show biz

Let the legal battle begin.

On Monday, a Las Vegas-based HBO Max subscriber sued Netflix over concerns that the streamer’s plans to buy some of Warner Bros. Discovery’s assets would create an anti-competitive environment in the entertainment industry and raise subscription prices.

Netflix said last week it agreed to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s film and TV business, its Burbank lot, HBO and the HBO Max streaming service for $27.75 a share or $72 billion. It also agreed to take on more than $10 billion of Warner Bros.’ debt, creating a deal value of $82.7 billion.

Michelle Fendelander alleges in her lawsuit that if Netflix’s deal were to go through, it would decrease competition in the subscription streaming market. She is asking the court to issue an injunction to prevent the merger from happening or issue a remedy for the anti-competitive effects.

“American consumers — including SVOD purchasers like Plaintiff, an HBO Max subscriber — will bear the brunt of this decreased competition, paying increased prices and receiving degraded and diminished services for their money,” according to Fendelander’s lawsuit, which is seeking class-action status. The lawsuit was filed in a U.S. District Court in San Jose.

Netflix on Tuesday called the lawsuit “meritless” and “merely an attempt by the plaintiffs bar to leverage all the attention on the deal.”

The Los Gatos, Calif.,-based streamer is long seen as the winner of the subscription streaming wars, boosted by having successfully entered the streaming content space earlier than rivals and for its superior recommendation technology. By buying Warner Bros. Discovery’s assets, Netflix would gain access to more franchises and characters, including Batman, “Game of Thrones” and Harry Potter. Netflix said it plans to keep Warner Bros.’ commitments to bringing its movies to theaters.

But Fendelander and some industry observers are concerned that Netflix owning one of its streaming rivals will hurt the entertainment industry because it means less competition.

“The elimination of this rivalry is likely to reduce overall content output, diminish the diversity and quality of available content, and narrow the spectrum of creative voices appearing on major streaming platforms,” according to the lawsuit by Fendelander, who has never been a Netflix subscriber.

Streamers over the years have steadily raised their prices, and some analysts said they would not be surprised if subscription prices continued to go up.

Netflix executives said they believe their deal to acquire WBD’s assets will benefit key stakeholders.

“It’s going to mean more options for consumers,” said Netflix Co-CEO Greg Peters on a call with investors last Friday. “It’s going to be more opportunities for creators, more value for our shareholders. Together, we’ve got the chance to bring great stories, cutting edge innovation and more choice to audiences everywhere.”

Peters also pointed out at a UBS conference on Monday that Netflix combined with the assets it is acquiring from Warner Bros. Discovery would still amount to a smaller share of U.S. TV viewing than YouTube.

Whether the deal will get over the finish line remains to be seen, although Netflix executives say they believe it will. On Monday, Paramount said it would directly appeal to shareholders to offer an alternative bid.

Simon Cowell’s new Netflix show sees the music mogul go on the hunt for his next big boyband.

Simon Cowell’s latest Netflix series is almost ready to launch, unveiling the genuine story behind one of One Direction’s most memorable tracks.

The legendary music mogul and Britain’s Got Talent supremo returns to television tomorrow, Wednesday, December 10, on the streaming giant.

This fresh venture allows viewers to witness the entire process from its inception, as Simon conducts auditions and brings hopeful band members to America to compete for their spot in the group.

To assist in assembling the new boyband, the 66-year-old recruited some of his most reliable collaborators, including former Pop Idol panellist Peter Waterman and singer-songwriter Kamille.

However, it’s the involvement of songwriter and producer Savan Koetcha that truly captures audiences’ interest, having amassed over 102 billion streams throughout his career.

“Simon gave me my first big break as a songwriter”, Savan revealed.

“And so, since then, we’ve worked very closely on a lot of stuff.”

Simon remarked: “And also you gave us the first hit for One Direction, What Makes You Beautiful.”

Revealing the track’s origins, Savan then disclosed: “It was written about my wife. So there you go. True story.”

Savan has been wed to Anna Gustavsson since 2009, with whom he has two sons, and has previously spoken openly about her serving as the muse for the beloved One Direction anthem.

Two years ago, Savan took to Instagram to share his joy, stating: “I figured I would write a little something in celebration of What makes you beautiful hitting a billion streams on Spotify.”

He expressed his gratitude, saying: “In the past, I may have taken something like this for granted, but I (thankfully) don’t anymore. This song means so much to me for several reasons.”

Savan continued: “My two boys know this song is about their mother. It makes me so emotional to know that they can see/feel/hear millions (now billions) of people listen to a song about how beautiful and wonderful their mom is. I think she’s starting to like it now too.”

Simon Cowell : The Next Act will premiere on Netflix on Wednesday, December 10.

SINGER Sabrina Carpenter is so Espress-ive as she steps out in New York City.

The Taste star wore an oversized sweatshirt and tights as she left filming of US chat show Late Night with Seth Meyers.

During the recording 26-year-old Sabrina wore a retro black-and-white ­layered dress.

The outfit appeared in designer Chantal Thomass’ 1994 Fall collection during Paris Fashion Week and was modelled on the runway by Claudia Schiffer.

Sabrina enjoys the sweet smell of success as one of the most streamed artists in the UK this year.

But no British stars made the annual Spotify Top Ten as fans turned their backs on homegrown music.

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US singer Sabrina was the third most played artist among millions of UK Spotify users — while her 2024 album Short n’ Sweet, featuring hit Espresso, was the most streamed.

Sabrina, who has just launched her new Sweet Tooth range of perfumes, was beaten by US pop superstar Taylor Swift and the Canadian rapper Drake.

Oasis were a surprise omission after 1.5 million fans saw their reunion gigs this summer.

South London’s Lola Young, 24, was the only Brit with a song in the UK Top Ten.

Messy, which hit No1 in November 2024, was the third most streamed track.

Tunes from American singer-songwriters took the first and second spots: the emotional track Ordinary by Alex Warren and the break-up song That’s So True by Gracie Abrams.

Globally, Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny topped the streaming chart with 19.8 billion, followed by Taylor Swift.

The most streamed song of the year worldwide was Die With a Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars, with 1.7 billion streams.

Grammy-nominated gospel singer Jubilant Sykes was stabbed to death in his Santa Monica home late Sunday, and his son was taken into custody at the scene, police said.

The 71-year-old, a prominent singer as well as an actor, was pronounced dead shortly after police arrived at the residence, according to Santa Monica Police Lt. Lewis Gilmore. There, they also discovered his son, 31-year-old Micah Sykes, still inside the Delaware Avenue home. He was booked on suspicion of homicide.

Over his career, Jubilant Sykes performed in venues around the world and across genres — opera, gospel, spirituals, show tunes, folk and pop — working with figures including Renée Fleming, Terence Blanchard, Carlos Santana, Julie Andrews and Brian Wilson. His resume included the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater and the Metropolitan Opera. In 2010, he earned a Grammy nomination for his recording of Leonard Bernstein’s “Mass.”

On Sunday, Sykes’ wife, Cecelia, initially reported the incident as an assault. She told investigators her son had a history of mental illness, though detectives have not determined whether it played a role in the killing.

“The suspect was cooperative and taken into police custody without incident,” Gilmore said. “The entire tragedy took place within the confines of the family home.”

Police had not received any recent domestic calls involving the family prior to the incident, and the motive remains under investigation, police said.

“She wasn’t really aware of an altercation or an argument that led up to the stabbing,” Gilmore said, adding that Cecelia Sykes did not report feeling endangered during the incident. “I know the suspect had free access to the house. It is unclear if he was living there on a full-time or part-time basis, but it is the family home and he was allowed to be there.”

Police believe only the couple and their son were inside at the time.

Jubilant Sykes was born in Los Angeles in 1954, and his unique first name came courtesy of his mother.

