The British Celebrity Boyfriend Crisis

Hit me with a question, right now. >> Yeah, we're going to go straight into. BTS. >> Oh my god, I've got a lot to say about. this. I know what the question will be. about. >> Let's start straight away, but I will. say to people that we have Marina's. update on the state of British celebrity. boyfriends in the second half of this as. well, which I'm very, very much looking. forward to. Thank you for that. We've. got a question here, which I think is is. perfect. But we'll start with Connor. Little. Can you explain why BTS are. boycotting the 2027 Grammys? Is this a. problem for the Grammys? >> Yeah, I do not blame BTS for this. Okay, that We did it on the on the podcast.

They're back They're They back off their. national service boys, and they have an. album called Arirang. But the Grammys. have brought in an Asian pop category to. sort of categorize them into, I think. The Rest Is Entertainment is presented. by Octopus Energy. Now, show business is. full of people who start out as one. thing, but then take on some completely. new role that completely eclipses it. >> And before we get on to how Octopus. Energy has done that, a few examples. there are people who start out, you.

know, in bands as singers, as as actors. A good example would be Victoria. Beckham. >> She started off in a band, Richard. She. was in a band called the Spice Girls. >> Okay. You're going to tell me next that. David Beckham used to play football. before before he became an advertising. guy. >> They have earned far more from their. second careers, these businesses they've. built up for the than they ever did in. their first ones. >> So, the idea that she's a singer that. gets her through the door, gets her. known, the culture knows who she is. She. then thinks, I'm going to see if I can. do something else, and she has the.

audience who she does it well goes along. with her. Uh but you know what it. reminds me of a lot? >> Tell me. >> It reminds me of Octopus Energy, because. Octopus Energy has also outgrown its own. introduction. It's the UK's largest. energy supplier, but is now also one of. the country's biggest installers of heat. pumps, solar panels, and batteries. The. list even reaches the driveway with a. major electric car leasing business as. well. >> We know that there are the Latin. Grammys, that's something totally. separate. We're talking about the kind. of primo main Grammys that is the the OG.

Grammys. And they've put a Latin. category and an Asian category in. >> And as a result, have BTS have decided. have said, "We have decided not to enter. the Grammys this year. I hope the music. can be heard and loved for what it is. rather than being divided by region or. language.". >> Now, the Grammys say they did it because. this is their quote, "Our music. community sharing with us that they felt. they needed to have more opportunities. to celebrate different and new genres of. music.". And they've also done best Latin song. Can I just say how are Asian and Latin.

countries new? This is all a bit like. discovered by Christopher Columbus, isn't it? So, no, you know they were. there beforehand. >> Grammys have had that for years. They I. mean they have so many categories. They. go to like crazily deep with. >> really don't think you can do this in. this day and age cuz they would have. been eligible BTS that album was so. massive and it you're in the general. category. Your question is is it a. problem for the Grammys? Well, I think. it is. First of all, just the idea that. any of these things play into the idea. of America as this kind of cultural. country or this kind of.

is not helpful. Second of all, all of. these kind of legacy award shows have a. big problem in general anyway. You know, the Oscars, they used to tell you when. you were going out there used to be a. screen at the back saying a billion. people are watching. Okay, well, last. year 17.9. million American people were watching. and not that many people are watching. around the world. The Grammys is the. same. They've got about I think they. have about 14, 15 million viewers. Um. and but they do will have lots of. viewers around the world. BTS would have. performed for sure because you want you. want these people you want these big.

Asian markets to be watching as well. >> And they played the World Cup final for. a reason, right? >> Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Um they did the. halftime show. Um they weren't actually. nominated They took a long time to. nominate BTS. They weren't nominated. till 2021. They're very US skewed these. awards. Um they had a They've had a bit. over the last year they got K-pop Demon. Hunters Golden. Um. Rosé for the hub duet out Bruno Mars. But for me, yes, it is very, very What. we're seeing a lot and actually this is. slightly feeds into what's happening in. film festivals. We talked about, oh my.

