show biz

FREDDY Brazier flashed a huge smile as he was spotted for the first time since splitting from his pregnant girlfriend.

The 21-year-old father-to-be dumped his girlfriend Holly Swinburn, who is carrying his first child, after the pair’s tumultuous on-and-off relationship ended in a row involving his dog.

Freddy appeared to put his fresh heartbreak behind him as he enjoyed a night out at Claridges Christmas party on Tuesday.

The model was seen wearing a grey shirt and trousers co-ord, and with what appeared to be a mink scarf around his neck.

He looked in good spirits as he was snapped heading into the venue.

Freddy is reported to have dumped Holly before she “tried to take his dog from him” in a row, the Daily Mail has revealed.

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Sources close to Holly told the Daily Mail that Freddy is struggling with the idea of co-parenting with Holly.

A source told the outlet: “The pair have been arguing a lot recently.

“Having a baby so young is a lot to deal with. Both are quite flighty characters.”

They added how Freddy had feared he was not the father, but has since done a paternity test which confirmed that he is.

The couple revealed they were expecting a child together just last month.

The pair looked loved-up as they posed together at The Pride of Britain Awards at London’s Grosvenor Hotel when she debuted her bump on the red carpet.

The baby is due in the New Year.

The news of Freddy’s heartache comes just mere hours after his father Jeff Brazier was revealed to have split from wife Kate Dwyer after seven years.

Jeff, 46, whose Big Brother ex Jade Goody died of cancer in 2009, ditched his ring, as did PR guru Kate, 35.

Sources said they grew apart after “a year of hell” involving issues with Freddy.

At the weekend Jeff hinted his marriage was over in online posts.

He shared a snap of the view from his new home and wrote: “I’ve escaped back to the countryside.”

He spoke of “living in calm” and “a transitional time in all our lives”.

Yesterday he was not wearing his wedding ring as he reported for ITV’s Good Morning Britain from Reykjavik in Iceland.

A source said PR guru Kate moved out of the marital home three weeks ago and has returned to her apartment in Hackney.

She spent the weekend in Las Vegas for the US Grand Prix.

A source said of Jeff and Kate: “It’s been an incredibly stressful year for all of them.

“It’s been one thing after another.

“The pressure they’re under has exposed the weaknesses in their marriage and it’s become too much.

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“Kate has told friends she’s had enough.

“She left three weeks ago and is now living in an apartment in London.”

At the Beijing premiere of “Zootopia 2” last week, Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jared Bush encountered a wall filled with letters from people throughout China, all writing about what the original 2016 animated movie meant to them.

They highlighted the optimism of rabbit cop Judy Hopps and how they wanted to emulate her sunny outlook. They cited the unlikely friendship between Judy and her partner in crime, a fox named Nick Wilde, as hope that they could find common ground with different family members. It was a display Bush didn’t see at any other premiere.

“It’s more than just a story,” said Bush, who wrote and directed “Zootopia 2,” directing alongside Byron Howard. “A lot of the time, these characters have helped people through difficult moments of their life. They have a lot of love for these characters.”

To this day, the original “Zootopia” ranks as China’s highest-grossing Hollywood animated film, with a total box office haul there of $236 million. Marketing ahead of the new film has included promotions with 10 brands, as well as displays throughout the country, including in Shenzhen, Chengdu and Beijing.

But over the years, the China market for U.S.-made films has changed dramatically, leading to questions about whether “Zootopia,” which heads to theaters Wednesday, and its loyal following can break through the more difficult landscape that American movies face there today.

Once seen as a major — and lucrative — destination for big Hollywood blockbusters, the country now has a more robust local film industry that’s pumping out strong competitors. The fraying geopolitical relationship between the U.S. and China also hasn’t helped, nor has the increasing trend of younger audiences watching short-form content on their phones.

“It’s important to the industry that both ‘Zootopia’ and ‘Avatar’ work,” said Andrew Cripps, head of theatrical distribution for Walt Disney Studios, referring to the upcoming James Cameron-directed “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” “The overall industry needs some success at year-end, and I think this would be a tremendous sign of confidence in the marketplace.”

China was once seen as a gold mine for certain films — namely, big studio movies — that could get approval from its government for release.

A decade ago, Hollywood movies would regularly haul in more than $100 million at the Chinese box office, with massive blockbusters like 2015’s “Furious 7” and 2014’s “Transformers: Age of Extinction” drawing north of $300 million each. Some films with softer domestic debuts could count on China to supersize their box-office returns, like 2016’s “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter,” which grossed nearly $160 million in China alone, but just $26.8 million in the U.S. and Canada.

In 2016, the domestic Chinese film business saw a significant slowdown in box-office growth. As a result, revenue from imported films — largely those from the U.S., such as Universal Pictures’ “Warcraft” and Disney-owned Marvel Studios’ “Captain America: Civil War” — increased by 10.9%, said Ying Zhu, author of “Hollywood in China: Behind the Scenes of the World’s Largest Movie Market.”

Those foreign films accounted for 41.7% of the total market share at the time, up from 38.4% in 2015, she wrote in an email. To help boost year-end revenue, Chinese regulators even relaxed the so-called blackout on imported films during December, which was traditionally saved for local movies.

