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‘I was raised in a single-parent family – so I've always had an awareness of the value of money'

‘I was raised in a single-parent family – so I've always had an awareness of the value of money'

Actor Ayoola Smart was raised in the west Cork town of Schull from the age of three by her drama teacher mother Sally. She then studied drama in England, and was thrust into the spotlight when she was cast in 2016 in an acclaimed all-Irish production of The Taming of the Shrew at the Globe Theatre in London.
Since then, the Cork native has clinched a slew of high-profile roles. While filming the RTÉ drama Smother in Co Clare, she learned she'd landed a role in the cult hit film Cocaine Bear. Her first film role was the big-screen adaptation of the Nick Hornby novel Juliet, Naked.
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All kids under 18 can see a Broadway show for free next month
All kids under 18 can see a Broadway show for free next month

Time Out

time16 hours ago

  • Time Out

All kids under 18 can see a Broadway show for free next month

Mark your calendars! Kids' Night on Broadway returns this summer on Tuesday, August 19, offering free Broadway tickets for all kids and teens aged 18 or younger when they're accompanied by a full-paying adult. The one-night-only event is one of the city's most beloved annual traditions, encouraging young theatergoers to experience the magic of Broadway without the hefty price tag. (The Great Gatsby will participate with a performance on August 20 instead.) This year, 18 shows are participating: & Juliet, Aladdin, Buena Vista Social Club, Chicago, The Great Gatsby, Hadestown, Hamilton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Hell's Kitchen, John Proctor Is the Villain, The Lion King, Mamma Mia!, MJ The Musical, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Operation Mincemeat, The Outsiders, Six and Stranger Things: The First Shadow. (And just in case you need some help deciding what to see, here is our list of the best Broadway shows right now.) "New York City is alive during the summer and Kids' Night creates a unique opportunity for families to come to Broadway for an evening of fun,' said Jason Laks, president of The Broadway League, in a statement. 'These 18 extraordinary shows offer something for all ages and allow parents, grandparents, or other family members to introduce younger audiences to live theatre and nurture their love for the arts." Before curtain time, Duffy Square will host a pre-show block party from 4:30pm to 6:15 Aupm, with Broadway cast meet-and-greets, interactive games, prizes and giveaways. The first 500 ticketholders to check in will score a free Krispy Kreme donut and a special KNOB tote bag. Inside participating theaters, audiences can enjoy extra surprises, including cast talkbacks, art projects, sing-alongs and activity guides available for download. The fun doesn't stop at the theater. More than a dozen restaurants across the Theater District will offer free kids' meals with the purchase of an adult entree. Tickets will go on sale later this summer. Families with kids ages 13 and up can sign up for alerts and early access through the Broadway Fan Club. Since launching in 1996, the program has introduced more than 200,000 kids nationwide to Broadway—and August 2025 promises to be one of its biggest celebrations yet.

Coronation Street star bows out in sad scenes as fans call for U-turn
Coronation Street star bows out in sad scenes as fans call for U-turn

