AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca

 AstraZeneca plc[4] is a British-Swedish multinational pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical company. In 2013, it moved its headquarters to Cambridge, United Kingdom, and concentrated its R&D in three sites: Cambridge; Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA (location of MedImmune) for work on biopharmaceuticals; and Mölndal (near Gothenburg) in Sweden, for research on traditional chemical drugs.[5] AstraZeneca has a portfolio of products for major disease areas including cancer, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, infection, neuroscience, respiratory and inflammation.[6]

The company was founded in 1999 through the merger of the Swedish Astra AB and the British Zeneca Group[7][8] (itself formed by the demerger of the pharmaceutical operations of Imperial Chemical Industries in 1993). Since the merger it has been among the world's largest pharmaceutical companies and has made numerous corporate acquisitions, including Cambridge Antibody Technology (in 2006), MedImmune (in 2007), Spirogen (in 2013) and Definiens (by MedImmune in 2014).

AstraZeneca has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. It has secondary listings on the New York Stock Exchange and the OMX exchange.

History

Astra AB was founded in 1913 in Södertälje, Sweden, by 400 doctors and apothecaries.[9] In 1993 the British chemicals company ICI demerged its pharmaceuticals businesses and its agrochemicals and specialities businesses, to form Zeneca Group plc.[10] Finally, in 1999 Astra and Zeneca Group merged to form AstraZeneca plc, with its headquarters in London.[10] In 1999, AstraZeneca identified as a new location for the company's US base the "Fairfax-plus" site in North Wilmington, Delaware.[11]

2000–06

In 2002, its drug Iressa was approved in Japan as monotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer.[12] On 3 January 2004 Dr Robert Nolan, a former director of AstraZeneca, formed the management team of ZI Medical.[13]

In 2005, the company acquired KuDOS Pharmaceuticals, a UK biotech company, for £ 120 m[14] and entered into an anti-cancer collaboration agreement with Astex.[15] It also announced that it had become a Diamond Member of the Pennsylvania Bio commerce organisation.[16]

In 2006, following a collaborative relationship begun in 2004, AstraZeneca acquired Cambridge Antibody Technology for £702 million.[17]

2007–12: The patent cliff and subsequent acquisitions

In February 2007, AstraZeneca agreed to buy Arrow Therapeutics, a company focused on the discovery and development of anti-viral therapies, for US$ 150 million.[18] AstraZeneca's pipeline, and "patent cliff", was the subject of much speculation in April 2007 leading to pipeline-boosting collaboration and acquisition activities.[19] A few days later AstraZeneca acquired US company MedImmune for about US$ 15.2 billion to gain flu vaccines and an anti-viral treatment for infants;[20] AstraZeneca subsequently consolidated all of its biologics operations into a dedicated biologics division called MedImmune.[21]

In 2010, AstraZeneca acquired Novexel Corp, an antiobiotics discovery company formed in 2004 as a spin-off of the Sanofi-Aventis anti-infectives division. Astra acquired the experimental antibiotic NXL-104 (CEF104) (CAZ-AVI) through this acquisition.[22][23]

In 2011, AstraZeneca acquired Guangdong BeiKang Pharmaceutical Company, a Chinese generics business.[24]

In February 2012, AstraZeneca and Amgen announced a collaboration on treatments for inflammatory diseases.[25] Then in April 2012, AstraZeneca acquired Ardea Biosciences, another biotechnology company, for $1.26 billion.[26] In June 2012, AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb announced a two-stage deal for the joint acquisition of the biotechnology company Amylin Pharmaceuticals.[27][28] It was agreed that Bristol-Myers Squibb would acquire Amylin for $5.3 billion in cash and the assumption of $1.7 billion in debt, with AstraZeneca then paying $3.4 billion in cash to Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Amylin being folded into an existing diabetes joint venture between AstraZeneca and Bristol-Myers Squibb.[28]

2013 restructuring and beyond

2013

In March 2013 AstraZeneca announced plans for a major corporate restructuring, including the closure of its research and development activities at Alderley Park and Loughborough in the UK and at Lund in Sweden, investment of $500 million in the construction of a new research and development facility in Cambridge and the concentration of R&D in three locations: Cambridge, Gaithersburg, Maryland (location of MedImmune, where it will work on biotech drugs), and Mölndal (near Gothenburg) in Sweden, for research on traditional chemical drugs.[5] AstraZeneca also announced that it would move its corporate headquarters from London to Cambridge in 2016.[29][30] That announcement included the announcement that it would cut 1,600 jobs; three days later it announced it would cut an additional 2,300 jobs.[31][32] It also announced that it would focus on three therapeutic areas: Respiratory Inflammation & Autoimmunity, Cardiovascular & Metabolic Disease, and Oncology.[33] In October 2013, AstraZeneca announced it would acquire biotech oncology company Spirogen for around US$ 440 million.[34]

2014

On 19 May 2014 AstraZeneca rejected a "final offer" from Pfizer of £ 55 per share, which valued the company at £69.4 billion (US$ 117 billion). The companies had been meeting since January 2014. If the takeover had proceeded Pfizer would have become the world's biggest drug maker. The transaction would also have been the biggest foreign takeover of a British company. Many in Britain, including politicians and scientists, had opposed the deal.[35] In July 2014 the company entered into a deal with Almirall to acquire its subsidiary Almirall Sofotec and its lung treatments including the COPD drug, Eklira. The US$ 2.1 billion deal included an allocation of US$ 1.2 billion for development in the respiratory franchise, one of AstraZeneca's three target therapeutic areas announced the year before. In August 2014 the company announced it had entered into a three-year collaboration with Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma on diabetic nephropathy.[36] In September 2014 the company would join forces with Eli Lilly in developing and commercialising its candidate BACE inhibitor – AZD3292 – used for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The deal could yield up to US$ 500 million for the company.[37] In November 2014 the company's biologics R&D operation, MedImmune, agreed to acquire Definiens for more than US$ 150 million. The company also began a Phase I/II trial collaboration with Pharmacyclics and Janssen Biotech investigating combination treatments.[38] Also in November of the same year, the company agreed to sell its lipodystrophy treatment business to Aegerion Pharmaceuticals for more than US$ 325 million.[39] In December, the company received accelerated FDA approval for Olaparib in the treatment of women with advanced ovarian cancer who have a BRCA genetic mutation. A major criterion governing the drugs approval was, on average, its ability to shrink tumours in patients for 7.9 months.[40]

