All posts tagged: Helen

Helen Skelton was ‘sick of the patronising looks’ after ‘humiliating’ split from ex-husband Richie Myler

Helen Skelton was ‘sick of the patronising looks’ after ‘humiliating’ split from ex-husband Richie Myler

Published by Sam Flores

Helen Skelton has opened up about her split from her ex-husband, Richie Myler, with whom she shares her three children, Ernie, 11, Louis, nine, and Elsie, four. The former Blue Peter star, 42, made the shock announcement that they had separated just four months after she welcomed her third child, in April 2022.  In November of that year, it was announced that Richie was expecting a child with his new girlfriend, Stephanie Thirkill, the daughter of Andrew Thirkill, the owner of the club Richie played for. Talking to the Times, Helen said, reflecting on that time, while she was appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, that performing the number Mein Herr from the musical Cabaret, “struck a chord,” adding that she was “sick of the patronising looks.” The former couple share three children (Instagram) During the dance, Helen mouthed the words: “You’re better off without me,” directly into the camera. “It struck a chord,” she told the publication. “One of the dancers said, ‘You did that for all of us, didn’t you?’ I wanted to have …

Stars Johnny Depp, Mel Gibson, Helen Mirren in Karlovy Vary Trailers

Stars Johnny Depp, Mel Gibson, Helen Mirren in Karlovy Vary Trailers

Published by Daniella Wilson

Johnny Depp, Mel Gibson, Javier Bardem, Helen Mirren, Harvey Keitel, Milos Forman, Danny DeVito, Casey Affleck, Andy Garcia, John Malkovich — what reads like a who’s who of Hollywood star power is just part of the list of big names who have starred in trailers for the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic, whose celebrating its 60th anniversary edition in its 80th year July 3-11. The shorts, typically held in black-and-white and directed by Ivan Zachariáš, debut during the opening ceremony of the film fest in the picturesque Czech spa town. And they have a reputation for being offbeat, eccentric, and, yes, full of attitude. Many feature a previous Karlovy Vary honoree to show what they, allegedly, did with their award. “The idea of shooting festival trailers featuring distinctive representatives of world cinema was born” to a add excitement and extend the collaboration with big names beyond the dates of the fest, KVIFF has highlighted. “It’s not always easy in terms of organization, but the result is a unique series of trailers featuring world-famous personalities that has no equal …

“Chronicles of Love and Loss” | Helen Vendler, Langdon Hammer

“Chronicles of Love and Loss” | Helen Vendler, Langdon Hammer

Published by Jenni Sidey

In this episode of Private Life, Langdon Hammer reads Helen Vendler’s essay, “Chronicles of Love and Loss,” from the May 11, 1995, issue of The New York Review of Books. The essay reviews James Merill’s posthumous collection of poetry, A Scattering of Salts (1995), as well as his poem “The House Fly,” published in the May 13, 1982, issue of the Review.  Click the “Subscribe” link in the player above to follow this podcast on your favorite listening platform. Langdon Hammer is the Niel Gray Jr. Professor of English at Yale and the author of James Merrill: Life and Art. He has reviewed biography and poetry for the Review and has written about the poet Elizabeth Bishop.   Helen Vendler was an academic and literary critic, known for her contemporary poetry criticism. She was the Arthur Kingsley Porter University Professor Emerita in the Department of English at Harvard. Vendler was a contributor to the Review for more than forty years.   Source link

Helen Goh’s recipe for lemon pistachio snacking cake

Helen Goh’s recipe for lemon pistachio snacking cake

Published by Sam Flores

A good snacking cake earns its place not through grandeur, but reliability. It sits patiently on the counter, improves with a day’s rest and can be sliced into at odd hours: with coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon or something stronger during a tense World Cup match. This lemon and pistachio version is especially companionable: tender, bright and just sharp enough to keep things lively. Lemon pistachio snacking cake Prep 10 minCook 1 hrServes 8-10 For the cake220g unsalted butter2 tbsp sunflower or olive oil200g plain flour¼ tsp baking powder¼ tsp baking soda½ tsp fine sea salt250g caster sugar1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (from 2 large unwaxed lemons)80ml lemon juice3 eggs, at room temperature For the glaze and topping120g icing sugar, sifted2-3 tbsp lemon juice30g shelled pistachios, finely chopped Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4, and grease and line a 20cm square tin with baking paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Put the butter in a small saucepan on a low heat, then, once melted, add the oil and …

Helen Goh’s recipe for gooseberry and almond pies

Helen Goh’s recipe for gooseberry and almond pies

Published by Sam Flores

Gooseberries require a little patience. Firm, pale and stubbornly sour, they don’t offer the easy sweetness of other berries, but give them something warm and soft to lean against, and watch them shine. Almond cream feels a natural companion: gently sweet and tender, cushioning the sharpness without dulling it. Baked in muffin tins, these small pies feel informal yet generous, plus all the components can be made up to three days ahead and assembled just before baking. Individual gooseberry and almond pies Prep 15 minChill 2 hrCook 1 hr 30 minMakes 12 200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting60g icing sugar⅛ tsp saltFinely grated zest of 1 small unwaxed lemon130g unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes, plus 10g extra, melted, for brushing1 egg60g flaked almondsIcing sugar, for dustingSoftly whipped cream, or creme fraiche, to serve For the gooseberry compote350g frozen or fresh gooseberries70g caster sugarPared peel from 1 small unwaxed lemonScraped seeds from ½ vanilla pod For the almond cream125g room-temperature unsalted butter125g caster sugarFinely grated zest of 1 small unwaxed lemon¼ tsp fine …

