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Daily Mail
26 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Inside Ellen DeGeneres' life in the UK after being 'pushed out' of Hollywood and leaving because of Trump
Ellen DeGeneres shocked her fans when she said goodbye to the United States in favor of the United Kingdom after the 2024 presidential election. But now the 67-year-old comedian's new life in the UK with her wife Portia de Rossi, 52, is coming into clearer focus. Late last month, DeGeneres surprised the audience at the Cheltenham Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, England, with an unplanned Q&A session, according to Us Weekly. Although she painted a picture of an idyllic life in the countryside, DeGeneres also admitted she was feeling 'bored' after being 'pushed out' of the spotlight in the wake of bullying controversies on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which ultimately led to the firing of three top producers on the series, before it came to an end in May 2022. She spoke about her new home in the Cotswolds, the largely rural area is South West England — about an hour and a half from London by train — where she and de Rossi initially bought a home, Kitesbridge Farm, in 2024 for around $20 million. The couple later put it on the market for $30 million and moved into a 10,000-square-foot home nearby named Hiaven, which they purchased for $26 million. 'It's absolutely beautiful,' DeGeneres reportedly said of the UK, adding, 'Everything here is better.' She continued, adding, 'Everything you see is charming, and it's just a simpler way of life.' Since moving across the pond, DeGeneres has reportedly fallen in love with the rural nature of the Cotswolds, and she regularly documents herself riding her lawnmower and feeding her chickens and sheep on Instagram. 'It's a different lifestyle for her,' a source told Us Weekly. They added that the former talk show host was able to be 'chill' and at ease in her adopted home. The insider added that people close to the Finding Nemo voice actor 'have never seen her happier.' But DeGeneres, who recently sparked rumors that she and de Rossi might move back to the US, also indicated that she may be itching to get back on stage and in front of a camera. Last month, Deadline reported that the comedian had signed with the high-profile talent agency WME after seemingly abandoning her Hollywood prospects last year when her longtime CAA agent Eddy Yablans left that agency in December, though he only transitioned to working as her manager. DeGeneres said goodbye to the US two years after her eponymous talk show came to an end, and four years after an investigation into sexual harassment and misconduct claims on the show ended with three senior producers being fired. The stand-up star, who had been haunted by anonymous claims of behind-the-scenes bullying for years before the accusations erupted into public view, later delivered a public apology on camera when her show returned after the investigation in September 2020. But even though the show continued for a couple more years, the insider claimed that DeGeneres felt as if she had been 'pushed out' of her Hollywood circles due to the controversy. 'The investigation into her show was a major blow,' they alleged, and a second insider claimed that 'Ellen feels very burned by how the world turned on her.' During her Q&A in Cheltenham, DeGeneres said she misses 'a lot' of her experiences from hosting The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and she admitted she 'would love to do that again,' according to the BBC. 'I do like my chickens here, but I am a little bit bored,' she told the English broadcaster Richard Bacon during the on-stage conversation. Both women were now without any significant work, as an insider noted that ' Portia quit acting a long time ago, so she wasn't leaving her career. She was already scaling back.' During her Q&A, DeGeneres said she wasn't sure what her next move would be, though she was 'very carefully' planning it out. She took that same deliberate approach when it came to moving to the UK. Although she and her wife appeared to make a quick break with the US after the 2024 presidential election, an insider told Us Weekly that DeGeneres and de Rossi had been considering the move for some time and had been scoping out potential homes for a move across the Atlantic. 'When they found the right place, they jumped on it,' the insider said. They noted that privacy was paramount for the couple, but they seem to have had positive experiences when opening up with locals. '[Ellen and Portia] have interesting things to say,' another source told the publication. 