Category: 5. Entertainment

‘Murderbot’ Renewed for Season 2 at Apple TV+

Apple TV+ will give Murderbot more time to watch his favorite shows.

The streamer has ordered a second season of the series, which stars Alexander Skarsgård as the title character, a security robot who has to hide the fact that it has gained free will and guard its human clients on a dangerous mission — but who really wants just to be left alone to watch futuristic soap operas and figure out its place in the universe.

The renewal for Murderbot comes a day ahead of the show’s first season finale, set for July 11. The CBS Studios show is based on the first book in Martha Wells’ Hugo and Nebula Award-winning Murderbot Diaries novel series. Chris and Paul Weitz adapted the book and serve as showrunners.

“We’re so grateful for the response that Murderbot has received and delighted that we’re getting to go back to Martha Wells’ world to work with Alexander, Apple, CBS Studios and the rest of the team,” the Weitz brothers said in a statement.

Added Matt Cherniss, head of programming at Apple TV+, “Chris, Paul, Alexander and the entire Murderbot team have delivered a brilliantly original, addictive, witty and vibrant adaptation that has captured the imagination of audiences everywhere. We can’t wait to unveil what’s next for Murderbot and, of course, Sanctuary Moon in season two.”

Murderbot also stars Noma Dumezweni, David Dastmalchian, Sabrina Wu, Akshay Khanna, Tattiawna Jones and Tamara Podemski. Chris and Paul Weitz executive produce with Andrew Miano of their Depth of Field company, along with David S. Goyer and Keith Levine for Phantom Four. Wells is a consulting producer.

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July 10, 2025
EDITION and El Silencio Present the Summer EDITION, an Exclusive Poolside Pop-Up this August

EDITION steps out of the hotel and takes its signature style poolside for a two-week residency.

IBIZA, Spain, July 10, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — This August 15 to 31, luxury lifestyle hotel brand EDITION will host an exclusive pop-up at El Silencio, the relaxed yet sophisticated beachside outpost from iconic Parisian brand Silencio, nestled within a secluded cove on Ibiza’s western coast. From August 15 – August 31, The Summer EDITION, a two-week residency at El Silencio’s pool deck will showcase the unique synergy between EDITION’s global luxury hospitality expertise and Silencio’s cultural programming. Guests and locals alike are invited to experience a curated taste of EDITION’s expansive portfolio through its signature blend of design, globally inspired food & beverage menu, specially selected music fusing EDITION & El Silencio sound, and cultural programming inspired by EDITION hotels worldwide, combining Ibiza’s creative spirit with EDITION’s network of tastemakers.

EDITION x El Silencio

The poolside at El Silencio will be transformed to reflect EDITION’s distinctive sensibility – elevated yet effortlessly understated. Guests can expect lush greenery evocative of EDITION’s signature aesthetic, Le Labo amenities, and a thoughtfully crafted playlist from morning to sunset, blending EDITION’s signature sound with El Silencio’s musical DNA, capturing the energy of both brands. The co-branded pool area will also feature custom, luxurious towels, pillows, and pool floats, alongside a cart serving a refined selection of refreshments and delights inspired by EDITION hotels and resorts around the world.

“This summer, EDITION transports its distinctive point of view to Ibiza with a first-of-its-kind pop-up – reimagining the hotel experience within the unique setting of a beach club,” says George Fleck, Senior Vice President and Global Brand Leader, EDITION. “With this partnership at the iconic El Silencio, this bold move merges EDITION’s signature design, expertly curated menus, and cultural programming with El Silencio’s creative influence. This residency is an expression of our brand’s commitment to pushing the boundaries in hospitality, art, and culture. The Summer EDITION at El Silencio is more than a collaboration – it marks the beginning of a new global series of pop-up events to serve as meeting points for like-minded communities to connect, with Ibiza as the first destination.”