“Zootopia” opened in China to just $22 million at the box office, but momentum grew in subsequent weeks. Though a movie from the U.S. typically got a four-week run in China, Chinese regulators made an exception and added two extra weeks, said Bush, who co-directed and co-wrote the 2016 film.

“‘Zootopia’ was somewhat of a real surprise to us here in China,” he said on a video call from Beijing while on the film’s publicity tour. “We didn’t know that it was going to turn into this phenomenon here.”

Known in China as “Crazy Animal City,” the film’s dynamic between lead characters Nick and Judy and their imperfect but caring relationship appealed to Chinese audiences, as did Judy’s backstory of moving from a small town in the countryside to a major metropolis, Bush said. Animated films have also long been popular in the market.

After the film’s success, Disney built the “Zootopia”-themed land in Shanghai Disneyland, which opened in 2023 and is the only such land in any Disney park. The studio recently held the movie’s Shanghai premiere at the themed land, as crowds of fans (both there and in Beijing) dressed up as characters from the film, including lesser-known ones like Fru Fru the shrew and Officer Clauhauser, a pop culture-obsessed cheetah.

But since 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, China has pulled back from its embrace of Hollywood films, particularly as its political relationship with the U.S. has chilled.

Earlier this year, China planned to reduce the number of Hollywood films it allows into the country, amid tariff tensions with the U.S. At the same time, China’s homegrown film industry has matured, leading to more locally-produced movies at the box office. A notable success was the animated hit “Ne Zha 2,” which raked in almost $2.2 billion worldwide, $1.8 billion of which was in China.

And similar to the U.S., the Chinese film market has also been dented by the growth of short-form content and increasing popularity of watching entertainment on phones and tablets, keeping theatergoers at home.

That’s all meant a less reliable haul for U.S. films. So far this year, the top-grossing American film in China was Universal’s “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” which brought in $79 million — a far cry from the massive returns some U.S. movies once commanded. The last Disney film that was released in China and made more than $100 million was 2024’s “Alien: Romulus.”

But there are still niches that appeal to Chinese audiences, including family movies, big blockbusters laden with special effects and animated franchises. Cripps said he was “cautiously optimistic” about the film’s reception in China, because of the franchise recognition and the themed land in Shanghai.

“Given what’s happened over the last two to three years, it’s hard to get overly excited until you see some actual data,” he said. “But certainly, it feels good going into it.”

A discussion about the budget was rapidly descending into an argument when Susanna Reid was forced to interrupt Good Morning Britain to reveal some devastating news

Good Morning Britain‘s Susanna Reid was forced to interrupt a heated discussion about the budget as heartbreaking news came in. The ITV morning show host said the news brought back “awful memories”.

Susanna and the shows’ guests were talking about the “smorgasbord” of tax rises expected in the budget and the presenter seemed to be getting irate about the vague language being used to discuss it, frustratingly calling it all “semantics”.

But she soon had to stop the discussion to reveal some breaking news. “We’ve got some news coming out of Hong Kong,” she started. “Where a fire is engulfing a residential building.”

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As live footage came in of the building burning, Susanna found the fire difficult to talk about. “Wow, goodness me, these are live pictures. They bring back awful memories don’t they?”

She couldn’t help drawing parallels between the Hong Kong fire, where several people are trapped inside, and the tragedy at Grenfell Tower in 2017.

The fire at Grenfell resulted in 72 deaths and a public inquiry was started to establish what happened and how such a disaster can be prevented in the future.

The inquiry, which only ended in February this year, found that there was a chain of failures across government and the private sector led to Grenfell Tower becoming a death trap in the event of a fire, as the cladding and insulation were failed fire safety tests.

Susanna described “plumes of grey smoke” coming out of the Hong Kong building and said local fire departments were “battling” to put out the fire and save the people inside.

Kevin Maguire, who was on the show to talk about the budget, said: “You’ve just got to hope that there are lots of exits and that the outside windows have been fitted properly so unlike Grenfell, the fire can’t go outside.”

After the Grenfell fire, it was found that the fire was able to move more easily between the interior and exterior of the building as the windows’ surrounds were made of materials that were less resistant to the heat. The windows themselves were an insufficient size when they were refurbished, necessitating larger surrounds.

Good Morning Britain soon turned back to talk about the budget. Andrew Pierce said he thought Rachel Reeves would be sacked after the budget.

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THE road to Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay’s wedding has been anything but smooth, with a family feud overshadowing their upcoming nuptials.

But I hear fans will soon see the couple in happier times, as their engagement do last December was filmed by Netflix for her chef dad, Gordon’s, docuseries.

They celebrated with friends and family, including Adam’s mum Caroline, who is not invited to their wedding in Bath next month as they are now estranged.

But the scenes are still expected to be part of Being Gordon Ramsay, which sees the chef juggling his personal life with opening five new London restaurants.

A source said: “Adam’s family were at the engagement party, when relations were much better.

“Things went downhill from there.

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“His mum was unhappy some of the family weren’t there and confronted Gordon at the event.

“Guests were made to sign non-disclosure agreements and hand in phones as the party was filmed.”

So many people I know are desperate to find out what really caused the fallout.

