Wicked: For Good, the second part of the popular movie musical, will include brand-new music that deviates from the original production.
“I collaborated on one of the new songs, and it’s so special to me,” Cynthia Erivo told Variety on the Thursday, December 26, episode of its “Award Chatter” podcast. “When we filmed it, the entire crew was in tears. I hope audiences are ready — it’s a song that speaks to the heart of who Elphaba is.”
Wicked, which hit theaters last month, was adapted from Stephen Schwartz’s Broadway musical of the same name. Both shows serve as a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, based on Gregory Maguire’s novel, in which the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the North are roommates at the fictitious Shiz University.
The OG musical starred Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth as Elphaba and Galinda/Glinda, respectively. In the long-awaited film version, Erivo, 37, and Ariana Grande took over the roles.
Wicked: For Good is set to continue the story where Part One left off but with a more mature tone.
“We’re diving deeper into the consequences of the characters’ choices,” Erivo told Variety. “The story is richer, and the stakes are higher. It’s not just a continuation; it’s a transformation.”
While Elphie eventually becomes the notorious Ozian villain, Erivo doesn’t see the character as “purely” evil.
“Elphaba isn’t wicked. None of the characters are purely good or bad. They’re flawed, complex and human,” Erivo stressed to the outlet. “This story asks us to reconsider the labels we place on others and ourselves. It’s about empathy and understanding. The world needs more of that right now.”
Erivo and Grande, 31, are both nominated for Golden Globes for their Wicked roles albeit in different categories. (Erivo is up for Leading Actress in a Musical/Comedy, while Grande was honored for Supporting Actress in a Musical/Comedy.)
“Oh my goodness oh my goodness,” Grande gushed via her Instagram Story earlier this month. “I am floored and honored to be recognized by members of the @goldenglobes. Crying (of course). It’s impossible to find my words, but I am simply so deeply grateful for this acknowledgment.”
She added, “Congratulations to my brilliant, dear sister @cynthiaerivo, and all of our Ozian family on this celebration of our work. I can’t possibly express my gratitude.”
Both parts of Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu, also star Jonathan Bailey, Marissa Bode, Ethan Slater, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum and Peter Dinklage.
Wicked: For Good premieres in theaters November 21, 2025.
Ahead of his team’s Sugar Bowl showdown against Georgia, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman required his players, staff and their families to spend the holidays as a unit.
“It’s an honor, it’s a privilege to be able to celebrate Christmas together with your football program, with your football family and to be practicing for a College Football Playoff game,” Freeman, 38, told reporters this week.
Notre Dame is getting set to face Georgia on Wednesday, January 1, 2025 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Freeman and his squad defeated Indiana 27-17 on Friday, December 20 to advance to the game.
“There’s a lot of college football teams that would want to do that,” Freeman continued. “We gotta make sure we understand that. Our guys do. None of those guys are thinking about going home — at least they won’t tell me if they are.”
Freeman concluded, “I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
The winner of the Notre Dame-Georgia game will advance to the Orange Bowl on January 9 in Miami Gardens, Florida against the winner of Penn State-Boise State, which takes place on Tuesday, December 31.
Head coach Marcus Freeman of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish celebrates with the team after defeating the Indiana Hoosiers 27-17 in the Playoff First Round game at Notre Dame Stadium on December 20, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana.
Freeman and Notre Dame will face a Georgia team without the team’s usual starting quarterback, Carson Beck, who is out for the remainder of the playoffs with an elbow injury. In his place, Georgia will rely on sophomore quarterback Gunner Stockton.
Despite the change, Freeman said his team’s preparations have not wavered.
“You look at the 13 games they played,” Freeman said Tuesday, December 24 on FS1’s The Herd with Colin Cowherd. “They won’t be a completely different offense with a new quarterback.
Freeman added, “There’s some things [Stockton] does well within their system. He makes really good decisions. He makes fast decisions. He obviously can extend plays with his feet — a little more QB run. But we’re still going to plan to see the things that we’ve seen their offense do, no matter who’s been at quarterback.”
