Category Archives: uk celebrity

Steph McGovern Reveals The One Thing She Says ‘No’ To On Steph’s Packed Lunch

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You’ve got to hand it to Steph McGovern. She’s been subjected to quite a bit of challenging stuff on her weekday Channel 4 show, Steph’s Packed Lunch.

Whether it’s going (freezing) cold-water swimming in Leeds dock in the depths of December or being forced to try one of chef Simon Rimmer’s more unique dishes, Steph has been up for it.

But the presenter has revealed there’s actually one thing she always says ‘no’ to when it’s suggested by producers of her show.

“I’m not great with animals because I’m not an animal person,” she tells HuffPost UK.

“So normally you will notice now that I’ll often avoid being the person holding a pet in a pet item so I do say no to stuff like that.”

But before all you animal lovers start, Steph is quick to point out that there’s a very good reason why she doesn’t want to do anything involving the feathery or furry.

via PA Features Archive/Press Association Images

“I also don’t want to look like I don’t know what I’m doing either because it’s an animal, so I don’t want to hurt it or be scared of it and drop it.

“But I’m just not very good with dogs because I don’t have a very good rapport with them and they sense that.

“The worst thing I ever had to do on the telly was wash a dog. I had to wash a poodle and I just felt really sorry for it. I thought ‘I’m doing a terrible job, you’re not enjoying yourself, and I’m not enjoying it’, so there we are.

She continues: “I get Denise [Van Outen] to do the animal things, or Kate Bottley.”

However, there is a certain type of animal that Steph has no issues with.

“Weirdly, I can do exotic pets,” she reveals. “I’m alright with the snakes and the frogs and the tarantulas.”

Read our exclusive interview with Steph in full this weekend on HuffPost UK.

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Anne Hathaway Says She Wishes She Could ‘Erase’ See-Through Red Carpet Faux Pas: ‘It Sucked’

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Anne Hathaway has recalled an incident earlier in her career in which the people around her failed to tell her that her red carpet outfit was see-through.

During a recent sit-down with Interview magazine, the Oscar-winning star was asked questions by a host of celebrities, including fashion legend Marc Jacobs.

Marc asked Anne for the “one thing you regretted wearing that you look back on and wish you could erase”.

“Marc Jacobs, I love you and I love your wickedness,” she responded, before sharing an anecdote from years earlier.

Anne explained: “There was this one time where I was very young and dressed myself for an event, and I stepped onto a red carpet and did not know my dress was see-through, and I wasn’t wearing a bra.

“It was a very long carpet, and at no point did any of the people in that wall of photographers stop to give me a heads-up or offer me a jacket.”

She continued: “I’m not naive. I don’t expect that, but it’s something I would do for another person if I saw it. And so I would erase that, just because it sucked.”

Elsewhere in the interview Mindy Kaling asked Anne about the “cancelled” public figure whose work she still enjoys (“Aziz Ansari,” she said), as well as the stars she thinks emit BDE.

Other co-stars of Anne’s to contribute to the piece included Dame Julie Andrews, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Awkwafina and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Read the full piece on Interview’s website here.

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Kevin Spacey ‘Strenuously Denies’ Sexual Assault Allegations

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Kevin Spacey “strenuously denies” allegations that he sexually assaulted three men, a court has heard.

The 62-year-old former Hollywood star was not asked to enter pleas to four counts of sexual assault and one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent when he appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Deputy District Judge Tan Ikram granted him unconditional bail ahead of his next appearance at Southwark Crown Court on 14 July.

Patrick Gibbs QC, defending, said: “Mr Spacey strenuously denies any and all criminality in this case.”

Spacey was mobbed by photographers as he arrived at court, and was ushered into the building surrounded by members of his legal team and two police officers after getting out of a silver Mercedes.

The Oscar-winning actor made no comment but smiled as he was rushed past a queue of other court attendees and through the entrance before passing security.

Spacey was mobbed by photographers as he made his way into court
Spacey was mobbed by photographers as he made his way into court

Kate Green via Getty Images

The allegations relate to three men, now in their 30s and 40s, in London and Gloucestershire between 2005 and 2013, while Spacey was artistic director of The Old Vic theatre in London.

The charges, which were read out by the court’s legal adviser, include two counts of sexual assault on a man, now in his 40s, in London in March 2005.

They also sexual assault on a man, now in his 30s, and causing him to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent, in London in August 2008 and sexual assault on a man, now in his 30s, in Gloucestershire in April 2013.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorised charges against Spacey last month, but the American could only be formally charged once he had travelled to the UK earlier this week.

Mr Ikram withdrew an arrest warrant issued weeks ago after the court heard that Spacey arrived in London on Monday to receive a postal requisition.

