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Parents can learn about the terms and language they can expect to hear in children’s films and TV shows in a new guide published by the British Board of Film Classification.

It comes as a survey carried out on behalf of the organisation showed that while most adults feel comfortable swearing or using strong language with friends, they do not in front of children, and do not want to hear more coarse or offensive words on screen.

The BBFC’s guide covers the U, PG and 12A/12 categories, and classifies words including f*** as strong language, and c*** as very strong.

Acronyms that refer to expletives – such as WTF (What the f***) – are classified as if they are the words in full.

BBFC chief executive David Austin said: “Children are watching more content on multiple screens, and their parents want to protect them from strong and very strong language wherever they can and for as long as possible.

“Parents told us they are keen for media industries to share the responsibility – and that’s where we come in.

“Very strong language retains an innate shock value, and for some remains the last taboo.”

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In films categorised 12 or 12A there may be “moderate” bad language, the BBFC says on its website, and “strong language may be permitted, depending on the manner in which it is used, who is using the language, its frequency within the work as a whole and any special contextual justification”.

PG films should have “mild bad language only”, while U films can feature “infrequent use only of very mild bad language”.

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The BBFC’s survey was commissioned to find out if parents would accept more frequent use of strong and very strong language in films watched by children and young teenagers.

Six in 10 respondents indicated that swearing is part of their daily life, with nearly a third (30%) saying they use strong language more than they did five years ago.

But six in 10 respondents also said that while they are comfortable using strong language with friends, they refrain from doing so if children can hear. Only one in five said they were comfortable swearing in front of children under 16 at home.

The research also suggested a generational divide when it comes to swearing, with nearly half (46%) of Generation Z respondents frequently using strong language daily, compared to only one in 10 (12%) of 55 to 64-year-olds and one in eight (12%) over-65s.

A quarter (25%) of 16 to 24-year-olds said they would never use strong language in public, compared to a majority of over-65s (75%), according to the results.

The research for the BBFC, carried out by Magenta, consisted of 76 participants who watched and reviewed films over 10 days, 17 online focus groups with a total of 66 participants, and an online survey of 1,000 adults aged 18 plus across the UK.

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Bruce Willis sings and blows out candles as he celebrates 68th birthday following dementia diagnosis

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Bruce Willis sings and blows out candles as he celebrates 68th birthday following dementia diagnosis

Bruce Willis has celebrated his 68th birthday with a song and a cake, surrounded by his family, after it was announced he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) earlier this year.

A video shared by his ex-wife Demi Moore showed the Hollywood star singing happy birthday while surrounded by his daughters, Moore and his wife Emma Heming, before blowing out two candles on an apple pie.

Relatives of the Hollywood star said in March 2022 that he would be “stepping away” from his successful career after being diagnosed with aphasia, a condition affecting his cognitive abilities.

Moore, 60, wrote alongside the Instagram post: “Happy birthday, BW! So glad we could celebrate you today. Love you and love our family.

“Thank you to everyone for the love and warm wishes – we all feel them.”

Heming, 44, also shared an emotional post on Instagram, describing the feelings of “sadness” and “grief” she said she experienced as a caregiver to someone with dementia, adding: “I’m really feeling it today on his birthday.”

Becoming tearful as she ended the short video, she thanked fans for their support, saying: “As much as I do it for myself, I do it for you because I know how much you love my husband.”

Starring in more than 100 films over four decades, Willis has appeared in box office hits including Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys and The Sixth Sense, earning him fans worldwide.

Read more:
What is frontotemporal dementia (FTD)?

Bruce Willis’s wife asks paparazzi not to ‘yell’ at him

Hemming also shared a collection of videos and photos of Willis spending time with his family and playing with his children.

She captioned the post: “He is pure love. He is so loved. And I’ll be loving him always. Happy Birthday my sweet.

“My birthday wish for Bruce is that you continue to keep him in your prayers and highest vibrations because his sensitive Pisces soul will feel it.

“Thank you so much for loving and caring for him too.”

Willis has five daughters, sharing his three eldest – Rumer, Scout and Tallulah – with Moore whom he married in 1987, and his younger daughters Mabel and Evelyn with Hemming, who he married in 2009.

Willis and Moore separated in 2000, but remain on good terms.

Rumer marked her father’s birthday by posting the same video of everyone singing happy birthday and wrote: “Happy Birthday Daddio I love you to the moon. You are so cool.”