Notre Dame has won 11 games in a row since their shocking loss at home to unranked Northern Illinois on September 7. In retrospect, Freeman said the defeat taught him a lot about his team.
“Well, immediately after the game, you tell them, ‘I’ve been here before,’” Freeman recalled on The Herd. “I told them, ‘Listen, it will be a rough week. It will be a long week, but I’ve been here before.’”
Freeman added, “All season long, I’ve continued to tell them, ‘Keep the pain, keep the pain,’ because we can’t let a loss continue to teach us the lessons we need to learn to prepare. So they’ve done a wonderful job of continuing to find ways to get better, but the preparation and mindset have been the key.”
The Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia kicks off Wednesday, January 1 at 8:45 pm ET on ESPN.
Below Deck Mediterranean‘s Chef Dave White isn’t just a married man now — he is also about to become a dad.
White took to Instagram on Thursday, December 26, to share a photo of him and wife Holly, which he captioned, “Merry Christmas everyone, love from the 3 of us .” In the snap, the former reality star was wearing a shirt that read “Daddy’s little sous chef” while his partner showed off her baby bump and a mini chef’s jacket for their little one.
The exciting news came one week after White announced that he and Holly tied the knot.
Captain Sandy Yawn wished her “congratulations” while Aesha Scott replied, “Yesssssssss darl So happy for you!!!!”
Meanwhile, Alex Radcliffe responded with fire emojis as Daisy Kelliher sent her own well wishes in the comments section.
Bravo fans became very familiar with White when he joined season 7 of Below Deck Mediterranean. After sparking romance rumors with chief stew Natasha Webb, the couple confirmed that they hooked up before reuniting on screen — despite initially pretending they weren’t close.
As the season went on, Webb ultimately didn’t want to continue their relationship. She instead reconnected with her ex, which caused White to become increasingly frustrated and consistently rage-texted her throughout the season. During a crew night out, Webb even ended up hiding in a primary bedroom because of White’s concerning messages.
“I didn’t want everyone to judge us on the situation. It was just unfortunate,” Webb told E! News in August 2022 about originally keeping her past with White a secret. “Because I didn’t want everyone to know, everything was done through text message, which is what the viewers don’t get to see. Dave’s more open and speaks about it so you get to see his side a little more, which is where judgment can come in from people.”
Webb admitted she had regrets about how she handled the situation.
“Looking back, it was the wrong thing to do,” she said. “I should have been more open and honest. It’s just because of the way things came about on my last boat. I just thought it was a messy situation that a lot of people can judge people. We all make mistakes in life. And unfortunately, that was just one of those things that I had to get through.”
That same month, Webb called White’s actions “toxic” during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. White, meanwhile, said he was “absolutely gutted” watching back his behavior.
“What I did and what I said were completely out of line. No matter how much I felt ill-treated, I should have never sent her what I did,” he told Decider at the time. “I’m absolutely gutted by my behavior and wish I could take it back. Even though I was super upset, there’s no excuse for what I did. I feel like I need to apologize to everyone because the way I reacted was disgusting.”
He continued: “To be honest, I can’t watch the episode. I don’t know how I came across. I obviously know what happened, but I don’t know. Do I deserve a second chance? I was out of order and it was the second time I slipped up…. However, in the galley, I put in a hundred and ten percent. I respect all the crew, and I am a good crew member. People do deserve second chances, but I feel like that might have been my third.”
Stassi Schroeder’s daughter Hartford is a huge Wicked girl — and she’ll even draw blood over the movie.
“Christmas was bloody Wicked this year!” Schroeder’s husband, Beau Clark, captioned a video uploaded via Instagram on Thursday, December 26.
Hartford, 3, wore a yellow dress and held Elphaba’s broom from the Wicked movie while Cynthia Erivo’s “Defying Gravity” played in the background. Schroeder and Hartford were singing along to the song with the latter furiously thrusting her broomstick into the air. At one point, Hartford’s broom collided with Schroeder’s face.
“Are you OK?” Hartford asked as Schroeder, 36, wondered whether she looked like Dracula. The Vanderpump Rules alum’s daughter went to go get her mom “a napkin” for the injury.
