
Head to Bradford for a full Hockney day
Thanks to Warren Brown (Letters, 22 January) for bringing the Hockney collection at Cartwright Hall to the fore. Why not complete the full Hockney day with a visit to nearby Salts Mill in Saltaire? A truly immersive experience to celebrate Bradford 2025 UK city of culture.Angus MacIntoshBurley in Wharfedale, West Yorkshire
Further to Warren Brown's letter, please add David Hockney: Pieced Together at the National Science and Media Museum in Bradford. It features pioneering experiments with film and photography.Jonathan Hauxwell Crosshills, North Yorkshire
Re adverse school reports (Letters, 26 January) my head at Bolton county grammar school referred to me as supplying 'the leading voice of dissent where school rules are concerned'. I think this must have helped me subsequently provide a more balanced approach to discipline as a headmaster myself for 16 years.Bill BradburyBolton, Greater Manchester
I haven't watched the latest series of The Traitors ('Keep it plausible': expert advice on how to lie and not get caught, 24 January). I did, however, watch the first and found it nasty and deeply disturbing. The 'moral' being that deceit is the key to success and honesty is for losers. Truly entertainment for our times.Richard JonesBristol
My word, he's kept his looks, that Michael Hadreas (Perfume Genius: 'I want to feel extremes – but I'm not as self-destructive now', 24 January), but to describe him as 'elven-looking' is pushing it. I'd put him closer to twlve.John CranstonNorwich
I like the idea of American landmarks being renamed after Trump (Letters, 21 January). I'm looking forward to Trump Falls.Mike SmithHythe, Hampshire
Have an opinion on anything you've read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Saoirse Ronan stars in new Talking Heads music video
The American rock band is best known for their songs This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody), Road To Nowhere and Burning Down The House. The group released the full music video on Thursday evening to mark the 50th anniversary of the band's first show together in 1975. A post shared by Talking Heads (@talkingheadsofficial) American-born Irish actress Ronan, who is best known for starring in Ladybird (2017), Little Women (2019) and The Outrun (2024), can be seen slowly losing her mind and acting out as she moves through day-to-day life. Psycho Killer was first released on the band's debut album Talking Heads: 77. A post shared by Chris Frántz (@frantzchris) Formed in 1975, the group is made up of frontman David Byrne, bassist Tina Weymouth, drummer Chris Frantz, and keyboardist and guitarist Jerry Harrison. The group later announced their split in 1991. They won the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement award in 2021 for their 'creative contributions of outstanding artistic significance to the field of recording' and are also behind the top 10 UK albums True Stories and Naked.


Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Beyoncé's London Cowboy Carter show made me homesick for a US that doesn't exist
When Beyoncé sang the American national anthem on the first night of her London Cowboy Carter tour dates, I instinctively placed my cowboy hat over my heart, unsure whether I was pledging allegiance to the US flag or Beyoncé herself. As Tottenham Hotspur Stadium filled with (nearly) 62,000 Londoners in chaps, Levi's, cowboy boots, and the occasional bolo tie, I bizarrely felt more connected to the country I left nearly three years ago than I ever did during my final decade living there. That might be because Beyoncé presents a version of the American South not as it is, but as it could be: inclusive, textured, full of contradiction and pride, defiant of unjust power structures, and rooted in the stories of people who refused to disappear – no matter how hard the world tried to erase them. This defiance is nothing new for her. Beyoncé has long navigated the delicate balance between American patriotism and protest. She's been criticized for everything from her 2016 Super Bowl performance that paid tribute to the Black Panthers, to her support of Black Lives Matter, to the visual album Lemonade, which unapologetically explored infidelity, rage, and Black womanhood. And then there's the country music establishment, which has famously tried to keep Beyonce on the outside. Which is why this concert felt revolutionary in a time of political was reclaiming a genre, a flag, and a cultural identity, not just for herself, but for everyone who's ever been told they don't belong. While I was moved to tears repeatedly by this message, I did wonder