Posted on

James Cracknell fears the exhaustion of Strictly Come Dancing could trigger another epileptic fit – The Sun

STRICTLY’S James Cracknell fears exhaustion from taking part in the show could cause an epileptic fit — after he began suffering the condition following a near-fatal accident.

The Olympic gold medallist, 47, whose son saved him after his first seizure, was bottom of the leaderboard in Saturday night’s opening episode.

He was awarded just 11 points for his Tango with partner Luba Mushtuk, 29.

But Cracknell has told the Russian professional that he must be careful during their ten-hour training days as his seizures are triggered by tiredness.

He developed epilepsy after he fractured his skull and suffered bruising to the brain when a truck hit his bike outside Winslow in Arizona in 2010.

He was shooting a TV series called Cracknell’s Race Across America in which he was aiming to run, cycle and row across the US in 18 days.


Cracknell told The Sun: “Some people get epilepsy from strobe lighting but not me.

“I don’t want to worry Luba but mine is set off by fatigue. When I’ve had a seizure it’s been because of not sleeping.

“Epilepsy comes with a bit of a stigma. One of the drawbacks is that it’s a hidden disability.

“I think it’s important for anyone who has a profile to get other people to understand it.”

Cracknell was blasted on Saturday night’s show for his wooden performance. Judge Craig Revel Horwood said his “posture was hunched” and his bottom was “sticking way out.”

One viewer tweeted: “James Cracknell looks like he should be opening the door at The Addams Family mansion.”

Another said: “James Cracknell had a massively serious head injury a few years ago. So I’m trying to cut him some slack . . .  But. Erm . . .  that was awful. As wooden as his oars.”

Cracknell, who is already the favourite to be booted off first, is hoping he can prove he is fighting fit by making some progress in the competition.

But he admits he almost died after suffering his first epileptic episode at home and says he was only saved by son, Croyde.

The lad was just ten when he found his dad fitting and was sharp enough to dial 999 and to keep his dad comfortable until the paramedics arrived.

Cracknell said: “My son turns 16 soon and it’s good for him to see me doing Strictly. When I had my first seizure it was me and him at home and he had to call the ambulance. He sees how bad I am, a lot. So for him to see me do this would actually be good for him.

“I want to show him I’m going to be around for a while.

“It’s been tough for him. We didn’t know I had epilepsy, it just happened, but he acted fast.”

He and Croyde teamed up in 2015 to help save a family from drowning while surfing in Devon.

Croyde spotted a grandad Jim Greatorex, 67, and his seven-year-old grandson struggling in the water. He alerted his dad and the pair dashed over to save them.

Meanwhile, Cracknell has hit back at critics who say he is having a mid-life crisis by taking part in the show and hooking up with a much younger girlfriend while divorcing Beverley Turner, 45, his wife of 17 years.

The couple also had two daughters — ten-year-old Kiki and Trixie, eight.

Cracknell, who won gold medals at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics, has also enrolled as a mature student at Cambridge University.

It was there he met his new lover, American financier Jordan Connell, who is in her early 30s.

Cracknell denied being upset by criticism of their relationship but said he was worried about the talk affecting his partner Luba and other Strictly dancers.

He said: “Doing a show that a quarter of the country watches, you’re always going to lose the right to moan about anything that’s written about you.

“I guess the people you are close to, they know the truth. But I’m aware that there’s a massive team doing the show and I don’t want anything negative to be brought on to the show which might affect the show or Luba or anything. If it’s just me, well, fine.”

Cracknell admitted he was unsure if he was having a mid-life crisis.

He said: “I don’t know! Certainly I’m having a shift of direction.

“I went back to studying at university to stop what I felt the perceptions were of me after a nasty accident. I thought if I can do that, and do what I used to do with rowing, then fine.

“And Strictly is a brilliant opportunity. I’m having a go at something I’m really not very good at. So many people watching would love to do this, and learn how to dance. I’m amazingly lucky to be able to do it.”

  • GOT a news story? RING us on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL [email protected]

Source: Read Full Article

Posted on

'Friends': Why Monica and Chandler's Relationship Was Never Intended to Happen

When people think of Friends, there’s a good chance that Ross and Rachel’s beautiful, crushing, frustrating, heartwarming, will-they-or-won’t-they relationship comes to mind. But Monica and Chandler were arguably a way better couple.

Unlike Ross and Rachel, they were not off-and-on and on-and-off. They were simply two longtime friends who gradually developed feelings for one another and went on to have a strong and healthy relationship — a relationship that almost everyone desires.

