Madonna

Justin Bieber better be a fast singer.

The World Cup final halftime show already was going to feature three superstar acts with 121 Billboard Hot 100 hits, 20 No. 1 singles and 12 Grammy Awards among them.

Somehow that must not have been enough star power, because another performer with 123 hits, eight chart toppers and two Grammys has been added to the lineup.

Bieber was announced Wednesday as the fourth co-headliner for the July 19 intermission extravaganza at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., joining South Korean boy band BTS, U.S. pop culture icon Madonna and Latin music superstar Shakira.

Four gigantic worldwide acts might seem like a lot to cram into an 11-minute (!) show, but apparently curator Chris Martin doesn’t see it that way. In addition to the quartet of headliners, Martin also has lined up Nigerian Afrobeats performer Burna Boy, soon-to-be-departing Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor Gustavo Dudamel and Staten Island elementary school choir the PS22 Chorus (which will be performing with Martin’s band Coldplay).

Oh yeah, the Muppets will be there, too. Bieber will be lucky if he gets a chance to sing a bar or two from a list of hits that includes “Peaches,” “Sorry,” “Love Yourself” and “Daisies.”

Nonetheless, he seems happy to be part of the festivities, which will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, weeks after attending the U.S.-Paraguay game at SoFi Stadium, where he gave a surprise performance of his song “Yukon” in a backstage area.

“The FIFA World Cup brings the world together in a way nothing else can,” Bieber said in a statement. “I’m grateful to be part of this Halftime Show, and even more grateful knowing it’s already helping expand access to education for children around the world.”

One song that is sure to be featured during the set is this year’s World Cup anthem, “Dai Dai,” by Shakira and Burna Boy. The two acts already performed the song during the tournament’s opening ceremony in Mexico City.

Speaking of hit collaborations, Madonna recently charted with “Bring Your Love,” a duet with Sabrina Carpenter. Not to start any rumors, but surely they can squeeze one more pop superstar onto that stage, right?

FIRST REVIEW CONFESSIONS II

★★★★★

AS one of the most talked-about, celebrated and frequently derided pop stars of all time, returning with her first album in seven years is a high-stakes move for Madonna.

The Queen of Pop has never left it so long between albums in her 43-year career. And she has taken an even bigger risk by recording a ­follow-up to her much-lauded 2005 dance-pop opus, Confessions On A Dancefloor.

But rather than playing it safe, ­Confessions II sees her doing just that — confessing.

She addresses everything from how she failed her eldest daughter Lourdes to her regrets over her relationship with her late brother, Christopher Ciccone.

And also, surprisingly, how her first husband, Sean Penn, 65, made her feel during their short-lived marriage.

The most venom-tongued track is titled Bizarre, in which she squarely attacks the Hollywood A-lister, who she was married to from 1985 to 1989.

She references the 1968 Shelby GT500 convertible she gave him as a wedding gift and his conviction for reckless driving in 1987.

And she also lays into how Penn was “threatened” by her and claims he resented her while they were together.

Madge sings: “Love is the strangest thing. Just when you think you’ve finally let go, it comes back to you.

“Movie star, deep blue eyes. In Hollywood, we’re a perfect prize.

“He drove way too fast, Shelby Cobra wasn’t meant to last.”

Earlier the lyrics had turned to anger, as she sings: “Roll out the carpet for us, but you don’t share it.

“All ’cause you’re threatened by me, you won’t admit it.

“The little things that you do don’t make me want you. Who knew love could be so bizarre?”

And in a later verse, she adds: “I know I left you behind and you resent me.

“A thousand reasons why you could never have me.

“The thought of being with you is so indecent. I guess you’ll never know my dirty little secret.”

Penn isn’t the only subject of her scorn, with Betrayal appearing to be about her stepmum Joan, who died in 2024 while the album was being made. Madonna did not attend her funeral.

The singer was five years old when she lost her mum — who she was named after — to breast cancer. Three years later, in 1966, her dad Silvio married Joan, who worked briefly for the family as a housekeeper.

In the opening verse of Betrayal, Mad­onna sings: “This is a story of betrayal. You couldn’t see your fall from grace.

“So take the hammer, hit the nail. You’ll never take my mother’s place.”

And later in the track, she adds: “You betrayed me, you enslaved me.”

But Madonna, 67, shows her softer side on The Test, which sees her and Lourdes, 29 — the eldest of her six kids — open up about their at-times difficult relationship.

On how her daughter was thrust into the limelight because of her own fame, Madonna sings: “Little star, I tried to put you on a pedestal, you didn’t ask for all the flashing lights.

“I didn’t think of how we could disturb, or how it hurt. I wish I knew the pain I caused.”

She continues: “Sometimes I think you wish I’d go away, but the shadow stays, and it’s OK to be yourself.”

Madge also appears to touch on her 2023 brush with death, when she was found unresponsive at her New York apartment and placed into a coma after suffering from an infection that led to sepsis.

Lourdes, 29, who Madonna had with fitness trainer Carlos Leon, was among those that rallied around her in hospital.

Madonna sings: “You made me whole when I was broken, too. I hope and pray I can do the same for you.”

Paying tribute to her mum, Lourdes sings: “You are my reason to be, what I want or look like, what I wear, all the clothes on my back, and what I attract.

“I trace the line of what you have sewn. Keep my own design. Make it a landscape. Make it alive.”

Elsewhere on the album Madonna makes peace with Christopher, who she was accused of “dropping” as her creative director in the early-2000s, and who later wrote a book titled Life With My Sister Madonna.

The once-close pair never fully repaired their relationship and he died of cancer at the age of 63, in October 2024 although she says he now visits her in her dreams.

On the song Fragile, she sings: “We shared a name, a home. We shared a fragile bond, now you’re gone.

“We laughed, we cried, we held each other’s hands. We had each other’s eyes and they belonged

“This is the time I hate the most, the words inside my heart

“I know you’re fragile ’cause you’ve been hurt, been let down.”

At the end of the track, she adds: “Late last night I was fast asleep, you came to me in a dream.

“You said don’t forget about me, don’t forget to be happy.

“So I hope you found a higher ground.”

The 16-track album clocks in at almost 64 minutes, and is a metaphor for a night out, starting with the heavy, pulsating beats of a club.

Then the final five songs represent the evening winding down, with Madonna spilling out her deepest feelings with the bravery and vulnerability that comes from a night of loud, messy partying.

When she reaches the last track L.E.S. Girl — about her life pre-fame on the Lower East Side of New York — you can hear traffic beeping, signalling she is finally on her way home as the morning rush hour starts.

It’s a neat arc for the ambitious album, which she once again made with English producer and songwriter Stuart Price, who she teamed up with on the first Confessions album.

But this record is much darker, heavier and grown-up.

And as well as being symbolic of a single night out, Madonna uses it to represent key parts of her life and the moments that have made her.

The most brilliantly bombastic highlight comes in Danceteria — named after the New York nightclub where she found her friends in the industry and where DJs played her music for the first time.

It’s a feel-good number with a Vogue-style rap and namechecks for everyone from her pal Debi Mazar to artist Jean-Michel Basquiat and even The B-52s.

Another highlight comes with Love Sensation, which appears to be a tribute to her boyfriend, Akeem Morris, 30.

She started dating the former football player in 2024, two years after ending a three-year romance with dancer Ahlamalik Williams, 31, and they now live together in London.

Madonna sings: “When I feel alone I always want to bring you near ’cause you bring a smile right here. You chase away my darkest hours.”

And in the chorus she continues: “Baby, come and get with me, there’s something that I gotta do.

“Baby, when you’re here with me, there’s nothing that we cannot do.”

So far in her career Madonna has sold 450million albums, and counting.

And with this project, she proves there is still plenty of passion, ambition and talent.

Undoubtedly it is her most cohesive and accomplished album since the original Confessions, 21 years ago.

And long may the Queen of Pop ­continue to reign.

LOVE, BETRAYAL AND ECSTASY ON SWEET 16

I Feel So Free: The opening track, released in April, is a throbbing song with breathy vocals and a sample of the 1989 Lil Louis acid house track French Kiss, complete with orgasm. It’s a statement of what’s to come as she says: “On the dancefloor, I feel so free.”

Good For The Soul: Heavy-sounding verses make way for a buoyant and optimistic pop chorus, all about how important letting your hair down is. It was written on her first session for the record.

One Step Away: Madonna dives headfirst into house music on this pulsating track about the release she feels in a nightclub. Over the beat, she utters: “The dance floor is not just a place, it’s a threshold. A ritualistic space where movement replaces language.”

Bring Your Love: The credibly cool lead single features Sabrina Carpenter, uniting two generations of pop stars who are resolute in their determination not to be swayed by naysayers. In the chorus they say: “Bring your love ’cause you cannot shake me. Bring your love ’cause you’ll never break me.”

