Category Entertainment News

Following the success of Louis Theroux’s series called Boybands Forever, the journalist is planning a girl group version, but one iconic group has reportedly shunned his approach

Louis Theroux is used to interviewing the best in the business. However, one band has reportedly shunned his advances to tell their story.

The popular journalist is creating a new bombshell BBC documentary on girlbands following on from last year’s successful production of Boybands Forever. It’s thought Louis had seen the iconic band as being instrumental in any production.

However, a TV insider has claimed that the quintet – made up of Victoria Beckham, Emma Bunton, Melanie C, Melanie Brown MBE and Geri Horner – aren’t prepared to bare all just yet.

While last year’s boyband version saw Robbie Williams open up on his turbulent time in Take That, the source says the Girl Power group aren’t looking to follow suit.

Talking to the Sun, a source said: “The difference is that the Spice Girls are fast approaching 30 years since the release of their debut single Wannabe and have a string of projects in the pipeline.

“Many of the issues that Robbie brought up on Boybands Forever were wholly justifiable, and most viewers sympathised with his situation when he was in Take That.

“But none of the Spice Girls want to do the same, and they feel it wouldn’t be fair on their loyal fans to spoil the magic of Girl Power so close to their anniversary year. They want 2026 to be a moment when they celebrate the group’s achievements. ”

While the Spice Girls are reportedly steering clear of the offering, other groups from the era are expected to feature. With it thought chats will be conducted face to face, members of groups such as Eternal, Atomic Kitten, Girls Aloud, Sugababes and All Saints are rumoured to be taking part.

Boybands Forever, which was released at the back end of last year, was a series that focused on boybands of the 90s and early 2000s. Among those who featured, as well as Robbie Williams, was Simon Cowell.

Prior to its release, Louis said of the series: “It involves some of the icons of modern British pop – and we see them through their highs and lows. ” He added: “It’s how they came together, the experience of sudden fame, the opportunity and temptations that came their way, conflicts within the groups, between the groups, and between the boys and their managers.

“It’s a gripping fable about getting everything you dreamed of, and it not being what you imagined, centred on a generation of young men, and their managers, who were wildly successful and also immensely vulnerable, having the times of their lives and also in some cases cracking up. “

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A jury reached a partial verdict Tuesday in the sex trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, but has been unable to agree on the most serious charge facing the music mogul — racketeering.

A note from the jury to Judge Arun Subramanian did not say whether the verdict on four of the five counts against the 55-year-old Combs was guilty or not guilty.

“We have reached a verdict on counts 2, 3, 4, and 5. We are unable to reach a verdict on count 1 as we have jurors with unpersuadable opinions on both sides,” the jury note said.

The judge instructed the jury to continue deliberations on the racketeering charge, but dismissed them for the day and asked them to return on Wednesday.

Count One is the racketeering charge and accuses Combs of being the ringleader of a criminal organization that forced women into coercive sex marathons with escorts.

It carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

In addition to racketeering, Combs faces two charges of sex trafficking and two charges of transportation for purposes of prostitution.

Combs’s star fell dramatically when his former partner of 11 years, the singer Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, filed a civil lawsuit accusing him of disturbing sexual, physical and emotional abuse.

That case was settled out of court for $20 million, but it triggered an avalanche of similarly harrowing civil lawsuits and eventually criminal charges.

The seven-week trial included at times disturbing testimony — two women spoke of feeling forced into lurid sex parties, and some former employees told jurors of violent outbursts — along with thousands of pages of phone, financial and audiovisual records.

Central to the prosecution’s case is its accusation that Combs led a criminal enterprise of senior employees who “existed to serve his needs” and enforced his power with offenses including forced labor, drug distribution, kidnapping, bribery, witness tampering and arson.

But defense attorney Marc Agnifilo underscored that none of those individuals testified against Combs, nor were they named as co-conspirators.

Many witnesses were given immunity to avoid incriminating themselves.

To convict Combs on racketeering, jurors must find that prosecutors showed beyond reasonable doubt that he agreed with people within his organization to commit at least two of the eight crimes forming the racketeering charge.

The eight men and four women must reach a unanimous decision on each count.

READ ALSO: [‘Unlimited Power’] Testimony Against Sean Combs Tells Of Lurid Violence

‘Not a god’

Combs is charged with sex trafficking two women: Ventura and a woman who testified under the pseudonym Jane.

Both were in long-term relationships with Combs. And both testified of abuse, threats and coercive sex in wrenching detail.

But while his lawyers have conceded that Combs at times beat his partners, they insisted the domestic violence does not amount to sex trafficking or racketeering.

Agnifilo scoffed at the picture painted by prosecutors of a violent, domineering man who fostered “a climate of fear. ”

Combs is a “self-made, successful Black entrepreneur” who had romantic relationships that were “complicated” but consensual, Agnifilo said.

The defense dissected the accounts of Ventura and Jane and at times even mocked them, insisting the women were adults making free choices.

