Vice president JD Vance tried to spin President Donald Trump’s now-deleted Truth Social post depicting himself as Jesus Christ in an AI-generated image.
“Well, first of all, Bret, I think the president was posting a joke,” Vance, who is Catholic, said. “And of course, he took it down because he recognised that a lot of people weren’t understanding his humour in that case.”
BAIER: I wonder as a catholic how you consider this picture which a lot of people took as the president posting a picture of himself as Jesus?
VANCE: I think the president was posting a joke and, of course, he took it down because he recognized that a lot of people weren’t… pic.twitter.com/gdcaVw6Ahy
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BAIER: I wonder as a catholic how you consider this picture which a lot of people took as the president posting a picture of himself as Jesus?
VANCE: I think the president was posting a joke and, of course, he took it down because he recognized that a lot of people weren’t… pic.twitter.com/gdcaVw6Ahy
Vance then tried to paint Trump’s unorthodox use of social media as a positive attribute.
“I think the president of the United States likes to mix it up on social media, and I actually think that’s one of the good things about this president, is that he’s not filtered. He doesn’t send everything through a communications professional. He actually reaches out directly to the people,” Vance said.
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Despite taking the post down, Trump tried to spin the image’s message.
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The job of vice president is often a thankless one. John Nance Garner, President Franklin Roosevelt’s first vice president, called it “a no man’s land somewhere between the legislative and executive branch,” and reportedly once told Lyndon Johnson, a future vice president, that the office “isn’t worth a pitcher of warm spit.”
That’s something that Vice President JD Vance may have learned over the weekend ― although the circumstances are a bit different than in Garner’s day.
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Over the past week, Vance embarked on his most important foreign policy missions yet. President Donald Trump sent Vance, his most likely successor in 2028, to Hungary to campaign for the besieged autocrat Viktor Orban as he struggled for the first time in the polls in 16 years ahead of Sunday’s election. And then, Vance led the US delegation to negotiate a permanent ceasefire agreement with Iran in Pakistan.
These were two of the most important priorities of the Trump administration and the larger far-right populist movement that it represents. And they both flamed out, rather spectacularly.
Orban lost on Sunday to an opposition coalition led by Peter Magyar, a former member of Orban’s party who defected in reaction to the regime’s corruption and proud illiberalism. Magyar’s coalition didn’t just beat Orban’s Fidesz party, it won a crushing victory with a supermajority of legislative seats capable of repealing Orban’s illiberal constitutional changes.
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In Pakistan, during negotiations over Trump’s war of choice against Iran — which has deeply undermined his core political pitch that America should put American interests first — the US proved unable to assert its national interests. After less than 24 hours of negotiation, the Vance-led team seemingly walked away from the table having reached no deal.
It could be said that the advance of a global right-wing populist movement, the kind that Trump hints to as a mandate for his own administration, hinged on these two events. And Vance, put forward as the American face for them, promptly face-planted.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Vice President JD Vance during a campaign rally in Budapest ahead of the Hungarian parliamentary election.
Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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Trump’s second term is modeled on Orban’s autocratic rule. The Trumpist right has long looked to Orban’s Hungary for what they should do to consolidate power: defund universities, gerrymander legislative districts, fix election rules and take over the media. The Heritage Foundation even partnered with Orban’s Danube Institute to help write the Project 2025 roadmap for Trump’s second term.
“There is an alternative” to the American and European models of government, Vance said on April 8, “and it’s right here in Hungary.”
The war in Iran, meanwhile, greatly threatens the whole right-wing project. This war of choice not only undermined the Trumpian idea that the United States not get bogged down in foreign quagmires, it also threatens every American’s ― and everyone in the world’s ― economic well-being. Six weeks of war have already caused inflation to spike while the full ripple effects of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have yet not been fully felt. If Trump has any hope of matching Orban’s 16 years of success in instituting a competitive authoritarian regime, he needs to protect his party from heavy losses in the 2026 midterms. It doesn’t help when he causes economic pain for everyone.
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But Trump has reportedly gotten tired of the war he started and has been looking for off-ramps.
“[Trump] is getting a little bored with Iran,” a White House official told MSNOW. “Not that he regrets it or something — he’s just bored and wants to move on.”
That means someone else has to step in and clean up the mess. And that person is Vance, who has hitched himself to a massive loss for right-wing populists and, despite reports that he was opposed to the War in Iran, is left holding the bag for the war’s potentially catastrophic economic impacts as the face of the failed negotiations.
As Vance, who has no diplomatic or foreign policy experience, announced that Iran has “chosen not to accept our terms,” which he characterised as “our final and best offer,” Trump sat octagon-side at a UFC cage match with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Oil futures jumped back above $100 after falling to the low-90s after the April 7 announcement of a 10-day ceasefire.
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Mohammad Javad Zarif, the former Iranian foreign minister who reached the 2015 nuclear deal with the Obama administration that Trump tore up, pointed to Vance’s words as the exact reason why Iran could not trust the US position.
“No negotiations – at least with Iran – will succeed based on ‘our/your terms,’” Zarif posted on social media. “The US must learn: you can’t dictate terms to Iran.”
There were other signs this weekend that Vance’s political clout is under strain. Vance, who has spoken often and publicly about his Catholic faith (he has an upcoming memoir about his conversion), has been conspicuously silent since Trump attempted to pick a fight with Pope Leo XIV on social media on Sunday.
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Vance’s inability to smooth the way with the pontiff has been a point of embarrassment before. Earlier this year, the American-born Leo apparently declined an invitation, delivered by Vance, to visit the United States for the nation’s 250th anniversary. The Vatican announced he will instead visit a Mediterranean site known for migrant crossings. And Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, actively condemned Vance’s religious-tinged political rhetoric around migrants in a 2025 letter to U.S. bishops. Vance was one of the last official visitors to Francis before he died in April 2025.
Trump’s Truth Social tirade against Leo was, ironically, over the pope’s criticisms of the war with Iran. Now, with the Vance-led peace talks stalled and the vice president apparently unable to soften the blow as his boss escalates a new feud with the Vatican, it seems to leave Vance 0/3 on attempts to influence the world stage.
Vance’s forays into foreign affairs are representative of how the modern vice presidency has changed from when Garner called it a no man’s land. The office has become either a power of its own, as when more seasoned political veterans like Dick Cheney and Joe Biden occupied the office, or, more frequently, a stepping stone for a successor, as with vice presidents Al Gore and Kamala Harris. (Perhaps Mike Pence would be included here if he had the courage.)
