buy games once they’re a cheaper, it’s no big loss if I only play them for a short while.
drlowdon

Progress update
I try to complete the main story of every game I play. But the story and the gameplay needs to be compelling! These are the games I am currently working on:

Final Fantasy 16: good story/boring gameplay
Progress = stalled

Aliens: Dark Descent: OK story/fun gameplay
Progress = stalled
(Need to be in the mood to play this one)

Call Of Duty multiplayer: no story/addictive gameplay
Progress = need to unlock the next gun on battle pass

Baldur’s Gate 3: great story/complicated gameplay
Progress = wife is blaming pregnancy brain and it’s too much for her, so can no longer play our co-op game (right at the end of Act 1)

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty: good story/competent gameplay
Progress = still playing and will be the game I complete first

It’s all well and good having loads of extra things to do and unlock but they need to be interesting and worthwhile or change the way you can play the game.

I think the internet guides and YouTube videos have also taken some of the magic out of games, as it’s so easy to figure things out once you get stumped now.

Looking forward to Hades 2. That should keep me occupied.
TommyFatFingers

Selling point
A somewhat topical Hot Topic this is. I only pre-ordered Spider-Man 2 and bought Assassin’s Creed Mirage because they had been trimmed down.

DC Comics have always been my favourite. Green Lantern and Hellblazer blow anything Stan Lee ever plagiarised clean out of the water. Yeah, sue me.

So I’m not all that invested in any of the Marvel comics or superheroes. I got about halfway through Spider-Man on PlayStation 4 before the map just got way too full and I couldn’t be bothered trying to get any further.

Generally, I do try to get my money’s worth. Oblivion, Skyrim, Bloodborne and Elden Ring held no secrets from me by the time I was done with them. The same goes for Zelda: A Link To The Past and all the 3D era Mario games.

The difference between Red Dead Redemption and the sequel makes the point for me. I savoured every moment of the first Red Dead Redemption, to this day one of my most memorable gaming experiences in 35 years. The sequel? Not so much.

Bloat for the sake of busy work does not a good game make.
Mitchell

Multitasking progress
I do try to complete every game I buy but not necessarily as soon as I’ve bought them, usually because I’m in the middle of trying to complete another in my backlog!

In the N64/Game Boy Advance/GameCube days I would try to complete each game on each difficulty with each character (if they had different ones) so for example, Mario Kart 64/Super Circuit/Double Dash got some serious playthrough.

As of late September/early October, I’m trying to complete Cruisin’ Blast. I have already got gold on the easy and normal difficulty races but I’m grinding to level up each vehicle to level 5. Races and the Cups are short, so it’s not too bad.

Simultaneously, I’m trying to get all my Pokémon to level 100 in Pokemon Sword. I’m nearly-ish there but I won’t bother with Let’s Go, Eevee! or Violet. Namely because it is so much easier/quicker to level them up in Sword than the other games.

If I am having difficulty with a certain game, I will look online for help but if I still can’t get past a certain part I’ll call it a day and move onto the next on my shelf. That finished game is then sold or traded.

These days, 100%ing a game isn’t important to me anymore like it used to.
LeighDappa

This week’s Hot Topic
The subject for this weekend’s Inbox was suggested by reader Fennel, who asks whether you try to beat every game you play?

There’s been a lot of debate recently, over whether video games are getting too long or bloated, but do you always try to beat them, regardless of their length? What do you count as beating the game and are you happy to move on once you’ve completed the story or do you try and 100% it as well?

How often have you given up when playing a game and what caused you to do so? What’s the shortest amount of time you played a game before giving up?

E-mail your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE : Games Inbox: The danger of Nintendo being bought out, The Legend Of Zelda love, and GTA 6 doubts

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Survivor will challenge 18 people to compete in some of the toughest physical and psychological challenges to become victorious.

As well as testing their brains and strength, they’ll also have to outwit each other and dabble in betrayal in order to become the lone survivor and walk away with £100,000.

The contestants are flown out from the UK to a tropical location, where they are split into two tribes. Eventually, they will merge after people are are voted out of their tribes at the tribal council.

They will find themselves going head-to-head, as there can only be one winner!

The format originally came to the UK in 2001 and ran for two series, and now, over two decades later it is being rebooted for our viewing pleasure.

Sitting on the sidelines will be Joel Dommett, who will be hosting the BBC series, which was filmed in the Dominican Republic.

Let’s meet the Survivor contestants…

Ashleigh

Age: 34

From: London

Occupation: Brand strategist

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘I love every opportunity to live life to the fullest and to challenge and push myself. Whether it’s in work e.g. starting my own business, in fitness with my boxing or in life and taking on skydiving, I have always wanted to test my limits.

‘I suffer from imposter syndrome and struggle to believe in myself, so this is why I push myself, to try and find my limits. What better test to understand what I’m really capable of than the ultimate challenge – Survivor!’

How did you prepare yourself mentally and physically for taking part?

‘I have coeliac disease and I actually had a gluten flare-up three weeks before the show started which massively impacted my training. I usually run three times a week and weight train or box twice a week, but I had to cut right back during my coeliac recovery so I was not at my peak fitness when I started.

‘I did try and eat lots to make sure I was ready for the calorie deficit though – thank god for gluten-free pizza!’

Christopher

Age: 36

From: Bridgend

Occupation: Singer/songwriter

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘I wanted to be a contestant on Survivor because I wanted to take myself out of my comfort zone and face my fears. I wanted to undertake the hardest challenges, on land, in the air or in the sea. I want to prove to myself that I have got what it takes, that I can achieve anything.

‘The idea of having nothing but the clothes on my back seemed a million miles away from what I do in real life. Having all luxuries taken away and food restricted whilst having to undertake the toughest game show on earth just excited me. I thought it’s the best way to push myself, to learn how to survive and do challenges as I’m extremely competitive.

‘I am at the stage in my life where I am more confident and determined to do something which I feel I can do well with the determination and competitive spirit to outwit, outplay, and outlast.’

How competitive are you?

‘I am extremely competitive, I will just keep going even when I feel like I can’t give anymore. I will do whatever it takes to outlast the biggest strongest contender. I am one not to be messed with, I play to win!’

Doug

Age: 32

From: Isle of Mull

Occupation: Flood risk consultant

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘When I was younger I vividly remember watching the original UK Survivor back in 2002. As a family we loved the show, even going as far as re-enacting some of the original challenges.

‘When I saw that it was returning to TV in the UK I wasted no time in putting my application in. Next thing I know – I’m on a desert island building a shelter from bamboo! I came on Survivor to make my family back home on Mull proud, and have the adventure of a lifetime.’

Did you have a strategy of how you were going to play the game?

‘My strategy coming into the game comprised of 2 key elements; firstly establish myself as an indispensable member of the tribe during the early phase of the game by performing well at Challenges and working hard around the camp.

‘Then secondly was to find myself a “shield” player, or failing that, to create one. Someone ideally who would take a real leadership role within the tribe and more importantly, is regarded as a bigger target than myself. I’ll sit right behind them as long as I can!’

Hannah

Age: 30 

From: London 

Occupation: Semi-professional footballer 

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor? 

‘Survivor really became my go-to TV show to watch during lockdown. I got totally hooked, binge-watching season after season and the more I watched, the more I thought: “I’d absolutely love to be on that show!”‘

How competitive are you? 

‘I’m incredibly competitive and football has been a huge part of fuelling that fire. Competing at a semi-pro level has given me a taste for competition and the drive to succeed. I brought that same spirit to Survivor, ready to battle it out in every challenge.’

Jess

Age: 38

From: London

Occupation: Fitting model

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘It’s the ultimate challenge of a lifetime and I fancied doing something wild as I approach 40. I also thought the 100K might come in handy!’

How did you cope with living on a beach with no home comforts?

‘Everything about it was my literal worst nightmare, I was so out of my comfort zone but I did it.’

Laurence

Age: 29

From: London, born in Vienna, and raised in Costa Rica

Occupation: Entrepreneur/Cambridge Student – MPhil in Artificial Intelligence Ethics

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘Coming across Survivor and getting chosen to be one of the contestants was an enormous coincidence as I run a health-tech start-up selling anti-hangover capsules with the same name as the show!

‘The show hit the spot as I felt I’d become too comfortable in life and I’ve come to depend on all sorts of unnecessary creature comforts. It was time to shake things up a bit and prove to myself that I could live on bare necessities, in order to appreciate the luxuries of life.

‘I wanted to see whether my character would remain the same when put to the test, or whether I would crack under pressure like most other fellow soft millennials.

‘I also celebrate absurdity – and instead of doing the rational thing and working in some dull accountancy firm towards buying an overpriced house and a boring retirement, I would much rather do something absurd like this. I crave new experiences.

