EastEnders gets ratings bump for 'flawless' 40th anniversary live episode
EastEnders' 40th anniversary live episode was watched by 3.7 million people on Thursday, according to overnight ratings, with the cast praised for their lack of slip-ups on the night.The episode was broadcast live for the first time since 2010 and its ratings were about 1.5 million above the soap's daily average.However, they were a fraction of those for the last live epiode, when 15.6 million people tuned in to BBC One for the show's 25th birthday.As part of Thursday's special edition, fans were able to vote on which romantic partner Denise Fox (played by Diane Parish) chose to be with, and what Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) named her baby.
Viewers also said goodbye to Martin Fowler, a character born during the soap's first year of broadcast in 1985.Played by James Bye since 2014, Martin met his untimely death after an explosion at the Queen Vic pub in a previous episode.While trapped under a beam, he declared his love to Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), with the pair getting engaged before he died of cardiac arrest.That wasn't the only death in Walford this week, as Wednesday's episode saw show villain Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) crushed by a bathtub. Bye thanked fans as he confirmed his exit from the show, saying it was "an honour to leave on a story of this magnitude"."This fruit and veg man will always hold a special place in my heart. It's time to look forward, and I'm incredibly excited for what the future holds," he added.The 2010 live episode of EastEnders was marred by issues, but the 40th anniversary edition was praised by critics for its smooth execution.Writing in the Guardian, Stuart Heritage said: "In the past, live episodes of EastEnders have been marked by a pleasing shonkiness, with actors forgetting lines, or visibly twitching when they're supposed to be dead."The main takeaway of the episode was how extraordinarily proficient it all was. The performances and execution were flawless. Not a single thing went wrong. It is the first time that EastEnders has properly nailed a live episode."This was echoed by Carol Midgley in the Times, who described it as a "very good effort all round"."You wouldn't really have known it was live. That it went so smoothly is a testament to the proficiency of soap actors and the crew," she added.
Outgoing EastEnders executive producer Chris Clenshaw has focused on attracting younger audiences during his three-year run, with some falling in love with the show after seeing clips on TikTok.That was evident in the high drama of some of the anniversary storylines - such as the aftermath of the explosion of the Queen Vic and the dramatic birth of Sonia's baby in the rubble, aided by half-sister Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa).The Telegraph's Michael Hogan declared that Clenshaw "had gone out on a high by marshalling this milestone week with ambition and aplomb". "This was event TV with heart and humour" and "a technical triumph, from opening titles to climactic doof-doofs", he added.Johnathon Hughes also spoke of "an emotional week in Albert Square" in his review for the i Paper, describing the live show as "half an hour of nerve-jangling drama" and a "brave and bold demise that will change the course of Walford history".
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The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Blockbuster, board games and boredom: why everyone's parenting like it's 1999
When I look back on my 1990s childhood, it's hard not to feel nostalgic. We roamed for miles without supervision, riding our bikes, building dens and swimming in streams. After school, we did crafts or played board games and, though the internet existed, my parents would boot me off to use the landline. Media was tangible – tapes, CDs, VHS – and often consumed as a family. I still recall the thrill of going to the video shop to choose a film. It's normal to feel like this, especially once you have babies of your own, and the social media algorithms know it. In the three years since I had my son and started writing the Guardian's Republic of Parenthood column, I've noticed a huge upswing of interest in '90s parenting' and, this year, the trend seems to have exploded. Former 90s kids are in the thick of it, trying to work out how to parent our own children. There's a feeling that huge advances in technology have resulted in a commensurate loss. But what of? Is it possible to get it back? And was parenting really better back then? 'Yes. Full stop,' says Justin Flom, a father of two and content creator based in Las Vegas, who built a replica Blockbuster video store for his daughters in one of the rooms of his house. 'The whole family would pile into the car, head to the video store and roam the aisles while deciding what to watch,' he says of his own childhood. 