BBC Introducing launches talent development scheme for spoken word artists

Paul Simon has said that he has tried to practice with his live band with the hope of returning to touring.The legendary announced his retirement from touring in 2018, playing his final ever concert in Queens, just minutes from where he grew up.During the final gig, Simon hinted that he would be “open” to playing “one-off” performances in the future, and appeared at Newport Folk Festival last summer in a surprise return to the stage.Now, he’s spoken to Mojo about his retirement, and how he has tried to work past the hearing loss that has stopped him from returning to touring.Discussing new music, Simon said: “I have three songs in motion. One of them is finished.

Tom Cruise has confirmed that he is still planning to make a movie that will be filmed in space.The pioneering movie was announced back in 2020, confirming that Cruise had teamed up with Elon Musk and NASA to film a new movie in outer space, set to be directed by Edge of Tomorrow‘s Doug Liman.A trip to outer space to film the project was then set for 2021, but ended up being postponed.Despite this, Cruise has insisted that work on the project continues, and that he intends to still make the film.Asked about progress on the film at the Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One premiere, Cruise said (via Variety): “We’ve been working on it diligently and we’ll see where we go.”NASA confirmed their involvement in the project via Twitter, where administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted: “NASA is excited to work with @TomCruise on a film aboard the @Space_Station!“We need popular media to inspire a new generation of engineers and scientists to make @NASA’s ambitious plans a reality.”The film, still untitled, was pitched to Universal via an “exuberant Zoom call” with Cruise, Liman, Christopher McQuarrie and PJ van Sandwijk.Liman is in the process of writing the film’s script, and the budget is estimated to be around $200 million. McQuarrie, who is the writer/director on the Mission: Impossible films, will act as story advisor and producer, alongside Cruise, Liman and van Sandwijk as producers.Elsewhere, Cruise has said that he plans to still be making Mission: Impossible films when he’s 80.“Harrison Ford is a legend; I hope to be still going.

Christopher Nolan has said he first conceived the idea of making a film about J. Robert Oppenheimer when he was a teenager.The director’s hotly-anticipated biopic about the father of the atomic bomb came to cinemas on Friday (July 21).

A woman has died after being struck by two cars in Stretford.

British tourists planning to visit Greece or who are there already are being urged to follow new travel advice as the country battles intense wildfires. Hotels, villas and homes on the island of Rhodes have been evacuated as the blaze enters its sixth day of burning.

Hello and welcome to this month’s advice column.

A man has tragically died after being injured during an accident on a docked ship in Aberdeen.

A Love Island winner has returned to the football pitch after breaking up with his reality TV girlfriend. Finn Tapp, who won the sixth series of the dating show with Scots beauty Paige Turley has signed for Banbury United.

Feyenoord's coaching staff have moved to future proof the potential exit of Danilo to Rangers by honing in Sydney van Hooijdonk as the Brazilian's potential successor.

Police have issued a dispersal order ahead of a planned car meet event.

Mikel Arteta believes Manchester United's 'efficiency' was decisive in their 2-0 victory over Arsenal.

Prince Harry and Meghan are reportedly considering moving back to her star-studded childhood home town. The royal couple is said to be eyeing up a mansion in the beach city of Malibu in California, the Express reports.

Grace Jones and Young Fathers – they are unable to accommodate day ticket holders.They wrote: “It is with a heavy heart that we inform you we are unable to accommodate Sunday day ticket holders to Bluedot Festival today, Sunday 23rd July. If you are a Sunday day ticketholder please do not travel to Bluedot today.”The festival went on to say that weekend ticket holders already on site will be permitted to stay, adding: “We’ve had an unprecedented amount of rainfall over the past seven days that has seen the water level reach saturation point during the night, rendering our day ticket holder car park, pick-up and drop-off point and entrances impassable due to standing water.“We have worked hard this weekend and throughout last night, laying over 1.5km of additional track mat and track way, 130 tonnes of sustainably sourced wood chip and bringing multiple trucks on site to pump out standing water.“However, despite our continued work throughout the weekend it has reached the point where it is not possible to accommodate further audience vehicles on site.”An important update regarding Sunday day ticketholders.

Erik ten Hag was delighted with Kobbie Mainoo's performance in Manchester United's pre-season friendly against Arsenal.

Manchester United have confirmed the sale of Alex Telles, who joins Al-Nassr in a permanent deal.