2015

In February, the company announced it would acquire the US and Canadian rights to Actavis' branded respiratory drug business for an initial sum of $600 million.[41] Later in the same month the company announced it would partner with Orca Pharmaceuticals to develop retinoic acid–related orphan nuclear receptor gamma inhibitors for use in the treatment of a number of autoimmune diseases, which could generate up to $122.5 million for Orca.[42] The company also announced their plan to spend $40 million creating a new subsidiary focused on small molecule anti-infectives – primarily in the research of the gyrase inhibitor, AZD0914, which is currently in Phase II for the treatment of gonorrhea.[43] The company underwrote twenty out of thirty-two seats of a new Cambridge-Gothenburg service by Sun-Air of Scandinavia.[44]

In mid-March the company announced it would co commercialise naloxegol along with Daiichi Sankyo in a deal worth up to $825 million.[45] Towards the end of April the company announced a number of collaborations worth an estimated $1.8 billion; firstly, to develop and commercialise MEDI4736, with Celgene, for use against non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes, and multiple myeloma with AstraZeneca receiving $450 million. The second of two-deals is an agreement to study a combination treatment of MEDI4736 and Innate Pharma’s Phase II anti-NKG2A antibody IPH2201 for up to $1.275 billion. The company's Medimmune arm also launched collaborative clinical trials with Juno Therapeutics, investigating combination treatments for cancer.[46] The trials will assess combinations of MEDI4736 and one of Juno Therapeutics' CD19 directed chimeric antigen receptor T-cell candidates.[47] In late June the company announced it has entered into a partnership agreement with Eolas Therapeutics on the Eolas Orexin-1 Receptor Antagonist (EORA) program for smoking cessation and other treatments.[48] In July the company announced it would sell off its rights to Entocort (budesonide) to Tillotts Pharma for $215 million.[49] In July 2015, Genzyme announced it would acquire the rare cancer drug Caprelsa (vandetanib) from AstraZeneca for up to $300 million.[50] In August, the company announced it has acquired the global rights to develop and commercialise Heptares Therapeutics drug candidate HTL-1071, which focuses on blocking the adenosine A2A receptor, in a deal worth up to $510 million.[51] In the same month the company's MedImmune subsidiary acquire exclusive rights to Inovio Pharmaceuticals INO-3112 immunotherapy, currently in Phase I/II, under an agreement which could net more than $727.5 million for Inovio. INO-3112 targets Human papillomavirus types 16 and 18.[52] In September, Valeant licensed Brodalumab from the company for up to $445 million.[53][54] On 6 November it was reported that AstraZeneca acquired ZS Pharma for $2.7 billion.[55] In December the company announced its intention to acquire the respiratory portfolio of Takeda Pharmaceutical – namely Alvesco and Omnaris – for $575 million[56] A day later, the company announced it had taken a 55% majority stake in Acerta for $4 billion. As part of the transaction the company will gain commercial rights to Acerta's irreversible oral Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor, acalabrutinib (ACP-196), which is currently in Phase III development for B-cell blood cancers and in Phase I or II clinical trials in solid tumours.[57] In 2015, it was the eighth-largest drug company in the world based on sales revenue.[58]

2017

In July 2017, the company's CEO Pascal Soriot said that Brexit would not affect its commitment to its current plans in the United Kingdom. However, it had slowed decision making for new investment projects waiting for post-Brexit regulatory regime to settle down.[59] In September 2017, the company's chairman Leif Johansson planned in taking "first steps" in moving their research and manufacturing, operations away from the United Kingdom, If there is a hard Brexit.[60] In 2017, it was the eleventh-largest drug company in the world based on sales and ranked seventh based on R&D investment.[61] In January EVP Pam Cheng stated that AstraZeneca has ignited startup of duplicate QA testing facility in Sweden and has initiated hiring in Sweden.[62]

2018

In February 2018, AstraZeneca announced it was spinning off six early-stage experimental drugs into a new biotechnology-focused company, to be known as Viela Bio, valued at US$ 250 million.[63]

2019

In March 2019, AstraZeneca announced it will pay up to $6.9 billion to work with Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd on an experimental treatment for breast cancer. AstraZeneca plans to use some of the proceeds of a $3.5 billion share issue to fund the deal. The deal on the drug known as trastuzumab deruxtecan sent shares in Japan’s Daiichi soaring 16%.[64]

In September 2019, the company announced that it would cease drug production at its German headquarters in Wedel, leading to the loss of 175 jobs by the end of 2021.[65][66]

In October 2019, AstraZeneca announced it would sell the global commercial rights for its drug to treat acid reflux to German pharmaceutical company Cheplapharm Arzneimittel GmbH for as much as $276 million.[67][68]

2020

In February 2020, AstraZeneca agreed to sublicense its global rights (except Europe, Canada and Israel) to Movantik (naloxegol) to Redhill Biopharma.[69]

In March 2020, the company announced that it would be donating PPE, including 9 million face masks, to help support various international health organisations battling the Covid 19 pandemic.[70] In April, the Chief Executive, Pascal Soriot, reported that the company was working with GlaxoSmithKline and the University of Cambridge to develop a new laboratory capable of conducting 30,000 Covid-19 tests per day.[71] The company also announced plans for a clinical trial to assess the potential use of Calquence in the treatment of Covid-19

Streets of Rage 4

Streets of Rage 4

Streets of Rage 4[a] is a beat 'em up video game developed by Dotemu, Lizardcube and Guard Crush Games, released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on 30 April 2020. The game is a continuation of Sega's Streets of Rage series, which was a trilogy of games that released during the early 1990s for the Sega Genesis.

Gameplay and premise

Carrying on the style of gameplay from previous entries in the Streets of Rage series, Streets of Rage 4 is a side-scrolling beat 'em up in which players fight against waves of enemies using an array of attacks and special moves. New to the gameplay formula is the ability to recover health spent using a special attack by performing successive follow-up attacks. Players are also able to juggle opponents against each other and walls for extended combos. Stars can be collected allowing players to perform powerful super moves.[1]

The game takes place 10 years after the events of Streets of Rage 3, featuring returning characters Axel Stone, Blaze Fielding, and Adam Hunter,[2][3] alongside two new characters, Adam’s daughter Cherry, and a muscular cybernetically enhanced armed apprentice of Dr. Gilbert Zan name Floyd Iraia.[4][5] The game will also feature online multiplayer for two players and local multiplayer for up to four players, for the first time in the series, as well as a competitive Battle Mode.[5] Unlockable features include characters from past games, who are presented in 16-bit style, and retro music tracks from Streets of Rage and Streets of Rage 2.[6]

Development

Rumors of a fourth entry in the Streets of Rage series being in development have circulated since the mid-1990s.[7] Following the success of Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, a 2017 remake of 1989's Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap, publisher Dotemu and developer Lizardcube approached Sega about creating a sequel in the Streets of Rage series. Sega agreed and production on the game began at the beginning of 2018, with the game publicly announced that August. The game is being co-developed by Guard Crush Games, using a modified engine from their Streets of Fury game.