goodness, lots of people just don't go. to Cannes now because do you want your. film to sort of fall off the screen and. then you spend all this money? The same. thing is happening at the Venice Film. Festival which is happening in. September. Already not you can see lots of the. Hollywood studios have just pulled back. from that and just not putting their. stuff out there. Used to be the start of. an awards run if you didn't start it at. Cannes. And now people just think, why. am I going to really risk it? And the. moment people just start opting out of. these big kind of cultural juggernauts, then the cultural juggernaut is in. trouble. And I would say that even for.

the Grammys, for anything like that, this was a really stupid thing to do. I. don't blame them for boycotting at all. to for being ghettoized in that. category, not at all. And I do think it's a problem and, you. know, >> Well, well, it's it's it's when an. institution tries to promote itself as a. worldwide institution. As you say, the. Grammys, they're sort of American and. they've always been American and you. know, they've always I mean, we've got the. Brits. >> Yeah. >> You know, but we don't pretend this is. some suddenly a, you know, a worldwide. thing. But it's the same as, you know, the the Oscars. The Oscars has best film. in a foreign language. >> put We would not put We would not put. BTS in a best We would not have a best. Asian song category at the.

>> No, we would have best international. >> Yeah. >> Which is, you know, that's which is, >> can't You can't say these these new. countries. >> Yeah. >> Asia and the Latin countries. >> you know, you know, they're doing music. now. >> discovered them. >> Yeah, let's let's shine a light on that. But it's like the Oscars having, you. know, best film in a foreign language. You're like, well, for sorry, foreign to. who? Cuz you know, I mean, you give away, you. know, where where you're from and you. can't you can't really do that in a. connected world. The Oscars I think get. away with it far more. But yeah, this I. I I think it shows something up which is. only going to get.

a bigger and bigger deal. But you know, really the the whole thing in. awards things is they want to they do. want to expand out and they do want to. have more categories and they want to. have more people who are eligible and. they want to have more celebrities come. into their thing and they want to have. more viral content. So they they have to. try and keep thinking of new categories. It's just I think they might have to be. a bit more careful. >> This was a huge mess. >> about which categories they choose. Yeah. >> Yes. Well, I have a question for you. >> Oh, yeah. >> And it's from Matthew. This is relevant to your interests. It's. from Matthew Le Maistre. He says, "Count.

Binface has released his manifesto for. the Clacton by-election. Two pledges. stood out to me. Number 11, a windfall. tax on cozy crime novels written or. written by celebrities. And number 18, Wayne Rooney to be the new expert. summarizer for the BBC at Eurovision. Are you worried?". >> Yeah, I read it Well, I say I read it. About a million people sent it to me. And it's Listen, we we all wish him well. in. >> [laughter]. >> his upcoming battle. We we can have a. little talk about that. It's funny it's.

because this whole I listen, it's a. joke. That's that's absolutely fine. But. it's cozy crime, which I had never heard. of when I was writing the book. And you. know, I've said a million times I don't. think I write it, but that's not That's. not That's not up to me. But when he. says written by, I I don't think anyone. would would start writing crime novels. It's really really really difficult. So. it's taken me by surprise as much as. anyone else. And there's only one. celebrity I I can think of who doesn't. write their books and doesn't admit. that. So I think, you know, of all the. people, you know, Stephen McGann.

Yeah, but Stephen McGann writes books. He's a great you know, she's always been. around crime fiction. You know, Ollie. Smith who's just done one He's always. been a writer. Ollie So you know, people. are allowed to write books. But yes, when I read that and I thought written. by, you do think, "Oh, I just It's uh. Yeah, it's It's only in the same way. that, you know, Marian Keyes used to get. so annoyed when they used to call it. chick lit. >> Mhm. >> Cuz it's very [clears throat] reductive. >> Yeah. >> A bit of you just think, "Oh, come on. >> [laughter]. >> Just it's not This is not what I do.". But. >> And then it's a reminder that the. Clacton by-election is happening because. nothing is making me laugh more than.

