It is never easy to unexpectedly say goodbye to your favorite characters — and 2026 has featured an influx of shocking departures on our TV screens from Sullivan’s Crossing to Virgin River.

Virgin River fans were surprised when showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed multiple characters were written off the show after season 7. Marco Grazzini addressed his shocking departure as Mike before production began on the next installment of the hit Netflix series.

“Character departures are very common in this business — especially on a long-running and beloved series like Virgin River,” Grazzini, who has been on the show since season 2, shared in a statement. “It’s been a wonderful opportunity to play Mike for six seasons.”

Grazzini said he has “nothing but love for the cast, crew and especially the phenomenal fans who make the show so special,” adding, “I’m excited for this new chapter in my career.”

Related: Shocking TV Exits Through the Years

All good things must come to an end, even when it comes to TV. Over the years, many television stars have suddenly left their roles — while others have been cut from a series without much notice. Anna Faris announced in September 2020 that she was leaving CBS’ Mom after starring as the lead character […]

Meanwhile, over at Sullivan’s Crossing, Us Weekly broke the news that Scott Patterson won’t be in season 4.

“Season 3 of Sullivan’s Crossing ended with Sully leaving for Ireland, beginning a new chapter in his life. Season 4 picks up the next day, with Sully still overseas,” Sullivan’s Crossing executive producer and showrunner Roma Roth exclusively told Us earlier that same month. “While he isn’t physically present in this season, the character remains an important part of the world with the potential to be included in future seasons should that align with the ongoing creative.”

Keep scrolling for more shocking TV exits from 2026:

Lauren Hammersley and Marco Grazzini (‘Virgin River’)

Showrunner Patrick Sean Smith confirmed in March 2026 that Lauren Hammersley and Marco Grazzini will not be returning for more episodes of the show.

“For me, I’m just trying to look to the longevity of the show and making sure that the characters that we’re keeping have enough story engine in them to keep going,” Smith told Deadline. “So I can’t say there are any specific cast shakeups planned, but I think we will have to start to — as characters run their course — make some decisions and bring in some new blood.”

Scott Patterson (‘Sullivan’s Crossing’)

After Us confirmed Scott Patterson’s exit, the actor claimed major offscreen issues led to his shocking departure.

“Every actor knows what it’s like to fall in love with a character and a story. I fell in love with Sully and have nothing but fondness for him,” Patterson wrote via Instagram. “The creative differences were becoming untenable and I just sadly realized that the show was not something that I could agree to continue.”

Patterson clarified his perspective on the situation.

“It’s unfortunate that it is now being implied that they moved on from me/Sully when the fact is the complete opposite, and those who sadly already have spoken out are also fully aware of this fact, and yet chose to say otherwise,” he continued. “I was not intending to make any statement but the fans of the books and the show deserve to know the truth as I have always been respectful of those who support this industry by watching and loving these characters we are so dang lucky and blessed to portray and bring to life.”

In the statement, Patterson stood by his decision to break his silence.

“I really enjoyed Sully and fought for his voice and his character. The richness and depth of Sully, whom the fans of the books all know and love, is so multi-layered and interesting,” he added. “The fans deserved better than to think the embodiment of this character, me, would just disrespect not only the show, but them. In the end, we’re all fans of these characters and stories, and I’ll always support and defend the truth.”

Todd Harthan (‘High Potential’)

News broke in March 2026 that showrunner Todd Harthan exited the show to focus on the upcoming live-action adaptation of Christopher Paolini’s YA book series The Inheritance Cycle. The adaptation — titled Eragon — is cocreated with Paolini and Harthan will serve as coshowrunner alongside Todd Helbing.

Noah B. Taylor and Owen Painter (‘Wednesday’)

The Wednesday cast members weren’t announced in a press release about season 3 of the hit Netflix series.

Tia Napolitano (‘Fire Country’)

Showrunner Tia Napolitano left Fire Country in season 4 after being on the show since it premiered on CBS.

“Tia has been instrumental in helping both build and steer Fire Country, which not only became a top series, but is also the foundation of a growing universe,” CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach and CBS Studios President David Stapf said in a joint statement in January 2026. “We’re grateful for all her contributions and tireless work, and look forward to collaborating with her on future projects.”

