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Metro
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
British acting legend new frontrunner to play Voldemort in Harry Potter reboot
A new name has emerged as the favourite to play Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter TV reboot. HBO has already revealed the three young actors who will play Harry, Hermione and Ron, following in the footsteps of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint. Meanwhile, John Lithgow is set to play headmaster Albus Dumbledore, I May Destroy You star Paapa Essiedu will be Severus Snape, and Nick Frost has been cast as Hagrid. But Potterheads are still waiting to find out who will star as the new Voldemort. The current favourite to take on the role is Matthew Macfadyen, according to Online Betting Guide. They put the Succession star at 1/1 odds, in news that comes shortly after the acclaimed actor was cast to play Voldemort in a new Harry Potter audiobook series. The first of the seven full-cast audiobooks, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, will be released by Audible on November 4, followed by Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets on December 16. Meanwhile, former Doctor Who star Matt Smith and Marvel alum Paul Bettany are also tipped for the role of Voldemort in HBO's Harry Potter, both of whom enjoy 3/1 odds. Coming in behind them is Peaky Blinders' Cillian Murphy at 4/1, who previously had something of an edge after the original Voldemort actor, Ralph Fiennes, gave him his blessing. During an interview on Watch What Happens Live, Fiennes said: 'Cillian is a fantastic actor. That's a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favour of Cillian. Yeah.' Who do you think would be the best Voldemort? Tom Hiddleston is also in the running, with odds of 5/1 — though he was previously the favourite for the role. No stranger to playing a baddie, Hiddleston is probably best known as Marvel's impish Loki. Senior TV Reporter Rebecca Cook shares her take… Tom Hiddleston's tenure as Loki in the Marvel franchise is riddled (get it) with moments proving he has a strong Voldemort performance in him. Think back to when he went full panto villain at Comic-Con in 2013, emerging from the dark with the audience eating out of the palm of his hand. He's certainly capable of playing a charismatic villain – but there's the risk his charm may soften Voldemort's edges. After all, who didn't end up secretly loving Loki, even before we were meant to? We want someone who's truly terrifying to play Voldemort. Hairs upright on the back of your neck type of thing. Perhaps an actor like Idris Elba would be a better fit, admittedly not currently in the conversation, but with a commanding presence and The Wire's Stringer Bell as proof he knows how to play a complicated villain. The show's confirmed cast, which includes Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, and Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, have been subject to immense scrutiny already. Especially as Harry Potter creator (and the new HBO series' executive producer) JK Rowling's comments about the trans community have caused backlash from some groups. In a recent interview, The Crown's Bertie Carvel, who will star as Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, declined to discuss the author but did reflect on his future in the show. 'I am coming at it with a really open mind. Whether I come back [after the first series] probably depends on what the fans think. I mean, I'll be furious if it's not an amazing part.' More Trending Meanwhile, Jason Isaacs, who played Lucius Malfoy in the original Harry Potter films, has defended the casting of Paapa Essiedu as Snape after he faced racist backlash on social media. 'I've seen some people online who are being rude about him. What they're being is racist,' he said in an interview with Collider. The Harry Potter TV show will stream exclusively on Max in 2027. View More » This article was originally published on May 30, 2025. 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: Netflix unveils major return for Peaky Blinders legend in 'stressful' new film MORE: The new Lego Harry Potter set is a very Christmassy looking Hogsmeade MORE: Dame Emma Thompson shares surprising reality of her iconic Harry Potter appearance
The Sun
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
These 10 UK cities have the most bingo halls for their population
