The Southport killer’s parents bear considerable blame for the deadly mass stabbingattack, which could and should have been prevented, a damning inquiry has found.
A bombshell report from the Southport Inquiry found a string of missed chances to halt violence-obsessed teenager Axel Rudakubana before he unleashed his attack of “unparalleled cruelty” on a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop on 29 July 2024. The horrific stabbing claimed the lives of three children and left eight more girls and two adults wounded, sparking riots across the country.
Chairman Sir Adrian Fulford concluded that “this terrible event could have been – and should have been – prevented”. He said that “it is almost certain” that the tragedy would have been stopped if the killer’s family had shared the full extent of their concerns with authorities in late July 2024.
He also placed blame at the door of the multiple agencies that allowed Rudakubana to fall through the cracks, stating that the killer’s “trajectory towards grave violence was signposted repeatedly and unambiguously”.
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The prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and Shabana Mahmood, home secretary, agreed the report exposed “systemic failures” and vowed to make changes to protect the public.
In the damning 763 page report, Sir Adrian found:
A “fundamental failure” by any organisation to take responsibility for managing Rudakubana’s “grave risks”, adding that police missed two occasions to arrest him for carrying a knife
There were missed opportunities over many years to intervene by his parents and other agencies, warning some safeguards were “ineffective or inadequately used”, while others “failed outright”
Rudakubana’s “deeply problematic behaviour was too frequently excused on the basis of his perceived or diagnosed autism spectrum disorder”
The killer became “ever more fixated on extreme violence” after spending the majority of his waking hours “wholly unsupervised” online, where he viewed increasingly disturbing content
“Significant parental failures” hid crucial information from officials in the days leading up to the attack and allowed knives and weapons to be delivered to his home
(Left to right) Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar were murdered in the Southport attack (PA)
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were murdered when Rudakubana, then 17, entered The Hart Space, armed with a knife in summer 2024. He also attempted to murder eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, class instructor Leanne Lucas, and businessman John Hayes. The 19-year-old, who was simply referred to as “the perpetrator” or “AR” in hearings out of respect to victims and their families, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 52 years.
The inquiry, held over nine weeks at Liverpool Town Hall last year, heard from more than 100 witnesses, 67 who gave live evidence, about Rudakubana’s involvement with health services, social care and education, and the three referrals to anti-terror programme Prevent that were made, and closed, before he carried out the attack. Home secretary Yvette Cooper announced the inquiry in January 2025 after Rudakubana’s contact with these various bodies emerged.
In a statement delivered at Liverpool Town Hall as the report was published, Sir Adrian said: “I have no doubt that if appropriate procedures had been in place and if sensible steps had been taken by the agencies and AR’s parents, this dreadful event would not have happened. It could have been and it should have been prevented.”
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He continued: “AR’s trajectory towards grave violence was signposted repeatedly and unambiguously. Yet the systems and agencies responsible for safeguarding the public did not act with the cohesion, urgency or clarity required.”
Chairman Sir Adrian Fulford said the obligation was to provide answers to victims and their families (PA)
Commenting on the parent’s handling of the teenager, who he described as an “aggressive, near total recluse”, he added: “If the full extent of AR’s family’s concerns had been shared with authorities in late July 2024 – including on the day of the attack – it is almost certain this tragedy would have been prevented.”
Sir Adrian acknowledged Rudakubana had placed his parents in an “extremely difficult position”.
“Their life at home must have become little short of a nightmare, given, to use the words of his own father, AR had turned into a monster,” the chairman said.
However he found the couple, Alphonse Rudakubana and Laetitia Muzayire, had “created significant obstructions” to engagement with him by various agencies and failed to stand up to his behaviour and set boundaries, as well as failing to report a clear escalation in his risk.
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He said: “If AR’s parents had done what they morally ought to have done, AR would not have been at liberty to conduct the attack and it would not therefore have occurred.”
