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The Herald Scotland
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Crook who wanted to sell Scottish tea to China is like Ealing comedy
Here's how the synopsis runs. Act 1. Cheeky, confident, former professional rugby player, army officer and acclaimed polymer scientist Tam O' Braan sets up home in a cosy Perthshire village where he establishes a tea-growing estate, The Wee Tea Plantation, on which his home-grown plants are encouraged to rise in defiance of the Scottish climate by a special biodegradable polymer and controlled UV light. This pioneer of our very own tea empire, who once worked for Barack Obama's US government on a major maize project, then produces a very special Scottish tea, a fragrance which hints at Bannockburn, Oor Wullie and indeed the spirit of Muriel Spark. O'Braan then proceeds to sell his home-grown plants onto many other hopeful growers, whom he convinces that the world will embrace their Scottish tea in the way it has whisky, Billy Connolly, and anything with a Tunnock's label attached. But O'Braan doesn't simply sell plants. He takes examples of his heather and thistle infused blends – with names such as Scottish Antlers Tea and Highland Green, and sells the leaf tea to a huge range of upmarket clients such as the Balmoral Hotel and The Dorchester in London, while describing his tasty cuppa as 'the Queen's favourite'. And he makes an absolute packet. The tea man doesn't stop there. The hob kettle that is his publicity machine almost boils over; BBC Scotland offer coverage; John Swinney views his product. More and more hopeful growers buy up his plants. The story has all the hallmarks of Passport to Pimlico independence and defiance. It's as cleverly organised as whisky capture in Whisky Galore. O' Braan's enterprise suggests the precision and wonder of the string quartet who took over Mrs Wilberforce's home in The Ladykillers. He even announces plans to sell his tea to China. Act 2. O'Braan becomes a celebrity, and sales rocketed. Between 2015 and 2018 he supplied 22,000 plants to growers in Scotland at £12.50 each. His loose tea was gulped down by the rich and famous. Tam O'Braan was brewing up to becoming Scotland's first tea millionaire since Thomas Lipton. This was the stuff of Ealing movies indeed, with themes such as community, dreams and ordinary people having the option to create extraordinary lives. However, Ealing stories never, ever turn out how as expected, the initial cosiness often turning dark as a winter's night on Lewis. The new community of tea growers discovered that Scotland isn't the easiest place to keep his plants alive; after battling for seven years, one Perthshire family managed to harvest less than 4oz of finished tea. This was now a Kind Hearts and Coronets tale. Dreams were being murdered one by one. Suspicions arose. A wily Food Standards detective – a Mrs Wilberforce figure (but without the Victorian frock coat and the flat hat with flowers attached) – began to investigate the tale. A tea expert was brought in, who confirmed that tea plants deprived of UV light would in fact die like orchids in a desert. The Ealing Comedy classic The Ladykillers (Image: free) And when the Scottish Mrs Wilberforce attempted to ascertain the provenance of the original plants – and indeed O'Braan himself – he claimed certificates were lost in a flood of near biblical proportions which washed away part of his cottage. Eventually, the 55-year-old did admit the original plants (bought for £3 each) may have originated from Italy. But they became Scottish he argued, as the roots had been sunk into Scottish soil. It was argument not even the most desperate failed asylum seeker has ever made. With their plants wilting like an end-of-season football team in the final seconds of injury time, angry purchasers demanded the Wee Tea plants be tested. Incredibly, O'Braan sold a story to the local press saying thousands of plants had been stolen. (A series of tea leaves with a fleet of tractors perhaps?) And his digital records were destroyed when his IT advisor mistakenly switched off his account. When Mrs Wilberforce investigated further, he discovered that the special polymer conversion kit was little more than a black bin liner. Going into overdrive, the agency detective discovered that O'Braan was a 'stage name'. was in fact Thomas Robinson who sometimes called himself Tom O'Brien or Thomas James. And he wasn't Irish at all but was born in Greenwich, England. Robinson had in fact imported the tea plants from Italy, before showing them on to the likes of buyers for Fortnum and Mason of London. Read more Meanwhile he sold more than a tonne of his loose tea, bought from Malawi and China for 100 times more than cost. And didn't Ealing comedies always satirise greed? But in a way, the Wee Tea company tale reminds us we need stories such as this to spring from the ground. They are a fantastic warning that we can all so easily be conned. It's a story that confirms we shouldn't be sold on Scottishness alone. On hope. Yet, while we felt an element of sympathy for most of the Ealing villains, (even murderer Denis Price in Kind Hearts and Coronets) what of Robinson, the charismatic fantasist, the pathological liar and conman who received a lengthy custodial sentence? Not at all. He hurt the Scottish tea industry and propagated nothing more than wrecked dreams. 'I wanted to leave something that would stand in the history of tea,' he said in the dock. And he has. The history of tea in Scotland now has an Ealing of a story. And I fancy Alan Cumming for the lead role.
