#and i love ben crompton

[lazbotronence]

Written by BAFTA-winning team Laurence Rickard & Martha Howe-Douglas (Ghosts, Horrible Histories) with Chris McCausland, hilarity and hijinks will commence on production this month at Sky Studios Elstree with the special set to air on Sky and NOW this Christmas.

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Chris McCausland & Lee Mack to star in Sky Original festive special ‘Bad Tidings’ [x]

Rebekah Staton, Sarah Alexander and Ben Crompton join the cast as production commences at Sky Studios Elstree.

Chris McCausland (The Wonders of the World I Can't See) and Lee Mack (Doctor Who, Inside No. 9, Brassic) star in Sky Original ‘Bad Tidings’, a mischievous festive special about two perpetually feuding neighbours in Stockport who become unlikely heroes, saving their street from notorious burglars with wacky booby traps and Great British banter. Written by BAFTA-winning team Laurence Rickard & Martha Howe-Douglas (Ghosts, Horrible Histories) with Chris McCausland, hilarity and hijinks will commence on production this month at Sky Studios Elstree with the special set to air on Sky and NOW this Christmas.

Joining the cast alongside McCausland and Mack are Rebekah Staton, Sarah Alexander, Ben Crompton, Emily Coates, Josiah Eloi, Millie Kiss, Tupele Dorgu, Sunil Patel, Susan Kyd and Donna Preston.

‘Bad Tidings’ follows a tradition of successful festive Sky Originals loved by Sky customers and star a wealth of British talent. Last year, ‘The Heist Before Christmas’ starring James Nesbitt, Timothy Spall and Laura Donnelly, was the biggest rating Sky Original of 2023 and followed 2022’s ‘Christmas Carole’ staring Suranne Jones, and 2021’s ‘The Amazing Mr Blunden’ staring Simon Callow, Tamsin Greig and Mark Gatiss.

This year’s Sky Original Christmas special revolves around grumpy home-security expert Neil (Mack) and his neighbour Scott (McCausland), who insists on keeping his Christmas lights illuminated all-year-round. And mixing up their bins, criticising Neil’s ‘project’ car and generally winding him up. Basically, Scott’s a git. He’s also blind and all the other neighbours think he’s great. 

When Scott is appointed head of the Neighbourhood Watch, Neil is the only one to question his suitability for the role. Their tit-for-tat argument culminates in Neil triggering a power-cut across the entire street. On Christmas Eve. 

Everyone is forced to evacuate, and Neil and Scott are left alone and on guard. But the local crime family decide to rob every house on the street in a single night, and the pair must set aside their differences to defeat them. They’ve got no lights, no cameras, no alarms and one of them is blind. Which might just be an advantage… 

Chris McCausland said: “Talk about a back of an envelope idea that has got out of hand, we are now making a Christmas comedy film and it's going to be awesome. I can't wait to get up to some hilarious mayhem with Lee and bring some festive spirit into people's living rooms this Christmas!”

Lee Mack added: “I love Chris McCausland, I love the script and I Iove Christmas. Where do I sign?”

‘Bad Tidings’ is written by Laurence Rickard & Martha Howe-Douglas with Chris McCausland, and is produced by Sky Studios. The film is directed by Tim Kirkby with Adnan Ahmed from Sky Studios producing. Anil Gupta Executive Produces for Sky Studios. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution handles international sales on behalf of Sky Studios.

[lukeevansgirl22]

102 Dalmatians is twice as hilarious!

Hey guys! I’m here to do a review for the movie “102 Dalmatians!” I loved this movie because it’s twice as hilarious as the first one! The movie is about Cruella DeVil getting out of prison and going after the puppies again. With the cast of Glenn Close, Gerard Depardieu, Ioan Gruffudd, Alice Evans, Tim McInnerny, Eric Idle, Ben Crompton, Jim Carter, Ron Cook and Ian Richardson. I think the…

[kitharingtontalent-caliopesnow]

OMG!!! Kit & co (Behind The Scenes, S6)

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWTV81MFRID/

[ofthedirewolves]

Everyone Deserves a Second Chance

@jonxsansaremix Day 5: 102 Dalmatians

Remixed Couple: Kevin Shepherd and Chloe Simon

Jon Snow is a down on his luck owner of the 2nd Chance Animal Shelter who believes everyone deserves a second chance, even the redeemed Cersei Lannister. His companions include his own direwolf Ghost and Rhaegal, a parrot who believes he is a Rottweiler. 

Sansa Stark is the parole office assigned to Cersei’s case, a case that is very personal to her as her direwolf Greywind was one of the original puppies Cersei abducted. Now Greywind and Nymeria have had three new puppies: Summer, Shaggydog and Lady, the odd one of the trio, and she’ll do anything to protect them.

“Lady! Oh Jon I don’t know how to thank you!” Sansa exclaimed

“How about dinner?” Rhaegal called out

“Sorry?”

“I was inviting you to dinner.” Jon asked sheepishly

“Dinner would be nice.” Sansa said

-

“Why would I steal direwolves? What possible motive could I?” Jon asked

"The judge’s order… Oh Jon how could you? All this for money?” Cersei said pretending to sound shocked, everything was going along with her plans perfectly 

“Just like you said at the restaurant.” Sansa muttered

“Can anyone acquaint me with the facts?” Inspector Mormont asked

“If I’m caught stealing puppies my entire fortune goes to him. Would that be a motive?” 

-

“I broke into the lab and freed those dogs, they were being used for experiments.” Jon admitted

“That was your dognapping conviction?” Sansa asked, that was it? That was what she’d been fretting about? 

“Yes.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes.”

