Latest news with #WillandGrace
Channel 4
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Channel 4
Actor Sean Hayes on the lasting relevance of ‘Goodnight, Oscar'
Sean Hayes is best known to audiences from the sitcom Will and Grace, but now he's taking on a much darker role onstage at London's Barbican theatre playing post-war pianist and actor Oscar Levant. 'Goodnight, Oscar' examines Levant's addiction and mental health struggles framed through an infamous TV appearance in the 1950s.
Daily Mirror
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Benidorm cast now - co-star bitter divorce and career change to cancer tragedy
Plans for Benidorm to reportedly return to screens could be thwarted thanks to a 'miserable' split - but what have some of the stars of the iconic sitcom got up to since the show came to an end? The highly anticipated reboot of Benidorm has been thrown into doubt after the creator's tricky divorce from one of the show's biggest stars, it has been reported. Derren Litten was married to Jake Canuso, who plays Lothario Matteo in the ITV comedy, but their marriage ended in 2023. The relationship between them is said to be tense, seeing reports of a comeback now hanging in the balance. The sun-soaked hit comedy aired for 10 series from 2007 to 2008 with a beloved cast featuring the likes of Johnny Vegas, Tim Healy, Steve Pemberton and Siobhan Finneran. A Listers, including Dame Joan Collins and late Will and Grace star Leslie Jordan, also made surprise appearances. Derren said on X last year: 'I don't really talk about my personal life here but the reason I've been a bit scarce on the socials is for the last 18 months I've been going through a pretty miserable divorce. So I'm obviously poor now. And you thought we couldn't have more in common then we already do?!' A source told The Sun: 'Matteo is Benidorm, he's the character that everyone wants to see. He's been part of the Solana since the beginning so for him not to feature in any future reboot, well it just would not be the same without him. Jake created one of the show's most loved characters in Matteo but with everything that's happened between him and Derren, it's not looking good.' Another insider said: 'Conversations have been had. The only way Jake will return is if ITV make him a huge offer, one that he could not possibly turn down. But obviously Derren is making negotiations difficult. He is the writer and creator and believes that he should make all the decisions - the fans would want to see Matteo, which ITV get. It's all become one big headache.' The majority of big-name stars left before the show was cancelled, so there are no guarantees as to who would make up the new lineup. So as reports swirl about the show's possible return, the Mirror takes a look at what became of some of Benidorm's most memorable stars… Danny Walters The 32-year-old actor, from Essex, played Tiger Dyke on the ITV sitcom from 2014 to 2017. However, Danny Walters made a big change when he left the comedy and joined BBC One soap opera EastEnders in the role of hunky Keanu Taylor. As part of the raucous Taylor clan, Keanu quickly became embroiled in chaos but his big storyline saw him begin an affair with Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean) while dating her step-daughter Louise (Tilly Keeper) - later fathering a child with each of them. Danny remained on EastEnders until he quit in 2019, with Keanu's final scenes airing in early 2020. In a shock twist, Danny returned to the soap in December 2022. One year later his character was killed off on Christmas Day 2023 as part of the famous 'The Six' storyline which saw Linda Carter kill him during an altercation. Jake Canuso The longest-running Benidorm cast member, Italian-British actor and dancer Jake Canuso played Solana barman Mateo Castellanos across the comedy's entire run. Following the conclusion of Benidorm in 2018, Jake joined several other cast members in Derren Little's Benidorm Live stage show, which toured the UK from September 2018 until April 2019 for 250 shows. After the end of his run with Benidorm, Jake collaborated once more with Derren on his BBC One sitcom Scarborough, playing the role of Tony Peroni in the 2019 series. Jake is currently offering paid personalised messages as Mateo via the video service Memmo. A spokesperson for Jake told The Sun they were unaware of any planned return for Benidorm. Sheila Reid Loveable Madge Harvey was played by Sheila Reid across the first six series of Benidorm, returning for a recurring role in the seventh run and a guest stint in the eighth series in 2016. Since leaving Benidorm, Sheila has appeared in Channel 4 sci-fi drama Humans in 2018 as Iris, along with a role in BBC's The Cleaner series three in 2024. In 2018, Sheila also appeared in the Royal Shakespeare Company's production of Troilus and Cressida. Sherrie Hewson Sherrie