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Stanley Tucci says he doesn’t understand why there has been a sudden rise in the “very far right”.

The 64-year-old actor, author and food connoisseur leads a new show aptly named Tucci In Italy, where he looks at the world-renowned cuisine and how its ingredients tell much more than just what is served on the plate.

Speaking to Sky News, he says painting the full picture of the Italian landscape was the driving force behind the show and that he made a conscious decision to include stories from all backgrounds.

Mr Tucci tries lampredotto while in Florence. Pic: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak
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Stanley Tucci tries lampredotto while in Florence. Pic: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak

“I asked that we include a story about a gay couple and their children, whether it was adopted or surrogate or however, because I thought it was a really interesting story.

“I am confused as to the direction that so much of the world is heading now to the very far right and sort of vilifying the other, meaning people who aren’t like us, but I don’t quite know what that means because we are all so different.

“There is no us, right? We’re all different, so I don’t know what the problem is there.”

Canci checi, a Ladin staple consisting of fried ravioli.  Pic: National Geographic
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Canci checi, a Ladin staple consisting of fried ravioli. Pic: National Geographic

Mr Tucci cooks at BBQ joint Ristoro Mucciante in Abruzzo with one of the owners, Rodolfo Mucciante, right.  Pic: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak
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Tucci cooks at BBQ joint ristoro mucciante in Abruzzo with one of the owners, Rodolfo Mucciante, right. Pic: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak

Tucci adds that he wants to “look at what’s happening in Italy politically and how it’s affecting people but, of course, all through the prism of food”.

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“Those people are sitting there having a traditional Sunday lunch with the grandparents, with the grandkid, and they’re a family and yet the government says they’re not a family.

“I think that’s really interesting because Italy puts so much emphasis on family and for all practical purposes, Italy has a negative birth rate so why wouldn’t you want to welcome more children into your society who are Italian?”

Chef and owner Matilde Pettini opened Dalla Lola in 2021 and discusses their dishes with Mr Tucci. Pic: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak
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Chef and owner Matilde Pettini opened Dalla Lola in 2021 and discusses their dishes with Tucci. Pic: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak

Ramadan El Sabawy hands Stanley Tucci a plate with his son's crispy Margherita Pizza. Pic: National Geographic
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Ramadan El Sabawy hands Tucci a plate with his son’s crispy margherita pizza. Pic: National Geographic

In 2016, Italy passed a law that now recognises civil unions for same-sex couples in the country.

It grants couples many of the same rights and financial protections as married heterosexual couples, however, it doesn’t give LGBT+ couples the right to joint adoption or in vitro fertilisation.

In 2023, the Italian government extended its initial ban on surrogacy to include arrangements made by its citizens abroad.

Its legislation subjects any intended parent who breaks the law to jail terms of up to two years and fines of up to €1m (£846,000).

The law doesn’t include those children who were already registered before it came into effect.

Stanley Tucci holding a cheese made in Lazio. Pic: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak
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Tucci holding a cheese made in Lazio. Pic: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak

Torcinello, a traditional sausage, served with scampi, sea asparagus, and sweet pepper sauce. Pic: National Geographic
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Torcinello, a traditional sausage, served with scampi, sea asparagus, and sweet pepper sauce. Pic: National Geographic

The buzzword on social media over the last few weeks has been “conclave” following the death of Pope Francis and of course, the Oscar-winning film of the same name.

Our interview took place just before the real conclave took place, which resulted in Pope Leo XIV becoming the first American-born leader of the Catholic Church.

Starring in the film alongside Ralph Fiennes, Tucci became inadvertently connected to the news agenda when life began to imitate art.

“It’s fascinating. I mean, look, I don’t know anything about it, really, other than I made a movie about it. That’s all I know. But it is, the timing of it is unfortunate, but it’s also oddly coincidental.”

Tucci In Italy looks at traditional Italian cuisine but also explores the impact history, changing political landscapes, migration and culture can have on a dinner plate.

Timballo being cut, revealing the intricate layers of crespelle and meatballs inside. Pic: National Geographic
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Timballo being cut, revealing the intricate layers of crespelle and meatballs inside. Pic: National Geographic

Mr Tucci fly fishes in a glacial river with locals. Pic: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak
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Mr Tucci fly fishes in a glacial river with locals in Trentino-Alto Adige. Pic: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak

Hay soup in a loaf of homemade bread, served in the restaurant Gostner Schwaige. Pic: National Geographic
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Hay soup in a loaf of homemade bread, served in the restaurant Gostner Schwaige. Pic: National Geographic

Read more from Sky News:
Dance artist Moby on the destructive force of fame
David Attenborough’s new film ‘biggest message he’s ever told’

He visits the northern area of Trentino-Alto Adige, which borders Austria, to look at how Mussolini’s intense policies regarding German identity shaped the area and people today.

