Istanbul dazzled as the perfect stage for an unprecedented double-header weekend, bringing cross-continental triathlon action to the very nexus where Europe meets Asia. The city came alive, not just physically bridging continents, but also uniting communities and celebrating the spirit of sport right on the shores of the Bosphorus. For the first time, both the European and Asian Championships took place at a single venue, with race days split between the continents—a thrilling format that intensified the atmosphere and excitement.
Saturday began with the Women’s European Championships and the Men’s Asian Championship in standard distance, followed on Sunday by the Women’s Asian Championship and the Men’s European Championship, ensuring a showcase of both continents’ finest athletes. The beautifully prepared park, stylish pontoon, and iconic waters provided a dramatic backdrop as anticipation built and the world watched triathlon’s elite gather for battle.
Saturday’s Elite Women’s race set the tone, erupting in a flurry of speed, strategy, and grit. The tension was palpable as powerful swimmers like Tilly Anema (GBR) and Bianca Seregni (ITA) surged ahead in the Bosphorus, carving out early leads. Out of the water and onto the bike, race dynamics shifted quickly. Yet it was Jolien Vermeylen of Belgium, already the European sprint champion, who proved unstoppable. Dominating both physically and mentally, Vermeylen stormed through the final 10km run to take gold in 01:55:35. Diana Isakova (AIN) displayed tremendous tenacity to claim silver just seconds behind, while Tilly Anema (GBR) delivered a gutsy performance to earn bronze.
On Sunday, it was the Elite Men’s turn to electrify Istanbul. The race blasted off with a powerful swim by Jules Rethoret (FRA), Panagiotis Bitados (GRE) and Ian Pennekamp (NED), all of them to try to break away form the early stages hungry to be out front. The challenging bike course demanded technical skill and teamwork, with riders navigating both sharp turns and flat-out sprints as they jockeyed for position. As competitors transitioned to the run, Max Studer of Switzerland emerged as the man to beat. With a flawless pacing, Studer surged ahead, clinching the European title in 01:44:18. Not far behind, Bence Bicsák of Hungary fought tooth and nail for the silver, and Panagiotis Bitados of Greece rounded out the podium after an impressive run home.
Bayern Munich have decided to completely pull out of the deal for Nicolas Jackson. The Senegal international had reached Munich earlier this week to complete a loan move to the Bavarian club, but Chelsea decided to pull the plug on the transfer after Liam Delap sustained an injury. With Bayern now ending all negotiations, the striker will return to London.
Inter Milan slipped to a 2-1 home defeat as Udinese came from behind to take the points at the San Siro.
Denzel Dumfries fired Inter into a 17th-minute lead, but then conceded the penalty from which Keinan Davis brought Udinese level 12 minutes later.
Arthur Atta completed the turnaround five minutes before half-time and that is how it stayed as Inter saw a 56th-minute equaliser from Federico Dimarco ruled out for offside after VAR intervened.
Inter were looking to build on their 5-0 thrashing of Torino in their Serie A opener on Monday night and took charge when Dumfries turned in from close range after neat work from Marcus Thuram to set up an easy finish.
But Dumfries then handled in his own box with the penalty given after a VAR check, and Davis found the bottom corner to bring Udinese level.
Davis then turned provider as the visitors hit Inter on the break five minutes before half-time, with Atta beating Yann Sommer with a shot from outside the area.
Dimarco looked as though he had scored a fine equaliser with a neat finish 11 minutes into the second half, but it was ruled out after a review with Thuram offside as he nodded the ball down for Dimarco.
Davis almost killed the game off with a neat bit of skill himself, only to fire wide, but Inter could not make the most of the let-off as Piotr Zielinski was denied in stoppage time.
The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” continues to make history.
On Sunday (Aug. 31), Spotify announced on Instagram that the 2020 megahit has officially become the first song in the streaming platform’s history to hit five billion streams. Shortly after, The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) took to his Instagram Story to share the news with his 78 million followers.
The new Spotify record follows another recent honor for the track. Just days earlier, “Blinding Lights” landed No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs of the 21st Century chart, which measures performance on the weekly Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart from the start of 2000 through the end of 2024.
Originally released in November 2019 as the second single from The Weeknd’s fourth studio album, After Hours, “Blinding Lights” dominated the Billboard Hot 100 chart for four weeks and became the first song to remain in the top 10 for an entire year. In November 2021, it made history once again by surpassing Chubby Checker’s “The Twist” to top Billboard’s Greatest of All Time Hot 100 chart.