Schroeder turned to look at Clark, 44, who was still recording, and blood could be seen dripping down the left side of her mouth. Clark gasped, which made Schroeder ask, “Is it really that bad?”
As Clark continued to repeat “oh, my God,” Schroeder started laughing because she couldn’t tell if he was “messing” with her. When Hartford wiped the blood off her mom’s face, Schroeder chuckled in disbelief.
“I’m so sorry,” Hartford told her mom, as she continued to hold a cloth to Schroeder’s face. (It’s important to note that the Wicked soundtrack was playing in the background the entire time.)
Schroeder left a comment on Clark’s video explaining why the injury wasn’t that bad on her end.
“But yes, that side of my chin has always been numb ever since the chin implant lol,” the former Bravo star explained, referring to the plastic surgery procedure she got at age 18.
Schroeder and Clark share daughter Hartford along with son Messer, 15 months. Since welcoming her kids, the reality star can’t help but gush over her role as a wife and mom.
“Having it all in terms of what my family looks like, I’d love to have more kids if I was just insanely wealthy and had the most amount of help ever,” Schroeder shared during an October appearance on the “Disrespectfully” podcast, noting that in a perfect world she’d have “a really big family” with Clark.
“I think of single parents every day, multiple times a day, because I do have help,” Schroeder continued. “Hartford’s in school and I have a husband that does half the things I do. So, I’m supported, but I still get overwhelmed all day long. I literally think, ‘There are people that are just doing this alone. Alone, alone.’”
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.
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.”
“Happy Christmas,” Glanville, 52, captioned an Instagram post, which included a family photo with her kids Mason 21, and Jake, 17, Rimes, ex-husband Eddie Cibrian and more extended family on Thursday, December 26. “Not my favorite look for my face but I felt ALL the love from my modern family.”
“Big thanks to Le for offering to help with my situation,” Glanville concluded her caption, referring to her ongoing health battle. The former Bravo star’s face could also be seen turned away from the camera, showing off only her left side.
Earlier this month, Glanville shared a message to haters (telling them to “suck it”) while revealing that she might have a parasite in her face.
“Honestly, I have so many doctors and I’ve had so many tests … I did lab work for $10,000,” Glanville further explained during a December 10 interview with Entertainment Tonight. “I ran every test under the sun. … They’re like, ‘It could be a parasite.’ That’s, you know, new.”
Glanville estimated that she’s spent $70,000 to attempt and fix the face issue. The reality star also said that she can feel the apparent parasite and if she “messes with it,” the organism will move around and look like “tiny bubbles bursting” on her cheek.
“She has to figure out if there’s a microorganism in there,” he explained during an interview with TMZ earlier this month. “It’s not going to be a parasite, it’s not going to be something she ate, it’s going to be from something that got into her bloodstream.”
It seems Rimes, who married Cibrian in 2011, also offered assistance during their joint family Christmas celebration.
Glanville revealed in 2018 that things between her and her ex-husband were on better terms after a nasty divorce.
“The three of us sat and talked for hours [and] hashed everything out and the feud with @leannrimes Eddie and I is over” Glanville shared via X in April 2018. “They will not be getting rid of me on any holidays #modernfamily.”
Dresses with pockets are a smart style element any time of year — but especially during the winter! They can help hold gloves, keep your hands warm and are an easy and cozy outfit too. That’s why we rounded up these 14 dresses with pockets for a winter wardrobe upgrade — and they achieve the viral rich mom aesthetic too!
Thankfully, there are tons of different styles of dresses with pockets so you’re not limited to just one! We found cozy fleece styles that make lounging time just that much more comfortable and formal styles that create an elegant look for winter weddings and date nights. They also all come in at an affordable price point — starting at just $20!
14 Rich Mom-Style Winter Dresses With Pockets That are Toasty and Timeless
1. Our Top Favorite: This tie waist midi dress is our favorite for its curve-flattering design, rave shopper reviews and versatile style!
2. Best With Leggings: We couldn’t not include this bestselling cozy knit style that works best when paired with leggings and boots in the winter!