-

Last time I underestimated a puppy I wound up in the pokey!

[greatvanheflinkennethtobeypie]

The Man of the Ferry (1943, Short)

Dangerous Venture (1947) - Red

This Time for Keeps (1948) - Redheaded Soldier at Pool (uncredited)

Beyond Glory (1948) - Bit Role (uncredited)

He Walked by Night (1948) - Detective Questioning Pete (uncredited)

The Stratton Story (1949) - Detroit Player (uncredited)

Illegal Entry (1949) - Dave (uncredited)

The Great Sinner (1949) - Cabbie (uncredited)

I Was a Male War Bride (1949) - Red - Seaman (uncredited)

The Stratton Story (1949)

Task Force (1949) - Capt. Ken Williamson (uncredited)

The Doctor and the Girl (1949) - Surgeon at Bellevue (uncredited)

Free for All (1949) - Pilot

Twelve O'Clock High (1949) - Sgt. Keller - Guard at Gate (uncredited)

The File on Thelma Jordon (1950) - Police Photographer (uncredited)

When Willie Comes Marching Home(1950) - Lt. K. Geiger (uncredited)

One Way Street (1950) - Cop at Second Accident (uncredited)

Love That Brute (1950) - Henchman #1 in Cigar Store (uncredited)

The Gunfighter (1950) - Swede (uncredited)

My Friend Irma Goes West (1950) - Pilot

Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950) - Det. Fowler

Right Cross (1950) - Ken, the Third Reporter

Three Secrets (1950) - Officer (uncredited)

The Flying Missile (1950) - Crewman Pete McEvoy

The Company She Keeps (1951) - Rex Fisher (uncredited)

Up Front (1951) - Cooper (uncredited)

Rawhide (1951) - Lt. Wingate (uncredited)

The Thing from Another World (1951) - Captain Patrick Hendry

Angel Face (1952) - Bill Crompton

The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms(1953) - Col. Jack Evans

Fighter Attack (1953) - George

The Bigamist (1953) - Tom Morgan, Defense Attorney

Ring of Fear (1954) - Shreveport

Down Three Dark Streets (1954) - FBI Agent Zack Stewart

The Steel Cage (1954) - Steinberg, Convict Painter (segment "The Face")

Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier(1955) - Colonel Jim Bowie

Rage at Dawn (1955) - Monk Claxton

It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955) - Cmdr. Pete Mathews

Davy Crockett and the River Pirates(1956) - Jocko

The Steel Jungle (1956) - Dr. Lewy

The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit(1956) - Lt. Hank Mahoney (uncredited)

The Great Locomotive Chase (1956) - Anthony Murphy

The Search For Bridey Murphy (1956) - Rex Simmons

The Wings of Eagles (1957) - Capt. Herbert Allen Hazard

Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) - Bat Masterson

The Vampire (1957) - Sheriff Buck Donnelly

Jet Pilot (1957) - Sergeant (uncredited)

Cry Terror! (1958) - Agent Frank Cole

uncredited)

Bat Masterson! (1960) - Reed Amherst (diamond con man)

Seven Ways from Sundown (1960) - Texas Ranger Lieutenant Herly

Perry Mason (1960) - Deputy D.A. Jack Alvin - S4 E3, the I'll Fated Faker

X-15 (1961) - Col. Craig Brewster

Sea Hunt (1961), Season 4, Episode 33

Stark Fear (1962) - Cliff Kane

40 Guns to Apache Pass (1966) - Corporal Bodine

A Man Called Adam (1966) - Club Owner

A Time for Killing (1967) - Sgt. Cleehan

Marlowe (1969) - Sgt. Fred Beifus

Billy Jack (1971) - Deputy Mike

Terror in the Sky (1971) - Capt. Wilson

Ben (1972) - Engineer

The Candidate (1972) - Floyd J. Starkey

Rage (1972) - Col. Alan A. Nickerson

Walking Tall (1973) - Augie McCullah

Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974) - Sheriff Carl Donahue

Homebodies (1974) - Construction Boss

The Missiles of October (1974) - Adm. George W. Anderson Jr., Chief of Naval Operations

The Wild McCullochs (1975) - Larry Carpenter

W.C. Fields and Me (1976) - Parker

Baby Blue Marine (1976) - Buick Driver

Gus (1976) - Asst. Warden

MacArthur (1977) - Admiral Halsey

Goodbye, Franklin High (1978) - Police Captain

Hero at Large (1980) - Firechief

Airplane! (1980) - Air Controller Neubauer

The Howling (1981) - Older Cop

Strange Invaders (1983) - Arthur Newman

Gremlins (1984) - Mobil Gas Station Attendant (uncredited)

The Lost Empire (1984) - Capt. Hendry

Innerspace (1987) - Man in Restroom

Big Top Pee-wee (1988) - Sheriff

Freeway (1988) - Monsignor Kavanaugh

Ghost Writer (1989) - Cop #2

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990) - Projectionist

Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel (1991) - Capt. Holiday

Honey, I Blew Up the Kid (1992) - Smitty

Single White Female (1992) - Desk Clerk

Body Shot (1994) - Arthur Lassen

Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996) - Hologram-Priest (uncredited)

The Naked Monster (2005) - Col. Patrick Hendry (final film role)

[km-theatre]

Cast & Creatives The Ladykillers

NEW WOLSEY THEATRE IPSWICH SUFFOLK  UK 15 SEP 2017

Friday 15 September 2017

Ann Penfold — Mrs Wilberforce

Theatre credits include: The Taming of the Shrew (RSC),Brighton Till I Die(Brighton),, Revenger's Tragedy, Deep Blue Sea,(West Yorkshire Playhouse)Saturday Sunday Monday (National Theatre/West End)  The Wars of the Roses(English Shakespeare Company, world tour and Old Vic) Design for Living (Peter Hall Company,) The Winslow Boy,(Guildford and tour) The Contractor (Oxford Stage company tour) Forty Years On (Scarborough)The Glass Menagerie,(Greenwich), In Celebration,(Chichester.) Duet for One (Edinburgh, Lyceum)

At the Wolsey Theatre: The Winter's Tale; Hamlet; Romeo and Juliet; Mrs Warren's Profession; Perfect Days.

