The stars of Buffy The Vampire Slayer have been paying their respects following the death of cast member Nicholas Brendon.

Over the weekend, it was announced that Nicholas – best known to Buffy fans for his portrayal of Xander Harris in the supernatural series – had died at the age of 54.

His family told CNN that the actor had died in his sleep, of natural causes.

In a statement, they said: “Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years. In recent years Nicky has found his passion in painting and art.

“Nicky loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans. He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.”

His spokesperson later clarified: “While it’s no secret that Nicholas had struggles in the past, he was on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis, and he was optimistic about the future at the time of his passing.”

Following the news, his Buffy co-stars paid tribute, with Sarah Michelle Gellar sharing a quote from the show alongside the message: “I saw you Nicky. I know you are at peace, in that big rocking chair in the sky.”

David Boreanaz wrote: “There are people you work with and then there are people you share time with. Nick was the latter.

“Some moments stay small on paper, a laugh between takes, a look that says ‘we got this’, the quiet understanding of showing up and doing the work together. But those are the things that last.

“He carried something real, not perfect, not polished, just real. And in this business that matters more than most things.”

Alyson Hannigan also thanked her late co-star for “years of laughter, love and Dodgers”, while Charisma Carpenter said: “I will miss the version of the man I once knew – someone who was so warm and loving. He was cuddly, funny, silly, self-deprecating, and supremely talented. I loved every scene we had together back in the day.”

Outside of Buffy, Nicholas played Kevin Lynch in Criminal Minds, as well as appearing in shows like Private Practice and Faking It.

Nato’s secretary-general refused to push back against Donald Trump after the US president described the alliance as a “paper tiger” made up of “cowards”.

Trump lashed out at the defensive organisation over the weekend for refusing to support for his ongoing attacks on Iran.

But, when asked for his response to Trump’s attack, Mark Rutte seemed to offer little rebuttal – and even justified the US’s controversial decision not to warn their allies about the initial strikes on Tehran ahead of time.

He told CBS’s Face The Nation: “I’ve been in several conversations this week with the president and the good news is that, look, we had the US for weeks planning for Epic Fury.

“For reasons of security and safety, they could not share with European allies and allies around the world and partner countries, because that would have jeopardised the effect of the first attack.”

He claimed: “It’s only logical that European countries take a couple of weeks to come together.

“Since Thursday, 22 countries – most of them Nato but also Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Bahrain, the UAE – have come together to answer three questions: what do we need, when do we need it and where do we need it?

“These three questions we are going to work through to answer the president’s call to make sure that we secure the free-sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.”

On Friday, Trump wrote on TruthSocial: “Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran.

“Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices.

“So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!”

This is not the first time Rutte has gone overboard to praise Trump – he famously called the president “daddy” in June last year.

Pressure on the White House is rising as oil prices continue to climb following Iran’s effective closure of the major oil shipping lane, the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump has called on his allies to send warships to help keep the waterway open, but so far none have leapt to support his aggression.

The US president also appeared to openly mock Keir Starmer by sharing a skit from SNL UK where the prime minister was terrified of speaking to Trump.

The two spoke on the phone hours later about the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, though it’s unclear if the sketch was mentioned.

Housing minister Matthew Pennycook played down the implicit criticism, telling Good Morning Britain on Monday: “If our prime minister had time to watch that skit, I think he’d see it in the light it’s intended. It’s a piece of comedy.”

The first episode of Saturday Night Live UK went down a storm with both viewers and critics.

Over the weekend, SNL launched its UK counterpart with Tina Fey as the inaugural guest host.

While there may have initially been questions raised about how well the format would translate across the Atlantic, the episode has received a wave of praise – and pulled in some impressive viewing figures.

According to BARB data, SNL UK had a 3.2% share, with just shy of a quarter of a million people watching live on Saturday night.

While at first glance, this figure (226,000 viewers) might seem a little on the low side, it’s important to keep in mind that these are big numbers for a pay-TV channel like Sky.

Impressively, SNL UK also managed to pull in a bigger audience than Channel 4’s offering in the same timeslot, the Mission: Impossible movie Rogue Nation.

Critical reception to the episode has also been pretty positive.

The Guardian gave it three stars, as did The Independent, with the former calling the broadcast promising for the rest of the series and “refreshing” in its ambitiousness, while the latter praised its “willingness to push the envelope” and “notes of new ingredients that could offer something fresh”.

Meanwhile, The Telegraph was even more impressed, calling the show “shockingly competent” in its own four-star review, while Metro claimed that SNL UK was an “astonishing achievement” that “might just mark the beginning of a new era in British comedy”.

A slightly more critical piece in The Times said: “This show’s success could only ever be a good thing. That day might come, and there are small signs in this first outing that it might. I do not want to condemn this whole endeavour outright. But the spark is not there yet.”

This piece also argued that if the show leans more into its British sensibilities, “we could be in business here”. “SNL UK needs work, but I’m not giving up on it yet,” its critic concluded.

However, reviews from US outlets seemed less enthused with the British spin-off.

