Ariana Grande is preparing to step back onto the stage for the first time in seven years, but behind the excitement surrounding her upcoming Eternal Sunshine Tour is a much darker reality. 

The singer is reportedly still battling emotional scars connected to the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing that killed 22 people during her Dangerous Woman tour. 

As rehearsals intensify ahead of the summer kickoff, insiders claim Grande’s anxiety remains overwhelming enough that boyfriend Ethan Slater has reportedly reshaped his own career plans just to stay by her side.

Ariana Grande may be returning to arenas worldwide, but sources say the trauma from Manchester still heavily shapes every decision surrounding the tour.

The singer reportedly struggled with “nightmares” and “a meltdown” after the terrorist attack that injured more than 1,000 people and forever changed her relationship with touring.

According to insiders, the emotional weight of performing for massive crowds again is something Grande still carries daily.

“Ariana has been prepping for her US and UK concert tour for months, but she’s still haunted by the horrific Manchester Arena bombing,” a source told the Daily Mail, adding, “She had nightmares about it for months. She had a meltdown.”

Grande herself previously opened up about the emotional aftermath while speaking to British Vogue in 2018.

“It’s hard to talk about because so many people have suffered such severe, tremendous loss. But, yeah, it’s a real thing,” she said at the time. The 32-year-old explained that both the victims’ families and her fans experienced lasting anxiety after the attack.

Grande Demands Heavy Security For Upcoming Shows

Because of those lingering fears, Ariana Grande has reportedly insisted on major security changes before agreeing to tour again.

Insiders claim the pop superstar refused to move forward with the Eternal Sunshine Tour unless stricter protections were guaranteed for both herself and fans attending the concerts.

“She has insisted on double security on all the dates. She refused to go ahead with it if that clause wasn’t agreed to,” a source revealed.

Grande has long admitted that touring after Manchester fundamentally changed how she viewed safety. During an emotional interview with Apple Music’s Ebro Darden, she confessed that even everyday travel became frightening.

“But the truth is that it’s f-cking scary,” the actress said, adding, “It’s scary going anywhere and you look at places differently and traveling.”

She also acknowledged the uncomfortable reality of heightened concert security. “I don’t want to have metal detectors or people taking tiny a** bags into my shows, but you better bring a tiny a** bag and walk through that metal detector,” Grande stated.

Her fears reportedly intensified again after a fan allegedly rushed toward her during a “Wicked: For Good” premiere event in Singapore last November. Sources said the unsettling moment deepened concerns among those close to the star regarding her anxiety levels.

Ariana Grande Scales Back Touring As Pressure Mounts

Unlike her previous world tours, Grande’s newest run of concerts has been intentionally reduced in size. The Eternal Sunshine Tour begins on June 6 in California before moving through North America and later heading to London’s O2 Arena for a 10-show residency.

While previous tours stretched well beyond 70 or even 100 performances, this time the Grammy Award winner is limiting herself to only 30 dates.

Insiders say that decision was directly connected to the emotional pressure touring creates. “The stress of doing around 30 dates is all she can handle,” a source explained.

Grande herself hinted this tour could be her final large-scale concert run for a very long time.

“I do know that I’m very excited to do this small tour, but I think it might not happen again for a long, long, long, long time,” she said during a November appearance on the “Good Hang with Amy Poehler” podcast.

However, Grande promised to give it her all, noting that she believed the tour will be beautiful. The “God is a Woman” singer revealed that she decided to go back on tour because she wanted it to be “one last hurrah.”

Grande And Ethan Slater Face Relationship Strain

As Ariana Grande prepares for her return to the stage, distance and scheduling conflicts have reportedly complicated her relationship with Slater.

The couple has recently spent weeks apart, with Grande rehearsing in Los Angeles while Slater remained in New York following his off-Broadway production “Marcel on the Train.”

According to insiders, their separate schedules have created emotional and physical distance despite claims the relationship is still strong.