“She named me that simply because she wanted me to be jubilant,” Sykes told The Times in 1996. “And when it comes to music, I am.”

He grew up in the city and sang soprano as a boy until his voice changed. Sykes later said he lost interest in music for a bit until a music teacher showed him how to use his new teen voice.

“I can’t remember ever not singing,” he told The Times in 1999, recalling music filling the house and piano lessons as a child.

After graduating from high school, Sykes majored in music at Cal State Fullerton.

“I just threw myself into it, totally clueless,” he said years later.

His shift toward classical singing was cemented after he won first place in the Metropolitan Opera’s Los Angeles regional auditions, leading to a debut at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 1990.

He also appeared on film soundtracks and took occasional acting roles, including in the Cuba Gooding Jr. film “Freedom,” and in the musical “1776” at New York City Center. In Southern California, he performed on the opening-night bill for the Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center in 2008 and a 2006 performance with Carlos Santana at the Hollywood Bowl.

In addition to his wife and son, Jubilant Sykes is survived by two more sons.

An investigation of Sunday’s stabbing is underway, according to Gilmore.

Details on Micah Sykes’ bail and his first court appearance were not immediately available.

Sharon Osbourne has candidly revealed how she mentally struggled after losing her husband Ozzy

Sharon Osbourne considered “going with Ozzy” when he passed away. The former X Factor judge, 73, had been married to Black Sabbath legend Ozzy for more than 40 years when he died in July at the age of 76, and has now made the candid admission that she may have ended it all had it not been for their children.

The showbiz couple had Aimee, 42, Kelly, 41, and 40-year-old Jack together, and when asked how they had supported her through her grief, she admitted they were the only reason she wanted to continue.

She said: “I wouldn’t have got through. I would have just gone with Ozzy, definitely. I’ve done everything I wanted to do. You know they’ve been unbelievable, just magnificent with me, all three of them.”

READ MORE: Kelly Osbourne breaks down in tears in first TV interview after Ozzy’s deathREAD MORE: Sharon Osbourne recalls moment she found Ozzy dead and final words he said to her

The music manager recalled a time in the past when she suffered a mental breakdown and when she sought professional help in a facility, she saw the ramifications children are forced to deal with parents have taken their own lives.

Speaking on Piers Morgan Uncensored , she added: “Years ago, when I had one of my mental breakdowns, I went into a little facility to help with my head. And there were two girls over there. They didn’t know each other, but they were in there, each mother had committed suicide.

“And I saw the state that these two young women were in and what it had done to their lives, and I thought, I will never, ever, ever do that to my kids.”

The matriarch of the Osbourne family also recalled the moment she found him dead and how she screamed uncontrollably at realising he had passed.

She said: “He had a heart attack. I ran downstairs, and there he was, and they were trying to resuscitate him, and I’m like, ‘Don’t — just leave him. Leave him. You can’t. He’s gone’. I knew instantly he’d gone. And they tried and tried, and then they took him by helicopter to the hospital and they tried, and it’s like, ‘He’s gone. Just leave him.'”

Sharon also explained how Ozzy would use the crosstrainer for up to an hour and a half a day, even with his ill health. Sharing a moment from their final night together for the first time, Sharon said Ozzy had been up and down out of bed all night.

“He said, ‘Kiss me’. And then he said, ‘Hug me tight’. I can’t help wondering if I should have, could I have? If only I’d have told him I loved him more. If only I’d have held him tighter. And he went downstairs, worked out for 20 minutes and passed away,” she said.

*If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email info@mind.org.uk

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OZZY Osbourne was warned by doctors that he wouldn’t survive his farewell gig before his tragic death.

The rocker went ahead with his farewell gig in Birmingham back in the summer, despite the advice from his doctors at the time, Sharon has now revealed.

In an emotional interview with her friend Piers Morgan on his Uncensored show, which will drop on Wednesday, Sharon opened up about the warnings from doctors that Ozzy would not survive the event.

Ozzy, 76, sadly passed away on July 22, with the cause of death later revealed to be a cardiac arrest.

Sharon insists that the rocker fully understood he was at the end of his life when he performed for the final time in Birmingham on July 5 – just days before his death.

Speaking to Piers on Uncensored, Sharon recalled how in the back of his mind, Ozzy knew the gig would be his final chapter.

SO BRAVE

Sharon Osbourne and daughter Kelly reunite with her CBB co-star Bradley Riches

DARLING HUSBAND

Sharon Osbourne’s emotional tribute to late husband Ozzy on his birthday

Explaining to Piers, Sharon said: “Very much so, because he’d been so ill this year, terribly, terribly ill. 

“And when we came to England and we were meeting with new doctors here, a new medical team for him, the main doctor said to him, ‘If you do this show, that’s it. You’re not going to get through it.’ 

“But we just sat there, and he said, I’m doing it. I want to do it, and I’m doing it. 

“He knew his body was failing him. He was in so much pain, so much pain.

“And I mean, you know, he had pneumonia three times this year. He’d had sepsis. 

“That’s what really, really destroyed him.

“He was on these shots of antibiotics. It used to take 20 minutes for the shot to go in, and he had that twice a day, and it kills everything in you, the Good, the Bad, everything, so much antibiotics, and he just couldn’t get over that. He just couldn’t.”

Asked by Piers, a close friend of the family, how he managed to muster the strength to perform – albeit in a specially made throne because he was no longer able to stand – she adds: “He just wanted it so bad to say thank you to everyone. And I think he honestly did know that, he, he was done.

“That was his time. He was so happy afterwards.

“He kept looking at the papers, and he goes to me, ‘I never knew so many people liked me,’ but that was the way he was. 

“I mean, he knew he was famous, but not the amount that people loved him. It’s a whole different thing, and he was just so happy, so so happy. 

“And for two weeks he was, you know, really, like every day was sunshine for him.

“Really, really happy, yeah, so happy, happier than we’d seen him in seven years.”

Watch the full interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored on YouTube.

Miracles do still happen.

Ricki Lake took to Instagram on Monday to share the “craziest” story of how a stranger had found her old family photos “at a freaking flea market.”

“I can’t even process” this, the former talk show host says in the video. “My words are not coming.”

Lake, who lost her Malibu home in the Palisades fire in January, recounted how a couple of her friends had reached out to her Sunday night to let her know that someone had posted images of old photos featuring Lake and her son on social media and was trying to get in touch with her.

“I couldn’t believe what I was seeing because all of it was gone in the fire,” Lake says.

Patty Scanlon, the artist who had posted the images, joined Lake on Instagram Live to share how she stumbled upon the photos while looking for inspiration at the Pasadena City College Flea Market.

“It was like the universe drove me to get your pictures,” Scanlon says, explaining she found a box of photos at the first vendor she hit at the market and bought it for $20. “I opened the pictures and the first one I saw … I thought ‘Oh, I love that woman’s face.’”

The artist didn’t immediately recognize the woman in the photos, but as she looked through more of them she realized it was Lake and her son Milo, who is now 28, as a toddler. In addition to the photos, Scanlon found a letter that indicated Lake had mailed them as a thank-you for some gifts that were given to baby Milo.

“These pictures are so priceless to me,” Lake says. “They would be anyway … but the fact that I lost all of these images in the fire in January … I thought they were gone forever.”

“I had made peace,” she continues. “It was such a heartache and such a painful thing to come to terms with. That all of these memories are no longer in front of me. They’re just in my mind and heart now. But the fact that you found these is unbelievable.”

In the video, Scanlon hypothesizes that the box of photos probably ended up at the flea market after an estate sale and says she can’t believe what a “miracle” it was that she had found them after learning about how Lake had lost everything in the fires.

“I really cannot thank you enough for your generosity,” Lake says to Scanlon. “The fact that I’m going to get something back that I thought was lost forever … it makes me so happy.”

