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It’s an unseasonably warm October day in London, and Eddie Redmayne is gazing out of the window. I’m worried he wants to jump out of it solely to get away from this conversation.

“I suppose,” the actor stutters, “as any human would, you take each moment, each criticism, each interrogation, each, um… err…” He pauses. “Each opinion piece… um. Everyone’s voices…” He starts again. “Often something you’ve done is just a part of a much bigger discussion, and you try to make sense of it with the understanding and comprehension of any human being.” Redmayne turns back to me. He clears his throat.

I haven’t asked him anything that’s especially probing. I’ve merely enquired how he’s gone about navigating the rocky terrain of his most illustrious role, that of “Man at the Centre of Every Bit of Toxic Discourse of the Last Decade”. He was the freckly, Eton-educated face of the British film industry when he won an Oscar for playing Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, sparking conversations about equal opportunities for actors who aren’t able-bodied, cisgender men of privilege. He’d poke that bear again less than a year later, portraying a trans woman in the regrettable The Danish Girl. And he was leading the Fantastic Beasts franchise at the same time as its creator JK Rowling went public with her views on trans people, which transformed her – over the course of three movies – from beloved children’s author to unbridled agent of chaos.

So, without me hammering the point home too aggressively, how has he dealt with it? Redmayne, dressed in a multicoloured jumper and wearing bright red spectacles, stops talking for an unnervingly long period of time. Four seconds pass. Five. We somehow eke it out to six. “You answer, you trip over, you get quoted, get misquoted,” he sighs. “It’s all par for the course. But the way I explain it to myself is I’m just a f***ing actor.” He lets out a surprisingly booming laugh for a relative wisp of a man. “I wasn’t bred to be a politician, or a great speaker, or a particularly articulate advocate. I will, of course, sputter my way through [advocacy] for the things that I care about… but I’m just an actor.” He laughs again, those icy blue eyes of his catching the light. Then he smiles. He wears the expression of a man never more relieved to reach the end of a thought. I think he’s going to stay in the room.

Redmayne is excellent company: loose, self-deprecating, gregarious. The 42-year-old has a great physical elasticity to him, his limbs in constant motion. He likes to cradle his chin in the palm of his left hand and dart his head from side to side. Often to look out of that window. He went to clown school a few years ago – or, as it’s properly known, Paris’s esteemed École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq – where he learnt to stretch and bend and curl himself into odd shapes. It left him seemingly completely at ease in his own skin. So I feel bad for briefly making him want to crawl out of it.

There’s no clowning in Redmayne’s new project – he left that behind on the stage, where he played the rubbery, eerie Emcee in Cabaret in the West End in 2022, then on Broadway earlier this year. Instead, he’s carrying a very big gun and wearing enviably plush suits. A new adaptation of Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel The Day of the Jackal, which arrives on Sky and Now next Thursday, casts him as an immaculately tailored assassin-for-hire: the Jackal of the title, immortalised on film first in 1973 by Edward Fox, then in 1997 by Bruce Willis. This TV reboot transposes the story into a modern setting, with the Jackal ordered to take out tech gurus and CEOs while disguising himself using cutting-edge makeup and prosthetics. In pursuit, meanwhile, is a ruthless MI6 agent played by No Time to Die’s Lashana Lynch. What unfolds over 10 tautly plotted episodes is a high-pressure game of cat-and-mouse, with shades of Killing Eve in the pair’s dynamic.

It’s very fun – Ronan Bennett’s scripts are nicely propulsive and twisty – and very pretty. It shot for seven months across Europe, including in Budapest and Croatia. “There have been many years when I’d watch The White Lotus and go, ‘Why do I never get those jobs and hang out on beautiful beaches?’,” Redmayne laughs. “So I wouldn’t want to say that was the reason for taking the job, but it was pretty high up there. I’ve spent years playing Elizabethans and Victorians, or people in the 1920s or 30s. This was the first contemporary thing I think I’ve done in years. And it was nice to be able to just whip on a pair of trousers and a shirt every day, versus lots of 26-piece tweed suits.”

