Category Entertainment News

The Recording Academy has announced the introduction of two new categories for the 2026 Grammys, and fans are speculating that Beyoncé’s 2025 win may have something to do with it

The 2026 Grammys will see the introduction of two brand-new award categories, as well as the renaming of one of the biggest awards of the night. The Recording Academy announced the Grammy Awards will now include two new categories: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover. The existing best country album category will be renamed Best Contemporary Country Album.

They say the updates are part of an effort to “recognise as many deserving creators as possible” but some fans are speculating that Beyonce’s historic 2025 win may have something to do with it.

In 2025, Beyoncé became the first Black female artist to win the Best Country Album award at the Grammys in her first year being nominated in the category. The moment was particularly poignant for fans as the Houston-native’s song Daddy Lessons about her childhood in Texas was controversially rejected by the country music committee in 2016.

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The Academy’s distinction between ‘traditional’ and ‘contemporary’ has fans speculating that Beyoncé’s historic entrance and dominance in country music motivated the decision. Fans shared their speculation in the comments section of the Grammy’s X post announcing the update.

“A black woman won best country album, NOW we need two categories? Interesting”, wrote one user on X. “OH! BEYONCE GOT THEM SHOOK,” wrote another user.

One commenter pointed out that this isn’t the case for categories where black-artists traditionally dominate. “Do they have Best Traditional Rap and a Best Contemporary Rap album categories?”

According to Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, the new country categories would actually put the genre in alignment with others which separate contemporary and traditional albums or performances, like R&B, pop and blues.

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Speaking to Billboard, Mason said: “It makes country parallel with what’s happening in other genres. But it is also creating space for where this genre is going.”

The new traditional country category will focus on: “country recordings that adhere to the more traditional sound structures of the country genre, including rhythm and singing style, lyrical content, as well as traditional country instrumentation such as acoustic guitar, steel guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, piano, electric guitar, and live drums.”

Mason also told Billboard that the proposal for the new category had been submitted a number of times previously, before passing this year.

Two other key changes to the 2026 Grammys include the expanded eligibility for Best New Artist to include artists who have been previously nominated in Album Of The Year, but whose contributions fell below the current 20 percent playing time threshold.

This update allows acts who were credited as featured artists on projects that were Grammy nominated for Album Of The Year in a previous awards cycle to be eligible for Best New Artist consideration.

Additionally, the existing Best Recording Package and Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package Categories have been combined into one single category: Best Recording Package. A new Category, Best Album Cover, has also been added.

King Charles led the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony during Trooping the Colour celebrations – and one move sent estranged son Prince Harry a huge message, according to an expert

A royal expert believes that Prince Harry was sent a clear message from his estranged father King Charles thanks to one key move. The whole of the working Royal Family joined the King on the Buckingham Palace balcony for the grand finale of this year’s Trooping the Colour.

The event, which is the sovereign’s official birthday parade, saw the Firm put on a united front as they waved to the crowds and enjoyed the spectacular RAF flypast. This year’s event comes just weeks after Harry, who did not join his royal relatives, claimed his father, who is still undergoing cancer treatment, was not speaking to him and said he did not know how long his dad ‘had left’ in a bombshell interview.

When the royals assembled on the balcony, the King took his spot in the middle of his family, with eldest son and heir to the throne Prince William, immediately next to him. Last year, the Princess of Wales stood next to the King as the event marked her first public appearance since her cancer diagnosis.

But with the switch of places this year, body language expert Judi James says it sent a message directly to Harry in California. She told the Express: “Charles tends to pick out the most important people in his life at that time to pay attention to during a balcony appearance.

“Kate has often been the object of his attention, but to chat to William suggested a new era of warmth and compatibility between the two men.

“William’s pose resembled the pose he would adopt when talking to his grandmother too. With his hands clasped in front of his torso, he signalled a sense of respect to his father and to the crown. As a message to Harry, Charles, and William would have signalled unity and a united purpose.”

