Last year, Prime Video added another action crime thriller hit to its catalog thanks to the British series, The Assassin. Featuring Keeley Hawes opposite Freddie Highmore in his first television role since the end of his shift on The Good Doctor, it was hailed by critics as a captivating-if-flawed mother-son spy story, earning a 74% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Though audiences were far less impressed overall with a 43% rating, an immediate rise to #1 on the Prime Video charts in the U.K. made a second season feel quite likely, especially with Highmore’s Edward en route to finally meet his birth mother.

Season 1 followed Edward to Greece as he hunted for answers about his parentage, bringing him face-to-face with his supposed mother, Julie, a former assassin. Before he could learn more about her and his father, however, her violent past caught up with her, sending them both on the run. With Julie’s quiet life upended, they had to navigate a shadowy conspiracy that placed the family in grave danger and roped in Edward’s fiancée, Kayla (Shalom Brune-Franklin). With the first episode outperforming the highest-viewed episodes of other buzzy Prime Video U.K. original series, like The Girlfriend and Harlan Coben’s Lazarus, development on Season 2 got underway back in November in hopes of a pick-up for more.

Sure enough, the streaming service has now confirmed in a new report that The Assassin would be coming back, with the dynamic duo of Hawes and Highmore in tow alongside a returning Brune-Franklin as Kayla and Devon Terrell as her brother, Ezra. Series writers and creators Harry and Jack Williams are also back at the helm, and they have a story laid out for Season 2. It’ll begin with a small jump, picking up after a calamitous trip to a currently unknown part of Northern Europe that opens a new rift between Edward and Julie. Exactly where their massive falling-out came from is unknown, but it’s enough to send them on their separate ways. Alone again, Julie slips back into her old ways as an assassin and begins dating again, while Edward goes on a honeymoon with Kayla that also goes horribly wrong. It all forces the two back together to take on the Spanish criminal underworld, assuming they can repair their relationship.

‘The Assassin’

Fleabag banner Two Brothers Pictures is producing The Assassin in association with All3Media International. In an official statement, Hawes hailed the series’ return as a chance to dig deeper and build on Julie’s history with Season 2, saying, “I can’t wait to step back into Julie’s world. To reunite with Freddie and our extraordinary cast, and to dive deeper into Julie’s life and her complicated relationship with Edward, is a privilege. There is so much more to uncover.” Highmore, too, heaped praise on the cast and crew in a separate statement, expressing plenty of excitement to get to match up with the BAFTA-nominated Hawes once more. “What fun it’ll be to get the gang back together – I can’t wait to be reunited with so many of the cast and crew. Harry and Jack have cooked up another spectacular adventure, and I feel so lucky to have the brilliant Keeley as a sparring partner once again.”

Series executive producers and Two Brothers partners Daisy Mount and Alex Merce also shared a few words on the official renewal, teasing many more twists to come in Season 2 that will keep viewers guessing.

“Reuniting with Keeley, Freddie, Shalom, and Devon is a real privilege as we dive back into the world of The Assassin – of course we couldn’t leave them sailing off into the sunset in blissful harmony. The second season is full of twists, turns and thrilling unpredictability – just like the characters at the center of it.”

The Assassin will begin filming Season 2 later this year. In the meantime, all episodes of Season 1 are available to stream on Prime Video in the U.K., AMC+ in the U.S., and Crave and CTV in Canada, with NBCUniversal having the rights in Latin America, HBO Max in France, Mediaset in Spain, and Stan in Australia. Stay tuned here at Collider for further updates on the series as it gets back to work.

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Release Date

July 25, 2025

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Prime Video

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Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is the newest star in the galaxy of Star Trek shows, and it has attracted its share of controversy. Coming in for a surprising amount of criticism is the preference of Holly Hunter, who plays Chancellor Nahla Ake, to sit in her captain’s chair in an unconventional and decidedly informal fashion. However, Hunter’s castmates and fellow Star Trek alums have been quick to spring to her defense. Last week, fellow Starfleet captain Kate Mulgrew led the charge; now, it’s the turn of her on-screen arch-foe, Paul Giamatti.

