When I’m on the sixth kilometre of a long run, the last thing I want to do is smile.

But the author of Slow Jogging: Get Fit, Lose Weight, Stay Healthy, and Have Fun With Easy Running, Dr Hiroaki Tanaka, said that’s what I should aim for to achieve a healthier, happier run.

He recommended trying a “smiling” or “niko niko” pace for better blood pressure and increased fitness.

Science says runners can seriously benefit from the practice, which has helped to get me back into running after a long break.

It means a “smiling” pace (“niko” means smiling in Japanese).

In other words, it’s a slow, easy pace.

So much so, Dr Tanaka told the Sydney Morning Herald back in 2016, that you can “talk at ease, or if you are running alone, sing your favourite songs”; it can start as slow as three to five kilometres an hour, though everyone’s different.

More experienced runners might plod along at seven kilometres an hour.

In his research, Dr Tanaka found that the practice seemed to lower participants’ blood pressure (even those who began “niko niko” running at 75).

Science has since backed his approach.

Per Anglia Ruskin University, “slow running may in some ways be more beneficial than training at higher intensities”.

That’s partly because “zone 2 training,” which sees runners jog working out to about 60-70% of their max effort, has been linked to lower strain, stress, and risk of injury. Like niko niko training, zone 2 training puts runners at a “pace which raises your heart rate, but is still slow enough that you can hold a conversation.”

This can improve your base-level fitness. The slower pace gets your heart near or at its maximum oxygen output without stressing your other muscles as much (zone 2 training keeps your body below the lactate threshold, which is when your body starts producing lactic acid that makes your muscles ache).

That means you can keep your body, including your heart, working harder than usual for longer.

Running more slowly has been shown to improve the pace of already-fast runners, too.

Elite runners typically spend about 80% of their training time in zone 2.

I’ve been off the running path for almost a year, with some short-lived returns, thanks to an injury.

But running incredibly slowly on my return has been hugely beneficial (even if, to be honest, jogging at a slower pace than you know you can manage is agonising).

In general, it is good running advice to start the sport so slowly that you find your pace almost embarrassing. Injuries are the number one reason new runners quit, and are commonly caused by doing too much, too fast.

My most recent fastest pace is nigh on six minutes, which is far from my previous peak. Not only have I not had any injuries yet – touch wood – but I’ve also stopped obsessing over my time.

That means I enjoy the scenery and sounds of my local park a lot more. And it’s made my return to the hobby a lot more sustainable, too.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, I reccomend giving “niko niko” training a try, too: it might just make you smile.

To many, the news that Josh Widdicombe is set to take over as the new host of Strictly Come Dancing may have come as a bolt from the blue.

Later this year, the comedian will take over at the helm of Strictly alongside TV personality Emma Willis and professional dancer Johannes Radebe, marking the first time the series has been fronted by a team of three.

At this point, Josh has been a fixture on our screens for almost 15 years – known for his work on comedy panel shows, presenting podcasts and as one of the resident hosts of The Last Leg.

But if you’re not as familiar with Strictly’s new addition’s career as you’d like to be, allow us to bring you up to speed….

After graduating from uni with a degree in linguistics and sociology, Josh got himself a job in the book shop Waterstones’ children’s department, before pursuing a master’s degree in magazine journalism.

“I then moved to London and got a job writing for the children’s magazines Dora the Explorer, Angelina Ballerina and Mr Bean for John Brown Media,” he recalled to The Telegraph in 2021.

Josh claimed he “got the job because, having worked in the children’s department at Waterstones, I knew an unhealthy amount about kids’ publishing for a 21-year-old”.

From there, he briefly worked for The Guardian’s website, and worked as a sub-editor for a sports outlet, but it’s fair to say his heart wasn’t in it.

“[I] had no eye for detail,” he admitted. “Chelsea and Liverpool were both knocked out of the FA Cup by lower league opposition, a huge deal, and I got both scorelines the wrong way round on a double page.”

In fact, Josh only got into performing stand-up as a means to pursue his true passion of being a comedy writer.

He told The Telegraph: “I had no desire to perform but I enrolled on a comedy course, which gave me the confidence to book my first gig.”

Josh eventually made it to the final of So You Think You’re Funny? in 2008, before landing his own headlining show in 2011.

The show, titled If This Show Saves One Life…, earned four stars in Chortle, who predicted his brand of “safe” but “well-crafted” observational humour could make him the next Michael McIntyre.

It also earned him nominations at the Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Awards and Malcolm Hardee’s “most likely to make a million quid” title.

A year after his headlining show at Edinburgh, Josh became regular on Channel 4’s now-defunct comedy series Stand Up For The Week, as well as debuting on the panel show Mock The Week.

Over the years, he’s since popped up in all the usual places, including Mock The Week, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, QI and Have I Got News For You.

During Channel 4’s coverage of the London Paralympics in 2012, the nightly series The Last Leg aired, featuring Josh alongside Adam Hills and Alex Brooker.

