Adventurer Bear Grylls has defended his controversial involvement with the baptism of comedian Russell Brand.

Bear helped to baptise the actor in 2024, months after allegations of historic sexual misconduct against Brand were made public in 2023 as part of a joint investigation between The Sunday Times and Channel 4’s Dispatches.

Brand denied the charges at the time and has since pleaded not guilty to a subsequent investigation and charges of rape and sexual assault.

He will face trial this autumn.

At the time, Brand said his baptism as part of a ceremony in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire helped him to “leave the past behind”.

He also shared an X post in May 2024 that read “Me, Bear Grylls, The River Thames and of course, The Holy Spirit.”

Bear has previously stood by his participation, telling The Times in 2025, “I try and live in a way that I never judge and I always try and love. And that principle doesn’t just apply to perfect people with perfect lives”.

In 2024, he told the Daily Mail: “Faith and spiritual moments in our lives are really personal, but it is a privilege to stand beside anyone when they express a humble need for forgiveness and strength from above.

“Friendships when we go through tough times are worth so much.”

Speaking to Metro recently, Bear was asked whether his feelings about the baptism had changed over the years, especially given Brand’s recent admission that he slept with a 16-year-old when he was 30.

The Celebrity Bear Hunt star said: “I think all our faith changes and evolves, and I’d also say I have many doubts as well. I really struggle with so much of it.

“But I don’t know, I think at heart, my faith says we’re connected together and we need each other, and not to judge people and to love people.”

He added that the phrase “What would Christ do?” has remained a mantra throughout his personal and professional life.

“I really try and keep that as that compass in my life. I don’t know. It’s like I say, I’m not super religious, but I do try and just start the day as a discipline on my knees and to say sorry, and to say thank you, and then to say help for the day ahead, and then I crack on with it,” he added.

Speaking on The Megyn Kelly Show in April 2026, Brand said of his previous sexual behaviour: “Consensual sex, actually, with a variety of people when there is a strong power differential, because there is when you’re a famous man that has the ability to attract women that I had at that time, I think involves exploitation.

“I think it is exploitative. I recognize that my sexual conduct in the past was selfish and I did not apply enough consideration, barely any, I suppose, really, to how that sex was affecting other people.”

Olivia Colman’s new film Wicker is set to hit the big screen in October of this year. But if you can’t wait that long to see the Broadchurch star, it might be time to give her highest-rated movie of all time a watch.

The Father, a 2020 psychological drama, has gotten the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of any film Colman has been attached to – it’s earned an impressive 98% on the review aggregation site.

(Her lowest-rated title, if you’re interested, is 2014’s Pudsey The Dog: The Movie with an actually-quite-impressive 0%).

Based on Florian Zeller’s stage play Le Père, The Father follows Anthony (played by Anthony Hopkins), who refuses help from his daughter Anne (Olivia Colman) as he ages.

Anthony’s dementia makes the retired engineer cranky and unpredictable as he wrestles with his future; Anne prepares to go abroad with a new love.

Mark Gatiss and Rufus Sewell also appear in the movie, which swept up six Oscar nominations for the 2021 Academy Awards.

Anthony Hopkins won for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, making him the oldest winner in a competitive acting category, aged 83.

Hopkins wasn’t there to collect the award himself, however. Instead, host Joaquin Phoenix accepted the Oscar on the actor’s behalf in a night that saw Best Actor placed at the end of the ceremony’s telecast, breaking with decades of tradition.

The Guardian described The Father as “superb” and “unbearably heartbreaking,” giving the film five stars.

Roger Ebert’s site dubbed it “some of the absolute best work of Hopkins’ lengthy and storied career”.

And Variety said, “Hopkins is flat-out stunning.”

Meanwhile on Reddit’s r/movies, site user u/pardis said The Father is “one of the best movies I’ve ever seen,” adding it left them and their family “gobsmacked”.

The fan cited its “Exceptional script, direction, concept, cast, production, everything. Can’t fault it for anything. Wall to wall perfection.”

The Father is available to rent or buy on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Sky Store.