Danceteria: “Everyone here is a work of art,” Madonna sings on this wonderfully poppy single, inspired by the New York nightclub she went to as a youngster.

Read My Lips: Spanish guitar and a guest appearance from Colombian singer Feid give this a different feel, though there’s a Latin trap beat to keep the party going. It’s clear Madge isn’t happy on it, though, singing: “You cut me with your lies, ’cause you hurt me with your kiss.”

Everything: It opens with strings reminiscent of her 1992 track Deeper And Deeper, but evolves to have regular house music breakdowns fit for a packed Ibiza dancefloor. And she’s worked up, spitting: “It’s not OK, I don’t f*** with it.”

Love Sensation: Pop makes a return on this heart-warming crowd-pleaser. “There’s nothing that we cannot do,” she repeats as the track builds to euphoric choruses. This is destined to be a future single.

Love Without Words: An ode to partying, starts with the sound of smoke being pumped on to a dance floor. “Call it trance, call it house, call it love without words,” she sings.

Bizarre: Madonna teamed up with super-producer Martin Garrix for this revenge track about her ex Sean Penn. The melody, complemented by strings and hints of EDM production, is enough to have people throwing their hands in the air.

School: “I can make moves on the dance floor, I can make love on a man’s floor,” she breathlessly coos on this track, on which her vocals are heavily distorted. It’s one of the weaker songs.

Fragile: There’s a major change of pace with break beats and strings, as she sweetly sings about her late brother Christopher. Her voice truly takes centre stage here.

My Sins Are My Savior: She is joined by Belgian rapper Stromae on this dark and moody track, which wouldn’t sound out of place on 1992’s Erotica album. Reflecting on the criticism in her career, she sings: “I was not lost, I was just broken. They tried to take me down, they tried to take my crown.”

Betrayal: She teams up with producer Mirwais, who she first worked with in 2000, on this 90s-inspired track, featuring brass and piano over bleak and mournful vocals.

The Test: Madonna has said Lourdes approached her about working together to heal their rift, and it certainly sounds cathartic. Her daughter’s voice here is far smoother, but they blend exquisitely.

L.E.S GIRL: It’s the end of the night, Madonna is on her way home and she’s reflecting on when she was a “Lower East Side girl, lost in a fragile world.” It’s a tear- jerker, and triumphant look back at how far she has come. The perfect ending.

MADONNA is being lined up to make a superstar appearance at London Pride on Saturday.

She has long been a celebrated figure in the LGBTQ+ community, and kicked off Pride Month with a surprise showing in New York last month.

London Pride, which is expecting 1.8million people, will take place at locations across the centre of the capital, with acts including Beth Ditto and MNEK booked to play the main stage in Trafalgar Square.

And my music moles have told me that is where they are expecting Madge to pop up.

My insider explained: “Madonna is a passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and has been a very vocal campaigner for decades.

“Pride means so much to her and the London event happens the day after Confessions II is released.

MUM MODE

Madonna speaks out on ‘rift’ with ‘standoffish’ daughter Lourdes Leon

AT LONG GLAST!

Madonna, 67, gives huge hint she’ll FINALLY perform at Glastonbury

“Organisers are playing it by ear in case of any last-minute changes but as it stands, Madonna is primed to come out on the main stage.

“She isn’t going to be performing like she did in New York. It’s more her coming out, speaking to the crowd and then heading off.

“They’re expecting absolute pandemonium if they pull it off.

“But it would be incredible for everyone going to the Pride event in London.”

Madge’s surprise 20-minute set in the Big Apple just weeks ago went down a storm with the crowds, who watched her sing Get Together live for the first time in two decades.

And fans don’t have long to wait until they can hear Confessions II, her latest album with producer Stuart Price.

Madonna has signed a huge new deal with TikTok, with the app streaming tracks from the record live tomorrow night from her VIP album launch party.

The hour-long broadcast will also see Madonna being interviewed about the making of the record, as well as playing a handful of her favourite songs from Confessions II.

It’s a big move for Madonna, after she revealed this week that she can’t stand social media, branding it “mesmerising and also soul-destroying”.

She told Vogue Italia: “Algorithms and artificial intelligence are the opposite of taking risks and to me that is the opposite of making art.”

Anything for us fans eh, Madge?

NICOLE’S PUSSYHAT DOLL

NICOLE SCHERZINGER is brimming with happiness in this sunhat as she celebrates her 48th birthday.

The Pussycat Dolls singer posed for a selfie at the beach on Monday.

Nicole is with her British fiancé Thom Evans in Hawaii, where she was born.

She said: “Last day at this age and she was feeling cute at sunset, back home at her fave beach.”

Nicole will begin rehearsals later this summer for the Pussycat Dolls reunion tour. UK arena shows start on September 29 in Birmingham.

BAD BUNNY COURTS OLD FLAME AT WIMBLEDON

BAD BUNNY has hopped back into his ex’s good books.

He has rekindled his romance with jewellery designer Gabriela Berlingeri, who was with him before fame arrived.

The Puerto Rican rapper played to more than 100,000 fans during two sell-out shows at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium at the weekend.

There in support was Gabriela, who has quietly been accompanying him on tour.

She was also by his side at Wimbledon on Monday.

They met in 2017 and dated until 2022. She even appeared as a bride in the video to his 2022 single Titi Me Pregunto.

But he later got together with Kendall Jenner and they dated for 18 months.

Bad Bunny has had quite the glow-up in the past few years and he’s become one of the most-streamed acts in the world.

I’m sure Gabriela will now be the envy of millions.

BRITISH girl group Flo have found a superfan in K-Pop sensation Taemin.

Jorja Douglas, Stella Quaresma and Renee Downer met Taemin backstage at BST Hyde Park where they played on Sunday, after he requested an audience with them.

A source said: “Taemin absolutely loves FLO and thinks they’re brilliant. They talked about working on a collaboration together, which made Taemin’s day.

“They were laughing and joking around for ages before the girls offered to teach him the dance routine to their song, Leak It.”

LILY’S SITTING PRETTY

SULTRY Lily Allen actually has plenty to smile about despite her very public divorce from Stranger Things actor David Harbour.

The singer and actress wore satin lingerie and tiny black shorts when she brought her West End Girl tour to London’s O2 Arena at the weekend – and will return to the capital next week for a third gig at the venue.

Despite looking moody while sitting in a chair on stage, Lily found her smile again as she clutched a bouquet of flowers.

Lily has spent much of the year on the road and was back on stage in Dublin last night.

After a summer of festivals, she will fly to North America in September to play arenas there.

It’s clear Lily is chuffed with the show she has created, which sees her perform her West End Girl album in full.

She wrote on X: “Everyone on this tour is really working very hard to give people the best show we possibly can, and I’m extremely proud of it.”

SAM: I’M HOOKED ON FISH

SAM SMITH has revealed a yearning to be a fishmonger.

The Promises singer told the Dish from Waitrose podcast: “I’m still gutted I’m not a fishmonger. Honestly, I’m not just saying this.

“I was lucky as a kid. We used to go to Waitrose a lot – and the fish section, I just loved. I just like to handle fish. I don’t know, it felt very calming.”

Earlier this year I told that Sam had launched a TikTok account called Sam Served, which documents favourite meals.

And it’s all part of a ploy to get closer to the fish counter.

Sam said: “I was in San Francisco on tour and I was bored, so,I filmed myself eating and it’s just reignited the fishmonger in me.”

I’VE got a sneaky suspicion there may soon be a song featuring pop girls Zara Larsson and Jade Thirlwall.

The pair secretly had a studio session in Paris last week, after the Solidays Festival, where they were both set to perform, was cancelled due to bad weather. I have high hopes for whatever it is they come up with.

BOWIE TREASURE ON TOUR

DAVID BOWIE fans are in for a treat as the V&A Museum has announced today that his incredible archive of outfits, handwritten lyrics and photographs are going on tour for the first time.

David Bowie: On Tour opens at V&A Dundee in November, before heading to Blackpool, County Durham, Hull and Bristol, with more locations to follow.

The collection on Bowie features never-before-seen items including Polaroids for his make-up and costume fittings, a Ziggy Stardust-era acoustic guitar, unreleased projects, lyrics, performance notes and costumes from the singer’s final albums The Next Day and Blackstar.

WILL’S BRIEFS ENCOUNTER

SEEING Will Ferrell playing golf in his underpants wasn’t on my wish list.

But Kim Kardashian signed the actor to model her Skims men’s undies – and it has certainly got us all talking.

Will appears in blue briefs for the new ad campaign, though he was in character as golfer Lonnie Hawkins from his new Netflix comedy series, The Hawk, out July 16.

Kim said of Will: “His body says retired, his Skims say one more round. Built for men who still know they’ve got it.”

If you say so, Kim.

SHAGGY IS THE RIO DEAL

THEY say never meet your heroes, but Shaggy has spent a lifetime doing exactly that.

He has no shortage of famous fans and everyone from Nelson Mandela to Michael Jackson has sung his praises.

