Entertainment

‘Ponies’ Stars Vic Michaelis and Nicholas Podany Break Down That Mole Reveal and the Choice That Changes Everything for Season 2

Published

5 days ago

30 January 2026

NewsAdmin

Vic Michaelis as Cheryl standing in a room and looking surprised in Ponies

[Editor’s note: The following contains major spoilers for Ponies.]

Summary

In the Peacock spy thriller series ‘Ponies,’ Bea and Twila go from grieving widows to inexperienced CIA spies trying to navigate 1977 Moscow.
In the season finale, the mole is revealed, destroying evidence and leaving chaos to erupt at the CIA.
Ray and Cheryl Szymaski’s fragile marriage masks love, mistrust, and a looming Season 2 mystery.

The Peacock spy thriller series Ponies, set in 1977 Moscow, follows Bea (Emilia Clarke) and Twila (Haley Lu Richardson), two women whose husbands are killed under mysterious circumstances that lead them to become CIA operatives. Bea’s ability to charm and speak fluent Russian is a perfect complement to Twila’s fearless nature and street smarts, but their lack of experience while they’re learning on the job puts them in precariously dangerous situations. And if they’re going to have any chance at survival, they have to be able to trust the lead of the CIA’s spy division, Dane Walter (Adrian Lester), and his team.

As a member of that team, Ray Szymanski (Nicholas Podany) is Dane’s right-hand man while his wife Cheryl (Vic Michaelis) is a secretary for Shep (Andrew Richardson) at the embassy. But when Cheryl kills the nanny and is revealed to actually be the mole that everyone has been trying to hunt down, chaos and fire erupt at the CIA. What comes next will make for a very interesting Season 2, and I know my fingers are crossed that we’ll be hearing about a greenlight soon.

During this interview with Collider, Michaelis (Dropout TV, Very Important People) and Podany discussed their reactions to the way the season played out, how they view Ray and Cheryl’s marriage, getting to improvise and explore their characters together, that rooting for Cheryl’s success at villainy is just the most fun option, killing Eevi (Clare Hughes), how Ray might react to learning the truth about Cheryl, wanting to get out in the field more, what all of this could mean for a possible Season 2, and their most memorable moments with Clarke and Richardson. Michaelis also talked about whether Twila, Bea or Cheryl would make the best guest on Very Important People, and whether they tortured any of your castmates on set as much as Sam Reich.

Collider: First of all, congratulations on the series. It’s getting a lot of buzz and people, including myself, are hoping for a Season 2. If at all possible, I want to will that into existence, after the way the season ended.

VIC MICHAELIS: I so appreciate you saying that. We’re really hoping so. Every little bit of goodwill into the universe helps.

You can’t leave it there. It’s just not fair. That would just be rude, if you left it there.

MICHAELIS and NICHOLAS PODANY: (Both laugh)

Vic Michaelis Screamed on the Plane Trip To Shoot in Hungary While Reading the ‘Ponies’ Finale Script

“Truly, it was such a shock.”

Did you guys go into this knowing the full arc for your characters? How much did you know about where all of this was heading? Do you feel like you had any sense of where it would end up?

MICHAELIS: I signed on very late for this, so I got the scripts on the plane on the way to Hungary to begin filming. I was somewhere over the ocean, getting through the end of episode eight, and I screamed on the plane. Truly, it was such a shock, in the best possible way. It’s an absolute dream character for me to get to come in and be a little bit mean, but then also have a little bit of dramatic stuff to get to do and then also be the villain. It’s so fun.

PODANY: What’s amazing about that is just the fact that you found out that soon to filming. If you just watch the series back a second time and you watch Vic’s performance, you can see it. It’s brilliant. It’s so good on a second watch of going back through and going, “Aha!”

MICHAELIS: That’s really kind, but that’s the writing. Everything is there in the character already. It does logically make sense.

PODANY: A friend pointed out to me that you don’t like music. You say it gives you a headache when I turn it on because you don’t want music playing.

MICHAELIS: Yeah.

PODANY: My friend pointed that out to me.

MICHAELIS: I was so mad about the concert. I wanted to go to the concert.

PODANY: Yeah, it’s crazy.