“It’s an incredibly beautiful region, but also it’s the way those two cultures have figured out a way to get along without violence, without blame, without hating each other, without divisiveness.

“I think it’s really wonderful. It’s a testament to… How easy it can be for us to get along.”

Tucci In Italy premieres 21 May at 8pm on National Geographic and all episodes stream from 19 May on Disney+.

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Why Germany’s top football league is turning to this man

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Why Germany's top football league is turning to this man

The growing popularity and reach of the Premier League globally is leaving rival European football competitions struggling to compete.

Not only to find an audience, but to find outlets to even show the matches.

So German football had to think differently – going to where Gen Z is engaging with football through content creators.

And that’s why tonight, Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich will begin their defence of the Bundesliga title live to 1.4 million subscribers on the That’s Football channel on YouTube.

Harry Kane in Bundesliga action last season. Pic: Reuters
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Harry Kane in Bundesliga action last season. Pic: Reuters

It’s run by Mark Goldbridge, known for passionate but often provocative, punchy commentary about players on streams going viral.

His brand was built by being filmed reacting to watching Manchester United matches.

“People need to appreciate that we have a certain content style, and that’s very, very popular,” Goldbridge told Sky News.

“That is an area that needs to be catered [to] and that’s why, without the rights, we’ve had such big, big audiences.”

Goldbridge revealed he isn’t paying to show his 20 Friday night matches this season – reinforcing how the Bundesliga struggled to find a buyer in Britain.

Sky Sports previously had a four-year rights deal to exclusively show those German matches here, but will now only show the prestige Saturday evening slot live.

Bundesliga teams Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig during their match in April. Pic: Reuters
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Bundesliga teams Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig during their match in April. Pic: Reuters

European leagues are finding it increasingly difficult in this market to sell their rights because domestic football is so dominant and appealing.

The focus of football budgets is on domestic games for Sky as well as Discovery-owned TNT Sports, which also focuses its European football coverage on men’s continental competitions, including the Champions League.

More Premier League matches will be shown live than ever before – with at least 215 on Sky, the parent company of Sky News, and others on TNT.

Sky Sports also has live men’s rights to the English Football League and Scottish matches, as well as sharing the Women’s Super League with the BBC.

The Bundesliga is also making the games broadcast by Goldbridge’s channel available to the BBC to stream online. They will further be on The Overlap, a YouTube channel part-owned by Gary Neville.

Behind the scenes of covering a Premier League game
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Behind the scenes of covering a Premier League game

‘A progressive step’

Bundesliga International CEO Peer Naubert said: “Our approach is as diverse as our supporters: by combining established broadcasters with digital platforms and content creators, we are taking a progressive step in how top-level football can be experienced.

“This multi-layered strategy allows us to connect with more audiences across the UK and Ireland, giving every supporter the chance to engage … in the way that suits them best.”

While the former England and Manchester United player is a star pundit on Sky, he could also be seen as a rival to the Comcast-owned broadcaster by attracting fans to newer outlets of his channel.

Read more from Sky News:
Man charged with killing ice cream seller
London Underground workers to strike

Goldbridge doesn’t see himself as a rival yet to long-established broadcasters.

“We’re not looking to replace what you can find on Sky or the BBC or anything like that,” he said. “This is a community that will be live with us, watching the Bundesliga, learning about it.

“And if I get a pronunciation wrong, or I don’t know about a player, then I’ve got my community there to back me up. I don’t profess to know everything.”

Kane celebrates the Bundesliga title with his Bayern Munich teammates. Pic: Reuters
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Kane celebrates the Bundesliga title with his Bayern Munich teammates. Pic: Reuters

‘This is the future’

But he can be relatable to audiences, with more than two million subscribing to his The United Stand channel, earning him millions of pounds over the last decade.

“We’ve been there growing in the background and I think certain media outlets have ignored that, maybe hoping it would go away,” he said.

“I certainly think synergy and collaboration need to happen more because there are things in the mainstream that I don’t like and there will be people out there that really don’t like the way we watch football, but a lot of people do.

“And it’s about offering that choice to people and there are different ways people listen to football on the radio, people watch it with a commentator, some people turn the audio off completely, some people watch things like this (watch-a-long).

“And I think that is the future, to offer more choice.”

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Previously unreleased Beatles tracks to feature on new Anthology collection

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Previously unreleased Beatles tracks to feature on new Anthology collection

Thirteen unreleased Beatles tracks are set to feature on a new Anthology compilation – almost 30 years since the last.

