The BBC has announced that Saira Choudhry and Jason Manford will join the cast of Waterloo Road when it returns for its next series later this year.
Choudhry will play Nisha Chandra, Waterloo Road's newest maths teacher.
Manford will play Steve Savage, who has a big impact on the staff and pupils at Waterloo Road when he becomes headteacher - but not before ruffling a few feathers along the way. While Manford's new role as headteacher will leave fans questioning how the future looks for current headteacher Kim Campbell (Angela Griffin), viewers will have to wait and see how the storyline plays out.
Waterloo Road's current series launched in full on BBC iPlayer in early January and concluded its weekly BBC One run recently. Jason Manford will appear in Waterloo Road's next series - series 14 - coming to BBC One and BBC iPlayer later this year.
Jason Manford said, “What an absolute treat it is to join the cast and crew of Waterloo Road, right here in my home city of Manchester. My kids and I binged the show on iPlayer during lockdown. It’s such a brilliant, iconic show, so I’m dead proud to now be part of its history. Growing up, I always wanted to be a teacher and now becoming a headteacher, I know I would have been terrible!"
Choudhry and Manford will be seen alongside a host of new students: Olly Rhodes as Billy Savage, Nathan Wood as Boz Osbourne, Sonya Nisa as Aleena Qureshi, Miya Ocego as Lois Taylor-Brown, Danny Murphy as Luca Smith and Matthew Khan as Jared Jones.
Waterloo Road is known for tackling real-life topics affecting teens, families, and school staff, along with its trademark mix of sharp writing, warmth, and wit. The series returned to screens last year after becoming popular amongst audiences on BBC iPlayer during lockdown, and since its return, has continued to perform as one of the top shows on BBC iPlayer for viewers Under 35.
All episodes of Waterloo Road are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
Rick Davies, co-founder of Supertramp, has died at 81 after a long battle with cancer
The British musician wrote and sang classics including Goodbye Stranger and Bloody Well Right
Davies kept the band alive after Roger Hodgson’s departure in 1983 and toured until 2022
His music, especially Breakfast in America, continues to inspire generations worldwide
Rick Davies' death has left a profound mark on the music world, as fans remember the Supertramp co-founder who turned a progressive rock outfit into one of the most successful British bands of the late 1970s. Alongside partner Roger Hodgson, he penned songs that defined an era, while his unique keyboard style helped shape rock history. Beyond his artistry, Davies’ determination kept Supertramp going long after internal disputes and creative differences split the group.
Rick Davies, British rock legend of Supertramp, dies at 81 Getty Images
Who was Rick Davies in Supertramp?
Born in Swindon, England in 1944, Rick Davies developed an early fascination with jazz and blues before moving into rock. In 1969, he placed an advert to form a new band, eventually bringing in Roger Hodgson. Together, they rebranded as Supertramp in January 1970.
While Hodgson’s higher-pitched vocals carried The Logical Song and Give a Little Bit, Davies’ deeper tones became the backbone of tracks like Bloody Well Right, Rudy and Goodbye Stranger. His mastery of the Wurlitzer electric piano gave Supertramp its signature sound, combining pop hooks with progressive structures.
John Helliwell, Rick Davies, Roger Hodgson, Bob Siebenberg and Dougie ThomsonGetty Images
What were Supertramp’s biggest hits?
Supertramp first tasted commercial success with the 1974 album Crime of the Century, which featured Davies’ single Bloody Well Right. The band’s true breakthrough, however, came in 1979 with Breakfast in America.
The record sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, topping charts across the US and Europe. Its singles The Logical Song, Take the Long Way Home, and Goodbye Stranger remain radio staples. The album earned the group two Grammy Awards, strengthening their place in rock history. Davies’ role as songwriter, singer and pianist was central to this success, his songs carrying a soulful, world-weary edge that contrasted with Hodgson’s more whimsical lyrics.
By the early 1980s, tensions between Davies and Hodgson intensified over songwriting royalties and creative direction. Following the release of Famous Last Words in 1982, Hodgson quit the band.
