I’ve been a fan of Les Mills workouts for a long while now, previously in the gym and since Covid via at home subscription, and even though I’m still pretty poor at most of the workouts, there’s a lot to like in there. Each programme refreshes every quarter, so you’re always in line for something new, and one of the best bits of that is following the progress of the presenters. Some burst onto the scenes fresh and smash it, others start in the background one release and gradually make their way towards the microphone.

I stumbled across this video yesterday, which is a nice little behind the scenes feature for the Baftas focused on the show Beyond Paradise. A spin off of the long-running Death in Paradise, this one is set in the slightly less sunny Cornwall and, surprisingly, appears to mostly be filmed in a barn. I love behind the scenes features, it’s always surprising just how many people are involved, and how they are all so brilliant at their individual roles - with everything feeding in to this fantastic end result.

The fifth and penultimate season of For All Mankind came to a close this week, concluding another tense and eventful series that moved quite a lot of storylines on, and inevitably led us to the next decade time jump. The show has been renewed for the sixth and final series - I think the creators initially had planned seven, but I’m happy they know it’s ending and can plan accordingly.

I didn’t think I would have much time to watch tennis this fortnight, so for Roland Garros 2026, I have defaulted to the excellent online radio. Radio Roland Garros has always been a highlight and continues to be so. Great balance of tennis commentary, general chatter, pun games, and friendly banter, and this year plenty of talk about the weather.

I watched the Kylie documentary on Netflix this week, so it’s only fitting to have listened to an album. I’m working through the full Kylie catalogue, so unfortunately this is one from her PWL days - which I now know weren’t her favourite. But supposedly this album is where she first started asserting some control, and gets a few songwriting credits on here as well. It’s stacked full of pop bops, but you can tell it’s getting a bit more adult, a bit sexier than previous outings. Great stuff.

I feel like Maisie’s work has been growing on me, each album gets better and better. This one was fantastic - really great summertime sounds. There’s a mix of feelings in there, sometimes in love, sometimes dealing with pain, sometimes angry at men, sometimes wanting nothing more than to spend time with them, and all of it with Maisie’s great vocals and signature sound. I loved it!

About this time last year, I was caught up playing Planet Zoo, the zoological simulation game that has taken the world by storm. Well, it took me by storm anyway. The end of my review stated: “This may be the last game review I ever write, as I’m going to be playing Planet Zoo a lot and for a long time.” I was not wrong. There have been other game reviews since then, but I can’t lie - if I have enough time to sit down and play something, you’re going to find me managing a zoo.

Last year, the BBC quietly released one of those cosy humerous detective shows called Death Valley. It featured the odd couple of Gwyneth Keyworth as ambitious but socially awkward detective Janie Mallowan teaming up with retired actor John Chapel, played by Timothy Spall. Chapel’s stint as a murder detective on a long-running TV show gives him a useful insight into motives and character arcs, and the pair put their skills to good use solving murders around South Wales.

This month, I saw the touring production of Single White Female, an updated version of the film adapted for the stage, starring Lisa Faulkner and Kym Marsh. In preparation, I made sure to have watched the movie, which gave me a good grounding for what to expect, even though they were two very different things.

I’ve been listening to Radio Roland Garros this week, as per usual, and really loving the descriptive commentary of matches. I’ve opted not to got access to watch this year so am relying solely on the radio for coverage.

Last year’s Eurovision seemed like it had taken a bit too much of a turn towards a credible singing contest, losing some of that quirkiness that makes it the institution that it is. This year, things were a bit more nutty, which is exactly what I’m looking for. Hilariously, I’ve read criticisms of the UK performance, saying we really should try harder and not send novelty acts. I mean, I would say the last couple of years we have had ‘proper’ songs, even if they weren’t actually very good, and that hasn’t done us any favours. Why shouldn’t we try something a bit more quirky? As soon as I heard Look Mum No Computer, I knew it was a Eurovision entry. I wasn’t expecting great things but I thought we might have got a bit more than one point. Oh well, roll on next year.

If you’ve been following the Tomb Raider journey so far, you’ll know that I have previously loved Angel of Darkness. My TR experience previously had been Tomb Raider II (love) and then Angel of Darkness (love). And that was it until the new Crystal Dynamics games were released. Well, now I have been replaying through all the early games thanks to the Remastered versions, and it’s been eye opening.