Giamatti, who plays space pirate Nus Braka on the series, recently guested on The D-Con Chamber, a podcast hosted by Trek veterans Dominic Keating and Connor Trinneer. The subject of Hunter came up, as Keating described her as “taking on the spirit of a cat,” and Giamatti gave her his full endorsement: “The first time I saw her do it, we went onto the set for the bridge, and she got in the chair like that, I just thought it was great. I’m sure there’s people who were outraged.” As a Trek fan himself, though, he didn’t share the outrage: “I’m an old Star Trek fan, and I thought, ‘That’s great.’ What a great thing that somebody is just gonna be that comfortable in there, and it’s a different kind of command stuff, you know.”

Who Is Nus Braka?

The hybrid offspring of a warlike Klingon and a contentious Tellarite (which Braka has referred to as a “Klingarite”), Nus Braka is a space pirate operating in the aftermath of The Burn, a galaxy-wide disaster that shattered the United Federation of Planets. He is first seen in the opening moments of the series, having masterminded the robbery of a Federation shuttle and the murder of its pilot. Put on trial by Ake alongside his accomplice, Anisha Mir (Tatiana Maslany), both he and Mir were sent to jail, separating the latter from her son, Caleb. A decade later, he’d escaped prison, leading the Venari Ral marauders in strikes against the still-rebuilding Federation. He comes into conflict with the new Starfleet Academy, which is led by Ake, and counts Caleb (Sandro Rosta) as a student as he searches for his lost mother. Recently, an encounter with the hostile Furies led Ake to seek Braka’s assistance…only to be double-crossed by the canny pirate.

Keating and Trinneer starred on Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005) as, respectively, Malcolm Reed and Charles “Trip” Tucker; they launched the podcast in 2024 after concluding their previous podcast, The Shuttlepod Show. Previous guests on The D-Con Chamber have included William Shatner, Jonathan Frakes, and Enterprise captain Scott Bakula.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is now streaming on Paramount+; episode 7, “Ko’Zeine,” will premiere on Thursday. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.

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Release Date

January 15, 2026

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Paramount+

Showrunner

Alex Kurtzman, Noga Landau

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Directors

Douglas Aarniokoski

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Writers

Alex Taub, Tawny Newsome, Kirsten Beyer, Jane Maggs, Kiley Rossetter

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Days of Our Lives 2-week spoilers for February 16 -27, 2026 reveal Chad DiMera (Billy Flynn) makes his exit and Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) gets romantic.

Days of Our Lives Spoilers: Monday, February 16th: Gabi’s Discovery and Romantic Complications

On Monday, February 16th, we’ve got Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier) lifting Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) spirits. She now knows that Vivian Alamain (Louise Sorel) kidnapped Stefan DiMera (Brandon Barash) and kept them apart deliberately, forged the divorce papers, and kept him captive until he died. That’s a whole lot for Gabi to deal with. But she and Philip are heading to Miami soon to get steamy on a little getaway.

Plus, Dimitri von Leuschner DiMera (Peter Porte) has now convinced Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) that he has been set up, and they decide to work together to prove Dimitri’s innocence in the DiMera kidnapping case. Gwen Rizczech (Emily O’Brien) gives Xander Cook (Paul Telfer) some more instruction—more hands-on golf lessons. That’s going to get a lot more handsy very soon.

Brady’s taking it slowly with Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey). He’s being cautious. Everything is very complicated, but they do share a kiss after their impromptu Valentine’s Day lunch on Monday. EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) and Susan Banks (Stacy Haiduk) spend some time together, and we’ll see if EJ tries to dissuade Susan of her theory that Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo) is somehow influencing EJ from beyond the grave.

