Professional boxer Paul Bamba -- who recently became the first fighter to sign with Ne-Yo's management company -- has died, the singer announced Friday. He was just 35 years old. "It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of beloved…
After holding out hope he might recover, OG Maco's family had to say goodbye.
The "U Guessed It" rapper, born Benedict Ihesiba Jr., has died, according to a statement posted to his Instagram...
As dad to 12 kids, Nick Cannon is busy spreading holiday cheer.
In fact, the Masked Singer host played the part of Father Christmas this festive season, dressing up as Santa Claus while...
Some of the most shocking TV moments of 2024 came from shows such as Outer Banks, My Lady Jane, 9-1-1, Monsters and more.
Netflix’s Outer Banks started out on a high with the friend group back together solving their newest treasure hunt. With the season being split up into two parts, the first half ended on an interesting note when JJ (Rudy Pankow) discovered that newcomer (and season 4 villain) Chandler Groff (J. Anthony Crane) was his biological dad.
Things went south in the second half of the season, which was released weeks later. As JJ’s story line separated him from the other Pogues and his girlfriend Kiara (Madison Bailey), he embarked on a downward spiral that led to a last-minute redemption arc and abrupt death.
The Outer Banks creators claimed JJ’s death was planned from the very start but fans had their doubts. Ultimately JJ’s confusing exit overshadowed most of the season — except for that very predictable pregnancy reveal with Sarah (Madelyn Cline) and John B (Chase Stokes).
Monsters, meanwhile, attempted to take inspiration from Lyle and Erik Menéndez‘s infamous murder trial to mirror key moments from their lives both before and after they were sentenced to life without parole for shooting their mother and father. Episodes 4 and 5 received critical and fan praise for introducing Erik and Lyle’s claims that they killed parents Kitty and Jose Menéndez in self-defense following years of alleged physical, emotional and sexual abuse.
Ultimately, Monsterssparked a back and forth between creator Ryan Murphy and the real Menéndez brothers over claims of inaccuracy and backlash after the show leaned into sexualizing Lyle (played by Nicholas Alexander Chavez) and Erik’s (played by Cooper Koch) relationship in promotional material.
Keep scrolling for more of TV’s most shocking moments from 2024:
Grotesquerie’s It Was All a Dream Revelation
Murphy’s newest FX series felt like a season of American Horror Story as it followed Detective Lois Tryon (Niecy Nash). Lois was working with local nun Sister Megan (Micaela Diamond) to figure out who was behind a series of heinous crimes in their community — until she wasn’t. More than halfway through the season, fans were asked to forget what they saw in the first six episodes: none of it took place anywhere except in Lois’ mind because she was the one who was actually in a coma.
The rest of the season — in typical Murphy fashion — didn’t make a lot of sense and Lois ended up exactly where she started.
Matty’s Real Identity on ‘Matlock’
When Kathy Bates‘ character was introduced on Matlock, she was a fictional lawyer hoping to get hired at a prestigious law firm — and she just happened to share the same last name as the iconic Matlock series from the ’80s. The ending, however, revealed that it was all an act.
Matty is actually the wealthy Madeline Kingston, who has gone undercover at the firm to track down who is responsible for her daughter’s death. The suspects on Matty’s list included Olympia (Skye P. Marshall), Julian (Jason Ritter) or Senior (Beau Bridges) — all of whom could have had access to documents that would have taken opioids off the streets before her daughter died from an overdose.
‘Outer Banks’ Kills Off JJ Maybank
The Outer Banks creators — Josh Pate, Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke — never publicly stated that no Pogues would ever die, but it certainly felt that way. Four seasons in, the show tried something new by killing off Pankow’s character, which sparked online outrage. The fan-favorite character’s death came out of nowhere — despite the showrunners claiming it was planned all along.
There were also those rumors about tension between Pankow and Bailey leading up to his exit. The costars never publicly addressed fan speculation but it continued to spread in the weeks after Outer Banks’ lackluster season 4 finale.
‘My Lady Jane’ Isn’t Just a Historical Reimagining
Based on historical YA novels, My Lady Jane was promoted as a radical approach to Lady Jane Grey’s (Emily Bader) very brief time as monarch after King Henry VIII’s son Edward (Jordan Peters) death from tuberculosis. In this version, Jane and her husband, Guildford (Edward Bluemel), weren’t beheaded and Edward didn’t get killed off.