if the concert didn't strike an interesting chord with a UK crowd. Could it be alienating to anyone who didn't grow up listening to Willie Nelson in the backseat of their daddy's pickup? Maybe. But it doesn't matter. Even if the images of pioneering black country singer Sister Rosetta Thorpe were lost on you or if you didn't immediately recognise a famous Texas line dance when it broke out on stage, the power of the performance could not be ignored. While the country album's contents take up almost half the set, there was something for everyone. Fans were treated to Crazy In Love, If I Were A Boy, Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It), a very short rendition of To the Left, Daddy Lessons from Lemonade, and several hits from Renaissance. It's a goose-bump-inducing pleasure just to watch her strut the length of the stage and flip her hair, so when she joins in the choreography, it feels like staggering generosity from a star with nothing left to prove. Perhaps the most moving moment of the show came when the singer stood completely motionless in a dress that, via projection, changed colors and designs in sync with the soaring notes of the song Daughter. It's a song that references the violence and toxic Christianity woven into the fabric of Southern culture, and when she sings:'Now I ripped your dress and you're all black and blue/ Look what you made me do..' it's with all the power and perspective of a Shakespearan monologue. So when a message that read, 'THIS IS THEATRE' later flashed across the screen, it felt undeniably true. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The pop diva spoke infrequently, but when she did, there was the delightful sense of a performer who no longer needs to worry about putting on airs or sticking too tightly to a script. Almost counterintuitively, becoming the most famous person in the world allows Beyoncé the freedom to be herself. She grinned at the crowd after every voice in the place shouted along to Box to the Left, giggling and saying into the mic: 'Did y'all know every world to that thang? Did that just happen like that?' One of the most talked-about moments of the night came during her performance of Protector. As she sang, her eldest daughter, Blue Ivy – who performs as a backup dancer throughout the show – stood just behind her. Then, to a roar of surprise and delight from the crowd, seven-year-old Rumi walked on stage and wrapped her arms around her mother in a tender hug. There had been speculation about whether Rumi would appear during the London shows, so the eruption of cheers visibly delighted the little girl, and Beyoncé's beaming smile read as nothing but genuine pride. With another artist, this level of family involvement might risk feeling gimmicky or even exploitative. But Beyoncé – who's long past the point of doing anything she doesn't want to – makes it feel like something else entirely: a mother sharing her passion with her daughters and loving them boldly, in front of the world. More Trending My only criticism worth mentioning has nothing to do with Beyonce or her crew. Bizarrely, given that it's a football stadium, the venue seemed startlingly unprepared for the crowd's exit. A chaotic queue system for the overground descended into confused chaos, and buses literally passed by crowds of concertgoers, unwilling or unable to take on the cowboy-hat-clad masses. But a two-and-a-half hour journey home is a small price to pay for a night that combined the best of stadium concerts, political commentary, theatre, and star power so bright it was almost blinding. Thanks to Beyonce, for the first time in a long time, I feel proud to be an American. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Beyonce suffers wardrobe malfunction as trousers drop mid-performance in London MORE: Traffic guitarist Dave Mason cancels all 2025 tour dates due to 'ongoing health issues' MORE: 'I saw Beyonce's most hot and provocative show yet – this flaw made it better'


Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
The £30 Ozempic swimsuit that takes 10lbs off your tummy – here one woman tries it
