Obsession has very quickly become the horror movie the whole world is talking about.
The second feature-length offering from YouTuber-turned-filmmaker Curry Barker, Obsession centres around two friends who enter a nightmare scenario when one of them makes a life-changing wish for the other to fall in love with him “more than anyone in the fucking world”.
A modern-day “be careful what you wish for” cautionary tale, the film has received rave reviews, including an enviable 96% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes and 4.2 stars on Letterboxd, with particular praise for its break-out star Inde Navarrette.
But despite dominating the pop culture conversation right now, how much do we really know about what went into Obsession’s creation?
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Here are 17 behind-the-scenes secrets you’d probably never heard about how the film of the moment came together (and be warned – there are plenty of spoilers ahead)…
Interestingly enough, the idea for Obsession was inspired by a classic episode of The Simpsons
The story goes that Curry Barker first had the idea for Obsession after inviting his friends over to watch an episode of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia that he had a small role in.
“Before the episode [aired] there was a Simpsons episode where [Bart] has a monkey paw, and he’s making wishes and stuff,” he recalled to Triple J, referring to The Simpsons’ second Halloween special Treehouse Of Horror II.
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In the episode – based on WW Jacobs’ short story The Monkey’s Paw – the family travels to Morocco and buys a cursed monkey’s paw at a market, which grants their wishes with sinister consequences.
Curry admitted: “I was just excited to see my Always Sunny episode, but it hit me right then and there on the couch that Obsession idea that I had would be perfect if it was a wish movie.
“And so I actually remember the moment, I remember being on the couch, and being like, ‘oh my god’ and writing. It down. And after that, I just kept developing and developing that idea.”
The Simpsons’ brush with a monkey’s paw was an unexpected inspiration for Obsession
He also told Variety: “I was thinking that I’ve never seen a straight crazy horror [based on that idea]. We’ve seen ‘be careful what you wish for’ tons of times. But we’ve never seen my version of it. I instantly started thinking about what I could do with that…”
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Once he had the idea that Obsession would be about a ‘wish come true’ gone awry, Curry Barker had to decide what form the wish would actually take
“I didn’t want to use the Monkeypaw because it was too recognisable,” he told IndieWire. “And so then I went down this rabbit hole of trying to find things that you could make a wish off of.
“You’ve got the wishing well, you have shooting stars, a wishbone you break in half, but nothing really worked well for the movie.”
In the end, he reasoned: “Screw it. I’m going to make something up.”
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And so, the One Wish Willow came to be – with Curry Barker’s designer mum helping him bring it to life
He told Moveable Fest: “My mum actually helped me design that. She’s a graphic art designer, and I told her I wanted it to look kind of timeless, like it’s from the ’50s or the ’80s, and I wanted it to have this very retro feel, like it’s been around forever and you can’t really pinpoint when it was made.
“I also wanted it to look inviting, and almost creepy in the way that it looks so friendly, like it couldn’t hurt anything.”
The One Wish Willow as seen in Curry Barker’s Obsession
That’s not the only way that Obsession was a family affair for director Curry Barker, though
Remember that cringe-worthy party scene where Nikki makes everyone uncomfortable by, among other things, reading out an excerpt of an incestuous love story based on Hansel And Gretel?
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Well, it turns out, it was written by Curry’s dad.
The director told Polygon: “My dad had just started his screenwriting journey and I was like, ‘Yeah, if you want to give it a stab’. So I let him write it and he did some really creepy stuff.”
“My dad’s been a writer for a while,” he added. “My dad writes novels and stuff, and now he’s a full-time screenwriter. And my dad has a mind that lends itself well to that type of creepy stuff. So I guess like father, like son.”
And speaking of that sinister Hansel And Gretel story, what was that actually all about?
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Well, Curry said he wanted that to be a manifestation of Nikki’s mind warping different kinds of love, having previously considered Bear to be a brother figure to her before his wish for her to fall in love with him.
“I knew I wanted it to be about Hansel And Gretel,” he said during his Polygon interview. “I knew that I wanted it to be about brother and sister because the kind of thing I was doing there is that if you remember Nikki tells Bear in the beginning of the movie that she kind of sees him as a brother.
“And so that’s kind of that, like brother and sister being together. It’s not right and it’s not supposed to happen, but it is. And that’s kind of the movie.”
Nikki’s impromptu reading gave Obsession one of its most memorable scenes
There was no formal choreography when it came to Nikki’s creepy way of moving
“Nikki’s movement was something that Curry and I built from scratch,” Inde told The Hollywood Reporter. “Not because we didn’t want to take any inspiration. It was just as soon as we got attached to the project, we just really spearheaded. It was a fast track.
