Latest news with #ParisLees
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
TV tonight: a sobering film about the rise of extreme weather
9pm, BBC One The anatomy of a modern climate catastrophe is revealed in this sobering documentary about the appalling floods that hit Valencia in October 2024. The first part of the film deals with the events as they were experienced by the citizens, 228 of whom didn't live to tell the tale. But there's also an insight into how humanity will have to adapt to increasingly volatile weather as failures in forecasting and preparation are laid bare. Phil Harrison 8pm, Channel 4 S'mores the merrier: this week the remaining pastry chef duos must come up with their own spin on the gooey US campfire treat while also rustling up a batch of creamy framboisier slices. If all that weren't stress-inducing enough, the showpiece challenge requires them to evoke their favourite visual artists – in spectacular fashion. Graeme Virtue 9pm, BBC Three Byron (Ellis Howard) hits rock bottom as the bracing dramatisation of Paris Lees' memoir delivers a punchy final double bill. A scary stint in prison features a nice guest role for Rhys Connah (Ryan in Happy Valley) as a bully with hidden vulnerabilities. Then Byron emerges – with nowhere to go but up. Jack Seale 10pm, Channel 4 Another cold case reopened by criminologist David Wilson, detective Graham Hill and moonlighting actor Emilia Fox. This time, it's the unexplained 2018 disappearance of Georgina Gharsallah, whose mother, Andrea, has campaigned to uncover the truth about her daughter's fate. Was she abducted? PH 10pm, BBC Four A gently lyrical film following Mongolian farmers Davaa and Zaya, who are forced to move to the city after a sandstorm (arguably caused by climate breakdown) kills their flock of sheep. It's not a straight narrative – the tale is told in an often dreamlike style, emphasising the connection between the people and their land. PH 10.05pm, ITV2 A fun new sitcom by Jordan Gray, Transaction makes salient points about inclusion while remaining enjoyably snarky. Gray is Olivia, a transgender woman and happily jobless slacker who is persuaded to do a few shifts at a supermarket because its boss, Simon (Nick Frost), is under fire for an (accidentally) transphobic advertising campaign. PH Creed (Ryan Coogler, 2015), 9pm, ITV4This limber 2015 film is the second in a string of fruitful collaborations between director Ryan Coogler and actor Michael B Jordan – it set in train a new run of boxing dramas set in Rocky World. Jordan plays Adonis Johnson, the unknown son of Rocky Balboa's opponent turned friend Apollo Creed. Adonis has the fight gene, too, so he turns up in Philadelphia to get Rocky (a convincingly weary Sylvester Stallone) to train him. There's enough ring work for the action fan, but it's also an exploration of family ties and the meaning of legacy. Simon Wardell
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Lorraine Kelly fights back tears as guest interrupts interview to pay emotional tribute to her as 'friend and ally'
Lorraine Kelly fought back the tears as a guest interrupted their interview to pay an emotional tribute to her as a 'friend and ally' on Tuesday's episode of the show. Author Paris Lees, 38, appeared on the ITV programme to chat to the Scottish star, 65, about her new BBC show What It Feels Like For A Girl, which is inspired by her own life. The eight-part series hit our screens on June 3 2025. During her appearance on Lorraine, the pair opened up about how proud she is of the show, but also wanted to thank the broadcaster for all her support towards the transgender community. Paris, who is a trans woman, said to Lorraine: 'We see you and we really appreciate it, you really use your platform for good.' An emotional Lorraine replied: 'You're going to make me cry.' From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. Paris told her: 'Honestly, not everyone is there speaking up for us. We're less than 0.5 percent of the population and we are under attack. 'You are using your platform for good and you are a friend. 'I should have brought some flowers or something. I hereby declare you an honorary diva.' As she wiped a tear from her cheek, Lorraine said: 'I'll take that!' 'We thank you, we thank you,' Paris said. Earlier on in the chat, Paris said: 'This is such a full circle moment for me, because you were so kind about the book last time I was on. 'I know you were saying it's got to be a TV show and now it is a TV show!' Lorraine told her: 'We manifested it, Paris!' Earlier on the chat, Paris said: 'This is such a full circle moment for me, because you were so kind about the book last time I was on. I know you were saying it's got to be a TV show and now it is a TV show!' She continued: 'After I came on your show, did other publicity... 'It sounds like a humble brag, but I did have all these production companies get in contact with me. 'I just thought I'm ready to collapse in a heap, I've done all the photos and everything. 'And then They said do you want to develop it? 'I thought well it's my story, so I'd never done it before, very different type of writing, lots more people giving opinions. 'I'd never written a script before, I'd never had any aspirations or pretentions for writing for television. 'This is my story, I really wanted to rise to the challenge and do it justice. 'Can I tell you Lorraine, it's been so fun.' Her memoir What It Feels Like For A Girl was released in 2021. Earlier this week Lorraine was left squirming after a co-star bluntly asked her 'where have you been? ' After talking about the headlines over in the US, celebrity correspondent for LA Ross King asked her on Monday: 'Apart from all that, what about you, where have you been?!' Lorraine replied: 'Oh I've been in the far north, I've been so far north I nearly came back on myself. I'll tell you all about it. I sadly can't say too much about it now.' It comes after earlier this month Lorraine disappeared from our screens again after ditching her show amid huge cuts.
