Global Pulse

分类： entertainment

  • ‘Obsession’ is a sensation. Everyone, including Curry Barker, is trying to figure out what it means

    ‘Obsession’ is a sensation. Everyone, including Curry Barker, is trying to figure out what it means

    Hollywood is reeling from an unexpected box office earthquake that upends long-held industry norms: a $750,000 microbudget horror film from a 26-year-old YouTube creator has grown into one of the most profitable motion pictures in modern cinema.

    When first-time feature director Curry Barker struck a friendly wager with his team ahead of “Obsession’s” theatrical debut, the stakes were modest: if the film opened above $20 million, everyone would get matching tattoos. The opening weekend haul came in just under the mark at $17 million, but that was no disappointment for the team behind the scrappy indie. What no one predicted was the film’s unprecedented staying power: it crossed the $20 million threshold in its second weekend, then repeated the feat two more times, defying the typical box office trend of steep weekly drops for new releases. With a current global gross of $286 million and still counting, Barker has already upped the ante to a new bet: tattoos for all once “Obsession” crosses $300 million, a milestone industry insiders say is well within reach.

    Barker, who built a loyal fan base creating comedy sketches and short horror films for YouTube and TikTok, has emerged as the face of a new generation of filmmakers cutting their teeth online before stepping into the multiplex. The Alabama native moved to Los Angeles at 18, and dropped out of film school after one year to pursue independent digital content alongside collaborator Cooper Tomlinson. After his self-funded $800 found-footage horror “Milk & Serial” went viral on YouTube when he uploaded it directly following a failed search for distribution, Barker landed his first industry representation and caught the eye of major production players.

    Loosely inspired by a *Simpsons* Halloween episode, “Obsession” reimagines the classic Monkey Paw fable: a teenage boy makes a wish for his crush to fall in love with him on an antique charm, and the spell unfolds in chilling, unforeseen ways. The film premiered to critical buzz at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, sparking a bidding war that ended with Focus Features acquiring the title for $15 million. To date, it is the highest-grossing release in the distributor’s 24-year history, beating out major studio tentpoles including *Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu* at the North American box office, and even held the number two spot behind Steven Spielberg’s *Disclosure Day* in its fifth weekend of release. The runaway success has forced Focus to postpone its planned video-on-demand release to capitalize on ongoing theatrical demand.

    Industry leaders say “Obsession’s” success, paired with the breakout hit *Backrooms* from 20-year-old YouTube creator Kane Parsons at A24, marks a definitive turning point for Hollywood: digital platforms like YouTube are now a legitimate breeding ground for new cinematic talent, drawing massive, young audiences hungry for original stories from fresh voices. Peter Kujawski, chairman of Focus Features, notes that Gen Z audiences—already a fast-growing segment of frequent theatergoers—are far more interested in whether a story resonates than the pedigree of the filmmaker behind it. “We have a generation that grew up online, approaches culture with enormous curiosity and playfulness, and is far less concerned with where a filmmaker comes from than whether the story connects,” Kujawski said. “They’re engaged, incredibly film-literate and eager to champion new voices and original stories.”

    Barker himself frames the shift as a reflection of his generation’s shifting mood: coming of age during the COVID-19 pandemic, he says young audiences are tired of isolating at home with their phones and hungry for shared, in-person theatrical experiences. “I get it because I think we’re a little tired of being at home. Our generation is the COVID generation,” Barker said. “We’re sick of the phones.”

    For the newly successful director, the rapid shift to A-list status has taken some getting used to. While his daily routine remains largely unchanged, public recognition has brought unexpected adjustments, including occasional feelings of discomfort when out in public. Praise from legendary filmmakers including Spielberg, Ari Aster, and Zach Cregger has even left him grappling with mild impostor syndrome: “When I watch ‘Obsession’ all I see is the problems,” he joked.

    Despite the sudden fame, Barker’s trajectory reflects the same do-it-yourself ethos that got him to Hollywood. He argues his path is not an anomaly, just a modern iteration of the same route iconic directors like Christopher Nolan, David Fincher, and Spielberg took, cutting their teeth on early short films before earning their big break. “YouTube is just a path, a platform we can use now to show the industry what we’ve got,” he said.

    Now one of the most in-demand directors in the business, Barker has already wrapped his next feature *Anything But Ghosts* for Blumhouse Productions, starring Aaron Paul and Bryce Dallas Howard, and A24 has tapped him to write and direct a reboot of *The Texas Chainsaw Massacre*, the film that first sparked his love of horror as an 11-year-old. A sequel to “Obsession” is already a given, with Barker outlining a framework for new stories centered on different characters making ill-fated wishes tied to new vices from greed to fame. But for now, new projects come before returning to the One Wish Willow world.

