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‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Showrunner Ira Parker Says George R.R. Martin Has “Only Been a Benefit” While Filming Season 2

Published

3 hours ago

23 February 2026

Peter Claffey as Dunk in armor on a horse as Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg helps in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

[Editor’s note: The following contains major spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.]In the season finale of the HBO series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, set in Westeros a century before the events of Game of Thrones, hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) was left wondering just what his responsibilities toward his squire Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) should be. The aftermath of the Trial of Seven and the death of Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel) make Dunk reflect on his own regret and guilt, unsure of what to do and where to go next. When Dunk ultimately decides to take Egg back, it’s on the condition of continuing to travel as a hedge knight and getting as far away from royalty as possible.

While there is a sense of closure to the story being told over the six-episode first season, there’s also a sense of adventure to come. Already deep into production on Season 2, showrunner Ira Parker is continuing to work with the source material, following The Sworn Sword while also getting feedback from George R.R. Martin as he adds his own touches to the adventures of Dunk and Egg.

Collider recently got the opportunity to chat one-on-one with Parker about the events of the finale, poking fun at the need to rename the series A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms now (and no, the title is not actually changing), that reunion between Dunk and Sweetfoot, how that final shot with Ser Arlan riding off as Dunk and Egg go on their way came about, whether Dunk was ever really knighted, the change in dynamic between Dunk and Rafe from what was in the book, the nod to Brienne of Tarth, and the reveal that Egg lied again so that he could rejoin Dunk. Parker also talked about how far into the Season 2 production they are, whether any Season 1 cast members will show up in Dunk and Egg’s world again, the possibility of continuing beyond Season 3, and how they handle any potential changes that might need to be made.

Collider: It’s fun to see a show that feels so different from the other shows in this world, and yet still looks like it fits in this world.

IRA PARKER: I’m glad it still looks like it fits in this world. That was what made us the most nervous. One of our actor’s agents almost didn’t let them be in it because he said, “We don’t know how you’re going to make this look okay for the money that they’re giving you.” They took those words back by the end. I’m glad that this is the result.

No, the Series Will Not Be Renamed ‘A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms’

“We’re just having some fun in Westeros.”

So, do you have to rename the series now to A Knight of the Nine Kingdoms, or were you just having fun with the title card at the end of the finale?

PARKER: I think that’s probably what it was. We try not to take ourselves too seriously. We’re serious when it’s appropriate. We’re just having some fun in Westeros.

It was nice to have that little bit of humor again, after some of the heavier stuff in the last couple episodes.

PARKER: It was important to have that last little conversation between them to cleanse the palate a little bit. So much stuff has come to pass between the two of them in both of their lives, and we just needed to let the audience know, “Don’t worry, going forward, this will still be the Dunk and Egg that we all grew to know and love even before we turned that relationship upside down.

I also have to give you kudos for taking the time to reunite Dunk with Sweetfoot, the horse. Why was it important for you to find the time for that moment when that’s not something that you had to do?

PARKER: We all felt, pretty early on, that a lot of people, including us, were going to care only if Dunk got reunited with that horse. If he wins the tournament, fine. The Trial of Seven, great, we want him to live. But the horse, that was a hard seed to watch. Obviously, Dunk has a great affinity for his animals, so we felt that it was appropriate to at least address that. And he’s going to an apple farm. What could be better? It’s like horsey heaven.

Peter Claffey in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

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I thought there was something really beautiful about seeing Ser Arlan on Sweetfoot, heading off in another direction from Dunk and Egg. It’s far away, but I thought I saw Dunk turn and look in his direction. Did that happen? Was that moment more emotional than you expected, because it made me very emotional?

PARKER: I’m glad. That was the very last thing that I wrote for this show. It wasn’t actually in the original script, and when we were cutting all the things together, our ending didn’t feel quite right. I forget exactly when or how that came up. We were very lucky when we went back to do some of the re-shoots. We very quickly went and grabbed that, and I’m really glad that we did. First of all, Dunk is looking. There is just a little bit of something there. It’s perfect because your response is exactly what I wanted. Is he looking? Is he not? Was that on purpose? Was it not? We’re sending Ser Arlan off on his way. Ser Arlan has done his job and remained present with Dunk even after he died, but now Dunk is setting off to become his own mentor.

Well, thank you for confirming and clarifying.

PARKER: You have an eagle eye. I appreciate you picking that out.

I’ve really enjoyed watching Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell work together this season. They’re so different, but they also work so well together. They’ve been a fun odd couple/buddy comedy duo. What has most surprised you about watching them together? When there’s no way you could have known if they would work until you saw them together, was there a moment that just gave you a sigh of relief?

PARKER: In the audition, they related to each other very well physically. How do you quantify that? There was just a certain natural familiarity that they always had. They both went out of their way to forge a relationship off-screen as well, hoping that would translate to more ease and more chemistry on screen, and it worked. Those guys off-screen are exactly like the pair that they are on-screen. They needle each other, but in a brotherly way. I don’t think the mentorship is bottom up the way it is in the show. It’s more classic in real life. But there’s still a lot of back and forth, which I really appreciate. They’re just two very delightful people. George [R.R. Martin] knows what he’s doing. Those odd couple pairings he creates are like none other. We’re very happy to have Peter and Dex bringing them to life, but a lot of that comes from the source material.

