News

Kemi Badenoch has become the UK Conservative Party leader, beating her colleague Robert Jenrick in the final vote, to become the first Black leader of a British national political party.

Badenoch previously engaged in a social media war of words with Doctor Who star David Tennant. She said she “wasn’t afraid of Doctor Who” after the pair clashed on trans rights.

Badenoch won by more than 10,000 votes from a total poll of more than 130,000. Party members across the country voted in the contest, which followed the Tory party defeat in the UK general election this summer, after which defeated prime minister Rishi Sunak said he would stand down.

Conservative Party chairman Richard Fuller introduced the conference to announce the result in London 11am Saturday morning. He stressed that the party, currently in opposition, must unite in addressing the country’s needs. 1922 committee chairman Bob Blackman then announced the winner of the leadership campaign.

U.K. media regulator Ofcom has fined right-leaning broadcaster Gb News £100,000 for “breaking due impartiality rules” during Rishi Sunak’s February live show “People’s Forum: The Prime Minister.”

According to a statement released on Ofcom’s website on Thursday, an “earlier investigation found that an appropriately wide range of significant viewpoints was not presented and given due weight” in the special, “nor was due impartiality preserved through clearly linked and timely programs.”

As a result, Ofcom concluded that then-Prime Minister Sunak “had a mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his Government in a period preceding a U.K. General Election,” which is in breach of the broadcasting code.

In addition to the $130,000 fine, Ofcom has requested that Gb News “broadcast a statement of our findings against it, on a date and in a form determined by us.”

Gb News is challenging the decision by judicial review.

Ofcom has fined Gb News £100,000 over its People’s Forum: The Prime Minister live show with Rishi Sunak just prior to the UK general election, with the head of Gb News calling the move a “direct attack on free speech and journalism.”

The regulator concluded that the prime minister had a “mostly uncontested platform to promote the policies and performance of his Government,” which breaks the code around impartiality.

“Given the seriousness and repeated nature of this breach, Ofcom has imposed a financial penalty of £100,000 on Gb News Limited. We have also directed Gb News to broadcast a statement of our findings against it, on a date and in a form determined by us,” Ofcom said of the near unprecedented move to fine a UK news network.

Gb News is currently challenging the original decision that found it in breach of the Ofcom code, and Ofcom stressed that it will...

BBC radio news presenter Nick Robinson isn’t the first, just the latest broadcaster to have to apologise after getting one partcular UK senior politician’s name wrong, and very rude, live on air.

The Sun newspaper reports that Robinson made the boo-boo Friday morning during the BBC’s flagship current affairs radio show The Today Programme.

Referencing the shadow chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Robinson said:

“When the Tories announced £12 billion in welfare cuts, and at the time the Labour Party ondemned that, they said that Rishi Sunak and Jeremy C**t had no idea where they’d get ‘the money, you’re going to do exactly the same aren’t you in this Budget?”

A few minutes later, the presenter spoke up to say:

“The eagle-eared amongst you have just pointed out that I repeated what was known as the (former presenter) Jim Naughtie error up until my last interview...

First and foremost, props to Ahir Shah for bringing up the topic of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre in a Netflix comedy special. That’s something I never imagined I’d see, but it happened, and I’m sort of glad and thankful. Unbeknownst to many, Jallianwala Bagh was not the only place where the British inflicted massacres against Indians. Around the same time, similar (but smaller scale) attacks were done in nearby places in order to discourage any sort of uprising. One such place was Gujranwala, where a man named Ramdas somehow survived the massacre. Ramdas’ grandson happened to be the current prime minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, as comedian Shah was recording his set for Netflix at the Royal Court theater in London. The cultural significance of the whole thing is unimaginable, to say the least!

That said, Shah is not a fan of Rishi Sunak. He...

Five impartiality investigations into Gb News over its Don’t Kill Cash Campaign have been discontinued by Ofcom.

Ofcom revealed this morning that it is no longer probing two episodes of Britain’s Newsroom, one of The Live Desk, one of Patrick Christys and one of Breakfast with Eamonn and Isabel, the morning show hosted by the former ITV star presenter.

The regulator had been examining various potential breaches of its code around promotion of Gb News’ campaign to stop Britain from moving away from being a cashless society.

The episodes took place between July and August 2023. Explaining Ofcom’s thinking, a spokeswoman said The Live Desk had previously been rapped for breaking due impartiality rules over Don’t Kill Cash.

“Our published decision makes the regulatory position on this campaign sufficiently clear,” she added. “Therefore, for reasons of proportionality, we are discontinuing these five additional related investigations. Our investigation...