And that’s why it’s so wild to know that Monica and Chandler were almost never a thing.

The revelation came in a new book

It came in a novel that honors the 25th anniversary of the show.

According to Saul Austerlitz’s new book, Generation Friends: An Inside Look at the Show That Defined a Television Era, their romance was not supposed to happen — or at least last very long.

Austerlitz writes that their relationship “began as a whim.”

“When the second season was being planned, one of the writers tossed out an idea: ‘What if we get Chandler and Monica together?’” he writes (via People). “The thought was intended less as a permanent shift in the gravity of the series and more as a fun plotline, good for a few episodes before the status quo snapped back into place.”

One writer said the idea seemed “a little desperate,” and the team decided to leave it alone until season 4. People reports that the idea came up again “when someone suggested it as a funny conclusion to Monica’s drunken night of self-doubt during Ross’ London wedding to Emily.”

According to the book, the idea once again received mixed reactions. “There was a fear … that bringing Chandler and Monica together would be perceived as near-incestuous” since they had been such good friends.

Writers later agreed to the plot

Everyone eventually got on board, believing that it would just be a one-time affair. But when they shot the scene, the studio audience apparently went wild.

“The cheers and hoots of delight went on and on, drowning out the performers and shaking the room,” Austerlitz writes.

The writers reportedly took advantage of that reaction. Monica and Chandler went on to date, get married, and adopt twins.

Executives previously opened up about the decision to make Monica and Chandler a thing

Executive producer Scott Silveri told Vulture in 2013 that writers wanted to introduce a new couple after Ross and Rachel took their infamous “break.”

“The thinking was, if the show’s going to be entertaining for years to come, it can’t simply rest on this one [Ross and Rachel] relationship,” Silveri explained. “So it follows that if another pair got together, that would be fun and provide more story. And it’s organic: If you get six friends together, all around the same age, there’s gonna be a little mixing and matching as time goes on. It felt real.” 

Then the hook-up episode was born.

“When Monica popped up from beneath the sheets, there was just this explosion from the audience,” Silveri said of the taping. “It was a combination of a laugh/gasp/cry/shriek. They were just blown away by it. It was so intense, for the second or third takes, instead of watching the monitors, I just turned around and watched the audience.”

Silveri added that Monica and Chandler’s eventual relationship helped the show last as long as it did.

“If you didn’t have a Monica-and-Chandler relationship, if the center of Friends had remained Ross and Rachel, you would’ve seen a much shorter shelf life for the show,” he continued. “Without Monica and Chandler, it ends three years earlier. I don’t owe my whole house to them, but at least two bedrooms and a bath are because of them.”

Source: Read Full Article

Posted on

‘Canada is terrible’: WWE wrestler posts video of Edmonton traffic stop

A video of a routine traffic stop in Edmonton has gone viral after a WWE wrestler posted it on her Twitter account.

Wrestler Lacey Evans was in Edmonton for a WWE Live! show at Rogers Place Saturday night.

As of Sunday afternoon, the video, which shows an RCMP officer issuing a violation ticket for speeding to Evans, has over 380,000 views.

As she is issued the ticket, Evans can be heard saying: “Do you know who I am?”

“I have no idea,” said the officer, who is identified by a name tag as G.M. Brettell.

“WWE superstar,” she can be heard saying. “You should know exactly who I am.”

RCMP have confirmed to Global News that it was not a planned or coordinated video.

“I can’t answer for her, but it’s a legitimate traffic stop from our end,” Cpl. Chris Warren said Sunday morning.

“You nasty thing,” said Evans. “I’ll pay the ticket.”

The officer tells Evans to have a good day and says: “Welcome to Edmonton.”

Evans is also heard saying: “You have a terrible day sir. Canada is terrible,” to the officer.

Global News has reached out to WWE representatives but has not heard back.

Source: Read Full Article

Posted on

London stabbing – Three men stabbed near Turnpike Lane tube station in broad daylight as UK’s knife epidemic rages on – The Sun

THREE men have been rushed to hospital after they were stabbed near Turnpike Lane tube station in North London.

Officers were called to the scene on Langham Road just after 4pm this afternoon.

The condition of the three men is not yet known.

The Met Police said they had arrested two men on suspicion of GBH.

The news comes after two young men, said to be in their early 20s, were stabbed on a busy road near Chalk Farm tube station, also in North London at around 7am on Friday.

