After 20 years of being the star of the family, Peppa Pig is no longer the youngest girl in the house. A new face has joined the Pig family: a baby girl named Evie. Born early Tuesday morning at 5:34 AM at the Lindo Wing of St Mary’s Hospital in London (yes, the same one where the royal children were born), Evie marks the first major addition to the family since the show began in 2004.
The news was revealed in true British fashion with a town crier in a video posted on Peppa Pig’s official Instagram. The announcement, styled like a royal birth, sent fans and brands into a frenzy. Mummy Pig is said to have named the baby after her great-aunt, and while the birth was not easy, she shared that she is relieved and happy to have Evie here, safe and healthy.
Peppa’s younger brother George, who has somehow been two years old forever, now has a new sibling to share toys and tantrums with. And while Peppa seems thrilled in the official photos, it is hard not to wonder how she will really feel once the attention shifts away from her.
To mark the occasion and the show’s 20th anniversary, the creators are rolling out a cinema special called Peppa Meets The Baby. Hitting screens on 30 May, the one-hour film will follow Peppa and George as they prepare for Evie’s arrival, featuring 10 new episodes and six new songs. Evie will also become a regular on the main show, adding a new layer to the Pig family’s dynamic.
The show, which started on Channel 5 and Nick Jr. in 2004, has grown into a global phenomenon, airing in over 180 countries and more than 40 languages. In 2019, toy giant Hasbro took over the franchise, promising even more Peppa-centric content.
The buzz around baby Evie has been building for months. Mummy Pig’s pregnancy reveal in February was followed by a gender reveal in April, complete with a media rollout that rivalled any celebrity birth. Parenting tips, maternity photos, and interviews about balancing work and family were part of the package.
— (@)
Now, with baby Evie here, it feels like growing up just got real.
Taylor Swift’s long-awaited Reputation (Taylor’s Version) finally made its presence known, but not through a press release or streaming platform. Instead, it emerged through the eerie silence of Gilead. The re-recorded version of “Look What You Made Me Do” debuted unexpectedly in the opening scene of the latest episode of The Handmaid’s Tale, catching fans and viewers completely off guard.
The episode begins with Elisabeth Moss’s character, June Osborne, orchestrating a quiet but fierce act of resistance against the regime. As handmaids march through a war-torn street, Swift’s voice cuts through the chaos. The updated track underscores the rebellion, syncing perfectly with the tension and defiance unfolding on screen.
The original 2017 version of the song was a turning point in Swift’s career, born out of public backlash and a media storm. Its reappearance now, in a show about fighting back against oppression, feels deeply personal. Swift’s battle to reclaim her music mirrors the episode’s themes: reclaiming agency, rewriting narratives, and refusing to be silenced.
Moss, also an executive producer of the show, shared how this moment had been years in the making. She revealed she had always wanted to feature a Taylor Swift track but waited for the right moment. “This was it,” she said. “The song, the scene, the story, it all just clicked.” Moss also attended Swift’s Eras Tour last year with castmate Bradley Whitford, making her admiration for the singer no secret.
— (@)
For Swifties, this is the clearest sign that Reputation (Taylor’s Version) is on the horizon. While fans have spotted hints in everything from merch updates to symbolic fashion choices, this full-length debut feels like the real beginning of the next chapter.
It also marks the latest move in Swift’s ongoing mission to re-record her early albums and reclaim ownership after the rights to her original masters were sold without her consent. So far, she’s re-released Fearless, Red, Speak Now, and *1989*, with Reputation and her debut album left.
Swift’s music has popped up in recent shows and documentaries, but this moment in The Handmaid’s Tale is her strongest re-entry into the Reputation era. It's less of a promo, more of a declaration. The gloves are off.
The next time you think of a big-budget show, forget Game of Thrones or The Rings of Power. The new Harry Potter reboot is set to leave them all behind and not just in storytelling, but in cost. With a jaw-dropping budget of over $4.2 billion (₹33,600 crore), this upcoming series is on track to be the most expensive television production ever attempted.
