Ever since news of a Peaky Blinders film dropped back in the summer of 2024, fans have been speculating about how the cast of old faces and new names would weave together.

One of the most intriguing additions to the line-up was Barry Keoghan, and with the trailer for the movie debuting on Thursday, he’s also shared some key details about what role his character will play.

It’s been confirmed that Barry will play Duke, the estranged son of Cillian Murphy’s character, Tommy Shelby – and in his dad’s absence, Duke has become the new leader of the Peaky Blinders gang.

Meanwhile, if the new trailer is anything to go by – with Duke going as far as considering committing treason to help the Germans win the war – his presence is going to cause something of a ruckus.

In a new interview, Barry told Empire that his character is “troubled” and “up to no good” when we meet him in the movie.

“That’s a boy, just looking for his father,” the Oscar nominee claimed. “Being a father myself, I really did relate to Duke, because there’s this cry for his father and this cry for the figure that he needs to be there.”

Barry also explained that he’s been waiting to join the Peaky Blinders line-up, but there hadn’t been a right role for him before this point.

“I always wanted to be part of it, and I feel like this was the perfect moment, in the sense of who I play and the story that unfolds,” the Saltburn actor said. “It couldn’t be any more perfect casting.”

To get into character, Empire has claimed that Barry closely studied Cillian on set to get a hold on his mannerisms, drawing inspiration from The Lion King.

“In the way that Simba follows his dad […] It’s as simple as that,” Barry said. “Honestly! The Lion King was one of the ones that, for me, had that animalistic, father and son approach to it.”

He also shared how his role as Duke came about, with a fortuitous Father’s Day message to his close pal Cillian – who he first worked with in Christopher Nolan’s 2017 film Dunkirk – turning into a job offer.

“He goes, by the way, would you want to play my son in Peaky Blinders?” Barry explained. “At the drop of a hat, I was like, feckin’ yeah, anything to work with yourself again, and to become part of that universe and that world.”

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man is set in 1940, amidst the chaos of the Second World War, with Tommy returning from his “self-imposed exile” to decide whether to return to the life he left behind, or make sure there’s no way back once and for all.

Cillian will be joined by former Peaky Blinders co-stars Stephen Graham and Sophie Rundle, who are also reprising their roles in the new film, along with new additions like Rebecca Ferguson and Tim Roth.

Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man will premiere in select cinemas from 6 March, before arriving on Netflix on Friday 20 March.

According to the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), around 12 per cent of people will experience social anxiety disorder at some point in their lives, making it the most prevalent form of anxiety.

If you’re not familiar with the condition, the NHS describes it as: “a long-term and overwhelming fear of social situations.” They add that it usually starts during teenage years and can be very distressing and impact your day-to-day life.

Now, researchers have revealed that the condition which was always thought to be something purely in our minds, it may actually be related to our gut health and changes in our brains, too.

While introversion and social anxiety may sometimes crossover, there is a key difference and it’s perfectly explained by NICE guidelines. NICE says: “Social anxiety disorder (also known as ‘social phobia’) is an overwhelming fear of social
situations…

“Although everyone worries from time to time about coping with a social situation, for people with social anxiety disorder the worry or fear can last a long time and severely affect their lives. They are afraid of doing or saying something that will result in embarrassment, humiliation or rejection by others.”

When it comes to introversion, Psychology Today explains: “Introverts do not fear or dislike others, and they are neither shy nor plagued by loneliness. A crowded cocktail party may be torture for introverts, but they enjoy one-on-one engagement in calm environments, which is more suited to the make-up of their nervous system.”

What’s key to remember here is that social anxiety isn’t about preferring solitude but instead, the brain responding to perceived threat.

Studies as far back as 2016 revealed distinct microbiome profiles in people with depression, suggesting that our mental health may be shaped in part by the organisms living inside us.

With this in mind, Dr Mary Butler at University College Cork, in Ireland, and colleagues analysed the faeces of 31 people with the social anxiety, and 18 without. They found clear differences in the gut bacteria of the two that suggested there may be some weight behind this theory.

Writing for BBC Science Focus, science writer David Robson explains: “To determine whether those differences could have a meaningful impact on people, the team transplanted some of the participants’ faeces into the stomachs of laboratory mice, before putting them through a series of behavioural tests.

“One test analysing ‘social fear conditioning’ proved especially revealing. Here, mice were given a small electric shock whenever they approached another mouse, causing them to learn that social contact led to pain.”

They found that the mice who received faecal transplants from people with social anxiety were more susceptible to the condition and were slower to ‘unlearn’ the association when electric shocks stopped.

Most notably, the mice didn’t experience generalised anxiety but specifically social anxiety around other mice.

“The striking part of our work was the specificity of the transferred phenotype,” said Butler speaking to BBC Science Focus

“The microbiota from donors with social anxiety disorder produced a social-fear-selective effect in otherwise behaviourally normal mice.”