Redmayne grew up watching the 1973 adaptation with his family, so was apprehensive at first when he was approached for the revival. “You don’t want to butcher things that you’ve been obsessed with,” he says. But as he read each of Bennett’s scripts, he found himself won over – 10 hours with the Jackal, rather than just two, allowed for a real character to shine through. “Edward Fox had this astonishing charisma, and could remain deeply enigmatic but deeply compelling,” he says. “But over 10 hours you can get inside that person.” Here, that means introducing the Jackal’s wife and children, sun-kissed Spaniards with no clue what he does for a living.

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The overarching story, too, can be a little more complex. “The original film was quite binary – the Jackal was the baddie, Charles de Gaulle [the Jackal’s target] was the goodie. Here, though, everyone is morally grey. Lashana’s character has these questionable behaviours, too. So you have two people who are obsessive and meticulous, and both extraordinarily compromised.”

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He didn’t dig too deep into the world of international assassins while researching the role. “I did quite a lot of weapons prep, but I didn’t delve into the dark web and try to find an expensive assassin,” he deadpans. “I chose to put my efforts elsewhere. But I do think these people exist in some capacity. And I suppose the line between assassination and terrorism is probably quite thin?” He nods his head. “Oh gosh, this interview suddenly got very serious, didn’t it?” Redmayne does this a lot – as if leaping out of the conversation to carefully self-edit in real time, or try to envisage what the finished interview will look like. (That his wife Hannah, with whom he shares two children, previously worked as a publicist may or may not be a coincidence.)

Anyway, Redmayne is perfectly cast in The Day of the Jackal. He replicates the tapered-down opacity of Fox’s performance, while lending the character exciting notes of humour. You like him, even if you probably shouldn’t. For my money, it’s probably the most relaxed and human Redmayne’s ever been on screen; a total inverse of the squirming menace of Cabaret.

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Redmayne has described himself in the past as a “Marmite” actor – someone whose mere presence in a project will either tickle your fancy or send you running for the hills. This might be down to his penchant for big swings, though; performances that bend to pomp and theatricality. Think the pouty flamboyance of his star-making turn in 2007’s Savage Grace, alongside Julianne Moore. Or the huffing, gasping vocal derangement of his work in Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s 2015 sci-fi flop Jupiter Ascending. Must a performance, though, always be “good”? Can it not just be so balls-to-the-wall wacky that it becomes practically hypnotic?

“There was a moment in the Jupiter Ascending script that described the character’s voice,” Redmayne explains carefully, as if he’s standing in the dock. “It said that his throat had been ‘gnarled out’, or something like that. So at the audition I put on my best ‘space emperor with mummy issues’ voice, and that was what came out.” The Wachowskis let him keep it for filming. “I had the most wonderful time making that film, but it was definitely a big swing. I do hear that there are people who are into [my performance], which is nice. Though I’m also conscious I have a prize somewhere for giving the worst performance of the year.” He chuckles. (It was Worst Supporting Actor at the 2016 Golden Raspberry Awards, if you’re curious.)

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Does he read his own reviews? “Oh, yeah, absolutely,” he replies, without hesitation. He only finds it difficult to read them if he’s in a play, where they can’t help but impact what he’s doing night after night. “TV and film, though, often it’s so long since you did the thing that there’s a level of detachment from it. But the interesting thing about them is that I’d say most actors are harsher critics of themselves than any critic can be. It’s rare that I’m sitting reading a bad review of one of my performances, going, ‘No! They got it wrong!’ I typically sit there going, ‘Oh, yeah, I saw that too.’”

It sounds like a relatively healthy approach to criticism, I suggest. “Oh, none of it’s healthy!” he shoots back. “The whole industry is deeply unhealthy. It’s a horrendous job to do for health reasons.” He giggles again.

I’m curious about his relationship with some of his past work, too. The Danish Girl, for instance, has had an unusual afterlife. While the film – in which Redmayne played Lili Elbe, one of the first known recipients of gender-affirming surgery – earned reasonably strong reviews upon release, and Redmayne a Best Actor Oscar nod, it’s since been generally regarded as Very Very Bad, a relic of a different era in trans representation and films about queer lives. Redmayne has long stated that he probably shouldn’t have starred in it (“I made that film with the best intentions, but I think it was a mistake,” he said in 2021). But does he have pride in the work itself?

