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This review contains spoilers for the final episode of Succession, which is already available to stream on Now TV.

We’ll warn you again – stop now if you don’t want to know what happens.

Final warning. After the picture below all will be revealed.

You have been warned. Again.

Undated Handout Photo from Succession Season 4 Pictured: (Front) Jeremy Strong as Kendall and Brian Cox as Logan Roy

We finally have a successor to founder and CEO of Waystar Royco, Logan Roy (Brian Cox)… but it’s none of his children.

In the end it was Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) who came out on top – the desperate outsider and social climber, described as an “empty suit” by his wife, Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook).

But it was Shiv’s lack of faith in her elder brother, Kendall (Jeremy Strong), that led to Tom’s crowning as CEO – and the finale rightly focused on the siblings’ complicated relationship after four seasons of exhausting backstabbing.

Matthew Macfadyen in the HBO series : Succession - season 4
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Matthew Macfadyen as Tom Wambsgans

There’s no big fanfare in the last episode, With Open Eyes, with most of the plot taking place in the Roy children’s mother’s house, their father’s flat, then finally, the boardroom.

It’s unnerving to watch the siblings getting along during most of the episode; united in wanting to defeat the billionaire GoJo CEO Lukas Matsson (Alexander Skarsgard) from buying Waystar Royco, the company their father built.

Humiliated Shiv has been betrayed by Matsson, who had promised her US CEO but has been interviewing other candidates – including her husband Tom unbeknown to her.

And a feeble Roman (Kieran Culkin) is sporting stitches and being looked after by his mother, seemingly on the verge of a mental breakdown.

They’ve decided between themselves, after four series of fighting it out, that Kendall should be CEO. And at the end of a season where he’s shown himself to step in with a calm head, culminating in his spectacular speech at his father’s funeral, viewers are almost convinced, too.

Undated TV still from Succession. Pictured: Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy, Sarah Snook as Siobhan Roy and Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy
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Jeremy Strong as Kendall Roy, Sarah Snook as Siobhan Roy and Kieran Culkin as Roman Roy

But it almost feels too good to be true, and when it comes down to the board vote – between Kendall or a GoJo takeover – Shiv changes her mind at the last minute.

“I love you but I cannot stomach you,” she tells her brother.

“I’m the eldest boy”, he yells back. And just like that, we’re reminded that he never really has been good enough to fill Logan’s shoes.

Read more:
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Undated Handout Photo from Succession Season 4. Pictured: Brian Cox as Logan Roy
Image:
Brian Cox as Logan Roy

Meanwhile, Tom has listened to Matsson backstabbing Shiv – who is pregnant with their first child – describing how he doesn’t want her as CEO because he feels that they “clickety click”.

“What if I hired the guy who put the baby inside her,” he asks Tom, “instead of the baby lady?”

And Tom, never one to miss a climb up the ladder, doesn’t hesitate to tell him: “I’m your man.”

It was never going to be one of the children.

They acknowledged it themselves – they were all promised the top job by their father at different points. Kendall even references his father promising it to him when he was seven years old at an ice cream parlour.

But Shiv points out what we knew all along: “I don’t think he wanted to give it to any of us.”

We’re left without knowing their fates.

Roman looks almost relieved to be rid of the burden. Shiv appears despondent to be settling as second fiddle to her now more powerful husband.

And Kendall, the almost-King, is left with only his father’s loyal bodyguard for company, seemingly without the will to even contemplate his next move.

In the end, they all lost – even Tom looks discouraged at being tied to maverick Matsson as his “pain sponge” rather than “partner”.

And somehow you’re left feeling slightly heartbroken for these characters who have few to no redeeming features – so perhaps it’s the most satisfying end it could ever have been.

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson chosen as next James Bond, reports say

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Aaron Taylor-Johnson chosen as next James Bond, reports say

Aaron Taylor-Johnson is set to be the next James Bond, according to reports.

Famous for roles in films such as Kick-Ass and Avengers: Age Of Ultron, the 33-year-old actor is apparently yet to officially accept the iconic part, but a source told The Sun: “Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it.”

The source added: “The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back.”

Eon Productions, which produces the Bond films, is also said to be preparing to shoot a new 007 movie, with a script now being worked on.

The Sun’s source added: “As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.”

Taylor-Johnson is “an incredibly talented actor,” the source is also quoted as saying. They called him the “perfect person to play Bond and will pick up well from where Daniel Craig left off”.

Taylor-Johnson was asked by Numero magazine last week about rumours linking him with the role. In response, he said: “I find it charming and wonderful that people see me in that role. I take it as a great compliment.”

More on James Bond

After Daniel Craig hung up his tuxedo following the release of No Time To Die, speculation has mounted about who will become the seventh actor to play the spy in the official films.