Kevin Spacey at the 2014 Oscars
Kevin Spacey at the 2014 Oscars

Axelle/Bauer-Griffin via Getty Images

Spacey, a two-time Oscar winner who is known for starring roles in American Beauty, The Usual Suspects and House Of Cards, had previously said he would travel to the UK to face the charges.

In a statement released to Good Morning America after the CPS announcement, he said: “While I am disappointed with their decision to move forward, I will voluntarily appear in the UK as soon as can be arranged and defend myself against these charges, which I am confident will prove my innocence.”

Spacey was artistic director at The Old Vic between 2004 and 2015.

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George Ezra Addresses Decision To Remove Death Lyric From Queen’s Jubilee Performance

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George Ezra has explained the decision to remove a lyric about death from his performance at the Queen’s Jubilee celebratory concert.

Earlier this month, George was one of the A-list performers who took to the stage outside Buckingham Palace in honour of the 96-year-old monarch’s Platinum Jubilee.

However, fans watching at home quickly picked up on the fact that during his rendition of the song Green Green Grass, he took out the lyric: “You better throw a party on the day that I die.”

During Tuesday’s instalment of Good Morning Britain, George was asked about the censored lyric, admitting he was asked by organisers to remove the line.

“When you’re playing for the Royal Family, when they say ‘jump’, you jump, you don’t question it,” he told Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley.

The Shotgun singer continued: “My take on it was that it was going to make it more obvious to change it, and the thing is it kind of turned out that way.

“It’s the thing that I get asked about a lot now and I just say, ‘Well, I wasn’t going to fight back, was I?’.”

George previously told The Sun: “I don’t know if it came from the royals or the producers of the show, but it’s pretty obvious that if you’re playing for the Royal Family and the powers that be say, ‘We don’t want you to sing that lyric,’ then you’re not going to argue.”

Other performers on the night included Diana Ross, Eurovision singer Sam Ryder and Rod Stewart, whose rendition of Sweet Caroline also raised eyebrows.

Good Morning Britain airs every weekday from 6am on ITV.

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Sharon Osbourne Offers Update On Ozzy’s Health After His Recent Surgery

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Sharon Osbourne has said that her husband Ozzy is “doing well and on the road to recovery” after the rocker underwent surgery recently.

The former X Factor judge provided an update on her Instagram story as she thanked fans for their “love and support” in the lead-up to the procedure.

She previously revealed that she was travelling to Los Angeles to support the Black Sabbath star, who has Parkinson’s disease.

Writing on Instagram, Sharon wrote: “Our family would like to express so much gratitude for the overwhelming amount of love and support leading up to Ozzy’s surgery!

“Ozzy is doing well and on the road to recovery! Your love means the world to him.”

Sharon thanked Ozzy's well-wishers in an Instagram story post
Sharon thanked Ozzy’s well-wishers in an Instagram story post

Instagram/Sharon Osbourne

Ozzy has a rare form of the disease called Parkin 2, which he has had since birth.

In an interview with Classic Rock magazine in May, Ozzy said he was waiting on more surgery for his neck after a quad bike accident in 2003 left him with lasting damage.

He added: “I can’t walk properly these days. I have physical therapy every morning. I am somewhat better, but nowhere near as much as I want to be to go back on the road.”

The singer previously cancelled his North American tour in 2020 to undergo medical treatment.

In April, Sharon revealed that Ozzy had contracted Covid, noting that she was “very worried” for him given his health conditions.

After travelling from the UK to Los Angeles to look after him, she shared a bed-ridden picture of herself hooked up to a drip, explaining that her “entire household” had later tested positive as well.

The couple have been married since 1982 and they have three children together – Aimee, Kelly and Jack.

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Andrew Lloyd Webber Booed By Cinderella Audience As His Latest Musical Closes For Good

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The mere mention of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s name was met with jeers and boos as the curtain came down on his Cinderella musical.

Last month, it was announced the show’s final performance would take place on Sunday 12 June, with the production team being met with criticism after some members of the team – including actors who were poised to join the cast – discovered the news of its closure on social media.

The curtain came down on Cinderella for good on Sunday, and while Andrew was not there in person, his presence was certainly still felt.

Director Laurence Connor read out a speech from the Phantom Of The Opera creator after the show, with a comment branding the show a “costly mistake” not going down well in the room.

Carrie Hope Fletcher in character as Cinderella
Carrie Hope Fletcher in character as Cinderella

David M. Benett via Getty Images

The speech read: “I am hugely sorry not to be able to be with you today, but I want to thank everyone from our fabulous cast, crew and musicians, the superb creative team, Laurence.

“I keep thinking if only we had opened three months later, we wouldn’t have had to postpone our opening twice because of COVID – I promise you we would have been here for a very long time to come.