And at Salisbury Playhouse: For Services Rendered ( and at the Old Vic), and The Lady in the Van.

Television credits include: Tripped (Mammoth Screen), Doctors, Casualty, Sea of Souls, Dangerfield, No Place Like Home, Mrs Pym’s Day Out, Cranford, Villette, There is Also Tomorrow (BBC), The Bill, The Vice, Coronation Street, The Brontes of Haworth, The Ruth Rendell Mysteries (ITV) A Wing and a Prayer, Family Affairs (Ch5)

Film credits include: Keeping Rosy, Winter Sunlight, Family Life.

Steven Elliot — Professor Marcus

Theatre Credits Include: Frankenstein, The Winter’s Tale. (Royal National Theatre) Titus Andronicus, Julius Caesar, Revenger’s Tragedy, Henry V, Twelfth Night, Pentecost, The Bite of the Night, The Jew of Malta, Measure For Measure (Royal Shakespeare Company) The Devil Inside Him (National Theatre Wales) Dancing at Lughnasa (Abbey, Dublin) King Lear (Almeida, London) True West (Glasgow Citz) Arcadia (Bristol Old Vic) Frank, in Educating Rita (Oldham Coliseum) Dumb Show, Inherit the Wind (New Vic Theatre) The Weir (Sherman, Cardiff) Amadeus, Hamlet, And Then There Were None, Jane Austen’s ‘Emma’ (Salisbury Playhouse) Macbeth, Two Princes, A Chorus of Disapproval, Arcadia, Troilus and Cressida, Measure for Measure, The Suicide, Noises Off, Jumpy, Cyrano de Bergerac (Theatr Clwyd)  Steven recently played the role of George Ring in an adaptation of ‘Adventures in the Skin Trade,’ by Dylan Thomas, at the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne Arts Centre, Australia. He also recently played Oscar Wilde in a tour of ‘The Trials of Oscar Wilde.’

Directing Credits Include: Assistant Director to Terry Hands on ‘Pygmalion’ by George Bernard Shaw (Theatr Clwyd) A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Rose Theatre, Kingston) Well Thumbed (Notional Theatre) The Dreamer (Maltings, Farnham)

Television Credits Include:  Da Vinci’s Demons, Holby City, Judge John Deed, Ghostboat, Crash, Tunnel of Love, Porthpenwaig, Inspector Morse, Harpur and Isles, Art that Shook the World, 90 Days in Hollywood, Return to Treasure Island, That Uncertain Feeling, Rhinoceros, Van der Valk,  999 Killer on the line, Mike Bassett - Manager, Gwaith Cartref.

Film Credits Include:  Steven has just finished filming ‘The Watcher in the Woods’ with Anjelica Huston, in which he plays the title role. Other Film work includes; Hamlet, Cold Earth, Rise of the Appliances, Trauma, Trail of Crimson, De Sade, Green Monkey and Time Bandits. Also recordings of Frankenstein (NT Live) King Lear and True West (Digital Theatre)

Graham Seed — Major Courtney

Graham trained at RADA and is best known for playing Nigel Pargetter in the radio series The Archers for 27 years, until the character’s untimely demise in January 2011. Theatre credits include: Dead Sheep and An Audience with Jimmy Savile (Park Theatre), Dead Sheep (National Tour), 
Bedroom Farce and Separate Tables (Salisbury Playhouse), Flare Path (National Tour) Jim Hacker in Yes Prime Minister (National Tour), Basket Case with Nigel Havers (National Tour)Major Metcalf in The Mousetrap (60th Anniversary tour), Toad of Toad Hall (West
End); Me and My Girl (Adelphi Theatre); Relatively
Speaking and Confusions (national tour); Design for Living (English Touring Theatre); Twelfth Night
(BAC); Translations (Watford and tour); A Chaste
Maid of Cheapside (Almeida and tour); Someone to
Watch Over Me (Frankfurt); An Eligible Man (New
End, Hampstead); The Skin Game (Orange Tree);
Nelson (Nuffield, Southampton); Present Laughter
(Theatr Cymru); French Without Tears (Mill at
Sonning); Journey’s End (National Tour) Accolade at the
Finborough. He has also played many
repertory seasons including: Birmingham, Greenwich, 
Library Theatre, Manchester, and Perth.

Television credits include: The Durrells, I, Claudius, Edward
VII, Brideshead Revisited, Mike Leigh’s Who’s Who, Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV, Jeeves and Wooster, The Cleopatras, Crossroads, Coronation Street, Brookside, Prime Suspect, Nature Boy, Dinnerladies, Station Jim, Band of Brothers, The Chatterley Affair, Doctors, Midsomer Murders and He Kills Coppers. Film credits include: Peterloo, Gandhi, Good and Bad at
Games, Honest, Little Dorrit, These Foolish Things and Wild Target with Bill Nighy and Emily Blunt. Radio credits include: Nigel Pargetter
in The Archers. He is an occasional presenter on ‘Pick of the Week’ and was a regular voice on ‘What The Papers’ Say’ both for Radio 4.
 He was the recipient of the
Broadcaster of the Year Award 2010 from the
Broadcasting Press Guild and the Voice of Listener
and Viewer Special Award 2010.

