Author refused UK visa to see refugee memoir adapted for stage
The author of an award-winning memoir about his life as a refugee has been refused a UK visa to attend the premiere of its adaptation for the London stage by a celebrated British playwright.
Ibrahima Balde, a Guinean who lives in Spain, has been told that the government is not satisfied he would return after the first night of Little Brother, which begins a run at Jermyn Street Theatre in central London next week.
Balde's memoir, Little Brother: An Odyssey to Europe, tells the story of his search along migrant routes of the Sahara for his sibling Alhassane, who ran away from school in Guinea, west Africa, to earn money to support their family.
The memoir has been adapted for the stage by
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
36 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Revealed: The UK's best restaurant
Its chandeliers, tablecloths and ballroom-esque dining room might make it feel like the set of Downton Abbey, but The Ritz is experiencing something of a renaissance. Earlier this year, the restaurant – which was in fact used as a location for the hit BBC period drama – finally won a second Michelin star, and in 2024 King Charles granted the hotel a royal warrant. Now it has been named the best restaurant in the United Kingdom. Voted for by a panel of over 200 food writers, chefs and restaurateurs convened by Restaurant magazine, The Ritz beat decidedly more modern locations to the top prize at the National Restaurant Awards 2025 on June 9. Despite opening 119 years ago, the hotel is firmly in vogue. Its old-school charm, complete with duck press, beef Wellington trolley and crêpes suzette flambéed by waiters in liveries, struck a chord among the judges. Skip to: The full top 100 list The top five restaurants 'The Ritz is a transformative restaurant,' says Stefan Chomka, the editor of Restaurant. 'The moment you cross its threshold you are taken to a place unlike any other in London or indeed in the UK. In an ever-changing dining scene where newness and innovation are often at the forefront of people's minds, The Ritz is a refreshing counterpoint, sticking to old-school tradition and focusing on a style of cooking that can wow. It's not a restaurant for every day, but for that special occasion it delivers a level of cooking and service that is both remarkable and memorable.' Diners (smartly dressed: ties and jackets compulsory for men; trainers forbidden) are entertained by the twinkling ivories of a live piano while dishes including Brittany pigeon with pea, broad beans and truffles or turbot 'ton sur ton' – a classic French preparation involving two separate sauces – are washed down with pricey grand crus. Despite a seven-course meal costing £221 (with wine pairings topping out at £750), the restaurant is routinely full. Its success at the National Restaurant Awards (having been 'a contender on the list for many years,' admits Chomka), 'is a victory for tireless endeavour, tradition and the eternal appeal of a fabulous room,' says The Telegraph 's restaurant critic, William Sitwell, as well as 'for serious cooking, for the charming but steely leadership of John Williams – and for a lot of very silly and extremely tall chef hats.' Williams, The Ritz's executive chef, has been in the role since 2004. The result marks a surprising resurgence of French cuisine. The more rustic Bouchon Racine in Farringdon, London, came fifth on the National Restaurant Awards list, while the celebrated French chef Claude Bosi had three restaurants in the top 50. It also shows how the nation's appetite for fine dining, despite the ever-increasing costs associated with eating out, shows no sign of waning. Four of the top five restaurants were fine-dining establishments, with scores more celebrated in the top 100. London's grip over the British restaurant scene continues to rise. More than half of the top 100 restaurants are located in the capital, with the city home to 15 of the top 20 and an incredible 70 per cent of the top 10. The highest newcomer, Oma, a chic, Greek-inspired tapas joint, demonstrated that more casual restaurants can achieve success in the awards. Despite the urban dominance, the 2025 awards did see rural restaurants feted. Outside of London, many of the country's top establishments are located in country estates, bucolic pubs, small villages and on farms. The north on England was well represented, particularly Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and Northumberland. Moor Hall, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms in Lancashire and two-time previous winner, finished second behind The Ritz. Its chef, Mark Birchall, won chef of the year. Meanwhile Skye Gyngell, who heads Spring at Somerset House in London and is culinary director at Heckfield Place in Hampshire, picked up the lifetime achievement award. 