Initially a look back over the day’s events at the Paralympics, it proved so popular that when the tournament was over, The Last Leg remained on the air, instead becoming a weekly series reflecting on current affairs, politics and world news.

Earlier this year, it wrapped up its 34th series, with Channel 4 having already confirmed that Josh will remain with the show for its 35th later in 2026, as it will not clash with his hosting duties on Strictly.

Besides The Last Leg, he’s been a permanent part of panel shows like Dave’s Hypothetical and BBC Two’s Insert Name Here.

In fact, Josh appeared on the very first season of Taskmaster in 2015, where his competitors included comedians Romesh Ranganathan, Frank Skinner, Roisin Conaty and Tim Key.

Josh went on to win the series – with his stand-out moment undoubtedly coming when he left host Greg Davies stunned by having the comic’s name tattooed on his foot.

Two years later, he joined Bob Mortimer, Noel Fielding, Katherine Ryan and Rob Beckett on Taskmaster’s first ever ‘champion of champions’ series – which he also won.

He’s also a Mastermind champion, winning a celebrity special of the popular quiz show thanks to his knowledge of his specialist subject, Blur.

A football devotee (despite his past foray into sports journalism not exactly going swimmingly), he previously hosted the Radio 5 Live series Fighting Talk with sports presenter Georgie Thompson, before launching his own nostalgic podcast about the game called Quickly Kevin, Will He Score?.

The show ran for seven years, before coming to an end in 2024 with a live show at London’s Palladium theatre.

He now co-hosts the podcast Parenting Hell with fellow comic, and dad, Rob Beckett.

They initially launched the series as Lockdown Parenting Hell during the pandemic, and kept it going after it proved to be a hit with listeners.

Josh – which he created and co-wrote – ran for three seasons, featuring the comedian as a fictionalised version of himself, living in a flatshare with characters played by Elis James and Beattie Edmondson.

Jack Dee played the trio’s landlord, with Beattie’s mum Jennifer Saunders also putting in regular appearances.

Josh is married to TV producer Rose Hanson, whose credits include numerous comedy shows including Alan Carr’s Chatty Man, Would I Lie To You?, Live At The Apollo and 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

The couple married in 2019 and share two children, eight-year-old Pearl and five-year-old Cassius.

Well, another of Josh’s most memorable TV appearance was in 2021, when he took part in the genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?.

Through his time on the show, Josh learned that he is descended from Tudor nobility, and is even a distant relative of Queen Elizabeth I through her aunt, Mary Boleyn.

He also has a book, Watching Neighbours Twice A Day, which tells his life story through the lens of the 90s TV he enjoyed in his youth.

In addition to his on-screen work, Josh has previously lent his voice to the hit animated shows Big Lizard and Bluey.

No, in 2024, he competed in Strictly’s annual Christmas special, performing with Karen Hauer, who left the show in the lead-up to the announcement that Josh would become its new host.

Josh and Karen scored 36 out of 40 points for their Charleston to Let It Snow – for which they, naturally, were dressed up as penguins – with Drag Race UK finalist Tayce lifting the Silver Star trophy that year.

Strictly Come Dancing will return to our screens later this year.

If you’re missing Stranger Things, The Boroughs could well be about to become your new Netflix obsession.

Produced by Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers, the eight-part series follows a misfit group of pensioners who embark on an adventure after becoming suspicious that supernatural goings-on have taken over their idyllic retirement complex.

The Boroughs has already received a wave of positive reviews, with critics particularly praising the show’s stellar line-up of well-known faces you’re bound to recognise from their combined decades in the industry.

Indeed, the cast is a who’s who of recognisable stars that includes Oscar nominees, rom-com heroes and A-list TV stars.

Here’s where you’ve seen the cast of The Boroughs before…

Alfred Molina first found fame in the late 1970s, appearing alongside Leonard Rossiter in the ITV comedy The Losers. He then went on to star in Law & Order: LA as Detective Ricardo Morales, the comedy Roger & Val Have Just Got In alongside Dawn French and Feud: Bette And Joan, in which he played the real-life film director Robert Aldrich.

Perhaps better known for his work on the big screen, Alfred made his film debut as Satipo in the Indiana Jones film Raiders Of The Lost Ark, and went on to appear in hits like Boogie Nights, Chocolat and The Da Vinci Code.

He also earned widespread acclaim and nominations at the Baftas for playing Diego Rivera in Frida, and for his role in An Education with Carey Mulligan – although to some viewers, he is probably best known for his role as Doctor Octopus in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Alfred is also a prolific voice actor, lending his vocal talents to the likes of Rango, Monsters University, Ralph Breaks The Internet and Frozen 2. His most recent voice role was in the Netflix movie Remarkably Bright Creatures, in which he helped bring Marcellus the octopus to life.

Audiences have been swooning over Bill Pullman since the 1980s, when he made his film debut in Ruthless People.

The US actor then became one of the biggest names in Hollywood in the 1990s, appearing in classic films like A League Of Their Own, Casper and Wyatt Earp, as well as romantic roles opposite Meg Ryan in Sleepless In Seattle and Sandra Bullock in While You Were Sleeping.