“I think that goes back to what I was saying about reviews,” he explains. “I’m certainly more critical of my own work than most critics, I would say. So the reason I do this job is to aspire to those glimmers of something that momentarily feels real.” He rubs his eyes. “It sounds f***ing pretentious, but there are those moments, and sometimes they last for under a second, where you’re completely free, and you’re playing against someone, and everything is alive, and momentarily you go somewhere else.”

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How often does he get that feeling? “Perhaps once every five years? And it lasts under two seconds, but it’s addictive. It’s a drug, and the thing you keep aspiring to.” But pride… “Right,” he says. He takes a big pause. “When you watch stuff back, 99 per cent of it is not that moment. I see the foibles and the things that don’t work. And whether something I’ve been in has been criticised or scrutinised because of what it says to the world, that can definitely shift what I think of the story, or how I feel the story should have been told. But that’s separate from whether I have pride in the work, absolutely.” He takes another pause. “That was really convoluted, wasn’t it?”

If Redmayne is very good at a kind of wordy obfuscation, it’s likely because he’s done this for a while now. He was 33 when he won his Oscar for playing Hawking in The Theory of Everything, and had already bounced around Hollywood for nearly a decade before that. He was part of a starry contingent of British actors who went over to Los Angeles around the same time, all of whom seemed to flatshare or at least sleep on each other’s sofas at one point or another: Jamie Dornan, Andrew Garfield, Robert Pattinson, Daredevil’s Charlie Cox.

“We were just a group of dreamers trying to become actors,” he says, proudly. “And we’d all been told that it was an impossible trade – and it is an impossible trade, just as the amount of unemployment is so extreme – so we’re all quite astonished that we’re still here and working. It’s a weird one, though, because in the early days it was profoundly intense, because we were all competing against each other for everything. So these were friendships that were certainly wrestled through, but always with great love and respect.”

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Today, he’s massively grateful for them. “It’s so lovely to be navigating such odd terrain yet having pals going through similar things who you can call up. And it evolves, too. Like, how do you negotiate being an actor and being a parent? How do you negotiate deciding whether to go off and do a job for eight months? How do you deal with the press and interrogation?”

Having such famous friends, though, means he’s often expected to pull out anecdotes from their shared history, yet comes up empty. “I wish we’d done more crazy s*** 20 years ago, just so we’d have more things to spew up on the Jimmy Kimmel show,” he laughs. “But the material is running pretty dry at this point.”

As for what’s next, Redmayne is unsure. Fantastic Beasts is “over, as far as I’m concerned”, so his diary is currently open. But he’s excited for the future. “I love variety, and I love pushing myself, and I hope to continue doing that,” he says. “I’ll always take a big swing, and…” He pauses. He turns to look out of that bloody window again. We sit in silence for a few seconds. Three go by. Then four. Redmayne finally swings his head back round to me. “Oh, I wanted to say something really profound!” he enthuses. “Dammit!” he sighs, as if imagining our interview won’t now have a proper ending. “But A for effort!”

It’s the thought that counts.

‘The Day of the Jackal’ begins on Sky Atlantic and Now on 7 November, and can be streamed weekly on Sky Go and Now

A HOLLYOAKS legend has confirmed her soap return – just weeks after signing up for a huge reality show.

Dancing On Ice returns in January and the star-studded line-up of celebrities taking part has already been announced.

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One of which is actress Chelsee Healey, who is teaming up with pro skater Andy Buchanan.

And it turns out the ITV show isn’t the only TV gig Chelsee has locked in for 2025.

The star, who plays Goldie McQueen, is going to be returning to Hollyoaks next year too, and revealed the news on social media.

Standing in the new Casa McQueen set Chelsee explains: “I’m skating straight back home after Dancing on Ice and I’m coming back to Hollyoaks.”

The star revealed the news whole dressed in a gorgeous maroon outfit with a beret on, as she excitedly told Hollyoaks fans her news.

“You may have seen our wonderful @chelseehealey is going to be on #DancingOnIce! ⛸But you heard it here first… Goldie WILL be back in the #Hollyoaks village! Good luck, Chelsee!” read the caption.

Chelsee’s fans were so excited to hear the news of Goldie’s return, as one penned: “Yay I can’t wait for Goldie’s return and good luck on dancing On Ice I’ll be routing for you,” said one person, while a second replied: “cannot wait for Goldie’s return.”

