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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Coronation Street cast furious over latest impact of budget cuts after string of stars axed
THE Coronation Street cast are furious over the latest impact of budget cuts after a string of stars were axed. Bosses previously decided to slash the number of established characters in 4 The Coronation Street cast are furious over the latest impact of budget cuts after a string of stars were axed 4 Colson Smith was devastated to be axed as Craig Tinker 4 Helen Worth has also retired from Corrie after 50 years Every time actors appear on-screen, they are due a per-episode fee, which can mount up for actors on lucrative deals. The cash crisis at ITV also prompted an Longtime stars such as Sue Cleaver, And now, it would appear the cast have been left 'furious' after the latest impact, which has seen them paying for their own summer party. Read More on Coronation Street The party is £22 per person, and they are also being asked for further contributions, especially as what they pay will only cover venue, entertainment and security so they have to pay for their own drinks. A source told The Sun: 'It's been a difficult few months and people were really looking forward to the party, but it puts a bit of a dampener on things that they have to pay. 'It might not be a lot to some of the bigger known stars but for some staff it is. The fact that drinks aren't included is a real blow too. People aren't really that surprised though considering the constant budget cuts.' The Sun has contacted ITV for comment. Most read in News TV It comes as ITV slashed both Corrie and Emmerdale Coronation Street's Colson Smith reveals the moment soap boss 'binned him' from show and says 'I knew it was coming' A TV insider told The Sun in May: 'After the Daytime announcement, the big feeling within the soap departments at ITV is the cost-cutting focus will shift to them. 'There's been some seismic changes already over the past year in regards to penny pinching and many believe that's just the start. 'Given the big audience figures and institutional history within ITV, soaps used to have an untouchable feel about them. 'But that's changed significantly and they now feel more vulnerable than ever.' Coronation Street Spoilers: News & Cast Updates The beloved British soap has been captivating audiences for decades. The show follows the lives of the residents as they navigate love, loss, family drama, and community struggles. Here's the latest on: Coronation Street spoilers Up-to-date news on our Where is The history of Coronation Street's iconic pub Earlier this year, ITV announced from January 2026, Bosses attempted to spin the new streamlined output by branding the new soap schedule as ITV's new 'Power Hour', with Emmerdale airing at 8pm followed by Coronation Street at 8:30pm, Monday to Friday. However, the move is expected to cut up to 75 jobs , with many crewmembers already drafted into redundancy meetings. 4 Sue Cleaver will leave her role of Eileen Grimshaw after two decades on-screen
Scottish Sun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Coronation Street and Emmerdale stars fear soaps ‘could be MERGED forever' to save cash amid ITV cuts
Earlier this year both soaps were reduced to five 30-minute episodes per week, rather than six ITV staffers are still reeling from Tuesday's dramatic culling of Daytime, which left many big names fearing for their jobs. And according to insiders, the bloodbath at the station is set to continue - and next up on the chopping block is likely to be soaps. Advertisement 5 Soap stars are said to be bracing themselves for Corrie and Emmerdale to merge amid the ITV cuts Credit: ITV 5 It's been announced Lorraine will run from 9.30am-10am, on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks of the year Credit: Shutterstock 5 And Loose Women will be in the 12.30-1.30pm slot, again on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks of the year Credit: Shutterstock That's the big concern from cast and crew working on ITV juggernauts Coronation Street and Emmerdale, who are anticipating major changes in the coming months, most of which are filling them with dread. A TV insider told The Sun: 'After the Daytime announcement, the big feeling within the soap departments at ITV is the cost-cutting focus will shift to them. 'There's been some seismic changes already over the past year in regards to penny pinching and many believe that's just the start. 