'They were friendly to local people and wanted to live normal lives, but were nervous of any press attention.' A Great Tew resident who had only a passing acquaintance with DeGeneres and de Rossi added that 'everyone who has spent time with them seems to suggest they are very nice, good company and genuinely committed to making England their home.' Despite DeGeneres' A-list status in Hollywood, many of the people living near her reportedly don't even know who she is, though a source joked that 'horsey people — and there are a lot of them around here — don't watch afternoon TV.' However, the first insider noted that the couple have gotten friendly with English stars including Jeremy Clarkson and James Corden, who lives nearby in Great Tew and celebrated de Rossi's birthday with them over dinner in February. And even though the UK is now their home base, DeGeneres and de Rossi have still traveled back to the US multiple times since their move, so they are still able to see their close friends and family back home. According to the sources, the stars have made a habit of having lunch on Sundays at the history Falkland Arms pub, which dates back to the 16th century. 'It's a maze of cozy nooks and crannies, shadowy and often dimly lit with low ceilings and a hearty atmosphere,' one customer said, adding that it may appeal to DeGeneres and de Rossi because they 'can easily slip in unnoticed.' The couple also regularly drop by the exclusive members-only club Soho Farmhouse when they're looking for a more upscale experience. Although DeGeneres and de Rossi have taken to their new life in the UK, it has still been a cultural shock in some ways. Things aren't as 'luxurious' as they were for the two in Southern California,' the insider noted, adding that they now have to do things that were once handled by household staff, including placing their garbage bins at the end of their long driveway. During her Q&A, DeGeneres admitted that The winter is tough,' though she said she 'still enjoyed it because we're not used to seasons in California.' They also allegedly suffered an embarrassing culture clash when their penchant for large vehicles — in this case their Land Rovers, a Discovery and a vintage Defender — were too wide and heavy to drive over the bridge between their home and town. That forced them to either take the 'long way around to the village — a three-mile trip,' or to just walk into town, which the source admitted was 'probably quicker.' But taking the scenic route or turning their trips into town into intimate strolls may be part of how the couple are learning to relax since moving to the UK. 'There's less work stress and more shared activities,' the source said. 'It's a calmer Ellen, so she's easier to be around. And Portia is really enjoying it.' During her chat with audience members in Cheltenham, DeGeneres reportedly said she was 'always happiest on stage,' adding that it is 'the best feeling,' so she may be itching to find a way back to performing for audiences. She even admitted that she would 'love' to host another talk show in the UK, she admitted that the proliferation of phones and the decreased attention spans of audiences might make such an idea impossible. But the first insider said that DeGeneres is still 'embracing this reinvention.' 'She's left the Hollywood drama behind for a more peaceful life,' they said.
BBC News
26 minutes ago
- BBC News
Wildcards, breakouts and new faces - 21 Premier League players to watch
You already know about the Premier League's established superstars but what about the wildcards who might make a name for themselves this season?Whether they are new and recent signings, late bloomers or exciting young academy talents, we are talking about the less familiar faces of all ages who are hoping for a breakout BBC Sport's TV and radio commentators pick 21 players who will be worth watching out for in the next few months - and a manager who may surprise a few people too. 1. Estevao Willian - Chelsea Age: 18 Position: Winger Country: Brazil Conor McNamara: I commentated on Estevao's debut for Chelsea against Bayer Leverkusen last week and the kid is a showed an excellent poachers' instinct to score his first goal in Chelsea blue, reacting well after Cole Palmer's shot had come back off the crossbar - but Estevao's game is all about running with the ball at high speed. He only turned 18 in April, but the Brazilian looks the real early days of course, but he already seems to have a telepathy with Palmer - when the England international backheeled the ball on the edge of the area against Leverkusen, Estevao knew it was coming and got his shot Scott: I'm commentating at the Bridge on Sunday and Estevao is the player I'm most excited about by many as the biggest talent to come out of Brazil since Vinicius Junior, he gave Chelsea fans a taste of his ability with a cracker against them at the Club World Cup, and has since impressed in a blue shirt with a sparkling showing in the friendly win over electric performance showcased the abilities that have led to all the hype - immense quality on the ball and extreme confidence and flair driving at defenders with is versatile as well, able to play on either flank or as a number 10. Chelsea's plan was to ease him in gradually, but they might have to re-think that... 2. Joel Piroe - Leeds United Age: 26 Position: Striker Country: Netherlands Guy Mowbray: The very definition of a wildcard, given that he can look like he can do it all AND the total opposite - sometimes within the same game. I've a feeling Leeds will have brought in a new striker to start ahead of him before the big kick-off, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him come on as an impact sub to get them a point or two early in the season. 