'It felt exciting, full of possibility. Scrolling online just isn't the same.' There's something about going to a physical place to choose a film together, as well as the anticipation and the delayed gratification when finally watching, that made it feel like an event. 'Everyone remembers that blue and yellow sign, the carpet, the ritual of choosing a movie together.' Not everyone has the space or the budget to do what Justin has, but the reasoning underpinning his decision would be familiar to many. 'As a parent, I'm constantly guarding my children against content I don't think is good for their brains,' he says. 'We prefer older movies and shows, partly because I think the pacing is healthier. They're not as chaotic or overstimulating.' His girls love the Home Alone movies, Harriet the Spy and Dennis the Menace, and their current favourite is George of the Jungle. Like Justin, I have been drawn towards 1990s media for my son. Current favourites are Pooh's Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin and Teletubbies, which were both made in 1997 and are a welcome contrast to the frenetic speed of more modern shows. Justin's Blockbuster room is a way of making screen time intentional, and that seems to be at the heart of this idea of 90s parenting. 'In the 90s, the critique was that TV would rot your brain, but it was stationary,' he says. 'It lived in your living room. Now, media follows us everywhere. It's in our pockets, on demand, nonstop. In my house, we work hard to compartmentalise media. It happens at a specific time and in a specific place. That's part of what made Blockbuster special: it was a destination.' With increasing fears about the effects of screen time, and parent-led campaigns such as Smartphone Free Childhood gaining popularity, it's no surprise so many of us are looking back to the era just before they exploded. Some parents – and schools – are even giving their children landlines. A group of parents in South Portland in the US has done it so their kids can call each other, creating a 'retro bubble' of resistance against screens. Scrolling through 90s parenting-themed reels on Instagram (I'm aware of the irony), I'm struck by a video of a group of adults and kids having a back garden water fight (organised via landline, of course), having put all their smartphones in a bowl on top of a high cupboard. It takes me back to a time when we weren't stuck behind screens and our summers often saw all the neighbourhood kids engaged in huge water fights. It was when the mums joined in – coming out with a bucket or washing up bowl so you knew they meant business – that you'd get really excited. Jess Russell is a big believer in the importance of play. A former primary school teacher and special needs coordinator, Jess is now a stay-at-home mum to two children, aged one and three, and uses her Instagram account @playideasforlittles to campaign for more learning through play in the curriculum. 'I grew up in the countryside, and we were outside all the time. My mum was a stay-at-home mum. We'd do lots of arts and crafts at home,' she says. She's trying to replicate this with her own children by giving them a slower pace of life, with lots of time in the garden and playing board games such as Hungry Hungry Hippos, and only watching TV as a family. One of the reasons Jess left teaching was because she was disillusioned by the direction of education, away from play-based fun towards a more results-driven system. She feels lucky to be able to stay at home to look after her children – which was far more common in the 90s, when you didn't always need two incomes to cover housing costs. I feel the same about working part-time, and wonder if 90s nostalgia is partly to do with modern parents having to work all hours to keep their heads above water, when they'd like more time with their kids and for it to be playful. It's not just about screens, I realise, it's about connection, family time and, actually, time more generally. 'Parenting in the 90s was basically just 'slow' parenting,' says Jess. That means not ferrying kids from activity to activity so days are jam-packed. Boredom is important, says Melanie Murphy, a mother of two from Dublin, who describes herself as 'your nostalgic millennial mum friend' on Instagram. 'Long stretches of unremarkable time were a gift I didn't know I'd miss, and I want that for my kids. I don't want to schedule every hour of their lives. I don't want their lives to go by while their eyes are fixed on a device inches from their faces.' It is when her children, aged two and four, are bored, says Melanie, that their imaginations really take over. 