Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 1357 i Heat

For Mollie Pearce and Harry Clark, life took a dramatic turn after appearing on series two of The Traitors in 2024. In a nail-biting final, nearly seven million viewers watched as Harry, 24, betrayed Mollie, 23, and walked away with the £95,000 prize pot. ‘I think I'm the nation's biggest liar, and Mollie's the biggest faithful,’ Harry laughs. With plenty to keep them busy these days, heat caught up with Harry and Mollie to find out about their whirlwind two years, respective relationships with Anna Maynard and The Vamps’ Connor Ball, and how life has changed since their game-playing days… What's been the biggest pinch-me moment since the show ended? Mollie: Life has completely changed. I will forever be grateful for The Traitors and for the opportunities, but also for…

Walking into Netflix's swanky London HQ, we're not sure which is more striking – the snazzy offices or the undeniable chemistry between certified fit couple Matt and Emma Willis. Sat side by side promoting the second season of Love Is Blind: UK, the chemistry is tangible, with the pair complementing each other's style and finishing each other's sentences. If it were any other couple, it might be a bit cringey, but Mr and Mrs Willis pull it off with ease. Matt, 42, made his name as bassist of pop-punk heroes Busted, and he and model-turned-presenter Emma, 49, said ‘I do’ in 2008. Now, 17 years and three kids (daughters Isabelle, 15, and Trixie, eight, and son Ace, 13) later, their relatable dynamic makes them the ideal hosts for one of…

1 DO IT LIKE DUA With Dua Lipa fronting the campaign, you know YSL's new Libre L'eau Nue is going to be good. Light and citrusy, it blends delicate white floral notes with zesty lemon and lime to create a scent unlike any other. YSL Libre L'Eau Nue Parfum (EDP), £102 for 50ml 2 GO BANANAS A perfume inspired by the exotic shores of Maui, Kayali's latest fragrance is the stuff dreams are made of. With tropical notes of creamy coconut and banana twisted with floral jasmine, just one spritz will make you feel like you're on a beach with a cocktail in hand. Kayali Maui In A Bottle Sweet Banana (EDP), £79 for 40ml 3 MATCHA TO GO If you're a fan of fresh, green summer scents, you'll want to add PS’…

Coastal classic For Victorian charm and good old-fashioned fun, head to Scarborough. The historic South Bay is where it all begins, with its colourful beach huts, buzzing arcades and the smell of salt and vinegar wafting from the chip shops. Wander along the promenade with a 99 ice cream in hand, or head to the vintage-style Luna Park for a whirl on the dodgems. If you're after something a little quieter, North Bay has a more laid-back vibe, ideal for a paddle, a picnic, or spotting seals from the clifftops. Stay at The Castle By The Sea, where you'll wake up to sweeping coastal vistas. Rooms start at £90 per night, Book at thecastlebythesea.co.uk A load of cobbles Perched beneath the dramatic ruins of its clifftop abbey, Whitby delivers a…

We love a good airline-based thriller and while this one spends most of its time on the ground, it does take place against the backdrop of glamorous and high-pressure international air travel. It stars the always-excellent Katherine Kelly (Mr Bates vs The Post Office) as single mum and flight attendant Jo Conran, whose life changes forever when her son, Sonny (Harry Cadby), is accused of murder after a fight in a bar, and is imprisoned in Bulgaria. As Jo works to prove her son's innocence, little does she know this is the start of an almost unbearable nightmare as a criminal gang tries to exploit her situation. CONRAN'S CHOICE When she's approached in a bar by a smooth-talking Irish bloke called Cormac (Stuart Martin, Rebel Moon), he offers her a…

E4, MONDAY 11 AUGUST, 9PM More game stars arrive at the celeb dating agency hoping that therapist Anna Williamson, life coach Paul C. Brunson, and sexual communication specialist Dr.Tara Suwinyattichaiporn can work their magic on their love lives. The brave stars include TV personality Christine McGuinness; reality star Kerry Katona; Too Hot To Handle's Louis Russell; Love Island: All Stars’ Olivia Hawkins; actress Donna Preston; and S Club 7 star Jon Lee - plus Mark ‘The Beast’ Labbett from The Chase turns up later in the series, too. And, in an exciting new twist, the celebs and their dates head to Ibiza. Nice!…

