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Metro
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
5 of the best Eurovision films to stream before the Grand Final
After 12 months of waiting, the Eurovision Grand Final is almost upon us – 26 countries have now qualified for the big show on Saturday, May 17. The legendary singing contest is back for another year and this time it's being hosted by last year's winners Switzerland, who were represented by singer Nemo. Taking place in Basel for 2025, the Eurovision party has already started with both semi-finals now done and dusted, with the final line-up settled. Representing the UK are vocal trio Remember Monday and their song What the Hell Just Happened?, which went down very well during a rehearsal performance during Thursday's semi-final. To get you in the mood for all the pageantry and performances, here are five Eurovision-themed films to start your weekend off with in preparation for the Grand Final. If you start watching them on Saturday morning, you should finish the last one in the list just before the BBC's coverage, hosted by Graham Norton, begins. Released in June 2020 on Netflix, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga stars Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as Icelandic Eurovision hopefuls. From the small fishing town of Husavik, which is situated on the northern coast of Iceland, Will's character Lars and Rachel's character Sigrit journey to Edinburgh to take part. The film is best remembered for Lars and Sigrit's song suggestive nonsense song Ja Ja Ding Dong, which isn't even the song they perform at the contest. While the film only received a lukewarm reaction from critics – the film has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 63% – fans of Eurovision come back to it every year. The Story of Fire Saga also features cameos from major Eurovision stars from down the years, including Sweden's double champion Loreen, 2018 Israeli winner Netta, and 2016 Ukraine winner Jamala. Will came to love Eurovision after being introduced to the contest in 1999 by his Swedish wife Viveca Paulin, 25 years after Abba famously won the competition. Watch Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga on Netflix. Released in 2016 and directed by Bavo Defurne, French film Souvenir tells the story of a fictional forgotten singer who once competed for France at the Eurovison Song Contest. The film stars legendary French actress Isabelle Huppert, who has starred in movies like The Piano Teacher, Amour, Elle, Greta, and Mrs Harris Goes to Paris. She's also been the recipient of three Baftas, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Award nomination after starring in Paul Verhoeven's 2016 film Elle. Souvenir follows Isabelle's character Liliane, who meets a young, aspiring boxer and falls in love, resulting in her trying to make a music industry comeback. Strangely, the film was given a Christmas release in France, five months before the Eurovision Song Contest usually comes around each year. Critics were similarly lukewarm on Souvenir as they were on The Story of Fire Saga, with the film's Rotten Tomatoes rating currently sitting at 52%, however, the site's top critics see its rating jump to 64%. Watch Souvenir on Apple TV or Amazon Prime Video. The 2019 Eurovision Song Contest was marred by controversy in the build-up to the Grand Final, with calls for some to boycott the competition that year. Israel hosted the contest that year after Netta won in 2018 with her song Toy, and pro-Palestine activists staged protests during the qualifying rounds. In the middle of this controversy were Iceland band Hatari, who were known for their predominantly left-wing values and provocative stage displays. A Song Called Hate follows the members of Hatari as they decide whether to boycott Eurovision altogether or use the opportunity to spread their beliefs across Europe. On Letterboxd, user Oliver compared it to The Story of Fire Saga, saying: 'Of the movies released in 2020 about Iceland participating in Eurovision Song Contest, this was far superior.' Spoiler warning: Hatari performed their song Hatrið mun sigra (Hatred Will Prevail) and eventually finished third that year, wowing viewers with their intense display. Watch A Song Called Hate on OutTV, via Amazon Prime Video. 2006 was another fantastic year for Nordic countries at Eurovision, with Finland's heavy metal band Lordi reigning supreme over the continent with their song Hard Rock Hallelujah. Dressed in freakish costumes, Lordi played their hearts out and stormed to victory, finishing almost 50 points ahead of runners-up Russia in the Grand Final and landing Finland's first Eurovision title. Hard Rock Hallelujah promised an 'a-rock-alypse' and a 'day of rock-ening' and that's exactly what Europe got, with the song charting in 13 European countries after the competition concluded. Coming eight years after Lordi's triumph, Monsterman told quite a different story about Lordi's lead singer, Tomi Putaansuu, better known by his stage name Mr Lordi. A description of the film reveals Monsterman to be 'a film about the monster of Lapland, Mr. Lordi, who, after winning the Eurovision Song Contest loses everything, almost everything'. The documentary follows what happens to a band who reach the top of