English TV presenter, producer and novelist
The Celebrity Traitors will return with 21 celebrities competing for up to £100,000 for charity. Filmed in a Highlands castle, the new series follows faithfuls against traitors and features a star-studded lineup including Michael Sheen, Maya Jama, Bella Ramsey, James Blunt and Leigh-Anne Pinnock. Previous series drew up to 15.4 million viewers.
The Scotsman reports on the third series of Last One Laughing UK; hosts Jimmy Carr and Mel Giedroyc oversee 10 comedians locked in a room, with laughter penalties and ejections. The Halloween special features seven contestants, seven episodes released as four episodes in a Halloween run on Prime Video.
Hachette, Cengage, Elsevier and author Scott Turow have filed a federal lawsuit in New York accusing Google of copying millions of copyrighted books — from Google Books, Play and web scrapes — and using them without permission to train its Gemini AI, seeking damages and an injunction while alleging Google hid identifying copyright data.
A synthesis of recent coverage shows investors digesting new data, with analysts noting ongoing shifts in policy expectations and equity benchmarks amid mixed earnings and macro signals.
BBC and Independent investigations reveal claimed PCB dumps linked to Monsanto in the 1980s, with residents near sites testing high PCB levels. Michael Sheen addresses public health concerns as whistleblowers push for accountability. The BBC documents trace alleged historic dumping and calls for fresh statutory testing
The James Bond casting search has intensified, with frontrunners narrowing and new bets shifting as producers pace the process amid a flurry of interviews and public speculation.
Theo James has ruled himself out of the upcoming Bond race, saying he is too old for the role. Producers are considering a slate of actors, including Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, and Jack Lowden, with an announcement potential by year-end. Amy Pascal confirms a careful, methodical casting process as the search continues.
The next James Bond casting is narrowing to a select group of contenders as Denis Villeneuve shapes the project and Amazon MGM Studios signals a careful, secretive approach. Rumors swirl around front-runners like Jack Barton, Callum Turner, Tom Francis and Harris Dickinson, while Saoirse Ronan hints at a future villain role. Official announcements are still expected later this year.
A trio of profiles—from a fanfare surrounding Sophie, Standing There to a deep dive into Anita Brookner and a critique of Life of M—reframe how readers and critics discuss literary lives this week. The Independent, The Guardian and The New York Times Business weigh in on authors, reputation and the lines between fiction and life.