The show is due to hit Netflix in February, and I’m sure viewers will be glued to their screens . . . 

PUP IS PINKY SPICE

MEL B was radiant on the red carpet at The Beauty Awards, but I have a feeling her pet pooch is even more pampered than she is.

The Spice Girls star looked trendy in a cropped blazer, mini skirt and towering knee-high boots as she clutched her tiny dog Cookie as she arrived at the bash in London.

And she had clearly pushed the boat out to prepare her pup for the glitz and glamour of the evening, by dying the fur on her head pink.

Kerry Katona was also there and was snapped snogging her boyfriend Paolo Margaglione, who she met on Celebs Go Dating, while Ekin-Su Culculoglu looked fabulous in a white dress.

WHAT A HORROR, SCARLETT

PREPARE for a scare, as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Scarlett Johansson, will feature in the next Exorcist film.

She has joined the horror franchise for the upcoming movie, once again coming from writer and director Mike Flanagan.

He said: “Scarlett is a brilliant actress whose captivating performances always feel grounded and real, from genre films to summer blockbusters, and I couldn’t be happier to have her join this Exorcist film.”

The last film, 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer, had an underwhelming reception, but the hope is that having Scarlett on board will breathe new life into the franchise relaunch.

She certainly has form with relaunches, having been part of Jurassic World Rebirth earlier this year, which made $869million.

WICKED WEEKEND AT BOX OFFICE

ARIANA GRANDE and Cynthia Erivo’s hard work has paid off, because Wicked: For Good managed to conjure up magical box office takings at the weekend.

The movie raked in £17.8million in just three days, making it the biggest opening weekend in the UK since Margot Robbie‘s Barbie in 2023, which took £18.5m.

The figure is 30 per cent higher than the first Wicked film – which came out last November – and the highest ever opening for a stage musical adaptation.

Now it faces a fight to become the biggest film of the year, with hopes it will surpass Jack Black’s A Minecraft Movie, which has taken £56.4million in the UK since its release in March.

But there could well be more of Ariana’s Galinda on screens if fans get their way.

Wicked author Gregory Maguire has announced he is working on a prequel story about the character’s early life called Galinda: A Charmed Childhood, which will be published by HarperCollins next September.

That’s on top of his Elphaba prequel Elphie, which came out earlier this year.

Quizzed on the prospect of more films in the saga, director Jon M. Chu said: “Who knows? But that was never part of the equation. And I just finished this! I know Universal would want to do it, but that’s hard.”

OLLY ON PULL AT ALBUM BASH

OLLY MURS hosted the launch of album Knees Up at his favourite East London boozer.

And Bizarre’s Jack couldn’t resist getting behind the bar with him at The Birdcage in Bethnal Green to see who could pull the best pint.

While Olly declared his one a “thing of beauty”, Jack’s was a disaster – despite having worked at his local Spoons.

At The Birdcage, in Bethnal Green, Olly said: “We have spent a lot of time in this pub so it’s only fitting we have the launch of the album here with a quiz, games, karaoke, cake and darts.

“There’s always a moment to be a lad, right? And that’s what this album is about – I’m going back to my roots.”

COUNTRY music superstar Zach Bryan is ready to take the UK by storm with a series of massive shows here next summer.

The American singer will perform at Liverpool’s Anfield Stadium on June 12, Edinburgh’s Murrayfield on June 14 and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on June 16 and 17.

Tickets go on sale next Friday at 10am.

WITH three No1 albums to his name, Dave has conquered the world of music and now he’s hoping to make you giggle, too.

The rapper, who went very serious on his latest hit record The Boy Who Played The Harp, has revealed he now wants to become a comedian.

In a new interview with The Face, Dave said: “I’m trying to get into stand-up comedy and one of my sketches is that I don’t know how to whistle.

“I’m inherently shy and introverted.”

Sometimes, that can make for the funniest people.

But when Dave’s not making music in the studio or writing gags, he is trying to create positive change in London – via social media.

He said he regularly sends messages directly to London mayor Sadiq Khan, suggesting how he can improve the capital.

Dave said: “I’m telling him: ‘Yo, this is what I think is going on’.

“Not everyone’s going to have a direct line to Sadiq Khan, but you can put a message out to your MP.”

OASIS have said “there will now be a pause for a period of reflection” after completing their reunion tour – but it sounds like Liam Gallagher is ready to go again.

When asked what he wants for Christmas, Liam said on X: “A European tour”.

He added: “There’s loads more classics we need to play for you when we go out again.”

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But when one fan said they were convinced a new album was on the way, Liam replied: “It’s not, I honestly don’t see the point, it won’t be as good as the old stuff.

“I’m quite happy singing the old stuff I’m not 1 of those w*****s that need to keep pushing it forward or sideways or backwards in some cases. Nostalgia forever.”

A new “Dancing With the Stars” champion has been crowned. After weeks of themed choreography revolving around TikTok, Disney films and one-hit wonders, the winner of Season 34 is (insert dramatic pause) Robert Irwin and Witney Carson.

Crikey!

Irwin, an Aussie wildlife conservationist and son of the late “Crocodile Hunter,” Steve Irwin, joins sister Bindi as a winner of the Mirrorball trophy. Bindi Irwin won the trophy during Season 21 of “DWTS,” in 2015.