The soundtrack is being primarily composed by Olivier Deriviere, with additional compositions from Yuzo Koshiro, Motohiro Kawashima, Yoko Shimomura, Keiji Yamagishi, Harumi Fujita, Das Mörtal, and Groundislava.[8][9] The soundtrack is structured so that Deriviere wrote the primary themes, while each boss fight's theme was written by one of the guest composers.[9][10] Koshiro was not a part of the project from the start, but joined in June 2019 after playing a demo of the game at BitSummit, an indie game showcase in Japan. He cited fan requests and how the game was coming along as reasons for joining.[11] Hideki Naganuma was also originally set to contribute, but dropped out of the project due to scheduling conflicts before being replaced by Fujita.[12] The game will also allow players to switch to the soundtracks from Streets of Rage and Streets of Rage 2.[13]

Release

The game was released for Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on 30 April 2020.[13] A limited physical release for the PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch versions by Limited Run Games is available as both a standard edition with reversible box art and a classic edition with a steelbook case and a Genesis-style clam-shell case.[14]

Oasis

Oasis

Oasis were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1991. Developed from an earlier group, the Rain, the band originally consisted of Liam Gallagher (lead vocals, tambourine), Paul Arthurs (guitar), Paul McGuigan (bass guitar), and Tony McCarroll (drums). Upon returning to Manchester, Liam's older brother, Noel Gallagher (lead guitar, vocals) joined as a fifth member, which formed the band's core and settled line-up. During the course of their existence, they had various line-up changes, though the Gallagher brothers remained as the staple members until the group's dissolution.

Oasis signed to independent record label Creation Records in 1993 and released their record-setting debut album Definitely Maybe (1994). The following year the band recorded (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995) with drummer Alan White, in the midst of a chart rivalry with Britpop peers Blur. (What's the Story) Morning Glory? became one of the best-selling albums of all time, selling over 22 million copies worldwide, and the Gallagher brothers were featured regularly in tabloid newspapers for their sibling disputes and wild lifestyles. In 1996, Oasis performed two nights at Knebworth for an audience of 125,000 each night, which were at the time the largest outdoor concerts in UK history. 2.5 million people applied for tickets, which remains the highest demand for a show in British history. In 1997, Oasis released their third album, Be Here Now (1997); although it was the fastest-selling album in UK chart history, and went on to sell 8 million copies, its popularity tapered off quickly.

McGuigan and Arthurs left Oasis in 1999 as the band released Standing on the Shoulder of Giants (2000). They were replaced by former Heavy Stereo guitarist/frontman Gem Archer and former Ride guitarist/frontman Andy Bell, with White also later departing in 2004, replaced by Zak Starkey and later Chris Sharrock as touring members. The band subsequently released 3 more studio albums; Heathen Chemistry (2002), Don't Believe The Truth (2005) and Dig Out Your Soul (2008) to moderate critical and commercial success. However, in August 2009 the band abruptly split up after the departure of Noel. Following the departure of Noel, Liam and the rest of the band decided to continue under the name Beady Eye and Noel formed a solo project, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.[1] Following the disbandment of Beady Eye in 2014, Liam began a solo career with Arthurs occasionally joining him on tour, Bell reunited with former band Ride, while Archer and Sharrock became members of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.

Oasis are among the most successful acts on the UK Singles Chart and Albums Chart.[2][3][4] They have had eight UK number-one singles and eight UK number-one albums. They have won 17 NME Awards, nine Q Awards, four MTV Europe Music Awards and six Brit Awards, including one in 2007 for Outstanding Contribution to Music and one for the Best Album of the Last 30 Years (for (What's the Story) Morning Glory?), and been nominated for two Grammy Awards.[5] (What's the Story) Morning Glory? is the UK's fifth best-selling album, and was the UK's biggest-selling album of the 1990s. As of 2009, Oasis have sold over 75 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling bands of all time

History

1991–1993: Formation and early years 

Oasis evolved from an earlier group, the Rain, composed of bassist Paul McGuigan, guitarist Paul Arthurs, drummer Tony McCarroll and Chris Hutton on vocals. Unsatisfied with Hutton, Arthurs invited and auditioned acquaintance Liam Gallagher as a replacement. Liam suggested that the band name be changed to Oasis, inspired by an Inspiral Carpets tour poster in the Gallagher brothers' bedroom which listed the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon as a venue.[7]

Oasis played their first gig on 18 August 1991 at the Boardwalk club in Manchester. Liam's brother Noel Gallagher, a roadie for Inspiral Carpets, went with the band to watch his younger brother's band play. Whilst Noel and his friends did not think Oasis sounded particularly spectacular, he began to consider the possibility of using his brother's group as a possible outlet for a series of songs he had been writing for several years. Noel approached the group about joining with the proviso that he would become the band's sole songwriter and leader, and that they would commit to an earnest pursuit of commercial success. "He had loads of stuff written," Arthurs recalled. "When he walked in, we were a band making a racket with four tunes. All of a sudden, there were loads of ideas."[8] Under Noel, Oasis crafted a musical approach that relied on simplicity: with Arthurs and McGuigan restricted to playing barre chords and root bass notes, McCarroll playing basic rhythms, and the band's amplifiers turned up to create distortion, Oasis created a sound "so devoid of finesse and complexity that it came out sounding pretty much unstoppable."[9]

1993–1995: Breakthrough with Definitely Maybe

After over a year of live shows, rehearsals and a recording of a demo, the Live Demonstration tape, Oasis's big break came in May 1993 when they were spotted by Creation Records co-owner Alan McGee. Oasis were invited to play a gig at King Tut's Wah Wah Hut club in Glasgow, Scotland, by Sister Lovers, who shared their rehearsal rooms. Oasis, along with a group of friends, hired a van and made the journey to Glasgow. When they arrived, they were refused entry as they were not on that night's set list; the band and McGee have given contradicting statements about how they managed to get into the club.[10] They were given the opening slot and impressed McGee, who was there to see 18 Wheeler, one of his own bands. McGee offered them a recording contract; however, they did not sign until several months later.[11] Due to problems securing an American contract, Oasis signed a worldwide contract with Sony, which in turn licensed Oasis to Creation in the UK.[12] Following a limited white label release of the demo of their song "Columbia", Oasis went on a UK tour to promote the release of their first single, "Supersonic", playing venues such as the Tunbridge Wells Forum, a converted public toilet. Supersonic was released in April 1994, reaching number 31 in the charts.[13] The release was followed by "Shakermaker", which became the subject of a plagiarism suit, with Oasis paying $500,000 in damages. Their third single, "Live Forever", was their first to enter the top ten of the UK charts. After troubled recording and mixing sessions, Oasis's debut album, Definitely Maybe, was released on 29 August 1994, entering the charts at number one within a week of its release, and at the time becoming the fastest selling debut album in the UK.[14]