'The inclusion of restaurants serving more rustic French food as well as Greek, Indian, British, Thai, Chinese, African, Spanish, Korean and Italian cuisine shows that the UK's restaurant scene is among the most inclusive in the world,' argues Chomka. But with the win for London's iconic five-star hotel, however, it seems old-school charm and unashamedly French cooking is still puttin' on the Ritz. The top 100 in full 100. Maison Francois, London 99. St. John, London 98. Trivet, London 97. The Palmerston, Edinburgh 96. The Seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon 95. Luca, London 94. Crocadon, Saltash, Cornwall 93. Lisboeta, London 92. Gymkhana, London 91. Planque, London 90. The Quality Chophouse, London 89. Lita, London 88. Forge at Middleton Lodge, Richmond, north Yorkshire 87. Fallow, London 86. Solo, Omskirk, Lancashire 85. The Parkers Arms, Newton-In-Bowland, Lancashire 84. Hide, London 83. The Grill by Tom Booton, London 82. Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, Lichfield, Staffordshire 81. The Black Swan at Oldstead, Oldstead, north Yorkshire 80. The Fordwich Arms, Fordwich, Kent 79. The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh 78. Inver, Cairndow, Argyll and Bute 77. Heft, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria 76. The Muddlers Club, Belfast 75. 74. Sola, London 73. Restaurant Hjem, Hexham, Northumberland 72. Mýse, Hovingham, north Yorkshire 71. The French House, London 70. Wildflowers, London 69. The Clove Club, London 68. Annwn, Narberth, Pembrokeshire 67. Solstice, Newcastle 66. The Kinneuchar Inn, Kilconquhar, Fife 65. Wilsons, Bristol 64. Plates, London 63. Starling, Esher, Surrey 62. The Cedar Tree by Hrishikesh Desai, Brampton, Cumbria 61. Sollip, London 60. Skof, Manchester 59. Morchella, London 58. Cornus, London 57. Humble Chicken, London 56. Gorse, Cardiff 55. The Forest Side, Grasmere, Cumbria 54. Brat, London 53. Chez Bruce, London 52. Akoko, London 51. Agora, London 50. Kol, London 49. Restaurante Interlude, Horsham, West Sussex 48. Opheem, Birmingham 47. Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire 46. Dongnae, Bristol 45. Updown Farmhouse, Deal, Kent 44. Grace & Savour, Hampton in Arden, Solihull 43. Jöro, Wharncliffe Side, South Yorkshire 42. Frog by Adam Handling, London 41. The Glenturret Lalique, Crieff, Perth and Kinross 40. Chishuru, London 39. Claude Bosi at Bibendum, London 38. Core by Clare Smyth, London 37. Camille, London 36. Higher Ground, Manchester 35. L'Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria 34. The Sportsman, Seasalter, Kent 33. Kolae, London 32. Bibi, London 31. Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham 30. Row on 5, London 29. Sabor, London 28. The Unruly Pig, Bromeswell, Suffolk 27. Canteen, London 26. Restaurant Pine, east Wallhouses, Northumberland 25. Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Padstow, Cornwall 24. Endo at the Rotunda, London 23. Josephine Bouchon, London 22. Kitchen Table, London 21. Lyle's, London (closed since May 18) 20. Brooklands by Claude Bosi, London 19. Da Terra, London 18. A Wong, London 17. Lyla, Edinburgh 16. Ikoyi, London 15. Woven by Adam Smith, Sunningdale, Berkshire 14. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London 13. Kiln, London 12. The Devonshire, London 11. Mountain, London 10. Dorian, London 9. Ynyshir, Eglwys Fach, Ceredigion 8. Osip, Bruton, Somerset 7. AngloThai, London 6. Oma, London The top five 5. Bouchon Racine, London Henry Harris's Lyonnaise menu stars snails, steak tartare, veal chop, côte de boeuf, crème caramel and more. 'If you don't like it, you don't like food,' writes William Sitwell. 4. Trinity, London A Michelin-star restaurant in Clapham Old Town, Adam Byatt's Trinity is still going strong after 19 years. Four courses at dinner costs £140. 3. The Ledbury, London Brett Graham opened The Ledbury, in Notting Hill, in 2005. Having gained two Michelin stars it was forced to close for almost two years because of Covid; it reopened in 2022 and has gone on to win back a full three stars. The dinner tasting menu is £285. 2. Moor Hall, Ormskirk, Lancashire Mark Birchall's elegant restaurant with rooms also holds three Michelin stars and has helped to make Lancashire a destination for food lovers. 1. The Ritz, London Victorious for the first time in the National Restaurant Awards and 'the best example [of top-end French cuisine] in this country,' says Stefan Chomka.
