Pop Culture

The official shortlist of UK cities hoping to host next year’s Eurovision Song Competition has been revealed. The cities that will potentially host Eurovision 2023 are: Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield. The news was shared on Friday morning on Radio 2 by Scott Mills on Zoe Ball’s breakfast show. The cities that

The recently extended Broadway production of Into The Woods has announced its new cast for the additional weeks, with Stephanie J. Block taking over from Sara Bareilles as the Baker’s Wife and Block’s real-life husband Sebastian Arcelus signing on as the Baker (from Brian d’Arcy James) beginning Sept. 6. Also joining Sept. 6 – the

The original blaster used by Han Solo in Star Wars: A New Hope is expected to fetch up to $500,000 (£410,000) at auction. The prop firearm, used by Hollywood superstar Harrison Ford who played Han Solo in the franchise, was previously missing and presumed lost. However, it was rediscovered by Rock Island Auction Company (RIAC)

The September Broadway residency of rock band Weezer has been canceled due to “low ticket sales and unbelievably high expenses,” frontman Rivers Cuomo announced online last night. “I just learned that our Broadway shows have been cancelled (due to low ticket sales and unbelievably high expenses),” Cuomo wrote on the band’s Discord server. “I’m very

Olivia Wilde has won the first part of the custody battle over the two children she shares with her ex-fiancé Jason Sudeikis. Sudeikis’s claim for the children to live in Brooklyn, New York, was dismissed, and a judge ruled that their home state is California, according to papers seen by Page Six. The 38-year-old actress

David Bowie has been named Britain’s most influential artist of the last 50 years for his ability to transcend music, film and fashion. The Starman musician topped the Sky Arts list of 50 influential artists ahead of 12 Years A Slave Oscar-winning filmmaker Sir Steve McQueen, and It’s A Sin writer Russell T Davies, who

EXCLUSIVE: Playwright Theresa Rebeck, who created the stage musical-themed NBC series Smash, has joined the real-life Broadway-bound musical adaptation of the 1988 film comedy Working Girl, producers announced today. Rebeck will write the book of the musical, said producers Robyn Goodman and Josh Fiedler of Aged In Wood Productions and Kumiko Yoshii. While Rebeck has

Author and illustrator Raymond Briggs, best known for the 1978 classic The Snowman, has died aged 88. The announcement was made by his publisher, Penguin Random House. The Snowman was first released as a picture book – and has sold more than 5.5 million copies worldwide – before it was turned into a much-loved animation

Broadway’s The Kite Runner will require audiences to wear masks at Friday night performances beginning August 19, producers announced today, becoming the first Broadway production to adopt a sort of hybrid masking policy. “We have received feedback from some theatregoers who remain cautious about being in an audience with non-masked patrons,” said producer Victoria Lang

Shane MacGowan has led tributes to fellow The Pogues bandmember Darryl Hunt, who has died aged 72. The punk group tweeted to say they were “saddened beyond words” to share that Hunt, the band’s bassist, had died on Monday afternoon in London. They posted a black and white photo of Hunt holding a guitar case

Broadway’s heavy hitters withstood New York’s heatwave last week, with MJ, Dear Evan Hansen and Hamilton selling out and Hadestown, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Into The Woods, Moulin Rouge!, Six, The Book of Mormon, The Lion King and The Music Man coming very close. In all, the 23 Broadway productions took in $27,682,655

EastEnders star Samantha Womack has revealed she has breast cancer in a tribute to Dame Olivia Newton-John, who died on Monday after a long battle with the disease. The actress, 49, tweeted a photo showing her and her daughter Chloe with the Grease star and wrote: “I now start my own battle with this disease.”

Dame Olivia Newton-John has died at the age of 73, her husband has said. Her family said in a statement that she “passed away peacefully at her ranch in southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends”. They added: “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her

Magnum PI star Roger E Mosley has died aged 83 after sustaining injuries in a car crash, his daughter has confirmed. Best known for his role of Theodore ‘T.C.’ Calvin – helicopter pilot and buddy to Tom Selleck’s titular private investigator – he starred in all eight series of the hit show. His daughter Ch-a

Newcastle has become the latest city to throw its hat into the ring as the UK searches for a host city for next year’s Eurovision Song Contest. It comes after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) ruled the event could not be held in Ukraine next year, despite its win, due to Russia’s invasion of the

Actress Anne Heche is in a “stable” condition following a crash in Los Angeles that saw her car burst into flames, her spokesperson has said. Reports surfaced on Saturday that suggested she had been driving at speed down an LA street before crashing her car into a building and suffering severe burns. According to the

Music industry officials are calling on the government to do more to remove barriers preventing UK artists from touring in the EU since Brexit. Last year, the government announced it had secured visa-free touring to around 20 EU countries. Despite that, artists say performing there is often still too costly, with issues such as equipment

At 5am on 24 February 2022, Eugene Abdukhanov was in his car as the first bombs hit Ukraine. Nearly six months on, the things he saw as he drove for his life are sights he will never forget. “All of a sudden, these explosions started to happen right round me,” he tells Sky News. “Everything

Comedians are a famously outspoken bunch, but – in a year that’s seen controversial jokes by big hitters like Dave Chapelle and Jimmy Carr lead to a torrent of online vitriol and rage – how are those at the Fringe coping with standing up to cancel culture? Sky News spoke to some of the biggest

Former BBC DJ Alex Belfield has been found guilty of the relentless stalking of other broadcasters, including Jeremy Vine, who he subjected to an “avalanche of hatred”. The ex-radio host, who presented on BBC Radio Leeds, was labelled “the Jimmy Savile of trolling” during a trial which heard he repeatedly posted or sent abusive messages,