Nearly a year of constant live performances and recordings, along with a hedonistic lifestyle, were taking their toll on the band. This behaviour culminated during a gig in Los Angeles in September 1994, leading to an inept performance by Liam during which he made offensive remarks about American audiences and hit Noel with a tambourine.[15] The incident upset Noel to such an extent he temporarily quit the band and flew to San Francisco (it was from this incident the song "Talk Tonight" was written). He was tracked down by Creation's Tim Abbot and they made a trip to Las Vegas. Once there, the elder Gallagher was persuaded to continue with the band. He reconciled with Liam and the tour resumed in Minneapolis.[16] The group followed up with the fourth single from Definitely Maybe, "Cigarettes & Alcohol", and the Christmas single "Whatever", issued in December 1994 which entered the British charts at number three.[17]

1995–1996: (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, international success, and peak popularity

Oasis had their first UK number one single in April 1995 with "Some Might Say". At the same time, drummer Tony McCarroll was ousted from the band. McCarroll said, on leaving Oasis, that he was "unlawfully expelled from the partnership" for what he called a "personality clash" with the brothers. The Gallaghers, on the other hand, doubted McCarroll's musical ability, with Noel saying: "I like Tony as a geezer but he wouldn't have been able to drum the new songs".[18][19] McCarroll was replaced by Alan White, formerly of Starclub and younger brother of renowned studio percussionist Steve White and recommended to Noel by Paul Weller. White made his debut for the band at a Top of the Pops performance of "Some Might Say". Oasis began recording material for their second album in May of that year in Rockfield Studios near Monmouth.[20] The band, by this point, had recorded the concert that would see release in August as Live by the Sea.

During this period, the British press seized upon a supposed rivalry between Oasis and Britpop band Blur. Previously, Oasis did not associate themselves with the Britpop movement and were not invited to perform on the BBC's Britpop Now programme introduced by Blur singer Damon Albarn. On 14 August 1995, Blur and Oasis released singles on the same day, setting up the "Battle of Britpop" that dominated the national news.[21] Blur's "Country House" outsold Oasis' "Roll with It" 274,000 copies to 216,000 during the week.[22] Oasis' management came up with several reasons for this, claiming "Country House" sold more because it was less expensive (£1.99 vs £3.99) and because there were two versions of "Country House" with different B-sides, forcing serious fans to buy two copies.[23] An alternative explanation given at the time by Creation was that there were problems associated with the barcode on the "Roll with It" single case, which did not record all sales.[24] Noel Gallagher told The Observer in September that he hoped members of Blur would "catch AIDS and die", which caused a media furore.[25] He apologised in a formal letter to various publications.[26]

McGuigan briefly left the band in September 1995, citing nervous exhaustion. He was replaced by Scott McLeod, formerly of the Ya Ya's, who was featured on some of the tour dates as well as in the "Wonderwall" video before leaving abruptly while on tour in the US. McLeod contacted Noel Gallagher claiming he felt he had made the wrong decision. Gallagher replied: "I think you have too. Good luck signing on".[27] To complete the tour, McGuigan was persuaded to return to the band.

Although a softer sound initially led to mixed reviews, Oasis' second album, (What's the Story) Morning Glory? was a worldwide commercial success, selling over four million copies and becoming the fifth-best-selling album in UK chart history.[28] By 2008, it had sold up to 22 million units in the world, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time.[29] The album spawned two further hit singles, "Wonderwall" and "Don't Look Back in Anger", which reached numbers two and one respectively. It also contained the non-UK single "Champagne Supernova", which featured guitar and backing vocals by Paul Weller and received widespread critical acclaim. The song reached number one on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. In November 1995, Oasis played on back-to-back nights at Earls Court in London, the biggest ever indoor gigs in Europe at the time.

On 27 and 28 April 1996, the group played their first headline outdoor concerts, at Maine Road football stadium, home of Manchester City F.C., of whom the Gallagher brothers have been fans since childhood.[31] Highlights from the second night featured on the video ...There and Then, released later the same year (along with footage from their Earls Court gigs). As their career reached its zenith, Oasis performed to 80,000 people over two nights at Balloch Country Park at Loch Lomond in Scotland on 3 and 4 August, before back-to-back concerts at Knebworth House on 10 and 11 August. The band sold out both shows within minutes. The audience of 125,000 people each night (2.5 million people applied for tickets, and 250,000 were actually sold, meaning the possibility of 20 sold out nights) was a record-breaking number for an outdoor concert held in the UK and remains the largest demand for a show in British history.[32][33]

Oasis were due to record an episode of MTV Unplugged at the Royal Festival Hall but Liam pulled out, citing a sore throat. He watched the performance from a balcony with beer and cigarettes, heckling Noel's singing between songs.[34] Four days later the group left for a tour of American arenas but Liam refused to go; the band decided to continue the tour with Noel on vocals.[35] Liam rejoined the tour on 30 August and on 4 September 1996, Oasis performed "Champagne Supernova" at the 1996 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.[36] Liam made gestures at Noel during his guitar solo, then spat beer all over the stage before storming off.[36] A few weeks later Noel flew home without the band, who followed on another flight.[37] This event prompted media speculation that the group were splitting up. The brothers soon reconciled and decided to complete the tour.[38]

1996–1999: Be Here Now and The Masterplan

Captain Tom

Captain Tom

Thomas Moore (born 30 April 1920), popularly known as Captain Tom, is a former British Army officer known for his efforts to raise money for charity in the run-up to his 100th birthday during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

Moore served in India and the Burma campaign during the Second World War. He later became an instructor in armoured warfare. After the war, he worked as managing director of a concrete company and was an avid motorcycle racer.