While many assumed this would end Supertramp, Davies chose to carry on. He released four more albums under the band’s name, including 2002’s Slow Motion. Though the band never again reached the commercial heights of Breakfast in America, they maintained a devoted fan base. Davies’ leadership ensured the group’s legacy endured, with tours continuing into the 2000s.
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How did Rick Davies spend his later years?
In 2015, Davies was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer affecting bone marrow. This forced him to cancel a planned reunion tour. Despite his illness, he continued performing with local musicians in the US under the name Ricky and the Rockets, entertaining fans with blues and rock classics.
Davies died on 5 September at his home in Long Island, aged 81. A statement from the band said: “His soulful vocals and unmistakable touch on the Wurlitzer became the heartbeat of the band’s sound… Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many and bears testament to the fact that great songs never die, they live on.”
Rick Davies, Supertramp’s guiding force, dies at 81Getty Images
He is survived by his wife Sue, who had been Supertramp’s manager since 1984.
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Onam 2025: 5 celebrity fits that nailed the Onam mood
Mohanlal kept it timeless in a crisp mundu and shirt
Prithviraj & Supriya Menon looked like the perfect festive album shot
Malavika Mohanan brought in a twist with her kasavu saree with traditional jewellery
Malaika Arora embraced Kerala’s spirit with a kasavu saree, temple jewellery, and a warm Sadhya
R. Madhavan & Sarita Birje showed coordinated elegance in mundu and saree
Festivals tell their own stories. Sometimes it’s not in the captions, not even in the feasts, but in the clothes, the smiles, and the way people carry tradition without trying too hard. Onam this year gave us just that: celebrities, often dripping in designer labels, strip it back to something pure, elegant, and powerfully rooted.
Here’s who absolutely nailed the Onam vibe.
Mohanlal: The godfather in white
The man does not need to try. In a simple, crisp white mundu. Simple shirt. A straight camera greeting. That is it. No frills, no staged glamour. Just the veteran looking like the festival itself: timeless.
Prithviraj in a mundu with a printed shirt. Supriya in a kasavu saree with a gold border, her jewellery adding the final shine. The picture looked less like a posed post, more like a family album moment you would want to keep.
While others went classic, Malavika played. She wore a cream-white kasavu saree with a golden border, the drape beautifully, turning the attire into almost a contemporary painted canvas. Paired with ethnic gold jewellery, parted loose hair, her styling was classy, traditional and on point.
Bollywood meets Kerala elegance. Malaika in a kasavu saree, gold border flowing, finished with temple jewellery. Add to that a banana leaf sadhya moment with her mother Joyce also in kasavu. Warm, rooted, real. She got the spirit, not just the outfit.
R. Madhavan & Sarita Birje: The coordinated class act
The couple matched steps in traditional wear, smiling in sync. Madhavan in mundu, Sarita in saree, it felt celebratory without being curated. Just a family, a festival, and a frame that spoke togetherness.
Onam does not need long stories. A mundu tucked neatly, a kasavu saree draped with care, a smile that feels familiar, that is enough. That simple, handwoven kasavu cloth does something interesting. It momentarily strips away the movie star, the influencer, the Bollywood diva. For a second, they all just look… Malayali. Connected. Because no matter how famous you get, some looks just feel like coming home.
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Giorgio Armani’s journey from window dresser to fashion emperor
Armani began as a window dresser in Milan before sketching suits for Nino Cerruti.
In 1975, he launched his own label by selling his car, sparking a quiet fashion revolution.
His unstructured suits redefined power dressing for men and women in the 1980s.
From American Gigolo to the Oscars, Armani became Hollywood’s style signature.
He built a global empire yet stayed hands-on, shaping fashion until his final days at 91.
It’s strange to think Armani once stood behind a shop window, fixing mannequins instead of red carpets. He wasn’t born into Milan’s glittering salons or stitched into privilege. His journey started with burns from a war shell, with a mother who made scraps look elegant, with a young man who quit medical school because he couldn’t quite see his future in blood and bandages.