BreakingNews.ie
37 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Katherine Parkinson joins cast for new Harry Potter TV series
Actress Katherine Parkinson has joined the cast of the new Harry Potter TV series. The IT Crowd star will join the HBO TV show of the popular fantasy novel series to play Molly Weasley, the mother of Ron Weasley. Advertisement Parkinson also starred in the hit Disney+ series Rivals, for which she received a supporting actress Bafta TV nomination for her role as Lizzie Vereker. Johnny Flynn will play Lucius Malfoy (Ian West/PA) Joining the cast alongside Parkinson is actor and musician Johnny Flynn, who is best known for playing Mr Knightley in the 2020 film Emma. The 42-year-old will portray antagonist Lucius Malfoy, while The Diary Of A Teenage Girl star Bel Powley will play Petunia Dursley, the aunt of Harry Potter who takes him in and forces him to live under the stairs following his parents' death. Each season of the show will be a faithful adaptation of the Harry Potter books, from author and executive producer JK Rowling. Advertisement This follows from the popular film adaptations that starred Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint as the protagonists. Actor and comedian Daniel Rigby will also join the cast to play Petunia's husband, Vernon Dursley, while The Crown's Bertie Carvel will portray Cornelius Fudge. School bully Draco Malfoy, who was played in the films by Tom Felton, who is set to reprise the role in the Harry Potter And The Cursed Child play on Broadway, will be portrayed by Lox Pratt. Hogwarts students will include newcomers Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil and Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown. Advertisement The young stars cast to play Harry, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley were announced recently. Paapa Essiedu (Ian West/PA) Dominic McLaughlin will take the part of Harry, Arabella Stanton will play Hermione and Alastair Stout is cast as Ron. British actor Paapa Essiedu and US star John Lithgow were also confirmed as Professor Severus Snape and Hogwarts headmaster Professor Albus Dumbledore, respectively. The cast also includes Welsh comedian and actor Paul Whitehouse as the magic-less Hogwarts caretaker Argus Filch and Hot Fuzz actor Nick Frost as the friendly groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid. Advertisement Production will begin at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden in summer 2025.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Legendary Manchester band 'set to receive special award' at next year's BRITs as ceremony relocates to Northern city
For the first time in the ceremony's 46-year history, the BRIT Awards will be moving away from London. And to celebrate its relocation to Manchester next year, Oasis are rumoured to be lined up to receive a special award honouring their huge reunion tour. MailOnline revealed over the weekend that the annual showpiece, regarded as the biggest night in British music, will now be held in Manchester hosted at Co-op Live next year and in 2027. 'The Brits want to kick off their two-year residency in Manchester with a bang,' a source told The Sun. 'Oasis will have not long finished up their sold-out shows and the hope is that Liam and Noel Gallagher will accept a special award to recognise the phenomenal sales which have come out of their reunion gigs. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. The source said the BRITs plans to celebrate Manchester's impact on the UK music industry. 'As well as Oasis, huge bands like The 1975, The Stone Roses, The Smiths and Take That all have their roots in Manchester, London might be the music capital of the country, but Manchester is just as important and has given the UK some of our best homegrown talents,' they added. After nearly five decades in London, the ceremony will be marking a bold new chapter taking place on Saturday, February 28th, and will broadcast exclusively on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player. The change will be officially framed around the desire to reach new audiences in other regions, while also banishing its 'London-centric' reputation. The 2026 event will be the first of three years under the stewardship of Sony Music UK, who spearheaded the move to Manchester. Jason Iley MBE, Chairman and CEO, Sony Music UK & Ireland said: 'This is a very exciting time for The BRIT Awards. Moving to Manchester, the home of some of the most iconic and defining artists of our lifetime, will invigorate the show and build on the BRITs legacy of celebrating and reinvesting in world-class music. 'Hosting the show in Manchester, with its vibrant cultural history, perfectly captures the spirit and energy of the BRIT Awards. I can't wait to see the show at the amazing state-of-the art Co-op Live venue.' Meanwhile Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester said: 'For The BRIT Awards to move out of London is a massive coup for Greater Manchester. After 48 years, it is great that this prestigious global event is about to arrive in the UK capital of music and culture. 