There was more to the story though, as the series premiere revealed Guildford turned into a horse during the day. He was one of many shapeshifting humans who were persecuted by the royals — before Jane got involved through her love story with Guildford.
‘The Acolyte’ Introduces Their Big Villain — And the Internet’s Newest Boyfriend
When The Acolyte initially premiered, Manny Jacintowas introduced as a smuggler named Qimir. He entertained viewers with his antics, which made him seem harmless. The fifth episode, however, turned out to be one for the history books when the Jedi warriors met The Stranger and an epic battle revealed Jacinto’s character Qimir as the man behind the sinister helmet.
The twists kept coming as The Stranger developed more fans thanks to a shirtless scene, a sad backstory and Jacinto’s heated chemistry with Amandla Stenberg. It didn’t seem to be enough though and The Acolyte got cancelled way too soon.
‘Rivals’ Strays From the Source Material
Based on Jilly Cooper‘s novel of the same name, Disney+ and Hulu’s Rivals centered around a feud between two men fighting for control of a television station in 1980s Britain. The first season ended with several major cliffhangers including Tony (David Tennan) learning about Cameron’s (Nafessa Williams) relationship with Rupert (Alex Hassell) and lashing out by attacking her.
Cameron defended herself, and it remained unclear whether Tony was still alive by the end of the season 1 finale. (That was a major change from the book in which Cameron didn’t fight back.)
Bridgerton’s Departure From the Books With a Gender-Swap
A narrative shakeup took place during the season 3 finale when Francesca (Hannah Dodd) met her future love interest. In the When He Was Wicked book, which focuses on Francesca’s journey, Francesca fell in love with now-husband John’s (Victor Alli) cousin Michael. The series swapped Michael out for Michaela (Masali Baduza) — to mixed results from fans.
Where do we start with 9-1-1? First fans got to see their wish come true when Evan “Buck” Buckley (Oliver Stark) came out as bisexual. That paved the way for him to date Tommy (Lou Ferrigno Jr.), who it turned out was once engaged to Buck’s ex-girlfriend Abby (Connie Britton). Buck and Tommy didn’t last, and the final moments of the season 8 midseason finale hinted that Buck could be developing feelings for his best friend Eddie (Ryan Guzman).
‘Agatha All Along’ Unmasks Who Actually Created the Road
Before Agatha All Along even premiered, fans were predicting how Joe Locke‘s character, Teen, connected to Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen). That buildup was a red herring since Teen a.k.a Billy being Wanda’s son was only the beginning. The bigger twist was that the Witches’ Road never existed — until Billy haphazardly created it in a moment of panic similar to his mother turning Westview into a fictional TV world in WandaVision.
‘Doctor Odyssey’ Explores a Threesome — and a Paternity Scandal
The ABC series initially introduced separate connections between Avery (Phillipa Soo) and Max (Joshua Jackson) and Avery and Tristan (Sean Teale). There was a subtle flirtation between Max and Tristan, however, and that ultimately turned into a threesome. The situation only got more messy when Avery realized she was pregnant — but didn’t know whether Max or Tristan was the father.
‘NCIS: Origins’ Unravels Gibbs’ Journey to the NIS
The prequel series picked up less than a year after Gibbs’ (Austin Stowell) wife and daughter were killed. The other agents at the NIS Camp Pendleton office thought he was still trying to hunt down the person responsible for their deaths a.k.a cartel leader Pedro Hernandez.
But through flashbacks — and a case that took Lala (Mariel Molino) and Gibbs to Mexico — it was revealed that Hernandez died months prior. Gibbs killed Hernandez before he ever joined the team and kept it a secret.
‘The Bear’ Seemingly Divides the Plot Across 2 Seasons
The past two seasons of The Bear set up an arc for each character and ended in a way that set up the next chapter in the story. Season 3, however, received a lackluster response because of a “To Be Continued” message that came after 10 episodes that felt like it was just building up to the next season.
Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) spent the season pushing The Bear — and the employees — to a level of success not all of them wanted. Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and others in the kitchen found it tough adjusting to the higher caliber of service and that led to new rifts and challenges. Carmy’s volatile behavior led Sydney to consider leaving The Bear for another opportunity and the final scene of the season showed Carmy reading The Bear’s first review, which appeared to be mixed.
Luckily, reports surfaced that FX quietly renewed the show for more episodes. Reportedly seasons 3 and 4 were filmed at the same time due to the busy schedules of cast members such as White, Edebiri and Moss-Bachrach.