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“We filmed it in 26 days, and it was an indie-budget film, so we didn’t have a lot of things at our disposal. But that created this organic movement for me.”
She continued: “I’m not a movement person. I’ve never really done that before. I used to dance, but Curry would be on the opposite side of me, mimicking something with his body, and then I would do it in a way, and be like, ‘No, no, like this’. And so we would mirror each other.”
“Technically, the choreographer would be Curry Barker,” she added with a laugh.
No CGI was used to make Inde Navarrette’s facial expressions in Obsession so scary, either
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In fact, the team relied on good old-fashioned makeup contouring to achieve Nikki’s unsettling look.
“I think they call it contour in the makeup world, but you can kind of just accentuate things,” he recalled to Polygon.
“The goal was never to make her look too demon, because if you go demon, then you’re just making her eyes really dark and her mouth really dark, and then you’re in that uncanny valley. We wanted her to still look human but not quite human. But also, it was 90% her.”
Inde Navarette’s Nikki goes to some terrifying depths in Obsession
Obsession’s duct-taped door was a practical effect, too
“I was so impressed with the art department to see what they did with that,” Curry beamed. “What’s funny is we were shooting so out of order that sometimes we had to take that duct tape down to shoot one scene and then put the duct tape back up to shoot another scene.
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“So, what the art department did to make it really easy is, 90% of that duct tape is not taped to the door. It’s like a big sheet. So there’s a big sheet and then tons of tape. And so the only tape that’s attached to the wall is on the outskirts. Once you remove that, you can kind of remove this big piece that they had designed. It was really smart.”
Curry Barker has lifted the lid on how Obsession achieved the duct-taped door effect
One especially grisly Obsession scene had to be tweaked to appease the censors
In the original cut, the scene where Nikki smashes in Sarah’s head with a brick was much more graphic, but to ensure the film got a wider release, Curry had to make some tough decisions.
“That was definitely a scary moment for me as a director,” he admitted to The Guardian. “Especially as I had just watched the movie in Toronto with a crowd that really reacted to that scene.
“Hearing the news that I might have to cut it down was quite devastating at first. But we cut it down and I feel like the integrity of the scene is still there … I’m actually surprised at how much they let us keep in.”
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Similarly, Inde insisted to The Hollywood Reporter that version of Obsession shown at TIFF was “not that different” to what we all saw in cinemas.
“[When] I kill Sarah, we reduced the amount of head smashes because it was too long,” she claimed.
“I really loved the response at TIFF, because people really liked how long it is and how aggressive Nikki is. It shows how obsessed she is, what she’s willing to do for Bear and how far she’s willing to take it. It’s just really intense.
“Also, what was cut was the aftermath. Curry wanted to play with the idea of what does a human body do after that sort of smashes, like there’s gurgles come out, so there was gurgles, there was like human sounds that might have been too gruesome for an R rating, so they kind of downsized it.”
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She added: “TIFF definitely got a really gruesome, gruesome version, but it sounded like they liked it.”
The opening scene was added in at the last minute
“The original opening of this movie was actually at Bear’s house [when he found] the dead cat, and you’re just thrown in and you don’t really know what’s going on,” Curry told Movable Fest.
During the editing process, he “decided to open” up the story, bringing back actors Michael Johnston and Cooper Tomlinson to shoot the new opening set at a diner.
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Obsession had a few alternative endings, too
In the version of Obsession that made it into cinemas, Bear’s hold over Nikki comes to an end when he dies, at which point she screams in terror when she realises what she’s done.
Before Nikki became horror’s new “final girl”, though, Curry had planned for the character to die alongside the rest of her friendship group.
“I was really obsessed with this Romeo And Juliet ending, actually,” he told Entertainment Weekly, revealing that it was his dad who told him to have Nikki live, instead.
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“We shot both,” he noted. “We shot this ending that you see in the movie, and we shot the ending where she ends it all.”
Nikki and Bear pictured in the final moments of Obsession
He added: “We had shot a ton of different versions of the official ending, the one that’s in the script, the one that I was excited about, and I was like, ‘Okay, we’ll do one ending where [Nikki] survives, but we’ll just do one take of it, and then we’ll move on’.”
In fact, Obsession’s shocking ending was shot in only one take
Because of the complicated technique used to capture it – and the fact that Curry was still set on Nikki dying – he recorded the ending that made it into the finished film in one take.
“It was a very technical shot, and so we only gave her one where she survives,” he told Entertainment Weekly, revealing that Inde’s “performance was so good” he had to include the scene in his movie.
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He revealed: “I just remember my dad and multiple people around me being like, ‘Dude, I think it’s way more disturbing if she just survives this thing’. I was like, ‘Ah, you’re right’. And so we switched it.”