“Ariana has been in Los Angeles doing tour rehearsals. Ethan has been in New York City while she’s there,” a source told the Daily Mail, further explaining, “He hasn’t visited her and she’s been too busy to get back east for more than a couple days.”

Fans also noticed the pair attending events separately. Still, insiders insist the lovebirds remain committed, even while acknowledging Grande tends to dominate relationships.

“Ariana definitely has a type and likes things in a relationship to be a certain way – her way. She’s usually the dominant one when it comes to who has the say,” the source explained.

Ariana Grande’s Boyfriend Ethan Slater Makes Huge Sacrifice

Despite his own acting career continuing to grow, Slater is reportedly putting Grande first as she navigates the emotional demands of touring again.

The actor recently appeared in “Gen V,” guest starred on “Elsbeth,” and reprised his role as Boq in “Wicked: For Good.” Yet insiders say he has already begun sacrificing opportunities in order to support his girlfriend during the tour.

“He plans to be there for her during the tour on as many dates as possible,” an insider shared. The source added that Slater is actively rearranging his work schedule to remain close to her.

“He has a couple of potential conflicts, but he’s trying to work around them so he’s her support system. He’s even turned down an acting role that would have meant him hardly being by her side,” they shared. 

Meanwhile, Grande reportedly remains determined not to let fear stop her from reconnecting with fans despite her ongoing struggles.

“She is very excited about returning to the stage to perform for her fans and to release her eighth album this summer,” another insider said.

Even so, those closest to the singer reportedly know Manchester will always remain part of every performance she gives moving forward.

The news about Dutton Ranch losing its showrunner in a surprise shakeup has finally been addressed.

Executive producer Christina Voros broke her silence about Chad Feehan‘s reported firing, telling ScreenRant earlier this month that the screenwriter did “an exceptional job building a world of adversaries for Rip and Beth” in the Yellowstone spinoff.

Voros noted that when it came to “dynamics behind his departure,” she didn’t have much to add. She went on to say that Dutton Ranch had at that point not “come out into the world yet” so a future without Feehan was “beyond” her knowledge on the subject.

The director expressed gratitude to Feehan and his team for “creating a world for these characters to move into.”

Related: Showrunner Changes on Taylor Sheridan Shows: ‘Tulsa King’ to ‘Dutton Ranch’

Taylor Sheridan‘s TV universe has found immense success — but his projects have also come with many showrunner changes. After getting his start as an actor, Sheridan started writing scripts for movies. He began his TV empire with Yellowstone, which aired from 2018 to 2024. Sheridan then created prequels 1883 and 1923, as well as […]

News originally broke in April that Feehan will not return as showrunner after completing work on season 1. Feehan, who created Lawmen: Bass Reeves with Taylor Sheridan, reportedly departed Dutton Ranch after alleged friction with series stars Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly, among others.

Sheridan and his producing partner David Glasser, along with the two leads, were allegedly more unhappy with how Feehan ran the production than with the scripts. None of the cast has yet to publicly address the producer’s exit.

Yellowstone, which premiered in 2018, introduced viewers to the fictional Dutton family, who own the largest ranch in Montana. Rip (Hauser) and Beth (Reilly) quickly became a fan-favorite couple as they navigated major ups and downs together.

Since Yellowstone came to an end in 2024, the TV universe expanded with Luke Grimes‘ CBS show Marshals and more. Dutton Ranch, meanwhile, follows Rip and Beth — as well as Finn Little‘s Carter — adjust to life in Texas after their time in Montana.

Annette Bening and Ed Harris are also featured on the show alongside other newcomers such as Jai Courtney, Natalie Alyn Lind, Marc Menchaca, Juan Pablo Raba and J. R. Villarreal.

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Related: Where Did Every Duttons End Up in ‘Yellowstone’ Finale Before ‘Marshals’?