Season 2, which debuted in August, picked up months after Stephen (Jackson White) blindsided Lucy (Grace Van Patten) by ending their toxic relationship. That split was just the beginning because by the end of her sophomore year they were once again an item. In the present day, Stephen and Lucy crossed paths again and had sex despite both being in serious relationships with other people.
Stephen also had something up his sleeve though because it turned out he knew that Evan (Branden Cook) and Lucy hooked up in college. While at the time he seemed cool with it, he waited until Evan’s wedding to Lucy’s friend Bree (Cat Missal) to blow everything up with a voice message.
‘All American’ Exits
Ahead of All American‘s seventh and final season, Daniel Ezra announced his exit from the show but is expected to remain a director and guest star.
Samantha Logan, Cody Christian, Karimah Westbrook, Monét Mazur and Chelsea Tavares subsequently departed as series regulars as well, which only left Greta Onieogou, Michael Evans Behling and Bre-Z on the CW series as series regulars. To balance out the departures, Osy Ikhile and Nathaniel McIntyre joined as new characters.
‘The Diplomat’ Ups the Suspense
Season 2 was all about trying to figure out who hired a mercenary to shoot at a British warship. Turns out it was the vice president (played by Allison Janney) and a plan was set in motion to replace her. Before that could happen, the President of the United States died after learning about Grace Penn’s involvement in the major political attack, which left her to take off as the new leader of the nation.
The ‘Sugar’ Alien Reveal
Apple TV+ introduced Colin Farrell as a mysterious detective John Sugar who kept details of his past close to his chest. Flash forward six episodes where Sugar revealed he was a blue alien who’s been disguised as a human the entire time.
‘9-1-1: Lone Star’ Attempted to Write Sierra McClain Off
After contract renegotiation issues, Sierra McClain left 9-1-1: Lone Star before the fifth and final season. The Fox series explained her absence by having McClain’s character Grace go abroad to volunteer with Mercy Ships — an organization that provides global surgeries.
Grace’s sudden departure left Judd at home with their 2-year-old daughter and caring for his son, Wyatt Harris, whom he welcomed in a previous relationship, while he recovered from an accident that left him paralyzed. Later in the season, Owen (Rob Lowe) discovered that Judd (Jim Parrack) developed a drinking problem due to Grace’s exit, which wasn’t meant to happen before McClain departed 9-1-1: Lone Star.
Caitlin Bassett as Addison and Raymond Lee as Dr. Ben Song in ‘Quantum Leap.’
The revival of the ‘90s science-fiction series followed Ben (Raymond Lee) after he made a secret leap through time and got lost in the past. With help from his now-ex Addison (Caitlin Bassett) and the rest of the Quantum Leap team, Ben tried to figure out what caused him to alter history.
Season 2 introduced a three-year time jump that initially created more distance between Ben and the Quantum Leap team. During the season finale, which became the show’s last episode, the Quantum Leap team figured out a way to bring Ben home by swapping him out for Addison.
Addison did end up being taken back in time but Ben had also leaped into that moment instead of returning to present time. The couple reunited for the first time in years and were finally able to be together again.
Ryan Murphy’s Take on the Menendez Murder in ‘Monsters’
Erik and Lyle were originally arrested in 1990 on two counts of first-degree murder after their parents, José and Kitty Menéndez, were found dead in their own Beverly Hills home. They received separate life sentences despite maintaining that their mother and father were physically, emotionally and sexually abusive and that their actions were that of self-defense.
Season 2 of Murphy’s Netflix series Monstersprovided a dramatized new look at the high-profile murder case. Similar to season 1 of Monster — which was centered around Evan Peters‘ portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer — the show came under fire for several inaccuracies about the Menéndez brothers, including the insinuation that they were in a sexual relationship.
Murphy stood by the vision that came together on screen after plenty of research despite Erik speaking out against the series. The renewed interest in the case subsequently resulted in the Los Angeles District Attorney to recommend in October that a judge re-sentence Erik and Lyle to 50 years.
‘Bad Monkey’ Connects Its Story Lines
Initially Bad Monkey was split up with former police detective Andrew Yancy (Vince Vaughn) looking into why a severed arm washed up in Florida. This led him to the deceased ma Nick’s (Rob Delaney) wife Eve (Meredith Hagner), who he considered the prime suspect in his death. A separate story line then revealed a young fisherman in the Bahamas named Neville (Ronald Peet) was at risk of losing his home due to a greedy developer.
