Sisters Rooney and Kate Mara dazzled in glamorous black gowns as they joined their onscreen lover Orlando Bloom at the Bucking Fastard premiere in Venice today.

The sisters are acting together for the first time in the strange, dream-like film loosely based on the real story of British twins Freda and Greta Chaplin who spoke in unison in their own language, shared the same dreams, and loved the same man.

Rooney, 41, oozed glamour in a custom Louis Vuitton dress which featured a huge balloon detailing and chic Aquazzura heels while Kate, 43, stunned in a plunging glitzy Armani Privé number.

Orlando, 49, looked dashing in a black tuxedo as he arrived on the red carpet arm in arm with his co-stars.

The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and director Werner Herzog said that playing co-dependent twins, called Jean and Joan Holbrooke, came so easily for the Maras that they didn’t even need the two weeks of rehearsal which he had planned for – he sent them home after five days.

Rooney Mara said: ‘It was quite daunting, the idea of playing the same person, but we found pretty quickly that having had a lifetime together and all the history and a childhood of playing together there was a world between us, we didn’t have to work very hard to create it at all. 

‘I have never laughed so much, we had so much fun. It was a once in a lifetime experience.’ 

The sisters are acting together for the first time in Bucking Fastard, a strange, dream-like film loosely based on the real story of British twins Freda and Greta Chaplin 

The sisters looked the spitting image of one another in their spaghetti-strap dress on the red carpet

Kate added: ‘Once we figured out the rhythm of speaking in unison it felt like a song, it was very musical.’ 

She added that director Herzog: ‘Wrote me and my sister a beautiful letter asking us to be in this about a year ago. We were both so thrilled because we have been wanting to work together for a while, but nothing made sense. 

‘This one was immediately a no-brainer, and then it just so happened that it was these sisters who are so connected that they speak in unison and they dream the same dreams. 

‘It was so perfectly presented and the script was so special, and odd, so it’s an obvious thing to say yes to. But it kind of felt like it would never happen just because it was like too good to be true.’

The film is set in Ireland and also stars Domhnall Gleeson as a social worker trying to help the women, and Orlando Bloom as their lover.

The Chaplin sisters actually lived in York and shot to notoriety in the 1980s when they were at the centre of a bizarre high-profile court case which saw each of them jailed for a month.

They were prosecuted at York Magistrates’ Court for breach of the peace for harassing a local truck driver, Ken Iveson.

They were found guilty and jailed for one month. Herzog named the film after a verbal slip made by the Chaplin sisters in court.

During the bizarre real incident: the twins made the same verbal slip simultaneously while in court, ‘bucking fastard’. 

Rooney, 41, oozed glamour in the spaghetti strap dress which featured a huge balloon detailing while Kate, 43, stunned in a plunging glitzy number

Orlando, 49, looked dashing in a black tuxedo as he arrived on the red carpet arm in arm with his co-stars

Rooney, Kate and Orlando posed with the film’s directer Werner Herzog (L-R)

The sisters shared a sweet embrace on the red carpet together

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Kate opted for a silver and black sparkly number for her red carpet appearance

Her younger sister stole the show in a dramatic balloon dress

The film is set in Ireland and also stars Domhnall Gleeson as a social worker trying to help the women

Orlando Bloom will play their lover Gareth Mulroney

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Raya Abirached looked incredible in an elegant white gown

Vitalina Ghinzelli wore a Mary Poppins-style pink gown

Pansy Ho oozed glamour in a thigh-high split royal blue dress

George Clooney was back for day two of Venice Film Festival after receiving his honour

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They lived for a time in hostels and shelters as their parents were not able to cope, but then lived independently in London before moving back to York into their old family home.

The identical twins wore the same clothes, walked in step and spoke at the same time as each other and are now buried next to each other in death.

They were renowned for their unique lifestyles and characters, which often saw them blurt out the same sentences at exactly the same time.

Greta died from ovarian cancer aged 64 in 2007, followed by Freda’s passing in 2020 from unknown causes.

The pair are buried beside one another at a cemetery in their hometown of York.

Until shortly before Freda’s death in May she would visit her sister’s grave every single day, those close to the family say.

The siblings are best known for the court case in the early 80s, which was covered by reporters from Brazil, Sweden and the US as well as all across Britain. 