A third added: “Good news! I miss Goldie and can’t wait to see the McQueen reunion.”

The news follows Chelsee’s exciting pairing with Andy on the ice.

An insider told The Sun: “Chelsee is over-the-moon after being paired up with Andy.

“He’s been on the show for a long time so she knows she’s in safe hands.

“Chelsee is looking forward to getting stuck in and knows she and Andy will make a great team.”

Also taking part in the upcoming series are stars including EastEnders legend Charlie Brooks and Ferne McCann.

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EMMERDALE bosses have revealed the actor they cast as Ruby Fox-Miligan’s estranged dad – and he is gearing up for an appearance on the soap.

Ruby has been going through a rough patch recently as her marriage fell apart due to her husband’s lies.

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Now it seems things are set to go from bad to worse as two of her family members are going to unexpectedly turn up in the Dales – and they’re not ones she particularly likes.

One of them is her estranged father Anthony, who is going to be played by Nicholas Day.

The actor is already known for his performances in Minder and The Crown.

Although Ruby and Anthony haven’t seen each other in over 30 years, maybe this reunion will be just what they need to cultivate some family spirit, as Nicholas seems to have mellowed out in his old age.

Meanwhile, much to Ruby’s surprise, her daughter Steph is also going to make an appearance.

This won’t be a welcome surprise as Steph is known for being reckless and narcissistic, as she seems to have inherited all the worst traits of both her parents alongside the good ones.

Georgia Jay, who has acted in Giri and Haji to date, has been cast as Steph.

Both actors shared their thoughts on their new roles, with Georgia gushing: “I am thrilled to be joining the cast of Emmerdale.

“The cast and crew have all been so welcoming and I’m very excited to see what lies ahead for Steph, given her intriguing backstory.”

Nicholas added: “I’ve been made so welcome in the Emmerdale family. And my screen family is great to work with, the scenes just fly. No kidding – I feel blessed.”

Emmerdale producer Sophie Roper said: “We’re delighted to be welcoming Nicholas and Georgia to Emmerdale as part of the Miligan family.

“With so much yet to discover about Ruby, the arrival of her father and daughter will unlock her past and see Ruby and Caleb tested in ways we’ve never seen before.

“With two actors of such great calibre, they’re certainly set to make their mark on the Dales.”

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The full line-up for I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 2024 has been “revealed”.

The ITV reality show has been on the air since 2000, with winners including Tony Blackburn, Stacey Solomon, Jill Scott and last year’s victor Sam Thompson.

In recent years, I’m a Celebrity has been plagued with controversy for signing up two controversial politicians: former health secretary Matt Hancock in 2022 and Nigel Farage in 2023, which appeared to lead to a downturn in ratings.

It seems like bosses don’t have anyone quite so contentious waiting in the wings, with The Sun claiming to have discovered the identity of every star joining the show later this month.

Below are the 12 stars “revealed” to be taking part in this year’s series

Coleen Rooney

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Coleen Rooney has reportedly signed up to appear on this year’s series. The wife of former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is said to have secured the biggest deal in the show’s history, which would surpass that of Farage and presenter Noel Edmonds with a fee of over £1.5m. “I’m a Celeb bosses have pulled off a huge coup getting Coleen for the jungle this year and the team are thrilled to have her on board,” a source told The Sun. “Coleen has a huge fanbase and she won massive plaudits for her classy handling of the Wagatha Christie case. She’s excited to show fans a different side to her and prove she can survive without her creature comforts.”

Tulisa Contostavlos

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One of this year’s biggest stars is said to be N-Dubz singer Tulisa Contostavlos, who was also once a judge on The X Factor. An insider suggested to The Sun that Contostavlos’s booking was inspired by a recent N-Dubz tour, which “introduced her to a younger generation, especially through platforms like TikTok”. They added: “Tulisa’s diverse career makes her a strong contender for I’m a Celebrity because she appeals to a wide audience. ITV is particularly excited about her new following among 16 to 24-year-olds, and hopes the deal is finalised soon.”

Jane Moore

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The second Loose Women star who is reportedly poised to follow in the footsteps of fellow panellists Janet Street-Porter, Frankie Bridge and Charlene White is Jane Moore, who first appeared on the ITV panel show in 1999. he has been a regular panellist since 2013 and is rumoured to be up for entering the jungle following a split from her husband of 20 years.

