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Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight to pen new James Bond film

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight to pen new James Bond film

RTÉ News​3 days ago
Steven Knight, the creator of the gritty TV crime series Peaky Blinders, will write the highly anticipated next James Bond movie, studio Amazon MGM has announced.
Knight will work alongside previously announced director Denis Villeneuve (Dune, Dune: Part Two) to bring the world's most famous fictional spy back to the big screen after a prolonged absence.
Amazon MGM Studios sets Denis Villeneuve as director of next James Bond film.
Tanya Lapointe will serve as executive producer. As previously announced, Amy Pascal and David Heyman will serve as producers. pic.twitter.com/E27wlBRuFI
— James Bond (@007) June 26, 2025
Amazon MGM Studios acquired creative control of the 007 movies in February and has moved quickly to get one of Hollywood's most valuable franchises back into production.
There has been no new Bond film since 2021's No Time to Die.
Knight is best known as the mind behind the violent British gangster series Peaky Blinders, which was set in industrial England at the turn of the 20th Century and became a global hit.
Running for six seasons on the BBC, and with a Netflix film version currently in the works, Peaky Blinders turbo-charged the careers of leading man Cillian Murphy, alongside a stellar supporting cast including Tom Hardy, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Kingsley Ben-Adir.
In addition to Peaky Blinders, Knight also co-created the wildly popular television quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and has penned four novels.
The Birmingham-based screenwriter, producer, and director's other TV credits include Taboo, See, This Town, and All the Light We Cannot See.
His film credits include Dirty Pretty Things (writer), Eastern Promises (writer), Locke (writer-director), and Maria (writer).
The Bond films, based on Ian Fleming's novels, have earned more than $7 billion collectively at the global box office since debuting in 1962.
No release date or title has yet been set for the film franchise's 26th instalment.
Despite frenzied speculation among fans, there has been no announcement on which actor will replace Daniel Craig as the suave British super-spy.
Among the actors most discussed to be the next Bond are Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Tom Holland, Harris Dickinson, Jacob Elordi, and Ben-Adir - but Amazon MGM has so far refused to disclose the franchise's most closely guarded secret.
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Radio pioneer who reinvented the wheel – James Whale's life blighted by cancer that almost drove him to Dignitas
Radio pioneer who reinvented the wheel – James Whale's life blighted by cancer that almost drove him to Dignitas

The Irish Sun

timean hour ago

  • The Irish Sun

Radio pioneer who reinvented the wheel – James Whale's life blighted by cancer that almost drove him to Dignitas

