Thank you Keren Woodward, singer and star of the all-female 80s pop group Bananarama, for saying what I’ve been dying to express for a while. I was a little reserved in case people thought I had become a puritanical old fart, which, I assure you, is not the case.

But this week Keren said: ‘I don’t understand what some singers are wearing these days.’ I’d say the problem isn’t necessarily what they wear, but what they don’t wear.

“I have friends who have teenage daughters and these girls already have terrible body image and insecurities,” she continued, “and I don’t think having a woman like that on stage helps with that.”

Keren is absolutely right. Everyone from Dua Lipa, who recently announced she would be headlining Glastonbury, to the brilliant Oscar nominee Florence Pugh, seems to feel like they always have to appear half-naked in public. Likewise, Beyonce, one of the best-selling music artists of all time, is adored by young girls and women.

They love her music, just like they think megastar Taylor Swift’s songs touch their hearts and souls. But why do such talented, successful and powerful women feel the need to appear on stage virtually naked in jewel-encrusted leotards or, in Beyonce’s case, naked except for strategically placed jewelry astride a horse?

When Beyonce unveiled the artwork for her new album this week, I was thrilled to see her clothes back on… until I noticed the back of her leather pants had been cut away to expose her bum – why?

These stars must have worked extremely hard for the bodies they like to show off. There are no bingo wings, no bloated bellies, no swollen ankles. They must exercise every day and have expert chefs who prepare nutritious, healthy meals. Very different from the teenage fan who has to eat her way through school lunch, may have a bit of puppy fat and the only exercise she gets is copying a TikTok dance in her bedroom. No wonder so many girls have body problems and more young people than ever are receiving treatment for eating disorders, according to the NHS.

I have friends whose girls simply stopped eating and lifting weights to achieve the strong, handsome arms of their idols.

The sad reality is that far from being inspiring, many of today’s female pop stars are a danger to the mental health of young people.

Then there is the risk that girls run themselves by copying the outfits. Like Keren, I have friends whose teenage daughters spend hours listening to the music of the women they adore and do their best to look and dance like them. They hope Mom doesn’t notice when they sneak out in the requisite barely-there clothing.

Nothing can be more disturbing to a parent than seeing their little girl go out dressed like a porn star, unaware of the dangers this can bring.

In the 1980s, Bananarama’s heyday, and even into the 2000s, if reruns of the old Top Of The Pops on BBC 4 are to be believed, it wasn’t about showing the flesh.

Keren says they are proud of becoming pin-ups without being overtly sexy: “We became sex symbols in donkey jackets. We had no stylists or make-up artists. That wouldn’t happen now.’

But why wouldn’t that happen now? Since the turn of the century, we seem to have lost the sense that talent matters above all. Think of Annie Lennox or Debbie Harry; major stars appreciated for their beautiful voices and idiosyncratic sense of style, who always came across as intelligent and thoughtful in interviews.

For me, as a feminist, journalist, interviewer and cultural commentator, it felt like women were achieving something because of what we had fought for.

Women were valued for the quality of our minds, not primarily for the size of our breasts – or how willing we were to show them.

Of course, it’s not just pop stars who only appear in essentials. On every red carpet, be it the Oscars or the Baftas, there are always a number of beautiful, famous women who appear to be wearing as little as possible.

Sometimes the dresses are sheer and sheer and leave nothing to the imagination, or the cut is so tight that large, full breasts struggle to break free.

I have no doubt that this is a result of the proliferation of porn, an arena where women perform almost exclusively for the delight of men.

But it’s the hugely talented, half-naked, ripped women radiating sex and suggestiveness that bother me the most. Why don’t they consider the impact on their impressionable young fans? And the impact on women as a whole.

We have worked so hard to be seen as the intellectual equals of men. Please don’t blame us for being seen as nothing more than glorified strippers.

A fitting farewell for Charlie

Once I needed it, I hadn’t seen BBC’s Casualty in a while. But on Saturday I couldn’t miss the departure, after 38 years, of Charlie Fairhead. I was so relieved that he was saved from being stabbed in the chest and left for retirement in a yellow VW Beetle, the same car he had arrived in all those years ago. A happy ending for once.

• Let’s not make too much of a fuss about Dame Laura Kenny leaving cycling ‘in the interests of her children’. She said she just didn’t want to do all that training anymore. Her husband, Sir Jason Kenny, quit in 2022 to become a coach. Now the children will have father and mother to take care of them.

“This is not PepsiCo, your former employer. This is the BBC!’ All my adult life I have willingly paid the licensing fee, knowing it would give me wonderful programs without any hint of the influence of the commercial world.

Yes, the BBC is short of money – always has been. But successive DGs have fallen out with governments when the Charter came up for renewal and received an increase.

Who will be willing to pay the license fee if they know the BBC is no better than its commercial rivals? I won’t and it will break my heart.

• I have always longed to play an instrument and there is evidence that learning piano would keep my brain sharp. But a teen horror story still scares me. A neighbor offered me free lessons. One day I had to practice scales when she came up, and I still tried to figure out Little Donkey. She came down and hit me on the knuckles with a ruler and told me to do a scale. I left feeling like my creativity had been crushed. Do I dare to try again?

The stars headed to the pubs as they celebrated St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday.

Richard E Grant got into the spirit of the Irish holiday as he enjoyed a sing-along over a friend’s drinks.

The actor, 66, shared videos of singers and dancers on the night out, where he was also joined by Irish This Morning chef Clodagh McKenna and her partner Harry Herbert.

She planted a sweet kiss on his cheek as they enjoyed a Guinness cake together in the clip.

Richard wrote in his Instagram caption: ‘St Patrick’s celebrations led by @imeldaofficial, @mauriceflynn and hosted by THE life-improving force that is @clodagh_mckenna and @harry_m_herbert on their farm @broadspear.’

Elsewhere, Liam Gallagher kissed a pint of Guinness as he made the most of the festivities.

He captioned his Twitter post as he posed in a patterned jacket and quirky hat: ‘Happy St Patrick’s day LG.’

Meanwhile, Tyson Fury wore a green tracksuit and black waistcoat to mark the day as he posed for an Instagram photo with Sir Alex Ferguson.