‘As George Mallory said, on why he wanted to climb Everest: “Because it is there.” And finally, I thought I could at least make a big enough fool of myself on national television to amuse myself for the next few years.’

How did you prepare yourself mentally and physically for taking part? 

‘I bought a flint and proceeded to practice setting fire to the kitchen, much to my family’s horror. I asked a friend to join me at a Thai restaurant famous for serving bugs and forced myself to eat every creepy crawly in sight. I went all-out on sports – convincing a terrifying Austrian Schwarzenegger-lookalike to be my coach. He nailed it by brutalising me daily with cruel and unusual forms of exercise. On top of this, I did a fair amount of rock climbing, allowed my father to thrash me thrice at squash, a lot of long-distance running, and some strange balancing acts in the garden.

‘I had not watched a single full episode of Survivor, so I set about absorbing Survivor highlights and strategy reels on YouTube, and reading forums and Quora articles chock-full of advice, with questionable results. I did, however, absorb various books on survival skills, and very geographically specific books on flora and fauna.’

Lee

Age: 28

From: Belfast (originally Limerick)

Occupation: Professional boxer

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘I thought it was a great opportunity to test myself and let the world see me for who I really am. Survivor shows people at their most vulnerable selves and I was excited for the Irish and British public to see me as my true authentic self.’

Did you have a strategy of how you were going to play the game?

‘My plan was to just to be myself and perform well in challenges, I felt like that’s where my strengths would lie. In terms of a proper strategy, I came in blind as I haven’t seen the show before – I’m an idiot!’

Leilani

Age: 45

From: Hertford

Occupation: Barista/yoga studio cleaner

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘Tongue-in-cheek humour, general immaturity and ignorant bliss mixed with lots of love, cuddles and unity.’

What did you learn from being on the show or what is the biggest takeaway?

‘I learnt just how resilient and adaptable I am. My mental strength is super strong to be able to bear the pain of leaving my child at home during filming. I left Survivor a much more powerful woman.’

Matthew

Age: 21

From: Cumbria

Occupation: Hospitality

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘I wanted to be a contestant on Survivor because I knew this was the ultimate challenge! An amazing chance to really get stuck in and see what I’m made of. I turned 21 a few months ago and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my summer, I’m so thankful for the opportunity.

‘I really wanted to push myself to the limits and I genuinely mean that – this is a dream. I was looking forward to playing the game of Survivor because there’s so much to think about, it tests you physically and mentally and I was ready for both challenges!’

How did you cope with living on a beach with no home comforts?

‘I just embraced the dirt and the conditions and I wasn’t scared to get my hands dirty, I just wanted to get stuck in! I realised that in everyday life I take all my home comforts for granted but the fact I have a comfy bed to sleep on and food in the fridge is such a privilege. But on the beach not having these home comforts brought everyone in the tribe together because all we had is each other and we were all living in the moment.

‘One of the home comforts I missed most was definitely a cup of tea… I drink so much of it at home, it was a big shock to my system!’

Nathan

Age: 35

From: Manchester (originally London)

Occupation: Fitness instructor/operations manager

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘I very much believe in the concept of Kaizen – a Japanese term for continuous improvement – and I try to apply this concept to every part of my life. When I reflect on when I’ve grown the most, it has always been on the back of significantly challenging times, adversity, or hardship. So, when the opportunity to be a part of one of the most challenging experiences someone can face, I needed no convincing.’

How did you prepare yourself mentally and physically for taking part? 

‘Mentally, it was a case of daily positive affirmations, reminding myself that if I’m able to get through the things I have got through so far in life, that I will be able to get through anything the game would be able to throw at me.

‘On the physical side, prior to confirmation of my involvement in the show, I already had a fairly intensive training programme, however, I introduced more cardio and calisthenic exercises into my training and undertook swimming lessons.’

Pegleg

Age: 54

From: St Agnes

Occupation: Surf school owner

What qualities did you think you’d bring to the game?

‘Life experience as a 54yr old, a Gen X attitude for just getting on with it and not whining and moaning about the hardship of it all.’

Did you have a strategy of how you were going to play the game?

‘To try and be Mr middle-of-the-road; I didn’t want to be seen as a threat but also didn’t want to be a weak link in the chain who wasn’t worth keeping around. As an older one-legged guy I had to prove I could hold my own.’

Rachel

Age: 40

From: Whitstable

Occupation: Insurance claims handler

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘I have always been an adventurous, strong, outdoorsy, sporty person who loves a challenge and my mum knew I had wanted to take part in a show like this for years so when she saw an advert for contestants online she tagged me in it. My motivation was that I wanted my children to know that not having a dad around does not mean that one parent isn’t enough and to show them that anything can be achieved if you put your mind to it.’

What did you learn from being on the show?

‘That I am capable of anything and my gut instinct is always right. Also, I need to stop putting everyone else’s needs before my own! I have met some amazing people and cannot wait to try new adventures with them.’

Rach

Age: 23

From: Glasgow

Occupation: Personal trainer

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘I had actually never heard of Survivor until the start of this year when I watched the Australian series and immediately knew that this would be something that I would enjoy.

‘My boyfriend and I binge-watched every single series and I fell in love with the show. I love challenges and adrenaline rushes so taking part in Survivor was a perfect match for me.’

What did you learn from being on the show?

‘I learned from the show that I really am capable of anything. If someone had told me at the start of the year: ‘you will live on a beach in the Caribbean this summer’, I would have laughed in their face.

‘Being so young and giving up everything in my life to take part in Survivor was huge for me and I was so grateful to have been given the opportunity. It also encouraged me to visit my family a lot more than what I did, I think being away for such a long time made me realise how much I missed them.’

Ren

Age: 28

From: London

Occupation: Network Data Scientist

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘Survivor has been my all-time favourite show since I found it when I was 14, obsessed is an understatement. It combines so many things I love into this intense and awesome package where you get to do stuff you don’t get to regularly as an adult.

‘I also just love the mental and social aspects of the game – it’s not about playing the game you want to play, it’s about playing the game the jury wants to see you play.’

What kind of challenges were you most looking forward to?

‘I was really excited for the Survivor classic – an epic obstacle course where you have to use each other to get through different elements, ending in a solid equalizer puzzle, which I’d reluctantly volunteered to do, and then dominate, duh.’

Richard

Age: 36

From: Dalkeith

Occupation: Pensions manager/RAF reservist

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘I am always looking for a new challenge and this gave me the opportunity to challenge myself physically and mentally.’

How did you cope with the hunger?

‘It was a struggle early on but then you get used to it.’

Sabrina

Age: 45

From: Stroud

Occupation: Ultramarathon runner/charity founder/author

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘It hit me at the right time! If you were told on a cold UK winter’s night about a show that was highly likely to be filmed on a tropical island, involved physical and mental challenges, and meant you couldn’t be contacted for the whole time you were there – wouldn’t you be interested?’

How did you prepare yourself mentally and physically for taking part? 

‘In the months before I ran two multi-stage 300K off-road trail ultramarathons. One of them being in the remote Scottish highlands. I camped out. I ate rations. I gladly put myself in a deep dark hole physically and mentally.’

Shai

Age: 33

From: London

Occupation: Finance risk manager

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘Being a super fan! I remember watching the show as an 11 year old in Sri Lanka where I grew up till the age of 17 and have watched most previous seasons across the 23 year period. When the opportunity arose, I jumped at it! Who wouldn’t want to be stranded on a random island with nothing but basic rations against a bunch of random strangers, competing in the best game ever!’

Did you have a strategy of how you were going to play the game?

My strategy before going into the game was to lay low at the beginning, not drawing any attention to myself and then try and seize control in the mid game. Which it turns out is much easier said than done!

Tinuke

Age: 30

From: London

Occupation: Professional roller skater/adventurer

What made you want to be a contestant on Survivor?

‘I have always loved the show alongside all other survival shows since I was a kid. I was so excited when I saw it was coming to the UK. I want to go on the show for my late parents and to prove to myself that I am so much stronger than I thought I was.

‘This is a complete game-changer for me, I am ready to change my life and fill it with adventure and challenge and this is the first stepping stone to get me there. I am ready to leave behind the troubles and grief of my past and prove that anyone can turn around any dark experience.

‘You always have more in the tank than you think you do, and I am ready to show that! I want to be a massive inspiration for anyone who has also experienced deep loss and sadness.’

How did you prepare yourself mentally and physically for taking part?

‘To prepare I have watched every season of Survivor and I read FBI interrogation persuasion techniques and body language books to give me the upper-hand.

‘I also lived in the woods for four days learning all the basic bushcraft and survival skills which was wild. From my real life I already had a lot of general resilience and life skills to get me through the show.’