“Someone Saved My Life Tonight” Episode 108 — Pictured: (l-r) Haley Lu Richardson as Twila, Emilia Clarke as Bea in Ponies.

‘Ponies’ Review: Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson Deliver a Gripping Spy Thriller With a Perfect Final Shot

Two unlikely spies navigate danger and betrayal in this wild ’70s-era series.

Vic, you’ve previously talked about how you think Cheryl thinks of herself as somebody that is powerful and holds weight in the world and has value to the people around her, but that that’s also not true. She sees herself in a way that doesn’t match her reality. How do you think she views who she is in her marriage?

MICHAELIS: I think she views herself as a literal perfect wife who has done absolutely everything and gone above and beyond for what she is expected to do, especially in Moscow, where you can’t go to the salon and none of those things are accessible to you. She’s in new outfits all the time, and I think she views that as her wifely duty. I really think that she thinks that a lot of being a wife is about the aesthetic and doing the wifely duties, and I think she performs those exactly as expected. She fills and checks every single box with her little gel pen. It’s that space between realizing that there are other things that you can’t necessarily quantify that go into a relationship and realizing that you have to continue building, and you have to earn those things. A lot of that space is where the current unhappiness is coming from, from Cheryl’s perspective. I’d be so curious what you think, Nick, on that.

PODANY: I think we, as a marriage, are so comfortable in the arguments and in the disagreements. That’s how life works and that’s how our marriage is. I would so much rather be content in that than rock the boat and risk any kind of discomfort in my personal life, especially because Ray’s job is so deeply uncomfortable for who he is, as a person. I think having a very stable place to come home is the only thing he wants. If it’s Cheryl being mad at him all the time, then that’s what it is and that’s okay by him. I think he’s a very lost guy who needs to stay present and in the situation he’s in. Otherwise, the entire Jenga tower would just topple, and that would be that.

‘Ponies’ Co-Stars Nicholas Podany and Vic Michaelis Believe That Ray and Cheryl Really Do Love Each Other

“There is some love liquid there, underneath it all.”

Vic Michaelis as Cheryl standing in her living room in front of the curtain in Ponies

What did the two of you most enjoy about finding and exploring the relationship between your characters? What was the best part of having each other to find that with?

PODANY: When I first read this, I was like, “How will this character ever work?,” in terms of Cheryl. This person doesn’t really seem to have a redeeming quality.” And then, at the first table read, it immediately clicked. I was like, “Oh, my God, she’s an icon. She’s a housewife diva. You root for her and her and her antics and her feeling of being unjustly treated.” And so, the very first day that we were shooting at the Christmas party, just immediately Vic went into improv. They were like, “Okay, just improv your way into the scene,” and every single take was a brand-new way to get under Ray’s skin and to devalue the romantics of the relationship. It was amazing because all I needed to do was just smile and laugh. It was this brilliant thing that Vic brought to the character and to the set. Oh, my God, it was all them. It was insane.

MICHAELIS: No, that’s not true at all, but that’s so kind. [We] had a conversation really early on that I think was really informative and will be the base moving forward. I think these two do love each other. They’re just so lost as to how to communicate that to each other anymore. It’s that status quo and that being the most important thing, but if you really were to strip all that away, there is a base that’s green and boiling. There is some love liquid there, underneath it all, that is beautiful.

PODANY: Give them therapy for five years and they’ll figure it out. There are moments in the show where we get to show that. They’re fleeting, but those were my favorite scenes.

MICHAELIS: It was great. It was awesome.

‘Ponies’ Creators Unpack Those Finale Twists and Tease “More Complicated Loyalties” for Season 2 and Beyond

Creators Susanna Fogel and David Iserson unpack the finale’s biggest gut-punches, Bea and Twila’s new leverage, and why trust gets messier.

Vic, to get a little silly for a minute, would you want Twila, Bea, or Cheryl on Very Important People, and who do you think would be the best?

MICHAELIS: Oh, okay. That is really tricky. We’re talking the characters? The character is getting in hair and makeup as another character. Cheryl would try the hardest, that’s for sure. But Cheryl would also be really concerned about doing it wrong, in my opinion. So then, that leaves Bea and Twila. Nick, what do you think, gut reaction?