A UK Conservative Party leadership hopeful has revisited her beef with David Tennant by saying she is “not afraid of Doctor Who” and will “take the fight” to the “cultural establishment” in a campaign video.

Kemi Badenoch launched her campaign on X yesterday and unveiled a 30-second video prior, in which she focused almost solely on her very public spat with Tennant. Tennant, who played the 10th Doctor, told Badenoch to “shut up” in July due to her views on trans rights and she responded at the time that she “will not be silenced.” Big anti-trans names including Jk Rowling also rushed to Badenoch’s defense, calling Goblet of Fire star Tennant part of the “gender Taliban” in a ranty X post.

In the new campaign vid, which can be watched in full below, Badenoch said: “When you have that type of cultural establishment trying to keep Conservatives down you need someone like me,...

Kit Harington has defended the initiative of his new play to stage some performances, welcoming only Black audience members.

The Game of Thrones star is appearing on at the Noel Coward Theatre in London’s West End in Slave Play, which announced the decision earlier this year to have two “black out” nights during the show’s 12-week run.

Then UK prime minister Rishi Sunak called the decision “wrong and divisive.”

Harington told the BBC: “I’ve come to realise or believe that it’s an incredibly positive thing.

“Number one, if you are white, no-one’s stopping you buying a ticket, it’s not illegal to buy a ticket for that show, if you want to come,” he said. “It’s saying, ‘We would prefer the audience to be this.’

“Number two, I’ve been going to the theatre since I was young with my mum. I’ve...

Within the U.K.’s entertainment industry, as the country soaks up the vast change brought about by a historic general election, there is hope.

Britain’s new Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who takes over from Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak, made few promises during his campaign, but the Labour Party’s Creative Industries Sector Plan, published in March, offered a glimpse into the kind of change these left-leaning politicians plan to make. Among the objectives are a commitment to supporting country-wide growth as well as access to culture. The plan also highlights a need for diversifying audiences and the workforce as well as boosting creative education and skills. However, the new Cabinet — and in particular, the country’s new chancellor, or finance minister, Rachel Reeves — is inheriting a host of financial problems, propelled by an unsteady economy following Brexit, the war in Ukraine war, and lingering ramifications of the pandemic.

The British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak found himself amid an unconventional interview on the long-running daytime U.K. TV show This Morning. As the country awaited the results of the crucial general election, Sunak, who had been desperately seeking last-minute votes, faced the “most tattooed mum in the U.K.,” Becky Holt.

The interview with Holt, who has spent around £30,000 on getting around 95% of her body inked, provided a stark contrast to the prime minister’s polished public persona. Holt, known for her refreshing directness, discussed her journey into the world of body art and included the details of getting her genitals tattooed, which she described as a “horrific” experience.

As Sunak listened, stunned by the revelations, he was later asked how he was feeling, to which he responded with a slightly flustered, “I’m very well. That was incredible… that was quite something.” The presenters noted the juxtaposition of...

Lisa Nandy has been named the U.K.’s new culture minister or, to give the title its full name, secretary of state for culture, media and sport. Nandy was appointed as part of the new cabinet by Keir Starmer, the new U.K. prime minister following the Labour Party’s history landslide election win on July 4, where it won 412 seats and ended 14 years of Conservative rule.

Nandy takes over from the Conservative minister Lucy Frazer, who was appointed in February 2023 by outgoing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Frazer was one of several cabinet ministers who lost their seats in the election. Another to lose their seat was Labour’s shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Thangam Debbonaire, who had been expected to assume the role in government but lost heavily to her local Green Party rival.

Nandy, who has been a member of Parliament since 2010, previously served...

The impact of pivotal elections in the U.K. and France this week will be felt across Europe and across the globe. Within the entertainment industry, the results of voting on both sides of the channel are being carefully watched for signs of what seismic shifts in the political landscape — the end of 14 years of Conservative rule in Britain, the potential lurch to the far-right in France — will mean for those across film, television, art, fashion, music, and publishing.

Keir Starmer’s centrist Labour Party won the U.K. election Thursday night by a landslide, securing at least 412 seats in parliament to 121 for Rishi Sunak’s outgoing Conservatives. Whatever the exact size of Starmer’s majority, it looks like the most convincing win for Labour since Tony Blair’s sweep back in 1997 and the worst performance ever for the right-wing Tories in their party’s history, which goes back to the 1830s.

Happy Friday, Insiders. Europe has a different look about it today, with a Labour government elected in the UK and France’s far-right surging in France. Jesse Whittock here with what it all means in MediaLand.