I, like so many people, was eagerly awaiting the arrival of HBO Max in the UK so that we could sample Noah Wyle’s new medical drama The Pitt. Inevitably facing comparisons to ER, the show was billed as something different though - something realistic and emotional and deep. It was all of those things and so much more.

I went into this book hoping for some great insights into what a wonderful experience making the TV show Nashville was… in that sense, I was disappointed. Hayden didn’t particularly enjoy it. But forget that, it’s a good book about a difficult life so far. Hayden is honest and open, clear about her flaws and how her upbringing (starting in show business as an actual baby is bound to have some impact) affected her life so far. It gets a little downbeat towards the end, difficult things follow harrowing events, but the overriding sense is just to keep going, and that’s a good message to take away.

Glorious album, this one. The first two tracks really kick things off in style, and I Saved the World Today really can get stuck in my head. It’s got that nice feeling of a band coming back together after going solo with varying degrees of success, and now back to that joyful feeling of home. Good tunes, incredible vocals, nothing to complain about!

I’d sort of forgotten that I listened to a Jack Savoretti album previously and really enjoyed it, so I almost let this one pass me by. But phew, I listened to it and I really enjoyed it. I would say it’s one of those albums that’s really lovely to listen to while you are in it, but it’s not so memorable once you’ve stopped. A good couple of guest artists, and a nice feel from start to finish, but I fully expect to do this whole ‘forgot, oh yea, he’s good’ thing on the next album as well.

I have no idea why I bought this book, it’s been on my to read pile for a while but I haven’t seen the film and wasn’t aware of the story. I whizzed through it though, it’s an engaging story about horrible survival. I find it quite hard to understand why someone would just head off into the jungle with a stranger like that in the first place, but once you’re in, the horrors unfold. An easy read in terms of writing, a hard read in terms of content, it’s a good, interesting book, and I wonder whether the film is worth a watch too.

I (a bit reluctantly) have really enjoyed the Thursday Murder Club series, so was interested in this new series from the crazy successful Mr Osman. It didn’t work quite so well for me, it took me a couple of attempts to really stick with it. The characters just aren’t quite as well drawn, and the situation seems slightly less believable. I do like the unconventional marriage that Amy and Adam have, and Steve was clearly the best humorous character but I wasn’t sure. His conversation with the airport security, it didn’t feel like that could have happened, he wasn’t that charming. The story was fine, the writing obviously great, but I think Thursday Murder Club is far superior.

I’ve started this book a couple of times I think, but this time it stuck - I’m mildly obsessed with Bletchley Park, the secrecy, the combination of using maths and language to make SUCH a difference to the world, the outrageous abuse of Alan Turing. This book tells the history of the park from pre-war, through great achievements and then the astounding secrecy that remained even after the war was done. We get to hear the story told from people who were there, and documents and facts that are now in the public domain, and it’s well done mixing a historical timeline alongside chapters on what life was like in the park. It felt a little drawn out in places but ultimatley is a great record of an incredible achievement.

Obviously, having blitzed my way through both Mamma Mia films, it had to be an ABBA album this week. I’ve listened to a couple of albums from this band already, but started at the beginning of their journey, so this was the first one that’s really felt like proper ABBA. It has a good few songs I know and love (SOS is so stuck in my head, and I’ve Been Waiting for You is just lovely) and the rest of it has that great pop vibe that ABBA are known for delivering. It’s fun when the boys pop up to do a bit and there’s even an instrumental track on there - it’s all a bit 70s but wonderfully so.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to like this or not but it actually came across really well. The first track sets the scene, a sort of meandering whimsical journey through loneliness and finding yourself outside of any relationships. I enjoyed some of it more than other bits, the duet with Miranda is interesting given their history, and Dry Spell is pretty candid. There’s a slight over-reliance on slide-guitar but even with that it’s not too country, so overall a good listen.

You can love or hate the phenomenon that is Clarkson, May and Hammond but you can’t argue that they have achieved some incredible things. This book takes you behind the scenes for a new angle - the infamous Mr Wilman. I didn’t know a lot of the early stuff, that he and Clarkson had been friends for so long and just how much his career was propelled by Clarkson helping him out. Then you get to Top Gear and how that evolved and grew and became the beast it was… until eventually it imploded. I really liked the frank details here - where they didn’t act in the best way, Wilman doesn’t shy away from that, and he’s equally proud to discuss what they did well. There are highs and lows and crashes and races, things we know and things we don’t, and it’s all written really well with great humour. I loved it.

