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Celebrating two decades since its West End debut, Avenue Q is back at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre until 29 August, offering a refreshed version of the Broadway‑to‑London hit that originally won Tonys for Best Musical, Book and Score.The revival, billed as a “love letter to the original”, is helmed once again by Jason Moore – the director who first staged the show in 2006. At 55, Moore admits that returning to a work he originally conceived is unusual, but he sees the anniversary as an opportunity to upgrade the show’s scale, technical ambition and cultural sensitivity.Created by composers Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx with book by Jeff Whitty, the musical blends colourful Sesame‑Street‑style puppets with adult themes such as sex, racism, housing crises and existential angst. While the core story remains, the production team has added contextual notes to jokes that might puzzle Gen‑Z audiences – for example, the reference to 1980s sitcom star Gary Coleman is retained but clarified for modern viewers.Moore’s casting criteria emphasise a youthful “innocence” and a strong aptitude for puppeteering. As actor Emily Benjamin explains, performing through a puppet is an “ego death” that forces the performer to shift focus from self to the character, reducing vocal anxiety and deepening emotional honesty.Behind the scenes, puppet director Iestyn Evans coordinates a complex choreography where human actors operate hand‑and‑rod puppets in full view, interacting simultaneously with fellow performers. This layered performance style demands precise timing, especially when tackling songs like “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist” and “If You Were Gay”, which have sparked whole‑company discussions about their relevance and sensitivity today.Moore acknowledges that the show’s transgressive edge – famously illustrated by “naked puppets having sex” – still feels bold, even as contemporary West End productions such as Oh, Mary! and The Book of Mormon have pushed similar boundaries. He argues that the musical’s core questions – “how do you give your life meaning?” – remain timeless, and that the updated production aims to engage a new generation of audiences.As Benjamin puts it, “they might just be little cloth things, but people can often empathise with something that isn’t real more directly than with a human being telling the same story.” The revival therefore hopes to prove that puppetry can still provoke, entertain and resonate in today’s cultural climate.

Gordon Ramsay's latest reality TV venture, Secret Service, has taken the Kitchen Nightmares formula to new heights by sending the famously fiery chef undercover to expose the horrific conditions at a struggling Washington DC restaurant, Parthenon. Ramsay arrived at the Parthenon in the early hours of the morning, donning a baseball cap and driving a SUV. He had been contacted by a whistleblower from within the restaurant, who arranged for him to break in overnight to investigate the kitchen's state. Upon entering, Ramsay was met with a scene that looked like the aftermath of a crime, with fatty burnt-orange goo covering the prep surfaces and a black light scan revealing a kitchen in a shocking state of disarray. The kitchen's condition was so bad that Ramsay predicted "rats the size of my grandmother's cat" could be present. He then descended into the sticky horror of the basement, where he found a bandsaw used to slice racks of lamb with fleshy residue on it, and a plastic bag of raw chicken sitting in bloody ice-water. A bacteria expert later confirmed the presence of tiny things wriggling in the samples. The next day, Ramsay sat in a broadcast truck, monitoring the restaurant's service via a wall of monitors and headphones. He directed the filming, barking orders and reacting to the listeria-flavoured fiasco unfolding before him. The footage was then edited with special spy effects, including a green light blinking in the corner and the name of the room displayed at the top of the screen. Ramsay's team also sent in two young chef pals to pose as diners, wearing body-mounted cameras to gather evidence. When they ordered the bandsaw lamb, Ramsay shouted into their earpieces, "Don't eat those lamb chops!", before bursting into the restaurant to confront the staff. The intervention led to a dramatic showdown with the restaurant's owner, Pete, and his family. Ramsay's tough love approach and emotional truths helped to bring about a watershed moment in their lives. The restaurant was subsequently refitted and a new menu implemented, with Pete's son Mikey taking charge. The show's mix of kitchen reality and cheesy espionage did not detract from the emotional impact of the transformation, as Pete tearfully thanked Ramsay for his intervention. The identity of the secret insider who contacted Ramsay was also revealed, adding a gripping mystery to the episode.

Southampton have moved just three points off automatic promotion after a 3-0 victory over Blackburn, coupled with Ipswich’s 2-0 defeat at Portsmouth. The hosts extended their unbeaten run to 18 games in all competitions with a comprehensive victory at St Mary’s, secured by first-half goals from Cyle Larin and Ryan Manning and a late strike from Cameron Archer. The Southampton manager, Tonda Eckert, made five changes to the team which beat Derby 2-1 on Saturday but there was no disruption to the relentless rhythm which has catapulted the club up the Championship table and earned an FA Cup semi-final spot. Saints made the breakthrough in the 24th minute when Kuryu Matsuki set Archer free down the left, and he squared the ball perfectly for Larin to slot home. Shea Charles then went close with a rampaging run and shot, before Manning’s low shot deflected in past Blackburn keeper Balazs Toth two minutes from half-time. Matsuki missed a glorious chance to add a third after brilliant work from Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Larin left him with the goal at his mercy, and substitute Leo Scienza went close at the near post before Blackburn finally threatened. Daniel Peretz beat away Yuki Ohashi’s shot before Ryoya Morishita struck the post on the rebound. Archer completed the scoring late on to secure Southampton’s seventh win in a row, moving them up to fourth with a home fixture against second-placed Ipswich to come, after they head to Wembley and face Manchester City in the FA Cup. “I think no matter who we put on at the moment, they’re all ready to perform. It’s quite an easy decision at the moment to pick a team, because they’re all ready to go,” Eckert said after the game. Ipswich missed the chance to tighten their grip on second place as they slipped to defeat at Fratton Park. Conor Shaughnessy and Colby Bishop claimed quickfire goals as Portsmouth boosted their survival hopes with a crucial victory.