Also this week, Jada Hunter (Elia Cantu) has a Valentine’s Day date with Theo Carver (Cameron Johnson), but he’s sitting there looking at her and imagining that he’s out with Gabi instead. Terrible, right? Poor Jada. She notices Theo Carver getting lost in thought and wants to know where he went. And if he’s smart, he’s not going to say, “Oh, I was thinking about another woman.” That won’t go well, especially not with Jada. She’s had the worst luck with men.

DOOL Spoilers: Tuesday, February 17th: A Stalker Lurks while Steve and Kayla Celebrate

Tuesday, February 17th, Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson) and Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein) are honeymooning. Looks like they’re just doing it at their little apartment. Alex is thrilled to be her husband, but what’s creepy is the stalker. Presumably, Owen Kent (Wes Ramsey) is probably listening in on them while they’re talking about their marriage and then getting ready to consummate their marriage. It’s very disturbing, and this could be what provokes the guy to finally take action.

Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford) and Jennifer Horton (Melissa Reeves) wish Jeremy Horton (Michael Roark) the best. They’re in town to see off Chad DiMera and the kids, but now Jeremy is supposedly leaving, too. But he won’t get too far. Another stalker incident may be what derails his exit because, as we know, Jeremy is not gone for good until April 29th.

Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) and Kayla Brady (Mary Beth Evans) celebrate their Heart’s Day anniversary at the Bistro. And of course, they got married the last time on Valentine’s Day a couple years ago. They did a funny video talking about how Steve was a creep when they first met and that he broke into Kayla Brady’s apartment and ended up watching her change into some kind of negligee.

It was a very funny little thing where they were playing their characters. Check out Peacock’s Instagram account and you can see all the little funny Valentine’s Day videos they put out. There was one with Jada and Shawn-Douglas Brady (Brandon Beemer). There’s one with Alex and Stephanie. There’s a bunch of cute little ones. Abe Carver (James Reynolds) and Paulina Price (Jackee Harry) also have a table at the Bistro toasting and enjoying V-Day.

Billy Flynn’s Emotional Days Exit: Chad DiMera Leaves Salem

And Chad, Thomas DiMera (Cary Christopher), and Charlotte DiMera (Autumn Gendron) leave Salem. This is the final air date for Chad and Thomas. Jack and Jennifer say goodbye to the kids and hug them and Chad. But before he says bye to them and Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes), we’re going to see Chad saying another goodbye on Days of our Lives.

He goes out to Abigail Deveraux DiMera’s (AnnaLynne McCord) grave, which is still empty, and says that he is going to take a piece of her and Salem with him. Chad puts a pink little Valentine’s Day conversation heart on Abby’s grave and wishes his dead wife a happy Valentine’s Day.

Then at Julie’s house, Chad picks up the wedding photo of him and Abigail and is crying over it. We will see a new Chad and new Thomas in April. No word if we are going to get a new Charlotte.

Also this week, Liam Selejko (Hank Northrop) plants a kiss on Arianna “Ari” Grace Horton (Marissa Reyes). Gabi’s head is going to explode over this. You know, Ari’s got a fake ID. She’s out partying. She was with Bad boy Doug Williams III (Peyton Meyer). And now Liam, who is older, a felon, and has a kid. This is just messy.

Days of Our Lives Wednesday, February 18th: Xander and Gwen Spark while Kristen Battles Brady

Wednesday, February 18th, Xander and Gwen are sparking. She shoves him on her bed and strips him off and they do the deed. I’m guessing it’s going to mean a lot more to her than it does to Xander, though. Cat Greene (AnnaLynne McCord) tries to trigger EJ’s memories, probably about the Italian hospital and their Wuthering Heights bond.

Gabi takes care of Philip. More hot stuff in Miami for these two. And Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) and Brady talk to Rachel Black (Alice Halsey). If you remember, Dr. Gregory told Brady to stand firm with her and Kristen about his love life being off-limits to their manipulations, but I doubt that Rachel and Kristen are going to take it well or respect his boundaries.