CBS’ Marshals spinoff picks up after the Yellowstone series finale — but where did every member of the Dutton family end up? The Paramount Network series wrapped up in December 2024 after five seasons with Beth (Kelly Reilly) avenging father John’s (Kevin Costner) death by killing brother Jamie (Wes Bentley). Beth’s husband, Rip (Cole Hauser), […]

“As Beth and Rip fight to build a future together — far from the ghosts of Yellowstone — they collide with brutal new realities and a ruthless rival ranch that will stop at nothing to protect its empire,” read the show’s synopsis. “In South Texas, blood runs deeper, forgiveness is fleeting, and the cost of survival might just be your soul.”

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Sheridan, meanwhile, has been focused on his other shows, including Landman, Mayor of Kingstown, Lioness and Tulsa King. News broke in October 2025 that Sheridan closed a major with NBCUniversal. The five-year overall deal for film, TV and streaming will begin January 1, 2029, after Sheridan’s TV deal with Paramount — which goes through 2028 — officially ends.

Paramount will retain the rights to Yellowstone and the other franchises Sheridan created under his deal with the company, so he is expected to create brand new IP for NBCUniversal. Sheridan’s move came after Paramount’s recent merger with Skydance.

Dutton Ranch airs Fridays on Paramount+.

Robert Zemeckis‘ Back to the Future was not only the biggest movie of 1985, taking in $190 million at the box office, but nearly four decades later, it’s one of the most loved movies ever made. It turned lead Michael J. Fox into one of the biggest stars on the planet in the ’80s and made everyone want their own DeLorean (even if they were known for not running very well). Despite its success, Back to the Future had many issues getting onto the screen. Zemeckis and co-writer Bob Gale had trouble getting anyone to make it, with even Disney turning it down because they were uncomfortable with the storyline of a mother falling in love with her future son.

When it did finally go into production, it was not with Fox as Marty McFly, but actor Eric Stoltz. When the latter was fired, most of the movie had to be re-shot with Fox. Some of Back to the Future‘s issues were found in the script as well. For example, the cool DeLorean time machine we all love was originally going to be some immobile refrigerator-sized box. Imagine how that would’ve gone! Then there’s the exciting finale where Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) sends Marty back to 1985. Originally, it was going to be much different, with Marty McFly driving through a nuclear explosion! So what happened?

How Does ‘Back to the Future’ End?

Image via Universal Pictures

The inciting incident of Back to the Future sees Marty McFly accidentally transported back to 1955 after he uses the DeLorean to escape terrorists. Not only is he now stuck in a world he doesn’t exist in (it’s a little hard to come by plutonium in the ’50s… or any time), but he ruins his birth when he messes up the moment his pervy dad-to-be, George (Crispin Glover), meets his mother, Lorraine (Lea Thompson), while spying on her with binoculars. The ultimate nightmare occurs when his mother becomes smitten with Marty, but overcoming all of that awkwardness doesn’t matter if he can’t get back to his time.

The third act of Back to the Future is a triumph, partly due to George standing up for himself and earning Lorraine’s love, and partly due to how 1955’s Doc Brown decides to get Marty back to his future. Knowing the exact time lightning is going to strike the Hill Valley clocktower, he rigs a wire to the clock, with the plan being for Marty in the DeLorean to snag it right as the lightning strikes, giving the time machine enough power to operate. You don’t become one of the greatest movies of all-time without everything going wrong in the most suspenseful fashion (and of course, this plot hole), but it all works out at the end and Marty is sent back to 1985, though an alternate one where his family is now successful and not the people he once knew. How is Back to the Future not considered a tragedy? As thrilling of an ending as this was, Back to the Future almost did something entirely different.

What Was ‘Back to the Future’s Original Ending?

Originally, Back to the Future was going to have an entirely different ending. In 2016, 113 unknown storyboards, drawn by Andrew Probert, the film’s artist, were found which explored an ending never shot. They ended up being sold for $6,000, but were first shown to the public. What is found in them gives this classic movie a finale way more insane than a lightning strike. What’s more wild than that? How about a nuclear bomb?