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And Vance clearly sees himself as the heir to Trump’s Republican Party ahead of 2028. But he seems to have been set up to fail. His assignments are beginning to look like President Joe Biden’s decision to put Harris in charge of diplomacy to stem migration from Central America in 2021 ― a thankless job on an issue that wasn’t working for Democrats at the time.
It may well turn out that Vance’s vice presidency ― thanks to the new added responsibilities ― is still not worth a pitcher of warm spit.
Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
Viktor Orban’s crushing defeat in the Hungarian elections has triggered online mockery of JD Vance.
In a highly-controversial move, the US vice-president travelled to Budapest last week to give his support to Orban, the pro-Russia, right-wing nationalist who had been his country’s prime minister for 16 years.
Confirming the Trump administration’s backing for Orban, Vance said he was there “to help him in this campaign cycle”.
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However, Orban lost in a landslide to his pro-EU rival Peter Magyar when Hungarians went to the polls on Sunday.
Magyar had said the election was “a choice between East or West, propaganda or honest public discourse, corruption or clean public life”.
His victory was quickly welcomed by politicians across the EU, as well as by Keir Starmer.
Posting on X, the prime minister said: “Congratulations Peter Magyar on your election victory. This is an historic moment, not only for Hungary, but for European democracy. I look forward to working with you for the security and prosperity of both our countries.”
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European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said: “Hungary has chosen Europe. Europe has always chosen Hungary. A country reclaims its European path. The Union grows stronger.”
Other social media users, including Lib Dem leader Ed Davey, were quick to point out that Magyar’s victory was also a humiliation for JD Vance.
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Not even a week after JD Vance traveled to Budapest to show his support and love for him, the pro-Russian Viktor Orban has suffered one of the most catastrophic electoral defeats in the history of the Hungarian nation. Do visit us more often, JD! Cheers from Europe!🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/p9vJ4aWr0X
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Cheers from Europe!🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/p9vJ4aWr0X— Daractenus (@Daractenus) April 12, 2026\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":1280,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/amplify_video_thumb/2043410649691074560/img/9CIfZBOVqou7U_xm.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":720,"title":"Daractenus on Twitter / X","type":"rich","url":"https://twitter.com/Daractenus/status/2043412323369419211","version":"1.0"},"flags":[],"enhancements":{},"fullBleed":false,"options":{"theme":"news","device":"desktop","editionInfo":{"id":"uk","name":"U.K.","link":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk","locale":"en_GB"},"originalEdition":"uk","isMapi":false,"isAmp":false,"isMobile":false,"isAdsFree":false,"isVideoEntry":false,"isEntry":true,"isMt":false,"entryId":"69dc7f46e4b0ccb589ed8243","entryPermalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/viktor-orbans-landslide-election-defeat-triggers-widespread-mockery-of-jd-vance_uk_69dc7f46e4b0ccb589ed8243","entryTagsList":"jd-vance,viktor-orban,@ai_seo_headline","sectionSlug":"politics","deptSlug":null,"sectionRedirectUrl":null,"subcategories":"","isWide":false,"isShopping":false,"headerOverride":null,"noVideoAds":false,"disableFloat":false,"isNative":false,"commercialVideo":{"provider":"custom","site_and_category":"uk.politics","package":null},"isHighline":false,"vidibleConfigValues":{"cid":"60afc140cf94592c45d7390c","disabledWithMapiEntries":false,"overrides":{"all":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4"},"whitelisted":["56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439","56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529","570278d2e4b070ff77b98217","57027b4be4b070ff77b98d5c","56fe95c4e4b0041c4242016b","570279cfe4b06d08e3629954","5ba9e8821c2e65639162ccf1","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e","5b35266b158f855373e28256","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2","60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","60b64354b171b7444beaff4d","60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","60d0de02b627221e9d819408"],"playlists":{"default":"57bc306888d2ff1a7f6b5579","news":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","politics":"56c6dbcee4b04edee8beb49c","entertainment":"56c6e7f2e4b0983aa64c60fc","tech":"56c6f70ae4b043c5bdcaebf9","parents":"56cc65c2e4b0239099455b42","lifestyle":"56cc66a9e4b01f81ef94e98c"},"playerUpdates":{"56c6056ee4b01f2b7e1b5f35":"60b8e525cdd90620331baaf4","56c5f12ee4b03a39c93c9439":"60d0d8e09340d7032ad0fb1a","59bfee7f9e451049f87f550b":"60d0d90f9340d7032ad0fbeb","5acccbaac269d609ef44c529":"60d0d9949340d7032ad0fed3","5bcd9904821576674bc55ced":"60d0d9f99340d7032ad10113","5d076ca127f25f504327c72e":"60d0daa69340d7032ad104cf","5ebac2e8abddfb04f877dff2":"60d0de02b627221e9d819408"}},"connatixConfigValues":{"defaultPlayer":"16b0ecc6-802c-4120-845f-e90629812c4d","clickToPlayPlayer":"823ac03a-0f7e-4bcb-8521-a5b091ae948d","videoPagePlayer":"05041ada-93f7-4e86-9208-e03a5b19311b","defaultPlaylist":"2e062669-71b4-41df-b17a-df6b1616bc8f"},"topConnatixThumnbailSrc":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=","customAmpComponents":[],"ampAssetsUrl":"https://amp.assets.huffpost.com","videoTraits":null,"positionInUnitCounts":{"buzz_head":{"count":0},"buzz_body":{"count":0},"buzz_bottom":{"count":0}},"positionInSubUnitCounts":{"article_body":{"count":3},"blog_summary":{"count":0},"before_you_go_content":{"count":0}},"connatixCountsHelper":{"count":0},"buzzfeedTracking":{"context_page_id":"69dc7f46e4b0ccb589ed8243","context_page_type":"buzz","destination":"huffpost","mode":"desktop","page_edition":"en-uk"},"tags":[{"name":"jd vance","slug":"jd-vance","links":{"relativeLink":"news/jd-vance","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/jd-vance","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/jd-vance"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/jd-vance/"},{"name":"viktor orban","slug":"viktor-orban","links":{"relativeLink":"news/viktor-orban","permalink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/viktor-orban","mobileWebLink":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/viktor-orban"},"url":"https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/news/viktor-orban/"}],"isLiveblogLive":null,"isLiveblog":false,"signInUrl":"https://login.huffpost.com/login?dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.huffpost.com%2Fentry%2Fviktor-orbans-landslide-election-defeat-triggers-widespread-mockery-of-jd-vance_uk_69dc7f46e4b0ccb589ed8243%3Fhp_auth_done%3D1","cetUnit":"buzz_body","enableIncontentPlayer":true,"bodyAds":["
Not even a week after JD Vance traveled to Budapest to show his support and love for him, the pro-Russian Viktor Orban has suffered one of the most catastrophic electoral defeats in the history of the Hungarian nation. Do visit us more often, JD! Cheers from Europe!🇪🇺 pic.twitter.com/p9vJ4aWr0X
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Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
“I don’t want a Pope who criticizes the President of the United States because I’m doing exactly what I was elected, IN A LANDSLIDE, to do, setting Record Low Numbers in Crime, and creating the Greatest Stock Market in History.”
