Sunday, December 22, 2024

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Latest Articles

Queen Elizabeth to visit France this summer


Britain's Queen Elizabeth will mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings by a visit to France this June.
The 87-year-old monarch and Prince Philip will attend events in Normandy to commemorate June 6, 1944 when the Western Allied forces initiated an operation to liberate mainland Europe from Nazi occupation during World War II.
The royal couple will be guests of President Francois Holland - who the queen has not officially met before - at the Elysee Palace in Paris.
The queen's communications secretary said in a statement issued by Buckingham Palace: "Her Majesty and His Royal Highness are visiting at the invitation of the President of France, President Hollande."
The queen served as a mechanic in the Auxiliary Transport Service during the war while the prince was lieutenant in the British navy.
Elizabeth's last state visit to France was in 2004, which is the same year she attended the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
The last official state visit by a French President to the UK was by Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni in 2008.

Blondie to receive NME Godlike Genius Award


Blondie are set to receive the NME Godlike Genius Award.
The 'One Way Or Another' hitmakers will be recognised for their musical genius at the NME Awards 2014 with Austin, Texas on Wednesday, February 26.
The iconic band, fronted by Debbie Harry, have confirmed they will pick up their prize in person and perform at the event, held at the O2 Academy in Brixton, and it's the first time a female performer has won the accolade.
Blondie said: "We've always had a special relationship with the UK and this is great, it's nice to be recognised and it's an outstanding list. To be honoured so nicely, and to play music. What could be better?"
The punk group from New York City are celebrating their 40th anniversary with a two-disc release, 'Blondie 4(0) Ever', comprising a greatest hits album and a new record, 'Ghosts of Download', in May 2014.
NME's Editor Mike Williams said: "As they celebrate their 40th anniversary, there could be no other band more worthy of being honoured as NME's Godlike Genius 2014 than Blondie. They re-wrote the rulebook in the late 70s by dragging punk rock to the top of the charts, and their classic songs still sounds as fresh as ever today.
"Everyone from Iggy Pop, Lily Allen, Lady Gaga and Julian Casablancas have looked to Debbie Harry for inspiration - she's the most iconic frontwoman rock'n'roll has ever produced. It goes without saying that NME is hugely proud, not to mention extremely excited, to be honouring her and Blondie with our most coveted award in 2014."
Previous winners include The Clash, Paul Weller, The Cure, Manic Street Preachers, New Order & Joy Division, Dave Grohl, Noel Gallagher and last year's champion Johnny Marr.

The Lego Movie sequel in the works?

Warner Bros. are already developing a sequel to 'The Lego Movie'. The computer-animated comedy directed and penned by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, has been in development at the American production company since 2008 and is due for release later this m...

David Goyer to direct The Breach

David Goyer will direct 'The Breach'. The 48-year-old filmmaker is set to helm the sci-fi flick which is based on Patrick Lee's 2009 novel of the same name, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing while Nellie Steven...

Bono: ‘U2 are becoming irrelevant’


Bono thinks U2 are becoming irrelevant.
The 'Invisible' rocker admitted that it has become harder for his band to remain significant in the music industry as they grow older, because the personal experiences they depict in their songs may no longer connect with a mainstream audience.
Speaking during an interview on BBC Radio 1, frontman Bono told Zane Lowe: "We're on the verge of irrelevance. You have to make stuff relevant to you and where you're at, make an honest account of what you're going through. If that's relevant to other people, great. But we don't know."
The singer also spoke about the inspiration behind the band's as-yet-untitled 13th studio album, which he claims harks back to when the group - including The Edge, 52, Adam Clayton, 53, and Larry Mullen, Jr., 52, - first got together in 1976.
Bono, 53, explained: "We went back to why we wanted to be in a band in the first place. We were listening to the Ramones and Kraftwerk - you can hear both on 'Invisible'. It opened up a whole valve for me writing, it was like a damburst of sorts. "
Bono says the record won't be finished for another two months, but once it's complete the group are looking forward to playing the new tracks in smaller venues.
He explained: "For this album, we're going to start indoors. We'd like to play the O2 [arena]. Sometimes it's nice to play intimate things like that."