The twist? The stories were connected. Nick wasn’t really dead and he was the man threatening to take over Neville’s land after relocating to the Bahamas in an attempt to fake his death.
Dowager Countess Violet Crawley died in Downton Abbey: A New Era, but the upcoming third movie will still pay tribute to the late Maggie Smith.
“The fact that Dame Maggie herself has now passed away since that time, I do think, has given a real added poignancy to a story that we would have planned anyway,” Downton Abbey executive producer Gareth Neame shared in an interview with TVLine on Tuesday, December 24. “The loss of the dowager, it now feels far more significant that you see actors playing characters mourning the family matriarch. But I also see actors mourning the matriarch of the show, and it feels more genuine and more meaningful.”
Smith died at age 89 on September 27, not long after production on Downton Abbey 3 finished filming earlier this year. While the plot of the series’ third film is currently unknown, it will likely address the aftermath of Violet’s death. Smith’s iconic character died surrounded by her family at the end of the second movie, which hit theaters in May 2022.
Neame, 57, called Smith’s death “the end of an era,” telling TVLine that “we will never see the like of Dame Maggie Smith ever again.” He went on to note that the Downton Abbey cast and crew’s “huge respect for her … will come across in the next movie.”
Smith portrayed the Crawley family matriarch on all six seasons of Downton Abbey from 2010 to 2015 and in the 2019 film Downton Abbey and its 2022 follow-up. The sharp-tongued character earned the actress multiple accolades, including two Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and a 2013 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Television Series.
Throughout her legendary Hollywood career, Smith won a total of four Emmys, two Oscars, three Golden Globes and one Tony Award. She portrayed a number of memorable characters in addition to Violet, including Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter film franchise and Mother Superior in the Sister Act movies.
Smith’s sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, confirmed her death in a September 27 statement to the BBC. “She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” they shared. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.”
Smith’s cause of death was not revealed at the time, though she battled breast cancer while filming 2009’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Back in October, Smith’s Downton Abbey costar Hugh Bonneville called the upcoming film “a wonderful sort of closing of all the stories” in an interview on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio U.K.
“It’s very much set in the house and saying goodbye to all these characters and we obviously say goodbye to Dame Maggie, which was very poignant on screen and now in real life,” Bonneville, who plays Robert Crawley, added. “She’ll be sorely missed. But the final film will obviously be a great lasting tribute to her.”
Downton Abbey 3 is set to hit theaters on September 12, 2025.
Scheana Shay broke her silence on James Kennedy‘s domestic violence arrest — and explained why she initially stayed silent.
During the Friday, December 27, episode of her “Scheananigans” podcast, Shay, 39, revealed that the “majority of questions coming in” were about Kennedy’s legal issues.
“I did write out what I wanted to say because I want to try and be just as eloquent as possible. I want to get what I want to say out without stumbling over my words,” she explained before reading every question she received about Kennedy.
“I was respecting Ally’s privacy — as she requested,” she noted. “So I wasn’t going to say anything on the podcast, but I now see how that’s coming off by staying silent. So I have spoken to Ally. I check in with her often. I always have. But I know it seems like if I stay silent, you all somehow think I support his behavior, which I absolutely do not.”
Us Weekly confirmed on December 12 that police were dispatched to Kennedy’s home on December 10 after receiving a phone call about an argument between a man and a woman. The authorities saw Kennedy, 32, allegedly grabbing the woman, however officers at the scene did not see any visible injuries.
Shortly after news of the arrest broke, Kennedy’s ex-girlfriend Kristen Doute and former fiancée Rachel “Raquel” Leviss released separate statements about their individual tumultuous experiences with him. (Kennedy released a statement after he was released on a $20,000 bail but didn’t address Doute, 41, or Leviss’ comments.)
“Obviously, I was very close with Raquel for years. And while she always told me that James was never physically abusive,” she said on Friday. “As we all know, abuse isn’t limited to just physical. And ultimately it led to her exiting that relationship. I had a lot of empathy for her … I wanted to do anything I could to help and give her a safe space.”
After Kennedy’s arrest made headlines, Shay hoped it caused a personal shift for him.
“I do hope that James views this as a rock bottom moment and is serious about just committing to a healing plan vs. just seeing this is something that’s gonna, like, ruin the world tour or residency or whatever,” she added. “I’ve noticed his name has been taken off of certain shows and that is a direct consequence to his actions.”
