logo
Alan Cumming to receive honorary degree from University of St Andrews

Alan Cumming to receive honorary degree from University of St Andrews

Independent20-06-2025
Actor Alan Cumming is to receive an honorary degree from the University of St Andrews during a week of graduations for students from almost 90 countries.
More than 2,200 students will gather at the University of St Andrews from June 30 for summer graduation ceremonies.
Graduates from 88 different countries, including Canada, Australia and Nepal will receive their awards in the Younger Hall from June 30 to July 4.
The graduation ceremony season will include nine 'distinguished individuals' honoured for their contributions to sport, politics, science, medicine and the arts.
Marvel actor and The Traitors US presenter Alan Cumming will receive an honorary degree on Thursday July 3, while BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner will be presented with one on Friday July 4.
Sustainability campaigner Sara Parkin and US golfer Judy Rankin will also receive the accolade during the week.
Also recognised will be Russian-American scientist Eugene Koonin and political theorist and feminist writer Professor Cynthia Enloe.
There is one ceremony on June 30 at 2pm, while the other ceremonies will occur twice in one day.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

AFL WAG is called 'entitled' after complaining about price of common café item: 'Your husband makes $500,000'
AFL WAG is called 'entitled' after complaining about price of common café item: 'Your husband makes $500,000'

Daily Mail​

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mail​

AFL WAG is called 'entitled' after complaining about price of common café item: 'Your husband makes $500,000'

An AFL WAG has been labelled 'entitled' after complaining about the price of a popular café item. Tayla Broad, who is married to Richmond player Nathan Broad, announced she has had enough of the high price tag that comes with buying a babycino for her two-year-old daughter Samara in Melbourne. 'Sick of spending $3.50 on a goddamn babychino,' the mother of one shared in her stories on Tuesday. She included a photo of the frothy brew in a reusable cup from the BBcino brand. 'Homemade from now on,' she added in the caption. However, several people criticised the social media star for her post. Tayla announced she has had enough of the high price tag that comes with buying a babycino for her two-year-old daughter Samara in Melbourne 'Your husband makes about $500,000 to kick a ball around... I'm sure you can afford $3.50,' one person said. Another similarly added: 'Be grateful that's only what you can't/won't afford (sic).' One suggested Tayla was 'entitled' for the tone-deaf post, writing: 'Some people would be happy they could afford a babycino! Instead families are starving and living in their cars.' Another simply wrote: 'First world problems'. However, one fan chimed in and agreed with the WAG as they looked back on how cheap babycinos were a few years ago. 'My granddaughter used to lick all the chocolate off the top and then discard the frothy milk. At the time it was about $1.50. She's about to turn 16, so might be embarrassed by baby memories!' they wrote. A babycino is made with a small amount of whole cream milk and a dusting of powdered chocolate, just like a cappuccino. Since it does not contain caffeine, it is the go-to treat for children. Tayla is quite passionate about her neighbourhood and was left 'devastated' when her local café closed last year. She shared her heartbreak after the business ceased operations in May 2024. In her post, the dark-haired beauty said the café had played an important part in her mental health. 'Anyone with a child knows how important your local café is to your mental health,' she wrote to her Instagram Story over a photo with her daughter being held by a barista in front of a coffee machine. 'Some days, it's the only adult conversation you have outside your partner at the end of the day. 'For Samara and me, our local café became our family. They watched Samara grow and learn new tricks, checked in on me every day, played with her, and loved her. 'It was our favourite part of the day. Unfortunately, Sunday was their last business day. 'Although absolutely devastated, I am also so grateful for what they gave Samara and me each day,' she added. Tayla and her husband Nathan tied the knot in October 2022. The family currently live in Melbourne but are planning to move back to her native Western Australia.

Ada Nicodemou reveals the results of her cosmetic work in her 'crying face' as emotional Home and Away cast bid farewell to Lynne McGranger
Ada Nicodemou reveals the results of her cosmetic work in her 'crying face' as emotional Home and Away cast bid farewell to Lynne McGranger

Daily Mail​

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mail​

Ada Nicodemou reveals the results of her cosmetic work in her 'crying face' as emotional Home and Away cast bid farewell to Lynne McGranger