Did Dunk Ever Really Get Knighted by Ser Arlan in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’?

“The whole journey is going to be about what makes a true knight.”

Peter Claffey as Dunk and Danny Webb as Ser Arlan ride horses together in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

There’s a moment in the finale flashback when Dunk reveals that he wasn’t knighted by Ser Arlan. Why did you want to make that clear?

PARKER: It’s fascinating to me that that’s what you got out of that scene. At that moment, Dunk had never been knighted by Ser Arlan. He says, “Why did you never knight me?” And then, Ser Arlan dies, and we think it’s over. But then, he’s back and, as far as we know, the continuation of that scene is, “Boy, go get me my sword,” and then he knights him. There is no conformation, one way or the other, coming out of that scene. That’s exactly how Mr. R.R. Martin requested it. It remains [ambiguous] and people can decide for themselves. Look, Danny Webb is a fucking magician. I love him so much. He’s just become Arlan. It could have been no one else in this whole world. He was just pitch perfect, all the way up until his death. This whole journey is going to be about what makes a true knight, whether or not you’re given the title, or if you have to earn the title even after you’re given it. Can you earn it, even if you’ve never been given it?

It feels like, for someone like Dunk, it’s also very much a confidence issue because even if he really has the title, it’s not something he feels that he deserves or is worthy of.

PARKER: Yep. What person doesn’t feel that way, even deep into their careers and even successfully deep into their careers, that they’re not complete frauds and undeserving of any little morsel of praise or success that they receive. Honestly – spoiler alert, except I guess people know from the original series – even when he is more successful in his career than he is now and at quite high levels, as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, he’s still feeling that way. He’s still feeling insecure because there’s always new levels of a job. No one ever lets you stay at the same place for your whole life. As soon as you do a good job, they want you to do something that’s out of your comfort zone. And so, you can remain anxious and feeling unworthy for your entire career.

Bertie Carvel as Baelor in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Bertie Carvel Reveals Why We Never Saw Baelor’s Trial of Seven Fight

The ‘Game of Thrones’ spin-off star goes deep on that surprise twist at the end of the penultimate episode.

Was there ever a version of The Trial of Seven that showed Maekar attacking Baelor? Did you always want that to be something that you held for the end of the episode?

PARKER: We always knew that because of the nature of the novella that is completely told from Dunk’s POV, that our show would follow that quite closely. We’re almost religiously in Dunk’s POV, breaking only a few times for Egg, but no one else. In that Trial of Seven, we wanted to keep it between Dunk and who he was fighting in that moment. That’s not to say we don’t see other little bits of that fight, but we do through Dunk’s perspective and Dunk’s story. When Aerion says on the ground to him very softly, “I yield, it’s over,” Dunk knows it’s over, but people are still fighting. There are still battles to the death going on and Dunk thinks, “I have to get this information out.”

It’s like those war movies when the war is over, but you still feel even more tense now because, what if somebody you love dies after the war is over and they didn’t have to? He sees these brutal fights going on. You see Maekar turning around with his flail and Baelor is still fighting with him. You see the Fossoways going at it, which is one of my favorite ones, and Dunk says, “I need to get this guy to the fucking front and end this thing right now,” and literally drags him there. So, we were always, no matter what, going to show it through Dunk’s POV. That moment at the end had to come through Dunk again. He’s just been given maybe everything he wants. He finally got through it, and maybe now he’s going to be Baelor’s guy. But as George so often does, it was not exactly meant to be that way.

Why did you decide to change Dunk’s childhood friend, Rafe, into a girl and add a bit of romantic interest to it? Did something about that relationship feel important?

PARKER: Is it 100% confirmed that Rafe was a boy?

No, it wasn’t.

PARKER: More than anything else in Dunk’s life, the fact that he was an orphan with no family probably weighs the heaviest and informs most of his decisions. Just that search for family, that search for a mother and somebody to take care of you, which he never had, is very at the core of what it is to be a lonely kid out there, trying to do better. I think Rafe fills that gap in some ways. Not in all ways. Dunk does this thing where he tries to see the very best in everyone because he really wants that family, even when it’s not quite right. I’m still not completely convinced that Rafe isn’t using him a little bit because he’s big and he’s strong, and he doesn’t seem to be that smart, so she can manipulate him. She’s not a bad person. That’s just what she has to do to get by. Dunk is quite earnest. He wears his emotions at the front. It makes you hope for good things.

Rafe is a very interesting relationship in Dunk’s life. At one point, we were going to have all of his little friends. We were going to have Rafe and Ferret and Pudding all in the mix. Of course, our budget necessities brought that all down to what we could accomplish. It originally started off as City of God in Westeros, and then it got paired down a little bit. Rafe, ultimately, was the most important of all those friendships. When a kid that age says, “I love you,” what does it really mean? What is he really saying? I’m not sure it’s romantic love, even though maybe it feels that way because they’re close in age and they only have each other. What is love? Feeling safe and protected and reassured, and somebody you can trust and rely on. Rafe probably qualifies to check off a bunch of those things, and I think a mother probably does the same. I think it was written in the script somewhere that Dunk looks at her like she’s his mother, sister, best friend and wife, all wrapped into one. He’s heaping a lot of things into that moment.

