Here’s The Emotional Moment The New Reigning Queen Of Drag Race UK Was Crowned

Posted on 01/12/2023 by Boris Clair

After ten weeks of the fiercest competition around, a new queen has taken the crown of Drag Race UK.

Ginger Johnson, Michael Marouli and Tomara Thomas – the ‘Angels of the North’, so called because of all three of the trio’s North-Eastern background – made it to the finale of Drag Race UK season five, with one of them superseding Danny Beard, who won season four a year ago.

In the queens’ final challenge, they had to write and perform a verse on RuPaul’s song ‘Spotlight’, and appear in a sexy, cat burglar themed video.

Elsewhere in the episode, the queens had sit down with RuPaul and Michelle Visage, got to enjoy a visit from their biggest supporters and reflected on the season as a whole.

Beware: spoilers below.

After a stellar season, the top three were rejoined on the main stage by six eliminated queens of the season, including the recently fallen Dede Licious and the iconic Kate Butch; Cara Melle was absent due to illness.

With the badge count stacked against her, Tomara Thomas and her single challenge win were told to sashay away from the competition, with the star leaving the stage with a signature cackle and good humour.

It was then up to Ginger Johnson and Michael Marouli, with three challenge wins apiece, to lip sync for the crown to ‘A Little Respect’ by Erasure.

After a fierce battle (and a cameo from Danny Beard), the winner of season five of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK was announced as… Ginger Johnson!

Now, a bit of behind-the-scenes tea; at the end of a Drag Race season, multiple endings are filmed, so not even the queens know who’s won before it airs on TV – so here’s the moment Ginger actually found out she’d snatched the crown.

In the clip, season five’s top two (Ginger and Michael) can be seen reacting to the announcement with an appropriate amount of tears and celebration. Tomara, to her credit, looks thrilled to be there.

And here’s the moment we at HuffPost UK found out during the finale screening!

Drag Race UK Seasons 1-5 and Drag Race UK Vs. The World are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Taika Waititi Says He Directed ‘Thor: Ragnarok’ Because He ‘Was Poor’

Posted on 29/11/2023 by Boris Clair

Taika Waititi wasn’t particularly interested in the Marvel Cinematic Universe before he became part of it, and only directed “Thor: Ragnarok” for the money, he said on Monday’s episode of the “SmartLess” podcast.

“I had no interest in doing one of those films,” Waititi said on the podcast, which is hosted by actors Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes. “It wasn’t on my plan for my career as an auteur. But I was poor and I’d just had a second child, and I thought, ‘You know what, this would be a great opportunity to feed these children.’”

“And ‘Thor,’ let’s face it, it was probably the least popular franchise,” he continued. “I never read ‘Thor’ comics as a kid. That was the comic I’d pick up and be like, ‘Ugh.’ And then I did some research on it, and I read one ‘Thor’ comic … [and] I was still baffled by this character.”

Once deemed an indie cinema wunderkind for “Eagle vs Shark” (2007) and “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” (2016), Waititi is a more divisive figure today. He’s the first Indigenous director to win an Oscar, for 2019’s “Jojo Rabbit.” At the same time, he’s been slammed as a Hollywood hack who left his roots behind. “The Taika Waititi Fatigue Is Real,” a recent headline on The Ringer declared.

Waititi made “Thor: Ragnarok” (2017), Marvel’s third movie centered on the character, after co-writing the beloved vampire comedy “What We Do in the Shadows” (2014). He went on to win a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for “Jojo Rabbit” before helming “Thor: Love and Thunder” (2022), the fourth “Thor” entry and one of the most polarising Marvel films to date.

“It’s hard to see it now but Taika Waititi was most definitely an Auteur,” wrote one person on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday. “It saddens me that the man who made beautiful films like Eagle Vs Shark, Boy, What We Do In The Shadows & Hunt For the Wilderpeople turned into a hack.”

While many on social media are frustrated at Waititi, and argued that his candor was “a big fuck you to the fans because he doesn’t actually care” about Thor, others are less concerned.

One person on X wrote: “I’m happy he was able to provide for his loved ones.”

Taika Waititi has directed two "Thor" films for Marvel Studios, and said he's open to helm another one at some point. — Taika Waititi has directed two “Thor” films for Marvel Studios, and said he’s open to helm another one at some point.