3. Get Dresses Up: Great for winter date nights or weddings is this jacquard knit midi dress that features a pretty floral design, a tiered skirt and puff sleeves!
4. Better With Buttons: Embrace cozy cottage vibes this season with this button-detail tunic dress that has a loose and flattering design!
5. Colorblock Cutie: Instead of settling on just one color of dress, try this multi-color style that makes a cute casual day look!
6. Plus Size Perfection: Coming in sizes XL to 6X, this versatile maxi dress is flattering for curvy body types!
7. Darling Details: We love all of the cute details of the knitted maxi dress that features braided-style fabric, flared hem and puff sleeves!
8. Two-in-One and Done: Make it look like you put in more effort than you did in this two-in-one-midi dress that’s made with a long sleeve shirt at the top and tie waist skirt at the bottom!
9. Keep it Simple: As the saying goes, elegance is simplicity, which is especially true in this ribbed knit mini dress that has pockets too!
11. Sleek Satin: On top of having a chic style and side pockets, this satin mini dress from Banana Republic also comes in tall, petite and regular sizing too!
12. Worth the Splurge: This Spanx crewneck dress is worth the extra cash because of its soft-to-the-touch AirEssentials fabric!
13. Flattering Fleece: With over 400 bought within the last month, shoppers are clearly stocking up on this Baleaf fleece dress to stay warm during the cozy season!
14. Formal and Fabulous: Needing a formal style for a wedding or date nights? This fit-to-flare midi dress, made with a polyester and spandex, is perfect for that!
Liam Payne’s ex-girlfriend Sophia Smith got the ultimate Christmas present: an engagement ring.
Smith revealed via Instagram that her boyfriend, James Bridgwood, proposed to her on Christmas Day. “Yes a million times over 25.12.24,” she captioned a Friday, December 27, Instagram video of the proposal, which seemingly took place in their home with their daughter, Angelina, by their side.
The family of three were dressed in pajamas for the special moment and embraced for a group hug after Bridgwood put the ring on Smith’s finger. In addition to rose petals on the floor, Bridgwood placed a bottle of champagne and two glasses next to them for the proposal.
It is unknown when the couple began dating, though Smith shared her first Instagram pic with Bridgwood in June 2022. She announced her pregnancy that December, tagging her then-boyfriend in an Instagram snap of her baby bump. Angelina was born in April 2023. Before the pair’s Christmas engagement, they rang in the holidays with Angelina by taking photos with Santa Claus and posing in front of a Christmas tree for a sweet family photo.
One Direction fans may remember Smith for her relationship with Payne, who was a childhood friend. They began dating in May 2013, shortly after Payne called it quits with Danielle Peazer in late 2012.
“I have fancied the pants off her since I was at school with her,” Payne shared in an October 2015 interview with Attitude magazine. “Yeah, except I didn’t actually go out with her at the time. I used to see her at school and we’d kind of chat.”
Payne revealed that he “asked her sister for her number,” adding, “She was very shy and didn’t give much indication that she liked me, so I just assumed that she wasn’t interested, as well as thinking she was way too hot for me anyway. … When I was single again, I met her at my mate’s party. I didn’t say too much to her because I was too scared to after messing things up, but we finally got talking and the rest is history. It really is one of those childhood sweetheart stories. I love her eyes. The first time our eyes met I fell in love.”
At the time, Payne said the two had “talked about marriage,” but she wanted her to follow her goals and not become “one of those stay-at-home girlfriends who doesn’t really do much.”
Payne previously confirmed that the song “Illusion” from One Direction’s 2014 album, Four, was written about Smith. One year later, however, he and Smith called it quits. Payne moved on with fellow singer Cheryl Cole, whom he dated from 2016 to 2018.
Smith congratulated her ex when he and Cole, 41, welcomed their son, Bear, in March 2017. “I messaged to congratulate him,” she told The Sun in April 2017. “We’re all good. I’m happy for him.”
Payne died at age 31 on October 16 after falling while intoxicated from a third-story hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Smith has yet to publicly comment on his death, which is currently under investigation.
