65 m. ago ‘The ad libs had us shaking behind the camera’: Corbyn and McKellen cameos raise panto’s profile

Star turns are boosting ticket sales this season, including Islington show featuring MP’s Wizard of Oz and Olivier winner’s TotoWe’re a third of the way through the fabulously camp production of Wicked Witches, a mashup of Wicked and The Wizard of Oz, at the Pleasance theatre in Islington, north London. Dor (formerly known as Dorothy) and Tin 2.0 need guidance on how to take down the Wicked Witch and save the borough of Oz-lington from a great blizzard.But wait! Who’s that Facetiming? It’s only Jeremy Corbyn, the wise Wizard of Oz-lington! The 200-person audience cheers and applauds the Islington North MP, who looks as if he’s beaming in from the allotment. Continue reading...

Politics

2 h. ago Meet the AI workers who tell their friends and family to stay away from AI

When the people making AI seem trustworthy are the ones who trust it the least, it shows that incentives for speed are overtaking safety, experts sayKrista Pawloski remembers the single defining moment that shaped her opinion on the ethics of artificial intelligence. As an AI worker on Amazon Mechanical Turk – a marketplace that allows companies to hire workers to perform tasks like entering data or matching an AI prompt with its output – Pawloski spends her time moderating and assessing the quality of AI-generated text, images and videos, as well as some factchecking.Roughly two years ago, while working from home at her dining room table, she took up a job designating tweets as racist or not. When she was presented with a tweet that read “Listen to that mooncricket sing”, she almost clicked on the “no” button before deciding to check the meaning of the word “mooncricket”, which, to her surprise, was a racial slur against Black Americans. Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago Less politics, more makeup: the unraveling of Teen Vogue under Trump 2.0

The closure of the progressive youth-focused magazine comes at turbulent time for journalism and the crumbling of feminist mediaIn late 2016, just a few weeks after Donald Trump won his first presidential election, Teen Vogue published a story that set the internet ablaze: “Donald Trump Is Gaslighting America.”The story garnered more than 1.3m hits, making it the magazine’s most-read story of the year. Elaine Welteroth, then the editor-in-chief, told NPR that the day it published, Teen Vogue sold “in that month, more copies of the magazine than we had that entire year”. It was a transformative moment for the publication: proof that a magazine long associated with Disney child stars and headlines like “Prom Fever!” could shine light on the political dimensions of young people’s lives. Continue reading...

Politics

3 h. ago Meghan's close pal 'lends private jet and huge mansion' creating awkward moment

Meghan Markle has been friends with Victoria Jackson for years and the incredible make-up entrepreneur has reportedly been letting the Sussexes stay in her luxury homes for free - leading to an award moment recently

Events

4 h. ago ‘I prepared for the role by playing in my room’: the making of Toy Story as it turns 30

The groundbreaking, smash-hit adventure was a make-or-break moment for both Pixar and computer animationWhen the Pixar studio was casting for Toy Story, children were invited to bring one toy to the audition. Seven-year-old John Morris showed up with 20: a case of his beloved X-Men action figures. He got the part.Playing Andy, a young boy whose toys include cowboy Woody and spaceman Buzz Lightyear, his was the first voice ever heard in a feature-length Pixar animation. Toy Story was released 30 years ago on Saturday, but to Morris the memory of its premiere is as fresh as ever. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Jeremy Clarkson 'fainted' before pub opening as staff member issued 'impossible' warning

Jeremy Clarkson has opened up about the chaotic final days before his pub, The Farmer's Dog, opened its doors to the public, revealing one moment that left him reeling

Events

4 h. ago Rare coins listed for £12million online but collector issues 1 crucial warning

A rare coin collector issued an urgent warning to Brits who found these designs listed for £12million online. It comes as rare coins are all the rage at the moment

Events

4 h. ago Fairytale of New York singer Kirsty MacColl's son 'still gets flashbacks' of her speedboat death

Louis Lillywhite says he still suffers flashbacks of the moment his mum Kirsty was struck by a speedboat.

Events

5 h. ago Trump’s Ukraine peace plan is a gift to Putin | Kenneth Roth

The plan would leave Ukraine’s democracy in jeopardy and its sovereignty compromisedFor a moment, Donald Trump seemed to have seen the light on Ukraine. After promising “severe consequences” in August if Vladimir Putin continued to obstruct ceasefire talks – but then doing nothing as Putin did just that – Trump finally on 22 October imposed significant sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, seriously compromising Putin’s ability to finance his invasion. But now, with his 28-point peace plan for Ukraine, drafted by US and Russian officials without Ukrainian or European participation, Trump has reverted to his pro-Putin norm.Trump’s plan would reward Putin for invading Ukraine while leaving Ukraine’s democracy in jeopardy. The plan’s ringing proclamation that “Ukraine’s sovereignty will be confirmed” rings hollow when so much of the plan compromises that sovereignty. A Kremlin dream, the plan would be a Ukrainian nightmare.Kenneth Roth, former executive d...

