88 m. ago The hidden life of Matthew Perry: ‘He would say: I need to stop and get help’

The actor’s publicist and manager worked with him for more than 30 years, before his death in 2023. They discuss the man behind the headlines – and why they are continuing his mission to help others struggling with addictionWatch the third season of Friends, writes Matthew Perry in his memoir, and you can see how thin he had become by the end of it. “Opioids fuck with your appetite, plus they make you vomit constantly,” he writes. Look again, and yes – his fragile wrists emerge from a shirt that looks as if he has borrowed it from someone far larger, his trousers hang off him – and it’s unbearably sad now, with the knowledge that addiction would kill Perry nearly 30 years later, at the age of 54. At the time, most people watching probably wouldn’t have noticed, dazzled instead by Perry’s sharpness and immaculate comic timing as Chandler Bing, the show’s dry wit. He was having to take 55 Vicodin pills a day – an opioid - just to function and avoid terrible withdrawal symptoms, but he...

Politics

27 h. ago NHS issues urgent flu vaccination warning as hospitalisations triple and schools shut amid 'superflu' outbreak

Health chiefs have warned people to get their flu jab 'as soon as possible' amid a 'particularly virulent' superflu, with 10 times more people hospitalised than at the same time two years ago

Events

48 h. ago Look again at the Nuzzi affair. Because when our politics and media are so debased, the joke’s on us | Nesrine Malik

There is a bread and circuses feel to this scandal. A wise public would see red flags; instead it sees entertainmentOne upside of adversity is art, inspiring cultural output that seeks to process and channel suffering. “I’ll say one thing about Thatcher, some fantastic songs were written during her reign,” said the Irish singer Christy Moore once – before belting out a goosebump-raising rendition of Ordinary Man by Peter Hames, a song about the 1980s recession. That is, so far, the only upside of the publication of Olivia Nuzzi’s book American Canto, an affliction to journalism, politics and publishing: there has been some fantastic writing since it all kicked off.Masterful reviews. Very funny commentary. Scathing analysis. But first, a summary of events for readers of this column, most of whom I assume are well-adjusted, offline people, with better things to do with their time than follow what can only be described as a niche beef. Nuzzi is (or perhaps was, keep reading) a celebrat...

Politics

55 h. ago Disgraced Fyre Festival founder is roasted for his 'lame' comeback party: 'Dozens of people having an okay time'

The event, slated for December 5 to 8 at Diamond Cay in the Caribbean, sold tickets ranging from $200 to $500,000. The rapper French Montana was booked as the headliner.

Politics

4 d. ago The Trump administration sinks to a new low – opening fire on drowning men | Jonathan Freedland

These deadly US boat strikes are the latest example of a president corrupting both the law and moralityThe Trump administration looks ever more like a criminal enterprise – and now it seems to have added war crimes to its repertoire. Though even that may be too generous a description.On Thursday, word came that the US military had launched yet another deadly strike on a small boat moving through international waters. This time the attack killed four people, bringing to at least 87 the number of people the US has killed in a series of 22 such strikes on what it says are drug boats – vessels carrying illicit narcotics in the Caribbean or eastern Pacific.Jonathan Freedland is a Guardian columnistGuardian newsroom: Year One of Trumpism: Is Britain Emulating the US? On Wednesday 21 January 2026, join Jonathan Freedland, Tania Branigan and Nick Lowles as they reflect on the first year of Donald Trump’s second presidency – and to ask if Britain could be set on the same path. Book tickets h...

Events

5 d. ago ‘Look what you’ve done to my children!’: a tale of winter wonderland disasters

These events are meant to make Christmas magical, and while many do, a few fall spectacularly short. Here, in no particular order, are some of the worst offendersIt’s the most wonderful time of the year: the season where British people traditionally complain about spending too much on rip-off Christmas events. This year’s festivities have already kicked off in earnest, thanks to the malfunctioning Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer drone show in Haywards Heath this week. By all accounts the drone show was a classic of the genre. It made big promises, offering families “a night of magic and wonder” complete with “state of the art production [and] 600 LED drones”. Then it charged big money, with some families paying hundreds of pounds to attend. And then, of course, it comprehensively underdelivered.Reports describe the event as not only being too short – about just 15 minutes – but also, due to the failure of several drones, completely unintelligible. “From the beginning, large numbers o...

Events

5 d. ago Small business bosses struggle to promote themselves to grow, bank survey shows

Small business bosses say they are struggling to promote themselves and attract new customers in a blow for growing the economy, a poll says. Four in ten firms say they don't have the time or resources to reach people who can spend cash with them, the HSBC survey reveals. More than half - some 55...