Napolitano released her own statement, which read, “I am beyond proud of the past four seasons of Fire Country. All of my gratitude to our cast, crew, writers, producers, fans, and of course CBS and CBS Studios. It’s been a beautiful ride!”

Gina Lucita Monreal (‘NCIS: Origins’)

CBS confirmed in January 2026 that co-showrunner Gina Lucita Monreal is departing from the show at the end of the current season. David J. North will remain and will serve as sole showrunner from now on.

“Gina has been an important beloved member of the ‘NCIS’ family for many years,” CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach and CBS Studios President David Stapf said in a joint statement. “We are incredibly grateful to her for helping launch and steer NCIS: Origins, and bringing these incredible characters and stories to life. We look forward to working with her again in the future on new projects, and know the creative foundation she helped build will continue to thrive.”

Monreal released her own statement about the surprise exit. “It’s been the biggest honor of my career to write NCIS: Origin’ alongside my incredible co-showrunner and friend David North,” she wrote. “I want to thank Amy Reisenbach, David Stapf, and everyone at CBS Network and Studio for their support.”

She continued: “To have had this opportunity to work again with the incomparable Mark Harmon, Sean Harmon, our writers, and the best cast and crew in the business — how lucky am I? I can’t wait to see what this extraordinary group cooks up for season 3.”

Prue Leith (‘The Great British Bake Off’)

After nine seasons, Prue Leith announced her exit in January 2026.

“After nine series and judging more than 400 challenges, I have decided to step down as a judge on The Great British Bake Off,” she wrote via Instagram. “Bake Off has been a fabulous part of my life for the last nine years, I have genuinely loved it and I’m sure I’ll miss working with my fellow judge Paul, Alison and Noel and the teams at Love Productions and Channel 4.”

Leith noted that it felt like “the right time” for her to step away, adding, “I’m 86 for goodness sake! … There’s so much I’d like to do, not least spend summers enjoying my garden. Whoever joins the team, I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I have.”

Dermot Mulroney (‘Chicago Fire’)

Deadline confirmed in January 2026 that a story line would write off Dermot Mulroney’s character — for now. Rob Morgan will take over his position at Firehouse 51 but Mulroney does have the chance to return at the end of the season.

Katie Ginella (‘The Real Housewives of Orange County’)

“After two seasons as a cast member on RHOC, the network has decided to move forward with season 20 without me,” Katie wrote via Instagram in January 2026 about her future on The Real Housewives of Orange County. “While disappointing, it’s not entirely surprising after seeing how season 19 played out.”

The reality star continued, “I’m incredibly grateful for the love and support I received — it was seen, felt and deeply appreciated. Representation matters, and I’m proud to have shown up authentically, even when it wasn’t easy. This chapter may be closing, but my voice and my story don’t end here. Love, Katie.”

Joseph Duggar spoke out after his brother Josh Duggar admitted to sexually abusing five girls, including his own family members.

News broke on Wednesday, March 18, that Joseph, 31, was charged with lewd and lascivious behavior involving molestation of a victim less than 12 years old and lewd and lascivious behavior conducted by a person 18 years or older.

According to a press release from the Bay County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, investigators were contacted by a detective from the Tontitown Police Department in Arkansas about a report of past sexual abuse. An alleged 14-year-old victim recalled several alleged incidents from 2020 involving Joseph when she was 9 years old. Joseph is currently awaiting extradition to Bay County.

Years prior, Joseph condemned Josh’s behavior after the older Duggar sibling, now 38, was accused of molesting five girls — four of whom were his sisters — when he was a teenager.

Related: Is Joseph Duggar Married? Meet Kendra Duggar After TLC Star’s Arrest

TLC’s reality show Counting On documented Joseph Duggar courting his wife, Kendra Duggar, years before his arrest on suspicion of child molestation. Joseph was apprehended by Tontitown police in Arkansas on March 18, 2026, amid allegations that the 19 Kids and Counting alum allegedly sexually abused a 9-year-old girl during a family trip to Florida […]

“Whenever somebody you respect the most is willing to get up and proclaim what we believe as Christians, about being true to your wife, you’d never think that that’s the person who’s involved in it,” Joseph said in a 2015 episode of Counting On.

Joseph went on to express shock that Josh “was living such a secret life,” adding, “It broke my heart.”

