Rebecca Nicholson

Bella Ramsey discusses moving from child acting into major television and film roles, including Game of Thrones, The Last of Us, Sunny Dancer and Channel 4’s Maya. They describe the mixed experience of growing up on sets, feeling out of place among peers, receiving a neurodivergence diagnosis and becoming more comfortable with their non-binary identity and they/them pronouns. Ramsey has taken time away from acting to recover inspiration, is preparing to return for the third and final season of The Last of Us, and has also filmed the second season of The Celebrity Traitors, which they expect will bring a temporary increase in fame.

Jake Johnson reflects on his career from early acting struggles to his breakout role in New Girl and the life changes that followed, including giving up marijuana to keep pace on set. He discusses his new comedy The Dink, created as a lighthearted escape during a divisive political climate, and highlights his admiration for co-star Mary Steenburgen and memories of working with Prince. Johnson describes the grounding effect of parenthood and his ongoing film and television work, embracing a varied career that spans comedies, blockbusters and voice roles.

Hannah Waddingham reflects on her late-emerging stardom, her transition from theatre to major screen roles, and her determination not to be reduced to stereotypes such as being labelled camp or theatrical. She discusses sexism in the entertainment industry, including calling out inappropriate behaviour, and emphasizes the importance of good manners and setting an example for younger women. Waddingham speaks about her family, especially her late mother and her daughter, as well as the emotional complexity of revisiting her past roles. She highlights her work on Ted Lasso and her new action-comedy series Ride or Die, celebrating its focus on mature female friendship and her willingness to perform many stunts herself, while embracing the satisfaction of achieving success later in life.

A review of Imogen Willetts’s Up All Night explores 500 years of nightlife history as a force for community, rebellion, creativity and political expression. The book contrasts global scenes from Weimar Berlin to Detroit techno and highlights how artistic subcultures repeatedly rise and fall through innovation, crackdown and commercialization. It warns of a modern slump in nightlife attributed to smartphones and digital culture, but ends on an optimistic note about the enduring power of collective experience.

Olivia Cooke reflects on her evolving career, newfound visibility through House of the Dragon, and the mixed reactions her character Alicent receives from fans. She discusses class barriers within the entertainment industry, the impact of social media on self-image, and the cultural resonance of her recent series The Girlfriend. Cooke highlights the importance of funding youth arts programs and expresses concern about diminishing access for working‑class young people. With several upcoming film projects and House of the Dragon nearing its end, she continues to balance career success with grounded personal perspectives.

A review of David Scott’s biography of Caroline Aherne highlights her originality, creative range and influence on British television, particularly through Mrs Merton, Gogglebox and The Royle Family. The book focuses on her work rather than her private life, tracing her career from early comedic experiments to major successes and struggles with fame and mental health. While Scott’s admiration sometimes leads to extravagant comparisons, the study is portrayed as an affectionate tribute to Aherne, Manchester’s artistic culture and a vanished era of television.

Michael Socha discusses his role in the BBC thriller The Cage, his experiences filming intense dramas, and his career path since This Is England. He reflects on his challenges, past roles as troubled fathers, and long-standing friendships within the UK acting community. Upcoming projects include Deadpoint and Young Stalin, and he maintains a private family life while focusing on varied, fast-paced work.

A history of queer life in British suburbs is explored through John Grindrod’s blend of research, interviews, and personal insight, highlighting stories of community, resistance, humour, and hardship across the 20th century. The book examines social, cultural, and political dynamics shaping LGBTQ experiences outside major cities, from discrimination and the impact of Section 28 to moments of solidarity and belonging. Grindrod’s account underscores the importance of community and reflects on how changing attitudes in the 21st century have transformed queer culture, offering an ultimately optimistic view of identity, home, and suburban life.

A documentary directed by Joshua Seftel follows Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp as they visit and photograph the untouched bedrooms of children killed in US school shootings, aiming to confront public numbness toward gun violence. Families share memories and hopes that the film can inspire meaningful policy change. The filmmakers intentionally avoid political framing, seeking to focus viewers on the human losses behind recurring tragedies. “All the Empty Rooms,” nominated for an Academy Award, is presented as a quietly powerful effort to restore emotional weight to an issue many have grown desensitized to.

Kristen Stewart discusses the creation of her experimental directorial debut The Chronology of Water, adapted from Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir and developed over eight years despite financial and creative hurdles. Stewart and star Imogen Poots describe the film’s intense physicality, focus on female experience, and unconventional structure. Contributors including Lidia Yuknavitch and Thora Birch highlight Stewart’s bold artistic approach and the film’s exploration of trauma, memory and desire through a raw and fragmented visual style.

Queer Eye concludes with its tenth season, marking the end of a reboot that evolved into a compassionate, emotionally resonant makeover series centered on empathy and personal growth. The show transformed its original concept by embracing broader representation and mental‑health‑oriented storytelling, helping participants overcome adversity and inspiring viewers with its optimism. Despite its success and beloved moments, its tone now feels out of step with a harsher cultural climate, making its finale feel timely. The final season serves as a celebratory, feel‑good farewell to a series that offered comfort and hope.