PODANY: Cheryl.

MICHAELIS: No, not Cheryl. Cheryl, I genuinely think, would be an untenable guest. She’d get on set and be like, “I’m not putting that on my face. There’s not a chance.” She would refuse to cooperate. I think Twila, in the opposite direction, would have some of that because she wouldn’t care enough. So, I think that maybe leaves Bea. I think Bea would earnestly be a quiet hitter. A homerun, but it’s so quiet.

Vic, did you torture any of your castmates on set as much as you torture Sam Reich?

MICHAELIS: I’d constantly set traps for people on set. They’d be like, “Let me out of the tree” and I’d say, “No. Not until you give me a dollar.” It was really fun though. Everybody was so wonderful and so sweet. It’s such a cliche, but we really had such a good time. We sang a lot of karaoke. Nick, at one point, set up a live band karaoke for us, where he just learned a bunch of music in a week. There’s a band in episode four at the party, and that band turned into a real band.

PODANY: I got this band of these great Hungarian musicians to come to this club, and I got submissions from the entire cast and crew of songs that they wanted to sing and we set up a band. We literally had the best time.

MICHAELIS: It was great. It was amazing.

‘Ponies’ Star Vic Michaelis Thinks It’s Fun To Root for the Villain

“It was so fun.”

Vic Michaelis as Cheryl opening the door of her home and looking at someone on the other side in Ponies

Everything really comes crashing down in the finale. One of the biggest questions this season, with who is the mole, is answered and we learn that it’s Cheryl. Vic, how did you feel about Cheryl having the tracking device taken into the vault to then have it explode and destroy all that evidence? When your character does something like that, do you cheer on their creativity or do you want to scold them for their bad choices?

MICHAELIS: It’s so curious. I have my own ideas, obviously, of how Cheryl ended up in this situation. From a person that is closely tied to this character and is, of course, having to root for their success because it is the most fun option in this situation, it was a ballet. By the time that device gets into the ambassador’s hands, all of a sudden, Cheryl can start showing emotion because it’s like, “I did it! Oh, my God, I did it! Here we go. Can you even believe it?” Personally, I think it’s kind of fun to root for a villain, especially in a situation like that. It’s so fun. Make more fun TV. I love this. It was so fun. It was so good.

Were you surprised that Cheryl actually killed the nanny? Do you think she knows more about the nanny than she’s saying? Was it just instinct? Was it a loose end? How did you rationalize that?

MICHAELIS: (Creators) David [Iserson] and Susanna [Fogel] have gone on record saying that they’ve left it ambiguous. But I think Cheryl kills the nanny, at the end of the day, for the family. I think that legitimately is the motivation there is because now, at this point, it is like looking down the barrel. I do think Eevi staying alive messes up her son and her husband and her life. I think she kills Eevi because if Eevi wakes up and starts talking, and they find out that Eevi was not the mole, that then can affect Cheryl’s family, and I think that is a motivation worth killing for.

Peacock’s Near-Perfect Spy Thriller Is Surging on Streaming — and the Finale Twist Changes Everything

The wife of the great khal has another husband to mourn.

Nick, at the end of the season, the CIA isn’t aware of who the mole is. Even Ray is unaware that it’s Cheryl. How will that affect things? How do you think he’ll feel about that? What do you want to see with him in Season 2?

PODANY: I think he spent the entire season being very stubborn to his own moral compass. I think he knows exactly who he’s loyal to. I think he knows exactly what this job means to him and what his family means to him. He’s got a list of people he trusts. And then, the rest of the world, no, but that list is stuck in his brain forever. For the rest of the characters, in this whole thing, we learn that the technique of being a spy always gets you in trouble, and yet Ray has lived with it and thrived on it for a long time. Given that he’s an analyst in the CIA, he’s not usually boots on the ground. He’s able to distance himself. So, it would be really cool to see him thrown into the middle of the action and learning that trust gets you in some real hot water in this kind of world. I’m really excited to see how his kindly manner will mix with that information.

The ‘Ponies’ Set Embraced a Vibe of Fun and Joy While the Cast Got To Play and Shake Things Up

“I adore every person in this cast.”