Trump also took credit for the Chicago-born pope’s election, claiming the College of Cardinals selected the first-ever American pontiff last year because “they thought that would be the best way to deal with President Donald J. Trump.”
President Donald Trump railed against Pope Leo while speaking with reporters at Joint Base Andrews on Sunday night.
AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson
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He repeated his grievances a little later when he spoke to reporters as he returned to Washington from Miami on Sunday night.
“I don’t think he’s doing a very good job,” Trump said. “He likes crime, I guess.”
He also called the pontiff “a very liberal person” and “a man that doesn’t believe in stopping crime.”
“I’m not a fan of Pope Leo,” he added.
Trump’s attack came after the pope repeatedly called for peace amid the ongoing war with Iran.
He did so again on Saturday.
“Enough of the idolatry of self and money!” Leo said during an evening prayer service, according to The Associated Press. “Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!”
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The pope did not mention Trump by name as he described the “delusion of omnipotence” as a threat to global stability, but the comments apparently triggered the president.
I doubt Pope Leo XIV will lose any sleep over this, before he begins his pilgrimage to Africa tomorrow. But the rest of us should. Because it is unhinged, uncharitable and unchristian. Is there no bottom to this moral squalor? pic.twitter.com/XRr9lpv4ZF
","type":"rich","meta":{"author":"James Martin, SJ","author_url":"https://twitter.com/JamesMartinSJ","cache_age":86400,"description":"I doubt Pope Leo XIV will lose any sleep over this, before he begins his pilgrimage to Africa tomorrow. But the rest of us should. Because it is unhinged, uncharitable and unchristian. Is there no bottom to this moral squalor? pic.twitter.com/XRr9lpv4ZF— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) April 13, 2026\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","thumbnail_height":1067,"thumbnail_url":"https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HFwCKWYWgAEeU8k.jpg:large","thumbnail_width":926,"title":"James Martin, SJ on Twitter / 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I doubt Pope Leo XIV will lose any sleep over this, before he begins his pilgrimage to Africa tomorrow. But the rest of us should. Because it is unhinged, uncharitable and unchristian. Is there no bottom to this moral squalor? pic.twitter.com/XRr9lpv4ZF
Hey @GOP, you good with your guy directly attacking the Pope now?
We know the leadership of the Republican Party is on their knees (not praying!) but if anyone over there still has a spine, this is an easy one! https://t.co/lSsZHk6tvQ
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) April 13, 2026
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Hey @GOP, you good with your guy directly attacking the Pope now?
We know the leadership of the Republican Party is on their knees (not praying!) but if anyone over there still has a spine, this is an easy one! https://t.co/lSsZHk6tvQ
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) April 13, 2026
As a Catholic, I find it abhorrent that the President of the United States would publicly attack the Successor of St. Peter. Donald Trump is flailing. His war in Iran has led to the death and injury of American servicemembers and the death of Iranian children. He will attack… pic.twitter.com/fl5d1G2QVP
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As a Catholic, I find it abhorrent that the President of the United States would publicly attack the Successor of St. Peter. Donald Trump is flailing. His war in Iran has led to the death and injury of American servicemembers and the death of Iranian children. He will attack… pic.twitter.com/fl5d1G2QVP
I try and focus on policy and ignore all the grotesque nonsense Trump spews on a daily basis but as a Catholic I can’t stay silent. This must be condemned by every Catholic, every Christian, indeed by everyone who follows any faith. Trump is an abomination https://t.co/XtxrFuNxMC
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I try and focus on policy and ignore all the grotesque nonsense Trump spews on a daily basis but as a Catholic I can’t stay silent. This must be condemned by every Catholic, every Christian, indeed by everyone who follows any faith. Trump is an abomination https://t.co/XtxrFuNxMC
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POTUS arguing about having the “greatest stock market” versus a Pope and wondering why Republicans are on path for the worst midterms ever… https://t.co/Oxyk7F19p5
Trump doesn’t realize what an absolute shitstorm he’s unleashing by acting so unhinged toward the Pope.
More then a few Catholics have obvious disagreements and dissentions from the Church, but just like when a nation or family is attacked by an outsider, a lot of us are going… https://t.co/Jgxt4j1ZRH
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More then a few Catholics have obvious disagreements and dissentions from the Church, but just like when a nation or family is attacked by an outsider, a lot of us are going… https://t.co/Jgxt4j1ZRH— Robert Kearney (@Robkearney1981) April 13, 2026\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Robert Kearney on Twitter / 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Trump doesn’t realize what an absolute shitstorm he’s unleashing by acting so unhinged toward the Pope.
More then a few Catholics have obvious disagreements and dissentions from the Church, but just like when a nation or family is attacked by an outsider, a lot of us are going… https://t.co/Jgxt4j1ZRH
Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
The US president announced on Sunday that America and “other countries” will stop ships coming in and out of the vital waterway.
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Around one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquid gas supply usually passes through the key shipping lane.
But it has been effectively closed since the start of the war, with Iran targeting tankers which try to sail through it unless they agree to pay a toll.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “The Blockade will begin shortly. Other Countries will be involved with this Blockade.
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“Iran will not be allowed to profit off this Illegal Act of EXTORTION. They want money and, more importantly, they want Nuclear. Additionally and, at an appropriate moment, we are fully “LOCKED AND LOADED,” and our Military will finish up the little that is left of Iran!”
However, it is understood the UK will not be part of the US effort, although British mine hunters are already in the area.
A government spokesperson would only say: “We continue to support freedom of navigation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is urgently needed to support the global economy and the cost of living back home.