The poolside pop-up will feature a tailored program of events, drawing elements and inspiration from the vibrant cultural fabric that defines EDITION hotels worldwide and El Silencio. From immersive sensory and wellness experiences to unique culinary moments, the two-week residency will offer a refined mix of activities that reflect EDITION’s global perspective and creative sensibility. Highlights include artist collaborations, sunset sails on an eco-catamaran, EDITION Sunset Series poolside gatherings where creatives converge, captivating performances, and live music sessions. The experiences will also include a wellness-forward layer, with guided meditation, breathwork sessions, and yoga led by a local Ibizan practitioner. A well-being layer will also be reflected in the food and beverage offerings, with curated elixirs, tonics, cold-pressed juices, and seasonally sourced fare designed to complement the programming and support restoration and vitality.

Served exclusively poolside, the artisanal menu will be a co-created expression of EDITION’s global culinary perspective – blending fresh, local ingredients with signature dishes inspired by the brand’s hotels across the world. Drawing inspiration from standout beach and poolside menus in destinations spanning Miami Beach, Kanai, Bodrum, Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Rome, Madrid, and the brand’s newest opening in Lake Como, the offering will reimagine guest favorites through an Ibizan lens. Signature elements from EDITION’s celebrated food and beverage programs will be featured throughout, including cocktails from the award-winning cocktail bar Punch Room and poolside favorites and destination-inspired small plates. Menu highlights include Ceviche la Docena from The Riviera Maya EDITION at Kanai, the Greek Salad from The Miami Beach EDITION and more.

“Our history with EDITION began a decade ago in Miami, when we were a part of their opening celebration. This Ibiza collaboration brings this long-standing relationship full circle – now EDITION is showing up at El Silencio. We’re thrilled to welcome EDITION to our island sanctuary and create a pop-up that captures both their contemporary approach to luxury and our spirit of artistic discovery.” Arnaud Frisch, Owner and Founder, El Silencio

The Summer EDITION at El Silencio will be a celebration of EDITION’s spirit, before continuing the brand’s partnership with Silencio at Art Basel Miami in 2025 and Frieze Los Angeles in 2026.

Notes to Editors
Bookings via http://www.elsilencioibiza.com/
Email: [email protected]
Phone number +34 676 003 059
Address: Av de Cala Moli, 30, 07830 Sant Josep de Sa Talia, Illes Balears

For press enquiries please contact: [email protected].

ABOUT EDITION HOTELS
EDITION Hotels is an unexpected and refreshing collection of individualized, customized, one-of-a-kind hotels that redefines the codes of traditional luxury. Displaying the best of dining and entertainment, services, and amenities “all under one roof,” each EDITION property is unique, reflecting the best cultural and social milieu of its location and time.

Each hotel, with its individuality, authenticity, originality, and unique ethos, reflects the current spirit and zeitgeist of its location. Although all the hotels look completely different, the brand’s unifying aesthetic is in its approach and attitude to the modern lifestyle rather than its appearance. EDITION is about a mindset and how it makes you feel rather than the way it looks. Sophisticated public spaces, finishes, design, and details serve the experience rather than drive it.

For an underserved market of affluent, culturally savvy, and service-savvy guests, the EDITION experience and lifestyle explores the unprecedented intersection and the perfect balance between taste-making design and innovation and consistent, excellent service globally. EDITION currently operates 20 hotels in New York and Times Square, Miami Beach, West Hollywood, Tampa, Barcelona, Bodrum, London, Reykjavik, Madrid, Rome, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sanya China, Shanghai, Tokyo Toranomon, Singapore, Riviera Maya at Kanai, Mexico, a second in Tokyo Ginza, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

ABOUT SILENCIO
Silencio opened in Paris in 2011 and quickly garnered a cult following, fast becoming one of the most sought-after venues for creatives from across the globe, designed by American filmmaker David Lynch. Silencio is constantly updating and enriching its programming to ensure it maintains a contemporary vision that reflects the current cultural scene in France and around the world, especially through collaborations with artists, institutions and fairs. In June 2021 Silencio launched El Silencio, a beach house on the Ibizan beach of Cala Moli. Silencio is part of Assembly Group which also runs Wanderlust and FVTVR in the City of Fashion and Design.