Politics

5 h. ago ‘The flowing red saree on the bank of the Ganges was incredibly striking’: Divyanshu Verma’s best phone picture

The Indian photographer captured a quiet moment at the popular Maha Kumbh Mela religious festival in PrayagrajDivyanshu Verma regards the north Indian city of Prayagraj as deeply special: not only is it home, it is also where he began his journey into street photography. This image was taken in the Sangam area during the huge Hindu purification festival Maha Kumbh Mela – maha meaning great because this was the 12th in a row of the ritual that takes place once every 12 years.“It’s a massive spiritual gathering and the energy is entirely unique,” Verma says. “The place was incredibly crowded with people who had travelled from far and wide, all drawn by faith, but there was a strange sense of calm within the chaos. I wandered through the crowds with my phone, observing rituals and soaking up the powerful atmosphere.” Continue reading...

Events

6 h. ago ‘I have never felt so popular!’: can I change my look – and my life – with a clip

The haircut of the moment is ‘The Claudia’, but not everyone has the luscious locks of la Winkleman. Not a problem. Fake fringes are everywhere – and I tried one outThe 70s had “the Fawcett.” In the 90s it was all about “the Rachel.” But now there’s a new era-defining hair cut. “The Claudia.” Yes, the glossy inky-black block fringe that mostly shrouds the face of its owner, the presenter Claudia Winkleman, has become a seminal moment on and off TV screens.It is a fringe that has spawned memes, online forums dedicated to debating its length and a fan account on X. “Thoughts and opinions from the highest paid fringe on the BBC” reads the bio. Alan Carr has described it, not Winkleman, as a national treasure. Continue reading...

Politics

6 h. ago Kelly Brook’s husband Jeremy Parisi describes ‘magical’ moment he first met I’m A Celeb star in rare interview

I’m A Celebrity’s Kelly Brook’s husband has described the “magical” moment he first met her.

Politics

6 h. ago Chilling moment gunshots ring out at Christmas tree lighting as 3 people left fighting for their life in North Carolina

THIS is the chilling moment gunshots are fired at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony with three people rushed to hospital in a critical condition. Crowds ran for their lives after the horror sound of gunfire rang out in the city of Concord, North Carolina. Four people were left injured after being found by gunshot wounds...

Sport

7 h. ago Sadio Mane already opened up on Man Utd transfer agreement before 'killer' Jurgen Klopp moment

Sadio Mane on the moment he decided to turn down Manchester United for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool

Events

8 h. ago The BBC is under threat like never before. This is how to save it | Pat Younge

A moment of peril demands a new approach – on everything from funding to the BBC charterPat Younge is the chair of the British Broadcasting ChallengeWe have not been here before. The BBC is used to coming under pressure from political parties, well-funded pressure groups and powerful newspaper publishers. But the threat of a lawsuit from the US president is unprecedented.This latest furore is dangerous because it comes at a time when democracy faces an information crisis. The foundations of informed democratic debate are under attack across the globe from a combination of AI-generated deepfakes, hostile state propaganda and algorithms that amplify divisions through social media. We have already seen how Elon Musk, the wealthiest man on the planet, is prepared to use his own social media platform, X, to interfere in the affairs of other countries and exert a chilling influence on democracies.Pat Younge is the chair of the British Broadcasting Challenge, whose recommendations are cont...

Events

8 h. ago Fans rush to support Strictly Come Dancing's George Clarke after devastating diagnosis

Strictly Come Dancing star George Clarke has opened up about the moment he nearly lost his mother to a life-threatening brain condition

Politics

8 h. ago EastEnders spoilers: Zoe's 'tormentor' confronted and Zack and Vicki romance 'sealed'

EastEnders spoilers appear to tease the moment one resident is confronted by Zoe Slater as she believes she's exposed her tormentor, while Vicki Fowler and Zack Hudson struggle

Politics

8 h. ago Chef's secret to making perfectly oven crispy sweet potatoes with honey

Sweet potatoes are in season at the moment, but a lot of people do not know how to cook it properly, a chef has shared a simple hack to make them crispy and never mushy in the oven

Politics

8 h. ago Strictly Come Dancing's George Clarke heartbroken after health diagnosis

Strictly Come Dancing star George Clarke has opened up about the devastating moment he almost lost his mum after she was struck down by a life-threatening brain condition

Science

10 h. ago Online Safety Act will 'bring justice' to more abuse victims, senior prosecutor tells Daily Mail podcast after 'sadistic' paedophile Karl Davies is jailed for 20 years in landmark case

Karl Davies, 42, from the Wirral, was jailed for 20 years in October after pleading guilty to 17 offences relating to a schoolgirl aged between 13 and 14.

Events