In a chat with showbiz reporter Freya Fraser at Rock In Rio Lisboa festival in Portugal, he said of meeting the former South African president: “We were at an award show in South Africa and we’re at the same table.

“He just kind of says, ‘You’re doing really great stuff’.

“We had a great conversation. I’ve met a lot of other people. Michael Jackson was also a super-big Shaggy fan.

“That’s documented on YouTube, everybody sees that. I have actually performed twice for Pope Francis. Queen Elizabeth, we performed for her Jubilee. I met all my heroes, to be honest with you.”

Shaggy is not modest when it comes to his achievements, and he is pretty flashy with his lifestyle too, even if he reckons he isn’t.

He said: “I’m a very practical person, so I’m not buying cars I don’t drive because I’m always on tour. I never drive anywhere, somebody’s always driving me around.

“I’m not buying homes I don’t live in. I have two homes. I’m not buying five of them, you know, I’ll rent them when I need them.”

But he is humble when it comes to his career, which has seen 16 Top 40 hits including four No1s.

He said: “I’m not a genius, God gave me those. If I wrote them, I’d be writing one every week.”

CAUGHT LIVE

Central Cee @ Rock In Rio Lisboa

★★★★☆

CENTRAL CEE ticked Lisbon off his bucket list as he took over the World Stage at Rock In Rio Lisboa before headliner 21 Savage.

On what was the most rap-focused line-up in the festival’s 22-year history, the Londoner tore through a mammoth 21-track set, including Loading, Doja, and Band4Band.

Cench proved he is an international star as thousands of Portuguese fans rapped every word back to him.

The atmosphere could not have been more different from the night before, when Sir Rod Stewart, Cyndi Lauper and Joss Stone had fans swaying along to their anthems.

Staying true to his nonchalant persona, Central Cee – real name Oakley Neil Caesar-Su – asked: “We’re not in a rush, are we?”

And as he worked the crowd and whizzed through high-profile collaborations such as Did It First with Ice Spice and Dave’s Sprinter, I was getting treated like an A-lister.

Rock In Rio Lisboa pulled out all the stops for its guests, with one of the biggest hospitality areas I have ever seen.

The UK may have provided a lot of the talent on this occasion, but we could learn a thing or two from Portugal’s festival scene.

FREYA FRASER

POP superstars Madonna and Kylie Minogue get into the groove as they film a comedy bar sketch for Madge’s special with Graham Norton.

Madonna, 67, invited Kylie, 58, to take part in the top-secret filming last month, having admired her career for over a decade, the Sun can reveal.

A source said: “Madonna and Kylie have long been fans of each other, so when Kylie got the call to make a cameo in the BBC special, it was a no-brainer. Rather than a performance, Kylie actually appears in the show in a light-hearted skit.

“She plays a barmaid, though, awkwardly, Madonna doesn’t like the drink Kylie gives her. It’s all very light-hearted.”

The Sun understands the pair have discussed hitting the studio together in the future.

The TV special, Madonna & Graham, airs tonight at 10.40pm on BBC One.

in vogue

Madonna, 67, looks half her age as she goes braless in sheer blue minidress at PFW

HUG UP ON YOU

Madonna & Charli XCX END feud with hug weeks after ‘dancefloor is dead’ swipe

It was filmed in Camden at Koko, where Madonna performed for the first time in the UK for just 200 people in 1983 when it was called the Camden Palace.

Graham said: “As a lifelong fan it is always a thrill to interview Madonna. But to meet her on the dance floor where she first performed in London over 40 years ago felt incredibly special.”

Kylie made a surprise guest appearance at Madonna’s The Celebration Tour in LA in 2024.

They performed Gloria Gaynor’s 1978 hit I Will Survive in a nod to Kylie’s 2005 breast cancer battle.

MADONNA oozed youthful glam in a see-through mini dress as she made a striking appearance at Paris Fashion Week.

The Vogue songstress, 67, looked half her age in the cobalt blue frock, opting to go braless in the sheer attire as she headed to an evening bash in the French capital.

She finished off her stylish look with thigh-high silver boots, nude fishnet tights and matching jewellery.

Madge pulled on a pair of sunglasses and threw a metallic jacket over her arm as she exited the French venue, with her blonde hair styled in heat curls flowing over her shoulders.

The American chart star – who recently showcased her huge video which launched her comeback – kept a serious expression as she walked out of The Ritz flanked by bodyguards.

Yet she did flash a pout as she took a brief glance over her shoulder.

HUG UP ON YOU

Madonna & Charli XCX END feud with hug weeks after ‘dancefloor is dead’ swipe

SMOKING HOT

Madonna & Charli XCX smoke cigs at fashion show as they make-up after feud

Earlier this week, Madonna was seen smoking cigarettes at the same event with Charli XCX as they healed their feud.

They then confirmed they were back on track with a hug.

The pop stars were filmed posing for photos, and puffing on long, dark cigarettes at the Saint Laurent menswear show in Paris.

Madonna looked sensational in a red lace long-sleeved mini dress which she paired with pink and black toed heels and stylish shades. 

Charli rocked a red dress with lace detailing across her chest, black tights and long-toed heels.

Rumours sparked of a feud between the pair after Charli’s new single Rock Music featured the bold lyrics: “I think the dancefloor is dead, so now we’re making rock music.”

Madge’s dance-heavy new album, Confessions On A Dancefloor: Part II comes out on July 3, and she certainly didn’t agree.

Taking to Instagram she posted a snap with a very telling caption.

She wrote: “If your dance floor feels dead, maybe you’re playing the wrong music.”

At the time, the Like A Prayer hitmaker posed in a skin-tight pink dress, fishnet tights and knee-high leather boots.

Madonna is just a material girl, living in a material world.

The “Vogue” hitmaker graced the cover of Interview magazine for the Summer 2026 issue and in the accompanying chat, the singer revealed the reason the ultra-hyped biopic with “Ozark” star Julia Garner was scrapped: not enough cold hard cash.

Turns out, Universal Studios was not Madonna’s Mr. Right. According to the pop star, the studio didn’t share her vision for a budget for the film.

“I worked on my script for two years and spent two years at Universal Studios with the line producers doing budgeting and casting,” she told the magazine. “We had a falling out, me and Universal, regarding budget because I needed — I’ve had an extraordinary life. I’ve had a huge life, so I needed a big budget. You know what I mean?”

The film had been in the works for years, and in 2021 Universal Pictures won a multi-studio auction to helm the biopic. According to Variety, the script followed Madonna from her upbringing in the suburbs of Detroit, her artistic awakening in 1980s New York City, and concluded around the 1998 release of “Ray of Light.”

“I found a way to make it for less money in Serbia, but I don’t think they were into the idea of — I don’t know,” she said. “Maybe they just didn’t believe in me.”

Madonna said the studio couldn’t wrap its head around what she was suggesting and countered that she wouldn’t “stay in Serbia more than four days.”

“I said, ‘Did you read the script?’ My whole life has been survival. I’m not going there for a holiday.’”

Madonna said that she was in “limbo” when the movie plans fell apart, and she considered telling her life story through a Netflix series when the streamer came knocking. But she wouldn’t be able to use the script she had penned for Universal without buying it from the studio for “an extortionist’s price,” even though she wrote it.

“That’s just the way it goes,” she continued. “I started trying to understand how making a series would work. It’s a very, very different process. You have to meet a lot of writers and find the right showrunner, and I couldn’t find one. This went on for another eight or nine months. I was like, ‘Good thing I have another job because I need to work, I need to create. I need to do what I was put on this earth to do.’”

Representatives for Universal Pictures, Netflix and Garner did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.

Through the process of writing the script, Madonna was bitten by the memoir bug, but she channeled that confessional energy into her forthcoming album, “Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II,” which drops July 3. A 13-minute music video weaving together six tracks from the new album was released earlier this month and featured A-list cameos by Sabrina Carpenter, Kate Moss, Lourdes Leon, Benedict Cumberbatch and more.

While the biopic and buzz around Garner’s portrayal of the “Like a Virgin” star had fans of the two blondes chomping at the bit, all is not lost: Art captures life. Garner and Madonna were spotted filming scenes in Venice two weeks ago for the second season of “The Studio,” in which Madonna plays herself struggling to get her biopic made.

A weekend BASE jumping accident in a Utah canyon killed two people, one of them a daredevil athlete best known for performing onstage with Madonna at the 2012 Super Bowl, authorities said.

The Sheriff’s Office in Grand County, Utah, confirmed one of the dead was Andy Lewis, an extreme athlete known for feats in BASE jumping, a dangerous sport that involves parachuting to the ground after jumping from a tall fixed object such as a building, a bridge or a desert cliff overlooking a deep canyon.

In BASE jumping circles, Lewis had a huge following and a reputation for pushing the envelope — leaping into tighter spaces or deploying his parachute later than his peers would dare, said John McEvoy, a BASE jumping instructor in Twin Falls, Idaho, who has jumped with Lewis.