Survivor UK will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Autumn.

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The Eras Tour film is finally in cinemas with Taylor Swift’s fans flocking to see the three hour long masterpiece – but Swifties aren’t easy to please.

Concert films rarely get this much attention but Taylor’s fans wouldn’t let their idol down with booked out screenings and over 600 pre-sale tickets sold at Westfield London’s Vue. 

The excitement is palpable as fans arrive, buying limited edition popcorn buckets and cups, dressed in their favourite Taylor merchandise.

‘There’s a lot of hype around it,’ the Customer Assistant, rocking a gold sequinned blazer, told Metro.co.uk. 

‘It’s very close to Barbie with the excitement and everyone’s dressing up. I
don’t think any other movie [has had people] dressed up like this.’

Costumes and friendship bracelets are ditched in favour of tour tops and merchandise but fans are still beaming as they sing along to the Grammy winner’s tracks blasting in the lobby. 

The Eras Tour is probably the only time you want a cinema to be packed full of fans ready to sing along and despite being sold out, there were still a few empty seats so we were worried it would be a quiet showing.

We couldn’t have been more wrong as even the film classification card got a huge cheer from excited fans – although nothing compared to scream let out for the Midnights clock.

This wasn’t just a film, the experience is comparable to midnight screenings of the final Harry Potter or Marvel’s Endgame, with gasps, cheers, and tears at all the right moments.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t fan favourite Cruel Summer that had fans on their feet but the second era, Fearless, as Swifties gauged whether singing along loudly was okay (the answer was yes).

The awkwardness of being in a cinema melted away and fans were up and dancing, with reverence held for slower, emotional songs. Looking at you All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault). 

The cinema was buzzing as fans forgot they weren’t actually at the SoFi Stadium with Travis Kelce – maybe if we all cheered a little bit louder Taylor might hear us. 

Leaving the theatre, Aussie cinema-goer Tayla, 30, who has been a fan since Fearless told Metro.co.uk: ‘I loved seeing it so close, seeing her face as she sang.

‘Honestly, there’s nothing I can compare it too, even the audience in there andthe production value is unlike anything I’ve seen.’

‘Maybe I’m being greedy but I wish everything was in there. Treat it like the Cursed Child [Harry Potter play] and do two sittings?’

This feelings was resonated by other Swifties as the film controversially cuts six songs from the mammoth setlist – including her dedication to fans Long Live.

Deepti, 18, who sadly missed out on actual tour tickets, shared: ‘It’s our only chance to see the concert but this 100% made up for it.

‘Some of the songs that were on the actual concert got cut. I would have preferred Long Live in the film [rather than end credits] but I loved it still.’

Fan since Red and one of the lucky ones with Eras Tour UK tickets, Lauren, 25, added: ‘It’s a shame some of the songs like Long Live and The Archer got cut from the film for people who won’t get to see the tour.

‘That being said, Cruel Summer was a cosmic experience to get to sing along to the bridge like that.’

The Eras Tour Film has confirmed – if anyone was still in doubt – that Taylor Swift is truly The Man.

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Big Brother viewers were left in stitches after Farida made an unfortunate gaffe.

The make-up artist, 50, became the first housemate to be evicted after a chaotic week including clashing with Kerry, 40, upsetting Olivia, 23, over some salmon, and dividing fans with her question to Hallie about dating as a trans woman.

And Friday’s episode of the ITV2 reality show was no different, although this time she managed to rub DJ Dylan, 39, up the wrong way by forgetting his name five days in.

‘Where’s Dylan?’ Farida asked… to Dylan.

Dylan, who previously appeared on The Last Leg, was less than impressed and later nominated Farida for eviction in the diary room for not learning the housemates’ names.

However, fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, were creasing over the excruciating exchange, with one exclaiming: ‘HOWLING at Farida asking Dylan where Dylan is. Please can she stay? #BBUK.’

‘Sorry Dylan, Farida not knowing your name IS funny #BBUK,’ another giggled, while a third added: ‘Farida calling Chanelle “Janine” and Dylan “Dean” is so iconic She cannot go home #BBUK.’

Sadly, for that commentator, Farida did go home, however, she took it all in her stride and declared she was ‘happy to be out’ because she wanted to ‘protect my energy.’

She also didn’t waste time adding more fuel to the flames over her feud with NHS manager Kerry claiming that she was ‘almost trying to befriend the youngsters in there.’

Farida continued: ‘She [Kerry] would [tell housemates]: “Oh, she reminds me of me when I was 23.”

‘Almost like she related to be that 23-year-old or that 18-year-old… I would think to myself “oh my god… or ‘there are children that have tantrums, you’re having these mini tantrums”… well then she admitted she’s a drama queen.’

The remaining 15 housemates will now continue battling it out to be the winner of Big Brother and take home the £100,000.

Big Brother continues on Sunday at 9pm on ITV2.

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Kourtney Kardashian has been banned from having sex during her pregnancy.

The 44-year-old star is expecting her first child with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and explained how medics placed restrictions on their bedroom activity.

Kourtney – who has Mason, 13, Penelope, 11, and Reign, eight, with her ex-boyfriend Scott Disick – said: ‘Physically I feel great. I like being pregnant. I’m obsessed with the idea of being pregnant!

‘This time, unlike the previous three, I’ve been monitored by a different group of doctors who gave me many restrictions during the initial months. No workouts, no Pilates, no caffeine, no flights. Even no sex!’

The restrictions had an unsettling effect on Kourtney, and she has now put them aside after she was rushed into ‘urgent foetal surgery’ that ‘saved’ the child’s life last month.

At the time she wrote on Instagram: ‘As someone who has had three really easy pregnancies in the past, I wasn’t prepared for the fear of rushing into urgent fetal surgery.

‘I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been through a similar situation can begin to understand that feeling of fear. I have a whole new understanding and respect for the mamas who have had to fight for their babies while pregnant.

‘Praise be to God. Walking out of the hospital with my baby boy in my tummy and safe was the truest blessing. 🙏🏼🤍’

She added to Vanity Fair Italia: ‘I think all this caution made me a little afraid because I didn’t have to do this before.

‘It took me some time to let go of the fear, I would say that right after the surgery I got to the point where I started to let go, I stopped worrying.

‘Now I talk to the child every day, I have a positive mindset, my head is clear and I pray a lot.’

Kourtney faced some backlash for announcing her latest pregnancy in her 40s, but the harsh comments had no impact on her.

The reality star said: ‘These comments don’t touch me. I just say: how dare you question God’s plan? Because this is how I see this pregnancy, which happened when both Travis and I no longer even thought about it and when I stopped with IVF.’

Kourtney and Travis, 47, underwent IVF in a bid to expand their family, even though it was against The Kardashians star’s wishes.

She said: ‘IVF wasn’t my choice, I was pushed into it as if it were the only option. Truth is I felt like I was doing something that wasn’t right for me.

‘Something was telling me that it wasn’t right for me – I don’t even take medicines – that it was working against my body, rather than for it.’

Kourtney’s children are delighted to be getting a new sibling and have even been touching and kissing her pregnant belly.

She said: ‘They had been asking for a while for a little sibling. Now when they go to school in the morning, they touch my belly, kiss it, say hi.’

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Big Brother has been back on TV for just under a week and the nature of the series means we’ve already waved goodbye to the first housemate – Farida Khalifa.

Farida, 50, faced Kerry Riches, 40, in the first public vote after they received the most nominations from the housemates.

The viewing public was excited to have their say and over half a million votes were cast ahead of tonight’s eviction.

Hosts AJ Odudu, 35, and Will Best, 38, were back together for the first time since launch night to announce the results.

Of course, AJ had to say the classic, but slightly adapted due to the channel change, Big Brother catchphrase: ‘You are live on ITV2. Please do not swear.’

While speaking to the house, the pair revealed the verdict and Farida quickly had to say her goodbyes before leaving the house for good.

The make-up artist from Wolverhampton took it all in her stride and celebrated her exit, and in her post-eviction chat she said: ‘I feel like a winner.’

In fact, she said: ‘I’m happy to be out’ as she wants to ‘protect my energy.’

She was met with plenty of cheers by the crowd too, which she lapped up.

The remaining 15 housemates will now continue battling it out to be the winner of Big Brother and take home the £100,000.

Earlier in the episode, it was revealed Farida received eight nominations from Hallie, Henry, Dylan, Paul, Olivia, Tom, Jenkin, and Kerry. While Kerry received five nominations from Chanelle, Matty, Yinrun, Noky, and Farida.

Paul was nominated by both Trish and Jordan while Henry was selected by Zak but they escaped being up for eviction.