'Given the big audience figures and institutional history within ITV, soaps used to have an untouchable feel about them. Advertisement 'But that's changed significantly and they now feel more vulnerable than ever.' Earlier this year, ITV announced from January 2026, both soaps will be reduced to five 30-minute episodes per week, rather than six, resulting in a one-hour reduction in soap content on the channel. Bosses attempted to spin the new streamlined output by branding the new soap schedule as ITV's new 'Power Hour', with Emmerdale airing at 8pm followed by Coronation Street at 8:30pm, Monday to Friday. However, the move is expected to cut up to 75 jobs, with many crewmembers already drafted into redundancy meetings. Advertisement And with former Managing Director of Continuing Drama and Head of ITV in the North John Whiston retiring this month, Iain MacLeod - who has helmed both Emmerdale and Corrie before - has been promoted. The Executive Producer for Continuing Drama is now Creative Director and takes on all editorial responsibility for leading the creative teams who produce both Emmerdale and Coronation Street. Reporting directly to the managing director of ITV, Iain will be the last word on both shows, adding to a feeling that a merge, at least backstage, is coming. But another great concern is also looming surrounding the highly publicised Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover episode, created to launch the aforementioned new soap 'Power Hour' next year. Advertisement ITV chiefs have gone on record to confirm the special episode, which will see the many of the characters from both soaps cross paths, as a 'one night only' experience. ITV Daytime Shake-Up: Major Changes to Lorraine and Loose Women Revealed However, insiders claim the move is not just a gimmick to publicise the new schedule, it's also a mini experiment to see if crew can work across both soaps in another cost-cutting exercise. The TV insider added: 'The crossover episode has provided much fanfare but there is a deeper reason behind it. 'Viewers may think it's just Ken Barlow turning up in the Woolpack or Mandy Dingle popping into Roy's Rolls, but behind the wacky plotlines is a genuine glimpse into the future of how crewmembers will be expected to work, being across both soaps. Advertisement 'It's a galling prospect for many but could end up being a reality and there's a feeling significant savings could be made on production costs - even if the quality of the output will be seriously affected.' And another big worry coming from the talent-side is yet more episode cuts. The move to reduce episodes from six to five came as a shock to cast and there's an expectancy the only way is down from here. Another source said: 'Castmembers on both soaps are fuming and also concerned by the cuts. Advertisement 'Their livelihoods are at stake and they feel it puts incredible pressure on the downsized teams to produce the same quality output with over 200 jobs cut. 'It feels like a kick in the teeth,' added the source. The Sun revealed earlier this year cost-cutting on Corrie even saw bosses cut back using multiple characters on each episode to keep appearance fees down. ITV's daytime TV schedule changes in full Good Morning Britain will be extended by 30 minutes to run from 6am to 9.30am daily. Lorraine will run from 9.30am-10am, on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks of the year. During the weeks Lorraine is not on air, Good Morning Britain will run from 6am to 10am. This Morning will remain in its 10am-12.30pm slot on weekdays throughout the year. Loose Women will be in the 12.30-1.30pm slot, again on a seasonal basis for 30 weeks of the year. The changes will take effect from January 2026. Historically, cast would get a standard fee for appearing in an episode - even if it was for just one scene - but that's now been scaled back. And the older stars, many of whom are on big contracts, have been overlooked in favour of using cheaper newcomers. Advertisement ITV showed their ruthless streak this week but culling award-winning shows including Loose Women and Lorraine, sparking anger behind the scenes. Long-running panel show Loose Women will now only be shown in term time and Lorraine has been cut down from one hour episodes to 30-minutes - also airing 30 weeks of the year. The move comes despite Lorraine Kelly's show seeing a ratings spike and Loose Women winning awards. Bosses want both shows, as well as This Morning, to be directed and produced by one team sharing resources and operations. Advertisement The culling of Daytime, and the feared butchering of Coronation Street and Emmerdale, will free up more cash for ITV to make blockbuster dramas, such as Mr Bates vs The Post Office, and improve coverage of big sporting tournaments including the World Cup, which they see as big revenue drivers. Just like soaps used to be… An ITV spokeswoman said: "These claims aren't true. ITV has been clear that the crossover episode is a one-off occasion to launch the new scheduling pattern for Coronation Street and Emmerdale in January 2026. "Both programmes will then continue to broadcast separate, individual episodes. Advertisement "The crossover episode will be purely story driven and is a first for British Soap. "The idea certainly hasn't been conceived for financial reasons. In fact the spectacular combined launch episode will cost a great deal more than regular episodes. "We are proud to have the opportunity to be able to deliver this special moment for fans of both programmes." 5 Corrie legend Ken Barlow, played by Bill Roache Credit: ITV Advertisement