Payne was dating on-and-off girlfriend Kate Cassidy at the time of his death. Earlier this month, Cassidy, 25, debuted new angel wing tattoos on her fingers, which she seemingly got as a tribute to the late pop star.
Halle Bailey’s carry-on bag is full of her must-haves.
Bailey, 24, exclusively broke down everything she keeps in her Gucci GG Emblem tote while chatting with Us Weekly — from items to keep her son Halo entertained to her beauty favorites.
“My relationship with travel has been really beautiful,” Bailey, who teamed up with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card from Chase, told Us. “I love to learn about the world and new experiences and new cultures and the trips that I’ve taken with my family are some of my favorite memories of all time.
Inside of her tan Gucci purse, Bailey keeps her Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card, which helps her save on traveling and earn free stays at hotels. “It was such a great fit for me because the card is all about encouraging travelers to live their best life and help them get closer to their travel goals,” she gushed.
Bailey added that because so many people have wanted to meet Halo, whom she welcomed in December 2023 with ex DDG, she’s been traveling even more. “It’s really cool to have all these memories and to be able to say, ‘Before you were one year old, we went here, we went there, and I have all these pictures to prove it.’ The Marriott Bombay Bold Card really helps bring that image to life.”
Keep scrolling to find out everything Bailey keeps inside her Gucci travel bag:
With reporting by Travis Cronin
Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card
“I’m all about saving money and building points and looking for any way to save, especially being like a new mom,” Bailey told Us. “I just purchased a home, and I’m really trying to be conscious of my decisions when it comes to spending and traveling can be so much sometimes. It was really a beautiful thing to be able to team up with Marriott and also have my Bonvoy Bold credit card for me.”
Laptop
Bailey told Us she matched her laptop case with her phone case, which she bought from the TikTok shop.
Headphones
Bailey is a die-hard fan for wired headphones, which she believes to be louder than her AirPods.
Wipes
“I’m a little bit of a germaphobe, so I always bring my wipes.”
Makeup
One of Bailey’s go-to lip glosses is the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Lip Luminizer. “Especially when you’re on a plane, you need a balm, you need something; it’s so dry.”
A Hair Wrap
Always making sure her locks are picture perfect, Bailey packs a deep purple bonnet with her while traveling. “I [also] think about [how] many other people have laid on this seat. I don’t want my hair to touch the seats,” she explained.
Bailey comes prepared while traveling with her favorite snacks, including KitKats, chips and more. She also carries a reusable waterbottle with her.
“Goodnight Moon” by Margaret Wise Brown
One of Halo’s favorite books is Goodnight Moon, which Bailey gushed to Us that he even likes to turn the pages himself. “He’s starting to babble like he’s reading it too.”
Blanket
“I always carry a really fuzzy blanket with me,” Bailey said. “I get cold everywhere I go.”
Halo’s iPad and Toys
“I’ve learned to have so much patience with a baby who’s discovering all of these new emotions for the first time,” Bailey told Us. “Being on a plane is like, you have to come prepared with all of his stuff.” The actress noted that besides his iPad, some of Halo’s favorite toys right now are teething keys and trains.
Ina Garten never saw the need to compare herself to Martha Stewart — despite what everyone around her said.
“[I learned] to just trust your vision,” Garten, 76, said during a Tuesday, December 24, podcast appearance. “I think the thing that works is if you’re really true to who you are. If you believe in it so fiercely, somebody out there is going to believe in it too.”
She added, “It’s true. It’s not, ‘I’m going to become this perky person … that people will just love.’ Just put out who you are and do the best job you possibly can do and I think people will trust that. They honor that and they believe in that.”
“People are trying to pull me off the train and I just keep it right on the tracks,” she explained. “If I feel, like, I’m so sure what I’m doing is right, I don’t let people pull me off my game.”
Ina Garten
The two lifestyle gurus first crossed paths in the early 1990s when Stewart, now 83, went shopping at Garten’s now-closed Barefoot Contessa shop in East Hampton, New York.