Shay urged Kennedy “to get help,” noting, “And not just to prevent Ally — or some other girl — from being subjected to abusive behavior in the future. But to give himself a chance to live life with healthy relationships. I know he wants those things for himself and he needs to give himself the proper tools to deal with his trauma that doesn’t involve projecting it on to others.”
“I am committed to making meaningful changes in my life. I am taking time to focus on my sobriety, personal growth, and being present for my loved ones,” he wrote via Instagram on December 17. “Navigating challenging moments is not easy but I am determined to learn, grow and move forward with the incredible support system around me.”
His legal team also addressed the arrest, telling Us, “We are in the process of conducting our own investigation into the allegations levied by the Burbank Police Department against James. We understand that there were no injuries and we are hoping that, after careful review, the city’s attorneys will decide not to file formal charges.”
Lewber, 28, for her part, has largely remained out of the public eye since the arrest made headlines, with a source telling Us earlier this month that the twosome were taking some space.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out with love and support and for checking in on me,” Lewber wrote via her Instagram Story at the time. “I’m OK and taking the time I need right now. I deeply appreciate all the kindness and respect for my privacy during this time.”
Elsewhere in her podcast episode, Shay made it clear that she wanted to “keep the line of communication and support open” for Lewber.
“I want her to know that she is supported. I don’t want to say something that then puts her in a position where it’s like she has to choose between a friendship or a relationship. I just don’t want there to be one less mechanism of support for her,” she continued. “That’s just only going to make things harder.”
Shay also addressed her husband, Brock Davies‘ past domestic dispute. (Davies, 34, revealed on season 9 of Vanderpump Rules that an incident between him and his ex led to a tumultuous coparenting relationship when it came to his eldest kids.)
“I know most of you watched season 9 and it was revealed that my husband had made some bad choices in his early 20s. Thankfully, he’s not the same person he was and he continues to work on himself,” Shay, who shares 3-year-old daughter Summer with Davies, explained. “If he was the same person, I wouldn’t have married him. He’s an incredible partner and father. He’s made some mistakes but he’s grown. He’s learned from his past. I thought James had too. Hopefully now he finally will.”
Shay ended the segment by issuing a message of support to anyone in an abusive relationship.
“If you’re in a relationship that is abusive — whether that’s through coercive control, psychological or emotional abuse, economic, physical or sexual abuse — I want you to try and make an exit plan today,” she said. “If you have a friend who you worry might be in one, just make sure they know that they are supported. Help educate them on what types of abuse there are. There are so many different types and what that looks like. Help them access mental health services in your area, and make sure to re-enforce that they are worthy of respect and love.”
She continued: “They deserve to be treated with respect. And I’m going to add some links in this episode description for additional resources in navigating domestic abuse because I do think it’s important to speak on this.”
The reality star admitted she was “hesitant” to speak out.
“I feel like if I say something, I get s— for it. If I don’t say something, I get s— for it. But this is a serious subject,” Shay concluded. “So I needed to say something and I hope I conveyed that properly. ”
If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
Ina Gartenand her husband, Jeffrey Garten, were only separated for four months before reconciling.
“We got married in 1968 and in the ‘70s women are, kind of, sorting things out,” Ina, 76, said during a Tuesday, December 24, podcast appearance. “When we got married, it was assumed that he would be ‘the husband’ and I would be ‘the wife’ and I would make dinner and we would do the finances.”
She continued, “We would have the prescribed roles, and I think those roles annoyed me in the ‘70s — even though Jeffrey thought of me as an equal. We just had roles that we were playing.”
Once Ina bought her first Barefoot Contessa shop, she saw her mindset shift.
“I had my own business and I had my own life,” she recalled. “I found those rules to be really confining, so I just said to him, ‘I just feel like I need to be only own for a little while.’”
In response, Jeffrey, now 78, told the lifestyle maven that, “If you feel like you need to be on your own, you need to be on your own.” Their separation, however, only lasted a few months.
“We, kind of, took a break for about four months,” Ina said. “He was with the State Department, he went on this big trip around the world and afterward, at the end of the year, we met in Palm Springs and we just talked. We just sat and talked about what he wanted and what I wanted. He always has this great attitude, ‘Let’s just figure out what each of us wants and how we can do both of them.’”
Ina further gushed that Jeffrey “is the best” and “should be a role model for every guy,” also crediting the former financier with helping her find her voice.