Marcus Houden — Constable Macdonald

Theatre credits include: The Tempest (Hope Theatre, London) - BroadwayWorldUK Best Leading Actor nomination, Overture Live (Hippodrome, London), Peter Pan (UK Tour), Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood(Gala Theatre, Durham), Treasure Island (Cambridge Touring Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (International Tour), Romeo and Juliet, Sense and Sensibility (Chapterhouse Theatre Company), Bouncers(UK Tour), The Three Musketeers (Jamie Marcus Productions), The Merry Wives of Henry VIII (Edinburgh Festival), Art, Macbeth(Seagull Theatre), Tartuffe, The Beaux’ Stratagem (Lichfield Garrick) and Dick Whittington (Theatre Colwyn).

Damian Williams — One-Round

Damian became well known to television audiences in the early nineties for his appearances as Ginger Gahagan in the BBC series Billy Webb and the second series Alfonzo Bonzo. His other television appearances include Lumpy in Spatz; Gavin in Exam Conditions and Ian in The Bill. Damian was the presenter of Damian’s Are You Smarter Than Your 10 Year Old for Sky One and was also in the new series of Birds of a Feather.

Damian is always in demand for Musical Theatre and in 2013 and 2014 Damian played Edna Turnblad in Hairspray both at the Leicester Curve as well as a tour of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Damian’s first love is comedy (his heroes are Laurel & Hardy) and he has played various comedy roles from Luther Billis in South Pacific to Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. Damian played Tommy Cooper in the new play Being Tommy Cooper, and toured in the one man play My Dog’s Got No Nose. Most recently he’s also played Tommy Cooper in the short film The Last Laugh, written and directed by Paul Hendy for which Damian won best Actor (Southampton film festival)

Damian has toured the country for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in Theatre, a well respected farceur Damian has appeared in; Run for your wife, Cash on Delivery, Funny Money, Tom Dick & Harry, It Runs in the Family, Not now darling, There Goes The Bride, Out of Order, Caught in the Net, Dry Rot, See How they Run and Don’t Dress For Dinner.

As resident Dame of 10 years at the Sheffield Lyceum Damian is set to play Mother Goose this year.

Damian was born in Tilbury in Essex and now resides in Southend on sea with his wife Barbie. They are proud parents of twins, Joshua and Esme, undoubtedly Damian’s finest productions to date!

Anthony Dunn — Louis Harvey

Anthony has worked extensively as an actor in the UK, Europe, Canada and the United States over the last 30 years. Theatre includes Calamity Jane (UK and Ireland Tour), Paved in Gold (Canada), Birds (US Tour), Face (UK Tour), Buddy (Victoria Palace), Bouncers (Hull Truck), L'Ascencore (European Tour) and Don Quixote(Warehouse Theatre). His television appearances include The Murdoch Mysteries (US and Canada), Roomers and The Last Word for the BBC and Stuck on You, The Upper Hand and Frank Stubbs for ITV. Anthony has also worked in academia, teaching and doing Ph.D research in Washington and New Orleans. When not working as an actor, Anthony can be found taking groups of people on entertaining historical tours of London by road, river or foot.

Sam Lupton — Harry Robinson

Training: Manchester School Of Theatre (Man met, Acting)

Theatre includes: ‘Wilfred Crompton’ in Spring and Port Wine (Oldham Coliseum 2017); 'Seymour' in Little Shop Of Horrors (UK Tour 2016),  'Boq' in Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre, West End); 'Princeton’ & ‘Rod' in Avenue Q (UK Tour 2012); 'Man' in Starting Here, Starting Now'; Greg' in Single Sex and 'Gena Hamlet' in Galka Motalka (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester);  'Harry' in Love On The Dole and 'Young Collector/Sailor' in A Streetcar Named Desire (Bolton Octagon); 'Colin Ireland & Robin Oake' in Out Out Out (Pitgems Theatre); "Jim/Ensemble" in The Hired Man (Bolton Octagon) which won the 2010 TMA Award for Best Performance in a Musical, awarded to the entire ensemble. He Also originated the role of 'Ben' in Firing Life.

Television includes: The Late Late Show (RTE) and Ireland:AM (TV3).

Radio Includes: 'Nino Sarratore' in The Story Of A New Name & My Brilliant Friend (BBC Radio 4), Various Characters in National Velvet (BBC Radio 4)

Workshops: 'Boy & Zacky' in Big Fish; 'John-Michael' in Doris Stokes

Other Work Includes: The Music of Kooman & Diamond (IlliaDebuts, London Debut), "The Concrete Jungle": UK Album Launch (IlliaDebuts), 'West End Switched Off' (Parallel Productions)

Sam has also worked as a puppet coach for the 2014 professional UK tour of Avenue Q. In 2016 he made is directorial debut with How To Curse at London's Etcetera Theatre.

[socialattractionuk]

My cats have taught me more about true love than any man

Love, Or Something Like It

In Love, Or Something Like It, our new Metro.co.uk series, we’re on a quest to find true love.

Covering everything from mating, dating and procreating to lust and loss, we’ll be looking at what love is and how to find it in the present day.

It didn’t take long for the first man on the dating site to tell me that I was a ‘crazy cat lady’.

He said it one night over the phone as I enthused about my newly adopted cats, Caspar and Winter. It took me by surprise. I suddenly felt like an object of pity who adopted two cats because I couldn’t get a man.

Not only was it unfair – you never hear about ‘crazy cat guys’ –  it was untrue. I was not single because I was undesirable.