“Ragnarok” grossed $853 million worldwide and earned Waititi praise for his inventive direction. It’s still regarded by many as a high point of the MCU. By contrast, “Love and Thunder” ― while reportedly grossing an impressive $760 million ― was widely panned for its twee humour and lack of gravitas.

“I think we just had too much fun,” Chris Hemsworth, who has portrayed Thor Odinson for Marvel Studios since 2011, told GQ earlier this year. “It just became too silly. It’s always hard being in the centre of it and having any real perspective.”

Some esteemed auteurs, such as Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino, have come under fire after voicing their distaste for the way comic book movies came to dominate Hollywood.

Waititi said he wouldn’t direct a fifth “Thor” movie, but that he’d be open to helm another entry even if other filmmakers get a crack before he returns. In Waititi’s words, he and Marvel are “in an open relationship, and it’s like if they want to see other people, I’m happy for that.”

He concluded: “I’d still get back into bed with them one day.”

Jamie Lynn Spears Leaves I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! On Medical Grounds

Posted on 29/11/2023 by Boris Clair

Jamie Lynn Spears has become the second of this year’s I’m A Celebrity contestants to leave the jungle on medical grounds.

On Wednesday afternoon, ITV confirmed that the singer, actor and younger sister of Britney Spears had left camp and not be returning.

A spokesperson said: “Jamie Lynn Spears has left I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! on medical grounds.

“She’s been a fantastic campmate who has triumphed at trials and bonded well with her fellow celebrities.”

Jamie Lynn Spears has left I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! on medical grounds. She’s been a fantastic campmate who has triumphed at trials and bonded well with her fellow celebrities. #ImACeleb pic.twitter.com/3ZalOP7hYA

— I’m A Celebrity… (@imacelebrity) November 29, 2023

It’s been confirmed that Jamie Lynn’s final appearance on the show will air during Wednesday night’s episode.

The former Zoey 101 star’s exit follows that of Grace Dent earlier this week, who also left the show for medical reasons.

In a statement given to her fellow campmates, the journalist and MasterChef star said: “My dear campmates, I’m so sorry to let you down. I have left the camp for medical reasons,” the statement read.

“My heart is broken, I have loved and enjoyed getting to know you all. You’ve held me up and it’s been a pleasure being your friend through this experience.

“Leaving you all at this stage will be one of the saddest things in my life. I love you all.”

It was revealed during Tuesday’s instalment that YouTube personality Nella Rose had paid a visit to the show’s medical team, and was therefore absent from a live portion of the episode.

However, ITV has since confirmed to HuffPost UK that Nella is back in camp.

I’m A Celebrity continues on Wednesday night at 9pm on ITV1.

Reese Witherspoon’s Son Deacon Slammed As ‘Nepo Baby’ After NYC Apartment Tour

Posted on 27/11/2023 by Boris Clair

Deacon Phillippe inadvertently waded into the so-called “nepo baby” debate this week when he showed off his New York apartment on social media.

The New York University student, whose parents are actors Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon, invited TikTok personality Caleb Simpson over to his abode in a clip posted Tuesday.

Anyone expecting a cramped college dormitory was, of course, in for a surprise. The home boasts cathedral ceilings and a spiral staircase, as well as a brick wall displaying vintage vinyl. A glance at the apartment’s kitchen included a peek inside a well-stocked refrigerator.

And Phillippe ― an aspiring musician who released his debut album, “A New Earth,” in April ― can hone his craft from the comfort of his own bedroom, where he’s set up an at-home recording studio.

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When Simpson asks how much he pays for rent, Phillippe shrugs.

“West Village prices, man,” he says.

Response to the video was decidedly mixed, with many accusing Phillippe of benefiting from his parents’ wealth ― according to Forbes, Witherspoon alone has a net worth of about $440 million ― when it came to his living arrangements.

“How much do you pay? The correct answer is: ask my mom and dad,” one person wrote.

“Let’s not forget that his mom and dad are wealthy celebrities. He could afford the whole place if he wanted to,” added another.

Deacon Phillippe (left) and Ryan Phillippe in 2022.

The term “nepotism babies,” often abbreviated as “nepo babies,” refers to children of actors, singers and other public figures whose professional success, typically in the realm of show business, can be broadly attributed to having famous parents.