Fans of the BBC soap EastEnders are fearful for a ‘vulnerable’ character as a desperate Sam Mitchell appears to target him for money as part of her ‘manipulative’ scheming

EastEnders fans are worried for a ‘vulnerable’ character after some scenes between him and a desperate Sam Mitchell suggest he will be the next target of her manipulative ploy for money.

In Tuesday’s episode (9 December), Sam was caught at the train station by her ex Jack Branning and revealed she found a lump and believes she has breast cancer.

As such, she had taken £20,000 from her brother Phil to pay for a flight back to Spain and to put into an account for her son Ricky. But, whilst she was at the station, Phil, who had learned of the theft from his friend Nigel Bates, caught up with her and took the money back.

READ MORE: EastEnders legend supported by co-stars after announcing major life updateREAD MORE: EastEnders fans ‘devastated’ as plot twist revealed amid sad Mitchell scenes

She also tried to convince Jack and Denise Fox to give her the money, telling Denise that she would get a doctor’s appointment about the lump if she and Jack agreed to send her the money.

Denise told Sam she would do it, but refused to until she had been to an appointment with Sam to make sure she kept up her end of the bargain. Unbeknownst to Sam, Denise has her own plans to trick the Mitchell woman into leaving without a penny.

Meanwhile, Sam had to beg Phil to let her crash on his couch. It was there that she got talking to Nigel. During Monday’s episode, Sam was caught going through Phil’s safe by Nigel, who is suffering from dementia. He let her go, as he mistook her for his daughter Clare, who he is estranged from.

As Sam got to talking to Nigel during Tuesday’s episode, he still believed she was Clare and told her that he had some money saved up that she could have. Sam sneakily smiled just as the duff duffs rang out.

Fans are convinced Sam will manipulate Nigel, exploiting his dementia and sending her scheming ways to a new low. One wrote online: “I know Sam’s always been a scheming character but scamming a man with dementia out of money would be very low even for her.”

Another added: “Oh no, Sam’s going to manipulate Nigel for money.” Meanwhile, another warned Sam not to do it: “Oooh Sam don’t do it girl.”

Many pointed out that Nigel’s illness makes him vulnerable and hoped Sam would not exploit it. One added that they would be sick if Sam targeted Nigel: “If I have to watch Sam Mitchell scam Nigel and steal his money by exploiting his dementia then I will physically vomit.”

Another said: “Tonight’s Duff Duff! If Sam steals off a vulnerable Nigel I swear to god…” And a third simply said: “Oh Sam better not scam Nigel. I don’t like that look on her face.”

Sam returned at the beginning of December after three years away. She is just one of several returns to the Square since Ben Wadey took over as the showrunner. Since September, Zoe Slater has returned, as has Max Branning, who will make a proper return later this month and feature heavily in the New Years episode.

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FOLK singer Jewel showed off her incredible figure in a brown and white zebra bikini in pics shared to Instagram. 

The singer, 51, captioned the carousel, “#Barbuda for a few days of sun before more winter snow.” 

Her shredded abs were on display in the string bikini in two photos of the carousel, which also included photos of spiny lobsters and the blue Caribbean sea.

Fans admired the star’s bikini bod and flowing beach blond hair, although she didn’t drop any details on her diet or workout. 

One fan wrote, “You look incredible.”

”Truly a beautiful lady,” a second fan commented. 

CROWN JEWEL

90s pop star Jewel, 51, puts muscular legs on display in black swimsuit

A third fan called the singer “Hot mama.”

Jewel is mom to Kase, 14, with her ex-husband, rodeo star Ty Murray.

She appears to be currently single, after a rumored fling with actor Kevin Costner in 2023.

She also gained notoriety after signing the American national anthem at San Diego’s Super Bowl XXXII. 

Fans and music reviewers criticized the singer for lip synching over a digitally-recorded track of her own voice.

The slip up was caught on camera when she missed a cue during the first words of the patriotic song.

The Sun reported on a similar situation that occurred at the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. 

Sheinelle Jones is taking the chair next to Jenna Bush Hager on the fourth hour of “Today,” the NBC News program announced Tuesday.

The brand extension of the NBC News morning franchise, which airs daily at 10 a.m., will be renamed “Today with Jenna & Sheinelle” on Jan. 12. Hager has handled the hour alongside guest hosts since Hoda Kotb left “Today” in January.

Jones, 47, will step back from her duties on the program’s third hour which will continue with Craig Melvin, Al Roker and Dylan Dreyer.

The Kansas native was on leave from “Today” for much of this year due to the death of her husband Uche Ojay, who suffered glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. She returned to the program in September.

Jones, a mother of three, has been a fixture on “Today” since 2014. She joined the program as a co-anchor for the Saturday edition after nine years as a local morning TV anchor in for the Fox station in Philadelphia. She became a co-host for the third hour in 2019.

The fourth hour of “Today” is a breezy, daytime talk show with advice and celebrity conversation. NBC News launched the hour in 2007 with Ann Curry, Natalie Morales and Kotb as co-hosts.

The program gained a cult following when it was co-hosted by Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford, and evolved into a wine mom gathering. Gifford left the program in 2019 and was succeeded by Hager.

Some of the films will jump out faster than a Marvel reboot, but others will be much trickier to spot We’re confident we’ve cracked the lot – think you can beat us? Scroll down for the answers…

Think you’re a true movie buff? Time to put your bragging rights on the line – because this baffling brainteaser is about to weed out the pretenders from the real cinema geeks.

Hidden in the below picture – which we’ve teased above – are little nods to 27 iconic films. Some will jump out faster than a Marvel reboot, but others will be much trickier to spot.

The puzzle first popped up on the Latest Deals, Extreme Couponing & Bargains Facebook group, and has put even the most confident film fans through their paces. One admitted: “Apparently there are 27 films in this picture! I’ve not found all of them… can you?”

The 27 movies have been squeezed into one picture, each represented by a small detail, visual hint, or clever little signal. We’re confident we’ve cracked the lot. Think you can beat us? Scroll down for the answers — complete with pictures to prove it.

Full image and answers

1. Jumanji. This one’s painfully obvious and sits front and centre of the image.

2. Forrest Gump. Anyone who’s ever set foot in a cinema will recognise Tom Hanks from his starring role in the 1990s drama classic.

3. Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Arnie fans should remember his cyborg eye from the 1991 sci-fi sequel.

4. Gremlins. Tucked away under the bench sits one of the creatures from Joe Dante’s 1984 horror-comedy.

5. Edward Scissorhands. Another stark inclusion behind Tom Hanks is Johnny Depp’s character from Tim Burton’s 1990 movie.

6. E.T. This one is a bit trickier to spot and lingers in the background – the unforgettable bike scene from the Steven Spielberg classic.

7. Ghostbusters. Slimer from Ivan Reitman’s 1984 film Ghostbusters can be seen sneaking up on Tom Hanks behind the bench.

8. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The 1989 family adventure pops up with tiny characters sitting on the bottom right of the bench.

9. Space Jam. The sticker on the bench is a reference to the 1996 classic.

10. Pulp Fiction .The 1994 Tarantino classic is nodded to by John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson faintly positioned behind the Jumanji board.

11. Back to the Future .The hoverboard on the bottom left is taken from the sci-fi comedy classic.

12. Jurassic Park .Spielberg’s 1993 dinosaur blockbuster is referenced through the Barbasol shaving cream can on the right.