York lorry driver Ken Iveson claimed they hounded him for years. It was said they had developed an obsession with him, possibly because a joint crush had been spurned.

Those in attendance were stunned when, during the case, Freda and Greta uttered the same words at the same time, seemingly without rehearsal or prompting.  

Press reports at the time record them saying: ‘No, no, no, no, no. It’s not true. It’s not true. We haven’t been near him, we haven’t been near there, it is a bitter, bitter lie.’ 

They looked effortlessly stylish in similar white dresses at the photocall earlier in the day 

(L-R) Domhnall Gleeson, Rooney Mara, Werner Herzog, Kate Mara and Orlando Bloom

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One report at the time of the court case said their deputy headmaster placed the blame for their extreme closeness on their mother.

‘It was quite clear that they had a doting mother who never allowed them a separate identity,’ he said.

A magistrate jailed each of them, then aged 38, for a month for breaching the peace.

After serving their sentences the twins were the subject of much media interest and took part in two documentaries about their lives – A Pair of One by Julia Darling (1987), and The Twins by Journeyman Pictures (1994).

In their later years they lived quiet and relatively reclusive lives together in a semi-detached house in York.

When Greta died friends and neighbours feared how Freda would cope.

A family friend, who wants to remain anonymous, said: ‘I thought within a week she would have died.

‘They did absolutely everything together: putting their headscarves on looking at one another and not at a mirror. They even hoovered together.

‘But she did manage. She had a cat and a dog and worshipped them. She lived on nothing. She ate bread and cheese or toast and cheese – not butter or anything.’

The friend also revealed Freda left her family home to a local cat shelter, which is now looking after pet cat, Molly.

Freda Chaplin died aged 77 in May, 13 years after her twin Greta died of ovarian cancer and carcinomatosis aged 64. She has been buried with her sister in Fulford Cemetery, York

The Chaplin sisters were famous for being inseparable and living their whole lives in complete unison, wearing the same clothes, walking in step and talking at the same time

Media interest continued after their conviction, and two documentaries were made of their lives — A Pair of One by Julia Darling (1987), and The Twins by Journeyman Pictures (1994) 

Freda has been buried with her sister at a family plot in Fulford Cemetery, York. Proceeds from the sale of the twins’ semi-detached childhood home in Tang Hall will be left to charity

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She said: ‘She (Freda) loved cats. She had one or two – she had Molly when she died.’

The friend added Freda had been suffering from cancer and had been living at the family house up until she was taken into hospital in April.

She said: ‘She phoned me up one day and said: ‘I am poorly’.

I said: ‘Get yourself to bed, get a hot drink, and keep warm – and start eating more food than what you are’.

‘The following morning, they were pushing her out to an ambulance. That was the last I saw of her.’

She added: ‘She wasn’t really well. She had cancer a while back. She used to say to me: ‘well I wouldn’t let my twin have treatment so I am not having any.”

Belinda Poulter, Freda’s solicitor for many years, said: ‘She was quiet but had some strong views about animal welfare and felt very strongly about that.’  

She said around 10 people attended Freda’s funeral and that she was buried ‘on top’ of her sister in a double plot which is awaiting their headstone.

Freda and Greta were the daughters of James and Elsie Chaplin.

It was said that Freda and Greta had been ordinary children but as teenagers they became ultra-dependent on one another. They would scream when teachers made them sit apart in school, and would resist efforts to distinguish or divide them. 

Daniel Snaith was due to appear at Teesside Crown Court today (Thursday, September 3), having also failed to attend an earlier scheduled hearing at Durham Crown Court.

The case had been committed for sentence to the crown court by Peterlee magistrates on Friday, July 3.

Bench warrant issued for the arrest of sex offender Daniel Snaith after he failed to attend a hearing at Teesside Crown Court (Image: The Northern Echo)

Read next … more court stories from The Northern Echo, by clicking here

When Snaith failed to appear at Durham Crown Court, on Friday, July 31, his counsel, Brian Mark, told the hearing that the defendant had been ill all the previous night with an upset stomach.

In the absence of any information to the contrary, Judge Nathan Adams said the case would be put back, “to the next available slot”, at Teesside Crown Court, on September 3.

But, when he, again, failed to attend the Teesside hearing on this afternoon, without explanation, Recorder Taryn Turner issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the 31-year-old defendant, of Alexandria Street, Seaham.