In January 2024, “Blinding Lights” became the first to reach four billion streams on Spotify.
“I’ll never stop being humbled by anything I create making its way to millions of people let alone billions!” The Weeknd said in an exclusive statement at the time. “I’m so thankful this song makes people feel a way that they keep going back to listen.”
“Blinding Lights” is one of 28 songs by The Weeknd in Spotify’s Billions Club, more than any other artist. He also performed during Spotify’s first-ever Billions Club: Live concert in December.
Check out Spotify’s “Blinding Lights” announcement on Instagram below.
Scientists decoded the true identity of the mezcal worm, long shrouded in myth. Credit: Stock
A genetic study has finally solved the mystery of the worm inside mezcal bottles.
While speculation ranged from butterflies to weevils, DNA analysis revealed that all sampled larvae came from a single moth species, Comadia redtenbacheri. This insect is a traditional delicacy in Mexico, believed to offer health and even aphrodisiac benefits.
The Mystery of Mezcal’s Worm
A study in PeerJ Life & Environment set out to determine exactly which species of larva ends up in bottles of mezcal. Mezcal, a distilled spirit made from agave, is sometimes paired with orange slices and worm salt, a seasoning blend of chili peppers, salt, and crushed larvae from a species of moth called Hypopta agavis.
For decades, there has been debate over the true identity of the so-called “mezcal worm.” Are drinkers consuming the larva of the skipper butterfly Aegiale hesperiaris, or the moth Comadia redtenbacheri (a species thought to have declined in recent years)? Could the worm actually be a type of weevil, or perhaps an insect that has not yet been identified? To answer these questions, scientists analyzed the DNA of larvae found in 21 different brands of mezcal sold commercially.
Mezcal is a traditional Mexican spirit distilled from agave plants, known for its smoky flavor and cultural heritage. Unlike tequila, which comes only from blue agave, mezcal can be made from many agave varieties. Credit: Stock
Collecting the Specimens
The larvae were obtained from mezcal bottles purchased between 2018 and 2022. At first glance, they all looked nearly identical, with a defined head capsule and prolegs typical of caterpillars. Some were pale white, while others showed a pinkish-red tint. Of the 21 samples, DNA was successfully extracted and sequenced from 18.
Maximum likelihood tree showing the placement of the 18 successfully sequenced mezcal worms (in bold and red) in relationship to publicly available COI sequences of Comadia redtenbacheri (Hammerschmidt) and related Cossidae species. Scale bar = number of substitutions/site. Credit: Photo by Jose I. Martinez
DNA Evidence Revealed
The findings surprised the researchers. Mexico has a long tradition of eating insect larvae, with more than 60 species commonly consumed, among them the Tequila giant skipper (A. hesperiaris), whose name suggests it might also appear in tequila and mezcal.
Instead, the genetic analysis confirmed that every larva tested belonged to a single moth species, Comadia redtenbacheri. This discovery highlights the significance of C. redtenbacheri not only as an iconic part of mezcal culture but also as one of the most widely eaten edible insects in Mexico.
Closeup image showing a worm inside a bottle of “Lajita Reposado” mezcal. Credit: Photo by Akito Y. Kawahara
Adding larvae to Mexican beverages and foods (salts, garnishes, powders, etc.) is driven by health benefits and by beliefs that these larvae contain aphrodisiac properties (Contreras-Frias, 2013). This trend is resulting in greater demand, which is applying pressure to local larval populations.
In response to the declining number of mezcal larvae, researchers have begun to develop methods to cultivate these larvae in captivity.
For more on this research, see Scientists Discover the Unexpected True Identity of “Tequila” Worms.
Reference: “Mezcal worm in a bottle: DNA evidence suggests a single moth species” by Akito Y. Kawahara, Jose I. Martinez, David Plotkin, Amanda Markee, Violet Butterwort, Christian D. Couch and Emmanuel F.A. Toussaint, 8 March 2023, PeerJ. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14948
A version of this article was initially published in March 2023.
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Tremors from a 6.0 magnitude earthquake were felt across several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab in the early hours of Monday, according to the authorities but no casualties or damage were reported.
According to the state-run PTV which cited the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the earthquake was recorded at 12:18am.
It added that the tremors were felt in Peshawar, Manshera, Abbottabad, Hangu, Malakand, Swat, Chitral, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad.
A Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) spokesperson said the quake was recorded at a depth of 10 kilometres with its epicentre located southwest of Asadabad, Afghanistan.