Farage just having to chew through that. all summer because no one else has. turned up. >> It's one of the funniest things of our. time. >> like a secret diary. Is it happening? I. I've no. purchase on it whatsoever. >> to. >> what's he doing today thinking about it. He's I mean he knows he's going to win. There's There's absolutely no. possibility he can't win. But the what a. colossal waste of everybody's. >> of a long hot summer. >> Uh and and and an amazing PR One of the. all-time great PR gaffes. >> Yeah. >> One of all Not even a gaffe, just. something utterly nonsensical that cost.

you a lot of money and literally nobody. cares about. >> Yeah, it's been. >> paying for the cost of it. >> Yeah, but it's been amazing for Count. Binface. I mean it's been incredible for. I mean it's a. >> It's huge for Binface. >> Yeah, it's huge for Binface. >> Binface. >> discover that Nigel Farage is actually. Binface's agent, the whole thing makes. sense. You know, "Oh, I've absolutely. got this.". But I assume that's not the case. But. there's loads of other people standing. that Laurence Fox is standing. You just. think that's funnier in a way cuz we all. know Nigel Farage is going to win. We.

all know it's a nonsense. We all know. that we start again and you know, he has. to be under investigation. But you know, Laurence Fox trying to get publicity. from it and being massively beaten by a. bigger is is is almost funny. >> just unaware of it even happening and I. write about politics. It's It's like. It's like that thing people used to used. to say, "Just put them in the Big. Brother house, but don't film them.". >> Yeah. >> That's what's actually happening now, but in Clacton. It's like politics is. happening, but no one can really engage. with it. >> The people of Clacton must be thinking, "This is absolutely mental.". >> Absolutely, yeah. >> Yeah, but fun quite fun to have Binface.

go around and visiting factories and and. what have you. But yes, I did see this. cozy crime thing. I It's. It just It made me think about that that. whole term cuz it does It Yeah, it irks. me a little. But it's you know, it's. okay. So, hopefully cozy crime goes the. same way as chick lit. But. listen, if I can help out with Count. Binface's manifesto, then I'm very very. happy to do it. As for Wayne Rooney at. Eurovision, >> Oh my god, yes, please, all the way. >> I mean why not, right? Why not? I mean. that would be a quite something up there. with Graham.

>> I think him and Coleen should both do. it. I'd like to see if they can work. together. >> Maybe they should enter. But yeah, cozy crimes is a fascinating. phenomenon. As I say, I didn't invent. it. I don't It's nothing to do with me. I was I just write hopefully funny crime. books. But in the wake of it, suddenly. just this wave of books with very, very, very similar covers. And which is, you. know, it isn't I get it. Um. And if they were really selling, I'd get. it. But they're not, you know, just week. after week stuff comes out. You think, "Oh, that didn't sell." That you I can.

see the stuff that's selling and it's. romanticy and it's there's some. brilliant literary novels at the moment. that are selling loads and loads and. loads. Uh and you know, they It's it's it's. it's a weird phenomenon. But all, you. know, films do it, TV does it, publishing does it. Um but yeah, I I I I. hope that cozy crime goes away with. chick lit. I mean, fingers crossed that. it does. But I just. >> As a reductive label. >> Yeah, I think so. You know, I hope But. you know, people who read the books know. exactly what they are. But um yeah, God. marketing loves a label, doesn't it, even when it's not working. Uh Hannah E.

has a question for you. She says, "I've. read that Jade Thirlwall and Jordan. Stephens are rumored to have broken up. after 6 years together. The main clue. being that they didn't post about their. sixth anniversary and Jordan wiped his. TikTok clean of the videos they'd made. together. Who is keeping tabs on all of. this? Is it someone's job to continually. check the social media of celebs and. figure out who they've fallen out with. or broken up with?". >> Well, Hannah, this is a good question. The question who's following this is. absolutely unbelievable amounts of. ordinary people, which is really. interesting. You know, we talked about. before about cattle life and all those.

kind of horrible sites. But there is a. whole lot of people. You know, I've talked about OSINT, open-source intelligence, and that if. all these people who just followed what. celebrities were doing were maybe put to. work in the national interest, we would. have solved a number of. a number of sort of international. mysteries, intelligence perils, all of. this sort of thing. >> I wonder if MI6 are keeping an eye on. some of these people cuz there's some of. them must be going, "This This guy is. good.". >> about recruiting people like. micro-influencers. Just get these people. to work for you. They've got apparently. 8 hours a day to check who's following.

