Michael Laughlin, Cult Filmmaker and ‘Two-Lane Blacktop’ Producer, Dies at 82

EXCLUSIVE: Actress and filmmaker Romola Garai, whose directorial debut Amulet played at Sundance 2020, is working on a raft of projects including a re-team with Amulet producer Matthew James Wilkinson (Yesterday).

More European countries could scrap tests for fully vaccinated arrivals in the coming days, according to reports.

A MSP is calling on newly appointed transport minister, Jenny Gilruth MSP, to clarify if Clyde Metro Project plans will benefit East Kilbride.

Strathclyde Sirens star Lynsey Gallagher admits sitting out the 2022 season is difficult, but it’s in her long-term interests.

A dad is furious that an investigation into a sexual assault on his teenage daughter has taken over two years.

Wilko has announced a new policy that has affected 248 stores nationwide, including a select few Scottish locations.

Coronation Street actress Kate Ford looks almost unrecognisable in throwback snaps from more than a decade ago.

RELEASESMetallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has announced that he will release his debut solo EP, ‘Portals’, on 23 Apr. “This music was created with what I describe as an audio-cinematic approach”, he says. “They’re soundtracks to the movies in your mind”.

Everywhere you look these days, there’s someone advising you on how you can make it as a musician. Little Simz gave an inspiring acceptance speech at the BRITs last night, the thrust of which was “work hard”. But is there another way? Yes, there is.

MASKED Singer fans are convinced the celebrity identity behind Panda is none other than 80s pop legend Toyah Willcox. The ITV show's grand finale is set to air this Saturday with Panda, Robobunny and Mushroom all battling out to be crowned the winner of The Masked Singer 2022.

ANTIQUES Roadshow expert Fergus Gambon left a guest stunned after revealing the eye-watering valuation of her grandmother’s teapot.  During a classic episode of Antiques Roadshow, host Fiona Bruce took viewers to the Royal Marines Museum in Southsea, Portsmouth. Amongst the hundreds of visitors attending the show, one guest left expert Fergus intrigued with her mysterious canister, which she revealed she brought along as an "afterthought".

BBC Bargain Hunt's Izzie Balmer originally wanted to be a musician but didn't enjoy studying it at college.The TV star has made her name as an expert in all things old, sparkly and collectible on programmes like Bargain Hunt, Flog It! and Antiques Road Trip.But she once revealed that she actually wanted to pursue a career in music.Izzie, who used to play the viola with the National Youth Orchestra, previously told Great British Life: "I planned to be a professional musician but didn't enjoy music college. "It wasn't for me."Izzie got into her current career when her mum suggested she sign up for some work experience at a local auction house.She was later offered a job there and went on to study at Birmingham's School of Jewellery."I kind of fell into this job but I absolutely love it," she told the Bristol Post in 2019:"I have always loved jewellery and been a fan of sparkly things, like most girls.

Super Bowl LVI on Sunday at the Rams' home, the SoFi Stadium in California.In addition to the action and drama during the match, fans will also be treated to a star-studded half-time show as well as cheerleaders from both franchises.Such is the beauty of NFL cheerleaders, it perhaps comes as no surprise that a host of past and present players have dated cheerleaders in the past.These include a former San Francisco 49ers quarter-back and an iconic tight end, so here are five NFL stars who dated cheerleaders.Former Detroit Lions quarter-back Matthew Stafford is currently preparing for his first-ever Super Bowl after joining the Rams at the end of last season.Prior to his time with the Lions, he led the Georgia Bulldogs to three consecutive bowl wins and also met his wife Kelly Hall while in college.Hall was a Bulldogs cheerleader and her and Stafford ended up getting married in 2015 and now have four daughters together.Former wide receiver David Nelson played for the Buffalo Bills, New York Jets and the Pittsburgh Steelers during his career.It was during his two years in Buffalo that he dated former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Kelsi Reich.After scoring a touchdown against the Cowboys during the 2011 season, Nelson even ran over to Reich in celebration and embraced his then girlfriend.The couple are no longer together and Nelson is now married with two children.Who do you think will win the Super Bowl? Let us know in the comments section.Three-time Super Bowl winner and former Cowboys QB Troy Aikman enjoyed a 12-year playing career that spanned from 1988 to 2000.He has since moved into broadcasting but has maintained a close connection to his former team and reportedly dated one of their iconic cheerleaders.Back in 2011,