When Farida and Kerry were announced as the vulnerable housemates it caused a little bit of friction in the house.

Farida explained that she thought the house was voting out the older housemates, and Olivia, 23, smiled at the statement. This did not go down well with Farida, who took offence to the ‘smirk’.

Kerry and Farida also exchanged some tense words about the theory.

Farida explained to AJ and Will why she believes that it was hard for her to get on with Kerry: ‘She’s not the kind of person I would spend time with. I can’t be dealing with drama. I’ve got a life. She does a lot of he says, she says gossiping.’

Viewers reacted to Farida leaving ahead of NHS manager Kerry on X, formerly Twitter, and not everyone was happy.

‘That is an outrageous result. JUSTICE FOR FARIDA,’ shared one person.

‘And it seems to me, you lived your life like a candle in the wind. I can’t think of many more memorable first evictees. But you gave us your all and annoyed everyone in the process. Gone but never forgotten.’ typed one viewer.

Another added: ‘As annoying as they both are, those of you that voted for Farida over Kerry, I hope you stump your toe on the corner of the sofa.’

Of course, there was plenty of support for Kerry who won the first round of Big Brother! We can’t wait for round two.

Big Brother continues Sunday on ITV2 at 9pm

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Freddie Flintoff has reached a settlement with the BBC after he was seriously injured in a crash while filming Top Gear.

The former cricketer, who was ‘lucky to be alive’ after the horror accident in December 2022 has agreed a £9million compensation, according to The Sun.

The payout represents two years’ loss of earnings as the dad-of-four continues to recover from his injuries which his legal team described as ‘life-alteringly significant.’

The publication reports Flintoff decided against suing and a larger settlement while negotiating the deal, which was made with the motoring show’s makers BBC Studios (BBCS).

As BBCS is the Line of Duty broadcaster’s commercial arm, the compensation will not be funded by taxpayer’s licence fees.

A spokesperson from BBCS told Metro.co.uk: ‘BBC Studios has reached an agreement with Freddie that we believe supports his continued rehabilitation, return to work and future plans.

‘We have sincerely apologised to Freddie and will continue to support him with his recovery.’

The settlement comes days after Flintoff spoke publicly for the first time since the accident in a clip released by England Cricket on social media.

Referencing the incident, Flintoff said: ‘They’ll [England Cricket team} share the good times with you, the successes. But as I found over the past few months, they’ll be there in the hardest times of your life, they will stand next to you.’

In March, the BBC halted the filming of the latest season of Top Gear, stating that it would be inappropriate to resume filming at that time following an internal investigation into what happened.

It is understood that the decisions on more episodes of the long-running show will be made ‘in due course in conjunction with BBC Content.’

While Flintoff has not commented on his future on Top Gear, it has been reported he is ‘quitting’ the show after the accident, which saw him airlifted to hospital from the test track at Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey on December 13.

Recent reports, however, have claimed Flintoff is planning his TV return and is ‘already in talks’ about potential projects in 2024.

The Sun said Flintoff will be making a second series of his BBC documentary Field of Dreams, as well as possibly reviving renovations programme Chasing Cars.

Flintoff began presenting Top Gear in 2019, and also appeared on Sky’s A League Of Their Own and won the first series of the Australian version of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.

Metro.co.uk has contacted the BBC and Flintoff’s reps for comment.

Top Gear is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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Britney Spears has tapped up Michelle Willams to narrate her upcoming memoir The Woman In Me.

The Blue Valentine actress, 43, will voice the Toxic singer’s much-anticipated book, while Britney, 41, herself will record an introduction.

Announcing Michelle’s role, the Womanizer singer said in a statement: ‘This book has been a labor of love and all the emotions that come with it.

‘Reliving everything has been exciting, heart-wrenching, and emotional, to say the least. For those reasons, I will only be reading a small part of my audiobook.’

She added to People: ‘I am so grateful to the amazing Michelle Williams for reading the rest of it.’

The Shutter Island star, who had been nominated for five Oscars, said to the publication: ‘I stand with Britney.’

It had been previously reported that Britney had hired a celebrity to narrate her memoir, with it claimed she had first approached Reese Witherspoon, who was unavailable.

The music icon confirmed her book last year, amid reports that she had signed a deal reported to be worth $15 million (£12.3m).

Fans were later given a glimpse into the memoir in July, with the cover art and title unveiled ahead of the release.

Since then, Britney has faced more turmoil in her private life after husband Sam Asghari filed for divorce in August, bringing their 14-month marriage to an end.

However, sources claimed that she gave her ‘final sign-off’ on the book weeks before their split, meaning there will not be ‘any changes made’ to reflect their break-up.

While little else is known about what will make it into those final pages, Britney has previously said she had ‘lots of therapy’ to complete the book.

She previously teased on Instagram: ‘I worked my ass off for this book, I had a lot of therapy to get this book done, so you guys better like it.

‘And if you don’t, that’s cool too.’

The Woman In Me was described as a ‘brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.’

It will ‘illuminate the enduring power of music and love – and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms.’

The Woman In Me will be published by Gallery Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, and is available to pre order now.

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New horror series The Fall of the House of Usher has been branded ‘depressingly relevant’ by astonished Netflix viewers.

The latest thriller from Mike Flanagan, who was also behind the streamer’s hit The Haunting of Hill House, has captivated audiences after taking them on ‘quite some journey.’

Based on the tales of gothic poet Edgar Allan Poe, the eight-parter follows the Usher family, headed by patriarch Roderick Usher (Bruce Greenwood), and the vast pharmaceutical empire they have built up and its miracle drug, Ligodone.

As well as facing an impending lawsuit over deaths and corruption linked to his company, Roderick, his twin sister Madeline (Mary McDonnell), and their sinister lawyer Arthur Pym (Mark Hamill) must field controversies and scandals brought to his door by his six children.

Viewers flocked to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their verdict on the Fall of the House of Usher, and, spoiler alert, they were terrified.

One impressed fan raved: ‘3 episodes into #FalloftheHouseofUsher. This show is a beast in the best way. Angrier than Flanagan’s previous outings, and more cruel, but all with clear purpose and exquisite execution.’

Another remarked: ‘We watched the whole thing today. What a perfect horror story. The way Poe is made some completely, horrifying, and depressingly relevant to the present day. Each episode is a gut punch.’

‘#FalloftheHouseofUsher had me by the throat. It’s all I can think about,’ a third said.

The Fall of the House of Usher isn’t the only Netflix show to have left a lasting impression on viewers over the past few days.

After watching documentary series Big Vape: The Rise and Fall of Juul, many social media viewers vowed they would dispose of their e-cigarettes.

Others, meanwhile, have begged Netflix to commission a season 2 of dramedy Everything Now after binge-watching the first.

Hopefully, the bigwigs will listen to their pleas as they were absolutely livid when Mike’s young adult horror series The Midnight Club was axed.

The Fall of the House of Usher is available to stream on Netflix.

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The man who exposed Jimmy Savile, Mark Williams-Thomas, has criticised The Reckoning for omitting part of the story.

The former detective, who was the lead investigator on the ITV documentary The Other Side of Jimmy Savile which brought the entertainer’s horrific crimes to light in 2012, a year after Savile’s death at the age of 84, has been vocal about his thoughts on the BBC series.

The mini-series drama is made up of four hour-long episodes and covers Savile’s upbringing, career and sexual offences. It also features filmed testimonies from real-life survivors at the start and end of each episode.

Williams-Thomas shared his opinion on what else needs to be told.

‘So much more to be told about Savile and others at the BBC in the 70’s & 80’s,’ he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

‘Like the BBC Payola story which hit the headlines in February 1971 just 4 days before (Samantha) Claire McAlpine’s suicide.’

Claire McAlpine’s story is told through the character of Sara (Tia Dutt) in The Reckoning.

McAlpine had written a diary before her death by suicide at 15 in 1971 in which she said she had sex with two DJs while she was still a minor. Savile was later questioned by the police over the claims.

‘The Payola story has never been told … this note below says so much,’ Williams-Thomas added. ‘I was going to make a Payola programme but at the time did not have the capacity or time to do it.’

The attached note reads: ‘BBC RADIO 2 “PAYOLA SCANDAL”

‘Singer Dorothy Squires, BBC Radio Two producer Jack Dabbs, and seven other people were charged in connection with allegations that BBC employees had been bribed with money, sex, and holidays to promote certain records.

‘The arrests were the result of a two-year investigation by Scotland Yard into “payola” allegations published by News of the World in March 1971.’

Both Squires and Dabbs were acquitted of corruption charges on 6 November 1974.

Williams-Thomas has also said he was ‘very annoyed’ at a casting choice within the series.