Shocks were also felt in India and Tajikistan.
Following the tremors, district administrations across Punjab began inspections of buildings to assess structural safety.
“However, no casualties or damage have been reported so far,” PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia confirmed.
The PDMA stated that its provincial control room and all district emergency operation centers remain on 24/7 alert.
Citizens have been urged to report any earthquake-related losses or emergencies by calling the PDMA helpline at 1129.
Pakistan falls on three major tectonic plates — the Arabian, Euro-Asian and Indian — which create five seismic zones under the country. The intersection of multiple fault lines means that tectonic movements remain a frequent occurrence in the region.
Export growth likely slowed in August, with U.S.-bound shipments declining due to Trump’s higher tariffs. The median forecast in a Wall Street Journal poll of 11 economists is for a 3.7% on-year rise in exports, compared with a revised 5.8% increase for July. The poll’s forecast is for a 0.6% on-year drop in imports in August, likely resulting in a monthly trade surplus of $6 billion.
Brisk semiconductor shipments likely sustained export growth, but momentum in overall export growth is gradually weakening on tougher U.S. tariffs that weigh on global demand, Hana Securities economist Chun Kyu-yeon said.
The median forecast from a separate WSJ poll of nine analysts expects a 1.9% on-year rise in the benchmark consumer-price index, after a 2.1% increase in July.
The CPI might have edged up 0.2% on month in August, the same pace as the prior month, the poll showed.
Lower crude prices–as well as a temporary discount to mobile phone service charges at the country’s largest wireless carrier after a cybersecurity breach–likely offset higher agricultural-product prices, the analysts polled said.
Headline inflation is expected to hover around the central bank’s 2% target until the end of 2025, Meritz Securities chief economist Seunghoon Stephen Lee said.
Thailand
Thailand is due to release its inflation data for August, which will show if consumer prices remain in deflation. Headline inflation likely stayed negative last month due to favorable supply conditions and weak demand pressures, ANZ said.
Philippines
The Philippines is scheduled to release its August inflation data on Friday, and will be closely watched to see if price growth fell within the policymakers' target range. A smaller decline in retail fuel prices likely led to a slightly higher CPI inflation reading last month, Barclays said.
Taiwan
Taiwan is slated to release August consumer prices data, which is expected to have remained subdued after a reading of 1.54% in July and 1.37% in June. Economists' estimates range from 1.4% to 1.6%.
Food inflation likely eased, while fuel prices could edge higher with CPC Corp, Taiwan's state-owned oil company raising domestic fuel prices, ANZ said in a note.
Despite the moderate inflation pressure, ING economists still expect Taiwan's central bank to keep rates on hold at the September meeting.
Any references to days are in local times.
Write to Jessica Fleetham at jessica.fleetham@wsj.com and Jihye Lee at jihye.lee@wsj.com
EXCLUSIVE: Venice Film Festival chief Alberto Barbera has attracted another stellar lineup with A-list talent and awards hopefuls in plentiful supply. Deadline sat down with the festival boss at midway point for a wide-ranging chat, during which we asked him about the reception to the films so far, what he makes of the awards ‘industry’, the health of U.S. studio movies, and his thoughts on yesterday’s Gaza march. Check out our chat below.
DEADLINE: Thanks for taking the time.How are you feeling about the festival so far?
ALBERTO BARBERA: I’m happy because there seems to be happiness about the lineup and quality of the films. We haven’t had any big problems to solve so far. There are a lot of people here. Most of the screenings are sold out. I think it has been a success so far.
DEADLINE: What should people be excited about heading into the second week?
BARBERA: We have a lot of good films left. Maybe less big names and talent but we still have Bigelow, Ozon, some excellent films. I don’t think the attention will decrease.
DEADLINE: I’m interested in how movies are so often instantly framed and judged today as to whether they are Academy Awards contenders or not. Some may say that’s reductive. There may be financial reasons for why that happens. But does it feel to you like the U.S. awards season is even more important than ever, for festivals, the international industry and the U.S. industry?
BARBERA: I would say, yes, it’s certainly more relevant, especially for the Americans. I think Europeans are less involved in this craziness and the expectations around the Oscars…
DEADLINE: And yet with international films flying so high at the Oscars of late and with many good international films being amplified in recent years — the Park Chan-wook movie might be the best reviewed film here so far — it feels like U.S. awards may have become more important for the international business too. There’s a lot of competition…
BARBERA: Yes, and the way the Academy has expanded, you can see how much they’re investing in international outreach…
Lee Byung-hun in ‘No Other Choice’
Busan International Film Festival
DEADLINE: Conversely, do you think there has been a dip in the quality of U.S. studio movies in the last decade or so?