Hewson is best known to UK viewers for her soap opera roles in Coronation Street, Crossroads, and Emmerdale, but also for her role as a panellist on Loose Women from 2003 to 2017. In 2013, Sherrie joined Benidorm in its fifth series in the role of Joyce Temple-Savage, the new manager of the Solana Hotel. Sherrie remained a staple cast member until the show's cancellation following its tenth run. In 2020, Sherrie appeared on Loose Women to discuss her decision to undergo a facelift cosmetic procedure. She revealed: "I'm not stupid, I know how old I am I've got wrinkles, I just wanted to have some plumpness back and made me feel a bit better about myself. It's made me feel like I can look in the mirror." In 2024, Sherrie, 74, joined the cast of Hollyoaks as the character Martha Blake. Speaking of the reports of a Benidorm revival, the actress said on Best's Suddenly Single podcast: "There is this thing that it's coming back though, and I keep that alive. It is now a possibility. That would be wonderful because we all miss it desperately." Get our breaking news alerts straight to your WhatsApp Join the Mirror's WhatsApp community today for the latest breaking news, our agenda-setting exclusives and top headlines straight to your phone. All you have to do to join is click on this link, select 'Join Community' and you're in! No one will be able to see who's receiving our broadcasts and no one else can send messages except for the Mirror team. We will 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. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Oliver Stokes Oliver played the role of cheeky Michael Garvey in the first seven series of Benidorm from 2007 to 2015. Following his departure from Benidorm, Oliver went on to have a role in two episodes of Casualty as Sean McKern in 2017. Since taking a less active role in the entertainment industry, Oliver works as a successful tradesman and can now be seen on Instagram posting proud photos of his little baby son and showing off his passion for fishing. Explaining his career shift, he told the Mirror: 'It got to a point where I just thought I wanted an income every month guaranteed, instead of not knowing when your next job is going to come. I'd love to get back into the future if the right thing came about but who knows?' Hannah Hobley 36-year-old actress Hannah Hobley played teen Chantelle Garvey in the first three series of Benidorm from 2007 to 2009, memorably becoming a young mother in the series. Since departing Benidorm, Hannah has taken on theatre roles, including roles in stage productions of Sleeping Beauty and Dick Whittington. Hannah is very active on social media, including Instagram and TikTok, and can often be seen producing amusing content. Over on Instagram, mum-of-one Hannah often shares throwback snaps to her time on Benidorm as part of the Garvey clan. Kenny Ireland Scottish actor and theatre director Kenny Ireland played the popular role of Donald Stewart on Benidorm from its inception until his death at the age of 68 in 2014. Kenny's brain cancer diagnosis was announced a month prior to his death in July 2014, with his final episodes of Benidorm being in the sixth series. Derren Little penned at the time on Twitter: "Terribly sad news guys. Kenny Ireland lost his very long battle with cancer this morning. Miss you so much already dear friend. X". The character of Donald was subsequently killed off and mourned on-screen in the show's eighth run. Asa Elliot British actor and singer Asa Elliot appeared as himself on Benidorm from 2010 until 2014 and later joined Benidorm Live following the show's end. In 2018, Asa also appeared and sang in PBS' Doo Wop Generations, performing Those Magic Changes. In 2020, Asa revealed that he had been singing on cruise ships until the Covid pandemic disrupted his work. He then took up work as an Asda delivery driver to supplement his income in these difficult times. Asa told BBC Look North of the impact of the pandemic on the entertainment industry, according to The List:"It's really hit us completely. We still don't know when we're going back to work." He added of his time as a delivery driver: "I've only encountered a few 'Benidorm' fans. I delivered to a lady on Hornsea the other day and she was very star-struck." Tony Maudsley English actor Tony Maudsley is best known for his role as hairdresser Kenneth Du Beke on Benidorm, a role he played from 2011 until the show's end in 2018. Tony, 57, also reprised the role of Kenneth for the Benidorm Live run from 2018 to 2019. Since the end of the sitcom, he has appeared as Spearman in the BBC Two Cold War drama series Summer of Rockets and then later landed the humorous role of funeral director George Shuttleworth in Coronation Street in 2020 and has remained a staple on the soap since his introduction. In 2024 he appeared in a celebrity special of The Chase and opened up on the unexpected nerves he felt. 