Deadline called it “painful” and “beyond seriously unfunny”, while Variety, like The Times, pointed out the show was at its best when it “took the basics of what makes the US version successful – sketch comedy, rotating guest hosts and the unpredictability of live television – and left the Brits to it”.

Before episode one had even aired, it was announced that the first season of SNL UK had been extended by an additional two episodes.

Greg Davies has been unveiled as the new presenter of the TV Baftas, following the departure of outgoing host Alan Cumming.

On Monday morning, it was confirmed that Greg would front the TV Baftas when they take place in May at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

“I see the whole event as an opportunity to wave a flag for this beloved medium and, with the exception of one commissioner, two execs and a co-star that I have personal beef with, I will do everything I can to ensure it’s a night of warm celebration for all,” the Taskmaster host joked.

Alan previously hosted last year’s TV Baftas, and later took over from David Tennant as the presenter of the awards show’s film counterpart earlier this year.

However, it’s not clear whether he will return after branding the most recent Baftas a “trauma-triggering shitshow”.

Responding to the much-publicised incident from this year’s Baftas, in which Tourette’s campaigner John Davidson experienced involuntary tics resulting in him shouting the N-word while Sinners actors Michael B Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting an award, Alan wrote: “What should have been an evening celebrating creativity as well as diversity and inclusion turned into a trauma-triggering shitshow.

“I’m so sorry for all the pain Black people have felt at hearing that word echoed round the world. I’m so sorry the Tourette’s community has been reminded of the lack of understanding and tolerance that abounds regarding their condition.

“The only possible good that could come of this is a reminder that words matter, that rushing to judgement about things of which we are not fully cognisant is folly, that all trauma must be recognised and honoured.”

“We were all let down by decisions made to both broadcast slurs and censor free speech,” he concluded, referring to the fact that the BBC failed to censor the slur despite the awards show airing on a two-hour time delay, while cutting short one politically-charged acceptance speech.

“Congratulations to all the artists whose work was overshadowed by the night’s events.”

The nominees at the 2026 TV Baftas will be announced on Tuesday at 12pm.

Last week, the contenders for the Memorable TV Moment category, as voted for by the public, were unveiled.

Strictly Come Dancing professional Karen Hauer has confirmed rumours that she has quit the show after 14 seasons.

Earlier this month, Karen was one of five Strictly pros reported to be leaving the show in a shake-up ahead of this year’s season, with Nadiya Bychkova, Gorka Márquez, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas also tipped to not be returning.

While Nadiya, Gorka, Luba and Michelle have all remained tight-lipped on the rumours, Karen announced over the weekend that that she would not be back on the BBC dance show in 2026.

Posting on Sunday, the Venezuelan-American performer – who had been the longest-serving dancer in the show’s current troupe, and the longest-serving female dancer in its history – told her Instagram followers: “After 14 years on Strictly Come Dancing, I’ve decided this is the right time for me to close this chapter and take on new projects in other areas that I’m passionate about.

“Strictly completely changed my life, not only as a performer and a teacher, but as a human being. I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people, and brilliant celebrity partners who have become close friends and people I admire so much.

“None of this would have been possible without the amazing fans. You’ve been there since day one, when I’d just moved to the UK and had no idea what I was getting myself into. I’m so grateful. You watched me grow over the years, and witnessed all of my different hairstyles!

“I’m going to miss everyone who makes the show possible, from hair, makeup, wardrobe, the crew behind the cameras, lighting, production and staging, the runners, Dave Arch and the band, the singers, and the producers and welfare team who take such good care of us. It’s an incredible machine powered by brilliant people. To my fellow professional dancers who I adore, I will always be cheering you on. You truly are the best in the business.”

She continued: “I’ll never forget joining the show 14 years ago with Sir Bruce Forsyth and Len Goodman and learning from such incredible legends along the way. And to the brilliant Tess [Daly] and Claudia [Winkleman], maybe now we can finally be ladies who lunch in the autumn.

“I’ll even miss standing in front of the judges, can you believe that? Smiling politely while sometimes secretly disagreeing. It’s been an honour to share the ballroom with them.”

“Now, this isn’t a goodbye,” she insisted. “It’s simply ‘see you later’. Because I will never stop dancing.

“Who would have thought that a young girl from the Bronx would end up becoming the longest-serving female professional dancer on a British TV institution? Strictly will always be in my heart. I love you all.”

A number of Karen’s Strictly colleagues, including Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Nancy Xu, Vito Coppola, Jowita Pryztal and Lauren Oakley have been sharing their love in the comments.

“There’s no one like you K, we love you mamasita!” Johannes Radebe wrote, while Dianne Buswell told her she was “always a star”.

Over the course of her time on Strictly, Karen was paired with Westlife singer Nicky Byrne, TV chef Dave Myers, reality star Mark Wright, broadcaster Jeremy Vine, pop singer Will Young, daytime presenter Simon Rimmer and actor Charles Venn.

More recently, she’s danced with comedian Chris Ramsey, reality-TV-personality-turned-podcaster Jamie Laing, performer Greg Wise, stand-up comics Jayde Adams and Eddie Kadi, football legend Paul Merson and Gladiators fave Harry “Nitro” Aikines-Aryeetey.