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Showrunner Ira Parker Says That Moment Connecting Dunk and Brienne of Tarth Came Up During Reshoots

“It just seemed perfect.”

Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth looking to the distrance in Game of Thrones

You also have a subtle moment connecting Dunk and Brienne of Tarth, and I love that you not only did that, but also shot at the same location. How did all of that come about? Was that something you had always wanted to include? Did that come up later?

PARKER: That came up later. That actually came up in our reshoots. That was a scene that we had early on, that came out for budget reasons but then went back in due to cutting too deeply. We were looking for the original, original spot where they did the very first of those walks, but those trees had become a bit of a Belfast landmark and had actually been destroyed a little bit, just by all the tourism. And so, even the original series had to go, in Season 3 or 4 for the Brienne and Pod walk, had to go to a different spot that looked a lot like it and use that because they couldn’t use the original. So, we went to that one. It just seemed perfect. I loved it when I found out that we could get there and do that. That’s exactly the vibe that we were going for. I love that image of the trees touching over the street. There’s something that feels very special to me about Dunk and his great, great, great-granddaughter, whoever it is, walking along the same road. I think Season 1 is a lot about what we pass down to the next generation. We have father to son. We have knight to squire. We have master to apprentice. And so, it felt very within our motifs or themes for the season.

Duncan and Egg cheering in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Timeline Explained: Where Dunk and Egg Fit in ‘Game of Thrones’ History

The ‘Game of Thrones’ series is not told chronologically.

We learn that Egg seems to be disobeying a bit again by venturing off with Dunk. How will that affect things for Egg and his family moving forward? Is Dunk ever going to get so fed up with this kid lying to him?

PARKER: We’ve tried a bunch of different versions for Season 2, big and small. It’s not actually even determined yet where we’re going to land on that. It will come back up again. It was initially meant as just a bit of a joke, but then people started telling me afterwards that, “No, it’s a huge cliffhanger, man. You have to go and address this.” And I was just like, “Oh, okay. Yeah. I suppose.” I don’t want it to distract from the main story they were telling in Season 2. That is the only goal. We don’t want to create an alternate timeline. In the book, it felt fair game to me because it’s actually never explicitly drawn that Maekar says, “Okay, my son can go squire for you.” They’re talking about it and Dunk makes a good point, but then Maekar just walks off, and a few moments later, Egg shows up. Maybe Egg was just hiding in the bushes. Maybe Egg followed his father there, and his father was going back to the castle to say, “Let’s fucking get out of here.” And then, Egg is like, “Hey, Ser, I’m allowed to come with you.” It created a little gap there. It was ambiguous enough that we didn’t feel like we were contradicting anything that had been written down. The after effects of this could potentially do that, so we were trying to be very careful.

How many of the Targaryens that we saw this season will crossover to the second season? And really, how much of the cast, in general, will we see again?

PARKER: Every book is a brand-new cast of people. George has a plan for later novellas, where certain people would come back in. We’ll see how it goes. It’s going to be, if any, quite light. There might not be any. We’re exploring. If it feels right, if it feels fun, if it adds something to it while not taking away from everything that we’re trying to do with The Sworn Sword, then it could happen.

Production of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Season 2 Is Moving Right Along

“We’re doing some really cool stuff.”

Peter Claffey as Dunk sitting while wearing a poncho and looking right in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

How are things going with Season 2? Where are you at in the process of it all?

PARKER: We are pretty deep into shooting now. We’re seeing some scenes get cut together. I’m still writing a little bit and still tweaking here and there. But everything is going very well. I love our cast this season. I think we’re doing some really cool stuff, and some very different stuff than we did in Season 1. We’ll see. You never know until it’s out there.

You’ve said that Season 2 would also be six episodes. Has it felt challenging to tell the story with just six episodes that are at 40 minutes or less, or has it felt like a good amount because you really can pack the episodes with a lot of story?

PARKER: It is challenging to tell a drama episode in that amount of time, setting up the stakes, telling a full story, and closing it off. However, I will say it’s fortunate for us that, because we are a single POV show, it’s not like we have to manage multiple storylines in every single episode. This feels like the perfect amount for us. It never felt like we were straining or trying to fill time. We were just having fun. Ultimately, at the end of the day, we actually ended up cutting down a lot of stuff because it didn’t work or we didn’t need it or it slowed things down. I’m very grateful that HBO gave us such a wide breadth to deliver an episode in. The truth is, if an episode had come in at one full hour and it was just a banger, then it would have gone out like that. But between 35 and 40 minutes seems to really be our sweet spot.

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The author’s focus isn’t that surprising.

Do you have plans to go beyond three seasons? Have you discussed that with George R.R. Martin at all, with him still writing and things not being done? Are you worried about the Game of Thrones problem of running out of source material? How do you feel about that?

PARKER: Certainly, I’ve talked to George a lot about this, and he’s given me a bunch of paragraphs and synopses of 10 to 12 more of these – I forget and need to count them up again – to take them all the way through their whole lives, which is very exciting. And there’s a lot of really cool stuff in there. Because we actually already know all the moments that happen, because this is in the past from A Song of Ice and Fire, there’s no danger of big events being done uncanononically. Honestly, we know their fates, or George knows their fates, and we know major events that happen within their lives, we know battles that they fought in, and we know people that came in and out of their world, marriages, and deaths, and all these things. So, we actually have a fair bit to work with. We have, essentially, a finished timeline. But we’ll see. We’ll see how this first season wraps up. If people stick with us into the second season, we’ll go from there. It’s a lot of fun to write these characters.