On 6 April 2020, at the age of 99, he began to walk around his garden in aid of NHS Charities Together during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the goal of raising £1,000 by his hundredth birthday. On the morning of his birthday the total he raised passed £30 million, which later increased to over £32.1 million. In doing so, he made many media appearances and became a popular household name in the United Kingdom, generating much interest in his life story, and earned a number of accolades. Soon after the walk, he featured in a cover version of the song "You'll Never Walk Alone", with proceeds going to the same charity. The single topped the UK music charts and made him the oldest person to achieve a UK number one.

His 100th birthday was marked in a number of ways, including a flypast by the Royal Air Force. He received over 150,000 cards, and was appointed as honorary colonel of the Army Foundation College.

Early life and family

Moore was born in Keighley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, on 30 April 1920 and grew up in the town. His father, Wilfred, was one of a family of builders.[1][2][3] He was educated at Keighley Grammar School and completed an apprenticeship in civil engineering.[4]

Military service

Moore enlisted in the 8th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's Regiment (8 DWR) at the beginning of the Second World War, stationed in Cornwall.[1] He was selected for officer training in 1940,[4] and attended an Officer Cadet Training Unit before being commissioned as a second lieutenant on 28 June 1941.[5]

On 22 October 1941, Moore became a member of the Royal Armoured Corps. This was because the 8 DWR became an armoured unit designated as the 145th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps.[6][4] Later, he was transferred to the 9th Battalion (9 DWR) in India, which had also been redesignated as the 146th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps. He was initially posted to Bombay (now Mumbai) and subsequently to Calcutta (now Kolkata).[1] His regiment were equipped with M3 Lee tanks and participated in the Battle of Ramree Island.[7] He was promoted to war-substantive lieutenant on 1 October 1942 and to temporary captain on 11 October 1944.[8]

He served in Arakan in western Burma (now Myanmar) and afterward in Sumatra after the Japanese surrender,[4][9] by which time he had risen to the rank of captain.[4][9] On his return to Britain, he served as an instructor at the Armoured Fighting Vehicle School in Bovington, Dorset.

Career and hobbies

After leaving the army, he worked as managing director of a Fens-based company manufacturing concrete,[12] Cawood Concrete Products Ltd, which was renamed March Concrete Products Ltd. after he led a management buyout in 1983.[13] The company was sold to ARC in 1987.[13]

For 64 years, he organised the DWR's annual reunion.[1]

Moore raced motorcycles competitively, wearing the number 23.[14] He rode a Scott motorcycle, winning several trophies.[1]

On Christmas Day 1983 he was a contestant on the BBC Television game show Blankety Blank.[15]

Tom's 100th Birthday Walk

On 6 April 2020, with his hundredth birthday approaching, Moore began a fundraising campaign to raise money for NHS Charities Together, a group of charities supporting staff and volunteers caring for COVID-19 patients in the British public health services during the COVID-19 pandemic. He aimed to complete one hundred 25 m (27 yd) laps of his garden, ten laps per day, with the help of a walking frame, branding the endeavour "Tom's 100th Birthday Walk For The NHS".[12][16][17]

The initial £1,000 goal having been realised on 10 April, the target was increased, first to £5,000,[18] and eventually to £500,000 as more people around the world became involved.[19] Fund-raising soared exponentially when the British media publicised the endeavour. Moore, who joined Twitter in the same month, used the site to express joy over accumulating such a staggering amount of money for the NHS.[20]

On the morning of his birthday he had raised £30 million[21] The JustGiving page for his walk reports that, as of 17:45 April, he had raised in excess of £32.1 million,[22] the largest-ever amount raised by a JustGiving campaign,[23][24] beating the previous record of £5.2 million raised (partially posthumously) by Stephen Sutton.[25][26] More than 1.4 million individuals have donated.[22]

Funds raised by Moore are being spent on such things as well-being packs for National Health Service staff facilitating rest and recuperation rooms, devices to enable hospital patients to keep in contact with family members, and community groups who support patients once discharged from hospitals.[9][27]

He achieved his initial target of one hundred laps on the morning of 16 April, watched at a safe distance by a guard of honour from the 1st Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment,[28] into which the DWR were merged in 2006.[29] He has said he will not stop, and aims to do a second hundred.[9]

On reaching the £5 million mark, Moore explained his motivation:[30]

When we started off with this exercise we didn't anticipate we'd get anything near that sort of money. It's really amazing. All of them, from top to bottom, in the National Health Service, they deserve everything that we can possibly put in their place. They're all so brave. Because every morning or every night they're putting themselves into harm's way, and I think you've got to give them full marks for that effort. We're a little bit like having a war at the moment. But the doctors and the nurses, they're all on the front line, and all of us behind, we've got to supply them and keep them going with everything that they need, so that they can do their jobs even better than they're doing now.

Moore's JustGiving fundraising page is due to close at the end of his birthday, at midnight UK time, but he is encouraging people to donate to the NHS Charities Together's urgent appeal instead.[31]

Number one single

To mark Moore's 100th lap, the singer Michael Ball sang "You'll Never Walk Alone" for him live on BBC Breakfast.[32] Within 24 hours,[33] the performance was made into a digital single featuring the NHS Voices of Care Choir, and Moore's spoken words.[32] Released by Decca Records,[34] on 17 April, with all proceeds going to NHS Charities Together, the recording went straight to number one in the United Kingdom's "The Official Big Top 40" chart. It sold almost 36,000 copies in its first 48 hours,[35] and was "biggest trending song" as measured by the Official Charts Company.[34] On 24 April, it became No. 1 in the weekly "Official" UK Singles Chart, making Moore the oldest person to achieve that position and meaning that he is at No. 1 on his 100th birthday.[36]

Moore's bid to reach No. 1 was boosted when his leading competitor, the then-current No. 1, The Weeknd, used Twitter to ask people to support Moore and make him No. 1 for his 100th birthday.[37][38]

Recognition

Moore has given over 50 media interviews.[39]

On 16 April, after Moore's 100th lap, a UK Government spokesman said:[40]

The Prime Minister will certainly be looking at ways to recognise Tom's heroic efforts.

By 20 April, more than 800,000 people had signed a petition calling for Moore to be knighted.[41]

Brigadier Andrew Jackson, Colonel of the Yorkshire Regiment, described Moore as:[42]

... an absolute legend [from] an exceptional generation that are still an inspiration for our Yorkshire soldiers today.