MEDIA CONTACT
Bryce Dalzin
Senior Director, Global Luxury Brand PR
Marriott International
[email protected]

SOURCE Marriott International, Inc.

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July 10, 2025
Eamonn Holmes makes bold move to secure future with new love

Eamonn Holmes makes bold move to secure future with new love

Eamonn Holmes is reportedly committed to providing his new partner, Katie Alexander, with the same luxurious lifestyle once enjoyed his e-wife, Ruth Langsford.

Sources claim the broadcaster is prepared to ‘fight for what he deserves’ amid ongoing divorce proceedings.

Following his 2024 separation from Ruth, Eamon, 65, has found companionship with 43-year-old Katie, and is now focused on regaining financial stability.

However, insiders suggest he is intentionally stalling the divorce process. This reportedly contrasts with Ruth’s approach, as she is said to be eager to finalise the split and has consulted legal experts in a bid to retain their £3.6 million six-bedroom residence in Surrey.

A source told The Sun: ‘Kate’s been a rock to Eamonn throughout his ongoing divorce Eamonn’s health is always a big concern and after a few tax blows lately, he is more determined than ever to get his finances back in order.’

‘Eamonn feels hard done by in the divorce. He’s dragging his feet because Ruth’s got the house and they have a lot of other financials still to sort out between them.

‘Eamonn knows his mobility issues are a worry. He needs a carer to help him get ready for work and that’s expensive.’

The insider added that ‘Eamonn ‘does not want to lose Katie, and is keen to give her the ‘kind of lifestyle she deserves.’

Just last month, Eamonn was seen without his wedding ring-more than a year after his separation from Ruth.

The former TV power couple stunned fans on May 25, 2024, when they released a joint statement confirming the end of their 14-year marriage.

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July 10, 2025
An Oral History of Cork Street, London’s Most Influential Gallery Row

Art Market

Tom Seymour

Lucy Jones, exterior view of Flowers Gallery on Cork Street, 2025. Courtesy of Flowers Gallery.

This July, Cork Street in London’s Mayfair turns 100. A short and modest stretch of pavement just west of Savile Row and north of Piccadilly Circus, it has long been a core part of the British commercial gallery world. Behind its façades, radical art has been shown, movements introduced, reputations made and lost, fortunes gained and squandered.

From Peggy Guggenheim’s short-lived but seismic Guggenheim Jeune gallery in the late 1930s to the post-war influence of Waddington Galleries (now Waddington Custot), the psychedelic provocations of dealer Groovy Bob Fraser in the ’60s, and a wave of contemporary galleries reinvigorating the street today—Cork Street endures as both a mirror and a maker of the British art world. To mark the centenary, gallerists who call the street home today reflect on its eccentric past, its changing fortunes, and what the future might hold.

Alison Jacques has walked the pavements of Cork Street for three decades—from receptionist at Waddington Galleries to gallery owner at number 22. Joining her in reflection is Jacob Twyford, senior director at Waddington Custot, who first came to Cork Street in 1985 and has witnessed its evolution over four decades, Matthew Flowers of the eponymous Flowers Gallery, and Jo Stella-Sawicka, senior director at Goodman Gallery, whose space is among the newest additions to the street’s cultural fabric.

“In 1994, I took a job at Waddington Galleries in Cork Street,” Jacques recalled. “I had just come from working at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice, and while I was there, I interviewed Leslie Waddington for an article in [the magazine] Flash Art. He claimed he never read anything journalists wrote about him—but he must have read that one, and even liked it, because soon after it was published, he offered me a job.”

Portrait of Alison Jacques. Photo by Sophie Davidson. Courtesy of Alison Jacques.

That offer set Jacques on a path that would eventually bring her back to the very street where her career began, now with her name above the door of the gallery space she opened in 2023. “Once ensconced behind the reception desk at Waddingtons, I used to look out onto the spaces opposite and imagine which one I could rent for my own gallery in years to come,” she said.