Everything Showrunner Ira Parker Is Doing in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Is Guided by the Stories of George R.R. Martin

“We never change the story.”

Are there changes that you’ve already needed to make to material for the second book to do Season 2? Do you make those changes and then go to George R.R. Martin, or do you have to ask him about that stuff before you write it? How does that work?

PARKER: George gets sent every draft of the script, and he’s only been a benefit to the series. That’s all we want, his input. Every now and then, little things have to change, but we never change the story. The beginning is the beginning, the middle is the middle, and the end is the end. We just fill out the world and fill out the characters, and we try to do it in a way that feels seamless and that feels like he would have done it if he had written them as novels instead of novellas. Sometimes we get it wrong, but for the most part, so far, so good. We’ll see where Season 2 comes out. It’s been a joy writing in this world. Just getting to do the fun scenes and having a strong story laid down in front of you that works, what more could you hope for with a big TV series like this? It’s a story that people love. It’s quite a classic tale that can reach a lot of people. We just get to give a different bit of flavor, a little bit of a different tone, and a little bit of a different side of Westeros. We’ll see if people continue to follow us on this journey or not.

Release Date: Advertisement

January 18, 2026
Network: HBO
Showrunner: Ira Parker
Directors: Advertisement

Owen Harris
Writers: George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker
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Peter Claffey
Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall
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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms airs on HBO and is available to stream on HBO Max.

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Mike ‘The Situation’ Reacts to Costar Snooki’s Cancer Diagnosis

Published

17 minutes ago

23 February 2026

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Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino has a message for his Jersey Shore costar Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi amid her recent cancer diagnosis.

“Sending prayers full of love, promotion and healing to our girl @snooki,” Sorrentino, 43, wrote via X on Sunday, February 22, alongside a bandaged heart emoji and a throwback photo featuring Snooki, 38.

Snooki announced on Friday, February 20, via TikTok that she received a stage I cervical cancer diagnosis.

“Obviously not the news that I was hoping for,” Snooki said after sharing that she recently had a biopsy. “But also not the worst news, just because they caught it so early.”

Snooki encouraged her followers to get an annual Pap smear, which is how the reality TV star learned she has cancerous cells on her cervix.

“That’s why I’m literally telling you guys to get your Pap smears done. I’m 38 years old. I’ve been struggling with abnormal Pap smears for like, three, four years now,” she said. “And now look at me, and instead of just, like, putting it off because I didn’t want to go, and it hurt and I was scared, no, I just went and did it, [and] cancer’s in there, and it’s only stage I and it’s curable.”

Snooki explained that she had a colposcopy — a test for “abnormal tissue,” according to Mayo Clinic — which “took a chunk out of [her] cervix.” She then underwent a cone biopsy, which Mayo Clinic defined as a procedure in which “surgeons remove a cone-shaped wedge of abnormal tissue from your cervix.”

The biopsy uncovered that the margins around the tumor were clear and hadn’t spread beyond the cervix, but Snooki noted that there’s a chance the cancer could spread throughout her body since this type is generally “more aggressive.” Snooki shared she has a PET scan scheduled to figure out whether there is cancer elsewhere in her body.

“And then after that, I’m going to probably get the hysterectomy, because the oncologist said you can either do chemo, radiation or the hysterectomy,” she continued. “Obviously, I think the smart choice here is the hysterectomy. I’ll still keep my ovaries, which is a good sign, but the hysterectomy, got to get the cervix in, the uterus out and then possibly lymph nodes, because it can [spread there]. So I guess it all depends on the PET scan.”

Despite the year “not turning out” the way she hoped, Snooki shared her positive outlook.

“Could be very much worse,” she said, while asking followers to comment on the video if they’re going through something similar.

Snooki — who shares kids Lorenzo, 13, Giovanna, 11, and Angelo, 6, with husband Jionni LaValle — also promised to be “vulnerable” on her social media while sharing updates on her health journey.

On Sunday, Snooki shared a separate TikTok video weighing in on the support she has received by making a heart with her hands as she mouthed “I love you.”

“Seeing all the love you guys have shown me means THE WORLD to me,” she captioned the post, “thanks for being my besties 4ever 😭🙏🏽💕.”

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Project Runway’s Tim Gunn Reveals Why He’s Been Celibate for 43 Years

Published

32 minutes ago

23 February 2026

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Former Project Runway mentor Tim Gunn has detailed why he hasn’t had sex for more than four decades.

During the Thursday, February 19, episode of Chelsea Handler’s “Dear Chelsea” podcast, Gunn, 72, explained that he’s been celibate for 43 years following a devastating breakup.

“I had a very serious nine-year relationship in Washington, D.C., and I loved this person deeply and would have done anything for him. And I still remember the night that it all ended,” Gunn told Handler, 50. “We were in bed watching M*A*S*H … he said to me, ‘I have no patience for you any longer. I want you to leave.’ I had my own apartment, but I had been living with him for years, and I left. I drove to my apartment on Rock Creek Parkway, and I had to pull off because I was hyperventilating. I was beside myself with self flagellation and self pity, and it was awful.”

