Thursday, March 28, 2024

Dua Lipa announces Royal Albert Hall gig

Dua Lipa has announced a hometown show at London's Royal Albert Hall on October 17. The 'Levitating' hitmaker releases...
Home TV

TV

Ed Sheeran backs X Factor’s Andrea Faustini


Ed Sheeran is backing Andrea Faustini to win 'The X Factor'.
The 'Don't' hitmaker revealed he is a huge fan of the Italian-born singer - who is competing in this year's series in Mel B's boys category - and has even messaged show boss Simon Cowell to rave about the "fantastic" contestant.
He told The Sun newspaper: "I texted Cowell about the Italian dude because I think he is fantastic."
Ed, 23, felt he could relate to the 20-year-old hopeful after he declared his love of pug dogs in his first audition by sporting a jumper emblazoned with a photo of a cute pup and the words, "I love pugs".
He explained: "I like his love of pugs as well that he gives no f**k and wears what he wants."
Another contender receiving celebrity support is pretty over 25's contestant Fleur East who is being advised by former JLS member J.B Gill - whose band were crowned runner-up of the competition in 2008 - as well as 2010 winner Matt Cardle.
She said: "Matt Cardle has messaged me, given me some encouragement.
"Also J.B. from JLS, who is a very good friend of mine, has been advising me."

Mark Wright’s Strictly Come Dancing partner choreographing wedding dance


Mark Wright's 'Strictly Come Dancing' partner is choreographing the first dance for his wedding.
The former 'The Only Way Is Essex' star is preparing to tie the knot to fiancée Michelle Keegan next year and his dance partner Karen Hauer's fiancé and fellow Strictly star Kevin Clifton has revealed he and his future wife are helping Mark to surprise Michelle with a show stopping routine for their first dance as man and wife.
Kevin - who is partnered with The Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge on the BBC One celebrity dance contest this year - explained: "Mark and I always tend to talk about wedding plans. I always ask a lot of questions because they're a bit further on than we are.
"We've met Michelle quite a few times, both Kevin and I, and hopefully we're choreographing their first dance. That will be really nice."
The 32-year-old professional dancer also admitted that Mark has asked him and Karen to include some trickier moves to impress Michelle.
He added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: "They want it to be as romantic as possible but also a crowd-pleaser. They want a couple of lifts."

Gwen Taylor battling cancer


Gwen Taylor has revealed she is battling cancer - but "feels guilty" she is winning the fight following the death of her friend Lynda Bellingham.
The 75-year-old actress underwent surgery for breast cancer two months ago but admits she feels like "one of the lucky ones" after she was left "deeply upset" by the death of her 'Calendar Girls' co-star, who passed away on Monday (20.10.14) after losing her battle with colon cancer.
She said: "I was in the bathroom listening to the radio when it came on that she had passed away. It was just so shocking and deeply upsetting. She was such a nice person.
"It made me think how lucky I am. I had breast cancer and underwent surgery in August. I also had radiotherapy but I haven't needed chemotherapy.
"I'm lucky because the lump was quite tiny and we managed to catch it early. Of course, it was nowhere near as serious as what we've seen happen with Lynda.
"I feel like there's a future for me and I'm really pleased. But I feel guilty - I'm one of the lucky ones."
The 'Barbara' star - who played Frank Foster's mother Anne in 'Coronation Street' - was left devastated after losing both Bernie Nolan, who she also starred alongside in stage production 'Calendar Girls', and Lynda, who she has described as a "wonderful person".
She added to the Derby Telegraph newspaper: "Bernie Nolan of course died and now Lynda has, too. It's very sad. I was shocked when I heard how bad Lynda's situation was a few weeks ago.
"When I heard her talk on the radio, I thought it was one of the bravest things I've heard. The way she spoke about it really got me.
"She was a wonderful person. She worked so hard and tirelessly and did so much for charity.
"Off the screen and stage, she was exactly the same smashing woman.
"She was very stylish. I would arrive at the stage door looking like a tramp and she would look like a million dollars with her clothes. She always looked smart and was a very nice person to be around."