It comes as former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond also noticed the subtle balcony change. And she told the Mirror: “I think the fact that William stood next to his father on the balcony was a signal that things are returning to normal.

“Last year was an exception, with the Princess of Wales taking on her first public duty since her cancer diagnosis, and I think the King was showing his special support for her by asking her to stand alongside him. But today it was the correct order and, in a way, that was quite reassuring.”

In another change to the 2024 event, Kate also took her place next to the King and Queen on the dais during the military parade at Horse Guards Parade, in her role as Colonel of the Irish Guards.

It’s a symbolic position for Kate, and one she was unable to take up last year because she was receiving cancer treatment. Instead she watched the ceremony with her children.

Jennie added: “I also thought it was highly significant to see Catherine on the dais alongside the King and Queen. She was there not only as a very senior member of the Royal Family but as Colonel in Chief of the Irish Guards as they marched by.

“It was a very powerful image of our next Queen alongside her father-in-law who has made no secret of the respect he has for Catherine, especially after the cancer journey they have shared. It certainly gave you the feeling that royal life is pretty much back on track after the scary past 18 months.”

Singer Danny Jones and wife Georgia look to be getting their relationship back on track and she appeared on This Morning in an emotional segment on the ITV show

Danny Jones’ wife Georgia broke down in tears as she emotionally opened up on her 18-month struggle with postnatal depression.

The McFly star’s partner says she ‘felt like a failure’ following the birth of their son Cooper seven years ago. She discussed her troubles on ITV’s This Morning, and says she woke up every day praying things would improve. Postnatal depression affects more than one in 10 women within a year of giving birth, and Georgia says she wanted to shine a spotlight on the help available for anyone who may be struggling.

Singer Danny his wife Georgia faced a tough time earlier this year after he was pictured kissing his I’m A Celebrity campmate Maura Higgins at a showbiz bash. The pair are trying to move forward, and she has put her energy into raising awareness of the condition.

Danny was recorded snogging Love Island beauty Maura at a Brits after party back in March. Danny, who has been married to Georgia for over a decade, eventually issued a grovelling public apology days after the drunken kiss after Georgia temporarily moved out of their family home.

Georgia told viewers: “Cooper is our absolute world, and it’s hard to imagine, but the immense love I have for him now wasn’t there right from the beginning. The hardest part for me was just that, becoming mum. It was the initial entrance of Cooper into the world and how I felt. It wasn’t that instant gushy, ‘Oh my gosh, I love my baby so much’ and I think because I didn’t feel that, I then put so much pressure on myself.

Tearfully, Georgia added: “I was just not the best person to be around because I was just low. I felt like I was failing at being a mum, really failing at being a mum, and I didn’t want that, nothing in me wanted to feel the way I was feeling. You try and you try, each day you wake up and you’re like, ‘Ok, hopefully I’ll feel better today’ and then you don’t. Then you’re like, ‘Why? What’s wrong with me?’.”

She went on: “I had postnatal depression and despite trying to mask it, those closest to me knew I wasn’t coping. Danny definitely noticed that I wasn’t myself. What he found hard was that he couldn’t fix it and he didn’t know how to solve the problem. After 18 months of struggling in silence, I finally reached out. I went to therapy and honestly, it was the best thing I’ve ever done.”

While the married couple navigate their new lives post-kiss, Georgia gave fans an update on ‘life lately’ earlier this month as she posted a string of snaps on her Instagram. Snaps shared by Georgia showed her spending time with friends, working on upcoming projects and soaking up special moments with her son Cooper, who is seen playing a guitar and posing with friends before attempting a Go Ape course.

A source has claimed to the Daily Mail: “Danny and Georgia have been trying to navigate a very difficult time in their marriage and for the best part they have been taking each day as it comes. “They may be living under the same roof, but they barely see each other and right now are like passing ships.