Season 34 came down to social media personalities Alix Earle and Dylan Efron, actor Elaine Hendrix, and gymnast and UCLA senior Jordan Chiles. Tuesday night’s finale consisted of three rounds of dance. First was the judges’ choice round, followed by the instant dance challenge — in which the style of dance and the song are kept secret from performers until just before they take the stage — and then the freestyle round. With Carson, Irwin earned a perfect score in the instant dance portion of the show.

The season’s winner was determined by a combination of the judges’ votes and those from the public.

Irwin, 21, and Carson, 32, scored an aggregated score from the judges of 29 points. Earle finished second, with Chiles coming in third place, followed by Efron and Hendrix.

Ahead of the finale, Carson revealed on her TikTok that both she and Irwin were dealing with injuries.

“We’re kind of falling apart right now,” the pro dancer said. “My body is feeling it right now, Robert’s body is feeling it right now.”

During a clip from their rehearsals shown before his first dance of the night, a quickstep to Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” Irwin said he feared Carson might need to have a Plan B for the challenging choreography.

“If I push any harder, my body is going to break,” he said.

Irwin dealt with rib pain throughout the night. After his instant dance performance, a cha-cha to DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean,” he acknowledged the toll the competition had taken.

“I catch crocodiles, and a crocodile has never managed to screw up my ribs like that,” he said. “Dancing is hard.”

Liberty X singer Michelle Heaton had a kitchen disaster during the latest episode of Celebrity MasterChef.

Michelle Heaton admitted she was “absolutely gutted” after completely burning her dish on Celebrity MasterChef.

The Liberty X star is amongst the celebrities battling it out on the latest series of the BBC show, alongside Love Island’s Chris Hughes, writer Dawn O’Porter, soul icon Jaki Graham and actor Jamie Lomas.

She was creating a halloumi burger with sweet chilli jam and sweet potato fries when disaster struck. The singer left her sweet potatoes in the oven too long and discovered they had burnt to a crisp when she checked on them.

She let out a gasp as she retrieved the charred chips, before burying her face in her hands, reports Wales Online.

“Oh, no!” she cried out. “I actually can’t believe it. Burned my sweet potato fries.”

Dawn had been granted an additional 10 minutes cooking time after triumphing in an earlier taste challenge, and witnessing Michelle’s mishap, she offered to share it with her.

“Can I gift it?” she asked. But judge Grace Dent informed her: “I am sorry, but you can’t.”

Michelle refused to surrender and swiftly prepared some tiny sweet potato cubes to present instead.

She declared that she would simply have to “hope for the best” during judging, confessing: “I am absolutely gutted.”

“You had a bit of a disaster,” judge John Torode observed as she presented her creation.

“I had a massive one,” she acknowledged, though he reassured her: “You picked yourself up and you went and sorted it out. That’s what MasterChef is all about, Michelle. Good on you.”

The singer received some positive feedback for her dish in the end, with John commenting that the halloumi was “cooked really nicely”. However, he felt her brioche bun was “on the edge of too sweet”.

Reflecting on her performance, Michelle said she had been feeling tearful after the mistake.

But she went on: “I am feeling OK considering I had a massive disaster.

“I was about to cry, but I didn’t, because I usually do. And I just ploughed on. And I’m really, really happy that I did, because I learned something about myself.”

Celebrity MasterChef airs on BBC One.

JESSIE J has taken a leaf out of Jennifer Lopez’s book and taken aim at her Hollywood ex on her new music.

Earlier this year, J-Lo slammed Ben Affleck on track Wreckage of You after her marriage to the actor broke down.

Now Jessie has let rip at Channing Tatum, who she dated from 2018 to 2020, on her album Don’t Tease Me With A Good Time, which is out on Friday.

On the not-so-subtle track Threw It Away, Jessie brands a former flame a “beast”.

She sings: “I put my heart out on the table, that’s when it got uncomfortable. But oh that karma is gonna come one day, ’cause I gave you my love and you threw it away.”

She later adds: “Don’t you dare rewrite the story. I’m the beauty, you’re the beast.”

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‘I’m better person’

Taking to the stage at an exclusive listening party for the album in West London, Jessie did not mention the Magic Mike star by name.

But she left little doubt among fans who the track is about.

She said: “This next song I wrote in 2020 with Ryan Tedder, and you can figure out who I was dating.”

After taking time out over the summer to undergo treatment for breast cancer, Jessie is working at full pace.

Opening up about her health battle, Jessie said: “I’m grateful for the lessons and grateful for the connectivity it’s given me with so many people having cancer.

“And I’ve been a better parent, I’ve been a better person.”

Great documentaries are sometimes lucky accidents, the product of being at the right place at the right time and then having the wherewithal to produce something extraordinary out of those unlikely circumstances. When director Julia Loktev traveled to Russia in October 2021, all she wanted was to chronicle a handful of smart, dogged journalists trying to tell the truth who, for their trouble, had been branded foreign agents by Vladimir Putin’s vindictive government. She didn’t know she would be arriving mere months before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But thanks to a quirk of coincidence, she ended up having a front-row seat to history.