‘I want to watch all of #TheReckoning about #JimmySavile before I give a view, but I will comment on what I saw in last night’s episode because it has made me very annoyed and has really undermined the integrity of the series,’ he shared on X.

‘The Claire McAlpine story, which 100% needed telling portrayed her as Asian – why? This massive deviation from a very important fact shows no sensitivity to Claire as a victim of abuse.’

Some viewers condemned Williams-Thomas’ remarks.

Savile is played by Steve Coogan, 57, in The Reckoning, and he’s explained how they approached tackling the horrific subject matter.

‘There’s a tension between showing too much of Savile’s offences, and it being grotesque, or sugar-coating them, which is also wrong [as we won’t] see the horror of what he did,’ he said, as reported by The Independent.

He added they had to ‘strike that balance’ of not ‘upsetting survivors’ and not wanting to ‘anesthetise the full effect’.

The series, which has been met with some backlash, was given three stars by Metro.co.uk.

The Reckoning is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

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Richard Hammond has asked TV bosses to make things safer after Freddie Flintoff’s dangerous crash on Top Gear late last year.

Flintoff, 45, was hospitalised in December 2022 while filming an episode after a devastating horror crash on the Top Gear test track that left him ‘lucky to be alive’.

Now the former England cricketer and current Top Gear presenter is apparently readying himself for his TV return after months out of the spotlight.

But ahead of Flintoff’s return, former Top Gear host Hammond, 53, has warned TV bosses that a similar event might happen again if they’re not careful.

‘Television makers have to be aware that you’re not in some special bubble just because you’re making a TV show, and things can and do go wrong.’

He told MailOnline: ‘Just like when my tyre blew at that speed – it’s going to be bad. But what [can you] do? Track it back to the person who tapped the rubber?’

Hammond himself was also badly injured in a 280 mph crash while filming for the BBC car show in 2006 – it left him in a medically induced coma for three weeks.

Then again in 2017 he was involved in another life-threatening accident while recording episodes for Amazon Prime Video series The Grand Tour.

Reflecting on the crash 17 years ago, he looked back at how much the incident damaged him and how much time he needed to make a full recovery.

‘In the early days… I was having terrible trouble containing and controlling emotions, which is part of the damage done to my brain’s frontal lobe.’

Hammond also said that his wife Amanda in supported him going back to work because ‘keeping me away from work was probably a greater problem’.

He continued: ‘But I had to go back carefully and have an afternoon nap every day. It was immensely traumatic for Mindy and our girls.’

Earlier this month, Flintoff spoke publicly for the first time since his crash last year, saying that his England cricket teammates stood by him during ‘hard times’.

‘As I found over the past few months, [the England cricket family] will be there for you in the hardest times of your life,’ he told new cricketer Tom Hartley.

Watch The Grand Tour on Amazon Prime Video.

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MORE : Freddie Flintoff ‘prepares for TV comeback one year after horror injuries’

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Despite it seemingly sharing a setting with Fable, there’s no indication that Microsoft is involved with Peter Molyneux’s new game.

A few months ago, Peter Molyneux – creator of Fable, Black & White, and Dungeon Keeper – announced that he was working on a new game beyond just his creepy NFT game. The game was said to be closer to his earlier work, although he never said exactly what it is.

He didn’t share any real details beyond it featuring a new mechanic no one’s ever seen before (so typical Molyneux overpromising) and being set in a familiar environment.

What makes this environment so familiar? Apparently, it’s none other than Albion, the setting of the Fable games, though that raises a whole host of questions regarding whether or not he’s working with Microsoft.

Molyneux shared this comments in a brief tweet that revealed the game’s name as MOAT and stated that he’s starting a blog to chronicle how he designs games.

‘This may be a decision I live to regret, but I am starting a regular blog about the crazy way I design games; namely a new game set in the land of Albion called MOAT,’ writes Molyneux.

He never specifies if it’s the same Albion from Fable, but his statement doesn’t imply any other alternative.

There’s no indication of Microsoft being involved and if this is an official Fable project, surely there’d be a more high profile announcement than this.

It’s very unlikely that Microsoft would just let Molyneux use the Fable setting for an unrelated video game, so his comments are all around pretty weird.

One possible explanation is that while the name is the same, Molyneux’s Albion won’t be the same as Fable’s. Albion is an old name for Great Britain, not something that was just made up for Fable, and it’s not clear if Microsoft was able to trademark it.

Although Molyneux’s Lionhead Studios would’ve been the one responsible for that, when the original Fable came out, so maybe Microsoft, for some reason, let him keep the name.

There’s actually an Albion Online video game that began in 2017 and is still running today, with Microsoft apparently making no attempt to shut it down or change its name.

We had hoped Molyneux would have clarified things further in his new blog, but he unfortunately doesn’t provide any additional info about MOAT.

As for Fable itself, the newest entry from Playground Games saw a new trailer during Xbox’s summer showcase, but it was very brief and still didn’t offer any sort of launch window.

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It’s been quite a few opening days for Farida on Big Brother after she arrived as one of 16 brand new housemates in the reality series’ revival.

After tensions mounted between her and Kerry after Farida considered them both to be part of the same generation, she also came under fire from Hallie.

When Hallie came out to the house as a transgender woman, Farida reeled off several personal questions that viewers at home deemed inappropriate.

Despite Hallie, 18, saying she wasn’t offended by it, Farida still came in for criticism on social media – it’s safe to say she’s had better weeks.

After seeing her take so much stick, a woman who competed against Farida on a recent episode of Blankety Blank has immediately jumped to her defence.

Laura Jane, who appeared alongside Farida on the Bradley Walsh-hosted BBC quiz show just weeks ago, defended her opponent from the online backlash.

She said: ‘I’ve seen so many comments about Farida, which portrays her in a negative light, which upsets me because Farida is such a kind person.’

On TikTok, she continued: ‘She should have actually won the first part of this episode of Blankety Blank against me, but she was too kind.’

While on Blankety Blank, Farida was asked: ‘When I’m on telly, I aspire to be more like Rylan Clark. The trouble is, he’s got way more BLANK than me.’

Choosing to be polite, the hair and make-up artist said Rylan had more ‘jazz’ than her, which subsequently resulted in her losing the round to Laura.

Explaining why Farida lost, Laura explained: ‘[She didn’t] say Rylan’s ‘teeth’ for her answer because she didn’t want to offend and upset him.’

Of all the new housemates on ITV’s Big Brother revival this year, Farida, 50, is the oldest, but her time in the house might be cut short after an ‘error’.

Body language expert Judi James has said that Farida ‘screaming at everyone to shut up’ was a ‘schoolboy error’ when assuming leadership over a group.

‘[She] absolutely screamed at everybody to be quiet. That’s an assumption of leadership and it’s an absolute schoolboy error in terms of taking control.’

Watch Big Brother on ITV2 from 9pm.

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Jada Pinkett Smith has revealed she was stunned not just because Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, but also because he referred to her as his wife.

The King Richard actor, 55, stormed the stage at the Academy Awards last year after the comedian, 58, made a joke about Jada’s alopecia, warning him: ‘Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth.’

Jada, who recently revealed she quietly split from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air actor in 2016, said she was shocked by Will’s remark because they ‘hadn’t called each other husband and wife in a long time’ at the point.

Reflecting on that infamous moment, the 52-year-old told Hoda Kotb in an NBC News primetime special: ‘First of all, I’m really shocked, because mind you, I’m not there. We haven’t called each other husband and wife in a long time.

‘I’m like, “What is going on right now? Keep my wife’s name out of your mouth” I’m really worried for Will because I don’t know what’s going on.’

Will, who was given a 10-year ban from the Oscars, later apologised to Chris and admitted he was ’embarrassed’ by his actions.

Chris, meanwhile, addressed the situation during his Netflix stand-up special Chris Rock: Selective Outrage and roasted the former couple, making references to Jada’s bombshell admission in 2020 that she had an ‘entanglement’ with singer August Alsina.

‘Will Smith practices selective outrage. Everybody that really knows knows I had nothing to do with that s***. I didn’t have any entanglements,’ the Everybody Hates Chris creator joked.

It comes after the Scream 2 actress confirmed that she had secretly separated from Will in 2016 and have been living different lives over the past even years.

During a sit-down, titled Jada’s Story – an NBC News Special, which is broadcasting on Friday (October 13), the Red Table Talk host reveals why they decided to call time on their marriage, explaining that they have ‘divorced’ but not on paper.

Discussing why their romance fractured, she says: ‘A lot of things…

‘I think by the time we got to 2016, we were just exhausted with trying. I think we were both just still stuck in our fantasy of what we thought the other person should be.

‘I made a promise that there will never be a reason for us to get a divorce. We will work through whatever. And I just haven’t been able to break that promise.’

