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Demi Moore on “The Substance” and resisting a toxic beauty culture

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Demi Moore on "The Substance" and resisting a toxic beauty culture

Demi Moore has lived in her home since 2005. “It’s had some interesting incarnations,” she said. “It was a house with three kids, and now it’s just me and my silly pack of dogs.”

It’s hard to think of Moore as a grandmother who lives alone, but here she is, and doing what some are calling the best work of her career. Her latest film, “The Substance,” is about an aging TV star who finds a sinister-looking potion that can give her a younger, more perfect version of herself, but at a terrible price.

“I put so much pressure on myself,” she said, when discussing the value she had placed on her attractiveness in the past. “And I did have experiences of being told to lose weight. And all of those, while they may have been embarrassing and humiliating, it’s what I did to myself because of that.”

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For example, when she was shooting 1993’s “Indecent Proposal,” she would ride a bike every day from her home in Malibu to Paramount Studios in Hollywood: that’s around 30 miles each way.

And she was nursing a baby at the time: “I think she was, like, five or six months old when we were shooting that. So, I was feeding her through the night, getting up in the dark with a trainer, with headlamp, biking all the way to Paramount, wherever, even on location where we were shooting; then shooting a full day, which is usually a 12-hour day; and then starting all over again. Even just the idea of, like, what I did to my body, it’s, like, so crazy, so ridiculous.”

But, she said, she thought it was what was required of her at the time: “Yeah. But you look back and you kinda go, ‘Did it really matter that much?’ Probably not! But at the time, I made it mean everything.”

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Correspondent Tracy Smith with actress Demi Moore. 

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Moore’s been in the spotlight since the ’80s – a talented, and at the time troubled, member of Hollywood’s so-called “Brat Pack.” On-screen she sparkled, in films like “St. Elmo’s Fire” and “About Last Night.” Off-screen, she struggled with self-esteem. “I just have a lot of compassion for what a scared little girl I actually really was, even though I didn’t let anybody see that,” she said. “And if I could go back, I would give her a hug and say, ‘It’s OK. It’s OK.’”

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A poster for Demi Moore’s “Striptease” (1996), for which she became the highest-paid actress in Hollywood. 

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It was OK; Moore went on to become the highest-paid woman in the business, and she lifted other women as well. When she got a record $12.5 million for the 1996 movie “Striptease,” other women in Hollywood demanded, and got, bigger paychecks themselves.

She also challenged the notion of things like whether a 40-year-old woman should wear a bikini; and after shaving her head for 1997’s “G.I. Jane,” how long a woman’s hair should be when she reached a certain age.

Now, at 61, her hair hangs to her waist. “After I shaved my head, I think I just started to let my hair grow with the idea that you can have long hair if that’s what you want,” Moore said. “Who says that it’s not okay? And I’ve heard it many times. If I didn’t think I liked how I looked, then I would cut it.”

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And in “The Substance,” she’s once again asking, Why do we think this way?

In one scene, in which her character is going on a date, she looks in the mirror, applies makeup, then purposely smears it. She said the process of shooting that scene was difficult. “Emotionally, that idea that I think many of us have been where we’re trying to make something better. and then we just keep making it worse,” she said. “For me, it’s one of the most heart-wrenching moments in the whole film. And it was at least 15 takes each time. And so, by the end, my face was raw.”

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Demi Moore in “The Substance.”

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What happens to her after a day like that? “You go fall apart. You just go fall into your bed!” she laughed.

Smith asked, “For you personally, today, when you look in the mirror, what do you think?”

“Uhm, it fluctuates,” said Moore. “Some days I look and I’m like, Wow. That’s pretty good.  And some days, I catch myself dissecting, hyper-focusing on, you know, things that I don’t like. The difference is, now I can catch myself. I can go, Yeah, I don’t like that loose skin. But, you know, it is what it is. So, I’m gonna make the best of what is, as opposed to chasing what isn’t.

Smith asked, “Give me an example of that, something that maybe you chased that, in retrospect, you lost something?”

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“I used to think, Oh, like my face, it’s like, oh so, like, chubby. I have no angles. I have nothing. And then you’re like, Yeah, but now it’s, like, loose! I wouldn’t mind some of that chubbiness back, in the right places!”