Thursday and Friday Spoilers: Escapes, Espionage, and DiMera Dollars on DOOL

Thursday, February 19th, Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd) keeps gleefully plotting Holly Jonas (Ashley Puzemis) downfall. Sophia is monitoring the mess she has made on social media and loving every minute of it. Xander’s feelings for Sarah aren’t going to go away, even after he spent the night with ex-Gwen.

Leo and Dimitri activate their plan to prove his innocence in the DiMera kidnappings, and they need to get on a jet plane. And again, Dimitri’s in an ankle monitor. Million-dollar bond? Are they just going to ignore that and let it go off?

Sarah and Brady try and sneak in another smooch, but they may be seen. Rachel or Kristen may spot them. And Gwen updates her gal pal Kristen. They’re catching up and they’re both probably feeling really good about what they’ve got. Gwen had Xander in her bed. Kristen’s living with Brady, but these girls are toasting before their chickens have come home to roost.

Friday, February 20th, EJ DiMera has questions for Rita Lesley (Maggie Carney) about Cat. Is he suspicious? You know, was her poking him about the hospital—did it do something to send his spidey senses tingling? And I wonder if EJ wants to know if Cat is being nosy, asking questions in places she shouldn’t be.

Leo & Dimitri on a Mission

Leo and Dimitri jet to Alamainia to get answers. We’ll see. But Leo and Dimitri are going to find out they’re not welcome in Vivian’s house, and that is made clear. But we don’t expect to see her. Louise Sorel is done for now. Her henchmen are going to be picking it up from here. And I wonder if EJ DiMera might actually lend a hand because he wants Vivian to be punished, not Dimitri.

Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering) has surprising news for Gabi when she’s back. She may be rolling in DiMera dollars soon. And Ivan Marais (Ivan G’Vera), Madame Vivian’s henchman, makes a call to tie up loose ends. So, Liam may be in danger. And Ivan is plotting with the other henchman, Klaus. He’s the one with the scar on his face. Gabi and Jada chat about how happy they are with their new romances. Things are about to go badly with those.

DOOL February Sweeps Finale: Kidnappings and the Woman in the Tube

February 23rd through the 27th is the last week of sweeps, which ends on Wednesday. Liam needs to watch his back. Vivian and Ivan could be after him now to make sure he stops talking to the cops. Theo’s crush on Gabi could inspire him to break up her and Philip since he’s sitting on a huge secret.

Tate Black (Leo Howard) sees Holly spiraling out, but doesn’t know how to help her stop it. Ari also notices Holly’s behavior and is not a fan. And if Ari pledges the sorority that Holly wanted, that could cause more stress. Stephanie is kidnapped at work soon. And of course, Jeremy is suspected.

EJ soon shows Paulina the woman in the tube. And of course, Rafe’s going to bust into the lab and see the people-sized test tube pretty soon. We’ll see if that happens before sweeps winds up or not.

And one last question: Are we ever going to get an update on Joy Wesley’s (AlexAnn Hopkins) pregnancy? She was carrying Alex’s baby when she left Salem and that baby should be due any day now.

Rhode Island Hockey Shooting
Video Captures Gunshots At Game
… 3 Dead, 3 Injured

Published
February 16, 2026
4:07 PM PST

Quinton Aaron
Awake & Fully Alert…
But Disappointed ‘Wife’ Is Married to Another Man

Published
February 16, 2026
4:17 PM PST

Roommates, Yosohn and Essex, recently showed us that their parents, Ari Fletcher, G Herbo, and Taina Williams, are raising ’em with love! Fans were swooning after the brothers sweetly clocked Taina for calling herself “ugly.”