The boxing legend shared the photo with his 6.9 million followers as he attended the FA Cup match between Manchester United and Liverpool.

Penny Lancaster cut a stylish figure in a green suit as she celebrated St Patricks Day at The Ivy with some friends.

Niall Horan looked in good spirits as he posed on stage during the sound check in Prague ahead of his show tonight.

The 30-year-old singer beamed for a selfie holding his guitar as he posed in front of his BeReal, which he shared on Instagram. He wrote: ‘St Paddy’s Day in Prague!’

Meanwhile, Paul Mescal and Ayo Edebiri have sparked dating rumors with their St. Patrick’s Day post.

Actress Ayo, 28, posted a sweet photo in front of St Paddy’s with the Irish star, also 28, on Sunday.

The pair looked cozy as they beamed in the photo uploaded to her Instagram Story to mark Irish Cultural Day celebrated annually on March 17.

She wrote in the caption of her post: ‘Happy St Paddy’s!’, as she leaned on his shoulder in the image and he rested his arm on her leg.

Ayo is best known for playing chef Sydney Adamu in the comedy-drama series The Bear.

Their representatives have been contacted by MailOnline for comment.

Ayo was last reported to be dating actor and writer Colin Burgess, but they kept their relationship very private.

Paul and Ayo posed for photos together at the BAFTAs last month alongside Paul’s All Of Us Strangers co-star Andrew Scott.

It comes just weeks after Florence Pugh reportedly caught the eye of Normal People star Paul.

The streets of London will turn into a sea of ​​green as the city prepares to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day today.

The highlight of the capital’s festivities is the highly anticipated Festival and Trafalgar Square Parade, which returns on Sunday.

Led by vibrant floats decorated with shamrocks and accompanied by traditional Irish music, the parade winds its way through iconic streets of central London before moving to Trafalgar Square where the festivities continue.

The annual event, hosted by the Mayor of London, will be held on Sunday March 17 and marks its 21st year.

Spectators can look forward to dazzling performances from Irish dancers, including the Maguire O’Shea Academy of Irish Dance, displays of captivating music from the likes of The London Celtic Youth Orchestra, and a showcase of Irish culture and heritage.

By Melody Fletcher for Mailonline

Published: 6:00 AM EDT, March 17, 2024 | Updated: 7:56 AM EDT, March 17, 2024

It’s awards season and that means one thing: eagle-eyed fashion fans are watching the events as intently as movie buffs.

For some viewers, seeing what the A-listers choose to wear as they strut down the red carpet is just as important as seeing who picked up the gong.

And two actors who get a lot of attention – much of it unwanted – for their ensembles are Florence Pugh and Emily Blunt.

The two theater makers opted for a trend that upset some fashionistas – with one even wondering if their dresses had fallen victim to the dreaded ‘wardrobe malfunction’.

And the feature in question is “floating straps,” a design where the stars wore dresses with the shoulder straps placed several inches above their shoulders instead of resting on top.

Best Supporting Actress nominee Emily Blunt may not have won her category, but she did appear on several best-dressed lists, thanks to her champagne-colored, beaded Schiaparelli dress with floating shoulders.

Stylist Jessica Paster, who helped Emily choose the dress, shared Vanity fair: ‘Did I know that people started talking over their shoulders? Absolute. Do I care what anyone else has to say? Absolutely not.’

Jessica added: ‘At the end of the day she looked absolutely beautiful. It was such a beautiful dress.’

She also noted that she was surprised to see Florence Pugh wearing a similar detail on her silver Del Core dress, as she “thought” [Blunt] would be the first to wear it [the floating shoulder]’.

While the stylist may have liked the details, it was surprisingly controversial among some viewers, who shared their negative thoughts on social media.

One Instagrammer said: ‘I thought it was a wardrobe malfunction.’

And an X user (formerly Twitter) wrote: ‘The floating bands need to go. one of the worst trends in years. I just want to push them all DOWN.”

Another said: ‘Why are Emily Blunt’s dress straps just floating in the air?’

In a similar vein, another commenter wrote, “What’s going on with Emily’s top dress straps? They look like they’re floating.’

Meanwhile, another wrote: ‘Apparently there are floating straps in there?’

However, a small minority of viewers seemed to be fans of the trend and shared positive thoughts about the new look.

One wrote: ‘I didn’t know what to think at first… but I love Emily Blunt and Flo Pugh’s floating shoulder straps.’

And another added: ‘OMG FLOATING BANDS OF BEAUTIFULNESS. Charlize! I live!’

Additionally, Emily’s figure-hugging sequined Schiaparelli couture gown faced a backlash due to the dress’s quirky, bejeweled Y-front.

Emily’s stylist Jessica Paster took offense to fans who said the girth of the underwear ‘ruined the whole look’ when she shared photos on Instagram.

She replied: ‘because you have absolutely no refined taste.’

When another criticized: ‘I just think this is too cool a dress for her and the glamor didn’t help’, Jessica hit back: ‘I didn’t see you on the red carpet???’.

The cream-colored dress was covered in sequins and had gravity-defying straps, but as Emily walked the red carpet, all viewers could talk about was the beaded outline of a pair of Y-fronts on her dress and the bizarre shoulders.

One wrote: ‘Is Emily Blunt wearing the tight white men’s underwear dress? Yes she is’, while another said: ‘thanks Emily Blunt for bringing back the handball goalkeeper jockstrap’.

Others said: ‘Why does Emily Blunt’s dress have rhinestone fronts?’ and “Emily Blunt’s dress has shopping bag handles for shoulder straps.”

“Emily Blunt wearing that dress makes me miss Joan Rivers and Fashion Police. Joan would have made great jokes.”

‘What’s going on with Emily Blunt’s dress? Miranda Priestly frowns.’

Jessica has been a stylist for over twenty years and has dressed a number of stars, including Eva Longoria, Sandra Bullock and Jennifer Aniston, for major red carpet events such as the Emmys, Golden Globes and the Met Gala.

Cate Blanchett once raved about her when she said, “The great thing about Jessica is [her ability] to inhabit the fashion world and be human and real.”

Emily’s film Oppenheimer won a whopping seven Oscars at Sunday night’s Academy Awards, while rival Barbie won just one.