Joe McElderry wins The Jump


Joe McElderry was crowned winner of 'The Jump' last night (03.02.14).
The former 'X Factor' star - who replaced Henry Conway in Channel 4's winter sports competition - was delighted that he managed to pull off a 17.5m jump from a 40m ski ramp, beating Donal MacIntyre who only managed 13.5m.
Following his win he gushed: "I have had an absolute blast. We've had so much fun."
Finalists Sir Steve Redgrave and Marcus Brigstocke pulled out of the competition following injuries.
The Olympic champion who had bruised his ribs during a fall and broke a bone in his hand while competing on the show, was "absolutely gutted" he couldn't continue.
The five-time gold medallist explained: "I'm absolutely gutted. I love skiing, I love the show. I wanted to give it my all and unfortunately I gave it too much three days ago and that was it. It's not the not winning, it's the not completing it."
Marcus admitted he'd had a great time on 'The Jump' but injured himself when he landed on his left knee during the ski cross competition and was taken to hospital.
He added: "I've had the time of my life. My aim was to do everything and I'm dead proud. I came on the jump and never jumped!"

Peter Andre and Gary Barlow bond over fatherhood


Peter Andre and Gary Barlow have exchanged parenting tips.
The 40-year-old singer - who already has Junior, eight, and Princess, six, with ex-wife Katie Price and three-week-old daughter Amelia with fiancé Emily MacDonagh - admitted him and the 'X Factor' judge found there is "no right and wrong way" to raise children.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "I had this chat with Gary Barlow - he won Father of the Year last year and I had it the two years before.
"We discussed what makes a good parent, and the answer is simple, no one does it the right or wrong way, you put your kids first, you're a good parent. I'm much easier and more lenient with my kids than my parents were with me, but it doesn't make me a worse parent, it's my way.
"Before he won, Gary said 'I'm taking it off you this year, Andre'. I said I'd let him have it, maybe I need to give my arm a rest."
Peter - who proposed to Emily on New Year's Eve after 18 months together - is delighted with what his life has to offer him at the moment and is looking forward to the future
He gushed: "I have the wonderful gift of a baby, the engagement, and to have this as well, a career thing. It's unbelievable."

Mary Berry not nervous about Bake Off move


Mary Berry isn't nervous about 'The Great British Bake Off' moving to BBC One.
The hit reality competition - which drew some nine million viewers last year - will switch from BBC Two for its fifth series later this year and judge Mary, 78, insists there is no pressure to change the show ahead of its big move.
She told BANG Showbiz exclusively: "I'm not at all nervous about it. The programme is going to be just the same, and we'll put just as much into it. The bakers won't change, we won't change - the standards will be the same. It'll all be great fun."
Meanwhile, series four runner-up Kimberley Wilson - who lost out to Frances Quinn in the final last year - says the contestants on the show really did get along and admits people are surprised by the harmony amongst them.
She revealed: "When people stop us they always ask, 'Is it real? Do you really get on?' We absolutely do.
"We're trying to organise reunions, but people are a bit busy at the moment, but we do want to get together. You're in this incredibly intense environment and you feel bonds really quickly."

Woody Allen’s lawyer slams ‘vengeful’ ex


Woody Allen's lawyer has blamed a "vengeful lover" for Dylan Farrow's sexual abuse claims.
The 'Blue Jasmine' director's adopted daughter wrote an open letter for the New York Times at the weekend - in which she made a series of accusations about the filmmaker abusing her at the age of seven - and his legal representative Alkan Abramowitz appears to have suggested Dylan's mother, Woody's former partner Mia Farrow, made up the accusations.
Alkan told CNN: "It is tragic that after 20 years a story engineered by a vengeful lover resurfaces, even though it was fully vetted and rejected by independent authorities.
"The one to blame for Dylan's distress is neither Dylan nor Woody Allen."
The accusations date back to 1992, when it emerged Woody was having an affair with Mia's adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn, who he later married.
In the custody battle over the estranged couple's children, Dylan, Moses and Ronan, the actress alleged the filmmaker had molested their daughter but the charges were later dropped.
Following the publication of Dylan's essay, the 'Midnight in Paris' filmmaker slammed her claims as "disgraceful".
His representative said: "Mr. Allen has read the article and found it untrue and disgraceful. He will be responding very soon."