The Guardian
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
TV tonight: a horrifying look inside the prison walls of the Assad regime
9pm, BBC TwoWhen the reign of Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad came to an end in December 2024, the image that went around the world was of political prisoners being released after years of confinement and torture. This film follows the story of two incarcerated brothers, matching it with the confessions of more than 40 former regime operatives, from intelligence officers to prison guards. They describe actions so dark and cruel, they are hard even to comprehend. Jack Seale 8pm, BBC OneDiane Morgan's comic creation Mandy was once on an episode of Who Are You, Do You Think? ('Not as good as Danny Dyer's, but still all right'). Now, Morgan – better known as clueless TV presenter Philomena Cunk – is doing the real thing, involving a pilgrimage to Germany and a moving conclusion to a second world war love story. Ellen E Jones 8pm, Channel 4Despite what co-presenter Ellie Taylor suggests, there is a world of difference between a savoury paté en croute and a Greggs sausage roll. Putting a signature spin on the French classic is just one of the stressful tasks the four remaining pastry chef duos must juggle if they are to make it past the opening heat. Graeme Virtue 9pm, BBC ThreeParis Lees' turbo-charged coming-of-age drama continues. School teenager Byron (Ellis Howard) has found their tribe in the Nottingham clubs with the 'Fallen Divas' but there's danger ahead with toxic Liam (Jake Dunn), who gave them a taste for ketamine and has a 'plan' to make money together. Hollie Richardson 9pm, Sky Arts 'If the Guerrilla Girls tell you to meet them at the Getty museum, you meet them at the Getty museum.' Kate Bryan is in genuine awe as she spends a week with the female art group – it's wonderfully surreal as 'Frida Kahlo' and 'Käthe Kollwitz', in their gorilla masks, squabble over car directions. HR 10pm, BBC FourRachel Elitzur grew up Orthodox Jewish and got married, but then decided to not have children, divorce her husband and follow her dream to become a film-maker. In her new feature documentary, she interviews fellow Orthodox Jews about their wedding nights – on which they are expected to have sex for the first time in their lives. HR
The Guardian
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
What It Feels Like for a Girl to Turnstile : the week in rave reviews
BBC iPlayer; full series available Summed up in a sentence The wild, witty tale of a 00s Nottinghamshire adolescence that leaps from sex work to drug-fuelled nights of hedonism, adapted from trans writer Paris Lees' autobiography. What our reviewer said 'A resolutely unsentimental tale of a chaotic, morally ambiguous period of transition. It's certainly a wild ride.' Rachel Aroesti Read the full review Further reading 'All of us felt like we had touched gold': What It Feels Like for a Girl, the BBC's electric coming-of-age tale Netflix; all episodes available Summed up in a sentence A tense, twisty adaptation of an Australian crime novel, set against the tale of the only survivor of a disaster moving back to his rage- and sorrow-filled small town home after 15 years of self-imposed exile. What our reviewer said 'A study in how raw grief and festering resentment warp everything – and how surviving a tragedy rarely means getting away unscathed.' Lucy Mangan Read the full review Apple TV+; episodes weekly Summed up in a sentence Owen Wilson charms as a washed-up golfer turned coach in a redemptive sporting tale that hopes to be the Ted Lasso of hitting balls with metal sticks. What our reviewer said 'It's a pleasant, feelgood half-hour every time. It never outstays its welcome, everyone puts in a solid performance and Wilson brings every ounce of energy he has to every scene he's in.' Lucy Mangan Read the full review Further reading Owen Wilson's charmingly funny golf drama is as feelgood as Ted Lasso BBC iPlayer; full series available Summed up in a sentence A profile of the terrorist who was once the most wanted man in the world, featuring an exclusive phone interview with him from prison – in which he inadvertently shatters his mystique. What our reviewer said 'This guy has been romanticised as international terrorism's answer to James Bond – a man of mystery as suave as he is elusive. Close up, he gives off loner vibes, and the photos we see of his various guises don't burnish his cool-villain credentials, either: he almost always looks like a beady uncle whom female guests have to avoid at a wedding disco.' Jack Seale Read the full review BBC iPlayer; full series available Summed up in a sentence A thoughtful, sober documentary about a staggering football stadium fire, to mark 40 years