Jada first met Will in 1994 and they started dating the following year, after his marriage to Sheree Zampino – who he shares son Trey with – ended.

They took their romance to the next level in 1997 when they walked down the aisle in an intimate ceremony, before welcoming son Jaden and daughter Willow together.

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S Club were due to perform at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool tonight, but the gig has been cancelled.

Fans will no longer be able to see Rachel Stevens, Jo O’Meara, Tina Barrett, Bradley McIntosh, and Jon Lee perform on stage in Merseyside this weekend, as it has been postponed to Monday, October 30.

The arena has released a statement explaining the circumstances.

‘Due to an unforeseen technical issue which is beyond our control and is impacting the power supply, we have sadly been forced to take the decision – with the event promoter – to postpone tonight’s performance by S Club,’ it began.

‘We understand that S Club fans and the band will be very disappointed but as the safety and comfort of our visitors is our utmost priority, the show cannot proceed as planned.

‘Happily, the band are able to reschedule the show to Monday 30th October 2023 and all tickets remain valid. If you are unable to make the new date refunds are available from the point of purchase but we all hope you can make the rescheduled date.

‘We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience and understanding. As the technical issue is in an isolated area of the campus, we are not anticipating that any other events will be affected.’

S Club also posted their own statement on the band’s Instagram page.

The group have told fans they are ‘beyond devastated’ and ‘absolutely heartbroken’.

‘We can’t begin to express how sorry we are. Especially as we know so many of you have travelled great distances to join us tonight. But your safety is our priority always,’ they added.

They signed off by thanking fans for their continued support.

The concert tonight would have been the second performance of S Club: The Good Times tour.

They opened their 25th-anniversary reunion tour in Manchester and paid tribute to their late friend and bandmate Paul Cattermole.

This was the first time the pop band were back together since he died of natural causes aged 46 in April, and they took a moment to pay their respects.

As reported by the MailOnline, the band left the stage partway through the set as the lights dimmed and a video montage of their friend appeared on the screen, featuring footage of him performing with the group.

Through the show, each member of the group – who are also without former bandmate Hannah Spearritt for the tour after she decided against being part of the reunion after her ex’s death – took the time to offer their own tributes to Cattermole.

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Microsoft is accused of manipulating user reviews for Forza Motorsport from the Xbox store, even though its user score is still surprisingly low.

Given how frequently people abuse user review sections, using bad faith arguments to make perfectly fine games seem worse than they really are (e.g., Resident Evil 4), they’re something that now requires considerable moderation.

Metacritic pledged to implement stricter moderation to prevent ‘abusive and disrespectful reviews’ from being published. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s solution is apparently to just delete some reviews wholesale from the Xbox storefront.

This is according to Forza Motorsport players who noticed that the total number of user reviews has been dropping since launch, with the assumption being that Microsoft is targeting negative reviews to improve the game’s user score.

At the very least, there is corroboration that user reviews on Forza Motorsport’s Xbox store page are vanishing. On October 11, NeoGAF user Heisenberg007 screengrabbed the page for Forza Motorsport’s standard edition, which had 847 reviews at the time.

It later dropped down to 602 reviews and, at the time of writing, we can confirm that it’s since dropped even further to 476.

Over on Reddit, some players are understandably not happy about Microsoft seemingly trying to control the narrative surrounding Forza Motorsport. User Optimal_Sand_5329 calls the company ‘petty’ while Illustrious-Thing528 describes the game’s launch as ‘embarrassing.’

However, if Microsoft is trying to shut down any sort of negativity and improve the user score, it’s doing a really bad job of it, since the average user score on the Xbox store is currently 2.4/5, with 45% of reviews scoring the game one star out of five.

It’s also very easy to find negative reviews for the game and a quick scout suggests that the PC release is to blame. Several players cite its poor optimisation, graphical bugs, and crashes.

‘The game cost more than any game I bought before and quite frankly, not worth £10 at time of release.’

‘This has to be the worst Forza launch to date, I thought it couldn’t get any worse than Forza Horizon 5 but it has.’

‘I would refund this game if I could. AI is so bad you may as well play by yourself.’

Even some of the positive reviews are not without complaints. The most amusing one we spotted was a four-star review for the console version that describes it as ‘unfinished’ and demands Xbox boss Phil Spencer be sacked.

It’s possible that the reviews being deleted were ones riddled with abusive language, irrelevant tangents, or were simply unhelpful, but it seems unlikely that would account for fully half of the total reviews.

The Metacritic user reviews seem to bare out the idea that it’s only the PC version that has got fans upset, with the Xbox user score being 7.8 (which is still notably lower than the critic score) and the PC user score being just 4.0.

Meanwhile on Steam, user reviews are classified as *mixed*, although the majority are negative, which seem to confirm that the PC version is the primary source of fans’ ire.

Forza Motorsport is available for Xbox Series X/S and PC.

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Big Brother has appeared to have made a major correction after fans were left gutted over the eviction results being accidentally revealed.

ITV2 viewers noticed the show’s official app featured a poll on whether Farida or Kerry would be leaving the house this Friday (October 13).

After voting, app users were then shown the percentage of people who picked either Farida or Kerry, which many fans complained was a huge giveaway.

It’s also likely that those same people were then casting their votes for the eviction on the main show, as that is also done through the app.

However, as of this afternoon, the poll no longer shows the percentage of people who picked Farida or Kerry in what appears to have been a last minute change.

Remarking on the potential spoiler, one fan on X, formerly known as Twitter, remarked: ‘I think they won’t do that again. Could really affect people’s voting patterns.’

‘Lol this is so dumb,’ another joked of the mistake.

‘I honestly think it could go either way. Twitter is very vocal about evicting Kerry but Facebook fans are mostly saying the opposite. It’ll certainly make for tense viewing! The poll is definitely stupid though,’ a third brutally added.

After the results disappeared, an eagle-eyed BB fan noticed: ‘Looks like they’ve started the poll again but removed the results.’

While the eviction is just around, many fans have been left gutted either Farida or Kerry will be sent home.

‘Farida and Kerry being the only ones up for eviction is going to rob us of so much potential aggro. Gutted,’ shared one person on social media.

Both Farida and Kerry have been the source of much drama (and entertainment) for the Big Brother reboot, although have frequently locked horns with one another.

As a result, another person would have preferred to see ‘boring’ housemates face the chop: ‘I forgot the thing I hate about this show; the fact that boring people like Tom and Matty will breeze through to the final week, while iconic housemates like Farida and Kerry will leave early.’

Meanwhile, body language expert Judi James recently shared her verdict on Farida’s future with Metro.co.uk, believing she could have put herself at risk of being kicked out over a ‘school boy error.’

Metro.co.uk has contacted ITV for comment.

Big Brother continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2.

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Katie Price’s son Harvey is in hospital with a painful condition.

Just weeks ago the 21-year-old – who suffers from Prader-Willi Syndrome, autism and was born with septo-optic dysplasia, a condition that affects brain function – was rushed to hospital for a problem with his ear.

Now, he is in hospital again with the same issue. As well as his ear problem, the ex-glamour model Katie revealed her son has also cracked his head open again.

In August, Harvey smashed his head through her car window on the way home from a family trip to Devon. Katie, 45, revealed Harvey had become distressed when his ears popped on the motorway.

Glass shattered everywhere, and the kids’ faces looked like a ‘murder scene’ according to Katie, who had to act quickly to calm the situation and get them off the road.

Currently in hospital again, Harvey desperately wants to come home, according to the Mucky Mansion star, who seems to be missing her son.

‘I’m going to go and see Harvey today. He’s not well with his ear,’ Katie revealed on her The Katie Price Show podcast to her younger sister Sophie Price in the latest episode.

When Sophie expressed her sympathy, and noted this ear problem had been going on for a while, Katie continued: ‘It’s so bad now, and he cracked his head open again.

‘He’s got hospital on Monday so I’m going to go and see him, because he’s like, “Mummy can you come and see me,” and then when I see him today he’ll say, “Can you take me home?”‘ shared the mum-of-five.

‘So in a week when I’m back, I will bring him home for a few days,’ she explained.

On a previous podcast episode, in which Katie opened up about the ear condition, the worried mum said: ‘They’ve syringed his ear out at the hospital again yesterday. He’s calling me going [crying] “mum” and all that.

‘Last night when he went to bed they put a bandage around his head to stop him doing that with his ear. So he’s phoning me feeling sorry for himself.’

She continued: ‘All he wants to do is stay in a hotel and I know why, because he wants all the room service. But his behaviour is so bad at the moment and his ear doesn’t help. Like I can bring him home but he will smash everything.’