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Actress Demi Moore, now starring in “The Substance.”

CBS News


Moore has three grown children with ex-husband Bruce Willis, who is now living with dementia. She says when she’s in town she tries to visit every week. “The important thing is just to meet him where he’s at, as opposed to being attached to who he was, how he was. Because, again, that only just puts you in a place of loss versus being in the present, meeting him where he’s at, and finding the joy and the loving of just all that is where he is.”

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It seems Demi Moore has found peace with the things that are beyond her control – a wisdom and a freedom that, if we’re lucky enough, come naturally in a long and interesting life.

“I think that I’m sitting in a different place in my life than I’ve ever been,” she said. “I have the most autonomy. My children are grown. I have my most independence that I’ve ever had. And so, I just am really trying to focus on what really brings me joy. I don’t like to project and say, ‘Well, this is where I want to be,’ because I don’t know. I don’t know where I’m gonna be. But I know that it’s an opportunity for me to actually have a good time!”

      
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Story produced by John D’Amelio. Editor: Lauren Barnello. 

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Who is Billy Klapper? Yellowstone dedication tribute explained

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Who is Billy Klapper? Yellowstone dedication tribute explained


Yellowstone has returned to Paramount+ for the start of its final season, and the premiere featured a dedication to Billy Klapper.

The return of the show, created by Taylor Sheridan, has been littered with controversy due to the absence of lead star Kevin Costner, who left the series amid rumours of behind-scenes-tensions and to concentrate on his passion project, the film series Horizon.

The first episode of season 5B sees a scene where Rip, played by Cole Hauser, stops by a loriner to purchase a horse bit for Lloyd (Forrie J. Smith).

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While at the loriner, Rip admires an impeccably crafted set of spurs, created from a single piece of metal. The spurs were actually created by the late loriner Billy Klapper, who was well-regarded within the cowboy and ranching communities for his artistry.

The loriner featured in the scene is none other than Klapper himself, who died earlier this year on 10 September aged 87. During the episode, the official Yellowstone X/Twitter account wrote: “Billy Klapper is a LEGEND!”

Klapper began making spurs way back in 1966 having been trained by fellow famed spur maker Adolph Bayers while working as a ranch hand. His craftsmanship and items soon became sought after and he eventually took up the profession full time.

Klapper, who is from Pampa, began working at the Buckle L Ranch in Childress and then later at the Y Ranch in Paducah.

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He married his wife Roberta in 1973 and the couple remained together until her death in 2021.

Billy Klapper
Billy Klapper (Western Horseman/YouTube)

In his obituary, it said: “Billy will be remembered as a good man, a friend to all, and most of all a true cowboy. He is going to be deeply missed by his family and friends. Billy put the ‘western’ in western heritage for years and now he is a part of the heritage.”

Before his death, in an interview with Western Horseman magazine, Klapper admitted: “It got to a point that I had so many orders, I was going to have to quit [making bits and spurs] or quit cowboying, either on.

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“I may have to work a little harder at this, but I thought I could make more money and stay warm in the wintertime. I liked to cowboy, but there’s no money in it, and I had a family. It’s just living from one paycheck to another.”



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Ex Strictly judge and Coronation Street star both SLAM Shayne Ward’s Strictly axing after BBC fix row

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Ex Strictly judge and Coronation Street star both SLAM Shayne Ward's Strictly axing after BBC fix row


AN EX Strictly judge and Coronation Street star both slammed the decision that saw Shayne Ward leave the BBC Show Strictly.

Arlene Phillips and Shayne’s Corrie co-star Catherine Tyldesley took to social media to complain that the judges were wrong.

Ex Strictly Judge slams the decision that sees Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu exit Strictly

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Ex Strictly Judge slams the decision that sees Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu exit StrictlyCredit: PA
Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu with Wynne Evans and his professional dance partner Katya Jones in the dance off

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Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu with Wynne Evans and his professional dance partner Katya Jones in the dance offCredit: PA
Catherine Tyldesley, Shayne's co-star in Coronation Street was quick to support Arlene’s post

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Catherine Tyldesley, Shayne’s co-star in Coronation Street was quick to support Arlene’s postCredit: Handout
Ex Strictly judge Dame Arlene Phillips took to social media to slam the decision

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Ex Strictly judge Dame Arlene Phillips took to social media to slam the decisionCredit: Getty

Shayne and his partner Nancy Xu ended up in the nerve-wracking dance-off with Wynne Evans and Katya Jones.