How did it feel coming back for series two? It was a wonderful experience. It felt great meeting everybody again, plus, of course, you're getting an opportunity to move a character on. Ridley's obviously never going to get away from his past, but life must go on, so there have to be some subtle changes in him. What was it like filming the nightclub scenes with Julie Graham? We've been such good friends for a long time, and she's so good. Marling's was an idea I had with Jonathan Fisher, the executive producer. We wanted something that Ridley was going to do when he retired, and it was going to be with his wife and their best friend. It features pretty heavily, because at the start of this series, we…

CHANNEL 4, TUESDAY 12 AUGUST, 8PM The UK public's apparent obsession with discount shops in these tough economic times is reflected in the large number of factual TV shows about them recently, from Inside Poundland: Secrets From The Shop Floor to Pound Shop Wars. Now, here's a new three-part series with the great Denise Van Outen trying to help members of the public swap their everyday household items for cheaper alternatives found in the UK's myriad discount stores. She'll also uncover other hidden savings you can find if you look hard enough in the pound-shop world.…

BBC4, SATURDAY 9 AUGUST, 9PM Sweden's most popular crime drama is back for a new, tenth series, and now hypochondriac detective Martin Beck (Peter Haber) has been promoted to a new job as chief, while Alexandra Beijer (Jennie Silfverhjelm) is leading investigations at the station with the rest of his team. But soon pressure on Beck's group intensifies as they face a series of heinously tough cases, starting with an incident in which three young men dressed as delivery men overpower a middle-aged couple in a luxury apartment in what looks like a brutal robbery. But there's obviously more to it than that.…

PLATONIC (Apple TV+, Wednesday) Season two of Seth Rogen's other Apple TV+ comedy show (after the triumphant The Studio) turns out to be funnier than the first, and his co-star Rose Byrne is brilliant. WEDNESDAY (Netflix, from Wednesday) One of the biggest Netflix hits ever is back for a welcome second season, and newbie cast members include Billie Piper and Joanna Lumley in juicy comedic roles. FAKE OR FORTUNE (BBC1, Monday, 9pm) Presenter Fiona Bruce and art expert Philip Mould try to find out if an art work really is valuable – or a total fake – in one of the most compelling shows on TV.…

CERT 12A, 111 minutes, in cinemas 8 August STARRING: Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, Julia Butters, Sophia Hammons, Manny Jacinto, Mark Harmon, Chad Michael Murray DIRECTOR: Nisha Ganatra THE PLOT: More than two decades after the body-swapping events of Freaky Friday, Anna (Lohan) now works in the music industry, and is a single mother to 15-year-old daughter Harper (Butters), with some help from her own mum Tess (Curtis). After love blossoms between Anna and fellow single parent Eric (Jacinto), the pair plan to marry and blend their two families, including Eric's own 15-yearold daughter Lily (Hammons), who's a reluctant transplant from the UK. Neither girl is keen on the union, and life gets very complicated when a premonition by psychic Madame Jen (Vanessa Bayer) leads to a whole new bodyswapping…

INSIDE DVD/BLU-RAY, OUT 11 AUGUST Aussie prison drama starring Vincent Miller as Mel Blight, who is transferred from juvenile to adult prison, and is taken under the wing of both Mark Shepard (Cosmo Jarvis), a renowned and hated criminal, and Warren Murfett (Guy Pearce), a less controversial inmate who's soon to be released. A paternal triangle develops between them, and the ensuing drama is gripping. HEART EYES SKY CINEMA PREMIERE/NOW, FROM 14 AUGUST This unlikely mix of horror movie and romcom about a masked serial killer with glowing red eyes who stalks couples each Valentine's Day is an impressive feat of genre mixing. When the murderer's next target is an ad executive (Olivia Holt, Totally Killer) who's just met a hunky new colleague (Mason Gooding, Scream VI), they have to…

TRAFALGAR THEATRE, LONDON, 17 SEPTEMBER TO 22 NOVEMBER He's just finished filming the Heartstopper movie for Netflix that will bring that much-loved romantic teen saga to an end. But while we're waiting for it to actually arrive, charismatic star Joe Locke is appearing on stage in his West End debut in the UK premiere of Clarkston, a powerful play by writer Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale). Joe plays Jake who, on a journey West to rediscover himself, unexpectedly meets Chris (played by Ruaridh Mollica, The Franchise) working on a night shift at a Costco in a rural American town. The two form an instant bond and as they forge a friendship, they're inspired by explorers Lewis and Clark to embark on their own adventure. The show also stars Sophie Melville…