In the storyboards, the military is preparing for a bomb test in the desert. Several men are standing in the bomb test tower when they look out to see a DeLorean racing toward them. Doc Brown, who is on a radio, has timed it out just right for Marty to race into the test site as the bomb is going off. There are some similarities to the filmed ending, with Doc Brown finding the letter warning of his death in 1985 and the hunk of junk car not wanting to start, but everything else is different, as a timer ticks down to 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and then the bomb explodes right as Marty hits 88 miles per hour.

When it goes off, we watch as the fake city is nuked to nothing inside a mushroom cloud. We then move to 1985, where people are gathered around where the test site once stood for a tour. As a guide speaks to them about rumors of the strange phenomena that occurred there, there is a flash of light and a gust of wind as the DeLorean reappears. Marty McFly is home, and his DeLorean, which could barely even start, somehow survives a nuclear bomb. And why wasn’t such an over-the-top ending used for Back to the Future? Co-writer Bob Gale told The Collider Podcast in 2020 that it all came down to money. The studio wanted to cut $1 million from the budget, and one scene, more than any other, was going to be the most expensive. Gale said:

“And the most expensive thing was going on location and building this town. And we said well, if we can cut that out – if we can cut going on location and building a town and do something on a location that we already have, namely the backlot, that would save us $1 million easy.”

‘Back to the Future’s Original Ending Would’ve Robbed the Film of Its Triumphant Note

Universal Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection

The ending filmed for Back to the Future isn’t just a cost-cutting measure: it features a triumphant ending for Marty and Doc Brown. There’s a palpable sense of dread hanging over the entire story. Doc is gunned down by the Libyans. Marty gets stuck in a time he’s clearly unfamiliar with. Oh yeah, and there’s the whole “he has to get his parents back together, or he’ll literally fade out of existence.” But Marty winds up changing the future so that George and Lorraine are successful, and Doc Brown even survives — having learned that not every change to the timestream is a cataclysmic one. If the original ending with the nuclear bomb had been kept in, it would have cast a shadow over the ending. Nobody wants to think about nuclear warfare when watching a time travel comedy.

There’s even one more change to the ending — Doc was originally supposed to rip up Marty’s note and toss it into the DeLorean. Editor Andrew Probert convinced Gale to have Doc stuff the scraps into his jacket instead, feeling it would make his survival in the present a genuine surprise. “If you’re not ready for it, you overlook the fact that he skips past the point of the letter … because it’s no longer important,” Probert told Syfy WIRE. “So Bob says, ‘Okay storyboard that and we’ll see how it works.’ So I did and it worked.” Indeed, this adds to the more triumphant vibe surrounding the ending.

‘Back to the Future’s Ending Proves That Bigger Isn’t Always Better

What big Hollywood blockbuster would even have their character survive a nuclear blast anyway? That’s absurd. Oh, wait, that’s right, our old pal Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) made it through a nuclear blast by hiding in a fridge for an infamous scene in 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Ironically though, that moment may have been taken from Back to the Future. According to actor Jon Cryer, who auditioned for Marty McFly, the script he read was different from the finished film. In it was a scene where Marty is on the nuclear test site and has to hide when a bomb goes off, so he hides inside a fridge. “Does this sequence sound familiar to anyone?” Cryer asked in a 2020 tweet.

Steven Spielberg took a lot of grief for that scene. Indiana Jones is a hero, but a realistic one. Sure, he can go through a lot and live, but having him be able to withstand a nuclear bomb was so far-fetched and silly that it took viewers out of the movie and also made the hero invincible. If he can live through that, why should we ever worry about him? The same can’t exactly be said with Back to the Future since this scene happens right at the end of the film, but it still would have been a bad idea. Yes, Back to the Future centers around time travel and a dude who must make out with his mom, but it’s still set in a world that has limitations and feels like a version of a believable reality. Doc Brown is not J. Robert Oppenheimer, but rather, he is just an eccentric local scientist. A sportscar can’t handle a nuclear bomb, and he knows that. We as the viewer know that as well.

