Latest news with #Britishness
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
New Harry Potter TV series risks fan fury after they film classic scenes in bizarre location
The reaction of the all-British crew to the filming location said it all IT'S FROGWARTS New Harry Potter TV series risks fan fury after they film classic scenes in bizarre location SACRE bleu! Filming for the Harry Potter TV series has begun — in France. US media giant HBO has dispatched crew to the rocky Île de Sein off Brittany, seemingly forgetting the Britishness of the boy wizard adventures. Advertisement 5 The new Harry Potter series has begun filming at an island off the coast of France Credit: Getty 5 The new actors for the Harry Potter television series were unveiled this week, Dominic McLaughlin (centre) will take on the lead role of Daniel Radcliffe Credit: HBO 5 How Nick Frost will look like as Hagrid in the series The island is thought to be the setting for scenes in the Hut-on-the-Rock, a dilapidated holiday shack where Hagrid turns up to announce: 'You're a wizard, Harry.' In the books, the hut is on an island off Cornwall — rather than five miles off one of the westernmost points of France. But producers insisted on using it as they thought it a suitably windswept location. A TV insider said: 'This caused a certain amount of amusement among the British crew who all agreed that they could have easily got windswept in virtually any part of the British Isles. Advertisement READ MORE ON HARRY POTTER like magic JK Rowling breaks silence on new stars as Harry, Ron and Hermione are cast 'They've been slightly bewildered by the fact they've actually gone to France to make a show which is so British — particularly since it's the first place they've gone to and they're doing key scenes there. 'For fans it's likely to be a sign that with American producers running the show, it might not be as mindful of Harry Potter as a national treasure that shouldn't be tampered with.' A film crew of about 30 is said to be camped at Pointe du Raz on the west coast of Brittany and every day they travel backwards and forwards by boat to the island. On a rocky outcrop off Île de Sein is the supposedly haunted 19th century Tévennec lighthouse, which may end up being used as the Hut-on-the-Rock in the final edit. Advertisement The surprising choice of location comes after HBO this week announced that young Scottish actor Dominic McLaughlin would be taking on the lead role previously played in the movies by Englishman Daniel Radcliffe. He will star alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, characters depicted in the films by Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) Official Trailer Between 2001 and 2011 they starred in eight movies, all made in the studio or on location in Britain. Bath, Oxford and London were among the cities where scenes were filmed, while more remote locations in Durham and the Scottish Highlands were also used. Advertisement Warner Bros has invested millions of pounds in rapidly expanding its studio at Leavesden, near Watford, to accommodate shooting of the TV adaptation of all seven on JK Rowling's books. The Sun exclusively revealed how the complex would include a new version of Harry Potter's childhood home on Privet Drive. Hagrid, Hogwarts' groundskeeper played by the late Robbie Coltrane in the movies, will be played by Nick Frost. Meanwhile, John Lithgow will be the wizard school's headmaster Albus Dumbledore and Paul Whitehouse will appear as its caretaker, Argus Filch. Advertisement The series is expected to drop next year — although it is not confirmed which service will take it. HBO declined to comment on the use of a French location. But Île de Sein does have a magical link — it was, legend has it, home to virgin druid princesses with the power to take on animal forms, just like Animagi in the Potter stories. 5 The hut-on-the-rock is an important location in Harry Potter lore Credit: Advertisement
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
New Harry Potter TV series risks fan fury after they film classic scenes in bizarre location