BARBERA: That’s an issue, of course. The industry has been through a lot of transformation. The crisis of identity among the major studios is one of the main issues. The reliance on franchise material, the repetition…they’ve moved away from doing what they did in the past: investing in new types of creation, creating new ways of involving the audience and that’s a huge problem. You can’t repeat yourself endlessly, and these movies are so costly…
DEADLINE: Netflix, which has had an important presence on the Lido for years now, has been chasing a Best Picture Oscar for some time. What do you think their chances are this year?
BARBERA: Who knows. It has become very unpredictable. There are many things that go into it, not only the quality of the film. The campaign lasts for months and months: the marketing, the audience response, the amount being spent, it all plays in…
DEADLINE: Does one of their three playing here [Frankenstein, Jay Kelly, A House Of Dynamite] stick out to you as more likely Best Picture material?
BARBERA: I’m not sure. The three films have been largely well-received [A House Of Dynamite launches next week]. There are a lot of potential contenders. Some films we won’t even know about until later in the year. Some are playing at other festivals now…
DEADLINE: Hamnet and Ballad Of A Small Player have seemingly gone down well at Telluride…
BARBERA: I saw all of them. I can’t really talk about the ones that aren’t here, though…
DEADLINE: You’ve attracted a lot of films that feature in the Oscar race. There was a period you also had the midas touch with Best Picture winners. Five of the last six Best Picture winners haven’t debuted at any fall festival, however. Why do you think that is?
BARBERA: I’m not sure. It depends on the release dates, whether films were ready, whether they worked for Venice…last year Anora won. I tried to get Anora for Venice and until the last minute it was up in the air but they decided to go to Cannes. It depends on different elements…
DEADLINE: Do you think Sorrentino will be Italy’s Oscar entry?
BARBERA: It can’t because it doesn’t release in Italy until January…
DEADLINE: Oh, strange. It’s at the fall festivals this year.I loved the movie. I found it very moving…
BARBERA: Yes, it is a very good movie, one of his best…In terms of the release, it’s strange. I’m not sure why they did it like that…
Toni Servillo in ‘La Grazia’
Fremantle
DEADLINE: We’ve spoken to filmmakers from the Middle East recently who have said the festival has a poor track record of taking Palestinian films and that you haven’t selected any in Competition during your tenure. What would you say to that?
BARBERA: There are very few Palestinian films each year, this year even less perhaps, because of the war. I saw only one film that could have had the profile of a Competition film. It wasn’t quite good enough for us, from my point of view, so we declined and I think the film will screen at another festival.
DEADLINE: Was it the right decision that yesterday’s Gaza march couldn’t enter the festival grounds?
BARBERA: They didn’t want to enter. I think around 30 people tried. I asked the organizers of the protest whether they wanted to send a delegation to the red carpet and they said they weren’t interested in doing that and that they didn’t want to interfere with the festival.
DEADLINE: I thought they had said they wanted to march to the festival center…
BARBERA: No, I don’t think so. I offered them a place on the carpet and they said no.
DEADLINE: Do you feel morally obliged to make a stronger statement about Israel’s killing and displacement in Gaza, something the organizers of the march were calling for?
BARBERA: We made an initial statement and then at the pre-opening of the festival the President of the Biennale made a very strong statement against the war in Gaza. There was a priest alongside him who had been refused entry to Israel in recent weeks and who has been very supportive of Palestine…
DEADLINE: Would you personally like to make a stronger statement?
BARBERA: I would do but the Biennale doesn’t make political statements. That’s the reason I haven’t so far.
People take part in a demonstration in support of Gaza and Palestinian people at Venice Lido during the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, on August 30, 2025.
Getty
DEADLINE: If you were to get another mandate as festival head, what would you like to build on?
BARBERA: In these 14 years we’ve finalised all the projects we had in mind in those early years: improving the infrastructure, the organisation, the profile of the festival, the relationships with the majors, Biennale college, immersive cinema etc It took a lot of time. I’d say 90% of our plan has been achieved….
DEADLINE: So you’re work is largely done?