The two actors weren’t the only ones looking unusual: Also sporting modernist ensembles, Kim Kardashian and Emily Ratajkowski pulled out all the stops for the Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty.

Kim opted for a sculptural white satin dress from Balenciaga for the ‘do at the Wallis Annenberg Center in Beverly Hills.

However, the 43-year-old mother of four contrasted the ultra-modern dress with a classic cosmetic look.

She styled her hair in waves, stunning in an old Hollywood style, and then finished her look with a smokey eye and nude lip.

Also dressed in a futuristic dress was Emily Ratajkowski, 32, by French fashion label Jacquemus.

Emily posed sideways and showed off the backless gown, which had an unusual asymmetrical bodice.

The bodice tilted slightly to the left and almost seemed to detach from her figure.

Anya Taylor-Joy has been accused of ‘normalising hunger’ and promoting the eating disorder after showing off her tiny waist in a corset.

The actress, 27, shared a behind-the-scenes photo to Instagram on Sunday after the Dune premiere, in which she cinched her waist under her glittering dress.

She went topless in the black and white photo which highlighted her extremely small stomach.

Fans were shocked by the image, writing the comments: ‘Can’t we normalize famine?’; “Are you aware that corsets are harmful to women’s health and should not be promoted?”

‘Anya, I love you, but this looks so pro-ana’; ‘Are your ribs okay? Could you breathe? I honestly wonder! :)’; ‘Rough. Expected better from you tbh. Thinness is not chic’.

Others shared: ‘That’s not a healthy look for women at all’; ‘I’m sorry, this isn’t it’; ‘Stomach: I’m tired boss’; ‘Nothing to be proud of and a bad example for young girls.’

Still, some fans were quick to defend Ana, reasoning, “She’s not promoting anything dude, let a woman be free. If she likes it, if you don’t, that’s fine. You have the right not to wear it, just like she has the right to wear whatever she wants. We don’t have to be dramatic about it…’;

#What’s going on with you guys in the comments? Go touch some grass. Her body is fine, she has always been on the slimmer side and in the first photo it is just a corset she wore to an event. Fff.’

Corsets have exploded in popularity in recent years after stars raved about their ability to tuck in your waist.

Waist training – which involves wearing increasingly tight undergarments to permanently tighten your waist – is now de rigueur among certain celebrities.

But doctors and historians have warned against this trend and revealed that restricting the waistline can take its toll on many aspects of the body.

Together with her corset click, Anya shared a photo in a dramatic Maison Margiela dress from creative director John Galliano’s Paris-inspired SS24 Haute Couture collection.

The incredible dress had a figure-hugging gold slip underneath and a black, sheer, tulle-textured dress over it.

As she posed at the event with Dune director Denis Villeneuve, 56, who looked dapper in a black suit.

Anya also joined the rest of the Dune cast for a while, including Souheila Yacoub, Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Villeneuve, Austin Butler, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Florence Pugh and Lea Seydoux.

Zendaya, 27, turned heads in a stunning white dress with a unique cutout that gave a peek at her belly button.

Meanwhile, Chalamet, 28, rocked an all-leather ensemble.

Taylor-Joy’s role in the epic part two has been kept under wraps until now.

Variety confirmed that Taylor-Joy will appear in the film, playing a “key character” from the franchise.

The film picks up immediately after the first film ended, when Paul Atreides and his mother Lady Jessica joined forces with Chani and the rest of the desert-dwelling Fremen to take revenge on the evil House Harkonnen, whose members are mostly of his family and friends. .

The films are based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel of the same name, which was first released in March 2021 to great critical and commercial success, winning six Academy Awards.

Timothee leads the cast as the messianic figure Paul, while Zendaya plays Chani, a member of the Fremen, the indigenous inhabitants of Arrakis.

Butler has joined the cast for the sequel, playing Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, a ruthlessly trained assassin who is Paul’s rival to take control of Arrakis.

The first reviews for the film are already trickling in ahead of its March 1 release, and so far they’re even better than the first part.

Dune: Part 2 has already earned an incredible 97% from 112 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

And many critics praised the film’s massive scope, including Rolling Stone’s David Fear, who said: ‘Villeneuve has outdone himself.

“More importantly, it has done justice to the scope, scale and sheer strangeness of the back half of a stoner-lit touchstone without, pun intended, sanding down the edges.”

Peter Debruge of Variety admitted that splitting the film into two halves was a “huge gamble” that somehow paid off.

While the 2021 film rocked the world, part two, he added, “graduates from the world-building tension of the 2021 original to a meaty, all-encompassing story.”

In addition to Timothee and Zendaya, the sequel also sees the return of stars Dave Bautista (Beast Rabban), Javier Bardem (Stiglar), Josh Brolin (Gurney Hallack) and Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica).

Part two also features a fair number of newcomers, including Austin, which also features Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Anya.

The film was originally scheduled for release in late October 2023, before being pushed back to November and ultimately shuffled all the way back to March of this year following the twin writers and actors strikes.

After multiple delays, the film will now hit theaters on March 1, 2024.

If this article has affected you, please visit BEAT at www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk

Zendaya stepped out in another sensational and futuristic outfit on Thursday, as she joined Timothée Chalamet and Austin Butler at the Dune: Part Two Seoul premiere in South Korea.

The actress, 27, showed off her long legs in a figure-hugging grey skirt, adorned with a luminous pattern resembling a circuit board.

She teamed it with a coordinating zip-up jacket with the same fluorescent detailing, which glowed as she posed for the cameras.

Zendaya added an extra few inches to her already towering frame with a pair of patent leather high heels.

The Golden Globe winner swept her dark hair up into an elegant a bun, with two distinct strands left down to frame her face. 

She completed her striking look with a silver ear cuff and bright purple eyeshadow outlining her eyes for added dramatic effect.

Timothée put on an animated display at the glitzy premiere, as he waved to the crowd of fans.

The actor, 27, looked typically handsome, donning a bright white double-breasted blazer with a modern twist.

He teamed it with a pair of matching smart trousers with black leather boots, while also sporting a silver chain necklace.

Austin looked every inch the movie star as he arrived in a dapper black suit with a white shirt and black tie.

Dune director Denis Villeneuve also opted for a black suit and tie for the event, as he arrived with his wife and producer Tanya Lapointe.