3. Cristhian Mosquera - Arsenal Age: 21 Position: Centre-back Country: Spain James Fielden: All of my picks come from the Uefa age-group championships that I covered in the summer and Mosquera looked largely untroubled throughout at the Under-21s tournament in Slovakia. A front foot and aggressive defender when need be, he was extremely confident stepping forward and helping in attack. With recovery pace to help in rare situations of Spanish panic, he sounds like Mikel Arteta's kind of he can dislodge the established elite at Emirates Stadium is another matter, but Arsenal have had injury issues in the middle of defence, and he's only missed three games for Valencia over the last two seasons. For a reported fee of £13m, he looks to be a low risk and potentially high reward acquisition. 4. Dan Ndoye - Nottingham Forest Age: 24 Position: Forward or winger Country: Switzerland Steve Bower: Dan Ndoye is new to the Premier League and could be another shrewd piece of business from Nottingham first came to my attention in the Europa Conference League for Basel and subsequently on to the Champions League with Bologna.I've also covered a fair bit of Switzerland for BBC Sport at the last two major tournaments and he has steadily grown into a crucial player for his the departure of Anthony Elanga, Ndoye looks an exciting replacement for Forest fans. At 24, he has good experience and looks ready for the Premier League. 5. El Hadji Malick Diouf - West Ham Age: 20 Position: Left-back or left wing-back Country: Senegal Ian Dennis: There were a number of Senegal players who caught the eye when they beat England at the City Ground in June but none more so than El Hadji Malick Diouf. During my commentary for 5 Live that night I'd mentioned interest from Brighton and Hove Albion so I'm not surprised to see him in the Premier League and West Ham have a real gem. Diouf can play as a left-back or a wing-back, has an ability to get up and down. He is a dynamic player with excellent crossing ability and somebody who will offer a real threat in an attacking sense. He scored seven goals for Slavia Prague last season and I think he will become a real crowd favourite at West Ham. 6. Emmanuel Agbadou - Wolves Age: 28 Position: Centre-back Country: Ivory Coast Tom Gayle: For me, Emmanuel Agbadou was one of the Premier League's best signings during the January transfer window. Wolves had to strengthen defensively and, in the Ivorian, they managed to more than fulfil the need for a top-quality centre-half vacated by Max Kilman's departure five months reading of the game and positioning, combined with a heavyweight boxer build and the athleticism of a gymnast, made him one of the league's toughest opponents in a one-v-one situation. What also stood out was his confidence. Inside his own box he can happily receive the ball and turn while under pressure, spray long-range passes, and drive with possession way past the halfway line. This nonchalant style helped enable Pereira's side to play much more aggressively over the second half of the transition to the English top flight is a sharp poke in the eye to anyone who continues to view Ligue 1 as a 'Farmer's League'. I'm convinced the Agbadou fan club will only grow bigger this season, especially if he continues taking goal-kicks, helping conjure 'proper Sunday league' vibes. 7. Simon Adingra - Sunderland Age: 23 Position: Winger Country: Ivory Coast Jonathan Pearce: I wish Simon Adingra well at Sunderland. This talented Ivorian had a really good first season at Brighton, famously scoring at Ajax to send the travelling fans there into delirium. He started last season well too, with four goals in his first eight games, but then the confidence in his tricky dribbling fell away. He seemed to be trying almost too hard to hold off the challenge from Yankuba Minteh for his place and performances suffered.I hope Sunderland fans are excited by him. £18m is not a lot for a player who deserves to succeed in his fresh start 8. Jhon Arias - Wolves Age: 27 Position: Winger or attacking midfielder Country: Colombia Conor McNamara: I was in the United States for the Club World Cup and Jhon Arias was one of the standout players of the tournament as he played his final games for his old club Fluminense, picking up three player-of-the-match is 27, so should be at his peak, old enough to not be overawed by the Premier League Colombian will take the No.10 shirt vacated by Matheus Cunha. He scored