Graham Linehan's Conviction for Damaging Trans Activist's Phone Overturned
Father Ted co‑creator Graham Linehan had his criminal‑damage conviction overturned after an appeal court found insufficient evidence that he damaged transgender activist Sophia Brooks' phone. The original November trial had concluded Linehan threw the device in anger, but video presented at the appeal showed only that he grabbed the phone, not its condition. Justice Amanda Tipples ruled the evidence did not prove the phone was damaged by Linehan. The harassment charge on social media was already dismissed.
'Dreams Come True' For Singer Joining Lady Gaga on Devil Wears Prada Soundtrack
American singer‑songwriter Izzy Escobar lands her first major film placement on the *Devil Wears Prada 2* soundtrack, contributing the original track “Evergreen Avenue.” The sequel reunites the original cast and features a star‑studded, female‑led album that includes Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa and Olivia Dean. Escobar was approached...
Missing Oscar Found After Academy Award Winner Blocked From Taking It on Flight
Pavel Talankin, co‑director of the Oscar‑winning documentary *Mr Nobody Against Putin*, was forced to check his Academy Award at JFK after TSA deemed the 13.5‑inch, 8.5‑lb statuette a potential weapon. The Oscar vanished during the flight to Germany but was...
Banksy Confirms He's Behind Statue in Central London
Banksy has confirmed that a new large statue on Waterloo Place in central London is his work. The resin sculpture shows a suited man walking off a plinth while a flag obscures his face, echoing the area’s imperial history. The...
Stephen Fry Sues Tech Conference for up to £100,000 After Falling Off Stage
Sir Stephen Fry, 68, has filed a personal‑injury claim against CogX Festival Ltd and creative agency Blonstein Events Ltd, seeking up to £100,000 (about $125,000) after a two‑metre fall from the stage at the O2 Arena in September 2023. The accident...
'I Call Them Bublé-Bies' - Singer Jokes Population Doubles After His Gigs
Michael Bublé will headline the Belsonic festival in Belfast’s Ormeau Park on July 1, marking his first performance in the city since 2019. The Canadian crooner is part of a summer outdoor tour across the UK and Republic of Ireland, where he...
Billie Eilish Puts Manchester at Centre of New 3D Concert Film
Billie Eilish has teamed with legendary director James Cameron to produce a 3D concert film that captures four nights of her Hit Me Hard And Soft tour at Manchester’s Co‑op Live venue. The project, sparked by a suggestion from Cameron’s...
Billie Eilish Puts Manchester at Centre of New 3D Concert Film
Billie Eilish teamed with legendary director James Cameron to produce a 3‑D concert film captured over four nights at Manchester’s Co‑op Live during her Hit Me Hard And Soft world tour. The project employed new miniature 3‑D cameras to follow Eilish’s high‑energy performance and...
Should I Marry a Murderer? - the Love Story that Uncovered a Killer
Netflix’s three‑part documentary "Should I Marry a Murderer?" recounts the 2017 Scottish homicide in which Alexander “Sandy” McKellar killed charity cyclist Tony Parsons and buried him with his twin brother. Dr. Caroline Muirhead, the killer’s new girlfriend, reported the crime, secretly recorded confessions...
Hot Chocolate Founder and You Sexy Thing Co-Writer Tony Wilson Dies
Tony Wilson, co‑founder and bassist of the soul group Hot Chocolate, died at 89 in his Trinidad home. He co‑wrote the band’s signature hits “You Sexy Thing” and “Emma,” which propelled the group to a 15‑year streak of UK chart...
UK 'Great Place' For Country Music - Tucker Wetmore
U.S. country singer Tucker Wetmore is embarking on his first headline tour outside America, kicking off in Birmingham and later London. He says British crowds are unusually enthusiastic, confirming his belief that the UK is becoming a "great place" for country...
Michael Jackson Biopic Smashes Box Office Record
The Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" opened to a $217 million worldwide haul, the biggest opening weekend ever for a biopic, eclipsing the $124 million debut of "Bohemian Rhapsody" and the $180 million launch of "Oppenheimer." Jaafar Jackson plays his uncle, and the film...