Moore was guest of honour at, via a video link, and opened, the NHS Nightingale Hospital Yorkshire and the Humber, in Harrogate, on 21 April.[42][43]

On 23 April, he was given a Pride of Britain award in recognition of his efforts, after "thousands of nominations" were received.[44][45] He was appointed the first Honorary Colonel of the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, Yorkshire, a training centre for soldiers under 18, on his 100th birthday.[46][47] He also received the Yorkshire Regiment Medal for his "outstanding contribution to our military effectiveness and military reputation".[11]

Keighley Town Council stated that they will grant Moore the Freedom of Keighley,[48][49] and the City of London said it would also grant him their freedom.[50]

A number of artists have painted portraits of Moore; some said they would gift the paintings to him.[51] Others depicted him in murals, including examples in Cambourne,[52] Tamworth,[53] and Thetford.[54] UK television channel ITV have commissioned a 30-minute documentary, Captain Tom's War, about his military career.[55] It is scheduled to be screened on 8 May.[55]

Guinness World Records

Moore holds two Guinness World Records: as the fundraiser raising the greatest amount of money in an individual charity walk, and as the oldest person to have a number-one single on the UK charts.[56]

100th birthday

Over a week before Moore's 100th birthday, so many cards had been sent to him that Royal Mail had had to introduce dedicated sorting facilities and around 20 volunteers were recruited to open and display them, at the local Bedford School.[57][58] By his birthday over 150,000 cards had been received

Royal Mail announced that all stamped post between 26 April and 1 May will be postmarked "Happy 100th Birthday Captain Thomas Moore NHS fundraising hero 30th April 2020". Royal Mail also celebrated his birthday by painting a postbox, near his home, blue, with a golden balloon and inscription on the side

On the morning of his birthday, a Hawker Hurricane and a Spitfire from the Royal Air Force's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight performed a flypast over Moore's house.[50]

Michael Ball appeared live on BBC Breakfast to sing "Happy Birthday to You" to Moore.[50] Birthday congratulations were also made by the likes of Boris Johnson, Harry Kane and Prince Charles.[61]

Instead of the standard 100th birthday message from Queen Elizabeth II, he received a personalised card, presented in person by the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Helen Nellis.[62]

Namesakes

The Keighley Bus Company named one of their Optare Versa buses Captain Tom Moore on 20 April, and reprogrammed the electronic displays to show a "Thank You Captain Tom" message intermittently in between the vehicle's route and destination. A plaque inside the bus gives further information of Moore's life and fundraising.[63] Other buses in the town, and across parent company Transdev Blazefield, displayed an intermittent "Thank You NHS" message. Alex Hornby, chief executive of Transdev Blazefield, described the vehicle as the "pride of the fleet" in dedication to Moore, thanking him for his fundraising efforts.[64] On 25 April, bus company Stagecoach East, which runs services in Bedford where Moore now lives, named one of their Alexander Dennis Enviro400 MMC double-decker buses Captain Tom Moore

الدوري الفرنسي

الدوري الفرنسي

الدوري الفرنسي الدرجة الأولى (بالفرنسية: Championnat de France de football)‏ أو (بالفرنسية: Ligue 1)‏ هو مسابقة الدوري لأندية كرة القدم المحترفة في فرنسا وقد تأسس بنظامه الحالي عام 2002 ويعدّ أحد دوريات النخبة على مستوى العالم. ينطلق الدوري الفرنسي في شهر أغسطس وينتهي في شهر مايو، ويتكون من 20 ناديًا، يلعب كل نادي منهم 38 مباراة، ليصبح المجموع 380 مباراة في الموسم الواحد، تلعب معظم المباريات يومي السبت و‌الأحد[؟]، ولكن تلعب عدد قليل من المباريات خلال أمسيات منتصف الأسبوع.

بدأ الدوري الفرنسي الدرجة الأولى في موسم 1932–33، وفاز بذلك الموسم نادي ليل. واستمر الدوري حتى عام 1939. حيث توقف بسبب الحرب العالمية الثانية ثم عاد في عام 1945 بعد انتهاء الحرب وفاز به نادي ليل وهو مستمر حتى الآن. يعدّ نادي سانت إتيان الأكثر فوزًا باللقب بواقع 10 ألقاب، ويليه نادي أولمبيك مارسيليا بـ9 ألقاب٫ بينما البطل الحالي هو باريس سان جيرمان سابع لقب

مصر للطيران

مصر للطيران

مصر للطيران (رسمياً: شركة مصر للطيران للخطوط الجوية) هي شركة الطيران الوطنية المصرية، وإحدى فروع الشركة القابضة لمصر للطيران الذي تقدم من خلاله خدمات نقل الركاب التجارية. يقع مقرها الرئيسي في العاصمة المصرية القاهرة، وتتخذ من مطار القاهرة الدولي مركزاً لعملياتها، تمتلكها الحكومة المصرية بالكامل، وتقدم خدماتها إلى أكثر 80 وجهة في شتى أنحاء أوروبا، أفريقيا، الشرق الأوسط، آسيا، الولايات المتحدة وأستراليا. تعتبر مصر للطيران أول شركة طيران تشغل خطوط جوية في الشرق الأوسط، والسابعة على مستوى العالم، ويعمل في مصر للطيران حوالي 25000 موظف ما بين عمالة مثبتة أو بعقود سنوية أو عمالة يومية، تقدم شركة مصر للطيران للخدمات الأرضية التابعة للشركة القابضة لمصر للطيران الخدمات الأرضية واللوجستية في مطار القاهرة الدولي ومختلف المطارات المصرية، تعد مصر للطيران هي أحد أعضاء الإتحاد العربي للنقل الجوي، وانضمت إلى تحالف ستار أكبر تحالف طيران في العالم في يوليو 2008. تعتبر مصر للطيران ثاني أكبر ناقل جوي إفريقي بعد خطوط جنوب أفريقيا الجوية، وحصلت مصر للطيران على جائزة أفضل شركة طيران في قارة أفريقيا للعام 2009 في إطار فعاليات المؤتمر الدولي للاستثمار السياحي الذي أقيم بدولة موزمبيق، وقد كانت إجمالي إيرادات الشركة في العام المالي 2000 حوالي مليار دولار مع أرباح وصلت إلي 35 مليون دولار، وحققت فائضاً في العام المالي 2007-2008 حوالي 596 مليون جنيه.

نبذة تاريخية

طائرة جوية تابعة لشركة الطيران العربية المتحدة (مصر للطيران) عام 1963م

أول من دعا إلى إنشاء شركة طيران وطنية كان كمال علوى الرجل الذي سافر إلى باريس وتعلم الطيران، وبعد الكثير من الدراسات والمباحثات أتفق على تكوين الشركة. وفي يومي 23 و25 أبريل 1932 تم تأسيس الشركة بالتصديق على العقد الابتدائي. الشركة أنشأت تحديدا في يوم 7 مايو 1932 بُعد صدور مرسوم ملكي بهذا الخصوص، في بداية الأمر تم تأسيس البنية الأولية للشركة بالتعاون مع شركة "إير وورك" البريطانية (Airwork) تحت مسمى مصر إيروورك (Misr Airwork). وقد كان طلعت حرب الاقتصادي المصري وراء هذا المسمى.