the world (well, a continent) and have only got one place left to go: downwards. Watch Monsterman on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. Sounds Like Teen Spirit – or to give the film its full title, Sounds Like Teen Spirit: A Popumentary – a documentary about the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Ever year since 2003, Junior Eurovision has taken place in either November or December – the current champions are Georgia after their entrant Andria Putkaradze won in 2024. Four years into the competition's history, Bafta-nominated director Jay Johnson decided to follow the lives of the singing hopefuls during the 2007 contest. More Trending Specifically focusing on the fortunes of Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Georgia, Sounds Like Tike Teen Spirit was a winner with critics. The winners in 2007 were Belarus, with singer Alexey Zhigalkovich taking home the title with his song S Druz'yami, which translates to With Friends. The film currently has a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 87%, making it the highest-regarded film in this list, and has won awards in France and Denmark. Watch Sounds Like Teen Spirit on Apple TV. 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: Graham Norton 'on many medications' after surgery before Eurovision Grand Final MORE: Mae Muller says she was 'thrown to the lions' at Eurovision 2023 MORE: Katie Price reveals her biggest regret over failed Eurovision Song Contest bid
Bloomberg
16-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Novo Ousts CEO Jorgensen Over Competition, Share Price
00:00 I think it's fair to say that this was pretty surprising. Yeah, it's definitely a surprise. You know, Lars has really successfully launched one of the biggest products of pharmaceuticals ever and, you know, deserves some credit for that. But what's and Novo really helped make this obesity market that we've been talking so much about? I mean, there's two companies really in this space. It's Novo and Lilly and Novo was first Market with Wegovy. And the problem has been that they just have really struggled to convince investors that they've they're going to be able to follow that up. I mean, they've had supply issues, they've had disappointments with their next generation trial results. And what we're seeing now is that. A company that really rarely changes its leadership. I mean, they've only had a handful of CEOs ever, and the tenure of CEOs tends to be very long. Lars himself has been there for almost three decades, not as CEO, but has been at the company for a long time. So this is really a surprise move for a company that rarely makes moves like this. Madison, how much longer is Ozempic slash Wegovy expected to be a blockbuster drug? I mean, are we are we looking at a situation where they're going to face challenge generic competition challenges in the near future? Yeah. So Semaglutide, which is the active ingredient and will go there and it is something that is coming off patent within the next few years. There's also going to be facing drug price negotiations under Biden's Inflation Reduction Act in 2027. So the price of that drug could actually come down substantially and. Time they're facing pricing pressures from compounded drugs and they're also facing increasing competition with Lilly. And we've talked about some of these partnerships that Novo and Lilly are doing with telehealth companies to sell the drugs at a cheaper price to consumers. And so there's definitely pricing pressure on the drugs anyway. And we have Lilly coming with a weight loss pill and another next generation shop that has close to 25% weight loss in trials. And Novo just has not been able to do that same thing.
Metro
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
I Kissed A Boy's trans contestant isn't hoodwinking anyone - neither is the BBC
I Kissed A Boy is the BBC Three gay dating show that – as the title suggests – throws a pack of hungry single queer men into a Spanish villa to kiss a boy and hopefully find a connection. Among the cast this year is Lars, a 23-year-old hotel receptionist who lives in Wolverhampton who says he's a 'hopeless romantic and sick of single life'. He's also the first transgender contestant they've had across two series of I Kissed A Boy and one series of I Kissed A Girl. Lars has been matched with Jack D, the painfully adorable hospital pharmacist who is fed up of dating apps and just wants a man he can share a 'nice pastry and a pint with'. The premise of the show sees the boys kiss before they've managed to get a word in to see if sparks fly from initial attraction alone. Of all the snogs, Lars and Jack D clearly had one of the most exciting connections in there. They dashed off from their cheeky kiss to join the others and they were visibly excited that matchmakers had thus far worked their magic and appeared to get this coupling spot on. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video But Lars was yet to tell Jack D about his identity, a moment of trepidation that many trans men and women can relate to. Revealing their past to a total stranger, particularly in this climate when transphobia is thriving more than I've ever seen it before, must be absolutely terrifying. When Jack asked what his normal type is, Lars explained: 'Mine's quite interesting because I'd say I identify more as queer. I'm basically a trans man… I was born female but realised when I was about 15 something's really not right. I always knew I liked guys but I didn't feel like a straight girl, I felt like a gay guy.' Lars then acknowledged not all gay guys would be interested in a trans man, 'and I understand that', he said. Jack replied: 'Stuff like that doesn't matter to me at all… you're a man, I like men.' In a later confessional, Jack added: 'When he told me, I honestly had a bit of a lump in my throat because I was just a bit honoured that he actually shared this part of his life with me. I've always said that I'm open to dating a trans man and it absolutely doesn't change anything at all with Lars.' It is a consensual, quite beautiful, coupling, which is hopefully going to teach so many of its viewers how special a gay-trans relationship can be. That is, should they stay together (which, as it stands, looks promising). Sure enough, the usual anti-trans suspects who would otherwise show absolutely no interest in a BBC Three gay dating show, have caught wind of Lars. Cue their completely irrational and totally misguided spiel that has made the loudest noise around I Kissed A Boy, with many claiming they've filed complaints against the BBC. Essentially, they have complained about a consensual relationship between two people. I don't want to give specific tweets or online discussions about Lars and Jack the oxygen they're craving, but you can probably imagine the gist: 'How dare the BBC force a woman onto a gay man?' It's had people absolutely seething, even being compared to sexual assault. It is the epitome of how absurd transphobia has become in the United Kingdom. As far as I can see, it's often straight people telling gay men who they can and can't be attracted to. Straight people, once again, defining the parameters of being LGBTQ+. I haven't actually spent much time thinking about if I'd date a trans man. I have – to my knowledge – met so few of them it's just not even really been a possibility. But Lars seems smart, kind, and he's got a fun streak running through him – when I was single, he'd have ticked all of my boxes. Not to expose my shallowness, but he's also one of the best looking men on the show. If he was 10 years older (or ideally I was 10 years younger) I'd be pretty chuffed to match with Lars. I suppose I'll settle for my 37-year-old boyfriend who has to sleep with a cuddly hippo instead. Sadly, it didn't come as a surprise that the anti-trans mob relished in its attack on Lars with completely unfounded claims Jack had been tricked into kissing a woman, even when he made it crystal clear he was attracted to trans men. What did catch me off guard though was seeing how many gay men were making completely ridiculous claims that they were being pressured into dating trans men and that the BBC was shaming gay men who wouldn't date Lars. At no point does anyone in I Kissed A Boy suggest all gay men should be attracted to trans men. At this point in the series, Jack D is the man for Lars and vice-versa – there's no agenda to make the entire cast queue in a line for Lars, and even if they were, it would be their own choice. If any gay men do feel shamed just by watching a gay-trans relationship, that's not coming from the BBC – that's all on you. I can't believe that I even have to argue that Jack D is no less gay because he's attracted to Lars. I'm as gay as it gets and I know if I was younger and good looking enough to be Lars' league, I'd be attracted to him too. It hardly bears repeating how heartbreaking the bullying of trans people has become. More Trending Every week, there's something new for the most obsessed anti-trans people to waste their life getting upset over. And more often than not, it often boils down to trans people being just a little bit present – even if it's just appearing on a gay dating show. This hysteria has been out of control for some time. Unfortunately, by and large, trans women have arguably felt more under threat and unfairly presented as the threat to civilisation – and bathrooms. But look at what happens when a gentle trans man just innocently appears on television looking for love. View More » It's completely grotesque what this country has become, but thank god we have men like Lars and Jack D on television to show how wonderful a gay-trans relationship can be. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: BBC's 'best crime drama ever' vows to be even better in season 3 MORE: I found the new Final Destination incredibly relatable for a painful reason MORE: Traitors fans 'gutted' one rumoured celebrity won't be taking part
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
BBC under fire after putting transgender man who lived 16 years as a girl on gay dating show I Kissed A Boy