Oti Mabuse

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Oti Mabuse is a former Strictly Come Dancing professional, aooearing ont he BBC series from 2015 to 2021. She won the series with both Kelvin Fletcher and Bill Bailey, and appeared on Dancing on Ice as a judge after leaving Strictly.

Reverend Richard Coles

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Reverend Richard Coles, the media personality and former vicar, who was once a member of the band the Communards, will – according to The Sun – be a campmate on this year’s I’m a Celebrity. A source said: “Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly Come Dancing and his later life as a man of the cloth.” Earlier this year, Coles described his time on Strictly as “brutal” amid a behind-the-scenes scandal.

Dean McCullough

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Northern Irish BBC Radio 1 DJ Dean McCullough has reportedly been tapped to appear on this year’s series. He started presenting for the station in 2020, standing in for Clara Amfo, and in September 2022, he replaced Scott Mills and Chris Stark, alongside Vicky Hawkesworth, as hosts of Radio 1’s afternoon show.

Alan Halsall

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Coronation Street star Alan Halsall, who plays Tyrone Dobbs, had an I’m a Celebrity near-miss in 2023. He was rumoured to be a part of the line-up but was reportedly forced to withdraw after suffering a knee injury; the photo he shared of himself from his hospital bed essentially ruled himself out of appearing. It’s a likely bet, then, that Halsall has been drafted in for the new series.

Danny Jones

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It’s been claimed that McFly singer Danny Jones is following in the footsteps of his bandmate Dougie Poynter, who won the show in 2011, by entering the jungle. While it seems like a long shot considering Jones is not short of work – he’s currently a judge on ITV singing competition The Voice – a source told The Sun he is being offered a lucrative amount to appear on the show.

Melvin Odoom

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The raido DJ and TV host is believed to be entering the jungle this year. In the past he has presented shows on Kiss and Radio 1, and his presenting stints include the BRIT Awards, MOBO Awards and The Xtra Factor.

GK Barry

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There are two Loose Women stars being tipped to join I’m a Celebrity this year – and one became a wift favourite to appear after it was reported she had withdrawn from participating in Strictly Come Dancing due to the rehearsal room scandal that hit the BBC show earlier this year. GK Barry – real name Grace Keeling – would be a hit with the youngsters considering she had a huge following on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube

Maura Higgins

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Shortly after it was claimed fury had withdrawn from the series, another Love Island star’s name was thrown into the mix: Maura Higgins. Higgins is one of the ITV2 reality show’s best-loved contestants, having appeared on series five in 2019. A source told The Sun: “With Tommy Fury pulling out, it gave show bosses the opportunity to look at other Love Island stars and Maura stood out as the perfect candidate.”

Barry McGuigan

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According to The Mirror, Irish boxer Barry McGuigan will be entering the jungle, replacing McCoist. A source told the outlet: “Barry is a bona-fide sporting legend and he’s a great person to have heading for the jungle. When he rose to fame in the 1980s as the WBA featherweight boxing champ he became a non-sectarian ambassador. He fought for both Ireland and Great Britain and was loved and respected on both sides of the divide. There’s not many who can say that.”

An ITV spokesperson told The Independent: “Any names suggested for I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! are just speculation.”

It was reported on 1 November that former Rangers footballer Ally McCoist backed out of an appearance – for a second time – having been signed up by bosses weeks ago. His departure follows Love Island star Tommy Fury, who also dropped out of the show weeks before it was due to begin.

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FORMER Gogglebox star Joe Baggs has hit out at one of his co-stars for snubbing him after the show.

The reality TV personality left the Channel 4 factual entertainment show after four series on air.

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Joe, his brother George, mum Lisa and dad Terry all joined Gogglebox for series 16 in 2020.

They later returned for series 18 before leaving the show for good in 2020.

The 27-year-old now hosts a popular podcast with his brother and they have welcomed many celebrities into their bespoke studio.

Rylan Clark, Pete Wicks, Katie Price, Georgia Harrison, Chloe Burrows, Kerry Katona, have all appeared on the Not My Bagg podcast.

However, Joe has now revealed that some of his former Gogglebox co-stars have snubbed him since he left the show and have declined to appear on his audio programme.