Euro Elections Decided

Labour’s Keir Starmer is the next Prime Minister of the UK

Labour wins: The results of the UK general election officially landed this morning in Europe, and the Labour Party has won with a huge majority, which will give it immense power to enact change in Britain after 14 years of Conservative rule. The win has been expected for a long while and there were a series of Conservative gaffes during the six-week campaigning period that meant the ruling party failed to make in-roads on Labour’s long-standing poll lead. At 10 p.m. local time yesterday, when voting ended, the broadcasters were allowed to release their joint exit poll, which is...

Keir Starmer made an immediate attempt to bridge political divides this afternoon and said there is “weariness in the heart of” the UK that requires fixing as he addressed the masses for the first time as Prime Minister.

Stood outside the steps of his new 10 Downing Street home after visiting King Charles III, the Labour Party leader was noticeably non-partisan, speaking directly to those who chose to put their cross in alternative parties’ boxes.

“If you voted Labour yesterday we will carry the responsibility of our trust as we rebuild our country, but whether you voted for us or not – in fact especially if not – I say to you directly my government will serve you,” he said.

In what appeared a barbed remark at his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, Starmer, whose party won a landslide, said Labour will govern “unburdened by doctrine, guided by a determination to serve your interests, to...

The UK’s political map has been significantly redrawn.

After 14 years in power, the Conservative Party has been routed by Keir Starmer’s Labour, suffering heavy losses not only to their traditional enemy but also to the Liberal Democrats and the upstart right-wing Reform UK. The result has the feeling of a punishment vote as much as a ringing endorsement of Starmer.

The Conservatives, the dominant power in British politics over the past 40 years, suffered the worst result in their history — losing a whopping 250 seats to leave them on only 121 (there are still a couple of results outstanding) MPs out of the 650 total.

By tacking to the centre, Labour has amassed 412 seats, a 211 improvement on 2019. This is a spectacular reversal of fortunes given where they came from. Labour’s 2019 result was the worst since 1935. Under former leader Jeremy Corbyn, the party was on the brink of armageddon.

The Conservatives have...

Rishi Sunak has handed over the keys to 10 Downing Street, departing with a call for “decency and tolerance” in British politics along with well wishes to new Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The Conservative Pm has in the past few minutes officially resigned from his post after a disastrous night for the Tories. He is also stepping down as Tory leader although he said he will oversee a transition period so that the party can “take up a crucial role in opposition professionally and effectively.”

He was speaking as the Tories were sent into electoral oblivion with just 121 seats, nearly 300 behind Labour’s tally.

Standing outside his home of the past 18 months, with wife Akshata Murty behind him, at least not sodden this time following the rain-soaked election announcement six weeks ago, Sunak called for a “vision of kindness, decency and tolerance” to hold in the UK.

“One remarkable thing about...

Nach einem Erdrutschsieg seiner Labour Partei löst Keir Starmer Rishi Sunak als englischer Premierminister ab. Die Schauspielergewerkschaft Equity hat bereits klare Forderung an die neue Regierung formuliert.

Der neue britische Premierminister Keir Starmer (Credit: Imago / NurPhoto)

Nach Jahren der Auseinandersetzungen mit der konservativen Regierung in UK herrscht in der dortigen Entertainmentbranche nach dem erdrutschartigen Sieg der Labour Partei bei den gestrigen Parlamentswahlen, bei denen die Labour-Party nach aktuellen Zahlen 410 der 650 Sitze im Unterhaus errungen haben, während die Konservative Partei mit 131 Sitzen das schlechteste Ergebnis seit ihrer Gründung im Jahr 1934 erzielten, ein Klima voller Hoffnung und neuer Energien.

Konkret fordert Equity-Generalsekretär Paul W. Fleming künftig eine finanzielle Unterstützung des Kunst- und Entertainmentsektors in UK in Höhe von 0,5 Prozent des Bruttoinlandsprodukts, nachdem diese seiner Aussage nach seit 2017 um 16 Prozent gekürzt worden war.

„Es gibt keine kreative Industrie ohne diese unglaublichen Arbeitskräfte. Es ist an der Zeit, dass die Politiker aufstehen und ihnen...

After 14 years in the political wilderness, Labour has stormed back into power with a huge parliamentary majority and will form the next government of the UK. Keir Starmer has unseated Rishi Sunak, but what does the entertainment biz want from the new boss and his troops, and what do those overseas think?

Performing arts union Equity was the first to have its say, with an announcement timed to land the same minute as the all-important exit poll, which confirmed a huge win for Labour, was released at 10pm local time last night.