Reality TV fans were introduced to the Duggar family in 2008 with the premiere of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting. The show followed Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar‘s large family and conservative lifestyle, but TLC canceled the series after Josh’s molestation admission. Spinoff series Counting On was subsequently canceled in 2021 after Josh was arrested on child pornography charges. He was later convicted of receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.

Josh originally apologized after being accused of molestation in 2015. He revealed that he’d previously sought counseling for his “wrongdoings” as a teen.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret,” he wrote via the family’s Facebook account at the time. “I hurt others, including my family and close friends.”

Months later, hackers released stolen data from the website Ashley Madison, which led to Josh admitting he was unfaithful to his wife, Anna Duggar, after his account was exposed.

Related: Meet the Next Generation of the Duggar Family: Photos of Their Kids

The next generation of Duggars are here and more are on the way — because 19 Kids and Counting just wasn’t enough. It all started when Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar tied the knot in 1984 and started growing their family four years later. Since Josh’s 1988 birth, the couple have welcomed twins John-David […]

“I brought hurt and a reproach to my family, close friends and the fans of our show with my actions that happened when I was 14-15 years old, and now I have re-broken their trust,” Josh wrote via his family’s website in 2015. “The last few years, while publicly stating I was fighting against immorality in our country, I was hiding my own personal failings. As I am learning the hard way, we have the freedom to choose our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences. I deeply regret all [the] hurt I have caused so many by being such a bad example. I humbly ask for your forgiveness. Please pray for my precious wife Anna and our family during this time.”

Josh and Anna remained married and expanded their family with seven kids. After Josh’s arrest in 2021, he pleaded not guilty and was later sentenced to 151 months in prison, which he is still currently serving.

Joseph, meanwhile, is currently married to wife Kendra Duggar. The couple wed in 2017 and share four children: sons Garrett and Justus and daughters Addison Renee and Brooklyn.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

By Brian Myers
| Published 2 minutes ago

Remakes are a source of a great divide among horror fans, seemingly split into even-numbered camps that either welcome new visions of old classics or consider the very thought of reimagining a beloved film blasphemous. When it was announced in 1989 that George Romero’s zombie cult classic Night of the Living Dead would be remade for modern audiences, the news was met with mixed reaction. For those who have seen the finished 1990 version, most will agree that it is every bit as much of a gem as its 1968 predecessor.

The Night of the Living Dead remake begins in the same way of the original, with brother and sister Johnny and Barbara (played by Bill Moseley and Patricia Tallman, respectively) visiting their mother’s grave in a country cemetery in Pennsylvania. While putting flowers on the plot, the siblings are attacked by an elderly man. In the scuffle to protect his sister, Johnny is killed.

Barbara runs from the graveyard and finds what she thinks is an empty farmhouse. But a small group of zombies, much like the one that attacked her and Johnny in the cemetery, are there to greet her. She is suddenly joined by a man named Ben (Tony Todd), who helps her keep the undead at bay.

The Night of the Living Dead remake continues along much of the same path as the Romero original, with the farmhouse being occupied by a group of survivors in the basement. Conflict between the newcomers and the squatters arises, with devastating consequences. With limited resources and even fewer options, the small group tries to develop a plan to escape and find better digs.

The Night of the Living Dead remake marks the directorial debut for special effects and film makeup wizard Tom Savini. While he did not work on the 1968 Romero original, Savini became a staple of Romero‘s subsequent films. The filmmaker/special effects master helped to bring the undead to life on screen with Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead, as well as lending his acting talents to small roles in several of Romero’s films that include Dawn of the Dead and Martin.

The Night of the Living Dead remake brought the horrors of the original in full, gory color. Little is left to the imagination in this version, and Savini was forced to edit out some of the more brutal scenes to avoid an NC-17 rating. The added gore aside, the movie sticks pretty close to the original as far as plot and character development, with one glaring and welcomed exception.

For the role of Barbara, Savini had actress Patricia Tallman (best known for her role on Babylon 5) evolve the character over the course of the film into a powerful player who takes no prisoners. This is a far cry from the original Barbara from 1968, who was meek and pretty helpless.

The Night of the Living Dead remake delivers better performances from its stars, particularly Tallman and Tony Todd. Sharp-eyed horror fans will recognize two faces from the 1968 version in Bill Cardille (who played a TV news reporter in both versions) and Russell Streiner, who played Johnny in the 1968 version and was cast as Sheriff McClelland in the 1990 reboot.

