Across:
8 Twelfth night (Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night = PLAY-) in hospital (-ER) (PLAYER) and presumably can’t wait to get into theatre? (PLAYER),
9 Despatches (FORWARDS) what are in 24 across (FORWARDS are in “team”),
10 Contemplates (muses) losing the head (m) (“muses” without “m” = USES) with exercises (USES),
11 Has a chance of making 24 across (PROSPECT- of making “team”) or (-OR) (PROSPECTOR) might just be a gold-digger (PROSPECTOR),
12 No port (no port = PRONTO) in a storm (= anagram indicator) now! (PRONTO),
14 Guess (ESTIMATE) this is what the builder is capable of coming up with (ESTIMATE),
15 Most of those (s) in 9 across (“forwards” without “s” = FORWARD -) and 25 across (“thinking” = -THINKING) (FORWARD-THINKING) working at the fortune telling (FORWARD-THINKING),
18 Publicity act (STUNT) leads to Moscow’s espionage network (leads to “Moscow’s espionage network” = -MEN) (STUNTMEN) of fall guys? (STUNTMEN),
20 For a man of the cloth (TARTAN), gold is missing from grand total (“gold” is missing from “grand total” = rantta = TARTAN),
22 Grinds (MILLS-) for 24 across (“team” = -T-EAM) covers arithmetic (“arithmetic /’ritmetic” from the 3Rs = -R-) (MILLSTREAM) for those who want to work in the current environment (current/watery environment = MILLSTREAM),
24 Side (TEAM) with characters to repudiate a movement (characters to “repudiate a movement” = TEAM),
25 Coming up with the idea (THINKING) to water down (THIN-) one of those in The Palace (-KING) (THINKING),
26 Nervous (= anagram indicator) yatter (yatter = TREATY) follows a conflict (TREATY).
Down:
1 College (C-) failure (-LOSER) (CLOSER) is like 17 down (intimate) only more so (more “intimate” = CLOSER),
2 Keeps under surveillance (EYES) parts of the Hawkeye State (parts of the “Hawkeye State” = EYES),
3 One of the things actors have to go through secretly (TRAPDOOR) in role (part = TRAP-) reversal (= reversal indicator) at The Gate? (-DOOR) (TRAPDOOR),
4 Segment of Meatloaf rocks (segment of “Meatloaf rocks” = AFRO) and is a cut above the rest perhaps (AFRO),
5 Pharmacist has no cash (“pharmacist” has no “cash” = parmit = ARMPIT) traditionally for keeping a tight hold on what’s been published (a tight hold on the newspaper under ARMPIT),
6 Maguire and Paterson (MATCHMAKER) working at Lisdoonvarna festival (MATCHMAKER),
7 Monet (Monet = E-MONT-) travelled (= anagram indicator) around Dublin (-D-), Ohio (-O-), going north (-N) (EDMONTON) to part of Alberta, Canada (capital of Alberta = EDMONTON),
13 Rear (rear/end) Southdown (end of “southdown” = N-) sheep (ewe = -EW E-), initially native (initially “native” = -N-) to good (-G-) ground (-LAND) (NEW ENGLAND) in some American states (NEW ENGLAND states),
14 Taken in (EATEN) by Eton (“Eton” = “EATEN”) saying (= homophone indicator),
16 Completely (OUTRIGHT) on the wing presumably (OUT RIGHT),
17 Closely acquainted (INTIMATE) with popular (IN-) occasion (TIM-E) going to a (-A-) top table (top “table” = -T-) (INTIMATE),
19 Maximillian (MA-X) admits taking refuge in capital’s (“taking refuge in” capitals = -TRI-) (MATRIX) Square associated with mathematician (MATRIX),
21 Familiarises themselves (ADAPTS) with Bill (AD-) and Pat (Pat = -APT-) Cook (= anagram indicator) at school (-S) (ADAPTS),
23 Some characters frustrated general (some characters “frustrated general” = EDGE) having the upper hand (having the EDGE),
24 Secures (TIES) building (= anagram indicator) site (site = TIES).