The vorfreude secret: 30 zero-effort ways to fill your life with joy

Be honest: there are times when you have felt schadenfreude, or “delight in another’s misfortunes”. But what about vorfreude? I recently came across this lovely word, which my German-speaking friend translated as “the anticipation of joy”. It struck me as such a hopeful concept – surely we could all do with less schadenfreude and more vorfreude. So what exactly is anticipatory joy, how do we cultivate it and will it make us happier? “The idea is...

9 of the wildest urban legends in Disney history – and which ones are true

5 ideas for passive income while I sleep

Of the many forms of passive income, I'm considering these five options. But one of these possible routes to riches appeals to me more than others. The post 5 ideas for passive income while I sleep appeared first on The Motley Fool UK.

19 movies that saved actors’ careers

19 movies that saved actors’ careers - Louis Chilton looks at 19 projects that managed to pull great stars back from the brink

Big Zuu Goes to Mecca, review: the travelogue trumps the personal journey

The question that hovers over any celebrity travelogue, no matter the celebrity or the destination, is why? For Zuhair “Big Zuu” Hassan – rapper, grime MC and Bafta-winning celebrity chef – the reason given for doing the umrah, a pilgrimage to Mecca, was because he wanted to connect more deeply with his Muslim faith. But the timing of the umrah for...

All in the family: 25 musical siblings

When the love for music runs in the family, it's typically trickled down from generation to generation. Some families are blessed to see brothers and sisters break into the music business, whether it's in a group or solo.

10 of the biggest box office flops of all time

Disney Plus is the first to stream in DTS:X audio — here's all the movies you can watch

Disney Plus audio is getting a major upgrade — and it starts with an IMAX Enhanced Queen concert.

For the Love of Dogs review – Alison Hammond brilliantly fills Paul O’Grady’s shoes

We are living through canine television’s golden (retriever) era. Idly flick through the channels and it’s odds on that you’ll land on a minor celebrity on a walking holiday, a documentary about air fryers, or a programme about dogs who either need a home or be better trained in the one they already have. For the Love of Dogs is the original, the top dog, and it remains the leader of the pack. The late Paul O’Grady hosted this look behind the...

How not to fall foul of the ticket scammers catching out Taylor Swift fans

When Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour arrives in Britain in just a few months’ time, it won’t just be one of the most eagerly awaited concert series ever, but a record-breaking one, too; it’s now the first music tour to surpass $1 billion (£800 million) in revenue. And, as any Swifties will know if they’ve watched the concert film, it’s an absolutely brill...

The most famous Hollywood centenarians

One hundred. It’s a perfect score. It’s also an age not many people live to see. Here are some of the impressive individuals that have lived to be 100 years of age.

32 Comedians Who Became Actors

The improv-to-dramatic-performance pipeline is real.

N Korea TV releases Kim Jong Un song

Patriotic anthems like this are shown on state TV on a daily basis.

GB News set to axe 40 jobs after channel posts heavy losses

The planned redundancies were reportedly announced at a meeting on Friday after the broadcaster posted an operating loss of £42.4m for the year to the end of May, 2023

Musical acts from the '80s who are still playing today

While there are plenty of bands or artists from that decade re-forming to make a little money off this retro obsession, other prominent groups from the '80s are still going strong...

Pulp Fiction: Quentin Tarantino’s backstory of movie’s most mysterious character

Pulp Fiction: Quentin Tarantino’s backstory of movie’s most mysterious character - Fans have long held theories about character's brief appearance

Games Inbox: Why has the Fallout TV show been so popular?

The Friday letters page worries that Larian Studios might be getting too cocky, as one reader celebrates 30 years of Super Metroid.

Siân Brooke: ‘For a long time, I shied away from roles with my accent’

in which a celebrity reflects on the highs and lows of their life.The 44-year-old English actress Siân Brooke made her debut in American fantasy drama Dinotopia in 2002. Multiple stage roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company followed, alongside smaller TV roles. In 2017, she appeared in hit BBC series Sherlock playing the villainous Eurus Holmes i...

It's loved by celebrities and trainers alike - so, is there any truth in the claim Pilates can transform your body?

A deep dive into the current research.

Tony Bennett, suave singer of I Left My Heart in San Francisco whose career spanned 70 years – obituary

Tony Bennett, who has died aged 96, sang as much with his heart as his voice. Primarily a showman, he was a better technician than his crooner’s reputation implied, but his appeal was founded less on the skill of his singing than its committed sincerity. That simple virtue brought him two remarkable periods of success, the second an improbable – an...

The 32 Most Dazzling Red Carpet Beauty Looks Ever

Works of art.

Taylor Swift surprises fans with secret ‘double album’ edition of her new record

Taylor Swift surprises fans with secret ‘double album’ edition of her new record - Hours after dropping the 16-song edition of her 11th studio album, the US pop superstar announced an expanded version with an extra 15 songs.

Wildlife Rescue review – totally adorable TV you’ll want to watch for years to come

The late great critic Roger Ebert once said that “movies are like a machine that generates empathy” – the idea being that when we sit down and watch dramas, comedies, documentaries or even horror films, they take us out of ourselves and force us to share in the pain and triumph of others. In short, they can make us better people. Watching Wildlife Rescue, no one would call it a cinematic masterpiece, but Ebert would definitely approve as it...

Google staff ordered to leave politics at home after anti-Israel protests

Google’s chief executive has told staff to leave their politics at home in a rebuke to employees who have campaigned against its work with the Israeli government. Sundar Pichai said that the office was not a place “to fight over disruptive issues or debate politics” amid fierce disagreements between its employees. The edict marks a decisive shift f...

