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BBC News
22 minutes ago
- BBC News
Secret Lives of Mormon Wives on swinging scandals, friendship fallouts and religious backlash
From allegations of infidelity to swinging scandals, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives offers a look into a version of Mormon life far removed from traditional public in suburban Utah, the TV series follows a group of Mormon women – most of whom rose to fame on TikTok and became MomTok influencers – as they manage scandals, confront marital breakdowns and clash over everything from business ventures to party beneath the sensational plotlines is a more complex story about the evolving dynamics within a tight-knit group of Mormon mothers have been making content online for the past five years but say the concept of reality TV still feels very new to them. "I've heard that eventually people learn how to play the reality TV game but that's not us yet, we're still trying to figure it out," Jessi Ngatikaura tells the BBC. "So you're getting to see the real us." What started off as a hobby has now become a job and the women speak openly on the show about the amount of money they make from reality TV and brand deals."It is totally our job now but we chose this and we could all walk away any time if we didn't want to be part of it," Jessi says. Whitney Leavitt explains that "naturally dynamics will change when there's more money and family involved and definitely some people get competitive" but reassures me the group are still friends off camera. Across the two seasons of the show, Jessi and Whitney have had challenging storylines play out - Whitney is presented as the villain in season one and at the end of season two it is alleged Jessi has had an affair. The pair speak candidly about the impact having your life watched and commented on by millions of people worldwide has had on them. "It's been hard coming to terms with the fact we have no control over the narrative and you don't ever really get over it," Whitney explains. "But you have to accept that and let it go."As the show follows the lives of nine friends, it's easy to see how some of them may create more drama for themselves in order to guarantee some screen time but Jessi insists that's not the case and no one "plays up but naturally emotions are heightened"."We're actually recording four or five days a week so we don't know what will make the final edit."Jessi says her explosive Halloween party was not manufactured by producers and there is just "naturally so much drama that we don't need to create more just for the show". 'Lots of resentment' Given the intensity of drama and filming demands, the presence of strong aftercare is essential and both women praise the production for its duty of care standards. "There are always therapists on hand and at first I was like why are Taylor and Jen having therapy all the time and now I'm having five or six hours of it a week," Jessi confesses. "I've found it's useful even if you're not going through a hard time." Whitney also accessed some aftercare in season one after being presented as the villain of the show."It totally sucked being the villain and I was angry, had a lot of resentment and was really sad. There were so many overwhelming emotions for me but I was proud that instead of running away I stayed and had those hard conversations I didn't want to have," Whitney says. Whitney was one of the members of the MomTok group that Taylor Frankie Paul publicly revealed was involved in "soft swinging", something she denies and caused a rift to form in their friendship. The open discussions around sex, marital affairs and alcohol on the show has caused some backlash from the Mormon church. "When the first trailer came out there was some backlash from the church because they were scared but actually we're showing you how we live the Mormon life and we all live it differently," Whitney says. Jessi adds the docudrama shows how "we are all normal and everyday girls, not people wearing bonnets and churning butter like you might think". The women say that not only has the church come to accept the show, they are also helping young women think about their faith differently. "We've definitely influenced people to question their faith, dive deeper into it or be more honest about it and I've had messages from some people saying that they're joining the church because of me," Jessi says. While their religion plays an important part of their life, they're keen to tell me that they are not the face of Mormonism. "There are Mormons who still get upset about it but we're just showing our version of it and I think that's empowering as hopefully people can relate to our stories and struggles."
Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Salman Rushdie says he is 'over' knife attack as author reveals 'important moment' he returned to New York lecture stage where he was repeatedly stabbed
Sir Salman Rushdie says 'I'm over it' following the horrific knife attack which has now seen the crook jailed. Hadi Matar, 27, was sentenced last month to 25 years for attempted murder after he repeatedly stabbed the author on stage during a lecture in New York in 2022. Sir Salman recently told Radio 4's Today programme that he was 'pleased' the man who set out to kill him had received the maximum possible prison sentence. But he wishes to move on from the terrifying ordeal and focus on his new book coming out later this year. Speaking at the Hay Festival in Wales he said: 'It will be nice to talk about fiction again because ever since the attack, really the only thing anybody's wanted to talk about is the attack, but I'm over it.' He added that an 'important moment' came for him when he and his wife Eliza 'went back to the scene of the crime to show myself I could stand up where I fell down'. The award-winning Midnight's Children and Satanic Verses writer was left blind in one eye after the attack as well as damage to his liver and a paralysed hand caused by nerve damage to his arm. The event had tight security, with sniffer dogs and bag searches. Hadi Matar, 27, was sentenced last month to 25 years for attempted murder after he repeatedly stabbed the author on stage during a lecture in New York in 2022 Once Sir Rushdie entered the stage to an audience of applause, he joked: 'I can't see everyone - but I can hear them.' Although he said he felt 'excellent' he added there 'were bits of me that I'm annoyed about, like not having a right eye. But on the whole, I've been very fortunate and I'm in better shape than maybe I would have expected.' Last year, the 77-year-old published a memoir called Knife about the ordeal, which he said was his way of 'fighting back'. It comes decades after the publication of his novel The Satanic Verses which made him the target of death threats as some Muslims consider blasphemous for its portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad. A short story collection called The Eleventh Hour is set to be released by the author in November.
Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Witnesses recount moment hate-filled suspect launched Molotov cocktails at pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado
Witnesses have recounted the horrific moment a hate-filled man unleashed a terror at Boulder's iconic Pearl Street Mall on Sunday, shattering the calm of the usually peaceful college mountain town with Molotov cocktails. It was just after 1pm when dozens had gathered under clear Colorado skies, walking silently, holding signs and Israeli flags, in a somber march to remember the hostages still held captive in Gaza. The group, organized by Run For Their Lives, had made such silent walks a weekly ritual since October 7 in a determined show of solidarity. But what had been a peaceful demonstration suddenly turned into a scene of devastation in an instant. 'So we stood up, lined up in front of the old Boulder courthouse, and I was actually on the far west side. And there was somebody there that I didn't even notice, although he was making a lot of noise, but I'm just focused on my job of being quiet and getting lined up,' Ed Victor, a participant in the walk, told CBS Colorado. 'And, from my point of view, all of a sudden, I felt the heat. It was a Molotov cocktail equivalent, a gas bomb in a glass jar, thrown. Av [another marcher] saw it, a big flame as high as a tree, and all I saw was someone on fire,' Victor added. Brooke Coffman also saw the commotion by the courthouse and thought someone was 'getting beat up.' 'I saw this big fire go up,' Coffman told 9News. She explained how she saw two women 'rolling around a little bit' in their underwear after having their burning clothes stripped off with 'really bad burns all up on their legs.' Coffman also said another woman was screaming with burns on her legs, while another's face could barely be made out. Another woman's hair was also burned off. Nearby, Rachel Navarro had just entered the mall when chaos erupted. 'I saw a woman on the ground in severe condition, and two others whose calves were badly burned. The man was still there, spraying the fire with what looked like alcohol, trying to keep it going,' Navarro said to Fox 31. Another local said the town of Boulder had 'changed' recently. 'Boulder has changed. Pearl Street has changed. It's dirtier than it used to be. It's not as safe as it used to be,' the man said to CBS News. Witnesses say the shirtless suspect, carrying bottles that appeared to be filled with alcohol, hurled the makeshift explosives at the crowd. Flames ignited instantly, consuming the pavement and injuring multiple people. Terrified bystanders rushed to help, dousing the fires and assisting the wounded as thick smoke filled the air. Shocking video captured the aftermath which saw victims lying motionless on the ground near Israeli flags, their clothing scorched, as first responders worked to stabilize them. Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn confirmed that injuries ranged from minor to potentially life-threatening. He added that the suspect was taken into custody without further incident and transported to a hospital with minor injuries. Authorities are withholding his identity as the investigation unfolds. FBI Director Kash Patel quickly labeled the event a 'targeted terror attack' and announced that federal agents were on the scene alongside Boulder police. 'We are aware of and fully investigating a targeted terror attack in Boulder, Colorado,' Patel said in a statement on X. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino echoed the urgency, calling it an act of terrorism: 'All of the necessary assets will be dedicated to this investigation. If you aided or abetted this attack, we will find you. You cannot hide.' Colorado Governor Jared Polis, himself a member of the Jewish faith, issued a forceful condemnation on social media. 'I am closely monitoring the situation in Boulder, and my thoughts go out to the people who have been injured and impacted by this heinous act of terror,' he posted on X. Later, in a personal statement on Facebook, he wrote: 'This vicious act of terrorism, on the eve of Shavuot no less, against peaceful marchers drawing attention to hostages held by Hamas, is unfathomable.' The Jewish community of Boulder also responded swiftly in a statement. A victim can be seen being doused with water, left, as the suspect continues to rage, center 'We are saddened and heartbroken to learn that an incendiary device was thrown at walkers at the Run for Their Lives walk on Pearl Street as they were raising awareness for the hostages still held in Gaza. Our hearts go out to those who witnessed this horrible attack, and prayers for a speedy recovery to those who were injured.' Run For Their Lives, the group organizing the walk also emphasized the peaceful nature of the event. 'This is not a protest; it is a peaceful walk to show solidarity with the hostages and their families, and a plea for their release.' They group gathered at 1pm at Pearl and 8th Streets, intending to walk the length of Pearl Street Mall and back, with a stop at the old courthouse to sing songs, tell stories, and read the names of those hostages still in captivity in Gaza.