He cemented his status as an acting icon when he played the president in 1996’s Independence Day, which he followed with performances in David Lynch’s Lost Highway, family favourite Spy Games and comedy horror Lake Placid.

While less known for his TV work, Bill did play Oswald Danes in Torchwood, Detective Harry Ambrose in the crime anthology The Sinner and David J. Mahoney in Halston.

Acting clearly runs in the family, as his son Lewis Pullman has been making a name for himself in the last few years, with appearances in films like Top Gun: Maverick and Thunderbolts*.

Geena Davis is an Oscar and Golden Globe-winning actor who is probably best known for playing the Thelma to Susan Sarandon’s Louise in the 1991 classic.

She made her big-screen debut in Tootsie with Dustin Hoffman, before winning an Academy Award for her performance in The Accidental Tourist, in which she co-starred with her future The Boroughs co-star Bill Pullman.

Her other film credits include playing the recently-deceased Barbara in Beetlejuice, Dorothy “Dottie” Hinson in A League Of Their Own (yet another Bill Pullman project!) and Samantha in the crime drama The Long Kiss Goodnight.

Geena’s TV credits, meanwhile, include appearances in the self-titled 2000s sitcom The Geena Davis Show, a role on Grey’s Anatomy as Dr Nicole Herman and a supporting performance in Netflix wrestling drama Glow.

Alfre was ranked by The New York Times as one of the 25 Greatest Actors Of The 21st Century – a testament to her five decades of work in the industry.

Since starting her career in the late 1970s, she has found success on both the stage and screen, and is probably still best known for her role as Dr Roxanne Turner in the NBC medical drama St. Elsewhere.

Her accolades include an Oscar nomination in 1983 for her role in Cross Creek, a Golden Globe nod for 1987’s Passion Fish and four Emmy wins, including for her work in the 1980s police drama Hill Street Blues.

Over the years, Alfre has appeared in TV shows like LA Law, Desperate Housewives, Luke Cage and Apple TV+’s The Last Frontier, while her recent film roles include a “tour de force” performance in prison drama Clemency, as well as roles in the Ryan Gosling action flick The Gray Man and the 2024 adaptation of Stephen King’s Salem’s Lot.

You’ll likely recognise Clarke Peters for his role as Lester Freamon in The Wire, but he has had a long and illustrious career outside of that, too.

His filmography includes performances as a police officer in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, as Ben Ross in the Cynthia Erivo-led biopic Harriet and as Whitney Houston’s father in the biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

Arguably Clarke’s most successful film role came in 2020, when he starred in Spike Lee’s Da Five Bloods, earning him recognition at the Baftas and NAACP Awards.

Clarke has also been nominated for three Olivier Awards for his roles in 1996’s Unforgettable, 1997’s Chicago and 2007’s Porgy And Bess.

Viewers will likely know Denis O’Hare for his portrayal of vampire king Russell Edgington on the fantasy series True Blood, or for his appearances in Ryan Murphy’s various iterations of American Horror Story.

In American Horror Story, he’s played Larry in Murder House, Spalding in Coven, con-artist Stanley in Freak Show, transgender bartender Liz Taylor in Hotel, Doctor William Van Henderson in Roanoke, businessman Holden Vaughn in Double Feature, bar regular Henry Grant in NYC and, most recently, Dr Andrew Hill in Delicate.

Denis’ other recent TV credits include playing Jessie in This Is Us, lawyer Ira in season two of Big Little Lies and Father Giovanni De Vita in supernatural drama Evil.

On film, he was part of the ensemble casts of the critically-acclaimed Milk, Changeling, Dallas Buyers Club and The Normal Heart, which reunited him with Ryan Murphy.

Jena Malone, who plays Sam’s daughter in The Boroughs, has been a well-known face in film and TV since she was a child.

At just 13, she appeared in 1997’s historical drama Hope with Goldie Hawn, before sharing the screen with Jodie Foster in Contact and both Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts in Stepmom.

She then went on to star in the 2004 dark comedy Saved, the 2005 big-screen adaptation of Pride & Prejudice and the biopic Into The Wild.

Jena’s highest-profile role came in 2013, when she played Johanna Mason in The Hunger Games film series.

More recently, she has appeared in Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon, as well as Love Lies Bleeding and Horizon: An American Saga.

Jane Kaczmarek stars in The Boroughs as Sam’s late wife, who appears to him through visions and flashbacks.

She is best known for her role as frustrated matriarch Lois in Malcolm In The Middle, a role which earned her three Golden Globe nominations and seven Emmy nods, and which she reprised in the show’s recent reboot.

Outside of this, she has also had recurring roles in Fraser, Cybil and Felicity, and voices the recurring character Judge Constance Harm in The Simpsons.

Most recently, she appeared in the Apple TV+ show The Changeling as the mythical Callisto.

Karan is a recognisable face to superhero fans thanks to his role as Dopinder in Deadpool and its two sequels.