'The minute I said yes to going on The Chase, the nerves started to kick in. Faced with a ticking clock, a chance to win big for charity and a studio audience, the pressure and my nerves went through the roof!,' he told the Daily Star. Johnny Vegas Comic legend Johnny Vegas appeared in the first three series of Benidorm as Geoff Maltby aka "The Oracle", returning to reprise his role in the seventh to ninth series from 2014 to 2017. Since leaving Benidorm, Johnny has appeared as a regular panellist on BBC quiz show QI and also on the celebrity edition of Gogglebox, along with voicing the character of Asbo in 2018 Aardman Animations film Early Man. Johnny has also made guest appearances on other comedy shows such as the sitcom Red Dwarf and game show Taskmaster. He is also set to appear in Johnny Vegas' Little Shop Of Antiques where he 'investigates, hunts and repairs pieces to add to his collection'. Siobhan Finneran Former Downton Abbey actress Siobhan Finneran played Janice Garvey on Benidorm from 2007 until the show's seventh run in 2015. She and Steve Pemberton announced their decision to leave the show during Benidorm's sixth series, with Siobhan explaining to What's on TV at the time: 'We were in a terrible state. It was our decision to stop, but it was still heartbreaking. A lot of guest stars – brilliant people like David Bradley – have said it's a treat of a job, and they're right.' She added: 'So it was really, really upsetting to say goodbye to the cast and crew. You know you're not going to work with them ever again. Then to come home and think, 'Blimey, we've actually done it', is quite something.' Since leaving Benidorm, Siobhan has appeared as Clare Cartwright in gritty BBC One crime drama Happy Valley, appeared in the crime drama The Moorside based on the disappearance of Shannon Matthews, the BBC comedy series The Other One, and last year appeared in hit Netflix thriller The Stranger. She's currently back on our screen's in ITV's gritty cop thriller, Protection. Steve Pemberton Leaving Benidorm at the same time as Siobhan was her on-screen husband, celebrated The League of Gentleman star Steve Pemberton, who played Mick Garvey on the show from 2007 until 2015. Since departing Benidorm, Steve has continued appearing on comedy anthology series Inside No. 9, appeared in Amazon Prime Video fantasy series Good Omens, played Mr Braithwaite in Worzel Gummidge, and joined the cast of Killing Eve season 3 as the slippery Paul. He also appeared on the most recent series of Taskmaster. In 2019, Steve won a television BAFTA award for Best Male Comedy Performance for his work on Inside No. 9.
Buzz Feed
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
11 TV Show Episodes To Celebrate Pride Month
Will and Grace — "Queens for a Day Part 1 and 2" (Season 7, Episodes 10 and 11) A lot of things happen in this Thanksgiving episode of Will and Grace. Will Truman tries to impress his boyfriend, Vince D'Angelo's family, and Vince's sister, Ro D'Angelo, reveals a secret about her sexuality to Jack McFarland. It's hilarious and worth watching in June, even if it's set in November. Never Have I Ever "...Been a Big Fat Liar" (Season 1, Episode 7) In this episode, Fabiola Torres comes out to her mom, Elise Torres, making this a positive and uplifting Pride Month watch. Ginny and Georgia — "Latkes Are Lit" (Season 2, Episode 5) In "Latkes Are Lit," Maxine Baxer and Sophie Sanchez plan to take their relationship further. The OC — "Lonely Hearts Club" (Season 2, Episode 12) The OC fans still talk about Olivia Wilde's guest appearance as Alex Kelly. She makes the show edgier, and in "The Lonely Hearts Club," Alex and Marissa take their relationship to the next level. Golden Girls — "Scared Straight" (Season 4, Episode 9) In Golden Girls, "Scared Straight," Blanche Devereaux's brother, Clayton Hollingsworth, comes to visit. Blanche tries to set him up on dates with women, until he finally reveals why he's not interested. Survival of the Thickest — "Are You Crying, B***?" (Season 1, Episode 4) In this empowering episode of Survival of the Thickest, Marley tells her therapist, Anita how liberating she feels after experiencing her queer side. Grey's Anatomy — "White Wedding" (Season 7, Episode 20) In this romantic episode of Grey's Anatomy, the couple Callie Torres and Arizona Robbins finally tie the knot despite the challenges they face during their big day. Grace and Frankie — "The End" (Season 1, Episode 1) A show about two women whose husbands leave them for each other is a given to watch during Pride Month. Grace Hanson and Frankie Bergstein receive the shocking news that their husbands, Sol Bergstein and Robert Hanson, have been in love with each other. And Just Like That — "Tragically Hip" (Season 1, Episode 5) Such a prominent character, who fans have known for years, explores a change in