SACRE bleu! Filming for the Harry Potter TV series has begun — in France. US media giant HBO has dispatched crew to the rocky Île de Sein off Brittany, seemingly forgetting the Britishness of the boy wizard adventures. 5 The new Harry Potter series has begun filming at an island off the coast of France Credit: Getty 5 The new actors for the Harry Potter television series were unveiled this week, Dominic McLaughlin (centre) will take on the lead role of Daniel Radcliffe Credit: HBO 5 How Nick Frost will look like as Hagrid in the series The island is thought to be the setting for scenes in the Hut-on-the-Rock, a dilapidated holiday shack where Hagrid turns up to announce: 'You're a wizard, Harry.' In the books, the hut is on an island off Cornwall — rather than five miles off one of the westernmost points of France. But producers insisted on using it as they thought it a suitably windswept location. A TV insider said: 'This caused a certain amount of amusement among the British crew who all agreed that they could have easily got windswept in virtually any part of the British Isles. READ MORE ON HARRY POTTER 'They've been slightly bewildered by the fact they've actually gone to France to make a show which is so British — particularly since it's the first place they've gone to and they're doing key scenes there. 'For fans it's likely to be a sign that with American producers running the show, it might not be as mindful of A film crew of about 30 is said to be camped at Pointe du Raz on the west coast of Brittany and every day they travel backwards and forwards by boat to the island. On a rocky outcrop off Île de Sein is the supposedly haunted 19th century Tévennec lighthouse, which may end up being used as the Hut-on-the-Rock in the final edit. Most read in News TV The surprising choice of location comes after HBO this week announced that young Scottish actor Dominic McLaughlin would be taking on the lead role previously played in the movies by Englishman Daniel Radcliffe. He will star alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, characters depicted in the films by Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) Official Trailer Between 2001 and 2011 they starred in eight movies, all made in the studio or on location in Britain. Bath, Oxford and London were among the cities where scenes were filmed, while more remote locations in Durham and the Scottish Highlands were also used. Warner Bros has invested millions of pounds in rapidly expanding its studio at Leavesden, near Watford, to accommodate shooting of the TV adaptation of all seven on JK Rowling's books. The Sun Hagrid, Hogwarts' groundskeeper played by the late Meanwhile, John Lithgow will be the wizard school's headmaster Albus Dumbledore and Paul Whitehouse will appear as its caretaker, Argus Filch. The series is expected to drop next year — although it is not confirmed which service will take it. HBO declined to comment on the use of a French location. But Île de Sein does have a magical link — it was, legend has it, home to virgin druid princesses with the power to take on animal forms, just like Animagi in the Potter stories. 5 The hut-on-the-rock is an important location in Harry Potter lore Credit: 5 The famous scene sees mentor Hagrid turns up to announce: 'You're a wizard, Harry' Credit: Alamy
Metro
26-05-2025
- General
- Metro
‘Snaking' is the phenomenon taking over pubs — but punters say it's diabolical
If there's one thing us Brits are known for, it's queuing. We're fantastic at forming orderly lines for the loo or spending hours standing in succession to get into a popular restaurant. But there's one place where standing one behind the other just isn't right: the pub. Instead, the proper etiquette is simply to waltz straight up to the bar, find a space along it and wait for your turn to make eye contact with whoever is working to indicate that you want another pint. If you don't believe this is the 'correct' way to do it, take it up with the etiquette experts at Debrett's, who insist: 'Although it really does not look like it, a kind of queuing system is in place; everyone is loosely aware of who is in front of them and who has come after them and a competent bar tender will also be keeping an eye on the seemingly anarchic dynamics'. But our slightly chaotic ordering system is under threat, as a new trend has been emerging in boozers up and down the country, a phenomenon Metro is coining as 'snaking'. Instead of standing their ground at the bar, chests puffed out like proud lions, people are snaking their way around the venue like slithery reptiles in single file queues that wind around tables and sometimes even stretch out the door. It might sound like peak Britishness to some, but it's actually driving many Brits mad. So prevalent has this become across the UK that there's now even an entire account on X (formerly Twitter) dedicated to the behaviour. Known as @queuespub, the page has more than 13,000 followers and its description reads: 'A campaign to end the recent phenomenon of queuing single file in pubs. We queue for the bus, or for the checkout, not at bars.' There are snaps of queues in pubs across the nation, as well as images of signs that have been put up at bars, encouraging people to go back to the ways things used to