Actors Daniel Craig (R) and Eva Green pause while filming the latest 007 sequel "Casino Royale" in the Italian Adriatic city of Venice June 3, 2006. REUTERS/Manuel Silvestri (ITALY)
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Craig starred with Eva Green in his first Bond film, Casino Royale, in 2006. Pic: Reuters

Taylor-Johnson would follow Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Craig in taking on the part, if his selection is confirmed. Connery starred in Dr No, the first official film, in 1962.

Idris Elba was long tipped to take up the role, but the 51-year-old said in September that “disgusting” comments about his race put him off.

He told the SmartLess podcast: “Those that weren’t happy about the idea made the whole thing disgusting and off-putting because it became about race.

“It became about nonsense and I got the brunt of it.”

Idris Elba was speaking on the red carpet premiere the new Netflix film Luther: The Fallen Sun.
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Idris Elba, known for playing Luther, has been heavily linked to the role

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Sky News has contacted William Morris Endeavour, Taylor-Johnson’s talent agency, for a comment.

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Rust armourer calls for new trial after involuntary manslaughter conviction

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Rust armourer calls for new trial after involuntary manslaughter conviction

A weapons armourer on the film set of Rust has asked for a new involuntary manslaughter trial and to be released from prison.

Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was found guilty after a two-week trial in Santa Fe, New Mexico, after the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins, 42, on the western film set in October 2021.

“Ms Gutierrez-Reed is requesting this court vacate her conviction and order new trial,” lawyers Jason Bowles and Monnica Barreras said, in an emergency motion.

“She is further requesting this court to release her pending further proceedings whether it be in this court or on appeal or writ.”

The court documents appear to have been filed on the same day that Alec Baldwin‘s lawyers filed a motion to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor over the shooting.

Halyna Hutchins pictured in 2017 at an Artists for Peace and Justice party, 70th Cannes Film Festival, France
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Halyna Hutchins, pictured in 2017


In it, the actor’s lawyers accused prosecutors of “violating nearly every rule in the book” in acquiring the indictment.

Among the claims, it is alleged state prosecutors gave the grand jury instruction on involuntary manslaughter that “unfairly stacked the deck against Baldwin”, who was re-charged with involuntary manslaughter in January and will go on trial in July.

The Hollywood actor faces two counts of manslaughter, one for negligent use of a firearm and another for failure to exercise due caution – and faces a maximum of 18 months in prison if found guilty.

The 30 Rock actor has denied responsibility for Hutchins’ death, saying the gun went off without him pulling the trigger.

Read more:
Rust assistant director ‘missed final gun safety check’

Alec Baldwin. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Alec Baldwin. Pic: Reuters

Hutchins died when a Colt. 45 revolver Baldwin was rehearsing with fired a live round that also wounded director Joel Souza during filming of the Western movie Rust.

Gutierrez-Reed will be sentenced on 15 April for the charge, which carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison and a $5,000 (£3,900) fine.

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Katie Price declared bankrupt for second time

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Katie Price declared bankrupt for second time

Former glamour model Katie Price has been declared bankrupt for a second time over an unpaid tax bill of more than £750,000.

Ms Price, who was previously declared bankrupt in 2019, owes £761,994.05 to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), a court was told on Monday.

At a short hearing at London’s Rolls Building, Insolvency and Companies Court Judge Sebastian Prentis said Ms Price had not responded to HMRC over the debt, and declared her bankrupt.

“There has been no response from the debtor. The papers are in order,” he said.

“There is a substantial debt due from Ms Price to HMRC, and therefore I will make a bankruptcy order.”

The judge said the bill “derives from self-assessments from the year 2020-21 and from the year 2021-22” and includes income tax, VAT, surcharges and interest.

Ms Price did not attend the hearing, which came days after she was fined £880 for driving without a licence or insurance in Northamptonshire in August last year.

More on Katie Price

In February, she was also ordered by a different judge to pay 40% of her income from adult entertainment website OnlyFans to trustees for the next three years in a separate dispute over unpaid debts, with the hearing told she was due to face questions about her finances in April.

She said in October last year she was “fed up” with being threatened with legal action and would go to prison to be “done with it all”.

Katie Price. Pic: Goff
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Katie Price at a previous court date in 2022. Pic: Goff

Speaking to TV personality Michelle Visage on her podcast, Ms Price discussed her bankruptcy and said she had recently been to court “more times than I’ve had hot dinners” and would “genuinely” not care if she was jailed.

In March 2023, she told Jeremy Vine’s Channel 5 show that people should not be “ashamed” of being declared bankrupt and she had been struggling with her mental health in recent years.

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She also apologised to the court during an October 2020 hearing, saying: “I just haven’t been able to deal with these issues or in the right mental state to understand everything that has been going on.”

Sky News has approached Ms Price for comment.

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