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Here's Where Those Jonathan Bailey as James Bond Rumours Came From...

Here's Where Those Jonathan Bailey as James Bond Rumours Came From...

Graziadaily3 days ago

Jonathan Bailey has dropped a huge hint that he could be up for playing James Bond. The Bridgerton and Wicked star, who's now staring in Jurassic World Rebirth alongside Scarlett Johansson, stars as MARTINI Man for the drink's new summer campaign following in the footsteps of George Clooney and Jude Law.
The ad, which was shot in sun-drenched Southern Italy, sees the 37-year-old actor teasing that he could be stepping into Daniel Craig's shoes to take over the iconic spy role as he poses – stylishly, of course – with a Martini spritz in hand. Of course, vodka martini is famously Bond's favourite drink, which he prefers shaken not stirred. This potentially huge, clanging sign post has, predictably, sent the internet into overdrive.
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Henry Cavill, Regé-Jean Page, Richard Madden and Idris Elba are amongst the actors who have been rumoured to be in the running to be the next James Bond, which would be the 26th in the series and follows 2021's No Time To Die.
Jonathan is a star of stage and screen. He started acting as a child, playing Tiny Tim and young Scrooge in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of A Christmas Carol in 1995 and performed as Gavroche in the West End production of Les Miserables when he was eight. He made his big-screen debut in Five Children And It in 2004, but continued to appear on TV and in theatres with roles in Doctors, The Bill, Groove High and Broadchurch.
While he considers playing Cassio in Othello at the Olivier Theatre in 2013 as his 'big break', it wasn't until he portrayed Anthony, 9th Viscount Bridgerton, in Bridgerton that the rest of the world noticed him – including Hollywood. Suddenly, he became Tinseltown's hottest hunk, landing roles in Showtime's Fellow Travelers, Netflix's teen drama Heartstopper and leading man Fiyero in Wicked and the upcoming second part. And while he hasn't forgotten his theatre roots, returning to the stage in Richard II earlier this year, his role in Jurassic World Rebirth is sure to propel him to even greater heights.
Jonathan Bailey in Bridgerton ©Netflix
Jonathan is 37 years old.
Jonathan is 5'11 or 1.80m.
After coming out as gay to his family and close friends in his early 20s, Jonathan came out publicly in 2018, but doesn't let his sexuality define him or his career. 'I thought in order to be happy, I needed to be straight… I reached a point where I thought, f*** this, I'd much prefer to hold my boyfriend's hand in public or be able to put my own face picture on Tinder and not be so concerned about that than getting a part,' he said.
As to whether Jonathan is single or not, we have to assume that Jonathan is happily taken. In 2023, he revealed he was dating a 'lovely man' but didn't name him. 'It's not secret but it's private. Having a private life is, for me, completely critical,' he said. 'I don't know if I would be able to be as confident to speak out on other things if I felt that my whole life was up for grabs.'
Jonathan Bailey and James Ellis ©David M. Benett/He was previously linked to actor James Ellis in 2019, whom he kissed at the Olivier Awards that year, upon winning a gong. But as we now know with Jonathan, a kiss doesn't mean they are dating – as in the case of him kissing his Jurassic World Rebirth co-star Scarlett Johansson.
He was also linked to his Fellow Travelers co-star Matt Bomer, but their on-screen chemistry is merely that. In real life, Matt is married to publicist Simon Hall, with whom he shares three children.
Jonathan doesn't have kids, but is hoping to in the future. 'I'm reading books on adoption. I might coparent with a woman, but I'm thinking it will be with a man,' he said.
Shereen Low is a senior news and entertainment writer for Grazia UK, who has covered some of the biggest showbiz news from the past decade.

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'I tried to watch Netflix on my fiance's iPad but what I found ruined my life'
'I tried to watch Netflix on my fiance's iPad but what I found ruined my life'

Daily Record

timean hour ago

  • Daily Record

'I tried to watch Netflix on my fiance's iPad but what I found ruined my life'