Katie made the ‘heartbreaking’ decision to put Harvey into full time care back in 2021 when he turned 18 until he is ‘at least 25’.

‘It’s so upsetting to think I won’t see him every day but this is the best thing for Harvey and we have to think positively because I don’t want him to think I’m just getting rid of him,’ she told The Sun at the time.

‘I need to learn to let go but it’s tough – anyone in my position knows how hard it is,’ she added. 

This comes after Peter Andre – father of Katie’s two children Princess, 16, and Junior, 18 – revealed he and partner Emily MacDonagh announced they are expecting a child together.

As well as her eldest Harvey – whose dad is football coach Dwight Yorke – Katie shares Jett, 9, and Bunny 8, who she shares with dancer Kieran Hayler.

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The controversial CEO of Activision Blizzard is set to leave the company in 2024, after he helps oversee the Microsoft acquisition.

It was no surprise when it finally came, but Activision Blizzard is now officially property of Microsoft, including mobile games publisher King and franchises ranging from Call Of Duty to Warcraft and Overwatch.

The final announcement has only been a matter of time, since Microsoft won its US court case in August, but now that it’s happened one lingering question has been resolved: what will happen to Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick.

It’s now confirmed he will leave in 2024, possibly as early as January, but that he will remain on for the rest of this year in order to ‘ensure a smooth and seamless integration.’

In the meantime, Kotick will report to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, although there’s no way that Activision Blizzard will be fully integrated into the rest of Microsoft in just a couple of months.

There have been long-running questions about Micorosft’s management of the companies it’s been buying, and Activision Blizzard is already embroiled in a scandal about its toxic workplace conditions – indeed the controversy, and its effect on the company’s share price, is the only reason Microsoft could afford it in the first place.

As a consequence of the acquisition, Kotick and the rest of the executive board have resigned as directors of the company, although many are likely to be taken back on afterwards.

All will receive significant monetary bonuses as a result of the acquisition, which is the main reason Kotick was sticking around, despite multiple attempts to remove him over the last few years.

‘Phil has asked me to stay on as CEO of ABK, reporting to him, and we have agreed that I will do that through the end of 2023. We both look forward to working together on a smooth integration for our teams and players,’ said Kotick in a statement.

Kotick has been unpopular with gamers for years, for his dismissive comments towards developers and fans alike, but he’s no better loved by his own employees, who more than once have petitioned for him to be fired.

The first was when he was responsible for almost 800 job cuts in 2019, while personally taking home $30 million a year, and then again when he was accused of purposefully underplaying details of toxic workplace conditions to the company’s executive board.

He was even personally involved in one incident, when he left a voice mail message about having one of his assistants killed, which he later described as ‘hyperbolic and inappropriate’ – before settling out of court.

The reason Kotick has been able to stay on so long, despite these and other incidents, is simple: he’s very good at making money for the company.

Activision as it exists today has barely any connection to the Activision of the 1980s, as Kotick essentially just bought the name and helped build it into the publishing empire it is today.

The only time’s Kotick’s position has ever seemed vulnerable is when the company has not been doing so well, such as during the launch of Call Of Duty: Vanguard, but that was never anywhere close enough to oust him.

Few will mourn his departure, but the fact remains that Bobby Kotick is one of the most successful video game bosses of all time and as a CEO that’s all his peers care about.

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British wrestling superstar Will Ospreay has candidly opened up about his mental health struggles and how he deals with toxicity on social media.

The New Japan Pro Wrestling star will be performing at London’s Copper Box on Saturday (October 14) when he takes on fellow UK favourite Zack Sabre Jr, and he admitted big matches are usually the most difficult to deal with in his head.

He exclusively told Metro.co.uk: ‘I used to be such in such a horrible, dark place where me and my head just didn’t get along. Sometimes it creeps in, especially big matches.

‘The Tokyo mach with Kenny [Omega], I can’t tell you enough how much doubt creeped into my mind with that. I get mad anxiety when I wrestle guys like Kenny.’

When it comes to this weekend’s match with Zack, he’s excited to be in the ring with someone he’s always felt a bond with on their respective rises to showcasing British wrestling in Japan.

‘I’ve always looked up to him him a weird way, we’ve had this incredibly friendly rivalry that’s stretched across England, America and Japan and it’s scary to say that he’s gotten even better,’ Will said.

‘He’s put on weight, he’s now a real life heavyweight style wrestler, but he hasn’t lost any of his fluidity or flexibility as a performer. But, I don’t think there’s anybody in the world that can compete with me right now.’

For all the bravado as a performer, life in the public eye can be difficult, and Will admitted he has been subjected to death wishes from people on social media.

‘As long as no one interferes with my love of professional wrestling and the income for my family, we ain’t got a problem,’ he insisted.

‘You can boo, you can cheer, you can do whatever you want, you can tweet, you can wish death upon me. No one wishes death upon me more than me, trust me on that!’

He suggested no one is really prepared for having access to people’s opinions on such forums, but part of his own mental health journey has been some level of acceptance.

‘It’s difficult at first, but I guess half of it is whether you care that much about people’s opinion on you anymore,’ he said. ‘I got numb to it all, “I can’t make everyone liked me!” That’s absolutely fine – if you don’t like me, that’s cool, I don’t like you either!’

Family life has had a big influence on the current IWGP United States/United Kingdom Heavyweight Champion, and with his partner and young child helping him ‘mature’.

‘I’m a parent now, my kid goes to school, I’m with a wonderful girl. They motivate so much and it is literally the most rewarding thing that I’ve ever done in my entire life,’ he smiled.

That influence extends to his in-ring work too, as he adapts to find a style that suits him after building up a reputation as an innovative and risk-taking high flyer.

‘I’ve taken away the stuff that I would find too risky, especially for my body, because the injuries have piled up,’ he said, explaining his transition to a ‘more strike based offence’.

He added: ‘It seems to have worked for me, because I feel like I’ve entered that conversation of the best five wrestlers in the world right now.’

Family makes it harder being away from home, and that feeds into his mental health struggles when he’s in Japan while his loved ones are in London, where he has bought a home.

‘My mental health, my depression, my anxiety are huge factors into my performance – especially when you’re away from your family, and you’re left in the hotel rooms,’ he admitted.

Having the support of his loved ones is a lifesaver for Will, who admitted he has started to overcome his ‘demons’ as he’s grown in the public eye.

‘The most important thing for me is my family, and as long as that’s all good, my demons don’t really creep in anymore,’ he said. ‘I’ve found a real big balance.’

The 30-year-old star has been candid about his battle with depression and anxiety for a long time now, and he urged anyone in a similar state to ‘find something to get you out of bed’.

‘You gotta keep moving forward. If you don’t, you’re just gonna sit in that pit of sadness, and that’s when it creeps in,’ he said. ‘Go out, keep walking, keep doing what you’re doing. The moment you sit still, that’s when you’re done.’

For Will, his family and professional wrestling are that boost, while he’s excited to be in there with Zack with a healthy amount of pressure on their shoulders.

‘It’s now a huge responsibility to get New Japan back to where it was before covid hit,’ he said. ‘This is about promoting New Japan on a global stage, and there’s no better two wrestlers to main event.’

NJPW presents Royal Quest III at the Copper Box Arena on October 14. Click here for more details.

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Call Of Duty and Overwatch are officially Xbox franchises, but Phil Spencer assures everyone is welcome regardless of platform.

Well, it’s happened. Over a year since the initial announcement, Microsoft has finally acquired Activision Blizzard, following the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) approval earlier today.

The deadline for the deal wasn’t until Wednesday, October 18, but clearly the two companies wanted to finalise things ASAP. They were also confident the CMA would be satisfied with their recent cloud streaming concessions, since they had a fancy new trailer all primed and ready to go out.

As for what comes next, neither Xbox boss Phil Spencer nor Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick have really touched on the specifics and are so far just celebrating the completion of the deal, while also trying to assure the industry that it’s what’s best for everyone, not just Xbox owners.

‘For the millions of fans who love Activision, Blizzard, and King games, we want you to know that today is a good day to play. You are the heart and soul of these franchises, and we are honoured to have you as part of our community,’ reads a statement from Spencer.

‘Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC or mobile, you are welcome here – and will remain welcome, even if Xbox isn’t where you play your favourite franchise. Because when everyone plays, we all win.’

This comes across as an attempt to placate fears of other platforms losing access to Activision games; something Microsoft has been insistent won’t happen. It’s why they’ve made a big deal about bringing Call Of Duty to other platforms like the Switch.

You can forgive non-Xbox fans for being sceptical though. After all, following Microsoft’s buyout of Bethesda, the studio’s newer games like Redfall and Starfield were made Xbox exclusives, and it looks like new entries in established franchises like The Elder Scrolls 6 won’t be multiplatform either.