Cork Street’s status in the British cultural imagination loomed large, shaping Jacques’s early impressions of its legacy and potential. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, it was primarily known for its aristocratic connections. Named after Richard Boyle, the 1st Earl of Cork, the street was laid out around 1685 and initially lined with grand houses for the nobility and upper classes. The traders on the street were mostly tailors, working on the fringes of the better-known Savile Row.

For Jacob Twyford, the street’s renowned identity took hold after the Second World War: “Cork Street really established itself in the post-war period as a place of difference, an alternative to the more traditional galleries south of Piccadilly,” he said. “Sitting as it does directly between the two big auction houses, Sotheby’s and Christie’s, it became the place where younger and emerging artists could find a home.”

Exterior view of Waddington Graphics, 1970s. Courtesy of Waddington Custot.

For Stella-Sawicka, the street’s strength lies in the dual identity it holds in the British art world: “Cork Street has long been a meeting point between tradition and innovation. It’s also a space where commercial success hasn’t always come at the cost of curatorial bravery, which is rare and significant.”

Matthew Flowers, Director of Flowers Gallery, which has been on the street since 2000, agrees: “Like so much else in the art world, it’s the provenance. It’s the street that saw the launches of the careers of major postwar artists at Waddington, Tooth, Mayor, Redfern, Piccadilly, and Peggy Guggenheim, and has continued to be a gateway for emerging talent,” he said, naming a clutch of galleries that are still based on the street or have at some point called it home.

Indeed, Guggenheim’s gallery—though short-lived in the late 1930s, brought to London some of the most resonant names in modernist art. For Jacques, it is “sacred territory”:

“It fascinated me that a space which opened just before the Second World War existed for only 18 months, and yet introduced London to giants like Cocteau, Kandinsky and Tanguy,” she said.

But alongside the resonant global names of modernist art, Cork Street was home to that other London specialty—characters and eccentrics. “At number 21, my next-door neighbor was Robert Fraser—Groovy Bob,” said Jacques of a dealer who epitomised a wild and freewheeling era in London’s gallery life. Fraser gained household status as the gallerist who mounted several notable shows of artists, including Ed Ruscha, Keith Haring, and Bridget Riley, and commissioned Peter Blake and Jann Haworth’s artwork for Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Also notable was Lillian Browse, widely known as the ‘Duchess of Cork Street,’ an art dealer who came to prominence for her determination, during the Second World War, to continue to curate exhibitions at London’s National Gallery. “If she and Peggy were here now, maybe we’d form the first female art dealers’ association on Cork Street,” Jacques noted.

Flowers remembers the vibrancy of the street’s heyday in the 1990s. “The energy of the huge characters who ran the galleries: Leslie Waddington, Godfrey Pilkington, Bernard Jacobson, Robert Fraser. And Mulligan’s Pub with its legendary St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.”

In 2022, Jacques opened her new gallery at 22 Cork Street—just across from where she once worked. “Opening our new space was an incredible moment,” she said. “As we were installing our opening show of Sheila Hicks, the artist Ian Davenport—who I worked with in the early ’90s—was installing his own show at Waddingtons. It felt like closing a long chapter and beginning a new one.”

Grey Organisation, exterior view of the “Cork Street Attack” at Mayor Gallery, 1985. Courtesy of Grey Organisation.

Twyford remembers his own entry into Cork Street in the mid-1980s: “As a 21-year-old recently graduated music student from Leeds, earning a living on building sites in South London, I honestly took the job to get out of the biting March winds,” he recalled. “I had little idea that 40 years later I would be running the gallery for Stephane Custot!”

Twyford joined the art world at the height of the political febrility that defined much of the 1980s. On 21st May 1985, for example, the windows of numerous art dealers on Cork Street were covered with buckets of grey paint during a night-time attack by a group called Grey Organisation, who claimed they were engaging in anti-establishment protest. In 2022, almost 37 years later, this Cork Street Attack was recreated in an exhibition at The Mayor Gallery.

For Stella-Sawicka, Cork Street had always held a pull. The director began her early gallery years at Stephen Friedman Gallery, then on the adjacent Old Burlington Street. “I knew well the magical properties of this location—a well-trodden route from Sotheby’s through the Royal Academy to Christie’s,” she said.