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“The Strait of Hormuz must not be subject to tolling. We are urgently working with France and other partners to put together a wide coalition to protect freedom of navigation.”
Meanwhile, Trump used an interview with Fox News on Sunday to once again compare Keir Starmer to Hitler-appeasing 1930s prime minister Neville Chamberlain.
He said: “Nato is shameful. I mean, look at the United Kingdom.
“PM Starmer said ‘we’ll send the equipment after the war is over’. I said ‘you don’t need equipment when the war is over. You need the equipment before the war starts, or during the war’.
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“He made a public statement that ‘we will send equipment after the war is over’, that’s a Neville Chamberlain statement.”
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said: “The UK should be working with other countries to get the US and Iran back to the negotiating table, not fanning the flames of war.
“It’s just days since Trump threatened to destroy a whole civilisation, and a return to war would be disastrous. The prime minister needs to work in lock-step with our reliable partners to secure a diplomatic end to this crisis.”
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Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that, almost as often as writers pinch Jane Austen’s most famous opening line, new adaptations must join the already hefty pile.
And this is especially true at the present moment, after last year marked the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth. While most of us settle for a bottle of pinot down the pub, for Austen, the celebrations of her semiquincentennial include a fresh Hollywood movie and the Netflix treatment for a fan-favourite novel.
Starring Ruth Jones as Mrs Bennet and Call The Midwife actor Ella Bruccoleri as the titular character, many fans have already torn through the series and are on the hunt for more where that came from.
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If that sounds familiar, you may well be looking for your next Austen fix right now. Luckily, there’s plenty to look forward to this year – here’s what else you can look forward to getting stuck into…
Netflix’s Pride & Prejudice is coming to our screens soon
The stars of Netflix’s new Pride & Prejudice adaptation
Meanwhile, Olivia Colman and Rufus Sewell will play Mrs and Mr Bennett, respectively, with Heartstopper’s Rhea Norwood and Industry’s Freya Mavor also appearing as Lydia and Jane Bennett.
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The star-studded series will also include appearances from Daryl McCormack, Jamie Demetriou, Louis Partridge and Black Mirror’s Siena Kelly.
Describing Pride & Prejudice as the “blueprint for romantic comedy”, Dolly has teased what we can expect “both familiar and fresh” ideas in her take on Austen’s classic.
“In it lies the opportunity to examine the complexities of love, family, friendship, and society, while aspiring to Austen’s delightfully observational voice,” she enthused.
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Another Hollywood spin on one of Jane Austen’s most popular books is also in the works
If you’re more in the market for a big screen-adaptation, there’s also a new Sense And Sensibility movie on the way this September.
Austen’s 1811 novel centres on the Dashwood sisters, after they and their widowed mother have become destitute following the death of their father, resulting in them moving to a modest cottage on their cousin’s estate.
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Naturally, being an Austen novel, the sisters also navigate suitors of varying morals and suitability.
The 2026 adaptation is led by BAFTA-nominated Blue Jean director Georgia Oakley, with Normal People’s Daisy Edgar-Jones and Hanna star Esmé Creed-Miles starring as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood.
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Meanwhile, George MacKay, Fiona Shaw, Caitríona Balfe and Frank Dillane are also in the cast.
The 2026 adaptation is the first major take on Austen’s novel since Ang Lee’s 1995 adaptation, featuring Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and Alan Rickman, which picked up seven Oscar nominations and 12 Bafta nods at the time.
What about a season 2 of The Other Bennet Sister?
Unfortunately, that’s not looking likely.
Laurie Davidson and Ella Bruccoleri in The Other Bennet Sister
BBC/Bad Wolf
The TV series is adapted from Janice Hadlow’s book of the same name, with the events of pretty much the whole novel being covered over the course of the 10 episodes.
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Screenwriter Sarah Quintrell did tell Radio Times that she would “love to do more” shows like The Other Bennet Sister, but clarified that she meant “more stories taking a different angle” on classic tales we already know and love, rather than specifically more shows set in the Pride & Prejudice universe.
There’s also a spruced-up Pride & Prejudice audiobook you can enjoy right now
If it’s even more stars you’re after, perhaps you’d be interested in the revamped audiobook of Pride & Prejudice, which features a bunch of the biggest new acting names as well as a few legends.
Alright, so technically this was released in 2025, but we reckon it’s new enough to pique your interest if you’re still coming off the Other Bennett Sister high.
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Audible’s reading of the novel sees Industry star Marisa Abela take on the lead role of Elizabeth Bennet, with Babygirl’s Harris Dickinson joining her as Mr Darcy.
If there’s one statement parents have probably heard a lot these past two weeks, it’s “I’m bored” – usually with the added request of “will you play with me?” tagged onto the end.
But often we’re working, or trying to catch up on an admin list that’s as long as our arm (and the rest), or doing chores, so it’s not always possible to down tools and get stuck in.
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While turning the TV on or handing over an iPad can feel like a simple fix (hey, we’ve all been there), experts are increasingly nudging parents to try and reduce kids’ screen time where possible.
So, if your children say they’re bored, how’s best to respond?
Get them thinking about what they want to learn
Yes, there’s the age-old classic of: “Great, grab the vacuum!”
But children’s author Ty Allan Jackson suggests you could say something along the lines of: “Wow. That’s awesome. What a great opportunity for you to be creative.”
And then he suggests you ask them a simple question: “What is something you wish you knew how to do?”
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In a reel on Instagram, the TedX Presenter said: “That question will get them thinking and give you directions on how to entertain them, or better yet, on how they can entertain themselves.”
Of course, there’s every possibility they’ll respond with a shrug or an “I don’t know.”
But some parents have found it successful. One user, known as @mom.outofoffice, said she tried the ‘Wow method’ with her daughter and, admittedly, the first time she asked the question her daughter “just stared” at her.
“But then she said she wanted to learn how to use the coffee machine. We tried it together, and soon she was making it by herself,” said the parent. “Before I knew it… she had turned our kitchen into a full-on coffee shop. And wow… it became one of her favourite ways to play.”
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Boredom is good for kids (yes, really)
Neuroscientist Alicia Walf, a researcher in the Department of Cognitive Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, told Forbes boredom is critical for brain health, noting it can improve social connections and foster creativity, too.
According to psychiatrist and author Dr Carl Marci, letting your kids figure out how to keep boredom at bay could be far more beneficial than stepping in for them.