Inde told The Hollywood Reporter: “The original ending was that I was going to choose that I didn’t want to live that way anymore, after all of the trauma and pain. [At the] last second, they were like, ‘Let’s just try this one thing’, and from other people’s perspective, which is high praise for me, and I really, really appreciate it, they did one take, they felt like it was magical and electric, and they knew that that was the ending.
“At the end of all of this, it was such a release to get all of what I felt like Nikki was experiencing out of my body. I’m really glad that she didn’t die. I’m really glad that she’s considered a horror final girl, that I think is the sickest title ever.”
Inde Navarette’s performance as Nikki in Obsession is one you’re going to be hearing a lot about in the next few weeks and months
One other scene that went through ‘so many different versions’ was Sarah and Bear’s private conversation in the car
“There was a version where Sarah tells Bear that Nikki admitted to her that Nikki actually had feelings for Bear,” Curry recalled to Polygon. “I thought that was really heartwrenching if it turns out that Nikki liked Bear along and then this happened, but that obviously didn’t make it in.”
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He also pointed out: “No one ever has picked up on this, but there’s this line in the beginning that says Nikki was crying in the break room. You can hear it at the trivia bar. They talk about, ‘Why was Nikki crying in the break room?’ And Ian’s like, “I don’t know, maybe she…” But really it’s because Ian had told her that he wanted to [end their casual hook-ups].”
Curry Barker had a very specific intention while making everything in Obsession so centre-focussed (and no, it wasn’t to do with vertical video)
“I wanted to shoot this centre-composed and have extra head space because I wanted it to feel uncomfortable in its loneliness,” he told Variety.
“There’s something about centre-composed that forces you to look and pulls you in in a way that traditional composition may not. I’ve seen a lot of horror filmmakers I look up to recently shooting in that way.”
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When putting together Obsession, Curry Barker never envisaged the ‘incel’ label that many have thrown at his protagonist, Bear
Michael Johnston as Bear in Obsession
“He just makes some bad decisions but I think it starts from a really innocent place,” the director told The Guardian. “It’s what he chooses to do after that that’s bad.”
He also noted: “Embarrassingly, I wasn’t even familiar with the term incel until someone brought it up to me.”
Curry Barker actually makes a cameo in Obsession you might have totally missed
You know that part where Bear calls up an operator for the One Wish Willow helpline?
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“It was me,” Curry admitted to Polygon. “I recorded that dialogue in my room, way after we shot the movie. I was editing in my room so I was able to just do whatever I wanted with it. I just got my phone out and I was just like, ‘Hey, what’s up?’.”
And finally, is there any chance of an Obsession sequel? Kiiiind of…
Curry has claimed he’d “definitely” be up for another film set in the Obsession world, but introducing a different set of characters and, crucially, another wish.
“It wouldn’t have these characters, but it would have the One Wish Willow,” he teased to Polygon. “It would be [about] that same selfishness of a person who wants something that’ll only benefit them and not really thinking about other people.
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“The horror would come out of what happens when you wish for something that you think is going to be good, but it’s not. That’s the theme, and so there’s so many different stories.”
During her Hollywood Reporter interview, Inde also revealed that she’d “absolutely” be up for playing Nikki again, even though she “really” loves the idea that the story is “kind of left there”.
“It’s like a memory, whenever you look back to yourself at like 24, 23, 22 those are all chunks, and they begin and end at a certain point. I think that’s kind of like this story. It begins and it ends, and then it’s new Nikki, if you will,” she added with a laugh.
Victor Osimhen has spoken out after eyebrow-raising comments from his international coach (Picture: Getty Images)
Victor Osimhen has dismissed talk that he is about to leave Galatasaray, after comments that suggested an imminent move from Nigeria manager Eric Chelle.
The 27-year-old made a surprise move from Napoli to Galatasaray in the summer of 2024, initially on loan for a season before making his switch permanent last summer.
The striker has been prolific for the Turkish club, scoring 41 times in 52 league appearances and 59 in 74 across all competitions.
Gala have won four Super Lig titles on the spin, two since Osimhen’s arrival, with the forward also lifting the Turkish Cup last year.
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Osimhen is under contract in Istanbul until 2029 but Nigeria head coach Chelle appeared to drop a bombshell on his star striker’s future.
Chelle was pointing out that both Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will not be available for Nigeria’s upcoming friendlies against Portugal and Poland, suggesting that the Galatasaray’s absence was due to an imminent transfer.
‘We will miss two players because Victor Osimhen, he had maybe to change a club, so I prefer that he stays, because if you play and you are not at hundred percent, this is not good,’ said Chelle.
Eric Chelle set tongues wagging with his comments (Picture: Getty Images)
‘And Lookman is very tired, and Atletico has asked us to let him, so we will travel with 18 players.’