Itch! thrusts viewers into a nightmarish scenario where a hyper‑contagious disease forces victims to scratch themselves to death. The film’s most striking moment features a woman literally tearing her own skin, a set‑piece that showcases the director’s knack for visceral body‑horror despite a shoestring budget. The narrative then shifts to a cramped department store, where a rag‑tag group of uninfected shoppers must endure a claustrophobic dialogue‑driven showdown. While the premise echoes classic confinement thrillers such as John Carpenter’s The Thing and Assault on Precinct 13, the limited resources prevent the film from fully capitalising on these influences. Critics note that a larger budget could have amplified the already effective practical effects, and a tighter script would have deepened the human drama. The ensemble includes a widowed father (played by director‑screenwriter Bari Kang) juggling single‑parenthood, a cantankerous customer (portrayed by Douglas Stirling) who complains about price‑matching on Amazon, and several other archetypal figures. However, the screenplay struggles to give each character a distinct emotional arc, leaving audiences at a distance. Despite these shortcomings, the film’s core concept—an epidemic of fatal itching—offers a fresh angle for the under‑served eczema community and delivers moments of genuine horror. Itch! becomes as much a character study as a genre piece, though the balance tilts unevenly. The movie is available on UK digital platforms from 20 April 2026 and on US digital platforms from 21 April 2026.

Paris Saint-Germain cruised into the Champions League semi-finals with a convincing 4-0 win over Liverpool, ousting the English side from the competition. The French champions, led by Luis Enrique, proved too strong for Arne Slot's Liverpool, who were seeking a comeback after a 3-0 deficit from the first leg.The match began with a somber moment of silence to honor the 97 fans unlawfully killed at Hillsborough, with both teams wearing black armbands. Liverpool started strong, with Alexander Isak heading an early chance straight at PSG goalkeeper Matvey Safonov. However, their momentum was disrupted when Hugo Ekitiké suffered a potentially serious injury, and Mohamed Salah's introduction couldn't immediately change the tide.Ousmane Dembélé, who had been wasteful in the first leg, broke the deadlock with a clinical finish to puncture Liverpool's hopes of a famous comeback. His second goal in stoppage time, assisted by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Bradley Barcola, sealed the win and highlighted PSG's class.Liverpool's pressing game was effective, causing PSG to make loose passes, but they couldn't capitalize on their chances. A controversial penalty decision was overturned after VAR intervention, further denting Liverpool's hopes. Despite increased attacking pressure in the second half, Liverpool were ultimately punished on the counterattack, with Dembélé's goals securing a routine victory for PSG.

Gary Neville’s sports‑media outfit, The Overlap, has secured ownership of two of the United Kingdom’s most followed football YouTube channels, a transaction estimated at a seven‑figure sum.The channels—The United Stand and That’s Football—bring together approximately 3.7 million subscribers, bolstering The Overlap’s audience to around 6 million across all its platforms.While the partnership may appear surprising given past on‑air sparring, Neville acknowledged his former criticism of “those bloody YouTubers” and Goldbridge’s frequent jabs at his own Manchester United opinions. He emphasized that no grudges remain and that the collaboration is driven by business logic, not personal rivalry.Speaking to the press, Neville said the deal is designed to tap the “noise segment” of football coverage—fans’ appetite for constant debate, opinion, and analysis when live matches are not on. He described the goal as delivering “direct, personality‑led content” that keeps supporters engaged around the clock.The United Stand, with 2.26 million subscribers, is the largest Manchester United fan channel on the platform, while That’s Football reaches 1.46 million viewers with broader Premier League coverage. Under the new ownership, The United Stand will debut formats such as “Stick to United” (featuring ex‑players and journalists) and a daily news show titled “The Daily United.” That’s Football is slated for a rebrand and the launch of a daily football‑news podcast channel.The Overlap, founded in 2021, already produces flagship shows like “Stick to Football,” “Fan Debate” with Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes, and a cricket‑focused series launched last year. This acquisition follows its earlier move in January, when Global took a majority stake in the company, underscoring YouTube’s rising influence in sports broadcasting.Neville framed the purchase as the first of “hopefully a few more” aimed at building premium channels for major clubs across the UK and Europe. He assured fans that any new content will complement Goldbridge’s existing style, adding “value and intelligence” through contributions from former players and journalists.Goldbridge, whose real name is Brent Di Cesare, expressed enthusiasm for the next phase, noting that a decade of building The United Stand and That’s Football has prepared him for the resources and credibility The Overlap can provide to elevate his platforms.