Daily Record
30-05-2025
- Daily Record
Scottish Del Boy's tea scam conned luxury clients out of £550k
Thomas Robinson supplied Edinburgh's Balmoral and other big hotels with 'authentically Scottish' single-estate tea. A conman was behind bars last night for a £550,000 fraud in which he sold luxury 'Scottish-grown' tea to posh hotels – that he'd bought from overseas. Thomas Robinson supplied Edinburgh's Balmoral and other big hotels with 'authentically Scottish' single-estate tea from his Wee Tea Plantation. The chancer even claimed tea he supplied to five-star The Dorchester in London was 'the Queen's favourite'. The reality was not unlike Del Boy Trotter's Peck-ham Spring scam in the TV comedy Only Fools and Horses, where Del fills bottles with water from his kitchen tap to sell on – at a considerable profit. Robinson, 55, rented a former sheep farm in Perthshire where he planted tea plants for show then imported more than a ton of tea from overseas and repacked it. One expert said a kilo of quality tea from Africa could be sold for 100 times what it cost if it was passed off as being grown in Scotland. The scale of Robinson's lies was laid bare in a three-and-a-half-week long case at Falkirk Sheriff Court. He was found guilty of defrauding tea growers of £274,354 and the hotels and tea companies of £278,634 – a total of nearly £553,000 – between January 2014 and February 2019. Robinson denied the crimes, claiming paperwork for his defence had been destroyed in a flood and his electronic records had been lost. The conman, also known as Tom O'Braan, bought tea plants from a nursery in Sussex called Plants4Presents. He carried out his scam by showing tea plants to buyers such as those acting for Fortnum and Mason of London, where the wealthiest in society like to shop. Other victims who bought the Wee Tea Plantation's supposedly single-estate Scottish-grown tea products included France's oldest tea house, Mariage Frères. He claimed to have found a way of making his tea grow in half the usual time at the former kitchen garden at Dalreoch Farm, at Amulree in Perthshire, using a 'special biodegradable poly-mer' which the prosecution said looked like a black bin liner. He claimed to have given a presentation on his methods to the Royal Horticultural Society. The tea menu at the Balmoral Hotel's Palm Court, based on descriptions Robinson gave them, boasted: 'Our Scottish grown teas come from gardens in our farming heartlands in Perthshire and Dumfries and Galloway.' The teas had names including Dalreoch White, Silver Needles, Scottish Antlers Tea, and Highland Green. Robinson spun customers lies that his company had sold tea to Kensington Palace and that he was a former rugby star and multi-millionaire. He also claimed to be a polymer scientist, had invented the 'Bag For Life', served in the Army in bomb dis-posal and worked for ex-US president Barack Obama's administration on a maize project. Prosecutors described this as 'the CV of a fantasist'. The court heard Robinson disguised that he was repackaging foreign tea and selling it on by getting it delivered to a mailbox address in Glasgow registered to a company called 'Thomas James Consultants'. He also paid through a joint personal bank account, not the business account of The Wee Tea Plantation. Robinson managed to sow success stories in the Press. He appeared on a BBC podcast, telling presenter Mark Stephen he had learned to quickly grow tea plants by restricting UV light. An expert later said this would kill them. Robinson also claimed to have produced tea plants at his farm from cuttings and seed. Between 2015 and 2018 he supplied 22,000 plants to a dozen other growers in Scotland and one in Jersey at £12.50 each. The jury heard that over the period he was actually importing tea plants at €3 each from a horticulturalist in Italy. He either passed them off as Scottish-grown or allowed his customers to assume they were. Many died or did not thrive, and yields were a fraction of what Robinson's customers expected. One grower, Henry Baggott, 45, an antique dealer, who bought thousands of plants for his wife's family farm near Castle Douglas, said Robinson had told him he could expect to be picking his first tea at the end of a year. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He promised an eventual yield of 100 kilos (220lb) of top-quality tea plus 450kg (992lb) of secondary leaf for blends. After battling for seven years, the Baggotts finally managed to harvest just 100g (less than 4oz) of finished tea. Robinson claimed that with the exception of 15,000 plants sold to a grower in Jersey, all the Italian plants had been in Scottish ground for a period and that made them Scottish. The scam began to unravel in 2017 after Perth and Kinross Council tried to locate Robinson's food processing licence. When a Scottish Government adviser asked about plant passports, he insisted all the plants were for his own use, then tried to cover up by sending a story to the local Press claiming thousands of his plants had been stolen. Prosecutor Joanne Ritchie said Robinson formed 'a scheme to deceive and make money on the basis of lies'. She said: 'When you look at what he was actually doing, the suggestion that this was genuine Scottish tea or these were Scottish-grown plants is almost laughable. 