Osimhen has clarified these comments since, asking people to disregard them, although confirming that there is no problem between him and his international boss.
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‘Unfortunately, his words have been taken out of context and blown out of proportion,’ Osimhen posted on Instagram.
Osimhen has calmed down speculation after Chelle’s words (Picture: Getty Images)
‘He has great respect for Galatasaray, follows most of our games, and never intended to create any controversy.
‘I appreciate the conversation, the opportunity to always represent my country, and I look forward to continuing to work with him.
‘He is a great coach whom I respect a lot, and I kindly ask everyone to disregard the speculation surrounding this matter.’
Osimhen celebrates Galatasaray’s latest Super Lig title (Picture: Getty Images)
Osimhen has been linked with a string of top European clubs in the past, especially in the summer he left Napoli, when a switch to Paris Saint-Germain or Chelsea appeared likely before a surprise move to Türkiye.
Manchester United have now been touted as an interested party in the 51-cap Nigeria international.
Emergency services were called to the scene on the westbound carriageway of the major road near Connor Downs just before 11am on Friday, May 29
A young boy of eight has tragically lost his life following a multi-vehicle collision on the A30 in Cornwall.
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Emergency services were scrambled to the westbound carriageway of the busy road near Connor Downs at just before 11am on Friday, 29 May. Police have confirmed the eight year old boy was pronounced dead at the scene.
A five year old boy was rushed to Bristol Children’s Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition, the force added. A woman in her 70s sustained serious injuries and is currently receiving treatment at Derriford Hospital, while a woman in her 40s was also treated at Derriford before being discharged, reports Cornwall Live.
The two women and two children were all passengers in the same vehicle. Specially trained family liaison officers are providing support to their loved ones.
A man in his 60s was subsequently arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He was treated for minor injuries before being released under investigation.
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Detective Inspector Andy Heath of Devon and Cornwall Police Serious Collisions Investigation Team said: “Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this incident. Specialists from the Roads Policing Team and Serious Collisions Investigation Team have continued enquiries through the weekend, and the investigation team will be pursuing several lines of enquiry over the coming weeks.
“It is not possible to provide detail of the cause of the collision, and I would ask the public not to speculate. Further information will be made available in due course. Our priority at this time is to support those that have been directly affected by this tragic incident and to secure the evidence required for a thorough investigation.”
Officers are now urging anyone with dashcam footage to get in touch with the force.
In an official statement, Devon and Cornwall Police said: “Police are appealing for witnesses and dash-cam footage following a road traffic collision on the A30 which has tragically resulted in the death of a child and serious injuries to another.
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“If you witnessed the collision or were in the area with dash-cam and have not yet spoken to police, please call 101 or make contact via our website quoting 50260136471.”
Benefits of the deal highlighted by Aslef to its members include an extra 35 days away from work a year, average weekly rostered hours being cut to 34 from current average of 36, as well as more time at home and less time travelling to and from work, meaning less fatigue and giving drivers a better quality of life.
That’s how I felt when I spoke with the longtime host of Most Haunted, which has just put out series 28 on Pluto TV and is already filming its 29th. They’re even location scouting for the 30th, if you have any spots you want to write in with ghoulish tales of.
The 57-year-old presenter co-created the format with her husband Karl Beattie in 2002. She likens ghost hunting to an ‘addiction’, but also recounts a crisis of conviction some years later when a crewmember had to be rushed to hospital after an apparent ghost attack.
The incident unfolded in the Edinburgh Vaults – which have a rich if rather sombre history of murder, witch persecution and more – during a live broadcast across the UK and US.
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During the episode, three crewmembers were cut, scratched and wholly shaken up. Their sound man collapsed with a cut down his leg that was ‘so deep you could actually see the bone’, Fielding recalls to Metro.
The veteran TV presenter struggled to keep it together and resigned live on air. ‘I had never thought that we could get harmed,’ she says. ‘I kept crying and saying, “That’s it. I’m done. I can’t cope with this. What the hell are we dealing with?”’
Fielding co-created the format with her husband in 2002 (Picture: Living TV)
‘I might scream and be terrified, but it is like an addiction’ (Picture: UKTV/Tony Ward)
When the taping was done, Fielding was prepared to pack it in then and there, but agreed to take a month to think about it. Many conversations with her husband ensued.
‘My resolve hit through. I was like, “No, I’m not going to let this beat me”,’ she says. ‘I then started researching cases throughout history where people were physically hurt by, seemingly, a spirit. It was unbelievable the amount of terrifying cases that were reported in newspapers – bite marks, burn marks, scratches, bruising.
‘I just thought, if you’re going to investigate the paranormal, then you’ve got to go the whole way. You can’t just go, I’m frightened of it. You’ve got to do the whole thing.’
