Bournemouth and Watford in line for £130m windfall from Premier League promotion May 1, 2015 Bournemouth and Watford will enjoy a £130m windfall next season after securing promotion to the Premier League and its treasure chest of TV income. Each club will receive a promotion boost of £130m, rising to £230m if either club can survive in the top flight, according to figures from Deloitte and roughly in line with [...]
Film review: Far from the Madding Crowd is rushed, but Carey Mulligan sparkles May 1, 2015 Cert 12a | ★★★☆☆ In 19th century England, the line between fancying someone and marrying them was terrifyingly thin. Or so you might think from Thomas Vinterberg’s new adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd, in which the twinkly Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan) hurdles marriage proposals like a Victorian Colin Jackson. All [...]
Theatre review: Everyman is a thrilling, touching success April 30, 2015 Olivier Theatre | ★★★★☆ The first play directed by Rufus Norris since he took over as artistic director of the National Theatre is an ambitious, frenetic production that hints at exciting times ahead for the institution. Everyman is a 15th century morality play warning of the perils of pursuing bodily pleasures over the [...]
Something for the weekend April 30, 2015 SING! BILLY ELLIOT One of the best loved musicals of recent times celebrates its tenth birthday this May – as good a reason as any to book a ticket if you’re yet to see it. Tickets £20.70 – £68.70, call the box office on 0844 248 5000 CHEER! BRENTFORD VS WIGAN Head to west London [...]
Trott backed to showcase his Test value April 30, 2015 ENGLAND skipper Alastair Cook admits his preference would be to name an unchanged side for the third and final Test against the West Indies in Barbados, which starts today. Question marks remain over the availability of Ben Stokes due to a back injury, although the all-rounder bowled in the nets yesterday, while batsman Ian Bell [...]
Ramsey: Austin a QPR player for now and has duty to keep us up April 30, 2015 QUEENS Park Rangers manager Chris Ramsey insists lingering uncertainty over the future of top scorer Charlie Austin will not sabotage their attempts to pull off an unlikely escape from relegation. Austin has been tipped to leave Loftus Road in the summer, regardless of whether QPR dodge the drop in their final four games, having impressed [...]
Leicester boss Pearson sorry for ostrich rant April 30, 2015 LEICESTER manager Nigel Pearson publicly apologised for labelling a reporter “an ostrich” yesterday but refused to back down over claims his team have been unfairly criticised. Pearson told the journalist he ridiculed after Wednesday night’s defeat to Chelsea that he had been upset by the result but had “stepped out of line”. “Before we start, [...]
Player dies of heart failure April 30, 2015 A BELGIAN footballer has died of heart failure at the age of 24, three days after collapsing during a reserve team match. Lokeren defender Gregory Mertens had been on a life-support machine, which his family opted to switch off yesterday after doctors gave him little chance of survival. Mertens’ “modesty made him an indispensable person,” [...]
Dallaglio: Wasps move is paying off April 30, 2015 ENGLAND and Wasps legend Lawrence Dallaglio insists the club’s controversial move to the Midlands has already improved results and put them in contention to end a seven-year trophy drought. Wasps remain in the hunt to earn their first play-off spot since the 2007-08 season – a campaign which saw the club crowned Premiership champions – [...]
Earning records set to tumble in fight of century April 30, 2015 SPORTING history will be made tomorrow night when Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao face off in the richest boxing match of all time. The welterweight superfight is expected to set new records for revenue, with £195m likely to be generated in pay-per-view sales in North America, while international broadcast rights are expected to fetch a [...]