BINGO players from across the nation love a traditional bingo hall. Online bingo has a lot to offer players. You can play from anywhere at any time. JOIN SUN BINGO NOW AND GET A £60 BINGO BUNDLE TO PLAY WITH * However, for some, nothing beats the fun that can be found in the bricks-and-mortar bingo halls. They are at the heart of many communities, where friendships are made, tested, broken and mended according to the outcome of the games. While many halls have closed over the years, a good number are still thriving and regularly enjoyed by local bingo buddies. New research conducted by Online Betting Guide has revealed the top 10 cities for finding an in-person bingo experience. These cities have the highest concentration of bingo halls according to their population size. The survey investigated the number of bricks-and-mortar bingo sites per 100,000 people. The results also revealed the cities with the highest number of bingo-related internet searches for England and Scotland. Cities with the highest concentration of bingo halls 10. Plymouth Just cracking the top 10, the list begins its countdown at the southern end of the United Kingdom. This port city in Devon has a population of 260,203 and 12 bingo halls. That means that there are 4.61 bingo halls per 100,000 people. It seems that when the weather isn't right for a stroll on the beach, locals are strolling into the bingo halls instead. 9. Bristol Travelling north, the next entry is the home of the Robins. Bristol boasts x3 the number of bingo halls as Plymouth, with a total of 36. Considering that the city has a population of 617,280 that means that there are 5.83 bingo halls per 100,000 people. 8. Cardiff The Welsh capital comes in at number eight on this list, owing to having a population of 447,287 that get to choose between 28 bingo halls across the city. As such, there's 6.26 halls per 100,000 people. 7. Edinburgh Another capital that made it into the top 10 list is Edinburgh. The Scottish city boasts 44 bingo halls for its 464,990 residents to enjoy visiting. To put that into perspective, there are 9.46 halls for every 100,000 locals. With Edinburgh spread over 102 square miles, there's no need for bingo fans to walk 500 miles to enjoy a game or two. 6. Sheffield The next entry brings us back south of the border, with a South Yorkshire city. The list of top things to do in Sheffield may be filled with conservation parks, shopping centres and botanical gardens but with 16.93 bingo halls per 100,000 people, there's also plenty of options for those that want to spend their free time with a dabber in hand. 1 5. Hull Staying in Yorkshire but swinging to its eastern edges, the middle spot of this countdown is devoted to the port city of Hull. The city has 59 bingo halls, which is approximately 18.79 halls per 100,000 people. It's truly a city of bingo fans, as we reported in 2023 that it is the city with the second-most bingo-related monthly online searches. There were 17,491 searches (per 100,000 people) being made by Hull residents. 4. Leicester The birthplace of Gary Linekar and Alison King just misses out on a spot in the top three. The Foxes' home turf comes in at number four on our list, with 96 bingo halls to keep its 508,916 residents entertained when their team isn't playing. That's 18.86 halls per 100,000 people! 3. Stoke-on-Trent Staying in the Midlands, Stoke-on-Trent has reached the podium and takes home the bronze. An appropriate medal colour, given that the region is known for its pottery industry. It claims the title of World Capital of Ceramics, which seems only apt when there are 29 separate sites across the city to visit that are devoted to pottery production. After you've visited a selection of them, you might like to pop over to one of their 77 bingo halls. That's 20.66 halls per 100,000 people. What's more, there have been 1540 online searches for bingo-related terms originating from Stoke-on-Trent in the past 12 months. 2. Coventry Another podium spot goes to the West Midlands, with Coventry taking silver. Its population of 359,262 people can choose from 88 bingo halls. Considering the population size, that's 24,49 halls per 100,000 people. 1. Derby It's a clean sweep for the middle of England as the East Midlands city of Derby takes the top spot on this list. When residents aren't making witty remarks about what's on telly (like the Siddiqui family) they might just be in one of the 100 bingo halls that the city has on offer. That's 36.97 bingo halls per 100,000 people. It has also been reported that Derby residents produced over 500 online searches for bingo-related terms in the past 12 months. However, Derby doesn't take the gold when it comes to online searches for bingo-related topics. That title belongs to Manchester, which saw over 1504 searches per 100,000 people. Meanwhile, in Scotland, the title goes to Edinburgh. The capital city saw over 784 searches per 100,000 people. *New customers only. Register, deposit £10 and spend £10 on bingo tickets to receive £40 bingo bonus (accept within 48 hours and wager 4x within seven days) and £20 side games bonus (accept within 48 hours and wager 20x within 30 days) on Rainbow Riches in the bingo lobby. Both bonuses must be accepted in the bingo lobby. Only completed games are credited. Debit cards only. Deposits made with Neteller/Skrill/PayPal are not valid for this promotion. 18+. T&Cs apply. Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. 18+. T&Cs apply. Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: Establishes time and monetary limits before playing Only gambles with money they can afford to lose Never chases their losses Doesn't gamble if they're upset, angry or depressed Gamcare – For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