RELATED: Bride Mode! Taina Williams Gives Fans A Peek At Wedding Plans With G Herbo & Hints At Date (WATCH)

Taina Williams Reacts To Tag-Team Love From Her Son & Stepson

In the video, the blended family seemed to be enjoying an outing. Taina had her son, Essex, on one side while her stepson, Yosohn, was on the other. She was filming a selfie video, running her hands through her hair, when Yosohn suddenly asked her why she was using a filter on her face. She responded, “Cause I’m ugly.” He immediately shut her down, replying, “Don’t say that. You’re beautiful.” With a smile, Taina squealed “aww” and leaned over to hug him. Then, Essex popped his head into the frame and repeated after his big bro, saying, “You’re beautiful,” just as his mom was explaining, “But I need a filter on, I’m a girl.” She thanked Essex, too, before saying they were both blessing her heart. Watch the sweet interaction below. 

Social Media Praises G Herbo’s Son

In The Shade Room’s comment section, the roomies ate UP the sweet words from Yosohn and Essex. This is one of the rare times we’ve seen Essex show his mama love, but his big brother has been warming hearts for a hot lil’ minute when it comes to his mother, Ari Fletcher. She’s previously shared adorable words and gestures from Baby Crash. Nonetheless, both boys got an internet round of applause for their interaction with Mama Williams!

Peep some of the roommate reactions below.

“What a great village of parents! These babies are so sweet and respectful ❤️,” @5timesfre5her wrote.

@__bonitaaa commented, “Aww 🥺 Boys are the sweetest.” 

“A boy mom life is just unexplainable. Love it 💙,” @dominiquechinn added.

“They raising them right he a little gentleman already 🥰❤️,” @love.jeynell wrote.

“Yosohn don’t miss😢❤️ they all raising the sweetest babies,” @thebrwnbone commented.

“All the parents involved are doing such a great job ❤️,” @luvmunchie said.

RELATED: Cupid’s Move! Ari Fletcher Flexes Lavish Valentine’s Day Gift From Moneybagg Yo & The TL Is In Their Feelings (PHOTOS)

By Joshua Tyler
| Updated 23 seconds ago

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms spent four episodes building up endless amounts of audience goodwill by being exactly the opposite of every previous Game of Thrones show. It positioned itself as a simple story about genuinely good and kind people doing good things in a beautiful, relaxing, perfectly shot and framed pastoral setting. 

And then it threw it all away. 

The show’s fifth episode, titled “In The Name Of The Mother,” is what it’s been building up to all along. A battle in which seven good men face off against the worst villainy that Westeros has to offer. The audience was primed for heroic combat, in which the show’s loveable main character, Duncan the Tall, would finally show us what he’s capable of, presumably with some sort of dazzling display of sword skills taught to him by his beloved deceased master, Sir Alfred Pennyworth. 

We were ready for a half-hour celebration of heroic jousting, fencing, and flashing chain mail. We were ready to leap out of our seats and pump our fists as Duncan the Tall knocked that psychopath out of his armor and won one for the good and kind, the merciful and just, with superior strength and skill. We were ready for him to surprise everyone, to show the world that good can triumph over evil, and that it can happen in a setting where you can actually see what’s going on.

A Franchise Built On Death And Gore Returns To Its Roots

We got none of that. Oh, Duncan won, sort of, but in a way that might as well have been a loss. What we really got is a reminder that while you may have thought you were watching something refreshingly different, this is still Game of Thrones. The franchise that brought you the Red Wedding. The franchise that murdered all the best Starks. The world set you up for the heroic triumph of Daenerys, only to murder her in cold blood at the last minute for no good reason other than some vague handwaving about fascism. 

This is Game of Thrones, the franchise where good people suffer for no reason, where beloved characters lose their heads, where everything is rot and filth and nihilism. That nice, clean show about that lovable knight you’ve been watching up til now? It was all a smokescreen, a bait and switch, so it could drag you right back into that pointless, stinking Game of Thrones hell.