Each of the 42 planned episodes, spread across seven seasons, will reportedly cost more than $100 million (₹837 crore). That’s more than many Marvel movies and nearly double the per-episode spend of Amazon’s The Rings of Power. But where is all that money going?
A massive part of the budget is being poured into something rarely attempted on this scale: a custom-built town. Nicknamed “Potterville,” this mini city is under construction at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden and will house life-size recreations of iconic locations like Hogwarts, King’s Cross Station, and Privet Drive. The price tag for this alone? Around £1 billion (₹10,700 crore). The idea is not just about visual realism but a long-term investment in the franchise’s future, with the possibility of spin-offs or other productions set in the same magical universe.
Unlike the original film series, which had to condense the books into blockbuster-length scripts, this version aims to give each book its own season, allowing for a deeper dive into the world J.K. Rowling created. The show is expected to go into the details that never made it to the big screen.
A fresh cast will step into some of the most recognisable roles in pop culture. John Lithgow will take on the role of Albus Dumbledore, joined by Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, and Nick Frost as Hagrid, among others. The trio of young leads Harry, Hermione, and Ron are yet to be announced.
Set to film on a sprawling 200-acre site, this reboot marks a major moment for HBO and Warner Bros. Whether it lives up to expectations or not, it’s already rewritten the rules of television production. And in the process, it’s raised a question: how much is too much to bring magic back to life?
Keep ReadingShow less
A collage of Lennie James, Ruth Jones, Ariyon Bakare and Marisa Abela holding their awards
The 2025 BAFTA TV Awards turned out to be a big night for the BBC, which took home 18 awards, the highest of any broadcaster or streaming platform this year. Hosted at London’s Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, the ceremony was filled with excitement, featuring prominent winners from various genres.
Leading the way was the BBC drama Mr Loverman, which grabbed two significant awards. Lennie James secured his first BAFTA for Best Actor, while Ariyon Bakare won for Best Supporting Actor. Another memorable highlight was Strictly Come Dancing winning the public vote for the Memorable Moment award, thanks to Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell’s waltz performance.
Ariyon Bakare poses with the Supporting Actor Award for 'Mr Loverman'Getty Images
Charlotte Moore, the BBC’s outgoing Chief Content Officer, expressed immense pride in the network’s achievements, emphasising how the wins reflect the commitment to nurturing homegrown talent and bringing audiences together with diverse storytelling, applauding the creativity showcased by all the winners.
Among the BBC’s notable victories were awards in factual, drama, comedy, entertainment, and more. Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour was named the best in Factual Entertainment, while Blue Lights took home the Drama Series award. The much-loved EastEnders won in the Soap & Continuing Drama category, adding to the broadcaster’s success.
Ruth Jones poses with the Female Performance in a Comedy Programme Award for 'Gavin & Stacey: The Finale'Getty Images
In comedy, Alma’s Not Normal earned recognition as the Best Scripted Comedy, while Ruth Jones won for Female Performance in a Comedy for her role in Gavin & Stacey: The Finale. Marisa Abela also celebrated a win as Leading Actress for her work in Industry.
This year’s ceremony marked a few firsts too. Danny Dyer claimed his first BAFTA for Male Performance in a Comedy Programme for Mr Bigstuff, and Joe Lycett continued his winning streak by bagging the Entertainment Performance award for Late Night Lycett.
Marisa Abela poses with the Leading Actress Award for 'Industry'Getty Images
Additionally, the event introduced new categories celebrating children’s television. CBeebies’ As You Like It took the Children’s: Scripted award, while Disability and Me won for Children’s: Non-Scripted.
The BAFTA TV Awards not only celebrated the finest in British television but also highlighted the importance of storytelling that resonates across genres. As the BBC continues to grow, its remarkable success this year stands as proof of their creative vision and dedication to quality programming.