“He had an incredible level of athleticism and skill that was developed over years of practice,” McEvoy said. “But then he would take an incredible amount of risk.”

Lewis’ other sport made him an overnight celebrity, thanks to Madonna

Lewis was also a prominent figure in the niche sports of slacklining and tricklining, which combine elements of high-wire walking with aerial acrobatics — sometimes at perilous heights.

Lewis went from obscure athlete to overnight celebrity when he appeared onstage in Madonna’s 2012 Super Bowl halftime show. Dressed in a Roman toga, Lewis bounced and executed tricks on his inch-wide line as though it was a trampoline while Madonna sang behind him.

“My phone actually rang itself to death three days in a row,” Lewis said soon afterward in an appearance on Conan O’Brien’s late-night show.

Emergency responders were dispatched Sunday to a report of people injured in a BASE jumping attempt at Mineral Bottom, a remote desert area near the Utah-Colorado line, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Lewis and an unidentified 50-year-old man died at the scene, the office said in a news release.

Sheriff’s Lt. Al Cymbaluk confirmed to the Associated Press that it was Lewis the extreme athlete who died. He said he had no further details on the fatal accident.

BASE jumping is far more dangerous than skydiving

Though there’s no official tally of BASE jumping deaths, a list compiled by the website BASEaddict.com shows 540 total fatalities worldwide since 1981 — including 30 people killed last year. Prominent deaths include BASE jumper Dean Potter and his climbing partner, Graham Hunt, who were killed in 2015 while attempting a wingsuit flight in Yosemite National Park.

A study focused on BASE jumping in Norway, published in a medical journal in 2007, estimated that BASE jumping carried risks of injury or death five to eight times greater than skydiving.

Lewis openly acknowledged the sport’s inherent danger.

“It’s weird to think about how many people are dead, because it’s like a normal thing,” Lewis told documentary filmmaker Ella Warnick in an interview published last year.

Lewis owned BASE Jump Moab, a business that offered excursions to inexperienced customers using tandem jumps, in which the customer was harnessed to a guide wearing the parachute.

Sheriff’s spokesperson Cymbaluk said he didn’t know whether Lewis and the other man killed were performing a tandem jump.

Tandem BASE jumping carries additional risk because it straps together two people, one of whom generally lacks experience, under a single parachute, McEvoy said. But because they involve novices, they also tend to be the most low-risk, basic types of jumps.

“Within BASE, it’s a very controversial topic,” McEvoy said. “There’s a lot of people who say it’s the stupidest thing in the world and others arguing, `No, we’re giving people the experience of their lives.’”

No one immediately returned phone, text and Facebook messages left Monday for BASE Jump Moab.

Lewis won four straight world championships in competitive slacklining from 2008 through 2011. Lewis set a Guinness World Record for slackline surfing, swaying his feet side to side in a rocking motion that mimics surfing, while keeping his balance above China’s Diaoshuilou waterfall in 2011.

In 2014, he walked a slackline suspended between two hot air balloons more than 4,000 feet above the Nevada desert.

Bynum writes for the Associated Press.

MADONNA has landed a host of A-listers to feature in cameos on her new music film.

Last night the Queen of Pop premiered the 13-minute Confessions II — featuring Hollywood’s Benedict Cumberbatch, supermodel Kate Moss and several other celebrities.

The film features six songs from her upcoming album.

During the one unreleased track, Danceteria, the singer slinks through a bathroom where Chelsea football aces Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro are at the urinal, while Richard E. Grant, Gwendoline Christie, Shygirl, Kate and Benedict rave in the toilet disco.

Sabrina Carpenter, who teamed up with Madge on the record’s lead single, the recently released Bring Your Love, also has a starring role.

Julia Garner, who was cast as Madonna in a yet-to-be-filmed biopic, appears in a scene where Madge flies over the crowd.

KATIE’S TRUTH

Watch full chat with Katie Price as The Sun puts ALL Lee Andrews’ lies to her

OH BI-HAVE

Bianca Censori crawls on the floor in a g-string thong for Kanye’s birthday

The superstar’s ­daughter, Lourdes Leon, is in there too.

Other new tracks in the film are I Feel So Free, Good For The Soul, One Step Away and Read My Lips.

I first told in March how the superstar had enlisted her showbiz pals to be part of a four-day shoot at a West London studio for the video — and now she has proved it was worth the wait.

Her Confessions II collection is set to be released on July 3 — 21 years after her original Confessions On A Dancefloor album came out.

I revealed at the weekend that she is now eyeing up plans for potential concerts to celebrate the record’s release — but you are unlikely to see her follow in other stars’ footsteps with a Las Vegas residency.

Name-checking a state-of-the-art 20,000-capacity arena in Paradise,

Nevada, she said, during a Q&A: “Sphere seems cool, but I don’t want to wake up and look at Vegas every day.”

And she’s ready for fans to ditch their phones at any future gigs. She added: “Put your phones down, go out, and connect with people.

ABBA have hatched a scheme to take Mamma Mia! The Party to Manchester after it proved a hit in ­Stockholm and London.

Plans for a new entertainment venue next to the city’s Etihad Stadium have been recommended for approval by council planners.

The three-storey venue, set to be built beside Man City’s new North Stand and close to the Co-op Live, would offer a theatrical dining experience for up to 600 guests.

City have teamed up with entertainment giant Pophouse – founded by Abba’s Bjorn Ulvaeus – for the project, with bosses saying the city’s rich music heritage made it the perfect home for the production.

Pophouse chief executive Jessica Koravos said: “Manchester is known for its innovation in music and entertainment and we cannot think of anywhere better to bring one of the world’s most ­popular and ground breaking theatrical productions.”

TRAITOR STEPHEN’S MUSICAL

TRAITORS winner Stephen Libby fancies himself as the next Andrew Lloyd Webber.

I can reveal the Scottish fashionista has penned a musical that he hopes to bring to the West End in the not-too-distant future.

A source said: “Stephen has the musical all written and ready to go.

“He has always dreamed of his work making it to the West End.

“With The Traitors opening so many doors – both financially and in terms of connections – he feels like the time could be now.

“He’s been having various meetings and things are looking promising.”

Stephen and fellow Traitors winner Rachel Duffy split the hit BBC show’s £95,750 prize money earlier this year.

Since then he has been a regular on the showbiz circuit in London and even landed an ad hoc hosting job on ITV’s This Morning.

NIALL HORAN is on course to catch up with his One Direction bandmate Harry Styles this ­week by scoring his third No1 album.

The Irish singer released Dinner Party on Friday and it is ­currently in the lead to top the charts, after Sir Paul McCartney claimed pole position last week with The Boys Of ­Dungeon Lane.

ACE THEO TACKLES TOXICITY

FORMER England ace Theo Walcott is getting into the World Cup spirit despite hanging up his footie boots.

The Arsenal legend has teamed up with EE to front its new Yes Boys campaign.

The initiative aims to shine a light on the negative online influences shaping boys’ attitudes both on and off the pitch.

It comes as new data reveals 42 per cent of boys aged 11 to 16 encounter outdated phrases like “men shouldn’t show emotion” and “boys need to toughen up” every week.

Progress has been made over the years, but clearly there is still a long way to go.

DOLLS ASH: MY DANCE TRAUMA

PUSSYCAT DOLLS star Ashley Roberts has admitted she was so burned out when the group split in 2010 that even seeing people dance would make her cry.

The girls were known for their intense, choreographed routines but Ashley couldn’t bear to bust any moves after the break-up because of the trauma wrapped up in the group’s original run.

She said: “It was absolutely heartbreaking. I couldn’t even actually watch dancing because I would just be bursting into tears.

“When it first became my job, I was like, ‘Well, this is epic’.

“But then it got wrapped up in this bubble of a major pop group that was a global success.

“I got a bit on the other side and I was like, ‘Well, who am I actually outside of this, right?’

“I just felt very lost, very disconnected to the one thing that actually made me feel like it was like the essence of life to me.

“I just didn’t really recognise myself.

“And it was a really, really tough time.”

Thankfully Ashley has since healed herself, as well as her relationship with performing, and has reunited with Nicole Scherzinger and Kimberly Wyatt for a tour here this autumn.

On how she feels to be back, she told Fearne Cotton on her Happy Place podcast: “Everybody’s like, ‘No, you’re in shape – you got this’.

“I’m like, ‘No, this is a whole other beast’.

“It’s like running a marathon in heels.

“We’re like, ‘Screw it’. You never know when we’re going to be able to do this again.

“We’ve got to just do it – we’ve got to say yes and just go for it.”

Swissh look, Sam

SAM SMITH mixed business with glamour by pairing a shirt and tie with an eye-catching gold corset.

The Stay With Me singer’s snap has been released for the first time as part of a book called The Elegance Of Time, celebrating the 60th edition of Switzerland’s Montreux Jazz Festival.

