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Bessie Carter on playing Nancy Mitford in Outrageous

This article contains spoilers for all episodes of Outrageous

BritBox’s newest period drama, Outrageous, portrays the true story of how the turbulent politics of the 1930s simultaneously tore a family apart and also forged their desire to rebel against their upper-class sheltered background.

Nancy Mitford (Bessie Carter), the eldest sibling, acts as the narrator who explains that her younger sister Diana fell in love with the leader of the British fascists Oswald Mosley (Joshua Sasse), and another sister Unity (Joanna Vanderham) became obsessed with Hitler. On the other side of the spectrum, sister Jessica (Zoe Brough) joined the Communist movement, after seeing how her upper-class family lived in comfort while others were starving.

Previously, GBH Drama interviewed the Executive Producers on their creative process. In the second part of our coverage, GBH Drama spoke with actress Bessie Carter about her perspective on Nancy’s journey throughout the season, the scenes she struggled with most, and what’s next if the series gets renewed.

GBH Drama: What drew you to the role of Nancy?

Bessie Carter: I was saying “I’m not going to do another period drama.” Then my agents sent me this audition. They were like, “I don’t think you’re going to want to say no to this, though, because it is the lead of a show.” I’d never played a lead before. Then I read the script, and I knew loads about Nancy Mitford; I had weird connections to Nancy Mitford. I [narrated] her book “The Pursuit of Love” five years ago. I went to the same school as her. I lived near where she and Peter Rodd ended up living.

The script is the most important thing in any job. If you have a good script, it’s hopeful that [the product] might be good. If it’s a bad script, there’s no chance. This script was brilliant, and I thought it was funny, and intelligent, and heartfelt. I thought it was mad, the fact that we’d never seen the Mitford Sisters on screen before. I thought, “Oh, my God. I want to be in the first version that tells their story.” Then, to be honest with you, when I went in for my audition, I met Joss Agnew, the director, and Rachel Sheridan, the casting director. I had the best audition in my life, because they were so nice and kind and open and curious. It felt collaborative and energetic. I left with a skip in my step and thinking, “I might have got that job.” Not in an arrogant way, but I got a good feeling. I waited two weeks, and then I got the job. It was great.

GBH Drama: How did being the eldest affect Nancy’s relationship with her parents and her younger siblings throughout the season?

Bessie Carter: They have a close relationship. Her parents put a lot of responsibility on her to look after the brood. It was quite natural for Nancy to look after them. There was a 16-year difference between Nancy and Debo, the youngest. There was some pressure from her parents to keep them all together, but Nancy also feels increasing pressure from her parents to be successful in love and to find an appropriate person. She continually doesn’t do that. Nancy feels quite ashamed towards the end. She then comes back and spends a lot more time with her parents when her relationship with Peter starts to go down the drain. And that’s quite human, isn’t it? You go, “Let’s go back to mum and dad’s,” if you’ve got the privilege of having mum and dad who can have you. She wanted to be looked after.

GBH Drama: Do you believe that if Nancy knew more about the world, she would have made different relationship choices?

Bessie Carter: Her marriage was a rebound because of Hamish. She was with Hamish for four years in an unofficial engagement. She didn’t want to look beyond what she had with Hamish; she wanted to hope for the best. Nancy decided, “okay, I’m going to take the lead,” but it failed. Poor Nancy. When the relationship fell through, I think she felt the shame and the pressure from society to hurry up and get on with it. She never acted or behaved like a victim or felt like a victim, but I think she was a victim of her time. I believe she did have time to potentially find someone else, but I don’t think she let herself. She was a hopeless romantic, and Hamish was very charming, and we’ve all been there. If it were in modern days, she probably would’ve dated Hamish for about six months and then realized the red flags were far too loud to ignore. I think they got married within a month in those days, which is remarkable.

GBH Drama: Nancy narrates the stories of her sisters as well as telling her own. What were the most difficult scenes of hers to portray and why?