Writers select the television shows they find most comforting, highlighting the nostalgia, humour and emotional reassurance these series provide. Each contributor reflects on why particular programmes—from sitcoms such as Frasier, Friends and Brooklyn Nine-Nine to reality competitions and cookery shows—offer solace, familiarity and joy. The choices span genres and decades but share a focus on characters, rhythms and narratives that reliably uplift and soothe during stressful times.

Chloe Kelly describes overcoming an unhappy spell at Manchester City, a major transfer dispute, and injury concerns to achieve a standout year that included winning the Champions League with Arsenal and scoring a decisive Euros penalty for England. She reflects on pressure, confidence, ACL injuries, and the demanding football calendar, while also addressing misogyny and scrutiny facing women’s football. Kelly discusses team dynamics, career resilience, and future ambitions in football, fashion, and family, emphasizing her determination to control her own path and continue succeeding at the highest level.

Cast members and creators of Stranger Things reflect on the emotional end of the series’ final season, discussing how the show evolved from an underdog project into a cultural phenomenon. The Duffer brothers describe the difficulty of concluding the story and the importance of perfecting the final 30 minutes, while new cast member Linda Hamilton recounts joining the production late in her career. Longtime cast members share the experience of growing up together on set and the significance of filming their final scenes as a group. The article highlights the show’s lasting cultural impact, including its revival of 1980s aesthetics and Kate Bush’s music, as anticipation builds for the concluding episodes releasing across the holiday season.

Kathy Burke’s memoir depicts a childhood marked by loss, working‑class resilience and acts of everyday kindness, alongside a lively coming‑of‑age immersed in punk culture and early theatre work. It traces her rise through comedy and acting, including acclaimed roles and her Cannes award, while highlighting recurring class prejudice within the entertainment industry. Blunt reflections on collaborators range from affectionate to sharply critical, revealing both humour and underlying anger. The book ends with her decision to stop acting and focus on directing, with the reviewer hoping for a continuation of her story.

Creators, critics and writers select standout TV romantic comedies, praising shows such as Colin from Accounts, Last Tango in Halifax, Feel Good and Insecure for their chemistry, emotional depth and inventive storytelling. Contributors highlight how these series capture love’s complexities, from tender partnerships and unconventional relationship arcs to comedic misadventures and personal growth. Classic hits like Sex and the City, Queer As Folk and The Office (US) are recognised for their cultural impact, while newer favourites including Starstruck, Trying and Nobody Wants This offer fresh, relatable takes on modern romance. Overall, the selections celebrate how romcoms explore connection, vulnerability and joy across generations and genres.

Florence Welch recounts the trauma of an ectopic pregnancy that nearly killed her and how it shaped her forthcoming album, Everybody Scream. She describes feeling unsupported by the music industry, reflects on longstanding sexism and double standards for women performers, and discusses the pressures of maintaining a career while contemplating motherhood. The interview traces her evolution in the public eye, her collaborations with artists including Taylor Swift, and the role of imagination, witchcraft, and performance in processing grief and rebuilding strength, revealing a renewed determination to channel pain into creative work.

Sophie Ellis‑Bextor discusses renewed confidence in her mid‑40s, driven by a resurgence of her music career and the creation of her new disco‑influenced album Perimenopop. She reflects on the growing cultural openness around perimenopause, the long arc of her career from indie beginnings to global pop success, and the recent revival of Murder on the Dancefloor following its prominent use in the film Saltburn. Ellis‑Bextor describes past struggles with fame, tabloid intrusion, and phone hacking, which ultimately strengthened her resilience, and speaks candidly about family life, long‑term partnership, and the pressures of public work such as Strictly Come Dancing. Balancing optimism with pragmatism, she embraces experience and uncertainty as she continues building on her decades‑long career.

The conclusion of And Just Like That is criticized for diminishing the original Sex and the City characters, replacing their depth with poorly developed new figures and unfocused plotlines. Carrie’s storyline is depicted as directionless, while Samantha’s absence highlights the show’s shortcomings. Subplots involving newer characters overshadow the central cast, and the handling of aging and modernity is portrayed as shallow. The finale reflects the series’ broader struggle to recapture the original’s wit and purpose, ultimately ending on an unsatisfying note.

A visceral and emotionally intense adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s novel follows Australian prisoners of war forced to build the Burma railway while interweaving a haunting decades-long personal history. Shifting between wartime brutality and the protagonist’s later life as a celebrated but tormented surgeon, the drama contrasts scenes of extreme suffering with a powerful love story. Strong performances and confident direction create a literary, deliberate and impactful series marked by violence, longing and emotional depth.

Diane Morgan reflects on her rise from a series of odd jobs to international comedic recognition, discussing her characters Mandy and Philomena Cunk, the development of her anarchic sitcom Mandy, and her personal discomfort with its release despite its success. She describes the physical comedy influences behind the show, her career path shaped by her northern accent, and the growing popularity of Cunk in the US. Morgan also previews her upcoming BBC series Ann Droid, inspired by the idea of robotic elder care, for which she is training to move like a robot. Mandy’s new season returns on 21 July on BBC Two.