his first goal in Wolves' colours in a recent friendly against Girona showing excellent dribbling skills to run deep into the penalty area before shooting from close is my top tip of this summer's new signings to be a big hit. 9. Diego Coppola - Brighton Age: 21 Position: Centre-back Country: Italy James Fielden: I saw Coppola play twice at the European Under-21 Championship in the summer and it was against Spain and Germany, so good games to judge him against top teams. Brighton had clearly done their homework previous to the Euros with the deal announced mid-competition, and you can see why they're ready to drop him into their evolving and commanding in the middle, Coppola was also keen to play out over short and long distances and that, along with other metrics clearly impressed the Seagulls. 10. Romain Esse - Crystal Palace Age: 20 Position: Midfield Country: England Mark Scott: There was a buzz when Palace made Romain Esse their latest youthful acquisition from the Championship in January. That excitement grew after he bagged his first Premier League goal 25 seconds into his debut, but game time proved limited after tough to dislodge Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr in attack, but Esse showed while he was at Millwall how good he can be at both taking on opponents and crossing, as well as cutting in and getting a shot Palace get through their Conference League play-off, the extra games in Europe will afford him more opportunities to display those attributes. 11. Harry Howell - Brighton Age: 17 Position: Midfield Country: England Guy Mowbray: I must confess to never having seen him play... but he's a name that's been mentioned to me by quite a few people this summer - some of whom I consider to be VERY good judges!As was once said about another teenager, external who made his mark on the Premier League - "remember the name".Jonathan Pearce: Brighton fans will be praying that Carlos Baleba stays put and that Yankuba Minteh continues his dramatic improvement. But there's another youngster ready to leap off the Amex talent conveyor belt.I was mightily impressed by Howell's cameo debut in the penultimate game of last season. He helped win the game with his front foot, fearless, direct running at the cousin Jack Hinshelwood had a big breakthrough season last time around - 2025-26 could be the year for Harry. 12. Jair Cunha - Nottingham Forest Age: 20 Position: Centre-back Country: Brazil Conor McNamara: Jair Cunha was another player that I saw in action this summer at the Club World Cup. He's 6ft 6in but is strong as well as tall - he is huge for a used his height to score a header for Botafago against Seattle Sounders, but it was his defensive calmness that caught the eye that day, even more than the goal he scored. He's very comfortable taking the ball down and controlling it in tight spaces where others would just boot it tells us that he should be raw, because he has played so little senior football in his short career so far - only 46 games so far - but this guy has a real presence about him. He was a key player in the Brazil team that won the Under-20 South American Championship this year. 13. Max Dowman - Arsenal Age: 15 Position: Midfielder Country: England Ian Dennis: I can't wait to see Arsenal's Max Dowman in the flesh because the last time I heard such a buzz around a youngster was Wayne Rooney.I speak to a lot of scouts and I have heard rave reviews for a while about this 'gifted' attacking much so, I spoke with Gunners midfielder Declan Rice about him last season, who at the time claimed "Max is the best 15-year-old in the country".It was March when I sat down with Rice, who said at the time he has been inundated with great reviews about the teenager, explaining: "I've had so many texts about Max recently where people have watched him and are saying "wow, what a talent".Dowman doesn't turn 16 until 31 December but sounds the real Fielden: Maybe not an original hot take that Dowman is going to be much talked about in years to come, but even having seen him play at the Uefa European Under-17 Championship this summer you can see why he'll cause teams no end of problems wherever he plays off the front of a growing number of English players who glide across the field with grace that we've maybe not been used to seeing over the last couple of decades, it'll be interesting to see what Arteta has planned for him, firstly in terms of game time beyond the domestic cups and also, the position in which he'll be deployed. Let's hope he fulfils his potential and is managed carefully at domestic and international level. 14. Habib Diarra - Sunderland Age: 21 Position: Midfielder Country: Senegal Guy Mowbray: Can a club record signing be classed as a 'wildcard'? Well, given that Diarra will be new to most Premier League watchers, I'm putting him in that 21, the midfielder - who Sunderland beat Leeds to sign - captained Strasbourg to European qualification last season, before scoring one of Senegal's three goals against England at the City Ground in June. His quality stood out when I went to watch Sunderland's pre-season game against Sporting last month. 