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When the judges votes were cast, Craig Revel-Horwood and Motsi Mabuse voted for Shayne and Nancy to stay.

While Anton Du Beke chose Wynne and Katya.

Head Judge, Shirley then had the deciding vote meaning whoever she chose would stay in the competition.

But fans of the show were shocked when Shirley explained one couple showed more energy and then went on to pick Wynne and Katya to stay.

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Arlene posted on social media and slammed Shirley and Anton’s decision for choosing Wynne and Katya.

Posting a photo of Shayne and Nancy she said: “I disagreed with the @bbcstrictly judges last night on which couple stayed.

“Watching @shaynetward at the start of the competition I didn’t think he would get this far.

“From being a clumsy dancer last night turned into an actor and a dancer, portraying a beautiful partnership with @nancy_xuxi

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“the dance felt romantic and true and I was sorry to see this couple go.”

Catherine was quick to support Arlene’s post and make her thoughts clear: “Thankyou for standing up for him!

“Like you did for me all those years ago. I know how upset he will be and your words will lift him as they did for me.”

Arlene’s fans flocked to comment with one saying: “Agree! It was crazy that Shirley said ‘one couple showed more energy’ as obviously Wynne’s dance was that style

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“Shayne’s Rumba is not an ‘energetic dance’ and is always a notoriously tough one for the male celebs

Strictly Curse – The Lowdown

STRICTLY Come Dancing’s latest series has already been hit by rumours of a BBC show ‘curse’ – yet what is it?

A host of Strictly Come Dancing stars have been struck by the Strictly Curse during the past two decades.

This is where celebrities who may or may not be attached in the outside world become more than friends with their professional partners.

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A total of 20 relationships are said to have been impacted so far over the show’s 20 years.

It has seen relationships crumble with dance floor romances and punishing rehearsal schedules to blame.

This includes the partnerships of Louise and Jamie Redknapp as well as Kevin Clifton and Karen Hauer.

Controversially, Judge Craig Revel Horwood once said of the curse: “I think of it as a blessing, to be honest. One person is married, the other one had a girlfriend but my point in this entire thing is: if you come on Strictly, sometimes you are in a relationship that is not working anyway.

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“There has to be something wrong in your relationship before it all goes awry.”

Series one winner Brendan Cole left his fiancé, fellow Strictly professional Camilla Dallerup, during filming for the very first series in spring 2004. 

Brendan was said to have fallen for his celebrity partner and inaugural winner Natasha Kaplinsky, although the duo didn’t confirm they were romantically involved.

“but I thought he danced it beautifully and should have stayed”

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Another viewer posted: “Thank you Arlene. A voice of professional reason. I thought they got it wrong too!”

A third added: “Wrong decision by Shirley!!! Wynne was so clumsy looking jumping about like a circus act.

“Shayne’s dance was fabulous and full of emotion so sad to see him go”

But some fans agreed with Shirley’s decision and said: “Had everyone forgot he has been in the bottom 2-3 times. It was time to go.”

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Another added: “Three strikes and out. Seems fair enough to me, they did well getting to week 8”

Strictly airs on Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One



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Squid Game creator says he ‘lost nine teeth’ due to stress of show

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Squid Game creator says he ‘lost nine teeth’ due to stress of show


The creator of the hit Netflix drama Squid Game has admitted he lost “eight or nine” teeth because he was so stressed while making the series.

The South Korean dystopian thriller saw huge success when it debuted in 2021, with Netflix estimating that it was watched by over 142 million households within the first 28 days of release. It sees hundreds of cash-strapped contestants compete in a series of deadly children’s games in an attempt to win a life-changing sum. The second season is set to arrive on Netflix on 26 December this year.