From there, he picked up fabrics, cuts, and the quiet dream of building something lasting. And against all odds, he did. You know his clothes. You’ve seen that look, the effortless drape of a jacket, the quiet confidence of a suit that doesn’t scream but whispers luxury. Giorgio Armani, who left us last year at 91, wasn’t just a designer, he rewrote how the world dresses. These ten chapters show how he carved that throne.
Giorgio Armani’s journey from window dresser to fashion emperor Getty Images
1. Milan shop windows to Nino Cerruti
After leaving the army, Armani took a sales job at La Rinascente, Milan’s posh department store. He was a clerk, then a window dresser, learning which fabrics customers touched twice and which ones they ignored. By the mid-60s, he was sketching suits for Nino Cerruti. Those years taught him discipline, proportion, and that style was more about how clothes moved than how much they glittered.
How Giorgio Armani redefined elegance in ten chaptersGetty Images
2. Founding Giorgio Armani
In 1975, with his partner Sergio Galeotti urging him forward, Armani sold his car to raise money and launched his own label. It was a risk. He wasn’t a household name yet. But those first collections, sharp but fluid, men and women both, hit Milan like a quiet revolution. Armani had arrived, and he carried his own name on the masthead.
The life and legacy of Giorgio Armani in ten actsGetty Images
3. The unstructured suit
He ripped the stuffing out of the traditional jacket, peeled off the padding, and let fabric drape. Men’s shoulders softened. Women walked into boardrooms in suits that carried authority without pretending to be men’s uniforms. It was tailoring that breathed. Armani gave the world a whole new vocabulary: power without stiffness, elegance without excess.
Giorgio Armani’s quiet revolution that changed fashion foreverGetty Images
4. American Gigolo and Hollywood
Richard Gere opening that closet full of Armani shirts was pure cinema, a cultural turning point. Overnight, Armani became shorthand for sleek modernity. From American Gigolo to Julia Roberts in a men’s suit at the Golden Globes, it’s safe to say Armani rewired Hollywood’s image of glamour. That’s why critics joked the Oscars red carpet could have been renamed the “Armani Awards.”
Ten defining moments in the life of Giorgio ArmaniGetty Images
5. The empire expands
Perfumes, jeans, children’s clothes, Armani Exchange. He turned his minimalist philosophy into a whole lifestyle. While rivals chased conglomerates, Armani kept control and built his own ladder, one rung for luxury, one for youth, one for home, even one for hotels. By the late ’90s, his eagle logo was everywhere from sunglasses to sofas.
The timeless legacy of Giorgio Armani in ten chaptersGetty Images
6. Sports and spectacle
He dressed Chelsea footballers and Olympic athletes. He opened a hotel in Dubai, restaurants in Milan, Armani Casa for homes. Armani understood something crucial: his vision wasn’t just clothes. It was a way of living. Walking into an Armani space felt the same as wearing his jacket: quiet, precise, disciplined and elegant.
How Giorgio Armani built a global style empireGetty Images
7. Ethics before trend
Long before wellness talk filled magazines, Armani banned dangerously underweight models from his shows. The same year, he livestreamed a couture collection, back when fashion still thought the internet was beneath it. Armani was old-school in silhouette but sharp-eyed about culture.
Remembering Giorgio Armani through his most iconic momentsGetty Images
8. Grief and resilience
The loss of Sergio Galeotti to AIDS could have shattered him. Instead, Armani carried their dream forward, with family by his side. His empire became not just a company but a shield, one he built in memory of the man who first believed in him.
Armani’s empire: fashion, lifestyle, and legacy in ten stepsGetty Images
9. Awards, honours, billions
Armani wasn’t just respected; he was decorated. From the Legion of Honour to Italy’s highest civilian award, the world recognised his contribution. Forbes estimated his net worth at £9.2 billion (₹978 billion). Yet ask anyone in Milan: he still turned up at the office daily, fussing over lapels and fabrics like an apprentice.
He died on 4 September 2025, in Milan, aged 91, still at work, still in control. Italy’s prime minister called him “the best of Italy.” Critics called him a giant. The truth is simpler: Armani changed how people move through the world. His clothes taught us that confidence whispers, it doesn’t shout.