who. But um funnily enough, I was trying. to remember back when I was thinking. about this question. I remember speaking. to a journalist back in the day like. honestly about 13 years ago, maybe Yeah, and he had commissioned a piece of. software which showed him who was not. following who anymore on Twitter or who. was doing certain things. So, AI can do some of this, but it actually. can't do as much as you think. There are. third-party apps which track this stuff, but it tends to be only your own. account. But, I will say that for an.

unbelievable amount of people I mean I. often say to people, you know, reality. TV is like sport for women, and I'm not. It's not saying it cuz I like I like. both. But, >> As As do I, by the way. >> but there are a lot of people tracking. >> Yeah. >> the equivalent of transfer and fur. rumors all the time, and they're. watching influencers. If you look at now. someone something like MailOnline has. got masses of correspondents who just. cover influencers and influencer beef. because there's plenty of it. They.

interact a lot more. Real celebrities. are kind of like becoming more boring. Well, I'll say real celebrities, you. know what I mean, like the legacy idea. of celebrities. And there's lots and. lots of that. And the the answer is so. many people are watching this stuff all. the time, and they're just constantly. flicking and seeing who's AI can't do it. for you. So, it really is just ordinary. people are that interested. And as I. say, we have an army of In the same way. that Ukraine have co-opted all those. PlayStation players to run their drone. army, these people.

>> Yeah. >> God forbid we find ourselves in a in a. third world war, but these people 100%. should all work at Bletchley Park. >> [laughter]. >> Why not? >> Yeah, absolutely. It is It's the. equivalent of people just looking out. from behind the net curtains, isn't it? What's going on in the street? >> Yeah. >> It's just It's that It's that instinct. >> devoting so many hours of the day to it. >> God bless them. >> Yeah. >> I didn't know that that that Jordan. Stevens and J'aith were together. So, this is. >> you had to find out like this. >> I know. Yeah, spoiler alert. Come on, guys. >> Right, should we go to some ad breaks so. you can digest that? >> I would love that.

>> This episode is brought to you by Lloyds. rewards. Now, a big mistake that people. make is leaving the cinema as soon as. the credits roll cuz there might be a. bonus scene right at the end. >> Yeah, absolutely one of my favorite. things of all time. You never know. >> They used to be mid and Marvel's ones. used to be a mid-credit scene and then. there'd be an end-credit scene. >> I remember the first one I really. remember, well, two. I remember Ferris. Bueller's Day Off where where he tells. you to go home at the end. But also. Smokey and the Bandit with with Burt. Reynolds where where they would do.

bloopers. It just feels like a secret. little glimpse into a different world. >> have to be over. >> Yeah, exactly. And it's just a lovely. little added bonus. You've done. everything. You've made your show. Right, you've given everyone everything. It's just a lovely little extra. >> Which is also the idea behind Lloyds. rewards. Extra value appearing inside. something you were already doing anyway. Your daily banking. From shopping to. streaming, you can bank on Lloyds to. help your money go further. >> It's rewards like this that make a 14. million people bank on Lloyds. Search.

Lloyds rewards in your app. Eligibility. criteria, terms and conditions apply. Retailer offers and cashback amounts may. vary. UK residents, 18+. >> [music]. >> Welcome back, everybody. Now, please can. I ask you this question from Elaine. Campbell Richard? He says, "I am reading. A River Red with Blood by one of my. favorite authors, John Connolly. >> Yes. >> In the book, a character won't go to a. Starbucks as he will not drink their. coffee. Is it okay for fictional.

characters to give bad reviews or can an. author ever be held accountable or. threatened with a libel lawsuit?". >> Thanks, Elaine. Well, firstly, John. Connolly is a he's a such a brilliant. author. I recommend any of his stuff. And cuz so, you know, when I write a. an awful lot of real things. I try and. put real things in as much as possible. And you know, John Connolly is the same. And you know, you you don't want someone. refusing to go into a. like a unnamed coffee shop or a coffee. shop that you made because it doesn't. mean anything. Whereas knowing that. somebody finds Starbucks coffee. undrinkable tells you something about.