I had been with my previous partner for six years. It was a devastating blow to find myself single as I approached 40, fearing a future alone as I got older and with all my friends settled down.

The ‘crazy cat lady’ label took me by surprise (Picture: Erica Crompton)

You learn a lot about loneliness after a break-up. As the days dragged on sleeping by myself, dining for one each night and with no-one to talk to or meet, the loneliness started to creep up on me.

I started to weigh up my options. I’d considered getting a pet for a long time – the whiter and fluffier the better. So one evening, with little else to do, I found myself logging onto the Cats Protection site.

I saw hundreds of cute kittens and cats. It was a pair of brothers who struck a chord with me though, two tabbies – Caspar and Winter. A few phone calls and a location check later and I was in an Uber to pick them up from foster care. Within days they had made themselves at home.

The cats were not just good company. The responsibility of keeping them fed, watered, warm and entertained gave me the focus and distraction that I needed to put distance between myself and my break up.

They also taught me just how far a little TLC can go. My cats had a hard start life having been abandoned outside by their previous owners. Winter was so timid and nervous when I picked him up but just three days later he was displaying his bits in front of the fire and fighting with Caspar.

My cats had a hard start life having been abandoned outside (Picture: Erica Crompton)

What I didn’t expect was that I’d find the confidence to look for love again. After my ex had left, I felt so unlovable. My self-esteem was in my boots, while my ex-partner was out socialising with younger women. I felt old and invisible by comparison.

Simply receiving cuddles from Caspar and Winter made me feel worthy of love once again. In the ‘cat-mum’ role I’m judged beyond my capacity to party, or dissect politics, or for my youth or looks. Not once have I been criticised for a comment or an outfit.

I’m a provider, I give my cats a roof under which they can live, play and explore. They’ve helped me to feel important again, and not just a number on the wrong side of 30.

With my new-found confidence I logged back onto dating sites. I was called a crazy cat lady more than once and it’s a stereotype that can hold women back when it comes to finding love. One man’s Tinder profile specifically stated ‘no Crazy Cat ladies’ so to some we’re seen as women to avoid, which was why it was so important that I reclaimed this label.

If I can find two loving cats to live with online, I’m sure a nice guy and a loving relationship will naturally follow suit.

At the time of reading, I will have had my first date with David, a musically-inclined farmer with a big ginger beard. We bonded over our interest in animals. His profile picture showed him holding a calf and it spurred me on to set up drinks at my local.

My cats give me unconditional love and in return they get all their needs met (Picture: Erica Crompton)

I still very much feel that having my two cats come into my home and care was meant to be. A blessing. Fate. I feel more complete and more of a ‘unit’ – we’re like a mini family. They give me the same kind of feeling of ‘oneness’ that I’ve had in past relationships.

It was their regular, reliable and stable affection that helped me move on from my break up. My cats give me unconditional love and in return they get all their needs met (plus a little catnip).

They have taught me that true love is about just being there, at all times, and not just the best or stable times. That a hug after a bad day goes a long way.

More: TV

Lisa Vanderpump quits Real Housewives of Beverly Hills after nine seasons

My cats have taught me more about true love than any man

Stuart exposes Callum's EastEnders affair with Ben?

They have given me the reassurance that everything is going to work out. Past relationships may not have been right but that doesn’t make me an unworthy candidate for romance and affection.

Caspar and Winter were, like me, abandoned through no fault of their own, and like them, I too deserve love.

Last week in Love, Or Something Like It: For non-binary people like me, true love means loving myself first

Write for Love, Or Something Like It

Love, Or Something Like It is a brand new series for Metro.co.uk, published every Saturday. If you have a love story to share, email rosy.edwards@metro.co.uk

MORE: What 15k Tinder matches has taught me about true love

MORE: I think everyone should try divorce before they’re 30

MORE: Writing anonymously about my love life makes rejection easier to bear

[vioncentral-blog]

‘GoT’ Cast Reunites To Film Final Season: Does New Pic Confirm Tormund’s Alive?

http://www.vionafrica.cf/got-cast-reunites-to-film-final-season-does-new-pic-confirm-tormunds-alive/

‘GoT’ Cast Reunites To Film Final Season: Does New Pic Confirm Tormund’s Alive?

Spoiler alert?! The ‘Game of Thrones’ cast has been spotted in Ireland to start filming season 8, and Kristofer Hivju (a.k.a. Tormund) was photographed with the cast. Does this mean Tormund survived the Night King’s wrath?! Check out the pics!

Our Game of Thrones-loving hearts can rest — for now. The season 7 finale was quite the epic episode, and the show left us hanging with the possibility that our favorite red-headed wildling didn’t make it out of the episode alive. Well, despite the fact that Tormund was seen fighting for his life with Beric as the Night King destroyed part of the Wall, Kristofer Hivju was spotted by a fan with the cast in Belfast. He was seen walking with Ben Crompton, who plays Dolorus Edd. Granted, Kristofer could be filming flashbacks, but this is a good sign that Tormund survives! But there’s been no sign of Richard Dormer, who plays Beric.

The fan, who has since made her Instagram private, also saw Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Pilou Asbæk (Euron Greyjoy), Iain Glen (Jorah Mormont), Isaac Hempstead Wright (Bran Stark), and Jacob Anderson (Grey Worm) arriving in Belfast. Emilia Clarke (Daenerys Targaryen) and Kit Harington (Jon Snow) were first seen at the airport together by a fan. There was no mistaking them, with Emilia’s new platinum blonde hair and Kit’s long brown locks. Kit and Emilia were also spotted doing some shopping with John Bradley (Samwell Tarly). Another fan snapped a photo of Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) in Belfast as well.