But in their final argument, prosecutors tore into the defense, saying Combs’s team had “contorted the facts endlessly. ”

Prosecutor Maurene Comey told jurors that by the time Combs had committed his clearest-cut offenses, “he was so far past the line he couldn’t even see it. ”

“In his mind he was untouchable,” Comey told the court. “The defendant never thought that the women he abused would have the courage to speak out loud what he had done to them. ”

“That ends in this courtroom,” she said. “The defendant is not a god. ”

The case of Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs nears its end, but jurors in the Lower Manhattan courtroom are yet to come to a decision on all five counts against the musician

The Sean ‘P Diddy’ Combs verdict is set to be delivered in the coming days. The jury was expected to announce its decision on Tuesday after a second day of deliberation.

However, they have since gone home for the day after deciding on four of the five charges made against the rapper, 55. They had reached a decision regarding counts two, three, four, and five, but had remained unable to decide on count one.

At the end of Tuesday, Judge Arun Subramania instructed the jury to continue deliberating, saying: “I received your note that you have reached verdicts on counts two to five but not on count one. I ask at this time that you keep deliberating. “

The judge had indicated that he would instruct the jury to continue weighing the charge. This echoed the sentiments of prosecutors and Combs’ defence team who had claimed that just two days into deliberations was too soon to call time on trying to reach a verdict on all counts.

Combs has denied all charges made against him. He faces life in prison if found guilty. Now, as the six-week trial rolls over another day, we look at exactly what each count is.

• Count 1 – Racketeering conspiracy
• Count 2 – Sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion – pertains to Victim 1 (Cassie Ventura)
• Count 3 – Transportation to engage in prostitution relating to Victim 1 (Cassie) and commercial sex workers
• Count 4 – Sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion(relating to Jane Doe – Victim 2)
• Count 5 – Transportation to engage in prostitution, relating to Victim 2 (Jane Doe) and commercial sex workers

The jury has remained unable to decide on the biggest sentence. Count one carries the biggest sentence of the five counts, with the rapper potentially facing life in prison if found guilty on the count.

A note said the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the racketeering conspiracy charge because there were jurors with “unpersuadable views” on both sides. However, the judge remained undeterred as they were prepared to wait for a full verdict.

He said that while the jury has a right to deliver a partial verdict that is more of a last resort. And, due to the amount of time passed so far, he would rather give them more time and wait to have a full verdict.

Counts two and four both carry minimum sentences of 15 years. The maximum sentence on the counts is life. Counts three and five carry a maximum sentence of ten years.

The jurors will return to the court in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday, July 2, at 9am New York time, which is 2pm in the UK.

Former Little Mix star Jade Thirlwall has called being a part of the girl group a test as she opens up on the big different

Jade Thirlwall has revealed how difficult it was to rise to fame in a girl group. Fresh from a superb Glastonbury solo debut, the South Shields native, 32, has admitted being part of Little Mix was a big test.

The singer revealed how tough the girls had it when it came to trying to prove their worth in the industry. And she admitted that despite The X Factor providing a huge platform, coming from such a show often meant they needed to showcase their worth even more.

The Angel of My Dreams singer confessed it felt as though being in a girl band is the “ultimate boot camp on how to survive the music industry”. She explained that the girls always had to try to prove their credibility due to their set up and showcase exactly why they deserved their huge success.

Speaking to NME, Jade said: “Being in Little Mix really was the ultimate test of enduring that. Time and time again, we reinvented ourselves, and to be in a girl band that lasts for over 10 years is pretty remarkable. You don’t hear of that often.”

And she admitted her Little Mix career is something that she will always be proud of. However, she is now looking forward to putting her own stamp on her music. “Going into my solo music, it was like ‘OK, now I get to write just purely about my own experiences’, because in a girl band the topics have to be a bit more universal,” she said.

“On my own, though, it was important for me to express myself. ” Jade confessed, though, that the new chapter isn’t about her past being forgotten. Instead, she said: “That was the past, and I loved it, but now this is the new chapter. “

Jade’s explosive set at Worthy Farm was full of talking points as she put on a show to remember. As well as an energetic performance filled with a mix of solo and Little Mix bangers, Jade wasn’t afraid to let her feelings be heard.

Taking to the Woodsies stage on Saturday, she delivered a rousing rendition of her hit FUFN. The track, an acronym for ‘F*** you for now’, features a segment where the singer reels off a list of things she’d like to give the middle finger to.

And during the tune, she chanted: “Reform! Transphobia! Selling arms! Genocide! “, with the crowd echoing back a resounding “F**** you”.

She also fought back the tears, as she shared with the audience: “This song [Angel of My Dreams] is literally me as a song, so thank you for showing me that that’s enough. “

The hit anthem delves into the peaks and troughs of JADE’s 15-year career. In one emotive lyric, she sings: “Selling my soul to a SYCO, they say I’m so lucky”.

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EXCLUSIVE: Actor James Norton was recently said to have enjoyed a date with pop star Lily Allen, but it appears that he is very much single after a cosy date night

James Norton has been spotted getting cosy with a mystery blonde woman. The Happy Valley star recently opened up about his split from his fiancée, Imogen Poots, last year after six years together.