One of the men had been repeatedly stabbed and was rushed to a hospital in central London and it is feared he has suffered life-changing injuries.

The other man was found with one stab wound and taken to an East London hospital.

His injuries are not thought to be life-threatening.

There have now been more than 100 violent killings in the capital this year and the bloodshed shows no signs of ending.

Last year was London's bloodiest in a decade – when the number of homicides reached 132.

Twenty teens have been killed in the capital this year, 18 of whom were fatally stabbed.

Cops launched a murder investigation in East London after a male teenager was stabbed to death in West Ham.

Medics battled to save the victim but he was pronounced dead at the scene around an hour later.

Source: Read Full Article

Posted on

Jeremy Corbyn ‘is TERRIFIED of having to become PM’

Jeremy Corbyn ‘is TERRIFIED of having to become PM’: Senior Labour figures claim veteran leader knows he would be a disaster in No10 despite vow to cling on for YEARS – as allies plot to replace him with another left-winger

  • Speculation is mounting over Jeremy Corbyn’s future despite vow to stay on   
  • He swiped at BBC’s Andrew Marr that he was among those wanting him to quit 
  • Senior Labour figure claims that Mr Corbyn is ‘terrified’ of having to be PM 
  • Allies of the Labour leader are believed to be triggering plans for a succession
  • Clashes came after key aide Andrew Fisher resigned with blast at colleagues
  • He said he was sick of the ‘blizzard of lies and excuses’ within the Labour party  

Jeremy Corbyn is ‘terrified’ of having to become PM despite his vow to cling on in power for years, it was claimed tonight.

The veteran left-winger ‘doesn’t like taking decisions’ and knows he would be a disaster in No10, a senior Labour figure told MailOnline.   

The damning assessment came as Mr Corbyn angrily denied he is on the verge of quitting during bad-tempered clashes with the BBC’s Andrew Marr.

The Labour leader swiped that Marr was one of the people ‘wishing’ to get rid of him – and at one point demanded: ‘What are you trying to say?’

The 70-year-old insisted he would serve a full term as PM if Labour wins a looming election.  

However, there are mounting signs that allies are laying the ground for the post-Corbyn era, with splintering hard-Left factions hunting for successors. 

His grip on the party looks to be loosening with colleagues including Emily Thornberry, Keir Starmer and John McDonnell increasingly dictating Brexit policy.  

As speculation over Mr Corbyn’s future intensified tonight, one senior source said the leader dreaded the possibility of Boris Johnson resigning next month rather than bowing to demands to delay Brexit. 

That would potentially mean the Queen asking the Labour leader to take over as PM and try to form a minority government. 

‘If Jeremy had to become PM he would find that terrifying,’ the senior MP said.

‘He doesn’t like taking decisions, he doesn’t want to be the person who has 20 text messages to deal with before he goes to bed at midnight, and is woken up at 6am with more demands on his time.’

They said Mr Corbyn had never been prepared for the pressures of running a party, let alone a country.  

‘He’s happy when he’s got something to push back against,’ the MP said.

‘But when power becomes more real and he’s got to reconcile competing interests, he just can’t do it.’  

Jeremy Corbyn was embroiled in bad-tempered clashes with the Andrew Marr today (pictured) as he denied he is on the verge of quitting

Mr Corbyn tried to put a brave face on the bombshell resignation of senior aide Andrew Fisher today – walking into the conference centre in Brighton with Mr Fisher (second from right) and his controversial strategy chief Seumas Milne (left)

However, Mr Corbyn dismissed claims he will stand down soon in the interview this morning, telling Marr: ‘That is wishful thinking by some people – probably yourself.’ 

He insisted he will serve a full term as PM if Labour wins a general election, but said: ‘I am very surprised at the question actually.’  

Marr hit back that who was PM was a matter of great concern to the public.

One shadow cabinet member rejected the suggestion that Mr Corbyn was on the edge of quitting. 

‘Jeremy is more than capable of leading the party in five years’ time. Donald Trump is 73 – maybe we should just give Jeremy a wig and some fake tan,’ they told MailOnline. 

Labour members want to ditch the Queen and blame Britain for IRA attacks, poll finds 

Some 62 per cent of Labour members say the UK should become a republic, compared to 29 per cent who believe in retaining the monarchy, according to the YouGov poll

Labour members want to ditch the Queen and blame Britain for IRA attacks, according to a shock poll today.