'Greater Manchester has an unparalleled music heritage known around the world, and this summer will play host to some of the biggest gigs on the planet. That was only made possible by our strong commitment to new talent and giving emerging artists the opportunities to make their name. 'We thank our friends at the BPI for choosing Manchester and we will pull out all the stops to show they made the right decision. Celebrating the BRIT Awards right here in the home of 24 hour party people is the next chapter in its story and you can be sure that we will help them do it in style.' However music insiders have told MailOnline 'cost-cutting' is also a major factor for the move, as 'everything is more expensive in the capital.' The BRITs, which has provided iconic moments in music history including Spice Girl Geri Horner 's Union Jack dress and Madonna 's infamous 2015 stage fall, has been held at London's O2 Arena since 2011. Past venues include Earl's Court, the London Arena, Alexandra Palace, Hammersmith Apollo, the Dominion Theatre, the Royal Albert Hall, the Grosvenor Hotel and its original location, Wembley Conference Centre. But the move away from the capital signals another new era in the ceremony's history, arguably the most seismic. A source told MailOnline: 'It's officially the end of an era. The BRIT Awards has been hosted in London since the ceremony first took place in 1977 and now for the first time ever, it will be held outside of the capital. 'Obviously, it's going to come as sad news to artists and talent who are London-based but there's a feeling within the music industry that these shows don't always need to be held at the same venues, year after year. 'The BRITs is the biggest night in the British music calendar and now it will be shared with a new audience, as fans from Manchester and the surrounding areas are more likely to attend. 'In recent years, there has been a general appetite for the ceremony to move, as with the The Mercury Prize and The MOBO Awards and now for the first time the music scene won't be as London-centric, both for the nominees and fans.' According to insiders, bosses hope relocating the awards outside of London may free up more cash to spend on A-list artists to play at the ceremony. However, there are concerns many London-based acts and record company execs may turn their noses up, due to many of the big labels being based down south. An insider said: 'It's very gutting for artists who are in London, travelling to Manchester will triple the costs for people having to pay for travel and accommodation, which will no doubt go up in price. 'There's also the fear that record labels such as Sony Music, Warner, and Universal will be less inclined to host glamorous afterparties for the nominees and winners, and that the ceremony as a whole could potentially be poorly attended. 'It's not what anyone wants to hear and from many people's perspective it's purely to cut costs when London is the rightful home of the BRITs.' The BRIT Awards is not only famous for its superstar performers, glamorous guests and famous hosts, it's also provided outrageous moments watched by millions at home. A number of iconic moments have taken place at the BRIT Awards including the Spice Girls, the recipients of five gongs, made history at the ceremony with their 1997 performance at London's Earl's Court Madonna's stage fall, in which the iconic singer was accidentally pulled down some stairs by a backing dancer grabbing onto her cloak, is just one of many unpredictable incidents which became synonymous with the BRITs. Chumbawabe pouring a bucket of ice water over then deputy Prime Minister John Prescott at the 1998 was a stand out moment, as was DJ Brandon Block confronting Rolling Stones legend Ronnie Wood on stage in 2000, who promptly threw a drink over him and summoned football hard man Vinnie Jones over to confront the intruder. Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker 'mooning' Michael Jackson's performance of Earth song in 1996 sparked huge controversy, as did Adele giving the middle finger after host James Corden cut her off mid-speech to end the show back in 2012. Notable presenters, aside from Corden, down the years have included Jack Whitehall, Chris Evans, Ben Elton, Kylie Minogue and Peter Kay, who famously branded Liam Gallagher a 'knobhead' for throwing his award into the crowd. But the most notorious were arguably the worst, the iconic 1989 pairing of Page 3 legend Samantha Fox and Mick Fleetwood whose stint as hosts was marred with technical issues so bad the show was televised twice, the second time with the shambolic errors edited out. The BRITs in 2026 and 2027 will continue to raise funds to support education and well-being for young people through The BRIT Trust, which supports the BRIT School in south London and nationwide music therapy charity Nordoff & Robbins, among other organisations adjacent to the music industry. Mastercard will continue their long-standing headline sponsorship - which is now in its 28th year, and ITV will continue to be The BRITs' official broadcaster.