A New York Magazine cover story published last December included “An All But Definitive Guide to the Hollywood Nepo-Verse,” and has drawn mixed responses from a host of celebrity progeny, including Kate Hudson and Ben Platt.

Despite the snark Simpson’s video received, others pointed out that Phillippe shares the apartment with roommates and, arguably, could be living in even swankier digs if he wanted to.

“People act like if they had that money they wouldn’t also be setting their children up,” one person wrote. “Perspective changes when living within your means changes.”

Jack Harlow Teases Celebrity Crush With 5 Hints Pointing To Famous British Actor

Posted on 26/11/2023 by Boris Clair

Jack Harlow has a serious celebrity crush — and is giving fans hints about her identity.

The “First Class” rapper recently appeared on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast and, when asked if he had any A-list infatuations, admitted that “there’s someone.” The traits he listed, meanwhile, curiously matched those of a young starlet Harlow was allegedly seen kissing this month.

“We know you love Dua Lipa,” said host Alex Cooper in reference to one of his songs.

Cooper continued: “What other celebrities are you crushing on?”

That question arrived one week after celebrity gossip bloggers on the “Deux U” podcast alleged Harlow and “Don’t Worry Darling” star Florence Pugh were “making out until the early hours of the morning” at an undisclosed venue this month and “having a great time.”

Harlow confirmed on “Call Her Daddy” that he does have a celebrity crush but doesn’t think it’s “mutual.” When urged to come out with her name already, the rapper provided Cooper with a handful of hints about her identity — most notably that “she’s beautiful.”

“I’ll tell you, I’ll give you something,” Harlow told Cooper. “I like a girl next door … so I don’t need any internet presence. I like me a librarian. I like a waitress … I really like London. Those women know how to talk. You know what I mean? They know how to talk.”

While Pugh hails from Oxford and not London, she’s certainly British — and notably starred as a nurse in “The Wonder” (2022). The 27-year-old also arrived in Hollywood with a charm comparable to a “girl next door” but has an active internet presence.

Harlow wouldn't name his celebrity crush, but his hints could all suggest that it's Pugh. — Harlow wouldn’t name his celebrity crush, but his hints could all suggest that it’s Pugh.

“I just think the women over there have a certain wit and a certain, you know, they just are cheeky,” Harlow told Cooper about Brits. “Like they read a lot of books growing up.”

Whether the rumors surrounding him and Pugh are true remains to be seen. Pugh notably dated “Garden State” star Zach Braff from 2019 to 2022 and, while being spotted with photographer Charlie Gooch in February, might currently be thinking about Harlow.

The rapper himself certainly knows what he doesn’t like.

“I don’t like mean-spirited energy at all, and I don’t like toxicity,” he told Cooper. “That’s not one of my fetishes, and I know that’s going right now. There’s a lot of guys that are into that. I have no patience for it. And that’s right now. If you ask me when I turn 30, who knows?”

Joe Lycett’s ‘Cancelled’ Podcast Is Actually A Massive (And Important) Stunt… About Poo

Posted on 25/11/2023 by Boris Clair

Well, well, well. Many of you thought the sudden cancellation of Joe Lycett’s new podcast – the Turdcast, in which the comedian was set to interview celebrities about their best poo stories – was a bit suspect.

For those of you catching up, yesterday the 35-year-old invited members of the public in Liverpool to “spend a penny/drop a plop” (his words, not ours) before being interviewed about their horrific toilet stories for the podcast.

Or, at least, that was the plan. Because, sadly for Joe, that’s not quite how things turned out.

He confirmed on X that a “mechanical fault occurred” with the public toilet, leading to a “small spillage” and the eventual cancellation of the event – and the INDEFINITE CANCELLATION OF TURDCAST.

Now, this morning, Lycett has confirmed that the whole thing has been a total ruse.

Taking to social media this morning (in a video titled ‘A Statement From Miss Sue Idge’ he revealed: “I thought I would record a little video to explain what’s been going on over the last few days and give my side of the story.

“You might have seen there was a little incident in Liverpool on Thursday. So what I like to do is big stunts that get people talking about the big issues.