Sam played at the event – held annually near Lake Geneva – in 2023, and this photo, along with 150 other intimate portraits of artists including Raye, Lionel Richie, Benson Boone and Pulp, will be included in the book, which is out tomorrow.

BBC bosses splashed out on therapy for UK Eurovision act Look Mum No Computer after he came last in the contest and was ridiculed online.

The performer, whose real name is Sam Battle, said the fallout from his quirky entry Eins, Zwei, Drei is ongoing, so he is still seeing a counsellor.

Sam told The Euro Trip podcast: “There was some sort of therapy stuff. The BBC got me a therapist, which is amazing.

“I’ve never really had one before. They were very accommodating. In fact, I’ve still got the therapist because obviously the fallout is another thing. They don’t just leave you.”

Now Sam reckons the only way forward for the UK at Eurovision is to send a hard rock band.

He said: “We went for ‘very good sensible pop songs’ and then for something ‘a little bit left field’. Still didn’t quite work.

“My tip? Metal. Do we have anything to lose?”

MADONNA has revealed the celebrity who was the “best sex of her life” – and he’s very famous.

The Vogue singer, 67, teamed up with LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr for a new video promoting her upcoming album, Confessions II.

In a sneak peek obtained by Page Six, fashion designer Raul Lopez asked the Queen of Pop to name the “best d*** down” she has ever experienced.

“I’m only going to name dead people,” replied Madonna.

She then covered her mouth and whispered: “John Kennedy Jr.”

Raul added: “Everyone says his d*** was crazy and he was a good f***.”

SUSHI DIVA

Madonna takes own chef on BA flight to serve sushi as she follows strict diet

HEL OF A JOB

Helen Flanagan’s bikini struggles to contain her boob job as she soaks up sun

“Mmmhmm,” Madonna confirmed.

Raul continued: “You’re the third person I’ve heard say that.”

Madonna dated Kennedy in the late 1980s as her infamously turbulent marriage to Sean Penn was coming to an end.

Kennedy’s competition amongst late lovers include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Luke Perry and Tupac Shakur.

According to JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography, published in 2024 by RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil, the romance was short-lived and never developed into anything serious.

“Madonna was totally a fling. Nothing more. Barely a fling at that,” one of Kennedy’s close friends says in the book.

According to the biography, Kennedy was dating actress Christina Haag when he met Madonna, while the pop star was married to Sean Penn.

Meanwhile, the Queen of Pop has royal standards when it comes to travel as we revealed that the hitmaker brought her own private chef on a British Airways flight last month.

SHE is regarded as the Queen of Pop.

But it seems that Madonna also has royal standards when it comes to travel. I can reveal that the Like A Prayer hitmaker brought her own private chef on to a British Airways flight last month.

She jetted from Los Angeles to London’s Heathrow with former foot- baller boyfriend Akeem Morris.

Her chef plated her up some sushi before they took off for the 11-hour flight to England.

A source said: “Madonna is strict about her lifestyle and avoids processed foods.

“She has the luxury of taking her private chef when travelling. He knows exactly what she eats to ensure she is sufficiently nourished when travelling between timezones.”

ETERNAL WAIT OVER

Louise reveals she’s working on new music after being inspired by Madonna

POP CARNAGE

Bitter feud brewing as Madonna targets Charli XCX with shady Instagram post

Madge is understood to follow a strict macrobiotic diet which is favoured by A-listers including actress Gwyneth Paltrow.

She avoids sugar, caffeine, alcohol and processed items, instead favouring fruit, veg and protein.

Functional nutritionist Pauline Cox previously told The Sun: “Madonna has a carefully planned diet that allows her to carry on performing at a high level.

“She eats complex carbohydrates — brown rice, beans and oats — for slow energy release.”

I previously told how Madonna turned night owl for a new music video, shooting between 5pm and 2am.

She is set to premiere the ten-minute film at the Beacon Theatre at the Tribeca Festival in New York in the US on June 5.

It is built around the first six tracks from her album, Confessions II, out on July 3.­

ELLIE KNUCKLES DOWN

ELLIE GOULDING let her hair down as she returned to the stage for the first time after giving birth to baby number two in March.

Wearing a baggy white tee, leather shorts and diamond knuckle-duster, inset above left, for her show at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland, the singer revealed that her five-year-old son Arthur was watching.

She said: “So, guys, this is kind of a big deal, because my son is watching me for the first time today.”

Ellie also sang her new song Black Prada Dress.

Great to have you back, Ellie.

BBC RADIO 1 host Charlie Hedges has pleaded for Harry Styles to return to the Live Lounge.

The DJ, who hosts Dance Anthems, revealed how she was presenting a 24-hour show when the former One Direction star was in the building.

She told Biz on Sunday: “Harry was confirmed to be in the Live Lounge however it was the same day that I’d decided to do a 24-hour Radio 1 dance day. So I missed Harry Styles.

“I stitched myself up because it was my idea to do the 24-hour show. I can’t blame anyone. I am fuming.”

Meanwhile Charlie – who is in Sunderland for Radio 1’s Big Weekend – revealed Lewis Capaldi is one of her favourite guests.

She said: “He is probably the funniest man I have ever met in my entire life, let alone being an incredible performer.”

ZARA McDERMOTT cheered on boyfriend Louis Tomlinson from the side of the stage yesterday.

It comes after she was pictured hugging Joey Essex and sent the internet into meltdown.

An onlooker said: “Zara was all smiles.”

SAM SO WIRED

HUNKY electrician Sam Workman is hoping to make sparks fly in the Love Island villa.

The lad, from Dudley, is lined up for the next series of the ITV dating show in Majorca, which kicks off on June 1.

A source said: “Sam is ready to use his electrician charm in the villa.

“He has also been hitting the gym to make sure he’s villa ready.”

Sam has started his summer in style and was spotted at Coachella Festival in California, US, in April.

Hopefully Sam finds himself a festival sidekick in the villa.

STORM OFF, YAS

SHE signed up with top modelling agency Storm Management after leaving Love Island last year.

But I can reveal that Yasmin Pettet has left the company that has launched the careers of supermodels Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne.

A source said: “Yasmin loved working with Storm and learned a lot from the agency. However her career is going in another direction.”

The agency posted a snap of Yasmin – who finished third with Jamie Rhodes on the dating show – on their Instagram last year to announce the new signing.

It read: “Yasmin’s fearless, edgy aesthetic positions her within the new wave of British It girls: challenging conventions and breaking the mould.”

MARRIED MILEY’S WEBBED BLISS

MILEY CYRUS is a married woman, according to her mother.

The revelation came at the singer’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in LA on Friday, where Miley wore this webbed maxi dress.

Onlookers witnessed Tish call Miley’s fiancé Maxx Morando, who proposed in winter 2025, her “husband”.

As Miley’s mum herded together family and friends for photographs, she looked over at Maxx, drummer for the rock band Liily, and declared, “We’re gonna bring the husband.”

Maxx then posed next to Miley and kissed her on the cheek.

Tearful Miley lavished praise on her father Billy Ray even though he wasn’t present to see her being honoured with the Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

The singer, who was also joined by designer Donatella Versace and actress Anya Taylor-Joy, declared, “My dad used to say a skyscraper starts with a jackhammer” as she vowed her career is fuelled by making her art immortal.

With tears on her face, Miley continued: “To my family, my future family, parents, my mom, my siblings, my friends, my collaborators, thank you for loving and supporting not only the choices that I make, but my fears, and then facing them with me.

“Today is something that I’ll never forget and I’m always going to cherish.”

AD SUITS YOU, TOM

HE had viewers swooning over him in his suits in The Night Manager – and now Tom Hiddleston is cashing in on his style.

The actor has shot a top-secret Ralph Lauren collaboration, which will be unveiled later this year.

Thor star Tom has been a mainstay at the American label’s events lately, including sitting front row at Milan Fashion Week and attending the post-runway dinner party where he sat pride of place next to Ralph’s son.

A source said: “Tom has a busy filming schedule, but he managed to squeeze in this ad as he was delighted to be asked.

“He loves the brand and plans to wear it on red carpets and at awards dos.” Tom, who is engaged to Fresh Meat actress Zawe Asthon, gushed about fashion earlier this year.

Speaking to Esquire he said: “There’s a certain element of respect when you wear a suit. Not just for yourself, but for the people you’re in the company with.

“I admire the craft of it all, and there’s something about how tailoring can honour shape and athleticism as a man. I love texture. I love the idea of getting dressed up.

“I love the construction of it and the details add up to a whole that I find pleasing.

“My tan shoes match my watch strap, and my pocket square gives a flourish.”

AIR WE GO… OFF TO AMERICA

SHE’S kept her head down since appearing in the Jeffrey Epstein files earlier this year, but I can reveal that Donna Air is quitting the UK.