Gunn, who also executive produced the Bravo reality fashion series from its 2004 debut through to 2017, added that his former partner was somebody he had worked with. “So it wasn’t as though I just would never see him again,” he said. “One of the things that he told me that night was that he’d been sleeping with just about everything that walked by, and I had been loyal and faithful to him. He was the only person I’d ever been with.”

He continued, “The self pity then turned to completely unbridled anger because I thought he may have given me a death sentence. Of course, and I was tested every six months for ten years for HIV and thankfully I had a clean slate. But whenever I was even tempted to engage in something that could become serious with someone, all this would come back like Niagara Falls, and it would just take the desire away.”

Gunn, who currently produces and stars alongside former Project Runway host Heidi Klum in the reality fashion series Making the Cut, added that remaining celebate wasn’t easy.

“I have to say, being celibate and being someone who lives alone was a bit of an adjustment, but now I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said. Gunn is currently single and typically keeps details regarding his private life close to his chest.

After Handler expressed sympathy over Gunn’s former relationship breakdown, he offered further perspective into his mindset around celibacy. “Things happen for a reason, and sometimes the reason isn’t revealed at the moment,” he began. “It may not be revealed for days, weeks, or months, or sometimes even years. But had this relationship not fallen apart, I would never have moved to New York. It would never have happened.”

Gunn was not part of July 2025’s Project Runway reboot, telling People five months prior to the show’s premiere that he was not asked back. “Heidi [Klum] and I were texting and texting, and several months later, she sent me a text asking, ‘Are you happy with your contract?’ I’m a truth-teller. I don’t even mince words,” Gunn told the outlet at the time. “I said, ‘Well, I haven’t seen a contract.’ And she said, ‘You haven’t?’ No.”

Klum, 52, told Us Weekly at the time that fans weren’t happy with Gunn’s omission from the new-look show. “Our fans are upset, you know, because we have a great audience,” the host said last year. “People loved us for 16 years. I guess they were maybe upset that they’ll never see us again, but Tim and I are sticking together.”

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Patrick Dempsey Makes 1st Public Appearance After Eric Dane’s Death

Published

47 minutes ago

23 February 2026

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Grey’s Anatomy alum Patrick Dempsey made his first public appearance since the death of his former costar Eric Dane.

Joined by wife, Jillian Dempsey, and the pair’s daughter, Talula, Patrick, 60, looked dapper in a black tuxedo while attending the 2026 BAFTA Awards in London, England, on Sunday, February 22. Jillian, 60, accompanied Patrick and Talula, 24, at a pre-BAFTA party at London’s 5 Hertford Street Club before the actor and his daughter posed for photos on their own on Royal Festival Hall’s red carpet.

The trio then attended a BAFTAs afterparty at The Twenty Two club once the ceremony wrapped, where they posed for further photos together. Dempsey served as a presenter during the awards ceremony.

The public outing comes after Us Weekly confirmed the death of Dempsey’s former on-screen rival, Dane, on Thursday, February 19, via a statement shared by Dane’s family. The Euphoria actor died that day at the age of 53 following a battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

During an appearance on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show one day after Dane’s death, Dempsey, who portrayed Dr. Derek “McDreamy” Shepherd opposite Dane’s Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on the ABC medical drama, detailed his sadness over the news. “I just woke up this morning and it was very sad to read the news. It’s hard to put into words. I feel really so sad for his children,” Dempsey said during the Virgin Radio U.K. interview. “I was corresponding with him, we were texting, so I spoke to him about a week ago, and some friends of ours went in to see him and he was really starting to lose his ability to speak. He was bedridden and it was very hard for him to swallow, so the quality of his life was deteriorating so rapidly.”

Dempsey went on to reflect fondly on his friend and former colleague. “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 detailed. “He had a great sense of humor. He was easy to work with. We got along instantly. 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.”

Dempsey continued, touching on the characters’ fictional rivalry, “We hit it off because it was never really any competition,” he explained during the appearance. “There was just this wonderful mutual respect. He’s 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.”

In announcing Dane’s death, his family shared details into his final moments before reflecting on their own memories. “With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” the statement to Us read. “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world. Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”

ALS is an incurable disease of the nervous system that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and gets worse over time. According to Mayo Clinic, “The exact cause of the disease is still not known.”

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OF Star Bonnie Blue Faces Backlash Over Pregnancy Reveal

Published

1 hour ago

23 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Adult content creator Bonnie Blue has revealed she’s pregnant weeks after going viral for having an unprotected sex marathon with 400 men.

The internet sensation appears to have things under control, as she previously revealed that in the case of a potential pregnancy, she will reach out to the participants to have a conversation with them.

Bonnie Blue’s announcement, however, has been met with severe backlash on social media, with many expressing concern for the baby.

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Bonnie Blue Announces Pregnancy After Record-Breaking Unprotected Sexual Encounter With 400 Men

Instagram | Bonnie Blue

Bonnie Blue has claimed she’s pregnant weeks after breaking the record for having the most unprotected sexual encounters with the most number of men.

The viral sensation made the revelation on Sunday, February 22, in a YouTube video, noting that her body underwent some changes, leading her to run a test.

“I’ve been sick, a headache, and when I say headache, I mean like mega migraine,” she explained, per Us Weekly. “Foods have been making me feel sick, but then also some foods I’m wanting to eat instantly else I will be sick.”