He also took part in Celebrity Big Brother despite being ill GOODBYE, JAMES Radio pioneer who reinvented the wheel – James Whale's life blighted by cancer that almost drove him to Dignitas TWENTY-five years ago he was given a 50 per cent chance of survival. British radio personality, television presenter, podcast host and 'shock jock' trailblazer, James Whale had tragically lost his wife of 48 years, Melinda from lung cancer two years earlier. Advertisement 13 Radio personality James Whale in 1976 Credit: Getty 13 James died aged 74 following a battle with cancer Credit: PA 13 James Whale in his younger years Credit: Rex 13 The star had featured in Celebrity Big Brother in 2016 and had a long established career in radio Credit: TalkTV In February 2000, he himself was diagnosed with kidney cancer. He underwent an operation to remove his left kidney, after a large tumour was discovered, where the odds of survival were in the balance. 'As soon as the word cancer is mentioned, everyone thinks, 'Oh I am dying. That's it,'' he was later to say on the podcast series he made with his second wife, Nadine, called Tales of the Whales. 'It is not a death sentence. And the size of the tumour is irrelevant because the one I had taken out was the size of a football.' Advertisement He returned to work and, in 2006, launched the James Whale Fund for Kidney Cancer to fund research and raise awareness of the disease, which later merged with Kidney Cancer UK. In 2016 he took part in Celebrity Big Brother despite having felt unwell for about a year. It wasn't until 2020, when he started to forget names on air while presenting his popular nightly show on TalkRadio that he decided to get medically checked out. It was bad news. "The woman looked worried and she said, 'I'm so sorry. I've got really, really bad news for you. I'm afraid 20 years ago you had kidney cancer. Well, it looks like it's come back. You've got a tumour on your kidney.' Advertisement "And I thought, 'OK, well I'll have to do all over again.' And then she said, 'I'm sorry. Sadly it's spread. You've got small lesions in your brain and your lung, in your spine, in your pituitary gland.'" This time he knew it was terminal and such was the shock that his immediate reaction was to consider euthanasia. 'I came home, had a little think about things and I decided I'm just booking myself a trip to Dignitas. You might as well just go and get it over with,' he told The Sun in an exclusive interview. 'I'd looked into it quite some time ago after Melinda died and it's been something in the back of my mind.' Advertisement Bayern Munich star Sven Ulreich announces tragic death of his six-year-old son after 'long, serious illness' But his sons, James and Peter, encouraged him to seek help from the kidney cancer charity that he set up after his first battle with the disease. The double dose of medicine and a positive mental attitude saw him carrying on and returning to work. On 13 May 2021, his 70th birthday, he announced his engagement on Twitter but did not reveal his fiancée's identity. That October, he married Nadine Lamont-Brown. Advertisement She had refused to listen to him when, aware of his condition, he offered her a way out. 'It was so unfair on her, so I said, 'I think we should cool it and not see each other', and she replied, 'Oh that's nice, so if I'd just been diagnosed with a terminal illness, you wouldn't come and see me anymore?', so we carried on. 'Living with cancer, especially a terminal diagnosis, is a constant rollercoaster of emotions. But Its brought me closer to my darling wife Nadine. "We talk about my cancer – the good, bad and bloody annoying parts of it – every week on our podcast Tales of the Whales. We like to have a good laugh about it, too. It's wonderfully therapeutic and allows me to get out of my head.' Advertisement In an emotional broadcast in July 2025, he told listeners on his podcast that he had been given twelve weeks to live and was now up to week seven. 'I'm not me anymore. I can't breathe, I can't think, I can't talk. I still can't hear very well, which is more frustrating than anything else. "I've become very slow in my speech and forgetful. I don't feel I can go on much more. "My energy levels have gone completely. So, I wish everybody well, and let us hope we go through these phases as quickly as we can." Advertisement Towards the end he moved into a hospice close to his Kent home where he died aged 74. 13 James Whale and wife Nadine Talbot-Brown pictured at The British Curry Awards in 2022 Credit: Rex 13 James was a pioneer in the radio industry Credit: Rex 13 Whale back in 2022 Credit: PA Advertisement Born Michael James Whale on 13 May 1951 in Ewell, Surrey, his English father David worked in the family business S&R Whale, which made dresses, aprons and overalls in a factory in Brixton, London. His Welsh mother Anne was a professional ballet dancer who retired after James and his younger brother Keith were born. Severely dyslexic, James failed his 11-plus exam and went to the local Church of England school. He took a keen interest in archery in his mid-teens, becoming Surrey junior archery champion. Advertisement After leaving school he worked on a building site before becoming a trainee buyer at Harrods. Influenced by the likes of Radio DJs Tony Blackburn, Johnnie Walker and Kid Jensen, he decided to try his hand at broadcasting. His parents were now running a pub in the King's Cross area of London where the family were living and the brewery, Watney, had plans to open a chain of discos. James took their DJ training course and later had gigs in various Watney venues. Advertisement In 1970 he became DJ for Radio Topshop in Oxford Street and in 1974 began hosting an evening talk show on Metro Radio, serving northeast England from studios in Swalwell, Gateshead, where he pioneered the late-night radio phone-in. He later moved to BBC Radio Derby to present a morning phone-in and in 1982 joined Radio Aire in Leeds to host another late night talk show, where his frank style and droll wit began to get him a lot of attention. Called The James Whale Radio Show it began to be simultaneously filmed and shown on Yorkshire Television in the late 80s and such was its popularity that it transferred to the entire ITV network. This late night mix of irreverent chat, music and comedy, laced throughout with James's bluntness and often caustic wit, made him a household name. Advertisement 'I realised disagreeing with people on air, sometimes even cutting them off, was far more entertaining than playing records,' he explained. But the sharp ripostes were to be a double edged-sword with accusations of rudeness and bullying. At TalkRadio he was suspended in 2008 for urging listeners to vote for Boris Johnson in the upcoming London mayoral election. In 2018 he was suspended again when it was reported that he appeared to laugh at a guest who was speaking about her rape on air. Advertisement 13 James Whale with his first wife Melinda who died from cancer Credit: Oliver Dixon - The Sun 13 James received an MBE in 2024 for his services to broadcasting and charity Credit: PA 13 Whale has issued an emotional update amid his terminal cancer battle Credit: Instagram/@jameswhaleradio No one was more surprised than him when, in April 2024 he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to broadcasting and charity. Advertisement He described receiving the award from Princess Anne at Windsor Castle as the 'pinnacle' of his career. 'It makes me feel very proud that somebody has recognised the fact that I've spent my entire life being rude to people for entertainment. If my parents were alive, they would be in tears. It's a great honour at the end of your life.' For, by now, he was not sure that he would make it through to the end of the year. The comfort, support and love he received from Nadine was evident in interviews they gave and in their touching but amusing podcasts. But she admitted that they were like chalk and cheese. Advertisement 'He's not my cup of tea,' she once laughed. 'If I'd Googled him, I'd have thought, 'He doesn't seem like a very nice man' and we wouldn't have got together.' Luckily for him, she had never heard of him when they first met at a village pub in Kent, the county where they settled. 'When I finally watched him at work, he was so harsh on people. After a few minutes, I thought, 'This is just horrible'. 'But he's actually really nice and kind. When you watch him at work, it's a persona. Advertisement "He can sometimes go into 'work mode' at home, and I'll have to say, 'You're not at work now. You can't cut me off.' No one's ever been nicer to me.' James retained his fondness for archery throughout his life and away from work liked to spend his time target shooting with his favourite custom made English Long Bow. Living with cancer for so long had given him time to come to terms with death. 'I'm not scared of dying,' he said, towards the end. 'I want to be buried in the churchyard at the top of the hill. It's a great view.' Advertisement 13 James Whale enters the Big Brother House for the Celebrity Big Brother launch at Elstree Studios on July 28, 2016 13 He recently moved into a hospice Credit: x/TalkTV