The Independent
04-03-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Independent
The five-to-nine: how Gen Z are stealing back time from their corporate jobs
I settle at my office desk at 9am and smugly look at my colleagues wiping sleep from their eyes. What they don't know is that between the hours of 4.45am and 8.30am this morning, I went to the gym, meditated, meal-prepped my lunches, worked on my side hustle, wrote in my gratitude journal and read a chapter of a self-help book. I even listened to a productivity podcast on my commute. I'm fulfilled, energised and comfortably in the swing of my day. My mornings are typically lazy, but not today, because I'm testing the viral 'five-to-nine' routine, which sees corporate Gen Z -ers document themselves – either before work from 5am to 9am or after work from 5pm to 9pm – performing an action-packed step-by-step wellness programme made up of exercise, personal growth work, meal-prepping, skincare and side-hustling. These routines are regimented and seem strenuous, but they have a huge appeal: the five-to-nine video style has been replicated by thousands of creators online, with the hashtag #5to9routine having 35 million views on TikTok alone. Under this tag, you'll find thousands of Gen Z workers showing how they reclaim their time – and their personalities – back from their corporate jobs. Gen Z's interest in maximising productivity in these four golden hours has taken inspiration from the rise of the '5am club' – a special group of uber-productive superbeings who celebrate the benefits of rising at dawn. Sure, people have always been early risers (famed Vogue editor Anna Wintour, obviously, is one of these people) but the very act of waking before the rest of the world is increasingly common, with celebs including Jennifer Aniston, Mark Zuckerberg and Michelle Obama all claiming to be members of the club. There's also Gwyneth Paltrow, whose morning routine consists of a 30-minute tongue scrape, Ayurvedic oil pull, a 20-minute transcendental meditation and a dance workout. The meeting point between productivity and wellness has risen in popularity as a cultural phenomenon in recent years, thanks to bestselling self-help books including Robin Sharma's The 5am Club, Hal Elrod's The Miracle Morning, Adrienne Herbert's Power Hour and James Clear's Atomic Habits. You can see the same thing happening with the 5pm club, too, who use their evenings to maximise their wellness through the act of winding down mindfully yet efficiently. Any mere mortal who may prefer to doomscroll in bed each morning or binge Love is Blind in the evenings may feel ashamed when faced with the five-to-nine trend. Ketki, a 24-year-old analyst for a tech policy firm, is one of them. These videos make her feel inferior to her corporate peers. 'I watch these videos and feel inadequate,' she says. 'Everyone seems to be running marathons or balancing some sort of creative pursuit alongside their jobs, and I watch these videos and feel a weird pressure like… am I going to be left behind?' The five-to-nine lifestyle appeals to Ketki because she also desires to regain control of her life outside of work – it's just an impossible balance to strike. She graduated from studying classics at a Russell Group university in 2022 and began her first graduate role a year and a half ago. But adjusting to the demands of a full-time job was more difficult than she imagined. 'When I joined my job, I got this weird feeling of wanting to reclaim my personality,' she explains. 'Corporate takes so much from you and you have to be switched on all the time. You have no time to go outside, get a full lunch break. I always work through lunch.' A huge part of adjusting to having a full-time job was mourning the open-ended free time that she had become accustomed to as a student. 'At university, you get to see friends or do a sport – things you just don't get out of a corporate job. Now I'm working, it almost feels like you have to sustain the lifestyle you had before but just squeezing it into those two gaps before or after work.' This squeeze is being experienced by more than just one generation. Anouska Shenn, a workplace wellness specialist who delivers workshops at corporate offices through her business The Office Yoga company, tells me that the five-to-nine trend is a direct reaction to our changing relationship with work. 'We've gone from having a lot of freedom over our personal and work time during the pandemic, to having much of that autonomy eroded in a short space of time,' she explains. Corporate organisations are increasingly abandoning flexible working models and imposing full return-to-office mandates – JP Morgan, Amazon and Goldman Sachs have all done this – leaving employees feeling as though work is encroaching on their freedom. 