Most activists are ashamed rather than proud of the UK’s history, and tend to blame the media for the anti-Semitism crisis wracking the party.

The grim picture of the Labour faithful under Jeremy Corbyn’s stewardship emerged as the party holds its conference in Brighton.

But the event has already been marred by bitter infighting as the hard Left tries to purge moderates.  

The YouGov poll of 1,100 members found just 15 per cent are ‘proud’ of Britain’s history – while 43 per cent said they were ‘ashamed’. 

But the shadow minister admitted it was ‘frustrating’ that policy announcements were being overshadowed by rowing and leadership wrangling.

‘We could be within weeks of an election and we want to use this conference to parade some of our great policies, and all everyone is talking about is Brexit and disunity.’  

Meanwhile, Tom Watson upped the stakes in the Brexit battle today as he claimed ‘Labour is a Remain party’. 

A bid by Mr Corbyn’s allies to oust the deputy leader had to be humiliatingly aborted yesterday after sparking an outcry. 

It was seen as more evidence of succession planning, as Mr Watson would theoretically take over temporarily if Mr Corbyn stood aside.  

Mr Corbyn defended his much-ridiculed plan to go into an election without saying whether he would campaign to remain in the EU in the referendum he is promising.

The Labour leader hopes to negotiate a new Brexit deal with Brussels and put that to a public vote against the option of staying in the EU.

He told the BBC: ‘What we have said is that we would want to hold a consultation, a special conference of our party at the point that we have got this offer from the EU, we’ve got this as a remain – and hopefully reform – option.

‘Because I do think even those that are strongly in favour of remain would recognise the EU needs to have some reforms.’

In response to MPs and activists – including shadow cabinet ministers – calling for the party to come out in support of Remain under all circumstances, Mr Corbyn said: ‘I will go along with whatever decision the party comes to.’

But he added: ‘Please remember why people voted leave, why people voted remain, but also remember there is more that unites all of those people – over austerity, over investment, over education, over housing, over health, over a green industrial revolution – than there is that divides them.’

The plot to scrap Mr Watson’s position was spearheaded by Jon Lansman, the boss of the Corbyn-supporting Momentum group. 

The Labour leader, pictured after his interview with the BBC this morning, has faced a disastrous start to his party’s 2019 conference

Allies of Mr Corbyn failed in a bid to oust Tom Watson, pictured talking to reporters in Brighton today, as deputy party leader

The move has been described by allies of Mr Corbyn as means by which to secure the hard-Left’s grip over the party’s leadership. And it is reportedly thought by some Corbyn allies that another leader would have a better chance of securing Tory support to prevent a No Deal Brexit.    

One shadow cabinet minister told The Sunday Telegraph that Lansman’s actions, on behalf of Momentum, were an attempt to ‘secure the succession’ on the basis that ‘we have passed the high-water mark of Corbynism’.    

As he was buffeted from all directions today, Mr Corbyn also tried to shrug off a row over the bombshell resignation of close aide Andrew Fisher,  who sent a memo criticising public-school educated senior colleagues including strategy chief Seumas Milne.

Labour MP Jess Phillips says Jeremy Corbyn will NOT win majority at next election

Jeremy Corbyn will not win a majority at the next general election, Labour MP Jess Phillips has claimed as she said the party leader was now past his ‘peak’. 

Ms Phillips, the outspoken MP for Birmingham Yardley, said she believed it was possible that Labour could be the largest party after a snap poll. 

But she said she ‘can’t see a way’ for Mr Corbyn to win the contest outright as she suggested he would struggle to beat his better-than-expected performance in 2017.

She also joined rebel Labour calls, led by deputy party leader Tom Watson, for a second Brexit referendum to be held before a general election. 

Mr Corbyn has said he wants there to be an election followed by a second referendum.

He said Mr Fisher had been ‘distressed’ about an internal argument and suspected similar memos were ‘flying around the BBC’ all the time, adding: ‘Maybe, Andrew, even in your team.’     

Mr Fisher, head of policy and the author of the party’s last manifesto, delivered a scathing assessment of the ‘blizzard of lies and excuses’ emanating from Mr Corbyn’s office, and claimed it was in the grip of a ‘class war’.

In a memo seen by The Sunday Times and sent last week, Mr Fisher denounced Mr Corbyn’s team for their ‘lack of professionalism, competence and human decency.’  

Mr Fisher is expected to stay on until the end of the year, and has played down the spat with Mr Corbyn’s office in another message to colleagues overnight – saying he wanted to prioritise his family after four years of ‘long hours and stress’.   