Bessie Carter: The scene where Nancy finds her husband cheating on her. When I read the script and I came to the end, I saw Nancy didn’t forgive him, but also made the choice to stay married. When I read that, the 21st-century feminist in me struggled with it. I was like, “No, he’s a shitbag and she should walk away. She should leave.” Sarah Williams, our amazing writer, was like, “No, well. This is just what happened. Nancy made this decision, but not from a place of being a victim who was staying stuck, but from an empowered place where she goes, if he can do whatever he wants, he can never tell me I can’t do what I want.” You have to be true to what their actual story was. It is in some ways very empowered to say, “Right, okay. I see him now for who he is.” There is power in that, but I found that difficult. I found that journey from the betrayal, which she did feel, and the hatred and all of that, to then come to that place of peace… I found that as Bessie, the actor, I had to quieten her opinions about it and step up as Nancy.

GBH Drama: Nancy’s eventual falling out with Diana on the surface is about politics. What else do their conversations reveal?

Bessie Carter: I believe Diana was seduced by a man who needed her and her brain. With a lot of the sisters who went down the extreme paths, they went to places where they felt heard and respected. They weren’t being heard or respected in their normal society, where they were told, “no, you’ve just got to be a wife or a mother,” and “you’re not allowed to go to school. School is for boys.” They then go to the corners of the world where they do feel heard, and I think Diana felt heard by Mosley. She lost interest or connection with her friends in the love affair. Nancy’s continually trying to say, “where are you going? Where have you gone? We are here. What are you doing?” I believe the love story between Nancy and Diana is the interesting love story of the series.

GBH Drama: Do you believe that Nancy had it in her to stop Unity from going off the rails into extreme fascism?

Bessie Carter: Unity was completely ignored and taken the mick out of, and none of them took her seriously. I don’t believe they could see where that path was going to lead. She was a child who was not being heard, and if you think about 18-year-olds in 1930, they’ll be even younger than 18-year-olds today, who look about 25. Nancy didn’t take it seriously; thought it was harmless until it was too late and they received that letter. Then they realized the severity of Unity’s ambition and drive, which [all the sisters] had in different areas, and it probably came from their parents. Nancy had it with her writing. She wrote under her own name. She didn’t care about being a female author.

GBH Drama: Circling back to the age gap, can you elaborate on how that is presented through Nancy’s interactions with Debo, Pam, and Decca?

Bessie Carter: Nancy and Decca have that big sister/little sister thing. They argue, they butt heads; “oh, shut up,” and “oh, no. You.” Pamela was different; very independent from the family. She had her car, so she could drive around. Debo was a lot younger. She was like a child. We were all just trying to honor what was written in Sarah Williams’ scripts. What’s great is that this series is only a tiny fraction of their lives. There’s so much more to go. You see, there are many more dynamics that happen between them all, carrying on. This is very much the setting up; the first few steps leading up to the war. The dream is to do a series two and three as a complete story.

GBH Drama: Were you surprised by the ending in the script? Is there a possibility for more episodes of Outrageous, and what would you like to see from Nancy’s story in the future?

Bessie Carter: It was a clever ending with the photograph. Knowing what has happened in between, it’s excellent. I’d like to see Nancy get to Paris, mainly because I’d love to spend some time in Paris. Nancy felt Paris suited her. I can imagine her with her chic little bob sort of trotting down a pristine cobbled alleyway. That’s probably around the era where Nancy’s voiceovers come from. It would be cool to get to the person who is doing the reflecting.

All episodes of Outrageous are currently streaming on BritBox.

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July 7, 2025
Texas floods: Death toll rises to 91, officials say, as storm warnings continue

‘Incredibly heartbreaking’ – local campaigns for warning sirens after flood tragedypublished at 19:12 British Summer Time

Gary O’Donoghue
Chief North America correspondent, reporting from Texas

As the search continues, the focus is increasingly moving to
what could have been done, if anything, to prevent this tragedy.