But, he said it should have been “obvious” to those in a position to act that Rudakubana was not being “effectively parented”.
Both Rudakubana’s parents, who moved to the UK from Rwanda, gave evidence to the inquiry from remote locations.
His mother told the hearing: “There are many things that Alphonse and I wish we had done differently, anything that might have prevented the horrific event of July 29 2024. (For) our failure, we are profoundly sorry.”
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Violence obsessed Rudakubana had become a ‘near-total recluse’ at his family home in Old School Close, Banks (PA Archive)
Sir Adrian said Rudakubana had “clearly revealed the extreme danger that he presented to others” more than four years before his attack, when he went his former school, the Range High School in Formby, armed with a kitchen knife and a hockey stick and attacked a student.
The inquiry chairman said the incident in December 2019, for which the teenager received a 10-month referral order, was a “watershed event” and should have led agencies to conclude he posed a “high risk of harm to others”.
The inquiry heard between 2019 and 2024, Rudakubana was referred to anti-terror programme Prevent three times, but the referrals were closed. He purchased a number of weapons, including three machetes, online as well as ingredients he used to make the poison ricin.
Sir Adrian said as time passed, interaction between Rudakubana and organisations became “at best, something of a token”.
The chairman recommended the second phase of the inquiry should consider appointing a single agency to monitor interventions for children presenting a high risk of serious harm. He also said it should consider abilities to restrict or monitor their access to the internet.
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The families of the survivors warned “this must not happen again” as they called for urgent steps to address 67 recommendations made in the report.
Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, of law firm Fletchers, represents the families of 22 of the wounded children.
“The physical and emotional scars inflicted on them are a daily reminder of something that we now know could and should have been prevented,” she said.
“They have bravely shared their stories with this inquiry, reliving the horror of that day, in the hope that things can be done, change can happen and that no other family will have to suffer as they have.
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“We ask that where recommendations have been made, those individuals and agencies to which they are addressed, take action now. Not tomorrow. This must not happen again.”
Nicola Brook, solicitor at Broudie Jackson Canter, representing the three adult survivors, said her clients were heroes who have suffered a “deluge of unjustified criticism on social media”, which she called to end.
“The report crystallises one of our key concerns throughout – that every organisation tried to shirk responsibility, and that there was a disturbing lack of leadership,” she added. “This is not the first time we have heard this at an inquiry.
“It is evident, time and time again, that there is a culture within government agencies to place their own reputations above their fundamental duty to protect society, and a failure to properly reflect on their conduct once presented with clear evidence that they failed on multiple occasions.”
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Axel Rudakubana during a preparatory hearing at Liverpool Crown Court (PA Media)
Prime minister Keir Starmer described the findings as “truly harrowing and profoundly disturbing” as he described the murders as “one of the darkest moments in our country’s history”.
Responding to the report, he added. “It sets out in stark detail the systemic failures over the five years that led to this terrible event, and the repeated missed opportunities that could have prevented it.
“While nothing will ever bring three little girls back, erase the trauma from those injured, or undo the lasting impact on those who witnessed such horror, I am determined to make the fundamental changes needed to keep the public safe.”
Home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, added: “Sir Adrian’s report is heartbreaking. It shows a systematic failure of the state to prevent a vile and sickening individual perpetrating this atrocity.”
Widespread rioting and civil unrest that erupted across the country following the murders has not been examined.
A second phase of the inquiry will be informed by the findings of phase one and is expected to focus on the risk posed by young people with a fixation, or obsession with, acts of extreme violence.
Mark Wynn, chief executive of Lancashire County Council, issued an apology and promised to implement the report’s recommendations in full.
“We are deeply sorry for the failures identified and for the part we played in the systemic shortcomings that preceded the attack in Southport,” he added.
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“We know that no words can ease the grief of the families who lost loved ones, or the pain of those who were injured and traumatised.
“Since 2019, we have made substantial changes to our safeguarding practice, and the chair’s findings will inform our continued improvement. We are committed to implementing all recommendations directed to us in full.”