She made the most of it: Running five-and-a-half hours without a minute wasted, “My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow” takes us inside TV Rain, one of Russia’s last independent television channels. Divided into five chapters, the documentary begins as Loktev, who was born in the former Soviet Union before leaving when she was 9, returns to her homeland armed with an iPhone to shadow veteran TV Rain reporter and host Anna Nemzer. Over the next four months, a period that ended shortly after the invasion began, Loktev embedded herself not just with Nemzer (who is credited as the film’s co-director) but several other journalists as they fear being arrested for their reporting.

Loktev hasn’t completed a film since 2011’s “The Loneliest Planet,” which starred Gael García Bernal and Hani Furstenberg as soon-to-be-wed lovers backpacking through the Georgian countryside, their seemingly close bond shattered after a harrowing encounter. In that movie and her previous feature, 2006’s “Day Night Day Night,” a spare procedural about a nameless suicide bomber in New York, Loktev explored the mysteries of human behavior under pressure. But with “My Undesirable Friends,” she takes that fascination to a new level, introducing viewers to a group of compelling subjects, many of them women in their 20s, who open up in front of her camera while hanging out at TV Rain, their apartments or in cafes, candidly processing their country’s terrifying descent into authoritarianism in real time.

These intrepid journalists couldn’t foresee the invasion that was coming, nor the brutal local crackdown on free speech in its wake, but Loktev makes those dire certainties clear from the start, solemnly intoning in voice-over, “The world you’re about to see no longer exists.” Since its premiere at last year’s New York Film Festival, “My Undesirable Friends” has been compared to a horror movie and a political thriller but perhaps more accurately, it’s a disaster film — one in which you know the characters so intimately that, when the awful event finally occurs, you care deeply about the outcome. (“My Undesirable Friends” bears the subtitle “Part I” because Loktev has nearly finished a second installment, which catches up with the women after they fled Russia.)

In its avoidance of interviews with experts or historians, the documentary offers a kind of personal scrapbook of Loktev’s subjects, showing what everyday life is like in an oppressive society: strikingly banal with a constant background hum of paranoia. Each woman comes into empathetic focus. Nemzer, who is a little older than her colleagues, balances her demanding job with marriage and motherhood. Meanwhile, her younger co-worker Ksenia Mironova keeps diligently filing stories despite her fiancé, journalist Ivan Safronov, being imprisoned for more than a year. (He would subsequently be sentenced to 22 years.) Investigative reporter Alesya Marokhovskaya has a girlfriend, whose face we never see, and eventually details grim memories of a violent childhood. And then there’s Marokhovskaya’s best friend and partner Irina Dolinina, who combats anxiety while her politically unconscious mother harangues her about not being able to find a man now that she’s been labeled a foreign agent.

The stress and uncertainty of these conversations is palpable but, remarkably, so is a spiky sense of humor. When a co-worker is temporarily locked up, Mironova cracks jokes outside his prison while awaiting his release. The journalists wear their foreign-agent designation as a badge of honor, mocking the comically lengthy disclaimer text they’re forced to run with their broadcasts, a pitch-black coping mechanism to make sense of their tense, surreal moment.

“My Undesirable Friends” captures dark times with some of the funniest people you’d ever hope to have as sisters-in-arms. Defiant, emotional and life-affirming, the film presents us with endearing patriots who love their country but hate its leaders, sucking us into a riveting tale with a powerful undertow.

The audience anticipates the frightening future that awaits these journalists, which makes their relentless advocacy all the more moving. If our 20s are a period of unbridled optimism — a hopefulness that slowly gets beaten out of us as we grow older — “My Undesirable Friends” stands as a touching display of the resilience of youth. There is nothing naive about these women who came of age during Putin’s cruel regime, but they nonetheless believe they can change things. While Loktev rarely inserts herself into this epic, we feel her admiration from behind the camera. The film inspires while it challenges: What were any of us doing at that age that was comparably heroic or meaningful? What are we doing now?

Those questions should stick in the craw of Americans who watch this masterwork. Loktev has made a movie about Russia but its themes spread far beyond that country’s borders. During a year in which the worst-case scenarios of a second Trump presidency have come to fruition, “My Undesirable Friends” contains plenty of echoes with our national news. The canceling of comedy shows, the baseless imprisonment of innocent people, the rampant transphobia: The Putin playbook is now this country’s day-to-day. Some may wish to avoid Loktev’s film because of those despairing parallels. But that’s only more reason to embrace “My Undesirable Friends.” Loktev didn’t set out to be a witness to history, but what she’s emerged with is an indispensable record and a rallying cry.

Shona McGarty’s family appeared to give Aitch their seal of approval amid romance chatter as the pair arrived for I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in Australia

Eagle-eyed I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! fans spotted a subtle clue they believe a jungle romance is on the cards.

Tuesday night’s show opened with Aitch play fighting with Lisa Riley in the camp, scenes witnessed by former EastEnders star Shona McGarty. Viewers noticed the actress even lick her lips as Aitch, a rapper, stood topless in front of her.

Shona, 34, also shot a playful glance toward Aitch as she watched him and Lisa argue, catching him mid–muscle flex. We reported this week chatter of a potential Jungle romance between Shona and the 25-year-old musician, speculation of which her family appeared to approve.