In the video, she admitted that she was “a little bit nervous” when she had the test, before returning to the camera to show the result.

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“That is a pretty… It’s like half pink, half white. Kind of looks like a drumstick, actually. Yeah, definitely pregnant. Like fully pregnant,” she said.

She also made an appointment to carry out an ultrasound, during which the technician confirmed her pregnancy.

“Oh, is that the baby?” she asked while looking at the screen. “That’s actually crazy.”

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The Content Creator Came Under Fire After Her Revelation

Social media has slammed the adult content creator, with many stating how worried they are for her baby, especially due to her recent sex marathon.

One person on X noted, “I feel so sorry for that poor baby, what a horrible origin story. Thankfully, we can write our own stories with time in life, but damn, that will be a rough start to have her as a mother.”

“She’ll probably abort it after she grifts off the ultrasound pics,” a second person claimed.

However, amid the backlash, Blue received some support after sharing the news on her TikTok account, where she shared that “nothing” has changed for her despite the pregnancy.

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One of her followers said, “Congratulations, Bonnie! We love to hear it.” Another said, “Congrats, I’m so happy for you, only if u wanted to keep it tho u have my full support in anything.”

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Bonnie Blue Broke The Record For Having Sex With 400 Men

Instagram | Bonnie Blue

Blue, whose real name is Tia Billinger, made headlines earlier this month after she broke the world record for having unprotected sex with 400 men. The previous record was achieved by Ariana Jollee in 2004 after allegedly sleeping with 65 men.

The event, which took place at Lord Davenport’s mansion, reportedly saw some participants wait in line for more than seven hours just to make out with Blue.

“I was concerned I’d drown with the amount of fluids I had planned to consume, and did consume by the end of the day,” she said in a statement after the event, per Us Weekly. “I wanted the men who wanted to be a dad the most, with the strongest swimmers, to get a fast pass to the front of the queue.”

It was supposed to happen earlier than its February 7 date, but reports claimed she had to postpone her event “for one unapologetically blunt reason — it’s the wrong time of the month.”

However, she later revealed she was on a “breeding mission” and had to push the date back to align with her biological clock.

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The Adult Star Plans To Reach Out To The Participants After Learning She’s Pregnant

Instagram | Bonnie Blue

Blue would likely not have issues deciphering who the father of her unborn child is, as she seemingly prepared for the possibility of getting pregnant.

After her event, she was asked how she would go about a potential pregnancy, but she brushed it off at the time, saying, “That’s a problem for another day.”

However, she later shared that she would “of course” reach out to the participants to have a conversation with them should she get pregnant, revealing that she took DNA samples from them.

“Which is why I collected DNA samples on the day,” Blue explained. “It was important for me to remember more than just their p-nis size this time round, so I got their DNA samples and their contact details.”

Bonnie Blue Struggled To Get Pregnant For Her Estranged Husband

Instagram | Bonnie Blue

According to Us Weekly, precautions were also taken to ensure she and all 400 men were healthy, as they all underwent STD testing.

“No extra precautions were taken other than the standard sh-t — shave & shower,” Blue said, adding that she felt “great” after the event.

“This is the most hydrated I’ve ever felt, and I’ll put it down to the amount of fluids that were left inside me,” she continued. “I always knew I wasn’t going to be going into the thousands, as the event focus was on being filled up as opposed to a number game.”

News of her pregnancy comes about three years after she split from her estranged husband, Oliver “Ollie” Davidson, with whom she seemingly struggled to get pregnant.

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“I tried to get pregnant for years with my ex-partner and really, really struggled, and I’d have to go down the IVF route. So I wish I could say I might get pregnant; however, I’m not in that position where I can fall pregnant naturally,” she said during a 2025 chat with the news outlet.

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BAFTAs host Alan Cumming apologizes for 'strong language' shouted by Tourette syndrome advocate during ceremony

Published

1 hour ago

23 February 2026

NewsAdmin

John Davidson, who lives with Tourette’s and is the subject of Outstanding British Film nominee “I Swear,” could be heard shouting slurs and curses.

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Entertainment

Simple Hacks To Improve Your Space

Published

2 hours ago

23 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Bro, Time to Grow Up!
Simple Apartment Hacks

Published
February 23, 2026
12:05 AM PST

TMZ may collect a share of sales or other compensation from links on this page.

Nothing can make you feel more put together than a well-equipped living space.

Listen, making these kinds of changes to your apartment can be difficult … for anyone … and the following list is aimed at taking the guesswork out of revamping your digs.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to toss out all those cool decorations you copped over the years, just take a look through this curated collection and see what might elevate what you already have.

Matching Glassware Set

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Picture this … you’ve got a couple of homies over at your apartment and one’s drinking out of a Grateful Dead tumbler, one’s got one of those trippy Slurpee collectible cups and the third’s got a glass you may or may not have swiped from the bar that one night … sounds like a real horror show.

This matching glassware set effectively erases this situation from existence and will keep that thought of “this person really needs to get their act together” out of your friends’ minds … which is priceless.

Floor Lamps

And Table Lamps

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Let’s be real: those overhead lights you’ve got suck through and through — who wants to hang out at a spot where they feel like they’re in an interrogation room? Not us!