Chief Constable Rob Carden, of Merseyside Police, said the force welcomes and acknowledges the findings. He paid tribute to families of Elsie, Bebe and Alice, adding: “It is incumbent on all the organisations referred to by the inquiry to act on the recommendations made to ensure everything possible is done to prevent this from happening again.”
The announcement forms part of NatWest Group’s “growing together” plan, which sets out how the bank aims to help build conditions for UK growth by backing regions, championing mid-market companies, strengthening infrastructure and housing, boosting financial confidence among families and young people, and supporting innovators shaping the economy.
Designs were bought by Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Michelle Pfeiffer, Trudie Styler and Clemence Poesy, among others.
A Scots fashion brand which catered for numerous A-list celebs, including Jennifer Lopez and Madonna, has gone into liquidation.
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Queene and Belle Limited, based in the Borders, has voluntarily closed the business. Founded in 2001, the firm has created designs which were worn by many celebrities.
Previously speaking to The Herald, Angela Bell, the company’s director, revealed who has snapped up their designs. She said: “Designs have been bought by Jennifer Lopez, Madonna, Michelle Pfeiffer, Trudie Styler and Clemence Poesy, among others, which is great.”
Thomson Cooper’s Richard Gardiner has been named Queene and Bell’s liquidator. He is said to guarantee that “all creditors will be paid in full.”
The judgement has been referred to as a “members’ voluntary liquidation.” This indicates that although the company is still operating well and can settle its debts, the owners have decided to shut it down.
Speaking in 2015 on what attracted their high-end clientele, Ms Bell added: “We have a very artistic approach to all the pieces, and so much thought is put into every detail.
“It all comes from my perspective – that’s what my customers buy into. We have a high price point, so we’re hanging next to global brands like Lanvin.
“Being small can be difficult, but we can offer something different, a much more personal service.”
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Olivia Rodrigo has released the music video for her new single Drop Dead, the first offering from her much-hyped third album You Seem Pretty Sad For A Girl So in Love.
The video, directed by Petra Collins, sees the three-time Grammy winner dancing through the Palace Of Versailles in Paris in a frilly blue dress, running between the rooms before picking up her pink guitar and rocking out.
“You lookin’ like an angel on the walls of Versailles,” she sings on the track. “The most alive I’ve ever been.”
Watch the exciting clip for yourself below:
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On Instagram, the chart-topping singer described Drop Dead as a “new chapter” in the story of her new album.
“It makes me wanna skip around and roll the windows down and make out!” she enthused. “I was lucky enough to film the music video at the Palace Of Versailles a few months ago with the wonderful Petra Collins and I’m so stoked with how it turned out.”
Although Olivia has never directly said who inspired the song, she told British Vogue recently that the “person that the song is about is great”.
In the bridge of Drop Dead, she’s heard singing: “Pisces and a Gemini. But I think we might go really nice together. If you let me stay the night. Well, I think I might just have to stay forever.”
Olivia is a Pisces and Louis is a Gemini, further fuelling the speculation that he is the subject of the song – and, likely, more tracks from her upcoming album.
Olivia Rodrigo and Louis Partridge in October 2025
In the same British Vogue article, Olivia teased that her time with Louis – with whom she reportedly split in December 2025 – in London has inspired her new album.
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She teased: “I’ve spent so much time here over the course of making this album. It has a lot of songs that are London vibes, about experiences that I’ve had here”
The Summertime Sadness singer told the BBC in 2024: “I mean, how has that not happened yet? Can we just say, (singing) ‘it’s only 24 hours in a day’, I wrote that for them, but Sam (Smith, who sang Writing’s On The Wall, the theme to 2015’s Skyfall) you did a wonderful job, really, no I’m just kidding…
Alejandro Garnacho left Manchester United last summer to join Chelsea and could be on the move again
Alejandro Garnacho reportedly made it clear that he wanted to swap Manchester United for Chelsea several months before he left the club. Garnacho left United last summer to join the Londoners in a deal worth up to £40million.