Mr Corbyn staged a toe-curling photo-op designed to defuse the story on the way into party conference this morning.

He was flanked by both Mr Milne and Mr Fisher, with all three wearing fixed smiles for the waiting cameras.  

During his interview, a clearly rattled Mr Corbyn said of Mr Fisher: ‘He is wanting to leave in order to spend time looking after his son and being with his wife and his family – because this is a very stressful and very full-on job.

‘And he is working with us for the rest of this year – he will be here for the general election campaign, he is as we speak… downstairs.’

Asked about Mr Fisher’s comments that he was sick of the ‘blizzard of lies’ within Mr Corbyn’s team, the Labour leader said: ‘I think he said that because he was extremely distressed at that point about whatever was going on in discussions within the office at that moment.’ 

Mr Corbyn added: ‘He is a great colleague, a great friend… I’ve worked with Andrew for 15 years, when I was a backbencher and many other times. He is a great writer, he’s a great thinker and he’s done a huge amount of work in the party.

‘We get along absolutely very well and he’s promised that whatever happens in the future he will be working with me on policy issues.’

Mr Fisher had reportedly claimed when he quit that just one week out from Labour’s conference the leadership had not managed to arrive at a central message despite spending ‘tens of thousands of pounds’ on focus groups and polling. 

He painted a picture of a chaotic leader’s office in which speeches were cancelled at the last minute and confidential documents were left out on the printer.  

Mr Corbyn has previously faced pressure to stage a clear out of his top aides with John McDonnell and Diane Abbott reportedly having privately called for Mr Milne and Karie Murphy, the Labour leader’s gatekeeper, to be replaced.  

One source in the leader’s office told The Sunday Times that Mr Milne ‘is the problem’ as they bemoaned the former Guardian journalist’s influence over the direction of the party. 

Another source said that if Mr Milne stayed in post Labour would not win the next election, with Mr McDonnell apparently ‘completely furious’ with him.    

Mr Milne plays a central role in agreeing Labour’s messaging and one source claimed he had a ‘hissy fit’ when he returned from his summer holiday because of the work that had been done in his absence.  

Meanwhile, Mr Milne was also under fire today after it was claimed that he and Mr Corbyn’s press chief James Schneider had signed off on the party’s conference slogan of ‘people before privilege’. 

Both men attended an elite public school and went to Oxford University, prompting one Labour staffer to remark that ‘irony is dead’.  

Mr Watson was the target of an ambush at the Labour National Executive Committee (NEC) on Friday night, at which he was not present due to family commitments.

Although a surprise effort to abolish the post of deputy was ruled out of order by chair Wendy Nichols, those present voted by 17-10 in a bid to debate it anyway – just short of the two-thirds majority required under party rules.

The motion was due to be debated at yesterday morning’s meeting of the NEC, but was withdrawn after Mr Corbyn tabled a call for a review of the deputy leadership position. 

Mr Corbyn said today that he did not know that the motion would be put ‘at that time’.

He insisted he gets on ‘absolutely fine’ with Mr Watson, and told Marr: ‘I knew there were discussions going on about the role of deputy leader – I did not know that particular motion was going to be put at that time.’

Asked why he didn’t know, Mr Corbyn said: ‘I’m not all seeing and all knowing – I’d love to be.’

 

Source: Read Full Article

Posted on

Fifa ‘assured’ by Iran women can attend game after fan died earlier this month by setting herself on fire when caught trying to enter the stadium as a man – The Sun

IRAN have promised Fifa women can attend football matches – after a female fan died protesting against the country's ban.

The fan passed away earlier this month, after setting herself on fire to protest against her arrest for attending a match.

FIFA officials have been in Iran this week discussing preparations for the Oct. 10 World Cup qualifier against Cambodia, their first home game of the 2022 qualifying competition.

“We need to have women attending – we need to push for that with respect but in a strong and forceful way and we cannot wait anymore,” Infantino told a FIFA conference on women’s football.

“We have been assured, that as of the next international game of Iran, women will be allowed to enter football stadiums,” he said.

“This is something very important, it is 40 years that this has not happened, with a couple of exceptions, but it is important to move to the next level and to the next stage,” he added.

FIFA said on Saturday it would be working with the Iranian football federation to develop plans for women to attend domestic matches in the Iranian league as well.