'He lied to every single witness who encountered him, but more than that he lied to the population at large, to the people who had been buying this tea on the understanding it was Scottish.' Robinson, of Amulree, Perthshire, insisted he had done no wrong. He told the jury: 'I wanted to leave something that would stand in the history of tea.' He shook his head when the verdicts were announced. Sheriff Keith O'Mahony deferred sentence for reports until June 25 and remanded Robinson in custody. He told him: 'There will be significant sentencing consequences for you.'
Scotsman
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Apéritifs and Après-Ski: A Gourmet Getaway in the North Italian Alps
We visit Courmayeur for a weekend of skiing and fine dining, here's everything we discovered about this fascinating travel destination. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A quaint Alpine village on the edge of Northern Italy with bones of stone and timber, Courmayeur rises from the white, rocky mountains at the foot of Mont Blanc. It is breathtaking from every angle. A perfect picture, threaded with a medieval undercurrent: solid, stoic architecture that softens into the landscape and emits a low, effortless hum of luxury. The air is so crisp it scrubs your thoughts raw. Daylight feels quieter here, folding carefully over the sloped slate roofs and hand-carved wooden balconies. Time in Courmayeur settles like snow, it seems to move with a soft, slow certainty. I visited the town in late March for the annual Mountain Gourmet Ski Experience, a lavish two day bacchanal organised by Momentum events where appetite and altitude converge under the direction of Michelin star chefs - a sequence of Alpine feasts for those who prefer their après-ski with cooking that revels in its own indulgence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kaitlin Wraight Over the course of the event we attended three meals prepared by Jean-Philippe Blondet, Emily Roux, and their respective teams. Blondet is the executive chef at the three-Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, where modern French cuisine is delivered with polished precision. Roux, who earned her first star earlier this year at the Michelin ceremony in Glasgow, brings a more personal, intuitive touch at Caractère — her warmly minimalist, French-inspired restaurant in Notting Hill. Day 1 The experience opened with an evening meal at Shatush, a cream coloured chalet at the heart of the Aosta Valley that leans gently into the surrounding mountains. The space carries an easy glamour, dimly lit in plush tones of violet and magnolia. Long tables lined the room where diners gathered over crisp white linen cloth, glasses catching the soft light as conversation brewed in anticipation of what was to come. Kaitlin Wraight The name Roux carries weight in the culinary world - a legacy built on generations of precision, innovation and exacting standards. Stepping into that tradition with a modern sensibility, Emily applied both technical skill and personal vision to each plate, evident from the very first dish: a canopy of charcoal croustade topped with whisky and soy-smoked salmon, a flicker of trout roe, and a dash of wasabi. Cool and delicate, it released a delicious fragrance that lingered beyond the first bite. Her starter followed - Balfegó bluefin tuna, its deep-red slices arranged with surgical precision over a mandarin ponzu, brightened with yuzu and a flick of chilli. For a moment I was transported to warmer, wilder oceans before returning to the still, cool hush of the Alps. Blondet's John Dory followed — a quiet, composed plate of roasted fish accompanied by cauliflower, Comté, and a whisper of black lemon. It expanded in flavour and texture with each bite, every element considered and measured. Service moved like clockwork, delivered with a warmth and enthusiasm that lifted the room. All dishes were sharp, punchy and refined - thoughtfully paired with wines that echoed and deepened every note. As the meal drew to a close, tables were cleared and the restaurant transformed into a nightclub. This initial dinner set a tone of elegance and innovation - one that seamlessly carried throughout the weekend. Kaitlin Wraight Day 2 Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The landscape glowed under a soft morning sun as we made our way toward the mountains for skiing. A novice, I took a two hour lesson with a skilled and very patient instructor, learning how to glide across the snow - not quite with grace. Still, I emerged with a basic grasp to build on and a measure of pride at having taken on the challenge. Afterwards, we headed to La Chaumière, a restaurant halfway up the slope where Blondet and Roux worked behind a smoking grill on the terrace preparing for an afternoon barbecue. Lunch captured the true aprés ski spirit as guests arrived energised and in full gear, fresh from winter sporting activities. Stations sprawled across the sunlit chalet, offering cured meats, ribs, smoky port, and baked potatoes topped with glossy pearls of caviar. We indulged in Aperol spritzes and draught beers, clutched between icy fingers while dancing beside a DJ booth that spun classic beats into the crisp mountain air. Peaks stretched out before us in every direction - a jovial unwinding under the most amazing views. After freshening up we returned to La Chaumière for the 'at home sharing dinner'. Outside, the mountains has darkened into spiky silhouettes against a deep navy sky, pierced by sharp, shining stars - a splendid backdrop for the chalet's warm wooden dining room glowing amber through its wide set windows. The picture developed as we ascended the slope once more, this time lined on a snowmobile. On arrival we were greeted with glasses of locally produced wine from the Valle d'Aosta - crisp and delicious. Kaitlin Wraight We were familiar with the chefs by this stage, and they too had eased fully into the rhythm of Courmayeur. They stepped out of the kitchen and into the commotion, serving up plates and joining the evening's conviviality. Knives and forks chimed as we tucked into the feast. Service was theatricals each course arriving with a sense of ceremony. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After a round of audacious canapés we enjoyed a rich and fragrant black truffle risotto, followed by slow and serious lamb shank - so tender it barely needed a breath to fall apart, and so succulent its juices sweetly swelled on the tongue. The meal closed on a sweet note with a creamy, crumbly cheesecake. It was a solemn, celebratory gesture to conclude the experience. To sum it up… For those who enjoy both turning the slopes and a perfectly executed plate, the Mountain Gourmet Ski Experience offers a rare convergence of both. It's a celebration of appetite and altitude, where world class chefs bring refinement to the rugged beauty of the Alps. It's a weekend that lingers deviously, even after the snow has melted. Travel Facts
Scotsman
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
A gourmet getaway in the Italian Alps
We visit Courmayeur for a weekend of skiing and fine dining, here's everything we discovered about this fascinating travel destination. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A quaint Alpine village on the edge of Northern Italy with bones of stone and timber, Courmayeur rises from the white, rocky mountains at the foot of Mont Blanc. It is breathtaking from every angle. A perfect picture, threaded with a medieval undercurrent: solid, stoic architecture that softens into the landscape and emits a low, effortless hum of luxury. The air is so crisp it scrubs your thoughts raw. Daylight feels quieter here, folding carefully over the sloped slate roofs and hand-carved wooden balconies. Time in Courmayeur settles like snow, it seems to move with a soft, slow certainty. I visited the town in late March for the annual Mountain Gourmet Ski Experience, a lavish two day bacchanal organised by Momentum events where appetite and altitude converge under the direction of Michelin star chefs - a sequence of Alpine feasts for those who prefer their après-ski with cooking that revels in its own indulgence. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Kaitlin Wraight Over the course of the event we attended three meals prepared by Jean-Philippe Blondet, Emily Roux, and their respective teams. Blondet is the executive chef at the three-Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, where modern French cuisine is delivered with polished precision. Roux, who earned her first star earlier this year at the Michelin ceremony in Glasgow, brings a more personal, intuitive touch at Caractère — her warmly minimalist, French-inspired restaurant in Notting Hill. Day 1 The experience opened with an evening meal at Shatush, a cream coloured chalet at the heart of the Aosta Valley that leans gently into the surrounding mountains. The space carries an easy glamour, dimly lit in plush tones of violet and magnolia. Long tables