One local campaigner, Nicole Wilson, has already set up a
petition with 450 signatures calling for flood sirens to be
set up in Kerr County along the Guadalupe River – something in place in other counties.

Such a system has been debated in Kerr County for almost a
decade but funds have never been allocated for it.

Nicole told me she thought sirens could have prevented the
tragedy: “When you’re a child, you expect somebody, an adult’s
going to come save you… It’s incredibly heartbreaking.”

Nicole, who has children who also go to summer camps in the
area, says she’s saddened by the decisions over the years not to invest.

“To have camps, to have RV camps, to have houses that
close to a river and it flood like that, I don’t understand why Kerrville and
Kerr County hadn’t invested in flood sirens,” she says.

President Trump is expected to visit the area later in the
week and Nicole says she wants him to arrive with, as she puts it, “a blank
cheque”.

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July 7, 2025
Bluesky is finally adding more ways to filter notifications

Bluesky has updated its notification settings so that users have more control over when and why the social media app sends them a ping. Besides more granular controls over which things will trigger a notification, you can now receive alerts for any activity from a chosen account.

As a fledgling app, Bluesky has lacked the in-depth notification toggles you might find in something like Instagram, which has had over a decade to figure out when people want to be contacted. With this update, the situation on Bluesky has improved significantly. Now you can choose between receiving notifications from everyone, just the people you follow or no one. And those options can be applied to nearly every interaction in the app now, including when someone reposts something you repost or likes something you repost.

Bluesky

You can now also turn on Activity Notifications for any account you choose, if you want to receive notifications about what they’re doing in the app. Bluesky imagines it being useful if you follow news organizations who post about breaking news, but if you want to be the first person to like a friend’s new post, now you have an easier way to keep tabs on their account.

Bluesky’s new notification options join other recent updates to the X and Threads competitor, like the company’s new verification program for “authentic and notable accounts” and an experimental live streaming feature that will let you know when select accounts you follow are live on Twitch or YouTube.

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July 7, 2025
Measles cases in the US reach 33-year high

The number of reported measles cases in the US has reached a 33-year high, with nearly 1,300 confirmed infections across the country as of Friday.

The data, released by John Hopkins University, marks a new milestone in an ongoing outbreak of the highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that was once thought to be eliminated in the US.

Measles cases have been reported in 38 states and the District of Columbia this year. At least three people have died from the illness, and 155 others were in hospital.

A vast majority of the measles cases – 92% – were in people who were either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown, according to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC).

The worst hit state is Texas, CDC data shows, where more than 700 cases have been reported. Other states with dozens of cases include Kansas and New Mexico.

Health officials say that measles spread is occurring mostly in neighbourhoods where vaccination rates are lower, such as Mennonite communities in Texas that opt out of modern medicine.

The outbreak comes as anti-vaccine sentiment in the US and elsewhere has grown in recent years.

Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr had previously spread misinformation about childhood vaccinations and had minimised the outbreak. He later endorsed the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine as illness spread, saying in a post on X that it is “the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles”.

Measles cases in the US were at their highest in recent memory in 1990, with nearly 28,000 reported infections, according to CDC data.

The illness was later declared eliminated around the year 2000, when cases sharply declined to less than 90 thanks to high vaccination rates and rapid outbreak response.

Cases started ticking up slightly in 2014 and again in 2019, when 1,274 confirmed infections were reported. But cases in 2025 have just surpassed that figure, with 1,277 infections now reported across the US.

Public health experts have said that the US will lose measles elimination status if there is continued spread of measles at the current rate for more than 12 months.

As a result of the current outbreak, more people are now getting the measles vaccine in the US. Between 1 January and 16 March, Texas gave at least 173, 000 measles doses compared to 158,000 in the same time period last year, state health department data shows.

The MMR vaccine is the most effective way to fight off the dangerous virus, which can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling and death. The jabs are 97% effective and also immunise against mumps and rubella.