Among his film credits are Office Christmas Party, Detective Pikachu, the 2016 reboot of Ghostbusters and, more recently, A Nice Indian Boy, in which he played Jonathan Groff’s love interest.

Meanwhile, Karan’s TV work includes acting and directing on Abbott Elementary, appearing in the Netflix romance Nobody Wants This and a brief performance in the Apple TV+ smash Pluribus.

Carlos is most recognisable for his roles as fire inspector Theo Ruiz on Grey’s Anatomy and its spin-off Station 19, and playing Johnny Sanchez in Melissa Barrera’s comedy-drama Vida.

His other credits include minor roles in How To Get Away With Murder, Empire and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, as well as a supporting role as a detective in crime drama Bosch.

Alice is best known for her role as the antagonistic Nicole Eckelcamp in Orange Is The New Black, but she also starred in season four of The Sinner, and, more recently, played the villainous Sofia Wilmot in Renegade Nell.

On film, Alice starred in the Oscar-nominated The Trial Of The Chicago 7, in which she played real-life social justice activist Bernardine Dohrn.

Rafael plays Sam’s son-in-law Neil in The Boroughs, but you’ll likely recognise the actor for playing Hunter X-5 in Loki or Johnny in The Lowdown.

Notably, he also co-created, wrote, directed, and starred in the film Blindspotting and its TV spin-off alongside Daveed Diggs, which follows a family in a gentrified Oakland whose lives are upended when Rafael’s character is suddenly imprisoned.

Ed Begley Jr. became a household name for his role as Dr Victor Ehrlich on the TV series St. Elsewhere.

His other television credits include playing Dr Hank Hastings in the family drama 7th Heaven, starring in eight episodes of Six Feet Under as hairdresser Hiram Gunderson and portraying the real estate tycoon Stan Sitwell in Arrested Development.

In recent years, he has played Clifford Main in Better Call Saul, had a recurring role in The Young Sheldon as physics professor Dr Grant Linkletter and appeared in the 2022 reboot of Queer As Folk.

On film, Ed has frequently collaborated with Christopher Guest on mockumentaries like This Is Spinal Tap, Best In Show, A Mighty Wind and For Your Consideration, in addition to roles in An Officer And A Gentleman, Batman Forever and the cult horror Strange Darling.

Dee Wallace first became known for her role as the matriarch Mary Taylor in the 1982 blockbuster E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.

She is also recognised for her work in the horror genre, and is often cited as a screen queen thanks to her roles in 1977’s The Hills Have Eyes, 1981’s The Howling, 1983’s Cujo,1986’s Critters and 2007’s Halloween, among others.

Some of her recent notable TV appearances include playing Colleen in the comedy Sons & Daughters, Buck’s critical mother in six episodes of 9-1-1 and a supporting character in the 2023 TV adaptation of Fatal Attraction.

Mousa is most recognisable to TV fans for his role in American Gods, in which he played The Jinn.

On the big screen, he is best known for playing one of the Black September members in Steven Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated Munich. He has also had supporting roles in Don’t Mess With The Zohan, The Day The Earth Stood Still and Chris Morris’ dark comedy The Day Shall Come.

All eight episodes of The Boroughs are now streaming on Netflix.

I have something to confess: I’m a ridiculously heavy over-packer, even though I know there are better ways.

I once brought a car-hoggingly huge suitcase to a two-day wedding. When my partner and I lived apart, I’d regularly bring two big sports bags over for a weekend.

But for a recent trip, I figured: no more. Now, I think, is the time to save some suitcase space (not least because some airlines could soon become stricter about carry-on measurements).

My biggest problem is clothes. So, I gave “ranger rolling” a try, and was seriously impressed by the results.

It’s basically rolling up your clothes, but with an added “lip” made from the bottom of the garment that secures it to prevent unrolling.

Yes, “regular” rolling works too. But, Travel + Leisure pointed out, they risk far more wrinkling and a much greater chance of becoming loose than the military-approved method.

I have to be honest with you: this is a lot easier with thin, “square”-ish objects, like T-shirts. However, I did manage it with a hoodie and even some thick joggers.

Lie your item of clothing flat on a surface (I went for the floor) and then fold the bottom five centimetres or so up. I find that for bulkier and/or longer garments, this fold needs to be longer; this will be the “lip” that encases your rolled-up item.

Then, try to “square off” the other end of the clothes as much as you can. For a hoodie, I folded the hood into the square body of the item and crossed the sleeves across its centre.

Fold this “squared” item in half, then roll the non-folded end towards the folded end all the way down. Don’t stop when you reach the hem that’s been folded in: if you stop here, the item will unravel.

This should leave you with a folded “lip” on the outside of the rolled garment. Turn this inside out to cover the rolled-up piece of clothing, a bit like securing a pillowcase shut.

My images pale in comparison to expert videos, however, like this very useful one from Sophie Liard (known online as The Folding Lady).

I had some serious hiccups. Firstly, I wasn’t rolling tight enough: that meant it was harder to wrap the lip around the outside of the clothes.