    For aspiring young creators, Barker offers simple, straightforward advice, honed from his own experience watching film school peers paralyze themselves with pressure to make a perfect first project. “I watched people paralyze themselves with the pressure of: I’ve told people I’m a director so now I have to direct something that has to be good. If it’s not good, everyone’s going to judge me. The result of that thinking is two years on one short film,” he said. “You can’t put too much pressure on an idea. You just got to make it.”

  • Phoenix magazine to cease publication after 43 years

    Phoenix magazine to cease publication after 43 years

    After more than four decades of holding a mirror to Irish politics, business and public life through its sharp wit and incisive commentary, one of Ireland’s most beloved independent publications is calling it a day. The Phoenix, a biweekly title widely regarded as Ireland’s answer to the long-running British satirical magazine Private Eye, will cease all operations 43 years after it first hit newsstands, according to local reports.

    Irish public service broadcaster RTÉ has confirmed that The Phoenix’s parent publishing company, Penfield, is preparing to enter voluntary liquidation, a process that will wind down the firm’s remaining business operations. The final issue of the biweekly magazine rolled off printing presses on June 5, and the publication has already stopped accepting new subscription orders from readers. A notice posted on the magazine’s official website, phoenix.ie, confirms that the outlet is currently unable to process either new print or digital subscription requests.

    Founded in 1983 by the late respected Irish journalist and publisher John Mulcahy, The Phoenix carved out a unique niche in Irish media over its decades-long run. Blending sharp satirical humor, biting commentary, and hard-nosed reporting on Irish politics and business, the magazine built a loyal, dedicated readership across the Republic of Ireland. It reached its sales peak in the early 1990s, when circulation hit its highest point in the publication’s history. For the past several years, the magazine has been helmed by editor Paddy Prendiville, continuing its biweekly publishing schedule up to its final issue.

    The end of The Phoenix marks the close of a notable chapter in Irish independent journalism, leaving a gap in the country’s media landscape for a publication that combined investigative reporting with irreverent commentary on the nation’s leading public figures.

  • Married at First Sight Australia allegations ‘disturbing’, says country’s watchdog

    Married at First Sight Australia allegations ‘disturbing’, says country’s watchdog

    The global hit reality dating series *Married at First Sight Australia* (MAFS Australia) is facing unprecedented regulatory and public scrutiny following a bombshell BBC News investigation that revealed explosive allegations: multiple female contestants claim they were never informed that their on-screen partners had prior convictions for violent offenses and drug-related crimes.

    Nine former cast members from the Australian iteration of the controversial social experiment have gone public with calls for sweeping overhauls to the show’s participant vetting processes, demanding that producers bar anyone with a criminal history from joining the series. The allegations have already triggered action across borders, with UK broadcaster Channel 4 — which airs MAFS Australia to large British audiences — removing all episodes of the domestic *Married at First Sight UK* franchise from its on-demand streaming platform All 4, even as the Australian version remains available to stream.

    This latest controversy comes on the heels of a separate crisis rocking the UK edition of MAFS, where a BBC Panorama investigation uncovered rape allegations made by two female contestants against male participants, all of whom have denied the claims. In response, Channel 4 has launched an independent external review into cast member welfare across all its MAFS content, with results expected to be published by the end of summer. The UK and Australian versions of the show are produced by separate independent production companies.

    Australia’s top media regulator, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), has labeled the new claims from MAFS Australia contestants as both “serious and disturbing.” In an official statement to the BBC, ACMA noted that its regulatory authority is restricted to reviewing whether broadcast content aligns with existing industry codes of practice — and crucially, those current codes do not include binding rules governing the treatment and safety of program participants. When public concerns fall outside ACMA’s remit, the agency encourages complainants to raise issues directly with the broadcaster and relevant law enforcement or oversight bodies where applicable.

    Across in the UK, Ofcom, the country’s communications regulator, mirrored ACMA’s reaction, describing the latest allegations as “deeply concerning.” A spokesperson for Ofcom said the regulator expects Channel 4 to incorporate these new claims into its ongoing welfare review, and that Ofcom will review the final report alongside all other available evidence once it is delivered.

    For context, the MAFS format follows a high-drama social experiment premise: single contestants agree to marry a complete stranger, meeting their spouse for the first time only at the on-camera wedding ceremony. While the unions are not legally binding, the series films contestants nearly every day as they go on honeymoons, move in together, and navigate the early stages of their new relationship. The format has become a massive ratings success both in its native Australia and in international markets including the UK.