be and spread out if they want to order. Reddit users are also fed up with this new ordering practice, with u/JamesDarlo90 recently turning to the internet to vent his feelings about it. He posted: 'This new phenomenon I've seen of people queuing single file in the pub. I can't get my head around it.' The post garnered hundreds of responses, with many equally as confused and infuriated. A fellow pub goer, u/blainy-o replied: 'Absolutely diabolical behaviour. Spread out along the bar you thick c***s, that's what it's there for.' And u/ThatchersDirtyTaint agreed, writing: 'It's ridiculous and should be ridiculed.' Similarly, u/Aggravating-menu466 replied: 'Wrong, wrong, so very very wrong…' And u/Upper_Push_5860 added: 'Cultural pygmies. A bar is that length for a reason.' Pub owners and landlords are somewhat divided over snaking, with some not seeing an issue and others getting as riled up as punters over it. Callum Murphy, the Landlord of The Newman Arms in Fitzrovia, says he would welcome single file lines in his pub, telling Metro: 'Given the current situation, we believe any pub in England would be happy to have a queue. 'At The Newman Arms, we are delighted to be busy and will always give our guests the best experience possible however they decide to order their drink.' Steven Smith-Hay, the co-founder of Vault City Brewing, admits that seeing straight-line queues form in his taproom feels a 'bit odd', but Andy Kerr, the owner of The Sun Tavern, Parasol and Umbrella London, didn't hold back with his thoughts, branding the practice 'completely idiotic' and 'ridiculous'. Speaking to Metro, Andy said: 'No idea where [this trend] came from or how it started, but it's mental. People queuing up like that goes against everything a British pub is about. Bars are designed for people to stand at them, chat with the bartender, and get served. It's ridiculous. 'I've seen people queue, while others jump the queue, and get served straight away. It's absolute madness. 'If I had this happening in one of my venues, I'd probably throw them out. I like to think my punters are smarter than that, so I don't think it'd happen often, but if it did, it'd get sorted.' He continued: 'It might be a leftover from Covid, but it's time to move on and get back to the way pubs are meant to work. Queues are for Tesco, not the bar!' Dougal Sharp, the founder and master brewer at Innis & Gunn, also believes the phenomenon is a direct result of the pandemic. He claims he's seen some single file lines forming in taprooms in Edinburgh and Glasgow and it's mostly Gen-Z customers who queue like this as they don't know any better. 'We have started seeing more people queuing in a neat little line at the bar and honestly, fair play to them. It's not how things have traditionally worked in pubs, but who's keeping score? 'Some folks missed out on a few formative pub years thanks to lockdowns, so they're just making their own rules – and that's kind of the joy of it.' Dougal isn't bothered by snaking either way as he believes the most important thing is that the pub should be a 'relaxed space where everyone feels welcome' and not somewhere you feel 'worried about breaking secret etiquette'. 'If a queue forms, great. If someone wanders up and catches our eye, that works too. We'll gently keep things flowing – no drama,' he adds. Hospitality workers and bartenders aren't as chill about it though, if the responses to a recent TikTok video from @claireeh19 are anything to go by. The clip showed a long queue inside a pub in Wigan and prompted a woman who claimed to have worked in hospitality for 20 years to urge people not to follow suit. Known only as Becca, she said: 'DO NOT queue like this, it makes it so much harder for us to do our jobs.' As Andy mentioned, a number of punters who feel 'p***ed off' by the queues have been ignoring the lines completely and heading straight for the bar to grab a drink. More often than not, they claimed pub staff had enjoyed their brazen actions and served them right away. u/happyhippohats revealed on Reddit that they always jump a queue like this, saying: 'I normally just walk past them and wait at the bar like a normal person. I'll happily let them get served first if they were there before me but I'm not joining the back of a queue, it's not a post office.' However, it's worth noting that this isn't something every pub or bartender will encourage or appreciate. More Trending In some venues, bar staff are actively encouraging snaking and will send red-faced punters to the back of the line if they try and skip it. This has been the case in several Wetherspoons pubs across the UK, where signs instruct customers to queue in single file at the bar. The chain's founder Tim Martin explained that some Spoons 'prefer it' this way and it can be dependent on the layout of the pub. He previously told The Sun: 'Wetherspoon does not have a specific policy on queuing and, generally, leaves the decision to customers. In some pubs, often due to the location of the bar and positioning of tables in front of it, customers prefer to form a single file queue. View More » 'Traditionally, customers wait along the whole of the bar, enabling them to see the beers on tap, the spirit range and to shoot the breeze with bar staff. Probably, most customers prefer this method.' Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: Saudi Arabia to make major change to alcohol rules ahead of World Cup MORE: I tried 50 tinnies and found the best canned drink for summer MORE: Morrisons launches UK supermarket first with brand new £1.50 drinks 'on tap'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘British bidder' for Telegraph vows to fight on
The leader of a bid to disrupt the £500m sale of The Telegraph to a consortium led by RedBird Capital Partners has vowed to fight 'to the very end'. Dovid Efune, the publisher of The New York Sun website, made an appearance on Sky News on Sunday to insist that his 'British bid for The Telegraph is alive and well, and not going anywhere'. Mr Efune has secured financial backing from the hedge fund manager Jeremy Hosking and Nadhim Zahawi, the former cabinet minister. They are attempting to contrast their Britishness with RedBird, an American private equity firm which is seeking to acquire The Telegraph alongside British minority investors. Mr Efune faces a steep challenge. On Friday RedBird announced an agreement in principle to take majority ownership of The Telegraph from IMI, the UAE's media investment arm. The British-born publisher said: 'What's been announced is an agreement in principle. And if the history of The Telegraph's ownership saga teaches us anything, it's that the ownership of The Telegraph and, frankly, any other crown jewel of British public life, will not be determined by means of a press release. 'The British public will yet have their say via their elected representatives, The Telegraph's staff and The Telegraph's readers will have their say, as will the rest of the British press.' RedBird IMI, a joint venture between RedBird and the UAE, majority funded by the Gulf state, was blocked from taking full control of The Telegraph last year following an outcry over press freedom. Now, RedBird's founder Gerry Cardinale is working to make RedBird the controlling shareholder, with IMI expected to retain a passive stake of up to 15pc. Mr Efune said: 'There are quite a lot of questions surrounding RedBird themselves, obviously – where does their capital come from?' Mr Cardinale, who also controls AC Milan and is set to become a major shareholder in the Hollywood studio Paramount, has said none of the money that RedBird will use to acquire The Telegraph will be drawn from sovereign sources. Mr Efune added: 'I suspect that because of all of these questions that surround it, there will need to be a public interest intervention, likely an in-depth investigation, which means the saga of The Telegraph could take another year to resolve.' Enders Analysis, a media industry research firm, said last week that Mr Cardinale's status as a newcomer to news publishing meant the regulatory process could be smooth and complete by September. The potential involvement of Lord Rothermere, the owner of The Daily Mail, as a minority shareholder alongside RedBird could complicate matters. But it is unclear how in practice Mr Efune hopes to disrupt the sale. IMI has publicly endorsed RedBird's planned takeover of The Telegraph, saying it will 'secure its future and enable it to thrive for years to come'. Mr Efune, who prior to acquiring the defunct New York Sun and reviving it as a subscription website was the publisher of Algemeiner, a Jewish community newspaper, has shown great persistence in his pursuit of The Telegraph, however. He emerged as the winner of an auction back in early October last year, but has struggled since to raise the necessary funds. Even now, by his own account Mr Efune's consortium has only 'the bulk' of the capital, although he has said he remains in talks with potential backers. His 11th-hour appeal for more time has come wrapped in the Union flag. He said: 'At the end of the day, I expect that most Britons would want to see The Telegraph in British hands should there be a choice – and there is a choice, a clear choice, and we are 100pc committed to seeing it through.' The approach won rhetorical support this weekend from Lord Ashcroft, the Conservative donor