When the trial of seven starts, Ser Duncan is knocked out cold in the first three seconds, allowing the show to avoid the battle and give us a 20-minute flashback (the entire episode is only 34 minutes long) of Duncan’s childhood, in which he lives in garbage and makes money by both murdering and robbing dying soldiers. It culminates in a scene where the camera lingers for nearly a minute, with an almost debauched sense of pleasure, over a little girl who used to be his friend as she very, very slowly bleeds out, spitting and dying and suffering in front of us after having her throat cut. 

It’s All A Smokescreen

With that bit of pointless nihilism over, Ser Duncan wakes up in the middle of the battle, lying in a muddy puddle. The trial of the seven is still going on around him, but almost none of it is visible to the audience. Instead, we mostly see a bunch of mud.

Like the Battle of Winterfell that took place in the dark so you couldn’t see any of the actual battle, the trial of seven takes place entirely in a thick fog. The show’s producers claim this was because they don’t have enough money in their coffers to show a joust, but if you’ve seen any of the series The Pendragon Cycle, which operates on a micro-budget compared to the one mustered up by HBO for a Game of Thrones show, you know that’s total crap. The Pendragon Cycle routinely shows big battles, and they don’t hide them behind a smokescreen. This is just what Game of Thrones does. It teases the audience with something awesome, then shoots it in a way that never shows anything awesome.

After missing most of the battle, though, Duncan’s awake and ready to fight. Now, after that flashback, we know that what’s driving him isn’t goodness and decency, but standard Game of Thrones anger and filth. 

Fortified with hatred for the world, Duncan gets involved in the fight, mostly by falling down in the muck and getting brutally stabbed out of nowhere a lot. Soon, there’s another knight wading around in the mud with him, and they’re both a mass of blood and gore, but they begin half-heatedly stabbing and hitting each other.

Many more minutes of mud later, Duncan collapses again and lies there staring at a puddle through his one remaining good eye before getting back up and punching his opponent in the face until he gives up. Some brains fall out of a heroic character’s head, everyone looks like hell, and there’s nothing enjoyable or pleasant in any of it. Just mud and gore. You thought you were watching A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but really it’s still season eight of Game of Thrones, and everything sucks, and there’s no way out.

Game Of Thrones Hates Its Audience, And Always Has

Except this is worse. Because the show’s first four episodes showed that the people making it know exactly what their audience wants and are totally capable of giving it to them. They’re just not going to do it. They’re so obsessed with gore and sick, they’d rather spit in the face of their viewers than give them anything uplifting, beautiful, and heroic. This is a show that hates its audience and wants them to suffer even more than it wants to hurt its characters.

It’s a sickness, and one with only a single cure. Give up and go watch The Pendragon Cycle. There’s nothing worthwhile left in Westeros.

Footage of Ray J performing with a chest patch and apparent blood running from his eyes has left fans concerned.

RELATED: Get Brandy’s Brother Please! 5 Times Ray J Broke The Internet Without Even Trying To Be Funny (VIDEOS)

Ray J Performs With Chest Patch & Apparent Blood Running From His Eyes

Earlier this week, Instagram user @livebitez took to the platform to share footage of Ray J’s apparent performance in Shreveport, Louisiana, on February 14. To note, last week, Ray shared a flyer in promotion of the event, showing that he’d be popping out in the city for “An Intimate Valentine’s Day Concert.”

The concert also featured the likes of Sammie, 702, J. Holiday, Sunshine Anderson, Kelly Price, and Bobby Valentino. Furthermore, while Valentino hit the stage to perform his hit single ‘Slow Down, Ray decided to also hit the stage and hand out roses. Although he was wearing sunglasses, fans couldn’t help but notice apparent blood running from his eyes. Additionally, a separate clip from @livebitez showed Ray wearing a chest patch while walking in the crowd.

Fans Are Concerned

Social media users reacted to the concerning footage of Ray J in TSR’s comment section.