He told The Sun: “There are some cast members where, like we thought we were close to it.

“And then I’ve asked them to come on our podcast afterwards, and they’ve declined, and I’ve been a bit like, ‘Oh, so whatever’.

“Yeah, like it’s a strange one cos you feel like once you’re in the bubble and in the community, it’s like, you know, you’re really you’re really close to people and then afterwards you’re like, Oh, OK, maybe not so.”

He was then asked in particular which cast members he used to think were his friends.

Joe replied: “I don’t mind saying – it was Stephen who was on Celebs Go Dating.

“I asked him to come on and the management declined and I thought it was really strange.

“On the show we were very supportive, but the rest of the experiences in person with all the other families has been amazing!”

The Sun has contacted Stephen’s representatives for comment.

The podcast personality also opened up on his mental health as a figure in the public eye as he helped to raise funds as part of the Movember campaign.

Celebrity Gogglebox 2024: The lineup

These are the celebrity pairings that are taking part in the special for Stand Up To Cancer.

• Josh Widdicombe and Stephen Merchant
• David Baddiel and Frank Skinner
• Dame Kristin Scott Thomas and Saskia Reeves
• Miriam Margolyes and Lesley Joseph
• Jordan Pickford and Tony Bellew

Joe has joined forces with the likes of Dr Alex George, Max Whitlock OBE for the annual fundraising campaign in aid of men’s health.

He admitted that there were struggles when he first shot to fame, saying: “I think the adjustment for me from going from just working in a recruitment office to then doing what I’m doing now was obviously like a huge strain mentally.

“It’s been a lot to get around, and I had to seek external support cos I was like, ‘how do how can I speak to friends about this and family when no one else is going through the same thing.’

“And you feel like, quite isolated … Well, that’s what I did. I went out and spoke to professionals and got help with that because it was pretty difficult and challenging.

He added: “I think that I’ve always been honest and vocal about my my mental health, and I’ve always reached out to people spoken to friends and family, and I just feel like it’s a really important thing to always voice.

“I’m first to say I’m having a really bad day, and I just need to like, you know, put this in a box and whatever, So, yeah, I just think it’s really important to speak about.”

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Emily in Paris star Lily Collins has said she is keen for an Emily in London spin-off.

In the Netflix series, the 35-year-old plays an American marketing executive Emily Cooper who moves to Paris for a short-term job opportunity – but ends up falling in love with the city and establishing a new life there.

The latest season sees Cooper begin to date an Italian man who lives in Rome. Conveniently, she is asked to open a new office in the city, suggesting that Emily in Paris could become Emily in Rome for its fifth instalment.

But perhaps London could be next, since Collins has told the BBC that making a British spin-off would be “so fun”.

Collins – who is currently making her stage debut in the West End production Barcelona, in which she once again plays an American abroad – has said that she thinks her Netflix character would love London.

The actor, who was born in Surrey and raised in Los Angeles, said: “She would definitely go to Portobello Road and buy some antiques, obviously visit Big Ben and toy shop Hamleys.”

“She would also definitely try and get into Buckingham Palace,” Collins continued, adding that Cooper would love to have tea with the King and “try and get the guards to smile”.

Speaking about how she will spend her free time in the city between her eight stage performances a week, Collins said she loves sitting in the front seat of a double-decker bus and gazing out of the window.

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“I don’t even have a plan on where I want to go, I just sit there and see all the sights and people,” said the actor, who is the daughter of Genesis drummer Phil Collins.

Collins, who lives in LA but owns a home in Denmark with her husband, the American film director Charlie McDowell, says she relaxes in London by “walking the dogs with my husband on Hampstead Heath”.

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“I go there so often, it really is huge and it actually feels like countryside even though you’re in London,” she said.

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In The Independent’s two-star review of Barcelona, critic Annabel Nugent writes that the plot can often feel “contrived”.

“A good chunk of Barcelona’s duration requires its actors to do one of the hardest things an actor can ever do: act drunk convincingly. Collins and [co-star Álvaro] Morte make a go of it – and special mention to the messy make-out scenes choreographed to comically realistic effect – but it gets old fast,” writes Nugent. “Despite the short 90-minute running time, there are one too many studied stumbles and repetitions.“