Tanya cut an chic figure in a black maxi dress with a gold threaded hem with a a matching coat layered over the top.

She added a pair of black shiny lace-up heels and toted a coordinating briefcase-inspired handbag.

The cast and crew were mobbed by excited fans and happily took the time to stop and sign posters of the science-fiction epic.

The stars were also seen chatting to the adoring crowd and posing for selfies as they walked down the carpet.

The film takes place immediately after the first ended, when Paul Atreides and his mother Lady Jessica joined forces with Chani and the rest of the desert-dwelling Fremen to get revenge against the evil House Harkonnen, whose members have killed most of his family and friends. 

The films are based on Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel of the same name, with first being released to much critical and commercial success in March 2021, and going on to win six Academy Awards.

Timothée leads the cast as messianic figure Paul, while Zendaya plays Chani, a member of the Fremen, who are the native inhabitants of Arrakis.

Austin has joined the cast for the sequel, playing Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen, a ruthless trained assassin who is Paul’s rival to taking control of Arrakis. 

The first reviews are already starting to trickle in for the film ahead of its release on March 1, and so far they’re even better than the first installment.

Dune: Part 2 has already earned an incredible 97% from 112 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

And many of the critics praised the film’s gargantuan scope, including Rolling Stone‘s David Fear, who said: ‘Villeneuve has outdone himself.

‘More importantly, he’s done justice to the scope and scale and sheer weirdness of a stoner-lit touchstone’s back half without, pun intended, sanding away its edges.’

Variety‘s Peter Debruge admitted that splitting the movie in two halves was a ‘massive gamble’ that somehow paid off.

While the 2021 film set up the world, he added Part Two, ‘graduates from the world-building thrills of the 2021 original to a meaty, all-encompassing narrative.’

Alongside Timothée and Zendaya, the sequel also sees the return of stars Dave Bautista (Beast Rabban), Javier Bardem (Stiglar), Josh Brolin (Gurney Hallack) and Rebecca Ferguson (Lady Jessica).

Part Two also has its fair share of newcomers including Austin, with Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken and Anya Taylor-Joy also joining.

The film was originally scheduled for a late October 2023 release, before being pushed back to November and finally shuffled all the way back to March of this year following the dual writers and actors strikes. 

By Camilla Ridley-day for The Daily Mail

Published: 3:07 PM EST, February 21, 2024 | Updated: 3:08 PM EST, February 21, 2024

The Prince and Princess of Wales are currently pondering the difficult question of where to send Prince George to high school.

And it looks like there's a new institution in the running after The Daily Mail revealed Kate, 42, and Prince William, 41, were set to take a look at £47,000-a-year 'Teddies', as St Edward's School in Oxford is known stands. .

The princess underwent a 'successful' planned abdominal surgery just over three weeks ago and is currently resting at her Windsor home, Adelaide Cottage, so it's unclear exactly when the royal couple toured.

“They came to watch,” said a Teddies grandfather.

The coeducational institution, founded in 1863 by the Reverend Thomas Chamberlain, has a gifted headmaster, Alastair Chirnside.

As an Oxford student he gained a Congratulatory First – awarded perhaps only once in a decade for exceptional brilliance – in Classics and French, and also won a Half-Blue for rowing in the Oxford lightweight crew.

The school's impressive alumni include Dambusters leader Guy Gibson and fellow RAF legend Douglas Bader, as well as actor Laurence Olivier and Oppenheimer star Florence Pugh.

Up websitethe headteacher emphasizes the school's 'spirit of inclusion' and 'ethos of collaboration'.

He adds: “Everyone should have the opportunity to participate and everyone should have the opportunity to excel. Children's happiness and their ability to recognize what makes them happy are more important than anything else.”

Speaking about the school's philosophy, Mr Chirnside said: 'Education is a deeply personal endeavour, based on good relationships and most successful when teachers and students can set their course.

'That philosophy has defined St Edward's recent success and will form the basis for the school's future.'

The educational institution has 100 'glorious' hectares in the north of Oxford, including a golf course and a boathouse.

In terms of curriculum, the school's website explains that students are encouraged to look beyond exam results and focus on long-term life goals.

In this way the school encourages children to take 'Pathways and Perspective' courses in addition to their GCSEs.

The courses have been designed by the school together with 'leading educational experts' and are accredited to Buckingham University, with several courses having links with university departments.

The courses complement GCSE options and cover areas such as sustainability, design, sports science and the classical world.

The Sustainability course is likely to appeal to the Prince of Wales, who is known for his green-focused vision.

Students also take seven to eleven GCSEs, which require English Language, World Literature, Maths and Science (double or triple distinction) and one modern foreign language.

The school charges extra fees for extracurricular activities including drama, golf and sailing lessons.

One of the main objectives of 'Teddies' is to teach a range of life skills. Therefore, students must join the Combined Cadet Force. Students can choose between the Army, Navy and Air Force sections.

Established in 1948 as a youth organization of the Ministry of Defense, the objectives of the course are 'to provide a disciplined organization in a school so that students can develop leadership skills through training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self-reliance and resourcefulness' . , endurance and perseverance'.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are also known to champion young people's mental health – another philosophy that 'Teddies' prioritises.

Last year the school supported Oxfordshire Youth to improve the mental health of children at school and in the wider community.

St Edward's also hosts an annual Youth in Mind conference in partnership with Oxfordshire Mind.

The conference is open to social and health professionals from across the UK and provides an opportunity to hear from speakers and develop skills to improve the mental health of children and young people.

Although Prince William and Prince Harry both were studied at Eton College, just a short distance from Windsor CastleIt has not yet been confirmed whether Prince George will follow in his father and uncle's footsteps.

He has also been linked to his mother Kate's former school, Marlborough College, where Pippa and James Middleton were also educated.

The Mail on Sunday reported that George has already been given a 'home' in a secure location and a caretaker at the school when he does eventually go to school.

But it is said there are concerns that Marlborough has become 'too flashy' after a rise in popularity with ultra-wealthy families due to its association with the Middletons.

“The 2024 version of Marlborough could be very different from how Kate remembers it,” says a source.

'It's become a bit more jet-setting. Many parents have villas in Ibiza, chalets in Verbier or a private jet, which is not Kate's style. She prefers understated wealth.”