“He really is so wise,” Ina said. “His advice is never, ‘This will be good for me.’ It’s always, ‘This would be good for us.’”
Ina also credits therapy with improving their relationship.
“I remember going to [my therapist] the first day and I said, ‘I’m not having fun. I mean, I work all the time and it’s easy to get wrapped up in that,’” she recalled on Tuesday. “It was true for us for a long time when Jeffrey would leave on Monday [for a work trip]. .. The weekdays I pretty much had on my own, so I would just work all the time.”
Once Ina started embracing new hobbies — many with Jeffrey’s encouragement — they were able to get their romance back on track.
“He made me feel like I could do anything and that we would talk stuff out and he would say, ‘Have you thought about that’ and we would have a conversation right from the beginning,” Ina said. “He would say to me, ‘What do you love? If you love it, you’ll be really good at it.’ He knows I have a lot of enthusiasm and energy for things.”
Vas and Ricci first crossed paths as teenagers, later dating once they grew up. They tied the knot in September 2023 — shortly after two of their parents similarly got married.
Vas and Ricci are aware that their love story is unconventional, but they aren’t bothered by any criticism.
“Honestly, it doesn’t affect us because we have each other,” Vas told Australia’s news.com.au in November 2024. “I don’t really read our comments section, but if I do, I actually laugh. We find trolls very entertaining. If something’s really negative, we might comment back, we find it is quite a good disarming tactic.”
“Our Christmas miracle has finally arrived ,” a joint Instagram post read on December 25, 2024. “Merry Christmas from our family to yours .”
Keep scrolling to revisit Vas and Ricci’s complete relationship timeline:
2008
“We were about 13 years old when we first met through mutual friends,” Vas told news.com.au in 2024. “Our families knew each other and they introduced us, I guess you could say. So, we’ve known each other for a very long time.”
October 2020
The Neighbours alum debuted their romance via Instagram.
“What a journey this year has been. So grateful for every single day ,” she wrote alongside a pic with Ricci in Beverly Hills.
That same month, Ricci featured Vas on his Instagram. “Baddy,” he captioned a photo carousel with her in West Hollywood, California.
January 2021
In January, Vas and Ricci launched their joint “Tayo and Scars” TikTok page where they started documenting their relationship and poking fun at their status as dating stepsiblings.
“So in love with you,” they captioned a video the next month.
The holidays are always a bittersweet time for Billie Lourd.
Nearly a decade after her mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 60, the Scream Queens star—who shares son Kingston, 4, and daughter...
I’ll be honest: I’m a total protein bar snob. It’s probably because I’ve tried nearly every variety under the sun! If you’ve ever tried to find a go-to protein bar, you know the struggle. Finding a good, tasty protein bar that doesn’t break the bank, taste like chemicals, cause stomach problems or have loads of sugar can feel like a full-time job!
When shopping for protein bars, I always look for ones that are low in carbs, under 200 calories, rich in dietary fiber and, of course, high in protein. A good rule of thumb to determine if a bar is actually high in protein is checking the protein-to-calorie ratio; the bar should have at least one gram of protein for every 10 calories. As for the taste, it should be something I look forward to eating. Does the “perfect” protein bar even exist?
Previously, I would have said no, but I found a protein bar that I prefer more than dessert lately. These Quest Protein Bars are the easiest way to hit your protein goals without feeling like you’re hitting your protein goals — if that makes sense. They taste beyond indulgent, but that’s just the beginning!
These bars contain 20 to 21 grams of hunger-busting protein, only four grams of net carbs and only one gram of sugar, all for just 170 to 200 calories. The protein comes from milk and whey protein isolates, two forms of high-quality protein that balance blood sugar. Whey protein isolate is fast-absorbing while milk protein isolate is slow-digesting, making these bars the ideal post-workout or 3 p.m. snack that will satisfy your body (and sweet tooth!) and keep you full for hours.
These bars are also rich in prebiotic fiber, another bonus in the satiating department. Fiber is known for keeping your digestive system running smoothly. It’s naturally found in vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and fruit, so you can bet it’s good for you! With between 12 and 15 grams of fiber, these bars are as filling as it gets.
There are 15 classic flavor varieties to choose from, but if you want to try them all, opt for the ultimate variety pack! You’ll get one or two of each. I’ve been hooked on the cookies and cream variety lately, but I plan on trying the double chocolate chunk next! All of the varieties are on sale right now, so take advantage of it. They couldn’t be easier to stuff into gym bags, work bags and glove compartments for when you need a quick pick-me-up. Your future hangry self will thank me!
