
I won the @_bsme award for Best Feature Writer last week. Had a brilliant night, I gotta say. Despite how my face looks. I was surprised! Thank you so very much @_bsme - this is wonderful for my wellbeing. Thank you @nickdesemlyen for everything, and everybody at @empiremagazine. You complete me, for better or worse.

I won the @_bsme award for Best Feature Writer last week. Had a brilliant night, I gotta say. Despite how my face looks. I was surprised! Thank you so very much @_bsme - this is wonderful for my wellbeing. Thank you @nickdesemlyen for everything, and everybody at @empiremagazine. You complete me, for better or worse.

I won the @_bsme award for Best Feature Writer last week. Had a brilliant night, I gotta say. Despite how my face looks. I was surprised! Thank you so very much @_bsme - this is wonderful for my wellbeing. Thank you @nickdesemlyen for everything, and everybody at @empiremagazine. You complete me, for better or worse.

I won the @_bsme award for Best Feature Writer last week. Had a brilliant night, I gotta say. Despite how my face looks. I was surprised! Thank you so very much @_bsme - this is wonderful for my wellbeing. Thank you @nickdesemlyen for everything, and everybody at @empiremagazine. You complete me, for better or worse.

I won the @_bsme award for Best Feature Writer last week. Had a brilliant night, I gotta say. Despite how my face looks. I was surprised! Thank you so very much @_bsme - this is wonderful for my wellbeing. Thank you @nickdesemlyen for everything, and everybody at @empiremagazine. You complete me, for better or worse.
This is really something... We had the idea to do an Aliens cover story a few months back. To get James Cameron, Sigourney Weaver and a couple of her kickass Marine comrades back together to shoot the shit about the 40th anniversary of this incredible film. Weeks of pitching, requesting and scheduling resulted in @jamescdyer's glorious hour-long roundtable interview with them, which we decided to run over 14 pages. With a brilliant cover (and another brilliant subs cover) by the great @paulshipper (commissioned by @neonmessiah). It went on sale last week. And the other night, Sigourney discussed it on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. It's amazing being Features Editor of this magazine at the best of times, but moments like this are really pretty cool.
Props to the team who worked on this story: @nickdesemlyen, @jamescdyer, @neonmessiah, @joannamoran, @elizabethjane73 and @jamiegrahammovies. I love being in the trenches with you guys.
The Aliens issue of @empiremagazine is on sale now. In all good, evil and off-world newsagents.

Well, I liked this chat. I like these people. Can you tell.
Interview up now on this week's Empire podcast. Link in my Linktree / bio. Billie Eilish and James Cameron. Can't knock it.

Truly, truly shocked and upset to hear that the very great Tony Stella (@studiotstella) has suddenly died. He was the best. I was - I am - a proper Tony fanboy. His art, all of it hand-painted, is so vivid, so passionate, so evocative... there is so much love in it.
Five years ago, when I wrote a feature for Empire on The Outsiders and Rumblefish, we were discussing who might be good to illustrate our opener. I suggested Tony, didn't know if we'd ever actually stand a chance, but Chris Lupton (@neonmessiah) got him, thus beginning a brilliant collaboration with the magazine. It was an utterly gorgeous piece of art that really conveyed the dreamy, wistful longing of both films. Cop Land was up next - look at that one. Just cool as shit. What a privilege it was to have Tony make art for something we'd done. I was always so thrilled. How lucky we were.
Every little interaction I had with him was a joy. Mostly me expressing gratitude, because I was always so stoked. And he really loved his work. I remember once Chris asking him to illustrate something, but he declined because he just didn't like the thing. He had integrity! He cared! You can see it in every speck of paint.
These pictures are all Empire pieces, but look him up, go to his website, soak it in. He did such eternally spectacular work, every time. He was one of a kind. This is a great, great loss.
Tony would often end his Insta posts with "Viva Jack Nicholson", "Viva Al Pacino", etc. Well, here we are. Viva Tony Stella.