We are now around halfway through this scorcher of a summer and what a tough summer it has been for us gardeners with the record-breaking heatwaves and extended periods of dry weather, leading to hosepipe bans

If you’re one of the fortunate gardeners that has managed to keep their garden flourishing during this time, it’s time to start deadheading foliage and planning for next year’s flowering season.

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) advises: “August is usually one of the hottest months of the year, making watering essential. Try to use grey water wherever possible, especially as water butts may be running low if it has been a dry summer. August is traditionally holiday time, so you might need to enlist the help of friends and family to look after the garden while you are away.”

The gardening experts at Greenhouse Stores say: “August is the month of abundance in UK gardens. Harvest tomatoes, courgettes, runner beans and soft fruit daily to keep plants productive.

“Sow winter salad crops now for autumn and winter cropping: winter lettuce, spinach, pak choi and rocket. Take semi-ripe cuttings of lavender, rosemary and box hedging. Order greenhouse heaters now because they sell out by October every year.”

If you’re falling a little behind on gardening or haven’t bought seeds in time, August is a great time to get back into the habit of gardening and reconnect with your green-fingered side. The experts at GrowVeg advise: “Summer is a great time to be sowing hardier leafy herbs like coriander and parsley, which are less likely to bolt after midsummer.

“If you live somewhere with very mild winters you may also be able to sow other last-minute crops like early or fast-maturing varieties of cucumber, beans and courgettes.”

The RHS says: “Towards the end of August sow hardy annuals directly into borders. They will overwinter and flower next summer.”

The society also recommends cutting back the foliage and stems of herbaceous plants that have already died as well as deadheading and watering plants in hanging baskets to make them last through to autumn.

As for what we should be planting this month, Dobies says: “In August the warm ground is perfect for sowing feverfew, field cornflower, calendula, myosotis, Siberian wallflower, cyclamen hederifolium and potentilla.

“You can also start off some pot plant seeds indoors. Why not try a cactus, cyclamen, or coleus?”

According to Verywell Mind: “Attachment styles in relationships describe how people seek closeness, respond to rejection, and interact in romantic relationships in adulthood.

“The four primary attachment styles are secure (comfortable with intimacy), ambivalent (desire closeness but fear abandonment), avoidant (value independence and shy away from intimacy), and disorganised (want closeness but fear it).”

The psychological theory has been making waves over the past five years and according to Google Trends, there has been a 400% increase in searches for “attachment style” compared to the preceding five.

Speaking on the University of Chicago’s Big Brains podcast, Amir Levine, who is an associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center says that attachment styles are not our deep bonds with our loved ones but instead, how we feel internally.

He explains: “It really is a safety mechanism. That’s how we feel safe in the world through other people.

“The latest research shows that when people are secure, it also affects our health. We’re healthier. It affects longevity. We live longer, and have better immune systems. So the benefits of being secure goes way beyond our romantic relationships or even just our relationships in general.”

Writing for Therapist Aid, psychotherapist Christopher Guider, MA, LMHC says: “Shaped largely by early childhood experiences, insecure attachment can persist throughout the lifespan, affecting the quality and outcome of adult relationships. Thankfully, those with insecure attachment can learn to trust and commit to their relationships by adopting new beliefs and behaviours.”

He recommends the following steps to repair your attachment style and feel more secure in relationships:

• Learn about your attachment style
• Examine your beliefs about relationships
• Act opposite to your anxious or avoidant style
• Increase your emotional awareness
• Communicate openly and listen empathetically
• Seek out others with healthy relationships
• Minimise stressors

Guider adds: “These actions work with thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, giving you an integrated approach to breaking old patterns and becoming more securely attached.”

Heading into a second pregnancy can be daunting, especially if you didn’t have a particularly great experience the first time around. Will the sickness return? Will the first trimester be as challenging as it was last time?

However, according to new research from Amsterdam University Medical Center, second pregnancies can have significantly different impacts on the brain. In fact, Building on earlier work showing that a first pregnancy reshapes the brain, the researchers found that each pregnancy leaves its own unique imprint on the maternal brain.

The researchers explain: “It appears that during a second pregnancy, the brain is more strongly altered in networks involved in reacting to sensory cues and in controlling your attention,

“These processes may be beneficial when caring for multiple children.”

