For more than a decade Ramez Galal has been putting celebrities on edge with his comedy prank television show.
Each Ramadan the Egyptian comic returns to the small screen with a new season of his popular show, where famous Arab cultural and sporting personalities are unknowingly roped into pranks designed to elicit a memorable reaction. This year, the series is called Ramez Never Ends and is broadcast nightly on MBC during Ramadan. It features the likes of Egyptian rapper Mohamed Ramadan, actors Ahmed El Sakka and Yasmine Ezz, footballer Mahmoud Kahraba, and former Miss Egypt Amina Shelbaya.
Judging by the first 10 episodes, we can confirm the series is full of prized money shots, with subjects hurling furniture in rage, threatening Galal with violence or simply shaking their head when the penny drops that it was all for a laugh.
While the show is a perennial ratings success, there have been seasons when Galal's pranks have veered towards the nasty and the premise falls flat.
Perhaps in an attempt to cut any losses this year, Ramez Never Ends tries something new, featuring the same two hair-raising scenarios alternatively each night, with different subjects each time.
The set-up
Shooting in Riyadh for the third season running, the two scenarios have a culinary theme with celebrities either invited for a fancy meal up in the air or on the ground.
The former is a dinner-in-the-sky concept, in which the subjects of the pranks indulge in a set menu on a floating platform 150 metres above the ground.
Serving the dishes is Galal, disguised as a stern sushi chef.
Things go awry during the second course when the platform begins to swing precariously from side to side.
Cue the screams from Galal and staff, also in on the joke, which leave the subject fearing they just had their final meal.
In the second scenario the high-profile guest is invited to the launch of a Salt Bae-style Turkish restaurant.
Their meal is interrupted by a rampaging cow — yes, you read it right — that crashes through the windows.
Harried security staff escort the celebrity and Galal — this time disguised as a neurotic chef — into a safe room, which begins to spin around with both occupants literally bouncing off the walls.
The prank pay-off
The biggest problem in Ramez Never Ends is the lack of tension leading up to the action sequences.
In both scenarios, viewers have to sit through the celebrity and hostess interacting with, frankly, meaningless conversation before the spectacle begins.
This is in contrast to previous seasons, when the show dropped sly hints that stirred concern from the guests.
However, if you don't want to sit through the preamble, MBC’s streaming platform Shahid comes in handy, and viewers can simply skip half of the show to get to the good bits, which is always the guests’s reactions when finding out they have been had.
Execution-wise, the safe room is a device that has celebrities like rapper Ramadan and singer Mohamed Fouad genuinely terrified as they careen off the walls, dodging the odd flying piece of furniture.
The normally cool Ramadan didn't see the funny side and chased Galal before hurling a chair at him, and Egyptian actress Ezz was a picture of rage, while Fouad was simply glad to escape the room in one piece.
As always, it is Galal’s endearing pleas for forgiveness and copious amounts of forced hugs that ultimately disarm the guests.
The fact their names often trend regionally on Twitter after each episode is probably another reason why they are, more often than not, OK with being the butt of the joke.
However, while Ramez Never Ends serves up what the audience wants, it ultimately feels like a stale effort.
Ramez Never Ends can be streamed online at shahid.mbc.net
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Porsche Macan T: The Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 265hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,800-4,500rpm
Transmission: 7-speed dual-clutch auto
Speed: 0-100kph in 6.2sec
Top speed: 232kph
Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km
On sale: May or June
Price: From Dh259,900
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Ukraine
Capital: Kiev
Population: 44.13 million
Armed conflict in Donbass
Russia-backed fighters control territory
The biog
Favourite Emirati dish: Fish machboos
Favourite spice: Cumin
Family: mother, three sisters, three brothers and a two-year-old daughter
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
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Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