Portrait of Jacob Twyford. Courtesy of Waddington Custot.

Portrait of Jo Stella-Sawicka. Photo by Kuba Ryniewicz. Courtesy of Goodman Gallery.

Flowers adds that he, too, had his eye on the street for a while before setting up. “We were looking to complement our two warehouse-style spaces in Hackney. Our gallery was formerly Robert Fraser’s, and then Victoria Miro’s, so we knew it had a wonderful history, with a brightness of its own to match.”

Jacques’s space is part of the larger regeneration of Cork Street, spearheaded by The Pollen Estate. “The opportunity to build a space exactly as we wanted it, from a concrete shell, was wonderful and scary all at once,” she said. “But now we’re open, our artists love the space, and we’ve welcomed thousands of visitors.”

Goodman Gallery joined this broader revival in 2019. “They were—at the time—the only purpose-built galleries in London with the volume of space to present our programme with ambition,” Stella-Sawicka explained. “The regeneration brings a fresh chapter, one that allows for more diverse and international voices, which is essential to keeping the street and London relevant.”

Exterior view of Goodman Gallery, London. Courtesy of Goodman Gallery.

Today, as the redevelopment nears completion, Cork Street is lined with world-famous contemporary art galleries housed in purpose-built, high-ceilinged spaces that occupy more than 43,000 square feet of revamped streetscape. Some 15 of these galleries are joining forces for a group exhibition, “Fear Gives Wings To Courage,” to mark the occasion of the centenary.

Flowers notes: “The redevelopment was challenging to work through, but very much worth it with expansive public spaces and increased gallery capacity. Cork Street’s west end location is within a prime cultural gravity centre, which became absolutely essential as we came out of the pandemic, when visitors could explore multiple shows in one stroll without public transport or long travel.”

Despite its reputation for high-end art, Cork Street has always had a populist undercurrent—a mix of street-level charm and informal meeting spots. Jacques recalls both the prestige and the community spirit that defined her early days.

Exterior view of Queens Snack Bar and Waddington Galleries. Courtesy of Waddington Custot.

“Cork Street at dusk is a curious place to be—a place where art history has been made and a cast of colorful characters have lived and worked,” Jacques said. “If I had a time machine, I’d bring back Queen’s Snack Bar, which sat on the corner for decades. It was the place to go—a sort of democratic canteen where dealers, artists, critics, and art handlers rubbed shoulders.”

Twyford notes: “It is my greatest hope that the old galleries and the new galleries can come together to recreate some of the eccentricity, comradeship, and rivalry that made Cork Street such a vibrant destination in the 1970s and 80s.”

Today, Morris’s café—serving Cork Street for more than 35 years — still fulfils a comparable role. “We still have Morris’s,” Jacques said. “But Queen’s was something else. I miss that kind of casual, social energy. The art world needs more of it.”

Exterior view of Frieze No.9 Cork Street. Photo by Maris Mezulis. Courtesy of Frieze.

“There’s a different kind of energy now,” added Stella-Sawicka. “It’s much more international. Goodman Gallery has always operated with the idea that the gallery itself can be that kind of gathering place.”

She noted the addition of Frieze No. 9 Cork Street—a space opened by the art fair conglomerate in 2021 where up to four galleries host temporary exhibitions year-round—brings a “different cadence of energy.”

Flowers points to the practical benefits of such a concentrated zone of activity: “The consolidation of top international galleries on the street makes it very efficient to get a snapshot of what’s going on in the art world.”

As Cork Street marks its centenary, its reputation as “the spiritual center of avant-garde art in London” still holds. “To have a gallery here is something I never take for granted,” Jacques said. “And to be part of its renaissance has been an honor. It’s amazing to look back and realize it really has come full circle. It’s not just about prestige. It’s about presence—being part of something bigger than yourself. Something with history, energy, and meaning.”

Exterior view Of Alison Jacques, Cork Street. Courtesy of Alison Jacques.