And I’m a Celeb viewers also appeared to back the romance, with many taking to social media during last night’s episode and into this morning. One posted: “Shona, we see you checking out Aitch there.” Another shared: “OMG Shona is licking her lips at Aitch topless. Did anyone else see?”

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A third commented: “Shona licking her lips when Aitch is topless is no coincidence.” Another wrote: “Were my eyes deceiving me when I saw Shona then making faces at Aitch when he was flexing at Lisa? Haha” And a further fan said: “Not Shona licking her lips at aitch’s sight ahahha.”

Shona, who played Whitney Dean in EastEnders for 15 years, broke up with her musician fiancé, David Bracken, earlier this year. Insiders say the split is amicable, and he recently wished her all the best for the jungle on social media platforms.

Aitch is also single after splitting with Lois Cottam before going into the Jungle. Dec previously said he was shell-shocked by Aitch’s comments when watching the scenes shortly before they aired, on Friday night.

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And, after arriving at Brisbane Airport, the actress’ sister Camila delivered her verdict on the rapper. She said: “He is a nice guy…I would definitely have him around for Christmas.” Aitch confessed his feelings about Shona to Angry Ginge at the end of last week, admitting: “I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Shona, me.”

Aitch, real name Harrison Armstrong, sparked hopes of a jungle romance on last Friday’s episode. The star, from Manchester, took a dip in the Aussie camp’s creek, and said: “I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for Shona, me.”

His pal and co-star Angry Ginge replied: “I think she’s really nice, if that’s what you mean, yeah…” Aitch said: “Yeah, that’s what I mean.” Ginge responded: “Yeah, she is.”

REALITY TV star Kim Kardashian takes wet-look fashion to a whole new level.

The 45-year-old went for a night-time dip in a haute-couture dress by the late Alexander McQueen.

But the gown, first modelled in 2003, appeared far from waterproof.

Seeing the photo on Instagram, sister Khloe said: “You are such a freak for being in that water at night. Are you well?”

Kim was in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to promote her Hulu drama All’s Fair.

Last month, The Sun revealed the reality star had brought out a Skims ‘Panties’ advent calendar which included 25 “luxury” pairs.

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The price had raised eyebrows, setting shoppers back an eye-watering £476 ($450).

The lingerie advent calendar featured a cheeky image on the front, with the panties hidden behind 25 doors in the luxe packaging.

While many websites gave shoppers a sneak peek of what they can expect concealed inside, the Skims offering left it a complete surprise.

What we did know is there would be 25 styles across signature fabrics, including Fits Everybody, Cotton Jersey, Stretch Lace, and Ultra Fine Mesh.

The description on the Skims website read: “A limited-edition luxury: unwrap something special every day. 

“This premium advent calendar is filled with surprise panties to treat yourself all month long-because every day deserves a little SKIMS.”

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s documentary about Sean Combs finally has a release date.

Netflix announced Tuesday that it would release “Sean Combs: The Reckoning,” a four-part docuseries about the disgraced mogul directed by Alexandria Stapleton, on Dec. 2. Jackson, who serves as an executive producer, first revealed he was working on a documentary about Combs and his alleged abuses nearly two years ago.

The synopsis describes the series as a “staggering examination of the media mogul, music legend, and convicted offender” and touts that it will feature “explosive, never-before-seen materials, including exclusive interviews with those formerly in [Combs’] orbit,” such as “his former associates, childhood friends, artists, and employees.”

“Born with an insatiable drive for stardom and a knack for spotting talent, Combs made a quick ascent through the ranks of the music industry with Bad Boy Entertainment and was crucial in bringing hip-hop to the pop masses and launching the careers of dozens of generation-defining artists like The Notorious B.I.G., Mary J. Blige, Jodeci, and Danity Kane,” reads the synopsis. “But along the way … something darker began to color his ambitions.”

In July, Combs was found guilty on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution after a seven-week federal criminal trial in New York. He was cleared of the more serious charges related to racketeering and sex trafficking. The former rapper is serving a four-year sentence.

Jackson, who had long feuded with Combs, often took to social media to troll the Bad Boy Entertainment founder as the various allegations against him mounted and even through the criminal trial’s aftermath.

But the “In Da Club” rapper, whose work in TV also includes serving as executive producer on Starz’s crime thriller “Power,” told Netflix’s Tudum that he’s “been committed to real storytelling for years through G-Unit Film and Television.”

“I’m grateful to everyone who came forward and trusted us with their stories, and proud to have Alexandria Stapleton as the director on the project to bring this important story to the screen,” he said.

Two other documentaries about Combs were released earlier this year: Peacock’s “Diddy: The Making of a Bad Boy” and Investigation Discovery’s “The Fall of Diddy.”

Kelly Osbourne took to social media to show her mum Sharon watching Jack compete in the I’m A Celebrity camp and Mrs O could barely watch as he took on Drown The Hatch

Sharon Osbourne looked concerned by son Jack’s actions on I’m A Celebrity. The reality TV star was a late signing for the hit ITV show but has been impressing viewers with his actions – and campmates with his cooking.

But it was his first solo Bushtucker Trial that left his mum looking nervous. As she sat beside his sister Kelly to take in the latest events, Sharon appeared to be concerned by his lack of breathing in the underwater activity.