I’m so glad that things worked out this way because I absolutely LOVED this film. I suspect it’s to do with the writers having the freedom to explore the plot more, rather than being hemmed in by the existing musical. And we know these characters now and have come to terms with the slightly bizarre three fathers situation… that meant the quality of the story was so much better and the comedy layered on top was fantastic.

This album has been a contentious one (in my own mind, only) as to whether it should count in this album adventure. As a collection of covers, it’s not really what the adventure was about and I’ve debated (with myself, obviously) over and over again. Then, Burning Down the House popped up on the Top of the Pops replays, and I decided to go for it. Partly, that’s because Tom Jones has obviously put a lot of thought into this collection of songs, crafting the track list and selecting the ideal guest artists to participate. And partly it’s because this is my game and I wanted to listen to it.

I love Mel C, I’m impressed by her longevity in this business, and she looks amazing! I was keen to listen to this new album, and it’s good, but it’s probably leaning just a bit too much into the dance genre for my tastes. I know that’s a direction she’s going in, proper DJ and all, but it’s not quite what I wanted. However, as a dance album, it’s very good, it has echoes of Robyn in there and it’s done well. So worth a listen, for sure.

Oh man, I’ve loved following Reacher on his ups and downs and cramming the whole series over the last year or so. But we’ve surely reached a point where the character should potentially be retired… this was a real low point. There’s definitely been a dip in quality since Andrew Child got involved, which is not to diss his work, it’s bound to happen when the author changes. The plot was very basic, there was a lot of chasing around after files - physical and digital - and it all felt very bland with abstract stakes. I can’t stop thinking about the bit where he says no one ever looks up when they walk into a building… such a generalisation and what evidence do we have for that?? I’m annoyed at myself for not swearing off this series already, but you just want the next one to be better, don’t you.

People have been raving about this book, so I was curious to see what it was all about. Having read it, honestly, I’m none the wiser. The style of writing is engrossing, you’re thrust into this world of stage and theatre and drama both on and off the boards. But the two halves of this story are deliberately but confusingly different, don’t really make any sense and don’t progress any sort of plot or story. Maybe I’m missing something because the people that love it really do, but I just didn’t get it.

It’s becoming a bit of a tradition now that when I realise a new series of Trying is rapidly approaching, I finally get into gear and get my quote post ready to go. This series fast forwarded a few years so the kids are older and relatively settled into family life. But there are still plenty of challenges and lot to laugh at along the way. Rewatching this show reminds me how much I love it and will never get bored of it.

I’ve really enjoyed previous Matt Haig books I’ve read, both fiction and non-fiction, so I was looking forward to this… it just didn’t quite work for me. The writing is engaging, and the spirit of the book definitely has that magical Matt Haig quality, I guess I just didn’t like the story. And I had the feeling along the way that some characters were getting more airtime than others which made it feel a bit disjointed. I don’t know, it was definitely worth reading but not a favourite.

For some reason, my journey through photography and particularly improvements in the technology used to take photos (I’ve really not developed much as a photographer myself) has been documented in turtles. I guess it had to be something so why not an adorable shelled creature. The first attempt at capturing a turtle image ended in frustration, disappointment, nothing tangible to see, and was quickly followed by the purchase of a new camera.

When I saw A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong towards the end of last year it must have been a sort of test run because the Mischief crew are going big with promoting their new London production and short UK tour run. They’re popping up everywhere and releasing lots of promotional content, including this excellent behind-the-scenes video of how the show has come together, and generally what a great bunch of people are involved.

I have a huge and growing list of things to blog about but April really got away from me… how can I not have written already about the Artemis II mission? I was so looking forward to it, I kept an eye on it constantly, and was hugely impressed with some of the imagery they shared. The moon in all its grey and cratered glory. I love it so much.

Love this. Written before the recent Artemis mission but knowing who was going to be taking part and what they’d get up to, it documents the history of space travel with a unique view. You can find many many books detailing how mankind left earth and started travelling to infinity and beyond, but this one focuses in on the humans (and a little bit about the animals) who made it happen. Intriguing ideas like are astronauts completing the experiments, or are they experiment themselves are scattered throughout and it’s just a really neat, well written, interesting book about these special explorers.