BARBERA: [Laughs] No, cinema changes so fast. Every year there are new things to think about. The new frontier is AI. This is something we have to face. It will be a deeper and more important revolution than the shift from analogue to digital. This will change the whole way of conceiving, writing, producing, directing and distributing films. We still don’t know what the real impact on cinema will be…
DEADLINE: You’ve achieved so much here. My only advice might be a stronger market, a slightly stronger Horizzonti (which is already good) and more toilets by the screening rooms – there are always such long queues!
BARBERA: [Laughs] We’ve built a lot of toilets! It’s difficult due to the lack of space. It’s a lot better than it was 15 years ago. It used to be a nightmare. In terms of the market, it’s hard to build and construct. We are getting stronger and numbers are good. We have added an extra day.
DEADLINE: Next year Toronto will have a bigger and better-funded market than previous years…
The week’s theme was ‘Face Your Fears,’ and if housemates thought horror props and spooky makeup were the biggest scares, they clearly forgot what Sunday nights with Ebuka feel like. Tonight’s Live Show delivered zero evictions, thanks to HoH Rooboy’s nullification play, but the show hardly needed one. Instead, fear itself became the house’s uncredited housemate, as secrets spilled, ships cracked, and reputations came under fire in front of millions.
All of this unfolded under the steady gaze of Ebuka, whose presence alone is enough to make housemates sweat. Tonight, he arrived draped in full northern splendour, inspired by the late HRH Muhammadu Maccido. His navy agbada, embroidered in sky blue, was crowned with a towering turban and a feather. The look was stately and unforgettable, which doubled as a visual reminder that when Ebuka steps on stage, secrets follow.
One of the evening’s sharpest daggers was reserved for Kola. Ebuka unearthed his private conversation with Mide, where he suggested she was “up Dede’s (behind).” For a man quietly nurturing a bond with Dede, the blowing of his cover might have corroded trust. Or not? Unable to hide her shock, Dede gasped as she listened to secret whispers that were now mic’ed.
Mide confirmed the exchange without hesitation, and the air shifted instantly. The fishpond dynamic, already crowded with intrigue, now feels plunged by betrayal. Kola’s boyish charm will have to work overtime to explain this one away. But in the 10/10 house, reputations need major strategic finesse to recover once Ebuka’s pepper lands.
Kola might be capable of putting out the fire; however, considering that he swiftly explained his way out of calling Koyin a “chihuahua” when asked hot from the stage. While it remains to be seen whether or not he will be able to settle the dust with Dede and Koyin, the fishpond has entered muddy waters.
But if Kola’s exposure was a shock, Mensan and Ivatar’s clash was a spectacle. Their situationship, once flirtatious, has deteriorated into one of the season’s most volatile feuds. During the Live Show, Mensan stood firm, declaring that he was waiting for an apology; he would not beg for it. Ivatar, far from contrite, unraveled into a meltdown that spanned the broadcast. She hurled expletives and raged with such intensity that it could have powered the transmission itself.
This was no brief crash out. The fury lingered, spilling over into the credits and echoing long after Ebuka moved on. And since it was a week of facing fears, the housemates got their reminder that every unhealed wound finds its stage on Sunday night.
Tracy was next in the hot seat, grilled on her confrontation with Dede earlier in the week. She had accused her of stringing along her mates, Kola, Koyin and Jason Jae in the so-called “fishpond.” But Ebuka pressed further: why hadn’t that same energy been applied to the men doing just as much? Tracy didn’t flinch. She pointed out that she had, in fact, confronted Bright Morgan directly, asking whether his girlfriend outside would be proud of his behaviour inside the house.
Her delivery was calm, proving that to her, every L gets the same blast.
Bright Morgan, however, leaned directly into the chaos. Asked about his closeness with Mide despite an existing relationship outside, he was disarmingly blunt. “This is my moment,” he said, unapologetic, and added that he would figure it out later. It was the kind of remark that leaves jaws on the floor and social media in flames.
Not everyone was caught in a scandal. Faith, already on a competitive high, was crowned Most Influential Player of the Week, securing Immunity. And as if that wasn’t enough for his spot on the night’s hot topics, he then used his moment to gush openly about Joanna in what felt like part-ode, part runway commentary. He described her as “stunning,” praised the way she walks “like it’s a fashion show,” and admitted he rarely dances but made the exception for her.
It was bold, heartfelt, and undeniably risky. But Joanna quickly cooled the flames, clarifying that she sees him as a friend, just as she does Jason Jae. “No fishes here”, she said, throwing shade at some of the house’s high-profile entanglements.