Extra.ie
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Huge Irish star tipped for major role in new Bond movie
An Irish Hollywood superstar is said to be the bookies' choice for the next James Bond movie. Although there have been no official announcements about the cast as yet, or even a date set to begin filming, producers are said to be keen to hurry things along to get the action underway. Its been too long since the last Bond Movie hit cinema screens, bringing with it mixed emotions as Daniel Craig bowed out in his role as Bond in the 2021 movie No Time To Die, leaving fans emotional as he says farewell to the character. Pic: MGM/Eon/Danjaq/UPI/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock But attention has now turned to the famous villains of the Bond franchise, and things are hotting up in bookies circles with a huge Irish star tipped to play the next Bond nasty. Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy is topping the list to play Bond's next nemesis, according to the Online Betting Guide list, with strong odds of 9/2. The Irish actor – best known for playing Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders, had previously been touted for the actual role of James Bond, but he quashed rumours, telling Deadline: 'I think I'm a bit old for that.' Cillian Murphy. Pic: Lodovico Colli di Felizzano/WWD via Getty Images While no official confirmations about star castings have been made to date, speculation about who will be the next James Bond has been heating up in recent weeks. British actors Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Henry Cavill have been linked to the role, but nothing has been set in stone as yet. Also in the running for the part of Bond villain, are American actor Paul Giamatti at odds of 11/2, as well as Boogeyman star David Dastmalchian 13/2, and a very unusual choice in movie circles, an unlikely contender for the role, actress Zendaya at odds of 7/1.
Metro
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
British legend new frontrunner to play Voldemort after Harry Potter cast updates
A new name has leapt to the front of the race to predict who will play Voldemort in the Harry Potter adaptation for TV. After HBO this week anointed three young actors as Harry, Hermione and Ron for a new generation, speculation has ramped up for who will play the trio's arch nemesis. Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout have been cast in the lead roles to follow in the footsteps of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, after over 30,000 young hopefuls threw their name into the sorting hat at the casting director's office. The production had already shared a swathe of casting announcements, with John Lithgow set to play headmaster Albus Dumbledore, I May Destroy You star Paapa Essiedu taking on Severus Snape and Nick Frost as Hagrid. The Potterheads are now waiting for the rest of the cast to be announced, with our new Voldemort still missing from the roster. The leading contender for the spot is said to be British actor Tom Hiddleston. No stranger to playing a baddie, Hiddleston is probably best known as Marvel's impish Loki. The 44-year-old is currently leading early predictions, according to Online Betting Guide, who have put him at 1/1 odds. He's followed by Peaky Blinders Cillian Murphy at 6/4, who previously had something of an edge after the original Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes gave Murphy his blessing. Fiennes was asked to address weeks of speculation Murphy would take over the role during an interview on Watch What Happens Live. Who do you think would be the best Voldemort? He said: 'Cillian is a fantastic actor. That's a wonderful suggestion. I would be all in favor of Cillian. Yeah.' Following Hiddleston and Murphy in the bookies' reckoning is another Marvel star, with Paul Bettany at 3/1. Then in fourth is yet another Marvel alum – maybe willingness to be in one franchise means you're more likely to do it again – with Benedict Cumberbatch at 6/1. This comes after HBO finally shed light on how much the TV adaptation of JK Rowling's smash books is going to cost, after astronomical figures had been bandied about. Senior TV Reporter Rebecca Cook shares her take… Tom Hiddleston's tenure as Loki in the Marvel franchise is riddled (get it) with moments proving he has a strong Voldemort performance in him. Think back to when he went full panto villain at Comic-Con in 2013, emerging from the dark with the audience eating out of the palm of his hand. He's certainly capable of playing a charismatic villain – but there's the risk his charm may soften Voldemort's edges. After all, who didn't end up secretly loving Loki, even before we were meant to? We want someone who's truly terrifying to play Voldemort. Hairs upright on the back of your neck type of thing. Perhaps an actor like Idris Elba would be a better fit, admittedly not currently in