“My desk was right in front of the cheese case and we just ended up in a conversation,” Garten previously told TIME in a 2017 interview. “We ended up actually doing benefits together where it was at her house and I was the caterer, and we became friends after that.”
One day, Stewart brought a publisher to the Barefoot Contessa outpost that helped secure Garten’s first cookbook deal. They have each since published numerous recipe compilations and helmed respective culinary shows.
Nearly two decades later, it was reported that Stewart and Garten were on the outs. Stewart had claimed to The New Yorker in September that Garten “stopped talking to me” after she went to prison. (Stewart was found guilty on felony charges of conspiracy to obstruct and of making false statements to federal investigators. She was sentenced to five months in prison and was released from jail in March 2005.)
Garten, however, has denied that the alleged falling-out was a result of Stewart’s prison stint.
“Well, let’s just say her story isn’t exactly accurate,” Garten said earlier this month during a book event, supporting her recently released memoir. “You know, that was 25 years ago. I think it’s time to let it go.”
Garten further noted on Tuesday that she surrounds herself “with really creative, smart people” to help make the best decisions for her own career.
“What I tend to do is I talk to everybody in the beginning and I get everybody’s point of view,” Garten explained. “I hear and we talk and we, kind of, build something. But, at the end of the day, it’s my job to choose and once I get all the information … I know exactly what the right thing to do is.”
ABC’s highly anticipated spinoff of 9-1-1 is in the works — but what is there to know about the show so far?
9-1-1 initially premiered on Fox in 2018 and introduced viewers to the professional and personal lives of Los Angeles first responders. The show, which starred Angela Bassett, Peter Krause, Oliver Stark, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Guzman and Kenneth Choi, remained on the network until 2023.
After Fox canceled 9-1-1, ABC swooped in and renewed the show for a seventh season. 9-1-1 has continued to find success on ABC, but its first spinoff, 9-1-1: Lone Star, hasn’t had the same luck.
9-1-1: Lone Star followed a New York firefighter (played by Rob Lowe) who relocated to Texas while trying to balance his job with issues in his own life. Ronen Rubinstein, Sierra McClain, Jim Parrack, Natacha Karam, Brian Michael Smith, Rafael L. Silva, Julian Works and Gina Torres made up the rest of the cast.
By 2023, 9-1-1: Lone Star was renewed for its fifth and final season after remaining on Fox. The franchise, however, has continued to grow with cocreators Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear hinting at another location setting the scene for a new spinoff.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about the upcoming 9-1-1 spinoff:
Where Is the ‘9-1-1’ Spinoff Set?
The series is currently in development, which means most details haven’t been released. Some of the potential locations being floated around for the third iteration include Las Vegas or Hawaii, as reported by Deadline.
What Is the Vision for the New Series?
In October 2024, Murphy teased the “fun” spinoff while speaking to Variety, saying, “Tim Minear and I are working on a new spinoff that we’re actually writing, and that we hope to get on the air next fall. Sadly, we all love Lone Star, but the financials just didn’t work. It’s a Disney company that was on a Fox network, and it just was never going to work. And we had a long run of it.”
He continued: “So now we’re going to launch a new show in a new city that I can’t name, but it’s fun. And 9-1-1 moved to ABC and suddenly became, I think, the biggest show on Thursday night. They obviously have an appetite for that, so we’re going to give them another one that I really love.”
Queen Camilla may be a part of the royal family now — but she was already a queen in her children’s eyes before her marriage to King Charles III.
Camilla and the monarch were first introduced in 1965 and began dating in the early ’70s. However, Charles eventually had to leave for Royal Navy service, and Camilla moved on with Andrew Parker Bowles. The twosome got engaged shortly after meeting and tied the knot in July 1973.
One year later, the duo welcomed their son, Tom Charles Parker Bowles. Daughter Laura Lopes arrived in 1978. Charles, for his part, wed Princess Diana in 1981. The pair shared sons Prince William and Prince Harry, who were born in 1982 and 1984, respectively.
While Camilla and Andrew were married for over two decades, the twosome split in December 1994 after she secretly rekindled her romance with Charles. The British Army officer allegedly had his own extramarital affairs as well.