Large measles outbreaks have been reported recently in other countries, including the UK. Last year marked the highest number of confirmed measles cases reported in England since 2012 at nearly 3,000.

Since January of this year, there had been 529 cases reported in England.

Canada is also experiencing a measles outbreak, with more than 3,000 cases reported in 2025 so far. The bulk of the cases are in the provinces of Ontario and Alberta.

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July 7, 2025
What to expect from Samsung Unpacked July 2025: Galaxy Z Fold 7, Flip 7, Watch 8 Series, more

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Three things are certain when July comes along: backyard barbecues, fireworks past midnight, and Samsung Unpacked.

Just last month, Samsung confirmed that the next Unpacked event will take place on Wednesday, July 9, in Brooklyn, New York. This follows the host cities of Paris, France, and Seoul, South Korea, over the past two years — with the company suggesting that it’s chosen Brooklyn for its “bold ideas, creativity, and culture.”

Also: The best Samsung phones to buy in 2025

While the ZDNET team will report on all the announcements live from the event floor, we’ve also gathered the essential information you need to know before the Wednesday keynote. Here’s what we’re expecting to see at the upcoming Samsung Unpacked, including products that may make surprise appearances.

What’s expected at the Samsung Unpacked July event?

Foldable phones have been the trend for Samsung, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 slated for release.

Key improvements we’re expecting include lighter and thinner designs (partly inspired by the Galaxy S25 Edge), camera upgrades such as a 200MP Ultra-level sensor, and displays that match the quality of the well-tested S25 series.

Last year’s Unpacked July event saw the launch of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 (left) and Z Flip 6 (right).

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Considering how much focus Samsung has invested in making its phone displays more durable and brighter than ever, prepare for news on improved glass materials and hinge designs across the board. That’s in line with the company’s continued commitment to seven years of operating system and security updates, allowing the new foldable phones to stay feature-relevant until at least 2032.

Also: I changed 7 Samsung phone settings to instantly improve the battery life

With these upgrades in mind — and the unpredictable economic climate — it wouldn’t be surprising to see both the Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 cost more this year. Samsung previously alleviated its price hikes with storage upgrades, doubling the base memory of select Galaxy phones from 128GB to 256GB.

Whether the company plans to repeat that strategy remains up in the air. Just don’t expect these phones to cost any less in 2025.

Last year’s Samsung Unpacked saw the unveiling of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6, Watch Ultra, and Galaxy Buds 3 series.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

If we’re lucky, we’ll also see a set of wearables and accessories to accommodate the handsets on Wednesday. Maybe a new Galaxy Watch Ultra? Galaxy Buds? Galaxy Ring? Regardless, the upcoming Samsung event will kick off the second half of the year for consumer hardware launches after a busy stretch of software-focused developer conferences.

Also: Did Samsung’s fitness coach just outpace Apple’s Workout Buddy?

What’s certain is that Samsung will continue to focus on interconnected health and fitness features with its next wave of wearables, with OneUI 8 introducing helpful AI tools like Running Coach, Bedtime Guidance, and more.

What about the tri-foldable phone?

It’s been long rumored that Samsung has been working on a foldable phone that bends in two ways. While the company wouldn’t be the first to do it — the Huawei Mate XT Ultimate gets that honor — it could be the first in the broader international market, including the US.

We don’t expect Samsung to fully launch a tri-foldable phone at Unpacked this week, but there’s a fair chance that the device will be teased to some capacity; perhaps through a sizzle reel at the end of the keynote. That’s become the company’s launch strategy for its most anticipated products in recent years, including the Galaxy Ring in 2024 and the Galaxy S25 Edge in 2025.

Reservation offer

Ahead of Unpacked, Samsung is opening up a reservation offer to folks who are interested in the upcoming devices. By placing a reservation to preorder — not to be mistaken with committing to buy — on Samsung’s website, you’ll get $50 worth of Samsung store credit (with the opportunity to save up to $1,150 off with a trade-in later) for free, applicable toward accessories and other products.