You can stream the 1990 remake of Night of the Living Dead on Amazon.

Roomies, some fans think Latto has fueled baby speculation with her return to social media.

RELATED: Here We Go! Latto Reacts After Fivio Foreign Posts Spicy Clip Of Her Following 21 Savage Mentioning His Alleged Domestic Disputes (VIDEO)

Latto Returns To Social Media

On Thursday, March 19, Latto took to Instagram to share a short clip with her more than 14.1 million followers. Furthermore, the clip didn’t give fans a look at Big Mama — instead, only her feet, which were accessorized with black heels.

“I ain’t go missing. I had to give y’all time to miss me. Before you run the game, you have to take baby steps to go the distance. Home to the studio. Studio back home. Listening to every beat. Feeling every kick. Ever since I was a little girl, I always dreamed of having my own. Big Mama. But this time, the stake’s way bigger. Now, it’s on me to deliver,” Latto narrated as the clip showed her walking up to a baby jaguar.

Some Fans Think She Has FUELED The Baby Speculation

Social media users entered TSR’s comment section, many believing that her wordplay was fueling speculation that she’s expecting. Others noted that they think she might be dropping an album.

More On The Baby Speculation Surrounding Latto

As The Shade Room previously reported, Latto last made headlines when she shared her reaction to her boo, 21 Savage, and Kendall Jenner being escorted into the Super Bowl together.

Around then, Latto’s sporadic social media posts have left fans wondering whether she’s expecting.

“Big mama, 1 kid!” TikTok user Unique 🖤 commented under a post she shared under a post she made in January.

“congratulations in advance , the internet never wrong,” TikTok user ᢉ𐭩 added at the time.

@latto777

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RELATED: Big Mama’s Rules? Latto Seemingly Reacts After 21 Savage & Kendall Jenner Go Viral Over Moment In Hallway (VIDEO)

By Michileen Martin
| Published 14 seconds ago

Thanks to Amazon’s The Boys, Antony Starr’s Homelander has earned a reputation as the bloodiest, most brutal, and most insane answer to Superman ever to invade pop culture. But as long as the adaptation does justice to the source material, the upcoming Netflix original film Irredeemable will introduce fans to a Superman analog who makes Homelander look like a lazy Boy Scout with a heart of gold.

Beginning in 2009, Irredeemable is a comic whose story unfolds during an apocalypse caused not by zombies, pandemics, or nuclear wars, but by one man, The Plutonian.

Ever wonder what The Boys would look like if Homelander forgot Vought, forgot how the public perceived him, and just cut loose? It would probably look a lot like Irredeemable.

The comic book begins after The Plutonian’s sanity cracks and he begins an absolutely genocidal rampage, murdering millions in the fictional Sky City. He wipes out most of the world’s superheroes and supervillains who could possibly challenge him, and at the end of Irredeemable #4, he has a tantrum and sinks Singapore into the ocean, killing all 4 million people on the island.

At the same time Mark Waid wrote Irredeemable about a superhero who went bad, he wrote Incorruptible about Max Damage, a supervillain trying to redeem himself and at the top of his to-do list is the downfall of the Plutonian.

Comparing Irredeemable To Homelander

The biggest difference between Homelander of The Boys and The Plutonian of Irredeemable is that the latter is driven insane, while the former was always there.

The Boys starts off depicting Homelander as an ambitious, conscience-less media hog whose darker appetites are just barely reined in by Vought executives like Elisabeth Shue’s Madlyn Stillwell and Giancarlo Esposito’s Stan Edgar.

As Homelander rids himself of these tempering influences, he comes closer to becoming the kind of guy who would really do what we see him fantasize about in Season 2, cutting entire crowds of people in half with his laser vision without worrying about the consequences.

Unlike Homelander, the villain of Irredeemable doesn’t start off as a bad guy. The series gives us plenty of flashbacks showing The Plutonian as a strong, well-meaning hero who slowly but surely becomes disillusioned with humanity and traumatized by betrayals, both real and perceived.

Regardless, by the very few first issues of Irredeemable it’s clear that The Plutonian has caused the kind of damage on a global scale that Homelander could only dream of (and probably does).

You know how heroes like The Deep and A-Train feel utterly terrified around Homelander? That’s how every last living being on Earth feels about The Plutonian in Irredeemable. He holds the entire world hostage, waiting for an excuse to wipe out millions.