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She adds: ‘Now, if somebody gets a little scratch or a burn mark, I get so excited.’
See? Not terribly relatable to us scaredy-cats. But it does make sense why Fielding has spent as many years as she has entering rooms that would have horror audiences screaming, ‘Don’t go in there!’
Don’t be rude and say “What a load of rubbish”, because I’m not going to say that about your religion.
Not everyone has the same mettle. A fair few Most Haunted crewmembers have upped and left in the middle of filming after experiencing something they ‘can’t explain’.
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‘When crew come and work on the show, they might think it’s a TV show, so stuff’s made up,’ says Fielding. ‘But when they realise this is real, they start questioning things. It really can be quite upsetting and unnerving.’
Fielding rapidly relays a succession of events in the latest series alone. They include a metal crucifix flying across a room, a rocking chair moving of its own volition, tapping and scraping sounds, stalking footsteps, slamming doors, moans, groans and children giggling. It’s a full-on fright night.
‘I might scream and be terrified, but it is like an addiction. I can’t wait to go back and do it again. I don’t know why. I love it,’ she says. On particularly scary filming days, she will listen to the Mary Poppins soundtrack on the way home to calm the nerves.
Fielding says she listens to the Mary Poppins soundtrack to wind down after a haunt (Picture: Ian Thraves)
How did Most Haunted first start?
After departing Blue Peter, where she had been the BBC show’s youngest-ever presenter, Yvette Fielding fronted several shows in other genres before she found her ghostly niche.
It came from a ‘chance conversation’ about a highly haunted spot in East Sussex. Afterwards, her husband asked if she could hack staying there for the night.
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‘I told him politely where to go,’ she says. ‘But then we sat up all night chatting about it, and we came up with the idea of Most Haunted.
‘I do not to this day understand what pushed us, but we decided we were going to make a pilot of the show.’
The couple used their savings and paid contributors with pizza and beer, but still, they spent six months being told ‘no’ by TV execs. There were ‘lots of tears’, Fielding admits.
‘Nobody was interested in it. They said the paranormal doesn’t work. We were told by one channel that it was unprofessional to delve into this genre and to leave it alone.’
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It was Living executive producer Arch Dyson who finally gave them the green light. ‘He said this is just crazy enough to work and that was the birth of Most Haunted.’
Despite the show’s extensive ghosthunting back catalogue, Most Haunted doesn’t seem to be running out of locations to visit. To Fielding, it’s the locations that make the show
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From time to time, certain spots are so spooky they merit a second look. Many come in as fan suggestions. All of them have to be vetted to weed out the charlatans.
This involves rounds of interviews and eyewitness testimonies. ‘It’s like a jigsaw puzzle,’ says Fielding. ‘You’re putting all the pieces together and hoping that it makes a full picture.’
Because this is ghosthunting, there’s something beyond research and rigour that they rely on too: the feeling when they first walk in.
But ultimately, ‘seeing is believing’, says Fielding, which is why Most Haunted is so gung-ho about getting sceptics, scientists and journalists to ride along. (I too am invited on a ghostly sojourn – watch this space.)
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‘We have nothing to hide,’ says Fielding. ‘I want these people, especially sceptical people, to experience something and go away puzzled.’
‘The more people understand that this is not it, I think that will make our lives an awful lot happier’ (Picture: Paul Cooper/REX/Shutterstock)
For Fielding, spiritualism is her religion and she doesn’t take kindly to naysayers denigrating it. ‘They should respect our views, which is, there is life after death,’ she says. ‘Don’t be rude and say “What a load of rubbish”, because I’m not going to say that about your religion.
‘We go on. Our consciousness goes on. I know that my relatives are happy. I know that they come and visit. If you talk out loud to them, they will draw close and you’ll feel a little bit better within a short space of time.’
A couple of decades ago, pre-Most Haunted, Fielding was living in a Cheshire house which she suspected was inhabited by something spectral. She found herself uneasy when alone there. But now, living in a haunted house ‘wouldn’t bother her in the slightest’.
If you aren’t quite as thrilled, Fielding recommends going to your local church. ‘The diocese will have a person that is specifically trained in how to deal with hauntings,’ she says. ‘Lots of people don’t know that and a lot of people feel embarrassed about talking about it.
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‘I wish they wouldn’t. This is part of our life. This is part of who we are as human beings. The more people understand that this is not it, there is life after death, I think that will make our lives an awful lot happier.’
Most Haunted airs on Pluto TV.
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The 47-year-old could be following in the footsteps of his son Bobby, 22, who reached the final of the BBC show in 2023.
A source told The Sun: “Jeff was approached by the Beeb about taking part in Strictly this year and he is tempted.
“Previously he said he wouldn’t do it because he didn’t want to step on Bobby’s toes.