It is the kind of place where multimillion-dollar mansions hide behind screens of mature trees with the bucolic backdrop of Lake Erie – and that sense of privacy is worth practically as much as the acreage.

But now, Bratenahl, Ohio, has two more huge selling points: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end purchased a historic $5.35 million estate in the tiny Cleveland-area village, putting the previously low-key community firmly on the celebrity map.

The property, which was built around 1895, is believed to be the most expensive home ever sold in Bratenahl.

Kelce closed on the property in March, months before he married Taylor Swift in July, adding a very modern chapter to a town whose history is steeped in Cleveland’s industrial wealth.

But what exactly is Bratenahl like?

A recent description shared by the Ohio Explored Facebook page paints an idyllic picture of the tiny lakeside community, describing it as ‘one of the smallest and most secluded villages on all of Lake Erie.’

The page highlights the village’s ‘winding tree-lined lanes,’ grand estates and stone-gated mansions, with lawns stretching toward the shoreline.

It also describes Bratenahl as a place where Cleveland’s wealthiest families once escaped to enjoy the lake, with that history of grand summer homes and year-round retreats still shaping the village today.

The result is an atmosphere of ‘hushed serenity’ that feels a world away from the city despite being only minutes from downtown Cleveland.

And that contrast may be the biggest attraction of all.

In terms of its setting, Bratenahl sits about ten minutes east of downtown Cleveland and is surrounded by the city on three sides, with Lake Erie forming its northern edge.

The village had just 1,430 residents at the 2020 census, making it remarkably small for a community with such an impressive collection of homes.

Its roots go back to Cleveland’s Gilded Age, when wealthy industrialists began using the lakeside area as a summer playground.

Today, the streets are still lined with grand historic properties, original carriage houses, custom-built estates and luxury condominium units.

Lake Erie is not simply a view here. It is part of everyday life. 

Village Mayor Keith Benjamin has described the lake as being ‘part of the rhythm of life’ for residents, while local real estate agents say buyers are attracted by the combination of historic architecture, privacy and proximity to Cleveland.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has purchased a historic $5.35m estate in the tiny Cleveland-area village, putting the previously low-key community firmly on the celebrity map

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Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift attend the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California, on March 26

And for those with the money, that combination can be surprisingly attainable compared with America’s traditional luxury markets.

Bratenahl’s median listing price was $489,755 in July, according to Redfin, although the village’s trophy homes can sell for several million dollars.

Homes that were originally bought for less than $500,000 are increasingly being renovated and resold for more than $1.5 million, according to local agent Nick Zawitz.

For residents looking for a social life without leaving the enclave, the Shoreby Club is a major draw.

The private club is housed in a restored 1890s mansion originally built for industrialist Samuel Mather.

It offers marina access, a pool deck, private beach and dining, helping give Bratenahl the feel of a private estate community rather than a conventional suburb.

That exclusivity is part of the appeal.

But it also means Bratenahl isn’t necessarily the sort of place where residents can wander down the street for a morning coffee or spend an afternoon browsing stores.

On a Reddit thread discussing what life is like in the community, one resident described it as almost entirely residential, while another noted that there is little commercial development and that residents generally have to drive elsewhere for everyday errands.

A local discussion also highlighted Sorella, a restaurant in the Bratenahl Place condo tower, as one of the few dining options within the village, alongside the Shoreby Club.

Another resident who said they had rented a home in Bratenahl for about two years praised its safety but said residents should expect to drive for many activities, adding that the lakefront properties are privately owned.

The Reddit reaction is a useful reminder that having a huge house beside Lake Erie does not necessarily mean having everything on your doorstep.

One commenter summed up the experience bluntly: ‘Living in Bratenahl and lucked out on a public school,’ while another said living there meant ‘driving everywhere for food, coffee…civilization.’

Others were even more enthusiastic about alternative Cleveland suburbs, suggesting places such as Bay Village, Avon Lake, Rocky River, Shaker Heights and Chagrin Falls for wealthy buyers who want more walkability or easier access to amenities.

There is also a practical downside to the dream of waterfront living.

Lake Erie can be notoriously unpredictable, with storms capable of producing enormous waves, while shoreline erosion is a genuine concern for homeowners.

Real estate agents advise prospective buyers to understand erosion mitigation and specialist insurance before purchasing directly on the water.