her sexuality. In And Just Like That, "Tragically Hip" Miranda Hobbs experiences her first queer hookup with Che Diaz. She then has a realization about her sexual preference. Harlem — "Pride" (Season 2, Episode 5) After Quinn Joseph goes through a breakup with her ex-girlfriend, Isabela Benitez-Santiago, she's ready to let loose at New York's Pride. But she ends up drunk and a mess. In the meantime, Tye Reynolds thinks about leaving her LGBTQ+ dating app to start a new one. In the middle of her decision, many couples reveal their romantic success stories with the app. Modern Family — "The Wedding Part 1 and 2" (Season 5, Episodes 23 and 24) In this special episode of Modern Family, Mitchell Pritchett and Cameron Tucker officially say I do. After seasons worth of love and watching them raise a witty daughter, to see TV's hilarious couple finally be legally tied to one another is exciting and emotional. Throughout part 1 and part 2 of the episodes, the two face multiple challenges from wildfires to stolen venues, but of course, they eventually get the celebration they deserve. Looking for more LGBTQ+ or Pride content? Then check out all of BuzzFeed's posts celebrating Pride 2025.
Sky News AU
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Victims of antisemitism speak out on discrimination as 'October 8 film' delves into growth of anti-Israel sentiment in US
Two prominent campaigners against antisemitism have spoken out on their fight against discrimination as they reflected on the release of the film October 8. The film was directed by Wendy Sachs and co-produced with Will and Grace star Debra Messing - who comes from a Jewish family. It delves into incidents of antisemitism on college campuses and social media in the United States which erupted in the wake of the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The documentary, which was released on March 14, 2025, has received mainly positive reviews and now Talia Khan and Tessa Veksler are continuing the fight to educate others and ward off antisemitism and hate speech. Ms Khan, a graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), delivered a testimony to Congress in December 2023 to bring to their attention the "extremely toxic atmosphere" that had developed at the college and to advocate for the safety of Jewish students. On Wednesday, she and Ms Veksler, fellow campaigner for Jewish people, joined Sky News' Chris Kenny to discuss the film and the alarming levels of discrimination they had been subjected to. "I think that one of the biggest benefits of this film and the way that the story was told is that it shows very clearly that the things that were happening on campus that happened to Tessa, that happened me, and all the other Jewish students on campus... it wasn't about politics or policy, it wasn't about whether or not you agree with (Israeli PM Benjamin) Netanyahu or not," Ms Khan told Kenny. "It was really just bullying and hatred and support for terror." She also said she would make an effort to speak with people who took part in pro-Palestine encampments on campus, but that she would be turned away due to them having a "non-conversation policy with Zionists". "They're not even allowed to talk to us. Many of them wouldn't look us in the eye. So it was very clear that it wasn't about having an environment of intellectual curiosity or rigorous debate about the policy issues. It was just about hatred and promotion of terror," she said. Ms Veksler, who survived a recall vote to remain head of the student body at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said one of the biggest challenges had been people who she thought she was close to turning on her. "I think that was a really painful thing that people who you thought were your allies were so quick to change their minds... and there are these striking similarities between what we went through on our campuses and what's happening here in Australia and on university campuses, and so it's pretty universal from what I'm seeing," she said. When asked about how the world could overturn hatred and ignorance, Ms Veksler said it had to start with people agreeing "what this is about". "First and foremost, this is a fight for Western values and for humanity against hatred of all kinds. The thing that people really don't understand is that it starts with the Jews, it never ends with us," she said. "So if we care about the free world and we can all agree on that, it will help us unite against this form of hatred." Ms Khan agreed, describing Jews as "the canary in the coal mine". "This is a battle against Western values, against democracy, against women's rights, et cetera," she said. "We need to make that not just Jews are standing up and speaking out against us, that we have allies who are also standing up and speaking up against this kind of hate and this kind, you know, revelling in terror."