They added: 'Kate wants a school that suits all her children and keeps them grounded.'

Last week the Mail on Sunday reported that Kate and William had also put the prestigious Oundle School among their top choices for their eldest son, who leaves primary school this summer.

Oundle School in north Northamptonshire claims it can help shape its pupils into 'decent', 'open-minded' and 'ambitious' adults – but never 'arrogant'.

Founded in 1556, the institution prides itself on students, known as Oudelians, 'sharing the town of Oundle' with residents, as the buildings are spread across the area on an open campus with a chapel and cricket pitch.

The headteacher, Sarah Kerr-Dineen, who studied at both Oxford and Cambridge, describes the pupils at the school as 'intellectually curious, energetic and resourceful'.

A night of celebration ended with the usual flurry of high-profile departures following the star-studded 76th annual BAFTA Awards on Sunday evening. 

Celebs scattered across London to enjoy lavish afterparties hosted by Vogue, Netflix and Universal. 

Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal cosied up to pal Emma Stone at Netflix’s afterparty at the Chiltern Firehouse.

Meanwhile, Kate Beckinsale and Kaia Gerber brought the glamour as they attended the British Vogue And Tiffany & Co. fashion And film party.

Florence Pugh stayed true to form on Sunday night and celebrated the BAFTAs by attending the Universal and Netflix afterparties.

The Dune star, 28, looked incredible as she hopped from the Universal party held at the Nomad hotel in Covent Garden, before skipping off to the Netflix bash at the Chiltern Firehouse.

Dua Lipa and her new boyfriend Callum Turner looked besotted with each other as they left Vogue party. 

The singer, 28, and the actor, 34, held hands as they walked towards their waiting car after partying the evening away at the star-studded bash. 

The biggest night in British film returned with actor David Tennant as host and an array of guest presenters on hand to deliver awards throughout the night.

Prince William attended the ceremony in London solo as his wife Kate Middleton continues her recovery from last month’s abdominal surgery.

Oppenheimer won Best Film as well as sweeping the board in the major categories at the EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall .

The epic biographical thriller led the wins with seven gongs, including Best Actor for Cillian Murphy, Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr. and Best Director for Christopher Nolan. It had the most nominations with 13.

Murphy, 47 – who plays the titular role in Nolan’s atomic bomb saga – picked up the prize at the prestigious awards ceremony.

He triumphed against Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, Barry Keoghan for Saltburn and Teo Yoo for Past Lives.

Accepting the trophy, he said: ‘Oh boy, holy moly, thank you very, very much BAFTA.’

He paid tribute to ‘the most dynamic, kindest producer-director partnership in Hollywood: Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, thank you for seeing something in me that I probably didn’t see in myself.’

The Irish actor said to Nolan: ‘Thank for always pushing me and demanding excellence because that is what you deliver time and time again.’

Nolan also acknowledged his ‘fellow nominees and my Oppenhomies’, adding: ‘I know it’s a cliche to say, but I’m in awe of you.’

He said J Robert Oppenheimer was a ‘colossally knotty character’, adding: ‘We have a space to debate and interrogate and investigate that complexity and it’s a privilege to be a part of this community with you all.

Downey Jr, 58, also collected a BAFTA for his role as Lewis Strauss in the Hollywood blockbuster, which has swept the board during the 2024 awards season.

He admitted he owes the award to Nolan, producer Emma Thomas and leading man Murphy, as well as ‘British influence’.

Gesturing to Nolan, he said: ‘Recently that dude suggested I attempt an understated approach as a last ditch effort to resurrect my dwindling credibility.’

Downey Jr’s win set a new record for the longest gap between wins by any performer as it comes 31 years after his previous BAFTA, for the 1993 film Chaplin.

The previous record was 27 years, set by Sir Anthony Hopkins in 2021 when he won the award for best actor for The Father, nearly three decades after his 1994 win for Shadowlands.

Nolan won the Best Director BAFTA for Oppenheimer, his epic tale of how the nuclear bomb was created.

Before accepting the award from actor Hugh Grant, Nolan hugged Murphy.

Nolan joked that his brother ‘beat him up here’ by being in a chorus of a production 40 years ago.

Nolan has previously lost out despite numerous commercial successes such as Inception and The Dark Knight, the UK-born filmmaker won out against Jonathan Glazer [The Zone of Interest], Justine Triet [Anatomy of a Fall], Alexander Payne [The Holdovers], Bradley Cooper [Maestro] and Andrew Haigh [All of Us Strangers].

He paid tribute to Murphy and added to those who backed the film: ‘Thank you for taking on something dark’.

The director also acknowledged the efforts of nuclear disarmament organisations to bring peace.

Oppenheimer swept up in the big name categories, but it was closely followed by the surreal black comedy Poor Things.

It marked five awards for the film, as Emma Stone collected the Best Actress gong for her turn as Bella Baxter.

Accepting her award, she said: ‘Since we’re in London, I want to start by thanking dialect coach. She praised him for not laughing at her when he taught her how to say ‘water’.

‘I really wanted to thank my mum, because she’s the best person I know. Without her none of this would exist, including my life, so thank you for that Mum.’

The American actress said she was ‘in awe’ of all of the team behind the film, where she plays the part of a woman who is reanimated and implanted with the brain of a baby.

She paid tribute to the writers for coming up with the line ‘I must go punch that baby’ in a memorable dinner scene, and also hailed director Yorgos Lanthimos for ‘our friendship and the gift of Bella’.

Also thanking her mother, Stone said: ‘She kind of made me believe this crazy idea that I can do something like this.’

Meanwhile, Da’Vine Joy Randolph crowned victorious in the Best Supporting Actress category for her part in The Holdovers as she continues her march to Oscars glory.

Randolph took to the stage and told Chiwetel Ejiofor, who was presenting the award, ‘you are so handsome’ – prompting laughter from the audience.

On a more serious note, she said: ‘Thank you for trusting me with this beautiful character.

Becoming emotional, she said being able to ‘wear this beautiful gown, standing on the stage in London, is not a responsibility I take lightly’.

Randolph plays school cook Mary in the film set at a boarding school in the early 1970s.

Next up, Director Jonathan Glazer and producer James Wilson’s The Zone Of Interest won the BAFTA for Outstanding British Film.

