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British actress Simone Ashley says she believes the industry has “come a long way” in terms of diversifying – but says the process is ongoing.

The Bridgerton and Sex Education star says that growing up she loved watching Hollywood royalty Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz and Anne Hathaway take on romcom leads.

But the 29-year-old South Asian – who is of Indian Tamil descent and grew up in Surrey – says she never really saw people like her in those roles.

Ashley told Sky News: “I always wanted to play a character like that.

“So, when we got the script, I just jumped on it – because I wanted to fill those shoes, and kind of bring back that 90s romcom world.”

Pic: Amazon Studios
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Simone Ashley in Picture This. Pic: Amazon Studios

Simone’s new film Picture This sees her in the starring role as London photographer Pia, who’s navigating a struggling business while dealing with the societal pressures of finding love.

Though the character is more than content with the life she’s built, a prediction from a spiritual guru threatens to throw that into chaos as she’s set up on five blind dates.

Hero Fiennes Tiffin – star of the After film series and nephew of Ralph and Joseph Fiennes – and British comedian Asim Chaudhry also join the Picture This cast.

Ashley goes on: “What was so important about this film is that we celebrated and enhanced the culture, and any aspects of comedy were just from the characters themselves – it wasn’t making fun of the culture.”

Pic: Amazon Studios
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Pic: Amazon Studios

‘Part of the change’

And while the film is centred around a South Asian family, Ashley says that’s not what she wants viewers to take from it.

“This is a story that is a classic romcom – and I want that to be the selling point, that’s how we normalise this narrative.

“The billboards aren’t ‘Indian girl in the movie’.

“I’m just super proud, super pleased and I just hope that universally all women – not just South Asian women – can see themselves in this character.”

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Not only does the movie mark Ashley’s first romcom role, but also her first as executive producer.

Since being named one of Variety’s 2021 Brits to Watch, she’s made her stamp on the acting world – most notably as leading lady Kate Sharma in the second season of Netflix period drama Bridgerton.

And she recently confirmed she’ll be releasing her first music album soon.

Ashley has previously picked apart what she’s described as the “restrictive” nature of being an Indian actress – and how it took her longer to break into the industry compared to her white peers.

But she says the industry is changing.

“I think we’ve come a long way – I think we’re part of the change and I think more movies like [Picture This] – more women like you in your seat, more women in my seat – I think that’s part of the change.”

Picture This is available to watch on Prime Video now.

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Oasis fans may have been misled, watchdog says as it calls for Ticketmaster changes

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Oasis fans may have been misled, watchdog says as it calls for Ticketmaster changes

Ticketmaster may have misled music fans over Oasis concert ticket prices, a competition watchdog investigation has found.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has urged the online platform to change the way it labels its tickets and provide better pricing information to fans.

The CMA has been investigating the site following widespread complaints about the sale of Oasis gig tickets last year, which saw over 900,000 tickets purchased through the site.

Screengrab taken from the Ticketmaster.ie website at 0804 of their virtual waiting room as Oasis fans across the UK and Ireland who missed out on pre-sale tickets will be attempting to secure their place at the band's reunion concerts during Saturday's general sale. Issue date: Saturday August 31, 2024.
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Over 900,000 tickets were purchased through the Ticketmaster site

Liam and Noel Gallagher announced the band would reunite for a tour in 2025, but fans suffered various problems when trying to get tickets, including some ending up paying as much as £355 for tickets originally advertised for £148 on Ticketmaster.

The controversy prompted the CMA to look at how ‘dynamic pricing’ – a form of surge pricing – may have been used, and whether the sale by Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law.

While the investigation is still ongoing, the CMA said it is “concerned” Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law.

It said the company labelled certain seated tickets as “platinum” and sold them for nearly two-and-a-half times the price of equivalent standard tickets, without explaining why they were more expensive.

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“This risked giving consumers the misleading impression that platinum tickets were better,” it said.

Noel and Liam Gallagher pictured a Wembley Stadium in 2008. Pic: Zak Hussein/PA
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Noel and Liam Gallagher pictured at Wembley in 2009 – the year the band broke up. Pic: PA

It also found Ticketmaster did not inform fans that there were two categories of standing tickets at different prices, and there was no evidence that it used dynamic pricing.

“Many fans were under the impression that Ticketmaster used an algorithmic pricing model during the Oasis sale, with ticket prices adjusted in real time according to changing conditions like high demand,” the watchdog said.

“The CMA has not found evidence that this was the case. Instead, Ticketmaster released a number of standing tickets at a lower price and, once they had sold out, then released the remaining standing tickets at a much higher price.”

Downing Street has said “everyone deserves a fair shot at getting tickets” for music and sport events.

Asked what message the prime minister had for fans affected by the Oasis sale, a Number 10 spokesman said: “In general terms, the chance to see your favourite musicians or sports teams live is something that all of us enjoy, and everyone deserves a fair shot at getting tickets.