“With the election completed, our new government must get to grips with the performing arts and entertainment, a critical sector for the UK’s long-term success,” said Paul W Fleming, General Secretary of Equity.

“We’ll be pressing the new administration to set out a long-term plan for UK arts funding to reach the European average, to tackle...

The Labour Party has won a historic landslide victory at the 2024 U.K. general election, defeating the ruling Conservative Party.

The transfer of power in the U.K. is brisk, and the Labour leader Keir Starmer is now set to become the 58th prime minister, after he visits King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Friday. After tendering his resignation to the King, it is widely expected that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will also step down as leader of the Conservatives.

Starmer, speaking after winning his own seat in north London, said the British public had “spoken, and they’re ready for change, to end the politics of performance.”

He added: “The change begins right here. Because this is your democracy, your community and your future. You have voted. It is now time for us to deliver.”

In his concession speech, Sunak said, “Today, power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner,...

Nigel Farage has won a seat in the UK parliament at the eighth attempt on a strong night for his Reform UK party, as he branded the election TV coverage “almost comical.”

Donald Trump’s pal won in the seaside constituency of Clacton, which was previously a Conservative majority but had in the past elected a candidate from his former party, Ukip.

Farage won with 21,225 votes, comfortably beating the Conservative incumbent, who came second with 12,820.

His victory comes with Reform outperforming expectations, predicted 13 seats by the exit poll, of which it has so far won two, and taking thousands of votes away from Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives in many of its heartlands. Keir Starmer’s Labour Party was predicted a landslide majority by the exit poll and the results so far have shown that things are headed in that direction, but Reform is proving to be one of the big stories of the night.

The results are in, and Keir Starmer is on track to be Britain’s next Prime Minister.

The nationwide exit poll, which is not 100% accurate but rarely far off, has forecast an enormous majority for the Labour Party over the Conservatives of 279 seats, a majority that has been predicted by virtually every poll for months.

According to the exit poll, Labour will win 410 seats, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives will take 131 and the Liberal Democrats are in third on 61. There are 650 up for grabs. If the exit poll comes true, the win for Labour will be almost as large as Tony Blair’s momentous 1997 victory. Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party is predicted to gain 13 seats, far exceeding expectations, making it the country’s fourth biggest party.

Starmer, Sunak and hundreds of candidates across the UK will now spend the next few hours anxiously observing just how accurate the...

This article was developed with the support of Journalismfund Europe.

On a cold morning in late February, farmer Gareth Wyn Jones was standing with a few dozen other protesters outside the annual conference for the Conservative Party in Wales. Inside the venue, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was giving a speech to the Welsh branch of the Conservatives. Wyn Jones and other farmers were here to voice anger at policies by the Labour Party and to demand Sunak’s support. With their tractors parked in a row behind them, many...

Nigel Farage has ended a bad-tempered weekend on the campaign trail attacking a pair of national broadcasters and saying his party will “campaign vigorously to abolish” the license fee.

The Reform UK leader and friend of Donald Trump yesterday said he would boycott the BBC over audience bias on its Question Time leaders’ special, which took place Friday night. Meanwhile, he is continuing to insist that Channel 4 hired an actor to spout highly offensive language for a Channel 4 News investigation on Reform campaigners, and the party has said it has reported Channel 4 to the UK’s electoral commission.

Farage wrote on X yesterday that he had been invited but refused to appear on the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg Show because of a “dishonest Question Time audience.”

“Our state broadcaster has behaved like a political actor throughout this election,” he said. “Reform will be campaigning vigorously to abolish the licence fee.

Banksy has struck again. On Friday night, the renowned English street artist unleashed a work of performance art at Glastonbury 2024, launching inflatable rafts holding dummies dressed up as migrants during Idles set.

The act occurred at the tail-end of Idles’ set, during their song “Danny Nedelko,” a humanistic, pro-immigrant anthem of sorts, with lyrics like the opening lines, “My blood brother is an immigrant/ A beautiful immigrant.” According to reports, fans thought that the rafts were part of Idles’ stage show, and even the band themselves were unaware of the Banksy stunt until after the set.

Get Idles Tickets Here

The artwork comes as migration is a hot topic in the UK, between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s immigration policy and an overall rise in xenophobia in Europe. Glastonbury is also taking on the issue with Terminal 1, a new area designed to give festival-goers an appreciation for the struggles immigrants face.

In the hours after the UK’s first TV election debate this month, the two main political parties turned to the same device to hero their leaders. The Conservative Party filmed two cabinet members watching the debate, sipping wine, and lauding their boss Rishi Sunak. Labour put the focus on voters, all of whom sat on their sofas heralding Keir Starmer.