“Sometimes those stunts go to plan, and sometimes they absolutely don’t,’ he added, before being presented with a giant fake poo on a plate.

“On this occasion, everything went exactly to plan. Of course I didn’t spill raw sewage into the Royal Albert Dock. I’m not spilling s**t in public everywhere, who do you think I am, GB News?

“No, it was fake sewage from a fake toilet, to promote a fake podcast. Turdcast was never real, although we did record a real one with the real Gary Lineker.”

Okay, so what was the point?

“I spilled fake sewage because I wanted to get people talking about the billions of litres of real sewage that are released every year by our water companies,” he continued.

“Last year, according to one analysis the water companies paid shareholders £1.4billion in dividends. That’s a lot of money that could have been used to improve the sewer network and reduce spills.

“We’re asking the water companies to stop paying dividends and instead invest the money in solving this problem.”

He is now is asking people to ‘write to your water company’ to sign up to Joe’s Poo Promise.

But wait – there’s more. Lycett will now feature in a new Channel 4 documentary which will will investigate water companies as ‘the UK faces a sewage crisis’.

The doc, titled Joe Lycett vs Poo, will be an hour long and will investigate ‘how our waterways have become so polluted and why water companies have been allowed to taint one of our most precious resources.’

You can watch the full video here:

Tom Beck, head of live events and commissioning editor for Channel 4, said: “Joe is our leading mischief maker; he uses humour, wit and absolute fearlessness to call out companies, celebrities and even our politicians.

“He’s taken on the oil giants and David Beckham; now he’s highlighting one of our biggest environmental issues by diving into the murky waters of the utility companies polluting our seas and rivers.

“It will be provocative, revealing, important and feature lots of poo jokes. Who else could promise all of that?”.

The documentary is set to air in early 2024.

People Are Just Realising What Coyote Ugly Was Actually Based On

Posted on 24/11/2023 by Boris Clair

What do the Julia Roberts 2010 flick “Eat, Pray, Love” and the cult classic Coyote Ugly, released a decade before it, have in common? It’s not the vibes, it’s definitely not the soundtracks, it’s actually author Elizabeth Gilbert.

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of bestselling books such as Eat Pray Love and Big Magic is actually at least partly responsible for the big magic of Coyote Ugly.

That’s right, while the two might seem worlds apart, Elizabeth Gilbert was actually a bartender at the original Coyote Ugly bar in the East Village, NYC.

While in a Facebook post the writer said that she was “dancing on the bar and everything” at the time, she tended to opt for sensible shoes and long tops which isn’t quite the vibe we know and love.

How did Elizabeth Gilbert inspire the Coyote Ugly movie?

This has come to light following a TikTok creator called Alwyn Hamilton highlighting that the two films are related and, in fact, the protagonist in each movie is actually the same person, though they might seem lightyears apart in attitude and demeanour.

So, the bar-dancing, hip-swinging woman we saw in Coyote Ugly goes on to become the soul-searching, earth-wandering woman in Eat, Pray, Love.

The two stories were based on Elizabeth’s experiences. The Coyote Ugly days of her life were detailed in an essay written for GQ in 1997 called, ‘The Muse of the Coyote Ugly saloon’ and of course, Eat, Pray, Love is a memoir of Elizabeth’s breakdown and recovery and was published in 2006.

It might not be the most obvious double-bill but the two films give an insightful glimpse into the writer’s incredible life over two decades.

BBC Breakfast Disappears Off Air In The Middle Of Live Broadcast After On-Set Incident

Posted on 24/11/2023 by Boris Clair

BBC Breakfast was briefly pulled off air during Friday’s live broadcast due to an incident on set.

During the live show, viewers were left confused when a segment about the 20th anniversary of Concorde’s final voyage was suddenly interrupted by footage from BBC News.

“Where have you gone? We have BBC News?” one wrote on X (formerly Twitter), while another asked: “What’s happened? There was a thing about Concorde and now we’re just getting BBC News channel?”

“Has anyone else’s BBC Breakfast just switched to BBC News?” someone else asked.

Meanwhile, several BBC radio stations also switched their output, including Radio 5 Live, which media reporter Scott Bryan noted “had to go on its backup tape of news jingles and music.”

Fortunately, within a few minutes, regular programming resumed, with Naga Munchetty reassuring viewers that everything was back to normal after a small evacuation of the BBC building in Salford.