13. Wayne’s World .The 1992 comedy favourite is included via a sticker placed on the bench slat.

14. Hook .The 1991 family fantasy is hinted at by Captain Hook’s metal hook on the right-hand edge of the image.

15. Harry and the Hendersons .The 1987 creature-comedy appears as a Bigfoot figure lurking near the tree.

16. Home Alone. The 1990 Christmas classic is referenced with “Wet Bandits” carved onto the bench.

17. Predator .The 1987 action sci-fi film is signalled by writing on the bench nodding to its famous catchphrase.

18. Indiana Jones .The 1981 adventure classic is represented by the small golden idol near the bench leg.

19. Batman .The iconic franchise is referenced through the Wayne Enterprises logo on the chocolate box.

20. Short Circuit .The 1986 robot comedy shows up via Johnny 5 perched on the right edge of the image.

21. The NeverEnding Story .The 1984 fantasy adventure appears through the Auryn necklace hanging around his neck.

22. The Goonies .The 1985 cult adventure is referenced with a bronze medallion peeking from his jacket pocket.

23. The Last Action Hero .The 1993 action-comedy is hinted at by the “Admit One” golden ticket resting on the bench.

24. Titanic. Movie buffs should have spotted the heart-shaped necklace around Edward Scissorhands.

25. Dumb and Dumber .The 1994 comedy classic is visible through the two men riding the mini-motorbike on the right.

26. Mars Attacks! Tim Burton’s 1996 sci-fi parody appears with a Martian head visible in the top right.

27. The Big Lebowski. The cult comedy is referenced by a bowling-themed item tucked into the jacket pocket.

HEIDI Klum turned up the heat as she stripped topless and soaked up the sunshine by a pool.

The German supermodel, 52, looked blissfully happy as she closed her eyes and raised her head towards the sun while lying on her front on a towel.

She left her blonde hair in loose waves framing her face and went make-up free as she captured her chill time in a short video posted to Instagram.

Heidi, who was fresh from her role as a World Cup 2026 Draw Presenter last week, positioned the camera directly under her face at the start of her saucy clip.

At the end of her video, the America’s Got Talent judge gave a cheeky glimpse at her purple bikini bottoms and the pool behind her before she panned the camera back to her face and shook her head.

She captioned it with a bikini, smiling face and sunshine Emoji icons.

Heidi then completed the upload by adding the Mamas and Papas song, Monday Monday in the background.

Over on Reddit, fans were quick to gush over the racy upload.

One wrote: “Still got it.”

Another wrote: “Still fire and sexy.”

The eyebrow-raising clip came after Heidi confused fans last month by posting a video of her feet as she stepped into sky-high heels.

The model is no stranger to daring attire, recently flashing her chest as she posed in a completely see-though dress.

She also stunned as she stripped to a figure-hugging bodysuit for a photoshoot with daughter Leni.

Sadly, the duo have been subject to cruel trolling from online who shamed them for their ultra sexy photoshoots together.

NEW ROLE

Last week, Heidi changed tack and joined forces with Robbie Williams at the World Cup 2026 draw in Washington DC.

Heidi Klum’s Halloweens throughout the years

Supermodel Heidi Klum is known for her extravagant Halloween costumes at her annual party. Here’s a look at her iconic disguises throughout the years:

2000: Dominatrix

2001: Lady Godiva

2002: Betty Boop

2003: Gold alien

2004: Red witch

2005: Vampire

2006: Biblical forbidden apple and snake

2007: Cat

2008: Hindu goddess Kali

2009: Crows with her then-husband Seal

2010: Giant robots with Seal

2011: Realistic apes with Seal

2012: Cleopatra

2013: Old lady

2014: Butterfly

2015: Jessica Rabbit

2016: Heidi Klum clones with five doppelgangers

2017: Werewolf from Michael Jackson’s Thriller music video

2018: Fiona and Shrek with her now-husband Tom Kaulitz

2019: Alien science experiment

2022: Giant worm with Kaulitz as a fisherman

2023: Peacock

She donned two different dresses, switching up from a red sparkling number to a black blouse and diamante skirt.

She hosted the World Cup draw alongside comedian Kevin Hart and actor Danny Ramirez at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC.

And the supermodel, who previously took part in the 2006 tournament draw in her native Germany, was among the first names on the red carpet.

As Heidi switched into a third dress for the actual draw ceremony – this being a glittering gold number – things seemingly went downhill.

The Fifa production of the event featured Heidi and Kevin hosting to a very quiet room.

Both Kevin’s banter, and the jokes Heidi was presenting to him, appeared to fall flat.

Heidi and Kevin were then slammed on social media for what viewers deemed the “horrific and cringe” draw as fans urged the pair to “get on with it.”

It was just last Friday that Netflix announced a blockbuster $72-billion deal to acquire Warner Bros. film and television studios, HBO and HBO Max — a tie-up that could fundamentally change Hollywood.

Yet on Monday, the stakes got even higher, as Paramount swooped in with a $78-billion hostile takeover bid it plans to take directly to Warner Bros. Discovery’s shareholders.

Paramount Chief Executive David Ellison called the Netflix deal an “inferior proposal,” saying in a statement that it “exposes shareholders to a mix of cash and stock, an uncertain future trading value of the Global Networks linear cable business and a challenging regulatory approval process.”

It all sets the stage for a long and potentially bruising fight. And the Netflix deal would have to overcome some significant regulatory hurdles, experts told me.

“This is a deal that never should have left the boardroom,” said David Balto, an antitrust attorney and a former policy director at the Federal Trade Commission during the Clinton administration. “The competitive concerns are profound. This is going to face a lot of opposition at the Justice Department.”

For one, antitrust regulators are expected to scrutinize the market share that would be controlled by a combined Netflix and HBO Max.

Netflix outlasted its rivals in the so-called streaming wars to become the dominant platform in a crowded space. That position has led to concern that gobbling up HBO Max would give Netflix outsized power in the streaming space — potentially more than 30% — which would cross a threshold under antitrust law, according to a recent letter from Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) to Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi and Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson.

Netflix executives have argued that analysis of its market share should include YouTube.

In a UBS investor conference Monday, Netflix Co-Chief Executive Greg Peters pointed to Nielsen data, which show Netflix’s shares of U.S. TV viewing is still behind YouTube‘s. Netflix represents just 8% of U.S. TV viewing in October, behind YouTube’s 12.9%.

If Netflix were to combine with Warner Bros. Discovery’s 1.3% share of U.S. TV viewing, its 9.2% would still be less than that of YouTube. (Other Nielsen data show that Warner Bros. Discovery channels have greater viewership, but Netflix is only interested in one channel, HBO).

“We think there’s a strong fundamental case here for why regulators should approve this deal,” Peters said. (The deal’s overall value is $82.7 billion due to the absorption of debt)

But who would regulators consider a competitor to Netflix? Is it YouTube, with its emphasis on shorter-form content? Or would the main competitors be other streaming services with films and series, like Disney+, Paramount+ and Peacock?

“The analytical issue there is, how do you define the market?” said George Hay, a professor of law at Cornell University and former director of economics in the Justice Department’s antitrust division. “What is their combined market share, what do they compete in and what are the alternatives available to consumers?”

The consumer angle would also invite involvement from the Federal Trade Commission. With a shrinking marketplace, the agency would likely investigate whether this could increase streaming prices for customers.

“What keeps Netflix honest is knowing there’s an HBO Max that’s right over its shoulder,” Balto said. “But once they get rid of that, they can lead the easy life, and the need to cut prices or provide better services or bid aggressively for film content — all of that will be diminished.”

Meanwhile, Hollywood unions and the Cinema United trade group have also raised concerns that a Netflix ownership of Warner Bros. would lead to fewer films being released in theaters, due to the company’s longstanding resistance to traditional movie releases. Netflix has said it would honor Warner Bros.’ theatrical release commitments and that future films without those existing deals will also go to theaters.

Beyond the U.S. concerns, Netflix would also need the blessing of regulators across the globe, and could be challenged by even state attorneys general who might have a significant number of entertainment workers in their areas who would question the effect on industry jobs.

Then, there’s the politics of it all.

President Trump himself has said he “would be involved” in his administration’s decision to bless any deal and that the combined market share of Netflix and Warner Bros. “could be a problem.”

