The luxury fashion brand cuts ties with the rapper after his controversial comments spark backlash.

Luxury fashion label Balenciaga has officially severed ties with Kanye West following his recent series of antisemitic comments. The move makes Balenciaga the latest high-profile company to distance itself from the rapper and fashion mogul.

A spokesperson for Kering, Balenciaga’s parent company, confirmed the brand would no longer be working with West, who now goes by the name Ye. “Balenciaga has no longer any relationship nor any plans for future projects related to this artist,” the statement issued on Thursday read.

Earlier this year, West collaborated with Balenciaga’s creative director, Demna Gvasalia, on the Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga collection. He also made an appearance at the brand’s Paris Fashion Week show, but images of the 45-year-old rapper walking the runway have since been removed from Balenciaga’s website.

The decision follows increasing pressure from organisations like the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), who addressed Adidas in an open letter on Thursday, urging the company to end its partnership with West’s Yeezy footwear line. The ADL condemned West’s comments as hateful and called on Adidas to make a public statement rejecting antisemitism.

Earlier this month, Adidas had already stated that its collaboration with West’s Yeezy brand was “under review” prior to the emergence of his controversial remarks. Since then, the retailer has remained silent on the matter.

The actress shares the emotional challenges and rewards of being the first female Doctor, as she prepares to pass on the mantle.

Jodie Whittaker has revealed the emotional toll and profound impact of playing the iconic Doctor Who, admitting that the experience was far more “emotionally challenging” than she had initially anticipated. Whittaker, who made history as the first woman to portray the Doctor, described the role as “so much more than a role” and spoke about the heartbreak of seeing fellow castmates leave during her time on the show.

Taking over from Peter Capaldi, Whittaker portrayed the 13th Doctor from 2017 until her final episode, The Power of the Doctor, set to air on October 23. Throughout her tenure, she was joined by co-stars such as Mandip Gill, Bradley Walsh, Tosin Cole, and John Bishop. Whittaker recalled how the experience of working alongside them was incredibly fulfilling, despite the emotional challenges of the changing cast dynamics.

In an interview with The Big Issue, Whittaker shared her feelings on the role: “It’s a whole world. And it’s the most exciting world to be in,” she said. She added that she had been swept up in the euphoria of playing the Doctor, something she never expected would be so emotionally taxing. Yet, Whittaker found beauty in the role’s fluidity, noting how she could “hand it on” and become a fan of the show once more, anticipating where the story would go next.

Although her casting sparked some online controversy due to the female portrayal of a character traditionally played by men, Whittaker said she always felt supported. Reflecting on her time in the role, she expressed no regrets. “I would have loved it if my last season had been me, Mandip, and John, plus Brad and Tosin. When those guys left, I found it really heartbreaking – it was like breaking up the band. But then we got a great new band member. So it’s not a regret, just a petulant child who doesn’t like change.”

Whittaker will be succeeded by Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa, who she praised as “far more qualified than me” to take on the legendary role.

To read the full interview with Jodie Whittaker, pick up this week’s The Big Issue magazine.

Despite being a divisive figure, Cole’s presence spans all ten episodes of the season

In a season full of character shifts and time jumps, House of the Dragon has seen numerous characters come and go. While some major figures were noticeably absent in certain episodes, one character has remained consistently present throughout all ten episodes: Ser Criston Cole, portrayed by Fabien Frankel.

Many fans might have expected figures like Rhaenyra or Daemon Targaryen to be the only ones to appear in every episode, but they were missing in the ninth episode, which focused on the coronation of King Aegon II. Instead, it was Cole who appeared in all episodes, standing out as the only character to do so.

Frankel’s portrayal of Cole has been a subject of mixed reactions. While the actor is praised for his performance, his character’s descent into villainy has earned him a less favourable reception from fans. In episode nine, fans were particularly vocal, calling for Cole’s demise after his morally questionable actions, only to see him face no immediate consequences.

There has also been a recurring joke among viewers regarding Cole’s apparent lack of ageing throughout the series. Despite several significant time jumps, Frankel’s character appears unchanged, even as other characters have been recast to reflect their growing years.

The season finale of House of the Dragon will air in the UK on Sky Atlantic on Monday, 24 October, at 2am, with a repeat showing later at 9pm.

Sales of Pirates of the Caribbean-themed outfits soar after defamation verdict

Following his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, there has been a significant increase in demand for Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow Halloween costumes. Depp, known for portraying the eccentric pirate in five Pirates of the Caribbean films, has seen a 90 per cent rise in sales of costumes resembling his iconic character, according to reports from TMZ.

The surge in costume sales comes after a highly publicised legal battle, where Depp was awarded $10 million (£8 million) in compensatory damages and $5 million (£4 million) in punitive damages. The case centred around a 2018 op-ed written by Heard in The Washington Post, in which she implied Depp had abused her. The jury ruled that Heard defamed Depp, although she was granted $2 million (£1.6 million) from a countersuit, after the jury determined one of Depp’s lawyers had defamed her by labelling her abuse allegations a “hoax.”

In the wake of the trial’s verdict, Depp has re-entered the public eye, and his role as Captain Jack Sparrow has gained even more prominence. Halloweencostumes.com, one of the world’s largest costume retailers, reported that sales of two Jack Sparrow-themed outfits have skyrocketed, with one costume priced between $85 and $95 (£75 to £84) and the other ranging from $245 to $299 (£216 to £264). Stocks of these costumes have already been nearly depleted, with more than 85 per cent of the stock gone.

Notably, Depp’s character has outperformed costumes from other popular films released this year, including Top Gun: Maverick, Hocus Pocus 2, and Lightyear.

Meanwhile, Amber Heard has signalled her intention to appeal the defamation verdict, submitting a four-page court document last week. Her legal team argues that the jury’s decision was “inherently and irreconcilably inconsistent.”