Scout captioned the video in her post: “Also though, today has been PROFOUNDLY JOYFULLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL !!!!!! HAPPY BW’S BIRTHDAY TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE !!!!”

Tallulah shared a selection of photos of her father from throughout the years on her Instagram, writing: “Happy birthday to my numero uno Bruno !!

“Feeling awash with all the good energies and love headed this Willis way! I love him and he loves me – what a delight!”

FTD is a degenerative brain disorder characterized by deterioration of the frontal and/or temporal lobes, according to the Association of Frontotemporal Deterioration (AFTD).

They list symptoms including uncharacteristic personality changes, apathy, and unexplained struggles with decision-making, speaking or language comprehension are among the most common presenting symptoms.

There are currently no treatments for FTD.

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Lance Reddick: The Wire star’s wife shares statement after actor’s sudden death

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Lance Reddick: The Wire star's wife shares statement after actor's sudden death

Lance Reddick’s wife has paid tribute to her husband and thanked his fans after he died on Friday at the age of 60. 

Reddick, who was best known for his role in The Wire, died suddenly from “natural causes” according to a spokesperson.

He was “taken from us far too soon” his wife Stephanie Reddick said in a post on the actor’s Instagram page.

She shared four photos of her husband in the post, writing: “Thank you for all your overwhelming love, support and beautiful stories shared on these platforms over the last day.

“I see your messages and can’t begin to express how grateful I am to have them.”

Read more:
Lance Reddick: The Wire and John Wick actor dies aged 60
Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals son is critically ill in hospital

Reddick voiced Commander Zavala in the Destiny game series. After news of his death, fans of the game paid their respects by visiting The Tower, the area where his character is stationed.

Stephanie Reddick acknowledged them in her post: “To the thousands of Destiny players who played in special tribute to Lance, thank you.

“Lance loved you as much as he loved the game.”

Reddick appeared in all 60 episodes of the crime drama The Wire, which ran from from 2002 to 2008.

The show was set in Baltimore, Reddick’s hometown, and he played police lieutenant Cedric Daniels.

Co-star Wendell Pierce said Reddick’s death was “sudden, unexpected, sharp, painful grief for our artistic family” and praised him as a “man of great strength and grace” as well as being the “epitome of elegance”.

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Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals son is ‘critically ill’ with gastric cancer – ‘I am absolutely devastated’

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Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals son is 'critically ill' with gastric cancer - 'I am absolutely devastated'

Andrew Lloyd Webber has said he is “absolutely devastated” as he revealed his eldest son Nicholas is “critically ill” with gastric cancer.

The Oscar-winning composer will miss the opening of Bad Cinderella at New York’s Imperial Theatre due to his son – also a composer – being in hospital.

“I am absolutely devastated to say that my eldest son Nick is critically ill,” said Lord Lloyd-Webber in a statement.

“As my friends and family know, he has been fighting gastric cancer for the last 18 months and Nick is now hospitalised.

“I therefore have not been able to attend the recent previews of Bad Cinderella and as things stand, I will not be able to cheer on its wonderful cast, crew and orchestra on opening night this Thursday.

“We are all praying that Nick will turn the corner. He is bravely fighting with his indomitable humour, but at the moment my place is with him and the family.”

Nicholas Lloyd Webber, 43, is known for scoring the BBC One drama Love, Lies And Records and a theatrical and symphonic version of The Little Prince.

He also produced his father‘s Symphonic Suites at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London and was nominated for a Grammy alongside his father for a musical theatre album for Lord Lloyd-Webber’s Cinderella.

Lord Lloyd-Webber – who has three Grammys, four Tony Awards and an Academy Award – had been set to open Bad Cinderella on Thursday after it was announced last year, when he said he was “thrilled & delighted” for it.

Read more:
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What is gastric cancer?

Gastric cancer – also known as stomach cancer – is when cells form in the lining of the stomach and grow abnormally.

If the cancer is found at an early stage, there is a possibility that it can be treated.

There are many symptoms associated with stomach cancer, some of which may be hard to spot – the NHS says they include:

• Heartburn or acid reflux

• Issues with swallowing

• Feeling or being sick

• Indigestion

• Feeling full very quickly

• Loss of appetite and weight loss

• Pain at the top of the stomach

• Feeling very fatigued

• A lump at the top of the stomach

According to Bupa, around 6,600 people in the UK get stomach cancer each year.

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