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Days after John Lewis’s festive offering missed the mark, Marks & Spencer has won over the nation. James Norton as Hot Santa and Lucy Punch as a scene-stealing Mrs Claus... what more could you want, asks Annabel Nugent

Huge, ecstatic canvases are just one of the vocations of the musician who joined the art rockers in 2024. As her show Hotwire My Heart opens, she talks terror, awe and teabags Emma Richardson loves to eavesdrop when people look at her paintings and talk about what they see in them. “They turn into these Rorschach inkblot tests,” she grins. Looking at her works, you do stand back in awe wondering. Is that a nebula, a god or a fleshy, baroque orgy? An explosion, an implosion or an orgasm? Richardson implies all of these and more, her paintbrush chasing in vivid oils the hedonism, desire and breadth of human experience. This fascination with the transcendent has in part been informed by her other life as a musician, formerly in the garage-rock trio Band of Skulls and currently playing bass and singing in Pixies. Continue reading...

Ally Pally is one of London’s most recognisable landmarks (Picture: Getty Images) Alexandra Palace has been awarded world origin site status as the birthplace of broadcast television in the UK. November marks 90 years since the British Broadcasting Corporation – now better known as the BBC – made its first televised broadcast from the hilltop landmark, making it the first regular public high-definition television service in the world. On that day, Leslie Mitchell addressed audiences in their homes with the now-famous words: ‘This is direct television from the studios at Alexandra Palace.’ On November 2, a plaque commemorating the milestone was unveiled in Ally Pally’s east court. A series of events titled ‘BBC TV 90 at Ally Pally’ has already begun at the entertainment and sports venue this autumn. This includes screenings, talks and performances celebrating the pioneering spirit that made the historic site what it is and transformed broadcasting forever. The BBC tower from below (Picture: Getty Images) Kirsten Forrest, curatorial and interpretation manager at Alexandra Palace, said: ‘Receiving the world origin site plaque is a wonderful recognition of Alexandra Palace’s place in broadcasting history. ‘What began here in 1936 went on to change the way people across the world experience news, entertainment and culture. ‘It’s an extraordinary part of our history, and the plaque helps keep that story alive and at the forefront of the cultural conversation.’ Matt Brittin, BBC Director-General, said in a post on LinkedIn: ‘Innovation to serve audiences defined the BBC from the start. ‘We must tap into that pioneering spirit to re-imagine the BBC for the future.’ Today, the venue is run by a charity and hosts a range of theatre performances, gigs and sporting events. Latest London news Busy London Tube station could close for a year to fix failing escalators New Pokémon store to open in London and it's permanent this time London's 'most useless' Tube…

VIENNA, Austria, Princess Sophia Wolkonsky, founder and CEO of Castillia, brought together members of royal families, international business leaders, technology executives and esports figures in Vienna from October 30 to November 1 for Castillia’s Heritage Gala 2026, an invitation-only celebration of cultural heritage, innovation and international connections. Under her leadership, the three-day gathering connected guests from royalty, […] This story continues at The Next Web

Available now for preorder, the limited-edition collection features three wireless, noise-reduction headphones, each paired with a carrying case and tote bag, with prices starting at $104.99.

The American rapper, who has been an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump, posted a seemingly AI-generated version of the famous killer doll in a MAGA election day post. This did not sit well with Don Mancini, Chucky's creator.

As the French avant-popper returns with new single Rendez-vous avec toi, we celebrate the best of an artist who uses sleek songwriting to grapple with knotty emotion Originally leaked online by the artist himself, Christine and the Queens’ fifth album, Hopecore, was released under a new name of Rahim Redcar (he’s now back to releasing as Christine and the Queens, and using Chris as his own name). Hopecore eschewed the sophisticated pop of his early years in favour of lo-fi, roughly drawn sonic sketches, and this flighty opener is built around ricocheting drum beat patterns that are eventually pierced wide open by laser-like synths. Continue reading...