Giorgio Armani’s timeless influence on global styleGetty Images
Not an ending, but a silhouette
We often say legends “fade away.” Armani doesn’t get that cliché. He didn’t fade. The light just changed, and what’s left is his silhouette. You can’t talk about modern style without tripping over his influence. He’s in the DNA of every brand that prizes minimalist elegance. He’s in the posture of a woman walking into a meeting, feeling powerful in a soft-shouldered blazer. He’s in the ease of a man in a suit that finally feels like his own skin.
When we say “there will be an Armani after Armani,” it’s not just in the company he built, but in everyone who has ever worn his clothes and discovered the quiet power of looking like their truest, most confident self.
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Geeta Basra returns with Meher after a decade away from films
British-born actress Geeta Basra makes a powerful return to the screen with the Punjabi film Meher after a decade away.
She reveals the industry once dropped her for getting married but now celebrates women balancing career and family.
Basra plays a relatable matriarch and describes the project as a “dream role” that mirrors her own life.
Meher is a large-scale cinematic experience shot in unique locations like Manikaran, designed for the big screen.
After a decade away building a family and a life outside cinema, British-born actress Geeta Basra is back with the Punjabi drama Meher, and this time, she’s rewriting the rules for married women on screen. For the mother-of-two, this isn’t just about returning to acting, it’s about challenging how the industry views married women and mothers while spotlighting the women who have inspired her own journey.
In an exclusive interview with Eastern Eye, Geeta opens up about her comeback, her inspirations, the shift in opportunities for women, and why this family drama feels so personal.
Geeta Basra returns with Meher after a decade away from films Instagram/geetabasra
A dream role that feels personal
Basra chose Meher with care, calling it her “dream role.” The film is a richly woven family drama rooted in rural Punjab. She plays Simmi, the "epicentre" of her family, a relatable figure who binds everyone together through love, betrayal, and emotional upheaval. The film explores hardships not only between husband and wife but also through multiple family dynamics, including a surprising “bromance” between male characters.
“As mothers, our instincts are so similar,” Basra explains. Just as important, it was a film she could proudly share with her children. “I picked this role very carefully, for something my family can watch,” she admits. For her, stepping into Meher feels like one of the defining moments of her career.
If Basra’s character draws from her instincts as a mother, her real-life inspiration comes from the women around her. “My mother is my first and foremost inspiration in life,” she says warmly. “Seeing how she balanced her businesses while raising three children makes me want to do better every day. Different people inspire me at different points, but my mother has always been my guiding light.”
She also points to the resilience of ordinary women as her motivation. “Seeing women multitask, balancing life, work, children, and family is incredibly motivational. Before, women were often written off after marriage and motherhood, but today, we have the opportunity to pursue our dreams. Seeing my daughter proud of me for following my passion inspires me to do even better.”
Meher marks Geeta Basra’s powerful comeback to Punjabi cinemaInstagram/geetabasra
Proudly Punjabi
For a British-born actress, questions of authenticity in playing a rural Punjabi woman were inevitable. But Basra is quick to dismiss them. “We are so rooted to our roots,” she says. “I’m now Punjab ki bahu. It’s my second home. I am Punjabi, and I’m a very proud Punjabi.” She didn’t need to study the role, she’s lived it.
Basra insists that the presence of women in production roles is just as crucial as those in front of the camera. Meher is produced by Kamal Kaur, one of the few women at the helm of large-scale Punjabi projects. “When women greenlight projects, they greenlight stories that reflect reality, stories where women aren’t sidelined after marriage but are centred,” Basra says. For her, that representation is both rare and revolutionary.
Geeta Basra says motherhood is her strength, not a setback in filmsInstagram/geetabasra
Redefining the rules for married actresses
The industry she left was far less forgiving. Basra recalls being dropped from four major films simply because she was linked to her now-husband, cricketer Harbhajan Singh. “It was either this or that. Never this and that,” she remembers. For women, the choice used to be family or fame. Today, she is headlining a major project while raising two children, something that once seemed impossible. “It’s commendable and remarkable,” she says of the change, though she emphasises much more work remains.