Aside from working with each other, you’re also sharing scenes with Emilia Clarke and Haley Lu Richardson. Do you guys each have a favorite moment or scene that you had with one of them from the season?

PODANY: The bubble, where it’s me, Adrian [Lester], Emilia and Haley, was the crew’s least favorite place to film because we wouldn’t be able to get through a scene. We’d just start laughing. It was really hard to get through sequences because the four of us would just have giggle fits all the time. I adore every person in this cast because of their work ethic, but also just this incredible capacity for fun and joy. I think trying to stifle creativity by making something really serious and really hard-framed and where you know exactly what you’re going to do in every take just completely stifles the joy and ultimately the beauty of the project. And so, my favorite thing about working with them was just the ability to fuck with things and have a great time doing it.

MICHAELIS: I love that. I didn’t know we could cuss. There we go. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I didn’t have a place for it, I just wanted to do it to make sure that was on record.

PODANY: I’m a pretty cool guy. I swear sometimes.

MICHAELIS: I didn’t know, but now I know. There you go. My favorite scene is also the first one that we filmed. It was me, Haley, and Tom [Stourton], who played George. In the second episode, we’re at this discotheque and we’re literally pushing through fog and into the discotheque, and Haley just leans over to me and goes, “This is a movie.” I feel like when you’re an actor, before you ever step on set, you have a dream of what filming a movie is going to be like and it’s often like you’re living in the final product that you’re seeing. And that was a moment where it really was like, “Oh, yeah, we are literally experiencing filming and simultaneously living a movie right now.” It really was absolutely crazy, walking through all this fog with all these characters pushing through, and then being in this bustling discotheque. And they actually had the sound on for the first little bit, so that way we could get the feel for it. A little movie magic, they don’t often have the sound on when they’re playing music, so that you can hear dialogue and stuff like that. It was incredible. It was crazy.

Release Date: Advertisement

January 15, 2026
Network: Peacock
Directors: Ally Pankiw, Susanna Fogel, Viet Nguyen
Writers: Advertisement

Carolyn Cicalese, Susanna Fogel, David Iserson, Adrian Lester, Emilia Clarke, Haley Lu Richardson, Jordan J. Riggs, Rosa Handelman

Ponies is available to stream on Peacock.

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Savannah Guthrie’s Brother-In-Law ‘May Be’ Prime Suspect in Nancy’s Kidnapping

Published

6 minutes ago

4 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Savannah Guthrie’s Missing Mom
Brother-In-Law Could Be Prime Suspect
… Ashleigh Banfield Says

Published
February 4, 2026
4:42 AM PST
|
Updated
February 4, 2026
5:51 AM PST

Ashleigh Banfield x Drop Dead Serious

There’s a stunning twist in the kidnapping of ‘TODAY’ anchor Savannah Guthrie‘s mother Nancy … her son-in-law might be the prime suspect, according to Ashleigh Banfield.

Banfield — the former host of Banfield on NewsNation — reported Tuesday night … Tommaso Cioni has been identified by police as the possible suspect in the case, citing a trusted law enforcement source.

The veteran journalist says Cioni is married to Savannah’s sister Annie — and the two were the last people to see Nancy on Saturday night. Annie reportedly had dinner with Nancy that night … but it’s unclear if Cioni was also present.

As you know, Nancy’s family called police Sunday after they got word she didn’t show up to her regular Sunday church service.

Now, Banfield says investigators have towed Annie’s car, which has “some connection” to 50-year-old Cioni. Banfield adds that all the cameras at Nancy’s Tucson, Arizona home were smashed in.

NewsNation

Earlier Tuesday, NewsNation published a video showing a trail of blood leading to the front steps of Nancy’s house. The Los Angeles Times also reports that blood was found at the crime scene, which belonged to Nancy.

TMZ was sent an alleged ransom note from an unknown person or persons who demanded payment in exchange for Nancy’s release. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are investigating whether the note is authentic.

TMZ.com

Police say Nancy was kidnapped from her home in the middle of the night over the weekend. Investigators are working fast to find Nancy … believing time is of the essence. She’s 84, in poor health, and without her daily medication.

