All posts tagged: farewell

Hiltzik: A not-so-fond farewell to Lori Chavez-DeRemer

Hiltzik: A not-so-fond farewell to Lori Chavez-DeRemer

Published by Sam Flores

Lori Chavez-DeRemer seemed at first to be a good Trump hire as Labor secretary. Wow, were we wrong It has long become clear that those of us who saw a glimmer of hope in President Trump’s appointment of Lori Chavez-DeRemer as secretary of Labor got snowed. It wasn’t just, or even chiefly, the miasma of sleaze and corruption that seemed to surround her wherever she went. Or her slavish sucking up to Trump in public, notably at a Cabinet meeting in which she pleaded with Trump to send his immigration goons into Portland, Ore., to “crack down.” (“Thank you for what you’re doing with your agents on ICE,” she said at the August 2025 session.) Fun fact: She had represented a Portland suburb as a Republican for a single House term. No. It was the gulf between the expectations, even among Democrats, that she might be a decent pick for the job, and the reality. We fought against sweatshopsWe took on big co. rporations that were cheating their employees. We kept workers safe. — Former …

ITV viewers bid farewell to ‘iconic’ channel CITV after 42-year run: ‘End of an era’

ITV viewers bid farewell to ‘iconic’ channel CITV after 42-year run: ‘End of an era’

Published by Daniella Wilson

ITV viewers, listen up! After more than 40 years of delivering some of the network’s most memorable shows, CITV is reportedly being shut down for good. The children’s channel first launched in the 1980s and became home to iconic shows including Art Attack, My Parents Are Aliens, Tots TV and Fraggle Rock. © Getty ImagesNeil Buchanan presented Art Attack in the 1990s Initially named Watch IT, the strand was later rebranded as Children’s ITV, before being shortened to what viewers now know as CITV. It was aimed at five- to 12-year-olds, according to the BBC.  CITV became particularly well known for its afternoon slot, aimed at children returning home from school, and featured popular British presenters including Cat Deeley, Stephen Mulhern and Holly Willoughby. What is happening with CITV? The programming aired on ITV1 until 2006, when it was moved to its own dedicated Freeview channel, while also continuing to air on weekend mornings on ITV. In September 2023, ITV announced a shift towards a more digital-first approach, removing CITV from Freeview and replacing it with …

Stephen Colbert mocks Pam Bondi with Epstein-themed farewell after Trump sacking

Stephen Colbert mocks Pam Bondi with Epstein-themed farewell after Trump sacking

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Stephen Colbert has some choice parting words for US Attorney General Pam Bondi after she was fired by Donald Trump. In a Truth Social post on Thursday (2 April), Trump announced that he had fired Bondi from her post as head of the Department of Justice. Her 14-month tenure at the DOJ was marked by controversy over her management of investigations tied to the dead convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including her handling of the Epstein Files. In what became a significant political setback for the administration, Bondi went back on her earlier promises to reveal those named in the Epstein files. When the Justice Department was forced by Congress to release the files to the public, they did so in chunks and with heavy redactions. Colbert addressed the news of her firing during Thursday night’s episode (2 April) of his …

Orthodox Georgians Bid Final Farewell to Longstanding Patriarch

Orthodox Georgians Bid Final Farewell to Longstanding Patriarch

Published by Sam Flores

TBILISI, March 22 (Reuters) – ⁠Large ⁠crowds of Orthodox ⁠Christians gathered in the centre of the ​Georgian capital on Sunday to mourn Ilia II, ‌the spiritual leader who led ‌the church through nearly half a ⁠century of ⁠Georgia’s often tumultuous history. Ilia II, born Irakli Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili, ​died on Tuesday in hospital aged 93, having served as patriarch in the overwhelmingly Orthodox country for 49 ​years. “He was a friend, he was a father, ⁠he was ⁠a leader,” said ⁠mourner ​Nino Kajaia. “This is the end of an era.” Georgians of ​all ages, some ⁠holding flowers and candles, gathered along the Tbilisi river embankment to bid farewell as Ilia II’s funeral cortege made its way to the ⁠Sioni Cathedral, where the patriarch was laid to rest. Many wept ⁠and clapped as the car bearing his coffin drove by, shouting “I love you, patriarch!” Georgia adopted Christianity as its state religion in the early fourth century, and remains deeply religious to this day. Ilia II became patriarch in 1977 and led the church through the Soviet ⁠period …