“You’re returning to BBC Breakfast. Apologies, we had an evacuation in the building, but we are back now, with you to keep you up to date with the latest in the news,” she explained.

Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty in the BBC Breakfast studio

A BBC spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “The programme was briefly off air this morning due to an evacuation at Quay House. BBC Breakfast switched to the BBC News Channel before resuming programming.”

This is far from the first time the BBC Breakfast team have had to think on their feet live on air, though.

Earlier this year, correspondent Nina Warhurst had to contend with a protester interrupting an on-location segment, while the show was previously forced off air in 2022 due to a fire alarm incident.

BBC Breakfast airs every Monday through Saturday from 6am on BBC One.

People Are Only Just Realising Who Played The Husband In Barbie

Posted on 23/11/2023 by Boris Clair

Our favourite plastic fantastic movie this year, Barbie, was praised for a lot of its feminist messaging and for being a celebration of all things girlhood, but there may be one extra exciting wholesome detail that viewers missed.

If you cast your mind back on this dreary day to the flick that took over our bright summer, you’ll remember brief glances at Gloria’s husband. Gloria, played by America Ferrera, was the mother responsible for Barbie’s spiritual awakening.

At one point in the film, Gloria’s husband, played by Ryan Piers Williams, is learning Spanish on popular language app DuoLingo whilst seated on the sofa in their shared home.

Well, it turns out that almost all of this is accidentally based on reality…!

It turns out that actually, America Ferrera and Ryan Piers Williams are married in real life, and according to an interview with Greta Gerwig featured in a TikTok video, it had been written into the script that Gloria’s husband would be trying to learn to speak Spanish.

However, when America saw this, she said, “did you write this because my husband is always learning Spanish?!” before telling Greta that her husband was actually in the other room at that moment, learning Spanish! Greta admitted that this was not actually intentional but was delighted.

From there, Greta actually hired him for the part. The director described him as a “lovely, most wonderful person” and added that he was “so game” to take part in the film.

Greta added that during the cutaway scene, America was actually behind the camera giving direction to her husband in something the director described as feeling “very familial”.

‘Scream 7’ Director Had 1-Tweet Reaction After Melissa Barrera Was Fired From Movie

Posted on 22/11/2023 by Boris Clair

Director Christopher Landon offered a short, but succinct, reaction to news that actor Melissa Barrera had been fired from his forthcoming movie, “Scream VII,” after making a series of controversial social media posts about the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

“This is my statement,” Landon wrote on X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday, along with a broken heart emoji. “Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make.”

The filmmaker deleted the post shortly afterward, but it was captured for posterity by Newsweek and Deadline, among other outlets.

Spyglass Media Group, which is set to produce “Scream VII,” confirmed to Variety in a statement Wednesday that Barrera had been dropped from the the film due to social media posts the company had deemed antisemitic.

“Spyglass’ stance is unequivocally clear: We have zero tolerance for antisemitism or the incitement of hate in any form, including false references to genocide, ethnic cleansing, Holocaust distortion or anything that flagrantly crosses the line into hate speech,” the statement read.

The company didn’t specify exactly which of Barrera’s posts they felt had crossed the line. In one of her Instagram Stories last month, however, the Mexican actor blasted “Western” outlets for only showing “the [Israeli] side” of the conflict, before noting: “Why do they do that, I will let you deduce for yourself.”

Melissa Barrera attends the New York premiere of "Scream VI" in March. — Melissa Barrera attends the New York premiere of “Scream VI” in March.

In another post, she wrote: “I too come from a colonised country. Palestine WILL be free. They tried to bury us, they didn’t know we were seeds.”

HuffPost reached out to a representative for Barrera for comment, but did not immediately hear back.

The Israel-Hamas conflict has proven to be a contentious issue across Hollywood. On Tuesday, actor Susan Sarandon was reportedly dropped by the United Talent Agency for remarks she made at a pro-Palestinian rally that was held in New York earlier this month.

Just how “Scream VII” will recalibrate following Barrera’s exit remains to be seen. She first appeared in 2021’s “Scream” as Sam Carpenter, the daughter of late serial killer Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich), from the 1996 original. She reprised the role in “Scream VI,” released in March.

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