Sahar Khodayari, dubbed “Blue Girl” for the colors of her favorite team Esteghlal, died in hospital after her self-immolation outside a court where she feared being jailed for six months, having attended the match in disguise as a man.

Khodayari’s death has caused widespread outrage in Iran and internationally, prompting calls on social media for Iran’s football federation to be suspended or banned by FIFA.

Critics say FIFA’s own statutes hold discrimination on grounds of gender punishable by suspension or expulsion.

While foreign women have been allowed limited access to matches, Iranian women have been banned from stadiums when men’s teams have been playing, since just after the 1979 Islamic revolution.

There were signs the situation regarding female fans in Iran was changing when a group of women was permitted to attend the second leg of the Asian Champions League final in Tehran last November, a match where Infantino was present.

Female fans, however, have been denied access to matches since. At Iran’s friendly against Syria in June, women were locked out of the Azadi Stadium and detained by security forces.

Iran are the highest placed Asian country in the FIFA World Rankings – sitting 23rd in the current standings.

Marc Wilmots' side got off to the perfect start to their 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign earlier this month when they beat Hong Kong 2-0 at Hong Kong Stadium.

This match was also marked by protests of its own as home fans booed the Chinese national anthem amid ongoing disagreements.Ex-Spurs star Kieran Trippier takes swig of water from fan's bottle during game

Source: Read Full Article

Posted on

Nicole Kidman attempts to heal rift between children

Nicole Kidman claims her adopted kids with ex Tom Cruise chose Scientology over her, but hopes to heal the rift with Connor, 24, and Isabella, 26, despite not getting invited to her daughter’s wedding

Nicole Kidman believes that her fractured relationship with her two oldest children was caused by Scientology. 

The actress claims that Connor, now 24, and his sister Isabella, 26, chose to immerse themselves in the polarizing belief system after her split from Tom Cruise, with whom she adopted the two.

Scientologists are forbidden from having close or meaningful relationships with those outside the faith according to a number of former members, who say that these individuals are referred to as suppressive persons. 

This meant that Kidman was forced to watch from afar as her children grew into adults, and even had to miss out on her daughter’s 2015 wedding despite being in London on the West End when her daughter was married in the city.

She is now trying to heal the rift between them though, and it seems her daughter may be doing the same, recently naming her fashion line after her mother – Bella Kidman Cruise.

Peace: Nicole Kidman revealed she’s finally healing the rift between Isabella, 26, and Connor, 24, as she now has an amicable relationship with their dad and her former husband Tom

Scientology siblings: The actress claims that Connor, now 24, and his sister Isabella, 26,(above) chose to immerse themselves in the polarizing belief system after her split from Tom Cruise

Heartbreak: This meant that Kidman was forced to watch from afar as her children grew into adults

The Australian actress adopted Connor and Isabella with Tom when they were married, with the pair going on to split in 2001.

In quotes previously published by Red magazine, the actress said: ‘Motherhood is about the journey. There are going to be incredible peaks and valleys, whether you are an adopting mother or a birth mother. What a child needs is love.’

She said to Who.com.au: ‘They have made choices to be Scientologists. It’s our job as a parent to always offer unconditional love.’

It was said that Nicole’s relationship with her kids was so strained that she was rumoured to have been banned from son Connor’s wedding to fiancée Silvia.

A mother’s love: The Big Little Lies star, 52, revealed that it’s ‘her job’ to offer ‘unconditional love’ as she comes to terms with their choice to follow the controversial religion Scientology

Silvia has been dubbed the ‘Scientology Princess’ and is the leader of the Italian arm of the Scientology church.

‘Tom is behind this and what he wants is as good as law,’ a source reportedly told RadarOnline.com back in March. ‘Tom made the call and Connor followed.’

Connor, a former DJ who is now into deep sea fishing, ‘worships the ground his father walks on’ the source added, claiming he would never disobey the 57-year-old actor. 

While Nicole is also said to have had at one point little contact with daughter Isabella, who is now married and lives in Croydon. 

Family rift: She famously grew apart from her two eldest children after they opted to follow their father Tom Cruise into Scientology

However, it seems as though the Hollywood actress has come to terms with her children’s decision, and will stand by them no matter what.

A further quote from the publication reveals she said: ‘It’s not about anything else other than, “I’m here to love and support you”. 

After their split in 2001 Tom retained custody of their two children.

At the time, their kids – who had been raised in the Church of Scientology – chose to stay with their father.