British-born Geeta Basra opens up on comeback film MeherInstagram/geetabasra
What’s next for Geeta Basra
With the “seal broken” on her comeback, Basra is determined to push further. She wants content-driven films that showcase her versatility, recalling how her career has already spanned everything from a bold debut to playing a villain. “I don’t want to bind myself to one kind of role,” she insists. Her only filter now is simple: would her family be proud to watch it? With several projects already lined up, she intends to make sure the answer is yes.
For Basra, Meher is also a reflection of where Punjabi cinema is heading: bigger in scale, richer in music, and designed for the cinematic experience. But she wants that ambition matched with better stories for women, especially mothers. “Women can also have a career. Women can also work after marriage,” she stresses.
Geeta Basra’s message is clear: experience is not a liability. It’s her strength. With Meher, she’s redefining what it means for women to lead on screen. And for Geeta Basra, this is only the beginning.
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Farhan Akhtar confirms Jee Le Zaraa is not shelved but cast uncertain
Farhan Akhtar says Jee Le Zaraa has been delayed but not shelved
Significant work including music and location scouting already completed
Director cannot confirm if Alia Bhatt, Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif remain attached
Project first announced in 2021 as a female-led road trip film
Filmmaker-actor Farhan Akhtar has clarified that his highly anticipated film Jee Le Zaraa has not been shelved. Speaking about the much-discussed project, Akhtar said the film is simply “on the back burner” due to scheduling conflicts. The clarification comes after years of speculation that the all-female road trip film, originally announced with Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif and Alia Bhatt, might have been abandoned.
Farhan Akhtar confirms Jee Le Zaraa is not shelved but cast uncertain Instagram/priyankachopra
Is Jee Le Zaraa cancelled?
During an interview, Akhtar addressed whether the film had been dropped altogether. He said:
“I would hate to say that it’s shelved. What I will say is that it’s put on a back burner. It is a film that will happen. I don’t know when it will be. But it’s too delicious a script.”
He added that extensive pre-production work, including location scouting and music recording, had already been completed, confirming that the creative groundwork for the film is in place.
When asked about the previously announced cast, Akhtar admitted that he could no longer comment. “I can’t comment on the cast on that anymore,” he said, hinting that the lineup featuring Chopra, Kaif and Bhatt may not be final. The uncertainty around casting has been one of the biggest reasons behind the prolonged delay.
Industry reports previously suggested that the global work commitments of Chopra and the packed schedules of Kaif and Bhatt created significant challenges in aligning dates for the shoot.
The delay has been attributed primarily to calendar clashes. In an earlier interview, Akhtar explained that conflicting schedules were the main hurdle, especially after the Hollywood actors’ strike disrupted Chopra’s availability. “We just have issues with dates,” he said, adding that the film seems to have “a destiny of its own.”
Since then, speculation has grown over whether the trio of stars originally attached will still be part of the project, but Akhtar’s recent remarks confirm that while the cast may be uncertain, the film itself remains in motion.
Fans await clarity on whether Priyanka Chopra, Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif will reunite on screen in Jee Le ZaraaGetty Images
What is Jee Le Zaraa about?
Jee Le Zaraa was announced in 2021 to mark the 20th anniversary of Akhtar’s debut film Dil Chahta Hai. It was promoted as a female-led road trip drama, echoing the friendship themes of Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. The script has been co-written by Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, with production under Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby Films.
When it was first revealed, Chopra described the film as “a celebration of sisterhood and friendship,” sharing that the idea emerged from her desire to create a Hindi film headlined by three women. The initial announcement, featuring Chopra, Kaif and Bhatt together, created huge excitement among fans.
While Jee Le Zaraa remains on hold, Akhtar is currently focusing on Don 3, which will star Ranveer Singh. The film is expected to begin production once Singh completes his current projects.
Akhtar is also preparing for the release of 120 Bahadur, a war drama in which he plays Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, who led Indian troops at the Battle of Rezang La in 1962. The film is slated for release on 21 November.