Latest news with #London-born
Metro
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Benedict Cumberbatch blasts 'grossly wasteful' film industry
Benedict Cumberbatch has revealed his intense diet plan which led to over-indulgence in order to acquire his Doctor Strange physique. The aftermath left the London-born actor feeling 'horrific' as he was instructed to eat beyond his appetite. The 49-year-old Marvel star said he could have fed a family with the 'amount he was eating.' Cumberbatch recently appeared on podcast Ruthie's Table 4, where he exposed all of his eating secrets that made him Doctor Strange. Throughout the podcast, he discussed all things food, which led to him criticising the film industry for being 'grossly wasteful.' Speaking to host Ruth Rodgers, he said: 'You have someone who can prescribe you what you're eating and they can cook for you.' He went on to share the pure volume of food he was given, adding: 'We had a fantastic chef on the last Doctor Strange film. He needs to be on this many calories a day. 'He needs to have five meals, he needs to have a couple of boiled eggs between those five meals, some kind of high protein snack, cheese and crackers or almond butter and crackers, crackers, lots of crackers.' It was not all negative for Cumberbatch as he did enjoy the exercise part of his transformation and felt as if he was fueling his body properly for gruellingly long days of filming. 'For me, the exercise is great and the end result is that you feel strong and you feel confident, you hold yourself better, you have stamina through the exercise and the food that makes you last through the gig,' he added. The Sherlock Holmes star continued to speak passionately on the film industry and how it contributes to waste. He went on to say: 'It just slowly, slowly, you have to meet people where they are on these issues in filmmaking. 'So let me think about set builds that aren't recycled, think about transport, think about food, think about housing, but also light and energy.' 'The amount of wattage you need to sort of create daylight and consistent light in a studio environment. It's a lot of energy,' he added. Cumberbatch continued to speak out on behalf of actors and producers who often stay silent when it comes to speaking on global issues: 'So the first people to stick their head above the parapet to talk about anything to do with climate and excessive use of things, or hypocrisy, or systems that don't work, get slammed if they're actors, because they're ferried about.' More Trending He carried on by saying: 'It is a systemic thing, but as a producer, I'm really hot on that. 'I try to push the green initiative, the green handshake into every agreement I can.' There are two Doctor Strange films in the Marvel Universe franchise – both starring Cumberbatch post-bodybuilding. The Marvel star also starred as Sherlock in the BBC mystery crime drama series, which ran from 2010 to 2017. 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: Major stars and Hollywood icons who've appeared in Casualty from Tom Hiddleston to Kate Winslet MORE: TV fans can now binge 'must-watch' crime drama after season 2 is confirmed MORE: Meet the 'hidden' Russo sibling leading her Marvel director brothers' studio
ITV News
6 days ago
- Sport
- ITV News
When is the Dubois vs Usyk fight and how can I watch it?
Daniel Dubois is poised to take his second shot at Oleksandr Usyk on Saturday with the winner set to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. The pair will square off at Wembley Stadium on Saturday night, almost two years after their first bout, which is best remembered for a controversial low blow by Dubois. Usyk stopped Dubois in the ninth round to retain several titles. Victory for Usyk (23-0, 14 KOs) would see the Ukrainian become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion. It's a feat he first accomplished in May 2024 by beating Tyson Fury on a split decision. The last British heavyweight to hold every major belt was Lennox Lewis 25 years ago. Speaking to ITV News ahead of the fight, Dubois said when he thought about Usyk, all he saw was "the guy I gotta go through, the obstacle in my way, the guy I gotta break up and take them belts from". When asked about what he loved most about boxing, he said: "Victory, discipline and the spoils of war." Usyk was equally as confident when ITV News spoke to him and said "it didn't matter" that London-born Dubois was likely to be the more popular of the two among the crowd at Wembley, saying "focus just [on] the ring, it will be a great win." "I see the guy I gotta go through, the obstacle in my way" When is the fight? The first event is scheduled for 5.40pm, but Usyk and Dubois are not set to appear until 9.45pm. What happened the first time they fought? Their first bout happened in Wroclaw, Poland in August 2023, with Usyk controlling much of the fight. A low blow in the fifth round remains the talking point. Dubois's punch sent Usyk to the floor with referee Luis Pabon ruling it an illegal low blow, though Dubois's camp accused Usyk of pretending to be hurt. Usyk was given nearly four minutes to recover. Usyk scored a knockdown late in the eighth round and ended it a round later with a straight right that dropped Dubois. When asked by ITV News, Usyk dismissed speculation that the recovery time helped him win the match, saying "it doesn't matter". He said the only opinion that mattered was the "opinion of my family, my wife, my team, my children, my mama." Who have they fought since? Since beating Dubois, Usyk secured back-to-back victories over Tyson Fury. Both fights took place in Riyadh and both went the full 12 rounds. The