lined the room where diners gathered over crisp white linen cloth, glasses catching the soft light as conversation brewed in anticipation of what was to come. Kaitlin Wraight The name Roux carries weight in the culinary world - a legacy built on generations of precision, innovation and exacting standards. Stepping into that tradition with a modern sensibility, Emily applied both technical skill and personal vision to each plate, evident from the very first dish: a canopy of charcoal croustade topped with whisky and soy-smoked salmon, a flicker of trout roe, and a dash of wasabi. Cool and delicate, it released a delicious fragrance that lingered beyond the first bite. Her starter followed - Balfegó bluefin tuna, its deep-red slices arranged with surgical precision over a mandarin ponzu, brightened with yuzu and a flick of chilli. For a moment I was transported to warmer, wilder oceans before returning to the still, cool hush of the Alps. Blondet's John Dory followed — a quiet, composed plate of roasted fish accompanied by cauliflower, Comté, and a whisper of black lemon. It expanded in flavour and texture with each bite, every element considered and measured. Service moved like clockwork, delivered with a warmth and enthusiasm that lifted the room. All dishes were sharp, punchy and refined - thoughtfully paired with wines that echoed and deepened every note. As the meal drew to a close, tables were cleared and the restaurant transformed into a nightclub. This initial dinner set a tone of elegance and innovation - one that seamlessly carried throughout the weekend. Kaitlin Wraight Day 2 Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The landscape glowed under a soft morning sun as we made our way toward the mountains for skiing. A novice, I took a two hour lesson with a skilled and very patient instructor, learning how to glide across the snow - not quite with grace. Still, I emerged with a basic grasp to build on and a measure of pride at having taken on the challenge. Afterwards, we headed to La Chaumière, a restaurant halfway up the slope where Blondet and Roux worked behind a smoking grill on the terrace preparing for an afternoon barbecue. Lunch captured the true aprés ski spirit as guests arrived energised and in full gear, fresh from winter sporting activities. Stations sprawled across the sunlit chalet, offering cured meats, ribs, smoky port, and baked potatoes topped with glossy pearls of caviar. We indulged in Aperol spritzes and draught beers, clutched between icy fingers while dancing beside a DJ booth that spun classic beats into the crisp mountain air. Peaks stretched out before us in every direction - a jovial unwinding under the most amazing views. After freshening up we returned to La Chaumière for the 'at home sharing dinner'. Outside, the mountains has darkened into spiky silhouettes against a deep navy sky, pierced by sharp, shining stars - a splendid backdrop for the chalet's warm wooden dining room glowing amber through its wide set windows. The picture developed as we ascended the slope once more, this time lined on a snowmobile. On arrival we were greeted with glasses of locally produced wine from the Valle d'Aosta - crisp and delicious. Kaitlin Wraight We were familiar with the chefs by this stage, and they too had eased fully into the rhythm of Courmayeur. They stepped out of the kitchen and into the commotion, serving up plates and joining the evening's conviviality. Knives and forks chimed as we tucked into the feast. Service was theatricals each course arriving with a sense of ceremony. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After a round of audacious canapés we enjoyed a rich and fragrant black truffle risotto, followed by slow and serious lamb shank - so tender it barely needed a breath to fall apart, and so succulent its juices sweetly swelled on the tongue. The meal closed on a sweet note with a creamy, crumbly cheesecake. It was a solemn, celebratory gesture to conclude the experience. To sum it up… For those who enjoy both turning the slopes and a perfectly executed plate, the Mountain Gourmet Ski Experience offers a rare convergence of both. It's a celebration of appetite and altitude, where world class chefs bring refinement to the rugged beauty of the Alps. It's a weekend that lingers deviously, even after the snow has melted. Travel Facts
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kim Cattrall, 68, reveals why she always kept a 'professional line' from her SATC character Samantha Jones and insists the aesthetic pressure women face is 'unrealistic'