The Current Status Of Irredeemable’s Netflix Movie

In 2022 it was announced that Irredeemable was on its way to becoming a movie. Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall) was on board to direct the film while Kemp Powers (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse) was writing the script. The Irredeemable movie is going to pull from both comics to create one story.

There’s been no further word on the movie since that initial announcement in 2022. It hasn’t been canceled, but it may not be moving quickly either. Netflix is, however, notoriously tight-lipped about what it’s doing.

Brandy is speaking out and setting the record straight after Shyne and Mase alleged that they dated her at the same time.

RELATED: Come Thru, Sis! Brandy Covers Kehlani’s ‘Folded’ & The Internet Is In A FRENZY (WATCH)

Brandy Speaks Out After Shyne & Mase Allege They Dated Her At The Same Time

On Thursday, March 19, Brandy took to Instagram to share a lengthy message with her more than 6 million followers. Furthermore, she wrote, “In the late 90’s, I had a platonic friendship with rapper Shyne. In an unfortunate turn of events, that friendship is now being mischaracterized as ‘we dated.’ Unequivocally, we did not! I’m not sure why an untrue narrative about a scope of what was a friendship more than 20-years ago is being reshaped during his current media interviews…”

As her message went on, Brandy explained that she’s releasing her own memoir, ‘PHASES,’ because it is “time” to tell her “truth.”

“Additionally, I rarely release statements and typically ignore stories about me in the headlines even when they’re false. But when I do decide to standup for myself, I handle things on my own. While I love my brother Ray J, I don’t condone or support the messages he’s shared on social media and have not asked him to defend me in any form…” she concluded.

Social Media Reacts

Social media users reacted to Brandy’s statement about Shyne, Mase, and even Ray J in TSR’s comment section.

More On Shyne & Mase Alleging They Dated Brandy At The Same Time

As The Shade Room previously reported, Shyne recently appeared as a guest on Cam’ron and Mase’s ‘It Is What It Is’ podcast. During their conversation, Cam asked Mase if he ever dated Brandy, and Mase explained that he was “special” at one time. However, he added that Shyne also “wound up being special too.” Ultimately, Mase explained that he “let” Shyne be “special” to her.

Chiming in on the subject, Shyne appeared to confirm Mase’s recollection. But he alleged that he had no idea about Brandy and Mase’s relationship.

“We had a mutual friend who was a snitch… but I was so excited, so I kept telling one of our mutual friends, and he was snitching me out. So Brandy was like, ‘Yo! Who you told you here? How does so and so know that you here with me right now?’ And I’m like, ‘Aw, man,’” Shyne recalled.

Shyne’s statements led to Ray J threatening to slap the “daylights” out of him, Cam, and Mase.

Watch the NSFW clip by clicking here.

This, to which Shyne ended up responding to Ray J via Instagram.

RELATED: Whew! Shyne Reacts After Ray J Says He’ll “Slap” The “Daylights” Out Of Him & Mase For Claiming They Allegedly Dated Brandy At The Same Time (VIDEOS)

Love on the Spectrum is returning for season 4 — yet not every cast member will continue to document their dating journey on the show.

Netflix’s hit series, which premiered in 2022, follows a group of young people on the autism spectrum as they navigate the dating world.

“The show itself has actually become the template for people to then think, ‘That’s what love can look like in my life, and I can be like that character who doesn’t necessarily fit the typical stereotype,’” cocreator Karina Holden told Tudum in 2025. “The uniqueness of individuals within Love on the Spectrum has allowed people to be confident to pursue their version of relationships and friendships and love.”

While season 4 will see the return of some OG cast members, there will also be some newcomers including Dylan Aguilar, Emma Sue Miller and Logan Pereira.

Keep scrolling to see which Love on the Spectrum stars are — and aren’t — returning for season 4:

Dani Bowman

It isn’t clear if Dani Bowman will play a role in season 4.

James Jones

James Jones has been confirmed as part of the season 4 cast.

Abbey Romeo

Abbey Romeo will still play a role when Love on the Spectrum returns for season 4.

David Isaacman

In addition to Abbey Romeo, her boyfriend, David Isaacman, is back on the show as well.

Connor Tomlinson

The romance between Connor Tomlinson and Georgie Harris is one of the focal points of season 4.

Tanner Smith

Tanner Smith is credited as a guest in season 4.