With the camera facing towards them, Kelly said: “Watching I’m A Celebrity and they cut to commercials at the most poignant bit. I was holding my breath, and I realised half way through the first commercial I was still holding my breath.

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“I mean come on he’s in a chamber of water and he only has two minutes.” Sharon then chimes in: “With lobsters and toads..” “Come on, we need to know what’s happening,” Kelly went on.

She then praised her brother’s rapid completion on the first chamber as he held his breath for 26 seconds. Gasping, Kelly was clearly proud of her brother and stared at Sharon as she too looked shocked at his efforts.

More gasps followed from the pair in chamber three as the tense music played in the background. As Kelly shouted out “Yes Jackie,” with a huge grin, she was once again surprised at how long her brother could stay under water.

But the next chamber seemed to bring more fear to the pair. Kelly turned the camera onto her mum who had her head in her hands as he went for the final stars.

As the eels entered his chamber, Mrs O nervously hit her daughter as she could barely watch on. And as he came up for air his mum looked worried for her son.

But she punched the air as he completed the task with a clean sweep of 12 stars. And as Jack said he “absolutely smashed it” Kelly couldn’t help but say yeah you did”.

She also seemed to love Aitch’s new nickname for her brother after he called him J-Aquaman”. She later told her followers who weren’t in England of his feat. And she added she thought she was more nervous at the task than he was, saying she is so proud of him.

“He did f***ing amazing,” she gushed. She went on to say Aitch’s title for her brother will be also sticking when he gets home from the show.

I’m A Celebrity 2025 airs every night at 9PM on ITV1 and ITVX.

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BELOVED actor and singer Michael DeLano has died aged 84 after suffering a heart attack.

The popular star who featured in Oceans Eleven tragically passed away in a Las Vegas hospital, his wife said.

DeLano was also known for his roles in Rhoda and Firehouse – starring as singer Johnny Venture in the former.

His wife of 28 years Jean told The Hollywood Reporter that he died on October 20.

Having lived in Vegas since 1992, the charismatic actor was also known for playing a casino manager in the iconic Ocean’s Eleven in 2001.

In ABC’s Firehouse, he played firefighter Sonny Caputo, before the show was axed after just 13 episodes in 1974.

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Playing Venture, he makes a desperate attempt at going out with Rhoda.

He appeared in 11 episodes during seasons three and four in 1976-78.

The star also played Lou Atkins regularly in Supertrain – which aired for nine episodes in 1979.

DeLano was born in Virginia on November 26 1940.

His dad was a pilot in the service, but tragically passed away before DeLano was born.

DeLano, whose real name is Michael Ace Del Fatti, was raised in Philadelphia, and even received fan-mail while he was a regular dancer on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand.

He also served as a paratrooper in the US army.

The rising star then signed with Swan Records as Key Larson in 1960, before recording tunes such as “A Web of Lies” and “A Little Lovin’ Goes a Long, Long Way”.

He later adopted the stage surname DeLano after seeing a blinking neon sign on a hotel with the name, according to his wife.

DeLano burst onto the Hollywood scene after landing an on-stage role in Hair.

He went on to appear in films such as showed up in the films Catlow, and The New Centurions.

The actor then starred in episodes of Adam-12, Kojak, Banacek and Barnaby Jones – before landing on Firehouse.

DeLano is survived by his wife, his daughter Bree, grandsons Michael and Lincoln, and granddaughter Jaxon.

As media executives wrestle with the use of artificial intelligence, radio giant iHeartMedia wants to stand out.

“We don’t use AI-generated personalities. We don’t play AI music that features synthetic vocalists pretending to be human,” Tom Poleman, the company’s programming chief, wrote in an email to employees.

“The podcasts we publish are also Guaranteed Human,” he wrote.

Radio station DJs now are expected to say “Guaranteed Human,” as part of their hourly on-air disclosures, which include announcing the station’s call letters, as required by the Federal Communications Commission. The new branding campaign has its roots in iHeartMedia’s research that listeners turn on the radio for more than just music and information.

“Consumers aren’t just looking for content, they’re looking for connection,” the company’s president of insights, Lainie Fertick, wrote in an October blog post. “In a world of tech overload, consumers are searching for something real.”

The move comes as Hollywood creators, agents and executives come to grips with rapid advances in artificial intelligence, which has assisted workers with routine tasks but also caused a stir with the release of realistic AI actors, such as Tilly Norwood, which has more than 66,000 followers on Instagram. Entertainment behemoths, including Walt Disney Co. and Comcast’s NBCUniversal, also have sued AI companies for copyright infringement.

To be sure, iHeartMedia uses “AI-powered productivity and distribution tools that help scale our business operations,” Poleman wrote in his note. Such AI tools are used for “scheduling, audience insights, data analysis, workflow automation, show prep, editing and organization,” he said.

iHeartMedia is the nation’s largest radio operator with more than 850 stations, including KFI-AM 640, KLAC-AM 570, KOST-FM 103.5 and KIIS-FM 102.7 in Los Angeles.