    In an official joint response to the BBC investigation, Australia’s Channel 9, which broadcasts the local MAFS, and production company Endemol Shine Australia defended their current processes, saying they take participant health, safety and wellbeing extremely seriously. The pair noted that all contestants must complete a multi-stage vetting process that includes police and criminal background checks for every country a contestant has resided in, independent psychological clinical assessments, medical screenings, formal statutory disclosure declarations, and legal and digital due diligence.

    Channel 4, for its part, has clarified that it does not participate in the production of MAFS Australia and holds no editorial control over the series. A spokesperson for the broadcaster added that Channel 4 requires all acquired content it airs to comply fully with Ofcom’s broadcasting code.

  • South African jazz icon Abdullah Ibrahim dies in Germany at age 91 after a brief illness

    South African jazz icon Abdullah Ibrahim dies in Germany at age 91 after a brief illness

    South Africa’s globally revered jazz icon Abdullah Ibrahim, who delivered a landmark performance at Nelson Mandela’s 1994 presidential inauguration, has passed away at the age of 91, his family confirmed in an official statement released Monday.

    The pianist and composer, who earlier in his career performed under the stage name Dollar Brand, died peacefully in Germany following a brief illness, with his close family members by his side, the statement said.

    Born in Cape Town, Ibrahim built a seven-decade-long career that catapulted him to international acclaim as a pioneering bandleader, composer and pianist. He crafted a one-of-a-kind sonic fusion that blended classic jazz structures with distinct traditional South African musical styles, turning his work into a global cultural bridge that resonated deeply with audiences across every continent. Beyond his artistic legacy, he was a vocal supporter of the anti-apartheid movement, using his platform to advance the cause of racial equality in his home country.

    One of the most high-profile moments of his career came in 1994, when he performed at the inauguration of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first democratically elected president, cementing his status as a defining cultural figure of the post-apartheid era. His last public performance in South Africa took place this past March at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, where he once again drew widespread praise for the masterful musical skill that defined his decades-long career.

    In a tribute to her life partner, Dr. Marina Umari highlighted that Ibrahim carried South Africa and its people with him until the end of his life. “His love for his country never wavered, no matter where in the world he found himself,” she shared.

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa joined the global chorus of tributes, honoring Ibrahim’s contributions to the anti-apartheid struggle and his enduring cultural impact. “Today our nation mourns the passing of an international icon and global citizen whose profound creations honored the South Africa that shaped his political commitment and musical brilliance,” Ramaphosa said.

    Ibrahim’s many career honors include an Honorary Doctorate in Music from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the Order of Ikhamanga — one of South Africa’s highest civilian awards — both of which he received in 2009 from then-President Jacob Zuma.

    Alan Winde, premier of the Western Cape province, Ibrahim’s home region, celebrated the musician for weaving South Africa’s complex history and extraordinary cultural richness into every note of his work. “South Africa has lost a legend,” Winde said. “Abdullah Ibrahim represented everything that makes South Africa and the Western Cape so remarkable. His music told the story of our unique cultural diversity and past.”

    Per his family’s arrangements, Ibrahim will be laid to rest in Bavaria, Germany, where he resided in his later years. His family noted that while his life has ended, his music and legacy will continue to inspire listeners around the world for generations to come.

  • South African jazz legend Abdullah Ibrahim dies at 91

    South African jazz legend Abdullah Ibrahim dies at 91

    South Africa has lost one of its most influential cultural figures: Abdullah Ibrahim, the legendary pianist and composer who forged a distinct, beloved genre of South African jazz, has died at the age of 91. In an official statement shared by his family, Ibrahim passed away peacefully in Germany following a brief illness, surrounded by his loved ones.

    Born Adolph Johannes Brand in 1934, Ibrahim grew up in the coastal city of Cape Town, where he discovered his passion for music at an extraordinarily young age. By seven years old, he was already picking out melodies on a household piano and developing his innate gift for composition. That early spark grew into an extraordinary eight-decade career that produced dozens of landmark recordings, cementing his status as a giant of global jazz.

    His 1974 composition *Mannenberg* remains one of his most enduring works, and it became inextricably tied to the anti-apartheid movement that fought to end white-minority racist rule in South Africa. Ibrahim first performed under the stage name Dollar Brand early in his career, adopting the name Abdullah Ibrahim after converting to Islam in the late 1960s.