the conversation, but with a commanding presence and The Wire's Stringer Bell as proof he knows how to play a complicated villain. The budget reported so far would make the HBO show the most expensive ever to be made, trouncing Prime Video's $465 million (£399 million) price tag for Rings of Power. More Trending The Express reported each episode would cost £75 million to make, boosting the UK economy by billions. However, a source close to the production has now confirmed to Metro that the reported figure is inaccurate. Instead, the production costs will be on a par with Game of Thrones' budget. The eighth season of the show was its most expensive, costing roughly $15 million (almost £12 million at the time) per episode. View More » The Harry Potter TV show will stream exclusively on Max in 2026. 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: Harry Potter fans annoyed about casting detail no one's got right in 25 years MORE: Here's why fans think Arabella Stanton as new Hermione is 'perfect casting' MORE: The new Harry Potter child stars have confirmed my worst fears
The Independent
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Could there be an American pope? Here are the US cardinals who could replace the pontiff
Following the death of Pope Francis, the eyes of the world will turn to Rome, where a papal conclave will decide who will become the next pontiff - but could the world see its first American pope this election? The simple answer is unlikely, but it's not impossible. This enormous decision will be made by cardinals from all over the world. Of the 252 members of the College of Cardinals, 138 are currently eligible to elect the new pope. Though the American Catholic Church is one of the biggest and richest in the world, there has never been an American-born pope. The idea of an American pope has often been dismissed, given the geopolitical influence America already has across the globe. There are currently nine U.S. cardinals that are expected to take place in the 2025 conclave, according to the list of cardinal electors. They are: Cardinal Robert Prevost, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Cardinal Wilton Daniel Gregory, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley and Cardinal Raymond Burke. With nine U.S. cardinals eligible to vote in the conclave out of 138, the mathematical possibility of the next pope being American is around 6.5 percent. Bookmakers odds are also unfavorable. According to Online Betting Guide, none of the Americans are considered favorites. According to William Hill, Luis Antonio Tagle and Pietro Parolin are currently front-runners to succeed Francis with 7/4 odds followed by Cardinal Peter Erdo at 8/1. However, as fans of the Academy Award-winning movie Conclave know, the process of selecting a new pope is political – and anything could happen. Even so, John Allen Jr., a Vatican expert and author of 'All the Pope's Men: The Inside Story of How the Vatican Really Thinks' told The New York Post, that the prospect of an American pope is slim. Appointed Archbishop of New York in 2009, Dolan is one of the most recognizable figures in the U.S. Catholic church – known for his charisma and media savvy. However, one of the main issues, according to Allen, is that Dolan may simply be 'too American.' 'He's seen as charismatic, articulate, and someone certainly capable of holding his own on the global stage, having served as the chief shepherd of the media capital of the universe,' Allen told The Post. 'Nonetheless, I suspect you'd have to rate Dolan as a long shot, not a favorite.' Americans, often seen at the forefront of global culture clashes and with stereotypically brash attitudes, would need to demonstrate other skills such as experience abroad and capacity with languages to take on the role. Illinois-born Prevost may fit this criteria, with extensive experience in Peru as both a missionary and then an archbishop. He is currently prefect of the Vatican's dicastery for bishops, which handles various administrative and pastoral responsibilities of the Holy See, including the vetting nominations for bishops around the world. At the age of 69, Prevost is younger than many of the other cardinals, which may count against him being selected if others do not wish to risk having another lengthy tenure. Burke, who was born in Wisconsin, has already been touted by some as a possible successor to the pontiff, having participated in the 2013 papal conclave that elected Pope Francis. Regarded by critics as an outspoken traditionalist he was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. Burke publicly clashed with Francis's more liberal philosophies, particularly regarding his willingness to allow divorced and remarried couples to receive the Eucharist. He has also called the church's new language around artificial contraception, civil marriages and gay people 'objectionable'. He previously said that Catholic politicians who support legalized abortion, such as former president Joe Biden, should not receive the Eucharist.
