THEY think it’s all makeover . . . it is here, with this gallery of famous faces virtually unrecognisable in TV and movie roles.

Hollywood starlet Sydney Sweeney, 27, has shocked fans by posting a shot of herself with straggly brown hair and bulging biceps after working out to play former US boxer Christy Martin in an upcoming biopic.

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It came in sharp contrast to the Euphoria beauty’s usual blonde look.

But as wigs, prosthetics and body transformations evolve, she is far from the first movie A-lister to get a whole new appearance for a role.

Here, Thea Jacobs challenges you – with a few helpful clues – to match these shots from filming to the stars below.

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Answers – disguised stars revealed

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Pokémon voice actor Rica Matsumoto has addressed rumours that the popular anime ended because of a rift between its leading stars.

Matsumoto, played the voice of Ash Ketchum, a young boy who pursues his dream of becoming the best at the monster based battle game.

Accompanied by his sidekick and beloved Pikachu, voiced by actor Ikue Otani, Ketchum goes on a series of adventures that have spanned over 1,300 episodes. The popular show first aired in 1997, and came to an end last year.

Last week, Game Freak, one of the co-owners of the Pokémon franchise, was subject to a huge data breach, leading to the details of thousands of employees being leaked.

Among the information was a leaked transcript that is alleged to point to “strained relations” between Matsumoto and Otani.

According to Dexerto, the leaks claimed that the company had considered recasting Matsumoto due to the tension between her and Otani impacting the morale of the team.

Matsumoto responded to the claims saying “someone is making this up”.

In a post on X/Twitter, she wrote: “Don’t worry, nothing like this has happened. I’ve been friends with Iku-chan since she was a newbie, and she even came as a guest on Rika’s fan club tour.

“For those of you who don’t know me, I wonder if you enjoy writing something like this. No one is happy about it. I think it’s in poor taste and childish.”

Fans posted their support in the comments as one wrote, “That’s right. Rika Matsumoto and Ikue Otani have always been the two of them as Satoshi and Pikachu, so the bond between Satoshi and Pikachu will never be broken!”

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Another added: “I am so happy that you and Ōtani-san are still good friends. I have ignored (and will continue to ignore) these supposed leaks, and I am glad that you have too.”

The post that purported to reveal the leaks has since been deleted. However, the anime community have continued to speculate that there may be some truth to the suggestions with Otani reprising her role as Pikachu in Pokemon Horizons, while Matsumoto does not appear to be returning.

EMMERDALE newcomer Samantha Power has teased a future return for Tina Dingle after she took over the role.

Viewers watched stunned tonight as Tina made her dramatic comeback – 28 years after her last appearance.

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Only this time she wasn’t played by original star Jacqueline Pirie, instead Samantha Power has taken over the role.

The Brassic and Ackerly Bridge actress crashed the funeral before clashing with her on-screen family.

And despite Tina being carted off by the police for breaching her probation – she will be back – and it may not be for just a short stint.

Asked if she wants to make a return following her stint, Samantha said: “Definitely! 

”Emmerdale is an amazing place to work and Tina is just fantastic to play so I would love the opportunity to come back and cause more mischief.”

Samantha also opened up about her nerves on taking the role.

She said: “Yes! I absolutely do remember Jaqueline who played Tina. She was absolutely fantastic, I remember her character vividly! So I am very lucky to get the chance to pick up where she left off!

“I was so nervous. It’s an iconic role to fill so I wanted to do it justice.

“My husband said he had never known me to be this nervous! My first scene on my first day was at the graveside with ALL the Dingles! That’s a lot right! 

“Luckily everyone was so nice and welcoming! I have to say a special shout out to Lisa Riley, the nicest human being! 

“When I met her at the screen test I felt so safe, she couldn’t have been more giving and supportive and encouraging and that continued daily on set! I loved working with her!”

However Tina is hiding a big secret – that’s connected to Mandy – with actress Lisa Riley teasing it would develop into a big story for her character.

And now Tina has made it clear she wants her share of Wishing Well cottage – will she get it?

Samantha added: “Well, she has no filters and she will literally do anything to make sure she gets her way including her claim to the house. She is not one to be trusted! I loved it!”

And she added that Tina would meeet her match in brother Cain and cousin Mandy.

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Everything you need to know about Emmerdale

“With Mandy and Cain for sure!” she said. 

“Tina is really good at manipulating people, especially the Dingles so I don’t think any of them are safe.”

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Dave Bautista has mocked Donald Trump’s “tough guy” pose, calling the presidential candidate “a weak, tubby toddler.”

Bautista, 55, rose to fame as a WWE wrestler before building a career as an action star in movies including Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, the James Bond film Spectre and both instalments of Dune.

On last night’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, late-night host Kimmel quoted a recent New York Times poll that found Trump is leading rival candidate Kamala Harris by 17 points among male voters. “But is he the strong, alpha man these men believe him to be?” asked Kimmel. “Not according to one of the toughest guys I know, he isn’t.”

Bautista then presented a short segment while working out in a gym. “A lot of men seem to think that Donald Trump is some kind of tough guy,” said the former wrestler. “He’s not.”

The Dune star went on to point out several of Trump’s frailties, including the fact that “he wears more makeup than Dolly Parton,” had “his daddy pay a doctor to say his widdle feet hurt so he could dodge the draft” and has a gut that looks like “a garbage bag full of buttermilk.”