The cast is about to go into production on the final season, which will film well into 2018. Liam Cunningham, who plays Davos, recently revealed to IGN that he has the scripts, but there’s a catch. “I got six of [the scripts], I’ve got them all,” he said, “but I can’t open them because of all the security, and I can’t walk it out.” HBO is likely going all out to make sure that zero spoilers are leaked about the final episodes. The network was hacked earlier this year, which revealed plot details about Game of Thrones episodes. Multiple episodes of season 7 were also leaked online due to an HBO error. HBO is reportedly filming several versions of the final episodes, so no one will know how it ends until the episode airs!

Got stick for not mentioning "Jon Snow" – didn't realise how small he is or maybe just far away @GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/SJhT8ue1Qe

— Colin Reid (@gcolinreid7) October 9, 2017

yea wouldnt take a selfie with me though maisie said they wernt allowed 🙁 pic.twitter.com/1qFmQ4vWuA

— Ethan Hurl (@EthanTHFC) October 8, 2017

HollywoodLifers, do you think Tormund’s alive? Let us know!

[jonstarks]

Was that Harry Treadaway behind Ben Crompton? Or his twins? (I love them both btw ❤)

More from Kit and Rose’s wedding 💍 with guests Emilia Clarke (Dany), Richard Madden (Robb), Liam Cunningham (Davos), Sophie Turner (Sansa), Maisie Williams (Arya), John Bradley (Sam), Joe Dempsie (Gendry), Conleth Hill (Varys) and Ben Crompton (Eddison) 💙 -

[jmmgroup-blog]

Abu Dhabi rent changes are the perfect reason to make your move

With rental prices dropping and a 3 per cent municipality fee now charged on rent, many tenants in Abu Dhabi are tempted to shop around for cheaper accommodation.

The number of searches for Abu Dhabi rental property on Propertyfinder.ae has increased by more than two-thirds over the past 12 months, the portal revealed, but given the high cost of moving, is it really be worth all the effort involved?

Few would dispute that rents in the emirate have been dropping, particularly for apartment dwellers. During the 12-month period until December 1, research by propertyfinder.ae found that apartment prices plunged by 11.6 per cent in the capital and 5.2 per cent for villas.

But with landlords reluctant to negotiate significant rent decreases with their existing tenants, it’s those who are willing to move who are snapping up the biggest bargains.

British housewife Janine Thompson and her family moved to a four-bedroom home in Al Raha Gardens in Nov­ember for Dh175,000.

“Sadly I just heard that the previous family had moved out of the house in July, because the landlord wanted Dh220,000,” she says.

Another Al Raha Gardens resident, admin assistant Sana Ghazal, from Yemen, says her annual rent increased by Dh7,000 last month and her landlord was unwilling to negotiate. But nevertheless, she and her family decided to stay put. “The increase wasn’t enough to justify costs and new deposits,” she says.

Ms Ghazal may well have been right to stay put. The cost of moving can be as much as Dh25,000 once you’ve factored in the commission that estate agents charge (usually 5 per cent of annual rent), Dh1,000 admin costs for signing a new lease and removals costs, which Alan Kaye, head of sales and leasing at District Real Estate, estimates to be between Dh6,000 to Dh15,000. But it’s also possible to pay much less.

When Orla Murray, an Irish occupational therapist, moved apartments in September, she avoided the Dh5,000 commission fee by dealing directly with a private landlord and only paid Dh1,000 for a closed 3-tonne lorry and three movers. “We did lots of haggling to bring the price down,” she admits. “With so many expats having left in the last year, business is down, so I was able to negotiate a better deal.”

Altogether, Ms Murray was able to save Dh40,000 on her rent by moving from one two-bedroom apartment in Al Raha Beach to a similar-sized property on Reem Island. “When renewal time came, we were offered the same rent as last year, which we challenged, and the landlord then dropped it by Dh10,000,” she explains. “But it was still very expensive given the current economic climate, so we decided to move. [Where we live now] is a cheaper place to live, but we like it just as much – and we were able to pay over four cheques.”

Bargain hunters need to first know which areas to look, as there are huge variations in the Abu Dhabi rental market depending on the area, says Mr Kaye. “Some luxury one- and two-bedroomed apartments, like those at the Eastern Mangroves, World Trade Centre and on Saadiyat Island, are still in quite high demand – the rents haven’t really changed there at all. On the other hand, you can now find a new one- bedroom flat on Reem Island for only Dh75,000. Some properties are being substantially reduced by individual landlords who don’t want their places empty.”

Mr Kaye references one prime development that has 85 empty apartments. “That’s the equivalent of an entire tower. Normally there are only about six flats avail­able,” he says adding that some landlords are now willing to accept 12 cheques over a year, just to get someone in.

In some cases, landlords prefer to lure tenants in by offering sweeteners, rather than dropping rents.

“Property management companies will give you a free month, no commission, shopping vouchers or a combination of the lot,” says Mr Kaye. “There’s a lot of availability at Sas Al Nakheel at the moment, so Khidmah, who manage properties there, are offering no commission and a free month’s rent.”

AlCharifa Yumen Al AlFadel says that when she was flat hunting, several landlords offered to fix the rental price for two or three years to entice the family into signing. The Syrian-French housewife spent four months with her husband and 18 month-old baby visiting more than 50 apartments in their search for the right home. Eventually, the family settled on a flat on Hamdan Street, which they moved into on Christmas Eve. Surprisingly, although they found “significant reductions” in rent prices across Abu Dhabi, their new flat is Dh85,000, which is Dh15,000 more expensive than their previous abode.

