‘Normal can be beautiful too': Meet Co Down teen spending his summer mastering falsetto for lead role in musical
For many teenagers, summer means lie-ins, sun-soaked holidays, or a well-earned break from school.
But for 17-year-old Oliver Chestnutt, from Kilkeel, it means something quite different — spending three intensive weeks immersed in rehearsals, stepping into the spotlight as the title character in Pippin, the bold and captivating musical being staged by the Belfast School of Performing Arts (BSPA) this month at The Mac.
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Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Blankety Blank player misses out on top prize after picking the wrong phrase – but would you have got it?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A BLANKETY Blank contestant missed out on a top prize after choosing an incorrect phrase - but would you have got it? Hosted by Bradley Walsh, the beloved game show is going strong for the BBC in 2025. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 4 Bradley Walsh has presented Blankety Blank since 2020 Credit: BBC 4 David fell short of winning a top prize on the show Credit: BBC 4 He had to identify the three most popular words to accompany Down Credit: BBC Viewers watched as David narrowly missed out in one of the rounds. The contestant received the word Down, which was then followed by a blank. With three celebrities' help, David had to match their common phrases. He first selected Nish Kumar, who offered up the word "Hill", making Downhill. David then chose Shane Richie, who suggested "Town" to make Downtown. His final choice was Lesley Joseph, who put forward "Stairs", for Downstairs. David revealed to Bradley that he was considering "Under" as his choice. Locking that in as his answer, it was revealed Under was third most popular answer - for £500. The second most popular answer was Lesley's suggestion, Stairs, which would have been £750. Meanwhile, coming out on top was Town, Shane's choice - which was for a home decorating package. Blankety Blank viewers in shock after discovering winning contestant died after filming show Blankety Blank viewers were recently left shocked after discovering a contestant had sadly died. RAF veteran Nathanael Hill passed away after filming for the hit show took place. A tribute flashed up on screen to commemorate his life at the end of his episode. It came as viewers had just watched Nathanel winning the show's main prize. One person penned: "Jesus. RIP Nathaniel." A second said: "Well I don't normally bother with the credits at the end of #blanketyblank but that was a sad way to finish a jolly show." A third then commented: "Rest in perfect peace, Nathanael Hill." Blankety Blank airs on BBC One and iPlayer.
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan weigh in on James Bond
It comes after Amazon MGM Studios revealed last month that Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight would be taking charge for the next film. Dame Helen Mirren has said that the next James Bond 'has to be a guy'. She told Saga Magazine: 'I'm such a feminist, but James Bond has to be a guy. You can't have a woman. It just doesn't work. 'James Bond has to be James Bond, otherwise it becomes something else.' 31 years ago today, Pierce Brosnan became JAMES BOND. — All The Right Movies (@ATRightMovies) June 8, 2025 The Oscar-winning actress, 80, stars alongside former 007 actor Pierce Brosnan in the new Thursday Murder Club film, a cosy crime drama adapted from the best-selling book by game show host Richard Osman. Pierce, 72, agreed with the actress about the next portrayal of Bond and told the magazine: 'Oh, I think it has to be a man.' He added: 'I wish (Amazon) them well. I'm so excited to see the next man come on the stage and to see a whole new exuberance and life for this character. 'I adore the world of James Bond. It's been very good to me. It's the gift that keeps giving. 'And I'm just a member of the audience now, sitting back, saying: 'Show us what you're going to do'.' Dame Helen previously told the Standard that 'the whole concept of James Bond is drenched and born out of profound sexism' and added: 'Women have always been a major and incredibly important part of the Secret Service, they always have been.' In the forthcoming Thursday Murder Club film, the veteran actress plays a retired spy, who is also the founder and leader of the club. Speaking about her character Elizabeth, she told Saga: 'So many women have worked in that world. She's a manifestation of a reality, that's for sure.' Recommended reading: Asked if she is a better portrayal of a spy than Bond, she responded: 'More realistic. But not so much fun as Bond!' She added: 'The great thing about a movie like this is that it reminds everyone, as an older person I have a brain. I have agency, energy, commitment, passion and intellect. It doesn't all stop when you're 40.' Brosnan said the film, directed by Harry Potter director Chris Columbus, would also appeal to anyone who likes the film series about wizardry and added: 'This is like a Harry Potter retirement home.'