When his children tell him he’s bored, he’ll urge them to go and figure out how to deal with it – but without technology or something connected to the internet.
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“They get mad at me,” Dr Marci previously told HuffPost UK, “but after a few minutes, they start to creatively solve their problems or distract themselves with social interaction or play.”
“Is there anyone we can call?” the EMT asks, standing over me as I raise a shaky hand to my left collarbone and feel the bulge that shouldn’t be there. I am sitting on the pavement, my Madewell jeans now covered by a long black streak down the left leg, still wearing my motorcycle helmet. My elbow is shattered into three pieces, and the pain radiates down my arm to my pinky and ring finger, where my wedding band always used to be.
“No, there’s no one. I have no one!”
I panic about who will take my elderly, rescued basset hound for her bedtime walk if I go to the emergency room. I look over at my Vespa — an impractical divorce gift to myself — laying on her side with huge dents and scuffs ruining her beautiful mint green body. My phone and rainbow pride keychain are trapped in the storage compartment under the tan leather seat.
Just a few months before, after undergoing ketamine treatments as a last-ditch effort to ameliorate my relentless existential depression, I told my husband that I couldn’t be married to him anymore because I was meant to be with a woman. Now I am desperately alone in the back of an ambulance experiencing a cataclysmic life event. And yet a feeling of “It’s supposed to be this way” reassures me that just like ending my marriage and coming out as a lesbian, this accident is part of my life path.
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A year earlier, when I started the IV ketamine treatments that ultimately led to my sexual awakening, no one warned me that I might experience an ego death. “If this is what death feels like, I’m totally OK with it,” I thought as I sank deeper into the blissful emptiness. I remembered all the times I wanted to end my own life over the years. Suddenly, without the fear of the unknown keeping me from acting, the thought of returning to my “waking life” terrified me. Death seemed like a better option than perpetual self-hatred.
I broke down in tears as the nurse removed the IV from my arm.
“I don’t want to live like this anymore!” I wailed.
My sweet husband came in to hold my hand as I steadied my breathing.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with her,” the nurse told him quietly, as if I wasn’t in the room. “I’ve never seen anyone react this way.”
I thought back to our wedding all those years ago, and how I mistook the deep pit in my stomach for typical wedding day jitters. On the outside, I was smiling, but an unfamiliar voice within was screaming at me to run.
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I hated myself for not being able to give my husband the love and intimacy he deserved. The infrequent times we did have sex, I was drunk and closed my eyes tightly and left my body until it was over. I felt broken and ashamed.
Throughout the years, we continued to grow and move forward in our lives, progressing in our careers and relocating to different cities and buying bigger houses, but the feeling that something was off persisted. As the depression worsened, my problematic binge drinking escalated.
I avoided the basement of our starter home because I imagined myself hanging from our cast-iron pipes. When we moved to Texas, I regularly drove home in my tiny convertible in a blackout drunk state, completely disregarding how much it hurt my dear husband, because I honestly didn’t care if I made it back to him or not.
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One night, after downing two bottles of red wine, Googling local gay bars and failing another “Am I gay?” quiz online, I shut myself inside our closet, curled into the fetal position, and cried till I passed out.
I emerged from my office one evening and quietly admitted to him, “I think I’m bi. What does that mean?”
I knew the word I wanted to say was “gay,” but I wasn’t ready to utter it yet. I was still hoping we could somehow stay together, that maybe I wasn’t ruining our lives. And how could I possibly know that I’m gay without ever kissing a woman? He took a deep breath and eventually said, “I always knew this was coming.”
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I looked down at my hands — half of my fingers were bandaged from picking at my cuticles until they bled. I remembered that wild animals chew off their own feet if caught in a trap as an attempt to save themselves from capture.
“I kept quiet as long as I could. It feels like I don’t have a choice anymore.”
I signed a lease for a small apartment in the city where the stores hang rainbow flags in their windows. With a houseplant in one arm and my basset hound’s leash in the other, I walked into the sun-filled space and felt the words “this is where you heal” rise inside me. I placed the plant on the counter and crumpled to the floor in a heap of tears and wrapped my arms around my dog.
“We’re gonna be OK,” I reassured both of us.
My upbringing hardwired my brain to believe that same-sex attraction was dirty, shameful, and something to be kept secret — locked away and buried so that I could fit into what people wanted for me. It’s like cutting out part of your soul so that you can be loved.
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I flourished in my newfound freedom over the next few months. People said they’ve never seen me so happy. I took time to date myself, going to concerts alone, getting dressed up and making dinner reservations for one. I never imagined a fun night out would end with a life-changing accident.
The physical recovery was excruciating. I spent eight weeks lying in my living room waiting for my surgical incisions and bones to heal, and another three months doing physical therapy to regain full range of motion in my elbow and shoulder.
My collection of thrifted travel books stared back at me from their shelf and reminded me of the life I always wanted. Amid overwhelming despair and pain, I realised that I am so lucky to be alive. I thought back to my ego death and remembered being surrounded by divine love and protection, and feeling like something was guiding me toward the life I was meant for. I thought about all the experiences I still hoped to have, and started dreaming of ways to make them happen.
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“I think you’ll be really happy with the settlement amount,” my personal injury lawyer said, as I muted the phone so I could burst into tears of joy without judgment. “Just sign the paperwork, come get your check, and you’ll be all set.”
My ex-husband moved home, and met someone to build a new life with. I know he now has the loving marriage he deserves — the one that I could never give him, despite how much I wanted to. Me speaking up — and him letting me go — allowed us both to find happiness.
The travel guides are finally being used, and I’ve discovered the joy of solo trips abroad. I found healing in Mexico, and gratitude in Italy. I recently went to Paris alone, but never felt lonely.
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I continue to go on dates, and apart from a casual romance, am yet to find a first girlfriend. I remind myself that I needed this time alone to build community, to make precious friends, to heal physically and emotionally, and to undo a lifetime of hiding.
I am still looking for the love I knew I had to make myself available for when I realised I could no longer be married. I am confident I will feel it in my now-healed bones when I find her. I trust that she is out there, on her way to me, and that we will both know it when the time is right.
That night in the ambulance I had the thought, None of this would be happening if I were still married. Had I not been confronted with an ultimatum from the Universe during that ego death, directing me to speak up or never be happy, I would still be pretending. I would have the comfort and security of a marriage to my best friend, but I would not love myself. Even in that moment of desperation and pain, I knew I had made the right choice by speaking my truth. I felt reassured that this was the divine path that was meant for me all along.