since the tragedy unfolded. What our reviewer said 'Perhaps the film's most memorable sequence arrives when we watch television coverage of the game, which soon becomes a report on the fire. The shortness of the time that elapses between minor incident and major disaster is wholly terrifying.' Jack Seale Read the full review Further reading: 'The whole city was touched': Bradford marks 40 years since the Valley Parade fire In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence In a spinoff from the John Wick franchise, Ana de Armas is a feisty assassin trained in ballet and martial arts, combining delicacy and violence in her quest for vengeance. What our reviewer said 'De Armas carries off the essential silliness of Ballerina and, after her performance as Paloma in No Time to Die opposite Daniel Craig's 007, she proves again she can do action, in both couture and daytime wear.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Joachim Lang's bleak film shows a preening Goebbels and a careworn Hitler as they battle to convince the German public, and themselves, they will win the war. What our reviewer said 'In its subversive, austerely satirical way, the film feels almost like a B-side to Oliver Hirschbiegel's Downfall from 2004, and Lang has perhaps even inhaled, just a little, the numberless internet parody memes that Downfall inspired, with English subtitles reinterpreting Hitler's impotent rage.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Documentary on Columbia pro-Palestine student protests of April 2024, is fascinating but much has been superseded by the arrest of student organiser Mahmoud Khalil after the re-election of Trump. What our reviewer said 'Khalil is smilingly interviewed at the end, stating his belief that this cause is approaching success. But that interview was presumably filmed before the new brutality of the Trump administration and the outrageous arrest of Khalil, who is now held in a Louisiana jail, and was only recently allowed to see his infant son.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review In cinemas now Summed up in a sentence Isabelle Huppert gives the performance of her career in Michael Haneke's 2001 tale of a sado-masochistic music professor, rereleased as part of a Haneke retrospective. What our reviewer said 'There can be no doubt of Haneke's extraordinary ability to generate scenes of nerve-jangling disquiet and intimately unpleasant trauma. He can simply put you in a place you don't want to be, and keep you there.' Peter Bradshaw Further reading No pain no gain: director Michael Haneke talks sadomasochism with Stuart Jeffries Read the full review Prime Video; available now Summed up in a sentence Cillian Murphy plays a man who witnesses Ireland's church's abusive workhouses for unwed mothers in a piercingly painful Magdalene Laundries drama. What our reviewer said 'Murphy shows us once again his sightless stare of fear and pain, as the witness to something terrible not just in the real world but within himself.' Peter Bradshaw Read the full review Review by Olivia Laing Summed up in a sentence The enigmatic novelist reconsidered. What our reviewer said 'Brilliant, beautiful and disinclined to conceal her talent or ambition, Spark was much desired and much despised in London.' Read the full review Review by Gaby Hinsliff Summed up in a sentence The former New Zealand PM takes us behind the scenes of her years in office. What our reviewer said 'Ardern is a disarmingly likable, warm and funny narrator, as gloriously informal on the page as she seems in person.' Read the full review Further reading 'Empathy is a kind of strength': Jacinda Ardern on kind leadership, public rage and life in Trump's America Review by Josie Glausiusz Summed up in a sentence How wildlife survives in the most extreme environments What our reviewer said 'In 2022 scientists were able to film a snailfish at 8,336 metres below sea level off the coast of Japan – a depth roughly equivalent to the height of Everest' Read the full review Review by Sarah Moss Summed up in a sentence A book about art, faith and relationship breakdown that is half fiction, half something else What our reviewer said 'Lacey is fascinated by literary form and by the metaphors for literary form, finding fiction at once a constraint and a space for play.' Read the full review Review by Nina Allen Summed up in a sentence Portrait of a film-maker's moral struggles under the Nazis, from the author of Measuring the World. What our reviewer said 'The Director has all the darkness, shapeshifting ambiguity and glittering unease of a modern Grimms' fairytale: it is Kehlmann's best work yet.' Read the full review Review by Sara Collins Summed up in a sentence An astute and moving exploration of female experience. What