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A photographer is encouraging people to view Notting Hill Carnival “differently” from how she perceives it is often “awfully” portrayed in the media.

Rio Blake is an enthusiast of the largely Caribbean event, and has been snapping carnival-goers and the celebrations since she received her first camera more than eight years ago.

Her photos aim to reframe the festival in a positive light.

Ms Blake, who specialises in documentary and portrait photography said: “I hope my photography encourages people to see the [carnival] differently and I’d like to think that the majority of people see it as a celebration.”

She believes the carnival can often be “portrayed awfully in the media”.

“I think, for me, it’s never really been about trying to prove the opposite, but I think my photos do just that, they speak for themselves,” she said.

“I’ve been every year and I’ve never personally been in trouble or had any altercations of anything like that, and I love bringing my camera and taking photos of everyone there as most people are happy and in a good mood.”

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Reflecting on some of her favourite moments she captured, the 27-year-old said: “People on the steps really sums up west London and the carnival, and the way people chill and congregate [at the event] and make for really interesting portraits.

“I love taking photos of the children that go – it really shows the celebration that it is.

EMBARGOED TO 0001 FRIDAY OCTOBER 6 Undated handout photo taken by Rio Blake of a man and his daughter enjoying the Notting Hill Carnival. Rio is to take part in an exhibition called Here & Now: Black History Month Exhibition at Brady Arts Centre in Tower Hamlets, run by Alternative Arts, where she will unveil never-before-seen images of the Notting Hill Carnival. Rio specialises in documentary and portrait photography, and started her journey in the field taking pictures of the Notting Hill
EMBARGOED TO 0001 FRIDAY OCTOBER 6 Undated handout photo taken by Rio Blake of two little girls at the Notting Hill Carnival. Rio is to take part in an exhibition called Here & Now: Black History Month Exhibition at Brady Arts Centre in Tower Hamlets, run by Alternative Arts, where she will unveil never-before-seen images of the Notting Hill Carnival. Rio specialises in documentary and portrait photography, and started her journey in the field taking pictures of the Notting Hill Carnival. Issue

“I took a photo of a little girl at the window and she’s just smiling – she’s like a little ray of sunshine – and it was a really nostalgic moment.”

The Londoner said she “always” takes a camera to the carnival adding that “it’s a moment you don’t really want to miss”.

Her collection is expanding with an entire archive of photos and she said she does not “plan on stopping anytime soon”.

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Trouble at the carnival

While the majority of the two million people who attended this year’s carnival went to enjoy the food, parades and music, the celebrations were sullied by arrests and a spate of stabbings.

Across the main two days of the festival there were 275 arrests for a range of offences including possession of offensive weapons, sexual assault, assaults on police and drug possession.

Eight people were stabbed resulting in two men needing treatment in hospital.

Thousands of officers were on duty at the carnival
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Thousands of officers were on duty at the carnival

Deputy Assistant Met Commissioner Ade Adelekan, who oversaw the policing operation, said it was “regrettable that for a second year in a row Monday night at carnival [was] marred by serious violence”.

From Notting Hill to Grenfell

Ms Blake, who was born to a father from Trinidad and Tobago and an Irish mother, showcased her work in 2021 to raise money for the Grenfell Foundation – a charity for the families of 72 victims who died in the 2017 tower block fire.

EMBARGOED TO 0001 FRIDAY OCTOBER 6 Undated handout photo of Rio Blake, a photographer who is to take part in an exhibition called Here & Now: Black History Month Exhibition at Brady Arts Centre in Tower Hamlets, run by Alternative Arts, where she will unveil never-before-seen images of the Notting Hill Carnival. Rio specialises in documentary and portrait photography, and started her journey in the field taking pictures of the Notting Hill Carnival. Issue date: Friday October 6, 2023.
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Rio Blake

EMBARGOED TO 0001 FRIDAY OCTOBER 6 Undated handout photo taken by Rio Blake of people looking down to watch the Notting Hill Carnival. Rio is to take part in an exhibition called Here & Now: Black History Month Exhibition at Brady Arts Centre in Tower Hamlets, run by Alternative Arts, where she will unveil never-before-seen images of the Notting Hill Carnival. Rio specialises in documentary and portrait photography, and started her journey in the field taking pictures of the carnival

Her images were part of a group exhibit called An Ode To Notting Hill Carnival, while the event was moved online during the pandemic.