their character. So it's a character. note. No, he cannot be sued for that. You know, if he was writing something, you know, about. going and then putting poison in. Starbucks. coffee cups. Yes, he could be sued for. that for sure. The the simplest way of. working out the difference I as in in. the first We Solve Murders book um I I. needed a a hotel in the heart of the New. Forest because a character had to be put. up in a hotel. Uh and I had been to a. hotel. uh and it's called The Pig and it's in.

the New Forest and I really liked it. I. thought, well, great. I'll just do that. So I. it's not a ad or anything like that, but. it's it's a real place. So I knew what. it looked like. Uh I knew where the. restaurant was and I knew where the. stairs would be. All that stuff. So I I. was able to. >> We know your Instagram offers exciting. clues as to your future books. >> Uh yeah, exactly. Uh so, you know, I I. could choreograph it very easily. So. it's much easier for me. to write this thing. I thought, I'm you. know, it's I'll just write about this place. cuz I liked it and I know it. So I wrote. that, put it in the book and you know,

there it is. And if again in books I. like it in books where there's places. you can actually go. You know, you can go, "Oh my god, that's. the thing for the book." In the new. book, again I needed it the they come. back to the New Forest again. >> Which I shall add is. >> Which I shall add is yeah. >> Say sorry. professionalize that, please. >> Thank you. Sorry. Uh out in September. Um. and. again I needed to be in a hotel. There's. some somebody has to be placed in a. hotel. So I'm writing it. I thought, oh. great. I'll just use. The Pig because it again it the universe.

becomes you know, simpler. And then later on there's a scene in. that hotel where. the manager does something illegal. to for a bribe. >> Okay. >> Essentially for our investigators. Now that I am not allowed to write. I am. not allowed to write your They're. They're at this hotel called The Pig and. the manager takes a bribe and gives them. some information because that would be. libelous. That's suggesting. >> their staff. >> Cuz it's a real place. Exactly. And I'm.

sort of saying that somebody there would. do this thing. And so I had to Then I. thought, "Okay, I will put them in a. completely different hotel." Cuz I would. have to change that because that would. be something that they would have. recourse. Funnily enough, I I changed it. straight away. Changed it to. Originally I changed it to The Huntsman. I thought, "Okay, The Huntsman, that's a. That's a nice name for kind of a a. forest hotel." And weirdly, I was down. in New Forest because just just looking. at bits and bobs, and in the same. village as The Pig, I drove past a hotel. called The Huntsman. I must have seen.

it. >> Yes. >> must have done. because the name came to me. I just. wrote it down. So, I had to change it. again. I think it's now called The. Hunter's Rest. And there are places. called The Hunter's Rest in various. places, but not in this place. But yeah, so I I can absolutely write about. something real. I could you know, go. down and complain about something. I. can't then say, "Oh, a member of staff. did X, Y, or Z because there are real. members of staff. at this place." And that would That. would be actionable. >> be caught up in one of your plots. >> Exactly that. But yeah, you can you can.

God, you can slag off things. You can't. you know, you can't. libel them in the same You can't say. that a coffee company were union busting. or they you know, they you know, exploited labor. You can't do anything. that you couldn't prove. But if you say, "I hate Starbucks,". >> Yeah. >> that is absolutely fine. Or if you say, "I went to. a unnamed theater and the. seats are too close together." You can. say anything like that you can do. Just. in the same If you can If you can do it. in a in a Yelp review, you can do it in. a book. Ah, back on a a favorite subject of. yours. One One of the things I get asked. most about when people talk to me about.

this podcast is your item on British. celebrity boyfriends. >> Oh my god, if a young woman So many. young women stop me in the street about. this. Yes. Okay. >> And a world has a question about it. She. he it looks like Olivia Rodrigo has. moved on from Louis Partridge with. Julian Kronenberg, so I want to say, who. is not only a private equity associate, but also American. Is this a worrying. sign for the cult of British celebrity. boyfriends? >> Wow, okay, Anna. First of all, I'd say. don't worry. Louis Partridge is. currently in Enola Holmes. That is a.

great shop window for him, okay? He's in. that That's a great shop window. A lot. of American celebrity female celebrities. might see him in that and think. wonderful. >> I'm looking That's You know what? That's. what I'm looking for. >> We've seen plenty of moves that I mean, since we did that item, Styles has gone. to Kravitz. So, Ruby Kravitz having. Harry Styles. >> Is that right? I've only just heard. about Jay Thurlow and Jordan Stevens. >> Well, I think the market is in excellent. health. There have been some very. eye-catching tra- transfers, actually. Casper Jopling, formerly with Ellie.