Bigger isn’t always better, and Back to the Future proved that with their alternate idea. Marty and Doc have nothing to do with a nuclear bomb other than driving into it, but instead we get scenes of Doc Brown building an extensive miniature version of Hill Valley just to show Marty how his clocktower theory will work, which gives us the great line of, “Please excuse the crudity of this model. I didn’t have time to build it to scale or to paint it.” With the nuclear bomb ending, we also didn’t get everything going wrong on the clocktower, as the line came unplugged, and Doc had to rush to get it refastened, even sliding down it and getting electrocuted by the lightning strike. The ending we get is of two people trying their best with something they made themselves, which is a lot more fun than what was originally planned.

The Back to the Future Franchise Had a History of Removing Darker Moments

Image Via Universal Pictures

Thankfully, the original nuclear blast ending to Back to the Future was never filmed, but there are darker scenes from the franchise that were actually put on camera and can be seen today, although Robert Zemeckis wisely chose not to add them to the final cut. In Back to the Future Part II, Marty ends up in an alternate reality where Biff (Thomas F. Wilson) is now rich, having been given the sports almanac from the future. Rather than using that money for good, he has instead built a giant casino and tower for himself while a crime-ridden Hill Valley rots around him. In a deleted moment, when Marty goes to confront this alternate Biff, he runs into his brother Dave (Marc McClure), who is now a haggard-looking alcoholic. Before Marty can help him, his brother runs off.

In a deleted scene for Back to the Future Part III, the darkness went even further, when the 1855 Hill Valley Sheriff (James Tolkan) is shot dead by Buford Tannen right in front of his young son. It’s done to make Buford more of a threat, but wisely it was removed from the final film.

There’s a reason why the Back to the Future trilogy endures four decades later. That’s because these movies are meant to be fun, and serve as an adventurous escape from reality where we know everything’s going to be okay in the end. We lose that joy if we’re meeting alcoholic siblings, seeing lawmen shot, or using a nuclear bomb to save the day. Back to the Future didn’t need that. All it ever needed was Marty McFly and Doc Brown.

Back to the Future is available to watch on MGM+ in the U.S.

After Antoine Fuqua’s musical biopic, Michael, returned to the top of the box office charts last weekend, capitalizing on the sharp week-to-week decline of the action sequel Mortal Kombat II, its place at the summit of the domestic ranks is sure to be short-lived. This is due to the hotly anticipated theatrical arrival of The Mandalorian and Grogu this weekend, as Pedro Pascal‘s bounty hunter makes the jump from the small to the big screen.

A certainty to take home the box office crown, The Mandalorian and Grogu is being considered the spiritual opening of this year’s summer of cinema. However, a summer of streaming is also ready to begin, with some of the best movie options available from the comfort of your own home. So, without further ado, here’s a list of three movies you should stream this weekend on Netflix.

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows and movies on Netflix.

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.

1

‘Ladies First’ (2026)

If big-budget sci-fi isn’t your cup of tea, then Netflix has an exciting new movie that might prove to be your perfect weekend watch. Directed by Thea Sharrock and written by Natalie Krinsky, Cinco Paul, and Katie Silberman, Ladies First follows Damien Sachs (Sacha Baron Cohen), a male chauvinist who has all the wealth and power he could want. On the verge of becoming CEO of his company, Damien awakens in a parallel world run by women and is forced to go head-to-head with the fearless Alex Fox (Rosamund Pike).

A remake of the film Je Ne Suis Pas Un Homme Facile, Ladies First is a hilarious new addition to the Netflix catalog that you simply must watch. Starring two of the best modern actors in Cohen and Pike, alongside a stellar supporting cast including Tom Davis, Charles Dance, and Emily Mortimer, this easy-viewing, 90-minute comedy is perfect to help you relax this weekend.