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Since leaving United, Garnacho has made 38 appearances for Chelsea and has scored just eight goals in his debut season at Stamford Bridge.
The Argentina international has been forced to deal with a change of manager during his first season after leaving United, with Chelsea replacing former boss Enzo Maresca with Liam Rosenior back in January.
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Just months after leaving United, a fresh update has emerged about Garnacho’s future, including some insight into his final season at Old Trafford.
The Sun have reported that Chelsea are weighing up whether to cash in on Garnacho just a year after signing the forward from United.
The report also claims that Garnacho was keen to join Chelsea as early as January last year, with the player’s agent said to have made a trip to Stamford Bridge in the same month.
Garnacho’s agent is former Chelsea player Enrique de Lucas, and it now remains to be seen what the future holds for the former United star.
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Last summer, Garnacho expressed a desire to leave United, and was critical of the club’s former manager Ruben Amorim, following the decision to drop the forward to the bench for the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.
This was followed by Garnacho being left out of the squad for the Premier League finale against Aston Villa last season, and the forward recently opened up about his final months as a United player.
“I remember that, in the last six months, I was not playing like before at Manchester United,” Garnacho recently told Premier League Productions.
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“I started to be on the bench. It’s not such a bad thing – I was only 20 years old – but in my mind it was like I had to play every game.
“In my mind, maybe it was also on me. I started to do some bad things. But it was just a moment in life and sometimes you have to make decisions. I am really proud to be [at Chelsea] and still in the Premier League at a club like this.
“About United, I have nothing wrong to say about the club, anyone at the club or my team-mates. It was just a moment that changed and life continues. I have no regrets.”
Mohammed Mizanoor Rahman, who owns Norton restaurant Pangea, appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (April 15) charged with a string of offences.
They include three counts of assaulting a child under 13 by sexual touching and two counts of taking an indecent photograph/pseudo photograph of a child.
The 34-year-old, who is also known as Mizzy, did not enter any pleas during the short hearing.
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Rahman, of Durham Street in Stockton, was remanded in custody until his next appearance at Teesside Crown Court on Wednesday, May 13.
The restauranter first opened Pangea on Norton Road in 2023.
The problem has been ongoing, according to Cllr Hilary Fairclough, for several months, usually reappearing after periods of heavy rain.
Council officers tested the water and found it was not untreated sewage as had been feared for locals, though they were unable to account for the smell or colour.
Cllr Fairclough said: “Several residents have reported this to me – they all said it was terribly smelly.
Residents described the small as ‘foul’ (Image: Hilary Fairclough)
“It’s been going on for a quite a long time as well – it was hot on Facebook just before Easter, but some residents have told me its been going on for months, not weeks.
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“I think it was the Facebook pictures that finally got people to take a serious look at it – just the fact that it looked so horrible.”
The sludgy, foul-smelling water flows down the ginnel from Whithill lane, past Highview and the back of Eastgrove Avenue.
There was at first concern that the water was coming from the nearby Sweetloves Water Treatment Plant, though United Utilities investigated this and found this not to be the case.
Despite this, neither United Utilities nor Bolton Council were able to ascertain the source of the water nor what it consisted of.
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The water seems to have formed a thick sludge (Image: Hilary Fairclough)
But United Utilities have install a channel drain on the path to fix the issue, work which they will complete ‘within the next few weeks’.
United Utilities said: “We’ve carried out a number of investigations on site and don’t believe the water to be coming from Sweetloves water treatment works or the wastewater and clean water networks in the area.
“We’ve agreed with the council as a goodwill gesture that we will install a channel drain on the path to direct the water into a nearby road gully which will rectify the issue – this will be done within the next couple of weeks.”
Williams’ cautiousness about going under the knife suggests he still has ambitions to continue on the baize for years to come – and who can blame him.