We reached out to Cioni for comment … so far no word back.

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Ashley Graham Nailed the Shaggy Coat Trend — Shop the Look

Published

19 minutes ago

4 February 2026

NewsAdmin

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Your outerwear says a lot about you, and Ashley Graham’s shaggy coat proves the model isn’t afraid to get a little glam. . . even when the rest of her outfit is casual. She’s inspiring Us to take the same approach to winter style, because life’s too short to skip out on faux-fur, right? Not only did we find a fuzzy lookalike for her runway-worthy layer, but we’re ready to help you style it to nail the supermodel’s vibe.

In an Instagram post, Graham showed off a white faux-fur coat, which she layered over a black sweatshirt, completing the look with sunglasses and an animal-print bag. With her hair slicked back and the hood pulled up, the 38-year-old couldn’t look more like a jet-setting, off-duty model if she tried. Her outfit proved that you can wear a shaggy coat with anything, whether you’re dressing up or keeping things low-key. Thankfully, you can achieve the same statement-making look with the Cozypoin Faux-Fur Jacket.

Get Cozypoin Faux-Fur Jacket for $57 (originally $67) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

The Amazon faux-fur jacket features all-over fuzz and a dramatic collar, just like Graham’s. You can certainly wear the piece open, but it also comes with metal snaps to keep it closed. We love the length, which is neither too long nor too short, making it the ideal everyday look. The jacket’s relaxed fit is a bonus, too, making it easy to throw over a bulkier sweater.

To get the Graham vibe, go with beige or off-white. However, the Cozypoin jacket also comes in other neutrals, like black, brown and gray, and even more vibrant alternatives such as pink and wine.

There’s something super glamorous about this outerwear style, and Amazon shoppers agree, noting that this budget-friendly design is equal parts chic and comfortable.

“This jacket is super soft and warm,” one five-star reviewer shared. “It looks really cute on and feels much nicer than I expected for the price. It’s comfortable to wear and works well for casual outings in cooler weather. I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on it.”

“It was fluffy out of the package and had no smell. People think it’s real fur,” another happy buyer wrote. “The price is great for the quality and beauty. It’s truly striking, I feel like a million bucks in it.”

You don’t need a special occasion to break out a picturesque shaggy coat. As Graham proved, the right one can make even the most casual outfits look incredible.

Get Cozypoin Faux-Fur Jacket for $57 (originally $67) at Amazon! Please note, prices are accurate as of the publishing date but are subject to change.

Looking for something else? Explore more faux-fur jackets here and don’t forget to check out all of Amazon’s Daily Deals for more great finds!

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The 13 best serial killer shows streaming on Netflix

Published

32 minutes ago

4 February 2026

NewsAdmin

As the streamer corners the market on murder content, here are the serious series worth your time.

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Dog the Bounty Hunter’s Stepson Faces Life in Prison After Shooting Son

Published

47 minutes ago

4 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Duane “Dog the Bounty Hunter” Chapman’s stepson Gregory Zecca is facing life behind bars if convicted of aggravated manslaughter after fatally shooting his teenage son.

Florida’s Collier County Sheriff’s Office posted an update on the July 2025 incident via Facebook on Tuesday, February 3, stating that Zecca accidentally shot his child, Anthony, 13, in the family’s Naples, Florida, apartment while allegedly under the influence of alcohol. Local Southwest Florida news outlet WINK News was first to report on the update.

Per the Sheriff’s Office, Zecca, 39, was taken into custody “on a warrant for aggravated manslaughter of a child with a firearm and using a firearm while under the influence,” which could result in a life sentence.

A Collier County police investigation into Zecca, who is the son of Dog’s wife, Francie Chapman, from a previous marriage, found that Zecca allegedly “consumed alcohol over several hours at a local establishment, purchased more alcohol, and later used both alcohol and marijuana at a friend’s residence.”

Zecca and his son were “watching a UFC fight on TV at the time.”

Law enforcement also reported that Zecca “repeatedly handled a firearm in his son’s presence, practicing drawing it from his waistband and dry-firing.” The firearm had “initially been made safe by removing the magazine and clearing a live round from the chamber.”