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When we are confronted with life-altering choices — “Do I say something? Do I ruin our lives?” — we can make our decision from a place of fear or love. Staying quiet and staying with my ex-husband would have been the path guided by fear. In the face of absolute uncertainty, I chose love by honouring my inner voice.
I know now that I am meant to be here, despite years of wishing that I wasn’t. Though I haven’t yet found my person, I feel more joy than I ever thought possible, and I am so freaking grateful for that.
Erika Hearthstone is a pseudonym of an author who lives in Texas and writes about identity and healing. Her work centres on queerness, spirituality, and courageous self-acceptance, and is working on a collection of personal essays.
As well as co-creating Big Mistakes and writing select episodes, Dan also takes the lead as a priest who lands both himself and his sister in hot water when some petty thievery grabs the attention of a criminal organisation.
He’s joined by an impressive cast of recognisable faces in Big Mistakes, many of whom you’re sure to recognise from their TV, movie and stage careers.
For those who’ve already been enjoying the new show, here’s your quick guide to where you’ve seen the cast before…
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Dan Levy
Dan Levy as David Rose in Schitt’s Creek
CBC/ITV/Kobal/Shutterstock
As mentioned above, Dan Levy was a co-creator and star of the beloved sitcom Schitt’s Creek, in which he starred as David Rose alongside his famous dad, Eugene Levy.
The Canadian star initially got his start in TV presenting rather than acting, working on the likes of MTV Live, The Hills’ “after show”, the Canadian version of Great British Bake Off and the cooking show Dismantled.
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Since Schitt’s Creek, his acting work has included Modern Family, Sex Education, The Idol and Curb Your Enthusiasm.
He’s also acted in films like Disney’s Haunted Mansion, the Christmas comedy Happiest Season and the dark comedy Good Grief, the first offering to come from Dan’s deal with Netflix.
Taylor Ortega
Taylor Ortega as Joan in Ghosts
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Dan’s on-screen sister in Big Mistakes is played by Taylor Ortega, who Succession fans might remember for her one-episode stint as Greta, before she was cast in the US remake of the British comedy Ghosts.
You could have also seen her in Love Life, Welcome To Flatch or Netflix’s The Four Seasons, as well as films like Another Simple Favour or Wine Club.
Meanwhile, if you were a Kim Possible fan back in the day, you might be interested to hear that she played Shego in Disney’s 2019 live-action movie based on the classic cartoon.
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Laurie Metcalf
Laurie Metcalf in the 2017 film Lady Bird
Universal Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock
Laurie Metcalf won three Emmys for her work in the sitcom Roseanne, but you might also recognise her for her Oscar-nominated performance as the mum character in Lady Bird.
Over the years, she’s also made memorable appearances as a murderous supermarket shopper in the iconic Desperate Housewives episode Bang, Sheldon’s mother in The Big Bang Theory, Augusta Gein in Monster and exhausted tour manager Weed in Hacks (for which she won her fourth Emmy).
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Her film work includes everything from Uncle Buck, Toy Story and Leaving Las Vegas to Scream 2 and Runaway Bride.
We’d be remiss not to mention her stage career, too, as Laurie is a six-time Tony nominee (and two-time winner), treading the boards as everyone from Misery’s Annie Wilkes (opposite Bruce Willis’ Paul Sheldon), A Doll House’s Nora Helmer and Hillary Clinton.
Elizabeth Perkins
Elizabeth Perkins as Celia in Weeds
Monty Brinton/Showtime/Kobal/Shutterstock
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With a screen career spanning 40 years, it’s tough to know exactly where to start with Elizabeth Perkins.
Over the decades, she’s appeared in films like The Flintstones, Miracle On 34th Street, Finding Nemo and, more recently, Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse and The Housemaid.
She’s perhaps best known for her TV work, though, which includes playing Celia in Weeds, Janet Malone in This Is Us, Birdie in Glow and Jackie O’Neill in Sharp Objects, which earned her a Critics’ Choice Award nomination.
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Abby Quinn
Abby Quinn in Knock At The Cabin
Horror fans might be familiar with Abby’s performances in the likes of Knock At The Cabin, I’m Thinking Of Ending Things or Hell Of A Summer.
Abby has also had minor roles in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women adaptation, the sinister Black Mirror episode Arkangel, the Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul and the 21st century revival of the sitcom Mad About You.
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Mark Ivanir
Mark Ivanir in Homeland
Between 2015 and 2018, Mark Ivanir had a recurring role in the thriller Homeland, playing Ivan Krupin, an SVR agent.
His other notable TV roles have included the Netflix political drama Zero Day, the dark comedy Barry and Amazon Prime’s original series Transparent.
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As for his film work, he has appeared in Schindler’s List, The Terminal and the critically-panned musical Emilia Perez.
Jack Innanen
Jack Innanen in Adults
A comedian as well as an actor, Jack Innanen rose to prominence in the early 2020s thanks to his viral TikTok videos, landing him roles in the Canadian series The Dessert and The Office Movers.
Boran Kuzum in the Netflix series Kimler Geldi, Kimler Geçti
Melih Yildirim/Netflix
Originally hailing from Turkey, Boran Kuzum’s work primarily consists of shows and films in his home country including Wounded Love, Bihter: A Forbidden Passion and Magnificent Century: Kösem.
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Before being cast in Big Mistakes, he also played a pivotal role in another Netflix series, Kimler Geldi, Kimler Geçti (known in English-speaking territories as Thank You, Next).
Joe Barbara
Joe Barbara voiced Ray Boccino in the fourth Grand Theft Auto video game
Joe Barbara’s career began in the late 1990s, with roles in US soaps like Another World (which he appeared in over a four-year period) and All My Children.
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More recently, he’s acted in FBI, Blue Bloods and lent his voice to the Grand Theft Auto games series, playing crime boss Ray Boccino.
Josh Fadem
Josh Fadem in Better Call Saul
Comedian, writer and actor Josh Fadem’s stand-out work has included playing Phil Busby in the 2017 revival of Twin Peaks, Pat Stanley in On Becoming A God In Central Florida, Simon Barrons in 30 Rock and Joey Dixon in Better Call Saul.
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He also repeatedly portrayed Sean Penn in the sketch comedy series The Midnight Show and Adolf Hitler in The Crossroads Of History, in addition to roles in Reservation Dogs, Tulsa King, Minx and Adventure Time.