    As a teen performer cutting his teeth in Cape Town’s vibrant mid-20th century music scene, Ibrahim played in swing groups, led his own trio, and eventually co-founded the Jazz Epistles, a groundbreaking sextet that featured another of South Africa’s most celebrated jazz talents, Hugh Masekela. The rising group’s trajectory was cut short by the tightening grip of apartheid, the formal system of racial segregation enforced by the state starting in 1948. Under apartheid, jazz was widely viewed as a countercultural force that promoted racial integration, and it was systematically marginalized by the government. Political pressure forced the Jazz Epistles to disband, and Ibrahim made the difficult decision to relocate to Switzerland.

    It was there that American jazz legend Duke Ellington discovered Ibrahim’s talent, sponsoring his move to the United States and helping him launch his international career. As outlined in a previous profile by BBC Radio 3, Ibrahim went on to develop a one-of-a-kind sonic identity: he wove the traditional vocal and harmonic patterns of his South African roots with the rhythmic drive and spontaneous improvisation that defines core jazz tradition.

    Though he spent decades living outside his home country, Ibrahim never severed his connection to South Africa, returning frequently to perform, record, and engage with local audiences. His final public performance took place just three months before his death, at the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, where he delivered the kind of captivating, masterful set that audiences had come to expect over his lifetime.

    World leaders and loved ones have paid tribute to Ibrahim in the wake of his passing. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa honored Ibrahim, noting that his work celebrated the South Africa that shaped both his unwavering political commitment and his extraordinary musical brilliance. Ramaphosa added that Ibrahim enriched global life through his artistic gifts and his commitment to building a more just, equitable world. Dr. Marina Umari, Ibrahim’s partner, also shared a moving tribute, saying he carried South Africa and its people in his heart until the end, and his love for his country never faded no matter where he lived in the world.

  • Japan’s DJ Rinoka bobs to the beat as a child prodigy techno artist

    Japan’s DJ Rinoka bobs to the beat as a child prodigy techno artist

    At an age when most children are just mastering elementary school math and playground games, one young Japanese artist is already an internationally recognized techno phenomenon. Nine-year-old DJ Rinoka holds the official Guinness World Record as the planet’s youngest professional DJ — a title she claimed at just 6 years old — and has built a growing fanbase for her high-energy, bold performance style across Tokyo’s entertainment scene.

    Rinoka’s path to DJing began by chance when she was 4 years old, after scrolling YouTube and watching performances from iconic techno artists Amelie Lens and Nina Kraviz. Captivated by their cool, dynamic stage presence, she knew immediately she wanted to follow in their footsteps. For Christmas that year, she asked her family for a beginner Pioneer DDJ-200 DJ controller, kicking off her journey into electronic music. Today, she favors the fast, intense, hypnotic style of acid techno that has drawn crowds to her sets again and again. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, she summed up the joy of her craft simply: “It’s fun when people get excited at the live performances.”

    Unlike the stereotype of club-focused DJs, Rinoka’s daily life blends professional performance commitments with all the ordinary joys of childhood. She keeps her last name private, and her parents have chosen to stay anonymous to protect their only child’s ability to grow up as normally as possible. Outside of rehearsals and shows, she takes weekly hip-hop dance classes, creates handmade crafts from paper and aluminum foil, and keeps up with her elementary school assignments. She is an avid reptile lover with a pet gecko at home, and maintains a large collection of stuffed animals — her favorite toy dog Korochan travels with her everywhere, even joining her backstage at major events.

    Her performance resume already rivals that of artists many times her age: she has played sets for crowds at official events for the Yomiuri Giants, Tokyo’s beloved professional baseball team, and shared lineups with far more experienced, adult DJs at high-profile industry events. Footage of her sets shows a young artist with complete, unshakable confidence: she bobs along to the pounding beat, adjusting dials and pressing controls with easy familiarity, building a groove that gets crowds moving every time.

    Originating in American electronic music hubs like Detroit in the late 20th century, techno is defined by its driving kick drum, heavy use of electronic instruments (including the highly sought-after Roland synthesizers that remain a staple of the genre), and its ability to get listeners dancing. The genre has spread globally over the decades, evolving into countless subgenres including the high-intensity acid house that Rinoka prefers. For the 9-year-old prodigy, techno’s universal appeal transcends age and geography: when asked about the future of her favorite genre, she says simply, “The music will continue.”

    Even with her rising fame, Rinoka remains unapologetically a kid first. When asked to choose between a lifelong career as a DJ and working as a full-time gecko caretaker, she did not hesitate to answer. “The geckos,” she exclaimed, “They are so cute.”