There’s still a long way to go before we fully understand this, but the news is hopeful for future treatment of the condition.

The NHS says: “It’s a good idea to see a GP if you think you have social anxiety, especially if it’s having a big impact on your life. It’s a common problem and there are treatments that can help.

“Asking for help can be difficult, but a GP will be aware that many people struggle with social anxiety and will try to put you at ease. They’ll ask you about your feelings, behaviours and symptoms to find out about your anxiety in social situations.”

You may then be referred to a mental health specialist for treatment and support.

• Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
• Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
• CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
• The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
• Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.

Reform UK has been accused of “extraordinary hypocrisy” after Zia Yusuf criticised the government for a lack of deportations – while using Home Office footage of its recent deportations.

Yusuf, who calls himself “Reform’s Shadow Home Secretary” but is actually the party’s Home Office spokesperson, released a social media video on his “promise to the country” this week.

While emotive music played in the background, Yusuf can be seen pacing around the British countryside while claiming Britain has been “overwhelmed by immigration, both legal and illegal”.

At one point, Yusuf – who is not currently an MP – pledges that a government under Reform would “stop the boats” and embark on a “mass deportation programme”.

The video then switches to footage of “illegal” migrants being deported.

The only problem is that footage was released by the Home Office last year when the government announced it had sent 19,000 people back to their origin countries in a crackdown on irregular migration.

Anna Turley, chair of the Labour Party, denounced the use of the government’s own clips.

She said: “This is extraordinary hypocrisy from Zia Yusuf.

“He has spent months throwing stones at the government over illegal migration, yet is now using footage of us taking tough action to remove people, for his campaign video.

“You can’t claim the government is doing nothing while broadcasting clear proof that we are. Unlike Reform, this Labour government is getting on with the job of securing our borders – and the footage he’s chosen to use proves it.”

This is not the first time Reform has come under fire for its immigration pledges.

The right-wing party has taken a hardline approach, vowing to abolish indefinite leave to remain, meaning immigrants could potentially have to renew their immigration status every five years, indefinitely.

Yusuf has previously claimed indefinite leave to remain could be “rescinded retrospectively” too, meaning those previously granted it could be deported.

Even if they are allowed to stay in the UK, they would no longer be allowed to claim any benefits.

An estimated 430,000 people had ILR status at the end of 2024.

National secretary of the GMB union, Rachel Harrison, said last year that the plans are “morally repugnant”.

She said: “Our public services – especially the NHS – and our care sector are utterly reliant on migrant workers. Without them our care and health sectors would collapse.

“This is yet more performative politics from a bunch of millionaires and their pals who do not live in the real world.”

Patrick Dempsey has paid an emotional tribute to his former Grey’s Anatomy co-star Eric Dane.

During an interview on Friday’s edition of The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on Virgin Radio UK, Patrick shared his memories of working with Eric, who died on Thursday around one year after sharing that he’d been diagnosed with ALS.

“I just woke up this morning and it was very sad to read the news,” he began. “It’s hard to put into words. I feel really so sad for his children.”

Patrick continued: “He was the funniest man – he was such a joy to work with and I want to just remember him in that spirit because any time he was on set, he brought so much fun to it. He had a great sense of humour.

“He was easy to work with, we got along instantly. [His] first scene was him, you know, in all his glory, coming out of the bathroom with the towel on looking amazing, making you feel completely out of shape and insignificant…”

“We hit it off because [there] was never really any competition,” Patrick added. “There was just this wonderful mutual respect. [He was] wickedly intelligent and I’m always going to remember those moments of fun that we had together and celebrate the joy that he did bring to people’s lives and the real loss is for us who don’t have them anymore.

“He did an incredible job at bringing awareness to this horrible disease and those remaining days and it just reminds us that we all have to celebrate every day like it’s our last day…

“It’s something that we have to remember and certainly in a world where there is just so much crisis and there is so much tragedy that we really need to be grateful for every moment that we have, spend time with our families, do things that are better, that benefit of other people to be of service to be kind, to be loving.

Patrick then lamented: “With our leadership, unfortunately that we’re seeing around the world – and certainly in America with this horrible, you know, corrupt government that is currently running America – we have to remember to treat our neighbours and our friends with the right values.”

Other members of the Grey’s Anatomy cast have also been paying tribute to Eric since the news of his death broke in the early hours of Friday morning.

In addition to his work in Grey’s Anatomy, Eric played Jason Dean in Charmed, and Jacob Elordi’s on-screen dad Cal Jacobs in Euphoria.

If you’ve still not checked out Netflix’s hit thriller The Night Agent, reviews for its recently-released third season might make you reconsider.

While the hit spy series – led by Gabriel Basso as FBI agent Peter Sutherland – doesn’t quite have the profile of Netflix originals like Stranger Things, Squid Game or Wednesday, its first season remains one of the most-watched in the platform’s history, so the following is clearly there.