The BBC has sparked furious backlash after putting a biological woman on its gay dating show I Kissed A Boy with critics branding the move 'homophobic in the extreme'. The reality show, fronted by pop star Dannii Minogue, features single men looking for love but with a twist. Contestants must kiss before getting to know one another. But controversy erupted after it was revealed that one of the participants, Lars, was born female and lived as a girl for 16 years despite now identifying as a 'gay man trapped in a woman's body'. The move has been blasted by campaign group LGB Alliance, who have written directly to BBC boss Tim Davie, demanding the show be pulled from air. In a scathing letter, the group claims the BBC's decision is 'horribly regressive' and pressures gay men into pretending they're attracted to a woman. 'Any rejection of her – a rejection that would be entirely in line with their natural homosexuality – will be seized upon by activists as evidence of their bigotry and transphobia. 'It is unconscionable to coerce young gay men in this way,' the letter reads. Lars, a 23-year-old hotel receptionist from Wolverhampton, is the first transgender contestant to take part in the show, which debuted in 2023 and now includes a spin-off for lesbians called I Kissed A Girl. The row adds to a growing list of BBC controversies surrounding its stance on sex and gender identity. Last year, the broadcaster faced backlash for including a transgender Colombian scientist on its annual list of 100 inspiring women despite being born male. Similarly in 2002 the now-notorious Sky1 show There's Something About Miriam tricked six men into competing for the affections of a young model without telling them that she was transgender - and she later took her own life. The show saw the men compete to win her affections and £10,000 but they did not find out about Miriam's gender identity until the finale - which led one contestant to smash up the luxury Ibiza villa in which the contestants were staying and even threaten to 'kill' the 21-year-old model. Kate Barker, chief executive of LGB Alliance, accused the BBC of pushing an anti-gay agenda under the guise of 'inclusion'. She told The Telegraph: 'By including a heterosexual woman in a gay dating show, the BBC is telling its audience loud and clear: it's not OK to be gay. The reality show, fronted by pop star Dannii Minogue, features single men looking for love but with a twist. Contestants must kiss before getting to know one another 'I Kissed A Boy will be watched by many young people who are just becoming aware of their same sex attraction. 'Many will take away the message that it's 'transphobic' to have sexual boundaries, or that it's bigoted not to be attracted to women. 'This is an incredibly regressive and homophobic programme, and yet another sign of how 'Be Kind' inflicts callous cruelty.' A BBC spokesman said: 'I Kissed a Boy is and always has been an inclusive dating show about finding love. All applicants are asked their dating preference, and they are matched accordingly. 'Producers took participants' preferences into account, and made sure that all contributors were aware and comfortable with the application, casting and matching process.'
Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
BBC under fire for putting trans contestant on gay dating show
The BBC has become embroiled in a transgender row after putting a biological woman on a gay dating show. Pop star Dannii Minogue hosts the reality programme I Kissed A Boy, in which prospective couples must share a kiss before getting to know one other. The BBC has included a transgender man in the lineup – Lars, who lived for 16 years as a girl and claims to be a 'gay man trapped in a woman's body'. LGB Alliance has written to Tim Davie, the BBC director-general, demanding that the programme be pulled, claiming it is 'homophobic in the extreme' and 'horribly regressive'. The campaign group, which supports lesbian, gay and bisexual people, has argued that the programme pressures male contestants to feign attraction to a woman. The letter argues: 'Any rejection of her – a rejection that would be entirely in line with their natural homosexuality – will be seized upon by activists as evidence of their bigotry and transphobia. 'It is unconscionable to coerce young gay men in this way.' Lars, a 23-year-old hotel receptionist from Wolverhampton, is the first transgender person on the programme, which first aired in 2023. The show has produced a spin-off for lesbian couples called I Kissed A Girl. The BBC has caused controversy with a string of decisions giving self-identified gender greater importance than biological sex. In 2024, the corporation included a transgender Colombian scientist in its annual list of 100 inspiring women. Kate Barker, chief executive of the LGB Alliance, has warned that trying to be inclusive can make others feel excluded. She told The Telegraph: 'By including a heterosexual woman in a gay dating show, the BBC is telling its audience loud and clear: it's not OK to be gay. 'I Kissed A Boy will be watched by many young people who are just becoming aware of their same sex attraction. 'Many will take away the message that it's 'transphobic' to have sexual boundaries, or that it's bigoted not to be attracted to women. This is an incredibly regressive and homophobic programme, and yet another sign of how 'Be Kind' inflicts callous cruelty.' A BBC spokesman said: 'I Kissed a Boy is and always has been an inclusive dating show about finding love. All applicants are asked their dating preference, and they are matched accordingly. 'Producers took participants' preferences into account, and made sure that all contributors were aware and comfortable with the application, casting and matching process.'