'I Wrote The Cage to Understand My Brother's Addiction'
BBC One’s new five‑part crime drama *The Cage* premieres on 26 April, starring Sheridan Smith and Michael Socha as casino workers caught in a high‑stakes robbery. Writer Tony Schumacher, whose late brother struggled with alcoholism, crafted the story to explore gambling addiction, a...
Noah Kahan Was Crowned a Superstar, and It Messed with His Head
Noah Kahan burst from indie folk darling to arena‑headlining star after his 2022 hit “Stick Season” went viral on TikTok. The sudden fame triggered anxiety and an OCD diagnosis, prompting a month‑long writing hiatus and a switch to Lexapro. He...
Heated Rivalry, The Housemaid and Fourth Wing: TikTok Launches BookTok Bestseller List
TikTok has launched the UK’s first official #BookTok bestseller list, compiled by Media Control and NielsenIQ BookData using sales data and hashtag analysis. The inaugural top‑20 is dominated by romance and romantasy titles, all authored by women, with Chloe Walsh’s *Boys of...
Giant Leaves BBC Show Gladiators After Three Seasons
Jamie Bigg, the former professional bodybuilder and firefighter who appears on BBC’s Gladiators as “Giant,” announced his departure after three seasons. Bigg revealed on Instagram that the decision was driven by a conflict with his personal values, not a voluntary...
Paul Weller on Barbie, Billie Eilish and Being a Granddad
Paul Weller, the 67‑year‑old "Modfather," is releasing "Weller At The BBC Volume 2," a collection of live performances recorded for the BBC between 2008 and 2024. The double‑disc set features his classic hits alongside a cover of Billie Eilish’s Barbie soundtrack song,...
Lost 1968 Morecambe and Wise Episode to Be Broadcast
BBC will air a previously missing episode of the iconic British comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, originally broadcast on 16 September 1968. The episode, one of four thought lost, was recovered from a private collection by the Film is Fabulous! charitable trust...
Sara Cox Replaces Scott Mills on Radio 2 Breakfast Show
BBC Radio 2 announced that Sara Cox will succeed Scott Mills as the flagship breakfast presenter, taking the role in the summer. Cox, who has hosted the station’s teatime slot since 2019, expressed excitement about the move, which makes her the second...
Opera Bosses Credit Pop Star Rosalía for Artform's 'Surge of Support'
Pinterest identified “opera aesthetics” as one of its fastest‑growing trends, noting a 55% rise in searches for opera‑themed dresses over the past year. Meanwhile, the Welsh National Opera (WNO) has been grappling with severe funding cuts that stripped about a...
Sir Anthony Hopkins Turns Town Into 'Hollywood Scene' For New Film
Oscar‑winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins arrived in the north‑Wales town of Dolgellau to shoot his upcoming film A Visit To Grandpa’s, a adaptation of a Dylan Thomas short story. Over three days, roughly 200 residents and tourists gathered to watch the...
Avengers Reassemble and Top Gun Flies Back - Hollywood Studios Preview Their New Movies
Hollywood’s annual CinemaCon in Las Vegas unveiled a blockbuster‑heavy slate, headlined by Disney’s first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday, set for Dec 18, and Paramount’s confirmation of a Top Gun sequel after the original’s $1.5 bn global run. Studios also showcased AI‑driven resurrection of...
Five Authors in the Running for Historical Fiction Prize
The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction has announced a five‑book shortlist, marking the first time all nominees are British authors. The contenders—Jo Harkin's "The Pretender," Alice Jolly's "The Matchbox Girl," Graeme Macrae Burnet's "Benbecula," Rachel Seiffert's "Once the Deed...
Spice Girls' Outfits Go on Show in '90s Exhibition
The Barbican Music Library is hosting a free “Cool Britannia” exhibition that showcases iconic 1996 pop culture artifacts, including the Spice Girls' leopard‑print catsuit and Union Jack platform boots. Curated by former Sun editor Dominic Mohan, the show also features Oasis...