Charles and Diana, meanwhile, separated in 1992 amid allegations of infidelity on both sides. Their divorce was finalized in 1996. The following year, Diana died in a car crash in Paris at age 36.
Two years later, Camilla and Charles went public with their relationship. While the couple eventually wed in a civil ceremony in April 2005, Camilla and her family faced intense scrutiny from the public at the time.
Queen Elizabeth II — who died at age 96 in September 2022 — announced in February 2022 that her daughter-in-law would earn the title of Queen Consort when Charles ascended the throne. Camilla’s children — who have no place in line of succession — have spoken openly about feeling somewhat detached from the palace. However, both Tom and Laura have often shown up to support their mother at public events over the years.
Keep scrolling for Queen Camilla’s complete family guide:
Born in December 1939, Andrew studied at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst before being commissioned into the Royal Horse Guards. Throughout his military career, he worked his way from lieutenant to brigadier before his retirement in 1994.
In 1970, Andrew sparked a romance with Princess Anne. He dated Charles' sister for several years before their relationship fizzled out. Andrew and Camilla tied the knot in 1973. The twosome welcomed their children, Tom and Laura, in 1974 and 1978, respectively.
Both Andrew and Camilla were accused of infidelity throughout their marriage. The pair divorced in 1995 but remain friendly to this day.
After growing up in Wiltshire at Bolehyde Manor in Allington, near Chippenham, Tom became an award-winning writer who has penned several cookbooks including Let’s Eat: Recipes From My Kitchen Notebook in 2012 and Fortnum & Mason: Time for Tea in 2021. He is also a restaurant critic for The Mail on Sunday, a food editor at Esquire and a contributing editor to Condé Nast Traveller.
In September 2005, Tom married Sara Buys after five years of dating in a ceremony at St. Nicholas’ Anglican Church in Rotherfield Grey’s, Oxfordshire. The pair went on to welcome daughter Lola and son Frederick in 2007 and 2010, respectively. In 2018, the author split from Buys after more than a decade of marriage.
Tom moved on with Alice Procope in 2019, and they remained together until her death in March 2021.
Lopes was born in January 1978. After graduating from Oxford Brookes University, where she studied History of Art and Marketing, she began her career as an English art curator.
She married husband Harry Lopes, a former Calvin Klein model and accountant, in 2006. Charles and Princess Kate were both in attendance for the nuptials.
In 2008, the couple welcomed their first child, daughter Eliza. Twins Gus and Louis arrived in December 2009.
Camilla’s father was born in January 1917 and was a member of the British Army for 25 years before his retirement, when he received two Military Crosses for being a German prisoner of war.
He married wife Rosalind Maud Cubitt in January 1946. The couple went on to welcome daughters Camilla and Annabel in 1947 and 1949, respectively, and son Mark in 1951.
Bruce died from cancer at age 89 in 2006.
Camilla’s mother was born in August 1921 in London and was the eldest of three children. After meeting Bruce in the wake of World War II, the twosome wed in January 1946 and welcomed their three children.
Rosalind died in July 1994 at age 72 after suffering from osteoporosis.
Born in February 1949, Camilla's sister married Simon Elliot and had three children: Benjamin, Alice and Katie, who were born in 1975, 1977 and 1981, respectively.
Camilla's brother was born in June 1951 and was a British travel writer and conservationist. He was also the chairman of Elephant Family, a wildlife foundation he confounded in 2002.
In 1990, Mark married Clio Goldsmith, and the pair welcomed daughter Ayesha in five years later. After two decades of marriage, the twosome announced that they called it quits.
Mark was rushed to the hospital in April 2014 after sustaining a serious head injury caused by a fall. It was reported later that day that he died. He was 62.
Aaron Judge and Samantha Bracksieck try to keep their marriage out of the spotlight, but their chemistry can’t be hidden.
The New York Yankees outfielder and Bracksieck began their romance as high school sweethearts, dating on and off as teenagers before drifting apart. They reportedly rekindled their flame in 2019 and have been going strong ever since.