“That was myself and 13 other photographers, and we all donated the sale proceeds of the works to the Grenfell Foundation, which was amazing,” she said.

“It was to commemorate Notting Hill Carnival when it was cancelled and that was picked up and represented by [advertising agency] M&C Saatchi the next year, and it was great to be able to shout from the rooftops about other people’s work as well.”

Ms Blake is to take part in an exhibit called Here & Now: Black History Month Exhibition at Brady Arts Centre, in east London, where she will unveil the never-before-seen images of the carnival.

It will begin on 6 October running until 29 October.

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Gregg Wallace speaks out after MasterChef sacking

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Gregg Wallace speaks out after MasterChef sacking

Gregg Wallace has spoken about his sacking from MasterChef after inappropriate behaviour while working for the BBC – but insisted he is “not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher”.

Wallace, 60, has apologised after a report, commissioned by the cooking show’s production company Banijay UK, found 45 out of 83 allegations were substantiated.

In an interview with The Sun, he said: “I know I have said things that offended people… I understand that now – and to anyone I have hurt, I am so sorry.

“I don’t expect anyone to have any sympathy with me but I don’t think I am a wrong ‘un.”

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BBC reputation damaged by ‘serious errors’

MasterChef co-host John Torode also had an allegation that he used an “extremely offensive racist term” upheld, as part of the same investigation.

Torode, who insisted he had “absolutely no recollection” of the alleged incident, has not had his contract for the show renewed.

Wallace has now defended Torode, saying: “I’ve known John for 30 years and he is not a racist.

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“There is no way that man is a ­racist. No way. And my sympathies go out to John because I don’t want anybody to go through what I’ve been through.”

Former MasterChef presenters John Torode and Gregg Wallace. File pic: PA
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Gregg Wallace has defended his former MasterChef co-host John Torode (left). File pic: PA

At one point, Wallace became tearful during the interview when describing the impact of the investigation on his family.

“I have seen myself written about in the same sentence as Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards, paedophiles and sex offenders. That is just so, so horrific.”

In respect to the specific allegation of unwanted touching, Wallace denied groping a woman and said that, while he was attempting to flirt with her, he did believe the contact it was consensual.

“She gave me her phone number. I considered that to be intimacy. It was 15 years ago. Me, drunk, at a party, with my hand on a girl’s bum,” he said.

He also accepted he had briefly appeared with a sock on his private parts in front of four colleagues in MasterChef studio. But he said his is not a flasher, and people were either “amused or bemused” but not distressed.

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On the broader allegations about using inappropriate language, Wallace accepted the criticism and suggested that some of his conduct could be explained by his autism and his background.

“I know I am odd. I know I struggle to read people. I know people find me weird. Autism is a… registered disability. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not real.”

He also blamed his former career: “I’m a greengrocer from Peckham. I thrived in Covent Garden’s fruit and veg market. In that environment that is jovial and crude. It is learned behaviour.”

Wallace told the newspaper he is now scared to appear in public: “I go out now in a disguise – a baseball cap and sunglasses, I don’t want people to see me. I’m scared.”

On Wednesday, the BBC confirmed a series of MasterChef filmed last year, before allegations against presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode were upheld, will still be broadcast.

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Company at heart of Coldplay viral video releases tongue-in-cheek clip – with a big twist

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Company at heart of Coldplay viral video releases tongue-in-cheek clip - with a big twist

The company at the centre of a viral video at a Coldplay concert has released a tongue-in-cheek clip on social media – featuring Gwyneth Paltrow as a “temporary spokesperson”.