Further detail stated that the magazine was put back into the firearm before Zecca “discharged a single shot” that struck Anthony.

Sheriff Kevin Rambosk stated in the update that the event “was a heartbreaking and preventable tragedy.”

Rambosk added, “Our detectives conducted an exhaustive and thorough investigation, examining every element of what happened through witness statements, forensic testing, subpoenas, search warrants, and more.”

Police officials also noted that deputies who arrived at the scene “detected the odor of alcohol on Zecca and observed marijuana in plain view.”

A subsequent toxicology report estimated Zecca’s “blood-alcohol concentration to be approximately 0.116 at the time of the shooting, above Florida’s legal limit of 0.08.”

Zecca was placed on a psychiatric hold following the shooting. A family representative told TMZ one day after the incident occurred that Zecca was “under observation on a 5150 hold,” which meant that he had been involuntarily detained for 72 hours after being deemed “a danger to themselves, to others, or gravely disabled,” per Clear Behavior Health.

The rep also told the outlet at the time that the hold was instigated because Zecca was “overcome with grief” and not because he felt guilty of a crime.

Dog released a statement via the outlet in the shooting’s aftermath. “We are grieving as a family over this incomprehensible tragic accident and would ask for continued prayers as we grieve the loss of our beloved grandson, Anthony,” Dog and Francie both wrote at the time.

Zecca also disabled his Instagram account after the incident. Prior to the account’s disappearance, Zecca had posted photos of himself with Anthony, including one image that showed the pair at a shooting range.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

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Why Taylor Swift Is Going to ‘Kill’ Travis Kelce for Breaking Item

Published

1 hour ago

4 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Travis Kelce may have quite literally landed himself in fiancée Taylor Swift’s bad books.

During a Tuesday, February 2, teaser clip for the following day’s episode of Travis, 36, and older brother Jason Kelce’s podcast, “New Heights,” the Chiefs tight end fell back in his chair, landing with an audible crash on the ground.

A red-faced Travis, who had been enthusiastically laughing at a comment made by Jason, 38, regarding the trotting out of “best in show” dogs, joked after his fall, “Taylor’s going to kill me.”

As both brothers cracked up over the mishap, and Travis regained balance on his chair, Jason laughed even harder at his younger brother’s candid comment regarding Swift, 36.

A caption that accompanied the teaser clip, shared via X, that read, “Warning: This week’s episode is dangerously funny. Tomorrow. Super Bowl preview with two special guests.”

Travis’ light-hearted comment comes just two weeks after he joked that the pop star would “kill” him for yet another reason. While sharing fan reactions to a fresh “New Heights” merch drop, a listener commented, “I can’t believe none of the new hoodies are called ‘New Heights of Man-Hoodie,’” which drew blank expressions from Travis and Jason.

When the duo’s intern reminded them that the comment was a reference to Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl,” as “New Heights” is name-dropped on the album’s “Wood,” Travis offered a tongue-in-cheek response.

“I didn’t understand that,’ he said. “Taylor’s gonna kill me for not knowing that.”

Despite the jokes, Travis and Swift, who got engaged in August 2025 after dating for two years, have enjoyed quality time together in recent weeks. Stepping out for a rare public date night in Los Angeles on January 12, the pair were seen heading to dinner at Beverly Hills restaurant Funke. Captured in photos obtained by TMZ at the time, Swift rocked a gray blazer while Travis wore a green, brown and tan bowling shirt as they exited a vehicle and entered the restaurant.

The outing comes amid speculation over the future of Travis’ football career, with the NFL star rumored to be edging towards retirement. While no official announcement has been made, his teammates seemed to kick off farewell celebrations during the January 4 Chiefs game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

According to an article published by local news outlet Kansas City Star after the game, which saw the Raiders win 14-12, third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun extended his hand out to Travis in the locker room. “Man, thank you,” Oladokun, 28, reportedly said to him.

Additionally, the outlet reported that linebacker Cole Christiansen also said to Travis: “Whatever happens, it’s been an honor playing with you.”

Travis said on the January 7 episode of “New Heights” that he’s looking forward to “being a regular human” once he’s done playing football. “Every season ends for me, I just put my feet up and I be a human, because I’ve been putting my body through the wringer for the love of it,” he told Jason during the show.