As my colleagues Meg James and Stacy Perman have reported, Trump has openly favored Paramount’s bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, though word of Paramount backer Larry Ellison’s close ties with Trump dampened enthusiasm for the bid in Hollywood. Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, is now also one of the investors participating in the renewed Paramount bid.

Despite this involvement, the Trump administration may not have the final say on the deal, just as in the case of the AT&T deal for Time Warner.

For his part, Netflix Co-Chief Executive Ted Sarandos has also been trying to make his own case to Trump and ventured to the White House last month, Bloomberg reported.

“It’s a case in which the political issues are going to play a role,” Hay said. “They’re so front and center, and Trump has shown an inclination to get involved.”

About the only thing that’s clear is that it’s not going to be a quick process.

“This entire matter is not going to get resolved in a hurry,” said Corey Martin, managing partner at Granderson Des Rochers. “The resolution of this matter is very likely to take place over months and potentially years, and not days and weeks.”

Stuff We Wrote

Film shoots

Number of the week

Universal Pictures and Blumhouse-Atomic Monster’s horror sequel “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2” ruled the domestic box office this weekend with a $63 million haul in the U.S. and Canada. While it doesn’t surpass the first movie’s $80 million opening weekend in 2023, it’s a massive boost for theaters, which have seen a string of slower months.

Menacing animatronic figures weren’t the only thing that brought moviegoers to theaters this weekend. Disney’s animated “Zootopia 2” brought in about $43 million domestically in its second outing. Globally, the sequel has now brought in a total of $915 million.

The strong recent showings for films such as “Zootopia 2” and “Wicked: For Good” have helped push 2025’s year-to-date domestic box office total to a little over $8 billion, up just barely — 0.8%, in fact — compared with last year.

Finally …

My colleague, Jeanette Marantos, wrote about the 105th anniversary of Altadena’s Christmas Tree Lane lighting ceremony and festival this past weekend, a bittersweet memorial for the community after a year of heartbreak.

The ITV News journalist has opened up about the ‘agonising’ trip she made following the death of her husband, who passed away in 2022

ITV News Arts Editor Nina Nannar has shared her heartache following the death of her husband. Her partner of 23 years passed away due to complications from kidney disease in 2022, leaving behind their 19-year-old daughter Mimi.

In a recent heartfelt interview, Nina spoke about her “agonising” journey to New Zealand to scatter the ashes of her late husband, Steve Ronson.

The 57-year-old told Norfolk magazine that she had been planning and “dreading” this trip for over a year as it was a “heartbreaking mission”.

She intended to return Steve’s ashes to his homeland of New Zealand but confessed she wasn’t emotionally prepared.

The broadcaster admitted to sleepless nights worrying about whether she could manage her grief and not “be embarrassing” in front of his friends.

Nina confided in the publication: “Even though Steve has been gone three years, the sorrow I feel over his loss still manages to cripple me in unexpected moments, of leaving me still in despair and disbelief that he is no longer here.”

She expressed gratitude towards her friends for supporting her “through my irrational moments” and “times of agony”, reports the Express.

Nina added: “My grief is raw, but this trip Mimi and I made did help us in a huge way.” During their visit to New Zealand, Nina and Mimi joined Steve’s friends at his favourite surf beach where they sang their “family anthem”, Return Of The Grievous Angel.

They also congregated at a beach on the Coramandel Peninsula, where Nina captured a video and sent it to his sister, Chris.

She asked Nina if she had spotted an orb of green light traversing the video, which Nina hoped was a sign from Steve.

Kidney Research UK reported that Steve was born with reflux, a condition affecting a valve in the ureter, causing urine to flow in the wrong direction, from the bladder back into the kidney.

He endured three and a half years on dialysis before receiving a kidney transplant that lasted for 30 years. In 2021, he underwent surgery to remove a lump, but doctors found cancer cells.

A year later, the cancer cells had spread, leading to the removal of Steve’s ear the day after his 60th birthday. Tragically, he passed away in 2022, surrounded by his loved ones.

STRICTLY’s Tyler West and Love Island star Chloe Burrows are set to be the new hosts of the KISS FM Breakfast Show in a surprising shake up.

The show has been hosted by Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely since 2020, but the duo sensationally quit just last week.

And now, their surprising reality star replacements have been confirmed.

Tyler, who currently presents afternoons on Kiss, is moving to the early bird slot with Chloe from the end of January.

He said of the new opportunity: “‘KISS FAM! The mornings are gonna be unreal! Taking over from my boys Jordan and Perri is huge… but trust me I’m ready to bring it!

“It’s time for big laughs and bigger tunes. KISS is where home is – this is your new breakfast show where the door is always open. It’s gonna be carnage!”

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While Chloe, who hasn’t previously hosted radio before but has her own podcast, described the opportunity as her “dream job”,

She said: “I can’t believe I’m saying this – I’m joining KISS! While I know I’ve got big shoes to fill, stepping into the station that I’ve been a HUGE fan of growing up will feel like being launched into my dream job at 100 miles an hour.

“Being the newbie, I know that working alongside Tyler and a world-class team of producers will give me the perfect introduction.

She rounded off: “I’m more than ready to bring the laughs and every ounce of energy I’ve got for the KISS Breakfast listeners. I’m buzzing!”

Chloe rose to fame after appearing on Love Island back in 2021, while Tyler is a presenter and starred on Strictly Come Dancing in 2022, during which he met fiancée Molly Rainford.

The show rivals the likes of Capital Breakfast Show with Jordan North, Sian Welby and Chris Stark, Radio 1’s Breakfast with Greg James, and Hits Radio Breakfast with Fleur East, James & Matt.

It is not yet confirmed who will take over Tyler’s afternoon show, with the news set to be revealed early next year.

Jordan and Perri revealed they have stepped down from the show last week during an on-air announcement.

The duo, who joined the station in 2020, said: “We have some very big news… there’s no easy way to say this, we are moving on from KISS Breakfast.

“It’s been quite the journey for the last five and a half years and we’ve spent every single morning with you guys.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure, a privilege to wake up with you guys and have a laugh.

They continued: “It’s been the most special years of our lives, genuinely, and we’ve enjoyed every single moment.

“We’re going to get some lie ins back which is going to be a little bit weird to adjust too, but we do get to focus on all the other things that we get to do.”

The early 1980s Los Angeles of my childhood always felt like a place where you could brush against greatness and not even recognize it.

Take the strange, faceless building at Melrose and Sycamore avenues, just up from the house where I grew up. It stood apart from the Melrose Avenue hodgepodge, which included an auto body shop, an old bookstore famous for selling movie scripts, and a trendy boutique that sold vintage fedoras and marked the beginning of Melrose’s turn as a fashion mecca.

In a street filled with signage screaming for your attention (“THOUSANDS OF BOOKS,” yelled the bookseller), that corner lot had nothing. Just two concrete-plastered boxes seemingly closed off to the world. The only hint of life was a tree growing from what appeared to be some kind of courtyard hidden from view. I passed by all the time — sneaking a Chunky bar at the corner liquor store, grabbing an ice cream cone from Baskin-Robbins.

I didn’t give the building a second thought until my best friend and I started a little weekly newspaper we photocopied for 3½ cents a copy from a shop a few doors away. Jack and I hit up Melrose merchants to buy ads (usually just their business card), and a few agreed to help these teenage publishing tycoons. Because of this, cracking the code of that strange little building became a brief obsession. One day, I found a door around the side and knocked. No answer. So I left a copy of our paper and returned a few days later. No luck. So I gave up. Why was I wasting my time with this piece of junk?

It took another 15 years to learn that the concrete box I so easily dismissed is one of L.A. architectural treasures. It is called the Danziger Studio and was one of architect Frank Gehry’s first L.A. commissions.

Even back in the 1960s, it was hailed as something special. Architecture critic Reyner Banham called it a brilliant elevation of the “stucco box” so ubiquitous around the city. As it turned out, the surface was not concrete but “a gray rough stucco of the type sprayed onto freeway overpasses. Gehry had to learn the decidedly unconventional technique himself,” according to the Los Angeles Conservancy.

