TV tonight: the new series of First Dates starts with a twist
Fresh from getting married himself, TV's most romantic man Fred Sirieix resumes playing Cupid as he once more opens the doors to the First Dates restaurant. In what is surely a first for the show, Sophie's husband sits at the bar as she goes on a date with a woman for the first time. Elsewhere in the room, Mike is a widowed dad looking for someone who understands his grief. And Derek and June are old romantics looking for a classic love story. Hollie Richardson
6.05pm, Channel 4
Even post-Brexit, Spain remains a favourite destination for Brits. This time, Sharon and Steve Garner are hunting for a property for Tracy and Graham in Almería. But the couple aren't on the same page. Can they both be satisfied within a relatively modest budget? For Graham, it will depend on the quality of nearby golf courses. Phil Harrison
7.30pm, BBC Two
More mellow plant inspiration from the Beechgrove team, who are full of useful tips for wherever you garden (if you're not already tickling your tomatoes, you really should be …) As July begins, Calum harvests his potatoes and shallots, while Brian offers a guide to grass. Hannah J Davies
8pm, BBC Two
Hedgehogs, chillies and homegrown dahlias all have their moment in the glorious sunshine this week, as Gardeners' World visits the RHS Hampton Court garden festival. We learn about how even small, urban gardens can support one of the UK's most endangered mammals and what kind of heat would motivate an Aberdeen couple to move south. Ellen E Jones
9pm, BBC One
It's the night of the first of Oasis's reunion gigs and – along with most of us – ticketless Lee has Fomo (that's Fear of Missing Oasis). Instead of happily getting a takeaway and watching an old concert on YouTube, he blames Lucy for missing out and bitterly recalls the day spent in the cursed online ticket queue. HR
10.40pm, BBC One
From sitcom writer Justin Spitzer (Scrubs, The Office, Superstore), this hospital mockumentary continues to deliver light laughs. The double bill starts with two prison inmates rushed in with injuries they gave to each other. Then, Joyce decides she wants to know more work gossip and find out who's dating who. HR
White House Down, Friday, 9pm, E4
If you couldn't get enough of Heads of State on Amazon Prime, here's a film that must have at least partly inspired it. Although it suffered at the time from comparisons to Olympus Has Fallen – Gerard Butler's dour action film about a terrorist attack on the presidential residence – White House Down is a far lighter affair. Sure, the same things happen, but this has Channing Tatum instead of Butler, and he's intent on delivering all his lines with the biggest wink imaginable. This is an impossibly silly film and, if you're drunk enough, it forms a perfect double bill with Heads of State. Stuart Heritage
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Daily Mail
37 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Lewis Capaldi scores biggest opening week ever in huge win as his comeback single Survive soars to the top of the charts after his tear-jerking return to music at Glastonbury
Lewis Capaldi 's new track Survive soared to the top of the charts this week after he made an emotional return to music at Glastonbury last weekend. The 28-year-old Scotsman's comeback came after he took a two-year hiatus to focus on his mental health and 'adjust' to his Tourette's diagnosis. He returned with the track Survive, released last Friday, detailing a difficult two years - and it's been a huge hit with millions of fans across the country. Lewis has landed not only his biggest ever, but the largest opening week of any single released this year with the comeback track. Survive has shifted a whopping 68,500 units in its first week, including more than four millions streams, surpassing the much-loved singer's previous best of 56,000 with his 2022 song Forget Me. Gushing about the support he's received since his highly-anticipated comeback last week, Lewis said: 'Survive is this week's UK Number 1, and I want to say a massive thank you to everybody who's been streaming it, downloading it - it really means the world. 'I've been away for a little while and to come back to this outpouring of love and support has been absolutely incredible. 'I can't thank everybody enough for all the kind words since Glastonbury - and now this! It's been the best week of my life. I hope you continue to enjoy the song, it means a lot to me.' Lewis pipped Michigan DJ and producer MK to top spot, with his Chrystal collab Dior sitting in second in place, while filling the remaining three spots on the top five are Sabrina Carpenter's Manchild, Rayvn Lenae's Love Me Not andPink Pony Club by Chappell Roan. Such is the mania surrounding Capaldi's return that streams and sales of his old music also sky-rocketed. Streams of signature track Someone You Loved shot up by 115%, while his 2019 chart-topping album Divinely Inspired surged by 198%. And amid the astounding success of his new single, Lewis announced this week that he will be embarking on a UK tour later this year consisting of 10 dates. He will play at Sheffield, Aberdeen, Birmingham, Nottingham and two dates at the 02 arena. Pre-sale tickets go on sale on July 8, while general sale is on July 10. The Bruises hitmaker was greeted with cheers from the huge Worthy Farm crowd on Friday, following a two-year career hiatus. Delighted to be back in front of an audience he tearfully said: 'Two years ago I wasn't sure if I'd ever do this again, but I'm back baby!'. Lewis sung a number of his famous hits, before once chocking back tears as he performed brand new single Survive, which highlights the difficult period in his career following his last Glastonbury gig. Fans in the crowd could be seen crying and calling out his name before joining him in a rendition of mega-hit Someone You Loved. In his emotional speech, Lewis said: 'Glastonbury it's good to be back. Won't say too much up here today as if I do I might start crying, but I can't thank you enough for coming here and being with here'. 