Then came Rooboy, the ever-vocal admirer of Thelma Lawson. For weeks, he had praised her qualities, even discussing the ways she embodies wife material. Yet after their recent fallout, the story is cooling. On Sunday night, he assured Ebuka there was no bad blood, that they were in a better place as friends. The spark, however, appears to have been extinguished. For viewers who invested in the possibility of romance, it was confirmation that some ships aren’t built to sail.
No housemate left the game tonight, but plenty were left exposed. Kola’s bond with Dede took a direct hit, Mensan and Ivatar’s feud combusted spectacularly, Tracy defended her standards with poise, Bright Morgan stood on business, Faith turned immunity into a poetry slam only to be friend-zoned, and the house’s grand spooky wager was revisited with eyes that found no terror in the play.
‘Face Your Fears’ was the week’s challenge. By Sunday, it became clear: in Biggie’s house, fear isn’t just a theme. It’s the housemate no one can escape.
A sprawling mansion, full of look-at-me reality contestants trying to win money by playing a parlour game based on manipulation and persuasion? It’s either a new season of The Traitors, or a clone trying to steal some of The Traitors’ addictive, gossip-worthy magic. Welcome to The Inheritance, a clone that has clearly been carefully worked on, but which has still come out a bit wonky.
Thirteen players – spanning the usual reality-TV spectrum of age and class, from a student/influencer and a debt-ridden scaffolder to a flawlessly styled socialite and a wily pensioner – convene at a country pile, the rich owner of which has supposedly died. The contestants are the would-be beneficiaries of the estate and are given a new group task each week. But, instead of this cash being added to a shared fund, the group must nominate one player to receive all of it.
It’s fiendishly simple! Except that, no it isn’t because there are many, many conditions to apply. Players who think they deserve the money put themselves forward as a “claimant”, ie a candidate standing for election. The claimants are not in the room when the rest of the group – the “jury” – decide who wins. Then the winner can either keep all the money, or choose to gift some back to members of the group, divided in whichever way they wish – with the proviso that they cannot give money to other claimants. Being a claimant, therefore, means running the risk of ending the round with nothing. Which would be bad, because at some point, the player with the least money will be eliminated. Oh, and the weekly winner divvies up the money (or keeps it all) in secret, so they can lie about how much they bestowed on others. Although, when the poorest player is booted out, presumably this will enable players to deduce who lied about sharing their cash. If this sounds confusing, rest assured that when you watch The Inheritance for yourself, it is confusing.
A flawed format is not a dealbreaker in this genre: after all, the aim of the game in The Traitors is meant to be voting out all the traitors, which can’t be allowed to happen because it would end the show, so swathes of that show’s early action have to be a sham. But The Inheritance is an overcomplicated hotch-potch, the obvious issue being that there are only likely to be one or two plausible candidates for the winner of each task, which leaves everyone else scrabbling for a purpose since there’s no weekly elimination.
The players deal with this by reverting to their base reality-telly instincts. They build alliances, form cliques, then berate other people for forming cliques and building alliances and cry about being excluded. The main motivation for making friends is meant to be to ensure that if you don’t win a task, the person who does may decide to share some money with you. But, since you don’t know if they’ve actually done that, it’s all a bit hypothetical – and it’s hard to care who’s side anyone is on.
In any case, the main showdown in each episode is about who should win the task, and that’s just a debate about observable reality: people make claims about their contribution, which others can dispute because they were there. There’s no equivalent to those delicious moments in The Traitors where players face instant death if they can’t deflect baseless conspiracy theories hurled at them by the mob. Nobody can brazenly bluff it.
Players arguing about the tasks brings up another problem: we have to care about the tasks. You may even feel obliged to actually watch them, instead of skipping to the bit where everyone has a massive barney. But they’re pure reality slop, the tedious spectacle of fools failing at contrived projects – bottling wine in the opening instalment, herding farm animals in episode two – constantly interrupted by clips from contestants’ post-task interviews, where they chirpily tell us things we’ve just observed perfectly well ourselves.
Overseeing all this are our hosts (plural, because it takes more than one person to try to replace the godlike Traitors presenter Claudia Winkleman). Officiating from moment to moment is Rob Rinder, who doesn’t have much to do beyond reading the rules off a sheet. He appears to be aiming for an air of sophisticated indifference, but just looks bored to death. The big hire is Elizabeth Hurley as the deceased stately homeowner, but even her camp video messages (“Hello, darlings! I’M DEAD!”) soon lose their lustre and become superfluous. The Inheritance could turn out to be playing a cunning long game, but there are enough reasons here to vote it off in week one.