Hwang Dong-hyuk, the show’s creator, told the BBC that he had been so consumed with stress while shooting season one that he had lost nine teeth. It had previously been reported he had lost six.

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Initially, the director’s experience of the workload meant that he didn’t want to shoot a second series, but the prospect of earning money changed his mind.

“Even though the first series was such a huge global success, honestly I didn’t make much,” he said. “So doing the second series will help compensate me for the success of the first one too.”

“And I didn’t fully finish the story,” he added.

Since almost every character was killed off in the last series, the director has to start from the beginning, and create a whole new cast from scratch, as well as a new set of games.

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Hwang Dong-hyuk pictured in 2024

Hwang Dong-hyuk pictured in 2024 (Getty Images)

The show’s fictional previous winner, Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae), will re-enter the game on a mission to bring it down and save the latest round of contestants.

The second series may also offer viewers some answers to their burning questions, such as what is motivating the masked Front Man who runs the game, and why the game exists.

Last November, the streamer debuted the first season of its spin-off reality game series, Squid Game: The Challenge, which similarly saw 456 money-desperate individuals compete in various children’s games, based on those featured in the show, for a chance to win $4.56m – the biggest jackpot in TV history.

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‘Squid Game’ season 2

‘Squid Game’ season 2 (JuHan Noh for Netflix)

A week later, The Challenge was renewed for a second season.

Squid Game was not only a massive hit with viewers, but with the Television Academy’s voting body as well.

It became the first non-English language drama series not only to receive several nominations in major categories at the Emmy Awards, including Best Drama, but its star Lee Jung-jae became the first Korean actor to win the Best Actor award.

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Hwang also became the first Asian director to win in the Outstanding Drama Series category and the first ever director to win for a non-English language series.

“It took 12 years to bring the first season of Squid Game to life last year,” Hwang wrote on X in 2022. “But it took 12 days for Squid Game to become the most popular Netflix series ever. As the writer, director, and producer of Squid Game, a huge shout out to fans around the world. Thank you for watching and loving our show.”



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Paul Reiser on returning to stand-up with his first comedy special in over 30 years

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Paul Reiser on returning to stand-up with his first comedy special in over 30 years
Paul Reiser on returning to stand-up with his first comedy special in over 30 years – CBS News

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Comedy legend Paul Reiser is the star of “Mad About You” and “Stranger Things.” He returns to stand-up with “Life, Death, and Rice Pudding,” his first special in more than 30 years.

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Danny Dyer reveals his legendary Brit movie is getting a sequel – 25 YEARS after original film

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Danny Dyer reveals his legendary Brit movie is getting a sequel - 25 YEARS after original film


DANNY Dyer has raised hopes he will reprise his role in the classic club culture film that changed his life – by starring in a sequel to 1999’s controversial movie Human Traffic.

The actor said that making a ‘Human Traffic II’ would be great news for the “old ravers out there”.

Danny Dyer has hinted a classic film he starred in could be getting a sequel

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Danny Dyer has hinted a classic film he starred in could be getting a sequelCredit: Getty
He appeared in Rivals - based on Jilly Cooper's novel - earlier this year

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He appeared in Rivals – based on Jilly Cooper’s novel – earlier this yearCredit: PA
Danny in his first film Human Traffic

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Danny in his first film Human TrafficCredit: Rex

Danny made his film debut playing dealer Moff in the controversial coming-of-age drama.

It followed five friends as they dealt with their relationships and personal demons during a weekend of partying.

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Fans of the original have always hoped for a follow-up.

And Justin Kerrigan, the original’s writer and director, said he spent five years in protracted legal arguments about making one before the attempts floundered a few years ago.

One of the producers, Allan Niblo, said a script was written but it was unsuccessful in securing finance.

But now Danny has said: “Who knows, ladies and gentlemen, for you old ravers out there – and I know you’re out there, you old druggies – there might be a Human Traffic II.

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“Yeah, ‘99 it came out, and then it did change my life for the better.

“You know, all of a sudden, I could prove that I could be in a film, and I could prove that I could sort of be a semi-lead role.

And I had the best character in it, the most hedonistic.”