The ex-Byker Grove actress is returning to her acting roots and hoping to land some roles in the US.

This follows The Sun on Sunday story in February revealing her links to the paedophile businessman. Plus, earlier this month, Donna lost her dad Trevor to cancer.

Posting on social media she wrote: “I’ve packed up my home, and I’m off to pastures new.”

A source said: “It’s been a tough year for Donna. She wants a change of scene and a fresh start. She is hoping to audition for some roles in America and see what comes her way.”

STARS OUT FOR THE BBC

A HOST of top stars from music, films and telly are backing the BBC after filming a new ad promoting the licence fee.

Chris Martin, Daisy Ridley, Cate Blanchett, Ruth Jones and Claudia Winkleman have remade the 1986 advert starring comic John Cleese, titled What Have The BBC Ever Given Us?

The original was a parody of his and Monty Python’s sketch from 1979 film The Life Of Brian.

The ad was filmed at a top-secret location in London earlier this month with scenes from Glastonbury festival and Wimbledon.

A source said: “The BBC has come under a lot of heat lately so this is its rallying cry to boost morale among the public.”

SCARLETT MOFFATT has revealed that she is expecting a baby boy.

The reality star and partner Scott already have a son, Jude.

She said: “I was born to be a boy mum. I’m so excited. All my family and friends knew I wanted another boy.

“My preference was a boy, to give Jude a brother. I’m just so happy for him.”

HER last tour in 2020 was cut short thanks to the Covid pandemic but now Louise is gearing up to go back on the road.

The Borderline singer will play five live shows as part of her Naked/Confessions tour next April, taking in cities including London, Birmingham and Manchester, with tickets on sale today.

And in an exclusive interview to celebrate the announcement, ex-Eternal star Louise says she’s never felt so inspired after her last album Confessions became her fourth top ten record.

“I’m so proud of that album,” Louise tells me.

“That’s really what spurred me on to carry on writing.

“It taught me that it’s OK not to please everybody.

STAR’S GLASTO AIM

Superstar singer bidding to headline Glastonbury in 2027 after epic year

STAR GONE

Clannad singer and Enya’s sister Moya Brennan dies aged 73 as tributes pour in

“I’m enjoying the creative process of not worrying about if people might hate on it.

“Knowing that you just can’t please everyone.

“It’s all about the mindset and the confidence.

“I do think that comes with age as well.”

After saying yes to going back on the road, Louise reveals she’s learned the power of saying no — and was inspired by pop royalty Madonna.

“I am a big fan, I loved the show she did with Sabrina Carpenter. As a woman, for me, it’s about celebrating people and their achievements,” Louise says.

“I hated reading anything negative about that because for me, she is a genius. I’m at that stage where I’m trying to embrace everything and go with it, but I am also saying no.

“I just wrote a song about saying no and I love it.

“The basis of the song is when you finally learn to say, ‘That’s not for me.’

“We all live in a world where we don’t want to say no to anything for a multitude of reasons.”

The tour, which kids off in Sunderland on April 8 next year, will see Louise picking her favourite tracks from her debut album Naked — which turns 30 in 2027 — and from Confessions for the set list.

And Louise — who will play The Mighty Hoopla festival in London next weekend — has promised to throw in some brand new tunes too.

Louise, who has scored nine Top Ten solo singles including 2 Faced and Pandora’s Kiss, adds: “I get that people will want the hits. It’s about celebrating Naked and Confessions — but I definitely will do new stuff on the tour.

“I don’t want to play it particularly safe.

“The one thing I have learned in this industry is that you have to keep changing.

“You have to keep finding new ways to motivate yourself. Whether that be music, what you’re wearing, the lyrics you’re writing.

“Now I know the lane that I’m in and I know what I want to do.”

Girls single minded

THEY have been together for over a decade, represented the UK at Eurovision and performed at Wembley Stadium.

Now, British girl group Remember Monday have given Bizarre’s Howell the exclusive that they’ve just completed work on their debut album in Prague – and have today dropped the first single, Delusional.

The trio, made up of Lauren Byrne, Charlotte Steele and Holly-Anne Hull first started work on the track two years ago, but only finished it last summer with the help of McFly’s Danny Jones and Dougie Poynter, after being introduced to them at the Capital Summertime Ball.

Lauren, who posed with her bandmates for the single artwork, said: “It feels like it was the first song that started the whole new era.

“After that session, it was like, this is the kind of music that we want to be working on now.”

Holly continued: “We just wanted to kind of hone in on our sound, really solidify what we want to say moving forward.

“I don’t know if we can say, but . . . well, we’re releasing an album.

“The sound that we’re going down is quite nostalgic. Like, we really love the Nineties rom-com energy of music.”

The group will support McFly on tour this summer.

They admit their path is not always easy given that they are independent artists without the financial backing of a major record label.

Referencing the title of their single, Charlotte said: “Our whole band is run and fuelled by delusion.”

Lauren added: “It’s weird to be around. But we do just talk about things as if they are happening regardless of whether we have the funds or contacts. We just speak it into existence.

“And it actually has worked. I don’t even know how we’ve got to this stage.”

It’s working so far ladies.

Good for you.

Too pretty for this ditty

SONGWRITER Linda Perry has revealed she almost turned down Christina Aguilera’s request for her song Beautiful after admitting she thought she was too pretty to sing it.

Linda wrote the track which ended up being one of Christina’s most enduring songs from her 2002 album Stripped.

Appearing on the Zach Sang Show, Linda said she played American star Christina, pictured at the Abbey’s 35th anniversary party in Hollywood, the track and explained: “She was like, ‘ I want that.’

“And I’m thinking, ‘No, you’re like, a hot chick. I’m not giving you this song. No way. Are you kidding me?”

It was only after Christina sang the track for Linda that she changed her mind, adding: “It broke the ice between the both of us when I saw that.

“That’s when I discovered beautiful people are actually insecure and just as damaged as I am.”

Sphere come all the Girls?

THE SPICE GIRLS might fancy zig-a-zig-ah-ing their way into a Las Vegas residency, but I’m told bosses at the Sphere aren’t interested in a quick nostalgia cash-in.

Insiders have confirmed bosses will only give the green light if Victoria Beckham, Melanie C, Melanie B, Geri Horner and Emma Bunton are all on board.

My Sphere insider said: “The Spice Girls would be a massive draw, but this couldn’t be done as a one-off or a short residency.

“The costs involved in creating a Sphere show are enormous. There’s special cameras, bespoke visuals and millions of dollars in production costs before a ticket is sold.

“They’d need all five on board and would want 40 to 60 shows.”

Last month Posh Spice teased that she was keen for the shows to go ahead, saying: “How good would the Spice Girls be at the Sphere? I love the idea of it.”

The venue, which has mind-blowing wraparound screens, has already hosted U2, The Eagles and No Doubt.

TREVOR NELSON was handed a top gong at last night’s Audio Academy Arias.

Rylan Clark hosted the bash at The Roundhouse in North London, which saw Radio 2 legend Trevor honoured with a Special Recognition Award.

He was handed the gong by my pal Craig David, who spoke about Trevor’s impact on the British music scene.

It was a great night for Radio 1 DJ Greg James too, with his Breakfast show landing the top prize in its category, while BBC Radio 6 Music’s Beth Ditto was handed Best New Presenter.

LOUIS TOMLINSON reckons there’s one man who could tempt him into a collaboration – fellow Doncaster star Yungblud.

Ex-One Direction singer Louis admitted he’s not keen on teaming up with artists for the sake of it, but working with the rock wild man would feel different.

Louis explained: “I really like his music and he’s from Doncaster, my hometown, I think that would make it even more interesting.”

But he joked that their might be a slight age gap issue.

Louis laughed: “I’d be the senior one in that conversation.”

Doncaster might be running the UK music scene soon . . . 

MY fellow Spurs fan AJ Tracey has joined talkSPORT as a World Cup pundit.

The Thiago Silva rapper will join footballer-turned-Strictly star Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Burnley ace Kyle Walker on the station’s line-up for the big event this summer.

CRUZ BECKHAM And The Breakers lead the new music releases today with their catchy new single, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.

DJ Sonny Fodera also drops his new tune, Let Me Be In Your Arms, ahead of his performance at Radio 1’s Big Weekend tonight.

LEGENDARY recording studio Abbey Road has announced its fifth annual Music Photography Awards.

This year’s judging panel is packed with music industry royalty, including Raye and Nile Rodgers.

Photographer to the stars, Rankin, is also on the panel ahead of the VIP ceremony on September 24.

Rankin said: “With another stellar judging panel joining us, I can’t wait to get stuck in and review the 2026 submissions. What are you waiting for?”
Submissions are open now.

South Korean boy band BTS, U.S. pop culture icon Madonna and Latin music superstar Shakira will be performing at halftime during the World Cup final July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., FIFA announced Thursday morning.