The Big Little Lies star has refused to talk about the religion or her family ties in recent years and she is said to have been absent from many of her children’s life events including Isabella’s wedding to Max Parker at the Dorchester hotel in London in September 2015. 

Happier times: The Australian actress adopted Connor and Isabella with Tom when they were married, with the pair going on to split in 2011

Meanwhile, Nicole is rumored to blame Scientology for ruining her marriage and separating her from Connor and Isabella.

In her book Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology, ex-Scientology member Leah Remini claimed that Nicole was labeled a ‘suppressive person’ or ‘SP’ by the church after leaving.

The Insider reportedly told Radar, ‘First, Tom would never even consider inviting Nicole to Connor’s wedding because she’s considered a ‘suppressive person’ by the church — and, second, he doesn’t want her there,’

They added that the Mission Impossible star turned his back on Nicole ‘a long time ago’ and has never looked back. 

Supportive: ‘They have made choices to be Scientologists. It’s our job as a parent to always offer unconditional love’

Nicole also mom to two daughters, Sunday, 10, and Faith, eight, with husband Keith Urban who she’s been married to since 2006.

Tom also has daughter Suri, 12, from his marriage to Katie Holmes.

Nicole gave no hint of a rift with her two eldest children in an interview with Who magazine last year.

‘I’m very private about all that. I have to protect all those relationships. I know 150 per cent that I would give up my life for my children because it’s what my purpose is.’

When pressed further about her kids’ relationship with Scientology Nicole replied, ‘They are able to make their own decisions.

‘They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it’s my job to love them.’

Moving on: It’s not about anything else other than, “I’m here to love and support you”

Source: Read Full Article

Posted on

Poll: A record number of voters dislike Trump personally, but many also dislike Democratic policies

WASHINGTON — As Democratic candidates compete for the opportunity to take on President Donald Trump, the incumbent they hope to oust is more personally disliked than any of his recent predecessors, and half of voters say they’re very uncomfortable with the idea of his re-election.

But the electorate at large also expresses doubts about some of the progressive policies being backed by candidates like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and the party’s more moderate frontrunner — Joe Biden — also faces questions about his fitness for the job.

Those are the major findings in the latest release from the September NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, which also shows that 46 percent of Americans give Trump credit for what they call an improving economy, the highest share of his presidency.

“The Democrats want a referendum on Trump. The GOP wants a comparative choice. And therein lies the rub,” said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff and his firm Public Opinion Strategies.

Trump approval stable, but a record share dislike him personally

The poll found Trump’s approval rating at 45 percent among registered voters, virtually unchanged from last month and consistent with where former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton stood in public approval at this point in their presidencies.

But it also showed that Trump faces historically poor personal favorability ratings, even among those who approve of the plans he has pursued in office.

Source: Read Full Article

Posted on

Disenchantment season 3 Netflix release date: Will there be another series?

Netflix dropped the most recent series of Disenchantment on Friday, September 20 with all 10 episodes available at once. The show picked up from the last outing and saw Princess Bean (voiced by Abbi Jacobson) embarking on many more adventures with her companions Elfo (Nat Faxon) and demon Luci (Eric Andre). Here’s everything you need to know about season three of Disenchantment.

Will there be another series of Disenchantment?

Yes, is the short answer after Netflix recommissioned Matt Groening’s fantasy adult animated series Disenchantment in 2018.

The streaming giant ordered another 20 episodes in October 2018 after debuting the first run in August last year.

Given that each cycle consists of 10 episodes, Netflix has essentially given the green light to both season three and four at once.

Despite the mixed reception from the critics, the show has clearly built up a following on the platform hence the swift order, Deadline reported.

When will Disenchantment season 3 be released?

Season one debuted in August 2018 and the follow-up came in September 2019, so it looks like the third outing could be released at some point in 2020 in either late summer or early autumn.

Season four is most likely going to be coming out in 2021, judging by this release schedule.

As per Netflix, all the new episodes are going to be coming out in one go to be binged.

Disenchantment follows the new trend of adult animations such as BoJack Horseman, Big Mouth and F is for Family which are proving popular with audiences.

Who will be in the cast of Disenchantment season 3?

The cast will see the main players back in the frame with Jacobson as the teen royal and heroine of the show, Princess Bean.

Joining her will be Faxon as Elfo and Andre as Luci, who will be by her side.

Other cast members likely to be back are Matt Berry, John DiMaggio as King Zøg, Maurice LaMarche, Lucy Montgomery and Billy West, among others.