Dancing on Ice’s Ray Quinn kicked in head


Ray Quinn was kicked in the head while training for 'Dancing on Ice'.
The former 'X Factor' favourite almost had his skull sliced open by his skating partner Maria Filippov's ice-skate when they were practicing one particularly tricky move for the ITV show.
Ray said: "I'm loving it. It felt really strange at first being back. It's such a big show and I've not skated once since last time. There's more to prove this time and I'm feeling the pressure."
Discussing his tough training sessions, he added: "Maria Filippov and I were doing a slip from underneath. Her legs came up too far, I stood up too quickly and her skates caught my head. I was bleeding."
The pint-sized pop star has shed an impressive stone in a bid to get fit for his grand return to the ice for the first time since winning the 2009 series.
Ray told OK! magazine: "I wanted to do something about my weight and get in the gym. I started in October because I knew I needed to be fit to do panto and the ice-skating, so I started working out, went on a juice diet and got a nutritionist on board. I've lost just over a stone."

Harry Styles goes art shopping


Harry Styles has splashed out £20,000 on "love and sex" themed art.
The One Direction hunk - who is rumoured to be dating 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians' star Kendall Jenner - bought 20 prints by artist Hayden Kays, including one piece which is simply a white background bearing the text 'If I wasn't straight I'd definitely be gay'.
Another of the pieces - which cost £1,000 each - features crudely-drawn penises with one bearing the words 'My pen is huge' inside, while another text-only design reads 'I think about sex every sex words'.
A source told MailOnline website that the prints were "probably to decorate his new home".
Harry's discovery of the artist isn't new, as he first bought a Kays print almost two years ago.
The source said: "Back in 2012 he purchased another love-related piece after his split from Caroline Flack."
The 20-year-old singer has an impressive art collection in his London home, with his pieces including a skull, a model of Jesus wearing boxing gloves and a £5,000 sculpture of a hand gun inside a glass fire alarm case.
Ben Turnball, who created the gun piece, said last year: "I did a series of fire alarms with weapons in called 'Every Home Should Have One'.
"Harry had one with a gun inside. I wasn't actually at the art fair and I didn't do the deal, but I'm fairly sure that Harry would have got a little bit of a discount.
"I think he bought a couple of my collage works that are made out of original comics and show giant pictures of firemen, relating to the 9/11 memorial."


Matthew McConaughey: I wanted frightening roles


Matthew McConaughey wanted to take on film roles that "scare" him.
The actor, who has been nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of a real-life AIDS victim in 'Dallas Buyers Club', made a conscious decision not to take a part in another romantic comedy, after appearing in 'How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days' and 'Failure to Launch'.
He told Time Out London magazine: "I'm not going to carry on doing the same thing over and over. I was reading romantic comedies. And I liked them. But I wanted to do something that scares me a little bit.
"The first move was saying 'no' to scripts. That was six months of 'no' and then a year of nothing. And something happened. I gained anonymity and suddenly it became a good idea for William Friedkin [director] to call about 'Killer Joe' or Steven Soderbergh about 'Magic Mike'."
The 44-year-old star admits it was difficult not working for so long but he found comfort in his family, spending time with his wife Camila and their children, 13-month-old Livingston, Vida, four, and Levi, five.
When asked if he got the jitters not acting, he replied: "A little bit. But I hunkered down with my wife. And I had a son come into the world. When I got anxious, I could be like: shepherding my newborn son is a great thing to be doing.
"If it hadn't been for my son, I'd have been more antsy for sure. I look at all this as switching gear: same book, different chapter. I could have done some of these roles five or ten years ago. I didn't. I had a nice run there. I enjoyed those romcoms. So they didn't get critical acclaim. That's not my concern. Now I've started doing this and I'm enjoying it. People are going, 'We like him.' "