The short social videos were unmistakably inspired by Gogglebox, the iconic British television show from the mind of Undercover Boss creator Stephen Lambert. Labour removed any doubt by titling its video Ballotbox. That Gogglebox was co-opted for propaganda served as a reminder of the power of TV, and of All3Media, the super producer that ultimately owns the format.

All3Media was officially acquired last month for £1.15B ($1.46B) by RedBird Imi, the Abu Dhabi-backed investment vehicle run by former CNN chief Jeff Zucker. The average Gogglebox viewer is unlikely...

When UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took to the sodden steps of Downing Street just over a month ago, the world of British TV news was blindsided that a general election would take place in just six weeks time, an election that – scarcely believably – will be the first on these isles for five years.

In fact, barely anyone in the deeply connected world of British politics and the media seemed to think the election would come so soon, according to those Deadline has spoken with in the past couple of weeks, with all planning having been directed towards a fall poll, at which point Sunak would have had that little bit longer to oversee a predicted economic recovery.

“I don’t know anyone who was fully expecting July 4,” says Jonathan Munro, the Deputy Director of BBC News and one of the key orchestrators of the corporation’s coverage on the night,...

The British prime minister has weighed in on an LGBTQ+ rights clash between actor David Tennant and top U.K. government minister Kemi Badenoch.

The Doctor Who star, who recently returned to the long-running program for its 60th anniversary, was accepting a prize for being a celebrity ally at the British LGBT Awards last week when he said he wished Badenoch, the country’s women and equalities minister, would “shut up,” adding that he hoped for a world in which she “doesn’t exist anymore.”

“If I’m honest, I’m a little depressed by the fact that acknowledging that everyone has the right to be who they want to be and live their life how they want to live it as long as they’re not hurting anyone else should merit any kind of special award or special mention, because it’s common sense, isn’t it?” Tennant said. “However,...

People Just Do Nothing star Asim Chaudhry has some choice words for the UK’s Conservative government.

With less than two weeks to go until the July 4 general election, Chaudhry, aka Asim C, has dropped “Meet the Tories” on YouTube, a version of Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss “Meet the Grahams” that takes aim at the 14-year-old government. Watch the “Meet the Tories” video below.

Chaudhry said he wants the song to “serve as a powerful reminder of the crimes and apathy of these controversial politicians,” and he attacks prime ministers from Rishi Sunak to Margaret Thatcher.

“If it sounds furious it’s because I am, and I know a lot of people are too,” he said, noting that he is returning to “my favourite pastime” of rapping.

The British comedian, writer, director and actor probably is best known for playing Chabud “Chabuddy G” Gul in BBC mockumentary People Just Do Nothing,...

BBC boss Tim Davie hosts regular talent events to charm the people who populate his airwaves, but it’s not often that talk turns to geopolitics. That changed in January when a list of stars, including Radio 2 presenter Vernon Kay, gathered and the conversation crackled with a sound that has now become familiar to Davie: unease over Israel-Gaza coverage.

The discussion was said to be diplomatic and Davie receptive, but there were misgivings about the BBC’s output since October 7, when Hamas raided Israel and killed around 1,200 people, while taking more than 200 hostages. It will not have surprised Davie, but it may have cemented any sense that the Israel-Gaza crisis would be a theme of 2024. Six months on, the mood at the BBC is so fraught, some suggest that relations between colleagues, and the corporation’s reputation among Jewish and Muslim viewers, will never be the same again.

Deadline...

Hot on the heels of this year’s Trooping the Color, the royal family steps out for Order of the Garter. It looks like the summer calendar is in full swing.

Order Of The Garter Is The English Order Of Knighthood

The royal family considers The Order of the Garter to be the English Order of Knighthood, and it is the highest British honor. King Edward III created the order in 1348. He danced with the Countess of Salisbury at a court ball at Windsor Castle.

He saw that she had dropped her blue garter, and he immediately bent down to pick it up. When he did, the guests snickered at the implication. His Majesty was furious by his subject’s assumptions, as it could destroy the countess’s reputation.

He stood up, raised the garter in the air, and declared,

“Shame to him who thinks evil of it.”

Legend has...

Piers Morgan and the late Jerry Springer have taken their places in UK regulator Ofcom’s first ever all-encompassing list of the most complained about TV shows of all time.