Hornblower star, Ioan Gruffudd, and new wife, Bianca, are expecting their first baby together, which has reportedly left the actor’s ex, Alice Evans, ‘fuming’

Alice Evans is “absolutely fuming” after her ex Ioan Gruffudd announced he was going to become a father again.

The Hornblower star, 51, who shares two daughters with his ex-wife, 53, shared his happy news with new wife, Bianca, 32, on Father’s Day, posting a snap of the couple with the caption: “Baby Gruffudd poppin’ out to say hello!”

While Ioan’s legion of loyal followers flocked to congratulate the Welsh actor, Alice is allegedly ‘horribly upset’ after claiming she’s been left destitute while looking after the former couple’s daughters. Revealing her response to the bombshell news, a source said: “Alice will be absolutely fuming over this. She’s made no secret of the fact she’s destitute looking after the two kids, so to have him rub how well he’s doing in her face is a real gut-punch.”

READ MORE: Ioan Gruffudd expecting first child with his wife Bianca weeks after wedding

They continued to The Sun: “For Ioan to not only break the news like that, but do it on Father’s Day . . . it’s yet another horribly upsetting saga for her to deal with.”

Ioan and Alice formally divorced in July 2023. However, they are still battling fiercely over spousal support and custody and financial support for their two daughters Ella, 15, and Elsie, 11.

Alice spoke candidly about the split, telling followers she was in ‘excruciating pain’ as she opened up about the break-up in agonising detail. in 2021, the 102 Dalmatians star said she was desperately fighting to save the relationship but said she ‘can’t see’ Ioan coming back.

The pair shared a joint statement admitting they were going through a ‘difficult time’ as their 13 year marriage crumbled. In a follow-up post, Alice took to Instagram to share a photo of a broken heart and another image of a heart on a blackboard with ‘Game over’ written across it.

The couple released a joint statement saying it was a difficult time but they remain ‘committed’ to their daughters Ella and Elsie. “As you can imagine, this is an incredibly difficult time for our family and we remain committed to our children. Thank you for respecting our privacy,” they shared.

Ioan and Bianca went public with their relationship in 2021 after working together on the set of Aussie ABC series, Harrow. It was another two years before Ioan’s divorce from Alice was finalised.

During that time he went through a bitter court hearing with his ex-wife, where he sought a restraining order against Alice. Ioan and Bianca claimed to have endured a ‘smear campaign’ of hateful text messages, emails and social media posts from the mum-of-two.

Ioan also fought Alice’s request for more money for spousal support, claiming he had paid $400,000 (£294,000) more than he needed to. In court papers he called Alice’s claims of poverty were ‘exaggerated’ and said it’s a ‘false narrative’ that she and the children have been left destitute.

In February this year, Alice claimed she’d been evicted from her home in Los Angeles after being ‘unable to pay her rent’. The actress said she and her daughters had been forced to leave and had ‘no way of renting even the cheapest room in the city.’

The Mirror has contacted Alice’s reps for comment on this story.

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Iconic high street retailer has spruced up one of the aisles at its beloved stores, prompting excitement among shoppers eager to see it in person but some have branded it ‘dangerous’

Marks and Spencer shoppers are all eager to visit the store to visit one spruced up aisle that’s been branded “dangerous” – because of how much shoppers are worried they’ll spend there. The iconic retailer had humble beginnings as a market stall in Leeds, originally founded in 1884, before going on to become the high street juggernaut so known and loved today.

The company is renowned for its high quality products which span multiple departments. Shoppers can peruse the latest fashion trends, an array of homeware, lingerie, beauty products and more. Equally as popular is its famed Food Halls, which offer branded food and drink as well as M&S’s own in-house range.

Similar to many of its high street competitors, the beloved retailer makes use of social media to keep customers updated on all the newest products and releases.

M&S operates a string of Instagram pages, each focused on a specific department. In a recent post which was cross shared to its main account and its food account, Marks and Spencer revealed its crisp aisle has had a “glow up”.