Wilson told the audience they were ‘stunned’ the film had won three awards during the ceremony, and while it was shot in Poland, the team who made it was assembled from the UK.

The night kicked off with French legal drama Anatomy Of A Fall winning the Original Screenplay award after premiering in Cannes back in May.

Collecting the award, co-writer and director Justine Triet, said: ‘The last time I I was in London, a woman said to me: ‘After I saw your movie I called my ex and told him to see it to understand why I dumped him.’

‘Someone else said ‘Did you put a mic in my kitchen?’

Gesturing to her co-writer and partner Arthur Harari, Triet said ‘I would like to make a statement tonight: it’s a fiction and we are reasonably fine.’

Harari referred to the plot of the courtroom drama when he joked that he had recently found himself near a window in an attic.

He added: ‘I want this room as my witness, if something happens to me, I loved insulating that attic and I’m quite happy tonight.’

Next up, Poor Things has won the BAFTA for special visual effects.

VFX supervisor Simon Hughes said receiving the special visual effects BAFTA for the the film was a career highlight.

‘It’s the peak of my career, absolutely for me. And to have it happen on such a unique film like this is just a real eye-opener, it’s been such a surreal and such a rewarding experience.’

Following this, drama film Earth Mama was honoured with the BAFTA outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer, presented by David Beckham.

Director Savanah Leaf was sobbing as she took to the stage to be presented with the award for her tale of a pregnant single mother.

Leaf said ‘this is crazy’, adding: ‘Our lead had never acted before and she poured her heart into this and she was so fearless.’

The director was given the award alongside Irish producers Shirley O’Connor and Medb Riordan.

The Zone Of Interest won the BAFTA for a film not in the English language.

Director Jonathan Glazer said it was ‘an out of body experience’ to win the award as he paid tribute to his collaborators.

Producer James Wilson thanked Glazer for his ‘virtuosity and his friendship’.

He continued: ‘Walls aren’t new from before or since the Holocaust and it seems stark right now that we should care about innocent people being killed in Gaza or Yemen or Mariupol or Israel.’

He added: ‘Thank your for recognising a film that asks us to think in those spaces.’

The BAFTA for Casting was awarded to Susan Shopmaker for private school-set The Holdovers, while the editing award has gone to Jennifer Lame for Second World War biopic Oppenheimer.

Comedy drama American Fiction has won Best Adapted Screenplay.

American writer and former Gawker journalist Cord Jefferson said winning a BAFTA was ‘surreal’, and that he had his speech written for him because he did not think he would need it.

Jefferson said in a ‘risk-averse industry’, he is thankful for his film – about a novelist who spoofs the ‘black genre’ of books, which becomes a ruse he has to maintain – was made.

The Boy And The Heron won the Best Animated Film Bafta.

Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki was not at the ceremony so the award was collected by presenters Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott.

The Documentary BAFTA went to 20 Days In Mariupol, which highlights the work of Associated Press journalists in the besieged Ukrainian city during the Russian invasion.

Ukrainian filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov said: ‘This is not about us’, this is about the country invaded by Russia and the bombed city they filmed in was just ‘a symbol of everything that has happened’.

‘Thank you for empowering our voice, and let’s keep fighting,’ he added.

Composer Ludwig Goransson won the BAFTA for Original Score for Oppenheimer while Johnnie Burn and Tarn Willers scooped the honour for best sound for Holocaust film The Zone Of Interest.

The BAFTA for Production Design went to Shona Heath, James Price and Zsuzsa Mihalek for surreal comedy Poor Things, about a woman who is reanimated and begins a new life.

It was previously announced the BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema would go to programmer and archivist June Givanni, founder of the Pan African Film Archive, who collected the prize during the ceremony from Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh.

Northern Ireland actor James Martin, from Oscar-winning film An Irish Goodbye, presented the British short film Bafta to Yasmin Afifi and Elizabeth Rufai for Jellyfish And Lobster, a tale about care home residents.

Accepting the prize, Afifi said the film was about elderly people who find the ‘magic in their final days’, before wiping tears away from her face.

Egyptian actor Sayed Badreya, who appears in the film, got down on his knees and prayed on stage.

The British Short Animation BAFTA was presented to Ross Stringer, Bartosz Stanislawek and Aleksandra Sykulak for Crab Day, about a father and son in a fishing community.

Stringer thanked his parents in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and said the film was about ‘standing up for yourself, no matter what the world thinks of you’.

Poor Things won two more BAFTAs for best costume design, and make-up and hair.

Samantha Morton collected the BAFTA Fellowship from producer David Heyman, who she worked with on Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.

There were tributes from her Minority Report co-star Tom Cruise, as well as collaborators Susan Lynch, Molly Windsor and Daniel Mays, while Heyman described her as a ‘rare breed and true artist’.

Morton was visibly emotional and overwhelmed as she said: ‘This is nothing short of a miracle. When I first saw Ken Loach’s Kes on a huge telly that was wheeled into my classroom I was forever changed.

‘Seeing poverty and people like me on the screen, I recognised myself – representation matters.’

She said she would tell her younger self: ‘You matter, don’t give up, the stories we tell, they have the power to change people’s lives.

‘Film changed my life, it transformed me and it led me here today.’

She added: ‘I dedicate this award to every child in care, or who has been in care and who didn’t survive.’

The BAFTA Rising Star award was won by Mia Mckenna-Bruce following a public vote.

The star of coming-of-age film How To Have Sex appeared emotional on stage as she thanked her family and her ‘beautiful baby boy’.

The 26-year-old joked that she hopes her little sisters, who do not think ‘I’m cool’, will change their mind after her win.

Margot Robbie, Emily Blunt, Emma Stone and Florence Pugh were among the star-studded arrivals earlier in the evening on the glitzy red carpet.

Florence Pugh dazzled in a glamorous white dress as she attended Netflix’s BAFTAs 2024 afterparty at the Chiltern Firehouse, London on Sunday evening. 

The Dune star, 28, led the stars in attendance at the star-studded bash and was joined by the gorgeous Hannah Waddingham, 49, and Rosamund Pike, 45.

Florence exuded elegance in the semi-sheer lace dress and shielded her shoulders with a dramatic white feather boa.