There could also be more guest appearances from Noel Fielding, Rich Fulcher and Sharon Horgan.

What will happen in Disenchantment season 3?

Season two saw a major cliffhanger end the run with the main characters thrown into peril.

So, the third cycle is going to be resolving this open-ended conclusion when the show returns.

Disenchantment and The Simpsons creator Groening previously said: “We’re excited to continue this epic journey with Netflix.

“Stay tuned for more cranked-up suspense, infuriating plot twists, and beloved characters getting knocked off.”

There are also likely to be more Easter Eggs as well as references to Groening’s other projects like The Simpsons and Futurama.

Disenchantment season 1 & 2 are available to watch on Netflix now

Source: Read Full Article

Posted on

Emmys 2019: ‘Game of Thrones’ isn’t the only critical flop to win

Months after its uneven final season wrapped, “Game of Thrones” could deliver one final, shocking twist for viewers: a 2019 Emmys sweep.

The fantasy’s juggernaut eighth installment — which wrapped with nearly 20 million viewers in May — is nominated for a record-breaking 32 trophies. “GoT” already nabbed 10 at the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend — and the 71st annual Emmy Awards ceremony airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on Fox.

Now, while it’s true that the show once delighted audiences with its complex morality and shocking plot turns, viewers widely agree that it fell flat in its last season. Almost 2 million disgruntled fans petitioned creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss for a redo. Critics panned the final six-episode arc as well.

It’s confusing that “GoT” is dominating the ceremony — but it’s not exactly unprecedented. Here are five other lackluster shows and performances that nonetheless went on to win Emmy gold.

“The Newsroom”

HBO’s “The Newsroom,” which aired from 2012 to 2014, was also widely panned, with Time magazine dismissing it as “sanctimonious,” the New York Times warning that it was “filled with sermonizing” and the Twitterati meme-ifying and mocking showrunner Aaron Sorkin’s writing.

But even though viewers found the conflicts silly and the dialogue clunky, the media drama still came through for the win. It snagged multiple Emmy nods, including a statue for star Jeff Daniels in 2013.

“Mike & Molly”

This CBS sitcom, which ran from 2010 to 2016, was never critically eviscerated — but it wasn’t exactly adored, either. Melissa McCarthy — now a comedic powerhouse — barely got to show off her chops in the role of Molly Flynn, a cheerful fourth-grade teacher struggling to lose weight.

But she did win an Emmy in 2011 for her performance in the otherwise tepid, run-of-the-mill sitcom. Her victory was even more surprising given the stacked category: Edie Falco (“Nurse Jackie”), Amy Poehler (“Parks and Recreation”), Tina Fey (“30 Rock”) and Laura Linney (“The Big C”) were all up for the award. Considering the lineup, McCarthy was a head-scratcher of a pick.

“Everybody Loves Raymond”

While “Raymond” was a primetime anchor, it was never universally beloved, and it hasn’t had the enduring shelf life of other long-running sitcoms, such as “Friends” and “The Office.” Even so, Ray Romano won the Best Actor in a Comedy Series Emmy in 2002, beating out the likes Kelsey Grammer (“Fraiser”), Bernie Mac (“The Bernie Mac Show”) and Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc (“Friends”). Plus, co-star Doris Roberts racked up seven Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy noms — and four wins.

“Grey’s Anatomy”

The ABC medical drama remains a television mainstay, with a whopping 16 seasons and counting. It’s won several well-deserved Emmys since its 2005 debut — and one controversial one.

In 2007, “Grey’s” star Katherine Heigl took home Best Supporting Actress in a Drama. This was a contentious choice among viewers — her character Izzie remains unpopular — and it was even more bizarre considering the heavyweight competition, which included two “Sopranos” actresses (Lorraine Bracco and Aida Turturro) as well as two more crowd-pleasing “Grey’s Anatomy” options: Sandra Oh and Chandra Wilson. Heigl left the show three years later.

“Boston Legal”

Admittedly, the ABC drama, which ran from 2004 to 2008, was entertaining. But in 2005, it got a baffling Emmy win for William Shatner, who essentially played a heightened version of himself on the show. An award for this kind of easy performance would make sense in the 1970s and ’80s, when it was still novel. But this was not the case in 2005, especially when he was up against small-screen stars such as Alan Alda (“The West Wing”), Naveen Andrews (“Lost”), Terry O’Quinn (“Lost”) and Oliver Platt (“Huff”).

Source: Read Full Article