Celebrity News
Mark Waters of Mijas’ Sangria Furlo: Costa del Sol punk fever breaks out
Sangria Furlo are something of a revelation for southern Spain and belt out high-energy rock with punk attitude from their base in Mijas. Frontman Mark Waters brings a life story packed with famous connections, filmmaking success and personal tragedy that has ended up behind the band’s distinctive sound and nothing like anything else from the Costa del Sol before.
Creative start: From Dublin to Swiss boarding school
Mark Waters grew up in Dublin with a mother who worked at Irish Distillers and a father who served as director general of Ireland’s national broadcaster RTE. Early family life involved extensive travel across Europe, the USA, China and the Soviet Union. Later his father took a senior role with Eurovision and the European Broadcasting Union, which led the family to Belgium and then Switzerland. Mark then attended the prestigious Institute Le Rosey, where he played in the teenage band Presque Nul that included Sean Lennon. Waters also appeared in school plays with future Strokes frontman Julian Casablancas. Those experiences still shape his songwriting drive today.
Tragedy shapes a new band in Spain
Sangria Furlo formed in 2022 after an impromptu jam session at a friend’s house in Andalucia. Songwriter Mark Cornthwaite, drummer Roly Quesnel and bassist Klas Blomstrand invited Waters along to join on vocals. Waters wrote his first song with Cornthwaite, called Sangria Furlough, and played it to his close friend, poet and Cream lyricist Pete Brown, who loved it. Just weeks later tragedy struck when Cornthwaite passed away from a sudden heart attack. The remaining members ended up performing for the first time as a three-piece at his wake. They renamed themselves Sangria Furlo and pushed on as a band the likes of which the Costa del Sol had not produced before. Ukrainian bassist Denys Kyrylenko soon joined, completing the current line-up of Waters on vocals and guitar, Quesnel on drums and Kyrylenko on bass.
Film director with an impressive phone contact book
Waters had already enjoyed success as a film-maker long before the band. He directed the documentary White Rooms and Imaginary Westerns, based on Pete Brown’s autobiography. The film features interviews with Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Arthur Brown and Martin Scorsese. Waters and Brown also produced The Cream Acoustic Sessions, a re-imagining of Cream songs recorded at Sensible Studios and Abbey Road. Their collaboration continued until Brown’s death in 2023, after they had completed several more screenplays together.
Debut album, new EP and busy live schedule
Loss of both Cornthwaite and Brown spurred Waters into a creative burst. Sangria Furlo released their debut album, Trans European Metal Disco, in 2025. The record tackles themes of injustice, rebellion and personal experience through tracks such as King Bartholomew, Downed Uniform and Song 9, the latter inspired by Waters’ memories of Julian Casablancas. In March 2026 the band issued their debut EP Dregs, which includes King Bartholomew plus French-language versions of two album tracks and live recordings.
Those seeking something fresh and loud can catch Sangria Furlo live in Malaga on Friday, May 15, when they support legendary US rockers Green Jelly on their 45th anniversary tour, and who it looks like are coming to Malaga specially to tour with Sangria Furlo. Advance tickets for the gig at Sala Marte (Calle San Nicolas, next to Muelle Uno) are available from entradium.com for €20.40.
BBC
Sir David Attenborough at 100: World’s favourite broadcaster, naturalist, and environmental advocate celebrated
David Attenborough turns 100 today, Friday, May 8, as the UK honours its favourite broadcaster, naturalist, and environmental advocate through various events and public expressions of admiration.
Millions of viewers are tuning in to programmes on multiple channels that cover details from his remarkable career of more than seven decades of dedicated service to informing the public about the natural world.
Viewers young and old will share personal stories about how his distinctive narration changed their understanding of wildlife and its value.
Tributes reach the centenarian from all quarters
Royalty joins ordinary people in sending messages of appreciation to Sir David Attenborough for his lifetime of outstanding work. Prince William has conveyed personal greetings while the King and Queen add their own words of thanks for everything he has done.
An audio recording features Attenborough expressing how overwhelmed he feels by the volume of good wishes that arrive from preschool children and residents in care homes around the country.
The BBC has organised a special concert at the Royal Albert Hall to celebrate this milestone birthday in grand style.
Happy 100th birthday, Sir David Attenborough 🎉❤️
The broadcaster who changed how we see the natural world.#DavidAttenborough pic.twitter.com/aBEOX2xbvq
— BBC London (@BBCLondonNews) May 8, 2026
Childhood episodes that shaped his path
As a young boy, David Attenborough started out by suppling newts to the zoology department at University College Leicester for three pence each as a way to earn some pocket money.
His parents took in two Jewish refugee sisters who had escaped Nazi Germany and looked after them for seven years in their family home.