Speaking on his podcast ‘Live And Let Dyers’, Danny said even the first film was mired in problems – forcing him to work on building sites to make ends meet during delays.

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First look at Danny Dyer’s new ‘Football Factory’ film Marching Powder from liberal swearing to jab at famous movie

He added: “It took two years to come out. The reason it took so long is because it was very controversial. It was a film about hedonism and people taking drugs.

“So while I was waiting for that to come out, I had to go back to the temping agency, and I was a lift operator, pushing buttons in a lift.

“I think I’d mentioned to someone ‘This ain’t really my job, I’ve got a film coming out’. And they laughed in my face – ‘Yeah, course you have, mate’

“How f****** wrong was they?”

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The film was to launch Danny into an acting career that has lasted 30 years and seen him star in The Football Factory, EastEnders and most recently Rivals.

Talking about Human Traffic, he added: “I went to a premiere and I was like ‘Wow!’ And it did really well. It did really well.

“People really got it, it really captured that last year of the ‘90s, because the ‘90s is such a mad decade anyway, and it really captured that f****** spirit, that energy.

Danny Dyer’s career so far

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By Conor O’Brien

Danny Dyer has played several film and TV roles across a three-decade acting career.

Here’s a look back at some of his most memorable performances.

  • Prime Suspect (1993): Danny made his screen debut in an episode of the long-running ITV police procedural. He appeared as a character named “Martin Fletcher”.
  • Human Traffic (1999): Danny’s debut film saw him portray “Moff”, a dealer. Directed by Justin Kerrigan, the coming-of-age comedy drama also featured John Simm, Andrew Lincoln and Richard Coyle.
  • Mean Machine (2001): An adaptation of The Longest Yard, this sports comedy also featured Vinnie Jones and Jason Statham. Danny played “Billy the Limpet”.
  • The Football Factory (2004): Loosely based on the novel of the same name by John King. Danny led the cast of this sports drama, directed by Nick Love. He portrayed “Tommy Johnson”.
  • EastEnders (2013-2022): Danny appeared in the London-set BBC soap opera for almost a decade. He played Queen Vic landlord “Mick Carter”, opposite Kellie Bright as his on-screen wife Linda.
  • Rivals (2024): The actor was among an all-star ensemble cast in this Disney+ series based on Jilly Cooper’s novel. Danny played the role of “Freddie Jones”.

“I’m really proud of that film, you know?”

Prior to the film, Danny appeared in the third series of Prime Suspect in 1993, but he said he quickly blew a large chunk of that first pay cheque.

He said: “I got £1,500 for that, and I felt so rich, you know? I bought everyone a kebab.

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“I remember that, up Prince Regent’s Lane. I bought myself some Nike Air Max, because I’d always had hand-me-downs.”

More recently, he is well known for playing Mick Carter in EastEnders

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More recently, he is well known for playing Mick Carter in EastEndersCredit: BBC
Since leaving the BBC soap, he has also appeared in projects including Mr Bigstuff and Heat

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Since leaving the BBC soap, he has also appeared in projects including Mr Bigstuff and HeatCredit: Getty



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Gary Barlow – the inadvertent icon of hun culture, from ‘nice day out’ to massive son

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Gary Barlow – the inadvertent icon of hun culture, from ‘nice day out’ to massive son


Gary Barlow has just arrived in South Africa, ready to fulfil his celebrity national service by embarking on his very own TV travelogue. But first, before he can truly set out on “what promises to be one of [his] greatest tours ever”, the singer must shimmy out of his trainers and into some more comfortable footwear. “I can’t do anything until I’ve got my flip flops on,” he admits cheerily to the camera, his accent still undiluted North West after three decades in showbiz. “The flip flop has landed!” he then exclaims in a stage whisper, holding his hands up to the heavens. 

This early scene from Gary Barlow’s Wine Tour: South Africa, the new ITV daytime show from the Take That star turned royal-approved songwriter turned sometime organic winemaker, feels a bit like watching someone’s affable dad in a family holiday video, albeit one with very high production values. And just like so much of Barlow’s recent output, it also feels destined to become a meme, shared out of context on social media ad infinitum. The same goes for a clip where he pours a cup of tea into a plant pot so that he can swap said beverage for a glass of white wine. Or a moment when he proclaims that he is “having the time” – pause – “and the wine” – second pause, so the rhyme can sink in – “of [his] life”.