Morgan’s Good Morning Britain rant, during which he questioned Meghan Markle’s claims that her time with the royal family had left her feeling suicidal, sits top of the pile with 54,595 complaints, coming as the regulator publishes the all-time list to celebrate its 500th monthly bulletin. The incident led to Morgan exiting Good Morning Britain.

Ofcom cited complaints about Jerry Springer the Opera in 2005, which numbered nearly 9,000 and feature in ninth place on the list, as “the first time we had seen high volumes of standards complaints to Ofcom” and “the first large scale internet campaign to Ofcom on any broadcasting issue.”

The BBC show attracted ire from viewers who were offended by its content including depictions of religious figures.

Exclusive: Will this lady be for turning?

Succession star Harriet Walter is taking on Maggie Thatcher in splashy Channel 4 drama series Brian and Margaret, which is being directed by Stephen Frears, penned by James Graham and co-starring Steve Coogan. Coogan’s BBC Studios-backed Baby Cow is producing.

Unveiled with three weeks until the general election, the two-parter is a dramatization of the story behind and occasion of Thatcher’s last TV interview, the hugely damaging ITV grilling by her old friend Brian Walden (Coogan), which some view as the final nail in her prime ministerial coffin.

The pair were cosy in the run up to the interview and had faced each other before on the small screen but Walden – who was one of the most feared political interviewers of his day – struck several blows particularly with a line of questioning about the recent resignation of Thatcher’s chancellor,...

The upcoming U.K. election could significantly impact Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis’ futures. A proposal to make military service or volunteer work a requirement for all 18-year-olds is on the ballot. So, how might Kate Middleton and Prince William’s three children react? By embracing it, according to royal commentators.

George, Charlotte, and Louis may someday see joining the military as ‘a rite of passage’

A measure to bring back national service will be on the July 4, 2024, ballot in the U.K. Proposed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the plan would require 18-year-olds to do one of the following for a year: join the military or take part in local volunteer work.

While discussing the proposal, royal expert Richard Kay told the Daily Mail it may not change Louis, Charlotte, and George’s plans. “We can confidentially expect that George and Louis, at some stage, will do some form of military service,...

King Charles took his first trip overseas since his cancer diagnosis. He, Queen Camilla, and Prince William traveled to Normandy in France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-day at the United Kingdom Department of Defence and the Royal British Legion’s event.

Was A D-Day Turning Point That Helped Facilitate The End Of World War II

D-day was a turning point in history, as it helped to facilitate the defeat of the Nazis in World War II. US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were also in attendance. Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister of the UK, was also there.

Charles paid tribute to the soldiers during a brief speech,

“It’s a near impossible task to imagine the emotion of that day,”

Charles said of the veterans who landed on the coast of Normandy in the 1944 beach invasion.

“We are all eternally in their debt,”

His Majesty declared.

Dame Judi Dench's fabulous 2006 Oscars gown is up for auction to help raise funds for the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, where she is a patron.

The gown was created especially for Dame Judi by world class designers, Sandeep Kholsa and Abu Jani for the Academy Awards where she was nominated as Best Actress for Mrs Henderson Presents.

The Yvonne Arnaud is offering the chance to bid for the gown alongside a range of exciting prizes as part of an online auction, in aid of the venue’s Play Your Part campaign to transform the theatre. An artistic resource and a safe space for many local people, the theatre is embarking on a building programme to radically increase accessibility in front of house areas-and develop its community engagement programme.

Dame Judi said of the theatre’s fundraising campaign, ‘I love the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and I have very happy memories of playing there in the past…...

From left: Labour leader Keir Starmer, ITV presenter Julie Etchingham and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. (Courtesy image)

Around 5 million British TV households watched a live debate between Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer on ITV this week, according to figures released by the broadcaster.

The debate on Tuesday peaked with 5.5 million people watching on ITV’s flagship broadcast network ITV 1, as well as the outlet’s streaming service Itvx, overnight ratings data cited by ITV revealed.

When including the debate, ITV’s broadcast networks grabbed 71 percent of young viewers between the ages of 16 and 34 years old on Tuesday, the network said. The figure was bolstered by a new episode of the reality series “Love Island” on ITV 2 and the UEFA Euro 2025 qualifier between England and France airing on ITV 4, which also drew a sizable audience in the youth demographic. A repeat of a crime drama aired...

More than 100 Jewish industry figures have signed an open letter to the BBC Director General and content chief expressing “disbelief” at the decision to engage a cricket world cup commentator who has been accused of fanning antisemitism on social media.

The letter to Tim Davie and Charlotte Moore came after Qasim Sheikh was forced to apologize due to his sharing a post that included an image of Rishi Sunak and other world leaders sporting Adolf Hitler moustaches.