The performance will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is looking to raise $100 million to assist children in accessing education and soccer.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino wrote on Instagram that the show “will be a truly special moment, bringing together music, football and a shared commitment to improving the lives of children around the world.”

The show is being curated by Coldplay leader Chris Martin and, if this event announcement video is to be believed, a bunch of Muppets.

“It’s a chance to show how amazing all different kinds of humans are,” Martin explains to Elmo in the video.

The three acts will bring a variety of cultures, musical styles and generations of fans to the Super Bowl-style concert, which will be the first of its kind for a World Cup final.

Madonna headlined the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show in 2012, and Shakira teamed with Jennifer Lopez to co-headline the Super Bowl LIV halftime show in 2020. Also, Coldplay headlined the Super Bowl 50 halftime show in 2016.

No duration time has been announced for the World Cup show, although soccer halftimes are not supposed to last more than 15 minutes. Bad Bunny’s halftime performance at Super Bowl LX in February lasted 13 minutes.

Among the three of them, Madonna, Shakira and BTS have compiled 20 No. 1 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart, 10 Grammys and 37 MTV Video Music Awards. Shakira is scheduled to release “Dai Dai” with Nigerian singer Burna Boy as the official song of the 2026 World Cup this month.

Talk about a crime of fashion.

Madonna revealed Monday on social media that the purple jacket, corset and dress she wore Friday during a surprise performance with Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella are missing.

“Bringing Confessions II back to where it began was such a thrill,” she wrote. “This full circle moment hit different until I discovered that the vintage pieces that I wore went missing. … These aren’t just clothes, they are part of my history.”

The clothes are archival items that she wore in the early aughts during her “Confessions on a Dance Floor” era. Her upcoming “Confessions on a Dance Floor: Part II,” set to be released July 3, is a sequel to the 2005 album. Madonna played Coachella’s Sahara Tent 20 years ago in a similar purple getup.

Madonna appeared midway through Carpenter’s headlining performance at Weekend 2 of Coachella. The 67-year-old singer rose from beneath the stage as Carpenter sang “Juno.” The pair then transitioned into a rendition of her 1990 hit “Vogue.” Madonna also performed an unreleased song — “Bring Your Love” — followed by 2005’s “Get Together” and 1989’s “Like a Prayer.”

“I’m hoping and praying that some kind soul, will find these items and reach out to my team,” she continued, offering a reward to anyone who could recover the items and providing an email for her representatives.

A spokesperson for the Indio Police Department said in a statement Tuesday that “at this time, there is no evidence to suggest the bags were intentionally stolen.”

A representative for the singer filed a missing property report for items including clothing and jewelry Saturday shortly after 7 p.m., according to the statement. The items were last seen on a golf cart at the Empire Polo Grounds Saturday around 1:30 a.m.

“Preliminary investigation indicates the two bags containing the items may have fallen off a golf cart operated by staff who were on their way to load the bags onto a bus,” the statement read. “Upon arriving at the hotel shortly thereafter, the staff realized the bags were missing.”

If you have seen the bags, contact Indio Police at (760) 391-4057 or Crime Stoppers at (760) 341-STOP to share information anonymously.

MADONNA has been left heartbroken as she revealed that someone has “stolen” her vintage clothes after performing at Coachella.

The 67-year-old music legend teamed up with Espresso singer Sabrina for a show-stopping finale – dressed-to-impress in purple lingerie.

Two decades after her own epic headlining slot at the Californian festival, the queen of pop turned heads in a flesh-flashing frilly outfit.

Wearing a purple corset with matching lilac gloves, purple stockings and knee-high stiletto boots, the comeback queen accessorised with tinted shades and her long blonde hair down in waves.

She joined a lingerie-clad Sabrina, 26, who wowed in a white lace sparkly bodice and heels during her headline set at Coachella.

But now pop icon Madonna has been left with a sour taste in her mouth after precious pieces from her wardrobe went missing following the set.

material girls

Madonna strips down to lingerie for duo with Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella

HER MADGESTY

How Madonna became the queen of cool aged 67 with club-inspired album & toyboy

She shared on Instagram today: “Still flying high since Friday night at Coachella!

“Thank you to Sabrina and everyone who made it possible.

“Bringing Confessions II back to where it began was such a thrill.

“This full circle moment hit different until I discovered that the vintage pieces that I wore went missing – my costume that was pulled from my personal archives – jacket, corset, dress and all other garment.”

The musician stressed how irreplaceable these items are and issued an appeal for them to be returned.

Madonna continued: “These aren’t just clothes, they are part of my history.

“Other archival items from the same era went missing as well.

“I’m hoping and praying that some kind soul will find these items and reach out to my team.

“I’m offering a reward for their safe return. Thank you will all my heart.”

Over the weekend, Madonna and Sabrina delighted the crowds with classic hits including Vogue, Like A Prayer and I Feel So Free from Madonna’s new album.

Sabrina had been mid-performance when an instrumental tease of Madonna‘s 1990 hit song Vogue weaved in.

Madonna told the cheering audience: “Wow, thank you.

“Sabrina, thank you so much for inviting me on your show.”

Holding hands, she replied: “No thanks needed, Madonna.”

“Well, I have a few things I want to get off my chest. So, 20 years ago today I performed at Coachella,” admitted the Ray of Light singer.

“I was in the dance tent and it was the first time I performed Confessions On The Dance Floor part one in America.

“It’s a full circle moment, you know? Very meaningful for me.” 

She urged: “Let’s try to be together. Let’s try to avoid disagreements.

“And to that point, the great thing about music is that it brings people together. 

“It’s the one place that people have to put their differences aside, put their s**t down and just everybody have a good time together, right?

“So I am thrilled to be a part of that healing experience…”

The Vogue singer confirmed this week that she will release her first record in seven years this July — a sequel to her 2005 smash Confessions On A Dance Floor.

The original, inspired by disco and Eighties electropop, shifted more than 10million copies.

It featured No1 singles Hung Up and Sorry, and ushered in a new era of dance music.

In 2024, Sabrina paid ­tribute to Madge by attending the MTV VMAs in a vintage strapless gown previously worn to the Oscars by her musical hero in 1991.

Sabrina said of Madonna last year: “She’s so lovely and exactly how you expect her to be — just, like, so magnetic.”

The BBC has seemingly pulled episodes of Top of the Pops that featured Scott Mills from iPlayer after the corporation made the decision to dismiss the radio star last month

The BBC has seemingly pulled episodes of Top of the Pops that featured Scott Mills from iPlayer. In yet another scandal for the public broadcaster, Scott Mills, a BBC radio favourite for decades, was axed from his role in March.

The Mirror revealed that the former BBC Radio 1 and 2 DJ was questioned in 2018 over the historical allegations of serious sexual offences, but the investigation – which began in 2016 – was closed in 2019 after the CPS deemed there was insufficient evidence to bring charges.

The allegations are reported to have happened between 1997 and 2000. The Metropolitan Police told the Mirror that the teenage boy at the centre of the investigation was under 16.

For more than 40 years, Top of the Pops was the BBC’s major music programme that showcased the acts who were in the charts that week and gave a platform to some of the biggest names in the industry, with the likes of The Beatles, Spice Girls and Madonna amongst countless others all having performed on it over the years.

READ MORE: BBC bosses poised to offer Scott Mills Radio 2 replacement to rightful ‘heir’READ MORE: Scott Mills replacement hopefuls battling it out for his Radio 2 job

The programme, which ended in 2006, is still repeated regularly but now the The Sun has reported that the three episodes in which Scott, 53, served as host, have now been wiped from the corporation’s streaming service.

The episodes in question originally aired in 1999 and around that time, he welcomed the likes of Billie Piper, Mariah Carey and Westlife onto the show to perform their latest singles. The Mirror has contacted the BBC for comment.

On Wednesday April 1, The Mirror revealed that the BBC was forced to terminate Mills’ contract after receiving compelling new information. The BBC then confirmed the Mirror’s report a day after it emerged that they knew of information relating to the police investigation. They pledged that they were “doing more work to understand the detail of what was known by the BBC at this time.”

The Metropolitan Police said a man, who was in his 40s at the time of the interview in 2016, was investigated over allegations reported to have happened between 1997 and 2000. Today, BBC News reported that director general at the time, Tony Hall, was not aware of the allegations.

The investigation was dropped in 2019 after the CPS deemed there was insufficient evidence to bring charges. As first reported by the Mirror, Mills was sacked over allegations relating to his ‘personal conduct’ after the final edition of his breakfast programme aired.

Following his dismissal, Mills issued a statement via lawyers thanking his well-wishers. He said: “I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who have reached out to me with kindness, my former colleagues, and my beloved listeners, who I greatly miss.”

On the police probe, he said: “The recent announcement that I am no longer contracted to the BBC has led to the publication of rumour and speculation. In response to this the Metropolitan Police has made a statement, which I confirm relates to me.