Barlow’s accidental reinvention as the king of memes got started in earnest (and earnest does feel like the operative word) earlier this year, when a short clip shared on his Gary Barlow Wines TikTok account ended up enjoying unlikely viral fame on the social media platform. The video in question? It showed the 53-year-old grinning into his phone camera while standing in a vineyard, staying silent for just a beat too long before saying, “This is my idea of a very nice day out,” smiling for a bit longer, then reaching to turn off the recording.

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The “holiday dad” vibes were off the chart, only added to by the slight touch of sunburn that Barlow appeared to have acquired on his jaunt. Inevitably, audio of Barlow started appearing on other people’s posts, as they – often ironically – spelled out their own idea of what constitutes a very nice day out. Brands like Ikea and Aldi jumped on the bandwagon. Every other social media video seemed to feature a Barlow jump scare.

And a quick scroll back through Barlow’s TikTok account featured plenty more inadvertent gold. My personal favourite video has long been the one where Barlow raises a glass of red wine aloft and declares “Happy Galentine’s Day everyone!” Why is Barlow celebrating Galentine’s Day, a Parks and Recreation reference that has snowballed into a “live laugh love”-style celebration of female friendship? Because he surely understands that his successful career has been largely built on the support of his female fans. Or because he knows that Galentine’s is a great excuse to shift a few bottles of his latest rosé. Whoever is running the brand’s social media deserves a pay rise (and a few liberally poured glasses of the sauvignon blush).  

Old pals: Barlow has recruited Jane McDonald for his wine show

Old pals: Barlow has recruited Jane McDonald for his wine show (ITV)

But his next big meme hit, much like the wine, was completely organic. Earlier this month, one X (Twitter) user noticed that the height difference between Barlow and his 24-year-old son Daniel is somewhat pronounced: in one family photo, Daniel towers over his 5ft 7in dad, mum Dawn and younger sister Daisy. Cue endless references to “Gary Barlow’s massive son”, and old photos of Gary himself being repurposed with some very creative captions. A picture of Barlow surrounded by golden confetti became “Gary Barlow standing next to his son eating a croissant”. Another promo shot of Barlow (inexplicably) underwater was reimagined as Barlow “checking the temperature of his son’s bath”. You get the gist. Did the fact that Dan Barlow reportedly stands at 6ft 2in, and is therefore just tall rather than massive, hinder the meme? Not at all. Did social media users lean into the joke so avidly as a way of distracting themselves from the US presidential election? Quite possibly.

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So what is it about Barlow that makes him such a walking, talking meme? There has always been something a little bit Alan Partridge about the star, even during his early boyband days, when he acquired a reputation for being a bit self-serious: we see it in archive footage featured in Netflix’s Robbie Williams documentary, when Barlow explains how he keeps all his song lyrics in a special notebook, then marks them with a gold star if they become a success. The voiceover for Wine Tour may only burnish that reputation. At one point, he declares that “this pairing food and wine business seems as easy as pie” over footage of him eating a pie; and in the “next time on…” montage, he promises that episode two will see him “go kayaking with Michaela Strachan” (a concept that has more than a touch of Partridge’s notorious TV pitch for “youth hostelling with Chris Eubank”). 

Barlow’s penchant for deadpan statements is weirdly well suited to the heavily ironised world of social media, where the banal gets taken out of context and repurposed into something ridiculous. And this new life as an inadvertent social media star, being celebrated for being, well, a cheerful and earnest middle-aged man, has arguably done him good. He’s been able to play up to the memes, showing he might be in on the joke: on the opening night of Take That’s most recent tour in April, he declared the event to be, yes, “a very nice day out”. The band have even launched T-shirts bearing the slogan.

In fact, accidentally becoming the straight, male version of a “hun” is arguably the best PR he has had in years. I’m sure Gary would raise a chilled glass of Savvy B to that.

‘Gary Barlow’s Wine Tour: South Africa’ airs 11 November to 15 November at 2pm on ITV1 and ITVX

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