في البداية كان تشغيل الطائرات مقصوراً على الرحلات الخاصة والطائرات المؤجرة، وقد بدأت عملياتها بعد تاريخ الإنشاء بعام واحد وبالتحديد في 30 يونيو 1933 عندما وصلت أول طائرتين جديدتين إلى مطار ألماظة من إنجلترا وكانتا نواة للخطوط المنتظمة. في يوليو 1933 بدأ أول خط منتظم بين القاهرة والإسكندرية وكان الركاب يتجمعون بمكتب مصر للسياحة أمام فندق شبرد بشارع إبراهيم باشا (الجمهورية حالياً) بمنطقة وسط القاهرة حيث تقلهم السيارات بعد ذلك إلى مطار ألماظة.

في 15 فبراير 1934 بدأت الشركة في مد الشبكة الجوية إلي خارج الحدود وكان أول خط بين القاهرة وفلسطين. بعد ثلاث سنوات من إنشاء الشركة تقرر تجديد الأسطول بشراء عدد 7 طائرات دفعة واحدة وكانت عبارة عن خمس طائرات من طراز دى هافيلاند 89 المعروفة باسم "رابيد"، طائرتان من طراز دي هافيلاند 89 المعروفة باسم "اكسبريس". وفي عام 1936 كانت الشركة هي أول شركة طيران في العالم تهبط في المدينة المنورة بالسعودية.

خلال الحرب العالمية الثانية تولت الحكومة المصرية إدارة الشركة، وفي عام 1948 كان لابد من توفير الخدمة للمسافرين ومن هنا ظهرت المضيفات لأول مرة على طائرات مصر للطيران. في عام 1949 تم تغيير اسم الشركة إلي مصر للطيران (Misr Air)، وفي يناير سنة 1961 انضوت شركة مصر للطيران والسورية للطيران تحت لواء شركة جديدة هي الخطوط الجوية العربية وكان ذلك نتيجة للوحدة السياسة التي قامت بين مصر وسوريا آنذاك. ظلت مصر للطيران تحمل اسم شركة الطيران العربية المتحدة United Arab Airlines حتى أكتوبر 1971 إلي أن تم تغيير اسمها إلي مصر للطيران (Egypt Air). في العام 2002 تم إعادة هيكلة الشركة وتحويلها من مؤسسة حكومية إلى شركة قابضة باسم مصر للطيران القابضة وتسعة شركات تابعة لها، وذلك لتحسين الكفاءة الخدمية والربحية.

الشعار

في 16 أكتوبر 2007 تم إعلان قبول مصر للطيران في تحالف ستار، وانضمت مصر للطيران رسمياً في تحالف ستار للطيران في يوليو 2008، وبهذا تكون مصر للطيران أول شركة طيران عربية تنضم إلى هذا التحالف العالمي، وعلى هذا الأساس تم طلاء ثلاث طائرات من أسطول الشركة بشعار التحالف وهي:

إيرباص A330-200، تسجيل الطائرة: SU-GCK

بوينغ 777-200، تسجيل الطائرة: SU-GBR

بوينغ 737-800، تسجيل الطائرة: SU-GCS

تم تغيير شعار مصر للطيران القديم بشعار آخر جديد يعكس الهوية المصرية المتمثلة في "حورس" متطلعا إلى المستقبل، وتم كتابة "EgyptAir" على هيكل الطائرة، وكتابة "مصر للطيران" على محركات الطائرة، وتم إضافة شعار إعلاني جديد للشركة وهو "استمتع بالسما".

ماثيو بيري

ماثيو بيري

ماثيو بيري (بالإنجليزية: Matthew Perry)‏، ممثل أميركي ولد يوم 19 أغسطس 1969، في مدينة وليمستون في ماساتشوستس، شمال، وانتقل والده إلى أوتاوا، أنتاريو، لذا فهو يحمل الجنسيتين الكندية، والإمريكية، وهو ابن للممثل الإمريكي جون بينت بيري.

يلعب بيری التنس منذ ان كان في الخامسة عشر، يمتلك قط اسمه سامي. قام بدور (تشاندلر بينج) في فريندز، ويعتبر الأصغر بينهم. مثل والده معه في فيلم Fools rush in في دور والده كما ظهر في حلقة من مسلسل فريندز في دور والد جاشوا أحد اصدقاء ريتشل. تعرض على مدار حياته للكثير من الحوادث اولها عندما فقد جزء من أصبعه الأوسط من يده اليمنى وهو صغير، يقال ان باب قُفل على اصبعه بشدة وهو في فترة الحضانة. عام 2000 اصطدم بسيارته الـ بي. إم. دبليو برواق أحد المنازل - يمكنك ملاحظة الاثر الذي تركه هذا الحادث على جبهته. كما أنه اصيب أثناء ممارسته للعبة الراكت في وجهه - يمكنك مشاهدة اثر هذا الحادث على ذقنه، ستجد انه مختلفا عما كان. كان يعانى من آلام في فمه بسبب ضرس العقل ،افرط في استخدام المسكنات مما أدى إلى ادمانها.

حياته

وُلد بيري في ويليامزتاون، ماساتشوستس في 19 أغسطس 1969. والدته سوزان ماري موريسون (لانغفورد قبل الزواج)، صحفية كندية وسكرتيرة صحفية سابقة لرئيس الوزراء الكندي بيير ترودو. والده جون بينيت بيري (من مواليد 1941)، وهو ممثل أمريكي وعارض أزياء سابق. تطلق والداه قبل عيد ميلاده الأول وتزوجت والدته بعد ذلك الصحفي كيث موريسون. ترعرع ماثيو لدى والدته في أوتاوا، أونتاريو، والتحق بمدرسة ويست كارلتون الثانوية وكلية آشبوري. أبدى خلال نشأته اهتمامًا بالتنس واحتل المراتب الأولى للاعبين الصغار.