Lake Erie is not simply a view in Bratenahl – it is part of everyday life

Village Mayor Keith Benjamin has described the lake as being ‘part of the rhythm of life’ for residents, while local real estate agents say buyers are attracted by the combination of historic architecture, privacy and proximity to Cleveland

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Kelce and Swift are hardly the first famous names associated with Bratenahl. The village has previously been home to industrialists, business leaders, public figures and Hollywood stars.

Among its notable former residents was Margaret Hamilton, best known for playing the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.

Federal agent Eliot Ness, famous for leading the Untouchables during Prohibition, also lived in Bratenahl.

Industrialist William Mather, former president of Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, was another prominent resident, as was Edward Williams, co-founder and namesake of Sherwin-Williams.

The village therefore has something of a celebrity tradition, although few arrivals are likely to generate quite as much attention as Kelce and Swift.

For those wondering what it would take to become the couple’s neighbor, the answer is considerably less than $5.35 million.

One home on Lake Shore Boulevard is listed at around $1.275 million. The 4,117-square-foot property has four bedrooms and was built in 1954, with dramatic architecture and 19-foot ceilings.

Another historic Lake Shore Boulevard home is asking $1.2 million. Built in 1912, the nearly 6,000-square-foot property has six bedrooms, four fireplaces, an elevator, original wood floors, a sunroom and a library.

There is also a much larger estate asking $2.45 million, offering almost 11,800 square feet, five bedrooms, a theater, bar, spa area and seven stone fireplaces.

In other words, you don’t need Kelce’s NFL fortune to buy into Bratenahl, but you probably do need to be comfortable with a lifestyle where privacy comes before convenience.

And that may be precisely what makes the tiny Ohio village so attractive to people who can afford it.

For decades, Bratenahl has offered Cleveland’s wealthiest residents a place to retreat from the city without actually leaving it.

Now, with one of America’s most famous football stars – and his superstar wife – reportedly making it home, its reputation for exclusivity has gained an entirely new level of glamour.

Mortgage rates rose again this week, driving the average long-term U.S. home loan rate to its highest level in more than a year.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose 6.71% from 6.66% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the average rate was 6.50%.

Higher mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing power. As rates rise, that can lead prospective home shoppers to delay buying a home, one reason U.S. home sales remain in a rut this year.

The average rate is now the highest it’s been since July 31, 2025, when it was at 6.72%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, often sought by borrowers refinancing a home loan, also rose this week. That average rate increased to 6.04% from 5.98% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.60%.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including inflation, broader policy rate decisions from the Federal Reserve and expectations from bond market investors for the economy. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

Both mortgage rates and the bond market have been mostly rising this year due to the U.S. war with Iran, which has fueled expectations for hotter inflation as crude oil prices soared. Long-term bond yields remain steeper than they were before the conflict began in late February, helping drive mortgage rates higher.

Over the past week, renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran has ratcheted pressure on oil markets, driving up prices for crude. Higher oil prices can push up inflation, which drives up bond yields.

The 10-year Treasury yield was 4.74% as of midday Thursday on the bond market. It was at 4.67% last Thursday. Before the war, it was just 3.97% in late February.

Worries about the U.S. government’s growing debt have also helped drive up long term bond yields, prompting the U.S. Treasury Department to intervene last month.

As inflation remains elevated, pressure is increasing on the Federal Reserve to take action to help lower it.

Fed Chair Kevin Warsh said last week at the Fed’s annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, that inflation had not shown sufficient improvement and that the central bank might have “more work to do,” a sign he is weighing a rate increase at the Fed’s next meeting Sept. 15-16.

The U.S. housing market has been in a slump since 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes were essentially flat last year, stuck at a 30-year low. U.S. sales of those homes again slowed in July.

Richarlison has been left out of Tottenham‘s Premier League squad.

Spurs manager Roberto de Zerbi said last week the Brazil forward had asked to leave the club and he looked close to joining former club Everton before Tuesday’s transfer deadline, but a deal fell through.

The 29-year-old has now been left out the club’s squad to play in top-flight games for the first half of the season.

It is understood Richarlison does not feature in Tottenham‘s plans this season, which was explained to the player before Tuesday’s deadline.

He is expected to leave the club in the coming days, with the transfer windows in Turkey and Saudi Arabia still open.