Attenborough discovered an ammonite fossil as a boy when he split open a rock during one of his explorations, an event that provoked his lasting interest in natural history from an early point.
Quirks and habits little discussed
Possibly one of the most well-travelled Brits in history, Attenborough never actually learned to drive a car despite going on journeys to far-flung locations for filming wildlife documentaries over most of his life.
Surprisingly, of all the animal kingdom, rats terrify him most, following incidents in the Solomon Islands where the creatures ran across his bed and the floor of his hut during a powerful thunderstorm.
His home welcomed various wild animals over the years, including gibbons, chimpanzees, lemurs, snakes, and chameleons that stayed as temporary guests from time to time.
Innovations in television and lasting honours
Sir David Attenborough responds to 100th birthday greetings pic.twitter.com/NYCx6sKCBc
— The Independent (@Independent) May 7, 2026
Attenborough started at the BBC without even owning a television set himself and had seen only one programme in his life before that moment.
At one point, he promoted snooker broadcasts to introduce colour television effectively to British audiences because the multicoloured balls helped demonstrate the advantages of the new format.
Dozens of plants, frogs, and other creatures carry scientific names honouring his work in natural history and his efforts to document species across the globe.
Attenborough is still the sole person to win BAFTAs for programmes produced in black-and-white, colour, high definition, and three-dimensional formats throughout his long career.
Legacy that motivates action on nature
Programmes from his extensive catalogue air once more while new retrospectives examine his childhood inspirations and lesser-known abilities that kept him going. Fans worldwide recall how his storytelling encouraged them to value and protect the natural world in their daily lives.
A newly identified parasitic wasp discovered in Chile gains a name linked to Attenborough in recognition of his lifetime achievements in the field of natural sciences.
His voice and passion for the environment keep motivating people of every age to take practical steps towards conservation and sustainability wherever they live.
Sir David Attenborough, we salute you on this auspicious day, your 100th birthday, as possibly the most celebrated and cherished Brit, and one we can all be proud of.
The operation reportedly took place at Faro Hospital in southern Portugal. Photo credit: S. Kuelcue/Shutterstock
Singer Bonnie Tyler has been placed in an induced coma following emergency intestinal surgery in Portugal, according to statements released by her representatives. The 74-year-old singer underwent surgery at a hospital in Faro after suffering a perforated intestine. Reports state that the medical emergency occurred while she was in Portugal, where she owns a property in the Algarve region.
Representatives for the singer said doctors placed her in an induced coma following the operation to assist her recovery and allow her body to rest after surgery. No further medical complications have been publicly confirmed.
Emergency surgery carried out in Faro
The operation reportedly took place at Faro Hospital in southern Portugal after Tyler required urgent medical treatment. A perforated intestine is considered a serious medical condition because it can allow contents from the digestive system to enter the abdominal cavity, increasing the risk of infection and other complications. Treatment usually requires emergency surgery.
The singer’s representatives stated that the procedure was completed successfully and that Tyler remains under medical supervision. At present, no official timeline has been provided regarding her recovery or when she may regain consciousness.
Representatives issue update on singer’s condition
Statements carried by several media outlets said Tyler’s medical team decided to place her in an induced coma as part of post-operative care. An induced coma is a medically controlled state used in some cases following major surgery or severe illness to reduce strain on the body during recovery.
No statement has suggested that the singer suffered cardiac arrest or another unrelated medical emergency. Her representatives have not released additional details regarding her current condition beyond confirming that she remains in hospital.
Career spanning more than five decades
Bonnie Tyler became internationally known during the 1970s and 1980s for her distinctive voice and rock ballads. She achieved worldwide success with songs including Total Eclipse of the Heart and Holding Out for a Hero.
Born Gaynor Hopkins in Wales, Tyler began her recording career in the mid-1970s and later became one of the best-known British female singers of the era. “Total Eclipse of the Heart”, released in 1983, became a number one single in several countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States.
She also represented the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 with the song “Believe in Me”.
Ongoing performances before medical emergency
Before the medical emergency, Tyler continued to perform internationally and remained active in touring and television appearances. She has regularly appeared at music festivals, nostalgia concerts and televised events in Europe over recent years.
No announcements have yet been made regarding whether upcoming appearances or scheduled performances will be postponed or cancelled following her hospitalisation. Fans and public figures have begun posting messages of support on social media following reports of her condition.
Hospital treatment continues in Portugal
The singer remains under medical care in Faro while recovering from surgery. At present, neither her representatives nor the hospital have released detailed information about her prognosis. Medical privacy laws in Portugal limit the amount of information hospitals can publicly disclose without family consent.
Further updates on Tyler’s condition are expected to come through her management team or official representatives rather than directly from the hospital. The reports published on Wednesday stated that doctors considered the induced coma necessary to support her recovery following the emergency procedure.
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