The Beckham family feud has reached uncharted territory – literally and metaphorically – with the Peltz-Beckhams and the Beckhams taking to the high seas in their respective yachts. But while David and Victoria's vessel Seven, purchased in 2022, is worth £16million, Project X - which was chartered by Brooklyn and Nicola, as well as members of her family, including billionaire parents Nelson, 83, and Claudia, 70, for £1.2m per week – is worth a reported £85m. The 260ft yacht requires a crew of 28 to run, and includes a glass-sided swimming pool, a wellness studio, and a spa. Not that the Beckhams’ 130ft craft is anything less than incredibly luxurious, of course, boasting five cabins, a spa bath, and plenty of water toys and jet skis. But when both yachts…

Going strong! Alison Hammond & David Putman A year-and-a-half after they were first linked, Alison, 50, confirmed that she and David, 27, are still very much in love with a rare snap of them enjoying the sunshine. Anniversary! Marvin & Rochelle Humes ‘13 years married today, 16 years together… and he's still my favourite person,’ Rochelle, 36, sweetly admitted as she marked her wedding anniversary with Marvin, 40, last week. It's on! Jessica Alba & Danny Ramirez Rumours have been swirling for weeks, but Jessica, 44, seems to have well and truly moved on from her divorce from Cash Warren after being spotted kissing actor Danny, 32.…

The Osbourne family has understandably been left devastated by the death of rockstar Ozzy, who died on 22 July at the age of 76, just two weeks after he was on stage for his final performance with Black Sabbath. But now, we're told that his daughter Kelly is going through double the heartache, as she is worried about her mum Sharon's health and wellbeing following the loss of her partner of over four decades. ‘Kelly has been left utterly destroyed by her father passing away. Even though he had Parkinson's disease, she was convinced he was going to keep on fighting. While it's knocked her sideways, she's just been trying to do her best to focus on what's in front of her – and worryingly, she is now really concerned…

If you woke up today and thought you'd travelled back to the early noughties, you could easily be forgiven. Everywhere we look, there's a dose of déjà vu – The Devil Wears Prada is filming a sequel, Buffy The Vampire Slayer is being resurrected, and Freakier Friday is set to be the hottest film of the summer. After years of waiting, the Freaky Friday sequel lands on 9 August, reuniting Lindsay Lohan, 39, and Jamie Lee Curtis, 66, for even more body-swap drama. And yes, Chad Michael Murray does appear. Set 22 years after the original, Anna (Lindsay Lohan) is now mum to teenager Harper (Julia Butters) and will also become stepmum to Lily (Sophia Hammons) when she marries fiancé Eric (Manny Jacinto). But blending a new family proves far…

Whether you're a fan of the sci-fi horror franchise Alien or not, this new TV spin-off deserves your attention. Masterminded by showrunner Noah Hawley, who successfully turned the classic movie Fargo into a must-see TV phenomenon, this six-parter is set nearly 100 years in the future when the Earth is governed by five corporations – Prodigy, Weyland-Yutani, Lynch, Dynamic and Threshold, who rule over five vast geographic areas (with Weyland-Yutani essentially running the Americas). Hovering above the planet is a mysterious spaceship, a research vessel called the Maginot, not unlike the Nostromo in the original Alien movie, whose crew seems to be transporting various alien creatures. But when something goes wrong on board, the ship crash-lands on Earth. THE LOST BOYS While the disaster of the Maginot crash is unfolding,…

PRIME VIDEO, WEDNESDAY 13 AUGUST Prime Video loves a spy thriller and this one looks promising. It follows the escapades of David Jung (Daniel Dae Kim from Lost), a mysterious maverick of a former US intelligence operative living in South Korea, whose life collapses around him when the fallout from a decision he had to make in his past comes back to haunt him. Now, he's getting pursued by Rebecca (Reina Hardesty), a cold, ruthless young agent who works for Caddis, a sinister espionage organisation - and she's been assigned to kill him. An unusual collaboration between Korean and American talents, all episodes arrive on 13 August.…

AND JUST LIKE THAT SKY COMEDY/NOW, FRIDAY 15 AUGUST, 9PM It's become a renowned ‘hate watch’ for many of us, but we're still intrigued to see what happens to Carrie and friends in this season three finale. FBI: MOST WANTED SKY WITNESS/NOW, TUESDAY 12 AUGUST, 10PM In the season six opener, the Task Force investigate a string of particularly gruesome killings after a detective is brutally murdered. TITANIC: SECRETS OF THE SHIPWRECK CHANNEL 4, SUNDAY 10 AUGUST, 8PM This series tells the story of how the Titanic was discovered – and what happened afterwards.…