'The power dynamic between companies and their staff has shifted, with a return to more traditional power structures through trends like return to office mandates,' explains Shenn. 'When we feel defined by elements outside of our control, we can feel boxed in.' It's funny, then, that as young people try to escape the confines of work, they are imposing strict schedules upon themselves in the process. Isn't that counterproductive? Shenn explains that implementing new habits into your non-work schedule can 'expand your sense of self beyond your nine-to-five work persona'. 'It gives you more agency over your life,' she explains. 'For those who don't feel happy or aligned with their current jobs, pouring themselves into a rigid five-to-nine routine can be a distraction, or a way to feel more accomplished or fulfilled away from work.' Jordan Conrad, a psychotherapist and founder of Madison Park Psychotherapy, tells me that people are maximising their lifestyles to be more 'self-directed and meaningful' in the face of changing work conditions. 'People are living their lives within the margins of work,' he explains. 'The reality is that many people feel so overwhelmed by their careers that they leave work late, spend their commute home checking their emails, and then spend their 'down time' either working more or numbing themselves with television or social media.' He explains that many people can feel stagnant, which is why learning something new in your free time can be so important. 'People want to feel that they are engaged in something that they chose to do and that they are getting better at it over time. Work, even work you enjoy, does not scratch that itch for most people. And that makes sense – life is not just one thing. Your career is important, but you need to feel that your relationships are developing and that you are growing as a person as well.' On paper, the 5am to 9am routine sounds ideal. There is plenty of research indicating that being an early riser can make you happier, feel more motivated and even influence healthier eating habits, but there's a limit. Early risers must sacrifice their evenings and impose a 9pm bedtime if they want a full night's sleep, and take it from me: the five-to-nine lifestyle is not for the weak. 'As for whether or not this is healthy, that depends,' says Shenn. 'So many examples of this trend involve a fitness regime, so it's important to factor in rest days and time for recovery. Our bodies need time to repair themselves and our minds need a break from the constant hustle,' she says. I abandoned the routine after a poor two-day attempt. The early bedtimes meant I was missing out on socialising with my friends after work, plus, I'm not a morning person. Sticking to a schedule as compact as 5am to 9am isn't realistic, either. Ketki agrees: she can admire these schedules from afar, but she knows that it's impossible to keep without facing burnout. She wishes for more honesty from Gen Z content creators about the reality of their schedules alongside work. 'I would never begrudge someone for being an early riser, but I'd love to see more transparency around when things don't work out,' she explains. She'd be delighted to watch a productivity vlogger document the mundane, everyday failures that come with life, like missing a train or not having time to make breakfast and having to scoff a crusty Greggs bake en route (and getting covered in pastry in the process). 'Those experiences are far more common than having your s*** together all the time,' she says. The most accurate 'five-to-nine' video I watch shows a dishevelled young woman coming home after a long day, throwing her bag on the floor, changing into an oversized T-shirt, heating a microwave meal and flopping on the sofa for the duration of the evening. In another video that satirises the trend, a woman comes home and immediately switches off the lights, screams into a pillow and sits in the darkness. It feels more relatable, certainly: on some days, my 5pm to 9pm involves binging Gilmore Girls while eating a share bag of Doritos for dinner. But the next day, I might actually go to a gym class and eat a nutritious salad. And I'm completely fine with that balance.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boys & Girls Clubs, Ross Stores partner for homework support
