19 h. ago Gameshows, Cliff Richard and Stalin’s most hated play: the British culture sent behind the iron curtain

A thaw in relations during the Cold War led to some surprising collaborations between the two nations, involving everyone from Laurence Olivier and Rudolf Nureyev to Gilbert and George. As relations ice over again, what can we learn from this artistic detente?One of the biggest TV hits of the 1960s was Double Your Money, a  kind of low-fi precursor to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?. Its presenter, Hughie Green, was a titan of family entertainment who drew audiences of more than 8 million to the ITV gameshow, in which contestants chose whether to double their prize pot between questions.It was, of course, all about the cash, even if TV-rich in those days involved maximum winnings of £1,000 (about £18,000 in today’s money). The show’s baked-in avarice made the entry in the TV Times for 7pm on 8 November 1966 surprising: “Double Your Money visits Moscow with People to People the first ever western quiz game in the Soviet Union.” Continue reading...

Culture

22 h. ago Rightwing campaigners claim there is covert deal to return Parthenon marbles

Liz Truss reportedly among those who signed letter organised by hard-right group calling for end to talksThe former prime minister Liz Truss, the historian David Starkey and the former Wales secretary John Redwood are reportedly among 34 signatories to a letter alleging the British Museum is part of a “covert” campaign to return the Parthenon marbles to Greece.The letter, seen by Sky News, has been reportedly sent to Keir Starmer, the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, and trustees of British Museum. Continue reading...

Economics

23 h. ago American in the UK is 'stared at' on train after making key etiquette mistake

British culture is all about saying 'sorry,' according to one American man, but he reckoned that the way we behave on public transport can be a little bit baffling

Politics

50 h. ago ‘We were speaking English, but not the same language’: What happens when an American falls in love with a Brit

Lena Dunham’s Netflix romcom ‘Too Much’ centres on a New Yorker who gets together with a British musician, and all the cultural and linguistic differences that come with that. US writer Amanda Whiting, who met her husband at university in the UK, opens up about the experience of falling for someone in (British) English

Politics

4 d. ago Great British queue culture under threat as Gen Z more likely to 'push in'

Britain has long been known for its love of an orderly queue, but a study has found a sharp generational divide with Gen Z leading the rebellion. More than half of younger adults say it's acceptable to skip the line

Events

6 d. ago Chaka Khan pays tribute to ‘amazing’ Quincy Jones at Montreux Jazz Festival

The 72-year-old opened the 59th edition of the Swiss music festival with a homage to the 28-time Grammy winner who died last year aged 91.

Politics

7 d. ago Brits left gobsmacked after American woman rinses common food she can't stand

A woman from the US shared what gives her the 'ick' about British culture and a number of other people also said they simply can't stand the popular dish from the UK

Politics

8 d. ago The 20 greatest British rock bands of all time: from The Beatles to Arctic Monkeys

While rock and roll may seem to be fading in the UK, our list of the top 20 greatest bands of all time proves that the genre is far from forgotten — it’s alive and kicking in our hearts and minds

Politics

1 week ago What would British culture be like if Oasis had never existed? | Dorian Lynskey

Would Britpop have happened? Would bands still dream as big? As Oasis prepare for their return gig on Friday, it’s worth asking what their cultural impact has beenIn the peculiar counterfactual 2019 romcom Yesterday, the Beatles suddenly and mysteriously vanish from history, remembered by just one man. In the interests of a cheap joke, writer Richard Curtis improbably suggests that every band in the world would still exist in the Beatles’ absence, bar one: Oasis.But what about a world without Oasis? As the Gallaghers themselves would admit, they weren’t innovators like the Beatles, whose every move changed the course of popular music. If Noel had never joined Liam’s band at the end of 1991, Creation Records might well have gone bust, Manchester City would have had less pop cachet, and The Royle Family would have needed a different theme tune, but music wouldn’t have sounded significantly different. Today, new bands are more likely to cite the spiky intelligence of Radiohead or the S...

Politics

1 week ago Bob Vylan and Kneecap face criminal probe as BBC Glastonbury coverage criticised

The BBC expressed regret on Monday at not pulling its livestream of Bob Vylan’s ‘unacceptable’ set.

Events

2 w. ago ‘What a rush’ – Brad Pitt on driving Formula One car as new movie hits cinemas

Pitt had plenty of driving experience – including behind the wheel of modified F2 cars – while filming the movie over the last two years.

Events

3 w. ago Dua Lipa surprises fans with Jamiroquai frontman during London show

Amid a flurry of costume changes and confetti canons, the singer powered through tracks from her latest album at Wembley Stadium.

Sport

3 w. ago French woman living in the UK causes outrage after criticising popular lunch choice for British workers

A French woman has revealed her confusion at British lunch culture in a video on TikTok - prompting some to criticise her over her extensive views.

Culture

3 w. ago Jason Isaacs hails success of The Salt Path amid film industry ‘terror’ over AI

The White Lotus and Harry Potter actor said that ‘with AI coming for everybody, the industry is full of terror’.

Events

3 w. ago Bold, brash and incredibly unapologetic: Kim Woodburn was the ultimate 'hun'

Gay icon Kim Woodburn, famed for How Clean is Your House, has died aged 83. Super fan James Holt explains her significance to the gay community and British TV culture as a whole - despite her faults...

Events

3 w. ago Jeremy Clarkson's parents made family fortune by designing UK's most iconic toy

Jeremy Clarkson's parents Shirley and Eddie made a fortune by creating arguably the UK's most famous children's toy, that has been a staple of British culture for many years

Society

3 w. ago I'm a headteacher and a dad – this is how to help boys struggling with masculinity | Nick Hewlett

The radicalisation of young men can seem inevitable, but we can shape their understanding of gender in healthy waysNick Hewlett is chief executive of the St Dunstan’s Education GroupIf you were to watch Netflix’s Adolescence, or listen to Gareth Southgate’s recent Richard Dimbleby lecture, you could easily come away with a bleak picture of British masculinity – lost, insecure and at times toxic. Contemporary culture often portrays young boys as the victims of a new social order that gives them no blueprint for how to be a man in the 21st century. At worst, we see them as disciples of misogynists such as Andrew Tate, as perpetrators of violence, or as victims of divisive, rightwing ideologies.It can seem as though young men are inevitably bound to be radicalised. More than half of gen-Z men in the US aged between 18 and 29 voted for Donald Trump. As Southgate put it in his lecture, more of our sons than we could possibly realise are beholden to “callous toxic influencers”, including ...

Politics

4 w. ago British Library to reinstate Oscar Wilde’s reader card 130 years after it was revoked

Exclusive: Pass to be presented to playwright’s grandson after original cancelled over conviction for gross indecencyThe British Library is to symbolically reinstate Oscar Wilde’s reader pass, 130 years after its trustees cancelled it following his conviction for gross indecency.A contemporary pass bearing the name of the Irish author and playwright will be officially presented to his grandson, Merlin Holland, at an event in October, it will be announced on Sunday. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Pop star Dua Lipa confirms engagement to British actor Callum Turner

The Grammy award-winning artist, known for her hit songs New Rules, One Kiss and Houdini, has reportedly been dating the actor since January 2024.

Politics