The retailer shared a video showcasing the aisle. Over the top of the footage were the words: “M&S has the ultimate crisp aisle”.

The clip then showed nine large, varying bags of crisps being added to a basket and added the text: “We’ve got it all!”

The footage was viewed more than 109K times and pulled in over 1.6K likes a hundred comments.

Captioning the popular video, M&S penned: “Our crisp aisle has had quite the glow up over the past few months, and here it is in all its glory.

“Brand-new, eye-catching packaging, upgraded recipes and delicious newbies make the M&S crisp aisle the place to be. What’s your top pick?”

In the comments section, people were keen to share their thoughts. One person declared: “My favourite aisle”.

Another joked: “Too dangerous for me”, while a third shared a sense of nostalgia: “I [love] the crisp sticks, they remind me of Sunday tea at my Nan’s in the 70s & early 80s. She would only shop in the food hall at M&S every Thursday.”

Moving onto the topic of their favourite flavours, one shopper said: “It’s ALL about those Worcester sauce crisps – hands down the best ones out there!”

Another said: “The chicken and garlic butter ones are insane”.

One customer confessed: “Would love to see the combo mix back in multipacks rather than the large share bags…..which I don’t have the self control to resist!”

Another shopper shared their sadness over their favourite flavour being discontinued. They said: “Only you stopped doing the bestest of all….Salted Potato Rings!!!”

Someone else felt the same and replied: “I agree … why did you stop them”.

Jeremy Clarkson’s mum always believed her son would not have had the TV career he did without Paddington Bear after the family played a big part in creating the ironic character

TV star Jeremy Clarkson owes his career to Paddington Bear after his parents made mega money by designing the much-loved stuffed toy.

Shirley and Eddie Clarkson’s small design company led them to make the first-ever prototype of the character in 1972, which they gifted to their son Jeremy and daughter Joana for Christmas. Friends were quick to admire the toys so they started selling them in local shops in the 70s and the Clarkson couple modified Paddington’s design to include his now-famous yellow wellington boots.

However, issues soon came to the fore when the author of the Paddington series, Michael Bond, got wind of the couple selling the stuffed toy without copyright rights. The author asked his legal team to take action against the Clarksons, but one meeting between the Bond and the couple changed the trajectory of Paddington Bear forever.

As legal actions boiled to a head, Eddie and Shirley travelled to London to meet with the authors’ solicitors and happened to meet Bond in a lift. The author of the hit franchise quickly became pals with the couple and tensions around copyright soon melted away. “I got in the lift with Shirley and Eddie,” Bond told The Sunday Times. “They were terribly nice and pretended it had all been a mistake – and we were friends by the time we got out of the lift. I gave them a licence.”

That moment of kindness in the lift changed the Clarksons’ lives, as the family went on to sell millions of bears and Paddington-themed products across the globe. After a huge success, the Clarkson couple eventually sold the stuffed bear rights to toy stalwart Hamleys.

Shirley told AutoTrader in 2010 that he would not have had the TV career he did without Paddington Bear. The millionaire broadcaster also attended two private schools thanks to his parent’s entrepreneurial success – Hill House School in Doncaster and Repton School in Derbyshire.

The Paddington Bear website says: ‘The very first Paddington bear soft toy was designed in the UK by a lady called Shirley Clarkson. She made it as a Christmas present for her children, Joanna and Jeremy Clarkson (who was to go on to become a world famous motoring journalist).

“So many people admired Shirley’s Paddington that she started to make some more until her company, Gabrielle Designs and was granted an official licence to sell them in the UK in 1972.”

When Paddington author passed away in 2017, the TV presenter wrote an emotional statement on Twitter to honour his family’s relationship with him. He wrote: “Very sad to hear Michael Bond has died. I knew him for 45 years and rarely met anyone kinder or more gentle.”