Viewership for Holly Willoughby’s YouTube lifestyle series, *Holly Willoughby Together*, has declined sharply since its debut. The first episode, featuring Chelsea star Stanley Tucci, drew 74,000 viewers, but subsequent episodes attracted 37,000 and just 15,000 viewers respectively.
In other entertainment news, Jesse Eisenberg, known for his Oscar-nominated original screenplay for *A Real Pain*, will attend the 70th London Film Festival this October to present his new film, *The Debut*. The drama stars Julianne Moore as a shy woman auditioning for a role in a community theatre, with Paul Giamatti playing the director who recognizes her potential. Moore praised the script, describing it as one of the most electrifying she has read, and commended Eisenberg as a confident and talented filmmaker.
Actress Tracy-Ann Oberman continues to challenge traditional casting by playing male characters reimagined as female. Earlier this year, she performed as Shylock in *The Merchant of Venice*. Now, Oberman is set to star as Geri, a gender-swapped version of the matinee idol Garry Essendine, in Noel Coward’s *Present Laughter*. The play will run at the Theatre Royal Bath from August 27 to September 5 before embarking on a UK tour.
Samara Weaving has been cast as telepathic mutant Emma Frost in the forthcoming reboot of the *X-Men* franchise, scheduled for release in 2028. The film will feature a young cast including Sadie Sink as Jean Grey and Inde Navarrette as Mystique. The reboot marks a new chapter for the series, which was previously under 20th Century Fox but is now owned by Disney. Fox produced seven *X-Men* films and three Wolverine spinoffs, the last being *Dark Phoenix* in 2019.
Stars of the Apple TV+ series *Ted Lasso*, Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt, admitted that they sometimes struggle to understand British accents despite years of filming in the UK. Hunt recounted how his wife resorted to subtitles while watching a documentary about the British band Oasis, while Sudeikis acknowledged his own difficulties and that his father also needs help with some accents. The new season of *Ted Lasso* began streaming on Wednesday.
*Strictly Come Dancing* is facing criticism over its recent decision to replace older professional dancers with younger talent. Aleksandra Isaeva, a 22-year-old Ukrainian Latin dance champion, joins the roster, replacing 36-year-old Nadiya Bychkova. Additionally, Cristian Priori, an Italian dancer, replaces Gorka Marquez and will partner with Isaeva. Several experienced pros, including 44-year-old Karen Hauer, are departing the show. Some within the professional dance community have described the changes as a “brutal youth swap” and a move toward “Strictly Clone Dancing.” Rehearsals for the new season are set to begin later this month. New professionals joining the show also include Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby, and Mark Karmalita. Presenters Josh Widdicombe, Johannes Radebe, and Emma Willis will continue hosting following the exits of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.
Meanwhile, a social media dispute has unfolded after the anonymous Instagram account “Boring Not Com,” known for commentary on the fashion industry, was revealed to be British stylist and photographer Rasharn Agyemang by journalist Lauren Sherman. The revelation reportedly angered the account’s followers, with “Boring Not Com” accusing Sherman of spoiling the playful anonymity and expressing frustration over the exposure.