We’re gonna hit you with a twofer here … these floor and table lamps are gonna give your place that extra bit of zhush it desperately needs to keep your guests feeling comfy and willing to hang out any time, all the time.

Oh, and just in case you really wanna go the extra mile … some good LED bulbs never hurt.

A Proper Bedside Table

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We really hate to break it to you, champ, but you’re not in college anymore, and you probably need an actually reliable spot for your things — no more keeping your phone and keys on the floor next to your bed.

This bedside table‘s one of those little things that can make all the difference in your bedroom … it’s one place for everything you’re gonna need to get you through the day.

Picture Frames

Tacks, double-sided tape, chewed-up gum … all of these might’ve been okay for hanging things on the wall back in the day, but you’re a grown-up now — and you’re probably gonna wanna keep all those posters from getting all messed up.

These picture frames are gonna take those posters and flyers you’ve got fixed to the wall and really elevate them to another level.

Matching Hangers

Matching-Wooden-Hangers-More-Adult-Apartment-MAIN

It’s really the little things that matter when you’re putting your place together … and we think these matching hangers are gonna bring a bit more harmony to your apartment than you might realize.

Those mismatched hangers you’ve got in your closet? Pop those guys in the donation bin, they’ve served their use for you … and get ready to actually feel like an adult.

A Proper Trash Can

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No more exposed trash bags sitting in the corner for you — it’s time to upgrade to a real place to toss your garbage … one with an actual lid.

This trash can‘s sleek, fits in any corner, and has a fingerprint resistant finish, meaning you won’t smudge it too bad when you’re getting all your low-key improvements set up.

And if you really, really wanna take a walk down memory lane and embrace that college jankiness … go ahead, use it as a table when no one’s looking — we smile when we think about our glory days, too.

All prices and availability subject to change.

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Katherine Heigl remembers “Grey’s Anatomy ”costar Eric Dane in raw post: 'I debated this post for days’

Published

2 hours ago

23 February 2026

NewsAdmin

“Here’s to your next great adventure,” she wrote of Dane, who died on Thursday at the age of 53, almost a year after he announced his ALS diagnosis.

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Campbell ‘Pookie’ Puckett and Husband Jett Expecting Baby No. 2

Published

2 hours ago

23 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Fashion influencer Campbell ‘Pookie’ Puckett and her husband, Jett Puckett, are expecting their second child.

Campbell, 33, confirmed her pregnancy via an Instagram video shared on Sunday, February 22. “A dream come true. Baby number 2 coming soon @jettwpuckett,” the TikTok star captioned a sweet clip that showed her dressed in an embellished form-fitting white gown alongside Jett and the pair’s daughter, Paloma, 15 months.

The video, which confirmed that the child’s arrival is expected in “summer 2026,” showed the trio dancing and inspecting a string of sonogram images together. Other footage captured Jett, a corporate executive with his own social media following, kissing his wife and her belly before lounging in bed with his girls, all dressed in white bathrobes.

The couple have built a dedicated following after first documenting their lavish lifestyle across social media in 2024. What started as an outfit-of-the-day video series for Campbell soared further when she welcomed Paloma in November that year. Prior to the little girl’s arrival, Jett gifted Campbell a ritzy push present — a nude Craie Kelly 25 Epsom leather purse valued at approximately $34,500.

Just two months later, Campbell shared via TikTok that she was diagnosed with pre-cancer cells that resulted in surgery. Jett said via a TikTok video after her January 2025 surgery, “As a lot of you know, Pookie had some surgery about two weeks ago to remove some pre-cancer that we had known about for months. We got the results back from the doctor and the lab. They were able to confirm they got all of the pre-cancer out.”

The family were back to what they do best — sharing insight into their fancy lifestyle — in May that year with Jett sharing a Mother’s Day gifting moment via Instagram. “Pookie it is your first Mother’s Day, and it is officially time for your first Mother’s Day present,” he said in the May 2025 clip. “Paloma and I want you to know how much we appreciate you. You really are the best mom in the world. We got you a little something.”

Jett then presented Campbell with a David Yurman handbag filled with multiple boxes. As she pulled a necklace out of one box, Campbell declared that she loved the jewelry as Jett explained it was a David Yurman pave crossover design.

The jewelry is sold on the David Yurman website for as low as $5,950 with some styles priced up to $12,000. A second box revealed something from Paloma: matching David Yurman Pave crossover earrings, which range in price from $5,800 to $14,500.

In July 2025, the couple exclusively spoke to Us Weekly about their parenting journey, offering joint advice for first-time parents. “I would say just trust your intuition. Trust your gut,” Campbell told Us at the time. “Whatever you think is best for your child and your family is best. Get out the noise. Take out the noise from other people and just hone in on your child and your family, and you’re going to make the right decision.”

Jett added, “Just go for it. Go ahead and start making babies. That world needs more young people. It’s very, very special to be a parent and bring life into the world.”

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Jacob Elordi Gives Wild Take On His Sex Scenes With Margot Robbie

Published

2 hours ago

23 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie attend the ''Wuthering Height'' UK premiere

The pair portrays the passionate love interests at the heart of the period romantic drama’s story. Since the film’s debut, their intimate moments have sparked widespread conversation, and Elordi has now described them as “super technical.”