Liverpool's impressive second-leg performance against Paris Saint-Germain ultimately proved insufficient, as they were eliminated from the Champions League with a 4-0 aggregate defeat. Ousmane Dembélé's late double dashed Anfield's hopes of another European comeback.Manager Arne Slot expressed his disappointment, lamenting Liverpool's inability to capitalize on their numerous scoring chances. He credited his players and fans for their efforts, stating, 'I have to give a lot of credit to the players for how hard they worked and to the fans for helping us execute our gameplan by always getting behind us.' Slot also acknowledged that the team's future looks bright, despite the current setback.The match took a concerning turn with Hugo Ekitiké's suspected achilles injury in the 27th minute. Slot described the situation as 'really bad' but noted that further assessments are needed to determine the full extent of the damage. This injury adds to Liverpool's concerns, particularly given the limited minutes Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak, and Ekitiké have played together this season.Slot reflected on the team's performance, saying, 'We are very disappointed because there were parts of the second half where you could feel, ‘If we could just score now, this could become a very special night.’ Creating chances is one thing, though; scoring is another.' He also praised his team's dominance against PSG, noting that not many teams can create as many chances as Liverpool did.

"Bloody unacceptable" – those were the words of UN humanitarian chief Denise Brown as she condemned the failure to halt a war that has now entered its fourth year. The conflict, which began with rival generals overthrowing Sudan’s civilian leadership, has eclipsed global crises in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran, yet remains largely ignored. The Berlin‑hosted international conference aims to inject urgency into a situation where tens of thousands have been killed, four million have fled abroad, and millions more are internally displaced. Roughly 30 million Sudanese – more than half the population – now face acute food insecurity, and large swathes of Khartoum lie in ruins. Violence has not abated. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, have established a rival administration in western Sudan. In the siege of El Fasher, an estimated 10,000 civilians were massacred – a UN mission described the atrocity as bearing the hallmarks of genocide. Both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) under Gen. Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan have deliberately targeted civilians, carried out summary executions, tortured detainees and increasingly employed drones to devastate urban areas. Gen. Burhan, whose government enjoys international recognition, refuses any compromise, insisting the RSF must first disarm and retreat to camps before any national dialogue. The RSF, meanwhile, demands a new federal system and the removal of Islamist elements – a stance that directly challenges Burhan’s coalition. In September, a US‑led mediation team that included Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt outlined a tentative roadmap: a humanitarian truce leading to a cease‑fire and subsequent political talks. Yet the United States has shown little appetite to prioritize Sudan, and the plan sidestepped the most contentious issues. The deeper scandal, according to diplomats and analysts, is the role of external actors in sustaining the war. Despite denials, the UAE is widely reported as the principal backer of the RSF, while Saudi Arabia and Egypt back Burhan’s forces. Recent Yale research points to Ethiopian collusion with the RSF, raising fears of a broader regional conflagration. European states, which previously funded Sudanese security to curb migration, have inadvertently strengthened the RSF and supplied weapons now used on the battlefield. The ongoing Iran‑Israel conflict further hampers relief efforts, inflating costs and limiting aid deliveries. Community kitchens that once fed countless families are disappearing – more than 40 % have closed in the past six months. The Berlin delegates must therefore boost support for Sudan’s grassroots mutual‑aid networks, but humanitarian assistance cannot replace a durable peace. Pressure on the UAE and other geopolitically motivated actors is essential if the international community hopes to halt the suffering of millions of Sudanese.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta remains optimistic about his team's chances despite mounting injury concerns, particularly with star player Bukayo Saka sidelined with an achilles issue.Arteta insists he has 'zero fear' that Arsenal could end the season without silverware, but admits there are significant doubts over Saka's return. Saka has not played since the Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City last month and Arteta is uncertain when he will be back.'Hopefully it's going to be a matter of days and not weeks,' Arteta said. 'But he has to see when he's loading more, how he responds to that kind of progression.'Arsenal are also facing doubts over Jurrien Timber, Riccardo Calafiori and captain Martin Ødegaard for their Champions League match against Sporting. Additionally, Arteta will make a late call on Declan Rice's fitness after the England midfielder missed training on Tuesday.Despite recent setbacks, including a home defeat to Bournemouth in the Premier League, Arteta remains positive. 'Fire. I'm on fire. I'm on fire,' he said. 'Nothing else. I'm dreaming so much. I've done so much to be in this position because I know how this club was. I just see beauty, opportunity, and I want to get it done for all these people that have been in this journey with us.'