A vintage postcard from the collection of L.A. Times staff writer Patt Morrison shows a May Co. department store and its clean lines.

In his obituary for Gehry, Christopher Hawthorne described the studio as a “spare, even self-effacing stucco box, plain outside and filled with light and surprising spatial complexity inside.” The building “looked Modern but also suggested sympathy for the postwar visual chaos of L.A. evident in the work of artists such as Ed Ruscha and David Hockney.”

I discovered the provenance of the hidden gem in the 1990s, when Gehry had reached “starchitect” status with his shape-shifting museum in Bilbao, Spain, and just before he gained legend status for L.A.’s Disney Hall. The Danzinger Studio shared none of those over-the-top designs. But that made me more impressed. I started driving by whenever I was in the neighborhood, slowing down in hopes of understanding what made it great. One day, I even gave it a walk-around, assuming it must look a lot better inside. (It turns out it does.)

I came to appreciate its beauty and grace — as well as something much larger about L.A. design. Suddenly, my idea of great architecture broadened beyond the ornate church, grand mansion, distinctive Spanish Colonial or gleaming glass skyscrapers like the Westin Bonaventure hotel. I gained a respect for the simplicity of design and function over style, like a cute working-class courtyard apartment, the streamlined simplicity of a May Co. department store and even the crazed efficiency of a mini-mall.

Plaza Cienega is in the Beverly Grove area of Los Angeles.

(Google street view)

I have wondered whether I would have valued the Danziger Studio had it not been designed by Gehry. But it didn’t matter, because this discovery gave me the confidence to have my own, sometimes unpopular, L.A. opinions. I am in the minority, for example, in loving the much-derided 1960s brown-box addition to the old Times Mirror Square complex just as much as the landmark Art Deco original. And sorry, the mini-mall at 3rd Street and La Cienega Boulevard is one of my favorite L.A. buildings, period.

Trust me. I know.

The beloved 2003 Christmas film that became a box office smash and stars some of Britain’s most famous actors airs on ITV2 tonight for the perfect festive night in

Initially launched in 2003, this beloved film has cemented its status as a seasonal must-watch, drawing audiences back year after year for repeat viewings. Tonight, ITV provides the perfect opportunity for a cosy festive evening in with this Christmas classic.

Both written and helmed by British cinema icon Richard Curtis, Love Actually perfectly encapsulates the essence of a distinctly British Christmas.

The production boasts an impressive ensemble cast, featuring several actors who have collaborated with Curtis on multiple occasions, most notably Hugh Grant.

Set predominantly in London, the narrative weaves through diverse expressions of love across multiple storylines – spanning bereavement and first romance to unreturned affection, matrimony, and workplace attraction, delivering a comprehensive emotional spectrum.

These universally relatable themes consistently draw audiences back year after year, sparking ongoing discussions across social media platforms.

A dedicated Reddit thread about the movie reveals countless viewer opinions, with many confessing to multiple viewings. One fan declared, “Freaking love it; have to watch it every Christmas season. Nothing will ever make me hate this movie.”

Another enthusiast proclaimed, “Literally the most iconic rom-com of all time. I absolutely love watching it every year. It’s not the greatest movie, but it is so comforting, and I love the entire cast. I can’t not watch this movie.”

The movie kicks off six weeks before Christmas and tracks these characters’ journeys in a weekly build-up to the festive season. We witness the interconnected stories of these families and couples across London, as many dive into fresh romantic adventures, ranging from a schoolboy’s innocent infatuation to a workplace liaison, and even the newly appointed Prime Minister developing feelings for a member of his team.

This stellar ensemble features the talents of Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, and the late, beloved Alan Rickman. The cast also features Thomas Brodie-Sangster as a child actor, portraying Liam Neeson’s character’s stepson. Additionally, we see performances from Keira Knightley and Billy Nighy in this quintessentially British star-studded mix.

Numerous memorable quotes and moments have become embedded in pop culture and remain widely referenced to this day. One fan highlights a particular sequence, noting: “I think about/watch that montage where Andrew Lincoln is walking around the city distraught while Dido plays in the background at least once a month.”

Another enthusiast shared: “I love it! It’s definitely a Christmas tradition for me, and watching Hugh Grant dance to Jump For My Love lives in my head rent-free.”

A different viewer commented: “It’s really corny. I can see it being a comfort movie for lots of people.” Meanwhile, someone else offered a more sceptical take: “I enjoy the movie, but it’s one I can’t think too hard about, because then I end up focusing on just how unhealthy and doomed all the relationships actually are.”

If you fancy a rewatch or a first-time viewing of Love Actually, you’re in luck, as it’s scheduled to air on ITV2 tonight at 9pm. If that doesn’t suit your schedule, don’t fret – the film is also available for streaming on both Amazon Prime and Netflix.

MICHELLE Keegan enjoyed a visit to a £1,260 a night swanky hotel with Mark Wright and their daughter amid the couple’s ‘most lavish Christmas yet’.

The Brassic actress shared a series of snaps from their stay at London‘s Corinthia Hotel in London on her Instagram on Monday.

She captioned the pictures: “A little bit of Christmas magic this weekend” and the first saw her enjoying a glass of wine in the hotel’s bar.

Michelle, 38, wore a beige sleeveless, roll neck jumper and retro style glasses as she posed for the snap, while in others, she had switched into a pair of black satin trousers and a matching top.

The garment had a lace panel down the side, revealing a hint of her bra and trim waist.

The couple also posed for a lift selfie, with Mark, 38, holding their daughter Palma, who looked adorable in a red knitted cardigan – which read Palma Believes – and white tights.

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Michelle also shared snaps of the hotel’s impressive Christmas trees and of their Italian meal.

Their festive trip to the capital is another part of the new parents’ plans to pull out all the stops for their first Christmas with their baby girl.

The couple are well known for their over-the-top Christmases, but this year is extra special because of their daughter.

Sources say the Wrights plan on making this festive season “one to remember”, with “no expense spared” as they go all out, and have already shown off the incredible decorations both inside and outside their Essex mansion.

An insider close to the couple told OK!: “Mark loves Christmas and he’s wanted a family for a long time, so for him it couldn’t get any better.

“He’s like an excited puppy dog and cherishing every minute of it. It means the world to him.

“When it comes to presents, he’ll be spoiling them both – Mark doesn’t know how to reign it in!”

The source added that Michelle – who gave birth in March – can’t wait to spend some quality time with her little family this Christmas.

They said: “She’s been really busy but family is her priority. It’s lovely to have some special time together, especially because at one point she and Mark were practically living separate lives because of work.

“Her family are coming down from Manchester but it’s very much a Wright Christmas – family comes first and it’s very important for them to be all together. It’ll be lovely seeing all the kids together.”

Less than five years ago, the Golden Globes were hanging by a thread.

In the wake of a Times investigation that exposed the group’s self-dealing and ethical lapses and a complete lack of Black representation among its membership, NBC pulled the ceremony off the air as Netflix and Amazon Studios and more than 100 publicity agencies cut ties with the embattled Hollywood Foreign Press Assn.

It got so bad that Tom Cruise sent back his three Golden Globes to the HFPA in protest, an act not quite on the level of Sean Penn’s 2022 threat to smelt his Oscars, though it grabbed headlines all the same.

But the Golden Globes have returned from the brink. The awards show, now run by Penske Media Eldridge, owned by Jay Penske and Todd Boehly, announced its latest slate of film and television nominations Monday. And the coverage, led by trade publications owned by Penske, has contained little to no mention of the show’s troubled past — or the controversies that continue to swirl around the ceremony, which will again air in January on CBS as part of a five-year broadcast deal signed in 2024.