But this summer, James sparked speculation that he was dating pop singer Lily Allen after the pair were seen enjoying a date night at a Charli xcx concert.

Now, the 39-year-old has been seen getting cosy with a mystery woman while enjoying a night out in London. A source revealed that the Grantchester star and his mystery woman made no secret that they were very fond of one another. The pair had been making the most of the recent heatwave while out in Shoreditch, east London.

Speaking to the Mirror, a source said: “James and his female pal certainly didn’t care who was looking. They were happy sitting outside the bar getting very cosy with one another despite the scorching temperatures across London.”

They added: “At one point, the woman was seen resting her hand on James’ bare knees as they engaged in a deep conversation. It’s a stark contrast from his recent date with Lily Allen, but it’s clear that he’s not short of female attention. ” Just last month, we revealed that James was “smitten” with Not Fair singer, Lily.

The pair are believed to have met on an exclusive dating app, used by high-profile people such as celebrities. James and Lily were spotted enjoying Charli’s performance at Lido Festival, east London last month and sources said they were very cosy with one another.

An insider said: “Lily was leaning into him at one point. She and James seemed really relaxed together, and she was really making him giggle. “

The pair were said to be drinking non-alcoholic beer, and that festival goers were doing double-takes when they saw them together. The onlooker explained that the Lido festival appeared to be the perfect first date opportunity, as there was something for everyone at the event.

The source went on to suggest that James and Lily may have met on the dating app, which she rejoined following the breakdown of her marriage to Stranger Things star David Harbour.

Meanwhile, James recently confessed at Glastonbury Festival that he had believed he was going to settle down with his former fiancée Imogen. During a talk at the Silver Hayes, he said: “I got broken up with and it was massive.

“I thought I was going to have kids. The life I thought I was going to have disappeared at 38.” But he later went on to add that there was a silver lining to his heartbreak. “It was a gift in a weird roundabout way,” he said. James added: “She called it. She realised it wasn’t working. I’m crazily grateful for the pain she caused me.”

Noel and Liam Gallagher and older brother Paul were cute kids, and magic mum Peggy brought them up well, now new snaps show the brothers as adorable children

They haven’t always seemed so cuddly on stage or when getting into fights on their way to stardom. But here we see the Gallagher brothers Liam, Noel and Paul as loveable kids, in the years growing up before they became rock’n’roll stars who play Cardiff this weekend.

Peggy met compatriot Tommy, originally from County Meath just north of Dublin and they married in Chorlton-on-Medlock in 1965 and initially lived in the inner-city Manchester area of Longsight before moving to Burnage.

They had three children, the oldest being Paul Anthony Gallagher, along with Noel Thomas David Gallagher who was born on May 29, 1967 and much later William John Paul Gallagher, who would become known as Liam, on September 21, 1972.

Looking back, eldest Paul said: “We had bowl heads, knitted jumpers, little shorts. She used to knit our clothes. Imagine you’ve got no choice. You couldn’t say ‘I don’t want that mam’, because she just spent four years knitting your jumper. We were dressed identical. Maybe it was cheaper to do two instead of one. ”

The family later moved to Ashburn Avenue In Burnage shortly after Liam was born. But by now Peggy and Tommy’s relationship was not a good one and in 1984, Peggy left Tommy and took the boys to live in a council house nearby.

On her sons, Peggy recalls: “Liam arrived five and a half years after, I don’t know, I think there was always that bit of jealousy with Liam and Noel, because there was only Paul and Noel for so long, I idolized Paul and Noel because I had only two of them. Noel was absolutely beautiful when he was a baby. Then, of course, Liam came along, takes the limelight. You could tell the disagreement was there with them. ”

Noel insists despite sharing a bedroom with his brother they were not close, so the rivalry was more of a thing once the band began.

He says: “I didn’t hang around with Liam until I joined the band, although I shared a room with him five years as a generation apart all his mates when I was 15. They’re all 10, you know. So that’s massive. I’m leaving school at 15. He’s 10 years old. You’re fucking smoking weed at 15, he’s just out of short pants, so there is no relationship. ”

Liam responded in the film Supersonic by saying: “I think we got on. I think he was a bit of a stoner, a bit of a loner, one of them people that you’d throw stones at. He had a guitar, so he was copping for it, you know what I mean. One of them walking around with his guitar, with his weird mates. Our Paul was a mod, so he had a bit more about him. He wasn’t so weird like Noel was.”

Peggy left her abusive husband and brought the kids up single-handedly. Liam said: “Any good that comes out of me is all from Peggy and all her sisters and brothers. They were a good, close bunch of people. I never miss my father because my mother was both a mother and a father figure. She was there with the cuddle. She was also there with the whack. I’m generalising dad’s there because dads give cuddles as well. but if I needed bringing down she could do that as well as elevate me. ”

Oasis were formed in 1991 when Liam was still a teenager. He remains very close to his mum and took her on holiday earlier this year in the build up to the Oasis comeback.

They will begin the new live tour with two dates in Cardiff this weekend before heading to Manchester, London and Edinburgh.