15. Rio Ngumoha - Liverpool Age: 16 Position: Winger Country: England Steve Bower: A few people within academy football told me about Rio Ngumoha over a year ago - tales of Chelsea's anger at losing the teenager, and a big gain for Slot's positive approach was immediate in involving him in first-team training and then we saw him become the youngest player to start a game for the club in January in the FA not 17 until the end of August but I know internally there's huge excitement about him, and his goals in pre-season have heightened a young player sees an opportunity and, with Luis Diaz's departure, Ngumoha looks set to be in the first-team group throughout the McNamara: Back in January I commentated for Match Of The Day when Ngumoha became the youngest player to start a match for Liverpool - aged 16 years and 135 days old - in the 4-0 win over Accrington in the FA make us all feel old, the song that was No.1 in the charts the day he was born was Katy Perry's 'I Kissed A Girl'!At the time he was so unknown that I needed Slot to help me pronounce his name that FA Cup appearance was his only first-team game and he never made the bench for a Premier League match through to the end of the form this pre-season suggests that should change this term. He is still very young and we know that competition for places will be severe at Anfield, but Ngumoha has a spark about him. 16. Thierno Barry - Everton Age: 22 Position: Striker Country: France Guy Mowbray: Having checked his numbers and seen a few clips online, I'm really hoping he can make a big - and quick - impact for Everton. He'll be raw certainly, but the talent is undoubtedly there for David Moyes to work with. It's about time Everton had a strong centre-forward who can consistently deliver again. Dixie Dean, Tommy Lawton, Joe Royle, Bob Latchford, Andy Gray, Duncan Ferguson... Thierno Barry? And if he doesn't fire - how about Beto to step up as a bit of a wildcard himself?! 17. Josh King - Fulham Age: 18 Position: Midfield Country: England Tom Gayle: The time feels right for Fulham to release the handbrake from underneath Josh King. As I wrote back in February, the club has a history of struggling to keep hold of prodigious talents, so it's no surprise to see they've employed a more cautious, drip-feed approach when it comes to his development and exposure to first-team between the lines, the fact King signed a new long-term deal in July, his second contract agreement in the space of just over 18 months, says or in fact screams to me that a) there has been interest from other teams, and b) Fulham believe he is 'Premier League ready'.Securing top-flight game time won't be easy, though. Right here and now, the experience of both Andreas Pereira and club record signing Emile Smith Rowe, means they have a far greater claim to the number 10 position than the I have no doubt assurances will have been made to King regarding a significant increase in Premier League minutes over the coming year. Manager Marco Silva knows their demanding schedule will inevitably lead to the youngster being granted a 'next man up' moment. Given his impressive cameos to date, I expect King to flourish when given an opportunity. 18. Jaka Bijol - Leeds United Age: 26 Position: Centre-back Country: Slovenia Conor McNamara: Leeds' new centre-back from Udinese is a very interesting signing. I've been wondering for a few years now why a Champions League club has not snapped him one failing seems to be a tendency to mis-time lunging tackles, something he will need to get right in the cut and thrust of the Premier League, but otherwise he appears to have all the attributes - very strong in the air, mobile, and able to ping an accurate long-range pass.I commentated on several of his games for Slovenia at last summer's Euros in Germany, and he did really well in games against strikers such as Harry Kane, Rasmus Hojlund, Alexander Mitrovic, and Cristiano Ronaldo - none of them scored in their games against Bijol during the tournament. 19. Harrison Armstrong - Everton Age: 18 Position: Midfield Country: England Steve Bower: Given Everton's frustrations in the summer market, Blues fans are hoping one of their own has an opportunity to make an impact. I saw Harrison Armstrong start at Goodison in the FA Cup win over Peterborough in January before a productive loan spell in the championship with Derby. Still only 18, he offers versatility in the attacking have to be patient but he'll be hoping to follow the likes of Ross Barkley and Anthony Gordon in taking his opportunity when it arises. 