6 h. 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

20 h. 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

5 d. 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

1 week 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

1 week 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

1 week 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

2 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

2 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

2 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

2 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

2 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

3 w. ago Glastonbury ticket sales cut for 2025 to ease overcrowding, says Emily Eavis

The first group of tickets for the event sold out in 30 minutes last November.

Politics

3 w. ago The 10.30pm dinner: is British food culture becoming more Spanish?

Forget propping up the bar or dancing the night away - the new face of UK nightlife is restaurant reservations that stretch into the early hoursName: 10.30pm dinners.Age: Previously unheard of. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Lesley Garrett cast in Northern Ireland Opera’s Follies after cancer surgery

The singer said earlier this month that she had been diagnosed with thymoma, a rare cancer of the thymus gland.

Politics

last month American man tries Full English breakfast for the first time and says one item 'left him gagging'

Kjordy, who hails from the US, has spent the last four years acclimatising to British culture, including picking up English slang and sampling some of the nation's delicacies.

Politics