The new Helen of Troy is Black — and that’s upsetting racists

The new Helen of Troy is Black — and that’s upsetting racists

Published by Sam Flores

The backlash surrounding Lupita Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy — and her sister Clytemnestra — in the upcoming epic “The Odyssey” has quickly evolved into another online culture-war battle over race, beauty and representation in Hollywood. The controversy intensified after Elon Musk amplified social media criticism in quite a few posts and reposts on X, questioning both the casting and whether Nyong’o could plausibly portray Helen, the mythological figure long associated with extraordinary beauty. Conservative commentator Matt Walsh argued on X that “not one person on the planet” views Nyong’o as “the most beautiful woman in the world,” a post Musk replied to with a one-word endorsement: “True.” Not one person on the planet actually thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is “the most beautiful woman in the world.” But Christopher Nolan knows that he would be called racist if he gave “the most beautiful woman” role to a white woman. Nolan is technically talented but a coward. Too… pic.twitter.com/wwzF9RkrWI — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) May 12, 2026 The comments drew immediate backlash online, with critics accusing …

What to read this week: the excellent Beyond Belief by Helen Pearson

What to read this week: the excellent Beyond Belief by Helen Pearson

Published by Miika Tikkanen

Beyond BeliefHelen Pearson,Princeton University Press  Often, when I read a non-fiction book, I think “this could have been an essay”. An argument that could have been made in 10,000 words gets dragged out to 100,000 with filler anecdotes, repetition and, worst-case, bad extrapolations into topics the writer isn’t qualified to discuss. I won’t name names – we’ve all read the books. Beyond Belief: How evidence shows what really works is the rare example of the opposite: I genuinely wanted it to be longer. It is a book about the seemingly dry topic of evidence-based policy, exploring how experiments and trials can be used in fields like international development, policing and management. It talks a lot about systematic reviews. Yet because it is so readable and punchy, I burned through the whole thing in a weekend. Author Helen Pearson is a journalist and a senior editor at the journal Nature. I should say, I know her slightly: she has edited a few of my pieces over the years and we have sometimes been in the same …

Helen Goh’s springtime spinach sponge cake with cream cheese icing

Helen Goh’s springtime spinach sponge cake with cream cheese icing

Published by Sam Flores

There is a particular green that belongs to spring: pale and luminous, it’s softer than the dark foliage of winter, and quieter than the glossy abundance of summer herbs. Spinach, the colour of new growth, captures this moment perfectly. Tender and almost impossibly vivid, this cake loses its metallic edge in the heat of the oven, leaving a gentle, vegetal brightness. Baked in a shallow tin and spread with cream cheese icing, when sliced into squares, it produces the perfect ratio of cake to icing and tastes uncommonly good. A cake for spring, AKA spinach cake Prep 10 minCook 50 minserves 8-10 For the cake120g baby leaf spinach, stems removed 120ml milk200g plain flour1½ tsp baking powder¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)¼ tsp fine sea salt3 large eggs, at room temperature180g caster sugarFinely grated zest of 1 lime120ml solid coconut oil, melted and cooled to tepid1 tsp vanilla extract For the icing200g cream cheese100g icing sugar, siftedFinely grated zest of 1 lime, plus 1 tsp juice80ml double cream Line the base and sides of …

Helen Goh’s recipe for ricotta, rum and raisin cake

Helen Goh’s recipe for ricotta, rum and raisin cake

Published by Sam Flores

This is a cake for the long, ambling tail-end of an Easter lunch. It’s gently scented with orange and vanilla, lightened by ricotta, and studded with rum-soaked raisins that bring bursts of sweetness to each slice. Ideally, they’d be soaked overnight to plump them into something luscious, but if time gets away from you, take a shortcut: put the raisins and rum in a microwave-safe bowl, zap for 20–30 seconds, then leave to cool and absorb. The chocolate glaze is optional; on days when you want something simpler (or lighter), a generous sifting of icing sugar is all this cake needs. Serve with a small glass of grappa or something similarly warming for a quietly perfect way to bring a feast to a close. Ricotta, rum and raisin cake Prep 10 minSoak overnightCook 1 hr, plus coolingServes 8-10 130g raisins80ml dark rum125g room-temperature unsalted butter, plus 10g extra, softened, for brushing220g plain flour, plus extra for dusting160g caster sugarFinely grated zest of 1 large orangeSeeds from ½ vanilla pod200g smooth ricotta3 large eggs, at room …

‘Helen was formidable as Polly’

‘Helen was formidable as Polly’

Published by Daniella Wilson

Add Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man to your watchlist You’ve been playing Ada for 13 years, do you look back at those early performances? I find it so awkward watching them. Who is that child who clearly doesn’t know what she’s doing? Also, I now have my babies. So, my Peaky bookends for me are young girl straight out of drama school and being a newly postpartum mother. My second son was 12 or 13 weeks old when we did the film. Did that make filming The Immortal Man tough? Maybe being that tired and delirious was quite helpful but it was an enormous undertaking. The Peaky team were amazing but it’s crazy to be filmed at this time where I’m really vulnerable and my body is different and I don’t quite know what I’m doing. I am petitioning for a little ticker tape to run across the bottom of the screen saying, “This woman has just had a baby.” Did you realise that Peaky Blinders would have such an impact? Peaky’s changed our expectations …