Jacob Gutierrez
Jacob Gutierrez in A Crime To Remember
Prime Video
Playing Tareq in Big Mistakes is definitely Jacob Guttierez’s biggest TV role to date, but he has appeared in the TV series A Crime To Remember, Bull and Dear Edward in recent years.
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He’s also acted in short films, including A Night Off and It’s Not You, It’s Her.
It’s time to dust off your biggest and comfiest pants, cook up some blue soup and warm up your pipes for a Céline Dion sing-a-long because a very special anniversary is just around the corner.
This month marks 25 years since Bridget Jones made her big screen debut, diary in hand, introducing the world to one of 21st century British cinema’s most iconic and beloved characters.
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Bridget Jones’s Diary has gone on to become one of the most enduring and game-changing romantic comedies of its time, going on to gross hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office, spawn three sequels and even earn its leading lady Renée Zellweger her first Oscar nominations (she’s since gone on to win two, as it goes).
A quarter-century later, you might think you know Bridget inside and out (and love her “just as she is”), but we bet there’s still plenty about the enduring movie classic that you still don’t know.
To commemorate its 25th anniversary, here are 25 behind-the-scenes facts you probably never knew about how Bridget Jones’s Diary was made…
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Alright, we’re starting with a pretty obvious one here, but for those who didn’t know, both the original novel Bridget Jones’s Diary and the movie were inspired by Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice
Bridget Jones creator Helen Fielding said back in 2001: “Jane Austen’s plots are very good and have been market researched over a number of centuries so I decided simply to steal one of them.”
“I thought she wouldn’t mind,” Helen quipped. “And anyway, she’s dead.”
Because of the book’s ties to Pride And Prejudice, the Bridget Jones team were always adamant that Mark Darcy should be played by Colin Firth, who previously appeared in the BBC’s much-loved adaptation of the Jane Austen book
“Colin always had to be Mark Darcy,” producer Eric Fellner put it around the film’s release. “As the story unfolds, and the audience comes to understand Mark Darcy, he transforms from a seemingly snobby and cold intellectual into a thoughtful and sensitive man.”
Colin Firth as Mr Darcy years before he’d play his character’s namesake in Bridget Jones’s Diary
Moviestore/Shutterstock
There is another Pride & Prejudice reference hidden in Bridget Jones’s Diary that we’re only clocking now 25 years later
The publishing house where Bridget Jones works is called Pemberley Press, a subtle nod to Mr Darcy’s estate in the Austen classic.
When Bridget walks in on the woman that Daniel Cleaver has been cheating on her with, she’s covering herself with a Pemberley Press portfolio, sporting an image of a stately home not unlike Darcy’s.
There are more Pride & Prejudice references than you might realise in Bridget Jones’s Diary
Working Title
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When it came to casting the role of Bridget Jones, Renée Zellweger wasn’t actually the first choice
In fact, the role first went to Toni Collette, who turned it down because she was appearing in a Broadway play at the time filming was due to get underway.
She told Watch What Happens Live in 2023: “I have no regrets – life happens as it’s meant to.”
The casting process apparently took around two years before producers found their Bridget in Renée Zellweger.
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Of course, the decision to cast an American actor as such an iconic Londoner wasn’t exactly met with unanimous praise, but Renée pulled it out of the bag and won over her detractors in the end.
Toni Collette was originally picked to play Bridget Jones before Renée Zellweger was cast
via Associated Press
To help perfect her British twang to play Bridget Jones, Renée Zellweger worked with the famous dialect coach Barbara Berkery
Right before Renée worked with Barbar Berkery, the dialect coach had helped Gwyneth Paltrow on her way to winning an Oscar for Shakespeare In Love.
Before that, she’d also coached Gwynnie while she was playing a Londoner in the 90s classic Sliding Doors.
It’s fair to say that Hugh Grant wasn’t initially convinced by Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones accent…
After the suggestion that she “loosen it up a bit”, Hugh claimed that Renée’s next attempt was more “Princess Margaret having a stroke – but a week later, it was bang on”.
Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant in character as Bridget Jones and Daniel Cleaver
Alex Bailey/Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
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To help retain her accent, Renée Zellweger continued speaking in Bridget Jones’ voice even between takes
Sally Phillips once told Lorraine: “I’d made quite good friends with her during the filming [but] I realised towards the end, when she suddenly lost a stone in the last week, and started talking in a Texan accent at the wrap party, I’d made friends with Bridget, not Renée.”
It’s well-documented that Renée Zellweger intentionally gained weight to help her play Bridget Jones, which she did by increasing her food intake and not exercising
For the second Bridget Jones film, Renée opted for prosthetics rather than gaining the weight back, and by the third and fourth films, it was decided that the actor and her on-screen counterpart should be the same size.
As well as her accent and weight gain, Renée Zellweger also got into the Bridget Jones mindset by working a brief internship at a publishing house
Like her character, Renée Zellweger did some work at a publishing house to help her prepare for Bridget Jones’s Diary
Paul Chedlow/Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
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“A young work experience woman came into the office and introduced herself as Bridget and we were all a bit bemused by the fact that Bridget seemed to have really nice clothes (not smart, just a lot better than our outfits) and a transatlantic accent,” Mary Mount – who was working as an editorial assistant at Picador at the time – recalled last year. “I thought she looked vaguely familiar but in that way that you can’t really place.”
One of the future Oscar winner’s tasks was cutting out any press clippings about Picardo at the time.
Unfortunately, the big story surrounding Picador at the time was the fact that a Bridget Jones movie was in the works, meaning “her job was literally to cut out nasty articles about herself”.
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“She kept her cool,” said Camilla Elworthy, who oversaw Renée during her work experience. “But [she] did scribble ‘rubbish’ in the margins of one piece.”
As for the rest of the Bridget Jones’s Diary cast, Hugh Grant actually turned down the part of Daniel Cleaver on several occasions
Colin Firth, Renée Zellweger and Hugh Grant in promotional material for Bridget Jones’s Diary
Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
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“The only reason for that was because I didn’t feel they had the script quite right for a long time,” he admitted in the lead-up to its release. “And I kept saying, it’s not working. Just get Richard Curtis to come in and help rewrite it.”
Hugh had already worked with Richard Curtis on Four Weddings And A Funeral and Notting Hill, with the two later reuniting on Love Actually and the second Bridget Jones movie.
“As soon as Richard came on board, I signed on the dotted line,” the Bafta winner added. “So, that’s all it was.”
