Writer Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin: ‘A Finnegans Wake book club ended up being one of the great reading experiences of my life'
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Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
BBC drama series praised as 'absolute perfection' by fans arrives on Netflix this weekend
One of the most raved about series of the 2020s is making its way onto Netflix this weekend and fans cannot wait. One of the most praised and gripping series that took the world by storm a few years ago is making its long awaited debut on Netflix this weekend. Normal People, the BBC drama that has been hailed by fans as a "masterpiece," will officially be available to stream from Sunday, August 3. Originally released in 2020 on BBC iPlayer, the 12-part series quickly became a cultural phenomenon, drawing both widespread critical acclaim and a passionate fanbase. Now, Netflix audiences will finally have the chance to revisit, or discover for the first time, the emotional and deeply affecting story that captivates the world. Adapted from Sally Rooney's best-selling novel, Normal People follows the intense and evolving relationship between two Irish teenagers, Connell Waldron and Marianne Sheridan, as they navigate the complexities of love, class and identity from their school days in Sligo to their university years in Dublin. The series spans more than a decade, following the main characters from their teenage years into adulthood. At the start Connell is the well-liked, quietly intelligent student while Marianne is the wealthy but socially isolated girl whose home Connell's mum cleans. When their paths cross again at university, the dynamic between them has shifted. Marianne has grown into herself, while Connell struggles to find his place, but despite these changes, the deep connection they share continues. As their relationship weaves in and out of romantic and platonic territory, the series earned widespread praise for its raw and honest portrayal of themes such as male mental health, sexuality and the emotional complexities of "friends with benefits" relationships. The show was an instant hit, and boosted the careers of Paul Mescal who plays Connell and Daisy Edgar-Jones who plays Marianne. Mescal went on to star in Gladiator II, and is playing Paul McCartney in the upcoming Beatles biopics, while Daisy has since starred in Where the Crawdads Sing and Twisters. The duo's chemistry and acting skills earned the show raving reviews with fans calling it a "masterpiece." Following the show's initial success on BBC iPlayer, Normal People received raving reviews and an impressive 91% Rotten Tomatoes score. Writing on Rotten Tomatoes, one fan of the series described Normal People as "deeply moving" expressing that the series "stayed with them long after watching." As another fan stated: "Real, raw and vulnerable. This highly emotional show had me hooked from the beginning." While other viewers added that the show is an "Irish masterpiece," and "absolute perfection." Another viewer praised the actors performance, writing: "Beautifully filmed with a great music score and pulled together by two extraordinary performances by Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones. You felt every moment with the characters and at the end you just want to go back and watch it all over again." Viewers will be able to watch Normal People on iPlayer from Sunday, August 3, on Netflix.
Metro
7 hours ago
- Metro
Jeremy Clarkson reveals extent of 'enormous disruption' caused at farm by TB
Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that he is on a 'very steep learning curve' after an outbreak of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) case on his farm. The Clarkson's Farm star on Amazon Prime video recently revealed how the infectious disease had been detected in his cattle. bTB is one of the biggest challenges facing the cattle farming industry in the UK, and all infected animals have to be put down. He wrote on X on Thursday: 'Bad news from Diddly Squat. We've gone down with TB. Everyone here is absolutely devastated.' Just days after the outbreak, Clarkson also revealed that one of his puppies had died. Now, speaking to The Times, the 65-year-old has gone into further detail discussing how it has been 'bloody awful'. 'The disruption's enormous, because you aren't allowed to operate as a business,' he said. 'You have to isolate them for two months. So all the barns we needed to store the grain in, we now have to convert into a cow hospital. 'We've got another calf with pneumonia, so that needs to be housed. And we can't buy or sell a cow now because the farm officially, you know, has TB.' Earlier this week, Clarkson spoke to radio presenter Peter Cardwell and said: 'We're now locked down and it's just dreadful, absolutely dreadful. 'It's only been not even 24 hours since I found out, and it occupies my mind. Well, it was occupying my mind, but I got up this morning and found one of my puppies has died. And we've got a very sickly calf. 'Honestly, farming? I'm not enjoying it this week.' According to the former Grand Tour presenter, the farm now has to shut for at least two months until they can do another bTB test. But, the farm shop will not be affected. More Trending This comes after Clarkson's Farm star Lisa Hogan revealed she survived a plane crash. The Irish model and actress, 51, became a household name a few years ago when appearing on her partner Jeremy Clarkson's programme Clarkson's Farm. The couple initially met at a party through mutual friends before getting together in 2017. View More » But, in his weekend newspaper column Jeremy explained how between them, the couple had 'walked away from three plane crashes over the years'. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'One of the smartest shows on television': Your favourite TV spy thrillers MORE: Film hailed as 'one of the greatest of all time' now streaming on Amazon Prime MORE: These are the 10 best sci-fi films of all time according to film lovers
North Wales Chronicle
8 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Swinney brands Gaza crisis ‘genocide' after Fringe show disrupted
Police were called to the Stand Comedy Club in Edinburgh after the First Minister was interrupted seven times by six different groups of protesters during a conversation with comedian Susan Morrison. The protesters urged the First Minister to describe the crisis as a genocide and stop state funding for arms companies. Speaking to journalists after the event, the First Minister said: 'It's quite clear that there is a genocide in Palestine – it can't be disputed. 'I have seen reports of terrible atrocities which have the character of being genocide. 'I've expressed that and obviously it's not reached all those individuals, but that's my feeling.' The Scottish Government has also been criticised for – while not funding directly the manufacturing of munitions – providing money for apprenticeships at firms which build weapons. But the First Minister said the Government's commercial arm Scottish Enterprise has the 'strictest assessments imaginable about the purpose and the use of public expenditure in companies who may be related to defence industries'. Pushed on providing money for staff who could potentially build munitions, the First Minister added: 'We're trying to enable companies to diversify their activities, that's the purpose. 'That's why the due diligence checks are applied and they are applied unreservedly.' Throughout the show, groups of attendees stood up, holding signs which spelled the word 'genocide', and heckled the First Minister. As the event continued, the interruptions became more forceful, before two groups stood at the same time, angrily shouting at the First Minister and chanting slogans such as 'call it genocide'. Members of his security team stood in front of the stage, stopping protesters from approaching the First Minister, before three uniformed police officers arrived at the venue to usher the protesters out. I still remember the bus ride to my first Edinburgh Festival show as a teenager, with my late mother – not knowing it would spark a lifelong love of culture. As the Festival season starts, I want every community in Scotland to have that same access to a booming cultural scene. — John Swinney (@JohnSwinney) August 2, 2025 During the tense exchange, which lasted several minutes, a number of the crowd – who were not protesting – appeared to be in tears. A final disruption came from one woman in the crowd, who asked the First Minister why he had not responded to her letter about heavy metal band Disturbed playing at the Hydro in Glasgow. The band's lead singer David Draiman has been criticised after being pictured signing an Israeli bomb. The woman asked the First Minister why he did not speak out on Disturbed playing at the city's biggest venue, when he said it would be inappropriate for Irish band Kneecap to play the TRNSMT festival after comments members of the band had made about Tory MPs. The First Minister said his comments on Kneecap had come due to questions from the media and he 'didn't particularly' want to speak about the band earlier this year, adding that he did not want to choose what art people do and do not consume. The woman became increasingly angry with the First Minister's response and was eventually dragged from the venue by a police officer, whom she branded a 'thug'.