Economics

5 d. ago 'I'm an American in the UK and got a surprise when trying out beans on toast'

An American family tried cheesy beans on toast for the first time, and while people were gobsmacked by his controversial method, his dad's final verdict will make Brits beam

Politics

5 d. ago Scots to receive water cremations when they die in first new funeral process for century

"These regulations, if passed by parliament, will give an option for people interested in alternatives to burial or cremation for the first time in more than 100 years."

Events

6 d. ago Putin's pal Steven Seagal 'proud to be Russian' as propaganda video surfaces

The former 90s action movie star turned pro-Putin mouthpiece declared his love for his adopted homeland in a video which had people hoping he won't be making new films any time soon

Politics

6 d. ago Planning to skip Mounjaro over Christmas? This is what taking a break really does to the effectiveness of the jabs, why you could face more nasty side

Christmas is a time that revolves around food. Little wonder, then, that some people taking weight-loss jabs are now considering having a short festive break from their injections.

Politics

6 d. ago 8 money saving hacks that could improve your life: Everything you need to know

Many people are trying to save money at this time of year as the festive season pushes costs up for a lot of people. With that in mind, make sure you check out these eight money-saving tips

Economics

7 d. ago Birds will keep visiting garden if 1 item is placed outdoors in December

There's a simple thing people can do to encourage birds to visit their gardens time and time again. While many focus on bird feeders, there's actually something they need even more during winter

Politics

8 d. ago Dame Joanna Lumley says older people spending Christmas alone is a ‘crisis’

Christmas may be a time for celebrating with friends and family for many - but for a million older people the festive period could mean a 'miserable' time alone

Events

8 d. ago ‘They’re intelligent people’: Frank feels Spurs owners will give him time to build success

Manager criticised supporters for booing on SaturdaySays Pedro Porro’s posts were ‘fair in every aspect’Thomas Frank believes he will be shown patience by Tottenham’s owners despite the fractious home defeat against Fulham on Saturday which resulted in him criticising ­supporters for booing the goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.After the 2-1 defeat – a third for Spurs in the space of six days – Frank said those who took aim at the ­Italian after his mistake led to a second ­Fulham goal for Harry ­Wilson were “not true fans”. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago ‘We were swimming in the mind pool of Tom Stoppard!’ – actors salute the great playwright

Rufus Sewell, Christine Baranski, Susan Wokoma, Toby Jones and Harriet Walter share their unforgettable encounters with a theatrical giantI worked with Tom when I was quite young, on Arcadia in 1993, and again on Rock’n’Roll 13 years later. In the interim it slowly dawned on me that not all jobs were like that. He was one of the most intelligent people you could ever meet but the extraordinary thing was that you’d walk away from conversations with him feeling like you were not unintelligent or unwitty yourself. That’s not always the case with incredibly brilliant writers and funny people. That generosity of spirit marked my time with him. He was incredibly good company, very sweet, and you felt encouraged to put forward your own ideas, make your own jokes. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Ravneet Gill and Mattie Taiano’s recipes for a Friendmas sharing menu

The husband and wife team cook up a winter storm with lamb shoulder, dauphinoise and brown sugar meringues – just don’t ask them who’s doing the cleaning upWhen I first started seeing Mattie, there was a constant dinner party at his mum’s house,” recalls pastry chef Ravneet Gill. “There were loads of people there all the time, being fed with massive bowls of home-cooked food and a big block of parmesan.” There was an open-door policy, with pastas and roast meats on heavy rotation, confirms her now-husband and fellow chef, Taiano. And it’s this sentiment that has carried through to the couple’s restaurant, Gina, which opened in Chingford, east London, earlier this year, a process they documented in their newsletter, Club Gina.Named after Taiano’s late mother, it is very much a neighbourhood joint, Gill points out, with the food – from pithiviers and vol au vents to Gina’s pasta with tomato sauce, half a roast chicken with little gems and aioli to share on Sundays, and slabs of “Ravi’...

Politics

8 d. ago Expert shares seven tips for surviving the chaos of Christmas season if you're living with ADHD or autism

It's a stressful time of year for people living with autism and ADHD says Dr Selina Warlow a psychologist and founder of The Nook Clinic, but there are ways to get through it.

Events

1 week ago How a 1p pay rise can now cost you £38,000: We reveal the outrageous Budget tax traps you may have missed... exactly who is worst hit based on salary and what you must do

Half a million people will be stung for the first time by outrageous traps in the tax system that punish workers for getting a pay rise.

Economics

1 week ago How a 1p pay rise can now cost you £38,000... just one of the tax cliff edges the Budget's made even worse

Half a million people will be stung for the first time by outrageous traps in the tax system that punish workers for getting a pay rise.

Economics