EXCLUSIVE: Gianmarco Soresi has announced that God Forbid — his second full-length stand-up special and first for Netflix — is set to premiere globally on December 3. Filmed over a sold-out run at Chicago’s Thalia Hall, the special navigates Soresi’s aspirations and anxieties around marriage and fatherhood, his skepticism about society’s substitutes for religion, and […]

Rebecca Solnit and other leading writers on the epic changes to the political map This is a special election edition of How We Win, a Guardian opinion series with leading thinkers, offering bold ideas for America’s political future. Sign up here to receive future editions in your inbox. Continue reading...

Rian Johnson is an analog photography devotee. The director of Knives Out and The Last Jedi can often be spotted on set with a Leica M6 at his side, documenting production on film. But sometimes, it's still easier to reach for a phone. So Johnson started wondering if the photos from his iPhone could be […]

Agibot's G2 robots took over duties at an operating convenience store in Shanghai's Xuhui district between November 2 and 3. The company called the broadcast "Robots Never Clock Out," which perfectly captures why managers are introducing these robots. Read Entire Article

Amid galloping global crises, the Greek choreographer has returned to his revolutionary ideals. He explains how asking the near-impossible of dancers brings a shared joy Christos Papadopoulos is talking about how to spend £40,000. Specifically the winnings he scooped from the first ever Rose international prize for choreography in 2025 – the dance world’s equivalent of the Turner and the Booker. The Greek choreographer came out top of four finalists, picked by a judging panel including Arlene Phillips and PJ Harvey, for his piece Larsen C, a shadowy, trance-like and glacially paced crescendo of a dance named after an Antarctic ice shelf. Forty grand is not a bad bounty. Did he blow it on designer gear and exotic holidays? He did not. A big chunk went to his dancers, “because they are very hardworking and not so well paid – that’s the Greek reality”. The rest he invested in his new production: “I had some holes to fill, you know, in the budget.” The win may not have made Papadopoulos a household name (this is contemporary dance we’re talking about), but his work is touring worldwide. We speak over video call from Shanghai, where he is performing My Fierce Ignorant Step before its UK premiere. Continue reading...

EXCLUSIVE: Vasaria Pictures, the genre label set up by Saw writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunston and producers Sean Gowrie and Nick Phillip, has teamed with horror-focused vertical streamer TerrorBox. The pair will work together to develop short-form content, often from emerging horror filmmaking talent, and seek to expand that into feature films. As part […]

Comedian Leo Reich created and stars in the A24-produced six-parter about three 20something best friends in London, with Lena Dunham and Andrew Scott among guest stars.

On day 58, he did a boxing Ali horse. On day 67, he did a howling horse. So what made Andy Field suddenly decide to draw 100 equines? And what made day 48’s turn out so phallic? Andy Field was midway through his standup run at this year’s Edinburgh fringe when he was struck by an unusual urge – the urge to draw a horse. “I hadn’t sat down to draw anything since I was at school,” says the 34-year-old comedian. “Drawing was a skill I didn’t have.” He’s not lying. The subsequent horse Field posted to TikTok and Instagram was rather naive, with its four identical straight legs and cartoon eyeball. But the project he announced alongside it – Drawing a Horse Every Day Until I’m Really Good at Drawing Horses – immediately captured people’s hearts. Over a million people watched the minute-long video of him drawing that first horse with a four-colour ballpoint pen. By day three – an undeniably terrible effort in which the horse appeared to have sprouted a platypus’s bill – more than two million, by his estimation, had tuned in. “People were willing the series to continue,” says Field. And so he did. Continue reading...