our reviewer said 'Such is the nature of Adichie's masterly sentences, clear as polished windowpanes, that one has no choice but to look more closely, and to see that what these women pine for is always out of reach.' Read the full review Out now Summed up in a sentence Already pushing the boundaries of hardcore punk into pop and beyond, the Baltimore band press on even further with their latest LP. What our reviewer said 'There's so much else happening, a profusion of ideas so deftly handled, but it never feels sprawling or indulgent.' Alexis Petridis Read the full review Out 13 June Summed up in a sentence They helped to pioneer Zambia's 'Zamrock' sound in the early 1970s – and their first new album in 30 years shows that the vocal power of 74-year-old frontman Emmanuel 'Jagari' Chanda is undiminished. What our reviewer said 'Highlight Nadi could be peak Led Zeppelin if not for Chanda's playfully AutoTuned Bemba lyrics skipping over the band's chugging psych riffs. These joyously strange combinations show the Zamrock originators to be just as imaginative now as they ever were.' Ammar Kalia Read the full review Further reading Witch: the glory and tragedy of Zambia's psych-rock trailblazers Out now Summed up in a sentence The youthful Chicago DIY darlings deliver their debut album of tightly wound post-punk – and it's a total blast. What our reviewer said 'Urgent, off-kilter and even slightly disorienting … it's refreshing to hear a young band make such a bold racket.' Dave Simpson Read the full review Out now Summed up in a sentence Revisiting the work György Ligeti made amid a sharp stylistic shift in the 1980s, this set features Isabelle Faust on violin and Jean-Frédéric Neuburger on piano. What our reviewer said 'Both are remarkable works, which seem utterly fresh and original, yet identifiably remain part of the concerto tradition.' Andrew Clements Read the full review Ovo Hydro, Glasgow; touring to 15 June Summed up in a sentence The 75-year-old pop legend heads back out to arenas, and delivers a masterclass in charm. What our reviewer said 'He has joyful chemistry with his band, and together they put plenty of polish on Richie's trophy cabinet of hits … this is Richie on cruise control, but radiant nonetheless.' Katie Hawthorne Read the full review
Graziadaily
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Graziadaily
Is New BBC Drama 'What It Feels Like For A Girl' Worth Watching? Reviews Are In
New to the BBC, What It Feels Like For A Girl is the new drama taking audiences on a deep dive back to the noughties – millennials stand up! The coming-of-age show, based on the memoir of Paris Lees, explores themes of class, gender, self-discovery and identity. Paris is a journalist, presenter, author and campaigner, described by ID Magazine as 'a voice of a generation' becoming Vogue's first transgender columnist in 2018. Released in 2021, Paris' memoir pulls readers into her world, growing up in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, uncovering her British trans experiencing growing up in living a life she didn't want to, as a boy called Byron (the fictional name she uses to talk about her pre-transition self). Now, her story has been brought to screen. With Paris as executive producer the 8 part series, What It Feels Like For A Girl follows 15 year old Byron, aged 15, caught between the homes of his mum, dad and gran, finding 'freedom' in Nottingham's underground club scene. The series doesn't shy away from the harsh reality of navigating the world that shaper her, telling a raw story that is love overdue, and already it's pulling in amazing reviews from critics. Ellis Howard plays Byron in the show, a teenager at school who is pulled between different homes while struggling with his own identity. The role was inspired by the life of Paris Lees, the author and campaigner who was the first trans woman to present shows on BBC Radio 1 and Channel 4. Speaking about the role, Howard said: 'Byron is at school, without much of a support system, bouncing between their mum's, dad's and Mommar Joe's homes with a desperate internal desire to escape,' continuing 'It's the story of someone who has grown up in a small town with people who aren't like them, dreaming of a life bigger and bolder.' Howard has had roles in the TV series Red Rose (2022) and the film Romeo & Juliet (2021). Laquarn Lewis takes on the role of Lady Die, a podium dancer in the nightclubs of Nottingham. 'Lady Die is eye-catching, fashionable and super stylish,' Lewis says of her character. 'She's over-caring, loving, fun, wild and crazy. I could relate to her, as she has a loving nature. She's someone everyone would want as a friend, and that's what I love about her.' Lewis previously played Elliott in the television series Jamie Johnson. Laura Haddock plays Lisa, Byron's mum who is struggling with her relationship with her son. 