The 1975 frontman Matty Healy has been widely criticised by the Malaysian LGBTQ+ community for protesting the country’s stance on gay rights and kissing the band’s bassist Ross MacDonald on stage.The band were playing at Good Vibes Festival in Kuala Lumpur on Friday (July 21) when Healy decried the Malaysian government’s hardline stance against LGBTQ+ rights. Malaysian law criminalises sexual activity between people of the same sex, with its penal code criminalising “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” and acts of “gross indecency”.“I made a mistake.

Organisers of the Bluedot music and science festival have told Sunday day ticket holders not to travel to the event following heavy rain.

Goalkeeper Tom Heaton admitted that Manchester United are working on playing the ball out from the back following their 2-0 win over Arsenal in New Jersey on Saturday night.

Naman Ramachandran XYZ Films will represent documentary “London Recruits” for North American sales, it was revealed at the ongoing Durban FilmMart. Directed by Gordon Main, the film sheds light on a pivotal moment in South Africa’s history. In 1970, the struggle against the apartheid government in South Africa developed a new secret weapon. Oliver Tambo hatched a plan to infiltrate young British activists into the country, posing as tourists. Their mission, in the face of brutal lockdown by the racist regime, was to help inspire ordinary South Africans to join a liberation movement that would never give up till freedom was won. To mark the partnership, Ronnie Kasrils, now 86, the former underground African National Congress (ANC) freedom fighter at the heart of the story, participated in detonating a bucket “leaflet bomb” outside the market hotel. These were the devices deployed in 1970 by amateur secret agents that Kasrils recruited in London on orders from Tambo. The devices brought messages of hope from the banned ANC to the South African population at large.

Tom Heaton

It was a culture shock for a 16-year-old Jovan Kirovski when he swapped the sunshine and the beaches of California for a bedroom in Swinton, but as one of America's brightest talents at the time, he knew Manchester was too good to turn down if he was to make it.

KVEA and KCET each won eight trophies at the 75th Los Angeles Area Emmy Awards to lead the field just like they did at the nomination stage. Telemundo’s KVEA swept all three regularly scheduled news cast categories, morning, daytime and evening. CBS/KCAL9 followed with 4 wins, with ABC7 and Spectrum SportsNet LA tied at 3 and KMEX, Spectrum News 1 and Spectrum SportsNet at 2. The honored telecasts included two tributes to local icon Vin Scully who died last summer.

Christian Bale‘s performance as Batman in Christopher Nolan‘s Dark Knight trilogy is critically acclaimed.

In this instalment of John Murdoch's Drive Time, John takes a drive in the Skoda Karoq SUV and looks at the next VW Passat Estate which is due to arrive in 2024.

Benjamin Field's defence relied upon admitting a string of reprehensible things. By doing so he hoped to get off with his most heinous crime - the murder of former Manchester Grammar School teacher Peter Farquhar.

Drive or stroll into the beautiful village of Downham in Lancashire and the first thing that hits you is the unspoilt views of rolling countryside. The next thing you might notice is that the pretty stone cottages along the winding lane fail to feature modern details like TV aerials, power lines or satellite dishes.

There used to be a bit of food snobbery surrounding Greggs. A bit like Aldi and Lidl, it was never as cool to shop there as it is now.

When Olivia Malone shares old photos of herself on her Facebook page, even family and friends struggle to believe it's the same woman. For Olivia, 25, has had an incredible transformation after shedding over 8 stone and slimming from a size 24 down to a size 10.

Greta Gerwig‘s Barbie premiered on Friday (July 21), and it’s already breaking records!

Whether it’s playing for Hearts in the Premiership or being a pundit on Super Scoreboard.

Stuart Kettlewell hopes to bring in “one or two” forward players, but feels that Motherwell have goals throughout their team.

From the elation of Eindhoven to a chastening Champions League experience. Ryan Jack lived through it all at Rangers in Europe last season.

Ángela Aguilar had a delightful experience in her debut as a host at the 2023 Premios Juventud ceremony. She shared the role with Alejandra Espinoza, Marcus Ornellas, and Dayanara Torres at the twentieth ceremony, which took place at the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Matty Healy, the 1975 frontman, went viral after making an appearance at the Good Vibes Festival in Malaysia. The singer took a moment from the band’s performance to protest the local anti-LGBTQ laws and kissed a male bandmate on stage.

A health board has sent hundreds of cancer patients to other parts of Scotland for treatment as it tries to attract new consultants to treat those with the disease, it has emerged. Labour is demanding the Scottish Government work with NHS Tayside to tackle the situation there as a “matter of urgency”, claiming patients had been “completely betrayed”.

More than 100 Brits taking legal action against Tui over a cruise that was cut short have questioned why the holiday giant upgraded and refunded passengers onboard another cancelled sailing.