Madison Marilla

Madison Marilla remains front and center in season 4 of Love on the Spectrum.

Pari Kim

Pari Kim is now a guest on Love on the Spectrum after previously being more of the focus.

Related: Couples Who Survived the Reality TV Curse (So Far)

Who says true love doesn’t exist on reality TV? While it seems to be a trend that many marriages on reality TV end in divorce, there are still some reality TV couples out there beating the odds. Big Brother‘s Nicole Franzel and Victor Arroyo met while filming season 18 of Big Brother in 2016. The timing […]

Georgie Harris

Season 4 will feature Georgie Harris after she formed a connection with Connor Tomlinson.

Tyler White

Tyler White’s love story with Madison Marilla will remain central on the show.

Shelley Wolfe

After being a guest in season 3, Shelley Wolfe is a main cast member as her relationship with James Jones gets more serious.

Dylan Aguilar

Dylan Aguilar is a new addition with Netflix announcing that the 22-year-old from Los Angeles will be featured in season 4.

Emma Sue Miller

Season 4 will introduce Us to Emma Sue Miller, who is a 28-year-old from Provo, Utah.

Logan Pereira

According to Netflix, Logan Pereira is a 25-year-old Las Vegas native stepping into the dating world for the first time.

The Beach Boys and John Stamos are facing major backlash ahead of their upcoming SeaWorld Orlando performance, with animal rights activists calling out the group for supporting the controversial marine park. As the band prepares to take the stage as part of SeaWorld’s popular Seven Seas Food Festival, protestors are gearing up to make their voices heard, accusing the performers of turning a blind eye to alleged animal mistreatment.

PETA And Activists Plan Protest Outside SeaWorld Concert

Ahead of Sunday’s concert, demonstrators from PETA and the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida are set to rally outside the venue, holding signs reading, “Wouldn’t It Be Nice… if Orcas Were Free?”

The protest is aimed directly at The Beach Boys and John Stamos, who activists say are helping promote a facility they believe mistreats marine animals. Protestors argue that dolphins and whales at SeaWorld are denied natural behaviors and environments, while also raising concerns about the park’s breeding practices.

PETA Slams Performance In Fiery Statement

PETA President Tracy Reiman didn’t hold back in criticizing the group’s involvement. “God only knows what The Beach Boys and John Stamos are thinking playing at this cruel abusement park, where complex marine mammals are condemned to a lifetime of misery in a dismal concrete tank,” PETA President Tracy Reiman, said in a statement via a press release sent to The Blast.

She added, “PETA is calling on the band to stick to Key Largo or Montego for tour stops and stop promoting cruel confinement of animals at SeaWorld until it releases these long-suffering animals to seaside sanctuaries.”

The organization also took to Facebook, urging the performers to reconsider their appearance and instead take a stance against marine animal captivity. “Hey John Stamos, have mercy on dolphins suffering at SeaWorld by NOT performing there in the future!” the company wrote. “You’ll be profiting & promoting a company that forcibly breeds & drugs animals who deserve to be respected.”

PETA concluded with, “This performance isn’t fair to the animals or your kind fans.”

John Stamos’ Past PETA Partnership Resurfaces

Amid the backlash, some critics have also pointed out that John Stamos has previously aligned himself with animal rights efforts. The actor once partnered with PETA, starring in a print ad campaign encouraging the public to adopt animals from shelters rather than purchasing them from pet stores or breeders.

Per the campaign, cats and dogs thrive most when they’re kept indoors with their human families, and for their safety, they should only be outside in secure, enclosed spaces or on a leash with close supervision.

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Activists Highlight Conditions For Orcas And Dolphins

Animal rights groups continue to point to the stark differences between life in the wild and conditions in captivity.

In their natural habitats, orcas are known for their complex social structures, cooperative hunting behaviors, and ability to travel vast distances across open oceans. However, activists argue that in captivity, these animals are confined to limited spaces that restrict their natural instincts.

Concerns have also been raised about stress-related behaviors among animals housed together, as well as the number of dolphins and whales that have reportedly died in captivity over the years.

Poll Shows Growing Public Support For Ending Marine Park Breeding

Public opinion may also be shifting.

A recent poll commissioned by PETA and conducted by Embold Research found that 77% of registered voters in California, The Beach Boys’ home state support a ban on breeding dolphins, and 74% want dolphins in marine parks to be moved to seaside sanctuaries.