Also: I changed 10 Samsung phone settings for an instant performance boost

Get the morning’s top stories in your inbox each day with our Tech Today newsletter.

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July 7, 2025
‘He absolutely deserves this moment’ – The F1 paddock reacts to Nico Hulkenberg’s maiden podium

Nico Hulkenberg finished third at Silverstone for Kick Sauber to score his maiden F1 podium at the 239th time of asking. For a driver one month short of his 38th birthday, it was an incredible result – not least because it was achieved from 19th on the grid.

The German made his F1 debut all the way back in 2010, and his career in the sport looked to be over when he was left without a seat at the conclusion of the 2019 season.

But after two years on the sidelines bar a handful of ‘super sub’ appearances, Hulkenberg was handed a lifeline to return to F1 in 2022 with Haas – and since then has put in a string of strong performances.

You only have to look at the last handful of races, since Kick Sauber introduced an upgrade package, to see the kind of performances the German is delivering. P16 on the grid in Spain became fifth at the flag, P13 on the grid in Canada resulted in an eighth-place finish and then Hulkenberg started 20th last weekend in Austria, climbing up to finish ninth.

All of those results were dwarfed by his drive at Silverstone, with his colleagues old and new swift to offer their congratulations.

Team mate Gabriel Bortoleto was on hand to hug the German as he parked up at the end of the race, saying: “Congratulations to Nico! Seeing him fight for the podium and achieve this result after so many years in Formula 1 means a lot. He is the best teammate I have ever worked with – both as a driver and as a person – and he absolutely deserves this moment: I am genuinely happy for him.”

Max Verstappen was also swift to go over to Hulkenberg in parc ferme and shake his hand, before saying afterwards that “the race wasn’t that enjoyable for me but it was nice to see Nico get his first podium and I’m sure he will be celebrating tonight.”

Oscar Piastri shared the podium with Hulkenberg, and while the Australian was another left disappointed with their own result, seeing the Sauber driver’s celebrations at least tempered Piastri’s own frustrations.

“Well done to Nico – I think that’s the highlight of the day,” Piastri said in his post-race interview.

‘He’s always been a top-five driver’

Williams’ Carlos Sainz – a former team mate of Hulkenberg at Renault in 2018 – was also hugely complimentary towards the German after he secured his long-awaited podium. “Congrats – he must have done a very solid race to be up there in P3,” the Spaniard told media.

“Honestly, for me, the fact that people kept cursing him, the fact that he didn’t have any podiums, for me it was completely irrelevant. For me, he’s always been a top-five driver in the grid every time he’s been in F1 – his level of talent and race execution is incredible.”

Williams Team Principal James Vowles also added: “Congratulations to Sauber and to Nico – an extraordinary result today and well-earned in these difficult conditions.”

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton was the man chasing Hulkenberg in the closing stages of the race, unable to get close enough to steal the podium position and maintain his streak of podium finishes at Silverstone.

While his own streak came to an end, the Briton praised what the Sauber driver had achieved. “Third place felt within reach at times but credit to Nico on his first podium, he drove a strong race,” Hamilton concluded

“Congratulations to Nico for his podium, it’s a great achievement for him and his team,” added Hamilton’s team mate Charles Leclerc, before team boss Fred Vasseur gave his own opinion: “Finally, congratulations to Nico on his first podium. Given his undoubted talent, he deserves it.”

The last word had to go to Piastri though, who turned to Hulkenberg in the post-race press conference and asked the German how he felt about his first ever F1 trophy being made of… Lego.

“I love Lego!” laughed the German. “It’s good. My daughter can play with it too.

“You’ve always got to see the bright side. But, you know, a bit of silver or gold would have been nice too, but I won’t complain.”