A woman has been left devastated after uncovering a disgusting family secret. A young woman has been left disgusted after uncovering a life-changing family secret. The discovery has rocked her relationship with her partner, mum, and young brother. The 24 year old opened up about the devastating situation in a post on Reddit, where she shared that she and her fiancé had been together for several years. ‌ The couple knew each other from growing up in the same area and she told how her partner's good rapport with her mother was important, given her "real-life Rory and Lorelai from Gilmore Girls" bond with her mum, reports the Mirror. ‌ Posting on the social media forum, she wrote: "My fiancé and I have been together since we were 17 and 18 years old. Honestly, he was always kind, handsome, funny and everyone used to say I was so lucky to have the whole package. "I felt so lucky too. He always treated me with love and respect, so this makes everything just so shocking for me. I have always had a good relationship with my mum. "It has always been her and I against the world. My dad died in an accident when I was little. My mum dated guys on and off and they were usually cool but nothing really passed the early stages." However, the dynamic dramatically changed when, four years prior, her mum, then aged 42, announced an unexpected pregnancy. The daughter explained: "Although she was sort of dating someone recently (I didn't meet the guy but knew she went on dates) it still was a big shock. She never thought she could be pregnant at her age (she had me when she was super young - an oopsie) and I can tell she was stressed and worried. ‌ "I decided to support her since she has always supported me and tried to reassure her. She then had my brother who is now three years old. I have a close relationship with my brother, I have helped take care of him since he was born and I just love the little guy." She shared that her fiancé also stepped in to help entertain her young brother, taking him out for ice cream, to the playground, and to the swimming pool during the summer months. "Nothing was weird - he was just my then-boyfriend spending time with my brother and me," she added. However, her world was turned upside down when she borrowed her fiancé's iPad to watch Netflix after her laptop died. ‌ She said: "At some point during binge-watching a series on Netflix, my laptop died and I was too lazy to go get my charger, so I just took my fiancé's iPad. I know the password but honestly never used it before. "The iPad logged in and I got a bunch of messages pinging (I guess he hasn't used it in a while too?). Anyway, this got my attention and I went to check it out and I found everything. My mum's number wasn't under her name but I recognised the number and verified it with my phone. ‌ "She was telling him she felt guilty and that I should know. He said he also felt guilty but couldn't lose me and they f*cked it up. "She said that it was unfair for my brother to never not know his dad, and that if he could live having his son around not behaving like a dad but a brother-in-law. I broke down. What the actual F!" Digging deeper, she found several photos of her mum pregnant, her brother as a newborn, and other snapshots of his early life. She confessed: "I couldn't any more. I cried for what seemed ages and I waited for my boyfriend to come back home. I wish I was one of those women who can pretend and get things together before confronting the cheater but I can't. ‌ "He came back later that night (around 11.30pm) and I just handed him the iPad with the conversation opened and watched his face turn pale. I demanded an explanation, when? how? why? and he was reluctant at first, but knew he had to answer. Apparently, a few years ago while I was away with some friends (girls' trip), my fiancé and mum had dinner together. "This isn't strange since he has been part of the family for so long, sometimes my mum and fiancé would eat together at our place even if I was busy with sports or out - I did the same with his parents. Somehow (unclear how since he couldn't explain it well) one thing led to another and they ended up sleeping together. ‌ "They felt guilty but apparently not guilty enough because they slept together two or three more times, using the excuse of meeting up to discuss how to tell me. Apparently, when my mum got pregnant they stopped sleeping together and decided to not tell me, since my fiancé 'loved me and couldn't lose me' and my mum didn't want to lose her daughter." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Horrified, she ended the engagement and, at the time of posting, she had not yet discussed the ordeal with her mother. She moved in with a friend and is seeking therapy because she feels unable to cope with the situation by herself. ‌ In her confusion about what steps to take next, the woman has sought guidance from online communities. She confessed: "I feel bad for my brother since I really love him, but I can't be around him now, I just can't. "I feel like it would remind me of all those times we talked about having kids, I would be his baby mama, only baby mama, we talked about this future since we were 17 years old, so I want to puke every time I think how I was actually taking care of his child with someone else, while still having those dreams. I wanna puke." Reacting to her story, one social media user expressed: "Damn. Just damn. I'm so sorry you're going through this. Seems like hell on Earth. You've got everyone here's support and keep doing you! You're doing great already and just keep moving forward, wishing you the best!". ‌ Another advised: "The best thing to do is to get into counseling, you'll want to mentally prepare yourself for the inevitable. You said it yourself, they most likely will try to confront you at either work or when you're out and about and the last thing you want is to be caught off guard and not be ready to handle that confrontation on your own!". Another user empathised: "Omg you poor thing. Betrayed by the two people, you should be able to trust the most. They are both just so disgusting. "I can never understand when you read about mothers or sisters doing this. Your mother is absolutely vile. Lowest of the low. Your ex is just trash. "You are so much better than either one of them. My heart just hurts for you. You deserve a much better mother than the one you got. Please never speak to or forgive either one of them. Cut them both dead."