Benidorm actor Oliver Stokes has sent fans wild after sharing a throwback snap with his co-stars.The TV star, now 23, played Michael Garvey, the mischievous son of Janice and Mick, in the comedy series from 2007 until 2015.He also appeared in the 2011 Christmas special of All Star Family Fortunes, alongside his co-stars.Oliver was clearly in a nostalgic mood recently when he shared a throwback snaps alongside his Benidorm co-stars.In one resurfaced photograph, the star can be seen posing next to his on-screen parents Siobhan Finneran and Steve Pemberton, on-screen grandmother Sheila and on-screen sister Hannah Hobley.Another snap showed Oliver posing next to more cast members including Danny Walters, who played Tyler Dyke in the sitcom.Unsurprisingly, the social media post shared on Tuesday night caught the attention of his followers.One fan gushed in the comment section: "Aw wow!! Such great pictures! Miss you off the screen mate."Another added: "Get on to production to bring this back!!!"While a third person posted: "I’d love another series!!!"A fourth social media person said: "It would be so cool if u lot made a return episode."February 1 marked 15 years since the ITV comedy first aired on ITV.In July 2018, it was confirmed that Benidorm would not be returning for an eleventh series, just weeks after the tenth series had concluded.Ratings had steadily declined throughout the last few series, with the events of series 10 acting as a conclusion to the characters' journeysExecutive producer Derren Litten went on to create a new sitcom for BBC One, entitled Scarborough, which featured a variety of former Benidorm cast membersAs well as Benidorm, Oliver appeared in ITV drama Heartbeat and played George Davies in an

security guard who claimed he was “bored” on his first day at work.Three Figures, painted by acclaimed Russian artist Anna Leporskava in 1932, was on display at the Yeltsin Center in Yekaterinburg, Russia, and was being looked after by a 60-year-old man.But something odd was spotted by art lovers who were checking out the image, worth £740,000.The security guard had decided to draw a pair of eyes on two out of the three faceless figures while on shift in December, 2021.The news, which has only just made headlines outside of Russia this week, presumably did not go down well at the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, where the painting was on loan from.Despite the obvious vandalism, Russian police refused to open a criminal case against the man, as there were “no signs of a crime as defined by the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation,” local news reports state.And the Yeltsin Center refused to give CCTV footage to the police, and also waited two weeks to report the vandalism.

MAYA Jama put on a brave face this morning with an early start just hours after leaving the Brit Awards 2022 afterparty. The radio presenter took to social media at 8am on Wednesday to detail how she was back in hair and make-up getting ready for another busy day.

This Morning viewers were left outraged after a victim of the Tinder Swindler conman, who featured on the new Netflix series, appeared on the show and asked for help paying off her debts.Cecilie Fjellhoy joined hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield to discuss the hit show which focuses on Israeli love rat Simon Leviev.The pretty Norwegian graduate found herself falling victim to serial swindler Simon after she matched with him on popular dating app Tinder.Her intense fauxmance with the criminal mastermind very quickly began turning sour as he turned from her dream man into a drain on finances and emotions.Cecile, 29, ultimately found herself checking in to a psychiatric facility and over £200,000 in debt as she faced reality and got out of the relationship.Now she and her fellow victims have started a fundraising page to attempt to get back the £600,000 they lost at the hands of their lover.However, viewers of the ITV daytime show were lacking in sympathy for the woman as Cecile explained the impact the experience had on her and were disgusted that she was now asking others to pay off the debt she had accrued because of Simon.Taking to Twitter to air their disgust they didn't hold back as they slammed Cecile and her fellow victims Pernilla Sjoholm and Ayleen Charlotte.One angry viewer wrote: "What!! They’re now asking other people to pay for them! #swindler #ThisMorning."Another added: "A Go Fund Me page, the nerve of them!."A third posted: "Someone paid 1500 on that go fund me ??? What?!"Another social media user wrote: "Is this a joke? Why do they expect other people to pay for their mistakes."A fifth user tweeted: "It's horrible what happened to them and everything but they can't seriously be expecting other

Covid, and he died at his home in Honolulu, Hawaii.The talented film buff began his showbiz career when he moved to London to become a producer.In the late 60s, as he worked on movies such as The Whispers in 1967 with Bryan Forbes, and Joanna in 1968 with director Michael Sarne.The Illinois-born was probably best known for the 1971 movie Two-Lane Blacktop, which was directed by Monte Hellman.The movie was part of a series of eight independent feature films he worked on.In 2007, Laughlin was featured in a 2007 Criterion Collection release of the cult hit and it eventually was put in the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress in 2012.Over the next few years, he would work on many projects, including the 1981 horror film Strange

Filmmaker and producer Michael Laughlin died in Honolulu, Hawaii at the age of 82 due to COVID-19 complications.Laughlin died October 20, his friend Brooke Nasser told Variety.The Illinois-born Laughlin had been recruited by Stanford University to play basketball, and eventually graduated in 1960 from Principia College in Elsah, Illinois.

Variety.The producer, who was born in Illinois, had been recruited by Stanford University to play basketball, and graduated in 1960 from Principia College in Elsah.He began producing films in the late 60s and worked on movies like The Whispers with Bryan Forbes in 1967, and Joanna in 1968 with director Michael Sarne.A decade later, he produced a series of independent feature films, including the famous 1971 movie Two-Lane Blacktop by director Monte Hellman.The film was put in the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress in 2012.In the 1980s he wrote and directed three motion pictures, including 1981 horror flick Strange Behaviours, 1983's Strange Invaders, and 1985's drama Mesmerized featuring Jodie Foster and John Lithgow.Laughlin

Director, producer and screenwriter Michael Laughlin, whose credits include Two-Lane Blacktop, Town & Country and Strange Behavior, died on October 20th at the age of 82.