first was a split decision but the rematch last December was a unanimous decision. Dubois rebounded from his loss to Usyk with three wins, all by stoppages: Jarrell Miller in the 10th round; Filip Hrgovic in the eighth round; and Anthony Joshua in the fifth at Wembley. Dubois was scheduled to make a title defence against Joseph Parker in February but he backed out at the last minute due to an illness. What is at stake? Usyk's undefeated record is in Dubois' sights. The Ukrainian turns 39 in January, so he's at the point in his career where every fight could be his last. He might also like the idea of going out on top with this victory, as further competition appears with rising stars like Moses Itauma, a 20-year-old Slovakia-born British fighter who has drawn comparisons to a young Mike Tyson. None of Itauma's past eight opponents have lasted two rounds. For 27-year-old Dubois, history awaits. He'd be the first British fighter since Lennox Lewis in 1999 to be the undisputed world heavyweight champion. Fury and Joshua have been much more heralded in their careers, but neither has been able to beat Usyk. They both fought him twice and lost. Dubois also wants to prove that his stunning knockout of Joshua last September in an IBF title defence was no fluke. Speaking to ITV News, Dubois said if he won, "it would cement my name amongst the greats, this is the big one, this is it." "This is the big one, this is it" How can you watch the fight? It is available on DAZN pay-per-view for £24.99. Who else is fighting? London's Lawrence Okolie faces Kevin Lerena of South Africa in a heavyweight bout. Okolie is a former WBO cruiserweight champion. Viewers can also expect to see:
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
Jane Birkin's original Hermès bag sells at auction for whopping 8.6 million euros
PARIS (AP) — Sketched out on an air sickness bag, the first Birkin handbag — the prototype for fashion's must-have accessory — sold for a staggering 8.6 million euros ($10.1 million), including fees, on Thursday in Paris to become the second most valuable fashion item ever sold at auction. The winning bid of 7 million euros drew gasps and applause from the audience. The price crushed the previous auction record for a handbag — $513,040 paid in 2021 for a Hermès White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Retourne Kelly 28. Now, the original Birkin bag, named after the actor, singer and fashion icon that Hermès created it for — the late Jane Birkin — is in a new league of its own. Only one fashion item has sold at auction for more: a pair of ruby red slippers from 'The Wizard of Oz', which sold for $32.5 million in 2024, Sotheby's said. Whistles in the auction room The Paris auction room buzzed with anticipation as the sale got underway, with the auctioneer reminding the crowd that the bag was 'totally unique' and 'the most famous bag of all time.' The bidding started at 1 million euros but quickly increased, with telephone bidders fighting it out at the end. With Sotheby's fees included, the total price for the winning bidder from Japan was a cool 8.6 million euros, the auction house said. From the starting price, bids rocketed past 2 million euros, then 3 million, 4 million and 5 million, to astonished gasps. When the price jumped from 5.5 million to 6 million euros in one swoop, there were whistles and applause. The final bids were 6.2 million euros, then 6.5 million, then 6.8 million before the Japanese buyer's last winning bid: 7 million euros. Sotheby's didn't identify the buyer. Nine collectors bidding by telephone, online, and in the room competed in the 10-minute auction battle, with the private collector from Japan beating a last remaining other bidder at the end. 'One of a kind' Paris fashion house Hermès exclusively commissioned the bag for the London-born Birkin in 1984 — branding it with her initials J.B. on the front flap, below the lock — and delivered the finished one-of-a-kind bag to her the following year, Sotheby's said. The subsequent commercialized version of Birkin's bag went on to become one of the world's most exclusive luxury items , extravagantly priced and with a yearslong waiting list. The bag was born of a fortuitous encounter on a London-bound flight in the 1980s with the then-head of Hermès, Jean-Louis Dumas. Birkin recounted in subsequent interviews that the pair got talking after she spilled some of her things on the cabin floor. Birkin asked Dumas why Hermès didn't make a bigger handbag and sketched out on an airplane vomit bag the sort of hold-all that she would like. He then had an example made for her and, flattered, she agreed when Hermès asked whether it could commercialize the bag in her name. 'There is no doubt that the Original Birkin bag is a true one-of-a-kind — a singular piece of fashion history that has grown into a pop culture phenomenon that signals luxury in the most refined way possible. It is incredible to think that a bag initially designed by Hermès as a practical accessory for Jane Birkin has become the most desirable bag in history,' said Morgane Halimi, Sotheby's head of handbags and fashion. The bag became so famous that Birkin once mused before her death in 2023 at age 76 that her obituaries would likely 'say, 'Like the bag' or something.' 