Ireland Rugby star Robbie Henshaw shocks Mayo pub with accordion performance
Ireland Rugby star Robbie Henshaw shocks Mayo pub with accordion performance

Irish Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Irish Daily Mirror

Ireland Rugby star Robbie Henshaw shocks Mayo pub with accordion performance

Ireland star Robbie Henshaw showed that his talents extend far beyond the Rugby pitch as he shocked a Mayo pub with his incredible performance on the accordion. Henshaw will have been disappointed to miss out on the recent British and Irish Lions tour, having previously been selected for two tours. The one positive is that he was around to spend time with his friends on a stag do. In a video shared by Wesport Boozer Dohertys, Henshaw can be seen wearing a Fred Flintstone-style costume while his friend sings along. "We were thrilled to welcome Irish Rugby international and Leinster star Robbie Henshaw today — and who better to treat us to a few tunes on the box!" the pub said in a post. It's not the first time Henshaw has been in the spotlight for his talented music, having previously performed at the Fleadh with his family, and was also put on the spot by Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty last year. Speaking about his love of music back in 2017, Henshaw told Off The Ball: "I was more nervous about music than I was with a game. Music was at the heart. It kept us all together in Athlone. "We've a big family and it kept us close to our cousins. When we meet up, we'd have sessions. Music was at the heart of that." Henshaw started out playing with the fiddle before deciding to learn the accordion. Such is the stock of the Henshaw family and their high standard of traditional music that they teamed up with trad legend Sharon Shannon to release their own album, The Secret Sessions, in 2018. The money raised went to the South Westmeath Hospice.

TV star doppelgänger? Mum's ultrasound sparks viral reaction
TV star doppelgänger? Mum's ultrasound sparks viral reaction

Extra.ie​

time5 hours ago

  • Extra.ie​

TV star doppelgänger? Mum's ultrasound sparks viral reaction

An expecting mum has wondered why 'kids ruin stuff' after one of her daughters remarked that her baby scan bared an uncanny resemblance to a British TV presenter. Soon-to-be mum of four, Amy Baldwin posts content on social media about all things side hustles and earning some extra cash. The nurse took to TikTok last week following her 12-week scan and detailed how one of her children thought the scan looked like a British TV presenter and broadcaster. Soon-to-be mum of four, Amy Baldwin posts content on social media about all things side hustles and earning some extra cash. Pic: thehustlemamma/ TikTok 'My daughter told me my 12-week scan photo looks like Claudia Winkleman and now all I can see when I look at my unborn child is Claudia Winkleman,' Amy revealed. 'I can't see anything else! I'm going to give birth to Claudia Winkleman! Let me show you…' Showing up the scans, Amy explained: 'I showed her the photos and she went, 'Oh! That one looks like Claudia Winkleman with the fringe and then the hair that goes down' and now literally all I can see on my scan photo is Claudia Winkleman!' @thehustlemumma #12weekscan #babylookalike #funnyscan #viral #trending #whatthehelly ♬ original sound – thehustlemumma Amy reiterated that it was 'literally all I can see' surmising that the resemblance must mean she is having a baby girl. 'For f**k sake, it's meant to be a special moment; why do kids ruin stuff?' she wondered. The viral moment has amassed more than 112,000 likes in just three days with social media users taking to the comments shocked at just how much the scan does look like the Traitors presenter. The viral moment has amassed more than 112,000 likes in just three days with social media users taking to the comments shocked at just how much the scan does look like the Traitors presenter. Pic: thehustlemamma/ TikTok One said: 'I wasn't expecting the reveal to be so accurate to Claudia Winkleman to be honest.' JEDWARD commented: 'Middle name or first better be Claudia.' The Traitors UK host Claudia Winkleman. Pic: BBC/Studio Lambert/Mark Mainz A third added: 'Why do I see Noel Fielding instead?' to which Amy responded: 'What!!! It got worse.' It comes as earlier this month a decades-old embryo was born, described as the world's 'oldest baby.' Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born on July 26, 2025 — but was developed from an embryo that was created in 1994, being placed in storage for over 30 years. Thaddeus' parents, Lindsey and Tim 'adopted' the embryo from the woman who created it, with Tim being a toddler when the embryos, which included his son, were first created.

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