Bautista went on to mock Trump for selling “imaginary baseball cards pretending to be a cowboy fireman” when in fact “the guy is barely strong enough to hold an umbrella.”

Bautista concluded the segment by listing various things that Trump is afraid of, including “rain,” “dogs,” and “Meryl f***ing Streep,” before adding: “Mostly he’s terrified that real, red-blooded American men will find out that he’s a weak, tubby toddler.”

Elsewhere in the episode, Kimmel roasted Trump for declaring himself to be the “father of IVF” during an all-female town hall on Fox News.

During the Cumming, Georgia, town hall, with moderator Harris Faulkner, which aired on Wednesday, Trump labeled Alabama Senator Katie Britt “a fantastically attractive person,” before telling the crowd: “I’m the father of IVF.”

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The GOP presidential candidate’s campaign later said he was joking.

“So they loaded in the women, about 100 women – this is the first time Grover Cleveland has been around this many women since they started padlocking the doors at Miss Teen USA – and it was quite an interview, very well done,” Kimmel quipped.

He continued: “They got to the hot button subject of IVF. Now the Supreme Court caved to the far-right on abortion, many believe, rightly, that IVF is next on the list.”

While Trump claims to support the fertility treatment, Democrats warn that the overturning of Roe v Wade and rollback of abortion rights could pave the way for Republicans to take aim at IVF access next.

“Now that [Trump] learned what IVF is – which I’m still not sure he does – he wants to pretend he’s not just a big proponent of IVF, he wants people to know he’s the biggest proponent of IVF,” Kimmel continued.

“Now he’s claiming to be the father of IVF, which has been happening since 1978,” the host added, noting the date the first child was conceived using the fertility treatment.

Kimmel then threw a jab at Trump’s parenting. “This guy won’t even admit he’s the father of Eric – he’s the father of IVF,” he teased. “Maybe it’s short for Ivanka in his brain.”

Vice President Kamala Harris also mocked Trump’s self-prescribed title calling it “quite bizarre.”

Thank you for Tara Conlan’s excellent article about the working conditions of television crews (‘I fell asleep driving around London’: TV workers on fear, danger and fatalities in an industry in crisis, 3 October). Recently, as a freelancer still trying to recover from the financial catastrophe of Covid-19, I worked two seasons of a reality TV series back-to-back. It was three months’ work and, frankly, I desperately needed the money. The terms were 12-hour days, six days a week. With travel time, that was an 80-hour week. For three months. It took weeks for any of the crew to receive money; and the wage slips took even longer.

Under their whistleblower policy, I contacted the production company’s HR department to report, among other things, the alarming and widespread drug use by the crews, my concern as a supervisor of female staff and them potentially being in an abusive working environment, and the unsafe working hours and conditions. Ironically, we were given compulsory Covid tests each day before being allowed on site. If this had been applied to testing for cannabis and cocaine, I seriously doubt that the show could have operated each day.

I reported my concerns at the time to my on-site supervisor, but subsequently wrote a multi-page, highly-detailed report for the production company’s HR that resulted in a cursory, disinterested and short Zoom interview that produced no further action, other than me learning from an insider that my services would never be used by them again. Subsequent correspondence to the production company has been ignored. I have been “ghosted”.

This is why people have died. It’s a catastrophe wrapped in glamour, and the industry calculatingly feeds on the hopes, dreams and needs of aspiring professionals, making a cruel and complete mockery of these companies’ “modern day slavery” declarations.
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THIS is the awkward moment Strictly’s Pete Wicks addresses romance rumours with Maura Higgins AND Jowita Prystal.

The former Towie personality appeared on the So Wrong It’s Right podcast hosted by fellow reality TV personality, Olivia Attwood.

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However, if the Strictly Come Dancing contestant thought he was going to be in for an easy ride, he had another thing coming!

Olivia, 33, is known for her sharp mind and the former I’m A Celebrity star was keen on probing her pal.

“Your dating life. Maura Higgins,” said Olivia as she wanted the real tea behind the rumoured romance.

“Me and Maura have known each other for a long time,” began Pete Wicks, 36, as he wanted to seemingly clear up any confusion.

Olivia was keen on hearing more as she interrupted him by saying: “You’ve had a kiss, we’ve seen it!,” Olivia.

But Pete denied there was anything more than friendship between the duo, replying: “No, you haven’t seen it.”

However, Olivia seemed insistent on getting to the bottom of the story as she continued to press her pal.

Doubling down, she stated: “We’ve seen a picture of it,” as Pete continued to deny the existence of such an image.

So Olivia moved the conversation along as she shifted the topic to Jowita Prystal and the hot chemistry he supposedly shares with her.

Pete has been seen looking extremely close to his professional and the duo previously further fuelled romance rumours after she made a very flirty comment.

Earlier this month the pair even seemed to have shared a passionate kiss during the live show.

More snaps taken behind the scenes of Pete’s rehearsals showed the pair getting steamy once again.

The former Love Island star asked: “Next thing I need to know, are you and your dance partner romantically involved?”

Pete couldn’t help but laugh, stating: “My God!”, as he was creased over his chair.

Strictly 2024 pairings

Here’s who is matched with who this series…

“You don’t get awards by not asking the questions!” said Olivia.

“One of the biggest problems is my b*******.” Pete then explained with a cheeky smile.

“Well I’m having to wear like Spanx … because otherwise Shirley will end up with a couple of black eyes.

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