MGM+, SATURDAY 9 AUGUST The epic romantic fantasy drama Outlander has been going for seven seasons and 91 episodes now, with the final run on its way next year. But if you've got withdrawal symptoms already, here's a new 10-part spin-off prequel series, focusing on the backstories of the parents of beloved Outlander lead characters Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser. In the opening episode, we meet Jamie's beautiful folks, Ellen MacKenzie (Harriet Slater) and Brian Fraser (Jamie Roy), who are leading busy, complicated lives in 18th-century Scotland, while her various relatives are furious with her. Then Claire's dad Henry Beauchamp (Jeremy Irvine) pops up as a man out of time, before we meet his wife, and Claire's mother, Julia Moriston (Hermione Corfield), in mysterious circumstances in the middle of World…

CERT 18, 128 minutes, in cinemas 8 August STARRING: Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich DIRECTOR: Zach Cregger THE PLOT: One night, all but one child from an elementary school class run off and mysteriously disappear. So, what's special about that cohort and their teacher (Garner), wonders the community, including a father of a missing boy (Brolin) and a police officer (Ehrenreich). WHAT'S RIGHT/WRONG WITH IT? Following 2022 horror hit Barbarian, writer-director Zach Cregger incited a studio bidding war for his spec script Weapons – one won by New Line, which financed production and handed Cregger a massive fee. On paper, at least, this is something special. VERDICT: We like the premise, the trailer, the filmmaker and the cast – and the industry buzz has got us plenty intrigued. We're…

DOING SEX This boldly titled new video podcast is hosted by journalist, presenter, and documentary maker Sahar Zand, who will explore culture, politics, power and pleasure by focusing on how people across the planet ‘do sex’. Among her guests are a former UN advocate for refugees in warzones who's now a dominatrix, and the manager of one of Europe's largest legal brothels. THE BIG PITCH WITH JIMMY CARR In this new comedy podcast produced by Netflix, a different celebrity guest pitches an idea for a film based on one of the ultra-niche sub-genres on the streaming service. Think ‘Steamy Crime Movies From The 1970s’ and ‘Australian Dysfunctional Family Comedies Starring A Strong Female Lead’. Jimmy's guests include Nick Mohammed, Romesh Ranganathan and Michelle Wolf.…

LIVE SHOW WHOOPI GOLDBERG: LIVE The legendary actress/presenter/comedian/writer returns to the UK stage for two live shows, marking her first UK appearance in almost 10 years. Graham Norton will join Whoopi in conversation at the Eventim Apollo, London on 4 September, and Jennifer Saunders will join her in Cardiff at the Utilita Arena on the 5th. Expect revelations about her extraordinary life and career. For tickets, visit fieryentertainment.com. FILM THE ROSES We can't wait for the juicy black comedy with Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman as a warring husband and wife who really, really hate each other. Also starring Alson Janney (The West Wing) and former Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa, this sick, twisted comedy from director Jay Roach (Meet The Parents) and writer Tony McNamara (The Favourite) looks right up…

After an emotional week that saw her breaking down in tears on her vlog, following a vicious backlash after she was branded ‘out of touch’, sources tell us Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury are planning a make-or-break getaway to escape the furore. ‘The last year has been hellish’ ‘Molly-Mae is really looking forward to a holiday away with Tommy and Bambi, so she can shut herself off from the world a bit,’ we're told. ‘Her recent meltdown had been brewing for a long time. The last year or so has been hellish and a lot of emotion just came out.’ The influencer, 26, was criticised for ‘always complaining’ after she moaned that she hadn't done ‘one fun thing’ this summer and claimed she has ‘no social life’ – despite recent…

Holly Willoughby hasn't graced our screens for a while, after the cancellation of several projects. Now, sources tell us the star has got her eyes set on returning to prime-time TV – but she's scared to take the risk. There was a time when the 44 year old seemed to never not be on telly, fronting mainstream shows such as This Morning and Dancing On Ice. But now, we're told she's got her heart set on something a little different. An insider tells heat, ‘Holly thinks a prime-time talk show would the right project to aim for. There are a lot of ideas being discussed, but Holly is feeling a little impatient. Instead of waiting for something to get greenlit, she's taking the initiative and shopping around the idea of…