Jamaica is a 'fly and flop' favourite but here's how to get more out of your trip

What is there to do other than sun yourself on the beach at a Jamaican all-inclusive?

Pennsylvania school district cancel's actor's speech over concerns of activism, 'lifestyle'

Pennsylvania school district cancel's actor's speech over concerns of activism, 'lifestyle' - A Pennsylvania school district has canceled an upcoming appearance by actor and children’s book author Maulik Pancholy

Why are gig ticket prices so expensive these days?

With concert prices on the rise and the staggering cost of merch, it’s spenny to stan nowadays

The 15 worst 'Mario' video games

The Super Mario video game empire is the most enduring franchise and the biggest universe in the gaming industry. Unfortunately, some of those titles didn't jump high enough to meet the high standard set by those games. Some of them couldn't even get off the ground.

Grammy-winning American Idol star Mandisa dies aged 47

Grammy-winning American Idol star Mandisa dies aged 47 - She competed in 2006, when Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson were judges.

Pulp Fiction cast honour Bruce Willis as they reunite to mark film's 30th anniversary in LA

Pulp Fiction cast honour Bruce Willis as they reunite to mark film's 30th anniversary in LA - John Travolta, Samuel L Jackson and Uma Thurman appeared at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles for the screening of the film

Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer': Where Is The Real Martha Now?

The series is based on a true story

Fallout is good – but there’s no escaping Hollywood’s epidemic of ‘gamer brain’

Fallout is good – but there’s no escaping Hollywood’s epidemic of ‘gamer brain’ - THE MOMENT: The plague of terrible, unfaithful video-game adaptations is a thing of the past, writes Louis Chilton. Now, though, we have a new problem: a genre hell-bent on pandering to gamers through fidelity and familiarity at all costs

Regrets, they have a few: Actors who passed up iconic roles

The sentiment of "what could have been..." in Hollywood is always a fun discussion for movie fans to hold. What if this person played that role? Or, why did they not take such an iconic part?

Adrian Edmondson praised for honest Rik Mayall admission in one-off Bottom special

Adrian Edmondson praised for honest Rik Mayall admission in one-off Bottom special - ‘It’s really bittersweet to hear,’ one person said

31 Child Stars Who Became Successful Adult Actors

They made the notoriously bumpy transition look seamless.

Dead Boy Detectives to Secrets of the Octopus: the seven best shows to stream this week

Pick of the week Dead Boy Detectives The fate of Edwin Paine seems a sad indictment of discipline at the UK’s boarding schools: after being murdered in his dorm, he found himself consigned to hell for decades thanks to “a clerical error”. This supernatural drama (based on the comic books of Neil Gaiman and Matt Wagner) sees Edwin (George Rexstrew) join forces with his similarly undead pal Charles Rowland (Jayden Revri). The pair have opted not...

The Sun's publisher loses bid to delay trial over Prince Harry's phone hacking claims

The Sun newspaper's publisher has lost a bid to push back a possible full High Court trial in relation to unlawful information gathering claims.

For rent: the country piles that were panic-bought during Covid

Lydney Park Estate is a Victorian pile set in manicured gardens and surrounded by a deer park. The Grade II listed house sprawls over more than 17,000 sq ft and features marble bathtubs, original fireplaces and panelling, as well as a sleek modern designer kitchen. There are staff quarters and even museum rooms, which contain findings from the Roma...

The world’s first fully AI-generated film is being roundly trolled online

The world’s first fully AI-generated film is being roundly trolled online - Next Stop Paris will be a romantic story, written by humans, but with visuals created by artificial intelligence

Dr Feelgood reunited with their instruments after stolen van is recovered

Dr Feelgood reunited with their instruments after stolen van is recovered - The band’s van, with much of their musical equipment, was stolen from Hockley, Essex, on Monday.

Disney Plus could get free, ad-supported channels soon

According to a report, Disney is considering adding TV-style channels to the Disney Plus streaming platform, which would bring us back to the old days.

Zoe Harrison shares the reality of rugby training as a woman

'It’s hard to get yourself psyched up for someone of 105kg running straight at you'

Graham Linehan launches social media campaign to get his stalled Father Ted musical on stage

Graham Linehan launches social media campaign to get his stalled Father Ted musical on stage - The writer claims he turned down an offer of £200,000 to take his name off the planned stage version of the hit TV show

Go your own way: Successful solo acts who spun out of bands

Being in a successful band is probably nice. Some artists hope for something more, though. Specifically, something more personal.

Noisy Tube passengers will be banned, says Tory London mayoral candidate

London public transport passengers who listen to loud music or take calls on speakerphone could be thrown off networks such as the Tube under plans put forward by the capital’s Conservative mayoral candidate. Susan Hall said she would update the Transport for London (TfL) conditions of carriage to include a ban on people playing loud music and vide...

Ikea’s new gaming furniture has more of a comfy vibe than a geeked-out command center

With the upcoming Brännboll collection, Ikea is introducing a new line of gaming furniture that is meant to appeal even when the games are turned off.

32 '90s Icons You've Forgotten (But Shouldn't Have)

Your childhood is calling.

New photos reveal London’s oldest park after its transformation

New photos reveal London’s oldest park after its transformation - The park is currently undergoing works to become a ‘tranquil haven’

20 suspenseful documentaries you’ll want to binge in one sitting

Trust us. We know all about entertaining TV shows you can binge-watch . But what about documentaries? Look no further. Our list of 20, which tell the stories of mysterious murders, corruption, and religious cults, is sure to have you telling Netflix, "I'm still watching."

The 28 Most Controversial Oscars Moments

You never know quite what will happen!