مسيرته المهنية

عندما كان عمره 15 عامًا، انتقل بيري من أوتاوا إلى لوس أنجلوس لمتابعة التمثيل، وارتاد مدرسة باكلي في شيرمان أوكس، وتخرج عام 1987. تابع في مجال كوميديا الارتجال ضمن لوس أنجلوس في شيرمان أوكس خلال دراسته الثانوية. استمر من خلال لعب دور تشاز راسل في المسلسل التلفزيوني سيكند تشانس. بعد 13 حلقة، أصبح سيكند تشانس «بويز ويل بي بويز» مع تركيز الحبكات بشكل أكبر على مغامرات تشاز ورفاقه المراهقين. بعد إصدار أول موسم من المسلسل، بقي بيري في لوس أنجلوس وقام بأول ظهور له على الشاشة في فيلم من إنتاج عام 1988 باسم ليلة من حياة جيمي. ريردون. في عام 1989، مثل بيري في ثلاث حلقات من مسلسل آلام النمو (غرووينغ بينز) بدور حبيب كارول سيفر الذي مات نتيجة حادث سير بسبب قيادته ثملًا. وفي خضم العديد من أدواره على شاشة التلفاز كضيف، كان بيري أحد أفراد الطاقم التمثيلي في مسلسل كوميدي من إنتاج سي بي إس عام 1990 باسم سيدني، إذ لعب دور الأخ الأصغر لشخصية فاليري بيرتينيلي. في عام 1991، ظهر ضيفًا في مسلسل بيفرلي هيلز، 90201 بدور روجر أزريان. نال بيري دوره التلفزيوني التالي في مسلسل إيه بي سي الكوميدي هوم فري الذي بُثت منه 11 حلقة فقط في ربيع عام 1993، وتلا ذلك ظهوره في الحلقة التجريبية من المسلسل الكوميدي إل إيه إكس 2194.

حاول تأمين تجربة أداء للحلقة التجريبية لـ سكس أوف ون، الذي سيُعرف لاحقًا باسم فريندز لمارتا كوفمان وديفيد كرين اللذين عمل معهما في دريم أون. مع ذلك، ونظرًا إلى التزاماته السابقة مع إل إيه إكس 2194، لم يُؤخذ بعين الاعتبار لتجربة الأداء في البداية. ولكن عندما أُتيح له المجال في النهاية لقراءة الدور، نال دور تشاندلر بينغ.

حقق فريندز نجاحًا هائلًا، ونال بيري وزملاؤه المشاركون شهرة واسعة بين مشاهدي التلفزيون. حصل من خلال هذا البرنامج على ترشيح لجائزة إيمي عام 2002 كأفضل ممثل بارز في مسلسل كوميدي، إلى جانب مات لوبلانك، ولكن خسر كلاهما أمام راي رومانو. ظهر بيري في أفلام مثل فولز رش إن (إلى جانب الأب جون بينيت بيري وسلمى حايك)، و أولموست هيروز، و ثري تو تانغو، و ذا هول ناين ياردز (إلى جانب بروس ويليس) وتتمته ذا هول تين ياردز، و سيرفينغ سارة.

كان ماثيو بيري مشهورًا في البداية بأدواره الكوميدية، إلا أنه حقق نجاحًا في مجال الدراما أيضًا، إذ أدى دور مستشار البيت الأبيض المساعد جو كوينسي في مسلسل لآرون سوركن باسم الجناج الغربي (ذا ويست وينغ). حصّل له ظهوره الثلاثي (مرتان في الموسم الرابع ومرة في الموسم الخامس) ترشيحين لجائزة إيمي لأفضل ممثل ضيف في مسلسل درامي لعامَي 2003 و2004.

بعد اختتام مسلسل فريندز، ظهر بيري لأول مرة في مسلسل الدراما الكوميدية الأمريكي سكربز الذي كان فيه ضيفًا بدور «موراي ماركس»، مدير لفريق حركة المرور في مطار صغير. يُطلب من موراي في هذا الدور التبرع بكليته لوالده غريغوري (الذي لعب دوره والد ماثيو بيري الحقيقي).

أدى دور البطولة في فيلم من إنتاج تي إن تي بعنوان ذا رون كلارك ستوري المعروف باسم «الانتصار» الذي عُرض لأول مرة في 13 أغسطس عام 2006. لعب بيري دور مدرّس في بلدة صغيرة اسمه رون كلارك والذي نُقل ليصبح مدرّسًا لأكثر الصفوف صعوبةً. ترشح بيري لجائزة غولدن غلوب وأيضًا لجائزة إيمي لأدائه.

في الفترة بين عامي 2006 و2007، ظهر بيري في فيلم دراما لآرون سوركن استديو 60 أون ذا سنسيت تريب. كانت شخصية بيري تعتمد إلى حد كبير على تجارب سوركن الشخصية وخاصةً في التلفزيون. 

في عام 2006، بدأ بتصوير فيلم نمب الذي تدور أحداثه حول رجل يعاني من اضطراب تبدد الشخصية. تأجل تاريخ عرض الفيلم عدة مرات، ولكن أُصدر أخيرًا على قرص دي في دي في 13 مايو عام 2008. ظهر أيضًا في فيلم سيكشوال بيرفيرسيتي إن شيكاغو لديفيد ماميت في لندن. في عام 2009، لعب دور البطولة في فيلم 17 مرة أخرى (17 أغين) بدور مايك أودونيل الكبير. 

حياته الشخصية

واعد بيري ياسمين بليث عام 1995، وجوليا روبرتس من عام 1995 إلى عام 1996، وليزي كابلان من عام 2006 إلى عام 2012. شارك بيري في برنامج مدته 28 يوم عام 1997 بسبب إدمانه على الفيكودين. تذبذب وزنه بشكل كبير على مدى السنوات القليلة المقبلة وانخفض دفعة واحدة إلى 145 رطلًا (66 كيلوغرام). فقد 20 رطلًا (9.1 كيلوغرام) في عام 2000 بسبب التهاب البنكرياس. دخل مجددًا إلى مصح إعادة التأهيل في فبراير 2001 بسبب إدمانه على الفيكودين والميثادون والأمفيتامينات والكحول مجددًا. كان يصور سيرفينغ سارة في تكساس عندما شعر بآلام شديدة في المعدة، وتوجه إلى لوس أنجلوس إلى مستشفى دانييل فريمان في مارينا ديل ريس. أكدت وكيلة بيري الإعلامية ليزا كاستلير أنه يقيم في مصح إعادة التأهيل. أفصح بيري في ما بعد أنه، وبسبب مشاكله الإدمانية، لا يتذكر ثلاث سنوات من الفترة التي قضاها بالتمثيل في فريندز، وذلك في وقت ما بين الموسمين الثالث والسادس.