'Lisa is Byron's mother, and [with] Byron secretly struggling with their sexuality and gender identity, [their] relationship isn't what it was,' says Haddock. 'She also feels like she's done the hard bit bringing them up and she deserves to have a life now. Their relationship is really strained; she is struggling to understand Byron and accept who they want to be.' You might recognise Haddock from her starring roles in films such as Guardians of the Galaxy, The Laureate and Downton Abbey: A New Era. She has also had starring roles in Da Vinci's Demons, White Lines and The Recruit. Bryon's father Steve is played by Michael Socha, a working class man known locally as 'Hucknall's most feared man.' 'He struggles to accept Byron's femininity and is determined to toughen them up, which can come across as aggressive and even violent at times,' said Socha speaking about his character. 'His frustration stems from Byron not fitting the traditional idea of masculinity, and this manifests in harsh demands for Byron to "man up."' Jake Dunn plays Liam, a 'bad-boy' figure who Byron is drawn in by. 'Liam's a complicated, intense character,' says Dunn. 'While we share some similarities, like being from Nottingham and being in our early twenties, he's completely different from me. He's a gangster who is involved in some dark stuff.' Jake has also had roles in Renegade Nell and Get Even. Hannah Jones plays trans girl Sasha, who is part of the Fallen Divas who take Byron in. Speaking about her role, Hannah explained Sasha is a 'proud scouse' who is 'volatile and aggressive' at times. 'I just think she's a great person, as much as she is a terrible person. There's so much underlying love and misunderstanding of her personality, and she goes through so much trauma and strife in her life,' Jones said. Alex Thomas-Smith plays Sticky Nikki, who is a slightly older member of the Fallen Divas. 'Sticky Nikki is a passionate and headstrong woman who deeply values her friends, relationships and life' says Thomas-Smith when speaking about her role. 'She's a little older than the other girls, which allows her to look at their more-outrageous behaviour with a sense of understanding. Her role is about supporting the others, encouraging them to have fun, but also imparting some of the lessons she's learnt along the way.' You might recognise Alex from her roles in Dixi and The Revenge Files of Alistair Fury. Ali plays Dirty Damian, a 'party instigator' who is always there for the Fallen Divas. 'The girls are protective of each other, and I feel like Damian and Sticky Nikki are the good ones. They are a bit more behaved and sensible. They've got work in the morning when the party is coming to an end,' Ali said. 'They know it's time to go home, and the other three are more party-oriented. The Fallen Divas are also a very tight-knit family, and they're there for each other when things get hard.' Ali is best known as Kai Shariff in Waterloo Road. Despite only being out for two days, the show has gone down a storm with critics. The Guardian gave the show four stars, writing that the show is a 'memorably complex psychological portrait will be your reward.' The Telegraph gave the show four stars, describing the show as 'snappy, addictive, often shocking.' The Independent also settled on four stars for the show. Critic Nick Hilton wrote 'at a time when the trans community are being forced to suffer almost daily indignities at the hands of Britain's political and media establishment, the presence of What It Feels Like for a Girl feels urgent,' adding 'in a world where it is easy to feel pessimistic about the course of progress, What It Feels Like for a Girl presents an engaging – and rational – case for optimism.' Meanwhile, the show is getting rave reviews on social media. One user wrote on X 'Watched the first episode of What It Feels Like For A Girl last night and if it were any closer to my own experiences it would be autobiographical. Incredible, crucial television.' Another simply penned 'Finished watching the Paris Lees' What It Feels Like For a Girl series. It was beautiful, start to end.' A third praised the show's nostalgic element, writing 'I loved the first 2 episodes of the new #LGBTQ series #WhatItFeelsLikeForAGirl and I can't wait to see how the story develops. I also loved the 00s soundtrack and those Bacardi Breezers because that was my drink of choice back then.' The good news is that What It Feels Like For A Girl is available to watch on iPlayer right now! It landed on the platform on Tuesday 3 June, with all eight episodes available. The show will also air weekly double bills starting at 9pm on Tuesday, June 3 on BBC Three.