As she arrived at the popular celebrity hotspot, where the afterparty was hosted, Florence turned heads in her stylish white gown.

She elevated her frame with strappy white high-heels and showed off her chest in the incredibly flattering, low-cut ensemble.

Meanwhile, Hannah oozed glamour in a simplistic black velour dress as she posed up a storm inside the party.

The actress and TV presenter flaunted her slender physique in the bodycon midi dress and elevated her height with stylish black court heels.

Hannah accentuated her gorgeous frame in the gold-buckled halterneck top and slicked her tresses back in a high bun.

Rosamund, who played Elspeth Catton in the hit Saltburn, arrived to the afterparty in a statement see-through gown, flashing her racy underwear underneath.

The quirky garment was adorned with graphic green animals which were stitched on the hem of the gown.

The actress posed for a photo with her fellow Saltburn co-star Paul Rhys – who played the family’s butler Duncan in the movie.

Elsewhere at the party, Sabrina Elba and her famed husband Idris looked more than loved-up.

Bradley Cooper was all smiles in her dapper black ensemble as he met up with Keegan-Michael Key for a snap. 

Saltburn actress Alison Oliver stole the show in a jaw-dropping strapless red gown, teamed with glitzy silver heels. 

Lady Mary Charteris, 36, cut a glamorous display as she slipped into a one-shoulder satin mini dress with a flowing front train. 

Lottie Moss looked stylish in a black and white pinstripe gown and went for a dramatic black eye-liner.

Kaya Scodelario put on a busty display in a strapless corset-style silver gown for the afterparty. 

Samantha Morton, who received an iconic Fellowship Award at the 2024 BAFTAs, enjoyed a night of celebrations. 

Lily James and Samantha were all smiles as they joined for a photo inside the star-studded bash.

Normal People actor Paul Mescal looked incredibly handsome in a dapper off-white satin shirt and black trousers.

Andrew Scott and Eleanor Tomlinson chatted away at the afterparty and beamed for a photo together. 

The biggest night in British film returned with actor David Tennant as host and an array of guest presenters on hand to deliver awards throughout the night. 

Prince William attended the ceremony in London solo as his wife Kate Middleton continues her recovery from last month’s abdominal surgery.

Oppenheimer won Best Film as well as sweeping the board in the major categories at the EE BAFTA Film Awards at The Royal Festival Hall.

The epic biographical thriller led the wins with seven gongs, including Best Actor for Cillian Murphy, Best Supporting Actor for Robert Downey Jr. and Best Director for Christopher Nolan. It had the most nominations with 13.

Murphy, 47 – who plays the titular role in Nolan’s atomic bomb saga – picked up the prize at the prestigious awards ceremony.

He triumphed against Bradley Cooper for Maestro, Colman Domingo for Rustin, Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers, Barry Keoghan for Saltburn and Teo Yoo for Past Lives.

Accepting the trophy, he said: ‘Oh boy, holy moly, thank you very, very much BAFTA.’

He paid tribute to ‘the most dynamic, kindest producer-director partnership in Hollywood: Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas, thank you for seeing something in me that I probably didn’t see in myself.’

The Irish actor said to Nolan: ‘Thank for always pushing me and demanding excellence because that is what you deliver time and time again.’

Nolan also acknowledged his ‘fellow nominees and my Oppenhomies’, adding: ‘I know it’s a cliche to say, but I’m in awe of you.’

He said J Robert Oppenheimer was a ‘colossally knotty character’, adding: ‘We have a space to debate and interrogate and investigate that complexity and it’s a privilege to be a part of this community with you all.

Downey Jr, 58, also collected a BAFTA for his role as Lewis Strauss in the Hollywood blockbuster, which has swept the board during the 2024 awards season.

He admitted he owes the award to Nolan, producer Emma Thomas and leading man Murphy, as well as ‘British influence’.

Gesturing to Nolan, he said: ‘Recently that dude suggested I attempt an understated approach as a last ditch effort to resurrect my dwindling credibility.’

Downey Jr’s win set a new record for the longest gap between wins by any performer as it comes 31 years after his previous BAFTA, for the 1993 film Chaplin.

The previous record was 27 years, set by Sir Anthony Hopkins in 2021 when he won the award for best actor for The Father, nearly three decades after his 1994 win for Shadowlands.

Nolan won the Best Director BAFTA for Oppenheimer, his epic tale of how the nuclear bomb was created.

Before accepting the award from actor Hugh Grant, Nolan hugged Murphy.

Nolan joked that his brother ‘beat him up here’ by being in a chorus of a production 40 years ago.

Nolan has previously lost out despite numerous commercial successes such as Inception and The Dark Knight, the UK-born filmmaker won out against Jonathan Glazer [The Zone of Interest], Justine Triet [Anatomy of a Fall], Alexander Payne [The Holdovers], Bradley Cooper [Maestro] and Andrew Haigh [All of Us Strangers].

He paid tribute to Murphy and added to those who backed the film: ‘Thank you for taking on something dark’.

The director also acknowledged the efforts of nuclear disarmament organisations to bring peace.

Oppenheimer swept up in the big name categories, but it was closely followed by the surreal black comedy Poor Things.

It marked five awards for the film, as Emma Stone collected the Best Actress gong for her turn as Bella Baxter.

Accepting her award, she said: ‘Since we’re in London, I want to start by thanking dialect coach. She praised him for not laughing at her when he taught her how to say ‘water’.

‘I really wanted to thank my mum, because she’s the best person I know. Without her none of this would exist, including my life, so thank you for that Mum.’

The American actress said she was ‘in awe’ of all of the team behind the film, where she plays the part of a woman who is reanimated and implanted with the brain of a baby.

She paid tribute to the writers for coming up with the line ‘I must go punch that baby’ in a memorable dinner scene, and also hailed director Yorgos Lanthimos for ‘our friendship and the gift of Bella’.

Also thanking her mother, Stone said: ‘She kind of made me believe this crazy idea that I can do something like this.’

Meanwhile, Da’Vine Joy Randolph crowned victorious in the Best Supporting Actress category for her part in The Holdovers as she continues her march to Oscars glory.

Randolph took to the stage and told Chiwetel Ejiofor, who was presenting the award, ‘you are so handsome’ – prompting laughter from the audience.