Twyford adds that the regeneration reflects “a re-concentration and focus on art in central Mayfair,” driven by the district’s growing appeal to international visitors.

And if he could revive one moment? “The summer Cork Street party,” he said of the legendary street parties of the 1980s. “It drew together gallerists, artists, collectors, critics, and ancillary workers in a no-holds-barred interaction that summed up the spirit of the 1980s art world.”

Stella-Sawicka picks a moment of wild brilliance: “The 1995 exhibition ‘Afro/Pagan’ that David Bowie held with Bernie Jacobson. It included Goodman Gallery artists like Willie Bester, Kendell Geers and William Kentridge, alongside sketches of Iggy Pop and silver sculptures of Bowie’s wife, Iman. It sounded brilliant—and completely bonkers.”

Flowers has a more personal memory: “Mulligans—our landline’s cordless handset just about worked at the bar. A close second would be the private sleeping area in our space that my mother, Angela Flowers (1932–2023), had installed for a post-lunch snooze.”

To walk Cork Street today is to walk through a century of artistic innovation. “It’s where history meets possibility,” Stella-Sawicka said. “And where the future of art quietly unfolds.”

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July 10, 2025
Prince William’s Concerns About Meghan Markle’s Intentions Confirmed by Royal Insider

Prince William reportedly harbored doubts about Meghan Markle’s intentions when she married his younger brother, Prince Harry. According to royal biographer Phil Dampier, the Prince of Wales believed that Meghan saw her marriage to Harry as a way to gain fame and wealth, using him as a “steppingstone” to a more lucrative and public life. Dampier’s comments come after the late Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson, suggested that the monarch was apprehensive about Markle’s motivations.

Dampier stated that he had long suspected Meghan’s primary goal was not long-term commitment to royal life but rather to elevate her public profile. “I think, unfortunately, that confirms what I’ve been saying or thought for the last few years, that Meghan never really had any intention of staying in the royal family,” Dampier said, referencing Anson’s remarks. He claimed that this view fueled the growing tension between Prince William and Meghan.

Tensions Between the Brothers and the Royal Family

The strained relationship between Prince Harry and his family, particularly with William and their father, King Charles III, has been ongoing since Harry stepped down from his royal duties in 2020 and relocated to North America. The situation worsened when Harry and Meghan accused the royal family of racism and released a Netflix series about their personal struggles.

Harry’s memoir, Spare, further escalated the tension by claiming that William physically attacked him over Markle. Despite these challenges, Harry expressed in May 2023 his willingness to reconcile with his family. However, he admitted that some members of the royal family might never forgive him for past actions, particularly regarding his departure from royal life and the subsequent security issues.

Harry’s Hope for Reconciliation

In an interview, Harry acknowledged the personal rifts within the family, particularly with his father, and expressed hope for reconciliation. “There have been so many disagreements, differences, between me and some of my family,” Harry shared. “It would be nice to reconcile,” he added, noting that the dispute over his security was a significant factor in the ongoing tension.

Harry also mentioned his concern over his father’s health, given King Charles’s cancer diagnosis, and his desire to repair the fractured relationships before it’s too late.

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July 10, 2025
Lady Gaga declares Doechii possesses THIS rare quality from day one

Lady Gaga gives rare praise to Doechii’s music

Lady Gaga did not hold back her admiration as she called Doechii’s music “immediately legendary.”

The 39-year-old American singer-songwriter and actress sang praises of the 26-year-old American rapper and singer months after she gave the Abracadabra hitmaker the Innovator Award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles.

In the British Vogue cover story, which was published on Thursday, July 10, Gaga expressed her feelings for Doechii by saying, “You don’t often see someone come out of the gate with a pen that feels immediately legendary. That’s Doechii to me.”

The Oscar winner went on to reveal that she “fell in love” with the Oh The Places You’ll Go crooner’s music and “her raw, deeply personal perspective.”

“The power in her words, her vulnerability, the way she rhymes with this wild mix of audacity and emotional precision – it struck me to the core,” Gaga remarked with an admission.