The 119 Jewish directors, producers, screenwriters, suppliers and contractors across the TV and film industry, almost half of whom chose to remain anonymous, urged an explanation from the BBC head honchos as to why Sheikh was allowed to commentate on yesterday’s England vs Scotland cricket world cup match. The letter can be read in full below.

The letter cited a “monumental double standard” in relation to the BBC’s dropping ex-England cricket captain...

Exclusive: In the week the world commemorates the 80th anniversary of the historic Normandy Landings — and President Biden touches down in France on a state visit timed to the celebrations — we can reveal that European major Studiocanal is teaming up with Darkest Hour producer Working Title on timely D-Day movie Pressure.

The film will chart the extraordinary true story of the pressure-cooker environment facing the decision-makers behind D-Day, and how their liberation of Europe was entirely at the mercy of the weather.

The story will hone in on Group Captain James Stagg, Chief Meteorologist at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expedition Force, whose job it was to inform General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces, of weather conditions that would make-or-break the Allied invasion.

Despite a prolonged heat wave and the tide and moon conditions aligning, Stagg made a bold case for the invasion being delayed from June...

The UK’s Culture, Media and Sport (Cms) committee’s inquiry into the territory’s film and high-end TV (Hetv) sector has been paused indefinitely in light of the upcoming general election.

As is the case with most parliamentary committees, it was dissolved on May 30 following the announcement of the general election by prime minister Rishi Sunak and the dissolution of parliament.

The UK general election will take place on July 4.

The committee will be re-assembled with new members at the start of the next parliament who will decide whether to continue on with the inquiry.

The existing committee did...

Last night’s first general election debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer was watched by an average of 4.8M viewers, falling more than 2M behind the previous debate in 2019.

The Julie Etchingham-hosted ITV ding dong, which was produced by MultiStory Media and lasted just more than an hour, peaked with around 5M towards the end, according to Barb data supplied by overnights.tv. It fell behind the previous head-to-head between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn in 2019, which garnered an audience of 7M.

TV debates have become an established part of the UK general election landscape since the 2010 program, which was watched by almost 10M, and this one was a feisty affair.

Speaking to a wealth of topics including tax, the National Health Service, education, immigration and even the advice they would give to England soccer manager Gareth Southgate, Sunak appeared to have come out the better via polling and press reports,...

British news networks will be unable to counter dangerous deepfakes and misinformation swiftly on the day of the general election, the CEO of ITN has raised.

According to Rachel Corp, who has been speaking to the government for months about the dangers of AI in news reporting, there is “particular concern” around July 4 because of restrictive reporting rules that only apply to election day.

On that day, UK news networks are obliged to stop reporting the election in the way they have in previous weeks, and “all we can do is show leaders voting and dogs outside polling stations,” said Corp, who oversees the ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 news operations via ITN.

“If something emerges of Rishi Sunak high-fiving Vladimir Putin and it’s spreading then we can’t counter that, so there is a danger there,” Corp told the Deloitte and Enders Media & Telecoms 2024 and Beyond Conference in London.

ITV News Special presents a timely and significant edition, “Sunak v Starmer: The ITV Debate.” Airing on ITV1 on Tuesday 4 June, this episode, moderated by Julie Etchingham, marks the first live head-to-head General Election debate between Rishi Sunak, the leader of the Conservative Party, and Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party. The […]

Sunak v Starmer: The ITV Debate...

Exclusive: David Hare, one of the UK’s foremost playwrights and a double Oscar nominee, is in an unsparing mood about the state of UK politics. This comes as leaders of the country’s two major parties parry in the cut and thrust of the July 4 general election.

Hare’s view, he tells Breaking Baz, is that there is in fact not enough cut and thrust, what with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak going to the polls “because he’s as fed up with this government as the rest of us.”

The dramatist, director,and screenwriter tells me that the Tories are coming up daily with “harebrained” election promises while Labour, its chief opponent, “is trying to be sober, say nothing and do nothing.”

He fears, though, that Labour is taking up “a defensive crouch“ when it should be thrusting.

“Something always goes disastrously wrong unless you are active and on...

British royal family news reveals that Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales will not be at a key event for Trooping the Colour on June 8. The event is the Colonel’s Review, a rehearsal for the big day and today’s official announcement sparked fresh concerns for Kate’s health.

In the same statement Buckingham Palace shared that King Charles will be in a carriage with Queen Camilla for Trooping the Colour, his official birthday parade on June 15, versus the traditional mode of travel, horseback.