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“But three years have passed now and it’s a massive opportunity for Jeff.
“He has discussed it with Bobby who thinks it would be amazing if his dad was to give it a go.
“Jeff has yet to sign his contract but everyone around him is urging him to do it.”
Jeff Brazier rumoured to be part of new Strictly line-up
Bobby was partnered with professional dancer Dianne Buswell and finished runner-up to Coronation Street star Ellie Leach and her professional partner Vito Coppola.
In a 2024 interview, Jeff explained why he was hesitant to do the show.
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He told The Sun: “Bobby’s been there, it’s his thing.
“I feel like to step into that world would almost be to sort of steal his thunder slightly.
“That was Bob’s thing and I want to leave it to him…
Top 5 most iconic Strictly performances
“I’ve got plenty of things that I really enjoy doing, I’ve got lots of exciting projects moving forward and I’ll stay in my lane, I think.
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“But I don’t think that going on Strictly would be right for me right now.”
The Strictly rumours come after the cancellation of a planned ITV reality show featuring Jeff and his sons Bobby and Freddy.
The documentary was reportedly dropped earlier this year due to “ongoing stress” within the family.
A source told the Daily Mail: “Jeff has pulled out of the show, leaving pre-production in chaos.
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“Nobody really knows why, but there is a lot of ongoing stress in the Brazier clan, especially with [son] Freddy about to become a dad.
“It’s a lot, but Jeff deciding to take himself away from the show has come as a shock to ITV, who had it down as a big ratings winner.”
Newsquest approached the BBC for comment, but the broadcaster declined to comment on the speculation.
Who would you like to see take part in Strictly Come Dancing this year? Let us know in the comments below.
Kammy’s Un-Beer-Lievable lager will help raise money and awareness for Prostate Cancer UK, adding to the £15,000 the lager raised in 2024, when it was launched for the 2024 European Champiuonship.
The beer is being brewed at Brew York’s Osbaldwick brewery in York and will be pouring at Brew York and Brew+ venues in time for the World Cup which is being screened to the general public and, where available, in pre-booked seating to maximise the tournament experience.
Kammy, who played for Swindon Town, Brentford, Stoke City, Leeds United, Sheffield United and Middlesborough, said; “Brew York have been a perfect partner to work with for this project. It’s exciting to know it will feature heavily in their pubs and bars and raise awareness of prostate cancer. I’ll certainly be having a few cans whilst I’m cheering on England at the World Cup.”
Wayne Smith, co-founder and Managing Director, Brew York added: “It’s an absolute pleasure to be collaborating with Kammy again. His enthusiasm for this beer – and the money it raises for Prostate Cancer UK – is irresistible.
“It was extremely popular when we brewed it in 2024 and of course, we’re aiming to add as much as we can to the £15,000 raised previously.”
James Steven, Head of Partnerships, Prostate Cancer UK concluded: “We’re delighted that Brew York and our long-time supporter Kammy are once again supporting us ahead of another massive summer of football as the World Cup kicks into action.
“Through the funds raised and awareness generated from this collaboration, we’re reaching men with a health awareness message in an environment where they feel most comfortable, whilst also raising money that will help save lives. We are excited to see this come to life over the summer!”
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The beer, at 4.1% abv, promises to be a crisp, refreshing lager with a gentle spicy-herbal aroma. It will be pouring at Brew York and Brew+ venues from June 5 – as well as being available in cans to take-away, Brew York’s online shop as well as selected craft beer bottle shops across the UK.
A can of the fundraising beer (Image: Pic supplied)
As part of the promotional push, trade customers of Brew York will also get the chance to win an appearance from Kammy to their own venue where he’ll give his thoughts on the World Cup as well as reflect on memorable moments of his career – in his own inimitable style.
The opportunity to meet Kammy is also being extended to the public through a ‘goal’-den ticket prize draw based on each case (12) of cans purchased directly from Brew York venues and webshop.
Details of Kammy’s Un-Beer-Lievable launch and competitions will be on Brew York’s social media channels and mail list over the coming days.
Smiles for Miles returned to Hardwick Hall Hotel in Sedgefield on Sunday (May 31), with a combination of supercar experiences, displays and motorsport action made it an event not to be missed.
Smiles for Miles, which is the name of the event, supports the JPC Community Hub CIC which is based at Middlesbrough’s TAD Centre.
The hub supports adults with special and complex needs throughout Middlesbrough.
Pictures show hundreds of motoring enthusiasts taking in the collection of cars, which included Lamborghini’s and Audi’s.
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Smiles for Miles at Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
Children also enjoyed rides in the passenger seat of some of the sports and supercars, as more than 300 cars were on display.