JOHANNES RADEBE From growing up in a small township outside Johannesburg to waltzing his way around the dance floor, Johannes Radebe has come a long way. The South African-born dancer, 38, joined the world of Strictly Come Dancing back in 2018 – later going all the way to the final while partnered with John Whaite. Now, the dancer opens up about ‘handsome’ Brendan Cole, overcoming bullies, and taking the world for a spin… How was it joining the Strictly UK family? I knew I was on their radar when I was on Strictly in South Africa. The first time I walked into the studio and saw the professionals, it was a real pinch-me moment. I used to idolise the show – the likes of Anton du Beke, the ballroom king,…

Win £100* SEND YOUR CELEBRITY SNAPS TO HEAT@HEATMAG.COM SPOTTED Singer MARIAH CAREY holding up traffic as she filmed content on her phone with her sizeable entourage on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles California. Seen by Jessica SPOTTED A-list actors MERYL STREEP, ANNE HATHAWAY, EMILY BLUNT and STANLEY TUCCI chatting to each other during a break in filming the Devil Wears Prada sequel in Manhattan, New York City. Seen by Elle SPOTTED Hollywood star BRAD PITT, rocking a buzz-cut and a moustache, at the New Beverly Cinema in Fairfax, LA. Seen by Sharon SPOTTED Welsh actress CATHERINE ZETA-JONES walking along Langham Place near Oxford Street in Central London. Seen by Antonia SPOTTED TV presenter RICHARD MADELEY, wearing pale blue slim-fit jeans and a white T-shirt, having lunch at The Duke Of York…

ALISON AND DERMOT Now, there's absolutely no feuding here – but this is one body swap that would certainly bring some LOLs. Our one condition: an ITV docuseries following them on their quest to break the spell. HARRY AND WILLIAM The royal rift has left them no longer the close brothers we once knew – and a body swap could be our last hope. Wills might enjoy LA life, too… STACEY AND JOE Their reality TV show left fans criticising Joe after noting wife Stacey ‘does everything’ around the house. We think you deserve some downtime, Stace! VICTORIA AND NICOLA If there's one thing that could end the Beckham feud, it may be matriarch Victoria and daughter-in-law Nicola taking a walk in each other's designer shoes.…

ANNIE JAMES London girl Annie has a supersmart, preppy wardrobe that's giving Clueless meets Kensington. We love her blazer and skirt co-ord, styled to perfection with a matching headband and Mary Janes. Later, when the twins swap places, Hallie steps out in the same look to meet Martin at the airport – and yes, that's when we're treated to the legendary handshake dance. ELIZABETH JAMES As a wedding dress designer, it's no surprise that Elizabeth is the epitome of sophistication. Emulate her elegant style with a satin dress, cream trench coat and classic accessories like a tan handbag and cream court heels. Pearl jewellery makes for the perfect finishing touch. MEREDITH BLAKE One of the most iconic on-screen villains of the '90s, Meredith may have been disliked, but her fashion…

Broccoli & lentil salad Serves 4-6 as part of a meze Takes 40min ROASTED VEGETABLES 700g broccoli (about 2) 140g radishes (about 16 small round ones) 2tbsp vegetable oil Salt LENTILS 240g puy lentils 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2tbsp lemon juice Salt freshly ground black pepper CURRIED TAHINI SAUCE 120g tahini 75ml lemon juice 1 garlic clove, finely grated 1tbsp maple syrup 1tsp medium curry powder Salt and freshly ground black pepper TOPPINGS 6 Medjool dates, pitted and roughly chopped 1 small handful chopped parsley or coriander leaves (optional) 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C. Break up the broccoli florets and slice off the stalks as they naturally separate. Slice the stalks into thick pieces and the same size as the florets. Put the broccoli and radishes on…

WENDY (SYDNEY CHANDLER) Wendy was terminally ill, but her consciousness was transplanted into a synthetic body by the Prodigy Corporation to create what is known as a ‘hybrid’. She is the first such creation. KIRSH (TIMOTHY OLYPHANT) Kirsh is a synthetic humanoid robot with artificial evidence who works for the Prodigy Corporation as one of their leading scientists. He manages the hybrids like Wendy. HERMIT (ALEX LAWTHER) Wendy's brother, who she monitors on a constant basis, but he has no idea of her existence. He works as a medic for the Prodigy Corp search-and-rescue team. BOY KAVALIER (SAMUEL BLENKIN) The pyjama-clad teen genius behind the Prodigy Corp, which he created as a child. Now he's the owner of one of the five companies who run the planet. YUTANI (SANDRA YI…