The findings suggest increasing pressure on both entertainment acts and marine parks as conversations around animal welfare continue to grow.

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SeaWorld Concert Series Draws Big Names Across Generations

Despite the controversy, The Beach Boys remain part of SeaWorld Orlando’s Seven Seas Food Festival concert lineup, which features artists spanning multiple decades and genres. Running from January 30 through May 17, 2026, the festival includes live performances at Bayside Stadium every weekend, along with select Friday and Sunday shows.

The band and Stamos are set to appear on Sunday, March 22, 2026. As the concert approaches, it remains to be seen whether the backlash will impact attendance.

Bridgerton’s Ruth Gemmell admitted she cried over her character Violet Bridgerton’s sex scene in season 4.

In the latest installment of the hit Netflix drama, Bridgerton matriarch Violet finds herself at the center of her own love story with Lord Marcus Anderson (played by Daniel Francis). Midway through the season, the pair meet for a rendezvous in Violet’s boudoir as things heat up between them.

The scene came as a surprise to Gemmell, 58, because it’s usually her on-screen children who are in Bridgerton’s steamier scenes.

“I think I was a little bit shocked. I was in a costume fitting, and I realized I was being fitted for something I had no idea was going to happen. I went home and cried,” she said in a recent interview with Belgium’s Ciné-Télé-Revue.

Gemmell continued, “Thankfully, we tackled this one in a slightly different way to the kids of the show, because I don’t think anyone would want to watch that really,” joking that there was a lot of “low lighting” used to film the scene.

While the British actress had initial reservations about Violet’s tryst with Lord Anderson, she felt it was important to show that life does go on after losing a loved one. In the series, Violet is a widow following the death of her husband, Edmund.

“We don’t die after a certain age, so I think it’s quite nice to kind of represent that,” Gemmell said. “I think that’s important.”

“It’s really lovely to see young love and love for the first time, but it’s also very important and lovely to see somebody who has loved and lost and grieved and comes with a myriad of baggage,” she continued. “Because everyone can identify with that and I think that’s important to show.”

The latest season of Bridgerton largely focuses on the romance between Violet’s second son, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), and maid Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), who got their happy ending in the season 4 finale.

As is Bridgerton tradition, each season focuses on a different sibling’s love story, with seasons 5 and 6 set to focus on Eloise (Claudia Jessie) and Francesca (Hannah Dodd), though what order they’ll take the lead is yet to be confirmed.

Ha, meanwhile, hopes to return as Sophie in season 5.

“I would love to film as much as possible,” Ha, 28, told Us Weekly exclusively in February.

“I mean, it’s Bridgerton. I’m new and I don’t have years under my belt. So I’m still fresh and I’m still ready to go. I am eager,” she added.

Josh Duggar faced up to 20 years in prison after being convicted of possessing and receiving child porn in late 2021, which he was later officially sentenced to.

One day after news broke in April 2021 that the 19 Kids and Counting alum was arrested in Arkansas on the child pornography charges, Us Weekly confirmed that he was indicted on the counts.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Arkansas revealed the nature of the charges in a press release on April 30, 2021.

“A Springdale man was arrested yesterday for receiving and possessing material depicting the sexual abuse of children,” the release began. “According to court documents, Joshua James Duggar, 33, allegedly used the internet to download child sexual abuse material. Duggar allegedly possessed this material, some of which depicts the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12, in May 2019.”

Josh, the eldest child of Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, was detained without bond. He was released from jail in May 2021 and was allowed to see his children with supervised visits — though he was not allowed to live with them. The news ​of Josh’s April arrest came days after his wife, Anna Duggar, announced that the pair are expecting their seventh child.

The twosome, who wed in 2008, share seven kids: Mackynzie (born October 2009), Michael (June 2011), Marcus (June 2013), Meredith (July 2015), Mason (September 2017) and Maryella (November 2019) Madyson Lilly (born October 2021).

​While the Duggars have acknowledged Josh’s behavior was wrong, multiple family members — including Anna, Michelle and Jim Bob — have publicly supported Josh and attended his trial. In May 2022, Michelle and Anna sent letters to the judge praising him and pleading that he get the minimum sentence of five years.

After delays, Josh was sentenced on May 25, 2022. Scroll through for everything we know about the case.