Interestingly, the study also identified a relationship between pregnancy related brain changes and the emotional bond between mother and child. This connection was stronger after a first pregnancy than after a second.

The researchers also observed links between structural brain changes and peripartum depression, both during a first and a second pregnancy.

Researchers say: “This provides the first evidence that the changes that occur in a woman’s cerebral cortex during pregnancy are related to depression. In women who became mothers for the first time, this was particularly noticeable after giving birth.

“In women who had their second child, this was the case during pregnancy. This knowledge can help us to better recognise and understand mental health issues in mothers. We must understand how the brain adapts to motherhood.’”

Of course, to many mothers, this will not be news. In fact, according to The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), in pregnancy, depression and anxiety are the most common mental health problems, affecting around 12% and 13% of women, respectively.

In the first year after birth, around 15–20% of women experience depression and anxiety.

NICE also highlights that there is evidence to suggest that perinatal depression may be commonly missed or undertreated in general practice.

Let’s hope this new research leads to meaningful change and support for mothers.

Have you ever watched a horror film that features, say, innocent young children and found yourself freaked out by how they smile? Me too.

It’s so strange. Of course, the best horrors are ones that intimidate and scare you. Ones that keep you on your toes and unable to trust any character but at the end of the day, you’re scared of the way a child is smiling and that is weird, right?

Well, it turns out, there is some real science behind why we are a bit freaked out and thankfully, we’re not bad people. Just easily swayed by certain filmmaking choices! That is not a crime!

A new study published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology has found that scary music can alter how people interpret human facial expressions, making even the sweet faces of children seem sinister.

PsyPost explains: “Human interaction relies heavily on reading facial expressions to evaluate whether someone poses a threat or offers safety. Background sounds often establish an emotional context that influences how subsequent information is processed, a phenomenon known as affective priming…

“Horror film soundtracks are constructed to evoke anxiety through rapid volume changes, jarring pitches, and acoustic patterns that mimic human cries. These fear-inducing sounds tend to trigger subcortical brain regions that monitor the environment for danger.”

The Kennedy Center explains how rhythm can mimic perceived threats to build tension in films, saying: “A heartbeat, ticking clock, footsteps, a galloping horse—these are familiar sounds a composer may echo in the beat of a song. By changing the pace—speeding up the rhythm or slowing it down—the composer sends a signal that can put listeners on the edge of their seats.

“Accelerating tempo (speed of music) might suggest a chase or the heavy breathing of a frightened character. Slowing down the beat might indicate lurking evil or a fading heartbeat. Using an unsteady beat often hints that something is out of whack or out of control. Bringing back a steady rhythm helps ease the tension.”

It makes sense, doesn’t it? For those of us that regularly watch horror films, we’ll recognise the feelings of threat, goosebumps and even our heartbeat racing as the sound gradually builds. In fact, I have experienced this so vividly that I now can’t watch horrors in the cinema because it’s a little too intense for me.

Brown Hooper, podcast editor at New Scientist said to the BBC back in 2016: “The music in horror movies reminds us subconsciously of primordial times,
“Non-linear sounds like Psycho’s violin ‘stingers’ mimic the sound of animals in distress; they trigger our fear of being chased by dangerous predators. Things that feel harsh and unfamiliar manipulate us emotionally.”

It’s been five years since Daniel Craig’s last James Bond film, No Time To Die – and fans are no closer to working out who might replace the actor, despite the show’s bosses saying in mid-May that the “search for the next James Bond” was officially underway.

And speaking to Deadline, producer Amy Pascal shared the qualities she’s looking for in the next Bond.

(Amy and David Heyman have taken over from long-time 007 bosses Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli after Amazon MGM Studios took over creative control of the franchise last year.)

Speaking to the publication, she said: “Having worked with Barbara Broccoli at the studio – I mean, Daniel Craig is a hard act to follow.

“And it’s got to be something really different that is… stirring and exciting and different.”

Pascal also gave a timeline for when we might expect the next Bind star to be named: “I would say the end of the year is a good bet. We are being really, really methodical,” she stated.

