Competition watchdog clears Paramount Warner Bros acquisition Media The UK competition watchdog has cleared the merger of Hollywood heavyweights Paramount and Warner Bros after concluding it does not pose an issue to competitiveness in the UK. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed it would not investigate the matter further on Wednesday, as it did not “give rise to a realistic prospect of [...]
Beat Luke Littler: Netflix enters live darts with £500,000 showcase Sport Business Netflix is entering live darts for the first time with a new show challenging members of the public to take on world champion Luke Littler. Beat Luke Littler will pit 20 amateur arrows fans against the teenage prodigy for a chance to win £501,000 – if they can beat him in a single leg. “Everyone [...]
The Rest Is… for the Treasury: Gary Lineker backs wealth tax for rich Sport Business Gary Lineker has urged Prime Minister Andy Burnham to introduce a wealth tax on himself and other millionaires. The former England football player, synonymous with crisps, is one of over 100 millionaires to sign an open letter to No 10 calling for a 2 per cent tax hike on people with assets worth at least [...]
Netflix and Gary Lineker’s Goalhanger extend The Rest Is Football deal until 2028 July 20, 2026 Gary Lineker’s The Rest Is Football podcast will continue on Netflix for the next two seasons following the success of its run during the World Cup. The hit show, which also stars former England internationals Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, will focus on the Premier League and Champions League in twice-weekly episodes on the streaming [...]
Heartstopper Forever review: Bucketloads more queer joy from Netflix July 17, 2026 Heartstopper Forever review and star rating: ★★★★ “Everyone thinks teenage relationships don’t last,” teases Joe Locke’s Charlie Spring in the feature length finale of Heartstopper. To be fair, they tend not to. But Netflix’s LGBTQ teen romance series has always been dished with a side of fantasy: literal multicoloured sparks fly across the screen when [...]
Nandy ‘minded to intervene’ in Paramount’s £85bn Warner Bros takeover June 30, 2026 Culture secretary Lisa Nandy will ask the competition and media watchdogs to probe Paramount’s £85bn acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery to ensure the mega-deal doesn’t stifle the breadth of Britain’s media ecosystem. The Wigan MP said on Tuesday that she planned to authorise both the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Ofcom to examine the [...]
Italy holidays: how to do Positano well, as Netflix moves in June 30, 2026 Italy holidays: Positano is about to appear for its close-up. Here’s how to do it well Coco Chanel needed only a suntan and a scandalous pair of beach pyjamas to turn the French Riviera from a winter health resort into Europe’s most coveted summer address. A generation later, Positano stole the crown. All it took [...]
Government is set to deal major blow to Big Tech’s moves into sports rights June 23, 2026 The government is set to deal a major blow to Big Tech’s moves into sports rights after launching a consultation on the future of broadcasting. A green paper – an exploratory consultation – was announced by the minister for creative industries, media and arts, Ian Murray, on Tuesday, proposing to prevent streaming platforms such as [...]
CMA launches antitrust probe into Hollywood’s mega merger June 9, 2026 The UK’s competition watchdog has launched a formal merger enquiry into Paramount Skydance’s anticipated $110bn (£86bn) acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery, escalating the regulatory hurdles facing a deal that has already triggered a fierce, multi-front corporate war over Hollywood jobs and executive payouts. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced Tuesday it has commenced its [...]
This shocking West End play is like Netflix’s Adolescence but live May 21, 2026 Equus play review and star rating: ★★★★ If a psychological drama about a teenager with an erotic fixation on horses sounds controversial, imagine how the idea landed 53 years ago. Peter Shaffer’s Equus is still platforming taboo-breaking conversations around mental health 53 years after its world premiere, which is probably more a criticism of our [...]