Last October, at the age of 50 years and 206 days, he beat the mark set back in 1982 by fellow Welshman Ray Reardon to become the oldest winner of a ranking event when he triumphed in the Xi’an Grand Prix.
Even now, having turned 51 last month, he is ranked sixth in the world going into the World Championship this weekend.
“When I was 45 I said I’d like to see where I am in the rankings when I’m 50,” Williams recalled.
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“I’m not retiring, I made that decision years ago. Let’s see where I am in the rankings at 55, that’ll be interesting.”
He may have ruled out retirement but is not feeling quite so confident about his chances at the Crucible this year.
“I’m still fighting. I’m still trying and that’s all I can say,” he said.
“I try my best in every tournament and if you win, great, if you lose, that’s not the end of the world.
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“I’ve been doing this since I was an eight-year-old kid. My father was going down the mines for 30 years, my grandfather for 50 years.
“I’m just travelling around the world playing the stupid game of snooker, getting paid well for it and enjoying it. You can’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
Teenager Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 14, went missing in 2024
Olivia Beeson UK & World News Reporter and Kirstie McCrum Deputy Head of News, Live News Network
09:10, 17 Apr 2026
American singer D4vd has been taken into custody following the discovery of a missing teenage girl’s body in his Tesla.
The TikTok sensation, whose legal name is David Anthony Burke, faces arrest in connection with the death of the teenager who disappeared in 2024. The Coachella performer became the subject of a grand jury probe into the suspected murder of Celeste Rivas Hernandez, 14, after her remains were located in his vehicle in September.
Los Angeles Police Department confirmed on Thursday that the 21 year old is being detained without bail, with the case due to be submitted to the District Attorney’s office on Monday for potential charges.
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The musician has remained silent regarding the case, though his representatives confirmed he is assisting authorities with their enquiries, reports the Daily Star. Information surrounding the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez has been restricted from public disclosure, according to officials.
The court directive prevents any details about Hernandez’s death from being released or published on the Los Angeles County medical examiner’s office website. Hernandez’s remains were found inside the boot of D4vd’s impounded Tesla on September 8 2025, after complaints of a foul odour at a Hollywood tow yard.
Rivas Hernandez, from Lake Elsinore in California, was last spotted in April 2024. Following the discovery of Celeste’s body, D4vd called off the remainder of his tour dates, with a representative confirming his co-operation with police enquiries. “D4vd has been informed about what’s happened. And, although he is still out on tour, he is fully cooperating with the authorities,” a spokesperson for the artist stated.
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The LAPD told The Mirror US in a statement: “On September 17, 2025, detectives from the Robbery-Homicide Division served a search warrant on the 1300 block of Doheny Place in connection with the death of Celeste Rivas Hernandez. Several items of evidence were recovered and will be analysed by detectives in the coming days.
“This is an ongoing investigation. Investigators are following up on several leads. Once additional information is available to share with the public, it will be released by the Media Relations Division.”
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Hit Bravo series The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills has been airing since 2010 but series 15 has its lowest viewing figures yet
I first started watching The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills during lockdown. When the world was forced to stay indoors and socially distance, I found escapism in the glamorous Bravo series, living vicariously through the cast members’ lives.
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Starting with series one, within six months I had caught up on all seasons and soon wondered how I had lived without the lives of Kyle Richards, Lisa Vanderpump and Lisa Rinna in my life.
Over the seasons, the housewives have undergone huge changes, from losing fan favourites to iconic newcomers joining, all while wearing extravagant outfits and being head-to-toe in designer goods.
When series 15 started back in December, I couldn’t wait to get my next fix, although I was sad to have lost one of my favourites as Garcelle Beauvais quit the show during the series 14 reunion.
With new additions such as Amanda Frances and Rachel Zoe, as well as guests Kathy Hilton, Jennifer Tilly and Natalie Swanston, the fivesome joined series regulars Kyle Richards, Erika Girardi, Dorit Kemsley, Sutton Stracke and Bozoma Saint John in a huge shake-up.