Kanye West Postpones France Gig Following UK Ban
Kanye West announced the postponement of his Marseille concert "until further notice" after the UK government blocked his entry for the Wireless Festival. The Home Office denied his Electronic Travel Authorisation, citing public‑good concerns, and French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez is...
Stormzy's Stab Vest Goes on Display in Landmark Exhibition of Black British Music
The Victoria & Albert Museum’s new V&A East in London has opened "Music Is Black: A British Story," a landmark exhibition tracing 125 years of black British music. Central to the show is Stormzy’s bullet‑proof vest, designed by Banksy, which...
Man Wins €1m Picasso Painting in €100 Charity Raffle
Ari Hodara, a 58‑year‑old engineer, won an original 1941 Pablo Picasso gouache titled *Tête de Femme* valued at over $1.2 million after buying a €100 ($118) raffle ticket. The "1 Picasso for 100 euros" charity raffle sold more than 120,000 tickets,...
Bloodborne Video Game Film Adaptation Announced with YouTuber Jacksepticeye
Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions announced an animated film adaptation of the 2015 action‑RPG Bloodborne, with YouTube star Jacksepticeye co‑producing. The project was unveiled at CinemaCon 2026, though plot details and a release window remain undisclosed. Bloodborne, a critically acclaimed...
Rapper Offset Hits Coachella Stage Days After Being Shot
Rapper Offset took the Coachella stage a week after being shot outside a Florida casino, performing most of his set in a wheelchair before briefly standing unaided. The 34‑year‑old posted Instagram photos captioned “REAL LOVE,” while his mother called his...
Dan Walker to Appear at Tribunal as Ex Co-Host Brings Bullying Claim
Dan Walker, former co‑host of Channel 5 News, will appear at an employment tribunal after colleague Claudia‑Liza Vanderpuije filed a bullying claim alleging sexism and misogyny. ITN and Paramount, owners of Channel 5, are also named as respondents. Walker denies the allegations...
Justin Bieber Headlines Coachella with Nostalgia-Fuelled Set
Justin Bieber headlined Coachella with a set that leaned heavily on his early YouTube hits, including "Baby" and "Never Say Never," marking his first major live show in four years after canceling his Justice tour for health reasons. The 32‑year‑old...
From Chewbacca the Dog to Ed Sheeran the Cat: Why Pet Lookalikes Go Viral
Pet influencers are turning cute animal look‑alikes into marketing powerhouses. George Cowboy, a Shih‑tzu that resembles Chewbacca, has over 200,000 Instagram followers and 40 million TikTok likes, while an Ed Sheeran‑lookalike kitten racked up nearly 33 million views. Research shows such content is...
Ralph Fiennes Reveals Whether He Would Return to Harry Potter Role
Ralph Fiennes said he would love to return as Voldemort in HBO's upcoming Harry Potter series, but feels the chance has passed. The streaming giant has yet to announce who will play the dark wizard, despite speculation around Tilda Swinton and...
The Widower and Divorcee - Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs' New Comedy
Ruth Jones and Steve Speirs are returning to collaborate on an untitled BBC Wales comedy that follows a widowed teacher and a divorcing environmental officer who meet at a knee‑trauma clinic. The pair, famed for the hit series *Stella*, will write...
Labrinth Not Involved in Euphoria's Third Season
HBO confirmed that Labrinth will not provide music for the third season of *Euphoria* after the London singer‑producer posted a scathing Instagram message criticizing the network and Columbia Records. The show will instead rely on Oscar‑winner Hans Zimmer, who was announced...
Whole Lotta Love for Led Zeppelin Star Given Plaque
Robert Plant, the legendary frontman of Led Zeppelin, visited Spillers Records in Cardiff on Record Store Day 2026 and was honored with a “record store legend” plaque. The 77‑year‑old described the world’s oldest record shop as “hallowed territory” and reflected...
Best-Selling The Housemaid Author Freida McFadden Reveals True Identity
Best‑selling thriller writer Freida McFadden has disclosed that she is Dr. Sara Cohen, a Boston‑based neurologist who adopted the pseudonym from a medical database. Under the pen name she sold 2.6 million books in the UK and six million copies in the United...