So, yes, for all intents and purposes, the Golden Globes are back. But regarding ethical practices, today’s for-profit Globes may well be worse than ever, crossing the line in ways that are more egregious than the shady maneuverings that put the awards on life support not so long ago.

As part of the show’s rehabilitation, the Globes have expanded their voting pool to 300 people, including Black voters. Fifty of the original HFPA members were grandfathered into the group and offered an annual salary of $75,000. The Globes terminated that policy earlier this year, calling the move “an acknowledgment that continuing to pay members could add to a perception of bias in voting.”

It’s hard not to be skeptical of such principled reasoning in light of more recent events. In May, the Globes announced a new category for podcasts. A shortlist of 25 followed in October, selected by audio analytics company Luminate, which, surprise, is also owned by Penske Media.

The eligible titles ranged from Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” and Amy Poehler’s “Good Hang” to political programs like “Pod Save America.” Conservative commentators Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, Megyn Kelly, Ben Shapiro, Theo Von and Candace Owens all made the shortlist. (Surprisingly, “New Heights,” the popular podcast hosted by Jason Kelce and his brother Travis, the all-pro Kansas City Chiefs tight end engaged to singer Taylor Swift, was omitted. If the goal in creating the new award was to find a way to coax Swift into attending the ceremony, somebody forgot to save her a seat.)

But the real motivation behind the podcast category became apparent soon afterward: money. Per the Ankler, Penske-owned trade publication Variety had its sales team pitch nominated podcasts an array of paid marketing partnerships, including a $25,000 buy to become a Podcasting FYC Fest supporting partner and a $75,000 deal for the podcaster to be given the Variety Creative Impact Award in Podcasting.

With those prices, no wonder Luminate seems to have made popularity — and thus financial resources — a core criterion for eligibility. Plus, there was the hope that some of the 25 shortlisted shows would buy FYC ads in Variety and Penske’s other trade publications, the Hollywood Reporter and Deadline, all of which rely on FYC dollars to keep the lights on.

How many bit? Shapiro is one prominent name, buying ads on Deadline and partnering with awards prediction website Gold Derby (yes, another Penske property) in a paid video interview with his podcast team. (The stumping failed to pay off in the end: The final six nominees in the category were “Armchair Expert,” “Call Her Daddy,” “Good Hang With Amy Poehler,” “The Mel Robbins Podcast,” “SmartLess” and “Up First.”)

“It’s just a money grab,” says a veteran awards consultant, who asked not be identified in order to protect industry relationships. “Everybody used to knock the Globes, but they were just goofy. … This is next level.”

You want next level? How about Penske offering three pairs of Golden Globes tickets for $70,000 each via a “concierge gift guide” in its luxury lifestyle magazine Robb Report? After the New York Post reported these shenanigans, the offer disappeared on the publication’s website.

Privately, there has been pushback. Publicly, not so much. We live in a culture at large where we’ve come to accept flagrant corruption as the norm, and Penske’s Globes are just another example, skating through our collective numbness.

The Golden Globes have long been excused for their scandals and idiosyncratic membership and, of course, mocked for their irrelevance. Ricky Gervais dismissed them as “worthless,” calling the award “a bit of metal that some nice old confused journalists wanted to give you in person so they could meet you and have a selfie with you.”

The membership has turned over, but the trophy’s value is still inconsequential.

Yet the ceremony keeps on chugging along, remaining, in the view of filmmakers behind the sort of grown-up movie fare that’s becoming an increasingly endangered species, an essential marketing platform. The January ceremony brought in 9.3 million viewers — not “Sunday Night Football” numbers, but not shabby in this fragmented media landscape.

For one night, the thinking goes, movies like “Marty Supreme,” “Hamnet” and “Sentimental Value” (among this year’s most-rewarded contenders) are celebrated and, perhaps, discovered. Studios still platform their films’ expansion into more theaters on the weekend after the Globes ceremony. If you award it, the thinking goes, people will come.

We all want these movies to continue to be made. No doubt a fair number of moviegoers bought a ticket to see the Brazilian political drama “I’m Still Here” after its lead Fernanda Torres won a Globe earlier this year.

But adding categories for podcast and, two years ago, “cinematic and box office achievement” only squeezes the amount of time that the show can spotlight the nominated films and their actors.

There’s a saying, first coined by Maya Angelou, that’s been repopularized in recent years: “If someone shows you who they are, believe them.” The same could be said of awards shows.

The Golden Globes may be here to stay. But let’s stop pretending they’re any better than they were before the last scandal.

Stephen Alderton’s callous refusal to answer questions over the murder of father and son Gary, 57, and Joshua Dunmore, 32, will be shown in the second episode of 24 Hours In Police Custody: A Family Vendetta airs on Channel 4 at 9pm tonight

This is the moment a widower who “executed” a father and son remains stony-faced as he is confronted with chilling details of the double murder.

Stephen Alderton, 67, blasted his daughter’s ex-partner Josh Dunmore, 32, and his 57-year-old dad Gary with a Beretta shotgun after a bitter custody battle over Alderton’s grandson. Police footage following his arrest – shared with the Mirror – is revealed in a new episode of Channel 4’s hit series 24 Hours In Police Custody being aired tonight.

In never-before-seen interviews, detectives quiz murderer Alderton over the callous moment he coolly fired two rounds from his shotgun into Gary’s body, before emptying the cartridges, reloading and firing again. Detectives ask: “We know there were four gunshots at Gary’s house. We know, from the gunshot spray that one has been fired into the staircase in the property.” But Alderton replies: “No comment.”

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The detective continues: “He appears to have been shot twice to the body – the chest – and once in the head. Would you agree that that shows an element of perseverance and intent?” Without showing a flicker of emotion, Alderton replies: “No comment.” He is then asked: “How many times did you have to load your shotgun for a double-barrelled over-under gun, to be able to fire six shots?”

But again Alderton simply says: “No comment.” The detective then says: “So to load it, bang, bang, empty your cartridges, reload, bang, bang, break the shotgun, empty the cartridges, reload, bang, bang.”

Alderton’s two victims were found dead in March 2023 at their homes – six miles apart in Cambridgeshire – just two days after a family court hearing over his seven-year-old grandson. Following his arrest Alderton told police: “Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, even if it’s wrong in the eyes of the law.”

The ex-chartered surveyor, who admitted double murder, was jailed for life at Cambridge crown court and must serve a minimum 25 years. Last year the sentence was increased to 30 years after it was referred to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

After being arrested Alderton initially refused to answer questions and only showed a shred of emotion when quizzed about his grandson. When asked by the custody sergeant how he was feeling as he was booked in, Alderton replied: “It’s not exactly the best day.”

During his interview, a a detective asked Alderton: “Do you think what you did was justified?” He replies: “No comment.” The detective continues: “How do you think your grandson is going to feel about the death of his father and his other grandad? Talk to me about your grandson, are you close?” Alderton replies: “Yes.” The detective says: “He’s lost his dad, he’s lost his paternal grandfather, and it’s looking like he’s not going to see his maternal grandfather for quite some time.” Seeming to breakdown, Alderton says: “No comment.”

Later he told the Channel 4 cameras: “Down in Texas, they have a particular approach that you have to respect because ion red-kneck country they have guns and things like that.” After his arrest, he was also recorded saying: “I come from a world where you look after your family.”

Alderton’s rampage on March 29 2023 came two days after a family court hearing involving his grandson, who cannot be named. Josh had stopped his ex – Alderton’s daughter – Samantha Stephen, and her US airman husband, Paul, taking the seven-year-old to live in America.

Alderton shot Josh twice in the hallway of his home in Bluntisham at 9.09pm. Thirty-one minutes later, he shot Gary three times in the hallway of his Sutton home, six miles away. The killer fled in his motorhome but was arrested the following day on the M5 near Worcester.