Kim Cattrall has revealed why she always kept a 'professional line' from her Sex At The City character Samantha Jones. In an interview with Grazia at five-star hotel The Dorchester in London, Kim looked incredible as she modelled a slew of ensembles for the shoot. The actress, 68, who insisted Samantha's wardrobe choice she 'wasn't me', said people often couldn't decipher between her reality and her character. And so to avoid any confusion, Kim made sure to keep a 'very clear' difference between her and Samantha. She said: 'I never really kept a lot of what Samantha wore, because it just wasn't me. I discovered early on that people got slightly confused or miffed, questioning why I didn't embrace more of Samantha. 'There is a very clear line for me in my professional life.' Kim revealed she often gave away some of Samantha's outfits to charity and her family and friends. The Hollywood star also discussed the 'unrealistic' aesthetic pressure women face throughout their lives. She said: 'Well, first of all, it's a bunch of BS. And second, I just don't have time for it. People expect you to [look] 20, 30 years [younger]? That's not possible, even with all the potions and procedures and lasers and regimes and diets. It's unrealistic. 'Why would you want to put yourself in that straitjacket to begin with? I want to look good, of course, who doesn't? But I want to feel good while looking good and it's my choice of how I do that, and it's no one else's business.' Sex And The City fans were left sharply divided by the new season three trailer for the controversial spinoff And Just Like That. Sarah Jessica Parker, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon are all back in their beloved respective roles of Carrie Bradshaw, Charlotte York and Miranda Hobbes. Jon Corbett has also returned as Carrie's ex Aidan, a recurring part he played on the original series, winning the hearts of viewers. Aidan featured on season two of And Just Like That... as he and Carrie attempted to reignite their old relationship, only to end up going their separate ways again. In spite of their latest breakup, however, Aidan reappears in the new trailer, leaving a few embers of hope still glowing for their romance. The sneak peek drew polarized reactions on social media - and diehard viewers of the original show were furious over one particularly glaring omission. Kim's character Samantha, one of the four leads on Sex And The City, is still not part of And Just Like That. After years of rumors that Kim did not get along with the rest of the original cast, she notably refused to return for the spinoff series. Season two did feature a brief appearance by Samantha, who was shown talking to Carrie on the phone from London - meaning Kim did not film with the rest of the cast. At the end of season two, Aidan splits from Carrie in order to live in Virginia with his children until they are all adults - a milestone about five years off. Carrie and Aidan planned to get back together after he was able to move back to New York, and in the trailer, they make a concerted effort to keep their spark alive. Aidan sends Carrie a postcard and can even be seen visiting her in New York, though his attempt to be romantic by tossing a stone at her window goes awry when he ends up shattering the glass and terrifying her. Season two did feature a brief appearance by Samantha, who was shown talking to Carrie on the phone from London - meaning Kim did not film with the rest of the cast Fans in general were split, with many expressing disinterest, such as one X user who replied to a post of the trailer with a GIF of RuPaul saying: 'mehhh' Meanwhile Charlotte and her lawyer husband Henry (Evan Hander) are caught in the whirl of raising their daughters Lily (Caty Ang) and Rose (Alexa Swinton), while Miranda continues exploring her queer sexuality in New York. When Max dropped the new preview on X, formerly Twitter, one of the top replies was: 'And everybody was hoping to see queen Kim Cattrall in trailer'. Another viewer reacted by posting a GIF of Kim and asking: 'Where is samantha?' whilst others posed questions like: 'why samantha aint in it'. Fans in general were split, with many expressing disinterest, such as one X user who replied to a post of the trailer with a GIF of RuPaul saying: 'mehhh.' ' intrigued. Sorry,' wrote one viewer as another observed: 'You can tell no one even cares anyomore - they ruined it so hard.' One felt: 'This looks miles better than the first two seasons tbh,' but another wrote: 'this looks even worse than the first seasons, which i didn't think was possible.' Another social media user was exasperated at Carrie's love life, saying: 'Over ten years later, it's still up in the air with Aidan. Girl, stop!' Season three will premiere May 29, with newly added cast members including Rosie O'Donnell and Broadway titan Patti LuPone. There were some social media users who expressed excitement, such as one who exclaimed: 'Sold! Can't wait for May 29'.