Rory McIlroy has played down safety concerns about competing at the Abu Dhabi Championship this week amid tensions in the Middle East that have impacted the sports calendar in the region

Davide Tamburella described pineapple on a pizza as an ‘insult’ (Picture: Shutterstock/HannaTor) An Italian chef has been sacked from a restaurant in Australia after refusing to serve customers ham and pineapple pizza, describing the topping as an ‘insult to his culture’. Davide Tamburella was fired from the now-closed La Costa restaurant in Brisbane in May, following a meeting with management about a series of complaints concerning his behaviour. One of the issues was his refusal to make ham and pineapple pizzas for guests at a function. Tamburella reportedly told managers that their instructions ‘need not be followed when it is offensive to his culture’. The dispute emerged after he took his dismissal to Australia’s Fair Work Commission, claiming he had been unfairly sacked. But a ruling released on Tuesday noted that Tamburella had refused to use pineapple because ‘he considers, as an Italian, that putting pineapple on a pizza is an insult to his culture’. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. Tamburella was fired from the now-closed La Costa restaurant in Brisbane in May (Picture: Davide Tamburella) The commission also heard that he refused to use it on pizzas on two previous occasions over the past four years. Queensland, however, which is where Brisbane is located, is known as Australia’s main pineapple-growing region. Management, though, also had concerns about Tamburella’s use of foul language, communication style and what was described as an ‘escalation of frustration in the workplace’. The ruling detailed an incident in April when the chef fractured bones in his right hand after striking a metal handrail. Tamburella had hoped the restaurant would sponsor a visa allowing him to become a permanent resident of Australia. However, the sponsorship process was ended after he was dismissed. His unfair dismissal claim was ultimately…

The online left are ‘libbing out’ as the midterm election results roll in. Young people played a huge part in the outcome, and they are rejoicing the only way they know how – on social media, writes Ellie Muir

JioStar is so bullish about its unscripted slate that last month it released a coffee table book dedicated to its top shows. JioStar – Home of Unscripted: The Billion Emotions Engine was packed with eye-catching stats – one billion viewers and over 460 million of watch time in 12 months prior to its publication, with […]

The artist spoke with Billboard Español about getting the role, creating its song “La Nieve” and how his own music evolved since filming Spain's selection for the 2027 Academy Awards.

James Taylor recalls the ‘moments of pure elation’ and twisted intimacy of being under the batter’s nose at short leg Out in Arizona, just south of Tucson. Where tumbleweeds tumble in search of a home. There’s a town they call Tombstone where the brave never cry … On the outskirts of Tombstone stands Boothill Graveyard, the final resting place for the many cowboys who died “with their boots on” in the seconds-long but deadly shootouts of the wild west. Continue reading...

Denis Villeneuve’s first (and probably best) foray into science fiction, Arrival, was released 10 years ago this month. It has hardly aged and is as staggering as it ever was, says film columnist Bethan Ackerley

Hot Springs, Arkansas is known for many things – as the childhood home of Bill Clinton, as the former site of Major League Baseball’s spring training (in the era of Babe Ruth), for its beautiful national park, and for its mineral springs and the splendid early 20th century bathhouses built to accommodate legions of spa-goers. […]

A witty creature feature set in a multi-occupancy building in Los Angeles that takes aim at unscrupulous landlords and finance bros This arachnid-themed horror is fairly traditional in terms of its structure, core monster threat and scares-to-laughs ratio, but there are a few winningly modern touches. For starters, there is a very contemporary anticapitalist undertow: it all takes place in a single multi-occupancy building (supposedly in Los Angeles, though the whole film was filmed in Portugal) owned by a slimy landlord (William Miller), who rails against the city’s “socialist” local council making it harder for him to rip off his tenants. And the tenants range across the spectrum of income levels and careers, in a way which is directly correlated to how sympathetic they are and therefore how likely to get spider-bit. So you shouldn’t get too attached any of the characters who work in finance, are “influencers”, or in any way act high and mighty towards the building’s long suffering supervisor Serena (Matilda Lutz), a tomboy-femme girl in shorts and biker boots who is also an aspiring musician. Serena is the one who finds the first victim, a UCLA professor in arachnology who is killed by an exotic spider which grows to extra-large proportions, from a colony ruled by a super-sized queen that appears semi-sentient. Continue reading...