The announcement comes following a big hint from Sir Paul McCartney and the other official Beatles social media channels, which all shared a carousel of images containing the numbers one to four on Instagram the day before the announcement.

Anthology 4 will feature 13 demos, session recordings and other rare tracks that have never been released before, similar to the first three Anthology compilations, which were released between 1995 and 1996.

Details of a full track listing are yet to be revealed. There is no indication the release will feature any completely previously unheard songs.

A book and documentary series, The Beatles Anthology, is also being remastered and streamed on Disney+, billed as “The Beatles’ story, in their own words”.

The series will include a new ninth episode featuring previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage of Sir Paul, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, filmed as they made the collections.

Beatles producer George Martin’s son Giles has remastered versions of Anthology 1, 2 and 3, and all four will be released in a new box set in November.

The 191-track set will also feature new mixes of Free As A Bird and Real Love – the singles from Anthology 1 and 2 – using the late John Lennon‘s vocals. These have been mixed by the songs’ original producer, Electric Light Orchestra frontman Jeff Lynne.

Pic: Bruce McBroom/Apple Corps Ltd/PA
Image:
Pic: Bruce McBroom/Apple Corps Ltd/PA

It comes after The Beatles topped the charts with their “last song” Now And Then, on which AI was used to extract Lennon’s vocals from an old demo, in 2023.

The box set will also include the original liner notes for the first three anthologies as well as a new set of notes on Anthology 4 by Beatles author Kevin Howlett, and an introduction compiled from 1996 interviews recorded with The Beatles’ close friend and adviser Derek Taylor.

The Beatles are the best-selling musical act of all time, having achieved 18 number one singles and 15 number one albums in the UK alone since they formed in 1960.

Four biopics are currently in the works – with each star getting his own film to share their side of the story of the band that changed the world.

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs judge urged by prosecutors to reject request for acquittal or retrial

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs judge urged by prosecutors to reject request for acquittal or retrial

Prosecutors in the Sean “Diddy” Combs case have urged the judge to reject a request by the hip-hop mogul for acquittal or retrial on prostitution-related charges.

Lawyers for Combs filed the request after he was found guilty of two counts of transportation for engagement in prostitution – for flying girlfriends and male sex workers around the US and abroad for sexual encounters referred to as “freak offs” – at the end of his high-profile trial in New York.

He was cleared of more serious charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking. The trial would have been “totally different” if these charges had not been included, his defence team argued, saying they lacked credibility.

File pic: Matt Sayles/Invision/AP
Image:
File pic: Matt Sayles/Invision/AP

Now, prosecutors have responded to the request for the conviction to be thrown out, or for a retrial, saying in a court document that there was “ample evidence” presented during the trial that supported the jury’s convictions.

“[Combs] masterminded every aspect of freak offs,” the document says. “He transported escorts across state lines to engage in freak offs for pay. He directed the sexual activity of escorts… for his own sexual gratification. And he personally engaged in sexual activity during freak offs.”

The two transportation for prostitution charges Combs was convicted of fall under America’s Mann Act, which prohibits interstate commerce related to prostitution.

The rapper’s lawyers have argued that, to their knowledge, he is “the only person” ever convicted of these charges for the conduct he was accused of in court.

Combs's reaction after hearing the verdicts following his trial. Pic: Reuters/Jane Rosenberg
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Combs’s reaction after hearing the verdicts following his trial. Pic: Reuters/Jane Rosenberg

“The men chose to travel and engage in the activity voluntarily,” the defence team said in their submission to the judge for acquittal. “The verdict confirms the women were not vulnerable or exploited or trafficked or sexually assaulted during the freak offs or hotel nights.”

In their response, prosecutors said “evidence of the defendant’s guilt on the Mann Act counts was overwhelming”.

Combs, one of the most influential hip-hop producers of all time, is due to be sentenced in October. Each charge carries a potential jail sentence of 10 years.

He would have been facing a mandatory 15 years – and up to life – in prison had he been convicted of the charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking, of which he was exonerated.

Read more:
How the trial unfolded
The rise and fall of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

Combs fell to his knees when the verdicts were read out, and his team later hailed it a “victory”.

The rapper has already served nearly a year at a federal jail in Brooklyn, where he has been since his arrest in September 2024.

He has been in contact with Donald Trump about a pardon, a source close to the rapper’s legal team told Sky News’ US partner network NBC News earlier this month, but the president has cast doubt on this actually happening.

Combs has been denied bail despite arguments by his lawyers that he should face little to no additional jail time for his convictions.

Judge Arun Subramanian, who heard the trial, said Combs has not met the burden of showing by clear and convincing evidence a “lack of danger to any person or the community”.

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