Liam Rudden's Must See Theatre this month
Liam Rudden's Must See Theatre this month

Edinburgh Reporter

time2 hours ago

  • Edinburgh Reporter

Liam Rudden's Must See Theatre this month

The calm before the storm that is the Edinburgh Festivals may leave Edinburgh stages bare but a London theatre break promises something special this month. As Edinburgh theatres fall into their usual pre-Fringe slumber this month, there's only one big touring production heading to town in July and that is Dear Evan Hansen at The Playhouse (1-5 July). The Olivier, Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical is packed with some of the biggest musical theatre songs of the last decade. All his life, Evan Hansen has felt invisible. But when a tragic event shocks the community and thrusts him into the centre of a rapidly evolving controversy, he is given the opportunity of a lifetime – the chance to be somebody else. With a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the Oscar-winning composers for The Greatest Showman, book by Steven Levenson and direction by Adam Penford, the Artistic Director at Nottingham Playhouse, this brand-new production marks the first time the Broadway and West End phenomenon has toured the UK. It stars Scottish musical theatre star Ryan Kopel in the title role, with Sonny Monaghan appearing as Alternative Evan at matinee performances. I caught up with both Ryan and Sonny as they prepared to take Dear Evan Hansen on the road, you can meet them here. Running time 2 hours 40 minutes including interval, tickets here. With a dearth of shows in the Capital, you could do worse than planning a theatre break this month, and if that means a trip to London, get in early as there's still time to catch the final week of London Theatre Direct's Big Summer Theatre. Now in its second year, the event, which runs until Monday 7 July (keep your eyes peeled though as it was extended by a further week last year), allows you to choose from more than 40 musicals and plays, including The Devil Wears Prada, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Back to the Future the Musical, Clueless the Musical, Matilda the Musical, and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and save up to 50% off, with tickets from just £15. This year, however, don't just see the on stage magic, experience it with a series of exclusive photo experiences. Now you can step onto the stage after seeing Hadestown, Titanique, Starlight Express, Fiddler on the Roof and The Great Gatsby, to pose for a professional photo moment – have your photo taken on stage after seeing Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre, snap a pic with a Titanique cast member on the Criterion Theatre stage, toast your West End debut with a complimentary drink and photo op at Fiddler on the Roof, feel like a winner when you race onto the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre stage for a Starlight Express photo op – no skates required, but a complimentary drink is a must – or join the roaring 20's party with an old sport from the The Great Gatsby cast, as you pose on stage with them at the London Coliseum. Ready to make your summer unforgettable? Explore all participating shows and secure your seat at the hottest event of the season here. Back in Edinburgh, there's a chance for little ones to get their introduction to theatre at The Playhouse when, for one day only, The Dinosaur That Pooped – A Rock Show (24 July) comes to the Greenside Place venue for two performances at 1.30pm and 4.30pm. When Danny and Dino's favourite rock band are playing their last ever concert, they go on a quest to get the last two tickets. But with a villainous band manager lurking, nothing goes to plan. Will the band perform? Will Danny rock out? Or will Dino's rumbling tummy save the day? Adapted from the No1 best-selling books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, the whole family will have a poopy good time enjoying a brand, new story for the stage. Featuring new songs by the McFly favourites Fletcher and Pointer, a lot of laughs and a whole lot of poo. Running time 1 hour with no interval. Tickets here. Now if ever a venue was made to host a production of the work of Transporting author Irvine Welsh, it surely has to be the old Leith Town Hall Theatre, now better known as Leith Theatre, and that's exactly what the venue is set to do when it brings Porno (18 & 19 July), to 28 Ferry Road. Adapted by Davie Carswell from Welsh's novel of the same name, the stage production of Porno started life as 50 minute one-act play at The Pleasance as part of the 2022 Fringe, however, it's the full-length version that comes to Leith Theatre, one that has already sold out runs at the Liverpool Olympia, Crewe Lyceum, Manchester Waterside as well as a seven week season at the Art's Theatre in London's West End. Porno, the follow up novel to Trainspotting, reveals what has become of Renton, Sickboy, Spud and Begbie some 15 years on from their original exploits. It goes without saying, sure that swearing, drug use and language of a sexual nature are the order of the day, which makes the 13+ advisory seem quite liberal. Running time 2 Hours including interval. Tickets here Next month, of course, we'll be spoiled for choice as the Festival and Fringe comes around once again. The Edinburgh Reporter will once again exclusive carry my Fringe Hot Ticket hit lists, in the meantime you can keep up to date with the shows coming to Edinburgh in August that are catching my eye by visiting And please do keep an eye out for the three shows I'm directing. If you like a supernatural tale or two, Fallen Angel, my new one-man play, and The Omega Factor: By The Pricking Of My Thumbs, by Natasha Gerson and myself, might be right up your street. If it's comedy you're looking for, check out Hingin' Oan Fir Googsie, by John McColl, starring River City's Jimmy Chisholm, will definitely be worth a look. Tickets here. Until August, happy theatre going, Liam Like this: Like Related

'It's a hell of a ride!' Your favourite shows like Squid Game
'It's a hell of a ride!' Your favourite shows like Squid Game