Metro
10 hours ago
- Metro
I had a luxe London trip on discount codes — with £30 theatre and £26 Hawksmoor
London rightly has a reputation as one of the most expensive cities in the world. That's fair enough, particularly when it comes to rent and mortgages. And yes, going out can also make a serious dent to your bank balance. But if you're a money saver, I think living or visiting the capital offers far more potential to cut other costs than anywhere else in the UK. And that doesn't require scrimping or thifting, nor does it mean missing out on some of the nicer things. Don't believe me? Here are some highlights from a few days I've just spent in London. With so many restaurants, there are also many ways to get really good food for less. One I took advantage of was a special menu at steak mini-chain Hawksmoor available at lunch, pre and post-theatre. The Slice is your weekly guide to what's happening in London, so if you're looking for restaurant reviews, drinks deals or just a great new exhibition to visit on a rainy Saturday in the capital, we've got you covered. Click here for this week's edit of the best things to do in town. The Slice newsletter also a brand new look! We'll still be in your inbox every week, bringing you all the very best things to eat, drink and do in the capital. So if you want get the next edition before anyone else, sign up here! If you want to do it all on the cheap, you can also find our latest batch of exclusive hand-picked offers in partnership with Time Out here. The hake and sweet potato main was delicious and sizeable and a happy hour glass of rose hit the spot. Stacking an American Express 10% cashback offer on top of this special menu, I paid just £26 including service. An hour later and the same meal would have set me back £42. Adding extra courses included in the offer would have increased the saving even more, but there wasn't any point spending more when I was full enough. And good news for non-Londoners, it also has locations with the same offer in Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh. It's no wonder there are frequent op-eds decrying how expensive West End theatre tickets are. The seat I had for matinee performance of the Broadway transfer of the Tony-winning Stereophonic was listed at £150. The row in front was priced at a staggering £250. However, I paid just £30, saving £120. That was thanks to the 'Rush ticket' feature on the app TodayTix. It's effectively a lottery on the day of the performance to fill empty seats. There's no guarantee you'll get a ticket, or that you'll get one of the top priced seats, so I was lucky. And though I don't agree with some of the rave reviews, for £30 it was an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. I managed to see a decent comedy show for just a tenner thanks to Central Tickets. The rules of websites like this are I can't say what I saw, but my seat should have cost £47.90 if I'd gone direct to the box office. I love a good gig, and managed to see two performances on my trip. The biggest bargain was an in-store from all-girl punk group Panic Shack at Rough Trade East, just off Brick Lane. For £16.06 I not only got access to an intimate gig, but also a copy of their new CD. Dates for their tour later this year start at £20 before fees, so throw in the album on top and I think it was at least a 50% saving. This way to save isn't just limited to London, but I used a free ticket to finally see Danny Boyle's latest movie 28 Years Later at the Vue Leicester Square. More Trending There are a few ways I get these, from opening up a Club Lloyds current account to a perk from Vitality health insurance, but this one was actually a freebie given away by my energy provider Octopus earlier in the year. Since weekend showings are often more expensive than others, using this on a Saturday saved me £13.99. Finally, travel. Yep the tube and trains are pricey, especially compared to other metro systems in other countries. The daily cap on card payments will help people moving around a lot, but I managed to beat this on my first day – and that was by adding a Travelcard to my inbound rail ticket. This added £5.60 to my fare, versus a £8.90 limit on Zone 1-2 travel with my debit card. And I knocked another 10% off that thanks to an offer for train ticket seller LNER via my American Express card. Total saving:£203.81. Total spent: £77.10. View More » MORE: Westminster Cathedral turned into drug dealer haven with 'cocaine sold on pews' MORE: Murder manhunt after woman in 20s killed outside Romford care home MORE: 'The worst show on TV' might finally be ending and viewers are surprisingly sad Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