The company also has a growing podcast business, producing such shows as “Stuff You Should Know,” “Questlove Supreme” and “Drama Queens.” It also co-produces podcasts with the NFL, NBA and Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland Audio, which includes “The Laverne Cox Show.”

Previously known as Clear Channel Communications, the company has experienced the dark side of automation and programming centralization.

In 2002, its radio stations in Minot, N.D., aired canned music as a toxic cloud blanketed the community after a train transporting anhydrous ammonia for fertilizer derailed and exploded. One person died, and dozens of others were injured. Congress then drilled into alleged harms of media consolidation and the failure of broadcasters to alert the community during the disaster in Minot, where Clear Channel owned six of the eight commercial radio stations.

Clear Channel later said local police failed that night to activate the emergency alert system, which would have allowed the broadcast of special bulletins.

The company has since championed its responses to other disasters. An iHeart spokesperson pointed to its award-winning coverage of Hurricane Helene in Asheville, N.C., in 2024 as well as its efforts during the devastating Eaton and Pacific Palisades fires in January, “delivering crucial lifesaving information and working with local organizations to collect and distribute essential disaster relief supplies,” the spokesperson said, noting that Clear Channel was run by a different management team.

“At iHeart, we make service to our communities our number one priority,” the spokesperson said.

iHeartMedia, like other entertainment and news outlets, is dealing with advertising declines, and it has been looking for ways to keep listeners engaged amid media fragmentation. The company this fall cut several staff members at historic KFI, including Morris “Mo” O’Kelly, who had hosted the station’s evening talk show for nearly three years.

Radio host Chuck Dizzle also announced on Instagram that he’d been laid off from iHeart’s Los Angeles hip-hop station KRRL-FM, which brands itself as “Real 92.3.”

The company said its research shows that consumers crave interactions with real people, and they have deep concerns about the growing use of AI and its potential societal changes.

Poleman pointed to a recent survey that showed two-thirds of respondents were worried about losing their job to AI.

iHeartMedia employees should embrace “Guaranteed Human” as more than a marketing tagline, Poleman wrote.

“When listeners interact with us, they know they’re connecting with real voices, real stories, and real emotion,” Poleman wrote. “Sometimes you have to pick a side — we’re on the side of humans.”

I’m A celebrity star Angry Ginge opened up about his feelings to Ruby Wax OBE just hours after the content creator became emotional due to not seeing his family

I’m A Celeb’s Angry Ginge became emotional as tension started to brew. Tensions have been bubbling in camp in recent days, with the group becoming noticeably divided after Angry Ginge sparked a feud among his fellow contestants.

The star caused uproar when he told campmates he had won only five stars in his Bushtucker Trial – only for the truth to come out when a full ten-star dinner turned up.

The revelation left several celebrities questioning whether they could “trust Ginge” going forward. Ginge has also caused a stir after he was appointed camp leader alongside Aitch. The mood in camp shifted when the pair were made leader and deputy, leaving some stars, including Ruby feeling uneasy about the new hierarchy. The actress openly admitted she felt the camp had split into two. However, the 24-year-old appeared to bond Wax, 72 during latest scenes from the programme.

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Ginge – whose real name is Morgan Burtwistle – was recently seen visibly emotional on the ITV reality show, after the stars received pictures of their loved ones.

During one conversation from Tuesday night’s episode (November 25), he opened up about his family life. While showing Ruby his new digs in the leader and deputy treehouse, Ginge also revealed his family photo, pointing out each of his family members to her as she jokingly tells him: “You look a little dorky!”

Checking in on Ginge after his emotional day before, Ruby asked whether he was feeling in a better mood. He then responds: “Much better, yesterday I was just terrible…”

He opens up saying: “Do you know what it was? I’ve gone ten days without seeing my mum for example but I’ve always been able to ring her and text her, so not being able to communicate at all, it all gets on top of you.”

Ginge asked Ruby who she missed more, her husband or her cats, asking her to be honest. She replied: “My cats”, which had Ginge in stitches, before explaining she had been with her husband for 35 years.

As Ruby said she didn’t think Ginge was the romantic type, he explained for his ex before he asked her to be his girlfriend, he had “rose petals, from the front door all the way up the stairs and then it opened to my room, there’s a teddy bear, there’s a rose and then I officially asked her to be my girlfriend.”

In a heartbreaking admission, he went on to reveal that his ex-girlfriend had broken up with him via text message. “I got the message,” he said, adding: “I don’t think it’s working, stuff like that, I agreed,” before saying he had 10,000 people watching him on his livestream.

“I had to carry on for six more hours but in the long run, it’s funny isn’t it,” he said, as he and Ruby went on to laugh about the situation. “When I want to be, I can be romantic,” he said. In the Bush Telegraph, he said to the camera that for ladies who fancied him, he can be romantic.

“She’s an extraordinary woman, she has the same banter as me,” Ginge said of Ruby. Fans were obssesed over the duo. Taking to X, one person said: “Really enjoyed that conversation between Ginge and Ruby. They get on really well. Nice to learn more about Ginge #ImaCeleb.”

Another wrote: “Ginge and Ruby remind me of Maura and The reverend such an unlikely partnership but bloody brilliant #ImACeleb.” A third viewer wrote: “Ruby and Ginge’s chemistry is insane! #ImACeleb.”

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