2

‘Nope’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 83% | IMDb: 6.8/10

For one of the most underrated horror stories of the decade, this weekend, Netflix has you covered. Written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele, Nope follows a pair of siblings, played to perfection by Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer, as they witness a strange, sci-fi phenomenon whilst trying to make ends meet in Agua Dulce, California.

Frequently likened to Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Jaws, this blend of sci-fi and horror manages to neatly nail both genres without ever feeling generic. As the follow-up to his jaw-dropping debut Get Out, Nope was always set to face particular scrutiny. Four years on, and it is clear that this is a film that deserves another shot by the many who dismissed it.

3

‘Safe Haven’ (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes: 13% | IMDb: 6.7/10

After a particularly long week, perhaps all you require is something simple to easily indulge in. For a film that doesn’t need much attention and can be pleasantly enjoyed on a lazy Sunday, why not try Safe Haven? This feel-good romance follows a woman with a mysterious past as she is forced to come to terms with her demons after meeting a widower in Southport, North Carolina.

Scoring a decent box office haul in 2013, Safe Haven is packed with enough drama and romance to fall headfirst into. Like The Summer I Turned Pretty meets Colleen Hoover‘s It Ends With Us, this adaptation of Nicholas Sparks‘ 2010 novel is bolstered by a shocking twist that, although perhaps somewhat unbelievable, is sure to leave your jaw on the floor.

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Release Date

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February 14, 2013

Runtime

115 minutes

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Director

Lasse Hallström

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As Episode 4 of Rivals Season 2 lands on streaming today, fans of the raunchy Disney+ series can’t help but look ahead to where things might be headed for one of the central couples. Especially when the first half of the season has not been particularly kind to Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) or Taggie O’Hara (Bella Maclean).

The current state of affairs is, of course, entirely because Rupert put the kibosh on their burgeoning romance in Episode 1 by becoming Cameron Cook’s (Nafessa Williams) white knight in her moment of need. While last week’s three-episode premiere gave a glimpse into what a coupled Rupert and Taggie might look like, the joy of their day out with his children was swiftly snatched away, and this week continues to leave the fan-favorite couple at odds. But fear not, we have a scintilla of new intel about the impending hunt ball, which will — hopefully — at long last push Rupert and Taggie into each other’s arms. Perhaps, quite literally, if the details we’ve eked out are anything to go by.

Collider’s Michael Zimmermann caught up with Hassell and Maclean earlier this week while the duo and their co-stars, Williams and David Tennant, were in New York City to support the launch of Season 2. Armed with questions about the iconic hunt ball, which Disney+ has been mercilessly teasing fans with by way of featurettes, news segments, and behind-the-scenes snaps, Zimmermann got two rumors confirmed in swift succession.

Will “Lady in Red” Appear in ‘Rivals’ for a Second Time?

While chatting with Hassell, the star revealed that the hunt ball “had a very special guest singing cameo,” all but confirming The Sun’s exclusive reporting that Chris de Burgh will perform his song, “Lady in Red,” during the episode. While The Sun stated that the song would be performed during a wedding scene, it makes far more sense for de Burgh to perform “Lady in Red” during the hunt ball, considering the song — and the ball itself — are part of a pivotal scene in the late Dame Jilly Cooper’s novel, which sees Rupert and Taggie’s romance move forward. It also wouldn’t be the first time the pair swayed to the tune, as the song featured in Season 1, Episode 3, too. Hassell did claim that he wasn’t sure if this bit of news had been revealed yet, so perhaps Rivals has another surprise in store if this musical cameo isn’t a perfectly-timed de Burgh appearance. After all, he also teased that “there’s quite a lot of dance numbers that I don’t think you’d expect.”

