Comedian Romesh Ranganathan and actor Sebastian “Bash” Croft have won the second series of BBC One’s Celebrity Traitors and will share £83,000 for charity. They reached the end as the remaining faithful players after banishing traitors Maya Jama and King Kenny in a finale watched by more than 15 million people.
British actor Patrick Stewart has died at his Los Angeles home at 86 after what his spokesperson described as a “brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. Renowned for Shakespearean stage work, he became an international star as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier.
Sir Patrick Stewart, the Yorkshire-born actor who became globally known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men, has died at 86. A statement said he died at home in Los Angeles after a brief illness involving Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
South Carolina police have ended their investigation into the death of actor Hayden Panettiere after a coroner ruled that she died accidentally from the effects of several drugs, including fentanyl. Authorities said their decision followed both the medical examiner’s finding and the investigative evidence, while questions remain over whether federal agencies are examining the case separately.
Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers and helped win better conditions for agricultural labourers, has died at 96, her family said. A lifelong organiser and feminist, she remained active in progressive politics into her nineties. Her legacy included the slogan “Sí, se puede!” and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, alongside renewed public discussion of abuses within the movement she helped build.
Russell Brand denied seven charges involving six women as he gave evidence at Southwark Crown Court. The former comedian acknowledged that he had used fame to facilitate sexual access and called that wrong, but said he was innocent of the allegations. He also told jurors that consent was fundamental and could be withdrawn at any time.
Jay-Z will perform at the Super Bowl halftime show next February at SoFi Stadium, the NFL has announced. The rapper’s company, Roc Nation, has produced the event since 2019 and helped choose previous performers, but this will be his first appearance as the headline act.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, will join the 2027 series of Junior MasterChef Australia as a special-guest co-host alongside Poh Ling Yeow, Australia’s Channel 10 has confirmed. Meghan said she could not wait to take part. The programme follows her guest-judge appearance last year, which Paramount ANZ said drew the show’s largest Sunday audience since 2023.
Macklemore has begun a concert tour supporting Palestinian causes with a sold-out performance in Dublin, weeks after he was removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour following pro-Palestinian remarks. The rapper says proceeds will go to organisations supporting Palestinians. The dispute has drawn support from fellow musicians and renewed debate over artists’ political speech.
A fire engulfed the Eagle’s Nest, Adolf Hitler’s former mountain retreat in Bavaria, prompting the deployment of about 200 emergency personnel. A 33-year-old German man was detained nearby, but investigators have not established a motive; possible arson and political motives are being examined alongside indications of possible mental illness.
The Duchess of Sussex says she was informed by Metropolitan police in 2018 about allegations involving child sexual abuse images and her estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr. Authorities in the Philippines are examining a computer seized from him, while the FBI says it is aware of the claims. Markle Sr denies possessing such material and calls the accusations lies.
Raye has won the 2026 Mercury Prize for This Music May Contain Hope, beating nominees including Olivia Dean, Paul McCartney and Jade. The 28-year-old accepted the £25,000 award at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, where judges praised the album’s ambition, range and refusal to fit a single genre.
Tom Skerritt, the Detroit-born actor whose screen career stretched from the 1960s into the 2020s, has died aged 93. His family said he died of natural causes. Skerritt was remembered for roles in Alien, Top Gun, M*A*S*H and Picket Fences, for which he won an Emmy.
Paris Saint-Germain’s emphatic Champions League victory over Barcelona unfolded against a city still dealing with disorder, arrests and damage from weekend unrest. The Guardian’s Barney Ronay presents the match and its elaborate staging as a striking contrast with the uncertainty on the streets, while noting the club’s links to Qatar and the political significance surrounding the next protests.