Channel 4 Scraps Bake Off Episode Starring Scott Mills
Channel 4 announced it will not broadcast a Celebrity Great British Bake Off episode featuring DJ Scott Mills, citing the seriousness of historic sexual allegations that led to his BBC dismissal. The network will replace the slot with an alternative celebrity episode. Mills...
Books Changed My Life, Says Queen's First Reading Hero
Selina Brown, founder of the Black British Book Festival, was named the UK’s first National Reading Hero and received the inaugural Queen’s Reading Room Medal from Queen Camilla. The festival, which began in Birmingham in 2021, now stages its flagship...
Our New Reality Show Leaves Nothing Out
Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo debut "Raising Chelsea," a three‑part documentary on Disney+ that follows their journey from trying for a baby through the birth of son Ziggy and the early weeks of parenthood. The series uses a single‑camera vlog style, deliberately...
'The Meaner We Are, the Better We Get Along' Say Race Across the World Siblings
Siblings Katie and Harrison from Manchester are competing on BBC’s Race Across the World, a 12,000‑km trek across Europe and Asia for a £20,000 prize (about $25,400). The race forces five duos to travel without phones and survive on a daily...
'Documentary Was Right Thing to Do' Says Pa Salieu
Rapper Pa Salieu, a former BBC Sound of 2021 winner, is the focus of BBC Three’s documentary "The Trials of Pa Salieu" after serving 16½ months of a 33‑month sentence for violent disorder. The film follows his return to live...
BBC Boss Tim Davie Says It Was 'Very Clear' Scott Mills Had to Go
BBC Director‑General Tim Davie said new information confirming the alleged victim was under 16 made Scott Mills’ dismissal inevitable. The former Radio 2 breakfast host was sacked last Friday after the corporation learned the victim’s age. Davie described the decision as a...
BBC Announces Editor of Radio 4's Today Programme
Rebecca Keating, a veteran BBC journalist with nearly 20 years of experience, has been appointed editor of Radio 4's flagship *Today* programme, succeeding Owenna Griffiths. Keating previously served as assistant editor across several Radio 4 news shows and held senior roles on...
'Respectful' BBC Drama on Murder of Sarah Everard to Air
The BBC announced a two‑part factual drama about the murder of Sarah Everard, describing it as "respectful" and "sensitive." The series will investigate how Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens remained on duty despite a history of sexual offences, and it is...
Eurovision Song Contest Launches First-Ever Asia Edition
The European Broadcasting Union announced the inaugural Eurovision Asia edition, with a live grand final scheduled for 14 November in Bangkok. Ten nations—including South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines—have confirmed participation, and more are expected to join. The contest will...
Self-Taught Chef Wins MasterChef: The Professionals
Gareth Baty, a self‑taught chef from Cumbria, was crowned champion of BBC’s MasterChef: The Professionals, defeating finalists Luke Emmess and Mark O’Brien. His three‑course menu—langoustine tartare starter, truffle‑mousse chicken roulade main, and a Brandy Alexander‑inspired dessert—was praised as faultless by...
Russia Bans Oscar-Winning Film 'Mr Nobody Against Putin'
Russia’s Chelyabinsk court ordered the Oscar‑winning documentary ‘Mr Nobody Against Putin’ removed from three streaming platforms, labeling it extremist and terrorist propaganda. The film, which won the 2026 Academy Award and a BAFTA, documents Kremlin‑driven indoctrination in Russian schools following...
YouTuber Elz the Witch 'Tremendously Proud' To Be Bafta Games Awards Host
YouTuber Elz the Witch has been announced as the host of the 2024 BAFTA Games Awards in London. Known for her gaming content and Sidemen Charity Match appearances, she expressed pride in representing women at the ceremony. The awards, which...
Camilla's Love of Books Explored in BBC Documentary
Queen Camilla will appear in a new BBC documentary highlighting the transformative power of books, timed with the UK’s National Year of Reading. The film will feature personal stories, scientific insights on reading’s health benefits, and reflections on Camilla’s own...