There wasn't a dry eye in the room on Tuesday night when 2025 Gold Logie winner Lynne McGranger, who plays Irene Roberts, made her final appearance on Home and Away. While the heart-wrenching moments in the episode were notable, so was Ada Nicodemou, who showed she has barely aged a day since she first started playing Irene's best friend Leah Patterson. The Aussie actress' face was wrinkle-free - a result of her cosmetic work over the years. Ada, who has fronted the series for 25 years, teared up several times during the emotional goodbye. The 48-year-old's visage was taut, while her jawline appeared noticeably more pronounced than in previous years. Ada has admitted to getting cosmetic work done in the past. In 2019, the Aussie star confirmed that she had undergone breast augmentation and had Botox after years of speculation. The mother-of-one made the admission while responding to an Instagram troll who implied she was 'fake'. 'I don't use fillers and I rarely use Botox and the only surgery that I've done [that] is "fake" is breast augmentation, which I have every right to do,' she wrote. The Sydney-born actress told New Idea magazine in 2017 that she wouldn't rule out using Botox or laser treatments in the future. She claimed it was important to do 'whatever makes you feel good', adding that it was up to the individual. 'I think these days most people are doing bits and pieces. Botox and lasers are like facials were 20 years ago,' Ada said. Home and Away said goodbye to one of the show's most beloved character on Tuesday night, as she headed off to see the world after learning that she has Alzheimer's disease. As the iconic character jetted off to see Europe before her illness prevented her travelling, many viewers were moved - but others felt the episode fell short. There wasn't a dry eye in the room on Tuesday night when 2025 Gold Logie winner Lynne McGranger (centre), who plays Irene Roberts, made her final appearance on Home and Away (Left: Ada Nicodemou Right: James Stewart) The chief complaint made by fans of the show was the lack of old cast members showing up to see Irene off - with some pointing out that even the current cast was oddly absent from the emotional final scenes. 'Would have been nice to have some flashbacks as she was leaving or some old faces to send her off felt a little off that the whole cast wasn't there,' wrote one person on X. 'Those cast members who didn't show up to Irene's farewell, shame shame,' said another. One more chimed in: 'They seriously couldn't even get all the current main cast in let alone previous characters. Low key as bit s**t.'

Australian novel attracts controversy over fictionalised depiction of gay codebreaker Alan Turing
Australian novel attracts controversy over fictionalised depiction of gay codebreaker Alan Turing

The Guardian

timean hour ago

  • The Guardian

Australian novel attracts controversy over fictionalised depiction of gay codebreaker Alan Turing

A novel written by a prominent book industry figure in which persecuted gay man Alan Turing has sex with a woman and fathers a child has been criticised online for its portrayal of the codebreaker. The Turing Protocol was released in July and was written by Nick Croydon, the CEO of QBD Books, the largest Australian-owned bookshop chain, where the book is being heavily promoted. Published by Affirm Press, which was bought by Simon & Schuster last year, the novel's cover features the question: 'If you had the power to change history, would you dare?' In the thriller, Turing, the brilliant British wartime mathematician and computer pioneer, builds a time travel machine and has sex with Joan Clarke, with whom he secretly fathers a child. Turing is otherwise depicted as gay and the story includes details of his persecution for his sexuality. In real life, Turing was briefly engaged to Bletchley Park colleague, Clarke, when the pair were employed in vital code-breaking during the war. He was later convicted for 'gross indecency' with another man and died by suicide at the age of 41 after enduring chemical castration. Queen Elizabeth II posthumously pardoned Turing in 2013, four years after prime minister Gordon Brown apologised for his 'appalling' treatment. Croydon told The Australian newspaper he had not pretended Turing was straight, but needed to give him a child for the purpose of his plot. 'I wrote this novel as a tribute to him. I wanted to highlight the genius that he was, but also the injustice that he suffered,' he said. As of Tuesday afternoon, the book had received 115 ratings on Goodreads, with five stars making up 21% and one stars making up 64%. Many of the most positive reviews came from first-time Goodreads reviewers. The negative reviews included anger about what some claimed was the 'erasure' of gay history. 'Anyone who is aware of Alan Turing and his prosecution will be scratching their head in disbelief,' one reader wrote. 'Erasing the whole point of Alan Turing's tragedy is one of the worst things someone can do. Erasing LGBTQ history, erasing a real person's pain? … Turing was not some fictional character to straight-ify,' wrote another. The book is QBD's fiction book of the month and is being actively marketed by the company, including a promotional Channel 7 interview in which Croydon explained that his favourite subjects at school were history and mathematics. Authors who have endorsed the book include historical fiction writer Fiona McIntosh and former QBD fiction book of the month author, Chris Hammer, who compared the book to Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. Prize-winning author Trent Dalton described the book as 'wildly imaginative' and urged people to 'read the Turing Protocol now', while Candice Fox said it was 'vivid'. Commenting on gay erasure broadly, Equality Australia legal director, Heather Corkhill, told Guardian Australia that 'erasing or marginalising LGBTIQ+ people and characters from historical and cultural narratives to fit a more heteronormative or 'traditional' worldview is not a new phenomenon – but it risks erasing our shared history and diminishing our understanding of the LGBTQ+ experience'. 'At no time did I say Turing wasn't gay,' Croydon said, according to the Australian. 'The book makes it very plain that he is gay. It talks about how he had to hide the fact that he was gay, and in the historical note page at the back of the book I again acknowledge the travesty of the treatment he received.' In a statement released last week, QBD said throughout the novel, Turing's 'identity as a gay man is neither erased, questioned nor diminished'. 'Speculative historical fiction often examines phenomena like lavender marriages – arrangements where LGBTQ+ individuals married opposite-sex partners due to societal pressures, ensuring protection and companionship – which were common during Turing's era and beyond. 'Regarding reviews, it's not unusual for friends, family, colleagues and peers to provide reviews of an author's work. QBD Books staff are a team of avid readers across the country who engage with literature passionately, some of whom have shared their genuine views on the book – both complimentary and critical. 'QBD Books' Book of the Month program follows a rigorous selection process that highlights debut or new authors who have written standout works. Each month submissions are received from publishers, and new releases are reviewed by our team of expert buyers, after which we select four titles for the whole calendar month to spotlight.' QBD, Simon and Schuster and Croydon have been contacted for comment.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store