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July 7, 2025
Woman who had skin cancer warns of sunbed danger

Stuart Maisner

BBC News, South East

Levi-Mariah Verrall

Levi-Mariah Verrall had been using sunbeds since she was 16

A woman from Kent has warned of the dangers of excessive sunbathing and sunbed use after she had surgery on her face for skin cancer.

Levi-Mariah Verrall, 33, from Rochester, started using sunbeds when she was 16.

She described herself as “pale-skinned and freckly”, but said she would “lay in the sun whenever I could”.

Ms Verrall said: “We’re all told about the dangers of sunbeds now, and having too much sun, but you never think it’s going to happen to you.”

She said she used oil for sunbathing, adding: “I didn’t use high-factor sunscreen or cover up when I was out.”

In 2022, her partner noticed a white patch on her face.

She said: “I thought it was just pigmentation, because it didn’t look like a mole or what I took to be the usual signs of skin cancer.

“Even the GP thought it was pigmentation.

“But I wasn’t happy because it just didn’t look right so I pushed for some tests.”

A biopsy revealed she had basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer which develops from cells found in the deepest part of the outer layer of the skin.

For most people, this type of cancer does not spread.

It can be removed by surgery and no further treatment is required.

However, Ms Verrall’s carcinoma needed a deep and lengthy incision to remove all traces of it.

Levi-Mariah Verrall

Ms Verrall was operated on when she was 30

Around 3,100 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every year in the south-east of England, according to Cancer Research UK.

Ms Verrall, who runs an industrial door company, said she is now passionate about urging people to look after their skin.

“What I went through was traumatising and I don’t want other people to experience that,” she said.

Beth Vincent, Cancer Research UK health information manager, said: “Getting sunburnt just once every two years can triple the risk of developing skin cancer, compared to never being burnt.

“Even on a cloudy day, the sun can be strong enough to burn between mid-March and mid-October.”

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July 7, 2025
Cardiologist shares new sugar alternative that ‘doesn’t spike insulin levels and reduces body fat’

Until now, the only healthy alternatives to sugar have been known as stevia, truvia, monk fruit extract, coconut sugar, date sugar and more. All of these might be healthier for consumption than sugar but do have similar harmful effects on the body in lesser quantities.Now, an expert has shared a unique alternative to sugar that not only doesn’t spike blood sugar and insulin levels but also reduces fat. Dr Alok Chopra, cardiologist and functional medicine expert defined the alternative as allulose, which is 70% as sweet as sugar.“Allulose is a rare sugar alternative that doesn’t spike blood sugar or insulin levels, making it a promising option for those managing diabetes or insulin resistance,” shared the doctor on Instagram. Additionally, he added that 70% of allulose is absorbed in the blood and passes out in the urine.

What are the benefits of allulose?

The doctor even mentioned the benefits of consuming allulose:Low calories: With just 0.2-0.4 calories per gram, it consists of only 1/10th of the calories of sugar.Vital for organs: It is safe for vital organs such as the liver, kidneys and fat tissues and also reduces inflammation and oxidative stress.Healthy for blood-sugar: With its low glycemic index, allulose improves insulin sensitivity and reduces post-meal glucose spikes.Increases energy: Allulose not only boosts mitochondrial function but also improves endurance and protects the body against diabetic nephropathy.Improves metabolism and reduces fat: Allulose also helps in fat burning, reduces body fat and enhances feelings of satiation.

What are the natural sources of Allulose?

Image credits: X

Naturally, allulose is present in small amounts in wheat figs, raisins, molasses, maple syrup, jackfruit, kiwi, caramel, juices and coffee. In terms of commercial production, they are made enzymatically by converting fructose, making it affordable and accessible.

How is Allulose better than other alternatives?

Well, according to the cardiologist, all other sugar alternatives are nothing when compared to allulose. He added how stevia and truvia are often mixed with artificial sweeteners and their long-term use can increase craving and weight. Other sugars such as coconut and date are natural but have varying glycemic impacts.According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, a 5g-10g intake of allulose per meal is effective enough to lower postprandial blood glucose levels.Disclaimer: This article is for information purposes only. Consult a certified physician before pursuing any new changes in diet.