Daily Mirror

time2 days ago

  • Daily Mirror

Coronation Street star bows out in sad scenes as fans call for U-turn

Coronation Street character Lou Michaelis (Farrel Hefarty) left the programme during Wedneday night's episode of the ITV soap in emotional scenes that played out behind bars Lou Michaelis bowed out of Coronation Street on Wednesday as she tearfully said goodbye to her children from behind bars - amid calls from fans to bring her back. ‌ The character, played by Farrel Hegarty, has only been on the ITV soap for a matter of months but has had an explosive time of it, with many viewers not wanting her to go. She arrived alongside her husband Mick Michaelis (Joe Layton), who made an enemy of various Weatherfield residents, and in May, he was jailed for the murder of PC Craig Tinker ( Colson Smith). ‌ Prior to that, a f lashback episode confirmed that after Mick had gone to prison for a crime Kit Green committed, and had become an enemy of the policeman in the process. But things were made worse when Mick discovered that Kit and Lou had conceived a baby when he was behind bars, meaning that teenager Brody (Ryan Mulvey) was not his son as he had initially thought. ‌ Shortly after the couple's debut, viewers were introduced to their daughters Joanie (Savanna Pennigton) and Shanice (Molly Kilduff), and things reached a climax when Mick broke out of prison in an attempt to take back his eldest. A rooftop tussle with Kit ended in a near-fatal stabbing for the police officer whilst Sally Metcalfe (Sally Dynevor) tried to shield Joanie from danger before Mick went back to jail. What's more, another flashback episode had revealed that Lou had put Gary Windass (Mikey North) in a coma when she hit him over the head amid a failed blackmail attempt, and she too was put behind bars. Mick's final scenes aired last week, and on Wednesday's edition of soap, Lou had accepted the fact that she was also going to be inside for a long time after Sally refused to loan her the money she would need for top lawyers. ‌ She told the Underworld machinist: "I've come to terms with the fact that I'm gonna do a decent stretch and I don't want you bringing the kids to see me anymore. Not regularly, any road. I don't want them to get used to seeing me in here. In this place." Through tears, she insisted to Sally: "I just think it's best I say goodbye to them for now. For all our sakes." "It's gonna be all right though, in a long time. You will get through this,", Sally tried to reassure her as the pair of them shared a heartfelt parting themselves. Sally vowed to take care of the girls while Lou is behind bars, and the schoolchildren enjoyed one last hug with their mum before they said goodbye. Just after the emotional farewell, Brody also promised his mum that he would be there for his half-sisters. ‌ This is not the first time Sally has been responsible for two girls, as she and ex-husband Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) have Rosie (Helen Flanagan) and Sophie (Brooke Vincent) together. Whilst her own daughters are no longer residing in Weatherfield, some of the storylines included Sally trying to push Rosie into stage school in the years before she started up an affair with her teacher John Stape (Graeme Hawley), and learning to accept her youngest as a lesbian. Meanwhile, Sally's second husband Tim Metcalfe (Joe Duttine) is also the father of former regular Faye Windass (Ellie Leach), and even though she was adopted by Anna Windass (Debbie Rush) as a child, he became a constant presence for her throughout her tumultuous teenage years, which saw her at the centre of a violet bullying storyline as well as a secret pregnancy. At the time of Lou's debut on Coronation Street, she and her on-screen husband were dubbed as the new versions of Les and Janice Battersby, but only a short while after playing the hairdresser, Farrel vaguely discussed the exit for the first time to The Mirror and other press. She teased what was ahead, while also confirming the fact that she did know from the start she would be leaving after a matter of months, with an exit always on the cards despite some reports. ‌ She explained of why she took on the short-term role, knowing she would only be there for a specific amount of time: "I just think she really appealed to me because she's the sort of person who's never had it easy. Get the latest drama from the Dales by joining our Emmerdale WhatsApp group As drama continues to unfold in the Yorkshire Dales, the Mirror has launched its very own Emmerdale WhatsApp community where you'll get all the latest breaking news, secrets, and spoilers delivered straight to your phone. Users must download or already have WhatsApp on their phones to join in. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! We may also send you stories from other titles across the Reach group. We will also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose Exit group. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. "She's built up a lot of coping mechanisms, where she's presenting a hard and feisty character with her walls up, and all she's ever known is these fiery relationships. And probably fiery relationships with a lot of people in her life, which is what makes a character like that so interesting. "Because she's a force and irrational. I read scripts and I go, 'Oh God! What's she doing now? What's she saying now?' Because it's not a way that I would behave, and because of that, it's so much fun to play. It's that desperation to protect that inner circle and because of that, she makes a mess of things. But a character like that is so fun to play, because there's never a dull moment."

BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent makes huge Ozzy Osbourne error live on air as viewers left furious
BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent makes huge Ozzy Osbourne error live on air as viewers left furious

Daily Record

time2 days ago

  • Daily Record

BBC Breakfast's Sally Nugent makes huge Ozzy Osbourne error live on air as viewers left furious

BBC Breakfast fans were less than impressed with Sally Nugent's mistake as she interviewed KISS icon Gene Simmons after Ozzy's death. BBC Breakfast viewers were left furious after presenter Sally Nugent made a big Ozzy Osbourne error live on-air just hours after the news broke of the Black Sabbath rocker's death. Ozzy's family confirmed the 76-year-old passed away yesterday on July 22, less than three weeks after his farewell gig with Black Sabbath. ‌ On Wednesday's instalment of the BBC show, Sally was interviewing KISS musician Gene Simmons about Ozzy's legacy when the broadcaster made the noticeable blunder, forcing Gene to correct her mistake on live TV, the Express reports. Gene praised the late 'Prince of Darkness' in an emotional tribute, gushing: 'If you met him as a human being off-stage, you'd be shocked, because he treated people exactly the same way. ‌ "No airs about him, he's met queens and kings and all kinds of political leaders, and the person next door who you meet on the street. There never will be another Ozzy.' BBC star Sally then said to the KISS icon: 'You were at the [Black Sabbath] concert two weeks ago…' ‌ However, Gene was quick to interrupt as he replied: 'No I wasn't.' Sally awkwardly replied: "Oh right, okay, but did you see the images?' ‌ Gene said: "Yes. I saw the whole thing.' Trying to brush her error under the carpet, Sally said: 'It's incredible, isn't it, to think he was on stage so recently". ‌ Furious viewers took to social media to rant about the awkward moment. One unimpressed user wrote: "And Sally says 'you were at the concert two weeks ago'... 'no I wasn't'... why do we have to put up with this not so funny Bridget Jones?" Another chimed in: "Silly Sally – I know you were at the concert with Ozzy a couple of weeks ago… Gene - I wasn't.' ‌ Meanwhile, other fans were more moved by Gene's touching words. One wrote: "Gene Simmons on ⁦@BBCBreakfast this morning talking about Ozzy Osbourne. A quality chat, really articulate and moving." The Osbourne family released a joint statement to announce Ozzy's death last night which was signed by wife Sharon, whom he wed in 1986, as well as their children Jack Osbourne, Kelly Osbourne, Aimee Osbourne and Ozzy's son Louis Osbourne from his first marriage. ‌ Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The statement from his family said: "It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. "He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis." Ozzy battled numerous health issues over the years with his final appearance on stage coming just over a fortnight ago.

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