Keep ReadingShow less
Billie Piper reflects on filming an awkward sex scene with animal noises for Secret Diary of a Call Girl
Billie Piper has opened up about a particularly uncomfortable moment from her time filming Secret Diary of a Call Girl, the ITV drama that stirred headlines when it first aired and is currently available to stream on Netflix until 29 May.
Long before she took on more mature roles, Piper was widely recognised as the beloved companion Rose Tyler in Doctor Who. But in 2007, she took a sharp turn, starring as Hannah Baxter, a London escort who goes by the alias Belle de Jour in a show based on a popular anonymous blog-turned-book.
The former Doctor Who star shares her discomfort while shooting intimate scenes for the Netflix dramaGetty Images
The series, known for its frank portrayal of sex work, didn’t hold back on intimate scenes. Piper recently revisited her experience filming one of the more absurd moments, a scene that required her to simulate sex while making animal noises. “I remember going home that day and just feeling... off,” she said in a past interview. “Like I needed a shower before picking up my kid.”
Though the scene left her with a sense of discomfort, she admitted that once she saw the final cut, she understood the humour in it. “It was actually funny in the end, the crew thought so too. But filming it was a different story.”
Not all scenes were easy for Piper to tackle herself. She used a body double for some of the more graphic moments, especially those she found emotionally or physically exposing. “There were certain things I just couldn’t do, like the more aggressive stuff, the intense grinding. It was too much,” she shared.
Billie Piper admits using a body double for graphic scenes in Secret Diary of a Call GirlGetty Images
In hindsight, Piper has mixed feelings about the show. In a 2020 interview, she said the project initially felt like it had the potential to push boundaries in a meaningful way. “I thought it could be really bold and smart,” she said. “But it shifted. It became something else entirely.”
Now older, Piper admits she’s relieved to have moved past that phase of her acting career. “I’m glad I’m out of my sex scene years. I really don’t want to go back to doing them.”
Secret Diary of a Call Girl is still streaming, but not for long. It leaves Netflix on 29 May.
Keep ReadingShow less
Squid Game final season teaser reveals pregnant player and brutal new twist
The first look at Squid Game’s final season is here, and it’s anything but subtle. Netflix dropped the teaser for season 3 on 6 May, confirming the show’s return on 27 June, and the short clip already has fans bracing for impact. The teaser doesn’t just reintroduce the deadly games, it throws viewers back into the chaos with new dangers, high emotions and unsettling surprises.
Seong Gi-hun, the original Player 456, is back but not by choice. Season 2 ended with his failed attempt to take down the games from the outside, and now he’s dragged back inside, waking up inside a coffin surrounded by masked guards. His fight isn't just about survival anymore. It’s personal. He wants to bring it all down.
What’s different this time is the emotional weight. The teaser shows Player 222, a pregnant woman, caught in the competition, suggesting that this season will push boundaries even further. A baby’s cry echoes at the end of the clip, and it feels eerie and heartbreaking, shifting the tone dramatically.
A new game also surfaces: a giant gumball machine that spits out red and blue balls. The colours may divide the players or dictate their fate. Either way, it’s a mechanic designed to test trust, loyalty and possibly pit family members against each other. One scene shows a mother and son drawing different colours. It is a subtle but gut-wrenching hint that only one may make it out alive.
Characters from earlier seasons return, including Gi-hun’s old allies and enemies. The mysterious Front Man, now revealed to have been hiding in plain sight as Player 001, remains in control. The teaser also shows detective Hwang Jun-ho and guard No-Eul sneaking into restricted zones, suggesting that the rebellion continues just from the shadows.
Season 3 marks the end of the main story. Created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, Squid Game became a global phenomenon in 2021, and this final chapter promises to close the loop. The new teaser hints at internal conflict, emotional tolls and one last desperate attempt to stop the games forever.