He continued, “I do enjoy playing football and the physical aspect of it, I think there’s something about feeling the wear and tear of the football season, just getting ready for a game knowing your body’s f***ing beat down. I think there’s something to it, it makes you just feel like a mangy animal that’s out here just finding a way to survive.”

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Meghan Markle’s As Ever Products Given To Netflix Staff For Free

Published

1 hour ago

4 February 2026

NewsAdmin

Meghan Markle attend the Commonwealth Service with the Royal family

Netflix employees in Los Angeles are enjoying free products from Meghan Markle‘s lifestyle brand, As Ever, which includes jams, candles, wine, and her signature flower petal sprinkles.

The products, tied to her Netflix series “With Love, Meghan,” reportedly remain at the offices mainly for promotional purposes after most inventory was moved to a warehouse.

Meghan Markle launched the brand in partnership with Netflix, and insiders say it continues to sell out quickly, with plans for global expansion.

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Netflix Staff Taking Home Free Products From Meghan Markle’s Lifestyle Brand, As Ever

James Whatling / MEGA

According to Page Six, Netflix staff in Los Angeles have been enjoying products from Meghan’s lifestyle brand, As Ever.

Two storage rooms at the streamer’s Hollywood campus reportedly hold jars of jam, candles, wine, and Meghan’s signature flower petal sprinkles, and staff are said to be taking the products home freely.

“Apparently, there are two storage rooms packed with As ever product. They’re literally just giving it away to employees,” a source told the news outlet. “One (staffer) walked out with 10 products for free.”

Despite the giveaways, most of As Ever’s inventory was moved to a separate warehouse long ago. What remains at Netflix is primarily for promotional purposes, including gifting and sampling.

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The presence of the products at the offices stems from Meghan’s partnership with Netflix, which helped launch the lifestyle range after she abandoned the original name, American Riviera Orchard, due to a trademark dispute.

The products were tied to her Netflix series, “With Love, Meghan,” which will not return for a third season after ratings dropped.

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The Duchess’s Lifestyle Brand Denied Struggling To Sell After Glitch Reveals Massive Unsold Inventory

MEGA

Last month, Meghan’s team denied claims that the business was struggling after a website glitch briefly revealed hundreds of thousands of unsold items: about 220,000 jars of jam, 30,000 jars of honey, 90,000 candles, 80,000 tins of flower sprinkles, and roughly 70,000 bottles of wine, including rosé, sauvignon blanc, and brut sparkling wine.

As Ever’s products carry premium price tags, too. The duchess’s jams and teas sell for $14, honey is $32 per jar, candles go for $64, rosé costs $35, and sparkling wine is $89 a bottle.

The brand’s current Valentine’s Day set combines chocolate, strawberry, and raspberry spreads, hibiscus tea, a water lotus and sandalwood-scented candle, and flower sprinkles for $185.

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Reddit users discovered a glitch allowing them to calculate maximum stock levels by adding large quantities of products to their carts, but sources close to Meghan say the brand is preparing for international expansion, not struggling.

A source told People Magazinethat “the glitch that led to this data being revealed points to a business that isn’t just successful — it’s flying, literally off the shelf.”

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Meghan Markle’s Lifestyle Brand Soars As Debut Rosé Sells Out

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Insiders claim the Duchess of Sussex, who retains a first-look deal with Netflix alongside her husband, Prince Harry, is now focusing on expanding her lifestyle brand and may continue releasing occasional holiday specials.

During an interview for Bloomberg Originas’ “The Circuit with Emily Chang,” Meghan said her debut rosé sold out in under an hour, and the brand increased inventory for a second seasonal drop, which also sold quickly.

“When you sell out that quickly, actually, it’s a double-edged sword, because it’s an incredible thing to happen for any small business and any startup, and at the same time, you don’t get the same metrics and learnings about which products are the most coveted, because it’s all gone immediately,” she explained.

The Duchess Of Sussex Plans Global Expansion Of Her Business

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Meghan, during her chat with Emily Chang, shared that the initial launch of products prompted a rapid scale-up due to the goods selling out quickly.