Secondly, all my clothes were thick and irregular, which made the job harder. I don’t really own many T-shirts and hadn’t packed any; these seem the best candidates for the job.

But after a couple of tries (and learning to really squeeze that roll), I saw success. The before-and-afters of my suitcase speak for themselves.

So, if you’re a fellow chronic over-packer, I recommend giving it a go.

Pedro Pascal, the man of the moment, returns to our screens this week in The Mandalorian and Grogu.

To many, it might seem like Pedro’s recent wave of success came somewhat out of nowhere – but it actually took years of bit parts and supporting roles before the star started booking huge, game-changing projects like Game Of Thrones, The Last Of Us and last year’s Marvel offering The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

In fact, the Chilean-American star began his career way back in 1996 and spent more than a decade in minor film and TV roles until his big breakthrough.

Here are just some of the lesser-known roles he played early on in his career, before he cemented his status as the internet’s favourite father figure…

One of Pedro’s earliest television roles came at the end of the 1990s, when he landed a small part in Buffy The Vampire Slayer.

He appeared briefly as a UC Sunnydale student in the season four episode The Freshman, colliding with Sarah Michelle Gellar’s Buffy on campus before being caught by vampires and, sadly, slayed.

Pedro revealed back in 2024 that this small role helped him out massively when he was still a young, struggling actor.

“My entry-level lasted about 15 years,” he shared after his win at the SAG Awards. “And we’re talking about not being able to see a doctor, getting sick, getting surgery, being able to pay my rent,”.

He continued: “I had less than $7 in my account and a residual from Buffy The Vampire Slayer showed up and saved the day, and literally is the reason I was able to stay in it and not give up.”

Sarah also posted a throwback photo of Pedro’s time on the show in 2024, captioned: “When Mother met Father.”

Pedro has appeared in numerous American crime dramas over the years, including Law & Order and NYPD Blue, but his first multi-episode arc came in 2009, when he appeared in the first two seasons of The Good Wife.

He starred in six episodes as Nathan Landry, an arrogant assistant to the state’s attorney, which marked a rare antagonistic role for the usually-lovable actor.

After starring in numerous short films, Pedro’s first high-profile feature-length role came in 2011 when he was cast in The Adjustment Bureau.

He makes a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance in the Matt Damon and Emily Blunt sci-fi thriller, playing a maître d’, and despite his limited screen time (his one line even ended up on the cutting room floor), the film’s Oscar-winning lead still had good memories of being on set with Pedro more than a decade later.

“I remember Emily and I went and sat down and this maître’d walked away, and they cut, and we both looked at each other, and Em goes, ‘That guy’s really fucking good’,” Matt told Howard Stern in January this year. “And I said, ‘Yeah, what the fuck? That guy was really good’.

“There was something just incredibly interesting, but real and natural about him. And years later, I found out it was Pedro Pascal.”

The year before he joined the cast of Game Of Thrones, Pedro Pascal appeared in the first series of the law enforcement drama Graceland, playing an undercover cop who is assigned to investigate a senior agent in the FBI.

Unfortunately, like many of Pedro’s characters over the years, this one also met a violent end, and didn’t make it into the second season of the show, which only ran for three years before it was cancelled.

Pedro followed up his role in season one of Graceland with a recurring part in seasons six and seven of The Mentalist.

He joined the procedural drama as Marcus Pike, an FBI agent who had a short-lived romance with Robin Tunney’s Teresa Lisbon before being written out of the series.

This appearance in The Mentalist aired just one week before Pedro made his debut in Game Of Thrones, a role which would change the course of his life and career.

Pedro is now a regular face in movie blockbusters, which all started with 2016’s The Great Wall, in which he reunited with his former Adjustment Bureau co-star, Matt Damon.

The future Emmy nominee played a Spanish man who travels to 11th-century China with Matt’s character to steal gunpowder, before getting caught up in a war against mythical monsters.

Upon its release, The Great Wall was met with controversy for centring its white leads at the expense of its talented cast of Chinese actors, after which it massively underperformed at the box office.

You may have (thankfully!) completely forgotten that the Taron Egerton-led James Bond pastiche Kingsman ever had a sequel, but it did.

Follow-up movie The Golden Circle brought back original cast members Colin Firth and Mark Strong, as well as introducing new additions played by Channing Tatum, Julianne Moore and, of course, Pedro Pascal.

In the sequel, Pedro played Jack Daniels, a lasso-whipping cowboy FBI agent who worked for the Kingman’s American counterpart, Statesman.

Despite unimpressed reviews from critics, Pedro has spoken fondly of his time making the film, especially when using his character’s weapon of choice.

“I’m telling you, I had a Catwoman moment.” Pedro told ComicBook.com while promoting the film in 2017. “It’s a different Catwoman [than co-star Halle Berry‘s portrayal]. But there was a Catwoman moment on set.”