'They'll build forts, the floor will be lava, underneath the table will become a dragon's den. We go outside in old clothes and get filthy looking for bugs. They'll 'help me' cook the dinner and clean the house … We play music and have dance parties. We watch my old DVDs on a projector. We colour and paint for hours and read lots of books. Treasure hunts, picnics, making a mess, simple conversations. My husband and I have pulled back on structured activities, adult-led plans and screen time, and as a result our house constantly looks like a bomb has dropped, but the kids are happy so we don't care.' No doubt some 90s kids will laugh bitterly reading that. One funny video about 90s childhoods describes them as following your mum around changing rooms and having your hair cut in the kitchen, both experiences I can identify with. When I ask a friend if she mothers like a 90s parent, or knows anyone who does, she replies: 'Hmmm … as in sleep training, lots of TV and Crispy Pancakes?' She has a point. Every 90s parenting proponent I speak to, though, is well aware of the danger of rose‑tinted spectacles (round ones with wire frames, naturally). I ask Melanie which aspects of the 90s she might want to leave in the past. 'The physical discipline. Being taught to 'toughen up' instead of allowing emotions to pass through the body as they're meant to,' she says, also citing sleep training and the 'naughty step'. The list goes on: 'Secondhand smoke everywhere. The neglect of mental health … Gender stereotyping was off the charts, so was diet culture and UPF (ultra-processed foods) culture.' Her mum was in WeightWatchers, and Melanie used to binge on Pop-Tarts, then try to 'undo' the snacks with sit-ups. That can all stay in the past. She also points out not all families were watching films together. In some, there was 'little to no supervision of media consumption' and the children would see some incredibly inappropriate and traumatic content. Sign up to Inside Saturday The only way to get a look behind the scenes of the Saturday magazine. Sign up to get the inside story from our top writers as well as all the must-read articles and columns, delivered to your inbox every weekend. after newsletter promotion Sometimes, the laissez-faire nature of 90s parenting could stray into neglect. In my own case, though, I look back wistfully on how 'free range' I was as a child. Justin's experience was similar. 'My parents didn't always know where I was and that was OK,' he says. 'I got hurt sometimes. Kids used to break their arms sometimes. And then we learned not to do the thing that broke our arm.' (I did indeed break my arm.) 'That kind of risk-taking is important. It's how kids learn judgment. These days, we bubble-wrap childhood so tightly that we're taking those lessons away,' he says. There has been too much of an overcorrection, he thinks, and people 'are longing for something a little looser, a little more analogue. Parenting that's not ruled by fear.' In other words, we are looking to redress the balance. 'We know so much more now – about emotions, neurodiversity, safeguarding, food – and that's obviously a good thing,' says Melanie. 'What I long for isn't a time machine, but a nice blend: the laid-back spirit of 90s parenting with the emotional awareness and knowledge we have today.' I thought it was worth talking to someone who actually was a parent in the 90s about it, so Jess put me in touch with her mum, Lynn. 'I had precious time with my children and I really value that,' she says of their long days spent outdoors, at home or with friends. She points out that shops used to be closed on a Sunday, and the simple joy of that being a day for family. 'Today's parents are craving that simplicity in family time. 'We lived in a two-bedroom house, and I had a rubbish car … Now people feel as if they have to sustain this standard of living. I feel really sorry for them, because there's just too much pressure.' I ask Lynn if there is anything that is better now, and she struggles to think of anything. 'I really admire mums nowadays because you're balancing so much. I just didn't have that. It was really quite straightforward.' I'll confess that when I first encountered the concept of 90s parenting, I thought it was a bit of a sentimental gimmick, driven by ageing millennials in thrall to social media algorithms. But if that is the case then why, writing this, do I feel so … sad? Perhaps the combined pressures of childcare and working, not to mention exhaustion (my son hasn't been sleeping) are making me feel wobbly, but I suddenly feel close to tears thinking about choosing a VHS in the local Spar, even though that film was Scream (1996) and my mum made us turn it off. I can't quite seem to shake this feeling of loss, and of wanting to return to a simpler time. Maybe I just need more fun in my life. Time for a water fight, I think. Who's in? The Republic of Parenthood: On Bringing Up Babies by Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett is published by September Publishing (£18.99). To support the Guardian, order your copy at Delivery charges may apply.