Goulding, has. now signed to Olivia Wilde following a. successful medical. >> Has he? >> Yes, he has. Now, I there I think there. is some feeling There is some feeling. given that I've created this ridiculous. universe. >> Yeah. >> I feel there's some feeling that we need. a fixed transfer window. >> Yes. >> Okay? Maybe one in January after they've. had to have. >> the summer, yeah. >> Christmas with the woman's American. family. >> Yes. >> That's a moment for. >> Yeah, all the American woman has had to. have have Christmas with the American. >> in glee, right? >> Yes, yeah. >> Um and one in September in case you saw.

anything you liked amongst the celebrity. crowds on the Amalfi Coast. Right, so I. think that's when I'd put the transfer. windows for British celebrity. boyfriends. There are many options. The Americans, I'm told the Americans have now. discovered Ibiza, which will. >> Oh, happy days. >> certainly allow the island to. ascend to its terrifying final form. And. so, I think there will be I think we'll. see more movements in the market this. summer. At the end of this summer, well, not By the way, the celebrity summer. ends in about September. Let's have.

another look at where we are with. British celebrity boyfriends. I don't. see anything to worry about Anna in the. market at all. I think we're seeing. movement. People are signing you know. Olivia Wilde, she's a big player in the. market. To take to take Casper Ruud playing. This is I think it's all very very very. healthy and we're going to see plenty. more of it. I feel very positive for. Louis Partridge. I think definitely. another American she'll be signed to an. American soon enough. >> Yeah, I think that Louis Partridge is. the Cole Palmer of the situation really. which is you know perhaps he should have. gone to the World Cup. He didn't but he. goes again.

That's the point. Yeah. But it is you. know we. we've talked in previous Q&A episodes. about why there are so many Brits in. Hollywood and we. talked about you know the. but we we keep sending over our most. handsome men to Hollywood to. a group of women who have only had. American men that they've grown up with. and they're so. >> come to London and they go to the pub. and they do all those things. But scarf you see you know how important. I think the scarf is to it. I think that. summer makes it a bit difficult but the. big scarf because we're going to see it. all back. Don't worry about it Anna. It's all it's all fine. The market is.

fine. >> come into their own in the winter right? Yeah yeah. Yeah the Americans like a. like a log fire rather than a Venice. Beach. >> Yes. >> Okay that's very good news. And also I. mean Tom Holland just I mean he flies. off like I mean I know he's not the. archetypal British celebrity boyfriend. >> He's a British celebrity husband now. >> Yeah he's a British celebrity husband. but I mean my god what a absolute. exemplar of. of our country that man is. That's a that's a great marriage isn't. it? >> Oh it's terrific. I mean but it's so but. that's so much part of why that film is.

they everybody likes them. Everyone. really really likes both of them. They. got them when they weren't together. They're so you know I mean it is you. couldn't hope for more if you were the. if Sony and you were making that film. But you've got them for their whole. story and now they're married. I mean. honestly. >> when Cantona went to Man United. >> Very much so. >> You think here we go. This was always. meant to be. >> Yeah it's destiny. >> Yeah. >> And on that note. on that positive note let's wind up. Remember there is the World Cup of bald. men. A truly an incredible bonus episode for.

our members. >> It's sort of I would say showbiz bald. men as well. And it's just. >> Showbiz bald men. So not just all bald men in the world. being made. >> Yeah, that would be Yeah, cuz people I. don't want people to be disappointed. they didn't qualify. >> No, the World Cup is showbiz bald men. Um, if you want to join, it's. therestisentertainment.com. for ad-free listening and bonus. episodes. Otherwise, we'll see you next Tuesday. >> next Tuesday. >> [music].