He explained: “In one take, I had to crack the whip and hit a bag of dust. If I hit the bag of dust, it would help the shot, because it would have just [exploded], as if the floor was sort of like exploding with the sound of the crack.”

In The Equalizer 2, Pedro shared the screen with one of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, Denzel Washington.

He played Dave York, ex-agency partner of Denzel’s character, who he thought was dead until he showed up out of the blue with news from their past.

Pedro spoke fondly of the “surreal” experience of working with a screen legend like Denzel, telling Den Of Geek: “Here I am working with one of the greats, and I was more nervous than I’ve ever been. And, consequently, [I was] more prepared than I had ever been.”

“And yet, once we started rolling, it felt like I was with a classmate,” he added.

Pedro appeared in one small but memorable scene in Barry Jenkins’ Oscar-nominated 2018 film, If Beale Street Could Talk.

Adapted from the 1974 James Baldwin novel of the same name, If Beale Street Could Talk tells the story of a pregnant woman in Harlem who fights to clear the name of the father of her unborn child, after he is falsely accused of rape.

Pedro was only on screen for three minutes, but his role was pivotal to the plot, as he portrayed a man who had information that helped free the lead, played by Stephen James, from jail.

His scene saw him sharing the screen with Regina King, whose powerful performance as a mother trying to find justice for her son earned her an Oscar the year after the film’s release.

Triple Frontier featured an all-star cast that saw Pedro acting alongside Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam and Garrett Hedlund as U.S. Army Delta Force operators.

Despite positive reviews and the film’s star power, the Netflix original has been curiously forgotten, after seemingly winding up lost in the platform’s algorithm.

The hidden gem of a thriller follows the team of special force operatives as they unite to plan a heist in a sparsely populated, multi-border area of South America.

Pedro’s performance as the pilot Catfish was praised by reviewers, many of whom named him as the stand-out of the film’s stacked cast.

Released in the wake of the Covid pandemic, The Bubble was a poorly-received and generally-ignored comedy from Judd Apatow, that even an all-star cast including Karen Gillan, John Lithgow and John Cena couldn’t save.

The Netflix satire followed the cast of a fictional Hollywood blockbuster who are forced to quarantine in an upmarket hotel in 2020.

Pedro played Dieter Bravo, a veteran actor with sex and drug addiction, allowing him to play against type and prove his comedy chops.

Despite the criticism for the movie itself, Pedro was still hailed as the best part of it by many critics.

The Mandalorian and Grogu is in cinemas now.

Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Thursday she is “concerned” that President Donald Trump could use war in Iran or elsewhere to stay in power after his second term. (Watch the video below.)

Greene referred to an exchange between Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy last summer. The Ukrainian president told Trump that elections were suspended while his country was at war against Russia. That aroused Trump’s interest.

Host Alex Jones cued up the clip.

“So you say, during the war, you can’t have elections,” Trump said. “So let me just see. Three and a half years from now, so you mean if we happen to be in a war with somebody, no more elections? Oh, that’s good.”

Jones went off on a tangent about Trump’s musing this week about running for prime minister of Israel, but Greene kept to her point.

“So that type of behaviour is someone planting an idea over and over and over again,” Greene said. “He constantly says it so that he can normalise the idea and test the support and test people’s reactions. But saying it over and over and over again normaliaes the idea. And I think it’s incredibly dangerous, and no one should ever accept it. Absolutely, absolutely not. There cannot be a third term, no. That’s against our laws. That’s against the Constitution. There is no third term. And if this country is at war, no, our election should not be canceled, absolutely not.”

Trump’s contemplations of an illegal third term are old hat. But a somewhat novel theory emerged this week of how he might try to pull off staying in the White House by literally staying at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

MS NOW host Chris Hayes joked that he was starting to believe speculation that Trump would barricade himself in the bunker purportedly being built under his ballroom project.

Greene and Jones, former Trump disciples who swore him off, both love a conspiracy theory. So there’s some entertainment value in listening to the two extreme figures chat.

Jones’ Infowars has been shut down, but he’s now broadcasting “The Alex Jones Show” on the so-called Alex Jones Network.

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Though you might think something as ordinary as feeling winded after taking the stairs is normal, Dr Katherine Pohlgeers previously told HuffPost that if your breathing “stay[s] elevated past three minutes or a prolonged period of time, that’s when it becomes more concerning”.

But what about feeling dizzy when you stand up?

We asked Dr Donald Grant, a GP and senior clinical advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, what it could mean and when to see a doctor.

“Feeling dizzy when you stand up can be normal, and it usually occurs due to blood pressure changes, which means the brain gets less blood flow for a brief moment,” Dr Grant explained.

“This is particularly common after standing or sitting for extended periods, but outside of that, several potential causes shouldn’t be ignored.”

One of the most “common” of these, he added, is “postural hypotension” (also known as orthostatic hypotension), or a sudden lowering of blood pressure that happens when you go from sitting to standing.

“Other common signs of this include blurred vision, general weakness, confusion and nausea,” he explained.

The NHS said it’s important to see a doctor if you get repeated signs of low blood pressure, like dizziness and fainting.