Maclean opted to be quite tight-lipped about the hunt ball with Zimmermann, revealing only that “there are a lot of animals in the hunt ball.” However, she also revealed that there was “a lot of spinning” for her, which conveniently ties into something she recently mentioned in an interview with British Vogue. During the junket for the series, she told the magazine that she “nearly threw up” while filming a sequence where she had to hold the camera and spin around in a tight dress. The scene seemingly included Hassell, whom she joked called for a bucket for her to puke in. Within that conversation, Hassell also revealed that it was a “really big Taggie moment” with “a lot [of] stuff going on underneath,” which does sound like the hunt ball scene from the book. We also know that Taggie will be clad in a red dress for the hunt ball, furthering the theory that the “Lady in Red” moment will indeed come to fruition.

It may not be a lot, but while Rivals fans endure a RuTag drought, it’s nice to know that the pair may actually end up together by the end of Season 2 — even if the series is going to make audiences wait the better part of a year for those scenes.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Rivals and be sure to check out Zimmermann’s conversations with the cast.

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October 18, 2024

Network

Disney+

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Directors

Dee Koppang O’Leary, Alexandra Brodski, Elliot Hegarty

Writers

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Clare Naylor, Mimi Hare, Kefi Chadwick, Dare Aiyegbayo, Dominic Treadwell-Collins, Laura Wade, Marek Horn, Sophie Goodhart

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NASCAR legend Kyle Busch appeared to be in good spirits at his last red carpet event with his wife, Samantha Busch.

Kyle attended the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Charlotte, North Carolina, alongside Samantha, 39, in January — four months before his death was announced on Thursday, May 21.

The couple attended the event to throw support behind Kyle’s older brother, Kurt Busch, who was being inducted into the Hall of Fame on the night.

NASCAR announced via a statement that the professional driver died after being hospitalized with what his family described as a “severe illness.” He was 41.

Related: NASCAR Legend Kyle Busch’s Family Guide: Meet His Wife, Their 2 Kids

NASCAR legend Kyle Busch leaves behind his wife, Samantha Busch, their two children and his brother Kurt Busch following his shocking death at age 41. “We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport’s greatest and fiercest drivers,” NASCAR announced […]

“We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup champion and one of our sport’s greatest and fiercest drivers,” NASCAR said in a statement via X on Thursday. “We extend our deepest condolences to the Busch family, Richard Childress Racing and the entire motorsports community.”

Kyle is survived by Samantha, whom he married on New Year’s Eve in 2010 as well as the couple’s son, Brexton, 11, and daughter, Lennix, 4.

Posting via her Instagram in August 2023, Samantha shared details about how she met Kyle, noting she is often asked about their initial meeting.

“16 years ago (this Indy weekend) the promo model agency I worked for sent me down to Indianapolis to work for Chevy getting people hyped up for the races. I was going into my senior year of college at Purdue at the time, a sorority girl and no big surprise not the sportiest of types. So I can honestly say it was my first time at a race track!” she wrote.

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Samantha explained that she and the other promotional team employees were assigned various tasks for the day in the sweltering heat. When a PR lady asked if she wanted to go for a ride in one of the cars – which had air con – she said yes. She assumed Kyle, who was driving, was also a promo employee.

Related: How NASCAR’s Kyle Busch Spent His Final Days Before Sudden Death: Details

Before Kyle Busch’s unexpected death, the NASCAR driver spent his final days with loved ones and competing in his sport. NASCAR confirmed that Busch died at age 41 on May 21, 2026, after being hospitalized with a “severe illness.” “We are saddened and heartbroken to share the news of the passing of Kyle Busch, a […]

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“I hopped in the car and the first thing I said when I saw him in his Chevy tee and ice cold car was, ‘Wow you got a way better assignment then I did.’” she wrote. “He looked at me funny assuming I knew who he was and we were off. I did most of the talking, big surprise, and then invited him to hang out with a group of us going out that night to which he declined bc he had to work. Little did I know he had a truck race. So I thought that was the end of that until Mr. Shy had someone ask me for my number.”

Samantha added, “We talked on the phone for 4 months before seeing each other and going on a date and the rest is history! Fast forward another 16 years and here we are with 2 kids! Love ya babe 😍.”