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Strictly Come Dancing 2025 full line-up
This autumn, soap stars, former footballers, Olympians and ex-Love Islanders will all be taking to the dancefloor with one mission in mind – to lift the iconic glitterball trophy. They will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of reigning 2024 champions Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell. The celebrities who will be showing us their Rumba and Paso Doble on the BBC dance competition have been revealed on various TV and radio shows, such as Good Morning Britain, The One Show and BBC Radio 1. Every Strictly Come Dancing winner (2004-2024) So, let's take a look at this year's Strictly line-up in full – who will be your favourite? Strictly Come Dancing 2025 full line-up revealed All the famous faces taking part in the 23rd series of Strictly are: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey – Nitro from Gladiators Dani Dyer – former Love Islander Alex Kingston – actor, ER and Doctor Who star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – ex-footballer Balvinder Sopal – EastEnders star George Clarke - YouTuber and podcaster La Voix - RuPaul's Drag Race UK finalist Chris Robshaw -former England rugby union player and captain Ellie Goldstein - model Thomas Skinner - The Apprentice star (2019) Vicky Pattison - reality TV star Stefan Dennis - Neighbours actor Ross King - Hollywood correspondent Karen Carney - sports presenter and Lioness Kristian Nairn - Game of Thrones actor Full list of professional dancers on Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Joining the celebrities this year on Strictly are professional dancers: Dianne Buswell Nadiya Bychkova Amy Dowden Karen Hauer Katya Jones Neil Jones Nikita Kuzmin Gorka Marquez Luba Mushtuk Jowita Przystal Johannes Radebe Aljaž Škorjanec Kai Widdrington Nancy Xu Carlos Gu Lauren Oakley Michelle Tsiakkas Vito Coppola Alexis Warr (new for 2025) Julian Caillon (new for 2025) Recommended reading: All will be hoping to impress head judge Shirley Ballas each week, along with Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke. Who do you think will win Strictly 2025? Let us know in the comments below. Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and iPlayer this autumn – an official launch date is yet to be announced.
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
King hails heroes' courage on VJ Day and reflects on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Charles also significantly acknowledged the devastation caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which led to Japan's surrender, describing the 'immense price' on its citizens as one 'we pray no nation need ever pay again'. His reflection on the nuclear attacks, which paved the way for the end of the Second World War, comes at a time of increased concern about the global threat of nuclear conflict. In an audio message to the nation, realms and Commonwealth, the King spoke of the horrors faced by allied prisoners of war 'who endured years of brutal captivity: the starvation, disease and cruelty that tested the very limits of human endurance', and the 'mental and physical scars' the war left on those who survived. And he vowed the service and sacrifice of VJ Day heroes 'shall never be forgotten', telling their families and the 'sadly dwindling band of veterans': 'Please know that the courage and camaraderie displayed in humanity's darkest hour is a flame that shall blaze for eternity – a beacon that honours our past and guides our future.' The King, in what is believed to be the most direct reference by a British monarch to the suffering in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, said it was right to pause and acknowledge the impact of the 'war's final act' on the people of the Japanese cities. 'Innocent civilian populations of occupied territories faced grievous hardships, too,' he said in the broadcast released at 7.30am on Friday. Tune in to @BBCOne on Friday as we mark 80 years since victory over Japan, the moment the Second World War finally came to an end. We are honoured to host the national commemoration at the @Nat_Mem_Arb, and will be joined by veterans who served in the Far East.#VJDay80 1/2 — Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) August 13, 2025 'Their experience reminds us that war's true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life – a tragedy all-too vividly demonstrated by conflicts around the world today. 