Words: Millie Rogers
1) Dressing For Dino: The Natural History Museum’s T Rex is back in his Christmas jumper
In what has now become a Natural History Museum annual tradition, the institution’s scarily massive animatronic T Rex was fitted with his Christmas jumper this week, a Santa hat added, and the whole scene framed by a snowy starlit backdrop. Because that’s the true meaning of Christmas, if you go back by about 80 million years. Oh, and he’s called Santa Jaws.
If Santa Jaws is your style icon you can also own a jumper just like his for 45 quid from the Natural History Museum shop – with slightly longer, human-style sleeves – and there’s even matching fossil socks and footprints scarf.
2) Expect All the Emotions: Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt Star in The Last Five Years in London
Theatre people, hold onto your hats (and credit cards) as a star lead presentation of doomed romance musical ‘The Last Five Years’ is heading to the London Palladium for a super short run in March 2026. Written by feted composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown – and adapted for the big screen in 2014, starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan – this show is set to be the hottest ticket in town as Broadway stars Rachel Zegler and Ben Platt team up. This follows Zegler’s summer stint in ‘Evita’, where she starred as the formidable 1940s political figure Eva Perón and blessed passers-by on Argyll Street with a free performance of ‘Don’t Cry For Me Argentina’ most nights from the Palladium balcony. Revived and conducted by creator Brown, tickets are on sale now.
3) Ed Sheeran Strikes a Chord: Government Pledges to Revamp Music Education
Change may be coming to UK school curriculums – and we have Ed Sheeran to thank after he published an open letter to the UK Government in March urging £250 million to be put into music education for young people to ensure that the subject does not “fall through the cracks”. The letter was co-signed by some of the UK’s biggest artists with Elton John, Harry Styles, Central Cee, Coldplay and Stormzy all showing their support.
In an announcement earlier this week the Secretary of State for Education, Bridget Phillipson, said: “We’ll revitalise arts education putting it back at the heart of a rich and broad curriculum”. With the UK continuously providing globally-renowned musicians we can only hope that the future musicians of the country will be supported with this new support.
4) From Marmalade Sandwiches to Musical Numbers: Paddington Bear takes centre stage
Paddington has switched the screen for the stage with a new, self-titled musical now playing at London’s Savoy Theatre. The family-friendly production has wowed audiences and features longstanding TV and theatre star Bonnie Langford (‘Cats’, ‘Doctor Who’, ‘EastEnders’) as housekeeper Mrs Bird and award-winning musical theatre star Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (‘Flashdance’, ‘In The Heights’, ‘Hadestown’) as taxidermist villainess Millicent Clyde.
Paddington, however, is brought to life with the help of James Hameed as the off-stage remote puppeteer and, in a brilliant bear suit, performer Arti Shah onstage. Music and lyrics come from McFly’s Tom Fletcher, who’s dabbled with musical theatre with The Creakers and an adaptation of one of his 30 (!) books, ‘A Monster In Your Show’. Fletcher says the 18 numbers in the production are “my favourite songs I’ve ever written.”
5) Joyful Arrival: UK’s lone white rhino calf of the year is born in the Cotswolds
A rare white rhino has been born at Cotswold Wildlife Park, the only white rhino baby to arrive in the UK this year. Following a 16-month pregnancy, mum Nancy gave birth to little Markus after 45 minutes in labour.
Cotswold Wildlife Park have an impressive track record with 12 white rhino babies born at the site in as many years. However the animals’ survival hangs in the balance in their native Africa where they are hunted by organised criminal gangs for their horn, as well suffering a loss of suitable habitat. In Kenya there are shockingly just two female northern white rhinos left. Find out more from the brilliant Fauna and Flora charity, who are helping to save these and many other endangered species: Visit www.fauna-flora.org/species/northern-white-rhino/.
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