Wendi Peters ‘hated’ her Coronation Street character


Wendi Peters regrets watching old episodes of 'Coronation Street' ahead of her return to the soap opera.
The 46-year-old actress is reprising her role as Cilla Battersby-Brown and couldn't believe how much she "hated" her alter ego when she looked back on her earlier stint in Weatherfield.
She said: "I did watch and I shouldn't have done. I sat down with my husband and watched Cilla's last week of episodes before she left in 2007 and I hated her.
"Afterwards I said, 'What am I doing? Why am I going back?' "
And Wendi admits she was stunned to be asked to return because she had moved on so far from the soap but is finding her brief comeback "lovely".
She told Closer magazine: "It was a bit of a shock really. I'd put Cilla to bed, I'd moved on, done lots of theatre, TV and had a bit more time with the family.
"I hadn't considered a return but it's lovely just for a short time to find out where Cilla's been and what she's been up to."
Though she hated seeing Cilla again, Wendi admits she can see herself in her character.
She said: "I think there always has to be a bit of you in every character you play. I'm very impatient and a bit of a control freak.
"I'd like to think I'm a much, much nicer version of Cilla but who knows."

Fleur East gets advice from JB Gill


Fleur East is being advised by J.B. Gill.
The 'X Factor' hopeful has already attracted some former contestants, including the 2008 runner-up - who was a member of boy band JLS - and 2010 winner Matt Cardle.
In an interview with HELLO! magazine she said: "Matt Cardle has messaged me, given me some encouragement.
"Also J.B. from JLS, who is a very good friend of mine, has been advising me."
Fleur is mentored by show chief Simon Cowell and appreciates the advice he gives and is thankful that he "has her back".
She added: "He's the boss man and he knows what he's talking about - he's like Mel B in that he's straight-talking and almost never wrong.
"But he really does give good advice and people give you more credit if he's got your back."
Ahead of every performance, the singer has a brief ritual she undertakes to steady her nerves.
She explained: "I always take a really deep breath and say to myself, 'Go out there and give a performance you'll be proud of'. I never want to leave the stage and have regrets."

Kym Marsh can’t have more children


Kym Marsh can't have any more children after having an ablation of the womb.
The 'Coronation Street' actress - who is currently dating personal trainer Dan Hooper and already has three children - has revealed she suffered severe health problems in October 2013 and an operation she had to remove the lining of her womb has left her unable to have any more children.
Speaking to OK! magazine, the 38-year-old star said: "Sadly, I can't have any more children. Last October, before I met Dan, I was having some severe health problems and doctors told me I had two options - a hysterectomy, which they didn't want to do as I'm still young, or an ablation of the womb, which basically removes your womb lining. I opted for that."
Kym then revealed that she didn't wish to have any more children because of the heartache she suffered in 2009, when her son Archie died after being born 18 weeks prematurely.
She explained: "[...] having kids for me is really traumatic; I didn't want to go through what I went through with Archie."
However, the brunette beauty did confess that a little part of her regrets her decision to have her womb lining removed and even hinted that she would consider adoption or surrogacy.
She said: "Now I've met Dan we're a bit upset about it because if we decided we wanted to have kids together then that isn't a possibility. But there are options."