'On this landmark anniversary, we should also pause to acknowledge that in the war's final act, an immense price was paid by the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – a price we pray no nation need ever pay again.' He added: 'But in recalling so much suffering, we must not lose sight of how great was the cause and how sweet the victory.' VJ Day on August 15 marks the anniversary of the end of the six-year-long war. Much of the celebration in 1945 focused on VE (Victory in Europe) Day in May, with those who served in the Far East labelled The Forgotten Army. The King's six-minute address was broadcast ahead of a national service of remembrance due to be attended by Charles, the Queen and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. Also there as guests of honour will be 33 veterans aged from 96 to 105, who served in the Far East and Pacific. Iconic aircraft will join the nation's tribute to veterans of the Far East campaign this Friday. ✈️ Around 400 members of the UK Armed Forces will honour their predecessors on the 80th anniversary of #VJDay, at the National Memorial Arboretum. 🫡 🇬🇧 A tri-service Guard of… — Ministry of Defence 🇬🇧 (@DefenceHQ) August 11, 2025 A national two-minute silence will be held at noon and the Red Arrows will join historic Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft for flypast over the commemorations. By 1945, some 365,000 British and 1.5 million Commonwealth troops had been deployed across Asia and the Pacific. More than 90,000 British troops were casualties in the war against Japan, and nearly 30,000 died, while more than 12,000 Britons were among the 190,000 Commonwealth troops held as Prisoners of War by the Japanese. Of the Allied forces, the US suffered the greatest losses, with more than 100,000 killed in action. In Hiroshima and Nagasaki, more than 200,000 people were killed by the US bombs and in the months after succumbing to radiation sickness, the effects of burns and other serious injuries. The King described the 80th anniversary as a day of 'profound remembrance' and said of his grandfather King George's VI's 'The war is ended' audio broadcast at the time: 'Seldom can a simple message have resonated with such a potent mix of relief, celebration, and sorrow for those who never lived to see the glow of freedom's new dawn.' He also painted a vivid picture of when 'high above those monsoon-lashed jungles, allied pilots displayed their own fearless bravery, flying fighters, bombers and transport aircraft into enemy fire and nature's fury'. This year we mark the momentous milestone of 80 years since the end of the Second World War. We cannot do so without honouring those who continued to fight and be held in brutal captivity in the Far East and Pacific, long after the VE Day celebrations erupted.#VJDay80 (1/10) — Royal British Legion (@PoppyLegion) August 11, 2025 The speech made no mention of the King's father Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, who was in Tokyo Bay on board the destroyer HMS Whelp, a warship he served on as second-in-command, when Japanese officials formally signed the surrender on the USS Missouri on September 2 1945. But Charles paid tribute to his mentor and great uncle Earl Mountbatten, who oversaw the defeat of the Japanese offensive towards India as Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia Command. He recalled how Lord Mountbatten taught him about the 'horrors and heroism' of the conflict. The King said: 'The war in South East Asia had reached its climax under the leadership of my great uncle, Lord Mountbatten, from whom I learned so much about the particular horrors and heroism witnessed in those furthest fields of combat. 'The forces aligned under him comprised over one million men and women, drawn from many different countries, religions and communities, but united by common purpose and indomitable spirit.' Charles said he was aware of the 'mental and physical scars' the conflict left on those who survived. 'Twenty-Nine Victoria Crosses bear eloquent testimony to their valour, but I know full well of the toll it took on so many – measured not only in gravestones, but in the mental and physical scars of those who survived,' he said. He also cited the collaboration across faiths and cultural divides, saying: 'Together they proved that, in times of war and in times of peace, the greatest weapons of all are not the arms you bear, but the arms you link. 'That remains a vital lesson for our times.' The Prince and Princess of Wales also reflected on the 'enduring debt' owed to those who fought. In a message posted on social media, signed 'W & C', they said: 'Today, on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, we remember the courage, sacrifice and resilience of all who served. Today we especially think of those British and Commonwealth troops who fought in the Asia-Pacific. 'We owe an enduring debt to the generation who gave so much, and to whom we will always be grateful. Lest we forget.'