The Sun
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Bradley Cooper's new movie is based on life of huge British comedian – but can you work out who?
BRADLEY Cooper's latest film is inspired by a very unlikely standup comic. The upcoming movie, Is This Thing On?, stars BoJack Horseman's Will Arnett as a newly-divorced man who falls into a career of stand-up while working as a pharmaceutical salesman. 5 5 Hollywood star Bradley Cooper's new film is based on none other than John Bishop. The Liverpudlian favourite got into comedy in 2000 after splitting with his wife Melanie after randomly wandering into a comedy club in Manchester. The shock news was revealed on Richard Herring's Leicester Square Theatre Podcast when comedian Chloe Radcliffe – who plays a stand-up in the film – shared the surprising fact. She said: " Bradley Cooper is directing a movie starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern. Their relationship goes south, they split up, and Will Arnett discovers stand-up comedy. "It is based on the life of John Bishop. I promise you. I think Will and John sat next to each other at a dinner ten years ago and Will heard his story was like, 'That rules, I want to do that someday. "So anyway that's the movie that I just wrapped on…" She continued: "I'm playing the stand-up who like believes in him." The Hangover star Bradley directs and stars as his best friend Alex, while Bishop serves as an executive producer on the film. The impressive cast also includes Ciarán Hinds, former NFL star Peyton Manning, comedian Amy Sedaris and Will and Grace's Sean Hayes along with his husband, Scott Icenogle. Bishop told Graham Norton previously: "So, I'd split up with my wife, it was a Monday night. I had the kids all weekend, and on a Monday I was just depressed, so I thought, 'I'll do something that you can do on your own.' And it was either a comedy club or lap dancing. Iconic clip where Alan from Hangover unexpectedly acquires a random baby "I was 34 coming on to 35 and I was just looking for something to do. I walked up to the door thinking it would be a full comedy club, and the guy on the door said to me, 'It's £4 to get in, but it's free if you put your name down.' "For what?". He said, 'It's an open mic night.' And I genuinely didn't know what that meant. "He said: 'That means you put your name down, and if your name gets called out, you get on stage.' "And because I'd only been to two comedy clubs and it'd always been full, I thought, 'Well, there'll be 200 people. They'll never get to me.' "And, you know, it was four pounds. I was going through a divorce. I thought, 'Well, that's four pounds she's not getting.' "I put my name down, expecting never to be called out, and I walked in and there was seven people in the place, and five of them had put their name down. "I got called out second. If I'd have been called out third, I might have already left. So I got called out second after a Geordie fella doing chicken impressions. "Then he [compere Mick Ferry] called my name, and I walked on stage. I'd never been on a stage. I'd done sales presentations and stuff like that. "I remember the lights in my eyes and saying something about the lights being bright, and then I thought, 'What am I doing here? This is just ridiculous.' Like, I'd never thought of doing this. "Then I thought, 'Well, what's my choice? I'm going to go home to an empty house, not living with the woman I want to live with, not living with my kids. I'll just go home to a bottle of wine, and what have I got to lose? There's only seven people here and one of them thinks he's a chicken.' "So I literally started talking. I said some half joke, and then I had nothing to say, I had no joke, so I just went, 'I'm getting divorced.' And I started talking about getting divorced. "In comedy clubs, when your time's up, there's a red light that flashes, I didn't even know that. So I remember going, 'Oh, your light's broke,' and I just carried on talking. "I was meant to do seven minutes but because there was no one there they let me carry on. I did about 25 minutes. "When I walked off I remember Mick the compere and the fella who ran the place coming up to me and saying, 'Where have you been doing your stand-up?'" "It's like counselling," admitted Bishop. 5 5 5