Metro

time3 hours ago

  • Metro

'It's a hell of a ride!' Your favourite shows like Squid Game

Squid Game is back for a third season, and fans are no doubt binge-watching the hit Korean drama at breakneck speed. Which means many will already be looking for a similarly high-stakes, morally complex series to watch next. And while reality shows like Netflix's Squid Game: The Challenge and MrBeast's Beast Games have tried to capture the essence, the Squid Game creator has admitted they leave a 'bitter taste'. Fortunately, the world of streaming is rich with gripping K-dramas and survival thrillers that scratch the same itch — and several viewers have taken to Reddit to share their favourite Squid Game alternatives. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. A user calling themselves ed_five suggested Netflix drama The 8 Show. Explaining the premise, they wrote: 'Eight people agree to a game show where they don't know the rules. I have to warn you, it gets very dark.' And TommyRobotX added of the Korean series: 'Despite the lower stakes, they somehow made it harder to watch (anxiety) than Squid Game.' Meanwhile, Dazzling_Pipe_9910 also mentioned The 8 Show, but preferred revenge thriller The Glory. They said: 'I watched The 8 Show and The Glory after Season 2 of Squid Game…The Glory is definitely worth watching and has left a lasting impression. I'd recommend.' Another user, Pettyyoungthing, suggested Alice in Borderland, which proved to be a huge hit on Netflix when it was first released in 2020. They explained: '[It's a] Japanese show where [people] get stuck in a mix of Hunger Games and Squid Game type scenario. Hijinx ensue'. And ChattyWalker suggested dark thriller Bargain, on Paramount Plus, writing: 'It's a hell of a ride! Only 6 episodes, unfortunately, but a nice binge.' One user suggested 3%, a Brazilian series available on Netflix. Explaining the plot, they wrote: 'The majority of the population live on the improvised 'inland' and, at the age of 20, people compete to become the 3% of humanity that gets to live in the affluent 'offshore' community.' A K-drama that's received lots of comparisons to Squid Game, The 8 Show focuses on eight strangers, each facing serious financial trouble, who agree to join a dangerous reality TV show as a way of earning money. Reviews are mixed, with the show earning a respectable 75% score on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics, compared to a 66% Audience Score. One impressed audience member wrote: 'I watched the entire series in 24 hours, a first for me. I found it impossible to stop watching. The cliffhangers were great, the suspense was at a fever pitch, and the social commentary was spot on. Good comic relief as well. Highly recommend.' Another said: 'Excellent show! Every episode is unexpected and surprising. A more deep and shocking Squid Game. This show will make you reflect on the society and on human nature.' Where to watch: Stream all eight episodes on Netflix. Years after surviving being brutally bullied in high school, teacher Moon Dong-eun devises a calculated plan to make her abusers pay for what they did, unravelling their now successful lives from within. The Glory received praise from critics, with the San Francisco Chronicle writing in their review: 'Visually arresting and carefully constructed, The Glory sharpens its central theme to a fine point.' Audiences were also impressed, with viewers taking to Rotten Tomatoes to hail The Glory as 'captivating', 'beautiful' and 'a slow-burn masterpiece'. Where to watch: Stream all 16 episodes on Netflix. This Japanese sci-fi series follows 'an aimless gamer and his two friends [who] find themselves in a parallel Tokyo, where they're forced to compete in a series of sadistic games to survive'. The show, which has been compared to Squid Game in the past and even achieved a higher Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, has proved itself a hit with both fans and critics. 'This sprawling Japanese manga adaptation is rarely subtle, but its ability to deliver on wide-scale expectations make it a true TV standout,' IndieWire wrote in a season two review. Meanwhile, Google reviewer Sarah wrote: 'This is one of the best TV series I have ever watched! Season one reminded me a lot of Squid Game mixed with a little bit of Hunger Games but leaves off with a better cliffhanger.' A highly anticipated third season of Alice in Borderland is coming to Netflix in September 2025. Where to watch: Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Netflix. Described as 'addictive' in The Guardian's four-star review, Bargain is set in a remote hotel in Korea where human organs are auctioned off to the highest bidder. A synopsis adds: 'After a catastrophic earthquake, the victims, traffickers and buyers are all trapped inside the crumbling building. Cut off from the outside world, they must fight to survive the aftermath at any cost. With a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, the show has impressed critics, who have described it as 'engrossing', 'wildly unpredictable' and 'gloriously vicious'. Where to watch: All six episodes are available to stream on Paramount Plus. There are four seasons to binge of this Brazilian show, which is set in a future society where most of the population lives in poverty. But, every year, each 20-year-old gets one chance to join the privileged 3%, who have been saved from squalor and now live in a utopian paradise. More Trending The show has a very respectable 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising its twists and strong characters. 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