Before the killing, he wrote a series of text messages saying he would “override any court decision” and that there was “always a plan B” following the custody row. After Alderton was arrested, he told police that “sometimes you have to do what you have to do even if it’s wrong in the eyes of the law”, prosecutor Peter Gair told Cambridge crown court. Judge Mark Bishop said the killings amounted to “an execution”.

The second episode of 24 Hours in Police Custody: A Family Vendetta airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 4

WICKED: For Good has had less-than-favourable reviews compared to the first Wicked film, but there were still horrified gasps after it was snubbed from the biggest category in the Golden Globe nominations last night.

While Cynthia Erivo landed a Best Female Actor nod and Ariana Grande was nominated in the Best Supporting Female Actor shortlist, Jon M Chu’s film missed out for Best Film in the Musical/Comedy category.

Sydney Sweeney will also have her head in her hands as her new boxing biopic Christy failed to get a single nomination for the ceremony, which will take place next year in Los Angeles on January 11.

Leonardo DiCaprio will be ordering in the tequila though as his new film, One Battle After Another, is leading the nods in the film categories and is up for a total of nine Golden Globes, including Best Picture, Best Director and Screen Writer.

Sentimental Value is just behind with eight, while Michael B. Jordan’s Sinners has seven nods.

In the telly categories, The White Lotus leads the pack with six nominations, while Netflix’s brilliant Adolescence is just behind with five nods.

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Its teenage acting sensation Owen Cooper is nominated in the Best Supporting Male Actor category.

His co-stars Erin Doherty, Ashley Walters and Stephen Graham — who lives just a stone’s throw from my mum — are also in the running for awards.

Plenty of other Brits feature in the TV categories, including Helen Mirren, Bella Ramsey, Adam Scott and Gary Oldman.

In films it’s not a stellar year for homegrown talent, with only Cynthia and Emily Blunt — up for her role in The Smashing Machine — representing us in the acting categories.

Irish stars Jessie Buckley and our favourite Glastonbury raver Paul Mescal both have nominations for Hamnet.

With luck, us Brits will bring it home with Adolescence, and my fingers are crossed for Aimee Lou Wood and Jason Isaacs in The White Lotus.

JESSIE J-JINGLES ALL THE WAY

JESSIE J was in a reflective mood as she closed the final night of Capital’s Jingle Bell Ball with Barclaycard.

She opened up about her tough year after she was diagnosed with breast cancer as she bounced through hits including Bang Bang, H.A.P.P.Y and Price Tag.

Jessie told the packed London’s O2 Arena: “A lot of this stuff is smoke and mirrors. What really matters is who we are behind the camera and what we do in our lives when we wake up in the day.

“I’ve learnt a lot this year. I’ve learnt to slow down and be more present. I’ve learnt to live more in the moment, and I’ve learnt to know that life is not promised in the way we might want it to be.”

Louis Tomlinson, Celebrity Traitor Cat Burns and Kylie Minogue also took to the stage for the show – which also saw Five pulling up in a massive hummer for their Barclaycard Out Of The Blue surprise performance.

JUNGLE WAS NO EASY RYDER

SHAUN RYDER was glued to I’m A Celebrity so he could cheer on fellow Mancunians Aitch and Angry Ginge – who was crowned King Of The Jungle on Sunday night.

But in an exclusive chat to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Happy Mondays’ landmark album Pills ‘N’ Thrills And Bellyaches, Shaun, admits his time in the jungle in 2010 wasn’t such smooth sailing.

Shaun, who finished runner-up to Stacey Solomon, recalls: “I got really bad mosquito bites when I was in the jungle.

“My face swelled so much that medics had to come to my rescue. I also got badly bitten by a snake. But I survived.”

It didn’t get much better when he signed up to the All Stars series of the show back in 2023 either.

“My hip came out,” Shaun explains. “I was down on one of the low beds.

“And I dived out, forgetting where I was, and my hip just went boom.

“I screamed and woke the whole camp up.

“And I had to stick it back in straight away. It’s a titanium hip. But it just comes out.

“A couple of my implanted teeth were sticking into the side of my mouth, too.

“So I had blisters every time I opened my mouth. They really did cause me a lot of hassle.

“I think my teeth went from the crystal meth and crack cocaine.”

That’s rock ‘n’ roll for you.

MILEY GOT TRUMP’S BACKING

WE’VE seen a lot of unlikely celebrity friendships over the years, but Miley Cyrus and Donald Trump was not a pairing we saw coming.

Miley has revealed that the US President comforted her after her infamous 2013 MTV VMAs performance which saw her grinding up against Robin Thicke while belting out her hit We Can’t Stop.

The performance led to the former Hannah Montana star being slammed by prudish bores who branded it inappropriate.

On a recent episode of the Awards Chatter podcast Miley said: “It’s never been about that expectation of reaction for me.

“My mum is often the brains behind the crazy things.

“But it was all my idea and mum really supported it.

“I didn’t know what the big deal was and never thought it was a big deal until I woke up the next day.

“I was staying at the Trump hotel and Trump sent me a message saying, ‘Don’t let them get you down.’”

KYLIE MINOGUE is on course to land her 11th No1 album with her new festive record. Kylie Christmas (Fully Wrapped) is currently holding Sam Fender‘s deluxe version of People Watching off the top of the charts.

Depeche Mode’s Memento Mori: Mexico City is also sitting at No6 but could climb higher ahead of Friday.

MILLIE SUCH A SWIFTY

MILLIE BOBBY BROWN is a self-confessed Swiftie and she used her encyclopaedic knowledge of Taylor Swift‘s albums to craft her monologue on Jimmy Fallon‘s The Tonight Show.

Referencing her Stranger Things character, Millie said: “Eleven has always been totally Fearless and that taught me to Speak Now. I wore a Red dress when we won our first SAG Award. And Eleven needs to save the world before 1989. Eleven gave me a Reputation.”

Finishing up, Millie added: “I had my first kiss on the show, married my Lover and had a baby girl. Like, isn’t that the best Folklore you’ve ever heard?

“I’m so lucky to have played Eleven and will be for Evermore in debt to the Duffers and Netflix for giving me this opportunity. I could keep thanking everyone, but I’d be here long past Midnight.”

Millie also took part in Pup Quiz – where for every question she got right she was given a dog to cuddle.

After an unusual year in his late-night tenure, Jimmy Kimmel is officially sticking around for a little while longer.

The host signed a one-year contract extension with ABC so “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will continue through May 2027. Kimmel’s previous contract was set to expire in May 2026, at the end of the 2025-2026 television season.

The extension, first reported by Bloomberg, comes a few months after the network and its parent company, Walt Disney Co., temporarily benched Kimmel following sharp backlash over comments he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death. Hours before the indefinite suspension was announced, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group, owners of ABC affiliates, said they would not air the series after Kimmel’s comments.

Kimmel returned to the air after a nearly weeklong absence, delivering an emotional monologue in which he ardently defended free speech. He did not explicitly apologize for his comments, which Sinclair said was a condition that had to be met before it would broadcast the show again, but both Nexstar and Sinclair resumed airing the program shortly after Kimmel returned.

During his brief time off the air, Kimmel found himself at the center of a fiery culture war. Talk show hosts, actors, comedians, writers and even the former head of Disney condemned ABC’s decision to pause production, but a wave of critics celebrated Kimmel’s suspension, including President Trump and Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr, who had publicly urged ABC to act on Kimmel’s comments.

The late-night landscape has been the subject of much discourse about free speech since CBS announced in July that it would not be renewing the storied network franchise “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” The decision, the company said, was due to financial reasons and not — as many have speculated — because of Colbert’s criticism of a settlement between the Trump administration and Paramount, the parent company of CBS, over a “60 Minutes” interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024.

Kimmel’s previous contract extension in 2022 was good for three years. It came at a time of speculation over whether he’d continue with the show.

“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” airs weeknights at 11:35/10:35 Central.