Feb. 18—MOSES LAKE — The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin is getting an annual boost this month from a local retailer. Ross in Moses Lake is raising money for the children's resource in a special event called "Help Local Kids Thrive." This is the seventh year the store has supported the program in Moses Lake, according to BGCCB Resource Development Director Anastasia Carpenter. "This program sponsors our Power Hour, academic support for our club members," Carpenter said. The fundraiser is part of a nationwide program Ross has held annually nationwide for 11 years, according to a statement from Ross Stores Group Senior Vice President Matt Young. Cashiers at the Moses Lake and Wenatchee stores will accept donations from customers, and the company will match up to $500,000. Eighty percent of that money goes to the local club, Carpenter said, and the rest to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. "People can leave $1, $2, $3, $5 donations ... at the checkout," Carpenter said. "Usually there are also some marketing materials at the store so when people come in, they can read about this campaign and their results (for) the Boys and Girls Club." The store provides the marketing materials, Carpenter said, and coordinates with the club. A few times during the month-long campaign, some children from the Boys and Girls Club will stop by to visit the store. "We went to the local store and we did some arts and crafts, and kids had a chance to have a tour of the store, and they were able to announce the donations people (made) at the checkout," Carpenter said. "That was an amazing experience." "Ross is proud of our long-standing partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs, and we are excited to host our 11th annual in-store fundraiser to 'Help Local Kids Thrive,'" Young wrote in his statement. "Each year, Ross Stores, the Ross Stores Foundation, our Associates, and our generous Customers join forces to raise funds for Clubs nationwide and their Power Hour homework help program. Together, we are committed to providing kids in communities across the country with the academic support they need to achieve big goals." The Power Hour program, which offers structured homework help for club members after school, is one of the club's oldest and most popular programs, Carpenter said. There are helpers at all the club's sites at local schools, as well as the McGraw Clubhouse. "We have our youth development professionals and a designated area in the clubs for the homework, so they can sit down and they provide them some help with math, for example, or other things they are struggling with. Or maybe sometimes kids just don't have this opportunity, or nobody can help them at home with their homework. We also have our behavior support specialist, so if kids are struggling or they can't focus, we help them with that too." The Boys and Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin has more than 1,500 registered members, Carpenter said, and every day more than 600 students attend the school-based sites at Larson, North, Longview and Midway elementary schools. "This program is incredibly important as we have seen club members face academic challenges in recent years, particularly after COVID, along with difficulties in social interaction," Carpenter wrote in an email to the Columbia Basin Herald. "This program aims to address these issues, enhance learning, and build essential skills for their future. We are deeply grateful to Ross for supporting these programs nationwide."
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Biggest college hoops stories so far, UNC legend Roy Williams joins + winners of the weekend
Welcome to College BASKETBALL Power Hour! Just in time for the best part of the college basketball season, we've given the Power Hour a hoops makeover to bring you the top stories in men's and women's college basketball. Caroline Fenton, Jason Fitz & Ice Young recap the biggest storylines of the 2024-25 season so far to catch up our football listeners on what they might have missed. They chat about the epic rise of the SEC, whose basketball teams are dominating in a way we've never seen before, and the changes that have made it all possible. Keep your eyes on Cooper Flagg, the superstar freshman from Duke, and on what the UConn men's team is up to after their back-to-back national title wins. The trio share their biggest winners from last weekend including the Auburn men beating Alabama on the road, the UConn women dominating South Carolina on their home court, Vanderbilt freshman Mikayla Blakes dropping 55 points in a single game and more. The Power Hour crew also shares which matchups they're most excited for this upcoming weekend. Jason Fitz is joined by former UNC coach Roy Williams to talk about the current state of college hoops, Dan Hurley's antics and to share highlights from his partnership with Verizon to pay off the debt of several North Carolina Hurricane Helene survivors. (2:01) Rise of SEC hoops (10:10) Cooper Flagg (14:05) UConn & Dan Hurley (22:47) Bigger win: Auburn vs Alabama or UConn vs South Carolina? (30:43) Vandy player Mikayla Blakes drops 55 pts (31:43) Notre Dame women ranked no. 1 (35:18) Texas A&M survive another close game (39:18) Michigan St @ Michigan MBB preview (41:51) Iowa St @ Houston MBB preview (42:22) Notre Dame @ NC State WBB preview (43:46) LSU @ Kentucky WBB preview (46:51) Interview with Roy Williams 🖥️