Before Ray J Performed With A Chest Patch & Apparent Blood Running From His Eyes, He Gave Fans A Shocking Health Update

As The Shade Room previously reported, in January, Ray J was admitted to a hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. At the time, it was reported that the singer was experiencing severe pneumonia in addition to heart pain.

Then, by the end of the month, Ray revealed to fans that he’s allegedly experiencing congestive heart failure. Additionally, the singer alleged he would need a pacemaker or defibrillator and only has months to live.

At this time, the validity of the singer’s apparent diagnosis remains unclear.

Ray J reveals his heart is only operating at 25%, with doctors giving him a short time to live. He says his heart is mostly black: ‘I f***ed my shit up.’ pic.twitter.com/frWDoDQEyu

— Rain Drops Media (@Raindropsmedia1) January 28, 2026

RELATED: Prayers Up! Ray J Gives Update On Heart Struggles, Says He Has Months To Live (VIDEOS)

Netflix’s tell-all docuseries about America’s Next Top Model allowed Tyra Banks and Jay Manuel to finally address their infamous falling out.

Created by Banks, America’s Next Top Model aired across multiple networks from 2003 to 2018, following aspiring models as they competed for the title of “America’s Next Top Model” and a chance at a lucrative modeling career. Manuel, 53, joined America’s Next Top Model in its first cycle in 2003 as the Creative Director. He was featured on every cycle of the show for nine years but ultimately didn’t return — along with Nigel Barker and Miss J. Alexander — after his contract wasn’t renewed for season 19.

Banks, 52, remained on the show as an executive producer but she was briefly replaced as the host. She returned for season 24, the show’s final season before it was canceled on VH1.

Issues behind the scenes ultimately led to Banks and Manuel’s falling out, which he addressed in Netflix’s docuseries Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model. Keep scrolling for the biggest revelations — including where they stand now:

What Initially Led to Tyra Banks and Jay Manuel’s Falling Out?

In the three-part special, Jay Manuel recalled realizing he needed to step away from the show after season 8.

“There was a time when the creative of the show started to shift. We were supposed to be showing the behind the scenes of what the fashion world was — helping change the industry,” he said.. “But the show had evolved in a way I had never expected.”

Manuel “really struggled over some of the things” that happened — including photoshoot concepts such as the “race swapping” idea. “That was something that was slowly depleting me and chipping away at my soul,” he noted. “It was time to tell Tyra I wanted to leave the show.”

While discussing his time on the show, Manuel noted that there was a “version” of him on the show that was “not really” him.

“Tyra would always reinforce, ‘We need to keep it entertaining. We need to keep people watching.’ Of course there were gob smack moments where you watch, and you’re like, ‘Oof,’” he said. “But it was certainly not my place to tell them.”

How Did Jay Manuel Tell Tyra Banks He Was Leaving ‘America’s Next Top Model’?

“Tyra and I weren’t the traditional work relationship when you work in such close proximity and are traveling together. I was afraid of saying the wrong thing. And I definitely did not want to make her upset,” Jay Manuel explained. “I tortured myself over the decision. It did not come lightly. I didn’t discuss it with anyone.”

Miss J Alexander, meanwhile, didn’t realize what Manuel was planning. “He [keeps] everything to his chest,” he explained. “He’s very secretive.”

Manuel wanted to tell Banks personally about his exit, sharing, “I knew that I had to tell her first. So I sent her the email just expressing the utter gratitude for this opportunity and to be able to help her realize I was trying to move on in my own life and career.”

Banks “didn’t respond” for three days before just writing back, “‘I am disappointed.’” After that email, Manuel recalled how “all communication just stopped” before he was pressured into coming back for at least one more season.

Why Did Jay Manuel Return to ‘America’s Next Top Model’?