'Well, it could be worse,' she added. Height of French chic Sotheby's said that seven design elements on the handcrafted all-black leather prototype set it apart from Birkins that followed. It's the only Birkin with a nonremovable shoulder strap — fitting for the busy life and practicality of the singer, actor, social activist and mother who was also known for her romantic relationship with French singer Serge Gainsbourg and their duets that included the steamy 1969 song 'Je t'aime moi non plus' ('I Love You, Me Neither'). Her bag also had a nail clipper attached, because Birkin 'was never one for long painted nails,' Sotheby's said. The bag that Hermès handmade for her, developed off its existing Haut A Courroies model, also has gilded brass hardware, bottom studs and other features that differ from commercial Birkins. Birkin's casual, breezy style in the 1960s and early 1970s — long hair with bangs, jeans paired with white tops, knit minidresses and basket bags — still epitomizes the height of French chic for many women around the world. 'More than just a bag' When Birkin chatted to Hermès' Dumas on the Paris-to-London flight about what her ideal handbag would be, she'd been in the habit of carrying her things around in a wicker basket, because she felt handbags in the 1980s were too small, Sotheby's said. She was traveling with her young daughter, Charlotte, and complained that she couldn't find a bag suitable for her needs as a mother, Hermès says. Hermès later gifted her four other Birkin bags. She kept the prototype for nearly a decade, before auctioning it for an AIDS charity in 1994. It was auctioned again in 2000 and had since been in private hands. The previous owner, who identified herself only as Catherine B., told journalists at the auction that the bag 'has all the attributes of a star.' 'The price is the price of the Hermès story,' she said. Sotheby's called it 'more than just a bag.' 'The Birkin has evolved from a practical accessory to become a timeless cultural icon,' it said. 'Its presence spans the worlds of music, film, television and the arts,' it added. 'It is a red-carpet staple, a fashion magazine mainstay, and a coveted piece in the wardrobes of celebrities, artists and stylists.' ___ John Leicester reported from Le Pecq.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atletico Madrid move to beat Premier League sides to Lookman
Atlético Madrid remain keen on signing Ademola Lookman from Atalanta, despite competition from the Premier League. The Spanish side have reached an agreement to sign Thiago Almada from Botafogo but remain keen to strengthen their attacking options. Lookman remains a player on the club's radar, with the winger keen to quit Atalanta this summer. Advertisement Lookman wants to leave Atalanta in search of a new challenge after three seasons in Italy. The Nigeria international has scored 52 goals in 117 games for Atalanta, including a career-high of 20 across all competitions last season. The London-born attacker is understood to favour a return to the Premier League and is valued at around €50m (£43.3m). Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham have been named as potential suitors, as each look to improve their forward lines this summer. However, Fabrizio Romano is reporting that Atletico Madrid remain keen and contact between the La Liga side and Lookman took place in recent days. Diego Simeone's side are keen to understand the conditions of a potential deal before formalising an approach. Advertisement Read – The highest spending clubs in Europe so far this summer See more – Premier League players set to be like new signings in 2025/26 Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok
The Irish Sun
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘An inspiration', say Ireland AM viewers as ‘breathe of fresh air' comedian shares health scare & weight loss journey
IRELAND AM viewers have been left blown away by a guests "refreshing" outlook on weight-loss. The hit breakfast show was back on air this weekend with usual hosts, 2 Irish comedian Alison Spittle opened up on her weight loss journey 2 Alison told how she is currently using weight-loss injections Irish comedian Alison Spittle joined Martin and Siomha on the couch to discuss the health scare that lead her to actively attempt to lose weight. The London-born star told how she was admitted to hospital last year after being diagnosed with cellulitis - a skin infection which effects deep layers of tissue. Alison's cellulitis turned into septicaemia which left her "very ill and bedridden" for a number of months. The star explained how a doctor had told her she was "pre-diabetic" and that losing weight would "greatly help" the issue from worsening. READ MORE IN IRELAND AM Spittle honestly admitted: "I never really wanted to lose weight, I was quite happy being fat, I loved it." She joked: "Especially when I was on that she made an effort to lose weight through exercise and healthy diet after her health scare, but also used Mounjaro injections to help. Mounjaro is an injective weight loss medication which contains the active ingredient tirzepatide. Most read in News TV Alison made sure to note: "I'm not advertising that and I don't care if people want to lose weight or not lose weight, but I just don't want to pretend that I'm doing it off plain hard work and water ." Martin added: "But it was doctors advice after all." Ireland AM star Muireann O'Connell shows off fabulous new hair do Spittle then hilariously remarked: "Yeah it was, but the best thing about losing weight is that I miss less buses now. "Buses were like horoscopes, I was like, 'If it's meant to be it will be', you know? But now I can actually run after them." 'BREATH OF FRESH AIR' Helen wrote: "What a breath of fresh air." Kim said: "Some woman. Fair play to you Alison." Julie added: "She's great, love her honesty, an inspiration to us all." Leon remarked: "What an inspiration, good for you." And Gina remarked: "Well done Alison for just being you & not caring what anyone thinks."