Astronomer was thrust into the spotlight after two of the tech firm’s senior executives were filmed embracing on a kiss cam during a gig in Boston.

Andy Byron subsequently resigned as chief executive officer – while the woman in the video, Kristin Cabot, stepped down as chief people officer a few days later.

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Tech boss resigns after viral Coldplay concert video

Paltrow, who used to be married to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, is seen sitting at a desk in the new video uploaded to X – and begins by thanking the public for their interest in Astronomer.

She adds: “I’ve been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300-plus employees at Astronomer.

“Astronomer has gotten a lot of questions over the last few days – and they wanted me to answer the most common ones.”

A question is then typed out on the screen that reads: “OMG, what the actual…”

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Before the final word appears, the video cuts back to Paltrow, who goes on to promote some of the services Astronomer offers.

In a subtle nod to the countless column inches the company has attracted, Paltrow adds: “We’ve been thrilled so many people have a newfound interest in data workflow automation.”

Another question then pops up on screen, which begins to type out: “How is your social media team holding up?”

But before the sentence fully appears, Paltrow abruptly interrupts by declaring that Astronomer has spaces at an upcoming conference in September.

Astronomer

“We’ll now be returning to what we do best: delivering game-changing results for our customers,” she adds at the end of the video.

The marketing stunt is a sign that Astronomer is trying to put a positive spin on the scandal, which sparked feverish speculation online.

After Mr Byron resigned, the company had said in a statement: “Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding.

“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.”

Woman hides her face

Pete DeJoy, who has taken over as interim CEO, admitted on Monday that the company has faced an “unusual and surreal” amount of attention in recent days.

On LinkedIn, he wrote: “While I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name.”

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Top Boy actor Micheal Ward charged with two counts of rape

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Top Boy actor Micheal Ward charged with two counts of rape

Top Boy actor Micheal Ward has been charged with two counts of rape and is due to appear in court next month.

Ward, 27, has also been charged with two counts of assault by penetration and one count of sexual assault.

The offences relate to one woman and are reported to have taken place in January 2023.

“Our specialist officers continue to support the woman who has come forward – we know investigations of this nature can have a significant impact on those who make reports,” said Detective Superintendent Scott Ware, whose team is leading the Met Police’s investigation.

Ward at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on 15 July. Pic: PA
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Ward at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on 15 July during a press call for his upcoming film Eddington. Pic: PA

Ward, of Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, is due to appear at Thames Magistrates’ Court on 28 August, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

Ward said he denies the charges of rape and sexual assault, adding in a statement: “I recognise that proceedings are now ongoing, and I have full faith that they will lead to my name being cleared.”

In a statement, Catherine Baccas, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS London South, said: “We remind all concerned that proceedings against the suspect are active and he has a right to a fair trial.

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“It is vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in anyway prejudice these proceedings.”

Ward has been charged with rape and sexual assault. He is pictured in October 2023. Pic: PA
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Michael Ward has been charged with rape and sexual assault. He is pictured in October 2023. Pic: PA

Ward starred in the popular Netflix series Top Boy as Jamie. He also appeared in films like Blue Story, The Old Guard and Empire of Light.

In 2020, the Jamaican-born actor was awarded the Bafta Rising Star honour in 2020.

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He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor Bafta in 2021 for his role as Franklyn in the BBC series Small Axe, and 2022 for his performance as Stephen in Empire of Light.

Ward is also in the upcoming American film Eddington alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal, which is set to be released in the UK next month.

Ward is pictured during the opening night of A View From The Bridge at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London in June 2024. Pic: PA
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Ward is pictured during the opening night of A View From The Bridge at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London in June 2024. Pic: PA

He has more than a million followers on Instagram and participated in charity events like the Soccer Aid match at Stamford Bridge last year.

Ward gave a reading at the Christmas Eve carol service hosted by the Princess of Wales in 2023.

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