For those unversed, Doechii handed the Mayhem songstress the Innovator Award at the 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards in March this year.

During her introduction for Gaga, the 14-time Grammy winner, she quipped, “Growing up, I was nothing like most of the people I was around and everything about me represented a community of alternative kids that were under-represented in my environment.”

“I was considered weird, but it’s OK, because things worked out. As a kid that identified as an artist, as queer, and as a Little Monster, Lady Gaga wasn’t just a pop star, she was a lifeline. Gaga taught us that it was OK to be our real selves, to try new things, to try anything, to speak out, and to create,” Doechii said.

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July 10, 2025
Jane Birkin’s original Hermès bag sells for £7m at Sotheby’s auction

Ian Youngs

Culture reporter

Getty Images

Jane Birkin owned the original bag and lent her name to all that followed

The original Birkin bag, which set the template for arguably the most coveted accessory in fashion history, has been bought for €8.6m (£7.4m; $10.1m), becoming the most valuable handbag ever sold at auction.

The black leather bag was made for singer Jane Birkin in 1985 after she spilled her belongings while sitting next to the boss of luxury fashion house Hermès on a flight.

She asked why they didn’t make bigger bags, so he sketched out the design for a new, more practical but still highly desirable item on the aeroplane’s sick bag.

The prototype he made was sold to a private collector from Japan at Sotheby’s in Paris on Thursday, far surpassing the $513,000 (£378,000; €439,000) previous record sale.

Getty Images

Birkin owned and used the bag for a decade before donating it to charity

The auction house said there was an “electrifying” 10-minute bidding war between “nine determined collectors”.

Morgane Halimi, Sotheby’s global head of handbags and fashion, said the price was a “startling demonstration of the power of a legend and its capacity to ignite the passion and desire of collectors seeking exceptional items with unique provenance, to own its origin”.

She added: “The Birkin prototype is exactly that, the starting point of an extraordinary story that has given us a modern icon, the Birkin bag, the most coveted handbag in the world.”

The €8,582,500 total includes commission and fees. Sotheby’s did not publish a pre-auction estimate.

After creating the bag for the Anglo-French singer and actress, Hermès put the bag into commercial production, and it remains one of the most exclusive status symbols in fashion.

Some styles cost many tens of thousands of dollars and have waiting lists of years, with owners including celebrities like Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Lopez.

The original has some unique features, such as Birkin’s initials on the front flap, a non-removable shoulder strap, the nail clippers she kept attached to the strap, and marks where she put stickers for causes she supported, such as Médecins du Monde and Unicef.

Birkin, who died in 2023 at the age of 76, owned the original bag for a decade and donated it to an auction to raise funds for an Aids charity in 1994.

It was later bought by Catherine Benier, who has a luxury boutique in Paris, who owned it for 25 years before selling it on Thursday.

Sotheby’s said the previous record price for a handbag was set by a White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Retourne Kelly 28 in 2021.

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July 10, 2025
Nicole Scherzinger on Filming With Liam Payne for ‘Building the Band’

Nicole Scherzinger, mentor and judge on Netflix‘s new reality show Building the Band, is opening up about filming with Liam Payne before the singer’s tragic death last year.

The Pussycat Dolls singer was one of the creative brains behind One Direction during her time as a judge on the U.K. X-Factor, helping to put together the group that catapulted Payne and fellow band members Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan to global stardom in 2010.

Scherzinger spoke to Billboard about filming the Netflix contest — where 50 musicians form six bands without ever seeing each other — alongside host AJ McLean, Destiny’s Child star Kelly Rowland and Payne.

The British musician died aged 31 after falling from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 16 in 2024. In a story published Thursday, Scherzinger reflected on her time spent seeing Payne’s rise to fame on the X-Factor and how much he appeared to enjoy shooting Building the Band.

“I thought it was so beautiful to see the journey, to see Liam come full circle,” Scherzinger said. “Especially my relationship with him, having helped form the band One Direction and then see him have such wildly, phenomenal global success with One Direction and with his solo career … [to see him] mentor these bands, it was really beautiful.