“Dizziness may also be caused by dehydration, so it’s important to drink enough fluids each day, especially as we approach the warmer months,” Dr Grant continued.

“While it can vary depending on age, health conditions and the weather, people should generally aim to drink six to eight cups of fluid each day.”

Additionally, some medications and pre-existing health conditions, like anaemia, diabetes, and heart problems, can make you feel dizzy when you stand up too.

“If dizziness occurs regularly or suddenly worsens, seek urgent medical attention. A qualified health professional can provide more tailored advice on potential causes and treatment,” shared Dr Grant.

In general, the NHS suggests you should see a doctor if your dizziness or vertigo keeps coming back or lasts a long time, or if hearing or speaking becomes difficult.

You should also visit your doctor if you experience tinnitus (ringing in the ears); double or blurred vision; numbness or weakness in the face, arms or legs; changes in pulse; fainting; headaches or nausea, according to the health service.

Walking on grass and sand helps you connect with nature, but it also has one unexpected benefit you might not know about.

Turns out, walking on uneven surfaces will activate your body’s alert system known as proprioception, an overlooked but critical sense that subconsciously tells you where your limbs and body are at all times.

If a surface is suddenly slanted, proprioception tells your body that “the position of your joint is different and so it would activate muscles in a different way so that you don’t fall over to the right,” said Claire Morrow, a physical therapist with Hinge Health.

When proprioception is working well, it’s automatic. Your feet will know where to land on the slope of a hill to keep your ankles stable without you looking.

But proprioception declines as you get older or after an injury, which is why you don’t want to ignore training this internal awareness system. You might just lose it if you stop using it.

For example, if you sprain your ankle, you can lose ligament stability and the proprioception “feedback loop” that prevents you from re-rolling your ankle and injuring yourself again, Morrow said. The good news is that with a few simple adjustments, you can hone this sense and train it to get better.

You don’t need to hike up a mountain to train your proprioception. Simply look for uneven surfaces that nature provides with grass, dirt or sand to give your body small challenges on your walk.

Walking on beach sand or soft grass in a park instead of predictably flat pavement can “give your body a challenge to react to something that was a little unexpected,” Morrow said, which is what’s needed to train your lower body’s proprioception.

She suggests starting on pressed dirt and then graduating to grass and sand. “If you don’t mind getting your feet dirty, then doing it barefoot is sometimes a fun way” to practice proprioception too, Morrow added.

If you’re nervous about your balance, you can use hiking poles on unstable surfaces to have the benefit of your foot testing different positions while still having support, Morrow said.

Since proprioception can decline with age, older adults at risk of falling should focus on honing this ability. One 2017 study of adults over 70 found that the loss of reliable proprioception was a key factor in why those adults were more likely to sway on their feet while standing.

Proprioception “can improve your balance, and with increased balance, you decrease the fall potential, especially in elderly people,” said Patrick Maloney, the lead athletic trainer at Tulane Institute of Sports Medicine in New Orleans.

“The danger of that impaired proprioception is you get into a position where you need to catch yourself, but you don’t have the quickness to catch yourself,” Morrow said.

Here is a quick proprioception test for yourself: Can you balance on one leg for 10 seconds? If you can’t, Morrow suggests working with a physical therapist who can give you exercises to improve this skill.

She also suggests consulting with a therapist if your walking pace has significantly declined or if you need to touch a wall or a railing while walking to stay balanced.

So the next time you go for a walk, try walking next to the sidewalk on some soft grass or dirt. It will give you a break from your usual routine and will also help train your body’s awareness to protect your health in the future.

If you’ve ever had to walk into a room full of strangers or speak in front of a crowd, you’re familiar with social anxiety. It’s a fear of being judged or negatively evaluated. In the future, you might avoid situations like these or manage to get through them, sweating and trying to swallow the lump in your throat.

For people with avoidant personality disorder (AVPD), the fear of being judged is so intense that they retreat from people and activities they might otherwise enjoy.

“Avoidant personality disorder is a mental health condition where someone avoids social situations because they feel extremely insecure and afraid of rejection,” said Nona Kocher, a board-certified psychiatrist in Florida. “Even though they may want close relationships, their fear holds them back.”

Relying on avoidance as a coping strategy can provide temporary relief, but it can also reinforce negative views of yourself as being inadequate or unworthy of satisfying relationships.

Below, we asked experts about the signs of avoidant personality disorder and what to do if it’s affecting your work and relationships.

“Personality disorders cause people to think, feel and behave significantly differently from what is considered normal in their culture,” said Lienna Wilson, a licensed psychologist in New Jersey.

She explained that these differences are long-standing and persistent. Typically, this pattern of thinking and behaving begins in early adulthood and tends to affect work, friendships and romantic relationships. In the case of AVPD, they might feel unattractive, inferior or socially awkward.

“They often believe they’re not good enough or that others will judge them harshly,” Kocher said.