She made it to the Strictly final twice, with Mark Wright and Jamie Laing.

Chappell Roan has spoken out for the first time after finding herself in the centre of a media storm when Brazilian footballer Jorginho accused her security team of making his 11-year-old stepdaughter cry.

On Saturday, the Pink Pony Club singer was the subject of a lengthy post shared on Jorghino’s Instagram story about a “very upsetting” incident.

“I went through a very upsetting situation with my family earlier today,” the post began. “My wife is in São Paulo for [Lollapallooza Brazil, where Chappell was headlining]. This morning, my daughter woke up incredibly excited, she even made a sign because she was so happy to see an artist she really admires, or used to admire. By coincidence, they’re staying at the same hotel as this artist.

“During breakfast, the artist walked past their table. My daughter, like any child, recognised her, got excited, and just wanted to make sure it was really her. And the worst part is she didn’t even approach her. She simply walked past the singer’s table, looked to confirm it was her, smiled, and went back to sit with her mum. She didn’t say anything, didn’t ask for anything.

“What happened next was completely disproportionate.”

The footballer continued: “A large security guard came over to their table while they were still having breakfast and began speaking in an extremely aggressive manner to both my wife and my daughter, saying that she shouldn’t allow my daughter to ‘disrespect’ or ‘harass’ other people.

“Honestly, I don’t know at what point simply walking past a table and looking to see if someone is there can be considered harassment. He even said he would file a complaint against them with the hotel, while my 11-year-old daughter was sitting there in tears. My daughter was extremely shaken and cried a lot.

“I’ve lived with football, public exposure, and well-known people for many years, and I understand very well what respect and boundaries are. What happened there was not that. It was just a child admiring someone.”

He added: “It’s sad to see this kind of treatment coming from those who should understand the importance of fans. At the end of the day, they are the ones who build all of this.

“I sincerely hope this serves as a moment of reflection. No one should have to go through this, especially not a child.”

Addressing Chappell directly, he said that “without your fans, you would be nothing”, before telling Chappell’s supporters “she does not deserve your affection”.

Jorghino’s post subsequently blew up on social media, with even the mayor of Rio de Janeiro claiming that he’d banned Chappell from every headlining at the Todo Mundo No Rio music festival in the future.

Responding later in the weekend, the Grammy winner insisted in her own Instagram story posts that she had been oblivious about the incident until she read about it online.

“I didn’t even see,” Chappell claimed. “I didn’t even see a woman and a child. Like, I did not.

“No one came up to me. No one bothered me. Like, I was just sitting at breakfast in my hotel. I think these people were staying at the hotel as well.”

She continued “I did not ask the security guard to go up and talk to this mother and child. I did not – they did not come up to me! They weren’t doing anything! It’s unfair for security to just assume someone doesn’t have good intentions when they have no reason to believe because there’s no action even taken…

“I do not hate people who are fans of my music. I do not hate children. Like, that is crazy. And I’m sorry to the mother and child that someone was assuming something, that you would do something and that if you felt uncomfortable, that makes me really sad. You did not deserve that.”

The girl in question’s mother, Catherine Harding, has since shared her own six-minute statement on the matter, insisting that the security guard who confronted her 11-year-old “100% was not a security guard of the hotel” and “looks after artists”.

“I don’t know that it was her personal security guard, but he was with her, so that is all I know,” she claimed.

Jorginho is the stepfather to Catherine’s 11-year-old daughter, whose father is the actor Jude Law.

The sports icon has been married to Catherine since last year, with the pair also welcoming a son in 2020.

A BBC expert has warned that Iran “is not defeated yet” despite Donald Trump’s repeated claims that America has already won the war.

Security correspondent Frank Gardner said the regime in Tehran is “playing the long game” in the face of the US president’s latest threats.

At the weekend, Trump gave Iran 48 hours to re-open the Strait of Hormuz or face it’s power plants being “obliterated” by US missiles.

With that deadline set to expire at around midnight UK time, there is no sign of Tehran acceding to the president’s request.

Instead, Gardner said Iran was prepared to respond in kind against other Gulf nations, thereby prolonging the war.

Speaking to Radio 4′s Today programme from Doha, he said: “I don’t think anyone doubts that if Donald Trump goes through with this ultimatum – and he doesn’t always do that – there is a real concern that if power plants were hit by Iran here on this side of the Gulf, potentially that could effect things like desalination, which provides the drinking water for the Gulf.

“Millions of people depend on these plants to have their daily drinking water. Summer is approaching, daytime temperatures are above 30 degrees, that would be a crisis. And Iran knows that. It’s played a very clever strategic game.

“It may have lost tactically, huge amounts of hardware and commanders. But it’s playing the long game and it’s not defeated yet.”

Gardner also said that Iranian retaliatory attacks were shaking the confidence of Americas allies in the region.

“Governments here have to worry whether their strategic alliance with the United States is making them more vulnerable, not less,” he said.