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Bridget Jones’s Diary was filmmaker Sharon Maguire’s feature-length directing debut, although she did already have a connection to the source material
Sharon was close friends with Helen Fielding, and was heavily rumoured to be have been the inspiration for “Shazzer”, the character played on screen by Sally Phillips.
“I’m delighted to be in the book, especially as Shazzer is so much wittier than me,” Sharon once told The Telegraph. “The only thing is that you go to parties and you worry that people will expect you to be funnier than you really are.”
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“Helen was just writing about our lives – hilariously,” she later told the LA Times in 2016, adding: “Thirtysomethings had come out of long relationships in their 20s and realised they hadn’t ended up married or with children. We were in our 30s, behaving like we were 17-year-olds and having a great time but still floundering around asking questions about relationships, careers, biological clocks.”
Sally Phillips has played “Shazzer” in all four Bridget Jones movies
Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
Salman Rushdie’s Bridget Jones’s Diary cameo came about he, too, was a friend of Helen Fielding
“For me, it was very simple,” he told Texas Monthly in 2001. “Helen Fielding, the author of the book, is an old pal of mine, and she asked if I’d come along and make a fool of myself, and I said, ‘Why not?’.”
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As for sharing the screen with the movie’s leading lady, the author added: “Renée was wonderful, I thought, and at the premiere we had a little joke. I told her that my performance is what held the film together – and she agreed. She thought it was a pivotal role.”
The exterior of Bridget Jones’ flat was a pub just off Borough market
The Globe Tavern, to be exact, which was already notable as it’s rumoured to be the location where the Great Train Robbery of 1963 was planned.
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All those wintery scenes at Bridget Jones’ parents’ home were actually shot at the height of summer
Because of this, several locations in Snowshill, Worcestershire had to be covered in fake snow to make the setting more believable.
Bridget Jones’s Diary might put you in a wintery mood but it was actually shot at the height of summer
Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
As a result – Colin Firth didn’t exactly have the best time filming in his infamous Bridget Jones reindeer jumper…
Colin told Entertainment Weekly in 2020: “The set was lit at about 140 degrees Fahrenheit; it melted candles and desiccated the turkey curry. I almost tore the jumper to pieces pulling it off between takes – I probably lost about 15 pounds. I had little love for it by the end.”
…not that it actually is a reindeer, mind you
“We sent out the knitting challenge to approximately 20 or 30 knitters,” Sharon Morgan also told Entertainment Weekly for the same piece. “At first, none of the designs worked. They were lovely, but they just weren’t funny. So eventually we decided it had to be a moose, not a reindeer.”
“I never noticed it was a moose,” Colin added.
Not a reindeer jumper but a moose, apparently
Moviestore/Shutterstock
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Daniel Cleaver and Mark Darcy’s fight sequence is one of Bridget Jones’s Diary’s stand-out scenes – but it could have looked very different
“There had been an earlier idea to make the fight look sexy,” Colin told the LA Times. “We were going to be buff and our shirts were going to be ripped off.
“I looked at myself and said, ‘You’re certainly never going to get that type with me’.”
Colin Firth and Hugh Grant decided between them to keep their Bridget Jones fight a little more… well… British
Colin Firth and Hugh Grant’s characters have it out in Bridget Jones’s Diary
Alex Bailey/Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
“We both realised that the last time we fought was when we were 10. A playground fight,” Colin quipped. “So, we made a decision largely based on logic and common sense to make it more playful.”
He pointed out the characters are “two very ineffectual, frightened, angry yuppies going at each other – pulling hair and wanting to run away at the same time”, which needed to come across on screen.
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During a video interview with Vanity Fair, Hugh later claimed: “The big fight was to stop stuntmen getting involved. They always want to come in and choreograph the whole thing and say, ‘mate, it’d be great if you swing a right hook and his head’ll go back’.
“I just thought, ‘yeah, in action films, cowboy films, whatever, that’s great, but these are two middle-class Englishmen, and they don’t fight like that’. I’ve seen them fight, and it’s shit.
“So, we managed to ban the stuntman. I think the last thing he contributed was probably the dustbin lid, and after that, it’s just me and Colin messing about.”
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Stuntmen were used for one crucial part of the fight, though
That’d be the bit where Mark and Daniel fly through the front window of a Greek restaurant, which they thought they’d better leave to the pros.
By contrast, Bridget Jones’ infamous fireman’s pole scene was meticulously planned to ensure Renée Zellweger’s safety
Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones throwing herself into her new job at Sit Up Britain
Moviestore/Shutterstock
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“Renée did it on wires – it was her backside that came down,” stunt performer Dani Biernet told Time Out in 2017. “But I did all the lining up and the wide shots without a wire.”
Another of Bridget Jones’ more surprising physical moments required a stunt double, too
Dani also had to step in to play Bridget during the moment when she drunkenly tumbles out of a black cab.
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“When I first did it they were all like, ‘Bloody hell, did that hurt?’. But as a stunt person, you learn how to fall,” she said.
“I remember doing it about six times and, to be fair, by take five you’re a bit bruised. But that’s part of the job.”
No, Renée Zellweger didn’t really have to smoke all those cigarettes on the set of Bridget Jones’s Diary
While it was once commented that Bridget “smokes like a chimney, drinks like a fish and dresses like her mother”, fortunately Renée didn’t quite need to copy her character’s habits.
Instead, the cigarettes she was supplied to play Bridget were herbal, rather than tobacco-based.
You might not realise it but Bridget Jones’s Diary has a different ending depending on where in the world you’re watching
Renée Zellweger’s Bridget Jones and Colin Firth’s Mark Darcy get their happy ending in the first movie
Alex Bailey/Miramax/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock
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Here in the UK, after Bridget and Mark’s big kiss, the credits roll and we’re treated to scenes of different characters being interviewed about their love story, while Robbie Williams’ rendition of Have You Met Miss Jones? plays.
Across the pond, though, the credits are interspersed with “home video footage” of Bridget and Mark as kids, recreating the paddling pool scene we hear so much about over the course of the film.
As for the fate of Bridget Jones’ iconic ‘big pants’…
“I heard some rumour that Hugh Grant kept the pants – the big pants,” Renée Zellweger told British Vogue while promoting the fourth Bridget Jones movie in 2024.
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“But I don’t know if that’s true,” she quickly clarified. “We’ll have to ask him.”
Bridget Jones’s Diary is currently available to stream on Now.