  • US musician Oliver Tree dies in helicopter collision in Brazil

    US musician Oliver Tree dies in helicopter collision in Brazil

    A devastating mid-air collision between two helicopters over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil has claimed the lives of six people, including 32-year-old American alternative pop artist and internet personality Oliver Tree, who was in the middle of a global tour.

    The crash, which unfolded on Sunday, sent one of the stricken aircraft crashing into a car dealership’s parking lot, igniting an intense blaze that destroyed roughly 20 parked vehicles. Local Brazilian media has shared publicly obtained footage of the disaster capturing one helicopter plummeting from the sky, followed by towering plumes of black smoke and intense flames consuming the impact zone.

    Emergency response teams from the Military Fire Department of the State of Rio de Janeiro confirmed they were dispatched to the crash site at approximately 9:00 a.m. local time, which translates to 12:00 p.m. GMT. Official passenger and crew manifests have identified all fatal casualties: alongside Tree on the first helicopter were Argentine popular content creator Gaspar Prim Diaz, widely known by his online alias Gaspi, passengers Lucas Brito Chaves and Lucas Vignale, as well as pilot Alexandre Souza. The second helicopter carried only its pilot, Charles Marsillac, who also died in the collision.

    Born Oliver Tree Nickell in Santa Cruz, California in 1993, the artist first catapulted to mainstream fame in 2016 when his work went viral across major social media platforms. Recognizable by his signature iconic bowl haircut, Tree built a global fanbase through chart-topping hits including *Life Goes On*, *Miss You*, and *Alien Boy*. He kicked off his latest world tour just weeks before the crash, delivering his most recent live performance to a crowd in São Paulo, Brazil on June 6. Upcoming scheduled stops on the tour included a July 1 show in Lisbon, Portugal, and September performances in three UK cities: Glasgow, Manchester, and London.

    Tributes have poured in from across the global entertainment industry from fellow creators and collaborators shocked by his sudden passing. British rapper, content creator, and *Britain’s Got Talent* judge KSI, who collaborated with Tree on the 2023 track *Voices*, shared an emotional tribute on his X (formerly Twitter) account. “Can’t believe I’m actually having to type this. You’re 32 man. You should still be here. You still had so much life to live. So much music to make. So much content to make,” KSI wrote. “You’re a legend and will always be a legend. Still doesn’t feel real. Genuinely feel sick. I love you bro.”

    Stunt performer and *Jackass* star Steve-O, whose legal name is Stephen Glover, also shared a heartfelt tribute alongside a candid photo of the two friends together online. “I was incredibly lucky to become friends with Oliver Tree,” he wrote. “He would check in on me regularly, and let me know he cared about how I was doing. Such a great person… I’m going to miss him.”

    Beyond his music career, Tree earned notable industry recognition and a place in Guinness World Records. In 2024, his hit collaboration *Miss You* with German producer Robin Schulz earned a nomination for a prestigious Brit Award. In 2020, he broke the Guinness World Record for constructing the world’s largest functional kick scooter, measuring 3.13 meters long and 0.16 meters tall.

    Brazilian authorities have launched a formal investigation to determine the root cause of the mid-air collision, with updates expected as forensic work and witness interviews progress.

  • ‘Boyfriend duties call,’ Trudeau says after skipping Canada match to watch Perry

    ‘Boyfriend duties call,’ Trudeau says after skipping Canada match to watch Perry

    What was supposed to be a celebratory moment for Canadian soccer fans during the opening round of the 2026 World Cup quickly turned into a social media firestorm after former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau missed his home nation’s first group stage match to attend the United States’ opening game alongside his partner, global pop superstar Katy Perry.

    Canada kicked off its World Cup campaign in Toronto at 3:00 PM EDT on Friday, playing out a tense 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Trudeau was notably absent from the stands for the historic home fixture. Instead, just six hours later, he was spotted in the crowd at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium for the USA’s match against Paraguay, which the American side won 4-1. Perry had been scheduled to perform at the U.S. hosting leg of the World Cup’s opening ceremony, leading Trudeau to offer a lighthearted justification for his conflicting schedule after drawing widespread criticism.

    “Sometimes supportive boyfriend duties call. But you know who I’m rooting for to take the Cup,” Trudeau wrote on his social media channels, paired with a Canadian flag emoji to clarify his official sporting allegiance.