“I saw the joy it brought to Liam. I felt that this was his happy place. Like myself, AJ and Kelly, we’ve lived this. We’ve learned it.”

She continued: “To be able to bestow any inspiration and knowledge and wisdom and experience on any of these contestants and these bands, it brought us all joy. Particularly Liam. I felt this really inspired him and this was his happy place. This was his happy place because Liam was such a beautiful heart, and he loved to give back. He loved to help.”

Following Payne’s untimely death, the show’s producers and the star’s grieving family weighed Payne’s inclusion in the series. Ultimately, with his family’s consent, they decided to move forward.

Episodes of Building the Band began rolling out in groups, starting with the first four, from Wednesday, Jul. 9. Scherzinger said about the format: “It doesn’t get any more real than having a band put themselves together without any record execs or labels telling them what they have to do, what they have to look like.

“That doesn’t work anymore,” she added. “That’s the old formula.”

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July 10, 2025
‘Upload’ Sets Release Date For Fourth & Final Season At Prime Video

Prime Video has set Monday, August 25 for the premiere of the fourth and final season of sci-fi comedy series Upload. The final chapter will consist of four episodes, all dropped at once, exclusively on the streamer in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

In the final four episodes, “sentient AI rapidly turns evil, threatening to wipe out Lakeview (and the world!). On top of greedy executives, lingering mysteries, plus heartbreak in VR and IRL, our characters are tested like never before. The only way they can get through it all and save humanity from deletion is by teaming up one last time.”

From Emmy-winning writer Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks and Recreation, King of the Hill), Upload “is set in a technologically advanced future where holographic phones, self-driving vehicles, AI assistance, and 3D food printers are the norm. And, forget about dying – instead, you’ll be “uploaded” to a virtual reality afterlife, and enjoy all the comforts of a world-class resort. Provided you can afford it.

The series stars Robbie Amell as Nathan, Andy Allo as Nora, Kevin Bigley as Luke, Allegra Edwards as Ingrid, Zainab Johnson as Aleesha, and Owen Daniels as A.I. Guy.

Daniels serves as executive producer along with Howard Klein and Maxwell Vivian.

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July 10, 2025
French President Emmanuel Macron winks at Catherine, Princess of Wales during banquet

President Emmanuel Macron winked at Catherine, Princess of Wales when they met at Windsor Castle.
The 47-year-old French President clinked glasses with Catherine – who is married to Prince William and has Prince George , 11, Princess Charlotte, 10 as well as seven-year-old Prince Louis with him – in what was the first official French state visit in 17 years on Tuesday (08.10.25).
An image of Macron winking at Catherine, 43, quickly went viral on social media, as he and her father-in-law King Charles pulled out her seat and waited for her to sit down as an act of courtesy.
Several users on platforms such as X, TikTok and Instagram even questioned whether the suggestive move would land Macon – who has been married to Brigitte Macron, 72, since 2017 – in hot water with his wife.
According to the Royal Family’s website, there is no strict code of conduct when it comes to meeting a member.
It states: “There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting The Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms. For men, this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way.”
The banquet’s seating plan was arranged with each member sitting opposite their spouse, so that King Charles, 76, was opposite Queen Camilla, Macron and Kate were seated together on one side, Prince William, 43, sat next to Macron’s wife.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was also in attendance, alongside several A-Listers such as Rolling Stones rocker Sir Mick Jagger, pop legend Sir Elton John, his husband David Furnish and Slow Horses actress Kristin Scott-Thomas.
At one point during the banquet, the monarch quipped that his visitors had enjoyed an English sparkling wine that was produced by a French champage house, in a move he claimed would have been “scarcely believable” to those in years gone by.
He said: “This evening, we have drunk English sparkling wine made by a French champagne house. This would have been scarcely believable to at least some of our predecessors.”
Meanwhile, when Macron addressed the party, he insisted on pointing out the bond between the two European countries.
He said: “On either side of the Channel, there is a constant reminder that we must never lower our guard.”

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July 10, 2025