“But for too long, fans have had to endure the misery of touts hoovering up tickets for resale at vastly inflated prices. We’ve also seen cases where a lack of transparency has meant customers have been caught unawares by last minute price rises for high demand events.”

The spokesman said there would be a full response to a consultation issued in due course.

At the time of the backlash, a spokesperson for Ticketmaster said: “Fans can resell their Oasis tickets at the full price they paid through Ticketmaster or Twickets.”

The gigs kick off this July in Cardiff, running until September when the band will perform two final Wembley Stadium shows.

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Laurence Fox charged with sexual offence

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Laurence Fox charged with sexual offence

Laurence Fox has been charged with a sexual offence, the Metropolitan Police have confirmed.

The charge, which has been brought under section 66A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, relates to an image that was posted on social media in April last year.

The act makes it illegal to intentionally share sexual images of someone without their consent, with the aim of causing alarm, distress, or humiliation, or for sexual gratification.

Narinder Kaur reported the image to police last year. Pic: PA
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Narinder Kaur reported the image to police last year. Pic: PA

Presenter Narinder Kaur – who has waived her right to anonymity – alleges the image shows her as she got out of a taxi in 1996, and was taken without her knowledge and consent.

Kaur, 52, reported the image when it was shared online, triggering an 11-month investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

She has previously said she felt “violated, humiliated and degraded” by the incident.

Fox, 46, who has recently attempted to enter the world of politics, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 24 April, where he is expected to enter a plea.

If convicted, he faces up to two years in prison and could be placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

The Metropolitan Police told Sky News in a statement: “A man has been charged with a sexual offence following an investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

“Laurence Fox, 46, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 24 April charged with an offence contrary to section 66A of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

“The charge relates to an image that was posted on social media platform in April 2024.”

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Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal detained by Israeli military after being beaten up, say activists

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Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal detained by Israeli military after being beaten up, say activists

An Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker has been held by the Israeli military in the occupied West Bank, according to activists.

Hamdan Ballal had earlier been beaten up by Israeli settlers who were among dozens who attacked the Palestinian village of Susya in the Masafer Yatta area and destroyed property, said the Centre for Jewish Nonviolence.

The activist group said Mr Ballal suffered a bleeding head in the assault, and as he was being treated in an ambulance, he and another Palestinian man were detained.

“We don’t know where Hamdan is because he was taken away in a blindfold,” said 28-year-old Josh Kimelman, who was at the scene.

Hamdan Ballal is detained in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Pic: Raviv Rose via AP
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Hamdan Ballal is detained in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Pic: Raviv Rose via AP

During the incident, around 10-20 masked settlers reportedly attacked Jewish activists with stones and sticks, smashing car windows and slashing tyres. One settler swung his fists at two activists before the pair rushed back to their vehicle, video provided by the Centre for Jewish Nonviolence showed.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement to Sky News that on Monday night “several terrorists hurled rocks at Israeli citizens, damaging their vehicles near Susya”.

The IDF also said a violent confrontation then broke out involving “mutual rock-hurling between Palestinians and Israelis at the scene”.

“IDF and Israeli Police forces arrived to disperse the confrontation, at this point, several terrorists began hurling rocks at the security forces,” according to the statement.

“In response, the forces apprehended three Palestinians suspected of hurling rocks at them, as well as an Israeli civilian involved in the violent confrontation. The detainees were taken for further questioning by the Israel police. An Israeli citizen was injured in the incident and was evacuated to receive medical treatment.

“Contrary to claims, no Palestinian was apprehended from inside an ambulance.”

Hamdan Ballal with fellow No Other Land filmmakers after their Academy Award success. Pic: AP
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(L-R) Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal and Yuval Abraham with their Oscars. Pic: AP

Best documentary

Mr Ballal is one of the co-directors of No Other Land which won the best documentary Oscar this year.

The film follows Masafer Yatta residents as they struggle to stop Israel’s army from demolishing their villages.

No Other Land has two Palestinian co-directors, Ballal and Basel Adra, both Masafar Yatta residents, and two Israeli directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.

Read more from Sky News:
What happened to Israel-Hamas ceasefire?

West Bank areas ‘turning into mini-Gaza’

Hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in Israeli military operations during the Gaza war, and there has also been a rise in settler attacks on Palestinians.

There has also been a surge in Palestinian attacks on Israelis.

Red Cross office damaged

Meanwhile, in the southern Gazan city of Rafah, a Red Cross office was damaged by an explosive projectile.

The Israeli military said its forces fired at a building belonging to the charity after identifying suspects and sensing a threat.

But it admitted it had opened fire due to an incorrect identification.

“The structure’s ownership was unknown to the force at the time of the shooting,” the military added.

No one was injured, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which said the attack had a direct impact on its ability to operate.

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