‘As promised, we will also continue to make more games available in more places – and that begins now by enabling cloud streaming providers and players to stream Activision Blizzard games in the European Economic Area, a commitment made to the European Commission,’ adds Spencer.

He also mentions that work has begun on bringing Activision, Blizzard, and King games to Game Pass and other platforms, but doesn’t name any examples. Just that more info will be shared in the coming months.

Elsewhere in the statement, Spencer writes: ‘As one team, we’ll learn, innovate, and continue to deliver on our promise to bring the joy and community of gaming to more people. We’ll do this in a culture that strives to empower everyone to do their best work, where all people are welcome, and is centred on our ongoing commitment of Gaming for Everyone.’

As a reminder, Activision Blizzard was hit with numerous allegations of sexual harassment and abuse in 2021, prompting widespread condemnation from the industry.

This included Microsoft, although it later transpired that Spencer entered negotiations to buy Activision Blizzard just 24 hours after telling staff he was ‘disturbed and deeply troubled by the horrific events and actions’ of the company and that ‘this type of behaviour has no place in our industry.’

Meanwhile, Kotick emailed Activision employees to say, ‘This moment is possible because of your efforts over four decades to innovate, inspire, and achieve. … Your dedication is what makes it possible for us to continually push envelopes, break records, and delight players. Amid the uncertainty of the last 21 months, you’ve remained focused, as always, on serving our players and supporting each other.’

Be sure to keep this in mind if/when the layoffs start. Big mergers like this almost always involve significant redundancies and Microsoft is bound to make cuts to recoup some of the $69 billion it spent on the buyout.

However, Kotick will remain in charge, per Spencer’s request to help with the transition, though only for the rest of the year.

Unsurprisingly, neither mention the US’s Federal Trade Commission’s ongoing efforts against the acquisition but at this point, it’s hard to imagine what the FTC can do.

They obviously can’t prevent the acquisition anymore, but they can try and have it undone. With every other regulator on the planet having approved it, though, it’s going to an uphill battle.

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Gerry Turner has opened up about his search for love on the Bachelor, admitting that he ignored some sound advice from his daughters.

The 72-year-old was unveiled as the first Golden Bachelor, with 22 women vying for his affections on the new ABC spin-off series.

Despite breaking his own rules in the very first episode, he has become a huge hit with viewers, as millions tune in to watch his attempt to find a partner to spend the rest of his life with.

During an appearance on the Jennifer Hudson show, the retired restaurateur shed light on the program so far, revealing that daughters Jenny and Angie gave him some tips before he took part.

‘My daughters were the ones that nudged me into applying for the show,’ he told the host. ‘We would watch the Bachelor, the Bachelorette and we’d text back and forth, find someone to make fun of a little bit…

‘When the ad came up, they go, “Dad, you should do that!” I wasn’t dating anyone, I didn’t have a good circle of friends at the time, and I was probably in the right spot to respond.’

When asked if they helped him within the program, Gerry explained that he actually went against their suggestions for the first night.

‘The advice I got I totally screwed up,’ he added to Jennifer. ‘They told me, “Dad, don’t kiss anyone the first night”.

‘I didn’t mind it at all. I liked it.’

The star turned to the Bachelor for a new companion following the death of his wife, Toni, in 2017.

Although he has enjoyed all the kissing, it has been a bumpy journey for Gerry so far, as Marina recently announced that she would be leaving the dating series, despite getting a rose in the premiere.

He was also left in tears when Joanie made an early exit on Thursday’s episode, while tensions began to simmer between the other women.

After he was announced as the first ever senior citizen looking for love on the franchise, the widower shed light on what viewers can expect, teasing an ‘incredibly bad situation’ when it was down to the final two.

‘I’m down to two people and realize that one of those two has to go home,’ he told Entertainment Tonight. ‘When you’re down to the last two people over that amount of time and that much investment, you really have strong feelings for them even though you know they’re not the right person. They are so close to it.

‘You’re connected so deeply and then you realize they have to leave. Oh my God, it was an incredibly bad situation.

‘You have to be genuine but you get in a moment when it’s almost as if you fall in love with the concept of being in love.

‘And it’s like, yeah, I want to be there. And the excitement and the glamour of a moment and all the energy, all of a sudden you feel it. And then the next day, when you sort it out, you go, “Oh geez, that wasn’t the authentic feeling that I was looking for.”’

The Golden Bachelor airs on ABC on Thursdays at 8pm ET.

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Strictly Come Dancing star Angela Scanlon has revealed she had to bathe her feet in bleach.

But despite that sounding pretty hazardous, the presenter and The One Show host assured it caused a ‘miraculous recovery’.

Angela, who found herself with a ‘grim’ blister infection after more than four weeks of training, has revealed her mum’s tip to recovery.

In an exclusive chat with Metro.co.uk, the 39-year-old told us: ‘I’ve had a miraculous recovery.

‘I had a blister infection last week, which was pretty grim, but actually my mum was over from Ireland and she gave me a tip which sounds kind of medieval!

‘I basically have been bathing my feet in a gentle-level bleach.’

She went on: ‘Actually, it’s worked a treat!’

Angela added she was not expecting it to work but was at a point where she’d try anything, and was pleasantly surprised to find she can now push her feet further in training.

Ellie Leach’s blistered feet are actually a good sign

Mum-of-two Angela isn’t the only one whose noticed a different in her feet either, as Coronation Street star Ellie Leach also admitted her feet are much harder, much to the delight of her dance partner Vito Coppola.

She told us: ‘I had some blisters but they’re healing pretty well. My body is just tired, we’re dancing all day every day, so yeah, it’s bound to be tiring.’

Vito chimed in: ‘I like to hear this because when we first started she had such smooth feet.

‘I said, “your feet are so beautiful, they’re going to hurt you a little bit.”

‘And now there’s some blisters and callouses, so they’re stronger. You don’t feel as much pain because they’re not so sensitive.’

He added it was part of her ‘transformation’ into a dancer.

Annabel Croft’s tennis-player feet are proving to be even more beneficial on Strictly

Meanwhile, Annabel Croft’s dance partner Johannes Radebe couldn’t help but praise her feet, especially after being light on her toes in her career as a tennis player.

The former number one wsa praised by her co-star, who told us: ‘The beautiful thing is that she’s not scared to cover the floor, as we’d say in dancing.

‘We have to say thank you to your art form, your sport, it really has helped.

‘When we do that jive and bounce around, you can see.’

Amanda added: ‘Yeah, that’s true because tennis is very much up on your toes, meaning your balance going forward and I still have to do that more in this one.

‘But I guess there’s similarities in the footwork and being light on your feet.’

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.30pm on BBC One.

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It was all going as smooth as cottage cheese on This Morning until the dairy-based side dish caused host Dermot O’Leary to drop a swear word live on air.

The morning chat show has taken hits like never been before recently, and this week long-term host Holly Willoughby left the show suddenly after 14 years.

The show, however, has gone on, and this week Dermot and Alison Hammond have taken on presenting duties during a tough few days.

And on Friday morning, Dermot was so struck by a cottage recipe cooked up by chef Donal Skehan that it sounded like he briefly forgot where he was.

After being handed a plate of curds and whey delights, he started to dig in, and it wasn’t long before he suddenly appeared to drop a foul-mouthed positive review.

‘My wife will lose her shizzle,’ he said, his mouth still partially full of food, and he left viewers at home wondering whether he’d just sworn on live TV.

‘Not Dermot swearing whilst gobbling cottage cheese,’ one viewer responded, with a second wondering, ‘Was that a “s**t” from Dermot?’

Dermot and Donal had both just discovered that both of their wives were Scandinavian – Dermot’s wife is from Oslo, while Donal’s is from Gothenburg.

‘I thought [Dermot] said “Lose her s**t”‘, another viewer commented, while yet another said: ‘Producers in Dermot’s ear shouting “You can’t say s**t on telly!”‘

Dermot met his wife Dee Koppang in the 2000s and married her in 2012. They have one child together, a three-year-old son.

However, despite the panic, this isn’t the first time that ‘shizzle’ has been spoken aloud on This Morning – in fact, it used to be quite a regular occurrence.

Up until very recently, Holly and former host Phillip Schofield used to run a ‘Bag of Shizzle’ segment that saw contestants win random unknown prizes.

In November 2021, a contestant won the £3,000 Spin to Win jackpot and then mistakenly referred to the Bag of Shizzle as ‘the bag of s**t’ – cue laughter.

Dermot’s little cheese-inspired faux pas wasn’t the only controversial incident from the show this week after illusionist Uri Geller showed a photo of a dead dog.

This Morning airs weekdays at 10am on ITV.

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