There was also a food village and fairground rides, with this year’s event also featuring Electric Avenue, showcasing the latest in electric vehicle technology.
Smiles for Miles at Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
Smiles for Miles at Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
Smiles for Miles at Hardwick Hall Hotel, Sedgefield (Image: ANDY FUTERS)
Tim Boyd, general manager at Hardwick Hall Hotel, previously said: “Smiles for Miles was hugely popular last year so we’re very excited to welcome it back.
“This is a rare opportunity to see all of these amazing vehicles in one place and to even get the chance to ride in some of them.
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“The whole day has so much for everyone – and that includes people who may not be huge car fans – so we look forward to it being another great success.”
Vickrum Digwa, 23, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 21 years after being convicted of the Southampton student murder of Henry Nowak, 18, who was stabbed to death on Belmont Road in December 2025
16:31, 01 Jun 2026Updated 16:31, 01 Jun 2026
A man who fatally stabbed a university student with a Sikh kirpan knife after declaring “I am a bad man” has been handed a life sentence.
Vickrum Digwa, 23, carried out a vicious assault on 18-year-old Henry Nowak from Chafford Hundred, Essex, before fabricating a “wicked lie” and alleging he had been targeted in a racist attack.
Henry sustained two stab wounds to the rear of his legs before receiving a fatal blow to his heart on Belmont Road, Southampton, on December 3, 2025.
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Footage captured by his victim shows Digwa declaring “I am a bad man” mere moments before the killing. He subsequently testified in court that Henry, whom he characterised as intoxicated, had directed racial slurs at him before striking him and dislodging his turban.
Digwa was convicted of murder at Southampton Crown Court on Thursday. He also faced charges of possessing a bladed article in public, while his mother, Kiran Kaur, 53, was found guilty of assisting an offender by removing the weapon from the scene. Today, Digwa received a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years, reports the Mirror.
Digwa maintained he had stabbed Henry in self-defence after being threatened and grabbed by the hair, but insisted he hadn’t realised at the time that he had inflicted the fatal chest wound. He also “lied” to officers by denying he had stabbed Henry despite the student’s desperate appeals for assistance as he informed police of his injuries.
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This resulted in officers placing Henry in handcuffs as he lay dying, even as they attempted to administer first aid. Tech billionaire Elon Musk posted on X an offer to fund a private prosecution against the police, while the Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Mark Nowak, Henry Nowak’s father, broke down in tears as he read his victim impact statement at today’s sentencing hearing, detailing the family’s anguish over losing his “beautiful son”.
He said: “As a father, it is my job to protect my child and I failed to keep him safe, I was not there when he needed me most, the thought of him lying in the road, scared, bleeding to death will haunt me forever.
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“I have been traumatised by not knowing exactly what happened that night. A parent losing a child is the worst thing in the world but not knowing how it happened is like a fate worse than hell.”
Olivia, Henry Nowak’s sister, addressed the accused directly, telling him: “If you had known him, you would never have hurt him.” She also shared with the court: “My brother was my first best friend, an unbreakable bond, we lived our life to the fullest together.”
Prosecutor Nicholas Lobbenberg KC had earlier informed the court that the accused, who had undergone weapons training from the age of 12, spoke of the murder weapon in “loving terms” and that he “sleeps in a bedroom with an arsenal of weapons”. He further stated that while Sikhs are legally allowed to carry a kirpan knife, discreetly concealing a small blade beneath garments would adequately fulfil religious obligations.
He noted the accused “chose” to carry two knives, one hidden under his clothes while the larger blade used in the fatal attack was openly visible. He continued: “This is a man who likes weapons. He thinks a knife is a suitable wedding present for his brother.”
BEIRUT (AP) — Israel’s government ordered strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, a day after its ground forces reached their deepest point in Lebanon in 26 years and as Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel, including the outskirts of the coastal city of Haifa.
A joint statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the orders to attack targets in Beirut’s southern suburbs followed what they called repeated violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah and “attacks against our cities and citizens.”
Hezbollah agreed to halt attacks on Israel when the ceasefire was signed in mid-April, but the militant group resumed the assaults after Israeli strikes in Lebanon that Israel characterized as self-defense.
After Monday’s warning, large numbers of people were seen fleeing the area known in Arabic as Dahiyeh, jamming roads leading out of the suburb, where Hezbollah enjoys wide support.
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The fighting in Lebanon also presents a major obstacle in the emerging deal to extend the ceasefire in the Iran war. Tehran wants any agreement to include Lebanon.
Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire overnight
Israeli airstrikes overnight on southern Lebanon left six people dead, including a Syrian citizen in a village near the city of Nabatiyeh, the state-run National News Agency said. Israel struck other towns and villages near the major city, close to the strategic Beaufort Castle and other towns the Israeli military captured in recent days.