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July 7, 2025
FDA approves first-of-a-kind oral therapy for rare disease

The US drug agency’s authorisation provides hereditary angioedema (HAE) patients with the first new on-demand treatment in over ten years.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first oral on-demand therapy for acute attacks of hereditary angioedema (HAE) in individuals aged 12 years and older.

This rare genetic disease leads to tissue swelling attacks in the body that can be life-threatening. It is caused by a deficiency or dysfunction in the C1 esterase inhibitor (C1INH) protein and subsequent uncontrolled activation of the kallikrein-kinin system, KalVista Pharmaceuticals shared.

The company’s novel plasma kallikrein inhibitor Ekterly^® (sebetralstat) “enables people to treat attacks the moment symptoms begin, wherever they are,” commented Ben Palleiko, CEO of KalVista Pharmaceuticals.

Significance of the FDA’s hereditary angioedema treatment approval

“This is an important moment for patients, giving people living with HAE a treatment option that could provide greater independence and control over managing their condition,” explained Dr Marc Riedl, Professor of Medicine and Clinical Director, U.S. Hereditary Angioedema Association Center at the University of California, San Diego, and an investigator for the KONFIDENT Phase III trial.

“Until now, on-demand treatment relied on injectable subcutaneous or intravenous administration, often resulting in delayed intervention. Having an oral option empowers patients to treat attacks early, which aligns with treatment guidelines and advances our goal as physicians to reduce the overall burden of disease.”

“Until now, on-demand treatment for [hereditary angioedema] relied on injectable subcutaneous or intravenous administration, often resulting in delayed intervention”

The Phase III KONFIDENT clinical trial, part of the largest clinical trial programme conducted in HAE, found that Ekterly “achieved significantly faster symptom relief, reduction in attack severity and attack resolution than placebo, and was well-tolerated with a safety profile similar to placebo”, KalVista Pharmaceuticals shared.

These results for the small molecule therapy are further supported by data from the extension KONFIDENT-S clinical trial. As of September 2024, attacks could be treated with Ekterly in a median of 10 minutes following onset.

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July 7, 2025
Addressing Comorbidities and Skin of Color Considerations in a 55-Year-Old With Newly Diagnosed Atopic Dermatitis

Video content above is prompted by the following:

Adult-onset atopic dermatitis presents unique diagnostic challenges, particularly in patients with darker skin tones where traditional clinical presentations may differ significantly from textbook descriptions. This 55-year-old African American patient’s case highlights the importance of maintaining a broad differential diagnosis when evaluating new-onset eczematous conditions in adults, including considerations for contact dermatitis, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and drug-induced rashes. The patient’s history of occasional childhood rashes suggests possible long-standing disease that remained undiagnosed, emphasizing the need for improved disease recognition and earlier intervention.

Delayed diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis disproportionately affect patients with skin of color, often resulting in more severe disease presentation and greater functional impairment by the time patients seek dermatologic care. In darker skin tones, the characteristic erythema of atopic dermatitis may present as hyperpigmentation or violaceous discoloration rather than bright red inflammation. Additionally, patients with skin of color may develop different disease variants, including more nodular, papular, or follicular presentations, which can complicate accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment selection.

Treatment planning for this patient required careful consideration of multiple comorbidities, including type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and hypertension. Although these conditions do not represent absolute contraindications to any specific therapy, they influence treatment selection toward options with favorable safety profiles. The patient’s concerns about postinflammatory hyperpigmentation necessitated specific counseling about realistic expectations for improvement, as hyperpigmentation resolution can take months to years. Education about the relationship between inflammatory control and hyperpigmentation prevention becomes crucial for treatment adherence and patient satisfaction.

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July 7, 2025