This album is exactly what you’d expect from a Fat Boy Slim album and at first I was on board - two big classic tracks to start with and then getting into the heart of the matter. It’s just a bit long for me, it’s about an hour of relentless dance music and that’s too much. Fatboy Slim is obviously a master of his craft and I love the singles but I don’t think listening to a full length album of this style of music works for me.

This was a pretty good album, Foo Fighters can be a bit hit or miss for me but this was on the positive side. It has plenty of tuneful rock in there and some interesting topics to discuss. I think it just fell a bit flat as there are no stand out tracks in there. First time through I thought it was probably quite forgettable. Second time through it was growing on me a bit, so I think it’s probably one that benefits from repeated listening to get comfortable and familiar with it. But it’s good, anyway, no complaints.

I was expecting not to particularly enjoy this book, I don’t really know why. But actually it’s great - a short memoir but written more in the style of a conversation. Erivo is keen on sharing what she’s learned upon our journey and giving tips and advice on how to deal with the difficult business of show, as well as real life. It’s interesting to read about how she went from humble origins to actual superstardom but kept totally grounded along the way. A nice read.

I was less keen on the previous book in this decluttering series but this one was a bit better. I liked that the family were all back together and had some revealing conversations, alongside the backdrop of another murder (you do have to wonder if the police might start thinking ‘everywhere this declutterer turns up, there’s a murder!’) and everyone’s favourite woodsman Dodge is firmly in the frame. It reads better and went by in a flash, still not perfect, but showing the hints of Brett’s genius that I normally love.

I knew I was going to love this. Reid’s excellent romantic writing combined with a NASA space story? Sign me write up. It was brilliant as well, enough detail to be a respectable science and space novel, but with the additional layer of complex family relationships, burgeoning romantic love lives, and all the threats and discrimination that previous decades had to offer. And all written in that hugely engaging and devourable style. Loved it.

This is such a slow-starting film, it almost fell foul of the twenty-minute rule. If it wasn’t for baby Tom Cruise being such an adorable creature and the occasional laugh, I might not have carried on. Glad I did though as it really picked up and by the end was absolutely brilliant. It’s a bit scatty - I’m not sure how he didn’t get ripped off more, letting random people stay in his house alone, and I’m not clear on how long the parents were away for but there’s no way you could fix the car or put the house back together in the time allowed. But it’s great, it’s fun, you can see the glint of superstardom in Tom Cruise already and Rebecca De Mornay, who I didn’t know, is very watchable. And now I’ve seen the classic scene as well.

Obviously, Hold On is the classic song on this album, an absolute banger of a late 80s/early 90s track. But did I know anything else about Wilson Phillips before listening to this? I did not. I loved it! It has that late 80s girl band vibe, a bit Bananarama but less constrained, and I really enjoyed it. The song Eyes Like Twins vexed me somewhat as I couldn’t make sense of what it was trying to say, but otherwise I really enjoyed this.

I really enjoyed the previous Jessie Ware album as it leaned into that old school disco vibe - and thankfully, this one is more of the same. Very 70s in feeling, and sustains that disco feeling throughout. There are probably a few moments where the lyrics are a bit distracting and maybe don’t flow as well as they might, but the topics are varied - from heavy to light - and the overall feel is marvellous.

I thought I was going to like this, because I liked Ove and My Friends. This one was written in a similar style, but it just didn’t grab me. The setting was evocative but there were maybe too many characters to really give anyone chance to develop, and there was certainly a lot of switching between scenes, particularly towards the end of the book. It was like a montage and that didn’t help trying to develop a bond with any of the adults or kids alike. I had thought I would get stuck into this and then enjoy the two follow ups but I’ll probably leave it for now.

Again I feel like this was another step forward in the Final Destination franchise after a real dip. The cast are pretty forgettable, but the story is interesting - the 50s/60s stuff was gerat, I wish we could have seen more of that really. How it impacts future generations is fine, I wondered if it wasn’t going to tie in to the other films a bit more but it didn’t seem to. Meanwhile, the deaths in the present were really gross but inventive, and overall I thought this was a better FD film. We all blame the kid with the penny though, right? For everything?