On a more serious note, she said: ‘Thank you for trusting me with this beautiful character.

Becoming emotional, she said being able to ‘wear this beautiful gown, standing on the stage in London, is not a responsibility I take lightly’.

Randolph plays school cook Mary in the film set at a boarding school in the early 1970s.

Next up, Director Jonathan Glazer and producer James Wilson’s The Zone Of Interest won the BAFTA for Outstanding British Film.

Wilson told the audience they were ‘stunned’ the film had won three awards during the ceremony, and while it was shot in Poland, the team who made it was assembled from the UK.

The night kicked off with French legal drama Anatomy Of A Fall winning the Original Screenplay award after premiering in Cannes back in May.

Collecting the award, co-writer and director Justine Triet, said: ‘The last time I I was in London, a woman said to me: ‘After I saw your movie I called my ex and told him to see it to understand why I dumped him.’

‘Someone else said ‘Did you put a mic in my kitchen?’

Gesturing to her co-writer and partner Arthur Harari, Triet said ‘I would like to make a statement tonight: it’s a fiction and we are reasonably fine.’

Harari referred to the plot of the courtroom drama when he joked that he had recently found himself near a window in an attic.

He added: ‘I want this room as my witness, if something happens to me, I loved insulating that attic and I’m quite happy tonight.’

Next up, Poor Things has won the BAFTA for special visual effects. 

VFX supervisor Simon Hughes said receiving the special visual effects BAFTA for the the film was a career highlight.

‘It’s the peak of my career, absolutely for me. And to have it happen on such a unique film like this is just a real eye-opener, it’s been such a surreal and such a rewarding experience.’

Following this, drama film Earth Mama was honoured with the BAFTA outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer, presented by David Beckham.

Director Savanah Leaf was sobbing as she took to the stage to be presented with the award for her tale of a pregnant single mother.

Leaf said ‘this is crazy’, adding: ‘Our lead had never acted before and she poured her heart into this and she was so fearless.’

The director was given the award alongside Irish producers Shirley O’Connor and Medb Riordan.

The Zone Of Interest won the BAFTA for a film not in the English language.

Director Jonathan Glazer said it was ‘an out of body experience’ to win the award as he paid tribute to his collaborators.

Producer James Wilson thanked Glazer for his ‘virtuosity and his friendship’.

He continued: ‘Walls aren’t new from before or since the Holocaust and it seems stark right now that we should care about innocent people being killed in Gaza or Yemen or Mariupol or Israel.’

He added: ‘Thank your for recognising a film that asks us to think in those spaces.’

The BAFTA for Casting was awarded to Susan Shopmaker for private school-set The Holdovers, while the editing award has gone to Jennifer Lame for Second World War biopic Oppenheimer.

Comedy drama American Fiction has won Best Adapted Screenplay.

American writer and former Gawker journalist Cord Jefferson said winning a BAFTA was ‘surreal’, and that he had his speech written for him because he did not think he would need it.

Jefferson said in a ‘risk-averse industry’, he is thankful for his film – about a novelist who spoofs the ‘black genre’ of books, which becomes a ruse he has to maintain – was made.

The Boy And The Heron won the Best Animated Film Bafta.

Filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki was not at the ceremony so the award was collected by presenters Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott.

The Documentary BAFTA went to 20 Days In Mariupol, which highlights the work of Associated Press journalists in the besieged Ukrainian city during the Russian invasion.

Ukrainian filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov said: ‘This is not about us’, this is about the country invaded by Russia and the bombed city they filmed in was just ‘a symbol of everything that has happened’.

‘Thank you for empowering our voice, and let’s keep fighting,’ he added.

Composer Ludwig Goransson won the BAFTA for Original Score for Oppenheimer while Johnnie Burn and Tarn Willers scooped the honour for best sound for Holocaust film The Zone Of Interest.

The BAFTA for Production Design went to Shona Heath, James Price and Zsuzsa Mihalek for surreal comedy Poor Things, about a woman who is reanimated and begins a new life.

It was previously announced the BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema would go to programmer and archivist June Givanni, founder of the Pan African Film Archive, who collected the prize during the ceremony from Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh.

Northern Ireland actor James Martin, from Oscar-winning film An Irish Goodbye, presented the British short film Bafta to Yasmin Afifi and Elizabeth Rufai for Jellyfish And Lobster, a tale about care home residents.

Accepting the prize, Afifi said the film was about elderly people who find the ‘magic in their final days’, before wiping tears away from her face.

Egyptian actor Sayed Badreya, who appears in the film, got down on his knees and prayed on stage.

The British Short Animation BAFTA was presented to Ross Stringer, Bartosz Stanislawek and Aleksandra Sykulak for Crab Day, about a father and son in a fishing community.

Stringer thanked his parents in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, and said the film was about ‘standing up for yourself, no matter what the world thinks of you’.

Poor Things won two more BAFTAs for best costume design, and make-up and hair.

Samantha Morton collected the BAFTA Fellowship from producer David Heyman, who she worked with on Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.

There were tributes from her Minority Report co-star Tom Cruise, as well as collaborators Susan Lynch, Molly Windsor and Daniel Mays, while Heyman described her as a ‘rare breed and true artist’.

Morton was visibly emotional and overwhelmed as she said: ‘This is nothing short of a miracle. When I first saw Ken Loach’s Kes on a huge telly that was wheeled into my classroom I was forever changed.

‘Seeing poverty and people like me on the screen, I recognised myself – representation matters.’

She said she would tell her younger self: ‘You matter, don’t give up, the stories we tell, they have the power to change people’s lives.

‘Film changed my life, it transformed me and it led me here today.’

She added: ‘I dedicate this award to every child in care, or who has been in care and who didn’t survive.’

The BAFTA Rising Star award was won by Mia Mckenna-Bruce following a public vote.

The star of coming-of-age film How To Have Sex appeared emotional on stage as she thanked her family and her ‘beautiful baby boy’.

The 26-year-old joked that she hopes her little sisters, who do not think ‘I’m cool’, will change their mind after her win.

Margot Robbie, Emily Blunt, Emma Stone and Florence Pugh were among the star-studded arrivals earlier in the evening on the glitzy red carpet.