'Second times a charm hey! It's a short set today but just wanted to come and finish what I couldn't last time, also this was like the worst kept f*****g secret ever'. Following his set Lewis took to Instagram with footage of his performance alongside a post which read: 'Glastonbury it's so incredible to be back, thank you so much for having me x' Fans and famous friends rushed to the comments to welcome the talented musician back into the public eye. Sam Fender said: 'Return of The King', while Alan Shearer said: 'Love It': Paddy McGuinness gushed: 'Governor' and Jade Thirlwall shared a slew of loving emojis. Following his emotional set at Worthy Farm in June 2023, the singer took time off to focus on his mental health and to 'adjust to the impact' of his Tourette's diagnosis. Also performing on Glastonbury's first day was CMAT, Lola Young, Alanis Morissette, as well Lorde with her own secret set. It came hours after Lewis shocked fans by announcing his comeback on Instagram, sharing a snippet of his new song and the Henry Dockrill directed accompanying music video. Captioning his exciting post, he simply wrote: 'It's been a while…' before directing his followers to the link to his song in his bio. The short video features sweet moments throughout Lewis' life and career, including snippets from his childhood. The new song has been described as a 'brutally honest track that addresses mental health challenges of self-doubt and despair', highlighting the difficult period in his career following his last Glastonbury performance.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Coupling star Sarah Alexander's former lover Gerald Harper dies aged 96 as tributes pour in for Hadleigh actor
Coupling star Sarah Alexander's former lover Gerald Harper had died aged 96. The actor was well-known to 60s and 70s TV audiences as the suave star of Hadleigh, and before that Adam Adamant Lives!, an Edwardian gent who finds himself propelled into London in the swinging sixties. CDM Talent Agency confirmed the sad news in a statement on social media on Friday. They wrote: 'It is with great sadness that Gerald Harper has recently passed away - he was a valued client before he went to Spain to enjoy his retirement.' Sarah, 54, was only 25 when she was first spotted dating Gerald Harper, then 68, in 1996. A passer-by told the Sunday People of Alexander and Harper: 'They were super-glued together! They were all over each other and didn't care who saw them. 'Funnily enough, the young lady was making a lot of the running and kept grabbing him to French kiss him – it was quite a display.' When Sarah, whose big TV break would come in Coupling with Jack Davenport in 2000, moved in with Harper in his large Notting Hill house, friends' eyebrows were raised, especially as she is eight years younger than her new boyfriend's daughter, confusingly also named Sarah. But they refused to allow the generation gap to get in their way. Friends said Harper was 'absolutely bereft' when Sarah left him for Amandaland star Peter Serafinowicz in 2002. Before his relationship with Sarah, Gerald was married to Carla Rabaiotti, a former Pan American air stewardess. The pair, who later divorced in 1983, share a son. Harper was previously married to actress Jane Downs from 1957 until they divorced in 1975. They share a daughter. At the height of his fame Harper was TV's most eligible bachelor in ITV's Hadleigh, which ran from 1969 to 1976. He was perfectly cast as urbane English toff James Hadleigh, a wealthy, handsome playboy who lived in a mansion in the West Riding and ran the local newspaper. He told the Express in 2006: 'There wasn't that much to watch back then, so we had huge audiences. 'The top brass at Yorkshire Television didn't think Hadleigh would work, though, and placed us very late at night. 'When they realised they were wrong, they apologised. I tore up my contract and said: 'Shall we start again?' 'Not only did I get more money, I was given the loan of a country estate for a year complete with staff. I lived like a lord. It was very glamorous. 'I was a TV star on my own terms and for the best part of 20 years I virtually didn't have a day off.' Following his TV career, he returned to his main love, the theatre. His classical work includes playing on Broadway with the Old Vic company, playing Iago at the Bristol Old Vic and Benedick at the Chichester Festival Theatre. Age never held Harper back, and when he was approaching his 75th birthday, he flew to the Masai Mara in a light aircraft and rode horseback across Kenya's Masai Mara game park. On the return leg, the plan crashed through a hedge and ended up on its side. He recalled: 'I turned to the pilot and said: 'Do not bother with the next venue, my good man. Just get me the hell out of here to Nairobi and civilisation!' Enough was enough.' A former pupil at Haileybury public school, he originally planned to become a doctor, but caught the acting bug while doing his National Service and won a place at RADA.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Music fan stunned as she bumps into Britpop legend in Eurostar queue – would you have recognised him?
A MUSIC fan was left stunned after bumping into a Britpop legend in the queue for Eurostar. During the band's heyday, they won a Mercury Music Prize, had three number one albums and eight Top 10 singles among many others. 4 4 In fact, Suede were part of the 'Big Four' in Britpop alongside Oasis, Blur and Pulp. And while Oasis fans are gearing up to see the Gallagher brothers reunite for the first time in decades from tonight, one lucky Britpop fan got some one on one time with Suede frontman Brett Anderson. Taking to Instagram to share a selfie with the 57-year-old singer, the delighted fan wrote: "YOU GUYS I just spent the time in the Eurostar passport/security line talking to BRETT ANDERSON FROM SUEDE who is easily like, top five nicest people I've ever met and also HE LOOKS PERFECT????? "It is 100 DEGREES IN PARIS right now and this MF looks FLAWLESS???? Meanwhile I have sweat stains on every inch of my clothing." Indeed, Brett looked suave in a blue open-necked shirt and a pinstripe suit jacket, with his dark hair sweeping across his forehead. nice, nobody else has any excuse." Other music fans were quick to comment, with one writing: "Omg this is so great." A third incorporated lyrics from one of Suede's songs as they commented: "Omg a dream come true! [flame emojis] maybe maybe it's the clothes he wears." Suede first formed in 1989 and were branded "The Best New Band in Britain" by Melody Maker in 1992. Liam Gallagher's Zen Retreat: Inside the Rock Legend's Country Estate A year later, their debut self-titled album hit the number one spot on the UK Album Charts and won the Mercury Music Prize. Their other hits include Stay Together, Trash, She's in Fashion and Beautiful Ones. The group disbanded in 2003 before reuniting in 2010 for a series of concerts and have continued to produce new music ever since. Their upcoming tenth album, Antidepressants, is set for release in September. 4