    Footage captured by event cameras shows Perry rushing off stage immediately after her performance to greet Trudeau with a warm kiss. Televised broadcasts of the match also repeatedly cut to the high-profile couple, who were seen relaxing in their box seats, sipping craft beers and sharing casual moments together as the game unfolded. But many Canadian social media users were far from amused by Trudeau’s choice to prioritize his partner’s performance over his home country’s opening World Cup match.

    A user based in Toronto wrote on platform X that Trudeau’s decision was “a slap in the face of this country. Distasteful doesn’t begin to cover it”. As clips of the couple in Los Angeles spread virally across social platforms, other users went even further, labeling the former prime minister a “traitor” and a “fraud” for his scheduling conflict.

    For her opening ceremony set, Perry performed *Wonder*, a relatively underrated ballad from her 2024 studio album 143. Ahead of the performance, she told People Magazine that she intentionally chose to forgo one of her decades of chart-topping hits – a catalog that includes global smashes like *California Gurls*, *Teenage Dream*, *Firework*, and *E.T.* – in favor of the newer track. “It’s very fitting for the ceremonial song that I get to sing,” she explained of her song selection.

    The high-profile relationship between Trudeau and Perry first made tabloid headlines in July 2025, and the pair officially confirmed their romance with a joint Instagram post that December. Before their relationship, Trudeau was married to Canadian television host Sophie Grégoire for 18 years; the couple announced their separation in 2023 and share three children. Perry was previously married to English comedian Russell Brand from 2010 to 2012.

  • Married at First Sight Australia stars not told partners had drug and violence convictions

    Married at First Sight Australia stars not told partners had drug and violence convictions