“An allegation was made against me in 2016 of a historic sexual offence, which was the subject of a police investigation in which I fully co-operated and responded to in 2018.”

He added: “Since the investigation related to an allegation that dates back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed seven years ago, I hope that the public and the media will understand and respect my wish not to make any further public comment on this matter.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

POP icon Madonna stunned festival-goers with a racy return to the Coachella stage as a surprise guest alongside Sabrina Carpenter.

The 67-year-old music legend teamed up with Espresso singer Sabrina for a show-stopping finale – dressed-to-impress in purple lingerie.

Two decades after her own epic headlining slot at the Californian festival, the queen of pop turned heads in a flesh-flashing frilly outfit.

Wearing a purple corset with matching lilac gloves, purple stockings and knee-high stiletto boots, the comeback queen accessorised with tinted shades and her long blonde hair down in waves.

She joined a lingerie-clad Sabrina, 26, who wowed in a white lace sparkly bodice and heels during her headline set at Coachella.

The duo delighted the crowds with classic hits including Vogue, Like A Prayer and I Feel So Free from Madonna’s new album.

PEACHY SNAP

Sabrina Carpenter flashes bum in tiny denim hotpants ahead of Coachella

HER MADGESTY

How Madonna became the queen of cool aged 67 with club-inspired album & toyboy

Sabrina had been mid-performance when an instrumental tease of Madonna‘s 1990 hit song Vogue weaved in.

Madonna told the cheering audience: “Wow, thank you.

“Sabrina, thank you so much for inviting me on your show.”

Holding hands, she replied: “No thanks needed, Madonna.”

“Well, I have a few things I want to get off my chest. So, 20 years ago today I performed at Coachella,” admitted the Ray of Light singer.

“I was in the dance tent and it was the first time I performed Confessions On The Dance Floor part one in America.

“It’s a full circle moment, you know? Very meaningful for me.” 

She urged: “Let’s try to be together. Let’s try to avoid disagreements.

“And to that point, the great thing about music is that it brings people together. 

“It’s the one place that people have to put their differences aside, put their s**t down and just everybody have a good time together, right?

“So I am thrilled to be a part of that healing experience…”

The Vogue singer confirmed this week that she will release her first record in seven years this July — a sequel to her 2005 smash Confessions On A Dance Floor.

The original, inspired by disco and Eighties electropop, shifted more than 10million copies.

It featured No1 singles Hung Up and Sorry, and ushered in a new era of dance music.

In 2024, Sabrina paid ­tribute to Madge by attending the MTV VMAs in a vintage strapless gown previously worn to the Oscars by her musical hero in 1991.

Sabrina said of Madonna last year: “She’s so lovely and exactly how you expect her to be — just, like, so magnetic.”

The Please Please Please singer has thrilled fans sharing a photo dump containing some sizzling snaps of her festival stint – including a mini dress, knee-high boots and beret combo.

Anyone who thinks Coachella’s biggest surprises are reserved for Weekend 1 was proven wrong Friday night as Sabrina Carpenter welcomed Madonna on stage during her Weekend 2 headlining set. The crowd exploded with waves of cheers as the iconic pop star came on stage.

Madge joined Carpenter as a surprise guest during “Juno,” in which Carpenter reemerged in a gown that was a nod to Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” for a torch-passing duet of Madonna’s 1990 pop-house gauntlet “Vogue.”

The classic was followed by the debut of the gloriously upbeat “I Feel Free,” the first track from the pop icon’s forthcoming new album “Confessions II,” due out July 3.

The singer announced the record, a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions On A Dancefloor,” on April 15, alongside a 60-second teaser video for “I Feel Free.”

The Coachella performance, however, marks the first time the song has been heard in full — a fitting full circle moment 20 after Madonna played the Sahara Tent in 2006, complete with the same boots and costuming from that gig. “Confessions II” will be Madonna’s first full-length album since 2019’s “Madame X.”

• Share via Close extra sharing options

“Let’s try to be together. Let’s try to avoid disagreements,” Madonna said as she spoke about the moon and planets aligning.

Before the pair ended with “Like a Prayer,” accompanied by a choir, Madonna had another reason to be grateful.

“This is probably the first time I’ve ever performed with someone shorter than me,” Madonna said to Carpenter as the crowd laughed. “Thank you for giving me that experience.”

Senior Audience Editor Vanessa Franko contributed to this report.

SHE was 35 and in her prime when Smash Hits magazine published images of her parading the stage in a skimpy bra – and scoffed: “Calm down, grandma!”

But the cutting headline, which accompanied a review of her Girlie Show tour in 1993, did nothing to deter the uniquely stylish Madonna.

In a career spanning more than 40 years, she became the hottest female singer in the world, selling over 400million records.

But through it all, the Queen of Pop faced intense backlash over her appearance.

Critics have judged everything from her cone bra in 1990 to her Met Gala “bondage”-style outfit in 2016, when she was 57.

But now, as Madge prepares to return to the spotlight with her 15th studio album, she has done what many thought would never be possible.

speaking out

Victoria Beckham breaks silence on Brooklyn feud for first time

BAY BEAUTY

Iconic Baywatch star signs up to reboot alongside Brooks Nader and Livvy Dunne

Aged 67, she is finally cool again.

The Vogue singer confirmed this week that she will release her first record in seven years this July — a sequel to her 2005 smash Confessions On A Dance Floor.

The original, inspired by disco and Eighties electropop, shifted more than 10million copies.

It featured No1 singles Hung Up and Sorry, and ushered in a new era of dance music.

Now, Confessions On A Dance Floor: Part II is promising to be a continuation of the project.

And Madonna is still not letting her age define her fashion, posing in a blue leotard, fishnets, a silver jacket and shades in a defiant photo to promote the record.

A music insider said: “Madonna has locked in for this project and it’s not at all what you’d expect from any other woman who is nearly 70.

“It has roots in New York house music and rave culture and her record label believes it will usher in a whole new generation of fans.

“Confessions 1 showed Madonna at her coolest and, after straying into other genres on her last few albums, this feels wonderfully authentic.”

Madge is yet to release the album’s first single, but she has been steadily building a Gen Z fanbase, who have been discovering her back catalogue.

Last month, her 1985 chart-topper Into The Groove returned to the Top 20 after going viral on TikTok.

Cruz Beckham, KSI, Aitch and Sam Thompson were among those who shared videos of themselves dancing to the song 41 years after it was a No1 hit.

And she is heavily tipped to make a live return tonight at the buzziest festival of the year alongside one of the world’s hottest young pop stars, Sabrina Carpenter, 26.

The Espresso singer will headline the second weekend of Coachella in California and has extended her set by ten minutes, further fuelling industry whispers that Madge may join her on stage.

It would be the veteran pop star’s first performance there in 20 years. She delivered a memorable set in 2006 following the release of her first Confessions album.

Sabrina idolises Madonna as a blueprint for pop music — and there are suggestions they may have collaborated on a song.

In 2024, she paid tribute to Madge by attending the MTV VMAs in a vintage strapless gown previously worn to the Oscars by her musical hero in 1991.

Sabrina said of Madonna last year: “She’s so lovely and so exactly how you expect her to be — just, like, so magnetic.”

Many of the current crop of pop starlets have named Madonna as their top inspiration.

Dua Lipa has said her 2020 No1 album Future Nostalgia was heavily influenced by Madge, and she worked with her on a remix of her song Levitating.

Jade Thirlwall said last year: “She is one of the best pop stars we will ever get.”

In fact, Madge has such pulling power, supermodel Kate Moss, plus film stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Gwendoline Christie, are set to have cameos in her comeback music video.

It is a sea-change from previous generations who used Madge as a verbal punching bag.

When asked to name the most overrated person in pop, Lily Allen once said: “Madonna. She might have meant something once, but I don’t know many people my age who care.”

And Lady Gaga insisted she could not be compared to the megastar, explaining: “I play a lot of instruments. I write all my own music . . .  I’m a producer. I’m a writer. What I do is different.”

On Wednesday, Madonna released a snippet of upcoming track I Feel So Free, which heavily samples the 1989 house tune French Kiss by Lil Louis.

The original features more than two minutes of sex noises — something which seems fitting for pop’s most notorious provocateur.

For Confessions II, Madonna has teamed up again with British producer Stuart Price, who was musical director on her 81-date Celebration Tour in 2023 and 2024.

Meanwhile, her boyfriend, former footballer Akeem Morris, 29, is regularly seen dancing and larking around with her in videos on TikTok, where her clips have been liked over 45million times.

Last month, Madonna was in Venice shooting for the second series of the Apple TV show The Studio, in which she will appear opposite Julia Garner.

But now it is full steam ahead with her music, after re-signing with Warner Records — her label for the first 24 years of her career.

Madonna said of her new album: “When Stuart Price and I first started working on this record, this was our manifesto: We must dance, celebrate and pray with our bodies . . .  To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people.”

Gen Z will not know what has hit them . . .