The Israeli military, meanwhile, said its air force had intercepted two projectiles launched from Lebanon toward Israeli territory, as well as a suspicious aerial target in the area where Israeli soldiers operate in southern Lebanon. No injuries were reported, the military said.
Hezbollah said it carried out rocket and missile attacks on northern Israel on Sunday. It said early Monday it attacked Israeli troops in Zawtar al-Sharqieh, just north of the Litani River, and struck what they said was Israeli military infrastructure in Tiberius, a few dozen miles south of the border.
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Israel and Lebanon set to hold talks in Washington
The latest attacks came despite a nominal ceasefire that has been in place since April 17 and just before Lebanon and Israel hold their next round of direct talks in Washington starting Tuesday. Hezbollah has rejected direct talks, counting on pressure from Iran, which has demanded an end to the war in Lebanon in its talks with Washington.
The talks between officials from Israel and Lebanon, which began in April in Washington, were the first in more than three decades between the countries, which have no formal diplomatic relations.
Lebanese officials have been scrambling in diplomatic calls, including with Washington, in a desperate bid to push back Israel’s military escalation after Netanyahu’s announcement, a Lebanese diplomatic official said. Beirut is still committed to holding talks to end the conflict despite the boiling tensions, said the official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted Monday that any ceasefire agreement between Washington and Tehran is a “ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon.”
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“Its violation on one front is a violation of the ceasefire on all fronts,” Iran’s top diplomat said in a post on X.
Beirut, the Lebanese capital, has been mostly spared from airstrikes since the ceasefire went into effect, apart from two targeted attacks on the city’s southern suburbs in May.
The German development minister, Reem Alabali Radovan, had planned to visit Beirut on Monday to meet with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and other officials, but she called off the visit while traveling to the city, citing the possibility of Israeli strikes in the suburbs.
Rubio proposes a fresh path to continue talks
A U.S. official said late Sunday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken to Aoun and Netanyahu to propose a fresh path to continue ongoing negotiations, as President Donald Trump weighs a tentative ceasefire extension with Iran.
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Under the proposal, Hezbollah would halt all attacks on Israel, and Israel would refrain from escalating military operations in Beirut, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic conversations.
The official said Aoun was open to the idea but that Lebanese parliament chief Nabih Berri had responded by demanding that Israel first stop all military action.
The official said the Trump administration does not expect Israel to give up retaliating for Hezbollah strikes on its territory.
Berri, a key Hezbollah ally, said in a statement Sunday that he can guarantee the militant group’s “full, comprehensive and immediate commitment to a ceasefire.” Berri added: “But who will force Israel to stop its aggression?”
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Aoun on Monday said in comments released by his office that Lebanon faces “a fierce and condemned Israeli aggression.” Aoun added that his government continues work to end “the suffering of the Lebanese in general and the southerners in particular.”
Later, the president issued a statement reiterating Beirut’s commitment to negotiations, saying it is “safer” than war.”
“It will not solve the problem within moments, but it is a process that needs time,” he said. “And we have no other choice.”
The latest round of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has killed 3,412 people in Lebanon and displaced more than 1 million people.
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Israel’s military said a soldier was killed in southern Lebanon overnight in a drone attack by Hezbollah. Hezbollah’s use of hard-to-detect fiber-optic drones has been deadly for the Israeli military, which is struggling to respond.
According to Netanyahu’s office, at least 26 Israeli soldiers and a defense contractor have been killed in or near southern Lebanon. Two civilians have also been killed in northern Israel.
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Melzer reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed to this report.
On Monday, she revealed that the teaser was actually for a new collab with Cornetto ice cream – and she’s recorded her own take on the brand’s iconic jingle to mark the occasion, complete with a dance beat we never knew we needed in Susan’s back catalogue.
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“Well… it Boyled over,” she wrote on her recently-wiped Instagram page. “I couldn’t keep you all waiting – Just One is yours. Two icons back for summer.
“The [Cornetto] track you know and love, reMAXed with the help of a Grammy award-winning dance producer (more about that soon, I promise).”
She added: “But we’re not done yet… something special is happening Thursday.”
Susan, we’re glad you’re out there having fun and reminding everyone how fabulous you are. Fingers crossed a non-Cornetto-related new tune isn’t too far off…
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As you’re probably aware, Susan ascended to international household name status back in 2009, when she appeared as a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent, and her original audition clip became a global viral sensation.
Susan eventually finished in second place in the contest behind dance troupe Diversity, before signing with Simon Cowell’s record label, releasing seven studio albums (including four UK number ones), receiving two Grammy nominations and setting a new record for first-week sales for a debut album.
Just One marks Susan’s first musical release since 2019, when she unveiled her greatest hits collection Ten.
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