    A landmark investigation by the BBC has uncovered serious safety and duty of care failures on the hit reality dating series *Married At First Sight Australia*, revealing that multiple female contestants were matched with male co-stars who had undisclosed criminal convictions, leaving them feeling unprotected and at risk. The revelations come on the heels of a separate scandal involving the UK adaptation of the format, MAFS UK, which was thrown into crisis after BBC Panorama published rape accusations from two female participants — claims that all men named have denied.\n\nNine former cast members from the Australian iteration of the show, which is produced by Endemol Shine Australia and broadcast domestically on the Nine Network (Channel 9), have spoken out to the BBC, calling for sweeping overhauls of the series’ background vetting protocols and a ban on casting individuals with prior criminal convictions or formal allegations of harm. Unlike MAFS UK, the Australian production is operated by an entirely separate production team.\n\nThe format of MAFS sees consenting single people agree to a ceremonial, non-legal “marriage” to a complete stranger, who they meet for the first time only at their on-screen wedding. After the ceremony, couples go on honeymoons, move into shared accommodation, and have their daily relationship interactions filmed almost 24/7 for broadcast.\n\nOne of the contestants speaking out is Sierah Swepstone, who appeared on the 2025 season of the show. Swepstone told the BBC she was never informed that her on-screen match, Billy Belcher, had a 2014 conviction for multiple drug-related offenses in Perth, Australia, and only discovered the details after filming wrapped. \”There should be informed consent,\” Swepstone said in an interview. \”You shouldn’t be left alone with a stranger with a criminal record. At the very least, there should be informed consent. They should let us know. Why is the show accepting that risk on our behalf? We should have the choice.\” Swepstone added that she now believes the production failed its duty of care, saying plainly: \”Brides are not safe on MAFS Australia.\”\n\nIn response to queries about Belcher’s casting, Channel 9 and Endemol Shine Australia said Belcher had been fully transparent with production about his conviction, which he received as an 18-year-old and resulted in a suspended sentence with a good behavior bond. They also noted Belcher has never been convicted or accused of any form of violence or abuse. Belcher himself did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment.\n\nA second female contestant, speaking to the BBC on condition of anonymity under the pseudonym Anna, shared a far more alarming account. Anna said her on-screen partner disclosed to her during filming that he had a history of aggressive behavior — information that she says producers already knew about when they matched them. \”I was terrified the whole time,\” Anna said. \”I thought I’d be safe, that’s why I signed up to the show.\” She described multiple angry outbursts from her co-star, including an incident where he threw a microphone pack into a wall, smashing it, and another where he threw an object at production staff. The BBC has verified a photograph of a bruise Anna sent to her co-star during filming, to which he responded, \”Shit! I’m so sorry.\” Anna says the experience left her traumatized.\n\nChannel 9 and Endemol Shine Australia countered that the male contestant only had one isolated reported incident in his background from several years before filming, that he has no criminal record, and that the production has no documentation of the outbursts Anna described. The contestant has \”categorically denied every allegation\” made by Anna, calling the claims entirely false, malicious, and a distortion of reality. Anna said her primary criticism is directed at the production, not just her co-star: \”Channel 9 are making money off people who are vulnerable. They did the checks and they knew about his background, and they cast him anyway as it makes ‘good TV.’\”\n\nThe BBC’s investigation also uncovered three other male cast members with criminal convictions that were not disclosed to their on-screen matches: 2025 groom Adrian Araouzou, who was convicted of affray in 2017; 2024 contestant Timothy Smith, who served one year in a U.S. prison for drug trafficking; and 2026 series contestant Chris Nield, who was found guilty of common assault more than a decade prior.\n\nAraouzou called the BBC’s reporting on his conviction false and said the details of his past were none of the outlet’s business. The BBC confirmed the affray conviction through publicly accessible Australian court records, and understands Araouzou’s on-screen bride was never told about the conviction. In response, production said all contestants complete extensive background checks including police screenings, and noted Araouzou’s conviction was nine years old, resulted in a $400 Australian fine (around £210), and fell on the lowest end of the court’s sentencing spectrum for the offense.\n\nSmith, who describes himself on his personal website as a \”cartel pilot to corporate leader,\” confirmed his drug trafficking conviction to the BBC. Production said Smith did not disclose his U.S. criminal conviction until after the 2024 series finished airing. Nield did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment, and production noted his 11-year-old assault conviction stemmed from a one-off altercation with no repeated offenses since.\n\nMultiple other former cast members told the BBC they have deep concerns about the speed and thoroughness of the show’s casting vetting process. One anonymous male groom said only two weeks passed between his application and the start of filming, leading to what he described as \”rushed\” checks. When he was unable to locate official documentation confirming he had no criminal record, he said producers told him they would \”just take his word for it\” to keep production on schedule. \”I didn’t have a criminal record, but it raises the question over what happens if they put someone on the show who does have a history,\” he said.\n\nOther former contestants who were not personally matched with convicted individuals say they have been aware of the gaps in vetting for years. Katie Johnstone, a 2025 cast member, said: \”If you’re with someone who has a sketchy background, then you should be made aware of that. Especially considering you’re expected to be alone and share a room with this person. You need to know and it’s not fair that women are being placed in these positions.\” Tahnee Cook, who appeared on the 2023 series, added: \”These checks can’t just be a tick box. I don’t think you should be allowed on with any previous offense. I think it’s unsafe.\”\n\nAustralia’s Our Watch, a leading non-profit organization focused on preventing violence against women, told the BBC that reality TV productions must treat prior convictions or allegations of harm \”as a serious safeguarding issue, and not withhold from the people most at risk.\”\n\nIn its official response to the investigation, Channel 9 and Endemol Shine Australia say they take participant safety, health, and wellbeing \”extremely seriously,\” and maintain they have \”strong protocols\” in place, including a multi-stage vetting process that covers police and criminal background checks across all countries a contestant has lived, independent psychological assessments, medical screenings, legally binding disclosure statements, and digital and legal due diligence. The production also confirmed that their current protocols do not require sharing personal background information between matched participants, a policy the BBC specifically asked about and did not receive a revised answer on.\n\nWhile the series is a ratings juggernaut in its native Australia, it also boasts a large international fanbase, particularly in the UK, where it airs on Channel 4. After the MAFS UK scandal broke, Channel 4 pulled all episodes of the UK adaptation from its streaming service All 4, but the Australian version remains available to stream. Channel 4 said it does not participate in production of the Australian series and holds no editorial control over its content, but that it ensures all acquired programming aired on its networks adheres to the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.

  • Reading Marjane Satrapi’s comic book Persepolis during Iran war

    Reading Marjane Satrapi’s comic book Persepolis during Iran war

    Renowned Iranian-French comic author Marjane Satrapi passed away in Paris last week at the age of 56, mere days before a new wave of conflict erupted between Israel and her native Iran. In death, as in life, Satrapi’s body of work has found renewed, urgent relevance amid the rising regional tensions that trace their roots to the same historical forces she spent decades documenting. Satrapi’s work stands apart in how it masterfully interlaces intimate personal narrative with the sweeping arc of Iran’s modern political and social history, turning centuries of upheaval into a accessible, human story for global audiences.