Richarlison joined Tottenham from Everton in the summer of 2022, having joined the Toffees from Watford in 2018.

He has entered the final year of his contract at the London club and, while he started Tottenham‘s defeat by Brentford in their opening game of the Premier League season, he was not included in De Zerbi’s squad when Spurs lost 2-0 at home to Newcastle United on Saturday.

After the game, De Zerbi said: “Richarlison, I don’t know. He said too many times he wants to leave.”

Earlier in August, the Spurs boss said that the Brazilian was uncertain about his future, noting that “it’s not easy to find another striker like Richarlison”.

However, Spurs recently signed Manchester City striker Omar Marmoush on loan and he replaced Richarlison against Newcastle.

Richarlison was Tottenham‘s top scorer in the league last season with 11 goals in 32 appearances and also provided four assists as he was a key figure during their struggle for Premier League survival, which was secured on the final day.

A charity shop volunteer has opened up about customer behaviour, charity shop pricing and what really happens to donations left outside after hours

Charity shops have never been more popular. Once seen as a last resort for bargain hunters, they have undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, with increasing numbers of shoppers actively choosing second-hand over brand new.

Driven by the rising cost of living, a growing awareness of sustainability and a rejection of fast fashion, more people than ever are heading to their local high street charity shop in search of quality items at affordable prices.

Accompanying this transformation, platforms including Vinted, Depop and eBay have revolutionised the second-hand marketplace, with unprecedented numbers of individuals both purchasing and selling pre-loved items online.

Virtually anything can be discovered on Vinted, from a jumper you wore during your teenage years to artwork created by an actual guinea pig.

This explosion in interest has witnessed charity shops experiencing unprecedented footfall, with shrewd customers perpetually seeking an excellent bargain on clothing, footwear or furnishings. And with this increased activity has emerged a mounting boldness amongst shoppers to challenge pricing – placing numerous volunteers in an uncomfortable position.

Now, one charity shop volunteer has entered the discussion, offering her perspective on what she believes constitutes reasonable customer conduct regarding negotiating prices in store.

She explained: “I’m coming across more and more pieces on here and other communities complaining about charity shops, how their prices are too high and quality of stuff too low. How they no longer help the local community and they’ll all be out of business soon enough.

“I’ve been volunteering in a local charity shop for two years. It’s a regional charity for a local hospice, so have quite a few shops in the county. For me pricing is simple; shelf space is key and rotation of items need to be high to keep the cash flow high.

“95% of the stuff we price we do without looking stuff up, as between us we have a good knowledge of what previously stuff has sold at. For the other 5%, where something is unusual and/or potentially valuable, I’ll look up the sold prices online and put it on the floor for half of that.”

She continued: “We put the financial week on each tag, so if somethings been on the shelf a while we’ll reduce, and then reduce heavily until it sells (top tip: check out the week number in the label, the older the item is the more likely they’ll be open to a haggle).

“I don’t mind haggling if it’s done with respect and a smile. Extra points if they mention gords mid haggle. If they’re aggressive or rude, I ain’t gonna budge.

“As noted above, I’m more likely to agree to the haggle if an item has been on the shelf for more than a few weeks. Or of they’re buying multiple items in one go.”

The volunteer also disclosed what actually happens to donations left outside the charity shop entrance, despite the establishment no longer accepting additional contributions.

She explained: “It’s true that we don’t accept donations in the shop, we’ve got dedicated sites with parking too drop stuff off at. As we’re a hospice we get a lot of house clearances and stuff left to us in wills too, so all in all we have plenty of donations.

“People still leave stuff outside the shop after hours, usually stuff we can’t sell and it then costs us to dispose of it. The volunteers or workers don’t riffle through the best stuff to bag before it goes onto the floor (not that I’ve seen anyway! ).”

She continued: “We want to sell things, I want to make money for what I think is a good cause. Maybe we’re lucky as it’s a hospice that people donate decent stuff to.

“We get bequeathments where someone’s died that had a hobby they loved, so now and again we’ll get a load of vintage cameras or LPs, that are genuinely interesting to research and see what we can realistically get.”

She added: “Yeah of course eBay, marketplace have changed the market and that’s just technological progress. We get resellers in the shop quite regularly and personally I’m OK with it as I don’t care who buys our stuff, it’s all money for the charity.”