Former Bond star Pierce Brosnan has previously shared his thoughts on who he feels should take the part next.

In a 2025 interview, he said it should be a “given” that Craig’s successor not be American.

The actor has previously endorsed Aaron Taylor-Johnson for the role.

George Clooney, meanwhile, is team Callum Turner.

He said, “I hope Callum ends up being the next Bond. I think he would be a great Bond.

“He’s tall and handsome and charming and British, so he’s the perfect guy to do it.”

Only time will tell who will really star in the upcoming spy flick, directed by Dune’s Denis Villeneuve and written by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight.

Game Of Thrones creator George R R Martin has updated his personal blog, named Not A Blog, after months without posting.

The emotional entry – his first since February 19 – begins, “This year has been… stressful, to say the least. So much has been happening, it’s been overwhelming.

“Some great things, exciting things. Dreams coming true. But there have been nightmares too. I have lost friends. Battled sadness and depression.”

The writer, who turned 77 last year, added that “getting old is no fun” despite “amazing” times.

Still, George called Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ nine Emmy nominations a “highlight” (the HBO show is based on Martin’s trilogy by the same name: he’s an executive producer on it).

Adding that he hopes to attend the ceremony, George said that his attendance depends on “a few things” and added, “I am proud of our team, and hope we take home a few of the statues, but I will confess that I was hoping we’d get a few of the acting nominations as well.

“But there’s always next year.”

Overall, the author said, while he has “so much to post about,” his upcoming entries are likely to be “short and rushed”.

The writer has had the blog since 2005.

While he seemed excited for The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, he didn’t mention other hit show House Of The Dragon, the season finale of which is due out in days. (Though, to be fair, its third season isn’t eligible for Emmy consideration yet).

Martin has previously aired his grievances with House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal, who he said “basically stopped listening” to him by the show’s second season.

“Sometimes he would explain why he wasn’t doing it. Other times, he would tell me, ‘Oh, OK, yeah, I’ll think about that.’ It got worse and worse, and I began to get more and more annoyed,’ he alleged.

“Finally, it got to a point where I was told by HBO that I should submit all my notes to them and they would give Ryan our combined notes,” he added.

For his part, Condal claimed he “made every effort to include George in the adaptation process” but that the author was “unwilling to acknowledge” the practical issues of adapting the work for the screen.

If you’ve always wondered how restaurants make such perfect chips, mash, soup, and even poached eggs, we’ve got your back.

Chefs have kindly shared their secrets to achieving those pro-level dishes at home.

But what about ice? How come that’s so much clearer – and even seems to last longer – than the stuff you make up in an ice tray at home?

Well, apparently, the difference isn’t just in your head. Industrial ice really isn’t made in the same way.

Ice manufacturing company Memphis Ice said the cloudy, white-ish colour we associate with homemade ice is actually thanks to the air trapped in the frozen water.

But specific ice machines, which suppliers to restaurants often use, offer something called “directional” or “top down” freezing, which means air bubbles settle at the bottom of the tray.

They also use filtered water, with few impurities (another cause of cloudiness).

And because professional ice machines constantly circulate the water they use for ice, there’s less chance for air bubbles to form in the first place.

Lastly, the ice company shared, ice machines freeze water at a slower rate than our freezers do.

That promotes the growth of big ice crystals, which are smoother and clearer, and prevents temperature fluctuations that could lead to either cracks or the cloudiness that comes with melting and re-forming ice.

Not only does this mean the ice is clearer, but it’s also denser thanks to the lack of non-water substances getting in the way – so it looks better and melts more slowly.

Using filtered or double-boiled water to produce clear ice at home is a myth, cocktail experts at Dramson said (though filtered water will have fewer salts and other impurities, it’ll likely have just as much air).

They recommend freezing a small cooler container filled with water; after about 24 hours, they say, the top few centimetres will be frozen while “all the air and impurities will be in the unfrozen water, leaving crystal-clear ice cubes”.

Though the method is annoying, as you’ll have to carve ice to get cubes (which are unlikely to be even), it’ll still provide the clarity and longevity of commercial kinds.

Otherwise, investing in an ice machine or buying manufactured ice are your only options.