Nicola Sturgeon bows out with some farewell advice | Politics News

Nicola Sturgeon bows out with some farewell advice | Politics News

Published by Sam Flores

Nicola Sturgeon, the nationalist firebrand who dominated Scottish politics for almost a decade, has bowed out with an emotional valedictory speech. Addressing the Scottish parliament for the final time, the former first minister said it was a wrench to leave Holyrood, but the time was right to move on. She was elected to the newly devolved parliament in 1999, and was Scotland’s first minister from 2014 until she quit in 2023 amid a Scottish National Party (SNP) financial scandal – but was later cleared. “I’ve been here for 27 years – that’s almost exactly half my life,” she said in her farewell speech. “So even though the time is right to move on, I won’t pretend that leaving isn’t a wrench. It is.” She was the political protege of Alex Salmond, and served as his deputy from 2007 until she succeeded him as first minister after the SNP lost the 2014 independence referendum. Image: Nicola Sturgeon fell out with her former mentor and predecessor as first minister, Alex Salmond. Pic: PA But they fell out …

Farewell, Liza Tarbuck – our Saturdays evenings have lost their light

Farewell, Liza Tarbuck – our Saturdays evenings have lost their light

Published by Daniella Wilson

If the murmuration, mohomes, Top Bird Trumpingtons and “Pauline!” mean nothing to you, then you’ve obviously never tuned in to Radio 2 at 6pm on a Saturday evening for two hours of the most joyous, slightly bonkers show on the airwaves. Now, sadly, you will never have that experience, as the host of that gem in the BBC’s crown, the incomparable Liza Tarbuck, has said that after some time off, she will not be returning to the show as she’d “like her weekend back”. This isn’t supposed to be an obituary, but you can bet that for her thousands of ardent listeners – aka the murmuration – a little light went out when they heard that their Saturday evening lodestar was disappearing. Before the news of her departure broke, and while it seemed she was only on a sabbatical, a colleague commented that there would be “uproar” if Radio 2 got rid of Liza. As it is, there will be plenty of wailing and gnashing of teeth. For since she took up residence in 2012, …

Ben Fogle supported by fans as he announces sad New Lives in the Wild death: ‘Farewell’

Ben Fogle supported by fans as he announces sad New Lives in the Wild death: ‘Farewell’

Published by Daniella Wilson

Ben Fogle was supported by his followers on Wednesday as the popular presenter confirmed the death of Dina Zughyar, who had previously featured in his Channel 5 series, New Lives in the Wild back in 2019. Alongside a picture of Ben with Dina and her partner, Mostafa, the TV star shared: “Some sad New Lives in the Wild news, Dina Zughyar has sadly passed away. I visited Dina and her partner Mostafa who had moved from the US to the Atlas Mountains in Morocco in 2018. “The couple abandoned their multi million dollar wealth and embraced a new simple sustainable life in North Africa where they build a simple adobe home and lived hand to mouth. Tired of chasing wealth and success in the material world she spent her final years chasing happiness and freedom, surrounded by her beloved animals in Morocco.” He finished the message by saying: “My thoughts are with Mostafa and her family. Farewell Dina.” Ben then added a heart emoji to the end of the post. Ben’s followers were quick to …

Dad who threw ‘farewell’ party before cancer surgery now running London Marathon

Dad who threw ‘farewell’ party before cancer surgery now running London Marathon

Published by Daniella Wilson

Get the Well Enough newsletter with Harry Bullmore for tips on living a healthier, happier and longer life Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore Get the Well Enough email with Harry Bullmore A father who faced a testicular cancer diagnosis with remarkable humour and resilience is now preparing to run the London Marathon, urging men across the country to prioritise their health. Patrick Frank, 40, originally from Washington, DC, but now residing in Fulham, west London, famously threw a “farewell to righty” party before his surgery and later completed a penis-shaped run to raise awareness. Patrick, a video agency founder, first noticed his right testicle felt unusually hard in early 2021. Following a check-up and subsequent tests, he received the news that he had a tumour requiring surgical removal. Determined to maintain a positive outlook, he hosted a “farewell to righty” Zoom party the night before his operation that same year. During the virtual gathering, he shared a video featuring illustrations by a friend, depicting his testicle’s journey through the years, set to …

BBC star Emma Vardy bids farewell days after Carol Kirkwood confirms exit

BBC star Emma Vardy bids farewell days after Carol Kirkwood confirms exit

Published by Daniella Wilson

BBC Breakfast star Emma Vardy has bid adieu to the programme, but it’s not goodbye forever. Returning to the sofa on Sunday, Emma, who is expecting her second child with husband, Aaron Adams, confirmed that she’s heading on maternity leave. “Right well, that’s nearly it for us today,” Emma told audiences. And my last show before mat leave!” After her co-presenter, Roger Johnson wished her “good luck,” the TV star noted that she would return. “I’ll be back… see you,” she said, signing off.  After wrapping up Sunday’s show, Emma followed up with some behind-the-scenes photos. Among them, the broadcaster was seen carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a gift for her new arrival as she left the studio. As part of the post, Emma also recorded a video in her car. Admitting that it was a “strange feeling” to have left BBC Breakfast, the journalist joked that all she could do was “wait” for her little one to arrive.  “Thank you for all of the nice messages, and I will see you on …