NETFLIX, WEDNESDAY 13 AUGUST Matt and Emma Willis (see our Interview on page 38) are back for a second series of their unique dating show, which sees UK and Ireland-based singletons testing whether looks, race or age matter when it comes to finding The One, and forming a loving, meaningful relationship. Having done some blind dating in the pods and picked the person they want to get engaged to, the pairs then meet for the first time, before deciding if they want to walk up the aisle in four weeks’ time. But will the reality of this experiment cause their fragile bonds to break or will they have struck gold?…

Fans of Adrian Dunbar can rejoice because he's back enforcing the law – not as our favourite, Ted Hastings from Line Of Duty, but as DI Alex Ridley. Written and created by award-winning writer Paul Matthew Thompson, the first series, set in the north of England, established Ridley as a hardworking detective who retired early after having a breakdown following the loss of his wife and daughter in a house fire. His former protégée DI Carol Farman (Bronagh Waugh) enlisted his expert help as a police consultant to assist with solving cases – and, crucially, give him a purpose again. Turns out Ridley is rather good at the crime-solving, which is why he's back for another round. THE NEXT INSTALMENT In the first of these four feature-length episodes, Ridley helps…

ITV2, SUNDAY 10 AUGUST, 9PM Following in her parents Peter Andre and Katie Price's footsteps, Princess Andre now has her own reality show, which charts her path to adulthood as she approaches her 18th birthday. As well as working on her very own make-up brand, we see Princess trying to pass her driving test – and, given that she already has four failed attempts under her belt, the Champagne should probably stay on ice. Also, she and her brother Junior have a heart to heart about their childhood and growing up in the limelight, which – if totally candid – should be a fascinating watch.…

Confessions Of A Steroid Gang BBC3, TUESDAY 12 AUGUST, 9PM If you've ever wondered how those muscley people who clearly take steroids get hold of the stuff, this new docuseries explains all about the global trade in the illegal drugs. Specifically, the programme tells the story of how a father and son from a small town in North Wales built one of the UK's biggest underground steroid businesses, in what started out as a small-time scheme in their garden shed. Amsterdam Narcos The Bus Driver: Britain's Cocaine King SKY DOCUMENTARIES/NOW, WEDNESDAY 13 AUGUST, 9PM Told through the testimony of drug users, manufacturers, traffickers, and the detectives who tried to find them, this three-part series charts how, from the 1970s to the early 2000s, Amsterdam was transformed into the drugs capital of Europe.…

EASTENDERS MATERNAL INSTINCT You don't have to be Einstein to work out that Suki's offer to raise Avani's baby is nothing more than an attempt to make up for being such a bad mother to her own kids. But the teen wants a termination, and Eve's on her side. She even takes her to the clinic but back home, vile misogynist Joel is incensed to learn what she's done and goes on the attack. Elsewhere, Elaine investigates Kojo's new friendship with Okie, but falls foul of a menacing gang. Will she escape with her life? CORRIE A DECENT PROPOSAL? A life-drawing class should provide the perfect opportunity for some vintage Corrie comedy, but this is modern-day Weatherfield, so Betsy sabotages Carla and Lisa's fun by mucking up an order at…

NOT-SOMODERN MONIKERS Forgive our ignorance of the original Alexandre Dumas text The Count Of Monte Cristo – which has just been adapted into a TV series for U starring Sam Claflin – but we were under the impression that Mercedes was an incredibly modern name, not the main love interest of a book published in 1844. GET A GRIP Obviously, we can't know exactly what everyone is doing every minute of the day, but does the team on Operation Dark Phone: Murder By Text (C4) really think that the criminal mastermind behind the username ‘Live-long’ was casually using a Gripmaster while organising a hit on a rival dealer? And don't get us started on the awful fake texting in the re-enactments! ANGERING THE AUDIENCE Whatever else you think of her,…

CERT 18, 94 minutes, on Prime Video 6 August STARRING: Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, Keke Palmer, Eva Longoria DIRECTOR: Tim Story THE PLOT: On their first day as partners, veteran armoured truck driver Russell (Murphy) and newbie Travis (Davidson) are ambushed by armed criminals. But it turns out they are after more than just the cash and valuables in their vehicle. WHAT'S RIGHT WITH IT? Pete Davidson brings likeable energy as aspiring cop Travis, and enjoys nice chemistry with Keke Palmer as the savvy character orchestrating the big heist. WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT? This routine action comedy stays within its guard rails, and has no discernible ambition to elevate the genre beyond what's out there already. VERDICT: The Pickup isn't distinctive enough to wow at cinemas, but it's an amiable watch…