“Even though it was more money, it’s double the size of our last flat, and it’s all completely refurbished,” says Ms AlFadel. “I feel as though we’re saving money in the long term because we don’t have to worry about repairs.”

Some people, who want to take advantage of the sliding rents but don’t want to leave their existing neighbourhoods, have been enticed into moving apartments within the same complex.

“We moved from the 56th floor to the 50th floor in the same tower on Reem Island, to exactly the same style of apartment but bigger, for Dh21,000 less,” says Indian resident Narita Khan.

Mr Kaye claims that moving within the same building to save money isn’t unusual. “I’ve heard of people saving up to Dh25,000 by moving in the same block,” he says.

Others are moving to new buildings, but within the same part of town. The Jackson family was reluctant to move from their Reem Island neighbourhood, so when their landlord put up the rent on their two-bedroom flat from Dh152,000 to Dh160,000, they opted to move to a brand new three-bedroom flat also on Reem, for the same rent. “We’ve now got a fully integrated kitchen that’s so beautiful it looks like a woman designed it,” says Maggie Jackson, a Texan-New Zealand sales representative. “Plus an extra bedroom. I love the extra space.”

Ms Jackson says her former landlord is now after just Dh135,000 for her old apartment. “It should be about maintaining good tenants but they pushed us out,” she says. “Many people I know are also moving into bigger properties on Reem Island to get better value for money. People like living on Reem. The buildings are really nice, the facilities are good and you’ve got the convenience of the city – you can’t beat it. Staying here means the kids can continue going to the same school and we can maintain the same lifestyle.”

But those contemplating a move should be warned that the bargain season may be coming to an end. The reintroduction of the rental cap last month, which prevents rent from being increased by more than 5 per cent, has made some landlords reluctant to reduce the rent further, and Mr Kaye thinks the rental market will begin to bottom out this year.

“Previously we’d been saying to landlords ‘Look, it doesn’t matter how low you go this year, because next year you’ll be able to increase the rent.’ Well, obviously that argument doesn’t hold any more. Landlords are starting to think to themselves ‘If I can only increase the rent by up to 5 per cent, then it’s going to take some time before it goes back to where I really want it to be.'”

Shilpa Gorantiwar, a housewife from India, says that although her own rent was reduced by 5 per cent in September, she recently discovered that her landlord is now trying to rent out another flat in the same building for a higher price. “He stated that because the 5 per cent cap is back, he’s now increased the rent by 5 per cent, so it’s now the same price as it was in September 2015.”

But any effect on rental prices from the rent cap has to also be offset by the effect of the municipality fee, as well as rising water and electricity charges, on expats’ wallets.

The fee, announced last February but introduced at the beginning of this month, is payable by every expatriate tenant living in Abu Dhabi emirate and equivalent to 3 per cent of a tenant’s annual rent.

“Residents should bear in mind when they move homes within Abu Dhabi that they will still be liable for paying the municipality fee on their former property, which will be backdated from February 2016 onwards, although at the moment it’s unclear how the money owed on the previous property will be collected,” says Mr Kaye.

Ben Crompton, managing partner of Crompton Partners Estate Agents, thinks these factors will depress rents further by making tenants negotiate harder. “The market in 2017 will turn very sharply on government spending, as it always does in Abu Dhabi,” he says. “If spending either remains stagnant or they continue to cut jobs, then certainly we will see prices slide. This will happen in areas where there is higher delivery of new units, such as Reem Island and the Corniche.”

pf@thenational.ae

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Source: The National

Abu Dhabi rent changes are the perfect reason to make your move was originally published on JMM Group of Companies

[martinfzimmerman]

Abu Dhabi rent changes are the perfect reason to make your move

With rental prices dropping and a 3 per cent municipality fee now charged on rent, many tenants in Abu Dhabi are tempted to shop around for cheaper accommodation.

The number of searches for Abu Dhabi rental property on Propertyfinder.ae has increased by more than two-thirds over the past 12 months, the portal revealed, but given the high cost of moving, is it really be worth all the effort involved?

Few would dispute that rents in the emirate have been dropping, particularly for apartment dwellers. During the 12-month period until December 1, research by propertyfinder.ae found that apartment prices plunged by 11.6 per cent in the capital and 5.2 per cent for villas.

But with landlords reluctant to negotiate significant rent decreases with their existing tenants, it's those who are willing to move who are snapping up the biggest bargains.

British housewife Janine Thompson and her family moved to a four-bedroom home in Al Raha Gardens in Nov­ember for Dh175,000.

"Sadly I just heard that the previous family had moved out of the house in July, because the landlord wanted Dh220,000," she says.

Another Al Raha Gardens resident, admin assistant Sana Ghazal, from Yemen, says her annual rent increased by Dh7,000 last month and her landlord was unwilling to negotiate. But nevertheless, she and her family decided to stay put. "The increase wasn't enough to justify costs and new deposits," she says.

Ms Ghazal may well have been right to stay put. The cost of moving can be as much as Dh25,000 once you've factored in the commission that estate agents charge (usually 5 per cent of annual rent), Dh1,000 admin costs for signing a new lease and removals costs, which Alan Kaye, head of sales and leasing at District Real Estate, estimates to be between Dh6,000 to Dh15,000. But it's also possible to pay much less.

When Orla Murray, an Irish occupational therapist, moved apartments in September, she avoided the Dh5,000 commission fee by dealing directly with a private landlord and only paid Dh1,000 for a closed 3-tonne lorry and three movers. "We did lots of haggling to bring the price down," she admits. "With so many expats having left in the last year, business is down, so I was able to negotiate a better deal."