Can one swimsuit really help you drop a dress size? TikTok users think they've found one which does just that... SWIM WIN The £30 Ozempic swimsuit that takes 10lbs off your tummy – here one woman tries it Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IF the thought of wriggling back into your swimsuit fills you with dread, you're far from alone. According to new research from lingerie and swimwear brand Pour Moi, only seven per cent of women feel fully fabulous stepping out in their cossies. Just seven. 5 I recruited size 14, mum-of-one Michelle Court to test out this miracle swimsuit (pictured in her normal swimsuit) Credit: David Cummings 5 Available for £27.99 on Amazon in six different colours, the cossie completely showcased Michelle's figure Credit: David Cummings The rest of us? We're artfully draped in sarongs, in tent shaped cover-ups or doing that frantic towel dance by the pool in a bid to stay incognito. Because let's be honest, hauling last summer's swimwear from the bottom drawer rarely feels good. That magical tummy control? Stretched beyond salvation. The 'statement colour'? More like a fading memory, now tinged with SPF smears and fake tan mishaps. Then comes the dreaded try-on. You catch a glimpse in the mirror and bam - any flicker of body confidence evaporates faster than your iced rosé in a midday heatwave. But here's the thing, it's not just you. We've all had the mirror moment. We've all sworn under our breath in badly lit changing rooms. And we've all wished, more than once, that swimwear came with built-in courage. But those dreams could become a reality. Whilst on the search for swimwear this year, I turned my attention to TikTok which, like it or not, is a good barometer for consumer style reviews. The first one I stumbled-scrolled upon was a brand called Cupshe. A top selling American swimwear brand that does ship to the UK and is available on Amazon. So far, so good. Primark drops brand new collection of bikinis in gingham, floral and colour block designs - and they'll set you back just £2.50 per piece Cupshe is a brand that on the surface sounds like every other swimwear brand with words like 'empower', 'inspire' and 'support'. But the brand's Slim & Sculpt swimsuit caught my eye. A viral clip racking up millions of views featuring three women, all different in shapes and sizes, slip into the same figure-loving cossie. The secret? A corset-style lace-up back that cinches in all the right places, giving each of them an envy-inducing hourglass shape. In the comments section one fan of the swimwear gushed: 'These make you feel SO confident – and that speaks volumes!' Another said: 'Just got mine and I can't believe how good it looks.' I'm immediately sold - but I need to see it in the flesh. Available for £27.99 on Amazon in six different colours, I recruited size 14, make-up artist and mum-of-one Michelle Court, 41, from Rochford, Essex, to test out this miracle swimsuit. 'Every time it comes to going on holiday I get a new cossie,' says Michelle. 'I used to be a bikini Queen and never think of pulling on a one-piece, but after a baby my confidence to show off my body has dwindled. 'These days I love a swimsuit for holding everything in. 'When I'm looking for my new holiday swimsuit I always try to hunt for one with a really good shape that flatters my figure, doesn't dig in too much and one that keeps everything in its place.' Medium is the corresponding Cupshe size for Michelle's UK dress size but out of the packet, the cossie looks rather small. We both agree it might be a struggle to get it on. But two minutes later Michelle is out of the dressing room in the red lycra number and looks like she's ready to run in slow motion down the beach. So far, so Baywatch. 5 The secret? A corset-style lace-up back that cinches in all the right places Credit: David Cummings 5 Michelle felt like the Special K lady Credit: David Cummings 5 Cupshe is a top-selling American swimwear brand - and is popular on TikTok Credit: tiktok@ 'I look like the Special K Lady,' says Michelle. 'It's like I've been on weight loss injections!' She was right, this swimsuit completely showcased her figure - and not a fat jab in sight. I was dubious as to whether swimwear can really be that transformative but from seeing Michelle in a thousand-wash beige costume that had zero bust support or elasticity, the change was undeniable. She said: 'It really does hold you in, like, cinches in everywhere - not like that old one from the loft.' 'Its got amazing bust support, it feels like someone has just come in behind me and lifted me - and lifted everything. 'I feel way more confident than I do in my usual costumes.' Made from 92 per cent polyester and 8 per cent Spandex the swimming costume does the nipping and tucking with its fabric, but the real magic comes from the corsetry at the back. You can tie it as loosely or as tight as you like to take inches off your waist and it really, really works. And at the back the suit also gives great bum coverage, unlike many high street swimsuits that are barely bigger than a thong at the back. Michelle said: 'Honestly, I love it. It's a 10/10 swimsuit… Can I take it home?'