She continued: “We want to sell things, I want to make money for what I think is a good cause. Maybe we’re lucky as it’s a hospice that people donate decent stuff to.

The Little Britain icon has also acted on stage and written two novels

Matt Lucas has opened up for the first time about living with autism. The 52-year-old, best known for Little Britain, spoke on BBC Radio 2 about living with the condition his entire life.

As reported by The Mirror, Matt has never spoken about it publicly until now.

The Little Britain star told Romesh Ranganathan on BBC Radio 2: “I’ve never, ever spoken about this publicly, but I’m autistic, and so I enjoy periods of being very sociable, like you are in the theatre, and then I also enjoy those periods of solitude where I can just write on my own.”

Romesh then asked Matt: “Do you find that you need to recharge each battery, like you’re kind of flitting between those two things?”

To which he replied: “Yeah, and so on my days off, you know you do theatre six days a week, and on my day off, apart from resting and resting my voice and all of that, on my day off I like not to see people and give them a break from me, but just to have that recharge time is quite important to me.”

The NHS website states that being autistic can impact how you communicate with people and understand them, and how they understand you. The condition, which people are born with, can also affect how you think, learn and pay attention to things.

Although still best-known for his work with David Walliams on sketch shows such as Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, Matt has also appeared in theatre productions including Les Misérables, Me and My Girl and – later this year – Matthew Bourne’s production of Oliver! At London’s Gielgud theatre, which co-stars Romesh’s son. .

Matt is also the author of two novels and is currently working on a third: “It’s for adults”, he told Romesh. “The first two had been for kids, and it’s quite a long haul. I know what I want my fourth novel to be.”

He’s also appeared in a long list of films, ranging from Paddington to Bridesmaids and Gladiator II.

On stage, Matt says, he works hard at keeping things fresh and is always trying to discover new aspects of his character.: “I’ve played Thénardier in Les Misérables, on and off, for over 16 years. But every time, I try to find something new.

“I’m always finding new things in it,” he added, “And even 16 years on …I found things and thought, ‘Ah! Why have I never seen that before? That’s crazy. I’m going to play it like this…’

Matt adds that his ability to find new ways of playing a part is down to how well the writer has done their job; “If you’re in something that’s brilliant, and rich, and textured, that inspired other people in the show to keep their performances alive, and moveable, and evolving.”

“Then,” Matt adds, “your performance can evolve as well.”

Matt admitted that there are a couple of new roles that he would love to get his teeth into. He says that perhaps “one day” when he’s older he would like to play Tevye, the main character in Fiddler on the Roof.

He also has an ambition to play Mrs. Lovett, the killer’s pie-making accomplice in Sweeney Todd: “I’ve never seen it played by a man before,” he told Romesh, “I don’t know if the Sondheim estate would permit it.”

He hasn’t entirely stopped working with his old Little Britain partner though. In 2025, Matt reunited with David Walliams to present a twice weekly podcast entitled Making a Scene, in which they interviewed interview showbiz pals such as Stephen Merchant, Jack Whitehall, Rob Brydon, Alan Carr and Richard E. Grant.

Announcing the podcast in a video posted on social media, the pair joked about past controversies, such as the use of racially stereotyped characters in Little Britain and Walliams’s notorious rudeness when he was a panellist on Britain’s Got Talent.

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Andy Wilman says that Amazon chose the new hosting trio ‘on merit’ and, while women also tried out, ‘there were no boxes to tick’

The Grand Tour boss Andy Wilman says the “likeable” all-male trio of two You-Tubers and a train nerd are the perfect people to front the second era of the show.

The executive producer said that Amazon Prime did try out some female presenters during the casting process – but in the end went with established petrolhead influencers Thomas Holland, James Engelsman and Francis Bourgeois.

The three, who will be seen on the new series from tomorrow, are like younger versions of the former Top Gear stars who fronted the show for six series; Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May.

“It’s fresh but familiar, comfort food, isn’t it?” Wilman said. “When you try and reinvent, you go, ‘Right, well, isn’t it time to get a woman in that three lineup?’ But there’s something about three blokes with their interplay that they are off the leash with each other.

“I think there’s a sort of simplistic-ness about blokes – they then provide the entertainment. I think blokes have like emptier brains. I think a bloke’s brain is like the O2 when everyone’s gone home, and the lights are off, and there’s just like a little ball bouncing in the corner. If we swapped brains for a day, you’d go, ‘Is this all you do? Is this all you think about?’