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As much as I want to love series 15, which is currently airing, it sadly doesn’t hit in the same way past series do. It appears viewers feel the same way, as series 15 has the lowest viewing figures of a premiere episode.
The series have always seen more than 1million average viewers tune in, with series two bringing in 2.17million for the opening episode, but series 15 had its lowest yet with 0.70. What’s caused this decline?
I personally think that by losing some iconic cast members over the years, from Lisa Vanderpump, Lisa Rinna, Denise Richards and Garcelle Beauvais, while replacing them with relatively unknown celebrities in the Bravo atmosphere, it has left the series feeling disjointed.
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We’ve followed the housewives for years, and the only still-standing cast member from series one in 2010 is Kyle, with her sister Kathy regularly appearing as a friend throughout the franchise. The next-longest cast member is Erika, who joined in 2015; Dorit in 2016; and Sutton in 2020.
While it’s nice to shake up the series with new cast members, we’re not always as committed to their journeys as we are to those of long-standing cast members, so they really have to make an impact during their time on the show.
Thankfully, newcomers such as Jennifer, who has joined as a friend of Sutton’s in a guest capacity, Bozoma and Rachel have breathed new life into the series with their hilarious anecdotes, traffic-stopping ensembles and honest insights into their lives.
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This differs from fellow newcomer, Amanda, who has left the cast and viewers at home just as confused. Described as a ‘world-renowned thought leader on financial empowerment for women’ and known for her manifesting courses, which have divided the cast, Amanda was introduced as someone who had bought Kyle’s former Bel-Air family home.
This caused confusion from the start, as typically, newcomers have long-standing friendships with housewives already on the show or at least a history with them. But with Amanda’s link being bought by Kyle’s former home, she’s found it hard to settle on the series, and the other housewives have been just as hard on her. And this is my main issue with series 15.
Of course, with any Real Housewives series, we’re used to the drama, petty arguments or gossip between the ladies, but series 15 has taken on a new level of pettiness or dare I say it, nastiness.
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Typically, newcomers are given an easy ride on their first series as they settle into the housewives’ dynamics and socialising, but I don’t feel Amanda has been given that grace. Thankfully, Kyle and Sutton have taken Amanda under their wing, but the businesswoman has unfairly found herself and her business under scrutiny.
In one particularly harsh scene, some of the housewives used ChatGPT to dig into Amanda’s life and business, which was relayed back to her, and she hit back at.
Meanwhile, during a group trip to Florence, Italy, the ladies spotted a street vendor selling Venetian masks, which they dubbed ‘Pinocchios’. Newcomer Natalie asked, “Who’s going to be Pinocchio?” to which Bozoma responded, “Amanda!”
As a long-term fan of the show, the excessive scrutiny and behaviour towards Amanda just seems so unbelievably harsh. I understand the ladies might not get on with Amanda or understand her business, but to use ChatGPT to dig into her life and brand her as ‘Pinocchio’ seems way off the mark.
Meanwhile, a big feature of series 15 has been Dorit, who has found herself falling out with most of the cast while developing strong relationships with Bozoma and Rachel as she navigates her messy divorce with husband PK Kemsley. While Dorit’s fiery rows have provided entertainment throughout this series, as we gear up towards the finale, I’m bored with the same narrative.
We’ve seen Dorit storm off from a day out with Kyle and Erica as the trio tried to address their issues, while an expletive-laden dinner with the ladies saw Dorit walk away from a row with Erica.
The latest episode saw Dorit gear up for her book cover party, but with several housewives not attending due to their fallout with the housewife, the series finale, episode 18, is sure to feature the fallout and yet more arguments.
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For the series to succeed, we need to either bring back some fan favourites, introduce housewives with actual history with current cast members, or focus more on the glamorous lifestyles rather than the constant rows.
The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills is available to watch on Hayu.
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