On Thursday, The Night Agent returned for its third outing, and impressively, the reviews at the time of writing are unanimously positive, with a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

When we last caught up with Peter Sutherland, he was being given a new mission to act as a double agent to crime boss Jacob Monroe, with the new season picking up one year on.

Here’s a quick snapshot of what critics have been saying about the new batch of episodes so far…

“The Night Agent takes a big gamble with season three – and it mostly pays off […] Brasso still pulls his weight in the fight scenes, which feel refreshingly brutal and grounded. As unrealistic as they can be sometimes, they’re still more visceral than most, committed to showing the toll of this line of work. The emotional toll takes precedence though, and therein lies the key to making this series work.”

“The Night Agent doesn’t break new ground, but not every show needs to do that. If The Pitt has taught us anything, it’s that there’s an appetite for old-fashioned dramatic structures that are done well. This one doesn’t rise to the levels of that HBO hit, but it does what it sets out to do remarkably well. It values escapist entertainment above all else.”

“The Night Agent season three is the show’s best instalment yet, thanks to a tighter narrative, compelling characters, solid action, and great twists […] For a while, the show knew what it was: a Netflix thriller that did not need to be much more than what it promised to be, which is fun and binge-worthy. As of The Night Agent season three’s ending, the show still isn’t on the level of other quality TV shows, but it certainly keeps improving [and] season three is the best of the bunch.”

“While there were certainly solid moments in Season 2, it sometimes felt overpacked, juggling so many moving pieces that the plot grew convoluted and the emotional throughline occasionally got lost. With its return, however, The Night Agent returns to its roots, delivering a tighter, more focused season that feels completely sure of itself — and easily the strongest the series has produced so far.”

“Is season three The Night Agent’s best outing, then? I think you could make a case, certainly. It has tighter storytelling and a strong sense of character, and there’s no sign of things neatly wrapping up any time soon.

“That desire to keep the show going may prove its undoing down the line, but for now, at least, I don’t think we’ve exhausted everything it has to offer just yet.”

“One of the biggest changes for the third season of Netflix’s The Night Agent is that Luciane Buchanan’s character Rose Larkin isn’t a part of it.

“Both Buchanan and creator Shawn Ryan are on record saying [this absence] was only because the story that Ryan and his writers broke for season three didn’t include Rose, and that she could come back in future seasons. Still, it’s a big loss for the show, and that loss is evident in the first episode of season three […] The Night Agent is still perfectly good ‘watch while doing laundry’ TV but it feels like the third season is even more lunkheaded than the first two, and the absence of Buchanan is huge.”

All three seasons of The Night Agent are now streaming on Netflix. Watch the trailer for season three below:

Richard Holden accused ex-Conservative Robert Jenrick of “jumping into bed with the first people who would have him” in a scathing BBC Question Time takedown.

Jenrick was kicked out of the Conservative shadow cabinet in January after leader Kemi Badenoch unearthed his plans to defect.

Hours later, Reform leader Nigel Farage announced that his party had acquired yet another ex-Conservative.

Jenrick was announced as Reform’s “shadow chancellor” – or Treasury spokesperson – this week.

On BBC Question Time, the Newark MP tried to justify his decision by slating the Conservatives.

Despite serving as the cabinet-attending immigration minister under Rishi Sunak, health minister under Liz Truss and housing secretary under Boris Johnson, Jenrick said: “I want to have a good government running this country for once, which we haven’t had for along time.”

“Obviously, that is a government you were a part of,” host Fiona Bruce pointed out.

“Yeah and I resigned from that government,” he insisted. “In the last parliament, I was the only person to resign on a matter of principle.”

Jenrick resigned from Sunak’s cabinet after complaining the Rwanda deportation scheme did not go far enough.

He claimed: “It was failing on immigration. It was making promises and consistently breaking them.”

Bruce then pivoted to Holden, who currently sits as Tory shadow transport secretary – and who was supposedly “sighing” a lot while Jenrick talked.

Holden said: “Look, Robert says it was a principled decision. Robert got kicked out of the Conservative Party. That’s what actually happened.

“People remember what happened when Kemi got rid of him.”

He continued: “I supported Robert in the leadership election so to see him go was a really tough thing for me. Robert and I have known each other for a very long period of time and I’d like to think that there was a friendship there as well.

“A lot of those decisions Robert painted as about the good of the country, and things like that. I’m not convinced of that.

“I think he got kicked out and then he jumped into bed with the first people who would have him – Nigel Farage and co.”

When reminded that Jenrick was only kicked out because of his plans to join Reform, Holden said: “Well, Nigel Farage didn’t seem to think that on the day.”

Jenrick insisted: “I was obviously about to do this, I made it my decision and I was convinced it was the right one.”

He claimed Holden was “pretending everything was sweetness and light” in the Tory Party right now, but claimed his former colleague shares Jenrick’s concerns over its “massive mistakes” in the past.