“And if I swapped your brain, it’d be like an episode of Game of Thrones in my head. It’d be insane what’s going on. I’m generalising, but I’m standing by it.”

The TV executive, who went to school with Clarkson and relaunched Top Gear with him from 2002 to 2015, said Amazon had tried out some women for the roles but decided to stick with the tried-and-tested three-bloke formula.

“They did try some girls in the casting, but it came down to merit in the end. What there wasn’t from Amazon was, ‘We expect a girl in the lineup by the end of this process.’ There was ‘try some’, but go with merit. So that happened.”

“It wasn’t like ‘we’re better’ – but would you put a guy in with Trinny and Susannah doing What Not to Wear? No, you wouldn’t. They owned that turf. Girls speaking to girls.

“What there wasn’t, from Amazon, was, ‘We expect a girl in the lineup by the end of this process.’ There was ‘try some’, but go with merit – there were no boxes to tick.”

He said he hoped The Grand Tour‘s female audience liked the new hosts. “I hope they find that these guys are really watchable. They don’t have to fancy them, but they will like their intelligence.”

Wilman agrees the trio fit the same moulds as their predecessors – with Francis doubling for nerdy James, Thomas the 2.0 Clarkson and James just like Hammond. “These guys are noticeably younger,” Wilman said. “They probably can drive better – Francis is like a demon. They know their stuff, and they know what to say. So my instinct is people will like them.”

He said the contribution he and Clarkson made was to push for unknowns. “We didn’t want them to just hire famous people. Which can be a tendency with a streamer—get a big name.”

No, he has high hopes the new hosts will be a big hit. “One, they say their own words—nobody writes sh*t for ’em. Two, their passion about cars is exactly the same as Jeremy, James, and Richard’s. They get as much thrill out of a £100 car that’s breaking down as the supercars. They’re the same.”

With Thomas and James already having worked together on YouTube for years, the problem was finding the third person – but Francis, known for his love of trains, quickly won them over.

“He knows more about cars than he does about trains, so he’s authentic,” Wilman says. “He doesn’t disturb their dynamic, but like a school of fish, they all go the right way automatically.”

With the BBC last week announcing the return of Top Gear after four years off air, he hopes the new version of The Grand Tour is well-timed. “These guys have effectively got in first, and they’ll have got their feet under the table. This time they [Top Gear] are on the back foot because they haven’t got any presenters at the moment.”

The Grand Tour is available to stream on Amazon Prime from Friday 4 September

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He continued to abuse the victim after their relationship ended, including breaking into her home

A man who kicked his pregnant partner and continued to abuse her after their relationship ended has been jailed. Karl Evans was arrested in October 2024 after years of abuse.

For almost a decade, Evans would constantly phone and text the victim, demand access to her devices and monitored her movements by installing a tracker on her phone and cameras inside the home. The 34-year-old regularly assaulted her and, on one occasion, kicked her while she was pregnant.

After he was arrested, the victim broke up with him and moved to a new home. Evans, of Webb Gardens, Wimblington, near March, was released on bail. He was also served with a non-molestation order, which meant he was not allowed to contact or approach the victim.

However, at about 5.35am on November 15, 2024, Evans turned up drunk at her new home. He banged on her door several times while shouting and swearing, leaving her terrified. In December of the same year, he called her 22 times from a withheld number before verbally abusing her on one occasion when she answered the phone.

On January 25 this year, Evans appeared at the victim’s home again. She told him through an open window to leave, but he forced the window open and climbed inside. He then followed the victim upstairs. She called police, who arrested him at the scene.

Evans was sentenced to two years and two months in prison on Tuesday (August 25), at Huntingdon Law Courts. He had admitted controlling and coercive behaviour in an intimate relationship. He was also handed a restraining order.

DC Jake Boreham-Dennis, who investigated, said: “Karl Evans subjected the victim to years of controlling, intimidating and violent behaviour, leaving her living in fear.

“Despite being arrested and made subject to a court order designed to protect the victim, he repeatedly ignored those restrictions and continued his campaign of harassment and abuse.

“I would like to commend the victim for her courage throughout this investigation, and I hope this sentence provides her with some reassurance as she moves forward with her life.”