Going into the new year, I’m all about moderation. You don’t have to replace your favorite sweets with protein bars, but these will make you want to!
Get the Quest Nutrition Cookies and Cream Protein Bar for $23 (originally $30) on Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate at the date of publication, December 27, 2024, but are subject to change.
Not what you’re looking for? Shop other protein bars on Amazon and don’t forget to shop Amazon’s Daily Deals here!
Ariana Grande and Ethan Slater are “inseparable” as they continue to enjoy the latest chapter of their relationship in the wake of Wicked’s box office success.
“Ariana and Ethan have written a whole new book together,” a source tells Us Weekly exclusively. Even though they’ve been together for more than a year, Grande, 31, and Slater, 32, are “still in the honeymoon phase of pure bliss,” a second insider shares with Us.
“The Wickedpress tour made their relationship ever stronger, and Ariana is over the moon about Ethan,” the source continued. “They have so much in common, which is something Ari never had with past relationships.”
Grande’s romance with Slater is “a new dynamic” for the singer, the second insider tells Us. The first source adds that the couple is “living in bliss” following the release of Wicked, adding that “their friends are fully supportive.”
Us confirmed in July 2023 that Grande and Slater were in a “fairly new” relationship following their respective marriages to Dalton Gomez and Lilly Jay.
“Ariana is not rushing to get married again,” the second source tells Us. “She feels she is content with how things are now and it’s a really healthy situation. Ariana used to move really quickly in relationships and has learned to slow down.”
Grande was married to Gomez, 29, for two years before Us confirmed in July 2023 that they had called it quits earlier that year. Slater, meanwhile, filed for divorce from Jay, with whom he shares a 2-year-old son, after four years of marriage shortly after news of his relationship with Grande went public.
The second source tells Us that Grande and Slater “practically live together” in New York City as their relationship continues to blossom.
They “have created a new life together,” the insider adds. “She needed a change of pace after her divorce.”
As Grande and Slater completed the Wicked press tour, they also “spent time” at the singer’s Los Angeles home. (Grande and Slater starred as Glinda and Boq, respectively, in the musical movie which hit theaters last month.)
The couple had plans to celebrate the holidays together, the same insider shares, noting that Slater has become “close” with Grande’s mom, Joan Grande, and brother, Frankie Grande.
“They are both still on a high over all the success of Wicked,” the same source says of the couple. “It’s been a non-stop celebration.”
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Jessica-Simpson-Sizzles-in-Skintight-Black-Catsuit-tout-011624-ecb7d60881a14cf7bebcc40152fa8a46.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/rubi-verduzco-122724-ce6f6ea96d354ac689d296c80a1d4aac.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/baby-in-the-hospital-122724-cc5ecb7f395e42559888416acbaec5e8.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/chipotle-tout-122724-31fb218ba3744cc8b4b4cc05b41d6feb.jpg)
After holding out hope he might recover, OG Maco's family had to say goodbye.
The "U Guessed It" rapper, born Benedict Ihesiba Jr., has died, according to a statement posted to his Instagram...
As dad to 12 kids, Nick Cannon is busy spreading holiday cheer.
In fact, the Masked Singer host played the part of Father Christmas this festive season, dressing up as Santa Claus while...
,” a joint Instagram post read on December 25, 2024. “Merry Christmas from our family to yours 
.”
,” she wrote alongside a pic with Ricci in Beverly Hills. 
,” they captioned a joint social media video with the newborn.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/jane-seymour-grandkids-4-122724-891c0b4e15364f18b21fe40244f4c1b3.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/prince-louis-princess-charlotte-prince-george-christmas-day-church-sandringham-122524-66b10a8a5cf44313a907bd109334e99d.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/westminster-kennel-club-dog-show-122724-4e65b729f26d4829909ec0c38f1244c9.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/doug-nickelodeon-122724-ed5e58e9bdee4615a498209a7e68d758.jpg)
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/edwin-arroyave-teddi-mellencamp-iheart-radio-11224-a918ba3938534bd180ff45a1301b2305.jpg)
The holidays are always a bittersweet time for Billie Lourd.
Nearly a decade after her mother Carrie Fisher passed away at 60, the Scream Queens star—who shares son Kingston, 4, and daughter...