Truly, truly shocked and upset to hear that the very great Tony Stella (@studiotstella) has suddenly died. He was the best. I was - I am - a proper Tony fanboy. His art, all of it hand-painted, is so vivid, so passionate, so evocative... there is so much love in it.
Five years ago, when I wrote a feature for Empire on The Outsiders and Rumblefish, we were discussing who might be good to illustrate our opener. I suggested Tony, didn't know if we'd ever actually stand a chance, but Chris Lupton (@neonmessiah) got him, thus beginning a brilliant collaboration with the magazine. It was an utterly gorgeous piece of art that really conveyed the dreamy, wistful longing of both films. Cop Land was up next - look at that one. Just cool as shit. What a privilege it was to have Tony make art for something we'd done. I was always so thrilled. How lucky we were.
Every little interaction I had with him was a joy. Mostly me expressing gratitude, because I was always so stoked. And he really loved his work. I remember once Chris asking him to illustrate something, but he declined because he just didn't like the thing. He had integrity! He cared! You can see it in every speck of paint.
These pictures are all Empire pieces, but look him up, go to his website, soak it in. He did such eternally spectacular work, every time. He was one of a kind. This is a great, great loss.
Tony would often end his Insta posts with "Viva Jack Nicholson", "Viva Al Pacino", etc. Well, here we are. Viva Tony Stella.

Truly, truly shocked and upset to hear that the very great Tony Stella (@studiotstella) has suddenly died. He was the best. I was - I am - a proper Tony fanboy. His art, all of it hand-painted, is so vivid, so passionate, so evocative... there is so much love in it.
Five years ago, when I wrote a feature for Empire on The Outsiders and Rumblefish, we were discussing who might be good to illustrate our opener. I suggested Tony, didn't know if we'd ever actually stand a chance, but Chris Lupton (@neonmessiah) got him, thus beginning a brilliant collaboration with the magazine. It was an utterly gorgeous piece of art that really conveyed the dreamy, wistful longing of both films. Cop Land was up next - look at that one. Just cool as shit. What a privilege it was to have Tony make art for something we'd done. I was always so thrilled. How lucky we were.
Every little interaction I had with him was a joy. Mostly me expressing gratitude, because I was always so stoked. And he really loved his work. I remember once Chris asking him to illustrate something, but he declined because he just didn't like the thing. He had integrity! He cared! You can see it in every speck of paint.
These pictures are all Empire pieces, but look him up, go to his website, soak it in. He did such eternally spectacular work, every time. He was one of a kind. This is a great, great loss.
Tony would often end his Insta posts with "Viva Jack Nicholson", "Viva Al Pacino", etc. Well, here we are. Viva Tony Stella.

Truly, truly shocked and upset to hear that the very great Tony Stella (@studiotstella) has suddenly died. He was the best. I was - I am - a proper Tony fanboy. His art, all of it hand-painted, is so vivid, so passionate, so evocative... there is so much love in it.
Five years ago, when I wrote a feature for Empire on The Outsiders and Rumblefish, we were discussing who might be good to illustrate our opener. I suggested Tony, didn't know if we'd ever actually stand a chance, but Chris Lupton (@neonmessiah) got him, thus beginning a brilliant collaboration with the magazine. It was an utterly gorgeous piece of art that really conveyed the dreamy, wistful longing of both films. Cop Land was up next - look at that one. Just cool as shit. What a privilege it was to have Tony make art for something we'd done. I was always so thrilled. How lucky we were.
Every little interaction I had with him was a joy. Mostly me expressing gratitude, because I was always so stoked. And he really loved his work. I remember once Chris asking him to illustrate something, but he declined because he just didn't like the thing. He had integrity! He cared! You can see it in every speck of paint.
These pictures are all Empire pieces, but look him up, go to his website, soak it in. He did such eternally spectacular work, every time. He was one of a kind. This is a great, great loss.
Tony would often end his Insta posts with "Viva Jack Nicholson", "Viva Al Pacino", etc. Well, here we are. Viva Tony Stella.

Friends fear he's posting work on Instagram again. It's true. I've loved The Comeback for years, have never written about it before, and now I have. Ostensibly a review of Season 3, but also just a gushing ode to one of my favourite shows/characters/performances ever. Valerie Cherish.
Link in my Linktree, in the ol' bio. I thank you.

Annual pilgrimage to Bluebell Graveyard. The graves remain the same, but every year the light is a little different, the flowers are a little different, and I'm a little different... I think.
These photos were taken between 7:40am and 8:20am on Saturday morning. Perfect early sunshine, before anyone else was in sight, and before the light flattened out. Flower food. Soul food. Divinity.