“[We] thought for sure that would at least last for a couple weeks,” she noted. “That sold out in a couple hours.”

Meghan continued, “And suddenly, the conversation goes from, at the start of this year, talking about a few thousand jars and lids, to ‘We need to do a purchase order of a million.’ And that’s a huge jump in just a few months of starting a business.”

When asked about global expansion, the royal swiftly confirmed, “Yes, absolutely.”

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Meghan Markle’s Netflix Series May Not Return For A Third Season

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While Meghan’s lifestyle brand grows and flourishes, her lifestyle series “With Love, Meghan” may not come back for a third season.

“It’s not returning as a series. There have been conversations about holiday specials, but there’s nothing in the works yet,” a source told Page Six.

A second insider stated that the Duchess of Sussex will instead focus on her lifestyle brand As Ever, while another noted that “people will see similar cooking and crafting” on her social media pages, but they will be “more bite-sized.”

Speaking to People about the lifestyle series, a source confirmed at there are “currently no plans for a third season.”

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Entertainment

Savannah Guthrie pulls out of hosting 2026 Winter Olympics coverage amid ongoing search for missing mother

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4 February 2026

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The “Today” anchor’s 84-year-old mother was reported missing Feb. 1.

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Carrie Underwood Gets Emotional Over Postpartum Depression Song

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2 hours ago

4 February 2026

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Carrie Underwood was brought to tears during one particularly moving American Idol audition.

During the Monday, February 2, episode of the reality singing competition, Underwood and her fellow judges, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan, listened to season 24 hopeful Hannah Harper perform her original song “String Cheese.”

After explaining that the song was written as a reflection of her experience with postpartum depression, Harper drew an emotional response from Underwood, 42.

“That’s about the most relatable song I think I’ve ever heard,” the American Idol season 4 winner, who shares sons Isaiah, 10, and Jacob, 7, with husband Mike Fisher, said. “You might be my favorite person that’s walked through those doors.”

Underwood continued, “You’re one that I’m going to think about when we leave here. I’m going to be rooting for you. I loved everything about everything you just did.”

The judging trio then approved Harper’s progression to the next round of auditions.

Harper’s song’s lyrics read, “Hot Wheels and little people under my feet / Babies crying, it’s pure chaos, but I don’t miss a beat / Always knew that a nine to five wouldn’t suit me very good / But my hours are extended, that’s just motherhood.”

Of her lyricism, Harper, a mother of three, told Underwood, Richie, 76, and Bryan, 49, that her words flowed after sharing a poignant moment at home with one of her children. “I was sitting on my couch wallowing … and you have boys, you know, everybody wants to touch you,” she explained. “I didn’t want to be touched. I was just having a pity party, praying that the Lord would calm my spirit.”

Harper continued, “My son kept coming up to me, ‘Mom, open this. Mom, open my cheese.’ I’m like, ‘Leave me alone with the dadgum cheese.”

Harper added that once she opened her son’s string cheese, she felt significant maternal responsibility. “I realized that God had put me in that place,” she told the judges. “That where I was in my house was the biggest ministry that I could ever have.”

Underwood said during a 2016 interview with Redbook magazine — when the country music singer was tackling toddler life — that working mothers need to “ask for help.” She told the outlet at the time, “Accepting help is hard for me, but I’m learning. Sometimes I feel guilty that this is my son’s life: We live on a bus and we’re in a hotel room and sometimes we’re in the middle of nowhere and it’s not so great. It’s not all glamorous. We have a nanny who helps out, especially when we’re on the road. But I’d feel guilty asking someone to watch him at home while I run to the grocery store.”

Three years later, Underwood took to Instagram to share further honest insight into her parenting journey, admitting that she can be “hard” on herself. A 2019 gym selfie included the caption, “I go into the gym and I can’t run as fast or as far. I can’t lift as much weight or do as many reps as I could a year ago. I just want to feel like myself again … for my body to feel the way that I know it can.”

After coming to the realization that she needed to go easier on herself, Underwood concluded at the time, “I’m going to take it day by day, smile at the girl in the mirror, and work out because I love this body and all it has done and will continue to do.”

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