Royal Family News – King Charles Will Be In A Carriage With Queen Camilla For Trooping The Colour

Usually the monarch rides from Buckingham Palace to Horse Guards Parade via The Mall to inspect the troops. He then rides back to the palace for the traditional balcony appearance with the wider Royal Family and flypast by the Raf.

The celebration traditionally involves the royal family gathering...

The BBC has followed ITV’s lead by unveiling its plan for a general election debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer.

The debate will take place more than three weeks after ITV’s on Wednesday June 26, hosted by broadcaster Sophie Raworth and called the “last TV debate of the election campaign, as people prepare to cast their votes the following week” by the BBC.

Prior to the head-to-head, the BBC will host a debate between leading figures from the seven biggest political parties in Great Britain this Friday and another with the leaders of the four biggest political parties on Thursday June 20.

Meanwhile, Today program presenter Nick Robinson has invited all leaders of the seven biggest parties to be interviewed for Panorama specials over the next four weeks, and all eyes will be on whether Sunak and Starmer accept the invitation.

“TV debates have become a key part of elections in the UK,...

ITV has come out of the blocks first with its head-to-head election debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer.

The debate will take place on Tuesday at 9 p.m. GMT (1 p.m. Pt) and will be hosted by Julie Etchingham, who moderated debates during the 2015, 2017 and 2019 campaigns.

“Millions of viewers value the election debates,” said Michael Jermey, ITV’s Director of News and Current Affairs. “They provide a chance to see and hear the party leaders set out their pitch to the country, debate directly with each other and take questions from voters. ITV is pleased to be broadcasting the first debate in this year’s election campaign.”

ITV added that it plans to broadcast additional programing including an interview show with other party leaders and a multi-party debate. Details on these shows will be announced in due course, the broadcaster said.

The head-to-head will be one of only two between Sunak and Starmer.

BBC News boss Deborah Turness’ proclamation late last week that “we will make mistakes” during the election period appears to already be coming true, with a leading news presenter being forced to apologize to Nigel Farage this afternoon.

Geeta Guru-Murthy said the Honorary President of British political party Reform UK had used “customary inflammatory language” this morning during a report on a Reform UK press conference.

Several hours later, she appeared on BBC News to apologize, stating: “Earlier today we heard live from Nigel Farage speaking at that election event and when we came away from his live speech I used language to describe it which didn’t meet the BBC’s editorial standards on impartiality. I’d like to apologize to Mr Farage and viewers for this.”

Farage is not running for anti-immigration party Reform UK but he is by far and away its best known member. A key...

The UK’s Independent Film Tax Credit (Iftc) has become law “in the nick of time” according to BFI chief executive Ben Roberts, moving on to the statute books just before Parliament is dissolved this week ahead of the UK General Election.

The Iftc was announced by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt on March 6 as part of the Conservative government’s Spring Budget. When Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the UK General Election for July 4, there were fears that the Iftc – which was part of the 2024 Finance Bill – might not have time to pass through Parliament.

MPs only have until May 30 to...

The BBC has set its election night coverage for the July 4 poll as broadcasters battle to secure debates with Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer as soon as possible.

Established presenters Laura Kuenssberg and Clive Myrie will helm the BBC’s coverage in six weeks time, replacing Huw Edwards, who resigned from the BBC last month following a scandal involving his allegedly paying a young person for explicit images.

Kuenssberg, who hosts a topical Sunday show, and newsreader Myrie, will “bring insight, experience – and perhaps a little wit” alongside BBC political editor Chris Mason, according to the BBC, whose announcement on the coverage was always expected today.

Others set to feature on the night include Reeta Chakrabarti and Jeremy Vine analyzing results with the famous ‘swingometer’, Kirsty Wark, Fiona Bruce, Victoria Derbyshire, Naga Munchetty, Nick Watt and Alex Forsyth. Nick Robinson and Rachel Burden will be on the radio and Martin Geissler,...

The Royal Family has confirmed that Prince William and King Charles won’t be making any more public appearances for the foreseeable future.

Buckingham Palace released an official statement on May 22 confirming the Royal calendar shake-ups. Why are King Charles and Prince William staying inside? Keep reading for all the details.

With two members of the Royal Family currently battling cancer, it’s scary to hear that Prince William and King Charles’ public events this week were canceled. But, thankfully it has nothing to do with the royals’ health, This time.

King Charles – Cancels Royal Calendar

This week Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called for a surprise general election, which is slated to be held on July 4 2024. If you follow the Royals closely, then you know their stance (or lack of) on politics.

King Charles and his family don’t want any parts of the political drama and announced they will...