    One of Satrapi’s most iconic works, the graphic memoir *Persepolis* (later adapted into an acclaimed film), weaves personal coming-of-age with a clear-eyed retelling of Iran’s 20th century power shifts. The work opens with context for the 1979 Islamic Revolution, tracing the lineage of unrest back to 1925, when Iranian military officer Reza Khan overthrew the Qajar dynasty with quiet encouragement from British officials who had already installed sympathetic monarchies in Iraq and Jordan. Instead of backing the secular republic Khan initially sought, British powers pushed him to declare himself shah, founding the Pahlavi dynasty that would rule Iran until it was toppled in the 1979 revolution. Satrapi anchors every major turning point to the lives of ordinary Iranian citizens, whose fates are shifted by foreign interference and political upheaval beyond their control. Rendered in a stark, striking monochrome art style, her work roots the long-simmering Iranian resentment of foreign meddling in personal experience, rather than abstract political rhetoric.

    For all its enduring acclaim, *Persepolis* has long been a source of polarizing debate. Critics have frequently attacked the work for alleged historical inaccuracies, but this critique misses Satrapi’s core purpose: she was not a professional historian, but a storyteller drawing on her own lived experience growing up in Iran and building a life abroad. This controversy has spilled into academic spaces, as the article’s author, historian Ibrahim Al-Marashi, can attest firsthand. In 2007, while teaching a course on Iranian history at Istanbul’s Bogazici University, Al-Marashi assigned *Persepolis* as required reading for the class. Student activists affiliated with the campus Communist party accused him of secretly promoting Western-backed regime change, arguing that the work’s focus on religious oppression under the Islamic Republic amounted to anti-Iranian propaganda.

    Al-Marashi’s intention was far simpler: he assigned the memoir because it offered valuable context, artistic merit, and deep insight into modern Iranian life that could not be found in traditional academic texts. But the protests persisted, growing loud enough that Al-Marashi was ultimately forced to resign his position and leave Turkey.

    *Persepolis* opens in the early days of the 1979 revolution, with Satrapi’s father Ebi explaining to his young daughter why thousands of Iranians had taken to the streets to overthrow the monarchy. He frames the uprising as the culmination of 2,500 years of foreign and domestic tyranny: starting with native emperors, followed by foreign invasions from the west and east, and ending with centuries of modern Western imperial meddling. That “modern imperialism” includes Britain’s role in installing Reza Khan as shah, then removing him in World War II over his pro-German leanings to install his more compliant son Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. When democratically elected prime minister Mohammad Mossadegh launched a popular internal coup to curb monarchical power in 1953, MI6 and the CIA orchestrated a counter-coup to restore Mohammad Reza to the throne, cementing decades of Western influence over the Iranian state.

    Throughout the Cold War, the U.S. armed the restored shah with advanced military hardware to counter Soviet influence in the region, including top-of-the-line F-14 fighter jets. The constant presence of American military advisors and personnel on Iranian soil fanned the flames of nationalist anger that eventually boiled over into the 1979 revolution, which ousted the monarchy and brought Ruhollah Khomeini’s Islamic Republican faction to power. Like the Russian Revolution, the Iranian Revolution’s path to stable rule was marked by bloodshed and chaos. When Iraqi forces invaded Iran in September 1980, Khomeini’s faction consolidated control by leaning into surging nationalist sentiment, turning the war into a unifying cause for the new republic.

    *Persepolis* captures the quiet human cost of this era through one iconic anecdote centered on Iran’s unofficial nationalist anthem, “Ey Iran.” The track, which predates both the Pahlavi monarchy and the Islamic Republic, was written in the 1940s during the Allied occupation of Iran, after poet Hossein Gol-e-Golab witnessed an American soldier beating an Iranian greengrocer. The anthem’s lyrics declare fierce devotion to the Iranian homeland, ending with the line: “May my life be sacrificed for my pure motherland.” During an early retaliatory raid against Iraq following the bombing of Tehran, the father of one of Satrapi’s schoolmates—one of the pilots flying Iran’s U.S.-built F-14s—died in the mission, fulfilling that oath even as the anthem played on state radio to celebrate the attack. Satrapi does not shy away from the complexity of this moment: her own father, a leftist activist who helped overthrow the shah only to oppose the Islamic Republic, often wept when he heard the song. Decades later, Al-Marashi notes, the track still brings Iranian students to tears, a testament to how deeply personal grief and nationalist pride are intertwined in the country’s modern history.

    Satrapi’s singular genius lay in her ability to synthesize a century of messy, overlapping history, personal memory, political upheaval, and cultural identity into a coherent, deeply human narrative rendered in bold, unforgettable art. As new conflict erupts across the Middle East, her work remains as vital today as it was when it was first published, offering a rare unfiltered window into the historical forces that continue to shape Iran and its relationship with the wider world.