and publisher. In a post on X he said Mr Efune was 'seeking British investors for an alternative to foreign ownership … I wish him well'. Mr Efune has not said whether he envisages the UAE retaining a stake and has not always been so focused on securing British finance. He initially sought to raise funding from American hedge funds. They all declined to invest in his proposed deal after he was named preferred bidder. In November it was reported that Sir Mohamed Mansour, the Egyptian-born billionaire and former Conservative party treasurer, was in advanced discussions to bankroll the bid. A former minister under the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak, Sir Mohamed ruled out participating, following questions from The Telegraph. They covered topics including the regulatory scrutiny his political past and business interest might face. Mr Efune then turned to Leon Black, the billionaire former boss of the Wall Street giant Apollo Global Management. Mr Black pulled out of detailed discussions to back the bid after The Telegraph asked questions about potential regulatory scrutiny of his regrettable relationship with the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, and legal problems related to it. These incidents appear to have frustrated Mr Efune, who on Friday complained that the 'turbulent undertaking' of raising finance had faced 'unwanted interference'. One possible tactic for Mr Efune's consortium is a legal challenge against the Government's handling of The Telegraph if and when it decides to approve the RedBird takeover. Mr Hosking is said by those who have worked directly with him to have an unusually strong appetite for litigation. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Miami Herald
16-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Iconic luxury brand plans major layoffs in desperate reset
After chasing trends, this iconic label is retreating to its roots. A legendary fashion label - once synonymous with cool, effortless elegance - is now taking a wrecking ball to its most recent playbook. Related: Luxury fashion group reeling after disastrous quarter For years, this brand chased relevance through hype drops, high-concept runway shows, and price tags that pushed even loyal shoppers away - a full-on identity crisis that left it drifting from what made it great. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Now it's in full reset mode. That means slashing 1,700 jobs, killing a factory night shift, and squeezing every ounce of excess from its business. It's a risky, high-stakes return to what made the brand famous, and failure isn't an option. Burberry (BURBY) announced it will eliminate about 20% of its global workforce over the next two years. That includes corporate roles, retail staff, and the entire night shift at its Castleford trench coat factory - a move it says will help rein in overproduction. This is part of a broader restructuring blitz aimed at saving £60 million, in addition to the £24 million already shaved from costs in the second half of FY25. Behind the cuts lies a year of painful numbers. Sales fell 15% at constant exchange rates, and adjusted operating profits plunged by 88%. Related: Luxury designer brand flags shift in customer behavior CEO Joshua Schulman, who joined last July, is pushing a return to form under his "Burberry Forward" strategy. The company plans to trim the fat, lean into trench coats and scarves, and stop chasing the fashion crowd - a clear return to the heritage that built the brand. "With improvement in brand sentiment, we will be ramping up the frequency and reach of our campaigns," Schulman said. "We have the most opportunity where we have the most authenticity." Burberry is doubling down on what made it iconic: Britishness, outerwear, and weather-proof luxury. The brand's "It's Always Burberry Weather" and "Wrapped in Burberry" campaigns helped drive better-than-expected retail orders and a bounce in customer engagement. A scarf bar pilot and new digital styling tools are already live. Schulman's bet? That a cleaner, tighter, and more focused Burberry can claw its way back. Despite the slump, some analysts are turning bullish. Citi and Deutsche Bank rated the stock a "buy," betting that tight cost control and Schulman's refocus will pay off. Jefferies, however, called it a "slow burn" and warned the brand still has much to prove. Only time will tell. Clearly, Burberry isn't just trimming the edges. It's cutting to the core, betting that what it does best is still enough to win. And this time, it can't afford to miss. Related: Veteran fund manager unveils eye-popping S&P 500 forecast The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