Beyond their strong on-screen chemistry, Jacob Elordi also formed a close bond with Margot Robbie during filming, something the actress has credited to their shared Australian roots.

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The Actor Described The Raunchy Scenes With Margot Robbie As ‘Super Technical’

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

Following the theatrical debut of “Wuthering Heights,” its raunchy scenes have sparked plenty of conversation, especially given how much steamier they are compared to the classic novel that inspired the film.

Actor Jacob Elordi, who stars alongside Margot Robbie in the film, has shared his perspective on the intimate sequences, describing them as being more akin to choreographed fight scenes or dance routines.

“It’s like, ‘Action’ and it’s like a horse at the race track – straight out of the gates. It’s no different to choreographing a fight scene or a dance sequence,” the 28-year-old Hollywood star said in an interview.

The actor further described the scenes as “super technical” before sharing a specific example from the film.

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“It’s super technical, especially the scene where it’s not a sex scene, but where I’m on top [of Margot] with my hands – that’s choreographed because, in that kind of light, you only have so much space to move,” Elordi added. “So what you do has to fit in the frame and work with the lighting.”

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Jacob Elordi Recently Featured In A Sizzling Photoshoot Alongside His ‘Wuthering Heights’ Co-Star

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

In “Wuthering Heights,” Elordi takes on the role of Heathcliff, the passionate love interest of Catherine, portrayed by Margot Robbie.

Throughout the film, the duo displayed undeniable on-screen chemistry, which left fans buzzing with excitement over their sizzling performances.

The two recently reenacted those moments in a photoshoot at Brontë Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs for what appeared to be an upcoming editorial.

On several occasions, they were seen leaning in close, exchanging laughs, and sharing playful moments that underscored just how comfortable they appear in each other’s company.

Their cozy interactions also seemed to captivate onlookers, who couldn’t help but stare as the stars posed for photos.

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For the seaside shoot, Elordi dressed for the occasion, wearing a casual red mesh-knit jumper and wide-leg belted jeans. He completed the laid-back look with sleek designer sunglasses.

Robbie, however, opted for a far more risque vibe, donning an off-white hue, corset-style ensemble that accentuated her long legs.

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Jacob Elordi Says He And Margot Robbie Truly Felt Their Characters’ Love On Set

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

Elordi also spoke about his character and Robbie’s in an interview with Fandango published last month.

He revealed that there were many moments during filming when he and his co-star could genuinely feel their characters’ love for each other.

“There’d be a moment where we’d be running hand-in-hand through the moors, maybe not even in the scene, just setting it up, where I’d look across at her, and she’d be looking at me, and you really realized you are looking at Catherine and she was looking at Heathcliffe,” the “Frankenstein” star said. “And in that moment, we really were a part of their love, for real.”

“You can almost imagine that the spirit of this love that Brontë created is sort of floating around there,” Elordi added, referencing Emily Brontë, who wrote the book that inspired the movie. “It really did feel like we were catching little pieces of that unrequited love.”

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Why The C0-Stars Closely Bonded While Filming ‘Wuthering Heights’

ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA

Given the on-screen chemistry between Elordi and Robbie, it is no surprise that conversations have arisen about whether there is more between them.

This was further fueled by the duo getting matching signet rings after filming, although some have dismissed it as a promotional move for the project.

Interestingly, it also appears that Elordi left flowers in his co-star’s dressing room on Valentine’s Day, which only further raised eyebrows about their off-screen chemistry and closeness.

Margot Robbie Hints At Their Australian Roots As The Reason For Their Close Bond

MEGA

Whether there is more than meets the eye in relation to Robbie and Elordi remains unconfirmed, though the duo clearly share a close bond away from their characters.

On this, Robbie confirmed in an interview that it was their Australian roots that brought them closer.

“Yeah, it was certainly nice to work with someone who’s from somewhere so close to where I’m from,” she revealed about her co-star, Elordi.

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Cam Jordan Believes Tyler Shough Can Be Saints’ Franchise QB

Published

2 hours ago

23 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Cam Jordan
Tyler Shough Has a Bright Future
… Potential to be Saints’ Franchise QB!

Published
February 23, 2026
12:30 AM PST

TMZSports.com

Tyler Shough made a helluva impression on not just Saints fans, but even their star players … so much so that Cam Jordan tells TMZ Sports he believes the rookie could be their franchise quarterback.

The New Orleans Saints have been searching for a new signal caller since Drew Brees retired …. and despite bringing in signal-callers like Jameis Winston, Andy Dalton, and Derek Carr, they just haven’t found their guy.

Until now, potentially.

The Saints drafted Shough in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and the QB threw for 2,384 passing yards and 13 touchdowns in 11 games … something Jordan, the longtime Saints defensive end, says was a great showcase.

“I think with him, there could be a bright future,” Jordan said, “and hopefully he can continue to build upon that process that we showed last year.”

With high praise comes high pressure — especially for a young QB — but Jordan believes Shough simply has to “continue grinding, continue proving everybody who you think you are.”

With the quarterback having some experience under his belt, the 8x Pro Bowler thinks the Saints can return to the playoffs, emphasizing the goal is always to win it all, not just a few games (you’re about to catch a stray, NYJ).

“Ain’t nobody in the whole offseason, like man, I hope we just win three games. I’ll leave that to the Jets.”

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