Stephanie Nala found Simon Cowell’s behaviour ‘odd’


Stephanie Nala thinks Simon Cowell's behaviour on the live shows was "odd".
The former 'X Factor' contestant has admitted that Simon's attack on her singing ability was "odd" and "hard to take" after he was so supportive of her old band, the Luminites - who split in April after they appeared on 'Britain's Got Talent' in 2013.
Talking to BANG Showbiz, Stephanie, who was eliminated alongside Chloe Jasmine Whichello on Sunday night (19.10.14), said: "Simon was really supportive. He was happy that I went by myself. He actually said, 'You're better alone.' So when it got to live shows and he turned it was like, it was hard to take."
"Even though Simon didn't really support it, it's like he did. It's very odd what's happened with the live shows."
Speaking of the Luminites split and her decision to audition as for 'The X Factor', she added: "I didn't actually want to go solo. We got dropped. It was quite a hard time for me, people don't really understand. When we got dropped, I was really down. It was more of a self challenge to see can I do it."
Stephanie also hit back at her former classmates, who have accused the 20-year-old singer of bullying girls at Turnford School in Hertfordshire.
She told BANG Showbiz: "It was quite disappointing when they were so supportive of 'Britain's Got Talent' it kind of felt like a personal attack. People were out to get me for no reason.
"If you were to ask anyone in the house, 'Is Stephanie a bully?' They would probably laugh because I'm so weak."

James Nesbitt was ‘isolated’ on The Missing


James Nesbitt lived an "isolated life" to get into character for 'The Missing'.
The 49-year-old actor revealed that he became a social recluse whilst he was filming for his new BBC One drama, where he stars as Tony, the father of a child that gets abducted.
Speaking about his preparation for the role, James told the Radio Times magazine: "I tried to live as isolated a life as I could. What was helpful was that I didn't live in a hotel in Brussels, I lived in an apartment. And I got the art department to send me all the things Tony would have had access to, all the newspaper clippings and files. So I was surrounded by all that stuff in my flat.
"And I tried not to be social with the crew or cast. I would go out and eat by myself , and I would have these files with me. And I pounded the streets like Tony did, went into bars to have a couple of drinks. So, very much his world - because Tony was totally alone."
The actor - who has previously starred in the television shows 'Cold Feet' and 'Murphy's Law' - admitted that the intense storylines and being parted from his two daughters - Mary, 12, and Peggy, 17 - did affect his mental state.
He shared: "What would occasionally get to me was the sense of isolation, the sense of being on your own. Being away from my kids, that was not easy. But the strengths of it were almost the negatives of it. It was very helpful for the piece. But certainly at times it was, ah, difficult."

Honor Blackman to star in new TV show


Honor Blackman will make a guest appearance in 'You, Me & Them'.
The 89-year-old actress - who has previously starred in the James Bond film, 'Goldfinger' and the action-comedy 'The Avengers' - will play Rose, the mother of the lead character Ed (who is played by Anthony Head) and according to Gold, Rose is ready to cause "chaos" between Ed and his girlfriend Lauren (played by Eve Myles).
Speaking about her exciting new role on 'You, Me & Them', Honor said: "I think they are lovely people, and a terrific team and I look forward to having fun with them. Anthony Head and Eve Myles have a wonderful relationship; I am going to see if I can rattle their cage a bit!"
Steve North, General Manager of Gold, then added: "Honor Blackman may be the same age as the Queen and it is 50 years since she played the infamous Pussy Galore in 'Goldfinger', but she is still beautiful, mesmerising and a legendary actress. I am delighted she is joining our brilliant cast and the eccentric 'You, Me & Them' family."
Executive Producer of the show's production company Hat Trick, Jimmy Mulville said: "We're thrilled to have such an icon of British film join the cast of 'You, Me & Them'. Honor plays a fantastically naughty and funny character who is definitely not growing old gracefully."
The new series of 'You, Me & Them' is scheduled to air in 2015.

Must Read

Paloma Faith to release memoir

Paloma Faith will release a new memoir. The 42-year-old musician has penned a deeply personal book 'MILF', delving "deep...

Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing named biggest song of all time

Journey‘s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ has been named the biggest song of all time by Forbes. The 1981 track -...

Nicole Scherzinger wishes she had ‘enjoyed’ Pussycat Dolls fame more: ‘I was always struggling!’

Nicole Scherzinger wishes she had "enjoyed" her time in the Pussycat Dolls. The 45-year-old singer shot to fame as...