“There was a warning that strikes the fear of God in you. People talk about being blacklisted. Those words were not used but I had suspected that that’s what it would turn into,” Jay Manuel said in the three-part special. “I didn’t know who to talk to because the person I would always talk to was Tyra. I thought I could fix that.”

How Was Jay Manuel’s Relationship With Tyra Banks When He Returned to ‘America’s Next Top Model’?

Before coming back to film, Jay Manuel hadn’t “spoken” to Tyra Banks.

“I was extremely nervous. I just wanted to [talk to her] real quick [before we started filming]. That was the first time I really realized there was a real problem. She wouldn’t speak with me,” he claimed. “On camera, we learned to play and laugh but it was just clear that I was not allowed to speak with her outside of that.”

Jay Manuel compared the experience on set to “psychological torture.”

“After that first day, I thought there is absolutely no way I’m gonna survive the cycle,” he continued. “I just felt broken.”

What Did Tyra Banks Reveal About Her Falling Out With Jay Manuel?

Producers asked Tyra Banks about her and Jay Manuel, to which she replied, “I prefer … I should call Jay. I don’t want to do this here. But he’s a special man.”

How Long Did Jay Manuel Remain on ‘America’s Next Top Model’?

“My job had changed. I no longer was producing creative. The only thing I was responsible for producing per my contract is the final runway. I was now just on camera talent,” Jay Manuel shared. “I started really paying attention to what was starting to happen behind the scenes. That is where I started to learn the art of storytelling.”

Manuel questioned how authentic the show was, adding, “If there were certain girls that were not performing well on a shoot, I would sometimes be pulled aside and say, ‘OK, with this person we have this story. We need them to go forward at least a couple more episodes.’ Because if the photos are just crappy, it’ll become hard to say, ‘This person deserves to stay in the competition.’”

What Led to Jay Manuel’s Exit From ‘America’s Next Top Model’?

In 2012, America’s Next Top Model experienced a palpable shift after the network head changed. Tyra Banks was forced to hop on a call with the network, at which point she was instructed to fire Miss J Alexander, Jay Manuel and Nigel Baker.

“I remember them saying, ‘We’ve decided we’re gonna go in a completely different direction,’” Manuel recalled. “It was like being slapped across the face and slapped right back. [They compared it to] cutting the fat off the show that was bringing the ratings down.”

Manuel continued: “When I wanted to leave, I wasn’t afforded that. And then I work on the shows from cycles 10 through 18. I made so many concessions. That’s the part that’s the most hurtful.”

Where Do Jay Manuel and Tyra Banks Stand After ‘America’s Next Top Model’?

Jay Manuel and Tyra Banks’ issues intensified when news about his firing was leaked to the public.

“We were going to put out one joint press release, and they said we would all get a quote in this press release,” he recalled. “We see it all the time in television shows, people saying, ‘So and so and so and so have decided to part ways.’ And Tyra, she’s like, ‘We’ll put out in our press release how we’re going to continue to work together.’ So we agreed to that.”

After being robbed of the ability to “move forward in their career with grace,” Manuel, Miss J Alexander and Nigel Baker appeared in an interview addressing the firing where they were asked if they felt “blindsided” by the decision.

“We had to speak very carefully, contractually at the time,” Manuel shared. “There are only certain things you could speak about around the production and what you legally could say.”

Banks also weighed in on how her working relationship with Manuel concluded.

“It was probably some of the hardest news I have ever had to deliver, in my existence,” she said. “I cried myself to sleep that night. You know? They were there from the beginning. They were some of the closest people to me in my life and I had to deliver that news that the deal is up and that it’s over. You can imagine what that feels like.”

She continued: “But bosses have bosses, and the big boss was very clear — there are no sacred cows. And I heard that meaning, ‘You too, Tyra. So pick up the phone and do what I’m telling you to do.’ And the thing is, I don’t believe that they knew that it came from above. No matter how much I was explaining, ‘This was not our decision.’ To this day, I think they think that it was me.”