20. Charalampos Kostoulas - Brighton Age: 18 Position: Forward Country: Greece Mark Scott: Brighton's track history of buying low and selling high is the envy of city traders, but their £30m outlay on Charalampos Kostoulas is the second most they've ever spent on a Seagulls rarely get it wrong though and haven't blinked at splashing that much on an 18-year-old with just a season of senior football behind shown versatility having impressed as a number nine at academy level, before switching successfully to a second striker role once he made the first team at physicality has also caught the eye, with one of his former coaches saying the strength he has for his age is "extraordinary". Maybe he'll turn out to be yet another Brighton bargain. 21. Justin Devenny - Crystal Palace Age: 21 Position: Midfield Country: Northern Ireland Jonathan Pearce: Jason Devenny caught my eye the minute I saw him in Palace's 2-2 draw at Aston Villa last November. It was only his second game. He scored, but more than that he wanted the ball. He was hungry to make an certainly did that with the winning Community Shield shootout penalty against Liverpool last Sunday. He'll never forget that and I've a feeling he'll have a big season. And a manager... Keith Andrews - Brentford Conor McNamara: Obviously no longer a player, but I would still put Keith in the 'wildcard' his appointment has raised plenty of eyebrows but I have worked regularly with him as a co-commentator in the past for Irish enthusiasm and way with words really impresses me. Because I know him from work, in recent seasons my eye would be drawn towards him before games when Sheffield United or Brentford were warming up and, although an assistant at the time, he always seemed to be at the heart of everything and constantly communicating with the owners at Brentford have earned a reputation for making good decisions, and they will not have made this one rashly. They have seen him up close, and will have heard the feedback of a squad who enjoy his many high-profile managers have crashed out in their first Premier League job so it certainly is not easy. But I'll be hoping that Andrews gets off to a really good start.
BBC News
26 minutes ago
- BBC News
All Points East Festival 2025 in London: What you need to know
All Points East (APE) returns to Victoria Park in east London this week with a mix of live headline shows and its free midweek community of thousands are expected to attend across two weekends, with crowds packing the park for performances by headliners including Raye and Chase & event, which launched in 2018, has grown into one of the capital's major summer you've got a ticket for a single night or plan to soak up several days, here are the key details to help plan your visit. Dates and times Friday 15 August - Gates open: 14:30 (14:00 for primary entry / VIP)Saturday 16 August - Gates open: 14:00 (13:00 for primary entry / VIP)Friday 22 August - Gates open: 15:00 (14:00 for primary entry / VIP)Saturday 23 August - Gates open: 14:00 (13:00 for primary entry / VIP)Sunday 24 August - Gates open: 14:00 (13:00 for primary entry / VIP)For all shows:Gates close 20:30Box office closes 20:00 The music Organisers say 2025's bill is one of the most diverse yet, spanning grime, soul, indie and electronic acts:Provenance with Cleo Sol (15 August) - Also performing that day are reggae star Chronixx, the elusive collective SAULT, Ms Dynamite and NaoChase & Status (16 August) - Other acts on the bill include electronic duo Overmono, veteran DJ Shy FX and BRIT nominee Nia ArchivesBarry Can't Swim (22 August) - Also appearing are pop duo Confidence Man, Orbital, alt-pop star Shygirl and DJ The Blessed MadonnaRaye (23 August) - Other performers that day include Tyla, Doechii, Jade, Nao and Cat BurnsThe Maccabees (24 August) - Also on the line-up are Bombay Bicycle Club, CMAT, Black Country, New Road and must be aged 18 or over to see the Chase & Status performance while the rest are 16+ but under 18s must be accompanied by an adult. Getting there Transport for London (TfL) advises festivalgoers to plan journeys in advance using the free TfL Go app or its website but here are the main ways to get there:Underground: Mile End (Central, District, Hammersmith & City lines) is around 15 minutes' walk to Victoria Park and Whitechapel is also nearbyOverground: Homerton, Hackney Wick and Cambridge Heath stations are within walking distanceNight services: Mile End and Whitechapel have Night Tube and Night Overground on Friday and Saturday nightsBuses: Several routes stop near the and walking routes are also available, and organisers say there is no on-site car parking for the public. Entrance points Entry is via designated gates shown on the official customer main public entrances are located on the southern and western sides of Victoria Park, with separate lanes for standard ticket holders, Primary Entry and VIP. On-site facilities Along with food concessions and licensed bars, there will also be:Free water refill pointsToilets across the siteMedical tents and welfare areaSeating areas near the food concessionsCloakroomAccessibility provisions, including viewing platforms, accessible toilets and medication storage.