Since they’re extremely sensitive to criticism or disapproval, people with AVPD shy away from social engagements and are hesitant to try new activities to avoid feeling embarrassed, said Patrice Le Goy, an international psychologist and licensed marriage and family therapist. For example, they rarely take social risks like texting first or inviting someone for coffee. The possibility of rejection is too much to handle.

“As a result, they experience persistent self-doubt and struggle to establish close relationships unless they are absolutely certain of being accepted,” Le Goy explained. They prefer to keep their distance, believing that they’re socially inept or unappealing to others.

“Avoidant personality disorder is characterised by a persistent and intense fear of rejection, profound feelings of inadequacy, and social inhibition,” Le Goy said. Although there is some overlap between social anxiety and AVPD, there are key differences between these conditions.

For instance, someone with social anxiety might be shy around new people. “However, they often have a close group of friends with whom they feel comfortable,” Wilson said.

As with AVPD, socially anxious individuals might worry about embarrassing themselves and experience significant distress in certain situations. “But they do not necessarily hold an overall belief that they are fundamentally inadequate or inferior,” Le Goy said.

Kocher agreed, adding that social anxiety is usually situational, meaning it happens in specific social situations and performance contexts. For example, someone with social anxiety might get nervous at a job interview where they’re being evaluated, yet feel comfortable at a friend’s birthday party where someone else is the centre of attention.

Conversely, AVPD tends to affect almost all areas of a person’s life. For example, their habit of skipping parties and work events might be part of an overall pattern of avoidance. Though they might be craving connection, their deep sense of personal inadequacy prevents them from forming close relationships.

Accordingly, AVPD is more persistent and tied to the way these individuals see themselves, Kocher explained.

For example, someone with social anxiety might worry about making a mistake while giving a presentation. In contrast, someone with AVPD will think of themselves as being “bad at public speaking” and assume the audience shares their opinion, Wilson said.

“People with AVPD are usually highly self-critical and have low self-esteem,” Wilson said. This view often carries over into their relationships. For example, if someone expresses a romantic interest in them, they might avoid the person. If they do end up dating someone, they might distance themselves or break off the relationship early because they don’t feel worthy of love.

Moreover, they rely on avoidance to protect themselves. “By staying away from social situations, individuals temporarily reduce the anxiety and fear of being judged, rejected, or exposed as being not good enough or unworthy,” Le Goy said.

She said that avoidance only reinforces their fear of being negatively evaluated. That’s because they miss out on opportunities for positive interactions that could challenge their negative self-perceptions.

“Social comparison can intensify these self-perceptions, reinforcing feelings of inadequacy and making vulnerability feel unsafe,” she added.

Poor self-esteem, characteristic of AVPD, can stem from constant teasing, criticism or rejection in childhood. “A child may begin to believe they are not good enough,” Kocher said. “Over time, this can turn into a strong fear of judgment or rejection.”

Research confirms that social exclusion negatively affects people’s self-perceptions. Likewise, experiences with bullying or social humiliation can make someone fearful of social situations. Eventually, avoiding people can make a person feel safer since they expect others to mock or exclude them, Kocher added.

Biological and genetic factors may also play a role in developing AVPD. Biological factors can influence your temperament or personality starting at birth, Wilson noted. Kocher agreed, adding that people may inherit traits such as anxiety or high sensitivity, which increase their likelihood of developing AVPD.

If you think you have AVPD, Kocher recommended speaking to a mental health professional who can assess your symptoms with interviews, questionnaires, or checklists. “It’s important to be honest about your fears, avoidance, and how it affects work or relationships,” she said. Diagnosis is based on long-standing patterns of behaviour that interfere with daily life.

In addition, “a trained mental health professional can help you understand where long-standing beliefs about inadequacy and rejection may have developed and how they continue to shape your interactions,” Le Goy said. She said that the goals of treatment may include building self-compassion, challenging distorted self-perceptions, strengthening social confidence, and gradually reducing avoidance patterns.

Keep in mind that it’s common to feel embarrassed about seeking support when a fear of judgment or rejection is among your symptoms. “However, working with a therapist who understands personality disorders can provide a safe, structured space to practice new ways of relating, improve connection, and reduce the intensity of symptoms over time,” Le Goy said.

Wilson added that cognitive behavioural therapy can be helpful for challenging negative thought patterns and modifying behaviour. “Especially with AVPD, more emphasis is placed on enhancing self-esteem and creating a healthier self-perception,” she said. “Psychodynamic therapy is another option and aims to uncover the underlying causes of the disorder, such as unconscious conflicts, negative childhood experiences, and maladaptive defence mechanisms that are used to reduce fears of inadequacy.”

Wilson noted that there are no drugs specifically approved for treating AVPD. However, a psychiatrist may prescribe medications to treat anxiety and depression, which can help reduce distress among people with AVPD.

Alone or in combination with medication, you can work with a therapist on taking gradual steps to participate in social activities.

“Building self-esteem through small successes is very helpful,” Kocher said. A good place to start is acknowledging your wins and not letting rejection derail your mood or your relationships.