Altogether, Ms Murray was able to save Dh40,000 on her rent by moving from one two-bedroom apartment in Al Raha Beach to a similar-sized property on Reem Island. "When renewal time came, we were offered the same rent as last year, which we challenged, and the landlord then dropped it by Dh10,000," she explains. "But it was still very expensive given the current economic climate, so we decided to move. [Where we live now] is a cheaper place to live, but we like it just as much - and we were able to pay over four cheques."

Bargain hunters need to first know which areas to look, as there are huge variations in the Abu Dhabi rental market depending on the area, says Mr Kaye. "Some luxury one- and two-bedroomed apartments, like those at the Eastern Mangroves, World Trade Centre and on Saadiyat Island, are still in quite high demand - the rents haven't really changed there at all. On the other hand, you can now find a new one- bedroom flat on Reem Island for only Dh75,000. Some properties are being substantially reduced by individual landlords who don't want their places empty."

Mr Kaye references one prime development that has 85 empty apartments. "That's the equivalent of an entire tower. Normally there are only about six flats avail­able," he says adding that some landlords are now willing to accept 12 cheques over a year, just to get someone in.

In some cases, landlords prefer to lure tenants in by offering sweeteners, rather than dropping rents.

"Property management companies will give you a free month, no commission, shopping vouchers or a combination of the lot," says Mr Kaye. "There's a lot of availability at Sas Al Nakheel at the moment, so Khidmah, who manage properties there, are offering no commission and a free month's rent."

AlCharifa Yumen Al AlFadel says that when she was flat hunting, several landlords offered to fix the rental price for two or three years to entice the family into signing. The Syrian-French housewife spent four months with her husband and 18 month-old baby visiting more than 50 apartments in their search for the right home. Eventually, the family settled on a flat on Hamdan Street, which they moved into on Christmas Eve. Surprisingly, although they found "significant reductions" in rent prices across Abu Dhabi, their new flat is Dh85,000, which is Dh15,000 more expensive than their previous abode.

"Even though it was more money, it's double the size of our last flat, and it's all completely refurbished," says Ms AlFadel. "I feel as though we're saving money in the long term because we don't have to worry about repairs."

Some people, who want to take advantage of the sliding rents but don't want to leave their existing neighbourhoods, have been enticed into moving apartments within the same complex.

"We moved from the 56th floor to the 50th floor in the same tower on Reem Island, to exactly the same style of apartment but bigger, for Dh21,000 less," says Indian resident Narita Khan.

Mr Kaye claims that moving within the same building to save money isn't unusual. "I've heard of people saving up to Dh25,000 by moving in the same block," he says.

Others are moving to new buildings, but within the same part of town. The Jackson family was reluctant to move from their Reem Island neighbourhood, so when their landlord put up the rent on their two-bedroom flat from Dh152,000 to Dh160,000, they opted to move to a brand new three-bedroom flat also on Reem, for the same rent. "We've now got a fully integrated kitchen that's so beautiful it looks like a woman designed it," says Maggie Jackson, a Texan-New Zealand sales representative. "Plus an extra bedroom. I love the extra space."

Ms Jackson says her former landlord is now after just Dh135,000 for her old apartment. "It should be about maintaining good tenants but they pushed us out," she says. "Many people I know are also moving into bigger properties on Reem Island to get better value for money. People like living on Reem. The buildings are really nice, the facilities are good and you've got the convenience of the city - you can't beat it. Staying here means the kids can continue going to the same school and we can maintain the same lifestyle."

But those contemplating a move should be warned that the bargain season may be coming to an end. The reintroduction of the rental cap last month, which prevents rent from being increased by more than 5 per cent, has made some landlords reluctant to reduce the rent further, and Mr Kaye thinks the rental market will begin to bottom out this year.

"Previously we'd been saying to landlords 'Look, it doesn't matter how low you go this year, because next year you'll be able to increase the rent.' Well, obviously that argument doesn't hold any more. Landlords are starting to think to themselves 'If I can only increase the rent by up to 5 per cent, then it's going to take some time before it goes back to where I really want it to be.'"

Shilpa Gorantiwar, a housewife from India, says that although her own rent was reduced by 5 per cent in September, she recently discovered that her landlord is now trying to rent out another flat in the same building for a higher price. "He stated that because the 5 per cent cap is back, he's now increased the rent by 5 per cent, so it's now the same price as it was in September 2015."

But any effect on rental prices from the rent cap has to also be offset by the effect of the municipality fee, as well as rising water and electricity charges, on expats' wallets.

The fee, announced last February but introduced at the beginning of this month, is payable by every expatriate tenant living in Abu Dhabi emirate and equivalent to 3 per cent of a tenant's annual rent.

"Residents should bear in mind when they move homes within Abu Dhabi that they will still be liable for paying the municipality fee on their former property, which will be backdated from February 2016 onwards, although at the moment it's unclear how the money owed on the previous property will be collected," says Mr Kaye.

Ben Crompton, managing partner of Crompton Partners Estate Agents, thinks these factors will depress rents further by making tenants negotiate harder. "The market in 2017 will turn very sharply on government spending, as it always does in Abu Dhabi," he says. "If spending either remains stagnant or they continue to cut jobs, then certainly we will see prices slide. This will happen in areas where there is higher delivery of new units, such as Reem Island and the Corniche."

pf@thenational.ae

Follow The National's Business section on Twitter

from Personal Finance RSS feed - The National http://www.thenational.ae/business/personal-finance/20170113/abu-dhabi-rent-changes-are-the-perfect-reason-to-make-your-move

[sanabakkouh]

i’m still not over yesterday, can i go back there, i would love to chit chat with ben one more time. i love him