Annual pilgrimage to Bluebell Graveyard. The graves remain the same, but every year the light is a little different, the flowers are a little different, and I'm a little different... I think.
These photos were taken between 7:40am and 8:20am on Saturday morning. Perfect early sunshine, before anyone else was in sight, and before the light flattened out. Flower food. Soul food. Divinity.

Annual pilgrimage to Bluebell Graveyard. The graves remain the same, but every year the light is a little different, the flowers are a little different, and I'm a little different... I think.
These photos were taken between 7:40am and 8:20am on Saturday morning. Perfect early sunshine, before anyone else was in sight, and before the light flattened out. Flower food. Soul food. Divinity.

Annual pilgrimage to Bluebell Graveyard. The graves remain the same, but every year the light is a little different, the flowers are a little different, and I'm a little different... I think.
These photos were taken between 7:40am and 8:20am on Saturday morning. Perfect early sunshine, before anyone else was in sight, and before the light flattened out. Flower food. Soul food. Divinity.

Annual pilgrimage to Bluebell Graveyard. The graves remain the same, but every year the light is a little different, the flowers are a little different, and I'm a little different... I think.
These photos were taken between 7:40am and 8:20am on Saturday morning. Perfect early sunshine, before anyone else was in sight, and before the light flattened out. Flower food. Soul food. Divinity.

Annual pilgrimage to Bluebell Graveyard. The graves remain the same, but every year the light is a little different, the flowers are a little different, and I'm a little different... I think.
These photos were taken between 7:40am and 8:20am on Saturday morning. Perfect early sunshine, before anyone else was in sight, and before the light flattened out. Flower food. Soul food. Divinity.

Annual pilgrimage to Bluebell Graveyard. The graves remain the same, but every year the light is a little different, the flowers are a little different, and I'm a little different... I think.
These photos were taken between 7:40am and 8:20am on Saturday morning. Perfect early sunshine, before anyone else was in sight, and before the light flattened out. Flower food. Soul food. Divinity.

Annual pilgrimage to Bluebell Graveyard. The graves remain the same, but every year the light is a little different, the flowers are a little different, and I'm a little different... I think.
These photos were taken between 7:40am and 8:20am on Saturday morning. Perfect early sunshine, before anyone else was in sight, and before the light flattened out. Flower food. Soul food. Divinity.

Annual pilgrimage to Bluebell Graveyard. The graves remain the same, but every year the light is a little different, the flowers are a little different, and I'm a little different... I think.
These photos were taken between 7:40am and 8:20am on Saturday morning. Perfect early sunshine, before anyone else was in sight, and before the light flattened out. Flower food. Soul food. Divinity.

Annual pilgrimage to Bluebell Graveyard. The graves remain the same, but every year the light is a little different, the flowers are a little different, and I'm a little different... I think.
These photos were taken between 7:40am and 8:20am on Saturday morning. Perfect early sunshine, before anyone else was in sight, and before the light flattened out. Flower food. Soul food. Divinity.

Delighted to be shortlisted for @_bsme Best Feature Writer this year. Especially for three features that all meant the absolute world to me. Each one has my heart.
Thank you as ever to @nickdesemlyen. And congrats too to fellow Empire nominees @joannamoran and @hwstainer. I love you guys.
And see you there @olifranklinwallis. And you @mikecathroclarke. We're gonna party like it's 2026.

I went to see Interstellar at the @royalalberthall last week, with a live score by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. It shook me! Physically and emotionally. I've written about it, and got a little personal, because it was such a personal experience. No point in pretending otherwise.
Thank you @rogersayerorganist, @hanszimmer, @conductorben and the @royalphilconcertorchestra for an outrageous time.
Link in my Linktree (on my profile).

I went to see Interstellar at the @royalalberthall last week, with a live score by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. It shook me! Physically and emotionally. I've written about it, and got a little personal, because it was such a personal experience. No point in pretending otherwise.
Thank you @rogersayerorganist, @hanszimmer, @conductorben and the @royalphilconcertorchestra for an outrageous time.
Link in my Linktree (on my profile).
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