“My huge thanks to everyone. We kept the government’s feet to the flames and led the charge to the West End opening again. It might have been a costly mistake, but I am proud of what we did and will forever be grateful to everyone who supported me.

“Cinderella got some of the best reviews of my career and I am immensely proud of it and it’s hugely due to you all. All my love, Andrew.”

The speech was then met with boos and jeers, with Variety reporting that his name had already been met with a similar reaction from the audience when it was brought up earlier in the curtain call.

The Cinderella premiere took place in August last year, having been scheduled for the previous month but delayed due to Covid isolation protocols.

Cinderella opened with an audience capacity of 50% after the impresario rejected prime minister Boris Johnson’s offer for the show to be included in the coronavirus live events pilot scheme.

Then in December, Cinderella was stopped due to “Covid-related absences”, alongside London productions of hit musicals Hamilton and The Lion King.

At the time, Andrew said he’d found it “simply heartbreaking” to see the theatre industry “decimated” by cancellations, adding “no-one in the government listens”.

He postponed Cinderella until 2022 “to avoid more disruption” as the number of Covid-19 cases increased across the country.

Written by Oscar winner Emerald Fennell, and starring Carrie Hope Fletcher in the lead role, Cinderella is described as a “complete reinvention” of the classic fairytale, and is based on an original idea by the Promising Young Woman director.

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Justin Bieber Battling Virus That Has Paralysed Half His Face

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Justin Bieber has announced he is taking some time off from touring in order to deal with a virus that has paralysed half his face.

In a video posted on Instagram, the singer explained that he’s postponed several shows after being diagnosed with Ramsay Hunt syndrome, a condition that has affected a nerve in his ear.

As a result, he’s unable to blink his right eye and can smile only on the left side of his face.

“This nostril will not move,” he added.

As a result, Justin said, he’s “physically unable” to perform in concert for the time being. Instead, he will “rest and relax” until he’s able “to do what I was born to do.”

Ramsay Hunt syndrome occurs when the varicella-zoster virus ― which also causes chicken pox and shingles ― infects a nerve in the head. Treatment often involves steroids and/or antiviral medicines.

Justin didn’t say if he was taking medicine. However, he said he’s doing “all these facial exercises” to get his face back to normal. He added that he doesn’t know how long that will take.

You can see the complete video selfie below.

This has been a rough year healthwise for Justin and his wife, Hailey.

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Jennifer Lopez Felt Sharing Super Bowl Stage With Shakira Was ‘Worst Idea In The World’

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For fans, Jennifer Lopez and Shakira’s 2020 Super Bowl halftime show was a peak cultural moment in a year that came to be defined by both political divisions and a pandemic.

J-Lo, however, had a much different opinion on the massively hyped performance ― or at least she did in the days leading up to it. In her Netflix documentary Halftime, the actor and singer is shown in rehearsals with her music director Kim Burse and appears visibly stressed over the time constraints.

“We have six fucking minutes,” J-Lo proclaims, according to Entertainment Weekly. “We have 30 seconds of a song, and if we take a minute, that’s it, we’ve got five left. But there’s got to be certain songs that we sing, though. We have to have our singing moments. It’s not going to be a dance fucking revue. We have to sing our message.

“This is the worst idea in the world to have two people do the Super Bowl,” she continues. “It was the worst idea in the world.”

Elsewhere in Halftime, J-Lo doesn’t hold back as she maps out the logistics of the show with Shakira directly. “If it was going to be a double-headliner, they should have given us 20 minutes,” she says. “That’s what they should’ve fucking done.”

Catch the trailer for Halftime below…

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In the end, J-Lo and Shakira’s performance lasted about 14 minutes. By comparison, Madonna in 2012 and Lady Gaga in 2017 were each given about 14 minutes to perform in the Super Bowl show. This year’s halftime show, featuring Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Eminem and Kendrick Lamar, clocked in at nearly 14 minutes.

J-Lo’s manager Benny Medina shared his client’s frustrations over the NFL’s choice of a co-headlining performance.

“Typically, you have one headliner at a Super Bowl. That headliner constructs a show, and, should they choose to have other guests, that’s their choice,” he said, according to EW. “It was an insult to say you needed two Latinas to do the job that one artist historically has done.”

In spite of their limited stage time, J-Lo and Shakira each turned in a dazzling performance that won raves from critics and even managed to deliver a subtle political message. The Los Angeles Times applauded them for having “fused old-school razzle-dazzle with an of-the-moment sense of Latin American pride,” while Entertainment Weekly called it “punchy, political, and flat-out electric.”

Halftime, which premiered on Wednesday at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival in New York, follows J-Lo as she “reflects on her milestones and evolution as an artist, and navigates the second half of her career continuing to entertain, empower and inspire,” according to press notes.

It’s now available for streaming on Netflix.

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