Through all the highs and lows of his career, Bracksieck has remained Judge’s No. 1 fan. The couple have been spotted together at several sporting events over the years. While Judge is active on social media, he hardly gives glimpses of his life at home with Bracksieck.
The pair exchanged vows in December 2021 at the Montage Kapalua Bay hotel in Lahaina, Hawaii, but the MLB All-Star has never shared any photos from the big day with his fans. Bracksieck, for her part, doesn’t appear to have any public-facing social media accounts.
Keep scrolling for a look inside the pair’s low-key romance:
Bracksieck sparked engagement rumors when she was spotted wearing a diamond ring on her left hand at one of her beau's games. The duo never publicly commented on the milestone.
Judge shared a rare glimpse of his relationship via Instagram. "What a time we had out in LA for the All Star break! Can’t thank Yankee fans and all the fans out there for their support and making this one of the best years yet! Time to get rolling in the 2nd half!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️," he captioned a handful of photos at the time, one of which showed him and his wife smiling on a red carpet.
When the Yankees announced that Judge would be named the 16th captain in the team's history, Bracksieck was on hand to celebrate the honor. Judge is the first person to hold the coveted title since Derek Jeter, who retired in 2014.
Page Six was first to report that Judge and Bracksieck are gearing up to welcome their first baby, a daughter. Us Weekly reached out to Judge’s team for comment at the time.
New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is reportedly gearing up for fatherhood.
Page Six broke the news on Thursday, December 26, that the 32-year-old outfielder and his wife, Samantha Bracksieck, are expecting their first child — a baby girl. The couple, who are famously private, have yet to confirm the news themselves. (Us Weekly reached out to Judge’s reps and the Yankees for comment.)
Judge and Bracksieck started dating while attending Linden High School in California. Judge graduated in 2010 and started his journey to the big leagues. It’s been reported that the athlete reconnected with Bracksieck in 2019, taking their relationship to the next level.
While they never made any official proposal announcement, the couple sparked engagement rumors when Bracksieck was spotted wearing a ring on her finger in 2021. They got married during a quiet Hawaiian ceremony in December of that year.
Yankees fans started speculating that Judge was gearing up for the next chapter in his life this past October. Eagle-eyed baseball watchers snapped photos of Bracksieck sporting what appeared to be a baby bump while attending the American League Championship Series. At the time, Bracksieck appeared to join Judge on the field after the Yankees defeated the Cleveland Guardians, according to photos that were shared via X (but have since been deleted).
While Judge and Bracksieck rarely talk about each other publicly, the duo will make the rare appearance together.
Samantha Bracksieck and Aaron Judge.
“What a time we had out in LA for the All Star break! Can’t thank Yankee fans and all the fans out there for their support and making this one of the best years yet! Time to get rolling in the 2nd half!” Judge captioned a July 2022 Instagram post, offering a look at his relationship.
The MLB star also said in a 2022 interview that his wife had a hand in helping him secure a $360 million contract with the Yankees that same year.
“I was in California. Sam and I were headed to Hawaii to celebrate our [wedding] anniversary. We had a flight at 8 a.m., so 2 o’clock in the morning, 3 o’clock, we’re just staying up,” Judge recalled during an interview with “Casa De Klub” podcast this past July. “We’re going back and forth about different offers from different teams. What do you want to do? And I’m telling her, ‘I want to stay in New York. I don’t want to go anywhere else.’”
Bracksieck encouraged Judge to call Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner.
“We call him and I’m just kind of laying it out there, like, ‘Hey, I don’t want to go anywhere. This is where I want to be if you can just add one more year to the deal. I’m set. I’m not looking for anything more, I just want one more year. I want to play this game for a long time,’” Judge recalled., The athlete then found out he was going to be named the 16th captain of the Yankees.
.” In the snap, the former reality star was wearing a shirt that read “Daddy’s little sous chef” while his partner showed off her baby bump and a mini chef’s jacket for their little one.
25.12.24,” she captioned a Friday, December 27, Instagram video of the proposal, which seemingly took place in their home with their daughter, Angelina, by their side.
